ever Wherefore it is only thus far broke as a Covenant that all Mankind having sinned against the Commands of it and so by Guilt with the Impotency unto Obedience which ensued thereon defeated themselves of any Interest in its Promise and possibility of attaining any such interest they cannot have any Benefit by it But as unto its power to oblige all mankind unto Obedience and the unchangeable Truth of its Promises and Threatnings it abideth the same as it was from the Beginning 2 ly Take away this Law and there is left no standard of Righteousness unto mankind no certain boundaries of Good and Evil but those pillars whereon God hath fixed the Earth are left to move and flote up and down like the Isle of Delos in the Sea Some say the Rule of Good and Evil unto men is not this Law in its original constitution but the Light of Nature and the Dictates of Reason If they mean that Light which was primogenial and concreated with our natures and those Dictates of Right and Wrong which Reason originally suggested and approved they only say in other words that this Law is still the unalterable Rule of Obedience unto all mankind But if they intend the remaining Light of Nature that continues in every individual in this depraved state thereof and that under such additional Depravations as Traditions Customs Prejudices and Lusts of all sorts have affixed unto the most there is nothing more irrational and it is that which is charged with no less inconvenience than that it leaves no certain Boundaries of Good and Evil. That which is Good unto one will on this Ground be in its own nature evil unto another and so on the contrary and all the Idolaters that ever were in the World might on this pretence be excused 3 ly Conscience bears witness hereunto There is no Good nor Evil required or forbidden by this Law that upon the Discovery of it any man in the World can perswade or bribe his Conscience not to comply with it in Judgment as unto his concernment therein It will accuse and excuse condemn and free him according to the sentence of this Law let him do what he can to the contrary In brief it is acknowledged that God by virtue of his supream Dominion over all may in some Instances change the nature and order of things so as the Precepts of the Divine Law shall not in them operate in their ordinary efficacy So was it in the case of his command unto Abraham to slay his Son and unto the Israelites to rob the Aegyptians But on a supposition of the continuance of that order of things which this Law is the preservative of such is the intrinsick nature of the Good and Evil commanded and forbidden therein that it is not the subject of divine Dispensation as even the School-men generally grant 10. From what we have discoursed two things do unavoidably ensue 1. That whereas all mankind have by sin fallen under the Penalty threatned unto the Transgression of this Law and suffering of this Penalty which is Eternal Death being inconsistent with Acceptance before God or the enjoyment of Blessedness it is utterly impossible that any one individual person of the posterity of Adam should be justified in the sight of God accepted with him or blessed by him unless this Penalty be answered undergone and suffered by them or for them the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 herein is not to be abolished but established 2. That unto the same End of Acceptation with God Justification before him and Blessedness from him the Righteousness of this Eternal Law must be fulfilled in us in such a way as that in the Judgment of God which is according unto Truth we may be esteemed to have fulfilled it and be dealt with accordingly For upon a supposition of a failure herein the sanction of the Law is not Arbitrary so as that the Penalty may or may not be inflicted but necessary from the Righteousness of God as the supream Governour of all 11. About the first of these our Controversie is with the Socinians only who deny the satisfaction of Christ and any necessity thereof Concerning this I have treated elsewhere at large and expect not to see an Answer unto what I have disputed on that Subject As unto the latter of them we must enquire how we may be supposed to comply with the Rule and answer the Righteousness of this unalterable Law whose Authority we can no way be exempted from And that which we plead is that the Obedience and Righteousness of Christ imputed unto us His Obedience as the surety of the New Covenant granted unto us made ours by the gracious Constitution Soveraign Appointment and Donation of God is that whereon we are judged and esteemed to have answered the Righteousness of the Law By the Obedience of One many are made Righteous Rom. 5.19 That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8.4 And hence we argue If there be no other way whereby the Righteousness of the Law may be fulfilled in us without which we cannot be justified but must fall inevitably under the Penalty threatned unto the Transgression of it but only the Righteousness of Christ imputed unto us then is that the sole Righteousness whereby we are justified in the sight of God But the former is true and so therefore is the latter 12. On the supposition of this Law and its original obligation unto Obedience with its Sanction and Threatnings there can be but one of three ways whereby we may come to be justified before God who have sinned and are no way able in our selves to perform the Obedience for the future which it doth require And each of them have a respect unto a Soveraign Act of God with reference unto this Law The first is the Abrogation of it that it should no more oblige us either unto Obedience or Punishment This we have proved impossible and they will wofully deceive their own Souls who shall trust unto it The second is by transferring of its Obligation unto the End of Justification on a surety or common undertaker This is that which we plead for as the substance of the mystery of the Gospel considering the Person and Grace of this Undertakers or Surety And herein all things do tend unto the Exaltation of the Glory of God in all the holy properties of his nature with the fulfilling and establishing of the Law it self Math. 5.17 Rom. 3.31 chap. 8.4 chap. 10.3 4. The third way is by an Act of God towards the Law and another towards us whereby the nature of the Righteousness which the Law requireth is changed which we shall examine as the only reserve against our present Argument 3. It is said therefore that by our own personal Obedience we do answer the Righteousness of the Law so far as it is required of us But whereas no sober person can imagine that we can or that any one in our lapsed
1 All our sins past present and to come were at once imputed unto and laid upon Jesus Christ in what sense we shall afterwards enquire He was wounded for our Transgressions He was bruised for our Iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes are we healed All we like Sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath made to meet on Him the Iniquities of us all Isa. 53.6 7. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 The Assertions being indefinite without exception or limitation are equivalent unto Vniversals All our sins were on him he bare them All at once and therefore once died for all 2 He did therefore at once finish Transgression made an End of sin made Reconciliation for Iniquity and brought in everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9.24 At once he expiated all our sins for by himself he purged our sins and then sate down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Heb. 1.3 And we are sanctified or dedicated unto God through the offering of the Body of Christ once for all for by one Offering he hath perfected consummated compleated as unto their spiritual state them that are sanctified Heb. 10.10.14 He never will do more than he hath actually done already for the Expiation of all our sins from first to last for there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin I do not say that hereupon our Justification is compleat but only that the meritorious procuring cause of it was at once compleated and is never to be renewed or repeated any more All the enquiry is concerning the renewed Application of it unto our Souls and Consciences whether that be by Faith alone or by the works of Righteousness which we do 3 By our actual Believing with Justifying Faith believing on Christ or his Name we do receive him and thereby on our first Justification become the Sons of God Joh. 1.12 That is joynt heirs with Christ and heirs of God Rom. 8.17 Hereby we have a Right unto and an Interest in all the Benefits of his Mediation which is to be at once compleatly justified For in him we are compleat Col. 2.10 For by the Faith that is in him we do receive the forgiveness of sins and a lot or inheritance among all them that are sanctified Act. 26.18 being immediately justified from all things from which we could not be justified by the Law Act. 13.39 yea God thereon blesseth us with all spiritual Blessings in heavenly things in Christ Ephes. 1.3 All these things are absolutely inseparable from our first believing in him and therefore our Justification is at once compleat In particular 4 On our Believing all our sins are forgiven He hath quickened you together with him having forgiven you all Trespasses Col. 2.13 14 15. For in him we have Redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of sins according unto the riches of his Grace Ephes. 1.7 which one place obviates all the petulant exceptions of some against the consistency of the free Grace of God in the pardon of sins and the satisfaction of Christ in the procurement thereof 5 There is hereon nothing to be laid unto the charge of them that are so justified For he that believeth hath Everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation but is passed from Death unto Life Joh. 5.24 And who shall lay any thing unto the charge of Gods Elect it is God that Justifieth it is Christ that died Rom. 8.33 34. and there is no condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus ver 1. For being justified by Faith we have peace with God chap. 5.1 And 6 we have that Blessedness hereon whereof in this life we are capable Rom. 4.5 6. From all which it appears that our Justification is at once compleat And 7 it must be so or no man can be justified in this world For no time can be assigned nor measure of Obedience be limited whereon it may be supposed that any one comes to be Justified before God who is not so on his first Believing For the Scripture doth no where assign any such time or measure And to say that no man is compleatly justified in the sight of God in this life is at once to overthrow all that is taught in the Scriptures concerning Justification and therewithall all peace with God and comfort of Believers But a man acquitted upon his legal trial is at once discharged of all that the Law hath against him 2. Upon this compleat Justification Believers are obliged unto universal Obedience unto God The Law is not abolished but established by Faith It is neither abrogated nor dispensed withall by such an Interpretation as should take off its obligation in any thing that it requires nor as to the degree and manner wherein it requires it Nor is it possible it should be so For it is nothing but the Rule of that Obedience which the nature of God and man make necessary from the one to the other And that is an Antinomianism of the worst sort and most derogatory unto the Law of God which affirms it to be divested of its power to oblige unto perfect Obedience so as that what it is not so shall as it were in despight of the Law be accepted as if it were so unto the End for which the Law requires it There is no medium but that either the Law is utterly abolished and so there is no sin for where there is no Law there is no Transgression or it must be allowed to require the same Obedience that it did at its first Institution and unto the same degree Neither is it in the power of any man living to keep his Conscience from judging and condemning that whatever it be wherein he is convinced that he comes short of the perfection of the Law Wherefore 3. The Commanding Power of the Law in positive precepts and prohibitions which Justified Persons are subject unto doth make and constitute all their inconformities unto it to be no less truly and properly sins in their own nature than they would be if their persons were obnoxious unto the Curse of it This they are not nor can be for to be obnoxious unto the Curse of the Law and to be justified are contradictory but to be subject to the Commands of the Law and to be justified are not so But it is a subjection to the commanding power of the Law and not an obnoxiousness unto the Curse of the Law that constitutes the nature of sin in its Transgression Wherefore that compleat Justification which is at once though it dissolve the Obligation on the sinner unto punishment by the Curse of the Law yet doth it not annihilate the commanding Authority of the Law unto them that are justified that what is sin in others should not be so in them See Rom. 8.1.33 34. Hence in the first Justification of believing sinners all future sins are remitted as unto
any actual Obligation unto the Curse of the Law unless they should fall into such sins as should ipso facto forfeit their justified estate and transfer them from the Covenant of Grace into the Covenant of Works which we believe that God in his Faithfulness will preserve them from And although sin cannot be actually pardoned before it be actually committed yet may the obligation unto the Curse of the Law be virtually taken away from such sins in justified persons as are consistent with a justified estate or the Terms of the Covenant of Grace antecedently unto their actual commission God at once in this sense forgiveth all their Iniquities and healeth all their Diseases redeemeth their life from Destruction and crowneth them with loving kindness and mercies Psal. 103.2 3. Future sins are not so pardoned as that when they are committed they should be no sins which cannot be unless the commanding power of the Law be abrogated But their respect unto the Curse of the Law or their power to oblige the justified person thereunto is taken away Still there abideth the true nature of sin in every inconformity unto or transgression of the Law in justified persons which stands in need of daily actual pardon For there is no man that liveth and sinneth not and if we say that we have no sin we do but deceive our selves None are more sensible of the Guilt of sin none are more troubled for it none are more earnest in supplications for the pardon of it than justified persons For this is the effect of the Sacrifice of Christ applyed unto the Souls of Believers as the Apostle declares Heb. 10.1 2 3 4 10 14. that it doth take away Conscience condemning the Sinner for sin with respect unto the Curse of the Law But it doth not take away Conscience condemning sin in the Sinner which on all considerations of God and themselves of the Law and the Gospel requires Repentance on the part of the sinner and actual pardon on the part of God Whereas therefore one Essential part of Justification consisteth in the pardon of our sins and sins cannot be actually pardoned before they are actually committed our present enquiry is whereon the continuation of our Justification doth depend notwithstanding the Interveniency of sin after we are justified whereby such sins are actually pardoned and our persons are continued in a state of Acceptation with God and have their right unto Life and Glory uninterrupted Justification is at once compleat in the Imputation of a perfect Righteousness the Grant of a Right and Title unto the heavenly Inheritance the actual pardon of all past sins and the virtual pardon of future sins but how or by what means on what terms and conditions this state is continued unto those who are once justified whereby their Righteousness is everlasting their Title to Life and Glory indefeazable and all their sins are actually pardoned is to be enquired For answer unto this enquiry I say 1 It is God that Justifieth and therefore the continuation of our Justification is his Act also And this on his part depends on the immutability of his Counsel the unchangeableness of the everlasting Covenant which is ordered in all things and sure the Faithfulness of his Promises the Efficacy of his Grace his complacency in the Propitiation of Christ with the power of his Intercession and the irrevocable Grant of the Holy Ghost unto them that do believe which things are not of our present enquiry 2. Some say that on our part the continuation of this state of our Justification depends on the Condition of Good works that is that they are of the same consideration and use with Faith it self herein In our Justification it self there is they will grant somewhat peculiar unto Faith but as unto the continuation of our Justification Faith and Works have the same influence into it Yea some seem to ascribe it distinctly unto Works in an especial manner with this only proviso that they be done in Faith For my part I cannot understand that the continuation of our Justification hath any other dependencies than hath our Justification it self As Faith alone is required unto the one so Faith alone is required unto the other although its operations and effects in the discharge of its duty and office in Justification and the continuation of it are divers nor can it otherwise be To clear this Assertion two things are to be observed 1. That the continuation of our Justification is the continuation of the Imputation of Righteousness and the pardon of sins I do still suppose the imputation of Righteousness to concur unto our Justification although we have not yet examined what Righteousness it is that is imputed But that God in our Justification imputeth Righteousness unto us is so expresly affirmed by the Apostle as that it must not be called in question Now the first act of God in the imputation of Righteousness cannot be repeated And the actual pardon of sin after Justification is an effect and consequent of that imputation of Righteousness If any man sin there is a Propitiation deliver him I have found a Ransome Wherefore unto this actual pardon there is nothing required but the application of that Righteousness which is the cause of it and this is done by Faith only 2. The Continuation of our Justification is before God or in the sight of God no less than our absolute Justification is We speak not of the sense and evidence of it unto our own Souls unto peace with God nor of the evidencing and manifestation of it unto others by its effects but of the continuance of it in the sight of God Whatever therefore is the means condition or cause hereof is pleadable before God and ought to be pleaded unto that purpose So then the enquiry is What it is that when a Justified person is guilty of Sin as guilty he is more or less every day and his Conscience is pressed with a sense thereof as that only thing which can endanger or intercept his justified Estate his Favour with God and Title unto Glory he betakes himself unto or ought so to do for the continuance of his State and pardon of his Sins what he pleadeth unto that purpose and what is available thereunto That this is not his own Obedience his personal Righteousness or fulfilling the condition of the new Covenant is evident from 1 the experience of Believers themselves 2 Testimony of Scripture and 3 the Example of them whose cases are recorded therein 1. Let the experience of them that do believe be enquired into for their Consciences are continually exercised herein What is it that they betake themselves unto what is it that they plead with God for the continuance of the pardon of their Sins and the acceptance of their persons before him Is it any thing but Soveraign Grace and Mercy through the Blood of Christ Are not all the Arguments which they plead unto this end taken from the
it And what I shall attempt unto this purpose I do it under this perswasion that the life and continuance of any Church on the one hand and its Apostasie or Ruine on the other do depend in an eminent manner on the Preservation or Rejection of the Truth in this Article of Religion and I shall add as it hath been professed received and believed in the Church of England in former days The first thing we are to consider is the meaning of these words to Impute and Imputation For from a meer plain Declaration hereof it will appear that sundry things charged on a supposition of the Imputation we plead for are vain and groundless or the Charge it self is so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word first used to this purpose signifies to think to esteem to judge or to refer a thing or matter unto any to impute or to be imputed for Good or Evil. See Levit. 7.18 chap. 17.4 And Psal. 106.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it was counted reckoned imputed unto him for Righteousness To judge or esteem this or that Good or Evil to belong unto him to be his The Lxx. express it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as do the Writers of the New Testament also And these are rendred by reputare imputare acceptum ferre tribuere assignare ascribere But there is a different signification among these words In particular to be reputed Righteous and to have Righteousness imputed differ as cause and effect For that any may be reputed Righteous that is be judged or esteemed so to be there must be a real foundation of that Reputation or it is a mistake and not a right Judgment as a man may be reputed to be wise who is a fool or reputed to be rich who is a beggar Wherefore he that is reputed Righteous must either have a Righteousness of his own or another antecedently imputed unto him as the foundation of that Reputation Wherefore to impute Righteousness unto one that hath none of his own is not to repute him to be Righteous who is indeed Unrighteous but it is to communicate a Righteousness unto him that he may rightly and justly be esteemed judged or reputed Righteous Imputare is a word that the Latine Tongue owns in the sense wherein it is used by Divines Optime de pessimis meruisti ad quos pervenerit incorrupta rerum fides magno Authori suo imputata Senec. ad Mart. And Plin. lib. 18. cap. 1. In his Apology for the Earth our common Parent nostris eam criminibus urgemus culpamque nostram illi imputamus In their sense to impute any thing unto another is if it be evil to charge it on him to burden him with it so saith Pliny we impute our own faults to the Earth or charge them upon it If it be Good it is to ascribe it unto him as his own whether originally it were so or no magno Authori imputata Vasquez in Thom. 22. Tom. 2. Disp. 132. attempts the sense of the word but confounds it with reputare Imputare aut reputare quidquam alicui est idem atque inter ea quae sunt ipsius ad eum pertinent connumerare recensere This is reputare properly imputare includes an Act antecedent unto this accounting or esteeming a thing to belong unto any Person But whereas that may be imputed unto us which is really our own antecedently unto that Imputation the word must needs have a double sense as it hath in the Instances given out of Latine Authors now mentioned And 1. To Impute unto us that which was really ours antecedently unto that Imputation includes two things in it 1 An Acknowledgment or Judgment that the thing so imputed is really and truly ours or in us He that Imputes Wisdom or Learning unto any man doth in the first place acknowledge him to be Wise or Learned 2 A dealing with them according unto it whether it be Good or Evil. So when upon a Trial a man is acquitted because he is found Righteous first he is judged and esteemed Righteous and then dealt with as a Righteous Person his Righteousness is imputed unto him See this exemplified Gen. 30.33 2. To Impute unto us that which is not our own antecedently unto that Imputation includes also in it two things 1 A Grant or Donation of the thing it self unto us to be ours on some just Ground and Foundation For a thing must be made ours before we can justly be dealt withall according unto what is required on the Account of it 2 A Will of dealing with us or an actual dealing with us according unto that which is so made ours For in this matter whereof we treat the most Holy and Righteous God doth not justifie any that is absolve them from sin pronounce them Righteous and thereon grant unto them Right and Title unto Eternal Life but upon the interveniency of a true and compleat Righteousness truly and compleatly made the Righteousness of them that are to be justified in order of nature antecedently unto their Justification But these things will be yet made more clear by Instances and it is necessary they should be so 1. There is an Imputation unto us of that which is really our own inherent in us performed by us antecedently unto that Imputation and this whether it be Evil or Good The Rule and Nature hereof is given and expressed Ezek. 18.20 The Righteousness of the Righteous shall be upon him the Wickedness of the Wicked shall be upon him Instances we have of both sorts 1 In the Imputation of sin when the Person guilty of it is so judged and reckoned a sinner as to be dealt withall accordingly This Imputation Shimei deprecated 2 Sam. 19.19 He said unto the King Let not my Lord impute Iniquity unto me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word used in the expression of the Imputation of Righteousness Gen. 15.6 neither do thou remember what thy Servant did perversely For thy Servant doth know that I have sinned He was Guilty and acknowledged his Guilt but deprecates the Imputation of it in such a sentence concerning him as his sin deserved So Stephen deprecated the Imputation of sin unto them that stoned him whereof they were really guilty Act. 7.60 Lay not this sin to their charge impute it not unto them As on the other side Zechariah the Son of Jehojada who died in the same cause and the same kind of death with Stephen prayed that the sin of those which slew him might be charged on them 2 Chron. 24.22 Wherefore to impute sin is to lay it unto the charge of any and to deal with them according unto its desert To impute that which is Good unto any is to judge and acknowledge it so to be theirs and thereon to deal with them in whom it is according unto its respect unto the Law of God The Righteousness of the Righteous shall be upon him So Jacob provided that his Righteousness
is much more an eminent procuring of the New Covenant than what is pretended about the procurement of its Terms and Conditions For if he should have procured no more but this if we owe this only unto his Mediation that God would thereon or did grant and establish this Rule Law and Promise that whoever ever believed should be saved it were possible that no one should be saved thereby yea if he did no more considering our state and condition it was impossible that any one should so be To give the sum of these things it is inquired with respect unto which of these considerations of the new Covenant it is affirmed that it was procured by the Death of Christ. If it be said that it is with respect unto the actual communication of all the Grace and Glory prepared in the Covenant and proposed unto us in the Promises of it it is most true All the Grace and Glory promised in the Covenant was purchased for the Church by Jesus Christ. In this sense by his Death he procured the new Covenant This the whole Scripture from the Beginning of it in the first Promise unto the end of it doth bear witness unto For it is in him alone that God blesseth us with all spiritual Blessings in Heavenly things Let all the good things that are mentioned or promised in the Covenant expresly or by just consequence be summed up and it will be no hard matter to demonstrate concerning them all and that both joyntly and severally that they were all procured for us by the Obedience and Death of Christ. But this is not that which is intended For most of this Opinion do deny that the Grace of the Covenant in Conversion unto God the Remission of sins Sanctification Justification Adoption and the like are the effects or procurements of the Death of Christ. And they do on the other hand declare that it is Gods making of the Covenant which they do intend that is the contrivance of the terms and conditions of it with their proposal unto mankind for their Recovery But herein there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For 1. The Lord Christ himself and the whole work of his Mediation as the Ordinance of God for the Recovery and Salvation of lost Sinners is the first and principal promise of the Covenant So his Exhibition in the flesh his work of Mediation therein with our deliverance thereby was the subject of that first Promise which virtually contained this whole Covenant So he was of the Renovation of it unto Abraham when it was solemnly confirmed by the Oath of God Gal. 3.16 17. And Christ did not by his Death procure the promise of his Death nor of his Exhibition in the flesh or his coming into the World that he might dye 2. The making of this Covenant is every where in the Scripture ascribed as is also the sending of Christ himself to dye unto the Love Grace and Wisdom of God alone no where unto the Death of Christ as the actual Communication of all Grace and Glory are Let all the places be considered where either the giving of the Promise the sending of Christ or the making of the Covenant are mentioned either expresly or virtually and in none of them are they assigned unto any other cause but the Grace Love and Wisdom of God alone all to be made effectual unto us by the Mediation of Christ. 3. The assignation of the sole end of the Death of Christ to be the procurement of the new Covenant in the sense contended for doth indeed evacuate all the vertue of the Death of Christ and of the Covenant it self For 1 the Covenant which they intend is nothing but the Constitution and proposal of new Terms and Conditions for life and salvation unto all men Now whereas the acceptance and accomplishment of these conditions depend upon the Wills of men no way determined by effectual Grace it was possible that notwithstanding all Christ did by his Death yet no one Sinner might be saved thereby but that the whole end and design of God therein might be frustrate 2 Whereas the substantial advantage of these conditions lieth herein that God will now for the sake of Christ accept of an Obedience inferior unto that required in the Law and so as that the Grace of Christ doth not raise up all things unto a Conformity and compliance with the Holiness and Will of God declared therein but accommodate all things unto our present condition nothing can be invented more dishonourable to Christ and the Gospel For what doth it else but make Christ the Minister of sin in disanulling the Holiness that the Law requires or the Obligation of the Law unto it without any provision of what might answer or come into the Room of it but that which is incomparably less worthy Nor is it consistent with Divine Wisdom Goodness and Immutability to appoint unto mankind a Law of Obedience and cast them all under the severest penalty upon the Transgression of it when he could in Justice and Honour have given them such a Law of Obedience whose observance might consist with many failings and sins For if he have done that now he could have done so before which how far it reflects on the Glory of the Divine Properties might be easily manifested Neither doth this fond Imagination comply with those Testimonies of Scripture that the Lord Christ came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it that he is the end of the Law and that by Faith the Law is not disanulled but established Lastly the Lord Christ was the Mediator and Surety of the new Covenant in and by whom it was ratified confirmed and established and therefore by him the Constitution of it was not procured For all the Acts of his Office belong unto that Mediation And it cannot be well apprehended how any Act of Mediation for the Establishment of the Covenant and rendring it effectual should procure it But to return from this Digression That wherein all the precedent causes of the Vnion between Christ and Believers whence they become one mystical person do center and whereby they are rendred a compleat foundation of the Imputation of their sins unto him and of his Righteousness unto them is the Communication of his Spirit the same Spirit that dwelleth in him unto them to abide in to animate and guide the whole mystical Body and all its Members But this hath of late been so much spoken unto as that I shall do no more but mention it On the considerations insisted on whereby the Lord Christ became one mystical Person with the Church or bare the Person of the Church in what he did as Mediator in the Holy Wise disposal of God as the Authour of the Law the supreme Rector or Governour of all mankind as unto their Temporal and Eternal concernments and by his own consent the sins of all the Elect were imputed unto him This having been the Faith and Language of the Church
afterwards to denote their state who were committed unto custody in order unto their Trial when the Government ceased to be popular wherein alone the other Artifice was of use And if this word be of any use in our present Argument it is to express the state of men after Conviction of sin before their Justification That is their Reatus the condition wherein the proudest of them cannot avoid to express their inward sorrow and anxiety of mind by some outward evidences of them Beyond this we are not obliged by the use of this word but must consider the thing it self which now we intend to express thereby Guilt in the Scripture is the Respect of sin unto the sanction of the Law whereby the sinner becomes obnoxious unto punishment And to be guilty is to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liable unto punishment for sin from God as the supreme Lawgiver and Judge of all And so guilt or Reatus is well defined to be obligatio ad poenam propter culpam aut admissam in se aut imputatam juste aut injuste For so Bathsheba says unto David that she and her Son Solomon should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinners that is be esteemed guilty or liable unto punishment for some evil laid unto their charge 1 Kings 1.21 And the distinction of Dignitas poenae and obligatio ad poenam is but the same thing in divers words For both do but express the Relation of sin unto the sanction of the Law or if they may be conceived to differ yet are they inseparable for there can be no obligatio ad poenam where there is not dignitas poenae Much less is there any thing of weight in the distinction of Reatus culpae and Reatus poenae For this Reatus culpae is nothing but dignitas poenae propter culpam Sin hath other considerations namely its formal nature as it is a Transgression of the Law and the stain or filth that it brings upon the Soul but the guilt of it is nothing but its respect unto punishment from the sanction of the Law And so indeed Reatus culpae is Reatus poenae the guilt of sin is its desert of punishment And where there is not this Reatus culpae there can be no poena no punishment properly so called For poena is vindicta noxae the revenge due to sin So therefore there can be no punishment nor Reatus poenae the guilt of it but where there is Reatus culpae or sin considered with its guilt And the Reatus poenae that may be supposed without the guilt of sin is nothing but that obnoxiousness unto afflictive evil on the occasion of sin which the Socinians admit with respect unto the suffering of Christ and yet execrate his satisfaction And if this distinction should be apprehended to be of Reatus from its formal respect unto sin and punishment it must in both parts of the Distinction be of the same signification otherwise there is an equivocation in the subject of it But reatus poenae is a liableness an obnoxiousness unto punishment according to the sentence of the Law that whereby a sinner becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And then Reatus culpae must be an obnoxiousness unto sin which is uncouth There is therefore no Imputation of sin where there is no Imputation of its Guilt For the Guilt of Punishment which is not its respect unto the desert of sin is a plain fiction there is no such thing in rerum natura There is no Guilt of sin but its Relation unto Punishment That therefore which we affirm herein is That our sins were so transferred on Christ as that thereby he became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reus responsible unto God and obnoxious unto punishment in the justice of God for them He was alienae culpae reus Perfectly innocent in himself but took our Guilt on him or our obnoxiousness unto punishment for sin And so he may be and may be said to be the greatest Debtor in the World who never borrowed nor owed one farthing on his own account if he become surety for the greatest Debt of others So Paul became a Debtor unto Philemon upon his undertaking for Onesimus who before owed him nothing And two things concurred unto this Imputation of sin unto Christ. 1 The Act of God imputing it 2 The voluntary Act of Christ himself in the undertaking of it or admitting of the charge 1. The Act of God in this Imputation of the Guilt of our sins unto Christ is expressed by his laying all our Iniquities upon him making him to be sin for us who knew no sin and the like For 1 as the supream Governour Law-giver and Judge of all unto whom it belonged to take care that his holy Law was observed or the offenders punished He admitted upon the Transgression of it the sponsion and suretiship of Christ to answer for the sins of men Heb. 10.5 6 7. 2 In order unto this End he made him under the Law or gave the Law power over him to demand of him and inflict on him the penalty which was due unto the sins of them for whom he undertook Gal. 3.13 chap. 4.4 5. 3 For the Declaration of the Righteousness of God in this setting forth of Christ to be a Propitiation and to bear our Iniquities the Guilt of our sins was transferred unto him in an Act of the Righteous Judgment of God accepting and esteeming of him as the Guilty person as it is with publick sureties in every case 2. The Lord Christ voluntary susception of the state and condition of a surety or undertaker for the Church to appear before the Throne of Gods Justice for them to answer whatever was laid unto their charge was required hereunto And this he did absolutely There was a concurrence of his own Will in and unto all those Divine Acts whereby he and the Church were constituted one mystical person And of his own Love and Grace did he as our surety stand in our stead before God where he made Inquisition for sin He took it on himself as unto the punishment which it deserved Hence it became just and righteous that he should suffer the just for the unjust that he might bring us unto God For if this be not so I desire to know what is become of the Guilt of the sins of Believers If it were not transferred on Christ it remains still upon themselves or it is nothing It will be said that Guilt is taken away by the free pardon of sin But if so there was no need of punishment for it at all which is indeed what the Socinians plead but by others is not admitted For if punishment be not for Guilt it is not punishment But it is fiercely objected against what we have asserted that if the Guilt of our sins was imputed unto Christ then was he constituted a sinner thereby for it is the Guilt of sin that makes any one to be truly a sinner This is urged by Bellarmin
essence of it whereunto alone respect is had in this Law by any thing that can fall out And although God might superadd unto the original Obligations of this Law what Arbitrary commands he pleased such as did not necessarily proceed or arise from the Relation between him and us which might be and be continued without them yet would they be resolved into that Principle of this Law that God in all things was absolutely to be trusted and obeyed 7. Known unto God are all his Works from the foundation of the World In the constitution of this order of things he made it possible and foresaw it would be future that man would rebell against the preceptive power of this Law and disturb that order of things wherein he was placed under his moral Rule This gave occasion unto that effect of infinite Divine Righteousness in constituting the punishment that man should fall under upon his Transgression of this Law Neither was this an effect of Arbitrary will and pleasure any more than the Law it self was Upon the supposition of the Creation of man the Law mentioned was necessary from all the Divine Properties of the nature of God And upon a supposition that man would Transgress that Law God being now considered as his Ruler and Governour the Constitution of the punishment due unto his Sin and Transgression of it was a necessary effect of Divine Righteousness This it would not have been had the Law it self been Arbitrary But that being necessary so was the penalty of this Transgression Wherefore the constitution of this penalty is liable to no more change alteration or abrogation then the Law it self without an alteration in the state and relation between God and man 8. This is that Law which our Lord Jesus Christ came not to destroy but to fulfil that he might be the end of it for Righteousness unto them that do believe This Law he abrogated not nor could do so without a Destruction of the Relation that is between God and man arising from or ensuing necessarily on their distinct Beings and Properties But as this cannot be destroyed so the Lord Christ came unto a contrary end namely to repair and restore it where it was weakned Wherefore 9. This Law the Law of Sinless perfect Obedience with its sentence of the punishment of Death on all Transgressors doth and must abide in force for ever in this World For there is no more required hereunto but that God be God and Man be Man Yet shall this be farther proved 1. There is nothing not one word in the Scripture intimating any alteration in or Abrogation of this Law so as that any thing should not be duty which it makes to be duty or any thing not be sin which it makes to be sin either as unto matter or degrees or that the thing which it makes to be sin or which is sin by the Rule of it should not merit and deserve that punishment which is declared in the sanction of it or threatned by it The wages of sin is Death If any Testimony of Scripture can be produced unto either of these purposes namely that either any thing is not sin in the way of Omission or Commission in the matter or manner of its performance which is made to be so by this Law or that any such sin or any thing that would have been sin by this Law is exempted from the punishment threatned by it as unto merit or desert it shall be attended unto It is therefore in universal force towards all mankind There is no Relief in this case But behold the Lamb of God In exception hereunto it is pleaded that when it was first given unto Adam it was the Rule and Instrument of a Covenant between God and man a Covenant of Works and perfect Obedience But upon the entrance of sin it ceased to have the nature of a Covenant unto any And it is so ceased that on an impossible supposition that any man should fulfil the perfect Righteousness of it yet should he not be justified or obtain the benefit of the Covenant thereby It is not therefore only become ineffectual unto us as a Covenant by reason of our weakness and disability to perform it but it is ceased in its own nature so to be But these things as they are not unto our present purpose so are they wholly unproved For 1. Our Discourse is not about the Foederal adjunct of the Law but about its moral nature only It is enough that as a Law it continueth to oblige all mankind unto perfect Obedience under its Original penalty For hence it will unavoidably follow that unless the commands of it be complied withal and fulfilled the penalty will fall on all that Transgress it And those who grant that this Law is still in force as unto its being a Rule of Obedience or as unto its requiring Duties of us do grant all that we desire For it requires no Obedience but what it did in its Original constitution that is sinless and perfect and it requires no Duty nor prohibits any sin but under the Penalty of Death upon disobedience 2. It is true that he who is once a sinner if he should afterwards yield all that perfect Obedience unto God that the Law requires he could not thereby obtain the Benefit of the Promise of the Covenant But the sole Reason of it is because he is antecedently a sinner and so obnoxious unto the Curse of the Law And no man can be obnoxious unto its Curse and have a right unto its Promise at the same time But so to lay the supposition that the same person is by any means free from the Curse due unto sin and then to deny that upon the performance of that perfect sinless Obedience which the Law requires that he should not have right unto the Promise of Life thereby is to deny the Truth of God and to reflect the highest dishonour upon his Justice Jesus Christ himself was justified by this Law And it is immutably true that he who doth the things of it shall live therein 3. It is granted that man continued not in the Observation of this Law as it was the Rule of the Covenant between God and him The Covenant it was not but the Rule of it which that it should be was superadded unto its Being as a Law For the Covenant comprized things that were not any part of a Result from the necessary Relation of God and Man Wherefore man by his sin as unto Demerit may be said to break this Covenant and as unto any Benefit unto themselves to disannul it It is also true that God did never formally and absolutely renew or give again this Law as a Covenant a second time Nor was there any need that so he should do unless it were declaratively only for so it was renewed at Sinai For the whole of it being an Emanation of Eternal Right and Truth it abides and must abide in full force for
those who have all their sins forgiven have the Blessedness of Justification and there is neither need nor use of any farther Imputation of Righteousness unto them And sundry other things of the same nature are urged unto the same purpose which will be all of them either obviated in the insuing discourse or answered elswhere Answ. This cause is of more importance and more evidently stated in the Scriptures than to be turned into such niceties which have more of Philosophical subtilty than Theological solidity in them This exception therefore might be dismissed without farther answer than what is given us in the known rule That a truth well established and confirmed is not to be questioned much less relinquished on every intangling sophism though it should appear insoluble But as we shall see there is no such difficulty in these arguings but what may easily be discussed And because the matter of the Plea contained in them is made use of by sundry learned Persons who yet agree with us in the substance of the Doctrine of Justification namely that it is by Faith alone without Works through the Imputation of the Merit and Satisfaction of Christ. I shall as briefly as I can discover the mistakes that it proceeds upon 1. It includes a supposition That he who is pardoned his sins of omission and commission is esteemed to have done all that is required of him and to have committed nothing that is forbidden For without this supposition the bare pardon of sin will neither make constitute nor denominate any Man righteous But this is far otherwise nor is any such thing included in the nature of Pardon For in the Pardon of sin neither God nor Man do judge That he who hath sinned hath not sinned which must be done if he who is pardoned be esteemed to have done all that he ought and to have done nothing that he ought not to do If a Man be brought on his tryal for any evil fact and being legally convicted thereof is discharged by Soveraign Pardon it is true that in the eye of the Law he is looked upon as an innocent man as unto the punishment that was due unto him but no Man thinks that he is made righteous thereby or is esteemed not to have done that which really he hath done and whereof he was convicted Joab and Abiathar the Priest were at the same time guilty of the same crime Solomon gives order that Joab be put to death for his crime but unto Abiathar he gives a Pardon Did he thereby make declare or constitute him righteous Himself expresseth the contrary affirming him to be unrighteous and guilty only he remitted the punishment of his fault 1 King 2.26 Wherefore the Pardon of sin dischargeth the guilty person from being liable or obnoxious unto Anger Wrath or Punishment due unto his sin but it doth not suppose nor infer in the least that he is thereby or ought thereon to be esteemed or adjudged to have done no evil and to have fulfilled all righteousness Some say Pardon gives a righteousness of Innocency but not of Obedience But it cannot give a Righteousness of Innocency absolutely such as Adam had For he had actually done no evil It only removeth guilt which is the respect of sin unto punishment insuing on the Sanction of the Law And this Supposition which is an evident mistake animates this whole Objection The like may be said of what is in like manner supposed namely That not to be unrighteous which a man is on the pardon of sin is the same with being righteous For if not to be unrighteous be taken privatively it is the same with being just or righteous For it supposeth that he who is so hath done all the duty that is required of him that he may be righteous But not to be unrighteous negatively as the expression is here used it doth not do so For at best it supposeth no more but that a Man as yet hath done nothing actually against the Rule of Righteousness Now this may be when yet he hath performed none of the duties that are required of him to constitute him righteous because the times and occasions of them are not yet And so it was with Adam in the state of Innocency which is the height of what can be attained by the compleat pardon of sin 2. It proceeds on this Supposition That the Law in case of sin doth not oblige unto punishment and obedience both so as that it is not satisfied fulfilled or complied withal unless it be answered with respect unto both For if it doth so then the pardon of sin which only frees us from the penalty of the Law doth yet leave it necessary that Obedience be performed unto it even all that it doth require But this in my judgment is an evident mistake and that such as doth not establish the Law but make it void And this I shall demonstrate 1. The Law hath two parts or powers 1. It s preceptive part commanding and requiring obedience with a promise of life annexed Do this and live 2. The sanction on supposition of disobedience binding the sinner unto punishment or a meet recompence of reward In the day thou sinnest thou shalt die And every Law properly so called proceeds on these suppositions of obedience or disobedience whence its commanding and punishing Power are inseparate from its Nature 2. This Law whereof we speak was first given unto Man in innocency and therefore the first power of it was only in act It obliged only unto Obedience For an innocent person could not be obnoxious unto its sanction which contained only an obligation unto punishment on supposition of disobedience It could not therefore oblige our first Parents unto Obedience and Punishment both seeing its Obligation unto Punishment could not be in actual force but on supposition of actual disobedience A Moral Cause of and Motive unto Obedience it was and had an influence into the preservation of Man from sin Unto that end it was said unto him In the day thou eatest thou shalt surely die The neglect hereof and of that ruling influence which it ought to have had on the minds of our first Parents opened the door unto the entrance of sin But it implies a contradiction that an innocent person should be under an actual obligation unto punishment from the sanction of the Law It bound only unto Obedience as all Laws with Penalties do before their transgression But 3. On the committing of sin and it is so with every one that is guilty of sin Man came under an actual obligation unto punishment This is no more questionable than whether at first he was under an Obligation unto Obedience But then the Question is whether the first Intention and Obligation of the Law unto Obedience doth cease to affect the sinner or continue so as at the same time to oblige him unto Obedience and Punishment both its Powers being in act towards him And hereunto I say 1. Had the
were necessary unto it And two things doth the Scripture testifie unto concerning this Law 1. That it was a perfect compleat Rule of all that internal spiritual and moral Obedience which God required of the Church The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul the Testimony of the Lord is sure making Wise the Simple Psal. 19.7 And it was so of all the external Duties of Obedience for matter and manner time and season that in both the Church might walk acceptably before God Isa. 8.20 And although the Original Duties of the Moral Part of the Law are often preferred before the particular Instances of Obedience in Duties of outward Worship yet the whole Law was always the whole Rule of all the Obedience internal and external that God required of the Church and which he accepted in them that did believe 2. That this Law this Rule of Obedience as it was ordained of God to be the Instrument of his Rule of the Church and by Vertue of the Covenant made with Abraham unto whose Administration it was Adapted and which its Introduction on Sinai did not disanul was accompanied with a Power and Efficacy enabling unto Obedience The Law it self as meerly preceptive and commanding administred no Power or Ability unto those that were under its Authority to yield Obedience unto it no more do the meer Commands of the Gospel Moreover under the Old Testament it enforced Obedience on the Minds and Consciences of men by the manner of its first delivery and the severity of its Sanction so as to fill them with fear and bondage and was besides accompanied with such burthensom Rules of outward Worship as made it an heavy yoke unto the people But as it was Gods Doctrine Teaching Instruction in all acceptable Obedience unto himself and was adapted unto the Covenant of Abraham it was accompanied with an Administration of effectual Grace procuring and promoting Obedience in the Church And the Law is not to be looked on as separated from those Aids unto Obedience which God administred under the Old Testament whose effects are therefore ascribed unto the Law it self See Psal. 1. Psal. 19. Psal. 119. 2. This being the Law in the sense of the Apostle and those with whom he had to do our next enquiry is what was their sense of Works or Works of the Law And I say it is plain that they intended hereby the universal Sincere Obedience of the Church unto God according unto this Law And other Works the Law of God acknowledgeth not yea it expresly condemns all Works that have any such defect in them as to render them unacceptable unto God Hence notwithstanding all the Commands that God had positively given for the strict Observance of Sacrifices Offerings and the like yet when the people performed them without Faith and Love he expresly affirms that he Commanded them not that is to be observed in such a manner In these Works therefore consisted their personal Righteousness as they walked in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Law blameless Luk. 1.6 wherein they did instantly serve God day and night Acts 26.7 And this they esteemed to be their own Righteousness their Righteousness according unto the Law as really it was Phil. 3.6 9. For although the Pharisees had greatly corrupted the Doctrine of the Law and put false glosses on sundry Precepts of it yet that the Church in those days did by the Works of the Law understand either Ceremonial Duties only or external Works or Works with a conceit of merit or Works wrought without an internal Principle of Faith and Love to God or any thing but their own personal sincere Obedience unto the whole Doctrine and Rule of the Law there is nothing that should give the least colour of Imagination For 1. All this is perfectly stated in the Suffrage which the Scribe gave unto the Declaration of the sense and design of the Law with the Nature of the Obedâ—ence which it doth require that was made at his request by our blessed Saviour Mark 12.28 29 30 31 32 33. And one of the Scribes came and having heard them reasoning together and perceiving that he had answered them well asked him which is the first Commandment of all or as it is Matth. 22.36 Which is the great Commandment in the Law And Jesus answered him the first of all the Commandments is Hear O Israel the Lord our God is One Lord and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and with all thy strength this is the first Commandment and the second is like namely this Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self And the Scribe said unto him Well Master thou hast said the Truth for there is one God and there is none but he And to love him with all the Heart and with all the Vnderstanding and with all the Soul and with all the Strength and to love his Neighbour as himself is more then all whole burnt Offerings and Sacrifices And this so expresly given by Moses as the Sum of the Law namely Faith and Love as the Principle of all our Obedience Deut. 6.4 5. that it is marvellous what should induce any learned sober Person to fix upon any other sense of it as that it respected ceremonial or external Works only or such as may be wrought without Faith or Love This is the Law concerning which the Apostle disputes and this the Obedience wherein the Works of it do consist And more then this in the way of Obedience God never did nor will require of any in this World Wherefore the Law and the Works thereof which the Apostle excludeth from Justification is that whereby we are obliged to believe in God as One God the only God and love him with all our Hearts and Souls and our Neighbours as our selves And what Works there are or can be in any Persons regenerate or not regenerate to be performed in the strength of Grace or without it that are acceptable unto God that may not be reduced unto these Heads I know not 2. The Apostle himself declareth that it is the Law and the Works of it in the sense we have expressed that he excludeth from our Justification For the Law he speaks of is the Law of Righteousness Rom 9.31 The Law whose Righteousness is to be fulfilled in us that we may be accepted with God and freed from Condemnation Chap. 8.3 That in Obedience whereunto our own personal Righteousness doth consist whether what we judg so before Conversion Rom. 10.3 or what is so after it Phil. 3.9 The Law which if a man observe he shall live and be justified before God Rom. 2.13 Gal. 3.12 Rom. 10.5 That Law which is Holy Just and Good which discovereth and condemneth all sin whatever Rom. 7.7 9. From what hath been discoursed these two things are evident in the Confirmation of our present Argument 1. That The Law intended by the Apostle
application of them unto all that do believe which may be justly pleaded unto the same purpose with those passages of the Context which we have insisted on But if every Testimony should be pleaded which the Holy Ghost hath given unto this Truth there would be no end of writing One thing more I shall observe and put an end unto our discourse on this Chapter Vers. 6 7 8. The Apostle pursues his Argument to prove the freedom of our Justification by Faith without respect unto Works through the Imputation of Righteousness in the instance of pardon of Sin which essentially belongeth thereunto And this he doth by the Testimony of the Psalmist who placeth the blessedness of a man in the Remission of Sins His design is not thereby to declare the full nature of Justification which he had done before but only to prove the freedom of it from any respect unto Works in the instance of that essential part of it Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without Works which was the only thing he designed to prove by this Testimony saying Blessed are they whose Iniquities are forgiven He describes their blessedness by it not that their whole blessedness doth consist therein but this concurs unto it wherein no respect can possibly be had unto any Works whatever And he may justly from hence describe the blessedness of a man in that the Imputation of Righteousness and the Non-Tmputation of Sin both which the Apostle mentioneth distinctly wherein his whole blessedness as unto justification doth consist are inseparable And because Remission of Sin is the first part of Justification and the principal part of it and hath the Imputation of Righteousness always accompanying it the blessedness of a man may be well described thereby Yea whereas all Spiritual Blessings go together in Christ Eph. 1.3 A mans blessedness may be described by any of them But yet the Imputation of Righteousness and the Remission of Sin are not the same no more than Righteousness imputed and Sin remitted are the same Nor doth the Apostle propose them as the same but mentioneth them distinctly both being equally necessary unto our compleat Justification as hath been proved Chap. 5. Vers. 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. Wherefore as by one man Sin entred into the world and death by Sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned For until the Law Sin was in the world But Sin is not imputed when there is no Law Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression who is the figure of him that was to come But not as the offence so also is the free gift For if through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by Grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many And not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift For the Judgment was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences unto Justification For if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of Grace and of the gift of Righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offence of one Judgment came upon all men to condemnation Even so by the Righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto Justification of life For as by one mans disobedience many were made Sinners So by the obedience of one shall many be made Righteous Moreover the Law entred that the offence might abound But where Sin abounded Grace did much more abound That as Sin hath reigned unto death even so might Grace reign through Righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. The Apostle Chap. 3.27 affirms That in this matter of Justification all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or boasting is excluded But here in the Verse foregoing he grants a boasting or a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And not only so but we also glory in God he excludes boasting in our selves because there is nothing in us to procure or promote our own Justification He allows it us in God because of the eminency and excellency of the way and means of our Justification which in his Grace he hath provided And the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or boasting in God here allowed us hath a peculiar respect unto what the Apostle had in prospect further to discourse of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not only so includes what he had principally treated of before concerning our Justification so far as it consists in the pardon of sin For although he doth suppose yea and mention the imputation of Righteousness also unto us yet principally he declares our Justification by the pardon of sin and our freedom from condemnation whereby all boasting in our selves is excluded But here he designs a further progress as unto that whereon our glorying in God on a right and title freely given us unto eternal life doth depend And this is the Imputation of the Righteousness and Obedience of Christ unto the Justification of life or the reign of Grace through Righteousness unto eternal Life Great complaints have been made by some concerning the obscurity of the discourse of the Apostle in this place by reason of sundry Ellipses Antapodota Hyperbata and other Figures of Speech which either are or are feigned to be therein Howbeit I cannot but think that if Men acquainted with the common principles of Christian Religion and sensible in themselves of the nature and guilt of our original apostasie from God would without prejudice read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this place of the Scripture they will grant that the design of the Apostle is to prove that as the sin of Adam was imputed unto all Men unto condemnation so the Righteousness and Obedience of Christ is imputed unto all that believe unto the Justification of life The sum of it is given by Theodoret Dial. 3. Vide quomodo quae Christi sunt cum iis quae sunt Adami conferantur cum morbo medicina cum vulnere emplastrum cum Peccato justitia cum execratione benedictio cum condemnatione remissio cum transgressione obedientia cum morte vita cum inferis regnum Christus cum Adam homo cum homine The differences that are among Interpreters about the Exposition of these words relate unto the use of some Particles Prepositions and the dependance of one passage upon another on none of which the confirmation of the truth pleaded for doth depend But the plain design of the Apostle and his express Propositions are such as if Men could but acquiesce in them might put an end unto this controversie Socinus acknowledgeth that this place of Scripture doth give as he speaks the greatest occasion unto our opinion in this matter For he cannot deny but at least a great appearance of what we
so in the translation of the guilt of the sinner unto it as is fully declared Levit. 16.20 21. Only I must say that I grant this signification of the word to avoid contention For whereas some say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies sin and a sacrifice for sin it cannot be allowed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Kal signifies to err to sin to transgress the Law of God In Piel it hath a contrary signification namely to cleanse from sin or to make expiation of sin Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is most frequently used with respect unto its derivation from the first conjugation and signifies sin transgression and guilt But sometimes with respect unto the second and then it signifies a sacrifice for sin to make expiation of it And so it is rendered by the LXX sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezek. 44.27 sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 30.10 Ezek. 43.23 A Propitiation a Propitiatory Sacrifice Sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Num. 19.19 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Purification or Cleasing But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absolutely doth no where in any good Author nor in the Scripture signifie a Sacrifice for sin unless it may be allowed to do so in this one place alone For whereas the LXX do render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constantly by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where it signifies sin where it denotes an Offering for sin and they retain that word they do it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Elliptical expression which they invented for that which they knew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of its self neither did nor could signifie Lev. 4.3 14 32 35. Chap. 5.6 7 8 9 10 11. Chap. 6.30 Chap. 8.2 And they never omit the preposition unless they name the Sacrifice as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is observed also by the Apostle the new Testament For twice expressing the Sin-offering by this word he useth that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.3 Heb. 10.6 But no where useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to that purpose If it be therefore of that signification in this place it is so here alone And whereas some think that it answers Piaculum in the Latine it is also a mistake for the first signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is confessed to be sin and they would have it supposed that thence it is abused to signifie a Sacrifice for sin But Piaculum is properly a Sacrifice or any thing whereby sin is expiated or satisfaction is made for it And very rarely it is abused to denote such a sin or crime as deserves publick expiation and is not otherwise to be pardoned so Virgil Distulit in seram commissa Piacula mortem But we shall not contend about words whilest we can agree about what is intended The only enquiry is how God did make him to be sin He hath made him to be sin so that an act of God is intended And this is elsewhere expressed by his laying all our Iniquities upon him or causing them to meet on him Isa. 53.6 And this was by the Imputation of our sins unto him as the sins of the people were put on the Head of the Goat that they should be no more theirs but his so as that he was to carry them away from them Take sin in either sense before mentioned either of a Sacrifice for sin or a Sinner and the Imputation of the guilt of sin antecedently unto the punishment of it and in order thereunto must be understood For in every Sacrifice for sin there was an imposition of sin on the Beast to be offered antecedent unto the Sacrificing of it and therein its suffering by death Therefore in every offering for sin he that brought it was to put his hand on the head of it Lev. 1.4 And that the transferring of the guilt of sin unto the offering was thereby signified is expresly declared Lev. 16.21 Wherefore if God made the Lord Christ a Sin Offering for us it was by the Imputation of the guilt of sin unto him antecedently unto his suffering Nor could any Offering be made for sin without a Typical translation of the guilt of sin unto it And therefore when an Offering was made for the expiation of the guilt of an uncertain Murther those who were to make it by the Law namely the Elders of the City that were next unto the place where the man was slain were not to offer a Sacrifice because there was none to confess guilt over it or to lay guilt upon it But whereas the neck of an Heifer was to be stricken off to declare the punishment due unto Blood they were to wash their hands over it to testifie their own Innocency Deut. 21.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. But a Sacrifice for sin without the Imputation of guilt there could not be And if the word be taken in the second sense namely for a sinner that is by imputation and in Gods esteem it must be by the imputation of guilt For none can in any sense be denominated a sinner from mere suffering None indeed do say that Christ was made sin by the imputation of punishment unto him which hath no proper sense But they say sin was imputed unto him as unto punishment which is indeed to say that the guilt of sin was imputed unto him For the guilt of sin is its respect unto punishment or the obligation unto punishment which attends it And that any one should be punished for sin without the imputation of the guilt of it unto him is impossible and were it possible would be unjust For it is not possible that any one should be punished for sin properly and yet that sin be none of his And if it be not his by inhaesion it can be his no other way but by imputation One may suffer on the occasion of the sin of another that is no way made his but he cannot be punished for it for punishment is the recompence of sin on the account of its guilt And were it possible where is the Righteousness of punishing any one for that which no way belongs unto him Besides imputation of sin and punishing are distinct acts the one preceding the other and therefore the former is only of the guilt of sin Wherefore the Lord Christ was made sin for us by the imputation of the guilt of our sins unto him But it is said that if the guilt of sin were imputed unto Christ he is excluded from all possibility of merit for he suffered but what was his due And so the whole work of Christs satisfaction is subverted This must be so if God in judgment did reckon him guilty and a sinner But there is an ambiguity in these expressions If it be meant that God in judgment did reckon him guilty and a sinner inherently in his own person no such thing is intended But God laid all our sins on him and in judgment spared him not as unto what was due unto them And so he suffered
the Apostle liable to be abused Answers of the Apostle unto this Objection He never once attempts to answer it by declaring the necessity of Personal Righteousness or good Works unto Justification before God He confines the cogency of Evangelical Motives unto Obedience only unto Believers Grounds of Evangelical Holiness asserted by him in compliance with his Doctrine of Justification 1. Divine Ordination Exceptions unto this Ground removed 2. Answer of the Apostle vindicated The Obligation of the Law unto Obedience Nature of it and consistency with Grace This Answer of the Apostle vindicated Heads of other Principles that might be pleaded to the same purpose Pag. 539. CHAP. XX. Seeming Difference no real contradiction between the Apostles Paul and James concerning Justification This granted by all Reasons of the seeming Difference The best Rule of the Interpretation of places of Scripture wherein there is an appearing repugnancy The Doctrine of Justification according unto that Rule principally to be learned from the Writings of Paul The Reasons of his fulness and accuracy in the teaching of that Doctrine The Importance of the Truth the opposition made unto it and abuse of it The design of the Apostle James Exceptions of some against the Writings of S. Paul scandalous and unreasonable Not in this matter to be interpreted by the passage in James insisted on Chap. 2. That there is no repugnancy between the Doctrine of the two Apostles demonstrated Heads and Grounds of the Demonstration Their scope design and end not the same That of Paul the only case stated and determined by him The designs of the Apostle James the case proposed by him quite of another nature The occasion of the case proposed and stated him No appearance of difference between the Apostles because of the several cases they speak unto Not the same Faith intended by them Description of the Faith spoken of by the one and the other Bellarmines Arguments to prove true justifying Faith to be intended by James answered Justification not treated of by the Apostles in the same manner nor used in the same sense nor to the same end The one treats of Justification as unto its nature and causes the other as unto its signs and evidence proved by the instances insisted on Pag. 557. How the Scripture was fulfilled that Abraham believed in God and it was counted unto him for Righteousness when he offered his Son on the Altar Works the same and of the same kind in both the Apostles Observations on the Discourse of James No Conjunction made by him between Faith and Works in our Justification but an opposition No distinction of a First and Second Justification in him Justification ascribed by him wholly unto Works in what sense Does not determine how a sinner may be justified before God but how a Professor may evidence himself so to be The Context opened from Ver. 14. to the end of the Chapter Pag. 569. Some of the Mistakes that have escaped in the Press may be thus corrected PAg. 10. Line 2. a fine read other p. 11. l. 24. none r. nothing p. 41. l. 30. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 42. l. 22. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 53. l. 6. r. this Author l. 25. man r. men l. 26. them p. 64. l. 4. a fine that it is p. 71. l. 21. and r. add p. 72. l. 12. r. For an p. 172. l. 17. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 28. Hithpaol p. 174. l. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 175. l. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 176. l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 4. a fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 3. a fine affects p. 180. l. 22. vocation that is intended p. 199. l. 1. which was r. whereas p. 208.23 such r. Faith p. 234. l. 2. dele 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 266. l. 8. Curcellaeus p. 283. l. 23. suffered r. offered p. 311. l. 30. of him p. 362. l. 11. r. as if we p. 392. l. 20. r. more colour p. 412. l. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 436. l. 2. a fine r. other men p. 444. l. 10. proofs r. process p. 465. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sundry other literal Mistakes and Mispointings are referred unto the candor of the Reader which I chuse rather than to trouble many with the rehearsal of what it may be few will take notice of General Considerations previously necessary unto the Explanation of the Doctrine of Justification THat we may treat of the Doctrine of Justification usefully unto its proper Ends which are the Glory of God in Christ with the peace and furtherance of the Obedience of Believers some things are previously to be considered which we must have respect unto in the whole process of our Discourse And among others that might be insisted on to the same purpose these that ensue are not to be omitted 1. The first Enquiry in this matter in a way of Duty is after the proper Relief of the Conscience of a sinner pressed and perplexed with a sense of the Guilt of sin For Justification is the way and means whereby such a person doth obtain acceptance before God with a Right and Title unto an heavenly Inheritance And nothing is pleadable in this cause but what a man would speak unto his own Conscience in that state or unto the Conscience of another when he is anxious under that Enquiry Wherefore The Person under consideration that is who is to be Justified is one who in himself is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4.5 Vngodly and thereon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 3.19 guilty before God that is obnoxious subject liable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 1.32 to the righteous sentential Judgment of God that he who committeth sin who is in any way guilty of it is worthy of Death Hereupon such a person finds himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3.10 under the curse and the wrath of God therein abiding on him Joh. 3.18 36. In this condition he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without plea without excuse by any thing in and from himself for his own relief His mouth is stopped Rom. 3.19 For he is in the Judgment of God declared in the Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3.22 every way shut up under sin and all the consequents of it Many Evils in this condition are men subject unto which may be reduced unto those two of our first Parents wherein they were represented For first they thought foolishly to hide themselves from God and then more foolishly would have charged him as the cause of their sin And such naturally are the thoughts of men under their convictions But whoever is the subject of the Justification enquired after is by various means brought into his
Law but this Personal Righteousness is Evangelical But 1 It will be hard to prove that our Personal Righteousness is any other but our own Righteousness and our own Righteousness is expresly rejected from any Interest in our Justification in the places quoted 2 That Righteousness which is Evangelical in respect of its efficient cause its motives and some especial Ends is legal in respect of the formal Reason of it and our Obligation unto it For there is no Instance of Duty belonging unto it but in general we are obliged unto its performance by virtue of the first Commandment to take the Lord for our God Acknowledging therein his essential verity and soveraign Authority we are obliged to believe all that he shall reveal and to obey in all that he shall command 3 The Good Works rejected from any Interest in our Justification are those whereunto we are created in Christ Jesus Ephes. 2.8 9. the Works of Righteousness which we have done Tit. 3.5 wherein the Gentiles are concerned who never sought for Righteousness by the Works of the Law Rom. 9.30 But it will yet be said that these things are evident in themselves God doth require an Evangelical Righteousness in all that do believe This Christ is not nor is it the Righteousness of Christ. He may be said to be our legal Righteousness but our Evangelical Righteousness he is not And so far as we are Righteous with any Righteousness so far we are justified by it For according unto this Evangelical Righteousness we must be tried if we have it we shall be acquitted and if we have it not we shall be condemned There is therefore a Justification according unto it I answer 1 According to some Authors or Maintainers of this Opinion I see not but that the Lord Christ is as much our Evangelical Righteousness as he is our Legal For our Legal Righteousness he is not in their Judgment by a proper Imputation of his Righteousness unto us but by the Communication of the fruits of what he did and suffered unto us And so he is our Evangelical Righteousness also For our Sanctification is an effect or fruit of what he did and suffered for us Eph. 5.25 26. Tit. 2.14 2. None have this Evangelical Righteousness but those who are in order of nature at least justified before they actually have it For it is that which is required of all that do believe and are justified thereon And we need not much enquire how a man is justified after he is justified 3. God hath not appointed this Personal Righteousness in order unto our Justification before him in this life though he have appointed it to evidence our Justification before others and even in his sight as shall be declared He accepts of it approves of it upon the account of the free Justification of the person in and by whom it is wrought So he had respect unto Abel and his Offering But we are not acquitted by it from any real charge in the sight of God nor do receive Remission of sins on the account of it And those who place the whole of Justification in the Remission of sins making this personal Righteousness the condition of it as the Socinians do leave not any place for the Righteousness of Christ in our Justification 4. If we are in any sense justified hereby in the sight of God we have whereof to boast before him We may not have so absolutely and with respect unto merit yet we have so comparatively and in respect of others who cannot make the same plea for their Justification But all boasting is excluded And it will not relieve to say that this personal Righteousness is of the free Grace and Gift of God unto some and not unto others for we must plead it as our Duty and not as Gods Grace 5. Suppose a person freely Justified by the Grace of God through Faith in the Blood of Christ without respect unto any Works Obedience or Righteousness of his own we do freely grant 1 That God doth indispensably require personal Obedience of him which may be called his Evangelical Righteousness 2 That God doth approve of and accept in Christ this Righteousness so performed 3 That hereby that Faith whereby we are justified is evidenced proved manifested in the sight of God and men 4 That this Righteousness is pleadable unto an acquitment against any charge from Satan the World or our own Consciences 5 That upon it we shall be declared Righteous at the last day and without it none shall so be And if any shall think meet from hence to conclude unto an Evangelical Justification or call Gods acceptance of our Righteousness by that name I shall by no means contend with them And where-ever this enquiry is made not how a sinner guilty of death and obnoxious unto the Curse shall be pardoned acquitted and justified which is by the Righteousness of Christ alone imputed unto him but how a man that professeth Evangelical Faith or Faith in Christ shall be tried judged and whereon as such he shall be justified we grant that it is and must be by his own personal sincere Obedience And these things are spoken not with a design to contend with any or to oppose the opinions of any but only to remove from the principal question in hand those things which do not belong unto it A very few words will also free our enquiry from any concernment in that which is called sentential Justification at the day of Judgment For of what nature soever it be the person concerning whom that sentence is pronounced was 1 actually and compleatly justified before God in this World 2 made partaker of all the Benefits of that Justification even unto a blessed Resurrection in Glory it is raised in Glory 1 Cor. 15. 3 The Souls of the most will long before have enjoyed a blessed Rest with God absolutely discharged and acquitted from all their labours and all their sins There remains nothing but an actual Admission of the whole person into eternal Glory Wherefore this Judgment can be no more but declaratory unto the glory of God and the everlasting Refreshment of them that have believed And without reducing of it unto a new Justification as it is no where called in the Scripture the ends of that solemn Judgment in the manifestation of the Wisdom and Righteousness of God in appointing the way of Salvation by Christ as well as in giving of the Law the publick conviction of them by whom the Law hath been transgressed and the Gospel despised the vindication of the Righteousness power and wisdom of God in the rule of the World by his providence wherein for the most part his paths unto all in this life are in the deep and his footsteps are not known the Glory and Honour of Jesus Christ triumphing over all his Enemies then fully made his footstool and the glorious exaltation of Grace in all that do Believe with sundry other things of an alike tendency
5. cap. 18. And elsewhere That the actual sin of Adam is imputed unto us as if we all had committed that actual sin that is broken the whole Law of God And this is that whereby the Apostle illustrates the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto Believers and it may on as good grounds be charged with absurdities as the other It is not therefore said that God judgeth that we have in our own persons done those very Acts and endured that penalty of the Law which the Lord Christ did and endured For this would overthrow all Imputation But what Christ did and suffered that God imputeth unto Believers unto the Justification of Life as if it had been done by themselves and his Righteousness as a publick person is made theirs by Imputation even as the sin of Adam whilst a publick person is made the sin of all his Posterity by Imputation Hereon none of the absurdities pretended which are really such do at all follow It doth not so that Christ in his own person performed every individual Act that we in our circumstances are obliged unto in a way of Duty nor was there any need that so he should do This Imputation as I have shewed stands on other Foundations Nor doth it follow that every saved Persons Righteousness before God is the same identically and numerically with Christs in his publick capacity as Mediator For this Objection destroys it self by affirming that as it was his it was the Righteousness of God-Man and so it hath an especial nature as it respects or relates unto his Person It is the same that Christ in his publick capacity did work or effect But there is a wide difference in the consideration of it as his absolutely and as made ours It was formally inherent in him is only materially imputed unto us Was actively his is passively ours was wrought in the Person of God-man for the whole Church is imputed unto each single Believer as unto his own concernment only Adams sin as imputed unto us is not the sin of a Representative though it be of his that was so but is the particular sin of every one of us But this Objection must be further spoken unto where it occurs afterwards Nor will it follow that on this supposition we should be accounted to have done that which was done long before we were in a capacity of doing any thing For what is done for us and in our stead before we are in any such capacity may be imputed unto us as is the sin of Adam And yet there is a manifold sense wherein men may be said to have done what was done for them and in their name before their actual existence so that therein is no absurdity As unto what is added by the way that Christ did not do nor suffer the Idem that we were obliged unto whereas he did what the Law required and suffered what the Law threatned unto the disobedient which is the whole of what we are obliged unto it will not be so easily proved nor the Arguments very suddenly answered whereby the contrary hath been confirmed That Christ did sustain the place of a surety or was the surety of the New-Covenant the Scripture doth so expresly affirm that it cannot be denied And that there may be sureties in cases criminal as well as civil and pecuniary hath been proved before What else occurs about the singularity of Christs Obedience as he was Mediator proves only that his Righteousness as formally and inherently his was peculiar unto himself and that the Adjuncts of it which arise from its relation unto his person as it was inherent in him are not communicable unto them to whom it is imputed It is moreover urged That upon the supposed Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ it will follow that every Believer is justified by the works of the Law For the Obedience of Christ was a legal Righteousness and if that be imputed unto us then are we justified by the Law which is contrary unto express Testimonies of Scriptures in many places Ans. 1 I know nothing more frequent in the Writings of some Learned Men then that the Righteousness of Christ is our legal Righteousness who yet I presume are able to free themselves of this Objection 2 If this do follow in the true sense of being justified by the Law or the Works of it so denied in the Scripture their weakness is much to be pitied who can see no other way whereby we may be freed from an Obligation to be justified by the Law but by this Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. 3 The Scripture which affirms that by the deeds of the Law no man can be justified affirms in like manner that by Faith we do not make void the Law but establish it that the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us that Christ came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it and is the End of the Law for Righteousness unto them that do believe And that the Law must be fulfilled or we cannot be justified we shall prove afterwards 4 We are not hereon justified by the Law or the Works of it in the only sense of that Proposition in the Scripture and to coin new senses or significations of it is not safe The meaning of it in the Scripture is that only the doers of the Law shall be justified Rom. 2.13 and that he that doth the things of it shall live by them chap. 10.5 namely in his own person by the way of personal Duty which alone the Law requires But if we who have not fulfilled the Law in the way of inherent personal Obedience are justified by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto us then are we justified by Christ and not by the Law But it is said that this will not relieve For if his Obedience be so imputed unto us as that we are accounted by God in Judgment to have done what Christ did it is all one upon the matter and we are as much justified by the Law as if we had in our own proper persons performed an unsinning Obedience unto it This I confess I cannot understand The Nature of this Imputation is here represented as formerly in such a way as we cannot acknowledge from thence alone this inference is made which yet in my judgment doth not follow thereon For grant an Imputation of the Righteousness of another unto us be it of what nature it will all Justification by the Law and Works of it in the sense of the Scripture is gone for ever The Admission of Imputation takes off all power from the Law to justifie for it can justifie none but upon a Righteousness that is originally and inherently his own The man that doth them shall live in them If the Righteousness that is imputed be the Ground and Foundation of our Justification and made ours by that Imputation state it how you will that Justification is of Grace and not of the Law
condition ever did yield in our own persons that perfect sinless Obedience unto God which is required of us in the Law of Creation two things are supposed that our Obedience such as it is may be accepted with God as if it were sinless and perfect For although some will not allow that the Righteousness of Christ is imputed unto us for what it is yet they contend that our own Righteousness is imputed unto us for what it is not Of these things the one respecteth the Law the other our Obedience 14. That which respecteth the Law is not the Abrogation of it For although this would seem the most expedite way for the Reconciliation of this Difficulty namely that the Law of Creation is utterly abrogated by the Gospel both as unto its Obligation unto Obedience and Punishment and no Law to be continued in force but that which requires only sincere Obedience of us whereof there is as unto Duties the manner of their performance not any absolute Rule or Measure yet this is not by many pretended They say not that this Law is so abrogated as that it should not have the power and efficacy of a Law towards us Nor is it possible it should be so nor can any pretence be given how it should so be It is true it was broken by man is so by us all and that with respect unto its principal End of our Subjection unto God and dependance upon him according to the Rule of it But it is foolish to think that the fault of those unto whom a Righteous Law is rightly given should abrogate or disannul the Law it self A Law that is good and just may cease and expire as unto any power of Obligation upon the ceasing or expiration of the Relation which it did respect So the Apostle tells us that when the Husband of a Woman is dead she is free from the Law of her Husband Rom. 7.2 But the Relation between God and us which was constituted in our first Creation can never cease But a Law cannot be abrogated without a new Law given and made by the same or an equal power that made it either expresly revoking it or enjoyning things inconsistent with it and contradictory unto its observation In the latter way the Law of Mosaical Institutions was abrogated and disannulled There was not any positive Law made for the taking of it away but the Constitution and Introduction of a new way of Worship by the Gospel inconsistent with it and contrary unto it deprived it of all its obligatory power and efficacy But neither of these ways hath God taken away the obligation of the Original Law of Obedience either as unto Duties or Recompences of Reward Neither is there any direct Law made for its Abrogation nor hath he given any new Law of moral Obedience either inconsistent with or contrary unto it Yea in the Gospel it is declared to be established and fulfilled It is true as was observed before that this Law was made the Instrument of a Covenant between God and Man and so there is another Reason of it For God hath actually introduced another Covenant inconsistent with it and contrary unto it But yet neither doth this instantly and ipso facto free all men unto the Law in the way of a Covenant For unto the Obligation of a Law there is no more required but that the matter of it be Just and Righteous that it be given or made by him who hath just Authority so to give or make it and be sufficiently declared unto them who are to be obliged by it Hence the making and promulgation of a new Law doth ipso facto abrogate any former Law that is contrary unto it and frees all men from Obedience unto it who were before obliged by it But in a Covenant it is not so For a Covenant doth not operate by meer Soveraign Authority it becomes not a Covenant without the consent of them with whom it is made Wherefore no Benefit accrues unto any or freedom from the Old Covenant by the constitution of the new unless he hath actually complied with it hath chosen it and is interested in it thereby The first Covenant made with Adam we did in him consent unto and accept of And therein notwithstanding our sin do we and must we abide that is under the Obligation of it unto Duty and Punishment until by Faith we are made partakers of the new It cannot therefore be said that we are not concerned in the fulfilling of the Righteousness of this Law because it is abrogated 15. Nor can it be said that the Law hath received a new Interpretation whereby it is declared that it doth not oblige nor shall be construed for the future to oblige any unto sinless and perfect Obedience but may be complied with on far easier terms For the Law being given unto us when we were sinless and on purpose to continue and preserve us in that condition it is absurd to say that it did not oblige us unto sinless Obedience and not an Interpretation but a plain Depravation of its sense and meaning Nor is any such thing once intimated in the Gospel Yea the Discourses of our Saviour upon the Law are absolutely destructive of any such Imagination For whereas the Scribes and Pharisees had attempted by their false Glosses and Interpretations to accommodate the Law unto the Inclinations and Lusts of men a course since pursued both notionally and practically as all who design to burden the Consciences of men with their own commands do endeavour constantly to recompence them by an Indulgence with respect unto the commands of God He on the contrary rejects all such pretended Epikeia's and Interpretations restoring the Law unto its pristine Crown as the Jews Tradition is that the Messiah shall do 16. Nor can a Relaxation of the Law be pretended if there be any such thing in Rule For if there be it respects the whole being of the Law and consists either in the suspension of its whole Obligation at least for a season or the substitution of another person to answer its demands who was not in the original Obligation in the room of them that were For so some say that the Lord Christ was made under the Law for us by an Act of Relaxation of the original Obligation of the Law how properly ipsi viderint But here in no sense it can have place 17. The Act of God towards the Law in this case intended is a Derogation from its obliging power as unto Obedience For whereas it did originally oblige unto perfect sinless Obedience in all Duties both as unto their substance and the manner of their performance it shall be allowed to oblige us still unto Obedience but not unto that which is absolutely the same especially not as unto the compleatness and perfection of it For if it do so either it is fulfilled in the Righteousness of Christ for us or no man living can ever be justified in the sight
Punishment threatened been immediately inflicted unto the utmost of what was contained in it this could have been no Question For Man had died immediately both temporally and eternally and been cast out of that state wherein alone he could stand in any relation unto the preceptive power of the Law He that is finally executed hath fulfilled the Law so as that he ows no more obedience unto it But 2. God in his Wisdom and Patience hath otherwise disposed of things Man is continued a Viator still in the way unto his end and not fully stated in his eternal and unchangeable condition wherein neither Promise nor Threatning Reward nor Punishment could be proposed unto him In this condition he falls under a twofold consideration 1. Of a guilty person and so is obliged unto the full punishment that the Law threatens This is not denied 2. Of a Man a Rational Creature of God not yet brought unto his Eternal End 3. In this state the Law is the only instrument and means of the continuance of the Relation between God and him Wherefore under this consideration it cannot but still oblige him unto Obedience unless we shall say that by his sin he hath exempted himself from the Government of God Wherefore it is by the Law that the Rule and Government of God over Men is continued whilest they are in statu Viatorum For every Disobedience every Transgression of its Rule and Order as to its commanding Power casteth us afresh and further under its Power of obliging unto Punishment Neither can these things be otherwise neither can any Man living not the worst of Men chuse but judge himself whilest he is in this World obliged to give Obedience unto the Law of God according to the notices that he hath of it by the light of nature or otherwise A wicked servant that is punished for his fault if it be with such a punishment as yet continues his Being and his state of servitude is not by his Punishment freed from an Obligation unto Duty according unto the Rule of it Yea his Obligation unto Duty with respect unto that crime for which he was punished is not dissolved until his punishment be capital and so put an end unto his state Wherefore seeing that by the pardon of sin we are freed only from the Obligation unto Punishment there is moreover required unto our Justification an Obedience unto what the Law requireth And this greatly strengthneth the Argument in whose Vindication we are ingaged for we being sinners we were obnoxious both unto the Command and Curse of the Law Both must be answered or we cannot be justified And as the Lord Christ could not by his most perfect Obedience satisfie the Curse of the Law dying thou shalt die so by the utmost of his suffering he could not fulfil the command of the Law Do this and live Passion as Passion is not Obedience though there may be Obedience in suffering as there was in that of Christ unto the height Wherefore as we plead that the Death of Christ is imputed unto us for our Justification so we deny that it is imputed unto us for our Righteousness For by the Imputation of the Sufferings of Christ our sins are remitted or pardoned and we are delivered from the Curse of the Law which he underwent But we are not thence esteemed just or righteous which we cannot be without respect unto the fulfilling of the Commands of the Law or the Obedience by it required The whole matter is excellently expressed by Grotius in the words before alledged Cum duo nobis peperisse Christum dixerimus impunitatem praemium illud satisfactioni hoc merito Christi distincte tribuit vetus Ecclesia Satisfactio consistit in meritorum translatione meritum in perfectissimae obedientiae pro nobis praestitae imputatione 3. The Objection mentioned proceeds also on this Supposition That pardon of sin gives title unto Eternal Blessedness in the injoyment of God For Justification doth so and according to the Authors of this opinion no other Righteousness is required thereunto but pardon of sin That Justification doth give Right and Title unto Adoption Acceptation with God and the Heavenly Inheritance I suppose will not be denied and it hath been proved already Pardon of sin depends solely on the death or suffering of Christ In whom we have Redemption through his Blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his Grace Ephes. 1.7 But suffering for Punishment gives Right and Title unto nothing only satisfies for something nor doth it deserve any Reward It is no where said Suffer this and live but Do this and live These things I confess are inseparably connected in the Ordinance Appointment and Covenant of God Whosoever hath his sins pardoned is accepted with God hath Right unto Eternal Blessedness These things are inseparable but they are not one and the same And by reason of their inseparable Relation are they so put together by the Apostle Rom. 4.6 7 8. Even as David also describeth the Blessedness of the Man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without Works Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Blessed is the Man unto whom the Lord will not impute sin It is the Imputation of Righteousness that gives Right unto Blessedness but pardon of sin is inseparable from it and an effect of it both being opposed unto Justification by Works or an Internal Righteousness of our own But it is one thing to be freed from being liable unto Eternal Death and another to have Right and Title unto a Blessed and Eternal Life It is one thing to be redeemed from under the Law that is the Curse of it another to receive the Adoption of Sons One thing to be freed from the Curse another to have the Blessing of Abraham come upon us as the Apostle distinguisheth these things Gal. 3.13 14. 4.4 5 And so doth our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 26.18 That they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance a Lot and Right to the Inheritance amongst them that are sanctified by Faith that is in me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we have by Faith in Christ is only a dismission of sin from being pleadable unto our condemnation on which account there is no condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus But a Right and Title unto Glory or the Heavenly Inheritance it giveth not Can it be supposed that all the great and glorious effects of present Grace and future Blessedness should follow necessarily on and be the effect of meer pardon of sin Can we not be pardoned but we must thereby of necessity be made Sons Heirs of God and Coheirs with Christ Pardon of sin is in God with respect unto the sinner a free gratuitous Act Forgiveness of sin through the riches of his Grace But with respect unto the satisfaction of Christ it is an Act in Judgment For on the consideration thereof as imputed unto him doth God absolve and
have proved and they were so in him who learned obedience by the things that he suffered Heb. 5.8 2. In this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 19. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 18. are the same Obedience and Righteousness By the Righteousness of One and by the Obedience of One are the same But suffering as suffering is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not Righteousness For if it were then every one that suffers what is due to him should be righteous and so be justified even the Devil himself 3 The Righteousness and Obedience here intended are opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the offence By the offence of One But the offence intended was an actual Transgression of the Law so is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fall from or a fall in the Course of Obedience Wherefore the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Righteousness must be an actual Obedience unto the Commands of the Law or the force of the Apostles Reasoning and Antithesis cannot be understood 4. Particularly it is such an Obedience as is opposed unto the disobedience of Adam One man's Disobedience one man's Obedience But the disobedience of Adam was an actual Transgression of the Law and therefore the Obedience of Christ here intended was his active Obedience unto the Law which is that we plead for And I shall not at present farther pursue the Argument because the force of it in the confirmation of the Truth contended for will be included in those that follow CHAP. XIII The nature of Justification proved from the difference of the Covenants THat which we plead in the third place unto our Purpose is the Difference between the two Covenants And herein it may be observed 1. That by the two Covenants I understand those which were absolutely given unto the whole Church and were all to bring it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto a compleat and perfect State that is the Covenant of Works or the Law of our Creation as it was given unto us with Promises and Threatnings or Rewards and Punishments annexed unto it and the Covenant of Grace revealed and proposed in the first Promise As unto the Covenant of Sinai and the New Testament as actually confirmed in the Death of Christ with all the Spiritual Priviledges thence emerging and the differences between them they belong not unto our present Argument 2. The whole intire Nature of the Covenant of Works consisted in this That upon our personal obedience according unto the Law and Rule of it we should be accepted with God and rewarded with him Herein the essence of it did consist And whatever Covenant proceedeth on these terms or hath the nature of them in it however it may be varied with Additions or Alterations is the same Covenant still and not another As in the Renovation of the Promise wherein the Essence of the Covenant of Grace was contained God did oft-times make other Additions unto it as unto Abraham and David yet was it still the same Covenant for the substance of it and not another so whatever Variations may be made in or Additions unto the Dispensation of the first Covenant so long as this Rule is retained Do this and live it is still the same Covenant for the Substance and Essence of it 3. Hence two things belonged unto this Covenant 1. That all things were transacted immediately between God and Man There was no Mediator in it no one to undertake any thing either on the part of God or Man between them For the whole depending on every ones Personal obedience there was no place for a Mediator 2. That nothing but perfect sinless obedience would be accepted with God or preserve the Covenant in its Primitive state and condition There was nothing in it as to pardon of sin no provision for any defect in Personal obedience 4. Wherefore this Covenant being once established between God and Man there could be no new Covenant made unless the Essential Form of it were of another nature namely that our own Personal obedience be not the rule and cause of our Acceptation and Justification before God For whil'st this is so as was before observed the Covenant is still the same however the Dispensation of it may be reformed or reduced to suit unto our present state and condition What Grace soever might be introduced into it that could not be so which excluded all Works from being the cause of our Justification But if a new Covenant be made such Grace must be provided as is absolutely inconsistent with any Works of ours as unto the first ends of the Covenant as the Apostle declares Rom. 11.6 5. Wherefore the Covenant of Grace supposing it a new real absolute Covenant and not a Reformation of the Dispensation of the old or a Reduction of it unto the use of our present condition as some imagine it to be must differ in the Essence Substance and Nature of it from that first Covenant of Works And this it cannot do if we are to be justified before God on our Personal obedience wherein the essence of the first Covenant consisted If then the Righteousness wherewith we are justified before God be our own our own Personal Righteousness we are yet under the first Covenant and no other 6. But things in the new Covenant are indeed quite otherwise For 1. it is of Grace which wholly excludes Works that is so of Grace as that our own works are not the means of Justification before God as in the places before alledged 2. It hath a Mediator and Surety which is built alone on this Supposition That what we cannot do in our selves which was originally required of us and what the Law of the first Covenant cannot inable us to perform that should be performed for us by our Mediator and Surety And if this be not included in the very first notion of a Mediator and Surety yet it is in that of a Mediator or Surety that doth voluntarily interpose himself upon an open acknowledgment that those for whom he undertakes were utterly insufficient to perform what was required of them on which Supposition all the Truth of the Scripture doth depend It is one of the very first notions of Christian Religion that the Lord Christ was given to us born to us that he came as a Mediator to do for us what we could not do for our selves and not meerly to suffer what we had deserved And here instead of our own Righteousness we have the Righteousness of God instead of being righteous in our selves before God he is the Lord our Righteousness And nothing but a Righteousness of another kind and nature unto Justification before God could constitute another Covenant Wherefore the Righteousness whereby we are justified is the Righteousness of Christ imputed unto us or we are still under the Law under the Covenant of Works It will be said that our Personal obedience is by none asserted to be the Righteousness wherewith we are justified before God in the
which stops the mouth of all sinners and makes all the World obnoxious unto the judgment of God Chap. 3.19 Which none can do but the Law written in the heart of men at their Creation Chap. 2.14 15. That Law which if a man do the works of it he shall live in them Gal. 3.12 Rom. 10.5 and which brings all men under the Curse for sin Gal. 3.10 The Law that is established by Faith and not made void Rom. 3.31 which the Ceremonial Law is not nor the Covenant of Sinai The Law whose Righteousness is to be fulfilled in us Rom. 8.4 And the instance which the Apostle gives of Justification without the Works of that Law which he intends namely that of Abraham was some hundreds of years before the giving of the Ceremonial Law Neither yet do I say that the Ceremonial Law and the Works of it are excluded from the Intention of the Apostle For when that Law was given the Observation of it was an especial Instance of that Obedience we owed unto the first Table of the Decalogue and the exclusion of the Works thereof from our Justification in as much as the performance of them was part of that Moral Obedience which we owed unto God is exclusive of all other works also But that it is alone here intended or that Law which could never justifie any by its observation although it was observed in due manner is a fond Imagination and contradictory to the express Assertion of the Apostle And whatever is pretended to the contrary this opinion is expresly rejected by Augustine lib. de Spirit liter cap. 8. Ne quisquam putaret hic Apostolum dixisse ea lege neminem justificari quae in Sacramentis veteribus multa continet figurata praecepta unde etiam est ista circumcisio carnis continuo subjungit quam dixerit legem addit per legem Cognitio peccati And to the same purpose he speaks again Epist. 200. Non solum illa opera legis quae sunt in veteribus Sacramentis nunc revelato Testamento novo non observantur a Christianis sicut est Circumcisio praeputii Sabbati carnalis vacatio a quibusdam escis abstinentia pecorum in Sacrificiis immolatio neomenia azymum caetera hujusmodi verum etiam illud quod in lege dictum est non concupisces quod ubique Christianus nullus ambigit esse dicendum non justificat hominem nisi per fidem Jesu Christi gratiam Dei per Jesum Christum dominum nostrum 2. Some say the Apostle only excludes the perfect Works required by the Law of Innocency which is a sense diametrically opposite unto that foregoing But this best pleaseth the Socinians Paulus agit de Operibus perfectis in hoc dicto ideo enim adjecit sine operibus legis ut indicaretur loqui eum de operibus a lege requisitis sic de perpetua perfectissima divinorum praeceptorum obedientia sicut lex requirit Cum autem talem obedientiam qualem lex requirit nemo praestare possit ideo subjecit Apostolus nos justificari fide id est fiducia obedientia ea quantum quisque praestare potest quotidie quam maximum praestare studet connititur Sine operibus legis id est etsi interim perfecte totam legem sicut debebat complere nequit saith Socinus himself But 1. We have herein the whole granted of what we plead for namely that it is the moral indispensible Law of God that is intended by the Apostle and that by the works of it no man can be justified yea that all the works of it are excluded from our Justification for it is saith the Apostle without Works The works of this Law being performed according unto it will justifie them that perform them as he affirms Chap. 2.13 and the Scripture elsewhere witnesseth that he that doth them shall live in them But because this can never be done by any Sinner therefore all consideration of them is excluded from our Justification 2. It is a wild Imagination that the dispute of the Apostle is to this purpose that the perfect works of the Law will not justifie us but imperfect works which answer not the Law will do so 3. Granting the Law intended to be the Moral Law of God the Law of our Creation there is no such distinction intimated in the least by the Apostle that we are not justified by the perfect Works of it which we cannot perform but by some imperfect Works that we can perform and labour so to do Nothing is more foreign unto the design and express words of his whole discourse 4. The Evasion which they betake themselves unto that the Apostle opposeth Justification by faith unto that of works which he excludes is altogether vain in this sense For they would have this faith to be our Obedience unto the Divine Commands in that imperfect manner which we can attain unto For when the Apostle hath excluded all such Justification by the Law and the works thereof he doth not advance in opposition unto them and in their room our own Faith and Obedience but adds being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his blood 3. Some of late among our selves and they want not them who have gone before them affirm that the Works which the Apostle excludes from Justification are only the Outward Works of the Law performed without an inward Principle of Faith fear or the Love of God Servile Works attended unto from a respect unto the Threatning of the Law are those which will not justifie us But this Opinion is not only false but impious For 1. The Apostle excludes the Works of Abraham which were not such outward servile Works as are imagined 2. The Works excluded are those which the Law requires and the Law is holy just and good But a Law that requires only outward Works without internal Love to God is neither holy just nor Good 3. The Law Condemns all such Works as are separated from the internal Principle of Faith Fear and Love for it requires that in all our Obedience we should love the Lord our God with all our hearts And the Apostle saith that we are not justified by the Works which the Law condemns but not by them which the Law commands 4. It is highly reflexive on the honour of God that he unto whose Divine Prerogative it belongs to know the Hearts of men alone and therefore regards them alone in all the duties of their Obedience should give a Law requiring outward servile Works only for if the Law intended require more then are not those the only Works excluded 4. Some say in general it is the Jewish Law that is intended and think thereby to cast off the whole Difficulty But if by the Jewish Law they intend only the Ceremonial Law or the Law absolutely as
given by Moses we have already shewed the Vanity of that pretence But if they mean thereby the whole Law or Rule of Obedience given unto the Church of Israel under the Old Testament they express much of the Truth it may be more than they designed 5. Some say that it is Works with a Conceit of Merit that makes the Reward to be of Debt and not of Grace that are excluded by the Apostle But no such distinction appeareth in the Text or Context For 1. The Apostle excludeth all Works of the Law that is that the Law requireth of us in a way of Obedience be they of what sort they will 2. The Law requireth no Works with a Conceit of Merit 3. Works of the Law Originally included no Merit as that which ariseth from the Proportion of one thing unto another in the Ballance of Justice and in that sense only is it rejected by those who plead for an Interest of Works in Justification 4. The Merit which the Apostle excludes is that which is inseparable from Works so that it cannot be excluded unless the Works themselves be so And unto their Merit two things concur 1. A Comparative boasting that is not absolutely in the sight of God which follows the Meritum ex condigno which some poor sinful Mortals have fancied in their Works but that which gives one man a preference above another in the obtaining of Justification which Grace will not allow Chap. 4.2 2. That the Reward be not absolutely of Grace but that respect be had therein unto Works which makes it so far to be of debt not out of an internal Condignity which would not have been under the Law of Creation but out of some Congruity with respect unto the promise of God v. 4. In these two regards Merit is inseparable from Works and the Holy Ghost utterly to exclude it excludeth all Works from which it is inseparable as it is from all Wherefore 5. The Apostle speaks not one word about the exclusion of the Merit of Works only but he excludeth all Works whatever and that by this Argument that the Admission of them would necessarily introduce merit in the sense described which is inconsistent with Grace And although some think that they are injuriously dealt withal when they are charged with maintaining of merit in their asserting the Influence of our Works into our Justification yet those of them who best understand themselves and the Controversie it self are not so averse from some kind of merit as knowing that it is inseparable from Works 6. Some contend that the Apostle excludes only Works wrought before believing in the strength of our own Wills and Natural Abilities without the aid of Grace Works they suppose required by the Law are such as we perform by the Direction and Command of the Law alone But the Law of Faith requireth Works in the strength of the supplies of Grace which are not excluded This is that which the most learned and judicious of the Church of Rome do now generally betake themselves unto Those who amongst us plead for Works in our Justification as they use many distinctions to explain their Minds and free their Opinion from a co-incidence with that of the Papists so as yet they deny the name of Merit and the thing it self in the sense of the Church of Rome as it is renounced likewise by all the Socinians Wherefore they make use of the preceding Evasion that Merit is excluded by the Apostle and Works only as they are meritorious although the Apostles plain Argument be that they are excluded because such a Merit as is inconsistent with Grace is inseparable from their Admission But the Roman Church cannot so part with Merit Wherefore they are to find out a sort of Works to be excluded only which they are content to part withal as not meritorious Such are those before described wrought as they say before believing and without the aids of Grace and such they say are all the Works of the Law And this they do with some more Modesty and Sobriety than those amongst us who would have only external Works and Observances to be intended For they grant that sundry internal Works as those of Attrition sorrow for Sin and the like are of this Nature But the Works of the Law it is they say that are excluded But this whole Plea and all the Sophisms wherewith it is countenanced hath been so discussed and defeated by Protestant Writers of all sorts against Bellarmine and others as that it is needless to repeat the same things or to add any thing unto them And it will be sufficiently evinced of falshood in what we shall immediately prove concerning the Law and Works intended by the Apostle However the Heads of the Demonstration of the Truth to the contrary may be touched on And 1. The Apostle excludeth all Works without distinction or exception And we are not to distinguish where the Law doth not distinguish before us 2. All the Works of the Law are excluded therefore all Works wrought after believing by the aids of Grace are excluded For they are all required by the Law See Psal. 119.35 Rom. 7.22 Works not required by the Law are no less an Abomination to God than Sins against the Law 3. The Works of Believers after Conversion performed by the Aids of Grace are expresly excluded by the Apostle So are those of Abraham after he had been a Believer many years and abounded in them unto the Praise of God So he excludeth his own Works after his Conversion Gal. 2.16 1 Cor. 4.4 Phil. 3.9 And so he excludeth the Works of all other Believers Ephes. 2.9 10. 4. All Works are excluded that might give countenance unto boasting Rom. 4.2 Chap. 3.17 Eph. 2.9 1 Cor. 1.29 30 31. But this is done more by the Good Works of regenerate Persons than by any Works of Unbelievers 5. The Law required Faith and Love in all our Works and therefore if all the Works of the Law be excluded the best works of Believers are so 6. All Works are excluded which are opposed unto Grace working freely in our Justification But this all Works whatever are Rom. 11.6 7. In the Epistle unto the Galatians the Apostle doth exclude from our Justification all those Works which the false Teachers pressed as necessary thereunto But they urged the necessity of the Works of Believers and those which were by Grace already converted unto God For those upon whom they pressed them unto this End were already actually so 8. They are Good Works that the Apostle excludeth from our Justification For there can be no Pretence of Justification by those Works that are not Good or which have not all things essentially requisite to make them so But such are all the Works of Unbelievers performed without the Aids of Grace they are not Good nor as such accepted with God but want what is essentially requisite unto the Constitution of Good Works And it is ridiculous to think
with a pretence of propriety and accuracy CHAP. XVII Testimonies out of the Evangelists considered THe Reasons why the Doctrine of Justification by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ is more fully and clearly delivered in the following Writings of the New Testament than it is in those of the Evangelists who wrote the History of the Life and Death of Christ have been before declared But yet in them also it is sufficiently attested as unto the state of the Church before the Death and Resurrection of Christ which is represented in them Some few of the many Testimonies which may be pleaded out of their Writings unto that purpose I shall consider 1. The principal design of our Blessed Saviours Sermon especially that part of it which is Recorded Matth. 5. is to declare the true nature of Righteousness before God The Scribes and Pharisees from a Bondage unto whose Doctrines he designed to vindicate the Consciences of those that heard him placed all our Righteousness before God in the Works of the Law or Mens own obedience thereunto This they taught the People and hereon they justified themselves as he chargeth them Luke 16.15 Ye are they which justifie your selves before men but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God As in this Sermon he makes it evident And all those who were under their conduct did seek to establish their own Righteousness as it were by the works of the Law Rom. 9.33 Chap. 10.3 But yet were they convinced in their own Consciences that they could not attain unto the Law of Righteousness or unto that perfection of obedience which the Law did require Yet would they not forego their proud fond imagination of Justification by their own Righteousness but as the manner of all Men is in the same case sought out other inventions to relieve them against their convictions For unto this end they corrupted the whole Law by their false glosses and interpretations to bring down and debase the sense of it unto what they boasted in themselves to perform So doth he in whom our Saviour gives an instance of the principle and practice of the whole Society by way of a Parable Luk. 18.10 11 12. And so the young Man affirmed That he had kept the whole Law from his youth namely in their sense Matth. 19.20 To root out this pernicious Error out of the Church our Lord Jesus Christ in many instances gives the true spiritual Sense and intention of the Law manifesting what the Righteousness is which the Law requires and on what terms a Man may be justified thereby And among sundry others to the same purpose two things he evidently declares 1. That the Law in its Precepts and Prohibitions had regard unto the regulation of the heart with all its first motions and actings For he asserts that the inmost thoughts of the heart and the first motions of concupiscence therein though not consented unto much less actually accomplished in the outward deeds of sin and all the occasions leading unto them are directly forbidden in the Law This he doth in his holy Exposition of the Seventh Commandment Ver. 27 28 29 30. 2. He declares the penalty of the Law on the least sin to be Hell fire in his Assertion of causless anger to be forbidden in the Sixth Commandment If Men would but try themselves by these Rules and others there given by our Saviour it would it may be take them off from boasting in their own Righteousness and Justification thereby But as it was then so is it now also the most of them who would maintain a Justification by Works do attempt to corrupt the sense of the Law and accommodate it unto their own practice The Reader may see an eminent demonstration hereof in a late excellent Treatise whose title is The Practical Divinity of the Papists discovered to be destructive of Christianity and Mens souls The Spirituality of the Law with the severity of its Sanction extending it self unto the least and most imperceptible motions of sin in the heart are not believed or not aright considered by them who plead for Justification by Works in any sense Wherefore the principal design of the Sermon of our Saviour is as to declare what is the nature of that obedience which God requireth by the Law so to prepare the minds of his Disciples to seek after another Righteousness which in the cause and means of it was not yet plainly to be declared although many of them being prepared by the Ministery of John did hunger and thirst after it But he sufficiently intimates wherein it did consist in that he affirms of himself That he came to fulfil the Law Ver. 17. What he came for that he was sent for for as he was sent and not for himself He was born to us given unto us This was to fulfil the Law that so the Righteousness of it might he fulfilled in us And if we our selves cannot fulfil the Law in the proper sense of its commands which yet is not to be abolished but established as our Saviour declares if we cannot avoid the Curse and Penalty of it upon its transgression And if he came to fulfil it for us all which are declared by himself then is his Righteousness even which he wrought for us in fulfilling the Law the Righteousness wherewith we are justified before God And whereas here is a twofold Righteousness proposed unto us one in the fulfilling of the Law by Christ the other in our own perfect obedience unto the Law as the sense of it is by him declared and other middle Righteousness between them there is none it is left unto the Consciences of convinced sinners whether of these they will adhere and trust unto And their direction herein is the principal design we ought to have in the declaration of this Doctrine I shall pass by all those places wherein the foundations of this Doctrine are surely laid because it is not expresly mentioned in them But such they are as in their proper Interpretation do necessarily infer it Of this kind are they all wherein the Lord Christ is said to die for us or in our stead to lay down his life a ransom for us or in our stead and the like but I shall pass them by because I will not digress at all from the present Argument But the Representation made by our Saviour himself of the way and means whereon and whereby Men come to be justified before God in the Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican is a guide unto all Men who have the same design with them Luk. 18.9 10 11 12 13 14. And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others Two Men went up unto the Temple to pray the one a Pharisee and the other a Publican The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other
purpose in this Evangelist the sum of the Doctrine declared by him is That the Lord Jesus Christ was the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the World that is by the sacrifice of himself wherein he answered and fulfilled all the typical sacrifices of the Law That unto this end he sanctified himself that those who believe might be sanctified or perfected for ever by his own offering of himself That in the Gospel he is proposed as lifted up and crucified for us is bearing all our sins on his Body on the Tree That by Faith 〈◊〉 him we have adoption justification freedom from judgment and condemnation with a right and title unto Eternal Life That those who believe not are condemned already because they believe not on the Son of God and as he elswhere expresseth it make God a lier in that they believe not his Testimony namely That he hath given unto us Eternal Life and that this life is in his Son Nor doth he any where make mention of any other means cause or condition of Justification on our part but Faith only though he aboundeth in Precepts unto Believers for Love and keeping the commands of Christ. And this Faith is the receiving of Christ in the sense newly declared And this is the substance of the Christian Faith in this matter which oft-times we rather obscure then illustrate by debating the consideration of any thing in our Justification but the Grace and Love of God the Person and Mediation of Christ with Faith in them CHAP. XVIII The nature of Justification as declared in the Epistles of S. Paul in that unto the Romans especially Chap. 3. THat the way and manner of our Justification before God with all the Causes and Means of it are designedly declared by the Apostle in the Epistle unto the Romans Chap. 3.4 5. as also vindicated from Objections so as to render his discourse thereon the proper Seat of this Doctrine and whence it is principally to be learned cannot modestly be denied The late exceptions of some That this Doctrine of Justification by Faith without Works is found only in the Writings of S. Paul and that his Writings are obscure and intricate are both false and scandalous to Christian Religion so as that in this place we shall not afford them the least consideration He wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he was moved by the Holy Ghost And as all the matter delivered by him was sacred Truth which immediately requires our Faith and Obedience so the way and manner wherein he declared it was such as the Holy Ghost judged most expedient for the edification of the Church And as he said himself with confidence That if the Gospel which he Preached and as it was Preached by him though accounted by them foolishness was hid so as that they could not understand nor comprehend the Mystery of it it was hid unto them that are lost so we may say That if what he delivereth in particular concerning our Justification before God seems obscure difficult or perplexed unto us it is from our prejudices corrupt affections or weakness of understanding at best not able to comprehend the glory of this Mystery of the Grace of God in Christ and not from any defect in his way and manner of the Revelation of it Rejecting therefore all such perverse insinuations in a due sense of our own weakness and acknowledgment that at best we know but in part we shall humbly inquire into the Blessed Revelation of this great Mystery of the Justification of a sinner before God as by him declared in those Chapters of his glorious Epistle to the Romans and I shall do it with all briefness possible so as not on this occasion to repeat what hath been already spoken or to anticipate what may be spoken in place more convenient The first thing he doth is to prove all men to be under sin and to be guilty before God This he giveth as the conclusion of his preceding discourse from Chap. 1.18 or what he had evidently evinced thereby Chap. 3. ver 19 23. Hereon an inquiry doth arise how any of them come to be justified before God And whereas Justification is a sentence upon the consideration of a Righteousness his grand inquiry is what that Righteousness is on the consideration whereof a Man may be so justified And concerning this he affirms expresly that it is not the Righteousness of the Law nor of the Works of it whereby what he doth intend hath been in part before declared and will be further manifested in the proofs of our discourse Wherefore in general he declares that the Righteousness whereby we are justified is the Righteousness of God in opposition unto any Righteousness of our own Chap. 1.17 Chap. 3.21 22. And he describes this Righteousness of God by three properties 1. That it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the Law Ver. 21. separated in all its concerns from the Law not attainable by it nor any works of it which they have no influence into It is neither our obedience unto the Law nor attainable thereby Nor can any expression more separate and exclude the Works of Obedience unto the Law from any concernment in it then this doth Wherefore what ever is or can be performed by our selves in obedience unto the Law is rejected from any interest in this Righteousness of God or the procurement of it to be made ours 2. That yet it is witnessed unto by the Law Ver. 21. The Law and the Prophets The Apostle by this distinction of the Books of the Old Testament into the Law and the Prophets manifests that by the Law he understands the Books of Moses and in them Testimony is given unto this Righteousness of God four ways 1. By a declaration of the causes of the necessity of it unto our Justification This is done in the account given of our Apostasie from God of the loss of his Image and the state of sin that insued thereon For hereby an end was put unto all possibility and hope of acceptance with God by our own Personal Righteousness By the entrance of sin our own Righteousness went out of the World so that there must be another Righteousness prepared and approved of God and called The Righteousness of God in opposition unto our own or all Relation of Love and Favor between God and Man must cease for ever 2. In the way of recovery from this state generally declared in the first Promise of the Blessed Seed by whom this Righteousness of God was to be wrought and introduced for he alone was to make an end of sin and to bring in Everlasting Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 9.24 That Righteousness of God that should be the means of the Justification of the Church in all ages and under all dispensations 3. By stopping up the way unto any other Righteousness through the Threatnings of the Law and that Curse which every transgression of it was attended withal
come upon them unto condemnation no otherwise can they be rendered obnoxious unto death and judgment on the account thereof For we have evinced that by death and condemnation in this disputation of the Apostle the whole punishment due unto sin is intended This therefore is plain and evident on that hand In answer hereunto the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one as to the causality of Justification is opposed unto the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the other as unto its causality unto or of condemnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the Righteousness of one That is the Righteousness that is pleadable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto Justification For that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Righteousness pleaded for Justification By this say our Translators the free gift came upon all repeating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the foregoing Verse as they had done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before on the other hand The Syriack Translation renders the words without the aid of any supplement Therefore as by the sin of one condemnation was unto all men so by the Righteousness of one Justification unto life shall be unto all Men. And the sense of the words is so made plain without the supply of any other word into the Text. But whereas in the original the words are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so in the later clause somewhat from his own foregoing words is to be supplied to answer the intention of the Apostle And this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratiosa donatio the free grant of Righteousness or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free gift of Righteousness unto Justification The Righteousness of one Christ Jesus is freely granted unto all Believers to the Justification of life For the all Men here mentioned are described by and limited unto them that receive the abundance of Grace and the gift of Righteousness by Christ Ver. 17. Some vainly pretend from hence a general grant of righteousness and life unto all men whereof the greatest part are never made partakers then which nothing can be more opposite nor contradictory unto the Apostles design Men are not made guilty of condemnation from the Sin of Adam by such a Divine constitution as that they may or on some conditions may not be obnoxious thereunto Every one so soon as he actually exists and by vertue thereof is a descendant from the first Adam is actually in his own person liable thereunto and the wrath of God abideth on him And no more are intended on the other side but those only who by their relation through Faith unto the Lord Christ the second Adam are actually interessed in the Justification of life Neither is the controversie about the universality of Redemption by the Death of Christ herein concerned For those by whom it is asserted do not affirm that it is thence necessary that the free gift unto the Justification of life should come on all for that they know it doth not do And of a provision of Righteousness and life for men in case they do believe although it be true yet nothing is spoken in this place Only the certain Justificatin of them that believe and the way of it is declared Nor will the Analogy of the Comparison here insisted on admit of any such interpretation For the all on the one hand are all and only those who derive their being from Adam by natural propagation If any man might be supposed not to do so he would not be concerned in his Sin or Fall And so really it was with the man Christ Jesus And those on the other hand are only those who derive a spiritual life from Christ. Suppose a man not to do so and he is no way interessed in the Righteousness of the one unto the Justification of life Our Argument from the words is this As the Sin of one that came on all unto condemnation was the Sin of the first Adam imputed unto them so the Righteousness of the one unto the Justification of life that comes on all Believers is the Righteousness of Christ imputed unto them And what can be more clearly affirmed or more evidently confirmed than this is by the Apostle I know not Yet is it more plainly expressed v. 19. For as by one mans Disobedience many were made Sinners so by the Obedience of one shall many be made Righteous This is well explained by Cyrillus Alexandrinus in Joan. Lib. 11. Cap. 25. Quemadmodum praevaricatione primi hominis ut in primitiis generis nostri morti addicti fuimus eodem modo per obedientiam justitiam Christi in quantum seipsum legi subjecit quamvis legis author esset benedictio vivificatio quae per spiritum est ad totam nostram penetravit naturam And by Leo. Epist. 12. ad Juvenalem Vt autem reparet omnium vitam recepit omnium causam ut sicut per unius reatum omnes facti fuerunt peccatores ita per unius innocentiam omnes fierent innocentes inde in homines manaret justitia ubi est humana suscepta natura That which he before called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he now expresseth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disobedience and Obedience The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Adam or his Disobedience was his actual transgression of the Law of God Hereby saith the Apostle many were made Sinners Sinners in such a sense as to be obnoxious unto Death and Condemnation For liable unto Death they could not be made unless they were first made Sinners or guilty And this they could not be but that they are esteemed to have sinned in him whereon the guilt of his Sin was imputed unto them This therefore he affirms namely that the actual sin of Adam was so the sin of all men as that they were made sinners thereby obnoxious unto Death and Condemnation That which he opposeth hereunto is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Obedience of one that is of Jesus Christ. And this was the Actual Obedience that he yielded unto the whole Law of God For as the Disobedience of Adam was his actual Transgression of the whole Law so the Obedience of Christ was his actual accomplishment or fulfilling of the whole Law This the Antithesis doth require Hereby many are made Righteous How By the Imputation of that Obedience unto them For so and no otherwise are men made Sinners by the Imputation of the Disobedience of Adam And this is that which gives us a right and title unto eternal life as the Apostle declares vers 21. That as Sin reigned unto death so might Grace reign through Righteousness unto eternal life This Righteousness is no other but the Obedience of one that is of Christ as it is called vers 18. And it is said to come upon us that is to be imputed unto us For blessed is the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness And hereby we have not only deliverance from
in every word And those other redoubled expressions all loss for him that I may win him that I may be found in him that I may know him all argue the working of his affections under the Conduct of Faith and Truth unto an acquiescency in Christ alone as all and in all Somewhat of this frame of mind is necessary unto them that would believe his Doctrine Those who are utter strangers unto the one will never receive the other 2. In his expression of all other other things that are our own that are not Christ whether Priviledges or Duties however good useful excellent they may be in themselves yet in Comparison of Christ and his Righteousness and with respect unto the end of our standing before God and acceptance with him with the same vehemency of Spirit he casts contempt upon calling them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dogs meat to be left for them whom he calleth Dogs that is evil Workers of the Concision or the wicked Jews who adhered pertinaciously unto the Righteousness of the Law v. 2. This account of the earnestness of the Apostle in this Argument and the warmth of his Expressions I thought meet to give as that which gives light into the whole of his design 6. The question being thus stated the enquiry is what any person who desires acceptance with God or a Righteousness whereon he may be justified before him ought to betake himself unto One of the ways proposed he must close with all Either he must comply with the Apostle in his Resolution to reject all his own Righteousness and to betake himself unto the Righteousness of God which is by Faith in Christ Jesus alone or find out for himself or get some to find out for him some exceptions unto the Apostles conclusion or some distinctions that may prepare a reserve for his own works one way or other in his justification before God Here every one must chuse for himself In the mean time we thus argue If our own Righteousness and the Righteousness which is of God by Faith or that which is through the Faith of Christ Jesus namely the Righteousness which God imputeth unto us Rom. 4.6 Or the abundance of Grace and the gift of Righteousness thereby which we receive Rom. 5.17 are opposite and inconsistent in the Work of Justification before God then are we justified by Faith alone through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto us The consequence is plain from the removal of all other ways causes means and conditions of it as inconsistent with it But the antecedent is expresly the Apostles Not my own but that of God Again That whereby and wherewith we are found in Christ is that whereby alone we are justified before God for to be found in Christ expresseth the state of the person that is to be justified before God Whereunto is opposed to be found in our selves And according unto these different states doth the judgment of God pass concerning us And as for those who are found in themselves we know what will be their portion But in Christ we are found by Faith alone All manner of evasions are made use of by some to escape the force of this Testimony It is said in general That no sober minded Man can imagine the Apostle did not desire to be found in Gospel Righteousness or That by his own Righteousness he meant that For it is that alone can intitle us unto the Benefits of Christs Righteousness Nollem Dictum 1. The censure is too severe to be cast on all Protestant Writers without exception who have expounded this place of the Apostle and all others except some few of late influenced by the heat of the Controversie wherein they are ingaged 2. If the Gospel Righteousness intended be his own Personal Righteousness and Obedience there is some want of consideration in affirming That he did not desire to be found in it That wherein we are found thereon are we to be judged to be found in our own Evangelical Righteousness before God is to enter into judgment with God thereon which those who understand any thing aright of God and themselves will not be free unto And to make this to be the meaning of his words I desire not to be found in my own Righteousness which is after the Law but I desire to be found in mine own Righteousness which is according to the Gospel whereas as they are his own inherent Righteousness they are both the same doth not seem a proper interpretation of his words and it shall be immediately disproved 3. That our Personal Gospel Righteousness doth intitle us unto the Benefits of Christs Righteousness that is as unto our Justification before God is gratis dictum not one Testimony of Scripture can be produced that gives the least countenance unto such an assertion That it is contrary unto many express Testimonies and inconsistent with the freedom of the Grace of God in our Justification as proposed in the Scripture hath been proved before Nor do any of the places which assert the necessity of obedience and good Works in Believers that is Justified Persons unto Salvation any way belong unto the Proof of this Assertion or in the least express or intimate any such thing And in particular the Assertion of it is expresly contradictory unto that of the Apostle Tit. 3.4 5. But I forbear and proceed to the consideration of the special answers that are given unto this testimony especially those of Bellarmine whereunto I have as yet seen nothing added with any pretence of Reason in it 1. Some say that by his own Righteousness which the Apostle rejects he intends only his Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or by the Works of the Law But this was only an outward external Righteousness consisting in the observation of Rites and Ceremonies without respect unto the inward frame or obedience of the heart But this is an impious imagination The Righteousness which is by the Law is the Righteousness which the Law requires and those works of it which if a Man do he shall live in them for the doers of the Law shall be justified Rom. 2.16 Neither did God ever give any Law of Obedience unto Man but what obliged him to love the Lord his God with all his heart and all his soul. And it is so far from being true That God by the Law required an external Righteousness only that he frequently condemns it as an abomination to him where it is alone 2. Others say that it is the Righteousness whatever it be which he had during his Pharisaism And although he should be allowed in that state to have lived in all good Conscience instantly to have served God day and night and to have had respect as well unto the internal as the external Works of the Law yet all these Works being before Faith before Conversion to God may be and are to be rejected as unto any concurrence unto our Justification But Works wrought in Faith
Doctrine and that which would so easily solve this difficulty and answer this objection as both of them are by some pretended certainly neither his wisdom nor his care of the Church under the conduct of the infallible Spirit would have suffered him to omit this reply were it consistent with the truth which he had delivered But he is so far from any such Plea that when the most unavoidable occasion was administred unto it he not only waves any mention of it but in its stead affirms that which plainly evidenceth that he allowed not of it See Eph. 2.9 10. Having positively excluded Works from our Justification not of Works least any man should boast it being natural thereon to enquire to what end do Works serve or is there any necessity of them instead of a distinction of Works legal and Evangelical in order unto our Justification he asserts the necessity of the later on other Grounds Reasons and Motives manifesting that they were those in particular which he excluded as we have seen in the consideration of the place Wherefore that we may not forsake his pattern and example in the same cause seeing he was Wiser and Holier knew more of the mind of God and had more zeal for personal Righteousness and Holiness in the Church than we all if we are pressed a Thousand times with this objection we shall never seek to deliver our selves from it by answering that we allow these things to be the condition or causes of our Justification or the matter of our Righteousness before God seeing he would not so do Secondly we may observe that in his answer unto this objection whether expresly mentioned or tacitly obviated he insisteth not any where upon the common principle of moral Duties but on those motives and reasons of Holiness Obedience good works alone which are peculiar unto Believers For the question was not whether all mankind were obliged unto Obedience unto God and the Duties thereof of by the moral Law But whether there were an Obligation from the Gospel upon Believers unto Righteousness Holiness and good Works such as was suited to affect and constrain their minds unto them Nor will we admit of any other state of the question but this only whether upon the supposition of our gratuitous justification through the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ there are in the Gospel grounds reasons and motives making necessary and efficaciously influencing the minds of Believers unto Obedience and good Works for those who are not Believers we have nothing to do with them in this matter nor do plead that Evangelical grounds and motives are suited or effectual to work them unto Obedience yea we know the contrary and that they are apt both to despise them and abuse them See I Cor. 1.23 24. 2 Cor. 4.4 such persons are under the Law and there we leave them unto the Authority of God in the moral Law But that the Apostle doth confine his enquiry unto Believers is evident in every place wherein he maketh mention of it Rom. 6.2 3. How shall we that are dead unto sin live any longer therein Know ye not that so many of us as were Baptized into Jesus Christ c. Eph. 2.10 For we are the workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus unto good Works Wherefore we shall not at all contend what cogency unto duties of Holiness there is in Gospel motives and reasons unto the minds of Vnbelievers whatever may be the truth in that case But what is their power force and efficacy towards them that truly believe Thirdly The answers which the Apostle returns positively unto this objection wherein he declares the necessity nature ends and use of Evangelical Righteousness and good Works are large and many comprehensive of a great part of the Doctrine of the Gospel I shall only mention the heads of some of them which are the same that we plead in the vindication of the same truth 1. He pleads the Ordination of God God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Eph. 2.10 God hath designed in the disposal of the order of the causes of Salvation that those who believe in Christ should live in walk in abound in good Works and all Duties of Obedience unto God To this end are Precepts Directions Motives and Encouragements every where multiplied in the Scripture Wherefore we say that good Works and that as they include the gradual progressive Renovation of our natures our growth and increase in grace with fruitfulness in our lives are necessary from the Ordination of God from his will and command And what need there any further dispute about the necessity of good Works among them that know what it is to believe or what respect there is in the Souls and Consciences of Believers unto the commands of God But what force say some is in this Command or Ordination of God when notwithstanding it and if we do not apply our selves unto Obedience we shall be justified by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ and so may be saved without them I say 1 As was before observed that it is Believers alone concerning whom this enquiry is made and there is none of them but will judge this a most unreasonable and senseless objection as that which ariseth from an utter ignorance of their state and relation unto God To suppose that the minds of Believers are not as much and as effectually influenced with the Authority and Commands of God unto Duty and Obedience as if they were all given in order unto their Justification is to consider neither what Faith is nor what it is to be a Believer nor what is the Relation that we stand in unto God by Faith in Christ Jesus nor what are the Arguments or motives wherewith the minds of such persons are principally affected and constrained This is the Answer which the Apostle gives at large unto this Exception Rom. 6.2 3. 2 The whole fallacy of this Exception is 1 In separating the things that God hath made inseparable These are our Justification and our Sanctification To suppose that the one of these may be without the other is to overthrow the whole Gospel 2 In compounding those things that are distinct namely Justification and eternal actual Salvation the respect of Works and Obedience being not the same unto them both as hath been declared Wherefore this Imagination that the commands of God unto Duty However given and unto what ends soever are not equally obligatory unto the Consciences of Believers as if they were all given in order unto their Justification before God is an absurd figment and which all of them who are truly so defie Yea they have a greater power upon them than they could have if the Duties required in them were in order unto their Justification and so were antecedent thereunto For thereby they must be supposed to have their efficacy upon them before they truly believe For to say that a man may be a true Believer or truly
believe in answer unto the commands of the Gospel and not to be thereon in the same instant of time absolutely justified is not to dispute about any point of Religion but plainly to deny the whole truth of the Gospel But it is Faith alone that gives power and efficacy unto Gospel Commands effectually to influence the Soul unto Obedience Wherefore this Obligation is more powerfully constraining as they are given unto those that are justified then if they were given them in order unto their Justification Secondly The Apostle answers as we do also Do we then make void the Law through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law For although the Law is principally established in and by the Obedience and Sufferings of Christ Rom. 8.3 4. Chap. 10.3 4. Yet is it not by the Doctrine of Faith and the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto the Justification of life made void as unto Believers Neither of these do exempt them from that Obligation unto universal Obedience which is prescribed in the Law They are still obliged by vertue thereof to love the Lord their God with all their Hearts and their Neighbours as themselves They are indeed freed from the Law and all its commands unto Duty as it abides in its first consideration Do this and live the opposite whereunto is Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them For he that is under the Obligation of the Law in order unto Justification and Life falls inevitably under the Curse of it upon the supposition of any one Transgression But we are made free to give Obedience unto it on Gospel motives and for Gospel ends as the Apostle declares at large Rom. 6. And the Obligation of it is such unto all Believers as that the least Transgression of it hath the nature of sin But are they hereon bound over by the Law unto everlasting punishment or as some phrase it will God damn them that Transgress the Law without which all this is nothing I ask again what they think hereof And upon a supposition that he will do so what they further think will become of themselves For my part I say no even as the Apostle saith There is no condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus Where then they will say is the necessity of Obedience from the Obligation of the Law if God will not damn them that Transgress it And I say it were well if some men did understand what they say in these things or would learn for a while at least to hold their peace The Law equally requires Obedience in all instances of Duty if it require any at all As unto its Obligatory power it is capable neither of Dispensation nor Relaxation so long as the essential differences of good and evil do remain If then none can be obliged unto Duty by vertue of its commands but that they must on every Transgression fall under its curse either it obligeth no one at all or no one can be saved But although we are freed from the Curse and condemning power of the Law by him who hath made an end of sin and brought in everlasting Righteousness yet whilest we are viatores in order unto the accomplishment of Gods design for the Restauration of his Image in us we are obliged to endeavour after all that Holiness and Righteousness which the Law requires of us Thirdly The Apostle answereth this Objection by discovering the necessary Relation that Faith hath unto the Death of Christ the grace of God with the nature of Sanctification excellency use and advantage of Gospel Holiness and the end of it in Gods appointment This he doth at large in the whole Sixth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans and that with this immediate design to shew the consistency of Justification by Faith alone with the necessity of personal Righteousness and Holiness The due pleading of these things would require a just and full Exposition of that Chapter wherein the Apostle hath comprized the chief springs and reasons of Evangelical Obedience I shall only say that those unto whom the reasons of it and motives unto it therein expressed which are all of them compliant with the Doctrine of Justification by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ are not effectual unto their own personal Obedience and do not demonstrate an indispensible necessity of it are so unacquainted with the Gospel the nature of Faith the genius and inclination of the new Creature for let men scoff on whilest they please he that is in Christ Jesus is a new Creature the constraining efficacy of the grace of God and love of Christ of the Oeconomy of God in the disposition of the causes and means of our Salvation as I shall never trouble my self to contend with them about these things Sundry other considerations I thought to have added unto the same purpose And to have shewed 1 That to prove the necessity of inherent Righteousness and Holiness we make use of the Arguments which are suggested unto us in the Scripture 2 That we make use of all of them in the sense wherein and unto the ends for which they are urged therein in perfect compliance with what we teach concerning Justification 3 That all the pretended Arguments or motives for and unto Evangelical Holiness which are inconsistent with the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ do indeed obstruct it and evert it 4 That the Holiness which we make necessary unto the Salvation of them that believe is of a more excellent sublime and Heavenly nature in its causes essence operations and effects than what is allowed or believed by the most of those by whom the Doctrine of Justification is opposed 5 That the Holiness and Righteousness which is pleaded for by the Socinians and those that follow them doth in nothing exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees nor upon their principles can any man go beyond them But whereas this Discourse hath already much exceeded my first intention and that as I said before I have already at large treated on the Doctrine of the nature and necessity of Evangelical Holiness I shall at present omit the further handling of these things and acquiesce in the answers given by the Apostle unto this Objection CHAP. XX. The Doctrine of the Apostle James concerning Faith and Works It s agreement with that of St. Paul THe seeming difference that is between the Apostle Paul and James in what they teach concerning Faith Works and Justification requires our consideration of it For many do take advantage from some words and expressions used by the later directly to oppose the Doctrine fully and plainly declared by the former But whatever is of that nature pretended hath been so satisfactorily already answered and removed by others as that there is no great need to treat of it again And although I suppose that there will not be an end of contending and writing in these causes
that the Apostle Disputes about the exclusion of such Works from our Justification as no man in his Wits would think to have any place therein 9 The Reason why no no man can be justified by the Law is because no man can yield perfect Obedience thereunto For by perfect Obedience the Law will justifie Rom. 2.13 Chap. 10.5 Wherefore all Works are excluded that are not absolutely perfect But this the best Works of Believers are not as we have proved before 10. If there be a Reserve for the Works of Believers performed by the Aid of Grace in our Justification it is that either they may be concauses thereof or be indispensibly subservient unto those things that are so That they are concauses of our Justification is not absolutely affirmed Neither can it be said that they are necessarily subservient unto them that are so They are not so unto the efficient Cause thereof which is the Grace and favour of God alone Rom. 3.24 25. Chap. 4.16 Eph. 2.8 9. Rev. 1.6 Nor are they so unto the Meritorious Cause of it which is Christ alone Acts 13 38. Chap. 26.18 1 Cor. 1.30 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20 21. Nor unto the Material Cause of it which is the Righteousness of Christ alone Rom. 10.3 4. Nor are they so unto Faith in what place soever it be stated For not only is Faith only mentioned wherever we are taught the way how the Righteousness of Christ is derived and communicated unto us without any intimation of the conjunction of Works with it but also as unto our Justification they are placed in Opposition and Contradiction one to the other Rom. 3.28 And sundry other things are pleadable unto the same purpose 7. Some affirm that the Apostle excludes all Works from our first Justification but not from the second or as some speak the continuation of our Justification But we have before examined these Distinctions and found them groundless Evident it is therefore that men put themselves into an uncertain slippery station where they know not what to fix upon nor wherein to find any such appearance of Truth as to give them Countenance in denying the plain and frequently repeated Assertion of the Apostle Wherefore in the Confirmation of the present Argument I shall more particularly enquire into what it is that the Apostle intends by the Law and Works whereof he treats For as unto our Justification whatever they are they are absolutely and universally opposed unto Grace Faith the Righteousness of God and the Blood of Christ as those which are altogether inconsistent with them Neither can this be denied or questioned by any seeing it is the plain design of the Apostle to evince that inconsistency 1. Wherefore in general it is evident that the Apostle by the Law and the Works thereof intended what the Jews with whom he had to do did understand by the Law and their own whole Obedience thereunto I suppose this cannot be denied For without a Concession of it there is nothing proved against them nor are they in any thing instructed by him Suppose those Terms aequivocal and to be taken in one sense by him and by them in another and nothing can be rightly concluded from what is spoken of them Wherefore the meaning of these Terms the Law and Works the Apostle takes for granted as very well known and agreed on between himself and those with whom he had to do 2. The Jews by the Law intended what the Scriptures of the Old Testament meant by that Expression For they are no where blamed for any false Notion concerning the Law or that they esteemed any thing to be so but what was so indeed and what was so called in the Scripture Their present Oral Law was not yet hatched though the Pharisees were brooding of it 3. The Law under the Old Testament doth immediately refer unto the Law given at Mount Sinai nor is there any distinct mention of it before This is commonly called the Law absolutely but most frequently the Law of God the Law of the Lord and sometimes the Law of Moses because of his especial Ministry in the giving of it Remember the Law of Moses my servant which I commanded unto him Mal. 4.4 And this the Jews intended by the Law 4. Of the Law so given at Horeb there was a Distribution into three Parts 1. There was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 4.13 The ten Words So also Chap. 10.4 that is the ten Commandments written in two Tables of Stone This Part of the Law was first given was the Foundation of the whole and contained that perfect Obedience which was required of Mankind by the Law of Creation and was now received into the Church with the highest Attestations of its indispensible Obligation unto Obedience or Punishment 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the LXX render by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is jura Rites or Statutes but the Latine from thence Justificationes Justifications which hath given great Occasion of Mistake in many both Ancient and Modern Divines We call it the Ceremonial Law The Apostle terms this Part of the Law distinctly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 2.15 The Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances that is consisting in a Multitude of Arbitrary Commands 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we commonly call the Judicial Law This Distribution of the Law shuts up the Old Testament as it is used in places innumerable before only the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ten Words is expressed by the general Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law Mal. 4.4 5. These being the Parts of the Law given unto the Church in Sinai the the whole of it is constantly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law that is the Instruction as the Word signifies that God gave unto the Church in the Rule of Obedience which he prescribed unto it This is the Constant signification of that Word in Scripture where it is taken absolutely and thereon doth not signifie precisely the Law as given at Horeb but comprehends with it all the Revelations that God made under the Old Testament in the Explanation and Confirmation of that Law in Rules Motives Directions and Enforcements of Obedience 6. Wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law is the whole Rule of Obedience which God gave to the Church under the Old Testament with all the Efficacy wherewith it was accompanied by the Ordinances of God including in it all the Promises and Threatnings that might be Motives unto the Obedience that God did require This is that which God and the Church called the Law under the Old Testament and which the Jews so called with whom our Apostle had to do That which we call the Moral Law was the Foundation of the whole and those Parts of it which we call the Judicial and Ceremonial Law were peculiar Instances of the Obedience which the Church under the Old Testament was obliged unto in the especial Politie and divine Worship which at that season