p. 16 The Divine Idaea what c. 4 p. 54.55 The eternall Idaea what c. 15. p. 332 Jesus Christ God-man is of the object of faith c. 9. p. 200 The Incarnation Miracle of Miracles c. 3. p. 38 The inconsequences of the tenet holding saving qualifications before faith c. 8. p. 190 191 Immensity in God what c. 1. p. 8 Immutability in God what c. 1. â—b Inexcusablenesse in respect of sin what c. 7. p. 151 Infinitenesse in God what c. 1. p. 9 The interpretation of Rom. 7.4 Mat. 13.44 Mat. 18 11. Mat. 11.28 with their vindication from the interpretation thereof in defence of saving qualifications before faith c. 1. p. 179 182 185 188 Justice in God what c. 7. p. 146 The Justice of Divine government is not prejudiced by sin by things falling out alike to those who are not alike by things not falling out alike in this life in matter of suffering to them who are alike in transgressing from the adversity of the godly or prosperity of the wicked c. 5 p. 96 97 98 99 100 118 119 120 121 122 Justice in God what c. 1. p. 15 Justice in God essentiall and relative or morall c. 7. p. 146 Divers considerations for the better understanding Gods Justice c. 7. p. 146 147 148 149 150 151 Gods executing Justice according to the rule of righteousnesse doth no wrong can do no wrong c. 7 p. 149 The acknowledgement of the Justice of God of what use c. 7. p. 150 In what sense the term Justification is used in the doctrin thereof c. 14. p. 298 What Justification by faith is c. 14. p. 300 The causes thereof efficient ibid. Meritorious c. 14. p. 301 Materiall c. 14. p. 302 Formall c. 14. p. 305 Finall and Instrumental c. 14 p. 307 Justification absolutely and actually purchased for us before faith but not actually applied unto us till faith c. 14. p. 315 What is really and positively wrought in the Soul in Justification c. 14. p. 318 God just in punishing men for sin largly proved c. 7. p. 145 c. K. The blessed know one another in Heaven c. 15. p. 346 Created knowledge in Christ beatifical infused experimental what and how distinguished in Christ c. 3. p. 47 L. The parts of preparatory work wrought by the Ministry of the Law which c. 7. p. 142 Divers acceptions of the Dominion of the Law in Scripture c. 8. p. 180 Liberty in God what c. 1. p. 18 The liberty of God in the Decree what c. 4. p. 57 The liberty of the second cause wherein it doth consist c. 4. p. 74 The light of glory what c. 15 p. 253 The light of glory elevateth the glorified understanding unto the vision of God c. 15 p. 333 Lordship in God what c. 1. p. 11 A lost estate what c. 7. p. 154 The Soul according to ordinary dispensation is sensible of its lost estate before vocation c. 7. p. 155 156 Sensiblenesse of our lost estate presupposeth three things c. 7. p. 155 Thorough sensiblenesse of our lost estate is wrought by the Ministry of the Gospel c. 7. p. 157 Christ is not the cause of the love of God c. 4 p. 58 59 God loveth his Elect though sinners c. 9. p. 214 M. Man considered as yet to be is the object of the Decree as concerning man c. 4. p. 56 The manner of the beatifical vision c. 15. p. 132 133 134 The manner of union between Christ and the Beleever c. 13. p. 289 290 The manner of the working faith is irresistable c. 9. p. 213 The active and passive obedience of Christ concur to the matter of our Justification c. 14. p. 302 303 304 The doctrin of the absolutenesse of the Decree is a furtherance not a hinderance to the use of means c. 4 p. 79 80 The means whereby faith is wronght external or internal and what c. 9. p. 211 We are to attend in the use of means though the means cannot work without the Spirit c. 9. p. 213 We must not separate between the end and the means c. 4. p. 83 Divers precious means for both the obtaining and confirming of faith c. 9. p. 214 215 c. Christ Mediator as God-man c. 3. p. 40 Christ a Mediator from the foundation of the world c. 3. p. 41 Objections concerning Christs being Mediator answered c. 3. p. 43 44 45 The two states wherein Christ performed the Office of Mediator c. 3. p. 49 Mercy in God what c. 1. p. 14 The Meritorious cause of Justification opened c. 14. p. 301 Four things to be attended in a saving motion from the Spirit of grace c. 10. p. 190 Many Mysteries of the Wisdome of God shine forth in Justification c. 14. p. 322 The Mystical Body of Christ what and how glorious c. 13. p. 293 294 295 N. Names of God Hebrew and Greeke especially tending to make known the Divine Essence c. 1. p. 2 3 The humane Nature of Christ an individual being not a person c. 3. p. 37 Necessity and liberty consist together c. 4. p. 76 Negative Attributes what in number five c. 1. p. 5.6 All things besides God came from Nothing and are in themselves Nothing c. 4. p. 98 O. How the Obedience of Christ as it is an ingredient into the meritorious cause differs from the Obedience of Christ as it is the materal cause of our Justification c. 14. p. 305 The greatnesse and largenesse of the Obedience of faith c. 9. p. 209 110 211 Obediential subjection what c. 12. p. 258 The creature as placed in its condition of possibility is the Object of the decree c. 4. p. 54 The Object of the decree is not to be sought for out of God himself c. 4. p. 55 The summe of the special object of faith what c. 7. p. 158 The speciall primary Object of saving faith what c. 9. p. 195 The Object of faith universal or special and what c. 9. p. 194 The Object of the beatifical Vision what c. 15. p. 327 331 Many remarkable truths in the first Object of saving faith c. 9. p. 195 Full satisfaction to all Objections in Christ c. 9. p. 216 Sundry Objections against Justification by faith answered c. 14. p. 314 315 316 317 318 319 c. Objections against the freenesse of grace answered where Eph. 1.4 1.6 are cleered c. 10. p. 225 226. seq The Office of Christ c. 3. p. 40 The parts of his Office with the order and reason thereof c. 3. p. 41 42 Omnipotency of God what c. 1. p. 19 Omnipotency and all power both in Christ and how c. 3. p. 46 The Order of union c. 13. p. 291 The Order of the dependence of communion upon union c. 13. p. 292 Original sin how propagated c. 7. p. 143 P. Parting with sin what and how distinguished c. 8. p. 182 183 What it is for the soul to be passive in Vocation c. 12. p. 257 258 The Doctrine of the passiveness of the soul in Vocation is a fundamental
Liberty of God in the Decree is Of the Liberty of the Decree i. e. Of God decreeing Deus ita liberè nos elegit ut potuerit etiam non eligere Zanch. de Nat. Dei lib. 3. cap. 4. qu. 6. God willing whatsoever is besides himself not of any necessity of nature but out of his meer good Pleasure Rom. 9.16 Ephes 1.4.11 1 Cor. 12.11 Matth. 20.15 and Matth. 11.25 26. The Liberty of God appeareth in his freedom from Necessity Moral Obligation Any Motive thereunto besides himself 1. He was free with freedom from necessity Scot. lib. 1. dist 39. n. 15. Objecta à Deo nequaquam necessariò voliâ—a esse demonstrare possimus quomodo tamen nutus divinus liberè transeat ad Objecta perscrutari non est nostrum Twiss praefat in libros de Sc. Med. Liberty is increated or created Created Liberty is in respect of the Acts themselves so men are said to be free Agents because they are free to act or not to act But Increated Liberty is in respect of the Objects not of the acts that is There is no necessary connexion between the being of the creature and the Being of God He might have been without the creature he had been God blessed for ever although that had been nothing for ever Each possibility which yet shall never be is equally founded in the Sufficiency of God with those things that have an actual being And the things that have an actual being might had God so pleased have remained in their nothing and possibilities that never shall be have had their actual beings God can do whatsoever he will though he will not do whatsoever he can He is Omnipotent but not Omnivolent 2. God is free in respect of any moral obligation so as that he had done the creature no wrong if he had never willed it to be he cannot become a debtor unto the creature otherwise then as he makes himself a debtor of his meer good pleasure 3. Extra Deum nulla causa officiens decreti esse possit quia Decretum Dei re ipsa nil aliud est quam ipsamet Essentia Dei decernens God is free from any Motive thereunto besides his own will There can be no Motive of Gods Will besides himself Not in the creature it self whether we suppose faith or good works foreseen or ought else Either the creature must be considered as it is in God or as it is in its own actual being but this is the effect of the Decree therefore cannot be the Motive thereof If as it is in God the Objective Being of the creature in God is nothing else but God himself considered as able to cause the creature to be as the futurition of the creature is God willing the creature to be Not in Christ whether we consider Christ in respect of his Incarnation Deus vult hoc esse propter hoc sed non propter hoc vult hoc Tho. p. 1. q. 19 art 5 Office or Acceptation he is not the cause but the effect of the Decree See Chap. 9. intitled Faith is the effect of special grace yea notwithstanding the Decree is rightly conceived by us according to the order of the end and the means conducing to that end yet the end willed of God is not the cause of Gods willing the means for that end because God willeth all that he willeth with one single act whether means or end Otherwise there would follow two Acts in God Twiss de Elect. which is inconsisting with his Nature who is one meer act God willeth one creature to be the cause of another Deus hoc vult esse hoc hoc propter hoc non autem propt r hoc vult Hoc est Deus vult effectus esse causas effectus esse pr. pter causas non tamen propter causas vult effectus Twiss lib. 1. de Elect. part 2. and to be for the use of another but yet that other thing is not the cause of Gods so willing God willeth both the Being of the Father and the Son and willeth the Father to be the means to beget the Son yet the Father is not the cause why God willeth the Son God hath willed the Sabbath and other creatures to be for the good and use of man so as man is the subordinate end of their being but yet man is not the cause of Gods willing their being to that end Man is the subordinate end of their being that are so willed but he is not the cause of Gods willing their being to that subordinate end Obj. 1. The Merit of Christ is the Cause of Election The Chiefe Objections made against the Doctrine of the Decree considered answered Christus ut Mediator non est praedestinationis causa sed effectum Pisc Cont. sch Th. 97. Ephes 1.4 6. Therefore the meer good pleasure of God is not the only cause of the Decree Ans We must distinguish between Election it self and the Application of the good of Election The merit of Christ is the cause of the application of the good of Election but not of Election it self Obj. 2 Faith foreseen is the cause of Election therefore the meer good pleasure of God is not the only cause of the Decree Ans Faith as every other creature considered without the Decree is but a possibility a may-be founded in the sufficiency of God who is able to give being to what he pleaseth and consequently to faith That this may-be become a shal-be i. e. That faith yet but a possibility passeth from the condition of a thing possible unto the condition of a thing that shall be can proceed from no other cause then the Decree or the Will of God Which one consideration well observed and applyed affordeth a sufficient answer to all objections arguing for any thing in the creature foreseen as a cause of the Decree This Proposition God electeth for faith foreseen inferreth a Succession of Acts in God Faith foreseen necessarily presupposeth a fore-going Decree concerning the being of that faith which is foreseen according to it Thus 1. God decreeth faith to be Neque enim actus aliqu s vilendi cum fit actus immanens in Deo suboritur de novo Twiss de Elect l. 1. p. 2. 2. Foreseeth that faith 3. Upon that faith foreseen passeth the Decree of Election so as the sight of faith coming between the two Decrees there must needs be two Acts and the second succeed the former But God is one Act in whom there is no succession It is as if one should say God intends to intend or he determineth to determine which cannot be true of God because it would not only imply divers Acts in God contrary to his simplicity and those divers acts to be by way of succession that is one after another contrary to his Eternity Deus voluit sibi rationem esse volendi aliquid praepostere dictuÌ„ Twiss ibid. But also it
thus 1 In what sense the term Justification is here used 2 What Justification by Faith is 3 The causes of Justification viz. Efficient Meritorious Material Formal Final Instrumental 4 Plow Faith justifieth 5 Divers objections satisfied 6 Many mysteries that shine forth in the doctrine of Justification 7 The peace of conscience following thereupon In what sense the term Justification is used in this question Justification is the making of a person just or righteous and it is done either by infusion or declaratively by ajudicial sentence To justifie by infusion Justitia imputata est quoad essentiam idem ille status coram Deo quem perdidimus in Ademo B. ex T. 4. lib. 6. cap. 1. Pemble Treanise of Justification Pag. 2. is to make a person inherently righteous by infusing into him an indwelling principle of holinesse So Adam was made just Eccl. 7.29 To justifie declaratively is when a person accused or both accused and convicted as an offender is justly acquitted by the judicial declaration of his Legal innocency and freedome from guilt and punishment To justifie in this place is not by way of infusion viz. to sanctifie that is of a person unclean unholy and unjust to make him formally and inherently pure holy just by working in him the inherent qualities of purity sanctity and righteousnesse but judicially to absolve a guilty sinner at the Tribunal of Gods Justice from guilt and punishment and to declare him righteous Justification in this place doth not signifie a change of our nature but a change of our state i. e. of our spiritual condition in order to the curse and promise so as the person which was under the Law before is now not under the Law but under grace Rom. 6.14 It is a Court-phrase taken not Physically but Judicially for a Judicial not a Physical act it signifieth a relative Justification of accounting a man just not an habitual Justification of making a man just thus Barrabas a Thief is acquitted judicially whence followed a Legal not a Physical change of Barrabas Justification is sometimes applyed to God when a man justifieth Psal 51.4 Rom. 3.4 Luke 7.29 Matth. 11.19 Luke 7.35 sometimes to man between man and man Deut. 25.1 Isa 5.23 Prov. 17.15 2 Sam. 15.4 In which last places and the like Pemble after others observeth that to justifie is in judicial proceeding to absolve a party from fault and blame whether it be rightly or wrongfully Ezek. 16.52 Luke 16.15 Sometimes unto man between God and man Exod. 23.7 Isa 50.8 Rom. 8.33 34. 1 Cor. 4.4 Act. 13.38 39. which places can intend no other but a judicial or declarative not a physical or infused Justification whereby a person of unjust is made just Infused righteousnesse which is sanctification is distinguished from Justification Though they are inseparable yet they are distinguished as light and heat in the Sun 1 Cor. 1.30 6.11 The subject of our Justification is Christ the subject of Sanctification is the Beleever Justification is onely imputative Sanctification is inherent Justification makes a relative change Sanctification an inherent Physical change Justification is an individuall act all at once Sanctification is gradual by degrees Justification is perfect in this life Sanctification is imperfect It is plain that the Apostle by Justification intends remission of sins therefore not inherent righteousnesse We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Rom. 3.23 24. which redemption is remission of sins Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 See Rom. 8.33 Act. 13.38 Justification is opposed to Condemnation Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opouitur 3 ad Rom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opouitur 3 ad Rom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lat. Jujtificare opouitur 3 ad Rom. Condemnare Rom. 5.18 As condemnation therefore consists not in infusing a principle of guilt into a person but in a Legal pronouncing of a person to be guilty so Justification is not by infusing a principle of righteousnesse into a person but onely the pronouncing of a person to be righteous To justifie is not to make a person habitually righteous Praeterea nullo nec Hebraico nec Greco nec Latino nec Vernaculo idiomate justificare est habitualiter justum efficere Par. in Rom. c. 3. neither in the Hebrew Greeke Latine nor any other Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in the Old Testament many times yet it is but once used in any other sense which also is observed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to justifie never signifieth to make inherently but alwayes to make declaratively just excepting Dan. 12.3 where it signifieth not those that pronounce righteous but those who instruct others unto righteousnesse The Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which the Hebrew is rendred hath the same signification in the New Testamenent and difficult it is to produce it in any other sense except Rev. 22.11 This observation saith Pareus is firmly to be urged against false teachers Haec observatio fermiter tenenâ—a urgenda est emtra Sophistas quia evincit justificationem Apostolo nequaquam significare justificationem seu habitualis justitiae infusionem quod illi contendunt sed gratuitam absolutionem à peccatis justitiae impulationem propter Christi meritum Pareus in Rom. 3.28 Praeter unum locum ex Danielis 12. alterum ex Apocrypho Syracida ecclesiast 18. tertium ex Apocalypsi his exceptis audacter dico non dari posse alium Cham. Tom. 3. lib. 21. c. 5. n. 11. because it doth evince Justification in the Apostles sense in no wise to signifie the making of one righteous or the infusion of habitual righteousnesse which they contend for but a free absolution from sins and imputation of righteousnesse for the merit of Christ These places being excepted viz. Dan. 12.3 Rev. 22.11 Chamier boldly affirms that there cannot be found another place in Scripture where Justification is used in any other sense What Justification by Faith is What Justification by faith is Justification is a gracious act of God upon a beleever whereby for the righteousnesse sake of Christ imputed by God and applied by faith he doth freely discharge him from sin and the curse and accept him as righteous with the righteousnesse of Christ and acknowledge him to have a right unto eternal life The Efficient cause of Justification is the gracious good pleasure of God Efficient cause the Father Son and Holy Ghost In the Scriptures it is called Grace In the Schools grace that makes us acceptable He is God Lord Law-giver and Judge whose will is the rule of righteousnesse Sin as sin In scripturis appellatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Scholis gratia graâ—â—n faciens is properly committed against God Psal 51.4 and God only can remit sin Mark 2.7 It is called the Righteousnesse of God Rom. 3.22 The righteousnesse
though we are made partakers of it by a power which is without us yet it is inherent in us as in its proper subject and in that notion is opposed to the righteousnesse of Christ whereby we are justified whereof he is not only the worker but which also is inherent in him as its proper subject therefore the justification of a Beleever is by way of imputation No sinner remaining a sinner when he is justified can be justified otherwise than by imputed righteousnesse but all Beleevers though justified yet remain sinners while they live in this world 1 Joh. 1.8 therefore all Beleevers are justified by an imputed righteousnesse The final cause is the manifestation of the glory of grace The finall cause in a way of Mercy tempered with Justice in a way of Mercy in that he justifieth the ungodly Rom. 4.5 and that freely Rom. 3.24 tempered with Justice in that he justifieth not without Christs full satisfaction unto the Law Rom. 3.26 The instrumental cause or instrument of our Justification The instrumental cause or instrument for faith here is but a meer instrument is faith the fuller understanding of this Proposition followeth in the next particular Here observe the intent and consent of such Scriptures as speak diversly of the cause of Justification we are sayed to bee justified by grace Rom. 3.24 i. e. as the Efficient cause by his Blood Rom. 5.9 i. e. as the Meritorious cause by his obedience Rom. 5.19 i. e. as the Material cause by imputation of his obedience Rom. 4.6 i.e. as the Formal cause by faith Rom. 5.1 i. e. as the instrument This Proposition We are justified by faith is figurative How Faith justifieth i.e. Metonymical whereby that which belongs to the principal cause is attributed to the instrumental cause Faith justifieth not for its own worth but for the worth of the object which it apprehends Faith doth not justifie as an act of ours but all the vertue thereof proceedeth from its object the vertue that healed the Israelites proceeded from the object viz. the brazen Serpent they looked upon not from the looking upon the Brazen Serpent and the vertue that healed the Woman Luke 8.46.48.50 proceeded out of Christ who was touched not out of the Womans touch we are declared righteous upon our beleeving Faith in the matter of our Justification is the instrument apprehending and applying that which doth justifie the proper act of Faith is to receive the righteousnesse of another we are justified by faith correlatively that is we are justified by that which is the correlate of faith namely the obedience of Christ the meaning is it is the Obedience of Christ not Faith that justifieth that which is apprehended not that which apprehendeth Faith alone justifieth that is faith as it justifieth is alone but justifying faith is not alone that is faith as it justifieth is without workes but the faith that justifieth is a working faith We are justified by faith alone 1 Because as it justifieth it is not a work Rom. 4.5 2 Because we are not justified by our own righteousnesse i. e. that righteousnesse whereof we are the subjects 3 Because we are justified by the righteousnesse of another sometimes called the righteousnesse of God viz. that whereof God is the Author and Ordainer sometimes the righteousnesse of Christ viz. that whereof he who is God-man is both the Worker and the Subject 4 Because we are justified by a righteousnesse that is made ours by imputation not by infusion as Abraham was justified 5 Because we are justified by a righteousnesse that is actually procured before we doe beleeve Our righteousnesse is compared unto a garment Reval 19.8 Rom. 13.14 Gal. 3.27 which we put on by beleeving yet faith never took stitch in it What was accounted to Abraham for righteousnesse Zanch. in Phil. 3. Not the action by which but that which he did beleeve or as others speak faith not in respect of it self apprehending but in respect of the object apprehended Zanchy Gen. 15.6 Quid reputatum ad justitiam non actio quâ sed id quod credidit seu ut alii loquuntur ipsa fides non sui apprehendentis sed objecti apprehensi respectu This Proposition We are justified by faith understood legally with the Papists is not true but Blasphemous but being taken correlatively it is true Vrsin Haec propositio Ursin explicat catech part 2. qu. 63 fide justificamur legaliter intellecta cum Papist is non est vera sed Blasphema correlativè autem accept a hoc est Evangelicè est vera Faith as a quality doth not justifie but as an instrument receiving and applying to us the imputed righteousnesse of Christ Rivet Fides pro qualitate sumpta Rivet Cathol orthod tract 4. q. 10 non justificat nos sed justificat tanquam instrumentum recipiens applicans nob is imputatam Christi justitiam Faith justifies relatively to wit by a Metonymy whereby the effect of the principal is attributed to the instrumental cause Faith justifieth not habitually as a quality but relatively Paraeus Fides justificat relatè Paraeus in Rom. 3. phrasi nimirum Metaleptica quâ effectus causae principalis tribuitur instrumentali Fides justificat non habitualitèr ut qualitas sed Relatè Faith justifies not simply but relatively after the manner of an instrument applying Chamier Fides justificat Cham. Tom. 3. l. 22. c. 11 non simpliciter sed Relatè per modum instrumenti applicantis He saith Calvin shal be said to be justified by faith that being excluded from the righteousnesse of workes doth by faith take hold of the righteousnesse of Christ wherewith when he is cloathed he appeareth in the sight of God not as a sinner but as righteous and saith he after a few lines we say that the same consisteth in the forgivenesse of sins and imputation of the righteousness of Christ Contra justificabitur ille fide Calvin institut lib. 3. cap. 11. s 2. qui operum justitia exclusus Christi justitiam per fidem apprehendit qua vestitus in Dei conspectu non ut peccator sed tanquam justus apparet ita nos justificationem simpliciter interpretamur acceptionem qua nos Déus in gratiam receptos pro just is habet eámque in peccatorum remissione ac justitiae Christi imputatione positam esse dicimus Confer Sect. 21. 23. Faith doth not justifie as a work Welleb comp l. 1. c. 30. but as an instrument apprehending Christ Wollebius Etsi igitur fides sola non sit sed cum operibus conjuncta sola tamen justificat Fides non tanquam opus sed tanquam instrumentum Christum apprehendens Justification consists in faith organically Spanh de gr un erot 21. in the obedience of Christ objectively and meritoriously Spanhemius Justificatio consistit in fide organicè in Christi obedientia objectivè meritoriè We say with the Apostle Beza in confe majore c.
In the putting on of the Garments of Christs righteousnesse there is a putting off of the filthy rags of our own righteousnesse In this sense Christ cloaths only the naked and he that is cloathed savingly owneth his own nakednesse and the unrighteousnesse of his own righteousnesse Our unrighteousnesse strikes against the Law but our righteousnesse takes away grace that is against God this against God and Christ that makes us need the remedy this keeps us incurable by it that is against the command this is against the promise Gal. 3.14 that makes the Law weak Rom. 8.3 this submits not unto the strength of the Gospel Rom. 10.3 the beleever accounts much of the righteousnesse of Christ and loatheth his own Phil. 3.8 he abhorreth himself for his own high account of his own righteousness onr own righteousness is called our shame Phil. 3.15 Christs righteousnesse is our glory Isa 55.25 In the Lord shall the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory The beleever how great a sinner soever formerly though a Murtherer Adulterer Lyar c. by this one act of beleeving Jesus Christ and his righteousnesse yeeldeth more obedience unto God than ever he committed disobedience honoureth God more than ever he hath hitherto dishonoured him pleaseth God better than if he had ever continued in innocency and never sinned God makes much account of the obedience of faith because faith makes much account of the grace of God It is a name of honour unto Christ to be called Our Righteousnesse Jer. 23 6. and a name of honour to the people of God that according to their duty they are known to acknowledge Christ according to this name And this is the name wherewith He shall be called The Lord our Righteousnesse Jer. 33.16 Object Bellar. de Just l. 1. c. 10. If we are justified by faith then faith is in order before justification and consequently the act is before the object whereas on the contrary the act depends upon the object and not the object upon the act To this effect Bellarmine Answ 1. We may distinguish between the being of Justification and our being justified that is between Justification taken in an abstract sense viz. without the receiving-subject thereof namely the beleever And Justification taken in the concrete sense i. e. together with the beleever Justification considered in the abstract i. e. simply and in it self in which sense it signifieth remission of sins and righteousnesse to acceptation prepared though not yet conferred upon the Elect hath before faith a being not onely in the purpose of God but also in the Covenant between the Father and the Mediator and in the purchase of Christ This truth held forth in the Gospel makes the object of faith and thus the object is before the act Or thus distinguish between Justification actually procured and actually applied Justification was eminentially procured before faith Docet A minius Christum satisfactione sua nactum esse jus peccatorum remittendorum non peccatorum remissionem Twiss de permiss l. 2. er 4 p. 84. in respect of those who beleeved before Christ dyed when it was as entire to God to justifie for the merit sake of Christ to dye as it is now for the merit sake of Christ dead it is actually procured for those who beleeve after the death of Christ though it be not actually applied before faith This actuall procuring of Justification as did also the eminential procuring of it before Christ giveth a being to Justification as considered in it self and constitutes the object of justifying faith Justification is compared to a garment our being justified to the putting on of that garment the garment is made before it be put on Justification is compared to a pardon our being justified unto the Delinquents being pardoned the pardon is procured before the Delinquent is pardoned These then are both truths First Justification hath a being before the Elect do beleeve Secondly That the Elect are not justified before they do beleeve Justification is the object faith is the act the object is before the act our being actually justified is an effect faith is the instrumental cause the cause is before the effect That Justification is actually and absolutely procured for the Elect before faith and shall infallibly be applied to them all in time seemeth to reach the scope intended by the godly Learned whose spirits have more particularly laboured to hold forth the full truth in this precious part of the soul-reconciling and soul-supporting mystery of the Gospèl To say that we are justified by vertue of a singular promise in the Court of Conscience and in our own persons in which sense the Scripture constantly saith that we are justified by faith is not that I know affirmed by any The grounds of this Distinction are thus evidenced Justification was in Gods Decree before faith before sin yea from all Eternity Gal. 3.8 whom God hath set forth that is fore-ordained Rom. 3.25 The Justification of the Elect is absolutely and actually procured for them by Christs satisfaction before faith Col. 2.14 The hand-writing of Ordinances cannot be limited to the Ceremonial Law onely because it had respect unto the Gentiles then living to whom the Ceremonial Law belonged not God hath declared his acceptation of this satisfaction of Christ whereby he hath actually procured Justification for the Elect before faith It is no small part of the Ministry of Reconciliation that God imputed unto Christ the sins of the world of the Elect before they did beleeve and will not impute them unto the Elect 2 Cor. 5.18 19. this great Gospel-truth is of special use to beget justifying faith in the heart of a sinner the same Apostle confirms Beleevers concerning their salvation Rom. 5.10 from this argument namely that their reconciliation was wrought for them when they were enemies that is unbeleevers Here then is a twofold Reconciliation mentioned one at the death of Christ before Paul or the Romans some of them at least here spoken to were beleevers The other at our Conversion The first Reconciliation though it was vertually wrought before by the Lamb slain in Gods appointment acceptance together with his own consent from the beginning of the world Rev. 13.8 yet it was not actually wrought untill the death Christ for this satisfaction sake God imputes not sin unto the Redeemed for he cannot impute sin to Christ and the Elect both yea he accepteth us in the Beloved Eph. 1.6 Loving the persons of the Elect Rom. 11.28 though hating theirs sins and also their state under the curse of the Law Ro. 6.14 Ch. 7.6 Eph. 2.3 The second is wrought at our Conversion when the enmity of nature is slain by the infusion of grace our persons are justified in themselves and our state changed by faith in Christ Jesus This place then seemeth not to be understood as that Rom. 4.5 God justifieth the ungodly viz. objectively that is such who were ungodly till they were justified
of himself as it is a great sin for the greatest sinner to be without hope in respect of Christ Carnal presumption of mercy because our sins are comparatively little lessens the demerit of sin Despair of mercy because our sins are great lessens the Merit of Christ A mans nearness unto or remoteness from the participation of grace according to Gods ordinary Dispensation is not to be judged according to his Commission of more or fewer sins but according to his proceeding in the preparatory work A man may have committed many sins yet being Ministerially disposed in respect of the receiving of Grace he is near to salvation A man may have committed fewer sins yet being without the preparatory Work of Law and Gospel he is far from salvation 'T is not a mans former commission of sin but his continuance in sin that keeps him far from salvation For the fuller clearing the description of Free-grace some Objections are to be removed the former whereof concern the Freeness of grace in respect of Election the other in respect of the Application of the good of Election i.e. that good whereunto we are elected Obj. 1. Ephes 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the world Here the Apostle seemeth to make Christ the Cause of Election therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though it be be rendred through in English 'T is in in the Greek Election is not a free act Ans The Particle In is not always taken causally 2 Thes 2.13 Because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth i. e. in sanctification and belief of the truth as the way not as the cause of salvation True the Apostle saith We are elected in Christ but he saith not That we are elected for Christ We are said to be elected in Christ because Christ is the Meritorious cause of the Application of the good of Election so that in Christ in this place is the same with by Christ 1 Thes 5.9 For God hath appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ 'T is here said We are saved for Christ because Christ is the cause of our salvation but 't is not said We are elected for Christ because Christ is not the Cause of Election To be elect in Christ and to be elect for Christ are not to be confounded * Est quaedam Dei Dilectio erga nos unde profecta est Missio Christi John 3. Twiss vind grat de elect lib. 1. part 2. deg 3. Sect. 1. Etenim ex dicto Petri constat ChristuÌ„ ut MediatoreÌ„ qualis hic consideratur non esse praedèstinationis causam sed effectum 1 Pet. 1.20 Pisc de praedest N. 97. Meritum Christi nonest absolutum Cham. To. 3. l. 9. c. 1. S. 7. That we may rightly discern this truth of so spiritual and high a nature we must carefully distinguish between Election and the Application of the good of Election between Gods Act of willing grace and glory to be applyed and the actual application of grace and glory willed by God God electeth that is he willeth grace and glory to be applyed unto his people without any respect of the Merit of Christ as a Cause or Motive of that volition but the actual Donation and Application of that grace and glory is for the Merit sake of Jesus Christ Christ is the Effect of Election or of the Love of God but he is the Cause of the salvation of the Elect. He is the Effect of Election therefore called a Servant and said to be elect of God Behold my Servant whom I uphold my Elect in whom my soul delighteth Isai 42.1 His Incarnation Heb. 10.5 His Office John 6.27 His Acceptation in that Office Jes 53.10 all proceeds from the Love of God Election is God himself electing according to that received and regulating Proposition Whatsoever is in God is God To say then That Christ is the Cause of Election or of the Love of God were to say There might be given a Cause of God yea that God is an Effect and consequently that God is not God God hath ordained that the Merit of Christ should be the cause of our salvation but he hath not ordained that Christ should be the Meritorious cause of his so ordaining which implyeth a manifest contradiction Christ then is the Cause of the gift of Eternal life but not of Gods Will to give Eternal life unto us Christ is the Cause of salvation but not of Gods Decree to save Christ Ephes 1.4 is made the Cause of Sanctification And 1 Thes 5.9 he is made the Cause of Salvation but he is no where made the Cause of our Election Christ is the Meritorious Cause the Application of all spiritual Benediction in Heavenly places but not of Election Obj. 2. Ephe. 1.6 To the prayse and glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved If accepted in Christ then loved only in Christ therefore Christ is the cause of Gods Love Ans The Love of God is taken for the Act of Love it self viz. Election or for the effect of his love viz. Vocation Justification c. Christ is the cause of the latter not of the former By Acceptation in this place we are to understand Justification of which Christ is the cause He is the cause why we are justified but he is not the cause of Gods Decree to justifie us Gods special Love is his Will to bestow all saving good upon us All which good he willeth to us without Christ as a cause of his volition but not without Christ as a cause of the application thereof 'T is the same Volition or Act of Willing in God by which he willeth the Being of a Mediatour and the Salvation of the Elect for the Merits sake of this Mediatour The Salvation of the Elect is not the last end of the Merit of Christ but Gods Supream end is the Manifestation of the glory of his grace in a way of mercy tempered with justice whereunto both the Merit of Christ and the Salvation of the Elect conjoyned are the means and make one fit Medium thereunto Like Objections from some other Texts of like nature may receive the like answer Notwithstanding it be a truth That Christ is not the cause of Election yet it is also a fundamental Truth That Christ is the Meritorious cause of the Application of the good of Election 1 Thes 5.9 2 Cor. 1.20 Acts 4.12 Particulo gratis excludu tur merita nostri non Christi Bucan loc 31. quest 16. Foedus graetiae nullaÌ„ propriè dictam aut antecedentem conditimem requirit Med. cap. 22. th 19 Ex tali inquam conditione si pendereÌ„t promissiones Dei actum esset de salute nostra Coron artic 4. cap. 3. Cham. Tem. 3. lib. 15. c. 3. 5. Si feceris hoc vives parâ—icula si est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
which is of God Phil. 3.9 Because God is the Author of it it is opposite to our righteousness namely that whereof we are the workers or the subjects Phil. 3.9 and to the righteousness of the Law Rom. 10.5 namely that which is prescribed in the Law and according unto which the Law justifieth 'T is God onely that was the Inventor of this Robe and Garment of Justification The meritorious cause is the whole legal obedience of Christ consisting of his habitual conformity The meritorious cause together with his active and passive obedience from the instant of his Incarnation unto his passion inclusively performed by him as God-man our Mediator and Surety in way of Covenant The application of Redemption whereof Justification is a part is due unto the Elect for Christs sake according to order of Justice by vertue of the promise made unto Christ Isa 53.10 Four things are to be attended in the meritorious cause First The Person Secondly The Office Thirdly The Service Fourthly The Merit whereupon debt ariseth according to order of Justice The obedience of Christ was meritorious not from the dignity of the Person onely as such but from the constitution of God who by his free promise made himself a Debtor of the application of salvation unto them for whom Christ satisfied Hereof see Chap. 10. Though the word Merit be not in the Scripture yet the sense of it is frequent Act. 20.28 which he hath purchased with his own blood which is the earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession Eph. 1.14 For God hath not appointed us unto wrath Ad sensum meriti accedit vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Par. in Ro. 5. but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thess 5.9 i.e. Vnto the salvation purchased by our Lord Jesus Christ The word translated Purchased in the two former places is used in the third and is in effect with the Merit To this purpose the death of Christ is called a Ransome Matth. 20.28 Marc. 10.45 a Counterprice turned a Ransome 1 Tim. 2.6 A Redemption that is a restoring of a Captive by way of buying his freedom at a full price Luke 1.68 2.38 Heb. 9.12 Gal. 1.14 Heb 9.15 1 Cor. 1.30 A propitiation for sin or expiation for sin Rom. 3.25 Heb. 9.5 1 Joh. 2.2 Christs obedience merited Justification much more than Adams disobedience demerited condemnation Rom. 5.18 Had Adam stood he had merited life for himselfe much more Christ by vertue of the Promise whereby God hath freely indebted himselfe to give life according to the order of Justice Mediatorly satisfaction unto the Law for the Elect whereunto he was no debtor must be acknowledged to have merited Christ hath procured a right of remission of sins Christus nactus est jus remittendorum peccatorum sed non ojusmodi jus quo possint remitti sed quo remitti debent omnia illis pro quibus per mortem ejus satisfactum est alioquin injustus esset Deus qui non ageret cum Christo filio suo secundum exigentiam meritorum ejus Twiss de permiss l. 2. cr pag. 79. Vide etiam p. 84. 85. yea such a right whereby they not only may be remitted but whereby they ought to be remitted unto all those for whom he satisfied by his death otherwise God should be unjust who should not doe with his Son Christ according to the exigence of his Merits Christs merit is absolute in respect of its efficacy though the obedience could not have merited absolutely i. e. of it selfe without Gods acceptation The Material cause of our Justification The Material cause is the whole course of the active and passive obedience of Christ together with his habitual conformity unto the Law The righteousnesse of Christ is either essential Willet on Rom. 5. cont 25. wherewith he is righteous as he is God this is increated or Personal wherewith he is righteous as man though he had never been Mediator Willet Synops cent 4. err 57. for Christ being both God and Man must needs be a righteous Man this though created abideth with him and is not imputed unto any Or fide-jussory that is Mediatorly namely the righteousnesse of him as a Surety Et ejus obedientia nobis in justitiam imputatur Calv. 1 Cor. 1.30 Perk. on Gal. 2. v. 16 17. This is that which was in and performed by Christ as Mediator for the Elect and so remaines in him as its formal subject that it s made the Beleevers by imputation as really as if it had been wrought and performed by them Not the passive obedience of Christ alone but both the active and passive obedience of Christ is the Matter of our Justification The passive obedience of Christ were not obedience if it were not in some kinde active his Soul set it self an offering for sin Isa 53.10 He layed down his life according to the commandement received from his Father Joh. 10.18 He gave himselfe Tit. 2.14 Christ in suffering obeyed and in obeying suffered there cannot otherwise any sufficient reason be given of so long viz. for the space of neer thirty four years and so much active obedience it must be yeelded either to have been for himself or for us not for himself there was no use of it If for us what better reason can be given than this the active obedience after his suffering is of use for the demonstration and application of the good of Redemption and therein of Justification Rom. 5.25 if holinesse was requisite in Christ before his suffering that he might purchase our redemption Heb. 7.26 1 Pet. 19. and the actions of Christ after his suffering were of use for the application of Redemption Rom. 8.34 Heb. 7.25 1 Cor. 15.14 and therein of Justification in particular Rom. 5.25 How wel doth it agree that his active obedience both before and in his suffering should be looked at as done in obedience to the Law in our stead and consequently as matter of our Justification This two-fold righteousnesse answereth to our two-fold misery viz. of the guilt of sinue and the defect of righteousnesse Rom. 3.22 23. If the Justification of a sinner consisteth not only in the non-imputation of sinne but also in the imputation of righteousnesse then not only the passive but also the active obedience of Christ is required to our justification But the Justification of a sinner consisteth not only in the not-imputation of sinne but also in the imputation of righteousnesse it is not enough for us not to be unjust but we must also be just therefore not only the passive but the active obedience of Christ is requisite to our Justification That obedience which the Law requireth unto life Christ fully performed but the Law required active obedience unto life Levit. 18.5 Gal. 3.10 which if a man doe he shal live in them and in case of sinne hath required passive obedience for
in that day that thou eatest therof thou shalt surely dye Gen. 2.17 that is either in thy selfe or in thy surety therefore Christ performed both active and passive obedience If the Law requireth not only passive but active obedience and the Elect by beleeving fulfill the Law then he in whom they beleeve and that as the object of their faith hath fulfilled both active and passive obedience but the Law requireth active and passive obedience as is evident in the foregoing Arguments and the Elect by beleeving fulfill the righteousnesse of the Law Rom. 8.4.10.4 therefore he in whom they beleeve and that as he is the object of their faith hath fulfilled both active and passive obedience This further appeareth in that Christ was to answer the Law instead of the Elect and that the Law pronounceth every one accursed that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to doe them Gal. 3.10 If Christ had no done what the Command required of us as wel as suffered for our disobedience unto the command Obedientia Christi est una copulativa Alsted Theol Sect 3 loc 22 how wil it appear either that Christ is a perfect Saviour or that any man can be saved the whole obedience of Christ both active and passive make up one intire and perfect obedience why should any particle of the one or the other be excluded As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Rom. 5.19 It were too strait an interpretation to restraine the words to his passive obedience only And for their sake I will sanctifie my selfe Joh. 17.19 Obj. Justification is often in the Scripture ascribed unto the death of Christ Mat. 20.28 and 26.28 Act. 20.28 Rom. 3.24 25. and elsewhere therefore not the active and passive but the passive obedience of Christ only seems to be the matter of our Justification Ans 'T is true that Justification is often ascribed in the Scripture unto the death of Christ but to his death as the Meritorious cause not as the material cause of our Justification neither yet is it ascribed to his death as the Meritorious cause wholly but partly a part being put for the whole viz. the passive for both active and passive obedience a trope often used in the Scripture and as in the places alleged the part or at least that which is as a part is put for the whole in respect of the cause so also is there a part put for the whole in respect of the effect of that cause viz. Justification which is but a part of the good of Redemption is put for the whole good thereof Take for example Mat. 26.28 For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins by remission of sins which is but a part of the good of Redemption we are to understand the whole good of Redemption with the application of it Que. If the obedience of Christ be an ingredient into the Meritorious cause and be also the whole Material cause how then doth the obedience of Christ as it is an ingredient into the Meritorious cause differ from the obedience of Christ as it is the Materiall cause of our Justification Ans In the Meritorious cause it is considered together with the Person Office actual execution of that Office and Merit In the Material cause it is considered as distinct from all these They are distinguished as the cause and effect Obedience considered in the Material cause is in part the effect of obedience considered in the Meritorious cause they are distinguished as the whole and the part Christs obedience is but a part only of the Meritorious but the whole of the Material cause in the Meritorious cause it is both a Legal and Evangelical act Christs obeying the Law is Legal but his obeying it for us is Evangelical in the Material cause 't is only an Evangelical act it is given to us freely Willet Synops cent 4. error 56. qu. 1. in that it is considered formally in this vertually though Christ obeyed the Law formally yet 't is not the formal working of obedience or doing of the command but the good vertue and efficacy thereof that is imputed to the Beleever there it is considered as wrought by him for us here as applied to us there it is as a garment made here as a garment put on there it may be compared to the payment of the Mony by the Surety for the Debtor here to the Mony both payed and accompted unto the use of the Debtor The formal cause of Justification is by imputation The formal Cause Imputation is the actual and effectual application of the righteousnesse of Christ unto the Beleever To impute reckon or account in this place intend the same thing the same word in Greek being translated indifferently by any of these three To impute Perkins in Gal. câ—p 3. ver 6. is to reckon that unto another which in way of righteousnesse whether of Justice or Grace or both belongs unto him Imputation is either Legal imputing unto us that which we have done so the word is used Rom. 4.4 or Evangelical imputing unto us that which another hath done thus to impute is for God in his act of justifying a sinner to account the righteousnesse of Christ which is not ours formally not by debt to be ours by Grace as verily and really as if it were wrought by us and in this sense the word is used ten times Rom. 4. v. 3.5 6.8 9 10 11.22 23 24. The justification of a Beleever is either by righteousnesse inherent or imputed but not by righteousnesse inherent therefore by righteousnesse imputed The righteousnesse whereby man is justified before God is perfect but the inherent righteousnesse of a Beleever is not perfect It were destructive to the merit and righteousnesse of Christ to say we were justified by a righteousnesse inherent in us We are made righteous by the obedience of Christ as we are made unrighteous by the disobedience of Adam But this is by imputation therefore All justification of the ungodly that is such as are under the guilt and power of their-sins is by imputed righteousness but the Justification of a Beleever Justificat impios in sensu diviso non in sensu composito Trelcat sen Justificat impios antecedenter non consequenter Paraeus in Rom. 4.5 is the Justification of the ungodly Rom 4.5 therefore God justifieth the ungodly viz. objectively not subjectively that is such who were ungodly until they were justified but doe not remain ungodly being justified That Justification which is by the righteousnesse of another is by way of imputation but the justification of a Beleever is by the righteousnesse of another that is such the matter whereof is the righteousnesse of Christ as we saw largely in the Material cause of our Justification Paul calleth Sanctification his righteousnesse Phil. 3.9 for