It hath been commonly said by some of our best Divines, That Justification is transacted in our first Union and Incorporation into Christ; at which time it is conceived, That the pardon of all sin is sealed to the Believer at once. But I fear the misunderstanding ⟨p. 3⟩of this point (not untrue in it self, if not mistaken and misapprehended) hath laid the ground upon which some build that unhappy Structure which turneth the grace of God into wantonness: who knoweth not that Justification in the proper acceptation of the ord, according to the Scripture phrase, is the act of a Judge pronouncing a judicial sentence, wherein he absolveth the person of the sinner from all sin and punishment due to him for sin, and that for the alone Righteousness of the surety Christ freely imputed, and by Faith received of him. And according to this, I suppose we shall not err from the truth, if we say, 1. That the main work of Justification, is even as yet to us future, viz. at the great and last day of Judgement, when we shall receive a final Quietus est, and discharge, and when God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes: And yet 2. That in our first Union with Christ there is a work of Justification, viz. actual Imputation of Christs Righteousness, and actual Remission of what sin for the present the soul stands guilty of, at that time when it is first united to Christ. I dare not say that Justification, quatenus it comprehends Imputation, and Remission of sin, is one individual act; or that all sins, past, present, and to come, are remitted to the Believer at once; but this I say, That in our first Union, all our sins past and present, are actually pardoned; and this favour received, is a pledge of assurance, That in future also, by applying our selves to Christ, we may and shall receive the forgiveness of our daily sins, and that at the last day we shall at once be absolved from all Accusations and Charges laid in against us; and that Justification (besides those particular acts of pardon, and Imputation of Christs Righteousness) doth connote a state that the subject at his first believing is put into, viz. A state of grace, and favour, and reconciliation with God for the imputed Righteousness of Christ, without Apostasy from it, either total or final.
It hath been commonly said by some of our best Divines, That Justification is transacted in our first Union and Incorporation into Christ; at which time it is conceived, That the pardon of all sin is sealed to the Believer at once. But I fear the misunderstanding ⟨p. 3⟩of this point (not untrue in it self, if not mistaken and misapprehended) hath laid the ground upon which some build that unhappy Structure which turneth the grace of God into wantonness: who knoweth not that Justification in the proper acceptation of thew ord, according to the Scripture phrase, is the act of a Judge pronouncing a judicial sentence, wherein he absolveth the person of the sinner from all sin and punishment due to him for sin, and that for the alone Righteousness of the surety Christ freely imputed, and by Faith received of him. And according to this, I suppose we shall not erre from the truth, if we say, 1. That the main work of Justification, is even as yet to us future, viz. at the great and last day of Judgement, when we shall receive a final Quietus est, and discharge, and when God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes: And yet 2. That in our first Union with Christ there is a work of Justification, viz. actual Imputation of Christs Righteousness, and actual Remission of what sin for the present the soul stands guilty of, at that time when it is first united to Christ. I dare not say that Justification, quatenus it comprehends Imputation, and Remission of sin, is one individual act; or that all sins, past, present, and to come, are remitted to the Believer at once; but this I say, That in our first Union, all our sins past and present, are actually pardoned; and this favor received, is a pledge of assurance, That in future also, by applying our selves to Christ, we may and shall receive the forgiveness of our daily sins, and that at the last day we shall at once be absolved from all Accusations and Charges laid in against us; and that Justification (besides those particular acts of pardon, and Imputation of Christs Righteousness) doth connote a state that the subject at his first believing is put into, viz. A state of grace, and favor, and reconciliation with God for the imputed Righteousness of Christ, without Apostacy from it, either total or final.
