Discourses on various important subjects, nearly concerning the great affair of the soul's eternal…

2 A divine Constitution that is antecedent to that which establishes Justification by a Saviour, (and indeed to any need of a Saviour,) stands in the Way of it, viz. that original Constitution or Law which Man was put under; by which Constitution or Law the Sinner is condemned, because he is a violater of that Law; and stands condemned, till he has actually an Interest in ⟨p. 30⟩the Saviour, through whom he is set at liberty from that Condemnation. But to suppose that God gives a Man an Interest in Christ in reward for his Righteousness or Virtue, is inconsistent with his still remaining under Condemnation 'till he has an Interest in Christ; because it supposes that the Sinner's Virtue is accepted, and he accepted for it, before he has an Interest in Christ; inasmuch as an Interest in Christ is given as a Reward of his Virtue; but the Virtue must first be accepted, before it is rewarded, and the Man must first be accepted for his Virtue, before he is rewarded for it, with so great and Glorious a Reward; for the very notion of a Reward is some Good bestowed in testimony of Respect to and Acceptance of Virtue in the Person rewarded. It don't consist with the Honour of the Majesty of the King of Heaven and Earth, to accept of any Thing from a condemned Malefactor, condemned by the Justice of his own holy Law, […] 'till that Condemnation be removed: and then such acceptance is inconsistent with, and contradictory to such remaining Condemnation; for the Law condemns him that violates it, to be totally rejected and cast off by God; but how can a Man continue under this Condemnation, i. e. continue utterly rejected and cast off of God, and yet his Righteousness or Virtue be accepted, and he himself accepted on the Account of it, so as to have so glorious Reward as an Interest in Christ bestowed as a testimony of that Acceptance?

2 A divine Constitution that is antecedent to that which establishes Justification by a Saviour, (and indeed to any need of a Saviour,) stands in the Way of it, viz. that original Constitution or Law which Man was put under; by which Constitution or Law the Sinner is condemned, because he is a violater of that Law; and stands condemned, till he has actually an Interest in ⟨p. 30⟩the Saviour, through whom he is set at liberty from that Condemnation. But to suppose that God gives a Man an Interest in Christ in reward for his Righteousness or Vertue, is inconsistent with his still remaining under Condemnation 'till he has an Interest in Christ; because it supposes that the Sinner's Vertue is accepted, and he accepted for it, before he has an Interest in Christ; inasmuch as an Interest in Christ is given as a Reward of his Vertue; but the Vertue must first be accepted, before it is rewarded, and the Man must first be accepted for his Vertue, before he is rewarded for it, with so great and Glorious a Reward; for the very notion of a Reward is some Good bestowed in testimony of Respect to and Acceptance of Vertue in the Person rewarded. It don't consist with the Honour of the Majesty of the King of Heaven and Earth, to accept of any Thing from a condemned Malefactor, condemned by the Justice of his own holy Law, 'till that Condemnation be removed: and then such acceptance is inconsistent with, and contradictory to such remaining Condemnation; for the Law condemns him that violates it, to be totally rejected and cast off by God; but how can a Man continue under this Condemnation, i. e. continue utterly rejected and cast off of God, and yet his Righteousness or Vertue be accepted, and he himself accepted on the Account of it, so as to have so glorious Reward as an Interest in Christ bestowed as a testimony of that Acceptance?