Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	sin_n	soul_n	world_n	9,573	5	4.8199	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41483	The banner of justification displayed: or; a discourse, concerning the deep, and important mystery of the justification of a sinner wherein the severall causes thereof, being both numerous and various, are from the first to the last diligently enquired after, and their severall contributions towards so great and happy a work, clearly distinguished, and assigned to their proper causes (respectively.) and more particularly is shewed, how God, how the grace of God, how the decree of God, how the soveraign authority of God; how Christ, how the active obedience [of] Christ, how the passive obedience of Christ, how the resurrection of Christ, how the knowledge of Christ; how the spirit of God, how faith, how repentance, how works, how remission of s[in,] how the word, how the minister of the word, how the P[ope?] himself which is justified, may all truly, though upon severall accounts, and after different manners, be sayed to justifie.	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1659 (1659)	Wing G1150A; ESTC R221574	62,441	91

{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} very often signifieth ot to make perfect i. Compleatly to qualifie the Captain of their salvation Christ that was to procure their deliverance from death by making Attonement for them through sufferings proportionable to so great ●n Atchievement and consequently to put him into a capacity of suffering by investing him with the humane Nature as is plainly layd down v. 14. the Apostle I say having asserted this he gives this account of it in the words following For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one meaning that the one and the other are both of one and the same Original or Descent as viz. From God by the Line of Adam and likewise of one and the same nature or blood as Act. 17. 26. And hath made of one blood all Nations of men And withall that it was meet that thus it should be for conformity sake unto the Leviticall Type where the high Priest and those that were Legally purified or sanctified by him were both of one and the same nature and likewise descended from one and the same Progenitors 2. It was very agreeable both to the goodness and wisdome of God that he who by his appointment and at his instance should serve Adam and his posterity in so arduous and difficult an undertaking as by his own death to re-instate them in a condition of life and peace should be satisfied with and enjoy this sore travail of his Soul and not sink or be wholly crushed under it and consequently that he should not only suffer death but overcome death or which is the same be raised again from the dead that so he might be capable of that great recompence of Reward which so transcendent a Service both unto God and men well deserved Upon this account also the Lord Jesus Christ was the only person either in actuall being or in possibility of being that was accomplished or meetly qualified for that great undertaking of raising up the Tabernacle of Adam which was fallen and of saving that which was lost For were it granted or supposed which yet I cannot encourage any man to suppose that some Creature might have been found or else made so holy harmless undefiled and separate from sinners the shedding of whose blood or whose death for Adam and his posterity might have been so considerable in the sight of God as that he could have judg'd it competently salvant of the glory of his wisdome and of the awfulness and dread of his Soveraignty to have remitted the transgression of Adam and his upon the account thereof yet is it no wayes probable that the considerableness or worth of this Sacrifice would or could have ab●unded so high above the purchase or procurement of the redemption of Adam and his posterity as to in-title or to in-right him that should have offered it to a glorious Resurrection also such as was meet for him that had been the Author of salvation to a lost World And if the Glory wherein Christ appeared upon Tabor was so exceeding great that it only became the only begotten Son of God being a Garment too above measure rich for any person to wear but the only Son of the King of Kings to which sense many of the Expositors carry that of the Evangelist Joh. 1. 14 much more would such a transcendency in Glory wherewith God hath judged it meet to invest and dignifie him that is now the Saviour of the World As the making him higher then the Heavens placing him at his own right hand giving him a Name above every Name that is named c. have been vastly disproportionable to the Line of any meer created Being whatsoever And yet the Apostle plainly declareth that such an high Priest became us i. Was necessary for us to have in respect of those high and vast Concernments which were to pass through his hands and to be transacted by him who amongst other glorious Prerogatives should be made higher then the Heavens Heb. 7. 26. In these Considerations and haply in some others like unto them the contributions of the passive Obedience and Sufferings of Christ were soveraignly necessary to render the high transaction or dispensation of God the justification of sinners worthy of him and of a regular and cleer consistence with his Glory As for the Tenent of those who resolve this great Act or Dispensation of God we speak of I mean Justification partly into the Soveraignty of his Greatness or Authority and partly into the abundance of his Grace and Goodness and liberty of his Will and partly into the Obedience and regular Conversation of men themselves excluding the death of Christ from any part or fellowship therein at least by way of Attonement or satisfaction for sin I conceive it to be broadly inconsistent with the tenor and purport of the Scriptures in places and passages without number 8. The Resurrection or raising of Christ from the dead Sect. 8 in conjunction with his Glorification which followed upon it advanceth the business of Justification by the assurance given hereby from God unto the Souls and Consciences of men that he is well a paid and fully satisfied concerning that great Debt of the sin of the World the discharge whereof was undertaken by Christ in his death hereby encouraging men who had incur'd his displeasure by sinning to believe in him accordingly for their justification This is the express Doctrine of the Apostle Peter Who verily was fore-ordained speaking of Christ before the foundation of the World but was manifested in these last times for you who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him Glory that your Faith and hope might be in God and consequently that you might be found or put into a state of justification without which Faith and hope in God were little available 1 Pet. 1. 20. And in this consideration doubtless it was that the Apostle Paul affirmed Christ to be raised again for our justification Who was sayth he speaking of Christ delivered viz. unto death for our sins and was raised again for our justification Rom 4. 25. meaning that he was raised again from the dead including in his Resurrection by a kind of Synecdoche the great Glory and Dignity given him by God upon it that hereby a rationall way might be made for sinners to believe in him or in God for the Gospel indifferently useth the one expression and the other to the same effect in order to their justification Whilst the Surety o● he that hath undertaken the payment of a Debt is kept in Prison there is no likelyhood that the debt is payd or the Creditor satisfied And upon this ground the Apostle Paul reasoneth first thus But if Christ be not risen then is our Preaching vain and your Faith is also vain 1 Cor. 15. 14. And again vers. 17. And if Christ be not raised your Faith is vain yee are yet in your sins

God in that behalf although it be a means or condition of the best and most proper complexion or consideration for God to entertain or pitch upon in a Decree for justification yet would it not be a proper or sufficient means to justifie any man because in such a consideration I mean as separated or divided from the justifying Decree of God as it hath neither any naturall nor morall dignity or worth commensurable to so high and sacred an effect as Justification so neither would or could it have any Instituted or Superadded authority from any other hand whatsoever wherby to carry or atchieve it whereas if it be meet to suppose that the justifying Decree of God could or would have joyned it self or taken into communion with it self any other thing habit or act as suppose love humility patience or what ever besides Faith in Christ for the work of Justification this by vertue of the soveraign Authority or force of the divine Institution or decree in conjunction with it would have justified all those in whom they had been found Those Ordinances Vestments Ceremonies and Observations recorded and described Levit. 8. and elsewhere as enjoyned by God under the Law for the creation and consecration of Aaron and his Successors together with the inferiour Priests of the Tribe of Levi into their respective Offices of the Leviticall Priesthood were simply and in themselves considered very comely and proper for the investiture and making of Priests of this Order yet would no use or application of them to any person or persons of what Tribe or Family soeve● have made any Priest to serve at Gods Altar either with acceptation unto him or benefit unto the people had there not a Divine Institution or Law from God interceded for the authorizing or validating of these things to the making o● constituting of such Priests In which respect the Law is sayd to make men high Priests Heb. 7. 28. and consequently may as well be sayd to make Priests of the inferiour Order likewise In like manner though the●e be an aptitude in Faith in Christ above any other Grace or qualification for the justification of a Sinner yet that which makes it actually and effectually justifying is the Decree or Will of God in that behalf Yea the death of Christ it self would not be justifying as now it is did not the Will of God interpose for the authorizing of it in that kind according to what we read Heb. 10. 10. By the which Will viz. of God we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all So that the Offering of it self of the body of Jesus Christ doth not sanctifie and by the same reason doth not justifie men but as appointed or ordained by the Will of God hereunto or to speak more warily and properly not without the authoritative concurrence of the Will of God with it for the exhibition of such a benefit or blessing unto the World Sect. 4 Fourthly The Authority of God being as hath been sayd soveraign and supream and so the act award and determination of it not obnoxious to any defeisance check or annulment by any other Authority whatsoever contributes unto the justification of a sinner I mean unto the Justification which himself hath contrived and declared for such in his word full and finall and irreversible ratification and establishment This is that which the Apostle cleerly supposeth or implies where he demands Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect i. e. Of those who believe as is evident It is God that justifieth as if he should say If it were any other but God who should justifie them although in the same way wherein God now justifieth them yet might their Justification be repeatable at least by God and further matter of accusation might be layd to their charge But now God being he that justifieth them and there being none above him nor yet equall unto him in Authority the●e is no fear that their justification should be obstructed recinded or made invalid by any whosoever or that any further Crime or matter of guilt should be charged upon them that should be of force by any equitable Law whatsoever or otherwise to condemn them Sect. 5 Fifthly Christ as God may be sayd to justifie in all those considerations or respects wherein Justification hath been ascribed unto God yea being one and the same God in nature and essence with the Father he acteth and doeth all the same things in reference to the Creature in conjunctiou and communion with him Secondly Being {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} God and Man or Man subsisting in the humane Nature personally united to the Godhead by the willing offering up of himself as a Lamb without spot in Sacrifice unto God the Father he made Attonement for Sinners in such a sense wherein the Scripture is to be understood when it so speaketh notwithstanding his Justice and perfect hatred of sin yea notwithstanding his threatning of Adam and all his Posterity with death in case of his sinning The death of a Person of that transcendent worth and dignity was in true esteem and so judged by the un-erring understanding and wisdome of God a valuable and equitable consideration why he should actually and without any other thing intervening pardon the ●in of the world as it is called Joh. 1. 29. that is the sin of Adam as imputed or communicated in the guilt of it unto all his Posterity together with all the actuall sins of all such of his Posterity as should believe in him To say that Christ by his sufferings merited either the justification or salvation of those who should believe in him as it is no Scripture expression so neither is it exegeticall or explicative of any Scripture expression nor as far as at present my memory serveth me expressive of any Scripture notion and however it is too narrow and scant an expression of that Grace of of God in the death of Christ herein commended by him both unto men and Angels unless we shall exclude from this Grace all Infants dying in Infancy or before they are arriv'd at a capacity of believing And as it is not so proper to say that the blood of Bulls and Goats c. under the Law merited those Leviticall purgations or sanctifications which yet they who were ceremonially unclean obtained by them as to say that they were a competent and sufficient satisfaction and so esteemed by God for such uncleannesses and so dissolved the guilt contracted by them In like manner it is more agreeable to Scripture both notion and phrase and to the nature of the thing it self to say that Christ in or by his death being so highly considerable as it was made or gave satisfaction for the sins of men and hereby made way for the pardon and remission of them by God then to say that by his death he merited the pardon of these sins or the

highly acceptable with God as being every wayes qualified with Innocency Righteousness Holiness c. and so meet by his death to make Attonement for the sin of the World So then as that which the unblemishedness of the Beast for Sacrifice under the Law exhibited towards that Attonement which was made by the offering of it was the meetness of this offering of it for acceptance with God and consequently for this acceptance it self in order to his pardoning or passing by that ceremoniall impurity or uncleanness for which it was offered In like manner the active Obedience of Christ in conjunction with the absolute holiness and inward purity of his person rendered his death or the Oblation of himself a Sacrifice every wayes meet and worthy acceptance with God and consequently accepted with him for the expiation or Attonement of the sins of all men If Christ had been so much as touch'd with the least tincture of defilement with sin he had not been a Priest after the order of Melchisedech holy harmless undefiled separated from sinners c. but rather after the order of Aaron who needed to offer Sacrifice for their own sins Neither had he been in any condition or regular capacity to have made Attonement for the sins of others untill he had first fully expiated his own That the active Obedience of Christ doth not operate in or about or towards justification in that way or notion which some have conceived as viz. by an imputation of the particular acts thereof in the letter and formality of them unto those that believe whereby they should be constituted or made properly and formally righteous we have demonstrated at large in a just treatise upon that Subject where it is made good upon several accounts that the sayd notion hath neither countenance from the Scriptures nor any tolerable consistency wth the clearest Principles of reason Sect. 7 7. What place or interest the Death or passive Obedience of Christ hath in or about justification we have in like manner Briefly intimated in our Fifth Section It rendereth that great Act of God in the justification of a sinner every wayes comely and honourable unto him and worthy of him and consequently makes him most willing and free to it The Holy Ghost speaks plainly enough of that comeliness which the sufferings of Christ put upon the justification of a sinner by God giving some intimation withall that unless this Act had by one means or other been made thus comely for him he would never have lift up his heart or hand unto it For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things meaning God in bringing many Sons unto Glory to consecrate or make perfect the Captain of their salvation through sufferings Heb. 2. 10. That meetness or comeliness for God here spoken of intending the salvation and glorification of many to effect it in noother way then by the sufferings of him who was to be the Prince or Captain of their salvation respecteth mainly if not solely his Act in justifying them in order to their salvation and glorification For otherwise supposing them already justified there needed more the life then the death of Christ to save them according to that of the Apostle Paul But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him For if when we were Enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Rom. 5. 8 9 10. We see here 1. That our justification is ascribed unto the blood or death of Christ and 2. That our salvation our justification or reconciliation unto God presupposed unto his life i. Unto that power which is given unto him in that life which now he lives in glory at the right hand of the Father to exercise for the saving of all those that believe in him Life frequently imports vigour activity liveliness of strength or power for action as death imports weakness and imbecility for action If you ask me But how or in what respect doth the passive Obedience or death of Christ render the act of justification as now it is exerted or performed by God so comely or honourable for him Or how may we conceive that either it would have been uncomely or less comely for him to have appeared in it in case his hand had not been strengthned by the death of Christ unto it Or doth it not well enough become the great God to forgive sin freely and without satisfaction I answer 1. Whether we conceive the import of those words spoken by God unto Adam and in him unto all his Posterity being yet in his Loyns In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death either in the nature or notion of a dreadfull threatning in case of disobedience or of a most sacred and severe Law to restrain sin and disobedience the difference I confess is not much materiall as far as at present I apprehend it was no wayes honourable or comely for God to suffer either the one or the other to be trodden or trampled under foot by the Creature to whom they were given without looking after them or calling for some satisfactory account for the contempt measured out unto them It cannot reasonably be thought but that God by the denunciation of such a threatning or promulgation and sanction of such a Law awakened and amused both Heaven and Earth and raised great expectations in both what the issue or consequence would be Now then Adam and his Posterity being as was sayd now in him rising up in disobedience in the very face as it were and presence of so terrible a threatning if God should have passed by and made no words of this high mis-demeanour he might seem either on the one hand to repent that he had so sorely threatned them and therefore now proceeded not to execution or else on the other hand that he was content and willing enough to be neglected or affronted by his Creature both which would have been very uncomely and dishonourable unto him Nor would it have been of much more comely an interpretation had he accepted any thing of an inferiour value or less considerable instead of a Compensation or satisfaction and had not stood upon a just and full vindication of his Soveraign Authority his excellent Wisdome his Righteousness and Equity in his proceedings with his Creature the glory of all which were very injuriously handled and suffered deeply in Adams prevarication So then Adam and his mis-carrying with so high a hand of disobedience there devolved a necessity upon God if he meant to glorifie himself like himself and as God either to punish the whole brood of Transgressours according to the full exigency of their demerit or which is the same according to the tenor and import of the threatning or

Justification opened by understanding considering and believing it with a sound and living Faith and such which is operative by love The Scripture gives a loud and distinct sound of all these things and somewhat further of them hereafter Thirdly God contributeth yet further towards the justification of a sinner by his Soveraign Authority For by means hereof that Law or Decree according to the Tenor and by vertue of which the sinner is justified of which somewhat more presently becomes inviolable uncontrollable and not lyable to any over-rulement or nullification by any power or Authority whatsoever according to that of the Apostle Paul It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth Rom. 8. 33. Meaning that there is no person or creature whatsoever that hath any authority or power to recind or make invalid that Act or rather that Law of God wherein and according unto which he justifieth a sinner which nevertheless might be done and so the justification of the believing sinner fall to the ground and his person notwithstanding his justification by God be lyable to condemnation if the Authority of God by which he is justified were subordinate and not soveraign or supream 4. And lastly God contributeth towards the justification of a sinner In actu excercito that reall help and assistance by his Spirit in conjunction with other means of ●n externall nature by which the sinner is enabled to believe in Jesus Christ and this with a living and operative Faith and so by vertue of that Decree or Law of his concerning Justification He that believeth in my Son Jesus Christ is or shall hereby be justified he comes to be interessed in that state of blessedness as David terms it I mean Justification Sect. 2 Secondly The Grace of God as it importeth the divine Attribute commonly known by that name for sometimes the word signifieth the Act or acting of this Attribute and otherwhile the happy success or effect of this acting contributeth towards the justification of a sinner as it effectually disposeth him to shew kindness and do good where there is no preceding Merit nor any provocation Motive or Inducement administred why he should either shew the one or do the other and more particularly as it thus disposeth him to give his only begotten Son unto those to whom he was no wayes indebted or engaged for any Courtesie and to impute Faith for Righteousness unto that is to justifie a believing sinner who hath deserved no favour or respects of love either in this kind or any other from him but the contrary In this respect and consideration we are sayd to be Justified freely by his Grace Rom. 3. 24 Tit. 3. 7. and to be saved by Grace Eph. 2. 58. We are sayd to be justified freely or Gift-wise {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} by his grace not so much I conceive if at all because we are justified upon the account of the satisfaction made by Christ for our sins in his death in this respect we may rather be sayd to be justified righteously or justly then freely by Grace But we are sayd to be justified freely by the Grace of God because Jesus Christ by whom we are justified and this justly and righteously on Gods part was given freely and out of meer Grace by God to bring this great blessedness upon us we having no wayes not only not obliged him to do any such great and worthy thing for us but on the other hand wholly dis-obliged him from us as his Creatures and provoked him by our rebellion against him So that in strictness of notion the Grace of God by which we are sayd to be freely justified is not meerly or simply Grace but in the Apostles Emphaticall expression {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rom. 5. 20 that is Grace in her greatest super-redundancy and height of exaltation To do good where or from whence none hath been received is the genuine property of Grace to do good against evill or where and from whence injury and unkindnesses have been received is the property of grace wel advanced and of considerable growth and strength in the Soul But to do the greatest good which the Doer is capable of doing where and from whence he hath received the greatest evill which he is capable of suffering is the property of grace {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as it were overgrown and magnifying it self above it self in any limited or created perfection This is a true and lively Character of that grace by from or through which as the Scriture speaks we are justified and saved So then the grace of God justifieth us as it moved and prevailed with him first by the gift of Jesus Christ to put himself into a capacity of justifying us as or though Sinners and Offenders and 2. By acting according to this capacity to and in our actuall justification Thirdly Justification may be attributed to the Decree Sect. 3 of God I mean to the Decree of God concerning it because or as this ratifieth and establisheth it according to the terms on which it is granted and taketh place This is that which maketh Faith in Jesus Christ available and effectuall unto Justification which giveth vertue and force unto it I mean unto Faith for the production and raising of so glorious and blessed an effect as the justification and consequently the salvation of a Sinner is This is the will i. The pleasure purpose or Decree of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life which includes his Justification John 6. 40. By the way these words in this passage which seeth the Son do not express any essentiall part of the Will or Decree of God concerning either the justification or salvation of a Sinner but are inserted by Christ occasionally only viz. because the Jews with whom he now reasoned had the corporeall or externall sight of him and yet believed not on him v. 36. without which he affirmeth unto them in the place cited that such a sight of him would stand them in no stead as to matter of justification or salvation because the Will of God required of men Faith in him as well with the sight as without the sight of him in order to the obtaining of this For that the corporeall beholding of Christs person is not necessary by any Decree of God or otherwise either for the justification or salvation of men is evident by those words of Christ unto Thomas Thomas because thou hast seen me thou hast believed blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed Joh. 20. 29. Now there is no blessedness of man without justification Rom. 4. 6. 7 8. So then it is the Decree purpose will or pleasure of God that gives being unto justification in that way wherein and upon those terms whereon it is now obtained Faith in Christ considered in it self and apart from the Decree of

nature and so weighty a consequence as the Doctrine of justification is it is safest and best for edification to use such terms which do with greatest propriety and strictness of notion answer and unsold the words and phrases wherein God himself hath in the Scriptures delivered his mind and counsell in such things unto us If it be here Objection-wise demanded But if Christ made a full and compleat satisfaction by his death for the sins of men and hereby satisfied the justice and wisdome of God so that he cannot justly or equitably require any thing further either from men themselves or from any other on their behalf in order to their discharge absolution or justification from their sins how or upon what account doth he still capitulate with men about their justification imposing Faith upon them a Faith working or apt to work by love yea and works themselves too according to the judgment of some whose words in this case are not guilty if their sense be innocent in the nature of a condition without the performance whereof no justification is to be had notwithstanding the satisfaction made by Christ for their sins Or how is the satisfaction made by Christ compleat and full if justification be not given upon it without the addition or intervening of some qualification or performance in men And if God having received full satisfaction from Christ in his death for the respective debts or sins of men should yet require satisfaction at their hands also in punishment for the same debt whether they believe in him or no should he not be unjust Or is it consistent with Justice to demand the same debt twice or to exact a second satisfaction when one hath been given already and this every wayes compleat and full and so acknowledged by the Creditor and Receiver himself I answer 1. The compleatners or fulness of Christ's satisfaction is not to be o● imated by the will or counsell of God about the application of it or actuall communication of the vertue o● benefit of it unto particular men but by the proportion which it beaneth unto the ●n unto which it relateth in the nature of a p●i e ransome consideration or satisfaction If it be commensurable in rationall worth or value unto these i. If it be a matter or thing of that Nature consequence and consideration that God may with the salvage or sufficient demonstration of the glory of his Justice or perfect hatred of sin wisdome c. pardon the sins and transgressions of men without any thing added thereunto by way of satisfaction or punishment it is in reason to be ●udged a sufficient or compleat satisfaction although upon some other account he suspend the benefit or actuall application of it unto particular men upon reasonable requirements of them otherwise In case a Prince or Nobleman charitably and bountifully disposed should intend the redemption of a company of persons out of captivity and in order hereunto should freely give unto him under whom they are in bondage and who hath power to set them at liberty a summ of money fully answerable according to the usuall rate in such cases to the liberty of these persons but should withall desire of or covenant with him to whom he hath given or payd the sayd money and who is the present Lord of these Captives that he should not actually discharge or set at liberty any man of them untill they had tendered or made a thankfull acknowledgment of his Grace and bounty towards them In this case I say the condition of acknowledgment required of these Captives by their great Benefactors before they are permitted actually to partake of the benefit of the price of their redemption doth no waies argue any scantness or insufficiency in this price but only declares the will and pleasure of him that ransometh them concerning their behaviour before their actuall redemption If it be here demanded But what if any or all the C p●ives in this case should so far forget themselves or be neglective of their own welfare as not to tender or make such an acknowledgment to their Benefactor what becomes of that money or price layd down by him for their redemption would it not argue want of wisdome o● providence in him that should lay down a vast summ of money for the redemption of such persons the far greater part of which he knew before-hand would be never the better for it nor accept of their liberty upon such terms as he meant to impose on them in order thereunto I answer 1. to the former of these demands in case any or all the Captives mentioned should be so desperately careless of their own welfare as not to accept of their deliverance upon those equitable and easie terms on which it is offered them and may be enjoyed by them their Benefactor may notwithstanding have consideration for his money satisfactory unto him as viz. both the conscience and honour of his most worthy and heroick Act in sparing no cost to being men out of misery and th●aldome Nor doth the Scripture anywhere suspend the glorious and high contentment which God takes in that transcendent Act of his Grace in the gift of his Son for the redemption of the world upon the Faith of those who believe on him by means thereof or upon the great benefit which by means of their Faith they actually receive from it but upon the intrinsecall and divine worth and adorableness of the Act it self Yea the Scripture seems to make that great Act of Grace we speak of of one and the same consideration or contentment unto God whethermen reap benefit by it or no For we are unto God sayth the Apostle 2 Cor. 2. 15. the sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish So that Christ i. His Grace vouchsafed unto the world by Christ for their salvation is of the same or like savour sweet and pleasing unto God whether men accept it and so are saved by it or whether they reject it and perish notwithstanding it It is true upon another account God is highly oftended with men when they reject his Grace as viz. Because herein they act most foolishly and irrationally not because they diminish or make any breach upon his contentment in vouchsafing such Grace unto them 2. To the latter demand whether it would not argue want of wisdome or providence c. I answer 1. That it argues neither want of wisdome or providence in him that shall part with a great summ of money for the ransome of many thousand Captives although he should know before-hand that the greater part would be never the better for it nor accept of their freedome upon the terms imposed on them in order thereunto in case it be supposed that he knew that a considerable part of them however would accept of the favour to the unspeakable benefit of their enlargement Yea as was lately argued though he had fore-known that none of them

would have accepted their liberty upon the terms required of them yet had the honour reputation and conscience of such an Act been a reasonable compensation for the money disbursed But 2. Such a demand as this is unproper to the case in hand For it cannot be truly sayd that God fore-knew or foresaw that the greater part of men would reject his Grace in Christ and so perish this notwithstanding before this Grace was given unto them at least in his unchangable counsell purpose and decree For his Decree of sending or giving Christ for the tansome of the world was from before the world began I mean from eternity and consequently there could nothing precede or be before it especially in order of time it being a Rule of unquestionable truth that In aeternis non est prius aut posterius But 2. To the first Objection or Demand I answer further That Gods purpose o● design in the death of Christ was not simply or absolutely either to justifie or save men by it neither did he judge it agreeable to his wisdome and righteousness so to do but to do both the one and the other conditionally and upon terms such as he judged meet to prescribe and impose upon them for the obtaining of these great priviledges and blessings by it So God loved the World sayth our Saviour himself that he gave his only begotten Son not that all men or that any man simply and without any more ado but that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 16. Now the Collation Application or actuall bestowing of the fruits or benefits of the death of Christ not depending so much upon the intrinsecall worth value or satisfactoriness thereof as upon the will and pleasure of him who voluntarily gave him to dye for the justification and salvation of men and consequently had a right of liberty to make the terms for the collation of these benefits what he pleased he cannot with any colour of reason be deemed unjust in case he denies them unto those who refuse or neglect to perform his terms notwithstanding they were by Christ purchased for them that is with a full and clear intent on his part that they should have possessed and enjoyed them upon their believing So that 3 And lastly for this When God constraineth those who belive not to pay their own Debts and to make satisfaction themselves for their sins by being eternally punished he cannot be sayd to require or take a double satisfaction or two satisfactions for one and the same debt although it be true in a sense viz. that lately declared That Christ satisfied for them For that satisfaction which Christ made for the sins of any person who believes not I mean who dies in unbelief was never received or accepted by God in the nature of an appropriate particular or actuall satisfaction for their sins but only as a potentiall satisfaction that is as a thing of compleat worth and value enough to have made a particular and actuall satisfaction even for such a mans sins as ●ell as for the sins of those who believe and which he as fully intended to accept for such a satisfaction on his behalf in case he had believed which he might have done as he did to accept it upon such terms for them or for their sins who do believe If it be objected But if Christ made satisfaction for the sins of him who never believeth and God accepteth it not as a satisfaction for their sins doth not God dis-approve or dis-allow either Christs doings or his intentions or both For if Christ in or by his death made or intended to make satisfaction for the sins of Unbelievers and God refuseth to accept this satisfaction or that which Christ intended for a satisfaction for their sins doth he not reject that which Christ desired and intended that he should accept To this I answer That an Answer in effect hath been already given For in such a consideration or sense as Christ either desired or intended that his death should be a satisfaction for the sins of Unbelievers dying in unbelief doth God the Father accept of it Christ neither desired nor intended to make satisfaction by his death for the sins of Unbelievers any otherwise nor upon any other terms then that God the Father should upon the account thereof justifie such persons from their sins in case they should have believed and in this sense he doth accept it as a satisfaction for them being for the sake thereof most ready and willing to pardon all the sins and so to justifie the persons of all men without exception as well theirs who never will believe in case they should believe as theirs who shall believe and be actually justified thereupon So that God in causing or compelling Unbelievers to suffer or to satisfie for their sins doth not require or exact a second satisfaction for them after a former received but only puts them upon payment of their debt themselves who despised his Grace in providing for them that which was indeed intended for the actuall and reall satisfaction hereof upon condition of their believing but was never upon these terms accepted by him by reason of their non-performance of the sayd Condition of believing 6. What tho active Obedience of Christ contributeth Sect. 6 towards the justification of sinners hath been in part declared already Under the Mosaicall Law the Beast that was to be offered in Sacrifice to make any of those Leviticall Expiations was to be perfect and without blemish it was neither to be blind nor broken nor maimed nor having a Wen nor seurvy nor scabbed not having any thing superfluous nor any thing lacking in his parts c. If it had any of these or the like imperfections in it it was not accepted See Lev. 22. 21 22 23. Now that which the soundness perfection and freedom from blemish in the Legal Sacrifices contributed towards their acceptation and consequently towards the efficacy of their respective Attonements or expiations the same or the like in proportion doth the active Obedience of Christ contribute towards the acceptation of his Sacrifice of himself in order to the efficaciousness hereof forthe justification of sinners This similitude or proportion is plainly taught and asserted by the Apostle Peter where he sayth Forasmuch as yee know yee were not redeemed with corruptible things as with Silver and Gold from the vain conversation received by tradition from your Fathers but with the pretious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot i. As well without any Naturall Originall deficiency or imperfection signified in the word blemish as without any adventitious or actuall defilement intimated in the word spot 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. So John Baptist looketh towards the same Analogy saying unto the people concerning him Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Joh. 1. 29. The Lamb of God i. A Person

Meaning that they could have no reasonable ground to believe that they were discharged or acquitted by God from the Debt or guilt of their sins by means of the death of Christ if he should be detained in the Prison of Death the Grave until now and not have been raised again and set at liberty So then the rising again or rather the raising again of Christ from the dead by God the Father justifieth believing sinners as it were argumentatively and as exhibiting a rationall ground unto them whereon to build their Faith of a full and perfect Attonement made by Christ in his death for them or for their sins by which Faith according unto and by vertue of that Promise made or the Law enacted by God in that behalf they come to be justified Sect. 9 9. The Prophet Isaiah bringeth in God the Father speaking thus of his Son Christ By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant justifie many for he shall bear their Iniquities Isa. 53. 11. That the Particle or Pronoun His is here to be taken objectively not subjectively a construction frequent in Scripture is I presume the award of every mans Understanding So that by his knowledge the knowledge of Christ is meant the knowledge of himself which he shall propagate in the World by the Ministry of the Gospel and by means of this knowledge of him many shall be justified according to that of the Apostle We who are Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowing that a man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ i. By Christ believed on as he explains himself in the verse next following But if whilst we seek to be justified by Christ c. Whence by the way it may be observed that to be justified by Christ and by Faith or believing in Christ is of one and the same import So then the knowledge of Christ is or may be sayd to justifie men in somewhat a remote sense viz. As it is a ground of encouragement unto them to believe on him by which believing they are immediatly justified 10. Men are sayd in Scripture as well to be Justified as Sect. 10 Sanctified by the Spirit of God and this as Justification is distinguished from Sanctification But yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 11. Some Exposito●s indeed understand the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} yee were justified not of Justification properly so called or which standeth in remission of sins but of such a justification which consisteth in a progress or proficiency in Righteousness or in the profession and practice of Christianity For the justification of which Exposition they plead the exigency of the order or gradation in the Text it self as also the like use or signification of the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in that of Apocal. 22. 11. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Let him that is righteous or just be justified still i. As the Expositers we speak of interpret Let him encrease and make forward in wayes of righteousness It must be acknowledged that to grow in grace and proceed in holiness and righteousness from day to day may be called a mans justification in a declarative or arguitive sense viz. As they argue or declare a man to be a justified pe●son and his Faith to be of the right kind a living and growing Faith yea they may be termed a mans justification as they are just matter of his app●obation and commendation which in many cases are used in a sense parallel to that of the word Justification as 't is used sometimes But the Justification which is the S●bject of our present Discourse doth not consist in any Action one or more nor in any Quality one or more but rather in a state or condition viz. Such whereinto a person is translated or brought by the pardon of his sins or sentence of absolution awarded by God Nor need we take the word Justification in the Scripture lately cited 1 Cor. 6. 11. in any other sense but this For Justification in this sense may be asc●ibed to the Holy Ghost as he hath a speciall and appropriate hand in raising the work of Faith by which men are thus justified in the hearts of those who do believe in which respect Faith is registred by the Apostle Paul amongst the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. and by his Fellow Apostle Peter they who believe are sayd to obey the truth speaking of the obediency of Faith to the Gospel through the Spirit 1 Pet. 1. 22. and Act. 18. 27. The Christians in Ach●ia are sayd to have believed through grace i Through the grace of God in his vouchsafement of his Spirit unto them by whom they were enabled to believe yea and actually believed Now then according to the known Maxime or Principle in reason Quod est causa causae est causa causati That which is the Cause of any Cause producing an Effect is the cause of the Effect it self as well as of the Cause producing it Faith being the cause or means of Justification and the Spirit the cause of Faith Justification may as truly and not much less properly be attributed unto the Spirit as unto Faith Sect. 11 11. That Faith justifieth is the constant assertion of the Scripture and the Architectonicall Doctrine of the Gospel Therefore being justified by Faith we have peace with God Rom. 5. 1. Again Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the Works of the Law Rom. 3. 28. Yet once more to spare Citations in a case so generally known We who are Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles Knowing that a man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of the Law c. Gal. 2. 15 16. By the way upon occasion of these with many the like passages in the New Testament wherein Justification by Faith is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} expresly affirmed I cannot but mention my dislike of their strein in teaching who lay down and deliver it to the people for a Doctrine positively and plainly that men are not justified by Faith or by believing Doubtless it is not convenient or comely positively to deliver or assert that for a Doctrine of Truth which is so diametrally opposite to the frequent cleer and express words of the Scripture If there be a limited sence to be put upon such passages wherein a Truth is commonly and from place to place held forth in the Scriptures this may conveniently and timously enough be done in the Explication or Opening

of the Doctrine But I judge it very incongruous for any Minister of the Gospel to set up a Doctrine as it were in defiance of or in Contest against any thing so frequently and so directly in terminis affirmed in the Scriptures as Justification by Faith And doubtlesse men need not be at all tender or afraid to deliver this positively for a Doctrine of Evangelical Truth that men are justified by Faith yea or by Faith alone if they do but declare or signifie withall 1. What the Scripture means by that Justification which it ascribeth unto Faith 2 What it means by that Faith unto which it ascribeth Justification For 1. that Justification which the Scripture attributeth unto Faith is precisely that which consisteth in Remission of sins as the Apostle plainly teacheth Rom. 3. 25. but more largely Rom. 4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. to omit other places Now certain it is that no kinde of works whatsoever enjoyned in the Moral Law have any thing at all little or much to doe about Remission of Sins or in the procurement or obtaining of it For in case a man should transgresse the Law or sin only once and this in the lightest manner and should for ten thousand years together afterwards with all possible exactnesse observe and keep this Law yet this long Tract or Series of Obedience or good Works would not make his Attonement for that Sin nor bring him off from the Guilt of it with Peace and Safety The reason is signified by the Apostle Heb. 9. 22. Without shedding of Bloud there is no Remission The Wisdome and Righteousnesse of God did not judge it reasonable or meet that the payment of one Debt by the Creature though amounting to never so great a Summe should satisfie for the Non-payment of another Now the most exact Obedience that can be performed or yielded unto the Law of God by any Creature whilest it hath any being is but a debt due from this Creature unto God Therefore no Obedience in this kinde can satisfie for or attone either in whole or in part the least Disobedience or Transgression So that Justification from sin as the Scripture phrase is Act. 13. 39. i. which standeth in Remision of sins cannot be purchased or procured but by the Death or Blood-shed of him that should undertake the Redemption of Sinners Only God was pleased to decree or make this for a Law which the Apostle calleth the Law of Faith Rom 3. 27. that Faith or believing in him through Christ should interess men in the benefit or blessing of the Death and Bloud-shed of Christ i. in that Remission of Sins which was purchased by his Death And in this consideration Faith justifieth viz. by vertue of the Soveraign Authority of that most Gracious Decree or Law of God wherein he hath said or decreed that it shall intitle men unto or in-right them in part and fellowship of that benefit of the Death of Christ which consisteth in Forgivenesse of Sins or which comes much to the same as it is a Qualification or condition ordained covenanted or appointed by God to bring upon those in whom it shall be found the great Blessing of that Pardon of Sin which Christ hath obtained for Men by his Blood And because God hath not passed any such Decree nor made any such Law concerning good works as viz. that these shall bring men into Communion of the benefit of Remission of Sins purchased by the Death of Christ therefore they have nothing to doe to justifie men in this notion or sense of the word Justification If by Justification we mean approbation commendation acquitting from blame or the like in which sense also the word is frequently used in the Scriptures * Good Works are proper and necess ry thus to justifie us both in the sight of God and Men only with this Explication or Proviso viz. that men live to meet with Opportunities for the doing of such works after their true believing For otherwise if the case should so happen that a true Believer should be taken away by Death the next moment to that in which he first believed it is not to be thought but that he should die not simply with his sins pardoned but under the approbation of God also Therefore Good Works in actu exercito as the Schoolmen speak or actually performed are not absolutely universally or in every case that may possibly happen necessary no not to that Justification it self which simpathizeth as hath been said in import with Approbation Commendation Vindication from blame imputed or the like It is true in actu signato or as they are Radically Seminally or Vertually included in that Faith which justifieth by Remission of sins of which more presently so they are universally and in all cases possible if we speak of persons capable by Years and Discretion of Believing necessary thereunto And God who accepteth the Will for the Deed when men want opportunity or means for Action looketh upon those good Works which are conceived in the Womb of a true and unfeigned Faith as actually performed and done when such a Faith wants means time or opportunity to bring forth In this notion our Saviour himself must be understood to speak at least in reference unto many of those to whom he speaketh if he be conceived to speak unto all standing on his right hand which I judge to be the more rational to suppose Mat. 25. 34 35 36. Come ye Blessed of my Father For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a Stranger and ye took me in Naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in Prison and ye came unto me Doubtlesse some yea a considerable party of those to whom the Lord Christ will expresse himself thus in that Great Day will be such who had been poor in the dayes of their Flesh and afflicted and stood in need of being relieved by their Christian Brethren better accommodated in the World then they and in whose relief Christ will acknowledge himself relieved v. 40. Therefore such as these had not been in a condition or capacity to minister actually unto the wants and necessities of other poor Christians in those respective Supplies and Accommodations here specified and yet we finde according to our late supposition that Christ gives the same testimony unto them for these services of Charity which he gives unto those that had actually performed them His meaning then must be that even these poor distressed Saints who had not wherewith either to cloath the naked or to give entertainment unto Strangers actually yet had both one and other the same works and services of Christian commiseration and charity here mentioned in the Bowels of the same kinde of Faith out of which they actually proceeded from their better World-provided Brethren and were performed by them But this occasionally here and by the way for the better Explication

of that Justification which the Scripture so constantly as we have heard ascribeth unto Faith 2. Concerning that Faith unto which the Justification mentioned is ascribed the Scripture describeth it with much variety in respect of its object Sometimes it calleth it a Believing God Rom. 4. 3. Jam. 2. 23 Sometimes a Believing on God Joh. 12 44. Sometimes a believing in God or in the Lord Act. 16. 34. Joh. 14. ● Act. 9. 42. Once it is called the Faith of the operation of God who raised Christ from the dead Col. 2. 12. Sometimes a believing on Christ or on the Son of God or on the Lord Act. 11. 17. Joh. 3. 18 12. 37. 1 Joh. 5 10. besides many other places Sometimes again it is called a believing in Christ Joh 3. 15 and so in Jesus Rom. 3. 26 and oft elsewhere Otherwhile it is expressed by believing Christ or the Son Joh. 3. 36. Sometimes by a believing that Christ is Christ the Son of God that was to come into the World Joh. 11. 27. and again a believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Act. 8. 37. See also Joh. 8. 24. and again Joh. 11. 47. Sometimes it is called a believing in Christs name Joh. 1. 12. Joh. 2. 23. Joh. 3. 18. It is very possible that yet there may be in the Scriptures a greater variety of Denominations or Expressions of that Faith which justifieth in reference to its object then that now represented But all these that have been mentioned and I doubt nor but those others also supernumerary unto these if any such there be are of an easie and ready reducement into one and the same notion and import But that distinguishing character one or more of the justifying Faith which we are at present enquiring after respecteth not the Object but the Intrinsick nature or complexion of it The Scripture in reference hereunto sometime describeth it to be a believing in the heart Rom. 10. 9. Other while a believing with the heart Rom. 10. 10. Sometimes again a believing with all the heart Act. 8. 37. It is twice called a Faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1. 5. 2 Tim. 1. 5. The Faith of a spurious kinde and which differs in nature worth and value from it is termed {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a dead Faith Jam 2. 17. 20. 26. and by consequence the true Faith which justifieth must be understood to be a living Faith But the most appropriate nature of this Faith or the property of it which is most considerable and which indeed upon the matter includeth all the other now mentioned and most emphatically differenceth it from all other kindes of Faith which want the Seal of God to make them justifying is that declared and asserted by the Apostle Paul Gal. 5. 6 where the Holy Ghost guided his Pen to these words For in Jesus Christ i. e. in the Doctrine of Jesus Christ and by the tenor and import of the Gospell neither Circumcision availeth any thing viz. towards any mans Justification before God nor uncircumcision but Faith {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} effectually operative or throughly working by love His meaning is that such a Faith in God which is raised or wrought in a man by means of Jesus Christ as given by God unto men for a Saviour and which withall is spiritfull lively and active in provoking the Soul in which it resides to the love of God and Men and to wayes and works suteable to such an affection is the only thing or means designed authorized and appointed by God to bring men into part and fellowship of that Justification or Remission of sins which hath been purchased or procured by the death of Jesus Christ for men A Faith of this Genius temper and complexion borroweth no aid help or assistance from any of her children I mean from any of those good works which proceed from her for or towards that justifying of men with that Justification which standeth in Remission of Sins she is by vertue of that authority derived unto her by God self-sufficient to give this great and happy investiture unto men yea should she die before she had opportunity to bring forth she would do that worthy service to him that had conceived her It is true as concerning that Justification of which the Apostle James speaks so much in his second Chapter which is a Justification of a person testified declared published or made known the Faith we speak of standeth in need of the help and Cooperation as the same Apostle there speaks v. 22. of her Children God himself will not report any man justified I mean any man capable of Good works nor would he have any man of this capacity judged or reputed by others a justified person who hath not justified or commended his Faith by such works But this by the way to vindicate and clear the Interest of Faith in the great business of Justification and to sever it from that of Works not more contended for then confounded with it by some To conclude this Section The vertue or power by which Faith justifieth it receiveth from the designation ordinance appointment or Decree of God The manner how it justifieth is by the giving of men Interest or part in the great benefit of Remission of sins purchased by Christ according to the tenor of Gods Ordinance or Decree in that behalf They who conceive or teach that Faith justifieth as it is an Instrument receiving Christs righteousnesse or Christ himself unadvisedly stamble at that Popish notion as it is frequently charged upon men of that perswasion by Protestant Writers which placeth the justifying nature or vertue of Faith in somewhat in some worth that is essential and intrinsick to it For evident it is that there is nothing more inward or essential unto Faith then the receiving of Christ or Christs Righteousnesse this being the very nature and substance of it Whereas the Ordinance Will or Decree of God which investeth Faith or the receiving of Christ with the great priviledge or power of justifying men is apparently extrinsecal and extra-essential to it and so ministreth no occasion in the least unto Faith to boast of any excellency or considerablenesse of worth in it self but resolves that which is of that high and Sacred concernment in it unto men as viz. to justifie and to save them into the Grace and good pleasure of God But I have given an account of my judgement touching this point somewhat more at large elsewhere And this at present may serve to clear the Interest of Faith in or about Justification and to shew particularly and distinctly what part it acteth in the Investiture of men who have sinned with that Blessednesse 12. Concerning Repentance that it also is no Stranger Sect. 12 unto Justification or Remission of sins but hath a very material imployment or part assigned unto it by God about the enstating of sinners therein is the frequent and distinct

sins is to be had yet it legitimates or authorizeth the person for the reception of this blessed Accommodation from the hand of Faith And for this reason also it may well be conceived to have the promise of Justification or Remission of sins made unto it as well as Faith it self Sect. 13 13. That good works have their part also in the great businesse of Justification is the expresse affirmation of the Scripture Ye see then how that by works a man is justified and not by Faith only Jam. 2. 24. Again Was not Abraham our Father justified by Works when he had offered Isaac his Son upon the Altar Jam. 2. 21. We have already upon occasion argued and shewed the Interest of Works in or about Justification Peruse 11. We shall here partly adde and partly repeat 1. That that Justification which consists in Remission of sins and which enstates a person in a right of title and claim to Eternal Life is not attained but by sinners being brought into Communion with Christ in his Death or which is the same into part and fellowship in this Death which is the only procuring cause of this Justification by way of purchase 2. That whatsoever bringeth men hither I mean into Communion of or with the Death of Christ must be sealed and authorized by God hereunto 3. That a true and unfaigned Faith in God through Jesus Christ sometimes called Faith in Christ yea and several other wayes expressed as hath been already observed and this Faith only not any work or works of what kinde soever or in what number soever injoyned in the Moral Law hath a commission or power from God to bring men into or to give men part and fellowship in the Death of Christ Therefore Good works have thus farre no part or interest at all in Justification as it standeth in Remission of sins being excluded here-from by the same Law by which Boasting also is excluded which the Apostle termeth the Law of Faith Where is Boasting then It is excluded By what Law Of Works Nay but BY THE LAW OF FAITH Rom 3. 27. By this Law Faith hath the office or work of justifying men in this sense and with this kinde of Justification setled upon and confirmed unto it self alone There is another kinde of Justification which the Scripture also frequently speaks of under this name as was noted 11. which consists in the approbation commendation or vindication of a person from guilt or blame whether justly or unjustly imputed unto him Of this kinde of Justification when it is duely and justly given or pronounced Good Works in one kinde or other and for the most part those of the Moral Law have a special and particular interest in it being the only regular ground upon which the act or sentence of such a Justification can or ought to proceed And though God by means of his appropriate priviledge of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or knowing the heart can and doth upon a sufficient ground secretly and in himself approve of him who as yet only believeth I mean with a true and unfeigned Faith and before he hath any wayes justified or commended this his Faith by good works yet he is not wont to signifie or declare by one means or other this his approbation of any particular person untill he hath shewed the World his Faith by his Works Nor doth he require of any man to judge of any other person as a man justified in his sight by a true and unfaigned Faith who hath not given either unto him or unto some others from whom he may receive the information a fair and reasonable account by works suteable of such a Faith residing in him And questionlesse it was this kinde of Justification of which the Apostle James discourseth so largely in his Second Chapter as appeareth all along the Context from vers 14. to the end Therefore when he demands vers 21. Was not our Father Abraham justified by works when he had offered his Son Isaac upon the Altar Evident it is that by Abrahams being justified he doth not mean that Abraham had his sins pardoned for he had been thus justified long before And besides his offering up his Son Isaac upon the Altar could be no means of obtaining Remission of sins from God But when he is said to have been justified by works when he had offered c. the meaning is that upon this great testimony given by Abraham of the truth and effectualnesse of his Faith God highly approved of him loved him and dealt by him as by a person righteous and just and called him his Friend The tenour of the story in Genesis fully accordeth herewith For immediately upon Abrahams stretching forth his hand and taking the knife to slay his Son the Angel of the Lord called unto him ●ut of Heaven and sayd Lay not thine hand upon the Lad neither do thou any thing unto him for now I know that thou fearest God seeing that thou hast not with-held thy Son thine only Son from me Gen. 22. 11 12. A second time also the Angel upon this offering up of his Son called unto him out of Heaven and sayd By my self have I sworn saith the Lord for because thou hast done this thing and hast not with-held thy Son thine only S●n That in blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy Seed as the Stars of the Heaven and as the Sand which is upon the Sea shore and thy Seed shall possess the Gate of his Enemies And in thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed because thou hast obeyed my Voyce Gen. 22. 15. 16 17 18. In these passages is that justification of Abraham expressed and contained whereof the Apostle James speaketh affirming him to have obtained it at the hand of God by Works as well as by his Faith which he sayth wrought together with them meaning towards the procuring or obtaining of this justification or approbation from God and was by them perfected or made perfect i. Was declared to be perfect that is sound and good or else was perfected {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} i. Became effectuall to the obtaining of its proper end Viz. The approbation and love of God with favourable and friendly respects from him which is the perfection Viz. Arguitivè or Argumentatively of any thing As on the contrary when any thing pretending to be a means for the compassing of such or such an end proves yet unable to effect it this argueth though haply not alwayes demonstratively the imperfection or weakness of it In much a like sense to that wherein Abraham as we have heard is sayd to have been justified by works is Rahab the Harlot also i. Who formerly had been an Harlot sayd to have been justified v. 25. The meaning is that upon Rahab's Demonstration of the reality and truth of her Faith in exposing her life to danger by entertaining and hiding the Spies sent