a cause, not meritorious or materiall, but instrumentall only, receiving Christ promised and offered in the word of grace. For howsoever our righteousnesse be called the righteousnesse of the faith of Jesus, or Rom. 3.22
Phil. 3.9.by the faith of Jesus, faith it selfe is never called our righteousnesse. We reade that 1 Cor. 1.30.Christ is made unto us of God righteousnesse, that Rom. 5.19.by one mans obedience many are made righteous, that Rom. 10.4.Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth, that the believer is justified by him, and by faith in him obtaineth remission of sins. We find also by conference of Scriptures, that to be justified by faith, and to be justified by Christ is in substance all one. A: God did predestinate Christ of grace to this honour of being God in fellowship of person, and of being the Prince of our salvation: So God in the Covenant he did make with him, and the commandment he gave him of laying downe his life, did strike it and fulfill it of grace, not requiring any thing of his Son more then duties of free obedience, which should of grace have acceptance, &c.
Bain. Col. 1.19.And what can be the sence of those places, but this, that Christ is the meritorious and materiall cause (so to speake) of our Justification, faith the condition and instrument, whereby we receive Christ made of God our righteousnesse. The Apostle making comparison betwixt the first and second Adam sheweth, that as sin commeth from Adam alone unto us all, as he in whom we have all sinned: So from Jesus Christ alone commeth righteousnesse to all that are in him, as from him that hath satisfied the justice of God, and performed gratefull obedience at the commandment of grace, for them all. In which comparison faith never hath the place of our righteousnesse, but answers in our participation of righteousnesse in Christ, to that which is the ground of our being partakers in the sin of Adam. For, as we were one with Adam, and in respect of orignall and nature were in him, and one with him, and so by being in him and one with him, did all in him and with him transgresse the commandment of God: even so, in respect of faith, whereby onely we are united unto Christ, and spiritually made one with him, and ingrafted into him, we all in him did satisfie the justice of God, or are made partakers of the fruit and benefit of his satisfaction. Thus our union with Christ and meanes thereof, is alwaies to be distinguished from our communion with him, in the participation of his righteousnesse, as the fruit thereof. Like as our being in Adam, and one with him, is to be distinguished from the fruit thereof, which is communion with him in the participation of his transgression. If faith be only the hand whereby we put on Christ both as a justifier and sanctifier, then it is not the garment of righteousnesse, wherewith we are cloathed. But it is only the hand whereby we put on Christ as a garment, Gal. 3. 27. Rom. 13. 13, 14.Faith
Page:A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace (John Ball).djvu/79
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as it was made and manifested to Abraham.
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