N00347:126
A brief discourse of justification. Wherein this doctrine is plainly laid down according to…
A brief discourse of justification. Wherein this doctrine is plainly laid down according to the Scriptures. : As it was delivered in several sermons on this subject. / By Samuel Willard, teacher of a church in Boston. ; [Ten lines of quotations]
Boston: printed by S for Samuel Phillips, 1686
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
3. God the Father accepted of this. Suretyship of Jesus Christ upon the account of his Elect: God the Father is, according to Scripture Language, looked upon as the supreme Judge (not exclusively as shutting out the Son and Holy Ghost, but inclusively; for it is certain that the Deity is offended by sin, and every person is equally interested in the satisfaction that is to be made; but only the Word of God is wont to ascribe works particularly to that person wherein his order and manner of working doth especially appear) Jesus Christ God man is Judge, 2 Cor. 5.10. We must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ: But he is a delegated Judge his Kingdom is a Mediatory Kingdom, and he must resign it again, when the work so laid upon him shall be accomplished, 1 Cor. 15.26,27. his Father put this Judgment into his hands, Joh. 5. 22. The Father judgeth […] man, but […] committed all Judgment to the Son. Now God seeing how infinitely this Suretyship of the Lord Jesus Christ would redound to the Glory and Praise both of his Mercy and Justice, accepted of him as our Surety: for, as it is at the liberty of the Judg to accept or refuse, so it belongs unto his prudence to consider and well weigh the capacity of the Person thus making a tender ⟨p. 61⟩of himself to become a Surety, and to look to all the consequences which will result from such a thing, and accordingly either to receive or reject him; and in such exchanges persons are wont to take care at least that there shall be no disadvantage or loss arising therefrom; and the Great God saw and considered, that Justice would fit in the highest State, when it led the Son of God in triumph: That Christ should be put under the Law, and made to bear the rigour of it, afforded i• a far greater Triumph than if all the World had been Judged and Condemned by it. Never did Justice sit in such State, or appear in such Majesty, as when it arraigned, condemned, and did execution upon the Son of God. When Gods Sword was awakened against the man that was his fellow, (so is he called by God himself, Zech. 13.7