326 Of COMMÚNION 4R12th that was due for us, delivers us from this condition. And thus far, the death of Chrift, is the foie taufe of our acceptation with God; that all caufe of quarrel and rejeftion of us, js thereby taken, away, and to that end, arehis fufferings reckoned to us, for being made finfor irr, 2 Cor. v. ai; he is made righteoufnefs unto ù,r, 2 Cor i. 31. . But yet farther, this will not compleat our acceptation with God. The old quarrel May be laid afide, and yet, no new friendfhip begun. Wemay be not finners, and yet not be fo far righteous, as to have a right to the kingdom of heaven. Adam had no right to life, becaufe he was innocent, hemuff moreover do this, and then he fhall live, lae muff not only have a negative righteoufnefs, he was not guilty of any thing; but alfo a pofitive righteoufnefs, he muff do all things. (a.) This then is required in the fecund place to our.compleat acceptati- on, that we have not only the non- imputation of fin, bur alfo a reckoning of righteoufnefs. Now this we have, in the obedience of die life of Chrift. This alto was difcovered in the Taft chapter. The obedience of the life of Chrift was for us, is imputed to us, and is our righteoufnefs before God, By his obedience are we made righteous; Rom. v. 18. On what fcor"e the obedience of faith takes place, thall be afterwards declared. Theft two things then, compleat our grace of acceptation; fin being removed, and righteoufnefs beftosved, we have peace with God, are conti- nually accepted before him. There is not any thing to charge us withal, that which was, is taken out of the way by Chrift, and nailed to his crofs; made fart there, yea publickly and legally cancelled, that it can never be admitted again as an evidence. What court among men would admit ofan evidence that hath been publickly cancelled, and nailed up for all to fee it? So hath Chrift dealt with that which was againft us; and not only fo; but alfo he puts that upon us, for which we are received into favour, he makes us comely through his beauty, gives us white raiment to Rand before the Lord. This is the firff part of purchafed grace wherein the faints have communion with Jefus Chrift. In remillion of fin, and imputation of righteoufnefs doth it confift, from the death of Chrift, asa price, facrifice, and punifhment; from the life of Chrift fpent in obedience to the law doth it atilt. The great produf it is of the father's righteoufnefs,' wifdom, love, and grace; the great and aftonifhable fruit of the love and conde- fcenfioli of the fon, the great difcovery of the Holy Ghuft, in the reve- lation of the tnyftery of the Gofpel: 2. The fecund is grace of fanftification ; he makes us not only accepted, but alfo acceptable. He doth not only purchafe love for his faints, but alfo makes them lovely. He came not by blood only, but by water, and blood. He doth not only juftify his faints from the guilt offin, hut alfo Lenftify and walk them from the filth of fin, the fiat is from his life and death as -a façrifice of propitiation, this from his death as a purchafe, and his life as an example. So the apoftle, Heb. ix. 14. as alfo, Eph. v. ad, 27. Two things are eminent in this iffue of purchafed grace. (s.) The re- moval of defilement. (a.) The beftowing of cleannefs, in aftual grace. (r.) For the fiat, it is alfo threefold. [t.] The habitual cleaning of our nature. We are naturally unclean, defiled ; habitually fo. For who can bring a clean thing, from that which is unclean ? Job xiv. 4. That which is born of the flefhi, ù flefb, Joh. iii. 6. It is in the pollution of our blood that we are born, Ezek. xvi. wholly defiled and polluted. The grace of fanftification purchafed by the blood of Chrift
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