in that day that thou eatest therof thou shalt surely dye Gen. 2.17 that is either in thy selfe or in thy surety therefore Christ performed both active and passive obedience If the Law requireth not only passive but active obedience and the Elect by beleeving fulfill the Law then he in whom they beleeve and that as the object of their faith hath fulfilled both active and passive obedience but the Law requireth active and passive obedience as is evident in the foregoing Arguments and the Elect by beleeving fulfill the righteousnesse of the Law Rom. 8.4.10.4 therefore he in whom they beleeve and that as he is the object of their faith hath fulfilled both active and passive obedience This further appeareth in that Christ was to answer the Law instead of the Elect and that the Law pronounceth every one accursed that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to doe them Gal. 3.10 If Christ had no done what the Command required of us as wel as suffered for our disobedience unto the command Obedientia Christi est una copulativa Alsted Theol Sect 3 loc 22 how wil it appear either that Christ is a perfect Saviour or that any man can be saved the whole obedience of Christ both active and passive make up one intire and perfect obedience why should any particle of the one or the other be excluded As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Rom. 5.19 It were too strait an interpretation to restraine the words to his passive obedience only And for their sake I will sanctifie my selfe Joh. 17.19 Obj. Justification is often in the Scripture ascribed unto the death of Christ Mat. 20.28 and 26.28 Act. 20.28 Rom. 3.24 25. and elsewhere therefore not the active and passive but the passive obedience of Christ only seems to be the matter of our Justification Ans 'T is true that Justification is often ascribed in the Scripture unto the death of Christ but to his death as the Meritorious cause not as the material cause of our Justification neither yet is it ascribed to his death as the Meritorious cause wholly but partly a part being put for the whole viz. the passive for both active and passive obedience a trope often used in the Scripture and as in the places alleged the part or at least that which is as a part is put for the whole in respect of the cause so also is there a part put for the whole in respect of the effect of that cause viz. Justification which is but a part of the good of Redemption is put for the whole good thereof Take for example Mat. 26.28 For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins by remission of sins which is but a part of the good of Redemption we are to understand the whole good of Redemption with the application of it Que. If the obedience of Christ be an ingredient into the Meritorious cause and be also the whole Material cause how then doth the obedience of Christ as it is an ingredient into the Meritorious cause differ from the obedience of Christ as it is the Materiall cause of our Justification Ans In the Meritorious cause it is considered together with the Person Office actual execution of that Office and Merit In the Material cause it is considered as distinct from all these They are distinguished as the cause and effect Obedience considered in the Material cause is in part the effect of obedience considered in the Meritorious cause they are distinguished as the whole and the part Christs obedience is but a part only of the Meritorious but the whole of the Material cause in the Meritorious cause it is both a Legal and Evangelical act Christs obeying the Law is Legal but his obeying it for us is Evangelical in the Material cause 't is only an Evangelical act it is given to us freely Willet Synops cent 4. error 56. qu. 1. in that it is considered formally in this vertually though Christ obeyed the Law formally yet 't is not the formal working of obedience or doing of the command but the good vertue and efficacy thereof that is imputed to the Beleever there it is considered as wrought by him for us here as applied to us there it is as a garment made here as a garment put on there it may be compared to the payment of the Mony by the Surety for the Debtor here to the Mony both payed and accompted unto the use of the Debtor The formal cause of Justification is by imputation The formal Cause Imputation is the actual and effectual application of the righteousnesse of Christ unto the Beleever To impute reckon or account in this place intend the same thing the same word in Greek being translated indifferently by any of these three To impute Perkins in Gal. câ—p 3. ver 6. is to reckon that unto another which in way of righteousnesse whether of Justice or Grace or both belongs unto him Imputation is either Legal imputing unto us that which we have done so the word is used Rom. 4.4 or Evangelical imputing unto us that which another hath done thus to impute is for God in his act of justifying a sinner to account the righteousnesse of Christ which is not ours formally not by debt to be ours by Grace as verily and really as if it were wrought by us and in this sense the word is used ten times Rom. 4. v. 3.5 6.8 9 10 11.22 23 24. The justification of a Beleever is either by righteousnesse inherent or imputed but not by righteousnesse inherent therefore by righteousnesse imputed The righteousnesse whereby man is justified before God is perfect but the inherent righteousnesse of a Beleever is not perfect It were destructive to the merit and righteousnesse of Christ to say we were justified by a righteousnesse inherent in us We are made righteous by the obedience of Christ as we are made unrighteous by the disobedience of Adam But this is by imputation therefore All justification of the ungodly that is such as are under the guilt and power of their-sins is by imputed righteousness but the Justification of a Beleever Justificat impios in sensu diviso non in sensu composito Trelcat sen Justificat impios antecedenter non consequenter Paraeus in Rom. 4.5 is the Justification of the ungodly Rom 4.5 therefore God justifieth the ungodly viz. objectively not subjectively that is such who were ungodly until they were justified but doe not remain ungodly being justified That Justification which is by the righteousnesse of another is by way of imputation but the justification of a Beleever is by the righteousnesse of another that is such the matter whereof is the righteousnesse of Christ as we saw largely in the Material cause of our Justification Paul calleth Sanctification his righteousnesse Phil. 3.9 for
thus 1 In what sense the term Justification is here used 2 What Justification by Faith is 3 The causes of Justification viz. Efficient Meritorious Material Formal Final Instrumental 4 Plow Faith justifieth 5 Divers objections satisfied 6 Many mysteries that shine forth in the doctrine of Justification 7 The peace of conscience following thereupon In what sense the term Justification is used in this question Justification is the making of a person just or righteous and it is done either by infusion or declaratively by ajudicial sentence To justifie by infusion Justitia imputata est quoad essentiam idem ille status coram Deo quem perdidimus in Ademo B. ex T. 4. lib. 6. cap. 1. Pemble Treanise of Justification Pag. 2. is to make a person inherently righteous by infusing into him an indwelling principle of holinesse So Adam was made just Eccl. 7.29 To justifie declaratively is when a person accused or both accused and convicted as an offender is justly acquitted by the judicial declaration of his Legal innocency and freedome from guilt and punishment To justifie in this place is not by way of infusion viz. to sanctifie that is of a person unclean unholy and unjust to make him formally and inherently pure holy just by working in him the inherent qualities of purity sanctity and righteousnesse but judicially to absolve a guilty sinner at the Tribunal of Gods Justice from guilt and punishment and to declare him righteous Justification in this place doth not signifie a change of our nature but a change of our state i. e. of our spiritual condition in order to the curse and promise so as the person which was under the Law before is now not under the Law but under grace Rom. 6.14 It is a Court-phrase taken not Physically but Judicially for a Judicial not a Physical act it signifieth a relative Justification of accounting a man just not an habitual Justification of making a man just thus Barrabas a Thief is acquitted judicially whence followed a Legal not a Physical change of Barrabas Justification is sometimes applyed to God when a man justifieth Psal 51.4 Rom. 3.4 Luke 7.29 Matth. 11.19 Luke 7.35 sometimes to man between man and man Deut. 25.1 Isa 5.23 Prov. 17.15 2 Sam. 15.4 In which last places and the like Pemble after others observeth that to justifie is in judicial proceeding to absolve a party from fault and blame whether it be rightly or wrongfully Ezek. 16.52 Luke 16.15 Sometimes unto man between God and man Exod. 23.7 Isa 50.8 Rom. 8.33 34. 1 Cor. 4.4 Act. 13.38 39. which places can intend no other but a judicial or declarative not a physical or infused Justification whereby a person of unjust is made just Infused righteousnesse which is sanctification is distinguished from Justification Though they are inseparable yet they are distinguished as light and heat in the Sun 1 Cor. 1.30 6.11 The subject of our Justification is Christ the subject of Sanctification is the Beleever Justification is onely imputative Sanctification is inherent Justification makes a relative change Sanctification an inherent Physical change Justification is an individuall act all at once Sanctification is gradual by degrees Justification is perfect in this life Sanctification is imperfect It is plain that the Apostle by Justification intends remission of sins therefore not inherent righteousnesse We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Rom. 3.23 24. which redemption is remission of sins Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 See Rom. 8.33 Act. 13.38 Justification is opposed to Condemnation Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opouitur 3 ad Rom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opouitur 3 ad Rom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lat. Jujtificare opouitur 3 ad Rom. Condemnare Rom. 5.18 As condemnation therefore consists not in infusing a principle of guilt into a person but in a Legal pronouncing of a person to be guilty so Justification is not by infusing a principle of righteousnesse into a person but onely the pronouncing of a person to be righteous To justifie is not to make a person habitually righteous Praeterea nullo nec Hebraico nec Greco nec Latino nec Vernaculo idiomate justificare est habitualiter justum efficere Par. in Rom. c. 3. neither in the Hebrew Greeke Latine nor any other Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in the Old Testament many times yet it is but once used in any other sense which also is observed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to justifie never signifieth to make inherently but alwayes to make declaratively just excepting Dan. 12.3 where it signifieth not those that pronounce righteous but those who instruct others unto righteousnesse The Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which the Hebrew is rendred hath the same signification in the New Testamenent and difficult it is to produce it in any other sense except Rev. 22.11 This observation saith Pareus is firmly to be urged against false teachers Haec observatio fermiter tenenâ—a urgenda est emtra Sophistas quia evincit justificationem Apostolo nequaquam significare justificationem seu habitualis justitiae infusionem quod illi contendunt sed gratuitam absolutionem à peccatis justitiae impulationem propter Christi meritum Pareus in Rom. 3.28 Praeter unum locum ex Danielis 12. alterum ex Apocrypho Syracida ecclesiast 18. tertium ex Apocalypsi his exceptis audacter dico non dari posse alium Cham. Tom. 3. lib. 21. c. 5. n. 11. because it doth evince Justification in the Apostles sense in no wise to signifie the making of one righteous or the infusion of habitual righteousnesse which they contend for but a free absolution from sins and imputation of righteousnesse for the merit of Christ These places being excepted viz. Dan. 12.3 Rev. 22.11 Chamier boldly affirms that there cannot be found another place in Scripture where Justification is used in any other sense What Justification by Faith is What Justification by faith is Justification is a gracious act of God upon a beleever whereby for the righteousnesse sake of Christ imputed by God and applied by faith he doth freely discharge him from sin and the curse and accept him as righteous with the righteousnesse of Christ and acknowledge him to have a right unto eternal life The Efficient cause of Justification is the gracious good pleasure of God Efficient cause the Father Son and Holy Ghost In the Scriptures it is called Grace In the Schools grace that makes us acceptable He is God Lord Law-giver and Judge whose will is the rule of righteousnesse Sin as sin In scripturis appellatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Scholis gratia graâ—â—n faciens is properly committed against God Psal 51.4 and God only can remit sin Mark 2.7 It is called the Righteousnesse of God Rom. 3.22 The righteousnesse
God by one eternal-free-constant act What the Decree is absolutely determining the Futurition i. e. the infallible future being of whatsoever is besides himself unto the praise of his own Glory the cause and disposer of all things the Antecedent and disposer of all events It is God decreeing because whatsoever is in God is God Ratio actus pueri licèt per negationē a nobis explicitur formaliter consistit in positiva perfectione includente omnē perfectionē formaliter et eminenter quā sequitur talis negatio Smising tract 1. dis 2. n 32. Deus omnia simul et semel comprehendit ab illo aternitatis NVNC ex quo fuit Deus Less de perfect ◠4. c. 1. It is God Decreeing by one Act whatsoever God willeth he willeth by one single act hence God calleth himself I Am Exod. 3.14 to shew that he is without begining without end and without succession In him there is nothing past nothing to come but all is present Whatsoever he thinks he always hath thought and always doth and will think Whatsoever he willeth he always hath Willed and always doth and will Will. There can be no more a new thought a new intent or a new purpose in God then there can be a new God This is further evidenced from the Simplicity of God which is God considered as one meer and perfect Act without all composition Whence he might either not have been or may not be Of him it never could or can be said that any thing was to be in him which is not or cannot be that is A pure Act includes all perfection and removeth all imperfection It is an Eternal Act without beginning without end without all alteration or succession God comprehendeth all things and all events together and at once in the moment of Eternity Eternity is an everlasting NOW without beginning without end without succession all at once always It is a free act proceeding from God not as the Son from the Father nor as the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son by a necessity of nature but so as there is no necessary connexion between his absolut being and the being of the things that are Decreed God hath no need of the things decreed he might have been without them he had been blessed for ever though they had never been It is a constant act What God willeth he willeth always a meer and a pure act without any interruption or shadow of change By it God determineth absolutely because his Decree is the first and and universal cause it is one Act certain and independent all things and all events depending thereupon By it He determineth infallibly God being immutable infinitly wise and able to see all his will fulfilled By it He so fore-disposeth of all as serveth to the manifestation of his all-glorious perfections He made all things for himself Even the Wicked for the day of Evil Prov. 16.4 He is both Alpha and Omega the First and the Last Rev. 1.17 It is the cause and disposer of all things being the first and universal cause before all second causes which are the effects of it It is the Antecedent and disposer of all events consequently of sin The Decree is the antecedent not the cause of sin sin is the consequent not the effect of the Decree As the Decree is the antecedent so it is also the disposer of sin God is the Orderer of sin Acts 4.28 the disorder of the second cause falleth under the order of the first but he neither is nor can be the Author of sin Iam. 1.13 A Consequent Non paucos dissolvitnodos distinctio illa necessaria inter effectū et consequens Prideaux lect 1. de Absol decreto is an event infallibly following something foregoing not as an effect followeth its cause but rather as the night followeth the day of which the day foregoing is no cause according to order of divine institution Death is the Antecedent of the Resurrection but not the cause The Resurrection is the consequent but not the effect of Death The fall of the Jews was the Antecedent not the cause of the calling of the Gentiles The removing of the Romane Empire from the West was an Antecedent not a cause of the Revelation of Antichrist The calling of the Gentiles the Revelation of Antichrist were consequents not effects of these there Antecedents As the Sun had it the faculty of seeing could the whole Globe be presented at the same time halfe whereof only in regard of its figure is now in sight of it at once would with one look behold it all so God by one act comprehends all things and all events always The Decree is that everlasting womb wherein is conceived whatsoever hath been is or shall be Time and Eviternity that is the duration of the Creature upon Earth and in Heaven or Hell do but bring forth what is therein conceived according as it is conceived The Decree is all things in Gods purpose Creation and Providence are but the execution of the Decree the Decree containeth all things eminently The Decree is that one from which is all If the Prophet contemplating the Comprehensiveness of Gods Providence concerning the Waters and Heaven the dust of the Earth the Mountains and the Hills all which is but a little part of the execution of his Decree breaketh out thus Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and meted the Heaven with a span comprehended the dust of the Earth in a measure and weighed the Mountains in Scales and the Hills in a Ballance Isai 40.12 how much more cause have we to be wrapped up with holy admiration in contemplating the Decree it self which eminently containeth all and say who is this that doth not only measure the waters mete out the Heavens comprehend the dust weigh the mountains and hills but doth also exactly and infallibly comprehend and dispose of all things all events which have been are or shall be in this world or in the world to come yea and in Hell it self in one eternal act Whatsoever can be conceived besides God himself What the object of the Decree is falleth under one of these our conditions viz. of 1. Impossibility 2. Possibility 3. Futurition i. e. the infallible after-being of things 4. Existence Impossibility is when the nature of things is such as their very being implyeth a contradiction as for a thing to be and not to be at the same time of these as was said before it is more conveniently said that they cannot be then that God cannot do them Possibility is that condition of things wherein as their is no repugnancy in the nature of such things but that they may be so neither is their any determination by God that they shall be this is founded in the sufficiency of God as for the like things to be done in Tyre and Sidon that were done unto Corazin and Bethsaida was possible but not decreed Futurition
affirmeth that one Act of Volition or Willing in God should be the object of another and then by the same reason that again may be the object of another and so in infinitum This Answer unto this Objection concerning faith foreseen may serve in like manner for an answer unto the objection concerning works foreseen being the cause of Election As also unto that of sin foreseen being the cause of Reprobation Good works are the way to salvation not the cause of Gods Decree to save Sin â—is the cause of punishment which is the actual execution of justice for sin but not of Gods intent to punish sin Sin is the cause of damnation and consequent of reprobation Election is not without the sight of faith and new obedience nor Reprobation without the sight of sin yet faith though it be the instrument and means of the application of salvation following thereupon is the effect not the cause of Election and sin though it be the cause of the application of all the evil of punishment yet is it the consequent not the cause of Reprobation Obj. 3. If sin followeth necessarily upon the Decree then God is the Authour of sin But sin followeth necessarily upon the Decree Therefore God is the Authour of sin Ans This blasphemous Inference is in effect the same with what the ancient Enemies of the Doctrine of the Decree of old calumniated the Teachers thereof with thereby through their sides blaspheming the Scriptures and God himself So objected the Adversaries of this great Truth against Paul the greatest Preacher thereof amongst those that were but men Rom. 9.19 Thou wilt say then unto me Why doth he yet find fault for who hath resisted his Will i. e. If Gods Will determining the being of sin be irresistable then man in committing sin is unblameable Prideaux Lect. 1. de absoluto Decreto Bellarmine de Amiss gratiae cap. 4.5 6 7. why is fault found with that which was unavoydable So the Pelagians against Augustin An absolute Decree necessarily concludeth God to be the Author of sin So Bellarmine against Zuinglius Calvin Beza and other Orthodox Divines slandering their Doctrine of the Absoluteness of the Decree with these horrid Criminations viz. That thence it followeth that God is the Author of sin 2. That God sinneth truly and properly 3. That God is the only sinner 4. That sin is not sin For satisfaction of the Objection we must distinguish of Necessity There is a necessity of Coaction and a necessity of Infallibility Sin followeth not the Decree by a necessity of Coaction or Compulsion in which sence the Objection only holdeth but by a necessity of Infallibility which consisteth with and hindereth not the liberty of sin of which afterwards Hence the Decree though it be the antecedent that is the foregoer of sin yet it is not the cause of sin and sin though it be the consequent that is somewhat infallibly following upon the Decree yet it is not the effect thereof The day goeth before the following night and the night foregoeth the following day yet night and day are far from being causes one of another The diligent attending to the difference between an Antecedent and a Cause and between a Consequent and an Effect for the clearing of which sufficient hath been spoken before is of great use to unty many knots in this place But meeting here with this Satanical and abominable Sophism of imputing unto God the being of the Author of sin it will not be unseasonable to remove other Arguments disputing for the same Conclusion though not all of them upon the same grounds Arg. 1. If God hath absolutely fore-determined all Events then God hath willed sin if God hath willed sin then God is the Author â—f sin Answ Though sin as sin he evil yet the being of sin for a better end is good God doth not will sin as sin For thou art not a God that hast pleasure in iniquity neither shall evil dwell with thee Psal 5.4 yet God hath willed the permission of the being of sin for a better end In peceato actus volendi in Deo non transit in rem permissaÌ„ sed in permissionem Twisse Cr. 3. l. 3. Rivet disp 1. Th. 24. Cum dicitur Deus vult peccatuÌ„ esse hoc refugit pia mens non quia quod dicitur non bene dicitur sed quia quod bene dicitur malè intelligitur Vide Twisse Cr. 3. l. 2. The Jews Acts 4.27 did what God had determined to be done in his Decree when they did what he forbad to be done in his Command Those who give their Kingdom to the Beast Revel 17.17 in so doing fulfilled the word of the Decree yet brake the word of his Command The water whilest it runneth his own course serveth the end of the Artificer in turning about the Mill according to his intent For who hath resisted his Will In the mystry of sin the Decree of God saith a learned and judicious Author passeth into the permission but not into the evil that is permitted that is God willeth the permission of sin but he doth not will sin as sin That better End in order unto which God willeth the being of sin is the manifestation of his own Glory the glory of his Mercy upon the Elect the glory of his Justice upon the Reprobate The manifestation of the glory of God is a greater good then the transgression of man is an evil Had not there been sin there had not been a Gospel had not there been sin there were no need of a Saviour if there had been no sin Jesus Christ had not been Arg. 2. If God ascribeth unto himself the doing of actings that are sinful then God is the Author of sin But God ascribeth unto himself the doing of actions that are sinsul Therefore Concerning the selling of Joseph by his Brethren the Scripture saith It was not you that sent me hither but God Of the Egyptians hatred against the Israelites He turned their heart to hate his people to dâ—al subtilly with his servants Psal 105.25 Of the Incest of Absalom I will do this thing before Israel and before the Sun 2 Sam. 12.12 Of the Rebellion of the ten Tribes and Jeroboam This thing is from me 1 Kings 12.24 Of the cruel plunder of the Babylonians I will send them against an hypocritical Nation and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoyl and to take the prey and to tread them down like mire in the street Isa 10.6 the like is to be seen in many other places Answ We must distinguish between the action and the evil of the action God is so the Author of the action Acts 17.28 as that he neither is nor can be the Author of the evil of the action James 1.14 It is impossible either that God should not be the Author of all good or that he should be the Author of any evil The act or effect hath
an efficient Cause now God is the cause of all Efficiency the evil cleaving to the action is a defect therefore hath no efficient Kâ—ck Log. lib. 1. sect 1. cap. 15. but a deficient Cause Now God cannot be a deficient Cause because he is the first and absolutely perfect Cause therefore cannot be the cause of a non-ens i. e. a nullity or or that which is defective To say God is the cause of sin is to deny God to be the first and absolutely perfect Cause The Rider that causeth the Horse to go is the cause of his going but not of his halting The ready Scribe that writes upon bad paper is the cause of the letter but not of the blot The Musician that playeth upon an Instrument out of tune is the cause of the sound but not of the untuneableness The heat of the Sun that attracts the secret virtues of the Earth is not the cause of the stink of the dunghil His similibus dictu bo minum Satanae mala opera adse â—ibuistur Deo non absâ—lute sed secundum quid in juantum per eadem occulta sua judicia perfecit Parcus in Apocal. cap. 17. The upper wheel of a Clock going well and turning about the lower wheel out of kilter is the cause of its going but not of its going amiss The child illegitimately begotten is the good creature of God its illegitimation is of its parents Notwithstanding God is no way the Author of the evil of the action yet God ascribeth unto himself the doing of these actions that are sinful 1. Because he is the Author of the act wholly 2. Because he is the fore-determiner Orderer and Governor of the sinfulness of the action to his own glorious and blessed End The action is ascribed to him absolutely the sin cleaving to the action not absolutely but only in such sort and respects That Proposition of Aquinas viz. that the act of sin is of God Twisse Cr. 3. l. 2. is by some conjectured probably to have been the occasion why the unlearned Libertines not distinguishing between the act and the defect did infer that God was the Author of sin Arg. 3. Shimei's cursing of David was a sin Exod. 22.28 God bade Shimei curse David 2 Sam. 16.10 therefore God is the Author of sin Answ The bidding in the text is not a bidding properly i. e. a moral Command obliging Shimei thereunto for God had expresly forbidden the thing that he did and the contrary thereunto was his duty but it is a bidding improperly i. e. a natural Command a part of the Decree a Command as some call it of Providence and intends no more then that God by denying the assistance of his grace and leaving Shimei to his own heart and temptations whereupon sin infallibly and inexcuseably followed did so order the cursing of Shimei as that he used his tongue as scourge to chasten David justly in the self-same action wherein he himself abused his tongue to revile David sinfully These Sophisms thus removed it may be also useful upon this occasion to confirm our hearts with some Arguments in the contrary truth namely that God is not the Author of sin From Scripture God makes a Law against the commission of sin Gen. 2.17 smiteth with a curse for sin in all Gen. 3.17 condemned sin in the flesh of his Son Rom. 8.3 gave Christ for the destroying of sin in all his Rom. 6.6 1 John 3.8 therefore God is not the Author of sin Lo this only have I found that God hath made man upright Eccles 7.29 For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes â—â—us nemineÌ„ teniat tentatione ad peccatuÌ„ formaliter Twisse Cr. 3. and the pride of life is not of the Father 1 John 2.16 Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evil neither tempteth he any man scil by inticing and moving him unto sin James 1.13 love God The children of God would be troubled if grace should fail though their priviledges should not be cut off you are sure of both For as grace is sure so are also the priviledges of grace This was figured under the Law an Israelite could never wholly alienate his inheritance and title to the Land Levit. 25.23 His title to the Land shall not be cut off nor sold for ever This was a type of our spiritual inheritance in Christ which cannot be alienated from us he might for a while pass it away but it was to return again so those that are made coheirs with Christ are never dis-inherited 'T is true we forfeit it by the merit of our actions but God doth not take the advantage of every offence 'T is true we lose the evidences that are in our keeping peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost but the estate it self is undefeasible and cannot be made away from us Sometimes we are under a kind of sequestration and there is a suspension of comfort and grace as the Israelite might make away his inheritance for a time but we shall recover possession again though not by our selves yet by our Goel our kinsman or him that is next of blood As under the Law if a person were not able to redeem the inheritance the kinsman was to redeem it so Jesus Christ our kinsman after the flesh he is our Goel he interposeth by his merit and reconcileth us to God Well then You see grace is kept and the priviledges of grace are kept in Christ But now because comforts are never prized but in their season and men that have not been exercised in spiritual conflicts nauseate these sweet truths they know not what it is to be left to uncertainty when troubles come like waves one in the neck of another therefore let us see when this truth will be most sweet and seasonable 1. In great troubles when God seemeth to hide his face Oh how sweet is it to hear him say I will not forsake thee till I have perform d all that I promised thee Gen. 28.15 all this shall better thy heart and hasten thy glory In times of distress we are apt to think that God hath cast us off and will never look after us more though formerly we have had real experiences of his grace What a foolish creature is man to weaken his assurance when he should come to use it to unravel all his hope and experiences in times of trouble which is the only season to make use of them 2. In the hour of temptation and hard conflicts with doubts and corruptions when we are sensible of the power of sin and how difficult it is to remove it out of the heart we are apt to say as David after all his experiences I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27.1 and many times out of distrust give over the combate Oh then remember now you are preserved in Christ and
things to his glory and honour Mercy runneth down from God and begets peace of Conscience for peace of Conscience is nothing else but a solid taste of Gods mercy and peace of Conscience begets love by which we clasp about God again for love is nothing else but a reverberation or beating back of Gods beam upon himself or a return of duty in the sense of mercy * So in the Angels Song Luke 2.19 Glory peace and good-will All comes from good-wil that 's the first cause as God-glory 's the last end Under the Law the first and the tenth were the Lords the beginning and ending are his so that God is at the beginning and ending and either way is the utmost boundary of the Soul all things are from him and to him Secondly 1. Mercy Let me handle them particularly and apart and first Mercy which is the rise and cause of all the good we have from God The Lord would dispense blessings in such a way as might beat down despair and carnal confidence Man hath need of mercy but deserveth none Despair would keep us from God and carnal confidence robbeth him of his glory therefore as the Lord would not have flesh to glory so neither to be cut off from all hope Mercy salveth both we need not fly the sight of God there is mercy with him why he should be feared Psal 130.7 False worships are supported by terror but God that hath the best title to the heart will gain it by love and offers of mercy And we have no reason to ascribe any thing to our selves since Mercy doth all in the Court of Heaven and not Justice If you reckon upon a debt you are sure to miss 'T is a part of Gods Supremacy that all his blessings should come as a gift that he should act freely and entertain us as a King not as an Host Merit The event sheweth that Ioah should dye according as David had given order to Solomon 1 King 2.5 yet is this order of Davids no cause of that Treason for the commission of which Solomon justly brings down his hoary head to the grave with blood In like manner David had given a command to Solomon concerning the death of Shimei yet Solomon proceeds not to execution until Shimei by a presumptious violation of his confinement whereof Davids command was no cause had given Solomon cause to put him to death according to his appointment 1 King 2.18.40 Lastly God delighteth not in the death of a sinner So he testifieth of himself once and again Propos 5. and to this testimony subscribeth his Name For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth sayth the Lord God Ezek. 18.23.32 yea to put it out of all controversie and to cleer himself fully in the hearts of all Elect and Reprobate both men and Angels he confirmeth this testimony with an Oath and giveth charge that it be made known to the House of Israel Say unto them As I live sayth the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye dye O House of Israel Ezek. 33.11 But it may be sayd The Scripture seemeth to speak otherwise elsewhere I also will laugh at your calamity Pisc obs in Ezek. 18. I will mock when your fear commeth Prov. 1.26 27. Answ Death is considered either as it is the destruction of the creature or as it is the execution of justice God delighteth in it as it is the declaration of justice but not as it is the destruction of the cteature of which more afterwards The sum of the Answer to this Objection is God being an absolute Lord having freely enabled man with power whereby he might have lived for ever and not have Sinned His Decree being only the Antecedent not the cause Man an Antecedent and the cause of Sin Sin the only deserving cause of punishment and lastly God not delighting in the death no not of Sinful man most unjustly and unthankfully do the non-elected complaine of God Because besides that power given them whereby they might have been happy He was not pleased over and above to bestow upon them that absolute-special grace which yet he was pleased to do unto his Elect whence they could not make themselves miserable and whereby he would make them happy The doctrine of the absoluteness Obj. 5. and necessity or infallibility of the Decree takes away the liberty of the second cause For answer to this Objection Ans consider these three particulars 1. Wherein the nature of Liberty doth consist 2. Partic. 1. That the same act in a diverse sence is both Evitable and inevitable 3. That necessity and liberty consi strogether The liberty of the second cause doth not consist in a power of indifferency to act or not to act independent of and not subordinate unto the Decree The second cause however it acts is subordinate to the first cause for notwithstanding the will is a free agent yet it is a second cause therefore must needs be an effect in respect of the first cause and consequently subordinate thereunto The will of man is a free agent but so as it is a second free agent not a first free agent The will is a free principle but yet it is a second not a first principle The will is its own free mover yet not its first mover 'T is true the will is the cause of its own acting yet so as it is also true that it is not the first but the second cause of its acting It is sufficient unto the being of humane liberty In creaturis est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spontaneū in solo Creatore est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spontaneū et independens Pareus in Gen. 45.8 that man acts without all constraint deliberately and according to the proper free-motion of his own will So far is the Decree which is an immanent act or the determination of the second cause in its working by the first which is a transient act from being a prejudice unto liberty that the second cause can neither be free nor act freely without both It is truth that the subordinate free-agent the thing being yet to do may either do or not do the same act Albeit which of the two he will freely incline unto is infallibly fore-decreed For example Thomas not yet being come into the house 't is a truth 1. That he may either come or not come into the house which he pleaseth 2. 'T is not a truth That he can both actually come and not into the house 3. T is a truth he will do that of these two freely which God hath decreed absolutely The same action in a divers sence is both evitable Partic. 2. and inevitable Evitable in a divided sence i. e. in respect of mans liberty Inevitable in a compounded sence i. e. in
rule There is no repugnancy between these two propositions 1. It is the duty of man to beleeve 2. It is not the purpose of God to give him grace to cause him to beleeve Obj. 8. The Event out of which according to the Decree of God cometh good yea that great good of the manifestation of the glory of God ought not to be counted sin nor is the doer thereof to suffer vengeance But sin is that event out of which cometh this great good Therefore why should sin be accounted sin or the doer thereof suffer vengeance See Rom. 3.5 7. Ans This Objection is framed in the person of man I speak as a man vers 5. not as from God and being both blasphemous and absurd the Apostle censures it in the same place with an holy abomination God forbid vers 6. Sin in it self tendeth only unto evil it is by accident that it becometh a means of any good 'T is the occasion Lambertus Danaeus censuit periculosam istam Gregorii magni sententiam ubi loquens de culpa Adami sic ait O foelix culpa quae talem tantū habere meruit Redemptorem Twisse de Praed l. 1. part 1. Nisi esset hoc bonum ut essent mala nullo modo sinerentur ab Omnipotente bono August Twiss referente Cr. 3. l. 2. Vid. Cr. 3. l. 2. not the cause of the manifestation of the glory of God That sin which in its own nature tends only unto evil is turned into an occasional commendation of the Righteousness and other Attributes of God doth not at all excuse sin but commends the wisdom and goodness of him that brings good out of evil yea a far greater good out of sin then sin it self is an evil So of the Objections The Decree is to be propounded in the same order in which God hath revealed it in his Word God knoweth best how to reveal his own mind And we speak well when we speak after him In particular these Rules are to be observed Rule 1. What order is to be observed in propounding the Doctrine of the Decree Not Gods Decree but the Command is the Rule of Faith and Obedience Rule 2. Consider of the Decree as proceeding according to the order of the End and the means conducing to that End hereby finding the End of God in them that perish not to be the death of a sinner but the manifestation of the glory of his Justice in punishing man for sin and the blameable cause of death to be sin appears the unwarrantableness as well as the offensiveness of such expressions as God made man to damn him c. together with the groundlessness and sinfulness of blasphemous charging God with cruelty in his Decree of Reprobation O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help found Hosea 13.9 Here God removeth from himself the being the cause of the destruction of Israel He also denyeth solemnly Ezek. 18.23 32. yea with an Oath Ezek. 33.11 That he taketh any pleasure in the death of a sinner Say unto them As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways why will ye dye O house of Israel Death as we saw before is considered as the destruction of the sinner or as an execution and declaration of Justice God delights in it as it is a declaration and execution of Justice but not as it is the destruction of the sinner In the execution of Justice upon a Malefactor we must distinguish between punishment and destruction Punishment is from the Judg destruction is from the evil doer Punishment proceeds from the Author of the Rule of Justice as the efficient Cause but destruction from sin as the meritorious Cause Though punishment as it destroyeth the creature be an evil to Nature yet as it is a declaration of Justice it is a moral good 'T is true Condemnation followeth infallibly upon Reprobation yet so as Reprobation is the antecedent not the cause of sin sin both an antecedent and cause of condemnation None are condemned because reprobated but because they sin Notwithstanding man be reprobated yet if he had not sinned he should not have dyed Rule 3. We must not separate between the end and the means That Diabolical Sarcasme and bitter scoffe invented to the abuse and derision of the Doctrine of the Decree is not only an untruth but implyeth a contradiction viz. If I be elected howsoever I live I shall be saved and if I be not elected live I never so well I shall be damned Satan in this Sophism divides the end and the means asunder which God hath joyned together The Decree consists not of the end without the means nor of the means without the end but of both together Both end and means are contained in one Decree Yea so far is the Decree from admitting such an inference as that the contrary infallibly followeth thereupon and in point of Election is not only necessarily concluded but irresistably caused Faith repentance new-obedience and perseverance being the effects of Election Acts 27.24 God had decreed by the ship-mens staying in the ship to run the ship a ground near the shore so as that all there might escape safe to land He concludes unsafely from thence that saith Do now as they will Stay the ship-men in the ship or not there shall no man perish For except the ship-men abide in the ship ye cannot be saved ver 27. Just so do they reasonlesly and to their own destruction conclude who notwithstanding God hath from the beginning chosen us to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth 2 Thes 1.13 Yet infer if they were elected live as they will whether they believe or not be sanctified or not they shall be saved There was one saith Augustine of our society who when his brethren expostulated with him Quidam in nostro Monasterio qui corripientibus fratribus c. August de bono persever l. 2. c. 75 why he did some things which ought not to be done and why he did not some things that ought to be done answered What kind of one soever I now am I shall be such an one as God hath foreknown me to be Who truly saith that Ancient said the truth and by this truth profited not in good but so much profitted in evil that forsaking the Society of the Monastery he became a Dog returned to his vomit again and as yet what he will be is uncertain Rule 4. We must be carefull to distinguish between the Doctrine of the Decree and the Personal Application thereof in point of Election and Reprobation The Doctrine of the Decree is commanded to be taught and learned and is many ways useful both before and after faith respectively But the Personal Application thereof before faith in point of Election or during this life in point of
of our transgressing of this holy Law Sin is considered in respect of its nature the kinds of it and the dominion of it Sin is the transgression of the Law 1 John 3.4 The kinds of Sin are three Adams sin Our first Fathers sin Isai 43.27 Original sin 3. Actual sin and that by way of Omission or Commission The Actual Sin of Adam was that transgression of Adam yet standing as a publick person in eating the forbidden fruit This actual sin of Adam is made ours by participation and imputation By Participation Adam being a publick person his Posterity in a seminal respect was contained in his loyns and so sinned in him sinning Liberi sunt purs parentū Adam was not only the Progenitor but the root of mankind Rom. 5.12 as Levi is said to have paid tythes in Abraham Heb. 7.9 By imputation God imputes the legal guilt thereof unto his whole posterity descending from him by way of ordinary generation Rom. 5.18 19. 1 Cor. 15.22 Original Sin which is the hereditary and habitual contrariety and enmity of the Nature of man against the whole Will of God is propagated to the soul by reason of the sin of Adam the meritorious cause thereof and floweth from thence in an unknown manner as a punishment from the offence by the Seed of our next parents as the instrumental cause Sin is derived in the Seed dispositively not effectually Peccatum in semine traducitur dispositivè Tho. 1.2 ae qu. 83. art 1 2 3. Whitak de peccato cri inali l. 1. c. 8. non effectivè Nothing is more known to be preached nothing more secret to be understood then Original Sin that is then the propagation of it Nihil Peccato Originali scil Propagatione ejus ad praedicandum notius nihil ad intelligendum secretius The soul by its contradiction to the body contracts vice as when one falls into the dirt he is defiled and besmeared Anima ex contractione ejus ad corpus contrahit vitium sicut quando quis cadit in lutum faedatur commaculatur God whilest he creates souls doth together therewith justly deprive them of Original righteousness Deus animas dum creat simul justè privat origin li rectitudine Sin passeth from the parents unto posterity neither by the body nor by the soul but by the fault of our parents i. e. our first parents for which God whilest he creates souls doth together therewith justly deprive them of oginal righteousness It was just for God to punish the sin of Adam with such punishment Idem Peccatum transit a parentibus in posteros neque per corpus neque per animam sed per culpam parentum Propter quam Deus animas dum creat simul justè privat originali justiria Justū fuit Deum peccatū Adami tali poe na punire The Offence of the chiefest Good deserved the greatest punishment Vrsin Explic Catech. Part 1. qu. 7. Let justice be done and let the World perish Idem Summi boni Offensio meruit summam poenam Fiat justitia pereat Mundus Actual Sin is the swerving of the act of man either in thought word or deed from the Law of God either by Omission or Commission The Dominion of Sin is that reigning power of concupiscence whence we sin freely necessarily continually and together with its malignity doth notably appear in the irritation of concupiscence by occasion of the Doctrine of the Law But sin taking occasion by the Commandement wrought in me all manner of concupiscence Rom. 7.8 Hence the Law is said to be the strength of sin 1 Cor. 15.56 Because sin by occasion of the restraining command breaketh out the more fiercely From the not-being of this accidental irritating power of the Law in the soul the Apostle denyes the dominion of sin Rom. 6.12 as on the contrary from the being thereof in the soul he implicitely infers the dominion of sin and compares the dominion of the Law in respect of its occasional irritation or provocation of concupiscence unto an hard Husband Rom. 7. beg In this irritation of sin by occasion of the Law the command is only the occasion sin dwelling in us is the cause As the shining of the Sun is the occasion why the dunghil sendeth forth its filthy savour the corruption thereof or putrifaction therein is the cause The prohibition of the Physician is the occasion only the feaver is the cause why the Patient desires drink 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denocat eum qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habetur tenetur stringitur aliqua re ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The higher the dam is the higher the water swelleth yet the dam is only the occasion the abundance and fierceness of the water is the cause of the swelling of the waves 3. The Conviction of Guilt is such a conviction of sin as doth not only argue the sinner to have offended but also bindeth over the offender to punishment according to the Law Guilt is the debt of the offender Suffering punishment in way of satisfaction is the payment of that debt Obligatiopeccatoris ad poenam dicitur relatus Kek. Theol. lib. 2. cap. 7. The curse of the Law-giver is the bonds of the offender keeping the sinner unto judgement as the prisoner is kept until the Assizes Thus the Angels guilty of sin are delivered into everlasting chains of darkness to be reserved unto the judgement of the great Day 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude 6. The truth justice and power of God do not only reserve the sinner in safe custody unto punishment in due time but also execute that punishment in the season thereof 4. The concluding the soul under sin is a judicial dispensation whereby God by the accusation conviction and condemnation of the Law shuts up the soul in the prison of the power and guilt of sin From whence without the mercy of God in Christ there is no escape For God hath concluded or shut them up all in the prison of unbelief that he might have mercy upon all Rom. 11.32 Concluded under sin kept under the Law shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed Gal. 3.22 23. To which prisoners no Law nor man only he whom God hath given as a Covenant unto his people can say Come forth Isai 49.9 The Law could not do it Rom. 8.3 and 3.20 Man is without strength Rom. 5.6 To this purpose you may frequently observe in the Scripture the soul in this condition compared to a prisoner sin unto a prison God unto a Judge See Isai 42.7 and 49.8 9. and 61.1 Luke 4.18 Rom. 11.32 Gal. 3.22 25. To justifie God is to acknowledge 1. God just in case he should punish man for sin That God in the Execution of the Curse doth the sinner no wrong 2. That he doth that which is right he should do wrong unto himself and with reverence so to speak be unjust if he should not execute justice upon
to be our duty to believe as that the fault of our unbelief lyeth wholly upon our selves Sol. For the better removing of this objection there is need of a threefold Distinction 1. Distinguish between unbelief and unbelief not cured 'T is easie to conceive how a Physician may be the cause why such a disease is not cured of which disease it self he is no cause Unbelief considered in it self is simply a sin Therefore God is no way the Cause or Authour of it 2. Distinguish of unbelief not cured unbelief not cured is considered either Negatively for a meer absence of faith where the rule requireth it not to be and therefore is unblamable so it is in those that never heard of the preaching of the Gospel Or Privatively for the absence of faith where the rule requireth it to be so unbelief is looked upon in those that live under or hear of the Gospel 3. Distinguish between a Physical and a Moral cause A Physical cause is such a cause as though without it the effect cannot be yet it is no ways bound to produce such an effect thus the absence of the Sun is the cause of the night A Physician is the cause why that disease remains uncured which he can cure but is not bound to cure A Chyrurgion the cause why the issue remains unhealed which he is not tyed to heal Thus the King not giving a pardon is the cause why the offender is executed whom no Law obligeth him to pardon A Moral cause is such a cause wherein the Agent stands by duty bound concerning the producing or not producing of such an effect so as by omission of what is commanded or commission of what is forbidden there is a guilt incurred so mans will is moral therefore the blameable cause of unbelief Gods Will is the Antecedent not the Cause of unbelief the abuse of mans free-will in the fall is the cause of unbelief Unbelief not cured considered Negatively is in respect of the Will of God a physical and unblamable effect of a physical and unblamable cause but mans will being a moral cause unbelief in this sence cannot be the effect thereof Unbelief not cured privatively considered is in respect of God as a blamable Consequent of an unblamable Antecedent in respect of the will of man it is a blamable effect of a moral and blamable cause In Adam having received povver whereby vve might not have sinned vve sinned freely Unbelief is the effect of our sin in Adam God together vvith the Object of Faith tenders us means so far sufficient to the begetting of faith as leaveth us without excuse We love our unbelief and resist this means of believing John 1.11.5.41 Our contumacious opposition to the command of believing is the effect of our love to unbelief 'T is then but Justice in God to leave us to our unbelief in so doing he doth us no wrong being free to have mercy upon whom he will The Difficulty of believing The Difficulty of believing appeareth in three things 1. in the Special enmity of the heart against this duty 2. in the Eminence of the Principle requisite to the creating of faith 3. in the Greatness and largeness of the obedience of Faith 1. The Special enmity of the heart against believing appeareth thus there is no obedience that God and Christ love better 1 John 3.23 Or that the Spirit laboureth more in John 16.9 No obedience that either Satan or man oppose more Satan opposeth none more For as the Spirit of truth leadeth unto all truth but into none more then this So the Father of a lye opposeth all truth yet none more then this Men that finally resist believing in Christ by so doing do the will of the Devil do shevv him to be your Father John 8.44 Ye are of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father ye will do Vide Zanch. de peccat Angelorum lib. 4. c. 2. Theologitam nostri quam Pontisscis probabile aducunt Christum positum esse non modo in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multorum hominum sed etiam in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipsorum etiam Angelorum Twiss de Elect. l. 4. p. 1. To this purpose there is a good use to be made of Zanchy's Discourse concerning the Revelation of Christ's Incarnation and the Exaltation of the humane Nature above the Nature of Angels by vertue of the Personal union the Doctrine of the grace of Christ ncarnate being that truth or at least contained in that truth whereof Christ speaks John 8. in which the Devil abode but hated not from the beginning Many Divines are conceived probably to think That Christ was not only set for the fall and rising again of many men but for the fall and standing of the Angels Man opposeth no truth more John 5.40 And ye will not come unto me that you may have lise What is said of the Jews Rom. 11.28 is true of all As concerning the Gospel they are enemies A formidable curse vvhereby the soul is smitten with an enmity against the Gospel of Blessedness The Gospel of Christ is a Doctrine of Contradiction Luke 2.34 Behold this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel and for a signe that shall be spoken against A stumbling stone Rom. 9.32 A rock of offence 1 Pet. 2 8. A Doctrine of foolishness 1 Cor. 1.23 If he shall be in danger of hell fire that saith unto his brother Thou Fool What danger shall he be in that upbraideth the Gospel vvith foolishness They put it viz. the Word of God i. e. the Doctrine of the Gospel from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 13.46 They do not only not go to fetch it but being brought to them they put it away from them The Covenant of Works we could much better close vvith then vvith the Gospel any other Gospel command then that of believing any other person to be believed in then Christ Jesus John 5.43 I am come in mine own Name and ye receive me not if another shall come in his own Name him will ye receive any other way rather then the way of the Gospel Jer. 2.36 Why gaddest thou so much to change thy way Acts 22 4. I persecuted this way unto the death Grace likes no vvay to life so vvell Nature dislikes none so much We are not by nature so averse to the Turkish Alcoran as we are to Christs Gospel 2. The Eminency of the Principle requisite unto the creating of faith The Apostle excellently sheweth Ephes 1.19 20. And what is the exceeding greatness of his Power to us ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead Where this truth is held forth 1. By a Gradation Power his Povver the greatness of his Povver the exceeding greatness of his Power 2. By a Comparison the Povver which God puts forth in the Work of faith being compared unto
The Prison is the place of hope mercy visits the prisoners of unbelief Rom. 11.32 Christ finds them that are lost Luke 15. After the House of Israel say Our bones are dried and our hope is lost we are out off for our parts then God opens their graves this Order of Gods Dispensation we are there called upon to take notice of Behold they say Our bones are dried Behold O my people I will open your graves and cause you to come out of your graves and bring you into the Land of Israel Ezek. 37.11 12. 9. The certain condemnation without faith Let a mans sin be never so great if he believeth he shall be saved the very sin against the Holy Ghost is not unpardonable for want of grace in a Saviour but for want of faith and repentance in the sinner God justly in his righteous judgement punishing that sinner universally with final impenitence Meritum damnationis jux a Evangelium non est peccatum sea perseverantia finalis in peccato infidelitatis impaenitentiae Twiss vinâ—â— dic grat de erratis lib. 3. Sect. 3. Nec quicquam obstat quo minus dicamus eum qui non credit ideo jam condemnatum esse quia non credit in nomen unigeniti Filii Dei quatenus nulla ex condemnatione emergendi ratio datur nisi per fidem in Dei Filium Spanh Exeer de grat univ resp ad Erot. 39. N. 3. and be his sin never so little if he believeth not he shall be damned Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned Mark 16.16 The cause of condemnation according to the Law is all sin but the cause of condemnation under the Gospel is unbelief not that all other sin is not as much yea more doubtless under the Gospel then under the Law it self but because there is no way to escape condemnation for sin but by faith and because no sin should condemn those that live under the Gospel if there were not added unto their other sin final perseverance in unbelief CHAP. X. Saving Faith is the Effect of true special Grace that is of Grace flowing from God according to Election and from Christ according to Redemption viz. as the Redeemer and Designed Head of his Elect. FOr the better proceeding in the Discussion of this Question Let us see 1. Consider what Saving Faith is 2. Free the Term of Grace from ambiguity by a just distribution thereof 3. Discribe Free-grace 4. Declare the Nature thereof 5. Shew the use of that exact distinctness in this point which is intended and expressed in the term Special 6. Prove the Proposition Justifying Faith is a Saving Grace of the Spirit Saving Faith What flowing from Election whereby the soul receiveth Jesus Christ as its Lord and Saviour according as he is revealed and propounded in the Gospel Tit. 1.2 John 1.12 Col. 2.6 Grace is Increated Created Natural in Nature Pure The Distribution of Grace Fallen Supernatural Common Saving Effectually i.e. in respect of its efficacy Formally Increated Grace is God himself willing spiritual gifts freely unto men In Order to those spiritual gifts which are peculiar to the Elect it may be called increated special grace and is nothing else but Election In Order to such spiritual gifts as are common both to the Elect and such as are not elected it may be called increated common-grace Natural Grace or the Grace of Nature is that Image of God according to which man was created it is called grace because it is a free spiritual gift Natural because concreated with and infused into the Soul so soon as it had its being in pure nature The Grace of Nature in Nature fallen is the Remainder of the Image of God in the Soul after the fall Rom. 2.14 15. The Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the Law Supernatural common Grace are spiritual gifts flowing from God in Christ whereof those who are not elected are made partakers They are called Supernatural because they are not attainable by the power of free-will strengthened with the Grace of Nature and common in that they are communicated to the Elect and not elected Such are gifts of Edification in the Ministration of the Oracles of God in Christ 1 Pet. 4.10 11. Gifts and Grace of Office in the Church Rom. 12.3.6 Ephes 3.7 Gifts of Miracles of which 1 Cor. 12. Gifts that qualifie for some eminent Service as in Jehu 2 King 9.6 Saving Grace taken for that which is saving effectually i.e. in respect of its efficacy is an Impulse or Motion of the Spirit of Grace working from Christ as a designed or actual Head upon the Soul so as it enables the Soul to yeild obedience in measure unto that Command to the obedience whereof it moveth In it 4 things are diligently to be attended and distinguished 1. The Authour of this Motion viz. the increated Spirit of Grace 2. The Motion it self viz. a created transient act which notwithstanding the effect thereof remaineth yet it self ceaseth and passeth away as the touch of Peters wives mother ceased though the cure remained Matth. 8.15 The Angels motion upon the waters ceased though the healing quality continued John 5. The touch of the Loadstone ceaseth the vertue yet abiding in the needle 3. The Kind of this Motion is from Election from Christ as a Redeemer and Head either designed or actually so unto the person so moved It is not only from Christ who is a Redeemer but from Christ as a Redeemer 'T is peculiar to the Elect and its effect such as accompanyeth salvation in which respect it is called created speciall grace and is such whereof none but the Elect nor they until vocation are made partakers of that by the means of the word Saving Faith and all other formal saving-grace are the next effects thereof As Election is increated special grace so this may be fitly called created special grace Saving Grace which is formally so and according to which sence the words are ordinarily used is a permanent effect accompanying salvation flowing upon such an effectual motion of special grace whether upon the Soul and imputative as in justification and adoption Or in the Soul and inherent as in any other effect of Election viz. Vocation wherein is Faith Sanctification Perseverance Glorification c. Saving Grace is not only above the Power of the grace of nature but also above the Power of supernatural common grace and consequently not attainable by free-will Spiritus Sanctus non operatur vel unicum etiam graduÌ„ fidei salutaris justificantis in non electis Sph. ex de gra univ resp ad Erot. 28. Habitus gratiae gloriae in ipso in nobis unius sunt speciei Twiss de Elect l. 1. p 2. strengthened with both the grace of nature and supernatural common grace Of this kind are all the
effects of Election which are proper to the Elect. Saving Grace is of another kind therefore specially distinguished from all common grace which may be found in those who are not elected The Holy Spirit doth not work so much as one degree of saving and justifying Faith in those who are not elected Saving Grace is of the same kind with the created grace in the Manhood of Jesus Christ the Manhood of Christ received of the Spirit out of measure John 3.34 We receive from Christ of that Spirit in measure but he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 And of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace John 1.16 The Habits of Grace and Glory both in Christ and us are of the same kind Inherent saving Grace is distinguished from all common grace whether of nature or supernatural In respect of the first cause Est inter Christum omnia Christi membra continuitas quaedam ratione Spiritus Sancti qui plenissimè in Christo capite residens vnus idem numero ad omnia ejus membra diffunditur Dav. Col. 1.18 Cain Servatoris non fuit particeps ut Servatoris nec particeps ejus est impius quisquā Jun. de nat gratia collat confir rat 10.24 27. saving grace is from Election common grace is not from God electing but from him as the Authour of common gifts 2. In respect of the Meritorious Cause Saving Grace is from Christ as so meriting for them common grace is from Christ who did merit but not from Christ as so meriting he did not so i. e. savingly merit for them Saving Grace is from Christ as a Redeemer of them who are made partakers thereof Common grace is from Christ who is a Redeemer but not from Christ as their Redeemer saving grace is from Christ as a Head unto those who partake thereof as a designed Head in the gift of the first saving grace as an actual Head in the gift of following saving grace Common grace is from Christ who is the Head of his Body the Church but not as such a Head unto them who only receive thereof Cain saith Junius was not partaker of a Saviour as a Saviour neither is any other ungodly man 3. In respect of the next efficient cause the next efficient cause of saving grace is a motion of special grace the next efficient cause of supernatural common grace is a motion of supernatural common grace 4. In respect of the Subject the Subject of special grace are only the Elect the Subject of common grace are not only the Elect but also those who are not elected 5. In respect of their formal Nature the Genus or next common Nature of saving grace is a free-saving spiritual gift its Species i. e. it s formal or particular Nature is its sincere disposing the soul to Evangelical obedience as an inherent principle Common grace neither disposeth the soul to obedience nor is it a saving gift 6. In respect of its Efficacy Saving grace reigneth and quickens the new man and gradually mortifieth the old man until sin be wholly expelled Common grace is in this regard powerless neither doing the one nor the other Lastly They are distinguished in respect of their duration common grace is mortal Matth. 25.29 Saving grace is immortal Free-grace What 1 Pet. 1.23 Free grace understanding thereby increated grace is that eternal absolute and constant act whereby God of his meer good pleasure hath willed the infallible application of grace and glory unto elect sinners so as election or the act of willing grace and glory Tua enim omnia à nobis petis nihil nisi salvari 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damasc de Fide Orthodoxa lib. 4. cap. 24. Gratuitas Favor is meerly because it pleaseth him without respect of Christ as any Cause or Motive of Election but the actual application of all that good is with respect to Christ as the Meritorious Cause thereof and both Election and the actual Application of all this good without any respect of good or evil in the Elect themselves as any motive thereunto or hinderance therefrom This grace is briefly called the free favour of God in Christ Jesus By Created Free-grace taken as is usual for saving free-grace we are to understand the Effects of Election that is the saving free-gifts of the spirit viz. Vocation Union Justification Adoption Sanctification Perseverance Glorification c. The Freeness of Grace appears from the first cause viz. the meer good pleasure and will of God For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his own pleasure Philip 2.13 So then It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9.16 Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy ver 18. The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but knowest not whence it cometh and whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit John 3.4 The Obedience of Christ is meritorious not absolutely in it self but by vertue of the Covenant of God accepting his obedience as meritorious i.e. as that whereunto remission and salvation should be due according to Order of justice The Obedience of Christ was of sufficient value in it self because he was God to redeem all mankind but it could not be a price i. e. a ransom further then as God was pleased to accept The matter offered by Ahab was of equal value with Naboths vineyard but it could not be a price without his acception of it And as the Obedience of Christ becometh merit through the acceptation of the good pleasure of God so the extension of this merit is enlarged and bounded according to the Will of God accepting it for such a number neither less nor more Had there been more to have been redeemed the Merit of Christ was sufficient even for the Redemption of the whole world and if there had been but one to have been redeemed his merit must have been infinite It cost Christ no more blood to save Manasses then to save John the Baptist no less to save Timothy then to save Paul The Freeness of the Application of Grace appears further from the Merit of Christ Grace is given according to the Merit of Christ not with any respect to mans merit of good or demerit of evil The least sin without Christ is incurable the greatest sin by Christ is curable One sting of the fiery Serpent was mortal without looking to the Brazen Serpent and one look thereunto would cure a thousand stings as well as one such is the demerit of sin as that it justly slayes the child that sinned not after Adams transgression such is the Merit of Christ as that it justly saveth Adam the great transgressour No sin is little in it self the Merit of Christ is infinite 'T is a great sin for the least sinner not to be without hope in respect
of himself as it is a great sin for the greatest sinner to be without hope in respect of Christ Carnal presumption of mercy because our sins are comparatively little lessens the demerit of sin Despair of mercy because our sins are great lessens the Merit of Christ A mans nearness unto or remoteness from the participation of grace according to Gods ordinary Dispensation is not to be judged according to his Commission of more or fewer sins but according to his proceeding in the preparatory work A man may have committed many sins yet being Ministerially disposed in respect of the receiving of Grace he is near to salvation A man may have committed fewer sins yet being without the preparatory Work of Law and Gospel he is far from salvation 'T is not a mans former commission of sin but his continuance in sin that keeps him far from salvation For the fuller clearing the description of Free-grace some Objections are to be removed the former whereof concern the Freeness of grace in respect of Election the other in respect of the Application of the good of Election i.e. that good whereunto we are elected Obj. 1. Ephes 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the world Here the Apostle seemeth to make Christ the Cause of Election therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though it be be rendred through in English 'T is in in the Greek Election is not a free act Ans The Particle In is not always taken causally 2 Thes 2.13 Because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth i. e. in sanctification and belief of the truth as the way not as the cause of salvation True the Apostle saith We are elected in Christ but he saith not That we are elected for Christ We are said to be elected in Christ because Christ is the Meritorious cause of the Application of the good of Election so that in Christ in this place is the same with by Christ 1 Thes 5.9 For God hath appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ 'T is here said We are saved for Christ because Christ is the cause of our salvation but 't is not said We are elected for Christ because Christ is not the Cause of Election To be elect in Christ and to be elect for Christ are not to be confounded * Est quaedam Dei Dilectio erga nos unde profecta est Missio Christi John 3. Twiss vind grat de elect lib. 1. part 2. deg 3. Sect. 1. Etenim ex dicto Petri constat ChristuÌ„ ut MediatoreÌ„ qualis hic consideratur non esse praedèstinationis causam sed effectum 1 Pet. 1.20 Pisc de praedest N. 97. Meritum Christi nonest absolutum Cham. To. 3. l. 9. c. 1. S. 7. That we may rightly discern this truth of so spiritual and high a nature we must carefully distinguish between Election and the Application of the good of Election between Gods Act of willing grace and glory to be applyed and the actual application of grace and glory willed by God God electeth that is he willeth grace and glory to be applyed unto his people without any respect of the Merit of Christ as a Cause or Motive of that volition but the actual Donation and Application of that grace and glory is for the Merit sake of Jesus Christ Christ is the Effect of Election or of the Love of God but he is the Cause of the salvation of the Elect. He is the Effect of Election therefore called a Servant and said to be elect of God Behold my Servant whom I uphold my Elect in whom my soul delighteth Isai 42.1 His Incarnation Heb. 10.5 His Office John 6.27 His Acceptation in that Office Jes 53.10 all proceeds from the Love of God Election is God himself electing according to that received and regulating Proposition Whatsoever is in God is God To say then That Christ is the Cause of Election or of the Love of God were to say There might be given a Cause of God yea that God is an Effect and consequently that God is not God God hath ordained that the Merit of Christ should be the cause of our salvation but he hath not ordained that Christ should be the Meritorious cause of his so ordaining which implyeth a manifest contradiction Christ then is the Cause of the gift of Eternal life but not of Gods Will to give Eternal life unto us Christ is the Cause of salvation but not of Gods Decree to save Christ Ephes 1.4 is made the Cause of Sanctification And 1 Thes 5.9 he is made the Cause of Salvation but he is no where made the Cause of our Election Christ is the Meritorious Cause the Application of all spiritual Benediction in Heavenly places but not of Election Obj. 2. Ephe. 1.6 To the prayse and glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved If accepted in Christ then loved only in Christ therefore Christ is the cause of Gods Love Ans The Love of God is taken for the Act of Love it self viz. Election or for the effect of his love viz. Vocation Justification c. Christ is the cause of the latter not of the former By Acceptation in this place we are to understand Justification of which Christ is the cause He is the cause why we are justified but he is not the cause of Gods Decree to justifie us Gods special Love is his Will to bestow all saving good upon us All which good he willeth to us without Christ as a cause of his volition but not without Christ as a cause of the application thereof 'T is the same Volition or Act of Willing in God by which he willeth the Being of a Mediatour and the Salvation of the Elect for the Merits sake of this Mediatour The Salvation of the Elect is not the last end of the Merit of Christ but Gods Supream end is the Manifestation of the glory of his grace in a way of mercy tempered with justice whereunto both the Merit of Christ and the Salvation of the Elect conjoyned are the means and make one fit Medium thereunto Like Objections from some other Texts of like nature may receive the like answer Notwithstanding it be a truth That Christ is not the cause of Election yet it is also a fundamental Truth That Christ is the Meritorious cause of the Application of the good of Election 1 Thes 5.9 2 Cor. 1.20 Acts 4.12 Particulo gratis excludu tur merita nostri non Christi Bucan loc 31. quest 16. Foedus graetiae nullaÌ„ propriè dictam aut antecedentem conditimem requirit Med. cap. 22. th 19 Ex tali inquam conditione si pendereÌ„t promissiones Dei actum esset de salute nostra Coron artic 4. cap. 3. Cham. Tem. 3. lib. 15. c. 3. 5. Si feceris hoc vives parâ—icula si est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
which is of God Phil. 3.9 Because God is the Author of it it is opposite to our righteousness namely that whereof we are the workers or the subjects Phil. 3.9 and to the righteousness of the Law Rom. 10.5 namely that which is prescribed in the Law and according unto which the Law justifieth 'T is God onely that was the Inventor of this Robe and Garment of Justification The meritorious cause is the whole legal obedience of Christ consisting of his habitual conformity The meritorious cause together with his active and passive obedience from the instant of his Incarnation unto his passion inclusively performed by him as God-man our Mediator and Surety in way of Covenant The application of Redemption whereof Justification is a part is due unto the Elect for Christs sake according to order of Justice by vertue of the promise made unto Christ Isa 53.10 Four things are to be attended in the meritorious cause First The Person Secondly The Office Thirdly The Service Fourthly The Merit whereupon debt ariseth according to order of Justice The obedience of Christ was meritorious not from the dignity of the Person onely as such but from the constitution of God who by his free promise made himself a Debtor of the application of salvation unto them for whom Christ satisfied Hereof see Chap. 10. Though the word Merit be not in the Scripture yet the sense of it is frequent Act. 20.28 which he hath purchased with his own blood which is the earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession Eph. 1.14 For God hath not appointed us unto wrath Ad sensum meriti accedit vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Par. in Ro. 5. but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thess 5.9 i.e. Vnto the salvation purchased by our Lord Jesus Christ The word translated Purchased in the two former places is used in the third and is in effect with the Merit To this purpose the death of Christ is called a Ransome Matth. 20.28 Marc. 10.45 a Counterprice turned a Ransome 1 Tim. 2.6 A Redemption that is a restoring of a Captive by way of buying his freedom at a full price Luke 1.68 2.38 Heb. 9.12 Gal. 1.14 Heb 9.15 1 Cor. 1.30 A propitiation for sin or expiation for sin Rom. 3.25 Heb. 9.5 1 Joh. 2.2 Christs obedience merited Justification much more than Adams disobedience demerited condemnation Rom. 5.18 Had Adam stood he had merited life for himselfe much more Christ by vertue of the Promise whereby God hath freely indebted himselfe to give life according to the order of Justice Mediatorly satisfaction unto the Law for the Elect whereunto he was no debtor must be acknowledged to have merited Christ hath procured a right of remission of sins Christus nactus est jus remittendorum peccatorum sed non ojusmodi jus quo possint remitti sed quo remitti debent omnia illis pro quibus per mortem ejus satisfactum est alioquin injustus esset Deus qui non ageret cum Christo filio suo secundum exigentiam meritorum ejus Twiss de permiss l. 2. cr pag. 79. Vide etiam p. 84. 85. yea such a right whereby they not only may be remitted but whereby they ought to be remitted unto all those for whom he satisfied by his death otherwise God should be unjust who should not doe with his Son Christ according to the exigence of his Merits Christs merit is absolute in respect of its efficacy though the obedience could not have merited absolutely i. e. of it selfe without Gods acceptation The Material cause of our Justification The Material cause is the whole course of the active and passive obedience of Christ together with his habitual conformity unto the Law The righteousnesse of Christ is either essential Willet on Rom. 5. cont 25. wherewith he is righteous as he is God this is increated or Personal wherewith he is righteous as man though he had never been Mediator Willet Synops cent 4. err 57. for Christ being both God and Man must needs be a righteous Man this though created abideth with him and is not imputed unto any Or fide-jussory that is Mediatorly namely the righteousnesse of him as a Surety Et ejus obedientia nobis in justitiam imputatur Calv. 1 Cor. 1.30 Perk. on Gal. 2. v. 16 17. This is that which was in and performed by Christ as Mediator for the Elect and so remaines in him as its formal subject that it s made the Beleevers by imputation as really as if it had been wrought and performed by them Not the passive obedience of Christ alone but both the active and passive obedience of Christ is the Matter of our Justification The passive obedience of Christ were not obedience if it were not in some kinde active his Soul set it self an offering for sin Isa 53.10 He layed down his life according to the commandement received from his Father Joh. 10.18 He gave himselfe Tit. 2.14 Christ in suffering obeyed and in obeying suffered there cannot otherwise any sufficient reason be given of so long viz. for the space of neer thirty four years and so much active obedience it must be yeelded either to have been for himself or for us not for himself there was no use of it If for us what better reason can be given than this the active obedience after his suffering is of use for the demonstration and application of the good of Redemption and therein of Justification Rom. 5.25 if holinesse was requisite in Christ before his suffering that he might purchase our redemption Heb. 7.26 1 Pet. 19. and the actions of Christ after his suffering were of use for the application of Redemption Rom. 8.34 Heb. 7.25 1 Cor. 15.14 and therein of Justification in particular Rom. 5.25 How wel doth it agree that his active obedience both before and in his suffering should be looked at as done in obedience to the Law in our stead and consequently as matter of our Justification This two-fold righteousnesse answereth to our two-fold misery viz. of the guilt of sinue and the defect of righteousnesse Rom. 3.22 23. If the Justification of a sinner consisteth not only in the non-imputation of sinne but also in the imputation of righteousnesse then not only the passive but also the active obedience of Christ is required to our justification But the Justification of a sinner consisteth not only in the not-imputation of sinne but also in the imputation of righteousnesse it is not enough for us not to be unjust but we must also be just therefore not only the passive but the active obedience of Christ is requisite to our Justification That obedience which the Law requireth unto life Christ fully performed but the Law required active obedience unto life Levit. 18.5 Gal. 3.10 which if a man doe he shal live in them and in case of sinne hath required passive obedience for
though we are made partakers of it by a power which is without us yet it is inherent in us as in its proper subject and in that notion is opposed to the righteousnesse of Christ whereby we are justified whereof he is not only the worker but which also is inherent in him as its proper subject therefore the justification of a Beleever is by way of imputation No sinner remaining a sinner when he is justified can be justified otherwise than by imputed righteousnesse but all Beleevers though justified yet remain sinners while they live in this world 1 Joh. 1.8 therefore all Beleevers are justified by an imputed righteousnesse The final cause is the manifestation of the glory of grace The finall cause in a way of Mercy tempered with Justice in a way of Mercy in that he justifieth the ungodly Rom. 4.5 and that freely Rom. 3.24 tempered with Justice in that he justifieth not without Christs full satisfaction unto the Law Rom. 3.26 The instrumental cause or instrument of our Justification The instrumental cause or instrument for faith here is but a meer instrument is faith the fuller understanding of this Proposition followeth in the next particular Here observe the intent and consent of such Scriptures as speak diversly of the cause of Justification we are sayed to bee justified by grace Rom. 3.24 i. e. as the Efficient cause by his Blood Rom. 5.9 i. e. as the Meritorious cause by his obedience Rom. 5.19 i. e. as the Material cause by imputation of his obedience Rom. 4.6 i.e. as the Formal cause by faith Rom. 5.1 i. e. as the instrument This Proposition We are justified by faith is figurative How Faith justifieth i.e. Metonymical whereby that which belongs to the principal cause is attributed to the instrumental cause Faith justifieth not for its own worth but for the worth of the object which it apprehends Faith doth not justifie as an act of ours but all the vertue thereof proceedeth from its object the vertue that healed the Israelites proceeded from the object viz. the brazen Serpent they looked upon not from the looking upon the Brazen Serpent and the vertue that healed the Woman Luke 8.46.48.50 proceeded out of Christ who was touched not out of the Womans touch we are declared righteous upon our beleeving Faith in the matter of our Justification is the instrument apprehending and applying that which doth justifie the proper act of Faith is to receive the righteousnesse of another we are justified by faith correlatively that is we are justified by that which is the correlate of faith namely the obedience of Christ the meaning is it is the Obedience of Christ not Faith that justifieth that which is apprehended not that which apprehendeth Faith alone justifieth that is faith as it justifieth is alone but justifying faith is not alone that is faith as it justifieth is without workes but the faith that justifieth is a working faith We are justified by faith alone 1 Because as it justifieth it is not a work Rom. 4.5 2 Because we are not justified by our own righteousnesse i. e. that righteousnesse whereof we are the subjects 3 Because we are justified by the righteousnesse of another sometimes called the righteousnesse of God viz. that whereof God is the Author and Ordainer sometimes the righteousnesse of Christ viz. that whereof he who is God-man is both the Worker and the Subject 4 Because we are justified by a righteousnesse that is made ours by imputation not by infusion as Abraham was justified 5 Because we are justified by a righteousnesse that is actually procured before we doe beleeve Our righteousnesse is compared unto a garment Reval 19.8 Rom. 13.14 Gal. 3.27 which we put on by beleeving yet faith never took stitch in it What was accounted to Abraham for righteousnesse Zanch. in Phil. 3. Not the action by which but that which he did beleeve or as others speak faith not in respect of it self apprehending but in respect of the object apprehended Zanchy Gen. 15.6 Quid reputatum ad justitiam non actio quâ sed id quod credidit seu ut alii loquuntur ipsa fides non sui apprehendentis sed objecti apprehensi respectu This Proposition We are justified by faith understood legally with the Papists is not true but Blasphemous but being taken correlatively it is true Vrsin Haec propositio Ursin explicat catech part 2. qu. 63 fide justificamur legaliter intellecta cum Papist is non est vera sed Blasphema correlativè autem accept a hoc est Evangelicè est vera Faith as a quality doth not justifie but as an instrument receiving and applying to us the imputed righteousnesse of Christ Rivet Fides pro qualitate sumpta Rivet Cathol orthod tract 4. q. 10 non justificat nos sed justificat tanquam instrumentum recipiens applicans nob is imputatam Christi justitiam Faith justifies relatively to wit by a Metonymy whereby the effect of the principal is attributed to the instrumental cause Faith justifieth not habitually as a quality but relatively Paraeus Fides justificat relatè Paraeus in Rom. 3. phrasi nimirum Metaleptica quâ effectus causae principalis tribuitur instrumentali Fides justificat non habitualitèr ut qualitas sed Relatè Faith justifies not simply but relatively after the manner of an instrument applying Chamier Fides justificat Cham. Tom. 3. l. 22. c. 11 non simpliciter sed Relatè per modum instrumenti applicantis He saith Calvin shal be said to be justified by faith that being excluded from the righteousnesse of workes doth by faith take hold of the righteousnesse of Christ wherewith when he is cloathed he appeareth in the sight of God not as a sinner but as righteous and saith he after a few lines we say that the same consisteth in the forgivenesse of sins and imputation of the righteousness of Christ Contra justificabitur ille fide Calvin institut lib. 3. cap. 11. s 2. qui operum justitia exclusus Christi justitiam per fidem apprehendit qua vestitus in Dei conspectu non ut peccator sed tanquam justus apparet ita nos justificationem simpliciter interpretamur acceptionem qua nos Déus in gratiam receptos pro just is habet eámque in peccatorum remissione ac justitiae Christi imputatione positam esse dicimus Confer Sect. 21. 23. Faith doth not justifie as a work Welleb comp l. 1. c. 30. but as an instrument apprehending Christ Wollebius Etsi igitur fides sola non sit sed cum operibus conjuncta sola tamen justificat Fides non tanquam opus sed tanquam instrumentum Christum apprehendens Justification consists in faith organically Spanh de gr un erot 21. in the obedience of Christ objectively and meritoriously Spanhemius Justificatio consistit in fide organicè in Christi obedientia objectivè meritoriè We say with the Apostle Beza in confe majore c.
In the putting on of the Garments of Christs righteousnesse there is a putting off of the filthy rags of our own righteousnesse In this sense Christ cloaths only the naked and he that is cloathed savingly owneth his own nakednesse and the unrighteousnesse of his own righteousnesse Our unrighteousnesse strikes against the Law but our righteousnesse takes away grace that is against God this against God and Christ that makes us need the remedy this keeps us incurable by it that is against the command this is against the promise Gal. 3.14 that makes the Law weak Rom. 8.3 this submits not unto the strength of the Gospel Rom. 10.3 the beleever accounts much of the righteousnesse of Christ and loatheth his own Phil. 3.8 he abhorreth himself for his own high account of his own righteousness onr own righteousness is called our shame Phil. 3.15 Christs righteousnesse is our glory Isa 55.25 In the Lord shall the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory The beleever how great a sinner soever formerly though a Murtherer Adulterer Lyar c. by this one act of beleeving Jesus Christ and his righteousnesse yeeldeth more obedience unto God than ever he committed disobedience honoureth God more than ever he hath hitherto dishonoured him pleaseth God better than if he had ever continued in innocency and never sinned God makes much account of the obedience of faith because faith makes much account of the grace of God It is a name of honour unto Christ to be called Our Righteousnesse Jer. 23 6. and a name of honour to the people of God that according to their duty they are known to acknowledge Christ according to this name And this is the name wherewith He shall be called The Lord our Righteousnesse Jer. 33.16 Object Bellar. de Just l. 1. c. 10. If we are justified by faith then faith is in order before justification and consequently the act is before the object whereas on the contrary the act depends upon the object and not the object upon the act To this effect Bellarmine Answ 1. We may distinguish between the being of Justification and our being justified that is between Justification taken in an abstract sense viz. without the receiving-subject thereof namely the beleever And Justification taken in the concrete sense i. e. together with the beleever Justification considered in the abstract i. e. simply and in it self in which sense it signifieth remission of sins and righteousnesse to acceptation prepared though not yet conferred upon the Elect hath before faith a being not onely in the purpose of God but also in the Covenant between the Father and the Mediator and in the purchase of Christ This truth held forth in the Gospel makes the object of faith and thus the object is before the act Or thus distinguish between Justification actually procured and actually applied Justification was eminentially procured before faith Docet A minius Christum satisfactione sua nactum esse jus peccatorum remittendorum non peccatorum remissionem Twiss de permiss l. 2. er 4 p. 84. in respect of those who beleeved before Christ dyed when it was as entire to God to justifie for the merit sake of Christ to dye as it is now for the merit sake of Christ dead it is actually procured for those who beleeve after the death of Christ though it be not actually applied before faith This actuall procuring of Justification as did also the eminential procuring of it before Christ giveth a being to Justification as considered in it self and constitutes the object of justifying faith Justification is compared to a garment our being justified to the putting on of that garment the garment is made before it be put on Justification is compared to a pardon our being justified unto the Delinquents being pardoned the pardon is procured before the Delinquent is pardoned These then are both truths First Justification hath a being before the Elect do beleeve Secondly That the Elect are not justified before they do beleeve Justification is the object faith is the act the object is before the act our being actually justified is an effect faith is the instrumental cause the cause is before the effect That Justification is actually and absolutely procured for the Elect before faith and shall infallibly be applied to them all in time seemeth to reach the scope intended by the godly Learned whose spirits have more particularly laboured to hold forth the full truth in this precious part of the soul-reconciling and soul-supporting mystery of the Gospèl To say that we are justified by vertue of a singular promise in the Court of Conscience and in our own persons in which sense the Scripture constantly saith that we are justified by faith is not that I know affirmed by any The grounds of this Distinction are thus evidenced Justification was in Gods Decree before faith before sin yea from all Eternity Gal. 3.8 whom God hath set forth that is fore-ordained Rom. 3.25 The Justification of the Elect is absolutely and actually procured for them by Christs satisfaction before faith Col. 2.14 The hand-writing of Ordinances cannot be limited to the Ceremonial Law onely because it had respect unto the Gentiles then living to whom the Ceremonial Law belonged not God hath declared his acceptation of this satisfaction of Christ whereby he hath actually procured Justification for the Elect before faith It is no small part of the Ministry of Reconciliation that God imputed unto Christ the sins of the world of the Elect before they did beleeve and will not impute them unto the Elect 2 Cor. 5.18 19. this great Gospel-truth is of special use to beget justifying faith in the heart of a sinner the same Apostle confirms Beleevers concerning their salvation Rom. 5.10 from this argument namely that their reconciliation was wrought for them when they were enemies that is unbeleevers Here then is a twofold Reconciliation mentioned one at the death of Christ before Paul or the Romans some of them at least here spoken to were beleevers The other at our Conversion The first Reconciliation though it was vertually wrought before by the Lamb slain in Gods appointment acceptance together with his own consent from the beginning of the world Rev. 13.8 yet it was not actually wrought untill the death Christ for this satisfaction sake God imputes not sin unto the Redeemed for he cannot impute sin to Christ and the Elect both yea he accepteth us in the Beloved Eph. 1.6 Loving the persons of the Elect Rom. 11.28 though hating theirs sins and also their state under the curse of the Law Ro. 6.14 Ch. 7.6 Eph. 2.3 The second is wrought at our Conversion when the enmity of nature is slain by the infusion of grace our persons are justified in themselves and our state changed by faith in Christ Jesus This place then seemeth not to be understood as that Rom. 4.5 God justifieth the ungodly viz. objectively that is such who were ungodly till they were justified
first cause with the second c. 5. p. 106. 108. seq The necessity of the Concourse of the first cause with the second c. 5. p. 106 107 The manner of the Concourse of the first cause with the second c. 5. p. 107 108 The Concourse of the first cause with the second is mediate both in respect of its vertue and its presence c. 5. p. 109 The Concluding the soul under sin and guilt what c. 7. p. 154 Though the Decree be absolute yet the dispensation thereof in the Gospel is Conditionall c. 4. p. 85 86. seq Certain Condemnation without faith c. 9. p. 218 A Condition properly and improperly what c. 10. p. 227 A double Consideration of the second Person in the Trinity helpful to understand the Person of Christ c. 3. p. 36 Conviction of the holinesse of the Law what c. 7. p. 142 Conviction of sin what ibid. D. To justifie God is our duty but to be contented to be Damned is no where commanded c. 7. p. 151 Decree what c. 4. p. 51 The Decree is the antecedent not the cause of sin c. 4. p. 52 What order is to be observed in propounding the doctrine of the Decree c. 4. p. 82 83 se The Decree proceedeth according to the order of the end and means c. 4. p. 82. The Dependence of the second cause upon the first is universall c. 4. p. 98 The Determination of the second cause by the first hindreth not the freedome of the second cause in its operations c. 5. p. 114 115 The Disorder of the second cause not such as is inconsistent with the all-governing providence of God c. 5. p 115. 116 c. The Disorder of second causes no prejudice to the wisdome of God c. 5. p. 117 How a person is Distinguished from the Essence c. 2. p. 26 Things are Distinguished really rationally or modally and how ibid. Distinguish between the Doctrine of the Decree and the personal application thereof in respect of Election and Reprobation c. 4. p. 82 83 Vpon the instant of Dissolution the soul immediately enjoyeth blessednesse c. 15. p. 336 The Dominion of sin what c. 7. p. 144 The Duration of eternity eviternity and time distinguished c. 15. p. 348 E. The Efficiency of God what c. 5. 101 The distribution of the Efficiency of God c. 5. p. 102 The All-Efficiency of the first cause prejudiceth not the Efficiency of the second cause c. 5. p. 111 To deny the Efficiency of the second cause how unreasonable and abominable c. 5.111 112 113 The Doctrin of the Efficiency of God an Antidote against Atheism Epicurism Stoicism Fortune Libertinism and the corrupt doctrine of the Jesuits and Arminians concerning the concurse of the first second cause c. 5. p. 124 125 Gods Efficiency is answerable to his Decree c. 5. p. 126 No person can know he is elected before faith c. 4. p. 84 Election no part of the primary part of the object of faith c. 9. p. 156 All the Elect first or last shall beleeve c. 10. p. 230 The Elect only do beleeve c. 10. p. 231 Eminential continency or for the effect to be contained eminently in the cause c. 1. p. 20 The grace of Eminency in Christ what c. 3. p. 46 The special Eâ—mity of the heart against beleeving c. 9. p. 207 Eleven Gospel-Encouragements unto a soul under preparatory work before faith c. 8. p. 191 192 Encouragement from the sense of our inability to beleeve c. 9. p. 217 218 Eternity what c. 1. p. 7 Eviternity what ibid. Probable that the Saints in glory see the Divine Essence c. 15. p. 327 328 329 It is mans duty to sanctifie God in respect of his Decree and his all-glorious Efficient execution thereof c. 5. p. 127 F. Faith and Repentance c. how ascribed unto God c. 5. p. 113 114 Every one before Faith is under the Law the Curse and Sin c. 8. p. 173 The eminency of the principle requisite to the creating of Faith c. 9. p. 208 The acceptablenesse of the obedience of Faith c. 9. p. 215 Faith a condition improperly not properly c. 10. p. 227 228 This Proposition Faith is the effect of grace is affirmed by Pelagians Semipelagians Jesuits and Arminians but with a diverse sense c. 10. p. 228 229 Faith i. e. Saving faith is the effect of speciall grace c. 10. p. 230 God hath bound himself for Christs sake to give Faith unto the Elect c. 10. p. 248 The habit of Faith is not infused alone without the habits of other saving graces c. 11. p. 152 c. How Faith justifies c. 14. p. 307 308 Faith in our justification acknowledgeth three things c. 14. p. 311 312 313 Fear filial and servile c. 6. p. 138 Three things to be attended in the form of Vnion between Christ and the Beleever c. 13. p. 287 Four things wherein Christ and the Beleever are united c. 13. p. 287 288 G. God knoweth and seeth all things always c. 4. p. 94 Goodnesse of God what c. 1. p. 12 The Gospel propounded with a Command and a Promise c. 9. p. 215 The Gospel holds forth power for the enabling of us to beleeve c. 9. p. 217 Gods generall Government of the creature what c. 5. p. 103 In the government of the unreasonable Creature three things to be considered c. 5. p. 103 Gods government of the reasonable Creature what c. 5. p. 104 c. Free Grace both increated and created what c. 10. p. 223 The distribution of Grace with a description of each part of the distribution c. 10. p. 219 220 Saving Grace and common Grace how distinguished c. 10. p. 222 In an elect person yet an unbeleever there is no other qualification than what is the effect of common grace c. 8. p. 170 Perillous consequences from not distinguishing between common and saving grace c. 8. p. 168 169 Special or saving Grace proceeds from Christ as our Head c. 8. p. 168 169 Guilt what c. 7. p. 144 Conviction of guilt what c. 7. p. 144 H. What the Habit of Faith is or of any other saving grace c. 12. p. 259 Justification of the term Habit c. 12. p. 265 266 The Habit of Grace proved by Scriptures c. 12 p. 267 By Arguments c. 12. p. 268 269 By Authorities c. 12. p. 272 Some Objections answered c. 12. p. 270 271 The distinction between the Habit and second Act c. 12. p. 260 The Habit of Grace precedeth the second Act c. 12 p. 261 Some Objections thereunto answered c. 12. p. 262 263 Created Habitual grace is in Christ in its full Latitude c. 3. p 46 The happiness of the glorified body consists especially in two things c. 15. p. 349 The third Heaven what c. 15. p. 342 With its name place and excellency c. 15. p. 342. to 346 Holinesse in God What c. 1. p. 16 Hunger legal or preparatory before faith or saving after faith c. 8. p. 284 I. The Incarnated Idaea of all things what c. 1.
p. 16 The Divine Idaea what c. 4 p. 54.55 The eternall Idaea what c. 15. p. 332 Jesus Christ God-man is of the object of faith c. 9. p. 200 The Incarnation Miracle of Miracles c. 3. p. 38 The inconsequences of the tenet holding saving qualifications before faith c. 8. p. 190 191 Immensity in God what c. 1. p. 8 Immutability in God what c. 1. â—b Inexcusablenesse in respect of sin what c. 7. p. 151 Infinitenesse in God what c. 1. p. 9 The interpretation of Rom. 7.4 Mat. 13.44 Mat. 18 11. Mat. 11.28 with their vindication from the interpretation thereof in defence of saving qualifications before faith c. 1. p. 179 182 185 188 Justice in God what c. 7. p. 146 The Justice of Divine government is not prejudiced by sin by things falling out alike to those who are not alike by things not falling out alike in this life in matter of suffering to them who are alike in transgressing from the adversity of the godly or prosperity of the wicked c. 5 p. 96 97 98 99 100 118 119 120 121 122 Justice in God what c. 1. p. 15 Justice in God essentiall and relative or morall c. 7. p. 146 Divers considerations for the better understanding Gods Justice c. 7. p. 146 147 148 149 150 151 Gods executing Justice according to the rule of righteousnesse doth no wrong can do no wrong c. 7 p. 149 The acknowledgement of the Justice of God of what use c. 7. p. 150 In what sense the term Justification is used in the doctrin thereof c. 14. p. 298 What Justification by faith is c. 14. p. 300 The causes thereof efficient ibid. Meritorious c. 14. p. 301 Materiall c. 14. p. 302 Formall c. 14. p. 305 Finall and Instrumental c. 14 p. 307 Justification absolutely and actually purchased for us before faith but not actually applied unto us till faith c. 14. p. 315 What is really and positively wrought in the Soul in Justification c. 14. p. 318 God just in punishing men for sin largly proved c. 7. p. 145 c. K. The blessed know one another in Heaven c. 15. p. 346 Created knowledge in Christ beatifical infused experimental what and how distinguished in Christ c. 3. p. 47 L. The parts of preparatory work wrought by the Ministry of the Law which c. 7. p. 142 Divers acceptions of the Dominion of the Law in Scripture c. 8. p. 180 Liberty in God what c. 1. p. 18 The liberty of God in the Decree what c. 4. p. 57 The liberty of the second cause wherein it doth consist c. 4. p. 74 The light of glory what c. 15 p. 253 The light of glory elevateth the glorified understanding unto the vision of God c. 15 p. 333 Lordship in God what c. 1. p. 11 A lost estate what c. 7. p. 154 The Soul according to ordinary dispensation is sensible of its lost estate before vocation c. 7. p. 155 156 Sensiblenesse of our lost estate presupposeth three things c. 7. p. 155 Thorough sensiblenesse of our lost estate is wrought by the Ministry of the Gospel c. 7. p. 157 Christ is not the cause of the love of God c. 4 p. 58 59 God loveth his Elect though sinners c. 9. p. 214 M. Man considered as yet to be is the object of the Decree as concerning man c. 4. p. 56 The manner of the beatifical vision c. 15. p. 132 133 134 The manner of union between Christ and the Beleever c. 13. p. 289 290 The manner of the working faith is irresistable c. 9. p. 213 The active and passive obedience of Christ concur to the matter of our Justification c. 14. p. 302 303 304 The doctrin of the absolutenesse of the Decree is a furtherance not a hinderance to the use of means c. 4 p. 79 80 The means whereby faith is wronght external or internal and what c. 9. p. 211 We are to attend in the use of means though the means cannot work without the Spirit c. 9. p. 213 We must not separate between the end and the means c. 4. p. 83 Divers precious means for both the obtaining and confirming of faith c. 9. p. 214 215 c. Christ Mediator as God-man c. 3. p. 40 Christ a Mediator from the foundation of the world c. 3. p. 41 Objections concerning Christs being Mediator answered c. 3. p. 43 44 45 The two states wherein Christ performed the Office of Mediator c. 3. p. 49 Mercy in God what c. 1. p. 14 The Meritorious cause of Justification opened c. 14. p. 301 Four things to be attended in a saving motion from the Spirit of grace c. 10. p. 190 Many Mysteries of the Wisdome of God shine forth in Justification c. 14. p. 322 The Mystical Body of Christ what and how glorious c. 13. p. 293 294 295 N. Names of God Hebrew and Greeke especially tending to make known the Divine Essence c. 1. p. 2 3 The humane Nature of Christ an individual being not a person c. 3. p. 37 Necessity and liberty consist together c. 4. p. 76 Negative Attributes what in number five c. 1. p. 5.6 All things besides God came from Nothing and are in themselves Nothing c. 4. p. 98 O. How the Obedience of Christ as it is an ingredient into the meritorious cause differs from the Obedience of Christ as it is the materal cause of our Justification c. 14. p. 305 The greatnesse and largenesse of the Obedience of faith c. 9. p. 209 110 211 Obediential subjection what c. 12. p. 258 The creature as placed in its condition of possibility is the Object of the decree c. 4. p. 54 The Object of the decree is not to be sought for out of God himself c. 4. p. 55 The summe of the special object of faith what c. 7. p. 158 The speciall primary Object of saving faith what c. 9. p. 195 The Object of faith universal or special and what c. 9. p. 194 The Object of the beatifical Vision what c. 15. p. 327 331 Many remarkable truths in the first Object of saving faith c. 9. p. 195 Full satisfaction to all Objections in Christ c. 9. p. 216 Sundry Objections against Justification by faith answered c. 14. p. 314 315 316 317 318 319 c. Objections against the freenesse of grace answered where Eph. 1.4 1.6 are cleered c. 10. p. 225 226. seq The Office of Christ c. 3. p. 40 The parts of his Office with the order and reason thereof c. 3. p. 41 42 Omnipotency of God what c. 1. p. 19 Omnipotency and all power both in Christ and how c. 3. p. 46 The Order of union c. 13. p. 291 The Order of the dependence of communion upon union c. 13. p. 292 Original sin how propagated c. 7. p. 143 P. Parting with sin what and how distinguished c. 8. p. 182 183 What it is for the soul to be passive in Vocation c. 12. p. 257 258 The Doctrine of the passiveness of the soul in Vocation is a fundamental
truth c. 12 p. 281 Peace of conscience what c. 14. 324 The state of the beleever is a state of perfect peace with the grounds thereof c. 14. p. 324 325 Perfection in God what c. 1. p. 20 The perfection of the whole creature is in God eminently c. 15. p. 332 A person in the Divine Nature what c. 2. p. 22 What constitutes a person in God ibid. Difference between a created and an increated Person c. 2.23 A Person how distinguished from a Person c. 2. p. 27 A created Person what c. 3. p. 37 The Person of Christ what c. 11. p. 249 The soul by faith receiveth the Person of Christ yet not personally but objectively c. 11. p. 250 A Personal property what c. 2. p. 28 The Personal notions in number five and which c. 2. p. 30 Positive Attributes what in number six c. 1. p. 16 Poverty legal and preparatory before faith and saving after faith c. 8. p. 184 185 Preparatory work what c. 6. p. 130 Preparatory work taken in its extent what c. 7. p. 141 Works Preparatory properly or in the judgement of charity c. 6. p. 129 130 Preparatory works by way of meer order c. 6. p. 130 Four objections against Preparatory work answered c. 6 p. 139 140 Preparatory work no whit darkneth free grace c. 6. p. 139 The heads whereunto the Preparatory work of the Gospel may be referred c. 7. p. 152 Three cases of conscience concerning Preparatory work c. 7. p. 160 161 c. The notion Preparatory as concerning preparatory work distinguished c. 8. p. 164 The peculiar wayes of Gods Presence with divers creatures c. 1. p. 8 A preservative against temptations concerning the justice of God c. 5. p. 122 Actuall Providence what c. 52 p. 102 Q. Soul-Qualifications what c. 8. p. 163 Saving-Qualifications taken properly or improperly c. 8. p. 164 165 Taken properly what c. 8. p. 164 The variety of Judgements touching the relations that Qualifications before faith have unto conversion c. 8. p. 165 Texts of Scripture against the ascertaining salvation to any Qualification before faith c. 8. p. 166 167 Ten arguments to the same effect c. 8. p. 167 to 175 Our best Qualifications as also our operations before faith are sin c. 8. p. 174 Authorities against ascertaining salvation upon a Qualification before faith c. 8. p. 175 to 179 Nine Objections against the not ascertaining salvation upon some Qualification or Qualifications before faith fully answered c. 8. p. 179 to 190 The four Celestial Qualities of the glorified body opened c. 15. p. 350 351 352. R. Receiving Christ is either active or passive c. 12.267 Reconciliation twofold one before the other after our conversion c. 14. p. 316 The Ministry and Word of Reconciliation why so styled 2 Cor. 5 18 19. c. 9. p. 215 Relative Attributes in number seven c. 1. p. 10 Relative Attributes put no change in God ibid. Repentance legal or saving c. 7. p. 153 Preparatory or legal Repentance what c. 7. ibid Repentance legal or preparatory before faith or saving after faith c. 8. p. 184 185 Reprobation is not an act of Justice c. 4. p. 66 67 68 Reprobation is not the cause of sin though the antecedent thereof c. 4. p. 69 None in this life can ordinarily conclude they are Reprobate c. 4 p. 84. The Gospel why called a Revelation c. 7. p. 152 Revelation of Christ so far as is necessary to salvation what c. 7. ibid. The Law not the Decree is the Rule of life c. 4. p. 80 81 Seven Rules to be observed in propounding of the Doctrine of the Decree c. 4. 82 83 84 85 S. Faith in what sense it is affirmed to be a part of Sanctification c. 11. p. 255 256 To ascertain salvation before faith is to ascertain it to a worke or as it were to a worke c. 8. p. 174 Saving faith what c. 10. p. 219 Saving faith the effect of Election c. 10. p. 199 Before the grace of faith there is nothing that is saving c. 8.170 Seeking Christ without faith and with faith what c. 7. p. 159 Though we cannot seek Christ in faith yet it is our duty to pray c. 7. p. ibid. Jesus Christ findeth the soul while it so seeks him as yet it cannot seek him c. 7. p. 160 The souls selling of all is either legal or saving legal what and how distinguished c. 8. p. 182 183 Saving threefold and what ibid. Simplicity in God what c. 1. p. 5 Adams sin original sin actual sin what c. 7. p. 142 143 144 God is not the author of sin c. 4. p. 61 to 67 As God is not the author of sin so be is not a meer permitter thereof c. 4. p. 66 God delighteth not in the death of a sinner c. 4. p. 73 Man is the cause of sin c. 4. p. 70 Sin is the cause of punishment c. 4. p. 71 Acknowledgement of the Sovereignty of God in point of shewing or not shewing mercy is a point of our humiliation c. 7. 158 The term special to be attended in this Proposition faith is the effect of sperial grace c. 10. p. 228 The Spirit of Christ received by beleevers what and why so called c. 11. p. 249 150 How the soule receives the Spirit of Christ c. 11. p. 250 The Angels and Spirits of the just made perfect how they speak one unto another c. 15. p. 347 T. High cause of Thankfulnesse to be seen in the Decree c. 4. p. 99 A Trance what c. 15. p. 339 The usefulnesse of the doctrines of the Trinity c. 2. p. 31 32 33 34 What Terms are to be avoyded in speaking of the Trinity c. 2. p. 29 V. The effects of the beatifical Vision c. 15. p. 334 The fault of Vnbelief lyeth wholly upon our selves c 9. p. 205 206 It is impossible for an Unbeleever how ever qualified to please God c. 8. p. 173 Every Vnbeleever is in such a condition to which the Scripture speaks wrath c. 8. ibid. God to be taken in the best sense in his tender of grace to an Vnbeleever c. 9. p. 215 T is a truth concerning every Unbeleever how ever qualified that if Christ sheweth him mercy it is meer mercy if hee doth not shew them mercy he doth them no wrong c. 8. p. 172 173 The Vnderstanding of God Angels and men in respect of the manner thereof how distinguished c. 1. p. 16 17 The Personal Vnion what c. 3. p. 38 The manner of the Personal Union c. 3. p. 40 Three most eminent Unions and which c. 13. p. 283 284 The Union betwixt Christ and the Beleever held forth in Scripture under divers lively metaphors c. 13. p. 284 Union between Christ and the Beleever what c. 13. p. 285 The whole Person of Christ is Vnited to the whole Person of the Beleever c. 13. p. 286 Vnion between Christ and the Beleever is reall substantial and supernatural c. 13. p. 290 Union followeth Vocation in order of Nature c. 13 p. 291 Vocation what c. 12. p. 257 Vocation is wrought in an instant c. 12. p. 282 283 W. Waiting on the Lord Jesus in the use of means with preparatory hope what c. 7. p. 159 The Will of God is the first and universal cause of all things c. 4. p. 91 The Will of God is one c. 4. ibid. The Will of God is absolute c. 4. p. 93 No motive of Gods Will besides or without himselfe c. 4. p. 58. seq The All-decreeing and All-disposing Will of God is a ground why we should sanctifie him in all our changes c. 4. p. 99 The distinction of the absolute and conditional as also of the antecedent and consequent Will in God both unsound c. 1. p. 17 18 The Will is determined by God in its operations c. 5. p. 110 and 114 Wisdome in God what c. 1. p. 16 Christ as God-man the object of Divine Worship c. 3. p. 47 FINIS