each PERSON diftindly. bus for our acceptation with God, two things are required. r.) That fatisfaftion be made for our difobedience, for whatever we had done which might damage the juftice and honour of God, and that God be attuned towards us, which could no otherwife be, but by undergoing the penalty of the law. This, I have Ihewed abundantly is done by the death of Chrift. God made him to be fin for us, 2 Cor. v. 22. a C,irfe, Gal. iii. 13. On this account we have our abfolution, our acquitment from the guilt of fin, the fentence of the law, the wrath of God, Rom. viii. 33, 38. We are juftified, acquitted, freed from condemnation, becaufe it was Chrift that died; He bare our fans inhis body on the tree, 1 Pet. ii. 24. 2.) That the righteoufnefs of the law be fulfilled, and the obedience performed that is required at our hands ; and this is done by the life of Chrift, Rom. v. 18, 19. So that anfwerably hereunto, according to our flare and condition.; of our acceptation with God, there are two parts. (t. Our abfolution from the guilt of fin, that our difobedience be not charged upon us. This we have by tite death of Chrift, our fins being imputed to him, Ihall not be imputed to us, 2 Cor. v. 2t. Rom. iv. 25. Ifa. v. 02. (2. Imputation ofrighteoufnefs ; that wemay he accountedpettedly righ- teous before God, and this we have by the life of Chrift. His righteoufnefs in yielding obedience to the law, is imputed to us. And this is our accep- tation with God compleated. Being difcharged from the guilt of our dif- obedience by the death of Chrift, and having the righteoufnefs of the life of Chrift imputed to us, we have friendíhip and peace with God. And this is that which I call our grace of acceptation with God, wherein we have communion with Jefus Chrift. That which remains for me to do, is, to thew how believers hold di- Dina communion with Chrift, in this grace of acceptation, and how there- by they keep alive a fenfe of it, the comfort and life of it being to be re- newed every day. Without this, life is an hell; no peace, no joy, can we be made partakers of, but what hath its rife from hence. Look what grounded perfuafion we have of our acceptation with God, that he is at peace with us, thereunto is the revenue of our peace, comfort, joy, yea and holinefs it feif proportioned. But yet before I come in particular to handle our praftical communion with the Lord Jefus, in this thing ; I mutt remove two confiderable objec- tions, the oneof them lying again{{ the firft part of our acceptation with God, the other againft the latter. 1. For our abfolution by, and upon the death of Chrift, it may be Paid; that if the cleft have their abfolution, reconciliation and freedom, by the death, blood and crofs of Chrift, whence is it then, that they are not all a&ually abfolved at the deathof Chrift, or at leaft fo foon as they are born, but that many of them live a long while under the wrath of God in this world, as being unbelievers, under the fentence and condemning power of the law (a)? Why are they not immediately freed, upon the payment of the price, and making Reconciliation for them ? 2. If the obedience of the life of Chrift be imputed unto us, and that is our righteoufnefs before God, then what need we yield any obedience our felves? Is not all our praying, labouring, watching, fatting, giving alms, 331 (a)joM1. iii. 36. are
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