Faith to distinguish it from that Historical Faith which though true in its kind yet is not from the saving grace of God nor hath it effects accompanying Salvation 3. Though this Faith be one the same by which the Beleever liveth first last and which proveth serviceable useful to him on all occasions to all ends uses that his several necessities call for Yet in reference to these various ends uses it acteth not after one the same manner in all points Faith acteth not every way after one the same manner in order to get Strength for Duties that it acteth in order to get Sin Pardoned It acteth not the same way for Subdueing the reigning power of sin that it acteth for Justification nor doth it act the same way for Comfort and upholding strength in a day of trial that it acteth in order to Justification And yet we need not say that it acteth distinctly differently according to every distinct benefite and blessing that is had thereby The diffeâ—ent natures of the necessities we stand into with the different wayes of the â—ord's communicating what we stand in need of according to the various Relations he standeth in various offices he hath taken on in reference to his peoples good may satisfie us herein according as these several particular necessities may come under one head reliefe may be conveyed to them after one the same manner All which will be best discerned by the understanding Christian in his application to Christ according to his Condition wants which he would have helped supplied 4. Hence though the Principal Object of this Faith be alwayes one and the same Yet there may be some peculiarities in that object which Faith eyeth more in one case than in another As we finde the Saints in their adresses to God in their several straits necessities sometimes pitching upon one attribute of God sometimes upon another according as thereby Faith presented God to the soul in a sutablness to the present case it was in and so when dispensations seemed to crosse the promises Faith eyed God as Faithful Unchangable when enemies appeared strong difficulties invincible and the like Faith took hold on God as the Almighty to whom nothing was impossible when sin appeared as a discouragment to drive them from their hopes Faith took hold of the mercy of God c. So when a poor sinner is under the convictions of sin threatnings of the Law Faith must take up Christ in a sutableness thereto eye something in Him that peculiarly suiteth that case when againe the beleever hath need of Light Instruction Strength Comfort Throwbearing the like he fixeth his eye on some thing in Christ that suiteth that particular necessity and so Faith acteth accordingly And thus though the object remaine the same and Christ be alwayes made use of Yet Faith may and doth act more immediatly on Christ as Prophet when in one case whereunto this office carrieth a respect and at another time more immediatly directly on Christ as a King when the present necessity calleth for help from Christ as King againe faith acteth on him as a Priest when only that which Christ as a Priest did can answere their present necessitie Yet which is carefully to be observed to prevent Mr. Baxter's challenge I do not say nor see I any necessity to say that these several acts of Faith are as so many several Conditions unto the receiving of the several favours taking the terme Condition in his sense I do not say that Faith acting one way on Christ is a proper Condition of Justification Faith as acting another way on Christ is the proper Condition of Adoption that Faith acting a third way on Christ is the proper Condition of Sanctification c. but that as the effects benefiâ—es which sinners stand in need of are ascribed unto several effectuating acts of Christ to the several Relations offices he hath taken on so Faith in order to the receiving of these benefites acteth suitably on Christ the Beleever is taught so to do by the Spirit of the Lord to his Comfort Hope Encouragment 5. I presuppose here the Formal Object of all divine faith which is the Truth Veracity of God for all divine faith giveth credite unto divine Revelations upon the Credite the Truth Veracity of the Revealer Thus saith the Lord who is true who is Truth itself is the sole Formal ground Ratio of this Faith 6. I presuppose here also that Comprehensive Material Object of all divine Faith which is the whole will mind of God concerning whatsomever thing it be revealed whether by the Scriptures or by the Light of Nature If the Truth Veracity of God be the only Formal Ground of this Faith then all that this God revealeth must be beleeved received as true when known to be revealed by Him By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God Heb. 11 3. we beleeve all things which are written in the Law the Prophets Act. 24 14. Yea in the whole word of God I do not here determine what particular Truthes revealed in the word are necessarily to be expresly explicitly beleeved by every one that hath a true Saving Faith what not only this I say that many particular truthes are revealed whereof a true Beleever may be ignorant yet have a true Saving Faith receiving all which he knoweth to be revealed by the Lord rejecting no one Truth whatsomever that he knoweth to be revealed But we are here to speak of that Object of Faith which immediatly directly concerneth our delivery from our natural state of sin and miserie and our eternal Salvation And this we judge to be whole Christ Iesus as he is hold forth and revealed in the Gospel We say Christ Jesus 1 wholly and 2 as he is held forth and revealed in the Gospel And both these for explications sake may be branched out in several particulars I say then first That whole Christ is the object of Saving or Justifying Faith Hence are we so often times commanded to Receive him to Beleeve in on Him in his name Faith is expressed by a Coming to him Eating Drinking of Him Receiving of him c. Ioh. 1 12. 3 16 36. 6 29 35 37 40 44 47 51 54 55 58. 7 38. Act. 10 41 13 38 39. 26 18. Rom 3 22. Gal. 2 16. and many moe places Hence this Faith is called the Faith of Christ Gal. 2 16. and the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 2 20. So then Saving and Justifying Faith taketh whole Christ. 1. Faith taketh him closeth with him wholly as to his Natures Faith receiveth him as Mediator God Man in one person though it be formally terminated on him as God Ioh. 14 1. as the Son
the Substance of them all for they either hold forth his Person or his Work or some thing of Him or some thing from Him according to the Various Exigencies Necessities of his people 4. He is received as the grand meane of declaring setting forth the glorious Attributes of God which the Lord will have manifested in and by this noble designe of the Gospel for Faith sweetly acquiesceth in this designe of God's to preach forth his Excellencies Vertues in this manner and therefore receiveth Christ as offered held forth in the Gospel for such a glorious End so receiveth him as the great Gift of Love Ioh. 3 16. as the mean whereby the Righteousness of God is declared Rom. 3 25. and his Grace Ephes. 1 5 6. and as the Power of God and the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1 24 Ephes. 3 10. Thus Faith seeth the glory of God shining with a peculiar splendour in the face of Jesus Christ 2. Cor. 4 6. 5. So is he received as the grand only Meane to bring about all the great Ends designed of God and desired by them so that in the receiving of him all these ends are closed with and expected such as Remission of sins Justification Acceptation Adoption Sanctification Peace of Conscience Joy in the Holy Ghost yea life and Immortality full Redemption Ephes. 1 7. Col. 1 14. Act. 26 18. Rom. 3 25. 4 6 7 8. Ephes. 1 11 12 13 14. Rom. 5 1 2 3. 1. Pet. 1 3 4. So that Faith eyeth here by way of end all that Grace Glory they would have and can desire to make them up 6. And in a word He is received as the grand meane to Interest them in God Father Son Holy Ghost as theirs to bring them nigh unto God and in Covenant with Him and to enjoy the several Effects Benefites of their Workings They come to God through Him as the only way to the Father Ioh. 14 6. They close with the Father as their God and Father through Him and with the Holy Ghost as their Sanctifier and comforter through Him who sendeth the Spirit from the Father Ioh. 15 26. 14 26. All these several things belong unto the adequate full Object of that faith whereby beleevers become Justified Adopted Sanctified shall be at length finally Saved for they shall receive the end of their faith the Salvation of their souls 1. Pet. 1 9. Yet to prevent mistakes we would adde some few considerations 1. By all this we do not meane that all these Objects or Various parts or Considerations of the one adequate compleet Object are expresly and distinctly conceived laid hold on by every Beleever when they act faith on Christ or come unto God through him according to the Gospel-command But that these things belong to the full Object of Saving faith and are implied therein so that whoever beleeveth savingly beleeveth these several truthes according to the measure of the Revelation of God and of their Capacity Information So that a more full explicite beleefe of these particulars is now required under the Gospel than was required under the Old Testament when â—his Revelation was not so full and plaine as now and more is required of such who have had clear information of Gospel truthes than of others who have wanted that Advantage and more also is required of such as have large Capacities Understandings than of others who are more Rude of a narrower Reach 2. Wherever any of these truthes are rightly beleeved and heartily closed with all the rest are implicitly also received for they cannot be separated the whole contrivance is such a noble piece af divine art of infinite wisdom that all the several pieces are indissolubly knit together Hence what ever piece it be that the beleever first doth directly explicitly close with or under whatsoever notion Christ at first be embraced according us the beleever cometh to more distinct apprehensions of other pieces or parts of this contrivance so his heart complyeth with and he cordially embraceth the same 3. We may be hereby helped to understand the several and various expressions used in Scripture to pointe forth faith acting on its object for however these be not alwayes one and the same but different yet the same whole object is implicitly understood and these particulars expresly mentioned must not be considered abstractly or alone but according to their several place in the grand designe and with respect thereto as when the object of faith is said to be He who justifieth the ungodly Rom. 4 5. and to be Him who raised up Iesus our Lord from the dead vers 24. and in that same Chap. the object of Abraham's faith whereby he was justified is the Promise that God would make him a Father of many Nations c. vers 17 18. c. all these must be considered with respect unto Christ the grand medium who was appointed to be a Saviour to all Nations and was to die rise againe after satisfaction made to Justice and in and through whom alone God will Justifie the poor sinner that is ungodly in himself With reference here unto must we understand the Publicans saying God be merciful to me a sinner and the saints under the Old Testam their so frequent fleeing to the Grace Mercy Bounty of God for all this was with respect to the only Soveraigne way that the Lord had condescended upon whereby to shew forth and manifest his Mercy Goodness Grace to sinners In the New Test. we finde more express mention made of Christ as the object of faith as Iesus of Nazareth the true Messiah who was promised Ioh. 20 31. 1. Ioh. 5 9 10 20. Ioh. 1 45. Act. 13 38. or as Lord God Ioh. 20 28. as the Son of David Mat. 15 21. 9 27 20 30. 21 42. As the Son of God Ioh. 9 35. as the Christ the Son of God Ioh. 11 27. Act. 8 37. as come forth from God Ioh. 16 30 27. as the Lord Iesus Act. 16. 31. as raised by God from the dead Rom. 10 9 as one that died rose againe 1. Thes. 1 14. as sent of God Ioh. 17 8. that Iesus is the Christ. 1. Ioh. 5 1. So that under all these and the like one and the same thing for substance is pointed forth though some particular in that grand designe of grace is more expresly immediatly pointed at yet that particular is to be understood with reference to the whole and the whole is to be included So also when God is mentioned as the object of faith either absolutely 1. Pet. 1 2. Tit. 3 8. Heb. 5 1. 1. Thes. 1 8. or in Reference to Christ whom he sent Ioh. 5 24. or through whom he is beleeved in 1. Pet. 1 21. or the like the matter must be thus understood 4. Hereby also may the Various Explications of this object of faith given
sufficiently held forth by the foregoing Expressions of finishing transgressions of making an end of Sins and of making reconciliation for iniquity which saith that to justification there is a Righteousness required that this Righteousness is not meer Remission of Sins but some thing beside that must endure when sin is taken away This Righteousness is to be brought in by the Messiah as a favoure distinct from the preceeding yet inseparable there from firmly connected therewith This Righteousness which the Messiah is to bring in being something beside Remission of Sins must be a Righteousness wrought by the Messiah brought in for the use and advantage of His people who as they are to be made partaker of the foregoing favoures are also to be made partaker of this and consequently must have it imputed to them seing no other way it can be made theirs Sixtly We way adduce to this purpose Zech. 3 4. take away the filthy garments from him and unto him he said behold I have caused thine iniquity to go from thee I will cloth thee with change of rayment Here by a vision is signified to the propher how the Lord would at length be reconciled to His Church bring her in to His favour againe that her service might become acceptable to Him which now was wholly defiled and so defiled that even their High priest who should weare the holy garments whereupon was engraven Holiness to the Lord is said to have had on filthy garments whereby the accuser of the Brethren Satan the enemie had no small advantage against them and the way is set down in borrowed termes which are in part explained First the Lord caused to take away the filthy garments from the High Priest and this is more plainely expressed in these words I have caused thine iniquity to go from thee But beside this there is a Righteousness required in order to acceptance with God as was said above therefore that this work of justification may be compleated it is added I will cloth thee with change of rayment Some it is true would referre this to Sanctification but others unto justification Iunius's Notes the English annot take in both and sure if this be true of Sanctification which is wrought in us it is much more true of the Righteousness that is required unto justification which is without us and must be put on And the Chaldee Paraphrase turneth it thus behold I have taken away thine iniquity have clothed thee with Righteousness The word in the original which is translated change of rayment importeth some suite of apparell that is not for ordinary wearing but kept for solemne times so may well import the Saints wedding or Marriage-suite that which is added in the sollowing verse may be understood as denoting Sanctification which is added with the Mitre on his head signifying the graces of the Spirit qualifying the High priest for his work CHAP. VIII Some passages of the New Test. confirming the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness Vindicated from the exceptions of JOHN GOODWINE HAving seen what countenance the Old Test. giveth unto the Truth we are asserting vindicat some of these passages from the Exceptions of Iohn Goodwine We come next to search for confirmation of this truth out of the New Test. and I shall here beginne with such as the said Author taketh notice of in order to excepting against them in his Treatise of justification First Rom. 3 21 22. But now the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets even the Righteousness of God which is by faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all them that beleeve But if men would disput against this truth they should except against whole Chapters in that Epistle and disput against the very scope designe yea and all the Arguments of the Apostle who in the first part of that Epistle is about to clear and confirme that which he setteth down Chap. 1 17. as the summe of the whole Gospel and clear demonstration of its being the power of God unto Salvation c. to wit that in it the Righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith a Righteousness revealed laid open and offered to all that hear the Gospel that they may lay hold on it by faith a Righteousness revealed from the true and faithful God unto our faith as Ambrose P. Martyr and others understand it or revealed from faith to faith that is only to faith as Pareus or as Calvin Beza Musculus and others from a weak faith to a stronger faith or rather to faith first and last through the whole of a Saints life here as the following words clear it as it is written the just shall live by faith Yet let us see what he excepteth pag. 136. He 1. Supposeth that he hath proved before that this passage speaketh plainly for the imputation of faith for Righteousness but no way for the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ for any such purpose And. We may have occasion hereafter to examine his grounds both from this and other passages for the Imputation of faith in opposition to the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness I shall only say at present that this Righteousness cannot be faith it self because it is revealed to faith it is called the Righteousness of God which is by faith of Iesus Christ so not faith it self One thing cannot be both the Act the Object of that Act. And what sense would that make to say faith is upon all them that beleeve 2. He said By the Righteousness of God some under stand here His truth and faithfulness in keeping promise Ans. But though God's Righteousness may elsewhere import signifie His faithfulness in keeping promise yet that is not the Righteousness here understood for this suiteth a guilty sinner such as the Apostle hath been proving in his foregoing discourse both jewes Gentiles to be is such a Righteousness as is requisite to such as would be justified in God's sight vers 20. cannot be had by mans doing the deeds of the Law by which is the knowledg of sin which therefore rendereth their case more desperat such a Righteousness as is had by faith which is unto all upon all them that beleeve vers 20 22. and such a Righteousness as is manifested without the Law vers 21. All which and much more which might be mentioned show that some other thing is here understood by the Righteousness of God than His Faithfulness Truth even the Righteousness of God which is imputed unto bestowed upon all that beleeve 3. He saith Hereby is meaâ—t that way method meanes which God himself hath found out to justisis or make men Righteous or else that very Righteousness by which we stand justified or Righteous in the sight of God But not the Righteousness of Christ nor is there the least appearance in the context of
Impossible way when the Law is already now broken The meaning of these words Rom. 2 13. The doers of the Law shall be justified is not what he imagineth pag. 184. viz. That God will accept justifie save only such who out of a sincere sound faith to wards Him by His Christ address themselves to serve please Him in a way of obedience to His Lawes for this sense of the words keepeth no correspondence with the scope of the Apostle there nor with the Circumstances of the place Obj. 23. If God requires only faith of men to their justification then He imputes this faith unto them there-unto But God requires only faith to justification Ergo c. Ans. 1. The conclusion is not directly the thing that is now in question but another question of which hereafter in due time 2. The Minor is false to some of his own party who joine works with faith 3. The Major is denied for though God require faith of men to their justification Yet that faith is not imputed unto them viz. as their Righteousness It may be he meaneth no more by the word Impute here but to accept of it when performed according as it is prescribed and indeed his proof annexed can evince nothing else because saith he to impute unto justification to accept unto justification are nothing differing at all in sense signification Now if God should require faith of Men only faith to their justification not accept it thereunto he should make a bargaine not stand to it for hereby it is manifest that to Impute faith unto justification is but to accept it in order to justification in the place for the end which God hath fixed to it required it for that is to be a Mean Instrument in the business to be the way of Interessing us in the Righteousness of Christ the sole Righteousness for which ground upon which we are justified This then being the meaning of his Major Proposition for any thing that yet appeareth his whole Argument is but a meer sophistical evasion 4 It is true God requireth of us only faith as an Instrument mean to lay hold upon the Righteousness of Christ in order to our justification but this is so far from proving that therefore there is no necessity for the Righteousness of Christ that on the contrary it establisheth that truth more firmly for the faith that is required unto justification is not a bare historical faith but such a faith as carrieth the beleever out of himself to seek a Righteousness in Christ declareth his full Satisfaction therewith his resting thereupon in order to his Acceptance with God being justified absolved from the sentence of the Law under the conviction of which he was lying 5 The scope and drift of this Objection is to separat these things that God hath most firmly and manifestly conjoined viz. God's Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ and our Receiving that gift of Righteousness by faith and the atonement through faith But as was shown above the Scripture holdeth forth the necessity of both and what God hath conjoined let no man separate To this he saith If the Righteousness of Christ be that which is imputed not the faith that is required of them then may this Righteousness be Imputed to this end before yea without the faith of any man for this faith adds no vertue or value to that Righteousness Ans. This being God's free Constitution His will should serve us for a Law and in stead of too curious enquiring whether this might be or not be without the other or before the other we should rest satisfied with God's Method therein carry more like Christians than in making such objections against His express determinations What though it were granted that God might if it had so pleased Him impute the Righteousness of Christ unto sinners before or without their faith will it therefore follow that now faith is unnecessary or if faith be asserted to be necessary that therefore the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness must be denied Why what ground can be given for such fictions Nay will not this be as strong against the objecters if Christ made full Satisfaction to Justice what necessity is there for the Imputation of faith unto Righteousness Thus we see the objecter must either turne fully Socinian or reject this way of argueing But he will not rest satisfied with the good pleasure of God in this matter for he addeth pag. 186. If the will pleasure of God be to make no Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ but upon the Condition of faith interveening then it is evident that this Righteousness is not imputed unto justification to any man because the Condition of faith must necessarily interveen so that if this Righteousness of Christ were imputed unto men yet it must be only towards justification not unto it for faith hath the next most immediat connexion therewith Ans. Not to trouble our selves with that fonde fooliâ— distinction betwixt towards unto which rather renders the Adversaries Cause desperat himself faine to shelter himself under such fig leaves to cover his nakedness than evidenceth any apparent probability of a real ground of Scrupling here We say That the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness which is God's Act hath as immediat a connexion with justification as Faith hath which is our Act for there is no priority or posteriority here as to time for whensoever a Man beleeveth in that same instant Righteousness is imputed and in that same Instant the beleever is justified We cannot say a Man is a beleever and yet hath not the Righteousness of Christ imputed to him or is not justified as we cannot say a Man hath the Righteousness of Christ imputed to him and yet is not justified Nay the very Argument will conclude as well that the Imputation of Righteousness hath a more neer connexion with justification than faith hath for we may likewise say though a man beleeve yet without imputation cannot be justified But the truth is all such argueings are but the Cavils of men seeking to darken that which they cannot destroy are meer sophismes unbeseeming Christians in such a concerning business Then saith he further faith doth not take hold of the Righteousness of Christ Imputed but first takes hold of it then the Imputation followeth then a man may have the Righteousness of Christ upon him by faith yet not be justified by it Ans. Though faith at first doth not take hold of the Righteousness of Christ already imputed but of the Righteousness of Christ hold forth in the Gospel yet faith may leane to that Righteousness imputed and rest upon it 2 We assert no such Conditions as this argument would say are the Conditions understood by our Adversaries that is such Conditions as are like a price that may be for some time in the buyers hand
and the termes thereof I am far deceived He that would understand this plaine discovery of the Question must understand what Relations are what Reatus culpae poenae what poena damni sensus what cessante capacitate Subdut what pro-legal Righteousness what quoad valorem quoad ordinem conferendi rationem comparativam What is Terminus fundamentum in relations what is Titulus fundamentum juris what causa fundamenti donationis the like And if all Unexercised Readers shall be able to understand this I doubt And sure I am many a poor soul that understands nothing of these termes gets grace of God to understand the thing better than all this explication how plaine so ever it be called shall ever make him do And if this be the plainest way that Mr. Baxter can chose to make us understand this so necessary and fundamental a truth I shall never choose him for my Teacher as to this It could therefore tend o no edification at least unto his Unexperienced Readers whose edification I judge should be sought by us all in handling of this matter to fall upon any examination of or debate with him about what he hath here said seing it would necessarily end in a debate about logical and Law termes which I shall rather leave to others who have delight therein And beside the matter it self delivered by him in more plaine intelligible termes as I judge both to exercised more unexercised Readers is already examined Notwithstanding as we have seen his opinion be different from what the orthodox do commonly hold in this question yet Chap 4. he stateth the question against which he purposeth to disput so as he may be sure none of these will oppose him yea and it may be doubted if Antinomians themselves will contradict him for thus he proposeth what he denieth That God did so impute Christ's Righteousness to us as to repute or account us to have been holy with all that habitual holiness which was in Christ or to have done all that He did in obedience to His Father or in fulfilling the Law or to have suffered all that He suffered to have made Satisfaction for our sins merited our own Salvation justification in by Christ or that He was did suffered merited all this strickly in the person of every sinner that is saved Or that Christ's very individual Righteousness material or formal is so made ours in a strick sense as that we are Proprietors Subjects or Agents of the very thing it self simply and absolutely as it is distinct from the effects or that Christ's individual formal Righteousness is made our formal personal Righteousness or that as to the Effects we have any such Righteousness imputed to us as formally ours which consisteth in perfect Habitual and Actual conformity to the Law of Innocency that is that we are reputed perfectly holy and sinless and such as shall be justified by the Law of Innocency which saith perfectly obey and live or sin dye And the more to secure himself from all opposition from the orthodox 〈◊〉 proposeth this Law which is but equitable to all that will answere him I suppose he meaneth the Arguments that there follow that he must keep to his words not alter the sense by leaving any out I shall therefore be none of his Opposites here on these termes but shall consider what he saith elsewhere CHAP. XIV How Christ is our Surety and what Mr. Baxter saith as to this is examined OUr Lord Jesus being called a Surety in the Scriptures may give us much satisfaction and clear light anent the Doctrine of the Imputation of His Righteousness if prejudice and Love to our own particular hypothesis do not blinde us The Apostle tels us Heb. 7 22. that Iesus was made a Surety of a better Testament or Covenant rather and though the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendered Surety be only in this place found in the N. Testam yet that can give no colourable ground of Exception against the true Native import of the word and the truth thereby hold forth seing one sentence of divine Revelation should captivat our faith judgment as well as Twenty otherwise all divine Revelation though never sooft reiterated will hereby at length come to be questioned And beside the word properly signifieth a Surety Cautioner Praes Sponsor fide jussor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sponsio expromissio fidejussio hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sub fide sponsionis trade as it were to deliver into hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spondeo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fidejussio Vadimonium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fidejussor vas sponsor and whether the word come from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prope or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appropinquo or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in manibus the same import and signification is hold forth and the conjunction and neerness betwixt the Sponsor or Surety and the person for whom He is sponsor with the ends for which he engageth himself who is a Sponsor is manifestly hold forth for the word Importeth one who of his own accord engageth for another taking upon him the Cause and Condition of that other promising to do or pay what the other was obliged unto or to see it done and thus engaging and promising becometh the just legal debtor for what he hath engaged and obliged unto the performance And this sense is both obvious and generally received by all men which should Satisfie us as to the acceptation of the word here untill it be demonstrat that of necessity it must be taken in a peculiar distinct sense in this place which yet the scope and circumstances of the place will not admit but rather confirme the usuall and generally received signification Import of the word This is also confirmed by the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath many significations all or most of which as some think may be reduced to two general heads one is of mixing things together or agreeing things or persons together by compacts Merchandice pledges or Caution Hence it signifieth to become Surety Gen. 43 9. 44 22. Prov. 11 15. 6. 1. 17 18. 22 26. Psal. 119 122. as also to oppignorat or give in pledge Neh. 5 3. 2. King 18 23. Esai 36.8 Iob. 17 3. Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 arrabon a pleage Gen. 38 17 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fidejussion sponsio pignus suretiship a pledge 1. Sam. 17 18. 2 King 14 14. This word then denoteth the Conjunction Mixture that is between a Surety him for whom he is Surety for the word signifieth to mix or mingle together so that they become hereby one person in Law an engaging Ier. 30 21. to shew that the Surety standeth engaged to performe what he hath promised become Surety for having 〈◊〉 stricken hands as it is rendered Prov. 22 26. Whence we see
abstracto i. e. without the receiving subject thereof in concreto i. e. together with the beleever The first which signifieth Remission of sins and Righteousness to Acceptation prepared though not yet conferred upon the Elect he saith hath a being before Faith and so the object is before the act though the ather be after faith But I conceive there is no great necessitie of this for answering of the argument if any should propose it to evince justification before faith and Bellarm. adduceth it not to this end as we saw for I see no ground to assert justification to be the object of justifying faith as if in order to justification we were called to beleeve that we are justified and that our sins are pardoned as was said above And as for this justification considered in the abstract which is said to have a being not only in the Purpose of God but also in the Covenant between the Father the Mediator in the Purchase of Christ not only is it not called justification in Scripture but also in so far as it is the object of faith as all other revealed truthes are it is of the elect in general and not of this or that particular person so that though justifying faith may beleeve that God Purposed Christ Purchased the Covenant of Redemption did expresly containe the justification of the Elect yet it doth not beleeve in order to the mans justification that he in particular so was justified either in the Purpose of God or in the Purchase of Christ or in the Covenant betwixt Iehovah the Mediator nor is this Faith called for because this object is not a revealed truth Yet this same justifying Faith is of that Nature as to produce afterward reflecting acts whereby the man may see his own justification be perswaded of it in truth hence also be perswaded that the Lord Purposed to justifie him in particular that Christ Purchased his justification in particular and that it was an article of the Covenant of Redemption that he in particular should be justified 2. While it is said That the just liveth by faith we see that faith is the way whereby persons come actually to live the life of justification and hence it can not it self be the matter of their life What interest properly faith hath in this affaire must be debated afterward to wit whether it be properly imputed as the matter of our Righteousness or only be to be considered as an Instrument or as a Condition how so 3. We see That this living by Faith proveth that there is no justification by works in the sight of God whence it is manifest that faith here cannot be considered as a work of the Law or as a duty enjoined by the Law or under any such consideration 2 That works have no interest as a cause or condition with Faith in justification 3 That the life of justification as to its continnation is by faith and by faith as opposite to works for the just or the man already justified liveth by faith This being also questioned we will have occasion to speak more to it afterward 4. While it is said the just liveth by faith it is considerable That this faith in its kinde and not in such or such measure is here said to be the meane whereby persons come to live the life of justification So that this true Faith how weak so ever is the only mean of interessing a soul in this privilege of justification This will give occasion to speak of the object of this justifying faith which will help to cleare the nature of it Our larger Catechisme qu. 72. giveth us such a definition or description of justifying faith that may satisfy us as to most of these difficulties The answere is this justifying faith is a saving grace Heb. 10 39. wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit 2 Cor. 4 13. Ephes. 1 17 18 19. word of God Rom. 10 14 17. whereby he being convinced of his sin misery of the disability in himself all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition Act. 2 37. 16 30. Ioh. 16 8 9. Rom. 5 6. Eph. 2 1. Act. 4 12. not only assenteth to the truth of the promise of the Gosspel Ephes. 1 13. but receiveth resteth upon Christ and his Righteousness therein hold forth for pardon of sin Ioh. 1 12. Act. 16 31. 10 43. for the accepting and accounting of his person Righteous in the sight of God for salvation Phil. 3 9. Act. 15 11. And this question is none of these particulars wherein Mr. Baxter in his Confess desireth to dissent from the said Catechisme as the next Question is as we shall hear We may hence take notice of these particulars concerning this faith ' whereby it may be known distinguished from what some may mistake for it 1. As to its nature kinde it is saving for all such as have this grace of justifying faith are in the sure way of salvation whatever faith persons may have if they have not this they are not in the sure path of life There is a faith of miracles both Active Passive as we may say that is a faith to do miracles and a faith to receive miracles wrought upon them The first was that which the Apostles had and others who wrought Miracles and is to be understood Mat. 17 20 21. Luk. 17 6. The other is that which some of those had who received miraculous cures as the woman Mal. 9 21 21. and that Man who cried out I beleeve help mine unbeleefe Mark 9 24. and the man of lystra Act. 14 9. and others This in it self considered is not a saving grace Iudas had this faith whereby he cast our devils and had commission to work miracles with the rest Mat. 10 8. Luk. 9 1 6 10. So also the Seventy disciples Luk. 10 9 17 19. And how great a privilege so ever this was yet Christ told them vers 20. that it was a far greater matter and much greater ground of joy to have their names written in heaven whereby he giveth us also to understand that these are distinct different from other and also separable Many saith Christ Mat. 7 22 23. will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name in thy name have cast out devils in thy name have done many wonderful works And then will I professe unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity And it is of this Faith that Paul speaketh 1. Cor. 13 2. though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have no charity I am nothing Importing that this Faith may be where there is no saving Christian Love There is an Historiâ—al faith that is a beleeving not only of the histories recorded in the word of God but of the whole Revelation of God's minde there yet only
we never read that we are said to be justified by Love or by Patience or by Hope or any other but alwayes by Faith This certanely must instruct us that Faith here hath a peculiar and singular interest must be considered as looking to Christ in a different way from Hop Love which also have Christ for their object or Christ must be the object of Faith in another manner under some other consideration than he is the object of other graces 12. It is also considerable that it is simply said the just man liveth by faith or we are justified by faith and not the just man liveth or we are justified by a strong faith or by a faith continueing to the end Though it be true that a true lively Faith is of that Nature that it will continue to the end and will grow yet we may not say that only a strong Faith or a Faith as continueing to the end is the condition of the Covenant or of Justification for hence it would follow that as no man of a weak yet true and sincere Faith could be said to be Justified so no man could be said to be Justified untill his Faith had endured to the end which is contrary to Scripture speaking of beleevers while in their infancy as justified adopted as partakers of or at least as having a Right to the consequences of Justification such as Pardon Peace Glorying in Tribulation and Comfort c. The promise granteth Justification and Adoption to Faith that is of the right kinde no mention is made of that Qualification thereof He that beleeveth is passed from death to life and shall never die c. Ioh. 3 36. Ioh. 3 16 18. Ioh. 1 12. If the meaning of such as make Faith as continneing to the end the condition of the Covenant and of Justification were this That Faith as continued in to the end is the Mean of Continuance in the Covenant and in the state of Justification they should speak truth for the just liveth by faith first last as by Faith they are brought into the estate so by faith they are continued therein Faith maketh the first Union Faith continueth it But of this we shall have occasion to speak more afterward 13. This faith is not one single act of the soul nor seated in one faculty The various things spoken of it in Scripture and the various objects it acteth upon and is exercised about and the various and different necessities which beleevers stand into with the corresponding uses which faith serveth for in these necessities cleare it to be no one single act of the Soul I would rather call it the act of the whole Soul than the act of any faculty whatsomever CHAP. XXII Our act of Faith is not imputed to us a Righteousness Wproceed now to cleare at some further length several Particulars touched in the foregoing Chapt. contributing to the explication of our Justification by Faith The first great Question anent Faith is whether it be imputed unto the Beleever as his Righteousness whereupon he is justified Adversaries to the truth both Socinians Arminians do plainly assert that our faith or that grace of faith is the very thing which is imputed to the Beleever for his Righteousness They are all convinced that the sinner must be clothed with a Righteousness some way or other in some sense or other ere he can be Justified for the Lord is Righteous will not justifie the wicled that is such as have no Righteousness and being willing to yeeld to the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ they substitute in place of Christ's Righteousness Faith properly taken or our act of Beleeving as is it performed by us in obedience to the Gospel-command Socinus de Serv. lib. 4. c. 4. Cum igitur c. i.e. seing he teacheth by the example of Abraham that Righteousness is imputed when can doubt that nothing else can hereby be under stood but that we arerighteous before God because it hath seemed good to the Lord to account our faith in place of Righteousness And thereafter That faith is imputed unto righteousness is nothing else than that faith is accounted to us in place of Righteousness but not that the Righteousness of christ is imputed to us cap. 11. Themselves say that that saith justifieth not by its proper worth but because it apprehendeth Christ But that apprehension of Christ of yours is a meer humane fiction a most vaine dream And when we read that faith was imputed to Abraham for Righteousness or unto Righteousness we have no reason to think that mention is there made of the Righteousness of another when it is manifest that he is speaking of his own In his dial de Justis f. 14 15. he tels us that faith is by God imputed to us for Righteousness he accounteth that in place of Righteousness faith is in very deed that whereby the Scripture witnesseth that we are justified that is accounted Righteous before God have our sinnes pardoned This faith maketh us acceptable unto God unto eternal life And in not ad dial f. 27. Nothing else was said than that faith is accounted to us of God imputed for Righteousness that that faith is truely in us who will deny seing these words are said to exclude the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness The Arminians do homologate with the Socinians in this Arminius himself cont Perkins faith expresly that faith it self is imputed to us in Praf ad Hyppolit this faith he is my opinion about justification that faith that alone is imputed unto Righteousness that by it we are justified before God absolved from our sins and accounted righteous pronunced declared by God giving sentence from the tribunal of grace Some blaine ine for saying that the act of faith it self the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere is imputed unto Righteousness that in a proper sense not metonymically I say faith is imputed unto us unto righteousness for Christ for his righteousness sake He owneth the same decl Sent. ad Ord. f. 65. 66. in Resp. ad 31. Artic. f. 152-154 John Goodwine in his Treatise of Justification Part. 1. Ch. 2. asserteth the same most considently from Rom. 4. whose reasons hereafter shall be examied The same purpose he prosecuteth Part. 2. Ch. 6. answering the arguments of the orthodox against that imputation which shall be considered in due time Mr. Baxter in his Confess pag. 18 19. Excepteth against some words in our larger Catechisme Confession of faith to wit that it is denied that the grace of faith or any act thereof is imputed for Justification unless it be thus understood that our faith is not imputed to us as being in stead of a perfect Righteousness of Obedience to the ends as it was required by the Law of works nor is our faith the matter or the meritorious cause of the remission of our sin or of our right to
of nature if not also in order of time And if matters be thus sins are first forgiven and then Faith is imputed 2 If the supposing of a righteousness will follow to wit Remission of sins then there is no answere to the argument for the argument speaketh of a Righteousness anterior to Justification and in order there unto 3 It is againe said but was never proved that to forgive sins is to give a Righteousness And I would ask what for a Righteousness this pardon of sins is is it a Righteousness perperly so called But that cannot be for all such Righteousness consisteth in obedience to the Law therefore it must be a Righteousness improperly so called if so it cannot be called our formal righteousness as he said it was 4 When he saith we are made righteous in justification yet will not grant an Imputed Righteousness and his Remission of sins is not yet found to be a proper Righteousness the sense must either be Popish or none at all I shall not here adde other reasons against this Assertion whereby it might be made manifest how dangerous this Opinion is if it be put in practice how it tendeth to alter the Nature of the Covenant of Grace It may suffice at present that we have vindicated these few reasons against it that we have found it in the foregoing Chapter inconsistent with the doctrine of grace in the New Testament repugnant to the Nature of Justification as declared explained to us by the Apostle and that we shall finde it in the next Chapter without any footing in the Apostles discourse Rom. 4. which is the only place adduced for its confirmation CHAP. XXIV The imputation of Faith it self is not Proved from Rom. IV. THe maine if not only ground whereupon our Adversaries build their Assertion of the Imputation of our act of Beleeving is Rom. 4. where they tell us the Apostle doth frequently expresly say that Faith is imputed unto Righteousness We must therefore in order the vindication of truth vindicate this place from their corrupt glosses to this end we shall first show that that can not be the meaning of the Apostle in this place which our Adversaries contend for next we shall examine what they say to enforce their Exposition of the place That the meaning of the Apostle Rom. 4. where it is said Abraham beleeved God and it was counted unto him for righteousness afterward his faith is counted for righteousness and faith was counted to Abraham for righteousness c. is not that Abraham's act of beleeving was accounted the Righteousness whereupon he was accepted was imputed unto him as a Righteousness in order to his justification and consequently that the act of Beleeving is now imputed to Beleevers for their Righteousness as said Servetus Socinus his followers Arminius his followers Papists others that I say this is not the true meaning of the place may appear from these particulars 1. If the act of Beleeving be accounted a Righteousness it must either be accounted a Perfect Righteousness or an Imperfect Righteousness If it be accounted for an Imperfect Righteousness no man can be thereupon Justified But Paul is speaking of a righteousness that was accounted to Abraham the father of the faithful in order to Justification that behoved to be a perfect righteousness for all his works wherein was an Imperfect Righteousness were rejected It cannot be accounted for a perfect righteousness because then it should be accounted to be what it is not and this accounting being an act of God's judgment it would follow that the judgment of God were not according to truth contrare to Rom. 2 2. The reason is because our faith is not perfect in it self there being much drosse admixed many degrees wanting in it far lesse can it be a Perfect Righteousness seing a Perfect Righteousness must comprehend full Obedience to the whole Law of God 2. The Imputation whereof the Apostle speaketh is of some thing to be made the Beleevers by the Imputation of God which the Beleever had not before But this cannot be Faith or the work of Beleeving because Faith is ours before this Imputation for Abraham beleeved God then followed this Imputation and vers 24. it is said that it to wit some other thing than the act of beleeving shall be imputed to us if we beleeve therefore it is not the act of Beleeving properly taken that is imputed or accounted here 3. Faith being antecedent to this Imputation if the act of Beleeving be imputed the word impute or account here must not signifie to Bestow Grant or Reckon upon their score but simply to Esteem Judge or Repute and thus Faith or the act of beleeving shall be in a beleever and yet not be a Righteousness till God repute it to be so But when God esteemeth judgeth or reputeth any thing to be in us he doth not change it nor make it something that it was not before but judgeth it to be what it is indeed for his judgment is according to truth Rom. 2 2. 4. This sense glosse is quite opposite unto and inconsistent with the Apostles maine scope in the first part of that Epistle which is to prove that Righteousness is now revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1 17. and that we are not Justified by the works of the Law but freely by grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3 24 25. And therefore not through the Imputation of Faith the act of Beleeving or any work of Righteousness which we have done for that should not exclude boasting or glorying but through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ received by Faith 5. That which was accounted to Abraham for righteousness did exclude all works and that to the end that all ground of boasting even before men might be take away vers 2. 3. Therefore Faith as a work or the act of beleeving can not be it which is here said to be reckoned or accounted to Abraham for righteousness for this is a work and being made the Ground Formal Objective Cause of justification can not but give ground of glorving before men 6. This glosse maketh the Apostles discourse wholly incoherent for he saith vers 4 5. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned ef grace but of debt but to him that worketh not but beleeveth on him that justifieth tht ungodly his faith is counted for Righteousnese Now if Faith properly taken be imputed the reckoning shall be of just debt for to reckon a men righteous who is righteous antecedent to that act of accounting is no act of grace but of just debt but Faiths being accounted for Righteousness is an act of grace and therefore it must be the Object of Faith or the Righteousness that Faith laith hold on that is here said to be counted upon
the Beleevers score and this indeed is no act of just debt but of grace 7. Againe as was said above if Faith properly taken or the act of Beleeving be imputed for Righteousness God should not be the justifier of the ungodly nor could Faith act upon God as such with truth And yet the Apostle tels us here expresly that Faith acteth upon God as one that Justifieth the ungodly He who hath a Righteousness in himself is no ungodly man and God justifying a righteous man could not be said to justifie the ungodly But if we take faith here for the object of faith or for the Righteousness of Christ which faith fleeth unto and layth hold on all is clear harmonious for then that man is not a worker but beleeveth he beleeveth on God that justifieth the ungodly that is one that hath no Righteousness in himself but must have it elsewhere even imputed to him and bestowed upon him through Faith when he thus heleeveth or layelh hold on Christ's Righteousness this Righteousness which by faith he leaneth to is counted on his score for Righteousness he is thereupon justified 8. Leaving what was formerly adduced against this glosse from vers 6 7. 8. of this Chapter Chap. XVIII we shall see what other passages in this chapter will say against it The Faith that was reckoned to Abraham for Righteousness when he was in uncircumcision vers 9 10. is the same with the Righteousness of faith which he had being uncircumcised vers 11. But this Righteousness of faith is not his act of Beleeving nor Faith taken properly as an act of Obedience but the Righteousness of the promised seed of the woman in whom all Nations of the earth should be blessed embraced by faith for it is this and not the meer act of beleeving that was sealed by the signe of Circumcision vers 11. for this Sacrament was a seal of the Covenant we know Sacraments seal the whole Covenant all the promises thereof to such as beleeve never seal our Faith or the like to be our Righteousness 9. The same that was imputed to Abraham for Righteousness will be imputed to all beleevers vers 11. But that is not the pure act of Beleeving for Abrahamt act of Beleeving was a strong act and is declared and explained to be such but every beleever who yet must be justified hath not such a strong act of faith as Abraham had And we cannot say that some are lesse some are more justified because the faith of some is weak and the faith of others is strong and yet this must be said if the act of Beleeving be imputed for a Righteousness for the Righteousness of one shall be greater than the Righteousness of another their Justification must hold correspondence with the ground thereof 10. That which was imputed to Abraham will be imputed to all beleevers for a Righteousness vers 11. must be a Righteousness which such have imputed unto them who do beleeve for it is added that he might be the father of all them that beleeve though they be not circumcised that righteousness might be imputed unto them also Abraham had Righteousness imputed to him or reckoned upon his score through faith while he was uncircumcised that he might be the Father of Beleevers among the Gentiles to whom also when they beleeve a Righteousness will be imputed as it was to Father Abraham 11. It is againe called vers 13. the Righteousness of faith through it he sais the promise was to Abraham to his seed but the promise is not through faith as an act of virtue obedience in us for then it should be through the Law but as the promise was made upon the account of the Righteousness of the promised seed our faith can not be said to procure or purchase the promise so its application is by Faith laying hold on gripping to that Righteousness 12. If faith properly taken were imputed it should be made void the promise of none effect they that are of the Law should be heires for faith taken properly for the act of Beleeving belongeth to the Law when it is made our Righteousness it is opposite to the free promise for what is promised or given upon the account of Righteousness or any thing within us is not a free gracious promise And when a free gracious promise is taken away all the right use of Faith is taken away so Faith is made void for the very essence of justifying faith lyeth in looking to laying hold on leaning to a free gracious promise 13. The Apostle vers 15. proveth that they who are of the Law cannot be heirs consequently that Faith or the act of Beleeving cannot be imputed for Righteousness as it is our act done in obedience to the Law by this reason because the Law worketh wrath c. And this also maketh against the Imputation of faith properly taken because that is an act of obedience to the Law cannot become our Righteousness being Imperfect consequently not conforme to the Law which requireth Perfection in all duties or other wayes threatneth wrath And if any shall deny this of faith viz. that it belongeth to the Law they must say that there is no Law for it consequently that not to beleeve is no sin for the Apostle addeth where no Law is there is no transgression 14. The ground of the free promise is that which must be Imputed and laid hold on by Faith But that cannot be Faith properly taken as our act for then the promise should not be of grace as it is expresly said to be vers 16. nor should it be sure if it depended upon our faith not upon that which faith laith hold on These things beside what was mentioned before from this same Chapter vers 6 7 8 23 24. may satisfie us in this matter and sufficiently evince that it is not the Apostles meaning that Faith properly taken as our act or our act of Beleeving is imputed unto Righteousness but that the Object of Faith or the Righteousness of Christ laid hold on and applied by Faith is that Righteousness which is reckoned upon the beleevers score Let us now in the next place see what the Adversaries say to make us beleeve that Paul saith Rom. 4. That our very act of Beleeving is imputed to us for Righteousness that thus the Apostle must be understood not as meaning the object of faith or the righteousness of Christ. The forecited Author Iohn Goodwin of Iustifie Part. 1 Ch. 2. adduceth some grounds for his glosse which must be examined His first ground is the letter of the Scripture that speaks it once twice yea a third a fourth time vers 3 9 22 23 24. Certanely saith he there is not any truth in Religion not any article of â—he Christian beleefe that can boast of the letter of the Scripture more full expresse
justification which is the hinge ground work as it were of his doctrine of the Gospel and to shew how poor sinners standing under the Curse for sin come to be justified before God as in his Epistle to the Romans And to Vindicate the same doctrine of the Gospel from the corrupt pervesions of false teachers as in his Epistle to the Galatians as also to commend the free grace of God in that noble contrivance both in the places mentioned and Ephes. 2. Phil. 3. Tit. 3. and elsewhere when he mentioneth the same Now as to the scope of the Apostle Iames there is nothing to declare unto us that it was his Intent or designe to explaine make known the way how poor convinced sinners standing under the sentence of the Law come to be justified before God and to receive pardon of their sins No such question proposeth he to be discussed No such point of truth doth he lay down to be cleared or Vindicated But his whole scope drift is to press the reall study of holiness in several points particularly spoken to through the Epistle And in that second Chapt. from vers 14. forward as will appear more fully in the explication vindication of the several verses in particular he is particularly obviating that grosse mistake of some who thought that a bare outward profession of the Gospel Faith or of Christian Religion was sufficient to save them and evidence them to be in a justified state and that therefore they needed not trouble themselves with any study of holiness And therefore sheweth that all such hopes of Salvation were built on the sand for they had no ground to suppose that they were truely justified so were in any faire way unto salvation so long as all their faith was no other than a general assent unto the doctrine of the Gospel to truthes revealed not that true lively faith hold forth in the Gospel whereby sinners become justified before God Mr. Baxter tels Cath. Theol. part 2. n. 364. that St. James having to do with some who thought that the bare profession of Christianity was Christianity that faith was a meer assent to the Truth that to beleeve that the Gospel is true trust to be justified by Christ was enough to justification without Holiness fruitful Lives that their sin barrenness hindered not their justification so that they thus beleeved perhaps misunderstanding Paul's Epistles doth convince them that they were mistaken that when God spake of justification by faith without the works of the Law he never meaned a faith that containeth not a resolution to obey him in whom we beleeve nor that is separate from actual obedience in the prosecution But that as we must be justified by our Faith against the charge of being Insidels so must we be justified by our Gospel personal holiness and sincere obedience against the charge that we are unholy wicked or impenitent or hypocrites or else we shall never be adjudged to Salvation that is justified by God Ans. 1 It is true for it is manifest and undeniable that Iames had to do with some who thought that the bare profession of Christianity was enough that an assent unto the truth was that faith that would prove justifying saving But 2 it is not so manifest that Iames had to do with such as thought that to trust to be justified by Christ was enough to justification without holiness fruitful lives that their sin barrenness hindered not their justification for whatever Mr. Baxter imagine we finde not in Scripture that justification followeth lives that is that there is no justification before this fruitfulness of life appear And himself useth to say that in order to the first justification this holiness of life is not requisite And beside this which he calleth the first we know no other unless he mean glorification But then 3 as to glorification final Salvation we grant that Iames hath to do with such as thought a meer assent to the truth without holiness was sufficient hereunto but that their beleeving thus could flow from their misunderstanding of Paul's Epistles is not any way probable seing Paul in all his Epistles even where he speaks most of justification by Faith without the deeds of the Law presseth the necessity of holiness in order to Salvation so as no imaginable ground hereof can with the least of shewes be pretended 4 That when Paul said justification was by Faith without the works of the Law he meant a true lively faith which only is to be found in that soul in which the seed of grace is sown and which is made partaker of the holy Ghost and of the divine Nature is true but yet justifying faith doth not formally containe in it a resolution to obey him in whom we beleeve as was shown elsewhere 5 Then we see that the faith whereof Iames speaketh is not the same with that Faith whereby Paul said we are justâ—fied And seing both do not speak of the same Faith there can be no appearance of discrepance 6 When he saith we must be justified by our Faith against the charge of being infidels I would know what he meaneth by this charge of infidelity If he meane the charge of not beleeving the Gospel he knoweth that a meer assent to the truth will â—ustifie from that Charge If he meane the charge of not receiving resting upon Christ according to the Gospel even that will be but a particular justification from that particular charge and is not that justification from the sentence of the Law whereof Paul speaketh 7 That we must be justified as he saith by our Gospel personal holiness sincere obedience against the charge that we are unholy wicked or impenitent hypocrites is true but what can all this say for a justification from the sentence of the Law under which we are all lying by Nature and of which the Apostle Paul speaketh And if Iames speak of justification by works in reference to this accusation he speaketh of no other kind of justification than that which the most wicked wreatch yea the devils are capable of when to wit they are falsely accused of having done some evil which they have not done And how can Mr. Baxter inferre from what Iames saith if he speak of no other kind of justification that works are required unto our justification as to state or unto our general justification from the sentence of the Law adjudging us to death because of transgression 8 But he addeth or else we shall never be adjudged to Salvation that is justified by God Then the Justification that Iames speaketh of that Mr. Baxter meaneth is final Salvation And we willingly grant that there must be personal holiness sincere obedience before this and that no wicked or impenitent person or hypocrite shall be adjudged to Salvation But the justification which Paul treateth of is different from
he knew before hand that these would not performe the new Condition how can he then be supposed to die for them not withstanding Thus we see what difference is among men that hold Universal Redemption about the Proper Immediat End Aime of the purpose of God in sending Christ to die and of Christ in comeing to died and how for the most part it cometh all to little or nothing for it was saith Arminius That God might save sinners what way it pleased Him his Iustice which stood in the way being satisfied or as Corvinus That God might will to save sinners That Christ intended by his death to make such satisfaction to justice as that he might obtainâ— to himself power of saving upon what Condition the Father pleased And thus Christ is said to have obtained Reconciliation Redemption to all not that they should actually be partakers thereof but that God his justice now being satisfied might prescribe a Condition which when they had performed he might would actually make them partakers thereof Some say that all men are put into a new Covenant in which Adam was a common person as well as in the old by vertue whereof none shall be damned that do not sin actually against the Condition fall thereby from that new state whereunto they are borne And this opinion differeth not much from that of Iacobus Andreae at the conference at Mompelgard which afterward Huberus maintained as Kimedoncius sheweth in his refutation of the same which was this in short That Christ suffered died for all none excepted Effectually and obtained for all a Reconciliation without any respect to Faith or Unbeleefe so that all who receive this Reconciliation continue in it shall be saved but as to those who refuse it by unbeleef it is made null and they perish Others say That Christ by his satisfaction removed Original sin in all so that all Infants dying in infancy are undoubtedly saved Others that he died for all sinnes alike but conditionally Some say that after the price was payed it was absolutely undetermined what condition should be prescribed so as God might have re-established the Covenant of works Others that the procuring of a new way was part of the fruit of Christ's death As for this condition some say that man can performe it with the help of such meanes as God affordeth to all and thus establish the Diana of Freewill But others assert the necessity of grace flowing from election hereunto and so destroy Universal Redemption which yet they assert So that some say Christ died for all Conditionally if they beleeve making the Act the cause of its own object for Faith with them is a beleeving that Christ died for them Some say that he died for all Absolutely Yet so as they partake not of the benefire until they performe the Condition which was to be prescribed and thus they affirme that Christ did no more sustaine the persons of the Elect than of the Reprobat but of all alike If we enquire therefore what was the Immediat Result Product of the death of Christ they agree not to tell us whether it was a Power or a Will or a Right to God to save any he pleased However all the Arminians Camero with them agree in this That Christ did not purchase faith for any and that as to all say some or as to the most part say others Christ hath only procured a Possibility of Salvation And what is this Possibility Some call it an Exemption from that necessity of perishing under which they came by the violation of the former Covenant if a satisfaction had not interveened and by this Exemption they say it cometh to passe that Christ if he will justice being now satisfied may bring all to life And hereby also say they all may be saved if they will But what is this else then a meer Possibility What efficacy hath it seing notwithstanding thereof all may perish againe They say it is really Efficacious as to this Possibility which was not before Justice was satisfied But yet notwithstanding of this Efficacious Possibility it might come to passe that not one should have been saved for how can salvation be possible without faith So that if faith be not hereby purchased it would seem that Salvation is not possible And further it doth hereby appear that all which is procured is but some power to God to Christ But what is mans advantage They say That a way to life is opened unto man that so he may now come to God by Faith Repentance But how can he come who hath no power to Beleeve or Repent without grace Or is it in corrupt mans power to Beleeve or Repent What that truth is which we stand for is plainly fully enough set downe in several places of Our Confession of Faith as Chap. 3. § 6. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory so hath he by the Eternal and most free purpose of his Will fore ordained all the meanes thereunto Wherefore they who are Elected being fallen in Adam are redeemed by Christ are effectually called unto faith in Christ by his Spirit working in due season are Justified Adopted Sanctified Keeped by his power through faith unto salvation Neither are other Redeemed by Christ effectually Called Iustified Adopted Sanctified Saved but the Elect only So Chap. 8. § 1. It pleased God in his eternal purpose to chose ordaine the Lord Iesus his only begotten Son so be the mediator between God man â—Unto whom he did from all eternity give a people to be his seed and to be by him in time Redeemed Called Iustified Sanctified Glorified And ibid. § 5. The Lord Iesus by his perfect obedience sacrifice of himself which he through the eternal Spirit once offered up unto God hath fully satisfied the Iustice of his Father purchased not only Reconciliation but an Everlasting inheritance in the Kingdom of heaven for all those whom the Father hath given unto him So ibid. § last To all those for whom Christ hath purchased Redemption he doth certanely and effectually apply communicate the same making intercession for them revealing unto them in by the word the mysteries of salvation effectually perswading them by his Spirit to beleeve obey and governing their hearts by his word Spirit overcoming all their enemies by his Almighty power wisdom in such manner wayes as are most cansonant to his wonderful unsearchable dispensations Our judgment is this in short That Christ according to the good pleasure of his Father laid downe his life a Ransome for the Elect only who were given to him to save from Wrath and Destruction and by that price purchased Salvation all the Meanes necessary thereunto for them only to whom in due time after the method which he thinketh best doth effectually apply the same unto them actually save them Though grounds sufficient considering the
Bonefites which are freely given us for the sake thereof Ans. This is but what we heard when he was clearing the state of the question there Chap. XIII we shewed that his sense was not satisfying for in his judgment as we found there is no Righteousness truely ours in order to justification but our Faith which he calleth our Gospel-righteousness which by Christ's Merites is advanced to this dignity of being the potestative Condition of the New Covenant wherein pardon Right to life is promised upon Condition of Faith so faith is our Immediat Righteousness in order to the obtaining of these favoures Christ's Merites have only procured them remotely in procuring this Covenant But we hear no mention made by him of any such Imputation as whereby Christ's fide jussory or Surety-righteousness is really made over and Imputed to Beleevers that they thereby may become formally Righteous in the sight of God and be justified as such so pardoned and have right to life immediatly upon the account of this Surety-righteousness made theirs Nor hear we any clear ground laid down by him whereupon Christ's Righteousness can be called Ours we thereupon be reputed of God legally Righteous dealt with as such We hear of Benefites bestowed because of His Merites But we hear not that Pardon and Right to Glory are made the Immediat result and effect of Christ's Merites Righteousness but only mediat by the Interveening of the New Covenant whereby our Faith the condition thereof called our Gospel Personal Righteousness is made the Immediat cause of our possessing these benefites whereby he giveth occasion at least to judge that he maketh our faith the Immediat procuring Meritorius Cause of Pardon and Right to life However between his way that which he here rejecteth which we also reject neither asserting that Christ was our Instrumental Second cause nor claiming a strick propriety in the same Numerical Habites c. which were in Christ as if we became Subjects of the same Accidents speaking of what Christ did suffered in a Physical sense we know owne a Midway whereby Christ's Obedience Suffering considered not Physically but legally juridically are transferred communicated unto us not as Physical accidents from one Physical subject to another but in a Law juridical sense And though this Imputing communicating of Christ's Surety-righteousness cannot be explained by nor appear consistent with Logical or Metaphysical Notions applicable only to Physical Entities as considered as such to wich Mr. Baxter in all his Explications of this matter doth so frequenily laboure to restrick us contrary to all Reason Yea and to Common sense Yet we must owne it for a truth knowing that these fundamental truthes recorded in Scripture and held forth to us only by divine Revelation stand in no need of Aristotle's learning in order to their being Savingly understood practified And that Law-termes are more fit to help us to some understanding in this matter which is hold forth in Scripture as a juridical act than Metaphysical termes and yet we see no ground to say that this matter whereof we treat must in all points keep even a resemblance unto Iustinian's modes knowing that it is a divine Mystery and unparallelable He saith 2. He that is made Righteousness unto us i◠also made wisdom Sanctification Redemption to us but that sub genere causae Efficientis non autem constitutivae We are not the Subjects of the same Numerical wisdom and Holiness which 〈◊〉 Christ plainly the Question is whether Christ or His Righteousness Holiness Merites and Satisfaction be our Righteousness constitutivly or only efficiently The matter and forme of Christ's personal Righteousness is ours as an efficient cause but it is neither the neerest matter nor the forme of that Righteousness which is Ours as the subjects of it that is it is not a Constitutive cause nexly material or formal of it Ans. 1. It is true He who is made Righteousness to us is also made Sanctification c. and that He is made Sanctification by being an Efficient cause but it will not follow that He must be also the Efficient cause and no other of our Righteousness which is of a far other Nature and is no Inherent inwrought thing as is Sanctification 2. It is true we are not the Subjects of the same numerical Wisdom and Holiness which is in Christ neither can we be if they be considered Physically but yet we can be Subjects of the same Numerical Righteousness Legally and juridically considered thus we are to consider it here not Physically however Mr. Baxter ad nauseam usque inculcat this for we consider it and must consider it as a Surety-righteousness we know that that same Individuat payment and Satisfaction made by the Surety is in Law-sense the Debtor's and imputed to him as the ground of his liberation from trouble and distress at the hands of the Creditor 3. Hence we see that Christ's Surety-righteousness consisting in His Obedience and Sufferings is that whereby we are constituted Righteous in the sight of God in a legal sense and need not enquire whether it be the neerest matter or forme or both of our Righteousness for these Metaphysical termes have no place here though Mr. Baxter can never hold of them We are made Righteous in a Law-sense not Physically by Christ's Imputed Righteousness and upon this account it is ours legally it is folly to enquire for Physical matter and forme or Constitutive causes of Moral or juridical Beings or Effects as Phylosophers do when speaking of Physical or of Metaphysical beings He saith 3. If our Union with Christ were Personal making us the same person then doubtless the accidents of his person would be the accidents of ours so not only Christ ' Righteousness but every Christians would be each of ours But that is not so nor is it so given us by him Ans. We acknowledge no Union with Christ making us the same person with Him Physically it seemeth Mr. Baxter will understand it no otherwayes But we acknowledge an Union legal Political foederal whereby we become one person juridical in Law-sense and as to this Mr. Baxter's accidents have no substantial place or Consideration The 4. Object is you do seem to suppose that we have none of that kind of Righteousness at all which consisteth in Perfect Obedience Holiness but only a Right to Impunity and Life with an Imperfect Inherent Righteousness in our selves The Papists are forced to confess that a Righteousness we must have which consisteth in a Conformity to the preceptive part of the Law not only the Retributive part But they say it is in our selves and we say It is Christ's Imputed to us Thus he proposeth it but if I were forming the objection I would say That Mr. Baxter Supposeth we have no Righteousness at all in order to justification beside our Act of Faith for as
his sin to us 3 Thus we see by asserting the cause viz. our relation to Christ he taketh away the effect viz. the Imputation of His Righteousness as being no distinct thing as if one should say we are related to Adam a sinful Head who broke the Law for us this is called Adam's sin imputed to us as being thus far reputed ours But yet Christ's fulfilling all Righteousness for us if that for us were understood in the Scripture sense and not according to the Socinian or Arminian gloss would abundantly ground the Imputation we plead for and that as a fruit of our Relation to Christ. Passing what he saith 8 as not worth the noticeing We come to see what he saith 9. lastly Proposing this objection to himself if Christ's person be given us then His personal Righteousness is given us with it He replieth thus Yes as His person is He is not given us as proprietors Lords to become our own at our dispose nor is his person made one Person with each or any of us His person is not turned into ours nor ours into his Ans. This is all to no purpose for no man in his wits either said so or dreamed so at any time As the husband saith he is not the person of the wife nor the King of each Subject but as one that hath a Great wise learned Bountiful Holy King or Husband hath also his Greatness c. as they have him that is as his perfections for their good as far as his relation bindes him but not as if his enduements were removed from him to them or falsely reputed to be in them or his person to be their persons so here as we have a Christ so we have a perfect Righteous Christ given us to be our federal head when we beleeve and the Righteousness which is not in us but in Him is ours so far as to be for our good as far as His office Covenant do oblige Him Ans. This savoureth of making Christ's dying for us to be nothing else than His dying for our good as Socinians say and if it import more as it doth in truth he cannot but see that his simile here hath nothing of a similitude in it for the objection speaketh of Christ's person given to us not as a great wise c. King is given to his Subjects but as the Surety is given to the debtor i.e. as one whose payment of the debt must be reckoned on the score of the debtor in order to his liberation out of prison He addeth So that a Righteous Christ and therefore the Righteousness of Christ are ours relatively themselves quoad jus beneficii so as that we have right to these benefites by them which we shall possess and for the merites of His Righteousness we are conditionally justified and saved before we beleeve and actually after Ans. All this jus beneficii is but remote for in the foregoing pag. he told us as we heard that this right doth not flow immediatly from what Christ did and suffered but from his Covenant of Grace and I think he should have said rather from their performance of the condition for the Covenant conveyeth no title but conditionally he knoweth and therefore can give no title or Right untill the condition be performed upon the performance of which the conditional Title becometh actual And further there is no more here said than what a Socinian will say and particularly Sclightingius pro Socino cont Meisnerum pag. 250. whose words we cited above towards the beginning of our XIII Chapter CHAP. XVII Reasons enforcing the practice of the Truth hithertill Vindicated WE have now at some length as the Lord was pleased to help essayed to vindicat this noble fundamental Truth of the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness in order to the obtaining of this life of justification and ere we proceed I judge it will not be amiss to press the practice of this Truth the hearty practical embracing thereof by several Arguments Considerations for it will not be enough for us to know the Theory and to be orthodox in our judgments as to these Necessary soul-concerning truthes but we must also practise them that it may appear we do beleev them in very deed and that we beleeve them with the heart this will be the best way to be kept orthodox and stedfast in the truth I shall therefore propose a few Considerations moving to the practice of this so necessary concerning a Truth As 1. This way of justification through the Imputed Righteousness of Christ the Mediator Surety is a way thath hath the testimony of both Law Prophets confirming it is now more clearly revealed manifest under the Gospel dispensation than it was formerly Rom. 3 21 22. But now the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law the Prophets even the Righteousness of God which is by faith of Christ unto all upon all them that beleeve And the same Apostle tels us Rom. 1 16 17. That he was not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that beleeveth c. And what is the ground reason of this for therein saith he is the Righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written the just shall live by â—aith This then must be a very sure saife way being thus attested witnessed by all that are worthy of credite in this matter a way that is one the same as to its substance both before the Law under the Law now under the Gospel though it be now more clearly unfolded explained since the coming exaltation of the blessed Mediator than it was before His coming when it was darkly revealed shadowed under the Mosaical Ceremonies Observances None need to feare a Miscarrying or a disappointment in following of this way which even the Law it self or the Mosaical observances did point forth in the daily yeerly Sacrifices pointing forth the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world on which the offerers were to lay their hands before they were to be offered up in token of their devolving laying their sin guilt upon the same as the the type of that one only acceptable Sacrifice that was to come in the fuluess of time was to satisfie justice for their sinnes to shew forth declare their faith relying thereon expecting acceptance there through as we see Levit. 1 4 3 2. 16 21. And a way which also the Prophets or the Spirit of Christ which was in them did testifie and bear witness to when it testified before hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow 1 Pet. 1 10. c. So Peter in his Sermon to Cornelius told him Act. 10 43. that to Him i.e. to Christ gave all Prophets witness that through His Name
as things historically recorded working up the man in whom it is unto a voluntary profession of that truth This though true in its kinde yet is not saving seing many may have this who are strangers to true saving Faith Simon Magns beleeved thus Act. 8 13. who yet was but in the gall of bitterness in the bond of iniquity vers 23. Many beleeved in the name of Christ when they saw the miracles which he did to whom notwithstanding Christ did not commit himself Ioh. 2 23 24. Christ had many disciples who professed the truth and yet went back walked no more with him Ioh. 6 66. This faith when it cometh no further is but such a Faith as devils have who beleeve there is a God tremble Iam. 2 19. This is the fruitless workless Faith that iames speaketh of Iam. 2 14. that cannot save which he calleth a dead faith vers 17 20. a faith that cannot work with works vers 22. There is a Temporary faith which whether we look upon as distinct from the preceeding historical faith or as an higher measure degree thereof the matter is not much is also different from far short of this saving Faith whereby a man cometh to live the life of Iustification though it hath some effect wrought upon the affections this is the stonie-ground that receiveth the sowen seed Mat. 13 20 21. These are they who hear the word and anon with joy receive it yet have no root in themselves but endure for a while only for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word by by they are offended 2. Every act of saving Faith is not the justifying act of faith or that act thereof whereby we are Justified before God Saving Faith hath many several acts as we may see Heb. 11. Though where ever there are any of the real acts of saving faith that man hath also acted justifying faith yet we may look on Justifying Faith or on the act of faith whereby the soul becometh Justified as some way distinct from other acts of Saving Faith Though by saving Faith we come to understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God Heb. 11 3. not in a meer historical manner but savingly yet that act of saving Faith is not the Justifying act thereof to speak so Though the same Faith by which the Ancients subdued kingdomes stopped the mouthes of Lions quenched the violence of fire c. was that by which they were justified yet these were not justifying acts of that faith that is in order to justification faith acteth in another peculier manner Though it be one the same saving faith whereby a beleever is united unto Christ in order to answer the Challenges Accusations of the Law to free him from guilt condemnation and maketh use of Christ's Right Strength Support c. in times of Darkness Temptations Difficulties yet these acts of the same faith are not the same but may be looked upon as distinct Faith acteth one way on Christ in order to Justification another way in order to Sanctification Faith acteth one way when it receiveth in and another way when it giveth out as it were Faith acteth one way on Christ as Priest and it acteth another way upon him as Prophet as King yet we would know that in all these actings of faith whole Christ is laid hold upon though more expresly explicitly in the uniting act whereby the soul is married unto Jesus thereby becometh one spirit with him There can be no use making of Christ for any end whatsomever untill the soul be united with himself and in every act of faith whereby Christ is made use of for what ever particular mercy the Beleever would have be it Pardon Light Strength Comfort or such like Christ himself is gripped to laid hold on for there is no separating of Him his favours yet the Beleever while gripping laying hold on whole Christ taketh him up under that Relation and eyeth that Office that most neerly answereth to and correspondeth with his present necessity and pointeth forth that good which he is now desirous of so acteth faith suitablie or putteth forth faith in suitable acts as for example when the beleever is troubled with conscience of guilt he runneth to Christ yet in a special manner he goeth to him as Priest eyeth that Blood that only can purge consciences from dead works Heb. 9 14. When he is troubled with Raging Corruptions would have them subdued or would have his hard Rebellious Heart made more soft pliable to God's will he goeth to Christ yet in special manner he eyeth Christ as a King acteth Faith upon him accordingly So when he is troubled with Ignorance Doubts and Darkness he goeth to Christ yet he eyeth him thâ—n especially as a Prophet accordingly acteth Faith upon him Yet we would know that when the Beleever acteth thus in this different manner upon Christ whether as a Prophet or as a Priest or as a King there is no exclusion far less any denyal of the other offices which cannot be because Christ himself consequently whole Christ is alwayes He to whom the beleever goeth though with a more express explicite special application to usemaking of that office work of Christ which most suiteth the beleevers present necessity Now though all these acts of faith be acts of saving faith yet they are not all that act of faith which is or may be for distinctions sake called the Justifying act of faith for this is that act of faith only which the soul exerteth in order to Justification and Absolution from the Curse of the Law 3. This Faith is no product of the power of Nature accompanied with all its advantages elevated to its highest pitch to the highest measure of accomplishments Nature as now corrupted depraved not only will not willingly complye with the designe of Grace in the Gospel but it cannot being nothing but pure enmity to the holy Wayes Counsels of God all its mindings are of the flesh and all the minding of the flesh or the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8 7. Persons deluded by Satan may imagine suppose with themselves that it is so wholly in their power to beleeve that they can exerte that Faith at what time so ever they will But howbeit out of their own mouths such unbeleevers stand convinced condemned for their not beleeving yet the mighty power of God's Spirit must be exerted ere they be brought unto a beleeving frame or their souls be made to look towards Jesus in earnest so as to lay hold on him by Faith Therefore is Faith called the gift of God Ephes. 2 8. There is the working of the might of God's power requisite unto beleeving Ephes. 1 19. Such then as have not the workings of the
which is had by Faith and which every one partaketh of that beleeveth as the following words show 16. When the Apostle saith Rom. 5 19. by the Obedience of one shall many be made righteous doth he meane by that obedience of one our Faith not rather the Obedience of Christ which is imputed and whereby we become Righteous As the disobedience of Adam was not some particular after deed of his posterity which was imputed to them for their disobedience but it was the particular fact of Adam eating the forbidden fruit which was imputed to all his posterity and whereby they were constituted sinners so this obedience of Christ cannot be any act of obedience in us be it Faith or what you will but the acts of Christ obeying the Law imputed to us whereby we become Righteous are constituted Righteous in the sight of God 17. When Paul said Phil. 3 9. and be found in him i. e. Christ not having mine own righteousness which it of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith can he meane by this Righteousness which he was desirous to be foundin only Faith If he had meaned Faith had not that been his own Righteousness Is not our Faith called our owne If not why saith Iames Chap. 2. shew me thy faith I will shew thee my faith And should not this Righteousness if his beleeving had been it been of the Law Or is faith according to no Law If it be according to no Law it is no act of obedience Moreover how could Faith be said to be through Faith Is Faith a mean to it self How can Faith be the Righteousness of God which is by faith Was not the Apostles scope desire to win Christ And is Faith Christ 18. If our act of beleeving be imputed to us as our Righteousness then we cannot say In the Lord have we righteousness contraire to Esai 45 24. in order to a saying in the Lord we shall be justified as vers 25. but rather in ourselves have we Righteousness in order to this end for Faith or our act of Beleeving is in our selves immediatly and is said to be our Righteousness Nor can we thus call the Lord our righteousness contrate to Ier. 43 6. But rather our own act of beleeving shall be our Righteousness trusted to as such Nor yet could we say that Christ is made of God to us righteousness As it is 1 Cor. 1 30. unless that because by vertue of his mediation our act of beleeving is made of God to us Righteousness sure I am the emphasis of the words pointeth out some other thing as hath been seen 19. Is our beleeving that rob of Righteousness wherewith the Lord covereth such as have ground to rejoice greatly in the Lord and to be joyful in their God Esai 61 10 Such might as well rejoice greatly in themselves be joyful in themselves in their Beleeving 20. Is Faith that everlasting Righteousness that the Messias was to bring in Dan. 9 24 Doth our act of beleeving last for ever Paul hinteth some other thing 1 Cor. 13. 21. When Paul saith Rom. 10 10. that with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousness must not this Righteousness be something distinct from beleeving If not we may as well say that Confession with the mouth is the same with Salvation for he addeth with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation wherefore as Confession is but a mean way unto Salvation so Beleeving is but a mean way unto Righteousness 22. Can we with any coloure of reason suppose that our act of beleeving is that Righteousness of God which is revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1. 17. Can faith be said to be revealed from it self to it self 23. Our act of Beleeving cannot be that Righteousness whereof Noah become heir Heb. 11 7. for he became heir of this Righteousness by Faith he could not be said to be come heir of Faith by Faith 24. Faith is among the works of Righteousness which we do and alâ— these works of Righteousness the Apostle excludeth from an interest in that Righteousness where-upon we are Justified as opposite to mercy Tit. 3 5. Therefore our Beleeving cannot be our Righteousness unto Justification 25. If our act of Beleeving be imputed to us for Righteousness then it alone must be that fine linen wherein the lambs bride is arayed and it must be the fine linen that is clean and white for this fine linen is said to be the Righteousness of the saints Revel 19 8. But that cannot be because our Faith is not so pure as that it may be called clean white linen the Saints themselves are ashamed of their faith as being so full of blemishes and imperfections as also because this favour granted to her to be arayed in this linen cometh in after that she hath made herself ready vers 7. which as Mr. Durham on the place sheweth is to be meaned of Faith 26. All this work about the Imputation of Faith taken properly for our act of Beleeving is made of purpose to shoot out the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ as is clear by Iohn Goodwines whole disput from his very stateing of the question part 1. pag. 7. saying But the Question in precise termes is this Whether the Faith of him who truely beleeves in Christ or whether the Righteousness of Christ himself be in the letter propriety of it that which God imputes to a beleever for righteousness or unto righteousness in his Justification Now let any judge which of the two hath more countenance in Scripture when the one to wit the Imputation of Faith is but to be drawn with any show of probability from one place of Scripture and yet how small countenance that giveth to it shall be seen hereafter and the other is so emphatically expressed in so many places both in the Old New Testament And which of the two deserve most the name of Righteousness in order to our Justification and the Imputation of which of the two is most consonant unto the genius of the Gospel Covenant which we must suppose to be far different from the Nature Constitution of the Covenant of Life made with Adam withall which of the two wayes speaketh out most distinctly the riches of the Love Grace of God giveth most sure ground of hope Confidence unto a poor wakened and distressed Soul finally which of the two is that which the seriously exercised Christian dar with fixedness of Resolution Lean the weight of his soul upon exercised Christians finde to be that whereupon they Loaning resting finde Peace Quietness of Soul CHAP. XXIII Some Arguments against the imputation of Faith Vindicated from the Exceptions of John Goodwine AFter these Reasons against the Imputation of our act of Beleeving drawn from the Scriptures we come here to Vindicate some Arguments adduced
by others to the same end from the Exceptions of Iohn Goodwine in his Treatise of Iustification part 2. Ch. 6. The first Argum. is thus framed That which impeacheth the truth or justice of God can have no agreement with the truth This is undeniable But the imputation of our act of Beleeving for Righteousness doth so because then he should esteem account that to be a Righteousness which is not Therefore c. He excepteth against the Assumption its probation thus 1. This was in effect the plea of Swencfeâ—dus as recorded by Zanchy Epist. lib. 1. p. 215. likewise of the Councel of Trent as Calv. hath observed Antidot ad Sess. 6. p. 324. to prove that the word Justification in the Scripture was not to be taken in a juridical sense to wit for absolution but in a physical or moral sense for making of a man compleetly just righteous Ans. What Swencfeldus said I finde not recorded by Zanchie in the place cited in my edition if his words be rightly repeeted in the margine he hath had the same judgment that Papists have which is sufficiently known with whom none in reason will say we conspire upon the account of this argument who but observeth this which abundantly discovereth the impertinency of this Exception That the minor its Probation speak not of the act of God Justifying but of his simple act of Estimating or Judging which must alwayes be according to truth therefore we cannot think or say that God judgeth or estimateth that to be a compleat Righteousness which is nothing so And beside though Justification it self were here understood yet it might be said without any ground of imputation either of Popery or of Swencfeldianisme that God who is the just Righteous Judge will not absolve a person as Righteous who is not Righteous nor pronunce him Righteous who hath not a Righteousness as he hath not who hath nothing but his act of Beleeving imputed to him Except 2. Any action conformable to a righteous Law may be is called Righteousness as that fact of Phineas Psal. 106 30. And faith being an obedience to a special commandement 1 Ioh. 3 23. 2 Pet. 2 21. Rom. 1 5. it may be with truth sufficient propriety of speach called a righteousness Ans. But of a particular Righteousness we are not here speaking nor of a particular Justification of such an act but of a Justification as to State and of a corresponding Righteousness which must be universal answerable to the challenge of the Law and no particular act of Obedience will be accounted such a Righteousness by God who is Truth Justice it self in order to the condemned mans Justification Beside himself tels us in end that this exception is nothing to the purpose for he doth not conceive that by Faith when it is said to be imputed is meaned an act of conformity to any particular precept of God And therefore he Excepteth 3. That which we meane is this that God looks upon a man who truely beleeveth with as much grace favour intends to do as bountifully by him as if he were a man of perfect righteousness Ans. But this Excepter should have said that Faith in the letter formality of it is imputed for thus he disputes against the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness and he should have said that God looketh upon the simple act of Faith as Perfect Obedience to all the Law for when we plead for the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness he said that thereby we make God to look upon us as performing that Righteousness in our own persons Neither will he others understand any other Imputation and yet we see how they can speak when explaining the imputation of faith that they may think to evite the force of an argument But 2 though it be true that God dealeth thus as is said with Beleevers Yet that can give no ground to think that he imputeth Faith for Righteousness because it is not upon the account of Faith taken as an act of their obedience that the Lord dealeth so with them but upon the account of the Righteousness of Christ imputed to them and received by faith 3 A Justified person is accounted Righteous not inherently but imputativly and is accepted as such and pronunced such and therefore must be righteous indeed for the judgment of God is according to truth And if nothing be imputed to the justified but his faith unto Righteousness that faith must be accounted to be a Perfect Righteousness which yet it is denied to be He Excepteth 4. Nothing is more frequent with the best writers than that God accounts those just who in strickness of speach are not such but only have their sinnes forgiven them Ans. And their ground is good because they alwayes suppose that such as have their sins pardoned have a perfect Righteousness imputed to them and received by Faith without which their could be no Pardon Argum. 2. If faith should be imputed for Righteousness then should Justification be by worksâ— or by some what in our selves But the Scripture every where rejecteth works all things in our selves from having any thing to do in Justification He excepteth That by works or some what in ourselves may be understood either by way of merite and in this sense the Consequence of the Proposition is false or by way of simple performance then the Assumption is false for the Scripture expresly requireth faith or a work of us in order to Iustification When Faith is required in order to Justification in way of simple performance it is not required as our Righteousness far less as all the Righteousness which the Justified soul must have but only as a mean or Instrument laying hold upon and putting on the Righteousness of Christ which is offered and imputed and whereby the beleever resteth upon and wrappeth himself in that Righteousness as the only Righteousness wherein he can think to appeare before God's tribunal and thus Faith is not considered as our act making up our Righteousness but as bringing in with a begger 's hand a Righteousness from without But when faith or Beleeving is purely considered as our work and as an act of obedience in us and yet is called our Righteousness said to be all that Righteousness which is had is imputed in order to Justification it justifieth as a work upon the account of it as something in our selves we are said to be justified all this in perfect opposition to the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness 2 It is but a Popish evasion to say that by Iustification by works the Scripture only meaneth justification by works that are meritorious as if either any work of ours what somever could be meritorious or as if such against whom Paul disputed did meane a meritoriousness in their works or as if the Scripture did not inferre merite from every work that is ours and that we do to make up a