washt away the filth of the daughter of Zion by the spirit of judgement and by the spirit of burning Isa 4.3 4. so that Christs spirit only is his faith by which we are justified Secondly See how we are justified by the faith or Spirit of Christ Answ By the conveyance of it and not otherwise not by a bare imputation but by a gift Having given us his holy spirit 1 Thess 4.8 He that keeps his commandements dwelleth in him and he in him hereby we know we dwell in him and he in us even by the spirit which he hath given us 1 John 3.24 4.13 They that receive abundance of grace of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life c. Rom. 5.17 He shall receive a blessing from the Lord even righteousness from the God of his salvation Psal 24.5 See how justification is the blessing of Abraham a gift of righteousnesse given and received and so the justified are partakers of the Divine nature therefore Let the Heavens drop from above let the skies pour down righteousness and bring salvation also let the earth open that righteousness may spring up c. Isa 45.8 Thirdly How know we that we are justified by the faith or spirit of Christ Answ They to whom Christs spirit is given are joyned to the Lord and but one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is born of the spirit is spirit John 3.6 they are as Christ is Christ dwels in them and they in him yea Christ lives in them and they live by his faith and all old things are done away and all things in them are become new thoughts words deeds and nature are new they being new creatures are changed from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 5.17 their love being perfected they thenceforth cannot sin because they are born of God He keepeth himselfe pure and the wicked one cannot touch him 1 John 3.9 4.17 5.18 The old man is crucified and body of sin destroyed in them and for this very purpose That thenceforth they should not serve sin being dead and risen with Christ they are freed from sin Rom 6.5 6 7. The very root of sin is took away if once justified and so much to the second particular Thirdly See next what it is to believe into Christ and so 1. What to believe into Christ 2. What of Christ we must believe into 3. What belief is a belief into Christ 4. That belief into Christ is a means of justification First To believe into Christ is to come unto or into him by believing such as enter not into him by believing do not believe into him He that cometh to me saith Christ shall never hunger and he that believeth on into me shall never thirst John 6.35 He that cometh to God must believe that God is c. Heb. 11. none can come to him without believing but many believe without coming but they believe not into Christ except they come to Christ by believing and therefore Christ exhorts men thus If any man thirst let him come to me and drink and then explaines it thus he that believeth into me as saith the Scripture out of his belly shall flow c. John 7.37 38. so then to believe into Christ is to come by believing to him Secondly What of Christ must we believe into or come into 1. Not into his person which is far above the highest heaven Eph. 4.10 2. Not into his Spirit entrance into that himselfe giveth us by his own faith after we have believed into him but Thirdly In general to believe into Christ is to believe into his word John 8.30 31. As he spake these words many believed on him into him and to these saith Christ if ye continue in my word ye are my Disciples indeed 1. He preacht to them 2. They believed into him 3. These he encourageth to continue in his word so that to believe and abide in his word is to believe and abide in him If that which ye heard from the beginning shall remain in you ye shall continue in the Son and in the Father 1 John 2.24 I am the true vine saith Christ ye the branches he that abides in me and I in him shall be fruitful and what is this abiding in him he tells us If saith he ye abide in me and my word abide in you c. John 15.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. therefore let us while we have the light believe into the light that is into the word believe into that and ye believe into Christ thus in general Particularly To believe into Christ that is into his word is to believe into his name and into his conversation First Into his name as many as received him to them gave he power to become Gods children even to them that believed into his name John 1.12 and they are condemned for not believing into him which believed not into his name John 3.18 We must believe into the outside or profession of his name by yeelding to the Ordinance of dipping Go ye therefore and disciplize all Nations dipping them into the name of the Father Son and holy Spirit Mat. 28.19 and into the inside of his name which is holinesse by ceasing to sin Holy and Reverend is his name Psal 111.9 Let every one that nameth the Lord Jesus depart from iniquity 2 Tim. Secondly Believe into his conversation that is so to believe as to put off as concerning the conversation the old man which is corrupt and put on the new man which is after God created in righteousness and true holiness Eph. 4.22 23 24. Put yeon the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts of it Rom. 13. We see here that to put on a new conversation is to put on the Lord Jesus Christ also to put it on or to enter into it we know to be one and the same thing Holiness the inside of his name is but the outside of his conversation and perfect right eousness the inside of his conversation we believe into When with the heart we believe unto righteousness and witness with the mouth unto salvation Rom. 10.10 Obj Is not the use of ordinances coming to Christ Answ Thereby we draw nigh with our bodies but if our spirit be not also brought unto him by submission to his will our bodily drawing nigh will be in vain Matth. 15.9 Thirdly See what belief is termed a believing into Christ or unto Christ It is only a practical belief that brings us to Christ to his conversation for belief with works is dead that moves not but lively stones by a lively belief come to Christ the living stone 1 Pet. 1.1 to the 7. sinning is going from Christ and obedience is coming to him Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you how so he tells us cleanse your hands ye sinners and purisie your hearts ye double minded Jam. 4.7 8. Come unto me saith
but those that it cometh to and upon those to whom it is given do first believe this is a means too but at a distance God worketh all things after the counsell of his own will that we might be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ In whom ye trusted after ye heard the word of truth in whom also after ye believed ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise the earnest of our inheritance Eph 1.11 12 13. We see here how according to the counsel of Gods will belief is after hearing and being sealed with the holy spirit is after believing and our inheritance is after sealing for the seal is but the earnest thereof justification is before glorification belief before justification and Gods word before our belief Note further that Christs coming and dying is that that procureth our light by his word this slain Lamb hath prevailed to open the book of Gods will Rev. 5. And Christ came because the father in love sent him God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosover believeth into him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3.16 The first and most remote cause of mans justification is the Fathers love sending his son The next not so remote as that is the sons coming and dying The third not so remote as either of them is mans enjoying the effect of Christs death to wit light with life The fourth cause not so remote as the three former is mans well using life and light The fifth and last cause a cause not remote but immediate is the faith of Christ The three first causes are common to all mankind God so loved the world and by his son fashioneth all their hearts alike Psal 33.14 15. Enlighteneth every one coming into the world John 1.9 but mans belief is the first and the faith of Christ the last special cause all men have not faith but one is a mediate the other an immediate cause Fourthly The works of the Law are no means at all a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law Rom. 3.20.27 28. and so much for proof But to prove these things and yet to misunderstand all is to no purpose Therefore see 1. What it is to be justified 2. What the faith of Christ is by which we are justified 3. What it is to believe into Christ 4. What is meant by the works of the Law First To be justified is to be made just justifie is in the plainest English make just as purifie is make pure purification is making pure or as glorifie is make glorious glorification making glorious so justifie is make just justification is making just to be justified is to be made just or righteous as by Scripture also may appear For as by one offence judgement came on all to condemnation so by one righteousnesse the gift is toward all to the justification of life for as by one offence many were made sinners so by one righteousnesse shall many be made righteous Rom. 5.18 19. It is not by the offence of one but by one offence that many are sinners as the Translater confesseth in the Margin We are not condemned for Adams act God is not so partial or unequal in his dealings with man as to set the childs tooth on edge for the fathers eating sowr grapes as Ezck 18. but by one offence that is lusting to sin as he did death came on all because all have sinned vers 14. We need not the imputation of his sin to condemn us for we have all lusted to sin as well as he which first lusting of every man is the mother that conceives sin in him read James 1.13 14 15. see another proof He that knew not sin was made sin a sin offering as Isa 53. for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 the justified are made righteous Obj But declaring just is figuratively termed justifying some justifie the wicked for a reward and God justifieth the ungodly Rom. 4.5 Answ But they are wicked that do so justifie the wicked and a just God cannot so do though he be exceeding gracious and merciful yet he cannot clear the guilty Exod 20.7 34 7. Numb 14.18 God can justifie that is make just one that was ungodly but cannot account him just till he be so If I sin saith Job a believer thou markest me and thou wilt not acquit me Job 10.14 But if the unjust become just doing what is lawful and right God will account and declare him just and not impute former sins to him in case he sin no more as in Ezck 18 7 8 9. and Ezck 33.14 15 16. God cannot wickedly justifie by declaring the ungodly to be just while he remains unjust but when he is just God can justly account and declare him just though he hath been unjust and so to be justified is to be made just Thirdly But see also what the faith of Christ is by which we are made just and herein 1. What Christs faith is 2. How we are justified by it 3. How we may know we are justified First What is Christs faith 1. His word is so called The faith which Paul once destroyed Gal. 1.23 The faith of our Lord Jesus Christ James 3.1 Revel 2.13 14.12 Secondly Christs Spirit is so called as the comparing of Scripture will evidence as We have access to the father by one spirit accesse with confidence by the faith of him Eph. 2.18 3.12 Being justified by faith we have peace with God and accesse to this grace wherein we stand Rom. 5.1 2. Here we see that the Spirit of Christ is the faith of Christ whereby we are justified Again Christ is said to dwell in our hearts by faith Eph. 3.17 that is by his Spirit for he dwells in none otherwise as Rom. 8.9 10 11. Ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit if the Spirit of God dwel in you but if any have not the spirit of Christ he is not his and if Christ be in you c. We here see that if the Spirit of God or Christ dwel in us then Christ is in us and we are his but else not so that Christ by his faith that is by his spirit dwelleth in the justified and the Spirit of Christ is called the faith of Christ for it is indeed the spirit of faith 2. Cor. 4.13 though the word of Christ is the faith of Christ in the fruit the Spirit of Christ is the faith of Christ in the root and that by which we are justified It is not his word meant here for that precedes believing but Christs justifying faith is after our believing and so no lesse then the Spirit of Christ justifieth But ye are washed but ye are justified in the name of Christ and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 He that is least in Zion shall be called Holy When even when the Lord shall have
Christ all ye that are weary and I will give you rest how must we come he tells us Take my yoke upon you and learn of me and ye shall find rest to your soules Matth 11.28 29. He is the author of eternal salvation to all that obey him He saves to the utmost all that come to God by him Heb. 5.9 with Heb. 7.25 nothing but obeying him is coming to God by him Fourthly Believing into Christ or obedience to his commands is a preparative to justification none are justified till they first keep Gods law and all such obtain it It is not the hearers of the Law that are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified Rom. 2.13 such as first obey him he saves with an eternal salvation If justified then saved from the power or roote of fin and so fin can bud no more in them therefore cleanse hand tongue and heart from sin and thou shalt receive the blessing from the Lord even righteousnesse a righteous spirit from the God of thy salvation Psal 24.5 He that believeth into me saith Christ out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water and this spake he of the spirit which they that believed on him should receive John 7.38.39 Christs justifying spirit is not obtained without obedience preceding and if perfect obedience precede justification will through grace succeed He that hath my commandements and keepeth them saith Christ he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him This admirable promise made a Disciple ask him how it was or why it was that he would manifest himselfe to them and not to the world and Christ again gives him the cause saying if a man love me he will keep my word and my father will love him and we will come and make our abode with him John 14.21 22 23. If we keep in a way of sin Christ cannot come to us to justifie us but if we leave sin and walk in the way of righteousnesse he will come to us for he meeteth such as rejoyce in working righteousnesse which remember him in his wayes Isa 64.5 let the sinner leave sin and walk in all the statutes of life without sinning again and he shall live that is shall be justified Christ shall live in him and his life thenceforth shall be by the faith of the Son of God Ezek 33.15 Gal. 3.20 Application Then seek justification by a Godly life While ye have the light believe into the light that ye may be the children of the light John 12.36 Adde to belief vertue giving all diligence that all vertue may abound in you for then ye will not be barren in knowledge then ye will make your calling and election sure and then ye shall never fall because an entrance will be ministred unto you into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. Therefore sow to your selves righteousnesse reap mercy plough up your follow ground for 't is time to seek the Lord till he come and reign righteousnesse upon you Hosea 10.12 Thus saith the Lord keep judgement do justice for my salvation is neer to come and my righteousnesse to be revealed Isa 65.1 Secondly Let this doctrin be alwayes taught That believers be careful to maintain good workes being profitable to men Godliness is profitable to all things having the promise of the life that now is and that that is to come Tit 3.8 1 Tim 4.8 of justification here and glorification hereafter but if they draw back God will have no pleasure in them and so much to the third particular Fourthly See what the works of the Law are without which justification must be and herein 1. What works are called the works of the Law 2. Why justification cannot be by them 3. Application First To know what the works of the Law are we must know what Law is spoken of for the doing what any Law requireth is the work of that Law as Exod 18.20 Christ and the Jews did in general by the Law mean all the writings of Moses as Matth. 7.12 John 1.47 in which Law are weighty matters as judgement mercy and faith and slighter matters concern the Levitical worship as Tithes and the like Matth 23.23 and Paul whose words we have in hand calleth sometimes the whole and sometime each part the Law First Sometime though seldome he calleth the weightier part even the ten commandements the Law as in these words He that loveth fulfilleth the Law for this thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not kill thou shalt not bear false witness thou shalt not covet or any other command is comprehended in this saying Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self love doth his neighbour no ill therefore is love the fulfilling of the Law Rom 13.8 9 10. By Law here is meant the ten commands also the same in Gal 5.14 Secondly He most usually calleth the shadows of the Levitical Priesthood the Law and so if the Priest-hood be changed there is of necessity a change also of the Law Were Christ on earth he could not be a Priest for there are Priests which according to the Law offer gifts Again Sacrifice and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings thou wouldst not nor hadst pleasure therein which are offered according to the Law Heb 7.12 8.4 10.8 In such places speaking contemptibly of the Law he meaneth by the Law only Levitical shadows but pressing us to keep the Law then by the Law he meaneth the ten commands Also when Paul speaks of both and would distinguish between them then the substance is called the law of faith and shadows called the law of works and this without variation and as shadows only is called the Law of works so only the observation of shadows he calleth the works of the Law as for instance Rom. 3.27 28. sith Justification is by faith boasting saith he is excluded but by what Law by the Law of works Nay but by the Law of faith therefore we conclude a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law The Law of works or works of the Law is put in opposition to faith or the Law of faith Weak and beggerly elements only are the works of the Law without which justification is as may further appear First From the scope of this place these words being part of Pauls reproof to Peter Peter a Jew knowing the partition wall broken down had eaten with Gentiles and afterward through fear of some Jews which came from James he withdrew for which Paul sharply reproves him in which reproof he first reasons the case with Peter Why he a Jew that had already lived as the Gentiles should now in so doing compel the Gentiles to live as do the Jews and then affirmed to Peter these words We who are Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowing that a man is not justified
walk in the steps of that faith which Abraham had before for the promise was not to Abraham or his seed through the Law but through the righteousness of faith for if they that are of the Law under circumcision be heirs faith is void and the promise effectlesse but it is of faith and therefore of grace and so sure to all the seed all which are of Abrahams belief be they Jew or Gentile So we see Pauls drift in both Chapters isto prove that sith justification is not by the law of works but by faith Gentiles may have right to it as well as Jews and so the works without which we are justified are the works of the Law and the Law through which Son-ship is not or through which the promise doth not pass is the law of works as chap. 3. and so these ungodly ones as translated which God justifieth are before and after called Gentiles and uncircumcision not meaning sinners while they continue in sin or before they do good works but the contrary such ungodly ones as walk in the steps of Abrahams faith obeying every command as Abraham did and the blessed ones to whom as David saith God imputes not sin were so sanctisied that in their spirit was left no guile Psa 32.2 3. yet without works without circumcision and such works as distinguished Jew from Gentile but not without the works of obedience as James declareth The third Vse See the errors abroad about justification laid down as Objections answered and confuted Obj The labouring for a personal righteousnesse or to be accepted with God for wel-doing are the works of the law or to seek by our well-walking to please God is our own righteousnesse Answ Be not deceived for God is not mocked whatsoever any one soweth the same shall he reap he that foweth to the flesh shall reap destruction and none reap life everlasting that do not first sow to the Spirit Gal. 6.7 No personal glory hereafter without personal righteousnesse now and therefore Paul others laboured to be accepted of God for well-doing and perswaded others to it also because that every one shall at the judgement seat of Christ receive according to that be himself hath done in the flesh whether good or bad 2 Cor. 5.9 10. and saith he Col 1.10 Walk worthy of the Lord unto all well pleasing How to He tells us being fruitful in every good work God who abominateth the works of the Law is not pleased without good works and Paul and others that accounted their own righteousnesse but drosse and dung did by good works seek to win Christ and to please him Obj The Law meaning the righteous rule commands more then any can do but enableth not and knoweth no surety Answ Though the law of works is a yoak of bondage the law of faith is not so Christ yoak is easie his burden light his commands are not grievous Matth. 11. 1 John 5.3 They may be easily kept for all the ten Commandements in their several branches and appurtenances in their utmost extent can but require the right ordering of thought word and deed and canst thou not do this speak sinner canst thou not choose but devise mischief on thy bed and if Satan dart in vain thoughts canst thou not choose but lodge them art thou necessitated to harbour them Jer 4.14 or art thou not able day and night to meditate on Gods Law as Psal 1.2 119.97 Secondly Canst thou not leave off cursing and swearing and lying and railing and foolish jesting Eph 4.25 5 4. Psal 34.13 or art not able to speak of wisdome or confer of judgement Ps 37.30 Thirdly Art thou necessitated to oppresse or defraud to cheat or steale or kill or commit adultery c. Or is not a rich sinner able to cloath the naked feed the hungry harbor the destitute Job 31.32 or to further Gods worship or is any not able to yeeld to baptisme to prize Church meetings and breaking bread in remembrance of Christ and to prize prophecying Is any necessited to oppose Gods truth or people or to persecute them or to believe lyes that so they might be damned speak sinner thy conscience shall tel thee that God hath enabled thee to shun all he forbids and to do all he bids thee Work out with fear and trembling thy own salvation for God hath enabled thee to will and to do Phil. 2.13 Obj The Law is a long way to Christ we must go all along till we come to perfection before we can be justified Answ There is no other therefore no nearer way It s onely the doers of the Law hall be justified Rom. 2.13 your new and nigh way of imputation is the high-way to destruction for if Christs righteousnesse be reckoned yours while you are a sinner by the same rule his glory must be reckoned yours when you are in hell Obj. No sin in the world can debar people from Christ sinners as sinners are the objects of justification Answ The least sin remaining debars from Christ for we must separate from sinners and sin too so as not touch the unclean thing before he will receive us 1 Cor. 6.18 Obj There is a passive receiving of Christ without a hand when God foreeth open mans spirit and powreth in his Son in despite of the receiver Answ This contradicts Christ who saith Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man will open to me I will come into him and sup with him and he with me Rev. 3.20 Obj The new Covenant requireth no condition on our part and if we look to get by our duties it will be but a knock Answ Yea but it doth the condition required before the promise of justification is made over to us is no lesse then perfection Gen. 17.1 2. Walk before me and be thou perfect and I will make my covenant with thee c. Incline your ears to me saith God hear and your soul shall live and I will make an everlasting covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Isa 35.3 4. Obj. A man is justified when his sin is not and Christs righteousness is imputed to him though he sin and God seeth it as fighting against his holy Spirit but seeth it not so as to condemn him Answ It hath been shewn that to be justified is to be made righteous and that by the gift of the Holy Spirit and though declaring the wicked to be just is termed justifying him yet such justifying is abominable to God for his ways are judgement without iniquity just and right is he Deut. 32.4 He cannot do that abominable thing which his soul hates he cannot see sin in any but so as to condemn them if a believing Job sin God marketh him and will not acquit him from his iniquity Job 10.14 We must cease sinning before God can cease condemning Rom. 8.1 Obj If a believer sin Christ is reckoned the finner and not he for Christ doth all for him others