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Chapter 11:
Of Justification
11:1 Those whom God effectually calleth, He
also freely justifieth(Rom_3:24;
Rom_8:30):
not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and
by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for any thing
wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ’s sake alone; nor by
imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical
obedience to them, as their righteousness, but by imputing the obedience
and satisfaction of Christ unto them (Jer_23:6;
Rom_3:22,
Rom_3:24,
Rom_3:25,
Rom_3:27,
Rom_3:28;
Rom_4:5-8;
Rom_5:17-19;
1Co_1:30,
1Co_1:31;
2Co_5:19,
2Co_5:21;
Eph_1:7;
Tit_3:5,
Tit_3:7),
they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith; which
faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God (Act_10:44;
Act_13:38,
Act_13:39;
Gal_2:16;
Eph_2:7,
Eph_2:8;
Phi_3:9).
11:2 Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and His
righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification ( Joh_1:12;
Rom_3:28;
Rom_5:1);
yet is it not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with
all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love (Gal_5:6;
Jam_2:17,
Jam_2:22,
Jam_2:26).
11:3 Christ, by His obedience and death, did fully discharge the
debt of all those that are thus justified, and did make a proper, real,
and full satisfaction to His Father’s justice in their behalf ( Isa_53:4-6,
Isa_53:10-12;
Dan_9:24,
Dan_9:26;
Rom_5:8-10;
1Ti_2:5,
1Ti_2:6;
Heb_10:10,
Heb_10:14).
Yet, inasmuch as He was given by the Father for them (Rom_8:32);
and His obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead (Mat_3:17;
2Co_5:21;
Eph_5:2);
and both freely, not for anything in them; their justification is only of
free grace (Rom_3:24;
Eph_1:7);
that both the exact justice and rich grace of God, might be glorified in
the justification of sinners (Rom_3:26;
Eph_2:7).
11:4 God did, from all eternity, decree to justify all the elect ( Rom_8:30;
Gal_3:8;
1Pe_1:2,
1Pe_1:19,
1Pe_1:20),
and Christ did, in the fulness of time, die for their sins, and rise again
for their justification (Rom_4:25;
Gal_4:4;
1Ti_2:6):
nevertheless, they are not justified, until the Holy Spirit doth, in due
time, actually apply Christ unto them (Gal_2:16;
Col_1:21,
Col_1:22;
Tit_3:4-7).
11:5 God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are
justified ( Mat_6:12;
1Jo_1:7,
1Jo_1:9;
1Jo_2:1,
1Jo_2:2):
and, although they can never fall from the state of justification (Luk_22:32;
Joh_10:28;
Heb_10:14);
yet they may, by their sins, fall under God’s fatherly displeasure, and
not have the light of His countenance restored unto them, until they
humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith
and repentance(Psa_51:7-12;
Psa_32:5;
Psa_89:31-33;
Mat_26:75;
Luk_1:20;
1Co_11:30,
1Co_11:32).
11:6 The justification of believers under the old testament was, in
all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers
under the new testament ( Rom_4:22-24;
Gal_3:9,
Gal_3:13,
Gal_3:14;
Heb_13:8).
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