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 caufe of all this, through our Lord Jefus Chrift, who is called Lord, as freeing us from juftice by his death, and from Satan, death, and the flavery of fin, and fo becoming our Lord and ranfomer; and Jefus, as being our Saviour; and Chrift, as being the anointed Meffias, promifed of old, and now exhibited. This alfo ferveth to confirm juftification by faith thus; That is the only way of juftification by which we have peace with God: But fo it is, that by juftification in and thro' faith, we have peace with God: Therefore, &c, OBSERVATIONS. 1. Juftification, as it is a great privilege and favour of itself; fo is it the fountain of many more excellent and fpecial mercies, which the Lord beftoweth upon his own; it goeth not alone, but is ever accompanied with many other advantages and favours of fpecial note: fo here is mention made of many things flowing from juftification, as peace with God, &c. II. As it is much for our edification and confolation, to know the right manner of our juftification; fo is it alfo to be well acquainted with the several rivulets that flow from this fountain-mercy; therefore doth the apostle make mention of thefe here, faying, being juftified by faith, we have peace, &c. ther evince, that we are juftified by faith; and fo fays, being juftified by faith, we have peace, &c. IV. Juftification being an act of God's free grace, which he paffeth in his word upon believers, whereby all their iniquities which they ftand guilty of are pardoned, Mic. vii. 19. Jer. xxxiii. 8. Ezek. xvi. 63. and they put into a new covenant ftate; fo as they fhall never meet with condemnation, Rom. viii. 1. having on the righteoufnefs 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 fo believers are immediately put into a ftate of reconciliation and friendhip with God; and fo, ex ipfo, that they are justified by faith in Chrift, they are able to answer all objections; fo that justification is not a thing ftill in doing. V. Juftification being thus no continued act, but an inftantaneous action, perfected in an inftant, 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 pray for pardon of fin, until the day of death, that they be perfectly fanctified. Heb. xii. 23.; yet they fhall never come under the fentence of death for their future fins; and they have them all virtually pardoned, Chrift having fully satisfied juftice for them; and are fure that they fhall all be actually pardoned, because of the promife granted in the new covenant, the pledge of which is actually received: hence we find juftification mentioned as a deed done, Rom. iii. 24, I Cor. vi. . fo here it is fo full as hath peace with God following thereupon, and feveral other fpiritual favours; being juftified by faith, we have peace. III. A right view and a ferious confideration of the many rich and precious favours that accrue to fuch as are juftified, may abundantly ferve to convince fuch of their folly, who expect to be juftified.becaufe of their works, and to fhew a neceffity of trusting to Jefus Chrift by faith, VI. Albeit juftified perfons may fall inand thereby expect juftification: for by to grofs iniquities, which they may, and these fruits of justification, he doth fur-muft beg pardon of from God, and upon their faith and repentance, get actually Fardoned, and poffibly the pardon intimate to their confciences; yet it is not the act of juftification reiterated thereupon, as if either thereby the former pardon granted were null, (for whom God pardoneth, he abfolutely pardoneth, not purpofing to revoke the fame upon any condition, fo that he remembereth them no more, &c.) or he were put out of his former juftified ftate, and needed that a new act pafs, for inftating him of new; for being once juftified, they are at peace with God, and fo once for ay put into a state of reconciliation and friendship; and this ftate is not alterable. VII. This juftification being an act of God, who is wife, juft, and holy, purchafed by the righteoufnefs of Chrift, and being had by faith, which is a real grace, Heb. xi. 1. is a moft 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 juftification by faith being a real deed (as is fhown in the laft) 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 fenfe; not perfonal, (which change fanctification only makes,) but in our eftates, 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 juftification which is in folk's own confcience; but is a real juftification before God, because it is fuch a juftification as goeth before peace and reconciliation with God; which may be, where there is no juftification in con fcience; being juftified by faith, we have peace. X. All mankind fince 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 we have peace. However, at the begining, man walked in peace, communion, confidence and boldnefs 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, fo 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 fentence 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 fayings, 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; fo long as fin ftands up unremoved, there is no peace: for juftification must go before reconciliation and peace; being juftified by faith, we have peace. XII. Believers being now juftified 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, fo that no difpenfation they can meet with, how fharp and fad foever it be in itfelf, fhall flow from pure wrath; yea, and this is a lafting peace, that no mifcarriage in us fhall break up again, Ifa. ix. 7. and liv. 10.; for, being juftified by faith, we have peace with God. XUI XIII. However there be feveral fizes of finners, fome greater than others; yet all being alike plunged in enmity, they are alike made partakers of thefe fpiritual privileges, of juftification and reconciliation; fo as none are more in a juftified ftate than another, (however they may have more fins pardoned, having committed more) nor more reconciled; thefe are privileges common to all believers, weak ones no lefs than to Paul himfelf: therefore fays he, being juftified 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 juftice, and fo made peace, turning away God's wrath, and appeafing him, verfe 10. and turning us from our enmity, Col. i. 21.: See 2 Cor. v. 18. 19. 20. Eph. ii. 13. 14. 15. hence is be called our peace, Eph. ii. 14. We have peace, through our Lord Jefus Chrift. a Saviour and a Priest; therefore fays he, VERSE 2. By whom alfo we have access IN N the latter end of this verfe, viz. in thefe words, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, there is another fruit of juftification fet down, viz. That justified perfons 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 fuch as gives them ground of glorying and boafting: though they endure hardfhip 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 Chrift alfo; and fo the meaning will be, Juftified 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 ftep forward into the chamber of prefence, and approach with confidence unto God, who otherwife, without Chrift, is a confuming fire; fin being removed, that made a distance betwixt God and them, XVI. There is no privilege or benefit they may draw near, having Chrift going to be had by any in and through Chrift, before them, as it were matter-ufher, or as till firft there be an union made up betwixt a great courtier, making way for their Chrift and them; fo that they have first an further enjoying of intimate fellowship and intereft in himself, before they have a right clofe communion with him in all commandto any privilege purchafed by him: Weed duties, and freedom and liberty in the have peace (fays he) through Jefus Chrift our Lord; he must first be ours, before we can have peace through him. XV. All our beffings, first and laft, come down to us in and thro' Jefus Chrift: and as all our privileges and spiritual enjoyments come to us thro' Chrift's procurement and mediation; fo fhould they always be looked on as fuch, even as fruits of his purchase, that every view of them may mind us of Chrift's love: therefore, as before he told us, we were juftified through Chrift, who died for our fins, and roje for our juftification, fo here alfo he tells us, that we have peace with God through him. XVII. Whoever are made partakers of any privilege in and through Chrift, to thofe Chrift is King and Lord, no lefs than exercite of their graces; as the word fignifieth, Eph. ii. 18. and iii. 12. Or rather it may be taken up thus; The apoftle having faid before, that we have peace with God, through our Lord Jefus Chrift; he cannot win off until he speak. liberty to approach unto him, whereby, in the exercife of their graces, they may enjoy intimate fellowship and communion with him; and may freely and confidently nold forth their wants, and fpeak their mind unto him with confidence, as unto their father: By whom also we have access. II. Howbeit wicked gracelefs folk, who were never reconciled to God, may imagine they have great accefs unto God, having fome overflowings of gifts, and fome kind of carnal liberty in the exercife of the n, on fome fuch frail grounds; yet this accefs, and confident approaching unto God, is proper and peculiar only to fuch as are at peace with God, being juf 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) have access, fays he. fpeak more of the fruits of Chrift's purchafe; and for this caufe he trace h up the matter to the fountain, and theweth, how Chrift is not only the procuring caufe of peace, but alfo it was in and thro' him that we were at first brought into this ftate 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 Chrift did no more, but only fatisfy julice 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 pleafed; fo that whatever more was done, we may thank our-tified by faith, the reft being banished felves for it, and thus thould facrifice to our own preparations and doings; and fo the whole work of reconciliation fhould not have been wrought by Chrift, but much of it, if not the not part, by ourfelves: for this caule the apoftle faith, By whom alfo we have access, or have had accefs, as the verb may be rendered, unto this, (or this fane, meaning that of peace laft mentione) grace wherein we stand; as if he had faid, Not only hath Chrift 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 jar ey ourselves, (as the word will import) preparing us, and mowing us to accept of the o fer, and working faith in us, by which we are put into a state of favour; and fo he hath brought us into this itate of favour with God, wherein we enjoy God's favour and good-will, of his mere free grace and bounty; a fare which is permanent and unalterable, wherein all believers perfevere ad en 'ure to the end; a ftate wherein we ftand, fixed immoveably. If we take the first part of this verfe in the first feafe mentioned, we may oвSERVE, I. Befide peace and reconciliation, the Lord alloweth his people free accefs and III. Seeing God is a confuming fire to finners out of Chrift, Heb. xii. 29. and there can be no union or communion betwixt Chrift and Belial, betwixt light and darkness, 2 Cor. vi. 14. 15. therefore there is no accefs to God with boldnefs and con fidence, no familiar approaching unto him, till fin, which feparates berist God and us, Ifa. lix. 2. be renoved a. pardoned, and frien hip mile up; for this bold accefs is a fruit of jatiiction by faith, and flweth fron ju tification and reconcilia tin: By rohon aif we have access. IV. As it is in and thro' Jefus Chrit, 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 taken away the enmity; fo is it in and through him that we have this liberty in approaching unto 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 ac cefs. V. As the darknefs of believers as to their state and condition, and lofing light of Y their their intereft in Chrift, mareth much of their boldness in approaching to God, and prejudgeth them of much fweetnefs of communion, which otherways they might enjoy; fo the lively exercife of faith is the only way of wining to this privilege; fo that the more lively our faith be, in griping and refting on Chrift, and the more clear apprehenfions we have of our intereft in Chrift, the greater will our liberty and accefs be: By whom alfo we have accefs 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 ufe of it according as they ought and are allowed to do, that Chrift, 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 fpiritual foul cannot win foon off the meditation of the fweet and excellent privileges and benefits purchased by Chrift's mediation; but one particular calleth another to mind: therefore fays he, By whom 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 fpiritual benefits contained therein, and Chrift being the Mediator thereof, is to be acknowledged, both as to the rife, progrefs, and perfection of every fpiritual bleffing promifed 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 firft openeth the door, and bringeth us in. III. Tho' we had done the offence, and was the only party offending, and could have no happiness nor life without him, whom we have offended; yet fuch is our folly and madness, that even when we are invited and called to come back and make peace, we are averfe and unwilling; the firft offer of peace and reconciliation comes Dever 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 Jefus being a complete Mediator and days man betwixt God and us, would not only remove the enmity on God's part, by fatisfying juftice, but would alfo 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 ftand. 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 refting upon him; by whom we have access into this grace by faith. VI. This ftate whereinto believers are brought by faith, is a ftate in which much of God's grace fhineth eminently; grace did firft contrive it, grace doth bring it about, and grace perfects the fame and a ftate it is of much friendfhip, 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. VII. Howbeit true believers may decay in grace, for a long time, in many particulars, and may, through their failings, lofe many tokens of God's love and goodwill, and fo mifs that peace of confcience, that joy in the Spirit, Pfalm li. throughout, and other clear evidences of their intereft in Chrift, and right to glory; yet feeing God's act of juftifying a finner, believing in Chrift, is complete and perfect at first, and needs not be renewed, and Chrift has made a complete and full fatisfaction, fo that he needeth not die the fecond time, and hath hereby procured peace and reconciliation betwixt God, who loveth to the end, and men, whom he has made will ing |