Selected quad for the lemma: doctrine_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
doctrine_n	believe_v	faith_n	justification_n	2,510	5	8.9827	5	false

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

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 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 Si●… how the Word how the Minister of the Word how the P●●●… himself which is justified may all truly though upon severall Accounts and after different Manners be sayd to Justifie By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant iustifie many Isa. 53. 11. Solet Scriptura cum ad unum effectum multae causae concurrunt modo uni modo alteri effectum tribuere Chamier Panstrat Tom. 4. L. 22. C. 4. §. 39. Scire est per causas scire Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas LONDON Printed by E. C. And are to be sold by H. Evers●●… at the Sign 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 Brief Passages of Scripture clearly shewing and proving that all the Particulars mentioned in the Title Page as Causes of Justification or Contributors hereunto are acknowledged and supposed for such in the Scriptures themselves IT is God that justifieth Rom. 8. 33. Being justified freely by his Grace Rom. 3. 24. This is the Will i. The Decree or fixed pleasure of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him should have everlasting life and consequently be antecedently justified It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth meaning that his Authority in justifying is Soveraign and Paramount and so lyable to no reverse or contradiction Rom. 8. 33 34. But if while we seek to be justified by Christ c. Gal. 2. 17. For as much as yee know that yee were not redeemed and consequently not justified with corruptible things but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1. 19. Much more being now justified by his bleod Rom. 5. 9. and was i. Christ was raised again for our Justification Rom. 4. 25. By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant justifie many Isa 53. 11. 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. Therefore being justified by Faith we have peace with God c. Rom 5. 1. John did Baptize in the Wilderness and preached the Baptisme of Repentance for remission of sins Mar. 1. 4. Yee see then how that by works a man is justified c. Jam. 2. 24 Blessed are they whose Iniquities are forgiven and ●●ose sins are covered i. Who is justified as appears from v. 2. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4. 7. And how shall they believe in him and consequently be justified of whom they have not heard So then Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10. 17. And how shall they hear without a Preacher Rom. 10. 14. Take heed unto thy self and unto thy Doctrine for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee and consequently shalt justifie both in as much as salvation presupposeth justification 1 Tim. 4. 16. Even we have believed in Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ Gal. 2. 16. having charged the English Tilenus with making the Tryers to ask such questions of those that come before them as in all probability never came into all their thoughts to ask upon this his probable mis-de meanour himself making no more of it he advanceth this Radamanthine and severe Sentence both against him and me Which sayth he Is such a piece of Impudence as no one hath ventured to imitate him in but that Ishmael of Colemanstreet whose hand being against all men hath provoked all men even to the common Pamphleter to lift up an hand against him The best is in case Mr. Hickman's reproach here could without the help of the Figure {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} be admitted for true That Jeremy of Jerusalem was a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole Earth as well as that Ishmael of Colemanstreet and yet was a true Prophet and never the less like so to have been for the numerousness of his Contests Noah also was a Preacher of Righteousness yet his proportion of Opposers in the World far exceeded mine and the number of those who embrace my Doctrine with their whole hearts far exceedeth the number of those who upon such terms received his Yea our Saviour himself testifieth that in the Church and Nation of the Jews they who had the more generall approbation and applause were the false Prophets not the true Luk. 6. 26. Wo unto them when all men shall speak well of them for so did their Fathers to the false Prophets But because Mr. Hickman judgeth himself Orthodox in charging me with Impudence what if it be found that the Ingredients in the composition of his Charge here levied against me and proclaimed as with sound of Trumpet and Drum in the Ears of the World be notwithstanding all Errors and broad untruths may he not make a covering of shame for his own Face of the Accusation which he hath here drawn up against me Let us fairly examine the Case and with as much Favour to the Examinate as he or his Friends can reasonably expect First Whereas he chargeth me with imitating his English Tilenus is not here a palpable and un-scholar-like Jeofail Did Shemei in reviling David when his Condition was low and mean in the World imitate Mr. Hickman in reproaching a Minister of Christ being under Hatches and trampled upon by men or did not Mr. Hickman in this Action rather imitate him He that acteth before another what ever his Action be doth not imitate him that followeth him in the same kind of acting but on the contrary he imitates who follows the Example or Pattern that have been set before If there be any similitude between Tilenus and me in our respective handling of Mr. Hickmans Tryers Tilenus must bear the Crime of Imitation not I who was before him in what was done by me relating to those his Clients Secondly Whereas he chargeth me with venturing to imitate Tilenus in making the Tryers to ask such Questions of those that come before them as in all probability never came into all their thoughts to ask The truth is that he chargeth me with the Crime of such a Courage or boldness whereof I was never Conscious I never made any venture to imitate Tilenus in such an Attempt as is here charged upon him

{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

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

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

prepared according to his mind for him to work or act upon or about justifyingly And when God doth justifie such a person he doth introduce a new form as Viz. Righteousness remission of sins or justification passive for these I take to be much the same into matter rightly and appropriatly disposed for the reception of it which matter is as hath been said the sinner now believing As when fire heateth the water that is hung over it or otherwise applyed unto it the water is the matter upon which the fire acteth in this act of calefaction and the heat which it causeth in the water is the form which it induceth or introduceth into it This briefly for the materiall Cause of Justification The finall Cause of Justification is commonly distinguished into that which is subordinate or less principal and Sect. 19 that which is ultimate and supream The former is with one consent affirmed to be the great benefit or blessedness of the Creature or person justified which Blessednesse standeth in two particulars chiefly deliverance from under the guilt of sin with all the misery consequentiall hereunto and an investiture with a regular Title or Claim unto that immortall and undefiled Inheritance which is reserved in the Heavens to be enjoyed in due time by all those who shall be found in a due capacity to be admitted into part and fellowship therein The ultimate or supream end or materiall Cause of Justification is concluded with a Nemine contradicente as far as I know to be the Glory of God partly in the just vindication of a sinner from under the guilt of sin and from the punishment incurred thereby and partly in the Salvation and eternall Glorification of the person so vindicated As for the opinion or notion of those who conceive that God designeth nothing acteth nothing in strictness and propriety of consideration for himself or for his own Glory ultimately but all for the good and benefit of his Creature I shall not upon this occasion either plead or implead it only I shall crave leave to say this that as far as I have yet looked into it and conversed with it I do not find it so extravagant or uncouth or so hard of reconcilement either with the Scriptures where they seem most contradicting it or with any the received grounds or principles of Christian Religion as I suppose it is like to seem unto many at its first appearance and hearing And though there may be more in the opinion were it narrowly examined and scan'd from the one end of it unto the other as well for the glory of God as for the benefit and comfort of the Creature yet because such an examination of it may haply require a just Treatise and more of the ordinary rank of Professors are more like to be startled or amazed at it then to embrace it I shall therefore forbear to encumber the commonly received Doctrine concerning the finall Cause or ultimate end of Justification with any further mention of it Thus we have shewed how great a number and what variety as well of things as of persons there are all both of the one kind and the other joyning hand in hand and making as it were one shoulder to bring the great blessing of Justification upon the head of a poor sinner God who is wonderfull in counsell and excellent in working a judged it meet that a matter of so gracious and rare of so profound and wonderfull a contrivance should pass through many hands before his Creature Man to whom it was meant and intended should be invested with the actuall possession and enjoyment of it There is scarce any thing of a more humbling consideration to the height and pride of the Spirit of a man then to be subjected to a multiplicity of dependences especially upon such either persons or things which he either judgeth but equal unto but most of all if beneath himself for the obtaining of that of which he stands in need and without which he fully understands that it cannot be well with him Such a posture or subjection as this sets him of● at the greatest distance in his condition from God in point of true Greatness and Glory Nor is there any thing in all the unlimited circumference of the blessedness of God that renders him greater or more glorious in the eyes of his Creature then his {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or self sufficiency and his absolute independency upon all whether persons or things whatsoever besides himself And doubtless in such cases where the number of dependencies is not established by any indispensable Law or Decree of God they that can contract themselves to the smaller number of them for the enjoyment of themselves with comfort and contentment will reduce their present conditions to the nearest affinity whereof it is capable with the blessedness of God himself But where God hath by any revealed appointment or declared will suspended the attainment of any spirituall enjoyment priviledge or blessing upon mens application of themselves unto him in the use of such and such means of what number or kind soever their non-subjection to this Law or appointment of his in the neglect of any one of these means is of a very dangerous and sad presage that they will fall short in the attainment of the blessing And for this reason my Soul cannot but sadly lament over the case and condition of all those who have in the ignorance vanity and pride of their Spirits turn'd their backs upon the Ministry of the Gospel setting their Faces towards Fancies and conceited Methods of their own though of Satans Inspiration for their justification in the sight of God whereas it hath been evidently shewed and proved from the Mouth of Godhimself that amongst those various Actors in and about the great business of Justification which have been presented upon the Theater of this brief Discourse he hath assigned a worthy co-operation or part unto the Ministry and Ministers of the Gospel Therefore they who disdain to have the royall Robe of Righteousness or Justification put upon them by men of this Function and Office as judging them unworthy and too mean to serve them in so high and sacred a Concernment for any hope that I am able upon any good ground to give them of a better Issue they are never like to wear it FINIS These Books following are to be sold by Henry Eversden at the Grey-hound in Pauls Church-yard IMputatio Fidei Or a Treatise of Justification wherein the imputation of Faith for Righteousness mentioned in Rom. 4. 5 6. is explained by Mr. John Goodwin Minister of the Gospel In Quarto Triumviri Or the Genius Spirit and Deportment of the three Men Mr. Richard Resbury Mr. John Pawson and Mr. George Kendall in their late Writings against the Free Grace of God in the Redemption of the World and vouchsafement of means of Salvation unto men briefly described in their native and

justification of a sinner For in propriety of speech a person is not sayd to merit any thing for another but for himself only When a man hath unjustly taken away any thing from another or hath any way injured him his friend by giving a reasonable or valuable consideration to the person injured for the damage sustained by him may properly be sayd to make satisfaction for him or for the wrong done by him by reason whereof he is in equity free from being impleaded or moles●ed by Law or otherwise by him to whom he had done the wrong But it is somewhat improper to say that a man in this case by making satisfaction for his friend merited that freedome for him So when a man gives a price or summ of money for the ransome of a Captive it is not usuall nor proper to say that hereby he meriteth his liberty A man is very unproperly sayd to merit that which he purchaseth at a price whether for himself or for another Now that which Christ in or by his death contributeth towards the justification of a sinner is frequently in the Scriptures expressed under the notion of a purchase of a price payed of a ransome redemption c. but no where of merit And yee are not your own for yee are bought with a price meaning out of the hand and power and from under the guilt of sin by the blood of Jesus Christ whose therefore you are by right of purchase to honour and serve him 1 Cor. 6. 20. See also the following Chapter v 23. with 2 Pet. 2. 1. So Mat 20. 28. and Mar. 10. 45. And to give his life a ransome for many So again Who gave himself a ransome for all men 1 Tim. 26. So also Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity Tit. 2. 14. So Christ hath redeemed us c. Gal. 3. 13. And hast redeemed us to God And Revel 5. 9. see also Rom. 3. 24. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Eph. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. Heb. 9. 12. c. And besides I do not see any reason why it may not be as truly and properly sayd that God the Father in giving his only begotten Son out of his bosome to dye for the justification of men and salvation thereupon contributed by way of merit towards their justification and salvation as Christ by dying And verily why that Act of God the Father should not be reputed every whit as great in point of merit in reference to the great business of justification as the Act of Christ in offering up of himself by death in order thereunto I apprehend not Certain I am that the Scripture commendeth and setteth it forth upon the same o● as great terms of grace honour and admiration as the other Joh. 3 16 Rom. 8. 31 32. Rom. 5. 8. To omit other places of like import Now of the two it is I conceive less probable and Gospel-like that the respective contributions of the Father and the Son towards justification should be of the one and the same kind then of a different Yet of the same kind they would be if both should contribute thereunto by way of merit Nor do I see how any clear place will be left for praise and thanks unto God the Father from persons justified for their justification in case it may be sayd that Christ properly merited their justification For to render or give unto a person only that which in rigour or strictness of justice either himself or another hath merited or deserved for him especially where no occasion or tentation is in the way to perswade him to do otherwise is scarce any matter of praise to him that doth it nor of engagement unto thankfulness upon him who receiveth only his own in such a case It is true there is somewhat a●i●e consideration upon a valuable price payd for that which is bought or purchased If a friend layes down a summ of money for the purchase of procurement of my liberty and this fully commensurable therewith and according to agreement with him of whom he is to purchase it I am thus far or in this respect no great Debtor of thanks unto him who sets me at liberty upon such terms But in case he from whom I am to receive my liberty if I ever enjoy it being a prudent and just man and withall at liberty to keep me in bondage for ever what terms soever should be offered for my ransome and moreover shall be so principled that in regard of my foul misdemeanor by which I became a Captive he could not condescend to grant my liberty but upon terms highly materiall and considerable in this case I say I shall be a signall Debtor unto him for my liberty if he shal so far commiserate my misery as to move any of his Friends or Relations to stand by me in this my great Exigent and to do or suffer that for the procurement of my liberty upon which he can and will willingly grant it and especially he being no wayes engaged unto me by any service done by me or courtesie received from me Now this is the case between God the Father and men in the gracious business of justification First He was at full liberty men having sinned whether ever to have justified any person or not on what terms soever Secondly Being by nature infinitely prudent and just he could not judge it meet for him in case he should be willing or inclinable to justifie men to do it otherwise then upon terms every wayes becoming those his Attributes Thirdly Such terms as these were not to be procured or had but only from Jesus Christ and him voluntarily submitting himself unto death for this end Fourthly and lastly Jesus Christ though willing both to do and to suffer what ever he did in either kind for the justification of men yet would not have undertaken the business nor actually either done or suffered any thing in order to their justification had not the Father been willing to part with him yea and actually sent him into the world with order and commission from himself both to do and suffer whatsoever should be requisite on his part thereunto Joh. 3. 16. 12. 10. 18. 12. 44 45. 49. In these respects besides others the generation of men are most signally indebted unto God the Father for their justification notwithstanding a valuable consideration or price layed down for the procurement of it But concerning the word * Merit since it is so generally used by Protestant Divines and other learned and worthy men in their writings and discourses about justification to express the congruity compleat sufficiency yea and super-sufficiency of the doings and sufferings of Christ for the procuring of it and this without any inconvenience as far as I know occasioned thereby I shall not contend for the laying it aside or censure in the least those that shall use it only I conceive that in Points Doctrins of so mysterious a