Selected quad for the lemma: sense_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sense_n	faith_n	justification_n	justify_v	7,231	5	9.1878	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41483	The banner of justification displayed: or; a discourse, concerning the deep, and important mystery of the justification of a sinner wherein the severall causes thereof, being both numerous and various, are from the first to the last diligently enquired after, and their severall contributions towards so great and happy a work, clearly distinguished, and assigned to their proper causes (respectively.) and more particularly is shewed, how God, how the grace of God, how the decree of God, how the soveraign authority of God; how Christ, how the active obedience [of] Christ, how the passive obedience of Christ, how the resurrection of Christ, how the knowledge of Christ; how the spirit of God, how faith, how repentance, how works, how remission of s[in,] how the word, how the minister of the word, how the P[ope?] himself which is justified, may all truly, though upon severall accounts, and after different manners, be sayed to justifie.	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1659 (1659)	Wing G1150A; ESTC R221574	62,441	91

Meaning that they could have no reasonable ground to believe that they were discharged or acquitted by God from the Debt or guilt of their sins by means of the death of Christ if he should be detained in the Prison of Death the Grave until now and not have been raised again and set at liberty So then the rising again or rather the raising again of Christ from the dead by God the Father justifieth believing sinners as it were argumentatively and as exhibiting a rationall ground unto them whereon to build their Faith of a full and perfect Attonement made by Christ in his death for them or for their sins by which Faith according unto and by vertue of that Promise made or the Law enacted by God in that behalf they come to be justified Sect. 9 9. The Prophet Isaiah bringeth in God the Father speaking thus of his Son Christ By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant justifie many for he shall bear their Iniquities Isa. 53. 11. That the Particle or Pronoun His is here to be taken objectively not subjectively a construction frequent in Scripture is I presume the award of every mans Understanding So that by his knowledge the knowledge of Christ is meant the knowledge of himself which he shall propagate in the World by the Ministry of the Gospel and by means of this knowledge of him many shall be justified according to that of the Apostle We who are Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowing that a man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ i. By Christ believed on as he explains himself in the verse next following But if whilst we seek to be justified by Christ c. Whence by the way it may be observed that to be justified by Christ and by Faith or believing in Christ is of one and the same import So then the knowledge of Christ is or may be sayd to justifie men in somewhat a remote sense viz. As it is a ground of encouragement unto them to believe on him by which believing they are immediatly justified 10. Men are sayd in Scripture as well to be Justified as Sect. 10 Sanctified by the Spirit of God and this as Justification is distinguished from Sanctification But yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 11. Some Exposito●s indeed understand the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} yee were justified not of Justification properly so called or which standeth in remission of sins but of such a justification which consisteth in a progress or proficiency in Righteousness or in the profession and practice of Christianity For the justification of which Exposition they plead the exigency of the order or gradation in the Text it self as also the like use or signification of the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in that of Apocal. 22. 11. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Let him that is righteous or just be justified still i. As the Expositers we speak of interpret Let him encrease and make forward in wayes of righteousness It must be acknowledged that to grow in grace and proceed in holiness and righteousness from day to day may be called a mans justification in a declarative or arguitive sense viz. As they argue or declare a man to be a justified pe●son and his Faith to be of the right kind a living and growing Faith yea they may be termed a mans justification as they are just matter of his app●obation and commendation which in many cases are used in a sense parallel to that of the word Justification as 't is used sometimes But the Justification which is the S●bject of our present Discourse doth not consist in any Action one or more nor in any Quality one or more but rather in a state or condition viz. Such whereinto a person is translated or brought by the pardon of his sins or sentence of absolution awarded by God Nor need we take the word Justification in the Scripture lately cited 1 Cor. 6. 11. in any other sense but this For Justification in this sense may be asc●ibed to the Holy Ghost as he hath a speciall and appropriate hand in raising the work of Faith by which men are thus justified in the hearts of those who do believe in which respect Faith is registred by the Apostle Paul amongst the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. and by his Fellow Apostle Peter they who believe are sayd to obey the truth speaking of the obediency of Faith to the Gospel through the Spirit 1 Pet. 1. 22. and Act. 18. 27. The Christians in Ach●ia are sayd to have believed through grace i Through the grace of God in his vouchsafement of his Spirit unto them by whom they were enabled to believe yea and actually believed Now then according to the known Maxime or Principle in reason Quod est causa causae est causa causati That which is the Cause of any Cause producing an Effect is the cause of the Effect it self as well as of the Cause producing it Faith being the cause or means of Justification and the Spirit the cause of Faith Justification may as truly and not much less properly be attributed unto the Spirit as unto Faith Sect. 11 11. That Faith justifieth is the constant assertion of the Scripture and the Architectonicall Doctrine of the Gospel Therefore being justified by Faith we have peace with God Rom. 5. 1. Again Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the Works of the Law Rom. 3. 28. Yet once more to spare Citations in a case so generally known We who are Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles Knowing that a man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of the Law c. Gal. 2. 15 16. By the way upon occasion of these with many the like passages in the New Testament wherein Justification by Faith is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} expresly affirmed I cannot but mention my dislike of their strein in teaching who lay down and deliver it to the people for a Doctrine positively and plainly that men are not justified by Faith or by believing Doubtless it is not convenient or comely positively to deliver or assert that for a Doctrine of Truth which is so diametrally opposite to the frequent cleer and express words of the Scripture If there be a limited sence to be put upon such passages wherein a Truth is commonly and from place to place held forth in the Scriptures this may conveniently and timously enough be done in the Explication or Opening

from Joshua God entreated her as a justified or righteous person by preserving her and her Fathers house for her sake with all that she had when the City she dwelt in with all that was in it both man and woman young and old besides were utterly destroyed with the edge of the Sword Josh. 6. 21 22 23 c. So that the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to be justified in this Coutexture of Discourse doth not signifie the proper effect of that Act of God by which he constitutes or makes men righteous or just or by which he justifies them but the effect one or more of some such Act of his by which he expresseth himself lovingly graciously and bountifully towards such persons who are or have been justified and made righteous by him and hereby declares and after a sort pronounceth them righteous But he doth not judge it fitting or meet thus to countenance them or to entreat them as righteous or justified persons untill they have first given a good Testimony of the reality and soundness of that Faith upon and by which he justifieth them The expression wherein a person is sayd to be justified when he is only respected or dealt with as being justified i. As a justified person is metonymicall and frequent in Scripture the Antecedent being oft put for the Consequent Thus by Hunting Gen. 27. 3. is meant taking or getting by hunting and Deut. 21. 16. to make a Son the first-born signifies to respect him as the first-born or to confer upon him the Priviledge of the first-born So also Rom. 5. 19. to be made sinners imports a being made lyable unto punishment or such a Condition which belongs unto sinners to omit many the like In this sense and notion of the word justifie the Lord Christ may be sayd to justifie those that shall stand at his right hand in the great day in saying thus unto them Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the Foundation of the World The reason or ground in equity of this justification is declared in the words next following For I was an hungry and yee gave me meat I was thirsty and yee gave me drink c. Mat. 25. 34 35 c. This most gracious address and application of Christ unto those that shall be saved especially in conjunction with that most dreadfull and Soul-confounding address immediatly following unto those that shall eternally perish Depart from me yee Cursed into everlasting fire c. together with the reason hereof in the next words For I was an hungred and yee gave me no meat c. I say these respective Decisions or Adjudications of Christ plainly evince and prove that no person whatsover of years of discretion and actually capable of knowing Good and Evill shall receive the great benefit and blessing of justification by means of any such Faith which shall not utter and approve it self before God and men by fruitfulness in well-doing according to such means and opportunities as shall have been afforded unto them And this also is the apparant drift and scope of the Apostle James in that Discourse some passages whereof we lately sifted and insisted upon out of his second Chapter Thus we see what the interest and part of good works is in the great business of justification according to the Scriptures 14. That Remission of sins likewise is no Alien or Sect. 14 stranger unto Justification but in some neer imployment about it is of ready demonstration from the Scriptures The discourse of the Apostle Rom. 4. from v. 1. to v. 8. inclusivè is pregnant to this purpose But to him saith he v. 5. that worketh not Viz. With an intent or hope of being justified by his working or that worketh not i. That wanteth works competent or sufficient to justifie him but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly meaning God who justifieth even those that have been ungodly and so must needs be without works meritorious of Justification upon their believing his Faith is counted for Righteousness i. He is made a righteous or just man by means of his believing and is accordingly looked upon by God Even as David also describeth the blessedness i. Either the justification or the blessedness accruing by it Of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness i. Whom he justifieth Without works Viz. Which are any wayes meritorious of Justification For this Apostle by works in opposition unto Faith in the business of Justification constantly understandeth The Merit of Works In which sense also his Adversaries the Jews understood and urged it saying Blessed are they whose Iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin By this Description from the Pen of David Of the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness i. Justifieth as hath been been shewed It appears that his Righteousness or Justification passively taken which is the cause or means of his Blessedness consists in the forgiveness of his Iniquities or which is the same in substance though differing in consideration or respect in the non-imputation of sin unto him By means as well of the one as of the other of these the mans sins are sayd to be covered that is I conceive to pass unpunished Indempnity from punishment being a kind of Veyl by which the sins of Transgressors are kept from being much minded or taken notice of by men As on the other hand when God openly judgeth or punisheth men for their sins he is sayd to un-cover or dis-cover them Ezek. 16. 37. 57. Ezek. 23. 10. and elsewhere Now by that Description as the Apostle termeth it which David giveth as we have heard of the blessedness of the justified Person placing it in this that his Iniquities or sins are remitted or forgiven It is a clear Case that Remission of sins justifieth Per modum causae formalis as the form or formall Cause is sayd to give being to that which is caused by it When a Painter maketh a Wall white Whiteness is the Form or formall Cause by which the Wall is made white or which maketh the Wall white Nor can it be with reason reduced to any of the other kinds of Causes as is evident it being no Efficient or materiall or ●●…all Cause hereof nor carrying the least semblance of any of these In like manner when God justifieth a sinner that which he doth to him or for him is precisely this He forgiveth him his sins this is the very form of that his Action i. The form which by his Act of justifying he introduceth anew upon the sinner Nor doth he any other thing directly and immediatly unto a person when and as he justifieth him but only forgive him his sins Of one and the same Act or Action there cannot be a plurality of Effects immediate and direct really differing the one from the other It is true as there may be sundry collaterall

every wayes and on every hand so {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} so worthy meet or fit to be believed and so authoritatively and with that power of Evidence and Conviction commanding the obedience of Faith as the Scripture speaks unto it that such persons to whom it is preached or set forth like it self must needs have much either of the Bruit or of the Devil in them if there be place for the distinction and the Bruit in men be not the Devil in the shape or likeness of a So● if they give not the honour and homage of Faith unto it But of this I have reasoned more at large in a Treatise concerning the Divine Authority of the Scriptures And thus we see how and after what manner the Scriptures also or Word of God are operative in their way towards the justification of a sinner and may be sayd to justifie they instruct and teach men the way that leadeth unto justification yea they most effectually perswade urge and press men to walk in this way I mean the way of believing and by their innate property to convince the Judgments and Consciences of men of the truth of what they teach and say they do much facilitate or make easie bo●h mens entrance into and their walking likewise in this way And as the Law is sayd to have constituted or made men high Priests Heb. 7. 28. because it directed and taught men how to make them as viz. By the performance of all those Observations Rites and Ceremonies prescribed in this Law to give this great and sacred Investiture to a person capable by Gods appointment of the Dignity and then by declaring and authorizing them for such in the Name of God In like manner the Gospel or Word of God may be sayd to constitute or make men righteous i. To justifie them both because it teacheth and prescribeth unto them what they ought to do and must do that they may be justified and then by authority derived from God and in his Name pronounce avouch and declare them for such I mean for persons justified when they have performed and done that which they prescribe on this behalf 16. That the Publishers or Ministers of the Gospel Sect. 16 are not without some part and fellowship in the glorious and blessed business of Justification and according to their Interest herein may be sayd to justifie is not a forc'd or far-fetch conclusion from the Scriptures For when the Apostle Paul writeth to Timothy that by doing what he had directed him to do he should both save himself and those that heard him 1 Tim. 4. 16. and so assumeth unto himself a capacity of the same glorious Service Rom. 11. 14. If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh and might save some of them when I say he ascribeth that great Act and Service of saving men unto the Ministers of the Gospel he doth implicitely and by neer hand consequence ascribe unto them the justifying of them likewise For there is no consideration or respect wherein a Minister can be sayd to save men but by a precedaneous or presupposed Act of justifying them Nor is there any person capable of being saved by a Minister of the Gospell in his way or capacity of saving men who is not as capable or rather more capable of being justified by him Yea Dan. 12. 3. where our English Translation readeth And they that turn many unto righteousness shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever Junius and Tremelius from the Originall render it Et justificant e multos c. And they that justifie many shall shine c. so likewise Arias Montanus translateth together with the late Dutch Annotators The Scripture from place to place mentions it as the proper work of the Minister and as principally intended by God in the erection of the Ministeriall Function in the World to make Men and Women the Sons and Daughters of God by believing The same John came for a Witness to bear Witness of the light that all men through him might believe Joh. 1. 7. So the Apostle demands Who then is Paul and who is Apollo but Ministers by whom yee believed 1 Cor. 3 5. And calls Timothy his own Son in the Faith 1 Tim. 1 2. Now in such a sense wherein men may be sayd to be made believers by the Ministers of the Gospel they may be sayd to be justified also by them inasmuch as both these are accomplished or effected by one and the same Act the former directly and immediatly the latter mediatly and consequentially If you then ask me What doth the Minister contribute towards the justifying of men or in what consideration may he be sayd to justifie them My Answer is When he openeth unto them the Councell of God in the Gospell concerning the justification and salvation of men by Jesus Christ so effectually so throughly and with that evidence and demonstration of the Spirit as the Apostle speaks that mens Reasons Judgments and Consciences are so far convinced or perswaded of the truth of what is delivered upon such terms that they truly unfeignedly and with the whole heart believe it Now and upon this account he may be sayd to justifie them He that makes a man a Believer Ipso facto makes him righteous that is justifies him There is nothing more familiar and frequent in the Scripture then for the same Action and so the same Effect to be ascribed both unto God and Man to the former in respect of a superiour and more excellent interposure proper unto him to the latter in respect of that subordinate Efficiency or Subserviency wherewith God hath been pleased to honour him a yea the Apostle Paul termeth the Ministers of the Gospel {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Fellow-workers or workers together with God in and about the saving of the Souls of men 1 Cor. 3. 9. 17. That there is a consideration and sense also wherein the person justified may be sayd to justifie himself the Scripture it self seems to acknowledge For when it is sayd concerning Timothy that by taking heed Sect. 17 to himself and to tho Doctrine taught by him he should both save himself and them that heard him 1 Tim. 4. 16. there is an Action ascribed unto him in reference unto himself every whit as great and as incompetent to him in the ordinary signification of the word as the act of justifying To save a mans self sounds altogether as high as to justifie a mans self yea he that believeth may by much a neerer-hand consequence and with more propriety of speaking be said to justifie himself then to save himself When a man labours in his Calling and puts forth that strength of power which God hath given him to get Wealth Deut. 8. 18. for such a purpose and withall thrives and prospers through the blessing of God in his way he may properly enough be sayd to enrich

nature and so weighty a consequence as the Doctrine of justification is it is safest and best for edification to use such terms which do with greatest propriety and strictness of notion answer and unsold the words and phrases wherein God himself hath in the Scriptures delivered his mind and counsell in such things unto us If it be here Objection-wise demanded But if Christ made a full and compleat satisfaction by his death for the sins of men and hereby satisfied the justice and wisdome of God so that he cannot justly or equitably require any thing further either from men themselves or from any other on their behalf in order to their discharge absolution or justification from their sins how or upon what account doth he still capitulate with men about their justification imposing Faith upon them a Faith working or apt to work by love yea and works themselves too according to the judgment of some whose words in this case are not guilty if their sense be innocent in the nature of a condition without the performance whereof no justification is to be had notwithstanding the satisfaction made by Christ for their sins Or how is the satisfaction made by Christ compleat and full if justification be not given upon it without the addition or intervening of some qualification or performance in men And if God having received full satisfaction from Christ in his death for the respective debts or sins of men should yet require satisfaction at their hands also in punishment for the same debt whether they believe in him or no should he not be unjust Or is it consistent with Justice to demand the same debt twice or to exact a second satisfaction when one hath been given already and this every wayes compleat and full and so acknowledged by the Creditor and Receiver himself I answer 1. The compleatners or fulness of Christ's satisfaction is not to be o● imated by the will or counsell of God about the application of it or actuall communication of the vertue o● benefit of it unto particular men but by the proportion which it beaneth unto the ●n unto which it relateth in the nature of a p●i e ransome consideration or satisfaction If it be commensurable in rationall worth or value unto these i. If it be a matter or thing of that Nature consequence and consideration that God may with the salvage or sufficient demonstration of the glory of his Justice or perfect hatred of sin wisdome c. pardon the sins and transgressions of men without any thing added thereunto by way of satisfaction or punishment it is in reason to be ●udged a sufficient or compleat satisfaction although upon some other account he suspend the benefit or actuall application of it unto particular men upon reasonable requirements of them otherwise In case a Prince or Nobleman charitably and bountifully disposed should intend the redemption of a company of persons out of captivity and in order hereunto should freely give unto him under whom they are in bondage and who hath power to set them at liberty a summ of money fully answerable according to the usuall rate in such cases to the liberty of these persons but should withall desire of or covenant with him to whom he hath given or payd the sayd money and who is the present Lord of these Captives that he should not actually discharge or set at liberty any man of them untill they had tendered or made a thankfull acknowledgment of his Grace and bounty towards them In this case I say the condition of acknowledgment required of these Captives by their great Benefactors before they are permitted actually to partake of the benefit of the price of their redemption doth no waies argue any scantness or insufficiency in this price but only declares the will and pleasure of him that ransometh them concerning their behaviour before their actuall redemption If it be here demanded But what if any or all the C p●ives in this case should so far forget themselves or be neglective of their own welfare as not to tender or make such an acknowledgment to their Benefactor what becomes of that money or price layd down by him for their redemption would it not argue want of wisdome o● providence in him that should lay down a vast summ of money for the redemption of such persons the far greater part of which he knew before-hand would be never the better for it nor accept of their liberty upon such terms as he meant to impose on them in order thereunto I answer 1. to the former of these demands in case any or all the Captives mentioned should be so desperately careless of their own welfare as not to accept of their deliverance upon those equitable and easie terms on which it is offered them and may be enjoyed by them their Benefactor may notwithstanding have consideration for his money satisfactory unto him as viz. both the conscience and honour of his most worthy and heroick Act in sparing no cost to being men out of misery and th●aldome Nor doth the Scripture anywhere suspend the glorious and high contentment which God takes in that transcendent Act of his Grace in the gift of his Son for the redemption of the world upon the Faith of those who believe on him by means thereof or upon the great benefit which by means of their Faith they actually receive from it but upon the intrinsecall and divine worth and adorableness of the Act it self Yea the Scripture seems to make that great Act of Grace we speak of of one and the same consideration or contentment unto God whethermen reap benefit by it or no For we are unto God sayth the Apostle 2 Cor. 2. 15. the sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish So that Christ i. His Grace vouchsafed unto the world by Christ for their salvation is of the same or like savour sweet and pleasing unto God whether men accept it and so are saved by it or whether they reject it and perish notwithstanding it It is true upon another account God is highly oftended with men when they reject his Grace as viz. Because herein they act most foolishly and irrationally not because they diminish or make any breach upon his contentment in vouchsafing such Grace unto them 2. To the latter demand whether it would not argue want of wisdome or providence c. I answer 1. That it argues neither want of wisdome or providence in him that shall part with a great summ of money for the ransome of many thousand Captives although he should know before-hand that the greater part would be never the better for it nor accept of their freedome upon the terms imposed on them in order thereunto in case it be supposed that he knew that a considerable part of them however would accept of the favour to the unspeakable benefit of their enlargement Yea as was lately argued though he had fore-known that none of them

of the Doctrine But I judge it very incongruous for any Minister of the Gospel to set up a Doctrine as it were in defiance of or in Contest against any thing so frequently and so directly in terminis affirmed in the Scriptures as Justification by Faith And doubtlesse men need not be at all tender or afraid to deliver this positively for a Doctrine of Evangelical Truth that men are justified by Faith yea or by Faith alone if they do but declare or signifie withall 1. What the Scripture means by that Justification which it ascribeth unto Faith 2 What it means by that Faith unto which it ascribeth Justification For 1. that Justification which the Scripture attributeth unto Faith is precisely that which consisteth in Remission of sins as the Apostle plainly teacheth Rom. 3. 25. but more largely Rom. 4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. to omit other places Now certain it is that no kinde of works whatsoever enjoyned in the Moral Law have any thing at all little or much to doe about Remission of Sins or in the procurement or obtaining of it For in case a man should transgresse the Law or sin only once and this in the lightest manner and should for ten thousand years together afterwards with all possible exactnesse observe and keep this Law yet this long Tract or Series of Obedience or good Works would not make his Attonement for that Sin nor bring him off from the Guilt of it with Peace and Safety The reason is signified by the Apostle Heb. 9. 22. Without shedding of Bloud there is no Remission The Wisdome and Righteousnesse of God did not judge it reasonable or meet that the payment of one Debt by the Creature though amounting to never so great a Summe should satisfie for the Non-payment of another Now the most exact Obedience that can be performed or yielded unto the Law of God by any Creature whilest it hath any being is but a debt due from this Creature unto God Therefore no Obedience in this kinde can satisfie for or attone either in whole or in part the least Disobedience or Transgression So that Justification from sin as the Scripture phrase is Act. 13. 39. i. which standeth in Remision of sins cannot be purchased or procured but by the Death or Blood-shed of him that should undertake the Redemption of Sinners Only God was pleased to decree or make this for a Law which the Apostle calleth the Law of Faith Rom 3. 27. that Faith or believing in him through Christ should interess men in the benefit or blessing of the Death and Bloud-shed of Christ i. in that Remission of Sins which was purchased by his Death And in this consideration Faith justifieth viz. by vertue of the Soveraign Authority of that most Gracious Decree or Law of God wherein he hath said or decreed that it shall intitle men unto or in-right them in part and fellowship of that benefit of the Death of Christ which consisteth in Forgivenesse of Sins or which comes much to the same as it is a Qualification or condition ordained covenanted or appointed by God to bring upon those in whom it shall be found the great Blessing of that Pardon of Sin which Christ hath obtained for Men by his Blood And because God hath not passed any such Decree nor made any such Law concerning good works as viz. that these shall bring men into Communion of the benefit of Remission of Sins purchased by the Death of Christ therefore they have nothing to doe to justifie men in this notion or sense of the word Justification If by Justification we mean approbation commendation acquitting from blame or the like in which sense also the word is frequently used in the Scriptures * Good Works are proper and necess ry thus to justifie us both in the sight of God and Men only with this Explication or Proviso viz. that men live to meet with Opportunities for the doing of such works after their true believing For otherwise if the case should so happen that a true Believer should be taken away by Death the next moment to that in which he first believed it is not to be thought but that he should die not simply with his sins pardoned but under the approbation of God also Therefore Good Works in actu exercito as the Schoolmen speak or actually performed are not absolutely universally or in every case that may possibly happen necessary no not to that Justification it self which simpathizeth as hath been said in import with Approbation Commendation Vindication from blame imputed or the like It is true in actu signato or as they are Radically Seminally or Vertually included in that Faith which justifieth by Remission of sins of which more presently so they are universally and in all cases possible if we speak of persons capable by Years and Discretion of Believing necessary thereunto And God who accepteth the Will for the Deed when men want opportunity or means for Action looketh upon those good Works which are conceived in the Womb of a true and unfeigned Faith as actually performed and done when such a Faith wants means time or opportunity to bring forth In this notion our Saviour himself must be understood to speak at least in reference unto many of those to whom he speaketh if he be conceived to speak unto all standing on his right hand which I judge to be the more rational to suppose Mat. 25. 34 35 36. Come ye Blessed of my Father For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a Stranger and ye took me in Naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in Prison and ye came unto me Doubtlesse some yea a considerable party of those to whom the Lord Christ will expresse himself thus in that Great Day will be such who had been poor in the dayes of their Flesh and afflicted and stood in need of being relieved by their Christian Brethren better accommodated in the World then they and in whose relief Christ will acknowledge himself relieved v. 40. Therefore such as these had not been in a condition or capacity to minister actually unto the wants and necessities of other poor Christians in those respective Supplies and Accommodations here specified and yet we finde according to our late supposition that Christ gives the same testimony unto them for these services of Charity which he gives unto those that had actually performed them His meaning then must be that even these poor distressed Saints who had not wherewith either to cloath the naked or to give entertainment unto Strangers actually yet had both one and other the same works and services of Christian commiseration and charity here mentioned in the Bowels of the same kinde of Faith out of which they actually proceeded from their better World-provided Brethren and were performed by them But this occasionally here and by the way for the better Explication

sins is to be had yet it legitimates or authorizeth the person for the reception of this blessed Accommodation from the hand of Faith And for this reason also it may well be conceived to have the promise of Justification or Remission of sins made unto it as well as Faith it self Sect. 13 13. That good works have their part also in the great businesse of Justification is the expresse affirmation of the Scripture Ye see then how that by works a man is justified and not by Faith only Jam. 2. 24. Again Was not Abraham our Father justified by Works when he had offered Isaac his Son upon the Altar Jam. 2. 21. We have already upon occasion argued and shewed the Interest of Works in or about Justification Peruse 11. We shall here partly adde and partly repeat 1. That that Justification which consists in Remission of sins and which enstates a person in a right of title and claim to Eternal Life is not attained but by sinners being brought into Communion with Christ in his Death or which is the same into part and fellowship in this Death which is the only procuring cause of this Justification by way of purchase 2. That whatsoever bringeth men hither I mean into Communion of or with the Death of Christ must be sealed and authorized by God hereunto 3. That a true and unfaigned Faith in God through Jesus Christ sometimes called Faith in Christ yea and several other wayes expressed as hath been already observed and this Faith only not any work or works of what kinde soever or in what number soever injoyned in the Moral Law hath a commission or power from God to bring men into or to give men part and fellowship in the Death of Christ Therefore Good works have thus farre no part or interest at all in Justification as it standeth in Remission of sins being excluded here-from by the same Law by which Boasting also is excluded which the Apostle termeth the Law of Faith Where is Boasting then It is excluded By what Law Of Works Nay but BY THE LAW OF FAITH Rom 3. 27. By this Law Faith hath the office or work of justifying men in this sense and with this kinde of Justification setled upon and confirmed unto it self alone There is another kinde of Justification which the Scripture also frequently speaks of under this name as was noted 11. which consists in the approbation commendation or vindication of a person from guilt or blame whether justly or unjustly imputed unto him Of this kinde of Justification when it is duely and justly given or pronounced Good Works in one kinde or other and for the most part those of the Moral Law have a special and particular interest in it being the only regular ground upon which the act or sentence of such a Justification can or ought to proceed And though God by means of his appropriate priviledge of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or knowing the heart can and doth upon a sufficient ground secretly and in himself approve of him who as yet only believeth I mean with a true and unfeigned Faith and before he hath any wayes justified or commended this his Faith by good works yet he is not wont to signifie or declare by one means or other this his approbation of any particular person untill he hath shewed the World his Faith by his Works Nor doth he require of any man to judge of any other person as a man justified in his sight by a true and unfaigned Faith who hath not given either unto him or unto some others from whom he may receive the information a fair and reasonable account by works suteable of such a Faith residing in him And questionlesse it was this kinde of Justification of which the Apostle James discourseth so largely in his Second Chapter as appeareth all along the Context from vers 14. to the end Therefore when he demands vers 21. Was not our Father Abraham justified by works when he had offered his Son Isaac upon the Altar Evident it is that by Abrahams being justified he doth not mean that Abraham had his sins pardoned for he had been thus justified long before And besides his offering up his Son Isaac upon the Altar could be no means of obtaining Remission of sins from God But when he is said to have been justified by works when he had offered c. the meaning is that upon this great testimony given by Abraham of the truth and effectualnesse of his Faith God highly approved of him loved him and dealt by him as by a person righteous and just and called him his Friend The tenour of the story in Genesis fully accordeth herewith For immediately upon Abrahams stretching forth his hand and taking the knife to slay his Son the Angel of the Lord called unto him ●ut of Heaven and sayd Lay not thine hand upon the Lad neither do thou any thing unto him for now I know that thou fearest God seeing that thou hast not with-held thy Son thine only Son from me Gen. 22. 11 12. A second time also the Angel upon this offering up of his Son called unto him out of Heaven and sayd By my self have I sworn saith the Lord for because thou hast done this thing and hast not with-held thy Son thine only S●n That in blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy Seed as the Stars of the Heaven and as the Sand which is upon the Sea shore and thy Seed shall possess the Gate of his Enemies And in thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed because thou hast obeyed my Voyce Gen. 22. 15. 16 17 18. In these passages is that justification of Abraham expressed and contained whereof the Apostle James speaketh affirming him to have obtained it at the hand of God by Works as well as by his Faith which he sayth wrought together with them meaning towards the procuring or obtaining of this justification or approbation from God and was by them perfected or made perfect i. Was declared to be perfect that is sound and good or else was perfected {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} i. Became effectuall to the obtaining of its proper end Viz. The approbation and love of God with favourable and friendly respects from him which is the perfection Viz. Arguitivè or Argumentatively of any thing As on the contrary when any thing pretending to be a means for the compassing of such or such an end proves yet unable to effect it this argueth though haply not alwayes demonstratively the imperfection or weakness of it In much a like sense to that wherein Abraham as we have heard is sayd to have been justified by works is Rahab the Harlot also i. Who formerly had been an Harlot sayd to have been justified v. 25. The meaning is that upon Rahab's Demonstration of the reality and truth of her Faith in exposing her life to danger by entertaining and hiding the Spies sent

constructive vertuall or consequentiall Acts acted or done in the doing of some one so there may be nay there alwaies is an answerable variety of Effects produced by and so Attributable unto this one Act. When a Prince prefers some Head of a Family to a great place of profit and power in the State or any other person who is a Lover of his Friends and Relations in blood he may be sayd to cast honour upon this person to better his condition in the World to raise his Family to give every particular Member hereof hope of being better accommodated in matters of this life yea in case he doth bestow this preferment upon him for his Fathers or any of his Ancestors sake as for any worth in them or for any good Service done by them or the like in preferring him he may be sayd to impute the worth or faithfulness of such an Ancestor unto him But all such Acts as these are but mediate constructive or consequentiall and so are their respective effects to be interpreted likewise A Prince when he prefers a man in strict propriety of speaking doth nothing else but prefer him or which is the same confers some place of profit or of honour upon him In like manner when God justifieth a man he may be sayd to bless him to translate him from Death to Life to give him a lawfull Title or Claim to eternall life and his Heavenly Kingdome and because he doth it upon the account and for the sake of the Obedience of Christ as well active as passive although in a more peculiar manner upon the account of the latter the Scripture constantly ascribing Justification unto the blood death sufferings c. of Christ and never to my remembrance unto his active Obedience unless haply as presupposed unto his passive and as qualifying it for its high Service I say because God justifieth men for the sake of Christ and for what he hath done and suffered in serving his counsell and good pleasure he may when he justifieth any man be sayd to impute the righteousness or obedience of Christ unto him And because in order to this Act of his I mean his Act of justifying a man he requires Faith of him and Faith only in the sense formerly declared and asserted when he justifieth him he may be sayd to count or to impute his Faith unto him for righteousness Again when he justifieth a man because he graciously confers upon him a righteousness of his own Invention and Contrivance and doth not justifie him with for or upon any righteousness found in him whom he justifieth therefore when he justifieth him he is sayd to impute righteousness unto him i. as it were To gratifie him with a righteousness remission of sins being a righteousness properly enough so called in as much as he who is chargable with no sin which is his priviledge or case who hath all his sins justly and authoritatively remitted must needs be looked upon as an Observer of the whole Law But when God justifieth a person he doth none of these things to him in a direct formall or immediate way but constructively or consecutively only All that he doth upon such terms is only this he justifieth him i. He remitteth unto him all his sins remission of sins being that absolute and compleat righteousness wherewith a sinner is invested by God in his justification besides which such a person is not capable of any nor standeth in need of any for the attainment of any end or benefit of righteousness whatsoever And as for those that have been the greatest sinners and neither gave Meat unto Christ when he was an hungry nor Drink when he was thirsty nor cloathed him when he was naked c. If so be God should remit these and all other their sins unto them which yet he cannot without their timely repentance and contrary practising for a season because this would be to deny himself I mean his righteousness and truth they should hereby become as righteous and as capable of the reward of righteousness as the greatest Saints and those who continued for the longest time walking with God This concerning remission of sins and what part it beareth in the great and mysterious work of Justification 15. That the Scriptures or Word of God are not Sect. 15 meer Standers by neither or Lookers on in the business of Justification but have somewhat to do in reference unto it and for the promoting it sufficiently appears from these and such like sayings of the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures So then Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10. 17. Send men to Joppa and call for Simon whose Sirname is Peter who shall tell the words whereby thou and all thy House shall be saved Act. 11. 13 14. Abraham believed God i. The word of God and it was counted unto him for righteousness Rom. 4. 3. True Faith whether in the Act or Habit or both having such an essentiall Connexion by the will and pleasure of God as we have heard with justification and never failing to obtain it whatsoever any wayes worketh Faith or contributeth towards the raising of it in the Soul must needs in that respect and so far have an hand in justification according to that known Principle in Reason formerly mentioned Quod est causa causae est etiam causa causati That which in any consideration gives being to the Cause is in that respect a Cause of the Effect produced by it Now the Scripture or the Word of God I mean the Mind Councell or Will of God which are the substance matter or truth contained and held forth in and by the Scriptures which we are taught in them to call the word of God which matter or truth are held forth likewise taught and declared in part other-wayes then in the Scriptures as by the light of Nature Works of Creation of Providence c. I say the Scripture or Word of God thus understood is the only object or subject matter of that hearing by which Faith ordinarily cometh as the Apostle even now informed us meaning that Faith by which men are justified And as Sanctification is ascribed unto the Word o● God Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is the truth Joh. 17. 17. Mediante fide by the intervening and mediation of Faith or the belief of it Heb. 4. 2 So may Justification by the same mediation be ascribed unto it likewise Yea Faith it self which justifieth more immediatly and directly and consequently Justification may be ascribed unto it not only as it is the subject matter or object of that hearing by which the Faith which justifieth is produced as hath been already sayd but as it is such a word or the matter of it so qualified and conditioned that it is very apt pregnant and potent to work or raise that Faith in the hearts and minds of men which by Divine Institution as we have heard is justifying For it is

himself or make himself rich yea somewhat more properly then when it is said that the hand of the diligent maketh rich Prov. 10. 4. In like manner when a man doth that upon which or by means wherof he shall certainly be justified this fruit or reward of his Action his justification may without the violation of any Rule either of Grammar or of Rhetorick be ascribed unto him Hence it follows God having by a perpetuall and inviolable Decree setled the great benefit and priviledge of justification upon believing that when soever any person man or woman shall life up his heart hereunto I mean to believe by this Action he may be said to justifie himself not indeed after any such manner or upon any such terms as God is said to justifie men upon their believing as viz. Authoritatively or as having a soveraign right to justifie whom or upon what terms he pleaseth or the like but in such a way or sense only wherein a person may be said to do that which upon his Action is done unto him by another Of this Construction or Dialect there are instances more then a few in the Scriptures It may be here demanded but is it meet or tolerable to say that a man when he believeth imputeth righteousness unto himself or forgiveth himself his sins and yet both these are done unto him by another viz. God upon his believing yea these are as hath in effect been formerly sayd but interpretative expressions of justification it self And therefore it seems that whosoever may in any sense be said to justifie may in the same sense be said to do both the one and the other of these and this in reference to any or all of these persons whom they are sayd to justifie To this I answer 1. That the Expressions put to the Question in this Demand are indeed uncouth and harsh grating upon eares that have any competent tast of Words Nor do I judge them fitting to be applied to or spoken of him that believeth But 2. When a man is said by believing to justifie himself the meaning is not that he absolveth himself from his sins or pronounceth a Sentence of absolution over himself or that he imputeth righteousness unto himself or the like but only that he levieth puts forth or performs such an Act whereby he prevaileth with God according to his gracious Covenant and promise to justifie him and therein to do all these things to him or for him As when a man is said to save himself which as we heard is the Apostles own expression the meaning is not either that by a strong hand or by any physicall power he over-matcheth the Devill and keeps himself out of his Clutches and from being carried or thrust by him into Hell or that he invests himself with the state of blessedness and glory which is signified and meant by Salvation but that he takes such a course as viz. By believing and persevering in it unto the end whereby he shall find favour in the sight of God to do these things for him Now to say a man by believing takes an effectuall and direct course to prevail with God to forgive him his sins to impute righteousness unto him c. are as proper and convenient expressions as to say that he prevails with him to justifie him yet 3. and lasty It may be considered that one and the same thing may admit of severall considerations and different respects and in and under some one of these considerations and respects may admit of some attributions of which it is not so regularly or smoothly capable under another As for instance Salvation or the saving of the Soul is one and the same act yet it may be considered either as it is procurable at the hand of God by men as viz. by Faith and continuance in well-doing or as it is a rescuing or vindication of men by strength of Arm from the power of the Devill or as it is an actuall instating in or putting men into a reall possession of that blessedness and glory which God hath assigned by promise unto his Saints and those that shall be saved Now in either of these two latter considerations it is not ascribable unto men but in the first of the three as we have heard it is In like manner the act of justifying is one and the same act yet it admits of sundry considerations 1. It may be considered either as an act of God imputing righteousness unto men or as an act of his forgiving men all their sins or as an act of Grace and high favour purchased at his hand by Christ for men or lastly As an act attainable from God by men for themselves by performing of such conditions or terms upon and according unto which he hath covenanted and promised the vouchsafement of it The former considerations of the act we speak of are of that nature and import that in respect of none of them it is attributable unto men they all importing such things which are above the Line of men But in the consideration last mentioned it may in very passable and convenient Language be attributed unto men who believe in reference to themselves Nor need it be offensive unto any man to hear it said that men who believe in that sense justifie themselves There are two other Causes of Justification yet remaining not mentioned in the Title Page amongst those that have been insisted on Viz. The Materiall and the Finall of these in few words Concerning the materiall Cause of Justification Sect. 18 they who make it to be either Christ himself or the Righteousness of Christ either active or passive or both express themselves very unproperly and confound two Causes alwaies distinct and contradistinguished Viz. The efficient and the materiall the former being alwaies extrinsecall the latter intrinsecall to the effect or thing caused by them in conjunction with the other two Causes And besides in so notioning the matter or material Cause of Justification they decline the ordinary Rule by which men who love exactness and propriety as well in conceiving as in speaking are wont to walk in both in Cases of like nature and import For whereas no Action as no Accident besides hath any matter or materiall Cause properly so called yet being an effect or somewhat that is caused there must be some Vice-matter or somewhat answering the nature or consideration of such a materiall Cause found in it or relating to it Now that which relateth unto an Action with greatest Affinity unto matter or to a materiall Cause properly so called is Subjectum recipiens or Circa quod as Logicians speak that is the Subject receiving the Action or the Object upon which the Action is acted According to this notion the believing or repentant sinner or which is the same the person justified or to be justified is the materiall Cause of Justification Such a person exhibits or presents as it were unto God matter duly fitted and

would have accepted their liberty upon the terms required of them yet had the honour reputation and conscience of such an Act been a reasonable compensation for the money disbursed But 2. Such a demand as this is unproper to the case in hand For it cannot be truly sayd that God fore-knew or foresaw that the greater part of men would reject his Grace in Christ and so perish this notwithstanding before this Grace was given unto them at least in his unchangable counsell purpose and decree For his Decree of sending or giving Christ for the tansome of the world was from before the world began I mean from eternity and consequently there could nothing precede or be before it especially in order of time it being a Rule of unquestionable truth that In aeternis non est prius aut posterius But 2. To the first Objection or Demand I answer further That Gods purpose o● design in the death of Christ was not simply or absolutely either to justifie or save men by it neither did he judge it agreeable to his wisdome and righteousness so to do but to do both the one and the other conditionally and upon terms such as he judged meet to prescribe and impose upon them for the obtaining of these great priviledges and blessings by it So God loved the World sayth our Saviour himself that he gave his only begotten Son not that all men or that any man simply and without any more ado but that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 16. Now the Collation Application or actuall bestowing of the fruits or benefits of the death of Christ not depending so much upon the intrinsecall worth value or satisfactoriness thereof as upon the will and pleasure of him who voluntarily gave him to dye for the justification and salvation of men and consequently had a right of liberty to make the terms for the collation of these benefits what he pleased he cannot with any colour of reason be deemed unjust in case he denies them unto those who refuse or neglect to perform his terms notwithstanding they were by Christ purchased for them that is with a full and clear intent on his part that they should have possessed and enjoyed them upon their believing So that 3 And lastly for this When God constraineth those who belive not to pay their own Debts and to make satisfaction themselves for their sins by being eternally punished he cannot be sayd to require or take a double satisfaction or two satisfactions for one and the same debt although it be true in a sense viz. that lately declared That Christ satisfied for them For that satisfaction which Christ made for the sins of any person who believes not I mean who dies in unbelief was never received or accepted by God in the nature of an appropriate particular or actuall satisfaction for their sins but only as a potentiall satisfaction that is as a thing of compleat worth and value enough to have made a particular and actuall satisfaction even for such a mans sins as ●ell as for the sins of those who believe and which he as fully intended to accept for such a satisfaction on his behalf in case he had believed which he might have done as he did to accept it upon such terms for them or for their sins who do believe If it be objected But if Christ made satisfaction for the sins of him who never believeth and God accepteth it not as a satisfaction for their sins doth not God dis-approve or dis-allow either Christs doings or his intentions or both For if Christ in or by his death made or intended to make satisfaction for the sins of Unbelievers and God refuseth to accept this satisfaction or that which Christ intended for a satisfaction for their sins doth he not reject that which Christ desired and intended that he should accept To this I answer That an Answer in effect hath been already given For in such a consideration or sense as Christ either desired or intended that his death should be a satisfaction for the sins of Unbelievers dying in unbelief doth God the Father accept of it Christ neither desired nor intended to make satisfaction by his death for the sins of Unbelievers any otherwise nor upon any other terms then that God the Father should upon the account thereof justifie such persons from their sins in case they should have believed and in this sense he doth accept it as a satisfaction for them being for the sake thereof most ready and willing to pardon all the sins and so to justifie the persons of all men without exception as well theirs who never will believe in case they should believe as theirs who shall believe and be actually justified thereupon So that God in causing or compelling Unbelievers to suffer or to satisfie for their sins doth not require or exact a second satisfaction for them after a former received but only puts them upon payment of their debt themselves who despised his Grace in providing for them that which was indeed intended for the actuall and reall satisfaction hereof upon condition of their believing but was never upon these terms accepted by him by reason of their non-performance of the sayd Condition of believing 6. What tho active Obedience of Christ contributeth Sect. 6 towards the justification of sinners hath been in part declared already Under the Mosaicall Law the Beast that was to be offered in Sacrifice to make any of those Leviticall Expiations was to be perfect and without blemish it was neither to be blind nor broken nor maimed nor having a Wen nor seurvy nor scabbed not having any thing superfluous nor any thing lacking in his parts c. If it had any of these or the like imperfections in it it was not accepted See Lev. 22. 21 22 23. Now that which the soundness perfection and freedom from blemish in the Legal Sacrifices contributed towards their acceptation and consequently towards the efficacy of their respective Attonements or expiations the same or the like in proportion doth the active Obedience of Christ contribute towards the acceptation of his Sacrifice of himself in order to the efficaciousness hereof forthe justification of sinners This similitude or proportion is plainly taught and asserted by the Apostle Peter where he sayth Forasmuch as yee know yee were not redeemed with corruptible things as with Silver and Gold from the vain conversation received by tradition from your Fathers but with the pretious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot i. As well without any Naturall Originall deficiency or imperfection signified in the word blemish as without any adventitious or actuall defilement intimated in the word spot 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. So John Baptist looketh towards the same Analogy saying unto the people concerning him Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Joh. 1. 29. The Lamb of God i. A Person