Gods grace are to be effected Thus Rivet vind Apol. p. 127. If therefore any of our Orthodox Authors have acknowledged a remission of sins before faith it hath been in a particular sense to oppose the Arminians who maintain a reconciliability and not a reconciliation by Christs death and not in an Antinomian sense as is more largely to be shewed in answering of their Objection brought from Christs death for enemies and sinners Indeed some learned and worthy men speak of a Justification before faith in Christ our head as we are accounted sinners in the first Adam or common person Thus Alstedius in his supplement to Chamier pag. 204. when Bellarmine arguing against the holiness of the Protestants Doctrine and bringing this for a paradox above all paradoxes That I must be justified by faith and yet justifying faith be a believing that I am just and righteous which is saith Bellarmine besides and against all reason He answereth among other things That Christ and the elect are as one person and therefore an elect man is justified before faith in Christ as the principle of righteousnesse before God and then he is justified by faith as an instrument perceiving his justification in that righteousnesse of Christ So that faith as it goeth to the act of justification is considered in respect of that passive application whereby a man applieth the righteousnesse of Christ to himself not of that active application whereby God applieth to man the righteousnesse of Christ For this application is only in the minde of God To this purpose the learned Zanchy in his Explication of the second Chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians upon those words vers 5. And you being dead in sin he hath quickned together with Christ doth in the first place distinguish of a two-fold quickning One whereby we are freed from the guilt of sinne and invested with a title or right to eternal life The other from the power of sinne whereby we are made spiritually alive to God The former is Justification the later Sanctification Now saith he this two-fold blessing is to be considered in Christ and in our own persons In the first respect God did quicken us in Christ when by his death sinne being expiated he freed from guilt all the elect that have been and shall be considering them as members in Christ their head In the later respect God doth it when having given us faith he gives us also remission of sins and imputeth Christs righteousnesse to us And afterwards the fore-quoted Author making this Objection to himself How Christ could be said to be freed from the guilt of sinne who had no sin He answereth The person of Christ is considered two wayes First in it self as God-man and so Christ was not bound by any guilt Secondly as appointed head and so representing our persons In this respect as God laid our iniquities upon him Isa 55. So when they were expiated by his bloud then was he released from the guilt of those sins We might instance in other Authors but these may suffice to certifie that some orthodox and learned Divines do hold a Justification of the elect in Christ their head before they do believe yet so as they acknowledge also a necessity of a personal Justification by faith applying this righteousnesse to the person justified Therefore although this Doctrine passe for true yet it will not strengthen the Antinomists Although even the truth of this opinion may modestly be questioned unlesse by being justified in Christ our head we mean no more then that Christ purchased by way of satisfaction our Justification for us and so virtually we were justified in Christs death and resurrection But the learned men of that opinion speak as if God then passed a formal Justification upon all though afterwards to be applied that are elected even as in Adam sinning all his posterity were formally to be accounted sinners Now this may justly admit a debate and there seem to be many Arguments against it First If there were such a formal Justification then all the elect were made blessed and happy their sins were not imputed to them for so in Adam when accounted sinners they are wretched and miserable because sin is laid to their charge And if the elect before they believe or repent were thus happy how then at the same time could they be children of wrath and so God imputing their sins to them Can God impute their sins to them and not impute them to them at the same time It is true if we say That Christ by his sufferings obtained at Gods hand that in time the elect should beleeve and be justified this is easily to be conceived but it is very difficult to understand how that all our sins should be at the same time done away in Christ who is considered as one person with us and yet imputed to us Secondly I do not see how this Doctrine doth make our justification by faith to be any more then declarative or a justification in our conscience only and not before God and so by believing our sins should be blotted out in our sense only when they were blotted out before God by Christs death already And so our Justification by faith shall be but a copy fetcht out of the Court roll where the sentence of Justification was passed already whereas the Scripture speaks to this purpose That even before God and in his account till we do believe and repent our sins are charged upon us and they are not cancelled or blotted out till God work those graces in us Therefore this opinion may symbolize too much with the Adversary and indeed none of the meanest Antinomians speaks of an original reconciliation which was wrought by Christ on the cross without any previous conditions in us and urgeth that parallel of the first Adam in whom we all sinned before we had any actual being as also that Text Col. 3.1 where we are said to be risen with Christ Thirdly It is difficult to conceive how Christ should represent any to his Father thereby to partake of the heavenly blessings which come by him till they do actually beleeve and are incorporated in him for they are not his Members till they do believe and till they are his Members he cannot as an head represent them It is true God knoweth whom he hath elected and to whom in time he will give faith whereby they may be united to Christ and so it 's in Gods purpose and intention to give Justification and Sanctification to all his elect but these being mercies vouchsafed in time and limited to such qualifications in the subject I see not how they can be said to be justified in Christ before they do believe otherwise then virtually and meritoriously It is true we are all condemned in Adam because that was a Covenant made with him and his posterity so that the issues thereof fell upon them by a natural and necessary way but
at all Yea God hath delighted sometimes in natural Causes to work the Effects without them lest the glory should be given to the instruments Hence he caused light to be before the Sunne and the earth is commanded to bring forth Herbs before any rain that so God may be acknowledged all in all If God do this in the order of natural things how much more of supernatural Yet this is not so to be prest as if therefore God would forgive sin without Repentance No God hath ordered a way inviolably and indispensably wherein he will vouchsafe his Pardon and no otherwayes But although God out of his meer good will hath inseparably conjoined Repentance and Remission together yet the Discovery or Promulgation of this unto the broken and contrite heart is altogether Arbitrary And in this as well as in other things that speech is true The winde bloweth where it listeth Know therefore by these divine Dispensations That though thou dost repent Gods forgiveness is a meer gift of liberality and no natural necessary fruit of thy sorrow Insomuch that setting Gods gracious Promise aside whereby he is a Debtor unto his own faithfulness after thy purest and most perfect Humilation for sin God might refuse to take thy guilt away A second Reason Why God though he pardon may yet deny the manifestation of it is Because hereby God would make us feel the bitternesse and gall of it in our own hearts A Pardon easily obtained takes off the burden of the fault Thus God dealt with David The light of Gods favour doth not presently break thorow the Cloud that so David may feel how bitter a thing it is to sinne against God As God suffered Isaac to be bound to have wood laid on him the knife to be lifted up to strike him in all which space Isaac's fear could not but heighten Thus God also will kill and wound those whom he intends to make alive he will bruise them and break them that so they may judge the seeming good in sin to be nothing to the real evil that followeth it And from this second issueth a third Reason viz. To make us more watchful and diligent against the time to come Peters bitterness of soul was a special preservative against the like temptations as bitter Potions kill the worms in childrens stomacks It must needs argue much guilt in Gods people if after the particular gall and wormwood they have found in sin they shall be ready to drink the like bitter potion when sin presents it self Certainly the heart-aches that Paul found afterwards though pardoned for his former persecutions were like a flaming sword to keep him off from such attempts again He might more truly say then that Heathen did He would not buy repentance so dear 4. By reason of the Difficulty and supernaturall way of believing it is that Pardon may be in Heaven when we cannot apply it in our Consciences Hence though the Promises be never so much for our ease and thereupon infinitely to be desired yet the way of believing this is so far above natural conscience which expects Justification by works that the heart of a man hath much ado to close with it Therefore faith is not like other Graces or Duties viz. Love of God Humility c. which have some obscure footsteps in the natural dictates of conscience but it is wholly supernatural yea Adam in the state of integrity knew not this kinde of believing in the righteousness of a Mediatour For as the object of faith viz. Christ is only by revelation no councel of men or Angels could have excogitated such a truth so faith as it is the hand or organ applying Christs righteousness is a duty not manifested by humane light but wholly from above And as flesh and bloud doth not reveal to us That Christ is the Son of the living God so neither that we are to have remission of sins only by faith in his bloud Hence the Scripture makes faith the gift of God which coming from the Spirit into our hearts meeteth with much contrariety and opposition of doubts and unbelief No wonder therefore if after the heart of a man hath been awakened for sinne there remain some commotions a long while after even as the sea after tempests winds though they be allaied yet for some space after roareth and rageth not leaving its troubles presently as you heard before Though therefore as God pardoneth in Heaven he offereth it also unto our Consciences yet we refuse and put it off we will not be comforted because it is not a comfort flowing in the way we look for viz. by working And for this reason though David heard Nathan pronounce his pardon yet he doth vehemently importune for it afterwards in Psalm 51. as if he had not the least notice of any such mercy to him Lastly God defers the notice of Pardon to thee that so thou mayest be the more able to sympathize with those that are in the like tempted condition For as one end of Christs suffering in his soul lying in agonies under Gods displeasure was because he might know how to have compassion upon his children in such temptations So the Lord doth exercise his people to the same purpose and certainly Christ accounted this the tongue of the learned to speak a seasonable word to a wounded heart Besides hereby shall we speak the more wonderfully of Gods grace and his goodness after our deliverance out of those storms Those that have been in these deep waters see the wonderful works of the Lord and so have their hearts and mouths the more opened to celebrate his praise Another Question may be What Directions are to be given unto a soul tempted about the pardon of sin for many such there are who like Pauls fellow passengers in the ship have been so many dayes moneths yea it may be years and have seen no Sun enjoyed no comfort at all Let the Persons thus affected use these remedies First Acknowledge God and clear him howsoever Thus David Psal 51. that thou mayest be clear when thou art judged If the devils and the damned in hell have no cause to complain of God as unjust or too severe then much less mayest thou who art kept in darkness for a season only that afterwards thou mayest enjoy the more light Let not God be the worse God his goodness the less unto thee because thou art not yet set free out of the bonds of sin By being thus humble thou takest the way to be filled whereas impatiency and discontent causeth God the more to hide his face Secondly Examine thy Repentance whether that hath been so sound so pure so deep so universal as it should have been All sorrow and humiliation for sin is not godly Repentance Ahabs tears and Peters differ as much as the water of the Sea which is brinish and salt and the water of the clouds which is sweet David Psal 32. acknowledgeth the pain
THE True Doctrine OF JUSTIFICATION Asserted and Vindicated FROM The Errours of PAPISTS ARMINIANS SOCINIANS and more especially ANTINOMIANS In XXX LECTURES Preached at Lawrence-Iury London By Anthony Burgess Preacher of Gods Word The second Edition Corrected and Revised LONDON Printed by A. Miller for Tho. Vnderhil at the Anchor in Pauls-Church-yard near the little North-door 1651. TO THE Right Honourable EDWARD Earle of Manchester Vicount Mandeville Baron of Kimbolton My Lord THE many favours your Honour hath vouchsafed unto me altogether undeserving may justly command a publike acknowledgement thereof to the whole world But that which doth especially encourage me to seek for your Protection in the publishing of this Treatise is your unfained love of and stedfast continuance in the Truth So that those two things which Pythagoras said made a man compleat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to doe good to others and to embrace truth may without flattery be affirmed to be in your Lordship And as for the latter Paul speaks it as a great commendation that the true faith did dwell in Lois which denoteth a stable and firm permanency as the Apostle elsewhere saith Sinne dwelleth in him In some mens breasts Truth is only a sojourner and their assent to it passeth away as the Psalmist speaks of our life like a tale that is told Now herein Christ speaks of a peculiar priviledge to the Elect that it is not possible for them to be deceived by false Prophets if it were possible to deceive the very Elect which is to be understood of a totall and finall seduction Thus also when the Apostle had mentioned the Apostacy of Hymenaeus and Philetus he interposeth by way of comfort to the godly neverthelesse the foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth who are his and no wonder if the truths of Christ are worthy of all hearty acceptation seeing they are wholly by supernaturall revelation in which sense some say Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word because he revealed the will of his Father to us but in another respect are we to take heed how we decline from the truths of God because they are the inlet and first instrument of our Sanctification and Salvation God would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth Sanctifie them by thy truth thy Word is truth and our regeneration is described paâ—tly by the renewing of our minde so as corrupt distillations from the head are apt to putrifie the vitals so Errours and false Doctrins do quickly corrupt our practâ—ce One thing more I make bold to recommend to your Lordship that besides the bare receiving of the truth there is as the perfection of knowledge the acknowledgement of truth after godlinesse and the learning of truth as it is in Jesus Christ which is when the truths we beleeve have a savoury and powerfull effect upon us and nothing causeth our abode in the truth so much as the experimentall efficacy of it upon our hearts It is good saith the Apostle to have the heart established with grace and not with meats One would have thought the Apostle should have said it is good to have the heart established with sound Doctrine because he exhorteth them not to be carried aside with every winde of Doctrine but he saith Grace rather then knowledge because this is the choicest Antidote against falshoods Tantum scimus quantum operamur we know no more viz. favourily clearly and stedfastly then we have powerfull practice of Now of all supernaturall truths the doctrine of Justification hath no mean excellency this is the article which Luther said reigned in his heart In this is a Christians treasury of hope and consolation and because the Antinomians whose opinions may be stiled as those of Epicurus were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inticing Syrens of a mans fleshly minde have put their dead flies in this precious Box of ointment I have endeavoured to select this precious Gold from their drosse Though the matter I handle be in part controversall yet it is also in a great measure practicall The greatest mercy I can wish to your Lordship is this glorious priviledge of Iustification in which only and not in riches honours or any earthly dignity consisteth true and perfect blessednesse as David a King doth heartily and with much affection acknowledge Psal 32.1 and Paul by vertue of this Iustification Rom. 8. triumphs over all adversity and trouble whatsoever Of which glorious happinesse that your Lordship may be made partaker is the Prayer of Your Lordships most humble Servant in the Lord ANTHONY BURGESS TO THE Christian Reader Christian Reader WEre I not already ingaged I know not how in this publike way of Controversies I should wholly decline such service partly because of that ill fate if I may say so which doth accompany books through the various Palates of those that reade them whereby they are unwilling agnoscere quod Dei est or ignoscere quod hominis est partly because of expectation which is an heavy prejudice all men judging it reasonable that now in these latter times there being the advantage of all the abilities of those who went before us a man should not so much libros as thesauros scribere write not Books but rich Treasuries as the heathen said partly because this controversall way doth so possesse the intellectual part that the affectionate part is much dulled and made remiss thereby Even a Papist Granada in his way of Devotion said A Learned man that was busied in such kinde of imployment should reckon himself in the number of those wretched Captives that are ad metalla damnati Though all the day long they dig up Gold yet they are not any whit inriched by it but others for whom they work And Rodericus as I remember relateâ—h of Suarez that he was wont to say He esteemed that little pittance of time which constantly every day he set apart for the private examination of his own conscience more then all the other part of the day which he spent in his voluminous Controversies The Apostle speaks of doting about questions but the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to be sick and languishing which doth declare the nature of needlesse disputations that they fret away and make to consume the true power of Godlinesse God once only spake out of a thorny bush and as the Israelites were to go out of the military Camp to gathâ—r manna so must a man shuntedious disputes who would injoy the fat and marrow of Christian Religion But notwithstanding these dâ—scouragements yet the Apostle with a vehement obtestatâ—oâ— cals upon Timothy and in him all faithfull Ministers to preserve that good thing committed to their Charge so that it is the duty of Ministers not only by Preaching but otherwise as occasion serveth to see that the golden treasure deposited in the Church be not debased
forgiven till it be committed it must be past before it can be forgiven But the Apostle might use this speech in reference to sins past before his coming to shew the efficacy and power of Christs death that it was not the bloud of Rams and Goats but that of Christ which could expiate our offences My intent is to speak of the benefit first and then the Causes the Benefit is Justification And for the better understanding of this consider the Propositions following which will be subservient to clear the nature of it although the more exact opening of the word and the nature of it is to be looked for when we come to speak of imputed righteousnesse First It is of great consequence to have this Doctrine kept pure Luther called it Articulus stantis aut cadentis Ecclesiae as if this were the soul and pillar of Christianity Pighius though a Papist calleth this the chief par◠of Christian Doctrine confessing that it had been obscured rather then cleared by their own Writers yea this Doctrine about Justification is that which discerneth the Orthodox from Pagans Papists Socinians and Arminians Now there are divers reasons why we should keep the Philistims from throwing in earth to stop up this pleasant spring As 1. because herein is the grace and good favour of God especially revealed Therefore the Gospel is called glorious because God did not so much exalt and manifest his excellency in creating the world as he did in providing of a Saviour and pardon for a poor sinner Hence it s called the riches of his grace rather then of power or righteousness We are therefore sollicitous whatsoever the Antinomians say to the contrary that the doctrine of Gods grace in Justification may be fully improved to the uttermost and that every broken heart may be put into a ravishment and admiration of it We bewail those times of Popery when the name and efficacy of Christ and his Grace were obscured by the works and pretended righteousnesse of men 2. It is very necessary to keep this pure because of the manifold truths that must fall if this fall if you erre in this the whole truth about Originall sinne Free-will and Obligation of the Law will likewise perish 3. It is of great influence into practice for what doth the heart smitten for sin and filled with the displeasure of God but run to this Doctrine as the City of refuge This is the water that their souls pant after this is the bread that their fainting stomacks would gladly feed on now if this water be turned into mud if this bread be made into stones by the corrupt Doctrines of men how must the soul perish for want of sustenance Secondly Satan hath endeavoured severall waies the corrupting of it You may judge of the preciousnesse and excellency of it by Satans malicious endeavours to suppresse it Herod not more diligently seeking to take away the life of Christ when he was in his Cradle then Satans instruments were busie to stifle this truth in the infancy Chemnitius relateth that he did saepè cohorrescere many times tremble when he thought of a speech which Luther would often say and it was ominous That after his death the Doctrine of Justification would be corrupted And indeed when those first Reformers had made the body of this truth in all the severall parts of it like that of Absalom comely and beautifull without any blemish there presently rose up many perverted in minde and set upon it as those theeves upon the man going to Jericho leaving it wounded and half dead There are errours about the very nature of it making it to be the infusion of righteousnesse in us for which God doth accept us Thus they speak of Justification as Aristotle would about Physicall motions Some take away the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse some take away the satisfaction of Christ some make Faith to be accounted for Righteousnesse some make such a Justification that thereby God shall see no sin in those that are justified whatsoever they do Thus in the nature parts instrument consequents and subject there are manifold errours and hereby Satan bringeth much mischief to the Church for by this means our lives are spent in disputing about this benefit when it were farre more comfortable to be enjoying of it And when Satan could not overthrow the truth by mingling of our works with the Grace of God as in Popery then he bendeth himself to errours on the right hand by setting it up in such a seeming way by amplifications of it that thereby all repentance and godly humiliation shall he quite evacuated Even as when he could not by his instruments the Pharisees disprove the Deity of Christ then he sets instruments on work to confess that he was the Son of God thereby to get in some errours Thirdly God in this way of Justification goeth above our thoughts And certainly when a Christian will set his heart to think about this truth he must lay this for a foundation that in this matter of Justifying Gods thoughts and his thoughts do differ as much as heaven and earth so that the doctrine of Christs hypostaticall union is not more above our thoughts and expectation in the truth of it to be believed then that of Justification is above our hearts in the goodnesse of it to be embraced It is in this case with us as with Sampson who found honey in the carkase of a Lion this could not be expected how it could come there had he found it in some holes of a Tree in the Wood where Bees will sometimes hive themselves there had been some probability but here is none Thus thinketh the soul troubled to finde this honey of Justification in the death of Christ how unlikely is it If I should look for it in the works I do in my holinesse and righteousnesse that is wrought by my own hands this were according to rules of righteousnesse And this is the ground of all that dangerous errour in Popery they look upon it as against the principles of reason that we should be accounted righteous any other way then by that which is inherent in us and this made Luther professe that when he did rightly understand the doctrine about free remission of sins yet he was exceedingly troubled with the word Justifie for that old opinion had much soaked into him that it must be to make righteous as sanctificare is to make holy or calefacere to make hot some positive quality to be brought into a man which he might oppose against the judgement of God And hereby you may see that it s no wonder if the people of God are so difficultly perswaded of their Justification if they be again and again plunged into fears about it because this way which God taketh is above our thoughts It is a great matter to deny our own righteousnesse and to be beholding to Christ only for pardon Fourthly As the
Doctrine it self is by peculiar revelation so the Scripture hath proper words to expresse it by which we must wholly attend to This would be a good Pillar and Cloud to direct us for then men began to decline from the truth when they left off a diligent search of the use of the word in the Scriptures What makes it so confidently and generally asserted by Papists that Justification is a transmutation a change from the state of unrighteousnesse to the state of holinesse but only neglect of the Scripture-use of this word And though this matter was agitated seven moneths in the Councell of Trent yet because they did not follow the Star of the Scripture they came not to the lodging where Christ was There are some kinde of words which the Scripture takes from the common use and custome amongst men and they are to be interpreted as commonly they are taken but then there are other words which the Scripture doth peculiarly use as being subservient to expresse that peculiar matter which the holy Ghost only teacheth and such is this word to justifie for the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is observed by learned men to have two significations one to punish a man or condemn hâ—m which is clean contrary to the Apostle his use of the word or else to determine and judge a thing as just but then it doth not come up to the Apostles meaning for he speaks of persons but the Grecians use it of things themselvs Thus the word justificare is not used by any approved humane Authors no more then sanctificare and glorificare As therefore we must goe to the Scripture only for the knowledge of the nature of the thing so we must expresse it in such words as the holy Ghost useth and this is the ground which hath made our learned men call upon all to consider the Grammaticall use of the words in this matter First The word doth imply an accounting just And this is acknowledged by the Papists themselves as more frequent though they pleade much for such a sense as to make just Now the truth is there needs not much quarrell even about that signification though the Scripture doth not manifest it For we confesse that he is made just who is justified and that not only in respect of the inward renovation of a man but also in respect of justification for God doth not account him just who is not so and certainly to esteem a man just without righteousnesse is as absurd as to account a man learned without learning or the wall white without whitenesse only we say this Righteousness that doth to make a man just is not inherent in him but reckoned to him by the satisfaction of another for a man is accounted righteous two waies either when he is not guilty of the crime charged upon him or when he doth make satisfaction and in this latter sense by Christ we become righteous 2. So that if the word should signifie as much as to make righteous as to sanctifie doth signifie to make holy still we could grant it though not in the Popish way and indeed the Apostle Rom. 5. saith many are made righteous by the second Adam which if not meant of inherent holinesse doth imply that the righteousness we have by Christ is not meerly declarative but also constitutive and indeed one is in order before the other for a man must be righteous before he can be pronounced or declared so to be But the Hebrew word doth not signifie this sense primarily for whereas the Hebrew word in Cal doth signifie to be righteous by a positive quality The word in Hiphil according to that Rule in Grammar signifyeth to attribute and account this righteousnesse unto a man by some words or other testimony even as the word that in Cal signifieth to bâ— wicked doth in Hiphil signifie to condemn and judge a man as wicked so that there are these two things in justifying whereof one is the ground of the other first to make righteous and then to pronounce or declare so From these two followeth a third which is to deal with a man so justified as a just man so that condemnation crimes reproach and fear shall be taken away from him This declareth the admirable benefit of being justified before God for when this is done Rom. 5.1 We have peace with God Ephes 3. We come with boldnesse into his presence and open face so that unbelief and slavish fears in the godly are great enemies to this grace of justification yea they are a reproach and dishonour to it Thou thinkest if thy heart were not conscious to sin if nothing but holinesse were in thee thou wouldest be bold thou wouldst not fear or be troubled but thou dost not consider that God walketh towards thee as a righteous man looketh upon thee as so so that if Christ be bold thou mayst if God will not reject Christ or thy sins cannot condemn him so neither will God reject thee or shall thy sins overwhelm thee this is the sweet consolation of the Gospel to a sinner broken-hearted who would give a world for a perfect righteousnesse to make him accepted 4. This is a judiciall word and taken from Courts of judgement It is good to consider this also for this supposeth God as a just Judge offended and man summoned to his Tribunal to appear before it This work of Justification may be excellently compared with that Parable Mat. 18. where a man owing many talents to his master is called upon to pay them and although the servant prayed his Master to have patience and he would pay him all which we cannot say yet it is said his Master forgave him all the debt That the word is a judiciall word in the generall appeareth Deu. 25.1 where the Scripture speaketh of a controversie between men brought to judgement and the Judge justifying the righteous so 2 Kin. 15.4 There Absalom wisheth he were Judge in the land that he might justifie him who brought his case to him so Psa 51. That thou mayest be justified and overcome when thou are judged As it is thus in general so in this particular case it is a word taken from Courts of judgement Thus Rom. 3. That every mouth might be stopped and the whole world be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 guilty Hence there is an accuser and our sins called debts and the opposite to this justification is condemnation and the Apostle calleth it a charge that is laid upon men Therefore Christ is called an Advocate and he is said to make intercession all these expressions denote a judiciary proceeding Thus David Enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight no man shall be justified Psa 143. and Paul 1 Cor. 4.3 It is a very small thing to be judged of mans judgement where a mans judgement is called a day according to the Cilician phrase as Jerome saith and having spoken this he addeth something of
his justification before God so that there is nothing clearer then that the word is a judicial word and with John who in his Epistles never useth the word justifie the sense of it is expressed by not to come into judgement or to be translated from death unto life And certainly if to justifie were to make righteous inherently it would not be an abomination in that sense to justifie the wicked Fifthly There can be properly no justification but where there is accusation or a charge Therefore condemnation is opposite to it Hence it is that though it be said that Angels and Adam were justified and that by works yet if we would speak properly they were no more justified then they had an Advocate or Intercessor Thus when Christ is said to be justified in the Spirit that is declared to be the Son of God by the Spirit which was spoken in reference to those calumnies and reproaches that were cast upon him so that this consideration may comfort a godly man even in that particular wherein he is most troubled for thus the godly argue my heart chargeth me with such folly and so the devil doth oh it is too plain I cannot dissemble it I cannot hide it oh what shall I do even this very thing may support for how could there be Justification if there were not a charge What need a Christ to justifie if there were no fault Sixtly No man can do any thing whereby he should be accounted just before God This is the grand truth that is such a stumbling block to the world this makes the Papist gibe and scoff this makes God say they to dissemble this makes him a lyar to account that ours which is his Sons who will say a lame Vulcan goeth upright with another mans legs who will compare some deformed Thersites to a fair Absalom because of some imaginary beauty which is not in him But the Scripture is too plain 2 Cor. 5. to be eluded Ipse factus est peccatum sicut nos justitia non nostra sed Dei nec in nobis sed in ipso sicut ipse factus est peccatum non suum sed nostrum nec inse sed in nobis constitutum He is made sin as we are righteousness not our righteousnesse but the righteousnesse of God not in us but in him as he was made sin not his own but ours not in himself but in us Neither do we say we are made righteous without a righteousnesse that indeed were absurd but we say it is not in us Seventhly That righteousnes whereby we are made just is only by Christ of this more hereafter only the Scripture doth carry us alwaies from our own righteousness to that of Faith which is by his bloud this made Bernard say Quid tam ad mortem quod morte Christi non salvetur Meum meritum est miseratio Domini non planè sum meriti inops quamdiu ille miserationum non fuerit inops Though we want Christ doth not want though we sinned away our good yet not Christ his merits And if a man were made perfectly holy yet he could not be justified for all that but he needs a Christ to satisfie for his former transgressions Eightly This description of Justification in a judicial way containeth much terrour and also much comfort It is good for a Christian to meditate why God describes the way of pardon by these tearms and first it may be to rouse up secure and Epicurean consciences Thy heart will not alwaies be quiet neither will thy sin alwaies lie still at the door but it will awaken thee and hale thee to judgement O the terrour thy soul will then be put into And as it doth thus terrifie so it doth the more comfort nothing is so welcome as a pardon after a man is condemned and his head laid upon the block Thus when all this charge is laid upon thee and thou summoned before the tribunall how precious must grace then be to thee LECTURE II. ROM 3.23 Being justified freely by his grace c. THe ninth Proposition is concerning the reality and truth of this Justification for when we say God doth justifie that is account and pronounce righteous this is taken by Papists as if here were nothing but a meer fiction and imagination without any truth indeed Therefore the godly are for their comfort to know that this Justification of theirs is no lesse a reall and solid foundation for comfort yea it is more then if they had the most perfect and compleat inherent righteousnesse that could be for all things that are constitutive of this Justification are reall God his gracious accounting and esteeming of us so is reall and seeing he is most wise just and holy what he doth judge must needs be so we many times justifie our selves but then it is sometimes a meer opinion we are indeed condemned at that present but it cannot be so with God Again the foundation of this Justification is as solid and firm as any rock it being the righteousnesse of Christ if therefore the righteousnesse of Christ be not a fancy or imagination no more is this And lastly the effects of this are reall viz. deliverance from wrath peace with God joy in the holy Ghost and the spirit of Adoption Now in this treasure the godly heart may much inrich himself he is not in a dream when his soul is ravished with this priviledge thou mayest be in this transfiguration and say it 's good for us to be here and still know what thou saiest What shame then is it to thee when if thou hadst inherent perfect righteousnes thou wouldst bid thy soul take her spirituall ease for she hath much good stored up for her and thou canst not do this upon an imputed righteousnesse imputed righteousnesse and inherent differ only in the manner not in reality it is all one as to Gods glory and as to thy comfort whether righteousnesse be thine inherent or thine imputed if it be a true real righteousnesse Tenthly Consider the Scripture speaks of this justification as to us still in a passive sense we are justified and that whether it speaks upon a supposition of Justification by works of the Law or in an Evangelicall manner and this it doth to shew that God only doth justifie for sin is only against him and therefore none but himself can remit his own offence Besides none can condemn but God therefore none can Justifie Who can lay trouble on thy soul binde thee in chains and throw thee into hell but God and who but God can command all the tempests and waves in thy troubled soul to be still When therefore others are said to Justifie that is only to be understood declaratively and no more Now this particular may suppress all those proud Pharisaicall thoughts in us whereby we are apt to be puffed up within our selves what if we Justifie our selves and clear our waies yet if God doth not
make little or nothing of it as it were a great fault in a childe to slight or make nothing of his fathers corrections Now let all the world judge whether the Antinomian Doctrine doth not open a wide gate to despise Gods afflictions this makes them cry down Fast-daies repentance humiliation and confession of sin yea they make it Popery and hypocrisie what is done this way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we may say with Homer 6. If God hath commanded Magistrates to execute outward evils upon some godly men that have hainously offended then its Gods will to afflict them for sin but he hath done so If a godly man being through the Dalilah of some corruption perswaded to have his hair cut off his spirituall strength gone and so he fall into the sin of murder is it not Gods will that the Magistrate should put him to death for this sin and what God would have the Magistrate do is it not as much as if God himself had done and must not all say this is a chastisement upon him because of his sin Thus have I brought reasons to prove that which I think was never denied before till this age which every day like Africa bringeth forth some Monster And certainly the Doctrine of afflictions upon the godly is so sweet and wholesome a truth that none but a Spider could suck out such poison from it as the Antinomian hath done LECTURE V. ROM 3.24 25. Being justified freely by his grace c. WE come now to consider how the Antinomian can make good that Paradox of his God chastiseth not believers because of their sins and indeed the Author forementioned doth much sweat and tug in bringing in severall absurdities which he conceives will follow upon the truth asserted by us But before we examine them let us take notice of the Authours great contradiction to himself in this point and that within very few Pages Falshood is not only dissonant from truth but also from it felf for whereas in the forequoted place he makes his assertion universal that Ged seeth not sin in persons converted and therefore there are no afflictions befall them because of sin Now see how flat contrary that same Authour speaks in the same book pag. 117. for there making an opposition between the condition of believers in the Old Testament and those in the new he expresly gives this difference God saith he saw sin in them as they were children that had need of a rod by reason of their non-age but he seeth none in us as being full-grown heirs and again God saw in them and punished them for it as they were under the Schoolmaster of the Law but he seeth none in us Hence pag. 99. he makes it peculiar to the time of the Law that Moses for an unadvised word was strucken with death and Vzzah and Jonah and Ely with others temporally corrected Therefore it was saith he came those terrible Famines whereby mothers were driven to eat their own children all was because they were under the severity of the Law that if they did but a little step awry they were sharply scourged for the same Now how great a contradiction is this to his other assertion for were not the godly under the Old Testament actually converted had they not Christs righteousnes made theirs were they not elected how cometh it about then that they were afflicted for sin and not believers under the New Testament when a man can bring the East and West together then may he reconcile these assertions but self contradiction is no strange thing in that book But I come to his Arguments The first place he urgeth is Ro. 5.1 2 3. Being justified by faith we have peace with God that is all beating blows and anger are ceased saith he and hence it is that we glory in our afflictions but now if they were for our sins we had no more cause to glory in them then the childe hath in his whippings for his faults For the opening of this place consider these things some ancient Commentators reade the word imperatively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let us have instead of we have and thus they have interpreted it Being justified by Faith let us take heed how we sin again but preserve our peace with God The words taken this way would much confirm rather then debilitate our assertion but I doe not judge this so suteable to the scope of the Apostle in this verse we will take them as they are indicatively or assertively and first we may mean by peace either that reconciliation which is made with God or the sense and feeling of this which is nothing but tranquillity and security of conscience through the perswasion of Gods favour to us Now these may be separable one from the other a believer may be reconciled with God and in the state of friendship with him yet he not feel this or know this as many passages in Davids Psalms do witnesse even as the childe in the womb knoweth not the great inheritance and rich Revenues it shall be possessed of or as Agar did not see the well of water by her but thought she must perish till God opened her eyes There is a seal of the pardon of sin when yet the proclamation of it is not made in the conscience If we take peace in the first respect it is an absolute universal proposition and true of every justified person but in the latter sense it is true only of some persons and at some times for the sense of Gods favour is a separable priviledge from those that are in it If by peace we should understand the sense of Gods favour and the declaration of it in our consciences as by their arguments they must do then it proveth against their opinion as well as any others for they hold that a believer needeth to pray for pardon in the declaration or sense and feeling of sin though not for the pardon it self of sin now there cannot be at the same time a want of the feeling of pardon of sin and the tranquillity of conscience together so that this place must needs be a thorn in their side But 2ly the true and direct answer to this place is that there is a twofold peace one which is opposite to the hatred of God as he is a terrible enemy to sinners unreconciled with them in which sense he is often described in Scripture The other as it is opposite to that fatherly anger and displeasure whereby though for the main reconciled yet he may for some particular faults be displeased now the Apostle speaks of the former kinde of peace Being justified that is God being once reconciled with us in Christ he hath no more hostile enmity against us and if we do sin afterwards he will not become an enemy to us or satisfie his justice by punishing of us but as a father he may in his displeasure chastise us
will lay no more then he will inable to bear Thirdly There is a two-fold trouble one that is holy and effectual for good such a trouble as that was which the Angel made in the pool of Bethesda and there is a trouble by way of torment driving from and raging at God now we all forbid this later neither will this Doctrine give any ground to such a distemper Lastly If a doctrine shall be branded for such an event as shall come through the corruptions of men then we may say their opinion will encourage believers or men that do presume they are so to act all manner of flagitious crimes and yet to have no fear that God will plague them for those things LECTURE VI. JER 50.20 In those dayes and at that time the iniquity of Judah shall be sought for and it shall not be found c. ALthough the Apostle say true 1 Tim. 6.4 that there is a doting about questions whereby the soul of a man is made sick and spiritually diseased as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implieth weakning and debilitating grace as much as fretting doth waste away the flesh and this is done when men encounter in controversies as beasts in their combats seeking only victory yet there may be such a doctrinal clearing of truth by answering of Objections that may tend much to edification both in knowledge and affections and by the striking of flint stones together there may flie out sparks enough to kindle godliness and zeal in our brest This I shall endeavour by Gods assistance in that necessary and famous question of Gods forgiving sin For to preach in crabbed controversies is like Gideon Judg. 8.16 to teach men with briars and thorns as the phrase there is The Antinomian placeth this Text in the fore-front for that absurd opinion God seeth no sin in persons justified if therefore their Goliah be slain the rest will speedily quit the field The words contain a gracious promise to Judah and Israel First To deliver them from their temporal evil They shall be brought out of their captivity into their own countrey again we need not dispute how many came back again it s enough this mercy was offered them howsoever they might neglect it Secondly Here is a promise to remove their spiritual evil which was the cause of the former God will pardon their sins and by this a profitable Doctrine is taught That a people ought to be more desirous of Gods pardon then of removal of their calamities whereas commonly like unwise diseased men we complain more of the Symptomes then of the disease it self The evil of sin depriveth us of an infinite good but the evil of afflictions only of a finite Now this promise is not to be stretched out only to the times of the Gospel but is particularly true of the Jews when removed out of their banishment yet not to be limited to that time only and howsoever the promise for pardon be general to all yet it is to be understood in this manner that to the wicked their sin was no farther forgiven then in this sense That their captivity was removed but to the true believers there was a real taking away of Gods wrath and displeasure from them The promise of pardon is described very emphatically and comfortably to the truly humbled Jews There shall be none of their sins and none shall be found when sought for This expression doth suppose a judicial inquiry as when God is said to make inquisition for bloud and to be found doth imply God judicially taking notice of a man to punish him so Rev. 20.15 In her was found the bloud of the Saints So Beza amplifieth that word Phil. 3.9 be found in him as if the justice of God were pursuing Paul as a malefactor and Christ was a City of refuge unto him Observation Remission of sin is such a taking of it away as if it had never been he that denieth sins forgiven to be quite removed denieth Pharaoh and his host to be drowned in the red Sea said Gregory This point practically improved is the treasure of a believers comfort But there is the Antinomian error on the right hand and the Popish on the left whereby a godly heart if not well instructed may when it cals for bread meet with a stone and when for fish with a serpent Therefore for the more orderly proceeding let us consider what the Antinomian saith then what the Papist and lastly what the truth is The Antinomians opinion may be discovered in these particulars 1. That a justified person having on Christs wedding garment hath thereby all his sins quite taken away from before God and so utterly abolished that we have not any spot of sin in the sight of God Honey-Comb of Justification pag. 24. cap. 3. per tot 2. This is extended by them pag. 27. not only to actuall sins but originall sins for we easily grant that in actuall sins if once forgiven there remaineth no more defilement but that he is made in that respect of remission as white as snow though there may remain a further disposition to evil by that sin once committed if renewing grace help not 3. This abolition of sin they understand both of the fault and the guilt so that God doth not only take away the punishment but both the form of the sin also is wholly removed so that there is neither punishment nor cause of punishment in one thus justified Hence they say there is no sin in the Church now and they expresse it thus As a Physician though he healeth a man yet he cannot take away the scars but God healeth sin so as no scar remaineth yea he giveth a fresh colour again They say likewise our sin is consumed as if one drop of water should be abolished by the heat of the Sun yea pag. 39. the Authour affirmeth that whosoever have not confidence in this one point that our sins are so taken away by Christ that God doth not see our sins in us without doubt are damned as long as they continue to rob the bloud of Christ of this honour Therefore saith he true Divinity teacheth that there is no sin in the Church any more 4. He distinguisheth p. 51. of a two-fold abolishing the one mystical and secret wrought only by Christ and his righteousnes The other grosse and palpable wrought by us by the help of Gods Spirit to our sense and feeling so that they grant sin in us and sin to be mortified but this is not in Gods sight although it be in our own 5. Whereas it might be and is objected God hath an all-seeing eye and therefore he cannot but see sin if it be in us They answer God indeed seeth all things saving that which he will not see but undertakes to abolish out of his sight and they distinguish of Gods knowing and his seeing p. 68 God knoweth believers sins but he doth not see them To
thee even as a Creditor doth forgive many thousands to a Debtor by his meer voluntary Act. Now we are apt to think according to the principles of Popery that our Justification is no better then our inherent holinesse is whereas any godly man may sit down and consider that he is not able to goe out with his five thousrnd against the Justice of God that comes against him with ten thousand Grace justifying takes away all guilt of sinne grace sanctifying doth not because as Bonaventure well observeth the remedy given by grace against originall sin is not ordained against it prout corrumpit naturam sed prout personam as it doth infect our nature for so it sticketh till death but as it doth defile the person measure not therefore the perfection of grace justifying by the perfection of grace sanctifying Thirdly This Scripture language doth infer That sin forgiven is as if it had never been now the troubled soul cryeth out Oh that I had never been thus done thus Why God when he doth pardon makes it as if it had never been do not fear the drowned Aegyptians will rise up and pursue thee again We may tell a David a Paul it is so with them as if no adultery murder or persecutions had been committed by them Fourthly As God doth indeed really thus remit so the Scripture commands the repentant sinner to believe this and with confidence to rest satisfied Oh what holy boldnesse may this truth believed work in the tender heart You may see a poor man though he hath much ado to live yet if his debts be discharged how glad he is he can go abroad and fear no Sergeant to Arrest him no writ issued out to attach him and thus it is with a sinner repenting and beleeving and if there be any whose heart is not ravished with this glorious mercy it is to be feared he never felt the burden of sin or else never strongly beleeved this gracious way of God Let not then any Antinomian say we put water into the beleevers wine or wormwood into their bread for who can rationally desire more then this doth amount to but to expect such a pardon such a justification as that God shall take no notice of sin to chastise or afflict for it is to say There is forgiveness with God that he may not be feared contrary to Davids expression LECTURE VII JEREMIAH 50.20 In those daies and at that time the iniquity of Iudah shall be sought for c. FIfthly From this Scripture-expression is gathered That gross sins are blotted out as well as sins of an inferiour nature Though there be sins that waste the conscience yet they do not waste the grace of remission how is the true repentant affected with slavish fears sometimes as if his sins did blot out Gods mercy like a thick cloud as if our transgressions had subdued his goodnesse and thrown it into the bottom of the Sea What a comfortable expression is that Isaiah 1.18 Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow c. It was wonderfull mercy that ever so horrid and bloudy sinners therefore their sins are said to be like scarlet should become so clear yet the grace of Justification doth as totally remit great sins as lesse sins as Christ did with the same easinesse cure several diseases Thus David also Psal 51. after he had wallowed in that mire he prayeth to be purged in an allusive expression with hysope which was the last thing used in their legal purifications and therefore doth imply the total and compleat cleansing by Christ and upon this David saith He shall be whiter then snow which phrase is neither with the Papist to be extended to sanctification as if such perfect clean righteousnesse were vouchsafed to him as that there were no sin in him nor with the Antinomian as if God did quite abolish sin from David out of his sight so as to take no notice of it or chastise him for it for after the pardon was past yet his childe was to die and much more evil to come to Davids house but in respect of final condemnation God having thus pardoned David through Christ would no more adjudge him to everlasting punishment then he would one that was innocent or without any spot of sin And this is to incourage great sinners ten thousand talents was a great summe of money yet how easily forgiven by that kinde Master Thus Exod. 34.7 God is described forgiving sins of all sorts and this he proclaimed when his glory passed by and how necessary is this for the contrite heart which judgeth his sins because of the aggravations of them to be unpardonable If they had not been of such a breadth and depth and length they would not fear overwhelming as now they do There are sins of all sorts described and which is to be observed God putteth no term or bounds to his mercy whereas he doth set some to his anger Let not therefore the greatness of sin be thought more then the greatness of mercy pardoning and Christs obedience suffering as it is hypocrisie to extenuate and make our sins lesse then they are so it is unbelief to diminish his grace and Gods greatness above us is as much celebrated in this his kindness as in any other attribute The sins of all the world if they were thy sins were but like a drop of water to his mercy no more then our essence or power is to his Majesty Take heed then of saying Such and such sins may be forgiven but can he forgive such as mine are also Lastly In that Honey Comb for we may say of these places if of any they are sweeter then honey this sweetness may be pressed out That all their sins though never so many shall likewise be blotted out The Sea could as easily drown an whole Hoast of Pharaohs men as twenty Souldiers The Apostle is excellent Rom. 5. in this making an opposition between the first Adam and second aggravating the superlative power of the gift by grace above the evil through sin Hence it 's called the riches of his grace rather then power or wisdome because of the plenty and abundance of it Who would not think that while Gods goodness in the Scripture is thus unfolded there should not be a dejected unbeleeving Christian in the world shall our sin abound to condemnation more then his grace to justification because sin is too strong for us is it therefore too much for the grace of God also you see by ths that we may drink wine enough in the Scripture Wine-cellars to make our hearts glad and yet swallow not down any dregs of Popish or Antinomian errors These things thus explained I come to confirm you with severall Arguments that God doth see sin so as to be offended and displeased with it in those that are already justified And the first rank of Arguments shall be taken from those places of Scripture where the godly do
may easily see which of these two Justification or Remission of sinne is The first and proper difference is this An immanent action is that which abides in God so that it works no reall effect without As when God doth meerly know or understand a thing but a transient action is when a positive change is made thereby in a creature as in Creation c. So that we may conclude of all Gods actions which do relate to believers only predestination is an immanent act of God and all the rest Justification Regeneration Glorification are transient acts for Predestination though it be an act of God choosing such an one to happinesse yet it doth not work any reall change or positive effect in a man unlesse we understand it virtually for it is the cause of all those transient actions that are wrought in time Howsoever therefore Justification be called by some an immanent action and so made to go before Faith and Repentance as if Faith were onely a declaration and signe of pardon of sinne from all eternity yet that cannot be made good as is to be shewed A second difference floweth from the other An immanent action is from eternity and the same with Gods essence but a transient action is the same with the effect produced Hence the Orthodox maintain That Gods decrees are the same with his nature Hence when we speak of Gods willing such a thing it is no more then his divine Essence with an habitude and respect to such objects Gods Decrees are no more then God decreeing Gods will no more then God willing otherwise the simpliciy of Gods nature will be overthrown and those volitions of God will be created entities and so must be created by other new volitions and so in infinitum as Spanheimius well argueth only the later part seemeth not to be strong or sufficient because when man willeth he doth not will that by a new volition and so in infinitum and why then would such a thing follow in God Besides its no such absurdity in the actings of the soul to hold a progresse in infinitum thus far that it doth not determinately pitch or end at such an act It is one thing to have things distinguished in God and another thing for us to conceive distinctly of them The former is false The later is true and necessary But with transient actions it is otherwise they being the same with the effects produced are in time And this is a perpetual mistake in the Antinomian to confound Gods Decree and Purpose to justifie with Justification Gods immanent action from all eternity with that transient which is done in time Whereas if they should do thus in matters of Sanctification and Glorification it would be absurd to every mans experience whereas indeed a man may as truly say That his body is glorified from all eternity as that his sins are forgiven from all eternity And certainly Scripture speaks for one as well as the other when it saith Whom he hath justified them he hath glorified By these two differences you may see That pardon of sin is a transient action and so Justification also partly because it leaveth a positive real effect upon a man justified he that was in the state of hatred is hereby in a state of love and friendship he hath peace with God now that once was at variance with him Now when we say There is a change made in a man by Justification it is not meant of an inward absolute and physical one such as is in Sanctification when of unholy we are made holy but morall and relative as when one is made a Magistrate or husband and wife partly because this is done to us in time whereas immanent actions were from all eternity and therefore it would be absurd to pray for them as it is ridiculous for a man to pray he may be predestinated or elected Some indeed have spoken of Predestination as actus continuus a continued act and so with them it is good Divinity Si non sis praedestinatus ora ut praedestineris If thou beest not predestinated pray that thou maiest be but this is corrupt doctrine and much opposeth the Scripture which doth frequently commend election from the eternity of it that it was before the foundations of the world were laid whereas now for pardon of sinne it is our duty to pray that God would do it for us This being thus cleared we come to answer the next Question depending upon this viz. Whether God doth justifie or forgive our sins before we believe or repent and our answer is negative That God doth not Although there are many who are pertinacious that he doth and so they make Faith not an instrumental cause to apply pardon but only a perswasion that sin is pardoned and thus repentance shall not be a condition to qualifie the subject to obtain forgiveness but a sign to manifest that sin is forgiven This Question is of great practical concernment and therefore to establish you in the truth consider these Arguments 1. The Scripture speaks of a state of wrath and condemnation that all are in before they be justified or pardoned Therefore the believers sins were not from all eternity forgiven for if there were a time viz. before his Regeneration and Conversion that he was a childe of wrath under the guilt and punishment of sin then he could not be at the same time in the favour of God and peace with him Now the Scripture doth plentifully shew That even believers before their Regeneration are detained in such bonds and chains of guilt and Gods displeasure Ephes 2.1 2 3. There the Apostle speaking to the converted Ephesians telleth them of the wretched and cursed condition they were once in and he reckons himself amongst them saying They were children of wrath and that even as others were So that there is no difference between a godly man unconverted and a wicked man for that present state for both are under the power of Satan both walk in disobedience both are workers of iniquity and so both are children of wrath It is true the godly man is predestinated and so shall be brought out of this state and the other left in it But predestination as is more largely to be shewed being an immanent act in God doth denote no positive effect for the present of love upon the person and therefore he being not justified hath his sins imputed to him lying upon him and therefore by the Psalmists argument not a blessed man This also 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. The Apostle saith of some Corinthians That they were such as abiding in that state could not inherit the kingdom of God and such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are justified Therefore there was a time when these Corinthians were not justified but had their sins abiding on them Likewise all the places of Scripture which speak of Gods wrath upon wicked men and that
they have no peace with God must needs be true of all godly men while unconverted He that believeth not hath not life and the wrath of God abideth on him and without faith it is impossible to please God Now who can deny but that this is true of Paul while no believer but an opposer of godlinesse The Psalmist also saith God is angry with the wicked every day Was not this true of Manasses before his conversion It must therefore be a very poisonous Doctrine to say That God is as well pleased with a man before his conversion as after 2. If the Scriptures limit this priviledge of Justification and pardon only to those subjects that are so and so qualified then till they be thus furnished they cannot enjoy those priviledges The places are many which testifie this Act. 3.19 Repent that your sins may be blotted out Therefore their sins stood uncancelled as so many Debts in Gods register Book till they did repent Act. 26.18 To turn them from darknesse to light from the power of Satan to God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins Therefore they had it not while under the power of darknesse 1 Joh. 1.9 If we confesse our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins which supposeth That God doth forgive our sins only when we confesse and forsake them Matth. 6.15 If ye forgive not neither will my heavenly Father forgive you It is in vain to number up more places for these do necessarily prove sinne is not forgiven till Faith and Repentance They do not indeed argue a causality or merit yet they infer a necessary presence in those that obtain pardon and do hold by the same proportion as those places which require Sanctification before Glorification 3. Where the Scripture requireth many things to the obtaining of any speciall benefit there that benefit cannot be said to be enjoyed till all those things be brought about Now the Word of God speaks of several things required to pardon of sin There is the Grace and mercy of God as the efficient cause Psal 51.1 Isa 43.25 Rom. 3.25 2. There is requisite the bloud of Christ as the meritorious cause for there can be no remission of sins without effusion of bloud Rom. 3.25 1 Cor. 15.3 Heb. 1.3 1 Joh. 4.10 3. There is Faith required as an instrumental cause Act. 26.18 Rom. 3.25 Now although an instrumentall cause have not that worth or excellency as the efficient and meritorious have yet it is as necessary in the way of an instrument as the others are in their respective causalities so that as a man may not from those places which speak of Gods grace inferre therefore remission of sins is before Christs death So neither may a man argue because Christ died to take away our sins therefore these are taken away before we believe So that this Argument may fully establish us We see the Scripture speaking of three causes cooperant to pardon of sin therefore I may not conclude the effect is wrought till all those causes be And as the Scripture speaks of these causes so as you heard of many qualifications in the subject Insomuch that it is so far from being a duty to believe our sins were pardoned from all eternity antecedently to faith and repentance that we are undoubtedly to believe they were not If the King proclaim a pardon to every one that shall humble himself and seek it out If the Physician prepare a potion for the patient to receive it shall any man say because of those causal preparations that either the one is pardoned or the other healed before their particular application of those things 4. If our sins be pardoned antecedently to our Faith and Repentance then all those effects which are inseparable in the least moment of time from Justification are also antecedent to our Faith and Repentance But it is evident by experience that is not so It is a clear truth That Sanctification of our natures is individually conjoyned one with the other So that although there be a priority of nature yet they are together in time God pardons no mans sins whom he doth not heal Rom. 8.1 1 Joh. 1.9 Psal 32.2 A man may be justified and not glorified but not justified and unregenerated Then if so a man shall be at the same time unconverted and converted at the same time a member of Christ and a member of the devil and so as they say we are justified only declaratively in our own consciences so we shall be regenerated and converted only declaratively Again where sins are pardoned there is blessednesse as the Psalmist speaks then I may call Paul a blessed Persecutor Manasses a blessed murderer for they had no sin imputed to them at that time Besides those whose sins are pardoned may boldly go to the throne of grace and call God Father all which are contrary to the whole tenour of Scripture which expostulateth with men for taking his name or words into their mouth and hate to be reformed yet a Doctor of this Antinomian sour leaven affirmeth boldly That God doth love us as well before conversion as after That God did love Paul with as great a love when he persecuted the Church as when he preached the Gospel How must this devour up all godlinesse when I may have the same faith and confidence in God for pardon in the acting of flagitious crimes as well as out of them in prayer and humiliation and if he may have the same faith why not then the same consolations and joy in conscience 5. If Justification do antecede our Faith so that Faith doth only declare our pardon of sin then any other grace may be said to justifie as well as Faith For take any other grace repentance humility joy these are all the fruits of Gods Spirit and so demonstrate his election of us his justification of us But how unanswerably do the Orthodox prove a peculiar instrumental vertue in faith for pardon which others have not The Apostle expresseth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through faith in his bloud not love of his bloud and indeed the Apostle maintaineth that Gospel-position against false teachers viz. That we are justified by Faith not by works The Question was not Whether the works of the Law did justifie us declaratively only but causally So then by this Doctrine Faith must no more be called the hand or the eating and drinking of Christs body and bloud but only made a sign of such mercies 6. If pardon of sin be from all eternity going before our Faith and Repentance because of Gods election then it must also be antecedent to the death and obedience of Christ So that not only our tears but Christs bloud shall be excluded from this great favor The reason is plain Because Gods predestination and election is antecedent to Christ yea Christ is a fruit of our election so that the Orthodox maintain against Arminians though we be chosen
is not to make a difference of sin 212 213 A three-fold difference between the sins of a godly and wicked man 232 233 Seeing and knowing how they differ 90 No difference to our capacity between Gods seeing and knowing 91 A two-fold difference between Gods forgiving our sins and our forgiving others 113 114. The Properties of God and the actions of them how they differ p. 97 Justification and pardon of sinne how they differ 257 The sense of Gods displeasure for sin may be retained in us two wayes servilely filially 22 The Antinomian distinction examined 89 90 Believers have not a full discharge from sin till the day of Judgement 256 It is the duty of justified persons to pray for pardon and for forgiveness of sin 113 It is the duty of Believers to repent of sinne that it may be pardoned and why 114 E Election is Amor ordinativus non oâ—llâ—tiâ—us 188 In what sense an elect man before conversion is loved of God â—88 God hath other ends then to satisfie his Justice when he afflicts his people 26 There are many errors about Justification and the danger of them 4 The ground of Popish errors about Justification 5 The errors of Papists Antinomians concerning remission of sinne 43 44 45 The errors of the Saints displeasing to God 80 81 Who they are which do esteem of pardon of sin and why 221 222 Why Creation and Justification are not from Eternity 167 How sin doth and how it doth not expell the Grace of Justification 243 F How the word Face is attributed to God 226 All men called flesh 1 A two-fold Faith in all Petitions Applicative Fiducial 61 Forgivenes is the removing the guilt though not the nature of sin 45 Prayer for and faith in God for forgiveness may well stand together 62 God doth reiterate forgivenss of sin 127 Christians ought to pray for forgiveness and in what sense 129. from 113. to 116 Forbearance of punishment differs from forgiveness 143 144 What forgiveness of sin is 214 Whether God in forgiving sin doth forgive all sin together 244 245 The meaning of the Petition Forgive us our Debts declared in eight particulars 113 to 118 How freedom is extended to God 96 G The Glory of God what 2 The nature of Gospel-grace 253 Great sins as weâ—l as lesser are forgiven the godly 51 Two considerations which will much help us to see the greatness of our sins 204 Gross sins procure wrath to the godly 208 Gross sins exclude from the society of the Church ibid. Gross sins require many conditions before pardoned 209 Gross sins require a more intense act of faith to apply pardon 210 A godly man falling into gross sins is under sequestration though not ejection 238 Why the guilt of new gross sins doth not take away Justification 243 244 H Hay and stubble 1 Cor. 3. what 81 Humiliation and Repentance denied by the Antinomians 59 125 A Christian is to be humbled more for gross sins then ordinary infirmities 208 209 Hyperbolical expressions of the Fathers 250 I Five things implied from the subject praying Forgive us our debts Mat. 6.12 1. That all are sinners 2. A sense of sin 3. Godly sorrow 4. Earnestnesse and perseveâ—ance until we obtain 5. Constant renewed acts of faith 121 to 125 Three things implied in the object matter Mat. 6.12 125 126 The act of imputation and the ground of it how they differ 185 There is a two-fold impulsive cause of Justification 2 Justification what it implieth 6 How Infants are justified whether without faith or no 181 182 183 How Christ is in us and we in him 184 A man is not justified untill he doth repent and believe 12 Wherein Justification consists 17 How Justification can be said to be the pardon of sin ibid. Whether the Justification of Believers be the same under the old and new Testament 62 How sin is injurious to God 164 How we are justified before faith 177 Justification and faith are correlatives 183 God cannot in Justice but punish sinners 98 The Justice of God admits of a surety 200 The Justice of God essentially ad intra and the effects ad extra how differ ibid. Four Propositions shewing the nature and time of a believers Justification 257 258 259 Justification is not reiterated 115 K Gods Knowledge and ours how they differ 89 90 L How Gods taking notice of sin to punish it is subject to the meer Liberty of his will 95. to 102 God takes notice of little sins 79 M Whether the sins of Gods people shall be manifested at the last day 261 262 The Ministers of God commanded to binde and retain sins 65 The spirit doth mortifie our sins 56 External and spiritual mortification how differing 57 Sin is mortified in us not only declaratively but really ibid. N The Nature of Justification 116 117 The nature of sin what and how expressed in Scripture 130 131 132 The nature of the sins of Gods people 230 231 Faith and Repentance how necessary to the pardon of sin 140 141 God takes notice of the sins of believers 60 1â—9 O The answering of Objections sometimes profitable 41 42 Antinomian Objections and distinctions discussed 88. to 102 An Obligation to punishment follows sinne long before committed 137 139 False Opinions liable to the anger of God proved 80 81 Habitual original sin how truly it may be called sin 132 The original of justification and assurance 171 172 173 The Orthodox truth concerning afflictions upon a justified person against the errors of Antinomians and Papists â—6 P Pardon of sin is not only privative bâ—t positive 118 Five Reasons proving that the sense of pardon doth not beget carnal security 267. Five Reasons why God doth sometimes pardon sin and not manifest it to the soul 199 200 Whether the sins of believers be pardoned before they be committed 246 Eight Arguments proving they are not 247 to 253 Three Directions to a soul tempted about the pardon of sin 122 Our sins are perfectly pardoned in this life 258 Whether God by his absolute power may not pardon sin without the graces of faith and repentance 148 Peace with God what it is 34 35 Whether in that Petition Mat. 5.12 we pray for pardon and assurance 116 117 196 Four Reasons proving that we pray for the pardon it self and not only for assurance 196 Four sorts of men praying for pardon and the manner of their praying 195 196 197 Four Reasons proving that not only assurance but the pardon it self is to be prayed for 197 Who are the best Preachers of Christ and the Gospel 122 The Promises of God require an holy and humble walking 172 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is signifieth 2 Thirteen Propositions to clear the nature of Justification 3. to 13 Nine Propositions for the understanding the nature of pardon of sin 18. to 22 Seven Propositions laid down to clear the truth of that assertion that God doth afflict his people as a Father 27 28 29 30 A
reality of this justification 10 The Scripture speaks of justification as to us in a passive sense 11 God in justifying considered as a fatherly Judge 12 Iustification in Scripture described by Gods actions not ours 13 The Scripture hath phrases equivalent to this of justification Psaâ— â—2 1 2. Cautions concerning justification I. Caution II. Caution III. Caution IV. Caution V. Caution Justification consists in remission of sin and imputation of righteousnesse How justification can be said to be pardon of sin Answer Propositions for the under standing of remission of sins 1. That for giveness of sin is possible Vide Gerard inâ— Epist Pet. 2. Sin may be said to be for given divers wayes 1. In Gods de cree 2 In Christ meritoriously through faith 3. Sin is pardoned when the guilt is taken away 4. When God gives us assurance of his love 5. When temporal affliction is removed 3. Several things considerable iâ— sin when it is said to be forgiven 1. A privation of innocency 2. Desert of the wrath of God 3. An actual ordination of the person sinning to everlasting condemnation 4. An offence done unto God 5. A blot or pollution in sin 6. An aversion from God What it is to have sin forgiven 4. There is great difference between original and actual sin 5. When sin is forgiven it is totally and perfectly forgiven 6. Though sin be forgiven yet the sense of â—ods displeasure may remain And that two wayes 1. Servilely 2. Filially 7. The wicked hath no sin fâ—rgiven 8. Remission of sin only to the penitent 9. Remission of sins not limited How afflictions come on the godly after their sins are pardoned The Antinomians errour therein Cap. 7. p. 121. Dr Crispe The Papists error concerâ—ing the same The Orthodox truth is that God forgiving sin remits the punishment in order to vindicative justice but yet corrects in mercy as a father Propositions proving the same 1 God afflicts not any but where sin is 2 Objection answered 2 God sometimes afflicts yet not in reference to sin 3 All afflictions are to be reduced to the Law There is a great differeÌ„ce in the calamities of the godly 5 Some calamities for sin others for other ends 6 Afflictions for sins of the godly and wicked diffâ—r 7 God sometimes chastises hâ—s people in reference to their sinnes though forgiven This proved 1. from Scripture 2 In the places that do assert Gods judging of the people 3 From the iâ—couragement to duties by temporal arguments and thâ—eâ—s of temporal â—fflâ—ctions 4 From the comparison God useth concerning his affliction upon his people Hony Com. 133. 5 From the Command not to despise our afflictions but to humble our selves 6 From the command given to Magistrates Whether God chastiseth believeâ—s because of their sins The Aâ—tinomian Paradox discussed Antinomian Arguments answered 1. Argum. 1. Answer 2. Answer 2. Argum. 1. Answer 2. Answer 3. Argum. Absurdities oâ—jected by Antinomians 1 Absurdity objected 1. Answer 2. Answer 3. Answer 4. Answer 2 Absurdity objected 1. Answer 2. Answer 3. Answer 3 Absurdity objected 1. Answer 2. Answer 3. Answer 4 Absurdity objected Answer 5 Absurdity objected 1. Answer 2. Answer 3. Answer 4. Answer The Text opened Observation Errours concerning remission of sin Antinomian errors Popish errours concerning remission of sin Papists and Antinomians agreement as also difference The Orthodox truth concerning remission of sin Expâ—essions in Scripâ—uâ—e â—bout pardoning of sin 1. Verbal 2. Real â—xpressioâ—s Comfortable consideration arising from the fore going phrases Arguments proving that God doth see sin so in the Justified as to be offended with it 1 Rank of arguments from Scripture I. Argument The Antinomian answer refelled Honey Com. pag. 81. 2 Argument Antinomian Evasions answered 1 Evasion answered 2 Evasion answered 2 Rank of arguments from Scripture The Antinomians answer confuted Third sort of Arguments Revel 2.18 Jam. 4.9 10. 2 Cor. 7.9 10. Fourth kinde of Arguments Fifth rank of Arguments Question considerable propounded Six sort of Arguments Antinomian objections answered Seventh rank of arguments Eighth kinde of Argument Ninth sort of Arguments Particulars expressing how great the guilt of sin is in believers even in Gods sight How Gods anger manifâ—sts it â—elf upon his own children sinning In temporals 1. By involving them in common and ordinary afflictions 2. In bringing extraordinary and unusuall calamities 3. By striking with sudden dâ—ath 4. Gods anger reaches to tâ—eir children and what is dear to them 5. These temporal evils wil râ—ach to the publike Church and State wherein they live God is angry at the least sins God angry at errors in judgements and false opinions Manifesâ—ation of Gods anger to believers sinning in spiritual and internal things 1. In matter of consolâ—tion â— In sanctification The manifestation of Gods anger Eternal The coherence The Text opened Observ Antinomians anâ—wer by distinguishing And reasons thereof The truth of the Antinomian distinction examined by several Propositions 1. Seeing attributed to God only metaphorically 2. Gods knowledge and ours differs 3. The alledged text Psal 94 no ground foâ— their distinction 4. The Scripture useth no such diffâ—rence 5. There is no distinction to our capacities between Gods knowing and sâ—eing 6 Gods seeing â—nd kâ—â—wing not opposite 7. Gods seeing not limited to things present 8 Gods not â—â—â—ing sins past excludâ—s Christs merits 9 Antinomian 〈◊〉 contâ—aâ—y to their doctrine 10. The vainnesse of this distinction 2. Antinomians second answer Propositions shewing how far Gods takiâ—g notice of sin so as to puâ—ish it is subjecâ— to the meer liberty of his vvill 1. There is in God a libâ—rty whereby he doth whatsoever he pleaseth 2. How freedom may be extended to God 3. We cannot propeâ—ly say God seeth all things because he will see them 4. Great difference in respect of Gods freedom betweeâ— the attributes of God and the actions of them 5. God cannot in justice but punish sinners 6. It is in Gods freedom to punish sin in the party offending or in a saâ—ety 7. Great differeâ—ce between Gods justice essentially aâ— intra and the effecâ—s of it ad extra 8. Christ satisfied God as a just Judge not as a Father 9. Afflâ—ctions on believers agreeable to Gods Justice The Text divided Observables from the connexion Why sins are called Debts Observ Sins are debts What in sin is a dâ—bt Why sins are called debts â— By sinning we rob God of his honour glory c. â— A sinner is a debtor to Gods justice 3 Sinners not able to satisfie Gods justice become debtors to everlasting pâ—nishment 4 All the good we have we are betrusted with as so mâ—ny talents and we have the evil properties of debtors 1 We are unwilling to be called to an account â— We are full of shame and fear 3 Of shifts delays 4 We hate those to whom we are indebted In two respects spiritual debts exceed wordly debts 1 In the danger of non-paiment 2 In the Impossibility of escaping the punishment Use