God's method but our own Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy hath he saved us Will we reject the way and method that all the cloud of witnesses were sav'd in and will we be saved in that way never one was sav'd in they attain not unto the Law of righteousness because they sought it or as it were by the works of the Law Christ is the true and living way is there any fault we can find in him is he not able to save to the uttermost is there any righteousness like his it's everlasting Can we give any satisfaction to divine Government like what he hath given Can we bear the Curse and drink the Cup that he did is he not altogether lovely in himself and altogether fit for us infinite Wisdom and infinite Goodness fitted and prepared him and is he not willing that we should share of his righteousness doth not his offer speak it Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden doth not his tears and his sorrows over them that refuse and defer speak it doth not that eternal Chearfulness he undertook his Work with speak it Lo I come in the volume of thy Book 't is written of me thy Law is within my Heart the bent of my Heart is to do thy will and that desire left him not nor ever was abated under the heat of the day and heaviest of the curse I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straightned till it be accomplisht with desire have I desired to eat this passover having lov'd his own he lov'd them to the end And will not all this Love towards us kindle some sparks of desire in our frozen breasts don 't we think they deserve an Anathema Maranatha that love not this Lord Jesus Christ The depth and height the breadth and length of his Love passeth all knowledge he was full of Love as he was a man he lov'd Lazarus so and he lov'd the young man in the Gospel so he was full of love as he was a Mediator Such was that love whose dimensions our narrow minds cannot span but he was more full of love as he was God God is love and God so lov'd the World to give his Son is not this Emanuel worthy of our acceptation Gods infinite Wisdom found him can we find a better or do without him have we no self-love for our souls what will become of us without a pardon can we bear the curse of the Law or wrath of God is it not worthy acceptance on any terms but what terms can be better it 's come to God and beg Repentance the Almighty makes the heart soft I will pour down the spirit of Grace and supplication and they shall look on him whom they have pierced and mourn Obj. But coming to God is believing and I cannot believe until he gives me faith which is not yet Resp Put that to Tryal what if the Spirit of God be now directing and quickning thy conscience to this Work and the Language of thy heart is stay until time for Prayer at night or to morrow you will think of it Alas Alas this is the common answer to Gods Spirit himself what wonder the Prophets cry To whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed Lord bless this for better fruits SERMON II. ROM IV. 5 6. His Faith is counted for Righteousness Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the Man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works IN the Former Discourse you have an account of the condition and disposition of the subject of Justification in this I propose an account of the Gospel-method how God justifies the ungodly it is a different Question from that of the convicted Jews Acts 2. Men and Brethren what shall we do to be saved This is What doth God do to save a sinner that has contemn'd his Authority brought disorder into his Government violated his holy just and good Laws and goes on frowardly without repenting of what he has done the Rebel doth not will not yield shall the Governour yield doth God need us how is it possible to reconcile God's justice and Man's enmity how can a just God justifie an ungodly person The Apostle makes but two sentences of the Answer 1. He imputes his Faith to Righteousness 2. He says that Righteousness is imputed to Blessedness The nature of the Discourse is didactick instructive and there are these three Questions that are matters of no small Moment nor mean Contraversies 1. Whos 's this Righteousness is 2. What is the importance of the imputation of righteousness to a man for blessedness 3. What is the meaning of Faiths being imputed to righteousness I shall only propose what I am most perswaded of to be the true sense of them and what perswades me to be of that mind without using means to confute others I shall leave them to the same liberty I presume on As to the first there are but two general Opinions viz. Either Christs or our own though each are subdivided in what righteousness of Christs it is or of ours My Business is to confirm and establish this truth that this Righteousness in the Text imputed for blessedness is the righteousness inherent in our blessed Mediator and if this one Character of being without works were to be understood abstracted from the Apostles design which is not to exclude works from righteousness but our works and our righteousness I should think it a distinguishing Mark between Christ's righteousness and any mans else for the righteousness of Works consists in a conformity to the preceptive part of the Law but Christs Righteousness consists also in a conformity to the sanction of the Law He was made a curse for us and that is not to work in the Scripture phrase but to suffer though in it self hard work even Soul-travel but doubting the solidity of this I shall propose others of greater stability 1. That Righteousness that is the cause of Blessedness and whose fruit is the remission of sin is the righteousness of Christ for there is no other name given under Heaven and therefore no other righteousness by which a Man can be saved but the righteousness in the Text is the cause of blessedness and pardon there must be some near connexion between pardon and imputation of righteousness else the Apostle did mistake the Prophets sence saying he meant imputation of righteousness unto blessedness when he said Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven the connexion is either pretended to be that of the cause to the effect or some kind of requisite condition They who say this is our own righteousness are for the latter who say it s Christ's are for the former and with reason for our own righteousness wants not works our justifying faith is not without works but this is 2ly The righteousness of Christ and our pardon are more necessarily united than our faith for pardon is as soon given as it These
justified by his grace Thus we see the Scripture lays an Emphasis on each of them the gift of Faith the nature of Faith the object of Faith and indeed this Bill would be but a counterfeit one if it wanted any of these Properties or Relations 1. It must be receiv'd from him that hath the power or else it is not valid By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many 2. It must be in true form rightly dictated that is its nature or not valid 3. The divine constitution the Law of Heaven has made it have such a relation to Christ's righteousness the riches of his Grace and the Wisdom of the constitution shines in the fitness of the instrument for our Souls are an open begging hand a vast Appetite It crys daily who will shew us any good some good things I want some more good and this Faith clasps the hand on Christ offer'd determines and centers the desire as on an Object that has all fullness in him full satisfactâ—on and â—o build a relation and union of right upon an union of nature a Communion upon a cement of Union honours the Wisdom of the contriver So we see all these three must be in a valid Bank-bill it is not worth a Farthing in it self a bit of Paper ink'd but relatively to such a Summe suppose 1000 l. it 's worth so much its very form consists in relation to that summe that 's its Object it signally bears it and if rightly drawn and receiv'd from the right owner their Constitution and the Law will make me Possessor in due time If any of these qualifications be wanting it is not worth a Farthing 1. Drawn in true forms 2. Bearing relation to its proper Object 3. Receiv'd from him who has the riches in his power to give And I find our Catechim and Confession insists as much on this as any Conf. c. 11. Nor by imputing it self the act of believing or any other Evangelical Obedience but by imputing the Obedience and Satisfaction of Christ unto them they receiving it by Faith which is the Gift of God 11. Thus it s the alone Instrument of Justification i. e. they are not justified until the Holy Spirit doth in due time actually apply Christ unto them Our lesser Catech. Q. How are we made partakers of the Redemption purchased by Christ R. By the effectual application of it to us by his Holy Spirit for which they quote Tit. 3.5 6 7. Q. How doth the Spirit apply the Redemption c R. By working Faith in us and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling I may from thence form this Argument Maj. When Christ and his benefits are applyed to us we are justified Min. But when God effectually calls Christ and his benefits are applyed to us Erg. When effectually call'd we are justified It is granted that Faith is the fruit of effectual Calling and it cannot be deny'd that relations viz. Justification Adoption flow as suddenly from their Foundations as effects can from their efficients Or thus Maj. The imputing Faith to Righteousness is an application of Christ and his benefits Min. But the Spirit by working Faith applys Christ and his benefits Erg. The Spirit by working Faith imputes Faith to Righteousness But I need no other Testimony but Scripture that way the Faith of Miracles temporally sav'd that way saving Faith justifies but by the Spirits working the Faith of Miracles when he saw their Faith it was certainly a miraculous Gift distinguishing and characterizing the persons to be heal'd to give him that Faith was to say thou art to live to be cured there was no cooperation of the creature to a Miracle Further compare C. 4 5. and we find imputing Faith to Righteousness and giving a Righteousness are the same but Objections are not to be answer'd as Bullets in war with the like but explication and distinction For the 1. The reason the nature or exercise of faith is insisted on in Scripture so much is for our instruction if the faith that God has given be that which entitles to Heaven and Happiness 2. The reason the object is so much intimated is to prevent a most dangerous error that the World is most liable to viz Leaning on our own righteousness such fools to take the Bill for the Summ But its certain the owner and proprietor must be the conveyer I challenge to show what he doth else that looks like it For the 2d I propose these two Distinctions 1. Between the state of justification and particular acts of pardon or between the state of adoption and particular blessings in possession the former is convey'd thorough the gift of faith the latter thorough the exercise of faith a man gets right by the receiving of a Bill from the Proprietor but when he comes for such a part of it he brings his Bill and shows it and writes a receipt on the back of it Tho' we are but once justified we daily pray Lord forgive my debts and once adopted we daily pray for more enjoyment of what is due to that title 2ly With Mr. Frost I propose a double instrumentality of Faith one on the givers part another on the receivers so it is with Bills too the Proprietor conveys his right and the Receiver afterward pleads his right so it is with faith God conveys Christ and his Righteousness thorough it and we plead for the benefit and use of it as we need daily But this I shall retain that from the first gift of saving Faith which turns us from ungodly to godly we are justified and adopted persons which entirely throws out that legal conditionality that among Socinians has thrown out Christ's satisfaction and among Arminians has impair'd and delay'd its vertue toward sinners until they come with something in themselves a conformity to a new Law And also Antinomianism which is a denomination that comprehends all Errors dishonourable to the Law or Law giver and whatever Doctrine is against the necessity stability and perfection of the Law of God is of this kind whatever Doctrine removes the necessity of the Law removes the necessity of Christ's satisfaction and what Doctrine removes perfection from the Law of God removes the Glory from God's Holiness but to suppose one under the Law sav'd and that Law neither fulfill'd nor satisfied by the personor his Surety is to suppose the Law changeable not necessary if Christ only fulfill'd the mediatorial Law and not that we were under then that Law and Government bult on it was remov'd and chang'd without satisfaction If the grand influence of Christ's righteousness by the Mediatorial Law was to get it chang'd for an easier and less perfect we must either say the influence of Christ's satisfaction did terminate on the nature of God and make a change in his temper from anger to mercy and perfection of holiness to indulgence in carnality or say that the Father and Son were of two different minds but the latter thorough his obedience gain'd him to his mind for what has influence on God as Govenrour has influence on the Law Administrations of Government must be rul'd by the Law and what has influence on the Law for our good must fulfill its precepts or satisfie its sanction The Law has no other Language and if Christ did neither the influence must not terminate on the Government but on the nature God or Fathers person in the Godhead But the Scripture informs us That God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfill'd in us In us says Vastius by application but in Christ by inhesion in us by imputation but in Christ personally says Calvin Muscus Beza Rollock Fulke Cartwright Elton says Dr. Jacomb all Protestants he adds his active and has passive as if they had obey'd it in their own Persons the Law is wholly fulfill'd in him and that very righteousness is ours in a Law sense and so fulfill'd in us 3ly It overthrows Libertinism for if the same grace sanctifies that justifies they can never pretend to the one that want the other 4ly Popery that makes justification and sanctification one that differ as far as the Category of Quality and Relation I have no place for futher use than to intreat every one as they love their own souls and long for pardon of sin not to quench or provoke the Holy Spirit of God for that is his Errand as well as sanctification 2. As ever they would enjoy this free spirit be diligent and conscientious in all Ordinances that are ministrations of the Spirit he is to be reciev'd in the bearing of Faith 3. Study this imputed righteousness of Christ until thou experience most deep humility and most sweet comfort from it Rom. 11.19 Thou standest by faith be not high minded but fear thou depends entirely for faith and righteousness on another thou wast prevented in thy ungodliness when thou receiv'd that gift 2. How much will God do for thee when thou art his Son and Servant if he did so much for thee when an eremy Rom. 5.9 Much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be sav'd thou hast now given to thee at once a perfect and an everlasting righteousness a total forgiveness of all thy sins a work of holiness God has engaged to perfect Vale. FINIS Grant me this there was never any thing so well done by man wherein there is not room for further industry Calv.
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
be willing * Jan. Aug. To. 3. lib. 2. c. 9. 3. It would be Grace restoring to Adams condition to be able to do good or evil 4. This distinction of sufficient and efficacious grace Jansenus says Augustine nor none of the Latin Fathers knew nor any general Council ever did determine †To. 3. lib. 2. c 29. About 5 for grace to have its efficacy from the corrupt will of Man is enmity to be the Author of Love from sufficient grace it is not that brings not forth the effect there is nothing else in the will of Man If it be another addition of grace the former was not sufficient and indeed where it s not able to conquer the will of man and bring forth its effect to make man willing it is not But this were to leave the Question about justifying grace and to dispute about sanctifying grace A 4th Argument is from the nature and the kind of justifying acts As to its Original it 's gracious as to its Obiect it 's pardon put these two together a gracious pardon and it supposes the Object under great guilt and misery For 1. Grace is goodness in all its variety and fulness when the Lord proclaims his own graciousness Exod. 34.6 He describes it by abundance of Goodness and Truth tenderness of mercy and longness of suffering and this as the spring of pardoning grace Keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin Where the person is just by a constituted Law there is no need of such amplifications of Goodness for if it be an easie Law the grace was in making law and not in justifying by the Law 2. Grace is goodness flowing from the Heart of the Giver it s called gratia gratum faciens because it renders the person acceptable and lovely in the sight of God hence it bears the name of Love thorough the Book of Canticles Chap. 8.6 Set me as a seal on thy heart as a seal upon thine arm So is every object of Free-grace his Love is fixed on them and hence the arm of his Power protects them But this Love of Grace is incomparable it s stronger than Death for at once it delivers from a legal and spiritual Death the guilt and the power of sin and him that hath the power of Death that is the Devil as cruel as the Grave that devours all before it The Coals thereof are coals of fire no waters can quench it nor floods drown it And as its full so its free If a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would be utterly contemn'd A 3. Ingredient of grace is mercy pardoning grace and mercy are but different names of the same thing and suppose the Object in a miserable condition Rom. 11.32 God hath concluded them all in unbelief that he might have mercy on all And this mercy is preventing mercy for the Apostle speaking to the very same purpose Rom. 10.20 says I was found of them that sought me not I was made manifest in them that askt not for me And yet farther Rom. 9.11 He shews that all the causes conditions and motives of Mercy are to be sought for in the disposition of the Author and not the disposition of the subject That the purpose of God according to election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth But the Name grace seems to import somewhat higher than all this it speaks exclusiveness of conditions Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace that is saith the Neat Witsius without any cause or condition 2. It speaks fulness John 1.16 Of his fulness we have received grace for grace Colos 2.10 In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily and ye are compleat in him And it speaks perseverance for the Covenant of Grace contains the sure mercies of David Psalm 89.33 Though I visit their iniquities with stripes nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from them It speaks the Object in a most wretched condition Isa 57.1 7. I won't contend for ever neither will I be always wroth though my anger hath an end my mercy hasn't for the spirit would fail before me and the souls which I have made as they cannot convert themselves so they can't bear my endless wrath For the iniquity of his Covetuousness was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was worth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart A most desperate Condition the easiest law in the world could speak no comfort to him but grace can I have seen his ways and will heal him I will lead him and restore comforts to him Tho' there be no matter in the subject to bring Comfort out of my grace hath a creative power I create the fruit of the lips peace to him that is far off c. Lastly Soveraignity is an ingredient in grace We read of grace upon the Throne a Throne of Grace all pure grace Where the Transactions and Dipensations are according to Law there is no place for over-ruling Soveraignity but this justification is a dispensation from a Throne of Grace and the very end of it is to glorifie that grace verses 16 17. It is of faith that it might be by grace All Laws and transgressions of Laws all Dispensations of Providence and Permissions all Manifestations of other Attributes are for the discovery of the height of this Throne All is for the praise of the glory of his Grace And the whole of this grace receives a lustre in its first preventive act towards a sinner for as he is God of all Grace he calls us into his eternal glory If all the other streams of grace finds us in our sin and guilt elective grace redeeming grace calling and converting grace why should it be supposed or conjectured that pardoning grace doth not find us so to when the very formality of the object is sinfulness The Text tells us t is a covering of sin a not imputing of sin a forgiving of Iniquity a blotting out our transgressions a removing of them from us as far as the East is from the West an act that renders God a Peerless God and therefore supposes our condition worst Who is a God like unto thee Micah 7.18 that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant rf his Heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy he will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and cast all their sins into the depth of the Sea The only Use that I shall make of this is to linners who are in their Ungodliness and without Works and whose Consciences tells them so the doctrine speaks this to you that you have as great reason and as great encouragement to come to this throne of Grace and to sue out for a pardon in the Name of Christ as any others There was an universal command to the Apostles to preach the Gospel to