remissio est Justificationis efficacis consequens necessarium and the worthy Mr. Bradshaw saith culpae remissio accuratè considerata neque totum neque pars Justificationis existit sed contingens tantùm Justificationis effectus I conceive the application of Christ's Justifying Blood is in order of Nature antecedent to remission under the Law first the Atonement was made and Blood sprinkled and then there was forgiveness under the Gospel first Christ's Blood is applyed and sprinkled upon us and then there is remission Christ is a propitiation through Faith in his Blood saith the Apostle Rom. 3.25 and then he adds To declare his Righteousness for the Remission of sins Christ's Blood is first applyed and then remission follows upon it I say it follows upon it but it is no more the same with it under the Gospel then forgiveness under the Law was the same with the sprinklings and purifyings by the Blood of the Sacrifices when in Scripture there is attributed to Christ's Blood purging washing sprinkling cleansing from Sin and to a pardon covering blotting out taking away and casting away of Sin I cannot imagine that both these are the same as if Christ's Blood did not by it self do away Sin but only impetrate that it might be done away in a pardon I take it these are distinct first that Blood in the sence herein after declared frees us à culpâ and then the consequent pardon frees us à Baenâ Fifthly If Christ's Righteousness be Imputed to us not in it seif but in its effect only that is a pardon then Justification as to the Law wholly consists in a pardon on the other hand if Justification do not stand in a pardon then it stands in the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to us in this great point I shall offer several things First The Scripture must be the great Rule to judge of Justification by there I find that we are justified by Christ's Blood that we are made rightcous by his Obedience but that we are justified by a Pardon I find not There I read that Christ is made to us Righteousness that we are made the Righteousness of God in him but not that an Immunity from punishment is a Righteousness I know many Learned Divines take Justification and Pardon to be one and the same but I shall consider the chief Scriptures which look that way The first is Rom. 4. There the Imputation of Righteousness Ver. 6. and the remission of sin Vers 7. and 8. seem to be the very same the quotation of the 32. Psalm seems to make it clear to answer to this I shall consider the scope of the Apostle He doth in the third Chapter lay down this Conclusion That we are justified by Faith Ver. 28. and in the fourth Chapter he lays down this That we are not justified by Works Ver. 4. that is perfect Works such as Man may glory in such as might make the reward of debt Abraham himself could not reach such a Justification this is proved by two things the one is this Abraham's Faith was counted to him for Righteousness therefore he was not justified by Works For Faith is not Works The other is this A justified Man is a pardoned one therefore he is not justified by Works for perfect Obedience leaves no room at all for a Pardon Touching the first I shall first consider what was the object of Abraham's Faith and then how Faith is counted for Righteousness The primary object of Abraham's Faith was Chrrist for the Apostle in the third Chapter speaks of the Faith of Christ and in the fourth where the same Discourse of Justification is continued the object cannot in any reason be varied Abraham is set forth as a great pattern of believing and he can hardly be so to Christians if his Faith had not for substance the same object with theirs The Scripture fore-seeing that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations be blessed Gal. 3.8 That Abraham's Faith and ours might have the same object God took care that a Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evangelizandi verbum peculiariter conservatum est Doctrinae de Gratuita per Christum reconciliatione Bez. in loc a Blessing Christ should be set before him his Eyes were so far opened that he could see Christ's day and in a kind of Triumph of Faith rejoyce at it 1 Joh. 8.56 'T is true our Faith as having more of Evangelical light in it is more explicite than Abraham's was Abraham's was in the Messiah in universali in more general terms ours is in him in particulari in propriâ formâ in a satisfying atoning Messiah in his Blood and Righteousness nevertheless this being but a gradual difference according to gradual Light our Faith and Abraham's are for substance the same and center in one object and Christ's Righteousness and Satisfaction though not so clearly known to Abraham as to us was no less imputed to him than to us there being the same way of Justification by Imputed righteousness for him as for us Christ being the object of Abraham's Faith the next thing is how Faith is imputed for Righteousness Here I answer Faith is counted for Righteousness not as taken in abstracto meerly in it self but as taken in concreto in its conjunction with its object that is Christ and his Righteousness and then we have the full Righteousness of Justification Faith in it self answering to the Gospel-terms and in its object Christ's Righteousness answering to the Law Here I crave leave to set down the words of an Excellent Person though different from my self in this point the words are these Sir Charles Wols Justif Evang. 42. Faith looks both ways respects both the Law and the Gospel and comprizeth all that is requisite to our Justification with reference to both all the charge of the Law it answers ratione objecti in respect of its object which is Christ and all that is required by the Gospel ratione sui as being it self the performance of the condition annexed thereunto Thus he I quote not these words as if in this point he were of my opinion but because they are full and expressive of my thoughts Now that Faith is in this place to be taken in conjunction with its object appears thus the Apostle in the third Chapter proves That as to the Law every Mouth must be stopped that all the world must become guilty before God verse 19 and then concludes that by the deeds of the Law no Flesh can be justified verse 20. And in his After-discourse as the following words but now do import he sheweth what it is that justifieth us against the Law viz. The Righteousness of God that is of Christ which is not Faith it self but by Faith Vers 21 22. And at last he concludes That we are justified by Faith Vers 28. but Faith in it self cannot justifie us against the Law for Faith was not
the very instant of believing before any Good Works spring up in his Life hath a true title to the promises of the Gospel the Righteousness of Christ is upon him the Spirit of Grace is communicated to him Obedience is a blessed fruit which ensues upon these Thirdly Obedience is necessary though not to the first entrance into Justification yet to the continuance of it Not indeed as a Cause but as a Condition De Just Actual fol. 404. Thus Bishop Davenant Bona opera sunt necessaria ad Justificationis statum retinendum conservandum non ut causae quae per se efficiant aut mereantur hanc conservationem sed ut media seu conditiones fine quibus Deus non vult Justificationis Gratiam in hominibus conservare If a Believer who is instantly justified upon believing would continue justified he must sincerely obey God Though his Obedience in measure and degree reach not fully to the Precept of the Gospel yet in truth and substance it comes up to the Condition of it else he cannot continue justified this to me is very evident we are at first justified by a living Faith such as virtually is Obedience and cannot continue justified by a dead one such as operates not at all We are at first justified by a Faith which accepts Christ as a Saviour and Lord and cannot continue justified by such a Faith as would divide Christ taking his Salvation from guilt and by disobedience casting off his Lordship could we suppose that which never comes to pass that a Believer should not sincerely obey How should he continue justified if he continue justified he must as all justified persons have needs have a right to life eternal and if he have such a right how can he be judged according to his works no good works being found in him after his believing how can he be adjudged to life or how to death if he continue justified These things evince that obedience is a condition necessary as to our continuance in a state of Justification Nevertheless it is not necessary that obedience should be perfect as to the Evangelical precept but that it should be such that the truth of Grace which the Evangelical condition calls for may not fail for want of it Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the City Rev. 22.14 The first fundamental right to Heaven they have by the Faith of Christ only but sincere obedience is necessary that that right may be continued to them In this sence we may fairly construe that conclusion of St. James Te see then how that by works a man is justified and not by Faith only Jam. 2.24 Faith brings a man into a justified estate But may he rest here No his good works must be a proof of his Faith and give a kind of experiment of the life of it Nay they are the Evangelical condition upon which his blessed estate of justification is continued to him in foro legis Christ and his Righteousness is all neither our Faith nor our Works can supply the room of his Satisfaction to justifie us against the Law But in foro gratiae our obedience answers to the Evangelical condition and is a means to continue our justified estate It 's true St. Paul asserts that we are justified by Faith not by Works Rom. 4. Which seems directly contrary to that of St. James that a man is justified by Works not by Faith only but the difference is reconciled very fairly if we do but consider what the Works are in St. Paul and what they are in St. James In St. Paul the Works are perfect Works such as correspond to the Law such as make the reward to be of Debt vers 4. Hence Calvin saith operantem vocat qui suis meritis aliquid promeretur non operantem cui nihil debetur operum merito In St. James the Works are sincere only such as answer not to the Law but to the Evangelical condition such as merit not but are rewarded out of meer Grace Works in St. Paul are such as stand in competition or coordination with Christ and his Righteousness which satisfied the Law for us Works in St. James are such as stand in due subordination to Christ and his Righteousness and are required only as fruits of Faith and conditions upon which we are to continue in a justified estate Works in St. Paul are such as no man can do Nay as no man must so much as imagine that he can do unless he will cast away Christ and Grace Works in St. James are such as must be done or else we prove our selves hypocrites and our Faith dead and vain in both Apostles Abraham is brought in as an instance In St. Paul the question was whether Abraham was a Sinner and here the Righteousness of Christ did justify him In St. James the question was whether Abraham was a true Believer and here his obedience did prove him to be so and did answer to the Evangelical condition these differences considered it is easie to understand how we cannot be justified by good works in St. Pauls sence and yet how according to St. James good works are necessary to prove our Faith a living one and to answer the condition of the Gospel that the state of Justification into which we entred by Faith may be continued To shut up this Discourse touching Justification we must here stand and adore the infinite Wisdom and mercy of God in this great Work what poor faln Creatures were we into what an horrible gulf of sin and misery were we sunk whither could we turn or how could we think ever to stand before the holy God storms of wrath hung over our heads and might justly have fallen upon us but how should we be justified or ever escape Might the pure perfect Law be abrogated that we might be acquitted No it could not be it was immortalized by its own intrinsecal rectitude and equity might God wave his holiness and justice that his mercy might be manifested upon us would the great Rector pardon the Sin of a world without any recompence or Satisfaction No his Law is sacred and honorable Sin is no light or indifferent thing in his eyes Where then shall a satisfaction be found no Creature could possibly undertake it no Man no Angel could or durst start such a thought as that one of the Sacred Trinity should do it See then and admire this incomparable work the Son of God very God leaves his Fathers bosom assumes our frail flesh in it fulfills all righteousness and at last is made Sin and a Curse for us that we might be justified and pardoned No sooner are we by Faith in Union with him but his righteousness is upon us his blood washes away all our guilt through him we but vile worms in our selves become no less than Sons of God and Heirs of Heaven What are we
the Spirit nor the Water from the Blood these must ever be in conjunction an half Christ is not the Christ of God but a Christ of his own fancy such as cannot profit us Faith is not meerly for Promises which are cordials and Pots of Manna but for Precepts too it is Meat and Drink to doe the Will of God Promises and Precepts run together in Scripture Promises are the effluxes of Grace and Faith takes them into the heart by recumbency Precepts are effluxes of Holiness and Faith takes them in by an Obediential Subjection both are owned by Faith and must be so as long as there is Grace and Holiness in God Faith cannot stand without repentance it trusts in Infinite Mercy and an impenitent one who still holds up his Arms of Rebellion cannot do so it rests upon the Merits and Righteousness of Christ and an impenitent one who tramples under foot the atoning Blood cannot do so It hath a respect for the holy Commands and the impenitent who by willful sinning casts them away and as much as in him lieth makes them void can have no respect for them there can no such thing as an impenitent Faith We see by these things what a Faith that is by which we are justified Secondly The next thing is How we are justified by Faith Faith may be considered under a double notion either as it respects Christ or as it respects the condition of the Gospel As it respects Christ it unites us to him it makes us Members of his Mystical Body thus it is a Sacred Medium to have Christ's Righteousness imputatively become ours that we may be justified against the Law nothing can justifie us against it but Christ's Satisfaction that cannot do it unless it become ours ours it cannot be unless we are Believers Hence the Apostle saith That the Righteousness of God is upon the Believer Rom. 3.22 That Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to the Believer Rom. 10.4 Here Faith doth not justifie us in it self but in its object Christ to whom it so unites us that his Righteousness so far becomes ours as to justifie us against the Law As it respects the Condition of the Gospel it is the very thing which that Condition calls for in the Law of Works the Condition and the Precept were coextensive the one was as large as the other no Man could live by that Law but he who had the perfect Obedience commanded in the Precept but in the Law of Grace it is otherwise The Precept hath more in it than the Condition the Precept calls for Faith not in its Truth only but in its Statures and gradual Perfections it would have us aspire after a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fiducial Liberty a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a persuasion with full sails towards the great things in the Promise as if they were sensibly present with us but the Condition calls only for a true Faith and no more the least Faith if true though it be but as a little smoak or wick in the socket though it be but a little spark or seed of Faith latent in a Desire or Willing Mind is performance of the Condition Hence the poor in Spirit who seem to themselves to have nothing of Grace at all in them have a Blessedness entailed on them which could not be unless they had performed the Condition woe would it be to Christians if all that is in the Precept were in the Condition also if their Justification were suspended till they had reached the top and highest altitude of the Precept in reference to the Precept Faith hath its Degrees and Statures it comes up more or less to the Precept but in reference to the Condition Faith hath no Degrees but stands in puncto indivisibili it hath no magis or minùs in it the least true Faith doth as much perform the Condition as the strongest Cruciger who prayed thus Invoco te Domine languidâ imbecillâ Fide sed Fide tamen did as much perform the Condition as he who hath the strongest confidence in God's Mercy The verity of Faith is all that the Condition calls for these things as I have learned from Mr. Baxter being so I conclude thus as to the Precept true Faith falls short it is not as it ought to be it justifies not nay in respect of defects and imperfections it self wants to be justified and covered with the Righteousness of Christ but as to the Condition it fully comes up it is as it ought to be it is in it self the very thing required it is in this point a particular Righteousness answering for us That we have performed the Condition Yet still we must remember that this particular Righteousness is subordinate to Christ's Satisfaction which is our universal Righteousness There is yet one thing behind viz. To consider how or in what Respect Obedience or Good Works are necessary unto Justification I shall set down my thoughts in the following particulars First Our good Works do not come in the room of Christ's Righteousness to justifie us as to the Law to secure this the Apostle often concludes That we are not justified by the Works of the Law our good Works are full of imperfection the purest of them come forth ex laeso principio out of an Heart sanctified but in part and in their egress from thence gather a taint and tincture from the in-dwelling sin never any Saint durst stand before God in his own Righteousness Job though perfect would not know his own Soul Job 9.21 David though a Man after God's Heart would not have him mark iniquities Psalm 130.3 Anselm upon this account cries out Terret me Vita mea My own Life makes me afraid all of it was in his Eyes sin or barrenness our Good Works did not could not satisfie the Law no this was that which nothing but Christs Righteousness could accomplish We find not the Saints in Scripture standing upon their own bottom but flying to a Mercy seat and as the expression is Hebr. 12 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 looking off from themselves unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of their Faith in whom alone perfect Righteousness is to be found Secondly Our Good Works have not the same station with Faith this appears upon a double account the one is this Faith unites us to Christ And so it is a Divine Medium to have his Righteousness made ours but Good Works follow after Union we are by Faith married to Christ that we might bring forth fruit to God Rom. 7.4 Before Faith which is our Espousal of Christ we bring forth no genuine Obedience Good Works are the progeny of a Man in Christ one who by Union with him is rightly spirited to do the Will of God not of a Man in Adam one who stands in the power of Nature the other is this In the very instant or first entrance into Justification Faith is there but so is not Obedience a Believer in
the promise They cannot possibly be plucked out of Christs hand without their own voluntary consent So the promise runs thus They shall not be plucked out of his hand but only in such a way as the same is possible to be done that is the words are absurd and signifie just nothing But if the promises made to Saints were thus conditional what are those made to Christ Hath not God said That Christ should have a seed nay and be satisfied in it Isa 53.10 11 Hath he not said nay sworn to Christ That his seed such as believers are should endure for ever that his throne a chief part of which is in their hearts should be as the Sun Psal 89.35 36 And are these promises conditional also It 's true that there was a condition on Christs part That he should obey and suffer for us but was there any on ours Must these promises run thus Christ shall have a seed and a throne if man will No the promises are absolute no mention at all is made of mans will But if the Graces of the Saints may fail so may these promises also Christ might have no seed at least no enduring one such as may satisfie him His throne at least that choice part of it which is in the hearts of the Saints may utterly fail and come to nothing If the matter be left to the Lottery of mans will How is God true to his Son Christ Possibly there might be no feed of new-creatures at all or if there were they might flie away from the birth in an utter apostacy Nay what if the event did hit right and answer the promise yet God is never the truer for that neither can we say that he fulfilled his promise in that event which was never secured by his grace but came to pass as it happened by the lucky hit of mans will To conclude Upon the whole matter it appears God hath taken believers into his own hand their Graces shall not fail because his Truth and Faithfulness cannot their standing is sure because his promises cannot fall to the ground To add no more We see here how we ought in all humility to give Grace its due and this we cannot do unless we give it all Non est devotionis dedisse prope totum Deo sed frandis retinuisse vel minimum saith Prosper To give Nine hundred ninety nine parts to Grace and reserve one only to mans will is more than true devotion will bear it 's just to give the whole unto God The Jewish Rabbins say That he who receives any good thing in this world without a benediction is a robber of God but the greatest sacriledg of all is when we own not the Grace of God in supernatural blessings which relate to the world to come Verè humiles totum Deo reddunt True humble souls render all to God Let us then acknowledg with Jacob We are less than the least of all his mercies We were naturally undone unclean creatures proper objects of wrath Why did God send his Son in the flesh to seek that which was lost wash us in a laver of his own blood and bring us into favour with him We might have been born in the dark places of the earth where Christ is not named where the Sun of Righteousness shines not in Pardons and Graces Why did God place us in a Region of Evangelical light and set Jesus Christ with all his beauties and treasures evidently before us Under the Gospel there are many blind eyes and hard hearts many poor souls dead and buried in a grave of sin Why did he open our eyes upon heavenly mysteries and melt our hearts into the Divine will Why did he raise us up out of our spiritual graves and quicken us unto a Divine life There is still corruption within and temptation without us Our Graces are weak and in themselves defectible creatures Why doth he supply us with fresh influences of grace and maintain the new-creature in us Why are we not swallowed up in temptations and corruptions but kept and preserved to the heavenly Kingdom Here we must glory in our God and cry out Grace Grace All the good we have is from that Fountain Thus St. Paul ascribes all to Grace I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me I labour yet not I but the grace of God which was with me He acknowledges no I-ness but ascribes all his spiritual being and working to Grace I will shut up all with that of Bonaventure Furti reus est qui sibi aliquid retinet cum Deus dicat gloriam meam alteri non dabo He is guilty of Theft who retains any thing to himself when God hath said My glory I will not give to another All glory therefore be to him alone CHAP. XI Chap. 11 Touching Justification as to the Law Christ's Righteousness constitutes us Righteous A double imputation One to the proper Agent another to those in Conjunction the Conjunctions between Christ and us how Christ's Righteousness is imputed to us that it is not only the Meritorious but Material cause of our Justification this is proved from that phrase The Righteousness of God from the nature of Justification from the parallel of the two Adams from other phrases in Scripture from a pardon as not being the same with Justification from Christ's suffering in our stead the Objections against imputed Righteousness answered what justifies us as to the Gospel terms the Necessity and connexion of a twofold Righteousness how we are justified by Faith how Good Works are necessary A short Conclusion THERE remaineth yet behind one Eminent piece of Grace I mean Justification this in Luther is Articulus stantis cadentis Ecclesiae and in Chemnitius Arx propugnaculum Religionis Christianae a Sacred thing it is and difficult to explain the true measures of it cannot be taken from any thing but the holy Scripture where this Mystery is revealed Touching Justification there are three things considerable viz. First we are constituted righteous then esteemed or pronounced such and at last treated as such The first conferrs a righteousness upon us the second ownes and declares it the third gives us the consequent reward thereof The first we have in that phrase of Justifying the Ungodly Rom. 4.5 for that unless it were collative of a Righteousness would be the same abomination with the Justifying the Wicked Prov. 17.15 The second in that phrase of Justifying the Righteous Deut. 25.1 where the word Justifying is not effectionis sed aestimationis declarationis significativum the third is not so much a part of Justification as a consequent of it neither do I remember that it is called Justification in Scripture The first is the foundation of the other two unless a Man be constituted righteous God who is Truth it self cannot esteem or pronounce him such for that were for him to err which is impossible neither can he who is Sanctity it self treat him as such for an