Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sin_n	baptism_n	preach_v	remission_n	3,201	5	10.1727	5	false

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

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 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 Si●… how the Word how the Minister of the Word how the P●●●… himself which is justified may all truly though upon severall Accounts and after different Manners be sayd to Justifie By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant iustifie many Isa. 53. 11. Solet Scriptura cum ad unum effectum multae causae concurrunt modo uni modo alteri effectum tribuere Chamier Panstrat Tom. 4. L. 22. C. 4. §. 39. Scire est per causas scire Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas LONDON Printed by E. C. And are to be sold by H. Evers●●… at the Sign 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 Brief Passages of Scripture clearly shewing and proving that all the Particulars mentioned in the Title Page as Causes of Justification or Contributors hereunto are acknowledged and supposed for such in the Scriptures themselves IT is God that justifieth Rom. 8. 33. Being justified freely by his Grace Rom. 3. 24. This is the Will i. The Decree or fixed pleasure of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him should have everlasting life and consequently be antecedently justified It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth meaning that his Authority in justifying is Soveraign and Paramount and so lyable to no reverse or contradiction Rom. 8. 33 34. But if while we seek to be justified by Christ c. Gal. 2. 17. For as much as yee know that yee were not redeemed and consequently not justified with corruptible things but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1. 19. Much more being now justified by his bleod Rom. 5. 9. and was i. Christ was raised again for our Justification Rom. 4. 25. By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant justifie many Isa 53. 11. 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. Therefore being justified by Faith we have peace with God c. Rom 5. 1. John did Baptize in the Wilderness and preached the Baptisme of Repentance for remission of sins Mar. 1. 4. Yee see then how that by works a man is justified c. Jam. 2. 24 Blessed are they whose Iniquities are forgiven and ●●ose sins are covered i. Who is justified as appears from v. 2. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4. 7. And how shall they believe in him and consequently be justified of whom they have not heard So then Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10. 17. And how shall they hear without a Preacher Rom. 10. 14. Take heed unto thy self and unto thy Doctrine for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee and consequently shalt justifie both in as much as salvation presupposeth justification 1 Tim. 4. 16. Even we have believed in Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ Gal. 2. 16. having charged the English Tilenus with making the Tryers to ask such questions of those that come before them as in all probability never came into all their thoughts to ask upon this his probable mis-de meanour himself making no more of it he advanceth this Radamanthine and severe Sentence both against him and me Which sayth he Is such a piece of Impudence as no one hath ventured to imitate him in but that Ishmael of Colemanstreet whose hand being against all men hath provoked all men even to the common Pamphleter to lift up an hand against him The best is in case Mr. Hickman's reproach here could without the help of the Figure {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} be admitted for true That Jeremy of Jerusalem was a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole Earth as well as that Ishmael of Colemanstreet and yet was a true Prophet and never the less like so to have been for the numerousness of his Contests Noah also was a Preacher of Righteousness yet his proportion of Opposers in the World far exceeded mine and the number of those who embrace my Doctrine with their whole hearts far exceedeth the number of those who upon such terms received his Yea our Saviour himself testifieth that in the Church and Nation of the Jews they who had the more generall approbation and applause were the false Prophets not the true Luk. 6. 26. Wo unto them when all men shall speak well of them for so did their Fathers to the false Prophets But because Mr. Hickman judgeth himself Orthodox in charging me with Impudence what if it be found that the Ingredients in the composition of his Charge here levied against me and proclaimed as with sound of Trumpet and Drum in the Ears of the World be notwithstanding all Errors and broad untruths may he not make a covering of shame for his own Face of the Accusation which he hath here drawn up against me Let us fairly examine the Case and with as much Favour to the Examinate as he or his Friends can reasonably expect First Whereas he chargeth me with imitating his English Tilenus is not here a palpable and un-scholar-like Jeofail Did Shemei in reviling David when his Condition was low and mean in the World imitate Mr. Hickman in reproaching a Minister of Christ being under Hatches and trampled upon by men or did not Mr. Hickman in this Action rather imitate him He that acteth before another what ever his Action be doth not imitate him that followeth him in the same kind of acting but on the contrary he imitates who follows the Example or Pattern that have been set before If there be any similitude between Tilenus and me in our respective handling of Mr. Hickmans Tryers Tilenus must bear the Crime of Imitation not I who was before him in what was done by me relating to those his Clients Secondly Whereas he chargeth me with venturing to imitate Tilenus in making the Tryers to ask such Questions of those that come before them as in all probability never came into all their thoughts to ask The truth is that he chargeth me with the Crime of such a Courage or boldness whereof I was never Conscious I never made any venture to imitate Tilenus in such an Attempt as is here charged upon him

voyce of the Scriptures Repent ye therefore saith Peter unto the Jewes Act 3. 19. and be converted that your sins may be bloued out c. It is said of John that he baptized in the Wildernesse and preached the Baptisme of Repentance for the Remission of sins Mar. 1. 4. I suppose the great and blessed effect here mentioned Justification or Remission of sins is not intended by the Evangelist as the effect of Baptisme either only or so much if at all but rather of Repentance And that Baptisme is therefore called the Baptisme of Repentance for c. if Repentance it self be not here rather termed metaphorically a Baptisme i. e. a washing or cleansing a mans self from the defilement of sin but if this be not probable Baptisme I say may be called the Baptisme of Repentance for the Remission of sins because it is a Sacramental Pledge or Ordinance of God vouchsafed unto the Christian World to insure Remission of sins upon Repentance in such a character or form of speaking as that of the Prophet Elisha upon the shooting of an Arrow by the King of Israel as he was directed by this Prophet And he said the Arrow of the Lords deliverance and the Arrow of deliverance from Syria meaning that the Kings shooting the Arrow by order from God signified unto him by the Prophet was a confirmatory sign unto him and so intended by God that he and his People should be delivered out of the hand of their Enemies the Syrians 2 King 13. 17. Of the like construction is that of Peter to his new Converts Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of sins c. Act. 2. 38. The coupling of Remission of sins so close with Repentance as is found Luk. 24. 47. and Act. 5 31. is I conceive a pregnant Argument that the latter hath an indispensable Interest in procuring the former The tenour of the former of these Texts is this And Christ said unto them thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the Dead the third day And that Repentance and Remission of Sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations c. Of the latter this Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give REPENTANCE unto Israel and FORGIVENESSE OF SINS Upon the same account likewise it was that those Christian Jewes Act. 11. 18. termed that Repentance which they concluded from Peters relation that God had granted unto the Gentiles a Repentance unto life meaning unto Justification or Forgivenesse of Sins which the Apostle Paul calls the justification of life Rom. 5. 18. that is a Justification which restores a Sinner unto Life i. e. unto a Right Title and Capacity of Eternal Life who before was under a sentence of Condemnation and so dead in Law So then the Questionis how Repentance may be conceived to operate towards Justification or what it contributeth thereunto I answer 1. In the Generall it seems to be joyned in the same Commission with Faith and to be insisted upon and required by God in the nature of a Condition or qualification to render men meet for so sacred an Investiture or Priviledge as Justification or Remission of sins And it is matter of ready observation that the Scripture maketh the like great and precious Promises unto the one and unto the other yea and threatneth the want of the one and of the other with the same severe and terrible Judgements This matter being so well known we shall not need Quotation-proofs Yea 2. There seems to be a kinde of a mutual or reciprocal Involution between Repentance and Faith not such as is between ordinary causes and their effects but between such causes and effects which in different considerations and respects are mutually both causes and effects the the one unto the other Repentance considered in the initiatory or imperfect work of it comprehends Faith in it as Causes especially Moral Causes their Effects i. e. dispositively seminally vertually and the like Again Faith being brought into the Soul by the opportunity of such a Repentance as a form into matter disposed or prepared carries on that Repentance to greater perfection by means whereof whilest it was yet in its Minority it self was furthered in its being So that as Faith was dispositively or preparative-wise in Repentance whilest Repentance was imperfect So is Repentance perfectively or in respect of its consummation in Faith The Scripture speaks evidently of a Repentance precedaneous unto Faith yea and seems to assert a necessity of the precedency of it in order unto Faith And ye saith the Lord Christ to the chief Priests and Elders of the Jewes when ye had seen it repented not afterward that ye might believe him speaking of Johns testimony concerning him as that he was the true Messiah and Saviour of the World Mat. 21. 32. So the Apostle Paul adviseth Timothy to instruct in meeknesse those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will or rather shall give them Repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth k i. e. a Repentance which shall dispose or put them into an immediate capacity to believe the truth of the Gospell As on the contrary our Saviour expostulates thus with the Jewes How can ye believe who receive Honour one of another Joh. 5. 44. clearly implying that there was a necessity lying upon them to repent of that their ambitious and self-seeking humor to put them into a regular or hopefull capacity of Believing Thus then we see that according to the Scriptures there is a Repentance which is an Harbinger or Way-preparer unto Faith In respect whereof Faith may be said to be dispositively as hath been sayd and by way of preparation in Repentance But this Repentance notwithstanding the great service it doth unto men in accommodating their way towards believing yea and proceedeth also from the Grace of God and is to a degree and in its measure accepted with him in whomsoever it is found yet is it but imperfect and wants many degrees of that strength and soundnesse which afterwards it receiveth by its conjuction and communion with Faith And so in respect of this inlargement or additional perfection it may be said to have a being in Faith I doe not think it worth the making a Controversie or Dispute whether that Repentance which goeth before Faith and qualifies the subject for a more ready or willing reception of it and that which followes and accompanies Faith be of one and the same species or of different Yet I rather incline to think that they do not only not differ specie unlesse it be specie accidentali as a Man differs from a Childe a Man Learned from a Man Illitetate a Man that is poor from a man that is rich and the like but not so much as in individuo as Paul was the same individuum when he was a Man which he was

God in that behalf although it be a means or condition of the best and most proper complexion or consideration for God to entertain or pitch upon in a Decree for justification yet would it not be a proper or sufficient means to justifie any man because in such a consideration I mean as separated or divided from the justifying Decree of God as it hath neither any naturall nor morall dignity or worth commensurable to so high and sacred an effect as Justification so neither would or could it have any Instituted or Superadded authority from any other hand whatsoever wherby to carry or atchieve it whereas if it be meet to suppose that the justifying Decree of God could or would have joyned it self or taken into communion with it self any other thing habit or act as suppose love humility patience or what ever besides Faith in Christ for the work of Justification this by vertue of the soveraign Authority or force of the divine Institution or decree in conjunction with it would have justified all those in whom they had been found Those Ordinances Vestments Ceremonies and Observations recorded and described Levit. 8. and elsewhere as enjoyned by God under the Law for the creation and consecration of Aaron and his Successors together with the inferiour Priests of the Tribe of Levi into their respective Offices of the Leviticall Priesthood were simply and in themselves considered very comely and proper for the investiture and making of Priests of this Order yet would no use or application of them to any person or persons of what Tribe or Family soeve● have made any Priest to serve at Gods Altar either with acceptation unto him or benefit unto the people had there not a Divine Institution or Law from God interceded for the authorizing or validating of these things to the making o● constituting of such Priests In which respect the Law is sayd to make men high Priests Heb. 7. 28. and consequently may as well be sayd to make Priests of the inferiour Order likewise In like manner though the●e be an aptitude in Faith in Christ above any other Grace or qualification for the justification of a Sinner yet that which makes it actually and effectually justifying is the Decree or Will of God in that behalf Yea the death of Christ it self would not be justifying as now it is did not the Will of God interpose for the authorizing of it in that kind according to what we read Heb. 10. 10. By the which Will viz. of God we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all So that the Offering of it self of the body of Jesus Christ doth not sanctifie and by the same reason doth not justifie men but as appointed or ordained by the Will of God hereunto or to speak more warily and properly not without the authoritative concurrence of the Will of God with it for the exhibition of such a benefit or blessing unto the World Sect. 4 Fourthly The Authority of God being as hath been sayd soveraign and supream and so the act award and determination of it not obnoxious to any defeisance check or annulment by any other Authority whatsoever contributes unto the justification of a sinner I mean unto the Justification which himself hath contrived and declared for such in his word full and finall and irreversible ratification and establishment This is that which the Apostle cleerly supposeth or implies where he demands Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect i. e. Of those who believe as is evident It is God that justifieth as if he should say If it were any other but God who should justifie them although in the same way wherein God now justifieth them yet might their Justification be repeatable at least by God and further matter of accusation might be layd to their charge But now God being he that justifieth them and there being none above him nor yet equall unto him in Authority the●e is no fear that their justification should be obstructed recinded or made invalid by any whosoever or that any further Crime or matter of guilt should be charged upon them that should be of force by any equitable Law whatsoever or otherwise to condemn them Sect. 5 Fifthly Christ as God may be sayd to justifie in all those considerations or respects wherein Justification hath been ascribed unto God yea being one and the same God in nature and essence with the Father he acteth and doeth all the same things in reference to the Creature in conjunctiou and communion with him Secondly Being {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} God and Man or Man subsisting in the humane Nature personally united to the Godhead by the willing offering up of himself as a Lamb without spot in Sacrifice unto God the Father he made Attonement for Sinners in such a sense wherein the Scripture is to be understood when it so speaketh notwithstanding his Justice and perfect hatred of sin yea notwithstanding his threatning of Adam and all his Posterity with death in case of his sinning The death of a Person of that transcendent worth and dignity was in true esteem and so judged by the un-erring understanding and wisdome of God a valuable and equitable consideration why he should actually and without any other thing intervening pardon the ●in of the world as it is called Joh. 1. 29. that is the sin of Adam as imputed or communicated in the guilt of it unto all his Posterity together with all the actuall sins of all such of his Posterity as should believe in him To say that Christ by his sufferings merited either the justification or salvation of those who should believe in him as it is no Scripture expression so neither is it exegeticall or explicative of any Scripture expression nor as far as at present my memory serveth me expressive of any Scripture notion and however it is too narrow and scant an expression of that Grace of of God in the death of Christ herein commended by him both unto men and Angels unless we shall exclude from this Grace all Infants dying in Infancy or before they are arriv'd at a capacity of believing And as it is not so proper to say that the blood of Bulls and Goats c. under the Law merited those Leviticall purgations or sanctifications which yet they who were ceremonially unclean obtained by them as to say that they were a competent and sufficient satisfaction and so esteemed by God for such uncleannesses and so dissolved the guilt contracted by them In like manner it is more agreeable to Scripture both notion and phrase and to the nature of the thing it self to say that Christ in or by his death being so highly considerable as it was made or gave satisfaction for the sins of men and hereby made way for the pardon and remission of them by God then to say that by his death he merited the pardon of these sins or the

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

when he was a Child That the one hath Justification or Remission of sins annexed unto it by promise from God and the other not doth no more prove them to differ specie no nor yet individuo then Pauls proving in time a great and faithfull Apostle and chosen Vessel unto God proveth him to have been either of another species or another individuum when he was a fierce Persecutor and as himself acknowledgeth of sinners the chief But this Circle of Discourse is I confesse somewhat Eccentrical to our businesse in hand which is not to distinguish Repentance as preceding and as accompanying Faith but to inquire out and declare as God shall inable and direct what or how Repentance as included in or accompanying Faith operateth towards Justification or Remission of sins That which I conceive is this God not judging it meet to invest a person who yet retains the love and liking of sinfull and wicked wayes with so great and sacred a priviledge and Grace as Forgiveness of sins was pleased to establish it for a Law that no Man or Woman remaining impenitent and without unfeigned remorse of Soul for their sins past should ever be admitted into part and fellowship of that unspeakable Grace of his in Jesus Christ which consists in pardon or Remission of sins Again being highly pleased with that most regular generous and worthy deportment of Soul in whomsoever it should be found which consists in a genuine and real hatred and abhorrency of all unrighteousnesse and of whatsoever is sinfull or unclean enacted another Law in honour of this Heroick Act and Deportment viz. that whosoever should with his whole heart and soul repent of all his sinfull miscarriages and misdoings and stand resolved in heart for wayes of purity and uprightnesse for the future should be translated by him into that blessed state which standeth in Remission of all sin So that Repentance seems to operate two wayes towards Justification or Remission of sins First in the nature or after the manner of that kinde of cause which Logicians call Removens prohibens i. e. which contributeth towards an effect by removing that out of the way which being not removed would have hindered it Thus the taking away of the Dignity place and power of the Roman Emperors was the cause of the discovery or rising up of the Anti-Christian Race and their power 2 Thess. 2 7 8. So Repentance by removing that wretched and wicked habit or frame of soul which being un-removed would have obstructed the Grace and Blessing of pardon of sin contributeth towards the obtaining of it Secondly as Repentance includes in the nature and constituting Principles of it a disposition or frame of heart so highly pleasing unto God that he judgeth it no wayes unworthy of him to honour and reward it with so great a reward as Remission of sins so it may be conceived to contribute or operate towards Remission of sins or Justification tanquam causa dispositiva i. e. as regularly qualifying the subject for the reception of the form to be brought into it By this I suppose the interest of Repentance or that which it acteth towards in or about Justification may be clearly distinguished from the Interest of Faith and that which it acteth in reference to the same end When God in Scripture is said to justifie the ungodly the meaning is not that he justifies ungodly persons whilest they are or remain ungodly but he is said to justifie the ungodly in like form of speech as our Saviour useth Mat. 11. 5. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} c. That is The blinde see the lame walke the Leapers are cleansed and the deaf hear The meaning clearly enough is not that the Blinde whilest blinde did see or the Lame whilest they remained Lame did walk or that the Lepers whilest their Leprosie was yet upon them were cleansed c. but that such who had been formerly and untill Christ relieved them Blinde Lame Lepers Deaf were by him miraculously restored such as had been Blinde to their Sight such as had been Lame to the usefulnesse of their Limbs for walking c. In like manner God is said to justifie the ungodly when he justifies or makes such persons righteous by the pardon of their sins who had formerly been ungodly prophane c. But he doth not justifie them or make them righteous by the Forgivenesse of their sins whilest they remain ungodly but upon the alteration and change of the sinfull frame of their hearts by believing he conferres this Justification upon them viz. the Forgivenesse of their sins And the reason why God doth not judge it meet to justifie men or forgive them their sins whilest they remain ungodly unrighteous wicked prophane or the like may be partly to cut off all occasion from his Creature to conceive of him as a friend to sin or to impenitent and obdurate sinners partly also to contrive his Grace and high favour in Justification into an alluring Argument and strong motive to perswade men out of the love and liking of sin and sinfull wayes into the love and practise of Righteousnesse and true Holinesse The Apostle Paul was put to Apologize for his Doctrine of the Grace of God in Forgivenesse of sins because according to it this Grace is promised and given unto sinners though unto such sinners only who repent and bring forth fruits meet for Repentance But if saith he whilest we seek to be justified by Christ we our selves also are found sinners is therefore Christ the Minister of sin i. e. doth Christ by justifying such Sinners as he justifieth viz. such who believe and repent countenance abet or promote sin in the world God forbid Gal. 2. 17. If then inconsiderate and unworthy men conceive that God would be liable to an imputation of favouring or cherishing sin in men in case he should justifie or pardon all Sinners upon their Repentance which now he doth how much more obnoxious would he have been in such mens opinions to this imputation and charge in case he should have indulged this high Priviledge of Justification unto sinners without Repentance Upon this account then it is most probable that God hath not judged it meet to admit or allow any other kinde of Faith to bring men into communion of the Death of Christ for the Forgivenesse of their sins but only that which is accompanyed with an unfeigned Repentance or which purifieth and cleanseth the heart or at least is apt so to doe from the love and liking of all unrighteousnesse and uncleannesse If it be thus then the interposure or interest of Repentance about Justification is by way of Qualification or of rendering the subject the sinner regularly capable of that high and sacred Priviledge And though it doth not perform the office or work of Faith about Justification which is as hath been said to bring men into the fellowship of the Death of Christ where and where only Justification or Remission of

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

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

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