Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	believe_v	justification_n	justify_v	1,647	5	8.0786	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41483	The banner of justification displayed: or; a discourse, concerning the deep, and important mystery of the justification of a sinner wherein the severall causes thereof, being both numerous and various, are from the first to the last diligently enquired after, and their severall contributions towards so great and happy a work, clearly distinguished, and assigned to their proper causes (respectively.) and more particularly is shewed, how God, how the grace of God, how the decree of God, how the soveraign authority of God; how Christ, how the active obedience [of] Christ, how the passive obedience of Christ, how the resurrection of Christ, how the knowledge of Christ; how the spirit of God, how faith, how repentance, how works, how remission of s[in,] how the word, how the minister of the word, how the P[ope?] himself which is justified, may all truly, though upon severall accounts, and after different manners, be sayed to justifie.	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1659 (1659)	Wing G1150A; ESTC R221574	62,441	91

Meaning that they could have no reasonable ground to believe that they were discharged or acquitted by God from the Debt or guilt of their sins by means of the death of Christ if he should be detained in the Prison of Death the Grave until now and not have been raised again and set at liberty So then the rising again or rather the raising again of Christ from the dead by God the Father justifieth believing sinners as it were argumentatively and as exhibiting a rationall ground unto them whereon to build their Faith of a full and perfect Attonement made by Christ in his death for them or for their sins by which Faith according unto and by vertue of that Promise made or the Law enacted by God in that behalf they come to be justified Sect. 9 9. The Prophet Isaiah bringeth in God the Father speaking thus of his Son Christ By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant justifie many for he shall bear their Iniquities Isa. 53. 11. That the Particle or Pronoun His is here to be taken objectively not subjectively a construction frequent in Scripture is I presume the award of every mans Understanding So that by his knowledge the knowledge of Christ is meant the knowledge of himself which he shall propagate in the World by the Ministry of the Gospel and by means of this knowledge of him many shall be justified according to that of the Apostle We who are Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowing that a man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ i. By Christ believed on as he explains himself in the verse next following But if whilst we seek to be justified by Christ c. Whence by the way it may be observed that to be justified by Christ and by Faith or believing in Christ is of one and the same import So then the knowledge of Christ is or may be sayd to justifie men in somewhat a remote sense viz. As it is a ground of encouragement unto them to believe on him by which believing they are immediatly justified 10. Men are sayd in Scripture as well to be Justified as Sect. 10 Sanctified by the Spirit of God and this as Justification is distinguished from Sanctification But yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 11. Some Exposito●s indeed understand the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} yee were justified not of Justification properly so called or which standeth in remission of sins but of such a justification which consisteth in a progress or proficiency in Righteousness or in the profession and practice of Christianity For the justification of which Exposition they plead the exigency of the order or gradation in the Text it self as also the like use or signification of the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in that of Apocal. 22. 11. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Let him that is righteous or just be justified still i. As the Expositers we speak of interpret Let him encrease and make forward in wayes of righteousness It must be acknowledged that to grow in grace and proceed in holiness and righteousness from day to day may be called a mans justification in a declarative or arguitive sense viz. As they argue or declare a man to be a justified pe●son and his Faith to be of the right kind a living and growing Faith yea they may be termed a mans justification as they are just matter of his app●obation and commendation which in many cases are used in a sense parallel to that of the word Justification as 't is used sometimes But the Justification which is the S●bject of our present Discourse doth not consist in any Action one or more nor in any Quality one or more but rather in a state or condition viz. Such whereinto a person is translated or brought by the pardon of his sins or sentence of absolution awarded by God Nor need we take the word Justification in the Scripture lately cited 1 Cor. 6. 11. in any other sense but this For Justification in this sense may be asc●ibed to the Holy Ghost as he hath a speciall and appropriate hand in raising the work of Faith by which men are thus justified in the hearts of those who do believe in which respect Faith is registred by the Apostle Paul amongst the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. and by his Fellow Apostle Peter they who believe are sayd to obey the truth speaking of the obediency of Faith to the Gospel through the Spirit 1 Pet. 1. 22. and Act. 18. 27. The Christians in Ach●ia are sayd to have believed through grace i Through the grace of God in his vouchsafement of his Spirit unto them by whom they were enabled to believe yea and actually believed Now then according to the known Maxime or Principle in reason Quod est causa causae est causa causati That which is the Cause of any Cause producing an Effect is the cause of the Effect it self as well as of the Cause producing it Faith being the cause or means of Justification and the Spirit the cause of Faith Justification may as truly and not much less properly be attributed unto the Spirit as unto Faith Sect. 11 11. That Faith justifieth is the constant assertion of the Scripture and the Architectonicall Doctrine of the Gospel Therefore being justified by Faith we have peace with God Rom. 5. 1. Again Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the Works of the Law Rom. 3. 28. Yet once more to spare Citations in a case so generally known We who are Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles Knowing that a man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of the Law c. Gal. 2. 15 16. By the way upon occasion of these with many the like passages in the New Testament wherein Justification by Faith is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} expresly affirmed I cannot but mention my dislike of their strein in teaching who lay down and deliver it to the people for a Doctrine positively and plainly that men are not justified by Faith or by believing Doubtless it is not convenient or comely positively to deliver or assert that for a Doctrine of Truth which is so diametrally opposite to the frequent cleer and express words of the Scripture If there be a limited sence to be put upon such passages wherein a Truth is commonly and from place to place held forth in the Scriptures this may conveniently and timously enough be done in the Explication or Opening

himself or make himself rich yea somewhat more properly then when it is said that the hand of the diligent maketh rich Prov. 10. 4. In like manner when a man doth that upon which or by means wherof he shall certainly be justified this fruit or reward of his Action his justification may without the violation of any Rule either of Grammar or of Rhetorick be ascribed unto him Hence it follows God having by a perpetuall and inviolable Decree setled the great benefit and priviledge of justification upon believing that when soever any person man or woman shall life up his heart hereunto I mean to believe by this Action he may be said to justifie himself not indeed after any such manner or upon any such terms as God is said to justifie men upon their believing as viz. Authoritatively or as having a soveraign right to justifie whom or upon what terms he pleaseth or the like but in such a way or sense only wherein a person may be said to do that which upon his Action is done unto him by another Of this Construction or Dialect there are instances more then a few in the Scriptures It may be here demanded but is it meet or tolerable to say that a man when he believeth imputeth righteousness unto himself or forgiveth himself his sins and yet both these are done unto him by another viz. God upon his believing yea these are as hath in effect been formerly sayd but interpretative expressions of justification it self And therefore it seems that whosoever may in any sense be said to justifie may in the same sense be said to do both the one and the other of these and this in reference to any or all of these persons whom they are sayd to justifie To this I answer 1. That the Expressions put to the Question in this Demand are indeed uncouth and harsh grating upon eares that have any competent tast of Words Nor do I judge them fitting to be applied to or spoken of him that believeth But 2. When a man is said by believing to justifie himself the meaning is not that he absolveth himself from his sins or pronounceth a Sentence of absolution over himself or that he imputeth righteousness unto himself or the like but only that he levieth puts forth or performs such an Act whereby he prevaileth with God according to his gracious Covenant and promise to justifie him and therein to do all these things to him or for him As when a man is said to save himself which as we heard is the Apostles own expression the meaning is not either that by a strong hand or by any physicall power he over-matcheth the Devill and keeps himself out of his Clutches and from being carried or thrust by him into Hell or that he invests himself with the state of blessedness and glory which is signified and meant by Salvation but that he takes such a course as viz. By believing and persevering in it unto the end whereby he shall find favour in the sight of God to do these things for him Now to say a man by believing takes an effectuall and direct course to prevail with God to forgive him his sins to impute righteousness unto him c. are as proper and convenient expressions as to say that he prevails with him to justifie him yet 3. and lasty It may be considered that one and the same thing may admit of severall considerations and different respects and in and under some one of these considerations and respects may admit of some attributions of which it is not so regularly or smoothly capable under another As for instance Salvation or the saving of the Soul is one and the same act yet it may be considered either as it is procurable at the hand of God by men as viz. by Faith and continuance in well-doing or as it is a rescuing or vindication of men by strength of Arm from the power of the Devill or as it is an actuall instating in or putting men into a reall possession of that blessedness and glory which God hath assigned by promise unto his Saints and those that shall be saved Now in either of these two latter considerations it is not ascribable unto men but in the first of the three as we have heard it is In like manner the act of justifying is one and the same act yet it admits of sundry considerations 1. It may be considered either as an act of God imputing righteousness unto men or as an act of his forgiving men all their sins or as an act of Grace and high favour purchased at his hand by Christ for men or lastly As an act attainable from God by men for themselves by performing of such conditions or terms upon and according unto which he hath covenanted and promised the vouchsafement of it The former considerations of the act we speak of are of that nature and import that in respect of none of them it is attributable unto men they all importing such things which are above the Line of men But in the consideration last mentioned it may in very passable and convenient Language be attributed unto men who believe in reference to themselves Nor need it be offensive unto any man to hear it said that men who believe in that sense justifie themselves There are two other Causes of Justification yet remaining not mentioned in the Title Page amongst those that have been insisted on Viz. The Materiall and the Finall of these in few words Concerning the materiall Cause of Justification Sect. 18 they who make it to be either Christ himself or the Righteousness of Christ either active or passive or both express themselves very unproperly and confound two Causes alwaies distinct and contradistinguished Viz. The efficient and the materiall the former being alwaies extrinsecall the latter intrinsecall to the effect or thing caused by them in conjunction with the other two Causes And besides in so notioning the matter or material Cause of Justification they decline the ordinary Rule by which men who love exactness and propriety as well in conceiving as in speaking are wont to walk in both in Cases of like nature and import For whereas no Action as no Accident besides hath any matter or materiall Cause properly so called yet being an effect or somewhat that is caused there must be some Vice-matter or somewhat answering the nature or consideration of such a materiall Cause found in it or relating to it Now that which relateth unto an Action with greatest Affinity unto matter or to a materiall Cause properly so called is Subjectum recipiens or Circa quod as Logicians speak that is the Subject receiving the Action or the Object upon which the Action is acted According to this notion the believing or repentant sinner or which is the same the person justified or to be justified is the materiall Cause of Justification Such a person exhibits or presents as it were unto God matter duly fitted and

prepared according to his mind for him to work or act upon or about justifyingly And when God doth justifie such a person he doth introduce a new form as Viz. Righteousness remission of sins or justification passive for these I take to be much the same into matter rightly and appropriatly disposed for the reception of it which matter is as hath been said the sinner now believing As when fire heateth the water that is hung over it or otherwise applyed unto it the water is the matter upon which the fire acteth in this act of calefaction and the heat which it causeth in the water is the form which it induceth or introduceth into it This briefly for the materiall Cause of Justification The finall Cause of Justification is commonly distinguished into that which is subordinate or less principal and Sect. 19 that which is ultimate and supream The former is with one consent affirmed to be the great benefit or blessedness of the Creature or person justified which Blessednesse standeth in two particulars chiefly deliverance from under the guilt of sin with all the misery consequentiall hereunto and an investiture with a regular Title or Claim unto that immortall and undefiled Inheritance which is reserved in the Heavens to be enjoyed in due time by all those who shall be found in a due capacity to be admitted into part and fellowship therein The ultimate or supream end or materiall Cause of Justification is concluded with a Nemine contradicente as far as I know to be the Glory of God partly in the just vindication of a sinner from under the guilt of sin and from the punishment incurred thereby and partly in the Salvation and eternall Glorification of the person so vindicated As for the opinion or notion of those who conceive that God designeth nothing acteth nothing in strictness and propriety of consideration for himself or for his own Glory ultimately but all for the good and benefit of his Creature I shall not upon this occasion either plead or implead it only I shall crave leave to say this that as far as I have yet looked into it and conversed with it I do not find it so extravagant or uncouth or so hard of reconcilement either with the Scriptures where they seem most contradicting it or with any the received grounds or principles of Christian Religion as I suppose it is like to seem unto many at its first appearance and hearing And though there may be more in the opinion were it narrowly examined and scan'd from the one end of it unto the other as well for the glory of God as for the benefit and comfort of the Creature yet because such an examination of it may haply require a just Treatise and more of the ordinary rank of Professors are more like to be startled or amazed at it then to embrace it I shall therefore forbear to encumber the commonly received Doctrine concerning the finall Cause or ultimate end of Justification with any further mention of it Thus we have shewed how great a number and what variety as well of things as of persons there are all both of the one kind and the other joyning hand in hand and making as it were one shoulder to bring the great blessing of Justification upon the head of a poor sinner God who is wonderfull in counsell and excellent in working a judged it meet that a matter of so gracious and rare of so profound and wonderfull a contrivance should pass through many hands before his Creature Man to whom it was meant and intended should be invested with the actuall possession and enjoyment of it There is scarce any thing of a more humbling consideration to the height and pride of the Spirit of a man then to be subjected to a multiplicity of dependences especially upon such either persons or things which he either judgeth but equal unto but most of all if beneath himself for the obtaining of that of which he stands in need and without which he fully understands that it cannot be well with him Such a posture or subjection as this sets him of● at the greatest distance in his condition from God in point of true Greatness and Glory Nor is there any thing in all the unlimited circumference of the blessedness of God that renders him greater or more glorious in the eyes of his Creature then his {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or self sufficiency and his absolute independency upon all whether persons or things whatsoever besides himself And doubtless in such cases where the number of dependencies is not established by any indispensable Law or Decree of God they that can contract themselves to the smaller number of them for the enjoyment of themselves with comfort and contentment will reduce their present conditions to the nearest affinity whereof it is capable with the blessedness of God himself But where God hath by any revealed appointment or declared will suspended the attainment of any spirituall enjoyment priviledge or blessing upon mens application of themselves unto him in the use of such and such means of what number or kind soever their non-subjection to this Law or appointment of his in the neglect of any one of these means is of a very dangerous and sad presage that they will fall short in the attainment of the blessing And for this reason my Soul cannot but sadly lament over the case and condition of all those who have in the ignorance vanity and pride of their Spirits turn'd their backs upon the Ministry of the Gospel setting their Faces towards Fancies and conceited Methods of their own though of Satans Inspiration for their justification in the sight of God whereas it hath been evidently shewed and proved from the Mouth of Godhimself that amongst those various Actors in and about the great business of Justification which have been presented upon the Theater of this brief Discourse he hath assigned a worthy co-operation or part unto the Ministry and Ministers of the Gospel Therefore they who disdain to have the royall Robe of Righteousness or Justification put upon them by men of this Function and Office as judging them unworthy and too mean to serve them in so high and sacred a Concernment for any hope that I am able upon any good ground to give them of a better Issue they are never like to wear it FINIS These Books following are to be sold by Henry Eversden at the Grey-hound in Pauls Church-yard IMputatio Fidei Or a Treatise of Justification wherein the imputation of Faith for Righteousness mentioned in Rom. 4. 5 6. is explained by Mr. John Goodwin Minister of the Gospel In Quarto Triumviri Or the Genius Spirit and Deportment of the three Men Mr. Richard Resbury Mr. John Pawson and Mr. George Kendall in their late Writings against the Free Grace of God in the Redemption of the World and vouchsafement of means of Salvation unto men briefly described in their native and

Banner of Justification DISPLAYED OR A DISCOURSE Concerning the Deep and Important Mystery of the Justification of a Sinner Wherein the severall Causes thereof being both numerous and various are from the First to the Last diligently enquired after and their severall Contributions towards so great and happy a Work clearly distinguished and assigned to their proper Causes respectively AND More particularly is shewed How God how the Grace of God how the Decree of God how the Soveraign Authority of God How Christ how the Active Obedience Christ how the Passive Obedience of Christ how the Resurrection of Christ how the Knowledge of Christ How the Spirit of God how Faith how Repentance how Works how Remission of Si●… how the Word how the Minister of the Word how the P●●●… himself which is justified may all truly though upon severall Accounts and after different Manners be sayd to Justifie By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant iustifie many Isa. 53. 11. Solet Scriptura cum ad unum effectum multae causae concurrunt modo uni modo alteri effectum tribuere Chamier Panstrat Tom. 4. L. 22. C. 4. §. 39. Scire est per causas scire Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas LONDON Printed by E. C. And are to be sold by H. Evers●●… at the Sign 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 Brief Passages of Scripture clearly shewing and proving that all the Particulars mentioned in the Title Page as Causes of Justification or Contributors hereunto are acknowledged and supposed for such in the Scriptures themselves IT is God that justifieth Rom. 8. 33. Being justified freely by his Grace Rom. 3. 24. This is the Will i. The Decree or fixed pleasure of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him should have everlasting life and consequently be antecedently justified It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth meaning that his Authority in justifying is Soveraign and Paramount and so lyable to no reverse or contradiction Rom. 8. 33 34. But if while we seek to be justified by Christ c. Gal. 2. 17. For as much as yee know that yee were not redeemed and consequently not justified with corruptible things but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1. 19. Much more being now justified by his bleod Rom. 5. 9. and was i. Christ was raised again for our Justification Rom. 4. 25. By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant justifie many Isa 53. 11. But yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 11. Therefore being justified by Faith we have peace with God c. Rom 5. 1. John did Baptize in the Wilderness and preached the Baptisme of Repentance for remission of sins Mar. 1. 4. Yee see then how that by works a man is justified c. Jam. 2. 24 Blessed are they whose Iniquities are forgiven and ●●ose sins are covered i. Who is justified as appears from v. 2. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4. 7. And how shall they believe in him and consequently be justified of whom they have not heard So then Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10. 17. And how shall they hear without a Preacher Rom. 10. 14. Take heed unto thy self and unto thy Doctrine for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee and consequently shalt justifie both in as much as salvation presupposeth justification 1 Tim. 4. 16. Even we have believed in Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ Gal. 2. 16. having charged the English Tilenus with making the Tryers to ask such questions of those that come before them as in all probability never came into all their thoughts to ask upon this his probable mis-de meanour himself making no more of it he advanceth this Radamanthine and severe Sentence both against him and me Which sayth he Is such a piece of Impudence as no one hath ventured to imitate him in but that Ishmael of Colemanstreet whose hand being against all men hath provoked all men even to the common Pamphleter to lift up an hand against him The best is in case Mr. Hickman's reproach here could without the help of the Figure {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} be admitted for true That Jeremy of Jerusalem was a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole Earth as well as that Ishmael of Colemanstreet and yet was a true Prophet and never the less like so to have been for the numerousness of his Contests Noah also was a Preacher of Righteousness yet his proportion of Opposers in the World far exceeded mine and the number of those who embrace my Doctrine with their whole hearts far exceedeth the number of those who upon such terms received his Yea our Saviour himself testifieth that in the Church and Nation of the Jews they who had the more generall approbation and applause were the false Prophets not the true Luk. 6. 26. Wo unto them when all men shall speak well of them for so did their Fathers to the false Prophets But because Mr. Hickman judgeth himself Orthodox in charging me with Impudence what if it be found that the Ingredients in the composition of his Charge here levied against me and proclaimed as with sound of Trumpet and Drum in the Ears of the World be notwithstanding all Errors and broad untruths may he not make a covering of shame for his own Face of the Accusation which he hath here drawn up against me Let us fairly examine the Case and with as much Favour to the Examinate as he or his Friends can reasonably expect First Whereas he chargeth me with imitating his English Tilenus is not here a palpable and un-scholar-like Jeofail Did Shemei in reviling David when his Condition was low and mean in the World imitate Mr. Hickman in reproaching a Minister of Christ being under Hatches and trampled upon by men or did not Mr. Hickman in this Action rather imitate him He that acteth before another what ever his Action be doth not imitate him that followeth him in the same kind of acting but on the contrary he imitates who follows the Example or Pattern that have been set before If there be any similitude between Tilenus and me in our respective handling of Mr. Hickmans Tryers Tilenus must bear the Crime of Imitation not I who was before him in what was done by me relating to those his Clients Secondly Whereas he chargeth me with venturing to imitate Tilenus in making the Tryers to ask such Questions of those that come before them as in all probability never came into all their thoughts to ask The truth is that he chargeth me with the Crime of such a Courage or boldness whereof I was never Conscious I never made any venture to imitate Tilenus in such an Attempt as is here charged upon him

from Joshua God entreated her as a justified or righteous person by preserving her and her Fathers house for her sake with all that she had when the City she dwelt in with all that was in it both man and woman young and old besides were utterly destroyed with the edge of the Sword Josh. 6. 21 22 23 c. So that the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to be justified in this Coutexture of Discourse doth not signifie the proper effect of that Act of God by which he constitutes or makes men righteous or just or by which he justifies them but the effect one or more of some such Act of his by which he expresseth himself lovingly graciously and bountifully towards such persons who are or have been justified and made righteous by him and hereby declares and after a sort pronounceth them righteous But he doth not judge it fitting or meet thus to countenance them or to entreat them as righteous or justified persons untill they have first given a good Testimony of the reality and soundness of that Faith upon and by which he justifieth them The expression wherein a person is sayd to be justified when he is only respected or dealt with as being justified i. As a justified person is metonymicall and frequent in Scripture the Antecedent being oft put for the Consequent Thus by Hunting Gen. 27. 3. is meant taking or getting by hunting and Deut. 21. 16. to make a Son the first-born signifies to respect him as the first-born or to confer upon him the Priviledge of the first-born So also Rom. 5. 19. to be made sinners imports a being made lyable unto punishment or such a Condition which belongs unto sinners to omit many the like In this sense and notion of the word justifie the Lord Christ may be sayd to justifie those that shall stand at his right hand in the great day in saying thus unto them Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the Foundation of the World The reason or ground in equity of this justification is declared in the words next following For I was an hungry and yee gave me meat I was thirsty and yee gave me drink c. Mat. 25. 34 35 c. This most gracious address and application of Christ unto those that shall be saved especially in conjunction with that most dreadfull and Soul-confounding address immediatly following unto those that shall eternally perish Depart from me yee Cursed into everlasting fire c. together with the reason hereof in the next words For I was an hungred and yee gave me no meat c. I say these respective Decisions or Adjudications of Christ plainly evince and prove that no person whatsover of years of discretion and actually capable of knowing Good and Evill shall receive the great benefit and blessing of justification by means of any such Faith which shall not utter and approve it self before God and men by fruitfulness in well-doing according to such means and opportunities as shall have been afforded unto them And this also is the apparant drift and scope of the Apostle James in that Discourse some passages whereof we lately sifted and insisted upon out of his second Chapter Thus we see what the interest and part of good works is in the great business of justification according to the Scriptures 14. That Remission of sins likewise is no Alien or Sect. 14 stranger unto Justification but in some neer imployment about it is of ready demonstration from the Scriptures The discourse of the Apostle Rom. 4. from v. 1. to v. 8. inclusivè is pregnant to this purpose But to him saith he v. 5. that worketh not Viz. With an intent or hope of being justified by his working or that worketh not i. That wanteth works competent or sufficient to justifie him but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly meaning God who justifieth even those that have been ungodly and so must needs be without works meritorious of Justification upon their believing his Faith is counted for Righteousness i. He is made a righteous or just man by means of his believing and is accordingly looked upon by God Even as David also describeth the blessedness i. Either the justification or the blessedness accruing by it Of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness i. Whom he justifieth Without works Viz. Which are any wayes meritorious of Justification For this Apostle by works in opposition unto Faith in the business of Justification constantly understandeth The Merit of Works In which sense also his Adversaries the Jews understood and urged it saying Blessed are they whose Iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin By this Description from the Pen of David Of the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness i. Justifieth as hath been been shewed It appears that his Righteousness or Justification passively taken which is the cause or means of his Blessedness consists in the forgiveness of his Iniquities or which is the same in substance though differing in consideration or respect in the non-imputation of sin unto him By means as well of the one as of the other of these the mans sins are sayd to be covered that is I conceive to pass unpunished Indempnity from punishment being a kind of Veyl by which the sins of Transgressors are kept from being much minded or taken notice of by men As on the other hand when God openly judgeth or punisheth men for their sins he is sayd to un-cover or dis-cover them Ezek. 16. 37. 57. Ezek. 23. 10. and elsewhere Now by that Description as the Apostle termeth it which David giveth as we have heard of the blessedness of the justified Person placing it in this that his Iniquities or sins are remitted or forgiven It is a clear Case that Remission of sins justifieth Per modum causae formalis as the form or formall Cause is sayd to give being to that which is caused by it When a Painter maketh a Wall white Whiteness is the Form or formall Cause by which the Wall is made white or which maketh the Wall white Nor can it be with reason reduced to any of the other kinds of Causes as is evident it being no Efficient or materiall or ●●…all Cause hereof nor carrying the least semblance of any of these In like manner when God justifieth a sinner that which he doth to him or for him is precisely this He forgiveth him his sins this is the very form of that his Action i. The form which by his Act of justifying he introduceth anew upon the sinner Nor doth he any other thing directly and immediatly unto a person when and as he justifieth him but only forgive him his sins Of one and the same Act or Action there cannot be a plurality of Effects immediate and direct really differing the one from the other It is true as there may be sundry collaterall