(6.) They cordially approve of this righteousness, this way of ac- ceptation, as that which brings glory to God as such. When they were labouring under the guilt of sin, that which did most of all per- plex their souls was, that their safety was inconsistent with the glory and honour of the great God, — ^with his justice, faithfulness, and truth, all which were engaged for the destiniction of sin ; and how to come off from ruin without the loss of their honour [i. e., the honour of the fore-mentioned attributes] they saw not. But now l)y the reve- lation of this righteousness from faith to faith, they plainly see that all the properties of God are exceedingly glorified in the pardon, justifi- cation, and acceptance of poor sinners; as before was manifested.
And this is the first way whereby the saints hold daily communion with the Lord Jesus in this purchased grace of acceptation with God : they consider, approve of, and rejoice in, the way, means, and thing itself.
2. They make an actual commutation with the Lord Jesus as to their sins and his righteousness. Of this there are also sundry parts : —
(1.) They continually keep alive upon their hearts a sense of the guilt and evil of sin ; even then when they are under some comfort- able persuasions of their personal acceptance with God. Sense of pardon takes away the horror and fear, but not a duo sense of the guilt of sin. It is the daily exercise of the saints of God, to consider the great provocation that is in sin, — their sins, the sin of their nature and lives; to render themselves vile in their own hearts and thoughts on that account ; to compare it with the terror of the Lord ; and to judge themselves continually. This they do in general. " My sin is ever before me," says David. They set sin before them, not to ten-ify and affright their souls with it, but that a due sense of the evil of it may be kept alive upon their hearts.
(2.) They gather up in their thoughts the sins for which they have not made a particular reckoning with God in Christ; or if they have begun so to do, yet they have not made clear work of it, nor come to a clear and comfortable issue. There is nothing more dread- ful than for a man to be able to digest his convictions; — to have sin look him in the face, and speak perhaps some words of terror to him, and to be able, by any charms of diversions or delays, to put it off, without coming to a full trial as to state and condition in reference thereunto. This the saints do : — they gather up their sins, lay them in the balance of the law, see and consider their weight and desert ; and then, —
1 Rom. i. 17, X. 3, 4. VOL. II. 1 o
194 OF COMMUNION WITH THE SON JESUS CHEIST.
(S.) They make tliis commutation I speak of with Jesus Chiist ; that is, —
[1.] They seriously consider, and by faith conquer, all objections to the contrary, that Jesus Christ, by the luill and appointinent of the Father, hath really undergone the punishment that was due to those sins that lie now under his eye and consideration, Isa. liii. 6 ; 2 Cor. V. 21. He hath as certainly and really answered the justice of God for them as, if he himself (the sinner) should at that instant be cast into hell, he coidd do.
[2.] They hearken to the voice of Christ calling them to him with their burden, " Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden;" — " Come with your burdens; come, thou poor soul, with thy guilt of sin." Why? what to do? " Why, this is mine," saith Christ; " this agreement I made with my Father, that I should come, and take thy sins, and bear them away: tl icy were my lot. Give me thy burden, give me all thy sins. Thou knowcst not what to do with them ; I know how to dispose of them well enough, so that God shall be glorified, and thy soul delivered." Hereupon, —
[3.] They lay down their sins at the cross of Christ, upon his shoulders. This is faith's great and bold venture upon the gxace, faithfulness, and truth of God, to stand by the cross and say, " Ah ! he is bruised for my sins, and wounded for my transgressions, and the chastisement of my peace is upon him. He is thus made sin for me. Here I give up my sins to him that is able to bear them, to undergo them. He requires it of my hands, that I should be content that he should undertake for them; and that I heartily consent unto." This is every day's work; I know not how any peace can be maintained with God without it. If it be the work of souls to receive Christ, as made sin for us, we must receive him as one that takes our sins upon him. Not as though he died any more, or suffered any more; but as the faith of the saints of old made that present and done before thevc eyes [which had] not yet come to pass, Heb. xi. 1, so faith now makes that present which v/as accomplished and past many generations ago. This it is to know Christ crucified.