sap life influence from the head much more must this be the way of getting the first change made from death to life And this way or not much different of argueing in this same debate we see the Apostle followeth Rom. 4. where from what was said of Abraham a considerable time after he was a beleever he proveth justification by faith without works or that Abraham was justified by faith not by works The Import then of the Testimony is that this life whereof beleevers are made partakers is begun continued carried on by faith therefore it is not by the works of the Law but by faith that they are justified brought into a state of life If it be true that without faith even belevers cannot be supported nor in case to live as becometh to the glory of God to their own peace Comforth in new Trials Difficulties much more is it true that without faith those who are in nature in state of Enmity to God cannot live the life of justification with it alone they can shall Before we come to speak particularly to any Truthes deducable from the words we shall premise some few things considerable CHAP. II. Naturally we are inclined to cry up Selff in Justification THe Apostle as we see in all his writtings about this matter is very carefull to cleare the question of justification so as Man may have no cause of boasting or of glorying in himself upon the account of any thing he hath or he hath done in order to justification that hereby he might cast a copie unto all such as would approve themselves faithful unto the Lord in being co-workers with Him in the Gospel that he might so much the more set himself against that innatelusting of heart that is in all naturally unto an exalting crying up of Self in the matter of their justification before Acceptance with God and especially we finde how zealously how frequently with what strength multitude of Arguments he setteth himself against cryeth down that which men do so naturally with such a vehement byasse incline unto to wit justification by their own works or by their own obedience to the Law to the end their innate pride may have ground of venting it self in boasting glorying before men From this we may premit in short the consideration of these Three things to prepare our way unto the clearing-up of the Gospel-Doctrine in this matter First That there is a corrupt byasse in the heart of men by nature a strong Inclination to reject the Gospel-Doctrine of free justification through faith in Christ to ascribe too much to themselves in that affaire as if they would hold the life of justification not purely of the free grace rich mercy of God through Jesus Christ but of themselves either in whole or in part in one measure or another Secondly That it is the duty of all who would be found faithful Ambassadours for Christ after the example of the Apostle so to preach forth the Grace of God in this mystery to explaine the same as corrupt Nature within such without as are byassed with mistakes about this matter are led away with proud carnal self conceits may have no apparent or seeming ground of boasting nor be confirmed in their natural prejudices Mistakes therein Thirdly That in very deed free gospel-Gospel-justification is so contrived ordered as that none have any real ground of boasting or of glorying in themselves or of ascribing any part of the glory thereof unto themselves as if they by their deeds works did contribute any thing to the procuring thereof It will not be necessary to speak to these at any length but only briefly to touch upon them to make way unto what followeth to be said on this weighty subject which is of so much concernment to us all As to the First of these to which we shall speak little in this Chapter thereafter of the rest in their due order it is too too apparent to be a truth from these grounds following I. This is most manifest from the many Errours false opinions that are Vented Owned Maintained with so much Violence corrupt zeal all to cry-up Self in less or in more to cry down Grace Hence so many do plead with great confidence for an Interest of our works in our justification Such as Papists who quite mistake the nature of true justification Socinians Arminians Others who side with these in less or in more will plead for a justification by our inherent Righteousnoss or works of Righteousness which we do Others that will not plead for such an early Interest of our works in this matter will plead for faith as our Gospel-Righteousness affirme that the very act of our Obedience in us is imputed for a Righteousness to us is accounted such by God so hath the same place in the New Covenant that compleet perfect obedience had in the Old Covenant of works made with Adam which as shall hereafter appear driveth us upon the same rock II. It is manifest likewise from the large frequent Disputes about this matter that we have in Paul's Epistles If there had not been a great pronness in man by nature to cry-up himself to set up his own Righteousness in matter of justification why would the Spirit of the Lord have been at so much paines to speak so to cry down Self our works in this matter as He is in these Epistles of Paul if He had not seen the great necessity thereof by reason of this strong Inclination that men Naturally have hereunto We must not think that any thing is there spoken in vaine or that the Spirit of the Lord would have left that Doctrine so fully cleared wherein our works are so expresly excluded if there had not been a necessity for it if it had not been as necessary in all after ages of the Church as at that time when first written Whatever the truth be that is so frequently pungently inculcated in the Scriptures we may saifly suppose that as the faith practice of that truth is necessary so there must be much reluctancy of Soul in us to receive the same to close with it and a strong Inclination to beleeve practise the contrary III. In the Infancy of Christianity we see what a strong Inclination there was to cry-up works what we do the Law as the only ground of justification or at least to have a share with Christ in that Interest which gave occasion to the penning of these Epistles of Paul where this matter is so fully clearly handled particularly that to the Romans that to the Galatias unto the speaking less or more hereunto in almost all his other Epistles And this Inclination to the crying up of works the Law in Opposition to the pure Gospel-way of
Gospel like grounds and by Arguments more sutable to the state of the justified who only are in case to performe acts of obedience and duties of holiness acceptably unto God Such as the Image of God proposed for our Imitation the perpetual obligation of His Law the Relation they stand into the holy appointment of God the engagments they stand under the Spiritual help furniture which is at hand the Nature of holiness it self the genius kindly inclination of the new Nature whereof they are partakers and the many advantages thereof here and hereafter too many here to be mentioned Let any consider the Arguments used to this purpose by Paul Rom. 6. 7. 8. Chapters and in many places elsewhere he shall finde this true CHAP. VII Justification through the Imputed Righteousness of Christ cleared out of the Old Testament the Passages Vindicated from the exceptions of JOHN GOODWINE WE shall now proced unto another use mentione another way how this Truth That belevers in Christ attaine unto a life in justification ought to be improved to wit Secondly That we may hence take notice of a loud call herein to all Persons not yet justified to beware of a cheate in this matter not fix upon a wrong bottom in Justification nor lay their weight on any thing within themselves or on any thing else whatever except upon the Imputed Righteousness of Christ alone which they are to embrace to leane to by faith If they leane to their own works and make them the condition ground of their justification they will be disappointed for by the works of the Lawâan no man be justified in the sight of God as the Apostle asserteth proveth in our Text irresragably concludeth Rom. 3 20 28. in several other places Yea if they leane unto faith it self which is called for only to interesse us in the Righteousness of Christ that free grace may be exalted proud man abased they deceive themselves not only disappoint themselves of what they are expecting but even destroy the very Nature Ends of true Gospel-justifying faith for its native proper work is to carry the man out of him self wholly unto Christ for Righteousness Life Salvation for faith is the Mans looking to Christ as the stung Israelite in the wilderness did look unto the brazen serpent Ioh. 3 14 15. and saying as it is Esai 45 24. In the Lord have I righteousness and it is the beleevers putting-on of the Lord Jesus that he may be found in Him clothed with His Righteousness Phil. 3 9. It is the Man's receiving of Christ Ioh. 1 12 and receiving of the Atonement in Him through Him Rom. 5 11. and of aboundance of grace of the gift of Righteousness Rom. 5 17. Therefore it is called a beleeving on His name Ioh. 1 12. on Him whom the Father hath sent c. Ioh. 6 29 7 35. 17 20. Act. 16 31. 19 25. And because faith laid hold on this Righteousness of Christ therefore is this Righteousness called the Righteousness of faith Rom. 4 11. the righteousness which is of faith Rom. 9 30. that which is through the faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by faith Phil. 3 9. Now if this be the native work of justifying faith as we shall more fully cleare afterward to receive Christ and His Righteousness consequently to carry the Man out of himself that he may finde partake of that al sufficient Righteousness of Christ to the end he may with confidence stand before God and expect pardon and Acceptance It cannot be said without destroying the Native work of justifying faith that faith is that Gospel-Righteousness unto which they may leane upon the account of which they may expect justification Faith in this matter is as the eye of the Soulâ that seeth not it self but looketh out to another Beside this would overturne the whole Nature of the Covenant of Grace and is irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Apostle Paul about justification as shall be manifested hereafter Therefore all who would live the life of justification must betake themselves to Jesus Christ leane to Him to His Righteousness for with the rob of His Righteousness must they alone be cloathed in Christ alone must they be found they must think of standing before God having on His Righteousness that God imputeth unto Beleevers which they receive by faith in order to their justification I know this doctrine is not favourie to many now adaies as Papists Socinians Arminians do oppose themselves with all their Industrie learning unto this doctrine of the Imputation of the Surety-Righteousness of Christ so there are now a dayes and have been of late who would not willingly be reckoned among either of these mentioned and yet do oppose this foundamental truth the sure ground of our Hop Peace Comfort As the Principles whereupon these mentioned go are different so are the grounds upon which they plead against this truth yet they do unanimous enough joine in this ãâã arguâ against this Imputation which the Orthodox have owned and do owne Before I come to consider the chiefe at least of their Arguments against the Truth which hath been now asserted I shall with what brevity plainness I can lay down vindicate the Grounds and Reasons of our Assertion and then take notice of their contrary Objections that this Truth may be made plaine clear to such as are concerned therein As to our Grounds I shall first beginne with Scripture Authority here propose our Reasons from the Old Testament First The First passage to this purpose which I shall take notice of is Esai 45 24. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness or in the Lord is all righteousnesses to wit for me and this following upon what was said vers 22. look unto me be ye saved all the ends of the earth which was an Invitation call to them to act faith upon Him in order to their Salvation as the stung Israelites did look unto the brazen serpent in order to their recovery this looking being clearly explained by coming vers 24. Even to Him shall men come and we know how frequently faith is held forth expressed by coming in the Gospel saith that hereby is pointed forth the rich Advantage that such shall have who look come to Him by faith submit unto Him heartily cheerfully imported by bowing of the knee swearing with the tongue to wit That they shall have a righteousness in Him this they shall avow profess and this being exclusive of all others as the Context cleareth saith that they should be brought to that that they should renounce all other righteousness what somever rest on this God alone who is the only God vers 22. on His righteousness for in Him they shall
society His Church when ever any person doth beleeve is united federally to Him he then receiveth the effects of that which was before in Christ as a virtus effectiva Ans. But Christ being a federal Head to His own whom in due time He was to bring in to an holy Society beleevers receive the effects of that which was in Christ as such a federal Head which is more than as a virtus effectiva Importeth His Obligation as a Surety to work these effects speaketh out His representing of them as a publick Person and paying their debt according to His Undertaking in the Covenant of Redemption Thereafter pag. 78. from this That the Law made to Adam did not assigne Christ to this office nor oblige Him to suffer for sinners according to it that therefore He suffered not by that obligation which bound us to suffer but by the obligation of His own consent he inferreth that the Law of works took not Christ for the Civil or legal person of Beleevers more than it made Him such Ans. But this consequence is denied for when a debtor is lying in prison a friend who was not formerly obliged undertaking to satisfie the Creditor making satisfaction is by Law taken for the legal person of the debtor who is accordingly dealt with as if he himself had satisfied the Creditor In the 4 5. 6. places he tels us That beleevers receiving Christ Himself receive title to His Grace Spirit Glory are personally actually His Subjects c and have a right to all His conferred benefites which right followeth not Immediatly to them from what Christ did or suffered but from the Covenant of grace therefore they have no right before the time nor any but on the Conditions specified in the Covenant Ans. 1 Though they have no full compleat actual right untill such time as is condescended upon yet by vertue of the compact betwixt Jehovah the Mediator wherein the Mediator undertook particularly for those given unto Him these may be said to have a real fundamental right though that right be not subjected in them nor pleadable by them before the time appointed yet a Right or something equivalent for I will not strive about words must necessarily flow from Christ's Satisfying for them and paying their debt according to His Undertaking As when it is contracted that the Eldest daughter of the marriage shall have such a summe of money when she cometh to be married or to be of such an age that daughter hath another right unto that summe than any other daughter hath that fundamentally from the contract Agreement though before the time designed her right be not such as she can plead it in Law in order to the possessing of the summe 2. Therefore the right that Beleevers have floweth from the Compact Christ's Suffering according to compact though it be conveyed by the Covenant of Grace their possession of the Benefites be immediatly therefrom as that daughters right to the summe is properly from the contract though her actual possession according to the contract be from her Marriage or coming to that age Though beleevers right to the actual possession of the benefites be so conveyed as to the conveyance some be granted absolutly as faith as himself will confess some upon condition of faith that is in that order according to that Methode that faith shall preceed Yet in respect of God their right to all is absolutly purchased by Christ so in a sense theirs though not subjected in them nor pleadable by them till the time appointed come This whole scheme of Mr. Baxter's seemeth to me to be founded upon and to flow from his Notion of Universal Redemption whereby he will have Christ to have died in the room stead of all which to me is in the room place of none to have purchased the New Covenant a Common good to all whereby all that would performe the New Conditions should have right to the benefites as having obtained the same by their performance of these proper Conditions anteriour to which there was no difference at all betwixt them others but this Scheme and the ground thereof I cannot owne 7. He tels us that as none till he was a person could be a person guilty of Adam's sin nor when he was a person any sooner than he was also guilty of his own inherent pravity none that had the use of reason was guilty of either or both these only without the guilt of his own actual sin So none till he be a beleever is related as a member of a perfectly Righteous Saviour that is done no sooner in time then he hath the inherent righteousness of his personal faith federal consent that obligeth him to the further active Righteousness of a holy life Ans. The Protasâs Apodosâs seem not to agree for as upon our personal existence we become persons guilty of Adam's sin that before as to nature though not as to time we have inherent pravity because this is an Effect Consequent Punishment of the former so upon our faith which is our personal existing grace corresponding to our personal existing in Nature by our Natural being should follow as answering to this Imputation of Adam's guilt the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness but in stead of this he mentioneth nothing but a Relation as a member of a righteous Saviour which according to the comparison should correspond to our relation to Adam which is in nature before our partaking of his sin 2 As answering to our inherent pravity he should have named our justification Adoption c. as the effects of the Imputation of Christ's Righteousâess in stead of this he nameth the Inherent righteousness of our personal faith federal consent thereby Importing that this federal consent is posteriour to our Relation while as I suppose he will say that our Relation is upon the condition of our federal consent Not to mention here his errour hereafter discovered of making faith to be considered here as our personal Inherent Righteousness Then he tels us That all these three conjunct though not coordinat make up the total Righteousness of a Saint viz. 1. our Relation to Christ in Union as to a perfectly Righteous Head who fulfilled all Righteousness for us to merite our justification which is called Christ's Righteousness imputed to us as being thus far reputed ours 2. our penitent beleeving consent to his Covenant which is the condition of the foresaid relation to Christ. 3. And our Sanctification Ans. 1 Here we see that Righteousness made the second Righteousness which yet is the condition of the first as if our Inherent pravity were the condition of the Imputation of Adam's sin to us 2 our Relation to Christ is not one the same with the Imputation of Righteousness to us no more than our relation to Adam is the same thing with the Imputation of
we never read that we are said to be justified by Love or by Patience or by Hope or any other but alwayes by Faith This certanely must instruct us that Faith here hath a peculiar and singular interest must be considered as looking to Christ in a different way from Hop Love which also have Christ for their object or Christ must be the object of Faith in another manner under some other consideration than he is the object of other graces 12. It is also considerable that it is simply said the just man liveth by faith or we are justified by faith and not the just man liveth or we are justified by a strong faith or by a faith continueing to the end Though it be true that a true lively Faith is of that Nature that it will continue to the end and will grow yet we may not say that only a strong Faith or a Faith as continueing to the end is the condition of the Covenant or of Justification for hence it would follow that as no man of a weak yet true and sincere Faith could be said to be Justified so no man could be said to be Justified untill his Faith had endured to the end which is contrary to Scripture speaking of beleevers while in their infancy as justified adopted as partakers of or at least as having a Right to the consequences of Justification such as Pardon Peace Glorying in Tribulation and Comfort c. The promise granteth Justification and Adoption to Faith that is of the right kinde no mention is made of that Qualification thereof He that beleeveth is passed from death to life and shall never die c. Ioh. 3 36. Ioh. 3 16 18. Ioh. 1 12. If the meaning of such as make Faith as continneing to the end the condition of the Covenant and of Justification were this That Faith as continued in to the end is the Mean of Continuance in the Covenant and in the state of Justification they should speak truth for the just liveth by faith first last as by Faith they are brought into the estate so by faith they are continued therein Faith maketh the first Union Faith continueth it But of this we shall have occasion to speak more afterward 13. This faith is not one single act of the soul nor seated in one faculty The various things spoken of it in Scripture and the various objects it acteth upon and is exercised about and the various and different necessities which beleevers stand into with the corresponding uses which faith serveth for in these necessities cleare it to be no one single act of the Soul I would rather call it the act of the whole Soul than the act of any faculty whatsomever CHAP. XXII Our act of Faith is not imputed to us a Righteousness Wproceed now to cleare at some further length several Particulars touched in the foregoing Chapt. contributing to the explication of our Justification by Faith The first great Question anent Faith is whether it be imputed unto the Beleever as his Righteousness whereupon he is justified Adversaries to the truth both Socinians Arminians do plainly assert that our faith or that grace of faith is the very thing which is imputed to the Beleever for his Righteousness They are all convinced that the sinner must be clothed with a Righteousness some way or other in some sense or other ere he can be Justified for the Lord is Righteous will not justifie the wicled that is such as have no Righteousness and being willing to yeeld to the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ they substitute in place of Christ's Righteousness Faith properly taken or our act of Beleeving as is it performed by us in obedience to the Gospel-command Socinus de Serv. lib. 4. c. 4. Cum igitur c. i.e. seing he teacheth by the example of Abraham that Righteousness is imputed when can doubt that nothing else can hereby be under stood but that we arerighteous before God because it hath seemed good to the Lord to account our faith in place of Righteousness And thereafter That faith is imputed unto righteousness is nothing else than that faith is accounted to us in place of Righteousness but not that the Righteousness of christ is imputed to us cap. 11. Themselves say that that saith justifieth not by its proper worth but because it apprehendeth Christ But that apprehension of Christ of yours is a meer humane fiction a most vaine dream And when we read that faith was imputed to Abraham for Righteousness or unto Righteousness we have no reason to think that mention is there made of the Righteousness of another when it is manifest that he is speaking of his own In his dial de Justis f. 14 15. he tels us that faith is by God imputed to us for Righteousness he accounteth that in place of Righteousness faith is in very deed that whereby the Scripture witnesseth that we are justified that is accounted Righteous before God have our sinnes pardoned This faith maketh us acceptable unto God unto eternal life And in not ad dial f. 27. Nothing else was said than that faith is accounted to us of God imputed for Righteousness that that faith is truely in us who will deny seing these words are said to exclude the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness The Arminians do homologate with the Socinians in this Arminius himself cont Perkins faith expresly that faith it self is imputed to us in Praf ad Hyppolit this faith he is my opinion about justification that faith that alone is imputed unto Righteousness that by it we are justified before God absolved from our sins and accounted righteous pronunced declared by God giving sentence from the tribunal of grace Some blaine ine for saying that the act of faith it self the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã credere is imputed unto Righteousness that in a proper sense not metonymically I say faith is imputed unto us unto righteousness for Christ for his righteousness sake He owneth the same decl Sent. ad Ord. f. 65. 66. in Resp. ad 31. Artic. f. 152-154 John Goodwine in his Treatise of Justification Part. 1. Ch. 2. asserteth the same most considently from Rom. 4. whose reasons hereafter shall be examied The same purpose he prosecuteth Part. 2. Ch. 6. answering the arguments of the orthodox against that imputation which shall be considered in due time Mr. Baxter in his Confess pag. 18 19. Excepteth against some words in our larger Catechisme Confession of faith to wit that it is denied that the grace of faith or any act thereof is imputed for Justification unless it be thus understood that our faith is not imputed to us as being in stead of a perfect Righteousness of Obedience to the ends as it was required by the Law of works nor is our faith the matter or the meritorious cause of the remission of our sin or of our right to
than Justification c. And though it be true that in this case what is inconditione non est in obligatione as to the actual possession yet we cannot think but the holy Just God having received satisfaction from the Mediator in behalfe of such for whom it was laid down is under an obligation as we may conceive and speake unto the Mediator to cause him see of the travel of his soul to give him his seed and those he purchased and in due time to call them effectually work Faith in them then Justifie c. Adopt them c. thus bestow all the benefites purchased upon then in the time methode wisely determined But if Mr. Baxter understand by this jus actuale that is constituted upon the performance of the condition a plaine and simple Right unto the benefite we can acknowledge no such Condition lest we render the death of Christ void for in him alone have we all our Law-title Right to all the blessings of the Covenant to Faith all that follow upon it That we may put an end to this we shall first shew in what sense we cannot admit Faith to be a Condition then shew in what sense we do admit the denomination As to the first we say 1. We cannot admit it to be a Condition in their sense who will have Justification so to depend upon it as on a Procuring Cause some way or other meriting at least ex pacto or ex congruo as Bellarm saith that benefite as a Reward for this destroyeth the Freedome of Grace that shineth forth in our Justification overturneth the whole nature of the Covenant of Grace spoileth Christ of his glory and doth man to come in as a sharer in the glory of that purchase 2. We cannot admit it to be a Condition in their sense who take a new Obedience with it for this taketh away the special Use of Faith and its special End in laying hold on refuging the soul under the wings of the Surety-Righteousness of Jesus Christ This changeth the nature of the Covenant of Grace maketh it a new Covenant of Works giveth ground of boasting of glorying before men yea maketh the reward of Justification and what followeth thereupon to be of debt not of grace And such a Condition in the Covenant of Grace we cannot owne 3. We cannot admit it to be a Condition in their sense who make it strickly a Potestative Condition placeing it in the power free will of man to beleeve or not as he will for as this overturneth the whole Covenant of Grace and exalteth proud man so it parteth at least the glory of Redemption betwixt Christ Man giveth man ground to sing to the praise of his own Lord free will to say he hath made himself to differ he oweth but halfe thanks hardly so much to Jesus Chaist for all that he hath done and suffered in order to the purchasing of Salvation 4. We cannot own it for a Condition in their sense who make it or it our new obedience together our Gospel-Righteoâsness that Righteousness which only is properly Imputed to us Reckoned upon our score as the Righteousness upon the account of which we are Justified for thus the nature of the Covenant of Grace is changed God is made to estimate that for a Righteousness which is no fulfilling of the Law Christ is made to have procured that it should be so that his own Surety-Righteousness should no otherwayes be imputed 5. We cannot account Faith a Condition in their sense who ascribe to it or to it with works the same Place Use Efficacie in the new Covenant that Perfect Obedience had in the old Covenant of Works for this maketh the New Covenant nothing but a new Edition of the old and shooteth Christ the Lord our Righteousness far away who is should be our immediat Righteousness that in him we might be found hid secured from the dint of the Law-Curse and with all giveth proud man too palpable ground of boasting contrare to the whole Contrivance of the Gospel-Covenant 6. We cannot owne it for a Condition in their sense who reject it and disowne it for an Instrument or an Instrumental Meane in our Justification because they deny that particular and special Use which it hath in our Justification so pervert its whole gospel-Gospel-Nature It s special use work in Justification being to lay hold on the Lord Jesus his side jussorie-Righteousness to carry the Man out of himself as renuncing his own Righteousness every thing that is not Christ his Righteousness that as poor empty naked he may lay hold on rest upon the Surety-Righteousness of the publick person Cautioner Jesus Christ for thus Christ his Righteousness are put by and he getteth not that rent of glory that is only due to him the soul is made to leane upon something beside this Rock of ages 7. We cannot admit it for a Condition in their sense who will have us hereby to have gotten a legal Title or Right unto Justification other benefites according ... following the same seing this puts the crown upon Mans head as having by his deed acquired a jus Law-right unto these blessings which become hereby a reward not of grace but of just debt We acknowledge all our Right Title to all the blessings of the Covenant to be from Christ the only purchaser of him must we hold all that all may be of free grace he even he alone may have all the Glory having redeemed us with his precious bloud purchased the whole Inheritance of grace glory for us 8. We cannot account it a Condition in their sense who plead for Universal Redemption because thereby Christ is only made to have purchased something to all alike that Conditionally no more grace glory for Peter than for Iudas but Peter by his own Paines Industrie by his Faith New Obedience did purchase the whole personal and immediat Right unto the blessings which he enjoyeth and hath received no more from Christ than what Iudas had so hath no more ground of exalting him for Redeemer than those have who perish seing what he purchased was common to all no more for one in particulur than for another for this setteth the crown upon mans head who hath saved himself by his sweating paines labour and spoileth our Lord Redeemer of his glory 9. Nor can we account it a condition in their sense who will have the whole or principal part of what Christ purchased to be the New Covenant the Termes Conditions thereof as if Christ had been a Cautioner for none in particular but had so far redeemed all as to have brought them into such an estate wherein they might now work won for themselves run fight for the prize according to
and too metaphysical apprehensions notions in this matter cannot but be displeasing And too much Philophical accuracy in the clearing up of these mysteries is not the most edifying saife way of explication 2. We are not against the use of the terme Condition in this matter knowing that faith may well be called a condition but the question is in what sense we must take the word condition And to say that it is taken as commonly used for the condition of a free gift will not satisfie in our case because though the gift which we expect by faith is to us indeed free yet it is a purchased free gift such a free gift as these who get it have all the legal title Right thereunto through the Caâtioners purchase payment only come to the possession of it through Faith according to the wise methode Connexion made by the Soveraigne Lord. Adam's perfect obedience might have been called the condition of a free gift and we cannot give the same place power to Faith in the New Covenant that perfect obedience had in the old for Adam if he had perfectly obeyed had gote his reward without any intervention of a Price by a Mediator purchasing it but we must hold all our reward solely of Christ that he may have the glory of all 3 as if can denote a Condition so by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã can denote an instrumental cause Himself tels us som-where in his Confut of Ludom Colvinus alià s Ludov Molinaeus that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã denoteth an efficient cause we read that we are Iustified by faith ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And further though these passages which he citeth and the conditional if and the conditional forme of the promise do indeed express a Condition yet they do not say or prove that the terme Condition is the only one terme that properly expresseth the nearest formal interest of faith in Justification or that the terme of an Instrument is no way fit to express this neer formal interest of faith in justification seing to be justified by faith or through faith ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã all which the Scripture useth is as expressive of an Instrumental interest as if thou beleeve c. is expressive of a condition He saith ibid. p. 89. Conclus 10. That the difference betwixt him others is not that he giveth any more to works than they but that they give more to faith than he consequently to man if he be guilty of equalling faith obedience too much it is not by bringing up works too high to be Instruments of Iustification as they make Faith but in taking down Faith too much consequently in too much abaseing all acts of man Ans. If he bring up works to Faith in our Justification give a like interest to both he giveth more to works than the orthodox will do And when we call faith an Instrument in justification we give not so much to it as they do who call it conditio potestativa and give it the same place in the New Covenant that perfect obedience had in the old as was seen above And who ever say this are so far from debasing man his actions that they give him as much ground of glorying boasting as ever Adam would have had if he had fulfilled the condition given full perfect Obedience And he cannot but know that that terme Instrument was of purpose applied to Faith in this matter to depresse man to keep the crown upon the head of Christ as it is apt enough to do if it be but candidely understood taken as it is applied and no further nor vexed with metaphysical niceties a way that might render every borrowed terme whether from arts or sciences how expressive so ever of our meaning explicative of the matter intended utterly useless It is true when he calleth faith only a causa sine qua non he seemeth to giveless to Faith than we do if that terme be taken in its strick sense as it is by Philosophers taken who will not have it called a Cause at all but rather conditio sine qua non But thus he depresseth it below that place interest which is due to all the institutions appointments of God as such for none of them can rightly be called conditio sine qua non and no more in reference to that effect end for which they are appointed of him and far less can Faith be said to be only conditio sine qua non in reference to justification seing by the unalterable appointment of the Soveraigne Lord justification so dependeth upon is connected with Faith that who ever beleeveth to wit savingly or with that Faith which here we only understand whensoever he beleeveth doth immediatly passe from death unte life and is justified But no man will say that the effect doth so much depend upon or is connected with that which is but a conditio sine qua non as was before shewn in several Instances And where is then his Conditio Potestativa is that but a causa fatua But ibid. Conclus 9. he tels us that one maine reason which constrained him to deny that Faith is an Instrument in justification is because he dar not give so much of Christ's honour to man or any act of mans as to be an efficiont cause of pardoning himself Ans. When we make Faith an Instrument in justification we make it not an Instrument of the act of pardoning which is solely the Lords act but taking justification largly as including the Righteousness of Christ the only ground thereof we say that in reference to Christ this Surety-Righteousness of his which is imputed in order to the Lord 's justifying Pardoning of us faith acteth as an Instrument apprehending Christ his Righteousness upon that account is to be considered as an Instrument in the matter of justification And himself Concl. 11. ibid. saith that he ever held that it is only faith that is the receiving of Christ that faith being the only receiving grace wherein no meer moral duty or grace doth participate of its honour or nature it was therefore by God peculiarly destinated or appointed to the office of justifying as fittest to the glorying of free grace of God Redeemer therein And if this be the all as to the substance of what we say or the most of that which we meane when we call faith an Instrument what ground was there of differing from his brethren or what ground was there to feare that Christ's honour should have been wronged thereby Sure while Faith is called an Instrument as receiving Christ his Righteousness in order to justification Christ is more honoured in that affaire than when our Faith is made our Gospel-Righteousness called a perfect Righteousness so our whole Righteousness as some a chiefe part of it as others upon the account of which we are
justification which is the hinge ground work as it were of his doctrine of the Gospel and to shew how poor sinners standing under the Curse for sin come to be justified before God as in his Epistle to the Romans And to Vindicate the same doctrine of the Gospel from the corrupt pervesions of false teachers as in his Epistle to the Galatians as also to commend the free grace of God in that noble contrivance both in the places mentioned and Ephes. 2. Phil. 3. Tit. 3. and elsewhere when he mentioneth the same Now as to the scope of the Apostle Iames there is nothing to declare unto us that it was his Intent or designe to explaine make known the way how poor convinced sinners standing under the sentence of the Law come to be justified before God and to receive pardon of their sins No such question proposeth he to be discussed No such point of truth doth he lay down to be cleared or Vindicated But his whole scope drift is to press the reall study of holiness in several points particularly spoken to through the Epistle And in that second Chapt. from vers 14. forward as will appear more fully in the explication vindication of the several verses in particular he is particularly obviating that grosse mistake of some who thought that a bare outward profession of the Gospel Faith or of Christian Religion was sufficient to save them and evidence them to be in a justified state and that therefore they needed not trouble themselves with any study of holiness And therefore sheweth that all such hopes of Salvation were built on the sand for they had no ground to suppose that they were truely justified so were in any faire way unto salvation so long as all their faith was no other than a general assent unto the doctrine of the Gospel to truthes revealed not that true lively faith hold forth in the Gospel whereby sinners become justified before God Mr. Baxter tels Cath. Theol. part 2. n. 364. that St. James having to do with some who thought that the bare profession of Christianity was Christianity that faith was a meer assent to the Truth that to beleeve that the Gospel is true trust to be justified by Christ was enough to justification without Holiness fruitful Lives that their sin barrenness hindered not their justification so that they thus beleeved perhaps misunderstanding Paul's Epistles doth convince them that they were mistaken that when God spake of justification by faith without the works of the Law he never meaned a faith that containeth not a resolution to obey him in whom we beleeve nor that is separate from actual obedience in the prosecution But that as we must be justified by our Faith against the charge of being Insidels so must we be justified by our Gospel personal holiness and sincere obedience against the charge that we are unholy wicked or impenitent or hypocrites or else we shall never be adjudged to Salvation that is justified by God Ans. 1 It is true for it is manifest and undeniable that Iames had to do with some who thought that the bare profession of Christianity was enough that an assent unto the truth was that faith that would prove justifying saving But 2 it is not so manifest that Iames had to do with such as thought that to trust to be justified by Christ was enough to justification without holiness fruitful lives that their sin barrenness hindered not their justification for whatever Mr. Baxter imagine we finde not in Scripture that justification followeth lives that is that there is no justification before this fruitfulness of life appear And himself useth to say that in order to the first justification this holiness of life is not requisite And beside this which he calleth the first we know no other unless he mean glorification But then 3 as to glorification final Salvation we grant that Iames hath to do with such as thought a meer assent to the truth without holiness was sufficient hereunto but that their beleeving thus could flow from their misunderstanding of Paul's Epistles is not any way probable seing Paul in all his Epistles even where he speaks most of justification by Faith without the deeds of the Law presseth the necessity of holiness in order to Salvation so as no imaginable ground hereof can with the least of shewes be pretended 4 That when Paul said justification was by Faith without the works of the Law he meant a true lively faith which only is to be found in that soul in which the seed of grace is sown and which is made partaker of the holy Ghost and of the divine Nature is true but yet justifying faith doth not formally containe in it a resolution to obey him in whom we beleeve as was shown elsewhere 5 Then we see that the faith whereof Iames speaketh is not the same with that Faith whereby Paul said we are justâfied And seing both do not speak of the same Faith there can be no appearance of discrepance 6 When he saith we must be justified by our Faith against the charge of being infidels I would know what he meaneth by this charge of infidelity If he meane the charge of not beleeving the Gospel he knoweth that a meer assent to the truth will âustifie from that Charge If he meane the charge of not receiving resting upon Christ according to the Gospel even that will be but a particular justification from that particular charge and is not that justification from the sentence of the Law whereof Paul speaketh 7 That we must be justified as he saith by our Gospel personal holiness sincere obedience against the charge that we are unholy wicked or impenitent hypocrites is true but what can all this say for a justification from the sentence of the Law under which we are all lying by Nature and of which the Apostle Paul speaketh And if Iames speak of justification by works in reference to this accusation he speaketh of no other kind of justification than that which the most wicked wreatch yea the devils are capable of when to wit they are falsely accused of having done some evil which they have not done And how can Mr. Baxter inferre from what Iames saith if he speak of no other kind of justification that works are required unto our justification as to state or unto our general justification from the sentence of the Law adjudging us to death because of transgression 8 But he addeth or else we shall never be adjudged to Salvation that is justified by God Then the Justification that Iames speaketh of that Mr. Baxter meaneth is final Salvation And we willingly grant that there must be personal holiness sincere obedience before this and that no wicked or impenitent person or hypocrite shall be adjudged to Salvation But the justification which Paul treateth of is different from
that Iames standeth for that he accounteth undeniable by any thing but prejudice Ignorance siding peevishness So that it must be unquestionable that Iames speaketh of all those particulars that he speaketh of justification by works in no other sense the contrary whereof we have seen already Yet let us see what these particular respects are wherein as he saith works are not excluded from being Conditions of our justification or the matter of it 1. Saith he That faith itself which is our act an act of obedience to God is the fiducial accepting beleefe in God the Father Son Holy Ghost for the benefites of the Covenant is the Condition of our first Cevenant-Right to these benefites Ans. To speak of Saving Faith in its full latitude or of that faith whereby the Covenant is fiâst made up as such is not to the present purpose but of faith only or of its acting in order to justification and as to this himself lately told us that Paul by the word Faith doth especially direct our thoughts to Christ beleeved in so that faith in this matter is not considered as our work or as an act of obedience in us as our personal Righteousness but as the Mean Hand or Instrument laying hold on Christ his Righteousness And if this be the meaning of Iames when he saith we are justified by works that we are justified by faith we shall not contend as to the thing though we conceive Iames handleth another purpose as is said 2. Saith he That this faith is not actual obedience to Christ as Christ at first but only to God as God But it is the souls subjection to Christ as Christ which is our Covenant-consent to our future obedience virtually though not actually containeth our future obedience in it Ans. This upon the matter is but the same with the former needeth no furder answere as to our present question concerning the meaning of Iames when he saith we are justified by works for if this faith be not actual obedience Iames doth not mean actual obedience by the word works but only that Faith which is a consent to future obedience But what the Faith is whereby we are justified what is its peculiar acting in order to justification we have shown elsewhere And to distinguish betwixt obedience to Christ as Christ and to God as God is to be unnecessarily critical by Mr. Baxeer we see that all the after obedience of beleevers is obedience to God as God though their first Faith be said to be a fiducial accepting beleefe in God the Father Son Holy Ghost and this be said virtually to containe after obedience which therefore must be obedience to God Father Son Holy Ghost And their first Faith is no obedience to Christ as Christ though Christ as Christ call invite yea command sinners to come unto him beleeve in him 3. He saith That there is somewhat of Love Consent or willingness of Desire of Hop of Repentance which goeth to make up this Moral work of Faith as it is the Condition even our first Christianity itself Ans. All this somewhat of Love Consent c. which necessarily attendeth Faith for that they make up this moral work of Faith as integral parts thereof I see no ground to assert only shew the true nature genius of that Faith whereby we are justified for it is no where said that we are justified by Love Hop or Repentance as for Consent or willingness desire they are included in Faith But all this yet saith nothing for the Interest of Works as it is pleaded in our justification And if Iames mean no other thing by works he shall give little ground to any to assert justification by works as is done this day by too many 4. He saith That at the making of a Covenant is for the performing of it subjection is for obedience Marriag for conjugal duties so our said first Covenanting-faith is for our future faith Hop Comfort grateful obedience Holiness And these are the secondary parts of the Condition of Salvation And so are the secondary parts of our justifications Condition as continued or not lost consummat For to justifie us is to justifie our Right to Impunity Glory Ans. How different Faith as justifying or in its acting in order to justification is from this Covenant making Subjection Marriage as explained applied to this purpose by Mr. Baxter is elsewhere showne 2 That these graces are required in order to Salvation we grant shall not stand to call them secondary parts of the Condition of Salvation as to its possession But 3 we are here speaking of justification and not of Salvation which two differ as we conceive much more being required to the one in case persons live after their first Faith than to the other 4 We have shown elsewhere that justification as continued hath the same Conditions that justification as begun hath of loseing of justification we read not in the Scriptures nor yet consummat justification these are Mr. Baxters new Notions with which we are not satisfied 5 Our Right to Impunity Glory is had by Christ alone when we are possessed of his Surety-Righteousness through Faith and thus are justified by Faith And how justification is a justification of that Right Mr. Baxter would do well to explaine In the last place he saith That our own performance of the Condition of the free Gift of Impunity Glory by the New Covenant purchased by Christ's Righteousness is the thing to be tried judged in God's judgment And therefore we must so far be then justified from the charge of not performing that Condition of being Infidels unsanctified Impenitent hypocrites Apostats so of having no part in Christ the free gift even by our personal Evangelical Faith Holiness Repentance Sincerity Perseverance Ans. Then it seemeth Iames speaketh only of works in order to final Salvation or our justification at the day of judgment and not in order to our justification here when first brought out of nature into the State of Grace And if so what ground can any hence have to inferre our present justification to be by works unless they think that whatever is required antecedent unto our Final Salvation is required also antecedent to our first justification which I know Mr. Baxter will not say And if this be all that Iames saith why did not Mr. Baxter give this as a ground of reconciling Iames with Paul that Iames speaks of works in order to Final Salvation but Paul excludeth them in reference to justification This would have had greater agreement with what the Orthodox say than to tell us of works being the secondary parts of the Condition of our Justification and that Iames includeth them as such when he saith we are justified by works and not by Faith only CHAP. IX John Forbes his Arguments against the Imputation of Christ's
THE LIFE OF JUSTIFICATION OPENED Or A Treatise grounded upon Gal. 2. 11. Wherein the Orthodox Doctrine of Justification by Faith Imputation of Christ's Righteousness is clearly expounded solidly confirmed learnedly vindicated from the various Objections of its Adversaries Whereunto are subjoined some Arguments against Universal Redemption By that Faithful and Learned Servant of Iesus Christ Mr. JOHN BROUN sometimes Minister of the Gospel at Wamfrey in Scotland JER 23. 6. In His dayes JUDAH shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is His name whereby He shall be called THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS Iustificatio est Articulus stantis cadentis Ecclesiae LUTH Printed in the Year M.DC.XCV THE PREFACE TO THE READER IT is the true wisdome of a Christian to understand aright and with a spiritual eye to discern the great difference between the Law and the Gospel the Covenant of Works and that of Grace the Legal and Euangelical Justification the ignorance whereof is the great Cause of most errours this day among professed Christians When our blessed Saviour came into the world he found flowing out of this bad fountain a multitude of Heresies in the Jewish Church deceived by the Pharisees blind Leaders of a blind People erecting establishing their our Righteousness before the throne of God And it is certain that our Lord Jesus Christ was rejected of the Jews because they could not believe their own unrighteousness miserie condemnation by the Law nor be made to seek in the Messiah his Sufferings Satisfaction the true expiation of sins and a compleat Righteousness sufficient to eternal happiness Certainly they understood not the promises of the Prophets especially that of Isaiah Chap. LIII neither looked they to the end of the Ceremonial oeconomie Law which was to be abolished 2 Cor. 3. 13. Of this Judaical errour we have a clear example in the Apostle Paul before his conversion a Pharisee by his great Masters well instructed in the letter of the Law For he looking upon himself and not understanding the nature of the Law in its Spiritual meaning was in his own eyes no sinner but a just man living and having a right to pretend a sentence of Justification before God upon the account of his works according to the Law But when it pleased God to reveal his Son to his soul he could count all things but lâss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ and desire only to be found in him not having his own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith Phil. 3. 8 9. And so became a great example of all true Converts Believers his Conversion a Demonstration of this Euangelical Doctrine that no man is Justified by his works but by the Righteousness of Christ imputed by Faith received applyed No doubt Christian Reader but this doctrine is the whole scope of the same Apostle in his Epistles to the Romans Galatians For having proved both Jews and Gentiles to be all under sin supposing consequently that by the works of the Law no flesh shall be justified in the sight of God he sheweth that all elected sinners coming short of the glorie of God must be justified freely by his grace through the Redemption which is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be our Propitiation through faith in his blood so that all boasting may be excluded which cannot be if a man could be justified by his works Yea the Apostle Chap. 4. gives a Demonstration of this doctrine out of the examples of Abraham David to whom after conversion Righteousness is imputed sin pardoned by faith in the promise In his Epistle to the Galatians he likewise presseth this Doctrine against the heresie of judaizing Ministers who would have mingled the Law with the Gospel and rejects their sentence as another Gospel worthy to be Anathematized with every one who teacheth it though even an Angel from Heaven since he saith upon the matter that Christ is dead in vain as we see Chap. 1. 8 11. Chap. 11. 21. How happy were the Church in these dayes if the Doctrine of Gospel-Justification did continue pure could be propagated transmitted to the following ages But it is too manifest that the Christian Church by Heathenish Jewish errours upon the one hand by Pelagian infusions on the other hath lost a great deal of her primitive sinceritie puritie Certainly the Roman Superstitions tending only to the establishing of humane Righteousness in Gods sight are clear demonstrations of a corrupted doctrine yea of that Apostacie of the latter times so oft soretold by the Apostle Paul For we see that Popery is wholly erected upon a Judaical Pelagian Righteousness proceeding from the bitter root of the Heathenish Free-will whereby the corruption of Nature is denyed sin excused the faculties of Nature as sufficient to all good works asserted especially when they are sustained by a sufficient grace given to all men for obtaining eternal happiness But this great errour worthy of the Apostles Anathema was abominable in the eyes of our Protestant Fathers and therefore the Doctrine of a contrary gospel-Gospel-Justification was the greatest reason of separation especially when they heard the trumpet from Heaven sounding and crying come out of Babel my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues And herein we must admire the wonderful providence of God that the Protestants did aggree in this point of Justification even when their minds were distracted about the Doctrine of the Lord's Supper and it is known how careful the Lutherians are even to this day in following the Doctrine of their Master in this great Article But alas it is a sad lamentable thing that Arminians being fomented by the Kings of France Spain as the immediate way to introduce Popery saith Wilson in his Historie of Great Britain pag. 119. when they adopted the Pelagian grounds did forsake the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ because they could not join this great mystery of the Gospel with the opinions of Universal Grace Redemption as appears in the writings of Episcopius Curcellaeus Limburgh and others filled not only with Arminian but also with wicked Socinian errours against the Divinity Satisfaction of our Saviour Jesus Christ. And how could it be thought that those books should have been accepted approved by Reformed Divines Churches as we see they are in our neighbouring Kingdom of England O what errours in that Nation are observed complained of before by Honorius Reggius in his book de Statu Ecclesiae Britannicae errours tending even to the ruine of the Protestant Cause And what shall we say of the latter books written by Bull Parker Sherlock and others against the principles of Reformation expressed hitherto with great agreement in all the Confessions of Reformed Churches Yea
decretis Publicis Politicis Ecclesiasticis fuit sancita roborata Sic ergò habent Articuli quos in Anglicum Sermonem versos exhibemus X. Of Free-will This is the condition of man after Adams fall that by his own Power and good works he cannot convert and prepare himself to Faith and calling upon God Wherefore without the grace of God which is by Christ preventing us that we may will and to operating while we will for doeing works of Pietie which are acceptable and well pleasing to God we can doe nothing XI Of Mans Justification Wee are only reputed Righteous before God for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ by Faith not for our works and merits For which cause the Doctrine of our being Iustified by Faith alone is most wholsome and full of consolation as it is explained in the Homilie about mans Iustification at more length XII Of Good Works Good works which are the fruits of Faith and follow the Iustified although they cannot expiat our sins or endure the severity of Divine Iustice Yet they are pleasing and accepted by God in Christ and necessarily flow from a true and lively Faith So that plainly by them a vive faith can be known as a tree can be judged by it's fruit XIII Of works before Justification Works which are done before the Grace of Christ and the influence of his Spirit since they do not proceed from the Faith of Iesus Christ are not at all acceptable to God neither doe they merit the grace which many call congruous Yea because they are not done according to Gods will and command we doubt not but they have the nature of sin XVII Of Predestination and Election Predestination to life is the eternal purpose of God whereby He before the setling of the foundations of the world by his Counsel hid indeed as to us Immutably decreed those whom he had chosen in Christ out of mankind should be delivered from the curse and destruction and as vessels made to honour brought to eternal Salvation by Christ. Hence those who are gifted with this notable favour of God are called in due time according to his purpose His own Spirit working they obey by Graces call are Iustified freely are Adopted to be the sons of God and made consorme to the Image of his only begotten Son Iesus Christ they walk holily in good works and in end by the mercy of God they come to eternal happiness As the pious consideration of our Predestination and Election in Christ is sweet pleasant and full of ineffable consolation to the truely Godly and to those who find in themselves the efficacie of the Spirit of Christ mortifying the deeds of the flesh and members which yet are upon the earth and by force drawing the mind to things above both because it does much establish and confirme our Faith of obtaining eternal Salvation as also because it vehemently kindles our love toward our good So it is a very destructive precipice to curious and carnal men and who are destitute of the Spirit of Christ to have alwayes the sentence of Gods Predestination proposed to their view whereby the Devil either presses them to despair or into equally pernicious security of a most impure life Thereafter the Divine Promises most be so imbraced as they are generally proposed to us in the holy Scriptures and the will of God which we have expresly revealed in Gods word is to be followed by us in our actions Atque hi quidem sunt Ecclesiae Anglicanae de Gratia Iustificatione Articuli convenientes utique cum aliarum Ecclesiarum praesertim Ecclesiae Scoticanae doctrina âti ex hujus Confessione Art III. VIII XII XIII manifestum est THE LIFE OF JUSTIFICATION Through faith cleared from Gal. 3 11. For the Iust shall live by faith CHAPT I. The Introduction the text the ground of this following discourse opened-up THe Doctrine of Iustification cannot but be acknowledged by all whose thoughts are taken up about an interest in everlasting felicity to be of great concernment debates or Controversies about the same cannot be esteemed vaine fruitless Digladiations Disputes about a thing of naught seing in this lyeth the Ground of all our Hop peace Eternal Salvation a Mistake or Errour as to the Theorie in this matter followed with an answerable corresponding practice I meane as to what toucheth the heart Substance of this Divine Mystery may yea must of necessity prove not only dangerous to Souls but even inevitably destructive Wherefore it cannot be justly accounted blame worthy that Churches particular persons who woule be faithful so accounted unto the grand-interests of Souls contend with alle earnestness for the faith once delivered to the Saints in this particular this being the true Basis of all Religion of Christianity without which there can be no access to nor Communion with God No peace with God nor true peace in owr own Consciences no life of Comfort here nor true hope of Salvation for ever here after No change of State nor saving change of liâe conversation in a word no life of Grace here nor of Glory hereafter And what then must follow upon the corrupting of this Truth upon Erroneous Apprehensions practices herein is aboundantly obvious to all such as have not sinned away all sense consideration in these matters Wherefore it is no wonder that Satan hath in all ages laboured by one Instrument or other upon one occasion or other and under one pretext or other to corrupt the pure streames of this wholesome Fountaine of Truth in one Measure or other in one particular or other that by such Mediums Arguments as he knew would be most taking seem most plausible at these Several times upon these Several occasions What way how far the corruption of this Truth was advanced in the Antichristian Church is yet known what ground their errour in this gave un to such as began to be enlightened in the knowledge of the Truth to separate from them to appear against them is manifest and what Effaies the Devil made about the beginning of Reformation or shortly after to darken this Truth by Questions Disputes even among such as hold the Truth fast as to the maine and what since by Several New Opinions or new Modes and Methods as they were called and given out to be vented and improven by Several Artifices to seeming different Ends he hath effectuated to the hardening of some in their Misapprehensions to the Corrupting of the Hearts Mindes of others and also the Staggering and Shaking of not a few may be called to minde with grief and sorrow Not to mention the bold attempt made by Socinians to overturne the whole Grounds of Christian Religion and to take away at once all the pillars of Gospel-justification The devil began early in the breaking up of the clear day of Christianity to darken this
is with Him alone that the poor convinced wakened Sinner hath to do And this is the justification that we are most concerned to know the nature of to understand what way it is brought about or to be had This is the justification which the Apostle alwayes denieth to be by works asserteth alwayes to be by faith in opposition to works As for a justification of our selves against the false Accusations of Satan the unjust Surmises of our own treacherous Hearts mis-informed Consciences the groundless Alleigances of men judging not according to truth but according to their owne mis-apprehensions whereof Iob's friends were guilty in an high measure It is not that justification whereof the Apostle treateth And whatever Interest good works may have herein as real fruites of an upright working faith consequenly as evidences of our Interest in Christ of our being in a state of justification Yet they are utterly excluded from having an Interest in that justification which is before God in His sight here Christ's Righteousness Laid hold on by faith only taketh place The Argument whereby the Apostle disproveth this justification by the works of Law in the sight of God is in the following words where he ushereth-in the argument with an It is Manifest ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to shew That the Argument was irrefragable that the truth thereby was certaine beyond Contradiction Now the Argument is taken from the opposition that is betwixt Faith the Law or the works of the Law in the matter of justification A ground whereupon the Apostle goeth in his whole Disput upon this matter as we see Rom. 3 27 28. 4 1 2 3 4 5. 9 32. Gal. 2 16. and therefore it must be a certaine truth That if justification before God be by faith it can not be by works consequently whoever assert justification by works destroy Gospel-justification by faith and hence it is also Manifest That justification cannot be by both together Faith works conjoined because what is of faith cannot be of works these two being here inconsistent Rom. 11 6. That Gospel-justification is by faith the Apostle proveth from that known sentence the just shall live by faith a sentence which the Apostle adduced first of all when he was to handle this question in his Epistle to the Romans Chap. 1. vers 17. saying for therein i.e. in the Gospel is the Righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written the just shall live by faith Where we see that this Sentence confirmeth the whole nature contents of the Gospel that is That the Righteousness of God i.e. the Righteousness which only will stand in Gods Court be accepted of him in order to the justifying of sinners which is the Righteousness of one who is God is revealed from faith to saith that is to say is hold forth to be embraced bysinners through faith first last this Righteousness thus embraced laid hold on by faith is the onely ground of the life of justification so that beleevers their living by faith saith their faith laith hold on the Righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel as the onely ground of their life As to the passage it self it is cited our of Habakuk chap. 2. vers 4. where the Prophet being told vers 3. that howbeit sometime would passe ere the promised delivery should come Yet it would come that therefore he all the People of God should waite for it live in the certaine expectation thereof addeth these words as being told him of the Lord that his Soul which is lifted up is not upright in him how variously these words are rendered by diverse we need not mentione the meaning is this That such as will not in faith patience waite with confidence upon the Lords promise that shall be made good in His good time but in their pride impatience of heart will think to anticipate their delivery by sinistrous sinful meanes declare that their heart is not upright that they are void of true faith Upon the other hand it is said the just shall live by his faith that is Such as are real true beleevers will waite in the exercise of faith till God's time come by this faith trusting leaning to the faithful promise of God through the Messiah in whom all the promises are yea amen 2 Cor. 1 20. they shall have a life of it they shall be carried thorow supported strengthened comâorted And much to this same Purpose is this passage cited by the Apostle Hebr. 10 37 38. For yet a little while he that shall come will come will not tarry now the just shall live by faith c. of which we have spoken elsewhere in all these places the Apostle leaveth out the pronoun his which the Prophet useth but that maketh no great alteration the matter being clear that sufficiently understood The Septuagints make a great alteration when they render the words thus The just shall live by my faith The great difficulty is how these words of the Prophet spoken of such as were already justified beleevers his saying of them that they shall live by their faith for we need not owne that sense of the words which some think may not improbably be given to wit That he who is by his faith just or justified shall live can be applicable to the Apostl'es purpose to prove justification by faith Not to mentione what others say to this nor judging it very necessary to enquire anxiously into this matter seing the Spirit of the Lord 's moving inspireing of Paul to alleige apply this passage of Old Testament truth for confirmation of what he was about to prove may fully satisfie us as to its pertinency though we should not satisfie all by proprosing our thoughts concernin it â Conceive the ground may be this That this being a general truth universally true that even beleevers who are already changed have a life begun in them must all their life long make use of faith gripping to the promises as yea amen in Christ promised come who is the Substance Kirnel of them all to the end they may be supported Strengthened Upheld carried thorow Difficulties Distresses Darknesses Temptations the like without fainting or doing what is unbeseeming a living Beleever in the day of trial so that their whole life even unto the end is kept-in continued by faith bringing new supplies influences from the head through the promises it will hence follow that without faith no man can at first attaine to this life change from death yea that in this case faith is much more necessarily requisite yea faith only without works is must be the only way to justification of life for if the progress continuance of this life or renewing of it after decayes be had by faith drawing
it may look more conforme to their works when their works are no way conforme to it So likewise they are ignorant of god of His Holiness Righteousness because they see that if He be Such as the Orthodox say He is according to His Word they cannot stand before His justice therefore they deny His justice altogether as do Socinians or Imagine Him to be all Mercy c. so imagine Him to be altogether such an one as themselves therefore are not very zealous for any other righteousness than what may come most readily to hand they themselves can make up with their own diligence care never remembering that the justice of God must be satisfied therefore deny all Satisfaction as do Socinians or suppose Christ hath satisfied for all procured a New Covenant or way to life wherein we may bring what we have it will be accepted there is no more to do Nor remembering that we must have an Interest in Christ by faith ere we have any Interest in His Merites Satisfaction that the whole of our Salvation is so contrived as Man may be abased Christ only exalted III. A vaine conceite that all things in Religion must be just as we apprehend them to be our blinde corrupt byassed Reason Understanding must be the Supream judge Determiner of all these Mysteries Hence the Socinians down-right say that ãâã the Scripture say what it will how oft it will they are to beleeve to receive nothing but according to their Reason so that what their blinded Reason cannot comprehend they may will reject And others who possibly will not so plainely lay down this ground Yet in stead of conforming their judgments and Apprehensions to the word of being led by it do frame a conception of the Matters of God in their own heads then cause the Scriptures comply with their Apprehensions by Interpreting them accordingly So that following a corrupt guide here they cannot but incline to that way which suiteth most with that corrupt Principle be most averse from compliance with the Mystery of God which is most opposite there-unto IV. Natural corrupt self love is another evil Principle concurring to this effect by its malignant Influence We love to cry-up ourselves to have something of our owne to boast of to glory of before men and hence we cannot naturally comply so sweetly with that way which taketh away all boasting leaveth no ground for man to glory in any thing save in the Lord such is the way of faith of Gospel-justification Rom. 3 27 4 2. V. A vaine groundless high conceite that people have of themselves of what they do as if there were worth excellency in it to oblige God to bestow upon them what reward they think meet not knowing that when they have done all they can they are but unprofitable that they have nothing but what they have received that for any good they do they are more beholden to God than God is beholden to them that the best of their actions are so defiled that they could not answere for one of them nor stand if God should enter into judgment with them strickly mark iniquity Psal. 130 3 143 2. VI. Pride of heart is another malignant cause of this Aversation Unwillingness to comply with God's way of this strong Inclination to the way of justification by Works This was it which led the jewes away from Christ the end of the Law for righteousness they would not submit themselves unto the righteousness of God Rom. 10 3. because they would not bow themselves to take on this Righteousness therefore they were at so much paines labour to establish their own to cause it stand Proud man would work enjoy the reward of his laboures will not willingly hearken to any other way he will not be beholden to free Grace nor ascribe glory to the Lord Mediator but will still be at the old way of the first Covenant at work wages that he may have it to say he hath erned purchased the crown of life with his own hands industrie Therefore from this we should all take warning to look about us to guard against this strong violent torrent that is ready to carry us headlong to our ruine to be jealous of our treacherous hearts Hence also we may see whence it cometh that the Gospel getteth so little footing among many how nothing less than the mighty power of God will be able to prevail with a Natural Soul cause it comply with the Gospel-way of justification submit it self unto the Righteousness of God hold on Christ by faith Further We need not wonder to see so many riseing-up in all ages against the Gospel of the Grace of God corrupting the Gospel-Doctrine of justification seing blinded unmortified Man is not in case to be cast in its mould nor willing to embrace it untill he be broken broken over againe CHAP. III. The Doctrine of justification should be keeped pure with all diligence what dangerous expressions should be shunned WE come next to speak a word unto the Second particular mentioned to wit That all who would be found faithful Ambassadours be accepted of the Lord should endeavoure both in practice in Doctrine to keep this doctrine of the Grace of God pure unmixed particularly guard against the giving ground or occasion to proud Nature to cry-up Self in the matter of justification by any expression used in the explication thereof We see here elsewhere how careful Paul is in this Matter using such expressions as may most emphatically exclude man all his paines set free grace on high that God alone may be exalted for here elsewhere he debaseth man excludeth all his works even the works of the best of men even his works who was the father of the faithful he crieth up Christ as all free grace as beginning carrying on all consonant to what the Prophet Esaias said Esai 45 24 25. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness strength or as it is in the Margine Surely he shall say of me in the Lord is all righteousness strength Even to him shall men come In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified shall glory So that such as look to Him as it is vers 22. come to Him as it is vers 24. have all their righteousnesses in the Lord from Him and in Him alone are they shall they be justified shall glory not at all in themselves So Ieremiah Chap. 23 6. expresseth the matter very emphatically holding it forth as one of Christ's glorious comfortable Titles of honour that He shall be called the Lord our Righteousness thereby Importing that all the Saints their righteousness in order
Conviction Acknowledgment of his own Beggarliness Poverty Nakedness of his being a dyvoure non-solvendo haiving no Righteousness of his own renounceing all that is in him in order to his own justification as it were a swearing of himself bare a laying hold upon a Righteousness without him even the Righteousness of Christ who is the End of the Law for righteousness to every one that beleeveth Rom. 10 3 4. resting upon it a producing of it as the ground of his Absolution in face of court to his own shame to the glory of his Cautioner So. far is it from being the mans Righteousness that it is a plaine open declaration that he hath no Righteousness but must go to Christ for a Righteousness And so far is the beleever from reflecting on it as his Righteousness from darring to present it to God as his Righteousness plead for absolution upon the ground thereof as if it were perfect a full Righteousness according to the Gospel that he only thereby saith in the Lord have I Righteousness he looks upon it as most weak imperfect being encouraged by the free promise of God he laith hold on Christ with the trembling weak hand of faith which he hath ostentimes so far is he from having any confidence in his faith that with much doubting hesitation he as almost despairing of being the better thereby seeing no other outgate or remedie ventureth with a peradventure he may be saved so that how ever he can but perish How far such a soul that is fleing to Christ for refuge is from conceiveing any ground of boasting in himself is sufficiently plaine the sense experience of all so exercised can declare VIII Even this Act of the soul looking out going to gripping laying hold upon Jesus Christ His Righteousness held forth offered in the Gospel to all self condemned sinners despairing in themselves is not of themselves it is the gift of God Ephes. 2 8. The Spirit of Jesus boweth inclineth the soul hereunto determineth the doubting man unto this choice maketh him willing whether it be in a lesser or in a greater degree to flee to Christ for shelter from the storme of wrath to be saved from the Curse And though the soul in the meane while be not in case to observe take notice of the powerful workings of grace herein Yet afterward he is in better case to see it to celebrate the rich free grace of God who hath visited him in his low condition began à work in him never left him untill he landed him in Christ in whom was all fulness he found he was compleat through whom he obtained that delivery from wrath which he was seeking after meerly out of his wonderful free grace mercy CHAP. V. In Justification there is a State of life HAving premised these three particulars not unworthy of our consideration serving to prepare the way unto what followeth to be spoken unto we come more particularly to handle the words to see what may be drawn out of them for our Information Edification that we may be instructed concerning the nature of this noble Privilege concerning the way how it is brought about persons may be made partakers thereof as also stirred up unto a right Improvement of the truth herein whether we be already made partakers thereof or are yet strangers thereunto We Intend not as we hinted at the beginning to touch upon far less to discuss at lenghth all the many perplexed controversies that are moved both of old of late by men of different Principles perswasions Nor do we intend to handle the several Arguments which the Apostle adduceth for confirmation of the Truth in this matter But our purpose only being to touch upon at least to endeavoure the clearing of some of the Principal Questions moved in this matter in reference to the forementioned ends we shall satisfie our selves at present with speaking to such particulars as the Text will give ground for The words having been cleared the Scope of the Apostle declared which cannot be hid from the eyes of any who will read the purpose there are only two things which call for our Consideration First The Conclusion which the Apostle is disproving confuting with a manifesto to wit That no man is justified in the sight of God by the Law or by the works of the Law Next The argument which the Apostle maketh use of to this end for the just shall live by faith The Apostles way of argueing here elsewhere with the same or the like Argument whereby he stateth an Inconsistency yea an Opposition betwixt justification by the Law justification by faith saith that it will not be very necessary to speak much to that which is here the Apostles Conclusion that is to cleare that justification is not by the works of the Law for the clearing of justification by faith will enforce that of it self We shall not therefore insist upon that howbeit we may in end consider what is said by some for justification by works what way such think to shun the odium of manifestly contradicting the Apostle of maintaining that Errour which he setteth himself so perempâorily against as acted by the Spirit of God The Principal thing then which we have here to do is to consider the Import of the Apostles argument for the just shall live by faith yet we are not to consider these words in their just length breadth nor particularly in reference to the use which the Prophet Habbakuk maketh of them Hab. 2 4. this same Apostle Heb. 10 38. of this we have spoken elsewhere But only in reference to the use which the Apostle here maketh of them in clearing up the way how justification is brought about And considering them in this respect we will have two things only to take notice of First The assertion of justification by faith Next The Influence that this assertion hath into the Apostles Conclusion to wit That therefore justification is not by the Law nor by the works of the Law In speaking to the First we will have occasion to speak both to the beginning the nature ground of this change made in justification as also to the continuance of that state of justification And then we will have occasion to show how both the beginning Continuance of justification is by faith for as the sinner at first becometh just or is brought into a justified state by faith so is he carried on continueth in that state of life to the end this being alwayes true that first last the just liveth by faith faith beginneth faith carrieth on this life untill the justified man be glorified The Apostle that we may come to speak something to cleare the nature of this State of justification is asserting
in its convinced Conscience before the tribunal of God and then seeth in the Gospel a well contrived way of absolution closeth with it How will all this shine forth unto them with a heavenly Lustre and Majestie And how sweetly will their hearts acquiesce in this Sure and Saife way of obtaining life Secondly This may discover unto us what a manifold wisdom of God is to be seen observed in the Gospel dispensation that even Principalities and powers may look into and wonder at as it is said to be made known unto them by the Church Ephes. 3 10. That is by what they see and observe in the administration thereof in the Church And in this part of Gospel-device there are several things remarkable that may give us ground to wonder at this manifold Wisdom of God The whole is a mysterie and this is a prime part of the mysterie and in this mysterie there are many mysteries a short view of which may be of some use to us 1. What a mysterious and wonderful thing is it That such as are dead by Law lying under the sentence thereof so bound over to the wrath of God according to the threatning of the Law which is just and righteous in all points and such as have nothing to defend themselves by from the threatned death unto which they are obnoxious nor any thing whereby to make Satisfaction to the demandes of the Law or to the offended Law-maker or where with to appease Him should notwithstanding hereof be Really Formally and Effectually absolved from the sentence of the Law by the sentence of the Judge and so made and declared to live juridically in Law-sense and to be as free of the curse and penalty of the Law as if they had never been guilty of the transgression thereof And thus is it here indeed Such as were dead in trespasses and sinnes and in the uncircumcision of the flesh are quickened together with Christ Ephes. 2 1 5. Col. 2 13. He who before had the wrath of God on him and abiding on him by beleeving on the Son of God hath everlasting life Ioh. 3 36. And they who were in a manner condemned already yet by beleeving on Him are not condemned yea have eternal life Ioh. 3 15 18. 2. What a mysterie is this That God who is righteous and just and the righteous Judge of the World and who hath declared that he looketh upon it as an abomination for any man to justifie the wicked Prov. 17 15. And whose judgement is alwayes according to truth Rom. 2 2. Should be one that justifieth the Ungodly And yet so is He said to be and so is He stiled and so is He held forth as the object of faith Rom. 4. 5. But to him that worketh not but beleeveth on Him that justifieth the Ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness Papists others who will not suffer their Reason to follow Revelation but will measure all the mysteries of the Gospel by the corrupt rule of Reason and wiredraw those according to the dictats of this pretend an Inconsistency here and therefore will rather pervert the whole nature of gospel-Gospel-justification than yeeld to the Spirits Revelation of the matter Hence it is that they say a person cannot be justified by God untill he be a Godly man and have a Righteousness within him upon the account of which he must be justified little adverting That by their own principles it would follow that no man should ever be justified for seing God is a God of righteousness and it is a sure and certaine thing that His judgment is alwayes according to truth He could not absolve a Person as righteous that were not perfectly righteous and void of all sin where is the man not out of his wits that dar say this remembering what David said Psal. 130. 3. 143. 2. But here lyeth the truth the mystery Such as are really and truely Ungodly in themselves and have nothing of their own but unrighteousness within them and whose righteousnesses are but as filthy rags Esai 64 6. are yet justified by God upon the account of a perfect righteousness imputed to them received by faith In the judgment of God such as in themselves are Ungodly are considered as clothed with the perfect righteousness of the Mediator Christ that Head publik person which free grace putteth on them they receive stand under by faith and so are justified declared to be righteous by God whose judgment herein and sentence is most righteous most consonant to truth for he justifieth such as are righteous though not with their own inherent righteousness yet with the righteousness of their cautioner now made theirs 3. Here is another piece of this mystery That Transgressours of the Law shall be Absolved and Justified yet the Law established which threatneth death to Transgressours and promiseth life only to such as observe it in all points Who can reconcile this seeming Contradiction that is not acquanted with the glorious mystery of the Gospel Paul a man well acquanted with this mystery tels us expresly that the Gospel-way of justification which he preached and fully cleared in his Epistles derogateth nothing from the Law but establisheth it Rom. 3 31. Where after he had cleared confirmed the Nature and Causes of gospel-Gospel-justification had said vers 30. that He was one God who would justifie the circumcision or Jewes by faith and the uncircumcision that is the Gentiles through faith hy obvâateth this objection that some might have proposed said What shall then become of the Law you make it void by speaking of faith ascribing justification to it as a mean in opposition contradiction to works he answereth Do we then make void the Law through faith That be far from us yea we establish the Law So that there is nothing in this Gospel justification that weakeneth or maketh void the Law but on the contrary it is thereby more fully confirmed and established for what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteouness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8 2 3. Here is then the mysterie Transgressours of the Law are justified upon the account of what their Mediator and Surety their publik person Representer did suffered for Satisfaction to Law Justice the Law-giver by what He did suffered the Law is more established then it would have been by any thing that we did or could suffer for He made Satisfaction to all its demands there was perfect obedience given thereunto its commands answered in all points by our Lord Jesus Christ who knew no sin nor was deceite found in His mouth 2 Cor. 5 21. Esai 53 9. And because it was violated by sinners the Curse threatned was due therefore He did also
Law but by the Gospel not by the Covenant of works but by the Covenant of Grace The Adversaries to Imputation alleige that we by asserting the same do establish justification by the works of the Law because the obedience of Christ was obedience to the Law and so legal Righteousness and if that be imputed to us so as we are accounted to have done what he did we must be justified by Law-righteousness consequently by the Law which is contrary to the Scriptures But in answere to this I say 1. They advert not that some of themselves do expresly call Christ's Righteousness our legal or prolegal righteousness therefore it must be a righteousness answering the Law also made ours 2. Nor do they observe that justification by the Law or by the works of the Law which the Scriptures speak so much against is not to be understood in their sense the obvious plaine and only meaning thereof being this that no man can be justified by his own personal obedience to the Law for by the Law the doers only of the Law are justified Rom. 2 13. The plaine tenor of the Law is Set down Rom. 10 5. Where Moses is mentioned as describing the Righteousness of the Law to be this that the man who doth those things shall live by them Levis 18 5. When therefore the Law saith that the man that doth these things shall live by them not the man that either doth those himself or getteth a cautioner to do them for him shall be justified it is manifest that we are not justified by the Law seing we do not these things ourselves in our oun persons but by the Gospel which only provideth this Surety proposeth justification through His Righteousness imputed received by faith Thus we see That justification through the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness doth quite annull destroy our Justification by the Law all Imputation being inconsistent with Law-justification repugnant thereunto because it is of grace what is of Grace neither is not can be of works Rom. 11 6. 3. We assert not Imputation in this sense to wit That we are accounted reputed to have done what Christ did for that cannot be God cannot judge amisse but He should judge amisse if He should judge that we did what Christ did Our meaning is this that the Beleever being now united unto Christ hath an Interest in Christ's Righteousness upon the account thereof now reckoned upon his Score by Imputation he is freed from all that the Law could charge upon him and that as fully to all ends as if he had performed that Righteousness himself 17. It is likewise here considerable That we are justified upon the account of the Righteousness of Christ imputed and yet this Righteousness of Christ is the proper meritorious cause of our justification of all that followeth there upon Some who oppose this Imputation imagine an opposition here But mistakingly they think that the Righteousness of Christ must be made the meritorious cause of it self or of that Righteousness which is imputed whileas we only say That Christ's Rightteousness is the meritorious cause of our justification Adoption c. and that it is also imputed to us for this end that we may be thereby formally righteous juridically in Law sense and so justified c. And who seeth not that it must be so seing we can be justified by no Righteousness which is not a proper meritorious cause of our justification consequently that we cannot be justified by any other Righteousness than the Righteousness of Christ so not by our own Gospel-righteousness nor by faith as suchs a Righteousness for that cannot be a meritorious cause of our justification 18. This is also a considerable part of this mystery which carnal eyes cannot see and which men carried away with prejudice at the pure doctrine of the Grace of God in the Gospel cannot sweetly comply with to wit That our justification is Solely upon the account of the Imputed Righteousness of Christ and not upon the account or because of any thing wrought in us or done by us yet our obligation to holiness conformity to the Law of God in all points is not hereby in the least weakened Paul's frequent preoccupying of this Objection in his Epistles may let us see how ready carnal hearts are to abuse the doctrine of the Grace of God revealed in the Gospel to carnal liberty and what a propensity there is in us to look for justification upon the account of our works only so that if we hear of any thing to put us of this apprehension we presently are ready to conclude that all study of and endeavour after holiness is wholly useless unnecessary and that we need not wonder much at Socinians others who do thus reasone against the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. But Paul doth cleare to us a sweet consistency betwixt free justification upon the account of Christ's Righteousness imputed and the serious study of holiness He saw no Inconsistency betwixt the study of obedience to the Law in all points and the expectation of justification by faith in Christ alone whatever men who would seem sharp-sighted zealous for the study of holiness do suppose they cannot but see And albeit men in those dayes were ready enough to except against free justification through the Imputed Righteousness of Christ and to pretend that the asserting thereof did take away all study of holiness yet this is very remarkable the Apostle to remove that objection never giveth the least hint of the necessity of our works of obedience in order to our justification And though He doth frequently press to holiness yet he never maketh use of any argument thereunto which might so much as insinuat that we were justified by works in one measure or other Nay we will finde that He draweth arguments pressing unto holiness from the very nature of their gospel-Gospel-justification of their State by vertue thereof And experience proveth this day that the most effectual Medium to holiness is taken from free justification through faith in Christ alone and that the holiness and obedience of such as practise the orthodox doctrine concerning justification hath another heavenly lustre as it floweth from another fountaine standeth upon another ground and looketh more like true holiness universal sincere obedience than what is to be seen among such as lay most weight upon their own duties whether we speak of Papists Socinians Arminians or of others And whatever inconsistency men may imagine to be betwixt free justification through the Imputed Righteousness of Christ and the Universal Sincere Acceptable study of holiness yet the Gospel knoweth no such thing but presseth holiness though not for this end that we may thereby be put into a state of justification or might sweat foile run work for the prize as the hire wayes of our work yet upon more Spiritual
death keep the law therefore reason requireth that what is first purchased should be first received applied Ans. I see no necessity of distinguishing after this manner the Effects of Christ's active passive obedience but judge it best to keep as conjoined what divine wisdom hath firmerly inseparably joined together But though we should thus needlesly distinguish these effects yet there is no necessity of saying That Christ's obedience because first existing should be first imputed unto justification and then His death to Remission for neither do we assigne justification to His active obedience only nor is the same order to be observed in the application of the Effects that was observed in Christ's performance of what was laid upon Him and required of Him as our Sponsor for the Nature of the thing required that Christ should first have obeyed before He died on the other hand the condition of sinners requireth that they be first justified and pardoned before they have a right to all the Effects of Christ's active obedience imputed 2. He saith If a man hath once sinned it is not any legal righteousness what so ever imputed that can justifie him Ans. This is granted But in order to justification we say That Christ's whole Surety-righteousness is imputed this comprehendeth both His active His passive obedience so usually distinguished 3. He saith If a mans sins be once forgiven him he hath no need of any further righteousness for his justification because forgiveness of sins reacheth home amounteth unto a full justification with God Ans. If justification were nothing else but forgiveness of sins there would be some colour for this but in justification there is also an accepting of the man as righteous to this a meer pardon of sins will not serve for a Righteousness is hereunto requisite pardon of sins and Righteousness are not one thing It is false then to say as he addeth That this is all the justification the Scripture knowes or speaks of the forgiveness of sins or acquiting from condemnation For both according to Scripture and the native import and universal usage of the word justification denoteth a constituting legally and declaring solemnely a person to be righteous or free of the accusation given in against him or a pronouncing of an accused man to be righteous therefore supposeth when the sentence is just that the person is a righteous person in our case the sentence of God being according to truth the person justified having no righteousness of his own must be clothed with the Surety-righteousness of Christ as Surety Head Husband imputed to him received by faith He addeth That righteousness which we have by Christ and where with we are said to be justified is only a negative righteousness not a positive It is nothing else but a non-Imputation of sin which I therefore call a Righteousness by Imputation as having the privileges but not the nature substance of a perfect legal righteousness Ans. A Righteousness not positive but meerly negative is no righteousness at all for a true Righteousness is a positive conformity unto the law the Rule of Righteousness and as the Righteousness is but negative and Interpretatively such so must the justification be that is founded thereupon He thinketh to prove this from Rom. 4 6 7 8. addeth a Righteousness without works must needs be a negative or privative Righteousness The Imputation of righteousness vers 6. is interpreted vers 7 8. to be a not imputing of sin Ans. The place cited as we declared above giveth no countenance unto this sense of the word justification but evinceth rather the contrary A righteousness without our works which is the Apostles meaning may be is no negative nor privative Righteousness but a positive full and compleat Righteousness being the Surety-righteousnes of Christ the Sponsor and the Text saith not That this Righteousness is nothing else than a non-Imputation of sin but inferreth rather the Imputation of Righteousness as the cause from the Non-Imputation of sin as the Effect and all this to prove that justification is not by the works of the law He tels us that we have the like description of this Righteousnes 2 Cor. 5. that which vers 19. he calls in God the not imputing of our sins unto us he calls in us vers 21. a being made the righteousness of God in Him Ans. This is a plaine perversion of the scope of the meaning of the words for vers 21. the Apostle is giving the ground reason of what was said vers 19. showing how this Reconciliation Non-Imputation of sin is founded what is the special ground thereof as appeareth by the particle for vers 21. for He hath made Him sin c. He saith This is most plaine Act. 13 38 39. where forgiveness of sins is immediatly thereafter called justification Ans. All that can be hence inferred is that in justification sins are pardoned or that such as have forgiveness of sins are justified or that these do inseparably go together But no appearance of proof here that they are both one thing or that in justification there is no more but pardon of sins He prosecuteth this purpose yet further saying This is the most usual proper signification of the word justifie not to signify the giving or bestowing of a compleat positive righteousness but only an acquiting or discharging setting a man free from guilt penalty due unto such things as were laid to his charge Ans. 1 Nor do we say that justification signifieth such a giving bestowing of a compleat positive Righteousness but that it signifieth a declaring pronouncing of a person to be righteous therefore presupposeth this giving or be stowing of a compleat Righteousness for the man whom God declareth pronounceth to be Righteous must be Righteous seing he hath no Righteousness of his own he must have his Suretie's Righteousness imputed to him 2 And so in this sense justification is an acquitting or setting a man free from the guilt penalty due to such things as were laid to his charge for he is pronounced Righteous But it is not a simple discharge of the person from the guilt and penalty upon a pardon Remission for a pardoned man is not a justified man but rather is supposed to be guilty is pardoned because guilty He proceedeth In the Scripture it is usually opposed to condemning Prov. 17 15. Where by justifying the wicked nothing is meart but the making of them just in the rights privileges of just men which are freedom from censure punishment c. So that by justifying the wicked nothing else is meant but the not condemning of him Rom. 8 33 34 5 19. Therefore by justifying nothing else is meant but acquitting from condemnation so to be justified live are equipollent Gal. 3 11 21. Esai 53 11. Ans. 1 That justifying is opposed to condemning is granted but this
cause of the formal objective cause which some call the Formal others the Material cause and the Inferiour Meane or Instrumental cause Here also these two are confounded made one viz. We are justified by faith faith is Imputed unto Righteousness That these are far different shall be cleared hereafter But what answereth he He saith 1. If their meaning be simply so that we are justified by that which faith apprehendeth they speak more truth than they are aware of But that whatsoever faith apprehendeth should justify is not true Ans. Who speaketh thus I know not yet I see little danger in it their meaning being only this in that expression we are justified by that which faith apprendeth that Christ His Righteousness which justifying faith in the act of justifying laith hold on is the formal objective cause or that upon the account of which we are justified this no way saith that our faith is that Righteousness for which we are justified Next he saith If men ascribe justification in every respect to that which faith apprehendeth they destroy the Instrumental Iustification of faith Ans. No man that I know doth or will ascribe Justification in every respect unto that which faith apprehendeth so they need not destroy the Instrumental use of faith in Justification for as to the Instrumental justification of faith I understand it not it seemeth to be a very catachrestick expression In end he addeth If faith justifieth any way it must of necessity be by Imputation or account from God for righteousness because it is all that God requires of men to their justification in stead of the righteousness of the law Therefore if God shall not impute or account it to them for this righteousness it would stand them in no stead at all to their justification because there is nothing useful or available to any holy or saving purpose but only to that whereunto God hath assigned it If God in the New Covenant requires faith in Christ for our justification in stead of the righteousness of the law in the old this faith will not passe in account with him for such righteousness but his command and Covenant for beleeving and the obedience it self of beleeving will both become void of none effect the intire benefite of them being suspended upon the gracious pleasure purpose of God in the designation of them to their end Ans. Whatever interest or place Faith hath in the New Cov. in the matter of justification it hath it from Gods sole appointment designation it is all that which is now required of us in order to our justification entering into Covenant with God yet unless we change alter its true nature and assigne another place power to it that God hath the Crown is keeped on the head of the Mediator His Righteousness is only owned received produced by the sinner as it were in face of Court rested upon by faith in order to justification But when faith is said to be imputed for Righteousness that is when our act of beleeving is made our Righteousness said to be so accounted esteemed by God all this to shoot out the Righteousness of Christ and to take away the Imputation thereof to us as the only ground of our justification not only are the native kindly actings of justifying faith destroyed but the very nature gentus of the New Covenant is altered it is made to be the same in kinde with the first Covenant with this gradual difference that the first Covenant required full perfect obedience the second one act of obedience only viz. Faith as a Peppercorn as some speak in stead of a great rent our whole Righteousness for no other Righteousness will our adversaries grant to be really imputed to us save what they grant of the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness only as to Effects and thus they make the Lord to repute for that is the meaning of imputing with them that to be a Righteousness which at best is but imperfect not every way conforme to the command of God enjoining it Whereby thus one imperfect act of obedience viz. Faith is made that whereupon the wakened sinner is to rest and lay his whole weight wherein he is to refuge himself from the wrath of God which he is to hold up as his legal defence against all accusations coming in against him and all this use is to be made of faith immediatly in stead of Christ His Surety-righteousness Whence we see that it is false to say 1 That if faith justifieth any way it must of necessity be by Imputation for righteousness For it justifieth as the mean appointed of God to lay hold on an Imputed Righteousness and to carry the soul forth thereunto The reason added is vaine for though it be all that God requires of men to their justification it is not that Rightheousness which is imputed unto Justification or the ground thereof but the Mean or Instrument of a soul 's partaking of that Righteousness of Christ which is the only ground or formal objective reason 2 It is false to say That if God shall not account it to them for righteousness it shall stand them in no stead to justification For it is required as the meane whereby the Sinner is married unto Christ partaketh of His Righteousness in order to justification and is as the legal production of the righteousness of the Surety in face of court as the ground of absolution to be pleaded stood unto The reason he here addeth is of no force because faith is assigned of God to this end purpose as the Gospel cleareth only to this end that so the Mediator alone may weare the Crown beare the weight of sinners nothing in us or from us may share with Him in that glory It is false 3 to say or suppose as his following words intimate That faith in the New Covenant hath the same place force efficacy which the righteousness of the law had in the old Covenant For then Faith should be Meritorious ex pacto should give ground of glorying before men It is 4 false to say That if faith hath not this place force efficacy in the New Covenant the command for beleeving beleeving it self shall be vaine Seing it hath another use designed to it of God and it is required for another end as is said according to the gracious pleasure purpose of God Lastly Chap. 8. pag. 93. c. he argueth from Gal. 3 12. thus If the Scriptures do not only no where establish but in any place absolutely deny a possibility of the translation or removing of the Righteousness of Christ from one person to another then there is no Imputation of Christ's Righteousness But the former is emphatically true from this place Ergo c. Ans. This upon the matter is but what Socinus said lib. 3. cap. 3. viz.
That one mans deed can no more be the deed of another than one mans death or paine can be the death or paine of another that in deeds of the law the deed it self is not simply called for but the proper deed of every one who is under the law that nothing can be more ridiculous than to say that one mans righteousness can be the righteousness of another who is unrighteous in himself that it is against common sense to say that one may obey for another But howbeit we easily grant there neither is nor can be any physical translation or removing of Righteousness from one to another yet to deny all legal translation is to deny all Suretiship cautionry yea and all Satisfection therefore the Socinians who see the force of this consequence do peremptorily deny that Christ made any Satisfaction to justice or payed the debt of the chosen ones as their Surety such as deny this legal translation of Christ's Righteousness would do well to consider if they do not hereby weaken the truth concerning Christ's Satisfa ion His dying in the Room place Stead of the Elect. As for the thing it self every one that knoweth what a Surety is knoweth that his payment of the debt is by law reckoned on the score of the principal debtor so transferred upon him as he is no more liable to the charge of the Creditor or to the execution of the law against him for non-payment than if he himself had laid down the full Summe He would prove what he alleigeth thus This Scripture doth not barely and simply deny a possibility of translation of the Righteousness of the law from one person to another but denieth it emphatically Ans. Howbeit it be a truth that no meer-mans righteousness is derivable from him to another set this Text proveth no such thing but only telleth us the nature ãâã of the Covenant of works viz. that it required personal and perfect obedience of him that would have right to the promised reward Which speaketh nothing against the new contrivance of the Gospel wherein the Supream God and Law-giver the great Rector of the world did in Mercy Love appoint Jesus Christ to be the Mediator Surety for the chosen ones to pay their debt suffer for them did ordaine a way how they should in due time come to have an Interest in to partake of that Surety-righteousness of Christ Jesus that so they might be justified dealt with as Righteous persons having Christ's Surety-righteousness imputed to them reckoned upon their score when by faith they close with Him and lay hold on it He addeth for proof for it denies a possibility of it to be done even by faith which was the likeliest hand to have done it if the nature of the thing had not resisted the doing of it Ans. The meaning of these werds the law is not of faith is only to shew That the way of justification by faith by the law are so far different that they cannot agree together but not to show that by faith Beleevers are not made partakers of the Righteousness of Christ or have it not imputed unto them reckoned upon their score as the whole scope circumstances of the place show That therefore is not true which he addeth By which it appeareth also that be i.e. the Apostle had an Intent particularly to make the righteousness of the law as performed by Christ himself uncapable of this translation or Imputation For though the law should be against the Imputation of the Righteousness of one man who is Naturally and every way under the law obliged by his being to obey the law unto another yet it is not against the Imputation of the Righteousness of one who is God so under the law only by voluntary Submission is appointed thereunto by the Supream Law-giver Rector unto all such as were committed given to Him to save that way in a way condescended upon by Jehovah and the Mediator He proceedeth The meaning of these words the law is not of faith must be this that the righteousness of the law doth not arise or come upon any man out of his faith or by his beleeving this is proved because the very doer shall live in or by them Ans. It is true the law-way of justification or the way of justification revealed in and by the law and hold forth in the old Covenant saith only that the man that doth these things shall live in them and doth not prescribe the way of justification through faith But the Gospel revealeth how the righteousness of the law which was part of our debt being performed and payed by the Lord Jesus the Surety appointed of God is transferred and imputed unto those He did represent He addeth further The word law here is put for the Righteousness or fulfilling of the law Ans. And why also shall not the word be taken in that sense in the following vers where it is said Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law so the meaning will be from the curse of the righteousness or fulfilling of the law Againe what though the word had that Import here can any thing more hence follow than that personal Righteousness is not derivable now from one man to another so as to stand for his personal righteousness But how shall this sense of the words make them a proof or confirmation of what was said in the former verse He answereth to this saying The Apostle in the former verse had delivered it for a truth that no man could be justified by the law i.e. by the righteousness or works of the law because the Scripture saith the just shall live by faith Now because this consequence might seem doubtful upon this account that it might be said why may not the just live by faith by the works of the law too may not the righteousness of the law be made over to them by faith No saith the Apostle The law is not of faith there can be no legal rigteousness drawn upon men by faith c. Ans. This confirmation is manifestly perverted for there was no occasion for that question whether the righteousness of the law could be made over by faith whether it be taken in his sense viz. Whether the Righteousness of Christ performed to the law could be made over and received by faith as appeareth from what he had said of the Gospel-way vers 8 9. Or whether it be taken in this sense that the righteousness of the law performed by a meer-man only for himself according to his obligation can be now made over to another by faith for no man over dreamed of such a thing But enough of this froathy trash What he talketh afterward of the opposition betwixt the law and faith in the matter of justification is utterly impertinent because quite mistaken and misunderstood by him for he only
is justified is justified out of the inherent dignity of that which justifieth him but he that is justified by faith is justified by the free gracious acceptation of it by God for that which is justifying in its own Nature by vertue of its inherent worth dignity Ans. What God Imputeth reputeth to be a Righteousness in order to justification must be accounted such or a man shall be justified without all consideration of a Righteousness and so be pronounced declared Righteous though he be not Righteous upon any account or in any manner of way And if faith be not accounted for the self same thing or for the equivalent with the Righteousness of the Law how shall it be accounted a Righteousness in order to the justification of a sinner who is under the Curse of the Law who because of the breach of the Law hath no right to life wherefore faith must have that inherent worth that the Righteousness of the Law should have had else it cannot be a Righteousness whereupon a sinner can be justified before God who is Just and Righteous and will not pronounce such to be Righteous as are not Righteous 2 If God upon a man's faith will as fully justify a man as if he had fulfilled the Law either that faith must be a Righteousness and so accounted which he here denieth or the man must be declared Righteous who hath no Righteousness and so the judgment of God should not be according to truth or upon his beleeving he must be justified as being Righteous by an Imputed Righteousness which is the thing he peremptorily denieth 3 When one is justified by faith by God's free gracious Acceptation of it this act of grace must either import that faith is accepted as a Righteousness so accounted of God or still the beleever shall be declared and pronounced Righteous though he hath no Righteousness or the meaning of this Acceptation must be that God hath graciously condescended to appoint this mean way of sinners having an Interest in the Righteousness of Christ whereby he may be accounted Righteous justified as really as is he had performed that Righteousness himself in his own person in this sense it is most true but utterly destructive of his designe 4 If faith be accepted for that which is justifying in its own Nature by vertue of its Inherent worth dignity it must either be that which is of such inherent worth or it must be accepted for that which it is not so a man must be judged by God to have that which he hath not He concludeth thus Wherefore the Imputation of faith for righteousness may well stand with personal sins in him to whom this Imputation is made in respect of which sins he remaines obliged to repent but the Imputation of a perfect legal Righteousness makes a man perfectly righteous in the letter formality of it Ans. Then it seemeth that by the Imputation of faith for Righteousness a man standeth not invested possessed of a full entire right unto life for that he said before was a privilege wholly inconsistent with the least tincture of sin 2 If by a perfect legal Righteousness he meane a Righteousness required of the Law performed by us personally we plead not for the Imputation of any such but if he mean a Righteousness consisting in full conformity to the Law performed by Christ graciously imputed to us received by faith that is well consistent with inherent personal sins What he meaneth by making a man perfectly righteous in the letter formality of it I know not till some be pleased to explaine it Obj. 6. Another argum he prosecuteth pag. 149. c. thus If men be as Righteous as Christ himself was in his life there was no more necessity of His death for them than for himself then the just should not have died for the unjust but for the just Ans. If we had not transgressed the Law there had been no necessity that either we or any for us should have died but having transgressed the Law thereby fallen under the Curse wanting all right to life we must have a Surety-righteousness whereby not only the Curse shall be taken away but the blessing of Abraham may come upon us we may have a full right to life therefore both the Active passive Righteousness of Christ is necessary 2 Christ died for the unjust because His death which was the period terminating act of His obedience and Surety righteousness which He undertook to performe in our room and Law-place was for sinners lying under the Curse void of all right title to life He imagineth that first Christ's Active Righteousness is imputed thereby the person is constituted Righteous then inferreth the nonâ necessity of Christ's death By we say that Christ's whole Surety-righteousness consisting in what He did suffered in His state of Humiliation in our room and as Cautioner is at once imputed and not in parts that so the necessity of sinners may be answered in all points He thinks to prove this consequence by these words Gal. 2 21. If righteousness be by the Law then Christ died in vaine rejecting the sense of the word Law viz. as importing the works of the Law as performed by us in our own person thereby doing violence to the whole Scope of the place to the constant acceptation of the expression supposing that the Consequence will be strong though the works of the Law as performed by Christ be here understood that meerly upon this false ground Because the Righteousness of Christ's life imputed had been a Sufficient every wayes a compleat Righteousness for us Nor need we say as he saith in our name That there was a Necessity that Cbrist should did that so the righteousness of His life might be imputed to ãâã For the necessity of His death arose from our transgressing of the Law being under the Curse Obj. 7. Chap. 14. pag. 151. He alleigeth that this Imputation evaniateth Remission of Sins saying for if men be righteous with the same righteousness wherewith Christ was righteous they have no more need of pardon than He had Ans. We spoke to this above Chap. 6. Mystery 11. therefore need say no more here then that the Consequence is null that the probation is insufficient for though we be constituted Righteous through the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness it is but a Surety-righteousness not our own inherently the Surety not being of our appointing or fitting furnishing our pardon is a Consequent Effect of this Imputation 2 The consequence is no more valide from the Imputation of the Active Righteousness of Christ than from His passive and Satisfaction and so with Sociâians he must also hereby deny Christ's Satisfaction that he may establish his free Remission But Gospel free forgiveness is rather established than any
that so much the rather that Satan without corruption within many are so far at enmity with this doctrine of the grace of God that they laboure by all meanes either more directly or more indirectly to perverâtit to presse for a mixture of works upon one consideration or other in this matter which it will not admit and that because it is so crosse contrary to the corrupt inclinations of Man who is so proud of nothing that he will not be beholden to Christ for less and for more and for all We see Paul was most jealous in this matter and most zealous for the truth therefore on all occasions did assert vindicate it as we may see especially in his Epistle to the Galatians where he did so zealously withstand Peter Chap. 2 14. and immediatly did state the question vers 16. saying knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ even we have beleeved in Iesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ not by the works of the Law c. adding vers 18. that he for his part would not build againe the things which he had destroyed so make himself a transgressour Nor would he vers 21. frustrate the Grace of God 12. Finally all such as have by faith laid hold on Christ his righteousness and are by faith justified and so made partaker of this life through faith in Christ must resolve to abide in Christ by faith that life may be preserved and by new acts of faith dayly on Christ get as it were new breath that their life may be continued and thus live continually the life of justification by faith by faith take their new sinnes to Christ that they may be done away in his blood for the Righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is written the just shall live by Faith But of this we are to speak more hereafter CHAP. XIX Of the Life of Justification as to its continuance WHen it is said that the just shall live by faith there is a State pointed forth a Condition intimated that is not momentany of short continuance but such a condition or change of state is hold forth as is of a lasting Nature not only because Life doth connote some permanency for a longer or for a shorter time but chiefly because this Scriptural axiome saith especially as else where applied by the Spirit of the Lord that the just or justified man hath through faith a life in the worst of times that he is made partaker of that privilege of life which shall prove lasting continueing to the end a life that is keeptin fed nourished by Faith Having spoken therefore of this life of Justifi on as begun that we may more fully explaine the nature of it we must speak a litle of it also as continued But first we must premit some things to shew what that Justification is of the continuance of which we here speak and what we do not hereby understand when we speak of the continuance of the Life of Justification 1. We do not speak here of Justification which Antinomians tell us is from Eternity for that can be nothing but God's eternal Purpose to justifie and which cannot more be called Justification than his eternal purpose to Condemne the Reprobate to save the Elect can be called condemnation Salvation and we can no more say That there was a Justification of any man from Eternity than that there was a Condemnation or Salvation of men from eternity we must distinguish betwixt God's Purposes the Effects which he hath purposed His purposes are indeed eternal but the Effects or Events purposed have their being in time according to the Season meane and Methode when whereby God hath purposed to effectuate them And sure we are that Justification whereof the Scripture speaketh is a relative change wrought in Man in time when and not before he laith hold on Christ by Faith according to the tenor of the Gospel 2. Nor do we meane here that Justification which the same Antinomians call only declarative in this life for the true Gospel Justification is a real Relative Change whereby the beleever is brought out of a State of Wrath and Judgment where they were lying under the Curse of the Law and the sentence thereof unreconciled to God and enemies to him having their sinnes lying upon then according to the sentence of the Law therefore strangers to God's favoure countenance and so without God without Christ brought into a new State of Peace Pardon Reconciliation Friendshipe with God of which we spoke above Chap. V. We cannot then look upon the Iustification mentioned explained in the Scriptures and of which we have hitherto spoken as a meer Declaration to the beleevers Conscience of what God did from Eternity as if the admittance into favoure and Pardoning of sinnes were nothing but his Declaration to their consciences that they were accepted from eternity had pardon from eternity a notion sure that hath no feeting or foundation in the Scriptures 3. We do not here speak of that which some call Baptismal Iustification whereby they say all Infants baptized are justified which they must yeeld to be such as can doth meeth with a final total intercision yea amission as to many so be quite of another nature from that which adult beleevers partake of from which there is no final or total Apostasie to be granted according to the Scriptures But we owne no such Justification of all baptized Infants 4. Nor yet do we here speak of that which others being more wary must owne as consequentially following upon their opinion of Baptismal Regeneration of all baptized elect infants to wit a Baptismal Iustification of all baptized elect infants it being certain that there can be no Regeneration without a corresponding Justification for as such a Regeneration is not clearly revealed in the Scriptures so were it granted no Actual Justification but only a Seminal Potential Justification could be hence inferred because such as the Regeneration is said to be by such as maintaine this opinion such must the Justification be but this Regeneration which is thus owned is only said to be Initial Seminal or Potential is distinguished from Actual Regeneration See D. Burges of Baptismal Regeneration pag. 14 15 As concerning the justification of Infants though we cannot say that there is no such thing yet as the knowledge of the way of the Lords effectuating it doth not much concerne us so the Scriptures are spareing in speaking of that Subject Sure the Lord hath a way of uniteing their hearts to Christ and of justifying Regenerating Saving such of them as die in their Infancy belong to the Election of Grace though we cannot distinctly understand determinatly explaine the manner how It is more of
for answere to clear up the matter in hand more we say 1 Pardon of sins is not adequatly the same with Justification nor the whole thereof but at most a part or rather a partial effect in justification the person is constituted Righteous and declared such and thereupon hath his sins pardoned and a Right to the purchased reward and he is thus made declared Righteous through the Mediators Surety-Righteousness imputed to him and laid hold upon by faith 2 When a person is justified he is at once and for ever freed from the punishment due from the Law from vindictive justice for the broken Covenant the Obligation to punishment required by vindictive justice is taken away and dissolved Christ having fully born that Punishment and satisfied that demand of Justice they in through him are delivered from the Curse and the maledictory sentence 3 Hence all their sufferings afflictions here being no part of the Curse nor of Satisfaction to divine vindictive justice nor of the Condemnation threatned how ever they be materially evil and Fatherly Chastisments or Punishments yet are no effects of Law-vengeance nor parts of vindictive Punishment and so cannot give ground to inferre an imperfect Pardon or an imperfect Justification 4 Nor must we call them any part of the Punishment threatned by the Law remaining yet unremoved for that would make them parts of the Curse and yet Mr. Baxter Confess p. 125. conceiveth it fittest to say that beleevers are freed from the curse are not under it and addeth his reasons there And the consequence is clear because what the Law threatneth as such belongeth to the Curse for the Law saith Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do then Gal. 3 10. Deut. 27 26. And therefore every Punishment that is a punishment of the Law must be part of the Curse So if the Punishments or Afflictions that the Godly are now under be part of the Curse that is yet remaining unremoved or of the Punishment as Mr. Baxter there p. 124. saith it will inevitablie follow that beleevers are yet under the Curse and not wholly delivered there from and as to these outward afflictions many of the truly Godly shall be more under the Curse then several of the wicked and if they be under any part of the Curse how can they be pronunced Blessed how can they be said to be Redeemed from the Curse of the Law how can Christ be said to have been made a curse for them how shall their sufferings not be a part of Satisfaction to Vindictive justice Shasl not they be in part Satisfiers for themselves Shall not they then be beholden to Christ only in part How shall then these Afflictions flow from love run in the channel of love and work-out their good through grace love if they be any real formal parts of the Curse Shall not the curse then be a part of the blessedness of the Saints and of their bequeathed portion which they may owne as theirs as well as they may owne life Shall not the curse or a part of the curse separat from the Love of God and of Christ What I pray will if that do it not and yet the Apostle tels us Rom. 8 33. c. that afflictions cannot do it nor death it self How can any part of the curse work for us a far more exceeding eternal weight of glory and yet Afflictions do that 2. Cor. 4 17. The curse will not conforme us unto Christ yet afflictions will and do Rom. 8 29. 5 Even as to the remnants of the body of death that cause the godly to groan and cry out Miserable man c. if we consider them as an Affliction we cannot say that they are a remanent part of Law-vengeance of Law-punishment or of the curse threatned in the Law for then they should be effects of God's hatred towards the Persons of pure vengeance and of juridical judicial Wrath Anger and were not capable of Sanctification to their spiritual advange and Beleevers upon this account could not be said to be delivered from the Law and dead to that wherein they were formerly held as they are Rom. 7 6. for they who are under the Curse and under such an especial part or Effect thereof cannot but be under the Law and that as a cursing Condemning Law Gal. 3 10. Nor could the Apostle inferre as he doth after the mentioning of the sad wrestlings that the godly have with the body of death Rom. 7 15. c. that there is now therefore no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8 1. for this would not follow from their being really properly under such a great part of the Curse Sure this cannot but be derogatory unto the perfect Satisfaction made by Christ seing hereby there is in some measure a Satisfaction made unto the justice of God and it was the end of Christ's suffering satisfaction to deliver his people from the curse of the Law in whole and in part from that penalty threatned in the Covenant of works Christ was made a curse for us and thereby did redeem us not in part only but wholly from the curse of the Law and this penal Law Mr. Baxter must understand pag. 127. Confess or he speaketh not to the purpose Nor can I say with him ibid. p. 119. that every threatning is it in one sense the execution in another that is commonly called the curse of the Law for the execution of the Law upon any person is inconsistent with loving-kindness towards that person but so is not every threatning nay nor the execution thereof upon beleevers as we see Psal. 89 30 31 32 33. Nor could these executions of threatnings be said to flow from Love contrare to Revel 3 19. Heb. 12 6. Prov. 3 12. for there is no fatherly Love in executing of the Curse CHAP. XXI Justification is by Faith what this Faith is how it is wrought HAving thus spoken unto laboured to clear up the Nature some causes of this life of âustification we come in the next place to speak to the following part of the Text. Where the way how this life of justification is brought about and attained is pointed forth when it is said The just shall live by faith Faith we see is here mentioned as that which interesseth us in this privilege of life Whence we see 1. That no man is made partaker of the life of Justification before Faith or that untill souls exercise faith they are without this life of Justification Some talk of a Justification from Eternity thus confound Justification with Gods love of Election or with Gods decree purpose to justifie Some speak of Justification of all in the death of Christ but neither is this to be admitted if we speak of actual Justification It is true Christ did when he laid down
abstracto i. e. without the receiving subject thereof in concreto i. e. together with the beleever The first which signifieth Remission of sins and Righteousness to Acceptation prepared though not yet conferred upon the Elect he saith hath a being before Faith and so the object is before the act though the ather be after faith But I conceive there is no great necessitie of this for answering of the argument if any should propose it to evince justification before faith and Bellarm. adduceth it not to this end as we saw for I see no ground to assert justification to be the object of justifying faith as if in order to justification we were called to beleeve that we are justified and that our sins are pardoned as was said above And as for this justification considered in the abstract which is said to have a being not only in the Purpose of God but also in the Covenant between the Father the Mediator in the Purchase of Christ not only is it not called justification in Scripture but also in so far as it is the object of faith as all other revealed truthes are it is of the elect in general and not of this or that particular person so that though justifying faith may beleeve that God Purposed Christ Purchased the Covenant of Redemption did expresly containe the justification of the Elect yet it doth not beleeve in order to the mans justification that he in particular so was justified either in the Purpose of God or in the Purchase of Christ or in the Covenant betwixt Iehovah the Mediator nor is this Faith called for because this object is not a revealed truth Yet this same justifying Faith is of that Nature as to produce afterward reflecting acts whereby the man may see his own justification be perswaded of it in truth hence also be perswaded that the Lord Purposed to justifie him in particular that Christ Purchased his justification in particular and that it was an article of the Covenant of Redemption that he in particular should be justified 2. While it is said That the just liveth by faith we see that faith is the way whereby persons come actually to live the life of justification and hence it can not it self be the matter of their life What interest properly faith hath in this affaire must be debated afterward to wit whether it be properly imputed as the matter of our Righteousness or only be to be considered as an Instrument or as a Condition how so 3. We see That this living by Faith proveth that there is no justification by works in the sight of God whence it is manifest that faith here cannot be considered as a work of the Law or as a duty enjoined by the Law or under any such consideration 2 That works have no interest as a cause or condition with Faith in justification 3 That the life of justification as to its continnation is by faith and by faith as opposite to works for the just or the man already justified liveth by faith This being also questioned we will have occasion to speak more to it afterward 4. While it is said the just liveth by faith it is considerable That this faith in its kinde and not in such or such measure is here said to be the meane whereby persons come to live the life of justification So that this true Faith how weak so ever is the only mean of interessing a soul in this privilege of justification This will give occasion to speak of the object of this justifying faith which will help to cleare the nature of it Our larger Catechisme qu. 72. giveth us such a definition or description of justifying faith that may satisfy us as to most of these difficulties The answere is this justifying faith is a saving grace Heb. 10 39. wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit 2 Cor. 4 13. Ephes. 1 17 18 19. word of God Rom. 10 14 17. whereby he being convinced of his sin misery of the disability in himself all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition Act. 2 37. 16 30. Ioh. 16 8 9. Rom. 5 6. Eph. 2 1. Act. 4 12. not only assenteth to the truth of the promise of the Gosspel Ephes. 1 13. but receiveth resteth upon Christ and his Righteousness therein hold forth for pardon of sin Ioh. 1 12. Act. 16 31. 10 43. for the accepting and accounting of his person Righteous in the sight of God for salvation Phil. 3 9. Act. 15 11. And this question is none of these particulars wherein Mr. Baxter in his Confess desireth to dissent from the said Catechisme as the next Question is as we shall hear We may hence take notice of these particulars concerning this faith ' whereby it may be known distinguished from what some may mistake for it 1. As to its nature kinde it is saving for all such as have this grace of justifying faith are in the sure way of salvation whatever faith persons may have if they have not this they are not in the sure path of life There is a faith of miracles both Active Passive as we may say that is a faith to do miracles and a faith to receive miracles wrought upon them The first was that which the Apostles had and others who wrought Miracles and is to be understood Mat. 17 20 21. Luk. 17 6. The other is that which some of those had who received miraculous cures as the woman Mal. 9 21 21. and that Man who cried out I beleeve help mine unbeleefe Mark 9 24. and the man of lystra Act. 14 9. and others This in it self considered is not a saving grace Iudas had this faith whereby he cast our devils and had commission to work miracles with the rest Mat. 10 8. Luk. 9 1 6 10. So also the Seventy disciples Luk. 10 9 17 19. And how great a privilege so ever this was yet Christ told them vers 20. that it was a far greater matter and much greater ground of joy to have their names written in heaven whereby he giveth us also to understand that these are distinct different from other and also separable Many saith Christ Mat. 7 22 23. will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name in thy name have cast out devils in thy name have done many wonderful works And then will I professe unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity And it is of this Faith that Paul speaketh 1. Cor. 13 2. though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have no charity I am nothing Importing that this Faith may be where there is no saving Christian Love There is an Historiâal faith that is a beleeving not only of the histories recorded in the word of God but of the whole Revelation of God's minde there yet only
Spirit of God Inclining Drawing Perswading Causing the heart beleeve are real strangers to this grace whatever great Enduements Gifts or ordinary effects of the Spirit they may be possessed of The author of a Discourse of the two Covenants a book recommended to us by Mr. Baxter in his preface prefixed thereunto as a Treatise which will give us much light into the Nature of the Gospel pag. 24. tels us that man himself is not wholly passive in this change or what goes to the making of it but is so far active in it as to denominate what he doth by God's assistance to be his own act Whereby he sufficiently discovereth an Arminian designe yet so qualifieth his expressions as may abundantly show he intendeth to evade For he will not say that man is not at all passive in this change but only that he is not wholly passive and yet he dar not say this confidently but must adde or what goes to the making of it and how much he may comprehend under this who can tell But if man be not passive he must be active How far then is he active So far saith he as to denominate what he doth by God's assistance to be his own act That the act of Faith is mans act is most certain for it is he that beleeveth but the question is what change is wrought in the soul by the Spirit of God before the act of faith be exerted and what hand mans labours and endeavours have in the infusion of the new Principle the Divine Nature Is not the man purely passive in the receiving of the effect of that creating act or in the work of Regeneration That the Lord prescribeth the use of ordinary means wherein the man is to waite for the free gracious working of the Spirit is true but there is no connexion made by the Lord by any Law or Constitution betwixt the use of these meanes and the gracious work of faith nor betwixt ordinary Light Conviction and the like common effects of these meanes and Saving Grace Yet he tels us afterward that if man do but what he can do through the assistance of God's common providente in whom we live move have our being God is most ready through his good pleasure or out of the goodness of his will pleasure to work in him both to will to do savingly to carry the work quite thorow But what Scripture doth teach us this Sure I am that Phil. 2 12 13. with which he ushereth in this discourse giveth no ground for this for that is spoken to such in whom the work of Salvation is already begun and who are commanded to work it out to say that the case is the same is to overturne the whole Gospel and present us with pure Pelagianisme is there as sure certane a connexion betwixt mans work of nature God's gracious works of Grace as is betwixt the work of grace Begun Carried on His adducing afterward p. 25. the commands to make ourselves a new heart to repent c. to enforce this is but the old Pelagian argument brought againe upon the stage to which I have said what I hope will befound Consonant to the Scripture in my book against the Quakers But this man discovereth himself more plainly afterward pag. 28 where after mentioning some acts of men which cannot be called acts of super-natural grace he tels us if men will but go thus far as they can out of a real-desire to âe happy I should make no question but that the Spirit of God would yeeld them his assistance to carry them quite through in the work of conversion Beside that connexion whereof he maketh no question though the orthodox have hithertill denied it writting against Pelagians Iesuites Arminians we may observe this here That nature can carry the work of conversion quite through having only the assistance of the Spirit of God and what difference is there then betwixt Nature Begun Grace for begun Grace needeth the assistance of the Spirit of God to work Salvation quite thorow and Nature needeth no more where are then the Infused Habites Is Regeneration only brought about by assistance Need they who are dead no more but Assistance If this Author help us to clearness in the doctrine of the Gospel it must be the Gospel that only Pelagians Iesuites Arminians Quakers owne but not the Gospel of the Grace of God revealed to us in the Word which telleth us of something more requisite unto the Conversion of a sinner to the bringing of him to Beleeve Repent than the Cooperation of God's assistance as he speaketh pag. 25. mans endeavours He tels us pag. 26. that there is a promise of divine assistance to Man using his ândeavours in doing what he may can do towards the performing the condition of the Covenant But he showeth us not where that promise is to be found and pag. 17. he talks of an implicit promise and this he very wonderfully inferreth from the Gospel that was preached to Abraham for thus he speaketh for God in promising blessedness to the Nations through Abrahams seed therein promised all that was absolutly necessary for him to vouch safe to make them blessed without which they could not be blessed And if so then he therein implicitly promised to assist the endeavours of men to perform the condition of the promise without the assistance of whose grace they cannot savingly beleeve repent obey Whence it would seem 1 that all men are comprehended within this promise and 2 That no more is promised in reference to the Elect than to the Reprobat 3 That the promise of faith Repentance is but a promise of of Assistance 4 And this promise of Assistance is not to assist Grace but to assist Nature 5 That the promise of Faith Repentance was but an implicite promise This is a sufficient taste of this Authors Pelagian-Gospel 4. We proceed This work of the Spirit upon the soul whereby the man is brought to a closing with and to a resting upon Christ is ordinarily wrought by the word for faith cometh by hearing hearing by the word of God Rom. 10 17. The Lord hath established that great Ordinance of Preaching for this end and for this end he blesseth it unto his chosen ones we meane not this exclusivly as iâ the word could no other way be-blessed for he blesseth as he seeth good for this end the Reading of Meditation on the word also though the grand special mean be the Preaching as we see Act. 2 37 41. 8 26-30 26 18. The Lord it is true may send wakenings by his Judgments by other like Occasions may blesse the private Endeavours of Parents friends by their private Instructions Admonitions yet all these are no way prejudicial unto but rather contribute to the confirming of the privilege of the word as the Principal Mean
proper a sense as can be spoken of or applied to a Creature And even though we speak of Faith in the orthodox sense as being the gift of God yet seing it floweth nativly from the new Nature given in Regeneration is said to be mans faith his act all this difference will not exclude all occasion of boasting glorying before men more then Abraham's works would have done if he had been justified by them And yet the Gospel-way of Justification perfectly excludeth all boasting being so contrived in all points as that he who glorieth may only glory in the Lord. Argum. 5. If Faith be imputed unto us for Righteousness then are we justified by that which is Imperfect which it self needeth a Pardon seing no mans Faith is perfect in this life But there is no Justification to be looked for before God by that which is Imperfect but by that which is Perfect Therefore c. He excepteth These words then we are Iustified by that which is imperfect may either have this sense that we are justified without the concurrence of any thing that is simply perfect to our justification or that somewhat that is comparativly imperfect may some wayes concurre contribute towards our justification In the first sense the proposition is false in the later sense the assumption goeth to wreck Ans. This distinction is to no purpose for it doth not loose the difficulty in regard that the argument speaketh of a Righteousness as the formal cause or as the formal objective cause of Justification or as that upon the account of which the person is Pronunced Declared to be Righteous and Justified and so is levelled against Faith concluding that it cannot be our Righteousness or the formal Objective cause of our justification as it is said and supposed to be by such as say that it is imputed to us for Righteousness for it is made by them to be all the Righteousness that is imputed to us that because of its Weakness Imperfection He addeth in application of this distinction The truth is that the Imputation of faith for Righteousness presupposeth somewhat that absolutely perfect as absolutly necessary unto justification Had not the Lord Christ who is perfect himself made a perfect atonement for sin there had been no place for the Imputation of faith for righteousness for it is through this that either we beleeve in him or in God through him it is through the same atonement also that God justifieth us upon our beleeving that is imputes our faith unto us for righteousness Ans. This presupposal doth not helpe the matter for notwithstanding thereof Faith it self is made the only Imputed Righteousness and faith is not considered as an Instrument receiving Christ's Righteousness and the Atonement there through but as a work making the reward of the Atonement to be of debt ex pacto and not of free grace and so to have a worth a merite in it Our Adversaries will not grant that this presupposed Righteousness of Christ whereby the perfect Atonement was made is imputed unto us for this is expresly denied and beside they say that it was equally made for all and so is equally imputed to all so far as that thereby all are put into such a state as notwitstanding of the former breach made they may now upon the new termes of Faith receive the promised reward And thus it is manifest that with them this imperfect thing saith is that for upon the account of which they are justified As for example that we may hereby illustrate cleare the matter if we should suppose that Christ had by his Atonement delivered all from wrath due for the former transgression of the Covenant and had put them into the former state wherein Adam was before he fell procured that God should take a new essay of them and make promise of life unto them upon the old termes as some who plead for Universal Redemption say God might have done had he so pleased after the Atonement was made in this case might it not be said that every person that should now be Justified upon the performance of these termes were justified by the performance of the Condition as by his own Righteousness that this new Obedience were all the Righteousness he had declared to have when justified should he not be justified upon the account thereof solely And was he more obliged unto the Atonement of Christ than others who did violate of new these Conditions And seing now Faith is put in the same place and made to have the same Force Efficacy shall we not now be Justified by this one act of Obedience as we would have been in the other case by perfect Obedience And if it be so is it not manifest that we are justified by a Righteousness that is Imperfect that all the presupposal of a perfect Atonement doth not availe 2 When it is said that it is through the Atonement made by Christ that we beleeve in him or in God through him it must be granted that Christ hath purchased Faith that either to all or to some and if to all then either absolutly or upon condition if to all that absolutly then all should have faith if upon condition we desire to know what that condition is If not to all but to some only then Christ cannot be said to have died alike for all 3 as to that he faith viz. That it is through the same atonement that God imputeth our faith to us for righteousness justifieth us upon our beleeving it being the same that others say who tell us that Christ hath procured faith to be the condition termes of the new Covenant we shall say no more now than that we see no ground to asserte any such thing here after we shall give our reasons Argum. 6. If faith be imputed to us for Righteousness then God should rather receive a Righteousness from us then we from him in our Iustification But God doth not receive a righteousness from us but we from him in Iustification Therefore c. He excepteth by denying the consequence upon these reasons 1 Because God's imputing Faith for righteousness doth no wayes implye that faith is a righteousness properly so called but only that God by the meanes thereof upon the tender of it looks upon us as righteous yet not as made either meritoriously or formally righteous by it but as having performed that condition or Covenant upon the performance whereof he hath promised to make us righteous meritoriously by the death sufferings of his owne son formally with the pardon of all our sins Ans. All this can give no satisfaction for 1 If no Righteousness be imputed to us in order to Justification but Faith and if faith it self be hereby made no Righteousness then we are justified without any Righteousness at all God shall be said to pronunce them Righteous who have no Righteousness
of nature if not also in order of time And if matters be thus sins are first forgiven and then Faith is imputed 2 If the supposing of a righteousness will follow to wit Remission of sins then there is no answere to the argument for the argument speaketh of a Righteousness anterior to Justification and in order there unto 3 It is againe said but was never proved that to forgive sins is to give a Righteousness And I would ask what for a Righteousness this pardon of sins is is it a Righteousness perperly so called But that cannot be for all such Righteousness consisteth in obedience to the Law therefore it must be a Righteousness improperly so called if so it cannot be called our formal righteousness as he said it was 4 When he saith we are made righteous in justification yet will not grant an Imputed Righteousness and his Remission of sins is not yet found to be a proper Righteousness the sense must either be Popish or none at all I shall not here adde other reasons against this Assertion whereby it might be made manifest how dangerous this Opinion is if it be put in practice how it tendeth to alter the Nature of the Covenant of Grace It may suffice at present that we have vindicated these few reasons against it that we have found it in the foregoing Chapter inconsistent with the doctrine of grace in the New Testament repugnant to the Nature of Justification as declared explained to us by the Apostle and that we shall finde it in the next Chapter without any footing in the Apostles discourse Rom. 4. which is the only place adduced for its confirmation CHAP. XXIV The imputation of Faith it self is not Proved from Rom. IV. THe maine if not only ground whereupon our Adversaries build their Assertion of the Imputation of our act of Beleeving is Rom. 4. where they tell us the Apostle doth frequently expresly say that Faith is imputed unto Righteousness We must therefore in order the vindication of truth vindicate this place from their corrupt glosses to this end we shall first show that that can not be the meaning of the Apostle in this place which our Adversaries contend for next we shall examine what they say to enforce their Exposition of the place That the meaning of the Apostle Rom. 4. where it is said Abraham beleeved God and it was counted unto him for righteousness afterward his faith is counted for righteousness and faith was counted to Abraham for righteousness c. is not that Abraham's act of beleeving was accounted the Righteousness whereupon he was accepted was imputed unto him as a Righteousness in order to his justification and consequently that the act of Beleeving is now imputed to Beleevers for their Righteousness as said Servetus Socinus his followers Arminius his followers Papists others that I say this is not the true meaning of the place may appear from these particulars 1. If the act of Beleeving be accounted a Righteousness it must either be accounted a Perfect Righteousness or an Imperfect Righteousness If it be accounted for an Imperfect Righteousness no man can be thereupon Justified But Paul is speaking of a righteousness that was accounted to Abraham the father of the faithful in order to Justification that behoved to be a perfect righteousness for all his works wherein was an Imperfect Righteousness were rejected It cannot be accounted for a perfect righteousness because then it should be accounted to be what it is not and this accounting being an act of God's judgment it would follow that the judgment of God were not according to truth contrare to Rom. 2 2. The reason is because our faith is not perfect in it self there being much drosse admixed many degrees wanting in it far lesse can it be a Perfect Righteousness seing a Perfect Righteousness must comprehend full Obedience to the whole Law of God 2. The Imputation whereof the Apostle speaketh is of some thing to be made the Beleevers by the Imputation of God which the Beleever had not before But this cannot be Faith or the work of Beleeving because Faith is ours before this Imputation for Abraham beleeved God then followed this Imputation and vers 24. it is said that it to wit some other thing than the act of beleeving shall be imputed to us if we beleeve therefore it is not the act of Beleeving properly taken that is imputed or accounted here 3. Faith being antecedent to this Imputation if the act of Beleeving be imputed the word impute or account here must not signifie to Bestow Grant or Reckon upon their score but simply to Esteem Judge or Repute and thus Faith or the act of beleeving shall be in a beleever and yet not be a Righteousness till God repute it to be so But when God esteemeth judgeth or reputeth any thing to be in us he doth not change it nor make it something that it was not before but judgeth it to be what it is indeed for his judgment is according to truth Rom. 2 2. 4. This sense glosse is quite opposite unto and inconsistent with the Apostles maine scope in the first part of that Epistle which is to prove that Righteousness is now revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1 17. and that we are not Justified by the works of the Law but freely by grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3 24 25. And therefore not through the Imputation of Faith the act of Beleeving or any work of Righteousness which we have done for that should not exclude boasting or glorying but through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ received by Faith 5. That which was accounted to Abraham for righteousness did exclude all works and that to the end that all ground of boasting even before men might be take away vers 2. 3. Therefore Faith as a work or the act of beleeving can not be it which is here said to be reckoned or accounted to Abraham for righteousness for this is a work and being made the Ground Formal Objective Cause of justification can not but give ground of glorving before men 6. This glosse maketh the Apostles discourse wholly incoherent for he saith vers 4 5. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned ef grace but of debt but to him that worketh not but beleeveth on him that justifieth tht ungodly his faith is counted for Righteousnese Now if Faith properly taken be imputed the reckoning shall be of just debt for to reckon a men righteous who is righteous antecedent to that act of accounting is no act of grace but of just debt but Faiths being accounted for Righteousness is an act of grace and therefore it must be the Object of Faith or the Righteousness that Faith laith hold on that is here said to be counted upon
pregnant for it Ans. We finde it only twice said in express termes that faith is counted for Righteousness vers 5. and againe vers 9. that faith was reckoned to Abraham for Righteousness It is then too widely spoken when he saith that there is not any truth in Religion nor any article of the Christian Faith that can boast of more full expresse pregnant letter of Scripture yea even though it were as oft as expresse as he allegeth but we must let many such confidente expressions passe with him 2 The question is not touching the letter or the words but the true meaning if a truth be but once delivered in the Scriptures it is sufficient to command our faith but words never so oft repeated when corruptly glossed yeeld no foundation to faith We know what Papists say of these words This is my body which with them is as full expresse and pregnant a proof of their dream as this passage of Paul's is of our Adversaries fancies And we know what Arrians say of these words My Father is greater than I And yet their false glosses cannot be embraced for truthes let them boast of expresse Scriptures never so much And what errour I pray or heresie is it that doth not pretend to the like Let us see his next ground 2. Saith he The scope of the place rejoiceth in the Interpretation given I grant indeed that this is a good rule or interpreting of Scriptures for it is as a sure threed to lead us through many labyrinths But which is the miserie many imagine that to be the scope of the place which is not so indeed thus pervârting or mistaking the scope they must needs pervert all Yet let us see how he would make the scope contribute to his Notions The Apostles maine drift saith he was to hedge up with thornes that false way of Iustification which lay through works legal performances with all to open and discover the true way of justification that is to make known what they must do what God requireth of them to their justification that is as Ioh. 6 28 29. faith or to beleeve in the proper formal signification not the righteousness of Christ this he required of Christ himself he requireth our faith in Christ himself nos in his righteousness Ans. Paul's scope is indeed to hedge up all Justification by the Law or by the works thereof in subordination to this other of shewing that in the Gospel the Righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1 17. And therefore he cannot speak for the Imputation of Faith in its proper formal signification for that is a work commanded by the Law of God the Imputation thereof is expresly alledged by our adversaries to shoot out the Righteousness of God which is revealed from faith to faith 2 To say that the Apostle here only requireth faith in Christ and not faith in his Righteousness in order to Justification is either to divide Christ his Righteousness or to give us an Historical Faith in stead of justifying Faith that is such a faith in Christ as is the faith of any other truth revealed in the Scriptures such as the creation of the world And this is indeed to make a fundamental Alteration in the Gospel Covenant to destroy the true Nature of Justifying faith 3 It is true the Apostle is withall shewing what we must do in order to our Justification but this no way impeacheth the interest of Christ's Righteousness as the formal ground of the Justification of the ungodly but rather establisheth it for he sheweth that we are not now Justified by our doing or working but by the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us received by Faith 4 Though God doth not require of us the performance of the Righteousness of Christ yet he requireth of is that we lay hold thereupon and be covered therewith by faith that under that rob we may appear before our judge for to this end is Christ made of God unto us Righteousness and is become the Lord our Righteousness 1. Cor. 1 30. Ier. 23 6. And he requireth of us that we renunce all our own Righteousness in this affaire acknowledge the Righteousness of Christ the only Righteousness upon which we are to be justified and therefore he willeth us to say that in the Lord have we Righteousness Esai 45 24. He is pleased to add Therefore for Paul to have said that the righteousness of Christ should be imputed unto them had been quite beside his scope Why so His telling them what was required of themselves maketh nothing against this but doth rather confirme it for when faith is pressed upon us it is clearly supposed that the Righteousness of Christ is Imputed this being the peculiar work of faith as justifying to bring in put on Christ's Righteousness and so where our Redemption or Justification by Christ is mentioned faith though it be not expresly mentioned is to be understood as the Mean or Instrument whereby the same is applied to us as also the Redemption Righteousness of Christ is to be understood where Justification by faith is only expressed And as sometimes we finde both expresly mentioned so both are most emphatically comprehended and included in that expression now under consideration Such a glorious firme connexion is betwixt all these Causes of our Justification such a beautiful harmonie of grace that as they cannot be separated so the deforming misplaceing or any way altering of any one piece thereof destroyeth the harmonie darkeneth the beauty of the whole In the third place he argueth against faiths being here taken Tropically or Metonymically to this end adduceth these confiderations 1. It is not likely that the Apostle in this great weighty point should time after time in one place after another without ever explaining himself through out the whole disputation use such an harsh uncouth expression or figure of speach as is not to be found in all his writting beside nor in all the Scriptures Ans. Figurative expressions are neither harsh in themselves being rather emphatically explicative and more forcible upon the understanding as to the uptaking of these mysteries nor are they strange uncouth to the Apostle even in this matter as might be abundantly evinced almost as to every expression used in this matter or at least as to such expressions as are about the maine parts thereof Let any read Paul's writtings on this subject here his Epistle to the Gallatians he shall finde this true almost in every Chapter But it should satisfie us that the Holy Ghost hath thought fit to expresse the matter thus that to prevent mistakes he hath given both here elsewhere abundance of clear plaine and down right expressions for a supply as hath been shown above so as none may mistake but such as will wilfully step aside to follow their own wayes And it is not
words and termes be laid aside because the terme itself by which we express our Conceptions of the truth is not in so many letters syllabs to be found in Scripture if so indeed we had quickly lost a fundamental point of our Religion and yeelded the cause unto the Socinians If the Scripture may be explained we may make use of such expressions termes sentences as will according to their usual acceptation contribute to make the truthes revealed in Scripture intelligible to such as heare us And when some termes have been innocently used in Theologie for explication of truthes whether to the more learned or to the more unlearned have pâ ssed among the orthodox without controll or contradiction beyond the ordinary time of prescriptions it cannot but give ground of suspicion for any now to remove these old Land-marks especially when it is attempted to be done by such meanes arguments as will equally enforce a rejection of many Scriptural expressions for should all the Metaphorical expressions sentences which are in âature be so canvassed rejected because every thing agreeing properly to them when used in their own native soile doth not quadrate with them as used in the Scriptures in things divine where should we Land If these divine mysteries had been expressed to us only in termes adequatly corresponding with suiting the matter how should we have understood the same Therefore we finde the Lord condescending in the Scriptures to our low Capacities and expressing sublime high mysteries by low borrowed expressions to the end we might be in case to understand so much thereof as may prove through the Lord's blessing saving unto us And thereby hath allowed such as would explaine these matters unto the capacity of others to use such ordinary expressions as may contribute some light understanding to them in the truthes themselves Now when the orthodox have according to their allowed liberty made use of the word Instrument in this matter and maintained that Faith was was nothing more then an Instrument in Justification it is not faire to reject it altogether because improper though fit enough to signifie what they did intend thereby because all the properties that agree to proper Physical or artificial Instruments do not agree to it and because if the same be strickly examined according to the rules of Philosophie concerning Instrumental Causes it will be found to differ from them Mr. Baxter himself writting against D. Kendal § 47. tels us that the thing which he denieth is that Faith is an Instrument in the strick logical sense that is an Instrumental efficient cause of our Iustification that he expresly disclaâmeth contending de nomine or contradicting any that only use the word instrument in an improper large sense as Mechanicks Rhetoricians do So that the question saith he is de re Whether it efficiently cause our Iustification as an Instrument But it may be conceived to have some efficient Influence in our Justification not as that is taken simply strickly for God's act justifying but as taken largely comprehending the whole benefite as activly coming from God as Passively received by or terminated on us that as an Instrument though not in that proper sense that Logicians or Metaphysicians take Instrumental causes and explaine them in order to physical natural Effects We know that Justification is a supernatural work effect and therefore though in explaining of it in its Causes we may make use of such termes as are used about the expressing of the Causes of Natural or Artificial Works Effects yet no Law can force us to understand by these borrowed expressions the same proper Formal Efficacy Efficiency and influence which is imported by these Expressions when used about Natural Causes Effects But Mr. Baxter against Mr. Blake § 5. tels us what great reasons he had to move him to quarrel with this calling of faith an Instrument viz. he found that many learned divines did not only assert this Instrumentality but they laid so great a stress upon it as if the maine difference betwixt us the Papists lay here And yet any might think that they had reason so to do when Papist's on the other hand laid as great stresse upon the denying of Faiths Instrumentality He tels us moreover that our divines judged Papists to erre in Justification fundamentally in these points 1. about the formal Cause which is the formal Righteousness of Christ as suffering perfectly obeying for us 2. About the way of our participation herein which as to God's act is Imputation that in this sense that legaliter we are esteemed to have fulfilled the Law in Christ. 3. About the nature of that faith which justifieth 4. About the formal reason of faiths interest in justification which is as the Instrument thereof I doubt not saith Mr. Baxter but all these four are great errors But we neither may nor can call all errors which Mr. Baxter calleth errors We have seen above how necessary truthes the two first are and have explained in part the third wherein I confesse too many yet not all of the forraigne divines have as to expression missed the explication of true Justifying faith it may be it was not their designe to describe it so as it might agree to the faith of every sincere though weak beleever but rather to shew its true nature grounds tendency when at its best yet what Papists hold on the contrare is more false absurd But as to this fourth it seemes that it hath a necessary dependance upon the foregoing and this to me seemes to be the maine reason why our Divines did owne plead for Faiths Instrumentality in the matter of Justification viz. because the Righteousness which they called the Formal or others the Material Cause thereof was not any Righteousness inherent in us as Papists said but the Surety-Righteousness of the Cautioner Christ without us And therefore they behoved to look on Faith in this matter otherwayes then Papists did and not account it a part of our Formal Righteousness but only look upon it as an hand to lay hold on bring-in the Surety-Righteousness of Jesus Christ and therefore judged it most fit to call it only an Instrumental Cause And how ever Mr. Baxter exaggerat this matter as complying with Papist's in condemning us as to all these controversies and think it no wonder they judge the whole Protestant cause naught because we erre in these and yet make this the maine pairt of the Protestant cause yet we must not be scarred from these truthes Yea because this point hath such a connexion with the other concerning that Righteousness upon the account of which we are to be Justified in the sight of God we are called to contend also for this that so much the rather that though Papist's do utterly mistake the Nature of Justification and confound it with Sanctification yet Mr. Baxter
in rerum natura as a true Righteousness which doth not formaliter make the person so far Righteous Now a Righteous man can not be an ungodly man that were a contradiction It is not here enough to say that the man is ungodly before he be Justified for in the act of justifying or while he is a justifying he is considered not as ungodly but as Righteous yea antecedenter to his being Justified he is considered as a Righteous man is therefore justified because Righteous in himself having performed the conditions whereby he becometh personally Righteous And therefore while he is justified God doth not justifie an ungodly man But it will be said that this will as well follow upon our way I Ans. Not at all because though we place Faith in priority of Nature before Justification yet we make not faith a personal Righteousness so that while the beleever is justified a man guilty in himself void of all Righteousness in himself is justified so that God justifieth an ungodly man But it will be said By our way the beleever is considered as clothed with Christ's Righteousness upon that account cannot be called nor accounted an ungodly man I Ans. He is still notwitstanding an ungodly man in himself having nothing wherewith to satisfie justice or to procure Peace to himself but what he hath imputed to him from a Cautioner And thus God is justifier of the ungodly in himself that by his faith proclaimeth himself such one that is not in case to pay one farthing of his own debt Other Arguments may be brought from our foregoing debate against the Imputation of Faith in a proper sense and Faiths justifying as a work I shall now proceed to examine what is alledged for the Interest of Repentance Obj. 1. Mr. Baxter In his Confession pag. 37. n. 19. citeth some passages of Scripture whereby he thinks to prove that Repentance is made by God in the Gospel a proper Condition of our first general Pardon of sin as well as Faith is The first whereof is Luk 13 35. But this I judge is miscited there being nothing there that looketh here away possibly it should be Luk. 13. v. 3 5. of this place we will have occasion to speak afterward The next he citeth is Act. 3 19. Repent ye therefore be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Ans. But 1 Repent here can not be meaned of the acting of that Repentance whereof we are here speaking to wit of that particular special grace which is distinct from Faith that because of the exegetical terme added be converted So that Repent here can denote nothing else but a turning from all their sinful opinions wayes and an embraceing the Gospel way of Salvation that thereby they may be saved for ever And 2 Neither is the Apostle speaking here of constitutive justification or of our first general Pardon but of a blotting out of sins a long time hereafter to wit when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord at his second coming as the following verses shew So that 3 As by this blotting out of sins all the favours great rewards of free grace which the Righteous judge will give in that day are signified or comprehended under it which he mentioned especially that it might suite the charge of the grievous guilt of killing the Prince of life which he was laying home upon them so under the other two termes of Repenting being Converted the whole of the duties required in the Gospel are to be understood If it be said That Repent be Converted is as much as Repent beleeve so the Particular grace of Repentance is here understood I Ans. 1 Then it will follow that neither are conditions of Pardon here but both are requiâed in order to Pardon at the great day when Christ shall come agaiâe for the blotting out of sins here mentioned is said to be at that time as the following words clear 2 This will say only though it were the true meaning thereof as it is not that Repentance is required of those that would expect of Christ Pardon at his second coming as well as faith which we deny not 3 This Repentance should not be compleet Gospel Repentance because it is anteriour to Conversion or to Faith while as the best part of true Repentance followeth as we cleared above Obj. 2. He citeth next Act. 2 38 Repent be baptized every one of you for the remission of sins Ans. 1 This would plead for Repentance alone without Faith 2 It would plead for as great an interest for Baptisme as for Repentance Neither of which can be owned as true Therefore the true meaning of the place is Turn from your former way of seeking slavation by your own corrupt Imaginations Superstitions which led you out of blinde zeal to crucifie the Lord Christ embrace the Gospel of Salvation now preached to you through that Lord whom ye crucified that ye may receive Remission of sins through Faith in him be baptized that you may have the outward signe of your professing of having Remission of sins through him a seal of Remission granted to you through him And this may be cleared from the promise subjoined ye shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost which is no where promised unto Repentance but unto the faith of the Gospel and the receiving of Christ therein was accordinglâ bestowed Act. 8 12. with 15 17. 9 17. 13 52. 15 7 8. 19 1 2 6. And what Peter exhorted then unto they did vers 41. And what was it that they did They gladly received his word that is willingly and cheerfully they embraced the Gospel and so were added to the Church Obj. 3. He citeth Act. 26 20. that they should repent return to God and do works meet for repentance Ans. But here is no mention made of Justification or of Remission of sins And who denieth but people are to Repent return to God do works meet for Repentance This is not the thing that is here in question If he mean vers 18. where it is said To open their eyes to turne them from darkness to light from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivness of sins inheritance among them that are sanctified by Faith that is in me I Ans. There is no word of Repentance here but express mention made of Faith It is true turning from darkness to light e. will include Repentance Yet it is by Faith that both Forgivness of sins the Inheritance Sanctification is had for by Faith that is in me may referre to all these three And though this should be denied Yet all that could be hence inferred would amount but to this That Repentance is necessarily called for in these who receive forgivness and
lest any man should boast manifestly declaring that all works were laid aside in this matter that for this end that no man should have any occasion of boasting this is not spoken as every one may see to qualifie or specifie the works that are excluded these words carry nothing of a restriction in them The same is cleare also Rom. 4 2. If Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory shalll the meaning be Abraham was not justified by such works as give ground of gloriation then the meaning lyeth not in the words but the words do expresly crosse contradict that sense unless we shall suppose them to have no sense to speak nothing of the following vers 3. where beleeving is mentioned not another sort of works to wit such as give no ground or occasion of boasting which in this case of justification no man can describe unto us or tell us what they are He tels us p. 122. that the meaning of these words Rom. 3 28. Therefore we conclude c. is no more but this viz. That a man is justified in the Gospel way But not only is that in the general included but that Gospel-way is particularly expressed to be by faith without the deeds of the Law And consequently his Popish Socinian way is diametrically opposite to the Gospel-way He goeth about to explaine to us p. 124. c. what is meaned by their own Righteousness that is so frequently set in opposition to the Righteousness of God tels us that it was so called upon a threefold account 1. Because they sought the pardon of their sins by their own Sacrifices Ans. And why not also by their works of Obedience Sure neither Abraham nor David sought for pardon upon any such accout they renunced other works than these Is that all the Righteousness that Paul renunceth Phil. 3 9 Was he then occupied about Sacrifices Some thing else sure is understood 1. Cor. 4 4. 2. Because saith he they did not think Regeneration or Supernatural grace necessary to the obtaining of it Ans. And truely all the Regeneration Supernatural grace which he thinks necessary is but that a Pelagian Iesuite Arminian will think necessary no more as we saw above But doth he think that Abraham or David had any such apprehensions yet even their works are excluded from justification Was that the Righteousness that Paul called his owne Phil. 3 9 I think for shame he will not say it And what meaneth Paul to say 1. Cor. 4 4. I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby justified This sure must include works done by supernatural Grace after Regeneration 3. Saith he Because it was a way of seeking to be justified of their own devising not of God's appointing Ans. This is very true but it is not the whole truth in this matter And his way is of the same Nature no more consistent with the Gospel methode of justification through the Righteousness of God by faith than theirs is for the Imputed Righteousness of Christ he rejecteth with contempt True justification he is ignorant of He knoweth no Faith but what is Popish Socinian His New Covenant is but a new edition of the old His Regeneration is Pelagian His Good Works are but works flowing from a Principle of Nature aided with a common divine assistance Let us now in end hear what is the result of all his discourse It is to shew That they were the works ef the Law as exclusive of Faith in Christ his death Not those which are the immediat effects of Faith in Christ in his death in his doctrine But the Gospel tels us that in the matter of Justification all the works of the Law are exclusive of faith in Christ even Abraham's works David's works Paul's works therefore they were all laid aside justification was only looked for through Faith Thus we have seen what a Gospel this is which Mr. Baxter recommendeth to us the consideration whereof may move some to say Noscitur ex socio qui non dignoscitur ex se. CHAP. XXXII Of the object of justifying Faith THough something of the Object of Faith was hinted before Chap. XX. when we were speaking of the Nature of Faith yet it will not be amisse to speak a little more of it here both in reference to what followeth and also more particularly in order to the better understanding of what it is to Live by Faith In order therefore to the explaining of this Object we would premit these few things 1. As was mentioned in the forecited place there is presupposed unto the right exercise actual exerting of Faith accepting the offered Saviour Salvation through him a Conviction of sin misery in one measure or other whereby the Sinner is brought to a desparing in himself seing he can finde no remedie or reliefe for himself within himself and to a concluding that he is an undone man if there be no other remedie than what he is able to do for himself for after all meanes assayed and a soul in that case is ready to turn to many hands to seek reliefe until preventing grace come will embrace close with any promising way how chargable troublesome so ever it be ere it sweetly comply with the only Man-abasing Grace-exalting way of Salvation through Faith in Christ revealed in the Gospel he findeth himself disappointed And further it is presupposed as necessarily requisite hereunto some knowledge of the grounds of Religion particularly of the Gospel of Christ of his offices Work c. all revealed in the Gospel 2. When we speak here of the Object of Faith we mean that Faith by which a Soul is united unto Christ closeth with Him as offered in the Gospel improveth Him to all ends uses which their case necessitie in all time coming calleth for So that it is one the same Faith whether it be called Uniting Faith Saving Faith Justifying Faith Sanctifying heart-purifying Faith or the like It is one the same radical grace receiving these or the like various denominations from the effects brought about by it or the several ends uses it hath is appointed for And the same Faith bringeth all these effects about in its way according to the Order Methode measure ordained of God the same Faith whereby the beleever is Married to Christ Covenanteth with Him as Head Husband Lord Saviour by the same is he justified adopted brought into a state of Peace Reconciliation with God By the same Faith also doth the man get his heart Purified he liveth the life of Sanctification By the same also he getteth Strength Reviving Comfort Support in times of Temptation Trial. So that the Beleevers life first last is by Faith the beginning progress all the steps of it final Salvation is by Faith whence it is called Saving
our Pardon whatever seeming assurance we had formerly So that this place speaketh nothing of the Condition of our pardon but of the condition rather of our Sense Feeling grounded Assurance of Pardon which is a far different thing These are the Scriptures whereby he would prove his first argument His 2. Arg. is this Our first faith having the nue nature of a Covenanting with Christ giving ourselves to him taking him for our Lord Redeemer therefore it followes that as the Covenant making accepting was of necessity as the condition of our first right remission so is our Covenant keeping of the same necessity to our continued right And that God is as it were disobliged if we should not keep Covenant And the keeping hath more in it than the bare making No Covenant-relations usually are entered among men but the Covenant keeping is more than the making and the conditions of their continued right more then of their first right So it is with a Subject to his Prince wife to a husband Souldier to a commander Scholer to his Teacher Servant to his Master c. Promising will give them the first right but performing in the essentials must continue it it or will cease for the end of the promise was its performance And in that respect faith which is the Covenant is inferiour to obedience which is promised though in other respect it may be superiour Ans. 1 Though Justifying Faith be also a Covenanting faith and of uniteth he soul with Christ Yet in order to Justification it hath not to use his words the true Nature of a Covenanting with Christ nor a giving up ourselves to Him but rather it is a receiving resting on Him and his Righteousness and a fleeing to his Merites for refuge 2 Nor doth faith in order to Justification as we cleared above receive Christ or goe to him as Lord King but rather as Priest 3 Nor doth the receiving of Christ at first as King formally include Obedience or a promise of obedience as was also manifested above 4 Therefore from this first acting of faith in order to justification it can no way follow that Obedience or Covenant keeping as he speaketh is the condition of our continued Right or of our continued justification 5 What God hath promised upon Covenant-keeping he is it is true disobliged from giving to speak so when the Covenant is not keeped But we find not that he hath promised Justification or the continuance thereof upon these termes 6 There is no Covenants among men that can fully quadrate either with God's Covenanting with us or with the matter of Justification about which we are now speaking The sentences of judges absolving the debitor upon the payment of the Cautioner instructed agreeth more with this and we finde not in such sentences any such-like Conditions mentioned of their Continuance in force 7 Some of these Relations or Covenants mentioned are purely aliene being betwixt a Master his servant and the Captain and the Souldier these are meer mercenary contracts having Obedience service for their only end promiseing a reward upon that Condition Our justification hath no likeness to this 8 Even in these Relations every act of disobedience or non-performance of the duties required doth not dissolve the Relation and therefore it cannot be said that upon the contrare performance as a condition the continueing of the Relation dependeth Mr. Baxter seeing this addeth a restriction in the essentials And in our case I would require what he will account Essential It must be that sure the contrary whereof is inconsistent with a Justified state and what can this be but a total Apostasie From which there is full securitie laid-in in the New Covenant which is not in any of the Covenants among men which he hath mentioned And this total Apostasie must include a full renuncing of Christ his Righteousness as to Justification And this rather would say that the continuance of Justification dependeth on the continuance of Faith adhereing to Christ his Righteousness to this I shall willingly assent And this taketh away the force of the 3. Arg. which he adduceth saying 3. Arg. If there were no more necessary to the continueing of our Iustification but only the same thing which did constitute it then we should be justified by no none act of faith to our lives end but only the first instantaneous act so our faith after that instant should never more be justifying faith But that 's false c. Ans. This whole argument I yeeld unto for I plead not against the interest of faith here but against our works being the condition of continued Justification as was said above CHAP. XXXVI Of the Interest of Repentance in the Pardon of after-sinnes WE spoke before Chap. 29. of Repentance in order to the first pardon of sinnes or to justification and in the foregoing Chapter we shew that the continuance of Justification did not depend on our works as the Condition thereof But now the question will be moved touching Repentance Whether it may not be said to be required as a Condition of the Continuance of Justification or at least as a Condition of the Pardon of sins committed after justification Concerning which we would premit these things 1. It is granted that Repentance is not only necessary at the first Conversion of a sinner but is a Grace that is constantly to be exercised by a Beleever so long as he liveth both in respect of its terminus a quo of its terminus ad quem or both in respect of its aversive of its conversive part for he is still more more to depart fâom sin and to turne unto God and to all the wayes of his Commandements Psal. 119 59. The very body of death is constant matter of groaning and mourning unto him Rom. 7 24. his dayly iniquities transgressions ought to keep him low and to put him to this exercise Beside what at extraordinarie times of publick wrath or judgment against the Land Church or Place he liveth in or judgments upon his own neer Relations Familie c. or upon occasion of his own more hainous out breakings as in David Psal. 51. 2. It is also granted That where is no Repentance or no true Repentance for sinnes committed there is no ground for that man to suppose that his sin is pardoned I do not here speak of the measure or expressions of Repentance for there may be mistakes on both hands some thinking their Repentance is naught because not in such a sensible measure as they think is required may therefore inferre that their case is worse than indeed it is others upon the other hand may suppose they have repented when it is not so so inferre pardon when they have no ground But this is granted that where true sincere Repentance is not there is no Pardon from God of sins whereof such are guilty for to such as
this though it be the sure way to this seing all who are justified shall be thus saved Thus we see that according to Mr. Baxter the meaning of Iames is the same with Paul's when he saith Heb. 12 14. Follow peace with all men holinoss without which no man shall see the Lord. And then Iames speaketh nothing of that justification whereof Paul treatch this is what we say whence it is manifest that there is no appearance of contradiction betwixt the two holy writers But that we may come to some further clearness in this matter we must see whether Paul Iames mean speak of one the same Faith for if it be found that they speak of diverse Faiths all appearance of Contradiction is removed Now that the Apostle Paul meaneth of a true lively saving Faith which is a saving fruite of the Spirit of God the special Gift of God is easily granted on all hands All the question is of that faith which Iames speaketh of Papist's say that it is true justifying that Iames speaketh of for justifying Faith with them is nothing but a real assent unto the Catholick Doctrine or to divine Revelation And indeed if Justifying Faith be nothing else it can not be well denyed that Iames meaneth here a justifying faith But the folly of this ground is obvious to all that understand the Gospel and we need not here insist in confuting the same That which Iames here saith of this Faith is enough to demonstrate of what Nature it is and the Epithets he giveth it do sufficiently manifest that it is not Faith of the Right stamp nor that true lively Faith by which Paul saith that we are justified and the discovery of this will be enough to our purpose and every verse of his discourse hereanent will help us herein for 1 vers 14. it is a profitless Faith which cannot be said of justifying Faith as the whole Scripture cleareth 2 Ibid. it is a Faith that hath no ground or reality but a mans saying nor no other evidenee or proof What doth it profite my Brethren though a man say he hath Faith There is no other proof adducable but his say so which cannot be justifying Faith 3 Ibidâcan Faith save him so that it is a Faith that hath no sure connexion with nor tendency to Salvation which cannot be supposed of the true lively justifying Faith as is known 4 vers 15 16. It is no more true Faith than that is true charity which saith to the naked destitute brother depart in peace be thou warmed filled notwithstanding giveth not those things which are needful to the body 5 vers 17. It is expresly called a dead Faith But the precious Faith of God's elect is a lively Faith 6 ibid. It is a Faith without works having no connexion therewith nor being any ground thereunto but the true Faith that justifieth worketh by Love is a living principle and floweth from the infusion of life 7 So vers 18. It is a Faith uncapable of any true evidence or demonstration as to its being from works of holiness and so is not accompanied with any real change of soul But it is not thus with true saving Faith 8 vers 19. It is such a Faith as devils may have But devils are not capable of justifying Faith 9 vers 20. It is the Faith that a Vaine man never humbled in the sense of his own lost Condition nor driven out of himself to seek reliese elsewhere in the free mercy grace of God through Jesus Christ may have But that is not the Faith of the humbled hear broken man that 's sleeing to Christ for refuge 10 vers 21 22 23. It is not such a Faith as Abraham had that made him willing to offer up his son Isaac when commanded so wrought with was evidenced demonstrated by works 11 vers 25. Nor is it like the Faith of Rahab which prompted her to receive the Messengers and send them out another way 12 vers 26. It is such a Faith that is no better than a carcase without breath which is no essential part of a living man But the Faith that justifieth is a far other thing By these particulars it is manifest that this Faith whereof James speaketh so much and which he opposeth unto works denieth justification salvation unto is not the precious faith that Paul speaketh of We have seen that Paul James speak not of one the same faith we shall now enquire whether they speak of One the same Justification And if it be found that therein they differ all ground of imaginable difference will be further removed What that justification is whereof Paul speaketh is manifest needeth not here be declared for it is plaine that he treateth of that justification whereby a poor sinner convinced of his sin misery in lying under guilt under the Curse of God because of sin is absolved before God from the sentence of the Law accepted of Him and brought into an estate of Favour reconciliation having a right unto Salvation through Faith in Jesus Christ. Upon the other hand it is as obvious cleare that James is not treating of this justification whereby a change of state is made in the man But of a justification of a far other nature even such a justification whereby the Mans Faith the reality of his Christianity his justification before God is evidenced or may be evidenced to himself or to others So that whether we take justification here as mentioned by James for the evidence demonstration of justification or for a justification of the truth of the Mans Faith Christianity it cometh all to one for where true faith true Christianity is there is justification and there only so that what demonstrats the one will demonstrat the other and a justification or manifestation of the one will be a justification of the other Nor is this sense of the word justifie or justification alien from the Scriptures as we see Psal. 51 4. Rom. 3 4. for God can not other wayes be justified but by being declared avowed proclamed to be Righteous So Ier. 3 11. Ezek. 16 51 52. Mat. 11 19. Luk. 7 35 29. 1. Tim. 3 16. Now that this is the justification whereof Iames speaketh may be furder cleared by these particulars 1 The scope that Iames here levelleth at being not to clear up the way manner how or the causes by which this change of Relation State is wrought brought about but to discover the groundlesness of the vaine pretenses of such as supposed they were justified in a sure way to be saved who had no more for their ground but a loose verbal outward profession of the preached truth without any real fruit of godliness So that this Enquirie is what can truely evidence a person to be justified indeed before God And he sheweth that an empty fruitless profession
to offer up his son was no promise and to did not call for faith but for ready obedience though upon another account he beleeved that God was able to raise him up from the dead Heb. 11 17 18 19. But Gen. 15. promises were made unto him he is said to have beleeved upon this Righteousness was imputed unto him So that Gen. 15. he was justified by faith only as the Apostle proveth Rom. 4. for thereby he confirmeth his Conclusion set down Rom. 3 28. that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law And from that other place Gen. 22. Iames could not inferre that Justification is by faith works together for then he could not inferre therefrom that the Scripture was fulfilled which said Abraham beleeved God it was imputed unto him for Righteousness because Paul doth hence inferre Rom. 4. that justification is by faith without works And what is a ground for justification by faith without works cannot also be a ground for justification by works not by faith only And thus the Apostles are made in plaine termes to contradict other by inferring contrary or contradictory conclusions from the same premises which ought not to be thought let be said But it will be said that Paul speaketh of the beginning of justification which is by faith without works but Iames speaketh of justification as continued which is by works and not by faith only This cannot satisfie for beside what is said it must first be granted hereby that this faith which Iames mentioneth when he saith not by saith only must be the same faith that Paul faith we are justified by without the deeds of the Law but this cannot be for the faith that Iames speaketh of is as we saw above a dead useless fruitless carcass no saving Faith as that is whereof Paul speaketh and whereby we are justified But now taking justification for its manifestation declaration the words of Iames are most clear carry no appearance of contradiction unto what Paul taught For his meaning is ye see then how that by works a man evidenceth proveth declareth his Justification or maketh it manifâst that he is a justified person not by that faith only which is but a naked fruitless dead profession 11 The same may be said of the other Instance of Rahab vers 25. She was justified by works when âhe had received the messengers not that she was brought into a justified state by that act for she received the Spies by faith Heb. 11 31. declared her faith unto them Ios. 2 10 11. And so was a beleever consequently justified before she received the Spies or they came to her Yet by this deed accompanied with so much hazard unto her self all her families she proved evidenced her faith justification 12 The Conclusion of his discourse vers 26. for as the body without the Spirit is dead fo faith without works is dead also declareth manitestly what he would be at to wit to shew that works can only demonstrate trew faith consequently prove justification for a naked profession of faith that wanteth works is dead and like a body wanting breath soul which is but a dead carcass This cannot be said of that faith whereby Paul saith and proveth that we are justified for it is true lively flowing from the Spirit of life although it be not as yet proved by outward works of obedience whereof there may be as yet no opportunity or call What is brought against this sense of the word justifie justification which we have now confirmed by the Socinian Author of the book intituled Consensus Paulâ Iacobi c. pag. 2. c. and by the Remonstrants in their Apologie Cap. 10. is of no great weight When they say That the proposition set down vers 14. is subordinat to what is said vers 12. where the judgment of God is spoken of therefore saving justification must be here understood Ans. We grant that It is saving justification but yet it is justification that is distinct from Final Salvation We grant that Iames speaketh here of saving justification Yet he handleth not that question how by what Causes this justification is brought about but how it is evidenced proven to be true and not a meer presumptuous conjecture They say next It is said vers 25. that the Scripture was fulfilled not that it was shown to be fulfilled Aâs That saying of Scripture was a truth before this time even when Abraham first beleeved which was before he was circumcised as we see Gen. 15. comp with Gen. 17. Rom. 4 9 10 11. And therefore was not now first fulfilled or verified And to talk of the increase of imputation according to the increase of Faith and to measure the excellencie of faith by the excellencie of that obedience which it produceth as that Socinian Author doth is to give us nothing but the Popish justification for Relations of which Nature we hold Justification to be are not intended remitted in themselves but only as to their evidence We esteem it a Socinian dream to say that the first Narration of Faith Justification which is Gen. 15. was but a rude draught of that which was afterward Gen. 22. Abraham's faith was afterward said to be perfected by that special work of offering up his son noâ in it self for he had a strong faith before Rom. 4 19 20 21. but in its manifestation after that signal trial It is said further Mans justification cannot be here understood for that is not necessary to salvation nor universally true seing men may justifie other upon vaine grounds Ans. Noâ do we understand any such justification pronunced by men here but a true justification before God yet as evidenced proven declared by effects unto all that will judge understandingly spiritually so that works here are mentioned as the Effects and yet as the Causes of justification But then they object further Thas as the Apostle from that Faith which the vaine man boasted of denieth the man to be justified so from works he proveth justification that as antecedent Ans. The Apostle sheweth that the vaine man who had no more but a vaine dead empty faith had no ground to conclude himself a justified Man for this is no Cause or Condition of Justification And hence it will not follow that works by which both the reality of saâing Faith of Justification thereupon may be evidenced are antecedent Causes or Conditions of Justification It is objected againe by the foresaid Socinian Author That if the meaning of these words the Scripture was fulfilled be that the Scripture was showne to be fulfilled then the meaning should be that it was demonstrated to Abraham's two servants who went with him to the mountaine by them to others But then it must be supposed that before this time that which passed Gen. 15. was known unto them it
nobis communicat suam justitiam inter Patris judicium nostram injustitiam interponito sub ea veluti sub umbone clypeo a divina quam commeruimus ira nos abscondit tuetur ac protegit imo tandem nobis impertit nostram facit qua tecti ornatique audacter secure jam divino nos sistamus tribunali judicio justique non solum appareamus sed etiam simus i. e. In him that is Christ therefore are we justified before God not in ourselves not by our own but by his Righteousness which is imputed to us when now we communicat with him Being void of a Righteousness of our own he teacheth us to seek a Righteousness without ourselves in him when he saith he made him sin for us who knew no sin that is he made him a sacrifice for sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him By what Law By that of friendship which maketh a community of all things among friends according to the old well known proverb Being insert into Christ glued united unto him he maketh what is his to be ours he communicateth unto us his riches he interposeth his Righteousness betwixt the Fathers judgment our unrighteousness and under it as under a shield he hideth defendeth protecteth us from God's wrath which we had deserved Yea at length giveth it to us maketh it ours with which being covered adorned we may boldly saifly sist ourselves before the Tribunal of God and we not only appear Righteous but also are Righteous Ruardus Tapperus Tom. 2. Art 8. p. 36. Sicut Christo nostra scelera a Patre ob spontaneam eorum assumptionem corporis mystici intimam unionem imputantur ita ejus justitia quasi capitis nobis ejus membris ad justitiam viaâm aeternam imputatur i. e. As our iniquities were imputed by God unto Christ because of his voluntary assuming of them of the neer union of the mystical body so his Righteousness as head to us his members is imputed unto us unto Righteousness life eternal Yea Bellarm. granteth lib. 2. de justif C. 10. That Christ may be called our Righteousness because he satisfied the Father for us did so give communicat that Satisfaction to us when he justifieth us that it may be called our Satisfaction Righteousness And againe this way it were not absurd to say that Christ's Righteousness merites were imputed to us when they are given applied to us as if we ourselves had satisfied God So in Resp. ad 3. Arg. We are said to be the Righteousness of God not in ourselves but in Christ because he is our head what agreeth to thâ head agreeth to the members not as they are distinct from the head but as they are one with it So c. 11. in Resp. ad Arg. 2. The similitude of putting on agarment may be saifly accommodat unto imputed Righteousness if one say we must put on Christ's merits some way be covered with them seek pardon of sins cap. 7. Arg. 4. he saith Christ's merits are imputed to us because gifted to us we may offer them to the Father for our sins because Christ took upon him the burden of satisfying for us of reconciling us to God the Father Thus he After Cardinal Bellarmin we may mention Cardinal Contarenus who is more orthodox here than any of them speaketh as plaine truth as any of the orthodox themselves can do for so doth he in Tract de Iustif. state the question Quoniam ad duplicem justitiam pervenimus per fidem justitiam inharentem nobis charitatem ac gratiam qua efficimur consortes divina naturae justitiam Christi nobis donatam imputatam quoniam inserti sumus Christi induimus Christum Praetat inquirere Utra-nam debeamus niti existimare nos justificari coram Deo id est justos Sanctos haberi i. e. Because by faith we obtaine a twofold Righteousness one inherent in us love grace whereby we are made partakers of the divine nature the other the Righteousness of Christ given imputed to us because inâert into Christ because we have put on Christ It is fittest to Enquire unto which of these we ought to leane ourselves account ourselves justified before God that is looked upon as Righteous holy The question thus proposed he thus determineth Ego prorsus existimo piâ Christianâegrave diâi quod debeamus niti niti inquimus tanquam rei stabili quae certânos sustentet justitia Christinobis donota non autem justitia sanctitate nobis inhaerente hâc enim nostra justitia est inchâata imperfecta quae impedirenon potest quin assidue peâcemus idcirco in conspectu Dei possumus eb hanc justitiam haberi justi boni quemadmedum deceret filios Dei esse bonos Sanctos Sed justitia Christi est vera perfecta justitia quae omnino placet oculis Dei in qua nihil est quod Deum offendat quod Deo non summopere placeat hâac ergo sola re certa stabili nobis nitendum est ob eam solam credere nos justificari coram Deo id est haberi justos dioi justos Hic est pretiosus Thesaurus quem qui invenit vendit omnia quae habet emit illum i. e. I verily think that it is piously christianly said that we ought to lean I say lean as to a stable thing that shall certainly hold us up unto Christ's Righteousness given unto us but not unto the Righteousness holiness that is inherent in us for this Righteousness of ours is inchoate imperfect that cannot hinder us from ssinning dayly therefore we cannot for this Righteousness in the sigt of God be accounted just good as would become the Sones of God to be but the Righteousness of Christ is true perfect Righteousness which every way pleaseth God's eyes in which is nothing that can displease God doth not highly please him Therefore we must only leane to this certaine stable thing and beleeve that for it alone we are justified before God that is accounted Righteous and so called This is the Precious Treasure which who findeth he selleth all he hath buyeth it Yea this he confirmeth afterward by Experience saying Inde est quod pro experimento videmus viros Sanctos qui quanto magis in veritato proficiunt tanto minus sibi placent ac propterea tanto magis intelligunt se indigere Christo justitia Christi sibi donata ideoque se relinquunt soli Christo incumbunt ââc non obeam accidit causam quod facti sanctiores minus videant quam prius neque quia facti sunt animo dimissiori vel viliori imo quanto magis in sanctitate proficiunt tanto majore sunt animo tanto sunt perspicaciores i. e. Hence it is that by experience we see
exception upon condition of acceptance as also an offer of Faith Repentance Conversion with all the consequences thereof 7. An Universal will in God to call into this Covenant and unto the Participation of the benefites thereof all every man 8. An Universal execution of this will or promulgation of this Gospel or New Covenant unto all every one by common favours benefites bestowed on all whereby all are called to believe in a merciful pardoning God and all have abundance of Mercies Meanes of Recovery of life for the Lord now governeth the world only on termes of grace 9. Upon this followeth an Universal Command to all men to use certaine duties meanes for their Recovery by Faith Repentance 10. An Universal pardon of the first Sin so far at least that no man shall perish for the meer Original sin of Nature alone unless he adde the rejection of grace 11. Hence followeth an Universal Judgment Sentence on all in the great day only according as they have performed the new Gospel Conditions 12. Some also adde an Universal Subjective Grace whereby all are enabled to performe the conditions of the new Covenant 13. Universal proper Fruits Effects of this death whereby all the outward favours that Heathens enjoy are said to be purchased for them by Christ why not also what Devils enjoy Finally 36. This assertion of Universal Redemption layeth the ground of maketh way to a new frame of the Covenant of Grace quite overturning its Nature and transforming it into a new Covenant of Works making it one the same with that as to kinde only to differ as to the change of Conditions to be performed by man for as in the first Covenant Adam was to obtain right to possession of life promised in by for through and upon the account of his fulfilling the Condition of perfect obedience imposed by the Lord so in the New Covenant man is to obtaine acquire to himself a right to possession of the Life promised in by for through upon the account of his performance of the Condition of Faith new obedience now imposed in the Gospel and all the difference is that in stead of perfect obedience to the Law which was the Condition of the first Covenant now Faith sincere Gospel Obedience is made the Condition And thus we can no less he said to be justified by works of the Law or which we do then Adam should have been said to have been so justified had he stood and this justification giveth as great ground of boasting unto man of making the reward of debt not of grace as justification by the first Covenant would have done for though it be said that Christ hath made satisfaction to justice for the breach of the first Law thereby purchased to all upon Condition Justification Salvation yet this removeth not the difficulty for what is purchased by Christ's death is made Universal Common to all and so can be nothing according to our Adversaries but a putting of all men in statu quo prius in case to run obtaine the prize for themselves as God's absolute free love put Adam in that Condition at first Christ's death though thereby as they say he purchased the New Covenant which with them is the chiefe if not the only effect fruit of his Death Merites can be no more than a very remote ground of Right to Life Salvation unto any person for it is made Universal Common to all so that all have equal share therein advantage thereby man himself by performing the new Conditions only making the difference so that the immediat ground of the Right to life which any have is their own Faith Obedience or performance of the New Covenant-conditions Whereby it is manifest that as to our Particular and Immediat Right to Happiness we are to plead our own works lean to them as our ground whereupon we may stand appear before God's Tribunal and upon the account thereof plead for the crown as our due debt having now run for it performed the Condition agreed upon and so sing praises to our selves in stead of singing praises to our Redeemer Hence the Righteousness wherein we must appear before God is not the Righteousness of Christ but our own for the Righteousness of Christ say they is only imputed in regard of its effects whereof the new Covenant is the All or the Chiefe and so that doth not become the Righteousness of any man nor can be said to be imputed to any man properly which also they assert but his own Faith is only imputed properly which also they plead for as his Righteousness not as a Way Medium or Methode of Gospel-Righteousness especially when Gospel-Obedience is adjoyned The Righteousness of Christ being thereby only accounted to be imputed in that it hath procured that our own Gospel Righteousness Faith new Obedience shall be imputed to us as our Immediat Righteousness the ground of our Right to Glory What accord is betwixt this frame of the Covenant of Grace that way of justification held forth by Socinians Arminians Papists the learned will easily see and how contrary it is to the Covenant of Grace held forth in the Gospel hitherto professed maintained by the orthodox every one acquainted therewith cannot be ignorant it is obvious how opposite this is unto what the Apostle saith Phil. 3 8 9. yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith And Tit. 3 5 6 7. Not by works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Iesus Christ our Saviour that being justified by his grace we should be made heârs according to the hope of eternal life And Rom. 3 20 21 22 24. Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified but now the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifest even the Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe being justified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Iesus Christ. And many other places It is no less clear how hereby the true nature of justifying faith and Gospel Obedience is perverted withall how dangerous this is if put into practice or if men act live accordingly every serious exercised Christian knoweth FINIS The Contents of the Chapters CHAP. I. THE Introduction to the Work and the Text Gal 3.
Reliefe may prove more deadly than was their Distemper Disquiet As therefore I Judge this concerning Truth cannot be made plaine enough so I think the less use be made of Philosophick or Scholastick termes which none but such as are well versed in these dry Nations can competently understand which though never so handsomely set off will prove very unsatisfying to awakened Consciences it will be so much the better seing let men please themselves in them as they will as they are not the language the Spirit of the Lord hath thought good to use in this matter so they darken rather than cleare the matter at least to me The Apostle that we may in short cleare the words upon which we are to ground our Discourse in this vers 11. after other Arguments formerly adduced to prove the Thesis which he laid down Chap. 2. vers 16. to wit That a man is not Iustified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ he bringeth another Argument from Scripture after he hath againe repeated the one halfe of the grand Thesis by which the other is suffificiently understood more emphatically included in the probation or Testimony of Scripture adduced saying Gal. 3 11. But that no man is Justified by the Law in the sight of God it is evident for the just shall live by faith HE doth not explaine what is meaned by that word Iustified but presupposeth that there was no doubt concerning the true meaning thereof among those with whom he had to do in this Disput as Indeed none that consider what is the constant use thereof in the Old Testament well known to the Jewish Teachers yea in the New Testament also can doubt of its true Import how ever Papists do quite mistake its true Nature Import supposing that it signifieth an Inward Renovation or Infusion of Holiness so make it the same with Sanctification But as no man acquainted with the Scriptures with what is said of justification in them can be ignorant of its right meaning so every man exercised with the sense of his own natural condition of the curse of the Law under which he feeleth himself lying according to what is here said in the foregoing verse readily understandeth what it is to be justified freed from that curse Sentence of Condemnation so made free from the wrath that he is liable unto because of the broken Law of God So that we need say no more of it here He saith No man is Iustified by the Law so maketh no exception of any what somever no not of the holiest meer Man that ever existed since the fall this is of the same import with that expression Chap. 2 16. No flesh for by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified So he hath the same expression Rom. 3 20. It is here said by the Law in the original it is in the Law but the sense is the same with that expression Chap. 2 16. thrice repeated by the works of the Law The Ethiopike Version here is rather a short Commentary for there it is They are not justified doing the command of the Law It is observable That the Apostle useth variety of expressions in this matter all tending to cleare this one thing That there is no justification by the works of the Law so as no coloure or shew of evasion might be left unto any Rom. 3. 20. he saith ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by or out of the works of the Law as also Gal. 2 16. And Rom. 3 28. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã without the works of the Law they having no consideration therein Rom. 4 2. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by or out of works So that there is no justification by the Law nor by works nor by the works of the Law all which expressions are used to signifie one the same thing And in the following verse he taketh the Law doing of them that is the commands of the Law for one the same thing Those that were looking to the Law for justification he saith of them vers 10. That they are of the works of the Law and chap. 4 21. Ye that desire to be under the Law This elsewhere viz Phil. 3 9. he calleth his own righteousness which it of the Law Tit. 3 5. works of righteousnoss which we have done Rom. 10 3. their own righteousness Rom. 9 31. the Law of righteousness But what Law is this by which he denieth that any can be justified The forementioned Expressions do Sufficiently cleare what Law he meaneth even all that Law that was the Rule of Righteousness was prescribed of God as such not the Ceremonial Law only that Law by the works whereof he denied Rom. 4 1 2. that Abraham the father of the faithful was justified That Law in obedience to which consisted that righteousness which the jewes laboured to cause stand that righteousness which himself desired not to be found in That Law which was called the Law of righteouness That Law which the Gospel establisheth Rom. 3 31. In a word it is that Law whereof he speaketh in the preceeding verse that is that Law the transgression of which in the least particular bringeth the sinner under the curse according to that saying Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are contained in the book of the Law to do them Deut. 27 26. And here also we see the Law the book of the Law are one sure this book of the Law contained more than the Ceremonial Law even all the Moral Commandments in respect of which not in respect of the Ceremonial Law the Gentiles amongst the rest these Galatians at least so many of them as had not yet Judaized were of the Law so under the curse It is obvious how useless all the Disput of the Apostle here in his Epistle to the Romanes is rendered by asserting That Paul's Disput runneth only upon the observation of the Ceremonial Law seing now the very Subject of the debate is taken away from us And if matters be so I would faine know why the Apostle should have used any other Argument in all his Dispute beside this one That by the Gospel the subject of the question is wholly removed the Ceremonial Law being utterly abrogated by the Gospel Sure this would have Sufficiently put an end to that debate But this Supposal is I confess a short cutt to answere all the otherwise unanswerable Arguments of the Apostle against Justification by works but yet it is such as cannot yeeld satisfaction He addeth in the sight of God ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is the same upon the matter with that expression Rom. 3 20 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in His sight whereby we understand what justification this is whereof the Apostle speaketh even justification before Gods Tribunal in His Court who is the Supream Righteous judge as it
justification was not only among the Gentiles who had been without God without Christ all the Meanes of understanding any thing of Salvation through a slaine Saviour but even amongst the Jewes who by the Dispensation of the New Covenant which they were under might have been better principled for it was they who most urged the Interest of the Law of works therebyâ laboured to corrupt the Gentiles to lead them off the simplicity of the Gospel-truth and of them saith the Apostle Rom. 10 3. that being ignorant of God's Righteousness going about to establish their own righteousness they have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God They sought after a Righteousness another way than by faith in Christ who is the end of the Law for righteouness to every one that beleeveth Rom. 10 4. but as it were by the works of the Law Rom. 9 32. IV. The Pharisee who went up to the Temple Luk. 18 11 12. prayed thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other men are Extortioners Unjust adulterers or even as this Publican I fast twice in the week I give Tithes of all that I possesse c. hath many followers Many there are who will have confidence in the flesh in what they do Nature never taught Paul to account all his great Privileges Attainments loss dung but rather to account them gaine for he saith they were gaine to him that is while he was a stranger to the Gospel to the Grace of God manifested therein Hence is it that the last are first the first are last such as thought themselves far advanced to have attained a great measure of righteousness so to be children of the Kingdom are shut out Publicanes Harlots are preferred as being willing to renounce themselves their own righteousness more than such Legalists Iusticiaries who confide in something which they themselves do have attained V. This is also manifest from the great difficulty of prevaling with such as seem to themselves to have in them something more than ordinary to relinquish renounce these things to betake themselves only unto Jesus to rest on Him alone for Righteousness Life Salvation from the little fruit that the Gospel Doctrine findeth among them How many subterfuges finde they out under which they think to shelter themselves from the wrath of God How many fig-leaves do they sowe together that they may cover the shame of their nakedness withall And at what cost paines charges are they in seeking to establish their own Righteousness And all to fortifie themselves in their own delusions to keep our the pure Doctrine of the Gospel And how ready are some to take hold of the smallest wig that they may hang upon it finde reliefe if it can yeeld but the least ground of hop in their imaginations ere they betake themselves to Christ according to the Gospel How many Fetches Turnings Windings hath a Soul pursued with wrath the apprehension of death ere it be willing to close heartily with Christ offered in the Gospel Yea if such as have had some wakenings come so far as to change something of their former outward sinful courses be not so loose prophane as formerly how ready are they to sit down even upon that bit of negative righteousness Much more if they be brought the length to go about some religious duties how will they then sit down sing as if all were well All which do plainly evince that there is a strong Inclination in us by nature to follow the way of works that we may have some share of the honour of our own justification VI. This sad truth is hence apparent likewise That when any Opinion is broached that but seemeth to give more to works than ought to be given though possibly upon the matter there be but little said that may make any real Difference how ready are many to close therewith to entertaine that Doctrine to cry it up commend it to improve the Advantages real or supposed there had to the furâer Confirmation of that Anti-evangelik errour which their Soul 's fully comply with when upon the other hand there is such a nauseating in many too too manifest at the Simplicity of the Gospel of the Doctrine of justification by faith alone in Christ. If it be enquired whence doth this proceed or what can be the true causes hereof I answer Many things have a powerful Influence into this as I. The Natural Enmity unto all the wayes of God that each hath as a piece of his heirship from Adam What ever God willeth we will not yea we will nill though our nilling of it be against ourselves we have no reason for it There is a Spirit of Contradiction Enmity to God in us all by nature that we neither can nor will comply with God's wayes with what tendeth to set forth His Glory It is marked of the Iewes that they stumbled at that stumbling stone Jesus Christ who was the end of the Law for righteousness to all such as beleeve Rom. 10 4. 9 32. They had such a prejudice at Christ at the way of Salvation through Him that they brake their necks upon Him who onely was the rock of Salvation II. The innate darkness of Mens mindes touching themselves all the things of God especially the Mysteries of Salvation is another cause of this Opposition to the Gospel-way of justification They neither know their own hearts nor their own wayes doings nor are they acquainted with the holy righteous Nature of God nor with the nature of His Lawes Commandments c. They know not I say the Corruption of their own Natures the innate wickedness which is there which neither is nor can be subject to the Law of God Hence ordinarily such as erre in this matter of justification do intertaine erroneous apprehensions about Original sin our innate Pravity as do all the Sâcinians Papists many Arminians others So they are ignorant of the Law of God not knowing how Holy Good Spiritual it is how it obligeth the whole man Spirit Soul Judgment Understanding Will Affections Memory all the out ward Man condemning the least sin in Thought word or deed commanding the highest pitch of holy duties right Principles Ends Motives c. And hence they see neither Omissions of what is commanded not their Commissions of what is prohibited whether as to their Nature Multitude or other Aggravations and the ignorance of this maketh them to see less the necessity of a Righteousness without them to seek for it with less earnestness zeal whence it cometh to passe ordinarily as is to be seen among Papists that such as are most for works in justification shape the Law according to their minde curtaile it as did the Pharisees of old that
given out against him would think himself a living man if in stead of that sentence which he was every houre looking for he should hear of a free and gracious pardon Much more may this state of Remission be looked upon as a state of life 2 They are hereby freed from that death Slavery and Tyranny which the Law did exercise over them before and doth exerce over all such as are not yet justified for as the Law discovereth sin Rom. 3 20. So it worketh wrath Rom. 4. 15. And thereby hath dominion over a man binding him over in chains as it were unto the wrath Curse of God But Christ hath now delivered them from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for them Gal. 3 13. And they by faith having fled to him are pardoned and the Law hath no more to say especially seing it is satisfied by the Cautioners being made a Curse and having fulfilled it in our Nature and place Rom. 8 3 4. Thus are they freed from and dead to the Law by the body of Christ Rom. 7 4. O what a noble sweet and refreshing life is this to be free of this Slavery and Bondage whereby the Law is alwayes lying about the neck of the poor sinner the Curse and wrath of God as oft as he sinneth And adde to this 3. That they are freed from the just and well grounded managment of the Law against them by Saâan or a wakened Conscience I say just and well grounded managment for I grant the Devil and a mis-informed Conscience can bring forth the Law and terrifie therewith a true beleever by charging him with the transgressions thereof even after these transgressions are pardoned but this is unjust and illegal and the beleever is under no obligation to acknowledge these Charges or to admit them but on the contrary to reject them as being groundless contrary to the tenor of the Gospel But the unbeleever and unjustified Soul is laid open to all these fearful charges and dreadful challenges to all those summons that are as so many poisoned darts shot into his very heart every one of which is a death to him which he seeth not how to evite Must not then this be a considerable and noble heavenly life to have sin pardoned and thereby be freed from these Soul-affrighting Heart-pierceing Conscience-burning and Mind-tormenting Acculations Charges Libels and Dittayes brought home and delivered by the wicked Accuser of the Brethren and a wakened enligtened Conscience Must there not be many lives in this one 2. Hereby they have peace and Reconciliation with God being justified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5 1. God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them 2 Cor. 5 18 19. They are now reconciled Rom. 5 10. So Col. 1 20. And having made peace through the blood of His cross by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself Herein also they have received the Atonement Rom. 5 11. And the Enmity is abolished Ephes. 2 15. And slaine v. 16. So that the enmity on both hands is taken away they are reconciled unto the Lord who before were alienated and enemies in their mindes by wicked works Col. 1 21. And the Atonement being made the wrath of God is apaced towards them and that Law-wrath under which they did formerly lye is quite removed and they are no more looked upon nor dealt with as Enemies but owned and regarded as reconciled friends And who can express the good and sweet of this life or who can conceive what an heaven lyeth wrapped up here How justly may he be accounted a dead man who is an Out lawer and a Rebel to God who tasteth nothing of the Kindness and Friendship of God getteth nothing from Him as from a Friend but all as from an Enemie even all the outward favoures he enjoyeth in the World how great and glorious so-ever they be in the eyes of men And on the other hand how happy is he and how justly and deservedly may he be called a living man who can call God his Friend go to Him as to a Friend receive all from Him as from a Friend how inconsiderable so-ever in the eyes of the World the things be which he getteth This is a life the Good the Advantage the Joy the Comfort the Peace of which who can express 3. Hereby they are absolved and acquitted from all that could be justly laid unto their charge for justification in Scripture is expressive of a juridical Act of a just Judge absolving a person from the guilt laid to his charge and from the sentence of the Law due upon the account of that where with he was charged and never doth denote a making of righteous by infusing of tigteousness or by making any real physical change within whatever Papists say as wee see Deut. 25 1. 2 Sam. 15 4. Prov. 17 15. Esai 50 8. 1 King 8 31 32. Exâd 23 7. Mat. 12 37. Luk. 7 29. 16 15. And in multitudes of moe places O! what a life is here when a poor self-condemned sinner standeth before the Judge the righteous Lord hath his sinnes charged upon him and the Law brought forth cursing every transgressour for every transgression and justice appearing against him calling for the execution of the sentence according to Law and for death vengeance due by Law and upon all this can look for nothing but doom and present execution of the dreadful sentence what a life I say is it for such a sinner standing in this posture to have a sentence of absolution pronounced and be openly declared righteous and not worthy of death or free of the charge given in against him and thus is it with Beleevers according to the Gospel constitution for though they have sinned come short of the glory of God in themselves yet now they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ and that by faith Rom. 3 22 23 28. Gal. 2 16. Though they were Unrighteous Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers Effeminat Abusers of themselves with mankind Theeves Covetous Drunkards Revilers and Extortioners yet now they are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 6 9 10 11. God justified the Ungodly Rom. 4 5. The Circumcision by faith and the Uncircumcision through faith Rom. 3 30. 4. The ground of this sentence of Absolution passed upon them or in their favours will more manifest both the Reality and Excellency of this life Though they in themselves have been and are sinners and ungodly cannot plead not guilty nor adduce any ground in themselve where upon they can plead Exemption from the penalty of the Law but as they stand guilty in Law so they stand convicted in their own Consciences their mouthes are stopped and they are become guilty Rom. 3 19. They know and acknowlege that they have sinned and come short of the glory of God vers 23. so can expect nothing but
Heaven They are no more Strangers and Forreigners but fellow-citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God Ephes. 2 19. 3 Being by Adoption Children they are heirs heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ Rom. 8 17. Gal. 4 7. They are now begotten to an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for them 1. Pet. 1 4. Hence they are heirs of Salvation Heb. 1 14. Being Abrahams seed they are heirs according to the promise Gal. 3 29. these promises they do inherite Heb. 6. 12. What a life hath the Son and heire of a great King when he may look upon the many great Dominions Kingdomes of his Father as his own But what a greater life is it when a poor sinner that is now adopted through faith may look thorow all the great and precious promises contained in the Book of God and say all these are mine and may look up to Heaven to that glory which eye hath never seen nor ear heard nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive say all that is mine through Jesus Christ I am served heire thereunto have the begun possion thereof in mine Head Elder Brother Jesus Christ 4. Being adopted they have the earnest of the Spirit sealing them to the day of Redemption for in Christ they have obtained an inheritance are sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession Ephes. 1 11 13 14. 4 30. And who can express what a life this is 5 Being adopted they have free access to the throne of Grace with boldness God being their Father the door standeth open they may approach with liberty freedom filial Boldness for through Christ they have an access by the Spirit unto the Father Ephes. 2 18. And in Him they have boldness access with Confidence by the faith of Him Ephes. 3 12. They may now come boldly unto the throne of Grace that they may obtaine mercy finde grace for help in time of need Heb. 4 16. By Him they have access by faith into the grace wherein they stand Rom. 5 2. And here certainely is a life the riches of the joy Comfort whereof cannot be expressed 6 Being adopted they receive the Spirit of adoption whereby they are delivered from that Spirit of Bondage under which they were formerly are now Principled Spirited âmboldened to cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15 That slavish fear under which they some time were is away they have now the reverential fear of Children which doth not hinder but encourage them to approach with freedom Enlargment of Spirit now they have the Spirit of prayer Supplication whereby they can call on God as their Father in Christ because they are Sones God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into there hearts crying Abba Father Gal. 4 6. What a resurrection from Death unto life is this to have heart tongue loosed to be in case to speak unto the Father in the language of the Spirit through Jesus Christ 7. Being adopted they have a right to all the Privileges of the Sones of God are under the Fatherly Care Inspection Provision Protection Leading Teaching Chastisement of their kind God Father Psal. 103 13 Prov. 3 11 12. 14 26. Mat. 6 30 32. 1 Pet. 5 7. Heb. 12 6. And o what a bundle of Mercies of life is here The beleever may welcome all the Dispensations of God receive them as out of the hand of a tender-hearted Father say Thus thus doth my Father unto me this is the hand working of a Father about me This how sharpe so ever it seem to be yet is the effect of tender love floweth from the heart bowels of a kinde compassionat Father to me 6. Their justification saith They are translated out of nature delivered from that death under which they did lye formerly unable to performe any even the least vital act of life for before justification they are united unto Christ by faith life is begun in their soul the seed of life is beginning to bud in them to bring forth fruit when they are enabled to beleeve to act faith upon to receive Jesus Christ as He is offered in the Gospel The spiritual life is in them is working when it moveth them Christ-ward powerfully draweth inclineth their Soul to close with Christ. This faith is the work of the Spirit of God alone It is not of our selves but the gift of God Ephes. 2 8. This beleeving is according to the working of his mighty Power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead Ephes. 1 19 20. Therefore is the Spirit called the Spirit of faith which all beleevers have 2 Cor. 4 13. for now in order to the effectual producing of this grace of faith in the Soul their mindes are enlightened to understand Spiritually Savingly the things of God Act. 26 18. For God revealeth them unto them by His Spirit who only knoweth the things of God which Spirit they have received that they might know the things that are freely given them of God 1 Cor. 2 10 11 12. Now they have received the Spirit of Wisdom Revelation in the knowledge of Him the eyes of their understandings being enlightened Ephes. 1 17 18. And as their mindes are changed so is their heart for the heart of stone is taken away the heart of flesh is given according as was promised Ezek. 36 26. their wills are renewed inclined unto good They have gotten the one heart the New Spirit Ezek. 11 19. The Lord hath wrought in them both to will to do Phil. 2 13. Their heart is circumcised to love the Lord according as was promised Deut. 30 6. And the Lord hath put His Spirit in them Ezek. 26 27. thereby hath drawn them unto Christ Ioh. 6 44 45. all which saith that the life of God of Grace is begun in their souls the Spirit of life hath taken possession of them abideth there worketh These things cleare how justly the justified soul may be said to live in what respects the justified state is a real state of life CHAP. VI. What mysteries are in Justification WHat was said in the foregoing Chapter may by way of use First discover unto us that Kindness and Love of God our Saviour that hath appeared unto men whereof the Apostle speaketh Tit. 3 4. For this is one remarkable Instance thereof and calleth for Admiration and praise from us upon that account O! what Tenderness Love and Pity appeareth here And what a wonderful Grace is this that is here manifested what condescension of Love and free Grace is clearly legible in this business And how clear and distinct will all this appear to a self condemned sinner arraigned
against true Gospel justification or the justification of a sinner upon the account of the Imputed Righteousness of Christ against the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to this end that the sinner may be absolved pronounced righteous accepted as such But the Scripture seeth no Inconsistenry or Repugnancy here but an harmonious sweet accord betwixt the Lord's causing people their iniquities passe from them His clothing them with change of raiment Zach. 3 4. And the Apostle joineth both as inseparable yea he declareth the necessity of both saying Rom. 3 21 22. That now the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Iesus Christ unto all upon all them that beleeve where upon it followeth vers 24. that they are freely justified by His grace But then what need is there of Remission might one say doth not this quite take away all Remission No for he addeth vers 24 25. through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ whom God hath setforth to be a propitiation through faith in His bloud to declare His righteousness for the remission of sinnes that are past Yea the forgiveness of sinnes establisheth confirmeth the Imputation of righteousness where by we are justified for thus speaketh the Apostle Rom. 4 6 7 8. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works saying blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven whose sinnes are covered blessed is the man unto whom the Lord will not impute sin Where we see that non-imputation of sins is so far from shutting out Imputation of Righteousness that it confirmeth it proveth it is in separable from it must necessarily presuppose it for we being sinners can have no Absolution untill the Satisfaction of Christ be applied to us made ours by Imputation where this is imputed by God the soul must be absolved from all that can be laid to its charge Therefore in justification as we are declared righteous by reason of the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us received by faith so have we thereby a full remission of all our sinnes Paul tels us 2 Cor. 5 19. That God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them And what giveth he for the ground of this See vers 21. for saith he He hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him 12. It is also observable in this mysterious business That though our jestification be an act of God's free grace wherein only upon the account of the Righteousness of Christ Imputed to us by God not upon the account of any thing in us or done by us He pardoneth our sins accepteth our persons as righteous Yet this is not with an exclusion bur rather with an Inclusion of faith which is a Receiving a laying hold upon a Leaning unto the righteousness of Christ imputed to us Soâinians others are utter strangers unto this mystery make use of their wit here to plead against the imputation of Christ's Righteousness the onely ground of our justification because faith is required of us in order to our justification and ãâã as they say it self ãâã to us as our Righteousneis upon the account of which we are justified They suppose that if Christ's Righteousness be imputed to a person he thereupon acquite pardoned of all his sinnes that person must be righteous pardoned Justified whether he beleeve or not the Righteousness of Christ must be his before he beleeve But leaving the debating of that Question whether faith properly taken that is as our act done in obedience to the command of God be Imputed to us as our righteousness untill we come to the next part of the words I shall only now say as to the other thing here alleiged That they as ignorant of the Gospel feigne an opposition in things among which the Gospel pointeth forth to us a perpetual harmonious agreement upon the other hand they will patch up a reconciliation agreement betwixt those things which the Gospel setteth at perfect Opposition variance for Paul better acquainted with the Gospel with the nature of gospel-Gospel-justification than they tels us yea he proveth it by many Arguments That by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be-justified consequently not by faith as one deed or work of the Law And he maketh mention of the righteousness of God without the Law saith that that righteousness of God is imputed to upon all them that beleeve And notwithstanding of this he tels us that this Righteousness is by faith of Iesus Christ imputed to all that beleeve exclusive of others Rom. 3 20 21 22. And againe he tels us that as we are justified freely by bis grace yet it is through the Redemption that is in Iesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His bloud vers 24 25. And againe vers 26 as God is declared in this matter to be just so is he the justifier of him only that beleeveth in Iesus Moreover vers 27. he mentioneth the Law of faith as opposite to the Law of works in that it excludeth boasting concludeth againe vers 28. That a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law and vers 30. that God justifieth by faith through faith Yet we never hear that he faith we are justified for faith or upon the account of faith Further That faith is required in order to justification is clear from Rom. 9 31 32. where it is said that Israel which followed after the Law of righteousness hath not attained to the Law of righteousness because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law This also is fully proved by the same Apostle in this Epistle to the Galatians knowing saithe he Chap. 2 16. that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of iesus Christ even we have beleeved in Iesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ. And to pointe forth this Interest of faith yet not as imputed for our righteousness when properly taken the same Apostle Phil. 3 9. calleth that righteousness which he opposeth unto his own righteousness which is of the Law a righteousness which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith By all which many other passages mentioning our justification by faith which might be cited we see that the Lord hath so ordered the matter that faith should have an Interest in justification as an Instrumental cause or some such thing for to contend about words is not much to edification as may fully denote pointe forth the Emphasis of the Scripture expressions herein such as are to be found
Rom. 3 22 28 30. in other places now cited and that because faith carrieth a poor convicted self-condemned sinner out of himself to seek a righteousness in Christ in upon the acount of which he may be accepted of God justified so bringeth him to close with Christ to accept of His righteousness put it on that he may appear in it before God so receive the Atonement abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness Rom. 5 11 17. And albest it may satisfie us to know that so the Lord God hath ordained it that the self-condemned sinner should flee to the Righteousness of Christ held forth in the Gospel lay hold on it lean to it thereby he may attaine Justification and Remission without enquireing after reasons of this Contrivance Yet we may clearly see the wisdom of God shining forth in this appointed way of justification for the sinner is hereby brought to swear as it were himself bare to renounce all in himself to declare profess himself a plaine bankrupt and so to despare in himself that the riches of the free grace of God everlasting love may shine forth in him in a more divine lustre in a singular heavenly beauty hereby all ground of pride boasting or glorying in himself is taken away the sinner is made to see to subscribe unto the glorious wisdom that then appeareth in that contrivance to wonder as also to see his everlasting obligation unto the Lord contriver to the Lord Ransomer So is he made to see the perfect ground of security saifty in this way when he seeth that in order to his partaking of the great blessings favoures his soul longeth for he must first be united unto Jesus Christ himself married unto Him in a perpetual marriage-Covenant that shall never be dissolved And he winneth hereby to a sure ground of peace Tranquillity of soul when he seeth that it is nothing in himself that is taken as Satisfaction to the Infinite justice of God but the Righteousness of Christ who is God Man in one person so a perfect Infinite Righteousness able fully to repare the breach made to make Satisfaction for the wrong done to the Infinite God So that upon this ground he may boast glory in the Lord alone triumph over all assaults Temptations of Satan Hereby then as the Lord hath consulted His own glory for the sinner fleing to the Righteousness of Christ as his only refuge resting there doth proclame God to be Holy Just Righteous Gracious only Wise so he hath consulted the saifty Peac joy Confidence of His own The consideration whereof should make us comply sweetly with this noble contrivance in stead of disputing against it or ourselves out of it acquiesce with all our heart in it rest there 13. We may observe further another mystery in this matter of justification to wit That the way of justification through the Imputed Righteousness of Christ doth not take away the necessity Usefulness of the Exercise of the Grace of Repentance Socinians others who follow their footsteps can observe no harmony here cry-out against the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness because as they suppose it ãâã the Use and Necessity of Repentance and enervateth all the commands enjoining it But 1 This mistake must certainly flow from a misconception of the true Nature Use ends of Gospel-repentance for they must of necessity Suppose that Gospel-Repentance is required for the same Ends Uses for which the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness is required otherwise they could not think that the asserting of the one should tend to the justling out of the other But whatever they imagine we assert no such thing but affirme That Christ hath purchased the whole of our Remission and Repentance whatever Papists say hath no interest herein nor hath it any merite with-it whether ex condigno or ex congruo to procure Remission the Favoure of God or Reconciliation with Him but it is only required in its own place to accompany faith to follow upon it as a sutable profitable exercise for sinners advanced to such high favoures Privileges And the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness can no more prejudge the exercise of this grace than of any other Gospel-Grace or duty such as Love Fear Hop prayer Patience c. but rather incite encourage to it 2. what was formerly said of faith its harmonious agreement with the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness will sufficiently also clear confirme this for if the Adversaries speak of legal Repentance the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness will no more take that away than faith for it preceedeth faith whereby the sinner laith hold on Christ. And if they speak of Gospel Repentance which is more to the purpose they must know that though in its Exercise at least in its remarkakle exercise it doth follow faith and in order of Nature is posteriour to it Yet it is inseparably-connected therewith so that where faith is there is must also be Repentance at least in its root begun exercise for a sinner cannot rightly accept of close with Christ as offered in the Gospel for Gospel ends in a Gospel manner according to the call of the Gospel but withall he must have a sight sense of his sins a hatred thereof as also a purpose firme fixed to turn from them unto God as also an Endeavour after new obedience Yea we finde sometimes Repentance pressed as including faith in it as when pressed in order to pardon acceptance with God Sometimes againe it is mentioned together with faith as being inseparable therefrom 3. As the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ and the justification of beleevers thereupon doth not put them in such a case as they shall sinne no more afterward so neither doth it take away the Usefulness and necessity of renewed Acts of faith and Repentance nor in the least weaken the after exercise of these Graces but rather doth excite thereunto each in their proper place and to their proper ends in order to actual pardon according to the Gospel Method in which it is required that justified persons or Believers repent of their after sinnes and by faith flee to Christ for pardon and as at the first so afterward there can be no true exercise of faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ for pardon of after sinnes without a true exercise of Repentance towards God these perpetually accompanying other yet we must not think that Repentance considered by it self and as distinct from faith hath the same Interest in the Covenant for pardon first or last that faith hath for neither doth it so act on Christ and his Righteousness in order to pardon as faith doth nor is it appointed or called for for that end and when it is enjoined and mentioned in order to Remission
it is to be taken as distinct far less as separated from faith but as including faith being the necessary concomitant and consequent thereof as also the publick and sensible expression and evidence of true and lively faith for Repentance being towards God a turning to God from whom Sin draweth the Soul away must of necessity have faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ accompanying it and laying a ground for it seing there is no coming to the Father but by the Son Ioh. 14 6. 4. To say that by Imputation of Christ's Righteousness we should have no more need of Repentance than Christ had who was wholly without Sin is to imagine that we dream of such an Imputation as maketh us to have been no Sinners or under no guilt and consequently to have stood in need of no gracious Imputation But we assert no such thing for we were Sinners and so stood in need of a Righteousness to be imputed to us in order to our iustification And he who graciously did provide this Righteousness for us might also without the least derogation from the freedom and glory of his Grace Favoure as appointe the meanes Method way how he will have us made partakers of the benefites of this Grace Imputed Righteousness first last so also to prescribe what duties He thought meet for such as He had so visited with Grace Mercy 14. Another part of this Mystery lyeth in this That justification through the Imputed Righteousness of Christ taketh not away the rich honourable privilege of Adoption Such as are Adversaries unto this Imputation of Christ's Righteousness alleige that there is no consistency here because say they if Christ's Righteousness or Obedience should be imputed unto us that so we may have a Right and Title to life according to the tenour of the Covenant do this and live Adoption by which this Title and Right is conveyed according to the Scriptures is rendered Useless But not to mentione the great difference that is betwixt the Life and Privileges of Life a Right whereunto is solemnly had in Adoption and the Life that was promised in the old Covenant by these words do this and Live They consider not that the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness doth no more destroy or take away Adoption than it doth destroy or take away pardon and that it is so far from rendering either Useless that it establisheth both is the ground and firme Basis of both for as without the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness and Satisfaction there can be no ground for pardon so without the Imputation of his Righteousness and obedience there is no ground for Adoption As justification is a solemne and formal stating of a person in Favour reconciliation with God and in pardon of Sinnes so Adoption is a Solemne and formal stating of a person in a Right to glory and to all the Privileges of Son-ship here hereafter Now netther of these are rendered Useless through the Doctrine of Imputation but both are the more cleared confirmed and secured thereby The Imputation of Righteousness is not formally pardon it self nor is it formally a Right to glory but the necessary ground of both Christ's Righteousness is Imputed that we may be justified and that we may be Adopted that is solemnely and formally placed in a state of pardon Reconciliation into a state of Right Interest in the Privilege of Son-ship As the producing of the cautioners payment in judgment is not formally the absotion of the debtor but the ground of a formal sentence of absolution so the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness and Satisfaction is not the formal sentence of Absolution pardon but the ground thereof And as the paying of the price condescended on for Land or houses is not a formal infeofing or a formal and legal conveyance of Right Title by Charter and Seasing but the ground thereof So the Imputation of Christ's merites and obedience is not the formal legal Conveyance of Right to the Inheritance of glory and glorious Privileges of Son-ship but is the ground thereof upon which necessarily followeth adoption which is as it were the Beleevers Infeosment and Seasing whereby Right is formally legally conveyed unto him to all these Privileges 15. This is also a mystery in this matter that such as are adversaries to the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness cannot understand to wit That Beleevers should be accounted Righteous there upon justified through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ and yet the Lord should see sin in them They say if beleevers be righteous with the righteousness of Christ God can no more see sin in them than in Christ. But they distinguish not betwixt the being of sin and obnoxiousness to punishment which is separable from the being of sin otherwise there could be no pardon In such as are coered with the Righteousness of Christ imputed by God and received by faith God seeth sin in its being for He pardoneth it and pardon doth not make sin to have been no sin nor say that the man hath not sinned for then pardon should be no pardon seing all pardon supposeth sin but he seeth not sin so as to punish and condemne for it for in respect of this Reatus guilt and obligation to punishment sin is taken away forgotten cast behind God's back in to the depths of the sea c. As the Scripture expresseth this matter The judge seeth not the debtor guilty obnoxious to the sentence when the payment made by the cautioner is instructed in open court yet He cannot but see that he hath contracted debt and was thereupon obnoxious to the sentence Neither do our Adversaries here consider that by this way of argueing they destroy all pardon for when a man is pardoned he is no more obnoxious to punishment and God cannot see sin in him in order to condemnation because it is pardoned thereby that obligation to condemnation is taken away And so if they mean this only by God 's not seeing of sin when they deny this they must deny Remission nor yet do we say that the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness taketh away the being of all after sins and maketh them no sins but only that it ensureth their pardon Nor do we argue the not being of after sinnes or God 's not seeing of them from this Imputation but only the Non imputation of them unto condemnation for we know that sin in its being is killed and mortified another way viz by the work of Sanctification 16. To the same end we may consider That though by the way of justification through the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness and faith laying hold on the same the Law is not made void but established as the Apostle saith Rom. 3 31. and the righteousness of the Law is in some sense fulfilled in us being fulfilled in our Nature by Christ the Mediator and Surety Rom. 8 4. yet we are not justified by the
the Union which beleevers have with Christ is the ground or their communion with Him in all things which He was made or God to be for them which their necessity called for among which His whole Surety-righteousness doth challenge a chiefe pâace Nor would I argue from the Union communion in general but from such a particular Union and communion as is darkly shadowed forth unto us in the Scriptures by such and such similitudes such as the Union betwixt Man and Wife who are one flesh as Christ and Beleevers are one Spirit as the Union betwixt the principal debtor and the Cautioner and betwixt the publick Head and Representative and the Members represented as betwixt the Redeemer and the Redeemed and the like And to argue from such an Union for such a peculiar end to such a communion as we here plead for may stand against all his Exceptions pag. 195. c. Which are these following Except 1. The Major wants truth because a true and real communion with Christ may stand without His active obedience being made theirs by Imputation There is a real Union and communion between the head and the feet in the same Natural body yet is not the braine or the proper functions operations of the head made the braine or functions of the feet So between the Husband and the Wife yet is not the holiness strength and Wisdom of the Husband made over to the Wife by Imputation And. Similitudes go not alwayes upon foure âeet and as these Similitudes come short of expressing the Union and Communion that is betwixt Christ and Beleevers so they are not apposââely here applied for neither is the end of the Union and Communion between the Head and the Feet that the braines and operations of the Head should be communicate to the feet but that the head should use its proper operations functions for the good of the feet nor do the feet stand in need of any other thing from the head And thus also is it in the other Similitude as to the particulars Instanced yet in other particulars this last Similitude will come neerer to our business for though the Husbands Wisdom Holiness or Strength which are not communicable be not imputable to the Wife yet his Honour Riches can be are imputed or communicated for though before the Mariage the Woman was in a base condition yet being matched with on honorable person she partaketh of his honour and being before the marriage a person in debt her Husbands riches are so imputed to her that she may be is made thereby solvendo and freed from her Creditors pursuit and her Husband and she becometh one person in law he becometh chargable with her debt obliged to pay it So that as there is an Imputation or a real devolving by law of the debt of the Wife upon the Husband so his making payment Satisfaction for the same is by law accounted hers she is thereupon freed from all charge trouble from her creditours Except 2. The Major wanteth reason for there is no coloure of truth in it that that Union and Communion which beleevers have with Christ should of necessity draw after it the Imputation of His active obedience so that this obedience of His should become their formal Righteousness more than the Imputation of His Wisdom Power and Glory Ans. 1 If by formal righteousness he understand with Papists inherent holiness or righteousness it is nothing to the purpose for we assert no such Imputation 2 That the whole of Christs Surety-righteousness be so imputed to beleevers as that it becometh theirs so that they meerly upon the account thereof and clothed therewith may be and are repute and held to be persons just in the account of God so be justified in His sight is the thing we assert and that this doth necessarily flow from Beleevers Union with Him by faith and is a part of the Communion they have with Him and that upon a double account First because He became Surety and undertook their debt so was made under the law and obeyed and Suffered all that it could have demanded of them for this end and purpose that what He thus did suffered as a publick person or Surety might stand for them be accepted on their behalfe Secondly because their case and necessity called for this in order to their justification and Acceptance with God 3 His Wisdom and power are other waves improven and laid forth to their advantage according to the Nature of the thing and necessity Arg. 4. If there be no other principal End Reason or Necessity why Christ should fulfill the law but only that His obedience thereunto might be imputed to us for Righteousness in our Justification then is not the Imputation thereof to be denied But the former is true Ergo c. And sure if Christs obedience to the law was not necessary in respect of Himself it must have been performed upon the account of Beleevers and that principally and mainely for their Justification and Salvation and therefore for this end that it might be imputed unto them Against this pag. 197. c. He Except There are diverse other ends reasons and necessities to be assigned hereof Ans. This is not the maine thing that is here denied nor will all this help our Adversary unless it can be shown that those other Ends which we deny not are prejudicial unto inconsistent with that which we look upon as the chiefe as peculiar to Him as Mediator Surety standing in the room of His people who did mainely stand in need of this Let us now see the particular ends he toucheth 1. One reason saith he might be to procure the greater Authority deeper reverence to the Doctrine which he taught Matt. 7 28. Ans. 1 The Socinians upon the same account deny that His death was any proper Satisfaction for Beleevers and if this be a weak argument in their mouth it cannot be strong in the mouth of our present Opposites 2 This End is but subordinat unto and no way inconsistent with the principal End which we have mentioned 3 Though Christs Miracles had a more direct tendency to procure this Reverence than His Holy life yet neither the one nor the other were peculiar to Him alone for both the Miracles wrought by others such as Prophets and Apostles and their holy life had a tendency to procure Reverence and Beleef to their Doctrine And himself confirmeth this in the following words saying It is a truth of general acknowledgment that the holiness uprightness and unblameableness of the lives of Teachers have a powerful Influence into the consciences of Men to render them more observant awfull in their attention to the things which are taught by them citeing Mat. 2â 32. Ioh. 5 35. 8 46. 1 Tim. 4 12. 2 Tim. 3 14. 4 We are to consider Christ as Mediator and Surety in what He did as well as
from the Sun in one act expelling darkness bringing in light which are here adduced for illustration have no force to prove any thing here in regard there is no correspondence in all points betwixt Matters Natural Matters meerly Moral or Political There is no Medium betwixt light and darkness or the habite and its privation but there is a Medium here betwixt Transgressing of the law perfect obedience to the law unto the end Adam so long as he stood was no Transgressour yet he had not then given perfect obedience to the end according to the Covenant So there is a Medium betwixt Freedom from the Penalty the Right to the Reward as was shown above Arg. 7. If do this live be an everlasting Rule of God which shall never be dissolved then must the Active obedience of Christ be imputed unto Men in justification that so they may be said to have done this and so live But the former is true Ergo c. That these words do this and live containe a determination constitution of the Lord as unalterable as these words That day thou eats thou shalt die cannot well be denied and therefore if because of this latter no man can be saved unless their Surety die for them so because of that former no man can have right to the reward unless his Surety performe perfect obedience And as the one is imputed to the Beleever so must the other be Imputed also in order to his compleat Salvation Against this he excepteth pag. 216. c. thus In this sense I grant that do this and live is an everlasting Rule that is it is hath been and shall be everlastingly true that who so ever shall fulfill the law perfectly shall live But not in this sense that it is the only perpetual and standing Rule whereby and according to which men must be justified and so saved for in this sense it neither is nor ever was nor ever shall be a rule of God for God hath alwayes had and for ever will have another rule for the justification of men Ans. 1. Was it not a Rule of life justification to Adam in the state of Innocency was he not according to that Covenant where in he stood to purchase the good promised by his doing It may be the Excepter thinketh with the Socinians that no more was promised to Adam than what he had in possession 2. We do not assert it as a standing rule whereby we should now expect to be justified but we say that it being a constitution of God's as well as the other viz. That day thou eats thou shalt die It must be satisfied as well as the other And as the rule of faith taketh not away Christs suffering of death according to what was threatened in the law so nor doth the law of faith take away His obedience according to the command of the law and as Christs paying down of the Penalty was necessary for our freedom from death so His giving full obedience to the law is necessary to our life though as was said we need not nicely thus distinguish save to shew the necessity of the Imputation of both Arg. 8. That Righteousness which God accepteth on our behalfe is the Righteousness imputed to us in justification But the Righteousness of Christ is that Righteousness which God accepteth on our behalf Ergo c. He excepteth pag. 217. 1. Denying the Major because God may and doth accept that for us or on our behalf which yet He need not impute to us at He accepted of Abrahanis prayer in the behalf of Ismael of the prayer of Elisha for the Shumanites Son and yet neither was imputed to the other Ans. But all this a thousand Instances of the like nature can evince nothing for the Argument speaketh of what is accepted of God in order to justification as the ground and meritorious cause thereof which the Instances adduced come not nigh unto He addeth In like manner these in whose behalf Christs Sufferings were accepted receive an unspeakable benefite blessing by them but this operats nothing to the Inference of the Imputation pleaded for that is that God must look upon these Sufferings of Christ as if they had personally endured them on whose behalf they are accepted Ans. Then it seemeth not only is the Imputation of Christs active obedience denied but also the Imputation of His death and Sufferings and no more is granted than what Socinians will yeeld unto 2 The Imputation we plead for is not such as maketh God to look upon these Sufferings of Christ as if Beleevers had personally endured them but such as maketh God to look upon them as the Sufferings of Christ as Surety Head Publick person in the room stead of His chosen ones which Sufferings payment of the Penalty by the Surety being made over unto reckoned upon the score of Beleevers they are upon the account thereof accepted dealt with as if they themselves had so Suffered and Satisfied in their own persons 2. He distinguisheth thus If by the Righteousness of Christ the proposition meaneth precisely that obedience which He exhibited to that general common law whereunto all Men are obliged considered apart from His obedience to that particular law of Mediator given to Himself alone so it is false If by Righteousness be here meant that obedience of Christ commonly called passive or both active and passive together so it may be true but then the other will be found tardy Ans. 1 Christs obedience to that general law by which all men were obliged did as well belong to His law of Mediation and was comprehended under it as His giving up Himself to Suffering to death for as Mediator He was made under the law as well as suffered the Curse 2 The Minor proposition is to be understood of the whole Surety-righteousness consisting not only in Suffering but also in actual obedience to the law when this is granted the whole we seek is granted Neither is the former proposition found tardy as appeareth from what is said the Syllogisme is good and no Paralogisme what ever he supposeth Arg. 9. If Christ were a publick Person standing in the place or stead of all those that should beleeve in Him then all that He did and Suffered is to be looked upon reputed by God as done Suffered by these consequently are Imputed to them But the former is true Ergo c. Sure if Christ was a publik person standing in the place and room of the chosen ones all that He did as such a person or as a Surety as to that whââh law and justice required of them they were obliged unto must needs be imputed unto them reckoned upon their score and they must be dealt with upon the account thereof as if all had been done suffered by themselves We do not say that all He did Suffered is or must be
obvious Sense of the whole purpose and of every sentence used by the Spirit of the Lord in that matter is to usurpe a Supra-papal power and Authority over the Scriptures of truth and a most ready way to render them wholly useless 2 As for our sense of this Expression who that will willingly be ruled by the Scriptures cannot submit unto it Let us but look to the very first place cited by himself Rom. 3. consider the whole preceeding discourse of the Apostle from Chap. I 18. forward particularly Chap. 3 19. Where the Apostle closeth his discourse tending to evince both jewes Gentils to be under the Curse by saying Now we know that what things so ever the law saith it saith to them who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Is not this to be understood in respect of their own personal deeds works See then his conclusion vers 20. Therefore by the deeds of of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight Can any man that hath not renounced common sense understand this otherwise than that no man shall be justified in the sight of God by his own personal works seing this is the only native conclusion that floweth from the premisses seing by their own personal works they can be justified before men seing the following words for by the law is the knowledge of sin that is the law proveth evinceth all that we do to be short sinful enforce this likewise Is not this also enforced by these words vers 23. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Is it imaginable that justification through the Imputed obedience of Christ to the law can evince that we are not justified freely by His grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ vers 24 If this general sense were the true meaning what ground was there for that vers 27. Where is boasting then It is excluded By what law of works no by the law of faith Would Justification by Christs obedience give ground of boasting And what ground were there for that objection vers 31. Do we then make void the law c. in the following Chapter when speaking of Abraham doth he or can any man imagine that the Apostle doth mean any other works when be denieth that Abraham was justified by works than Abraham's own personal works And meaneth he or can he meane any other works when he saith vers 4. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt But it were tedious to prosecute this matter further that is so clear in it self to every ordinary Reader that it must needs argue a desperat designe together with unpasrallel'd boldness thus with confidence peremptoriness to assert the contrary He saith 2. If the Apostles charge had been in delivering of this doctrine either to have made or to have given allowance for any such distinction certainly he should have been unfaithful in his trust in giving the honour due to the works of Christ unto a thing of a far inferiour nature viz to faith as he doth Gal. 2 16. Where he saith not but by the works of Jesus Christ but by faith Ans. This answere is in a great measure sick of the same distemper of presumption with the former We must not think that the Apostle is still to be blamed for unfaithfulness when he speaketh not as we would have him speak Christian sobrâety should reach us to search for Gods mind in the expressions He hath thought good to use for signifying of His mind These against whom the Apostle here wrote whose errour in the matter of justification he was confuting never had a thought of such a general groundless sense as we have here obtruded upon us nor can it come into the thought of any rational man when then should we suppose that the Apoââle should have spoken to such a thing 2 Paul giveth not the honour due to the works of Christs unto any thing of an Inferiour Nature no not to faith whatever this Author misunderstanding the Apostle's mind perverting his words would make his Reader beleeve as we shall have occasion to shew hereafter This Author setreth Christ and Faith at variance whileas the Apostle every where sheweth their agreement indissoluble union 3 Taking faith in this Authors sense we see That by his own Confession the ascribing of that unto faith which he doth ascribe to it in the matter of âustification is a giving of that honour unto it which we say is due to Christs obedience So that the question betwixt him and us is whether Christ and His obedience or Faith of a far inferiour Nature must have that honour We see no ground to imagine that Paul would give the honour that Universal obedience might call for unto one act of obedience or think that he would cry up one act of obedience that is faith cry down all other acts of obedience far less that he would cry up faith in prejudice of the full perfect obedience of Jesus Christ the Redeemer and Surety He saith 3. If Paul's intent had been to have reserved a place in Iustification for the works of the law as performed by Christ his indefinite expression would have been as a snare upon men to cause them passe over the great things of their Iustification Ans. Paul's indefinite expression neither was nor could have been a snare unto any nor came such an imagination ever in the head of any man but such an one as can stumble in the most even path being blinded with prejudice at the truth drunk with love to his own Inventions which he cannot otherwise maintaine but by new and unheard-of fictions What great things of justification could I pray Paul's expressions cause any passe over Why are not some of these great things mentioned He saith 4. If this had been Paul's meaning it cannot be once imagined but that he would have made use of such a distinction or reservation would have been glad if without trenching upon some Gospel-truth he could have come over so neer unto the jewes who where chiefly incensed against Paul for passing over the law in justification Now had he said that be did not exclude the righteousness of the law by faith but advance it rather only he preached that they could not be justified by their own observation of it who seeth not how this would have taken off great part of their opposition Ans. It is a wonder to see how some men can shut their eyes that they should not see what is most obvious and what is in plaine termes asserted in the Scriptures Did not Paul say expresly enough Rom. 3. ult That he did not make void the law through faith but did establish it doth he not also plainly tell us where the difference lay betwixt him the jewes what it was especially
maketh for us for condemning is something-else than a not pardoning even a pronouncing or declaring of a person guilty therefore an adjuging of him to the punishment due for the guilt and therefore justification must be something else than pardon 2 Justification is more than not condemning for not condemning may be a meer suspending of the sentence of condemnation while the Process is under tryal or the guilty person not yet convicted in law he is not condemned yet he is not therefore justified 3 When justification life are said to be equipollent it is manifest that justification is more than pardon even an adjudging of one to the reward promised for life here is not a meer Negative or privative life but a positive life called a Reigning in life Rom. 5 17. the blessing of Abraham Gal. 3 14. the promise of the Spirit ibid. all the blessings of the Covenant vers 17. the Inheritance vers 18. Here then is a difference betwixt justification in our case justification among men for among men justification is usually in reference to the Accusation given-in the accusation beareth a reference only unto the sin committed to the punishment due to such or such transgressours so that the justified man is declared not guilty therefore not liable unto the penalty but there is no word here of a Reward due to the observers of the law unless in cases where a reward is expresly promised And yet even where there is no more but a simple declaring of the person not guilty so not liable to the punishment justification is more than meer pardon But in our case when the Lord justifieth the Beleever He not only declareth him not liable to the punishment due to transgressours of the law but also adjudgeth him to the Reward promised to the observers and therefore here the person is declared and pronounced righteous having a right to the reward through imputed righteousness Fourhtly He objecteth from Phil. 3 9. This objection must be hard-headed sheweth with what confidence some men once in love with their own darling conceipt can abuse the most plaine passages of Scripture for what can be more plaine full against our Adversaries than is this Text The Apostle is here shewing upon what ground he desired to stand in his appearing before God expresly renounceth all his former privileges what once he had an high esteem for particularly also his own Righteousness of whatsoever kind that consisted in his obedience to the law he saith not which consisteth in my full obedience to the law but in mine own righteousness which is of the law And in opposition to all this he desireth to be found in Christ stated hid in Him which includeth Christ's Righteousness for Christ His Righteousness are not separated the Righteousness he also expresly mentioneth calling it that which is through the faith of Christ againe the Righteousness which is of God by faith By which he cannot meane the act of faith for that is his own righteousness all which he renounced for it was conforme to the law commandement being enjoined by the law of God otherwise it had been no act of obedience Moreover Faith is not through faith nor by faith but this Righteousness which Paul sought after is a righteousness that is through faith by faith as an Instrument laying hold upon it applying it Faith cannot be that Righteousness which is through faith or by the faith of Christ for if so Christ should be rendered useless the nature of faith in Christ should be changed seing true faith in Christ carrieth the soul out of it self to Christ to the end a Righteousness may be had Faith sure is not the Righteousness which is of God wrought by God imputed by Him So that when Paul desired to be found in Christ having the Righteousness which is through faith in Christ even the Righteousness which is of God by faith what can be more plaine than that he desired to be found in the Righteousness of Christ which is imputed by God received by faith As to this place our Adversary frameth no formal argument therefrom but hath some observes tending rather to make it useless to our point than directly to confirme his own Chap. 6. pag. 84. I shall only take notice of such things as he alleigeth to darken the glorious light of the grace of God shineing with a meridian brightness in this passage He i. e. Paul doth not say saith he that he may be found in His righteousness much less in His righteousness imputed to him but simply in Himself which is an usual expression in Scripture of the Spiritual state condition of a Beleever Ans. 1 To be found in Christ who is the publick person Surety is to be found in His Surety-righteousness for Christ His Righteousness are no more separated than a Surety as such and his Surety-payment and satisfaction And therefore when Paul spoke of being found in Him he emphatically enough expressed what we say 2 It is true the expression in Christ doth else-where denote a spiritual state but here Paul speaketh not simply of being in Christ but of being in Him in order to the having of a Righteousness wherewith to appear before God in order to which he had renounced all his former privileges and attainments What it is saith he to be found in Christ he expresseth negatively thus not having mine own righteousness yet not simply altogether no righteousness that may in no sense be called his own but precisely determinatly no such righteousness as his own which stands in works of the law such he must be sure not to have i. e. not to trust to or to shroud shelter himself under from the stroke of Gods justice Ans. Then faith considered as an act of obedience must not be that Righteousness under which he could think to shelter himself from the stroke of justice for that stands in one work of the law if that righteousness be renounced which standeth in works of the law much more must that be renounced which standeth in one work of the law 2 The Righteousness of Christ imputed received by faith may in some sense be called the Beleevers own but that Righteousness which the Apostle calleth his own here is opposed to the Righteousness of another and comprehendeth all his own acts works done in obedience to the command of God Next he saith affirmativly thus but that which is through the faith of Christ c. Here is not the least jot or title of any Righteousness he should have by Imputation no nor of any Righteousness by or through tht Righteousness of Christ but only such a Righteousness as is through the faith of Christ. Ans. 1 When all that Righteousness is excluded which is in mans self or in any acts of obedience to the law which he doth yet a
thing by way of proportion but must have its jot for jot title for title or else it will curse Ans. 1. We are to regard here more what the Law-giver and Supream Rector will know than what the letter of the Law will acquiesce in 2. This taketh away the Satisfaction of Christ and all His Sufferings as Mediator and destroyeth that ground of our hope and Salvation for the Law as to its letter saith the Soul that sinneth to it shall die and hath not one jote or title of the Satisfaction and Suffering of a Mediator 3. What shall our Adversary now do with faith doth any jote or title of the Law countenance the Imputation of faith for a proportionable Righteousness doth faith answere every jote title point and letter of the Law He answereth 2. To impute acts of Righteousness to a Man which are proper to another calling is rather to impute sin than righteousness Ans. Christ was a publick person appointed of the Father to represent all the chosen ones did in their place room fulfill the law in all points according as was required of Him by the Supream Lord Rector Law-giver this perfect compleat Obedience is made over to all those who are His not one part to this particular Beleever and another to another or some acts to this man some other acts to that man therefore this reply is groundless As to that viz. That God inflicted on Christ not the circumstantiat curse threatned but its equivalency he saith 1. That in these words Thoushalt die the death there is no necessity to meane precisely determinatly eternal death according to the letter Ans. If that was not threatned in the Law no man shall suffer it for the breach of the Law and so there shall be no eternal death even to such as perish which yet himself granteth 2. It was a spiritual death and such as includeth many circumstances which Christ neither could nor did suffer He saith 2. Gods meaning there was not to threaten eternal death in one kinde or other but to have the word death understood as it indifferently signifieth that evil of punishment which was known by that names for eternity is not of the essence of the punishment due unto sins Ans. The doubt remaineth concerning other circumstances ingredients of that death as threatned to man And whether eternity be of the Essence of the punishment threatned for sin or not this is sure that all for whom Christ hath not suffered shall perish eternally all had perished eternally if Christ had not suffered And when God threatned death to man he know that if that threatning did overtake him his death would be eternal He saith 3. Though God should take liberty to vary from the letter of the Curse yet it followeth not that the creature who was bound to obey the precepts of the Law might take the like liberty to do one thing in stead of another or that God should accept any such payment for them Ans. We assert no liberty for man but why should not this liberty be allowed to the Supream God All the reason he giveth I finde to be this That God accepteth on any mans behalf as a perfect legal righteousness the performance of such things which are not required of him hath no correspondence with any of the Covenants Ans. If God could accept that as a perfect Satisfaction which did not every way answere to correspond with that which Man himself was to suffer why might He not accept of that as a perfect legal righteousness which did not in all particulars answere to correspond with that which every beleever was obliged unto What reason is or can be given for the one which will not hold for the other The answere he hath given is no answere unto this Perfect obedience was required of all by the first Covenant Christ did performe perfect obedience for all His owne this being a perfect legal Righteousness is sufficient for all is not the performance of such things as are not required of them Obj. 2. Chap. 10. pag. 107. That Righteousness which is exactly and precisely fitted to the person of Him that is Mediator between God man cannot be imputed unto any other man But such is the Righteousness of Christ. Ergo. The Major he thus confirmeth He that assumeth this Righteousness of Christ represents himself to God in the glorious attire of him who maketh men righteous may conceue himself as great in holiness as Iesus Christ himself c. Ans. Christ's Righteousness was indeed the Righteousness of a Mediator Surety therefore was imputable to all who by faith should be married to Him have union with Him as their Head Husband are become one person in Law with Him as their Representative Surety though not as it was subjected in Him but according to the nature of the thing to their necessity Hereby therefore is no wrong done to Christ no robbing of Him of His mediatory glory but on the contrary a more clear manifest ascribing of the same unto Him by acknowledging Him for the only Mediator by resting on Him on His Righteousness as our only Righteousness and ground of Acceptance We cleare the matter thus When the payment of a Surety is imputed to the debtor and he pleadeth the same in court for his own absolution he doth no injurie unto the cautioner but rather declareth himself unable to pay ascribeth the honour of the payment unto the Surety for he doth alleige or produce that payment as if he would thereby declare that he himself as Surety had paid the summe for another but only produceth the payment of a Surety in reference to himself as a ground sufficient in Law whereupon he should be absolved from the Charge giuen-in against him by the creditor So when the beleever applieth to himself the Righteousness of Christ he doth not make himself a Mediator or Surety but only applieth the Righteousness payment of his Surety Head Husband for his own use to answere the charge given-in against himself and in reference to his own particular case necessity Hereby the beleever doth not assume to himself an equality of Righteousness with God himself but only assumeth that Mediatory Surety-righteousness which He wrought who was equal with God was God so far as their own case necessity requireth We dream of no such imputation as would give ground to us to conceite our selves to have done said all that He did said This is the fiction of the Adversary not our Assertion Against the consideration of the Union betwixt Christ as the Head beleevers as the Members which is the ground of this Imputation communication He saith pag. 113. 1. Christ Beleevers are a mystical body therefore an universal agreement in all things with a natural body cannot be thought on one difference is this
what one member of the body natural doth the whole may be said to do But not so in the mystical body the body of Christ cannot be said to have wrought miracles c. Ans. Nor de we asserte an agreement betwixt this mystical body a natural body in all points But yet as Christ accounteth Himself a sufferer when the members of His body are suffering as such So what Christ did as an Head to His mystical Body and Spiritual Kingdom according to the designation and appointment of God who made Him both King Lord must redound to their advantage according to their necessity and therefore what He did as a publick Head Representative must be imputed unto them who are of His Body were undertaken for represented by Him He saith 2. Though the benefite of what the head doth be communicated to the whole body yet what the head doth is no wayes to be imputed to hand or to foot Ans. The hand or foot needeth no imputation of what is done by the head but a community or political body and every member thereof needeth an Imputation of what is done for their good in their Law-place by their Head publick Representative And in this matter we look upon Christ as such an Head Against the Marriage Union betwixt Christ Beleevers mentioned as another ground to cleare this Imputation he saith 1. It is true the wife by marriage comes to be endowed with all that is her husbands but this endowing is no ingredient into the marriage it self but a fruit thereof so the right which a beleever hath to the Righteousness of Christ accrueth unto him by upon this Spiritual marriage and therefore it cannot be imputed to him The marriage must be first made up before the right be had unto this Righteousness Ans. If the right unto Christ's Righteousness accrue unto Beleevers by upon their Spiritual marriage with Christ this Righteousness must be imputed to them and reckoned upon their score or made over unto them as the dowrie is made over to the wife and reckoned hers upon her marriage We grant the marriage is first made up and that this is done by faith and yet at the very act of beleeving this Righteousness is imputed This marriage Union is first in order of nature but no time interveeneth betwixt this Union and the Imputation of Righteousness He saith 2. all that is the husbands is not every way the wifes nor for every use purpose but only in a way of expediency and beneficialness as his clothes are not hers to put on so the beleever must take heed of assuming the glorious rob of His Righteousness to himself otherwayes than in the benefite and comfort of it Ans. All that is the husband's becometh the wifes by Marriage for every use and purpose that her necessity calleth for and the nature of the thing admitteth as his riches becometh hers to her maintainance and to the paying of her debt and his honour becometh hers to the exalting of her to a Sutable state of honour even so must Christ's Righteousness become the Beleevers that his debt may be payed and he saved out of the hand of justice advanced to a state of life and have right to glory Obj. 3. Chap. 11. pag. 118. If God hath sufficiently provided otherwayes for the justification of his people He doth not impute this Righteousness of Christ for that end But God hath provided otherwayes for this end Which he thus prodeth He that is compleatly justified by having his sins forgiven is justified without this Imputation But a beleever is sufficiently justified before God by the forgiveness of sins Ergo. Ans. Though a person justified is pardoned yet justification includeth more than meer pardon of Sins Justification is the pronouncing and accepting of a person as Righteous and therefore the person so justified and accepted must be righteous and seing he is not inherently righteous he must be righteous by Imputation What he said to this purpose before Chap. 5. of his book to which he here remitteth us hath been examined already What he addeth here shall now be considered waving mens Sayings wherewith I purpose not to medle here He citeth againe to this purpose Rom. 4 6 7. to which we spoke above He supposeth that the Apostle here did intend a full description of justification But this he cannot clearly evince he forgetteth that the Apostle maketh mention of Imputed Righteousness and that not as one and the same thing with free Remission but as inseparable from it The Apostles designe was not to give here a full Definition or description of Justification it being Sufficient to the purpose he had in hand to mention so much thereof as did clearly irrefragably confirme the same viz. That the blessed state of justification is not brought about or had by the works of the Law yea as is said that very Imputation of Righteousness is not only included in the word blessedness by which this State of justification is expressed for a blessed man is one who not only is freed from guilt and punishment but hath also a right to the Crown and to the rich recompense of reward which is not had without a Righteousness but is plainly also expressed when he saith Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without works Here is a Righteousness even a positive Righteousness mentioned and a Righteousness imputed and a Righteousness without our works of obedience to the Law Hence we need not assert any Synecdoche here or say that a part is put fot the whole which yet is no unusual thing in Scripture and might be admitted here even in this matter without any absurdity seing where one part of this business is mentioned the other is necessarily understood because of the necessary inviolable connexion that is betwixt them He saith further pag. 130. If forgiveness of sins be but a part and the worser half of our justification then when the Scripture saith we are justified by His blood Rom. 5 9. the sense must be we are justified by half through his blood but the better halfe of our justification must come another way for by his blood we cannot have his active Righteousness imputed to us 1. We use not to make such comparisons betwixt these things here called parts had in justification as to call the one the better part and the other the worser part both being requisite to make up our state of blessedness and necessary thereunto 2. When the Scripture saith we are justified by His blood the meaning is not we are justified by the half through His blood for half justification is no justification 3 Nor is the Reason added of any force for by blood here we may as well understand by a Synecdoche His active Righteousness as all His passive both being but integral parts of His Surety-righteousness emphatically expressed by His death or blood
way weakened by our Assertion of the Imputation of Christ's whole Surety-righteousness He addeth Christ hath taught us to pray for forgiveness of Sins now to pray for that and yet to conceite ourselves as righteous as Christ was is rather to mock than to worship Ans. This expression to conceite ourselves as righteous as Christ was is none of ours though it may admit of a good sense as being true quoad veritatem though not quoad modum yet because it is so ambiguous liable to misconstruction I chose rather to forbear it seeing no necessity touse it And to conceite our selves legally juridically righteous with the Imputed Surety-righteousness of Christ is very consistent with praying for pardon for Christ's Surety-righteousness is not nor yet said to be imputed for this end immediatly that all our after actions should be sinless but to this end rather that we may have actual pardon of by past sinnes of future sins too after the methode of the Gospel and that none of our sins should actually procure our Condemnation or prejudge us of eternal Felicity but that notwithstanding thereof we should not come into condemnation but enter into life He saw that what he here objecteth against the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness will militat as much against the Imputation of Faith which must derive a righteousness upon the person as perfect and compleat as the Righteousness of the Law so can leave as little place for Remission as what we plead for and therefore to obviat this he tels us That when faith is imputed another thing is imputed then the righteousness of the Law it self to wit faith by name in stead of it Now any other righteousness or any other thing imputed for righteousness besides the righteousness of the Law will bear a consistency of sin with it of remission Ans. If by the righteousness of the Law here he only meaneth that which we performe in our own persons it is true that is inconsistent with sin or pardon but it is false if he understand thereby the righteousness of the Law performed by another Christ our Surety And sure if his faith be accounted a Righteousness it must be a Righteousness or God's estimation is not just if it be a Righteousness it must be accompanied with all the privileges of a Righteousness as himself saith and consequently exclude all Sin Remission if these be such concomitans of an Imputed righteousness He addeth when a perfect Sanctification is imputed to a man for his justification that man can be no more reputed to have sin in him than to be obnoxious to death which is opposite to justification Ans. And no wonder for perfect Sanctification being a perfect inherent holiness cannot without a contradiction but exclude sin But who speak of such an Imputation of Sanctification We know no such thing for Sanctification is wrought inherent in us not imputed to us If he meane by this perfect Sanctification the perfect Obedience and Righteousness of Christ imputed to us we say though that perfect Sanctification or Righteousness could be consistent with no sin in Christ yet when imputed to us it can consist with sin inherent in us with pardon of sin also as we have already cleared Further saith he But when that which either is no Sanctification or at most but an imperfect Sanctification is imputed for Righteousness in a mans justification place is left for inherencie of sin consequently for the forgiveness of it Ans. That which is no Sanctification or at most but an imperfect Sanctification must either be no Righteousness or at most an imperfect righteousness and therefore cannot be reputed or accounted a perfect righteousness and so cannot be imputed to a person in order to justification Or if we should suppose that God did make it really repute it to be a righteousness it must be a compleat righteousness consequently inconsistent with pardon because it shall hereby become a compleat inherent Holiness Righteousness Obj. 8. Chap. 15. pag. 153. c. Whoseever is perfectly righteous or as righteous as Christ is in him God can see no sin But every beleever saith this opinion which we impugne is as perfectly compleatly righteous as Christ himself is Therefore c. Ans. How false this consequence is was manifested above Chap. 6. Mystery 15. And now waving that expression of being as righteous as Christ himself is I distinguish the Major thus Whosoever is perfectly righteous with an inherent Righteousness taking perfection here not for kind but for degrees in him God can see no sin true but in this sense the Minor is false Whosoever is perfectly Righteous with an Imputed righteousness in him God can see no sin or order to actual condemnation it is true but then the Conclusion containeth nothing but truth It is true God could see no sin in Christ because there was no sin existing in Him yet He can see sin in beleeves in whom sin existeth notwithstanding they be clothed with the perfect Righteousness of Christ which only maketh that God can see no sin in them for which He will actually bring them into condemnation and this is consonant to Scripture Rom. 8 1. Obj. 9. Another Reason he proposeth Chap. 16. pag. 154. c. alleiging That by this Imputation of Christ's Righteousness we confound the two Covenants of Works of Grace But as to this we have cleared the truth above Chap. 6. Mystery 16. Nor need we be much troubled at his bold alleigance foâ not we but he others with him by his opinion in pleading for the sole Imputation of faith as our Gospel Righteousness to which some adde other works of obedience do turne the Gospel into a new Covenant of Works for if faith properly taken alone or conjunct with other works of Righteousness which we do be all our Gospel-righteousness we are justified by our own personal obedience righteousness and this was the plaine tenor of the Covenant of works The variation of the obedience now required from what was of old though now it be but as a pepper corne in comparison of the greater rent formerly required doth make no alteration in the Nature and Essence of the Covenant for justification life is still by works of righteousness which we do and which are our owne But when the Righteousness of a Surety is imputed we are upon that account accepted though the righteousness wrought by the Surety be obedience to the same Law that was in force under the first Covenant which we were obliged unto lying under the Curse of as it must needs have been seing He did substitute himself in our place took our debt upon Him the Covenant is altered for the first Covenant knew no Righteousness but what was our owne personal did not admit of a Surety Thus these two Covenants are not confounded by us but kept manifestly distinct we cannot owne their
before the bargane be made and may also be paid down some time before he obtaine the purchase We owne only such consequential conditions here as are but the means and Methods appointed of God for such and such ends which have an immedial connexion with the end here intended And therefore we neither say nor imagine that a man may have the Righteousness of Christ or Faith yet not be justified for in the very moment as was said that a Man acteth true Gospel-and so justifying faith he hath the Righteousness of Christ imputed to him and is justified Every priority in order of Nature doth not conclude also a priority as to time far less can a man be supposed to have the Righteousness of Christ without God's Act of Imputation But Finally all these Argueings returne upon his own head for when he saith that faith is Imputed for Righteousness meaning by faith our act of beleeving he must also say that a man may beleeve and yet not be justified untill his faith be Imputed unto Righteousness by God whose work alone this is and his reply to this will relieve us Obj. 24. That which was Imputed to Abraham for Righteousness in his justification is imputed to other beleevers also But the faith of Abraham was imputed to him for Righteousness Ergo c. And for proof of all he referreth us to what he hath said Chap. 2. upon Rom. 4. Ans. We shall not here anticipat the consideration of that place and of this Argument founded there upon seing afterward we will have a fitter occasion to speak hereunto Obj. 25. Here is his last argument which he largely prosecuteth Chap. 21. pag. 188. c. and it would seem that it is here adduced againe for we had it once if not oftner before that he may take occasion to vent his mind against the Imputation of Adam's sin to his posterity Thus he Argueth If the Righteousness of the Law be not imputable or derivable in the letter and formality of it from one mans person to another then cannot the Righteousness of Christ be imputed to any man in justification But the former is true therefore c. Ans. What may be answered unto this Argum. the Reader may see in the foregoing Chapter Object last I shall not here repeat but go on to take notice of what he saith to that objection which he moveth against himself and proposeth thus If the transgression of the Law be imputable from one Mans person to another then may the Righteousness of the Law be imputed also But the former is hence evident because the sin of Adam is imputed to his posterity He first excepteth against the Major and denieth the Consequence thereof and giveth reasons of his denial 1. There is saith he no such Emphatical restraint of the guilt and punishment to the transgressour as there is of the reward to the performer of obedience for Gal. 3 12. the very man that hath done them shall live by them which is no where said of the Transgressour Ans. But all this is loose reasoning for as the Law saith God will visite the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation so it saith that He will shew mercy to thousands of them that love Him and keep His Commandements and here the one is as Emphatick as the other 2 As he readeth Gal. 3 12. that the man that doth them shall live in them so we read Ezek. 18 3. the soul that sinneth it shall die and Gal. 3 10. Deut. 27 26. Cursed is every one that abideth not in all things which are written in the Law to do them which words do Import as emphatical a restraint as the other But of that Gal. 3 12. we have said enough above we might also mentione that which was said to Adam in the day thou eats thou shalt die which seemeth to have no less an Emphatick Import But 2. he mentioneth this difference Sin saith he is ever greater in ratione demerity than obedience is in ratione meriti Adam might by his transgression merite condemnation to himself and posterity yet not have merited by his obedience Salvation to both because if he had kept the Law he had only done his duty Luk. 17 10. so had been but an unprofitable servant Ans. All this saith nothing where a Covenant is made promising life to the obeyer as well as threatning death to the transgressour Albeit Adam could not be said to have merited life by his obedience in way of proper and strick merite yet in way of merite expacto he could have been said to have merited for the reward would have been reckoned to him not of grace but of debt and there would have been ground of boasting and glorying Rom. 3 27. 4 2 4. How beit he had done but his duty when he had obeyed to the end yet the condescending love of God promising the reward to perseverance in obedience to the end was sufficient to found this Whether Adam had merited Salvation to all his posterity if he had kept the Covenant to the end or not is not our present question to enquire j this we know that by one man sin entered into the world death by sin so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Rom. 5 12. And upon the other hand this we know that Christ was made sin for His as a publick person and all His promised Seed and Children are made the Righteousness of God in Him 1. Cor. 1 30. 2. Cor. 5 21. and those are sufficient for our purpose 3. He saith The Imputableness of the transgression of the Law rather overthroweth the Imputation of the obedience of it than any wayes establisheth it for the more Imputable that is punishable the transgression is the less imputable that is rewardable is the obedience of it Ans. This is very true when we speak of the same man as of Adam in both for he could not both be a Transgressour and a Final Observer of the Law and so both obedience and Transgression could not be imputed to himself Let be to any other the Imputation of the one did quite evacuat the other But what maketh this meer shift to his present purpose which is to show if he could that the Righteousness and obedience of the Second Adam the Lord from heaven is not as imputable to His Spiritual Seed Issue as the Sin and Transgression of the first Adam who was of the earth earthy 1. Cor. 15 47. was imputable to his Natural Seed Next he cometh to the Minor and denieth the Imputation of Adam's sin and this seemeth to be his maine buliness wherein he complieth with the Socinians and others Let us hear him first saith he the Scripture no where affirmes either the Imputation of Adam's sin or of the Righteousness of Christ. Ans. The contrary is sufficiently proven above all his reasons cannot evince what he saith He tels us
therefore enquire after Mr. Baxter's sense see wherein he really differeth from us in this matter In his late Treatise of justifying Righteousness against D. Tully The first part as the Title page sheweth is of Imputed Righteousness opening defending the true Sense confuting the false Here then belike we shall finde his meaning as to this question In his preface to this book he giveth us his sense in these words That Righteousness is imputed to us that is we are accounted Righteous because for the merites of Christ's total fulfulling the conditions of his Mediatorial Covenant with the Father by His Habitual Holiness His Actual perfect Obedience His Sacrifice or Satiâfactory Suffering for our sins in our stead freely without any merite or conditional act of mans God hath made an act of oblivion Deed of Gift pardoning all sin justifying Adopting giving Right to the Spirit Life eternally to every one that beleevingh accepteth Christ the gifts with by from Him when we accept them they are all ours by vertue of this purchased Covenant-gift But this I Judge cannot give satisfaction for upon the grant of the Act of Oblivion as he calleth it which in his judgment is extended to all Mankind no man in particular can be called or accounted Righteous or have Righteousness imputed to him more than another so upon this account all are equally Righteous have equally Christ's Righteousness imputed to them that is no man hath it As for these Effects pardon justification Adoption Right to the Spirit to Life they cannot be called the Righteousness of Christ no more than the Effect can be called the cause And though they become ours when we accept them or rather when we accept of Christ yet upon that account meerly it can not be said that the Righteousness of Christ is imputed to us no otherwayes for that is nothing but the Socinian Concession formerly mentioned it cannot Satisfie the orthodox The questin is about the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness the Answer given is concerning the Effects thereof given to us But these Effects are not the Righteousness of Christ nor are they to be called a Righteousness nor are they in Scripture so called unless we say with Ioh. Goodwin that Righteousness Imputed is nothing but free justification Yea these Effects must presuppose a Righteousness in the persons receiving them either Inherently or by way of Impuâation for God will justifie no man or declare no man to be Righteous who is not Righteous And concerning this Righteousness is our question And Mr. Baxter giveth us nothing here for this unless it be our beleeving this is that which Servetus Socinians Arminians say In opposition to this which he calleth a short plaine explication of Christianity he setteth down what others say as necessary to go in to our Christianity so tels us that according to them we must say That Christ was habitually actually perfectly Holy obedient imputatively in our particular persons thath each one of us did perfectly fulfill that Law which requireth perfect habites act in and by Christ imputatively and yet did also in by him suffer ourselves imputatively for not fulfilling it imputatively did ourselves both satisfie God's justice and merite heaven and that we have ourselves imputatively a Righteousness of Perfect holiness obedience as sinless must be justified by the Law of Innocency or works as having ourselves imputatively fulfilled it in Christ. And that this is our sole-righteousness that faith it self is not imputed to us for Righteousness no not a meer particular subordinat Righteousness answering the conditional part of the new justifying Covenant as necessary to our participation of Christ His freely given Righteousness As touching the latter part of this discourse about the Imputation of Faith its being called our particular subordinat Righteousness it is true Several of the Orthodox have appeared against it we shall also speak our judgment of it hereafter But as to the former part which is only pertinent to our purpose now in hand I know not if ever any Orthodox person uttered his minde after this manner Yea I wote not if Antinomians themselves have at any time expressed themselves in all points as is here set down But be it so that they have thus expressed their meaning that these expressions here set down are not meer Consequences Inferences drawn by Mr. Baxter himself from their opinions assertions yet Mr. Baxter cannot but know that the Orthodox are against them in these assertions as well as he to me it appeareth no faire to set down these words as containing that opinion which all must hold who cannot fully embrace Mr. Baxter's owne judgment as if there were no Medium betwixt the Socinian or Arminian judgment on the one hand the Antinomian opinion on the other hand whileas he cannot but know the contrary Nether is this a âât sure way to cleare up the true sense of the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness at least that sense which we owne In the Book pag. 24. he againe setteth down his own judgment or sense of Imputation which he taketh to be the true healing middle way Part whereof is as followeth That as Christ suffered in our stead that we might not suffer and obeyed in our Nature that perfection of obedience might not be necessary to our justification and this in the person of a Mediator and Sponsor for us sinners but not so in our persons as that we truely in a moral or civil sence did all this in and by him Even so God reputeth the thing to be as it is and so far Imputeth Christ's Righteousness and Merites and Satisfaction to us as that it is reputed by Him the true Meritorious Cause of our justification that for it God maketh a Covenant of Grace in which he freely giveth Christ pardon and life to all that accept the gift as it is so that the Accepters are by this Covenant and Gift as surely justified and Saved by Christ's Righteousness as if they had obeyed and satisfied themselves Not that Christ meriteth that we shall have grace to fulfill the Law ourselves and stand before God in a Righteousness of our own which will answere the Law of works and justify us but that the Conditions of the GÃft in the Covenant of Grace being performed by every penitent Beleever that Covenant doth pardon all their sins as God's Instrument and giveth them a Right to life eternal for Christ's merites As to this though it may seem faire a far advancement yet I shall crave leave to say these few things against it 1. When he saith That Christ suffered in our stead I would know in whose stead it was Whether it was in the stead of some select persons or in stead of all If in the stead of some select persons only then these select persons must
have another Interest in the death of Christ than all others it being done in their stead must needs be accepted in their behalfe as it was undergone for them in their stead place if it be accepted in their behalfe they must necessarily be freed from Suffering after God's Methode that upon the account of Christ's Suffering in their stead and if so must not that Suffering of Christ in a Law-sense be accounted theirs and imputed unto them they as really effectually freed from what they were under and obnoxious to made partakers of was purchased thereby as if they had suffered all that in their own persons If it be in stead of all then all must upon the account of it be delivered from Suffering which cannot be said or not one shall be delivered from Suffering meerly upon the account of it but upon the account of some other thing Interveening which he calleth in the following words the New Covenant the performance of the Conditions thereof And if so all Christ's Sufferings in our stead will be but a Suffering for our good as say the Socinians 2. When he saith That we might not suffer is that meaned eventually viz. That none of us should ever be put to suffer the penalty or is it only meaned potentially that is that it might be possible that we should not suffer If the former be said then either all of us shall be saved or the us must be restricked to the Elect. If the Latter be said then this dying in our stead is really but a dying for our good which the Socinians grant 3. When he saith obeyed in our Nature this in our Nature must either be the some with in our stead which he mentioned before or some thing different if the same then it seemes when he said Christ suffered in our stead his meaning only was that Christ suffered in our Nature And will not all Socinians grant that Christ Suffered thus in our stead that is in our Nature If different I would know why he putteth such a difference betwixt Christ's Suffering and His obeying seing both belonged to that Law as he speaketh in the foregoing words which was His Covenant Conditions and both were Satisfactory and Meritorious though the one more primarily Satisfactory the other more primarily meritorious 4. When he saith That Christ obeyed in our Nature that perfection of obedience might not be necessary to our justification I would ask if this end did or could flow from or follow upon Christ's Obedience meerly because it was performed in our Nature Had we no other Interest or ground of Interest in it or in Him but that it was performed in our Nature or did all the Benefite Advantage that we received or are to receive thereby flow from it meerly upon this account that it was performed in our Nature 5. As to this end of Christ's obeying viz. that perfection of obedience might not be necessary to our justification I suppose his meaning is that this perfection of obedience might not be required of us in order to justification but yet he doth not say as he should that this was our debt and that Christ paid this perfect obedience as our debt in order to life for if he shall say this then it will follow that this payment must in Law-sense be imputed to those for whom it was paid How ever these words do plainely insinuat that howbeit Christ obeyed in our Nature that perfection of obedience might not be necessary to our justification yet notwithstanding an Imperfect Obedience might be accounted necessary to our justification and thus the New Covenant be supposed to be of the same kind and Spece with the old and Christ be supposed to have obeyed only that the termes of the Old Covenant might be abated as to the rigour of perfection of obedience required 6. That Christ Obeyed and Suffered in the person of a Mediator Sponsor as he saith that is that person God-Man who was Mediator and Sponsor did obey suffer is very true but notwithstanding hereof yea so much the rather he obeyed and suffered as a Publick Person that is for others and not for Himself personally considered And therefore those for whom He thus Obeyed and Suffered must in a just and consequent sense be accounted as Obeying Suffering in Him that is there was such a Relation betwixt this Mediator or Surety and those for whom He was a Mediator and Surety in the purpose designe of God appointing Christ hereunto in the purpose designe of Christ undertaking and actually performing what He undertook as gave them fundamentally another Interest in His Obedience Suffering then others had or could have to for whom He was no Mediator Sponsor 7. Whence Christ may be said to have Obeyed and Suffered legally in the person of and as representing others that is in the construction of the Law Law-giver not for Himself but for others in whose Law-place He did substitute Himself undertaking their debt in order to their Redemption And though Beleevers who now come to have an actual Interest in Christ cannot be said to have done all this in and by Him that is as by their delegat and Servant as Mr. Baxter else where expresseth it yet they may be said to have done it in and by Him Civilly juridically or legally as the debtor is by Law said to have Satisfied the Creditor in and by the Surety who yet physically paid the debt by himself only but legally in the person of the debtor the debtor and Surety being in Law-consideration but as one person in so far as they concurre in and are both obliged by one and the same Obligation just as the heir succeding in jus defuncti is eatenus repute said to be una eadem persona with him whence it is evident that one payment made by either must be accounted as made by both and doth in effect dissolve the whole obligation and the consequently the debtor is as effectually justly absolved from all charge or danger of Law upon the account of that debt as if he had paid the money out of his own purse But whether the terme of Morally or Civilly or Legally or the like be most apposite is of no great weight to occasione a debate especially seing the thing it self is so well known to all who know what it is to have a friend paying their debt or Satisfying the Creditor for them and in their behalfe and thereupon bringing them out of prison Though I know the case of pecuniary debts doth not in all things quadrate with our case yet it is sufficient to explicat what we are now upon 8. We grant That God reputeth the thing to be as it is and therefore it is very true that God reputeth Christ to have obeyed and suffered as being in the Law-place of others and as making Satisfaction for them and them for whom He satisfied
is therefore a Third sense wherein neither Christ's Righteousness that is His Habites Acts Sufferings are said to be physically translated and put in us or upon us nor are they said to be Imputed to us meerly in their Effects as Socinians say but wherein Christ's Surety-righteousness consisting in His Obedience Suffering is in a Law-sense made over to beleevers put upon their score now accounted theirs they because thereof accounted Righteous legally and juridically and have therefore the Effects bestowed on them This being so obvious I wonder that Mr. Baxter cannot see it When a debtor is lying in prison for debt and a friend cometh Satisfieth the creditor for him by paying the summe in his place stead the Law doth not impute that payment to the debtor meerly in the effects but imputeth the payment it self not in its Physical acceptation as if it judged that he was the man that in his own Physical person told the money with his own hands brought it out of his own purse as the other did but in its legal force vertue efficary unto him accounted him in this Legal sense to be no more a debter unto the creditor therefore one that hath right to his liberty must therefore be set free from prison So in our case the Righteousness of Christ in a legal sense as to its efficary vertue is made over to the Beleever he thereupon is accounted Righteous and no more a debtor and therefore free of the Penalty Further Although he say that Christ's Righteousness is imputed to us in the Effects Yet he knoweth that that is in his judgment but very remotely and that really these effects are more proximely the effects of Faith which he calleth our Gospel-righteousness and that the Immediat effect and product of Christ's Righteousness is the New Covenant and this New Covenant being made with all Mankind as he thinketh Christ's Righteousnes is in this immediat Effect imputed to all flesh Reprobat as well as Elect. And this is in part cleared from the words Immediatly following when he saith In as much as we are as really pardoned justified Adopted by them as the Meritorious Cause by the Instrumentality of the Covenants Donation as if we ourselves had done suffered all that Christ did For this Instrumentality of the Covenant includeth the performance of the Condition thereof i. e. faith this Faith is properly imputed for Righteousness as he saith And therefore as the Covenant is the Effect of the merites of Christ so pardon and Salvation must be the Effects of Faith and the Effects of Christ's Righteousness only in that he did procure the Covenant which conveyeth these to us upon Condition of our performing of this faith which is therefore called by him our Gospel-Righteousness He giveth us next foure wayes n. 31. pag. 60. wherein the Lord is said to be our Righteousness an Expression that doth emphatically more than sufficiently express the meaning of the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness 1. In that saith he He is the meritorious cause of the pardon of all our sins our full justification Adoption Right to glory by His Satisfaction and Merites only our justification by the Covenant of Grace against the Curse of the Law works is purchased Ans. He cannot be said by him to be the Meritorious Cause of pardon c. But in as far as He is the Meritorious cause of the Covenant in which these benefites are promised upon Condition of faith our Gospel-righteousness which properly and only is our Imputed Righteousness according to him and so Christ is our Righteousness in meriting that faith shall be repute our Gospel-righteousness in order to our obtaining of Pardon and Right to glory But moreover where is our Righteousness For Pardon is no Righteousness neither is justification Adoption or Right to Glory properly a Righteousness But do presuppose a Righteousness after which we are enquiring and cannot finde that Christ is made to be that to us and consequently either faith must be it or there is none The other senses are 2. In that He is the legislator Testator donor of our Pardon justification by this new Covenant 3. In that He is the Head of Influx King Intercessour by whom the Spirit is given to Sanctifie us to God cause us sincerely performe the Conditions of the Iustifying Covenant 4. In that He iâ the righteous judge justifier of Beleevers by sentence of judgment Ans. All these three will make the Father to be our Righteousness as well as the Son for He is legislator He draweth to the Son sendeth the Spirit to Sanctifie us He judgeth by the Son justifieth 2. But none of these nor all of these give us the true Import of that glorious Name according to the true scope of the place Ier. 23 6. of which we have spoken above In like manner n. 32. he giveth us four senses of these words we are made the Righteousness of God in Him The 1. is In that as he was used like a sinner for us But not esteemed one by God so we are used like innocent persons so far as to be saved by Him Ans. As He was used by God like a sinner so was He legally accounted a sinner otherwise God would not have used Him as a sinner Therefore if we be used like innocent persons we must be in God's esteem legally juridically innocent through Christ's Righteousness imputed so must be saved by Him The 2. is In that through His Merites upon our union with Him when we beleeve consent to Hiâ Covenant we are pardoned justified so made Righteous really that is such as are not to be condemned but glorified Ans As I said neither pardon nor justification maketh us Righteous but suppose us to be Righteous and therefore in justification we are declared pronounced Righteous thereupon pardoned Moreover all our Righteousness that we have in order to justification pardon is according to Mr. Baxter our Faith which is is reputed to be our Gospel Righteousness is said to be properly Imputed to us thus Christ suffered in our stead that our faith might be accounted our Righteousness Though pardon will take away condemnation yet as we have cleared above more must be had in order to Glorification His 3. 4. are In that the divine Nature Inherent Righteousness are for His merites In that God's justice holiness truth wisdom mercy are all wonderfully Demonstrated in this way of Pardoning justifying of sinners by Christ. Ans. This last hath no ground as the sense of the words And as for the. 3. Before he make it the sense of the place 2 Cor. 5 21. he must say That Christ was a sinner inherently which were blasphemy for otherwayes that beautiful correspondence that is betwixt the First the Last part of the verse must be laid a side
for his Right to Impunity and life it is no Righteousness beside I hope he will not say that that is given before justification of a Righteousness preceeding in order of Nature at least justification we are speaking enquireing after it What he answereth to this Objection in the first place because it only concerneth Papistes their Misapprehensions in the matter I passe But 2. he saith If any of them do as you say no wonder if they you contend If one say we are Innocent or sinless in reality the other we are so by Imputation when we are so no way at all but sinners really so reputed Ans. If by Innocent or sinless he mean such as never sinned never Man Protestant or Papist dreamed of such a thing If by these termes he meane such are now not guilty legally of the charge brought in against them this we acknowledge and must acknowledge or we know not how any shall ever be justified for God will not pronounce sinners as such really and legally to be righteous His judgment being according to truth therefore because we have no righteousness within us whereupon we can be pronounced not guilty we must have a Righteousness imputed to us even the Surety-righteousness of Christ. But Mr. Baxter it seemeth will not understand what this legal non-guiltiness is yet in matters among men it is very clear and manifest If Paul had fully Satisfied according as he undertook Philemon for the wrongs and injuries done him by Onesimus If Onesimus had been convented before a judge for these same crimes and Injuries had produced the Satisfaction made by his Surety Paul accepted by the creditor Philemon would not the judge have had ground in Law equity to pronounce Onesimus not guilty therefore not to be punished according as was libelled against him And yet though Onesimus had been pronounced Innocent that is not-guilty as to Crimes and Injuries alleiged against him in this case in a legal sense it would not follow that he had never committed these wrongs nor had the evincing of that been necessary to his Absolution and justification His Legal Innocency or Righteousness by vertue of the Satisfaction made by his Surety now judicially accounted reputed his being Sufficient These things are plaine to such as will but open their eyes but all the world cannot make them plaine to such as will understand nothing but what is cast into Aristotelian Metaphysical Mould Were it not lost laboure for any to enquire what is the Matter Forme of this legal Righteousness of Onesimus Whereof is it constitute How came Paul's righteousness to be his and so one accident to go from subject to subject whether was Paul's satisfaction the Efficient or Constitutive cause of Onesimus his Innocency or non-guiltiness and the like The 5. Object is How can God accept him as just who is really reputedly a sinner This dishonoureth His Holiness and Justice To this he saith Not so cannot God pardon sin upon a valuable Merite Satisfaction of a Mediator though He judge us not perfect now accept us not as such Yet 1. Now he judgeth us holy 2. And the members of a perfect Saviour 3. And will make us perfect and spotless and then so judge us having washed us from our sins in the bloud of the Lamb. Ans. All this giveth no satisfaction to the objection for the objection speaketh of acceptance in Justification consequently of that acceptation that preceedeth Sanctification 2. It is true God can doth pardon sins but meer pardon of sins is not justification the person must be accepted as righteous and yet by Mr. Baxter's way the man hath no righteousness to ground such a judgment and acceptation and God's judgment being alwayes according to truth the justified man must be righteous that he may be accounted accepted as Righteous in Justification Therefore either Mr. Baxter must grant that he is Righteous through the Imputed Righteousness of Christ or that he is Righteous inherently by his faith or by his fulfilling of the Conditions of the New Covenant for there is not a third or that he is prononnced Righteous without a Righteousness The 6. object Thus you make the Reatus culpae not pardoned at all but only the Reatus poenae To this he saith 1. If by Reatus culprae be meaned the Relation of a sinner as he is revera peccator so to be reus is to be revera ipse qui peccavit then we must consider what you meane by Pardon for if you mean the nullifying of such a guilt or Reality it is impossible because necessitate existentiae he that hath once sinned will be still the person that sinned while he is a person the relation of one that sinned will cleave to him It will eternally be a true proposition Peter Paul did sin But if by pardon you mean the pardoning of all the penalty which for that sin is due damni vel sensus so it is pardoned this is indeed the Reatus poenae not only the penalty but the dueness of that penalty or the obligation to it is remitted and nullified Ans. The nullifying of the Reatus culpa physically or metaphysically is indeed Impossible for it will be alwayes true that such such persons did sinne but this Reatus culpae may and must be nullified legally and juridically otherwise never shall man be justified for in justification this Reatus culpae is declared to be taken away for the man is declared non reus accepted as not-guilty or Righteous not physically or Metaphyâically but legally a man must be legally Righteous before he be justified according to equity he cannot be legally Righteous as long as the Reatus culpae doth legally remaine for a man legally guilty is not legally Righteous Now Mr. Baxter must yeeld to this or he shall destroy his own ground and take away all pardon as well as justification for as it will be eternally true that Peter Paul did sinne so were rei culpae so it will be eternally true that punishment was due unto them that is they were rei poenae therefore if because it will be eternally true that Peter Paul sinned therefore the Reatus culpae cannot be annulled so because it will be eternally true that Peter Paul were obnoxious liable to punishment therefore also the Reatus poenae cannot be annulled But the truth lyeth here that though neither the Reatus culpae nor poenae can be annulled physically or metaphysically that is so taken away as if they never had been yet both are taken away legally juridically and a pardoned man is legally and juridically non puniendus thus the Reatus poenae is taken away and a justified man is legally and juridically not-guilty of the offence charged against him thus the Reatus culpae is taken away As it is inconsistent with pardon to say that
will not cordially close herewith must resolve to abide in that estate of enmity whereinto they are by Nature 10. This way of Justification as it is the only way of Peace Reconciliation with God so it layeth the ground of solide Joy Rejoyceing in hope of the glory of God of Glorying in tribulation also as Paul informeth us Rom. 5 1 2 3 4 5. Being justified by faith through Jesus Christ we have through him accesse by faith in to this grace wherein we stand rejoyce in hope of the glory of God not only so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience patience experience experience hope hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts c. Men may I know promise to themselves much Peace Joy and Consolation in their own false way may also deceive themselves as the Phaâisee did when he thanked God he was not like the publican but how had will the discovery of the deceite and cheatry prove in end God's way is the only way that will yeeld all these desirable things in truth reality and therefore we would do well to follow this way alone 11. Moreover this way of Justification will only lay the sure unfailing foundation of true Holiness and Sanctification and hence are the most spiritual convincing moving Arguments unto the study of holiness only to be taken as we see the Apostle clearing it in his Epistle to the Romans Chap 6. 7. 8. having laid down in the preceeding Chapters as a sure ba. sis thereunto the only Gospel-way of Iustification Men may think that the pressing of Justification by our own works should prove the most effectual Meane Perswasive unto the real study of holiness a most infallible Argument to set people awork to follow holiness with all their might But experience sufficiently proveth that all such who by their doctrine lay more or less of their weight upon their owne works in their Justification are so far from outstriping others in the spiritual exercise of true holiness that for the most part the very contrary is too too manifest and howbeit Adversaries to Gospel-Justification through the Imputed Righteousness of Christ object to the Asserters thereof that thereby they are Enemies to the study of holiness give way to laziness negligence in that exercise yet not only is their alleigance groundless seing we press holiness upon the same grounds that the Apostle doth who oft times meeteth with this objection in his way of declaring pressing the Gospel-way of justification but also experience showeth that such as have fled to Christ for Righteousness have another way of Communion with God in all holy conversation their walkeing in all the wayes of God hath a spiritual lustre heavenly beauty being compared with the walk of others strangers in practice and in opinion to the Gospel-way of being Justified through Faith in Christ. 12. Whoso ever reject this truth and do not accepte of this way of justification through the Imputed Righteousness of Christ received leaned to by faith do interpretativly say as much as that Christ is dead in vaine for the Apostle tels us Gal. 2 21. that he did not frustrat the grace of God for if righteousness come by the Law then Christ is dead in vaine thereby teaching us that the crying up of the Law the Righteousness thereof and urging people to seek after a Righteousness by which they may be justified in their Obedience to the Law is a real frustrating of the grace of God a declaring that Christ is dead in vaine and consequently whoever seek after a Righteousness consisting in their personal obedience to the Law will not accepte of nor heartily practically close with the Gospel-way of justification through faith in Christ do really frustrate so far as in them lyeth all the grace of God manifested in brought to light by the Gospel where this noble way of recovering sinners is revealed more clearly fully explained than it was formerly And it is a saying upon the matter that Christ hath died in vaine for if he died not to satisfie for sinners after he had finished his course of Obedience so to make up a compleat Righteousness which might answere all the necessities of sinners lying under the sentence of a broken Law and having no way without Christ to obtaine the Crown of life but by perfect personal Obedience to the whole Law which was is to them utterly impossible If I say Christ died not for this end he died in vaine all such as will not heartily imbrace this way do on the matter say he died not for this end so as far as they can they make him to have died in vaine 13. This Consideration might also have force with us that what Paul taught as to this matter he did also practise sweetly complye with thereby casting us a copie in his own practice for thus he speaketh Phil. 3 8 9. Yea doubtless I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things do count them but dung that I may win Christ be found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith So Gal. 2 16. knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ even we have beleeved in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ c. If therefore we would be sure in this matter we must take this course which is so corresponding in all points with the Gospel-doctrine in this matter Therefore who ever would expect to have it going well with them for evermore must resolve upon this course to be clothed with the Righteousness of Christ and get on that rob of Righteousness which is had through the faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by faith CHAP. XVIII Some of the duties of such as live the life of Justification proposed IN the last place we shall mentione this Use of the Truth formerly cleared confirmed in reference to such as have attained unto this life of justification through faith which every one may readily see That it is the duty of such as are made partakers of this life to beware of such things as may will provoke the Lord to anger will be unsutable for them who are thus graciously advanced to such an high State Privilege of grace to minde such duties as do most suite such as are so highly advanced and so greatly obliged to him that hath thus called them effectually by his grace and hath wrought up their hearts unto a full compliance with the Gospel-contrivance of free grace
our concernment to enquire after know the way how adult persones come to partake of these Privileges 5. We do not here speak of that Justification which some call a Iustification of the cause and distinguish from that which they call a justification of the person for that is but the justification of a person falsly accused as to some particular as David was frequently accused of many things by his Adversaries of which he was Innocent laying to his charge crimes he knew not about which he was in case as we finde he did several times in his Psalmes to appeal unto God the righteous Iudge being conscious to himself of no guilt in the particulars alledged knowing his own innocency in the sight of God who knew all things Such was the matter of that question concerning Job's sinceritie so much agitated betwixt him his friends in the book of Iob and at length decided in Iob's favours by God himself for though this was not concerning one or a few particular acts but concerning his whole deportment and concerning his State before God upon the account of his deportment and the Lord's dispensations with him yet it was a justification of his Cause rather than of his Person for in the justification of our Persons we have to do immediatly with God and not with man and the question was properly about a matter of fact to wit whether he had been a real beleever or an hypocrite though such a matter of fact as meerly concerned his whole State 6. Nor do we here speak of that justification even as to our state which is before men or in the judgment of men which oft proceedeth upon mistakes and unsure grounds as the now-mentioned instance of Iob's friends evidenceth and so varieth according to the various judgments apprehensions of men yea and of the same Man at several times according as the grounds whereupon he judgeth are to him clear or dark Neither is this sentence or judgment of men who are but fallible and judge by outward appearance not being able to see into the heart and judge how matters are there alwayes according to truth even though according to that judgment of Charity which the Law of God requireth Nor is it Constant and equable 7. Nor do we speak of that Iustification whereof the Apostle Iames speaketh Chap. 2. which is not the justification before God whereof the Apostle Paul speaketh in his Epistles but the evidencing proving and demonstrating thereof by effects and works obvious to the eyes of others and demonstrative of the cause Those I grant will oft admit of an intercision through Temptation and the prevalency of Corruption and so the cause or true justification may as to this manifestation he eclipsed though not in it self 8. Far less do we here speak of a groundless fancied supposed justification whether in the apprehension of deluded persons themselves or of others for this is no true Iustification but a meer delusion as to themselves and a conjecture as to others and the sooner this be quite cast away and renunced the better 9. Nor do we here speak of that Iustification which is in the court of mans own conscience or as it is there and opposed to that Iustification which is in God's court for it is certaing this Iustification which is said to be in the court of conscience is but a manifestation of the other unto the mans conscience and is some times had sometimes missed sometimes it is more clear some times more dark and therefore can be oft repeated and reiterated and intended and remitted yea and some may for a long time if not their whole life time be wholly without it Walking in darkness without all light as to this some may once get a cleare sight thereof and never see more of it till nigh the landing in eternity yet all this while the Iustification which is in the court of God remaine fixed invariable and without any interuption 10. By Justification here we meane not that which some call a Particular justification and do distinguish it from an Universal Iustification by this understanding an universal pardon of all sins past and committed and by the other understanding a particular pardon of this or that sin that is committed after the man hath been universally pardoned and accepted of God and now pardoned after a new act of faith in Christ Though it be needless to debate whether this Particular Pardon can be called a Iustification or not yet it is certaine it is not that Iustification whereof Paul speaketh so much and explaineth in all its causes in his Epistles nor that Iustification which connoteth a change of State before God and the translation of a person out of an estate of Enmity into an estate of Favour and Friedshipe in reference to which there must be a juridical sentence passed in the favours of the man through the impured Righteousness of Christ received by Faith while as this posterior act of pardon of a particular transgression is rather a Fatherly act pardoning the failing of his Son receiving him againe into his Fatherly embracements 11. Nor finally do we here speak of that sentence of Absolution that shall be pronunced at the last day for howbeit that may be called a Iustification yet it is not that Iustification whereof we are now speaking it doth not make such a change in the state of such as are thereby absolved as this doth and therefore in respect of this it is rather a publick Declaration and Manifestation before Angels and Men of their Iustification or being in a Iustified state who shall be adjudged unto eternal life than any Iustification connoteing a change of state seing none in that day will be justified but such as have been here partakers of this Iustification whereof we speak they who have been in heaven will need none such as have been in hell will expect none none of the living who have not by faith laid hold on Christ will hear any other sentence then depart from me ye cursed 12. The justification then whereof we here speak is That change of state before God which such are made partakers of as lay hold on Christ by faith through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ whereby they are brought into an estate of Favour Reconciliation with God who were before under his Wrath Curse and upon which they have all their iniquities whereof they are guilty actually pardoned are accepted of as Righteous and pronunced such through the Surety-Righteousness of Christ imputed to them and freed from the sentence Curse of the Law under which they were lying That we may cleare the nature of this life of Justification as to its continuance we shall lay down these few Propositions Propos. 1. Justification denoteth a State wherein the beleever is brought a real change as to state as a man accused of some crime keeped in prison till he be tryed
examined by an assise is really changed as to his Law state when cleared by an assise and pronunced not guilty and so absolved as to that whereof he was accused and set at liberty he is now a free man in Law much more is there a great change in a mans Law-state when before he was guilty of death lying bound in fetters keeped unto the day of execution and now getteth a free Remission of all when of a Man of death he is made a free liege as there is a change in a mans state and Relation when he is made an Adopted son so is there a new state wherein the sinner is brought when he is absolved from the sentence of the Law and declared a Righteous man Sanctification Regeneration and Glorification do all of them hold forth a new real State whereinto he is brought who is made partaker thereof so Iustification with Adoption held forth a new relative state which is also real as real is opposed to what is false or imaginary Hence is it that a beleever is justified even while he is sleeping not acting faith as a person remaineth in a married state though not actually consenting unto the match the consent once granted enstateth the person in that new Relation Propos. 2. This new state of Iustification is continueing permanent not in this sense that God reneweth frequently reiterateth the enstating of them into this new relative state but in this sense that once justified alwayes justified they are fixed preserved in that state as Adoption is a permanent state because once adopted alwayes a child of God Hence it is called a grace wherein me stand Rom. 5 2. It is a state of Reconciliation and Peace wherein we stand It is no fluctuating state wherein one may be to day be out of it to morrow and againe brought into it The ground of this sentence is fixed lasting and permanent to wit the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ once clothed therewith never naked or spoiled thereof againe the gifts and calling of God being with out Repentance Rom. 11 29. The foul's union with Christ through faith is lasting and abiding once in Him alwayes in Him once a member of his mystical body married to him as his spouse and alwayes so for he must finally present all such holy without spotâ or wrinkle or any such thing Ephes. 5 27. Faith whereby the knot is made and the marriage consent is given remaineth as to its root and habite Christ prayeth that it fail not Luk. 22 32. They are keeped by the power of God through faith unto Salvation 1. Pet. 1 5. All the arguments proving Perseverance of the Saints which we cannot here summe-up do confirme this Propos. 3. Hence Iustification is a State that is not Interrupted and broken off and renewed and reiterated againe as it cannot be quite taken away and annulled so neither can it be broken off for a time so as for that time they should be in a non-justified state the marriage once made is not broken the sentence once pronunced is not recalled sinnes once pardoned by God are not laid againe to his charge The Spirit that once spoke peace said Son be of good cheer thy sinnes are forgiven thee will not be againe a Spirit of bondage unto fear Rom. 8 15. If Iustification could at any time be thâs interrupted Adoption behoved to be interrupted with it and so a childe of God behoved to be for that time a childe of the devil The Scripture speaketh not of any such relapse into the state of Nature Sin And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus by the Spirit of our God 1. Cor. 6 11. once brought out of Nature never reduced into that state againe No more new Iustification than new Adoption once quickened never againe brought into a state of death in trespasses sins Ephes. 2 1 5. for such are then brought into a saife state being quickened together with Christ as Christ being raised from the death dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him Rom. 6 9. so they who are planted with him in the likeness of his Death and Resurrection may alwayes reckon themselves dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ vers 4 5 11. Hence there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8 1. They are not under the Law but under grace Rom. 6 14. And this holdeth true notwithstanding of after-sins for if after-sins remanent sinnes and corruption could break of this relation and make an alteration in this state no man should be said to be one day in a justified state for the best of men falleth seven times a day in sin and no man can say that he is free of sin there being no perfection here there could be no state of Justification consequently no state of Adoption and Reconciliation if after-sins could break of this Relation or Relative State a beleever could not be said to be partaker of any of the privileges attending this state for one day to end New sins indeed call for new Remissions but these new Remissions are fatherly pardons and not such a sentence of absolution as the person had at first when translated out of the Rate of Death into Life for then the person was not a reconciled Son but now he standeth in a state of Reconciliation and Sonshipe his new pardons are the pardons of a Father granted to a Son as we see Psal. 89 30 31 32 33 34. If his children forsake my Law and walk not in my judgments if they break my statutes keep not my commendements then will I visite their transgression with the rod their iniquity with stripes never the less my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my fatihfulness to fail my Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone of my lips So 1 Ioh. 1 8 9. If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins 2 1 2. My little children these things write I unto you that ye sin not and if any man sin we have an Advocat with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous And he is the Propitiation for our sins Psal. 103 3 8 9 12 13. Who forgiveth all thine Iniquities The Lord is merciful and gracious slow to anger plenteous in mercy he will not alwayes chide neither will he keep his anger for ever as far as the east is from the West so far hath heremoved our transgressions from us like as a Father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him So this state remaineth firme and unbroken notwithstanding of the various changes which are in their apprehensions concerning it these may
world in order to his information Moreover there is but one Accusation here brought in against the man from the Law from the Righteous Iudge to wit That he is a sinner therefore a son of death therefore there is but one sentence requisite for as for that Accusation that the person hath not performed the Condition of the new Covenant neither will the Law-giver or judge nor can the Law bring it in against a Beleever and what Satan the accuser of the Brethren or what a blinde or prejudged World or what a man 's own blinde deceitful heart shall or can herein do is of no consideration in reference to a Iustification which is before God in his sight But 2. Against this twofold Iustification I would say that all that is mentioned concerning Gospel Iustification in Scripture agreeth but to one the very contrary thereof must be attributed to the other new-coyned Iustification according to his own explication thereof the one is by faith the other is for faith the one is by faith alone withour works the other is because of Faith Works too the one is an act of God's free Grace the other is an act of pure Iustice the one is of a sinner and of an ungodly person the other is of a Righteous man as such because such the one taketh away all boasting and all gloriation even before men the other not the one maketh the reward of free grace the other of due debt the one is because of a Righteousness without us the other because of a personal inherent Righteousness The publicans language God be merciful to me a sinner suiteth the one best The Pharisees language or some thing like it God I thank thee I am a beleever c. suiteth the other best In the one the one the man can plead no innocencie in the other he can must plead himself not guilty in the one the sinner must say with David Psal. 143 2. enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified in the other he may and must say enter into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight I shall be justified Other things or this Nature might be mentioned but these are sufficient 3. This New Justification must of necessity be a justification of conscience or in it or terminated in it because it is not before God or in his sight where the world or the deceived heart the chiefe accusers here do not compear to accuse Satans accusing them before God can cause no trouble to them untill he come as an Accuser before conscience give in false summonds there And therefore it is not the Justification by Faith treated of in Scripture as himself proveth in his Confession Chap. 8. pag. 189. c. 4. This will make way for moe Iustifications than two for as faith must be justified so must Repentance so must also Works Perseverance in them to the end If it be said that all these make but one compleet Condition therefore give ground but to one sentence I answer Then no man can have this sentence pronounced upon him to wit to be one that hath performed the Condition until he hath persevered unto the end finished his course this being the first Iustification at least in order of Nature before the other a man must be dead before he be justified from the Law yea or with this Iustification and yet we hear of Iustification in this life Further this will make way for moe Justifications upon this account that it is a declaration of the man to be what he is indeed to have what he hath indeed so as hereby tho man who hath true saving faith must be justified upon that account so the man that hath but an historical faith must be justified in so far in comparison of him that is a meer infidel and may plead his own cause so far even before God's tribunal so may the man that hath but a legal Repentance in respect of him that hath none at all the man that performeth Works materially good though not in a right manner in comparison of him that doth not so much himself tels us pag. 8 ag Cartwright of a 3 sold Accusation 1. that we are not beleevers 2. That we are not true beleevers 3. that we are ââlifidians that accordingly there must be several wayes of justification 5 This will lay the ground for God's multiplying or frequently reiterating of one the same Iustification for Iustification presupposeth alwayes an Accusation seing neither God nor the Law will ever accuse a Beleever of being no Beleever only Satan the world his own Misguided Conscience it now if the Accusation of these or of Satan alone as he seemeth to insinuat p. 81. else where against Mr. Cartwright be enough to lay the foundation of such a Iustification then as oft as this Accusation is renewed how oft that may be who can tell must the Lord reiterat his sentence of Iustification and pronunce the man a true Beleever and it will not be sufficient to say that it will suffice if the Lord manifest to the Mansconscience that he a beleever for why shall that be sufficient now more than at the first and if this take away the necessity of reiterating the sentence it will also say that there was no necessity for pronuncing the sentence of his being a beleever at the first None need to say that this same may be alledged against our Iustification before God for the Iustification we only owne is in reference to the Accusation of the Law of Justice of God the Righteous Judge under whose Curse the sinner lyeth until he be justified when he is once justified through faith in Christ he is no more troubled with their Accusations for neither God nor Law nor Gospel accuse a Beleever of being an Unbeleever under the Curse againe whatever Satan his own misguided conscience or others may do 6. He groundeth his twosold Iustification p. 93. 94. upon a twosold Covenant with distinct conditions a twosold Accusation for non-performance of the one of the other But thus as he shall make us to be justified by the old Covenant of works that by the principal justification an absurdity that he frequently loadeth our opinion with so he maketh all the justification which is according to the new-Covenant to be upon because of our own personal Righteousness which is also repugnant to the whole Gospel We do not performe the conditions of the first Covenant and all the liberation from the Curse of that Covenant under which we are by Nature is through the Surety-Righteousness of Christ imputed to us received by faith and the Gospel or new-Covenant revealeth no other way of Justification to us As for the distinct accusations we have said enough already Neither the Lord nor his Law do
ever accuse a Beleever of not being a beleever as for Satans or others accusations of this kind a well informed conscience from the light of the word of the Spirit clearing up the work of faith in the soul the true real works of a lively faith will be sufficient to quiet the beleever stop the mouth of all these Accusers without the fiction of a new distinct Justification whereof the Scripture is silent But Mr. Baxter in his last reply to Mr. Cartwright explaineth the matter far otherwayes telling us pag. 46. and forward That the first justification is by God as Rector only by the pure Law of works as Creator the other by God in Christ as Redeemer Rector of the Redeemed world The first is conditionally past upon the whole condemned world that without any condition in man whether faith or works so it is both absolute conditional In the first the Father first condemned his Son as it were see pag. 52. after satisfaction given justified first him as Sponsor then the world for his sake thus God forgave those all the debt who yet perish by taking their fellow servant by the throat Here is a justification both absolute conditional Here is pardon no pardon Here is a justification of all the Reprobat Here is a justification of persons not in being prior to without all faith This therefore is not the justification whereof the Scriptures speak as himself proveth in his Confession CHAP. XX. The state of justification remaineth notwithstanding of after sinnes punishments FOr further clearing up of this life of Justification as to its Continuance we shall remove two objections that may seem to stand in the way of the truth hitherto cleared For it would seem that Justification is not such a continueing uninterruptible state as it was said to be upon this double account first That the sinnes which Beleevers who are justified do commit especially such as are of a more hainous crying Nature do break off this state of favoure reconciliation seing they deserve even the least of them God's wrath curse so expose the sinner unto the just revenges of God which seemeth not to be consistent with a state of Justification And then secondly as their sinnes deserve God's curse wrath so the many sharp sore afflictions which they are made to lye under both are effects of the wrath of God fruites of the Curse also would say that that state is such as can be broken off or at least is not perfect as it was said to be Now for clearing of the truth formerly asserted vindicating of the same from these two Objections to which all others may be reduced we shall propose some few things to consideration 1. None will say that every sin of infirmity weakness which beleevers commit doth or can cut them off from the state of justification for then they should never remaine one day to end in that state for no man liveth that sinneth not the Righteous fall seven times a day if the Lord should stricklymark iniquity no man should stand even the best of their actions are defiled with sin and they cannot answere for one of a thousand So that either it must be said there is no state of justification or that it is consistent with sin in the justified Justification though it take away all the guilt of by paft sins and free the beleever from that obnoxiousness to the wrath curse of God which they were formerly under yet it preventeth not all future sinnes not doth it put the beleever into a perfect sinless state nay nor doth it kill any one sin as to its being but only taketh away the guilt offensiveness the obligation to punishment or the reatus poenae whereby the sinner is bound over unto the Penalty 2. As for such sins as we may suppose if committed would ipso facto as they say forfeit the transgressour of the state of Justification destroy all interest in Christ in the Covenant of grace so transferre them into their former state of Nature while they were under the Curse as being sins inconsistent with a state of Grace Reconciliation with God such as the sin against the Holy Ghost or of full final Apolstasie as for such sins I say the faithfulness of God Mediation of Christ the Operation of the Spirit of Grace are as it were engadged to keep the Iustified from falling into them as all the Arguments proving the perseverance of the Saints do abundantly evince 3. Though every sin being a transgression of the Law of God which still remaineth in force to oblige the beleever as all others unto obedience in all points doth in its own nature deserve God's wrath curse according to the threatning penalty of the Law yet these sins do not annul the state of justification nor interupt it 1 because notwithstanding thereof all their former sins of which they were pardoned remaine pardoned do not bring them againe under the curse their Right to the Inheritance remaineth fiâme through Jesus Christ. 2 Because all these after sins were virtually pardoned their obligation to the suffering of the penalty upon the account of these virtually removed in their Iustification for therein was there a legal security laid down given that all future sins should not actually bring them under the curse or into the state of condemnation this is much more than what was before their actual closing with Christ being thereby brought into an estate of justification for though it may be said there was sufficient security laid-in in the Covenant of Redemption betwixt Iehovah the Mediator concerning the Non-perishing of the Elect Yet this security was hid under ground lying in the unchangable purposes of God in the Fathers Election of them giving of them to the Son to be redeemed in the Son 's undertaking for them in due time becoming sin a curse for them so taking on their debt making full compleet satisfaction therefore And this fundamental remote Right as it may be called could not be pleaded by themselves But after they have closed with Christ and are brought into a state of justification their Right appeareth above ground and the security is laid open in the Covenant of Grace whereby they are in case to plead their virtual pardon to be made actual the promises to be made good according to the Gospel termes after the Gospel-method And thus 3. Not only doth the law's threatnings speak to them as shewing what de jure only they may look upon us due unto them not declaring what shall eventually befall them or that eventually they shall fall under the eternal curse for in a sense that is true even of all the elect not yet justified as was said but they have a legal ground Right in the
as things historically recorded working up the man in whom it is unto a voluntary profession of that truth This though true in its kinde yet is not saving seing many may have this who are strangers to true saving Faith Simon Magns beleeved thus Act. 8 13. who yet was but in the gall of bitterness in the bond of iniquity vers 23. Many beleeved in the name of Christ when they saw the miracles which he did to whom notwithstanding Christ did not commit himself Ioh. 2 23 24. Christ had many disciples who professed the truth and yet went back walked no more with him Ioh. 6 66. This faith when it cometh no further is but such a Faith as devils have who beleeve there is a God tremble Iam. 2 19. This is the fruitless workless Faith that iames speaketh of Iam. 2 14. that cannot save which he calleth a dead faith vers 17 20. a faith that cannot work with works vers 22. There is a Temporary faith which whether we look upon as distinct from the preceeding historical faith or as an higher measure degree thereof the matter is not much is also different from far short of this saving Faith whereby a man cometh to live the life of Iustification though it hath some effect wrought upon the affections this is the stonie-ground that receiveth the sowen seed Mat. 13 20 21. These are they who hear the word and anon with joy receive it yet have no root in themselves but endure for a while only for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word by by they are offended 2. Every act of saving Faith is not the justifying act of faith or that act thereof whereby we are Justified before God Saving Faith hath many several acts as we may see Heb. 11. Though where ever there are any of the real acts of saving faith that man hath also acted justifying faith yet we may look on Justifying Faith or on the act of faith whereby the soul becometh Justified as some way distinct from other acts of Saving Faith Though by saving Faith we come to understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God Heb. 11 3. not in a meer historical manner but savingly yet that act of saving Faith is not the Justifying act thereof to speak so Though the same Faith by which the Ancients subdued kingdomes stopped the mouthes of Lions quenched the violence of fire c. was that by which they were justified yet these were not justifying acts of that faith that is in order to justification faith acteth in another peculier manner Though it be one the same saving faith whereby a beleever is united unto Christ in order to answer the Challenges Accusations of the Law to free him from guilt condemnation and maketh use of Christ's Right Strength Support c. in times of Darkness Temptations Difficulties yet these acts of the same faith are not the same but may be looked upon as distinct Faith acteth one way on Christ in order to Justification another way in order to Sanctification Faith acteth one way when it receiveth in and another way when it giveth out as it were Faith acteth one way on Christ as Priest and it acteth another way upon him as Prophet as King yet we would know that in all these actings of faith whole Christ is laid hold upon though more expresly explicitly in the uniting act whereby the soul is married unto Jesus thereby becometh one spirit with him There can be no use making of Christ for any end whatsomever untill the soul be united with himself and in every act of faith whereby Christ is made use of for what ever particular mercy the Beleever would have be it Pardon Light Strength Comfort or such like Christ himself is gripped to laid hold on for there is no separating of Him his favours yet the Beleever while gripping laying hold on whole Christ taketh him up under that Relation and eyeth that Office that most neerly answereth to and correspondeth with his present necessity and pointeth forth that good which he is now desirous of so acteth faith suitablie or putteth forth faith in suitable acts as for example when the beleever is troubled with conscience of guilt he runneth to Christ yet in a special manner he goeth to him as Priest eyeth that Blood that only can purge consciences from dead works Heb. 9 14. When he is troubled with Raging Corruptions would have them subdued or would have his hard Rebellious Heart made more soft pliable to God's will he goeth to Christ yet in special manner he eyeth Christ as a King acteth Faith upon him accordingly So when he is troubled with Ignorance Doubts and Darkness he goeth to Christ yet he eyeth him thân especially as a Prophet accordingly acteth Faith upon him Yet we would know that when the Beleever acteth thus in this different manner upon Christ whether as a Prophet or as a Priest or as a King there is no exclusion far less any denyal of the other offices which cannot be because Christ himself consequently whole Christ is alwayes He to whom the beleever goeth though with a more express explicite special application to usemaking of that office work of Christ which most suiteth the beleevers present necessity Now though all these acts of faith be acts of saving faith yet they are not all that act of faith which is or may be for distinctions sake called the Justifying act of faith for this is that act of faith only which the soul exerteth in order to Justification and Absolution from the Curse of the Law 3. This Faith is no product of the power of Nature accompanied with all its advantages elevated to its highest pitch to the highest measure of accomplishments Nature as now corrupted depraved not only will not willingly complye with the designe of Grace in the Gospel but it cannot being nothing but pure enmity to the holy Wayes Counsels of God all its mindings are of the flesh and all the minding of the flesh or the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8 7. Persons deluded by Satan may imagine suppose with themselves that it is so wholly in their power to beleeve that they can exerte that Faith at what time so ever they will But howbeit out of their own mouths such unbeleevers stand convinced condemned for their not beleeving yet the mighty power of God's Spirit must be exerted ere they be brought unto a beleeving frame or their souls be made to look towards Jesus in earnest so as to lay hold on him by Faith Therefore is Faith called the gift of God Ephes. 2 8. There is the working of the might of God's power requisite unto beleeving Ephes. 1 19. Such then as have not the workings of the
the end he may be brought to act Faith on the offered mediator Mediation accept thereof as his only Cure Remedie 7. So that when the Spirit worketh up the soul to beleeve he causeth him sweetly acquiesce in the way of Redemption revealed in the Gospel and to count it a faithful saying and worthie of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners 1. Tim. 1 15. and to comply sweetly with the designe thereof in all points and for that end to close with Christ and to accept of him upon his offer and particularly to rest upon him and his Righteousness revealed in the Gospel as the only ground of their hope peace This being the thing that their soul longeth after to wit how they shall get guilt taken away they be clothed with a Righteousness wherein they may with confidence appeare before God the Spirit of God when working the soul up to a compliance with the remedie held forth in the Gospel causeth them accept of Christ as made of God unto them Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification Redemption and every such soul to say In the Lord our Righteousness have I Righteousness In him alone will I look for Pardon Acceptance Reconciliation life on him alone will I roll my debt there will I rest in hope 8. Therefore this Faith though it bring the soul unto Christ as the only Redeemer and is the mans clasping his armes about him embraceing him as all his Salvation rolling all his weight upon him yet it looketh to in a special manner eyeth the Satisfaction Merites Righteousness of Christ for that is it which the man mainly now standeth in need of Justice must be satisfied saith he my sins must be pardoned I must be accepted in favour with God I must have a Righteousness where with my sins may be covered and the month of justice of the Law of my challenging conscience may be stopped whereby I may have Right to life and this being held forth in the Gospel Faith bringeth the soul to a resting on this Righteousness of Christ that he may be found in Christ not having his own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by faith Phil. 3 9. This is to beleeve on Christ Ioh. 3 16 36. Act. 16 31. faith in his blood Rom. 3 25. Thus the soul refugeth it self from the storme of wrath under the wings of Christ and hideth itself as it were in him from the avenger of bloud the wrath of an angry God purseing for a broken Law And here the Man abideth hid in Christ and eleaveth to him as being glued to him and utterly unwilling to be separat from him or to appear without his garment of Righteoâsness which faith fasteneth on the soul and the man by faith trusteth to this way and resteth upon it with full confidence nothing doubting of his saiftie thereby 9. By this we see how the way of justification by Gospel-faith serveth both for setting forth the Glory of God the Riches of Free Grace and for abaseing of Man as also for secureing of Life unto the Beleever for 1 Hereby the Man is convinced of his guilt declareth himself to be guilty for he his guilty before God ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Rom. 3 19. he is made speachless knowing nothing to speak in his own defence nor no apologie to give in his mouth is stopped and he can say nothing but cry out guilty I am a childe of death the Lord is Righteous should he damne me for ever I must justifie him when he speaketh and cleare him when he judgeth Psal. 51 4. 2 Hereby the Man pronunceth sweareth himself poor bare he forsaketh all and renunceth all that formerly he had any eye upon or confidence in counting them losse dung as Paul did Phil. 3. He proclameth himself Empty Lost Naked and declareth he hath nothing that he can leane to within himself He accounteth all his former Righteousness to be nothing but rotten rags and filthy rags and Professeth that he knoweth nothing within himself wherefore or whereupon he can expect Reconciliation with the Lord and to be Accepted of him 3 Thus all ground or occasion of boasting or of glorying before men is taken away from the beleever Rom. 3 27. 4 1. 4 Thus the glorious beauty of free Grace shineth forth Therefore it is of faith that it might be of grace Rom. 4 16. Grace here appeareth in its own glory when free grace without us contrare to our demerites doth all provideth the Sacrifie accepteth of the same in their behalfe for whom it was offered up bringeth them to the actual participation of the fruites and effects thereof by working up their hearts to a satisfaction in it to a resting upon it all this freely out of free Love It is corruptly said by the fore mentioned Author of that discourse of the two Covenants pag. 42. that Grace appeareth in the Lord 's making Faith the condition of the promise in that great things are promised upon such a possible practicable easie condition as faith is considering the meanes and assistance promised by God to work it for this spoileth Grace of its Glory when Man is looked upon said to be the principal author of saith as he is upon the matter said to be when all that God doth is but called assistance and at least the man may challenge as his owne no small share of the Glory of acting Faith and of going so great a length in the way to Faith without any more assistence than he hath need of to eate his meat when hungry and of going on his own feet to the very place where God stood ready to lend him a hand to help him forward Not to mentione how this altereth the whole Nature of the Covenant of Grace making it nothing but a new edition of the old Covenant of works 5 It is of faith to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed Rom. 4 16. When all the business is wrought as it were to our hand and nothing more requisite to interesse us in the noble Effects of all than our consent this also is wrought by the Spirit of God conforme to the Covenant of Redemption can a more ensureing way be imagined Alas what ground of Confidence or of Certainty can the Arminian Socinian way followed by the formentioned Author give to a poor soul When all is made to hang upon the tottering inconstant will of man who hath no more from God but some common assistances standing ready to attend him if he advance so far his alone without them when he hath gotten them to day may run back undo all againe to morrow Apostatize for ever for this also is a part of that Gospel that this man will teach us pag. 135. if we
is conceived to have when justified upon the account of which he is justified he should not only have occasion but even cause of boasting before men notwithstanding of the disproportion betwixt faith the weight of glory for it might then be said that he had made himself to differ that he had laid down out of his own purpose the whole price that was required and so had according to the termes of the Compact made a purchase of glory to himself as the man with the pin in his sleeve if the Law Covenant had so stood that all that gave the Prince a Pin out of his sleeve shall receive such such great things he only a few moe were so good merchants as to give the Pin when others did not might well have boasted said he had not gotten those great things for nothing for he laid down the full price condescended upon by Law Covenant and had ground of boasting at least before men though not before the Prince who graciously condescended to reward so richly such a mean gift 3 This answere will say that there had been no ground of boasting even by the old Covenant of works though man had keeped the Law perfectly for even then it might have been said that the weight of glory was not given for the really worth excellency of perfect Obedience Perfect Obedience Holiness having its sufficient reward in its own besome for it is a reward to it self But he saith If men had fulfilled the Law bin justified that way there had been some pretence of boasting or glorying in themselves Ans. And why not also if faith be now accounted the fulfilling of the Law and be now imputed to us as all our Righteousness Let us see if the reasons which he bringeth for the former will not also evince this His first is this Because such a Righteonsness had held some proportion at least that should have been given to it Rom. 4. vers 4. God had given them no more than what they had at least in some sort deserved Ans. But who can tell us what that proportion or that sort would have been And may not also the Righteousness of Faith which is here supposed to be of our selves and not the meer gift of God be said to hold some proportion at least in some fort Yea may it not in this respect be said to hold a greater proportion viz. that the exerting of the act of Faith now would argue more strength of free will to that which is good that Perfect Obedience in Adam for though we should suppose that man now had as full a power to beleeve if he would as Adam had to obey yet it cannot be denied but there is much more opposition now even within to that which is good than there was in Adam and consequently that the vertue appearing in the acting of Faith must be conceived as greater than what could have appeared in Adam's full obedience who had nothing within to oppose him or prove a remora in his way As it would argue more valour for a weak souldier to go a quarter of a mile fighting with his enemies in the way then for a giant to go twentie miles wherein he should meet with no opposition But though the proportion were granted to be greater betwixt the reward and Adam's Obedience than is betwixt the reward Faith yet there must be will be a proportion granted for majus minus non variant speciem degrees make no variation in kinde 2 Can or will it be said that God had given the perfect obeyer no more than he had in some sort at least deserved if we should suppose there had been no promise made of such a reward to obeyers or antecedently to a Covenant And if this cannot be said as it cannot be said by any I suppose who seriously consider the matter then the reward was made such only by God's free Condescension God had in that case given what they had deserved according to the Covenant made wherein such a reward was promised to obeyers and in justice bestowing it as a reward upon such as did fulfill the condition Now when Faith is said to have the same place in the New Covenant that Perfect Obedience had in the old and so the same Efficacy influence in the reward withall it is supposed that Faith is now no more the gift of God than Perfect Obedience was under the old Law is it not as true now that God giveth no more than what beleevers have by Faith at least in some sort deserved by vertue of the Compact New Covenant wherein this reward is promised as it would have been under the old Covenant And is it not hence also manifest that the New Covenant is made to be of the same Nature with the Old and that the reward is as well now of debt as is would have been by the Old Covenant Is it not also hence undeniable that hereby there is a proportion acknowledged in some sort betwixt Faith the Reward where is then the difference Let us see if his next reason will helpe here Secondly he saith because if they had made out their happiness that way they had done it out of themselves that is out of the strength of those abilities which were essential to their Natures in the strickest most proper sense that can be spoken of or applied to a creature their owne Ans. 1 When he supposeth as we saw in the Exception the act of Beleeving to be from a mans self must we not also say that the beleever making out his happiness this way doth it out of himself though not out of the strength of abilities essential to his Nature 2 I much doubt if those abilities if he speak of moral abilities as he must or speak nothing to the purpose can be said to have been essential to mans Nature for then it would follow that man after he lost these abilities as it must be granted he did when he fell was no more a compleet man wanting something that was essential to his nature These abilities may be said to have been natural or con-natural to him considering the state the Lord thought good to create him in and so not meerly supernatural but how they can be said to have been Essential to his Nature I see not 2 When God gave Adam these Abilities and thereby furnished him with a sufficient stock was he not to acknowledge God for all that he did or was he afterward to act without dependance upon or influence from God the first Cause If not as it is confessed when it is said to be so only in a sense that can agree to a creature and when Faith is here supposed to be from mans self acting in the same dependance on God and receiving the same influence from him as the first Cause may not Faith also be said to be mans own in as strick
faire for such to object this who of all others make the Scriptures to speak most figurativly tropâcally when they have a minde to evade the dint of our arguments from Scripture of which very many instances might be adduced It cannot but seem strange to any who hath read the Scriptures with attention to hear one with such confidence saying that the naming of the act for the object is such an harsh uncouth expression figure of speach as is not to be found in all the Scriptures againe when the same man hereafter cannot but confess that Hop is oft put for the thing hoped for and is manifest from Rom. 8 24. Col. 1 5 27. else where also faith put for Christ Gal. 3 23. twice 25. once This putting the object for the act is a known and common Hebraisme His 2. consideration is this It is evident said he that that faith or beleeving which vers 3. is said to be imputed to Abraham for righteousness is opposed to works or working vers 5. Now between faith properly taken works and so between beleeving working there is a constant opposition but between the active obedience of Christ works there is no opposition Ans. It is most true that in the matter of justification beleeving is opposed to working that constantly and therefore he is concerned to look to it who will have us considering Faith here only in such a way as it cannot be opposed to but every way agree with works as one of them 2 The opposition betwixt our Righteousness consisting in works which we do the Surety-Righteousness of Christ consisting not in his Obedience Active only as he mistakingly supposeth all alongs but in both active passive Obedience whereby he gave full satisfaction to the Law in all its demands is so Palpable that it cannot be well dissembled far less denied His 3. Consideration is that it is said vers 5. His faith is imputed to him where it is evident that that faith whatsoever we understand by it which is imputed for Righteousness is His that is some what that truely properly may be called his before such imputation be made unto him Now it cannot be said of the Righteousness of Christ that that is any mans before the imputation of it be made unto him But faith properly taken is the beleevers before it be imputed at least in order of nature if not of time Ans. The words vers 5. are His faith is counted for or unto Righteousness And so whatever be understood by faith it may in some respect at least in order of nature be his before it be counted for or unto Righteousness or reckoned upon his score Yea it must so be that it may rightly be reckoned on his score And this is clear of the Righteousness of Christ which becometh the beleevers by faith and is given to him bestowed upon him so made his by vertue of his union with Christ through faith His mistake lyeth here that he taketh these words counted for Righteousness to be every way the same with imputing to or bestowing upon a person while as the formal difference is manifest though the one includeth the other Accounting unto Righteousness doth in this matter presuppose the Imputation or bestowing of that which is counted to such an end Further why may not his faith denote the object of his faith as our hope or our love may denote the object of our hope love And whence then shall there any necessitie arise to say that that object shall be truely properly called his before the Imputation of it be made unto him taking this Imputation for bestowing as he seemeth here to do but if Imputation be taken for counting on their score it presupposeth their interest in the same prior in order of nature as is said that most manifestly In the fourth place he saith Though we should grant a trope in this place by faith its object should be meaned Yet it will not follow that the Righteousness of Christ should be here said to be imputed but either God himself or the promise of God for it was God be beleeved vers 3. Ans. In that promise made to Abraham which he beleeved the summe of the Gospel was comprehended as Paul himself teacheth us Gal. 3 8. And this promise was a bundle of promises and therefore is called promises in the plural number Gal. 3 16 21. and was the Covenant confirmed of God in Christ vers 17. the Inheritance vers 18. life vers 21. which cannot be had without a Righteousness Ibid. even the Righteousness of Faith that was to come to wit of Christ vers 22 23 24. who is the only mediator vers 20. and is there expresly called Christ was to be revealed Hence they that have beleeved in Christ Jesus are baptized into Christ and have put on Christ and are in Christ are Christ's are Abraham's seed heirs according to the promise vers 26 27 28 29. And if such be Abraham's seed Abraham must have been such himself that Father Children may be of one Complexion for the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the Law but through the Righteousness of faith Rom. 4 13. that is through the Righteousness of Christ the object of faith who is expresly called Faith Gal. 3 23 25. And it is added Rom. 4 14. for if they which are of the Law be heirs faith is made void and the promise made of none effect Faith that may be Christ the object of faith is made void all the actings of faith upon him are vaine of none effect conforme to what the same Apostle saith Gal. 2 21. If Righteousness come by the Law then Christ is dead in vaine And as this Faith is made void so the promises of this Faith that was to come are of no effect Therefore the object of Abraham's Faith was Christ the promised Messiah that Faith that was to come and the Righteousness of that Faith He reckoneth up in the following words to very little purpose the several objects of faith from Ioh 3 16. 5 46. 20 31. 8 24. Rom. 10 9. 1. Pet. 1 21. Ioh. 12 44. 1. Ioh. 5 10. And supposeth that no where Christ's Righteousness is mentioned as the Object But where ever Faith or its Object is mentioned in the matter of justification Christ's Righteousness is never excluded more then himself for as himself was the Cautioner so his Righteousness was fide-jussry faith acting upon one must necessarily act on both these being inseparable beside that elsewhere this is expresly enough mentioned Yet he granteth that it is of nearer concernment to the maine to beleev this righteousness of Christ than the beleeving of many other things besides comprehended in the Scriptures But why I pray if this belong not to the object of justifying
to the Efficient for neither do all Philosophers agree to this some holding Instruments to be a fift kinde of Cause nor are we obliged to stand to their prescriptions rules especially in these things that are no natural causes or effects no man saith that faith hath the same kind measure of Efficiency in towards the effect justification that all Instrumental causes or Instrumental causes so called have in the Effects which they concurre to the producing of what efficiency hath an examplary cause which some Philosophers reduce to the efficient viz. Keckerman But that Faith hath some Influence is manifest from the Scripture not of it self it is true but by the gracious appointment of God and that this Influence cannot be better more saifly expressed than by the name of an Instrument appeareth to us clear hereby nothing of the glory due to God or unto Jesus Christ and to his Righteousness is ascribed unto man nor is any more hereby granted unto Man than to a beggar as to the enriching of himself when it is said his hand made him rich by receiving the Purse of gold that was given unto him yea hereby is Christ his Righteousness more fixedly established in their due place because faith is considered not as a Righteousness of it self nor as a part of Righteousness but purely and simply as an Instrument of the soul laying hold on the Righteousness of Christ and pleading the same as the only Formal ground of his justification before God If it be said that it were saifer to call it a causa sine qua non We must first know what is properly signified thereby whether it will help us more to understand the just true import of the Scripture expressions about Faith in Justification for no termes ought to be used that attaine not this end or have not a direct tendency thereunto such termes however we may please our selves in the invention of their application unto the business in hand and think we are in case to defend the same against opponents yet if they do not contribute manifestly to the clearing and explaining of the matter according to the Scriptures can only darken the matter And no reason can enforce us to embrace them with the arbitrary explications limitations of the Authors and to reject or lay aside such as do more obviously explaine the matter unto all such as have orthodox apprehensions of the matter and have given offence to none nor have been excepted against by any but such as were not orthodox in the point of justification whose erroneous Principles led them to deny or except against the same And what for a cause shall we take that causa sine qua non to be which cannot be so explained in our language as that every one that heareth it shall be in case to understand what it meaneth Such as speak of it call it causa fatua and referre to it external occasions time place and such like things without which the action cannot proceed as the place wherein we stand the time wherein we do any thing which have no more interest in or relation to one action than another for all must be done by us in some time and in some place And shall we say that faith hath no other interest or influence in justification than the hour of the day when or the place wherein a minister preacheth hath into his preaching Shall we have so meane low an account of the ordinances appointments of God in reference to spiritual ends Seing the Lord hath appointed Faith in order to Justification we must not look upon it as a causa fatua or as a meer circumstance but as having some kindly influence in the effect by vertue of the appointment of God such a connexion therewith that it no sooner existeth but as soon justification followeth Faith then can not be called a meer causa sine qua non Historical faith several other antecedents may be a conditio or causa sine qua non for no man of age can be justified without it yet we may not say that we justified by it as by saving faith the same may be said of Conviction Sense of sin of some measure at least of legal Repentance and of desire of Pardon of Peace which yet may be and oft are without justification And it may also seem strange how this causa sine qua non can be called a potestative condition or how that which is said to be a proper Potestative Condition ex cujus praestatione constituitur jus actuale ad beneficium can be called a meer conditio or causa sine qua non seing it hath such a considerable moral influence in the effect But saith Mr. Baxter against Mr. Blake § 27 faith cannot justifie both as a Condition as an Instrument of Iustification for either of them importeth the proximam causalem rationem of faith as to the effect it is utterly inconsistent with its nature to have two such different neerest causal interests Ans. When we speak of Faiths justifying as an Instrument we consider the physical or quasi physical way of its operation and denote only its kindly acting on Jesus Christ and on his Righteousness which it layeth hold on applyeth apprehendeth putteth on And when we say it justifieth as a condition we consider it as appointed of God unto that end as placed by Him in that state relation unto justification which now it hath And either of these can be called the proxima ratio causalis of Faith according to its different consideration if justification meaning not God's act only but the complex relative change be considered in genere Physico or quasi physico then the neerest causal interest of faith is its instrumentality but if it be considered in genere morali or legali then its neerest causal interest is that it is a condition As when a rich man bestoweth a purse of gold on a beggar requireth that he in order to the possessing of it streatch forth his hand take it considering this act of enriching him in genere physico his hand acteth herein as an Instrument apprehending the purse taking it to himself considering this in genere legali or morali the streatching forth of his hand and apprehending the purse is a condition for so the donor hath determined to give the riches after such a manner methode for his own ends according to his good pleasure Thus we see how faith can in its way produce one the same effect of justification both as an Instrument and as a Condition taking these termes in a large sense according to the matter in hand Mr. Baxter saith Confess p. 89. he denieth that Faith is an Instrument of Iustification because he dar not give so much of Christ's honour to man or any act of mans as to be an efficient cause of pardoning himself Ans. And he
closed entered into this âs denied and abundantly confuted by Mr. Durham in the forecited Digression 4. But the Question is if Repentance hath the same Place Office Use Consideration in Justification that Faith hath so that it may be every way as well as fully called the Coudition of Justification as Faith is so that it is called for in order to Justification upon the same account and under the same formality that Faith is called for Socinians Arminians as we heard above joine Repentance Faith in the same Order Place ascribe the same Office Use Power unto both in order to Justification And Mr. Baxter tels us Confess pag. 37. n. 19. That Repentance is made by God in the Gospel a proper Condition of our first general pardon of sin as well as Faith is And he laith down a ground for this interest of Repentance which I suppose will reach to the including of other works also in the foregoing n. 18. saying a quatenus ad omne valeâ consequentia If faiths formal interest in pardon be as it is the Condition of the act of pardon then whatsoever is such a Condition must have the same Kind of formal interest as faith By the first general purdon of sin here he meaneth Justification for with him Remission of sins Justification is all one thing And yet afterward pag. 96. Concl. 29. he hath words which would seem to give some peculiar interest unto Faith so contradict what is here said for he saith If any say that seing faith hath a peculiar aptitude to this office therefore it must have a peculiar Interest I answere so it hath For I it doth alone without merites or any positive Gospel works of obedience as such at least procure as far as belongs to its office our first full Justification 2. The love of Christ received Gratitude c. are but as modification of Faith which is called the receiving itself Though some of them be distinct physical acts yet all the rest morally considered are but as it were the modification of faith I mean of that act which is the acceptance of Christ life freely given c. Now I suppose he will grant as he doth above as we may see that Repentance hath not that peculiar aptitude to this office that Faith hath consequently cannot have that peculiar Interest as he confesseth I suppose also that he will put Repentance in the same rank with Gospel-Works of Obedience consequently it must no more share of that special Interest that belongeth to Faith in this office than they I suppose likewise that he will grant Repentance to be but a Modification of Faith as well as Love Gratitude and then I would know how Repentance can be said to be as proper a Condition of Justification as Faith is Sure if it be as proper it must have as peculiar an interest for this peculiarity of Interest cannot respect its aptitude meerly but it s deââgned appointed state in that office otherwayes the objection which he moved and answered should have this sense seing Faith hath a peculiar aptitude to this office therefore it must have a peculiar aptitude to this office which were non sense Now that Repentance hath not the same Interest in Justification that Faith hath we judge evident from these grounds 1. The Scripture tels us that we are justified by Faith and that several times not only saith it but proveth it as we saw above But it no where saith that we are justified by Repentance And reason would require that such as say that Repentance hath the same Interest in Justification that faith hath should tell us where it is said we are justified by Repentance for when it is thus said of Faith no where thus said of Repentance there must be a vast difference as to their interest in Justification unless they can give us some Scripture expressions concerning the Interest of Repentance aequivalent to this we are justified by Repentance If it be said That this is equipollent when it is said Repent that your sins may be blotted out Repentance Remission of sins are joyned together the like I answer Leaving the particular examination of these the like passages alledged untill afterward I shall only say this at present 1 That justification Remission of sins are not every way the same Though Mr. Baxter hath several times said it yet in his Catholick Theolog. of God's Covenant c. Sect. XIII n. 203. he saith our first constitutive justification is in its own Nature a Right to impunity this as he oft elsewhere tels us is Remission to life or glory Now what is beside a Right to Impunity also a Right to life glory is more than Remission of sins And therefore the consequence from Remission to Justification cannot stand 2 In like manner because it is said Luk. 6 37 forgive it shall be forgiven you it may be inferred that for-giving of our Neighbour some fault that he hath done us is the Condition of our Constitutive Justification hath as great an interest in our Justification as Faith it seâf and by it we have as really Right to impunity and Right to life glory as by Faith It is true Mr. Allen will not think this very absurd who reasometh from this same passage not far otherwise In his discourse of the two Covenants pag. 52. Yet I suppose others will I doubt if Mr. Baxter shall make this one the same thing with Faith as he laboureth in his Catholick Theol. to make Faith Repentance one It will be said when we are said to be Justified by Faith it is all one as if we were said to be Justified by Repentance for Mr. Baxter cleareth Of God's Govern Sect. XII how Faith Repentance is all one thing I Ans. 1 if the Spirit of the Lord had but once said in his word that we were justified by Repentance we might then be allowed to think of such explications as might make either both one thing or shew how both hath the same interest in Justification but when the Scripture never once saith that we are justified by Repentance for us to devise such explications as to make the Scripture speak what it never speaketh is not faire nor is it to edification because it hath no tendency to explaine the matter as expressed in the Scriptures and is so far from clearing up the truth that it darkeneth all for hereby we are taught to understand faith wherever we hear of Repentance Repentance where mention is made of Faith so that we may ascribe all to Repentance that is spoken of Faith Heb. 11. say that Repentance is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen c. 2 Though it is true the word Repentance as we have seen is sometime taken so largely as to include faith yet that will not allow us
rather its work acting in Justification is not meerly an accepting of Christ life offered on that condition but it is the accepting laying hold on leaning to applying the Surety-Righteousness of Christ presupposing the accepting of Christ himself 2 Though it may be said that the neerest formal Reason of Faiths office is the Lord's appointment yet this being too too Philosophical here contributeth nothing to the clearing up of the matter in order to practice so neither was Philosophical accuracy the ground whereupon they went who said that Faiths interest in Justification was as an Instrument but rather their end was to cleare the matter in order to Practice so as poor souls might not fall into mistakes this I judge to be the best Theological acuracie howbeit he should account many such speaches nothing but unintelligible phrases and such doctrine to containe such senselesness consequents as the opening up of would offend as he there speaketh 3 It is certaine that Repentance doth not so act on Christ and his Surety-Righteounsness in order to Justification as Faith doth Repentance as such is no acceptance of a free gift far less of a gift of Righteousness of an Atonement there-through Repentance acteth not thus on Christ Yea the reason he giveth Confess p. 39. why Repentance was made a condition of pardon doth sufficiently shew that it cannot have that interest that Faith hath His reason is this Because without it Repentance God the Redeemer cannot have their end in pardoning us Nor can the Redeemer do all his work for which we do accept him for his work is upon the pardoning of us to bring us back in heart life to God from whom we were fallen strayed This was Christ's work Therefore the condition which Christ maketh are as if he should say If you will be saved by me are willing that I shall bring you back to God I will both bring you into his favour by Pardon and into a capacity of personal pleasing enjoying of him Now our Repentance is our consent to return to God the change of our mindes by turning from former sin that was our idol being willing by Christ to be restored to obedience By this I say it is clear that Repentance hath a more direct aspect upon reference to the consequences of Pardon Justifiction itself we grant its necessity unto all the ends mentioned and its necessary presence in such as are Justified that its contrare or positive impenitency cannot consist with Faith in such as are to be Justified Yet that will not give ground to inferre that it hath the same Interest Influence Consideration in Justification that Faith hath Mr. Baxter In his Confess p. 39 40. seemeth to grant this whole Argument when he expresseth himself thus This I say that man may see I do not level Faith with Repentance much less as they charge me with actual external works of obedience which in this first remission justification I take not to be so much as existent What he addeth concerning the Ratio formaâts why faith or Repentance have such an interest in our Pardon to wit because God hath made them the Conditions of the promise cannot hinder our conclusion untill first it be proved that God hath made Repentance such a Condition we are speaking here of the difference that is betwixt the two as to their Nature Aptitude which he confesseth to be very great also as to their place use because of the great difference that is betwixt them as to Nature Aptitude 4. If the Interest of Faith be not as it is a work or inward grace inherent in the soul but as such a going out of the soul from it self all its own inherent good and from all external privileges or what may be called adherent personal good unto an offered Mediator that it may embrace him lay hold on and lean to his jussorie-Righteousness then Repentance cannot share in this Interest with it But the former is true Therefore c. The Conncection may be cleared from what is already said we are not speaking of that here which Mr. Baxter will have to be the neerest formal reason nor of that only which he will have to be its nature aptitude but of its Use proper Actings in this office in reference to the end Justification which are such as cannot agree to Repentance as is manifest Himself tels us in his Confess p. 89 90. That he takes Repentance to be to our faith in Christ as the breaking off from other Suitors Lovers turning the mind to this one is to Marriage Whereby we see that though Repentance be necessarily required in one that is a beleever and that faith can not be without Repentance Yet Repentance hath no place in the office of Justification it hath no plaine formal immediat interest in the receiving of Justification as that turning to the minde from other Suitors to that one hath no formal interest or place in closeing the Marriage Covenant though it be a very necessary prerequisite unto right closing consenting the marriage Covenant This giveth ground for another Argument 5. As upon the account that a woman hath changed her minde from other Suitors to one it cannot be said or inferred that therefore the Marriage Relation is made up with that one Suitor which is done only by a formal full explicite Consent so upon the account that one is a penitent it cannot be formally inferred that that persons is in Covenant with Christ and is Justified Because as Mr. Baxter hath told us Repentance is unto Faith but as the womans changing her mind from other Suitors to one is to the consenting unto the Marriage proposal And if upon a Persons being a Penitent it cannot be formally inferred that he is in Covenant with God a Justified person then Repentance hath not that interest in Justification that Faith hath for upon a mans beleeving it can formally immediatly be inferred that he is in Covenant and is Justified I say formally because consequentially it will also follow that a Penitent man meaning one that is truely penitent is justified upon this account that where ever there is true Repentance there is also true Faith But as the change of the womans mind is not formally the making up of a marriage Covenant So neither is Repentance that which formally constitutes a man a Covenanter with Christ and a Justified person only Faith doth this as the womans consent maketh up the marriage-Relation 6. Iâ Repentance hath the same interest in Justification with Faith then as our Adversaries say that Faith is imputed to us as our Gospel Righteousness so must they say that our Repentance is imputed to us for Righteousness But beside the reasons whereby we proved above that Faith was not imputed to us as our Gospel Righteousness which will also serve here mutatis mutandis we may adde
wanting unto Justifying Faith yea himself confesseth to be an essential act of Faith in the margine of these words Printed with Mr. Cartwrights observations and his Reply pag. 204. But in his Confess as we heard above p. 89 90. he putteth as great a difference betwixt faith Evangelick Obedience as betwixt the Consent to Marriage Relation and the conjugal Fidelity Obedience of a wife to her husband So that hereby it is manifest that with him all Obedience cannot comprized in faith so cannot be a Condition with Faith of Justification and this he saith pag. 90. expresly So that I do no more as I am accused comprize all Obedience in Faith because I comprize a Love to the Redeemer a Consent to be governed by him then I comprize all Coujugal Obedience Fidelity of a woman to her husband in the Marriage ââvenant or Consent because I comprize in it Love to the Man a Covenant of fidelity obedience to the future His meaning is not then that actual Obedience is either a part of faith or hath the same interest of a Condition in Justification that faith hath Therefore he tels us more plainly positively his meaning as to this Confess pag. 38 39. n. 22. This Covenant saith he meaning the Covenant that a Beleever entereth with Christ as a Saviour and in him with the offended majestie containeth an engagement to future obedience So that though our first faith be not the same thing with Obedience to Christ yet in taking Christ for King it essentially containeth a Resolution Covenant to obey him Hereby we see that a Resolution Promise or Covenant to obey Christ for the future is essentially included in faith as justifying consequently that this must be as kindly a part of the Condition of Justification as any thing in Faith And next that the ground of this is because justifying faith as justifying doth as kindly really take Christ for a King as for a Priest This is further explained by what he saith immediatly before n. 21. The very nature of this saving Faith is to be a Heart-Covenanting of a Sinner with Christ as a Saviour Even as is a Covenant of a woman to her husband a Souldier to his Commander a Subject to his Prince a Scholler to his Master it is our becoming his Disciples By which we see these things laid down as truthes to be received 1. That the souls Covenanting with Christ or accepting of him as offered in the Gospel is like the Covenanting of a woman with her Husband of a Souldier with his Commander a Subject to his Prince c. 2. That as the Woman Souldier or Subject Resolve Covenant Promise to performe obedience unto the Husband Commander or King so the Sinner in Covenanting with Christ doth Resolve Covenant and Promise to performe Obedience unto Him 3. That therefore this Resolution Covenanting Promising to performe obedience being essential to Justifying Faith is a formal Condition of Justification the meaning of faiths being the Condition of Iustification must be this the Man's Resolution Covenanting Promising to performe Obedience is the Condition of Iustification or at least this part of faith as well as others is the Condition 4. And the ground of this is because Justifying faith even as Iustifying or in order to Iustification acteth as directly expresly on Christ as a King as on Christ as a Priest In Answere to which I shall but briefly say these things 1. The similitudes adduced halt in one thing that one thing is all as to our present business A woman Covenanting with her husband and thereby promising obedience or a Souldier with his Commander or a Subject with his Prince presuppose acknowledge Power Strength in themselves to performe the obedience promised upon the Supposition Conviction of this power ability in themselves to performe what shall be commanded they willingly of their own accord promise to put forth that Power Strength Ability of theirs unto the performance of obedience that shall be required But it is not so in our case The Sinner who is now supposed to be about Covenanting with Christ through the Spirit of Conviction Humiliation is put far from all his natural Pelagian conceits apprehensions of himself of his own abilities He is now made to see that as he hath nothing at present wherewith to Satisfie God for the sins that are charged upon him nor to allure Christ to do for him unless it be wretchedness miserie that may move Christ to compassionate his case so he can do nothing for the future that can be accepted of God till he be renewed He is made to see that there is a Natural Impotency I mean not a physical impotency as if he wanted a soul or Faculties in him to any thing that is good a pravitie of Will whereby it is impossible that he can do any thing conforme to the will of God untill he be Regenerated made willing by an omnipotent Power have a new active Principle of life and grace given unto him or infused in him by the Spirit of Jesus 2. Whereupon it is manifest That a sinner in that plight in that Condition we must consider him to be who is now seeking to be Justified and to be delivered from the wrath of God for sin in fleeing to Christ for refnge cannot be thought to be making any such Promises or having any such Resolutions in order to his Justification and Freedom from the Curse of the Law He that is throughly convinced of his total Impotencie will not think while he is under the power of these Convictions of making any Engagements for obedience in time to come Yea where any such things really were it might be feared that the work of Conviction was not keep enough and that such so acting would not receive Christ freely as he is offered in the Gospel but rather came with a price in their hand a parcel of faire promises for the future of doing that which was not in their power But it will possibly be said That though there be no express and explicite Engaging Promiseing here yet there cannot but be a virtual engageing as in the making of Marriage though the woman do not explicitly promise obedience yet her engagement is included in her acceptance of the person I Answere Let us suppose that the woman is every way as unable to obey her husband as the sinner not yet converted is to obey the commands of God that from her husband alone she must receive that whereby she shall become able then see if her consenting to the match do formally include even virtually her engagement to future obedience I do not suppose by all this that the Beleever is under no Obligation or Engagment to Obedience for as he hath received a principle of obedience even the new heart the willing minde and the renewed faculties so he is
Faith to distinguish it from that Historical Faith which though true in its kind yet is not from the saving grace of God nor hath it effects accompanying Salvation 3. Though this Faith be one the same by which the Beleever liveth first last and which proveth serviceable useful to him on all occasions to all ends uses that his several necessities call for Yet in reference to these various ends uses it acteth not after one the same manner in all points Faith acteth not every way after one the same manner in order to get Strength for Duties that it acteth in order to get Sin Pardoned It acteth not the same way for Subdueing the reigning power of sin that it acteth for Justification nor doth it act the same way for Comfort and upholding strength in a day of trial that it acteth in order to Justification And yet we need not say that it acteth distinctly differently according to every distinct benefite and blessing that is had thereby The diffeâent natures of the necessities we stand into with the different wayes of the âord's communicating what we stand in need of according to the various Relations he standeth in various offices he hath taken on in reference to his peoples good may satisfie us herein according as these several particular necessities may come under one head reliefe may be conveyed to them after one the same manner All which will be best discerned by the understanding Christian in his application to Christ according to his Condition wants which he would have helped supplied 4. Hence though the Principal Object of this Faith be alwayes one and the same Yet there may be some peculiarities in that object which Faith eyeth more in one case than in another As we finde the Saints in their adresses to God in their several straits necessities sometimes pitching upon one attribute of God sometimes upon another according as thereby Faith presented God to the soul in a sutablness to the present case it was in and so when dispensations seemed to crosse the promises Faith eyed God as Faithful Unchangable when enemies appeared strong difficulties invincible and the like Faith took hold on God as the Almighty to whom nothing was impossible when sin appeared as a discouragment to drive them from their hopes Faith took hold of the mercy of God c. So when a poor sinner is under the convictions of sin threatnings of the Law Faith must take up Christ in a sutableness thereto eye something in Him that peculiarly suiteth that case when againe the beleever hath need of Light Instruction Strength Comfort Throwbearing the like he fixeth his eye on some thing in Christ that suiteth that particular necessity and so Faith acteth accordingly And thus though the object remaine the same and Christ be alwayes made use of Yet Faith may and doth act more immediatly on Christ as Prophet when in one case whereunto this office carrieth a respect and at another time more immediatly directly on Christ as a King when the present necessity calleth for help from Christ as King againe faith acteth on him as a Priest when only that which Christ as a Priest did can answere their present necessitie Yet which is carefully to be observed to prevent Mr. Baxter's challenge I do not say nor see I any necessity to say that these several acts of Faith are as so many several Conditions unto the receiving of the several favours taking the terme Condition in his sense I do not say that Faith acting one way on Christ is a proper Condition of Justification Faith as acting another way on Christ is the proper Condition of Adoption that Faith acting a third way on Christ is the proper Condition of Sanctification c. but that as the effects benefiâes which sinners stand in need of are ascribed unto several effectuating acts of Christ to the several Relations offices he hath taken on so Faith in order to the receiving of these benefites acteth suitably on Christ the Beleever is taught so to do by the Spirit of the Lord to his Comfort Hope Encouragment 5. I presuppose here the Formal Object of all divine faith which is the Truth Veracity of God for all divine faith giveth credite unto divine Revelations upon the Credite the Truth Veracity of the Revealer Thus saith the Lord who is true who is Truth itself is the sole Formal ground Ratio of this Faith 6. I presuppose here also that Comprehensive Material Object of all divine Faith which is the whole will mind of God concerning whatsomever thing it be revealed whether by the Scriptures or by the Light of Nature If the Truth Veracity of God be the only Formal Ground of this Faith then all that this God revealeth must be beleeved received as true when known to be revealed by Him By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God Heb. 11 3. we beleeve all things which are written in the Law the Prophets Act. 24 14. Yea in the whole word of God I do not here determine what particular Truthes revealed in the word are necessarily to be expresly explicitly beleeved by every one that hath a true Saving Faith what not only this I say that many particular truthes are revealed whereof a true Beleever may be ignorant yet have a true Saving Faith receiving all which he knoweth to be revealed by the Lord rejecting no one Truth whatsomever that he knoweth to be revealed But we are here to speak of that Object of Faith which immediatly directly concerneth our delivery from our natural state of sin and miserie and our eternal Salvation And this we judge to be whole Christ Iesus as he is hold forth and revealed in the Gospel We say Christ Jesus 1 wholly and 2 as he is held forth and revealed in the Gospel And both these for explications sake may be branched out in several particulars I say then first That whole Christ is the object of Saving or Justifying Faith Hence are we so often times commanded to Receive him to Beleeve in on Him in his name Faith is expressed by a Coming to him Eating Drinking of Him Receiving of him c. Ioh. 1 12. 3 16 36. 6 29 35 37 40 44 47 51 54 55 58. 7 38. Act. 10 41 13 38 39. 26 18. Rom 3 22. Gal. 2 16. and many moe places Hence this Faith is called the Faith of Christ Gal. 2 16. and the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 2 20. So then Saving and Justifying Faith taketh whole Christ. 1. Faith taketh him closeth with him wholly as to his Natures Faith receiveth him as Mediator God Man in one person though it be formally terminated on him as God Ioh. 14 1. as the Son
by men be some way understood reconciled when some say the Mercy of God is it others say the Promises some Remission of sins and the like some God the Father Son Holy Ghost for such as seem to restrict it most may be understood as not speaking exclusively of what else the Scripture mentioneth as belonging thereunto 5. All this notwithstanding faith may have hath a special respect to Christ as Priest and making Satisfaction to justice and laying down the Ransome-money and paying the debt according to his undertaking as Surety in order to the particular benefite of Justification and of Pardon of sins as was in part cleared above and may be more spoken to afterward in the following Chapters CHAP. XXXIII The Righteousness of Christ is the special Object of Faith in Justification COnsidering what hath been said at some length above concerning the imputation of the Surety-Righteousness of Christ in order to Justification we needed not insist on this here Seing if what is said touching that fundamental point hold this will not endure much debate Yet because Mr. Baxter in his Apologie against Mr. Blake § 11. is pleased to tell us that Faith which is the Iustifying condition is not terminated on the Righteousness of Christ And that it is a meer fancy delusion to speak of the receiving a Righteousness that we may be justified constitutive thereby in such a sense as if the Righteousness were first to be made ours in order of nature before our Iustification then justification follow because we are Righteous But sure this eyeing of laying hold on and leaning to the Righteousness of Christ holdeth clear correspondence with the experience of the Children of God not only at their first Conversion when delivered from under the Convictions of sin and the terrours of the Law but even afterward when exercised with new assaults of Satan objecting unto them their Unworthiness Filthiness and hence inferring their exclusion from the face of God for then their maine quieting refuge is the Righteousness of Christ wherein they seek only to be found acknowledging that in themselves they are but sinners and so rejecting their own worth holiness as too ragged to cover the shame of their nakedness wherein they have the Apostle Paul going before them Phil. 3 8 9. which may also serve for a scriptural proof and ground of the truth in hand He rejected all these things wherein sometime he gloried and he did now even long after his Conversion while a prisoner at Rome after all his great Labour Paines in spreading the Gospel count all things nothing is here excepted but loss saith he for the excestency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things do count them but dung that I may win Christ be found in him not having mine own Righteousness it is nor good that Mr. Baxter should carp at Writters Preachers for speaking teaching after this manner as he doth Cath. Theol. Mor. Works § 176. which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by faith This saith âearly that in order to Justification before God faith laith hold on a Righteousness which is of God and which is had by the Faith of Christ. And this Surety-Righteousness of Christ is that which can only prove sutable unto the case of a wakened sinner pressed with the guilt of sin and seeing justice armed against him stopping his way to life because of his Un-righteousness What can be more welcome unto such a sinner than the newes of a Righteousness and of having Christ to become the Lord his Righteousness as made of God Righteousness And what can his faith grippe to more earnestly than to this Righteousness that he may be covered therewith and think with joy of appearing before God How else shall he think to be justified by God who is just even when the justifier of a beleeving sinner He knoweth that God is Righteous and will not acquit the guilty and therefore he must have a Righteousness that he may be in case to stand before the Righteous God So that he can have no peace till by faith he have interest in the Surety-Righteousness of Jesus Christ for he knoweth that he hath none of his owne and that there is none any where else to be had And further this way doth exceedingly serve to demonstrate upon the one hand the Righteousness of God who will not Justifie without a Righteousness or one that hath no Righteousness and upon the other hand it commendeth the riches of the free Grace Mercy of God when the sinner seeth how free Love hath provided such an alsufficient Remedie a Righteousness against which no exception can be made and a Righteousness under the wings of which he may saifly hide shelter himself being covered with which he may rest confidente of acceptance and so may with full peace of mind rest here and relye upon it As also it serveth exceedingly to abase man in his own eyes and to make him for ever keep a low saile and walk humblie before this God and give Him the Glory of all Hence this Righteousness is called the Righteousness of Faith or of Christ beleeved in and laid hold on Rom. 4 13. the Righteousness of God which is by faith of Iesus Christ Rom. 3 22. Phil. 3 9. a Righteousness through the faith of Christ ibid. All which the like expressions do manifestly say that faith laith hold on a Righteousness even on the Righteousness of God And this Righteousness is said to be unto all upon all them that beleeve Rom. 3. 22. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And imputed or reckoned upon their score Rom 4 24. Mr. Baxter in the forecited book Cath. Theol. § 131. saith that the meaning of this Rom. 4 24. is no more but that God reputeth or judgeth us Righteous But how can he repute us Righteous unless we have a Righteousness either of our own or from some other of ourselves we have not a Righteousness unless he account beleeving all our Righteousness against which we have said enough above and the very words of the text will not admit of this glosse as was also shown above If it be the Righteousness of Christ who was delivered for our Offences and was raised againe for our Justification vers 25. then it is fit object for faith to lay hold on it being Christ's Surety-Righteousness or the Righteousness which he performed wrought out when he was delivered for our offences and which was publickly declared to be accepted when he was raised againe for our Justification And whatever Mr. Baxter think this is and must be so far made our owne through the gracious Imputation of God that the Righteous God whose judgment is to according to truth may pronunce us Righteous and accept of us as such But saith he Imputing
to act faith upon him sutablâe with hope confidence Therefore as he is a King to subdue Enemies the faith of his people is to act upon him as such when they would have their spiritual Enemies subdued as He is a Prophet to teach the faith of his people must act upon him as such when they would have Light Counsel Direction so as He is a Priest to Die Satisfie make Atonement Reconciliation Peace their Faith is to act upon him as such when they would have Guilt removed Peace made up betwixt God their souls Sixtly The end designe of asserting Christ as King to be as specially the Object of Faith in Justification as is Christ as Priest may sufficiently render it suspicious for it is as we touched above to bring-in our Obedience as distinct from Faith or as included in it to be the Condition of Justification the same manner of way that Faith is though as was cleared above the consequence will not be fouâd good The reall question here as is well observed by others is not whether any thing of Christ â to be excluded from being the Object of Justifying Faith But what in and of our selves under the name of Receiving Christ as King is to be admitted to share with Faith in its place and interest in our Justification Seventhly To say that faith acteth in order to justification in as special a manner on Christ as a King as on Christ as a Priest is to alter the Nature Use Ends of Faith in this work to give it the Place Power of a proper potestative condition as it is a vertue work of ours not to look upon it as bringing all sutable supplies in a distinct manner from Christ as was shown above and this is but sutable to that alteration of the Nature of the New Covenant that is made by the asserters of this whereby it is of the same specifick nature with the Old Covenant of Works as if it were no more but a new Edition thereof with some alterations as to the Conditions Let us now see what Mr. Baxter saith to the contrary in his Catholick Theol. p. 2. of moral works Sect. 7. p. 55. c. He tels us n. 105. That to be justified by faith in Paul's sence is all one as to be justified by becoming Christians Ans. We grant with him that to be a Believer a Disciple and a Christian are all one in the Gospel sense that by the same Faith by which one is justified he is a Christian also but this proveth not that Faith in order to justification acteth not in a special manner on Christ as a Priest and we have found how Paul both in his Doctrine and in his own Practice explaineth the acting of Faith in Justification This may serve for an answere also to what he saith n. 106. to wit that the faith by which we are justified is essentially a beleeving fiducial consent to our Covenant relation to God the Father Son Holy Ghost for we grant that it is but one the same Faith which doth all this but yet this Faith may be conceived as acting in a peculiar manner in order to justification We grant also that it is the same faith by which we have Right to the benefites of the Covenant by which we are justified Yet we say that in order to Justification that same Faith which receiveth whole Christ and thereby a Right to the benefites of the Covenant acteth in a peculiar manner on Christ as Priest in order to Justification He tels us next n. 108. That the faith by which we are justified hath God the Father for its object as essentially as Christ the Saviour Ans. And we do not deny God the Father to be the Object of that Faith by which we are justified And will he say that Faith in God without Christ will justifie a sinner or that there is any beleeving in God the Father now without beleeving also in Christ The places he citeth Ioh. 17 3. 13 1. shew the contrary Adam's Faith indeed was such before the fall but our Faith now must be of another kinde It is to as little purpose for him to say n. 109. That it is as essential to this faith to beleeve in Christ as the Purchaser of Holiness heaven as to beleeve in him as the purchaser of pardon For he purchased all as a Priest not as a Prophet or King when faith acteth on him as a purchaser it acteth on him as a Priest But he addeth And to beleeve in him as the Teacher Ruler of the Church as to beleeve in him as the justifier of beleevers True because beleeving in him as a Ruler beleeving in him as the justifier of beleevers are both to beleeve in him as a King And this is not the thing that is denied Beleeving in Christ as the justifier of beleevers is not the same with beleeving in him as a Priest in order to justification which is the thing he should have said here if he would have spoken to the purpose What he saith n. 110. concerning Faith's being the act of the whole soul having for its object God the Father Son Holy Ghost in Christ all that is essential to him as a Saviour was granted asserted also by us formerly but it maketh nothing to our present question He tels us n. 111. That to say that some one only of these parts of Christ's office as they are conceptus inadaequati of a Saviour is the only object of justifying faith or that by beleeving in Christ as our Teacher Ruler as well as Priest as a Iustifying judge as well as a justifying Sacrifice and as a fulfiller of the Law is to âxpect justification by works as Paul denyeth it This is a vaine distinguishing a falsifying the doctrine of Faith Iustification a departing from the Scripture simplicity by corrupting seeming subtility one of those humane Inventions which have wronged the Church Ans. These are but angry words carry with them no force of reason And who is most guilty of vaine distinguishing of falsifying the doctrine of Faith Justification c. he or such as he opposeth in this matter indifferent persons are at freedom to judge And whether his new Doctrine or the old which he so violently in all his writtings oppugneth hath more of seeming subtility in it to the wronging of the Church in its peace quiet every one may judge by the effects But as to the matter in hand he may know 1 that there is a difference betwixt saying that some one only part of Christ's office is the only object of justifying Faith as he here speak saâing that faith whose adaequate object is confessed to be as large as he himself doth make it in order to a souls justification acteth in special manner on Christ as a Priest not excluding Christ as a King or
are free of this charge 2. saith he If it meane that faith is the condition of justification as it receiveth Christ's Righteousness only it hath either one or two falshoods We only say that in order to the obtaining of justification Faith acteth in a peculiar manner on Christ's Righteousness Merites conceive that in this there is neither one nor two falshoods 1. saith he if it mean that faiths receiving act is the formalis ratio conditionis or that it justifieth not quà conditio donationis but qua receptio justitiae Christ it is false Ans. We are not here speaking precisely of the formalis ratio conditionis in such a Philosophical Notion for we say that Faith in order to Justification receiveth Christ's Righteousness that the Lord hath so appointed Let Philosophers break their heads on these rationes formales the qua's quae's we speak of this matter so as every soul concerned may understand it And then saith he 2. that only the Accepting of Righteousness justifieth us that is is the condition of justification is a falshood This he should have proved to have been a falshood but in all this discourse of this we have had nothing like a proof only confident Assertions that in great number But in his Confession pag. 35. where he hath the same discourse for substance he citeth several passages of Scripture on the margine as if they were confirmations of what he saith And yet not one of them cometh home to the point in hand as a short view may discover For Col. 2 6. proveth what we deny not to wit that Beleevers receive Christ Jesus the Lord We have shown above that whole Christ belongeth to the Object of Faith that is Justifying but we are here speaking of the special acting of that faith in order to Justification Psal. 2 12. only proveth that such shall perish as do not kisse submit to the Son that kissing submitting unto him is required in order to being saved Mat. 11 28 29. saith that such as would have rest ease that is freedom from sin misery here hereafter must come to Christ take his yoke upon them Learne of him And in order to that particular rest ease had in Justification we say also that they must come to Christ take on his Righâeousness which is easie though it seem a yoke to unrenewed Nature Luk. 19 27. Proveth indeed that such as will not have Christ to reigne over them shall perish but doth doth not prove that in order to Justification Christ must be received as a King Rom. 10 9 10. proveth that faith eyeth Christ as raised from the dead by God which respecteth his Death Sacrifice that for a Righteousness in order to the life of Justification which is what we say Mat. 17 5. Mark 9 7. prove what is not denied to wit that it is the will of God that Christ his only beloved Son should be heard obeyed in all things And Ioh. 10 3 4 9 27. only proveth that Christ's sheep know hear his voice And who denieth this Ioh. 12 46 47 48. showeth what benefites beleevers shall receive what shall be fall unbeleevers but touch nor the point now in hand Act. 2 30 33 34 36 38. Proveth that Christ is indeed a King that all such as would be saved must receive him as the exalted King Act. 3 22 23 26. Proveth that he is that Prophet that was spoken of by Moses that he Died Rose againe sent forth the Gospel to the end that poor sinners might be turned from their iniquities But there is nothing here to prove that Faith in its special acting in order to justification receiveth layeth hold on Christ as well as a Prophet as on Christ as a Priest Act. 5 31. saith that Christ is exalted to be a Prince a Saviour for to give Repentance to Israel Remission of sins but what is this to the question now in hand Ioh. 13 35. 15 8. 8 31. sheweth the genius disposition kindly work of his disciples to wit to love one another to bear fruite to continue in his word all which we willingly grant Luk. 14 26 27 33. Evinceth that right coming to Christ is inconsistent with a predominant Love to any terrene thing how neer dear so ever But toucheth not the question now in hand These are all the passages he adduceth there none of them come neer the question CHAP. XXXV Faith is the only Condition on our part of the continuance of justification HAving spoken of Iustification as to its beginning or as to a Beleevers entering into that State of Life having spoken to some Questions for further clearing of the truth We come to speak a word or two of the Continuance of this Privilege State That it is a continueing and permanent State we have seen above The Question then that we have to discuss is Upon what termes Conditions is this State continued or what is it which the Lord requireth in order thereunto or whether any thing more be required of us for continueing this Relation than was at first required to the making of it that is whether Faith alone or Faith together with Works of sincere obedience Mr. Baxter in his Confess p. 47 n. 40. tels us that there is much more goeth to the continuing consummating our Iustification then doth at first to justifie us as to the condition on our parts to be performed to that end This Continueing of our State of Iustification Not-losing of it he maketh one the same and that which he requireth as necessary unto the Not-losing or Continueing of this State he maketh to be Sincere obedience many particular materials of that obedience as to be humble to forgive others to confess Christ suffer for him if called to it That we may know both the State of the difference the Consequence thereof we would premit these things 1. It is readily on all hands granted yeelded unto that there is an Holiness Personal Obedience Conformity to the Law called for at the hands of all Justified persons that are come to age The denial therefore of what Mr. Baxter others that joyn with him do here assert cannot with any shew of reason be loaded with this foule inference that hereby we cry down or lay aside all necessity of Holiness of sincere obedience for we still affirme that the Law is in force obligeth unto obedience and that all such as are justified have received a new frame disposition of soul inclineing them to obedience Yea that they have now both peculiar Obligations unto Holiness and also Advantages Helps thereunto They are his wormanship created in Christ Jesus unto Good Works which God hath before ordained that they should walk in them Ephes. 2 10. 2. Mr. Baxter tels us Confess p. 102. that it
of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith The question is not whether Christ be made Sanctification to us but whether that Sanctification be any part of that Righteousness which Christ is made of God to be unto us What more He addeth It is God who honoureth these that honour him praiseth his Saints as the excellent on the Earth his Jewels peculiar Treasure adorneth with his own lovely image partakers of the divine Nature and members of Christ as his own flesh And it is Satan wicked men that vilifie dishonour them Ans. This is but a Continuance of the same cheat for it is no part of the question whether the Saints should be vilified or honoured But the question is whether the Saints should rob God of his glory and ascribe that unto themselves which is due unto him be it in less or in more We know the Saints are God's excellent ones his Jewels his peculiar treasure but all this is through the free underserved grace of God making them beautiful lovely with his own graces and partakers of his divine Nature And therefore we say that for all that they ought to be humble knowing what their birth âativity was and whence all this is come and who ought to have the glory of all this and notwithstanding of this what is the sole ground of their justification before God and what is that Righteousness upon the account whereof they are justified in the sight of God And I have oft lamented it saith he furder that these very men that hold this kind of doctrine of self-abosement as having no part of Righteousness nor share at all in any good work are yet too oft so proudly conceited of their own goodness even for holding that they have none for which they are praise worthie as that their pride is no small trouble to the Churches all about them Ans. I shall not plead for pride or proud conceits in any but whether such as lay down doctrinal grounds of pride and teach men to be proud or such as lay down contrary grounds but do not practise accordingly be most blame worthie I leave Mr. Baxter to judge One thing I would ask How Mr. Baxter came to know that such as he opposeth here were proudly conceited of their own goodness Pride a proud conceit lyeth most within is not obvious to the view of every one especially being upon such a ground I hope Mr. Baxter will not take upon him to judge of hearts And if it be by their contendings for that which they conceive to be truth If this be an infallible mark no man can be judged more proud than is Mr. Baxter none having in this matter contended by so many so great volumnes as he hath since his Aphorismes come abroad that indeed to the no small trouble of the Churches And further some might think that if Mr. Baxter did aright lament that any were proudly conceited of their own goodness he should not have laid doctrinal grounds for fomenting of this pride nor moved such an objection against himself as he doth here for no man can rightly lament at the practice of that doctrine which himself embraceth teacheth He proceedeth â 177. Whatever is of God is good whatever is good is laâdable or praise-worthie meriteth to be esteemed as it is Ans. True therefore God who is the Author thereof should have the glory it should be esteemed as it is to the glory of God not to puff us up with proud conceits or to be the ground we leane to in order to be justified accepted of God He addeth n. 178. All the Sanctified are inherently righteous but with an imperfect Righteousness which will no further justifie them in judgment save only against this Accusation that they are unholy Ans. Mr. Baxter then is much to blame who will have this Imperfect Righteousness to be a perfect Righteousness as being our Gospel Righteousness and the Poâestative condition of our Justification absolution at judgment and so the immediat sole formal ground of our Justification before God But this answere is also impertinent for these he here writteth against speak not of a particular justification from this or that false Accusation but of that justification before God whereof Paul treateth in his Epistles to the Romans Galatians which is a justification of the ungodly Rom. 4 5. He addeth n. 179. There is no Righteousness which will not justifie him that hath it in tantum so far as he is Righteous for the contrary is a contradiction for to be just is to be justifiable Ans. This is sick of the same impertinency with what went before for the question is not concerning a particular Righteousness a particular justification upon that account but of a general justification as to our state that from the just accusation of Law justice under which we stand by Nature in reference to which all our inherent Righteoâsness how great so ever it be is no ground nor part of the merite or formalis ratio of that Paul had no small share of this Righteousness when he said he knew nothing by himself And yet he addeth Yet am I not hereby justified 1. Cor. 4 4. and we would say the same speak after this manner if Mr. Baxter would suffer us Next n. 181. for 180. he saith All the Righteousness which formally justifieth us is our own or on ourselves where it justifieth us for to be made just or justified in the first sense constitutivly is nothing else but to be made such as are personally themselves just Pardon of sin is made our own Right to Christ glory is made our own though Christ's Righteousness was the only meritorious cause of all this which therefore is may be called our Material Righteousness as that which meriteth it is the matter Ans. There seemeth to be nothing here but confusion for 1 he speaketh ambiguously when he saith that all that Righteousness which formally justifieth us is our own or on ourselves for this may be true whether by that Righteousness he mean the Surety-Righteousness of Christ which he doth not meane for he is too much against the imputation of that as we have seen beeause we say that is made ours by imputation in order to our justification upon the account thereof or whether he mean our own inherent Righteousness but then if this be his meaning it is false that we are hereby formally justified unless he mean as before only a particular justification which is nothing to the point as was said 2 To be made just to be justified are not formally the same but to such only who Love confusion 3 He who is made just is but constituted justifiable is not eo ipso constitutive justified But Mr. Baxter loveth his own Expressions Explications of them
Merites of a Mediator he argueth against justification by the Law the works thereof And according to the Apostle's Methode do we argue 3 To cover Justification by our own inherent Righteousness having the same place in the New Covenant which inherent Righteousness Obedience had in the old by these fine words Faith a Practical beleef of the Gift acceptance of it with thankful penitent obedient hearts is not such ingenuous dealing as the Importance of the matter requireth But this will be clearer by what followeth But saith he the true way of Righteousness was to become true Christians that is with such a penitent thankful accepting practical beleefe or affiance to beleeve in God as the giver of Salvation in Christ as the Redeemer his Spirit as our life Sanctifier and to accept Christ and all his procured Benefites Iustification Life as purchased by his Sacrifice Meritorious Righteousness given in the New Covenant on this Condition and so to give up ourselves to his whole saving work as to the Physician of our souls only Mediator with God This is the summe of Paul's doctrine on this point Ans. Not to speak of this matter here which is elsewhere done I shall only say that we are not enquiring after the true way of Righteousness but after the true way of Justification before God And enquire where the Apostle teacheth that all the Righteousness required unto justification must be within us none at all imputed as this Summe holdeth forth Where he teacheth that this faith including works all obedience is the only meane of justification Where he teacheth that this inherent imperfect Righteousness of ours is the immediat ground and meritorious Cause ex pacto of our justification Salvation Where he teacheth that Christ's Righteousness is no otherwise ours than as purchasing the New Covenant wherein our own personal Righteousness is made the Potestative Condition of our Justification Salvation And yet these and several other Particulars of this alloy doth Mr. Baxter hold forth as taught in Scripture as hath been seen elsewhere CHAP. V. Works excluded in Justification are not works only done before Faith nor perfect works required in the Law of Innocency nor outward works only THe other Evasion which such as plead for the Interest of Works in Justification fall upon to evite the dint of the Apostle's argueing concludings against Works is That by the works of the Law which Paul excludeth from justification works are meant which are done before Conversion Faith by the strength of Nature not the works of grace done after This is the Evasion of Bellarmine others But against this we have these Reasons to propose 1. When the Scripture saith we are justified by faith the meaning is that so soon as a soul beleeveth in Christ by a true Faith he is justified before God But this opinion saith That a man is not justified when he beleeveth in Christ No not untill he performe Works of Righteousness after he hath beleeved And thus we may conceive a man to be a beleever yet not to be justified which is contrary to the Gospel 2. If we were justified by the Works of Regenerat persons we should be justified by works that are imperfect and consequently by an imperfect Righteousness for these works being made our Righteousness if we be justified by them as our Righteousness we must be justified by an imperfect Righteousness for they are not perfect neither as to parts nor as to degrees Esai 64 5. 1. Ioh. 1 8 10. 1. King 8 46. 2. Chron. 6 36. Eceles 7 20. 3. Regenerat persons have renunced their own Righteousness in the matter of justification before God therefore they judged that they were not justified thereby And this is registrate in the word for our Instruction example that we may learne also to renunce our own works in this business The Antecedent is clear from these Instances 1 David saying Psal. 130 3. If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquity o Lord who shall stand And in opposition to this he betakes himself to free Remission saying vers 4. But there is forgiveness with thoe So Psal. 143 2. And enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified So that if God should enter in judgment with the best even with his servants they could not expect to be justified by their works even by their best works So when he saith Psal. 32 1 2. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered c. he renunceth all justification by the best of his works for Paul Rom. 4 6 7. giveth the meaning hereof to be that David describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without works 2 Paul also renunceth his Righteousness in this matter that several times for he saith 1. Cor. 4 4. for I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby justified And he speaketh of himself while in the State of Regeneration So Gal. 2 16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the Faith of Iesus Christ even we have beleeved in Iesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ not by the works of the Law And Phil. 3 9. he desired to be found in Christ not having his own Righteousness which is of the Law No man can think that by his own Righteousness here he meaneth only works done before he was regenerate 4. The Instances whereby Paul proveth Justification by Faith without the works of the Law confirmeth this that works after regeneration are excluded as well as works before for 1 Abraham was a regenerat man when his saith was said to be imputed to him Rom. 4 1 2 3. compared with Gen. 15. for before this time Gen. 12 1. he obeyed the call of God by faith Heb. 11 8. See also Rom. 4 9 10 11. 2 David another Instance of Justification by Faith was also regenerat when he was justified as Paul cleareth Rom. 4 6 7. by the imputation of a Righteousness without the works of the Law 5. The Apostle excludeth simply the works of the Law from being the Righteousness of any in point of justification And we have no warrant to except or distinguish where the Law excepteth not nor distinguisheth The works of Regenerat persons are works works of the Law as well as any other And Paul doth absolutely simply exclude works the works of the Law from being the ground of justification 6. By what reason can it be evinced that the Law or the Works of the Law signifie works before Regeneration or works done before faith more than other works Do these words carry this sense where ever they are used Or can it be demonstrated that they carry this express sense any where 7. Are only regenerat persons said to be under the Law Now the Apostle speaketh of all the works of
expresly said to be the free gift of God 18. Then all that Paul meaned when he desired to be found of his judge not having his own Righteousness which is of the Law was that he desired not to be found puft up with a pharisaical conceite of the perfection meritoriousness of his works as meriteing his justification life ex condigno by their intrinsick value worth But no such thing appeareth Phil. 3. 9. where he utterly renunceth his own Righteousness which is of the Law that is a Righteousness consisting in his obedience conformity to the Law for in opposition to this he desireth to be found in that Righteousness which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by faith this is some other thing than his own works performed without that pharisaical opinion 19. We are saved by grace through faith not of works lest any man should boast Ephes. 2 8 9. consequently not of any works seing all works give ground of boasting And he meaneth such works unto which we are created in Christ Jesus as his workmanship and which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them vers 10. Now these works are certainly works done without any vaine conceite of merite and yet we see that by these works we are not brought into a state of Salvation 20. The Apostle excludeth works of Righteousness which we have done as opposed to Mercy grace Tit. 3 5 7. Now grace standeth in opposition to all works even to works performed without this conceite of merite as we see Rom. 11 6. else we must say that the Apostle there granteth Election to be for foreseen works performed without a conceite of merite and nothing must be called works but what is done with a Pharisaical conceite of merite intrinsick worth in them which is absurd CHAP. VII James 2 14. c. cleared Vindicated ALI who have been of old and are this day Adversaries to the way of justification before God which the Orthodox owne from the Scriptures have thought to shelter themselves under the wings of of some expressions of the Apostle Iames have therefore laboured so to explaine streatch forth the same expressions as they with their corrupt Notions about justification may seem at least to have some countenance therefrom yea and warrandise to hold fast the same And for this cause they have laboured so much and do still laboure so to expound the words of Paul as that they may carry no seeming difference unto the words of Iames for it is received as a known truth and it is willingly granted that there is no real Contradiction betwixt the two Apostles but what ever apparent or seeming disagreement there be betwixt their words yet all that difficulty is removable their words how contradictory soever they seem to be are yet capable of such an interpretation as shall manifest their harmonious agreement in the truth so that Iames saying Ch. 2 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified not by faith only dot not contradict the Apostle Paul who saith concludeth that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law Rom. 3 28. But a question is here made whether we should interpret Iames's words by Paul's or Paul's by Iames's Our Adversaries are much for this later to wit that we must interpret Paul's words by the words of Iames because as they alledge Paul is obscure in his doctrine many were beginning to misinterpret pervert the same that therefore Iames was necessitate to clear up that doctrine of justification so as Paul's words might be better understood But how unreasonable this is the leamed D. Owen hath lately manifested his grounds are indeed irrefragable for 1 It is a received way of interpreting Scriptures that when two places seem to be repugnant unto other that place which treateth of the matter directly designedly expresly largely is to regulate our interpretation of the other place where the matter is only touched obiter on the bye and upon some other occasion and in order to some other ends And that therefore accordingly we must interpret Iames by Paul and not Paul by Iames seing it is undenible that Paul wrote of this Subject of Justification directly on purpose to cleare up the same and that with all expresness fulness on severall occasions disputing the same in a clear formal manner with all sorts of Arguments Artificial Inartificial and answereth objections that might be moved against the same at large and with a special accuracie But on the other hand it is as certaine that Iames hath not this for his scope to open up the Nature of Justification but only toucheth there-upon in order to the other end which he was prosecuting 2 There is no ground to suppose that it was the designe of Iames to explaine the meaning of Paul no footstep of any such purpose appeareth For then his maine business should be to explaine clear up the doctrine of justification which neither is apparent from this part of the Epistle nor from any part of it at all his designe being quite another thing as is obvious 3 Nor was there any necessitie for Iames to Vindicate the doctrine of Paul from such corrupt inferences as Adversaries suppose were made therefrom for as to any such as might be made to wit as if he had given any countenance unto such as were willing to lay aside good works he himself did fully sufficiently Vindicate his owne doctrine by showing on all occasions the necessity of good works and particularly when he is speaking of Justification not only in his Epistles to the Romans and to the Galatians where he largly professedly treateth of that matter but even when he is but mentioning the same on other occasions as we see Ephes. 2 8 9 10. Phil. 3 9 10 11 c. Tit. 3 5 6 7 8. So that to imagine that Iames asserteth another interest of works in our justification than Paul doth and that to explaine Paul's meaning is not to reconcile these Apostles but to set them at further varience enmity And it cannot comport with sobriety to think or say that Iames to cleare the Apostle Paul's doctrine and to vindicate it from objections should speak to the same objections which Paul himself had spoken to fully removed and that Iames should give such answers unto these objections as Paul would not give but rather rejected And yet this must be said by our Adversaries here It will be of great use to us here to understand aright what is the plaine scope drift of the Apostle Iames for as for the designe scope of Paul in his discourses of justification it is so obviously manifest unto all that read the same that no doubt can be made thereof to wit To cleare up fully plainely the Nature Causes of this great privilege of
of the Second Justification But their opinion of a first second justification is vaine having no ground in the word and the whole of their fabrick is sufficiently demolished by the Reformed writting against them so that we need not insist thereupon Others there are who suppose that James is here shewing how justification is continued therefore say though faith alone be the Condition of Justification as begun Yet unto the continuance thereof works are required as the Condition But all that speak thus think that Iames pointeth forth the Condition of Justification as continued must say that those persons who had this faith whereof James speaketh were really justified that James doth presuppose them to be justified speaketh to them of them as such But then it must be granted that the Popish faith consisting in a meer assent unto the truth revealed is justifying faith and that that faith which is no more true saving faith than that is true Christian Charity which saith to a brother or sister that is naked destitute of daily food depart in peace and giveth not those things which are needful to the body is sufficient to bring one into a justified state and that a dead faith a faith of the same nature kinde with the faith of devils a faith which a vaine man puft up with a vaine conceite a fleshly mind may have a faith that cannot will not worke with works is a justifying faith which if true it would follow that all men who beleeve that God is Devils also who beleeve this should be justified But none who understand the Gospel can think or speak thus And therefore this place carrieth no shew of proof that works are the Condition of Justification as continued Nor can this place give any countenance to such as say that Faith Works together are the Condition of Justification making no difference betwixt justification as begun as continued For 1 James'â scope as we manifested above is not to cleare up explaine the way how justification is brought about or to shew what are the Causes or Conditions thereof but to discover the vanity of that ground whereupon some professours who indulged their Lusts deceived themselves supposed that they were in a state of justification salvation notwithstanding they neglected all duties of holiness 2 James opposeth a faith here unto works a faith which he called unprofitable dead c. doth not ascribe justification hereunto as to a Condition in whole or in part But such as speak thus include faith works as making up one full compleat Condition 3 The Instances which James here adduceth should not then serve his designe if his purpose was to prove faith works to be the Condition of Justification for Abraham was long justified before that particular act of obedience in offering up his son Isaac was called for And so was Rabââ justified before she sent away the spies 4 This work by which Abraham is said to have been justified was a work that seemed contrary unto the Moral Law And therefore if this be urged as a ground of justification by works it will rather prove justification by other works then by works commanded in the Moral Law of God 5 The works mentioned in both the Instances are outward external works obvious to the eyes eares of others And hence it may as well be proved that only external works are required unto justification and no other And indeed if it had been Iames's designe to prove justification by works he had named other works then meerly external that he might have prevented a mistake But more fully to discover the vanity of this supposition let us see what can be alleiged from the several parts of this passage for justification by works from vers 14. it is said Faith alone cannot save but is unprofitable but yet faith works is profitable will save Ans. This maketh nothing for justification by works because it is denied that whatever is requisite before Salvation is requisite also before justification for if so no man could be said to be justified as long as he lived But next the faith whereof Iames here speaketh availeth not to Salvation because it is not of the right kinde we say also that this faith availeth not to justification because it is but meer empty profession deceiving puffing up it is but a faith that a man saith he hath From vers 15 16 17. It is said As charitable wishes joined with real acts of Love Alms deeds is profitable no other charitable wishes so Faith with works is available to justification but not without them Ans. These charitable wishes not accompanied with Alms deeds as they are not profitable unto the indigent brother sister so they are far from that Christian charity that is called for in the Gospel as that charity is not true Christian saving charity so neither is the Faith which he proveth to be dead true saving or justifying Faith Nor doth the Apostle say that faith with works is available unto justification but that that faith which hath not works is dead not available to prove evidence that the man that hath it is in a saife in a justified state But the maine ground of this apprehension is vers 21 22 23 c. for it is objected that it is expresly said that Abraham was justified by works Ans. That it is so said we grant but the difference is about the sense meaning in which it is said so We have shown that the meaning is That by works Abraham was declared proved manifested to be a justified person and one that had a true lively faith for it is added that hereby the Scripture was fulfilled declaring him to have been justified by faith or that he beleeved God it was accounted to him for Righteousness And this is it which others have called justification before men in opposition to justification before God that is a justification declared manifested to the mans own conscience to others not the justification before God in its causes And this Mr. Baxter seemeth to have mistaken in his Aphorismes when he argued against this justification before men as if it had been meerly a justification from Mens Accusation not the true justification before God as evidenced proved to men And when we speak of justification in this sense we do not make the world lawful judges of our Righteousness before God or in reference to the Law of God or say that they are competent or capable judges But we only say that by works of obedience Faith Justification by Faith is evidenced And where as he saith That works are no certaine medium or evidence whereby the world can know us to be Righteous for there is no outward work which an hypocrite may not performe inward works they cannot discerne nor yet
Bonefites which are freely given us for the sake thereof Ans. This is but what we heard when he was clearing the state of the question there Chap. XIII we shewed that his sense was not satisfying for in his judgment as we found there is no Righteousness truely ours in order to justification but our Faith which he calleth our Gospel-righteousness which by Christ's Merites is advanced to this dignity of being the potestative Condition of the New Covenant wherein pardon Right to life is promised upon Condition of Faith so faith is our Immediat Righteousness in order to the obtaining of these favoures Christ's Merites have only procured them remotely in procuring this Covenant But we hear no mention made by him of any such Imputation as whereby Christ's fide jussory or Surety-righteousness is really made over and Imputed to Beleevers that they thereby may become formally Righteous in the sight of God and be justified as such so pardoned and have right to life immediatly upon the account of this Surety-righteousness made theirs Nor hear we any clear ground laid down by him whereupon Christ's Righteousness can be called Ours we thereupon be reputed of God legally Righteous dealt with as such We hear of Benefites bestowed because of His Merites But we hear not that Pardon and Right to Glory are made the Immediat result and effect of Christ's Merites Righteousness but only mediat by the Interveening of the New Covenant whereby our Faith the condition thereof called our Gospel Personal Righteousness is made the Immediat cause of our possessing these benefites whereby he giveth occasion at least to judge that he maketh our faith the Immediat procuring Meritorius Cause of Pardon and Right to life However between his way that which he here rejecteth which we also reject neither asserting that Christ was our Instrumental Second cause nor claiming a strick propriety in the same Numerical Habites c. which were in Christ as if we became Subjects of the same Accidents speaking of what Christ did suffered in a Physical sense we know owne a Midway whereby Christ's Obedience Suffering considered not Physically but legally juridically are transferred communicated unto us not as Physical accidents from one Physical subject to another but in a Law juridical sense And though this Imputing communicating of Christ's Surety-righteousness cannot be explained by nor appear consistent with Logical or Metaphysical Notions applicable only to Physical Entities as considered as such to wich Mr. Baxter in all his Explications of this matter doth so frequenily laboure to restrick us contrary to all Reason Yea and to Common sense Yet we must owne it for a truth knowing that these fundamental truthes recorded in Scripture and held forth to us only by divine Revelation stand in no need of Aristotle's learning in order to their being Savingly understood practified And that Law-termes are more fit to help us to some understanding in this matter which is hold forth in Scripture as a juridical act than Metaphysical termes and yet we see no ground to say that this matter whereof we treat must in all points keep even a resemblance unto Iustinian's modes knowing that it is a divine Mystery and unparallelable He saith 2. He that is made Righteousness unto us iâ also made wisdom Sanctification Redemption to us but that sub genere causae Efficientis non autem constitutivae We are not the Subjects of the same Numerical wisdom and Holiness which ãâã Christ plainly the Question is whether Christ or His Righteousness Holiness Merites and Satisfaction be our Righteousness constitutivly or only efficiently The matter and forme of Christ's personal Righteousness is ours as an efficient cause but it is neither the neerest matter nor the forme of that Righteousness which is Ours as the subjects of it that is it is not a Constitutive cause nexly material or formal of it Ans. 1. It is true He who is made Righteousness to us is also made Sanctification c. and that He is made Sanctification by being an Efficient cause but it will not follow that He must be also the Efficient cause and no other of our Righteousness which is of a far other Nature and is no Inherent inwrought thing as is Sanctification 2. It is true we are not the Subjects of the same numerical Wisdom and Holiness which is in Christ neither can we be if they be considered Physically but yet we can be Subjects of the same Numerical Righteousness Legally and juridically considered thus we are to consider it here not Physically however Mr. Baxter ad nauseam usque inculcat this for we consider it and must consider it as a Surety-righteousness we know that that same Individuat payment and Satisfaction made by the Surety is in Law-sense the Debtor's and imputed to him as the ground of his liberation from trouble and distress at the hands of the Creditor 3. Hence we see that Christ's Surety-righteousness consisting in His Obedience and Sufferings is that whereby we are constituted Righteous in the sight of God in a legal sense and need not enquire whether it be the neerest matter or forme or both of our Righteousness for these Metaphysical termes have no place here though Mr. Baxter can never hold of them We are made Righteous in a Law-sense not Physically by Christ's Imputed Righteousness and upon this account it is ours legally it is folly to enquire for Physical matter and forme or Constitutive causes of Moral or juridical Beings or Effects as Phylosophers do when speaking of Physical or of Metaphysical beings He saith 3. If our Union with Christ were Personal making us the same person then doubtless the accidents of his person would be the accidents of ours so not only Christ ' Righteousness but every Christians would be each of ours But that is not so nor is it so given us by him Ans. We acknowledge no Union with Christ making us the same person with Him Physically it seemeth Mr. Baxter will understand it no otherwayes But we acknowledge an Union legal Political foederal whereby we become one person juridical in Law-sense and as to this Mr. Baxter's accidents have no substantial place or Consideration The 4. Object is you do seem to suppose that we have none of that kind of Righteousness at all which consisteth in Perfect Obedience Holiness but only a Right to Impunity and Life with an Imperfect Inherent Righteousness in our selves The Papists are forced to confess that a Righteousness we must have which consisteth in a Conformity to the preceptive part of the Law not only the Retributive part But they say it is in our selves and we say It is Christ's Imputed to us Thus he proposeth it but if I were forming the objection I would say That Mr. Baxter Supposeth we have no Righteousness at all in order to justification beside our Act of Faith for as
Covenant of Grace securing them from Condemnation they have accless ground in Law to plead this Right so to plead for actual Pardon in the termes according to the methode of the Gospel I do not say that the justified while lying in sin without making application to Iesus Christ acting faith on him in order to pardon have ground to plead for actual pardon for that is repugnant to the Methode of the Gospel requireing new acts of faith in order to new acts of Pardon I mean the implicit acts if faith to speak so in reference to dayly infirmities unseen sins the more explicit acts of faith in reference to grosser sins seen lamented But they have ground to plead for grace to discover their sins to humble them for their sins to excite their soul to renewed acts of faith in Christ and thereupon to expect according to the Gospel methode Remission and to plead for it in the merites of Christ unto which they have a sure Right Therefore 4. New sins cannor annul the state of justification because not only are beleevers secured that de eventu they shall not come into Condemnation for these sins but even as to any legal dueness of punishment that new sins may bring them under there is a sure saife remedie at hand the blood of Christ that taketh away all sin to which they are called to go that they may wash their souls there by faith and be clean be delivered from guilt 4. For further clearing of this we could consider that there is a difference to be put betwixt Sin in order to its direful effects considered in it self and considered as it is in the Iustified Though sin in it self is alwayes mortiferous and exposeth to the curse and wrath of God having a malignant demerite constantly attending it Yet it is not so being considered as it is in the justified for as poison is alwayes deadly in it self working towards death yet it is not so as in a person who hath received a sufficient antidot Though every act of felonie in it self make obnoxious unto death according to the Law yet some acts as committed by one who can read will not have that effect so the beleever is antidoted by the Covenant of Grace that howbeit sin remaine still deadly in its own nature yet as to him it cannot produce these effects 5. Though after sins in a justified person may have before they be pardoned very sad effects in reference to Comfort or comfortable Improvment of their Privileges Advantages yet they cannot disinherite them or put them from their Right Though leprosie did deprive the leper of the comfortable enjoyment and use of his own house yet it did not destroy his right though the miscarriages of the prodigal son did incapacitate him for any present enjoyment of his interest in his Fathers affection yet they did not destroy his Sonshipe Luk. 15 17. So though sins not yet washed away in such as have been justified may and will certainly prejudge them of many comfortable Advantages which they might otherwayes have yet they do not take away their Sonshipe nor their Right to the Inheritance of sones 6. Though after sins not yet pardoned through faith do and will stirr up Fatherly Anger Displeasure against them who are justified and become his Adopted children Esai 54 7 8. Yet they bring not justified man under pure judicial wrath and under the Curse and Law-anger so as God is no more their Father but hath cast them out of his familie fatherly favour It is one thing to be under the frowns gloomes of an angry Father another thing to be under the severe aspect of an angry judge 7. It is considerable also That through grace and the Lord 's great love and wisdom after-sins are so far from destroying their State and Right to the inheritance that upon the contrare they are ordered to the Justified mans good and further establishment in grace not that sin it self hath any such natural tendency but it is by accident to sin which is so ordered by the wise disposal of a loveing Father making all things work togerher for good and thus counter-working Satan without Corruption within making that which Satan had designed to their ruine and destruction contributo to their good advantage by giving them fresh occasion of exercising Humility Repentance of Renewing their gripping of Christ by Faith of Watching more with Diligence here-after as also hereby they are put to search examine themselves to try their Rights Securities thus to make their calling election sure to their further establishment comfort in the Holy Ghost 8. Thus we see whatever present alteration after sins not yet taken to Christ to the end they may be pardoned through his blood do or can make as to the present Condition of the justified yet their State remaineth firme unshaken for thereby they fall not againe under the old Covenant nor under the sentence thereof nor under pure Law wrath pure Justice the Curse of a broken Covenant but being under Grace not under the Law they are secured as to Condemnation Rom. 8 1. as to the loss of the favour friendship of God Rom. 8 35 39. for not only is the guilt of Original sin of all their preceeding Actual sins taken away through faith in Christ when they were justified but there is a sure way condescended upon betwixt Jehovah the Mediator how their after-sins shall be Pardoned taken out of the way the same method and way is declared in the Gospel made sure by the Covenant of Grace and by their being in the Covenat they have a right unto the promises thereof and ground to press for the performance so for Remission for all things requisite thereunto or following thereupon yea they have a sure pledge of Remission already to wit the actual Pardon of what is past and their past Justification that is a comforting strenthening word Rom. 5 9 10. much more then being now justified by his bloud we shall be saved from wrath through him for if when we are enemies we were reconcile â to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life so is that Rom. 8 32. He that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things 9. We may adde That if sins afterward committed could take away Justification then they should also take away Adoption Regeneration so the justified man should by after sins not only become an unjustified man but also the child of God should become againe the childe of the devil the Relation should be quite broken off he who was borne againe should return unto his former state of black Nature thus there should be a second a
third yea multiplied Regeneration whereof the Scripture is silent nay it clearly depones the contrary 10. And if it be enquired how it cometh to passe that after sins may not at least gradually impaire the State of Justification as sins do impaire and weaken Sanctification I answere and this may further help to clear the business under hand The reason is manifest from the difference that is betwixt these two blessing and benefites Iustification is an act of God changing the Relative-state of a man and so is done and perfected in a moment Sanctification is a progressive work of God making a real physical change in the man whence sin may tetard this or put it back but cannot do so with the other which is but one single act once done and never recalled the gifts and calling of God being without repentance Rom. 11 29. In justification we are meerly passive it being a sentence of God pronunced in our Favours in Sanctification as we are in some respect patients so are we also Agents and Actors and thus sin may retard us in our motion and as it evidenceth our weakness for acting so it produceth more weakness Moreover Sin and Holiness are opposite to other as light and darkness therefore as the one prevaileth the other must go under and as the one increaseth the other must decress But there is no such Opposition betwixt sin pardon which is granted in Justification And whereas it may be said that sin expelleth also grace Meritoriously yet that prejudgeth not the truth in hand for it can expell grace meritoriously no further than the free constitution of God hath limited and so though it can and oft doth expell many degrees of Sanctification yet it cannot expell make null the grace of Regeneration or the Seed of God so no more can it expell or annul Justification because the good pleasure of God hath secured the one the other made them both unalterable By these particulars we see how the first doubt is removed out of the way we shall next speak to the Second which is concerning afflictions Punishments which are the fruits and deserts of sin and seem to be part of the curse or penalty threatned in the first Covenant To which we need not say much to show that notwithstanding hereof the State of Justification remains firme and unaltered These few things will suffice to cleare the truth 1. Though all affliction and suffering be the fruite consequent of the breach of the Covenant by Adam the head of mankind for if he had stood and the Covenant had not been violated there had been no Misery affliction Death or Suffering and though in all who are afflicted in this world there is sin to be found And though it cannot be instanced that God ever brought an afflicting or destroying stroke upon a Land or Nation but for the provocations of the People yet the Lord may some rimes afflict outwardly or inwardly or both a particular Person in some particular manner though not as provoled thereunto by that persons sin or without a special reference to their sin as the procuring Cause thereof as we see in Iob and as Christ's answer concerning the blinde man Ioh. 9 3. Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents that he was born blinde but that the works of God should be made manifest in him giveth ground to think 2. Though it doth oftner fall out that God doth afflict Punish and Châsten his people even because of their sinnes as well as other wicked persons yet the difference betwixt the two is great though the outward Camitie may be materially the same To the godly they flow from Love are designed for good are sanctified and made to do good they are covenanted mercies but nothing so to the wicked They are mercies to the one but curses to the other They speak out love to the one but hatred to the other They are blessed to the one but blasted cursed to the other They work together for good to the one but for evil to the other and all this notwithstanding that the outward affliction calamity that is on the godly may be double or treeble to that which is upon the wicked Yea there is mercy and love in the afflictions of the Godly when the prosperity of the wicked is cursed Whence we see that all these afflictions cannot endanger or dammage their Justified state 3. Though the Lord may be wroth smite in anger his own people chasten punish them in displeasure yet this wrath anger is but the wrath and anger of a Father and is consistent with fatherly Affection in God and therefore cannot be repugnant to a state of Sonshipe in them Prov. 3 11 12. Heb. 12 5-8 Psal. 89 30 33 34. Revel 3 19. 4. In all these afflictions that seem to smell most of the Curse and of the death threatned and are most inevitable such as death c. there is nothing of pure vinâictive justice to be found in them when Justified persons are exercised with them for Christ did bear all that being made a curse for them and as to this the Lord caused all their iniquities to meet together upon him He drunk out the cup of Vindictive anger and left not one drop of the liquor of the Curse of the Law for any of his own to drink He alone did bear the weight of revenging justice and there is nothing of this in all that doth come upon beleevers So that the very sting of death is taken away the sting of all these Afflictions is sucked out and now they are changed into Mercies Blessings 1 Cor. 3 21 22. Therefore we must not think that they contribute the least mite unto that Satisfaction which justice required for sins Christ payed down to the full justice was fully satisfied with what he paid down nor must we think that God will exact a new satisfaction for sins or any part thereof of the hands of beleevers after he hath received a full satisfaction from the Mediator Christ did rest satisfied therewith The afflictions and Punishments then that the godly meet with being no parts of the Curse nor of that Satisfaction that justice requireth for sin nor flowing from vindictive justice but being rather fatherly chastisments mercies meanes of God can do no hurt unto their state of justification nor can any thing be hence inferred to the prejudice of that glorious state 5. But it is said Pardon and Justification is one thing and a man is no more Justified than he is Pardoned and Pardon is but the taking off of the obligation to punishment and consequently of punishment it self and seing punishment is not wholly taken off but there remaineth some part of the curse or of the evil threatned for sin and will remaine untill the resurrection it is cleare that pardon is not fully compleet not consequently Justification so long as we live But
at all or Justification must be some other thing than a pronunceing or declaring of a man Righteous 2 Why have we heard so much above said for Faiths being Righteousness why have there been so many passages of Scripture adduced to confirme this particuiarly such as mention the Righteousness of faith or the Righteousness of God by faith But it may be this salvo is added a Righteousness properly so called Yet then it will follow that it must be at least a Righteousness improperly so called and that must be an improper speach faith is imputed for righteousness and if that be an improper speech why is there so much noise made about the impropriety of the speech when we take Faith for the object of faith in that sentence faith imputed unto righteousness All that great clamoure must now recurre upon the excepter and his followers 3 If this which he hath given be the meaning of these words faith imputed unto righteousness let any judge whether our sense of them or this be most genuine freest of trops figures which of the two is apparently farthest fetched 4 Faith then it seemeth is tendered unto God faith being but a Righteousness improperly so called we tender unto God in our Justification a Righteousness only that is improper thereupon are declared Righteous whether properly or improperly I know not 5 If upon the tender of Faith God look upon us as Righteous then we mâst be righteous for we must be what he seeth acknowledgeth us to be And then I ask whether doth he look upon us as properly Righteous or as improperly Righteous 6 If God look upon us as having fulfilled the condition of the Covenant as Righteous upon that account then he must look upon us as properly righteous faith must be a proper righteousness or he must say that Christ hath purchased that an improper Righteousness shall be the Condition of the Covenant for we heard he said that Christ had purchased that Faith should be the condition But the performance of the Condition of God's Covenant must be hold for a proper Righteousness as perfect obedience was under the first Covenant And we heard lately that Faith was truely properly called a Righteousness that it might be so called with truth in sufficient propriety of speech in his answere to the first argument 7 If we be righteous by faith be looked upon as such by God having performed the condition of the Covenant it is not imaginable how we shall not be if not meritoriously yet at least formally Righteous seing as Adam by Perfect Obedience would have performed the Condition of that Covenant under which he was and thereby had been both Meritoriously formally Righteous so must it be now in respect of faith which is made to have the same place force efficacy in the new Covenant and that through the procurment of Christ that Perfect Obedience had in the old Covenant 8 He saith we are made meritoriously righteous by Christ's sufferings But what is the meaning of this Is this the meaning thereof that Christ's sufferings hath merited a Righteousness to us Then hereby nothing is spoken to the point for we are not now speaking of Christ's Righteousness but of ours And againe I would enquire what Righteousness hath it merited unto us Whether a meritorious Righseousness or a formal Righteousness as he distinguishad or both Or is the meaning this That through Christ's merites sufferings we have a Righteousness which is meritorious If so I enquire what is that Righteousness Whether is it Christ's Righteousness imputed to us made ours or is it our Faith that becometh meritorious If this last be said that is granted which was denied Faith must be accounted our meritorious Righteousness If the former be said imputation of Christ's Righteousness will be granted more than we dar say 9 He saith we are made formally righteous with the pardon of sins But this is never proved and it hath been often asserted And how will he make this a Formal Righteousness Righteousness properly so called Is this any conformity to a Law in whole or in part Did not himself insinuat in his answere to the first Argum. that nothing can with truth and in sufficient propriety of speech be called a Righteousness but what is a conformity to the Law of God And sure I am Pardon of sins is not any such conformitie 10 The summe of this answere is this Faith is not imputed as a Righteousness but it is said to be imputed unto Righteousness because it is the fulfilling of the Condition of the new Covenant whereby we come to be made Righteous meritoriously by Christ's death Righteous formally with the pardon of sins And what a wiredrawn untelligible self-contradictory sense this is let every one judge He denieth the consequence 2. Because suppose that this inference lay in the bowels of what we hold that faith were a proper righteousness yet neither would this argue that therefore God should receive a righteousness from us in our justification for we rather receive our faith from God for our justification shen God from us in our justification though I grant that in a sense a far off with much adoe it may haply be made a truth that God receives our faith from us in our justification Ans. But sure though Adam's obedience was originally from God efficiently he being the First Cause yet had Adam been justified according to that Old Covenant he had been justified by his own works not by the Righteousness of another bestowed on him by God so he had been said to have presented his own Righteousness unto God in order to his justification and God might have been said to have received it from him in his justification or rather in order thereunto Now just so is it here as to Faith for faith is our work we come with it to God he taketh it from us thereupon justifieth us according to our Adversaries opinion not in a sense a far off or made with much ado as he supposeth but in a sense most plaine obvious He saith lastly That that imputation of faith for righteousness which he protecteth supposeth a righteousness given unto received by men because it could not be truely said that God doth impute faith for righteousness unto any man except he should make him righteous upon his beleeving Now as it is impossible that a man should be made righteous without a righteousness in one kinde or other so is it impossible also that that righteousness wherewith a man is made righteous in justification should be derived upon him from any other but from God alone for this righteousness can be none other but forgiveness of sins Ans. 1 How can the Imputation of Faith suppose a Righteousness given unless the Righteousness be given before Faith be imputed seing what is supposed is alwayes first in order