the impartial Reader what his meaning was P 417. Mr. F. The word Justifie neither in its Etymology nor application and usage according to the institution of men and least of all in the Scripture-usurpation is equipollent to pardon nor coincident with to Forgive Answ 1. However it may be in some respects useful to know the Etymology and usage of common speech nevertheless this is not so much to be regarded in the stating or determining of any Question pertaining to Divinity the usage of words in Scripture being as the Pole-Star to direct the course of our conceptions as I may so say in such matters And for that cause I cannot but commend that passage of this Author he saying p. 155. That that which is chiefly to be attended unto in the sencing of Scripture is the use of words in sacred Writers God being many times pleased to restrain or enlarge the signification of words as in his wisdom he judgeth meet And I do the rather mind the Author of this his saying because if we regard the Etymology of the word Justifie it will to speak the least as much favour the Popish sencing of the word thâ—se sencing it To Sanctifie or to make just sensu physico i. e. by infusion of grace as the Protestants interpretation thereof who do construe it sensu juridico to make just by apology defence or plea. 2. As for the usage of words in common speech this is sometimes contrary to their common usage in Scripture as I have already declared in the use of the word Justifie this signifying in common usage to absolve or acquit a person à reatu culpae i. e. as innocent and not guilty And because this Author as I guess by his name is a Scotchman I shall therefore put him in mind That whereas to be justified and to be pardoned are all one in the usage of Scripture they are contrary in the usage of Scotland to be justified there being not be pardoned but to be hang'd our Scotch Brethren using to say That a man is justified when he is hang'd or executed as I learn from the worthy Dr. Hammond in his Notes upon some place of the Epistle to the Romans 3. It is a most notorious mistake in this Author to assert as here he doth expresly That to Justifie is least of all meaning thereby in obvious construction not at all in the Scripture-usurpation equipollent to pardon nor coincident with to forgive The not observing of the contrary truth which hath been already proved by several Scriptures I do judg to be the occasion of other errors in this matter whereupon I may sadly take up the old saying Hinc illae lachrymae The Authors next ensuing words to be animadverted upon are as followeth CHAP. XI Mr. Ferguson's mistake in saying That we are made Righteous With the Righteousness of Christ as also Dr. Owen's in his Book styled Communion with the Trinity refuted and that in Rom. 5.18 alledged by him answer'd wherein is declared That it is one thing to be justified By and another thing to be justified With the Righteousness of Christ The Doctor 's misinterpretation of Phil. 3.9 and Eph. 2.8 That the asserting of the whole of Justification to consist in remission of sin hath no such evil consequences as Mr. F. chargeth it with P. 413 416 419. Mr. F. SO that upon the whole If we be not made Righteous with the perfect Righteousness of Christ imputed to us but that God only for the sake of Christ will dispence with the rigour of the Law and I dare affirm that Justification as it is opposed to the accusation of the Law its charging us with guilt and its passing sentence of condemnation against us thereupon doth not admit a proper sence in the whole Scripture but must every where be construed Metaphorically and that the import of it is not that we are properly and in a Law-sence justified but that such benefits accrue to us by Remission of sin as if we were so According to the sentiments of our Author we are only pardoned but by reason of some allusion betwixt the advantages redounding to us by forgiveness and the priviledges immunities and benefits which ensue upon a proper Justification we are therefore Metaphorically said to be justified It were to bid defiance to the Scripture in an hundred places to say that we are not at all justified and yet in effect their principles imply no less For by stating the whole of our assoilment from the accusation of the Law in remission of sin they indeed say that we are not justified only we are improperly said to be so Answ 1. It is the error of this Author as of many others to say that we are made Righteous With the perfect Righteousness of Christ imputed to us And among others I perceive Dr. Owen doth err in this particular which because he pretends to prove by certain Scriptures in his late Vindication p. 102 103. I will for the truths sake reply thereunto 1. He alledgeth Rom. 5.18 By his obedience we are made Righteous made so truly says he and accepted To which I answer 1. That Scripture proves not the Doctor 's purpose nor is pertinent thereunto for the Apostle doth not say as the Doctor would have him With whose obedience but By whose obedience we are made Righteous now we may be truly said to be made Righteous By it though we neither are nor can be truly said to be made Righteous With it For 2. These two Monosyllables By and With are very much different in signification the former particle By implying the nature energy or interest of an efficient and as here applied morally efficient or meritorious cause the latter particle With pregnantly importing the nature or interest of a formal cause Now forasmuch as the Doctor is a man of such reading and learning as that he cannot be ignorant of the true state of the Question about the Imputation of Christs Righteousness unto us it being not at all touching the meritorious cause of our Justification whether we are justified By Christs Righteousness but about the formal cause whether we are justified With Christs Righteousness imputed as some say or With the Imputation thereof as say some others i. e. with the very thing if self imputed to us or with the imputation thereof in its formal or essential nature I say Forasmuch as this Doctor cannot but know these things it did ill become his learning and ingenuity to hood-wink the eyes of the vulgar Reader from seeing the true state of the Question and consequently from perceiving how nothing at all to the purpose in hand this Scripture is that is alledged by him 3. There is not the least whisper of the obedience of Christ as Imputed to us or of the Imputation of Christs obedience to us in that of Rom. 5.18 For though the Apostle says By his obedience yet he doth not say By his obedience Imputed to us or By the
eternal The premisses considered I infer these three or four Conclusions 1. That upon the removal of eternal evil from a person who is pardoned eternal good is immediately introduced by Gods order and appointment 2. That to grant as the Objector here doth that forgiveness of sin doth remove the eternal evil is to yield the cause and to acknowledg that by Gods order and appointment forgiveness of sin doth introduce eternal good or a title to eternal life 3. That if we do suppose a sinner pardoned to be only freed from hell and then annihilated we do even then therein and thereby suppose him not pardoned according to the tenor of the Gospel or with such a plenary pardon as the Gospel promiseth and consequently that to argue after such a rate as is here argued is to forsake or to depart from the subject of the Question a thing much unbeseeming a close Disputant such as this Author was by many accounted 4. That it is a groundless imagination to think as too too many do who having first unnecessarily distinguished of Christs obedience into active and passive do sort them to several distinct purposes dogmatizing thereupon That Christ by his passive obedience hath freed us from the guilt of eternal death and by his active obedience hath procured us a title to eternal life and That by forgiveness of sin we have freedom from the one and by Justification by Christs Righteousness we have title to the other As particularly Dr. Owen speaks in his Book of Communion with God And because it is much to be desired that Christians would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is the Apostles prayer for the Philippians Ch. 1.10 first try and then approve or disapprove according to the different nature of things my purpose is in certain Chapters of this Treatise to expose to an impartial examination what that Author hath dictated concerning this matter In the mean while I shall offer two things to consideration 1. Mr. Baxter says in those sheets which he wrote in reference to Mr. Edw. Fowler 's Book styled The design of Christianity We believe says he p. 17. That Christs habitual perfection with his Active Righteousness and his sacrifice or sufferings all set together and advanced in value by their conjunction with his Divine Righteousness were the true meritorious procuring cause of our pardon justification sanctification and salvation Not one part imputed to this effect and another to that but all thus making up one meritorious cause of all these effects even of the Covenant and all its benefits He adds saying and which is the main truth which I do by this whole Treatise contend for And thus Christs Righteousness is imputed and given to us not immediately in it self but in the effects and fruits As a ransom is said to be given to a Captive because it is given For him though strictly the ransom is given to another and only the fruits of it to him This I take to be the Catholick Faith in the Article before us 2. Be it considered That there is no Medium betwixt Life and Death no middle condition rationally imaginable betwixt these two Hereupon we may certainly conclude That he who by the forgiveness of his sins is freed from eternal death cannot otherwise but be conceived to have a right to life eternal I proceed to answer certain other Arguments objected from the Scriptures Object The Apostle having said Acts 13.38 39. that through Christ was preached to them the forgiveness of sins he adds as a further priviledg or benefit saying And by him all that believe are justified This is objected if I do not mis-remember in the said Book styled Communion with God Answ 1. The words being translated out of the original run thus Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethren that by this man forgiveness of sins is preached unto you and from all things from which you could not be justified by the Law of Moses this is the entire v. 38. in the Greek and then it follows v. 39. By him every believing man is justified The words being thus rendred and an Emphasis laid upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is oft-times in Scripture as much as even do clearly make the same thing to be meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do clearly I say make justification and remission of sin to be the same thing or of the self same adequate importance that implying no more priviledg or benefit than this 2. Read the words as we find them translated and it is sufficiently clear that the words justification and remission are but varied phrases of one and the same thing it being the manner of Scripture frequently to express the self same thing by varied words and phrases 3. The said Scripture being alledged usually for the proving that justification doth denote a further priviledg than forgiveness of sin especially the Imputation of Christs active obedience must for that purpose thus be paraphrased Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and by him all that believe have Christs active obedience imputed to them from all things from which you could not have Christs active obedience imputed to you by the Law of Moses Hereupon let any Reader judg whether this Scripture makes for the purpose for which it is alledged whether by Dr. Owen or any other of the adverse Brethren in this controversie Some other Objections there are but they are so weak that no impartial or unprejudicate person will I am most assured be swayed by them and therefore having answered the most considerable I shall let pass the rest I shall now propound another Question Quest Are not believing sinners restored by Christ unto a greater degree of felicity than Adam did lose or forfeit by his sin and are not Believers entitled to this greater degree of glory by their justification through the Imputation of Christs Righteousness to them and not upon the meer score of the forgiveness of their sins Answ In answer hereunto I will set down in the first place what the opinion of others is in this matter and then speak my own sence 1. There be many who as they judg that Believers are restored to a greater degree of felicity in this life than Adam did enjoy in Paradise so also that they shall enjoy through the Imputation of Christs Righteousness a greater degree of heavenly glory than Adam should have enjoyed upon his continuance in a state of innocency But there are others who think that both of them are justly questionable and scarce proveable by the Scriptures especially the latter 2. There be others asserting That there is in the merits of Christ not only Plenitudo sufficientiae but also redundantiae or that his satisfaction was super-satisfactory not only Legalis justitiae but also Super-legalis meriti as are the expressions of the very learned Dr. Reynolds Bishop of Norwich in some of his Sermons if I
whether he should believe the Doctor or his own eyes 2. Much less is there mention of Reconciliation through a non-imputation of sin as distinct from justification in any of those three Texts of Scripture 3. Though there be mention of Reconciliation and a non-imputation of sin in one of the fore-cited Scriptures 2 Cor. 5.19 yet neither is the one or the other there mentioned as distinct from justification through an Imputation of Christs Righteousness as the Doctor says 4. We are no otherwise justified than we are pardoned or reconciled to God through the Imputation of Christs Righteousness Christs Righteousness it self being no more necessary nor acting any otherwise for the effecting of the one than of the other the agency thereof being that of a morally efficient or meritorious cause towards our remission reconciliation and justification 5. If by the Doctor 's confession reconciliation and justification are reciprocally affirmed one of another I am apt to think that Philosophy will warrant us from thence to conclude an identity And by the last fore-cited Scripture the identity which the Doctor denies may undoubtedly be evinced For the non-imputation of sin together with our reconciliation with God is there mentioned as all one even the self same thing with our being made the Righteousness of God in Christ which may be truly paraphrased with our being justified by the Righteousness of Christ but is falsly glossed as the Doctor would have it with the Imputation of the perfect and compleat righteousness or obedience of Christ to the Law of God As for the other three places of Scripture alledged by him he doth manifestly wrest them For 1. Though it be said in Jer. 23.6 That this is his name whereby he shall be called The Lord our Righteousness let who will be there meant by the Lord whether God the Father as Mr. John Humfreys thinks or God the Son as many others it matters not here to make enquiry yet there is no such thing there either mentioned or meant as Justification through an Imputation of Christs Righteousness unto us 2. Although in Rom. 4.5 there is mention made of Gods Imputing Righteousness unto us yet by Righteousness is not there meant the Righteousness of Christ i. e. his perfect and compleat obedience to the Law nor are we by that expression of the Apostle given to understand that the said righteousness or obedience of Christ is imputed to us but by it is meant a certain righteousness which is the effect and fruit of Christs Righteousness and which for the sake of Christs Righteousness is imputed to us or confer'd upon us 3. There is not the least sound or whisper of a sinners justification through the Imputation of Christs Righteousness in 1 Cor. 1.30 although the Doctor hath endeavoured several times to pervert that Text to such a sence as was never intended by the Apostle 4. Whereas he says as he hath said often that this last i. e. justification through an Imputation of Christs Righteousness we have by the life of Christ he doth expresly contradict the Apostle who affirms That we are justified by the Blood of Christ i. e. by his bloody death The Doctor proceeds in his perverting the true sence of certain other Scriptures as after the recital of his words I will demonstrate in the following Chapter CHAP. XXXIV Doctor Owen's mis-interpretation of Zech. 3.3 4. That remission of sin is no more the proper fruit of Christs death as the Doctor would have it than is Justification That there is not required a collation of Righteousness over and above remission of sin as he asserts in order to a right to heaven His allegation of Esa 61.10 to no purpose P. 187. THIS that is the distinct mention of Reconciliation through a non-imputation of sin and Justification through an Imputation of righteousness is fully expressed in that Typical representation of our justification before the Lord Zech. 3.3 4 5. Two things are there expressed to belong to our free Acceptation before God 1. The taking away the guilt of our sin our filthy robes This is done by the death of Christ remission of sin is the proper fruit thereof but there is more also required even a Collation of righteousness and thereby a right to life eternal this is here called fine change of rayment So the Holy Ghost expresseth it again Esa 61.10 where he calls it plainly the garment of salvation and the robe of righteousness Now this is only made ours by the obedience of Christ as the other by his death Answ We are now come to Visions and Revelations of the Lord in the Expositions whereof I do confess my self to have little exercised my talent nevertheless I reply 1. In a flat gainsaying his interpretation and denial that this i. e. that reconciliation with God and justification through the Imputation of Christs Righteousness as things distinct is fully expressed in that Typical representation of the matter in Zech. 3. For although I do yield that remission of sins is represented by that visible sign I have caused thine iniquities i. e. in the guilt and punishment of them to pass from thee i. e. I have pardoned them nevertheless I deny that by the fine change of rayment is there meant the Righteousness of Christ or justification through the Imputation of it unto us but I rather think that by it is meant our own personal righteousness or holiness which doth oft-times in Scripture go under the Metaphorical expression of a splendid vest fine linnen robe or the like as I have already manifested Briefly My opinion is That in the said vision of the Prophet there is a representation of justification or remission of sin and sanctification as distinct things but not as the Doctor will have it expounded of reconciliation or remission and of justification through the Imputation of Christs Righteousness 2. Remission of sin is no more the proper fruit of Christs death as the Doctor says than is our justification for as the Apostle somewhere says We have redemption through his Blood even the Forgiveness of our sins so he doth elsewhere say We are justified by his Blood Rom. 5.9 I doubt not to say It is a great mistake in this Doctor as in many others to assign our Reconciliation or remission of sin and our Justification to several distinct causes the former to Christs passive obedience his death the other to his active the obedience of his life imputed whereas the truth is in these two things 1. That reconciliation or remission of sin and justification are the self same thing in effect as was aforesaid 2. Being the same thing in effect although they are expressed by divers names yet they are wholly to be ascribed to the whole obedience of Christ both of his life and death as joyntly constituting the meritorious cause thereof so that neither is remission of sin to be more said to be the proper fruit of Christs death than justification nor justification more properly
imputed to him than in the effects of them I may well and warrantably infer by proportion that the righteousness of Christs life and sacrifice of his death his doings and sufferings formally and properly taken are not imputed unto us or otherwise imputed than meerly in the benefits of them P. 411. Neither will I press Mr. F. how that secluding not only the righteousness of Christs life but the satisfaction of his death as the matter and the imputation of it as the formal cause of justification it seems repugnant to the immutability and essential holiness of God to justifie us upon an imperfect obedience the Law which requireth a perfect obedience remaining still in force and denouncing wrath in case of every failure Answ By these words it appears again that this Author doth mistake the true notion and right conception of gospel-Gospel-justification he supposing that the righteousness of Christs life and satisfaction of his death is the matter and that the imputation of it is the formal cause thereof whereas the unquestionable truth to my simple understanding is that if we speak of matter in a proper sence as here viz. for a material cause in way of contradistinction to a formal cause neither the righteousness of Christs life nor satisfaction of his death can fitly be said to be the matter or material cause of a sinners justification the satisfactoriness both of his life and death of his doings and sufferings being undoubtedly the external impulsive or morally efficient cause thereof and how one and the same thing should put on the habitude of two causes so different in kind as is the material and efficient that being internal and pars constitutiva rei and this wholly external I do not understand such a conception being altogether contrary to the Logick which hitherto I have been acquainted with 2. Whereas this Author and others make the imputation of Christs righteousness to be the formal cause of justification I do clearly conceive them mistaken and that the formalis ratio or formal cause of Gospel-justification is forgiveness of sin this being Res ipsa the very thing it self wherein the justification of a sinner doth consist 3. Had this Author rightly apprehended or minded that a sinners justification is or doth consist in the pardon of his sin he would scarce have questioned it as a thing in the least wise repugnant to the immutability and essential holiness of God to justifie us upon an imperfect obedience For what though it may be granted that the Law which requireth a perfect obedience and denounceth wrath in case of every failure doth remain still in force i. e. so far forth as to command the one and to threaten the other yet I presume he will not I am sure he ought not to say That that original Law the Law of works I presume he means doth still stand in its primitive force as a Covenant of works both promising life to sinners upon perfect obedience or conditionally upon their not being sinners and threatning death unavoidably upon every failure Doth this Author forget That there is a Law of Grace of oblivion a Lex remedians a Law of indempnity enacted by God through the blood of Christ whereby the force of that Law so threatning may as to the execution of the threatning be vacated by a gracious pardon and certainly so shall be upon a sinners sincere however imperfect obedience to the Gospel of Christ 4. This Author seems to think that a sinner is justified in respect of the precept or preceptive part of the Law i. e. as one who had in and by Christ performed all manner of duty whereas a sinner is justified only in respect of the sanction of the Law i. e. as one who notwithstanding his failings hath right to impunity and to a discharge for Christs sake by a pardon CHAP. VII That the Scripture doth no where assert a surrogation of Christ in our room in such a strict Law-sence as that we may be said in and by him to have done and suffered what he did and suffered and in or by him to have redeemed our selves And that Christ did not in such a Law-sence represent us as Proctors and Atturneys do their Clients Ambassadors their Princes or Guardians their Pupils acting accordingly in our names but officiating as a Mediator betwixt God and Man The evil Consequences charged by Mr. F. upon the contrary Doctrine are denied His thwacking Contradiction imputed to others avoided by them and retorted upon himself P. 411. NEither shall I urge how there can have been no surrogation of Christ in our room Mr. F. nor can we properly be said to be redeemed by him as our substitute if all redounding to us by his death be only the procurement of the Gospel-Covenant in which God upon such conditions as he there requires undertakes to pardon our iniquities and sins A surrogation in our room and stead to acts and sufferings which are not in a Law-sence accounted ours I am so far from understanding that without admitting injustice in the Rector who allows the substitution it seems to me a thwacking contradiction especially if we consider that Christ was our substitute to make satisfaction to the demands of the Law and not of the Gospel and that by his obedience and death he hath only freed us from what we were obnoxious to upon failure of perfect obedience but not at all from what we were liable to in case of unbelief and want of sincere obedience Answ 1. The Scripture no where asserts such a surrogation of Christ in our room as that we can properly be said to be redeemed by him as our substitute For had he been in a strict proper sence our substitute there is cause to assert That we have in and by him redeemed our selves yea that we rather have redeemed our selves than he us or That we are our own Redeemers rather than Christ For what is done by a proper substitute is not in a Law-sence so much his act who doth it as ours whom he as our surrogate and substitute doth personate or represent let the representation be Quocunque modo or quacunque ratione i. e. whether he represent us by our own will consent or constitution as Proctors and Atturneys do their Clients that pay and receive moneys and transact matters in their names and Ambassadors who are imployed by Princes to deal with forreign States and Nations or by allowance and authority of Law as what Tutors and Guardians do in the name of their Pupils in these cases whatsoever is done by such substitutes in the person of another is not so properly and in Law-construction his act who doth it as theirs whose substitute he is and whose person he doth represent 2. Forasmuch as this Author doth assert such a surrogation of Christ in our room as that we can properly be said to be redeemed by him as our substitute if he shall notwithstanding that assertion deny That we have
other Authors do fancy concerning the impropriety of our being justified By or to speak more properly With a pardon that I can give them leave to think and speak therein as they please being fully assured That I am as properly said to be justified as pardoned yea though neither pardoned nor justified properly yet forasmuch as I am assured that being pardoned and justified properly or improperly I am certainly pardoned and certainly justified and shall be glorified I am well contented with it and am abundantly thankful to God and Christ Jesus for it Thus have I dared to oppose what this Author as he says hath dared to affirm viz. That if a sinners Justification be the same thing with the Remission of his sins then doth that his Justification not admit a proper sence in the whole Scripture and that to say so is in effect to say we are not at all justified and so to bid defiance to the Scripture in a hundred places And I do leave it to the judgement of every learned and impartial Reader what sentence to pronounce both upon the one and the other this his Affirmation and my Opposition I shall in the next place address my self to the answering of another Question as followeth CHAP. XIII Q. Why or for what reasons may pardon of sin be called Justification and Vice versâ Or What reasons are there for their promiscuous use in the N. T Answ In answer whereunto 1. It is acknowledged That the Question is in it self not so considerable 2. Nevertheless for the satisfaction of many dissenting Brethren in answer thereunto several reasons of the thing are assigned and specified Q. FOR what reason or reasons can pardon of sin be styled Justification and Justification pardon Answ I say concerning this Question as of the former That it is not very material For if I know that Gods pardoning mercy as in Scripture it goes under divers other names Redemption Salvation Reconciliation Righteousness goes also under the name Justification I may very well rest assured that there is a reason for it because the only wise God will not give a name to any thing for which there is no reason But because this Author either is ignorant of the reasons usually rendred for it or else doth dissemble his knowledge thereof I will therefore for his sake make answer to the said Question and I desire that my Answers may be lookt upon as a Superpondium or measure running over given into his bosom My Answers are 1. One Reason why Gods saving mercy to sinners is called by different names is taken from the divers mischievous effects or consequences of sin Because sin doth make the sinner obnoxious unto or binds him over to punishment therefore is Gods saving mercy in the blood of Christ towards sinners styled Remission this being Gods loosing the bond or discharging of the sinner from the said obligation 2. If Mr. Bradshaw's opinion be right viz. That if an offendor be pardoned without any amends and satisfaction he is not at all justified and consequently where a fault is of that nature as that no sufficient satisfaction or amends can be made there can be no justification of a person so offending then this reason will well warrant Remission of sin to be styled Justification viz. Because our pardon is a peculiar kind of pardon i. e. not Pura puta omni modo gratuita meerly and in all respects free but some way merited viz. By the satisfaction of Christ our Mediator whereupon God is just and doth exercise justice in the pardoning of sinners and consequently may be said to justifie those whom he doth upon such consideration remit 3. But because this ground perhaps is not so justifiable and satisfactory forasmuch as that Delinquent that can Quocunque modo seu ratione qualicunque produce a pardon is justified from the accusation of being obliged to suffer the penalty of the Law and by consequence respectively thereunto is just Rectus in Curiâ If any I say be dissatisfied in that reason of Mr. Bradshaw's I shall offer to him instead thereof this reason viz. Remission of sin is styled Justification because it will stand a sinner in as much stead before the Tribunal of God the Judge of quick and dead as a Justification upon perfect justice would do a person who being perfectly innocent is impleaded This reason I have cause to presume will not much be regarded by this Author but distasted rather because he thinks that for this reason a sinners Justification must needs be wholly improper and altogether Metaphorical which he can by no means endure But as I have endeavoured to cure him of that his mis-conception so I doubt not but that this reason will be of a perfect good relish to others of another and more sound palate 4. Another Reason as some think is because a sinner is pardoned by course of Law his pardon is derived or accrews to him not as that of a Malefactor sometimes doth by the meer will and prerogative of his Soveraign Prince but by vertue of the Law of the Gospel enacted as an instrument for the conveyance thereof As for the Reasons of Remission of sin its being styled Justification and Justification its being styled Remission of sin I think they may be fitly to the purpose in hand thus expressed 1. Gospel-Justification is styled Remission of sin in respect of the quality of the person who is the Materia circa quam the subject about which that saving grace or mercy is conversant the person or recipient subject thereof being not an Innocent but a person in himself obnoxious viz. a sinner For Gospel-Justification though Justa just yet it is not Justification Justi but Injusti i. e. it is the discharge of a person who in himself is unjust from that obligation to punishment wherewith he is charged by the Law 2. Remission of sin is in the N. T. frequently styled Justification in regard of the manner of its conveyance which is not as many others if not most pardons from man are upon meer good will and pleasure but from Law and Covenant A sinners pardon being of a peculiar kind from what many other pardons are as in one respect it is pardon granted by God upon the satisfaction of Christ so in another respect it is upon the faith and repentance of a sinner and in both respects it may be said to be a covenanted pardon or pardon by a Law which Law or Covenant is two-fold 1. The first is a Law or Covenant peculiar to Christ as Persona restipulans God the Father therein requiring satisfaction to be made by him and thereupon covenanting and promising That no strict satisfaction should be exacted of the sinner This satisfaction according to the said Law or Covenant as commonly styled or as others style it divine decree they referring the matter to the Decretive rather than the Legislative will of God this satisfaction I say Jesus Christ did according to the said
legal Righteousness of Christ is imputed to us by or through faith I answer 1. It is not at all imputed to us in the sence of this Author i. e. properly and in its essential nature but only in the saving effects thereof as I have already I hope convincingly demonstrated 2. Nevertheless I grant that in subordination to the Righteousness of Christ faith is a Medium or means of a sinners justification though it is another kind of Medium than is Christs Righteousness to which it is subordinate in the justifying of a sinner Christs Righteousness being such a Medium as hath the nature or efficiency of a meritorious cause but our faith having only the nature of a condition simply so called I have thought meet to intimate this for these two reasons 1. To prevent the mis-understanding of what I said in the foregoing Chapter wherein was said that Gospel-pardon was ex Christi satisfactione and ex peccatoris fide which must not be so understood as if the word ex did imply the self same importance in both places For the truth is that as the particle ex is of different importance it importing sometimes one kind of cause and sometimes another and sometimes no cause at all but an antecedent condition and the same I may say of the particles in English Greek and Hebrew corresponding to the Latine particle ex so in the former application of the particle it doth imply efficiency or an efficient meritorious cause but in the latter only an antecedent or a condition sine quâ non 2. To prevent the mis-construction of the word faith in many places of Scripture where by faith many do understand only its object Christ or his Righteousness whereas as faith and Christs Righteousness are two things of distinct consideration so by faith in such sayings as these We are justified By faith and saved By faith we are to understand not only the object thereof as implyed Christ or his Righteousness but also the act believing or the thing it self faith Lastly I answer That forasmuch as God is graciously pleased in his Gospel to appoint and to declare his acceptance of faith as the condition of a sinners justification through or for the sake of Christs Righteousness therefore I answer as before That a sinners justification is to be denominated rather Evangelical than Legal I shall now return to Mr. Ferguson and reply to certain other passages which I find here and there dispersed in his Book as grounds for the Imputation of Christs Righteousness to us in the sence by him contended for CHAP. XV. Several mistakes in Mr. F. according to the obvious construction of his words detected That Christ suffered not the Idem but the Tantundem manifested by three things distinctly specified and two evil consequences of the contrary Doctrine With a Caution in the close P. 536. MAN having taken off his dependency upon God Mr. F3 by transgressing the Law of Creation Gods Rectorship over him which is regulated by his wisdom holiness veracity and the eternal rectitude and righteousness of his nature would not allow that he should be received into favour but in such a way and by such means as may secure the ends of government manifest the displicency that is in God to sin evidence his truth and immutability in proceeding according to the penal Law which in pursuance of his own Attributes and mans rational nature and relation he had at first enacted Answ I assent to the whole of what is here recited except this That God did for the ends specified proceed according to the penal Law which at first was enacted in which saying there is a complication of mistakes involved for 1. That Law was only dispenced and not executed neither upon Christ nor upon mankind not upon Christ for Christ was not at all threatned in that Law neither did he die the death by vertue of that Law however by occasion of it as hath been already said Nor was that Law executed upon all mankind supposing and taking it for granted that by the death there threatned is meant eternal as well as temporal death 2. A mistake of the nature of that obligation which a divine commination doth induce seems to be implyed in the said words of this Author for Comminatio est obligatio Legem violantis ad poenam ferendam The threatnings of God do induce only an obligation upon transgressors to suffer the punishment threatned but not any necessary obligation upon God to inflict it non Legem ferentis ad inferendam that commination did signifie what man was bound to suffer not what God was bound to do Upon disobedience man was bound to suffer but God was not thereupon bound to inflict punishment otherwise supream Law-givers could have no power to pardon and therefore there is no necessity that the punishment threatned should be executed and it is an error to assert or imagine any such necessity The only inevitable effect of that threatning was That upon mans sin punishment should be his due and so it was man being bound to punishment Ipsofacto upon his offence committed And herein is the difference betwixt a Commination and a Denunciation of punishment this being an act of judgment or sentence or else a prediction of a decree to punish whereupon the punishment denounced is always inflicted 3. There seems also to be this mistake a mistake of very evil consequence implyed in the clause fore-cited viz. That Christ suffered the Idem not the Tantundem the same suffering to which that Commination did oblige and that a sinners liberation from the punishment to which he was obliged was by the way of strict payment not satisfaction or compensation 4. There seems also to be this mistake implyed in the said clause viz. That the ends of Gods soveraign rule and government could not be secured by a Compensation or without strict solution or payment of that very debt of punishment which was by the sin of man contracted And if I were sure that this Author would own this opinion for God forbid that I should causlesly fasten any thing upon him or any of my Brethren viz. That the sufferings of Christ were Ipsa debiti solutio and not Pro debito satisfactio Christs sufferings were not the very payment of our debt in kind but a valuable satisfaction to divine justice for our not payment of it or for Gods not exacting of us the payment thereof I would more at large suggest somewhat of my own and endeavour to improve what hath been so far as my knowledge reacheth said by others against it Nevertheless because there are of my Brethren who do maintain that Christ suffered the very Idem which was in a sinners obligation and not the Tantundem at least that it is not much material whether we say the one or the other I will for their satisfaction do these two things 1. I will briefly set down the substance of what is commonly and
expression 1 Cor. 14.9 intelligible speech or as our Translation renders it words easie to be understood I mean who do in plain down-right Scripture-language preach remission of sin through the blood righteousness or obedience of Christ do preach all that is true or truly comfortable in that doctrine which in the Sermons and Writings of many doth go under the name of Christ imputed Righteousness Object But do not the contrary minded pretend that Justification by the Imputation of Christs Righteousness it self to a sinner is a greater benefit than remission of sin and that also which a sinner over and above the pardon of his sin hath absolute need of in order to his admittance into the Kingdom of Heaven Answ I am not altogether ignorant of what is to that purpose pretended by too too many of my Brethren whose pretences I shall faithfully relate and because I do judg them to be weak and groundless I will endeavour to manifest the same in the ensuing Chapters CHAP. XXI One benefit pretended by divers That by Remission of sin a sinner is freed from the punishment deserved by his fault but by Christs Righteousness imputed he is freed from the fault it self the vanity of which pretence is discovered Several Objections answered wherein is shewen That a sinner may be disobliged from suffering the punishment deserved for his fault and yet remain faulty still and that it is repugnant to the nature as well as to the Law of God for God to repute a sinner to be that which he is not or not to have committed those faults which he hath committed That it is one thing for God to repute a person to be innocent and quite another to be dealt with respectively to impunity as innocent In what sence a Thief having made satisfaction for his theft is in the sence of the Law a Thief still The main ground of mistake in this matter specified 1. IT is pretended that by remission of sin the sinner is freed from the punishment deserved by his fault but by his justification through Christs Righteousness imputed to him he is freed from faultiness or the fault it self To this purpose saith Mr. John Warner in his Book styled Diatriba Fidei justificantis qua justificantis printed in the year 1657 the Book it self being chiefly written in opposition to Dr. Hammond Mr. Baxter Mr. Woodbridge and my self as to several passages in my Exercitation concerning the nature of forgiveness of sin His words p. 139. are these Whereas pardon of sin doth take away Reatum poenae justification doth constitute a man so righteous as to take away Reatum culpae To the same purpose I have read in another Author who says That whereas remission of sin takes away the punishment justification takes away the fault so that the Law hath no power to pronounce us faulty So Mr. Anth. Burges of Just 2d part p. 268. As for the vanity of this pretence I have said enough already partly in this Treatise and partly in the 4th Chapter of my Exercitation concerning the Nature of forgiveness of sin and if need be am ready to say more for the discovery thereof And for the better understanding of the matter let the difference betwixt Guilt of fault and Guilt of punishment be rightly understood and still remembred viz. That these two do differ Sicut Meritum poenae and Obligatio ad luendum poenam in the former sence he is guilty who hath committed a fault and thereby hath deserved punishment but in the latter sence he only is guilty that remains actually obliged to suffer the punishment which he by his fault had deserved Now as I have said before as Christs Righteousness is no more or otherwise imputed to a sinner for his justification than his pardon so also his justification doth stand him in no more stead than doth his pardon albeit Justification doth even as Remission of sin take away the guilt of punishment yet it neither doth nor can take away the guilt of fault or faultiness it self from the sinner so that albeit the Law cannot pronounce a sinner who is justified to be guilty as a person actually obliged to suffer for his fault yet it may and doth and cannot otherwise choose but pronounce him faulty or guilty of fault yea the Law in its express pronouncing a person to be pardoned justified or not guilty of punishment doth implicitly pronounce him to be guilty of fault So true are those sayings Quod factum est fieri infectum non potest Habere eripitur habuisse nunquam it a peccare cessat peccavisse nunquam Hereupon it was most truly said by the Poet Ne non peccârim Mors quoque non faciet But because I am well assured that Mr. Warner and Mr. Burgess are not alone in that their mistake as aforesaid I will therefore relate certain passages which I have somewhere read objected against the truth here and in the 4th Chapter of my said Exercitation asserted and return answer thereunto Object Either in forgiving sin God must Peccantem non peccantem facere or else he doth nothing Answ 1. If this be true that God in forgiving sin doth make a sinner to be no sinner or of faulty not faulty then there is no difference at all as to this particular betwixt forgiveness of sin and justification seeing God in forgiving the sinner as well as in justifying him doth make him no sinner i. e. not faulty or culpable Object Gods taking off the obligation to punishment is in order to his making Peccantem non peccantem i. e. a sinner to be no sinner Answ I deny that Gods taking off a sinners obligation to punishment is in order to any such matter as is here pretended For his taking off a sinners obligation to punishment is in order to his non-inflicting or his actual taking off the punishment it self in his appointed time 2. If it were truly said that Gods taking off a sinners obligation to punishment were in order to his making of a person faulty not faulty then the difference betwixt remission of sin and justification cannot be as is here pretended Object As long as a sinner is faulty he is still obliged to punishment Answ Woe be to us if this be true For if there be truth in that saying we have all cause to say with the Disciples Who then can be saved 2. Be it known to sinners for their great Consolation in Christ that what is here objected is a notorious mistake the very truth being this viz. That a sinner may be disobliged from suffering the punishment deserved by his fault even when and while he stands faulty yea although to all eternity he doth stand faulty and in very deed every pardoned or justified sinner shall so stand before God it being a thing simply impossible but that he who is pardoned or justified by Gods free grace through the Redemption which is in Christ Jesus should remain faulty or culpable as to his former
do not mis-remember they I say thus asserting do yield that Believers shall enjoy through Christ a greater degree of glory in heaven than they lost by the fall of Adam or in him But they say That they are entitled unto this overplus of glory not simply by vertue of the remission of their sins or justification for this say they doth only restore them Adstatum quo prius to such a degree of happiness as they lost in Adam but by vertue of the super-aded grace of adoption and of this opinion are those two learned Authors Mr. Will. Bradshaw and Mr. John Goodwin and how far forth Mr. Baxter is inclinable thereunto and what his opinion more fully is himself hath declared in a peculiar Section thereabout in his Book against Colvinus if my memory do not fail me 2. As for my own sence I conceive 1. That as the loss of Gods fatherly love and favour and our becoming children of the devil was one part of the punishment of mans sin 2. As thereupon it follows That our adoption or being restored into Gods fatherly love and favour is one prime branch at least of forgiveness of sin So consequently 3. That Believers are no otherwise entitled to that farther degree of glory by vertue of their Adoption than by vertue of the remission of their sins and I do the rather conceive this to be the truth because whatever that higher degree of glory here supposed is I doubt not but the loss or miss thereof is threatned for sins committed against the Covenant of grace together with a greater degree of positive punishment than was threatned to Adam for breach of the Covenant of works Now forasmuch as Jesus Christ hath by his satisfaction procured pardon for sins committed explicitly against the New as well as the Old Covenant always excepted to final non-performance of the conditions of that New Covenant which are summarily comprehended in Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ and forasmuch as this pardon is promised and vouchsafed to sinners upon their repentance and faith in Christ it doth as I think necessarily follow That what sinner soever hath his sins all his sins against both Covenants pardoned that person is immediately discharged or freed not only from that punishment and loss of favour which he did incur and forfeit in Adam but he is moreover set free from that greater degree of punishment which is threatned for sins committed against the Covenant of grace and is also by his pardon entitled to that higher degree of glory and happiness which is supposed to be promised in the same But that he is entitled thereunto by his justification with such an Imputation of Christs Righteousness as is here pretended I see no reason at all to acknowledg and therefore I must still deny it till I see it proved adding withal that as for the said higher degree of heavenly glory supposed to be enjoyed by Believers for Christs sake I think it to be a matter rather of curious than necessary enquiry wherein we are not to be solicitous of being wise above what is written I shall close this Chapter with the words of Mr. Anth. Burges the said Author of the Tract concerning Justification first part p. 143 144. Remission of sin says he is not only Ablativa mali but also Collativa boni it is not a meer negation of-punishment due to us but also a plentiful vouchsafing of many gracious favours to us such as a Son-ship and right to eternal life These words in his first Book concerning Justification when I compare with what he says directly and professedly contrary thereunto in his second Book which came forth some years after which are these p. 269. Remission of sin and justification differ in this consideration In forgiveness of sin there is Ablatio mali in justification there is Collatio boni when sin is forgiven the eternal evil deserved is removed but when we are justified eternal good is promised When I say I compare those contradictory sayings of the same Author together I call to mind what is said to have been facetiously replyed in Parliament to one Mr. Jordan a Member thereof upon his declared change of mind What ailest thou thou Jordan that thou wast driven back What ail'd this Author so plainly and palpably to contradict both the truth and himself It seems that that Greek Proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Second thoughts are best is not always true There are certain other contradictory passages in this Author concerning the subject which I am now treating upon He says p. 268. Whereas remission of sin doth only take away the guilt of sin justification doth remove the sin it self But he saith p. 432. Notwithstanding the Imputation of Christs active obedience God doth see the imperfect graces and sins of his people Again Although it be this Author 's professed design in his Book second part to maintain the Imputation of Christs Righteousness in the sence impugned in this Treatise he making Justification to consist of two integral parts viz. Remission of sin and Imputation of righteousness nevertheless he seems plainly to contradict himself and to yield the cause by me contended for in this Treatise touching the manner of the Imputation of Christs Righteousness my assertion as aforesaid being this viz. That it is not in it self immediately or in its essential nature imputed to us but in the blessed effects or benefits thereby purchased for us and by God according to promise confer'd on us And he saith the same pag. 135 136. None say Christs obedience is imputed unto us in such a sence as that we should be said to be the efficients of that righteousness but that we should be the passive subjects receiving the benefit of it CHAP. XXIV Q. What are the evil Consequents which do naturally flow from the Imputation of Christs Righteousness in the sence here impugned In answer hereunto one mischievous consequence is specified viz. That Christ is a sinner and the greatest of sinners Quest WHAT are the evil Consequents which do seem necessarily to follow from that doctrine touching the Imputation of Christs Righteousness unto us in the sence which in this Treatise is disowned Answ Having in the foregoing Chapters manifested that no good at all over and above Remission of sin doth or can come of it this Question comes in very fitly to be demanded What are the evil consequents to it And if besides the No good or profit I shall be able to prove that there are many mischievous consequences thereof I hope that those who have espoused it will no longer be enamour'd with it but will be contented rather to give it a Bill of divorce and fairly to dismiss it Mr. Baxter saith It is the heart and root of so many errors yea of the whole body of Antinomianism that he would rather write a great volume against it than leave it with a brief touch Mr. Baxter's Confession p. 229. and p. 266.
these words To appoint to them that mourn in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness So that by the whole of that expression we can understand no more than the great goodness and bounty of God let the particulars in the retail thereof whether in temporals or spirituals or in both be what they will promised or manifested to his Church and manifested by them in a suitable manner of open and solemn rejoycing for them Quest May it not be truly said in some sence that Believers are clothed with Christs Righteousness Answ Yes Yet more fully be it known that as it may be truly and falsly said that Christs Righteousness is imputed to us according to the different sences of the word Righteousness mentioned in the third Chapter so it is both true and false to say That we are clothed with the Righteousness of Christ e. g. Christs Righteousness being taken properly in its essential nature it is notoriously false to say that we are clothed therewith For so taken it is Christs own clothing and not ours he is glorious in this apparrel and he will not give this his glory to another and as Saul's Armour would not fit David so neither will Christs Righteousness taken in this sence suit with any other but himself who was God and man in one person As it is a point of disloyalty in a vassal to put on the Ensigns of Majesty upon himself The Crown Royal upon his head so it is a disloyal thought a most unbecoming thing for a wretched sinner to imagine himself vested with the Royal Robe of Christs Righteousness the only begotten Son of God But as the word Righteousness is taken improperly Effectivè for the fruits and effects of it so it is true to say That we are clothed with his Righteousness i. e. we are clothed our spiritual nakedness is covered we are arrayed with a garment or garments procured or purchased with the Righteousness of Jesus Christ So that if the Question were thus formed May Christs Righteousness be truly said to be a sinners clothing It must be answered That this Proposition Christs Righteousness is a sinners clothing is true Praedicatione causali but not Essentiali or formali i. e. it it self or in it self is not our clothing nor are we vested in or with it but with the fruits of it it being the meritorious cause that hath procured all necessary clothing for the covering of our nakedness for our comfortable appearance before God and our gracious acceptance with him which clothing may summarily be refer'd I think to these two heads viz. Justification and Sanctification both which may be said to be our clothing Nevertheless I do judg it to be more fitly and intelligibly said That our sins are covered with a pardon rather than with Christs Righteousness the one being verified in an immediate sence the other in a sence more remote both in it self and from common understanding But it must ever be remembred that the pardon which covers our sins is a blessing purchased by the Righteousness of Christ and for that reason in such a sence as a ransomed Captive or bought Servant is said to be his Masters or Redeemers money because he was bought with their money in a like sence may the clothing wherewith we are clothed be said to be the Robe of Christs Righteousness because Christs Righteousness was the price wherewith that our clothing whatsoever it be be it sanctification or justification grace or glory for even with this Believers are said to be clothed upon 2 Cor. 5.2 4. was dearly bought or purchased And in this sence the price or hire it self which is given for an House is used to signifie the House wherewith it was hired as appears by Act. 28.30 where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth properly signifie the hire of a thing be it of an House or ought else and which was given by St. Paul or some other in his behalf is styled His own hired House CHAP. XXXI Dr. Owen's mistake in thinking That when all sin is answered for all the Righteousness which God requireth for that time is not fulfilled the contrary whereunto is proved Several other of his mistakes discovered and his mis-interpretations of several Scriptures FOrasmuch as there are several passages in Dr. Owen's Book of Communion with God wherein the contrary is asserted to what hath been maintained in the foregoing Chapters he asserting That over and above the taking away the guilt of sin it is necessary in order to our being saved that we should be actually righteous and for that purpose that the Righteousness of Christ should be imputed to us I shall therefore think it not amiss to recite the chief of those passages and to reply thereunto which shall be the subject of three or four of the ensuing Chapters The Doctor having told us That Christ satisfies for sin and procures the remission of it p. 116. he proceeds to say in the following page There is something more required it is not enough we are not guilty We must also be actually righteous Not only all sin must be answered for but all righteousness is to be fulfilled By taking away the guilt of sin we are as persons innocent but something more is required to make us to be considered as persons obedient I know nothing to teach me that an innocent person shall go to heaven be rewarded if he be no more but so Adam was innocent at his first creation but he was to do this to keep the Commandments before he entred into life he had no title to life by innocency This then moreover is required that th◠whole Law be fulfilled and all the obedience performed that God requires at our hands This is the souls second enquiry and it finds a resolution only in the Lord Christ For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life his death reconciled us then are we saved by his life The actual obedience which he yielded to the whole Law of God is that Righteousness whereby we are saved If so be we are found in him not having our own righteousness which is of the Law but the Righteousness which is of God by faith Phil. 3.9 This I shall have occasion to handle more at large hereafter Answ Somewhat to this purpose being alledged by other Authors hath been already answered in Chap. 23. Nevertheless I shall here make reply to every dictinct passage in the words recited 1. When all sin is answered for all the righteousness which God requireth for that time is fulfilled For the Law is fulfill'd two ways viz. Either by performance of perfect obedience to it or by suffering sufficient punishment for the breach of it Either of these is a satisfaction to the justice of God Now Gods Law doth not bind to both these Copulativè i. e. it