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
the Apostle liable to be abused Answers of the Apostle unto this Objection He never once attempts to answer it by declaring the necessity of Personal Righteousness or good Works unto Justification before God He confines the cogency of Evangelical Motives unto Obedience only unto Believers Grounds of Evangelical Holiness asserted by him in compliance with his Doctrine of Justification 1. Divine Ordination Exceptions unto this Ground removed 2. Answer of the Apostle vindicated The Obligation of the Law unto Obedience Nature of it and consistency with Grace This Answer of the Apostle vindicated Heads of other Principles that might be pleaded to the same purpose Pag. 539. CHAP. XX. Seeming Difference no real contradiction between the Apostles Paul and James concerning Justification This granted by all Reasons of the seeming Difference The best Rule of the Interpretation of places of Scripture wherein there is an appearing repugnancy The Doctrine of Justification according unto that Rule principally to be learned from the Writings of Paul The Reasons of his fulness and accuracy in the teaching of that Doctrine The Importance of the Truth the opposition made unto it and abuse of it The design of the Apostle James Exceptions of some against the Writings of S. Paul scandalous and unreasonable Not in this matter to be interpreted by the passage in James insisted on Chap. 2. That there is no repugnancy between the Doctrine of the two Apostles demonstrated Heads and Grounds of the Demonstration Their scope design and end not the same That of Paul the only case stated and determined by him The designs of the Apostle James the case proposed by him quite of another nature The occasion of the case proposed and stated him No appearance of difference between the Apostles because of the several cases they speak unto Not the same Faith intended by them Description of the Faith spoken of by the one and the other Bellarmines Arguments to prove true justifying Faith to be intended by James answered Justification not treated of by the Apostles in the same manner nor used in the same sense nor to the same end The one treats of Justification as unto its nature and causes the other as unto its signs and evidence proved by the instances insisted on Pag. 557. How the Scripture was fulfilled that Abraham believed in God and it was counted unto him for Righteousness when he offered his Son on the Altar Works the same and of the same kind in both the Apostles Observations on the Discourse of James No Conjunction made by him between Faith and Works in our Justification but an opposition No distinction of a First and Second Justification in him Justification ascribed by him wholly unto Works in what sense Does not determine how a sinner may be justified before God but how a Professor may evidence himself so to be The Context opened from Ver. 14. to the end of the Chapter Pag. 569. Some of the Mistakes that have escaped in the Press may be thus corrected PAg. 10. Line 2. a fine read other p. 11. l. 24. none r. nothing p. 41. l. 30. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 42. l. 22. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 53. l. 6. r. this Author l. 25. man r. men l. 26. them p. 64. l. 4. a fine that it is p. 71. l. 21. and r. add p. 72. l. 12. r. For an p. 172. l. 17. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 28. Hithpaol p. 174. l. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 175. l. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 176. l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 4. a fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 3. a fine affects p. 180. l. 22. vocation that is intended p. 199. l. 1. which was r. whereas p. 208.23 such r. Faith p. 234. l. 2. dele 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 266. l. 8. Curcellaeus p. 283. l. 23. suffered r. offered p. 311. l. 30. of him p. 362. l. 11. r. as if we p. 392. l. 20. r. more colour p. 412. l. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 436. l. 2. a fine r. other men p. 444. l. 10. proofs r. process p. 465. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sundry other literal Mistakes and Mispointings are referred unto the candor of the Reader which I chuse rather than to trouble many with the rehearsal of what it may be few will take notice of General Considerations previously necessary unto the Explanation of the Doctrine of Justification THat we may treat of the Doctrine of Justification usefully unto its proper Ends which are the Glory of God in Christ with the peace and furtherance of the Obedience of Believers some things are previously to be considered which we must have respect unto in the whole process of our Discourse And among others that might be insisted on to the same purpose these that ensue are not to be omitted 1. The first Enquiry in this matter in a way of Duty is after the proper Relief of the Conscience of a sinner pressed and perplexed with a sense of the Guilt of sin For Justification is the way and means whereby such a person doth obtain acceptance before God with a Right and Title unto an heavenly Inheritance And nothing is pleadable in this cause but what a man would speak unto his own Conscience in that state or unto the Conscience of another when he is anxious under that Enquiry Wherefore The Person under consideration that is who is to be Justified is one who in himself is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4.5 Vngodly and thereon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 3.19 guilty before God that is obnoxious subject liable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 1.32 to the righteous sentential Judgment of God that he who committeth sin who is in any way guilty of it is worthy of Death Hereupon such a person finds himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3.10 under the curse and the wrath of God therein abiding on him Joh. 3.18 36. In this condition he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without plea without excuse by any thing in and from himself for his own relief His mouth is stopped Rom. 3.19 For he is in the Judgment of God declared in the Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3.22 every way shut up under sin and all the consequents of it Many Evils in this condition are men subject unto which may be reduced unto those two of our first Parents wherein they were represented For first they thought foolishly to hide themselves from God and then more foolishly would have charged him as the cause of their sin And such naturally are the thoughts of men under their convictions But whoever is the subject of the Justification enquired after is by various means brought into his
but also the manner of our Participation of it or its Communication unto us from Faith to Faith the Faith of God in the Revelation and our Faith in the Acceptation of it being only here concerned is an eminent Revelation Righteousness of all things should rather seem to be from Works unto Works from the Work of Grace in us to the Works of Obedience done by us as the Papists affirm No saith the Apostle it is from Faith to Faith whereof afterwards This is the general Thesis the Apostle proposeth unto Confirmation and he seems therein to exclude from Justification every thing but the Righteousness of God and the Faith of Believers And to this purpose he considers all Persons that did or might pretend unto Righteousness or seek after it and all ways and means whereby they hoped to attain unto it or whereby it might most probably be obtained declaring the failing of all persons and the insufficiency of all means as unto them for the obtaining a Righteousness of our own before God And as unto Persons 1. He considers the Gentiles with all their notions of God their Practice in Religious Worship with their Conversation thereon And from the whole of what might be observed amongst them he concludes that they neither were nor could be justified before God but that they were all and that most deservedly obnoxious unto the sentence of Death And whatever men may discourse concerning the Justification and Salvation of any without the Revelation of the Righteousness of God by the Gospel from Faith to Faith it is expresly contradictory to his whole Discourse chap. 1. from ver 19. to the End 2. He considers the Jews who enjoyed the written Law and the Priviledges wherewith it was accompanied especially that of Circumcision which was the outward Seal of Gods Covenant And on many Considerations with many Arguments he excludes them also from any possibility of attaining Justification before God by any of the Priviledges they enjoyed or their own compliance therewithall chap. 2. And both sorts he excludes distinctly from this priviledge of Righteousness before God with this one Argument That both of them sinned openly against that which they took for the Rule of their Righteousness namely the Gentiles against the Light of Nature and the Jews against the Law whence it inevitably follows that none of them could attain unto the Righteousness of their own Rule But he proceeds farther unto that which is common to them all And 3. He proves the same against all sorts of Persons whether Jews or Gentiles from the consideration of the universal depravation of nature in them all and the horrible effects that necessarily ensue thereon in the Hearts and Lives of men chap. 3. So evidencing That as they all were so it could not fall out but that all must be shut up under sin and come short of Righteousness So from Persons he proceeds to Things or Means of Righteousness And 4. Because the Law was given of God immediately as the whole and only Rule of our Obedience unto him and the works of the Law are therefore all that is required of us these may be pleaded with some pretence as those whereby we may be justified Wherefore in particular he considers the Nature Use and End of the Law manifesting its utter insufficiency to be a means of our Justification before God chap. 3.19 20. 5. It may be yet objected That the Law and its works may be thus insufficient as it is obeyed by Vnbelievers in the state of Nature without the Aids of Grace administred in the Promise but with respect unto them who are Regenerate and do believe whose Faith and Works are accepted with God it may be otherwise To obviate this Objection he giveth an Instance in two of the most eminent Believers under the Old Testament namely Abraham and David declaring that all Works whatever were excluded in and from their Justification chap. 4. On these Principles and by this Gradation he peremptorily concludes That all and every one of the Sons of men as unto any thing that is in themselves or can be done by them or be wrought in them are guilty before God obnoxious unto Death shut up under sin and have their mouths so stopped as to be deprived of all pleas in their own excuse that they had no Righteousness wherewith to appear before God and that all the ways and means whence they expected it were insufficient unto that purpose Hereon he proceeds with his Enquiry how men may be delivered from this condition and come to be justified in the sight of God And in the Resolution hereof he makes no mention of any thing in themselves but only Faith whereby we receive the Attonement That whereby we are justified he saith is the Righteousness of God which is by the Faith of Christ Jesus or that we are justified freely by Grace through the Redemption that is in him chap. 3.22 23 24 25. And not content here with this answer unto the enquiry how lost convinced sinners may come to be justified before God namely That it is by the Righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith by Grace by the blood of Christ as he is set forth for a Propitiation He immediately proceeds unto a positive exclusion of every thing in and of our selves that might pretend unto an Interest herein as that which is inconsistent with the Righteousness of God as revealed in the Gospel and witnessed unto by the Law and the Prophets How contrary their Scheme of Divinity is unto this Design of the Apostle and his management of it who affirm that before the Law men were justified by Obedience unto the Light of Nature and some particular Revelations made unto them in things of their own especial private concernment and that after the giving of the Law they were so by Obedience unto God according to the Directions thereof as also that the Heathen might obtain the same benefit in compliance with the Dictates of Reason cannot be contradicted by any who have not a mind to be contentious Answerable unto this Declaration of the mind of the Holy Ghost herein by the Apostle is the constant Tenour of the Scripture speaking to the same purpose The Grace of God the Promise of Mercy the free pardon of Sin the Blood of Christ his Obedience and the Righteousness of God in him rested in and received by Faith are every where asserted as the causes and means of our Justification in opposition unto any thing in our selves so expressed as it useth to express the best of our Obedience and the utmost of our personal Righteousness Wherever mention is made of the Duties Obedience and personal Righteousness of the best of men with respect unto their Justification they are all renounced by them and they betake themselves unto Soveraign Grace and Mercy alone Some places to this purpose may be recounted The Foundation of the whole is laid in the first Promise wherein the Destruction of
the Work of the Devil by the suffering of the seed of the woman is proposed as the only Relief for sinners and only means of the Recovery of the favour of God It shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel Gen. 3.15 Abraham believed in the Lord and he counted it unto him for Righteousness Gen. 15.6 And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the Head of the live Goat and confess over him all the iniquities of the Children of Israel and all their Transgressions in all their sins putting them on the head of the Goat and the Goat shall bear upon him all their Iniquities unto a Land not inhabited Lev. 16.21 22. I will go in the strength of the Lord God I will make mention of thy Righteousness even of thine only Psal. 71.16 If thou Lord shouldst mark Iniquity O Lord who shall stand but there is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared Psal. 130.3 4. Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Psal. 143.2 Behold he put no trust in his Servants and his Angels he charged with folly how much less on them that dwell in houses of Clay whose foundation is in the dust Job 4.18 19. Fury is not in me who would set the Briers and Thorns against me in battel I would go through them I would burn them together Or let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me Isa. 27.4 5. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I Righteousness and strength in the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and Glory Isa. 45.24 25. All we like Sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the Iniquity of us all By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their Iniquities Isa. 53.6 11. For this is his name whereby he shall be called the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23.6 But we are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousnesses are as filthy raggs Isa. 64.6 He shall finish the Transgression and make an End of sin and make Reconciliation for Iniquity and bring in Everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9.24 Vnto as many as received him he gave power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe in his name Joh. 1.12 For as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life chap. 3.14 15. see ver 16 17 18. Be it known therefore unto you Men and Brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of Sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13.38 39. That they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by Faith that is in me chap. 26.18 Being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God To declare at this time his Righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus Where then is Boasting it is excluded by what Law of Works nay but by the Law of Faith Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law Rom. 3.24 25 26 27 28. For if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to Glory but not before God For what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for Righteousness now to him that worketh is the Reward not reckoned of Grace but of Debt But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness Even as David also describeth the Blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without works saying Blessed are those whose Iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord will not impute sin Rom. 4.2 3 4 5 6 7 8. But not as the offence so also is the free Gift for if through the offence of one many be dead much more the Grace of God and the Gift by Grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many And not as it was by one that sinned so is the Gift for the judgment was by one to Condemnation but the free Gift is of many offences unto Justification For if by one mans offence Death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of Grace and of the Gift of Righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offence of one judgement came upon all men unto condemnation even so by the Righteousness of one the free Gift came upon all men unto Justification of life For as by one mans Disobedience many were made sinners so by the Obedience of one shall many be made righteous chap 5. 15 16 17 18 19. There is therefore no condemnation unto them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit For the Law of the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death and what the Law could not do in that it 's weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us chap. 8. 1 2 3 4. For Christ is the End of the Law for Righteousness unto every one that believeth chap. 10.4 And if by Grace then it is no more of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace but if it be of Works then it is no more Grace otherwise Works is no more Works chap. 11.6 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Knowing that a man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of the Law for by the Works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Gal. 2.16 But that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God is evident For the just shall live by Faith and the Law is not of Faith but the man that doth them shall live in them Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us chap. 3.11 12 13. For by Grace ye are saved through
which stops the mouth of all sinners and makes all the World obnoxious unto the judgment of God Chap. 3.19 Which none can do but the Law written in the heart of men at their Creation Chap. 2.14 15. That Law which if a man do the works of it he shall live in them Gal. 3.12 Rom. 10.5 and which brings all men under the Curse for sin Gal. 3.10 The Law that is established by Faith and not made void Rom. 3.31 which the Ceremonial Law is not nor the Covenant of Sinai The Law whose Righteousness is to be fulfilled in us Rom. 8.4 And the instance which the Apostle gives of Justification without the Works of that Law which he intends namely that of Abraham was some hundreds of years before the giving of the Ceremonial Law Neither yet do I say that the Ceremonial Law and the Works of it are excluded from the Intention of the Apostle For when that Law was given the Observation of it was an especial Instance of that Obedience we owed unto the first Table of the Decalogue and the exclusion of the Works thereof from our Justification in as much as the performance of them was part of that Moral Obedience which we owed unto God is exclusive of all other works also But that it is alone here intended or that Law which could never justifie any by its observation although it was observed in due manner is a fond Imagination and contradictory to the express Assertion of the Apostle And whatever is pretended to the contrary this opinion is expresly rejected by Augustine lib. de Spirit liter cap. 8. Ne quisquam putaret hic Apostolum dixisse ea lege neminem justificari quae in Sacramentis veteribus multa continet figurata praecepta unde etiam est ista circumcisio carnis continuo subjungit quam dixerit legem addit per legem Cognitio peccati And to the same purpose he speaks again Epist. 200. Non solum illa opera legis quae sunt in veteribus Sacramentis nunc revelato Testamento novo non observantur a Christianis sicut est Circumcisio praeputii Sabbati carnalis vacatio a quibusdam escis abstinentia pecorum in Sacrificiis immolatio neomenia azymum caetera hujusmodi verum etiam illud quod in lege dictum est non concupisces quod ubique Christianus nullus ambigit esse dicendum non justificat hominem nisi per fidem Jesu Christi gratiam Dei per Jesum Christum dominum nostrum 2. Some say the Apostle only excludes the perfect Works required by the Law of Innocency which is a sense diametrically opposite unto that foregoing But this best pleaseth the Socinians Paulus agit de Operibus perfectis in hoc dicto ideo enim adjecit sine operibus legis ut indicaretur loqui eum de operibus a lege requisitis sic de perpetua perfectissima divinorum praeceptorum obedientia sicut lex requirit Cum autem talem obedientiam qualem lex requirit nemo praestare possit ideo subjecit Apostolus nos justificari fide id est fiducia obedientia ea quantum quisque praestare potest quotidie quam maximum praestare studet connititur Sine operibus legis id est etsi interim perfecte totam legem sicut debebat complere nequit saith Socinus himself But 1. We have herein the whole granted of what we plead for namely that it is the moral indispensible Law of God that is intended by the Apostle and that by the works of it no man can be justified yea that all the works of it are excluded from our Justification for it is saith the Apostle without Works The works of this Law being performed according unto it will justifie them that perform them as he affirms Chap. 2.13 and the Scripture elsewhere witnesseth that he that doth them shall live in them But because this can never be done by any Sinner therefore all consideration of them is excluded from our Justification 2. It is a wild Imagination that the dispute of the Apostle is to this purpose that the perfect works of the Law will not justifie us but imperfect works which answer not the Law will do so 3. Granting the Law intended to be the Moral Law of God the Law of our Creation there is no such distinction intimated in the least by the Apostle that we are not justified by the perfect Works of it which we cannot perform but by some imperfect Works that we can perform and labour so to do Nothing is more foreign unto the design and express words of his whole discourse 4. The Evasion which they betake themselves unto that the Apostle opposeth Justification by faith unto that of works which he excludes is altogether vain in this sense For they would have this faith to be our Obedience unto the Divine Commands in that imperfect manner which we can attain unto For when the Apostle hath excluded all such Justification by the Law and the works thereof he doth not advance in opposition unto them and in their room our own Faith and Obedience but adds being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his blood 3. Some of late among our selves and they want not them who have gone before them affirm that the Works which the Apostle excludes from Justification are only the Outward Works of the Law performed without an inward Principle of Faith fear or the Love of God Servile Works attended unto from a respect unto the Threatning of the Law are those which will not justifie us But this Opinion is not only false but impious For 1. The Apostle excludes the Works of Abraham which were not such outward servile Works as are imagined 2. The Works excluded are those which the Law requires and the Law is holy just and good But a Law that requires only outward Works without internal Love to God is neither holy just nor Good 3. The Law Condemns all such Works as are separated from the internal Principle of Faith Fear and Love for it requires that in all our Obedience we should love the Lord our God with all our hearts And the Apostle saith that we are not justified by the Works which the Law condemns but not by them which the Law commands 4. It is highly reflexive on the honour of God that he unto whose Divine Prerogative it belongs to know the Hearts of men alone and therefore regards them alone in all the duties of their Obedience should give a Law requiring outward servile Works only for if the Law intended require more then are not those the only Works excluded 4. Some say in general it is the Jewish Law that is intended and think thereby to cast off the whole Difficulty But if by the Jewish Law they intend only the Ceremonial Law or the Law absolutely as
Works of the Law are excluded it is certain that it is by Faith alone in Christ that we are justified All Works are not only excluded but the way unto their return is so shut up by the Method of the Apostles Discourse that all the reinforcements which the wit of man can give unto them will never introduce them into our Justification before God 3. He asserts from hence that we do not make void the Law through grace but establish it v. 31. which how it is done and how alone it can be done hath been before declared This is the Substance of the Resolution the Apostle gives unto that great Enquiry how a guilty convinced Sinner may come to be justified in the sight of God The sovereign Grace of God the Mediation of Christ and Faith in the Blood of Christ are all that he requireth thereunto And whatever notions men may have about Justification in other respects it will not be safe to venture on any other Resolution of this case and enquiry nor are we wiser than the Holy Ghost Rom. Chap. 4. In the beginning of the fourth Chapter he confirms what he had before doctrinally declared by a signal instance and this was of the Justification of Abraham who being the Father of the Faithful his Justification is proposed as the pattern of ours as he expresly declares vers 22 23 24. And some few things I shall observe on this instance in our passage unto the fifth Verse where I shall fix our Discourse 1. He denies that Abraham was justified by Works vers 2. And 1. These Works were not those of the Jewish Law which alone some pretend to be excluded from our Justification in this place For they were the Works he performed some hundreds of years before the giving of the Law at Sinai wherefore they are the Works of his Moral Obedience unto God that are intended 2. Those Works must be understood which Abraham had then when he is said to be justified in the Testimony produced unto that purpose But the Works that Abraham then had were Works of Righteousness performed in Faith and Love to God Works of New Obedience under the Conduct and aids of the Spirit of God Works required in the Covenant of Grace These are the Works excluded from the Justification of Abraham And these things are plain express and evident not to be eluded by any Distinctions or Evasions All Abraham's Evangelical Works are expresly excluded from his Justification before God 2. He proves by the Testimony of Scripture declaring the Nature and Grounds of the Justification of Abraham that he was justified no other way but that which he had before declared namely by Grace through Faith in Christ Jesus vers 3. Abraham believed God in the Promise of Christ and his Mediation and it was counted unto him for righteousness vers 3. He was justified by Faith in the way before described for other Justification by Faith there is none in opposition unto all his own Works and Personal Righteousness thereby 3. From the same Testimony he declares how he came to be Partaker of that Righteousness whereon he was justified before God which was by imputation it was counted or imputed unto him for Righteousness The Nature of Imputation hath been before declared 4. The especial Nature of this Imputation namely that it is of Grace without respect unto Works he asserts and proves vers 4. from what is â—â—ntrary thereunto Now to him that worketh is the reward â—ot reckon'd of Grace but of Debt Where Works are of any consideration there is no room for that kind of Imputation whereby Abraham was justified for it was a gracious Imputation and that is not of what is our own antecedently thereunto but what is made our own by that Imputation For what is our own cannot be imputed unto us in a way of Grace but only reckon'd ours in a way of Debt That which is our own with all the effects of it is due unto us And therefore they who plead that Faith it self is imputed unto us to give some countenance unto an Imputation of Grace do say it is imputed not for what it is for then it would be reckoned of Debt but for what it is not So Socinus Cum fides imputatur nobis pro justitia ideo imputatur quia nec ipsa fides justitia est nec vere in se eam continet De Servat Part. 4. cap. 2. which kind of Imputation being indeed only a false Imagination we have before disproved But all works are inconsistent with that Imputation whereby Abraham was justified It is otherwise with him that worketh so as thereon to be justified then it was with him Yea say some all Works that are meritorious that are performed with an opinion of Merit that make the Reward to be of debt are excluded but other Works are not This distinction is not learned from the Apostle For according unto him if this be merit and meritorious that the Reward be reckon'd of Debt then all Works in Justification are so For without distinction or limitation he affirms that unto him that worketh the reward is not reckon'd of Grace but of Debt He doth not exclude some sort of Works or Works in some sense because they would make the reward of Debt but affirms that all would do so unto the exclusion of gracious Imputation For if the foundation of Imputation be in our selves Imputation by Grace is excluded In the fifth Verse the Sum of the Apostles Doctrine which he had contended for and what he had proved is expressed But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness It is granted on all hands that the close of the Verse his Faith is counted for Righteousness doth express the Justification of the person intended He is justified and the way of it is his Faith is counted or imputed Wherefore the foregoing words declare the Subject of Justification and its qualification or the description of the Person to be justified with all that is required on his part thereunto And first it is said of him that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who worketh not It is not required unto his Justification that he should not work that he should not perform any Duties of Obedience unto God in any kind which is working For every person in the world is always obliged unto all Duties of Obedience according to the light and knowledg of the Will of God the means whereof is afforded unto him But the expression is to be limited by the Subject matter treated of He who worketh not with respect unto Justification though not the design of the Person but the Nature of the thing is intended To say he who worketh not is justified through believing is to say that his Works whatever they be have no influence into his Justification nor hath God in justifying of him any respect unto them Wherefore he alone who worketh not is
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
of God in asserting the necessity and use of Faith he adds That Epanorthosis and that not of our selves it is the gift of God The communication of this Faith unto us is no less of Grace then is the Justification which we obtain thereby So hath he secured the whole Work unto the Grace of God through Christ wherein we are interested by Faith alone But not content herewith he describes this work Negatively or adds an exclusion of what might be pretended to have a concernment therein And therein three things are stated distinctly 1. What it is he so excludes 2. The Reason whereon he doth so 3. The confirmation of that Reason wherein he obviates an objection that might arise thereon 1. That which he excludes is Works not of Works Ver. 9. And what works he intends at least principally himself declares Works say some of the Law the Law of Moses But what concernment had these Ephesians therein that the Apostle should inform them that they were not justified by those works They were never under that Law never sought for Righteousness by it nor had any respect unto it but only that they were delivered from it But it may be he intends only Works wrought in the strength of our own natural abilities without the aids of Grace and before believing But what were the Works of these Ephesians antecedent unto believing he before and afterwards declares For being dead in trespasses and sins they walked according to the course of this World in the lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind Ver. 1 2 3. It is certain enough that these works have no influence into our Justification and no less certain that the Apostle had no reason to exclude them from it as though any could pretend to be advantaged by them in that which consisteth in a deliverance from them Wherefore the Works here excluded by the Apostle are those works which the Ephesians now performed when the were Believers quickned with Christ even the Works which God hath fore-ordained that we should walk in them as he expresly declared Ver. 10. And these Works he excludeth not only in opposition unto Grace but in opposition unto Faith also Through Faith not of Works Wherefore he doth not only reject their merit as inconsistent with Grace but their cointerest on our part with or subsequent interest unto Faith in the Work of Justification before God If we are saved by Grace through Faith in Christ exclusively unto all works of Obedience whatever then cannot such works be the whole or any part of our Righteousness unto the Justification of life Wherefore another Righteousness we must have or perish for ever Many things I know are here offered and many distinctions coyned to retain some interest of Works in our Justification before God But whether it be the safest way to trust unto them or unto this plain express Divine Testimony will not be hard for any to determine when they make the case their own 2. The Apostle adds a Reason of this exclusion of Works not of Works left any one should boast God hath ordained the order and method of our Justification by Christ in the way expressed that no man might have ground reason or occasion to glory or boast in or of himself So it is expressed 1 Cor. 1.21 30 31. Rom. 3.32 To exclude all glorying or boasting on our part is the design of God And this consists in an ascription of something unto our selves that is not in others in order unto Justification And it is Works alone that can administer any occasion of this boasting For if Abraham were justified by Works he had whereof to glory Rom. 4.2 And it is excluded alone by the Law of Faith Rom. 3.27 For the nature and use of Faith is to find Righteousness in another And this boasting all Works are apt to beget in the minds of men if applied unto Justification And where there is any boasting of this nature the design of God towards us in this Work of his Grace is frustrated what lieth in us That which I principally insist on from hence is that there are no boundaries fixed in Scripture unto the interest of Works in Justification so as no boasting should be included in them The Papists make them meritorious of it at least of our second Justification as they call it This say some ought not to be admitted for it includeth boasting Merit and boasting are inseparable Wherefore say others they are only causa sine qua non they are the condition of it or they are our Evangelical Righteousness before God whereon we are Evangelically justified or they are a subordinate Righteousness whereon we obtain an interest in the Righteousness of Christ or are comprized in the condition of the new Covenant whereby we are justified or are included in Faith being the form of it or of the essence of it one way or other For herein men express themselves in great variety But so long as our Works are hereby asserted in order unto our Justification how shall a man be certain that they do not include boasting or that they do express the true sense of these words not of works lest any man should boast There is some kind of Ascription unto our selves in this matter which is boasting If any shall say that they know well enough what they do and know that they do not boast in what they ascribe unto Works I must say that in general I cannot admit it For the Papists affirm of themselves that they are most remote from boasting yet I am very well satisfied that boasting and merit are inseparable The question is not what men think they do but what Judgment the Scripture passeth on what they do And if it be said that what is in us is also of the Grace and Gift of God and is so acknowledged which excludes all boasting in our selves I say it was so by the Pharisee and yet was he an horrible boaster Let them therefore be supposed to be wrought in us in what way men please if they be also wrought by us and so be the Works of Righteousness which we have done I fear their Introduction into our Justification doth include boasting in it because of this assertion of the Apostle not of Works lest any man should boast Wherefore because this is a dangerous point unless men can give us the direct plain indisputable bounds of the Introduction of our Works into our Justification which cannot include boasting in it it is the safest course utterly to exclude them wherein I see no danger of any mistake in these words of the Holy Ghost not of Works lest any man should boast For if we should be unadvisedly seduced into this boasting we should lose all the benefit which we might otherwise expect by the Grace of God 3. The Apostle gives another reason why it cannot be of Works and withal obviates an Objection which might arise from what
consists in them alone For without Faith it is impossible to please God And to what purpose should the Apostle exclude evil works and hypocritical from our Justification Who ever imagined that any could be justified with respect unto them There might have been some pretence for this gloss had the Apostle said his own Works but whereas he rejects his own Righteousness to restrain it unto such Works as are not righteous as will denominate none righteous as are no Righteousness at all is most absurd 3. Works wrought in Faith if applied unto our Justification do give occasion unto or include boasting more then any others as being better and more praise worthy then they 4. The Apostle elswhere excludes from Justification the Works that Abraham had done when he had been a Believer many years and the Works of David when he described the Blessedness of a Man by the forgiveness of sins 5. The state of the Question which he handles in his Epistle unto the Galatians was expresly about the Works of them that did believe For he doth not disspute against the Jews who would not be pressed in the least with his Arguments namely that if the inheritance were by the Law then the promise was of none effect and if Righteousness were by the Law then did Christ die in vain For these things they would readily grant But he speaks unto them that were Believers with respect unto those Works which they would have joyned with Christ and the Gospel in order unto Justification 6. If this were the mind of the Apostle that he would exclude one sort of Works and assert the necessity of another unto the same end why did he not once say so especially considering how necessary it was that so he should do to answer those objections against his doctrine which he himself takes notice of and returns answer unto on other grounds without the least intimation of any such distinction Bellarmine considereth this Testimony in three places Lib. 1. cap. 18. Lib. 1. cap. 19. Lib. 5. cap. 5. De Justificat And he returns three answers unto it which contain the substance of all that is pleaded by others unto the same purpose 1. He saith That the Righteousness which is by the Law and which is opposed unto the Righteousness which is by Faith is not the Righteousness written in the Law or which the Law requires but a Righteousness wrought without the aid of Grace by the knowledge of the Law alone 2. That the Righteousness which is by the Faith of Christ are opera nostra justa facta ex fide our own righteous Works wrought in Faith which others call our Evangelical Works 3. That it is blasphemous to call the Duties of Inherent Righteousnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loss and dung But he labors in the fire with all his sophistry For as to the first 1. That by the Righteousness which is by the Law the Righteousness which the Law requires is not intended is a bold assertion and expresly contradictory unto the Apostle Rom. 9.31 Chap. 10.5 In both places he declares the Righteousness of the Law to be the Righteousnes that the Law requires 2. The Works which he excludes he calls the Works of Righteousness that we have done Tit. 3.5 which are the Works that the Law requires Unto the second I say 1. That the substance of it is That the Apostle should profess that I desire to be found in Christ not having my own Righteousness but having my own Righteousness for Evangelical Inherent Righteousness was properly his own And I am sorry that some should apprehend that the Apostle in these words did desire to be found in his own Righteousness in the presence of God in order unto his Justification For nothing can be more contrary not only unto the perpetual tenor and design of all his discourses on this subject but also unto the Testimony of all other holy Men in the Scripture to the same purpose as we have proved before And I suppose there are very few true Believers at present whom they will find to comply and joyn with them in this desire of being found in their own Personal Evangelical Righteousness or the Works of Righteousness which they have done in their tryal before God as unto their Justification We should do well to read our own hearts as well as the Books of others in this matter 2. The Righteousness which is of God by Faith is not our own Obedience or Righteousness but that which is opposed unto it That which God imputes unto us Rom. 4.6 That which we receive by way of gift Rom. 5.17 3. That by the Righteousness which is by the Faith of Christ Jesus our own Inherent Righteousness is not intended is evident from hence That the Apostle excludes all his own Righteousness as and when he was found in Christ that is what ever he had done as a Believer And if there be not an opposition in these words between a Righteousness that is our own and that which is not our own I know not in what words it can be expressed Unto the third I say 1. The Apostle doth not nor do we say that he doth call our Inherent Righteousness dung but only that he accounts it so 2. He doth not account it so absolutely which he is most remote from but only in comparison with Christ. 3. He doth not esteem it so in it self but only as unto his trust in it with respect unto one especial end namely our Justification before God 4. The Prophet Isaiah in the same respect terms all our Righteousness filthy rags Chap. 64.6 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an expression of as much contempt as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. Some say all Works are excluded as meritorious of Grace Life and Salvation but not as the condition of our Justification before God But 1. what ever the Apostle excludes he doth it absolutely and with all respects because he sets up something else in opposition unto it 2. There is no ground left for any such distinction in this place For all that the Apostle requires unto our Justification is 1. That we be found in Christ not in our selves 2. That we have the Righteousness of God not our own 3. That we be made partakers of this Righteousness by Faith which is the substance of what we plead for CHAP. XIX Objections against the Doctrine of Justification by the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. Personal Holiness and Obedience not obstructed but furthered by it THat which remaineth to put an issue to this Discourse is the consideration of some things that in general are laid in objection against the truth pleaded for Many things of that nature we have occasionally met withal and already removed Yea the principal of those which at present are most insisted on The Testimonies of Scripture urged by those of the Roman Church for Justification by works have all of them so fully and frequently been answered by
had by this time infected the minds of many with their abominations and amongst them this was one and not the least pernicious that by Faith was intended a liberty from the Law and unto Sin or unto them that had it the taking away of all difference between good and evil which was afterwards improved by Basilides Valentinus and the rest of the Gnosticks Or it may be it was only the corruption of mens hearts and lives that prompted them to seek after such a countenance unto Sin And this latter I judg it was There were then among professed Christians such as the world now swarms withal who suppose that their Faith or the Religion which they profess be it what it will shall save them although they live in flagitious wickedness and are utterly barren as unto any good Works or Duties of Obedience Nor is there any other occasion of what he writes intimated in the Epistle For he makes no mention of Seducers as John doth expresly and frequently some while after Against this sort of persons or for their conviction he designs two things 1. In general to prove the necessity of Works unto all that profess the Gospel or Faith in Christ thereby 2. To evidence the vanity and folly of their pretence unto Justification or that they were justified and should be saved by that Faith that was indeed so far from being fruitful in good Works as that it was pretended by them only to countenance themselves in Sin Unto these ends are all his arguings designed and no other He proves effectually that the Faith which is wholly barren and fruitless as unto Obedience and which men pretended to countenance themselves in their sins is not that Faith whereby we are justified and whereby we may be saved but a dead carcass of no use nor benefit as he declares by the Conclusion of his whole Dispute in the last Verse of the Chapter He doth not direct any how they may be justified before God but convinceth some that they are not justified by trusting unto such a dead Faith and declares the only way whereby any man may really evidence and manifest that he is so justified indeed This design of his is so plain as nothing can be more evident and they miss the whole scope of the Apostle who observe it not in their Expositions of the Context Wherefore the principal design of the Apostles being so distant there is no repugnancy in their Assertions though their words make an appearance thereof For they do not speak ad idem nor of things eodem respectu James doth not once enquire how a guilty convinced Sinner cast and condemned by the Law may come to be justified before God and Paul speaks to nothing else Wherefore apply the Expressions of each of them unto their proper design and scope as we must do or we depart from all sober Rules of Interpretation and render it impossible to understand either of them aright and there is no disagreement or appearance of it between them Secondly they speak not of the same Faith Wherefore there can be no discrepancy in what one ascribes unto Faith and the other denies concerning it seeing they understand not the same thing thereby for they speak not of the same Faith As if one affirms that fire will burn and another denyeth it there is no contradiction between them whilst one intends real fire and the other only that which is painted and both declare themselves accordingly For we have proved before that there are two sorts of Faith wherewith men are said to believe the Gospel and make profession thereof as also that which belongs unto the one doth not belong unto the other None I suppose will deny but that by Faith in the matter of our Justification St. Paul intends that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or properly so called The Faith of Gods Elect precious Faith more precious then Gold the Faith that purifieth the heart and works by love the Faith whereby Christ dwelleth in us and we abide in him whereby we live to God a living Faith is that alone which he intendeth For all these things and other Spiritual effects without number doth he ascribe unto that Faith which he insisteth on to be on our part the only means of our Justification before God But as unto the Faith intended by the Apostle James he assigns nothing of all this unto it yea the only Argument whereby he proves that men cannot be saved by that Faith which he treats of is that nothing of all this is found in it That which he intends is what he calls it a dead Faith a Carcass without breath the Faith of Devils a wordy Faith that is no more truly what it is called than it is true Charity to send away naked and hungry persons without relief but no without derision Well may he deny Justification in any sense unto to this Faith however boasted of when yet it may be justly ascribed unto that Faith which Paul speaks of Bellarmine useth several Arguments to prove that the Faith here intended by James is justifying Faith considered in its self but they are all weak to contempt as being built on this supposition that true justifying Faith is nothing but a real assent unto the Catholick Doctrine or Divine Revelation De Justificat lib. 1. cap. 15. His first is that James calleth it Faith absolutely whereby always in the Scripture true Faith is intended Ans. 1. James calls it a Dead Faith the Faith of Devils and casteth all manner of reproach upon it which he would not have done on any Duty or Grace truely Evangelical 2. Every Faith that is true as unto the reality of assent which is given by it unto the Truth is neither living justifying nor saving as hath been proved 3. They are said to have Faith absolutely or absolutely to believe who never had that Faith which is true and saving Joh. 2.23 Act. 8.13 He urgeth that in the same place and Chapter he treats of the Faith of Abraham and affirms that it wrought with his works Vers. 22 23. But this a vain shadow of Faith doth not do It was therefore true Faith and that which is most properly called so that the Apostle intendeth Ans. This pretence is indeed ridiculous For the Apostle doth not give the Faith of Abraham as an instance of that Faith which he had treated with so much severity but of that which is directly contrary unto it and whereby he designed to prove that the other Faith which he had reflected on was of no use nor advantage unto them that had it For this Faith of Abraham produced good Works which the other was wholly without Thirdly He urgeth v. 24 You see then how that by Works a man is justified and not by Faith only For the Faith that James speaks of justifieth with works but a false Faith the shadow of a Faith doth not so it is therefore true saving Faith whereof the Apostle speaks Ans.
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
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
a Pledge or Earnest Eph. 1.14 Wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Sponsor Fidejussor Praes One that voluntarily takes on himself the cause or condition of another to answer undergo or pay what he is liable unto or to see it done whereon he becomes justly and legally obnoxious unto performance In this sense is the word here used by the Apostle for it hath no other In our present enquiry into the nature of this Suretiship of Christ the whole will be resolved into this one question namely whether the Lord Christ was made a Surety only on the part of God unto us to assure us that the Promise of the Covenant on his part should be accomplished or also and principally an undertaker on our part for the performance of what is required if not of us yet with respect unto us that the Promise may be accomplished The first of these is vehemently asserted by the Socinians who are followed by Grotius and Hammond in their Annotations on this place The words of Schlictingius are Sponsor foederis appellatur Jesus quod nomine Dei nobis spoponderit id est fidem fecerit Deum foederis promissiones servaturum Non vero quasi pro nobis spoponderit Deo nostrorumve debitorum solutionem in se receperit Nec enim nos misimus Christum sed Deus cujus nomine Christus ad nos venit foedus nobiscum panxit ejusque promissiones ratas fore spopondit in se recepit ideoque nec sponsor simpliciter sed foederis sponsor nominatur spopondit autem Christus pro foederis divini veritate non tantum quatenus id firmum ratumque fore verbis perpetuo testatus est sed etiam quatenus muneris sui fidem maximis rerum ipsarum comprobavit Documentis cum perfecta vitae innocentia Sanctitate cum divinis plane quae patravit operibus cum mortis adeo truculentae quam pro Doctrinae suae veritate subijt perpessione After which he subjoyns a long Discourse about the Evidences which we have of the veracity of Christ. And herein we have a brief account of their whole Opinion concerning the Mediation of Christ. The words of Grotius are spopondit Christus i.e. Nos certos Promissi fecit non solis verbis sed perpetua vitae Sanctitate morte ob id tolerata miraculis plurimis which are an Abridgment of the Discourse of Schlictingius To the same purpose Dr. Hammond expounds it that he was a Sponsor or Surety for God unto the confirmation of the Promises of the Covenant On the other hand the generality of Expositors antient and modern of the Roman and Protestant Churches on the place affirm that the Lord Christ as the Surety of the Covenant was properly a Surety or undertaker unto God for us and not a Surety and undertaker unto us for God And because this is a matter of Great Importance wherein the Faith and Consolation of the Church is highly concerned I shall insist a little upon it And first we may consider the Argument that is produced to prove that Christ was only a Surety for God unto us Now this is taken neither from the Name nor Nature of the Office or work of Surety nor from the Nature of the Covenant whereof he was a Surety nor of the Office wherein he was so But the sole Argument insisted on is That we do not give Christ as a Surety of the Covenant unto God but he gives him unto us and therefore he is a Surety for God and the accomplishment of his Promises and not for us to pay our debts or to answer what is required of us But there is no force in this Argument For it belongs not unto the nature of a Surety by whom he is or may be designed unto his Office and Work therein His own voluntary susception of the Office and Work is all that is required however he may be designed or induced to undertake it He who of his own accord doth voluntarily undertake for another on what Grounds Reasons or Considerations soever he doth so is his Surety And this the Lord Christ did in the behalf of the Church For when it was said Sacrifice and burnt-Offering and whole burnt-Offerings for sin God would not have or accept as sufficient to make the Atonement that he required so as that the Covenant might be established and made effectual unto us then said he Loe I come to do thy Will O God Heb. 10.5.6 He willingly and voluntarily out of his own abundant goodness and love took upon him to make Atonement for us wherein he was our Surety And accordingly this undertaking is ascribed unto that love which he exercised herein Gal. 2.20 1 Joh. 3.16 Rev. 1.5 And there was this in it moreover that he took upon him our nature or the Seed of Abraham wherein he was our Surety So that although we neither did nor could appoint him so to be yet he took from us that wherein and whereby he was so which is as much as if we had designed him unto his work as to the true Reason of his being our Surety Wherefore notwithstanding those antecedent Transactions that were between the Father and him in this matter it was the voluntary Engagement of himself to be our Surety and his taking our nature upon him for that end which was the formal Reason of his being enstated in that Office It is indeed weak and contrary unto all common experience that none can be a Surety for others unless those others design him and appoint him so to be The principal instances of Suretiship in the World have been by the voluntary undertaking of such as were no way procured so to do by them for whom they undertook And in such undertakings he unto whom it is made is no less considered than they for whom it is made As when Judah on his own accord became a Surety for Benjamin he had as much respect unto the satisfaction of his Father as the safety of his Brother And so the Lord Christ in his undertaking to be a Surety for us had respect unto the Glory of God before our safety 1. We may consider the Arguments whence it is evident that he neither was nor could be a Surety unto us for God but was so for us unto God For 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Surety is one that undertaketh for another wherein he is defective really or in Reputation Whatever that undertaking be whether in words of Promise or in depositing of real security in the hands of an Arbitrator or by any other personal Engagement of life and body it respects the defect of the person for whom any one becomes a surety Such an one is Sponsor or Fidejussor in all Good Authors and common use of speech And if any one be of absolute credit himself and of a Reputation every way unquestionable there is no need of a surety unless in case of mortality The words of a surety
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
men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican I fast twice in the week I give tithes of all that I possess And the Publican standing afar off would not lift up so much as his eyes unto Heaven but smote upon his Brest saying God be merciful unto me a sinner I tell you that this Man went down unto his house justified rather then the other For every one that exalteth himself shall be abased and every one that humbleth himself shall be exalted That the design of our Saviour herein was to represent the way of our Justification before God is evident 1. From the description given of the persons whom he reflected on V. 9. They were such as trusted in themselves that they were righteous or That they had a Personal Righteousness of their own before God 2. From the general rule wherewith he confirms the judgment he had given concerning the persons described Every one that exalteth himself shall be abased Ver. 14. And he that abaseth himself shall be exalted As this is applied unto the Pharisee and the Prayer that is ascribed unto him it declares plainly That every plea of our own works as unto our Justification before God under any consideration is a self exaltation which God despiseth and as applied unto the Publican that a sense of sin is the only preparation on our part for acceptance with him on believing Wherefore both the persons are represented As seeking to be justified for so our Saviour expresseth the issue of their address unto God for that purpose the one was justified the other was not The Plea of the Pharisee unto this end consists of two parts 1. That he had fulfilled the condition whereon he might be justified He makes no mention of any merit either of congruity or condignity Only whereas there were two parts of Gods Covenant then with the Church the one with respect unto the Moral the other with respect unto the Ceremonial Law he pleads the observation of the condition of it in both parts which he sheweth in instances of both kinds only he adds the way that he took to further him in this obedience somewhat beyond what was injoyned namely That he fasted twice in the week For when Men begin to seek for Righteousness and Justification by Works they quickly think their best reserve lies in doing something extraordinary more then other Men and more indeed then is required of them This brought forth all the Pharisaical Austerities in the Papacy Nor can it be said That all this signified nothing because he was an Hypocrite and a Boaster for it will be replied That it should seem all are so who seek for Justification by Works For our Saviour only represents one that doth so neither are these things laid in Bar against his Justification but only that he exalted himself in trusting unto his own Righteousness 2. In an ascription of all that he did unto God God I thank thee Although he did all this yet he owned the aid and assistance of God by his Grace in it all He esteemed himself much to differ from other Men but ascribed it not unto himself that so he did All the Righteousness and Holiness which he laid claim unto he ascribed unto the benignity and goodness of God Wherefore he neither pleaded any merit in his Works nor any Works performed in his own strength without the aid of Grace All that he pretends is That by the Grace of God he had fulfilled the Condition of the Covenant and thereon expected to be justified And what ever words Men shall be pleased to make use of in their Vocal Prayers God interprets their minds according to what they trust in as unto their Justication before him And if some Men will be true unto their own Principles this is the Prayer which Mutatis mutandis they ought to make If it be said that it is charged on this Pharisee that he trusted in himself and despised others for which he was rejected I answer 1. This charge respects not the mind of the person but the genius and tendency of the opinion The Perswasion of Justification by Works includes in it a contempt of other means For if Abraham had been justified by Works he should have had whereof to glory 2. Those whom he despised were such as placed their whole trust in Grace and Mercy as this Publican It were to be wished that all others of the same mind did not so also The issue is with this person That he was not justified neither shall any one ever be so on the account of his own Personal Righteousness For our Saviour hath told us That when we have done all that is when we have the testimony of our Consciences unto the integrity of our obedience instead of pleading it unto our Justification we should say that is really judge and profess that we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unprofitable servants Luk. 17.10 As the Apostle speaks I know nothing by my self yet am I not thereby justified 1 Cor. 4.4 And he that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hath nothing to trust unto but his service will be cast out of the presence of God Matth. 25.30 Wherefore on the best of our obedience to confess our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to confess that after all in our selves we deserve to be cast out of the presence of God In opposition hereunto the state and prayer of the Publican under the same design of seeking Justification before God are expressed And the outward acts of his Person are mentioned as representing and expressive of the inward frame of his mind He stood afar off he did not so much as lift up his eyes he smote upon his brest All of them represent a person desponding yea despairing in himself This is the nature this is the effect of that conviction of sin which we before asserted to be antecedently necessary unto Justification Displicency sorrow sense of danger fear of wrath all are present with him In brief he declares himself guilty before God and his mouth stopped as unto any apology or excuse And his prayer is a sincere application of his Soul unto sovereign Grace and Mercy for a deliverance out of the condition wherein he was by reason of the guilt of sin And in the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is respect had unto a propitiation In the whole of his address there is contained 1. Self-condemnation and abhorrency 2. Displicency and sorrow for sin 3. An universal Renuntiation of all Works of his own as any conditions of his Justification 4. An acknowledgment of his sin guilt and misery And this is all that on our part is required unto Justification before God excepting that Faith whereby we apply our selves unto him for deliverance Some make a weak attempt from hence to prove that Justification consists wholly in the remission of sin because on the prayer of the Publican for Mercy and Pardon he is said to be
the subject of Justification the person to be justified that is God considereth no mans Works no mans Duties of Obedience in his Justification seeing we are justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely by his Grace And when God affirmeth expresly that he justifieth him who worketh not and that freely by his Grace I cannot understand what place our Works or Duties of Obedience can have in our Justification For why should we trouble our selves to invent of what consideration they may be in our Justification before God when he himself affirms that they are of none at all Neither are the words capable of any evading interpretation He that worketh not is he that worketh not let men say what they please and distinguish as long as they will And it is a boldness not to be justified for any to rise up in opposition unto such express Divine Testimonies however they may be harnessed with Philosophical Notions and arguings which are but as Thorns and Briars which the Word of God will pass through and consume But the Apostle further adds in the description of the Subject of Justification that God justifieth the ungodly This is that expression which hath stirred up so much wrath amongst many and on the account whereof some seem to be much displeased with the Apostle himself If any other person dare but say that God justifieth the ungodly he is presently reflected on as one that by his Doctrine would overthrow the necessity of Godliness Holiness Obedience or Good Works For what need can there be of any of them if God justifieth the ungodly Howbeit this is a Periphrasis of God that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that justifieth the ungodly this is his Prerogative and Property as such will he be believed in and worshipped which adds weight and Emphasis unto the Expression And we must not foregoe this Testimony of the Holy Ghost let men be as angry as they please But the difference is about the meaning of the words If so it may be allowed without mutual offence though we should mistake their proper sense Only it must be granted that God justifieth the ungodly That is say some those who formerly were ungodly not those who continue ungodly when they are justified And this is most true All that are justified were before ungodly and all that are justified are at the same instant made Godly But the question is whether they are Godly or Vngodly antecedently in any moment of time unto their Justification if they are considered as Godly and are so indeed then the Apostles words are not true that God justifieth the ungodly for the contradictory Proposition is true God justifieth none but the Godly For these Propositions God justifieth the ungodly and God justifieth none but the Godly are contradictory For here are expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore although in and with the Justification of a Sinner he is made Godly for he is endowed with that Faith which purifieth the heart and is a vital Principle of all Obedience and the Conscience is purged from Dead Works by the Blood of Christ yet antecedently unto his Justification he is ungodly and considered as ungodly as one that worketh not as one whose Duties and Obedience contribute nothing unto his Justification As he worketh not all works are excluded from being the causa per quam and as he is ungodly from being the causa sine qua non of his Justification The Qualification of the Subject or the means on the part of the person to be justified and whereby he becomes actually so to be is Faith or believing But believeth on him who justifieth the ungodly That is it is Faith alone For it is the Faith of him who worketh not and not only so but its especial object God as justifying the ungodly is exclusive of the concomitancy of any works whatever This is Faith alone or it is impossible to express Faith alone without the literal use of that word alone But Faith being asserted in opposition unto all works of ours unto him that worketh not and its especial nature declared in its especial object God as justifying the ungodly that is freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus no place is left for any Works to make the least approach towards our Justification before God under the covert of any distinction whatever And the nature of Justifying Faith is here also determined It is not a meer assent unto Divine Revelations it is not such a firm assent unto them as should cause us to yield Obedience unto all the Precepts of the Scripture though these things are included in it but it is a believing on and trusting unto him that justifieth the ungodly through the Mediation of Christ. Concerning this Person the Apostle affirmeth that his Faith is counted for Righteousness That is he is justified in the way and manner before declared But there is a difference about the Sense of these words Some say the meaning of them is that Faith as an Act a Grace a Duty or Work of ours is so imputed Others say that it is Faith as it apprehends Christ and his Righteousness which is properly imputed unto us that is intended So Faith they say justifieth or is counted for Righteousness relatively not properly with respect unto its object and so acknowledg a Trope in the words And this is fiercely opposed as though they denied the express words of the Scripture when yet they do but interpret this expression once only used by many others wherein the same thing is declared But those who are for the first sense do all affirm that Faith here is to be taken as including Obedience or Works either as the form and essence of it or as such necessary concomitants as have the same influence with it into our Justification or are in the same manner the condition of it But as herein they admit also of a Trope in the words which they so fiercely blame in others so they give this sense of the whole unto him that worketh not but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith and Works are counted to him for Righteousness which is not only to deny what the Apostle affirms but to assign unto him a plain contradiction And I do a little marvel that any unprejudiced person should expound this Solitary Expression in such a sense as is contradictory unto the design of the Apostle the words of the same Period and the whole ensuing Context For that which the Apostle proposeth unto confirmation which contains his whole design is that we are justified by the Righteousness which is of God by Faith in the blood of Christ. That this cannot be Faith it self shall immediately be made evident And in the words of the Text all Works are excluded if any words be sufficient to exclude them But Faith absolutely as a single Grace Act and Duty of ours