impium de impio pium facit justificatus est ut justus sit Where I cannot omit that the Fathers use the word justifie for making just though the usual Scripture sense is to acquit absolve and the reason is evident from the strict union between them Rom. 6.7 He that is freed from sin says our translation justified says the Original absolv'd or purged says Basil M. deliver'd says Theophilact which still confirms to me that the same grace which sanctifies justifies though in different manners the one by efficiency the other relatively the one by positive influence the other by institution and Aug. p. 1195. shows this to be his sense opus enim gratiae est it s the work of grace i. e. Gratiae donantis et dimittentis pardoning Grace ut moriamur peccato that we dye to sin and indeed the Apostle supposes it Rom. 6.2 How can we that are dead to sin live any longer therein He had been speaking of Justification not Mortification the Apostle supposes it to be one grace that did both and that these two effects are twins of the same birth though not both born one way which may be for an argument to prove that justifying grace finds us Ungodly and Non-workers since sanctifying grace doth And August Tom. 6. in his Book de remissione meritis 't was of Justification as that which comprehends in it Sanctification and Pardon both for his Argument is thus p. 659. c. What way we are justified in Christ that way we are sinful in the first Adam but we are justified in Christ thorough pardon and sanctification Ergo In Adam by guilt and pollution and his Words thus we read They are justified in Christ who believe in him by reason of a secret communication and inspiration of spiritual grace by which every one cleaves to the Lord and is one spirit with him Adam thorough his own sin begot guilty persons and Christ by his grace begets pardon'd persons This was wrote against Pelagius who said We sinn'd only in Adam by imitation And the success is observ'd by Jansenus in his Augustinus p. 103. that he brought Pelagius to own pardoning grace to be free without conditions but not sanctifying grace Great is the blessedness says Pelagius to obtain grace i. e. the grace of remission without the works of the Law and exercise of Repentance for Rom. 11.29 The gifts of God are without repentance He that believes in Christ in that day becomes as he who has fulfill'd the whole Law And the same Author Tom. 3. p. 33. Who knew well Augustines mind and said without that owning of grace which Austins doctrine contains Christian Humility is not attainable having read him all ten times and such Books thirty times says that the grace of remission of sin belongs to the gift of habitual grace not to after actual helping grace which says he my Author delights to call medicinal grace to nature in its sick yea dead state Fewer words are about this grace because Pelagius owns nature guilty but not hurt or wounded by sin and so needed pardon but not grace to regenerate But 2ly A greater than Augustine is here the Spirit of God constantly unites them two and who dare separate them Psalm 32.2 Whose sin is covered and in whose spirit there is no guile The Scriptures the Apostle quotes on the Text Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh 2 Tim. 1.14 Pardoning grace was abundant toward a persecuting Saul together with Faith and Love 2 Pet. 1.3 All things belonging to life eternal and godliness He calls to Glory and Virtue at once by that call are given precious promises Tit. 3.5 By the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost being justified by his grace Gal. 5.24 They that are in Christ have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts 2 Cor. 5.27 If any man be in Christ he is a New Creature 2 Cor. 6.11 But ye are sanctified but ye are justified c. I cannot but take Notice of what gave birth and occasion to the Popish Errors who make justification and sanctification one and the same or that the one is the other viz. The Fathers expressions who understood them still of distinct natures but given at once A ring may enrich a Woman by its native value and marry her by legal constitution a King may arm a Man with a Sword and signifie his royal favour by its gift The Grace that doth justum facere doth gratum facere makes him just in himself and signifies his guilt pardon'd and his person accepted in favour 3ly As Humane Testimony and Divine so reason unites them can a man have faith that is justifying and saving and not be regenerate faith and love being the two first branches of the root of Grace the Heart and Head of the New-Creature and can a man be regenerate and not justified can he have the greater priviledge and not the lesser can he be a Son and not a free Subject I might bring a 3d. Argument from the nature of the Subject viz. That before Conversion and Regeneration man can do no spiritual good thing there is no action of ours acceptable to God but thorough Christ which supposes an interest in him and union with him without faith it is impossible to please God the sacrifice the plowing the praying of the wicked is sin and the foundation of it is We are dead in sins and trespasses until the minute that God quickens us Eph. 2.1 and what can come from stinking Carcasses in the graves but savour of death a loathsom smell We cannot have faith until God gives it it s the Gift of God a faith of the operation of God and he gives it thorough Christ Heb. 12.1 Christ is the author and finisher of our faith I know no Commentator that denies his merit to come in for its proper influence to the gift of Faith Can an evil tree bring forth such fruits or a branch not ingrafted in the true vine when we have no spiritual discerning 1 Cor. 2.14 and having our hearts alienated from the Life of God thorough the ignorance that is in us Eph. 4.17 What good can we do Now no gist less then quickning regenerating grace can do this The answer given to this usually by Arminians and men tending that way is that Regeneration Creation Resurrection are but Metaphorical Terms and one thing they fail in likeness is that the one is wrought by degrees the other instantaneous the one is on passive matter that yields according to the power put forth on them but this is on the will of Man that can resist a sufficient grace to bring forth such effects Resp This the Scripture favours not for it says God works to will as well as to be able and it says When we were dead he quicken'd us 2. This was the Pelagian Error that God gave grace to be able but not to
and Repentance without an interest in Christ for antecedent to an interest in him and we cannot be evangelically justifi'd until our Faith and Repentance be sincere and persevere so no interest in him till death The Scholastick Pitâ—arne Provost of the Old Colledge of St. Andrews weeps over this Opinion and its Reverend Author thus p. 285. O Reverend Baxter for what end or to what good hast thou wrote so many Volumes for thy conditional justification by Faith and Obedience to how many contentions hast thou given occasion how many precious hours hast thou lost to thy self and thy Reverend Brethren into an Abyss of how many Anti-Gospel Errors are they now sunk who glory in thee as their Guide and Patron who after they have once left the way of Truth scarce know where to stop and yet thou still tellest the world all thy disputes are about the wool of a dog for thou differest only in words and names from thy Brethren 5ly The Context and Scope is the best rule of interpreting this text whether righteous by one Law and unrighteous by another or not for Chapter 3. tells us he is a Non-worker as to all works that any Oracles of the Old Testament did discover to be duty for v. 2. this was the Jews advantage that unto them were committed the Oracles of God about which these two things are certain that these Oracles were the Old Testament and that the Old Testament contain'd the same way of justification the New doth v. 19. He adds whatever the Law says it says to them that are under the Law v. 10. These Oracles say There is none righteous No not one v. 19. All the World is guilty before God every mouth stopp'd The Argument runs thus The Old Testament contain'd all Laws wherein a sinners justification was concern'd but as to all these Laws all men were found Non-workers and ungodly therefore there is no place for distinction of Laws and Righteousness in this place that inheres in us 2ly Abraham's Condition antecedent to his effectual call instructs us that the distinction of Righteousness to be admitted in this place is that of our own and anothers made ours by imputation not of our own with respect to different Laws for Josh 24. Abraham was an idolater inconsistent with faith and repentance or Gospel-righteousness and yet Isa 41. He is call'd a righteous man and the friend of God this must be thorough Christs righteousness imputed not his own Who call'd the righteous man from the east he was righteous in Chaldea 3ly Rom. 5.9 10. When we were enemies we were reconcil'd to God by the death of his Son The Argument is thus If we are reconcil'd when enemies we are justifi'd when guilty I mean actively and antecedently but the Apostle affirms the former The Connexion is evident for they are but different Metaphors of the same case the one representing it as the happy conclusion of a fair Tryal at Law the other as a Quarrel more friendly and privately compos'd the one represents it as a publick crime pardon'd on a satisfaction and mediation the other as a misunderstanding made up by an arbitration the one expresses the remission of the guilt but the other the removal of enmity to a cordial renew'd Peace and Love on both sides Reconciliation comprehends Justification and Sanctification too Two cannot walk together except they be agreed This is further confirm'd from v. 9. where by Reconciliation is understood and express'd Justification the former is describ'd by the latter and this justification v. 1. said to be that which is by faith Dr. Hammond to shun the dint of this Argument grants in this place a justification on Christ's Death but v. 8 and 9. the one is distinguish'd from the other by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet and now i. e. Then he dy'd for us now we are justifi'd 4ly We may take one step further into the Context Rom. 6.1 2 6 7. where the Apostle proposes an apparent Objection but impertinent if that were the case no justification until sincerity and perseverance in faith and repentance Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound and if their Mind and the Apostle's had been one he had answer'd like them tho' Legal Obedience is not necessary to make us vessels of Grace Gospel Righteousness is but his Solution is founded on the necessary connexion between justifying and sanctifying grace being given at once both together How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein v. 2. This supposes a mortal stroke given to the body of sin in the ungodly man when justified v. 7. He that is dead is justifi'd from sin so is the word in the Original and Gal. 5. They that are in Christ Jesus have crucifi'd the flesh with its affections and lusts Thus Dr. Tuckney God's justifying act finds us ungodly but doth not leave us so he justifies the ungodly but the ungodly are not justified and this obviates an Argument that is brought out of the text to confirm this Opinion for say they how can he be ungodly that has faith its true he cannot but Faith may be given to him that is so The 3d. Objection is this he may be a Non-worker as to true gracious works the effects of a regenerate state but not a Non-worker as to preparatory works that may make us meet and fit for it Or according to the old terms without meriting works but not congruous works It is necessary to give some Characters of these before any thing be said against them or rather against their necessary antecedency to justification for I doubt not pardoning grace finds many so indued The Original of these works is suppos'd to be man's natural conscience excited by some common influence of the Spirit and may be awaken'd by some extrordinary or afflicting providence or some convincing truth 2. The Properties of the Works are three 1. Good for matter and end 2. Done freely 3. When we are in the way for convictions or sorrow in Hell are not preparatory works 3. The degrees they differ in from gracious or meriting works are two 1. The person is not in a state of Grace 2. God has made no promise that he will pardon or justifie such thus Bp. Abelly edit 11. Medulla Theol. I answer 1. These Characters make these Works more a counterfeit of Grace than preparation for Grace they describe a Pharisee or Hypocrite that is further from the kingdom of Heaven than a Publican or Harlot for Christ tells them the harlots went into the kingdom of Heaven before them the Publican went home rather justified than the Pharisee with his formal thanks to God for his distinguishing Godness Most of such deceive themselves with that vain shew of Godliness having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof when they are poor miserable wretched and naked they think they need nothing with the lukewarm Church of Laodicea These are the foolish
Virgins that have no Oil in their Lamps 2ly The foundations this Opinion are grounded on are not very sure As 1. They say John Baptist's Ministry was to prepare the way to Christ by the doctrine of Repentance Respon The Baptists Ministry is to be consider'd either in general with all Ministers to prepare and make meet for the inheritance Luke 17.6 To prepare his ways to give knowledge of Salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins thorough the tender mercies of our God His Work was to fit for Heaven not to make Hypocrites though he did make many 2. His Ministry was to be consider'd in relation to that peculiar dispensation which was to raise and awaken peoples minds in expectation of the Messias and fulfilment of the great promises about the incarnation of the Son of God his Birth Life Death Resurrection and Constitution of his Church which was peculiar to himself A Second Foundation of these preparatory Works is Christ's Expressions preferring one People to another as such with whom the means that others enjoy'd in vain would have prevail'd for their true Repentance Matth. 11. to this purpose Christ prefers the Tyrians and Sidonians to the People of Chorazin and Bethsaida For Answer I shall give Camero's Sense of these Expressions who counts it a popular Hyperbole to upbraid the Unbelief of these People who had seen so many of his Miracles as if one should say he is as bad or worse than the Devil and these things seem to confirm this sense 1. It would seem to reflect on the Bowels and Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that he would not walk two or three Miles to work a Miracle among a People who wanted nothing else to secure their Salvation and yet continue to Preach and work Miracles where he knew the event would be only the Aggravation of their Sin and Punishment 2. To attribute the Conversion of a People to any external means and not the efficacy and energy of the Holy Ghost is contrary to the sense of the Holy Ghost for Paul may plant and Apollo may water but God gives the encrease and yet these words taken litterally would imply this if in Tyre and Sidon the Miracles had been done which have been done in thee they would have repented long ago 3. The Letter of this Scripture would arrogate the power of Conversion to Miracles which certainly is not the Sense of the Scripture for Abram in the 16th of Luke is brought in saying in that Conference with the rich man that if they heard not Moses and the Prophets they would not believe one that rose from the dead 4. Such Hyperbolical Language Christ frequently us'd as Matth. 18.8 9. If thy Hand or thy Foot offend thee cut it off if any man smite thee on the right Cheek turn to him the other when thou dost Alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth And of this kind seems Moses his Wish to be who pray'd that God would rather blot him out of the Book of Life than destroy that People The import of it was only to express the earnestness of his desire A Third Foundation is Christ's commendation of the young Man Matth. 19.15 Mark 10.21 Luke 18.18 where 't is said Jesus lov'd him and that he lack'd but one thing of the Kingdom of Heaven Resp 1. The same Scripture gives no account of his coming there but rather of the impossibility of it and that 't was easier for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle than for such a Man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and farther that 't was a thing only possible to God And in more plain terms he describes him to be one who trusted in his riches and what can more unfit Man for Heaven God and Mammon are at greatest distance As to that Expression of his loving him I think it may be best explain'd by that distinction that is us'd about Christ's Tears when he wept over a dead Lazarus or sympathiz'd with his Sisters that they were expressions of his Humanity and that tho' he had not the like Passions yet the like Affections with us and could love what 's useful and in its kind beautiful amongst men and such are all these Moral Virtues that renders a Man amiable and useful in the Society where he lives A Fourth Foundation is that an Appetite and desire is antecedent unto enjoying Christ or his Benefits Isa 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters Resp That is every one there is a great difference between a desire and the determination of it Psal 4. many say i. e. all or all unconverted Who will shew us any good but Lord lift thou up on me the light of thy countenance It is the termination of their desires on Christ on stable lasting heavenly spiritual good things the Prophet exhorts to he blames them for terminating their desires on what did not profit A 3. Argument against preparatory Works seems to be their inconsistence with the Nature of Conversion for Creation Regeneration Resurrection and Victory have no antecedent predispositions all the preparation in order to be conquer'd and overcome is to oppose with the greater force to prevent it the others imply a Divine Omnipotency working upon nothing or what 's unfit for the produc'd effect 4. It being granted that there 's no necessary Connection between preparatory Works and Pardon I see no reason why some may not be pardon'd without it as well as some have it and not pardoned 5. The design of the Gospel being to exalt pardoning Grace Ver. 15 16. It 's of Faith that it might be of Grace The less the Preparation appear the more Grace is exalted and manifested Obj. Should then a Man do nothing until he be justified Resp 1. Many are justified who know it not 2. Our Priviledges are not the Rule of our Duty but God's Command 3. That is without doubt we should do all we can few if any do what they may be always trying whether God gives ability or not 4. To all under the means of Grace at least God gives common Grace and by that they may live a sober just and honest Life among men and they may and ought to attend on Ordinances Phil. 2.12 Work in and about your own Salvation as Camero excellently translates it wait there until God works effectually he doth it of his own good pleasure where and when he will Let fear and trembling therefore accompany thy attendance lest thou miss the gale of that Wind that blows where it listeth Here is no room for Idleness to a Non converted and unpardoned Soul Faith comes by hearing be thou a diligent hearer 5. God gives Life thorough the Command of the Law he speaks a Pardon thorough the Precept it 's that makes the Law evangelical when he commands the dead to arise Lazarus come forth Lame Cripple rise and walk Bed rid man carry home thy bed thy sins are