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
his saying and overcometh vvhen he judgeth Now we know that what things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Rom. 3.19 And he was speechless Matth. 22.12 The Preparatory Work of the Gospel may be referred unto these Heads 1. Revelation of Christ so far as is necessary unto salvation 2. Repentance 3. Lost Estate 4. Acknowledgement of the Soveraignty of God and of Christ in shewing mercy 5. Consideration of the special Object of Faith and Arguments moving thereunto 6. Waiting in the fore-mentioned disposition for the Lord Jesus in the use of means with Ministerial and preparatory hope under the If you believe of the Gospel The Revelation of Christ is the historical propounding and illumination of the soul with the propounded Doctrine of the Gospel i. e. the Doctrine of grace namely Election Vocation Justification Adoption Sanctification Glorification in Jesus Christ who hath freely absolutely and infallibly procured for us all things that pertain unto life and godliness The Sum whereof is That God the Father Son and Holy Ghost hath sent forth Jesus Christ God-man into the world to seek and save sinners commanded every one that heareth this glad tidings to believe in him whom he hath sent and promised that whosoever believeth in him shall be saved The Gospel is called a Revelation because it being a Truth exceeding the Nature of the creature the Power of Reason and Doctrine of the first Covenant man could no way attain unto it but by Divine Revelation Truth is either Natural Veritas Naturalis Ethica Lâ—galis Evat gelica which is laid up in the creature or Moral to be gathered by rational inferences from the light of nature and help of right reason or Legal contained in the Law or Evangelical revealed only in the Gospel The creature representeth God unto us as a Creatour Governour and Lord The Law as the Creatour of man after his own Image and giving unto him a Covenant of Works unto Eternal life The Gospel beyond these holds forth the mercy of God in Jesus Christ No Salvation can be expected where the Gospel is not preached For there is none other name under Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Representat Deum ut Creatorem gubernatorem DominuÌ„ omnium sed nâ—n ut Conservatorem Spanh resp ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given amongst men by which we must be saved Acts 4.12 Neither the Book of the creature nor the Power of reason nor the first Covenant preach Christ Repentance is two-fold Preparatory or Legal going before faith Mark 1.15 Heb. 6.1 Or saving which followeth faith Luke 7.38 Preparatory or legal repentance is a common work of the Spirit wrought by the Ministery both of the Law and Gospel super-adding unto what was wrought by the meer Doctrine of the Law a further discovery unto and affecting of the soul with the sense of its utter present-perishing condition under and fear of the future aggravated punishment for sin whereby the distressed sinner inwardly feeling the into lerable bitterness and heavy load thereof addeth unto outward unrebukableness according unto the Law an external conformity unto the Gospel It is called Legal not so much in respect of the means whereby it is wrought scil the Law for it is wrought not only by the Law but also by the Gospel but in respect of the state wherein the person is in whom it is wrought notwithstanding preparatory repentance namely under the Law and not under grace Under this Work of preparatory Repentance the soul is troubled for sin Sick of sin Contritio non salutaris Salutaris Vrsin Cat. Matth. 9.12 Consesseth its sin Matth. 27.4 Vomits it up 2 Pet. 2.22 Abstains from the external Commission of it Escapes the pollution of the world 2 Pet. 2.20 Reformeth its conversation so as not to omit any external known duty commanded Matth. 19.20 Nor to walk in the practise of any external known sin forbidden either in Law or Gospel Phil. 3.6 Notwithstanding Preparatory Repentance worketh not any change of the heart yet there are in it and accompanying of it certain inward workings that do dispose to a change Ignorance is taken away by illumination pleasure in sin is abated by sorrow for sin that is trouble of conscience Boldness in sinning is abated by the fear of punishment whence followeth a kind of abating the contumacy of the will like a stone that is broken though it yet remains a stone Conceitedness in our own strength is diminished by the sense of our lost condition False confidence by the conviction of the righteousness of Jesus Christ Ministerial and preparatory hope of the change of the heart by grace is increased by our restlesness in our present condition and occasioning an application of our selves to the obtaining of mercy in the use of means Lostness is a principal part of Preparatory Work A lost Estate whereby the soul besides the Work of the Law is further made sensible of its perishing condition by the common work of the Gospel So revealing Jesus Christ to be believed in as withall convincing the soul of the loss of its own righteousness the want of the righteousness of Jesus Christ together with its inability and enmity to believe repent do or desire any good whereby the soul is yet more meetly disposed for the wayting for receiving of and magnifying of received merey Lostness is either taken for the perishing condition of the soul or for the sensibleness of this perishing condition as it is in this place If lostness be taken for the perishing condition of the soul so all are lost by reason of sin whether they are sensible or insensible of it The reprobate totally and finally In this sence Judas is called the Son of perdition John 17.12 That is one justly designed to everlasting perdition or destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Genetivus notat finem Piscat in loc i. e. Electos sibi datos a patre qui peri erant non minus quam reprobi per peccatum Piscat in Luc. 19.10 Anal. Mat. 18.11 Schol. Spanh probat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. oves perditas domus Israel ad quas Christus missus est esse Electos Exercit. de gratiâ Annot. in Sect. 18. as they used to say a Son of death So Antichrist is called the Son of perdition 2 Thes 2 3. The Beast is said to go into perdition Revel 17.8 Thus all that perish under the light of the Gospel are said to be lost 2 Cor. 4.3 If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost The Elect are totally but not finally lost Totally in respect of their sin and perishing condition for sin We were by nature the children of wrath even as others Ephes 2.3 But not finally in respect of Gods gracious purpose to them and their relation to him in the everlasting Covenant therefore
the will of him that believeth Little upon point do they herein give to grace more then the Jesuits only they judge better doctrinally of the nature of the grace of faith The best of them make free-will and supernatural common grace i. e. Such as those who are not elected may be made partakers of to concur together as co-working partial or fellow-causes in the work of conversion A doctrine which overthrowes grace giveth unto flesh that is to man yet without Christ to glory as a party-worker of saith the total working vvhereof is proper unto Christ in the way of his special grace and is repugnant both unto saving grace and Salvation it self because the faith that is so wrought cannot save To the Orthodox this Proposition Faith is the Effect of grace And this Proposition Faithis the effect of special grace are equipollent By grace they understand grace peculiar and proper unto the Elect therefore flowing from Election and consequently from Christ as their Redeemer and designed Head absolute irresistable and effectual quickening the soul until then dead by infusing a principle of life whereby of unbelievers they are made believers and of unwilling vvilling in respect of which work the soul notwithstanding any supernatural common grace foregoing is meerly paslive having no more causal power thereunto then a dead body hath unto life The truth of this Proposition viz. Faith is the Effect of special grace appears in the proof of these three Conclusions 1. All the Elect first or last shall believe Concl. 1. 2. Only the Elect do believe 3. Faith i. e. Saving Faith is the effect of Election All the Elect first or last shall believe John 6.37 All that the Father giveth me i.e. that from Eternity are committed unto me to redeem shall come unto me John 10.16 Other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also must I bring and they shall hear my voyce and there shall be one fold and one Sheph. ard There are besides the people of the Jews others of his Elect amongst the Gentiles which must be gathered into the fold of the Church as certainly as those Jews which are already therein Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he also called Hence Vocation is called Election The same work which the Apostle expresseth by the term Calling 1 Cor. 1.26 he expresseth by the term Choosing or Election ver 21 28. God hath chosen the foolish things God hath chosen the weak things things which are despised God hath chosen This also is further manifest in that the Elect before they do believe are described by such Names and Adjuncts as hold forth their special relation unto God and sure salvation by him in due season They before they do believe are said to belong to God Thine they were John 17.6 to be given to Christ John 6.37 to be beloved Rom. 11.28 As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sake but as touching the Election they are beloved for the Fathers sake To be reconciled to God For if when we were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son Rom. 5.10 Christ calleth them his sheep though they yet believed not John 10.16 His people Acts 18.10 I have much people in this City The Corinthians whilest yet unbelieving Gentiles are here called the people of God They are called the Children of God Concl. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spanh exc de grat Annot. in Sect. 21. Nulla vis infertur sacris literis verbis Christi Si quis dicat peccatuÌ„ Angelorum primum pâ—incipale fuisse quod voluerint acquiescere in veritate Evangelii de Christo proposito Zanc de pec lib. 4. cap. 2. Non dans prohibâ—â—s allegari non solâ—t ubi inquiretur in veraÌ„ râ—i causam Spanh exerc de grat resp ad erot 32. John 11.52 'T is as certain that all the Elect yet unbelievers shall believe and be saved as it is certain that they are saved who are already in Heaven 2. Only the Elect do believe All men have not faith 2 Thess 3.2 i.e. It is not given to all to believe The Election have obtained it but the rest are blinded Rom. 11.7 They who are not elected are not of God therefore receive not the word in truth Ye hear them not because ye are not of God John 8.47 And all that dwell upon the Earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the Book of life Election is the Book of life not to be written in the Book of life is not to be elected Revel 13.8 And whosoever were not found written in the Book of life were cast into the Lake of fire Because there is in the Reprobate a moral impotency to believe Moral impotency is a sinful inability As this inability is contracted by sin so it is sinful it being the duty of all that live under the call of the Gospel to believe John 6.65 1 John 3.23 2. There is also an enmity of malice of the Will John 5.40 And ye will not come unto me Rom. 11.28 As concerning the Gospel they are enemies John 8.44 Ye are of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father you will do he was a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth Namely The truth of the Gospel concerning Christ as some have conceived As God in respect of his Decree freely so in respect of their sin he justly withholds from them grace to cure their unbelief Mat. 13.11 To them it is not given This final withholding of grace is proper to the Reprobate Moral impenitency and enmity or malice of the will are common to the Elect and Reprobate they being alike corrupt by nature Hence God is said to be the physical cause not of their unbelief but why their unbelief remaineth uncured As a Physician able to cure a disease which he is not bound to cure is the cause not of the disease but of the disease being not cured yet is he not the moral and blameable but the physical and unblamable cause thereof because he is not bound to cure it 3. Saving Faith as it is proper to the Elect Conclu 3. so it is the effect of election therefore called the faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1.1 both that gracious motion of the Spirit whereby faith is wrought which for distinctness sake was before called Saving Grace effectually and the grace of faith wrought by that motion proceed from and are the effects of election It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Philip. 2.13 The gift of faith depends upon the will of God John 1.13 Jam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us He hath mercy upon whom he will Rom. 9.15 It is according to Election Rom. 11.5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the Election of grace Twiss de permissione lib. 2 cr 4. Sect. 6. Redemptio est ex
the passive voyce as being received by Christ before he makes mention of himselfe in the active voyce as having actively received Christ Receptie respeciu hominis est vel passiva vel activa Medulla l. 1. c. 26. Upon this Text Doctor Ames grounds that Spiritual and profitable distinction of a double receiving of Christ Passive and Active Passive whereby the Spiritual principle of grace is ingenerated Active proceeding from that ingenerated habit of grace and the operation of God fore-going and exciting thereunto we are received of Christ before we doe receive Christ Christ in working the grace of faith receiveth us by the act of faith we receive him Christ taketh the Soul before the Soul taketh him A third place to the same purpose is Ephes 2.1.5 And you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins even when we were dead in sins he hath quickned us together with Christ The infusion of the habit of Faith or Grace into the Soul is the quickning of the Soul until then the Soul is dead as a dead body so a dead Soul is passive in respect of its quickning or being made alive That the infusion of saving faith or saving grace is the infusion of Life appeares thus The Spirit of the Command and Promise viz. that infused grace which inclineth us to obey the Command and receive the Promise is Life the Image of God in Adam which consisted in a conformity to the Command was his spiritual life the spirit of Faith is the spirit of the Command 1 Joh. 3.23 this is his Commandement That we should beleeve on the name of his Son Jesus Christ that it is the spirit of the Promise is out of doubt Joh. 3.33 As the Image of God in Adam which consisted in conformity to the command was his Spiritual life so the Image of God created anew in the Soul is life either this is life or what can be life As the spirit of sinne is the spirit of death so by the rule of contraries the spirit of effectual saving grace is Spiritual life He that hath the Sonne hath life 1 Joh. 5.12 But every Beleever hath the Sonne From the nature of the grace of faith receiving of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour being of the essence and form thereof as a natural principle of natural sense motion and action is natural life so a supernatural principle of supernatural sense motion and action is supernatural life But such a Principle is saving faith and each other saving grace No Life-lesse principle can enable the Soul to a Life-act it cannot be reasonably conceived how a Beleever as a Beleever should not be alive The summe is this text holds forth an Active-quickning Christ enlivening a dead passive Soul So from Scripture the Arguments follow First from the supernatural nature of the Habit of saving faith or of the habitual frame of the New Creature In receiving a supernatural Habit Theologi vocant habirum infusum per se quiaper se sua natusra postulat ita non alitèr fieri suarez Meraph Tom. post disp 44. sect 13 n. 6. or Principle the Soul is passive saving faith or the habitual frame of the New Creature is a supernatural Habit or Principle therefore in receiving saving faith or the habitual frame of the New Creature the Soul is passive Supernatural is that which exceeds the power of Nature and is received of the Soul by way of inspiration only as the gift of Prophecy or both by inspiration and infusion as the habits of grace such habits the Schools call Habits infused of themselves their very nature denying them to be otherwise attained either by acts or any created cause whereby they are distinguished from Habits infused by accident such as are the gifts of Tongues and the gifts of healing which though they are ordinarily acquired and gotten by acts of study and practise yet have sometime been infused as in the Apostles time In receiving that supernatural saving habit or principle before which the soul hath received no supernatural saving habit or principle the soul is passive But the grace of saving faith is such a supernatural saving habit or principle received before which the soul hath received no supernatural saving habit or principle Therefore in receiving the supernatural saving habit or principle of faith the soul is passive From the nature of the subject of saving faith which is wholly unable to confer any causative power towards the producing of such an effect In receiving a miraculous impression the soule is passive but the infusion of the habit of faith or principle of life in Vocation or Conversion is a miraculous impression Vocation is a miracle it being no lesse a miracle to raise a soul from spiritual than a body from natural death therefore in receiving the infused habit of faith the soul is passive notwithstanding God oft-times makes such use as he pleaseth of men in working a miraculous effect in them yet because in such works the whole efficiency alwayes flows from God and none from man Men are passive in receiving such miraculous effects or impressions Moses putting his hand into and plucking it out of his bosome Exod. 4.7 Naamans dipping himself seven times in Jordan 2 King 5.14 conferred no more power to the curing of their Leprosie nor the womans touching the hem of Christs garment Mark 5.28 29. to the healing of her issue of blood than if they had done nothing In receiving that saving power to do before which there is no such active saving power the soul is passive we cannot do any thing whilst we are but yet receiving power to do but in receiving the habit of faith we receive that saving power to do before which there is no such active saving-power Therefore in receiving the habit of faith the soul is passive Vocation is compared to Circumcision of the heart Deut. 30.6 to Creation to powring out of the Spirit so is the habit of faith there called Tit. 3.6 to quickning or making alive As therefore the person circumcised was passive in Circumcision the creature in its creation the subject quickned in its vivification and the subject into which precious water is powred is passive in respect of the water powred thereinto So the soul in Vocation which is all these spiritually as being that work wherein the heart is circumcised quickned hath inherent saving grace created in it and powred out into it by the Spirit must needs be passive The contrary tenet makes us in the creation of faith to be our own creators in part An assertion as full of pride as empty of reason it makes us in part authors of our faith a high degree of spiritual facrilege against the glory of Christ and grace of the Gospel Obj. 1. The Soul before and in receiving of grace is active in respect of the use of means therefore not meerly passive Sol. Passive is taken either absolutely for that which is simply passive and
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
4. art 7. that we are justified by faith alone because it imbraceth him that justifieth us namely Jesus Christ Beza Cum Apostolo fide sola nos justificari dicimus eo quod amplectitur eum qui nos justificat nempe Jesum Christum Faith justifieth not as an inherent quality and gift in us Willet synop cent 4. err 56 by any worthinesse thereof but as it apprehendeth Christs righteousnesse and this to us and a little after So that in faith reputed for righteousnesse we are not to respect the worthinesse of the act of beleeving in it self but in respect of the Elect Dr. Willet Consensum patrum cum orthodoxis reformatis in hac hujusce propositionis explicatione videat qui volet apud Chamierum panstrat Tom. 3. l. 22. c. 5. apud Polanum Symphon cathol cap. 12 For the cleerer understanding the justification of a sinner by faith let these three acts be considered the one looked at as succeeding the other in order not in time First God actually imputes the active and the passive Mediatorly obedience of Christ unto a beleever Rom. 4.6 therein God is freely giving Secondly The soul having before in order of nature not in time received Jesus Christ as its head and Saviour by the same faith receiveth his obedience as the matter of its righteousnesse herein the soul is taking Rom. 5.17 Rom. 6.11 Gal. 3.13 Thirdly God hereupon in the court of Conscience judicially declares and pronounceth the sinner to be righteous and to have right unto eternal life by vertue of the promise Joh. 5.24 Rom. 3.22.30 The righteousnesse of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By faith through faith upon them that beleeve which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that beleeve By this act of grace the person of the sinner is justified in himself really yet not inherently but imputatively his state changed who before justifying faith was a childe of wrath even as others untill now the persons of the Elect not being accepted in themselves neither are their actions accepted but now our persons being accepted our actions are capable of being accepted Gen. 4.4 Faith 1 Acknowledges that we are justified for the righteousnesse sake of another viz. Christ God-man 2 Acknowledgeth that our justification is free 3 Renounceth our own righteousnesse First We need the righteousnesse of another and the righteousnesse of this other is sufficient the least sinner needs no lesse the greatest sinner needs no more the least sinner cannot be saved without it the greatest sinner needs no more to be saved God cannot save any Infant without the righteousnesse of Christ the righteousnesse of Christ is fully able to save all beleevers See the Sinfulness of Sin that nothing but the righteousnesse of him who is God could expiate it See the Righteousnesse of Christ which taketh away all sin Faith acknowledgeth the least sin unpardonable without it the greatest pardonable by it Were we onely guilty of Adams sin we could not be saved without it Were we guilty of all the sins of the Elect we might be saved by it To think any sin little is a great sin t is a greater to think that Christs righteousnes is not above all sin our disobedience is but the disobedience of man but the obedience of Christ is the obedence of him who is both God and man the disobedience of man is infinit only improperly in respect of the object the obedience of Christ is infinite properly in respect of the subject that which is infinit hath no limits but the pleasure of the disposer Davids childe needed the righteousnesse of Christ for its justification and Manasseth needed no more To think any sin little is no little sin t is to excuse sin to accuse justice in sentencing our sin in Adam or original sin with death to lessen nay so far to frustrate the righteousnesse of Christ The Pharisee puts confidence in his not having done so ill yea in his having done better than other men Luke 18.11 That he had so done was good but that he put confidence in it was bad If thy hope be more in thy little sins then in Christs great mercy Woe be unto thee had there been but one man to have been redeemed Christ must have dyed and Christs death was sufficient to have redeemed all men T is a sin for the least sinner not to despair of righteousnesse in respect of himself Isa 5.7.10 T is a sin for the greatest sinner to despair concerning the righteousnesse of Christ He that beleeveth not be he never so righteous shall be damned He that beleeveth hath he been never so unrighteous shall be saved 2 The beleever acknowledging his righteousnesse to be the righteousnesse of another to be merited by another acknowledgeth it to be free it cost Christ to the full but it cost us nothing being justified freely by his grace Rom. 3.24 Justification is called the gift of righteousnesse Rom. 5.11 the free gift the gift of grace vers 15 Grace in this verse noting the love of God it self the gift by grace Justification as an effect of that love God will either not justifie at all or justifie for nothing t is the glory of grace to be free and mans prirce to come without mony The experience of this truth is compared to buying because the sinner parts as hardly with his righteousnesse as the covetous man doth with his mony Isa 55.1 And when they had nothing to pay he frankly forgave them both Luke 7.42 God will take nothing for our Justification as it is repugnant to the whole so to each part of grace not to be free To attribute any thing to man in way of condignity or congruity were to lessen the sinfulnesse of sin to exalt man to betray Grace and to take so much from Christ This truth God standeth much upon as is notably to be seen in the manner of Naamans cure a figure of the free recovery of a sinner both from the power and guilt of sin hence the Prophet healeth him for nothing and though urged refuseth and that not without an oath but he said As the Lord liveth before whom I stand I will receive none and he being urged to take it still refuseth 2 King 5.16 Where God forgiveth sin be forgiveth much no sin is in it self little Luke 7.47 Simon the Pharisee who looked at sin as a little thing was not forgiven at all where God forgiveth little or much he forgiveth all for nothing That which is said of the Lilly compared with Solomon Consider the Lillies of the field how they grow they toyl not neither do they spin and yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these Matth. 6.28 29. is most true of the Beleevers compared with the Lillies The Garments of fine linnen the righteousness of the Saints far exceed the glorious aray of the Lillies yet they do not so much as spin for it Thirdly
not subjectively that is such as remain ungodly when they are justified The Text saith not he reconcileth enemies according to the sense of those words in the former place He justifieth the ungodly But If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son mark the time of this Reconciliation was the time of the death of his Son not the time of our Conversion much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life that is If while we were enemies in respect of our nature and state we were reconciled in our head i. e. our Reconciliation was actually purchased by and acknowledged at the death of his Son how much more being reconciled in our selves by the slaying of the enmity of nature through the infusion of grace and the changing of our estate in respect of our persons and actions through faith in Christ shall we be saved by his life he that hath done the greater with greatest difficulty he will do the lesse having overcome and triumphed over all difficulty past and proceeding being without all difficulty in respect of what is to come This exposition is agreeable to the Analogie of faith strengthens the Apostles arguing from the greater to the lesser and any shorter interpretation seemeth to straighten those words We were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Thus Dr. Amos and Dr. Twisse understand this place Medulla l. 1. c. 20. Twiss de permiss l. 2 cr 4. digr 10. Sect. 4. and Calvin seemeth very well to allow thereof nor doth Piscator dissent there-from as appeareth in his citation of this Text disputing with Vorstius There is remission of sins that is actually procured before we do beleeve Cham. Nobis persuasissimum est Calv. in loc Cham. Tom. 3 lib. 12. Sect 18. Perkins in Gal. 3.16 Medulla c. 24. 27. remissa esse peccata antequam credidimus Christ is first justified that is acquit of our sins and we justified in him Perkins There is a kind of previous application of Redemption to us in Christ The sentence of our Justification was pronounced in Christ our head rising from the dead Ames Transactio inter Deum Christum fuit praevia quaedam applicatio ad nos Sententia haec fuit in Christo capite nostro à mortuis jam resurgente pronunciata There is saith Mr. Rutherford Rhetorf exc 1. c. 2. a Justification in the mind of God Eternal and a Justification in time terminated in the conscience of the beleever Obj. But if it be yeelded that the grace of Justification be before Faith it will follow that in justification by faith there is nothing really and possitively wrought in the Soul but only a manifestation of what was before Ans Not so in the justification of a sinner there is that which is real and positive both on Gods part and on the Beleevers part on Gods part 1 An actual imputing of the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ to the Beleever 2 A transient judicial act of God whereby he declareth the sinner to be justified for the righteousnesse sake of Christ received by faith terminated in the Conscience of the Beleever upon the Beleevers part there is 1. An actual relying upon the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ 2. A renouncing of our own righteousnesse Obj. But if we yeeld a being of Iustification how doth the condition of an elect person justified by faith differ from his condition yet an unbeleever in respect of his Iustification Ans God hath absolutely decreed to justifie them before they doe beleeve their persons are beloved from eternity Jesus Christ hath actually and absolutely procured their justification before faith God hath accepted this Meritorious satisfaction of Christ before faith God never imputes the sins of the world of the elect to them unto Condemnation having already imputed them unto and being satisfied for them by Christ All which notwithstanding the condition or state of the Elect before faith is the same with the condition of those who are not elected we are the children of wrath even as others Ephes 2 3. guilty of sinne before God and therefore in respect of their estate obnoxious to Condemnation even as others Though their Justification be absolutely Vide Retorf ex 1. c. 2. and actually procured before Faith yet they are not justified until they doe beleeve now and not until now is their state changed now and not until now doe the effects of Gods displeasure cease towards them by vertue of the Promise He that beleeveth shall not come into condemnation now and not before are their persons accepted in themselves and consequently their actions capable of being accepted hence Albeit the justification of the Elect is absolue ely procured before they doe beleeve yet they have no consolation nor peace of Conscience till they doe beleeve Obj. Yee see how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only Jam. 2.24 Sol. That James agreeth with Paul concerning the Doctrine of Justification is evident in that the same Scripture Gen. 15.6 cited by Paul Rom. 4.3 is cited and acknowledged to be fulfilled by James 2.23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham beleeved God and it was imputed unto him for righteousnesse That Proposition of Pauls We are justified by faith without works and that of James We are justified by works and not by faith only are distinct but not opposite Propositions for Iames referreth not to the manner of our Justification of which Paul speaks but to the nature of justifying faith against such as boasted of such a faith as justifying which was without works Paul disputes against the Legalist Iames both against the Legalists and Libertines Paul sheweth the manner of Justification by faith Iames the nature of justifying faith Pauls conclusion is that We are justified by faith without works Iames's conclusion is that Faith without works doth not justifie Justificamur Effectivè à Deo Approhensivé à fide Declarativè ab operibus Prideaux lect 5. de Justificatione The objection also is further satisfied by distinguishing of Justification Justification is either of our persons before God so Faith only justifies or of our faith before Men so works justifie that is they declare our faith before men to be unfeigned I will shew thee my faith by my works Jam. 2.18 By works was faith made perfect ver 22. Obj. We are justified by faith Rom. 4.9 Faith is a work therefore we are not justified without works and consequently not by faith only Ans How Faith justifieth hath been spoken before that faith doth not justifie as a work is evident Rom. 4 5. But to him that worketh not but beleeveth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse God makes high account of that faith which accounts of its object as the matter of our Justification God makes no account of that faith which we account of as a work in the matter of our Justification the Beleever