man, Ifa. lix. 2. whereby God was not only our adversary, but also our terrible avenger, is removed, and there is peace betwixt God and us; and hence flows peace in our confciences, and with the creatures, Ifa. xi. and lxv. John xvi. 33. And 3. he addeth the meritorious cause of all this, through our Lord Jesus Chrift, who is called Lord, as freeing us from justice by his death, and froin Satan, death, and the slavery of fin, and so becoming our Lord and ransomer; and Jefus, as being our Saviour; and Christ, as being the anointed Meffias, promised of old, and now exhibited. This also serveth to confirm justification by faith thus; That is the only way of justification by which we have peace with God: But so it is, that by justification in and thro' faith, we have peace with God: Therefore, &ι, OBSERVATIONS. ther evince, that we are justified by faith; and so says, being justified by faith, we have peace, &c. IV. Justification being an act of God's free grace, which he passeth in his word upon believers, whereby all their iniquities which they stand guilty of are pardoned, Mic. vii. 19. Jer. xxxiii. 8. Ezek. xvi. 63. and they put into a new covenant state; so as they shall never meet with condemnation, Rom. viii. 1. having on the righteousness of Chrift, which is perfect and fully bestowed, Jer. xxiii. 6. 1 Cor. V. 21. It is an inftantaneous act perfected at once; for here, immediately upon juftification by faith, followeth friendship with God: and so believers are immediately put into a state of reconciliation and friendship with God; and fo, ex ipfo, that they are justified by faith in Christ, they are able to answer all objections; so that justification is not a thing still in doing. V. Justification being thus no continued act, but an instantaneous action, perfected in an instant, it is full and adequate to every purpose in this life: fo that altho believers have not all their iniquities which they have not as yet committed, actually pardoned, but will have daily reafon to I. Justification, as it is a great privilege and favour of itself; so is it the fountain of many more excellent and special mercies, which the Lord bestoweth upon his own; it goeth not alone, but is ever accompanied with many other advantages and favours of fpecial note: so here is mention made of many things flowing from justification, I pray for pardon of fin, until the day of as peace with God, &c. death, that they be perfectly fanctified. Heb. xii. 23.; yet they shall never come under the sentence of death for their future fins; and they have them all virtually pardoned, Chrift having fully fatisfied juf II. As it is much for our edification and confolation, to know the right manner of our juftification; so is it also to be well acquainted with the several rivulets that flow from this fountain-mercy: therefore doth | tice for them; and are sure that they shall the apostle make mention of these here, faying, being justified by faith, we have peace, &c. all be actually pardoned, because of the promise granted in the new covenant, the pledge of which is actually received: hence we find justification mentioned as a deed done, Rom. iii. 24. I Cor. vi. 1. so here it is so full as hath peace with God following thereupon, and feveral other spiritual favours; being justified by faith, we have peace. III. A right view and a serious confideration of the many rich and precious favours that accrue to fuch as are justified, may abundantly ferve to convince such of their folly, who expect to be justified because of their works, and to shew a necefsity of trusting to Jesus Christ by faith, VI. Albeit juftified perfons may fall inand thereby expect justification: for by to grofs iniquities, which they may, and these fruits of justification, he doth fur-must beg pardon of from God, and upon their faith and repentance, get actually | science; being justified by faith, we have peace. Fardoned, and possibly the pardon intimate to their confciences; yet it is not the act of justification reiterated thereupon, as if either thereby the former pardon granted were null, (for whom God pardoneth, he absolutely pardoneth, not purposing to revoke the fame upon any condition, so that he remembereth them no more, &c.) or he were put out of his former justified state, and needed that a new act pass, for instating him of new; for being once juftified, they are at peace with God, and so once for ay put into a state of reconciliation and friendship; and this state is not alterable. VII. This juftification being an act of God, who is wife, just, and holy, purehased by the righteousness of Christ, and being had by faith, which is a real grace, Heb. xi. 1. is a most real thing, having real effects and fruits flowing therefrom: as here, peace with God, which cannot follow upon a chimera, or a non-ens, but upon that which is a real efficacious thing: being justified by faith, we have peace with God, VIII. This justification by faith being a real deed (as is shown in the last) it maketh a real change in the believer; not phyfical, for it doth not abolish the very effence of fin, but moral and legal, in a law sense; not perfonal, (which change fanctification only makes,) but in our estates, and that before God: for now being juftified by faith, we have peace with God, which we had not before. See Hof. i. 10. 1 Pet. ii. 10. Ezek. xvi. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 1 Tim. i. 13. Eph. ii. 1. 2. 3. 4. and iv. 20. 2 Tim. i. 9. Tit. iii. 3. IX. This juftification which is here faid to be by faith, is not that justification which is in folk's own confcience; but is a real justification before God, because it is such a justification as goeth before peace and reconciliation with God; which may be, where there is no juftification in con X. All mankind since the fall, having loft communion with God, are living in open rebellion against him, and there is nothing but rank enmity and red war betwixt God and them; for until men and women be justified, they are not at peace with God; being justified, we have peace. However, at the begining, man walked in peace, communion, confidence and boldness with God; yet now by fin, this peace is broken up, and there is enmity on our part, against God, Col. i. 20. 21. Rom. v. 10. and viii. 7. and not only fo, but also on his part, so as we are under his wrath, John iii. 36. Eph. ii. 3. abominated of him, Pfalm xi. 5. 6. our duties rejected, Prov. xv. 8. 9. a sentence lying above our head, Gen ii. 17. Deut. xxvii. 29. and God engaged to execute the fame, being just and righteous, Rom. i. 32. 2 Thef. i. 6. See 2 Cor. v. 18. 19. 20. Eph. ii. 13. 14. 15. XI. God being of purer eyes than he can behold iniquity, Hab. i. 13. and juft and righteous in all his ways, faithful and true in all his sayings, there is no way imaginable how this enmity can be taken away, and peace made up betwixt God and: finners, but by geting their fins pardoned; so long as sin stands up unremoved, there is no peace: for juftification must go before reconciliation and peace; being justified by faith, we have peace. XII. Believers being now justified by faith, notwithstanding they were once enemies to God, and God wroth with them, Pfalm vii. 11.; yet they are now at peace with God, the feud is removed, and the Lord wholly and throughly reconciled and pacified, so that no dispensation they can meet with, how sharp and fad foever it be in itself, shall flow from pure wrath; yea, and this is a lasting peace, that no mifcarriage in us shall break up again, Ifa. ix. 7. and liv. 10.; for, being justified by faith, we have peace with God. XIII. However there be several fizes of finners, fome greater than others; yet all being alike plunged in enmity, they are alike made partakers of these spiritual privileges, of juftification and reconciliation; fo as none are more in a juftified state than another, (however they may have more fins pardoned, having committed more) nor more reconciled; these are privileges common to all believers, weak ones no less than to Paul himself: therefore says he, being justified by faith, we have peace with God. XIV. Jesus Christ, and he only, is the meritorious caufe of our reconciliation, he is the midf-man, that fatisfied juffice, and so made peace, turning away God's wrath, and appeasing him, verse 10. and turning us from our enmity, Col. i. 21.: See 2 Cor. v. 18. 19. 20. Eph. ii. 13. 14. 15. hence is he called our peace, Eph. ii. 14. We have peace, through our Lord Jesus Chrift. XV. All our bessings, first and last, come down to us in and thro' Jesus Christ: and as all our privileges and spiritual enjoyments come to us thro' Christ's procurement and mediation; so should they always be looked on as such, even as fruits of his purchase, that every view of them may mind us of Christ's love: therefore, as before he told us, we were justified through Christ, who died for our fins, and roje for our justification, so here alfo he tells us, that we have peace with God through him. XVI. There is no privilege or benefit to be had by any in and through Christ, till first there be an union made up betwixt Chrift and them; so that they have first an intereft in himself, before they have a right to any privilege purchased by him: We have peace (fays he) through Jesus Chrift our Lord; he must first be ours, before we can have peace through him. XVII. Whoever are made partakers of any privilege in and through Christ, to those Chrift is King and Lord, no less than a Saviour and a Priest; therefore says he, through Jesus Christ our Lord. VERSE 2. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we Stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. N the latter end of this verse, viz. in these words, and rejoice. in the hope of the glory of God, there is another fruit of juftification fet down, viz. That justified persons have a fure, well-grounded hope of the heavenly inheritance, and have fure grounds of expecting a poffeffion in glory, and of being made partakers of that glory, which is not yet had, but is to be revealed; and their hope is such as gives them ground of glorying and boafting: though they endure hardship here, yet the very hope of glory which they have, beareth up their heart, and maketh them to rejoice. The first part of the verse may be looked upon either as another fruit flowing from juftification by faith, and that in Christ also; and fo the meaning will be, Justified fouls have this further in and thro' Chrift, that they have free accefs with boldness unto the throne of grace; they have now a door opened, that they may step forward into the chamber of prefence, and approach with confidence unto God, who otherwise, without Chrift, is a consuming fire; fin being removed, that made a distance betwixt God and them, they may draw near, having Chrift going before them, as it were master-usher, or as a great courtier, making way for their further enjoying of intimate fellowship and close communion with him in all commanded duties, and freedom and liberty in the exercise of their graces; as the word fignifieth, Eph. ii. 18. and iii. 12. Or rather it may be taken up thus; The apostle having said before, that we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Chrift; he cannot win off until he fpeak fpeak more of the fruits of Christ's purchase; and for this cause he tracesh up the matter to the fountain, and theweth, how Christ is not only the procuring caufe of peace, but also it was in and thro' him that we were at first brought into this state of friendship and reconciliation; as he procured peace to us from the Father, by fatisfying justice, fo hath he taken us by the hand, and led us up to court, tha the reconciliation might be mutual, left any should have thought, that Christ did no more, but only fatisfy justice for our offences, and fo made a patent door for us, that we might come and get a kifs of the King's hand, if we pleased; fo that whatever more was done, we may thank ourselves for it, and thus should facrifice to our own preparations and doings; and fo the whole work of reconciliation should not have been wrought by Christ, but much of it, if not the most part, by ourselves: for this cause the apostle faith, By whom also we have access, or have had access, as the verb may be rendered, unto this, (or this fame, meaning that of peace last mentionel) gra e wherein we stand; as if he had faid, Not only hath Christ procured peace to us, on God's part, but alfo he hath taken us, and led us by the hand, who had no will to the journey ourselves, (as the word will import) preparing us, and moving us to accept of the ofer, and working faith in us, by which we are put into a state of favour; and fo he hath brought us into this state of favour with God, wherein we enjoy God's favour and good-will, of his mere free grace and bounty; a stare which is permanent and unilterable, wherein all believers perfevere and endure to the end; a state wherein we stand, fixed immoveably. If we take the first part of this verse in the first sease mentioned, we may овSERVE, I. Beside peace and reconciliation, the Lord alloweth his people free access and liberty to approach unto him, whereby, in the exercise of their graces, they may enjoy intimate fellowship and communion with him; and may freely and confidently nold forth their wants, and speak their mind unto him with confidence, as unto their father: By whom also we have access. II. Howbeit wicked graceless folk, who were never reconciled to God, may imagine they have great access unto God, having some overflowings of gifts, and fome kind of carnal liberty in the exercife of then, on fome fuch frail grounds; yet this access, and confident approaching unto God, is proper and peculiar only to fuch as are at peace with God, being juftified by faith, the rest being banished from the Lord's gracious prefence, and living in en nity: for we (that is, we who being ju tified by faith have peace with God) bave access, says he. III. Seeing God is a confurning fire to finners out of Christ, Heb. xii. 29. and there can be no union or communion be twixt Corist and Belial, betwixt light and darkness, 2 Cor. vi. 14. 15. therefore there is no access to God with boldness and con fidence, no familiar approaching unto him, till fin, which feparates bewist God and us, Ifa. lix. 2. be renoved a". pardoned, and frienthip made up; for this bold accefs is a fruit of justifiction by faith, and floweth fron ju tification and reconciliatim: By robon as we have access. IV. As it is in and thro' Jesus Chrift, the Media or betwixt God and man, by whom alone peace is made up betwixt God and us, and we are brought into favour with God, he having fatisfied ju tice, and raken away the enmity; fo is it in and through him that we have this liberty in approaching wito God; he openeth the door and brings us into the chamber of prefence, where we may enjoy the favour of God freely: By whom alfo we have act cefs. V. As the darkness of believers as to their state and condition, and lofing fight of Y their their interest in Christ, mareth much of their boldness in approaching to God, and prejudgeth them of much sweetness of communion, which otherways they might enjoy; so the lively exercise of faith is the only way of wining to this privilege; fo that the more lively our faith be, in griping and resting on Christ, and the more clear apprehenfions we have of our intereft in Christ, the greater will our liberty and access be: By whom alfo we have access by faith. VI. So averfe and backward are even believers, who have right unto the enjoy. ment of this comfortable and precious privilege of access to God, to the making use of it according as they ought and are allowed to do, that Christ, in a manner, must take them by the hand, and lead them in to the court, and this he doth by his Spirit, Eph. ii. 18. the word imports this, fignifying a manuduction, a leading in. Taking the words in the later fenfe, we LEARN, I. A spiritual foul cannot win foon off the meditation of the sweet and excellent privileges and benefits purchased by Chrift's mediation; but one particular calleth another to mind: therefore says he, By whom we have access into this grace. first offer of peace and reconciliation comes never on our fide; naturally we are unwilling to be at peace, and we love to live at variance, therefore we must be led, as it were, by the hand, as the word fignifieth: we have this manuduction, or access. IV. Chrift Jesus being a complete Mediator and days man betwixt God and us, would not only remove the enmity on God's part, by fatisfying justice, but would also take away the enmity on our parts, and bring us to a willingness of agreement; and fo as he brings God down to man, fo doth he bring man up to God: by him. it is that we have access into this grace in which we stand. V. The way how we are brought to lay down arms, which we have been bearing against God, and become reconciled unto him, is by faith embracing an offered Mediator, and resting upon him; by whom we have access into this grace by faith. VI. This state whereinto believers are brought by faith, is a state in which much of God's grace shineth eminently; grace did first contrive it, grace doth bring it about, and grace perfects the fame: and a state it is of much friendship, good-will, favour, and kindness; it is a state which is all grace, and altogether free, man contributing nothing thereto, and is therefore called grace; we have access into this grace. II. The covenant of grace is fo framed, as man's hand is clean as to the procuring of the spiritual benefits contained therein, and Chrift being the Mediator thereof, is to be acknowledged, both as to the rife, progress, and perfection of every spiritual | will, and fo miss that peace of confcience, blessing promised in the new covenant; for it is in and thro' him that we have even the very access into this grace; he it is who first openeth the door, and bringeth us in. 4 VII. Howbeit true believers may decay in grace, for a long time, in many particulars, and may, through their failings, lose many tokens of God's love and good that joy in the Spirit, Pfalm li. throughout, and other clear evidences of their interest in Christ, and right to glory; yet feeing God's act of justifying a finner, believing III. Tho' we had done the offence, and in Christ, is complete and perfect at first, was the only party offending, and could and needs not be renewed, and Christ has have no happiness nor life without him, made a complete and full fatisfaction, so whom we have offended; yet such is our that he needeth not die the second time, folly and madness, that even when we are and hath hereby procured peace and reinvited and called to come back and make | conciliation betwixt God, who loveth to peace, we are averse and unwilling; the the end, and men, whom he has made willing |