or Vertue in a Mans Conversation towards God or Man is natural as to the Principle for what are Principles of Action in a Man by common Gift of Knowledge or Honest Inclinations are natural Principles Before the Law given to Moses we may find footsteps of all the Ten Commandments for Abel believed in God which is the Duty of the first and Sacrificed which is the Duty of the second and in the third Generation when but very few Families on the Earth and not above three to wit Adam Seth and Enos's that were Worshippers except we Charitably Hope some were Proselites of the Cainitish Race publick worship was established for then Men began to call upon the Name of the Lord This was Obedience both to the second and third Commandment which did suppose Obedience to the fourth to wit a sanctifying some publickly known Time for Worship whose Determination God by Positive Command had fixed though from a natural Reason to wit the Seventh-day in which God had rested from the greatest and best of Works he had yet done in the World The fifth and the seventh Command is manifest in the Practice of Marriage for therein was the Period of Subjection to Parents terminated in leaving Father and Mother and an Aera of faithfulness to the Wife begun express't in cleaving to her and it is probable that last and crowning Duty of Childrens Subjection to their Parents is taxed as broken by these Sons of God who took unto themselves Wives according to their own Choice Gen. 6.7 The sixth and ninth Command were both broke by Cain who murdered his Brother and then not only denied it but denied the Knowledge of such a Fact Gen. 4.8 9. The eighth and tenth Command are thought by some especially the Quietists to have been neither Commands nor broken because there could be no Coveting of enlarging Property but rather of Men to share of the common good and Sin gave occasion to particular Commands though of such a General Nature But we find Adam guilty of both in coveting of a Diety and robbing God of his Property when but one Tree was reserved in all the World for an acknowledgment of Gods having the Primitive Right And we find Gen. 6. that the abounding Lusts of the Heart was the cause of the Deluge and all Lust is coveting The Ordinance of Circumcision was appointed to be a Monument and Conviction of the Lusts of the Heart and the Necessiâ—y of Mortification the Sweat of the Brow and toil of labour were appointed as the means of our Maintenance and the Nimrodical Hunting was a robbing men of what God had blessed their labour in So we find the Moral Law in this Law of Nature The next Enquiry is about the Evangelical Law whether any Prints of that is to be found under it yea or not and taking the natural Law most properly and as here the Apostle explains it in his Discourse for a Sign of Divine Will about our Duty as revealed in Nature or by Creation and Providence we may find footsteps of it here 1. For the Duties of it here are both Faith and Repentance rendred concludable from Divine Forbearance and Goodness Rom. 2.4 Not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance but after thy hardness and impenitent Heart c. 2. As there are Evangelical Duties so Evangelical Influence Chap. 1.18 Who hold the Truth in Vnrighteousness here was a Truth preserved alive against their Wills and as Gen. 6.3 the Spirit of the Lord was said to strive with men and 1 Pet. 3.20 Those Souls that are now in Prison had once the Spirit of Christ dealing with them and also Evangelical Acceptance If the Vncircumcision keep the Righteousness of the Law shall not his Vncircumcision be counted for Circumcision for Circumcision is not that which is outward in the Flesh but in the Man whose Praise is of God Therefore the Law of Nature being excluded there is an Evangelical Law excluded which Suarez calls the Con-natural Law and Gratian says Jus naturale est quod in lege Evangelio continetur and Mr. Baxter says It is the first Edition of the Covenant of Grace which two ways was published to all the World 1. By Natural Light discovering God Merciful in his Nature 2. By External Proclamation 1. Once to Adam that there should come a Seed of the Woman who should tread down the Head of the Serpent 2. In Noah and 3. In Christ For altho' none comes to the Father but by the Son and there is no other Name given under Heaven by which men might be saved yet it doth not follow that particular and distinct Knowledge of the Messiah was absolutely Necessary for that many Infants who were saved have not and the Disciples who lived with Christ were doubtful about it yea Peter forbid him to yield to Death when he was very nigh to suffer for it The Third Law excluded is the Moral Law whereof the Decalogue qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receives all things is the Summe To take the Moral Law according to common Sentiments there is by it these three things added to the Natural Law 1. A Positive Institution with great Solemnity from Mount Sinai with several Positive Determinations that are not immediately concludable by the Light of Nature 2. The Spiritual Extension of the Moral Law is manifested through Corruption much of the Law of Nature was obscur'd as whether Fornication or Usury were Sins or Thoughts of the Mind before Formal Consent or latent Inclinations to Unlawful Things A third Edition is of Life and Authority to the Sanction men very much Question whether a Man was liable to Eternal Death for evil Inclinations Yea or No but this Law is added because of Transgression that is both to discover it as the Apostle says Rom. 7. I had not known Sin if the Law had not informed me so the Conviction of Sin was weak until the renewed Sanction of the Law has made it more terrible Sin gets many fair Colours Covetousness gets the Name of Frugality until the Spirit discover both the Sin and the Curse doubtful Duties are establish'd weak and faint Notions reviv'd corrupt Thoughts are corrected the need of a Saviour more Manifested and the Jewish State settled in a more perfect Condition than any State in the World Now we find this Law is excluded for Rom. 3.20 For by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin there is no Law discovers Sin so as the Moral The Natural Law discovers Sin but neither so powerfully nor so plainly the express Word of God discovers the Malignity of Sin the Root and Original of Sin and the dreadful Issue and Event of Sin more plainly and clearly and removes all those Fogs and Mists that created many doubts by which we were apt to think great Sins small small Sins none and no Sins so hateful in the sight of God as they are The Ceremonial Law discovers Sin but by Accident its Primitive Intention
either in Matter or Manner The Use I shall make of this is of Refutation for since none can pretend to be justified by any Works but such as are good and acceptable in the sight of God and none are such that want the foremention'd Qualifications all the distinctions of Adversaries about the Kinds of Works are to no purpose That this may be more evident I shall rank them under these four Kinds 1. The Socinians who say that the Apostle means Works in their Perfection that are excluded from a divine condescendency to our Impotency he will not require what we cannot perform but will justifie us for what we can Resp 1. If we did and always had perfectly fulfill'd the Law we should have been justifi'd by its Works Rom. 2.13 The doers of the Law shall be justified 2 Tit. 3.7 Not by works of righteousness which we have done 2. It would heinously reflect on the Holiness of God as a Law-giver or Judge to make an Imperfect Law or to Judge a Man just for Imperfect Performance of a Perfect Law Gal. 3.10 Cursed is he that continues not in all things c. The Second Opinion is of them who exclude the Mosaical Law and these of two and may be more sorts 1. Some exclude only Ceremonies and indeed the Controversie began about them Act. 15. the Instances by Paul most mention'd are of that kind Gal. 2.14 16. and by their resemblance of a Remedying Nature the Jews mistook them for the thing it self Thus Lombard and the Schoolmen Alphons a Cast Dom. a Soto But the Law the Apostle speaks of as the Rule of the Works he excludes cannot be Confin'd so narrowly for Rom. 2.15 it 's a Law that the Gentiles had Rom. 3.20 28. a Law that bound all Flesh a Law by which the Knowledge of sin Rom. 4.14 a Law that worketh Wrath. 2. By others the whole Works of the Mosaical Law are excluded in the Pharisaical Sense of them that is as separated from the Essential Duties of the Covenant as given to Adam Noah and Abraham Respon 1. I grant that the Pharisees did mistake the Law in its Extent and Intent too the former Christ corrects Mat. 5. but it 's very reasonable to think that they who had now embraced Christ to whom the Apostle writes had forsaken that Error for the Apostle's Dispute is of another kind not what was their Duty or Work but what place this Work or Duty had with respect to its Reward Whether or not it was truly Meriting and his Business is to prove that let their Works be what they would they could never serve for this Use and the Apostle tells them Rom. 10.4 5. that they did not know Christ compleatly viz. that he was the End of the Law who would put such a Value on their own Works Sir Nor. Knat Observes on Rom. 2.14 that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Work of the Law signifies the Office of the Law this was to Convince a Man of Sin that he might fly to Christ as Galat. 3. 't is called a School-master to bring us to Christ The Law is the Mean He is the End The Moral Law was a Mean to make them sensible of their Need of Christ and the Ceremonial was a Mean to represent him as the End of the other as One who was a Sacrifice and gave satisfaction for their Breach of the Law 2. The Apostle gives no Countenance to this Opinion in his Phrase for Galat. 3.21 If there had been a Law given c. There is an Impossibility in any Law or its Works prescribed to Adam Noah or Abraham since Man was a Sinner to Merit in any sense Justification at the Hand of God 3. Romans 3.20 21 22. The Apostle calls the Works he excludes Works of the Law not in any abstracted sense but Works that the Law required and the Mosaical Law comprehended all the former Laws under it as Joh. 7.32 Ye received Circumcision of Moses not that it was of him but of the Fathers And when the Mâ—saical and the Christian Constitution are opposed Mosâ—ical comprehends the whole Old Testament State 4. The Righteousnesses that are in this Epistle opposed are God's and Mâ—n's not Adam's essential Duties in the first Edition of the Naked Covenant and Moses his in the Political Administration of it Rom. 3.22 The Syriac renders it thus The Righteousness of God by the hand of Faith on that Jesus Christ Not a Righteousness that is God's Gift and is acceptable to God by Virtue of his prescribing it as the Condition he required a Righteousness that lay in the Fruits of Faith or in the Nature of Faith from its Conformity to the Law of the Covenant but a Righteousness that Faith as a Hand takes hold of 5. This Law the Apostle speaks of comprehends all inward Obedience all Righteousness Vid. Ch. 3. and 7. of this Epistle nay the Pharisee Mat. 22. did conclude Love to God to be the great Duty of the Law 3. The third Opinion is of Grotius who if the Writings that go under his Name and have so much Corrupted the Age be his own he was both a Papist and Apostate or if Mr. Baxter's Grotian Errors and that other Book called Grotius Papizans or Walleus in N. T. Preface be to be Credited indeed his Doctrine on this very Point of Justification is a very great Proof it as his Comments on the Epistles doth testifie especially this for tho' they are as Corrupt as he in their Disputes yet rarely in their Expositions are any Papists so Corrupt His Doctrine is thus 1. Works that are only External Civil deserving Praise of Men and by Humane Strength performable are excluded from an Interest in Justification 2. Faith of God is an Esteem of his Attributes and Faith of Christ is the Knowledge of him and his Doctrine 3. To Justifie is to Purifie to Cleanse from Vice so the Works are hypocritical the Faith historical and that which Devils has the Justification papistical Resp 1. It 's very improbable that the Apostle should Dispute so Nervously that a Man cannot be Internally Sanctified by External Works and as improbable that any should be so absurd to maintain it that a Man may become Just by Hypocritical Performances that external Civility is internal Holiness 2. That Law Rom. 7.7 14. requir'd more than external Works 3. Abraham had better Works than External and Paul when he knew nothing by himself yet not thereby Justified did not mean only External 4. They were what Works the Law requir'd and the God that searcheth Hearts nevâ—r made a meer External Law to Judge Men by 4. The fourth Opinion is that which is common among Papists 1. Works before Faith are excluded but not after Faith Sorrow for Sin without the Aids of Grace doth not Merit Preparatory Works to Grace doth not Merit though some and that generally allow a Congruity and Fitness to them others as Becanus deny it This is no more true
Justification say The Guilt and Works here spoken of are only against the Ceremonial Law others against the Judicial and Civil Constitution of the Jews others the Moral only as abstractly consider'd from Evangelical in Strength or Duty But more of this on Verse 4. 4thly Not only Vniversally guilty but Numerously guilty Every Man is not only guilty of Sin but the account of his Sins are Innumerable For first the Actions of our Life are innumerable together with the words of our Tongues and Thoughts of our Mind and there is a sinfulness accompanying each of these We must give an account of every idle word Mat. 12.36 and all our Actions are to be set before us and how will then the Sinner be humbled when his aggravated Talents or Sins amount to ten thousands and no coming out till all be paid Mat. 18.24 34. how much more numerous must Farthing-Debts be And yet Mat. 5.26 there is no coming out till the uttermost farthing be paid 2. God as a Punisher or as a Pardoner he reckons the multitude of every Transgressors Sins great Gen. 6.5 The Deluge was sent on the Old World because every thought of the imagination of their Heart was only evil continually The Captivity was sent on the Jews Ezek. 16.25.51 because their Whoredoms were encreased and she had multiplyed her Abominations more than Samaria Nay Samaria had not committed half the Sins When God forgives Sins he forgives many Sins All manner of Sin and Iniquity shall be forgiven Luke 7.47 I say unto thee her Sins which are many shall be forgiven Rom. 5.16 The free gift is of many offences unto Justification James 5. and last He that Converts a Sinner hides a multitude of Sins 3. The Saints own account of their Sins or rather Vain Attempts to account of them Job 9.2 3. We cannot answer for one of ten thousand ten thousand was one of the least parcells he could put by their selves David Psal 19.12 Who can understand his errors Cleanse thou me from secret faults Psal 40.12 Innumerable evils have compassed me about mine Iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up Solomon Eccles 7.27 One would expect the best account of him of any body if he should lay out his Talent of Wisdom that Way which after he became a Penitent or one gathered into the Church as the Hebrew Phrase is he did for Verse 25. he says I applied my Heart to know the wickedness of folly even of Wickedness and Madness Ver. 27. he says This he had found counting one by one to find out the account which yet my Soul saith he seeketh but I find not That is he found the account of Sin was not to be found out but this he found Verse 29. that they were many they had sought out many inventions and that God was Author to none of them 4. The Similitudes they are compared with the Hains of our head Psal 40.12 the drops of a living Spring the Sand on the Sea-shore as the words of Manassehs Prayer hath it The very Tongue it self saith St. James is a World of Iniquity the Dimensions of Sin are high as Heaven Ezra 9.6 Deep as Hell Hos 9.9 Psal 130.1 It s Breadth and length are such as nothing but the Incomprehensible heighth depth length and breadth of the Love of Christ can cover 5. We may know the Number of our Sins by the Books of Accounts that the great Auditor of Accounts Christ Jesus will make use of at the great day There is the Book of Scripture that contains the Law and so teaches us Skill in this Holy Arithmetiek the second is the Book of Conscience which is like our Diary Rom. 2.14 and has all Matter of Fact wrote in it By comparing these together every Man may get sight of a huge and terrible Number of Sins First for the Law it is exceeding broad but yet there is an opposite Law in our Members that is as broad as it for there is no Law but we have some way or other broken and that by a nigher Transgression than by that Rule the Apostle gives he that transgresses one is guilty of all This Law has a famous Division in Ten Commandments but the Jews subdivide them into 613 Ceremonial and Judicial Precepts and so may we in as many particular Moral ones As for Instance Thou shalt have no other Gods before me Comprehends our Faith in God and all his Promises and who can reckon the number of Promises Blessings Secondly Knowledge and Study of God and who can reckon the various parts of Divinity Thirdly Love of God and this should be as much repeated as his Mercies are to us that admit of no Intermission Fourthly Adoration and this admits as many parts as there are things unknown of the Incomprehensible God or as there are New Discoveries made of them Fifthly Obedience and this is as large as all particular Precepts Sixthly Farther if we shall take one of these particular Commands they admit of Variety of Kinds of Transgressions against them for Instance Adoration Atheism Idolatry Magick Superstition Blasphemy Hypocrisie are all Transgressions of that Duty and yet there is none of these Species of Sins but may be subdivided into multitude of Inferior Branches For Instance Idolatry Men have been as many ways guilty of it as there are Creatures the very Mouse has been Worshipped and Art has been put on the Rack for Invention of Kinds of Molten Carved Painted Idols or Images There has been variety of Idols for all the Ends or Uses Man wanted any good There has been Gods of Sneezing there has been as many Idols as there are things that Men set their Hearts too much upon Profits Pleasures Honours If we will next take the other Book of Conscience and search how often we commit Idolatry with what is our Idol which by our practice we perpetually pursue We talk on it we think on it we dream on it who can then reckon the multitude of his Transgressions If our Consciences be secure and we reckon our selves pretty Innocent from gross abominable Sins yet this Number might startle us there are multitudes Multitudes in the Valley of Decision We cannot but say Beelzebubs Sin was the greatest Sin in the World yet we dare not say 't was greater than the Sins of all the rest that Complied with him for they lost God a vast number of Creatures and threw Dirt on multitudes of his Glorious Images So thy many Sins have robbed God of many Duties Beside in the number of our Sins there is not only a bare encrease of Quantity but there is encrease of Intention with their Extension As Poyson or Physick five Grains at one time will work more than four Grains at two times So we find Mat. 18.22 Peter thought eight times was unpardonable and the Lord says Numbers 14.22 Because they had ten times rebelled they should none of them enter into the Land Lastly Constant Multiplication of
when Offenders or highly meriting Mat. 23. It was a great sin in the Pharisees to bind Burdens on others they touch'd not themselves 3. Good Salus Populi suprema Lex Plato says a Law is a Manner of Governing by fit Means to the best End No Priviledges that is Privae Leges ought to be granted without this Prospect Knowledge of Sin and Wrath are the Consequents of Divine Law but neither End nor Fruit of them but of the Transgressors 4. Publickly Proclaim'd 5. Firmly ratified by Sanction Laws are made that the Innocent may be safe among the Wicked that the Wicked's Boldness may be bridled the Law is not for a righteous Man 7. There is no kind of Law but what requires Works as its Object the Negative forbids Works the irritating make void Works according to the kind of Works they are distinguish'd Natural of Nations Civil Canonical Priviledges Poenal Customs Counsels Moral Judicial Ceremonial Evangelical and consequently the Law of Faith is not meant the Law requiring Faith for then it would be a Law of Works for Joh. 6.29 To believe is to work the work of God Gal. 5.6 Faith works by Love and the Pharisees even before Conversion as is before prov'd own'd Faith as a most acceptable Work to God so there would neither be fit distinguishing Terms of the opposite Propositions nor any Refutation ot the Apostle's Adversaries by this Sense of it it must therefore either be taken largely for the Doctrine of Faith that is the Gospel the Object of our Faith according to the Cloud of Protestant Commentators or which is Materially the same the Law that is the Object of our Faith and as such he had been before describing the Righteousness we are Sav'd by and Justifi'd by to be a Righteousness Rom. 1.17 3.22 Reveal'd to Faith to be believ'd in now this Righteousness must have a Law which is the Mediatorial Law as the other is the Mediator's Righteousness He was made under the Law to redeem us from under it Gal. 4.5 Mat. 5. He came to fulfill the Law we are Justified by his Obedience to the Law for us So by the Law of Faith is not by the Law as Directing and Commanding our Works but by the Law as believ'd to be fulfill'd by Christ in our room There can be no Pretence or shew of Reason for the other Opinion but on this bottom that by Works and Faith are meant different kind of Works But then why should the general term Comprehending all kind of Works be us'd for one Species Would that be a good Division to say God governs the Earth not by an Animal but by a Man or not by a Spirit but by an Angel and there is no ground in the Context to take the word thus by Synecdoche as shall next be prov'd For there is no Divine Law under which we are but what we may find excluded by the Apostles Arguments 1. The Natural Law and its Works are excluded Rom. 3.9 We have before proved both Jew and Gentile that they are all under sin V. 19. All the World is guilty before God not from insufficiency of the Law for Rom. 2.26 If the Vncircumcision keep the Righteousness of the Law shall not his Vncircumcision be counted for Circumcision for the Law of Nature now is the same with that in Innocence only there is a Change in the Matter Positive Laws do not bind ad semper and the Negative Laws are all the same still the Law says one thing to a married Person and another to an unmarried So tho' the Law command other things to fallen Man than to innocent Man it is not another Natural Law All the Natural Law Tertullian says was broken in Eating the Forbidden Fruit there was Theft yea Sacriledge in stealing God's Proprium there was Murder of himself and his Posterity there was Coveting there was want of Love to God and Obedience too yea Idolatry to an Incarniz'd Devil having more esteeming and adoring Thoughts of the Devil than God So the Matter of the Law is the same and the Measure of it too viz. what Reason observes or may observe to be its Duty from Divine Providence Rom. 2.5 The goodness and forbearance of God leads to Repentance The Author God the Principle Love to God the End God's glory and our good is still the same its Sanction is Perishing and Salvation Rom. 2.12 They that sin without Law perish without Law and if they observe it it shall be Circumcision to them but all are Sinners all have broken it their Conscience accuse them they detain the Truth in Vnrighteousness they did what they knew deserv'd Death Rom. 1.32 2. The Natural Law being excluded all Law is excluded for they are all reduceable to it and consequently it is comprehensive of them Mr. Baxt. Method p. 392. In illo tamen omnes eaedem fuere virtualiter aut eminenter It is the Mother and Root of them all but the further the Branches are removed from the Root the lesser they are and the more invisible and stand at a greater distance from it 1. These are its Primitive Axioms That good is to be chosen and evil to be refused and the greater the good is for Weight or Duration with the greater Desire and Endeavour to be pursued That we are to do that which is becoming us and to do as we would be done by in the like Circumstances The second Order is more determined to wit God is to be worshipped by true loving trusting adoring and Obediential Thoughts that the Innocent is not to be Hurt the Honest Man is to be Befriended the Superior to be Reverenced the Inferior to be Condescended to and the Indigent to be Supplied and many other Laws about Patience Fortitude Sobriety and Temperance The third Order is more particular Vices and Vertues are specified by which Theft Adultery Murder and the like are forbid The fourth Order is less apparent and evident to wit about Revenge Fornication Usury and Self-Murderers in some Cases which gives occasion to Civil and in some sence Canonical Laws also These are two ways reduced to the Natural Law First because both Civil and Religious Society and consequently Government is constituted by this Natural Law Rom. 13.1 There is no Power but of God the Powers that be are ordained of God Their Authority is both established and limited by his and therefore their Laws ought to be subordinate to his which is the second Connexion For Rulers are not a Terror to good Works but to the Evil. Hence a Penal Law obliging to Sin or to suffer is a most unjust thing for it is a Terror to good yet a Conformity to the Laws of God is pretended to by all Law-givers even under Paganism The Moral Law is more properly this Law it self than reductively belonging to it for where Moral and Natural is opposed it is in Sciences not in Laws for what 's Moral as to the Object to wit Praise-worthy or Blame-worthy Vice
is to represent a Cure We only see the Malignity of the Distemper by the Strength and Power of the Medicine the first Edition of the Natural Law was to direct to Duty and to prevent sinning but the principal end of this Edition is to make Trangressors sensible of the Number and Aggravations of their Sin and so to be a Schoolmaster to bring to Christ 2. That Law is excluded that worketh Wrath Rom. 4.15 For the same Law cannot bring a Man both under the Curse and under a Blessing both to be a Ministration of Death and Life the same cannot be both matter of Justification and Condemnation and there is no Law renders a Man liable to Wrath as this doth for being Guilty Wrath is unavoidable by it 3. The particular Vices nominate from the 9th verse to the 19th which hinders Men from being justified by this Law discovers this Law to be Moral whereof they are Transgressors The Fear of God that comprehends inward spiritual Worship not following the Way of Peace that shews want of Love to their Neighbour and what can be more Spiritual than Vnderstanding of God and Seeking of God and in the second Chapter Theft Murther and Sacriledge and want of Heart Circumcision are mentioned as Reasons why they could not be justified by the Law 4. That Law and its Works are excluded which is of universal Extension Chap. 3. 19. That all the World may become Guilty before God but that 's only the Moral which is but circumstantially distinct from the Natural 5. All Works that we have done are excluded Titus 3. Not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but all own Moral Obedience to be our Works 4. The Mosaical Law is excluded for farther Explication of this we may find it meet with a double Acceptation as it is a Politick or Spiritual concerning the Soul or Civil a Type or Antitype for their whole State was significant for the former as it was their Common-wealth Law it did comprehend Ceremonies the Judicial Law and the External part of the Moral this made up their Civil Constitution and its faults were punishable by the Magistrate It had only Temporal Promises and Penalties and it was twofold either most severe as the Common Law threatning Death for Non-performance to a Tittle and this did 1. Represent the Moral Law or 2. It was remedial for smaller faults for Types must not be enlarged to have overthrown the Common-Wealth and therefore there were no Sacrifices for Murther and Adultery and the like Lev. 20. But 2. There was a Chancery or a Remedying Law to prevent these Penalties in many Cases Acts 13.39 If there had been in all Cases the Order of the Common-wealth had been turn'd into Confusion This we may see in Heb. 7.8 9 10 Chap. This was the Ceremonial Law Levit. 15. A Man for burying the Dead was liable to perpetuâ—l Exile which was a necessary Moral Duty had it not been for this Relief Now all grant this Law literally taken is excluded from our Justification and some lay the stress meerly here viz. in the Insufficiency of the Law as that which God never intended to justifie any Man as to Aeternal concerns by but we see on the contrary it was the insufficiency of the Obedience that did prevent it not the Law it self 2. The Mosaical Law is to be taken Spiritually and this in Correspondence to the Type must be twofold also Either as a most severe Law requiring Perfect Personal and Perpetual Obedience in Thought Word and Deed and Threatning Death for every offence I have proved already this Law is excluded or 2. As a Remedy for all Transgressions and Failures against that exact Law for the Parallel of a Remedy as to some offences Acts 13.39 is excepted and this was the Law as fulfilled by Christ Jesus for us for he it was and his Obedience who was obedient to the Death that was represented by all these Ceremonies that were Tipifying Remedies under the Law he was the City of Refuge he was the Propitiating Sacrifice his Blood sprinkles both Book and People and only Purifies as to Conscience and this is the Gospel or Law of Faith by which we are justified and by which our Mouth is stopt as to all boasting we being no ways fulfillers of it For he alone did tread the Wine-press of the Fathers Wrath of all the People there was none with him he built the House and he ought to bear the Glory by one Sacrifice he hath for ever perfected them that are Sanctified They who plead for a Remedying Law to be obey'd by us ought to find Scriptures interpreting the Typical Remedying Law to represent it but they all Terminate and End in Christ and therefore the Law is remedial as satisfi'd or obey'd by him the Mediatorial Law is the Remedying Law Indeed the Quietists Interpret a Broken Heart and Contrite Spirit to be typifi'd by the Sacrifices because called Sacrifices that God will not despise but then they deny Christs Sacrifice for the Type must Point at one thing else it would be of an uncertain sound other things are by Allusion but nothing is more plain in all the Scripture than that he is the Antitype of all that Remedying Law The Armin. System by Limbourgh says The Dedication of our selves to God as living Sacrifices Rom. 12.1 Or Alms and Charity were represented by the Thanksgiving Offerings not the expiatory Sacrifices we must be Priests in a justifi'd State a fellow of the High-Priests before we can offer acceptably This was the Gospel and Law of Faith and differ'd from ours only as symbols from express Words a gradual difference in Clearness and Obscurity and rendred the promis'd Seed of the Woman bruis'd after the manner of an Expiatory Sacrifice the Object of the Old Testament Faith 5. The Evangelical Law and its Works are here comprehended under the Law of Works for the Distinction lies more in the Manner of Obedience and Acceptance of the Works than in the Preceptive or Sanctive Nature of the Law 1. The Works of all Men are excluded by the deeds of the Law there shall no Flesh be justified Rom. 3.20 The Expression seems to be borrowed from the 143d. Psalm v. 2. Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no Man living be justified They to whom Paul writes were Saints Rom. 1.7 Beloved of God called to be Saints Galat. 1.2 4. They were the Churches of Galatia in whose State Paul enrolls himself Ver. 4. Who gave himself for our Sins Abram is brought in here as an Example having his Works excluded from giving any Right to Justification and David who was a Man according to Gods own Heart is brought in as another Instance expecting Gods imputing Righteousness without Works And indeed the Apostles Arguments for Justification without Works would be of small Strength against any Man except Believers in Christ Galat. 2.21 If Righteousness câ—me by the Law then is Christ dead
The Goodness of God would not suffer our Justification to be sooner for he would not keep us out of Possession of what is our Right if as a just Judge he Justified us as a Merciful Governour he would Treat us as such and let us have the Common Priviledge of Free Subjects which is his Spirit Not the later for his Justice could not give to a condemned Criminal without the Imputation of Mediatorial Satisfaction the greatest of the Favours and best of the Blessings of his Kingdom but whatever Arguments proved the former Proposition proves this As for the Antinomian Notion of Justification from Eternity it seems more absurd than the Eternity of the World There is a Threefold Use this Doctrine affords of Tryal to the Doubtfull of Support to the Dejected and of Conviction to the Carnal secure Person As to the First Whatever doth prove the Sincerity of a mans Faith the Reality of his Regeneration may be to him a sure Index and Token of his Pardon since Regeneration it self is the Justificatory Sentence As to the Second Whether the dejection or despair of Mind arise from the greatness of Sin the Violence of Temptations the strength of Lust the multitude of Backslidings or long continuance in that comfortless State or from such speculative Doctrines as the Fewness of the Chosen and fixedness of the Number of them for whom Christ died yet this one thing may support the Soul and fill it with the Joy of a pardon'd Criminal that if there be the least dram of Grace though small as a Mustard-seed Mat. 17.20 thy State is secur'd whatever come of others or however uneasie our present Condition be For the Third It is a vain thing for that man to live in Hopes and trust in Gods Mercy and Christs Satisfaction without any inward Change in the Temper of his Mind for the Sentence of Justification is never pass'd upon him untill he be Regenerate Thus the Apostle argues Rom. 6. obviating that Objection If Grace be glorified in the Pardon of Sin let us continue in sin that Grace may abound He answers How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein He that is dead is justified from sin These two are inseparable a Justification from the Guilt of sin and a Mortication from the Power and Pollution of sin I come now to the other Term of the Proposition Works which I shall first Explain by several distinguishing Characters and then secondly come to the Proposition and shew in what sense the one is deny'd Of the other how far Works are excluded from Justification For the first 1. They are Good Works neither Jews nor Gentiles ever pretended that God would justifie us for bad Works that the same should be matter of Condemnation and Justification that what needs a Pardon should deserve a pardon 2. Not meerly Good in Mens Opinions the Pharisees thought their Works better than they were Luke 16.15 they did highly esteem what God did abominate and justified themselves for it for Paul might then and should have brought Arguments to prove they would be Condemn'd for their Works And 2ly would have Corrected their Error as Christ did Mat. 5. by shewing their Works were not good they came not up to the Extent and Spirituality of the Law 3. The Apostle argues against the Works of the Law Rom. 3.20 and the Law it self v. 27. and 4.13 not against a misinterpretation of the Law Christ calls that Mat. 5. said of old and said of them the Opinion and Tradition of Rabbins not the Law and Works of the Law It 's a sandy Foundation which some lay for their Comments Systems and Sermons that only the works here meant are Mosaical in the Pharisaical sense of them without one word of proof for it for then the fault or defect would be in the Law not in the Works by the Law for this Law say some of them had only Temporal Rewards and Punishments 3. All Humane Actions works in general not as Grotius only External Works Aristotle and his Followers distinguish between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Works and Actions But Divinity that has only the Morality of Actions for its formal Object cannot exclude Internal where all Morality lyes The External works of the Apostles are call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Acts as their famous and Sacred History is entituled and 1 Thes 1.3 Faith and Love are styl'd Works Besides we find Obedience Righteousness and Works of the same import through the Scripture and especially in this Epistle Rom. 6.16 of Obedience unto Righteousness and without Works and without a Man 's own Righteousness are of the same import 4. Good Works are the Fruits of the Spirit Ephâ—s 5.9 The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness rigbteousness and truth Galat. 5.22 5. Good Works are wrought by a Righteous Man Mat. 7.18 A good Tree cannot bring forth evil Fruit neither c. Ephes 2.10 The Apostle proves that we are saved not of Works because Good Works follow our being God's Workmanship 6. Good Works must be according to Divine Command for that is the Rule and Standard between Good and Bad as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 3.4 is the formal Nature of Sin so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the formal Nature of Good Works Deut. 4.2 Good Works are call'd Righteousness because according to the Law that is the measure of the Creators right to his Creatures and of the fellow Creatures to one another Hence we are always sent to the Law and to the Testimonies if not according to these there is neither Truth nor Goodness in them Johannes Agricola the Ring-leader of Antinomians is usually condemn'd amongst Divines and it s said was Converted by Luther from this Error That Repentance was taught by the Gospel and not by the Law for the Law is the Rule of all Obedience the Gospel is a Doctrine of Joy Luke 2.10 A word of Grace Acts 20.29 because it brings the tydings of pardon to guilty Persons The Law teaches Man's Righteousness but the Gospel teaches God's Righteousness Rom. 1.17.3.21 And hence our State being mixed of Law and Gospel no Works are truly good and acceptable to God by the Law alone Not from a defect in the Law but a defect in us that cannot fulfill it Hence 7. No work is good without Faith Heb. 11.6 Rom. 14. last There is some deformity in every action by reason of some defect or want of its Conformity to the Law And 8 Its action needs a Pardon as well as every Person and therefore are only acceptable in the Name of Christ Coloss 3.17 Whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus The doing in Faith and the doing in his Name are all One so 't is a Justifying Faith that 's needed to justifie every action and this Composition makes the Actions truly good and as acceptable to God as those that were no ways deficient
certain end if we take the Word Condition in its vulgar use for the whole stipulated part of the Bargain or Bond to be perform'd wholly by the restipulating party it s more apt to deceive vulgar People who have that Idaea of Condition to say its Conditional without Limitation than to say it 's not Conditional and do they think their Brethren have neither Power nor Skill to add Limitations to their not Conditional as well as they to their Conditional and fewer are Necessary viz. tho' Faith and Repentance are Gifts of Grace yet they are Duties and tho' the Lord calls effectually where he will and when yet our Consent is courted and wooed not forc'd we freely yield to the Spirits Conduct though our yielding is the Spirit 's Effect and Effects bear not the Name of Conditions The Sense then of the Apostle is this That no Works Ceremonial Moral with Faith or without it by the Spirit of Grace or Strength of Nature external or internal perfect or sincere no Works of any Law perform'd by us are either Merits Matter Form Legal Condition or Plea c. for our Justification before God they neither by Efficacy do Constitute it nor by Dignity deserve it What the Apostle has excluded without Limits we should The Arguments for the Truth of this follows next in the Text. So I come now to the second Part of the Verse which is the first Argument that proves we are not Justified by Works He hath whereof to glory but not before God The Argument is from the Topick of Impossibility or Absurdity the Matter is impossible and the Action is absurd that such a Worm as Man or any thing that is a Creature should boast or have ground of boasting before its Maker Much more absurd is it for this Creature becoming a Rebel and a Transgressor to boast of its Meritting a Pardon or rendring its Pardon a Justification If a Slave should break a Vessel of great worth and boast he could restore it or fatisfie for the Dammage when he is not his own it would be unbecoming but too mean a Type of this There are three things to be Treated in the Argument 1. The Form of it 2. The Truth of it 3. The Strength of it 1. The Form of the Argument is thus Maj. If Abraham were Justified by Works he has Matter of glorying Min. But Abraham has no Matter of glorying at least before God Concl. Ergo Abraham is not Justified by Works This is the general Interpretation of Protestants and some others Erasmus Vatablus Calvin Zegerus Beza Piscator Paraeus Dickson Hyperus Melancton Sclater Tuckney But there are Interpreters of great Number and Note that form the Argument in a contrary Method thus Maj. If Abraham were Justified by Works he would have no Matter of Glorying before God Min. But Abraham had Matter of Glorying before God viz. His Faith Concl. Therefore not Justified by Works Origen the first Interpreter says if Faith had not been a real Glory before God he would not have Imputed it to him in place of Works but there is no Reason to Impute this Error to Origen but his Popish Translator for we have no other Origen on this Epistle that I know Rufinus as we may read in his Preface to that Epistle p. 634. Basil They say there is so much of this work thy own that thou shouldst entitle it with thy own Name not Origens But tho' I have had an Herculean Labour in adding diminishing and altering yet I will not steal his Title that laid the Foundation but let the Reader ascribe the Merit of the Work to whom he will to him or to me I shall put both our Names in the Title They who form the Argument thus are of two kinds either 1. Those who differ both in Form of the Argument and in the Truth as the Papist Aquin. Sasbout Estius c. who say that Free-will affords a Man Matter of Glorying by it he has made himself differ from others Converted himself Prepared himself perform'd the Conditions of the Covenant May not a Work-man glory in his Work 2. Those who only differ in Grammar and Form as First The Fathers Chrys Faith thinks highly of God and so glorifies him Therefore he gloried not that he loved God but that God loved him Secondly Some Protestants as Bucer P. Mart. and also L. de Diu. His glorying before God was glorying in God 1 Cor. 1.31 He that glories let him glory in the Lord. Faith sends a Man out of himself to glory in God and in Christ I reject this Form of the Argument and embrace the former for these Arguments 1. The Propositions of the latter Argument are not in the Text but the contrary are the Text says not If Justified by Works he has no Matter of glorying but quite contrary He has Matter of glorying if justified by Works the Text says not He has Matter of glorying before God but Not before God so nothing of their Syllogism in the Text all the other is 2. Both the Propositions of their Argument are false The first is false That Works afford no Matter of glorying for Rom. 3.27 Glorying is not excluded by the Law of Works Eph. 2.9 If we were Sav'd by Works we would boast An Innocent Man has more Matter of Glorying in his Works that deserve a Justification than a Pardoned one whose Works deserve Damnation The Second is false That Abraham had any Matter of glorying for 1 Cor. 4.7 Who maketh thee to differ what hast thou that thou didst not receive if thou didst receive why dost thou glory 3. We find the same Apostle forming the Argument according to the first Eph. 2.9 We are not Sav'd by Works that we may not glory v. 10. 1. Because we are God's Work 2. Thorough Christ so a Relation there before 3. Good Works the End Ergo not the Mean Christ the Mean to our Good Works not Good Works the Mean of an Interest in him 4. From the following Argument v. 3. that Faith is imputed to Abraham for Righteousness proves no matter of glorying in Faith For 1. It is a Gift Eph. 2.8 Heb. 12.2 no glorying in a Gift 1 Cor. 4.7 2. Faith put for its Object or containing its Object makes glorying in God not before God 3. For the Exercise of Faith which is receiving trusting depending affords no more Matter of boasting before God than the Beggar 's glorying of his Receiving before his Benefactor and his Bounty 5. Those who do not Err as to the Matter commit a double Fault in the Grammar of the Words 1. To translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before God or with God in God or from God as we may see from Parallel places 2 Cor. 2.17 As of God in the sight of God speak we Rom. 5.1 Being justified by Faith we have peace with God 1 John 3.21 If our Hearts Condemn us not then have we Confidence towards God So that the Sense is to have Matter of glorying
in the Mind So as the Seed of Grace in a Regenerate Man is called the Divine Nature So this Flesh or Carnal Disposition it is our Corrupt Nature and it is called Flesh from its opposition to the Spirit for as Substances Flesh and Spirit are opposite in the Scripture so also Spiritual and Carnal Disposition untill a Man hath a higher principle he only can converse about Carnal things Carnal and Earthly things are equivalent they did partake of your Carnal things So Galat. 6.12 2 Cor. 5.16 Phil. 3.3 The strength of the Argument lies thus That since by our Birth and by our Natural Disposition we are Carnal therefore by our Birth and Natural Disposition we are liable to Wrath. By our Birth we are Flesh John 3.3 That which is born of the flesh is flesh and the Text says this Flesh renders us liable to Wrath. 2. We are liable to Wrath from all the successful Temptations of the Prince of the Air for all the results saith the Context are Disobedience Now Satan both can and doth act us before any acquired Custom or Habit and according to the Common Notions of the Soul there is no apparent repugnancy why his suggestions may not be thrown into the Soul and succeed too before we are born 3. Nature and Grace here are opposed as Comprehending the two entire States of Man by Nature you are the Children of Wrath but by Grace you are saved So Nature comprehends the whole of a Mans Life before Grace else he may be sav'd without Grace except Nature were taken in this sense his Argument would be in two considerable Points defectible 1. In shewing as to Eternal Concerns that by Birth and Nature the Jews and Gentiles condition were alike as well as by Conversation 2. In depressing the Jews false grounded Pride who reckon'd all the Seed of Abraham in a sinless Condition untill adult Gal. 2.15 Is it supposable that when the former is so true and the latter so dangerously false and both the Apostles design in the very place that there should be nothing in his Argument to signifie them or that when no word more proper than this word Nature could be thought on that that word should be us'd in a most improper sense I might add four more to enforce this 1. Authority Austin and Prosper did interpret this Text of Original Sin 2. Etymology the word Children is changed it is not the same that in the second is called Children of Disobedience but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies our Birth 3. The other Texts of Scripture Psal 5. and Job I was conceived in Sin and born in Iniquity Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean 4. Matter of Fact Infants dye suffer Miseries Pains that are the Effects of Wrath in Scripture Language if they were not lyable to them how should they generally and frequently suffer them 2ly We are personally guilty To prove that all Men are guilty is because the Scripture describing the Heraldry of our Sinfulness doth not derive it from our Actions but derives the Evil of our Actions from our Persons We are Corrupt trees and therefore bring forth Corrupt fruit That which cometh out of a man defiles a man and Satan like when he speaks a lye speaks his Own John 8 44. If God from a Man's Birth do determine his Will and so sanctifie him it may stop this Course but being left to himself he cannot but sin for Nature will follow its own Course For the Wicked drink in Iniquity as the fish do the water they go astray from the Womb speaking lyes and being left to himself as soon brings shame as Wise Solomon observes Mat. 12.3 4. being evil ye cannot speak good An evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things Tit. 1.15 Vnto them that are defil'd every thing is impure Prov. 21.4.27 the plowing and praying of the Wicked are Sins Hag. 2.12 they defile whatever they touch the dead Carkass and other defiling things under the Law did typifie them The Nature of God is the Rule of ours antecedently to his Will being the Rule of our Actions and the want of Conformity to the Rule is a Sin and where the want of his Image is there is the want of a Likeness or Conformity to him this may be called a Personal Guilt antecedent to our Guilt by Actions and is a Confirmation of the former and much of the same Nature with it 3dly We are universally Guilty This is the Apostles great and demonstrative Argument to prove that we are not justified by Works 1. He supposes Salvation possible attainable 2. That a Righteousness was necessary to it for the Judge could not be just in justifying the Unjust 3. This Righteousness must be inherent or imputed a Righteousness to be believ'd or a Righteousness to be done by us a Righteousness by Works or Faith by our own Righteousness or anothers by a proper Righteousness or Vicarious what Soveraign Authority in Justice might accept in its room the former is by the Law the latter is by the Gospel the former is that the Apostle rejects with most industrious pains and strenuous proof For it 's a disjunction that admits of no Medium if guilty by the Law only sav'd by the Gospel 4. He proves that we are universally guilty as to the Law 1. The Gentiles are from Chap. 1.18 to Chap. 2.17 Because they knew God but did not glorifie him they detain'd the truth in unrighteousness they condemn'd in others what they did themselves their Conscience accus'd them for transgressing the Law wrote on their minds 2. He proves the Jews guilty and that in measure above the Gentiles from Ch. 2.17 to Ch. 3. From their having more Knowledge and worse Lives by which they made the Gentiles blaspheme their Religion and the Author of it 2. By doing the same things or things of like Nature they taught from the Law of God was not to be done After the obviating of an Objection against that Argument from Ch. 3. to v. 9. he there begins a New Argument to prove all guilty to v. 20. by the Authority of the Old Testament the Jews and Christians only owns the strength of the Argument but it 's Conclusive Universality doth not only prove the Jews are guilty but all v. 9. both Jews and Gentiles v. 10. None righteous no not one v. 19. All the World guilty before God The Citations are so interwoven as to guard against all Exceptions Negatively None righteous Positively All gone out of the way Subjectively understanding none understandeth Will none seeketh after God Words v. 13.14 Their throat is an open Sepulchre c. Works v. 15. Their feet are swift to shed blood Objectively against Men v. 16. Destruction and misery are in their ways Against God viz. There is no fear of God before their eyes Which may sufficiently discover the unreasonableness of their Opinions who to limit this Guilt and make some room for Works in
gratefull or ungratefull to our Taste according to the Disposition of our Palat. Our Will is our Spiritual Appetite and according to its Natural Disposition its Sympathy or Antipathy arises We are a Generation of Vipers there is Poyson in our Constitution and being evil we cannot speak good Mat. 7.18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit This Indisposition is granted both by Arminians and their Antagonists but the Dispute between them is Whether 't is a Sin or no. The Divine Nature in Holiness Righteousness and Knowledge is as much the Measure and the Rule of the Disposition of the Mind of Man as the Divine Law which is the Copy of that Holy Nature is the Rule and Measure of Mans Actions and therefore since Sin is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Want of Conformity to the Law there is a sinfulness in our very Natures though undoubtedly it wants much of the Sinfulness and Guilt that our actual Transgressions have the one is our Misery and our Grief the other is Matter of our Repentance and Amendment It seems to receive a Diminution in that 5th of Romans that they have not sinned after the similitude of Adam The Scripture elsewhere aggravating the Sins of Adult Persons says They have Transgressed like Men but the Original hath it like Adam This Moral Impotency is as unconquerable as Natural Antipathies Mark 10.25 It is easier for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle than for a rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of God The Text represents a Penetration of Dimensions which is beyond a Miracle to be easier than for an Unregenerate Man to mortifie his Earthly Inclinations Transubstantiation is easier to be Believed than that a Man can Convert himself when he will tho' receiving all External Helps for in this young Man here was a good Natural Disposition Jesus loved him here was a good Education All these have I observed from my Youth here was an excellent Preacher Jesus Christ himself here was a Carefull Attention for he went away grieved at the Proposal of the Choice Christ offered him Treasure in Heaven for parting with Treasure on Earth but that he could not do Lastly Because the Scripture asserts that we are made Willing by Divine Power John 6.44 No Man can come to me except the Father draw him Psal 110. Thy People shall be willing in the Day of thy Power 1 Thes 1.5 Our Gospel came not to you in Word only but also in power Secondly There is a Natural Impotency as well as a Moral 1. Because this Impotency is in our Natural Constitutions Psal 51.5 I was shapen in Iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me Neither the Grammar nor Sense gathered from the Context will allow David to be bemoaning here his Parents Transgression for that could not make up a part of his Repentance and here David doth oppose it unto that Truth that God desired in the hidden and inward Parts of Man Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean If the First fruit be Holy so is the Lump if the Root be Holy so are the Branches We are by Nature the Children of Wrath read Mat. 7.18 and 12.34 Since this Averseness is born with us Universal to all I think it may be call'd Natural tho' in the Will so the Moral Impotency is Natural 2. The more Moral Impotency that a Man is under the more Guilty he is But there is an Impotency in Man to good that in some part tho' not wholly doth excuse Guilt as the Infants in Nineve It is said All dye because all have sinned but none can be so Uncharitable towards Poor Infants whose Impotency is greater than the Adult's to think that therefore they are more guilty Rom. 5. 3. The Invincibleness and Unconquerableness of this Impotency being represented under such an utter Impossibility doth manifest a Defect in all the other Powers as well as the Will as impossible as for a great Camel to go thorough the Eye of a Needle it requires as great a Power as Creation and the Resurrection of one from the Dead doth Eph. 1.19 it requires the exceeding greatness of his Power the Energy of his mighty Power If all the other Faculties were fitted for their Office especially the Understanding it might and would sway the Will since the Will follows its Conduct as is prov'd before for the Gospel proposes such Objects with such a Certainty that would surely Captivate and Conquer the Will if there were no Defect in discerning it and Paul the Apostle complains of the Defect of other Powers To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not Christ blames the Disciples for the Weakness of the Flesh when the Spirit was willing Suppose our Wills intire our Animal Spirits would not serve us to Obey the Law of Innocency and this Incapacity is from our sin so a Man is as Guilty by this Impotence as in Omissions of Duty thorough Drunkenness and I cannot think but a Man is Guilty of Blood that Kills his Neighbour in Drink or doth not deliver him sinking in the Water because his Drunkenness has made him uncapable the Impotence is voluntarily Contracted Gal. 5.17 The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit so that ye cannot do the things that ye would Was there no Sin in the Impotence since they were willing 4. The Understanding is a distinct Power from the Will and antecedent in Manner of working and there is an Impotency ascrib'd to it 1 Cor. 2.14 The Natural Man cannot know spiritual things The Contrivance of our Salvation which is the Effect and Glory of Divine Wisdom appear'd to the Grecian Philosophers seriously Studying the Case a ridiculous Dream of a weak Brain Act. 17.19 The Epicureans and Stoick Philosophers tho' they heard him again and again and tho' his Speech was Divine yet the Conclusion was Laughter and Mockery Resurrection of the Dead was a strange and incredible Doctrine to Pagans Heaven and Hell a Day of Judgment and Destruction of this World were Chimera's and Fancies Caecil the Philosopher thus O wonderful Foolishness and incredible Boldness they Contemn present Torments and yet fear future Pains they fear not Death but fear to dye after Death their Fear is foolish and their Hope fallacious of Comfort at the revival from Death for they are not Contented with the furious Opinion of the Dissolution of the World threatning the very Stars with Fire but they tell old Fables of a Birth after Death from the Cinders and Ashes Epictetus said the Galileans were Melancholly Persons who willingly chose Death from Hopes of good things afterward Christianity appears as foolish to Politicians the spiritual Kingdom of Christ is to them a Castle in the Air When Pilat John 18. heard that Christ's Kingdom was not in this World he thought it was not worth his Attention some imaginary Business Nor had the Vulgar
this be if we consider how many things of far greater Moment and worse Influence this is a foundation to in each of us since in Ephes 2.2 to follow the fashion of the World is a certain sign of a Child of Disobedience I come now to the Last thing in the Verse the strength of the Argument or necessary Connexion between Justification by Works and Glorying what is just ground for the one is just ground for the other also they have a reciprocal Relation Ch. 3.27 28. if no matter of Glorying not justifieed by Works in this Verse not justified by Works because no Matter of Glorying The Reasons of the Connexion are 1. The Sameness and Identity of the Matter the difference between Praising and Justifying lyes only in Circumstances the one is before a Populacy the other is in a Court of Authority the one is a Panegyrick the other a Juridical Transaction the one supposes an Accusation or Suspicion the other not they differ as Comfort and Joy Repentance and Obedience they are of the same Intrinsical Nature Comfort and Joy are the same motion of Blood and Spirits the same Temper of Mind the Acts of Obedience and Repentance are Works of the same Law only the one supposes the Course of Obedience interrupted it 's a repeated or renew'd Obedience after Transgression as Comfort renew'd Joy after Sorrow Justification is a Vindication of Honour and Credit by Authority after some Cloud on it it is renew'd Praise or Glory Among Men there is usually another difference in degree Men are prais'd for Heroick Acts Acts of great advantage to Learning Religion or Countrey but justify'd for obeying Orders doing no Evil or Injury to them But this has no place with God for we are unprofitable Servants at best 2. Humility is the Test of all true Doctrine and therefore a proper Test for this Doctrine of Justification Whatever Doctrine tends to the debasing of a Sinner and humbling of a Creature is sound Doctrine To walk humbly with our God is the summ of our Religion and Rom. 10.3 their going about to establish their own Righteousness is called the want of Submission to God The humble Publican went home justified while the proud Pharisee standing upon his Personal Differences was rejected of God Luke 18.14 The Papists thô in Dispute with Protestants do seem to deny a Glorying to their Works yet Necessary Connexion makes the contrary Conclusion appear in their own Writings against their Will Bell. lib. 5. Ch. 3. De Just says Because it is more honourable to have somewhat of Merit than of Grace alone therefore God that he might the more Honour his Children has done this for them that they might prepare Eternal Life to themselves by their own Merits and yet more proudly Ruard Tap. in Art Lev. God forbid that the Righteous should expect Life Eternal as a poor Man doth Alms for its much more Glorious for them to possess Heaven as Victors and Triumphers do a Palm of Glory due to their own Sweats But the Scripture teaches us Psalm 115.1 to say Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give Glory for thy Mercy and for thy Truths sake Rom. 3.19 Every mouth must be stopt before God for we have not one word to say in our own defence 3. God doth never deny Man his due Humility is the true Sentiment or Value of a Man 's own self in his own Mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are only required not to think of our selves above what 's meet or not to think of our selves more highly than we ought Rom. 12.3 yea 't is added positively that we may think of our selves soberly according to the measure of Faith God has given us And because Scripture is a true Rule to our Judgment we are bid to think not above what 's written If therefore we had any Works to be justified by or any Ground to plead from as of our selves our Glorying so far would not be a Sin God ascrib'd to Abraham Glorying before Men because his due 4. Glorying is a Species of Pride but Self-justifying is a Glorying We can never be justify'd thrô the Exercise of what is most abominable to God Luke 16.15 and 18.12 God resists the proud they are Sins of the same kind and suppose a Diabolical Temper of Mind 1 Tim. 3.6 and a Mind very ignorant of it's own Condition Job 42. he owns he had utter'd what he understood not since more acquainted with God his Judgment is alter'd Paul says thô he were so sinless as to know nothing by himself he durst not adventure a Tryal upon that score yet I am not thereby justify'd 5. To be Justify'd by Sincerity would afford us as much Glorying as Adam by Perfection because his strength proportion'd It 's as much Glory for a Child to do a little thing as a Man a greater that we have receiv'd the Grace thrô a Mediator doth not abate any Glorying Adam's was Free Gift this our Sureties and Brothers Purchase nor that ours subordinate to Christ's for it 's reckon'd the sole Condition of the Covenant of Grace that gives right to Christ's Merits Christ's Merits are no Conditions of that Covenant Works Faith and Repentance are not Lex Negotio addita but Negotium it self in it This is the sense of them who would bring in Evangelical Works as giving a right to Remission of Sin or Glory It 's true the Angels are justifi'd by their Works yet Rev. 5. they ascribe all Glory to God and our Lord Jesus Christ But that is the Glory of those Works they could not perform the Work of Redemption and saving of sinful Man but we do not find them denying themselves to the Glory of not Confederating with the false fallen Ones tho' they deriv'd the Grace by which they stood from God If our Sincerity were the proper Condition or Matter of our Justification Man might Glory of God's yielding to him and coming to lower Terms All own the Works of the Innocent deserves praise but if a Nocent and Guilty Person should bring forth Works worthy of a Justificacion he should deserve more praise than the Innocent because Works of an higher value necessary to it nay more praise than the Works of our Lord Jesus Christ far easier to be Mediator for another than themselves easier for an Innocent to Merit than a guilty Person to Merit Sinlesness was a necessary Qualification in the Mediator but if one sinful could Merit the more Worth must be in the Work Therefore suppose it be granted a Working Meriting Glorying under Christ it may be equal to Adam's for if he had stood as Angels it must have been by freely given Grace but this cannot be allow'd because a more low Humility is required of us than Adam by Repentance Sorrow Grief c. Therefore I add 6. There is no Kind of Works but affords some Matter of Glory in them Rom. 3.27 Where is boasting then it is excuded By what
Action to the Physician or the Medicine tho' he own them Author and Cause of the Cure Mr. Sclater is large on this Subject against Bellarm. Resp. 3. Such a Special Gift as the Spirit is the Grace of Faith and Repentance is supposes the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness tho' such Gifts as Men in Common receive viz. A Reprieve from Hell and outward Benefits may not yet such as Spiritual Life cannot be given without it A Prisoner for Treason may have Conveniencies allow'd him and some Favours but Places of Trust cannot be bestow'd on him there is a necessary Connexion among all Spiritual Blessings in due order to be possess'd whereof Faith is the first and therefore the Argument is good from the first to the last if Faith Justification Adoption Eternal Life It is of Faith that it might be of Grace Thus Poieret argues It is not Consistent with our Soveraign Lord and Governour to forgive Impenitent Persons for that were to let them have all the Glory for by yielding he should lose his own Authority and it is as inconsistent to give the best of his Blessings to them to deal equally with Friends and Foes Rebels and Obedient Subjects but to give his Spirit is to give the richest Fruit of his Love How shall then Man be saved He Answers By providing a Mediator and granting to them an Interest in his Satisfaction therefore this Interest is first in order to be enjoyed Faith and Repentance are Fruits of his Death and inseparably united with the others The first Fountain is Mercy and Favour on the Mediators Account Pardon of our Sin follows Imputation of his Righteousness immediately therefore as soon as such Gifts are Pardon is Resp. 4. That Exercise of Faith needs a Pardon being imperfect and must first be accepted before it can render us acceptable It is common Doctrine That the Person must be justifi'd before the Actions The Tree must be good then the Fruits A Cause must be before the Effect so these two things prevents this Order the Posteriority and Pollutedness of our Actions Tho' Grace is pure as from the Spirit sinful Infirmity accompanies every Action of ours and so there must be an Interest in Christ antecedently for the Pardon of these Actions Resp. 5. This would make the Covenant of Grace a Covenant of Works for our Ability to obey was from God then as is mention'd Argument 5. before Obj. 2. That we may be justilled by Obedience to the Law of Faith without boasting Rom. 3.27 Resp 1. It is the Common sence of Interpreters that the word Law here is put in figuratively for Faith or the Doctrine of Faith because it comes in the room of the Law as Christ's Satisfaction is call'd a Righteousness because it comes in place of ours for suffering is a bearing of the Threatning of the Law and not properly Righteousness 2. Beside the Name of a Law being honourable in the Jews esteem and frequently in their Mouths as the Foundation of all their distinguishing Priviledges the Apostle in imitation of them calls Faith a Law 3. From the Likeness of Faith to a Law it being a powerful productive principle of Good Works On the same account we read of the Law of the Mind the Law of the Spirit of Life may be Faith is meant by both so we read of the Law of our Members which is Flesh or our fleshly Disposition Thâ—s Chrys and Theophil Ambros and Austin among the Fathers Expound it Among Modern Divines Philip. Melanct. Calvin Pet. Mart. Gr. Gom. Pisc Beza Willet Zaegerus Pareus who say Glorying is excluded by the Law of Faith because that is to be justified by anothers Righteousness to wit Christ's which Faith apprehends Wilson adds Faith is the hand by which we receive Christ's Righteousness it is the Gift received enriches not the stretching out of the hand the poor Leper may remain poor all his days tho' he stretch out his hand as long as he is able he may starve for want if nothing be given him The Gift and the Giver is to be Gloried in and not the extended Palm Sclater thus The Law of Faith is the Gospel Law and Christ's Righteousness is the Gospel Righteousness his fulfilling of the Law for us is our Gospel Righteousness So much for Authority But to come more particularly to the Text it being the Foundation of one of our Late Controversies I am willing to shew my self not unconcerned in Sions Afflictions and throw all the Water upon that Fire I can to extinguish the Heat not the Light that may be received from it The Text is thus The APPENDIX ROM III. 27. Where is Boasting then it is excluded by what Law of Works nay but by the Law of Faith ALL the valuable Translations agree with ours and all to the Original except the Vulgar Latin which adds Thy Where is Thy boasting then And the Ethiopick who read it thus Wherein shall ye Glory in what law shall ye work there is not another law but by Faith But these are of no value to oppose others The Syriack for excluded has Aethbatela useless in vain to no purpose the word is but once in the Old Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccl. 12.3 The grinders cease but often in the New Ver. 31. Is the Law made void It 's the same word there it 's an Emphatical Explication because Works afford a Ground for Glorying therefore if a Man be justified by the Law he would have Matter of boasting in it The Papists add thy because they think Glorying is only excluded from Works entirely our own the Fruit of our Free-will The sense of the Aethiopick seems to be that the Works of no Law will bring us to Glory but thro' Faith without Faith the Work of no Law is acceptable The Substance of the Text lyes in this Syllogism Major Sinful Man must be Justified in such a way as must exclude all Matter of Glorying The Minor is express'd by way of a Rhetorical Dialogism by which as Calvin says the Apostle insults over his Adversaries having demonstrated the Truth he thunders against Pride the Foundation of their Error Where is boasting then The Law of Faith not of Works does exclude boasting The Conclusion is in the 28th Verse That therefore a Man is justified by Faith without the Deeds of the Law the very same Argument that is in the Text I have been treating of And because of the Affinity or rather Identity with the former I shall the more amply discourse of it and to begin with the Major Proposition I may call it the Fifth Principle of the Apostles accurately connexed Discourse the first is That Salvation Forgiveness of Sin Justification is a possible thing it is vain to preach what is not attainable Despair plucks up the very Roots of Diligence Hope is the very Spring to Vertue The second is that there is no Justification without a Righteousness God cannot be just and justifie the unjust too that is an
John 1.1 Rom. 2.14 But it has received a newer and later Edition under Moses and yet a Newer under the Gospel by Christ and his Apostles and a Newer still when the Spirit writes a Clear and Regular Copy thereof from the Law upon the Hearts of Men which is called The engrafted Word 1 John 2.7 8. You may find the same Law called New and Old and it 's usual in Scripture to call that that is renewed New 2. The Gospel brings the Law under a New Authority The Reverend Mr. Baxter says well That ever since the Fall the very Law of Nature has been in the hand of Christ Psal 75.3 The Earth and all the Inhabitants thereof are dissolved I bear up the Pillars of it Selah All things had turned into a meer Chaos if he had not stept in to preserve an Order upon a New Bottom and there is no Order without a Law or Rule Ver. 31. of the Context it is said Faith that is the Gospel doth Establish the Law Christ could not be King or Governour of the World without a Law and his Law must reach as far as his Government is extended He could not Judge the World but by a Law Psal 93. 97. The Earth's Commanded to Rejoyce and the multitude of Isles to be Glad because such a Lord Reigns and from the 7th of the Acts 31 to 39. we may see 't was Christ that Delivered the Law upon Mount Sinai for he is said to be the God of Abraham and yet to be an Angel and more fully and particularly Mat. 5.17 he Delivers the same Law Mat. 28. Gospel-Ordinances are solely founded upon his Authority 1 Cor. 5. Church-Censures to be administred in his Name 3. The Gospel gives to the Law a New-Spring or Principles of Obedience Adam received Ability from God to obey but the Ability was due and it is now forfeited and lost We are created in Christ Jesus unto good Works The End of the Commandment is Charity out of a Pure Heart and of a good Conscience and Faith unfeigned Rom. 8.3 The Law of the Spirit of Life It is this Living Sprit that enables us to fulfill the Law I might add to this the Newness of Security it being by Promise Jer. 32.40 I will put my Fear into their Hearts that they shall not depart from me And the Newness of the Order the Promises stand here first and then the Precepts God puts his Law in our Hearts before we Obey 4. The Gospel gives to the Law New Ends This is a Common End with the former that it directs our Duty and acquaints us with the Nature of God but it doth not now stand as that which we are to be justified or Condemned by There is a Righteousness of Faith that now comes in Room of that Righteousness of the Law so as it hath lost that Old End it has gained some New Ones 1. To teach us the knowledge of Sin 2. What Christ has done for us And 3. What Need we have of him 4. What we have Received from him And 5. Fits and Prepares us to be Fellow-Companions of his and though it's Obedience doth not give Right to Heaven it serves for a certain Mark of the Right to Heaven Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have Right to the Tree of Life The Text says not that doing gives a Right but that all have a Right who do 5. The Law receives from the Gospel New Motives Ends and Motives differ as Future and Past Creation Provision and Providence were the Motives of our First Duty but now Christs Redeeming us and the Spirits Callng us are Great Motives to obey the Law We see Dilivery from the Bondage of Egypt was a Motive to the Isralites 6. There is a New Manner of Acceptance Acceptance was formerly Bottomed upon the Exact Conformity of our Rightousness to the Law but Now Faith is the Reason of Acceptance Without Faith 't is impossible to please God What soever is not of Faith is Sin All is to be done and accepted in the Name of Christ Works before were Accepted for their being a Fulfilling of a Law now they are for Christs Fulfilling the Law for us the Imperfection or Sinfulness of the Action is Pardoned on his Accompt 7. The Gospel Renders a New Measure of Law Obedience Acceptable not that the Law is Altered in its Perfection for Perfection in Faith is still required and Perfection in Patience Let Patience have its Perfect Work but the Work is made up between the Spirit and the Son the Defects in Measure Manner or Circumstances are Forgiven if it be the Sprits Work I may add here Repentance because Perpetuity was one of the Measures of former Obedience and Repentance Comprehends the whole Duty of the Law but it only Implies an Interruption that our Obedience has been for a considerable Time stopt it is to be wise after Folly and to be Obedient after Rebellion The Chief Circumstance it differs in from former Obedience is a leavihg off to do Ill so Repentance must be Obendience to the same Law was Broken 8. The Gospel adds many New Objects to the Duties of the Law By the Law we were to have no Gods for our God but one Now we are also to have No Mediator but one There is but one God and one Mediator between God and Men so that Commandment Thou shalt have no other Gods before me says also Thou shalt have no other Mediator The Apostle Paul says There are many called Gods and called Lords but to us there is but One God and One Lord. We are to love our Brethren by the Law of Nature but Now we are to sympathize with them from that Change that is made in Nature by Sin Bear ye one anothers burdens and so fulfill the Law of Christ The Angels have now new Objects of their Duty since the Fall for they serve the Mediator they protect and defend his Church We were to trust in a Righteousness of our Own for Life by the first Law but the Righteousness of another is a New Object the Gospel brings in 9. There are many positive Precepts added to the Law by the Gospel The Law of Nature is so large as to comprehend all Duty under this Axiom That we are to do whatsoever God enjoyns or reveals but beside it has subdivided Axioms in particular to which all Kind of Duties are specifically reducible The Fourth Command doth now as well require the Observation of the First day of the Week as it did formerly of the Seventh for the Injunction and the Blessing are both annexed to the Sabbath not the seventh and the Jews themselves reduce all the Sacred Time to it The Second Command doth Now comprehend all positive Ordinances under the Gospel Baptism Lords Supper Ministry Church Order and all other external Worship they are as justly reducible to that Command as Circumcision Sacrifices and Legal Washings were Mr. Baxter says acutely That
the Law of Nature is what a reasonable Nature observes to be due from that Relation that is between Men and God or Men and Men Mutatâ Naturâ mutatur Lex Naturae To Love our Enemies to be Charitable to the Poor to Repent of our Offences had been Paradoxical Duties to a sinless Man but now they are plain Duties of the Law of Nature 10. From these very Circumstances the Gospel brings a greater clearness and particularness to the Duties of the Law than the Law it self since the Fall The Blessed Trinity that great Mystery which is the adequate Object of our Worship is more manifested by the Gospel than ever the Law could have done the Example of Christ fulfilling all the Law before the Eyes of Men has not only cast an Honour but a lustre upon it as it never had before the formal Reasons of Duties were never so discovered as they are by the Gospel besides those Comments that in the Gospel he and his Apostles have made of it 11. The Gospel has yet a greater Influence upon the Law in removing of it's rigorous way of exacting Obedience of Fallen Man it has a Coercive Irritating and Condemning Power upon them First A Coercive because by the Terror of its Threatnings it Commands what Man abhorrs and when the poor Sinner obeys he doth it as a Brute for fear of blows 1 Tim. 1.9 The Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient c. The Quietists say that properly the Name of a Law arises from the Contention and War between Man's Inclinations and Duties but when the Law is Writ in our Minds and becomes our Delight it is a Gospel not a Law however when the Gospel brings in Light and Strength it becomes a very easie Yoke The Law of the Spirit encreases it's strength and the Law of the Members decay and dye We obey by a kind of perswasion God's Efficacy is so gentle upon the Soul Galat. 5.8 This perswasion cometh not of him that calleth you Secondly It has an irritative or Pollutive Power It 's an Old Proverb Nitimur in vetitum Our desire encreases by being forbid Sins taking occasion by the Commandment wrought in me all manner of Concupiscence for without the Law sin was dead Some think that Swearing Prophaning the Name of God and Adultery arises chiefly from this Natural Contradiction in us to the Nature of God if Persons thought them no Sins they would never so much delight in them Thirdly It has a Condemning Power 2 Cor. 3.9 it 's called a killing Letter The Gospel is a City of Refuge There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who has satisfied the Law for all interested in him This is a Newness altering the Law from what it was to Man sinful not sinless 12. The Law which of it self is the Spring of Terrors for the strength of Sin is the Law becomes a Handmaid to Consolation in and thrô the Gospel partly by its discovering to us that Christ has fulfilled the Law for us this is the Marrow of the Gospel and by it the Law of Works is turned into a Law of Faith Partly as it is an instrument to interest us into the Gospel partly as the Law fulfill'd or satisfy'd by Christ is seen by Faith By the Law we have the Knowledge of Sin James 1.24 That 's a Glass to see our selves in 2 Cor. 3.18 The Gospel is a Glass to see Christ in the more vile and horrible the Looks of the one appears the more aimiable appears the other The Law is a Judge Rom. 7.9 to kill the Man by Sentence and to revive Sin Man by Nature and Satan's deceitfulness is very secure and a great Self-flatterer but if the Spirit of the Gospel enliven the Law it makes a Man conclude all the Threatnings on himself and bring him under a Spirit of Bondage He cries I am accursed I possess the Sins of my Youth my Sin is ever before me I am undone So the Gospel Spirit takes the killing Letter of the Law and rouses him out of his Lethargy it makes a Man weary and heavy laden it makes People a People prepared for the Lord for then he begins to see what he thought Righteousness Guilt and what he thought Gain Loss 13. The Gospel Spirit makes a Bridle of the Law to restrain Sin The Wicked cry Let us cast off these Cords from our Neck but when the Spirit comes a little Child may lead them By this Law restraining Grace Works Men are perswaded to forbear Evil by the Lords Terrors what would become of either the Gospel or the Church if it were not for this Use of the Law Farther the Law is a Rule for directing Evangelized persons how to live and it is a Pattern from which the Spirit transcribes a Copy into the Heart of Man It is a Mean of Conversion The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul The Gospel is much honoured when the Saints walk orderly according to this Rule The Second Enquiry is about their Opinion whom the Apostle here opposes viz. What a Christianiz'd Pharisee is For Act. 15.5 such they were I do not say they were the only but the principal party he opposes how far their Faith and Profession reach'd and wherein that Error did consist is next to be considered We find they were of two Kinds Some that did oppose the Mosaical Law to the Gospel as the Unbelieving Pharisees Or the Natural Law as the Pagan Philosophers The one did overvalue Ceremony the other Morality We find the Apostle often disputing against both against the former Rom. 9.3 Philip. 3.1 Gal. 3.5 against the latter 1 Cor. 1.23 Coloss 2. Acts 17.19 The former Party did compose the Law with the Gospel Acts 15.5 Certain of the Pharisees who believed said it was needfull to Circumcise 'em Gal. 2.21 If righteousness be by the Law Christ dyed in vain this Argument would have been of little strength against the Pharisees who crucifi'd him and thought he dy'd a Malefactor but of great Influence against them who mixed Moses and Christ Law and Gospel and expected Salvation from their mutual Concurse The latter denyed the reality of Jesus his Satisfaction and Righteousness but these did deny the Fulness of it they would eak or add to it and except it were the Church of Thessalonica we find by Paul's Epistles that there was not any Church but what was molested and partly corrupted by this Error In the Epistles to Corinth the Apostle calls them false Apostles deceitful Workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ 2 Cor. 11.13 In the Epistle to the Galat. he calls it another Gospel by which they were Bewitched We find the Church of Ephesus is Forewarned of such Acts 20.30 And in the Book of the Revelation they are Charged of Falling from their First Love yet it is Doubtful whether that came by this Error or not For Christ Appoves of her Orthodoxy
saying She had tried them which said they were Apostles and found them liars she was molested with them not corrupted From the Third of Philippians we find that Church was corrupted by 'em for he calls such Teachers Dogs evil Workers the Concision and from his own Experience tells 'em he was once such an one that trusted in the Flesh but now solely in Christ and his Righteousness It is against both these Parties that the Apostle here disputes but principally against these latter sort as we may see by the state of the Question Ver. 28. Justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law His Disputes with the former were of another Kind viz. To convince the Gentiles that Christ was the and the only Mediator against the Jews that Jesus was the Promised Messias But here the Question is If we be justified by Faith mixt with the Deeds of the Law or without it And therefore we may conclude That whatever Truth the unconverted Pharisees held these Converts much more held and that they did not plead these Works of the Law intentionally to exclude Christ or his Righteousness whom they had embraced Partly from the Scripture and partly from their own Writings I find this Account of their Doctrine of the Law 1. They were very zealous and laborious in all External Worship they kept the Sabbath to a height of Superstition and their Prayers were very long Matt. 23.14 2. In Justice between Man and Man they were so exact as to tythe Mint Annise and Cummin 3. And tho Christ in every thing blames them for Hypocrisie yet he owns their Charity and Alms but their Hypocrisie was more in Practice than Profession For 4. In Mat. 22.37 they owned Love to God and their Neighbour with all their Heart Soul and Mind to be the first and great Commandment Which includes a 5th That Sincerity was in great value with them as Sephar Ikkarim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God has greatest respect to the Intention of the Heart as David says Create in me a clean Heart So the Lawyer Luk. 10.28 Sir thou hast answered right and St. Paul Act. 23.1 lived in all good Conscience 6. Their own Writings speak much of the Excellency and Vertue of Faith the Author of Nitzakon says He that believes not as he ought his Circumcision makes him not a Jew but he that believes as he ought he is a Jew And in Michlaz Jophi Abram said to be the Father of all Men that followed him in his Faith The Talmud says When Abram was Father of the Syrians only he was called Abram but when he shall be the Father of all the World he is called Abraham The former Nitzakon says Faith consists not in Circumcision but in the Heart And the Author of Sepher Ikkarim says Faith is the Cause of Blessedness and therefore of Life Eternal And again in the same 1 Lib. and 21 Chap. Abraham is praised for his Faith as the Scripture says Abraham believed God and 't was imputed to him for Righteousness And Mat. 23. they were accused by Christ for neglecting Judgment Mercy and Faith It was their practical Omission was reprehended not their Ignorance for these are called the weightier Matters of the Law Since they who did not own Christ speak so much of the Commendation of Faith in Gods Mercy for that was the Object of their Faith as we may see from Sepher Ikkarim on those words in Daniel 9.18 Not for our Righteousness but thy great Mercy The Mercies of the Blessed God are upon all his Creatures from pure Grace not Merit for which the Author further cites Job thus Whâ— hath given to me that it may be repayed Much more must we conceive â—hem to say of Faith and Faith in Christ who own Christ for their only propitiatory Sacrifice and Saviour and such were they against whom Paul disputes And tho the others believed not Jesus to be the Messias yet they believed the Messias to be the Redeemer from Death and Hell by the Merit of his Sufferings as may be seen at large in Raymundus Pugio Fidei Jos Voisin Theologia Judaica Porchet Galatinus Pseiferus and their own Midrashes on the Prophetical Texts of the Messias 7. They highly praise the Confâ—ssion of Sin their Writers on Isaiah 45.22 Vnto Me every Knee shall bow and every Tongue confess say That a four-â—old Confession is to be made to God A Confession with the Mouth a Conâ—ession in Works a Confession with the Heart and with all together and they call the 100 Psalm Mizmor Letodah a Psalm of Confession Bereshet Ketannah says They who overcome their Lusts and confess their Deeds are worthy of the Future Age but he that confesses not is Cursed as Cain who denyed and hid his Sin but Achan Josh 7.29 tho he was troubled in this World he was not in the other because he confessed his Sin From which they gathered a Necessity of particular Confession And in the Conclusion of Reschet Chocme All that dye let them Confess if they cannot let them say Let my Death be an Expiation of my Crimes They own we may see not only a Confession but joyn'd with Forsaking a Mortification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Original Lust that begins as they say in our first Formation 8. Repentance is a Duty of great Esteem Midrash Shirhâ—shirim 5. 2. Open to me my Sister my Love says thus Open to me one Crevice of Repentance and I will open the wide Gates of Glory to thee Psal 46.10 Be still and know that I am God that is Cease to do evil and let thy Repentance be but as the Twinkling of an Eye and thou shalt know me if Israel could but repent one day they would be immediately redeemed and the Son of David would come On Zach. 9.1 The Burden of the Word of the Lord in the Land of Hadrach It 's askt what 's Hadrach And answer'd It is the Messias who is to bring all the World to the Face of God by Repentance for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies who and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Way or to lead he leads by the Way of Repentance Others thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies sharp and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tender for the Lord is bitter to the Impenitent but tender and Mercifull to the Penitent The Talmud on Psal 25.8 Therefore will he teach sinners in the way that is the way of Repentance for poena peccatoris est poenitentia about which there is a hard Expression of theirs on the 14th of Hosea That they say In two things the Mercy of God exceeds man One is He will be pleased with Words so not Man Another is when All have offended he is reconciled with the Repentance of One. So that all Christs Sufferings by them are called Repentance Lam. 3.43 v. The Midrash Tillim says The Gates of Prayer are sometimes shut but the Gates of Repentance never Repentance is like the Sea that any at any time may go in to wash
Prayers are only heard in an acceptable time but Repentance at all times And on Psal 37.3 Trust in the Lord and do good it 's said There is no good in this World but Repentance Resset Cochme contains twenty two penitential Canons and concludes Let every one search himself every day that if he hath offended he may speedily repent and implore Gods Mercy with a contrite Heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Maimonides has wrote a Book of Repentance There are two Objections lye against the Doctrine of the Pharisies being of so comprehensive and Spiritual a Nature 1. Christs Sermons about them Mat. 5. 23. 2. Their own Writings as Maimonides of the Mishnah He that observes any one Precept it shall be well with him and his Days shall be Prolonged and he shall Possess the Earth That is saith Maimon by the Addition of this Work to his other Works his good Works over-weigh his evil and his Merits Proponderate his Demerits M. Smith in his Select Discourses observes these Defects in their Righteousness and their Notion of it 1. That the Law was meerly a Dead Letter without ' em 2. Their Free-will was a Self-sufficiency within 'em to be a Foundation of Merit 3. They might pick out particular Precepts for their Observation with Neglect of the others For tho' they have an Axiom that it is not Lawfull to Skip over Precepts yet they expounded it thus A Man is not to leave the Observation of one Precept to go and observe another yet they have another Canon Mizbatorah Mirba Hajim He that Multiplies the Law multiplies Life These things seem to Derogate from the Jewish Notion of their Works rendring it Partial External Constrained and Artificial but these following Considerations may help to reconcile the former Position with the Objections 1. Christ asserts of 'em Mat. 23. That their Opinion was better than their Practice Ver. 4. They bind heavy Burdens on Mens shoulders but they won't move 'em with one of their Fingers And on the 3d Ver. he seems to allow of their Doctrine What they bid you Observe that Observe and do but do not ye after their Works 2. They reckoned Sincerity the Measure of the Law or acceptable without Perfection therefore Christ tells the Young Man If thou wilt be Perfect one Perfectly Righteous They made a great Difference between Perfection and Sincerity these they called Beninim Middle-way Men that had Sincerity and should go to Eternal Life either by the Preponderation of their good Works or Repentance of their Evil hence Obadias de Bartanora says Whosoever shall Perform any one of the 613 Precepts of the Law without any worldly respect for Love of the Precept behold this man shall Merit thereby Everlasting Life And R. Minach Kekannat Know that the Life of Man in the Precepts is according to his Intention He who obeys the Commands otherwise than for themselves shall have no Reward but in this Life So they did not lay the weight of Imperfect Obedience on particular partial Obedience but on Sincerity More Proof of it may be seen before on the 5th Particular and in Maimonides his Explication of the Objection For 1. He says only Blessed in the Earth 2. Others must be added 3. Observ'd from Sincerity 3. The Jews make a great distinction between what the Law was in their time and what it should be in the days of the Messiah Rabbi Johannim who lived about Titus his time cited by the Midrash Shir Hashirim says The Week in which the Son of David shall come the Law shall return to his Newness and it shall be renewed to Israel as it is said in Jeremiah 31.31 A Law that they should not break because written in their Hearts Midrash Kohlet 11.8 Every Law which Man learns in this Life is Vanity except the Messias his Law And 2.1 The Reason is rendred Because men in this Age Learn and Forget in the other it shall be wrote in their Hearts And so their Gloss on Cant. 1.1 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his Mouth that is Write it in my Heart that I may never forget Teach me Ore proprio with his own Mouth Moses had a Stammering Tongue and Isaiah polluted Lips but the Messias is the Vnspotted Mouth of God his Kissing is the immediate Touching of our Heart as the Loadstone the Needle and our Kissing him is our Turning to him complying with his Voice Psal 2. Kiss ye the Son Aben Ezra well observes That Kissing there is oppos'd to Rebellion and Disobedience in the ver 1 2. he illustrates it with this Simile A King sent to destroy a City that rebell'd his Son intercedes and reconciles them the Citizens come with Submission and Gratitude to the King Go says the King Thank my Son that is says the Author Kiss him And on Cant. 8.1 O that thou wert as my Brother viz. Incarnate Cloath'd with Humanity that suck'd the Breasts of my Mother that is Bring forth the Law unto a nourishing Life and Vigour when I should find thee without see thee thus manifested in External Humanity and Internal Power I would kiss thee that is obey gratefully See more of this on ver 1. I conclude from it if they did expect such a spiritualiz'd Law in the days of the Messias they who had by the Power of his Spirit been made willing to embrace his Law would they disown such a Truth The Apostle says not Gal. 3.2 Receiv'd ye the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith 2 Cor. 11.4 If ye receive another Spirit or hear another Gospel So whatever constraint the Unbelieving Jews obey'd from the Believing obey'd from the Spirit nay even the Unbelievers own'd Divine Assistance Luk. 18.11 12. I thank thee c. Aug. He proudly said He was Righteous tho' he own'd God the giver of it Hear this O ye that are worse than Pharisees who say God made you Men but you your selves Righteous Greg. He rightly thank'd God for the good he had from him Stella there is a Triple Pride The first denies Gods Gift The second owns him but thorough Merit The third as this Pharisee glories in it He disputes against the abuse of the Law perform'd and obey'd by that Spirit they had receiv'd The Law is good if a Man use it lawfully So there is a great difference both between the Persons and the State of the Question from that in Math. 5. they were meer Pharisees here Christians too 2. The Question was about the Perfection and Extent of the Law here it is about its use and the Merit or Worth of its Obedience supposing the other Error rectifi'd which was more Practical than Speculative for according to Mat. 5.23 that Sacrifice will not be acceptable when we are at Enmity with our Brothers on Lev. 5.5 They say Sacrifice will not expiate without Confession and Repentance and according to ver 28. the Talm. says He that looks on a Woman with Intention is 〈◊〉
undertake all these Tribulations on this Condition that in my day thou shalt raise the Dead even all who have died from the first Adam until now and all those that shall be Created and shall save them c. The Conclusion I draw from this large Narrative is That no part of Evangelical Obedience is here wanting Faith and Repentance the influence of the Spirit Jesus a Lawgiver and Principal Meriter Sincerity an acceptable Measure c. And suppose them not all of a Mind yet Charity will ever make us conclude the Believers to be of the best Mind among them And the Error here oppos'd in this Church at Rome by the Apostle is the same that now in the Church of Rome is oppos'd by the Protestants 2 Thes 2.7 This was that wherein the Mystery of Iniquity did already Work the Doctrine of Merit was already begun and no other Error can be found to have such a fair appearance when the Apostle wrote to the Thessalonians the Church at Thessalonica was free of the Error and she of all the Churches only was and may be therefore the Mystery of it was reveal'd to them Mr. Squire of Shore-ditch says on this Epistle to the Thessalonians That the placing of Faith between Mercy and Merits is like the Infant between the two Mothers if divided it must be destroyed It s like the Pale Horse Death sits on it and Hell follows it is a damnable Assertion without peradventure and a Bellarmine after his long Dispute for Merits concludes that it is most safe to trust in Mercy alone And what way Rome had her first beginning by that way she is most likely to attempt her Restauration and by opposing Merit our first Reformation began which has this for its Glory it s a Restauration of Christianity to its Primitive Purity and while we preserve this Doctrine she will never corrupt or stain our Souls however she may prevail to oppress our Bodies But it is to be lamented that so many bearing the Name of Protestants are so deeply tinctur'd with this Doctrine of Opera Tincta Works Meriting because tinctur'd with Christs Merits The Third Enquiry shall be a more close Examination of the Extensiveness and Comprehensiveness of this Law of Wâ—rks that is excluded from being the Rule or Law of our Justification Because boasting would not be excluded from us by it if justified by it and on the most sincere Scrutiny I can make I find all Laws and all Works as perform'd by us are excluded the Arguments for Proof of it I shall reduce to these five Heads 1. The Nature of a Law in general is excluded 2. The Natural Law is 3. The Moral Law is 4. The Mosaical Law is And 5. The Evangelical and our Evangelical Obedience to it is excluded 1. The Nature of a Law in General is for every Law is a Law of Works and a Law of Works is excluded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Law signifies either in general Doctrine as Isa 2.3 Out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem Joh. 10.34 Is it not written in your Law I said ye are Gods That is no Precept See Joh. 15.25 Gal. 4.21 Or it is taken properly and then it signifies a Doctrine of Works hence Works and Law are reciprocal without Law Rom. 3.21 is the same with 4.6 without Works We are justified not only without the Law of Works but by a Righteousness without the Law Gal. 3.21 If there had been a Law given which could have given Life verily Righteousness should have been by the Law Works is no Distinctive Addition as Dr. Tuck of Cambtidge says but Explicative Rom. 2.13 The doers of the Law shall be justifi'd to do the Law and Works are the same in the Apostles style they are of so nigh kindred he adds it to tell us what he means by Righteousness of the Law viz. Works Commanded by and Conform to the Law the whole Constituent parts of the Description of a Law manifests this first its generical Nature it s a just Act of a Superiors Will. We call Statutes or Laws Acts of Parliament it s their Will what the Subject should do Psal 33.8 He commanded and it stood fast Psal 143. Teach me to do thy Will and in the Lords Prayer Thy Will be done 2. The Author of a Law is the most Supream Power Dominative Power as the Master over the Servant the Father Husband Tutor c. Juridical Power is not Judges are but Administrators Applyers of the Law to particular Cases and Persons they are Jussa Populi rogante Magistratu the Peoples Commands ratified by the Supream Magistrate It 's very diminutive English of Jussa when it 's called Votes that is only Wishes the old Saxon word is Lowe Consent because a Covenant between Prince and People is the Spring of Laws But why all this Authority The Command needs it it 's to Work hard Work is required and we need Awe to put us on hence Exod. 19. 20. God sets an Emblem of his Power and Authority before his Law 3. The Effects are 1. Obligation 2. Command and Prohibition 3. Punishment or Impunity by permission but all terminate in Works And tho' the Mediatorial Law which was the most severe Penal Law that ever was Sufferings being the great Duty yet the Fruit of it is called Work and Doing I come to do thy Will and to work the Work of his Father 4. The Subjects of the Law are by way of Eminency call'd Subjects Rom. 3.19 They that are under the Law are call'd so from its Energy and working Efficacy in them And therefore tho' only a rational Creature is a doer of a Law mov'd reasonably by Fear or Hope yet the Efficacy occasions Metaphors in mute Creatures Job 38. Hast thou commanded the Morning since thy Day and our Inclinations to Wickedness are call'd the Law of the Members and Rules of Art are call'd Laws Custom which is a Habit of working is call'd a Law 5. The Matter or Object is Work something to be done Th. A. A Law is a Rule directing our Acts what is to be done and what not And again It 's Divine Wisdom as directive of all our Acts and Motions Biel. It 's a sign of Right Reason dictating what we are obliged to do and what not 6. The Properties are Rom. 7.12 Holy Just and Good 1. Holy from the Matter it distinguishes between Holy Actions and the Vile ones 2. Just from the Manner not to give Laws where not Subjects or where they neither Protect nor can Punish The Law-giver must be able to Save or Destroy what he gives Laws to Jam. 4. therefore it 's ridiculous for Man to give Laws to a Spirit or Conscience in Matters religious and where he has Power he must distribute Burdens and Works by Proportion according to Ability to bring one part of a Nation under Penal Laws and another under Priviledges is not an equal distribution except
in Vain They who did not believe in Christ would grant all his Arguments viz. that Christ died in Vain with respect to that End of Redemption of Sinners under the Law Galat. 4.5 And not only Professors of Faith but real Saints being sanctified in Heart and Life as may be seen by the Apostles answer to that Objection Rom. 6.1 The Objection lies thus If Grace be glorified in pardoning of Sin and our own Works have no Interest in obtaining the Right of Pardon then our Works are useless but our Sin useful Let 's continue in Sin that Grace may abound and the like Rom. 3.5 If our Vnrighteousness commend the Righteousness of God how can God be Righteous in punishing man Had it been the Works of any one kind of Law that the Apostle had been here excluding the most proper Answer had been by Distinction of Laws and Righteousness viz. thô Ceremonial Works be excluded yet Moral Obedience is requisite or thô the Moral Law be excluded and its Works yet Evangelical Obedience is not exâ—luded But the Apostles answer is of another kind viz. How shall we that are dead to Sin live any longer therein and he that 's dead is justified from Sin The Strength of his Answer is founded on the necessâ—ry Connexion between Justification and Sanctification the Blâ—ssing of the one is the Badge of the other Bellarmine's Answer to this Argument savours neither of Honesty nor Subtlety viz. Saints do many things that are not Evangelical Obedience many of their Works have neither Faith as a Principle nor Gods Glory as their End but who did ever expect to be justified before God on the account of their Sins and Transgressions The very Pagans supplicate for the Pardon of such Crimes and here the Apostle is disputing against a Company of seduced Christians 2. Arg. As the Works of all Men are excluded so all kind of Works are excluded There is no Man can do any Works that can be ground of Right to Pardon or Glory We have Apostolical Testimony for this Ephes 2.9 Not of Works lest any Man should boast There are in that Text four Arguments excluding Works from our Salvation 1. An Opposite Principle Grace By Grace are we saved therefore not by Woâ—ks By Gods Gift not your Merit 2. The ill consequent that would follow our Works being exalted to such a Dignity vsz Boasting lest any Man should Boast A third is from the distorting of Divine Order in the Method of our Salvation by putting Works before the Promise We are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God had before ordained The Divine Order lies thus 1. A Pre-ordination unto Holiness 2. An Union with Christ as the great mean thrô whom its consistent wiâ—h a just God to bestow Blessings on Man 3. There is the Blessing it self our being new moulded by a New Creation for New Ends Lastly comes in the result of all good Works unto good Works Holiness is a Possession it 's a begun Heaven and the Right of Title must be before the Possession Fourthly The Reason is added why they might be occasion of Boasting because we are the Subjects of that Grace Should Boast for we are his workmanship that we should walk in them What is in us is ours as shall be prov'd which is directly contrary to what is asserted by the Adversaries that Works from Grace will not give occasion to Glory The like is asserted of the Text A Man is justified by Faith without the Deeds of the Law and Galat. 2.16 Knowing that a Man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ I cannot here pass Bellarmine's Exception to this last Text from the Vulgar Translation which renders it thus Nisi Except by the Faith of Jesus Christ so he would make the Sence run thus A Man is not justified by the Works of the Law except these Works flow from Faith so that Evangelical Works here have room in the Matter of Justification For the Refutation of which I shall rejoin these Considerations Nisi signifies sometimes But Cic. De re nihil judicare possum nisi mihi certè persuadeo te talem virum nihil temere facere Ter. Nescio nisi mihi Deos satis scio iratos fuisse The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which often in the New Testament must be translated but and signifies adversatively Matth. 26.42 If this Cup may not pass away from me except I drink it The Opposition is there Adversative And Matth 12.4 And did eat the Shew-bread which was not lawful for him to eat but only for the Priest John 5.19 The Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Synonymon of it and that is most frequently in the Septuagint and also in the New Testament put adversatively 4. The Syriack in this Text is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from it is the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all which signifies but so thô the Apostle wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he spoke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rather took 'em both in one Sence 5. These proves that it may be as properly translated but as except but Scripture Interpreting it self shews that it must be translated but and therefore our Translation is preferable to the Vulgar For 1. Other Texts in express Terms put Faith and Works Adversatively and not Conditionally and therefore if it contradict not it self must be so understood here Rom. 3.28 A Man is justified by Faith without the Deeds of the Law Without cannot signifie a Condition 2. The Text shews that the form of the Argument is Disjunctive thus A Man is either to be justified by the Works of the Law or by the Faith in Jesus Christ but a Man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ as we may see Thirdly In the Applicatory Conclusion 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 Any new Law must suppose an Abrogation of the old but that was impossible and thereâ—ore there was a necessity of Christs fulfilling it for us but he having fulfill'd it for us by a kind of Equity our imperfect Obedience is accepted for Duty but not for a Condition of Life which I shall enlarge on the second part of the Text. 3 Arg. As all Mens Works and all Works of all Men are excluded so all Law is requiring Works of us Galat. 3.21 If there had been a Law given which could have given Life verily Righteousness should have been by the Law But this has been spoken to under the third Head 4 All Evangelical Obedience being imperfect it can never be the Matter of our Justification for what needs a Pardon for it self cannot Merit a Pardon for another If it cannot stand the Test of the
Law it can never be Justified by the Law If it be accepted tho' imperfect upon the account of Christ the Person who performs it must first have an Interest in Christ for in him we are Created to good works It is on the account of this imperfection of Works in themselves and as to such an Office and End that the Prophet says in the Name of the Church Isaiah 64.6 We are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy raggs And so the Apostle Philip. 3.8 I count all things but dung that I may win Christ Bellarmine exclaims against Chamier and other Protestant Writers for calling Gospel Holiness Dung and Rags and therefore denies it to be comprehended in this Text of the Apostle but thinks it to be understood in the 9th Verse by that Expression The Righteousness which is of God by Faith But these Arguments move me to think otherwise 1. In the 6th Verse he particularized Pharisaical Righteousness Touching the Righteousness which is in the Law blameless but here in the 8th Verse he comprehends more than what he had before said I count all things but loss Now there can be nothing greater than Legal Righteousness but an Evangelical Righteousness as to that Concern and therefore the Evangelical must be comprehended under all if any thing more be which 2. Doth appear from the Constellation of particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the English cannot emphatically enough express yea doubtless without all peradventure or exception I count all these things named and all things else but loss c. 3. The change of the Tense of the Verb I counted V. 7. when I was first Converted and my Eyes were once opened I presently counted all my former Gains in Opinion Loss V. 8. I do count all things still Loss a known Christ is above all I have yet gain'd I can only persevere in my Opinion but among all my New Priviledges and Gifts since I was a Christian I count that the best 4. There is reason enough for calling our Sanctity dung 1. In comparison of Christ do count them but dung that I may win Christ How intolerable and unchristian-like is that Pride that thinks it too mean an Abasement put upon his own Sincerity too vile a Comparison to compare an Intâ—rest in our own Righteousness as an Interest in Dung in comparison of an Interest in Christ's and this Comparative Sense is the Apostle's Dung that I may win Christ and that Sense makes me conclude he particularly eyed his Evangelical Righteousness For Professors to whom he spake and wrote could be under no Temptation of placing any Righteousness else in the room of his Thorough what a Magnifying Glass must a Man see his good Purposes when not One of Ten executed his well intended Vows most basely broken thorough small Temptations his Prayers or Preachings Alms or Ordinances to think Dung too diminishing a Metaphor and therefore conclude the Apostle could not mean Gospel-Holiness Adam's Holiness was Dung in comparison of it Angels Holiness is Dung in comparison of it its Value was from the Divinity it was the Blood of God the Sufferings of Immanuel the Righteousness of God and who can measure the distance between the Creator and Creature the Angels for all the good Service they have done in and to the Church or their own spotless Holiness ascribe all Blessing Honour Glory and Power to him Rev. 5.12 13. all their Works could not merit Pardon for the least sin of the most sinless Saint There are two more respâ—cts in which our Gospel Holiness is Dung 1. For their Infirmity and Imperfection Christians are call'd Saints from begun Holiness in them which makes them differ from the World where none at all And the difference is great to be acted by the Holy Ghost in any measure and to have the Devil wholly ruling Lord and Master of his own House but it 's more than seven times a day the Saint falls in the Dung he is but a Babe 1 Cor. 3. Carnalness and Babes in Christ are consistent A 2d. Respect is as to this Use or place of being the Matter or Merit of our Justification Disorder is Dung Order is Beauty and Comliness and the want of it or what is contrary to it is ugly vile Silver and Gold is Dung as to feeding our Bodies it 's not suitable The Fruits of the Spirit are precious but in us Dung as to this End of Justification they are Dii stercorei tho' mâ—de oâ— Gold 5. V. 9. And be found in hiâ— is more applicable to a Political or Relative Interest than a Spiritual there is an equality from the very Phrase to be in him as a Political as well as Spiritual root to be in him as a Debtor in the Surety as well as a Branch in the Vine but there is a Superiority from the general Scope of the Words which all own to be spoken in relation to Justification and the parallel Language of Scripture doth manifest it Rom. 3.20 Therefore by the Deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified How like is it to this Phrase Not having my own righteousness which is of the Law So Rom. 3 22. Even the Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ How like is that to the latter part of the Verse But that which is through the Faith of Christ the righteousness of God through Faith Justification being a relative thing this being found in him is most probably of that Nature and Kind 6 His own Legal Righteousness which is here renounced comprehends his Evangelical Righteousness For 1. Evangelical Righteousness is a Man 's own Scripture allows the Expression Faith is God's Gift yet it is ours Rom. 1.8 Your Faith is spoken of Mat. 9.2 Jesus seeing their Faith V. 22. Thy Faith has made thee whole Hosea 14.8 From me is thy fruit found Though God is the Efficient or Author yet the denomination is from the Subject Prayers are ours but the Spirit of God is the Author 2 Cor. 8.8 To prove the sincecerity of your Love that Grace is God's Gift also Good Works are ours but God begins and perfects them Phil. 1.6 Eph. 1.15 After I heard of your Faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the Saints vid. Rev. 3.10 2. As Evangelical Righteousness is ours as well as Adam's innocent Righteousness or Sinners common Gifts for God is the Author of both so it is a Legal Righteousness for a Principle and a Rule are not opposite Faith's being the Principle renders it more legal or more conformed to the Law 3. The very Order of the words Being found in Christ is put before not having mine own righteousness which in order of Nature follows a renunciation of Pharisaical Legal Righteousness The first Husband to wit the Law must be dead before we be marryed to a second to wit Christ as it is expressed Rom. 7.1 2 3. 4. The Apostle's expressing of his own Experience and his daily
our Righteousness together by Apposition asserts both his Divinity and Office to bring in a Righteousness Other Jews also as the Talmud and Midrash Tillim So Dan. 9.24 To bring in Everlasting Righteousness it was brought in in the Time of the Humiliation of Christ but was Eternal as to its Efficacy as his Redemption is called Heb. 9.10 Having obtained Eternal Redemption and so is the Gospel called Everlasting and likewise in Isa 53.11 He shall justifie many for he shall bear their Iniquity And Psal 32. Blessed is he to whom the Lord will not impute Iniquity And as all the Prophets testifie this so the Law both Ceremonial and Judicial were Types of it I come to the third thing That Christ obey'd this Law for us I shall leave the Examination of both Extreams to a more proper place and only Confirm the Truth of it in a Scripture style from these four Arguments 1. The Metaphors 2. The Types representing it 3. The Particles signifying Legal Change of Places And 4. From the Assertions and Reasonings of Scripture For the First He is called a Mediator One God and one Mediator Satan was a Make-bate but Christ was Peace-maker a Mediator acts in the Room of both Persons at distance as a King and Prophet he Acts on Gods part as a Priest he Acts on our Part. Secondly He is an Advocate and Intercessor only for us it 's a Part of his Priestly Office 3. I shall omit what the Reverend Mr. Brinsley says That Christ was our Attorney and only a little explain the Title of a Surety Heb. 7. The great Questions are 1. What Covenant Christ was Surety in And 2. On which side he is The Socinians say He is Surety for God to us but both against the Text which makes Suretiship belong to his Priestly Office And 2ly Reason Would any believe a Man more than God But in which Covenant shall we believe him plac'd a Surety in the Mediatorial he is Party so not Surety but the being Party in that makes him Surety in ours The end of Security is to give ground of Trust when the one Party is not responsible or the other distrustful And I think in both but with a difference according to their Nature In the first by way of Satisfaction in the second by way of Caution The first is a Law the second a Testament he became a Sacrifice by the first and as a Testator made the second as to the first Mr. Rutherford says The Legal Bond wherein he put his Name made a five-fold Union between him and us 1. One Legal Object the Law equally obliges both 2. One Debt he restor'd what he took not away it became his Debt tho' of our Contracting 3. One Payment our Suffering is no Satisfaction the Law can pursue none united to Christ 4. One Acceptance by the Governour or Creditor 5. One Legal Effect what the one doth stands for both we rose in him and dy'd in him he takes our Legal Condition he was made under the Law and under that part we were under to wit the Curse and our Names are put in his discharge we share of his Reward He was made Sin for us that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him it is an Accessary Obligation when the Surety is subsequent and so doth not free us we are bound to obey still The manner of Payment was by Satisfaction The Socinians find fault with the Word but it is Scriptural Numb 30.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is there translated Satisfaction is the same that 's translated Ransome Attonement Lev. 16. and Numb 5.8 and the Greek answering it is appli'd to Christ Rom. 3.25 A Propitiation and Chap. 5.11 an Atonement for these are but different Respects expiating the Crime ransoming of the Offender and attoning or propitiating the Governour offended 2. In the Covenant of Grace he is Surety by way of Caution and Bail for performing of Conditions renewing our Obedience He became Hostage that we should lay down Arms and submit our selves if he would forgive us All that the Father giveth me shall come to me Joh. 6.37 We are by the Covenant of Grace bound to keep all the Moral Law and he is engaged before we go to Heaven we shall be perfect in it he doth not believe and repent for us but has engaged we shall the Condition is not to be perform'd before we be in Covenant but by the Covenant which Christ by his Spirit has brought us into we are bound to perform it But the Book overgrowing the design'd Bulk I shall come to the Fourth and last Head that this is a Law of Faith which I shall confirm from these six Arguments First From the Denomination Law of Faith that is a Law of Faith that is the Object of our Faith the Phrase is usual Rom. 10.8 The Word of Faith which we Preach Gal. 3.2 The hearing of Faith And Rom. 4.13 The Righteousness of Faith and 1.17 Therein is the Righteousness of God reveal'd from Faith to Faith That is says Sir M. Knat in his Critical Observations the Righteousness that we are interested in by Faith is reveal'd to our Faith that we may believe it and be interested in it and there is great Reason for this Title for the Mediatorial Law is not known by the Light of Nature or Reason but only by the Light of Faith Gal. 3.12 The Law is not of Faith it 's founded in Natural Light but this Law is not it is of Faith 2. If the Righteousness we are justifi'd by be the Righteousness of Faith then the Law of that Righteousness is the Righteousness of Faith but the Mediatorial Righteousness is granted to be so 3. If the Gospel be the Narration of all Christ did for us in himself by his Spirit or Apostles all with the offer of it to us and all this is call'd Faith being the Object of it Gal. 3.23 Before Faith came we were under the Law then justly the Law by which he was regulated in all that Affair was the Law of Faith 4. Since that Law is â—o otherwise to us a Law but to our Faith not to our Works what we should do the Mediatorial Office is too great Work for us but it is a Measure to our Faith we may and ought to believe that Christ did as much for us as that Law requir'd and there are as great things provided and prepared for us as the Promises annex'd to that Law did contain 5. It is a most Pathetical distinguishing Character for all others requir'd Works of Man Secondly It is very agreeable in Matter tho' not in Words to the Interpretation of the Text by Protestant Commentators who say that Law is taken largely for Doctrine and not without Reason for the Jews call all Divine Doctrine Law Hence are these Titles of their Theology Legal Science Doctrine of the Law the Divine Law and Medrilta that is according to Hottinger a Comment on Exodus about two hundred
Law may meet with external Changes in its Administration either by Dispensation when positive only as the Ceremonial or an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abatement of the Rigor in Words but the Law the same that suffers the change 3. The Law may suffer some Change in particular Precepts which are its Integral Parts A Man is the same Man still thô he lose his Thumb Collective Bodies are capable of Increase or Decrease so Jus Collectum of Derogation Surrogation or Erogation but Abrogation or Obrogation alters the Essence and until the Moral Law is Abrogate we cannot expect one specifically distinct from it But the Opposition is perspicuous thus A Law that requires your Works a Law to be obey'd by you and a Law that requires your Faith a Law fulfill'd by another for you which you ought to believe and it thus Answers the Argument we are justified by most perfect Obedience but we perform'd it not it was Christ Fourthly It is manifest from the Context and Harmony of the Apostles Discourse he had all along join'd the Laws and the Works together which he excluded from Justification First The pure Natural Law among the Gentiles Secondly The manifold Mosaical now he tells us of a Righteousness and a Law that we may and must be justified by if at all is it reasonable or possible to separate these two Ver. 21 22. But now the Righteousness of God is manifested Even the Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ If the one be the Righteousness of Christ the Mediator surely the other is the Law of it shall we separate the Righteousness of Faith and the Law of Faith The Text would not be a good Conclusion from what precedes without this that which he had prov'd was there is no Justification by the Deeds of the Law but only by the Righteousness of God Well says he if the Case be so Where is your Boasting it is excluded He draws his Conclusion Triumphing over them How By the Law of Faith You are justifi'd by the Righteousness of God you are justifi'd in a way that excludes Boasting the Law of Faith excludes Boasting and the Righteousness of God justifies you do not then these two Coincide the one as the Work the other as the Command if it were another Law requiring a new kind of Obedience and Righteousness distinct from what he had spoken of he had drawn a Conclusion without any Premises There are two things should have been enlarged on First To prove that this Righteousness is the Righteousness of Christ as Mediator The Second Whether or not this Law of Faith referrs to the Righteousness as the Rule of it or the Faith by which it is applied Both which I must deferr to some proper Verses in the fourth Chapter only at present as to the first that 2 Pet. 1.1 may perswade any unprejudic'd Person Thorough the Rsghteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ As to the second our Confession of Faith says We are not justifi'd by Faith or that is not imputed to us it self as an Act nor any other Evangelical Obedience But this is to be treated in ver 3. Fifthly This Law is a Law we can be justifi'd by and it is before prov'd that we cannot be by any Law requiring Obedience of us Sixthly The difficulties that attend the Explication of it by Socinians Arminians aliis melioris notae who say this Law is the Law of Christ the Mediator not as made under it but as a Law-giver requiring Faith and Repentance of us as the Condition of an Interest in his Merits and Justification by them I say the difficulties that attend it render it the less credible 1. This Gospel-law or Law of Faith must be a perfect Law requiring Faith in Perfection Repentance in Perfection and so other Evangelical Obedience Mr. Bull in his Examination who is Zealous for this New Law and who as Mr. Pitcarn one of his many Adversaries says is of the greatest Acumen of the kind he not only owns it but proves it from Christs own Words Mat. 5.48 when he was Promulgating his Law Be ye perfect as my Father in Heaven is perfect 2 Pet. 3.18 Grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ On which he thus Acutely Comments The Commands of growth have no Bounds nor Limits until we come to the Unity of the Faith and the Knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the Measure of the Stature of the fulness of Christ and it is a certain Truth that there is no Duty in the Gospel wherein Gods Law only requires sincere and not perfect Obedience Patience should have its perfect Work and that 's a special part of Evangelical Obedience Either the Gospel Law or Law of Faith must require Perfection of Obedience in these Duties or some other Divine Law else God would become an Indulger of Sin by Law if it be by another Law viz. the Moral that he requires perfect Obedience and by this sincere only then these two Laws differ but in Degree not in Specie or Kind because both require the same Duties or Works and so this Gospel Law would be no Distinct Law but only the Measure of sincere Obedience would receive a new use which we own it has to wit to be an Index and Mark of our Justification tho' we cannot own that use of its giving Right but to proceed a distinct Law they must hold or quit their Cause or this Foundation of it for the Text sets the Law of Faith down as an opposite Law to that of Works and that they hold 1. Then if it be a perfect Law requiring perfect Obedience there is no possibility of Justification in this Life Poppius the Arminian grants the Conclusion that our Obedience must be consummate before our Assurance and others distinguish between a Compleat and Partial Justification the former is not they say until the day of Judgment But this is not all the difficulty for it 's the adding a Load to a Burden Is this Gospel to a Man that is unable to perform the least part of the Moral Law to tell him that God or the Mediator requires perfect Obedience to it for the Future and another too Or is this Gospel to say you shall perish Aeternally and have the Fire of Hell seven times heated if you obey not this Gospel It s indeed a Conditional Hell but it 's more dreadful than the Law-Hell and the Condition is more impossible because we have less Power to shun this difficulty of two perfect Laws Mr. Bull owns no other perfect Law but this Gospel-Law since Man fell but by shunning one difficulty he falls into two as great 1. Then the Moral Law is abrogated beside the falsness of the Doctrine it self for it is impossible that should cease to be our Duty to love God with all our Heart and Soul what Advantage brings Christs Death To abrogate one perfct Law and