A47601:93
A medium betwixt two extremes wherein it is proved that the whole first Adam…
A medium betwixt two extremes wherein it is proved that the whole first Adam was condemned and the whole second Adam justified : being a sermon lately preached on Rom. 8:1 and now published to prevent the further controversy (in one main point) about justification : to which are added reflections on some passages in Mr. Clark's new book called Scripture-Justification / by Benjamin Keach.
London: printed for Andrew Bell, 1698
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Brethren, Faith, I say again, is said to justify us only in respect of the Object Jesus Christ, whom it apprehended; and it is no part of the matter which doth justify us (the Righteousness of Christ being alone the material cause of our ⟨p. 24⟩Justification) nor doth Faith add any thing to Christ's Satisfaction, or to his Righteousness which alone is imputed to us to our Justification before God. Tho we say that Righteousness is not imputed to the actual and personal Justification of any Man till he has actual Union with Christ; yet I deny that Faith in order of Nature is before Union (or at least before the reception of the Spirit in order to Union) tho not as to time; for Christ takes hold of us before we can take hold of him; also Faith is a Fruit of the Spirit; and sure the Seed must be sown before there can be Fruit. We are passive in Regeneration, but not in the act of Faith. But when a poor Sinner receives the Spirit, then it is that he in his own Person is declared and pronounced righteous; he being in Christ is pardoned, and actually acquitted and discharged from that Legal Guilt, or from that Obligation he lay under to Condemnation in the first Adam, the Sentence being then taken off, and he loosed from those Fetters and Chains by which he was before bound; and this therefore is more no doubt than simply justified in his own Conscience.
For tho Christ as our Surety when he rose from the dead, received a full discharge for us; yet until we are united by the Spirit unto him, by which Faith is wrought in our Souls, and our Eyes are enlightened, we have not this great Blessing made over to us. Mind that Passage of the Apostle again,1 By whom now we have received the Atonement.
For tho Christ as our Surety when he rose from the dead, received a full discharge for us; yet until we are united by the Spirit unto him, by which Faith is wrought in our Souls, and our Eyes are inlightned, we have not this great Blessing made over to us. Mind that Passage of the Apostle again,