he had declared v. 10. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them And the force of his Reason which the causal Conjunction intimates the Introduction of consists in this That all good Works those concerning which he treats Evangelical Works are the Effects of the Grace of God in them that are in Christ Jesus and so are truly justified antecedently in order of nature unto them But that which he principally designed in these words was that which he is still mindful of wherever he treats of this Doctrine namely to obviate an Objection that he foresaw some would make against it and that is this If good Works be thus excluded from our Justification before God then of what use are they we may live as we list utterly neglect them and yet be justified And this very Objection do some men continue to manage with great vehemency against the same Doctrine We meet with nothing in this cause more frequently than that if our Justification before God be not of Works some way or other if they be not antecedaneously required thereunto if they are not a previous condition of it then there is no need of them Men may safely live in an utter neglect of all Obedience unto God And on this Theme men are very apt to enlarge themselves who otherwise give no great evidences of their own Evangelical Obedience To me it is marvellous that they heed not unto what party they make an Accession in the management of this Objection namely unto that of them who were the Adversaries of the Doctrine of Grace taught by the Apostle It must be elsewhere considered For the present I shall say no more but that if the answer here given by the Apostle be not satisfactory unto them if the Grounds and Reasons of the necessity and use of good Works here declared be not judged by them sufficient to establish them in their proper place and order I shall not esteem my self obliged to attempt their further satisfaction Phil. 3.8 9. Yea doubtless and I account all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith This is the last Testimony which I shall insist upon and although it be of great importance I shall be the more brief in the consideration of it because it hath been lately pleaded and vindicated by another whereunto I do not expect any tolerable reply For what hath since been attempted by one it is of no weight He is in this matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the things that I would observe from and concerning this Testimony may be reduced into the ensuing heads 1. That which the Apostle designs from the beginning of this Chapter and in these Verses in an especial manner to declare what it is on the account whereof we are accepted with God and have thereon cause to rejoyce This he fixeth in general in an interest in and participation of Christ by Faith in opposition unto all Legal Priviledges and advantages wherein the Jews whom he reflected upon did boast and rejoyce Rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Vers. 3. 2. He supposeth that unto that Acceptance before God wherein we are to Rejoyce there is a Righteousness necessary And to whatever it be is the sole ground of that acceptance And to give evidence hereunto 3. He declares that there is a twofold Righteousness that may be pleaded and trusted unto to this purpose 1. Our own Righteousness which is of the Law 2. That which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith These he asserts to be opposite and inconsistent as unto the end of our Justification and acceptance with God Not having mine own Righteousness but that which is c. And an intermediate Righteousness between these he acknowledgeth not 4. Placing the instance in himself he declares emphatically so as there is scarce a greater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or vehemency of Speech in all his Writings which of those it was that he adhered unto and placed his confidence in And in the handling of this Subject there were some things which engaged his holy mind into an earnestness of expression in the exaltation of one of these namely of the Righteousness which is of God by Faith and the depression of the other or his own Righteousness As 1. This was the turning point whereon he and others had forsaken their Judaism and betaken themselves unto the Gospel This therefore was to be secured as the main instance wherein the greatest controversie that ever was in the world was debated So he expresseth it Gal. 2.15.16 We who are Jews by nature and not Sinners of the Gentiles knowing that a man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of the Law 2. Hereon there was great opposition made unto this Doctrine by the Jews in all places and in many of them the minds of multitudes were turned off from the Truth which the most are generally prone unto in this case and perverted from the simplicity of the Gospel This greatly affected his holy Soul and he takes notice of it in most of his Epistles 3. The weight of the Doctrine it self with that unwillingness which is in the minds of men by nature to embrace it as that which lays the axe to the root of all Spiritual Pride elation of Mind and Self-pleasing whatever whence innumerable Subterfuges have been and are sought out to avoid the efficacy of it and to keep the Souls of men from that universal resignation of themselves unto sovereign Grace in Christ which they have naturally such an aversation unto did also affect him 4. He had himself been a great Sinner in the days of his ignorance by a peculiar opposition unto Christ and the Gospel This he was deeply sensible of and therewithal of the excellency of the Grace of God and the Righteousness of Christ whereby he was delivered And men must have some experience of what he felt in himself as unto Sin and Grace before they can well understand his expressions about them 5. Hence it was that in many other places of his Writings but in this especially he treats of these things with a greater earnestness and vehemency of Spirit than ordinary Thus 1. On the part of Christ whom he would exalt he mentioneth not only the knowledg of him but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The excellency of the knowledg of Christ Jesus my Lord with an Emphasis
for it was so imputed unto him long before and that in such a way as the Apostle proves thereby that Righteousness is imputed without Works 2 That he was not justified by a real efficiency of an habit of Righteousness in him or by any way of making him inherently Righteous who was before unrighteous is plain also because he was Righteous in that sense long before and had abounded in the Works of Righteousness unto the praise of God It remains therefore that then and by the Work mentioned he was justified as unto the evidencing and manifestation of his Faith and Justification thereon His other instance is of Rahab concerning whom he asserts that she was justified by Works when she had received the Messengers and sent them away But she received the Spies by Faith as the Holy Ghost witnesseth Heb. 11.31 And therefore had true Faith before their coming and if so was really justified For that any one should be a true believer and yet not be justified is destructive unto the foundation of the Gospel In this condition she received the Messengers and made unto them a full Declaration of her Faith Josh. 2.10 11. After her believing and Justification thereon and after the confession she had made of her Faith she exposed her life by concealing and sending of them away Hereby did she justifie the sincerity of her Faith and Confession and in that sense alone is said to be justified by Works And in no other sense doth the Apostle James in this place make mention of Justification which he doth also only occasionally Fourthly As unto Works mentioned by both Apostles the same Works are intended and there is no disagreement in the least about them For as the Apostle James intends by Works Duties of Obedience unto God according to the Law as is evident from the whole first part of the Chapter which gives occasion unto the Discourse of Faith and Works So the same are intended by the Apostle Paul also as we have proved before And as unto the necessity of them in all believers as unto other ends so as evidences of their Faith and Justification it is no less pressed by the one than the other as hath been declared These things being in general premised we may observe some things in particular from the Discourse of the Apostle James sufficiently evidencing that there is no contradiction therein unto what is delivered by the Apostle Paul concerning our Justification by Faith and the Imputation of Righteousness without Works nor to the Doctrine which from him we have learned and declared as 1 He makes no composition or conjunction between Faith and Works in our Justification but opposeth them the one to the other asserting the one and rejecting the other in order unto our Justification 2 He makes no distinction of a first and second Justification of the beginning and continuation of Justification but speaks of one Justification only which is our first personal Justification before God Neither are we concerned in any other Justification in this cause whatever 3 That he ascribes this Justification wholly unto Works in contradistinction unto Faith as unto that sense of Justification which he intended and the Faith whereof he treated Wherefore 4 He doth not at all enquire or determine how a sinner is justified before God but how Professors of the Gospel can prove or demonstrate that they are so and that they do not deceive themselves by trusting unto a lifeless and barren Faith All these things will be further evidenced in a brief consideration of the context it self wherewith I shall close this Discourse In the beginning of the Chapter unto v. 14. He reproves those unto whom he wrote for many sins committed against the Law the rule of their sins and Obedience or at least warneth them of them and having shewed the danger they were in hereby he discovers the Root and principal occasion of it v. 14. which was no other but a vain surmise and deceiving presumption that the Faith required in the Gospel was nothing but a bare assent unto the Doctrine of it whereon they were delivered from all obligation unto moral Obedience or good Works and might without any danger unto their eternal state live in whatever sins their lusts inclined them unto Chap. 4. v. 1 2 3 4. Chap. 5. v. 1 2 3 4 5. The state of such persons which contains the whole cause which he speaks unto and which gives rule and measure unto the interpretation of all his future arguings is laid down v. 14. What doth it profit my Brethren though a man say he hath Faith and have not Works can Faith save him suppose a man any one of those who are guilty of the sins charged on them in the foregoing verses do yet say or boast of himself that he hath Faith that he makes profession of the Gospel that he hath left either Judaism or Paganism and betaken himself to the Faith of the Gospel and therefore although he be destitute of good Works and live in sin he is accepted with God and shall be saved will indeed this Faith save him this therefore is the question proposed whereas the Gospel saith plainly that he who believeth shall be saved whether that Faith which may and doth consist with an indulgence unto sin and a neglect of Duties of Obedience is that Faith whereunto the promise of life and Salvation is annexed And thereon the enquiry proceeds how any man in particular he who says he hath Faith may prove and evidence himself to have that Faith which will secure his Salvation And the Apostle denies that this is such a Faith as can consist without Works or that any man can evidence himself to have true Faith any otherwise but by Works of Obedience only And in the proof hereof doth his whole ensuing Discourse consist Not once doth he propose unto consideration the means and causes of the Justification of a convinced sinner before God nor had he any occasion so to do So that his words are openly wrested when they are applied unto any such intention That the Faith which he intends and describes is altogether useless unto the end pretended to be attainable by it namely Salvation he proves in an instance of and by comparing it with the love or charity of an alike nature v. 15.16 If a Brother or Sister be naked and destitute of daily food and one of you say unto him depart in peace be ye warmed and filled notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body what doth it profit This love or charity is not that Gospel Grace which is required of us under that name For he who behaveth himself thus towards the poor the love of God dwelleth not in him 1 Joh. 3.17 whatever name it may have whatever it may pretend unto whatever it may be professed or accepted for love it is not nor hath any of the effects of love is neither useful nor profitable Hence the
Object of our Faith unto the Justification of Life Act. 2.39 Act. 26.6 Rom. 4.16 20. chap. 15.8 Gal. 3.16 18. Heb. 4.1 chap. 6.13 chap. 8.6 chap. 10.36 4. The End for which the Lord Christ in the Work of his Mediation is the Ordinance of God and as such proposed in the Promises of the Gospel namely the Recovery and Salvation of lost sinners belongs unto the Object of Faith as Justifying Hence the forgiveness of sin and Eternal Life are proposed in the Scripture as things that are to be believed unto Justification or as the Object of our Faith Math. 9.2 Act. 2.38 39. chap. 5.31 chap. 26.18 Rom. 3.25 chap. 4.7 8. Col. 2.13 Tit. 1.2 c. And whereas the Just is to live by his Faith and every one is to believe for himself or make an Application of the things believed unto his own behoof some from hence have affirmed the pardon of our own sins and our own Salvation to be the proper Object of Faith and indeed it doth belong thereunto when in the way and order of God and the Gospel we can attain unto it 1. Cor. 15.3 4. Gal. 2.20 Ephes. 1.6 7. Wherefore asserting the Lord Jesus Christ in the Work of his Mediation to be the Object of Faith unto Justification I include therein the Grace of God which is the Cause the pardon of sin which is the Effect and the Promises of the Gospel which are the means of communicating Christ and the benefit of his Mediation unto us And all these things are so united so intermixed in their mutual Relations and Respects so concatenated in the purpose of God and the Declaration made of his Will in the Gospel as that the Believing of any one of them doth virtually include the belief of the rest And by whom any one of them is disbelieved they frustrate and make void all the rest and so Faith it self The due Consideration of these things solveth all the Difficulties that arise about the nature of Faith either from the Scripture or from the Experience of them that believe with respect unto its Object Many things in the Scripture are we said to believe with it and by it and that unto Justification But two things are hence evident 1 That no one of them can be asserted to be the compleat adequate Object of our Faith 2 That none of them are so absolutely but as they relate unto the Lord Christ as the Ordinance of God for our Justification and Salvation And this answereth the Experience of all that do truly believe For these things being united and made inseparable in the constitution of God all of them are virtually included in every one of them 1 Some fix their Faith and Trust principally on the Grace Love and Mercy of God especially they did so under the Old Testament before the clear Revelation of Christ and his Mediation So did the Psalmist Psal. 130.34 Psal. 33.18 19. And the Publican Luke 18.13 And these are in places of the Scripture innumerable proposed as the Causes of our Justification See Rom. 3.24 Ephes. 2.4 5 6 7 8. Tit. 3.5 6 7. But this they do not absolutely but with respect unto the Redemption that is in the Blood of Christ Dan. 9.17 Nor doth the Scripture any where propose them unto us but under that consideration See Rom. 3.24 25. Ephes. 1.6 7 8. For this is the cause way and means of the communication of that Grace Love and Mercy unto us 2 Some place and fix them principally on the Lord Christ his Mediation and the Benefits thereof This the Apostle Paul proposeth frequently unto us in his own Example See Gal. 2.20 Phil. 3.8 9 10. But this they do not absolutely but with respect unto the Grace and Love of God whence it is that they are given and communicated unto us Rom. 8.32 Joh. 3.16 Ephes. 1.6 7 8. Nor are they otherwise any where proposed unto us in the Scripture as the Object of our Faith unto Justification 3 Some in a peculiar manner fix their Souls in Believing on the Promises And this is exemplified in the Instance of Abraham Gen. 15.16 Rom. 4.20 And so are they proposed in the Scripture as the Object of our Faith Act. 2.39 Rom. 4.16 Heb. 4.1 2. chap. 6.12 13. But this they do not meerly as they are Divine Revelations but as they contain and propose unto us the Lord Christ and the Benefits of his Mediation from the Grace Love and Mercy of God Hence the Apostle disputes at large in his Epistle unto the Galatians That if Justification be any way but by the Promise both the Grace of God and the death of Christ are evacuated and made of none effect And the Reason is because the Promise is nothing but the way and means of the Communication of them unto us 4 Some fix their Faith on the things themselves which they aim at namely the pardon of sin and Eternal Life And these also in the Scripture are proposed unto us as the Object of our Faith or that which we are to believe unto Justification Psal. 130.4 Act. 26.18 Tit. 1.2 But this is to be done in its proper order especially as unto the Application of them unto our own Souls For we are no where required to believe them or our own Interest in them but as they are effects of Grace and Love of God through Christ and his Mediation proposed in the Promises of the Gospel Wherefore the Belief of them is included in the Belief of these and is in order of nature antecedent thereunto And the Belief of the forgiveness of sins and Eternal Life without the due Exercise of Faith in those Causes of them is but Presumption I have therefore given the entire Object of Faith as Justifying or in its Work and Duty with respect unto our Justification in compliance with the Testimonies of the Scripture and the Experience of them that believe Allowing therefore their proper place unto the Promises and unto the Effect of all in the pardon of sins and Eternal Life that which I shall farther confirm is That the Lord Christ in the Work of his Mediation as the Ordinance of God for the Recovery and Salvation of lost sinners is the proper adequate Object of Justifying Faith And the true nature of Evangelical Faith consisteth in the Respect of the Heart which we shall immediately describe unto the Love Grace and Wisdom of God with the Mediation of Christ in his Obedience with the Sacrifice Satisfaction and Attonement for sin which he made by his Blood These things are impiously opposed by some as inconsistent For the second Head of the Socinian Impiety is That the Grace of God and Satisfaction of Christ are opposite and inconsistent so as that if we allow of the one we must deny the other But as these things are so proposed in the Scripture as that without granting them both neither can be believed so Faith which respects them as subordinate namely the Mediation of
1 All our sins past present and to come were at once imputed unto and laid upon Jesus Christ in what sense we shall afterwards enquire He was wounded for our Transgressions He was bruised for our Iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes are we healed All we like Sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath made to meet on Him the Iniquities of us all Isa. 53.6 7. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 The Assertions being indefinite without exception or limitation are equivalent unto Vniversals All our sins were on him he bare them All at once and therefore once died for all 2 He did therefore at once finish Transgression made an End of sin made Reconciliation for Iniquity and brought in everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9.24 At once he expiated all our sins for by himself he purged our sins and then sate down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Heb. 1.3 And we are sanctified or dedicated unto God through the offering of the Body of Christ once for all for by one Offering he hath perfected consummated compleated as unto their spiritual state them that are sanctified Heb. 10.10.14 He never will do more than he hath actually done already for the Expiation of all our sins from first to last for there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin I do not say that hereupon our Justification is compleat but only that the meritorious procuring cause of it was at once compleated and is never to be renewed or repeated any more All the enquiry is concerning the renewed Application of it unto our Souls and Consciences whether that be by Faith alone or by the works of Righteousness which we do 3 By our actual Believing with Justifying Faith believing on Christ or his Name we do receive him and thereby on our first Justification become the Sons of God Joh. 1.12 That is joynt heirs with Christ and heirs of God Rom. 8.17 Hereby we have a Right unto and an Interest in all the Benefits of his Mediation which is to be at once compleatly justified For in him we are compleat Col. 2.10 For by the Faith that is in him we do receive the forgiveness of sins and a lot or inheritance among all them that are sanctified Act. 26.18 being immediately justified from all things from which we could not be justified by the Law Act. 13.39 yea God thereon blesseth us with all spiritual Blessings in heavenly things in Christ Ephes. 1.3 All these things are absolutely inseparable from our first believing in him and therefore our Justification is at once compleat In particular 4 On our Believing all our sins are forgiven He hath quickened you together with him having forgiven you all Trespasses Col. 2.13 14 15. For in him we have Redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of sins according unto the riches of his Grace Ephes. 1.7 which one place obviates all the petulant exceptions of some against the consistency of the free Grace of God in the pardon of sins and the satisfaction of Christ in the procurement thereof 5 There is hereon nothing to be laid unto the charge of them that are so justified For he that believeth hath Everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation but is passed from Death unto Life Joh. 5.24 And who shall lay any thing unto the charge of Gods Elect it is God that Justifieth it is Christ that died Rom. 8.33 34. and there is no condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus ver 1. For being justified by Faith we have peace with God chap. 5.1 And 6 we have that Blessedness hereon whereof in this life we are capable Rom. 4.5 6. From all which it appears that our Justification is at once compleat And 7 it must be so or no man can be justified in this world For no time can be assigned nor measure of Obedience be limited whereon it may be supposed that any one comes to be Justified before God who is not so on his first Believing For the Scripture doth no where assign any such time or measure And to say that no man is compleatly justified in the sight of God in this life is at once to overthrow all that is taught in the Scriptures concerning Justification and therewithall all peace with God and comfort of Believers But a man acquitted upon his legal trial is at once discharged of all that the Law hath against him 2. Upon this compleat Justification Believers are obliged unto universal Obedience unto God The Law is not abolished but established by Faith It is neither abrogated nor dispensed withall by such an Interpretation as should take off its obligation in any thing that it requires nor as to the degree and manner wherein it requires it Nor is it possible it should be so For it is nothing but the Rule of that Obedience which the nature of God and man make necessary from the one to the other And that is an Antinomianism of the worst sort and most derogatory unto the Law of God which affirms it to be divested of its power to oblige unto perfect Obedience so as that what it is not so shall as it were in despight of the Law be accepted as if it were so unto the End for which the Law requires it There is no medium but that either the Law is utterly abolished and so there is no sin for where there is no Law there is no Transgression or it must be allowed to require the same Obedience that it did at its first Institution and unto the same degree Neither is it in the power of any man living to keep his Conscience from judging and condemning that whatever it be wherein he is convinced that he comes short of the perfection of the Law Wherefore 3. The Commanding Power of the Law in positive precepts and prohibitions which Justified Persons are subject unto doth make and constitute all their inconformities unto it to be no less truly and properly sins in their own nature than they would be if their persons were obnoxious unto the Curse of it This they are not nor can be for to be obnoxious unto the Curse of the Law and to be justified are contradictory but to be subject to the Commands of the Law and to be justified are not so But it is a subjection to the commanding power of the Law and not an obnoxiousness unto the Curse of the Law that constitutes the nature of sin in its Transgression Wherefore that compleat Justification which is at once though it dissolve the Obligation on the sinner unto punishment by the Curse of the Law yet doth it not annihilate the commanding Authority of the Law unto them that are justified that what is sin in others should not be so in them See Rom. 8.1.33 34. Hence in the first Justification of believing sinners all future sins are remitted as unto
the Righteousness of Christ is so far imputed unto us that on the account thereof God gives unto us Justifying Grace and thereby the Remission of Sin in their sense whence they allow it the meritorious cause of our Justification But on a supposition thereof or the reception of that Grace we are continued to be justified before God by the works we perform by vertue of that Grace received And though some of them rise so high as to affirm that this Grace and the works of it need no farther respect unto the Righteousness of Christ to deserve our second Justification and life eternal as doth Vasquez expresly in 1.2 q. 114. Disp. 222. cap. 3. Yet many of them affirm that it is still from the consideration of the merit of Christ that they are so meritorious And the same for the substance of it is the Judgment of some of them who affirm the continuation of our Justification to depend on our own works setting aside that ambiguous term of merit For it is on the account of the Righteousness of Christ they say that our own works or imperfect obedience is so accepted with God as that the continuation of our Justification depends thereon But the Apostle gives us another account hereof Rom. 5.1 2 3. For he distinguisheth three things our Access into the Grace of God 2 Our standing in that Grace 3 Our Glorying in that station against all opposition By the first he expresseth our absolute Justification By the second our continuation in the state whereinto we are admitted thereby and by the third the assurance of that continuation notwithstanding all the oppositions we meet withal And all these he ascribeth equally unto Faith without the intermixture of any other cause or condition And other places express to the same purpose might be pleaded 3. The examples of them that did believe and were justified which are recorded in the Scripture do all bear witness unto the same Truth The continuation of the Justification of Abraham before God is declared to have been by Faith only Rom. 4.3 For the instance of his Justification given by the Apostle from Gen. 15.6 was long after he was justified absolutely And if our first Justification and the continuation of it did not depend absolutely on the same cause the instance of the one could not be produced for a proof of the way and means of the other as here they are And David when a justified Believer not only placeth the Blessedness of man in the free Remission of sins in opposition unto his own works in general Rom. 4.6 7. but in his own particular case ascribeth the continuation of his Justification and acceptation before God unto Grace Mercy and forgiveness alone which are no otherwise received but by Faith Psal. 130.3 4 5. Psal. 143.2 All other works and duties of obedience do accompany Faith in the continuation of our justified estate as necessary effects and fruits of it but not as causes means or conditions whereon that effect is suspended It is patient waiting by Faith that brings in the full accomplishment of the Promises Heb. 6.12 16. Wherefore there is but one Justification and that of one kind only wherein we are concerned in this Disputation The Scripture makes mention of no more and that is the Justification of an ungodly person by Faith Nor shall we admit of the consideration of any other For if there be a second Justification it must be of the same kind with the first or of another if it be of the same kind then the same person is often justified with the same kind of Justification or at least more than once and so on just reason ought to be often Baptized If it be not of the same kind then the same person is justified before God with two sorts of Justification of both which the Scripture is utterly silent And the continuation of our Justification depends solely on the same causes with our Justification it self CHAP. VI. Evangelical Personal Righteousness the Nature and Vse of it Final Judgment and its respect unto Justification THe things which we have discoursed concerning the first and second Justification and concerning the continuation of Justification have no other Design but only to clear the principal subject whereof we treat from what doth not necessarily belong unto it For until all things that are either really heterogeneous or otherwise superfluous are separated from it we cannot understand aright the true state of the Question about the nature and causes of our Justification before God For we intend one only Justification namely that whereby God at once freely by his Grace justifieth a convinced sinner through Faith in the Blood of Christ. Whatever else any will be pleased to call Justification we are not concerned in it nor are the Consciences of them that believe To the same purpose we must therefore briefly also consider what is usually disputed about our own personal Righteousness with a Justification thereon as also what is called sentential Justification at the day of Judgment And I shall treat no farther of them in this place but only as it is necessary to free the principal subject under consideration from being intermixed with them as really it is not concerned in them For what Influence our own personal Righteousness hath into our Justification before God will be afterwards particularly examined Here we shall only consider such a notion of it as seems to enterfere with it and disturb the right understanding of it But yet I say concerning this also that it rather belongs unto the Difference that will be among us in the Expression of our conceptions about spiritual things whilst we know but in part than unto the substance of the Doctrine it self And on such differences no breach of Charity can ensue whilst there is a mutual Grant of that liberty of mind without which it will not be preserved one moment It is therefore by some apprehended that there is an Evangelical Justification upon our Evangelical Personal Righteousness This they distinguish from that Justification which is by Faith through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ in the sense wherein they do allow it For the Righteousness of Christ is our Legal Righteousness whereby we have pardon of sin and acquitment from the sentence of the Law on the account of his satisfaction and merit But moreover they say that as there is a Personal inherent Righteousness required of us so there is a Justification by the Gospel thereon For by our Faith and the plea of it we are justified from the charge of Unbelief by our sincerity and the plea of it we are justified from the charge of Hypocrisie and so by all other Graces and Duties from the charge of the contrary sins in Commission or Omission so far as such sins are inconsistent with the Terms of the Covenant of Grace How this differeth from the second Justification before God which some say we have by works on the supposition
unto the ultimate manifestation of Divine Glory in the Creation and Guidance of all things are sufficiently manifest And whence it appears how little force there is in that Argument which some pretend to be of so great weight in this cause As every one they say shall be judged of God at the last day in the same way and manner or on the same Ground is he justified of God in this life But by Works and not by Faith alone every one shall be judged at the last day Wherefore by Works and not by Faith alone every one is justified before God in this life For 1. It is no where said that we shall be judged at the last day ex operibus but only that God will render unto men secundum opera But God doth not justifie any in this life secundum opera Being justified freely by his Grace And not according to the Works of Righteousness which we have done And we are every where said to be justified in this life ex fide per fidem but no where propter fidem or that God justifieth us secundum fidem by Faith but not for our Faith nor according unto our Faith And we are not to depart from the expressions of the Scripture where such a difference is constantly observed 2. It is somewhat strange that a man should be judged at the last day and justified in this life just in the same way and manner that is with respect unto Faith and Works when the Scripture doth constantly ascribe our Justification before God unto Faith without Works and the Judgment at the last day is said to be according unto Works without any mention of Faith 3. If Justification and eternal Judgment proceed absolute-on the same Grounds Reasons and Causes then if men had not done what they shall be condemned for doing at the last day they should have been justified in this life But many shall be condemned only for sins against the light of nature Rom. 2.12 as never having the written Law or Gospel made known unto them Wherefore unto such persons to abstain from sins against the light of nature would be sufficient unto their Justification without any knowledge of Christ or the Gospel 4. This Proposition that God pardons men their Sins gives them the Adoption of Children with a right unto the Heavenly Inheritance according to their Works is not only foraign to the Gospel but contradictory unto it and destructive of it as contrary unto all express Testimonies of the Scripture both in the old Testament and the new where these things are spoken of But that God judgeth all men and rendreth unto all men at the last Judgment according unto their Works is true and affirmed in the Scripture 5. In our Justification in this life by Faith Christ is considered as our Propitiation and Advocate as he who hath made Atonement for sin and brought in everlasting Righteousness But at the last day and in the last Judgment he is considered only as the Judge 6. The end of God in our Justification is the Glory of his Grace Eph. 1.6 But the end of God in the last Judgment is the Glory of his remunerative Righteousness 2 Tim. 4.8 7. The Representation that is made of the final Judgment Math. 7. and Chap. 25. is only of the visible Church And therein the plea of Faith as to the profession of it is common unto all and is equally made by all Upon that plea of Faith it is put unto the trial whether it were sincere true Faith or no or only that which was dead and barren And this trial is made solely by the fruits and effects of it and otherwise in the publick declaration of things unto all it cannot be made Otherwise the Faith whereby we are justified comes not into Judgment at the last day See Joh. 5.24 with Mark 16.16 CHAP. VII Imputation and the Nature of it with the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ in particular THe first express Record of the Justification of any sinner is of Abraham Others were justified before him from the Beginning and there is that affirmed of them which sufficiently evidenceth them so to have been But this Prerogative was reserved for the Father of the Faithful that his Justification and the express way and manner of it should be first entered on the Sacred Record So it is Gen. 15.6 He believed in the Lord and it was counted unto him for Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was accounted unto him or imputed unto him for Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was counted reckoned imputed And it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed unto him but for us also unto whom it shall be imputed if we believe Rom. 4.23 24. Wherefore the first express Declaration of the nature of Justification in the Scripture affirms it to be by Imputation The Imputation of somewhat unto Righteousness And this done in that place and instance which is Recorded on purpose as the president and example of all those that shall be justified As he was justified so are we and no otherwise Under the new Testament there was a necessity of a more full and clear Declaration of the Doctrine of it For it is among the first and most principal parts of that Heavenly mystery of Truth which was to be brought to light by the Gospel And besides there was from the first a strong and Dangerous Opposition made unto it For this matter of Justification the Doctrine of it and what necessarily belongs thereunto was that whereon the Jewish Church broke off from God refused Christ and the Gospel perishing in their sins as is expresly declared Rom. 9.31 10.3 4. And in like manner a dislike of it an Opposition unto it ever was and ever will be a principle and cause of the Apostasie of any professing Church from Christ and the Gospel that falls under the power and deceit of them as it fell out afterwards in the Churches of the Galatians But in this state the Doctrine of Justification was fully declared stated and vindicated by the Apostle Paul in a peculiar manner And he doth it especially by affirming and proving that we have the Righteousness whereby and wherewith we are justified by Imputation or that our Justification consists in the non-Imputation of sin and the Imputation of Righteousness But yet although the first Recorded instance of Justification and which was so recorded that it might be an example and represent the Justification of all that should be justified unto the end of the World is expressed by Imputation and Righteousness imputed and the Doctrine of it in that great case wherein the eternal welfare of the Church of the Jews or their ruine was concerned is so expressed by the Apostle yet is it so fallen out in our days that nothing in Religion is more maligned more reproached more despised then the Imputation of Righteousness unto us or an Imputed Righteousness A putative Righteousness the
same manner as it was under the Covenant of Works But the Argument speaks not as unto the manner or way whereby it is so but to the thing it self If it be so in any way or manner under what qualifications soever we are under that Covenant still If it be of Works any way it is not of Grace at all But it is added that the differences are such as are sufficient to constitute Covenants effectually distinct As 1. The perfect sinless obedience was required in the first Covenant but in the new that which is imperfect and accompanied with many sins and failings is accepted Answ. This is gratis dictum and begs the Question No Righteousness unto Justification before God is or can be accepted but what is perfect 2. Grace is the original fountain and cause of all our acceptation before God in the new Covenant Answ. It was so also in the old The Creation of Man in Original Righteousness was an effect of Divine Grace Benignity and Goodness And the reward of Eternal Life in the enjoyment of God was of meer Soveraign Grace Yet what was then of Works was not of Grace no more is it at present 3. There would then have been Merit of Works which is now excluded Answ. Such a Merit as ariseth from an equality and proportion between Works and Reward by the rule of commutative Justice would not have been in the Works of the first Covenant and in no other sense is it now rejected by them that oppose the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. 4. All is now resolved into the Merit of Christ upon the account whereof alone our own Personal Righteousness is accepted before God unto our Justification Answ. The Question is not on what account nor for what reason it is so accepted but whether it be or no seeing its so being is effectually constitutive of a Covenant of Works CHAP. XIV The Exclusion of all sorts of Works from an interest in Justification What intended by the Law and the Works of it in the Epistles of Paul WE shall take our Fourth Argument from the express Exclusion of all Works of what sort soever from our Justification before God For this alone is that which we plead namely that no Acts or Works of our own are the Causes or Conditions of our Justification but that the whole of it is resolved into the Free Grace of God through Jesus Christ as the Mediator and Surety of the Covenant To this purpose the Scripture speaks expresly Rom. 3.28 Therefore we conclude that a Man is justified by Faith without the Works of the Law Rom. 4.5 But unto him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness Rom. 11.6 If it be of Grace then is it not of Works Gal. 2.16 Knowing that a Man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of the Law for by the Works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Eph. 2.8 9. For by Grace are ye saved through Faith not of Works lest any Man should boast Tit. 3.5 Not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according unto his Mercy he hath saved us These and the like Testimonies are express and in positive Terms assert all that we contend for And I am perswaded that no unprejudiced person whose mind is not prepossessed with notions and distinctions whereof not the least Title is offered unto them from the Texts mentioned nor elsewhere can but judg that the Law in every sense of it and all sorts of Works whatever that at any time or by any means Sinners or Believers do or can perform are not in this or that sense but every way and in all senses excluded from our Justification before God And if it be so it is the Righteousness of Christ alone that we must betake our selves unto or this matter must cease for ever And this Inference the Apostle himself makes from one of the Testimonies before-mentioned namely that of Gal. 2.16 for he adds upon it I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me I do not frustrate the Grace of God for if Righteousness come by the Law then is Christ dead in vain Our Adversaries are extreamly divided amongst themselves and can come unto no consistency as to the sense and meaning of the Apostle in these Assertions for what is proper and obvious unto the understanding of all Men especially from the opposition that is made between the Law and Works on the one hand and Faith Grace and Christ on the other which are opposed as inconsistent in this matter of our Justification they will not allow nor can do so without the ruine of the opinions they plead for Wherefore their various conjectures shall be examined as well to shew their inconsistency among themselves by whom the Truth is opposed as to confirm our present Argument 1. Some say it is the Ceremonial Law alone and the Works of it that are intended or the Law as given unto Moses on Mount Sinai containing that intire Covenant that was afterwards to be abolished This was of old the common opinion of the Schoolmen though it be now generally exploded And the opinion lately contended for that the Apostle Paul excludes Justification from the Works of the Law not because no Man can yield that perfect obedience which the Law requires or excludes Works absolutely perfect and sinless obedience but because the Law it self which he intends could not justifie any by the observation of it is nothing but the renovation of this obsolete notion that it is the Ceremonial Law only or which upon the matter is all one the Law given on Mount Sinai abstracted from the Grace of the Promise which could not justifie any in the observation of its Rites and Commands But of all other conjectures this is the most impertinent and contradictory unto the design of the Apostle and is therefore rejected by Bellarmine himself For the Apostle treats of that Law whose doers shall be justified Chap 2.13 And the Authors of this opinion would have it to be a Law that can justifie none of them that do it That Law he intends whereby is the knowledge of sin for he gives this reason why we cannot be justified by the Works of it namely Because by it is the knowledge of sin Chap. 3.20 And by what Law is the knowledge of sin he expresly declares where he affirms That he had not known Lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet Chap. 7.7 which is the Moral Law alone That Law he designs
He is utterly mistaken for the Apostle doth not ascribe Justification partly to Works and partly to Faith but he ascribes Justification in the sense by him intended wholly to Works in opposition to that Faith concerning which he treats For there is a plain Antithesis in the Words between Works and Faith as unto Justification in the sense by him intended A dead Faith a Faith without Works the Faith of Devils is excluded from having any influence into Justification Fourthly He adds that the Apostle compares this Faith without Works unto a rich man that gives nothing unto the poor ver 16. and a Body without a Spirit ver 26. wherefore as that knowledg whereby a rich man knows the wants of the poor is true and real and a dead body is a body so is Faith without Works true Faith also and as such is considered by Saint James Ans. These things do evidently destroy what they are produced in the confirmation of only the Cardinal helps them out with a little Sophistry For whereas the Apostle compares this Faith unto the charity of a man that gives nothing to the poor he suggests in the room thereof his knowledge of their poverty And his knowledge may be true and the more true and certain it is the more false and feigned is the charity which he pretends in these words Go and be fed or cloathed Such is the Faith the Apostle speaks of And although a dead body is a true body that is as unto the matter or substance of it a Carcass yet is it not an essential part of a living man A Carcass is not of the same nature or kind as is the body of a living man And we assert no other difference between the Faith spoken of by the Apostle and that which is justifying than what is between a dead breathless Carcass and a living animated body prepared and fitted for all vital acts Wherefore it is evident beyond all contradiction if we have not a mind to be contentious that what the Apostle James here derogates from Faith as unto our Justification it respects only a dead barren lifeless Faith such as is usually pretended by ungodly godly men to countenance themselves in their sins And herein the Faith asserted by Paul hath no concern The consideration of the present condition of the profession of Faith in the World will direct us unto the best exposition of this place Thirdly They speak not of Justification in the same sense nor unto the same end It is of our absolute Justification before God the Justification of our persons our acceptance with him and the grant of a right unto the Heavenly inheritance that the Apostle Paul doth treat and thereof alone This he declares in all the causes of it all that on the part of God or on our part concurreth thereunto The evidence the knowledge the sense the fruit the manifestation of it in our own Consciences in the Church unto others that profess the Faith he treats not of but speaks of them separately as they occur on other occasions The Justification he treats of is but one and at once accomplished before God changing the relative state of the person justified and is capable of being evidenced various ways unto the glory of God and the consolation of them that truly believe Hereof the Apostle James doth not treat at all for his whole enquiry is after the nature of that Faith whereby we are justified and the only way whereby it may be evidenced to be of the right kind such as a man may safely trust unto Wherefore he treats of Justification only as to the evidence and manifestation of it nor had he any occasion to do otherwise And this is apparent from both the instances whereby he confirms his purpose The first is that of Abraham ver 21.22 23. For he says that by Abrahams being justified by Works in the way and manner wherein he asserts him so to have been the Scripture was fulfilled which says that Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for Righteousness And if his intention were to prove that we are justified before God by Works and not by Faith because Abraham was so the Testimony produced is contrary yea directly contradictory unto what should be proved by it and accordingly is alledged by Paul to prove that Abraham was justified by Faith without Works as the words do plainly import Nor can any man declare how the Truth of this proposition Abraham was justified by Works intending absolute Justification before God was that wherein that Scripture was fulfilled Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for Righteousness especially considering the opposition that is made both here and elsewhere between Faith and Works in this matter Besides he asserts that Abraham was justified by Works then when he had offered his Son on the Altar the same we believe also but only enquire in what sense he was so justified For it was Thirty years or thereabout after it was testified concerning him that he believed God and it was imputed unto him for Righteousness and when Righteousness was imputed unto him he was justified And twice justified in the same sense in the same way with the same kind of Justification he was not How then was he Justified by Works when he offered his Son on the Altar He that can conceive it to be any otherwise but that he was by his Work in the offering of his Son evidenced and declared in the sight of God and man to be justified apprehends what I cannot attain unto seeing that he was really justified long before as is unquestionable and confessed by all He was I say then justified in the sight of God in the way declared Gen. 22.12 And gave a signal Testimony unto the sincerity of his Faith and trust in God manifesting the truth of that Scripture he believed God and it was imputed unto him for Righteousness And in the quotation of this Testimony the Apostle openly acknowledgeth that he was really accounted Righteous had Righteousness imputed unto him and was justified before God the reasons and causes whereof he therefore considereth not long before that Justification which he ascribes unto his Works which therefore can be nothing but the evidencing proving and manifestation of it whence also it appears of what nature that Faith is whereby we are justified the Declaration whereof is the principal design of the Apostle In brief the Scripture alledged that Abraham believed and it was imputed unto him for Righteousness was fulfilled when he was justified by Works on the offering of his Son on the Altar either by the Imputation of Righteousness unto him or by a real efficiency or working Righteousness in him or by the manifestation and evidence of his former Justification or some other way must be found out 1 That it was not by Imputation or that Righteousness unto the Justification of life was not then first imputed unto him is plain in the Text
Rule of all Inherent Moral or Spiritual Obedience What are the Works of the Law declared from the Scripture and the Argument thereby confirmed The nature of Justifying Faith further declared Pag. 400. CHAP. XV. Of Faith alone CHAP. XVI Testimonies of Scripture confirming the Doctrine of Justification by the Imputation of the Rightesness of Christ. Jere. 23.6 Explained and vindicated Pag. 419. CHAP. XVII Testimonies out of the Evangelists considered Design of our Saviours Sermon on the Mount The purity and penalty of the Law vindicated by him Arguments from thence Luk. 18.9 10 11 12 13. The Parable of the Pharisee and Publican explained and applied to the present Argument Testimonies out of the Gospel by John Chap. 3.14 15 16 17 18 c. Pag. 425. CHAP. XVIII Testimonies out of the Epistles of Paul the Apostle His design in the Fifth Chapter to the Romans That Design explained at large and applied to the present Argument Chap. 3.24 25 26. explained and the true sense of the words vindicated The Causes of Justification enumerated Apostolical Inferences from the consideration of them Chap. 4. Design of the Disputation of the Apostle therein Analysis of his Discourse Ver. 4 5. particularly insisted on their true sense vindicated What Works excluded from the Justification of Abraham Who it is that worketh not In what sense the ungodly are justified All Men ungodly antecedently unto their Justification Faith alone the means of Justification on our part Faith it self absolutely considered not the Righteousness that is imputed unto us Proved by sundry Arguments Pag. 431. Chap. 5. Ver. 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. Boasting excluded in our selves asserted in God The design and sum of the Apostles Argument Objection of Socinus removed Comparison between the two Adams and those that derive from them Sin entered into the World What Sin intended Death what it compriseth What intended by it The sense of those words in as much or in whom all have sinned cleared and vindicated The various oppositions used by the Apostle in this Discourse Principally between Sin or the Fall and the Free Gift Between the disobedience of the one and the obedience of another Judgment on the one hand and Justification unto Life on the other The whole Context at large explained and the Argument for Justification by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ fully confirmed P. 464. Chap. 10. V. 3 4. explained and insisted on to the same purpose Pag. 489. 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ how of God made Righteousness unto us Answer of Bellarmine unto this Testimony removed That of Socinus disproved True sense of the words evinced P. 497. 2 Cor. 5.21 In what sense Christ knew no sin Emphasis in that expression How he was made Sin for us By the Imputation of Sin unto him Mistakes of some about this expression Sense of the Antients Exception of Bellarmine unto this Testimony answered with other Reasonings of his to the same purpose P. 502. The Exceptions of others also removed Gal. 2.16 Pag. 513. Ephes. 2.8 9 10. Ephes. 2.8 9 10. Evidence of this Testemony Design of the Apostle from the beginning of the Chapter Method of the Apostle in the Declaration of the Grace of God Grace alone the cause of Deliverance from a State of Sin Things to be observed in the Assignation of the Causes of Spiritual Deliverance Grace how magnified by him Force of the Argument and evidence from thence State of the Case here proposed by the Apostle General determination of it By Grace ye are saved What it is to be saved inquired into The same as to be justified but not exclusively The causes of our Justification declared Positively and Negatively The whole secured unto the Grace of God by Christ and our Interest therein through Faith alone Works excluded What Works Not Works of the Law of Moses Not Works antecedent unto believing Works of true Believers Not only in opposition to the Grace of God but to Faith in us Argument from those words Reason whereon this exclusion of Works is founded To exclude Boasting on our part Boasting wherein it consists Inseparable from the Interest of Works in Justification Danger of it Confirmation of this Reason obviating an Objection The Objection stated If we be not justified by Works of what use are they answered Pag. 516. Phil. 3.8 9. Heads of Argument from this Testimony Design of the Context Righteousness the Foundation of Acceptance with God A twofold Righteousness considered by the Apostle Oppossite unto one another as unto the especial end inquired after Which of these he adhered unto his own Righteousness or the Righteousness of God declared by the Apostle with vehemency of speech Reasons of his earnestness herein The turning point whereon he left Judaism The opposition made unto this Doctrine by the Jews The weight of the Doctrine and unwillingness of Men to receive it His own sense of Sin and Grace Peculiar expressions used in this place for the Reasons mentioned concerning Christ. Concerning all things that are our own The choice to be made on the Case stated whether we will adhere unto our own Righteousness or that of Christs which are inconsistent as to the end of Justification Argument from this place Exceptions unto this Testimony and Argument from thence removed Our Personal Righteousness Inherent the same with respect unto the Law and Gospel External Righteousness only required by the Law an impious Imagination Works wrought before Faith only rejected The Exception removed Righteousness before Conversion not intended by the Apostle Pag. 256. CHAP. XIX Objections against the Doctrine of Justification by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. Nature of these Objections Difficulty in discerning aright the sense of some Men in this Argument Justification by Works the end of all declension from the Righteousness of Christ. Objections against this Doctrine derived from a supposition thereof alone First principal Objection Imputed Righteousness overthrows the necessity of an holy Life This Objection as managed by them of the Church of Rome an open calumny How insisted on by some among our selves Socinus fierceness in this charge His foul dishonesty therein False charges on Mens opinions making way for the rash condemnation of their persons Iniquity of such censures The Objection rightly stated Sufficiently answered in the previous Discourses about the nature of Faith and force of Moral Law The nature and necessity of Evangelical Holiness elswhere pleaded Particular answers unto this Objection All who profess this Doctrine do not exemplifie it in their lives The most holy Truths have been abused None by whom this Doctrine is now denied exceed them in holiness by whom it was formerly professed and the power of it attested The contrary Doctrine not successful in the Reformation of the lives of Men. The best way to determine this difference The same Objection managed against the Doctrine of the Apostle in his own days Efficacious prejudices against this Doctrine in the minds of Men. The whole Doctrine of
Apprehensions who cryed Sirs What must I do to be saved 2. With respect unto this state and condition of men or men in this state and condition the enquiry is What that is upon the account whereof God pardoneth all their sins receiveth them into his favour declareth or pronounceth them Righteous and acquitted from all Guilt removes the Curse and turneth away all his wrath from them giving them Right and Title unto a blessed Immortality or life Eternal This is that alone wherein the Consciences of sinners in this estate are concerned Nor do they enquire after any thing but what they may have to oppose unto or answer the Justice of God in the commands and curse of the Law and what they may betake themselves unto for the obtaining of Acceptance with him unto life and salvation That the Apostle doth thus and no otherwise state this whole matter and in an Answer unto this Enquiry declare the nature of Justification and all the causes of it in the third and fourth Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans and elswhere shall be afterwards declared and proved And we shall also manifest that the Apostle James in the second Chapter of his Epistle doth not speak unto this Enquiry nor give an Answer unto it but it is of Justification in another sense and to another purpose whereof he treateth And whereas we cannot either safely or usefully treat of this Doctrine but with respect unto the same Ends for which it is declared and whereunto it is applied in the Scripture we should not by any pretences be turned aside from attending unto this Case and its Resolution in all our Discourses on this subject For it is the Direction Satisfaction and peace of the Consciences of men and not the curiosity of Notions or subtilty of Disputations which it is our Duty to design And therefore I shall as much as possibly I may avoid all those Philosophical Terms and Distinctions wherewith this Evangelical Doctrine hath been perplexed rather than illustrated For more weight is to be put on the steady Guidance of the Mind and Conscience of one Believer really exercised about the Foundation of his peace and acceptance with God then on the confutation of ten wrangling Disputers 3. Now the Enquiry on what account or for what Cause and Reason a man may be so acquitted or discharged of sin and accepted with God as before declared doth necessarily issue in this Whether it be any thing in our selves as our Faith and Repentance the Renovation of our Natures inherent habits of Grace and actual works of Righteousness which we have done or may do or whether it be the Obedience Righteousness Satisfaction and Merit of the Son of God our Mediator and Surety of the Covenant imputed unto us One of these it must be namely something that is our own which whatever may be the Influence of the Grace of God into it or causality of it because wrought in and by us is inherently our own in a proper sense or something which being not our own not inherent in us not wrought by us is yet imputed unto us for the pardon of our sins and the Acceptation of our Persons as righteous or the making of us Righteous in the sight of God Neither are these things capable of mixture or composition Rom. 11.6 Which of these it is the Duty Wisdome and safety of a convinced sinner to rely upon and trust unto in his Appearance before God is the sum of our present Enquiry 4. The way whereby sinners do or ought to betake themselves unto this Relief on supposition that it is the Righteousness of Christ and how they come to be partakers of or interested in that which is not inherently their own unto as good Benefit and as much Advantage as if it were their own is of a distinct consideration And as this also is clearly determined in the Scripture so it is acknowledged in the Experience of all them that do truly believe Neither are we in this matter much to regard the senses or arguings of men who were never throughly convinced of sin nor have ever in their own persons fled for Refuge unto the Hope set before them 5. These things I say are always to be attended unto in our whole Disquisition into the nature of Evangelical Justification For without a constant respect unto them we shall quickly wander into curious and perplexed Questions wherein the Consciences of guilty Sinners are not concerned and which therefore really belong not unto the substance or truth of this Doctrine nor are to be immixed therewith It is alone the Relief of those who are in themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 guilty before or obnoxious and liable to the Judgment of God that we enquire after That this is not any thing in or of themselves nor can so be that it is a Provision without them made in infinite Wisdom and Grace by the mediation of Christ his Obedience and Death therein is secured in the Scripture against all contradiction And it is the fundamental Principle of the Gospel Math. 11.28 6. It is confessed that many things for the Declaration of the Truth and the order of the Dispensation of Gods Grace herein are necessarily to be insisted on such are the nature of Justifying Faith the place and use of it in Justification the Causes of the new Covenant the true notion of the Mediation and Suretiship of Christ and the like which shall all of them be enquired into But beyond what tends directly unto the Guidance of the Minds and satisfaction of the Souls of Men who seek after a stable and abiding foundation of Acceptance with God we are not easily to be drawn unless we are free to lose the Benefit and Comfort of this most important Evangelical Truth in needless and unprofitable contentions And amongst many other miscarriages which men are subject unto whilst they are conversant about these things this in an especial manner is to be avoided 1. For the Doctrine of Justification is directive of Christian Practice and in no other Evangelical Truth is the whole of our Obedience more concerned For the Foundation Reasons and Motives of all our Duty towards God are contained therein Wherefore in order unto the due improvement of them ought it to be taught and not otherwise That which alone we aim or ought so to do to learn in it and by it is how we may get and maintain peace with God and so to live unto him as to be accepted with him in what we do To satisfie the Minds and Consciences of men in these things is this Doctrine to be taught Wherefore to carry it out of the understandings of ordinary Christians by speculative notions and distinctions is disserviceable unto the Faith of the Church Yea the mixing of Evangelical Revelations with Philosophical Notions hath been in sundry Ages the Poison of Religion Pretence of accuracy and artificial skill in Teaching is that which giveth countenance unto such a
Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God Not of Works lest any man should boast For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto Good Works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Ephes. 2.8 9 10. Yea doubtless and I count all things loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having my own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith Phil. 3. 8 9. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our Works but according unto his own purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the World began 2 Tim. 1.9 That being justified by his Grace we should be made Heirs according to the hope of Eternal Life Tit. 3.7 He hath once appeared in the End of the World to put away sin Heb. 9.26 28. having in himself purged our sins chap. 1.3 For by one Offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified chap. 10.14 For the Blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 Wherefore unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen Rev. 1.5 6. These are some of the places which at present occur to Remembrance wherein the Scripture represents unto us the Grounds Causes and Reasons of our Acceptation with God The especial import of many of them and the Evidence of Truth that is in them will be afterwards considered Here we take only a general view of them And everything in and of our selves under any consideration whatever seems to be excluded from our Justification before God Faith alone excepted whereby we receive his Grace and the Attonement And on the other side the whole of our Acceptation with Him seems to be assigned unto Grace Mercy the Obedience and Blood of Christ in opposition unto our own Worth and Righteousness or our own Works and Obedience And I cannot but suppose that the Soul of a convinced sinner if not prepossessed with prejudice will in general not judge amiss whether of these things that are set in opposition one to the other he should betake himself unto that he may be justified But it is replyed these things are not to be understood absolutely and without Limitations Sundry Distinctions are necessary that we may come to understand the mind of the Holy Ghost and sense of the Scripture in these Ascriptions unto Grace and Exclusions of the Law our own Works and Righteousness from our Justification For 1 the Law is either the moral or the ceremonial Law the latter indeed is excluded from any place in our Justification but not the former 2 Works required by the Law are either wrought before Faith without the Aid of Grace or after believing by the help of the Holy Ghost The former are excluded from our Justification but not the latter 3 Works of Obedience wrought after Grace received may be considered either as sincere only or absolutely perfect according to what was originally required in the Covenant of Works Those of the latter sort are excluded from any place in our Justification but not those of the former 4 There is a two-fold Justification before God in this life a first and a second and we must diligently consider with respect unto whether of these Justifications any thing is spoken in the Scripture 5 Justification may be considered either as to its beginning or as unto its continuation and so it hath divers causes under these divers respects 6 Works may be considered either as Meritorious ex condigno so as their merit should arise from their own intrinsick worth or ex congruo only with respect unto the Covenant and promise of God Those of the first sort are excluded at least from the first Justification the latter may have place both in the first and second 7 Moral Causes may be of many sorts preparatory dispository meritorious conditionally efficient or only sine quibus non And we must diligently enquire in what sense under the Notion of what cause or causes our Works are excluded from our Justification and under what notions they are necessary thereunto And there is no one of these Distinctions but it needs many more to explain it which accordingly are made use of by Learned men And so specious a Colour may be put on these things when warily managed by the Art of Disputation that very few are able to discern the Ground of them or what there is of substance in that which is pleaded for and fewer yet on whether side the Truth doth lye But he who is really convinced of sin and being also sensible of what it is to enter into judgement with the Holy God enquires for himself and not for others how he may come to be accepted with him will be apt upon the consideration of all these Distinctions and Sub-distinctions wherewith they are attended to say to their Authors fecistis probe incertior sum multo quam dudum My Enquiry is how I shall come before the Lord and bow my self before the high God how shall I escape the wrath to come what shall I plead in judgment before God that I may be absolved acquitted justified where shall I have a Righteousness that will endure a Trial in his presence If I should be harnessed with a thousand of these distinctions I am afraid they would prove Thorns and Briars which he would pass through and consume The Enquiry therefore is upon the consideration of the state of the Person to be justified before mentioned and described and the proposal of the Reliefs in our Justification as now expressed whether it be the wisest and safest course for such a Person seeking to be justified before God to betake himself absolutely his whole Trust and Confidence unto Soveraign Grace and the Mediation of Christ or to have some reserve for or to place some confidence in his own Graces Duties Works and Obedience In putting this great Difference unto Vmpirage that we may not be thought to fix on a partial Arbitrator we shall refer it to one of our greatest and most learned Adversaries in this cause And he positively gives us in his Determination and Resolution in those known words In this case Propter incertitudinem propriae justitiae periculum inanis gloriae Tutissimum est fiduciam totam in sola misericordia Dei benignitate reponere Bellar. de Justificat lib. 5. cap. 7. prop. 3. By reason of the uncertainty of our own Righteousness and the danger of vain Glory it is the safest course to repose our whole Trust in the mercy and kindness or
that herein their Spiritual and Eternal Interest was concerned they made their Enquiries after the Truth in this matter which they knew must be the only means of their Deliverance All men in those days were either kept in Bondage under endless Fears and Anxieties of mind upon the convictions of sin or sent for Relief unto Indulgences Priestly Pardons Pennances Pilgrimages works satisfactory of their own and supererogatory of others or kept under Chains of Darkness for Purgatory unto the last day Now he is no way able to compare things past and present who fees not how great an Alteration is made in these things even in the Papal Church For before the Reformation whereby the Light of the Gospel especially in this Doctrine of Justification was diffused among men and shone even into their minds who never comprehended nor received it the whole almost of Religion among them was taken up with and confined unto these things And to instigate men unto an abounding sedulity in the observation of them their minds were stuffed with Traditions and Stories of Visions Apparitions frightful Spirits and other Imaginations that poor mortals are apt to be amazed withall and which their restless disquietments gave countenance unto Somnia terrores Magici miracula sagae Nocturni Lemures portentaque Thessala Were the principal objects of their Creed and matter of their Religious Conversation That very Church it self is comparatively at ease from these things unto what it was before the Reformation though so much of them is still retained as to blind the Eyes of men from discerning the Necessity as well as the Truth of the Evangelical Doctrine of Justification It is fallen out herein not much otherwise then it did at the first Entrance of Christianity into the world For there was an Emanation of Light and Truth from the Gospel which affected the minds of men by whom yet the whole of it in its general Design was opposed and persecuted For from thence the very vulgar sort of men became to have better apprehensions and notions of God and his properties or the Original and Rule of the Universe then they had arrived unto in the midnight of their Paganism And a sort of learned speculative men there were who by virtue of that Light of Truth which sprung from the Gospel and was now diffused into the minds of men reformed and improved the old Philosophy discarding many of those falshoods and impertinencies wherewith it had been encumbred But when this was done they still maintained their cause on the old principles of the Philosophers and indeed their opposition unto the Gospel was far more plausible and pleadable than it was before For after they had discarded the gross conceptions of the common sort about the divine Nature and Rule and had blended the Light of Truth which brake forth in Christian Religion with their own Philosophical notions they made a vigorous Attempt for the reinforcement of Heathenism against the main Design of the Gospel And things have not as I said fallen out much otherwise in the Reformation For as by the Light of Truth which therein brake forth the Consciences of even the vulgar sort are in some measure freed from those Childish Affrightments which they were before in Bondage unto so those who are Learned have been enabled to reduce the Opinions and Practices of their Church into a more defensible posture and make their Opposition unto the Truths of the Gospel more plausible than they formerly were Yea that Doctrine which in the way of its Teaching and Practice among them as also in its effects on the Consciences of men was so horrid as to drive innumerable persons from their Communion in that and other things also is now in the new Representation of it with the artificial covering provided for its former effects in practice thought an Argument meet to be pleaded for a return unto its entire Communion But to root out the Superstitions mentioned out of the minds of men to communicate unto them the knowledge of the Righteousness of God which is revealed from Faith to Faith and thereby to deliver them from their bondage fears and distress directing convinced sinners unto the only way of solid peace with God did the first Reformers labour so diligently in the Declaration and Vindication of the Evangelical Doctrine of Justification and God was with them And it is worth our consideration whether we should on every cavil and sophism of men not so taught not so employed not so tryed not so owned of God as they were and in whose Writings there are not appearing such Characters of Wisdom sound Judgment and deep Experience as in theirs easily part with that Doctrine of Truth wherein alone they found peace unto their own Souls and whereby they were instrumental to give liberty and peace with God unto the Souls and Consciences of others innumerable accompanied with the visible effects of Holiness of Life and fruitfulness in the works of Righteousness unto the praise of God by Jesus Christ. In my judgment Luther spake the truth when he said amisso Articulo Justificationis simul amissa est tota Doctrina Christiana And I wish he had not been a true Prophet when he foretold that in the following Ages the Doctrine hereof would be again obscured the Causes whereof I have elsewhere enquired into Some late Writers indeed among the Protestants have endeavoured to reduce the controversie about Justification with the Papists unto an Appearance of a far less real Difference then is usually judged to be in it And a good work it is no doubt to pare off all unnecessary occasions of Debate and Differences in Religion provided we go not so near the Quick as to let out any of its vital Spirits The way taken herein is to proceed upon some Concessions of the most sober among the Papists in their Ascriptions unto Grace and the Merit of Christ on the one side and the express judgment of the Protestants variously delivered of the necessity of good works to them that are justified Besides it appears that in different expressions which either party adhere unto as it were by Tradition the same things are indeed intended Among them who have laboured in this kind Ludovicus le Blanc for his perspicuity and plainness his moderation and freedom from a contentious frame of Spirit is pene solus legi dignus He is like the Ghost of Tiresias in this matter But I must needs say that I have not seen the effect that might be desired of any such undertaking For when each party comes unto the Interpretation of their own Concessions which is ex communi jure to be allowed unto them and which they will be sure to do in compliance with their Judgment in the substance of the Doctrine wherein the main stress of the Difference lies the distance and breach continue as Wide as ever they were Nor is there the least ground towards peace obtained by any of our condescensions or
may have and not be justified and if they have not a Faith of another kind they cannot be justified For Justification is no where ascribed unto it yea it is affirmed by the Apostle James That none can be justified by it 2. It may produce great Effects in the Minds Affections and Lives of Men although not one of them that are peculiar unto justifying Faith Yet such they may be as that those in whom they are wrought may be and ought in the Judgment of Charity to be looked on as true Believers 3. This is that Faith which may be alone We are justified by Faith alone But we are not justified by that Faith which can be alone Alone respects its influence into our Justification not its nature and existence And we absolutely deny that we can be justified by that Faith which can be alone that is without a principle of spiritual Life and universal Obedience operative in all the works of it as Duty doth require These things I have observed only to obviate that Calumny and Reproach which some endeavour to fix on the Doctrine of Justification by Faith only through the Mediation of Christ. For those who assert it must be Solifidians Antinomians and I know not what such as oppose or deny the necessity of universal Obedience or Good Works Most of them who manage it cannot but know in their own Consciences that this Charge is false But this is the way of handling Controversies with many They can aver any thing that seems to advantage the cause they plead to the great scandal of Religion If by Solifidians they mean those who believe that Faith alone is on our part the Means Instrument or Condition of which afterwards of our Justification all the Prophets and Apostles were so and were so taught to be by Jesus Christ as shall be proved If they mean those who affirm that the Faith whereby we are justified is alone separate or separable from a principle and the fruit of Holy Obedience they must find them out themselves we know nothing of them For we allow no Faith to be of the same kind or nature with that whereby we are justified but what virtually and radically contains in it universal Obedience as the effect is in the cause the fruit in the Root and which acts it self in all particular Duties according as by Rule and Circumstances they are made so to be Yea we allow no Faith to be justifying or to be of the same kind with it which is not its self and in its own nature a spiritually vital principle of Obedience and Good Works And if this be not sufficient to prevail with some not to seek for advantages by such shameful calumnies yet is it so with others to free their minds from any concernment in them For the especial nature of Justifying Faith which we enquire into the things whereby it is evidenced may be reduced unto these four Heads 1 The Causes of it on the part of God 2 What is in us previously required unto it 3 The proper Object of it 4 It s proper peculiar Acts and Effects Which shall be spoken unto so far as is necessary unto our present design 1. The Doctrine of the Causes of Faith as unto its first Original in the Divine Will and the way of its communication unto us is so large and so immixed with that of the way and manner of the operation of efficacious Grace in Conversion which I have handled elsewhere as that I shall not here insist upon it For as it cannot in a few words be spoken unto according unto its weight and worth so to engage into a full handling of it would too much divert us from our present Argument This I shall only say that from thence it may be uncontroulably evidenced That the Faith whereby we are justified is of an especial kind or nature wherein no other Faith which Justification is not inseparable from doth partake with it 2. Wherefore our first Enquiry is concerning what was proposed in the second place namely what is an our part in a way of Duty previously required thereunto or what is necessary to be found in us antecedaneously unto our Believing unto the Justification of Life And I say there is supposed in them in whom this Faith is wrought on whom it is bestowed and whose Duty it is to believe therewith the work of the Law in the Conviction of sin or Conviction of sin is a necessary Antecedent unto Justifying Faith Many have disputed what belongs hereunto and what effects it produceth in the mind that dispose the Soul unto the receiving of the Promise of the Gospel But whereas there are different Apprehensions about these effects or concomitants of Conviction in Compunction Humiliation Self-judging with sorrow for sin committed and the like as also about the Degrees of them as ordinarily pre-required unto Faith and Conversion unto God I shall speak very briefly unto them so far as they are inseparable from the Conviction asserted And I shall first consider this Conviction it self with what is essential thereunto and then the effects of it in conjunction with that temporary Faith before spoken of I shall do so not as unto their nature the knowledge whereof I take for granted but only as they have respect unto our Justification As to the first I say The work of Conviction in general whereby the Soul of man hath a practical understanding of the nature of sin its Guilt and the Punishment due unto it and is made sensible of his own interest therein both with respect unto sin original and actual with his own utter disability to deliver himself out of the state and condition wherein on the account of these things he findeth himself to be is that which we affirm to be antecedaneously necessary unto Justifying Faith that is in the Adult and of whose Justification the Word is the external means and instrument A Convinced sinner is only Subjectum capax Justificationis not that every one that is convinced is or must necessarily be justified There is not any such disposition or preparation of the subject by this Conviction its effects and consequents as that the form of Justification as the Papists speak or justifying Grace must necessarily ensue or be introduced thereon Nor is there any such preparation in it as that by virtue of any divine Compact or Promise a Person so convinced shall be pardoned and justified But as a man may believe with any kind of Faith that is not justifying such as that before mentioned without this Conviction so it is ordinarily previous and necessary so to be unto that Faith which is unto the Justification of Life The motive is not unto it that thereon a man shall be assuredly justified but that without it he cannot be so This I say is required in the Person to be justified in order of nature antecedaneously unto that Faith whereby we are justified which we shall prove with the ensuing
only by works of Righteousness which men did themselves in Obedience unto the Commands of God but also by the strict observance of many Inventions of what they called the Church with an Ascription of a strange Efficacy to the same Ends unto missatical Sacrifices Sacramentals Absolutions Pennances Pilgrimages and other the like Superstitions Hereby they observed that the Consciences of men were kept in perpetual disquietments perplexities fears and bondage exclusive of that Rest Assurance and Peace with God through the Blood of Christ which the Gospel proclaims and tenders And when the Leaders of the People in that Church had observed this that indeed the ways and means which they proposed and presented would never bring the Souls of men to Rest nor give them the least Assurance of the pardon of sins they made it a part of their Doctrine that the belief of the pardon of our own sins and Assurance of the Love of God in Christ were false and pernicious For what should they else do when they knew well enough that in their way and by their propositions they were not to be attained Hence the principal Controversie in this matter which the Reformed Divines had with those of the Church of Rome was this whether there be according unto and by the Gospel a state of Rest and assured Peace with God to be attained in this life And having all Advantages imaginable for the proof hereof from the very nature use and end of the Gospel from the Grace Love and Design of God in Christ from the Efficacy of his Mediation in his Oblation and Intercession they assigned these things to be the especial Object of Justifying Faith and that Faith it self to be a fiduciary Trust in the especial Grace and Mercy of God through the blood of Christ as proposed in the Promises of the Gospel That is they directed the Souls of men to seek for peace with God the pardon of sin and a Right unto the Heavenly Inheritance by placing their sole Trust and Confidence in the mercy of God by Christ alone But yet withall I never read any of them I know not what others have done who affirmed that every true and sincere Believer always had a full Assurance of the Especial Love of God in Christ or of the pardon of his own sins though they plead that this the Scripture requires of them in a way of Duty and that this they ought to aim at the Attainment of And these things I shall leave as I find them unto the use of the Church For I shall not contend with any about the way and manner of expressing the Truth where the substance of it is retained That which in these things is aimed at is the Advancement and Glory of the Grace of God in Christ with the conduct of the Souls of men unto Rest and Peace with him Where this is attained or aimed at and that in the way of Truth for the substance of it variety of Apprehensions and Expressions concerning the same things may tend unto the useful exercise of the Faith and Edification of the Church Wherefore neither opposing nor rejecting what hath been delivered by others as their Judgments herein I shall propose my own thoughts concerning it not without some hopes that they may tend to communicate Light in the knowledge of the thing it self enquired into and the Reconciliation of some differences about it amongst Learned and Holy men I say therefore That the Lord Jesus Christ himself as the Ordinance of God in his work of Mediation for the Recovery and Salvation of lost sinners and as unto that End proposed in the Promise of the Gospel is the adequate proper Object of Justifying Faith or of saving Faith in its Work and Duty with respect unto our Justification The Reason why I thus state the Object of Justifying Faith is because it compleatly answers all that is ascribed unto it in the Scripture and all that the nature of it doth require What belongs unto it as Faith in general is here supposed and what is peculiar unto it as Justifying is fully expressed And a few things will serve for the Explication of the Thesis which shall afterwards be confirmed 1. The Lord Jesus Christ himself is asserted to be the proper Object of Justifying Faith For so it is required in all those Testimonies of Scripture where that Faith is declared to be our believing in him on his name our receiving of him or looking unto him whereunto the Promise of Justification and Eternal Life is annexed whereof afterwards See Joh. 1.12 chap. 3.16 36. chap. 6.29 47. chap. 7.38 chap. 15.25 Act. 10.41 Act. 13.38 39. Act. 16.31 Act. 26.18 c. 2. He is not proposed as the Object of our Faith unto the Justification of Life absolutely but as the Ordinance of God even the Father unto that end who therefore also is the immediate Object of Faith as Justifying in what respects we shall declare immediately So Justification is frequently ascribed unto Faith as peculiarly acted on him Joh. 5.24 He that believeth on him that sent me hath Everlasting Life and shall not come into Judgment but is passed from Death into Life And herein is comprized that Grace Love and Favour of God which is the principal moving cause of our Justification Rom. 3.23 24. Add hereunto Joh. 6.29 and the Object of Faith is compleat This is the Work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent God the Father as sending and the Son as sent that is Jesus Christ in the work of his Mediation as the Ordinance of God for the Recovery and Salvation of lost sinners is the Object of our Faith See 1 Pet. 1.21 3. That he may be the Object of our Faith whose general nature consisteth in Assent and which is the Foundation of all its other Acts He is proposed in the promises of the Gospel which I therefore place as concurring unto its compleat Object Yet do I not herein consider the Promises meerly as peculiar divine Revelations in which sense they belong unto the formal Object of Faith but as they contain propose and exhibit Christ as the Ordinance of God and the Benefits of his Mediation unto them that do believe There is an especial Assent unto the Promises of the Gospel wherein some place the nature and essence of Justifying Faith or of Faith in its Work and Duty with respect unto our Justification And so they make the Promises of the Gospel to be the proper Object of it And it cannot be but that in the Actings of Justifying Faith there is a peculiar Assent unto them Howbeit this being only an Act of the mind neither the whole nature nor the whole work of Faith can consist therein Wherefore so far as the Promises concur to the compleat Object of Faith they are considered materially also namely as they contain propose and exhibit Christ unto Believers And in that sense are they frequently affirmed in the Scripture to be the
necessary Condition of Justification for it is that which they call the first Justification alone which we treat about And that the Continuation of our Justification depends solely on the same causes with our Justification it self shall be afterwards declared But it is not yet proved nor ever will be that whatever is required in them that are to be justified is a Condition whereon their Justification is immediately suspended We allow that alone to be a Condition of Justification which hath an influence of causality thereunto though it be but the causality of an Instrument This we ascribe unto Faith alone And because we do so it is pleaded that we ascribe more in our Justification unto our selves than they do by whom we are opposed For we ascribe the efficiency of an Instrument herein unto our own Faith when they say only that it is a Condition or Causa sine qua non of our Justification But I judge that grave and wise men ought not to give so much to the defence of the Cause they have undertaken seeing they cannot but know indeed the contrary For after they have given the specious name of a Condition and a Causa sine qua non unto Faith they immediately take all other Graces and Works of Obedience into the same state with it and the same use in Justification and after this seeming Gold hath been cast for a while into the fire of Disputation there comes out the Calf of a personal inherent Righteousness whereby Men are justified before God virtute foederis Evangelici for as for the Righteousness of Christ to be imputed unto us it is gone into Heaven and they know not what is become of it Having given this brief Declaration of the Nature of Justifying Faith and the Acts of it as I suppose sufficient unto my present Design I shall not trouble my self to give an accurate Definition of it What are my Thoughts concerning it will be better understood by what hath been spoken than by any precise definition I can give And the Truth is definitions of Justifying Faith have been so multiplied by Learned Men and in so great variety and such a manifest inconsistency among some of them that they have been of no advantage unto the Truth but occasions of new Controversies and Divisions whilst every one hath laboured to defend the Accuracy of his own Definition when yet it may be difficult for a true Believer to find any thing compliant with his own Experience in them which kind of Definitions in these things I have no esteem for I know no man that hath laboured in this Argument about the Nature of Faith more than Doctor Jackson yet when he hath done all he gives us a definition of Justifying Faith which I know few that will subscribe unto yet is it in the main scope of it both pious and sound For he tells us Here at length we may define the Faith by which the just do live to be a firm and constant Adherence unto the mercies and loving kindness of the Lord or generally unto the spiritual food exhibited in his Sacred Word as much better than this Life it self and all the Contentments it is capable of grounded on a taste or relish of their sweetness wrought in the Soul or Heart of a Man by the spirit of Christ. Whereunto he adds The terms for the most part are the Prophet Davids not metaphorical as some may fancy much less equivocal but proper and homogeneal to the subject defined Tom. 1. Book 4. chap. 9. For the lively Scriptural Expressions of Faith by receiving of Christ leaning on him rolling our selves or our burden on him tasting how gracious the Lord is and the like which of late have been reproached yea blasphemed by many I may have occasion to speak of them afterwards as also to manifest that they convey a better understanding of the Nature Work and Object of Justifying Faith unto the minds of men spiritually enlightened than the most accurate Definitions that many pretend unto some whereof are destructive and exclusive of them all CHAP. III. The Vse of Faith in Justification It s especial Object farther cleared THe Description before given of Justifying Faith doth sufficiently manifest of what Vse it is in Justification Nor shall I in general add much unto what may be thence observed unto that purpose But whereas this Vse of it hath been expressed with some variety and several ways of it asserted inconsistent with one another they must be considered in our passage And I shall do it with all brevity possible for these things lead not in any part of the Controversie about the Nature of Justification but are meerly subservient unto other Conceptions concerning it When Men have fixed their Apprehensions about the principal matters in Controversie they express what concerneth the Vse of Faith in an Accommodation thereunto Supposing such to be the Nature of Justification as they assert it must be granted that the Vse of Faith therein must be what they plead for And if what is peculiar unto any in the substance of the Doctrine be disproved they cannot deny but that their Notions about the Vse of Faith do fall unto the Ground Thus is it with all who affirm Faith to be either the Instrument or the Condition or the Causa sine qua non or the preparation and disposition of the Subject or a meritorious cause by way of condecency or congruity in and of our Justification For all these notions of the Vse of Faith are suited and accommodated unto the Opinions of Men concerning the nature and principal causes of Justification Neither can any Trial or Determination be made as unto their Truth and Propriety but upon a previous Judgment concerning those causes and the whole Nature of Justification it self Whereas therefore it were vain and endless to plead the principal matter in Controversie upon every thing that occasionally belongs unto it and so by the Title unto the whole Inheritance on every Cottage that is built on the premises I shall briefly speak unto these various Conceptions about the Vse of Faith in our Justification rather to find out and give an understanding of what is intended by them than to argue about their Truth and Propriety which depends on that wherein the substance of the Controversie doth consist Protestant Divines until of late have unanimously affirmed Faith to be the instrumental cause of our Justification So it is expressed to be in many of the publick Confessions of their Churches This Notion of theirs concerning the Nature and Vse of Faith was from the first opposed by those of the Roman Church Afterwards it was denied also by the Socinians as either false or improper Socin Miscellnn Smalcius adv Frantz disput 4 Schlicting adver Meisner de Justificat And of late this expression is disliked by some among our selves wherein they follow Episcopius Curcellius and others of that way Those who are sober and moderate do rather decline
this Notion and Expression as improper than reject them as untrue And our safest course in these cases is to consider what is the thing or matter intended If that be agreed upon he deserves best of Truth who parts with strife about propriety of Expressions before it be medled with Tenacious pleading about them will surely render our Contentions Endless and none will ever want an Appearance of probability to give them countenance in what they pretend If our design in teaching be the same with that of the Scripture namely to inform the Minds of Believers and convey the Light of the knowledge of God in Christ unto them we must be contented sometimes to make use of such Expressions as will scarce pass the Ordeal of arbitrary Rules and Distinctions through the whole compass of notional and artificial Sciences And those who without more ado reject the instrumentality of Faith in our Justification as an unscriptural Notion as though it were easie for them with one breath to blow away the Reasons and Arguments of so many Learned Men as have pleaded for it may not I think do amiss to review the Grounds of their Confidence For the Question being only concerning what is intended by it it is not enough that the Term or Word it self of an instrument is not found unto this purpose in the Scripture For on the same Ground we may reject a Trinity of Persons in the Divine Essence without an acknowledgment whereof not one Line of the Scripture can be rightly understood Those who assert Faith to be as the Instrumental cause in our Justification do it with respect unto two Ends. For first they design thereby to declare the meaning of those expressions in the Scripture wherein we are said to be justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absolutely which must denote either instrumentum aut formam aut modum actionis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.28 Therefore we conclude that a Man is justified by Faith So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 2.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.22 30. That is fide ex fide per fidem which we can express only by Faith or through Faith Propter fidem or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for our Faith we are no where said to be justified The Enquiry is what is the most proper lightsome and convenient way of declaring the meaning of these Expressions This the Generality of Protestants do judge to be by an instrumental cause For some kind of causality they do plainly intimate whereof the lowest and meanest is that which is instrumental For they are used of Faith in our Justification before God and of no other Grace or Duty whatever Wherefore the proper Work or Office of Faith in our Justification is intended by them And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no where used in the whole New Testament with a genitive case nor in any other good Author but it denotes an instrumental Efficiency at least In the divine Works of the Holy Trinity the operation of the second Person who is in them a principal Efficient yet is sometimes expressed thereby it may be to denote the order of Operation in the Holy Trinity answering the order of Subsistence though it be applied unto God absolutely or the Father Rom. 11.35 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by him are all things Again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are directly opposed Gal. 3.2 But when it is said that a man is not justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the works of the Law it is acknowledged by all that the meaning of the Expression is to exclude all efficiency in every kind of such works from our Justification It follows therefore that where in opposition hereunto we are said to be justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Faith an instrumental efficiency is intended Yet will I not therefore make it my controversie with any that Faith is properly an instrument or the instrumental cause in or of our Justification and so divert into an impertinent contest about the nature and kinds of Instruments and Instrumental causes as they are metaphysically hunted with a confused Cry of futilous terms and distinctions But this I judge that among all those notions of things which may be taken from common use and understanding to represent unto our minds the meaning and intention of the scriptural Expressions so often used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is none so proper as this of an Instrument or Instrumental cause seeing a causality is included in them and that of any other kind certainly excluded nor hath it any of its own But it may be said that if Faith be the Instrumental cause of Justification it is either the Instrument of God or the Instrument of Believers themselves That it is not the Instrument of God is plain in that it is a duty which he prescribeth unto us it is an Act of our own and it is we that believe not God nor can any Act of ours be the Instrument of his Work And if it be our Instrument seeing an Efficiency is ascribed unto it then are we the efficient causes of our own Justification in some sense and may be said to justifie our selves which is derogatory to the Grace of God and the Blood of Christ. I confess that I lay not much weight on Exceptions of this nature For 1 notwithstanding what is said herein the Scripture is express that God justifieth us by Faith It is one God which shall justifie the Circumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Faith and the uncircumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through or by Faith Rom. 3.30 The Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith Gal. 3.8 As he purifieth the Hearts of men by Faith Act. 15.9 Wherefore Faith in some sense may be said to be the Instrument of God in our Justification both as it is the means and way ordained and appointed by him on our part whereby we shall be justified as also because he bestoweth it on us and works it in us unto this end that we may be justified For by Grace we are saved through Faith and that not of our selves it is the Gift of God Ephes. 3.8 If any one shall now say that on these accounts or with respect unto Divine Ordination and Operation concurring unto our Justification that Faith is the Instrument of God in its place and way as the Gospel also is Rom. 1.16 and the Ministers of it 2 Cor. 5.18 1 Tim. 4.6 and the Sacraments also Rom. 4.11 Tit. 3.5 in their several places and kinds unto our Justification it may be he will contribute unto a right conception of the work of God herein as much as those shall by whom it is denied But that which is principally intended is that it is the Instrument of them that do believe Neither yet are they said hereon to justifie themselves For whereas it doth neither really
produce the effect of Justification by a physical operation nor can do so it being a pure Soveraign Act of God nor is morally any way meritorious thereof nor doth dispose the subject wherein it is unto the Introduction of an inherent formal cause of Justification there being no such thing in rerum natura nor hath any other Physical or moral respect unto the effect of Justification but what ariseth meerly from the constitution and appointment of God there is no Colour of Reason from the Instrumentality of Faith asserted to ascribe the Effect of Justification unto any but unto the principal efficient cause which is God alone and from whom it proceedeth in a way of free and soveraign Grace disposing the Order of things and the Relation of them one unto another as seemeth good unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 25. It is therefore the Ordinance of God prescribing our duty that we may be justified freely by his Grace having its use and operation towards that End after the manner of an Instrument as we shall see farther immediately Wherefore so far as I can discern they contribute nothing unto the real understanding of this Truth who deny Faith to be the instrumental cause of our Justification and on other Grounds assert it to be the Condition thereof unless they can prove that this is a more natural exposition of those expressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the first thing to be enquired after For all that we do in this matter is but to endeavour a right understanding of Scripture propositions and expressions unless we intend to wander extra oleas and lose our selves in a maze of uncertain conjectures Secondly They designed to declare the use of Faith in Justification expressed in the Scripture by apprehending and receiving of Christ or his Righteousness and Remission of sins thereby The words whereby this use of Faith in our Justification is expressed are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the constant use of them in the Scripture is to take or receive what is offered tendered given or granted unto us or to apprehend and lay hold of any thing thereby to make it our own as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is also used in the same sense Heb. 2.16 So are we said by Faith to receive Christ Joh. 1.12 Col. 2.6 The Abundance of Grace and the Gift of Righteousness Rom. 5.17 The word of Promise Act. 2.41 The word of God Act. 8.14 1 Thes. 1.6 chap. 2.13 The Atonement made by the blood of Christ Rom. 5.11 The forgiveness of sins Act. 10.43 chap. 26.18 The Promise of the spirit Gal. 3.14 The Promises Heb. 9.15 There is therefore nothing that concurreth unto our Justification but we receive it by Faith And unbelief is expressed by not receiving Joh. 1.11 chap. 3.11 chap. 12.48 chap. 14.17 Wherefore the Object of Faith in our Justification that whereby we are justified is tendered granted and given unto us of God the use of Faith being to lay hold upon it to receive it so as that it may be our own What we receive of outward things that are so given unto us we do it by our hand which therefore is the instrument of that reception that whereby we apprehend or lay hold of any thing to appropriate it unto our selves and that because this is the peculiar Office which by nature it is assigned unto among all the members of the body Other Vses it hath and other members on other Accounts may be as useful unto the body as it but it alone is the instrument of receiving and apprehending that which being given is to be made our own and to abide with us Whereas therefore the Righteousness wherewith we are justified is the Gift of God which is tendred unto us in the Promise of the Gospel the Use and Office of Faith being to receive apprehend or lay hold of and appropriate this Righteousness I know not how it can be better expressed than by an Instrument nor by what notion of it more light of understanding may be conveyed unto our minds Some may suppose other Notions are meet to express it by on other Accounts and it may be so with respect unto other uses of it But the sole present Enquiry is how it shall be declared as that which receiveth Christ the Atonement the Gift of Righteousness which will prove its only use in our Justification He that can better express this than by an Instrument ordained of God unto this End all whose use depends on that Ordination of God will deserve well of the Truth It is true that all those who place the formal Cause or Reason of our Justification in our selves or our inherent Righteousness and so either directly or by just consequence deny all Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto our Justification are not capable of admitting Faith to be an Instrument in this work nor are pressed with this consideration For they acknowledge not that we receive a Righteousness which is not our own by way of Gift whereby we are justified and so cannot allow of any Instrument whereby it should be received The Righteousness it self being as they phrase it putative imaginary a chimaera a fiction it can have no real accidents nothing that can be really predicated concerning it Wherefore as was said at the Entrance of this Discourse the Truth and Propriety of this declaration of the Vse of Faith in our Justification by an Instrumental cause depends on the substance of the Doctrine it self concerning the nature and principal causes of it with which they must stand or fall If we are justified through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ which Faith alone apprehends and receives it will not be denied but that it is rightly enough placed as the Instrumental cause of our Justification And if we are justified by an inherent Evangelical Righteousness of our own Faith may be the Condition of its Imputation or a disposition for its Introduction or a congruous merit of it but an Instrument it cannot be But yet for the present it hath this double advantage 1 That it best and most appositely answers what is affirmed of the Vse of Faith in our Justification in the Scripture as the Instances given do manifest 2. That no other notion of it can be so stated but that it must be apprehended in order of time to be previous unto Justification which Justifying Faith cannot be unless a man may be a true Believer with Justifying Faith and yet not be justified Some do plead that Faith is the Condition of our Justification and that otherwise it is not to be conceived of As I said before so I say again I shall not contend with any man about Words Terms or Expressions so long as what is intended by them is agreed upon And there is an obvious sense wherein Faith may be called the Condition of our Justification For no more may be
places of the Scripture Wherefore there is no Reason why we should limit the Object of it unto the Person of Christ as acting in the discharge of his Sacerdotal Office with the Effects and Fruits thereof Answ. 1. Saving Faith and Justifying Faith in any Believer are one and the same and the Adjuncts of Saving and Justifying are but external Denominations from its distinct Operations and Effects But yet Saving Faith doth act in a peculiar manner and is of peculiar use in Justification such as it is not of under any other Consideration whatever Wherefore 2 Although Saving Faith as it is described in General do ever include Obedience not as its Form or Essence but as the necessary Effect is included in the cause and the Fruit in the Fruit-bearing juyce and is often mentioned as to its Being and Exercise where there is no express mention of Christ his Blood and his Righteousness but is applied unto all the Acts Duties and Ends of the Gospel yet this proves not at all but that as unto its Duty Place and acting in our Justification it hath a peculiar Object If it could be proved that where Justification is ascribed unto Faith that there it hath any other Object assigned unto it as that which it rested in for the pardon of Sin and Acceptance with God this Objection were of some force But this cannot be done 3 This is not to say that we are justified by a part of Faith and not by it as considered essentially for we are justified by the entire Grace of Faith acting in such a peculiar way and manner as others have observed But the Truth is we need not insist on the Discussion of this Enquiry For the true meaning of it is not whether any thing of Christ is to be excluded from being the Object of Justifying Faith or of Faith in our Justification but what in and of our selves under the name of receiving Christ as our Lord and King is to be admitted unto an Efficiency or Conditionality in that work As it is granted that justifying Faith is the receiving of Christ so whatever belongs unto the Person of Christ or any Office of his or any Acts in the discharge of any Office that may be reduced unto any cause of our Justification the meritorious procuring material formal or manifesting cause of it is so far as it doth so freely admitted to belong unto the Object of Justifying Faith Neither will I contend with any upon this disadvantageous stating of the Question What of Christ is to be esteemed the Object of Justifying Faith and what is not so For the thing intended is only this whether our own Obedience distinct from Faith or included in it and in like manner as Faith be the condition of our Justification before God This being that which is intended which the other question is but invented to lead unto a compliance with by a more specious pretence then in it self it is capable of under those terms it shall be examined and no otherwise CHAP. IV. Of Justification the notion and signification of the Word in the Scripture UNto the right understanding of the nature of Justification the proper sense and signification of these words themselves Justification and to justifie is to be enquired into For until that is agreed upon it is impossible that our Discourses concerning the thing it self should be freed from equivocation Take words in various senses and all may be true that is contradictorily affirmed or denied concerning what they are supposed to signifie And so it hath actually fallen out in this case as we shall see more fully afterwards Some taking these words in one sense some in another have appeared to deliver contrary Doctrines concerning the thing it self or our Justification before God who yet have fully agreed in what the proper determinate sense or sigfication of the words doth import And therefore the true meaning of them hath been declared and vindicated already by many But whereas the right stating hereof is of more moment unto the Determination of what is principally controverted about the Doctrine it self or the thing signified than most do apprehend and something at least remains to be added for the Declaration and Vindication of the import and only signification of these words in the Scripture I shall give an account of my observations concerning it with what diligence I can The Latine Derivation and Composition of the word Justificatio would seem to denote an internal change from inherent Unrighteousness unto Righteousness likewise inherent by a Physical motion and Transmutation as the Schoolmen speak For such is the signification of words of the same Composition So Sanctification Mortification Vivification and the like do all denote a real internal Work on the Subject spoken of Hereon in the whole Roman School Justification is taken for Justifaction or the making of a man to be inherently Righteous by the infusion of a principle or habit of Grace who was before inherently and habitually unjust and unrighteous Whilst this is taken to be the proper signification of the word we neither do nor can speak ad idem in our Disputations with them about the cause and nature of that Justification which the Scripture teacheth And this appearing sense of the Word possibly deceived some of the Antients as Austin in particular to declare the Doctrine of free gratuitous sanctification without respect unto any Works of our own under the name of Justification For neither he nor any of them ever thought of a Justification before God consisting in the pardon of our sins and the Acceptation of our Persons as Righteous by vertue of any inherent habit of Grace infused into us or acted by us Wherefore the subject matter must be determined by the Scriptural use and signification of these words before we can speak properly or intelligibly concerning it For if to Justifie men in the Scripture signifie to make them subjectively and inherently Righteous we must acknowledge a mistake in what we Teach concerning the nature and causes of Justification And if it signifie no such thing all their Disputations about Justification by the infusion of Grace and inherent Righteousness thereon fall to the Ground Wherefore all Protestants and the Socinians all of them comply therein do affirm that the use and signification of these words is Forensick denoting an Act of Jurisdiction Only the Socinians and some others would have it to consist in the pardon of sin only which indeed the word doth not at all signifie But the sense of the word is to Assoil to Acquit to Declare and pronounce Righteous upon a Trial which in this case the pardon of Sin doth necessarily accompany Justificatio and Justifico belong not indeed unto the Latine Tongue nor can any good Authour be produced who ever used them for the making of him inherently Righteous by any means who was not so before But whereas these words were coyned and framed to signifie such things as are
33.24 Psal. 32.1 2. Rom. 3.23 24 25. Chap. 8.1 33 34. 2 Cor. 5.21 Gal. 3.13 14. Of what use the Declaration of this Process in the Justification of a Sinner may be hath been in some measure before declared And if many did seriously consider that all these things do concur and are required unto the Justification of every one that shall be saved it may be they would not have such slight thoughts of sin and the way of Deliverance from the guilt of it as they seem to have From this Consideration did the Apostle learn that Terror of the Lord which made him so earnest with men to seek after Reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.10 11. I had not so long insisted on the signification of the words in the Scripture but that a right understanding of it doth not only exclude the pretences of the Romanists about the infusion of an habit of Charity from being the formal cause of our Justification before God but may also give occasion unto some to take advice into what place or consideration they can dispose their own personal inherent Righteousness in their Justification before him CHAP. V. The Distinction of a first and second Justification Examined The Continuation of Justification whereon it doth depend BEfore we enquire immediately into the nature and causes of Justification there are some things yet previously to be considered that we may prevent all Ambiguity and misunderstanding about the Subject to be treated of I say therefore that the Evangelical Justification which alone we plead about is but one and is at once compleated About any other Justification before God but one we will not contend with any Those who can find out another may as they please ascribe what they will unto it or ascribe it unto what they will Let us therefore consider what is offered of this nature Those of the Roman Church do ground their whole Doctrine of Justification upon a distinction of a double Justification which they call the first and the second The first Justification they say is the infusion or the Communication unto us of an inherent principle or habit of Grace or Charity Hereby they say Original sin is extinguished and all habits of sin are expelled This Justification they say is by Faith the Obedience and Satisfaction of Christ being the only meritorious cause thereof Only they dispute many things about preparations for it and dispositions unto it Under those terms the Council of Trent included the Doctrine of the Schoolmen about meritum de congruo as both Hosius and Andradius confess in the defence of that Council And as they are explained they come much to one however the Council warily avoided the name of merit with respect unto this their first Justification And the use of Faith herein which with them is no more but a general assent unto Divine Revelation is to bear the principal part in these preparations So that to be Justified by Faith according unto them is to have the mind prepared by this kind of believing to receive Gratiam gratum facientem an habit of Grace expelling sin and making us acceptable unto God For upon this believing with those other Duties of Contrition and Repentance which must accompany it it is meet and congruous unto Divine Wisdom Goodness and Faithfulness to give us that Grace whereby we are justified And this according unto them is that Justification whereof the Apostle Paul treats in his Epistles from the procurement whereof he excludes all the Works of the Lavv. The second Justification is an effect or consequent hereof And the proper formal cause thereof is Good Works proceeding from this Principle of Grace and Love Hence are they the Righteousness wherewith Believers are Righteous before God Whereby they merit eternal life The Righteousness of Works they call it and suppose it taught by the Apostle James This they constantly affirm to make us justos ex injustis wherein they are followed by others For this is the way that most of them take to salve the seeming repugnancy between the Apostle Paul and James Paul they say treats of the first Justification only whence he excludes all Works for it is by Faith in the manner before described But James treats of the second Justification which is by good Works So Bellar. lib. 2. cap. 16. and lib. 4. cap. 18. And it is the express Determination of those at Trent Sess. 6. cap. 10. This distinction was coyned unto no other end but to bring in Confusion into the whole Doctrine of the Gospel Justification through the free Grace of God by Faith in the Blood of Christ is evacuated by it Sanctification is turned into a Justification and corrupted by making the fruits of it meritorious The whole nature of Evangelical Justification consisting in the gratuitous pardon of Sin and the Imputation of Righteousness as the Apostle expresly affirms and the declaration of a Believing Sinner to be Righteous thereon as the Word alone signifies is utterly defeated by it Howbeit others have embraced this distinction also though not absolutely in their sense So do the Socinians Yea it must be allowed in some sense by all that hold our inherent Righteousness to be the cause of or to have any influence into our Justification before God For they do allow of a Justification which in order of nature is antecedent unto Works truly Gracious and Evangelical But consequential unto such Works there is a Justification differing at least in degree if not in nature and kind upon the difference of its formal cause which is our new Obedience from the former But they mostly say it is only the continuation of our Justification and the encrease of it as to degrees that they intend by it And if they may be allowed to turn Sanctification into Justification and to make a progress therein or an encrease thereof either in the root or fruit to be a new Justification they may make twenty Justifications as well as two for ought I know For therein the inward man is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 and Believers go from strength to strength are changed from Glory to Glory 2 Cor. 3.18 by the Addition of one Grace unto another in their exercise 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8. and increasing with the encrease of God Col. 2.19 do in all things grow up into him who is the Head Ephes. 4.15 And if their Justification consist herein they are justified anew every day I shall therefore do these two things 1 Shew that this distinction is both unscriptural and irrational 2 Declare what is the continuation of our Justification and whereon it doth depend Justification by Faith in the Blood of Christ may be considered either as to the nature and essence of it or as unto its Manifestation and Declaration The Manifestation of it is twofold 1 Initial in this life 2 Solemn and compleat at the day of Judgment whereof we shall treat afterwards The Manifestation of it in this life respects either
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
Topicks of the name of God his Mercy Grace Faithfulness tender Compassion Covenant and Promises all manifested and exercised in and through the Lord Christ and his mediation alone Do they not herein place their only trust and confidence for this end that their Sins may be pardoned and their persons though every way unworthy in themselves be accepted with God Doth any other thought enter into their Hearts Do they plead their own Righteousness Obedience and Duties to this purpose Do they leave the prayer of the Publican and betake themselves unto that of the Pharisee And is it not of Faith alone which is that Grace whereby they apply themselves unto the Mercy or Grace of God through the mediation of Christ It is true that Faith herein worketh and acteth it self in and by Godly sorrow Repentance Humiliation Self-judging and Abhorrency Fervency in Prayer and Supplications with an humble waiting for an Answer of Peace from God with engagements unto renewed Obedience But it is Faith alone that makes Applications unto Grace in the Blood of Christ for the continuation of our justified Estate expressing it self in those other ways and effects mentioned from none of which a Believing Soul doth expect the Mercy aimed at 2. The Scripture expresly doth declare this to be the only way of the continuation of our Justification 1 Joh. 2.1 2. These things write I unto you that you sin not And if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the Propitiation for our Sins It is required of those that are justified that they sin not it is their duty not to sin but yet it is not so required of them as that if in any thing they fail of their Duty they should immediately lose the Priviledge of their Justification Wherefore on a supposition of sin if any man sin as there is no man that liveth and sinneth not what way is prescribed for such persons to take what are they to apply themselves unto that their sin may be pardoned and their acceptance with God continued that is for the continuation of their Justification The course in this case directed unto by the Apostle is none other but the Application of our Souls by Faith unto the Lord Christ as our Advocate with the Father on the account of the Propitiation that he hath made for our Sins Under the consideration of this double Act of his Sacerdotal Office his Oblation and Intercession he is the Object of our Faith in our absolute Justification and so he is as unto the continuation of it So our whole progress in our justified Estate in all the degrees of it is ascribed unto Faith alone It is no part of our enquiry what God requireth of them that are justified There is no Grace no Duty for the substance of them nor for the manner of their performance that are required either by the Law or the Gospel but they are obliged unto them Where they are omitted we acknowledge that the Guilt of sin is contracted and that attended with such Aggravations as some will not own or allow to be confessed unto God himself Hence in particular the Faith and Grace of Believers do constantly and deeply exercise themselves in Godly sorrow Repentance Humiliation for sin and confession of it before God upon their Apprehensions of its Guilt And these Duties are so far necessary unto the continuation of our Justification as that a justified Estate cannot consist with the Sins and Vices that are opposite unto them So the Apostle affirms that if we live after the flesh we shall dye Rom. 8.13 He that doth not carefully avoid falling into the Fire or Water or other things immediately destructive of life natural cannot live But these are not the things whereon life doth depend Nor have the best of our Duties any other respect unto the continuation of our Justification but only as in them we are preserved from those things which are contrary unto it and destructive of it But the sole Question is upon what the continuation of our Justification doth depend not concerning what Duties are required of us in the way of our Obedience If this be that which is intended in this position the continuation of our Justification depends on our own Obedience and Good Works or that our own Obedience and Good Works are the Condition of the continuation of our Justification namely that God doth indispensably require Good Works and Obedience in all that are justified so that a justified estate is inconsistent with the neglect of them it is readily granted and I shall never contend with any about the way whereby they chuse to express the conceptions of their minds But if it be enquired what it is whereby we immediately concur in a way of Duty unto the continuation of our justified estate that is the pardon of our sins and acceptance with God we say it is such alone For the Just shall live by Faith Rom. 1.17 And as the Apostle applies this Divine Testimony to prove our first or absolute Justification to be by Faith alone So doth he also apply it unto the continuation of our Justification as that which is by the same means only Heb. 10.38 39. Now the Just shall live by Faith but if any man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition But of them that believe unto the saving of the Soul The drawing back to perdition includes the loss of a justified Estate really so or in Profession In opposition thereunto the Apostle placeth Believing unto the saving of the Soul that is unto the continuation of Justification unto the end And herein it is that the Just live by Faith and the loss of this life can only be by unbelief So the life which we now live in the flesh is by the Faith of the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us Gal. 2.20 The life which we now lead in the flesh is the continuation of our Justification a life of Righteousness and Acceptation with God in opposition unto a life by the works of the Law as the next words declare ver 21. I do not frustrate the Grace of God for if Righteousness came by the Law then is Christ dead in vain and this life is by Faith in Christ as he loved us and gave himself for us that is as he was a Propitiation for our sins This then is the only way means and cause on our part of the preservation of this life of the continuance of our Justification and herein are we kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation Again if the continuation of our Justification dependeth on our own works of Obedience then is the Righteousness of Christ imputed unto us only with respect unto our Justification at first or our first Justification as some speak And this indeed is the Doctrine of the Roman School They teach that
God Wherefore the Covenant of Grace could not be procured by any means or cause but that which was the cause of this Covenant of the Mediator or of God the Father with the Son as undertaking the work of Mediation And as this is no where ascribed unto the Death of Christ in the Scripture so to assert it is contrary unto all spiritual Reason and Understanding Who can conceive that Christ by his death should procure the Agreement between God and him that he should dye 3. With respect unto the Declaration of it by especial Revelation This we may call Gods making or establishing of it if we please though making of the Covenant in Scripture is applied principally if not only unto its execution or actual Application unto Persons 2 Sam. 23.5 Jerem. 32.40 This Declaration of the Grace of God and the provision in the Covenant of the Mediator for the making of it effectual unto his Glory is most usually called the Covenant of Grace And this is twofold 1. In the way of a singular and absolute Promise so was it first declared unto and established with Adam and afterwards with Abraham The Promise is the Declaration of the Purpose of God before declared or the free Determination and Counsel of his Will as to his dealing with sinners on the supposition of the Fall and their forfeiture of their first Covenant state Hereof the Grace and Will of God was the only cause Heb. 8.8 And the Death of Christ could not be the means of its procurement For he himself and all that he was to do for us was the substance of that Promise And this Promise as it is declarative of the Purpose or Counsel of the Will of God for the Communication of Grace and Glory unto sinners in and by the mediation of Christ according to the Ways and on the Terms prepared and disposed in his Soveraign Wisdom and Pleasure is formally the New Covenant though something yet is to be added to compleat its Application unto us Now the substance of the first Promise wherein the whole Covenant of Grace was virtually comprized directly respected and expressed the giving of him for the Recovery of Mankind from sin and misery by his death Gen. 3.15 Wherefore if he and all the Benefits of his Mediation his Death and all the Effects of it be contained in the Promise of the Covenant that is in the Covenant it self then was not his death the procuring cause of that Covenant nor do we owe it thereunto 2. In the additional prescription of the way and means whereby it is the Will of God that we shall enter into a Covenant state with him or be interessed in the Benefits of it This being virtually comprized in the absolute Promise for every Promise of God doth tacitly require Faith and Obedience in us is expressed in other places by the way of the Condition required on our part This is not the Covenant but the Constitution of the Terms on our part whereon we are made Partakers of it Nor is the Constitution of these Terms an effect of the death of Christ or procured thereby It is a meer effect of the Soveraign Grace and Wisdom of God The things themselves as bestowed on us communicated unto us wrought in us by Grace are all of them effects of the death of Christ but the Constitution of them to be the Terms and Conditions of the Covenant is an Act of meer Soveraign Wisdom and Grace God so loved the world as to send his only begotten Son to dye not that Faith and Repentance might be the means of Salvation but that all his Elect might believe and that all that believe might not perish but have Life Everlasting But yet it is granted that the Constitution of these Terms of the Covenant doth respect the foederal Transaction between the Father and the Son wherein they were ordered to the praise of the Glory of Gods Grace and so although their constitution was not the procurement of his Death yet without respect unto it it had not been Wherefore the sole cause of Gods making the New Covenant was the same with that of giving Christ himself to be our Mediator namely the Purpose Counsel Goodness Grace and Love of God as it is every where expressed in the Scripture 4 thly The Covenant may be considered as unto the actual Application of the Grace Benefit and Priviledges of it unto any persons whereby they are made real partakers of them or are taken into Covenant with God And this alone in the Scripture is intended by Gods making a Covenant with any It is not a general Revelation or Declaration of the Terms and Nature of the Covenant which some call an universal conditional Covenant on what Grounds they know best seeing the very formal nature of making a Covenant with any includes the actual Acceptation of it and Participation of the Benefits of it by them but a Communication of the Grace of it accompanied with a prescription of Obedience that is Gods making his Covenant with any as all Instances of it in the Scripture do declare It may be therefore enquired what respect the Covenant of Grace hath unto the Death of Christ or what Influence it hath thereunto I answer supposing what is spoken of his being a surety thereof it hath a threefold respect thereunto 1. In that the Covenant as the Grace and Glory of it were prepared in the Counsel of God as the Terms of it was fixed in the Covenant of the Mediator and as it was declared in the Promise was confirmed ratified and made irrevocable thereby This our Apostle insists upon at large Heb. 9.15 16 17 18 19 20. And he compares his Blood in his Death and Sacrifice of himself unto the Sacrifices and their Blood whereby the Old Covenant was confirmed purified dedicated or established ver 18 19. Now these Sacrifices did not procure that Covenant or prevail with God to enter into it but only ratified and confirmed it and this was done in the New Covenant by the Blood of Christ. 2. He thereby underwent and performed all that which in the Righteousness and Wisdom of God was required that the Effects Fruits Benefits and Grace intended designed and prepared in the New Covenant might be effectually accomplished and communicated unto sinners Hence although he procured not the Covenant for us by his death yet he was in his Person Mediation Life and Death the only cause and means whereby the whole Grace of the Covenant is made effectual unto us For 3. All the Benefits of it were procured by him that is all the Grace Mercy Priviledges and Glory that God hath prepared in the Counsel of his Will that were fixed as unto the way of this communication in the Covenant of the Mediator and proposed in the Promises of it are purchased merited and procured by his Death and effectually communicated or applied unto all the Covenanters by virtue thereof with others of his Mediatory Acts. And this
Objections which are levied against the Truth in this cause do arise from the want of a due comprehension of the order of the work of Gods Grace and of our compliance therewithall in a way of Duty as was before observed For they consist in opposing those things one to another as inconsistent which in their proper place and order are not only consistent but mutually subservient unto one another and are found so in the Experience of them that truly believe Instances hereof have been given before and others will immediately occur Taking the consideration of these things with us we may see as the Rise so of what force the Objections are 4. Let it be considered that the Objections which are made use of against the Truth we assert are all of them taken from certain consequences which as it is supposed will ensue on the Admission of it And as this is the only expedient to perpetuate controversies and make them endless so to my best observation I never yet met with any one but that to give an Appearance of force unto the absurdity of the consequences from whence he argues he framed his suppositions or the state of the Question unto the disadvantage of them whom he opposed a course of proceeding which I wonder Good men are not either weary or ashamed of 1. It is objected that the Imputation of the Righteousness of of Christ doth overthrow all Remission of sins on the part of God This is pleaded for by Socinus De Servator lib. 4. cap. 2 3 4. and by others it is also made use of A confident Charge this seems to them who stedfastly believe that without this Imputation there could be no Remission of sin But they say That he who hath a Righteousness imputed unto him that is absolutely perfect so as to be made his own needs no pardon hath no sin that should be forgiven nor can he ever need forgiveness But because this Objection will occur unto us again in the vindication of one of our ensuing Arguments I shall here speak briefly unto it 1. Grotius shall answer this Objection saith he Cum duo nobis peperisse Christum dixerimus impunitatem praemium illud satisfactioni hoc merito Christi distincte tribuit vetus Ecclesia Satisfactio consistit in peccatorum Translatione meritum in perfectissimae Obedientiae pro nobis praestitae Imputatione Praefat ad lib. de satisfact Whereas we have said that Christ hath procured or brought forth two things for us freedom from punishment and a reward the antient Church attributes the one of them distinctly unto his satisfaction the other unto his merit Satisfaction consisteth in the Translation of sins from us unto him merit in the Imputation of his most perfect Obedience performed for us unto us In his Judgment the Remission of sins and the Imputation of Righteousness were as consistent as the satisfaction and merit of Christ as indeed they are 2. Had we not been sinners we should have had no need of the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ to render us Righteous before God Being so the first End for which it is imputed is the pardon of sin without which we could not be Righteous by the Imputation of the most perfect Righteousness These things therefore are consistent namely that the satisfaction of Christ should be imputed unto us for the pardon of sin and the Obedience of Christ be imputed unto us to render us Righteous before God And they are not only consistent but neither of them singly were sufficient unto our Justification 2. It is pleaded by the same Author and others That the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ overthroweth all necessity of Repentance for sin in order unto the Remission or Pardon thereof yea rendreth it altogether needless For what need hath he of Repentance for sin who by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ is esteemed compleatly Just and Righteous in the sight of God If Christ satisfied for all sins in the Person of the Elect if as our Surety he paid all our Debts and if his Righteousness be made ours before we repent then is all Repentance needless And these things are much enlarged on by the same Author in the place before-mentioned Ans. 1 It must be remembred that we require Evangelical Faith in order of nature antecedently unto our Justification by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto us which also is the condition of its continuation Wherefore whatever is necessary thereunto is in like manner required of us in order unto Believing Amongst these there is a sorrow for sin and a Repentance of it For whosoever is convinced of sin in a due manner so as to be sensible of its Evil and Guilt both as in its own nature it is contrary unto the preceptive part of the Holy Law and in the necessary consequences of it in the wrath and curse of God cannot but be perplexed in his mind that he hath involved himself therein And that posture of mind will be accompanied with shame fear sorrow and other afflictive passions Hereon a Resolution doth ensue utterly to abstain from it for the future with sincere endeavours unto that purpose issuing if there be time and space for it in Reformation of Life And in a sense of sin Sorrow for it Fear concerning it Abstinence from it and Reformation of Life a Repentance true in its kind doth consist This Repentance is usually called legal because its motives are principally taken from the Law but yet there is moreover required unto it that temporary Faith of the Gospel which we have before described And as it doth usually produce great effects in the confession of sin Humiliation for it and change of life as in Ahab and the Ninevites so ordinarily it precedeth true saving Faith and Justification thereby Wherefore the necessity hereof is no way weakened by the Doctrine of the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ yea it is strengthened and made effectual thereby For without it in the order of the Gospel an interest therein is not to be attained And this is that which in the Old Testament is so often proposed as the means and conditions of turning away the Judgments and Punishments threatned unto sin For it is true and sincere in its kind neither do the Socinians require any other Repentance unto Justification For as they deny true Evangelical Repentance in all the especial causes of it so that which may and doth precede Faith in order of nature is all that they require This Objection therefore as managed by them is a causless vain pretence 2. Justifying Faith includeth in its nature the entire principle of Evangelical Repentance so as that it is utterly impossible that a man should be a true Believer and not at the same instant of time be truly penitent And therefore are they so frequently conjoined in the Scripture as one simultaneous Duty Yea the call of the Gospel unto Repentance is a call
or before thee shall no man living be justified This must be spoken absolutely or with respect unto some one way or cause of Justification If it be spoken absolutely then this work ceaseth for ever and there is indeed no such thing as Justification before God But this is contrary unto the whole Scripture and destructive of the Gospel Wherefore it is spoken with respect unto our own Obedience and works He doth not pray absolutely that he would not enter into Judgment with him for this were to forego his Government of the world but that he would not do so on the account of his own Dutys and Obedience But if so be these Dutys and Obedience did answer in any sense or way what is required of us as a Righteousness unto Justification there was no Reason why he should deprecate a Trial by them or upon them But whereas the Holy Ghost doth so positively affirm that no man living shall be justified in the sight of God by or upon his own Works or Obedience it is I confess marvellous unto me that some should so intepret the Apostle James as if he affirmed the express contrary Namely that we are justified in the sight of God by our own Works whereas indeed he says no such thing This therefore is an Eternal Rule of Truth by or upon his Obedience no man living can be justified in the sight of God It will be said that if God enter into Judgment with any on their own Obedience by and according to the Law then indeed none can be justified before him But God judging according to the Gospel and the terms of the new Covenant men may be justified upon their own Duties Works and Obedience Ans. 1 The negative Assertion is general and unlimited that no man living shall on his own Works or Obedience be justified in the sight of God And to limit it unto this or that way of Judging is not to distinguish but to contradict the Holy Ghost 2 The Judgment intended is only with respect unto Justification as is plain in the words But there is no Judgment on our Works or Obedience with respect unto Righteousness and Justification but by the proper Rule and Measure of them which is the Law If they will not endure the Trial by the Law they will endure no Trial as unto Righteousness and Justification in the sight of God 3 The Prayer and Plea of the Psalmist on this supposition are to this purpose O Lord enter not into Judgment with thy servant by or according unto the Law but enter into Judgment with me on my own Works and Obedience according to the Rule of the Gospel for which he gives this Reason because in thy sight shall no man living be justified which how remote it is from his Intention need not be declared 4 The Judgment of God unto Justification according to the Gospel doth not proceed on our Works of Obedience but upon the Righteousness of Christ and our interest therein by Faith as is too evident to be modestly denied Notwithstanding this exception therefore hence we argue If the most Holy of the servants of God in and after a course of sincere fruitful Obedience testified unto by God himself and Witnessed in their own Consciences that is whilst they have the greatest evidences of their own sincerity and that indeed they are the servants of God do renounce all thoughts of such a Righteousness thereby as whereon in any sense they may be justified before God then there is no such Righteousness in any but it is the Righteousness of Christ alone imputed unto us whereon we are so justified But that so they do and ought all of them so to do because of the general Rule here laid down that in the sight of God no man living shall be justified is plainly affirmed in this Testimony I no way doubt but that many learned men after all their Pleas for an Interest of Personal Righteousness and Works in our Justification before God do as unto their own practice betake themselves unto this method of the Psalmist and cry as the Prophet Daniel doth in the name of the Church we do not present our supplications before thee for our own Righteousness but for thy great mercies Chap. 9.18 And therefore Job as we have formerly observed after a long and earnest defence of his own Faith Integrity and Personal Righteousness wherein he justified himself against the charge of Sathan and men being called to plead his cause in the sight of God and declare on what grounds he expected to be justified before him renounceth all his former Pleas and betakes himself unto the same with the Psalmist Chap. 40.4 Chap. 42.6 It is true in particular cases and as unto some especial end in the Providence of God a man may plead his own Integrity and Obedience before God himself So did Hezekiah when he prayed for the sparing of his life Isa. 38.3 Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight This I say may be done with respect unto temporal Deliverance or any other particular end wherein the glory of God is concerned So was it greatly in sparing the life of Hezekiah at that time For whereas he had with great Zeal and Industry reformed Religion and restored the true worship of God the cutting him off in the midst of his days would have occasioned the Idolatrous multitude to have reflected on him as one dying under a token of Divine displeasure But none ever made this Plea before God for the absolute Justification of their persons So Nehemiah in that great contest which he had about the worship of God and the service of his house pleads the Remembrance of it before God in his Justification against his Adversaries but resolves his own personal acceptance with God into pardoning mercy and spare me according unto the multitude of thy mercies Chap. 13.22 Another Testimony we have unto the same purpose in the Prophet Isaiah speaking in the name of the Church Cap. 64.6 We are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags It is true the Prophet doth in this place make a deep confession of the sins of the people But yet withal he joyns himself with them and asserts the especial Interest of those concerning whom he speaks by Adoption that God was their Father and they his people Chap. 63.16 Chap. 64.8 9. And the Righteousness of all that are the Children of God are of the same kind however they may differ in Degrees and some of them may be more Righteous than others But it is all of it described to be such as that we cannot I think justly expect Justification in the sight of God upon the account of it But whereas the consideration of the nature of our inherent Righteousness belongs unto the second way of the confirmation of our present Argument I
shall not farther here insist on this Testimony Many others also unto the same purpose I shall wholly omit namely all those wherein the Saints of God or the Church in an humble acknowledgment and confession of their own sins do betake themselves unto the Mercy and Grace of God alone as dispensed through the Mediation and Blood of Christ and all those wherein God promiseth to pardon and blot out our Iniquities for his own sake for his names sake to bless the people not for any good that was in them nor for their Righteousness nor for their Works the consideration whereof he excludes from having any influence into any actings of his Grace towards them And all those wherein God expresseth his Delight in them alone and his Approbation of them who hope in his mercy trust in his name betaking themselves unto him as their only Refuge pronouncing them accursed who trust in any thing else or glory in themselves such as contain singular promises unto them that betake themselves unto God as Fatherless Hopeless and lost in themselves There is none of the Testimonies which are multiplied unto this purpose but they sufficiently prove that the best of Gods Saints have not a Righteousness of their own whereon they can in any sense be justified before God For they do all of them in the places referred unto renounce any such Righteousness of their own all that is in them all that they have done or can do and betake themselves unto Grace and Mercy alone And whereas as we have before proved God in the Justification of any doth exercise Grace towards them with respect unto a Righteousness whereon he declares them Righteous and accepted before him they do all of them respect a Righteousness which is not inherent in us but imputed us Herein lies the substance of all that we enquire into in this matter of Justification All other disputes about qualifications conditions causes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any kind of Interest for own Works and Obedience in our Justification before God are but the speculations of men at ease The Conscience of a convinced sinner who presents himself in the presence of God finds all practically reduced unto this one point namely whether he will trust unto his own personal inherent Righteousness or in a full Renuntiation of it betake himself unto the Grace of God and the Righteousness of Christ alone In other things he is not concerned And let men phrase his own Righteousness unto him as they please let them pretend it meritorious or only Evangelical not legal only an accomplishment of the condition of the new Covenant a cause without which he cannot be justified it will not be easie to frame his mind unto any confidence in it as unto Justification before God So as not to deceive him in the Issue The second part of the present Argument is taken from the nature of the thing it self or the consideration of this personal inherent Righteousness of our own what it is and wherein it doth consist and of what use it may be in our Justification And unto this purpose it may be observed 1. That we grant an inherent Righteousness in all that do believe as hath been before declared For the fruit of the Spirit is in all Goodness and Righteousness and Truth Ephes. 5.9 Being made free from sin we become the Servants of Righteousness Rom. 6.20 And our Duty it is to follow after Righteousness Godliness Faith Love Meekness 1 Tim. 2.22 And although Righteousness be mostly taken for an especial Grace or Duty distinct from other Graces and Duties yet we acknowledge that it may be taken for the whole of our Obedience before God and the word is so used in the Scripture where our own Righteousness is opposed unto the Righteousness of God And it is either Habitual or Actual There is an Habitual Righteousness inherent in Believers as they have put on the new man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness Ephes. 4.24 As they are the Workmanship of God created in Jesus Christ unto good Works Chap. 2.8 And there is an Actual Righteousness consisting in those good Works whereunto we are so created or the fruits of Righteousness which are to the praise of God by Jesus Christ. And concerning this Righteousness it may be observed 1 That men are said in the Scripture to be just or righteous by it but no one is said to be justified by it before God 2 That it is not ascribed unto or found in any but those that are actually justified in order of nature antecedent thereunto This being the constant Doctrine of all the reformed Churches and Divines it is an open Calumny whereby the contrary is ascribed unto them or any of those who believe the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto our Justification before God So Bellarmine affirms that no Protestant Writers acknowledge an inherent Righteousness but only Bucer and Chemnitius when there is no one of them by whom either the thing it self or the necessity of it is denied But some excuse may be made for him from the manner whereby they expressed themselves wherein they always carefully distinguished between inherent Holiness and that Righteousness whereby we are justified But we are now told by one that if we should affirm it an Hundred times he could scarce believe us This is somewhat severe for although he speaks but to one yet the charge falls equally upon all who maintain that Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ which he denies who being at least the generality of all Protestant Divines they are represented either as so foolish as not to know what they say or so dishonest as to say one thing and believe another But he endeavours to justifie his censure by sundry Reasons And first he says that inherent Righteousness can on no other account be said to be ours than that by it we are made Righteous that is that it is the condition of our Justification required in the new Covenant This being denied all inherent Righteousness is denied But how is this proved what if one should say that every Believer is inherently Righteous but yet that this inherent Righteousness was not the condition of his Justification but rather the consequent of it and that it is no where required in the new Covenant as the condition of our Justification how shall the contrary be made to appear The Scripture plainly affirms that there is such an inherent Righteousness in all that believe and yet as plainly that we are justified before God by Faith without works Wherefore that it is the condition of our Justification and so antecedent unto it is expresly contrary unto that of the Apostle unto him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted unto him for Righteousness Rom. 4.5 Nor is it the condition of the Covenant it self as that whereon the whole Grace of the Covenant is suspended For as it is
acquit the sinner upon his tryal But pardon on a juridical tryal on what consideration soever it be granted gives no right nor title unto any favor benefit or priviledge but only meer deliverance It is one thing to be acquitted before the Throne of a King of Crimes laid unto the charge of any Man which may be done by clemency or on other considerations another to be made his Son by Adoption and Heir unto his Kingdom And these things are represented unto us in the Scripture as distinct and depending on distinct causes So are they in the Vision concerning Joshua the High Priest Zech. 3.4 5 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him saying Take away the filthy garments from him And unto him he said Behold I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee and I will cloath thee with change of rayment And I said Let them set a fair Miter upon his Head so they set a fair Miter on his Head and cloathed him with garments It hath been generally granted That we have here a Representation of the Justification of a sinner before God And the taking away of filthy garments is expounded by the passing away of iniquity When a Mans filthy garments are taken away he is no more defiled with them but he is not thereby cloathed This is an additional grace and favor thereunto namely to be cloathed with change of garments And what this rayment is is declared Isa. 61.10 He hath cloathed me with the garments of Salvation he hath covered me with the robe of Righteousness which the Apostle alludes unto Phil. 3.9 Wherefore these things are distinct namely the taking away of the filthy garments and the cloathing of us with change of rayment or the pardon of sin and the robe of Righteousness by the one are we freed from Condemnation by the other have we right unto Salvation And the same is in like manner represented Ezek. 16.6 7 8 9 10 11 12. This place I had formerly urged to this purpose about Communion with God p. 187. which Mr. Hotch in his usual manner attempts to answer And to omit his reviling expressions with the crude unproved assertion of his own conceits his answer is That by the change of rayment mentioned in the Prophet our own personal righteousness is intended For he acknowledgeth that our Justification before God is here represented And so also he expounds the place produced in the confirmation of the Exposition given Isai. 61.10 where this change of rayment is called The garments of Salvation and the robe of Righteousness and thereon affirms That our Righteousness it self before God is our Personal Righteousness p. 203. That is in our Justification before him which is the only thing in question To all which Presumptions I shall oppose only the testimony of the same Prophet which he may consider at his leisure and which at one time or other he will subscribe unto Chap. 64.6 We are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousnesses are as filthy rags He who can make garments of Salvation and robes of Righteousness of these filthy rags hath a skill in composing Spiritual Vestments that I am not acquainted withal What remains in the Chapter wherein this Answer is given unto that testimony of the Scripture I shall take no notice of it being after his accustomed manner only a perverse wresting of my words unto such a sense as may seem to countenance him in casting a reproach upon my self and others There is therefore no force in the comparing of these things unto life and death natural which are immediately opposed So that he who is not dead is alive and he who is alive is not dead there being no distinct state between that of life and death For these things being of different natures the comparison between them is no way argumentative Though it may be so in things natural it is otherwise in things Moral and Political where a proper Representation of Justification may be taken as it is forensick If it were so that there is no difference between being acquitted of a crime at the Bar of a Judge and a Right unto a Kingdom nor different state between these things it would prove that there is no intermediate estate between being pardoned and having a Right unto the Heavenly Inheritance But this is a fond imagination It is true That Right unto Eternal Life doth succeed unto freedom from the guilt of Eternal Death That they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified But it doth not so do out of a necessity in the nature of the things themselves but only in the free constitution of God Believers have the pardon of sin and an immediate Right and Title unto the favor of God the Adoption of Sons and Eternal Life But there is another state in the nature of the things themselves and this might have been so actually had it so seemed good unto God For who sees not that there is a Status or Conditio Personae wherein he is neither under the guilt of Condemnation nor hath an immediate Right and Title unto Glory in the way of Inheritance God might have pardoned Men all their sins past and placed them in a state and condition of seeking Righteousness for the future by the Works of the Law that so they might have lived For this would answer the original state of Adam But God hath not done so true but whereas he might have done so it is evident that the disposal of Men into this state and condition of Right unto Life and Salvation doth not depend on nor proceed from the pardon of sin but hath another cause which is the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto us as he fulfilled the Law for us And in truth this is the opinion of the most of our Adversaries in this cause For they do contend that over and above the remission of sin which some of them say is absolute without any respect unto the merit or satisfaction of Christ others refer it unto them they all contend that there is moreover a Righteousness of Works required unto our Justification only they say this is our own incomplete imperfect Righteousness imputed unto us as if it were perfect that is for what it is not and not the Righteousness of Christ imputed unto us for what it is From what hath been discoursed it is evident that unto our Justification before God is required Not only that we be freed from the damnatory sentence of the Law which we are by the pardon of sin but moreover that the Righteousness of the Law be fulfilled in us or that we have a Righteousness answering the Obedience that the Law requires whereon our acceptance with God through the riches of his Grace and our Title unto the heavenly Inheritance do depend This we have not in and of our selves nor can attain unto as hath been proved Wherefore the perfect Obedience and
have proved and they were so in him who learned obedience by the things that he suffered Heb. 5.8 2. In this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 19. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 18. are the same Obedience and Righteousness By the Righteousness of One and by the Obedience of One are the same But suffering as suffering is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not Righteousness For if it were then every one that suffers what is due to him should be righteous and so be justified even the Devil himself 3 The Righteousness and Obedience here intended are opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the offence By the offence of One But the offence intended was an actual Transgression of the Law so is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fall from or a fall in the Course of Obedience Wherefore the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Righteousness must be an actual Obedience unto the Commands of the Law or the force of the Apostles Reasoning and Antithesis cannot be understood 4. Particularly it is such an Obedience as is opposed unto the disobedience of Adam One man's Disobedience one man's Obedience But the disobedience of Adam was an actual Transgression of the Law and therefore the Obedience of Christ here intended was his active Obedience unto the Law which is that we plead for And I shall not at present farther pursue the Argument because the force of it in the confirmation of the Truth contended for will be included in those that follow CHAP. XIII The nature of Justification proved from the difference of the Covenants THat which we plead in the third place unto our Purpose is the Difference between the two Covenants And herein it may be observed 1. That by the two Covenants I understand those which were absolutely given unto the whole Church and were all to bring it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto a compleat and perfect State that is the Covenant of Works or the Law of our Creation as it was given unto us with Promises and Threatnings or Rewards and Punishments annexed unto it and the Covenant of Grace revealed and proposed in the first Promise As unto the Covenant of Sinai and the New Testament as actually confirmed in the Death of Christ with all the Spiritual Priviledges thence emerging and the differences between them they belong not unto our present Argument 2. The whole intire Nature of the Covenant of Works consisted in this That upon our personal obedience according unto the Law and Rule of it we should be accepted with God and rewarded with him Herein the essence of it did consist And whatever Covenant proceedeth on these terms or hath the nature of them in it however it may be varied with Additions or Alterations is the same Covenant still and not another As in the Renovation of the Promise wherein the Essence of the Covenant of Grace was contained God did oft-times make other Additions unto it as unto Abraham and David yet was it still the same Covenant for the substance of it and not another so whatever Variations may be made in or Additions unto the Dispensation of the first Covenant so long as this Rule is retained Do this and live it is still the same Covenant for the Substance and Essence of it 3. Hence two things belonged unto this Covenant 1. That all things were transacted immediately between God and Man There was no Mediator in it no one to undertake any thing either on the part of God or Man between them For the whole depending on every ones Personal obedience there was no place for a Mediator 2. That nothing but perfect sinless obedience would be accepted with God or preserve the Covenant in its Primitive state and condition There was nothing in it as to pardon of sin no provision for any defect in Personal obedience 4. Wherefore this Covenant being once established between God and Man there could be no new Covenant made unless the Essential Form of it were of another nature namely that our own Personal obedience be not the rule and cause of our Acceptation and Justification before God For whil'st this is so as was before observed the Covenant is still the same however the Dispensation of it may be reformed or reduced to suit unto our present state and condition What Grace soever might be introduced into it that could not be so which excluded all Works from being the cause of our Justification But if a new Covenant be made such Grace must be provided as is absolutely inconsistent with any Works of ours as unto the first ends of the Covenant as the Apostle declares Rom. 11.6 5. Wherefore the Covenant of Grace supposing it a new real absolute Covenant and not a Reformation of the Dispensation of the old or a Reduction of it unto the use of our present condition as some imagine it to be must differ in the Essence Substance and Nature of it from that first Covenant of Works And this it cannot do if we are to be justified before God on our Personal obedience wherein the essence of the first Covenant consisted If then the Righteousness wherewith we are justified before God be our own our own Personal Righteousness we are yet under the first Covenant and no other 6. But things in the new Covenant are indeed quite otherwise For 1. it is of Grace which wholly excludes Works that is so of Grace as that our own works are not the means of Justification before God as in the places before alledged 2. It hath a Mediator and Surety which is built alone on this Supposition That what we cannot do in our selves which was originally required of us and what the Law of the first Covenant cannot inable us to perform that should be performed for us by our Mediator and Surety And if this be not included in the very first notion of a Mediator and Surety yet it is in that of a Mediator or Surety that doth voluntarily interpose himself upon an open acknowledgment that those for whom he undertakes were utterly insufficient to perform what was required of them on which Supposition all the Truth of the Scripture doth depend It is one of the very first notions of Christian Religion that the Lord Christ was given to us born to us that he came as a Mediator to do for us what we could not do for our selves and not meerly to suffer what we had deserved And here instead of our own Righteousness we have the Righteousness of God instead of being righteous in our selves before God he is the Lord our Righteousness And nothing but a Righteousness of another kind and nature unto Justification before God could constitute another Covenant Wherefore the Righteousness whereby we are justified is the Righteousness of Christ imputed unto us or we are still under the Law under the Covenant of Works It will be said that our Personal obedience is by none asserted to be the Righteousness wherewith we are justified before God in the
5.15 Eph. 2.4 8 9. 2 Tim. 1.9 Tit. 3.4 5. Being justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the LXX render the Hebrew particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without price without merit without cause and sometimes it is used for without end that is what is done in vain as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used by the Apostle Gal. 2.21 without price or reward Gen. 29.15 Exod. 21.22 2 Kings 24.25 without cause or merit or any means of procurement 1 Sam. 19.5 2 Sam. 24.24 Psal. 69.4 Psal. 102. In this sense it is rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 15.25 The design of the word is to exclude all consideration of any thing in us that should be the cause or condition of our justification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 favour absolutely considered may have respect unto somewhat in him towards whom it is shewed so it is said that Joseph found grace or favour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the eyes of Potiphar Gen. 29.4 but he found it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without any consideration or cause for he saw that the Lord was with him and made all that he did to prosper in his hand v. 3. But no words can be found out to free our justification before God from all respect unto any thing in our selves but only what is added expresly as the means of its participation on our part through faith in his blood more emphatical than these here used by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely by his grace And with whom this is not admitted as exclusive of all Works or Obedience of our own of all conditions preparations and merit I shall despair of ever expressing my conceptions about it intelligibly unto them Having asserted this Righteousness of God as the cause and means of our justification before him in opposition unto all Righteousness of our own and declared the cause of the communication of it unto us on the part of God to be meer free Sovereign grace the means on our part whereby according unto the ordination of God we do receive or are really made partakers of that Righteousness of God whereon we are justified is by faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by faith alone Nothing else is proposed nothing else required unto this end It is replied that there is no intimation that is by faith alone or that Faith is asserted to be the means of our Justification exclusively unto other Graces or Works But there is such an exclusion directly included in the description given of that faith whereby we are justified with respect unto its especial object by faith in his blood For Faith respecting the blood of Christ as that whereby propitiation was made for Sin in which respect alone the Apostle affirms that we are justified through faith admits of no association with any other Graces or Duties Neither is it any part of their nature to fix on the blood of Christ for Justification before God wherefore they are all here directly excluded And those who think otherwise may try how they can introduce them into this context without an evident corrupting of it and perverting of its sense Neither will the other evasion yield our Adversaries the least relief namely that by faith not the single grace of Faith is intended but the whole obedience required in the new Covenant Faith and Works together For as all works whatever as our works are excluded in the declaration of the causes of our Justification on the part of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely by his grace by vertue of that great Rule Rom. 11.6 If it be of grace then no more of works otherwise Grace is no more Grace so the determination of the object of faith in its act or duty whereon we are justified namely the blood of Christ is absolutely exclusive of all Works from an interest in that duty For whatever looks unto the blood of Christ for Justification is faith and nothing else And as for the calling of it a single act or duty I refer the Reader unto our preceding discourse about the nature of justifying Faith Three things the Apostle inferreth from the declaration he had made of the Nature and Causes of our Justification before God all of them further illustrating the meaning and sense of his words 1. That Boasting is excluded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 27. Apparent it is from hence and from what he affirms concerning Abraham Chap. 4. v. 2. that a great part at least of the controversie he had about Justification was whether it did admit of any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those that were justified And it is known that the Jews placed all their Hopes in those things whereof they thought they could boast namely their Priviledges and their Righteousness But from the declaration made of the Nature and Causes of Justification the Apostle infers that all Boasting whatever is utterly shut out of doors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Boasting in our language is the name of a vice and is never used in a good sense But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words used by the Apostle are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of an indifferent signification and as they are applied may denote a Vertue as well as a Vice So they do Heb. 3.6 But alwayes and in all places they respect something that is peculiar in or unto them unto whom they are ascribed Wherever any thing is ascribed unto one and not unto another with respect unto any good end there is fundamentum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a foundation for boasting All this saith the Apostle in the matter of our Justification is utterly excluded But wherever respect is had unto any condition or qualification in one more than another especially if it be of works it giveth a ground of boasting as he affirms Chap. 4.2 And it appears from comparing that verse with this that wherever there is any influence of our own works into our Justification there is a ground of boasting but in Evangelical Justification no such boasting in any kind can be admitted Wherefore there is no place for Works in our Justification before God for if there were it is impossible but that a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in one kind or other before God or man must be admitted 2. He infers a general conclusion that a man is justified by Faith without the Works of the Law v. 28. What is meant by the Law and what by the Works of the Law in this discourse of the Apostle about our Justification hath been before declared And if we are justified freely through Faith in the Blood of Christ that Faith which hath the Propitiation of Christ for its especial Object or as it hath so can take no other Grace nor Duty into Partnership with it self therein and being so justified as that all such boasting is excluded as necessarily exults from any differencing Graces or Works in our selves wherein all 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
and Grace And this is that which principally we are to consider in our Justification the glory of them being the end of God therein He made us accepted in the Beloved to the praise of the glory of his Grace Ephes. 1.6 Wherefore this being the fountain spring and sole cause both of the Obedience of Christ and of the Imputation thereof unto us with the pardon of Sin and Righteousness thereby it is every where in the Scripture proposed as the prime object of our Faith in our Justification and opposed directly unto all our own Works whatever The whole of Gods design herein is that Grace may reign through Righteousness unto eternal life Whereas therefore this is made most evident and conspicuous in the Death of Christ our Justification is in a peculiar manner assigned thereunto 2. The love of Christ himself and his Grace are peculiarly exalted in our Justification that all men may honour the Son even as they honour the Father Frequently are they expressed unto this purpose 2 Cor. 8.9 Gal. 2.20 Phil. 3.6 7. Rev. 1.5 6. And those also are most eminently exalted in his death so as that all the effects and fruits of them are ascribed thereunto in a peculiar manner As nothing is more ordinary than among many things that concur to the same effect to ascribe it unto that which is most eminent among them especially if it cannot be conceived as separated from the rest 3. This is the clearest Testimony that what the Lord Christ did and suffered was for us and not for himself For without the consideration hereof all the Obedience which he yielded unto the Law might be looked on as due only on his own account and himself to have been such a Saviour as the Socinians imagine who should do all with us from God and nothing with God for us But the suffering of the curse of the Law by him who was not only an innocent man but also the Son of God openly testifies that what he did and suffered was for us and not for himself It is no wonder therefore if our Faith as unto Justification be in the first place and principally directed unto his Death and Blood-shedding 4. All the Obedience of Christ had still respect unto the Sacrifice of himself which was to ensue wherein it received its accomplishment and whereon its efficacy unto our Justification did depend For as no Imputation of actual Obedience would justifie Sinners from the condemnation that was passed on them for the Sin of Adam so although the Obedience of Christ was not a meer preparation or qualification of his person for his Suffering yet its efficacy unto our Justification did depend on his Suffering that was to ensue when his Soul was made an offering for Sin 5. As was before observed Reconciliation and the Pardon of Sin through the Blood of Christ do directly in the first place respect our relief from the state and condition whereinto we were cast by the Sin of Adam in the loss of the favour of God and liableness unto Death this therefore is that which principally and in the first place a lost convinced Sinner such as Christ calls unto himself doth look after And therefore Justification is eminently and frequently proposed as the effect of the Bloodshedding and Death of Christ which are the direct cause of our Reconciliation and Pardon of Sin But yet from none of these considerations doth it follow that the Obedience of the one man Christ Jesus is not imputed unto us whereby Grace might reign through Righteousness unto eternal life The same Truth is fully asserted and confirmed Chap. 8. v. 1 2 3 4. But this place hath been of late so explained and so vindicated by another in his learned and Judicious Exposition of it namely Dr. Jacombe as that nothing remains of weight to be added unto what hath been pleaded and argued by him Part. 1. vers 4. pag. 587. and onwards And indeed the answers which he subjoyns to the Arguments whereby he confirms the Truth to the most usual and important objections against the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ are sufficient to give just Satisfaction unto the minds of unprejudiced unengaged persons I shall therefore pass over this Testimony as that which hath been so lately pleaded and vindicated and not press the same things it may be as is not unusual unto their disadvantage Chap. 10. Vers. 3 4. For they the Jews who had a zeal for God but not according to knowledg being ignorant of Gods Righteousness and going about to establish their own Righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the Righteousness of God For Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness unto every one that believeth What is here determined the Apostle enters upon the Proposition and declaration of Chap. 9. vers 30. And because what he had to propose was somewhat strange and unsuited unto the common apprehensions of men he introduceth it with that prefatory Interrogation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he useth on the like occasions Chap. 3.5 Chap. 6.1 Chap. 7.7 Chap. 9.14 What shall we then say that is is there in this matter unrighteousness with God as vers 14. or what shall we say unto these things or this is that which is to be said herein That which hereon he asserts is that the Gentiles which followed not after Righteousness have attained unto Righteousness even the Righteousness which is of Faith But Israel which followed after the Law of Righteousness hath not attained unto the Law of Righteousness that is unto Righteousness it self before God Nothing seems to be more contrary unto reason than what is here made manifest by the event The Gentiles who lived in Sin and Pleasures not once endeavouring to attain unto any Righteousness before God yet attained unto it upon the Preaching of the Gospel Israel on the other hand which followed after Righteousness diligently in all the Works of the Law and Duties of Obedience unto God thereby came short of it attained not unto it All Preparations all Dispositions all merit as unto Righteousness and Justification are excluded from the Gentiles For in all of them there is more or less a following after Righteousness which is denied of them all Only by Faith in him who justifieth the ungodly they attain Righteousness or they attained the Righteousness of Faith For to attain Righteousness by Faith and to attain the Righteousness which is of Faith are the same Wherefore all things that are comprized any way in following after Righteousness such as are all our Duties and Works are excluded from any influence into our Justification And this is expressed to declare the Sovereignty and freedom of the Grace of God herein Namely that we are justified freely by his Grace and that on our part all boasting is excluded Let men pretend what they will and dispute what they please those who attain unto Righteousness and Justification before God when they follow not after Righteousness they
it was in force was a duty of the Moral Law And the Works of the Law are the Works and Duties of Obedience which this Law of God requires performed in the manner that it prescribes namely in Faith and out of love unto God above all as hath been proved To say that the Apostle excludeth only Works absolutely perfect which none ever did or could perform since the entrance of sin is to suppose him to dispute with great earnestness and many Arguments against that which no Man asserted and which he doth not once mention in all his discourse Nor can he be said to exclude only Works that are looked on as meritorious seeing he excludeth all Works that there may be no place for merit in our Justification as hath also been proved Nor did these Galatians whom he writes unto and convinceth them of their error look for Justification from any Works but such as they performed then when they were Believers So that all sorts of Works are excluded from any interest in our Justification And so much weight doth the Apostle lay on this exclusion of Works from our Justification as that he affirms That the admittance of it overthrows the whole Gospel Ver. 21. For saith he if Righteousness be by the Law then is Christ dead in vain and it is dangerous venturing on so sharp a fence Not this or that sort of Works not this or that manner of the performance of them not this or that kind of interest in our Justification but all Works of what sort soever and however performed are excluded from any kind of consideration in our Justification as our Works or Duties of Obedience For these Galatians whom the Apostle reproves desired no more but that in the Justification of a Believer Works of the Law or Duties of Obedience might be admitted into a conjunction or copartnership witn Faith in Christ Jesus For that they would exclude Faith in him and assign Justification unto Works without it nothing is intimated and it is a foolish imagination In opposition hereunto he positively ascribes our Justification unto Faith in Christ alone Not by Works but by Faith is by Faith alone That the Particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not exceptive but adversative hath not only been undeniably proved by Protestant Divines but is acknowledged by those of the Roman Church who pretend unto any modesty in this Controversie The words of Estius on this place deserve to be transcribed Nisi per fidem Jesu Christi sententiam reddit obscuram particula Nisi so the vulgar Latin renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of sed or sed tantum quae si proprie ut Latinis auribus sonat accipiatur exceptionem facit ab eo quod praecedit ut sensus sit hominem non justificari ex operibus Legis nisi fides in Chrislum ad ea opera accedat quae si accesserit justificari eum per legis opera Sed cum hic sensus Justificationem dividat partim eam tribuens operibus legis partim fidei Christi quod est contra definitam absolutam Apostoli sententiam manifestum est interpretationem illam tanquam Apostolico sensui scopo contrariam omnino repudiandam esse Verum constat voculam nisi frequenter in Scripturis adversative sumi ut idem valeat quod Sed tantum So he according to his usual candor and ingenuity It is not probable that we shall have an end of contending in this World when Men will not acquiesce in such plain Determinations of Controversies given by the Holy Ghost himself The Interpretation of this place given as the meaning of the Apostle That Men cannot be justified by those Works which they cannot perform that is Works absolutely perfect but may be so and are so by those which they can and do perform if not in their own strength yet by the aid of Grace And that Faith in Christ Jesus which the Apostle opposeth absolutely unto all Works whatever doth include in it all those Works which he excludes and that with respect unto that end or effect with respect whereunto they are excluded cannot well be supposed to be suitable unto the mind of the Holy Ghost Ephes. 2.8 9 10. For by Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of Works lest any Man should boast For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God hath fore-ordained that we should walk in them Unless it had seemed good unto the Holy Ghost to have expressed before hand all the evasions and subterfuges which the wit of Man in after ages could invent to pervert the Doctrine of our Justification before God and to have rejected them it is impossible they could have been more plainly prevented then they are in this context If we may take a little unprejudiced consideration of it I suppose what is affirmed will be evident It cannot be denied but that the design of the Apostle from the beginning of this Chapter unto the end of Ver. 11. is to declare the way whereby lost and condemned sinners come to be delivered and translated out of that condition into an estate of acceptance with God and eternal Salvation thereon And therefore in the first place he fully describeth their natural state with their being obnoxious unto the wrath of God thereby For such was the method of this Apostle unto the Declaration of the Grace of God in any kind he did usually yea constantly premise the consideration of our sin misery and ruine Others now like not this method so well Howbeit this hinders not but that it was his Unto this purpose he declares unto the Ephesians That they were dead in trespasses and sins expressing the power that sin had on their Souls as unto Spiritual life and all the actions of it but withal that they lived and walked in sin and on all accounts were the children of wrath or subject and liable unto eternal condemnation Ver. 1 2 3. What such persons can do towards their own deliverance there are many terms found out to express all passing my understanding seeing the intire design of the Apostle is to prove that they can do nothing at all But another cause or other causes of it he finds out and that in direct express opposition unto any thing that may be done by our selves unto that end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 4. It is not a work for us to undertake it is not what we can contribute any thing unto But God who is rich in mercy The adversative includes an opposition unto every thing on our part and incloseth the whole work to God Would Men have rested on this Divine Revelation the Church of God had been free from many of those perverse opinions and wrangling disputes which it hath been pestered withal But they will not so easily part with thoughts of some kind of interest in being the Authors of their own happiness Wherefore two
things we may observe in the Apostles assignation of the causes of our deliverance from a state of sin and acceptance with God 1. That he assigns the whole of this work absolutely unto Grace Love and Mercy and that with an exclusion of the consideration of any thing on our part as we shall see immediately Ver. 5 8. 2. He magnifies this Grace in a marvellous manner For 1. He expresseth it by all names and titles whereby it is signified as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercy Love Grace and Kindness For he would have us to look only unto Grace herein 2. He ascribes such Adjuncts and gives such Epithets unto that Divine Mercy and Grace which is the sole cause of our deliverance in and by Jesus Christ as render it singular and herein solely to be adored 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rich in Mercy Great Love wherewith he loved us The exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness Ver. 4 5 6 7. It cannot reasonably be denied but that the Apostle doth design deeply to affect the Mind and Heart of Believers with a sense of the Grace and Love of God in Christ as the only cause of their Justification before God I think no words can express those conceptions of the Mind which this Representation of Grace doth suggest Whether they think it any part of their duty to be like minded and comply with the Apostle in this design who scarce ever mention the Grace of God unless it be in a way of diminution from its efficacy and unto whom such Ascriptions unto it as are here made by him are a matter of contempt is not hard to judge But it will be said these are good words indeed but they are only general there is nothing of Argument in all this adoring of the Grace of God in the work of our Salvation It may be so it seems to many But yet to speak plainly there is to me more Argument in this one consideration namely of the Ascription made in this cause unto the Grace of God in this place then in an hundred Sophisms suited neither unto the expressions of the Scripture nor the experience of them that do believe He that is possessed with a due apprehension of the Grace of God as here represented and under a sense that it was therein the design of the Holy Ghost to render it glorious and alone to be trusted unto will not easily be induced to concern himself in those additional supplies unto it from our own works and obedience which some would suggest unto him But we may yet look further into the words The case which the Apostle states the inquiry which he hath in hand whereon he determineth as to the Truth wherein he instructs the Ephesians and in them the whole Church of God is How a lost condemned sinner may come to be accepted with God and thereon saved And this is the sole inquiry wherein we are or intend in this controversie to be concerned Further we will not proceed either upon the invitation or provocation of any Concerning this his position and determination is That we are saved by Grace This first he occasionally interposeth in his enumeration of the benefits we receive by Christ Ver. 5. But not content therewith he again directly asserts it Ver. 8. in the same words for he seems to have considered how slow Men would be in the admittance of this Truth which at once deprives them of all boastings in themselves What it is that he intends by our being saved must be inquired into It would not be prejudicial unto but rather advance the truth we plead for if by our being saved eternal Salvation were intended But that cannot be the sense of it in this place otherwise than as that Salvation is included in the causes of it which are effectual in this life Nor do I think that in that expression By Grace ye are saved our Justification only is intended although it be so principally Conversion unto God and Sanctification are also included therein as is evident from Ver. 5 6. And they are no less of sovereign Grace than is our Justification it self But the Apostle speaks of what the Ephesians being now Believers and by vertue of their being so were made partakers of in this life This is manifest in the whole context For having in the beginning of the Chapter described their condition what it was in common with all the Posterity of Adam by nature Ver. 1 2 3. He moreover declares their condition in particular in opposition to that of the Jews as they were Gentiles Idolaters Atheists Ver. 11 12. Their present delivery by Jesus Christ from this whole miserable state and condition that which they were under in common with all mankind and that which was a peculiar aggravation of its misery in themselves is that which he intends by their being saved That which was principally designed in the description of this state is That therein and thereby they were liable unto the wrath of God guilty before him and obnoxious unto his judgment This he expresseth in the declaration of it Ver. 3. Answerable unto that method and those grounds he every where proceeds on in declaring the Doctrine of Justification Rom. 3.19 20 21 22 23 24. Tit. 3.3 4 5. From this state they had deliverance by Faith in Christ Jesus For unto as many as received him power is given to be the sons of God Joh. 1.12 He that believeth on him is not condemned that is he is saved in the sense of the Apostle in this place Joh. 3.15 He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life is saved but he that believeth not the wrath of God abideth on him Ver. 36. And in this sense saved and Salvation are frequently used in the Scripture Besides he gives us so full a description of the Salvation which he intends from Ver. 13. unto the end of the Chapter that there can be no doubt of it It is our being made nigh by the Blood of Christ Ver. 13. Our Peace with God by his death Ver. 14 15. Our Reconciliation by the Blood of the Cross Ver. 16. Our access unto God and all Spiritual priviledges thereon depending Ver. 18 19 20 c. Wherefore the inquiry of the Apostle and his determination thereon is concerning the causes of our Justification before God This he declares and fixeth both Positively and Negatively Positively 1. In the supream moving Cause on the part of God This is that free sovereign Grace and Love of his which he illustrates by its adjuncts and properties before mentioned 2. In the meritorious procuring cause of it which is Jesus Christ in the Work of his Mediation as the Ordinance of God for the rendring this Grace effectual unto his Glory Ver. 7 13 16. 3. In the only means or instrumental cause on our part which is Faith By Grace are ye saved through Faith Ver. 8. And lest he should seem to derogate any thing from the Grace
Doctrine and that which would so easily solve this difficulty and answer this objection as both of them are by some pretended certainly neither his wisdom nor his care of the Church under the conduct of the infallible Spirit would have suffered him to omit this reply were it consistent with the truth which he had delivered But he is so far from any such Plea that when the most unavoidable occasion was administred unto it he not only waves any mention of it but in its stead affirms that which plainly evidenceth that he allowed not of it See Eph. 2.9 10. Having positively excluded Works from our Justification not of Works least any man should boast it being natural thereon to enquire to what end do Works serve or is there any necessity of them instead of a distinction of Works legal and Evangelical in order unto our Justification he asserts the necessity of the later on other Grounds Reasons and Motives manifesting that they were those in particular which he excluded as we have seen in the consideration of the place Wherefore that we may not forsake his pattern and example in the same cause seeing he was Wiser and Holier knew more of the mind of God and had more zeal for personal Righteousness and Holiness in the Church than we all if we are pressed a Thousand times with this objection we shall never seek to deliver our selves from it by answering that we allow these things to be the condition or causes of our Justification or the matter of our Righteousness before God seeing he would not so do Secondly we may observe that in his answer unto this objection whether expresly mentioned or tacitly obviated he insisteth not any where upon the common principle of moral Duties but on those motives and reasons of Holiness Obedience good works alone which are peculiar unto Believers For the question was not whether all mankind were obliged unto Obedience unto God and the Duties thereof of by the moral Law But whether there were an Obligation from the Gospel upon Believers unto Righteousness Holiness and good Works such as was suited to affect and constrain their minds unto them Nor will we admit of any other state of the question but this only whether upon the supposition of our gratuitous justification through the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ there are in the Gospel grounds reasons and motives making necessary and efficaciously influencing the minds of Believers unto Obedience and good Works for those who are not Believers we have nothing to do with them in this matter nor do plead that Evangelical grounds and motives are suited or effectual to work them unto Obedience yea we know the contrary and that they are apt both to despise them and abuse them See I Cor. 1.23 24. 2 Cor. 4.4 such persons are under the Law and there we leave them unto the Authority of God in the moral Law But that the Apostle doth confine his enquiry unto Believers is evident in every place wherein he maketh mention of it Rom. 6.2 3. How shall we that are dead unto sin live any longer therein Know ye not that so many of us as were Baptized into Jesus Christ c. Eph. 2.10 For we are the workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus unto good Works Wherefore we shall not at all contend what cogency unto duties of Holiness there is in Gospel motives and reasons unto the minds of Vnbelievers whatever may be the truth in that case But what is their power force and efficacy towards them that truly believe Thirdly The answers which the Apostle returns positively unto this objection wherein he declares the necessity nature ends and use of Evangelical Righteousness and good Works are large and many comprehensive of a great part of the Doctrine of the Gospel I shall only mention the heads of some of them which are the same that we plead in the vindication of the same truth 1. He pleads the Ordination of God God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Eph. 2.10 God hath designed in the disposal of the order of the causes of Salvation that those who believe in Christ should live in walk in abound in good Works and all Duties of Obedience unto God To this end are Precepts Directions Motives and Encouragements every where multiplied in the Scripture Wherefore we say that good Works and that as they include the gradual progressive Renovation of our natures our growth and increase in grace with fruitfulness in our lives are necessary from the Ordination of God from his will and command And what need there any further dispute about the necessity of good Works among them that know what it is to believe or what respect there is in the Souls and Consciences of Believers unto the commands of God But what force say some is in this Command or Ordination of God when notwithstanding it and if we do not apply our selves unto Obedience we shall be justified by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ and so may be saved without them I say 1 As was before observed that it is Believers alone concerning whom this enquiry is made and there is none of them but will judge this a most unreasonable and senseless objection as that which ariseth from an utter ignorance of their state and relation unto God To suppose that the minds of Believers are not as much and as effectually influenced with the Authority and Commands of God unto Duty and Obedience as if they were all given in order unto their Justification is to consider neither what Faith is nor what it is to be a Believer nor what is the Relation that we stand in unto God by Faith in Christ Jesus nor what are the Arguments or motives wherewith the minds of such persons are principally affected and constrained This is the Answer which the Apostle gives at large unto this Exception Rom. 6.2 3. 2 The whole fallacy of this Exception is 1 In separating the things that God hath made inseparable These are our Justification and our Sanctification To suppose that the one of these may be without the other is to overthrow the whole Gospel 2 In compounding those things that are distinct namely Justification and eternal actual Salvation the respect of Works and Obedience being not the same unto them both as hath been declared Wherefore this Imagination that the commands of God unto Duty However given and unto what ends soever are not equally obligatory unto the Consciences of Believers as if they were all given in order unto their Justification before God is an absurd figment and which all of them who are truly so defie Yea they have a greater power upon them than they could have if the Duties required in them were in order unto their Justification and so were antecedent thereunto For thereby they must be supposed to have their efficacy upon them before they truly believe For to say that a man may be a true Believer or truly