effects be produced in a different manner We must not limit our being made Righteous by Christ's Obedience below our being made Sinners by Adam's Disobedience as far as Adam made us Sinners so far Christ makes us Righteous or the reddition is improper We are as truly absolved by Christ's Obedience as we were made guilty by Adam's Disobedience And we are as truly Regenerated by Christ's Obedience as we were Depraved by Adam's Disobedience In the first we are made free from the Curse of the Law due to us as Sinners in the later we are preserved from being impenitent ungodly Infidels to whom the Gospel doth not give a freedom from the Curse but leaves such under the Law 's Sentence yea denounceth greater punishments against them By the first we have a full Righteousness to stand before God in notwithstanding the exactness of the Law of Innocency and all our Faults and Defects By the second we are render'd the Objects or Subjects of that full Righteousness according â—o the Gospel promise which is the Instrument whereby God bestows it But hereof more fully in due place I shall insist most on the first point 1. To be made Righteous by Christ's Obedience is to be made Free from Condemnation as if we had not Sinned and to be Entitled to Acceptance with God and Eternal Glory as if we had kept the whole Law and both for the sake of Christ's Righteousness imputed to Penitent Believâ—â—s for Pardon and Adoption I can in the shortest way Comprehend the Nature and Parts of this Particular by the following Propositions 1 Pro. All Men are unrighteous by nature Rom. 3.10 There is none righteous no not one We are all Transgressors and therefore each is liable to Vengeance Rom. 3.19 All the world is become guilty before God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he might have arrested and Executed Judgment upon all of us When Innocency ceased the Sentence of the Law took place and obnoxiousness to Misery inevitably followed This includes a forfeiture of Right to Happiness by the Law of Works Be sure if it condemns us by its Threats it cannot reward us by its Promise Disobedience putting us past a possibility of perfectly obeying which was the Condition of its Reward Therefore by the deeds of the law shall no flesh living be justified for by the law is the knowledge of sin Rom. 3.20 God can never speak peace by it to the Sinner nor acquit the Offender because by it he condemns for the least Sin and promiseth Life to none but the perfectly Obedient By this Law Sin is not only known to be Sin but Sin is known to bring Damnation and to bar us from Happiness Hence though Christ's Obedience was perfect according to the Law yet it is not by the Law that God pronounceth the Believer just but by the Gospel Righteousness comes not by the Law Gal. 2.21 No Man is justified by the Law Gal. 3.11 Exh. Be affected with that Unrighteous State wherein you all once have been and the Impenitent still remain Is it a small thing to have been Rebels against the holy Law of your Maker Can you make a light account of being under the Curse which comprehends the utmost Misery Gal. 3.10 This as a flaming Sword keeps thee from the Tree of Life and with irresistible power binds Vengeance on thee whilst thou art Christless Divine Wrath points to thee as the Obnoxious Person and in the mean time thou hast no Claim to God's Favour no Title to God or any Saving Blessing In this State the best of you once were Eph. 2.12 And what Grace was it that refâ—ued you out of this extremity Who can enough adore it But what is the stupidness of such among you that can quietly sleep in an Unrighteous State yea so long despise and refuse Deliverance from it Hell is your due every moment and should you die in this condition as you may without farther warning neither the Mercy of God nor the Merits of Christ will prevent Eternal Torments 2 Pro. God is so Righteous and Jealous of the Glory of his Government that his richest Mercy admits the Pardon of no Offender nor Saving Benefits to such as in the least fail in their Obedience but on the account of a Righteousness at least exactly adequate to what strict governing Justice did enjoin and prescribe It must be a Righteousness of Obedience as perfect as the Law Precept required of Men it must be a Righteousness of Satisfaction by bearing a Punishment equivalent to what the Law Threatning denounced against Sinners And because this Law in its Precepts and Threats was a Law to Men and they were Men that transgressed therefore Justice required that the Obedience should be yielded and the Punishment suffered by and in the Humane Nature Hence even the Son of God must take our Flesh if he would be a Redeemer The Satisfaction must yield as much glory to Justice as the Sin forgiven did injure it The Merit must be proportioned in the Scale of Justice to the Benefit to be conferr'd and that upon Offenders which render'd what was appointed to Christ to be above what the Law required of Men. Of which I have spoken somewhat already and shall have reason again to enlarge Rom. 3.26 His Righteousness is declared and he appears just when the Justifier of him that believes in Jesus Sin must be condemned in the flesh of Christ by his dying a Sacrifice for it that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.34 Exh. Adore the Authority and Justice of God notwithstanding Pardoning Mercy The Atonement speaks it neither is it debased by all the Displays of Grace We are as subject to God as if he had never spared us and he is still as just as if all Mankind were to be damned If you despise his Dominion you shall find the edge of his Sword if you reject the Atonement the Severity of his Justice will instance it self upon you See then that you provoke not the Lord to jealousie Deut. 29.20 3 Pro. No Grace nor Act of the best Saint can be a Satisfaction for the least Fault or a Righteousness Meritorious of the least Benefit All Saints have sinned yea Sins and Defects adhere to their best Duties Our exactest actions cannot atone for a past Crime because they are no more than what 's at present due from us Imperfect Duties cannot merit because they are not in the estimate of governing Justice proportioned to the lowest Benefit A Reward of Debt can be to none below him that never sinned and perfectly obeyeth Rom. 4.4 though a Reward of Grace is promised to the Upright Ps. 50.11 When we have done all we now can do we are unprofitable Servants and by the Law of Works the iniquity of our holy things were enough to bring us under condemnation Exh. See your need of a greater Righteousness than your own and submit to the
as free from Condemnation as if they had never sinned and accepted and entitled to eternal Glory as if they had kept the whole Law Rom. 8.1 There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit These are in that State wherein the Curse is restrained from arresting them Yea they are Heirs joynt heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 the Gospel-Covenant is their Charter of right which is secured by the Death of Christ the Oath of God and Sacramental Seals The Death of Christ is to be considered not only as what purchased the Covenant-Blessings of which I have spoken before but also as what ratifies the Covenant to our Faith by Death its irrevocable as a Testament and it must be sure or the Lord of Glory had never died to secure the ends of it his Death is too great a thing to admit a doubt of the certainty of that Charter by which the Effects of that Death are granted Christians being thus free and thus accepted and entitled proclaims them Righteous Exh. Be comforted notwithstanding your Faults and Weaknesses whilst your Hearts are upright in God's Covenant What is not a just Challenge to the Sincerity of thy Faith ought not to make thee conclude thy self Accursed or quit thy hopes of Glory Failings may cause Mournings that we are so Imperfect when they ought not to perplex us as if we were in a lost Condition The same Mouth that delivered the Curse against Sinners in the Law hath published Forgiveness and applied Redemption to Believers though Sinners by the Gospel Gal. 3.13 14. If your Faults be objected Christ hath answered them If the Weakness of Graces be objected Christ hath made up that If the Greatness of Gospel-Benefits be objected it 's Christ hath purchased them and they are bestowed not for thy Graces but for Christ's Obedience though it be to such as even thou art if a sincere Penitent that they are given for the Gospel-Rule doth only appoint the Persons who receive the Benefits but not ordain us to make the Satisfaction for the Sin to be pardoned or to purchase the Glory to be received Wilt thou not let Christ appoint his own Legatees to his own Bequeathments and rejoyce in the Gifts whilst thou art the Person to whom he declares they belong If he had promised Heaven to a meer Sinner as such thou oughtest as a Sinner to expect it with Joy But he hath promised it to all believing Saints however imperfect and must not thou with Comfort look for it and not quit thy hopes till thou cease to be a believing Saint Yea he hath ministred further to thy Joy That he will influence thy Soul by his Warnings against Apostasie by Sacraments and by constant Supplies so that thou shalt Persevere 10 Pro. Christians become thus Righteous upon believing by the Righteousness of Christ imputed to them in their Justification and by the continuance of this Imputation they remain Righteous Upon our first believing we are justified Rom. 3.29 and there is a constant Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to the Believers for his continued Justification Did Men cease to be Believers God would cease to impute the Righteousness of Christ to them Did God cease to impute Christ's Righteousness Men would cease to be justified and did we cease to be justified we should be subject to Condemnation But blessed be God he will cause the true Believer to persevere in Faith and so he shall remain in a justified State God will preserve the Habit of Faith enable him to frequent Acts of Faith and still prevent damning Infidelity he will keep thee from a prevailing distrust and rejection of Christ as a Saviour Luke 22.32 and from reigning Disobedience to him as thy Lord. I shall explain this great Truth of Justification by the imputed Righteousness of Christ which may be conceived of according to the following Heads 1. There is a making us Righteous as it is a giving a Believer a right to Pardon Absolution from the Curse Adoption and Acceptance which is by imputing the Righteousness of Christ to the Believer We must be made Righteous before a just God can pronounce us so or deal with us as such there must be a right to Pardon e're God will Pardon this right to Pardon is given by God's imputing to us the Righteousness of Christ and the effect of that imputing Act seems to be the first Consideration in the Change made in our State as justified For the better apprehending of this you may remember I have before informed you that Christ's Righteousness may be considered 1 As the full Performance of the Conditions of the Covenant of Redemption which included a full Conformity to the Law of Works yea and morâ— 2 An adjudged Right to the promised Reward for his performance of those Conditions Now both these are imputed to the Believer in this first Consideration Of giving a Believer a right to Pardon c. 1. The Righteousness of Christ as it was the Performance of the Conditions of our Salvation is mediately imputed to the Believer God adjudgeth that what Christ did and suffered for the actual Remission of Sinners was really done and suffered for us it belongs to us we are the designed Objects of that actual Remission to procure which for us that Obedience was rendred Iohn 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting Life Here we see that God gave his Son to do and suffer what he did that Believers thereby might not Perish but eternally Live Now by Grace beinâ— Believers that we may have a right not uâ— Perish but Live we have what the Son â— given did and suffered reckoned and accounteâ— to us God looks on what Christ did as donâ— for us and esteems us Believers them whom his Son did that for and therefore by his gracious Ordination we are the very Persons thaâ— have a right to Pardon of those Sins for whicâ— we were liable to Perish and excluded from Life I say Christ's very Performance of the Conditions is imputed mediately in this manner If one give me my Liberty which he voluntarily purchased for me at a dear Rate he mediately gives me what he paid for my Ransom though immediately I receive my Liberty and a right thereto whereas the redeeming Price was paid to my Detainer in whose hands I was Captive So it was to God that Christ made Satisfaction and yielded the Meriting Price yet it is applied and reckoned so to the Believer that he receives the same Blessings thereby as if himself had rendred it because it was for his Title to those Benefits that it was rendred by Christ. Yea by this Imputation it becomes his Security for all saving Benefits and pleadable with God by him with respect to what is purchased for Believers thereby as if he had endured and performed the things Christ did Since God
a great Means of their Perseverance which Divine Wisdom hath appointed Obj. Christ's Righteousness upon us keeps our Faith Ans. And yet keeping our Faith through God's Power keeps that Righteousness upon us to Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 And know that Christ's Righteousness is applied in Correspondence with the Gospel-Rule It is not upon the Apostate to give him a Right to Salvation but upon the Persevering Believer It is on the Believer for his present Right but it is in Christ for to be still applied to the Persevering Believer for his continued Right Obj. The Believer will not fall away Ans. It is not naturally Impossible but it 's by Grace that he shall not fall away But then God's Helps and Means must be used by him of which these Cautions are not the least and the Connexion between Apostasie and the loss of Salvation is never the less true and so Mr. M's Principal never the less false for if ever he draw back my Soul shall have no Pleasure in him and truly you may as well infer that Faith is not necessary to our justification at first as that Perseverance is not necessary to our continuing so For it was as sure of the Elect. even before they believed that they should be justified It 's sure of the Believer before he persevere that he shall be saved But yet if Faith be necessary to the first so Perseverance is by as express Testimony necessary to the last 2. It is not blamably legal Fear for Believers to be sollicitously cautious in resisting Temptations and sâ—riving in Christ's Strength to persevere and this lest they eternally perish hold fast that which thou hast that no Man take thy Crown Rev. 3.10 was a fit Means to beget Care in holding fast Heb. 4.1 is a Caution the Apostle comprehends himself in Let us fear left a Promise being left us any of us should seem to come short of it any appearing challenge from within themselves was matter of Fear for on Christ's Part there 's no Suspicion It 's a divine Charge Phil. 2.13 Workout your own Salvation with Trembling and Fear not only begin it so but so work it out Nay in no span of Time on this side the Grave is the best Saint exempted Pass the Time of your sojourning here in Fear and the Reason is If you call upon the Father who without respect of Persons judgeth according to every Man's Work 1 Pet. 1. 17. These Men now tell us There is no judicial Process of Believers no Judgment by a Gospel-rule It will not be asked you what Sin you have committed or forsaken or Duty you have omitted or Good you have done but are you in Christ As if these were of no Use to determine whether we are in Christ truly or no and as if a Privilege were the proper matter of a Judicial Trial. Mr. M. may know whose these are Oh Christians Is our Race as yet run our Fight already fought or our Dangers past Are we still in Via or in Termino 3. A Man that hath once believed if he should fall under the reigning Power of Sin and Corruption ought to suspect that he is not in a State of Salvation Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die but if ye mortifie the Deed of of the Flesh by the Spirit ye shall live was a Truth directed to all the Saints at Rome and let me tell you the Dominion of Sin is a more sure Evidence that Men are now out of a State of Salvation than the Knowledge of their Consciences that they formerly believed is of their ever being in a State of Salvation For this may be a mistaken Knowledge but the other is the divine Word These Conceits are obviated Ezek. 33. 13. when I say to the righteous he shall surely live if he trust to his own Righteousness and commit Iniquity all his Righteousness shall not be remembred but for his Iniquity that he hath committed he shall surely die for it i. e. If because he began to do well and because he hath done so for a Time he ventures to give up himself to a Course of Sin he shall certainly perish for it This is the plain Sense of the Place notwithstanding Mr. M. forced Perversion of it against our expecting any Benefit upon performing any Duty The Apostle Paul thought not himself above this Rule 1 Cor. 9.11 24. I keep my Body under lest when I have preached to others I my self should be a Cast-away What a damning Sentence would Mr. M. pass on Turretin Perkins Mr. Anthony Burgess and most of our old Divines who jointly assert That if David had died before he had repented of the Murther of Vria he had been damned Nay that comfortable Text Rom. 8.1 brands his Position there 's no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit whence it 's evident That if they now walk after the Flesh they shall be condemned at least from its being inconsistent with their present being in Christ whatever they think of their former believing I will not retort damning on Mr. M's Opinion yet to such Souls who credit his Notion That whatever thy Corruptions now be if thy Conscience know that thou hast believed formerly they Salvation is safe I must in pity say thou mayest eternally perish by it For thou canst not judge now it was a true saving Act but according to the Sentence of Conscience and they Conscience may be mistaken yea if thy Corruptions now have Dominion over thee and continue so God warns thee Let no Man eeceive you with vain Words for these things the Wrath of God comes upon the Children of Disobedience Eph. 5.6 3 Charge And whether he do not in Truth disown the Imputation of our Sins unto Christ and of his Righteousness unto us It is like if he live the World will see more fully for he hath given such pregnant Indications thereof as do amount to at least just Cause of Iealousie Repl. 1. Is it come so low as a Jealousie now When he was one that under his Hand affirmed thus of me He teacheth that the Righteousness of Christ is imputed only as to Effects with a Purchase of a Conditional grant viz. This Proposition He that believeth shall be saved and they cite for it though in contrary Words Gospel Truth p. 39. where my Words are these I affirm That Christ by his Righteousness merited for all the Elect that they should in his Time and Way be certainly Partakers of its saving Effects and did not only purchase a conditional Grant of those Effects viz. That Proposition He that believeth shall be saved And besides these Effects being made ours the very Righteousness of Christ is imputed to true Believers as what was always undertaken and designed for their Salvation and is now effectual to their actual Pardon and Acceptance to Life yea is pleadable by them as their Security and is as useful to
in Justification and upon this the rest depend Hereby we are made Righteous in Christ's Righteousness Though we be not personally Innocent yet Christ's Righteousness which fully answered the Law is judicially applied so as to give us a sure right to be dealt with as to Eternity as if we had been Innocent and Perfect which is what we principally need and as much as we are capable of considering we are Sinners and that we did not provide the Ransom nor substitute him that became so 2. God hereupon actually forgives adopts and gives the Earnest of Glory to Believers thus invested in the Righteousness of Christ and on the account of that Righteousness This is Executive Justification in part and indeed all Benefits peculiar to the Members of Christ are conferred in a way of Execution hereof unless as we may consider such Benefits as follow Pardon and Adoption to refer to Justification as including an additional Right resulting from Gods pardoning and adopting Acts. The reason why I add this is that Pardon gives a Right to impunity and Adoption gives a Right to the Privileges of Children and so with respect to Forgiveness and Adoption a Believer may be called Righteous and frequently in Scripture is called so though inclusively of Christ's Righteousness because it 's for that we are so forgiven and adopted Forgiveness is of so great importance in Justification that upon the account hereof we are said to be Blessed Yea it 's put frequently for the whole of Justification Rom. 4.6 7 8. it 's so in the Lord's Prayer Luk. 11.4 yea it 's so put in our Creed 3. God judicially sentenceth the Believers thus made partakers of Christ's Righteousness and thereupon pardoned and adopted to be them who have a Right to Impunity Favour and Glory and accepts them as such notwithstanding all challenges and accusation Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the Right Hand of God who also maketh intercession for us This doth not only obviate the Accusation of Persecutors against such as are chosen to suffer but it answers all Challenges against every Believer gathered out of the World by the Spirit pursuant to God's Eternal Election for against the unconverted Elect God himself hath much to Charge and he lays it to their Charge by his Law-condemning Sentence But as to the Converted here 's a general defiance and a large enumeration of what tend to their defence God justifies them and this for the sake of Christ's Death and that the Death of him who is risen and being risen is enthroned and being enthroned intends their Security by his Intercession It 's true if they be charged to have been sinners they must own it as a true Charge But what then must they Dye for their Sin No God declares they are pardoned and this upon a Righteousness more then adequate to the Law of Works and they have no lower a safety from their Guilt than Christ's Title who died that Believing Sinners might not Dye but Live Indeed if the Charge be That these are not Believers then God Acquits them another way of which hereafter This is Sentential Justification which is Virtual now and will be solemnized at the great Day 4. It is the Gospel whereby God justifieth us as his Instrument God in his his Word having declared that he will Iustifie him that Believes Rom. 3.30 and that we are justified by Faith Rom. 5.1 and Commanding us to Believe with a Promise That we shall be Justified if we Believe He doth by this very Declaration of his Will Justifie the Believer This promise effects what it includes assoon as the Object is answerable to the Tenure of the Promise By this he Imputes Christ's Righteousness to the Convert and so makes him Righteous declares him Righteous and treats him as Righteous in for and by Christ's Righteousness and this assoon as he Believes There needs no more to express it now than this Word of his Mouth unless as we may add the Sacramental Seals and also such influences and acts of Power whereby such Benefits are conferred as are Executive of the Justifying Sentence and so far are a Divine Declaration of our State as Justified 5. The Object of God's Justifying Act is the living humbled converted Believer who by Faith cometh to accepteth of and rusteth in Christ as an entire Saviour The promise of this Mercy being to such yea confined to such and Unbelievers declared to have God's Wrath abiding on them especially when this Gospel is that Word of the Lord whereby we are Justified Gal. 3.22 Ioh. 3.36 and 8.24 Rom. 10.4 We must then Believe but it is not Faith unless it be a coming to accepting of and trusting in a Christ it is not a Christ if he be not a whole Saviour When will we Believe if we be not convinced and humbled How can we Believe if we be not quickned by the Spirit Yea of what sort of Faith is it if we are not purposed in our Heart to turn from all Sins Self and Idols to Christ and to God by him Which turning is oft the Word by which the Spirit oft expresseth Faith it self Ezek. 18.21 30.1 Pet. 2.25 Acts 26 18. By what is said you may Answer the main Enquiries that occur to your Mind concerning Justification Qu. Who Justifies us Ans. God as our Ruler Qu. What doth God do for us or on us when he Justifies Ans. 1. He Imputes Christ's Righteousness to us whereby we have his Right to our Pardon Absolution c. 2. He actually forgives absolves and adopts us in Christ's Right and for the sake of his Obedience And by this forgiveness absolution and adoption he further gives us a Right to Impunity the in-dwelling Spirit Perseverance and Eternal Glory 3. He pronounces us free from all Accusation and Challenges that would import a present liableness to Eternal Death or bar to Eternal Glory we having Christ's Righteousness and thereby our Pardon Absolution from the Curse and our Adoption for our Plea and Defence Qu. What is our State by being thus Justified Ans. We are accepted with God free from Eternal Condemnation and entitled to Life as if we had not sinned but kept the whole Law to this time Yea we have some greater Benefits than we forfeited as Union with Christ the in-dwelling Spirit and Perseverance whereby we are secured from forfeiting Eternal Life for the future Qu. By what Instrument or Sign of his Will doth God Justifie us Ans. By the Gospel-promise Quest. Whom doth God Justifie Ans. The true Believer whether he know himself to be so or no and no others Yea God in Justifying a Man doth as far declare him to be a Believer as he declares him to be Justified Qu. When doth God Justifie a Sinner Ans. Assoon as he is a Believer and not before
do his Commands that they may have right to the Tree of Life Mr. M. saith you are gone if you expect it Christ saith Luke 21.36 Watch and Pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man Mr. M. tells you he thinks it Inconsistent with Faith to do so 11. They effectually strike at Christ's Government in one of the Principal Means he hath pitched on to administer it by in our present State for with them it 's Damnable to be excited to Duty by hope of any good upon Obedience or by fear of missing that Good if we obey not And so in Truth Promises and Threats are Nullities as to God's Government Hence Mr. M. resolves all the Reasons of Obedience into Motives of what God hath done for us Page 70. Indeed they are Motives but they are not the only Motives nor the chief Motives that God makes use of nor what are fittest to impress Mankind yea or Christians whilst they be so Imperfect and encompassed with Sâ—ares We see they restrain not Wrath Malice Faction c. in too many How dare Men say Is it Damning to submit to such Arguments which God so often useth from future Rewards and Punishments because he sometimes moves us from past Privileges or present Decencies Yea though you should add the Authority of the Precepts whilst you divest them of all Promises and Threatnings to invigorate Mens Compliances therewith We say Frustra est praecipere quod impune potest negligi Christ saith Iohn 13.17 If you know these things happy are you if you do them John 12 48 He that rejecteth me and receives not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken that shall judge him Gal. 6.7 8. Be not deceived God is not mocked what a Man soweth that shall he reap For he that soweth to the Flesh shall of the Flesh reap Corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap Life Everlasting I might transcribe the greatest part of the Bible to prove this 12. They dreadfully Contradict themselves in all the profitable Sermons they preach Mr. M. saith it 's a Damnable Error in me to say that God gives any Benefit in a way of Reward or Encouragement upon Believing though not as a Debt or as if Faith merited ought yea and it 's in and for Christ's Righteousness that it is given Yet hear himself Page 68. Oh get Faith see that you Believe for in this way it will come to pass that the Righteousness of Christ shall be upon you If a Man should ask him Doth God command me to believe Ans. Yes But doth God by you perswade me to believe by this Argument That Christ's Righteousness shall be upon me Ans. Yes sure or it 's a meer Delusion Q. Well but shall I have it upon my Believing A. Yes it is in this way But will it be upon me if I believe not Ans. No I have told you Page 66. Your Souls shall go down into Hell Qu. Do you intend that I may tell my own backward Heart If thou wilt believe thou shalt have an Interest in this Blessed Righteousness and so urge the Worth of this and the Necessity of Believing upon my Soul I suppose Mr. M. must here suspend But if I ask may I expect assuredly when I am through Grace enabled to believe that upon this God will put the Righteousness of Christ upon me and make good the word wherein he caused me to hope viz. That if I did Believe the Righteousness of Christ should be upon me Here Mr. M. by his Principle must cry out O No this is to follow a Soul-destroying Error if there be any in the World Page 46. But Sir I will not plead my Faith as any Merit but only plead the Promise God is pleased to make to my Faith and rely on that word now that I have Faith Mr. M. yet that 's Damnable for then it comes in a way of Reward Then I ask again If that be Damnable Pray why did you use this Motive in the name of Christ to perswade me to believe How could it be a Motive to Faith if I was not to expect it upon believing And if I was to expect it before I believed in case that I would believe Why may not I expect it now that I do believe I know not what Answer Mr. M. will make unless 1. It 's something done by Man Or 2. God will be still at liberty to perform or not perform the Benefit though he did promise it Or 3. He will not perform it in the way he promised it that is He promised it as an Encouragement to you if you would believe but he will not accomplish it as an Encouragement now thaâ— you do believe nor seem so much to approve of your Faith The first were Silly because it was a Man was perswaded to do this eveâ— to believe for I hope it 's a Humane Act though by the Spirits Power The second is to impeach the Truth of God's Word The third is a weak Foppery as if it were a Dishonour to God to give the Benefit in the way he chose to use it as a Motive to the Duty especially when as Mr. M. owneth it 's by the Gospel-word that God puts this Righteousness on us which is the very same Word whereby he urgeth this Benefit as a Motive to Man's Believing If I again ask Why Mr. M. would by this Motive thus perswade Sinners to Believe He would I hope say This is the way God hath ordained to convert them to the Faith But why dare he Preach thus when it implies what he calls a Damning Error or else it 's a meer Mockery I 'll answer for him He had a mind to venture a Contradiction rather than be wholly useless to those People whom he designed to frighten from the Ministry of others as Damnable that he and his Party might be more considerable Reader Would'st thou know whence comes this Confusion I 'll tell thee it is Because they consider not 1. That though the Gospel be not a Law wherein Governing Justice displays it self in the Adjustment of Benefits to the Duty yet therein there is a Governing Authority in a way of Grace suitable to the State of Men in the dispensing of the Fruits of Christ's Death 2. That a Reward of Grace is quite another thing than a Reward of Debt 3. That all Gospel-Benefits are given in Christ's Right and are the Effects of his Righteousness applied to all that partake of them 4. That all Gospel-Precepts and Promises do Authoritatively appoint and describe the Persons that are Parâ—â—kers of Benefits for the sake of Christ's Righteousness but not their own and not put Men on purchasing these Benefits 5. Yet these do fully distinguish them that shall partake of the Benefits from others that shall not partake of them The Gospel doth hereby fix a
their Happiness as if themselves had done and suffered what Christ did Reader were these Men duly tender or honest when they pervert Words â—o plain and ascribe to me what is as directly contrary to my Words as yea and no. They say I affirmed what I do deny and that I denied the very thing I affirmed But the Turn could not be served without these Methods 3. The Ground of Jealousie I 'll give and judge you how just it is 1. I did affirm that Christ did bear the Punishment of our Sins yea and he bare the Guilt of our Sins which is that respect of Sin to the threatning of the Law whereby there is an Obligation to bear the Punishment of Sin But I denied that Sin it self as to its Filth and Fault was transacted on Christ and that Christ was made and accounted by the Father the very Transgressor the Adulterer and Blasphemer Gospel-Truth p. 10 11. Here 's my Crime for Mr. M. hath oft preached up the later 2. I affirm as thou seest of the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness but my Fault is that I deny that God accounts that we legally died and obeyed that we made Satisfaction to God though I grant that Christ died for us yea in our Place and stead 3. I have through the Goodness of God lived to declare in this Book enough to confute his Prophesie and his Opinion too though I think he should pray for a more calm and charitable Spirit before he prâ—tend to Predictions concerning his Brethren 4. Will he repent of his rigid censorious Slander For I 'll here declare that I assent to his own Words p. 18. By imputed I mean that it Christ's Righteousness is looked on by God as belonging to us in order to our being judicially dealt with according to the Merit thereof This I have oft affirmed but it 's far short of what elsewhere he strains it too 4 Charge The Son of God was united to an Embrio which is a Piece of ignorant Blasphemy Repl. My Words were Oh! For God-Man to be at any time unactive as an Embrio or Child in the Womb for him to be born of a Woman I said not that the Son of God was united to an Embrio unactive as an Embrio is another thing And I 'll â—â—ing him twice Ten to oppose his two Witnesses But had I said it where is the Blasphemy when the divine Nature I hope was united to Christ's dead Body in the Grave as all grant And very many say that the divine Nature was united to the Flesh before it was organized or animated of whom Turretin's Instit. Theol. p. 372. Etsi anima infundi non potuit in Corpus nisi jam organizatum c. Non sequiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non potuisse carnem statim sibi unire cum Opus ejus non possit aut praesente aut absente anima sibi coarctari Pierson and Multitudes are Blasphemers with this bold Man But supposing that though the Virgin conceived by the Power of the Holy Ghost and went her usual Time and that Christ was like other Children and the Faetus had Matter and Nourishment ministred thereto by the Virgin who conceived by the Power of the Spirit Yet that the Divine Person was not united to the Flesh before it was animated But are not many Phisicians so ignorant as to judge the Soul is united to the Body unorganized and if so either the humane Nature of Christ had a separate Subsistence from the Divine Person which is false or the Divine Person assumed it when the Body was unorganized But it 's a Theme not fit for me to pursue who must confess my Ignorance therein in Comparison of Mr. M. who can tell us how the humane Nature of Christ leans on the God-head in the Son and hath the eternal Power of the Deity clasping about it and holding it in that Vnion p. 63. May not this seraphical yet very dull Author call what he please in this Point a Piece of ignorant Blasphemy whatever greater Divines or skilful Phisicans say to the contrary 5 Charge Because I would wash off all his Dirt at once I 'll give you one Charge out of his Book that he forgets in his Postscript though it hath been their best Tool viz. That I lick up Bellarmin's Vomit in my Exposition of Phil. 3.8 9. Repl. This is as true as the rest for when I expounded that Text I plainly affirmed thaâ— 1. We are justified by Christ's imputed Righteousness only 2. That all Holiness compared with winning Christ is to be esteemed as Dung 3. The best thing in us is vile compared with Christ's Righteousness And indeed if that Text speaks only of Justification and that the Apostle designes to oppose his own Righteousness to Christ's then his own and ours are as unfit as Dung to be found in 4. But I then judged and still do that the Apostle there designed to proclaim the Preferrableness of Christianity to Judaism and what was Pharasaical yea or self-invented And therefore as he enumerates all the Dignities of Judaism so he ascribes to Christ the whole Glory of his entire redeemed State shewing that not only his Justification but his Sanctification too came from and by Christ both which were of a diviner Nature as well as appointment than what he arrived to whiles he was a Stranger to Christ and therefore expected and pressed after a Perfection therein whiles he despised all Things Priviledges and Attainments which stood in Competition with Christ Yea was glad he had lost them all for Union with him a Perseverance in whom with higher Communications from him was the very main Aim of his Life and Endeavours I am sure this Sense best agrees with the Context and is far enough from Bellarmin's Sense neither want I Reasons sufficient to prove it had I room yea my Exposition of that Text is so far from militating against Justification by Christ's Righteousness that it proves it strongly 2. I come now to consider Mr. M's Defence of his own Errors He confines them to two Saying I kept Silence as to more When others read this Book they 'll see a greater Number though it seems he could not perceive them when he read my Notes and hath left out of his printed Sermons many obnoxious Passages yet he 'll meet with his Suretiship Righteousness the Debtor being as clear as the Surety P. 24. With his limiting so far Christ's Merit to his active Obedience p. 13. With his Position that all Graces of the Spirit are Effects of our being justified and not at all the Means thereof p. 32. That all our Obedience avails no more to our Justification than our worst Sins p. 71. Though he ascribes a Causality to Faith that the Crown of Glory is due to us in Justice p. 12. Even a remunerative Justice is exerted to us p. 15. c. But let us take what he thinks most concerns him the first whereof is that Christ's Incarnation was no
the Heart of Stone and gives a heart of Flesh renewing their Wills and by his power determining them to that which is good and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ Conf. Cap. 10. A. 1. Q. 2. Man is altogether Passive therein until being quickned by the holy Spirit he is thereby enabled to answer this Call and to embrace the Grace offered and conveyed in it Large Cat. A. 73. Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God not because of those other Graces which do always accompany it or of good Works that are the fruit of it Here we see that there is a quickning regenerating Work and Change on the Heart and Will in order to the Act of Faith and that there is no Faith unaccompanied at any time by other Graces and that by good works they intend not such Graces c. Did not Mr. M. tell us p. 60. that in effecting our Vital Vnion there is a Vital touch as I may say between Christ and us and a Clasping on each other Is there a Vital Touch before Life or a Clasping while we are Dead Doth the Mind see Christ whilst it 's Blind or the Will embrace him whilst it 's morally dead impotent unperswaded and averse Do we consent to Christ and Covenant with him whilst Satan Sin and Enmity Reign in our Faculties or open the Door to Christ whilst these keep the Keys God saith the natural Man receiveth not the things of God because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 but Mr. M. saith yea it 's while they are natural that they see Christ and close with him Here 's a knowledg of an ignorant Mind here 's a coming and receiving without Life Here 's a Faith the Gospel Covenant never promiseth for it 's not included in God's Writing his Laws in the Heart The whole stress of Salvation is laid by him on an Act of a dead unregenerate sinner and Men are justified while the Soul is not turned from darkness to life nor from the power of Satan unto God Acts 26. 18. it were worth asking hâ—m whose Act this Act of Faith is It 's not a Humane Act unless you can suppose the Mind and Will can Act without any Vital Principle yea against it's own prevailing Principle Here then must be a force and unactiveness too in our very acting and it 's a strange Clasping of what we hate and abhor I doubt here may come in again Christ's believing for us However he must think 1. That our Faith after we are alive is either a Faith specifically distinct from that which justified us or it 's still an Act not effected by a regenerate Principle but is somewhat either below Life or above Man even when he is spiritualized he seems to bid at both His Simile is for the first the Spirits which he saith are Corporeal Clasp about the Soul for Life so it seems our Faith is a dead thing always never made Life or Living any more than those Spirits are made Soul otherwise it loseth its Clasping meetness as they would do in ceasing to be Corporeal Yet other times he makes it look like a Divinity Clasp about us 2. I do now see a little why the Man is so against God's giving us any saving Benefit in any way of Reward though not of Debt It 's because Faith is the only thing ordained not required as a Physical means on our part and this is so low a thing that a dead sinner may act or so sublime as not to be a Humane Act. 3. Again I see why he doth still confine our Justification to the end to the first Act of Faith yea and deny the immediate influence of Faith on our Justification for if you should bring it among Duties or to be under the Notion of a Duty all is spoiled No it must be a meer Physical Band of Union not enjoined by God as our Ruler but appointed as the Corporeal Spirits for Ligaments I dare not touch the Philosophy part of that lest if I name Embrio he should Curse me anew 4. I know now at last why he thought me a Pelegian the selfish reason why he writ it to London I knew long since because I in a Printed Sermon put the Act of Faith after spiritual Life it seems I should have said with him That in Vnion with Christ as one mystical Person which is by the efficient causality of Faith we are brought into a state of Spiritual Life Relative in our Iustification and Adoption and then and thereupon Qualitative c. p. 60. His Proofs for Faith before Life because Christ promiseth Life upon believing are contemptible as if further spiritual Life and Pardon and Eternal Glory be not Life as well as Hell is Death ' and some sinners twice dead 4. The Faith he so much insists on hath not all the Essentials of a saving Faith I know many Worthy Men distinguish between Faith quae justificat and qua justificat and no doubt the Soul hath an especial respect to Christ as Priest and his Righteousness in order to Justification But our Discourse is of the Faith quae justificat What that Faith is he tells us p. 62. Faith is a going out of our selves unto Christ for all And p. 40. The Hearts acting towards this Object in its believing is most properly in a way of trust and dependance and affiance Rep. 1. We have just seen it wants a Vital Principle as it is the Act of an unregenerate dead Soul Now this brings it in the Judgment of most Divines to be no saving act at all no saving Faith because the Act of a Natural and Dead Sinner 2. I need not mention that it is no obediential Act And note That when our Divines deny that Faith is not Imputed as an Act of Believing or as an Evangelical Act of Obedience they say it 's not as such imputed as our justifying Righteousness which I grant But they positively affirm that the Faith by which Christ's Righteousness becomes imputed is an Act of evangelical Obedience Confess Chap. 11. A. 1. Again 3. I will not insist how far the Assent of this Faith is limited as to its Object as well as its Nature 4. I do grant That by Gospel-faith we trust in and depend on Christ as our only Saviour and that by it we go out of our selves to Christ for all Attonement Merit Causality of Acceptance of all we do and Strength and Grace to enable us to all 5. Yet see how much more the Assembly includes in saving Faith Confess Chap. 14. A. 2 By this Grace Faith a Christian believeth to be true whaever is revealed in the Word for the Authority of God himself speaking therein and acteth differently upon that which each particular Passage thereof containeth yielding Obedience to the Commands Trembling at the Threatnings and embracing the Promises of God for this Life and that which is to come but the principal Acts of saving Faith are accepting receiving and restin
the Objects of the respective Effects thereof as the Gospel determines the Distribution of them His Notion of legal Union between Christ and the Elect from Eternity as being one legal Person is an unscriptural Notion which I have confuted though I acknowledge Christ from Eternity undertook to Redeem and Save the Elect but that is far from one legal Person being that we are not reputed to Redeem or Save our selves alike ungrounded is one Mystical Person It 's time to put an end to my Remarks on his Story made up of Steps which I wonder he hath acquired no better Skill in relating than to represent the Counsels of God in a manner so inconsistent with nay reproachful to the Glory of the Blessed God 9. I shall not take notice of such things as these all your Obedience to the Law avails no more to justifie you than your worst Sins the not failing of Faith is not a means of our continuing justified Repentance is the effect of Pardon and not necessary thereto These and the like being already insisted on in this Book and elsewhere neither shall I demonstrate as I might it must be his Judgment that all our Sins are pardoned at once even past present and to come and that God cannot be displeased with or afflict Believers for their Sins c. 10. He vainly supposeth many things possible to be in Unbelievers which are certain Evidences of true Faith Effects of Faith yea they are the Execution of the Consenting Act of Faith and without them if Men have time all his Faith is but a Dead Faith that will never Save I will admit that no Act of Grace or Godliness can Save us without Faith But I as positively affirm That there is no one Act of real Grace or Godliness without true Faith nor yet any true Faith without Acts of other Graces Why then should he put the Graces of the Spirit into a War and tell us of mending our Ways and reforming our Lives and our Hearts too so as never more to Sin and live as a Saint dropt down from Heaven c. yet they are not Faith and the Righteousness of Christ would not be upon thee P. 67 68 c. Can Mens Hearts be changed and their Lives thus reformed in Obedience to the Call of Christ's Gospel and not accept of Christ and trust in him No. And I ask If any Man go out of himself to Christ for all and yet never repent nor have his Heart and Life changed nor love God Would that Man have the Righteousness of Christ upon him for Salvation Yet this is as possible as the other yea and more easily mistaken 1 Thess. 1. from 5. to 10. you 'll see the Spirit of God makes the things concur which Mr. M. would set at so great an Opposition To me it 's evident that Christ's Righteousness extends it self through all the Benefits and Privileges of a Saint as the Sole Meriting Cause whatever be the Condition And all the after-gracious Acts and Godliness of a Believer are the Operations of Faith they are his first Conjugal Consent executed as well as the Effects of his Dependance on Christ for new Supplies 1. Faith as it acts upward towards Christ still Craves Prays Hopes Trusts Expects with Affection Adheres and renews Self-dedication and Consent 2. As it looks into the word it finds Motives Excitements Directions c. to urge and apply to it self from invisible things realized 3. As it acts under the Power of both the former with respect to External and Internal Effects it Purifieth Melts Loves Quickens Strengthens to Duty and against Temptations Comforts Reclaimeth Recovereth Guardeth Watcheth c. So that our renewed Act of Repentance Love and Fear c. our Godliness Reformation Zeal and all sincere Obedience is the Operation of Faith and the Obedience of Faith Faith is in them and they are in Faith not formally but in the way above expressed Whence I conclude it 's a false Faith that omits Obedience to Christ in all these as it is a false Obedience which excludes a Dependance on Christ in or by any of those 11. Mr. M's Criminations of his Brethren are intolerable becoming neither an honest Man nor a true Believer and much less a Gospel-Minister more wicked Malice and Falsehood hardly any Man can be guilty of than his Accusations and Insinuations are justly chargeable with unless they proceed from real Ignorance which Charity prompts me to hope I have instanced already how he hath perverted my words but had he confined his Reproaches to me I should not think my Resentments so fit to be expressed but he spares not the Dead he strikes at the Body of our Usefulest Ministers alive and at their Ministry too Who or what could excite any Man to render the Labours of so many Ministers useless when so adapted to promote the Kingdom of Christ in the World Who will dare to attend their Labours or avoid being filled with Jealousies Prejudices and Abhorrence that believe this fiery Man when he saith They hold Soul-damning Errors if there be any in the World P. 46. That they have a Dislike and Heart-hatred of standing in the Righteousness of Christ imputed and it only that lies at the bottom in these Oppositions to our being as Righteous as Christ P. 76. and the Devil by them laboureth to Forestall and shut up Mens Hearts against what he calls the Blessed Truths nay his Malignant Spirit riseth so high as to call them oft Semi-socinians and studiously brands them with that name as what he would have them called by in his Preface as well as Socinians in his Sermons and that the Gospel of our Salvation is Craftily and Insolently assaulted by them in the very Vitals and Fundamentals of it And this and much more as an Apostasie from the Truth he fixeth on Old and Young even many of the rising Generation not only among Conformists but Dissenters also Reply The Angel said The Lord rebuke thee when he durst not bring railing Accusation sure he knoweth not what Spirit he is of nor who doth instigate him to these things any more than Holy Peter did whose Design was better After long working at this Trade under Ground he proclaims it when he comes into open Air and hides not his Spirit or his Purpose I hope others injured so deeply will joyn with me in forgiving him and Praying for his Repentance that the Blood of Prejudiced Souls may not be required at his hands nor these Injurious Reproaches be imputed to him I shall make a few Remarks on the Names he give us 1. He of all Men seems least allowed to give us any Name for we are not the Children of his Church-Members and others he will not Baptise he pleads that the Ancient Church called the Off-spring of Pelagius his Heresie Semi-Pelagians May therefore one that utterly denies a Catholick visible Church pretend to it yea who thinks he ceaseth to be a Minister when his Relation
next principle of good Works for though it be the Meriting Cause of all as it is in Christ yet holy habits are the next Principle with the Spirits influence And above all must we cease to declare the whole Will of God to all that hear us till we know is Christ's Righteousness upon them Yea is it because they are dead in Sin before Faith that we must not press them to repent fear and love God c. The same reason will hold against pressing them to saving Faith which of themselves they can as little perform And if it be by the Word that God regenerates our Hearers Why may not the Spirit infuse Life by calling Men to Repent c. as well as to Believe and a true Principle of Life will act duly though I think not in the same order of discernable Actings in every Convert But however it 's certain that if by preaching Repentance the Spirit quickens a Soul that Soul is as sure to believe when quickned as it is to repent when it believes And so our Author makes but a spiteful Flourish when he would induce our Hearers to think we teach them amiss because we learn not of him SInce the Printing of my Answer to what Mr. M. calls my Second Damning Error viz. That I make the State of Believers to be Undecided and in Suspence during this Life I have found the word Vndecided in my Gospel Truth Stated P. 55. which I then was Ignorant of though I cast my Eye on the bottom of that very Page My words are The Covenant though Conditional is a Disposition of Grace there 's Grace in giving Ability to perform the Conditions as well as in bestowing the Benefits God's enjoyning one in order to the other makes not the Benefit to be less of Grace but it is a Display of God's Wisdom in conferring the Benefit suitably to the Nature and State of Men in this Life whose Eternal Condition is not Eternally decided but are in a State of Trial yea the Conditions are but a Meetness to receive the Blessing But as I have in my Answer shewed that I oft in Gospel Truth stated affirm That the Elect shall Persevere in Faith and that every true Saint is now in a State of Salvation So I shall only add 1. I do not here mention Believers but Men in general yea rather Unbelievers 2. By Eternally decided any Man may see that I had an Eye only to God's Iudicial Decision at Death and the more Solemn Sentence at the last Judgment when we Die our Warfare is finished and our State as Viatores is at an end 3. What meaneth all the Scripture Cautions even to Believers such as Watch c. Pass the time of your Sojourning here in Fear c. If all our State be decided so while we have many Years Temptations and Persevering Work before us as it will be beyond the Grave Alas how many are long deceived by the meer Form of Godliness and they that are Godly are called to Caution and Care on this very Consideration that they are to be judged 1 Pet. 1.17 which were useless to such as are in termino 2 Tim. 4.7 8. Rev. 2.10 See more in my Answer The Point of the Embrio was not fit for my large insisting on or I could have proved that an Embrio is not an unformed unorganized Mass or Lump c. FINIS The Five following Books have been lately published by the Author of this Discourse Printed for John Dunton at the Raven in the Poultry 1. GOspel Truth Stated and Vindicated wherein some of Dr. Crisp's Opinions are considered and the opposite Truths are plainly Stated and Confirmed The Second Edition 2. A Defence of Gospel-Truth Being a Reply to Mr. Chancy 3. The Vanity of Childhood and Youth wherein the depraved Nature of Young People is Represented and Means for their Reformation proposed Being some Sermons Preached at the Request of several Young Men. 4. A Discourse shewing that Repentance of National Sins God requires if ever we expect National Mercies 5. Man made Righteous by Christ's Obedience Being two Sermons Preached at Pinners-hall with Enlargements c. Also some Remarks on Mr. Mather's Postscript c. AN Essay upon Reason and the Nature of Spirits By Dr. Burthogg Heads of Agreement assented to by the United Ministers in and about London The Fourth Volume of the Morning Exercise There will also be Extant in a few days The Second Volume of the French Book of Martyrs Published by her Majesties Royal Priviledge There is in the Press Remarks upon Bishop King's late Book concerning the Inventions of Men in the Worship of God By the Reverend Mr. Iohn Boyse Malbranch's Search after Truth will also be published in a few Weeks