Justification requires Legal Righteousness Evangelical Justification requires Evangelical Righteousness i. e. Faith and Repentance in sincerity and perseverance And this last qualification comes in least they should be under a necessity to hold a man pardon'd one time of his Life and yet be afterward condemn'd thorough after back-sliding and falling from Grace Some of them hold final falling away and so an once justifi'd man may be eternally damn'd Others total but not final and so may be in a state of Condemnation and Justification alternatively a hundred times But a third to prevent this Absurdity adds perseverance by which a man is excluded from justification until his last breath which excludes the Doctrine of Assurance during life and pardon too which is a strangely new Doctrine yet I have heard some more cautious persons say they think there are some degrees of Grace at the attainment of which they escape that danger may be that is it they allot for the time of justification This Limitation seems unacceptable to me on these grounds 1. This Law countenances iniquity indulges transgressions for since the first Law is holy just and good what Law requires less is so far unholy unjust bad and shall we suppose an holy God that is of purer eyes than to connive at iniquity to establish iniquity by a Law was our corrupt natures or imperfectly renew'd to his image the Original to this Law as his own Nature gave birth to the first it seems reasonable to say that God accepts imperfect obedience on his account who perform'd perfect obedience in our stead as surety but that the office of the Mediator should be to obtain of God to lay by that glorious manifestation of his Holiness and change that perfect Law into a Council and Directory and to yield so far to us as to take a penny of the pound of obedience from broken debtors seems to me pregnant of difficulties and absurdities We deny our Obedience comes to be accepted as the obedience the Law requires or under the Notion Adam's righteousness was accepted viz. that which gave right to Indemnity and Life but is accepted as the way to the Kingdom and preparation for the possession of a place in these mansions where all the inhabitants are holy It is the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ alone by which that Law is fulfill'd he is the end of the Law for righteousness and his righteousness gives right to remission and blessedness 2ly I am inform'd this Notion of the Evangelical Law was the principal error of the Antinomians for they said since Faith and Repentance was all that was necessary to salvation what was the need of any other Law Alas it is a sad mistake for the Moral Law is the rule of true Repentance Let him that stole steal no more that hath broke the first second or third Command c. ought to do so no more that is true Repentance New Obedience The Law that did forbid stealing once forbids stealing always else it were not perfect Indeed the Gospel has such an influence on this Law and our obedience to it that it is a new Law to what it was but that ever God should lay that by and make another or make any that requires not perfection is to me unconceivable If any duty belongs to this New Law it 's patience and God commands that it be perfect Let patience have its perfect work Or for the same God to have two Laws so contrary that we may condemn'd by one and justifi'd by another 3ly As it introduces Antinomianism so a christianiz'd Pharisaism which was the error the Apostle is refuting He is not disputing against Pagans who denied the Messias or own'd many Daemons 1 Cor. 8.6 To us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things Nor against the Jews who deny'd he was come in the flesh for he tells them their Faith was famous thorough the World Rom. 1.8 But against some that believ'd and pleaded the necessity of Circumcision Rom. 3.28 That pleaded We were justified by Faith and Works for the Thesis shows the Antagonists Opinion which is we are justifi'd by faith without the deeds of the Law and Rom. 9.23 They sought after a righteousness as if it were by the works of the Law i. e. by the works of the Law in some sense and measure this may be more evident by considering the Jews Doctrine about the way of Salvation and add to it the belief of a Messias come and we may find the opinions too much alike They reckon'd that there were three ranks of Men with respect to Heaven the lowest were sinners of Publicans and Sinners we read frequently the highest were perfect men and that they thought hardly attainable it seems Mat. 19.21 That was the young mans doubt he brought to Christ If thou wouldst be perfect sell all thou hast and follow me in me the Laws perfection is to be obtain'd thou must entirely be deny'd to all things else the middle sort was called Beninim Middle-way-men Men of sincerity that should go to eternal Life either by a praeponderation of good or repentance of evil Hence say they the Life of man in the Precepts is according to his intention who performs one of the least Precepts for love of the Precept shall merit everlasting life Cant. 5.2 Open to me my Sister my Love i. e. Open to me one crevice of Repentance and I will open to thee the wide gates of Glory Zach. 9.1 The Land of Hadrach i. e. Emanuel's Land who leads men to God by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the way of repentance The gates of Prayer are shut sometimes but never the gate of Repentance If Israel would repent one day the world would be redeem'd and the Messias would come But they did not think these Boninim went straight to Heaven No Abraham and all the Prophets went to Hell in their Opinion though the best went thorough the fire like a Salamander it 's only the Messias can deliver from that Herein then seems their Error to consist that the Messias suppli'd the want of perfection so no need of going to Hell for sincere ones this the Apostle Gal. 1. calls a perverting of the Gospel a composing of another method of Salvation a counterfeit Gospel a corrupting of the pure method of Grace with mixture and allay of works 4ly It supposes two Justifications Baxter against Cartwright p. 11. It is one thing to be accus'd of treason and another thing to be accus'd of Non-performance of the condition on which remission for treason is promis'd an absolution from the first makes the one justification and absolution from the latter the Gospel Justification Resp By this Doctrine the neglect of Faith and Repentance is not Treason 2. That the justification by Christs righteousness is not compleat 3. That we must be justifi'd before we can have an interest in Christ's Righteousness and so we have Faith
are more likely sences when David said Blessed is he whose sin is forgiven to mean blessed is he who has an interest in Christ and his satisfaction than to mean blessed is he who repents Nay the Prophet adds that as another thing Blessed is he in whose spirit there is no guile i. e. Blessed is the pardon'd man and the sincere man 3ly He is ungodly when forgiven therefore his righteousness is not the condition of it 4ly C. 3. v. 25. To declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past why should we think the Terms connexed other than what before he unites as cause and effect this is to unite what the Apostle separates our Works and Justification and separate what he unites Christ righteousness and remission 2. It is not supposable to think that Christ's righteousness or satisfaction should be no where mention'd in this dispute about the causes of Justification when it s confest that that is the grand and only meriting cause It is strange that he should dispute about the cause of pardon and yet never mention the true cause but instead of it always a little petty requisite without any causality at all and the more strange that he should so frequently mention that cause under the name of Christ's blood and his being deliver'd for our offences the matter of his righteousness in the context and seldom ever the effect without it but when he calls it by the name of righteousness the proper name by which it saves us for his blood saves us as it is a righteousness a conformity to the law of Redemption that wherein the Law obtain'd its end then it should not be esteem'd his but our own 3. We may learn whose righteousness it is that is mention'd in the dispute by what was propos'd in the These or Doctrine to be disputed which he proposes both negatively and affirmatively viz. Justified not by our righteousness or works but God's we are justified by Gods righteousness this he proposes Rom. 1.17 as the grand end of the Gospel Therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith surely God's Righteousness and Faith by which it s receiv'd are distinct things from thence to v. 21. c. 3. he proves that all our own righteousness is entirely rejected from any interest in this affair and again v. 21. proposes thus the righteousness of God to be that which he now undertakes to prove to be the only righteousness we are justified by But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested and that by God he means Christ Rom. 10.3 4. may be easily learn'd from his words Vnto the righteousness of God for Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness and that it is not call'd the righteousness of God because his gift we may learn from Rom. 1.8 Your faith is spoken of thoroughout the world Faith is a work this is the work of God to believe on his name and faith is a righteousness for there is a conformity to the Law in it but it is ours your faith faith differs from this righteousness as the act and object Righteousness of God reveal'd from faith to faith What unprejudic'd man would call that righteousness and faith the same faith differs from it as the effect from the cause 2 Pet. 1.1 Have obtain'd the like precious faith with us thorough the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Who would wish for a plainer expression to prove that the gift of Faith is the fruit of Christ's merit and therefore this righteousness must be imputed to us before that gift be possess'd by us 4. The Epithets of this righteousness speaks it to be Christs Rom. 3.21 22 24. 1. It s the righteousness of God God was Author Owner Contriver Acter Giver Subject of this righteousness it deserves the name by way of Eminence who could contrive it but his Wisdom give it but his Grace bear it but his Patience work it but his Power possess it but his Fulness 2. Without the Law on two accounts both as to the person and as to the righteousness 1. The person Gal. 4. Was made under the law he came under it by his own voluntary choice not natural necessity as we are hence without the Law 2. The Righteousness was that no precept of the Law requir'd to dye or suffer that was none of its duties or righteousness it was its penalty in case of Unrighteousness 3. It s a righteousness now manifested faith and repentance has shin'd in the practice of the Patriarchs and Prophets ever since Adam Heb. 11. Abel Noah Enoch believ'd indeed Christ's was a new kind the World never saw before 4. It was witness'd by the Law and the Prophets if we take the Law for the books of Moses they bear witness to it Abraham believ'd and it was imputed to him for righteousness the bruising his heel Gen. 3. witnesses his suffering the principal matter of his righteousness If we take it for the Typical Law that witnessed to it for all the sacrifices were Types and Types are visible Prophecies and all the Language is the Messias was to suffer in the room of others to obey a Law for others and the Prophets witness Isa 45. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness Jer. 23.6 The Lord our righteousness Dan. 9. To bring in everlasting righteousness There are the Testimonies of three Prophets To him gave all the Prophets witness 5. It was a righteousness convey'd thorough faith put on them that believe v. 22. which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe 6. A righteousness that consist in a conformity to a Law which to us is a Law of Faith not Works We are bound to believe his Obedience to all the Law in the Covenant of Redemption but not to work one bit of it Hence we being justified by that righteousness our boasting is excluded v. 27. 7. A faith that consists in shedding of blood in suffering v. 25. These two are to the same effect Thorough faith in his blood and righteousness by faith 8. A righteousness whose fruit is remission of sin v. 24. To declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are pass'd the same Coherence that is in the Text between imputation of righteousness and pardon 9 Rom. 9.4 A righteousness wherein the Law attain'd its full end the Subject Life and Happiness and the Law-giver honour and glory 10. A righteousness the gift whereof glorifies grace to the uttermost the righteousness of an Angel is not such a gift as this is 5. It s a righteousness that is made ours As Adam's first offence or unrighteousness was made ours that never inher'd in us but death came on us by it then it has some relation to us and we to it this is at large in C. 5. where the Author of this righteousness is plainly call'd the second Adam and if that be not plain enough v. 21. he is call'd
TWO SERMONS One on the Subject of Justification The Other on The Imputed Righteousness and Imputation of Faith to Righteousness by which we are Justified Preached Occasionally at the Merchants-Lecture in Pin-makers-Hall in Broad-street And Printed at their Desire By Walter Cross M. A. LONDON Printed by and for John Astwood at his Printing-House behind St. Christophers-Church in Thred-needle-street the back-side of the Royal Exchange 1695. SERMON I. ROM IV. 5. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly THese words are to be consider'd both relatively and absolutely that we may in order comprehend their full sense and importance The relation they bear to the Apostle's scope and design is that of a proof and confirmation of the grand Doctrine of the Gospel which is That no man is nor can be justified by his own Works or Righteousness the only way of being justified is by the Righteousness of God The Apostle on very good ground supposes such an opposition and disjunction between them two as admits no medium for we cannot be justified without a Righteousness and that Righteousness must be either our own or anothers God's or Man's It is the Negative branch of the Doctrine the Apostle doth earnestly contend for in this 4th Chap. without any appearance of Carnality but disputes with strenuous dint of Argument and closely connected Topics with the terms of his proposed Doctrine whereof this in the Text is one either an immediate Argument thus He that worketh not or is ungodly cannot be justified by his own Works but he who is justified by Grace is one that worketh not or is ungodly Erg. Or rather a Confirmation of an immediate Argument before brought thus Maj. He that is justifi'd by Faith is not justifi'd by Works Min. But Abraham was justified by Faith Erg. Abraham was not justified by Works The Assumption being confirm'd from Scriptures Testimony Gen. 15. he proceeds to prove the grand Proposition thus Maj. He to whom righteousness is imputed of Grace cannot be justified by Works Min. But to him that is justified by Faith righteousness is imputed of Grace Erg. He that is justified by Faith cannot be justified by Works The assumption is frequently asserted in Scripture v. 16. It is of Faith that it might be by Grace The grand Proposition he supposes evident from the opposition between Grace and Debt in v. 4. for when a person is dealt with on the account of Works i. e. any thing in him or done by him it is debt his due I mean the reward but when a Man is dealt with of Grace the reward is proportion'd to the Favour and Good-will of the Donor or Judge the Goodness of the Judge on the Bench and the arraigned Person at the Bar are very opposite therefore to be treated according to this opposite goodness must be an opposite treatment This opposition or repugnancy in v. 5. he illustrates and confirms thus Maj. Where the subjects causes effects or manner of efficiency are opposite there the things themselves are opposite Min. But in Justification by Works and Faith of grace and of due the subjects causes c. are opposite Erg. The Nature of the Justifications are opposite The grand Proposition is a Maxim in Logic or Natural Light taken for granted The assumption is illustrated and confirmed in these four Verses 1. The Subjects to wit a godly and an ungodly Man a righteous and an unrighteous a Worker and a Non-worker 2. The Causes the grace favour and good-will of the Governour and the merit labour obedience and righteousness of the Subject 3. The immediate effect of this Free-grace or way of its efficiency which differs from the Method of Justice measuring its distribution by Law for the former imputes a Righteousness or as in Ch. 5. gives a Righteousness viz. in a way of accompt and reckoning that by virtue thereof and its satisfaction to the Government it may consist with governing goodness to bless the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputes righteousness without works The latter finds an inherent righteousness in the person and therefore his Justification is only an Authoritative declaration of what he is a surrender of the Honour that is his due and he proves this by David's Testimony asserting the former Justification to be a Pardon or Forgiveness As if he had said It 's call'd a Justification because that Pardon is the effect of an Imputed Righteousness Free-grace first gives by way of Account an Interest in Christ's Righteousness and conveys the Right or Interest thorough Faith Secondly Pardons on the account of that Righteousness which gives just ground for the denomination of Justification and this Name is entertain'd as the proper Name for our Pardon in the Gospel that it may be a constant Memorial of our Obligation to Christ for our Pardon and of the difficulty that there was to render a Pardon consistent with the Law and Honour of the Law-maker and Governour One chief end of this added Testimony of David's to the Example and Pattern of Abraham is to prove that we are not justified by Works from the Nature of Gospel-Justification viz. David says it 's a Pardon tho' it 's a Justification in respect to Christ's Righteousness it 's a Forgiveness with respect to our own Unrighteousness This proves the Subject also of Gospel Justification to be ungodly for we need and receive a Pardon not as righteous or godly but ungodly And the reason why the Apostle gives the sense of David's words to be the Imputing of a Righteousness is because it was inconsistent with a necessary just Law and a just Governour and Judge who cannot do violence to a righteous Law to pardon or not to impute sin until there be first a Righteousness imputed and by showing this to be the sense of it he thereby proves that our Justification is of Grace because Free grace is the only cause of the Imputation of that Righteousness It is not for Christ's sake that his righteousness is imputed for that were to say that the same thing was for the sake of it self his Merit for his Merits-sake and Righteousness for his Righteousness-sake But as Christ is the Free-grace of God's Gift so is his Righteousness without any interveening Merits and that has made me think the influence of Christ's Merit to use the accustom'd Phrase terminates on the Law or Legal constitution not on the Divine Nature God is the God Author and Owner of all Grace nothing has chang'd his mind into a more gracious temper and hence the Imputation of righteousness is only ascrib'd to Grace but Justification is ascrib'd to Grace not immediately as imputation is but at second hand Justified by his Grace thorough the Redemption Ch. 3.24 Hence something may be said for an Imputation of Righteousness from Eternity tho' not for Justification from Eternity and may be this is the reason why another Phrase is made use of for the transitory temporary Act viz. Faith
forgiven thee Having removed these Limitations with the grounds of them I shall establish the Doctrine more positively And 1. By Testimony Sclater on this Verse reconciles it with Prov. 17.15 where it 's said He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just even they both are abomination to the Lord It were an abomination to justifie a wicked Man without a satisfaction but not where a satisfaction to the Government is given which is the Case of the ungodly Man in the Text. Who 's justified thro' the righteousness of Christ and this he quotes out of Pareus on the place Wilson another English Commentator with great plainness gives it thus At their justification he findeth them ungodly and maketh them godly and he doth it both by taking away the guilt and filth of their sin The Righteousness of Christ is reckoned the Righteousness of that Person who doth by Faith embrace him Pitcairn says Ungodly here is taken in the same sense as when God raiseth the dead and calls that which is not to be it being the term of alienation from which they are remov'd from whence he bids farewell to all antecedent Causes which some call inferiour others in some manner or measure others administrating others sine quo non others Causes of possession tho' not of right for all Holiness comes in as a way to the Kingdom not as Causes of Rule Diest thus Justifying Grace finds him so in himself but leaves him not so For whom he justifies them he sanctifies God Justifies us not as Holy in our selves but as wanting righteousness he imputes a righteousness to us The Anger of Abraham Gen. 15. for want of Children wanted a Pardon even then before this declaration about him that his Faith was imputed to him for righteousness Theodore Szuingerus whom Hottinger commends and notwithout reason as the best Commentator on this Epistle compares the Text with 1 Kings 8.2 condemning the wicked to bring his way on his Head and justifying the righteous to give him according to his righteousness and solves the difficulty these two ways 1. That the one is a Justification of a man's Cause and the other a Justification of his Person which is that in the Text. 2. This Justification of the Ungodly is not against a Law but according to a Law not without a righteousness but without his own only Besides says he Tho' it finds him ungodly it leaves him not in his ungodliness Bucer thus If God should not justifie the Wicked none should be justified for the Lord find us all wicked before we are justified Greneus Tho' Man may not justifie the ungodly God may who has Power to forgive above Law Pareus Tho' they are justified who are wicked in themselves yet not without Cause and against Rule since there is a satisfaction in Christ Marlorat's Ecclesiastick Exposition is thus The first Blessing of Salvation is Pardon and our Pardon being a Justification it must be a justification of the Ungodly What can they say to this that are Slaves to their Belly and yet brag of their Works are they better than Abraham who left his Countrey redeem'd his Brother and offered his Son and Hop'd in his God against all Hope but God in justifying leaves us not ungodly Such therefore ought rather to fear they are not justify'd because they want the fruits of Justification than brag they have the Causes of it in themselves Calvin thus It 's observable the Discourse is not about the way of living but about the Causes of Salvation He argues from contraries and as Bucer says not from words but sentences This Sentence is full of Energy Believeth on him that justifies the ungodly wherein both the Nature of Faith and Righteousness are contain'd In short no body can come to the Righteousness of Faith but who is in himself Ungodly for Faith adorns us with anothers Righteousness which it beggs of God hence God is said to justifie when he freely forgives and vouchsafes to love them with whom he may be justly angry Ver. 6. without Works they meerly cavil who think all Works are not excluded for he says not Works of the Law but simply and without restriction Works of all kinds Beda venerabilis Anno 700. says on this Text What can he be but ungodly until he be justified by Grace for what Grace gives it gives freely I dare not determine which of the two is the greater work to make a just man or to justifie an ungodly man both require equal power but the latter greater grace or mercy Boast not of thy works before faith for faith found thee a sinner Man works not righteousness until he be justified and that begins with Faith Tho. Aquinas 1260. on this Text To believe is the first act of Righteousness which God works in us by this man doth not merit righteousness but subject himself to God's justification and so thereby receives its effect This says he the Apostle proves 1. From David's sense v. 6. He is a blessed man to whom God gives a righteousness without forgoing works 2. From David's words proving he had no righteousness for he needed for Orignal Actual and Venial sin for the guilt of the Offence Fact and Penalty of sin Ambranat a late Papist 1665. Paris The Apostle before acted an Orator by interrogations and frequent Questions but now a Philosopher with clouds of Arguments before he oppos'd Gift and Works now he opposes a Believer and Worker a believer in him that endues the ungodly with his own righteousness Patiatur ergo si non operatur when he is not a doer he is made a receiver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Erasmus says Ungodly here comprehends all kind of Unrighteousness there is no kind that is excepted But there is no end of humane testimonies for within my Cognizance I can reckon an hundred Interpreters of this Epistle I shall add two more of greatest Authority in England 1. The Westminster Assembly I shall not quote the Annotations bearing their Name but as I am inform'd on far less ground than Anthony Burgess his book of Justification which was examin'd and approv'd by them one of his Titles is That gracious works are not so much as the condition or cause sine qua non of justification and on this Text p. 288. God doth account him as righteous though a sinner in himself p. 290. While looking into our selves we see nothing but matter of death and condemnation and he has another Sermon to prove that the Act of Faith is not imputed to justification which the Assemblies Catachism expresly mentions A Second Authority is the Articles and Homilies of the Church of England But Dr. Wallis has done that in a Sermon ex preposito I shall conclude with these two noted Fathers Ambrose and Augustine the former defines a worker to be not a transgressor of the Law and a Non-worker a Transgressor the latter in his Propositions on this Epistle Tom. 4. p. 1193. Qui justificat
and Repentance without an interest in Christ for antecedent to an interest in him and we cannot be evangelically justifi'd until our Faith and Repentance be sincere and persevere so no interest in him till death The Scholastick Pitâ—arne Provost of the Old Colledge of St. Andrews weeps over this Opinion and its Reverend Author thus p. 285. O Reverend Baxter for what end or to what good hast thou wrote so many Volumes for thy conditional justification by Faith and Obedience to how many contentions hast thou given occasion how many precious hours hast thou lost to thy self and thy Reverend Brethren into an Abyss of how many Anti-Gospel Errors are they now sunk who glory in thee as their Guide and Patron who after they have once left the way of Truth scarce know where to stop and yet thou still tellest the world all thy disputes are about the wool of a dog for thou differest only in words and names from thy Brethren 5ly The Context and Scope is the best rule of interpreting this text whether righteous by one Law and unrighteous by another or not for Chapter 3. tells us he is a Non-worker as to all works that any Oracles of the Old Testament did discover to be duty for v. 2. this was the Jews advantage that unto them were committed the Oracles of God about which these two things are certain that these Oracles were the Old Testament and that the Old Testament contain'd the same way of justification the New doth v. 19. He adds whatever the Law says it says to them that are under the Law v. 10. These Oracles say There is none righteous No not one v. 19. All the World is guilty before God every mouth stopp'd The Argument runs thus The Old Testament contain'd all Laws wherein a sinners justification was concern'd but as to all these Laws all men were found Non-workers and ungodly therefore there is no place for distinction of Laws and Righteousness in this place that inheres in us 2ly Abraham's Condition antecedent to his effectual call instructs us that the distinction of Righteousness to be admitted in this place is that of our own and anothers made ours by imputation not of our own with respect to different Laws for Josh 24. Abraham was an idolater inconsistent with faith and repentance or Gospel-righteousness and yet Isa 41. He is call'd a righteous man and the friend of God this must be thorough Christs righteousness imputed not his own Who call'd the righteous man from the east he was righteous in Chaldea 3ly Rom. 5.9 10. When we were enemies we were reconcil'd to God by the death of his Son The Argument is thus If we are reconcil'd when enemies we are justifi'd when guilty I mean actively and antecedently but the Apostle affirms the former The Connexion is evident for they are but different Metaphors of the same case the one representing it as the happy conclusion of a fair Tryal at Law the other as a Quarrel more friendly and privately compos'd the one represents it as a publick crime pardon'd on a satisfaction and mediation the other as a misunderstanding made up by an arbitration the one expresses the remission of the guilt but the other the removal of enmity to a cordial renew'd Peace and Love on both sides Reconciliation comprehends Justification and Sanctification too Two cannot walk together except they be agreed This is further confirm'd from v. 9. where by Reconciliation is understood and express'd Justification the former is describ'd by the latter and this justification v. 1. said to be that which is by faith Dr. Hammond to shun the dint of this Argument grants in this place a justification on Christ's Death but v. 8 and 9. the one is distinguish'd from the other by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet and now i. e. Then he dy'd for us now we are justifi'd 4ly We may take one step further into the Context Rom. 6.1 2 6 7. where the Apostle proposes an apparent Objection but impertinent if that were the case no justification until sincerity and perseverance in faith and repentance Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound and if their Mind and the Apostle's had been one he had answer'd like them tho' Legal Obedience is not necessary to make us vessels of Grace Gospel Righteousness is but his Solution is founded on the necessary connexion between justifying and sanctifying grace being given at once both together How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein v. 2. This supposes a mortal stroke given to the body of sin in the ungodly man when justified v. 7. He that is dead is justifi'd from sin so is the word in the Original and Gal. 5. They that are in Christ Jesus have crucifi'd the flesh with its affections and lusts Thus Dr. Tuckney God's justifying act finds us ungodly but doth not leave us so he justifies the ungodly but the ungodly are not justified and this obviates an Argument that is brought out of the text to confirm this Opinion for say they how can he be ungodly that has faith its true he cannot but Faith may be given to him that is so The 3d. Objection is this he may be a Non-worker as to true gracious works the effects of a regenerate state but not a Non-worker as to preparatory works that may make us meet and fit for it Or according to the old terms without meriting works but not congruous works It is necessary to give some Characters of these before any thing be said against them or rather against their necessary antecedency to justification for I doubt not pardoning grace finds many so indued The Original of these works is suppos'd to be man's natural conscience excited by some common influence of the Spirit and may be awaken'd by some extrordinary or afflicting providence or some convincing truth 2. The Properties of the Works are three 1. Good for matter and end 2. Done freely 3. When we are in the way for convictions or sorrow in Hell are not preparatory works 3. The degrees they differ in from gracious or meriting works are two 1. The person is not in a state of Grace 2. God has made no promise that he will pardon or justifie such thus Bp. Abelly edit 11. Medulla Theol. I answer 1. These Characters make these Works more a counterfeit of Grace than preparation for Grace they describe a Pharisee or Hypocrite that is further from the kingdom of Heaven than a Publican or Harlot for Christ tells them the harlots went into the kingdom of Heaven before them the Publican went home rather justified than the Pharisee with his formal thanks to God for his distinguishing Godness Most of such deceive themselves with that vain shew of Godliness having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof when they are poor miserable wretched and naked they think they need nothing with the lukewarm Church of Laodicea These are the foolish
every creature Mark 16.15 And that commission stands a Directory to every one that is a Servant of Christ in the Office of the Gospel and as Christ invites so the Church of Christ invites also the Language of a sanctified Soul over a Brother or Sister according to the flesh is like that of the Spouse We have a little Sister and she hath no breasts what shall we do for our Sister in the day she shall be spoken for The Bride saith come and the Spirit saith come Rev. 22.17 And their joint voice is Whosoever will let him come Beware of being guilty of quenching or provoking the Spirit may be your Consciences bear witness that there is a higher Messenger sent to offer you a pardon this day than the voice of any clay Trumpet but whether you find any such quickner and enabler rendring you willing and desirous to say Whether shall we go for thou hast the words of eternal life in thee have we righteousness and strength by thee only will we make mention of thy Name Thy face Lord we will seek Cast the skirts of thy Garments over us I say whether you feel this influence or not it is this external offer that both gives you right to come to a pardoning God for forgiveness of sins thorough the righteousness of Christ only and makes it your duty however torn the Garments of your own Righteousness are or your consciences thereby to depend upon our Lord Jesus Christ and his Righteousness by which the Law gains its end and the Government full satisfaction and in this trust and dependance to come to the Throne of Grace and sue in his name for the forgiveness of your sin and justification of your persons I say the offer gives you a right In other transactions with men there are these three ways of conveyance of a right 1. The Offer of his Estate or Goods or Priviledge 2. The price that I pay him for it 3. The Writings that contain its Extent and Title 4. The Ceremonies of seizing or taking possession all these go to compleat the right but if we had to do with an Unchangeable Person full of goodness and kind designs towards us he would never go back from his first Offer that would bring him on to compleat the Title in all the rest Now here you have the offer of a Pardon and the offer of a Sonship and Inheritance with it the God that cannot lye nor change has made it Here you have the tenour and extent of the blessing in the Covenant of Grace the Spirit of God has penn'd it and you may see the blessing is great and the tenour so ordered that it may reach you sinners He tells you the price is paid already it is 1600 years since 't was laid down the invitation is All things are ready come unto the feast The Question is only Whether the World or this is worth your Choice Is not a Pardon desirable Have we no longings to come out of this prison where there 's no water will we adventure the paying the utmost farthing our selves rather than to be obliged to Christ for a full payment but this offer comprehends a Command in its bosome if our Unworthiness renders us asham'd and our Guiltiness afraid and makes us apt to say Depart from me for I am a sinful man Let conscience of duty oblige us to draw nigh for this is his Commandment that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ And none of us can say but this command reaches us else unbelief would not be the condemnation of the World Christ was griev'd for the hardness of their hearts that believ'd not and wept over an obstinate jerusalem saying Oh if thou hadst known at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace Now which of these two doth your Hearts conclude will be the issue of this offer either They would not come to me that they might have life or Thine they are and thou gavest them me and they have kept thy Word I have given to them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them Holy Father keep thro' thine own Name those whom thou hast given me The grand Offence that we stumble at commonly if our Consciences answer one another is the particular circumstances and aggravations of our particular sins And yet 't is a very unreasonable Objection it savours rather of the darkness of Hell than the light of Heaven above or Faith below Should we delay the looking after a Pardon because we are very guilty should sinners not accept of the Son of God Jesus Christ because God sent him to bless us in turning us from our Iniquities did we ever read of any that Christ threw off as incurable because his Satisfaction or the Tenour of the Gospel could not reach them is our Condition worse than Manasse's or Saul's has our delay been longer than the Thief on the Cross or our filthiness viler than Mary Magdalen's There are these four Conditions that Christ has specified in his Gospel to prevent Exceptions 1. Prophane Persons Mat. 21.32 The Publicans and the Harlots believ'd in him 2. Secure Persons like lukewarm Laodicea that was insensible of her own misery yet he stands knocking at their door and offering that if any of them the worst of them would open he would come into them and sup with them His fullness should have a feast of Glory and Honour and their emptiness should sup on his fullness 3. The Hypocrites Of all Conditions that seems to be the most dangerous such were the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23. Hypocrites yet how often would Christ have gathered these under the Wings of his Righteousness Ver. 37. Yet these Invitations were not altogether fruitless Saul was a Pharisee Nichodemus was a Pharisee The Balm of Gilead is a Medicine can cure this desperate distemper and the Blood of Christ can cover the guilt of it Another gauling circumstance to a tender or a wounded conscience is backsliding falling away from first Love and walking unsuitably to pregnant preventive mercies but in Isaiah 1. Jer. 3. How many invitations to a backsliding-Church backslidden from the greatest Priviledges ever Church received in the World backslidden into the vilest abominations that ever people were guilty of Idolatry worshipping a Stock or Stone for their God and yet with what earnest intreaties and what perswasive arguments does he plead with them How shall I give thee up Ephraim I remember thee still the love of thy espousal was pleasant to me O Israel I am married to thee why should there be a divorce Come and let us reason together though thy Iniquities were as crimson and thy transgressions as scarlet I will heal thy backslidings I will love thee freely and receive thee graciously To expect to come any other way or upon our delay to come on better terms were to pervert the very Nature of the Gospel and say we would not be saved in
God's method but our own Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy hath he saved us Will we reject the way and method that all the cloud of witnesses were sav'd in and will we be saved in that way never one was sav'd in they attain not unto the Law of righteousness because they sought it or as it were by the works of the Law Christ is the true and living way is there any fault we can find in him is he not able to save to the uttermost is there any righteousness like his it's everlasting Can we give any satisfaction to divine Government like what he hath given Can we bear the Curse and drink the Cup that he did is he not altogether lovely in himself and altogether fit for us infinite Wisdom and infinite Goodness fitted and prepared him and is he not willing that we should share of his righteousness doth not his offer speak it Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden doth not his tears and his sorrows over them that refuse and defer speak it doth not that eternal Chearfulness he undertook his Work with speak it Lo I come in the volume of thy Book 't is written of me thy Law is within my Heart the bent of my Heart is to do thy will and that desire left him not nor ever was abated under the heat of the day and heaviest of the curse I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straightned till it be accomplisht with desire have I desired to eat this passover having lov'd his own he lov'd them to the end And will not all this Love towards us kindle some sparks of desire in our frozen breasts don 't we think they deserve an Anathema Maranatha that love not this Lord Jesus Christ The depth and height the breadth and length of his Love passeth all knowledge he was full of Love as he was a man he lov'd Lazarus so and he lov'd the young man in the Gospel so he was full of love as he was a Mediator Such was that love whose dimensions our narrow minds cannot span but he was more full of love as he was God God is love and God so lov'd the World to give his Son is not this Emanuel worthy of our acceptation Gods infinite Wisdom found him can we find a better or do without him have we no self-love for our souls what will become of us without a pardon can we bear the curse of the Law or wrath of God is it not worthy acceptance on any terms but what terms can be better it 's come to God and beg Repentance the Almighty makes the heart soft I will pour down the spirit of Grace and supplication and they shall look on him whom they have pierced and mourn Obj. But coming to God is believing and I cannot believe until he gives me faith which is not yet Resp Put that to Tryal what if the Spirit of God be now directing and quickning thy conscience to this Work and the Language of thy heart is stay until time for Prayer at night or to morrow you will think of it Alas Alas this is the common answer to Gods Spirit himself what wonder the Prophets cry To whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed Lord bless this for better fruits SERMON II. ROM IV. 5 6. His Faith is counted for Righteousness Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the Man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works IN the Former Discourse you have an account of the condition and disposition of the subject of Justification in this I propose an account of the Gospel-method how God justifies the ungodly it is a different Question from that of the convicted Jews Acts 2. Men and Brethren what shall we do to be saved This is What doth God do to save a sinner that has contemn'd his Authority brought disorder into his Government violated his holy just and good Laws and goes on frowardly without repenting of what he has done the Rebel doth not will not yield shall the Governour yield doth God need us how is it possible to reconcile God's justice and Man's enmity how can a just God justifie an ungodly person The Apostle makes but two sentences of the Answer 1. He imputes his Faith to Righteousness 2. He says that Righteousness is imputed to Blessedness The nature of the Discourse is didactick instructive and there are these three Questions that are matters of no small Moment nor mean Contraversies 1. Whos 's this Righteousness is 2. What is the importance of the imputation of righteousness to a man for blessedness 3. What is the meaning of Faiths being imputed to righteousness I shall only propose what I am most perswaded of to be the true sense of them and what perswades me to be of that mind without using means to confute others I shall leave them to the same liberty I presume on As to the first there are but two general Opinions viz. Either Christs or our own though each are subdivided in what righteousness of Christs it is or of ours My Business is to confirm and establish this truth that this Righteousness in the Text imputed for blessedness is the righteousness inherent in our blessed Mediator and if this one Character of being without works were to be understood abstracted from the Apostles design which is not to exclude works from righteousness but our works and our righteousness I should think it a distinguishing Mark between Christ's righteousness and any mans else for the righteousness of Works consists in a conformity to the preceptive part of the Law but Christs Righteousness consists also in a conformity to the sanction of the Law He was made a curse for us and that is not to work in the Scripture phrase but to suffer though in it self hard work even Soul-travel but doubting the solidity of this I shall propose others of greater stability 1. That Righteousness that is the cause of Blessedness and whose fruit is the remission of sin is the righteousness of Christ for there is no other name given under Heaven and therefore no other righteousness by which a Man can be saved but the righteousness in the Text is the cause of blessedness and pardon there must be some near connexion between pardon and imputation of righteousness else the Apostle did mistake the Prophets sence saying he meant imputation of righteousness unto blessedness when he said Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven the connexion is either pretended to be that of the cause to the effect or some kind of requisite condition They who say this is our own righteousness are for the latter who say it s Christ's are for the former and with reason for our own righteousness wants not works our justifying faith is not without works but this is 2ly The righteousness of Christ and our pardon are more necessarily united than our faith for pardon is as soon given as it These
Suretiship The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Those that thou gavest me I have kept All that the Father giveth me shall come to me His Suretyship is that of satisfaction for guilt past in the Covenant of Works and that of caution in the Covenant of Grace Thus Brinsley Where there is a Suretyship there is just ground for legal imputation but Christs Mediatorial Office is a Suretyship therefore it founds a just ground of imputation to them for whom 't was undertaken There are two Questions the solution whereof might contribute a consiberable light in this affair one is What kind of righteousness that is which is imputed and the second is how far it is made ours by imputation and the one contributes light to the other as to the 1. There is righteousness in Christ as he is God his essential Holiness 2. A Righteousness as he is God-man abstractledy taken from the work of Redemption for us 3. There is a Righteousness in his now present glorified estate wherein he applies what he did for us to us which carries a conformity to the Covenant of Redemption and therefore is a righteousness 4. There is a twofold righteousness in his performance of the mediatorial office for us here below one by reason of its conformity to the Mediatorial Law which requir'd the faithful discharge of a King Priest and Prophet at his hand the other in a conformity to the Law that we were under into which place that undertaking put him As there are four kinds of righteousness to be distinguisht in Christ so there are three degrees of imputation One is only for a persons good Profit or Honour and thus all in Christ is 't is an honour to mankind that there is such a glorious person come of the family he is the light that enlightneth every one that comes into the world he came to restore all things that first relation I have before mentioned as head and end of all the Creatures which fitted him and render'd it proper and becoming that he should become our redeemer was much for man's profit and good A 2d Degree of imputation is for our sake for their sakes do I sanctifie my self when we become the end and he the means and thus the whole Mediatorial Office was undertaken by him the whole of that work was the delivery of Mankind especially the elect although we are not made Priest Prophet and King we reap the benefit of these offices all their causality combined in our salvation and so doth his intercession unto this day 3d. There is a nearer degree of imputation when what 's done is done in our name room and place which Brinsley calls the office of an Attorney I shall give my thought of it by these two properties When Christ doth for us what he was not obliged to do for himself as God-man 2. When we who were oblig'd to do it are freed from the obligation by his doing of 't and under this Christs passive righteousness is comprehended but passive righteousness may justly comprehend the whole state of his humiliation from his Conception to his Resurrection He grew up as a root out of a dry ground without form or comeliness he made himself of no reputation and his first likeness to man was in the form of a Servant and in that fashion he became obedient unto death Great glory and dignity was the due of the humane nature from the first minute of union If a King should marry the poorest Beggar she is Queen from that minute and has a right to share with her Husband in his plenty and honour but a deniedness to this a being emptied of it as 't is in the 2d of Phil. was a great part of Humiliation and a birth of this kind was meritorious the throwing such a thick veil over his proper glory the obscuring of his brightness by such a thick cloud All righteousness has necessarily an active obedience accompanying it or rather is it for a passive suffering without it is not righteousness for all righteousness consists in action and habit and has a relation to the preceptive part of the Law so what had been to us meerly a curse was to him obedience and righteousness because he came under a Law to perform it for what was the penalty of the first Adam's Law was obedience to the Mediatorial Law satisfaction to one righteousness to the other 3. Though Christ as man was bound to obey the Moral Law viz. Not to bear false witness not to steal or kill yet his obedience was in such circumstances that rendered it meritorious all his Sermons and his Death too was a bearing witness to the truth and so an obedience to the ninth Command yet not such obedience as he was antecedently oblig'd to his restoring that which he took not away his being denied to that which was his due was obedience he perform'd to the eighth Commandment His praising God in the Church here below his prayers and faith with strong cries and tears was an obedience to the first table that he was not oblig'd to as God-man He might have been man without being the seed of Abraham and therefore he was not obliged to be circumcis'd which was a great part of suffering for 't was a great dishonour an acknowledgment and publick confession of Original Sin And if our Original Sin thus on him why not his Original Righteousness not as man but as man in our likeness born of a Woman conceiv'd in a Womb and Beza so expounds Rom. 8.1 2. Now there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus For the law of the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus the Holiness the unspotted Purity and habitural righteousness of Christ as man being imputed to the Believer hath made me free from the Law of sin and death That convinces of the one and binds over to the other viz. Death thus Beza Hemingius Elton Parr Streso Downham As he was the seed of the Woman and our Brother he was bound to obey the moral Law as suited to this estate but there was not a necessity of being born of a Woman he might have become man in a more glorious manner he might have assumed such a Manhood as he now wears there is a great difference to be made between the dues of Christ as Emanuel and as Mediator The Originals are different the one flows from his Actions and Sufferings Function and Investiture the other nakedly from the Union which last remains 1 Cor. 15. when the former is laid down 4. Though the Scriptures point at Christ's Death and Blood principally as the price and satisfaction Acts 20.28 Heb. 9.12 Rev. 1.5 5.9 Eph. 1.7 yet that may well be understood by way of eminence it being the pinnacle of the penalty and doth instruct us that the necessity of the satisfaction was founded in a holy just and good Law and not in the nature of God The satisfaction did not make any
change in the divine nature to turn him out of an angry temper into a gracious kind and merciful one for the gift of the Son flow'd from the unchangeableness of his Love but God as Supream King and Governour by a just Law well and wisely establish'd could not in Honour admit Rebels to the Priviledges he design'd for them without a satisfaction made to the Government which must be what the Law required and that required Death and as our Death begins with a mortal nature and encreases thorough sickness and weakness until it be compleated in a Death-stroke or some violence prevent the gradualness so Christ became like us in all things excepting sin one drop of Christ's Blood one day of his humility had dignity enough in in it but he was to pay what the Law required and the Law obtained all its ends in him This may help us to understand these Phrases used very rudely that God loves the elect when sinning as well as when praying It s true as he is God for there is no change in him but not true as our God or Governour and the Language of Scripture is in this latter sense as he manifests himself thorough Law or Gospel these being Rules of his dispensations and glasses of our knowledge 5. On the other hand though we obey the Law in some measure and have a measure of suffering which is acceptable to God thorough Christ if we have faith in him yet this comes in as no satisfaction to that primitive Law for we are not oblig'd to do what he did for us it comes in as a preparing us for a possession in a holy Society where no unclean thing can enter so the imputation of Christ's obedience takes not away the necessity of our obedience more than his passive takes away the necessity of our suffering or dying It 's appointed for all once to dye though Christ died and it s appointed for all to obey though Christ obey'd neither our suffering nor our obedience comes in as a part of that righteousness that first Law requir'd of us as belonging to the covenant of Works the breaking of this clay vessel either by Death or what 's equivalent is necessary for our habitation in another Sphere where this cannot enter blessings of that would be a torment to this constitution Sufferings are necessary to make us sensible what we deserve and what our Saviour suffer'd for us Holiness and Righteousness is necessary by precept and as a means to fit and prepare for that possession 3. Thorough a congruity as a fruit and an effect of that image of God begun to be drawn in us by reason of which when in its perfection it may be said The Law is not made for a righteous man and we read of no Law given to Adam but Ceremonial Laws the nature of God is the first Law the Moral Law reveal'd is but a Copy of that divine temper and when it s perfectly writ in a Man's Heart without any blot mistake or defect to live holily is to live as he list and by reason of this disposition of Soul a Saint can never be said to be without law yet if we take law for an external Command swaying by the force of its sanction against the stream of Inclination a man is neither of the Law nor under the Law The 2d and last Head propos'd was about the sense of these words Faith imputed to Righteousness about which there are these three Opinions Some say that Faith is taken objectively Faith comprehending Christ's Righteousness is put for it or Faith in justification is always valued as comprehending Christ's Righteousness 2. Others say that God out of his Gracious Acceptation takes faith for the Righteousness Blessedness is due to we say Christ's Righteousness comes in the room of that they that Christ merited that faith should be taken for it The 3d. Which my judgement embraces is that faith is reckon'd of God the mean of Application or Instrument of conveyance of Christ's Righteousness to us Imputation applied to Faith is a note of Distinction implying a double use of Faith the one is by inhesion and so it sanctifies us the other is by imputation and so it justifies us because it is the ceremony of Seisin by which we are invested with and entitled to the righteousness of Christ this suits best with the former Metaphor of imputation in Books of accompts for 't is not only usual and necessary to transfer and impute Estates in Books of Accompts where great Funds and Banks are but there is given to the person who is made Creditor a Bank-bill or Tally bearing the value of the transferr'd summ so that bit of Stick or Paper thorough imputation if we compare it with these Bank-Books makes the Man worth so much money as the transfer'd summ is so in the Lamb's Book of Life there 's not only a transferring of his righteousness to us but there is given out this Bill or Tally of Faith to us by which we are entitled to it There are many Arguments which may both prove and explain this 1. It is without doubt that all our priviledges are convey'd one way Faith bears the same relation to them all Rom. 4.16 It 's said the inheritance is of Faith that it might be by grace now Heb. 11.1 Faith 's call'd the substance of things hop'd for Substance saith Tho. Aquin. is the beginning of a thing that necessarily at last infers the whole that 's in our English an Earnest now if Faith be an earnest of Heaven it bears the like relation to other priviledges as Rev. 2.17 We read of a white stone and in the stone a New Name that was the stone of absolution the Judge anciently instead of speaking his Sentence convey'd it by the giving of a white or black stone so if Faith be the earnest of our hopes it 's the stone of our pardon it 's the Ring of our Marriage with Christ it 's the Winte Raiment Feast and New Name of our Manumission by justification out of Slaves we are made Freemen and Faith is the mean and instrument of Investiture with it 2. This sence of it removes a considerable difficulty among Divines the Question is since Justification is a transitory act of God and terminates upon the Creature what it is that he doth when he justifies or what bears the room of the justifying sentence most say the Word of God the Gospel but there 's a great distinction between the voice of the Law and the voice of the Judge the Law says Whosoever believes shall be justified but the voice of the Judge is thou John or Thomas art absolv'd it s a particular positive and authorative Application of the Law Mr. Baxter thinks that God proclaims some publick Sentence among the Angels but that 's a groundless Notion this seems to me most reasonable that the gift of Faith being such a fruit of his special grace that he gives to no sinner but