THE MARROW OF TRUE JUSTIFICATION OR JUSTIFICATION without WORKS Containing the Substance of Two Sermons lately preached on Rom. 4. 5. And by the Importunity of some gracious Christians now published with some Additions WHEREIN The Nature of Justification is opened as it hath been formerly asserted by all sound Protestants and the present prevailing Errors against the said Doctrine detected By BENJAMIN KEACH Pastor of a Church of Christ Meeting at Horsly-Down Southwark I will raise unto David a righteous Branch and this is the Name whereby he shall be called Jehovah our Righteousness Jer. 23. 5 6. Justificatio est Doctrina stantis cadentis Ecclesiae saith Luther LONDON Printed for Dorman Newman at the King's Arms in the Poultrey 1692. THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY To all who desire to be found in the Righteousness of Christ and count their own but as Dung in comparison thereof particularly to the Congregation Meeting at Horsly-Down the Hearers of these Sermons Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplied Brethren AS I was put upon preaching on this great Subject so I am satisfied it was at a very seasonable Hour this Doctrine being greatly struck at by too many Persons though of different Sentiments in many Points of Religion And as it was well accepted by you who heard these Sermons and the others that followed when preach'd and having been prevail'd with to publish these to the World so I hope some may receive Advantage hereby Though for the meanness of the Author and weakness of the Work they may not meet with that Entertainment from some as the Subject deserves yet for your sakes whose Souls are committed to my Charge and for whom I must give Account to the great Shepherd of the Sheep at the last Day I readily consented to this Publication as also that all may see that we are in this and in all other great Fundamentals of Religion established in the same Faith with our Brethren and all Sound aud Orthodox Christians in the World And cannot but look upon our selves greatly concerned to see how Men by Craft and Subtilty endeavour through Satan's Temptations though I hope some do it not wittingly strive to subvert the Gospel of Christ and corrupt the Minds of weak Christians An Error in a Fundamental Point is dangerous and destructive but should we mistake some Men we have to do with we should be glad The Lord help you to stand fast in the Truth as it is in Jesus in which through Grace you are well established Our Days are perillous Satan seems to be let loose upon us and is in great Rage his Time being but short Brethren 't is a hard Case that any of those who maintain the Old Doctrine of Justification should be branded with the black Name of Antinomians As for my part if Dr. Crisp be not mis-represented by his Opposers I am not of his Opinion in several respects but I had rather erre on their side who strive to exalt wholly the Free Grace of God than on theirs who seek to darken it and magnifie the Power of the Creature though we fear the Design is to wound the Truth and us through that good Man's sides who I doubt not is gone to Heaven O when shall we see that Truth Peace and Vnion longed for My Brethren the Doctrine we preach does not open a Door to the least Licentiousness as ' iis unjustly said to do by some who are either wilfully or ignorantly blind No God forbid Nothing can promote Holiness and Gospel-Sanctification like unto it only it teaches us to act from high sublime and right Evangelical Principles It shews the only way to attain to Gospel-Purity flows from our Vnion with Christ and that no Man can arrive to any degree of true Holiness or expect to meet with any Success therein without a Principle of Spiritual Life or saving Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ The Nature of Men must first be changed and that Enmity that is in their Hearts against God be removed before they can be holy The Tree must first be made good or the Fruits will be evil The Image of God must be formed in our Souls which puts the Creature into an actual bent and propensity of his Heart to the Practice of Holiness If a Man hates not Sin be not out of Love with Sin How should he be in love with God and Holiness Now because we say Sanctification is not necessary as antecedent to Justification but is the Fruit or Product of Vnion with Christ though we deny not but the Habits of Holiness are infused at that same Instant that Faith is wrought in the Soul Must we be look'd upon as Promoters of a Licentious Doctrine Must we make our own Performances or Obedience a Condition of Justification or be laid under Infamy and Reproach 'T is by Faith only that we come to have actual Enjoyment and Possession of Christ himself and of Remission of Sin and not only so but of eternal Life and so of Holiness also and no other ways The good Lord help you to a right Vnderstanding of these things and make you all a holy People to the Praise of his Glory and Honour of your Sacred Profession The Holy Apostle having asserted Justification by the Righteousness of God which is by Faith in Jesus Christ desired to know him and the Power of his Resurrection c. which he did not to be justified thereby but as a Fruit flowing therefrom or as a further Evidence thereof The first he had attained but there was a higher degree of Sanctification in hts Eye which he pressed after as then not having attained Whose Example let us follow I shall say no more You own a Rule of Gospel-Holiness Let me exhort you to labour after sincere Obedience And pray forget me not in your Prayers that God would graciously help me through all my Troubles and Temptations and preserve me and you to his Heavenly Kingdom who am your Servant for Jesus's sake and so shall abide till Death Benjamin Keach THE MARROW OF JUSTIFICATION OR The Doctrine of Justification opened in divers Sermons at Horsly-down Rom. IV. 5. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the Vngodly his Faith is counted for righteousness THIS Text is given me as I told you the last Lord's Day by an unknown Hand and though it may seem to interfere with my design and intention in speaking to another Scripture on a different subject yet I readily imbrace this Motion and Answer the Desire of those Christian Friends who so earnestly request and intreat me to speak to the Doctrine of Justification and that for these Reasons following 1. Because the Doctrine of Justification is one of the greatest and most weighty subjects I can insist upon it being by all Christians acknowledged to be a Fundamental of Religion and Salvation Hence this Article is justly stiled by worthy Writers Articulus stantis vel cadentis Religionis The very â—illar of the Christian Religion
which the Apostle preaches you must come to Christ believe on Christ as Sinners as Ungodly ones and not as Righteous not as Saints and Holy persons The whole need not a Physician but they that are sick The Thief on the Cross as a Sinner cry'd out Lord remember me c. and the Jaylor as a Sinner cry'd out Sirs what must I do to be saved So much as to the Explanation of the Terms of the Text in which you have three parts 1. A Negative Proposition But to him that worketh not 2. An Affirmative Proposition But believeth on him that justifies the ungodly 3. The Conclusion from hence His faith is counted or imputed for Righteousness The Observations I shall take notice of from the Words shall be but two 1 Doct. That all Works done by the Creature are quite excluded in point of Justification of a Sinner in the sight of God 2. Doct. That Justification is wholly of the free Grace of God through the Imputation of the perfect Righteousness of Jesus Christ by Faith I purpose to begin with the first of these Points of Doctrine and then come to speak to the second 1. But before I proceed I shall shew you divers false and erroneous Principles which Men have sucked in in and about the great Doctrine of Justification 2. I shall then prove the Point viz. That all Works done by the Creature are quite excluded in point of Justification of a Sinner in God's sight 1. I shall begin with the Papists who hold that Men are Justified by inherent Righteousness by Good Works and not by Faith only affirming Good Works to be meritorious or that Men thereby deserve Eternal Life nay â—hat a Man may perfectly fulfil the Law of God though he cannot live without Sin But to mend the matter Bellarmine's Argument is That Venial Sins of which he denies not that all are guilty yet they do not hinder a Man from â—eeping the Law perfectly The foolishness of which distinction is easily â—iscerned for if they be Sins which he calls Venial then they are the Transgression of the Law and he that transgresses the Law doth not keep it perfectly but contrariwise breaks it and so is accursed cast and condemned by 〈◊〉 But they affirm that a Man may not only by his Good Works merit for himself but also may do more than is commanded or may do Works of â—upererogation or do more than his Duty 2. The second sort I shall mention are the Socinians who deny the Deity of the Son of God and from hence deny also the Satisfaction of Christ because the latter depends upon the former It was from the dignity and excellency of Christ's Person he being God as well as Man that his Sacrifice â—ad such infinite value and worth in it that by one single payment as I may 〈◊〉 say he made such a full compensation to the Law and Justice of God But â—â—ey erring in those two grand Points of Christian Religion run into the â—hird and deny the imputation of Christ's Personal righteousness to us in â—ustification And indeed it seems to me that this sort of Men assert that Justification of the Sinner is nothing more than God's pardoning him freely by â—is Mercy and that only as a simple act of his own Mercy and Grace without â—espect had to the Satisfaction made for our Sins by Jesus Christ by which act of God's pardoning Grace they affirm the guilt of Sin that binds the Sinner â—ver to punishment is taken off and so he is acquitted and delivered from Eternal Wrath but could this be admitted which they affirm why should God â—end his beloved Son into the World to be a Sacrifice for Sin For could not God without that Glorious Fruit of his infinite Goodness have pardoned and acquitted us and never have suffered his Son to have underwent such pain and â—orrow for us which indeed he did 3. Another sort there be which are those called Arminians of which â—here are many of late Times I find one of them does affirm That though the Works of the Law are excluded from justifying the Sinner in the sight of God yet Gospel Works are not So that they â—nclude Love to God Acts of Mercy and other Gospel Duties and Obedience in â—oint of Justification as well as Faith or joyn Good Works done under the Gospel and Faith together and this plainly appears by what Mr. William Allen hath wrote in his Book called A Glass of Justification See p. 18. These are his Words viz. It is no where neither in Words nor Sence said but he that â—oveth not but believeth on him that Justifieth 〈◊〉 Vngodly his Faith is counted to him for righteousness Sure this Man forgot that Love to God was one great thing the Law commanded Were not the Israelites or the People of the Jews under the Law to do all they did in Love to God Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy strength c. He proceeds to blame our Protestant Writers in asserting Justification by Faith alone without Works Brethren although we do not oppose Faith to Love as if Faith that is of the right Kind can be without Love to God yet we say 't is Faith and not Works not love nor Deeds of Mercy nor any other Gospel Duties or Obedience that is counted to us for righteousness And why to Faith only Because that Grace only carries us out of our selves to another for righteousness i. e. to Jesus Christ 4. The same sort affirm Faith doth Justifie the Sinner as far as I can gather as it is the act of the Creature God accepting of that internal act of the Soul according to his good pleasure to Justification not having respect so to the Object of Faith as that the matter thereof is Christ perfect righteousness and the form or formal Cause of it the Imputation thereof to such who believe in Jesus but that it hath pleased God to appoint or ordain Faith in respect of it self to that end and purpose namely to Justifie the Sinner Of this sort are the Dutch Arminians in pursuance of their main Doctrine of Free Will they exalt Man's Works and therefore affirm that he is Justified not by Christ's righteousness but by his own Faith God having required of him instead of full Obedience to the Law of Works that now he should believe on his Son and that for so doing he should be Justified and saved as he should have been before for perfect Obedience So that with this sort as one observes Faith is that righteousness for which we are Justified before God Moreover they tell us that Faith is a belief of the Truth of the Gospel so as to live according to it thus it includeth and not excludeth Works and that Faith and Works or Obedience to the Gospel is our righteousness for which we are Justified and saved At the same time you must remember that they do not
Apostle who are dead to Sin live any longer therein Rom. 6. 4. Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death v. 3. Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into Death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father so we should walk in newness of Life These Persons who were baptized being true Believers were in a justified State and though 't is true they by their Baptismal Covenant promised to walk in newness of Life yet the neglect of this is no more called the damning Sin nor is the performance of it that Righteousness they desire to be found in to Justification But 't is evident these Men place Obedience and Personal Holiness in the place of Faith and the non-performance of that inherent Holiness and Obedience in the room of Unbelief though we grant without Holiness no Man shall ever see the Lord yet 't is not for that or thereby we are justified and shall be saved but by the Personal Righteousness of Jesus Christ But to proceed as a further Confirmation that these Men deny that the Righteousness of Christ as 't is apprehended or received by Faith is that alone through which we are justified I might here cite another Author Mr. Truman Grand Propâ—iation p. 30. 86. who paraphrasing on those Words Rom. 3. 26. That he might be just and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus He saith That he that is of the Faith of Jesus or of the Christian Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And concerning the Effects of the Death of Christ or his Satisfaction he saith It was only this that the Obstacle being removed viz. offended Justice God might be at liberty to act in the pardon of Sinners in what way and upon what Terms he pleased The immediate Effect is that God might be just though he should pardon Sinners that he might pardon Silva Justitia not that he must pardon come what will of it or be unjust And further to exclude Christ's Righteousness from being the Matter of our Justification saith Mr. Troughton he saith that in our Redemption we 1. are not properly to be looked upon as Debtors nor God properly as a Creditor but as a Governor and Legislator we as Subjects and that Christ acted not the part of a Surety though he be once figuratively so called but of a Mediator expiating Guilt and making reparation to Justicâ— some other way than by the Execution of the Law yea endeavouring that the legal threat might not be executed by making amends for the non-execution of it 2. The Sufferings of Christ were not properly an Execution of the Law though they may figuratively be so called but a Satisfaction to Justice And further that it is contrary to Scripture and Reason to hold that Christ's fulfilling of and Obedience to the Law is accounted 〈◊〉 as if Believers had fulfilled and obeyed the Law in his doing it 1. And thus these Men go about to shake if they could nay overthrow the great Article of our Faith and glorious Doctrine of Justification as it hath been generally received by all Orthodox Christians in every Age of the Church clearly denying that which Christ did and suffered he did and suffered as a common Person as a Head Surety and Representative for all the Elect but that he did all meerly as a Mediator viz. as one endeavouring to compose the difference betwixt God and Sinners 2. Not that he fulfilled the Law of Works for us in our stead but that he fulfilled the peculiar Law of a Mediator 3. That Christ by undergoing the Curse of the Law delivered Mankind from the Curse thereof and by his active Obedience unto the Precepts of it purchased Life for them which the Law promised with other super-abounding additional Blessings but rather give Man a new and a milder Law of Grace or Terms of Life according as the Father and the Son should or did agree And only gave to God a valuable Consideration or Recompence that he might justly wave and not execute the Law of Works but give Man a new and milder Law of Grace or Terms of Life which clearly tends in a great measure to destroy or make void the Law instead of making it honourable by Christ's perfect Conformity to it in our Nature and Stead nor can the Righteousness of the Law be said to be fulfilled in us if what these Men say be true that is in our Nature or as some read it for us and indeed if Christ's Obedience and Suffering in our room and stead hath not delivered us who believe from the Curse of the Law Doubtless we are all under the said Curse still and so must remain for ever Nor can I see why Christ should take our Nature upon him were he not substituted in our stead as our Surety to do and suffer Besides how can our Sins be said to be laid upon him or imputed to him and his Righteousness imputed to us were he not put in our stead to do and suffer for us If that Righteousness which satisfied the Law of Works doth not justifie us I know not how we can be justified Nor can I see how the Honour of God in his infinite Justice and Holiness and the Sanction of the Law is repaired by this Doctrine But more of this hereafter 4. These Men do not say that the Righteousness of Christ whereby he fulfilled the Law is imputed to us who believe to justifie us in God's sight tho' for that Righteousness-sake God grants us pardon of Sin and hope of Eternal Life But rather so far as I can gather that Christ's Righteousness or Obedience is not imputed to us for which we should be justified and accepted as being an Obedience due to the Law of the first Covenant but to his own peculiar Law of a Mediator But yet so that Christ's Obedience did merit or purchase i.e. that God should appoint Men new and easier Terms of Life instead of perfect Obedience and Death for the failure of that Obedience Thus having given you several dangerous and corrupt Notions of Men about the great Point of Justification I shall proceed to give you in the last place the true Description Notion and Definition of it according as it hath been and is asserted generally by all sound Christians and faithful Men. Eighthly This is that which we say i.e. That Justification is an absolute Act of God's most sovereign Grace whereby he imputeth the compleat and perfect Righteousness of Jesus Christ to a believing Sinner though ungodly in himself absolving him from all his Sins and accepting him as righteous in Christ We affirm that Justification is the Acceptance of a Sinner with God as righteous through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to him not that Justification is nothing more but the pardon of Sin or the not or non-exacting the Punishment of Sin due for the breach of the Law of Works and the
same Apostle says Rom. 10. 9. If thou shalt confess with thy Mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved This Confession and this Faith has more in it 't is true than some believe 't is not a verbal Confession only or a bare believing Christ was raised from the dead 'T is a believing with all the heart Acts 8. 37. or to throw our selves wholly on Christ by the Faith of the Operation of God Col. 2. 12 13. in full confidence and assurance that he was raised from the Dead as our Head Surety and Representative for our Justification by the Power or Virtue of which Faith we also rise with him from a Death in Sin to walk in newness of Life From hence I argue thus That Doctrine which confoundeth the Terms of the Law and Gospel together in point of Justification is a false and corrupt Doctrine But the Doctrine that mixeth sincere Obedience or Works of any kind done by us with Faith in point of Justification confound the Terms of the Law and Gospel together in point of Justification therefore that Doctrine is false and a corrupt Doctrine Obj. May be our Opposers will object that the Terms of the Law consist in perfect Obedience and that the Terms of the Gospel consist in Faith and sincere Obedience and therefore they do not confound the Law and Gospel together c. Answ 1. The difference betwixt the Law and the Gospel as all our true Protestant Divines teach doth not at all consist in this i. e. that the one requires perfect Obedience and the other only sincere Obedience but in this that the one requires doing Do this and live but the other no doing but believing for Life and Salvation their Terms differ not only in degree but in their whole Nature 2. The Apostle 't is evident opposeth the believing required in the Gospel to all manner of doing or working for Life as the Condition proper to the Law The Law is not of Faith but the Man that doth them shall live in them Faith in Jesus Christ the Mediator is not commanded by the Law by which the Soul shall live the Law saith nothing of this this is not of the Law And the Gospel speaks nothing of doing or working for Life neither of perfectâ—or 〈◊〉 Obedience but the direct contrary He that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the Vngodly his Faith not his Obedience to the Gospel but his Faith is counted for Righteousness If therefore we seek Justification by any manner of Doing or Works though upon never so easie and mild a Condition of Obedience we do thereby bring ourselves under the Terms of the Law which is a compleat Declaration of the only Terms whereby God will judge all and condemn all who are not brought to see the Insufficiency that is in it through the Flesh Rom. 8. 3. no justifie the Soul and from that sight and sense disown all their Works of Obedience and accept of Christ his Righteousness and perfect Obedience to the Law to justifie them in the sight of God for let our Obedience be never I so sincere if it be not perfect we are still Debtors to the Law and are a coursed by it unless we believe in Jesus Christ so that all who seek for Justification or Eternal Life knowingly or ignorantly by any Works done by thenâ—less or more whether commanded by the Law or Gospel confound the Terms of the Law and Gospel together And to this let me add one thing more i. e. it cannot be rationally doubted but that the Jews and Judaizing Christians in the Apostles Days against whom he contended did profess any hope to be justified by a compleat or perfect Obedience to the Law according to the rigour of it but no doubt thought if they did sincerely do what they could to love God and keep his Commandments they should be accepted and justified in his sight For the Jewish Religion taught them that professed it as one observes to acknowledge themselves Sinners which appears by their Anniversary Humiliation at the day of Atonement and several other Rites of the Law nor have we any reason to conclude but some of them yielded also sincere Obedience I speak of Moral Sincerity to the Law this being so I see not why their sincere Obedience might not justifie them as far forth as any sincere Obedience to the Gospel or milder Law can a Christian now Brethren this new Doctrine is but a piece of Old Judaismâ— These Men do but stumble at the Old Stumbling-stone which was the seeking to be justified by a man 's own Righteousness in a sincere or upright Obedience to that Law or Rule of Life God gave them and so thereby not submitting themselves to the Righteousness of God which is by Faith in Jesus Christ without the Law or any Obedience of ours Moreover pray consider that Paul who told the Galatians they were fallen from Grace did not disown Jesus Christ they were still Professors of the Gospel though they thought Obedience to the Law a necessary Condition in order to Justification also Nor was the Observation of the Moral Law a damning Sin No no the Gospel obliges to it but it was their seeking Justification thereby and not by Faith only or in that respect mixing Works with Faith 4. All Works done by the Creature are excluded in point of Justification of a Sinner in the sight of God because we are justified by a perfect Righteousness If no Man is in himself perfectly righteous then no Man can be justified by any Works done by him But the Apostle proves that the Justice of God requires a perfect or sinless Righteousness in point of Justification and also proves that all have sinned nor is there one that doeth good and sinneth not No Person has a perfect Righteousness of his own Alas Sirs the Law of God is but as a Transcript or written Impression of that Holiness and Purity that is in his own Nature and serveth to shew us what a Righteousness we must be found in if we are ever justified in his sight Nor can it be once supposed by any Man unless blinded that God will ever loose or relax the Sanction of his Holy Law or abate a jot or tittle of that Righteousness his Holy Nature and Law requires in point of out being justified in his sight it must be all fulfilled by us in our own Persons or by our Surety for us and imputed to us The Law did not only proceed from God doubtless as an Act of his Sovereign Will and Prerogative but as an Act proceeding from his infinite Justice and Holiness Can any be so left as once to conclude God sent his Son to destroy the Law or to diminish or take away the least part or tittle of that Obedience he therein injoins which so well agrees with the Perfections of his own pure Nature 't is strange to me
another This to the learned Greeks was a strange Doctrine But to say a Man is justified by sincere Obedience i. e. by believing the Truth of God's Word and living a godly Life suits well with Man's natural Wisdom and Reason But the Doctrine of Faith though it be not against humane Reason yet it is above it and wholly depends upon divine or supernatural Revelation through this Man is preached unto you remission of Sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things by which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13. 38 39. For as by one Man's Disobedience many were made Sinners so by the Obedience of one shall many be made righteous Rom 5. 19. How dare any say our Works or sincere Obedience is our Righteousness sith the Apostle positively asserts We are made righteous by the Obedience of Jesus Christ If it be by his Obedience 't is not by our own For as Adam's Sin was imputed to his Seed to Condemnation so is the Obedience or Righteousness of Christ imputed to all those who believe in him to Justification Now the worst of Men that have any sense of Religion are prone to conclude the only way to obtain God's Favour and to be justified in his sight is to make the practice of Holiness and upright Walking a Condition nay the only way thereunto and that Happiness is to be by that means obtained Hence 't is when they meet with any awakening Convictions or Terror of Conscience they presently begin to think they must amend their Lives and perform Religious Duties Nay this way the Heathens were brought to their best Devotion as a learned Writer observes Mankind being made and born under a Covenant of Works are naturally led to work for Life or to do something to procure God's Acceptance and escape his Displeasure The very Light of natural Reason informs us that it is just with God to require us to perform Duties of sincere Obedience or Duties of natural or instituted Religion and if we fall in doing what our Consciences tells us we ought to do we presently through self-love and blind hope persuade our selves God being gracious will pardon us wherein we come short through Christ who died for Sinners And thus we may perceive that the Persuasion of Salvation and Justification by the Condition of sincere Obedience hath its Original from our corrupt natural Reason and is part of the Wisdom of the World but it is none of the Wisdom of God in a Mystery yea that hidden Wisdom God hath ordained before the World began to our Glory It is not of the things of the Spirit of God nor of the Mystery of Faith which the natural Man cannot receive but are Foolishness unto him This is not the foolishness of preaching whereby God is pleased to save them that believe 1 Cor. 2. 6 7 9 14. Certainly the Justification of a Sinner in the sight of God by Faith only or to believe on him that justifies the Ungodly is one of the chief Mysteries of the Gospel but if our Justification was by our own Obedience or by conforming our Lives to the Rules of the Gospel Justification and Salvation would cease from being any more a Mystery But to be justified by the Righteousness of another though Sinners in our selves and have done nothing to procure such Favour and Acceptance at God's hand can't enter into the heart of natural and self-deceived Mortals Sirs our Justification is a great Mystery as 't is an Act of God's Sovereign Grace and Wisdom Herein his Justice and Mercy equally shine forth and the one doth not eclipse the Glory of the other Sin is punished and the Sinner acquitted 6 Arg. If when we have done all we can do we are unprofitable Servants then by our best Works of Obedience and Services under the Gospel we cannot be justified But contrariwise all Works in that respect as done by us are excluded Luke 17. 10. He is no unprofitable Servant whose Works or sincere Obedience commends him to God in point of Justification no Man is able to come up fully to discharge his Duty If therefore sincere Obedience â—nstead of perfect God now requires of us in the case of Justification and we are able fully to discharge the Law of sincere Obedience which our new Doctors must say or they say nothing then it follows that all such Persons are not unprofitable Servants for they have done all that God requires of them Nor indeed can I see as a Divine observes if sincere Obedience be the Condition of Justification and Life how the Imperfections of the Godly should be any Sins against the Gospel Where there is no Law there is no Transgression For this New Law i. e. the Gospel requires no more than sincere and upright Obedience say they though the Law did and the Gospel also promises Life in like manner to sincere Obedience as the Law did to perfect and compleat Obedience they may be Imperfections saith he in Nature but not proper Sins Praeter non contra Legem as the Papists say If they say that more than sincere Obedience is required of us but not as a Condition of Life I ask by what Law The Covenant of Works required nothing but as the Condition of Life no more doth the Gospel if it be a Law of Life After such a manner our Saviour doubtless by his Expressions shews us that all we do avails us nothing in point of Desert though never so sincerely performed and therefore far from justifying us in God's sight but that all we have is of God's Free Grace 7 Arg. Because we are said to be justified by the Righteousness of God Hence it follows that all our own Works of Obedience are excluded Rom. 3. 21 22. 'T is called the Righteousness of God in opposition to the Righteousness of the Creature not the Essential Righteousness of God but the Righteousness of Christ the Mediator who is God as well as Man and that Righteousness God in his infinite Wisdom hath found out to discharge us guilty and condemn'd Sinners and to justifie us in his sight Hence St. Paul renounced all his own Righteousness that he might be found in the Righteousness of God which is by Faith in Jesus Christ Phil. 3. 8 9 10. Obj. But say some Paul speaks only of that Righteousness which he had whilst a Pharisee or of the Righteousness of the Law He intends not saith Mr. Williams p. 204 205. Gospel-sincerity but those Jewish thing or what they boasted of And again he saith It was not Gospel-holiness which he counted dung or loss Answ 'T is strange this Man should adventure to give such a sence of this Text when at the same time he would â—ain have his Reader believe he owns the imputed Righteousness of Christ for our Justification p. 202. 'T is evident he does deny that the Righteousness of Christ alone is imputed to us for Justification as being the only Matter
would have a sound and stedfast ground of Hope Peace and Comfort nay not only have the Joy of God's Salvation but Salvation it self For if you build on your own Righteousness or Obedience and not on the Righteousness of God which is received by Faith only you will fall into Hell by stumbling at the same stumbling-stone the Jews did Rom. 9. 32. Chap. 10. 2. 8 Arg. All Works done by the Creature are excluded in point of Justification of a Sinner in the sight of God because we are justified by that Righteousness by which the Justice of God is satisfied and his Wrath appeased That Righteousness that delivers us alone from Condemnation and the Curse of the Law doth justifie us and none else and is not that the Righteousness of Christ Is not he that is acquitted from Condemnation and Death put into a state of Justification and Life What is it that these new Doctors talk of How is Christ's Righteousness made our legal Righteousness and yet not our Evangelical Righteousness If the Righteousness of Christ be imputed to us as that which when apply'd by Faith delivers us from Condemnation Wrath and Death certainly we need no other Righteousness to justifie us in God's sight unto eternal Life Obj. But Vnbelief is against the Gospel what Defence against this Answ The Person that we speak of hath Faith he believes in Christ therefore the Gospel charges him not and the Law cannot Here is a Pardon if you receive it you are acquitted Here is a Plaster if you apply it you are healed The Man receives the Pardon applies the Plaster he is by the Grace of God helpt to believe he is therefore delivered from Death and put into a State of Justification and shall not come into Condemnation Rom. 8 1. 2. No Man is acquitted from the Charge of any Sin either against the Law or Gospel till he believes but when he believes when he applies the Merits and Righteousness of Christ he is justified from all Things from all Sins of what Nature soever they are Must we by our sincere Obedience make God a Compensation for the Sins we have committed against the Gospel and free Tenders of his Grace or for slighting the Word of Reconciliation c. Hath not Christ satisfied God's Justice for all our Sins and when we believe are we not thereby justified from all Sins committed against the Gospel as well as against the Law Have we any Plea at God's Bar but that of the Merits of Christ and his Righteousness only let our Sin or Guilt be what it will Quest But how doth it appear a Man doth believe in Christ indeed Answ Why his Faith if true will make him a new Creature 't will purifie his Heart it will lead him into sincere and universal Obedience but 't is Christ's Righteousness still nevertheless that justifies him in God's sight though his Obedience and inherent Righteousness may justifie his Faith or evidence the Truth of Grace to his own Conscience and to Men also But Obj. God doth require an Evangelical Righteousness in all that do believe this Righteousness Christ is not nor is it the Righteousness of Christ he may be said to be our legal Righteousness but our Evangelical Righteousness he is not And so far as we are righteous with any Righteousness so far we are justified by it for according unto this Evangelical Righteousness we must be tried if we have it we shall be acquitted and if we have it not we shall be condemned there is therefore a Justification according to it To this take reverend Dr. Owen's Answer According to some Authors or Maintainers of this Opinion I see not saith he but that the Lord Christ is as much our Evangelical Righteousness as he is our Legal for our Legal Righteousness he is not in their Judgment by a proper Imputation of his Righteousness unto us but by the Communication of the Fruits of what he did and suffered for us And so he is our Evangelical Righteousness also for our Sanctification is an Effect or Fruit of what he did and suffered for us Eph. 5. 25 26. Tit. 2. 10. 2. None have this Evangelical Righteousness but those who are in order of Nature at least justified before they actually have it for it is that which is required of all that do believe and are justified and we need not much enquire how a Man is justified after he is justified 3. God hath not appointed this Personal Righteousness in order to our Justification before him in this Life though he have appointed it to evidence our Justification before others c. 4. If we are in any sence justified hereby in the sight of God we have whereof to boast before him Though we may not absolutely in respect of Merit yet we may so comparatively and in respect of others who cannot make the same Plea for their Justification but all boasting is excluded And it will not relieve to say that this Personal Righteousness is of the Free Grace and Gift of God unto some and not unto others for we must plead it as our Duty and not as God's Grace See his further Answer Dr. Owen of Just p. 221 222. To close this take this Argument If by that Righteousness of Christ which is out of us though imputed to us the Justice of God is fully satisfied we are justified then all Works done by us or inherent in us are excluded in our Justification before God But by that Righteousness of Christ which is out of us though imputed to us the Justice of God is satisfied therefore all Works done by us or inherent in us are excluded in our Justification before God Finally saith Bellarmine Nothing more frequently doth the Scripture testifie than that the Passion and Death of Christ was a full and perfect Satisfaction for Sins Further he saith God doth indeed not accept as a true Satisfaction for Sin any Justice but that which is infinite because Sin is an infinite Offence c. De Just l. 2. Now the Sufferings of Christ and his Righteousness only is of an infinite Value ours is not therefore Christ's Righteousness only and not ours is a true Satisfaction for Sin Our Adversaries sometimes are forc'd to speak the Truth 〈◊〉 Arg. All Works done by the Creature are excluded c. Because 't is by the Obedience of one Man that many are made righteous that is Jesus Christ he is made of God unto us Righteousness c. Rom. 5. 18 19. 1 Cor. 1. 30. But our inherent Righteousness is of many i. e. every Man 's own sincere Obedience that obtains it 10 Arg. All Works done by the Creature are excluded in point of Justification I prove thus If any one Man was justified without Works or sincere Obedience or through Faith only then all Works of Obedience c. are excluded But the Thief on the Câ—oss was justified without Works of Obedience and so are all Infants that die in Infancy that are
him in God's sight 3. And that their Will and Affections are also depraved and in like manner corrupted he proceeds farther to cite what David in the same Psalm saith viz. They are all gone out of the way they are altogether become unprofitable there iâ— none that doth good no not one verse 12. Now least any one Zealot should fansie himself in a good condition and excluded from this black Indictment and so in a Justified State by his own righteousness he confirms again his former Universal Charge All are gone out of the way they are altogether become unprofitable and therefore not one of them can be Justified And as the Faculties of their Souls are corrupt so the Apostle proceeds to shew the infection had seized on the Members of their Bodies therefore he saith Their Throat is an open Sepulchre with their Tongue they have used Deceit the Poyson of Aspes is under their Lips verse 13. Whose Mouth is full of cursing anâ— bitterness verse 14. Their Feet are swift to shed Blood verse 15. Both Tongues Lips Throat and Feet are polluted and abominable being Instruments oâ— unrighteousness In verse 19. he seems to Answer by way of anticipation an Objection which the Jews might bring against what he had said as if they should say What you speak doth not concern us but the prophane Gentiles we have the Law and that relieves us and thereby we may be Justified to which he Reasons thus to cut off all their Hopes viz. Now we know that whatsoever the Law saith it saith unto them that are under the Law that every Mouth may be stopped and all the World become guilty before God By the Law is not only meant the Law as it was given to Israel in the Two Tables of Stone but as the substance of the same Law was written in the Hearts of all Mankind the Apostle means the Law of the First Covenant which was broke by our First Parents by the breach of which all the World became guilty before God originally and also by their actual Breach thereof for that neither Jews nor Gentiles lived without Sin but contrariwise werâ— guilty of the Breach of that Law under which they lived But although all the World were under the Law of the First Covenant and had the same Law as to the substance of it as a rule of Life yet the Jews had the upper hand of the resâ— of the World by their having the Oracles of God committed to them by which means they had greater advantages to come to the knowledge of Sin and also by means of divers Figures and Prophecies to the knowledge of the Messias But what of all this the Apostle shews them that the Law on which they rested was so far from relieving them that it served chiefly to convince them of their horrid guilt and bound the Sentence upon them so that they and all the World were subject to the Just Judgment of God and under his Wrath and Curse 2. And therefore he infers that by the Law either as it was written in the Two Tables or in the Heart which the Gentiles had as well as the Jews no Man could be justified so ver 20. Therefore by the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of Sin 3. But lest upon this the lost World should be left under utter Despair the Apostle proceeds to shew us there is a way found out in the infinite Wisdom of God and according to his unspeakable Grace and Goodness to deliver us from Sin and Guilt and so to justifie us before God and therefore he adds but now the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets v. 21. Even the Righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe for there is no difference v. 22. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ v. 23 24. No wonder there is no difference when both Jews and Gentiles lie under the guilt of Adam's Transgression it being imputed to them he being the common Head and Representative of the whole race of Mankind Rom. 5. 12. And since also all of them partake of the same original Corruption or depraved Nature inherent in them from whence proceed all those actual Transgressions by which means it appears that all come short of that glorious Image of God in which they were at first created and also of the eternal Glory above Yet to the praise of God's Grace the lost World is not left in a hopeless Condition God having sent his Son to satisfie the Law and Divine Justice or to be a propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his Righteousness for the remission of Sins that are past through the forbearance of God v. 25. 4. In the 27th Verse he adds a God-honouring and a self-confounding Inference from what he had said Where is boasting then It is excluded By what Law Of Works Nay but by the Law of Faith 5. And hence he draws another conclusion viz. ver 28. Therefore we conclude That a man is justified by faith without the works of the Law and in the 4th Chapter he proceeds to prove his main Argument i. e. That a Sinner is justified by Faith without Works by the Example of Abraham for if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God chap. 4. 2. 6. This is the Apostle's Argument if Abraham was justified by Works he had somewhat whereby he might boast and glory but Abraham had nothing whereof to boast or glory and therefore he was not justified by Works But to put it further out of doubt he affirms what the Scripture saith viz. That Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for Righteousness v. 3. 7. In the next place he proceeds to prove this blessed Doctrine from the nature of Works and Grace they being quite opposite and contrary the one to the other Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt v. 4. If therefore it was granted a Man could perform the condition of perfect Obedience yet he could not he justified 1. Because all as he had shewed before have sinned 2. Because there is no Reward as a due debt from God because we can do no more than our Duty we being the Lords and all our Abilities and Services can ne'er make a reparation for the wrong we have done against the Law and the Holiness and Justice of God And thus I come to my Text ver 5. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for Righteousness To him that worketh not That is worketh not thinking thereby to be justified and saved Though he may work i. e. lead a holy and righteous Life yet he doth
it not to merit thereby nay though he be wicked and an ungodly person and so worketh not or hath no Moral Righteousness at all yet if he believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted or imputed for righteousness Not as a simple Act or as it is a quality or habit or in us as the Papists teach ipsa fides saith Bellarmine censetur esse Justitia Faith it self is counted to be a Justice and it self is imputed unto Righteousness No nor in respect of the effects or fruits of it for so it is part of our Sanctification But as it is a hand to take hold of or receive or apply Christ and his Righteousness Manus accipientis saith Dr. Downham the hand of the Receiver is the Grace of justifying Faith 'T is not Faith but the Object and Righteousness Faith apprehends or takes hold of that justifies the ungodly 1. The Apostle doth not intend by these Words That if a Man hath the Works here meant he cannot be justified unless he throws them away and become openly wicked and prophane and so sin that Grace may abound No as the Apostle says God forbid Rom. 6. 1. But his meaning is that the absence or want of good Works or moral Righteousness cannot hinder a Man's Justification if he believes in Jesus Christ though he be never so wicked and ungodly That justifieth the ungodly Every Man is ungodly before he is acquitted and justified having till that very instant a great Mountain of guilt and filth lying upon him Justifie 't is Verbum foreâ—se a judicial Word used in Courts of Judgment or a Law-Term which usually is opposed to Condemnation And it signifies to absolve to acquit from guilt and accepting a Man as righteous or to pronounce him just and righteous or give sentence for him Deut. 25. 1. Prov. 17. 15. not the making a person inherently righteous but to count or impute Righteousness to one that is in himself a Sinner or as my Text ungodly Obj. But may be you will say what ungodly ones doth God justifie if it be an impenitent ungodly one how can you reconcile this Text with that of Solomon He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just even they are both abomination to the Lord Prov. 17. 15. 1. Answ I answer 't is not meant of justifying of any ungodly Act of a wicked Person for God can as soon cease to be as so to justifie the ungodly 2. Nor Secondly he means not justifying the person in his committing of any sinful deed for that is as opposite to God's holy Nature and all one with the former 3. Nor in the Negative are they such ungodly ones that are righteous in their own Eyes like as many of the Jews and Pharisees were and Paul also before his Conversion Phil. 3. 4 5 6 7. when a Persecutor For although such who are Righteous in their own sight are the worst of Sinners in the sight of God yet they are such whom God while they retain that conceit of themselves will never justifie Christ did not come to call the righteous but sinners to Repentance There is saith Solomon a Generation pure in their own eyes yet are they not cleansed from their filthiness Prov. 30. 11. Our Saviour compares this sort of Men to painted Sepulchres who appear beautiful without but are within full of dead Men's bones and of all uncleanness Matth. 23. 27. What pollution is more loathsome than the filth of a rotten and stinking Sepulchre The proud Phaâ—isee crys out God I thank thee I am not as other Men are Extortioners Vnjust Adulterers or even as this Publican I fast twice 〈◊〉 the week I give Tithes of all that I possess Luke 18. 13. These Men boast of â—heir good Works Prayers and Alms-deeds but never saw their horrid â—ride hardness of their Hearts Unbelief and cursed Hypocrisie They make â—lean the outside of the cup and platter but are abominable inwardly in his eye â—ho beholds their hearts These Men are wicked and ungodly notwithstanâ—ing they look upon themselves to be Righteous and yet are not therefore â—he ungodly whom God will justifie 'T is said the Publican who cried Lord â—e merciful to me a Sinner went away rather justified than the proud Pharisee 4. And in the fourth place neither are they such wicked and ungodly â—nes who though openly prosane and wretched Creatures such that love and â—ive in Sin yet glory presumptuously of Christ's Death and say through â—im they hope to be saved They believe in Christ and therefore do not â—oubt of their Salvation Faith is one thing and Presumption is another I â—m afraid Brethren that this conceit and delusion of the Devil sends daily many thousands to Hell because God hath abounded in his Grace they abound 〈◊〉 Sin and Wickedness and presumptuously trust to lying Words These unâ—odly ones are not the persons which God doth justifie but rather positively â—ondemns in his Word and will condemn for ever unless they believe truly â—elieve in Jesus Christ 5. Therefore in the Fifth place they are such ungodly ones in the Affirmaâ—â—ve who do see themselves to be ungodly and vile they are such whom God brings to see their Sickness to feel themselves wounded who find themâ—elves lost and undone nay though some of them may like Paul be blameless 〈◊〉 respect of the outward Acts of Sin yet by the coming of the Commandment â—ith powerful Convictions sin revives and they die Rom. 7. They see the polâ—tion of their Hearts and the pravity of their Nature and behold themselves â—e worst of Men. Though some others may be indeed guilty of gross Acts of Sin or notorious Transgressors even just until that very instant that they hear the Gospel preached and have done no Acts of Righteousness yet if they believe on Jesus Christ or throw themselves by an Act of saving Faith on the Blood and Merits of Christ they are immediately justified for let Men have moral Righteousness or no moral Righteousness they are all ungodly in God's sight till they believe and at that very instant they do believe they are accounted righteous through the Imputation of Christ's perfect Righteousness For as a Man 's own Righteousness cannot further his Justification or conduce or add thereto so his Sin and Ungodliness cannot hinder or obstruct his Justification if he truly believe on him who justifies the Ungodly My Brethren do not mistake a Man seeing himself wounded doth not heal him though it may and does put him upon seeking out for healing so a Man seeing himself a Sinner doth not render him Righteous Nothing renders a Man righteous to Justification in God's sight but the Imputation of the perfect Personal Righteousness of Christ received only by the Faith of the Operation of God When I was a Lad I was greatly taken with a Book called The flowing of Christ's Blood freely to Sinners as Sinners O my Brethren that 's the Case that 's the Doctrine
Righteousness of Christ be not the matter of our Justification or that which does Justifie us in God's sight and on the other Hand 't is impossible if we are Justified and accepted as just Persons and graciously acquitted by the Righteousness of Christ there should be the least stain imperfection or spot in our Justification but that Christ must needs say of such in respect of Justification as he doth of his Spouse Thou art all fair my Love and there is no spot in thee Cant. 4. 7. And how should it be otherwise since therewas no spot nor blemish found in him Mr. Baxter in his Fourth Proposition in his Preface to D. Tully saith that this Condition viz. the Covenant of Grace by which we have right to the benefits of it is our Faith mark it or Christianity as it is meant by Christ in the Baptismal Covenant viz. to give up our selves in Covenant believing in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost renouncing the contraries and that though this consent to the Christian Covenant called Faith alone be the full Condition of our first Right to the Benefit of that Covenant of which Justification is one yet obediential Performances and Conquest of Temptations and Perseverance are secondary parts of the Condition of our Right as continued and consummated he saith for Faith to be imputed to us for righteousness Rom. 4. 22 23 24. Is plainly meant that God who under the Law of Innocency required perfect Obedience of us to Justification and Glorification upon the Satisfaction and Merits of Christ hath freely given a full Pardon and Right to Life to all true Believers so that now by the Covenant of Grace nothing is required of us to our Justification but Faith all the rest being done by Christ and so Faith in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost is reputed truly to be the condition on our part on which Christ and Life by that Baptismal Covenant is made ours Observe here is not a Word concerning Christ's Righteousness or Faith in him for Righteousness And hence worthy Mr. Troughton citing this passage of Mr. Baxter saith By this Author 't is not Christ's Righteousness apprehended by Faith justifieth us but Faith it self as including Obedience i. e. the belief and practice of the Christian Religion is our Righteousness by and for which we are justified and accepted Luth. Red. p. 8. Moreover 't is worth noting to observe how Mr. Baxter seems to lay the whole stress of our first Justification to what is promised in our Baptismal Covenant wherein we profess Faith in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost sure he might with much ease have foreseen that such who entered into that Baptismal Covenant in the Primitive Apostolical Days were such who before they were admitted thereto were required to believe And if true Subjects were all justified before they sign'd that Covenant the Jailor who cried out Sirs what must I do to be saved was by St. Paul required to believe on the Lord Jesus with a Promise upon his so doing of being saved Though I deny not but that Faith in God the Father and in the Holy Ghost is injoined as well as Faith in the Son yet 't is Christ who is the immediate Object of our Faith and that too as he was crucified for us and bore our Sins or was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him And 't is by him that we come to God and believe in God and are justified and accepted of God other foundation of these things can no man lay But Mr. Baxter speaks nothing of this but of a Faith in general in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost which Faith he says is reputed truly to be the Condition on our part on which Christ and Life by that Baptismal Covenant is made ours till I met with this passage of Mr. Baxter's I did not so well understand what Mr. Daniel Williams means by those Assertions of his in his late Book called The Vanity of Youth p. 130. 131. who answers these Questions following viz. What doth the Covenant bind thee to meaning the Baptismal Covenant Answ To be the Lords in a sincere Care to know love believe obey worship and serve him all my days and to depend on God through Christ for all Happiness Ezek. 16. 8. Rom. 12. 1. Rom. 6. 4. Quest What if a Child through the love of Sin or vanity of Mind will not agree to this Covenant when he is capable Answ He then rejecteth Christ our Saviour and renounceth the Blessings of the Gospel Quest Is it a great Sin to refuseth agree to the Covenant to which thy Baptism engaged thee Answ It 's the damning Sin and the heart of all Sin I suppose Mr. Williams and Mr. Baxter were of the same Faith and Judgment If you will know what the Terms and Condition of the Covenant of Grace are which must be performed by us that we may be justified both these Men tell you though the latter more fully 't is to make good this Baptismal Covenant viz. sincerely to love believe obey worship and serve the Lord so that Faith alone as it receives Christ or helps us to fly to Christ and relie on Christ is not the alone way or condition if it may be so termed on our part in order to actual Interest in Jesus Christ and Justification but also the whole of Gospel-Obedience and Holiness they make to he as absolute Conditions in order thereunto as Faith Sirs we deny not but that Obedience and Personal Holiness is necessary to Salvation or in order to a meetness for an actual Possession of Heaven But we must exclude all inherent Holiness or Works of Obedience done by us in point of Justification Pray mind my Text But to him that worketh not but believeth But if it be not as I affirm concerning these Men how can Mr. Williams call the non-performance of the Baptismal Covenant the damning Sin and heart of all Sin Observe the very same damning Evil which the Holy Ghost charges on the Sin of Unbelief In the New Testament Mark 16. 16. John 3. 36. he charges on the non-performance of his true Condition of Justification and Eternal Life i.e. this Baptismal Covenant All Sin I grant is damning in its own Nature every Sin being a breach of God's Law exposes to God's Wrath and Curse But the not agreeing to or non-performance of this Covenant he making this the Condition of the Covenant of Grace he calls by way of Eminency the damning Sin and heart of all Sin If this Man preaches Christ or the glorious Gospel I am much mistaken Besides our Baptismal Covenant is not a sign of that Faith and Holiness we should afterwards obtain but 't is an outward sign of that inward Grace we have or ought to have when baptized i.e. 't is a sign that we are dead to Sin to the World to the Law and to our own Righteousness How shall we saith the
any should conceive God should give way to relax or abrogate the Law of perfect Obedience nay send his Son to do it and in its room bring in a Law for imperfect Obedience to justifie us as if he repented he ever gave it For by this means saith a learned Author God should lose much Honour in making this second Covenant and granting such easie Terms for there is no comparison betwixt perfect Obedience required by the Law and due to God as our Creator and that imperfect Obedience which is accepted by the Gospel neither in Quantity Quality nor Duration Here it is possible a Man may be converted at the last hour and saved though he have lived in Rebellion against God many years What little Honour or Service hath God from such a Man yea from the best Men who confess their righteousness to be as filthy rags in comparison of a sinless Nature and perfect Life in respect of all Duties Time and Place without mixture of any sinful Imperfections What should be the reason of this alteration If there had been a Law given which could have given Life verily righteousness should have been by the Law Gal. 3. 21. Could not Man keep the Law of Works then it seems the first Law was too strict This reflecteth upon the Wisdom and Justice of God It must be granted that perfect Man could observe a perfect Law had God pleased to give him Grace and Assistance sufficient to his State and Necessity and so there was no need the Law should be altered and the Obedience the Condition of it changed from perfect to imperfect For if perfect Man could not keep the Law of perfect Obedience with sufficient Grace How should sinful Man perform the Law of sincere Obedience having no more than sufficient Grace to assist him Did not God foreknow that Man would break the Law of Works and so was necessitated to make a New and more easie Law Or did not God both foreknow and permit the Fall of Man Or could he not have hindred it Why then should he give way to the abrogating the Command of perfect Obedience to bring in that of imperfect Surely as Augustine saith God is so Just that he can allow no Evil and so Good that he can permit no Evil except it be with design to bring greater Good out of it If God permitted the First Covenant to be broken that thereby he might abase Man and magnifie his own Grace and his Son in bestowing Heaven freely on him and in bringing him thither by the continued Power of pardoning and sanctifying Grace hereby indeed God doth 〈◊〉 advance his own Glory by the change of the Covenants But that the Condition of perfect Obedience being broke by Man's Sin the Law therefore should be dis-annulled and a new way of treating with Man set up wherein still Man should be something and his Works bring about his own Salvation and God be contented with few and very imperfect Acts of Obedience this certainly is a prejudice to his Honour nor doth this make it up i.e. That our Obedience is accepted for Christ's sake for Christ only made way for removing the Old Covenant say you and the granting a New but he did not obey in our stead nor doth add any Worth to our Obedience unless you will say that we are Justified by our own sincere Obedience the righteousness of Christ making up the defects of it and so our own righteousness will be a co-ordinate cause of our Justification with the righteousness of Christ we say When the Apostle saith By the Works of the Law no Flesh shall be Justified he doth not mean only the Law as in the Hands of Moses but also as it is a-new given forth by Jesus Christ for we are still under Obedience to the Moral Law the substance of which is to Love God and our Neighbour as our selves By the Law is meant that Rule of Life God hath given whether as written in the Heart or given by Moses or as given a-new by Christ as Rule of Life to us Lusts is a breach of Christ's Law or as the Law given by Christ as well as it was given by Moses no Man because a Sinner can be Justified by his own Works Righteousness or Obedience but all Men are Sinners whether Professors or Prophane Rom. 3. 23. As I said before he that is justified must be just or without Sin or have such a Righteousness imputed to him God will in no wise clear the guilty Exod. 34. 7. God is just as well as gracious Rom. 3. 26. he cannot suffer any wrong to be done to his Holy Law Consider the Purity of his Nature and Rectitude of his Will His Justice must be satisfied his Law fulfilled by us or by our Surety for us and will not abate a tittle of that Righteousness it doth require yet such is also his Goodness that what we could not do in keeping perfectly the Law he sent his Son in our Nature as our Surety and Representative to do it for us Rom. 8. 3. That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us that is in our Head who by Faith is ours and thus by Faith we do not make void the Law but establish it Is the Law rendred useless or of none effect by Faith Are we justified without regard had to the just Commands thereby required or without a Compensation made for the breach thereof Is it made void No God forbid saith the Apostle we establish the Law in as much as by Faith we get or attain to a perfect Righteousness even such a Righteousness as the Law requires by being Interested in the compleat and perfect Righteousness and Obedience of Christ to the Moral Law in whom every Type and Shadow of the Ceremonial Law and in whom each Promise and Prophecy is fulfilled also To close this take this Argument If we are justified by a compleat and perfect Righteousness then an imperfect though a sincere Righteousness doth not justifie us but we are justified by a compleat and perfect Righteousness Ergo Remember Sinners you are guilty and must be justified in a way of Righteousness as well as pardoned in a way of Sovereign Mercy that God might be just and the Justifier of them that believe in Jesus Rom. 3. 26. We can only be justified saith learned Leigh by that Righteousness which is universal and compleat Leigh's Body of Divinity p. 529. Our Obedience though sincere is not universal nor compleat therefore our sincere Obedience or Righteousness justifies us not in God's sight 5. All Works done by the Creature are excluded in point of Justification of the Sinner before God appears because Gospel-Justification is a great Mystery and the preaching of it counted Foolishness to the wise Men of this World to preach Christ and his Righteousness as that which justifies us they cannot understand Natural Light and Reason comprehends it not What must we be justified by the Obedience and Righteousness of
Poyson that lies hid in it and 't is full of hard and uncouth or unintelligible Terms Notions and Expressions not formerly known to the Christian World 'T is strange to me that he should intimate and hold forth the Gospel to be a Law or Command of Duty as a Condition with the Sanction of Threats upon Non-performance and Promises of Rewards upon Performance of sincere Obedience for if Sincerity of Grace and Holiness be not the Condition of that which he often calls the Rule of the Promise which he nevertheless says is not the Precept I understand him not Doth he not mean a Man must be holy sincere or a New Creature before he ventures on the Promise of the Gospel or can be justified which is the Error my Text opposes as if the free Promise of the Grace of God in laying hold on Christ and his Righteousness justifies us not but that we must get some inherent Qualifications of Holiness as the Rule of the Promise before we venture upon it or throw our selves upon Jesus Christ and so must receive him as Saints and not as Sinners which is directly contrary to what all our true Protestant Writers and Modern Divines have all along asserted The Papists say a Man must be inherently righteous before he can be declared just and that Faith justifies as it infuses such a Righteousness in us And this Man says but little else if I understand him i. e. a Man must answer the Rule of the Gospel-Promise asserting that the Gospel doth judicially determine a Conformity to the Rule thereof and when God forgives he judicially declares a Man hath true Faith and by Faith he means doubtless more than a laying hold on Christ viz. the making good the Baptismal Covenant i. e. to love serve and sincerely to yield Obedience to the Gospel so that Faith must by him be taken in a large and comprehensive manner And that before God declares us righteous to Justification he looks whether or no we have fully answered the Conditions according to the Doctrine these Men preach and finding the Creature has done that God judicially gives the Promise in a way of Reward and the Obedience being sincere though imperfect 't is accepted as far forth as perfect Obedience would have been could it have been performed under the Law of Works so that still inhereut Righteousness is the Condition 〈◊〉 our Justification before the holy God and not the Righteousness of Christ Away with this Error Brethren This New Law it seems can give Life upon Obedience thereto the first being taken away but if by the Law any Law a Man might be justified Christ is dead in vain For as one Law so all Laws of Works since Man hath sinned utterly fail and are unable to justifie us in God's sight For as some learned Men have observed the Greek Word is not the Law but a Law Let it be what Law or Rule of Righteousness it will that requires perfect or imperfect Obedience it will not do Gal. 3. 11. For the just shall live by Faith Justification and Life comes only that way and not by Works of Obedience we have done And truly to talk of sincere Obedience when performed by an unregenerate Person 't is strange Doctrine Sincerity must only be look'd for in him who is renewed by the Grace of God 'T is as impossible for an unregenerate Person to perform sincere Obedience if we speak of Gospel-Sincerity as it is for a Believer to perform perfect Obedience to the Law of Works Therefore Sinners though 't is your Duty to reform your Lives and leave your abominable Sins which often bring heavy Judgments upon you in this World and expose you to eternal Wrath in the World to come yet know that all that you can do will fail in point of your Acceptation and Justification in God's sight or to save your Souls Your present Work and Business is to believe in Jesus Christ to look to him who only can renew his sacred Image in your Souls and make you New Creatures which must be done or you perish O cry that he would help your Unbelief Come venture your Souls on Christ's Righteousness Christ is able to save you though you are never so great Sinners Come to him throw your selves at the Feet of Jesus Look to Jesus who came to seek and save them that were lost If any man thirst let him come to me and drink Joh. 7 37 38. You may have Water of Life freely Do not say I want Qualifications or a Meetness to come to Christ Sinner dost thou thirst Dost thou see a want of Righteousness 'T is not a Righteousness but 't is a sense of the want of Righteousness which is rather the Qualification thou should'st look at Christ hath Righteousness sufficient to cloath you Bread of Life to feed you Grace to adorn you or whatsoever you want it is to be had in him We tell you there is help in him Salvation in him through the Propitiation in his Blood you must be justified which is by Faith alone Know that God justifies the Vngodly not by making them first inherently righteous nor are they ungodly any more after justified The Faith of the Operation of God will soon purifie your Hearts and cleanse your Lives this Grace will teach you to deny all Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present evil World We do not tell you you must be holy and then believe in Jesus Christ but that you must believe in him that you may be holy You must first have Union with him before you can bring forth Fruit to God you must act from Life and not for Life Obj. But O 't is hard thus to believe to be ungodly and yet to believe to see no Holiness of our own no divine Habits planted in us Had we some degree of Sanctification or Righteousness of our own we could then believe Answ Is not Christ able to save you or is he not willing to save you unless you are Co-workers and Co-partners with him in your Salvation Or are you unwilling to be saved unless you might share with him in the Glory of your Salvation Is it hard for you to believe the highest Testimony and Witness that ever was born to any truth Can't you believe the Report of the Gospel or receive the Record God hath given of his Son Is resting on Christ hard Can't you beg for Bread rather than perish Can't you drink when thirsty when you are bid to do it freely We say the Gospel is not a conditional Covenant of Obedience or that Faith and Holiness or Faith and Good Works are the Condition of it denying we are justified by any Works of ours as a subordinate Righteousness to the Righteousness of Christ or that we are justified for Christ's sake only but not that his Righteousness is imputed to us also as our Sins were imputed or laid upon him We say that Faith doth
not justifie as an Act nor as a Habit or from any Worth there is in that it being only as a hand to apply the Remedy We say Faith is a Fruit of Christ's Purchase and that he who spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all will much more give us all things that is Grace here and Glory hereafter He that gave us the greatest Gift will not deny to his Elect ones the lesser Gift And now know all you Pharisaical Persons this Doctrine will pull down your high Thoughts and Imaginations and abase your Pride To you that are Believers Oh! admire Free Grace lift Christ up who died for you the Just for the Vnjust who bore your Sins who was made sin for us that knew no Sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him He gave himself for you and has given Grace the Fruit of his Death and himself to you O labour to be a holy People live to him that died for you and rose again To conclude Is there any Sinner here Are you ungodly and in a wrâ—tched Condition in your own Eyes Are you weary and heavy laden Come to Christ lift up your Heads For to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifies the Vngodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness POSTSCRIPT REader I have now given thee the Substance of the two first Sermons preached on this Text and that which follows contains an Answer to all the main Objections brought against this Doctrine particularly that of the Apostle James about Works justifying and not Faith only And if this meets with kind Reception and I have Encouragement I shall publish two Sermons more God willing and fully demonstrate That Justification is by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness or by Grace alone and the Nature of Imputation opened together how we are to understand the change of Persons Wherein I shall produce the Testimony of the ancient Fathers and a multitude of our faithful Modern Divines and worthy late Writers that so you may see we plead for no New Doctrine but the very same that all Good Men and Orthodox Christians in every Age have maintained which will I hope be of great Advantage to the Church of God And also shew you how Faith is concerned in our Justification or is said to justifie and how not together with the Nature of that Faith As also the Difficulty and Excellency of that Faith that is accounted for Righteousness Likewise the horrid Evil and Danger of the Sin of Unbelief and Mr. Williams's Book and Doctrine further considered Reader there are some Faults that have escaped the Press which spoil the Sense Pray be pleased to correct these following with you Pen. PAge 14. Line 27. for true read new p. 15. l. 1. for no more r. no where p. 15. l. 41. for that Christ r. not that Christ p. 24. l. 22. blot out indeed FINIS ADVERTISEMENTS A Vindication of the Protestant Doctrine concerning Justification and of its Preachers and Professors from the unjust Charge of Antinomianism In a Letter from a Minister in the City to a Minister in the Countrey London Printed for Dorman Newman at the King ' s-Arms in the Poultrey in the Year 1692. MR. Rutherford's Letters the Third Edition now divided in Three Parts The First containing those which were written from 〈◊〉 where he was confined by a Sentence of the High Commission drawn forth against him partly upon the account of his declining them partly upon the accounâ— of his Nonconformity The Second and Third containing some which were written from Anworth before he was by the Persecution thrust from his Ministry and others upon Occasions afterward from St. Andrews London c. Printed for Dorman Newman at the King ' s-Arms in the Poultrey