to be called by the same Name This is the Name whereby she shall be called The Lord our Righteousness Answ But the Context sheweth that it speaketh of the same Person and almost in the same words sc the righteous Branch of David c. And therefore learned men translate it This is the name of him who shall call her viz. The Church The Lord our Righteousness So Junius translates it also the Geneva and the Dutch Annotions and others but if it be meant of the hurch as Mr. Gataker contends it must Gataker in locum it only because the Name of Christ is put upon or as being clothed with his Righteousness the New Jerusalem the Gospel Church named Jehovah Shammah the Lord is there â—â—om his Presence in her and as God himself pleased to take upon himself the Name of â—â—s People Ps 24.6 Ezek. 48.35 This is the Generation 〈◊〉 them that seek thy Face O Jacob i. e. the â—â—â—d of Jacob. Dan. 9.24 Seventy weeks are determined â—â—on thy People and upon thy Holy City to finish the Transgression and to make an end of â—â—ins and to make reconciliation for Iniquity and 〈◊〉 bring in Everlasting Righteousness Daniel â—â—d prayed for the deliverance of the Jews â—â—d the forgiveness of their Sins and that not â—â—r the sake of their own Righteousness but â—â—ods great Mercy v. 18 19. He is answerâ—â—d that the City shall be built again and the â—eople saved by the Messiah v. 25. and that 〈◊〉 his being cut off not for himself v. 26. â—â—plying that it should be for them and that â—â—en should be brought in everlasting Righteousness whereby Israel should be justified and â—â—ved This is the Righteousness of the Mesâ—â—ah for none else is a standing and everlasting â—ighteousness Ours is mutable and subject 〈◊〉 fail Hos 6.4 Neither was our righteousness in special manner to be brought in by â—â—e Death of Christ it had been before in the Sanctified in all Ages of the Church It was a new Righteousness then to be wrought and brought in at the Death of Christ though by the Virtue of it the former Saints were saved yet it was not actually wrought and Justification by it distinctly declared till now Therefore it is all one with finishing transgression making an end of sin making reconciliation for the people which is plainly Justification to be had by this Everlasting Righteousness Rom. 5.18 19. 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 All men were condemned by the offence or sin of Adam So they that believe shall be justified by the righteousness of Christ the free gift oâ— grant of life comes by the righteousness of Jesus Christ as the sentence of death came by Adams unrighteousness The 19 v. makes it clearer As by the disobedience of one many are made sinners so by the obedience of one many shall be made righteous Adam did not make way by his Sin for mens condemnation he did not only render them liable to death if they should sin as he did and break the same Covenant But he brought them under the Curse and Sentence of death absolutely by and for his Sin so that all that are of his Seed are under the Judgement of Condemnation ipso facto as soon as they have a Being In like manner Christ must not only make way for mens Justification or procure them a Covenant whereby they shall be justified if they perform it as he performed the Covenant of a Mediator but he must also justifie them intitle them to life so soon as they believe in him by and for his own Righteousness and Obedience One Exception against this place hath been answered in the former Chapter Another excepteth Object The Apostle doth not say IN one mans obedience many shall be made righteous Just Evang p. 72. but BY one mans obedience as a consequent and effect of it many shall be made righteous As the effect of one mans disobedience many come to be shapen in iniquity and brought forth in a sinful condemned nature so as the effect of one mans obedience many come to be new born and brought forth in a Righteous and Saving State Answ The vanity of the exception from the word BY hath been manifested before The Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used signifieth BY or WITH which is the proper sence of the place the term IN would be more obscure And thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated Rom. 14.20 To him that eateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with offence but the Sum of this Exception is as it is largely prosecuted p. 68. c. That Adams personal disobedience is not imputed to his Posterity but he virtually containing all men in his Nature and Sinning before the Act of Propagation he did corrupt his Nature and so begat Children in a sinful mortal State But I have before proved the Imputation of his Actual Sin I now add Do Mankind derive a sinful mortal Nature from Adam by meer necessity of Nature seeing the effect must be like the cause or by virtue of Divine Constitution that his Posterity should inherit the Fruits of his Sin If by necessity of Nature as this Author seems to intimate then the Soul of Man must be ex traduce derived from the Parents else it could not be born sinful by necessity of Nature and then it must be corrupted with the Body and cannot exist without it and at best must be raised with the Body and sleep in the dust till the last day as the Socinians teach Nor would the want of original righteousness no nor positive dispositions to sin in our Nature as derived from Adam be sinful in us they be poena causa peocati the Punishment of Adams Sin and the cause of Sin in us but not peccatum our Sin no more than the natural Diseases of the Body which we derive from our Parents For that which comes by meer natural necessity cannot be a Sin But if it be by Divine Constitution then the meaning must be either that God appointed that if Adam should sin that one Sin then not only he should perish but that he should also propagate a sinful mortal Nature to all his Seed without exception and then the sin and misery of all Mankind is directly and properly the punishment of Adams personal sin only which besides the horrour of the thing that so many millions in all Ages should be made miserable both here and for ever as the punishment of another mans Sin in which they were no way concern'd is also against Gods own Law The Children shall not be put to death for the Fathers nor the Fathers for the Children but â—very man for his own sin Deut. 24.16 Or â—lse this Constitution must mean that God appointed that Adam shall stand or fall for all his â—osterity and then
unmarried to Parents c. But this he neither did nor could do Ergò Answ We grant that Christ did not perform all the particular Duties of every particular Believer nor was it necessary he should They acknowledge that what Christ did was sufficient to satisfie the Law of Works and to purchase a new Covenant of Life though he performed not the particular Duties of every particular Man If it was sufficient for this why is it not sufficient to justifie us by immediate Imputation They will not say that our obedience to the Gospel doth fill up the Righteousness of Christ wherein it was short or desective why might it not then justifie us absolutely by the meer application of it to us as well as purchase that we should be justified by New Obedience This is further manifest by this That the Substance and End of the Law sc universal Love and Subjection to God in whatsoever he doth or shall command is equally the Duty of all men and every one must habitually keep the whole Law This was chiefly intended by God and to be attended by Men the particular Duties are various and something are the Duties of one which are not of another and in many cases things are and have been Duties at one time which have not been at another It was therefore sufficient that Jesus Christ had the habit of all Grace and the readiness to obey his Father in any thing that he should require as well as in those things which he did actually perform and that he did obey actually in as many things as the Father thought fi◠to impose on him which were not a few The Law had its end by him even personal Obedience and those particulars wherein he observed it were more honour to God than if we had all observed our particular Duties because of the Dignity of his person and the supereminent measure of Grace and the Spirit from which he did obey This is evident à pari Adam brought condemnation upon all men not by breaking every particular Command which might concern every particular man but by one act of Disobedience by breaking our Command whereby his universal Obedience was tryed Why might not then the Sovereign Law-maker impose upon Christ so much particular Duty for so many years as the Exercise of the Universal Habit of Obedience that was in him and accept it as if he had fulfilled every particular of the Law If he that offendeth in one Command is a Transgressor of the whole Law James 2.10 Why may not he that keepeth it in all particulars required of him and that was able and ready to keep it in any other had they been imposed be accounted to have kept the whole Law If they say that Adam virtually broke the whole Law I say that Christ virtually and habitually kept the whole Law Therefore this was sufficient that we might be justified by his Righteousness The same is to be said concerning the Sufferings of Christ he did not suffer all the particular Punishments due to every particular Sin of all Believers nor some of the circumstances of any punishment viz. Eternity and Desperation c. yet he suffered the Wrath and Curse of God which was the substance of the Threatnings and in such an eminent manner as no meer Creature could have suffered and with a Mind habitually ready and able to have endured any other particular Punishments if the Father had thought fit to enjoyn them It was death in the general the Curse of God which was the Substance of the Threatning God dispenseth the particularities of Punishment as he pleaseth baring more and longer with some than others giving more and greater Mercies to some than others and will exempt some even of the Wicked from Natural Death even those that shall be found alive at Christ's Coming The particularities therefore of Punishments are not Essential to the Law and Christ did bear the Substance of the Curse with all the Particulars of it which God thought sit to inflict being ready to have born more if it had so pleased the Father Why is not this sufficient to justifie us by Imputation in concomitance with his active Obedience as well as to procure our Justification upon fulfilling Gospel-Obedience which they contend for By this also we may answer that Argument which all our Opponents use as unanswerable viz. That Christ paid not the idem but the tantundem not the very Obedience and Suffering due from every particular Believer but something in liew of it and therefore it cannot be imputed to them for Righteousness For Christ did both performing the idem in the Substance obeying the same Law which obliged them in his universal Obedience and suffering the Substance of the Curse and also in as many particulars of obedience and suffering as the Father thought fit to exact of him and this which was so far idem the same being performed by such a Person was tantundem equivalent to all the rest which were not actually done or suffered by him Yea he did habitually in the readiness of his Mind and virtually in the interpretation of his Actions and Passions do and suffer all the rest What some add That Christ did not do and suffer the very individual Duties and Sufferings of each Believer Trueman ut supra is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things being not individual before they exist and Actions and Passions such as our Duties and Sufferings be are individuated by the subjects wherein they exist at least in part as are all other individual accidents which cannot be but in that individual subject wherein they are This therefore is impertinent The second Particular in this Argument is If every Believer be justified by the very Individual Righteousness of Christ then every saved Persons Righteousness before God is identically and numerically the same with Christs in his publick capacity as Mediator and so with a Righteousness that hath a stock of Merit in it sufficient to save the World Answ We grant the whole That every Believer is righteous with that Righteousness which Christ wrought as Mediator and which is infinitely meritorious nor doth what is objected in the least disprove it p. 59. It is said that Christs Righteousness was the righteousness of God-Man that no creature could perform any thing in that manner and with those circumstances as he did yea that some things which Christ did would be unlawful for Man to do and that all he did and suffered was in pursuance of the Office of a Mediator the whole comes but to this that men are not could not be the authors workers of the Righteousness of Christ either in the matter circumstances or immediate ends of it and therefore they cannot be justified by it this is no consequence they are justified by it as wrought for them by the Mediator God-Man though not as wrought by them Moreover though the Righteousness of Christ and a Believer be numerically the same righteousness
to his Righteousness being imputed to us The Learned may find every one â—â— these Objections against the Imputation 〈◊〉 Christ's Righteousness with some others â—â— the like kind urged to the same purpose by Bellarmin and answered by B. Davenant for substance as we do de Justi Cap. 24. and B. Downam in many Chapters of his Learned Discourse of Justification Object It is further objected Our own works anâ— said to be accounted to us for Righteousness as that Act of Phincas in slaying Zimri anâ— Cozby Numb 25.7 Psal 106.30 31. And restoring the poor Man's Pledge Deut. 24.13 It shall be righteousness to thee before the Lord And the keeping of all God's Commandments Deut. 6.25 It shall be our Righteousness if 〈◊〉 observe all these Commandments before the Lord Therefore Christ's Righteousness is not immediately imputed to us for our Justification Answ When our own works are said to be ouâ— Righteousness or accounted for Righteousness it is only meant that God doth accept then and reward them Thus he promised Phines the Priest-hood for ever which was yet revoked for the sins of Elies Sons 1 Sam. 2.30 c. And the Reason subjoyned sheweth hoâ— this Righteousness was accounted viz. Thâ—â— that honour me I will honour and those that aâ—â— spise me shall be lightly esteemed It was accounted for Righteousness i. e. honoured and rewarded Thus mercy to the Poor shall be our righteousness before God i.e. he is pleased with it and will reward it with like kindness when we need it Psal 41.1 And our keeping all the Commandments shall be our Righteousness shall be accepted and rewarded as the obedience of Children But all this proveth not that we shall be made the Children of God have our sins forgiven and be intituled to Grace and life for our own obedience We acknowledge obedience to Gods Commands is our Righteousness whereby we are morally and inherently righteous i.e. conformable to God's Law and Will and this while imperfect is our inchoate or imperfect Righteousness and when it shall be consummate it will be our perfect and compleat righteousness as B. Davenant saith well against the Papists Calumnies de Just cap. 22. But the Righteousness for which we are pardoned accepted and made Heirs of Life must be every way a perfect and compleat righteousness even the righteousness of Christ as the same Author saith Apertè affirmamus Deum justissimum neminem justificare h.e. cap. 22. p. 311. ut exposuimus à reatu absolvere justum declarare ad vitam aeternam quae est justitiae praemium acceptare nisi interveniente vera perfecta justitia quae etiam verè fiat ipsius justitia And again Dicimus neminemjustificari nisi qui donetur justitia tam cumulatâ tamque perfectâ Ibid. ut Deus in illum oculos conjiciens non possit eadem donatum pro jnsto non habere It is pleaded that Faith is imputed for Righteousness in the same manner that other Works are and so justifieth but as they do and is our Righteousness as they are and thus they interpret Gen. 15.6 Abraham's Faith was accounted for Righteousness i.e. it was reckoned a noble and excellent Act of Faith with which God was well pleased and would reward it Answ 1. Faith in the Promise of Pardon and Life of meer Grace and Free Gift cannot be counted any part of our Righteousness To trust in the general in the Goodness Power and Promises of God is required by the Moral Law and is a Natural or Moral Duty and so a part of our universal Righteousness or Conformity to that Law But to trust in the Promise of Forgiveness and Mercy which only is the Faith in question is not required by the Moral Law but supposeth us Breakers of it and to be under its Condemnation it only seeks for Mercy proposed in a new supervening Promise and therefore is not our Righteousness as Works are The Apostle taketh occasion from a notable Instance of Abraham's Faith in a particular case 2ly and its obtaining the Promise of Great Blessings to argue That Faith in the general Mercy of God in Christ doth obtain Justification Rom. 4.2 3. and that with the exclusion of all works v. 5. To him that worketh not but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly Faith is imputed for Righteousness and this Justification is explained by having sins forgiven covered not imputed v. 6 7. Faith therfore is imputed for righteousness only as it doth obtain the forgiveness of sin the acceptance of them that have no works that are ungodly in themselves and this must be by the Righteousness of Christ not by its self being our righteousness Object It is also said If we are justified immediately by the Righteousness of Christ imputed then there is nothing for us to do to obtain Justification we must only believe we are justified and we are justified Answ There is nothing for us to do to purchase Justification this is done by Christ But we must apply this purchase to our selves by believing or trusting in it flying to it for Justification When a Ransom is paid for a Captive there is nothing left for him to do to purchase his liberty yet he must accept and challenge the Fruit of this Purchase to himself before he can enjoy it Though Adam hath procured and intituled to death upon all his Posterity yet that Curse reacheth not us till we receive a Being from and do habitually consent to his Sin In like manner Christ purchased life for all the Elect yet they do not partake of it till they are ingrafted into him and we do at least habitually consent and trust to be saved by him Object Lastly it is argued If Christs Righteousness be properly imputed then we should perfectly be delivered from all sin and misery and immediately brought to Heaven Answ Justification it self obtaineth remission of all sins and an immutable right to life or the Favour of God and an actual entrance into that Favour this every justified person doth obtain upon believing 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life Rom. 8.1 Justification hath its proper effect in this life viz. it taketh away sin and the Curse or Obligation to Punishment it reconcileth to God and brings us into that Favour which will endure for ever but God having redeemed us by his Son intendeth not only to justifie us from our sins and give us the Life promised by the Law but also to make us his Children to give us glory in Heaven to make us Partakers of his Sons Glory and Kingdom And for this it pleases him to breed us to nurture and sit us for it by conflicting with sin by overcoming the World and the Devil that the Glory of his Son and Grace may appear the more Therefore the imperfect troublesome state of Believers in this life is not because their Justification is not perfect but because God hath a further design
shall be saved and this was the nature of Adam's Faith to believe if he obeyed perfectly he should be saved now it is accidental to this that men be sinners and need pardon and so must believe that they shall be pardoned and yet with these men Pardon is nothing but nolle punire that God will not condemn foâ— sin and thus when we believe God will save us if we obey sincerely we do consequently and implicitely believe he will not condemn us i. e. will pardon us all our sins but thiâ— is implicite and indirect therefore the belief of Pardon cannot be a reason why Gospel Obedience should be called Faith and opposed to the Works of the Law Argument 6. If Faith and Obedience be the Condition of Justification then the great falls of the godly such especially as wast Conscience and make a breach upon their sincerity must interrupt their Justification and bring them into a state of damnation so that their only remedy must be to begin their Repentance and Obedience a new and if they have not time to do that but should die in their sin or senselesness after it they must perish for ever but we do not find in Scripture any word of this We read of the fall of some as Noah Lot Sampson and read nothing of their recovery and yet no question made of their Salvation We read also of David's and Peter's Repentance and their great Sorrow yet not that they reckoned themselves under condemnation We find David and others in the Psalms and Prophets much complaining of their Sins and Afflictions the fruit of them of the want of God's Favour and Presence yet they call him their God and beg the restoring of his Favour that he would not take his Spirit utterly from them Psal 51.11 12. All their Complaints and Prayers argue want of present fense of God's Favour and the quicknings of his Spirit not that they were utterly out of favour or a reconciled state It is true it is not safe for young or unexperienced Christians when guilty of foul sins or great decays of Zeal to retain mueh confidence of their good state but rather to remember from whence they are fallen and to repent and do their first works because they may be easily mistaken about the truth of grace when there hath been but little proof of it but well-rooted and experienced Christians upon their miscarriages are not bound to question their Justification but to humble themselves greatly for abusing the grace and kindness of God and submit to his fatherly correction and should they doubt as some do yet is not that the best and most proper motive to humble and recover them but rather a discouragement and hinderance Fear of Hell and such like Motives work best upon the unexperienced and ignorant but the want of God's Presence and other effects of his Fatherly displeasure are more suitable and more effectual to grown Christians Nor doth the Scripture speak any thing of the condemnation of those that die in actual sin and either have not actual repentance or not time to make proof of the sincerity of it The young Prophet 1 King 14 and the excellent Josiah 2 Chron. 35.21 22. were both slain presently upon an act of disobedience to the express Commands of God and yet nothing is said to render their Salvation doubtful and in this case I would ask whether the habit of Faith and Obedience be utterly extinguished If not it is strange that Men should go to Hell with a real disposition to love and serve God only wanting time to recover themselves from some fall If it be extinct it is also strange that one or a few acts of sin it may be for a few moments should utterly root out grace which hath been long in planting and confirming Argument 7. Lastly If Faith and Obedience be the Condition of Justification then there is no way to comfort Consciences troubled for sin but from the evidence of their sincerity past or by telling them they must be obedient for the time to come but for the present there is no peace nor hope no though they were going out of the World This Argument is much used by our first Reformers Luther Melancthon Chemnitius c. and they thought it unanswerable viz. That however men insensible of sin might dispute for the influence of their works on Justification yet when men have sore terrors of Conscience wounded for sin neither their works past nor their promises and purposes of what they will be for the future will comfort them but only the Doctrine of Free-grace and Pardon by hoping in the Mercy of God Our Martyr Mr. Bilney hearing a Rhetorical Preacher laying great stress upon Repentance and Obedience as the only ground of hope was offended and said How uncomfortable would this Poctrine have been to me when I was in my great terrors for my fall The Consequence is undeniable If we must be justified by Obedience and that persevering to the end there is no comfort to a distressed sinner unless you can shew him that he hath sincerely obeyed sometime past and therefore is fulfilling the Condition of Justification or by telling him he must now resolve to be obedient for the future and if he do so resolve there is some probability he may be saved but there can be no good hope till after some process of time he hath evidenced the sincerity of his Obedience which should he quickly die there would be no time for therefore no to lerable ground of hope or comfort for him but a bare perhaps that his purpose of obedience may be true and sincere and so accepted for his Justification But the Scriptures teach otherways our Saviours who knew best how to speak to the Soul saith to the Paralytick Mat. 9.22 Be of good chear thy sins are for given thee and to the Woman Luke 7.48 Thy sins are forgiven thee and Peter Act 2.37 38 c. when the Jews were pricked at their hearts biddeth them repent and bâ— baptized in the name of Christ for the remission of sins and that they should receive the gift of the Holy Ghost because the Promises did be long to them and their Children We see forgiveness is immediately promised to trembling souls and they are directed to hope for that and look to the Promises of it for present peace and comfort and certainly when God enlightneth the Conscience and setteth sin in order before it vid. Job 9. v. 19 to 23. and v. 13 to the end no man's sincerity will be a sufficient stay to him his obedience will appeaâ— very small not fit to be presented to God the best will cry out If thou Lord shouldâ— mark iniquity who shall stand Psal 130. v. 2â— and enter not into Judgement with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no flesh be justified Ps 143 3. And though they that be but lightly touched with sin are ready to promise great matter for the future and to quiet
in his death do justify and here Faith both as justifying and sanctifying is taken for a trust in Christ in all his Offices to bestow Justification and Sanctification upon us and we never denied that justifying Faith doth extend it self to all the Offices of Christ As Faith trusteth in Christ as King and Prophet 2dly and Interceder with his Father for the progress and perfecting of Sanctification so we never denied that justifying Faith looketh to Christ as King Interceeder and Prophet for the comfort and effects of Justification But As trusting in Christ's Merits only 3dly obtaineth the grant and habit of Sanctification so trusting in the same Merits obtaineth the grant and actual Justification and looketh no further for it Faith indeed looketh to Christ in his several Offices for daily Sanctification for new degrees of it because that is a divisible and successive work not only to be purchased by Christ but also wrought by him gradually in prosecution of his own purchase but Justification is one indivisible act of the Father whereby a sinner is accepted to life eternal there is no place for subsequent acts and this Justification absolutely considered is only purchased by Christ there needs no other acts to apply it except in the comfort and effects of it Therefore we deny the consequence of the main Argument Faith trusteth in all the Offices of Christ for Sanctification Ergò It doth for Justification Argument 8. It is the same Faith in habit and act by which we are justifyed p. 31. and by which we have right to the Spirit of Sanctification for further degree and Adoption Glorification c. But it is believing in Christ as Prophet Priest and King by which we have right to the Spirit of Sanctification Adoption Glorification Answ I deny the Minor Believing in Christ as Priest or in his satisfaction and the promise o◠life thereupon gives a right to Reconciliation and life immediately and to the Spirit of Adoption and Sanctification consequently the promise of this being annexed to the promise of life and the having it being necessary to fit us for glory but believing or trusting in Christ as Prophet and King distinctly is a means of actual obtaining the Spirit of Sanctification and further degrees of it to which we had right before as Dr. Preston hath expressed it as above and yet many true Believers have little or no skill to make this distinct use of Christ's Offices but trust in the general That as God for Christ's sake doth forgive and take them into favour so that he will for Christ's sake also give them his Spirit and whatsoever is needful to fit them for his Kingdom Our Author takes the Minor for granted by us and offers no proof Argument 9. There is in the very nature of a Covenant p. 25. condition in general and of God's imposed condition in special enough to persuade that the benefit dependeth usually as much or more on some other act as on that which accepteth the benefit it self Ergò We have reason to judge that our Justification depends on some other act as on the acceptance of Justification Answ 1 The consequence if weak If usually Ergò always Therefore in this case this follows not To the Antecedent I deny the supposition 2dly viz. That we are justifyed by a proper strict Covenant condition The Promise of Life through believing is a Testament a Promise and but improperly a Covenant because it cannot be bestowed but upon a capable subject i. e. one that trusteth in it and accepteth of it So Dr. Preston expresly as before Assurance and sence of Pardon usually cometh upon our entring into or renewing a Covenant of Obedience but the right to Pardon and Justification which putteth us into a pardoned State is our humble accepting and trusting in thee Promise of life through Christ And in this God's Covenant or Promise of pardon in Christ differs from Mens Covenants 3dly in that they do usually depend upon conditious to be fulfilled because Men have no other way to prevent the abuse of their kindness or to oblige to duty and gratitude for the future but God that can and will sanctify the heart as well as give right to life and thereby prevent the abuse of his favour needeth not to suspend his mercy upon such engagements and conditions from the creature It is not unusual we have seen many publick instances of it in our days for men to pardon offenders by an absolute act of grace without imposing any conditions 4ly only leaving men to their own ingenuity for the future and to the Law if they offend again It is said p. 36. God is the principle end of his own Covenant and therefore his honour must be principally respected in it and therefore a promise of Obedience and subjection to him and to Christ as the procurer of life which men are most unwilling to must be the principal parts of the condition of the Covenant and the acceptance of Pardon which all men are willing to have can be but a part of the condition and the less principal part Answ Here it is plain That by the foregoing ambiguous discourse of believing in Christ as Prophet Priest and King was meant a promise of subjection to him in all his Offices not a trusting in him for the benefits of them and that Faith here is nothing but Universal Obedience to Christ and a trust in the promise of Pardon or in Christ as a Priest is no part of it nor can go before but must follow after it i. e. when we have promised and in part performed obedience to Christ then may we hope for pardon and not before To the Argument I say the consequence is weak many ways 1st Because God's own Honour is the principle End doth it follow that in order of execution he requireth the Creature immediatly and in his first acting toward him distinctly and principally to aim at his Honour Surely he alloweth and his Word tends to this That self-preservation from the wrath to come should first move the Creature to fly to his Mercy and then as hope of pardon dawneth love to God and his Honour springeth and as hope of pardon increaseth so love to God prevails above the consideration of self-preservation Again God hath had his greatest Honour from the obedience and satisfaction of Christ already before he granteth pardon to the Sinner and is it no honour to God to trust in his free Sovereign Grace for the pardon of Sin and Gift of eternal Life Rom. 4.21 Is it no honour to Christ to trust in him as able to save to the uttermost all that come unto him Surely this is the greatest Honour that can be done to the Grace of God Nor is it so easie a thing rightly to trust in free pardoning Mercy They that know themselves know it is the hardest thing in the world and it seemeth God accounteth it so too by
themselves with that yet they that be throughly woundeâ— and humbled can never build their peace upon purposes or promises of obedience but upon the free Mercy of God in Christ from whence also they must have their power to obey or their purposes are in vain and also the acceptance and forgiveness of their poor imperfect obedience Whatever are the disputes of curious Wits or of rational Parts who would sain bring the Methods of Sovereign Grace to the Rules of Humane Reason yet I never met with any serious man nor I believe never shall who would soberly say That he expected to be saved or justified for and by his Obedience to the Gospel CHAP. X. An Answer to the Arguments for Obedience being the Condition of Justification WE come now for a close of this Work to consider the Principle Arguments that are brought to prove That Obedience to the Gospel or Faith as comprehending all Obedience is the Condition by fulfilling whereof we must be justified and it is alledged 1st That this way of Justification seemeth most rational obvious and agreeable to the whole Tenour of Scripture which maketh the Promises both of this Life and that which is to come to Obedience 1 Tim. 4.8 And that the way of Justification by trusting in the Promise of Mercy putteth some force both upon Reason and many Texts of Scripture Thus Mr. Trueman often 1st It was Melancthon's Observation Answ Lex com de isustif judic in Rom. That man's Reason which he call'd humana Philosophia doth always cherish a notion of being justified by Works and therefore Justification by Faith ever hath been and ever shall be opposed both by curious Wits and by grave Moral Men not only among Heathens but in the Church also which cometh partly from the Pride of Man who would fain be something but chiefly from the impression of the Law of Nature or Works which taught and allowed no other way of Justification and therefore men's Consciences though they hear the Letter of the Gospel do not cannot believe that they can be justifyed by Free Grace without any respect to their Works till they are inwardly persuaded by the Spirit of Christ Christ crucifyed was a stumbling Block to the Jews who trusted to the Works of the Law and Foolishness to the Greeks who thought themselves wise and rational men 1 Cor. 1.23 It is therefore no inconvenience that Justification by obedience is most agreeable to carnal and unsanctified reason and Justification by Faith not suitable to it But I suppose this Author by rational meant That the several parts and consequences of the Dostrine of Justification by Obedience did better cohere and agree together than if it were affirmed to be by Faith only Of this let the â—ious Reader that hath been sensible of sin â—â—d guilt and feelingly understands the grounds of a Christian's Hope and Peace â—â—dge They say That man being under â—rath for breaking the Law of Works destiâ—te of the Image or Grace of God did yet receive a New Law purchased by the Death â—f Christ to repent believe and obey the â—recepts of it and for so doing he should be â—â—aved his former sins forgiven yet all this â—hile he is not able to repent believe or oâ—â—y nor is there any promise that he shall be â—ade able and if he receive Grace to do this â—any measure yet it is not insured to him he may and many do lose it yea he may recover and and lose it again and if death should seise him in any of these sad intervals all his obedience profiteth nothing but he perisheth for ever if this will comfort or settle an afflicted unsettled conscience or be agreeable to the tasts any have had of the Grace oâ— God let such judge On the other side we teach That man being utterly lost by guilâ— and inability to obedience God sent his Soâ— fully and absolutely to satisfie his Justice and to purchase eternal life for as many as he had chosen This purchase he declared in the Gospel promising pardon and eternal life to alâ— that humbly fly to and trust in him for it that when his promise is published God sendetâ— forth his Spirit and perswadeth the hearts oâ— his Elect to trust in it that hereupon he giveth them pardon of all their sins and a right to eternal life for the sake of his Son's satisfaction and purchase that being thus reconciled to them he doth further make them hâ—â— Children and heirs of Glory for his Son sake and because they are his Children hâ— giveth them the Spirit of his Son to reneâ— them after his Image to continue and perseâ— grace in them and forgiveth all their infirmâ—ties and blesseth them with all temporal anâ— spiritual blessings in Christ and ordereth aâ— his providences for their good to purge oâ—â— sin and to perfect grace till at last of his Fatherly Goodness he crowns them with eternâ— life after their hard service on Earth to eâ—â— courage them in which Heaven was proposed as a Reward to them wherein is this irrational or inconsistent with it self The Scripture for the most part speaketh to the Conscience and Affections 2dly more than the Judgement and therefore handleth not things distinctly and didactically but putteth many things together saith and obedience in general or in particular duties as is most suited to practice and therefore it is no good Argument Faith and Obedience are joyned together often times as the means of Salvation without distinguishing the several Offices of each and what influence each have upon the several parts of our Salvation ergò both together and alike do justify us before God Yet it is evident from the whole Tenour of the Scripture That forgiveness of sin reconciliation peace with God hope of Heaven all come by our flying to and hope in Mercy and Grace alone This was renew'd to Adam by promise of the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.17 And by Sacrifices in like manner renewed to Abraham by promise with the Seal of Circumcision and a more particular promise of Christ The Psalms practically exemplify That our only refuge is Free Mercy The Prophets are full of promises of Pardon of healing Backslidings Jer. 3.12 of loving freely Hos 14.4 of forgiving beyond man's thoughts Isa 54.6 7 8. and the like Our Saviour and the Apostles preached this Doctrine to convinced and humbled Sinners though they insist much upon Obedience to convince and reclaim the hypocritical backsliding Jews To the Heathens who had no excuse for sin they preached nothing but pardon at first and besides this when the Doctrine of Justification is distinctly propounded and proved it is wholly ascribed to Faith in the Promise in two most argumentative Epistles to the Romans and Galatians upon which they that would bring in obedience are fain to make a manifest force whereas we force no Scripture but explain those that speak generally by shewing the several Acts of Faith and ascribing to it and to