The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption…

2. By the Righteousness of Christ. This alone absolves from the Guilt of sin, saves from Hell, and can endure the trial of God's Tribunal. This the Apostle prized as his unvaluable treasure, in comparison of which, all other things are but dross and dung: that I may be found in him; ¹not having mine own Righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is through the Faith of Christ, the Righteousness which is of God by Faith. That which he ordained, and rewarded in the Person of our Redeemer, he cannot but accept. Now this Righteousness is meritoriously imputed only to Believers. For depending solely upon the Will of God as to its being and effects, it cannot possibly be reckoned to any for their benefit and advantage, but in that way which he hath appointed. The Lord Christ who made Satisfaction, tells us, that the benefit of it is communicated only through our Believing. God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, ²that whosoever believes on him should not perish. As all sins are mortal in respect of their guilt, but death is not actually inflicted for them, upon the account of the Grace of the New Covenant: so all sins are venial in respect of the Satisfaction ⟨p. 303⟩made by Christ, but they are not actually pardoned, till the performing of the condition to which pardon is annexed. Faith transfers the guilt from the Sinner to the Sacrifice. And this is not an act restrained to the understanding, but principally respects the will, by which we accept or refuse Salvation. The nature of it is best expressed by the Scripture-phrase, the receiving Christ, ³which respects the terms, upon which God offers him in the Gospel, to be our Prince and Saviour. ⁴The state of favour begins upon our consent to the New Covenant. And how reasonable is the condition it requires? how impossible is it to be otherwise? God is reconcilable by the Death of Christ, so that he may exercise Mercy without injury to his Justice and Holiness: He is willing and desirous to be upon terms of amity with Men, but cannot be actually reconciled till they accept of them: for reconcilement is between two. Though God upon the account of Christ is made placable to the humane nature, which he is not to the Angelical in its lapsed state, and hath condescended so far as to offer conditions of peace to Men, yet they are reconciled at once.