his Priestly Office And therefore is Justification either expresly or virtually assigned unto them also Gen. 3.15 1 Joh. 3.8 Heb. 2.13 14 15 16. Rom. 4.25 Act. 5.31 Heb. 7.27 Rom. 8.34 But yet wherever our Justification is so assigned unto them they are not absolutely considered but with respect unto their relation to his Sacrifice and Satisfaction 3 All the means of the Application of the Sacrifice and Righteousness of the Lord Christ unto us are also included therein Such is the principal Efficient cause thereof which is the Holy Ghost whence we are said to be justified in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 and the instrumental cause thereof on the part of God which is the Promise of the Gospel Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.22 23. It would therefore be unduly pretended that by this Assertion we do narrow or straiten the Object of Justifying Faith as it Justifies For indeed we assign a respect unto the whole Mediatory Office of Christ not excluding the Kingly and Prophetical parts thereof but only such a notion of them as would not bring in more of Christ but much of our selves into our Justification And the Assertion as laid down may be proved 1. From the Experience of all that are justified or do seek for Justification according unto the Gospel For under this notion of seeking for Justification or a Righteousness unto Justification they were all of them to be considered and do consider themselves as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 guilty before God subject obnoxious liable unto his wrath in the curse of the Law as we declared in the Entrance of this Discourse Rom. 3.19 They were all in the same state that Adam was in after the Fall unto whom God proposed the Relief of the Incarnation and Suffering of Christ Gen. 3.15 And to seek after Justification is to seek after a discharge from this woful state and condition Such persons have and ought to have other designs and desires also For whereas the state wherein they are antecedent unto their Justification is not only a state of Guilt and Wrath but such also as wherein through the Depravation of their Nature the power of sin is prevalent in them and their whole Souls are defiled they design and desire not only to be justified but to be sanctified also But as unto the Guilt of sin and the want of a Righteousness before God from which Justification is their Relief herein I say they have respect unto Christ as set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood In their Design for Sanctification they have respect unto the Kingly and Prophetical Offices of Christ in their especial exercise But as to their freedom from the Guilt of sin and their Acceptance with God or their Justification in his sight that they may be freed from condemnation that they may not come into judgment it is Christ crucified it is Christ lifted up as the brazen Serpent in the Wilderness it is the Blood of Christ it is the Propitiation that he was and the Atonement that he made it is his bearing their sins his being made sin and the curse for them it is his Obedience the End which he put unto sin and the Everlasting Righteousness which he brought in that alone their Faith doth fix upon and acquiesce in If it be otherwise in the Experience of any I acknowledge I am not acquainted with it I do not say that Conviction of sin is the only antecedent Condition of actual Justification But this it is that makes a sinner subjectum capax Justificationis No man therefore is to be considered as a person to be Justified but he who is actually under the power of the Conviction of sin with all the necessary consequents thereof Suppose therefore any sinner in this Condition as it is described by the Apostle Rom. 3. Guilty before God with his mouth stopped as unto any pleas defences or excuses suppose him to seek after a Relief and Deliverance out of this estate that is to be justified according to the Gospel he neither doth nor can wisely take any other course than what he is there directed unto by the same Apostle ver 20 21 22 23 24 25. Therefore by the Deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of sin But now the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Even the Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God Being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his Righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God Whence I argue That which a Guilty condemned sinner finding no hope nor Relief from the Law of God the sole Rule of all his Obedience doth betake himself unto by Faith that he may be delivered or justified that is the especial Object of Faith as Justifying But this is the Grace of God alone through the Redemption that is in Christ or Christ proposed as a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood Either this is so or the Apostle doth not aright guide the Souls and Consciences of men in that condition wherein he himself doth place them It is the Blood of Christ alone that he directs the Faith unto of all them that would be justified before God Grace Redemption Propitiation all through the Blood of Christ Faith doth peculiarly respect and fix upon This is that if I mistake not which they will confirm by their Experience who have made any distinct observation of the actings of their Faith in their Justification before God 2. The Scripture plainly declares that Faith as Justifying respects the sacerdotal Office and Actings of Christ alone In the great Representation of the Justification of the Church of Old in the Expiatory Sacrifice when all their sins and iniquities were pardoned and their persons accepted with God the acting of their Faith was limited unto the Imposition of all their sins on the head of the Sacrifice by the high Priest Lev. 16. By his knowledge that is Faith in him shall my righteous Servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities Isa. 53.11 That alone which Faith respects in Christ as unto the Justification of sinners is his bearing their iniquities Guilty convinced sinners look unto him by Faith as those who were stung with fiery Serpents did to the Brazen Serpent that is as he was lifted up on the Cross Joh. 3.14 15. So did he himself express the nature and actings of Faith in our Justification Rom. 3.24 25. Being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set
the Souls and Consciences of them that are justified or others that is the Church and the World And each of these have the name of Justification assigned unto them though our real Justification before God be always one and the same But a man may be really justified before God and yet not have the evidence or assurance of it in his own mind Wherefore that evidence or assurance is not of the nature or essence of that Faith whereby we are Justified nor doth necessarily accompany our Justification But this Manifestation of a mans own Justification unto himself although it depends on many especial causes which are not necessary unto his Justification absolutely before God is not a second Justification when it is attained but only the Application of the former unto his Conscience by the Holy Ghost There is also a Manifestation of it with respect unto others which in like manner depends on other causes then doth our Justification before God absolutely yet is it not a second Justification For it depends wholly on the visible effects of that Faith whereby we are justified as the Apostle James instructs us yet is it only our single Justification before God evidenced and declared unto his Glory the benefit of others and encrease of our own Reward There is also a twofold Justification before God mentioned in the Scripture 1 By the works of the Law Rom. 2.13 chap. 10.5 Matth. 19.15 16 17 18 19. Hereunto is required an absolute conformity unto the whole Law of God in our natures all the faculties of our Souls all the principles of our moral operations with perfect actual Obedience unto all its commands in all instances of Duty both for matter and manner For he is cursed who continueth not in all things that are written in the Law to do them And he that breaks any one Commandment is guilty of the breach of the whole Law Hence the Apostle concludes that none can be Justified by the Law because all have sinned 2 There is a Justification by Grace through Faith in the Blood of Christ whereof we treat And these ways of Justification are contrary proceeding on terms directly contradictory and cannot be made consistent with or subservient one to the other But as we shall manifest afterwards the confounding of them both by mixing them together is that which is aimed at in this distinction of a first and second Justification But whatever respects it may have that Justification which we have before God in his sight through Jesus Christ is but one and at once full and compleat and this distinction is a vain and fond invention For 1. As it is explained by the Papists it is exceedingly derogatory to the merit of Christ. For it leaves it no effect towards us but only the infusion of an habit of Charity When that is done all that remains with respect unto our Salvation is to be wrought by our selves Christ hath only merited the first Grace for us that we therewith and thereby may merit life eternal The merit of Christ being confined in its effect unto the first Justification it hath no immediate influence into any Grace Priviledge Mercy or Glory that follow thereon but they are all effects of that second Justification which is purely by works But this is openly contrary unto the whole tenor of the Scripture For although there be an order of Gods appointment wherein we are to be made partakers of Evangelical Priviledges in Grace and Glory one before another yet are they all of them the immediate effects of the death and obedience of Christ who hath obtained for us eternal Redemption Heb. 9.12 and is the Authour of eternal Salvation unto all that do obey him Chap. 5.9 Having by one offering for ever perfected them that are Sanctified And those who allow of a secondary if not of a second Justification by our own inherent personal Righteousnesses are also guilty hereof though not in the same degree with them For whereas they ascribe unto it our acquitment from all charge of Sin after the first Justification and a Righteousness accepted in Judgment in the Judgment of God as if it were compleat and perfect whereon depends our final Absolution and Reward it is evident that the immediate efficacy of the satisfaction and merit of Christ hath its bounds assigned unto it in the first Justification which whether it be taught in the Scripture or no we shall afterwards enquire 2. More by this distinction is ascribed unto our selves working by vertue of inherent Grace as unto the merit and procurement of spiritual and eternal good than unto the Blood of Christ. For that only procures the first Grace and Justification for us Thereof alone it is the meritorious cause or as others express it we are made partakers of the effects of it in the pardon of Sins past But by vertue of this Grace we do our selves obtain procure or merit another a second a compleat Justification the continuance of the favour of God and all the fruits of it with life eternal and Glory So do our works at least perfect and compleat the merit of Christ without which it is imperfect And those who assign the continuation of our Justification wherein all the effects of Divine Favour and Grace are contained unto our own personal Righteousness as also final Justification before God as the pleadable cause of it do follow their steps unto the best of my understanding But such things as these may be disputed in debates of which kind it is incredible almost what influence on the minds of men Traditions Prejudices Subtilty of Invention and Arguing do obtain to divert them from real thoughts of the things about which they contend with respect unto themselves and their own condition If by any means such persons can be called home unto themselves and find leasure to think how and by what means they shall come to appear before the High God to be freed from the sentence of the Law and the Curse due to Sin to have a pleadable Righteousness at the Judgment Seat of God before which they stand especially if a real sense of these things be implanted on their minds by the convincing power of the Holy Ghost all their subtle Arguments and Pleas for the mighty efficacy of their own personal Righteousness will sink in their minds like Water at the return of the Tide and leave nothing but Mud and Defilement behind them 3. This Distinction of two Justifications as used and improved by those of the Roman Church leaves us indeed no Justification at all Something there is in the branches of it of Sanctification but of Justification nothing at all Their first Justification in the infusion of an habit or principle of Grace unto the expulsion of all habits of Sin is Sanctification and nothing else And we never did contend that our Justification in such a sense if any will take it in such a sense doth consist in the Imputation of the
alone others Faith and Works also and that in the same kind of necessity and use That whose consideration we at present undertake is the second thing proposed And indeed herein lies the substance of the whole controversie about our Justification before God upon the determination and stating whereof the determination of all other incident Questions doth depend This therefore is that which herein I affirm The Righteousness of Christ in his Obedience and Suffering for us imputed unto Believers as they are united unto him by his spirit is that Righteousness whereon they are justified before God on the Account whereof their sins are pardoned and a Right is granted them into the Heavenly Inheritance This Position is such as wherein the substance of that Doctrine in this important Article of Evangelical Truth which we plead for is plainly and fully expressed And I have chosen the rather thus to express it because it is that Thesis wherein the Learned Davenant laid down that common Doctrine of the Reformed Churches whose defence he undertook This is the shield of Truth in the whole cause of Justification which whilst it is preserved safe we need not trouble our selves about the Differences that are among Learned men about the most proper stating and declaration of some lesser concernments of it This is the Refuge the only Refuge of distressed Consciences wherein they may find Rest and Peace For the confirmation of this Assertion I shall do these three things 1 Reflect on what is needful unto the Explanation of it 2 Answer the most important general Objections against it 3 Prove the Truth of it by Arguments and Testimonies of the holy Scripture As to the first of these or what is necessary unto the Explanation of this Assertion it hath been sufficiently spoken unto in our foregoing Discourses The Heads of some things only shall at present be called over 1. The Foundation of the Imputation asserted is Union Hereof there are many Grounds and Causes as hath been declared But that which we have immediate respect unto as the Foundation of this Imputation is that whereby the Lord Christ and Believers do actually coalesce into one mystical Person This is by the Holy Spirit inhabiting in him as the Head of the Church in all fulness and in all Believers according to their measure whereby they became members of his mystical Body That there is such an Union between Christ and Believers is the Faith of the Catholick Church and hath been so in all Ages Those who seem in our days to deny it or question it either know not what they say or their minds are influenced by their Doctrine who deny the Divine Persons of the Son and of the Spirit Upon supposition of this Vnion Reason will grant the Imputation pleaded for to be reasonable at least that there is such a peculiar Ground for it as is not to be exemplified in any things natural or political among men 2. The Nature of Imputation hath been fully spoken unto before and thereunto I refer the Reader for the understanding of what is intended thereby 3. That which is imputed is the Righteousness of Christ and briefly I understand hereby his whole Obedience unto God in all that he did and suffered for the Church This I say is imputed unto Believers so as to become their only Righteousness before God unto the Justification of Life If beyond these things any Expressions have been made use of in the Explanation of this Truth which have given occasion unto any Differences or Contests although they may be true and defensible against Objections yet shall not I concern my self in them The substance of the Truth as laid down is that whose Defence I have undertaken and where that is granted or consented unto I will not contend with any about their way and methods of its Declaration nor defend the Terms and Expressions that have by any been made use of therein For instance Some have said that what Christ did and suffered is so imputed unto us as that we are judged and esteemed in the sight of God to have done or suffered our selves in him This I shall not concern my self in For although it may have a sound sense given unto it and is used by some of the Antients yet because offence is taken at it and the substance of the Truth we plead for is better otherwise expressed it ought not to be contended about For we do not say that God judgeth or esteemeth that we did and suffered in our own persons what Christ did and suffered but only that he did it and suffered it in our stead Hereon God makes a Grant and Donation of it unto Believers upon their Believing unto their Justification before him And the like may be said of many other Expressions of the like nature These things being premised I proceed unto the consideration of the general objections that are urged against the Imputation we plead for And I shall insist only on some of the principal of them and whereinto all others may be resolved for it were endless to go over all that any mans Invention can suggest unto him of this kind And some general considerations we must take along with us herein As 1. The Doctrine of Justification is a part yea an eminent part of the mystery of the Gospel It is no marvel therefore if it be not so exposed unto the common notions of Reason as some would have it to be There is more required unto the true spiritual understanding of such mysteries yea unless we intend to renounce the Gospel it must be asserted that Reason as it is corrupted and the mind of man destitute of Divine supernatural Revelation do dislike every such Truth and rise up in Enmity against it So the Scripture directly affirms Rom. 8.7 1 Cor. 2.14 2. Hence are the Minds and Inventions of men wonderful fertile in coyning Objections against Evangelical Truths and raising cavils against them Seldom to this purpose do they want an endless number of sophistical Objections which because they know no better they themselves judge insoluble For carnal Reason being once set at liberty under the false notion of Truth to act it self freely and boldly against spiritual mysteries is subtile in its arguings and pregnant in its Invention of them How endless for instance are the Sophisms of the Socinians against the Doctrine of the Trinity and how do they triumph in them as unanswerable Under the shelter of them they despise the force of the most evident Testimonies of the Scripture and those multiplied on all occasions In like manner they deal with the Doctrine of the satisfaction of Christ as the Pelagians of old did with that of his Grace Wherefore he that will be startled at the Appearance of subtile or plausible Objections against any Gospel mysteries that are plainly revealed and sufficiently attested in the Scripture is not likely to come unto much stability in his Profession of them 3. The most of the
grace is added to secure Believers of the certainty of the effect It is that whereunto nothing is wanting unto our Justification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expresseth the free grant of that Righteousness which is imputed unto us unto the Justification of life afterwards called the obedience of Christ. Be Men as wise and learned as they please it becomes us all to learn to think and speak of those Divine Mysteries from this Blessed Apostle who knew them better then we all and besides wrote by divine inspiration And it is marvellous unto me how Men can break through the fence that he hath made about the grace of God and obedience of Christ in the work of our Justification before God to introduce their our own Works of Obedience and to find a place for them therein But the design of Paul and some Men in declaring this point of our Justification before God seems to be very opposite and contrary His whole discourse is concerning the Grace of God the Death Blood and Obedience of Christ as if he could never sufficiently satisfie himself in the setting out and declaration of them without the least mention of any works or duties of our own or the least intimation of any use that they are of herein But all their pleas are for their own works and duties and they have invented as many terms to set them out by as the Holy Ghost hath used for the expression and declaration of the Grace of God Instead of the words of Wisdom before mentioned which the Holy Ghost hath taught wherewith he fills up his discourse theirs are filled with conditions preparatory dispositions merits causes and I know not what trappings for our own works For my part I shall chuse rather to learn of him and accommodate my conceptions and expressions of Gospel Mysteries and of this in especial concerning our Justification unto his who cannot deceive me than trust to any other conduct how specious soever its pretences may be 2. It is plain in this Verse that no more is required of any one unto Justification but that he receive the abundance of Grace and the gift of Righteousness For this is the description that the Apostle gives of those that are justified as unto any thing that on their part is required And as this excludes all Works of Righteousness which we do for by none of them do we receive the abundance of Grace and the gift of Righteousness so it doth also the imputation of Faith it self unto our Justification as it is an act and duty of our own For Faith is that whereby we receive the gift of Righteousness by which we are justified For it will not be denied but that we are justified by the gift of Righteousness or the Righteousness which is given unto us for by it have we right and title unto life But our Faith is not this gift for that which receiveth and that which is received are not the same 3. Where there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abounding grace superabounding grace exerted in our Justification no more is required thereunto For how can it be said to abound yea to superabound not only to the freeing of us from condemnation but the giving of us a title unto life if in any thing it is to be supplied and eeked out by works and duties of our own The things intended do fill up these expressions although to some they are but an empty noise 4. There is a gift of Righteousness required unto our Justification which all must receive who are to be justified And all are justified who do receive it for they that receive it shall reign in life by Jesus Christ. And hence it follows 1. That the Righteousness whereby we are justified before God can be nothing of our own nothing inherent in us nothing performed by us For it is that which is freely given us and this donation is by imputation Blessed is the Man unto whom the Lord imputeth Righteousness Chap. 4.6 And by Faith we receive what is so given and imputed and otherwise we contribute nothing unto our participation of it This it is to be justified in the sense of the Apostle 2. It is such a Righteousness as gives right and title unto eternal life For they that receive it shall reign in life Wherefore it cannot consist in the pardon of sin alone For 1. the pardon of sin can in no tolerable sense be called the gift of Righteousness Pardon of sin is one thing and Righteousness another 2. Pardon of sin doth not give right and title unto eternal life It is true he whose sins are pardoned shall inherit eternal life but not meerly by vertue of that pardon but through the imputation of Righteousness which doth inseparably accompany it and is the ground of it The description which is here given of our Justification by Grace in opposition unto the condemnation that we were made liable unto by the sin of Adam and in exaltation above it as to the efficacy of Grace above that of the first sin in that thereby not one but all sins are forgiven and not only so but a right unto life eternal is communicated unto us is this That we receive the Grace of God and the gift of Righteousness which gives us a right unto life by Jesus Christ. But this is to be justified by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ received by Faith alone The conclusion of what hath been evinced in the management of the comparison insisted on is fully expressed and further confirmed Ver. 18 19. Ver. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all Men unto condemnation even so by the Righteousness of one the free gift came upon all Men unto the Justification of life So we read the words By the offence of one the Greek Copies vary here Some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom Beza followeth and our Translation in the Margin by one offence most by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the offence of one and so afterwards as unto Righteousness but both are unto the same purpose For the one offence intended is the offence of one that is of Adam And the one Righteousness is the Righteousness of one Jesus Christ. The Introduction of this Assertion by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the note of a Syllogistical inference declares what is here asserted to be the substance of the truth pleaded for And the comparison is continued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these things have themselves after the same manner That which is affirmed on the one side is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the sin or fall of one on all Men unto condemnation that is Judgment say we repeating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the foregoing Verse But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is guilt and that only By the sin of one all Men became guilty and were made obnoxious unto condemnation The guilt of it is imputed unto all Men. For no otherwise can it
before described And these two Temporary Faith and Legal Conviction are the principles of all Works or Duties in Religion antecedenr unto Justification and which therefore we must deny to have in them any Causality thereof But it is granted that many Acts and Duties both internal and external will ensue on real Convictions Those that are internal may be reduced unto three Heads 1 Displicency and Sorrow that we have sinned It is impossible that any one should be really convinced of sin in the way before declared but that a dislike of sin and of himself that he hath sinned shame of it and sorrow for it will ensue thereon And it is a sufficient Evidence that he is not really convinced of sin whatever he profess or whatever confession he make whose mind is not so affected Jer. 36.24 2 Fear of punishment due to sin For Conviction respects not only the instructive and preceptive part of the Law whereby the Being and Nature of sin are discovered but the Sentence and Curse of it also whereby it is judged and condemned Gen. 4.13 14. Wherefore where fear of the punishment threatned doth not ensue no person is really convinced of sin nor hath the Law had its proper Work towards him as it is previous unto the Administration of the Gospel And whereas by Faith we fly from the wrath to come where there is not a Sense and Apprehension of that wrath as due unto us there is no Ground or Reason for our Believing 3 A desire of Deliverance from that state wherein a convinced sinner finds himself upon his Conviction is unavoidable unto him And it s naturally the first thing that Conviction works in the minds of men and that in various degrees of care fear solicitude and restlessness which from Experience and the conduct of Scripture Light have been explained by many unto the great benefit of the Church and sufficiently derided by others 2 These internal Acts of the mind will also produce sundry external Duties which may be referred unto two Heads 1 Abstinence from known sin unto the utmost of mens power For they who begin to find that it is an evil thing and a bitter that they have sinned against God cannot but endeavour a future Abstinence from it And as this hath respect unto all the former internal Acts as Causes of it so it is a peculiar exurgency of the last of them or a desire of deliverance from the state wherein such persons are For this they suppose to be the best expedient for it or at least that without which it will not be And herein usually do their Spirits act by Promises and Vows with renewed sorrow on surprisals into sin which will befall them in that condition 2 The Duties of Religious Worship in prayer and hearing of the Word with diligence in the use of the Ordinances of the Church will ensue hereon For without these they know that no deliverance is to be obtained Reformation of Life and Conversation in various degrees doth partly consist in these things and partly follow upon them And these things are always so where the Convictions of men are real and abiding But yet it must be said that they are neither severally nor joyntly though in the highest degree either necessary dispositions preparations previous congruities in a way of merit nor conditions of our Justification For 1. They are not Conditions of Justification For where one thing is the Condition of another that other thing must follow the fulfilling of that Condition Otherwise the Condition of it it is not But they may be all found where Justification doth not ensue Wherefore there is no Covenant Promise or Constitution of God making them to be such Conditions of Justification though in their own nature they may be subservient unto what is required of us with respect thereunto But a certain infallible connexion with it by virtue of any Promise or Covenant of God as it is with Faith they have not And other Condition but what is constituted and made to be so by divine compact or promise is not to be allowed For otherwise Conditions might be endlesly multiplied and all things natural as well as moral made to be so So the meat we eat may be a Condition of Justification Faith and Justification are inseparable but so are not Justification and the things we now insist upon as Experience doth evince 2. Justification may be where the outward Acts and Duties mentioned proceeding from Convictions under the conduct of temporary Faith are not For Adam was Justified without them so also were the Converts in the Acts chap. 2. For what is reported concerning them is all of it Essentially included in Conviction ver 37. And so likewise was it with the Jaylor Acts 16.30 31. And as unto many of them it is so with most that do believe Therefore they are not Conditions For a Condition suspends the Event of that whereof it is a Condition 3. They are not formal dispositions unto Justification because it consisteth not in the Introduction of any new form or inherent Quality in the Soul as hath been in part already declared and shall yet afterwards be more fully evinced Nor 4 are they moral preparations for it for being antecedent unto Faith Evangelical no man can have any design in them but only to seek for Righteousness by the Works of the Law which is no preparation unto Justification All Discoveries of the Righteousness of God with the Souls adherence unto it belong to Faith alone There is indeed a Repentance which accompanieth Faith and is included in the nature of it at least radically This is required unto our Justification But that legal Repentance which precedes Gospel Faith and is without it is neither a Disposition Preparation nor Condition of our Justification In brief The order of these things may be observed in the dealing of God with Adam as was before intimated And there are three degrees in it 1 The Opening of the Eyes of the sinner to see the filth and guilt of sin in the Sentence and Curse of the Law applied unto his Conscience Rom. 7. 9 10. This effects in the mind of the sinner the things before mentioned and puts him upon all the Duties that spring from them For Persons on their first Convictions ordinarily judge no more but that their state being evil and dangerous it is their Duty to better it and that they can or shall do so accordingly if they apply themselves thereunto But all these things as to a Protection or Deliverance from the sentence of the Law are no better then Figg-leaves and hiding 2 Ordinarily God by his Providence or in the Dispensation of the Word gives life and power unto this Work of the Law in a peculiar manner in answer unto the charge which he gave unto Adam after his Attempt to hide himself Hereby the mouth of the sinner is stopped and he becomes as throughly sensible of his Guilt before God so satisfied that
is much more an eminent procuring of the New Covenant than what is pretended about the procurement of its Terms and Conditions For if he should have procured no more but this if we owe this only unto his Mediation that God would thereon or did grant and establish this Rule Law and Promise that whoever ever believed should be saved it were possible that no one should be saved thereby yea if he did no more considering our state and condition it was impossible that any one should so be To give the sum of these things it is inquired with respect unto which of these considerations of the new Covenant it is affirmed that it was procured by the Death of Christ. If it be said that it is with respect unto the actual communication of all the Grace and Glory prepared in the Covenant and proposed unto us in the Promises of it it is most true All the Grace and Glory promised in the Covenant was purchased for the Church by Jesus Christ. In this sense by his Death he procured the new Covenant This the whole Scripture from the Beginning of it in the first Promise unto the end of it doth bear witness unto For it is in him alone that God blesseth us with all spiritual Blessings in Heavenly things Let all the good things that are mentioned or promised in the Covenant expresly or by just consequence be summed up and it will be no hard matter to demonstrate concerning them all and that both joyntly and severally that they were all procured for us by the Obedience and Death of Christ. But this is not that which is intended For most of this Opinion do deny that the Grace of the Covenant in Conversion unto God the Remission of sins Sanctification Justification Adoption and the like are the effects or procurements of the Death of Christ. And they do on the other hand declare that it is Gods making of the Covenant which they do intend that is the contrivance of the terms and conditions of it with their proposal unto mankind for their Recovery But herein there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For 1. The Lord Christ himself and the whole work of his Mediation as the Ordinance of God for the Recovery and Salvation of lost Sinners is the first and principal promise of the Covenant So his Exhibition in the flesh his work of Mediation therein with our deliverance thereby was the subject of that first Promise which virtually contained this whole Covenant So he was of the Renovation of it unto Abraham when it was solemnly confirmed by the Oath of God Gal. 3.16 17. And Christ did not by his Death procure the promise of his Death nor of his Exhibition in the flesh or his coming into the World that he might dye 2. The making of this Covenant is every where in the Scripture ascribed as is also the sending of Christ himself to dye unto the Love Grace and Wisdom of God alone no where unto the Death of Christ as the actual Communication of all Grace and Glory are Let all the places be considered where either the giving of the Promise the sending of Christ or the making of the Covenant are mentioned either expresly or virtually and in none of them are they assigned unto any other cause but the Grace Love and Wisdom of God alone all to be made effectual unto us by the Mediation of Christ. 3. The assignation of the sole end of the Death of Christ to be the procurement of the new Covenant in the sense contended for doth indeed evacuate all the vertue of the Death of Christ and of the Covenant it self For 1 the Covenant which they intend is nothing but the Constitution and proposal of new Terms and Conditions for life and salvation unto all men Now whereas the acceptance and accomplishment of these conditions depend upon the Wills of men no way determined by effectual Grace it was possible that notwithstanding all Christ did by his Death yet no one Sinner might be saved thereby but that the whole end and design of God therein might be frustrate 2 Whereas the substantial advantage of these conditions lieth herein that God will now for the sake of Christ accept of an Obedience inferior unto that required in the Law and so as that the Grace of Christ doth not raise up all things unto a Conformity and compliance with the Holiness and Will of God declared therein but accommodate all things unto our present condition nothing can be invented more dishonourable to Christ and the Gospel For what doth it else but make Christ the Minister of sin in disanulling the Holiness that the Law requires or the Obligation of the Law unto it without any provision of what might answer or come into the Room of it but that which is incomparably less worthy Nor is it consistent with Divine Wisdom Goodness and Immutability to appoint unto mankind a Law of Obedience and cast them all under the severest penalty upon the Transgression of it when he could in Justice and Honour have given them such a Law of Obedience whose observance might consist with many failings and sins For if he have done that now he could have done so before which how far it reflects on the Glory of the Divine Properties might be easily manifested Neither doth this fond Imagination comply with those Testimonies of Scripture that the Lord Christ came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it that he is the end of the Law and that by Faith the Law is not disanulled but established Lastly the Lord Christ was the Mediator and Surety of the new Covenant in and by whom it was ratified confirmed and established and therefore by him the Constitution of it was not procured For all the Acts of his Office belong unto that Mediation And it cannot be well apprehended how any Act of Mediation for the Establishment of the Covenant and rendring it effectual should procure it But to return from this Digression That wherein all the precedent causes of the Vnion between Christ and Believers whence they become one mystical person do center and whereby they are rendred a compleat foundation of the Imputation of their sins unto him and of his Righteousness unto them is the Communication of his Spirit the same Spirit that dwelleth in him unto them to abide in to animate and guide the whole mystical Body and all its Members But this hath of late been so much spoken unto as that I shall do no more but mention it On the considerations insisted on whereby the Lord Christ became one mystical Person with the Church or bare the Person of the Church in what he did as Mediator in the Holy Wise disposal of God as the Authour of the Law the supreme Rector or Governour of all mankind as unto their Temporal and Eternal concernments and by his own consent the sins of all the Elect were imputed unto him This having been the Faith and Language of the Church
in all Ages and that derived from and founded in express Testimonies of Scripture with all the Promises and Presignations of his Exhibition in the flesh from the beginning cannot now with any Modesty be expresly denied Wherefore the Socinians themselves grant that our sins may be said to be imputed unto Christ and he to undergo the punishment of them so far as that all things which befell him Evil and Afflictive in this life with the Death which he underwent were occasioned by our sins For had not we sinned there had been no need of nor occasion for his suffering But notwithstanding this concession they expresly deny his satisfaction or that properly he underwent the punishment due unto our sins wherein they deny also all Imputation of them unto him Others say that our sins were imputed unto him quoad reatum poenae but not quoad reatum culpae But I must acknowledge that unto me this distinction gives inanem sine mente sonum The substance of it is much insisted on by Feuardentius Dialog 5. pag. 467. And he is followed by others That which he would prove by it is That the Lord Christ did not present himself before the Throne of God with the burden of our sins upon him so as to answer unto the Justice of God for them Whereas therefore reatus or guilt may signifie either Dignitatem poenae or obligationem ad poenam as Bellarmine distinguisheth de Amiss Grat. lib. 7. cap. 7. with respect unto Christ the latter only is to be admitted And the main Argument he and others insist upon is this That if our sins be imputed unto Christ as unto the guilt of the fault as they speak then he must be polluted with them and thence be denominated a sinner in every kind And this would be true if our sins could be Communicated unto Christ by Transfusion so as to be his inherently and subjectively But their being so only by Imputation gives no countenance unto any such pretence However there is a notion of legal uncleanness where there is no inherent defilement So the Priest who offered the Red Heifer to make Atonement and he that burned her were said to be unclean Numb 19.7 8. But hereon they say that Christ dyed and suffered upon the special Command of God not that his Death and Suffering were any way due upon the account of our sins or required in Justice which is utterly to overthrow the satisfaction of Christ. Wherefore the design of this distinction is to deny the Imputation of the guilt of our sins unto Christ and then in what tolerable sense can they be said to be imputed unto him I cannot understand But we are not tyed up unto Arbitrary distinction and the sense that any are pleased to impose on the terms of them I shall therefore first enquire into the meaning of these words guilt and guilty whereby we may be able to judge of what it is which in this Distinction is intended The Hebrews have no other word to signifie guilt or guilty but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this they use both for sin the guilt of it the punishment due unto it and a Sacrifice for it Speaking of the guilt of Blood they use not any word to signifie guilt but only say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is Blood to him So David prays deliver me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Blood which we render Blood-guiltiness Psal. 51.14 And this was because by the Constitution of God he that was guilty of Blood was to dye by the hand of the Magistiate or of God himself But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ascham is no where used for guilt but it signifies the Relation of the sin intended unto punishment And other significations of it will be in vain sought for in the old Testament In the new Testament he that is guilty is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.19 that is obnoxious to Judgment or vengeance for sin one that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they speak Act. 28.4 whom vengeance will not suffer to go unpunished And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 11.27 a word of the same signification Once by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 23.18 to owe to be indebted to Justice To be obnoxious liable unto Justice Vengeance Punishment for sin is to be guilty Reus guilty in the Latine is of a large signification He who is Crimini obnoxius or Poenae propter Crimen or Voti debitor or Promissi or officij ex sponsione is called Reus Especially every sponsor or Surety is Reus in the Law Cum servus pecuniam pro libertate pactus est ob eam rem Reum dederit that is sponsorem expromissorem quamvis servus ab alio manumissus est Reus tamen obligabitur He is Reus who ingageth himself for any other as to the matter of his ingagement And the same is the use of the word in the best Latine Authors Opportuna loca dividenda Praefectis esse ac suae quique partis tutandae reus sit Liv. de Bello Punic lib. 5. That every Captain should so take care of the Station committed to him as that if any thing happened amiss it should be imputed unto him And the same Author again at quicunque aut propinquitate aut affinitate regiam contigissent alienae culpae rei trucidarentur should be guilty of the fault of another by Imputation and suffer for it So that in the Latine Tongue he is Reus who for himself or any other is obnoxious unto Punishment or payment Reatus is a word of late Admission into the Latine Tongue and was formed of Reus So Quintilian informs us in his Discourse of the use of obsolete and new words lib. 8. cap. 3. Quae vetera nunc sunt fuerunt olim nova quaedam in usu perquam recentia Messalla primus Reatum munerarium Augustus dixerunt To which he adds Piratica Musica and some others then newly come into use But Reatus at its first Invention was of no such signification as it is now applied unto I mention it only to shew that we have no reason to be obliged unto mens Arbitrary use of words Some Lawyers first used it pro crimine a fault exposing unto Punishment But the Original Invention of it continued by long use was to express the outward state and condition of him who was Reus after he was first charged in a cause criminal before he was acquitted or condemned Those among the Romans who were made Rei by any publick Accusation did betake themselves unto a poor squalid Habit a sorrowful countenance suffering their Hair and Beards to go undressed Hereby on Custome and Usage the people who were to judge on their cause were enclined to compassion And Milo furthered his sentence of Banishment because he would not submit to this custom which had such an appearance of Pusillanimity and baseness of Spirit This state of sorrow and trouble so expressed they called Reatus and nothing else It came
The next place I shall consider in the Epistle of this Apostle is 1 Cor. 1.30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption The design of the Apostle in these words is to manifest that whatever is wanting unto us on any account that we may please God live unto him and come to the injoyment of him that we have in and by Jesus Christ And this on the part of God from meer free and sovereign Grace as Ver. 26 27 28 29. do declare And we have all these things by vertue of our insition or implantation in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from of or by him He by his Grace is the principal efficient cause hereof And the effect is that we in Christ Jesus that is ingrafted in him or united unto him as Members of his Mystical Body which is the constant sense of that expression in the Scripture And the benefits which we receive hereby are enumerated in the following words But first the way whereby we are made partakers of them or they are communicated unto us is declared who of God is made unto us It is so ordained of God that he himself shall be made or become all this unto us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes the efficient cause as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did before But how is Christ thus made unto us of God or what act of God is it that is intended thereby Socinus says it is a General act of the providence of God whence it is come to pass or is so faln out that one way or other the Lord Christ should be said to be all this unto us But it is an especial Ordinance and Institution of Gods sovereign Grace and Wisdom designing Christ to be all this unto us and for us with actual Imputation thereon and nothing else that is intended Whatever interest therefore we have in Christ and what ever benefit we have by him it all depends on the sovereign Grace and constitution of God and not on any thing in our selves Whereas then we have no Righteousness of our own he is appointed of God to be our Righteousness and is made so unto us which can be no otherwise but that his Righteousness is made ours For he is made it unto us as he is likewise the other things mentioned so as that all boasting that is in our selves should be utterly excluded and that he that glorieth should glory in the Lord Ver. 29 31. Now there is such a Righteousness or such a way of being righteous whereon we may have somewhat to Glory Rom 4.2 And which doth not exclude boasting Chap. 3.27 And this cannot possibly be but when our Righteousness is inherent in us For that however it may be procured or purchased or wrought in us is yet our own so far as any thing can be our own whilest we are Creatures This kind of Righteousness therefore is here excluded And the Lord Christ being so made Righteousness unto us of God as that all boasting and glorying on our part or in our selves may be excluded yea being made so for this very end that so it should be it can be no otherwise but by the Imputation of his Righteousness unto us For thereby is the Grace of God the honor of his Person and Mediation exalted and all occasion of glorying in our selves utterly prescinded We desire no more from this testimony but that whereas we are in our selves destitute of all Righteousness in the sight of God Christ is by a gracious act of Divine Imputation made of God Righteousness unto us in such a way as that all our glorying ought to be in the Grace of God and the Righteousness of Christ himself Bellarmine attempts three Answers unto this Testimony the two first whereof are coincident and in the third being on the rack of Light and Truth he confesseth and grants all that we plead for 1. He says That Christ is said to be our Righteousness because he is the efficient cause of it as God is said to be our strength and so there is in the words a Metonymy of the effect for the cause And I say it is true That the Lord Christ by his Spirit is the efficient cause of our Personal Inherent Righteousness By his Grace it is effected and wrought in us he renews our natures into the Image of God and without him we can do nothing So that our habitual and actual Rightousness is from him But this Personal Righteousness is our Sanctification and nothing else And although the same internal habit of Inherent Grace with operations suitable thereunto be sometimes called our Sanctification and sometimes our Righteousness with respect unto those operations yet is it never distinguished into our Sanctification and our Righteousness But his being made Righteousness unto us in this place is absolutely distinct from his being made Sanctification unto us which is that Inherent Righteousness which is wrought in us by the Spirit and Grace of Christ. And his working Personal Righteousness in us which is our Sanctification and the Imputation of his Righteousness unto us whereby we are made righteous before God are not only consistent but the one of them cannot be without the other 2. He pleads That Christ is said to be made Righteousness unto us as he is made Redemption Now he is our Redemption because he hath redeemed us So is he said to be made Righteousness unto us because by him we become righteous or as another speaks Because by him alone we are justified This is the same plea with the former namely that there is a metonymy of the effect for the cause in all these expressions yet what cause they intend it to be who expound the words By him alone we are justified I do not understand But Bellarmine is approaching yet nearer the Truth for as Christ is said to be made of God Redemption unto us because by his Blood we are redeemed or freed from Sin Death and Hell by the ransome he paid for us or have redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of sins So he is said to be made Righteousness unto us because through his Righteousness granted unto us of God as Gods making him to be Righteousness unto us and our becoming the Righteousness of God in him and the Imputation of his Righteousness unto us that we may be righteous before God are the same we are justified His third answer as was before observed grants the whole of what we plead For it is the same which he gives unto Jere. 23.6 which place he conjoyns with this as of the same sense and importance giving up his whole cause in satisfaction unto them in the words before transcribed Lib. 2. cap. 10. Socinus Prefaceth his Answer unto this Testimony with an Admiration That any should make use of it or plead it in this cause it is so impertinent unto the purpose And