shall they be reconciled surely no way so well as by looking unto their different intentions from whence it will appear that St. Paul removes works all works from being the things that do justifie and St. James requires them only as conditions and qualifications upon which we are justified For the purpose of St. Paul is by the breach of the Law to demonstrate the necessity of the Gospel that that only is the power of God unto Salvation for since all the world stands culpable before God it follows of necessity that either we must perish without remedy or else be justified by a Gospel of mercy which he well terms the justification of faith in meer opposition to works all works even faith it self as the things which may be thought to justify Now St. James intent is only to vindicate this wholsom and necessary Doctrine from the abuse of Heretical Spirits whose evil words had at once corrupted both St. Pauls meaning and their own good manners affirming that since works could not justifie no works were necessary and therefore it mattered little to observe the Law it was enough only to believe the Gospel Against these dissolute Epicures this Apostle as St. Augustin observes wholly directs his dispute the purpose whereof is not to place justification in the works of the Law for in many things saith he we offend all and if but in one yet are we guilty of the whole but only to shew that unless the works of the Law though formerly broken do come at length to accompany our faith we can never be justified by any grace of the Gospel So then if we divide rightly according to these intents we must distinguish of a twofold justification by Innocence and by Pardon for it must be either by works or by mercy a legal justification or an Evangelical And of two sorts of works subservient unto these several justifications and of two sorts of ways by which they do justify Works of Perfection and perpetual perfection that inherently justifie and formally in strictness of Law but are excluded by St. Paul as no where found in any and works of Renovation after the breach of the Law required by St. James in every one that expect the justification of the Gospel Those works perfectly keep the Law and never break it These keep the Law sincerely but after it is broken They justifie therefore in themselves and by their own worth These not so but because found in none but sinners prepare only and qualifie for the justification of Christ They justifie these obtain justification That strictly the justification of works this properly the justification of faith which is their fountain And faith alone alone without these may justifie yea cannot justifie with them for such works evacuate faith as not needing it which is St. Pauls doctrine But faith alone without these cannot justifie yea without them is not faith not a true and a living faith which is St. James his assertion And in this Reconcilation doth appear the reconciliation and opposition too of both Law and Gospel Faith and works how they conspire and meet how they jar and refuse to mingle For the justification of the Law evacuates Christ who then died in vain as St. Paul speaks For there needs no Saviour where there is no sin And the justification of Christ disanulls again that of the Law as arguing it to be broken yea and the condemnation of the Law too notwithstanding the breach So they contradict and dissolve one another But what the Gospel excludes by remission of sins it closeth withal again by the manner of remitting Never pardoning offences till they be first forsaken and men return again to the observance of the Law nor yet continuing that pardon longer than they shall continue to observe it saying unto none but the penitent Thy sins are forgiventhee nor yet unto them without saying also Sin no more lest a worse thing happen unto thee So the terms stand thus No condemnation from the Law though broken whensoever we return to observe it and until we do observe it no grace or mercy by the Gospel and so they meet and are reconciled For so far the Gospel doth establish the Law yea and farther for it not only requires but gives grace for the performance of that it doth require even the observance of the Law And this reconciliation St. Paul himself the great urger of the opposition every where doth acknowledge for they are his own words not the hearers but the doers of the law shall be justified And that the law is done by faith is evident for faith worketh by love and love is the fulfilling of the law So the Apostles are both met St. James requires Faith and Works St. Paul a working Faith working by love and that even all the Commandments of God not so as to justifie in themselves but only to qualify for the justification of Christ. The Commandments therefore are no freewill offering at pleasure no voluntary duty of gratitude only but a duty necessary unto our justification here and eternal wellfare if any be necessary For this is the whole duty of mâ—n Why but yet for there is no end of wrangling though this wrangle shall end all though a duty now and a necessary yet since the Gospel affords a Mediator were it never so due the debt we hope may be paid by another that is our Surety and that surety is Christ who hath exactly kept the Law and is made unto us Wisdom Justice Sanctification and Redemption so saith the Apostle But no surety in this kind That which is the duty of Man is every Man 's own duty and must be performed in his own Person True indeed it is Christ our Lord fulfilled the Law exactly but that we may break it in our selves and yet at the same time fulfil it in him that is our Mediator this I take it is not so true The Apostle saith indeed that he accounted all things loss and dung too that he might be found in Christ not having his own righteousness which is of the Law but the righteousness which is of God by faith Yea farther that God made him to be sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him but yet this righteousness of God is not to be taken for Gods own righteousness but only as he said in the former place for the righteousness which is of God by Faith which righteousness includes both justification which is imputative and sanctification which is inherent but yet neither in St. Paul's sence is our own because not of the Law but of grace and mercy by the faith of Christ. Be it then that Christ is made unto us Justice and Sanctification both yea Wisdom and Redemption also yet not all after one and the same manner Wisdom he is made because he hath revealed his Fathers will Redemption because he hath appointed a day to vindicate his Children
alone without the works of the Law So St. Paul assures us But however a duty it is and a necessary duty necessary even to life unless no duty be necessary or Solomon here be deceived For this is the whole duty of man Justification indeed is that act of God which by remission of Sins through Christ puts men into the state of Life here and gives them right and title unto Life eternal hereafter And though therefore an estate attainable by the Gospel only not by the Law which all have transgressed yet is it most true that so long as any shall continue wittingly and deliberately to transgress the Law they are not capable of this or any other benefit of the Gospel The Gospel it self and whole Scriptures are clear in the point Now then saith even St. Paul on whom they rely speaking of the time of the Gospel now then there is no condemnation and no condemnation is full justification but to whom to them that are in Christ Jesus but who are they that follow which walk not after the flesh but after the spirit If any man walk otherwise he hath nothing to do with Christ If we say we have Communion with him and walk in darkness we lye saith St. John and do not the truth 1 John i. 6. He that loveth not his Brother that is one of those that according to him walks in darkness and as he wants light so life too he hath no life abiding in him yea manet in morte he remains in death 1 Joh. iii. 14. And what is said of one Sinner is true of all for be not deceived neither Fornicator Adulterer unclean person or covetous or any other the like hath any inheritance in the kingdom of God and of Christ. As little therefore in justification which is the estate of life and hath right to that inheritance no marvail therefore if St. James be bold to conclude in terms clean contrary Ye see then that by works a man is justified and not by faith only James ii 24. Indeed much stir hath been about the seeming differences between these Apostles He said not amiss Meum Tuum are the common Barrators of the world and Faith and Works seem no less to have broken the peace in the Church The points have been beaten so long as some think it time now they were beaten even out of all discourse But the truth is they are some of the noblest that our Faith doth yield and unto the Christian Religion of all other most essential though most abused as discovering the necessity of the Gospel and invalidity of the Law with the main differences and union too of both Law and Gospel And peradventure are not driven so home as they might be unless by very few unto their just and right issue even unto this day If any thing lead the way unto that it must be the perfect reconciliation of these two which by divers ways and distinctions hath been attempted on either side but not I suppose with so good success as may fully satisfy for in this I take it Iliacos intra muros peccalur extra To distinguish of the Law Ceremonial and Moral as some do supposing that St. Paul excludes the works of the Ceremonial Law and St. James requires those only of the Moral is to no purpose for clear it is as the Sun that St. Paul excludes both for he disputes against Jew and Gentile but especially the works of the Moral Law as that which is broken by all and therefore cannot justify any Neither will it be more available to distinguish with others of works preceeding faith works of Nature and such as follow and are effects of faith works of Renovation and grace for St. Paul utterly rejects from the ability of justifying all works whatsoever whether before faith or after it because the Law being once broken no after-observance can so satisfy for the breach but that it will still condemn all those that shall stand at that Tribunal The distinction then of works not prevailing others fall to distinguish of justification and indeed that is the right way if it be rightly done The Romanists according to the Council of Trent make it twofold a first and a second justification From the first St. Paul removes works and St. James they suppose requires them only to the second But they are frustrate in both distinction and application too for since their second Justification is but the increase and augmentation of that Righteousness which is infused in the first they cannot be two justifications since more or less will not afford a specifick difference or numerical either And were they two yet the works which St. James requires he requires for necessary unto the first justification as well as the second for he doth instance in Rabab not justified before by their own confession And the works which St. Paul removes he removes from the second justification as well as the first as first or last never to be found in any And therefore he makes his instance in Abraham that was justified long before even that time of his instance The distinction of justification in the obtaining and of justification already obtained is much after the same manner and is choked utterly with the self same answer Others on the other side distinguish Justus factus from Justus declaratus of justification before God and justification in the Eyes of men St. James's words they refer unto this and St. Paul's to the former but most erroneously also for nothing is plainer than that both of them speak of justification in the sight of God St. James as well as St Paul for he plainly denies salvation unto faith if not accompanied with works with an interrogation Can thy faith save thee and proves too that it cannot as being a dead faith and the faith of Devils and such sure can justify neither with God nor man sooner indeed with men than with God That way therefore which is most general and hath been thought the best peradventure because the subtlest is to distinguish between the act of justifying and the Subject or Person to be justified St. James as is supposed requiring only the presence of works in the Subject which St. Paul removes only from the Act and is but thus in other terms Fides sola justificat sed fides quae justificat non est sola This may have a promising look but will not satisfy neither but is out too and that on both sides for St. Paul clearly removes the works he speaks of from the Person to be justified as well as from the act that doth justifie non operanti to him that worketh not but believeth on him qui justificat impium that justifieth the ungodly And St. James requires the works he speaks of no less than faith unto the Act as well as in the Subject His words are express ex operibus by works a man is justified and not by faith only Why but how then
he doth not sow and requiring a law at their hands to whom he gives no ability for performance In Gods name therefore and mans too let us be content to speak as the Scriptures do which in this here and more than a thousand places besides do seriously urge and necessarily require the observance of the Law and keeping of the Commandments which St. John tells us through the grace of Christ are not grievous neither Such as will needs speak otherwise that they may not be kept either for any time or in any action let them take heed lest they open gates unto impiety and like those Spies in the 13 of Numbers discourage the hearts and weaken the hands of the people of God yea let them beware lest they cast dishonour too as on God himself so especially on the blessed Spirit that inhabits and Christ Jesus our Lord that dwells in his Saints if all yet can produce in any not any thing but sins Much better therefore it were to leave disputing and give good ear to that of our Saviour He that breaketh the least of these Commandments and teacheth others so to do shall be least in the kingdom of heaven that is as some interpret shall least of all others enter into that Kingdom For what is this indeed but to withdraw men from their duty and teach them disobedience for even duties cease to be due whensoever they begin not to be possible But this is every mans constant duty and the whole duty of every man the invincible reason wherewith Solomon here backs his conclusion and withal confutes this opinion Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is c. The Reason is strong and full three degrees or ascents there are in it First a Duty and Secondly universally of all men the duty of man and mans universal duty and Thirdly the whole duty of man And though there be diverse inventions sought out many turns and wrenches made to slip this duty yet one of these three or other will meet with and refel all our devices For they that scruple at the conclusion as impossible evince that they will not stay there but be as apt to quarrel with the duty at least as not simply necessary a duty peradventure in the rigid exaction of the Law and of such as are under it as they were to whom Solomon spake this but we are under the Gospel dead unto the Law that we might be married unto one even to Christ our Lord and our life what then hath this legal duty of Commandments to do with us or we with it since we are mutually dead one to another Yet be we under what times we will or states either so long as we lose not our humanity so long as we cease not to be men under any as being not really dead but morally so long it will have to do with us for this is a duty not of some times and persons but universally of man Neither were they simply under the Law to whom this was spoken led indeed they were by the oeconomy of the Law but yet under the promise and promised seed and were saved by the Gospel as we now are though the Gospel not so distinctly believed then as now it is Neither indeed they nor any people else under Heaven since that promise The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head are so meerly under the Law either of Moses or Nature but that if they do their duty keep the Commandments which they have and glorify God according to their knowledge they may for ought I understand be saved too by the Gospel which they knew not for even the Gentiles so doing their incircumcision shall be counted for circumcision as the circumcision otherwise is esteemed but as incircumcision In that day when God shall judge the secrets of all hearts not simply by the Law but according to my Gospel saith the Apostle Rom. 2. And indeed this is the only reason why this duty continues still to bind because men are not under the Law simply but under the Gospel for that is the state only of Devils whose doom is sealed and though the law of their nature cannot be abrogated as being a branch of eternal equity yet they seem not to be lyable unto any mens punishment for the breaches of it now because not capable of any reward for the observance The Gospel therefore doth not evacuate as St. Paul speaks but establish the Law since every man is therefore bound in duty unto the Law because not absolutely excluded from all benefit of the Gospel But we who are under the fulness of this Gospel are in a fuller manner tied and in an higher degree unto the observance of the law than any people else before that fulness came as being bound now by the special coming of the Holy Ghost to keep the Commandments not in the oldness of the letter which as it seems was sufficient whilst the Heir was but a Child and in minority but in the newness of the Spirit for the Spirit it is which gives life and vigour unto the Commandments as being the very strength and power of all lively performance And therefore our Saviour though he came with Gospel in his mouth yea was the Gospel himself yet think not saith he that I came to dissolve the law I came not to dissolve but to fulfil it And that we may know the true fulfilling of it if we think to enter into life belongs to us as well as the entire and perpetual unto himself after he had vindicated the Text of the Law from the corrupt glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees and set it forth in the highest perfection if not added perfections above the Law and beyond that which was said unto them of old he closeth up all at last with this conclusion He that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him unto a wise man What then though being dead under the law we become through the favour of the Gospel to be dead also even unto the law yet it is but to the condemning power the killing letter of the law that so we might be married unto Christ our life since the end of this marriage is but to bring forth fruit unto God as St. Paul in that place and that in the newness of the spirit which is not sure to break but to keep with more exactness the Commandments of God This therefore a duty still the duty of Jew and Gentile and Christian too universally of all mankind For this is the whole duty of man c. But though a duty not only in Solomons time but even now under the Gospel yet for all that it may be but a voluntary duty a freewill offering indeed of thankfulness and gratitude or so but not a necessary duty necessary unto life Our life in this World is our justification in Christ and Christ and justification too we have them both by faith and by faith