given by Moses we have already shewed the Vanity of that pretence But if they mean thereby the whole Law or Rule of Obedience given unto the Church of Israel under the Old Testament they express much of the Truth it may be more than they designed 5. Some say that it is Works with a Conceit of Merit that makes the Reward to be of Debt and not of Grace that are excluded by the Apostle But no such distinction appeareth in the Text or Context For 1. The Apostle excludeth all Works of the Law that is that the Law requireth of us in a way of Obedience be they of what sort they will 2. The Law requireth no Works with a Conceit of Merit 3. Works of the Law Originally included no Merit as that which ariseth from the Proportion of one thing unto another in the Ballance of Justice and in that sense only is it rejected by those who plead for an Interest of Works in Justification 4. The Merit which the Apostle excludes is that which is inseparable from Works so that it cannot be excluded unless the Works themselves be so And unto their Merit two things concur 1. A Comparative boasting that is not absolutely in the sight of God which follows the Meritum ex condigno which some poor sinful Mortals have fancied in their Works but that which gives one man a preference above another in the obtaining of Justification which Grace will not allow Chap. 4.2 2. That the Reward be not absolutely of Grace but that respect be had therein unto Works which makes it so far to be of debt not out of an internal Condignity which would not have been under the Law of Creation but out of some Congruity with respect unto the promise of God v. 4. In these two regards Merit is inseparable from Works and the Holy Ghost utterly to exclude it excludeth all Works from which it is inseparable as it is from all Wherefore 5. The Apostle speaks not one word about the exclusion of the Merit of Works only but he excludeth all Works whatever and that by this Argument that the Admission of them would necessarily introduce merit in the sense described which is inconsistent with Grace And although some think that they are injuriously dealt withal when they are charged with maintaining of merit in their asserting the Influence of our Works into our Justification yet those of them who best understand themselves and the Controversie it self are not so averse from some kind of merit as knowing that it is inseparable from Works 6. Some contend that the Apostle excludes only Works wrought before believing in the strength of our own Wills and Natural Abilities without the aid of Grace Works they suppose required by the Law are such as we perform by the Direction and Command of the Law alone But the Law of Faith requireth Works in the strength of the supplies of Grace which are not excluded This is that which the most learned and judicious of the Church of Rome do now generally betake themselves unto Those who amongst us plead for Works in our Justification as they use many distinctions to explain their Minds and free their Opinion from a co-incidence with that of the Papists so as yet they deny the name of Merit and the thing it self in the sense of the Church of Rome as it is renounced likewise by all the Socinians Wherefore they make use of the preceding Evasion that Merit is excluded by the Apostle and Works only as they are meritorious although the Apostles plain Argument be that they are excluded because such a Merit as is inconsistent with Grace is inseparable from their Admission But the Roman Church cannot so part with Merit Wherefore they are to find out a sort of Works to be excluded only which they are content to part withal as not meritorious Such are those before described wrought as they say before believing and without the aids of Grace and such they say are all the Works of the Law And this they do with some more Modesty and Sobriety than those amongst us who would have only external Works and Observances to be intended For they grant that sundry internal Works as those of Attrition sorrow for Sin and the like are of this Nature But the Works of the Law it is they say that are excluded But this whole Plea and all the Sophisms wherewith it is countenanced hath been so discussed and defeated by Protestant Writers of all sorts against Bellarmine and others as that it is needless to repeat the same things or to add any thing unto them And it will be sufficiently evinced of falshood in what we shall immediately prove concerning the Law and Works intended by the Apostle However the Heads of the Demonstration of the Truth to the contrary may be touched on And 1. The Apostle excludeth all Works without distinction or exception And we are not to distinguish where the Law doth not distinguish before us 2. All the Works of the Law are excluded therefore all Works wrought after believing by the aids of Grace are excluded For they are all required by the Law See Psal. 119.35 Rom. 7.22 Works not required by the Law are no less an Abomination to God than Sins against the Law 3. The Works of Believers after Conversion performed by the Aids of Grace are expresly excluded by the Apostle So are those of Abraham after he had been a Believer many years and abounded in them unto the Praise of God So he excludeth his own Works after his Conversion Gal. 2.16 1 Cor. 4.4 Phil. 3.9 And so he excludeth the Works of all other Believers Ephes. 2.9 10. 4. All Works are excluded that might give countenance unto boasting Rom. 4.2 Chap. 3.17 Eph. 2.9 1 Cor. 1.29 30 31. But this is done more by the Good Works of regenerate Persons than by any Works of Unbelievers 5. The Law required Faith and Love in all our Works and therefore if all the Works of the Law be excluded the best works of Believers are so 6. All Works are excluded which are opposed unto Grace working freely in our Justification But this all Works whatever are Rom. 11.6 7. In the Epistle unto the Galatians the Apostle doth exclude from our Justification all those Works which the false Teachers pressed as necessary thereunto But they urged the necessity of the Works of Believers and those which were by Grace already converted unto God For those upon whom they pressed them unto this End were already actually so 8. They are Good Works that the Apostle excludeth from our Justification For there can be no Pretence of Justification by those Works that are not Good or which have not all things essentially requisite to make them so But such are all the Works of Unbelievers performed without the Aids of Grace they are not Good nor as such accepted with God but want what is essentially requisite unto the Constitution of Good Works And it is ridiculous to think
be genuine precious more precious than Gold of the right nature with that whereunto the Gospel promise of Salvation is annexed 2. This trial was made by Works or by one signal Duty of Obedience prescribed unto him for that very end and purpose For Abraham was to be proposed as a Pattern unto all that should afterwards believe And God provided a signal way for the trial of his Faith namely by an act of Obedience which was so far from being enjoyned by the moral Law that it seemed contrary unto it And if he be proposed unto us as a Pattern of Justification by Works in the sight of God it must be by such Works as God hath not required in the moral Law but such as seem to be contrary thereunto Nor can any man receive any incouragement to expect Justification by Works by telling him that Abraham was justified by Works when he offered up his only Son to God for it will be easie for him to say that as no such Work was ever performed by him so none such was ever required of him But 3 upon Abrahams compliance with the command of God given him in the way of Trial God himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declares the sincerity of his Faith and his Justification thereon or his gracious acceptance of him This is the whole design of the place which the Apostle traduceth unto his purpose And it contains the whole of what he was to prove and no more Plainly it is granted in it that we are not justified by our Works before God seeing he instances only in a Work performed by a justified believer many years after he was absolutely justified before God But this is evidently proved hereby namely that Faith without Works is dead seeing justifying Faith as is evident in the case of Abraham is that and that alone which brings forth Works of Obedience For on such a Faith alone is a man evidenced declared and pronounced to be justified or accepted with God Abraham was not then first justified He was not then said to be justified he was declared to be justified and that by and upon his Works which contains the whole of what the Apostle intends to prove There is therefore no appearance of the least contradiction between this Apostle and Paul who professedly asserts that Abraham was not justified before God by Works For James only declares that by the Works which he performed after he was justified he was manifested and declared so to be And that this was the whole of his design he manifests in the next verses where he declares what he had proved by this instance ver 22. Seest thou how Faith wrought with his Works and by Works was Faith made perfect Two things he inforceth as proved unto the conviction of him with whom he had to do 1 That true Faith will operate by Works so did Abrahams it was effective in Obedience 2 That it was made perfect by Works that is evidenced so to be For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth no where in the Scripture signifie the internal formal perfecting of any thing but only the external complement or perfection of it or the manifestation of it It was compleat as unto its proper effect when he was first justified and it was now manifested so to be See Mat. 5.48 Col. 4.12 2 Cor. 12.9 This saith the Apostle I have proved in the instance of Abraham namely that it is Works of Obedience alone that can evince a man to be justified or to have that Faith whereby he may be so 3 He adds in the confirmation of what he had affirmed ver 23. And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for Righteousness and he was called the friend of God Two things the Apostle affirms hereâ—â— 1 That the Scripture mentioned was fulfilled It was so in that Justification by Works which he ascribes unto Abraham But how this Scripture was herein fulfilled either as unto the time wherein it was spoken or as unto the thing it self any otherwise but as that which is therein asserted was evidenced and declared no man can explain what the Scripture affirmed so long before of Abraham was then evidenced to be most true by the Works which his Faith produced and so that Scripture was accomplished For otherwise supposing the distinctions made between Faith and Works by himself and the opposition that he puts between them adding thereunto the sense given of this place by the Apostle Paul with the direct importance of the words and nothing can be more contradictory unto his design namely if he intended to prove our Justification before God by Works than the quotation of this Testimony Wherefore this Scripture neither was nor can be otherwise fulfilled by Abrahams Justification by Works but only that by and upon them he was manifested so to be 2 He adds that hereon he was called the friend of God So he is Isa. 41.8 as also 2 Chron. 20.7 This is of the same importance with his being justified by Works For he was not thus called merely as a justified person but as one who had received singular priviledges from God and answered them by an holy walking before him Wherefore his being called the friend of God was Gods approbation of his Faith and Obedience which is the Justification by Works that the Apostle asserts Hereon he makes a double conclusion for the instance of Rahab being of the same nature and spoken unto before I shall not insist again upon it 1 As unto his present argument ver 24. 2 As unto the whole of his design v. 26. The first is that by works a man is justified and not by Faith only Ye see then you whom I design to convince of the vanity of that imagination that you are justified by a dead Faith a breathless Carcass of Faith a mere assent unto the Truth of the Gospel and profession of it consistent with all manner of impiety and wholly destitute of good fruits you may see what Faith it is that is required unto Justification and Salvation For Abraham was declared to be Righteous to be justified on that Faith which wrought by Works and not at all by such a Faith as you pretend unto A man is justified by Works as Abraham was when he had offered up his Son to God That is what he really was by Faith long before as the Scripture testifieth was then and thereby evidenced and declared And therefore let no man suppose that by the Faith which they boasted of any one is or can be justified seeing that whereon Abraham was declared to be so was that which evidenced it self by its fruits 2 He lays down that great conclusion which he had evinced by his whole Disputation and which at first he designed to confirm v. 26. For as the body without the spirit is dead so Faith without Works is dead also A breathless Carcass and an unworking Faith are alike as unto all the ends of natural or spiritual life This was that which the Apostle designed from the beginning to convince vain and barren professors of which accordingly he hath given sufficient Reason and Testimony for FINIS
acknowledged that the objective Grace of the Gospel in the Doctrine of it is liable to abuse where there is nothing of the subjective Grace of it in the Hearts of men and the ways of its influence into the Life of God are uncouth unto the Reasonings of carnal minds So was it charged by the Papists at the first Reformation and continueth yet so to be Yet as it gave the first occasion unto the Reformation it self so was it that whereby the Souls of men being set at liberty from their bondage unto innumerable superstitious fears and observances utterly inconsistent with true Gospel Obedience and directed into the ways of Peace with God through Jesus Christ were made fruitful in real Holiness and to abound in all those blessed effects of the Life of God which were never found among their Adversaries The same charge was afterwards renewed by the Socinians and continueth still to be managed by them But I suppose wise and impartial men will not lay much weight on their Accusations until they have manifested the efficacy of their contrary perswasion by better effects and fruits than yet they have done What sort of men they were who first coined that systeme of Religion which they adhere unto one who knew them well enough and sufficiently enclined unto their Antitrinitarian Opinions declares in one of the Queries that he proposed unto Socinus himself and his followers If this saith he be the truth which you contend for whence comes it to pass that it is declared only by persons nulla pietatis commendatione nullo laudato prioris vitae exemplo commendatos imo ut plerumque videmus per vagabundos contentionum zeli carnalis plenos homines alios ex castris aulis ganeis prolatam esse Scrupuli ab excellenti viro propositi inter oper Socin The fiercest charge of such men against any Doctrines they oppose as inconsistent with the necessary motives unto Godliness are a Recommendation of it unto the minds of considerative men And there cannot be a more effectual Engine plied for the ruine of Religion then for men to declame against the Doctrine of Justification by Faith alone and other Truths concerning the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ as those which overthrow the necessity of moral Duties Good Works and Gospel Obedience whilst under the conduct of the Opinions which they embrace in opposition unto them they give not the least evidence of the power of the Truth or Grace of the Gospel upon their own hearts or in their lives Whereas therefore the whole Gospel is the Truth which is after Godliness declaring and exhibiting that Grace of God which teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and that we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this world we being fallen into those times wherein under great and fierce contests about notions opinions and practices in Religion there is an horrible decay in true Gospel Purity and Holiness of life amongst the generality of men I shall readily grant that keeping a due regard unto the only standard of Truth a secondary Trial of Doctrines proposed and contended for may and ought to be made by the ways lives walkings and conversations of them by whom they are received and professed And although it is acknowledged that the Doctrine pleaded in the ensuing discourse be liable to be abused yea turned into licentiousness by men of corrupt minds through the prevalency of vitious Habits in them as is the whole Doctrine of the Grace of God by Jesus Christ and although the way and means of its efficacy and influence into universal Obedience unto God in Righteousness and true Holiness be not discernable without some beam of spiritual Light nor will give an experience of their power unto the minds of men utterly destitute of a principle of spiritual Life yet if it cannot preserve its station in the Church by this Rule of its useful tendency unto the promotion of Godliness and its necessity thereunto in all them by whom it is really believed and received in its proper light and power and that in the experience of former and present times I shall be content that it be exploded 4. Finding that not a few have esteemed it compliant with their Interest to publish exceptions against some few leaves which in the handling of a subject of another nature I occasionally wrote many years ago on this Subject I am not without Apprehensions that either the same persons or others of alike temper and principles may attempt an opposition unto what is here expresly tendered thereon On supposition of such an Attempt I shall in one word let the Authors of it know wherein alone I shall be concerned For if they shall make it their business to cavil at Expressions to wrest my words wiredraw inferences and conclusions from them not expresly owned by me to revile my person to catch at advantages in any occasional passages or other unessential parts of the Discourse labouring for an Appearance of success and reputation to themselves thereby without a due attendance unto Christian moderation candor and ingenuity I shall take no more notice of what they say or write then I would do of the greatest impertinencies that can be reported in this world The same I say concerning oppositions of the like nature unto any other writings of mine a work which as I hear some are at present engaged in I have somewhat else to do than to cast away any part of the small remainder of my Life in that kind of controversial Writings which good men bewail and wise men deride Whereas therefore the principal design of this Discourse is to state the Doctrine of Justification from the Scripture and to confirm it by the Testimonies thereof I shall not esteem it spoken against unless our Exposition of Scripture Testimonies and the Application of them unto the present Argument be disproved by just Rules of Interpretation and another sense of them be evinced All other things which I conceive necessary to be spoken unto in order unto the right understanding and due improvement of the Truth pleaded for are comprised and declared in the ensuing general Discourses to that purpose These few things I thought meet to mind the Reader of From my Study May the 30th 1677. J. O. Considerations previous unto the Explanation of the Doctrine of Justification § 1. THe General Nature of Justification State of the Person to be justified antecedently thereunto Rom. 4.5 Chap. 3.19 Chap. 1.32 Gal. 3.10 Joh. 3.18 36. Gal. 3.22 The sole Inquiry on that state Whether it be any thing that is our own inherently or what is only imputed unto us that we are to trust unto for our Acceptance with God The sum of this Inquiry The proper ends of Teaching and Learning the Doctrine of Justification Things to be avoided therein Pag. 1. § 2. A due consideration of God the Judge of all necessary unto the right stating and apprehension of the Doctrine of
words are not so but his own ubi pudor ubi sides That which I affirmed to be a part of an evil End when and as it makes up one entire End by being mixed with sundry other things expresly mentioned is singled out as if I had denied that in any sense it might be a part of a good End in our Obedience which I never thought I never said I have spoken and written much to the contrary And yet to countenance himself in this disingenuous procedure besides many other untrue Reflections he adds that I insinuate that those whom I describe are Christians that seek Righteousness by Faith in Christ pag. 167. I must needs tell my Author that my Faith in this matter is That such works as these will have no influence in his Justification And that the principal Reason why I suppose I shall not in my progress in this Discourse take any particular notice of his exceptions either against the Truth or me next unto this consideration that they are all trite and obsolete and as to what seemeth to be of any force in them will occur unto me in other Authors from whom they are derived is that I may not have a continual occasion to declare how forgetful he hath been of all the Rules of ingenuity yea and of common honesty in his dealing with me For that which gave the occasion unto this present unpleasing digression it being no more as to the substance of it but that our sins were imputed unto Christ and that his Righteousness is imputed unto us it is that in the Faith whereof I am assured I shall live and dye though he should write twenty as learned Books against it as those which he hath already published and in what sense I do believe these things shall be afterwards declared And although I judge no man upon the Expressions that fall from him in Polemical Writings wherein on many occasions they do affront their own experience and contradict their own prayers yet as to those who understand not that blessed Commutation of Sins and Righteousness as to the substance of it which I have pleaded for and the actings of our Faith with respect thereunto I shall be bold to say That if the Gospel be hid it is hid to them that perish Sixthly We can never state our Thoughts aright in this matter unless we have a clear Apprehension of and satisfaction in the Introduction of Grace by Jesus Christ into the whole of our Relation unto God with its respect unto all parts of our Obedience There was no such thing nothing of that nature or kind in the first constitution of that Relation and Obedience by the Law of our Creation We were made in a state of immediate Relation unto God in our own persons as our Creator Preserver and Rewarder There was no mystery of Grace in the Covenant of Works No more was required unto the consummation of that state but what was given us in our Creation enabling us unto rewardable Obedience Do this and live was sole Rule of our Relation unto God There was nothing in Religion originally of that which the Gospel celebrates under the name of the Grace Kindness and Love of God whence all our favourable Relation unto God doth now proceed and whereinto it is resolved nothing of the Interposition of a Mediator with respect unto our Righteousness before God and Acceptance with him which is at present the Life and Soul of Religion the Substance of the Gospel and the Centre of all the Truths revealed in it The Introduction of these things is that which makes our Religion a mystery yea a great mystery if the Apostle may be believed 1 Tim. 3.16 All Religion at first was suited and commensurable unto Reason but being now become a mystery men for the most part are very unwilling to receive it But so it must be and unless we are restored unto our primitive Rectitude a Religion suited unto the principles of our Reason which it hath none but what answer that first state will not serve our Turns Wherefore of this Introduction of Christ and Grace in him into our Relation unto God there are no notions in the natural conceptions of our minds nor are they discoverable by Reason in the best and utmost of its exercise 1. Cor. 2.14 For before our understandings were darkened and our Reason debased by the Fall there were no such things revealed or proposed unto us yea the supposition of them is inconsistent with and contradictory unto that whole state and condition wherein we were to live to God seeing they all suppose the Entrance of sin And it is not likely that our Reason as now corrupted should be willing to embrace that which it knew nothing of in its best condition and which was inconsistent with that way of attaining happiness which was absolutely suited unto it For it hath no Faculty or Power but what it hath derived from that state And to suppose it is now of it self suited and ready to embrace such heavenly mysteries of Truth and Grace as it had no notions of nor could have in the state of Innocency is to suppose that by the Fall our Eyes were opened to know Good and Evil in the sense that the Serpent deceived our first Parents with an Expectation of Whereas therefore our Reason was given us for our only Guide in the first constitution of our Natures it is naturally unready to receive what is above it and as corrupted hath an Enmity thereunto Hence in the first open proposal of this mystery namely of the Love and Grace of God in Christ of the Introduction of a Mediator and his Righteousness into our Relation unto God in that way which God in infinite Wisdom had designed the whole of it was looked on as meer folly by the Generality of the wise and rational men of the World as the Apostle declares at large 1 Cor. ch 1. Neither was the Faith of them ever really received in the World without an Act of the Holy Ghost upon the mind in its Renovation And those who judge that there is nothing more needful to enable the mind of man to receive the mysteries of the Gospel in a due manner but the outward proposal of the Doctrine thereof do not only deny the Depravation of our Nature by the Fall but by just consequence wholly renounce that Grace whereby we are to be recovered Wherefore Reason as hath been elsewhere proved acting on and by its own innate Principles and Abilities conveyed unto it from its original state and as now corrupted is repugnant unto the whole Intoduction of Grace by Christ into our Relation unto God Rom. 8.7 An Endeavour therefore to reduce the Doctrine of the Gospel or what is declared therein concerning the hidden mystery of the Grace of God in Christ unto the principles and inclinations of the minds of men or Reason as it remains in us after the Entrance of sin under the power at least
that herein their Spiritual and Eternal Interest was concerned they made their Enquiries after the Truth in this matter which they knew must be the only means of their Deliverance All men in those days were either kept in Bondage under endless Fears and Anxieties of mind upon the convictions of sin or sent for Relief unto Indulgences Priestly Pardons Pennances Pilgrimages works satisfactory of their own and supererogatory of others or kept under Chains of Darkness for Purgatory unto the last day Now he is no way able to compare things past and present who fees not how great an Alteration is made in these things even in the Papal Church For before the Reformation whereby the Light of the Gospel especially in this Doctrine of Justification was diffused among men and shone even into their minds who never comprehended nor received it the whole almost of Religion among them was taken up with and confined unto these things And to instigate men unto an abounding sedulity in the observation of them their minds were stuffed with Traditions and Stories of Visions Apparitions frightful Spirits and other Imaginations that poor mortals are apt to be amazed withall and which their restless disquietments gave countenance unto Somnia terrores Magici miracula sagae Nocturni Lemures portentaque Thessala Were the principal objects of their Creed and matter of their Religious Conversation That very Church it self is comparatively at ease from these things unto what it was before the Reformation though so much of them is still retained as to blind the Eyes of men from discerning the Necessity as well as the Truth of the Evangelical Doctrine of Justification It is fallen out herein not much otherwise then it did at the first Entrance of Christianity into the world For there was an Emanation of Light and Truth from the Gospel which affected the minds of men by whom yet the whole of it in its general Design was opposed and persecuted For from thence the very vulgar sort of men became to have better apprehensions and notions of God and his properties or the Original and Rule of the Universe then they had arrived unto in the midnight of their Paganism And a sort of learned speculative men there were who by virtue of that Light of Truth which sprung from the Gospel and was now diffused into the minds of men reformed and improved the old Philosophy discarding many of those falshoods and impertinencies wherewith it had been encumbred But when this was done they still maintained their cause on the old principles of the Philosophers and indeed their opposition unto the Gospel was far more plausible and pleadable than it was before For after they had discarded the gross conceptions of the common sort about the divine Nature and Rule and had blended the Light of Truth which brake forth in Christian Religion with their own Philosophical notions they made a vigorous Attempt for the reinforcement of Heathenism against the main Design of the Gospel And things have not as I said fallen out much otherwise in the Reformation For as by the Light of Truth which therein brake forth the Consciences of even the vulgar sort are in some measure freed from those Childish Affrightments which they were before in Bondage unto so those who are Learned have been enabled to reduce the Opinions and Practices of their Church into a more defensible posture and make their Opposition unto the Truths of the Gospel more plausible than they formerly were Yea that Doctrine which in the way of its Teaching and Practice among them as also in its effects on the Consciences of men was so horrid as to drive innumerable persons from their Communion in that and other things also is now in the new Representation of it with the artificial covering provided for its former effects in practice thought an Argument meet to be pleaded for a return unto its entire Communion But to root out the Superstitions mentioned out of the minds of men to communicate unto them the knowledge of the Righteousness of God which is revealed from Faith to Faith and thereby to deliver them from their bondage fears and distress directing convinced sinners unto the only way of solid peace with God did the first Reformers labour so diligently in the Declaration and Vindication of the Evangelical Doctrine of Justification and God was with them And it is worth our consideration whether we should on every cavil and sophism of men not so taught not so employed not so tryed not so owned of God as they were and in whose Writings there are not appearing such Characters of Wisdom sound Judgment and deep Experience as in theirs easily part with that Doctrine of Truth wherein alone they found peace unto their own Souls and whereby they were instrumental to give liberty and peace with God unto the Souls and Consciences of others innumerable accompanied with the visible effects of Holiness of Life and fruitfulness in the works of Righteousness unto the praise of God by Jesus Christ. In my judgment Luther spake the truth when he said amisso Articulo Justificationis simul amissa est tota Doctrina Christiana And I wish he had not been a true Prophet when he foretold that in the following Ages the Doctrine hereof would be again obscured the Causes whereof I have elsewhere enquired into Some late Writers indeed among the Protestants have endeavoured to reduce the controversie about Justification with the Papists unto an Appearance of a far less real Difference then is usually judged to be in it And a good work it is no doubt to pare off all unnecessary occasions of Debate and Differences in Religion provided we go not so near the Quick as to let out any of its vital Spirits The way taken herein is to proceed upon some Concessions of the most sober among the Papists in their Ascriptions unto Grace and the Merit of Christ on the one side and the express judgment of the Protestants variously delivered of the necessity of good works to them that are justified Besides it appears that in different expressions which either party adhere unto as it were by Tradition the same things are indeed intended Among them who have laboured in this kind Ludovicus le Blanc for his perspicuity and plainness his moderation and freedom from a contentious frame of Spirit is pene solus legi dignus He is like the Ghost of Tiresias in this matter But I must needs say that I have not seen the effect that might be desired of any such undertaking For when each party comes unto the Interpretation of their own Concessions which is ex communi jure to be allowed unto them and which they will be sure to do in compliance with their Judgment in the substance of the Doctrine wherein the main stress of the Difference lies the distance and breach continue as Wide as ever they were Nor is there the least ground towards peace obtained by any of our condescensions or
or before thee shall no man living be justified This must be spoken absolutely or with respect unto some one way or cause of Justification If it be spoken absolutely then this work ceaseth for ever and there is indeed no such thing as Justification before God But this is contrary unto the whole Scripture and destructive of the Gospel Wherefore it is spoken with respect unto our own Obedience and works He doth not pray absolutely that he would not enter into Judgment with him for this were to forego his Government of the world but that he would not do so on the account of his own Dutys and Obedience But if so be these Dutys and Obedience did answer in any sense or way what is required of us as a Righteousness unto Justification there was no Reason why he should deprecate a Trial by them or upon them But whereas the Holy Ghost doth so positively affirm that no man living shall be justified in the sight of God by or upon his own Works or Obedience it is I confess marvellous unto me that some should so intepret the Apostle James as if he affirmed the express contrary Namely that we are justified in the sight of God by our own Works whereas indeed he says no such thing This therefore is an Eternal Rule of Truth by or upon his Obedience no man living can be justified in the sight of God It will be said that if God enter into Judgment with any on their own Obedience by and according to the Law then indeed none can be justified before him But God judging according to the Gospel and the terms of the new Covenant men may be justified upon their own Duties Works and Obedience Ans. 1 The negative Assertion is general and unlimited that no man living shall on his own Works or Obedience be justified in the sight of God And to limit it unto this or that way of Judging is not to distinguish but to contradict the Holy Ghost 2 The Judgment intended is only with respect unto Justification as is plain in the words But there is no Judgment on our Works or Obedience with respect unto Righteousness and Justification but by the proper Rule and Measure of them which is the Law If they will not endure the Trial by the Law they will endure no Trial as unto Righteousness and Justification in the sight of God 3 The Prayer and Plea of the Psalmist on this supposition are to this purpose O Lord enter not into Judgment with thy servant by or according unto the Law but enter into Judgment with me on my own Works and Obedience according to the Rule of the Gospel for which he gives this Reason because in thy sight shall no man living be justified which how remote it is from his Intention need not be declared 4 The Judgment of God unto Justification according to the Gospel doth not proceed on our Works of Obedience but upon the Righteousness of Christ and our interest therein by Faith as is too evident to be modestly denied Notwithstanding this exception therefore hence we argue If the most Holy of the servants of God in and after a course of sincere fruitful Obedience testified unto by God himself and Witnessed in their own Consciences that is whilst they have the greatest evidences of their own sincerity and that indeed they are the servants of God do renounce all thoughts of such a Righteousness thereby as whereon in any sense they may be justified before God then there is no such Righteousness in any but it is the Righteousness of Christ alone imputed unto us whereon we are so justified But that so they do and ought all of them so to do because of the general Rule here laid down that in the sight of God no man living shall be justified is plainly affirmed in this Testimony I no way doubt but that many learned men after all their Pleas for an Interest of Personal Righteousness and Works in our Justification before God do as unto their own practice betake themselves unto this method of the Psalmist and cry as the Prophet Daniel doth in the name of the Church we do not present our supplications before thee for our own Righteousness but for thy great mercies Chap. 9.18 And therefore Job as we have formerly observed after a long and earnest defence of his own Faith Integrity and Personal Righteousness wherein he justified himself against the charge of Sathan and men being called to plead his cause in the sight of God and declare on what grounds he expected to be justified before him renounceth all his former Pleas and betakes himself unto the same with the Psalmist Chap. 40.4 Chap. 42.6 It is true in particular cases and as unto some especial end in the Providence of God a man may plead his own Integrity and Obedience before God himself So did Hezekiah when he prayed for the sparing of his life Isa. 38.3 Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight This I say may be done with respect unto temporal Deliverance or any other particular end wherein the glory of God is concerned So was it greatly in sparing the life of Hezekiah at that time For whereas he had with great Zeal and Industry reformed Religion and restored the true worship of God the cutting him off in the midst of his days would have occasioned the Idolatrous multitude to have reflected on him as one dying under a token of Divine displeasure But none ever made this Plea before God for the absolute Justification of their persons So Nehemiah in that great contest which he had about the worship of God and the service of his house pleads the Remembrance of it before God in his Justification against his Adversaries but resolves his own personal acceptance with God into pardoning mercy and spare me according unto the multitude of thy mercies Chap. 13.22 Another Testimony we have unto the same purpose in the Prophet Isaiah speaking in the name of the Church Cap. 64.6 We are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags It is true the Prophet doth in this place make a deep confession of the sins of the people But yet withal he joyns himself with them and asserts the especial Interest of those concerning whom he speaks by Adoption that God was their Father and they his people Chap. 63.16 Chap. 64.8 9. And the Righteousness of all that are the Children of God are of the same kind however they may differ in Degrees and some of them may be more Righteous than others But it is all of it described to be such as that we cannot I think justly expect Justification in the sight of God upon the account of it But whereas the consideration of the nature of our inherent Righteousness belongs unto the second way of the confirmation of our present Argument I
when he denies that by the Works of the Law any can be justified is the entire Rule and Guide of our Obedience unto God even as unto the whole frame and spiritual Constitution of our Souls with all the Acts of Obedience or Duties that he requireth of us And 2. That the Works of this Law which he so frequently and plainly excludeth from our Justification and therein opposeth to the Grace of God and the Blood of Christ are all the Duties of Obedience Internal Supernatural External Ritual however we are or may be enabled to perform them that God requireth of us And these things excluded it is the Righteousness of Christ alone imputed unto us on the account whereof we are justified before God The Truth is so far as I can discern the real Difference that is at this Day amongst us about the Doctrine of our Justification before God is the same that was between the Apostle and the Jews and no other But Controversies in Religion make a great Appearance of being new when they are only varied and made different by the new Terms and Expressions that are introduced into the handling of them So hath it fallen out in the Controversie about Nature and Grace For as unto the true nature of it it is the same in these days as it was between the Apostle Paul and the Pharisees between Austin and Pelagius afterwards But it hath now passed through so many forms and dresses of Words as that it can scarce be known to be what it was Many at this day will condemn both Pelagius and the Doctrine that he taught in the Words wherein he taught it and yet embrace and approve of the things themselves which he intended The Introduction of every Change in Philosophical Learning gives an Appearance of a Change in the Controversies which are managed thereby But take off the covering of Philosophical Expressions Distinctions Metaphysical Notions and futilous Terms of Art which some of the Ancient Schoolmen and later Disputants have cast upon it and the Difference about Grace and Nature is amongst us all the same that it was of old and as it is allowed by the Socinians Thus the Apostle treating of our Justification before God doth it in these Terms which are both expressive of the thing it self and were well understood by them with whom he had to do such as the Holy Spirit in their Revelation had consecrated unto their proper use Thus on the one hand he expresly excludes the Law our own Works our own Righteousness from any interest therein and in opposition unto and as inconsistent with them in the matter of Justification he ascribes it wholly unto the Righteousness of God Righteousness imputed unto us the Obedience of Christ Christ made Righteousness unto us the blood of Christ as a Propitiation Faith receiving Christ and the Atonement There is no avvakened Conscience guided by the least beam of spiritual Illumination but in it self plainly understands these things and what is intended in them But through the Admission of Exotick Learning with Philosophical Terms and notions into the way of teaching Spiritual things in Religion a new face and Appearance is put on the whole matter and a Composition made between those things which the Apostle directly opposeth as contrary and inconsistent Hence are all our Discourses about Preparations Dispositions Conditions Merits de congruo condigno with such a train of Distinctions as that if some bounds be not fixed unto the inventing and coyning of them which being a facile Work grows on us every day we shall not e're long be able to look through them so as to discover the things intended or rightly to understand one another For as one said of lies so it may be said of arbitrary distinctions they must be continually new thatched over or it will rain through But the best way is to cast of all these coverings and we shall then quickly see that the real difference about the Justification of a Sinner before God is the same and no other as it was in the days of the Apostle Paul between him and the Jews And all those things which men are pleased now to plead for with respect unto a Causality in our Justification before God under the Names of Preparations Conditions Dispositions Merit with respect unto a first or second Justification are as effectually excluded by the Apostle as if he had expresly named them every one For in them all there is a management according unto our Conceptions and the Terms of the Learning passant in the present Age of the Plea for our own personal Righteousness which the Jews maintained against the Apostle And the true Understanding of what he intends by the Law the Works and Righteousness thereof would be sufficient to determine this Controversie but that men are grown very Skilful in the Art of endless Wrangling CHAP. XV. Faith alone THe Truth which we plead hath two Parts 1. That the Righteousness of God imputed to us unto the Justification of Life is the Righteousness of Christ by whose Obedience we are made Righteous 2. That it is Faith alone which on our Part is required to interest us in that Righteousness or whereby we comply with Gods Grant and Communication of it or receive it unto our Use and Benefit For although this Faith is in it self the radical Principle of all Obedience and whatever is not so which cannot which doth not on all occasions evidence prove shew or manifest it self by Works is not of the same kind with it yet as we are justified by it its act and Duty is such or of that nature as that no other Grace Duty or Work can be associated with it or be of any Consideration And both these are evidently confirmed in that Description which is given us in the Scripture of the Nature of Faith and believing unto the Justification of life I know that many Expressions used in the Declaration of the Nature and Work of Faith herein are Metaphorical at least are generally esteemed so to be But they are such as the Holy Ghost in his Infinite Wisdom thought meet to make use of for the Instruction and Edification of the Church And I cannot but say that those who understand not how effectually the light of knowledg is communicated unto the minds of them that believe by them and a sense of the things intended unto their Spiritual Experience seem not to have taken a due consideration of them Neither whatever Skill we pretend unto do we know always what expressions of Spiritual things are Metaphorical Those oftentimes may seem so to be which are most proper However it is most safe for us to adhere unto the Expressions of the Holy Spirit and not to embrace such senses of things as are inconsistent with them and opposite unto them Wherefore 1. That Faith whereby we are justified is most frequently in the New Testament expressed by receiving This notion of Faith hath been before spoken unto
much more as it includeth Obedience in it is a Work and in the later sense it is all Works And in the ensuing Context he proves that Abraham was not justified by Works But not to be justified by Works and to be justified by some Works as Faith it self is a Work and if as such it be imputed unto us for Righteousness we are justified by it as such are contradictory Wherefore I shall oppose some few Arguments unto this feigned sense of the Apostles words 1. To believe absolutely as Faith is an Act and Duty of of ours and Works are not opposed for Faith is a Work an especial kind of Working But Faith as we are justified by it and Works or to Work are opposed To him that worketh not but believeth So Gal. 2.16 Eph. 2.8 2. It is the Righteousness of God that is imputed unto us For we are made the Righteousness of God in Christ 2 Cor. 5.21 The Righteousness of God upon them that believe Rom. 3.21 22. But Faith absolutely considered is not the Righteousness of God God imputeth unto us Righteousness without Works Rom. 4.16 But there is no intimation of a double Imputation of two sorts of Righteousnesses of the Righteousness of God and that which is not so Now Faith absolutely considered is not The Righteousness of God For 1. That whereunto the Righteousness of God is revealed whereby we believe and receive it is not its self the Righteousness of God For nothing can be the cause or means of of it self But the Righteousness of God is revealed unto Faith Rom. 1.16 And by it is it received Rom. 3.22 Chap. 5.11 2. Faith is not the Righteousness of God which is by Faith But the Righteousness of God which is imputed unto us is the Righteousness of God which is by Faith Rom. 3.22 Phil. 3.9 3. That whereby the Righteousness of God is to be sought obtained and submitted unto is not that Righteousness it self But such is Faith Rom. 9.30 31. Chap. 10.30 4. The Righteousness which is imputed unto us is not our own antecedently unto that Imputation That I may be found in him not having my own Righteousness Phil. 3.9 But Faith is a mans own Shew me thy Faith I will shew thee my Faith Jam. 2.18 5. God imputeth Righteousness unto us Rom. 4.6 And that Righteousness which God imputeth unto us is the Righteousness whereby we are justified for it is imputed unto us that we may be justified But we are justified by the Obedience and Blood of Christ. By the Obedience of one we are made Righteous Rom. 5.19 Much more now being justified by his Blood v. 9. He hath put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself Heb. 9.26 Isai. 53.11 By his knowledg shall my righteous Servant justifie many for he shall bear their Iniquities But Faith is neither the Obedience nor the Blood of Christ. 6. Faith as we said before is our own And that which is our own may be imputed unto us But the discourse of the Apostle is about that which is not our own antecedently unto Imputation but is made ours thereby as we have proved for it is of Grace And the Imputation of what is really our own unto us antecedently unto that Imputation is not of Grace in the sense of the Apostle For what is so imputed is imputed for what it is and nothing else For that Imputation is but the Judgment of God concerning the thing imputed with respect unto them whose it is So the Fact of Phineas was imputed unto him for Righteousness God judged it and declared it to be a Righteous rewardable act Wherefore if our Faith and Obedience be imputed unto us that Imputation is only the Judgment of God that we are Believers and Obedient The Righteousness of the Righteous saith the Prophet shall be upon him and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him Ezek. 18.20 As the wickedness of the wicked is upon him or is imputed unto him so the Righteousness of the Righteous is upon him or is imputed unto him And the wickedness of the wicked is on him when God judgeth him wicked as his Works are So is the Righteousness of a man upon him or imputed unto him when God judgeth of his Righteousness as it is Wherefore if Faith absolutely considered be imputed unto us as it contains in it self or as it is accompanied with Works of Obedience then it is imputed unto us either for a perfect Righteousness which it is not or for an imperfect Righteousness which it is or the Imputation of it is the accounting of that to be a perfect Righteousness which is but imperfect but none of these can be affirmed 1. It is not imputed unto us for a perfect Righteousness the Righteousness required by the Law for so it is not Episcopius confesseth in his disputation Disput. 43. § 7 8. that the Righteousness which is imputed unto us must be absolutissima perfectissima most absolute and most perfect And thence he thus defineth the Imputation of Righteousness unto us name y that it is gratiosa Divinae mentis aestimatio qua credentem in filium suum eo loco reputat ac si perfecte justus esset ac legi voluntati ejus per omnia semper paruisset And no man will pretend that Faith is such a most absolute and most perfect righteousness as that by it the Righteousness of the Law should be fulfilled in us as it is by that Righteousness which is imputed unto us 2. It is not imputed unto us for what it is an imperfect Righteousness For 1. This would be of no advantage unto us For we cannot be justified before God by an imperfect Righteousness as is evident in the Prayer of the Psalmist Psal. 143.2 Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight no man living no Servant of thine who hath the most perfect or highest measure of imperfect Righteousness shall be justified 2. The Imputation of any thing unto us that was ours antecedently unto that Imputation for what it is and no more is contrary unto the Imputation described by the Apostle as hath been proved 3. This Imputation pleaded for cannot be a judging of that to be a perfect Righteousness which is imperfect For the Judgment of God is according to Truth But without judging it to be such it cannot be accepted as such To accept of any thing but only for what we judg it to be is to be deceived Lastly if Faith as a Work be imputed unto us then it must be as a Work wrought in Faith For no other Work is accepted with God Then must that Faith also wherein it is wrought be imputed unto us for that also is Faith and a good Work That therefore must have another Faith from whence it must proceed And so in infinitum Many other things there are in the ensuing Explication of the Justification of Abraham the nature of his Faith and his Righteousness before God with the
things we may observe in the Apostles assignation of the causes of our deliverance from a state of sin and acceptance with God 1. That he assigns the whole of this work absolutely unto Grace Love and Mercy and that with an exclusion of the consideration of any thing on our part as we shall see immediately Ver. 5 8. 2. He magnifies this Grace in a marvellous manner For 1. He expresseth it by all names and titles whereby it is signified as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercy Love Grace and Kindness For he would have us to look only unto Grace herein 2. He ascribes such Adjuncts and gives such Epithets unto that Divine Mercy and Grace which is the sole cause of our deliverance in and by Jesus Christ as render it singular and herein solely to be adored 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rich in Mercy Great Love wherewith he loved us The exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness Ver. 4 5 6 7. It cannot reasonably be denied but that the Apostle doth design deeply to affect the Mind and Heart of Believers with a sense of the Grace and Love of God in Christ as the only cause of their Justification before God I think no words can express those conceptions of the Mind which this Representation of Grace doth suggest Whether they think it any part of their duty to be like minded and comply with the Apostle in this design who scarce ever mention the Grace of God unless it be in a way of diminution from its efficacy and unto whom such Ascriptions unto it as are here made by him are a matter of contempt is not hard to judge But it will be said these are good words indeed but they are only general there is nothing of Argument in all this adoring of the Grace of God in the work of our Salvation It may be so it seems to many But yet to speak plainly there is to me more Argument in this one consideration namely of the Ascription made in this cause unto the Grace of God in this place then in an hundred Sophisms suited neither unto the expressions of the Scripture nor the experience of them that do believe He that is possessed with a due apprehension of the Grace of God as here represented and under a sense that it was therein the design of the Holy Ghost to render it glorious and alone to be trusted unto will not easily be induced to concern himself in those additional supplies unto it from our own works and obedience which some would suggest unto him But we may yet look further into the words The case which the Apostle states the inquiry which he hath in hand whereon he determineth as to the Truth wherein he instructs the Ephesians and in them the whole Church of God is How a lost condemned sinner may come to be accepted with God and thereon saved And this is the sole inquiry wherein we are or intend in this controversie to be concerned Further we will not proceed either upon the invitation or provocation of any Concerning this his position and determination is That we are saved by Grace This first he occasionally interposeth in his enumeration of the benefits we receive by Christ Ver. 5. But not content therewith he again directly asserts it Ver. 8. in the same words for he seems to have considered how slow Men would be in the admittance of this Truth which at once deprives them of all boastings in themselves What it is that he intends by our being saved must be inquired into It would not be prejudicial unto but rather advance the truth we plead for if by our being saved eternal Salvation were intended But that cannot be the sense of it in this place otherwise than as that Salvation is included in the causes of it which are effectual in this life Nor do I think that in that expression By Grace ye are saved our Justification only is intended although it be so principally Conversion unto God and Sanctification are also included therein as is evident from Ver. 5 6. And they are no less of sovereign Grace than is our Justification it self But the Apostle speaks of what the Ephesians being now Believers and by vertue of their being so were made partakers of in this life This is manifest in the whole context For having in the beginning of the Chapter described their condition what it was in common with all the Posterity of Adam by nature Ver. 1 2 3. He moreover declares their condition in particular in opposition to that of the Jews as they were Gentiles Idolaters Atheists Ver. 11 12. Their present delivery by Jesus Christ from this whole miserable state and condition that which they were under in common with all mankind and that which was a peculiar aggravation of its misery in themselves is that which he intends by their being saved That which was principally designed in the description of this state is That therein and thereby they were liable unto the wrath of God guilty before him and obnoxious unto his judgment This he expresseth in the declaration of it Ver. 3. Answerable unto that method and those grounds he every where proceeds on in declaring the Doctrine of Justification Rom. 3.19 20 21 22 23 24. Tit. 3.3 4 5. From this state they had deliverance by Faith in Christ Jesus For unto as many as received him power is given to be the sons of God Joh. 1.12 He that believeth on him is not condemned that is he is saved in the sense of the Apostle in this place Joh. 3.15 He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life is saved but he that believeth not the wrath of God abideth on him Ver. 36. And in this sense saved and Salvation are frequently used in the Scripture Besides he gives us so full a description of the Salvation which he intends from Ver. 13. unto the end of the Chapter that there can be no doubt of it It is our being made nigh by the Blood of Christ Ver. 13. Our Peace with God by his death Ver. 14 15. Our Reconciliation by the Blood of the Cross Ver. 16. Our access unto God and all Spiritual priviledges thereon depending Ver. 18 19 20 c. Wherefore the inquiry of the Apostle and his determination thereon is concerning the causes of our Justification before God This he declares and fixeth both Positively and Negatively Positively 1. In the supream moving Cause on the part of God This is that free sovereign Grace and Love of his which he illustrates by its adjuncts and properties before mentioned 2. In the meritorious procuring cause of it which is Jesus Christ in the Work of his Mediation as the Ordinance of God for the rendring this Grace effectual unto his Glory Ver. 7 13 16. 3. In the only means or instrumental cause on our part which is Faith By Grace are ye saved through Faith Ver. 8. And lest he should seem to derogate any thing from the Grace
in every word And those other redoubled expressions all loss for him that I may win him that I may be found in him that I may know him all argue the working of his affections under the Conduct of Faith and Truth unto an acquiescency in Christ alone as all and in all Somewhat of this frame of mind is necessary unto them that would believe his Doctrine Those who are utter strangers unto the one will never receive the other 2. In his expression of all other other things that are our own that are not Christ whether Priviledges or Duties however good useful excellent they may be in themselves yet in Comparison of Christ and his Righteousness and with respect unto the end of our standing before God and acceptance with him with the same vehemency of Spirit he casts contempt upon calling them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dogs meat to be left for them whom he calleth Dogs that is evil Workers of the Concision or the wicked Jews who adhered pertinaciously unto the Righteousness of the Law v. 2. This account of the earnestness of the Apostle in this Argument and the warmth of his Expressions I thought meet to give as that which gives light into the whole of his design 6. The question being thus stated the enquiry is what any person who desires acceptance with God or a Righteousness whereon he may be justified before him ought to betake himself unto One of the ways proposed he must close with all Either he must comply with the Apostle in his Resolution to reject all his own Righteousness and to betake himself unto the Righteousness of God which is by Faith in Christ Jesus alone or find out for himself or get some to find out for him some exceptions unto the Apostles conclusion or some distinctions that may prepare a reserve for his own works one way or other in his justification before God Here every one must chuse for himself In the mean time we thus argue If our own Righteousness and the Righteousness which is of God by Faith or that which is through the Faith of Christ Jesus namely the Righteousness which God imputeth unto us Rom. 4.6 Or the abundance of Grace and the gift of Righteousness thereby which we receive Rom. 5.17 are opposite and inconsistent in the Work of Justification before God then are we justified by Faith alone through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto us The consequence is plain from the removal of all other ways causes means and conditions of it as inconsistent with it But the antecedent is expresly the Apostles Not my own but that of God Again That whereby and wherewith we are found in Christ is that whereby alone we are justified before God for to be found in Christ expresseth the state of the person that is to be justified before God Whereunto is opposed to be found in our selves And according unto these different states doth the judgment of God pass concerning us And as for those who are found in themselves we know what will be their portion But in Christ we are found by Faith alone All manner of evasions are made use of by some to escape the force of this Testimony It is said in general That no sober minded Man can imagine the Apostle did not desire to be found in Gospel Righteousness or That by his own Righteousness he meant that For it is that alone can intitle us unto the Benefits of Christs Righteousness Nollem Dictum 1. The censure is too severe to be cast on all Protestant Writers without exception who have expounded this place of the Apostle and all others except some few of late influenced by the heat of the Controversie wherein they are ingaged 2. If the Gospel Righteousness intended be his own Personal Righteousness and Obedience there is some want of consideration in affirming That he did not desire to be found in it That wherein we are found thereon are we to be judged to be found in our own Evangelical Righteousness before God is to enter into judgment with God thereon which those who understand any thing aright of God and themselves will not be free unto And to make this to be the meaning of his words I desire not to be found in my own Righteousness which is after the Law but I desire to be found in mine own Righteousness which is according to the Gospel whereas as they are his own inherent Righteousness they are both the same doth not seem a proper interpretation of his words and it shall be immediately disproved 3. That our Personal Gospel Righteousness doth intitle us unto the Benefits of Christs Righteousness that is as unto our Justification before God is gratis dictum not one Testimony of Scripture can be produced that gives the least countenance unto such an assertion That it is contrary unto many express Testimonies and inconsistent with the freedom of the Grace of God in our Justification as proposed in the Scripture hath been proved before Nor do any of the places which assert the necessity of obedience and good Works in Believers that is Justified Persons unto Salvation any way belong unto the Proof of this Assertion or in the least express or intimate any such thing And in particular the Assertion of it is expresly contradictory unto that of the Apostle Tit. 3.4 5. But I forbear and proceed to the consideration of the special answers that are given unto this testimony especially those of Bellarmine whereunto I have as yet seen nothing added with any pretence of Reason in it 1. Some say that by his own Righteousness which the Apostle rejects he intends only his Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or by the Works of the Law But this was only an outward external Righteousness consisting in the observation of Rites and Ceremonies without respect unto the inward frame or obedience of the heart But this is an impious imagination The Righteousness which is by the Law is the Righteousness which the Law requires and those works of it which if a Man do he shall live in them for the doers of the Law shall be justified Rom. 2.16 Neither did God ever give any Law of Obedience unto Man but what obliged him to love the Lord his God with all his heart and all his soul. And it is so far from being true That God by the Law required an external Righteousness only that he frequently condemns it as an abomination to him where it is alone 2. Others say that it is the Righteousness whatever it be which he had during his Pharisaism And although he should be allowed in that state to have lived in all good Conscience instantly to have served God day and night and to have had respect as well unto the internal as the external Works of the Law yet all these Works being before Faith before Conversion to God may be and are to be rejected as unto any concurrence unto our Justification But Works wrought in Faith
Protestant Divines that it is altogether needless to insist again upon them unless they had received some new inforcement which of late they have not done That which for the most part we have now to do withal are rather Sophistiacal cavils from supposed absurd consequences then real Theological arguments And some of those who would walk with most wariness between the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ and Justification by our own works either are in such a slippery place that they seem sometimes to be on the one side sometimes on the other or else to express themselves with so much caution as it is very difficult to apprehend their minds I shall not therefore for the future dare to say that this or that is any mans opinion though it appear unto me so to be as clear and evident as words can express it but that this or that opinion let it be maintained by whom it will I approve or disapprove this I shall dare to say And I will say also that the declination that hath been from the common Doctrine of Justification before God on the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ doth daily proceed towards a direct assertion of justification by works Nor indeed hath it where to rest until it comes unto that bottome And this is more clearly seen in the objections which they make against the truth then in what they plead in defence of their own opinions For herein they speak as yet warily and with a pretence of accuracy in avoiding extremes But in the other or their objections they make use of none but what are easily resolved into a supposition of Justification by Works in the grossest sense of it To insist on all particulars were endless and as was said most of those of any importance have already occasionally been spoken unto There are therefore only two things which are generally pleaded by all sorts of persons Papists Socinians and others with whom here we have to do that I shall take notice of The first and fountain of all other is that the Doctrine of Justification by the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ doth render our personal Righteousness needless and overthrows all necessity of an Holy life The other is that the Apostle James in his Epistle doth plainly ascribe our Justification unto Works and what he affirms there is inconsistent with that sense of those many other Testimonies of Scripture which we plead for For the first of these although those who oppose the truth we contend for do proceed on various different and contradictory principles among themselves as to what they exalt in opposition unto it yet do they all agree in a vehement urging of it For those of the Church of Rome who renewed this charge invented of old by others it must be acknowledged by all sober men that as managed by them it is an open calumny For the wisest of them and those of whom it is hard to conceive but that they knew the contrary as Bellarmine Vasquez Suarez do openly aver that Protestant Writers deny all inherent Righteousness Bellarmine excepts Bucer and Chemnitius that they maintain that men may be saved although they live in all manner of sin that there is no more required of them but that they believe that their sins are forgiven and that whilest they do so although they give themselves up unto the most sensual Vices and Abominations they may be assured of their Salvation Tantum Relligio potuit suadere malorum So will men out of a perverse zeal to promote their own interest in the Religion they profess wilfully give up themselves unto the worst of evils such as false accusation and open calumny and of no other nature are these assertions which none of the Writings or Preachings of those who are so charged did ever give the least countenance unto Whether the forging and promulgation of such impudent falshoods be an expedient to obtain Justification by Works in the sight of God they who continue in them had best to consider For my part I say again as I suppose I have said already that it is all one to me what Religion men are of who can justifie themselves in such courses and proceedings And for those among our selves who are pleased to make use of this Objection they either know what the Doctrine is which they would oppose or they do not If they do not the wise man tells them that he who answereth a matter before he hear it it is folly and shame unto him If they do understand it it is evident that they use not sincerity but artifices and false pretenses for advantage in their handling of Sacred things which is scandalous to Religion Socinus fiercely manageth this charge against the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches De servat par 4. cap. 1. And he made it the foundation whereon and the reason why he opposeth the Doctrine of the imputation of the satisfaction of Christ if any such satisfaction should be allowed which yet he peremptorily denies And he hath written a Treatise unto the same purpose defended by Schlictingius against Meisnerus And he takes the same honest course herein that others did before him For he chargeth it on the Divines of the Protestant Churches that they taught that God justifieth the ungodly not only those that are so and whilest they are so but although they continue so that they required no inherent Righteousness or Holiness in any nor could do so on their principles seeing the imputed Righteousness of Christ is sufficient for them although they live in sin are not washed nor cleansed nor do give up themselves unto the wayes of Duty and Obedience unto God whereby he may be pleased and so bring in Libertinisme and Antinomianisme into the Church And he thinks it a sufficient confutation of this Doctrine to alledge against it that neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers c. shall inherit the Kingdom of God And these are some of those ways which have rendred the management of controversies in Religion scandalous and abominable such as no wise or good man will meddle withal unless compelled for the necessary service of the Church For these things are openly false and made use of with a shameful dishonesty to promote a corrupt design and end When I find men at this kind of work I have very little concernment in what they say afterwards be it true or false Their rule and measure is what serves their own end or what may promote the design and interest wherein they are ingaged be it right or wrong And as for this man there is not any Article in Religion the principal whereof are rejected by him on whose account he doth with more confidence adjudge us unto eternal ruine than he doth on this of the satisfaction of Christ and the imputation of it unto them that do believe So much darkness is their remaining on the minds of the most of men so many inveterate prejudices on various
Doctrine and that which would so easily solve this difficulty and answer this objection as both of them are by some pretended certainly neither his wisdom nor his care of the Church under the conduct of the infallible Spirit would have suffered him to omit this reply were it consistent with the truth which he had delivered But he is so far from any such Plea that when the most unavoidable occasion was administred unto it he not only waves any mention of it but in its stead affirms that which plainly evidenceth that he allowed not of it See Eph. 2.9 10. Having positively excluded Works from our Justification not of Works least any man should boast it being natural thereon to enquire to what end do Works serve or is there any necessity of them instead of a distinction of Works legal and Evangelical in order unto our Justification he asserts the necessity of the later on other Grounds Reasons and Motives manifesting that they were those in particular which he excluded as we have seen in the consideration of the place Wherefore that we may not forsake his pattern and example in the same cause seeing he was Wiser and Holier knew more of the mind of God and had more zeal for personal Righteousness and Holiness in the Church than we all if we are pressed a Thousand times with this objection we shall never seek to deliver our selves from it by answering that we allow these things to be the condition or causes of our Justification or the matter of our Righteousness before God seeing he would not so do Secondly we may observe that in his answer unto this objection whether expresly mentioned or tacitly obviated he insisteth not any where upon the common principle of moral Duties but on those motives and reasons of Holiness Obedience good works alone which are peculiar unto Believers For the question was not whether all mankind were obliged unto Obedience unto God and the Duties thereof of by the moral Law But whether there were an Obligation from the Gospel upon Believers unto Righteousness Holiness and good Works such as was suited to affect and constrain their minds unto them Nor will we admit of any other state of the question but this only whether upon the supposition of our gratuitous justification through the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ there are in the Gospel grounds reasons and motives making necessary and efficaciously influencing the minds of Believers unto Obedience and good Works for those who are not Believers we have nothing to do with them in this matter nor do plead that Evangelical grounds and motives are suited or effectual to work them unto Obedience yea we know the contrary and that they are apt both to despise them and abuse them See I Cor. 1.23 24. 2 Cor. 4.4 such persons are under the Law and there we leave them unto the Authority of God in the moral Law But that the Apostle doth confine his enquiry unto Believers is evident in every place wherein he maketh mention of it Rom. 6.2 3. How shall we that are dead unto sin live any longer therein Know ye not that so many of us as were Baptized into Jesus Christ c. Eph. 2.10 For we are the workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus unto good Works Wherefore we shall not at all contend what cogency unto duties of Holiness there is in Gospel motives and reasons unto the minds of Vnbelievers whatever may be the truth in that case But what is their power force and efficacy towards them that truly believe Thirdly The answers which the Apostle returns positively unto this objection wherein he declares the necessity nature ends and use of Evangelical Righteousness and good Works are large and many comprehensive of a great part of the Doctrine of the Gospel I shall only mention the heads of some of them which are the same that we plead in the vindication of the same truth 1. He pleads the Ordination of God God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Eph. 2.10 God hath designed in the disposal of the order of the causes of Salvation that those who believe in Christ should live in walk in abound in good Works and all Duties of Obedience unto God To this end are Precepts Directions Motives and Encouragements every where multiplied in the Scripture Wherefore we say that good Works and that as they include the gradual progressive Renovation of our natures our growth and increase in grace with fruitfulness in our lives are necessary from the Ordination of God from his will and command And what need there any further dispute about the necessity of good Works among them that know what it is to believe or what respect there is in the Souls and Consciences of Believers unto the commands of God But what force say some is in this Command or Ordination of God when notwithstanding it and if we do not apply our selves unto Obedience we shall be justified by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ and so may be saved without them I say 1 As was before observed that it is Believers alone concerning whom this enquiry is made and there is none of them but will judge this a most unreasonable and senseless objection as that which ariseth from an utter ignorance of their state and relation unto God To suppose that the minds of Believers are not as much and as effectually influenced with the Authority and Commands of God unto Duty and Obedience as if they were all given in order unto their Justification is to consider neither what Faith is nor what it is to be a Believer nor what is the Relation that we stand in unto God by Faith in Christ Jesus nor what are the Arguments or motives wherewith the minds of such persons are principally affected and constrained This is the Answer which the Apostle gives at large unto this Exception Rom. 6.2 3. 2 The whole fallacy of this Exception is 1 In separating the things that God hath made inseparable These are our Justification and our Sanctification To suppose that the one of these may be without the other is to overthrow the whole Gospel 2 In compounding those things that are distinct namely Justification and eternal actual Salvation the respect of Works and Obedience being not the same unto them both as hath been declared Wherefore this Imagination that the commands of God unto Duty However given and unto what ends soever are not equally obligatory unto the Consciences of Believers as if they were all given in order unto their Justification before God is an absurd figment and which all of them who are truly so defie Yea they have a greater power upon them than they could have if the Duties required in them were in order unto their Justification and so were antecedent thereunto For thereby they must be supposed to have their efficacy upon them before they truly believe For to say that a man may be a true Believer or truly
unto the Preface unto his Exposition of his Epistles of which kind they will be directed unto more in due season But he needs not the Testimony of men nor of the whole Church together whose safety and security it is to be built on that Doctrine which he taught In the mean time it would not be unpleasant to consider but that the perverseness of the minds of men is rather a real occasion of sorrow how those who have the same design do agree in their conceptions about his Writings for some will have it that if not all yet the most of his Epistles were Written against the Gnosticks and in the confutation of their errour others that the Gnosticks took the occasion of their errours from his Writings So bold will men make with things Divine to satisfie a present interest Secondly This was not the judgment of the ancient Church for three or four hundred years For whereas the Epistles of Paul were always esteemed the principal treasure of the Church the great guide and rule of the Christian Faith this of James was scarce received as Canonical by many and doubted of by the most as both Eusebius and Hierome do testifie Thirdly The design of the Apostle James is not at all to explain the meaning of Paul in his Epistles as is pretended but only to vindicate the Doctrine of the Gospel from the abuse of such as used their liberty for a cloak of Maliciousness and turning the Grace of God into lasciviousness continued in sin under a pretence that Grace had abounded unto that end Fourthly The Apostle Paul doth himself as we have declared vindicate his own Doctrine from such exceptions and abuses as men either made at it or turned it unto Nor have we any other Doctrine in his Epistles than what he Preached all the World over and whereby he laid the foundation of Christian Religion especially among the Gentiles These things being premised I shall briefly evidence that there is not the least Repugnancy or contradiction between what is declared by these two Apostles as unto our Justification with the causes of it And this I shall do 1. By some general considerations of the nature and tendency of both their discourses 2 By a particular explication of the context in that of St. James And under the first head I shall manifest 1 That they have not the same scope design or end in their discourses That they do not consider the same question nor state the same case nor determine on the same enquiry and therefore not speaking ad idem unto the same thing do not contradict one another 2 That as Faith is a word of various signification in the Scripture and doth as we have proved before denote that which is of divers kinds they speak not of the same Faith or Faith of the same kind and therefore there can be no contradiction in what the one ascribes unto it and the other derogates from it seeing they speak not of the same Faith 3 That they do not speak of Justification in the same sense nor with respect unto the same ends 4 That as unto Works they both intend the same namely the Works of Obedience unto the moral Law As to the scope and design of the Apostle Paul the question which he answereth the case which he proposeth and determines upon are manifest in all his Writings especially his Epistles unto the Romans and Galatians The whole of his purpose is to declare how a guilty convinced sinner comes through Faith in the blood of Christ to have all his sins pardoned to be accepted with God and obtain a right unto the Heavenly inheritance that is be acquitted and justified in the sight of God And as the Doctrine hereof belonged eminently unto the Gospel whose Revelation and Declaration unto the Gentiles was in a peculiar manner committed unto him so as we have newly observed he had an especial reason to insist much upon it from the opposition that was made unto it by the Jews and Judaizing Christians who ascribed this priviledge unto the Law and our own Works of Obedience in compliance therewithal This is the case he states this the question he determines in all his Discourses about Justification and in the explication thereof declares the nature and causes of it as also vindicates it from all exceptions For whereas men of corrupt minds and willing to indulge unto their lusts as all men naturally desire nothing but what God hath made eternally inconsistent namely that they may live in sin here and come to blessedness hereafter might conclude that if it were so as he declared that we are justified freely through the Grace of God by the Imputation of a Righteousness that Originally and inherently is not our own then was there no more required of us no relinquishment of sin no attendance unto the duties of Righteousness and Holiness he obviates such impious suggestions and shews the inconsequence of them on the Doctrine that he taught But this he doth not do in any place by intimating or granting that our own Works of Obedience or Righteousness are necessary unto or have any causal influence into our Justification before God Had there been a Truth herein were not a supposition thereof really inconsistent with the whole of his Doctrine and destructive of it he would not have omitted the Plea of it nor ought so to have done as we have shewed And to suppose that there was need that any other should explain and vindicate his Doctrine from the same exceptions which he takes notice of by such a Plea as he himself would not make use of but rejects is foolish and impious The Apostle James on the other hand had no such scope or design or any such occasion for what he wrote in this matter He doth not enquire or give intimation of any such enquiry he doth not state the Case how a guilty convinced Sinner whose mouth is stopped as unto any plea or excuse for himself may come to be justified in the sight of God that is receive the Pardon of sins and the gift of Righteousness unto life To resolve this question into our own Works is to overthrow the whole Gospel But he had in hand a business quite of another nature For as we have said there were many in those days who professed the Christian Religion or Faith in the Gospel whereon they presumed that as they were already justified so that there was nothing more needful unto them that they might be saved A desirable estate they thought they had attained suited unto all the interest of the Flesh whereby they might live in Sin and neglect of all Duty of Obedience and yet be eternally saved Some suppose that this pernicious conceit was imbibed by them from the poysonous Opinions that some had then divulged according as the Apostle Paul foretold that it would come to pass 2 Tim. 4.1 2 3. For it is generally conceived that Simon Magus and his followers
He is utterly mistaken for the Apostle doth not ascribe Justification partly to Works and partly to Faith but he ascribes Justification in the sense by him intended wholly to Works in opposition to that Faith concerning which he treats For there is a plain Antithesis in the Words between Works and Faith as unto Justification in the sense by him intended A dead Faith a Faith without Works the Faith of Devils is excluded from having any influence into Justification Fourthly He adds that the Apostle compares this Faith without Works unto a rich man that gives nothing unto the poor ver 16. and a Body without a Spirit ver 26. wherefore as that knowledg whereby a rich man knows the wants of the poor is true and real and a dead body is a body so is Faith without Works true Faith also and as such is considered by Saint James Ans. These things do evidently destroy what they are produced in the confirmation of only the Cardinal helps them out with a little Sophistry For whereas the Apostle compares this Faith unto the charity of a man that gives nothing to the poor he suggests in the room thereof his knowledge of their poverty And his knowledge may be true and the more true and certain it is the more false and feigned is the charity which he pretends in these words Go and be fed or cloathed Such is the Faith the Apostle speaks of And although a dead body is a true body that is as unto the matter or substance of it a Carcass yet is it not an essential part of a living man A Carcass is not of the same nature or kind as is the body of a living man And we assert no other difference between the Faith spoken of by the Apostle and that which is justifying than what is between a dead breathless Carcass and a living animated body prepared and fitted for all vital acts Wherefore it is evident beyond all contradiction if we have not a mind to be contentious that what the Apostle James here derogates from Faith as unto our Justification it respects only a dead barren lifeless Faith such as is usually pretended by ungodly godly men to countenance themselves in their sins And herein the Faith asserted by Paul hath no concern The consideration of the present condition of the profession of Faith in the World will direct us unto the best exposition of this place Thirdly They speak not of Justification in the same sense nor unto the same end It is of our absolute Justification before God the Justification of our persons our acceptance with him and the grant of a right unto the Heavenly inheritance that the Apostle Paul doth treat and thereof alone This he declares in all the causes of it all that on the part of God or on our part concurreth thereunto The evidence the knowledge the sense the fruit the manifestation of it in our own Consciences in the Church unto others that profess the Faith he treats not of but speaks of them separately as they occur on other occasions The Justification he treats of is but one and at once accomplished before God changing the relative state of the person justified and is capable of being evidenced various ways unto the glory of God and the consolation of them that truly believe Hereof the Apostle James doth not treat at all for his whole enquiry is after the nature of that Faith whereby we are justified and the only way whereby it may be evidenced to be of the right kind such as a man may safely trust unto Wherefore he treats of Justification only as to the evidence and manifestation of it nor had he any occasion to do otherwise And this is apparent from both the instances whereby he confirms his purpose The first is that of Abraham ver 21.22 23. For he says that by Abrahams being justified by Works in the way and manner wherein he asserts him so to have been the Scripture was fulfilled which says that Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for Righteousness And if his intention were to prove that we are justified before God by Works and not by Faith because Abraham was so the Testimony produced is contrary yea directly contradictory unto what should be proved by it and accordingly is alledged by Paul to prove that Abraham was justified by Faith without Works as the words do plainly import Nor can any man declare how the Truth of this proposition Abraham was justified by Works intending absolute Justification before God was that wherein that Scripture was fulfilled Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for Righteousness especially considering the opposition that is made both here and elsewhere between Faith and Works in this matter Besides he asserts that Abraham was justified by Works then when he had offered his Son on the Altar the same we believe also but only enquire in what sense he was so justified For it was Thirty years or thereabout after it was testified concerning him that he believed God and it was imputed unto him for Righteousness and when Righteousness was imputed unto him he was justified And twice justified in the same sense in the same way with the same kind of Justification he was not How then was he Justified by Works when he offered his Son on the Altar He that can conceive it to be any otherwise but that he was by his Work in the offering of his Son evidenced and declared in the sight of God and man to be justified apprehends what I cannot attain unto seeing that he was really justified long before as is unquestionable and confessed by all He was I say then justified in the sight of God in the way declared Gen. 22.12 And gave a signal Testimony unto the sincerity of his Faith and trust in God manifesting the truth of that Scripture he believed God and it was imputed unto him for Righteousness And in the quotation of this Testimony the Apostle openly acknowledgeth that he was really accounted Righteous had Righteousness imputed unto him and was justified before God the reasons and causes whereof he therefore considereth not long before that Justification which he ascribes unto his Works which therefore can be nothing but the evidencing proving and manifestation of it whence also it appears of what nature that Faith is whereby we are justified the Declaration whereof is the principal design of the Apostle In brief the Scripture alledged that Abraham believed and it was imputed unto him for Righteousness was fulfilled when he was justified by Works on the offering of his Son on the Altar either by the Imputation of Righteousness unto him or by a real efficiency or working Righteousness in him or by the manifestation and evidence of his former Justification or some other way must be found out 1 That it was not by Imputation or that Righteousness unto the Justification of life was not then first imputed unto him is plain in the Text
Apostle infers v. 17. Even so Faith if it hath not Works is dead being alone For this was that which he undertook to prove not that we are not justified by Faith alone without Works before God but that the Faith which is alone without Works is dead useless and unprofitable Having given this first evidence unto the conclusion which in Thesi he designed to prove he reassumes the question and states it in Hypothesi so as to give it a more full demonstration v. 15. Yea a man may say thou hast Faith and I have Works shew me thy Faith without thy Works that is which is without Works or by thy Works and I will shew thee my Faith by my Works It is plain beyond denial that the Apostle doth here again propose his main question only on a supposition that there is a dead useless Faith which he had proved before For now all the enquiry remaining is how true Faith or that which is of the right Gospel kind may be shewed evidenced or demonstrated so as that their folly may appear who trust unto any other Faith whatever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evidence or demonstate thy Faith to be true by the only means thereof which is works And therefore although he say thou hast Faith that is thou professest and boastest that thou hast that Faith whereby thou mayest be saved and I have Works he doth not say shew me thy Faith by thy Works and I will shew thee my Works by my Faith which the Antithesis would require but I will shew thee my Faith by my Works because the whole question was concerning the evidencing of Faith and not of Works That this Faith which cannot be evidenced by Works which is not fruitful in them but consists only in a bare assent unto the Truth of Divine Revelation is not the Faith that doth justifie or will save us he further proves in that it is no other but what the Devils themselves have and no man can think or hope to be saved by that which is common unto them with Devils and wherein they do much exceed them v. 11. Thou beliivest there is one God thou dost well the Devils also believe and tremble The belief of one God is not the whole of what the Devils believe but is singled out as the principal fundamental Truth and on the concession whereof an assent unto all Divine Revelation doth necessarily ensue And this is the second Argument whereby he proves an empty barren Faith to be dead and useless The second Confirmation being given unto his principal assertion He restates it in that way and under those terms wherein he designed it unto its last Confirmation But wilt thou know O vain man that Faith without Works is dead ver 20. And we may consider in the words 1 The person with whom he deals whose conviction he endeavoured him he calls a vain man not in general as every man living is altogether vanity but as one who in an especial manner is vainly puffed up in his own fleshly mind one that hath entertained vain Imaginations of being saved by an empty profession of the Gospel without any fruit of Obedience 2 That which he designs with respect unto this vain man is his conviction a conviction of that foolish and pernicious errour that he had imbibed wilt thou know O vain man 3 That which alone he designed to convince him of is that Faith without Works is dead that is the Faith which is without Works which is barren and unfruitful is dead and useless This is that alone and this is all that he undertakes to prove by his following Instances and Arguings neither do they prove any more To wrest his words to any other purpose when they are all proper and suited unto what he expresseth as his only design is to offer violence unto them This therefore he proves by the consideration of the Faith of Abraham ver 21. Was not Abraham our Father justified by Works when he had offered Isaac his Son upon the Altar Some things must be observed to clear the mind of the Apostle herein As 1 It is certain that Abraham was justified many years before the Work instanced in was performed For long before was that Testimony given concerning him he believed in the Lord and he counted it unto him for Righteousness and the imputation of Righteousness upon believing is all the Justification we enquire after or will contend about 2 It is certain that in the Relation of the Story here repeated by the Apostle there is not any one word spoken of Abrahams being then justified before God by that or any other Work whatever But 3 It is plain and evident that in the place related unto Abraham was declared to be justified by an open attestation unto his Faith and fear of God as sincere and that they had evidenced themselves so to be in the sight of God himself which God condescends to express by an assumption of humane affections Gen. 22.12 Now I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy Son thine only Son from me That this is the Justification which the Apostle intends cannot be denied but out of love to strife And this was the manifestation and declaration of the Truth and Sincerity of his Faith whereby he was justified before God And hereby the Apostle directly and undeniably proves what he produceth this instance for namely that Faith without Works is dead 4 It is no less evident that the Apostle had not spoken any thing before as unto our Justification before God and the means thereof And is therefore absurdly imagined here to introduce it in the proof of what he had before asserted which it doth not prove at all 5 The only safe rule of interpreting the meaning of the Apostle next unto the scope and design of his present Discourse which he makes manifest in the reiterated proposition of it and the scope of the places matter of fact with its circumstances which he refers unto and takes his proof from and they were plainly these and no other Abraham had been long a justified believer for there were Thirty years or thereabout between the Testimony given thereunto Gen. 15. and the story of Sacrificing his Son related Gen. 22. All this while he walked with God and was upright in a course of holy fruitful Obedience Yet it pleased God to put his Faith after many others unto a new his greatest his last Trial. And it is the way of God in the Covenant of Grace to try the Faith of them that believe by such ways as seem meet unto him Hereby he manifests how precious it is the trial of Faith making it appear to be more precious than Gold 1 Pet. 1.7 and raiseth up Glory unto himself which is in the nature of Faith to give unto him Rom. 4.20 And this is the state of the case as proposed by the Apostle namely how it may be tried whether the Faith which men profess
there is no Relief or Deliverance to be expected from any of those ways of sorrow or duty that he hath put himself upon 3 In this condition it is a meer Act of Soveraign Grace without any respect unto these things foregoing to call the sinner unto Believing or Faith in the Promise unto the Justification of Life This is Gods order yet so as that what precedeth his call unto Faith hath no causality thereof 3. The next thing to be enquired into is the proper Object of Justifying Faith or of true Faith in its office work and duty with respect unto our Justification And herein we must first consider what we cannot so well close withall For besides other Differences that seem to be about it which indeed are but different Explanations of the same thing for the substance there are two Opinions which are looked on as Extreams the one in an Excess and the other in Defect The first is that of the Roman Church and those who comply with them therein And this is That the Object of Justifying Faith as such is all Divine Verity all Divine Revelation whether written in the Scripture or delivered by Tradition represented unto us by the Authority of the Church In the latter part of this Description we are not at present concerned That the whole Scripture and all the parts of it and all the Truths of what sort soever they be that are contained in it are equally the Object of Faith in the discharge of its Office in our Justification is that which they maintain Hence as to the nature of it they cannot allow it to consist in any thing but an Assent of the mind For supposing the whole Scripture and all contained in it Laws Precepts Promises Threatnings Stories Prophesies and the like to be the Object of it and these not as containing in them things Good or Evil unto us but under this formal consideration as divinely revealed they cannot assign or allow any other Act of the mind to be required hereunto but Assent only And so confident are they herein namely That Faith is no more then an Assent unto divine Revelation as that Bellarmin in opposition unto Calvin who placed knowledge in the description of Justifying Faith affirms that it is better defined by Ignorance than by Knowledge This Description of Justifying Faith and its Object hath been so discussed and on such evident Grounds of Scripture and Reason rejected by Protestant Writers of all sorts as that it is needless to insist much upon it again Some things I shall observe in relation unto it whereby we may discover what is of Truth in what they assert and wherein it falls short thereof Neither shall I respect only them of the Roman Church who require no more to Faith or Believing but only a bare Assent of the mind unto divine Revelations but them also who place it wholly in such a firm Assent as produceth Obedience unto all divine Commands For as it doth both these as both these are included in it so unto the especial nature of it more is required It is as justifying neither a meer Assent nor any such firm degree of it as should produce such effects 1. All Faith whatever is an Act of that power of our Souls in general whereby we are able firmly to assent unto the Truth upon Testimony in things not evident unto us by Sense or Reason It is the Evidence of things not seen And all divine Faith is in general an Assent unto the Truth that is proposed unto us upon divine Testimony And hereby as it is commonly agreed it is distinguished from Opinion and moral certainty on the one hand and Science or Demonstration on the other 2. Wherefore in Justifying Faith there is an Assent unto all divine Revelation upon the Testimony of God the Revealer By no other Act of our mind wherein this is not included or supposed can we be justified not because it is not justifying but because it is not Faith This Assent I say is included in Justifying Faith And therefore we find it often spoken of in the Scripture the Instances whereof are gathered up by Bellarmin and others with respect unto other things and not restrained unto the especial promise of Grace in Christ which is that which they oppose But besides that in most places of that kind the proper Object of Faith as Justifying is included and referred ultimately unto though diversly expressed by some of its Causes or concomitant Adjuncts it is granted that we believe all divine Truth with that very Faith whereby we are justified so as that other things may well be ascribed unto it 3. On these Concessions we yet say two things 1 That the whole nature of Justifying Faith doth not consist meerly in an Assent of the mind be it never so firm and stedfast nor whatever Effects of Obedience it may produce 2 That in its Duty and Office in Justification whence it hath that especial denomination which alone we are in the Explanation of it doth not equally respect all divine Revelation as such but hath a peculiar Object proposed unto it in the Scripture And whereas both these will be immediately evinced in our description of the proper Object and Nature of Faith I shall at present oppose some few things unto this Description of them sufficient to manifest how aliene it is from the Truth 1. This Assent is an Act of the understanding only An Act of the mind with respect unto Truth evidenced unto it be it of what nature it will So we believe the worst of things and the most grievous unto us as well as the best and the most useful But Believing is an Act of the Heart which in the Scripture comprizeth all the Faculties of the Soul as one entire principle of moral and spiritual Duties With the Heart Man believeth unto Righteousness Rom. 10.10 And it is frequently described by an Act of the Will though it be not so alone But without an Act of the Will no man can believe as he ought See Joh. 5.40 Joh. 1.12 chap. 6.35 We come to Christ in an Act of the Will and let whosoever will come And to be willing is taken for to believe Psal. 110.3 and Unbelief is Disobedience Heb. 3.18 19. 2. All Divine Truth is equally the Object of this Assent It respects not the especial nature or use of any one Truth be it of what kind it will more than another nor can it do so since it regards only Divine Revelation Hence that Judas was the Traytor must have as great an influence into our Justification as that Christ died for our sins But how contrary this is unto the Scripture the Analogy of Faith and the Experience of all that believe needs neither Declaration nor Confirmation 3. This Assent unto all Divine Revelation may be true and sincere where there hath been no previous work of the Law nor any Conviction of sin No such thing is required thereunto nor are
they found in many who yet do so assent unto the Truth But as we have shewed this is necessary unto Evangelical Justifying Faith and to suppose the contrary is to overthrow the order and use of the Law and Gospel with their mutual Relation unto one another in subserviency unto the design of God in the Salvation of Sinners 4. It is not a way of seeking Relief unto a convinced sinner whose mouth is stopped in that he is become guilty before God Such alone are capable Subjects of Justification and do or can seek after it in a due manner A meer Assent unto Divine Revelation is not peculiarly suited to give such persons Relief For it is that which brings them into that condition from whence they are to be relieved For the knowledge of sin is by the Law But Faith is a peculiar acting of the Soul for Deliverance 5. It is no more then what the Devils themselves may have and have as the Apostle James affirms For that Instance of their Believing one God proves that they believe also whatever this one God who is the first Essential Truth doth reveal to be true And it may consist with all manner of wickedness and without any Obedience and so make God a liar 1 Joh. 2.4 And it is no wonder if men deny us to be justified by Faith who know no other Faith but this 6. It no way answers the Descriptions that are given of justifying Faith in the Scripture Particularly it is by Faith as it is justifying that we are said to receive Christ Joh. 1.12 Col. 2.6 To receive the Promise the Word the Grace of God the Attonement Jam. 1.21 Joh. 3.33 Act. 2.41 chap. 11.1 Rom. 5.11 Heb. 11.17 To cleave unto God Deut. 4.4 Act. 11.23 And so in the Old Testament it is generally expressed by Trust and Hope Now none of these things are contained in a meer Assent unto the Truth but they require other actings of the Soul than what are peculiar unto the understanding only 7. It answers not the Experience of them that truly believe This all our Enquiries and Arguments in this matter must have respect unto For the sum of what we aim at is only to discover what they do who really believe unto the Justification of Life It is not what notions men may have hereof nor how they express their Conceptions how defensible they are against Objections by accuracy of Expressions and subtile Distinctions but only what we our selves do if we truly believe that we enquire after And although our Differences about it do argue the great imperfection of that state wherein we are so as that those who truly believe cannot agree what they do in their so doing which should give us a mutual tenderness and forbearance towards each other yet if men would attend unto their own Experience in the Application of their Souls unto God for the pardon of Sin and Righteousness to Life more than unto the notions which on various occasions their minds are influenced by or prepossessed withall many differences and unnecessary disputations about the nature of Justifying Faith would be prevented or prescinded I deny therefore that this general Assent unto the Truth how firm soever it be or what effects in the way of Duty or Obedience soever it may produce doth answer the Experience of any one true Believer as containing the entire Actings of his Soul towards God for pardon of sin and Justification 8. That Faith alone is Justifying which hath Justification actually accompanying of it For thence alone it hath that denomination To suppose a man to have Justifying Faith and not to be justified is to suppose a Contradiction Nor do we enquire after the nature of any other Faith but that whereby a Believer is actually justified But it is not so with all them in whom this Assent is found nor will those that plead for it allow that upon it alone any are immediately justified Wherefore it is sufficiently evident that there is somewhat more required unto Justifying Faith than a real Assent unto all Divine Revelations although we do give that Assent by the Faith whereby we are justified But on the other side it is supposed that by some the Object of Justifying Faith is so much restrained and the nature of it thereby determined unto such a peculiar Acting of the mind as compriseth not the whole of what is in the Scripture ascribed unto it So some have said that it is the pardon of our sins in particular that is the Object of Justifying Faith Faith therefore they make to be a full perswasion of the forgiveness of our sins through the Mediation of Christ or that what Christ did and suffered as our Mediator he did it for us in particular And a particular Application of especial mercy unto our own Souls and Consciences is hereby made the Essence of Faith Or to believe that our own sins are forgiven seems hereby to be the first and most proper Act of Justifying Faith Hence it would follow that whosoever doth not believe or hath not a firm perswasion of the forgiveness of his own sins in particular hath no saving Faith is no true Believer which is by no means to be admitted And if any have been or are of this Opinion I fear that they were in the asserting of it neglective of their own Experience Or it may be rather that they knew not how in their Experience all the other Actings of Faith wherein its Essence doth consist were included in this perswasion which in an especial manner they aimed at whereof we shall speak afterwards And there is no doubt unto me but that this which they propose Faith is suited unto aimeth at and doth ordinarily effect in true Believers who improve it and grow in its exercise in a due manner Many great Divines at the first Reformation did as the Lutherans generally yet do thus make the mercy of God in Christ and thereby the forgiveness of our own sins to be the proper Object of Justifying Faith as such whose Essence therefore they placed in a fiducial Trust in the Grace of God by Christ declared in the Promises with a certain unwavering Application of them unto our selves And I say with some confidence that those who endeavour not to attain hereunto either understand not the nature of Believing or are very neglective both of the Grace of God and of their own Peace That which enclined those great and holy Persons so to express themselves in this matter and to place the Essence of Faith in the highest Acting of it wherein yet they always included and supposed its other Acts was the state of the Consciences of men with whom they had to do Their Contest in this Article with the Roman Church was about the way and means whereby the Consciences of convinced troubled sinners might come to rest and peace with God For at that time they were no otherwise instructed but that these things were to be obtained not