1 Argument It is most plain from the contexâ— v. 19. That it is the same law by whicâ— every mouth is stopped and all the World iâ— become guilty before God Now the Gentileâ— could not have their mouth stopped and beâ—come guilty before God by the Ceremoniaâ— law For the Gentiles had no knowledg oâ— the Ceremonial law neither could they there being nothing in the light or law of nature directing them to any such law nor were the Gentiles under any Obligation unto that law otherwise than as any of them were proseylites to the Jewish Church neither could their Consciences either accuse or excuse them in observing or not observing the Ceremonial law they could have no Conscience of Sin in that respect for where no law is there is no Transgression But the Moral law they having the work of it written in their Hearts as Rom. 2.14 15. did bind the Consciences of the very Gentiles and did leave them without excuse before God as hath been already proved Rom. 1.19 20 21. to the end of the Chap. So that it is the Moral law only by which every mouth is stopped and all the World i. e. both Jew and Gentile are become guilty before God And therefore it is not the Ceremonial law only but the Moral law principally of which the Apostle speaks when he saith as in the Text by the works of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight 2 Argu. It is also as plain from the latter part of this Text that it is the same law by which is the knowledg of Sin For so the Apostle brings it in immediately and in one and the same breath For by the law is the knowledg of Sin therefore whilst the Aposte saith by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight and then addeth that by the law is the knowledg of Sin it is plain what law he meaneth Namely the same law by which is the knowledg of Sin Now the knowledg of Sin is not by the Ceremonial law for though in the Ceremonial law there is an acknowledgment of Sin in that all the sacrifices washings and typical services did take it for granted and every Man attending the services of that law did ipso facto acknowledg himself a Sinner or else to what end was his Sacrifice if he had no Sin to be purged Yet the Ceremonial law neither did nor could convince the Conscience and show a Man wherein he had Sinned for this is the peculiar work of the moral law and the light thereof shining in the Conscience and so the Apostle Rom. 7.7 Nay I had not known sin but by the law For I had not known lust except the law had said thou shalt not Covet Now the law which saith thou shalt not covet is not the Ceremonial law but the moral law as Exod 20.17 And therefore the Text must be interpreted and understood not of the Ceremonial law only but also and more especially of the moral law for as much as by this law is the knowledg of Sin and by this law every mouth is stopped and all the World become guilty before God So that Justification in the sight of God is denied to Man not only by the deeds of the Ceremonial law but also by the deeds of the moral law And a Man can no more be justified now by good works either Internal or External or both done in obedience and conformity to the moral law than the Jews then were by their observances of the Ceremonial And as it became Sin in the Jews to seek justification and righteousness by the works of the Ceremonial law and moral law both and the stumbling stone to their perdition and damnation as Rom. 9.31 32. So it doth as much now become Sin to any Man under Heaven to seek righteousness and justification by the works of the Moral law as they are or can be performed by him and if persisted in will prove the stumbling stone to his perdition Gala. 5.2 3 4 5. Having thus done with the opening of the Doctrine we proceed to the reasons of it namely to shew why by the deeds of the law no flesh can be justified in God's sight and they are these two First Reason Because by the law is the the knowledg of Sin and this is one reason subjoyned in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For by the law is the knowledg of Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which here is rendered knowledg is a thorough and convincing knowledg which leaves a Man under such a conviction as he must needs acknowledg himself a Sinner and to have Transgressed the law of God For Sin is the transgression of the law and the knowledg of Sin is the knowledg in the Conscience of a Man that he hath transgressed the law and no Man can have this conviction and knowledg but by the law And the Conscience of Sin is nothing else but his knowing by the light of Gods holy law that he hath transgressed and that he is a transgressor of the law as Rom. 7.7 I had not known Sin but by the law and again Rom. 7.8 9. For without the law sin was dead that is it stirred not it troubled not my Conscience But when the commandment came Siâ— revived and I died i. e. I was in a whole and safe condition once without the law and nothing troubled my Conscience but all was quiet and secure as if I had no Sin and waâ— in no danger But when the Commandmenâ— came i. e. God brought the law home to my Conscience so that I saw the convincing light and felt the terrifying Power of the holy law of God in my Conscience then Sin revived i. e. lift up it self and made me find and feel my guilt and the condemning power and strength that Sin had over me by the law For the strength of Sin is the law 1 Cor. 15.56 And I died i. e. As to all my hopes and confidence of being justified by the law and the works thereof so that I became as a dead Man without any life or hope of being justified by it And the Argument lieth plain that law by which every Man is convinced that he is a Sinner and condemned as a guilty Person before God by that law and the deeds of it can no Man be justified in the sight of God for condemnation and justification are as directly contrary and inconsistent each with other as life and death are therefore by the deeds of the law can no flesh be justified because by the law all flesh is Condemned and found guilty before God upon this account the Ministration of the law is called the Ministration of death and of Condemnation 2 Cor. 3.7 and 9. v. And therefore cannot be the Ministration of life and justification Now if there were any Man found since the fall of Adam that were not a Sinner and guilty by the law and unto whom by the law there could be no
the flesh cannot please God The person being Sinful all his deeds and works are Sinful also and neither his person nor his deeds or works can be pleasing or acceptable unto God by the law and therefore it is written also Heb. 11.6 But without Faith it is impossible to please God which it would not be if a Man could be righteous by the works of the law and without Faith i. e. Faith in Christ he might then please God by the works of the law and and without Faith Now let all these particular Considerations be brought together into one namely that the law requireth personal perfect and perpetual obedience continually and that in all points and doth also require a sinless Person and it will easily appear that it is become absolutely impossible to every Man since Adam as it was also to Adam himself after the fall ever to become righteous by the works or deeds of the law And therefore as impossible for any Man to be justified in the sight of God by the works of the law seeing he cannot by the works of the law be righteous for this were to suppose that a Man might be justified without righteousness which to suppose is a contradiction and absurdity And thus having done with the Reasons of the Doctrine namely that by the deeds of the law no Flesh shall be justified in Gods sight We proceed next and further to enquire Q. Why the infinitely wise and holy God who created Man such an excellent and glorious creature after his own Image and put him under such an excellent law so holy just and good should suffer this excellent creature and this excellent law of his by the interposition of Sin to be so frustrate and disappointed that it is now become impossible for Man to be justified by the law and the deeds of it Answ. This must be resolved ultimately into the Sovereign will and pleasure of God as our Lord Christ upon another occasion Father I thank thee Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and from the prudent and hast revealed them unto babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Mat. 11.25 A stupendious Mystery it was And can be resolved ultimately into nothing less than the Sovereign will of the blessed God and Creatour who may do what he pleases his own will being the most perfect Rule and his own glory the highest and ultimate end of all his works Certain it is that the holy God could easily have prevented Sin and have preserved his Creature Man under the Conduct of the pure and holy Law of his unto Eternal Life and Glory but it seemed not good in his sight so to do Knowing how to over-rule so great an evil as Sin and the Transgression of his holy Law to the further manifestation of his own greater glory and the greater good of his own Elect And therefore we further find by inquiry into this matter by the Light of the Holy Scriptures That this so stupendious and mysterious a work of his Providence with respect to man was necessary in order to the manifestation of his own greater glory and mans greater good in five or six things 1. Namely first That thereby he might take occasion through Sin and the Transgression of his Law to bring to light and give forth the manifestation of his Eternal Election of Grace both amongst Angels and Men before the World was which was a Mystery hid in God till the discovery and manifestation thereof now began to apppear 1. Amongst the Angels of Heaven amongst whom Sin entred and so great a number of them leaving their first habitation and were cast down to Hell for their transgression whilst a remnant of them were preserved and were confirmed of God in Christ as Ephes. 1.10 Gods Election of Grace toward some became manifest and apparent and his severity towards the rest that Sinned whom he spared not but cast them down to Hell and 2 Pet. 2.4 So that here is a difference and a discrimination made betwixt Angels and Angels some cast down to Hell others preserved and confirmed in Heaven And that which made the difference was not any natural goodness and excellency of Endowments in the one more than the other but the free Grace and Election of God in Christ preseverd and confirmed some that they did not that they should not Sin whilst the rest sinned and were cast down to Hell Hence the elect Angels on the one part 1 Tim. 4.21 and the Angels that Sinned on the other divide the whole World of Angels And as vast a difference and distance is put betwixt the one and the other as betwixt Heaven and Hell as betwixt Light and Darkness Hence of the same lump of the Angelical Nature are made Angels of Light as 2 Cor. 11.14 and Angels of Darkness 2 Pet. 2.10 Angels of Heaven as Mat. 24.36 and Angels of Hell as Mat. 25.41 the Holy Angels as Mat. 25.31 And the wicked or Apostate Angels as Jud. 6. 2ly Amongst Men in this World God took occasion by Sin and the trangression of his Holy law to manifest his Election of Grace even amongst Men on Earth as he had already amongst Angels in Heaven And now a difference is put betwixt the seed of the Woman namely Christ as the head of this Election and all the Elect amongst Men whom the Father had chosen in Christ before the foundation of the World Ephes. 1.4.2 Tim. 1.9 and whom the Father had given to Christ out of the Wold John 17.9 These all are one in Christ by virtue of this Election and are to be brought unto actual conformity to him in Grace here and Glory hereafter Christ the first Born and they all brethren to him and one to another in him as Rom. 8.29 And the seed of the Serpent on the one hand that is all the Children of the Devil or wicked One who are now distinguished and made manifest by the admission and entrance of Sin as 1 John 3.9 10. And as Sin took occasion by the law for if there had been no law there had been no Sin or transgression so the Grace of God took occasion by Sin and by the transgression of the law to manifest it self both amongst Angels and Men to Gods greater Glory and the greater good and glorious advantage of his Elect. Oh the depth both of the Wisdom and knowledg of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out How hath the Election of Grace taken occasion by the Sin and misery of Mankind to shew and manifest it self in glorious triumph over all Mans sinfulness and unworthiness as well as over all Mans works and righteousness by the law in over ruling the one and excluding of the other that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works but of him that calleth as Rom. 9.11 and again Rom. 11.7 The Election hath obtained it and the rest
among your selves This is the order and Government which Christ hath set in his Church upon which their peace doth depend And where thiâ— Government of Christ is not submitted unto and kept but is rejected and broken there is an end of Peace there followeth nothing but confusion and every evil work as James 3.16 To prevent which Christ hath set Order and Government in the Church yea in all the Churches of Christ as 1 Cor. 14.33 As it is in a Mans Heart if the Government of Christ be not there if Christ ruleth not there by his Word and Spirit there is no Peace to that Man There is no Peace saith my God to the wicked Even so it is in a Church if Christs Goverment be not there there is no Peace but strife and bitter envying confusion and every evil work And I will therefore Rejoyce and do Rejoyce in this concerning you all beholding and seeing your order and the stedfastness of your Faith in Christ as Col. 2.5 6. For though I be absent in the flesh yet am I with you in spirit joying and beholding your order and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. For this order floweth from the stedfastness of your Faith in Christ as the breach of it in others doth emerge from the unstedfastness of their Faith As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him v. 7. Rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith as ye have been taught abounding therein with thanksgiving Beware lest any man spoil you Keep therefore and hold fast this Faith and order and this will be your wisdom and understanding in the sight of all Men as Deut. 4.5 Ephes. 5.17 18 19 20. And this is the salt or true wisdom commended to us by Christ himself which will preserve you in purity and peace and keep you from Corrupting as Mark 9.50 Salt is good but if the salt have lost his saltness wherewith will you season it Have salt in your selves and have peace one with another And this as it is and will be your glory so it will be our rejoycing in the Day of Christ Heb. 13.17 And 1 John 2.28 That we i. e. we your Elders and Ministers may rejoyce in the Day of Christ. As ye have therefore obeyed and in a great Conflict and Tryal of your Faith and Patience have testified yout obedience to the Truth through the Spirit So I beseech you work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure And be in nothing terrified by your adversaries which is to them an evident token of perdition but unto you of salvation and that of God For to you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but alsâ— to suffer for his sake Having the samâ— conflict which ye saw to be in me Phil 1.28 29. Now whether I live or die whether I be present in the body and so absent from the Lord or whether I be absent from the body that I may be present with the Lord stâ—and fast in one Spirit with one mind striving together for the Faith of the Gospel and so fulfil ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love of one accord and of one mind And the God of peace shall be with you and shall bruise Satan under your Feet shortly and shall make those that say they are Jews and are not but are the synagogue of Satan to come and worship before you feet and to know that he hath loved you as Rev. 3.8 9. Amen THE True Light In the matter of our Justification before GOD. Rom. 3.20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the law is the knowledg of sin THIS Text is an Epiphonema or closing speech wherein the holy Apostle Paul gives us the just and right conclusion or result of the whole matter with respect to Mans justification before God and doth Peremptorily determine in the negative that by the deeds or works of the Law no flesh can or shall be justified in his sight and brings it in with the illative note therefore as the undeniable consequence and true result of his whole Argument in the two foregoing Chapters wherein he hath fully proved as he saith v. 9. of this chap. that Jews and Gentiles are all under Sin 1. The Gentiles he clearly proves in the first Chapter to be under Sin in that when they knew God or might have known him by the light of Nature in his works of Creation and Providence as Rom. 1.19 20 they did not glorifie him as God but contrary to the light of nature debased and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the Image of corruptible Man v. 23 24 25. Had they but used their poor dim light of nature aright to have paid some suitable Veneration to the glory of the Godhead in worshiping of him they might have escaped many vile affections and actions amongst themselves For which they could not so much as pretend light or nature and of the wickedness or danger whereof they could not so much as pretend ignorance but as a punishment of their impiety towards God God gave them up to vile affections and unseemly actions amongst themselves as v. 26 27 28 29 30 31 And these Sins they not only committed against the light of nature but delighted in though convicted in their own Conscience that the issue thereof could be no less than eternal Death and Damnation as v. 32. Who knowing the judgment of God c. So severely but justly doth God punish wilful Idolatry and false worship a Sin against the first Table by giving such a person or People up to all manner of Sins and most horrible lusts and abominable practices even against Human Nature to their own Destruction Nothing being more righteous and just than that they who will not give unto God the glory of his own worship should be given up of God to work their own Damnation and Destruction see 2 Thes. 2.10 11 12. 2. The Jews he as clearly proves to be under Sin in the second Chapter For whereas they rested in the law and made their boast of God as Rom. 2. v. 17 18 19 20. yet they transgressed that law which they so much boasted of and through transgressing thereof dishonoured God and caused his name to be blasphemed amongst the Gentiles as v. 21 22 23. And therefore the Jews as well as the Gentiles are left without excuse and the mouth of them both equally stopped being become guilty before God The Gentiles by Sinning without law yet against the light and law of Nature as Rom. 1.20.32 c. The Jews by Sinning under the law and whilst they judged the poor Gentiles became more obnoxious and inexcusable themselves in that they did the same or worse things as Rom. 2. v. 11 12. And
no cessation but a continued service day anâ— night from one years end to another anâ— this for the space of 2000 years and upoâ— this account as they did so they suffered mucâ— from the Nations round about both near anâ— far off and that with much constancy noâ— shrinking nor turning away from the servicâ— of their God in times of greatest danger anâ— tribulation as the Histories of Ezra Nehemiah Daniel and the 11th of the Hebrewâ— do abundantly declare And yet they attained not to the Law of Righteousnss wherefore because they sought it not by Faith but as were by the Works of the Law those words as it were are of great significancy shewing that in the nature and scope of their Sacrifices they were directed unto Christ and to seek Righteousness not by their own Works and in themselves but by Faith in Christ and this was their common Profession and Prophecies they had and promises of Salvation by the Messiah whom had they looked unto by Faith and sought Righteousness by Faith in him they had been safe But they sought it i. e. Righteousness not by Faith but as it were by the Works of the â—aw so that whilst they professed Christ â—nd Faith in him for Righteousness they closely and under-hand pursued their own Righteousness and rested in the Law and â—he Works thereof and so miscarried and this was their stumbling-stone under so bright a Profession as they made to the contrary Note That these things are mentioned and quoted out of Heb. 11.32 37. not to impeach or once to question the right Faith of those Worthies there mentioned or as if they obtained not the Righteousness of God for 't is said verse 39. These all obtained a good report through Faith but to shew what things were done and suffered by the body of that People for many hundred years and yet resting upon and trusting to their own Works and Righteousness by the Law they attained not unto the Righteousness of God i. e. the generality of them most of them through all those Generations as is expresly declared Rom. 9.31 32. For a Person or People may do much and suffer much and yet all in vain when by a fleshly mind resting upon these things as their own Righteousness they submit not themselves to the Righteousness of God which is the same that the Apostle taketh for granted 1 Cor. 13.1 2 3. and which he also plainly declareth Gal. 5.2 3 4. and herein appealeth to themselves to be their own Judges Gal. 3.3 4. And God grant that it be not our stumbling-stone also under so great a Doctrinalâ— Faith and Profession of Justification by Faith and not by the Works of the Law that we may not secretly and under-hand closely pursue and go about to establish our own Righâ—teousness if not directly yet as it were by the Works of the Law And it is that whicâ— the Nature of Man is very prone and strongly inclined unto and therefore hath great need of caution and warning in this matter for God who is jealous of his Glory will search out this close Hypocrisie and punish this dissimulation in us as well as he did in them And this new and late covering which some have found out to hide their nakedness will not be sufficient for what doth it avail them to say that we are justified by Evangelical Righteousness when this Evangelical Righteousness as they call it is not Christ's but our own Righteousness our sincere but imperfect Obedience this is to blind our selves and mock God whilst we look one way and row another this is as it were by the Works of the Law to seek Righteousness and not by Faith And it were to be wished that these men who make their boast and talk so much of sincere Obedience under the notion of Evangelical Righteousness and thereby darken counsel by words without knowledge and confound the Doctrine of Justification with that of Inherent Grace and Sanctification would first shew sincerity in submitting themselves to the Righteousness of God which is by Faith in Christ and as sincerely deny their own Righteousness in point of Justification And this would be a better evidence of their sincere Obedience to the Gospel of â—â—sus Christ than any they give without it â—e not deceived God is not mocked He that made the Eye shall not he see and he that made the Ear shall not he hear and he that formed the spirit of man within him shall not he understand and search out this Idol hid amongst the stuft as it were by the Works of the Law Turpe est Doctori quem culpa redarguit ipsum Now to back this caution and if it may be to fix it upon your spirits with the greater force I shall add three Arguments against this attempting or going about to establish your own Righteousness namely 1. This is certainly a vain and foolish attempt we may allude to Psal. 2.1 2. Why do the Heathen rage and the People imagine a vain thing the Kings of the Earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsel togetheâ— against the Lord and against his Christ. There have been those who from the beâ—ginning of the World and in all Ages anâ— Generations thereof as they have had advantages have attempted by all Humane Forcâ— and Policy against the Lord and against hiâ— Christ to oppress and exclude his Gospel and Spiritual Kingdom among men in thiâ— World but they have not succeeded they have been still frustrated and disappointed therein For yet Christ sits as King upon his holy Hill of Zion and there he shall sit and Reign by his Word and Spirit maugre all opposition of Hell and Earth So that they have imagined a vain thing which they were never yet able to accomplish nor ever shall be So let me tell you from the sure Word of God that all such as have gone and do go about to establish their own Righteousness and not submit themselves to the Righteousness of God have imagined and do imagine but a vain thing which they shall never obtain For God hath said and will not repent that by the deeds of the Law no flesh shall be justified And God is not as man that he should lye nor as the Son of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not bring it to pass Numb 23.10 There have been those under the Old Testament that tried this attempt to the utmost but were miserably disappointed in the Issue Rom. 9.31 They attained not to the Law of Righteousness and shall any think to succeed better under the New Testament where the Light is more clear and the utter impossibility of this attempt so plainly declared that he that runs may read And what a foolish and absurd thing is it to attempt that which a man knoweth or may know before-hand he shall never be able to accomplish 2. This is also a sinful as well as a vain
another better foundation be laid For by the works of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight As hath been shewed No no mans Righteousness will not no less than this Righteousness of God can be a sure foundation to build upon for Justification in his sight and for Eternal Life 2 Consid. The building must be uniform and answerable to the foundation in all parts of it and bear a true proportion to and agreement with the foundation to the very topstone that the beholders may cry Grace Grace to it and that with shoutings as Zech. 4 7. There is a blessed harmony in the Gospel and all Gods attributes do harmonize and shine forth in a joynt lustre and glory in Jesus Christ. So all mans duty is consistent with this principle of the Righteousness of God and doth sweetly flow from it Grace is manifested and yet the Law is established and not made void by it Gods Justice is fully satisfied his wrath is pacified the Gospel is glad tydings Peace on Earth and good will to men the Enmity is slain and the hand-writing of Ordidinances that was against us is nailed to the Cross and taken out of the way all good works are established upon better Principles and Man's duty encouraged and rewarded And if once you that are Ministers have obtained this Key of Knowledge the whole Mystery of God of the Father and of Christ will be opened unto you and your Preaching will be clear uniform and harmonious so that you will never contradict your selves in whatever Point you Preach upon and the Faith of them that hear you will be clear and sound but if you fail here and through ignorance of this Righteousness of God go about to establish your own or Man's Righteousness your Preaching will be confused and you will contradict your selves at one time in what you Preach or Print at another and your Hearers will be of doubtful minds and wavering betwixt Works and Grace betwixt the Law and Faith Thus you will build again at one time or other what you have sometimes destroyed and so make your selves transgressors as Gal. 2.17 18. And foâ— want of a clear light in the knowledge of this Righteâ—â— of God some though otherwise men of eminent Learning Zeal and personal Holiness have most shamefully contradicted themselves and exposed their labours to that just censure and scorn even of adversaries and the sorrow and shame of their friends Whilst their hearers and admirers are unstable and wavering and so in danger after some time to fall into error And how far the Church of God may be prejudiced thereby time will show For this one Article is Articulus Stantis cadentis Ecclesiae The Church of God Stands or Falls Lives or Dies as this one Article of Justification by Faith in Christ and this Righteousness of God standeth or falleth amongst men And Lastly That it is greatly the duty and interest of Ministers to Declare and Preach this Righteousness of God appeareth from this one consideration Namely That they cannot Preach savingly without it If they have all the Wisdom and Learning of this World and have Tongues of men and Angels and draw multitudes of Admirers and Followers after them Yet this I say from the word of God that whilst they do not know or knowing do not Preach this Righteousness of God their Ministry cannot be powerful to the saving of their own Souls or the Souls of those that hear them For the Apostle doth assure us Rom. 1.16 17. The Gospel of Christ is â—o nomine and upon that account The Power of God unto Salvation to the Jew first and also to the Greek as it doth Reveal and Declare this Righteousness of God For I am not ashamed c. For therein is the Righteousness of God revealed as it is written the just shall live by Faith i. e. Faith in this Righteousness of God And take away this Righteousness of God out of the Gospel it would be no Gospel nor could it be unto Salvation And take away this Righteousness of God out of your Ministry and it will be no Gospel Ministry nor can it be a Saving Ministry to your selves or them that hear you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR A DISCOURSE Of or Concerning The Time and Season wherein God doth Justifie his Elect through Faith in his Son Jesus Christ according to the Scriptures WHEREIN I. The Doctrine of Justification from all Eternity II. The Doctrine of Justification from the time of Christs Death and Resurrection Are fairly and truly tried and confuted III. The true time searched out and stated according to Scripture By THO. TAYLOR Searching what and what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie 1 Pet. 1.11 The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a man that sowed good seed in his Field But while men slept his Enemy came and sowed Tares and went his way Mat. 13.24 25. LONDON Printed for Nath. Crouch 1693. Rom. 8.30 And whom he called them he also justified HAving already opened and explained this Justification wherewith God doth justifie them whom he calleth in the nature of it we now proceed to speak of and open and explain the same as to the time of it because not only the things themselves but the time or times are to be searched into when and wherein the things are and are to be ministred unto us 1 Pet. 1.11 12. Searching what or what manner of times the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie And concerâ—ing this enquiry or search there are and have been of late two several Doctrines or Opinions greaâ—lâ— cried up and as confidently affirmed by some and violently imposed upon their unwaâ—y hearers and with the same Spirit of violence as furiously contended for by them who are so imposed upon As the Ephesian worshipers of Diana contended for her Goddess ship as the Image that fell down from Jupiter out of Heaven Acts 19.27 28 34 35. 1. The first Doctrine and Opinion so cried up and contended for is The Doctrine of Justification from Eternity Or that Gods Elect were justified from all Eternity 2. The second is like unto it Which at least must be admitted without the least scruple or question Justification from the time of Christ Death or Resurrection or that all Gods Elect were and are justified from the time of Christs Death or Resurrection because the price was then paid by Jesus Christ and he as Head of the Church discharged by his Resurrection according to the Interpretation they give of Rom. 4. ult Who was delivered for our offences and raised again for our Justification Which they suppose and take for granted must needs imply the time as well as the thing of Believers Justification We shall therefore fairly and truly try both these Doctrines by the Holy Scriptures according to what we are commanded 1 John 4.1 Beloved believe not every Spirit but try the Spirit whether they be of God
knowledg or conviction of Sin then such a Man might be justified by the deeds of the law but forasmuch as there is no such Man in the World since the fall of Adam there can no Man be justified by the deeds of the law in Gods sight Second Reason Because by the deeds or works of the law there is no Man righteous in Gods sight it hath already bin shewed that it cannot consist with the perfect justice and veracity of God to justifie any Man without righteousness and without a perfect righteousness commensurate to the Perfection Purity and Holiness of his law but no Man under Heaven since the fall of Adam ever had or can have such a righteousness by the deeds of the law as they are or can be done and performed by Man therefore by the deeds of the law can no Flesh be justified in his sight as Gala. 3.21 Is the law therefore against the promises of God God forbid for if there had bin a law given which could have given life verily righteousness should have bin by the law The Argument is plain namely that the law is not against the promises of God i. e. the free promise of Justification by Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ therefore the law cannot justifie because if it could justifie any Man it would be against i. e. frustrate and make void the free promise of justification by Faith for if a Man could be justified by the works of the law there could be no need of the free promise of righteousness and justification by Faith so that the promise is made void if righteousness be or could be by the law And then it is added If there had been a law given that could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the law if the law could have given life i. e. Justification verily righteousness should have been by the law supposing and taking it for granted that if there had been a law that could have given Life and Justification the same law should have given righteousness also for without righteousness there can be no Justification and Life to any Man in Gods sight But there is no Man righteous or can be righteous in Gods sight by the deeds of the law therefore no Man can be justified or have life thereby Now that there is no Man righteous or can be by the works of the law is plain from the context Rom. 3.10 19. Where the words of the Prophet David and Isaias are quoted out of the Old Testament that there is none Righteous no not one there is none that doeth good no not one Now as at the 19. v. Whatsoever the law saith it saith to them that are under the law i. e. to the Jews as well as to the Gentiles that there is not in the whole World both Jews and Gentiles one righteous Man by the deeds of the law no not one no not one that doth good no not one i. e. according to that which the law doth require And this will more clearly appear by a just consideration of the obedience which the law doth require in these Four particulars 1. The law doth require personal Obedience to the Holy and just commands thereof And every Man is under Obligation to fulfil the law in his own Person and therefore it is said Rom. 10.5 The Man which doth them shall live by them and here is one essential difference betwixt the law of Faith and the Law of works that the law of Faith accepteth the Obedience of another but the law of works requireth thee to obey and fulfil in thine own Person and if thou failest of Personal performing and fulfilling the law doth curse thee Personally as it is written Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not c. 2ly The Law doth require perfect Obedience in all things So that if a Man keep the whole law and fail but in one point he is guilty of all as James 2.10 and the least Sinful thought or idle word cuts off and forfeits all a Mans hope of righteousness by the Law Now forasmuch as there is no Man that ever did or since the fall of Adam ever can come up unto perfect Obedience in all things which the Law doth require so as not to fail in any one point For if such a Man were found there should be found a just Man upon Earth that doth good and sinneth not Yea there would a Man be found that might say I have not Sinned which would be to make God a liar as 1 Kings 8.46 Eccles. 7.20 1 John 1. v. 10. It is plain that there is none righteous by the works of the law no not one there is none that doth good no not one i. e. as the Law doth require 3ly The Law doth require perpetual Obedience i. e. the Perseverance Persisting and Continuance in all things that are written in the law as Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Book of the law to do them So that if a Man could perfectly keep and fulfil the whole law so as not to fail in one point to his very dying Day and yet at last though in the Moment of Death should commit one Sin or once fail in his Obedience he hath lost all his righteousness and is become a Sinner and Transgressor of the law in Gods sight 4ly The law doth require a Sinless Person the law doth suppose and require every Man to be such as Adam was in the estate of Innocency to have the same rectitude and perfect integrity of Nature that Adam had which we call Original Righteousness and is directly contrary to Original Sin And the want of Original Righteousness as well as least the tincture of Original Sin is a Sinful defect of conformity to the law and renders a Man uncapable of fulfilling the righteousness which the law doth require so that by the law it is impossible for him that is once a Sinner ever to become righteous by all that he can do or suffer afterward Now that the want of Original righteousness as well as Original Sin is a Sinful defect of conformity to the law is plain Rom. 8. To be carnally minded is Death and the reason is added v. 7. For the Carnal Mind is enmity against God and is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be That which we render the Carnal mind is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the minde of the flesh i. e. of Mans Nature now corrupted by sin and destitute of Original righteousness this mind of the flesh is enmity egainst God and is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that it is impossible to a man in the carnal mind or mind of the flesh to be Obedient or subject to the law sincerely and much more impossible to fulfil or keep the law perfectly And thence it is further inferred v. 9. so then they that are in