of the Gospel and to mention but one place more Rom. 14.23 Whatsoever is not of faith is sin This notion of faith viz. dogmatical faith where the word faith signifies an act is the most common notion of faith in the New Testament that is as the former part of the verse he that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith carrieth it whatsoever a man doth without a sound perswasion in his minde that it is lawfull to do it he sinneth in that action This is the first notion therefore of faith namely the assent to any Proposition though more accurately the assent to a testimony but yet you see the Scripture-notion of faith is somewhat larger than that of the Schools namely the perswasion of or assent unto the truth of a Proposition First therefore if thou wilt be rich in faith be thou rich in truth in thy assent unto truths that is truths in Religion for though it be faith to believe there is such a place as Rome or Constantinople yet my designe confines me here to truths in Religion Be thou rich therefore in assent to divine truths and that whether they be clear by the light of nature or revelation for assent to truths that are clear even by the light of Nature is called Faith by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews Heb. 11.6 where to believe that God is which certainly is clear by the light of Nature is called Faith as I have shewn above pag. 291. I say be rich in thy assent unto all truths as near as thou canst whether they be clear by the light of Nature or only by Revelation Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisedom Col. 3.16 So Christ shall dwell in your hearts by faith for according to thy light and knowledge and assent unto truths so will be thy heart affections and conversation he that hath a large light may have a large heart whereas those that have but a narrow light and a scanty knowledge can have but a lower and a more limited sphear and compass to act in for God And if it happen as often it doth that they that know little yet do more than many that know a great deal this comes not from any advantage of the honest man's ignorance but from the folly and carelesness of those persons that are knowing and their want of firm assent to the notions of truth which float in their brains I am but a little carefull here of distinguishing betwixt Knowledge Assent being confined with in the narrow limits of an Use Enlarge thy minde with knowledge and thou gettest a larger field of action and service than otherwise thou canst possibly have for thou must first know thy duty before thou canst do it rightly for he that doth the best actions in the world not knowing that they are good pleaseth neither God nor man they are only the actions of the man they are not humane or manly actions as the Schools distinguish Yea though thou dost a good action yet if thou doubtest whether it be good or no thou sinnest in doing this good action because whatsoever is not of faith is sin For this largeness of faith by assent see that last character where I shew how we should endeavour to know much of Christ 2. But then withall take this advice too in thy faith of assent do not only endeavour to get a true light and perswasion of the truth and goodness of things or actions but get it as firmly rooted and as clear as ever thou canst this will be a mighty advantage to thee for if thou hast only a glimmering light a little cloud will soon darken it if thou gettest but a faint perswasion a small objection will quickly turn it into doubting therefore get thy faith firmly built that thou maist be firm and stable in thy faith and perswasion Be not like children tossed to and fro with every winde of doctrine Eph. 4.14 Be not children in understanding in malice be ye children but in understanding be ye men 1 Cor. 14.20 I think we have sufficient experience in these times of of the sore evil of a weak perswasion about matters of Religion by the running up and down of so many from one party to another till at last they have made shipwrack of their faith that is saith doctrinal as well as of their consciences 1 Tim. 1.19 3ly As to this part of faith which lyes in assent as we ought to endeavour that it be large and strong so we must especially be wary that we fail not in our assent and that a firm assent to those truths that are most important Though it were to be wished yet it cannot be expected that all Saints should be so well acquainted with all truths even those of less weight as it may be justly expected their guid◠should be yet all must look to it that they be well establisht in foundation-truths such as the Death of Christ and his Expiation of sins the Resurrection of the body and the last Judgment we must be sure to continue in this faith grounded and settled and not moved away from the hope of the Gospel Col. 1.23 Rooted and built up in him that is Christ and stablished in the faith as we have been taught that is Faith doctrinal especially in that great Foundation of Jesus Christ Col. 2.7 And truly I think there hath been no greater weakening of our faith in foundation-truths than the multiplying of Fundamentals for taking off that weight and stress which we should lay upon those few fundamentals of the Faith of Christ that are really so and laying it upon things non-funnamental must needs make us unsettled from the foundation So much for the first part of Faith which lyes in assent and the directions about it 2ly For that part of Faith which lyes in Affiance I need not quote many Scriptures to evince this notion of Faith I shall give but one or two John 14.1 Let not your heart be troubled yee believe in God believe also in mee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is a credere Deo which is to believe what the Lord sayes to be truth and a credere in Deum which is a resting and relying upon God committing all my cares and concernments to him He that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life John 3.36 So that phrase of Scripture to cite no more places of faith in the blood of Christ Rom. 3.25 can be understood of no other than some kinde of affiance such as this that for that blood sake the Lord is ready to be propitious to me if I have the Gospel-conditions of Justification and in this sense namely of affiance I have generally taken faith throughout this Treatise and the reason is this For that this is the end of a dogmatical faith or a faith of assent and cannot be conceived without it as that may without this not that I think there can be
Antinomian that is destructively so that is a Libertine for there is a partial Antinomianism as well as a partial Legality that is not destructive because he falls under an easie obvious conviction except he have gotten a brawny conscience for that his miscarriages are more gross whereas a Legalists faults are hidden and spiritual However I am sure there is both for the number of Legalists and their usual rootedness in that distemper reason for equal provision to be made about them to what there is to be made about the Antinomians Now finding that there was not at least not finding that there was equal care taken I adventured to say something about it I wish I may provoke some other to do it better they shall have my hearty prayers to the Lord for their assistance in such a work And besides these several reasons which I have mentioned as moving me to the composing of this Treatise especially that part of it which consists of the characters there was another very prevailing with me it was my own necessity of being well enlightened about this matter For I found dayly use use of some of the observations which I have here given thee in every prayer yea in the mannagement of my spirit all the day long I found the Law striving to get the mastery of my spirit that is sin by the severity of the commandemâ—nt would have destroyed all that little life and quickness which I had in the service of God would have made me unwilling to serve God to be averse unto him and his wayes yea to conceive a professed displeasure against God himself till I have been relieved by some of these considerations which I here tender unto thee for the same end with an earnest prayer that they may do thy soul good as I hope they have done mine And I doubt not but Luther being a good man and one of a great spirit had a considerable and worthy design in endeavouring to get the Law out of his conscience as his phrase is I mean getting it from its dominion over him though he might herein over-do it as it is certain he did over-speak it I shall here do him the right to quote a large and lively branch of his Discourse that is not as I apprehend lyable to exception it is in his Preface or Argument before his Commentary pag. 14. saith he When at any time the Law would ascend into thy conscience domineer there ibi domâ—naci say unto it Law or Lady Law as in some places he speaks Domina Lex wilt thou ascend into the Kingdom of my conscience rule there argue it of sin and take away my joy which I have by faith in Christ and bring me into desperation that I perish hoc praeter officium tuum facis here thou goest beyond thy Commission stay within thy own bounds consiste intra tuos limites exerce dominium in carnem and exercise dominion over my flesh which expression I do not well understand except it be that so farr as we are fleshly we are still under the Law and therefore as the Law was given to humble us at first so it hath the same use still as also to direct our lives exercise thy dominion over my flesh conscientiam autem ne atting as mihi but offer not to touch my conscience for I am baptized and called by the Gospel into the communion of righteousness and eternal life unto the Kingdom of Christ in which my conscience is quieted or doth acquiesce where there is no Law that is no Law for condemnation but meer remission of sins mera remissio peccatorum peace quietness joy salvation and eternal life ista ne interâ—nrbes mihi do not hinder me nor disturb me in the enjoyment possession of these things let not the Law which is an hard tyrant and cruel exactor reign in my conscience but Christ the Son of God the King of Peace and Righteousness the most sweet Saviour and Mediator And now I have have onely this to beg pardon of thee for that I have spoken to so great and weighty things in so unstudyed and undigested a dress and method but as an argument to prevail with thee for my pardon I assure thee that could I have promised my self an opportunity of printing these papers some two or three years hence and the Lord continued life I should have detained them in my own custody so long on purpose that they might have received a better formation If thou take offence at me for that I have taken liberty in something or other to vary from most of those few Authors that I quote in the Treatise I crave not thy pardon for it for neither will the Authors themselves have any reason to be angry when they consider and believe that if I had not valued them I should never have quoted them and but for that I valued the truth before them I should never have varied from them Once more Reader if thou shouldest think it undecent that there should be any thing in the following Advertisement for which I am so much beholden to the Reverend Author of it different from what is asserted in the body of the Book as for instance that the Author seemeth to judge that there is no repetition of the act of Justification as it signifies pardon that Works justifie only in sensu morali not in sensu forensi take this for thy satisfaction that I had full power from the Worthy Author of it to have left â—ut yea or put in what I pleased in the printing of it But I presumed not to adde or diminish one tittle as judging it but equity and justice that others especially the Learned should have the same liberty to differ from me that I take to differ from them Besides I account this so farr from being any lessening to the value of the testimony given me that I reckon it a greater advantage to receive it from a Learned man from whom I presumed to differ than if he had been perfectly of my minde Now the presence of God and of thy best understanding be with thee in the reading and so I bid thee farewell Thine in Christ Zach. Mayne An Advertisement unto the READER concerning the Author Subject and contents of the Treatise ensuing THE Treatise in thy hand whilest yet unread may possibly suffer in thy esteem through want of years in the Composer against which inconvenience I thought it might be some kinde of relief unto it to send it forth attended with a sober Preface drawn up by a Person whose years though but meanly improved are sufficient to discern between impertinencies and matters of weight and worth The Apostle in this brief address unto Timothie Let no man despise thy youth * 1 Tim. 4.12 supposeth two things 1. That youth is obnoxious to neglect or undervaluing by men 2. That young men may nonwithstanding redeem themselves from under this disadvantage and stave
be a friend to the truth that he professeth But how to make them such he pretends to no other means but earnest prayers strong arguments and meek perswasions Thou almoâ—â— perswadest me to be a Christian saith Agrippa I would to God I could do it altogether saith St. Paul And when he comes to deal with his legal-Galathians first he useth the strongest arguments that can be to convince them afterwards the kindest appellations and sweetest infinuations to get an interest in their affections I have spoken to the arguments at large the appellations and insinuations I might insist upon such as these Brethren I beseech you be as I am for I am as you are yee have not injured me at all yee know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you at the first and my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not nor rejected but received me as an Angel of God even as Christ Jesus chap. 4. ver 12 13 14 15. ver 19. My little children of whom I travel in birth again until Christ be formed in you I desire to be present with you c. And as St. Paul practised so he advised Timothy to do in dealing with men of a contrary perswasion to him yea with such as opposed themselves to him 2 Tim. 2.25 26. IN MEEKNESS INSTRUCTING THEM WHO OPPOSE THE MSELVES if peraduenture God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth And so he adviseth his Philippians Chap. 3.15 16. Whereto we have already attained let us walk by the same rule let us mind the same thing and if in any thing yee be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you The application is onely this So far as any are of a persecuting spirit so far they are Legal and I fear there are great mixtures of this in the hearts of many good men but I dare make this guess concerning them that when they have well smarted themselves by impositions and persecutions for their consciences they will be heartily glad of a TOLERATION which yet they would not have allowed to others if they had had the power in their own hand and I fear they will feel the smart as much as any sort of men and perhaps more for all that are good shall be sure to feel the sting of the Serpent and those most especially that stand next him hoping to make some accommodation but yet are true enemies to him I have done with this fourth Character I have one more considerable Character to add unto the former but before I proceed to the mention of it I shall add some few quotations out of Dr. Moore and Mr. Smith of Cambridge for confirmation of those things that I have asserted as Characters because I am loath to goalone without some restimony from others in such a considerable subject as I have here adventured through the assistance of God to treat upon Dr. Moore in his Mysterie of Godliness Iâ—â— 9. cap. 7. pag. 470. tells us That a MEER LEGALLIST is even a stranger to those things he praâ—â—ses and imitates under the Law Vpon the 〈◊〉 Chaâ—acter that the service of the Legallist consists onely in extemals and acts so as a Paâ—â—â— speaks by external imitation not from a due inwaâ—â— faculty and so again in the same pag. The Law sayes he not giving life there is no principle of life and natural genuine compliance of the soul of man wiâ—â— the SPIRITUALITY of the Law under the first Câ—venant Now if it cannot reach the spirituality oâ— the Law its service must consist onely in external conformities I shall produce somewhat 〈◊〉 the like nature out of Mr. Smith of Cambridge in that Discourse of his of the difference betwixt a Legal and Evangelical Righteousness he hathâ— these words That Righteousness of Faith which the Apostle sets up against the Law and compare with it is indeed in its own nature a VITAL and SPIRITUAL Administration wherein God converseth with men whereas the Law was meerly an EXTERNAL or dead thing in it self not able to beget any true Divine Life in the souls of men All that LEGAL RIGHTEOUSNESS which the Jews boasted so much of was but from the earth earthly consisting MEERLY IN EXTERNAL PERFORMANCES and so falling extreamly short of that internal and God-like frame of spirit which is necessary for a true conjunction and union with God c. Again in the same Discourse he tells us That the most proper and formal difference between the Law and the Gospel is this That the one is considered onely as an external Administration and the other as an internal and that therefore the Apostle calls the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ministration of the Letter but on the other side he calls the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ministration of the Spirit Once more in the same fourth chapter p. 323. Under the old Covenant This reaches the first and third characters and in the time of the Law there were amongst the Jews some that were Evangelized that were re non nomine Christiani as under the Gospel there are many that do Judaize are of as LEGAL and SERVILE SPIRITS as the Jews children of the Bond-woman resting in meer external observances of Religion in an outward seeming purity in a form of godliness as did the Scribes and Pharisees of old Another out of Doctor Moore his Mystery of Godliness pag. 387. The holiness of the Gospel is far transcending the holiness of either the ancient or MODERN SCRIBES and PHARISEES and Zelotical Ceremonialists for all outward Ceremonies of time and place of gestures or vestments rites or orders they are all but signs and shews but the body is Christ Some passages out of Mr. Smith's Discourse of the shortness of a Pharisaical Righteousness That Love is an absolutely necessary principle of Gospel-obedience to shew that love is absolutely necessary to a Gospel-spirit pag. 364. saith he The spirit of true Religion is of a free noble ingenuous and generous nature arising out of the warm beams of the Divine Love which first hatcht it and brought it forth and therefore it is afterwards perpetually bathing it self in that sweetest love that first begot it and is alwayes refreshed and nourished by it This Love casteth out fear fear which hath torment in it and is therefore more apt to chase away souls once woundâ—â— with it from God rather then to allure them to God with much more to the same purpose One more out of the learned Doctor concerning the last Character mentioned Upon the fourth Character viz. a spirit of Persecution and it is this That Ishmael Hagar's son had his hand against every man Upon which he quotes a descant of Philo. that it might signifie thus much That the Legallist is a great and fierce Disputer upon the Letter a notable Polemical Divine and his ignorance and untamedness of his carnal heart makes him very hold and troublesome I shall
grounds and reasons of fleshly considence and boasting that he could shew for himself If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might boast in the flesh I MORE Now if there had been any goodness in that way of a Pharisaical righteousuess which S Paul with his utmost zeal pursued after cectainly he must have fonnd it But as soon as ever the Lord was pleased to call him by his grace and to REVEAL HIS SON IN HIM Gal. 1.15 16 he casts away all his riches and treasures of a legal righteousness as dross dung and dog's-meat not fit for children to feed upon and what is it that he embraceth what is it that can thus metamorphose and transpose him what doth he see what hath he espied in the Gospel Why it is Christ a single Christ He sells all that he had to buy this Pearle and thinks himself made for ever if he can but compass such a purchase Yea doubtless saith he I count all these but dung that I may WIN Christ or gain Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ Phil. 3.9 So we have seen the metamorphosis the transformation of this man his leaving all his Pharisaical Legal Righteousness for a single Christ we will see a little further what use he makes of Christ now that he hath chosen him and thus centred his soul upon him Why he will needs know more of him I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord Phil. 3.8 and saies he I count them but dung that I may win Christ and that I may know him ver 8.10 There are indeed all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hid in him as St. Paul tells us Col. 2.3 and therefore well might he press after the knowledge of him Again he will love him If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be accursed 1 Cor. 16. ver 22. He will believe in him I would be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through THE FAITH OF CHRIST Lastly he will make his glorying and boast of him and that is the highest honour we can do to God for men glory in that which they account their excellency yea St. Paul chooseth out that in Christ to glory in which is most contemptible in the eyes of the world and that is the cross of Christ which shews what an high esteem he had of him God forbid saith he that I should glory in any thing save in the cross of Christ Gal. 6.14 And though the blind world could see nothing in this Cross that they should rejoice or glory in yet St. Paul saw these great things in the Cross of Christ that upon it he vanquished Principalities and Powers Col. 2.15 that he removed all that from off us that was contrary to us nailing it to his cross so that he might well say as he doth Gal 2.19 I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live to God that is through what the Law hath done to my Saviour it hath nothing to do with me I am dead to it and that is dead to me Again see another great efficacy that St. Paul espyed in the Cross of Christ and that was that it helped him to conquer the World God forbid that I should glory in any thing save in the Cross of Christ by which the world is crucified to me and I unto the world No wouder therefore if he chuseth the cross of Christ to glory in Once more we find him in another Scripture chusing his infirmities to glory in 2 Cor. 12.5 6 7 8 9 10. I take pleasure in insirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecution in distresses for Christ's sake And what is the reason why not onely for that these are a part of Christ's Cross but because when these things did press him down then did the arm of Christ support him and the Power of Christ rest upon him Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the POWER OF CHRIST MAY REST UPON ME for when I am weak then am I strong that is with the strength which is in Christ Jesus and therefore hedoth not only desire that he himself might thus know love believe and glory in Jesus Christ but he begs for others that they might have a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Christ Eph. 1.16 17. It were almost an infinite Work to trace St Paul in all the ways of his treating Christ and using of him take therefore one place for all Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ saith he nevertheless I live that is one Riddle I live yet not I there is another Riddle But whence arise these Mysteries Why from his conversing with and possessing of Christ I live but saith he 't is not I any longer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh the whole of my life it is by the faith of the Son of God that is Faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Paul is dead he lives no longer but Christ lives in Paul if you will and then no wonder St. Paul can do all things as he tells us he can when such a person lives in him Phil. 4.12 13. I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to the hungry both to abound and to suffer need I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me Thus the whole of a Christians lise when he is like himself is a life of Faith upon Christ immediately his Flesh and Blood is his food his Grace and Spirit is his strength the living of Christ in him which is a Mystical expression is his life For you are dead and YOUR LIFE IS HID WITH CHRIST in God Col. 3.3 That Christian therefore that is not intimately acquainted with Christ is so far legal The truth of this assertion is clear from this example for that as soon as ever St. Paul had Christ revealed in him he left all his legal righteousness and fastned upon Christ altogether in this manner which we have partly declared And indeed this is the Character of Characters all the other Characters before given signifie but little without this It is by means of Christs coming that we call God Father that we are freed from that slavish fear of God which even the Saints of the Old-Testament were under in a great measure the Heir before was kept in fear but when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons and because ye are Sons
what other soever actions or acts can be certainly ascribed unto God with relation to his own Essence but with relation to his creatures no other can be conceived but in the way of purposing and decreeing what he would be pleased to do in time 't is very true what that Scripture assirms that known unto God are all his works from the beginning of he world Acts 15.18 that is which he intended to work But that God should be said to do any action adextra that is without himself such as Justification is which is terminated upon another person without the compass of his own Essence when yet there was nothing but himself in being is to me a contradiction God might indeed in the eternal counsel of his own uncontroulable Wil Pleasure PURPOSE to juscifie such and such persons after he had made them but what is this to actual Justification It may be as wel said in my mind that the World was created faom eternity because God purposed in his Eternal Counsels to create the World as it can be said that any were justified from eternity because God purposed from all eternity to justifie them Purpose and Decree is one thing Acting and Performance is another 3. I cannot understand any countenance which this opinion hath from Scripture when the Scripture comes to speak of Justification it expresseth it self as of an action done in time onely Rom. 4.3 What saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness Ver. 10. How was it thon reckoned WHEN he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision Not in circumcision but in uncircumcision that is in the time of his uncircumcision Abraham is not said to have been justified from eternity but upon his actual believing and this actual believing was in the time of his uncircumcision 4. Seeing justification follows onely upon Faith as the Scripture tells us Justification cannot be before Faith Now Faith is onely in time therefore Justification was not in Eternity which was before all time I shall trouble my self with no more as to the answer of the first question Whether Justification be in Eternity or in Time Now follows the second question If it be in time at what time is it And how often is it Once onely or oftner Here are two questions more in one 1. At what time is it Now for answer Seeing that the righteousness of Faith is the righteousness which God alone accepts unto Justification therefore Justification commenceth onely from the time of our believing When was Abraham justified Why when he believed that therefore is the time of Justification its beginning The Question therefore now before us is onely this Whether this one act of Justification which presently follows upon our act of believing serves for the justification of our persons as long as we live or whether there be any repetition of God's act of Justification upon our persons afterwards Now for answer to this which is indeed no contemptible Quest I say 1. That indeed the first act of Justification when Divine approbation comes upon us according to the Law and Statute of the New-Covenant Acts 13.39 That by him all that believe are justified putsi us into a state of favour and if there be no intercision in the state which the Arminians hold there may be this first act is the great and famous act that makes us happy and blessed But yet 2dly I hold that seeing Justification chiefly consists in pardoning of sins according to that Scripture Acts 13.38 39. Be it known unto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and by him all that believe are JUSTIFIED FROM ALL THINGS FROM WHICH YE COULD NOT BE JUSTIFIED by the Law of Moses every renewed act of Pardon is a renewed act of Justification for though the first act of God's justifying us upon our turning to God do acquit us from all our sins till that moment yet every new sin brings a new guilt for which we might justly be condemned without a new act of justifying grace and though every new sin doth not put us out of the state of justification yet it requires a new act of justifying grace for the continuing the state and this makes the Advocateship of Christ necessary to be continued who when any Saint commits a sin he interposeth with his Father that upon his repentance a pardon may be issued forth in the Court of heaven for that soul as to that sin This I hold necessary even for every sinfull infirmity of any Saint of God that is I hold Christ's intercession and our habitual repentance at least and faith necessary chough many times there cannot be actual repentance and faith for pardon as in the case of secret and unobserved sins But yet even in such cases our habitual and general repentance is necessary together with Christ's intercession and a renewed act of pardon unto our justification * I would not be thought to make this continued justification which consists in continued pardon to be of like consâ—teration with the first act of pardouing justifying grace at first believing I only contend for this That it is true and necessary justification And in extraordinary cases the truth of my assertion will be much more visible for when any Saint commits such a great sin as according to the doctrine of the Remonstrants makes him no Saint for the time here must certainly be repeated a new famous act of Justification according to their doctrine as famous as the first was as well as a new act of conversion Luke 22.32 But I need not go to this Supposition of a Saints falling away for I can shew that this is no absonous or unheard of thing in the Scripture that Justification may be repeated even upon a Saint of God that keeps his standing See that Scripture in James 2.21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered up Isaac his son upon the Altar ver 22. And the Scripture was then fulfilled which saith Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness Now when was this Justification of Abraham which is here mentioned Why it was at least thirteen years after Abrahams first famous Justification for that was upon his believing that God would give him a Son this was upon his offering up the Son after he was given when he was grown up to be a stout Lad and could carry the wood for his father up the hill That first act of Justification passed upon him when Abraham himself was in uncircumoision this after he and all his family were circumcised therefore the act of Justification may be repeated over several times upon the same person And for a little countenance for this from the authority of Authors Mr Baxter in his Aphorismes makes mention of a threefold Justification inchoate continued and sinall Thesis 59. pag. 233. Justification is not a momentaneous act begun
man hath made God himself his righteousness and Christ his righteousness and this is a glorious righteousness indeed far beyond the righteousness of a perfect and unerring obedience if a man had it for this see one proof out of the Old-Testament and one or two out of the New Isa 45.24 25. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness and strength even to him shall men come and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed in the Lord shall all the Seed of Isral be JUSTIFIED and SHALL GLORY For the New-Testament I have often mentioned already that place Gal. 2.20 yet it can never be too often repeated I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I or no longer but Christ liveth in me and the 〈◊〉 that I now lâ—ve in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who lived me and gave himself for me Here St. â—aul had a glorious righteousness indeed for Christ was his riches and righteousness and dwelt in him by Faith that is he lived upon Christ by faith 't is true he had a Christ-like nature in his soul but this Christ-like nature was not the righteousness of faith or the righteousness of God or his Gospel-righteousness but a fruit of that Faith which was his righteousness All other glorying is excluded in the Gospel save crâ—ely to glory in the Lord Rom 3.27 2 Cor. 1.30 31. Of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousnesâ—y that according as it is written He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. Now this making God and Christ a mans righteousness is that alone which commends the Gospel so highly above the Law sets up he second Adam above the first gives a just account of all those Elogies which the Apostle gives of the Gospel the way of believing above the first way of works which I suppose out of Dr Moor's notion would not arise at all For though the Drs notion should be true which I confess there is no contradiction in I have delivered some things above p 218 219. but a little too much in favor of it * I would have that expression p. 219. 〈◊〉 shall say something to the like purpose understood only thus Tha sanctification is the condition of our justification onely in the second place faith in the first I say suppose the Dâ—â— notion should be true That faith justifies us purely because it sanctifies us and that the holiness which arises from faith should be that which is called the Righteousness of Faith yet how could this ever advance the Gospel above the Law in the business of Justification If we take the Law not in the mistaken sense of the Legallist but in the proper sense of it For so the righteousness of the Law is unerring obedience and the righteousness of Faith in the Dâ—s sence is obedience full of defects Now comparing obedience with obedience and the righteousness of Faith with the righteousness of the Law how can the righteousness of Faith be preferred to the righteousness of the Law How can the second Adam in the holiness which he causeth be advanced above the first in his earthly righteousness That therefore which make the excellency and precedency of the Gospel to the Law is this that the righteousness of the Law was one 's own this of Faith makes God himself and Christ himself our righteousness by our living wholly upon them I have said as much as I intend to the Dr. s notion of the righteousness of saith and I do cordially profess That what I have spoken hath been meerly out of love to the truth and if the truth had not engaged and enforced me to deliver what I have I should not have presumed to encounter counter such a great man being my self not worthy to carry the Doctors books after him And I know the Doctors candor and ingenuity to be so great that he will give others leave as freely to differ from him as he takes to differ from others I shall shut up this Question with a grave admonition out of Mr John Goodwin in his Banner of Justification displaied pag. 32. That Faith justifies saith he is the constant assertion of the Scripture and the Architectonical doctrine of the Gospel Rom. 5.1 3 28. Gal. 2.15.16 By the way upon occasion of these with many the like passages in the New Testament wherein Justification by faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expresly affirmed I cannot but mention my dislike of their strein in teaching who lay down and deliver it to the people for a doctrine positively and plainly That men are not justified by saith or by believing Douotless it is not convenient or comely positively to deliver or assert that for a doctrine of truth which is so diametrally opposite to 〈◊〉 frequent clear and express words of the Scripture And again I judge it very incongruous for any Minister of the Gospel to seâ— up a doctrine as it were in defiance of or in conâ—â—st against any thing so frequently and so directly in terminis affirmed in the Scriptures as Justification by faith I do not â—â—â—â—uce this quotation to infirmate as if the Doctor did not hold that we are justified by the acts of faith as well as by any other good actions but for that I am sensible the Doctor intends that we are not more justified by the acts of faith than by any other good actions which if it were true I could not see how faith could be worthy of so famous attributious of justification to it in such an eminent manner when the Apostle is silent about other graces only here and there in some places where there is no such professed dispute he speaks wordâ— in Tayor of other graces and good works in the matter of justification I tome now to a fifth Question which is this How do good works justifie And in answer to this I must first premise That seeing the Scripture is so express in it that works to justifie Jam. 2.25 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified and 〈◊〉 by saith only I dare not pass over this Question without speaking to it But I shall need to speak the less to this because Mr Baxter and others have delivered so much upon it I shall first shew the agreement which there is betwixt St Paul and St James in this business and then shew how works justifie 'T is true St Paul assirms Rom. 3.28 chat we are justified by faith without the deeds or works of the Law St James saith that we are justified by works and not by faith only here seems to be a jarring and disagreement But they are to be reconciled by the observation of the several sorts of works that these two Apostles speak of St Paul speaks of legal works or works of the Law which contain in them an opinion of merit or debt as I have shewn above pag. 97 98.
unerring obedience faith was but a part of our duty which we owed to God under the first Covenant that is relying upon the power goodness and veracity of God and therefore where-ever faith comes to be our righteousness or our chief righteousness it argues that there is a great deficiency in the creature that is so to be justified and accordingly the Apostle often glances upon this that glorying is in this way excluded not by the law of works but by the law of faith Faith therefore cannot justifie by any natural excellency that it hath in it for though all the men in the world being now sinners and obnoxious to punishment by the law of their creation should resolve of their own accord to believe that there is so much goodness in God that he will not destroy the work of his own hands so depending upon his mercy and therefore they will endeavour to do all those things which they think may be pleasing and acceptable to him why all this faith and confidence attended with the most sincere obedience will not extort a Justification from Almighty God except it be in his good pleasure to justifie such believers and such obedient persons because they were all obnoxious to punishment for the breach of his law Faith therefore cannot justifie but by reason of divine ordination and constitution that hath passed upon it such as this The just shall live by faith and That if thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10.9 and for this reason I suppose it is so often called Gods righteousness Rom. 10.3 because it was a righteousness not in its own nature as works were but a righteousness purely of divine appointment This is Mr John Goodwin's notion of it Pag. 34. of the Banner of Justification displayed God was pleased to decree or make this for a law which the Apostle calleth the law of faith Rom. 3.27 that faith or believing in him through Christ should interesse men in the benefit or blessing of the death and blood shed of Christ that is in that remission of sins which was purchased by his death And in this consideration faith justifieth viz. by virtue of the Soveraign authority of that most gracious Decree or Law of God wherein he hath said or decreed that it shall intitle men unto or inright them in part and fellowship of that benefit of the death of Christ which consisteth in the forgiveness of sins or which comes much to the same as it is a qualification or condition ordained covenanted or appointed by God to bring upon those in whom it shall be found the great blessing of that pardon of sin which Christ hath obtained for men by his blood This is Mr Baxter's opinion too that is That saith justifies as it is made the chief condition of the N. Covenant Page 225 of his Aphorisms Thesis 57. It is the act of faith which justifieth men at age and not the habit yet NOT AS IT IS A GOOD WORK this is directly against Dr Moor's affirmation who faith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is nothing else but to be approved as a good man or a doer of that which is righteous and good and that BECAUSE he doth that which is good and righteous methinks here is a Justification for good works purely and if faith comes in here to justifie it doth it only as it is a good work Mr Baxter is of another minde viz. That faith doth not justifie only under that quaâ—enus or reduplication AS a good work Faith saith Mr Baxter in the Thesis quoted doth not justlfie AS it is a good work or as it hath in it self any excellency above other graces But in the NEAREST SENSE DIRECTLY AND PROPERLY as it is the fulfilling the condition of the New Covenant c. But now though I have affirmed that it doth not justifie purely from its own nature Though faith doth not justisie purely from it's own nature yet it hath a great excellency in it self which might somewhat recommend it to this service but chiefly from the ordination of God and that it could not have justified without this ordination yet I shall adde that it had in its own nature a great fitness to be chosen of God for this eminent service to justifie men by It was the fittest medium that we can imagine when the first natural way of works failed to promote the honour of God and the good of the creature in Justification which consideration commends highly the wisdom of God in setting it apart for this use as the chief condition of our Justification To evince the truth of this let us consider a little the natural excellencyes that there are in faith And first of all faith takes in all spiritual objects 1 Excellency of Faith and represents them to the soul so that all other graces are beholden to faith for their objects Heb. 11.1 Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen hope could not be if faith did not give a real and evident being and subsistence to the things that we hope for as also to all other the invisible and unseen things which a Christian a Saint as such converseth with and lives upon Again ver 6. of that chap. 11. Without faith 't is impossible to please God For he that comes unto God must believe that he is Now it is by faith that we believe and know that God is ver 27. by faith Moses forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him who is invisible by faith Moses saw him that is invisible I will acknowledge that reason may finde out that there is a God but if a mans wayes please God his reason delivers over this observation to his faith which is an higher thing an higher principle in the soul then reason though it never contradicts true reason yet it is somewhat above meer reason * If any one here will say that faith in such a case as the belief that there is a God is much the same with reason or a rational conviction of the truth of such a Proposition I will not much contend only because here the divine Penman sayes it is by saith we believe there is a God and his assertion must have a truth in it we may distinguish Reason Faith thus That Faith is a more particular faculty or habit of divine principles such as respect God and Religion but Reason is a more general faculty conversant about all objects whatsoever and this consideration must come in That meer Reason only makes one a man but Faith makes a man a Saint and therefore this Faith must have a divine afflatus and spirit in it beyond meer reason It is by faith that we believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of all them that diligently seek him And these two
Spirit of Christ being throughly convinced of the righteousness of the Law the truth of its threatning the Nature and Offices Sufficiency and Excellency of Jesus Christ his free offer to all that will accept of him for their Lord and Saviour doth hereupon believe the truth of this Gospel and accept of Christ as his only Lord and Saviour to bring him to God his chiefest good and doth accordingly rest on him as his Saviour and SINCERELY though imperfectly OBEY him as his Lord FORGIVING OYHERS LOVING HIS PEOPLE BEARING WHAT SUFFERINGS ARE IMPOSED c. and all this sincerely and to the end This is part of his desinition of Faith Again Mr. Baxter in another place pag. 238. Thesis 62. according to this definition of Faith tells us That Faith may be called the onely condition of the New-Covenant for two reasons 1. Because it is the principal condition and the other but the less principal and so as an whole Countrey hath ost its Name from a chief City so may the conditions of this Covenant from Faith 2. Because all the rest are reducible to it either being presupposed as necessary antecedents or means or contained in it as its parts properties or modifications or else implyed as its immediate product or necessary subservient means or consequents And so full to the same purpose Thesis 73. pag. 280. Thus we see by Scripture and according to the opinion of a very learned and good man that Faith is not onely the first Grace in order but a very operative Grace and was in its own nature exceedingly sitted for that service which God hath in much Wisdom and Prudence appointed it unto But thirdly 〈…〉 there is yet a more proper reason then either of these why Faith should be chosen for this uses and that is for that Faith is a self-emrying Grace to live by Faith is to live purely in dependance upon God and Christ for every thing and what fitter instrument or condition of Justification could be chosen after the fall of man when it was most reasonable that if God would save a man he should have all the glory Doth not the Apostle insist mightily upon this both in his Doctrine and particular practice Justification now saith he is not of works lest any man should boast Eph. 2.9 But by Grace are ye saved through Faith So Nom. 3.27 Where is boasting then it is excluded By what Law Of works Nay but by the Law of Faith This is St. Paul's Doctrine Then for his practice For my part saith he I am crucified with Christ I am a poor dead thing Nevertheless I live yet not I or no longer I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Christ liveth in me and the life that I live is by Faith in Christ Gal. 2.20 Now that St. Paul is come to live the life of Faith he is nothing Christ is all he is dead and liveth not Christ onely liveth in him So that you see Faith besides all its other excellencies hath a peculiar fitness for this service of justifying a sinner and yet notwithstanding all these excellent qualities that are to be found in Faith it could not have justified without a Divine ordination and appointment Now for any to say as some do that Love justifies as much as Faith nay that God doth rather approve of a man for his Love then for his Faith is methinks very bold and unscriptural Divinity I shall onely adde a word of testimony out of Mr. Baxter to this last particular and so conclude the question and all the questions which I have to propose about Justification Pag. 231. of his Aphorisms he hath these words If God had seen meet to have stamped any thing else to pass for Justification it would have passed currantly yet take this Faith is even to our own apprehension the most apt and suitable condition that GOD COULD have chosen for as far as we can reach to know there cannot be a more apt or rational condition pag. 232. This is the most self-denying and Christ-advancing Work Nothing could be more proportionable to our poverty who have nothing to buy with than thus freely to receive c. I have now done with all the Questions which I thought any ways necessary to be spoken to for the more particular and distinct unfolding of the Doctrine of Justification and I might here shut up the Discourse with the Uses of the whole But before I come to the Uses I judge it convenient to add somewhat by way of Appendix concerning the means or way how Justification came to be transferred from the Law to the Gospel or from Works to Faith for that I have acknowledged that Works and the Law were the first natural way of justifying men but now that it is altogether brought about by Grace and Faith That which I have to say I shall introduce with this objection If we were all born under the Law Object and bound to obey it to a tittle upon which obedience it should have justified us but upon the least breach was armed with this threatning That we should dye the death and that we have all broken it how comes it to pass that we are not all the Laws Captives and Prisoners and condemned by it How came there such easie gracious terms to be offered us for our justification as Faith and sincere obedience that these shall be accepted instead of perfect unerring obedience How will this way be for the honor of God's veracity in the threatning or his holiness to take imperfect sinful creatures into favour Now in answer to this objection I shall not need to meddle with that question Answ whether it were inconsistent with the natural Justice or Holiness of God considered as antecedent to his threatning or Decree of punishing sinners with death for him to have pardoned sinners by an absolute Power and Soveraign Grace and so to have received them into favour upon their repentance without the intervention of a Saviour But in the first place seeing there was adecree passed In the day that thon eatest thou shalt dye the death Gen. 2.17 I see not how it was consistent with the veracity of God to remit the sinner without any consideration at all without a very considerable fulfilling of this threatning 2dly The threatning therefore was fulfilled these several ways 1. Upon man himself in a great measure for that presently upon man's fall insued his mortality and all the inconveniences and troubles which we meet with in the World which are the fore-runners and causes of our dissolution But secondly and especially the great God in infinite Wisdom and Mercy provided a Saviour one mighty to save that should come into the world in the fulness of time about the 4000th year of the World the World being to last but perhaps 7000. years in all and free us that were born under the Law and by our sins made obnoxious to the curse of it from the curse and power of the Law