Actual Justification RIGHTLY STATED CONTAINING A True NARRATIVE OF A SAD SCHISM Made in a Church of CHRIST at KILBY in LEICESTER-SHIRE PROVING none of the ELECT are Actually Justified before FAITH GAL. II. XVI We have Believed in Jesus Christ that we might be Justisied by the Faith of Christ c. LONDON Printed by B. Harris in Maiden-Head-Court in Great East Ch 〈…〉 and Sold by J. Marshal at the Bible in Grace-church street 1696. THE INTRODUCTION Proving There is no Actual Justification or Actual Vnion with CHRIST before FAITH THose many Errors that abound among us is one of the sad Evils of these Times which tend to make our Dayes Perillous tho' I must Confess some of them are more Dangerous and Pernicious than others as the Socinian Erors that ut 〈…〉 ly Destroy the Foundation of Christianity And evident it is That between the Socinian Arminian and Baxterian Errors on the â—ne hand and those called Antinomian Errors tho' I do not call them Antinomians on the other hand Christ seems to be again Crucified in his Holy Doctrin as in his Sacred Body he was Cruâ—ified between two Thieves The Error that is here Confuted appertains to those last Menti 〈…〉 ed in which you will find what hard Measure the Author hath met with from some of his Flock who charged him with False Do ‑ 〈…〉 rin but how Unjustly will appear in this Narrative The Point that he strives to Oppose is this Viz. That an Elect Person is not in actual Vnion with Christ nor actually Justified in God's Sight before Faith Or doth actually apprehend and apply the Righteousness and Merits of Christ by Faith to his own Soul 1. He doth not say Faith Justifies as 't is a Sacred Habit or Act 〈…〉 ch less in respectâ— of the Fruits and Effects of it 2. Nor that 't is the matter of our Justification but 't is said to Juâ—tify only in Respect of the Object Christ Jesus whom the Soul ap 〈…〉 ehends or receives by Faith Christ's Righteousness only being the Material Cause of our Justification and the Imputation of it the Formal Cause thereof Which our Reverend Brother asserts is not Imputed unto any Adult Person tho' Elected to his actual Justification before he is Actually or Personally United to Jesus Christ aud therefore not in Actual Union with Christ and Justified from Eternity as some say nor from the Death of Christ as others say 3. He stedfastly Believes God's Election of particular Persons from Everlasting for whom he gave his own Son to Die And that the Election of the Father the Redemption of the Son and the Application and Sanctification of the Holy Ghost are of Equal extent 4. That Christ Dyed as the great Representive common Head Root and Surety of all the Elect doing and Suffering in their Room and Stead whatsoever he did and Suffered 〈◊〉 as their Head and Representative and that he hath made full Satisfaction to the Justice of God and answered all the demands of the Law for them So that all they for whom Christ dyed shall certainly be Saved as an act of Justice and Righteouiness as well as an Act of Sovereign Grace and Goodness 5. That Faith by which the Soul apprehends Christ is a Grace of the Spirit purchased by Christ and freely given to us as a sign of God's Eternal Love Moreover he and we with him distinguish or explain Union with Christ and Justification thus 1. That all the Chosen of God are Decretively Justified c. from Eternity 2. Vertually at the Death or rather at the Resurrection of our blessed Saviour 3. Yet that no Adult Elect Person is really and Actually in Vnion with Christ and Actually Justified before he doth Believe in him And so is transplanted out of the first Adam as a common Head and implanted into the second Adam It being impossible any should stand in or grow out of two cwo common Roots at one and the same time since all as considered Actually in the first are Dead and under Condemnation and all that are Actually in the Second are made Alive and brought into Justification and declared free for ever from Condemnation Rom 8. 1. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his That is Actually his tho' many of them may be in the Election of Grace As touching the Sins of the Elect before Faith we say they are charged upon them by the Law under which they remain till they Believe or are United by the Spirit unto their blessed Covenanting Head and are by the same Law with other Unbelievers under the Sentence of Condemnation tho' their Justification Pardon and Salvation is secured for them by God's eternal Election and in Christ by Vertue of his Covenant Transactions with the Father and as 〈…〉 ed by his Blood and Merits As to the Sins of the Elect after Grace or Actual Union tho' 〈…〉 ey are Required to Repent of them and may not have the Sense 〈…〉 Pardon of them in in their own Consciences till then yet the 〈…〉 lt of them is never Charged upon them Christ having born all 〈…〉 Vindictive Wrath due to all their Sins as well those committed 〈…〉 Faith as before they Believed otherwise it could not be said 〈…〉 is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 〈…〉 Therefore whatsoever Mr. Coleman says about the Sins of Believers 〈…〉 Repentance and Pardon he doth not Believe they are ever 〈…〉 in a state of Condemnation Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of 〈…〉 's Elect that is such Elect ones that are united to Christ 〈…〉 Justification is but one Act 't is never more nor less after we are 〈…〉 d to Christ or are in a state of Grace Tho' Sanctification as 〈…〉 s is a progressive Work yet so is not our Justification there can 〈…〉 no breach made on that any more than in our Adoption once a Child 〈…〉 ever a Child Now the Notions we oppose are these following 〈…〉 1. We say The Sins of all the Elect while they remain in Vnbe 〈…〉 are charged upon them by the Law and that the Righteousness of 〈…〉 rist is not actually imputed to them until they do believe in Jesus 〈…〉 i st 'T is one thing for God to Purpose or Decree to discharge an 〈…〉 t Sinner through Christ's perfect Righteousness and Satisfaction 〈…〉 another thing for him actually to acquit discharge and pronounce 〈…〉 Justified by the Application of Christ's Merits Now the asserters 〈…〉 the contrary Notion do seem to say that neither God's Justice nor his 〈…〉 y Law doth charge Sin on any Elect Person tho' under the power of Vnbelief and vile and profane Persons see Mr. Ayre Vindi 〈…〉 Justificationes Gratuitae last Impression p. 94. 95. He asserts 〈…〉 all the Elect before Conversion and Faith stand actually recon 〈…〉 to God and Justified before him Page 45. Nay from â—ternity 〈…〉 31. Ans May we not find a
Medium or a way to Reconcile this seeming Dif 〈…〉 ence he says before God or in his Sight may not that be said 〈…〉 e done before God or in his Sight that is not actually done on 〈…〉 Creature these men referr to the Will Decree and Purpose of 〈…〉 now if they mean no more then this we will no longer con 〈…〉 with them we deny not but in the will Decree and Purpose of all the Elect were Justified from Eternity And so was the World 〈…〉 d also from Eternity viz. in the Decree and Purpose of God 〈…〉 Christ was so Slain before the Foundation of the World but did the 〈…〉 Decree and Purpose of God give the World an Actual existance from Eternity Or was Christ actually Slain before the World began See Mr. Ayre page 35. Nor do saith he they whom they call Antinomians assert Justification before Faith in any other Sense than in Respect of the absolute and immutable Will of God Admit this only to be takeâ— with respect to God's Deerre or that they are all Decretively Justified which seems to be what he says we are agreed Yet in Page 〈◊〉 he says more viz. That all the Elect at the Death of Christ were the reby free from the Law delivered from the Curse reconciled to God and made Perfect and Compleat in the sight of God Now we will admit of this if they mean only Vertually as Christ 〈◊〉 Surety and Representative was then actually Justified But pray Not Here as Christ Dyed and rose again as the Representative and commoâ— Head of the whole Election not only to our Resurrection to a staâ—â— of Spiritual Life but also as to our Reserrection at the last Day Doth it therefore follow that it may be said We are now actuall-â— raised out of our Graves and actually ascended and glorified in Heâ—ven for so is our Head and Fore-runner risen ascended and glorified it must therefore only be taken That we were then Vertually Juâ—â—â—fied in him not Actually in our own Persons and Vertually we ascenâ—ed and are grloified in him for we are not all of us as yet Actually in Heaven yet as truly Glorified say we then as we were Juâ—â—â—fied when Christ rose from the Dead Besides those of this sort 〈◊〉 assert our Justification to be at the Resurrection of Christ ought to te 〈…〉 us when the Saints were Justified that lived three or four Thousanâ— Years before Christ Death Or did they go to Heaven before theâ— were Justified But to look back again to them that assert the Justification of thâ— Elect to be from Eternity They argue thus viz To Justifie God's act but God's acts were all one intire act and from Eternity there is no Colatural act in God I Answer Whatever God's acts be in himself yet we must dâ—stinguish between the act of God's Decree and Purpose and the actual Execution of his Decrees or else you may say the World and 〈◊〉 things else were from Eternity Mr. Ayre saith pag. 89. Quoting Mr. Kendal That God's Wi 〈…〉 or Decree to remit our Sins carries in it a remission of them Taâ—tamount For who shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect Mr. Ayre adds viz. This Decree saith he hath so much in it that it looks so well like unto Justification that it may be so called without Blasphemy Now if this be not to Confound the Decrees of God with the Execution of them I Know nothing 〈◊〉 〈…〉 that Justification is the Will of God not to Punish because saith 〈…〉 The definition which the Holy Ghost gives us of Justification is most 〈…〉 erly applied to this Act of God Now the Act of God he refers 〈…〉 is the Decree and Purpose of God this he calls Justification So as 〈…〉 the Elect are indeed then that is from Eternity really and actually Justi 〈…〉 which we say is only a decretive Justification 't is God's Will Decree that all from everlasting should be raised out of their Graves 〈…〉 be Judged but are they therefore all from Eternity actually so 〈…〉 and Judged Sirs the Will or act of God's Simple Decree 〈…〉 an immediate Existence or actual Accomplishment to nothing so 〈…〉 or decreed because they are only his Will Act and 〈…〉 e before time of what shall actually be done and accompli 〈…〉 in time Therefore we must distinguish between the Decrees of 〈…〉 and the actual Execution of them What tho' all immanent acts in 〈…〉 are but one Simple Act in whose Decrees there is no Priority 〈…〉 Posteriority as Hillary speaks Omnia Penes Dum aequabili A 〈…〉 tatis infinitate Consistunt Yet as to us and as to the Real and 〈…〉 al Existance Execution and Application of them to various Things 〈…〉 Objects there is both a Priority and Posteriority some of them 〈…〉 g early actually done as the Creation of the World c. and 〈…〉 s long after as Christ's actual Suffering c. and the Saints Re 〈…〉 ction The first Covenant was thus before the second the Law the the Gospel Sin the Fall Death Wrath and Condemna 〈…〉 〈…〉 before Grace Quickening Justification and Glorification Therefore that which I shall in the last place do to Confute their 〈…〉 ion about Justification before Faith or from Eternity if they 〈…〉 more than what we have here hinted viz. Actual Justification of 〈…〉 Persons of all the Elect shall be to shew the Absurdities that 〈…〉 will fofollow such a Notion 〈…〉 They by this Notion confound Election and Justification 〈…〉 Election which is the Act of God's Decree or Choice from 〈…〉 rlasting and Justification of an Elect Sinner from Condemnation 〈…〉 which he was fallen in time the same immanent Eternal Act 〈…〉 also it tends to Confound the act of God's Decree with the 〈…〉 tion of it 2. This Notion of Actual Justification from Eternity is attended with 〈…〉 strrange Absnrdity viz. That the Elect never fell in the first 〈…〉 they never were under the guilt of Sin nor under Cordemna 〈…〉 for certainly if they were truly and actually Justified form 〈…〉 ting there was no time when they were charged with the guilt 〈…〉 or were brought under the Sentence of Condemnation Who 〈…〉 any thing to the Charge of God's Elect who are actually Justified But were not all the Elect by Nature Children of Wrath even as others Ephes 2. 1 2. and were not all bought under Condemnation by the Sin of the first Adam see Rom. 5. 3. Then also it will follow actual Justification is not cannot be the declaring acquitting and Pronouncing of an ungodly guilty and Condemned Sinner through Christ's Righteousness Just and Righteous in God's sight because Justified from Eternity and so without guilt or spot 4. Also it holds forth That if all the Elect were Justified from Eternity as Mr. Ayre and others affirm even by that one sole and simple act of God then how could they be said to be Justified at the Resurrection of Christ Doth it not
follow from their Notion that the Elect are twice Justified and so there must be in their Sense a Posterie or Colatural act in God to their Justification 5. These Men say that Faith only Justifies us Declaratively or aâ— it gives the Revelation or Evidence of it to our own Consciences Which if so then the state of ungodly Persons if Elected tho' Swears Drunkards Whoremongers Murtherers c. is good and Justification changes not the state of the Sinner he being in a safe and sav 〈…〉 State before tho' he did not know it being not Condemned unless in his own Conscience God never charged him with Sin saw no Sin in him but imputed Christ's Righteousness to him from Eternity and not more Justified after he believes then he was before 6. Then also it will follow No man hath that Justification which is said to be by Faith or through Faith but he that feels the Comfort of it in his own Conscience or hath it Revealed and Evidenced to him by the Spirit being fully perswaded and assured he is Justified which we say many true Believers do not arrive unto assurance not appertaining to the Being or Essence of Faith but is the highest Degree thereof see 1 John 5. 13. Some who do truly Believe do not feel and know in their own Consciences that they do Believe but have Doubts about it 7. 'T is directly contrary to the express Word of God John 3. 18. He that believeth on him is not Condemned but he that Believeth not is Condemned already because he hath not Believed on the Name of the only Begotten Son of God That Unbelievers are Condemned is the express Words of the Text Now who can Condemn them but either God's Law his â—ustice or their own Conscience They say neither Law nor Justice do or can Condemn them And it is clear say we that their Conscience cannot 1. Because it is asleep and as the Apoâ—â—le says Defiled See Tit. 1. 15. 2. Another Reason is clear in the Text from the cause of Condemnation viz. Because they Believe not Now who will say that Natural Conscience doth Condemn for Unbelief for if so the Spirit in the ex 〈…〉 tion of his Office and for which he is sent is thrown away Joh. 16. 8 〈◊〉 are Condemned by the Law and till they Believe thâ—y remain under 〈◊〉 Condemnation Unbelief Condemns as it is a rejecting or refu 〈…〉 to apply the Remedy Not otherwise And let them be whosoever they 〈◊〉 tho' one of God's Elect or comprehended in his eternal Decree of E 〈…〉 on and Love of Intention Pity Purpose and Benevolence yet he remains â—â—â—demned till he Believes or hath actual Union with Christ For he that 〈◊〉 the Son hath Life but he that hath not the Son hath not Life 1 John 〈…〉 12 If we have the Spirit and do Believe we have Union with Christ 〈◊〉 have the Son but if we have not the Spirit if we have not Faith we 〈◊〉 no actual Union with Christ or have not the Son If any man have not 〈◊〉 Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8. 8. Moreover how can he that is 〈◊〉 to the Lord be said to be one Spirit with him if this Vnion be before Faith 〈…〉 8 Actual Justification before Faith or Actual Union with Christ is attend 〈…〉 with this Absurdity Viz. A Man may be said to be actually Dead and A 〈…〉 e Condemned and Justified at one and the same time Nay be a Child 〈…〉 Wrath and yet a Son of God have actual Union with and united to 〈◊〉 first Adam and yet be in actual Union with and united to the second Adam at one and the same time 9. It Presupposeth That a Man may be actually in Christ and be actu 〈…〉 y Justified and yet no change of Heart as well as no change of State 〈◊〉 that all before Regeneration are Children of Wrath is evident and is it 〈◊〉 Positively said If any Man is in Christ he is a New Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. 〈…〉 any man be said to be truly and actually Justified and not actually in Christ 〈…〉 to 10. It presupposeth That a Man may be a Justified Person that is not es 〈…〉 tually called Now all know and grant there is no effectual Vocation be 〈…〉 e nor without the Spirit of Christ and Saving Faith be wrought in the Soul 11. It also holds forth or presupposeth That a Man may be a Justified Person 〈…〉 be actually Justified and yet not be Sanctified which is contrary to these â—â—riptures Rom. 8. 7 10 30. 1 Cor. 6. 11. 12. Moreover it follows from their Notion That a Man that is in actual 〈…〉 ion with Christ and is actually Justified may be without nay utter 〈…〉 incapable of enjoying Communion with Christ Can Christ have Com 〈…〉 n with and Delight in filthy Swine Or Can Light have Fellowship with 〈…〉 iese Can a Man in a state of Enmity against God have Commu 〈…〉 n with and delight in God Therefore saith a Reverend Divine The 〈…〉 tive and Real Change are both at one time 1 Cor. 6. 7. But ye are 〈…〉 ctified ye are Justified Charnock on Regen p. 32. 13. It Presupposeth That there may be Union between two Persons 〈…〉 en but one Party only Consents which is very absurd for any to assert 〈◊〉 T is Christ that brings the Soul to Consent he gives the Soul Faith as in the succeeding Narrative is Noted which is his Love-token Grace infused in us as the Effects of Christ's Love constrains the Soul to Love him and â—o to consent to take him as it's Lord and only Object of its Affection But till this is done there is no Real Union We deny not but Christ apprehends us before we can apprehâ—nd him he first takes hold of us by his Spirit and infuses the Habit of Faith before we can act Faith there is the act of Unition before there is a compleat Union 14. It tends to put Men upon Temptation to slight the holy Law of God and renders the Doctrin of Repentance needless or a meer Legal Doctrin Hence some of them have intimated that they have nothing to do with the Law Nay and have uttered such Words and Expressions concerning the Law that are not fit to be mentioned as in particular David Culy one of Mr. Davis's Disciples and a Teacher sent forth as I am informed by him affirmed as it hath been proved against him by Credible Witnesses That the Law was of no use either to the Conviction of Sin or as a Rule of Life Moreover their Airey and uncouth Notions leads them out to assert other Strange and Rediculous nay Blasphemous Expressions For the same Culy said That a Believer in Christ was as Righteous as God himself To which Mr. Rix a Reverend Minister Reply'd That the Righteousness of Christ was imputed to Believers c. But he answered He had nothing to do with Christ's Imputed Righteousness nor the Righteousness of
the Manhood of Christ but they were as Righteous as God himself Quoting that Text 2 Cor. 5. 21. Again he the said Culy affirmed That Jesus Christ was the greatest Reprobate in the World Mr. Coleman's Maid-Servant hearing him utter these Words said Have a Care what you say for it is against the Person of Christ and 't is Blasphemie Something to the same Purpose another of them uttered lately in London Also Mr. D s July 1696. in a Sermon Perached in London mentioning that Text Hob 2. 14. 15. For verily he took not on him the Nature of Angels but he took on him the Seed of Abraham affirmed That Christ did not only take or assume the Seed or Nature of Abraham or of the Elect but he assumed the Persons of all the Elect also Which is contrary I think to what any Orthodox Minister ever asserted Brethren pray Consider That the human Nature which Christ assumed was Hypostatically united to the Divine Nature therefore if he assumed the Persons of all the Elect then all the Persons of Elect are brought into the Hypostatical Union in the Person of Christ But may be some may Object and say He only meant Christ assumed their Persons Representatively c. Answ That could not be his meaning because he brought in Christ as thhir Head and Representative c. as another distinct Argument to prove what he was upon But further to Confute his Notion take what Dr. Owen saith viz. It was our Nature he assumed and not the Person of 〈…〉 Then say I not the Persons of all the Elect. Again he saith Many 〈…〉 Persons cannot be Hypostatically Vnited for that is to be one Person and no 〈…〉 e There may be a manisold Vnion Mystical and Moral of divers of 〈…〉 y Persons but a Personal Vnion there cannot be of any thing but 〈…〉 distinct Natures And as the Son of God could not assume many Persons so 〈…〉 sing that human Nature which he did unite to himself to have been a Person 〈…〉 ere could have been no Personal Vnion between it the Son of God Again saith 〈…〉 It is only the assumption of our Nature unto Vnion with the Son of God An 〈…〉 edent unto any individual Personal Subsistence of it's own that can 〈…〉 ute such a Vnion In his Treatise Intituled Twofold Discourse concerning the Spirit p. 52 53 54. 15. This Notion of Justification before Faith seems directly contrary to those Scriptures that hold forth That we are Justified by Faith c. in 〈…〉 all that Believe are Justified and particularly that Text Gal. 2. 16. Even we have Believed that we might be Justified by the Faith of Christ 〈…〉 c. Not that we might know we were Justified before or might be in 〈…〉 own Consciences but that we might be actually Justified Justification 〈…〉 applied to Faith 1. not by Faith as our Orthodox Divines note as it is an act of ours 2. Not by Faith as it is the efficient cause thereof for in that Sense 't is God that Justifies 3. Not by Faith as the Meritori 〈…〉 s Cause of it for so we are Justified by the Bloâ—d of Christ 4. Nor that Faith procures it from any intrinsick Vertue simply Considered to be 〈…〉 that Grace but by Faith as an Instrument i. e. as a Hand that receives Christ and his Righteousness or applies the Remedy to our Souls Faith Justifie us Objectively as it apprehends Christ Suppose a Friend should offer to give me a Thousand Pounds and I stretch forth my Hand to receive it 't is not my Hand that inriches me but 't is the Gift given the 〈…〉 Hand applies to cure my Wounds doth not Heal me but 't is the said Balm But if by Faith we are Justified then not before it nor without it Moreover if by Faith we are actually united to Christ and are the Children of God then not united to him nor actually God's Children before we Believe They that were stung in the Wilderness the Type of guilty Sinners were not Healed before they looked up to the Brazen Serpent were not to look to it that they might know they were Healed or have the Declaration or feeling Sense of that Cure which they had before but by looking they were a tually Healed 16. Lastly This Doctrin of theirs tends to lead People to venture on Christ or throw themselves on Christ Presumptuously and conclude they are Justified tho' they continue Wicked and ungodly and do not experience the Effects of Christ's Death and Resurrection in themselves for tho' we affirm God Justifies the ungodly i. e. That we are such Just when we Believe and so come to Christ as Sinners as convinced and ungodly Sinners without any previous Qualifications yet Faith doth not leave us in and under the power of Sins but purifies our Hearts and Lives Faith hath a twofold Use First by God's Ordination as it apprehends and receives Christ 'tis said to Justifie us and by its own Spiritual Vertue it Rennovates and Sanctifies us I must Confess by reading some Passages in Mr. Ayre 's Treatise and that passage of Mr. Davis mentioned in this Narrative I cannot see that these Men by all the Noise they make about Justification before faith that 't is anything more than that which we call a decretive and Vertual Justification So that it appears 't is but about strife of Words that these poor People made that Schism in the Church at Kilby Mr. Davis says That the Elect are dead in Traspasses and Sins and under the declared condemnation of the Law and Gospel till they Believe and then and only then they are freed from Condemnation which I take says he to be actual Justification by faith And that he will stand by the Assemblies desinition of Justifying faith and that the Moral Law holds the Elect during their Vnregeneracy under t is condemning Force till they believe I would know what is it we say more or less Why then does this man make this Stir and Division in Churches Mr. Ayre saith Justification actively Considered as it is in God who is the Justifier was Compleat and Perfect before we had a being and in this Sense Faith is not the Instrument of it and Dr. Twisses whom he Quotes saith It was ours before we Believe in respect of right because of the intention of the Father and the Son tho' not in Possession and Enjoyment Ans Suppose a man intend to give and also purchase an Estate for a Child that shall proceed from my Loyns of the hundred Generation from me can that Child be said actually to have the posession of 〈…〉 t Estate so long before 't is born Nay to have any proper or personal right to it We deny not 〈◊〉 our right to Justification in respect of God's Decree and Intention before we were born nor of that Vertual right in Christ as our head and Representative at his resurrection Certainly these men fight only with their own Shaddows for what is