Of the death of C'brrfi. believe. Elfe, why is faith -given him at this inftant for Chrflt's fake, d not to another, for whom alfo he died ? That it is done then, is, becaufe the appointed time is come ; that it is done then for Chrift, is becaufe Chrift is firft given to him. I cannot conceive how any thiiJOPltould be made out to fie for Chrift, and Chrift himfelf not be given to me; he being "nude unto us of God, righteoufmfs, 1 COL 1. 3o. [s.] The Apoftle holds outthis very method of the difpenfation of grad Rom. $.32. He that fpared not his fon, but delivered him up to death fir su all low }hall he net with hint freely, give on all things ? Fìì8, Chrift is given for us, then to us; then with him (he having the pre- eminence in all things) all things : and this being, alfo, for him, Phil. 1. v. he is certainly in the order of nature given in the firft place. He being madeours, UT receive the atonement by him, Rom. y. is. eaf ly aolved.Chrift is ours beforeátd afterrbelievingbin adifferent fenfe.eHewho. is made ours in an aft of God's love, that for him we may have faith, may be found and made ours in a promife of reconciliation by believing. I offer alfo, whether abfolution from the guilt of fin, and obligation unto death, though not as terminated in the confcience for compleat jullification, do not precede ouraftual believing. For, what is that love of God which through Chrift is effeftual to bellow faith upon the unbelieving ? And how can fo great love in the aetual exercife of it producing the moll diftinguifhing mercies, perfoconfiit with any furls aâ of God's will, as at the fame. inftant should bind that n under the guilt of fin ? Perhaps alto this may be the jultification of the ungodly mentioned, Rom. 4. God's abfolving a (inner in heaven, by accounting Chrift onto him, and then bellowing him, upon him, and for his fake enduing himwith faith to believe. That we fhould be bleffed with all fpiritual bleßiegs iu Chrift, and yet Chrift not out* in a peculiar manner before the bellowing of chofe bleflings on us, is fomewhat ftrange. Yea he mull be our Chrift, before it is given' to us fefr him to believe : why elfe is it not given to all others fo to do; I (peak not of the fupream diltinguifhing caufe, Matt. ii. n;, ah. but of the proximate procuring caufe, which is the blood of Chrift. Neither yet do I hence affert tompleat jullification to be before believing. Abfolution in heaven, and jufti- jcation differ as part and whole. Again, abfolution may be confider'd, either as a purea& of the will of God in it felf, or as it is received, believed, apprehended, in, and by the foul of the gsilty. For abfolution in the fin t fenfe, it is evident it mull precede believing: as a difcharge from the eifefts of anger, naturally proceeds all collation of any fruits of love, fuch as is faith. But if God account Chrift unto, and bellow him upon a (inner before be- ieving, and upon that account, abfolve him from the obligation unto death andhell, which for fin he lies under, what wants this of compleat júftification? Much every way. t. It wants that aft of pardoningmercy, on the part of God, which is tobe erminated and compleated in the confcience of the finner; this lies In the ?romife. z. It wants the heart's perfuafion concerning the truth and goodnefs of the promife, and the mercy held out in the promife. 3. It wants the foul's rolling it Pelf upon Chrift, and receiving of Chrift, as the author and unifier of that mercy, an all-fufficient faviour to them that believe. So that by faith alone we obtain and receive the forgivenefs of fist s for not- withltanding any antecedent aft of God concerning us, in and for Chrift, we do not aftually receive a connpleat foul-Freeing difcharge, until we believe. And thus the Lord Chrift hash the preheminence in all things. He is the author and finer of -cer faith. This then is that whichhere we affign unto the Lord. Upon the accom- plifhment of the appointed feafon, for the making out the fruits of the death of Chrift unto them, for whom died, he loves them freely, Pays to them, list, gives them his fon, with and for him, all things, bringing forth the choiceft
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