3 34 S E R M Ò NS upon Serm. XLIII- tution. (2)Eftimation. (3) Sentence. And (4) Execution. 1. Conttitutively, by his Gofpel-grant, or the New Covenant in the blood of Chrift; The Covenant of grace is Gods pareloning a&, . and inftrument by which we know whom, and upon what Terms God will ¡¡pardon and juttifie 5 namely, all fuch as repent and believe the Gofpel. We are conftituted juif and righteous, and exempted from the curie and penalties of the law: We may know the true way of jollification by its oppo. fit ion to the falfe or pretended way, A &s 13. 3$, 39. Through this man is preached unto yw: the fargivenefs of/ins ; and by him all that believe are juflified from all ¡bofe things from which they could not be jufiified by the lam of Mofes. The yews expelled to be juflified by the law ofMofes; but we are nitrified by the law of Chrift, that is, this conftituteth our right; and herein juftification and fan&ification differ : God fan &ifieth by his Spi- rit, but jufliueth by the fentence of his word, or promife of the Gofpel. Our right im. mediately refults thence, as by an a& of indempnity we are freed from all the penalties which otherwife we might incur without any further at of the Magiftrate. We are conftituted righteous by his deed of gift in the Gofpel, but made holy by his Spirit; but if any quarrel at this term, and fay, that God by the Ncw Covenant cloth declare who are jultifiable, but Both not juftifie. I anfwer further, We are juflified, 2. By way of Eftimation, whereby God doth determine our right, accept or deem, and account them righteous, who fulfil the terms of the Gofpel, and a &wally convey to them the fruits of Chrilts death : This is fpoken of, s Cor. 6. is. And fuck were tome of you : but ye are wafted, but ye are fantlified, but ye are juflified; once vile (inners, now walked, fan&ified, and juflified : as Coon as they believe, they are put into a ftate of ac- ceptation, d P00.4, that is, juflifying,he continueth to juftifie them unto the death, and he keeps them in that eflate wherein they have exemption from the punifhment of fin, and a right to eternal life. 3. By way of Sentence. This is in part done here, when God interpreteth our righte oufnefs and fincerity, Job 33 23, 24. if there be a mninger with him, an interpreter, one among a thoufand, to flsew unto man his nprightnefs 3 then he is gracious unto him, and faith, Deliver hint from going down to the pit ; I have found a ranfom. And doth by the Spirit of adoption afï'are us more and more of the pardon of our fins: but more folemnly at the laft day, when the Judge cloth, fitting upon the Throne, pronounce and declare us righteous before all the world,and as thofe who are accepted unto life, A &s 3.19. That your fins may be blotted out, when the times of refrefhing (hall come from the prefence ofthe Lord. Then the fentence is folemnly pronounced by the Judg fitting on the throne; and the are juftified before God, Men, and Angels. There are two parts of judgment, to condemn, and to abfolve or juftifie: Matth. 12. 36, 37. But 1 fay unto you, that for every idleword that a man (hall fpeak, he (hall give account thereof at the day of judgment ; for by thy words thou flsalt be juflified, and by thy words thou (halt be condemned : then every mans doom (hall be pronounced. 4. By way of Execution, when the fentence is executed. This is in part done here, as God taketh off the penalties and fruits of fin, either in the way of his internal or external government, and giveth us many bleffings, as the pledge of his love ; and above all, the gift of the Holy Spirit, whereby he Can &ifieth us more thoroughly, and worketh in us that which is pleating in his fight : This he giveth as the God of peace, as reconciled to us in Chrift, Heb. 13. 20, 2 t. Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord fetus, that great fhepherd of the Beep, through the blood of the ,everlafling Co- venant, make you perfect in every good . work, to do his will, working in you that which is pleafng in bis fight, through Jefus Chrift. 1 Thef. 5. 23. And the very God of peace fantlifie you wholly: and I pray God your whole fpirit, and foul, and body, be preferved blamelefs unto the coming of our Lord yefus Chrift; faithful is he that calleth you, who will do it : but more fully at the lait day, when we enter into everlaffing glory; and the wicked are turned into hell with the Devil and his Angels, Matti). 25.46. And theft (hall go into everlafling punifhment ; but the righteous into life eternal : then is the full and final execution, a perfe& freedom from all mifery, and a poffeffion of all hap - pinefs. 3. How it can Hand with the wifdom, juftiee, and holinefs of God, to juftifie a fin- tier ? 'Tis a great crime to take the unrighteous to be righteous; and to pronounce the wicked juflified, feemeth to be again(t the word of God, Prov. 24. 24. He that faith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him (hall the people curfe; Nations /ball abhor hint. Prov. 17. 15. He that juflifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the jug, even they both are
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