[4.] Having thus by faith given up their sins to Christ, and seen God laying them all on him, they draw nigh, and take from him that righteousness which he hath wrought out for them ; so fulfilling the whole of that of the apostle, 2 Cor. v. 21, " He was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." They con- sider him tendering himself and his righteousness, to be their right- eousness before God; they take it, and accept of it, and complete this blessed bartering and exchange of faith. Anger, curse, wrath, death, sin as to its guilt, he took it all and takes it all away. With
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him we leave whatever of this nature belongs to us; and from him we receive love, life, righteousness, and peace.
Objection. But it may l^e said, " Surely this course of procedure can never be acceptable to Jesus Christ. What ! shall we daily come to hun with our filth, our giiilt, our sins? May he not, will he not, bid us keep them to ourselves? they are our own. Shall we be always giving sins, and taking righteousness?"
Answe7'. There is not any thing that Jesus Christ is more delighted with, than that his saints should always hold communion with him as to this business of giving and receiving. For, —
1. This exceedingly honours him, and gives him the glory that is his due. Many, indeed, cry " Lord, Lord,'"' and make mention of him, but honour him not at all. How so? They take his work out of his hands, and ascribe it unto other things ; their repentance, their duties, shall bear their iniquities. They do not say so; but they do so. The commutation they make, if they make any, it is with them- selves. All their bartering about sin is in and v/ith their own souls The work that Christ came to do in the world, was to " bear our ini- quities," and lay down his life a ransom for our sins. The cup he had to drink of was filled with our sins, as to the punishment due to them. What greater dishonour, then, can be done to the Lord Jesus, than to ascribe this work to any thing else, — to think to get rid of our sins [by] any other way or means? Herein, then, I say, is Christ honoured indeed, when we go to him with our sins by faith, and say unto him, " Lord, this is thy work ; this is that for which thou camest into the world ; this is that thou hast undertaken to do. Thou callest for my burden, which is too heavy for me to bear; take it, blessed Redeemer Thou tenderest thy righteousness; that is my portion." Then is Christ honoured, then is the glory of mediation ascribed to him, when we walk with him in this communion.
2. This exceedingly endears the soids of the saints to him, and constrains them to put a due valuation upon him, his love, his righteousness, and grace. When they find, and have the daily use of it, then they do it. Who would not love him? " I have been with the Lord Jesus," may the poor soul say : " I have left my sins, my burden, with him; and he hath given me his righteousness, where- with I am going with boldness to God. I Avas dead, and am alive; for he died for me: I Avas cursed, and am blessed; for he was made a curse for me: I was trotibled, but have peace; for the chastisement of my peace was upon him. I knew not what to do, nor whither to cause my sorrow to go; by him have I received joy unsjjeakable and glorious. If I do not love him, delight in him, obey him, live to him, die for him, I am worse than the devils in hell." Now the great aim of Christ in the world is, to have a high place and esteem in the
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hearts of his people; to have there, as he hath in himself, the pre- eminence in all things, — not to be jostled up and down among other things, — to be all, and in all. And thus are the saints of God pre- pared to esteem him, upon the engaging themselves to this commu- nion with him.
Obj. Yea, but you will say, " If this be so, what need we to repent 07' amend our ways? it is but going to Christ by faith, making this exchange with him: and so we may sin, that grace may abound."
Ans. I judge no man's person; but this I must needs say, that I do not understand how a man that makes this objection in cold blood, not under a temptation or accidental darkness, can have any true or real acquaintance with Jesus Christ : however, this I am certain of, that this communion in itself produces quite other effects than those supposed. For, —
1. For repentance; it is, I suppose, a gospel repentance that is intended. For a legal, bondage repentance, full of dread, amazement, terror, self-love, astonishment at the presence of God, I confess this communion takes it away, prevents it, casts it out, with its bondage and fear; but for gospel repentance, whose nature consists in godly sorrow for sin, with its relinquishment, proceeding from faith, love, and abhorrency of sin, on accounts of Father, Son, and Spirit, both law and love, — that this should be hindered by this communion, is not possible. I told you that the foundation of this communion is laid in a deep, serious, daily consideration of sin, its guilt, vileness, and abomination, and our owti vileness on that account; that a sense hereof is to be kept alive in and upon the heart of every one that will enjoy this communion with Christ : without it Christ is of no value nor esteem to him. Now, is it possible that a man should daily fill his heart with the thoughts of the vileness of sin, on all considera- tions whatever, — of law, love, grace, gospel, life, and death, — and be filled with self-abhorrency on this account, and yet be a stranger to godly sorrow ? Here is the mistake, — the foundation of this com- munion is laid in that which they suppose it overthrows.