heart Acts 15.9 Therefore it is not love it self or the purity of the heart but something that inclineth and disposeth to love and purity and surely before we can love and obey God there must be an apprehension of his goodness faithfulness readiness to accept and reward which must incline the heart to it We cannot love and serve him 〈◊〉 we neither know him nor his Mind concerning us nor have any confidence in his good wilâ— towards us And this is Faith which we may thus describe Faith is a hearty and practical assent to all divine truth so as to believe the Histories fear the Threatnings trust in the I remises and expect the fulfilling of Prediction which proceed from God All this is easily gathered out of the 11. Heb. where the Apostle having spoken in the end of the 10th Chapter of believing to the saving of the Soul subjoynâ— this description of Faith v. 1. viz. That it is the substance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the subsistence of things hoped for and the evidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of things not seen which subsistence and evidence things yet suture have only in God's Word and Man's real belief of it things hoped for properly respect the Promises things not seen the History of things past as the belief of the Creation v. 2. and the Prediction of things to come as Noah by Faith feared the Deluge v. 7. and all the Patriarchs died in faith or expectation of the coming of Christ v. 13. Now that Faith hath several acts and causeth several affections as hope trust fear in the soul is because it hath several objects things to be desired things to be feared and things to be hoped for which is common to it with other graces which have their several acts and affections towards several objects or the same objects severally conâ—dered That special act of Faith which reâ—â—ects Promises or affection immediately â—owing from Faith without which it is not â—ompleat in Scripture is called by several â—ames rouling resting leaning relying upon God flying to him for resuge hiding our â—â—lves under him putting of our selves under â—he Shadow of his Wings which and the like â—re Metaphors from the Body and when we â—eak properly of the acts of the Soul are best â—prest by believing or trusting in the Promises which the Protestants express by fiduâ—a affiance or fiducial recumbence which is â—â—so the Scripture term of putting our hope and confidence in God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pervasion and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a full assurance of â—is Promise Now Faith justifieth a Sinner â—ot in its whole Latitude for so it believeth â—eer Histories as well as practical things and â—e Threatnings as well as the Promises and â—â—useth fear as well as hope But a Sinner cannot be reconciled unto God by fearing his Wrath and Judgment though fearing may â—cite him to look after mercy in the Promise â—or by believing the History of things past as â—â—e Creation and Floud or the Prediction of â—â—ings to come as the Resurrection and day 〈◊〉 Judgment though these things may set forth God's veracity and confirm the Truth of his promise and may excite fear and diligence 〈◊〉 seeking after mercy As trusting in the promises of particular mercies and deliverances is the means of obtaining those mercies as the promises are made to such faith or 〈◊〉 Isa 26.3.4 Thou shalt keep him in perse peace whose mind is stayed on thee because trusteth in thee The promises of deliverant go before and this is added as the means procure the accomplishment of them viz. That they should trust in God so in like mâ—ner the general promise of Pardon and Justfication is made to believing or trusting in and faith gives right to it and is the means having it performed to us Faith then justiâ—â— as it obtains mercy Heb. 11.33 Saintâ— Faith obtained Promises viz. a performan of them and in the Gospel frequently 〈◊〉 Faith hath saved thee and thy Faith hath mâ— thee whole c. As Faith obtains these mercies neither as an act of obedience not the cause or root of obedience but only trusting in the Power and Faithfulness of Gâ—engaged by the particular promises so aâ— Faith justifieth a Sinner by trusting in 〈◊〉 Grace and Mercy of God through Jeâ— Christ expressed in the general Promise of 〈◊〉 Gospel He that believeth shall be saved 〈◊〉 the like We do not contend about the aâ— ception of faith in this proposition We aâ—â— justified by saith whether it be taken objectively only as some think i. e. we are justified by Christ believed on or relatively 〈◊〉 are justified by faith as apprehending the mercy of God promised through Christ and 〈◊〉 by any works of our own it cometh all one at last The Mercy of God is the câ—â—sa proegomena the moving cause of our Justification the righteonsness of Christ wrought for us the meritorious cause procuring our acceptance with God and also the material or formal cause being the very thing for which God accepts us to life The Promise in the Gospel is the external moral or legal means whereby God conveys Justification and this Righteousness having promised 〈◊〉 to them that believe and faith is an internal means on mans part to apply Christ's Righteousness for his Justification by trusting him promising of it and that partly natural is faith is an act or habit or act properly conversant about a promise and partly moâ—al as God hath appointed our faith in the promise of Justification to be a means of obtaining it and this is all that Divines mean by saying Faith justifys as an instrument or intrumentally and when they call it the mouth and the hand of the soul viz. That Man is Justified by the Righteousness of Christ which Justification is proposed and promised in the Gospel to all that will accept it and trust in it which is believing so that Faith it self is â—ot the matter or righteousness which doth Justifie us under the Gospel instead of our Obedience under the Law but it is the means whereby through the Promise of the Gospel Christs Righteousness is imputed or applied to us by and for which we are justified Object It is no better than a cavil which is objected If Faith justifys as an instrument whose instrument is it Gods or Mans if Mans then he justifys himself if Gods then Man doth nothing in the business of Justification which is Antinomian For Answ The like may be asked of all instruments Natural or Moral Our Food whose instrument is it to nourish us If Gods then we need not eat if ours then we nourish our selves The Word and Sacraments are instruments of grace if they are our instruments then we work grace in our selves iâ— Gods then we need do nothing all these and the like are instruments of Gods appointing to be used by us to the right use of which he hath promised a blessing he hath commanded us to take food and
next care is how he shall hold out to serve God and to be brought to his Kingdom and then upon knowledge of the Promises of the Spirit and Grace of Christ flowing from him as Prophet and King he trusteth in them to be preserved to the Heavenly Kingdom but this follows his Justification and is the immediate root of his Obedience for having hope in Christ for grace and perseverance he is thereby stirr'd up to make a Covenant or Promise of all Obedience but all this is nothing to prove that our Obedience is the condition whereby we must be justified but the quite contrary Argument 2. The usual language of the Scripture is p. 14. that we are justified by Faith in Christ or by believing in him without any exclusion of any essential part of that Faith But Faith in Christ doth essentially contain our believing in him as Teacher Priest and King or Lord Ergò Answ To the Major Faith as including habits and acts of all grace is an aggregatum and hath no essential parts and as a single habit is a quality or something like it and hath not essential parts To the Minor I answer That justifying Faith doth contain an assent to the Doctrine of Christ's Person and his Offices at least implicitely and a trust in the promise of the benefits of them all and this is essential to it but from hence it follows not that Obedience justifies as well as Faith But if by believing in Christ as Prophet Priest and King be meant as it seemeth to be a belief of and subjection to the whole Gospel of Christ then the Minor is false Justifying Faith doth not include this as the essential parts of it Obedience to the Gospel and to Christ as King and Prophet is the effect not a part of Faith or any elicit act of it and though Faith do essentially rather integrally include a belief of the whole Doctrine of the Gospel yet the sum of that Doctrine is comprised in the Promise of Justification by Christ all other truths being some way subservient and to be referred to it and so Faith hath nothing else essential to it but an assent to and trust in the promise and those things th t belong to it When it is added That we are to prove that to justifie is restrained to any one Act of Faith exclusive of the rest that is sufficiently done when we prove that Works are excluded and that Faith justifies only instrumentally or as a trust in the Promise The Scriptures alledged do some of them prove that Faith taken complexly for all Gospel-obedience is required to Salvation Mar. 16.16 Joh. 3.16 17 18. and v. 36. but then Salvation also is taken complexly for the whole deliverance from sin and misery till we are brought to Heaven whereof Justification is but one part and others spake of Faith properly which is opposed to Works said to justifie us without them as Rom. 1.16.17 18. and Rom. 3.22 25 28 31. Rom. 5.1 c. And this we deny to include the promise or purpose of Obedience Here it is not unseasonable to shew the concurrence of Dr. Preston with us in his explaining justifying Faith to extend to all the Offices of Christ because he is confidently alledged by those we dispute against for their Opinion though as injuriously as the two former They that will satisfy themselves may please to peruse his 11th Sermon on the Govenant out of which I observe these few things He saith That the way to obtain the Spirit 1st Vse 3. Ibid. to mortify Sin is to believe to apply to a man's self the Covenat of Grace the promise of the Pardon of his Sins These are his own words That is the way to get the Spirit that is the way to mortify the deeds of the flesh and to get the heart changed and to be made a new Creature For he adds Hope of pardon and mercy melteth the heart and maketh a man go about the Commands of God as now possible yea to be delighted in It is plain the Dr. maketh the Covenant of Grace and the promise of Pardon to be believed and applyed to our selves before we can make any Covenant of Obedience with God and that believing is trusting in the Covenant as a Promise and that the Promise of Pardon is the first thing a Sinner is to apply to himself as the meansto humble change and to bring him to God He saith Vse 4. God's Covenant with Abraham and with all believers is to give them all blessings in Christ and distinctly from all his Offices pardon from his Priesthood teaching from his Prophetical the Spirit and Victory over all their corruptions together with all other Priviledges from his Kingly Office He saith The Condition of this Covenant that God requireth to make a man Partaker of these Blessings is Faith alone The Condition saith he is Thou shalt believe this thou shalt believe that such a Messiah shall be sent into the World Art thou able to believe this Abraham c. Again Abraham did believe and God accounted that Faith of his for Righteousness i. e. he accepted him for it for that Faith he reckoned him a man sit to make a Covenant withal he accounted him a Righteous person i. e. he was willing to enter into a Covenant with him because he believed him Moreover That his believing for a Son and for the Inheritance of Canaan were tryals whether he could believe the Promise of the Messiah that they were not the Faith that did immediately intitle him to the Covenant but acts of the same Grace of Faith of the same habit or gracious disposition whereby he believed the Promise of the Messiah and that his Faith was tried again when he was commanded to offer his Son whereupon God renewed his Covenant with an Oath Sure saith he I will perform my Covenant since I see that thou believest me and fearest me and preferrest me before thine onely Son N. B. These are but the Concomitants of Faith Again The Condition that God requires of every man to be made Partaker of his Covenant is nothing but to believe in God i.e. God saith I will give my Son to you and I will make him a King a Priest and a Prophet to bless you he shall give you remission of sins he shall teach you to mortifie your lusts and shall make you Partakers of his Kingdom he shall make you Heirs and Sons This is a very great Promise can you believe this If a man will but believe God now I say it makes him Partaker of the Covenant Hence it is manifest that Faith only intitleth to the Covenant of Grace that this Faith is nothing else but a trust in the Promise of the Benefits of Christ in all his Offices and that by a Condition is meant only a qualification of the Subject whereby he is made fit to be covenanted with This is further proved by the Reasons he giveth why
Argument 4. We are justifyed by Christ as Priest p. 24. Prophet and King conjunctly and not by any of these alone much less by his Humiliation and Obedience alone then according to the Opponents own Principles who argue from the distinct interest of the several parts of the Objects to the distinct interest of the several acts of Faith we are justified by believing in Christ as Priest Prophet and King Answ Faith as a distinct habit hath no acts but practical assent to a revealed truth which in respect of the promise is called trust or affiance One habit hath but one sort of elicite acts though it may cause divers effects upon the will and affections according to the nature of divers objects therefore we do not argue from the distinct interest of several acts of Faith but from Faith as trusting in the Promise of Justification as the special object of the act that justifieth Again the Object of justifying Faith according to this Opinion must be the whole declared Will of Christ or the whole Gospel for that is it which we believe and obey and Obedience to it is the form or righteousness by and for which we are justifyed therefore those Terms of Christ's justifying in his whole Person and all his Offices or Faith justifying with respect to them are added in vain they being no more included in the nature of Justification or respected by Faith as justifying in this way than in ours The promise of life by Christ to believing only is as much founded upon his whole Person and all his Offices as if the promise were made to our Obedience to the whole Gospel But we deny the Antecedent let us hear the proof The Word Justification signifieth these 3 acts p. 24. 1st Condonation or constitutive Justification by the Law of grace or promise of the Gospel 2ly Absolution by sentence in judgment 3ly The execution of the former by actual liberation from penalty The two former are more properly called Justification As for the first I argue Christ doth as King and Benefactor on supposition of his antecedent Merits enact the Law of grace or promise by which we are justified Ergò As King and Benefactour he doth justifie us by condonation or constitution As the Father by a right of Creation was Rector of the new created World and so made the Covenant of Life that was then made so the Son and the Father by right of Redemption is Rector of the new redeemed World and so made the Law of grace that gives Christ and life to all that will believe c. Answ Christ as God the same in substance with the Father did together with him enact both the Covenants of Works and of Grace but as Mediator which only is to our purpose he did not enact the Covenant or Law of Grace and it is only said that he did and not proved It was God as God and in special the Father according to the order of the Three Persons that gave the Law of Works that was offended by sin that condemned sinners and therefore he only that could appoint a way whereby they should be saved and he only coul justifie him Christ as Mediator though God in Nature yet in Office was God's Servant Isa 53.11 Mat. 12 18. and his business was not to enact Laws or constitute a way for Man's Redemption but to work out and bring to pass that way which God purchased and to fulfil his Will in it Heb. 10.7 which he did first by satisfying the Law and purchasing Reconciliation as a Priest then by declaring as a Prophet that Pardon was to be had by believing in his Bloud and Lastly as a King yet ministerial under the Father by overpouring the hearts of Gods Elect to believe that God might justify them and then by sanctifying and ruling them by his Word and Spirit to bring them to life It belongeth to the Father to justifie constitutively i. e. to propose the way wherein Men should be justified and through believing to justifie them to the Mediator almost but ministerially to declare it to Men by authority from the Father but most properly to bring it to pass by the execution of all his Offices Rom. 8.33 34. It is God that justifies it is Christ that died rose and intercedeth p. 25. 2ly It is said Justification by sentence of judgment is undeniably by Christ as King for God hath appointed to judge the World by him Acts 17.31 c. Answ Christ in judging the World is but a ministerial King For God is the Supream Judg Heb. 12.23 however we deny what is here took for granted That the sentence of the General Judgment is a declaration of a sinners Justification from the guilt of sin It is only the adjudging of justified Believers to Glory in Heaven for their Obedience according to Gods Fatherly promise p. 25. 3ly It is said For the execution of the sentence by actual liberation there can be little doubt being after both the former Answ Christ is ministerial in this also for he calleth Believers to inherit the Kingdom as being the blessed of the Father and it being prepared for them from the beginning of the World Mat. 25.34 Besides Glory in Heaven is a fruit of Adoption not of Justification immediately and Adoption is the act of the Father not of the Mediator And let it be observed That here all Justification is referred to Christ as King properly and immediately as was before said and he as Priest and Prophet did but make way for his justifying of us as King and therefore these offices are mentioned in the Question only for a shew that they acknowledge we are justifyed by his Bloud This is in effect confessed in the following words As the Teacher of the Church Christ doth not immediately justify but yet mediately he doth Ibid. and it is but mediately that he justifyeth by his Merits It is also said That Christ's granting the Promise or Act of Grace is the true natural p. 25. efficient instrumental Cause of Justification even the immediate Cause So then the whole Gospel as to be obeyed by us is the proper and immediate Instrument of our Justification and our obedience to the Gospel together with God's acceptance of it is the only internal Cause of Justification or the Righteousness for which we are justifyed and Christ's Merit and Righteousness and his Promulgation of the Gospel are but extrinsecal remote and preparatory Causes of it and these not absolutely necessary seeing these Authors do not deny but that God might have saved man without satisfaction and then it will follow if a man obey the Precepts of the Gospel and acknowledge Christ as Lord and King he may be saved although he believe only in a Glorified Saviour as the Jesuites preached to the people of China yea I understand not but a Socinian may be saved by obeying the Gospel though he deny the Merit of Christ having
in his death do justify and here Faith both as justifying and sanctifying is taken for a trust in Christ in all his Offices to bestow Justification and Sanctification upon us and we never denied that justifying Faith doth extend it self to all the Offices of Christ As Faith trusteth in Christ as King and Prophet 2dly and Interceder with his Father for the progress and perfecting of Sanctification so we never denied that justifying Faith looketh to Christ as King Interceeder and Prophet for the comfort and effects of Justification But As trusting in Christ's Merits only 3dly obtaineth the grant and habit of Sanctification so trusting in the same Merits obtaineth the grant and actual Justification and looketh no further for it Faith indeed looketh to Christ in his several Offices for daily Sanctification for new degrees of it because that is a divisible and successive work not only to be purchased by Christ but also wrought by him gradually in prosecution of his own purchase but Justification is one indivisible act of the Father whereby a sinner is accepted to life eternal there is no place for subsequent acts and this Justification absolutely considered is only purchased by Christ there needs no other acts to apply it except in the comfort and effects of it Therefore we deny the consequence of the main Argument Faith trusteth in all the Offices of Christ for Sanctification Ergò It doth for Justification Argument 8. It is the same Faith in habit and act by which we are justifyed p. 31. and by which we have right to the Spirit of Sanctification for further degree and Adoption Glorification c. But it is believing in Christ as Prophet Priest and King by which we have right to the Spirit of Sanctification Adoption Glorification Answ I deny the Minor Believing in Christ as Priest or in his satisfaction and the promise o◠life thereupon gives a right to Reconciliation and life immediately and to the Spirit of Adoption and Sanctification consequently the promise of this being annexed to the promise of life and the having it being necessary to fit us for glory but believing or trusting in Christ as Prophet and King distinctly is a means of actual obtaining the Spirit of Sanctification and further degrees of it to which we had right before as Dr. Preston hath expressed it as above and yet many true Believers have little or no skill to make this distinct use of Christ's Offices but trust in the general That as God for Christ's sake doth forgive and take them into favour so that he will for Christ's sake also give them his Spirit and whatsoever is needful to fit them for his Kingdom Our Author takes the Minor for granted by us and offers no proof Argument 9. There is in the very nature of a Covenant p. 25. condition in general and of God's imposed condition in special enough to persuade that the benefit dependeth usually as much or more on some other act as on that which accepteth the benefit it self Ergò We have reason to judge that our Justification depends on some other act as on the acceptance of Justification Answ 1 The consequence if weak If usually Ergò always Therefore in this case this follows not To the Antecedent I deny the supposition 2dly viz. That we are justifyed by a proper strict Covenant condition The Promise of Life through believing is a Testament a Promise and but improperly a Covenant because it cannot be bestowed but upon a capable subject i. e. one that trusteth in it and accepteth of it So Dr. Preston expresly as before Assurance and sence of Pardon usually cometh upon our entring into or renewing a Covenant of Obedience but the right to Pardon and Justification which putteth us into a pardoned State is our humble accepting and trusting in thee Promise of life through Christ And in this God's Covenant or Promise of pardon in Christ differs from Mens Covenants 3dly in that they do usually depend upon conditious to be fulfilled because Men have no other way to prevent the abuse of their kindness or to oblige to duty and gratitude for the future but God that can and will sanctify the heart as well as give right to life and thereby prevent the abuse of his favour needeth not to suspend his mercy upon such engagements and conditions from the creature It is not unusual we have seen many publick instances of it in our days for men to pardon offenders by an absolute act of grace without imposing any conditions 4ly only leaving men to their own ingenuity for the future and to the Law if they offend again It is said p. 36. God is the principle end of his own Covenant and therefore his honour must be principally respected in it and therefore a promise of Obedience and subjection to him and to Christ as the procurer of life which men are most unwilling to must be the principal parts of the condition of the Covenant and the acceptance of Pardon which all men are willing to have can be but a part of the condition and the less principal part Answ Here it is plain That by the foregoing ambiguous discourse of believing in Christ as Prophet Priest and King was meant a promise of subjection to him in all his Offices not a trusting in him for the benefits of them and that Faith here is nothing but Universal Obedience to Christ and a trust in the promise of Pardon or in Christ as a Priest is no part of it nor can go before but must follow after it i. e. when we have promised and in part performed obedience to Christ then may we hope for pardon and not before To the Argument I say the consequence is weak many ways 1st Because God's own Honour is the principle End doth it follow that in order of execution he requireth the Creature immediatly and in his first acting toward him distinctly and principally to aim at his Honour Surely he alloweth and his Word tends to this That self-preservation from the wrath to come should first move the Creature to fly to his Mercy and then as hope of pardon dawneth love to God and his Honour springeth and as hope of pardon increaseth so love to God prevails above the consideration of self-preservation Again God hath had his greatest Honour from the obedience and satisfaction of Christ already before he granteth pardon to the Sinner and is it no honour to God to trust in his free Sovereign Grace for the pardon of Sin and Gift of eternal Life Rom. 4.21 Is it no honour to Christ to trust in him as able to save to the uttermost all that come unto him Surely this is the greatest Honour that can be done to the Grace of God Nor is it so easie a thing rightly to trust in free pardoning Mercy They that know themselves know it is the hardest thing in the world and it seemeth God accounteth it so too by
Faith or Affiance in that thing for which we are acquitted in the Judgment of God and taken into favour even the Merit of Christ Instrumentalis of sides h. e. fiducia qua id amplectimur nobis â—pplicamus per propter quod in judicio Dei absolvimur à maledictione legis in gratiam reâ—ipimur nempe Christi meritum And Thes 7. That the satisfaction of Christ for our sin or his Passive Righteousness is that for which or by which we are justified Materia ejus est id â—â—er quod propter quod coram tribunali divino â—â—maledictione legis absolvimur innocentes â—â—usti reputamur est id perfecta Christi pro nobis satisfactio qua poenas propter peccata nobis deâ—â— it as nostro loco ipse fuit c. And that Mr. Gataker hereafter quoted was of the same mind â—s evident from his learned posthumons Treaâ—ise of Justification In all this here is no footstep of our Author's Notion of Imputation â—or the question is not What Righteousness of Christ is imputed but How it is imputed whether formally properly and immediately as all these Divines affirm or remotely only â—â—mediately and metaphorically as some of late â—â—contend In England most Divines used the Phrase Object Ibid. § 18. That we were justified by the Forgiveness of Sin and the Impputation of Christ's Righteousness and being accepted as righteous unto life thereon but the Sence of Imputation few pretended accurately to discusse c. Answ True they did not distinguish away the sence of Imputation leave only an equivocal term Our Homilies speak expresly that we may be said to have obeyed and suffered in what Christ hath done and suffered for us ut supra cap. 2. The Doctrine of the Church of England hath been constantly that we are justified by Faith as an Hand receiving as an Instrument applying the righteousness of Christ as is manifest by the Homilies King Edward's Catechism composed by Dr. Ponet B. of Winchester where the Phrase of Faith being an hand is extant by the 39 Articles with Articles of Lambeth the whole University of Cambridge in the Recantation which they enjoyned Barret by the Articles of Ireland composed by English men mostly and by the publick Question disputed in both Universities collected out of their publick Records by Mr. Prin in his Antiarminianism and sure this is nothing to Christ's procuring a Covenant of Obedience and justifying us by that Nor do Mr. Wotton's three Assertions as here alledged overthrow the substance of our Doctrine We grant there is an over rigid sence of these words We are justified by Christ's fulfilling the Law as if we had fulfilled it in him Yet this proveth not That we are not justified immediately by Christ's fulfilling the Law as intended and wrought for us Pag. 24 25. the Author gives us his own sence viz. That all the Righteousness of Christ habitual active passive and divine as advancing them in value is the meritorious cause of our Justification But are we accepted and justified immediately for this Righteousness No Yet that is the Imputation all former Divines maintained How then Why for this Righteousness God maketh a Covenant of Grace in which he freely giveth Christ Pardon and Life to all that accept the Gift as it is so that the Accepters are by his Covenant or Gift as surely justified and saved by Christ's Righteousness as if they obeyed and satisfied themselves c. viz. That the conditions of the Gift in the Covenant of Grace being performed by every penitent Believer that Covenant doth pardon all their sins as God's Instrument and giveth them a right to eternal life for Christ's Merit This is a confession of what we represented before sc That the fulfilling the Gospel-conditions of faith repentance c. is the righteousness which gives us the immediate right to pardon and life and that Christ's righteousness only merited this grant of life upon those conditions It might be expected by this History of the controversie that some Divine should have been quoted which taught this Doctrine but alas here is not one since the Reformation Therefore I shall quote the true Authors of this Opinion after I have vindicated B. Davenant and Mr. Bradshaw who are here and elsewhere ingeniously represented as laying the ground of this Opinion and as maintaining Imputation in another sence than all had done before them For the most Learned and Pious Bishop It is said p. 18 19. That though he most stifly defended Imputation in words yet when he telleth what Protestants mean by it he saith That our own Actions and Passions and Qualities may not only be imputed to us but also some extrinsecal thing neither inherent in us nor done by us de facto autem imputantur quando illorum intuitus respectus valent nobis ad aliquem effectum aequè ac si a nobis aut in nobis essent i.e. They are imputed when the sight or respect of them doth profit us for any effect as much as if they were in us or done by us Note that he saith but ad aliquem effectum non ad omnem i.e. to some not to every effect Answ By this we are to understand that the Bishop meant Christ's Righteousness was imputed for some certain Effect viz. To procure a New Covenant not immediately to justifie us I see I need not despair but my Books hereafter may be quoted for metaphorical imputation In truth the Bishop doth not say ad aliquem tantùm but to some effect but aliquem effectum simply meaning quemvis any effect sc That things without us he intends Christ's Righteousness may be imputed i.e. profit us to any effect as well as things in us or done by us and that the following Similitudes shew of a slothful person promoted for the Merits of his Ancestors or a Malefactor pardoned by anothers suffering in his stead which in both cases is done by the immediate impâ—tation of such merits and suffering without performing conditions by the Parties But that the Bishop maintained imputation in the same sence that we do and almost in the same words is so evident that I am ashamed to produce the Proofs in so clear a case His 37th Determination is That Justifying Faith is fiducia affiance in God for the remission of sins through the satisfaction of Christ that this is the very formal Act of Justifying Faith His 8th Determination is That the Sanctified may be sure of Salvation which will not consist with conditional Justification and one Proof is Arg. 4. As it is most certain that Christ paid a sufficient price for all men so it is no less certain hanc satisfactionem omnibus fidelibus paenitentibus imputari applicari quasi ab illis ipsis Deo oblata praestita fuisset i.e. That this satisfaction is imputed to all Believers as if they themselves had made it and offered it to God But I shall confine my self to
it self doth justifie us or make us accepted and that the righteousness which is imputed to us whereby we are justified is not Obedience to the Law but something else which God for Christ's sake graciously accepteth to our Justification Declar. sentent oper p. 102. What this is he expresseth having said that Christ's Righteousness is the onely meritorious cause of Pardon Statuo hoc censeo benè propriè dici fidem homini credenti in justitiam ex gratia imputari quatenùs Deus Jesum Christum filium suum proposuit tribunal gratiae sive propitiationem per fidem in sanguine ipsius h. e. Faith is imputed to us for righteousness in as much as God hath made Christ the Tribunal of Grace which is all one as to say with ours Christ as a King and Judge doth justifie us by and for believing in him And again in answer to the 26th Article objected to him he contendeth That though Faith may be said to concur as an Instrument to Justification yet the Act of Faith doth justifie as it is graciously accepted for our Righteousness Apprehensio Christi est proprior quam instrumentum apprehendens vel quo objectum apprehenditur Apprehensio autem est actio itaque fides non quà instrumentum sed quà actio imputatur in justitiam quanquam propter illum quem apprehendit Bertius in his Epistles explaineth this that Faith is required by the Gospel instead of perfect Obedience to the Law of Works contra Lubbert and so justifyeth us that should have done as the fulfilling of the Command of God with this difference That perfect Obedience needed no Pardon and Grace but Faith per gratiosam accepti lationem of God's Gracious condescension is accepted as a Man's Righteousness he being pleas'd to require no more of him because of his inability to keep the Law so then Christ's Righteousness hath purchased that we should be justified by our Faith but it self doth not justifie us But do the Arminians by Faith mean only the apprehending or trusting in Christ's Righteousness in opposition to or contradistinction from all other Graces and Works in the matter of Justification Nothing less By Faith they mean Obedience to the whole Gospel and all good Works they say are intended in Faith that Faith and Repentance are all one though sometimes they are separated and spoken of apart for clearness sake Thus Hornbeck proposeth their Opinion Sum. Contro lib. 8. Quest 20. Num coram Deo justificemur non fide apprehendendo Christi justitiam quae sola nobis imputetur in peccatorum remissionem â—sed fide ut est actus opus nostrum includens in se obedientiam operum Evangelicorum propter quam quamvis non ex ejus dignitate merito justificemur i. e. That we are not justified by Faith as it apprehendeth the Righteousness of Christ but as it is an Act or Work of ours including Obedience to all the Commands of the Gospel Harm Remonstr Socin Art 12 17. Joh. Peltius hath largely shewed That by Faith the Remonstrants mean Obedience to the whole Gospel and that this is it by which they would have us justified Take 2 or 3 citations Art 12. Parag. 6. p. 157. ex Remonstr confes cap. 10. Hac ratione considerata fides totam hominis conversionem Evangelio praescriptam ambitu suo continet Faith comprehends man's whole Conversion Episcop disput 22. Fides illa quae credenti imputari dicitur in justitiam bona opera non tantum non tollat sed ea ipsa aut eorum saltem faciendorum propositum natura sua in se contineat comprehendat i.e. Faith which is imputed for righteousness doth not exclude Works but containeth them or at least a purpose of doing them Joannes Geister Confess Bona opera gratia non pugnant inter sese sub fide etiam bona opera comprehenduntur i.e. Grace and Works are not opposite and Faith comprehends Works Yea this Man was so ingenuous as to tell us that we do not contend with the Papists whether we be at all justified by Works in this the Remonstrants and Papists are agreed the question only is By what Works we must be justified Quando cum Papistis disputatur non est inquirendum an per bona opera justificemur sed per quae opera He would only exclude Popish superstitious Works as our Authors would have The Apostle Paul only excludes Jewish Works or Ceremonial Observations from our Justification Would you have the matter yet plainer Adolph Venator will put it out of question Justificamúrne etiam ex operibus Certè ita i.e. Are we justified by works also Yes verily And the Remonstrants in their Apology boldly affirm ex operibus hominem justificari istud non tantum non est absurdum sed verissimum esse totidem verbis pronuntiat Apostolus Jacob. 2. Nec evadent hunc ictum censores cùm hunc locum pro suo more de declaratione justificationis intelligendum esse dicunt i.e. It is so far from being absurd that a man is justified by works that it is most true and the express words of the Apostle James which cannot be evaded by interpreting them of declarative Justification Thus we see that the Arminians meant the same thing when they said the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere the Act and Work of Faith it self doth justifie us that our late Authors do when they ascribe Justification to Faith and Obedience both agree that Faith in its usual acceptation and full latitude comprehendeth assent and obedience to the whole Gospel and that thus it justifies and no other way and in this how the Remonstrants do conspire with the Socinians Peltius doth clearly demonstrate ut supra which also the Arminians do not deny as in their Apology Si quis dicat hanc sententiam Quod Fides quà tenus viva est justificat esse ipsissimam Socini sententiam is dato quod id verum sit necesse est ut fateatur tandem Socinum hac in parte conspirare cum reformatis Ecclesiis quoad substantiam ipsam i.e. If any man say that this is Socinus's Doctrine he must confess that Socinus doth so far agree with the Reformed Churches in substance And this also seemeth to have been the true sence of Pelagius vid. Vos Hist Pelag lib. 3. par 1. viz. That men are justified and saved by their acknowledging and obeying the Gospel for as much as he taught that under the Gospel men were saved by obeying it as the Jews were by observing the Law of Moses and those before Moses by observing the Law of Nature He also ascribeth to the Death of Christ nothing but the pardon of sins acceptance with God must depend upon mens own obedience Christ helping them in it by the instructions and encouragements of the Gospel and by his own Example and this doth not much differ from the Doctrine in hand Thus we see that the First Authors of these
Divines at Dort Rationes omnes Act. Syn. Art 2. Ibid. à scripturis fideique analogia petitae quibus Christi incarnatio humiliatio vel exaltatio probatur vel confirmatur eò spectant ut demonstretur divina expressa intentio de fructuoso hujus tanti mysterii effectu non conditionaliter producendo nempe si homines cùm aeque nolle possint velint ut hic fructus in de enascatur sed infrustrabiliter efficiendo potentiâ divinâ id operante i. e. All those Arguments that prove the Incarnation Humiliation and Exaltation of Christ tend to this to shew that it was God's express intention to produce the certain effects of that great Mystery infallibly by his own power and not to leave them to be conditional depending upon Man's Will who might as well neglect and refuse as accept of them I conclude the Sum of this Doctrine comes to this That God took occasion by the Incarnation Obedience and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant men terms of Salvation viz. if they should believe and obey the Gospel not as any satisfaction to his Justice or Law which man had broke but as some kind of salvo to his Honour at least as he was pleased to interpret it And what need Christ have been God to do no more than this How easie is the slip from hence into the dead Sea of Socinianism To lay that Christ came by his Life and Death to declare and confirm only this Covenant of Life on condition of Faith and Repentance and to intercede for the Penitents Indeed the whole platform of this Doctrine was borrowed from Socinus by the Arminians from whom most of our modern Writers have it and some immediately from the Socinian from whom also came that common but illogical Evasion of works being not the meritorious but the causa sine qua non of our Justification Opera ea sunt ex quibus justificamur sunt autem opera ista nostra Soc. de Justif apud Pelt i. e. ut dictum fuit obedientia quam Christo praestamus licet nec essiciens nec meritoria tamen causa ut vocant sine qua non justificationis coram Deo at que aeterne salut is nostrae I do not desire this should be believed on my credit much less do I write to reproach any who do in heart abhor that blasphemous heresie however their words and notions may agree too much with it I only beg that Scholars and Divines would take the pains to examin and compare them before they imbibe this new Doctrine CHAP. VII Of the Nature of Faith that it justifieth as an Instrument applying the Promises of life in Christ and not as a Condition or Part of Obedience T The Apostle Paul was sent to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles Act. 26. v. 17 18. to this end that they might receive the forgiveness of sins and an inheritance amongst thom which are sanctified by Faith which is in Christ therefore forgiveness and a right to the heavenly Inheritance comes by Faith But what this Faith is and how it gives right to Life is now to be inquired into In explaining the nature of Faith I shall wave all that is usually drawn from Philosophy to this Argument from the nature and difference of Man's Soul and his Faculties and the difference of the Faculties from each other also from the nature of Habits intellectual or moral which things are fit Exercises for Scholars but not fit to build the Doctrine of Justification and Eternal life upon and if the best Philosophers can give us no certain account how men see and hear and how the external Senses which yet are more material in their operations than the understanding do exercise their functions there is much less certainty to be had concerning the Faculties Operations and Habits of the rational part and the Scripture speaks of believing as a work of the whole Soul With the heart man believeth unto righteousness Rom. 10.9 The like may be said of every Grace and of every Sin that hath the consent of the Heart that they carry the whole Soul with them What then is this Faith The Socinians affirm Faith and Obedience to be really the same thing Peltius Artic. Parag. 21. distinct only formally or docendi causâ Soc. resp ad Epist Joan. Opera Fides nullo modo distinguuntur à Paulo nec ab ea seperari queant imò animo seu forma fidei sunt The Arminians agree with them in this and our late Authors with them both and make believing and obeying the Gospel all one and to be justified by Faith with them is to be justified by obedience to the Gospel Aphor. Th. 70. Hence it is that they describe Faith to be so to believe God as to love him fear him trust him and obey him in every particular command or more briefly to be an accepting of Christ for our Lord and Saviour i. e. to promise obedience to him Ibid. 69 67. and to desire and expect to be saved by him Now we grant as the Gospel is sometime taken for the whole Doctrine or Mind of Christ containing both Promises Precepts and Threatnings though properly it be nothing but a Promise of Life through Christ in contradistinction to all Law and Precepts so also the Faith of Christ and of the Gospel doth sometimes comprehend the whole Christian Profession whereby we promise both a belief of the doctrine and obedience to the Command of Christ Yet Faith taken properly is to be distinguished from all obediential Graces viz. those that are the immediate cause of obedience as much as those graces are distinct from each from other as Love from Fear both from Patience c. That we may wave that Philosophical question also whether Graces be several distinct habits or one universal habit distinguished by several acts and objects it is sufficient if Faith be distinct by its acts and proper object from all other graces as much as they are distinguished each from other And that it is so is evident because it is an assent of the mind to divinely revealed truth Its acts are to believe or assent its formal object is the revealed truth of God as such we speak of Divine Faith only The immediate End of it is the satisfaction of the mind in the certainty of a true proposition and the like All these are distinct from love fear desire which are the immediate principles of all obedience or practice in doing good or avoiding evil Moreover Faith is the root of obedience not as the immediate principle of the elicite acts of obedience but as a more remote principle which doth excite and direct all the immediate principles of it Thus Faith is prerequired to seeking and serving of God Heb. 11.2 to the End and yet the immediate principles of them were fear v. 7. self-denial v. 25. holy courage contempt of the World and the like Faith worketh by love Gal. 5.6 purifieth the
promised life by it 〈◊〉 to use the Ordinances and promised grace by them and that in believing him we shall have life everlasting So Faith as the rest is Gods instrument as to appointment anâ— success ours as to the use and practice of it 〈◊〉 only it is not proper to call it a passive instrument as some do or to say it justifies passively whose mistake is rather in the term thaâ— in the sence For Faith is a Moral not 〈◊〉 proper Physical instrument which only can be passive Again a passive instrument is thaâ— which hath no activity at all but is meerly used by the Agent in his action as a Knife Saw or the like but Faith justifieth actively or as a grace whereby the whole Soul understanding the promise of pardon in Christ accepts it trusteth in it expecteth Salvatioâ— only that way now this is a moral reception or acceptation of and dependance upon Christ in the Promise not a Physical passiveness as the term seems to imply We are now to prove That we are thus justified by Faith as hath been laid down because though the Scripture is full and express for it in many places yet other sences are now put upon them Argument 1. Faith is the means of obtaining all particular merits both spiritual and temporal only by trusting in the promise of them hence blessedness is ascribed to trusting in God Ps â—4 13 and many times God delivered men because they trusted in him 2 Chr. 20.20 Obedience qualifies and fits the subject to receive â—ercies but still Faith is supposed as that â—hich giveth right to mercies The Vertues 〈◊〉 Unbelievers have no promise the promise to Faith therefore Justification also comâ—â— by Faith in the Promise of pardon for â—ere is the same reason for all the Promises â—aith as faith obtain other Promises why â—t this also besides the Promise of Justification is the foundation of all the rest and â—â—udes them virtually therefore if Faith enâ—â—le to all other Promises and Mercies much â—â—re to this nay Faith in particular Promiâ—â— obtains mercy chiefly upon this account â—â—cause it hath first obtained reconciliation â—â—h God and the promise of his love in Christ for upon this all promises are founded and true trusting in them doth suppole our trusting in God first for Justification yea is a secondary act of the same Faith 2 Cor. 1.24 Argument 2. As Abraham was so are all men justified Gal. 3.7 8 9. all Believers are his Seed anâ— blessed with him and in the same way buâ— Abraham was justified by Faith as it is a trusting in the promise of God viz. a promisâ—â— that he and all the World should be blesseâ— in Christ Ergò That Abraham was thus justified the Apostle affirms Gal. 3.6 He believed and it was imputed to him for righteousness and this believing is opposed to seeking righteousness by the works of the Law v. 10. Thsy that are of the Law are not blessed with Abraham but under the Curse because thâ—â— keep not the whole Law which comprehenâ—â— the Moral as well as Ceremonial thereforâ— faith as trusting in the promise justified himâ— Moreover Christ redeemed us from the Cuâ—â— of the Law that we might receive the promiâ—â— of the Spirit by Faith v. 13 14. Vnto Abraham and his Seed were the Promises made v. 1â— and the Inheritance is not of the Law but 〈◊〉 Promise v. 18. The Faith then that justifiâ—â— Abraham was a trust in Gods Promises contradistinct to obedience to the Law or Commands If you ask what Promise I answer v. 17. directe us to it The Law was 400 〈◊〉 30 years after the Covenant or Promise whiâ—â— points at the time when Abraham was first â—alled and of the Promise made to him then â—nd to all Nations in him Gen. 12.1 2 3. by believing that promise Abraham was justified â—nd his faith in the promise of a Son mentioned above Chap. 15.6 and Rom. 4. was but a subsequent act of his justifying faith and its â—eing imputed for righteousness Vid. Prest On the Cov. Serm. 11. but an instance or evidence that his faith in the promise of being blessed in Christ did justifie him before God Argument 3. The Just shall live by Faith Habak 2.4 The Prophet spoke it immediately concerning temporal deliverance in publick calamities but these deliverances to the Children of God are tokens and fore-runners of deliverance from the Wrath to come and effects of their reconciliation with God therefore â—s it is usual in the New Testament to apply such promises to spiritual things so the Apostle applieth this of the Prophet to Justification wherefore as to live in the Prophet principally signified preservation from the temporal effects of the wrath of God so with the Apostle it signifieth to be delivered from eternal wrath and eternal death by the special favour of God i. e. to be justifyed now this he ascribes to Faith only Rom. 1.17 where he proveth that the Gospel is the power of God to Salvatian in them that believe because therein is the righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith which is further confirmed because the Just shall live bâ— Faith it is believing then that saves meâ— and faith that makes them partakers of thâ— Righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel therefore by that they live i. e. are justified and yet more express Gal. 3.11 The Apostle proves by this Text That a Man cannot be justified by his Works and thinketh it aâ— Argument above exception but that no maâ— is justified by the Law in the sight of God it 〈◊〉 evident for the Just shall live by Faith Argument 4. To be justified by Faith is directly opposed to Justification by Works and by ouâ— own Righteousness therefore Faith justified only by trusting in Gods Mercy through Chrisâ— The Antecedent is the Apostles Rom. 10.5 6. The Righteousness of the Law saith That hâ— that doth them shall live in them but the righteousness of Faith saith If thou believe in thy heart that God raised Christ from the dead thou shalt be saved v. 9. likewise Gal. 3.10 having said the Just shall live by Faith he adds the Law is not of Faith but the Man that doth them shall live by them therefore Man cannot be justified by the Works of the Law iâ— must be by Faith only will they again sayâ— that these places only exclude the works oâ— the Ceremonial Law Surely Moses in the place cited Lev. 18.5 speaketh of the whole Law given to the Jews as the context sheweth and as it is interpreted by the Prophet Ezekiel 20.13 Or will they say that only perfect Works and the Law of innocency are excluded not imperfect sincere Obedience Ans If any works justifie they must be perfect else there must be a conjunction of Gods mercy and Mans own works to justifie him and so a Medium betwixt Justification by Faith and by Works even to be justified by both together and so the Apostle argues imperfectly yea
encourage men in the use of these means against all difficulties If we fly to God for Salvation and depend upon his Promise for it doth not this in its own nature oblige us to follow him in the way he hath appointed for the performance of that promise and doth it not undo and revoke what faith hath done in accepting and trusting in Christ for life to be negligent of the means whereby it should be brought about yea it shews Man regards not life and so doth not really trust in Christ for it trust and confidence in any friend to bring any business to pass for us makes no man more regardless of his friend or negligent of doing his part 2ly Faith trusts in God for his Grace and Spirit as well as for Pardon though faith as justifying directly and formally respects only the ptomise of pardon and life yet secondarily it considers and trusts in the promises of a new heart assistance and perseverance to the end and here we are said to be kept by the power of God through faith to Salvation 1 Pet. 1.8 and to be saved by hope Rom. 8. because the power and grace of God to bring us to Heaven is given to us believing and trusting in it If then Faith taketh in the promises of grace also how should it open a way to sin and sloth 3ly Faith doth virtually include an acceptance of grace or of Christ to sanctifie as well as to pardon it implies some repentance and aversion from sin and therefore must naturally engage to mortification and holiness â—ot hinder it I say not that accepting of Christ is a proper act of Faith as is usually â—â—firmed in popular discourses Acceptance â—â—mally is rather an act of love liking of and â—â—senting to such a person and his motions 〈◊〉 as before faith is wrought the heart is ordinarily prepared to believe by knowledge repentance love acceptance and deâ—â—e of pardon and grace by the common â—ork of the Spirit so Faith really trusting in 〈◊〉 promise of eternal life resting upon it â—â—h the whole heart doth include and imply â—â—ind of acceptance of it and afterwards it 〈◊〉 up more express acts of desire and acceptance from love which follows faith likeâ—â—e the heart being prepared by Convictions 〈◊〉 Sorrow to welcome Pardon then it doth 〈◊〉 all sincerity trust in the Promise of Parâ—â—â— this doth include an aversion from sin willingness to be holy why else should we 〈◊〉 strongly in the Promise of Forgiveness 〈◊〉 Life coming from a holy God through 〈◊〉 holy Mediatour and this necessarily exâ—â—â— express acts of Repentance and Mortiâ—â—tion he that truly understands what it is 〈◊〉 pardoned and justified and trust in the promise of it with all his heart doth in so doing shew an implicite resolution against sin and must manisest an explicite one afterwards 4ly Trusting in the grace of God when true brings the favour of the love of God and Christ Rom. 5.1 5. and this naturally inclineth to love thankfulness and obedience The groundless boast of Gods love are made an occasion of sloth by unsanctified hearts buâ— a true apprehension of it is a great motive tâ— love and obedience a greater and more effectual than an expectation of being justified bâ— Obedience For such Men will take a libertâ— to sin sometimes but the sence of the love 〈◊〉 God while strong in the heart will suffer nâ— such thing it is not only a rational but 〈◊〉 natural principle too and therefore it worâ—â— more forcibly 2 Cor. 5.14 The Love 〈◊〉 Christ constraineth us because we thus judgâ—â— If one died for all then were all dead aâ—â— that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto hâ—â— which died for them and rose again If tâ—â— true sense of Gods love without danger 〈◊〉 Hell were not enough to engage men to 〈◊〉 bedience what engageth Saints and Angâ—â— in Heaven now this sense of the love of Gâ—â— cometh by Faith in his Mercy therefore Faâ—â— engageth to Obedience If we are justified by trusting in Gods Mâ—â—cy Object 4. and through the Righteousness of Chrâ—â— without fulfilling any Terms or Conditions Vide True-man Gr. Prop. p. 89. then is there no proper Pardon of Sin For Christ's Righteousness being the perfect fulfilling of the Law and we being justified only by applying that Righteousness to us it seems we shall be accounted to have fulfilled the Law by our Surety and so not to be chargeable with Sin nor to need forgiveness Answ 1. They do wisely to begin to complain first for their own Opinion is not only liable to the same exception but seemeth inexcusable from it There are but two kinds of sins as they distribute them some against the Law of Works others against the Law of Grace and the Gospel and neither of these are properly pardoned Not the sins against the Law for saith our Author and his friends must say the same Christ did not properly fulfil the Law nor was the Curse of it properly executed upon him but he endeavoured that the legal threat might not be executed and gave to God a valuable consideration for which he might with Justice not execute that Law and be free to prescribe new conâ—itions of life to Sinners Hence I argue The Law was waved not fulfilled by the sinner or any for him neither was the sinner thereupon reconciled therefore the sins against the Law when men come under the Gospel are waved superseded but not pardoned Proper pardon is not only a forbearing to punish but a remission of the punishment with a reconciliation to thâ—â— offendor but in this case God is not reconciled but only gives them new terms of Savation nor doth he remit the punishment though he forbear it for the present for if after trial they fulfil not the Terms of the Gospel their sins against the Law also shall bâ— charged upon them and if at last they dâ—â— fulfil the conditions of the Gospel they aâ—â— saved thereby fulfilling the new terms thaâ—â— are given them then their old sins against the Law are forgotten and past over but theâ— is no proper pardon of them or reconcilinâ— the breakers of the Law as such Nor 〈◊〉 there pardon of their sins against the Gospel for if men fulfil not the conditions of it theâ— are condemned and so not pardoned If theâ— do fulfil them this is their righteousness bâ— this they are justified and saved because theâ— have performed those terms whereupon liâ—â— is promised where then is there place fâ—â— pardon when the Law is fulfilled If they say their Obedience is imperfect and sinful I answer it is so compared with the Law 〈◊〉 Works but not compared with the Law 〈◊〉 Grace Sincere Obedience to the Gospel 〈◊〉 as much as is required to bring a man to Heaven therefore by the Gospel it is reckoneâ—â— a fulfilling of what was required and so 〈◊〉 need no pardon Nor can it be conceiveâ—â— how the
men to obedience whether there be Promises or Threaâ— or none or whatever they be which he doâ— in this life with many infirmities and in Heaven without any CHAP. IX That Faith doth not justifie as a Condition and that it doth not justifie as believing in Christ as King and Prophet as well as Priest THat Faith justifieth a Sinner as it is a trust in the Promise of Life through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ hath been proved and vindicated in the preceding Chapters We are now to consider what the opposite Opinion is concerning Faith and its Influence upon Justification The Scriptures teach that Abraham the Father and great Exemplar of all Believers was justified by Faith his Faith was counted to him for Righteousness Rom. 4.3 And that this Faith was a Trust in the Promise of God is evident both from the occasion and immediate Object of it the Promise of a Son against all natural hope and probability and that his Seed should be numerous be the people of God the Blessed of the World Gen. 15.4 5 6 18. c. and also from the Apostles Explication or Amplification of this Faith in this Chapter v. 19 20 21 22. viz. That it was a believing in hope against hope and a not considering the natural impossibility of the thing promised and not staggering at the Promise through unbelief but being strong in Faith and fully perswaded that God was able to perform what he promised and that this Faith justified him as such a trust in the Promises and not as an Act of Obedience is evident from the Apostles own Reason in the close of that Discourse v. 22. Therefore iâ— was imputed to him for Righteousness Wherefore Because it was a firm trust in the Promise of God It is also added v. 23. That this Example was written not for Abraham's sake only but for ours that succeed because Faith also shall be imputed to us for Righteousness if we believe in him that raised Christ from the dead who died for our sins and rose again for our justification v. 24 25. If this was written for our sakes then the Faith that justifieth us must be a trust in the Promise as Abraham's was even in the Promise of Life through the death of Christ and must justifie us as a trust in that Promise as his did him and not upon any other account It is the Righteousness of Christ for which God justifies believing Sinners but because they are rational Creatures God doth not justifie them without their knowledge consent or acceptance but with and by means of it and this is Faith sc Man's trusting in or acceptance of Life promised in Christ which doth render the subject as a rational Creature capable of pardon and mercy by a Promise though that natural capacity of the subject would not obtain pardon if it were not promised to it and this is all we mean when we say Faith is the Instrument of our Justification viz. That God having promised Justification through Christ to all that believe or trust in it this Faith doth trust in it or is that disposition of the soul whereby it doth trust in that promise and so obtain a grant of Jnstification We acknowledge to believe God's Promises is commanded by him and an act of our Obedience to him always indispensibly due but we say That Faith obtaineth any thing promised and Justification in particular not as or because it obeyeth the general command of believing Gods Promises but as it trusteth in dependeth upon the Promises and consequently that God fulfilleth the Promise of Pardon Justification and the immediate fruits of it to a Believer out of his meer goodness and faithfulness not out of remunerative Justice and Debt as he must if he justifieth for Faith as an act of Obedience to any Command But our Opposites will have Faith to justifie us as the condition of the New Covenant 〈◊〉 Gospel not as a meer trust in the Promise A condition saith Amyrald Amyrald dissert de grat unic p. 52. is a certain â—aw added to a matter or business which is required to be performed by a man Conditio 〈◊〉 Lex addita negotio quae ab homine exigitur â—o that believing in Christ is annexed to the promise of Justification as a Law requiring that faith and then saith must justifie as obedience to or fulfilling of that Command is Perfect Obedience was the condition of the â—aw So they tell us Faith is the condition of the Gospel and one justifyeth now as the other did then sc as Man should then have been justified for his Perfect Obedience as the fulfilling of the Law to which life was promised so now Faith justifieth as or because it obeyeth the Gospel Chmmand of believing in Christ to which life is promised to Sinners To strengthen this they further say which indeed is but a just consequence of it that as the Covenant of Works upon the condition of Perfect Obedience was made with all Mankind in Adam so also the Covenant of Grace was made with all Mankind in him also after the Fall and renewed to Noah upon the condition of Faith in Christ i. e. as before they were all commanded to obey perfectly and they should live for so doing so now they are all commanded to believe in Christ and they shall live for so doing Foedus gratiae salutaris in Adamo cum omnibus singulis hominibus initum Ibid. p. 87. et in Noa cum omnibus singulis hominibus sancitum fuit sub fidei conditione adeo ut si omnes singuli crederent salutis à Christo partae compotes fierent This we are now to examine and there are two Opinions about it One acknowledgeth Faith to be fiducia a trust in the promise and this only to be the condition of Justification the other makes Faith to include Obedience to the Gospel Command so that when they sayâ— Faith justifys they mean Faith and Obedience flowing from it To begin with the First 'T is usual with Divines to call Faith the Condition of the Gospel and Justification but they take the terâ— condition improperly and largely for any thing required of us and that must be in us in order to being justifyed they mean no more but that men are not justifyed by the Death of Christ as a Ransom paid for them without any thing in them to apply it to themselves in particular but that his death doth justify them being offered in the Promises trusted in them for themselves in particular Ibid. in this sence we grant Faith to be a condition of Justification But some Amyraldus and others take a condition strictly for something required not only as a disposition of the subject or as an internal rational means of obtaining a thing but also as acquiring a right to it as the performance of that Command which required it and thus they say Faith is the Condition of Justification i. e. we are justifyed
Justification but his granting of this Promise or Act of Grace is the true natural efficient instrumental cause of our Justification even the immediate cause If Christ's Merit was but the remote Cause of Justification then justifying Faith doth respect it but remotely as the procuring cause of the New Covenant and if the grant of an Act of Grace be the only proper and immediate Cause of Justification then Faith only respects that immediately when it justifies and so Christ only as a King or as the Enacter of a New Law Ibid. p. 27. Again he saith It is most evident in Scripture that Merit Satisfaction are but the moral remote preparatory causes of our Justification though exceeding eminent c. and that the perfecting neerer efficient causes were by other Acts of Christ and that all concurred to accomplish the work By this it appears that Justification is an Act of Christ as a King only though his Merit made way for his Kingly Power and his Prophetical teaching promoteth mans obedience that his justifying us is his acquitting us from guilt and condemnation because we have obeyed his Law or New Covenant and that obedience to that Law as obedience to a Royal Law is the condition of our Justification or the thing for which we must be justified and that Faith with these men is nothing but obedience to the Gospel-Precepts grounded upon a belief that they came from Christ and shall be rewarded according to his Promise and therefore when they contend That Faith justifieth not by one act of affiance but by all its acts they do but confound themselves and the question For even according to themselves Faith justifieth properly and immediately by one act only or under one onely notion viz. of obedience to the Gospel and that directed to Christ only as King and that the other acts of it respecting his Merit and Teaching are but accidental to it and without its notion as justifying We are then to prove that obedience to the Gospel is not the condition of our Justification though joyned with or builded upon Faith in the truth of it and thus I argue The First Argument From Rom. 4.16 17. Therefore it is of faith that it might be of grace to the end the Promise might be sure to all the Seed not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the Faith of Abraham who is the Father of us all c. The Faith here spoken of is that whereby Abraham was justified and by which the Promise should be made sure to all his Seed both Jews and Gentiles which is the Promise of being blessed with him in his Seed Christ Now the Apostle saith That Justification or Blessedness comes by Faith that it might be by Grace i.e. altogether free but Justification upon the condition of obedience is not altogether free therefore justifying Faith includeth not obedience as the condition of Justification I prove the Minor thus Grace and Works are utterly inconsistent in God's dealing with Man for his Salvation For Work bring some worthiness though not strict Merit but Grace supposeth nothing but deseâ—â— of Punishment Rom. 11.6 If by grace the not of works otherways grace is no more grace Election of grace v. 5. excludeth all works why doth not Justification also if it be bâ— Grace If obedience to the Gospel be the condition of our Justification as perfect obedience to the Law of Works was formerly how is it Grace more now than it was then Did God gratiously grant the New Covenant to lost Sinners True here was Grace but when he had granted it he justifieth them only for the performance of it or their obedience to it therefore the giving of the New Covenant is of Grace but Justification by obedience to it is not of Grace but of Works Doth a New Covenant accept of imperfect obedience and carry pardon with it It doâ—â— indeed not insist upon perfect obedience to the Law of Innocency as the only way of life but it doth not dispence with or allow the breach of any of those Commands that were perpetual What then It requireth perfect and exact obedience to the Gospel and fâ—â— want of that obedience men shall be condemned there is no pardon for want of sincere obedience under the Gospel no more that there was for want of perfect obedience to Adam therefore all the mercy grace and pardon of the New Covenant lieth in relaxing the Covenant of perfect works in giving a New and somewhat Milder Covenant to men when they might have been condemned for the breach of the former but still their Justification or right to Life dependeth wholly upon their obedience to this New Covenant and so â—â— no more of Grace properly than Adam should have been But they say our obedience is performed by the efficacy of Divine Grace and therefore we may be said to be justified by Grace though by our Obedience As if the Elect Angels that stand were not justified or accepted in and by their own integrity because preserved by the Grace of God or as if Adam could not have been justifyed by keeping the Law unless he had done it meerly by his own connate strength without additions or assistance of Divine Grace throughout his Life What the Grace is which these men allow to our obedience is yet uncertain but this altereth not the nature of Justification if it be by obedience it is not of grace but of works i. e. a man is pronounced Just or Righteous for his own obedience by what principle soever it be wrought therefore the saith here spoken of neither is nor doth include obedience Again It is a Faith that the Promise may be sure or firm to all the Seed but if obedience be the condition of life the Promise cannot be sure to all or any Believers Ergò this Faith doth not include Obedience Professed Arminians grant there can be no assurance ordinarily of any particular man's Salvation yea that there is no absolute certainty thet any Man should be saved though Christ died for them all Others speak more dubiously but if Justification be suspended upon our Obedience to the Gospel to our lives end it cannot be certain to any Man that he shall be justifyed and saved till he be out of the World there may be indeed an objective certainty of the Promise in general viz. He that obeyeth to the End shall be saved but thus the promise to Adam was as certain viz if he had obeyed perfectly to the End he should thereby be justifyed but here was a Promise to Abraham That he and his Seed should be blessed and this Promise was not made to the Works of the Law but to the Faith of Abraham and his Seed that the promise might be certain i. e. that they should certainly attain the promised blessedness and by no means fall short of it but this certainty comes not from persevering Obedience which is it self uncertain Ergò
shall be saved and this was the nature of Adam's Faith to believe if he obeyed perfectly he should be saved now it is accidental to this that men be sinners and need pardon and so must believe that they shall be pardoned and yet with these men Pardon is nothing but nolle punire that God will not condemn foâ— sin and thus when we believe God will save us if we obey sincerely we do consequently and implicitely believe he will not condemn us i. e. will pardon us all our sins but thiâ— is implicite and indirect therefore the belief of Pardon cannot be a reason why Gospel Obedience should be called Faith and opposed to the Works of the Law Argument 6. If Faith and Obedience be the Condition of Justification then the great falls of the godly such especially as wast Conscience and make a breach upon their sincerity must interrupt their Justification and bring them into a state of damnation so that their only remedy must be to begin their Repentance and Obedience a new and if they have not time to do that but should die in their sin or senselesness after it they must perish for ever but we do not find in Scripture any word of this We read of the fall of some as Noah Lot Sampson and read nothing of their recovery and yet no question made of their Salvation We read also of David's and Peter's Repentance and their great Sorrow yet not that they reckoned themselves under condemnation We find David and others in the Psalms and Prophets much complaining of their Sins and Afflictions the fruit of them of the want of God's Favour and Presence yet they call him their God and beg the restoring of his Favour that he would not take his Spirit utterly from them Psal 51.11 12. All their Complaints and Prayers argue want of present fense of God's Favour and the quicknings of his Spirit not that they were utterly out of favour or a reconciled state It is true it is not safe for young or unexperienced Christians when guilty of foul sins or great decays of Zeal to retain mueh confidence of their good state but rather to remember from whence they are fallen and to repent and do their first works because they may be easily mistaken about the truth of grace when there hath been but little proof of it but well-rooted and experienced Christians upon their miscarriages are not bound to question their Justification but to humble themselves greatly for abusing the grace and kindness of God and submit to his fatherly correction and should they doubt as some do yet is not that the best and most proper motive to humble and recover them but rather a discouragement and hinderance Fear of Hell and such like Motives work best upon the unexperienced and ignorant but the want of God's Presence and other effects of his Fatherly displeasure are more suitable and more effectual to grown Christians Nor doth the Scripture speak any thing of the condemnation of those that die in actual sin and either have not actual repentance or not time to make proof of the sincerity of it The young Prophet 1 King 14 and the excellent Josiah 2 Chron. 35.21 22. were both slain presently upon an act of disobedience to the express Commands of God and yet nothing is said to render their Salvation doubtful and in this case I would ask whether the habit of Faith and Obedience be utterly extinguished If not it is strange that Men should go to Hell with a real disposition to love and serve God only wanting time to recover themselves from some fall If it be extinct it is also strange that one or a few acts of sin it may be for a few moments should utterly root out grace which hath been long in planting and confirming Argument 7. Lastly If Faith and Obedience be the Condition of Justification then there is no way to comfort Consciences troubled for sin but from the evidence of their sincerity past or by telling them they must be obedient for the time to come but for the present there is no peace nor hope no though they were going out of the World This Argument is much used by our first Reformers Luther Melancthon Chemnitius c. and they thought it unanswerable viz. That however men insensible of sin might dispute for the influence of their works on Justification yet when men have sore terrors of Conscience wounded for sin neither their works past nor their promises and purposes of what they will be for the future will comfort them but only the Doctrine of Free-grace and Pardon by hoping in the Mercy of God Our Martyr Mr. Bilney hearing a Rhetorical Preacher laying great stress upon Repentance and Obedience as the only ground of hope was offended and said How uncomfortable would this Poctrine have been to me when I was in my great terrors for my fall The Consequence is undeniable If we must be justified by Obedience and that persevering to the end there is no comfort to a distressed sinner unless you can shew him that he hath sincerely obeyed sometime past and therefore is fulfilling the Condition of Justification or by telling him he must now resolve to be obedient for the future and if he do so resolve there is some probability he may be saved but there can be no good hope till after some process of time he hath evidenced the sincerity of his Obedience which should he quickly die there would be no time for therefore no to lerable ground of hope or comfort for him but a bare perhaps that his purpose of obedience may be true and sincere and so accepted for his Justification But the Scriptures teach otherways our Saviours who knew best how to speak to the Soul saith to the Paralytick Mat. 9.22 Be of good chear thy sins are for given thee and to the Woman Luke 7.48 Thy sins are forgiven thee and Peter Act 2.37 38 c. when the Jews were pricked at their hearts biddeth them repent and bâ— baptized in the name of Christ for the remission of sins and that they should receive the gift of the Holy Ghost because the Promises did be long to them and their Children We see forgiveness is immediately promised to trembling souls and they are directed to hope for that and look to the Promises of it for present peace and comfort and certainly when God enlightneth the Conscience and setteth sin in order before it vid. Job 9. v. 19 to 23. and v. 13 to the end no man's sincerity will be a sufficient stay to him his obedience will appeaâ— very small not fit to be presented to God the best will cry out If thou Lord shouldâ— mark iniquity who shall stand Psal 130. v. 2â— and enter not into Judgement with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no flesh be justified Ps 143 3. And though they that be but lightly touched with sin are ready to promise great matter for the future and to quiet
Obedience their distinct Offices Argument 2. They argue That God is not to be considered as a Creditor in the business of Justification but as a Rector or Governour dealing with Sinners Gr. Prop. p. 86. not as with Debtors but as with rebellious Subjects who are to be forgiven and reclaimed by Laws and by granting them Terms and Conditions of Pardon and reconciliation Mr. Trueman Answ The Scripture setteth out God under the notion of a Creditour and pardon by forgiving of debts Mat. 18.23 27. c. and such a one as doth not release part only and requiring a third or fourth of the Debt but as one that forgives all even to ten thousand Talents and we are taught daily to pray Forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors and yet we acknowledge That God in justifying dealeth with men as a Rector or Governor To Pardon is an act of Government yea of Sovereignity none but a Sovereign can forgive the breach of his own Laws and restore offenders to favour God as as a Supream Legislator and Rector thought of a way to save sinners appointed his Son to die for them accepted his satisfaction when it was made promiseth pardon to them that fly to his mercy and mercifully forgiveth them that trust in it and justly acquitteth and dischargeth them for the Righteousness of his Son and when they are justified and made his Children he doth eternally govern them by his Laws of Obedience all these are the acts of a Rector therefore on this account there is no need that they should be justifyed by Conditions of New Obedience Argument 3. They argue From the comparison of Mens forgiveness which is always upon conditions of amendment either expressed or implied When a Prince Proclaims Pardon to Rebels it is either exprest or implied that they lay down their Arms and return to their obedience and continue in it In like manner they think God cannot pardon men but upon Conditions of Repentance and obedience for the remainder of their lives Answ If a man should receive and accept satisfaction from another in the behalf of an offendor and then impose conditions upon him for his Pardon or Reconciliation he would certainly be unjust and this is our case towards God he hath accepted a Ransom and Atonement in the Bloud of his Son and forgiveth men for and in respect to that and therefore requireth no conditions of them for their reconciliation but that they accept of a trust in the mercy promised in his Son There is another great difference betwixt God and Man in the matter of forgiveness 2dly Man cannot make the Offendor obedient for the future nor can be sure he will be obedient and therefore he makes conditions with him and obligeth him by hope of impunity and fear of punishment if he offend again but God can and doth intend when he pardoneth man to give him a heart to love and obey him to the end and therefore needs not make this a condition of their pardon Besides the greatest Princes have not such absolue Power of pardon in the breach of their own Laws as God hath of his nor can they repair the dishonour done to themselves and their Law as God can partly in magnisying his grace and partly in the inestimable value of his Sons bloud by which all the dishonour done to him by Man is abundantly repaired But Mr. Baxter hath handled this question in a set Disputation to which he refers us 4 Disp of Justedisp 1 where he give us 10 Arguments to prove this Thesis p. 13. We are justifyed by God by our believing in Christ as Teacher and Lord and not only by believing in his Bloud or Righteousness which I shall briefly consider so far as they tend to prove Obedience to be the condition of our Justification which is the main drift of them though not as they mediately respect the terms of his Thesis which I have before proved out of this same disputation to be oequivocal and improper For by this Doctrine we are justifyed only by obeying the Gospel of Christ which consisteth of his Precepts Promises and Threatnings which all proceed from him as a King not as a Priest or Prophet i. e. therefore we are justifyed by believing in him as King only not as a Priest or Prophet unless accidentally and remotely as he confesseth p. 25. The Argument follows Argument 1. From the confession of those that we dispute with p. 13. If it be granted that believing in Jesus Christ as Lord and Teacher is a real part of the condition of our Justification then it is granted that by this believing in him we are justifyed as by a condition but the former is true therefore the latter Answ If he had quoted any Authors we might the better have judged of the truth of the Antecedent all that looks like a proof is p. 14. 3dly They expresly make it antecedent to our Justification as of Moral necessity ex constitutione promittentis and say it is the Fides quae justificat All the meaning whereof is that as the Gospel revealeth Christ who dyed for us to be a King and Teacher of his People so in order to our coming to him to be saved by him we must acknowledge or believe this Doctrine that he died for our sins and is to teach us and rule us that he may save us But 1. It is not necessary to Justification that persons should have a distinct knowledge of the Offices of Christ but 't is sufficient that they seek Pardon and Salvation only through him This Faith saved them before Christ's coming though without any distinct knowledge of his Person and under the Gospel many ignorant persons and weak capacities yet true Christians scarce ever have a more distinct knowledge of their Saviour in whom they trust much less have they it before Justification 2ly If believing in Christ as Lord and Teacher mean as it ought in this Argument a purpose or promise of Obedience to Christ it is no part or act of justifying Faith not of the faith quae justificat but an effect wrought by it and if any of our Divines say it is they speak popularly not logically and are popularly to be understood viz. that justifying Faith is always conjoyned with a purpose of obedience 3ly If believing in Christ as Lord and Teacher as well as in his bloud be taken for trusting in Christ to be taught sanctified and ruled by him to eternal life as well as to have our sins forgiven this we grant to be justifying Faith Faith quae justificat but these are several acts of Faith and they have their several particular objects and their order and do not all go before Justification but a sinner first looks to Christ to satisfy the Law to reconcile him to God to deliver him from wrath and when the Promise of this is revealed to him he trusteth in it and hereby is accepted and reconciled his
Faith only is the condition 1st Because it works sanctification not that it is a part of it 2ly Because nothing else can answer the Covenant but Faith The Covenant is not a Commandment Do this and live but a Promise it runs all upon Promises I will give thee a Seed in that thou shalt be blessed c. The Covenant on God's part stands all in Promises Now you know it is faith that answers the Promise for the Promise is to be believed If the Covenant had stood in Commandments and Rules of the Law then it must have been answered by Works and Obedience and therefore it could not be by Obedience for that holds not proportion there is not agreement between them but since the Covenant consists of Promises that must needs be by Believing and not by Works 4ly It is of Faith that it might be of grace and not of Debt for if God should give a Law and Rules to men and promise them life upon it then when they had performed the work they would challenge it of debt No saith the Lord it is an inheritanee I do not use to deal with my Children as Men do with their Servants that I should give them work to do and when they have done I should give them Wages Lastly he saith Sermon 12. at the beg That Christ giveth first Remission of sins as a Priest wherein consists Justification next as a Prophet he gives Knowledge and then as a King he gives Guidance Peace and Victory over Spiritual Enemies Thus we see he opposeth Faith to Obedience to Commands and saith The Covenant is nothing but a Promise on God's part and that Faith must first look for Remission of sins from the Priesthood or Satisfaction of Christ and for other Benefits from his other Offices afterwards which is the Doctrin we defend and yet this must be meant onely implicitely as to a great part of Believers few having the knowledge and skill to make this distinct use of Christ's Offices Argument 3. The Scripture doth not only by the specifick denomination p. 19. but also by description and mentioning those very Acts include the believing in Christ as our Lord and Teacher c. in that Faith by which as a condition we are justified Ergò we are justified by believing in Christ as our Lord and Teacher Answ We deny the Antecedent Faith doth neither justifie as a condition nor doth the Scripture ascribe Justification to any other acts of Faith than trusting in the Promise of Life through Christ Let us consider the Proof Rom. 10.4 to 10. We are said to be justified 1st by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ v. 9. Therefore his Lordship is included in the object of Faith as justifying Answ Here is nothing but a designation of the person not a distinct intimation of his Kingly Office and yet Faith which justifyeth trusteth in Christ as Lord and King as was said before We must also believe that God raised him from the dead which was no part of his Priestly Office 2ly Answ Christ's Resurrection doth belong to his Priestly Office though it cannot be properly called a part of it For it was the complement or consummation of his Satisfaction and immediately necessary to his appearing in Heaven there to present his Satisfaction and to intercede for us as the High-priest after the Sacrifice of the Goat went into the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the Bloud before the Mercy-Seat and to pray for the People Besides to believe in Christ as rising from the dead is nothing else but believing in him as having made a compleat satisfaction which was evidenced by his Resurrection The same Answer will serve to what is pleaded from Rom. 4.24 25. only it is added here that we must believe in him that raised Christ from the dead Answ Ergò Faith respects not Christ only Faith immediately respects the Promise of Life by Christ as the formal object of or reason why it expecteth Salvation by Christ then it trusteth in God to justifie for Christ's sake and then in Christ as him that hath purchased Justification for us and will see it applied To believe in him that raised Christ from the dead is to trust in God to justifie us who hath testified his acceptance of Christ's Satisfaction for us by raising him from the dead What is this to Obedience 1 John 1.9 11 12. The Faith whereby we are adopted wherein Justification is included or presupposed respecteth Christ as the Light that enlightneth every Man Answ It believeth the promise of salvation preached by Christ and so trusteth in it what is this to a Promise of subjection to Christ's constant teaching as a Prophet 2ly It respecteth his Person it receiveth him and not one single benefit Answ Nor do we say that Justification giveth or justifying faith obtaineth but one single benefit it obtaineth reconciliation with God and right to life which either include or draw after them all saving benefits 3ly It is believing in his name that signifieth his Person and Offices and is all one with taking him for the Messiah and becoming his Disciples Answ To believe in God's name is the same that trusting in him They that know thy Name will trust in thee so to believe in Christ's Name was to trust in him as the Messiah or Saviour and this gives right to Adoption 4ly Faith doth not physically receive Christ by way of apprehension as I receive Gold in my hand whoever said it did but dispositively it qualifieth the subject in the sight of God and he giveth power thereupon to become his Sons Answ But how is this proved from the Text If it had been said power was given c. to them that receive him without any explication there might have been some colour for this plea but it is explained by believing on his Name i. e. trusting in him but trust is no proper legal qualification though it putteth the subject into an immediate natural capacity or disposition to receive the benefit and Moral also when the object is Moral Many other places are added where we are said to believe in the Son of God to hear his voice and believe that he was the promised Messiah c. which denote the whole Person of Christ Ergo. Justifying Faith respects immediately and directly all his Offices Did ever any Man contend that we are justified by believing in one part of Christ's Person or cannot we trust in the whole Person of Christ without respecting all his Offices distinctly primarily and immediately Do we divide the Essence of God or exclude his other Attributes absolutely when we do immediately respect his Wisdom alone or his Power or Goodness according to our present occasion at that time not distinctly making use of others and yet justifying Faith doth trust in Christ for the benefit of all his Offices Answ as before This proveth not that Obedience is joyned with it in justifying
all the immediate proper causes of Justification both internal and external and wanting only the remote preparatory causes If obedience to the Gospel as the Law of Christ be that alone to which Justification is promised then unbelief of his Merit when a man is not convinced of the truth of it can no more damn him than the unbelief of any other History concerning Christ suppose his being born at Bethlem or living at Nazareth c. when a man is not sufficiently perswaded of them For these were necessary ex Hypothesi because God would have it so and Christ's Merit was no more by their confession nor was it impossible according to their Principles but Christ might have been a King and enacted this Law of Grace though he had not been a Priest and satisfied for Sin And thus we have the bottom of this Mystery Next it is proved that Christ justifyeth as a Prophet p. 25. because the Gospel is a Law that must be promulgated and expounded and a Doctrine that must be taught and pressed on Sinners till they receive it and believe that they may be justified and this Christ doth as a Teacher and Faith must accordingly respect him Answ Faith must believe and trust in the Promise of Life made in Christ and preached by Christ and revealed to the heart by his Spirit But what is this to prove that a professed subjection to the teaching of Christ must justify us as well as Faith and yet methinks he that teacheth That the Covenant of Grace is written in all men's hearts and is a Secondary Law of Nature teaching men that God will forgive them that serve him sincerely though they know not that it was to be brought about by the Mediatour should not make it necessary to Justification to believe That Christ in Person preached the Gospel We have here Scriptures multiplied to prove that Christ hath power to forgive sins which is an Act of a King Mat. 9.6 ch 11. v. 27 28. ch 28. v. 19 20 c. which we grant he hath Ministerially viz. To declare the Promise of Forgiveness and to pronounce Pardon For he received this Power of the Father It followeth therefore that we must trust in him to declare and pronounce us forgiven but it is for his own Righteousness not for our Obedience Argument 5. It is a necessary condition of our being baptized for the Remission of Sins p. 27. that we profess a Belief in more than Christ's Humiliation and Merits Ergò More is a necessary condition of our actual Remission Mat. 28.19 20. 1 Pet. 3.21 Act. 8.37 1st Answ Here is continually ignoratio Elenchi We do not say that Christ's Humiliation and Merits are the only object of justifying Faith excluding his Person or any of his Offices but that Faith as justifying doth trust only in the promise of Reconciliation through the Merit of Christ but that it doth also in subsequent distinct Acts trust in the Promises of Illumination and Sanctification and in Christ himself to work these in us as a Prophet and King and to obtain them for us by his Priestly Intercession but all by virtue of his Merit and satisfaction which as it is the foundation of the other Offices of Christ so Faith always respects it as the foundation of all other Blessings to be hoped for 2ly 2ly I deny that any thing is necessary to Baptism for remission of sins more than a trust in Christ or the promise of Reconciliaon through his Bloud Baptism is as Circumcision was a Seal of the righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11 i. e. that we shall be forgiven through believing It is God's Seal to his Covenant or Promise which men are supposed to have a right to before they are baptized and so before they can promise obedience Believing in the whole Trinity and then believing Christ to be the Son of God proveth nothing but that the remission which Baptism sealeth is to be expected from the true God in opposition to the Heathen and Jewish false Gods or false Notions of God viz. That we are to trust in the Father to justify us through the Bloud of his Son who will bring us to eternal life by the Operation of his Spirit and that Jesus of Nazareth is this Son of God so to be trusted in Mat. 28.20 Men are first to be baptised being instructed in the Doctrine of Christ afterwards taught all his Commandments and thus the Apostles practised preaching through Christ the remission of sins and then baptising them that believe Acts 10. Acts 13. If a Promise of Obedience be the condition of Baptism then Infants are not to be baptised 1 Pet. 3.21 only sheweth that Baptism as an outward Sign will not profit without reallity in the heart in believing or trusting in Christ which will produce obedience The Covenants of Obedience which the Church annexed to Baptism are not annexed to it as conditions of obtaining Remission of Sins but as conditions of men's Admission into the Fellowship of the Church and those as evidences of the reality of their Faith in Christ Argument 6. The Apostles of Christ themselves before his death p. 28. were justifyed by believing in him as the Son of God and the Teacher and King of the Church yea perhaps without believing at all in his Death and Ransom thereby Ergò Answ If believing here mean as it ought the Apostles acknowledging Christ to be the Son of God King and Teacher of his Church and their giving themselves to obey him then I deny the Antecedent they were not hereby justifyed but by their trust in the Promises of Pardon and Reconciliation through the Messias whom they now knew to be Jesus Christ though they knew not the particular way how he was to reconcile them to God They were justifyed as Abraham and David and all the former Saints were and their Love and Obedience to Christ so far as they understood him was an effect of their Faith All the Proof is The Apostles were justified and they acknowledged loved obeyed Christ as King and Prophet and understood not that he was to die for them therefore this justifyed them Which is no Consequent Argument 7. The Satisfaction and Merits of Christ are not the only objects of the Sanctifying and Saving Acts of Faith p. 30. therefore not of Justifying 1st Answ Faith looketh only to the Satisfaction of Christ or rather to the Promise founded on that merit as the procuring cause for Sanctification and Perseverance viz. That as perfect Justification so perfect Sanctification is purchased for us by Christ But the Sanctifying Act must respect Christ's following applicatory Acts p. 31. and not the purchase of Sanctification only so the justifying act must respect Christ's following collation or application and not only his purchase of Justification Answ 1 This still changeth the Question which is Whether Faith in Christ as Prophet Priest and King i. e. Obedience as well as trust
that course of obedience to which life was promised It is true he was righteous inherently and also in the eye of the Law so far as he had obeyed and so far might be said to be justified viz. Inchoatively But in this Question we take justification for that perfect Act whereby a Sinner is fully acquitted and accepted to life eternal and thus Adam was not justified and therefore in a middle state So then Pardon doth not make a Man righteous or justified but in the precise Notion of it it is a Middle betwixt condemnation and justification viz. Non-condemnation but if you add that a Man is forgiven for Christ's sake then you add something besides Meer Pardon and so desert the Question 3. I argue from the nature of Justification â—s it is discovered in its immediate and most proper Effects the chief whereof is this That â—t giveth a firm and immutable Right to Eternal Life Our Opposites and we differ about â—ustification in this Life They say it is imperfect and mutable we say 't is perfect and immutable but we agree in this That Justification whenever it is perfect and compleat giâ—eth an immutable Right to life such as shall â—ever be lost as Adam's was Hence I argue Meer Pardon or Relaxation â—f punishment doth not give an immutable â—ight to life but only restores a Man to the â—ondition he was in before and leaveth him as subject and liable to lose it by new sins as eâ—er he was But Justification by Christ doth â—ot only restore Man to the Condition he was â—n before subject to change but giveth him â—n unchangeable Right to Life Eternal therefore it is more than Pardon And further that which gives an immutable right to life must suppose the Law to be fulfilled which promised life which being fulfilled there is nothing further to be required nor any further danger of a threatning of death but man is to be â—eclared Righteous and to receive the promised Reward But Justification giveth such a â—ull and immutable right to life therefore it supposeth fulfilling of the Law by our selves â—r another and a Righteousness thence ariâ—ng for which we are declared Righteous â—nd receive the promised Life Object 'T is said Full pardon such as God's Pardon is delivereth from all punishment sensu damni Trum. ut supra from all positive punishment and from the privation of all Priviledges which were or should have been enjoyed before and this is equivalent to a right to life in the nature of the thing For when a Man is exempted from all punishment and restored to his for men Estate or Favour with God he is then in statâ— quo prius in the condition he was in before he sinned Answ By this Argument Pardon should restore man into the Condition of Adam before hiâ— Fall which is apparently false For that iâ— the State from whence he fell by sin and to which Meer Pardon must restore him at leasâ— when it is compleat at the last Judgment but neither then is man restored into Adam's condition but to a new State of Happiness by the Redeemer Besides this Argument makes strongly against themselves for the Condition from which man fell was but a State of Probation wherein he had no immutable right to life therefore Pardon restoring him but to his former Condition putteth him again but into a State of Probation and giveth no certain right to life Nay by this Doctrine Sin is not pardoned in this Life A Man is not acquitted or put out of danger of punishment seeing his Salvation dependeth upon conditions which must be in fulfilling till his lives end So that Pardon with them is no more than a Suspension of punishment together with a promise of life and impunity if man fulfill the Conditions of the Gospel This putteth a Man into a possibility of life but giveth him no actual or certain Title to it and therefore is not Justification 4. The next Effect of Justification is a new Heart or Grace to fit and bring man to life which Justification entitleth to The Spirit of Sons and the Glory of Heav'n are the Fruits of Adoption but Life and Happiness simply and the Spirit of Sanctification are the Effects of Justification Heb. 8.10 11 12 13. The new Heart is promised as an Effect of forgiveness of sin Hence I argue That which gives with the right to life all the means necessary to attain life is more than pardon of sin But Justification by Christ gives a right to all the Means necessary to attain eternal life as well as to life it self Ergò The Reason of the Major is pardon in the common notion of it and with our Opposites doth only put a man into that state or favour he was in before but in that condition there was no certainty of grace to persevere and to come to life When we pardon an Offendor we receive him into our former favour and lay aside all thoughts of enmity but we do not count our selves engaged by all means possible to endeavour to prevent his offending for the future that care resteth on him therefore if Justification give a right to the Grace of God which shall be effectual to bring us to life it is more than pardon or putting us into our former condition wherein we had no such promise Mr. Truman ingeniously confesseth what is the natural consequence of his Opinion That Christ by his Satisfaction did not purchase grace to bring men to life Great Propit p. 203. c. but only a Law of Grace whereby it was possible for all men to be saved iâ— they would and God might justly save them if they performed the Terms of that Law He saith Indeed Christ by the supereminency of his Person and Redemption did deserve that his Death should not be in vain and consequently that some men should have grace given them 〈◊〉 bring them to Heaven but that he did not preperly merit this Grace should be giv'n them So that this is a point of honour to Christ not oâ— Justice or Debt upon the account of his Sufferings that some should have Saving and Persevering Grace Yet he acknowledgeth that thâ— Father of his own good Pleasure giveth this gracâ— to those whom he hath chosen So then the gift oâ— Grace is the immediate Fruit of Election not of Justification But this Doctrine is as fallâ— as new Man's Sin deprived him of Grace as well as of Happiness and therefore if Christ purchased a right to Happiness for him which shall be proved in the next Chapter he purchased Grace also to attain it the Means are included in the end The loss of the denial oâ— Grace is the Effect of Sin therefore the restoring of Grace is the Effect of full Pardon and Justification The Scriptures teach that all sulness of Grace was given to Christ that we might receive of his Fulness Grace for Grace John 1.14 16. He hath power to send the Holy
Spirit to abide with us for ever Joh. 14.16 And the powring out of the Spirit was reserved till his Work of Redemption was finished and he should be possessed of Glory John 16.7 And then he promised the Spirit â—o lead us into all truth to reveal himself to us and to glorifie him in us v. 12 13 14. Lastly He prayed for sanctifying Grace and perseverance for them that did and all that should hereafter believe till they all come to be one in him John 17.15 16 21. And wherefore is the Power of giving Grace committed to the Mediatour if not purchased by him and why doth he interceede for that he never bought and paid for If then Christ purchased Grace as well as a Right to Life then Justification giveth a Right to Grace as well as to Life it self and so is more than Pardon 5. I argue from the Impulsive Causes Pardon is an Act of meer Mercy but Justification is an Act of Justice therefore it is not meer Pardon God justifieth Believers not as a meer Act of Favour though free Mercy be the Foundation and the prime impulsive cause of Justification and all the Fruits of it but immediately it is an Act of Justice Justice being the immediate Impulsive Cause It is not only a Just thing with God to justifie a Sinner through Christ that he may do it without wrong to his Justice as some gloss it but it is an Act of proper Justice having received satisfaction to his Law to justifie and acquit him it would not be just to deny it This is intimated Rom. 8.33 35. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that Justifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who shall indite or implead them in course of Law or Judgment or else there is enough to be charged against them The Reason is because it is God that justifieth God who is to be Judge to give the Sentence and therefore will justifie judicially or as an Act of Judgment And the ground of this is in the next words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who shall condemn in Judgment seeing Christ has died and so satisfaction is made to Justice When we pardon an Offence which we might justly punish we do cedere de jure forbear our Right and Justice gives place to Mercy but Justice cannot pardon or acquit unless it be satisfied unless it have what is right and due according to Law Object But it is said That God pardoneth legally and judicially by virtue of the Evangelical Law so it is an Act of Justice as well as of Mercy Vid. Justiif Evang. p. 23. So Truman They say a Sinner is not pardoned by Free Grace and Absolute Pardon but upon conditions and terms required in the Gospel to be performed by him which when he hath performed the Evangelical Law doth justifie him pronounce him pardoned and so his Pardon is an Act of Justice according to the Gospel Law though not according to the Law of Works which is content with nothing but Satisfaction Answ Let any fair Disputant judge whether this 〈◊〉 not to shift the Question They have said â—â—at Justification is meer Pardon bare Pardon nothing but Pardon and yet it is not abâ—â—ute Pardon but Pardon upon condition to 〈◊〉 performed by him that will receive Pardon â—â—re not these Conditions when persormed our â—â—angelical Righteousness This they conâ—â—d for And are they not a positive Righteousness Yes they are Gospel Obedience â—â—hat sence is it then to say we are pardoned â—â—thout any positive Righteousness that Pardon alone is all our Righteousness It may be â—â—ese conditions are so small and so necessary to â—â—e receiving of pardon ex natura rei that â—â—y are not to be accounted as any righteousness Nay but in the Gospel Law all the â—â—oral Duties that were required in the Coveâ—â—nt of Works are required still though not â—â—th the same necessity of perfection And â—â—w they are much more difficult than before â—â—me Moral Duties are required also and necessary which were not directly nnd properly â—â—uties under the First Covenant as Self-deâ—â—l Mortification and bearing the Cross â—â—sides these the Gospel prescribeth new posiâ—â—e Duties which neither were nor could be â—â—uties under the Law of Works viz. Faith â—â—ve and Obedience to the Mediator with 〈◊〉 holy and reverend use of all the positive Inâ—â—tutions of the Gospel Are these small things â—â—s it necessary to meer Pardon that the pardoned should not only return to their forme Duty but also receive new Terms and Conditions which were never their Duty before If a Prince subdue Rebels and then promiâ—â— them Impunity if besides returning to theâ—â— ancient Duty and Allegiance they will receive some new Terms which he shall please to impose on them doth he freely pardon them doth he not deal with them as in a way 〈◊〉 Mercy so in a way of Soveraignty givâ—â— them new Laws and making advantage to himself and accession to his Power by occasion 〈◊〉 their misdemeanour Besides this is veâ—â— improper to talk of legal and judicial Pardon Pardon by a Law For a Law is properly preceptive and judicial Proceedings are acquiting or condemning for keeping or breakiâ—â— the Law Pardon is granted by supersedâ—â— the Sentence of the Law at least the Execution of it or by a Promise or Declaration 〈◊〉 Grace which when establisht for securitiâ—â— sake and promulgated is sometimes called aâ— Act of Grace yet it hath not the full Naturâ— of a Law It is the Soveraign Legislator whâ—â— pardoneth who hath power to relax the Execution of the Law a Law cannot pardon But the plain meaning of those men is Thâ—â— God seeing through the Fall it was become impossible for man to keep and so to be saâ—â— by the Law of Works was pleased to maâ—â— a new milder and easier Law and to declaâ—â— that if they would keep it they should 〈◊〉 pardoned and saved Pardon then with theâ—â— is nothing else but a waving of the Covenaâ—â— of Works i. e. God will not proceed with men according to that Covenant if they will submit to his new Covenant so then for all their specious words of meer Pardon to exclude Christ's Righteousness they only mean that God will not execute his First Covenant which men have broken but will save them if they fulfil his Second Covenant i. e. will be righteous and obedient according to the Gospel and thus they acknowledg a righteousness of a man 's own besides pardon whereby he must he justified 6. The Law requireth a positive righteousness by the fulfilling of it The end of every Law being obedience to it Just Evang p. 38 39. Therefore Justification cannot be Pardon of Sin without Imputation of Righteousness 'T is said That the Law of Works required a sinless perfect righteousness which Christ hath satisfied for but the Law of Grace is a better Covenant accepting an imperfect Righteousness But this is nothing to the purpose let the righteousness be
the Debtor cannot properly be said to be the Author of the payment he paid not the Money 't was not his but the Sureties yet the Money being paid for him in his stead for his benefit by the Surety and accepted for him instead of his payment by the Creditor he is a subject of denomination and may be truly accounted a clear and solvent person and the payment imputed to him placed to his account as really and as fully as if he had paid it with his own hand and with his own money Hence some call the Righteousness of Christ the Formal Cause of our Justification Vid. Whitaker de Ecclesia p. 460 461. Synop. Leidens disput 33. Th. 21 23. and others the Matter or Material Cause both mean the same thing viz. That Christs righteousness is the very thing for which we are accepted and justified before God I will not contend about terms of Art in so great a point whereon Salvation depends yet it seemeth more logical to say In Justification man in the Matter or Subject viz. the Person justified Christs righteousness is the Form that by which he is constituted righteous or just before God Imputation Gods accepting this righteousness for him is as the Union betwixt the Matter and the Form even the Application of Christs righteousness to the person justified God the Father is the Efficient accepting or acquitting him for the sake of Christs righteousness The Promise of the Gospel is the medium whereby this righteousness is conveyed and Faith the instrument or disposition in the subject whereby it is rendred capable of receiving Christs righteousness or having it imputed to him And Justification is the Condition or State of a Man accepted with God to life eternal through the righteousness of Christ imputed to him From â—â—ence I inser that Imputation of Christs righteousness and Justification is all one and but â—â—e real Act and so Arctius defines it Justiâ—atio est imputatio justitiae alienae gratuita Lib. Probl. loc 25. faâ—â—a a Deo respectu meriti Filii Dei ad salutem â—â—ni credenti Some learned men make Justication to consist of 2 Acts. The First whereby Christs righteousness is imputed to a Sinâ—er The Second whereby his sins are forgiven and he accepted for the sake of that righteousness But this makes it more perplext that it is to impute righteousness We are righteous with the righteousness of Christ â—â—t in a Physical sence as if it were inherent or adherent to us but judicially We are accepted as righteous i. e. discharged from punishment and intituled to life for it and this 〈◊〉 to be justified We may indeed make it Formal Acts or formally distinct the one thereby Christs righteousness is placed to our account or reckoned to be done for us the â—ther whereby we are accepted or intituled 〈◊〉 life for that righteousness But it 's really â—â—e same thing to account Christs righteousâ—â— be wrought for us to satisfie and fulfill the â—aw of God and to accept us and give us â—ight to life for that righteousness God in â—s Promise proposeth life to Sinners on the account of Christs satisfaction in which when â—â—ey believe and trust there is by virtue of that Promise a Grant and Title to life made other to them and hereby righteousness is imputed to them or they are justified Thus Rom. 4 2. When the Apostle would prove Abraham was not justified by Works he saith v. 3. Faith was imputed to him for Righteousness Then to justifie or impute Christs righteousness is all one and God accounteth us righteous for this righteousness i. e. God justifieth or giveth us eternal life for Christs righteousness and frees us from condemnation Nor is Christ first given to us and then his right ousness as some speak as if we were actually interessed in Christs Person before we are his righteousness God worketh Faith in the Heart which apprehendeth the promise of liâ—â— through the righteousness of Christ and hereby we are accepted and justified and this righteousness is thus made ours or given to us and no other way Afterwards we are adopted and receive the Spirit of Sons by which Spirit we are united to Christ as to our Hear and the Fountain of Spiritual Life and the Christ is most properly given to us or wâ—â— are actually interessed in his person in whom all the Elect have some interest before on the account of Election but this was not actual and proper These things thus explained the Question betwixt us and our Opposites is plainly thâ—â— Whether God justifieth men and intituled them Life for the Righteousness which Christ wrought in fulfilling and suffering the Penalties of the Law The Affirmative is the Protestant Doctrine and now to be proved Argument 1. 1. I argue from the Parallel of Christ and Adam Christ is called the Second Adam the Second Man 1 Cor. 15.45 47. Adam was the Figure of him who was to come viz. Christ Rom. 5.14 Whence is this but in respect of the general Influence of what they did upon the rest of Markind Hence I argue As Adam's Disobedience condemned men so Christ's Obedience acquitteth and justifieth them But the very Acts of Adam's Disobedience are imputed to men to their Condemnation they are condemned for them therefore they that believe have the very righteousness of Christ imputed to them and by that are justified The Major is largely proved by the Apostle Rom. 5.12 ad finem where he sheweth That Justification and Life come into the World in like manner as Death and Condemnation did each by a common Person and by them derived upon the rest of Mankind As many were made Sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by one Mans Obedience so by the Obedience of one many shall be made righteous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 19. They are constituted righteous and unrighteous in the same manner unrighteous by Adams disobedience righteous by the obedience of Christ But this I suppose will not be denied and he that denieth the Minor viz. That Adams disobedience is imputed to us as the immediate Cause of our Condemnation is a down right Pelagian But because iâ— this Age all the Foundations are destroyed we shall prove it from the fore-cited Text Rom. 5.12 where the Apostle affirms That by one man Sin and death entred into the World and Death passed upon all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether we translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iâ— whom all have sinned as the the Fathers did against the Palagians meaning Adam 〈◊〉 whom all his Posterity sinned or in quantum for as much as all men have sinned the Sence is all one Sin and Death came upon all men from one man i. e. Adam and therefore they were all made Sinners in him and by him But this is clearer v. 15. where it is said Many are dead by the Offence of this one man viz. Adam And v. 26. The Judgment or Sentence unto Condemnation came by one man 〈◊〉
excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus c. that I may win Christ and be found in him c. From hence it appeareth that the Apostle speaks of Justification by Christ in opposition to being justified by any thing else and of rejoycing in him contrary to any rejoycing in our selves In the 9th v. therefore he opposeth being found in Christ to having his own Righteousness which is of the Law sc of any works whatsoever and explaineth it by having the Righteousness of Faith the Righteousness which is of God by Faith What can the Righteousness of God mean when opposed to his own Righteousness of the Law but either the Righteousness of him which is God or a Righteousness which God provideth for him and which he did not work himself which is Christ's Also the Righteousness of Faith is opposed to the Righteousness of the Law and the Righteousness of God by Faith opposed to the same Righteousness of the Law must be a Righteousness which God gives us by believing and this is the Righteousness of Christ imputed Object It is excepted By the Law he means the Jewish Law and by his own Righteousness he means that which was his own when a Jew Hotchkis p. 190. not that which was his own when a Convert to the Christian Faith and that the things there opposed are Judaism and Christianity or Judaical Observances and the practical knowledge of Christ so that our own Evangelical Righteousness is not there opposed to the Obedience of Christ 1. Answ If the Apostle here only compare the Jewish and Christian Religion then all he meaneth is that the Christian Religion is far more excellent than the Jewish but he cannot oppose them properly in the matter of Justification For the sincere Practice of the Jewish Religion did justifie the Jews according to this opinion as well as the Practice of Christian Religion justified Christians Yea methinks these Authors who some of them can allow the Idolatrous Heathens to be justified by their obedience to the Law of Nature and hope in God's Mercy though they have no express knowledge of Christ should not deny that Jews may be saved by their Religion and their Hope in the Messias if they be only ignorant who he is and not malicious against him If so there must be more meant by opposing Faith to the Works of the Law then the Law meerly as Jewish 2ly The Apostle doth not only renounce the Works of the Jewish Law but all other things which may be thought matter of confidence in our selves v. 8. 3ly There is the same reason for the renouncing Christian as Jewish Works in Justification and those are Works of the Flesh when trusted and rejoyced in as well as these For the Moral Law is the same to Christians as it was to the Jews and all the Evangelical Precepts were the same to the Jews as to us if then they could not justifie them they cannot justifie us But if this Author intend only the Ceremonial Law it is contrary to the Text for after mention of the External Rights and Privileges the Apostle saith He was blameless as touching the Righteousness of the Law which must mean the Moral Law and the Ceremonial Law when in force had its part in justifying as well as the Moral and now it is abrogated it cannot be damning if practised out of ignorance only Acts 21.20 c. But that the Righteousness of the Law here doth by parity of reason exclude Christian Obedience from Justifying is thus proved This is not the Righteousness of God sc of God's providing but our own Righteousness as well as Jewish Obedience was It is also the righteousness of a Law the Gospel Law though not the Jewish Law Melanct. in Rom. p. 8. Vocari lex debet ubicunque praecepta leguntur sive in libris Mosis sive in libris Apostolorum c. And further It is not the righteousness of Faith or by Faith any more than the Works of Jews For No Law is of Faith but be that doth it shall live by it Gal. 3.12 It is spoken immediately of the Jewish Law but the Reason extendeth it to every Law he that is justified by obedience to any Law liveth by it is justified by doing it not by believing And it may be said of the Gospel in our Authors Sence He that doth it shall live by it as truly as of the Law of Moses or Adam It hath also been shewed that the Law hath some Faith joyned with it viz. the trust to be justified by performing that Law and therefore when doing and believing are opposed as irreconcileable extreams in Justification believing must mean a trust in anothers Righteousness not in our own for that is doing and thus the righteousness of Faith here excludeth all our own Works therefore must be the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us Add to all this That the Apostle in this place doth not speak of Christian Religion as this Author saith or of the Doctrine of Christ but of his Person and what he wrought for us For having exprest his desire of being found in him not having his own righteousness c. he subjoyneth immediately v. 10 11. That I may know him and the Power of his Resurrection and the Fellowship of his Sufferings c. If by any means I might attain unto the Resurrection of the Dead And v. 12. That I might apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Christ These things concern Christ himself not the Precepts of his Religion Object The general Evasion whereby those men wave the force of these and the like Scriptures is this Hotchkis p. 44 c. That Christ's Righteousness or Obedience is ours in the Fruits and Effects of it but not our Righteousness properly viz. That Christ's Righteousness is not that for which we are accepted of God immediately Trueman Gr. Prop. p. 116. but that it is the morally efficient or meritorious Cause of our Righteousness i. e. that we shall be accepted with God if we fulfill the Commands of the Gospel because Christ hath removed the Old Covenant of Works and purchased this New Covenant for us 1. Answ Here it may not be amiss to advertise the Reader of the equivocation that lies in these Words especially as used by some Authors whereby they hide their sence and deceive many sc when they oppose the Imputation of Christs righteousness to the Fruits and Effects of it which with us are not opposite For by imputation of his righteousness we do not mean that Christs righteousness is transferred to us and made inherently ours or that we can be denominated righteous by it as if we had wrought that righteousness but we mean that for the obedience of Christ God doth immediately pardon and justifie them that trust in it and give them a right to all the Fruits of it as truly and validly as if it were their own personal righteousness so that God doth
the infinitely meritorious Righteousness of the Mediator yet it agreeth to them in divers manners and so hath different effects it is Christs Righteousness as the efficient who wrought it as the Mediator performing it in pursuance of his Mediatorial Office and thus it is one perfect and compleat publick Righteousness satisfying the Law purchasing eternal life for all the Elect whereof Christ is the only immediate and proper subject but it is a Believers righteousness secondarily as being intended and wrought for him that he should be justified by it and so his only so far forth as he stands in need of it not as Mediatorial or meritorious or universal extending to others also it is infinite and meritorious as it is in Christ not as it is in a Believer for there it is an infinite meritorious Righteousness accepted for him so far as he needeth it not as infinite or universal for all the Elect. Thus also we may answer what is commonly said if we are righteous with Christs Righteousness then we satisfied for our selves we are our own Mediators seing by that righteousness Christ satisfied and was our Mediator For the matter of the righteousness may be imputed to us and not the circumstances and qualifications of it we may be accepted for that righteousness and yet not be accounted to have wrought it for our selves or others it is a common rule Quie quid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis a thing is received according to the capacity of the receiver not always according to the extent of the thing or the virtue of the efficient The Sun which is seen by half the World at once the sound which is heard by many thousands are seen and heard by each one in particular for themselves but not accordieg to that universal extent whereby they are seen and heard by all the rest But to come nearer the case Gods act of Creation and conservation is infinite and yet every creature created and preserved thereby is finite Gods course to the actions of the creatures is infinite as proceeding from him yet it maketh not the actions of the Creatures infinite yea all the acts of creation preservation concourse are of the same species of the same sort as they proceed from God it is not one kind whereby Men and Angels are created preserved and assisted and another whereby the same things are done for lower creatures but the same infinite power of God applied to each one according to their necessities yet this Identity of the Divine Acts doth not make the Creatures to be of the same species or nature or to exist in the same manner or all to operate with one kind of Action In like manner the Righteousness of Christ as wrought by him and proceeding from him and intended for all the Elect is infinite and meritorious but as applied to every single person it procureth so much pardon as they have need of and satisfyeth so much of the Law as they are obliged to and so purchaseth Eternal Life for every one according to their necessity and station Of the same nature is that common Objection viz. If we be justified by Christ's Righteousness then are we as righteous as Christ which followeth not unless his Righteousness was applied to every particular Believer in the same manner as it agreeth to Christ which is untrue Christ is righteous inherently as the immediate proper Subject of his own Obedience and actively as the Author of that Obedience as he that in his own person fulfilled the Law A Believer is not at all accounted the Author of that Righteousness is not lookt upon as the person that obeyed nor is he the subject of inhesion in whom that Righteousness doth inhere properly and physically but he is a legal secondary subject who receiveth the immediate benefit of that Righteousness as being intended for his Justification Again Christ wrought his Righteousness for all the Elect in the Office and Person of a Mediator and so was not only righteous as a single person but also as a publick person but each believer is righteous as a single person by that publick and universal Righteousness of Christ applied to his particular case and necessity If a Debtor be discharged by his Sureties paying the Debt may he be said to be as good as solvent a man as his Surety because the Sureties Payment is imputed to him If an Innocent person be accepted to die for one that deserves it may the Guilty person be said to be as innocent or to have satisfied for his Crime as much as the Innocent that died for it The Payment and the Punishment are accepted for the Debtor and the Guilty so that they are freed by them but the honour of being solvent and innocent of paying and suffering p. 61. for a Friend belongeth not to them but to the Sponsor This Authors second Argument is Object 2. If we be justified by the Acts of Christ's Personal Righteousness then are we justified by the Works of the Law but it 's the Apostles whole design to the Romans to prove that we are not justified by the Works of the Law nor unsinning Obedience Ergò Answ Never any Orthodox Divine denyed that we were justified by the Works of the Law wrought for us by Christ but on the contrary it is the soundation of the opinion of Imputation that the Law of Works cannot be waved but must be fulfilled both by obedience to it and suffering the punishment when it had been once broken and this being impossible in our own persons God sent forth his Son in the likeness of Sinful Flesh and for sin condemned sin in the Flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8.3 4. That which justifieth us is the Obedience of Christ to the Law of Works but we are justified not in a Legal but in an Evangelical way because it is the Gospel that granteth us forgiveness upon the obedience of another and not the Law Etsi haec Christi obedientia legalis nobis imputata Bradshaw de Just c. 18. th 7. pars sit aliqua justitiae illius quâ coram Deo justificemur Non tamen inde concluditur nos ex legis operibus vel ex parte aliqua justificarieo sensu quo ab Apostolo ea opera excluduntur Rom. 3.20 Galat. 2.16 3.11 Cum lex illa postulet ut quaecunque preceperit in propriae nimirum cujusque persona non autem per sponsorem aut vicarium quemquam praestentur The Apostle to the Romans proveth that we are not justified by our own Works wrought in our own persons but not absolutely That we are not justified by the Works of the Law in any sence but on the contrary when he saith we are justified by Faith this implyeth that we are justified by the Obedience of Christ trusted in or applyed by Faith What is here further said toucheth not us viz. If Christ's Righteousness be so imputed that
to his Righteousness being imputed to us The Learned may find every one â—â— these Objections against the Imputation 〈◊〉 Christ's Righteousness with some others â—â— the like kind urged to the same purpose by Bellarmin and answered by B. Davenant for substance as we do de Justi Cap. 24. and B. Downam in many Chapters of his Learned Discourse of Justification Object It is further objected Our own works anâ— said to be accounted to us for Righteousness as that Act of Phincas in slaying Zimri anâ— Cozby Numb 25.7 Psal 106.30 31. And restoring the poor Man's Pledge Deut. 24.13 It shall be righteousness to thee before the Lord And the keeping of all God's Commandments Deut. 6.25 It shall be our Righteousness if 〈◊〉 observe all these Commandments before the Lord Therefore Christ's Righteousness is not immediately imputed to us for our Justification Answ When our own works are said to be ouâ— Righteousness or accounted for Righteousness it is only meant that God doth accept then and reward them Thus he promised Phines the Priest-hood for ever which was yet revoked for the sins of Elies Sons 1 Sam. 2.30 c. And the Reason subjoyned sheweth hoâ— this Righteousness was accounted viz. Thâ—â— that honour me I will honour and those that aâ—â— spise me shall be lightly esteemed It was accounted for Righteousness i. e. honoured and rewarded Thus mercy to the Poor shall be our righteousness before God i.e. he is pleased with it and will reward it with like kindness when we need it Psal 41.1 And our keeping all the Commandments shall be our Righteousness shall be accepted and rewarded as the obedience of Children But all this proveth not that we shall be made the Children of God have our sins forgiven and be intituled to Grace and life for our own obedience We acknowledge obedience to Gods Commands is our Righteousness whereby we are morally and inherently righteous i.e. conformable to God's Law and Will and this while imperfect is our inchoate or imperfect Righteousness and when it shall be consummate it will be our perfect and compleat righteousness as B. Davenant saith well against the Papists Calumnies de Just cap. 22. But the Righteousness for which we are pardoned accepted and made Heirs of Life must be every way a perfect and compleat righteousness even the righteousness of Christ as the same Author saith Apertè affirmamus Deum justissimum neminem justificare h.e. cap. 22. p. 311. ut exposuimus à reatu absolvere justum declarare ad vitam aeternam quae est justitiae praemium acceptare nisi interveniente vera perfecta justitia quae etiam verè fiat ipsius justitia And again Dicimus neminemjustificari nisi qui donetur justitia tam cumulatâ tamque perfectâ Ibid. ut Deus in illum oculos conjiciens non possit eadem donatum pro jnsto non habere It is pleaded that Faith is imputed for Righteousness in the same manner that other Works are and so justifieth but as they do and is our Righteousness as they are and thus they interpret Gen. 15.6 Abraham's Faith was accounted for Righteousness i.e. it was reckoned a noble and excellent Act of Faith with which God was well pleased and would reward it Answ 1. Faith in the Promise of Pardon and Life of meer Grace and Free Gift cannot be counted any part of our Righteousness To trust in the general in the Goodness Power and Promises of God is required by the Moral Law and is a Natural or Moral Duty and so a part of our universal Righteousness or Conformity to that Law But to trust in the Promise of Forgiveness and Mercy which only is the Faith in question is not required by the Moral Law but supposeth us Breakers of it and to be under its Condemnation it only seeks for Mercy proposed in a new supervening Promise and therefore is not our Righteousness as Works are The Apostle taketh occasion from a notable Instance of Abraham's Faith in a particular case 2ly and its obtaining the Promise of Great Blessings to argue That Faith in the general Mercy of God in Christ doth obtain Justification Rom. 4.2 3. and that with the exclusion of all works v. 5. To him that worketh not but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly Faith is imputed for Righteousness and this Justification is explained by having sins forgiven covered not imputed v. 6 7. Faith therfore is imputed for righteousness only as it doth obtain the forgiveness of sin the acceptance of them that have no works that are ungodly in themselves and this must be by the Righteousness of Christ not by its self being our righteousness Object It is also said If we are justified immediately by the Righteousness of Christ imputed then there is nothing for us to do to obtain Justification we must only believe we are justified and we are justified Answ There is nothing for us to do to purchase Justification this is done by Christ But we must apply this purchase to our selves by believing or trusting in it flying to it for Justification When a Ransom is paid for a Captive there is nothing left for him to do to purchase his liberty yet he must accept and challenge the Fruit of this Purchase to himself before he can enjoy it Though Adam hath procured and intituled to death upon all his Posterity yet that Curse reacheth not us till we receive a Being from and do habitually consent to his Sin In like manner Christ purchased life for all the Elect yet they do not partake of it till they are ingrafted into him and we do at least habitually consent and trust to be saved by him Object Lastly it is argued If Christs Righteousness be properly imputed then we should perfectly be delivered from all sin and misery and immediately brought to Heaven Answ Justification it self obtaineth remission of all sins and an immutable right to life or the Favour of God and an actual entrance into that Favour this every justified person doth obtain upon believing 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life Rom. 8.1 Justification hath its proper effect in this life viz. it taketh away sin and the Curse or Obligation to Punishment it reconcileth to God and brings us into that Favour which will endure for ever but God having redeemed us by his Son intendeth not only to justifie us from our sins and give us the Life promised by the Law but also to make us his Children to give us glory in Heaven to make us Partakers of his Sons Glory and Kingdom And for this it pleases him to breed us to nurture and sit us for it by conflicting with sin by overcoming the World and the Devil that the Glory of his Son and Grace may appear the more Therefore the imperfect troublesome state of Believers in this life is not because their Justification is not perfect but because God hath a further design
falsly à malè divisis ad benè conjuncta we are justified by Faith Ergò not by works nay it may be by both together Argument 5. We are justified freely by Gods grace therefore by faith as a trust in the Promise The Antecedent is the Apostles Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ the Consequence is his also for he adds God hath set forth him to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Bloud likewise Rom. 4.16 It is by Faith that it may be by Grace If we are justified by Obedience to any Commands as Obedience then may we be justified by grace in part there may be some mercy in it but not freely by his grace Faith only accepteth Salvation as a gift of meer grace pleading nothing but the free Promise of God in which it trusts and Faith only applyeth the Righteousness of God by trusting in it but Obedience be it what it will provides a Righteousness of our own and hereby only is all the glory of our Salvation ascribed to God when we trust to nothing of our own in any sort But Christ is Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption to us which is by Faith only 1 Cor. 1.30 31. For obedience as obedience brings something to God and doth not receive from him and some of the Glory is due to it Argument 6. The Spirit is given by Faith as affiance to trust therefore we are justified by it The consequence is gathered hence the Spirit is the Author of all Grace in the Sanctified and of useful gifts both in them and in the unsanctified for the edifying of the Church both these are means of fitting men for Heaven If then Faith obtain the means surely it obtaineth a Right and Title to Heaven first The Antecedent is the Apostles Gal. 3.2 in a question importing a negation as to Works and an affirmation as to Faith Received you the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith And v. 5. He that ministreth the Spirit and worketh miracles amongst you doth he it by the Works of the Law or by the preaching of Faith The former words I understand of the Graces the latter of the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost but doth come not by preaching obedience to the Law but the Promises of the Gospel Again v. 14. We receive the Promise of the Spirit by Faith now here they cannot say the Apostle opposeth the works of the Law to the works of the Gospel implied in Faith as they do sometimes For those he disputes against were believing Jews and such as pretended the Authority at least the Example of Peter and John for their Doctrine as appears Chap. 2. and Acts 15.5 These did not exclude the works of the Gospel but meant that men should be saved by believing in Christ and fulfilling the Precepts of the Law and Gospel and differed nothing from our late Authors in this point but in that they accounted the Ceremonial Law still to oblige Gal. 1.6 7. I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the Grace of Christ unto another Gospel which is not another but there are some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ If they had contended for the works of the Law distinct from the Gospel it had been another Gospel they had preached their Doctrine therefore was a mixture of Faith and Works Nor is it the Ceremonial Law only whose works are excluded For these Teachers endeavoured that the Gentiles should be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses Act. 15.5 the whole Law which is also opposed to the Promise made to Abraham by which he and his Seed were justified Gal. ◠16 17. Ceremonies indeed are particularly instanced in because men put most trust in them whether appointed by God or devised by themselves and chiefly because they were the bond and badge of the whole Law Gal. 5.3 I testifie to every man if he be circumcised he is a Debtor to keep the whole Law It is therefore Justification by obedience to God's Commands as well as believing in Christ ushered in by imposing the Jewish Ceremonies which the Apostle disputes against in this Epistle and against which he proves We are justified by Faith in the Promises Argument 7. Miraculous Faith as trusting in the Promise and Power of God obtaineth miraculous Effects therefore Faith in the Promise of Pardon obtains Justification The Antecedent is frequently laid down in the Gospel Thy Faith hath saved thee thy Faith hath made thee whole be it unto thee according to thy Faith And that general Promise Mat. 17.20 If you have Faith as a grain of Mustard-seed you shall say to this Mountain Remove to yonder place and it shall obey you and nothing shall be impossible for you The consequence is thus proved The Faith of Miracles as in the unsanctified it was an extraordinary degree of common or notional Faith so in the Godly it was but an extraordinary degree of that sound Faith which justifies them We have no reason to make it a distinct gift or grace no more than that Faith whereby we believe particular promises in spiritual or temporal things should be distinct from the Faith of the Pardon of Sin Now then if a trusting in extraordinary promises will procure these extraordinary effects thereby promised by the same reason trusting in the Promise of Justification should be effectual to justifie us Argument 8. Ex opposito If Faith doth not justifie as trust in the Promise but Obedience with it and as a part of Obedience then it may be said truly and properly there is Justifying Repentance Justifying Love to God and our Neighbour Justifying Patience c. as well as Justifying Faith in that we are justified by them as well as by Faith but the Scripture is silent to any such thing Nor will it serve to say Faith justifieth principally and primarily works secondarily and less principally and therefore it is ascribed only to Faith For besides that we must not distinguish where the Scripture doth not Works in their intrinsecal value are much more excellent than Faith To believe the Scriptures or trust in a Promise is of it self the meanest lowest Act that man can perform to God and which he doth only for his own good but in Obedience man denieth himself and seeketh only the Honour of God And if you say as a condition Faith is principal Works less principal I answer It is strange that the less considerable thing should have the greatest weight laid upon it But let it be shewed how Faith doth reconcile us to God more than Love and Obedience till then we may look upon this distinction but as an old Popish Evasion revived CHAP. VIII Objections against this Doctrine answered IT is objected by a late Author Object 1. If we are justified by trusting in the Mercy of God through the Bloud of Christ then the whole
end of justifying Sinners is to glorifie the Mercy of God without providing for the Honour of his Justice or Holiness both which seem better secur'd if Justification depend upon man's works as well as faith that he cannot be reconciled to God without a holy life as well as believing in Christ For thus God would appear not only merciful but just and holy also in that he will not pardon Sinners but in a way of holiness Answ 1. The Justice and Holiness of God were abundantly declared in exacting satisfaction to the Law of Jesus Christ his obedience and death did more declare and vindicate the Justice and Holiness of God infinitely more than the worthless imperfect obedience of men can do Hereby it was declared That God would not justifie Sinners but in a way of Holiness and perfect obedience to his Law There was perfect holiness and justice towards Christ though infinite Mercy towards Sinners Though man be justified by Faith not by Holiness yet he is not saved without Holiness it is that which qualifies him to receive the Kingdom and Faith also procureth and obtaineth his Holiness For we believe not in Christ for pardon only but for grace to bring us to glory Nor doth Christ purchase oâ— God promise pardon only but grace and power to obey him He gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purchase to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 So then Faith trusting in God's mercy and free grace supposeth for its foundation the Obedience of Christ whereby God's Justice and Holiness hath been highly glorified and also obtaineth for men by and from Jesus Christ the Spirit of Adoption by whom they shall in due time be make conformable to the Image of his own Son and so more excellently holy than they would have been if they had not sinned Therefore in justifying a Sinner in the whole design Holiness and Justice are as much magnified as Mercy though Mercy only appear in the Act of justifying him without his own Righteousness This Doctrine seems to lead to Enthusiasm Object 2. If there be nothing for man to do that he may be justified but only to believe in God's Mercy and Christ's Righteousness then may they fancy themselves justified when they please and if this Faith must be wrought by God then must men onely expect till God will infuse Faith and so justifie them What use then of the preaching of the Gospel Answ For Fancy May not men as well fancy their obedience to be sincere and their works â—o be such as argue them good Christians and give them hopes to be saved yea do not most men thus think and profess If works must be tried by the Scriture so must faith also and â—hen this is no more liable to fancy than the â—ther Answ 2. For Enthusiasm which is nothing else but infusion or inspiration of something into the Mind we grant all the godly do injoy it in the working and increase of supernatural grace and so must our Opposites also unless they will turn down right â—elagians and say That all Grace is the meer work of Nature and Reason Thus Enthusiasm follows from the Doctrine of Supernatural Grace whether we be justified â—y Faith or Obedience But Enthusiasm is were taken in the worst sence and so the meaning must be The Doctrine of Justification by Faith doth necessarily lead to ungrounded unwarranted Enthusiasm Now this may be reduced to two sorts for matter and for manner for matter when men pretend Inpiration of God for things contrary to â—cripture which God hath given as a standing rule to the Worlds end for manner â—hen Inspirations are expected to exclude and â—upersede the use of reason Scripture and â—ll Divine Ordinances these are properly called Enthusiasts who pretend to these Now our Doctrine of Faith naturally leads to neither of these Not to the first in the matter for faith apprehends resteth only upon the Promises revealed in the Scripture out of that it seeâ—eth nothing for its foundation and that somâ— Antinomians have leaned to unwarranted Revelations and Fancies is no more a natural consequence of Justification by Faith thaâ— the Papists pretending Revelation for Image worship and many of their Will-worship do naturally flow from from the Doctrine 〈◊〉 Justification by Works Not the second 〈◊〉 the manner We are so far from teachingâ— That men must expect Faith to be wrought oâ— increased without the use of means appointed that on the contrary we say with thâ— Scripture That faith cometh by hearing anâ— hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10.15 Thaâ— God requires men to know understand anâ— meditate on his Word to use their Reason Conscience and Affections and while they thuâ— do he inspires faith into his Elect which enables them to do it effectually and savingly much like as our Saviour John 9. made Clay anointed the Eyes of the blind man with iâ— sent him to wash in the Pool of Siloam anâ— while he thus did by his divine Power he restored his Sight The same also may be said if we must be saved by our Obedience wâ— may sit still and expect God to work all 〈◊〉 us unless they will say we need no supernatural Grace or at least that it depended on and followeth the Will of man Enthusiasms therefore are the abuses not the just consequences of this Doctrine It is objected If we be justified by Faith only Object 3. then there need be no care of good works Answ This follows as much as that objected to the Apostle Rom. 3.8 We are slanderously reported to say let us do evil that good may come of it and Rom. 6.1 Let us continue in sin that grace may abound Surely there is more shew of reason to say if we are justified by free grace only then no matter though we sin grace will be but the more magnified in our forgiveness than to say Because God justifies freely through Faith therefore we need need not care to please him The Apostle was not moved to mitigate this Doctrine for the said slanders Ungodly men will speak and act according to their own lusts whatever their Opinions be and Calvin observes among the Papists as we may the same among Protestants that none are more zealous maintainers of Justification by good Works than they who have fewest good works to shew it seems therefore that the Doctrine of Justification by Works is not such a real incentive to holiness as some men think but rather that the Doctrine of Justification by Faith crosseth corrupt nature more and stirs up to more deep and inward holiness else why should profane Wits and unsanctified hearts so generally oppose it But that this Doctrine doth not naturally lead to unholiness but to most strict and spiritual holiness may thus appear 1. As Faith trusteth in the promise of eternal life it doth naturally stir up men to use all means to attain that and
sinful infirmities of the Saints should be pardoned by this Opinion For as the Author tells us Christ did not properly fulfil thâ—â— Old Law so they also say and with moâ—â— truth he fulfilled not the conditions of the Gospel for us nor give he any satisfaction to God for them how then should they be forgiven Thus this Opinion excludes all use of Pardon and teacheth that man is justifind by fulfilling what is required in the Gospel the demands of the Law being waved i. e. he is justified by a Gospel-innocency of his own though not by the Innocency of Adam or the Law of Works Answ 2 We grant as is well used by the Author forenamed if the Covenant of Works had run thus that Man should obey and live and die if he disobeyed either he or his Surety we grant in this case there had been no proper pardon but God in Justice would have been bound to discharge the sinner when the Surety had satisfied the Law for him because it was his own agreement that either the principle or the Surety should satisfy disjunctively and when there is such an agreement it is all one to the Creditor would have been all one to God which pays the debt or fulfils the Law But this is to state the question for us and then to dispute against it We say not that the first Covenant did allow of a Surety much less joyned him in the Covenant with Man Man himself was to obey or die but God as the infinite Sovereign and Law-Mater was pleased to substitute a Surety to fulfil thee Law for him who as he was not induded in the Law so was not there any particular Covenant in the Law against a Surety and this supposed we further answer Answ 3 Though Christ fulfilled the Law in Mans stead and so life for man was a debt to him yet to man it is conveyed by true and proper pardon of sin for the Surety was not provided by Man but by God who was offended yea he was the Son of God and God himself and that when no such thing was conditioned and promised God himself revealed this Surety to Man and gives him that Faith whereby we should have interest in him and benefit by him now in all this here is a voluntary remission of the punishment due to sin a voluntary providing a mean of reconciliation and at last an actual reconciliation discharging Man from guilt and taking him into favour by Faith in Christ and to believe he there daily is a pardon of sinful infirmities upon the account of the fame Righteousness of Christ believed in 1 John ult 2.1 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive them and the bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is a Propitiation for our sins 〈◊〉 The bloud and his being a Propitiation are herâ— joyned with forgiveness of Sin Yet we grant further That the Justification of a Sinner is an act of Justice as welâ— as of Mercy Mercy and Forgiveness as to him but Justice as to Christ who by God's appointment and consent had satisfied the Law in Man's stead and therefore it was just and due that they who should be interested in it viz. Believers should be discharged and justified by his Obedience They also must grant if Man be justified by his Obedience his Justification is an act of Justice according to the New Covenant Object 5 It is objected that Afflictions both temporal and spiritual fall on Believers in this life as Chastisements for and therefore punishments of sin therefore they are not fully justified by believing Answ Afflictions may be distributed into three ranks 1. Such as arise from the common condition of Mankind since the Fall as crosses in Children in Worldly Affairs c. in these the Saints must have their share while they live here though they were perfect in grace and perfectly justifyed because these calamities are annexed to this present State and therefore these cannot be reckoned punishments or do argue a defect in their Justification who live here below seeing they befal them upon the account of others more than themselves and they would come were they never so perfect 2ly A Second sort are such as though they were occasioned by sin yet they come not upon the godly for any particular sin but are means of quickning and encreasing grace such were David's in his younger days and Job's and many others dayly who are afflicted from their youth upward That these are not punishments or argue any defects in their Justification is manifest from hence because they usually fall in the greatest measure upon the best Christians where there is most grace to bare them well to the Honour of God If afflictions be properly the punishment of sin then in equity they that are most sinful and least sanctifyed should have most afflictions but it is often otherwise 3ly A Third kind are those which are sent upon occasion of particular sins as the calamities that befel David for his great sin 2 Sam. 12. and these are most properly chastisements the other are means of improving and sometimes of working grace being joyn'd with the Word suited to Man's sinful and dull temper in this life which the godly are not to take as signs of hatred nor to faint under them but these chastisements for special sins are effects of Gods Fatherly displeasure and may be called Paternal punishments yet are they not judicial or legal punishments or any parts of the curse Isa 27.9 By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin If that be all the fruit then that is all that God intendeth by affliction and not to execute the Curse of the Law or to satisfie his Justice Heb. 12.5 6 7. Whom the Lord loveth he chastneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth If you endure chastning God dealeth with you as with Sons but if you be without chastning whereof all are Partakers their are you Bastards and not Sons c. If chastisements be signs that we are Sons of God how are they signs that we are not perfectly justified If they are certain effects of God's Love how are they proper punishments and fruits of the Curse It is rather a fruit of the Curse to want them when we need them a sign we are Bastards and not Sons therefore to have them cannot be a part of the Curse But to make this more clear I shall add these two Reasons The Curse was the Sentence of death pronounced against man 1st of death at last and all miseries tending to that issue Gen. 3.17 18 19. If then the afflictions of this life are parts of the Curse to the godly then are they intended for their death and ruine but if they are intended only for their good then they are natural evils but not
because we fulfil or obey the Command of believing in Christ Against this I thus argue 1. If Faith justify as a fulfilling the command of believing then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere Faith it self is our Righteousness and Christ's Righteousness hath only procur'd a Covenant of Faith by fulfilling whereof we should be justifyed as we should have been by fulfilling the Law of Works For in this Opinion Faith justifyeth as Obedience to the Command of believing and Obedience cannot be the Medium of applying Christ's Obedience for our Righteousness but is it self a righteousness according to the Law that requires it So then Faith must be our Righteousness now as perfect Obedience was under the Law and must justify as the Work of the Gospel 2ly Faith is the unfittest of all Graces to be the condition of life because it is only a trust in Free-Mercy and carries with it an acknowledgement of our unworthiness and nothingness and so bringeth nothing to God but a bare object of Mercy and Compassion All other graces bring some positive Honour to God together with a denyal of our selves and our inordinate desires to the Creatures but Faith bringeth nothing but a confession of Misery with a desire and hope of Mercy therefore is unfit to be our Righteousness and to come into the room of Perfect Obedience 3ly If Faith justify as a condition then Man hath a natural power to believe in Christ how else can Faith be required of him as a new condition of life after he had failed of life by the first condition of Obedience The Gospel by this Doctrine is a Law of Faith but a proper Law doth suppose power to obey in the subjects of it Quest Obj. Quest 9. Vid. Pelt Art 13. Paragr 2. This Arminius confesseth Deum non posse ullo modo fidem in Jesum Christum postulare ab homine lapso quam ex se habere non potest nisi aut dederit aut dare paratus sit gratiam sufficientem quâ credere possit si velit i. e. God cannot by any means require Fallen Man to believe which of himself he cannot do unless he hath given him or will be ready to give grace sufficient to believe if he will 4ly If Faith be the gift of special grace as is acknowledged by these I now deal with how can it be required of all that hear the Gospel seeing they have neither power of their own to believe nor a promise that Faith shall be given them If it be said that Faith is promised I ask is it promised on some other condition or absolutely If upon condition then we shall have conditions in infinitum unless we stop in something that is in Man's Power to do Ibid. p. 55. as Amyraldus well observeth Fides impetrata fuit non ut offeretur sub acceptandi conditione sed ut ipsa illa conditio esset per quam salus recipitur alioqui res abiret in infinitum nec ullus unquam esset terminus conditionum impetrandarum If absolutely either to all that hear the Gospel and so all should believe or to some only but no such promise can be produc'd that when the Gospel is preach'd to a people such and such shall have Faith given them But if it be said the Promise of Life in Christ is declared to all and God persuadeth whom he pleaseth to trust in it Is it not then better to say that Faith is only an instrument whereby God inableth Men to lay hold of the Promise â—o Justification than to offer violence to the nature of all proper Laws and the conditions of them by making Faith the condition required by a proper Law which Man hath not â—ower to perform nor is sure to have it given when he needeth it and I suppose no instance can be given of any such Law either Human or Divine that requireth a condition out of the power or beyond the ability of the subject before the Law was made and doth not certainly provide that ability for him any other way The Second Opinion is of those that affirm Obedience to be included in Faith and so Faith and Obedience to be the condition of life i. e. that we are required sincerely to believe and obey the Gospel Commands Histories and Promises to our lives end and for so doing we shall be justified and saved Faith in this Opinion is not an immediate trust in the Promise of life through Christ but a general belief of the truth of the Histories and Promises of the Gospel encouraging to obey the Precepts of it yea though there be 〈◊〉 particular persuasion that this man in particular shall be saved if he obey the Gospel 〈◊〉 yet this is not proper trust or affiance but a more practical assent to the general Promises and Doctrine of the Gospel a trust upon an uncertain condition is no more a truâ— and proper trust than a proposition depending on a future contingency is a proper oâ— certain proposition or hath determinate truth or falshood This is the Doctrine 〈◊〉 the Remonstrants as hath been shewed Chapâ— 5. We may also observe That though thâ— Opinion be commonly exprest by believing in or receiving Christ as our King and Prophet as well as Priest yet in truth it maketh Faith or the condition of the Gospel tâ— respect Christ only as a King immediately and as a Prophet and Priest accidentally and remotely For to prescribe Laws and Conditions of Life whereby men must be judged saved or condemned and then to judge them by those Laws and either justifie or condemn them for their obedience or disobedience to them are all Kingly Acts or Exercises of Kingly Power and these only are immediately respected by this Faith which is nothing else but obeying what Christ hath commanded upon belief of the truth of what he hath declared and promised to that Obedience and so is that for which men shall be judicially justified It is true Christ as a Prophet doth explain and teach his own Law but this is accidental to a Legislator and men must obey the teaching of Christ but obedience as such is not because he teacheth but because he that teacheth is also the Law maker and hath authority to command obedience Therefore Faith as obedience and so justifying doth not properly respect Christ as a Prophet nor doth it eye him as a Priest being not a trust in his satisfaction and Righteousness to be saved by it which was the main Exercise of his Priestly Office but an obedience to the New Law which Christ had made as a King and only had purchased as a Priest leave of the Father to make such a Law and that those that obeyed it should be saved The Priesthood therefore of Christ is but remotely respected in believing as the foundation of his Law and Promises annexed to it This Mr. Baxter confesseth in effect 1 Disput of Just P. 25. when he saith Christ's Merit is the remote moral cause of our
If any say Believers may be sure they shall persevere and so the Promise shall be certain I answer None of the Authors we deal with will say so and if they should this would overthrow Obedience being the condition of our Justification for then we should have an absolute Promise of perseverance and so of Justification before we are perfectly justifyed which no sober man will affirm Besides to what is this Promise of perseverance made to Faith then Faith alone hath the Promise of Obedience and Perseverance whereby we must be justified though they will not allow it to justifie us and then they contend to little purpose Moreover this Faith of Abraham was such as whereby both Jews under Moses's Law and Gentiles exempt from that Law should be justifyed but the Jews under the Law were not justified by Obedience to the Gospel dispensation which then was not given nor was Abraham himself justified by it which was not then in force nor yet are the Gentiles since the abolition of the Law obliged to the same Obedience that Abraham was he being under the Law of Circumcision and Sacrifices and other Institutions afterward incorporated with the Law of Moses therefore this Faith which justifieth Abraham and all Believers alike is not Obedience to the Gospel or any edition of the Law of God and the Apostle himself explains it in the next words v. 17. Abraham was made the Father of many Nations before him whom he believed c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may be rendred forasmuch as he believed in God who quickneth the dead and calleth things that are not as if they were who against hope believed in hope c. all this plainly respects Abraham's trust and Gods Promise not his Obedience and by this he was justified and made the Father and Pattern of all believers therefore Belieâ—evers are not justified by Obedience Argument 2. If Gospel Obedience or Faith as including Obedience justifys then the Gospel justifys as a Law not as a Promise of Mercy and Grace in Christ but Fal'n Man cannot be justified by any Law Ergò The Consequence is evident Obedience respects the Law as such and to be justified by a Law or the observance of it and to be justified by a promise of meer Mercy are directly opposite The Gospel according to them may have a Promise of Life annexed to Obedience but it justifieth for that Obedience to which life was promised after the manner of all other Laws that have Promises of reward annexed and not as a Promise of Mercy and Life to be given gratis I prove the Minor Fal'n Man cannot be justified by any Law of God because he is not able to perform any he is no more able oâ— himself to obey the Evangelical Law thaâ— the Perfect Law of Works for having nâ— principle of spiritual life in him he hath nâ— more power to yield imperfect than perfect Obedience in nothing there are no degrees not more and less The Apostle saith Gaâ— 3.21 If there had been a Law given or could be given which could give life Righteousness should be by the Law God as a Creator and Lord first expecteth Obedience from his Creatures and would reward them for it 〈◊〉 Men were able to fulfil any Law of Obedience fit for God to require of him in order to hâ—â— own honour and Man's happiness God would certainly enjoyn him that Law but by 〈◊〉 Law is the knowledge of Sin Rom. 4.15 bâ— every divine Law as well as the Law 〈◊〉 Works Man doth but discover his own sinfulness because not able to obey it and therefore he can be justified by no Law If they say God can enable them to fulfil the Precepts of the Gospel so he could also have enabled them to have peformed the Law of Innocency If it be said God hath promised he will enable men to it then this Promise must be as universal as the Law else the Law would require an impossibity of some Men and if it be then all that are commanded to obey the Gospel are promised to be made able to perform it which is the Jesuits Universal-sufficient-grace in the highest degree but if the Gospel do not carry with it a certain promise or power to fulfil it as it doth not before Faith then it propoundeth to Men a way of Salvation which to them at present is as impossible as to be saved by the Law of Works and for what they know ever shall be therefore the Gospel cannot justify as a Law But the natural consequence of this Doctrine is That Man hath Natural Ability to obey the Gospel and that his Nature is not corrupted or not so far as to extinguish all spiritual life and therefore that men by diligence may overcome their own indisposition and obey the Gospel sincerely which God will mercifully accept to their Salvation and hence Mr. Trueman and others tell us That the Gospel is fitted to Mans weak and broken condition requiring no more than is a greable to it it is indeed fitted to Mans miserable state if it be taken for a free promise of life but not if it be a Law promising life only to Obedience unless he hath power to obey If a Creditor to whom is due 1000 pounds would be content to take 1000 Pence from a poor Debtor and yet will stand upon it that he should perish in Prison unless he pay the 100 Pence when he knoweth he can neither pay nor procure one Penny of good and currant Mony surely he cannot be said to have tempered and suited his terms and demands to the broken and shattered condition of the Poor Debtor Argument 3. If Obedience to the Gospel justifie Christians then Obedience to the Law of Moses did justifie the Jews that were under that dispensation For that was then the way of life and obedience to the Jews as the Gospel is now to Christians nor was it given them as a Covenant of perfect Obedience but was indeed a more imperfect and obscure edition of the Gospel and the Jews were but as Heirs in their minority under Tutors and Governours till they were fit for the greater liberty of Sons Gal. 4.1 2 3 4 5. Nor can there be any reason why the Jews should not be justified by sincere obedience to the Law unless it be affirmed to be a Covenant of Perfect Obedience and then their case was worse than Adam's more being required of them than of him and they without strength to obey it Minor But the Jews were not justified by sincere obedience to the Law of Moses Ergò Acts 13.38 39. St. Paul preached to the Jews That in Christ's Name was preached to them the forgiveness of sins and that by him all that believe are justifyed from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Their Justification must come by forgiveness of sins through believing in Christ's Name and not by their obedience to the Law which he saith â—â—as impossible
themselves with that yet they that be throughly woundeâ— and humbled can never build their peace upon purposes or promises of obedience but upon the free Mercy of God in Christ from whence also they must have their power to obey or their purposes are in vain and also the acceptance and forgiveness of their poor imperfect obedience Whatever are the disputes of curious Wits or of rational Parts who would sain bring the Methods of Sovereign Grace to the Rules of Humane Reason yet I never met with any serious man nor I believe never shall who would soberly say That he expected to be saved or justified for and by his Obedience to the Gospel CHAP. X. An Answer to the Arguments for Obedience being the Condition of Justification WE come now for a close of this Work to consider the Principle Arguments that are brought to prove That Obedience to the Gospel or Faith as comprehending all Obedience is the Condition by fulfilling whereof we must be justified and it is alledged 1st That this way of Justification seemeth most rational obvious and agreeable to the whole Tenour of Scripture which maketh the Promises both of this Life and that which is to come to Obedience 1 Tim. 4.8 And that the way of Justification by trusting in the Promise of Mercy putteth some force both upon Reason and many Texts of Scripture Thus Mr. Trueman often 1st It was Melancthon's Observation Answ Lex com de isustif judic in Rom. That man's Reason which he call'd humana Philosophia doth always cherish a notion of being justified by Works and therefore Justification by Faith ever hath been and ever shall be opposed both by curious Wits and by grave Moral Men not only among Heathens but in the Church also which cometh partly from the Pride of Man who would fain be something but chiefly from the impression of the Law of Nature or Works which taught and allowed no other way of Justification and therefore men's Consciences though they hear the Letter of the Gospel do not cannot believe that they can be justifyed by Free Grace without any respect to their Works till they are inwardly persuaded by the Spirit of Christ Christ crucifyed was a stumbling Block to the Jews who trusted to the Works of the Law and Foolishness to the Greeks who thought themselves wise and rational men 1 Cor. 1.23 It is therefore no inconvenience that Justification by obedience is most agreeable to carnal and unsanctified reason and Justification by Faith not suitable to it But I suppose this Author by rational meant That the several parts and consequences of the Dostrine of Justification by Obedience did better cohere and agree together than if it were affirmed to be by Faith only Of this let the â—ious Reader that hath been sensible of sin â—â—d guilt and feelingly understands the grounds of a Christian's Hope and Peace â—â—dge They say That man being under â—rath for breaking the Law of Works destiâ—te of the Image or Grace of God did yet receive a New Law purchased by the Death â—f Christ to repent believe and obey the â—recepts of it and for so doing he should be â—â—aved his former sins forgiven yet all this â—hile he is not able to repent believe or oâ—â—y nor is there any promise that he shall be â—ade able and if he receive Grace to do this â—any measure yet it is not insured to him he may and many do lose it yea he may recover and and lose it again and if death should seise him in any of these sad intervals all his obedience profiteth nothing but he perisheth for ever if this will comfort or settle an afflicted unsettled conscience or be agreeable to the tasts any have had of the Grace oâ— God let such judge On the other side we teach That man being utterly lost by guilâ— and inability to obedience God sent his Soâ— fully and absolutely to satisfie his Justice and to purchase eternal life for as many as he had chosen This purchase he declared in the Gospel promising pardon and eternal life to alâ— that humbly fly to and trust in him for it that when his promise is published God sendetâ— forth his Spirit and perswadeth the hearts oâ— his Elect to trust in it that hereupon he giveth them pardon of all their sins and a right to eternal life for the sake of his Son's satisfaction and purchase that being thus reconciled to them he doth further make them hâ—â— Children and heirs of Glory for his Son sake and because they are his Children hâ— giveth them the Spirit of his Son to reneâ— them after his Image to continue and perseâ— grace in them and forgiveth all their infirmâ—ties and blesseth them with all temporal anâ— spiritual blessings in Christ and ordereth aâ— his providences for their good to purge oâ—â— sin and to perfect grace till at last of his Fatherly Goodness he crowns them with eternâ— life after their hard service on Earth to eâ—â— courage them in which Heaven was proposed as a Reward to them wherein is this irrational or inconsistent with it self The Scripture for the most part speaketh to the Conscience and Affections 2dly more than the Judgement and therefore handleth not things distinctly and didactically but putteth many things together saith and obedience in general or in particular duties as is most suited to practice and therefore it is no good Argument Faith and Obedience are joyned together often times as the means of Salvation without distinguishing the several Offices of each and what influence each have upon the several parts of our Salvation ergò both together and alike do justify us before God Yet it is evident from the whole Tenour of the Scripture That forgiveness of sin reconciliation peace with God hope of Heaven all come by our flying to and hope in Mercy and Grace alone This was renew'd to Adam by promise of the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.17 And by Sacrifices in like manner renewed to Abraham by promise with the Seal of Circumcision and a more particular promise of Christ The Psalms practically exemplify That our only refuge is Free Mercy The Prophets are full of promises of Pardon of healing Backslidings Jer. 3.12 of loving freely Hos 14.4 of forgiving beyond man's thoughts Isa 54.6 7 8. and the like Our Saviour and the Apostles preached this Doctrine to convinced and humbled Sinners though they insist much upon Obedience to convince and reclaim the hypocritical backsliding Jews To the Heathens who had no excuse for sin they preached nothing but pardon at first and besides this when the Doctrine of Justification is distinctly propounded and proved it is wholly ascribed to Faith in the Promise in two most argumentative Epistles to the Romans and Galatians upon which they that would bring in obedience are fain to make a manifest force whereas we force no Scripture but explain those that speak generally by shewing the several Acts of Faith and ascribing to it and to
so often repeating his Promises with all manner of confirmations protestations seals oaths examples of the greatest Sinner being forgiven 1 Tim. 1.16 17. Lastly There is no reason why God may not pardon a Sinner and promise him eternal life without interposing the conditions of his obedience so long as he immediately reveals to him That this eternal life consisteth in the love and enjoyment of himself and that holiness of heart and life shall and must be the way to it and doth immediately make the heart of the humbled sinner 〈◊〉 agree to it doth not God sufficiently provide for the Honour of his Holiness in this as in the very act of justifying he did chiefly respect the Honour of his Free Grace Argument 10. The condemning unbelief p. 38. which is the privation of the Faith by which we are justified is the non-believing in Christ as King Priest and Prophet Ergò The Faith by which we are justified is the believing in him as King Priest and Prophet Answ If the word only be put in as it ought viz. That the only condemning unbelief is the non-believing in Christ as King Priest and Prophet I deny the Antecedent But if only be not added the consequence is apparently false viz. This unbelief is one cause of condemnation therefore the contrary Faith is the sole cause of Salvation I suppose this will be admitted for the Scope of what follows is to shew that such a Faith is the only condition of Justification and then the opposite unbelief must be the only sin that damns without remedy that bars all Justification I say therefore directly to the Argument Non-believing in Christ as King Priest and Prophet as it is here taken for subjection to the whole Law of Christ or obedience to him is not the onely damning sin final despair of the Mercy of God in Christ will as certainly damn as final disobedience to Christ and contempt of him yea though there be a willingness to obey if they could have any hope of Mercy but despair is not the oppoâ—â—â—â— of obedience or of faith in Christ as King Priest and Prophet therefore that is not the only unbelief that damns Again If disobedience to Christ be the only damning sin then obedience is the only saving condition then a Socinian that obeys the Gospel Precepts and acknowledgeth Christ to be the Messiah King and Prophet of his Church may and must be saved though he deny his Priesthood and trust not at all in his Bloud For obedience respects not Christ's Priesthood at all though that be here mentioned for a shew Christ as a Priest reconciles us to God and intercedes for us the onely Grace that respects this is Faith or a trust in it for reconciliation and acceptance If therefore obedience be the only saving condition then that will save without a trust in the Bloud of Christ If it be said they make Faith and Obedience both to be the entire condition I answer Their Faith is nothing but Obedience as hath been abundantly proved and is largely insisted on under this Argument particularly from Joh. 3.36 where he that believeth not is expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is sometimes rendred Disobedient hence it is in ferred That the only unbelief is disobedience and the only Faith is Obedience to the Gospel Nor is it possible to joyn Faith and Obedience in the justifying a Sinner in the usual acception of Faith for to trust in meer Mercy for reconciliation and life and to obey precepts that we may have life are things toto genere opposite utterly inconsistent nor can there be a trust in the Promise of Life in their Opinion till a man hath obeyed in some measure because the Promise is made to Obedience So trust in the Promise must follow the condition not be a part of it And thus much for these Arguments to all which I oppose this one Justification is the acquitting of a sinner from sin and guilt and the entitling him to life eternal But this is purchased fully and onely by the Obedience and Bloud of Christ the shedding and offering whereof is his Priestly Office only therefore Christ justifyeth onely as a Priest And Faith apprehending Justification must respect only the Priesthood of Christ I prove the Minor The Bloud of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 He loved and washed us from our sins in his own Bloud Rev. 1.5 When he had by himself purged our sins i. e. by the offering of himself he set down at the Right Hand of the Majesty in the Heaven Heb. 1.3 And the Apostle proves largely That Christ as a Highpriest offering his own Bloud in the Tabernacle of his own Body hath obtained eternal redemption for us that by this one offering he hath brought in remission of sins and for ever perfected them that are sanctified sprinkled with his Bloud as all things under the Law were cleansed by the sprinkling of bloud from Heb. 9.11 to ch 10. v. 18. And in this Christ was a more excellent Sacrifice than those under the Law that they did but typifye pardon and cleansing but his Sacrifice doth really cleanse the Conscience they cleansed from ceremonial pollutions as touching dead bodies c. and restored men to the Congregation but his Bloud cleanseth from dead works our own sins and maketh us really accepted that we may serve the living God Heb. 19.13 14. Now the Levitical Priests were Teachers and Rulers of the People some were Prophets as Jeremiah and Ezekiel some were Kings also as the Macchabees but they took away the sins of the People and reconciled them to God only as Priests by offering up Sacrifices for them so also Christ though he be a Prophet and King yet he maketh reconciliation for Sinners only as a Priest by offering himself in sacrifice to God for them Now the reason of the consequence is Faith that it obtain Justification must look to Christ under that notion or in that way only by which he hath purchased Justification therefore it must look to him only as a Priest or which is all one trust in the Promise of Reconciliation through the satisfaction and death of Christ and thus the Apostle concludes from the same Premises Heb. 10.19 20 21 22. Having therefore boldness to enter into the Holiest by the bloud of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh and having a High-priest over the House of God let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water It is Faith in this High-Priest by which we draw nigh to God with boldness confidence of acceptance and then that makes us devote our selves sincerely to his Service FINIS