make not also some benefit of it for that state is to no purpose from whence ariseth no benefit In my Justification therefore I am to consider both these meanes viz. not onely the meanes procreant or title whereby my state is constituted acquired or had but also the meanes conservant or Tenure whereby my state is continued preserved or held Because I am truly sayd to be justified as well by the tenure wherby I continue and hold this state as by my title whereby I acquire and have it For all states whatsoever not onely jurall but naturall of all creatures whatsoever whose existence hath any duration doe necessarily require a cause conservant meanes retentive or tenure whereby they may be continued or preserved to abide and remaine in being for otherwise their state would not be permanent at all but actually transient and sodainly passe away Yea the Earth it selfe whose state above all other elements is most firme and stable and the whole world whereof God is the sole cause procreant who created and established it for ever should he cease to be thereof the cause conservant would suddainely in a moment runne to ruine Much more is such a tenure necessary to my Justification which is my state of alliance unto God Because this state above all others is to mee most pretious and consequently the losse of it becomes most grievous 3. The Tenure whereby I am justified is workes I am not afraid to expresse this verity in these words because the phrase Justified by workes is the expresse saying of the Holy Ghost For Jam. 2.24 This Assertion that A man is justified by workes and not by faith alone is the language and word of God as well as this that A man is not justified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Jesus Christ For the Scripture delivereth both these assertions mentioning neither of them obviously as it were in transitu But handling both equally purposely and by way of doctrine for shee proposeth both and presseth both insisteth upon both confirmeth both by severall arguments and illustrating both by Similies and examples And therefore I cannot use such partiality to bee so earnest for either as thereby to bee against the other but I must maintaine them both and maintaine both for current doctrine to bee duly taught in the Church of God Because both in their due senses are infallibly true and of great consequence as well to magnifie Gods grace as to edifie his Church But I must allow unto both their proper senses and due distinctions for if I side with the assertion of Paul and cast off James with a distinction or side with James and cast off Paul with a distinction then I doe not rightly divide the word of truth But I rather make that right-downe division which Paul himselfe condemneth 1. Cor. 1.12 I am of Paul and I of Apollo and I of Cephas and I of Christ. As therefore my faith is the Title whereby I am justified viz. procreatively and acquisitively i. e. Whereby my Justification is created produced and constituted to have the originall existence and beginning or whereby my state of divine alliance and inheritance to bee the Sonne and Heire of God is acquired commenced and initiated So my workes are the Tenure wherby I am justified viz. conservantly and retentively i. e. Whereby my Justification is continued preserved and maintained to abide subsist and remaine in that existence which originally it had by faith or whereby my state of divine alliance and inheritance is prolonged for my finall continuance to bee the Sonne and Heir of God untill such time as I possesse and enjoy that inheritance in heaven whereto I am now the heire and have a present right For that the verbe Justifie as also many others of the like nature doth consignifie these two kindes of efficiency namely procreant and conservant hath beene formerly shewed And by workes I understand good and holy workes for if the workes which unjustifie mee by building againe the state of sin which I destroyed are evill and sinfull then the workes which sub-justifie or support my state of justification must needes bee good and holy For seeing my Justification which procures unto mee a divine alliance to bee the sonne and heyre of God is a state of sanctity and holines what can bee more suitable convenient and comely then that a holy state should bee preserved by holy workes In this sense James affirmeth that A man is justified by workes and not by faith alone Which assertion hee prooves three severall wayes 1. By two reasons whereof one is Because faith without workes is dead i. e. the act of faith in justifying is frustrate voyd and of no effect as a Bill Bond or other writing whereto there is no hand nor seale For a man justified by faith if his faith be not seconded by workes to continue and maintaine his Justification he shall never possesse and enjoy that heavenly inheritance whereto hee was by faith justified and his faith falling of this effect is therefore voyd or dead The other reason is Because faith working with workes is by workes made perfect i. e. faith alone by it selfe is a thing imperfect and ineffectuall for in Justifying it doth but commence begin and enter the state of Justification and consequently it createth but an imperfect and weake right namely a right of Institution and Expectation a right of a son and heyre a right of interest clayme and hope a right escheatable and defeasable that may possibly bee destroyed But faith seconded accompanied and animated with workes is by workes made effectuall to continue consummate and 〈◊〉 the state of Justification into the state and assurance of salvation and consequently to procure a perfect plenary and full right namely a right of possession and fruition a right of peace rest and quiet an inheritance executed and seized subject unto no defeaâ—ance relapse or other casualty or as the Apostle calls it 1 Pet 1.4 an inheritance uncorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not 〈◊〉 reserved in Heaven for us Secondly he proves it by two Similyes or comparisons 〈◊〉 of one is that Faith alone without workes is like the Devils Faith for they have a kinde of faith whereby they believe the existence and unity of God And their faith is alone without workes namely without good and holy workes but they are not without evill and wicked workes and their faith with evill workes hath this evill worke upon them that it makes them to tremble The other Simily is that faith alone without workes is like the body without breath for as the body without breath is dead so faith without works is dead also Thirdly hee proves it by two Examples One of Abraham Was not Abraham our father justified by workes when he had offered Isaac his son upon the Altar i. e. The Justification of Abraham constituted long before by his faith whereby was imputed unto him a right of alliance and amity
or clayme in the Lord that he is their God and thereof they shall not boast in themselves but shall glory in him And Esay 53.11 By his knowledge my righteous servant jizdik shall justifie many i. e. Christ who shall be upright in executing my will and obedient even to the condition of a servant shall by the knowledge or Doctrine by him taught make many to have a right interest and clayme in God as his sonnes and heires to everlasting life for Paul expressing the sense of this place doth instead of the words shall justifie many use these many shall bee made righteous Rom. 5.19 By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous i. e. Many shall bee jurally justified or made to have a right in God which before they had not for the word made heere doth not signifie Declaratively but Efficiently Because the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies constituted ordained or appoynted and in some places of our last English Translation is so rendred See Act. 6.3 and Tit. 1.5 and Heb. 5.1 And Rom. 3.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being justified freely by his grace i. e. procreantly jurified or made to have our right in God without any deserts any workes or any suit on our part but onely by grace on Gods part him thereto especially moving And Roman 4.2 if Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were justified by workes hee hath whereof to glory i. e. if Abraham were procreately or initially jurified or made to have his right of inheritance to the Kingdome of Canaan by the title of his workes he may well boast of them for certainely they must bee mighty workes that could entitle him to a Kingdome or make him to bee the Heire of the World as Paul phraseth it afterward ver 13. And to instance in the first clause of the present Text Knowing that a man is not justified by the workes of the Law i. e. Procreantly jurified or made to have a right to bee constituted or initiated by the workes of the Law 2. Conservantly and so hee is justified or rather jurified who is made to hold his right when that right which hee was made to have before is afterward and moreover preserved continued and maintained unto him for by this efficiency his right is made to subsist and remaine according to the former creation or constitution of it and consequently is kept from escheating reverting revoking forfeiting or otherwise losing for in vaine a man is made to have a right if hee bee not also made to hold it In this sense the word is taken James 2.21 Was not Abraham our Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justified by workes when hee had offered Isaac his sonne upon the Altar i. e. That right of Inheritance to the Land of Canaan which Abraham was first made to have by his faith or which was created constituted imputed or initiated unto him upon his faith was it not afterward held continued preserved and maintained by his workes in offering up his son And againe vers 24. Yee see how that by works a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is justified and not by faith onely i. e. that right unto salvation which a man is first made to have by his faith is held or continued by his workes for though his faith onely without workes doth first create constitute and commence that right in making him to have it yet faith onely without workes doth not preserve continue and maintaine that right in making him to hold it and though his workes have no efficiency procreant in making him to have that right yet they have an efficiency conservant in making him to hold it And againe vers 25. Was not Rabah the harlot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justified by workes when she had received the messengers and sent them out another way i. e. the right to be saved at the sacke of Jericho which was first created constituted and imputed unto Rahab by her faith in God was it not afterward preserved continued and held by her workes in receiving the messengers and dismissing them another way Yet this jurall efficiency of the Verb justified doth not necessarily exclude the declarative sense but is so compliant and consistent therewith that it doth advance and further it For if the right which is made us be declared it becomes thereby the more manifest before men and consequently the lesse questionable and therefore in all the places formerly quoted out of James the Verb justified may and doth carry a declarative sense yet not principally but secondarily and accessorily for that our right should be conserved and continued unto us is of absolute necessity to salvation because otherwise wee cannot be saved but that it should be declared and manifested otherwise then Gods Will and Testament declares it we find no such necessity in Scripture And certainly our workes doe declare our right yet not assertorily to pronounce it for workes cannot doe so but illatively and consequently to argue or inferre it by the meanes of our fayth for workes by declaring our fayth doe consequently declare that right which by our fayth wee are made to have For faith being an inward thought of the heart lies of it selfe covered and concealed untill by some outward meanes it be declared or manifested and the proper meanes for that act are not words for a man may easily say hee hath faith but workes for workes are the proper evidence which shew it Hence sayth the Apostle Jam. 2.18 Shew me thy faith without thy workes i. e. Declare or manifest unto mee thy faith which is without workes not by thy words in bidding the poore Depart in peace but by thy workes in giving them those things which are needfull to the body as it is in the former verse before but shew it by thy workes thou canst not because it is solitary alone and without workes as thou sayst it may bee and is Workes then justifie not only efficiently to conserve our right but declaratively also to manifest it by declaring that faith whereby we are made to have it See heere a solid and easie way to cleere that seeming contradiction which some have conceyved betweene Paul and James in the point of Justification for although both these Apostles have the same word justified and both use it in a jurall sense and both in a consignification of efficiency yet apparant it is that both understand not the same kind of efficiency For Paul understands that efficiency which is procreant in making us first to have a right by creating producing and constituting of it which kind of efficiency is proper wholly and only to fayth but no way to workes which are altogether excluded from it But James understands that efficiency which is conservant in making us afterward to hold our right by preserving continuing and maintayning it unto us which kind of efficiency is proper to works yet not wholly and only so as to exclude fayth for fayth is also conservant
is Gods grace which moveth him to this act of kindnesse in making or passing his promise unto man and because the matter thereof is meerely gratious consisting of those favours benefits and blessings conferred upon man which are not due to man by any Law In the Old Testament Gen. 15. God covenants with Abraham by way of promise that God on his part would bee unto Abraham a shield and an exceeding great reward that he would give him a son and heire of his owne body and Abraham therupon enters covenant with God that hee on his part did beleeve in the Lord i. e. did accept receive and embrace those promises heere was a Covenant of Grace because the ground of it was Gods grace and the matter very gratious In the New Testament Heb. 8.10 God covenants with thee by way of promise that hee on his part will put his Lawes into thy mind and write them in thy heart that he will be a God unto thee and take thee for one of his people that he will teach thee to know him in respect of his greatnes goodnes and kindnes toward thee that he will be mercifull to thy unrighteousnesse not onely to forgive but also to forget thy sins and iniquities If thou on thy part accept these promises by thy faith thou thereby entrest Gods Covenant and the Covenant thou entrest is the Covenant of Grace because the ground of it is Gods grace and the matter of it very gracious Contrarily the Covenant made with God by meanes of a Preceptory faith is the Covenant of workes because the ground thereof is mans duty as he is the worke or creature of God owing all allegiance obedience and observance unto his Lord and Maker and because the matter thereof is laborious consisting of those workes Offices and services which by Gods Law are due from man to God In the Old Testament Gen. 17.1.10 God covenants with Abraham by way of Precept that Abraham on his part should walke before the Lord and be perfect upright or sincere and that every male childe in Abrahams family should be Circumcised here was a Covenant of workes because the ground of it was Abrahams duty and the matter somwhat laborious for workes to be done Againe in the New Testament Mat. 5.3 God covenants with thee by way of Precept that thou on thy part shalt be poore in spirit shalt mourne shalt bee meeke shalt hunger and thirst after righteousnesse shalt bee mercifull shalt be pure in heart shalt be a Peace-maker shalt suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake Heere againe is a Covenant of works because the ground of it is thy duty and the matter somewhat laborious In a word every promise of God is a Covenant of grace every Precept of God a Covenant of workes every judgement of God a Covenant of Curses and every voluntary sin of man is an involuntary Covenant to suffer those curses 2. The second effect is to assure Gods promise The promise of God though in respect of his will on his part it be firme sure and fast yet in respect of any right or benefit thence accruing to thee it is neither firme sure nor fact before thy faith or acceptance of it but by vertue of thy faith or acceptance it is made stable firme and sure Because that promise which Gods will is should be stable firme and sure is by thy faith actually established affirmed and assured for as was shewed before thy faith doth advance and forme Gods promise into a Covenant and a Covenant is an agreement so stable firme and sure that the parties agreed cannot repent revoke recede or goe back And if a Consent of the parties to be married doth make the mariage sure for upon their consent we use to say they are sure together much more doth thy acceptance of Gods promise make thy alliance to him stable firme and sure And this faith doth assure not onely thy present alliance but also the future possession of all those blessings which unto this alliance are appendent and consequent as the Regeneration or sanctification of thy minde the Remission of thy sins the Resurrection of thy body and thy Life everlasting And unto this assurance this faith is quickened and strengthened by the first notion of faith which is a high esteeme of Gods goodnes and greatnes that what the goodnes of his will was pleased to promise that the greatnes of his power is able to performe For this estimatory Faith by giving unto God the glory of his goodnes and greatnes doth nourish and feed up thy promissory faith into an assurance of a strong and full perswasion of Gods performance though unto thy selfe thou seeme never so poore and dead a Creature For notwithstanding all the difficulties and casualties in the world that may seeme to disturb Gods performance notwithstanding thy ignorance in many poynts of Religion that may seeme to hinder it notwithstanding thy sinnes of errour and frailty that may seeme to crosse it notwithstanding thy death and dissolution in the grave that may seeme to bury it Yet after all these God remaines constant firm and sure both willing and able to performe his promise and will actually performe it unto thee And of this assurance thou hast a precedent in Abrahams faith which notwithstanding the deadnesse of his owne body and of Sarahs Wombe was so firme sure and strong that hee was sure of a sonne because he considered not the deadnesse of his body but the goodnesse of Gods will and the greatnesse of his power Rom. 4.19 And being not weake in faith hee considered not his owne body now dead when hee was about 100. yeare old neither yet the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe hee staggered not at the promise of God through unbeliefe but was strong in faith giving glory to God and being fully perswaded that what hee had promised hee was able also to peforme Hence Amen the Hebrew word for faith doth also signifie verity constancy firmenesse and surenesse Because it is the nature of faith to bee true constant firme and sure not onely formally for the quality of it as it is opposed to falshood doubting staggering and wavering but also effectively for the virtue of it because it makes the promises of God to bee stable constant true firme and sure which otherwise and without it will prove frustrate and voyd to bee of no force or effect to him who diffides them And this Assurance of Gods promise is an effect so peculiar to thy faith that not workes but faith is ordained for thy title to this very end and purpose that the promise might bee sure unto thee Rom. 4.16 Therefore it is of faith that it might bee by grace to the end the promise might bee sure to all the seed 3. The third effect is to oblige both parties God at the first was not obliged to make any promise but was altogether free either to make or forbeare it and having made it hee is not obliged to performe
to bee and bee called the friend of God was it not afterward continued by his worke in offering his son for was not that worke wrought by his faith and was not his faith and the Scripture mentioning it fulfilled by that worke The other example is of Rahab Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by workes when she had received the Messengers and had sent them out another way i. e. The Justification of Rahab constituted long before by her faith whereby she became a Proselyte and an Israelite in beleeving that the God of Israel was God in Heaven above and in earth beneath was it not afterward continued by her worke in Receiving the Messengers For was not that worke wrought by her faith and at the sacke of Jericho was not she and her family preserved by that worke and thereby continued Proselites unto Gods People Now from these Examples and Similies of James but especially from his two reasons it evidently followes that workes doe justifie in the sense alleadged namely conservantly For because Faith without workes is dead and working with workes is by workes made perfect or effectuall therefore workes doe preserve and continue the life perfection and efficacy of Faith and consequently they preserve and continue the state of Justification which is the effect of faith and whatsoever doth preserve and continue Justification that doth Justifie True it is that Neither faith nor works are the principall and prime efficients of my Justifying because God is the personall principall and prime efficient who makes mee to have my right and who makes mee to hold it but faith and workes are the reall mediall or meane efficients on my part For God willeth and ordayneth that fayth should bee my title whereby I acquire and have this right and that workes should be my tenure whereby to continue and hold it From my title I wholly exclude my workes allowing them neyther efficiency to justifie nor presence in my person at my Justifying For faith alone without any efficiency or any presence of workes within mee doth make me to have this right Because when I am to bee justified I have not within me any workes at all that any way qualifie me or can bee truely sayd to be resident in mee For manifest it is that I am then in the state and condition of a sinner if not legally of a transgressor against the Law yet morally of one somewhat improbous who was many wayes peccant in the rules of morality equity decency and mercy and jurally of one calamitous who must suffer and die like a sinner for the proper subject of Justification is a sinner But from my Tenure I exclude not faith but include and suppose it adding and adjoyning my workes unto it Because in my Justification faith hath a double efficiency first a procreant to constitute it and secondly a conservant to continue it Yet that degree of conservancy which flowes from faith is so imperfect that unlesse it be perfected by the accesse of works fayth alone is not able to conserve it selfe for without workes shee is dead Yet from my Tenure I exclude the solitarinesse both of my faith and of my workes for neither faith alone without workes nor workes alone without faith but both concurring and joyned together viz. faith conducting and co-operating with workes and workes accompanying and seconding faith doe justifie me conservantly as my Tenure making mee to continue and hold that state of divine alliance which faith alone did create and constitute And heerein I give the preeminence to faith for I say not thus Workes with faith but thus Faith with workes doth make up my Tenure faith as the principall and workes as accessories thereto to animate enable and render faith effectuall unto that effect which alone without workes it can not performe Because faith without workes is imperfect and dead but working with workes is by workes made perfect and effectuall And true it is that Workes doe also justifie declaratively because they declare manifest and shew that faith which doeth justifie efficiently and which alone without workes is efficient procreantly and which being alone without workes can not be declared For words will not serve the turne to declare the existence of faith but this service must be done by works And therefore the existence of that faith which is solitary alone and without workes can by no meanes bee sufficiently declared Hence saith the Apostle Jam. 2.18 Shew mee thy faith without thy workes Shew me if thou canst or thou canst not shew mee that faith of thine which is without workes or which is solitary or alone by it selfe for by thy words in saying thou hast faith it is not sufficiently shewed and by thy workes it cannot possibly be shewed because as thou acknowledgest it is a solitary faith which is alone by it selfe destitute of workes And I will shew thee my faith by my workes i. e. But I will shew thee my operary faith which worketh with workes for I will and doe declare it by my workes because I acknowledge that my faith is seconded and accompanied with workes Now because faith is declared or shewed by workes therfore workes are a Signe of faith and consequently they are a Signe of Justification to declare and shew the state of it because faith is a cause whereof Justification is the effect and whatsoever is a Signe of the cause is also a Signe of the effect Yet this is not all and the whole influence which workes have unto Justification that they are a Signe of faith to declare it But moreover workes are a cause of faith to effect it yet not a cause procreant to constitute and produce it but a cause conservant to continue and maintaine it For Jam. 2.26 As the body without the spirit is dead so faith without workes is dead also Now the Spirit whereby the body respireth and breatheth is a cause of the body yet not a cause procreant to give the body life and being but a cause conservant to continue and maintaine the life and being of it And consequently workes are also a cause conservant of that Justification whereof faith is a cause wholly procreant and partly conservant and to conserve Justification is to justifie For seeing that unto many words I willingly allow severall senses not only modall but reall I cannot with equity deny the like courtesie unto the Verbe Justified for the honour of those two great Apostles Paul and James who were planters of the Gospel and pillars of the Church especially when I consider the severall parties with whom they had to deale For Paul by his assertion opposeth the Judaizers who as was formerly shewed upon the 14. verse of this Chapter were Operaries and Rituaries standing so much for the workes and Ceremonies of the Law that they made workes the sole and whole efficient cause of Justification both the cause conservant to continue and maintaine the state of it and also the cause procreant to
constitute and produce the being of it And therefore against the Infirmity of these Paul in his Epistles to the Romans Galatians and elsewhere stoutly maintaines this doctrine that A man is not justified by the workes of the Law but by faith only Wherin according to the quicknesse and shortnesse of his speech hee intends these two points 1. That no workes at all are the cause procreant to constitute and build mans Justification as was largely explicated verse 16.2 That no workes of the Law are a cause conservant to continue and maintaine mans Justification as shall bee discovered in the next verity For in these two points the Judaizers held the contrary as it plainly appeares partly by their practise and partly by his arguments against them But James in his assertion opposeth the Gentilizers who were a party quite contrary to the former and in opposition of them were Fiduciaries and Libertines standing onely for fayth and liberty neglecting despising and disgracing all maner of works as no cause at all of Justification neyther procreant to constitute or build the state of it nor conservant to continue and maintayne it as before was intimated after the 14. verse And therefore against the vanity of these James maintaynes this doctrine that A man is justified by workes and not by faith onely Wherein his meaning is as it was well enough understood of the Gentilizers that good workes â—ot of the Law but of Grace love and kindnesse were necessary both to faith and Justification as causes conservant to continue and maintaine both untill Justification bee consummated determined and finished into salvation for without such workes faith is dead but with and by them is made perfect Allowing therfore unto the word Justified being a Verbe efficient or factive these two senses of efficiency procreant and conservant and thereupon affirming that Faith only without workes doth justifie procreantly to constitute the state of Justification But faith with workes and by workes doth justifie conservantly to continue that state Then it will plainly appeare concerning Paul and James that neyther of their doctrines is a paradoxe that neyther is to other repugnant but each with the other is consistent and both are conducent to the verity and sanctity of Christianity Nay more the doctrine of James is to that of Paul a necessary consequent borrowing from Paul those principles whereby it is both raysed and proved For because as Paul teacheth my faith only without works doth procreate or build my Justification and because evill workes destroy the state of it and build againe my state of sinne therefore it must needs follow as Saint James teacheth that good workes doe continue and maintaine the state of it For although they doe not procreate or build that state yet they preserve and uphold it from that destruction and ruine which evill works would bring upon it Againe because as Paul teacheth my continuance in sin is the cause corrumpent and destruent to decay destroy my Justification which is to unjustifie me therefore as James teacheth my continuance in good workes is the cause conservant and restituent to preserve the state and to restore the decayes of it For in case I should fall my faith alone cannot restore mee but if I recover my faith working by workes of Repentance must be the meanes of my Recovery Besides because as Paul teacheth 1. Cor. 13.2 Though I have all faith so that I could remove mountaines and have no charity I am nothing Therefore as James teacheth faith without workes is dead because the acts of charity are good workes and of all other the greatest Lastly because as Paul teacheth Gal. 5.6 In Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love Therefore as James teacheth Faith working with workes is by workes made perfect that it may finally availe in Jesus Christ Thus James in his doctrine and in his reasons thereof secondeth Paul not differing from him in sense and truth but onely in words and tearmes and for that verball difference there was a just occasion For Paul being an Apostle to the Gentiles tempereth his doctrine with such words and tearmes that hee might give no offence either to the unbelieving Gentiles who thereupon would continue in their unbeliefe or to the believing Gentiles who thereupon might recede from their beliefe For hee made it his rule not to offend any party but to please all seeking to save as many as hee could labouring to plant the Gospel and to increase the Church of God as much as might bee And James being an Apostle to the Jewes and writing to the twelve dispersed Tribes doth correspondently carry himselfe with the like temper that hee likewise might give no offence either to the unbelieving Jew or to the believing Judaizer Yet let no Christian presume to censure this temperate carriage with temporizing seeing heerein these two great Apostles practized the great rule of Charity which is To walke without scandall or giving of offence especially to parties opposite but rather to please both A rule by Paul both taught and practised as appeares 1 Cor 10.32 Give no offence neither to the Jewes nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God even as I please all men in all things not seeking mine owne profit but the profit of many that they may be saved And seeing under the tearmes of Justifying by workes taken in different senses opposite Errours did trouble the Church who can say to the contrary but that these two Apostles might bee moved to use these very termes either by the spirit of God or by their owne agreement that each should confute those severall errours within his severall line namely James within the line of Circumcision and Paul elsewhere Concerning this seeming opposition between Paul and James whereof I spake somewhat before but not enough there are extant divers other Reconciliations whereof I oppose none but leave every man to that sense whereby hee may bee most edified 4. The fourth verity is this The workes which continue my Justification are acts of Love The tenure whereby the Israelites continued their Justification to the kingdome of Canaan to hold and enjoy it were the workes of the Law in the literall sense For thus speakes Moses to the people Deut. 5.33 You shall walke in all the wayes which the Lord your God hath commanded you and that you may prolong your dayes in the Land which ye shall possesse i. e. Your walking in Gods Lawes shall continue and prolong your possession in the Land whereto yee are justified or have a right And in after-ages when their children should aske them the meaning of these Lawes they must answer their children thus Deut. 6.24 The Lord commanded us to doe all these statutes to feare the Lord our God for our good alwayes that hee might preserve us alive as it is this day and it shall be our righteousnesse if wee observe to doe all these commandements before
but are made so by the Will and Testament of God And wee are adopted by his Will Ephes 1.5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his Will i. e. of his Will and Testament whereto the like saying followeth afterward in the same Chapter vers 13. And wee are begotten by his Will James 1.18 Of his owne Will begat hee us with the word of truth i. e. by his owne Will and Testament Thus having premised the Meaning of the word Justified that it signifies the conveying of a present right to man that the Matter of that Right is a right of state or permanent condition wherein man resteth that the quality of that state is a spirituall franchise or alliance to become the friend son and heyre of God that the priviledges incident to that alliance are the future Remission of his sins the Resurrection of his body and Life everlasting that the degree of his right to these priviledges is a right of Institution or a present right to the future possession of them that the Maner how man hath this state is factively by a testamentary act of God We come now to the Means whereby man hath this state or to that fact of man whereby the fact of God is effected or to the Title whereby man receives and enters this state for on mans part there is required an Act as the Meanes or Title for his reception of this state and concerning this Means or Title was all the controversie between Paul and the false teachers of Galatia against whom hee layes downe this Negative that It is not by the works of the Law as it followeth in the next words Text. Not by the workes of the Law The wrong title to the former state The particle By argues a Cause or Meanes The Nature of a Title exemplified in Lysias and in Paul and of speciall consideration 3. Maine heads of the Law 3. Judgements Two other heads of the Law It was Gods Testament and his Covenant Workes meane good workes Man worketh and the Law worketh in Condemning and Justifying conservantly but not procreantly neither doe mans works so The Law hath two senses 1. The History or letter of it which was well understood and so the Promises were terrene the Precepts were childish as their Moralities and much more their Ceremonies The workes were servile 2. The mystery or spirit of it which was not fully understood And so the Promises were heavenly the Precepts were virile and manly The works to be Cordial Liberall and Perfect No works justifie Procreantly to the heavenly promises nor to the earthly The wrong or false title of man to his spirituall right of franchise and alliance with God that hee hath not that state by the works of the Law For in any right whatsoever whether it be a Right of state of power of honour or of profit a man must have a speciall regard to his Title especially in a Right of this moment which is divine and concernes everlasting blessednesse The particle By doth imply a Meanes and thereby doth intimate unto man that unlesse on his part some Meanes be used or some Act done for his reception of this spirituall and divine state the testamentary acts of God in predestinating or instituting him thereto may become ineffectuall as ineffectuall they must needs become unto all who despise refuse or reject that state as manifest it is that too many have done both of Jewes and Gentiles for all testamentary acts doe leave unto the party instituted a liberty to accept or refuse the Legacy therein devised to him because a Testament carrieth not the force of a Law to constrayne and much lesse of fate to necessitate but passeth in the forme of grace to offer and tender the good will of the Testator And the Meanes heere understood is the meanes acquisitive or cause procreant whereby a right is first acquired initiated commenced entred and had which meanes or cause is commonly called a Title For a Title is that cause or formality whereby a mans right is declared or proved to be true and just whereby it is assured unto the party that hath it and is defended against any that shall impugne it or lay a clayme to dispossesse the possessor of it For in case another man should make a doubt of my right whatsoever it be or question me whether I have and hold it justly if thereupon I shall alleadge unto him the Meanes acquisitive or cause procreant whereby I first acquired entred and had that my right as that I had it by my Birth in inheriting it or by my Worke in earning it or by my Money in buying it or by my Acceptance in receiving the gift of it then such meanes or cause being justly approoved is my Title whereby I have that right and whereby I defend my having of it Lysias the Colonell and Governour of the Temple at Jerusalem had a right of freedome to the City of Rome and his title to that state was by his money for saith he Act. 22.28 with a great summe obtayned I this freedome And Paul his prisoner had the same right of freedome to the very same City but Pauls right came not to him by the same title for when Lysias made a doubt of Pauls freedome and questioned him about it Paul in the defence of his right alleadged his title that it was by Birth and sayd I was free borne In mans Justification therefore wee are to consider his title whereby he hath his right of spirituall State in his divine franchise and alliance with God whereby procreantly and acquisitively the reception of that state is initiated commenced or begun in him But that his title is not by Birth was proved before in the Maner how man hath this state namely not natively in being borne in it but factively in being made to have it and that fact on Gods part was Gods testamentary act in Predestinating or devising it unto man It remaineth therefore that mans title on mans part must bee by some act of his owne whereof the Apostle determineth heere that it is not by the works of the Law The Law was the whole body of those orders and rules for life which God by the meanes of Moses inacted in the Wildernesse for the people of Israel contayning three maine heads 1. Promises of divers blessings which God freely conferred upon that Nation as his owne peculiar people 2. Precepts of divers duties which the people on their part were to performe in respect of those promises of which precepts some were Moralities contayning duties naturall whereto the light of nature binds towards God and man as the ten Commandements of the Decalogue and others of their nature others were Ceremonies imposing duties positive which had little ground in nature but only in Gods pleasure of these the principall was Circumcision which though it were long before inacted in the time of Abraham yet
calls it Rom. 2.29 and Rom. 7.6 and 2. Cor. 3.6 the spirit of the Law according to the tacit intent true meaning and purpose of the Law-giver for times and things future above and beyond the common construction which the words and clauses of the Law afford This mysticall sense for the spirit of the Law was not understood at least not plainly and fully by the people of Israel to whom the Law was given neither could it be understood of any unlesse God revealed it from Heaven in a way extraordinary as privately was done in some measure unto some speciall persons but publickly it was never revealed untill it was Preached and published by Christ who was the first that did away the vaile of the Law and brought to light that true sense and minde of the Law whereof the former sense which even unto this day 2. Cor. 3.15 is a vaile upon the heart of the Jew was a figure and a shadow in foreshewing some representment of those things which should have a future existence under the new covenant which is little else but the new and true sense of the old For according to this sense of the spirit the Promises of the Law were to be Celestiall and eternall blessings in the Kingdome of Heaven whereof the principall and finall is a divine holinesse like that of the Angels pure and perfect without any spot or staine of sin and the accessories to that blessed state in Heaven are eternall life eternall rest eternall joy and eternall glory in the eternall company of eternall persons The judgements penalties or curses of the Law for the spirit of it were to be infernall and eternall death with all the losses and miseries thereto incident quite contrary to the former blessings The Precepts of the Law for the spirit of it were to be all Moralities for the legall moralities and all the ceremonies excepting onely those which were especiall figures of Christ were to be refined and exalted into the evangelicall moralities of poorenesse of spirit purenesse of heart mourning meekenesse hunger and thirst after righteousnes mercifulnes peaceablenes and gladnes under persecution for none of all these are Counsels or advises left unto mans choyse to be done or not done but all of them are Precepts or commands injoyned by Christ who thereupon assureth heavenly blessednes Mat. 5.3 And unto all these the generall or capitall morality is the new Commandement of Love refined also and exalted above and beyond the legall love yea above and beyond that love which moves and workes by the Law of nature as to love mine enemies to blesse them that curse me to benefit them that hate me to pray for them that despite me and persecute me to lay downe my life for my Brother and therefore much more for my heavenly Father whensoever a just cause shall require it Lastly the workes of the Law for the spirit of it were to be Cordiall wrought inwardly in and upon my heart by Circumcising of my heart by Sacrificing of my heart by Expiating of my heart in cutting killing and cleansing away the lusts motions and affections of sin And the workes were to be Liberall done in the free and noble way of love answerable to that love and kindnes which appeareth in God in condescending to this divine alliance of being my heavenly Father and of promising me an heavenly Inheritance and answerable to that love and duty which is due from me who am made the son of God and his heyre to eternall blessednes And finally the works were to be Perfect so exact and compleat as to performe an universall and perpetuall obedience to every precept not transgressing any one at any time so sinlesse and blamelesse that none of them should need any pardon or forgivenesse so upright and holy in the sight of God as to merit and deserve those divine and heavenly blessings as their proper and due wages The full meaning therefore of the Apostles Negative in this verse is this A man is not justified by any workes whatsoever no not by the spirituall workes of the Law i. e. his Moralities or morall workes by poorenes of spirit meekenes purenes of heart meeknes mercifulnes c. being measured by the spirituall sense of Gods Law are not cordiall liberall and perfect enough to make him a title whereby to acquire and have a true right of divine alliance with God and of the heavenly Inheritance consequent to that state This Negative the Apostle proves in this Chapter by three severall arguments which are not to be here anticipated but shall be specified in their due places in all which he mentions workes with restraint of them to the Law but his arguments hold against works in generall and in his Epistle to the Romans he handles the very same Doctrine of workes in generall without any restraint of them to the Law proving it there by the same arguments alleaged heere yet because there he produceth two arguments which here are omitted I shall therefore mention those two and but onely mention them One is Rom. 3.27 and the same is also alleaged Ephes 2.9 If mans title or cause procreant whereby he acquireth or hath a right of divine alliance and inheritance with God come by his owne workes then all boasting on mans part cannot be excluded for man doth naturally boast of his works particularly of such workes whereby he acquires some great alliance and inheritance especially of such as would make him a divine alliance to be the son and heire of God The other is Rom. 4.4 If mans title c. be by his workes then by the Law of equity heavenly blessednes becomes a debt and is due unto him as his wages which he hath earned by his worke Now these two respects that man should be able either to boast of his blessednes or to earne it are both derogatory to the love grace mercy and kindnes of God for where is Gods grace and his kindnes when either I can boast of my earnings or he is drawne to pay his debt But concerning the literall workes of the Law there may hereupon be inferred these two consequences 1. That the literall workes of the Law are no title whereby a man is justified procreantly or acquisitively to the spirituall promises thereof For if the spirituall workes which are farre more sublime and more pleasing to God make man no title to the spirituall promises as was proved before much lesse can the literall workes doe it which are farre lesse 2. That the literall workes of the Law were no title whereby the Israelites were acquisitively justified to the temporall promises thereof For when God gave them the Land of Canaan to possesse it hee utterly disclaymes their workes and their uprightnes from being any title whereby they acquired their right of possession Deut. 9.5 Not for thy righteousnesse or for the uprightnesse of thy heart doest thou goe to possesse their Land but for the wickednesse of these Nations the
Lord thy God doth drive them out before thee and that he may performe the word which the Lord sware unto thy fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob. The right therefore which the Israelites had to enter that Land proceeded not from their workes but descended from that right which was before in their fathers Nay Abraham himselfe to whom God gave the originall right to that Land and by whose right the Israelites possessed it had not his title to that right by vertue of the literall worke of Circumcision for manifest it is he had that right before his Circumcision Rom. 4.11 and he received the signe of Circumcision as a seale of the righteousnesse of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised i. e. As a seale of the right or title which he had by faith for faith is the right title whereby a man is justified as will appeare in the words following Text. But by the faith The right title to the former state to be understood Exclusively The particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith needs not be defined Neither can it be defined Yet it may be designed a wayes 1 An high esteem of God is faith exemplified in the Ninevites and the Devils 2. An acceptance of Gods promise is faith Explicated the Nature of Gods Promise and of his Precept and illustrated 3 wayes 1 From the common definition of it 2 From the ConcurreÌ„ce of it to a Promise 3. From Examples in the Old Testament and in the New Faith is a Passive act of Receiveing and Embracing in an easie and noble maner Yet faith hath mighty effects yet only jurally and of grace and they are chiefly 4. 1 It enters Gods Covenant of grace that why so called and how it differs from that of works 2 It assures Gods promise for the possession of it against all difficulties exemplified in Abraham Amen what it signifies 3 〈◊〉 obligeâ—â—â—oth parties 1. God who bindes himselfe by his Promise and by his Oath 2. The Faithfull who is bound by his Acceptance which makes a Contract and by his Baptisme 4. It justifies the faithfull as his Title exemplified in the Old Testament and in the New The faithful are heires of God The second assertion for the Affirmative touching the doctrine of Justification wherein is declared the true and right title whereby a man is justified i. e. whereby procreantly and acquisitively he is made to have a right of divine alliance to bee the son and heire of God namely that this title is by Faith because faith is the cause efficient procreant or meanes acquisitive whereby the right of this state is first acquired initiated commenced or had for what person soever whatsoever act or whatsoever thing is eyther a cause or a meanes of mans Justifying by such person act or thing a man is sayd to be justified and because faith is that act of man therefore a man is justified by faith And this Affirmative amounts to an Exclusive That a man is justified by faith only to exclude and debarre from Justifying all those acts of man which before were called the workes of the Law unto which faith is heer opposed For although the Schoolmen in their Arguments call Faith a Worke and from thence would inferre that a man justified by faith is consequently justified by workes yet the Apostle in his arguments will not endure that faith should be a worke but makes them as contrary in Divinity though both be acts of man as fire and water are in Philosophy though both bee elements of the world Which God continuing his light unto us shall be further made evident in our following Exposition of this clause The particle But hath in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is commonly a word of excepting and signifies unlesse and thereupon to that sense it is generally rendred by the Romish Translators as if the meaning of the Apostle were that A man is not justified by the workes of the Law unlesse to such workes hee adde his faith in Christ. But this cannot bee the meaning in this place for two reasons 1. Because the Apostle argues against this assertion and produceth severall reasons to overthrow it all which were inconclusive by admitting of that meaning 2. Because such a sense would have made no controversie betweene Paul and the false Teachers of Galatia whom hee heere opposeth but would have beene very pleasing unto them and have sided with their opinion For they maintained not that a man should forsake his faith in Christ but that unto his workes of the Law he should adde his faith in Christ and bee justified by virtue of both together joyntly Wherefore the Greeke particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not in this place signifie exceptively but adversatively and is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies But as it doth in many other passages of the New Testament and is so translated See Mat. 12.4 and John 5.19 and 1. Cor. 7.17 and Revel 9.4 In all which plaplaces and more the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie and is Englished But. There is no more necessity of defining Faith which unto mans Right of alliance with God is his right title then there was before of defining workes which were the wrong title For mans Justification is commonly in Scripture referred disjunctively to one of these three titles that it is either by Birth or by Workes or by Faith and the Scripture doth cleerely disclaime the two former titles by Birth and Workes to inferre the latter by Faith The title by Birth is disclaimed Rom. 9.6.7.8 For they are not all Israel which are of Israel neither because they are the seede of Abraham are they all children but in Isaac shall thy seede bee called i. e. They which are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the Promise are counted for the seede And the title by Workes is excluded Rom. 3.19.20 Now wee know that what things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law that every mouth may bee stopped and all the World may become guilty before God therefore by the deedes of the Law there shall no flesh bee justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of sinne And therefore according to that right reasoning which is framed in a disjunction the conclusion must needes inferre the remaining title by faith for so the Apostle concludes Rom. 3.28 Therefore wee conclude that a man is justified by faith As therefore there needes no definition to open the nature of Birth and Workes because those things are sufficiently knowne of themselves and therefore all Writers passe them over undefined So there needes no definition to declare the nature of Faith Because Faith is either manifest enough of it selfe or sufficiently poynted out by the contradistinction of it as it stands opposed to Birth and Workes for things contradistinct and opposite are or should bee equally knowne Neither is there possibility
wherein Christ is the Precedent or Patterne according to whose right we are made to have our right in being made co-heires with him 4. Because Christ is the Person who by our faith doth Ministerially justifie us by Confirming unto us Gods last Will and Testament and by performing unto us the promises thereof for of Gods last Will Christ is the whole and sole Executor to publish prove and performe it And not by the workes of the Law Seeing the title whereby we are justified is our faith in Christ therefore all title by the workes of the Law is hereby excluded for where two titles unto any right are incompatible and cannot stand together he that claymeth by the one must necessarily relinquish the other No workes therefore of the Law in what sense soever we take it whether in the literall sense as it was delivered by Moses and understood by the Israelites or in the spirituall sense as it was declared by Christ and is now understood by the faithfull are of that efficacy and vertue to make us a true title whereby to acquire and have a true right and claym unto heavenly blessednesse And consequently seeing the finall cause or end of our faith in Christ is to be justified therefore a further end of our faith in Christ subordinate unto the former is no longer to rest in the literall works of the Law but wholy to relinquish it as an act of God which now unto us is expired and dead for so the Apostle would be here understood as appeareth by his reasoning at the 19. verse next following And seeing God by Christ hath declared and published his new Will and Testament of the Gospel therefore hereby his former Will of the Law though for the time of it very good and usefull is utterly infringed cancelled and voyd For by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified The particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek which is heer rendred For being a Conjunction causall doth playnly shew that the truth of this clause is the cause or reason of that truth which was delivered in some former clause For the principall Doctrine of this whole epistle concernes the title whereby a man is justified which for the clearer evidence thereof the Apostle delivers bipartitely in two severall assertions Whereof the first is a Negative that A man is not justified by the works of the Law and the second an Affirmative that He is justified by the faith of Jesus Christ These being thus proposed his next businesse is to produce arguments or reasons for the confirmation and proofe of these two severall assertions but first he begins with the first which is the Negative that A man is not justified by the workes of the Law And this Negative he proveth in the following verses of this chapter by three severall arguments or reasons whereof the first is contained in this clause For by the workes of the Law shall no flesh be justified No flesh i. e. No living man whose life is mortall For to call man flesh is an Hebraisme to put man in minde of his mortality because seeing hee is framed of flesh and blood which are materialls but weake and fraile therefore hee must needes decay and dye Be justified i. e. bee declared upright No mortall man whose life is tryed by the Law shall by his worke in observance thereof bee found so compleat and perfect as to bee pronounced upright and sinlesse For his workes shall never appeare so cordiall so liberall and so perfect as to have performed an universall and perpetuall obedience to every Precept of the Law in every sense thereof without transgressing any one at any time Formerly it hath beene shewed that the word Justified hath in the Scripture severall senses the Apostle therefore haveing in the former parts of this verse taken this word in a jurall sence for the imputing or conveying of a right interest or claim doth now in this last clause take the same word in a legall sense for declaring or pronouncing upright innocent or sinlesse For when a word doth beare severall senses and the Apostle hath expressed it in some one sense hee loves for the greater elegancy to repeate the same word againe in another sense if the matter will admit it as heere it will and doth for otherwise wee faile of the Apostles intent and lose all the force of his argument If therefore in this last clause of the verse the word Justified bee taken in the very same sense which it carryed in the first clause then is this last clause but a bare repetition of the first and no confirmation of it at all For of this assertion that A man is not justified by the workes of the Law how can this bee a reason or proofe For by the workes of the Law no flesh shall bee justified if in both clauses the word justified carry one and the same sense But if the sense be varied as we have glossed it then will this latter clause bee a pregnant proofe of the former and consequently it will excellently suit with the scope and minde of the Apostle And the Greeke particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which elsewhere is constantly rendred Because doth both require and inforce this sense And that this Proofe or reason may carry the greater authority for the confirmation of his former Negative hee seemes to ground it on a testimony of Scripture and to produce it from Psalm 143.2 Enter not into judgement with thy servant i. e. Doe not arraigne mee before thy Tribunall or Seat of Judgement to try my workes by the rigour of the Law and then to handle mee according to my deserts For in thy sight shall no man living bee justified i. e. Because if thou in thine owne person or before thy selfe shalt take the cognisance of any mans workes to examine them throughly by the rule of thy Law and to give sentence upon him according to his workes no man living can by thy mouth bee declared or pronounced upright or innocent So that Paul hath in a manner explained the sense of Davids saying in adding these words by the workes of the Law The reason therefore whereby the Apostle argues heere seemes to runne thus If a man will bee jurally justified by the workes of the Law i. e. If hee will clayme from God a present right to the future Inheritance of Heaven by the title of his workes then God entring into judgement with him and in the sight or knowledge of God hee must by his workes bee legally justified i. e. Hee must bee declared or pronounced upright and innocent never to have beene an offendor against any Law of God For supposing but not granting that it is an effect or worke of the Law to Justifie a man jurally i. e. To give him a present right to the future Inheritance of Heaven Yet certainely the Law cannot produce this effect but onely in those who by the workes of the Law are legally
the Lord our God as he hath commanded us Thus speakes the Law it selfe Levit. 18.5 Yee shall therefore keepe my statutes and my Judgements which if a man doe hee shall live in them i. e. By keeping my Lawes you shall continue your right and state of life to prolong the course of it and to secure it from any violent death to be inflicted by the Law Thus the Prophet Ezech. 18.9 He that hath walked in my statutes to deale truly he is just he shall surely live i. e. by his walking in my Lawes hee becomes upright and by his uprightnes hee shall continue and prolong his temporall life which hee not transgressing the Law shall not by the Law bee cut off And thus also the Apostle Rom. 2.13 The doers of the Law shall be justified i. e. shall continue to bee justified for that by the deeds of the Law they could not begin to be justified hee meanes to prove at large in the following chapters of that Epistle And for default of these workes the ten tribes forfeited their right to that Land for ever and the other two tribes were sequestred for the tearme of 70 yeares under their captivity in Babylon But the tenure whereby under the Gospel I hold my state of alliance with God and continue my right of inheritance to the kingdome of Heaven are not the workes of the Law in the literall sense Not her Ceremonies as her Feasts in observing dayes and months and times and yeares and her Fasts in not touching not tasting not handling and her Capitall Ceremony of Circumcision which in Christ Jesus availeth nothing Not her Moralities as to bee no Idolater no perjurer no Sabbath-breaker no murderer adulterer thiefe lyar nor deceiver For a profession of my selfe to bee no sinner will not continue my Justification nay a confession of my selfe to bee a sinner will rather justifie mee then a justifying of my self to be no sinner for upon this ground as I am taught Luke 18.14 The Publican went downe to his house justified rather then the Pharisee But because that Pharisee was an Hypocrite let us heare another kinde of Pharisee who was no Hypocrite and yet confesseth of his Innocency that it justified him not 1. Cor. 4.4 I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not therefore justified I observe the Moralities of the Law because otherwise I should make my selfe a transgressor and thereby destroy my justification for although my innocency in being no Idolater no perjurer no Sabath-breaker c. will neither constitute nor continue my divine alliance and inheritance yet my Transgression in being an idolater a perjurer a murderer or adulterer or the like will discontinue and destroy it The Moralities of the Law therefore I doe and must observe yet I observe them not in duty to the Law because she commands them nor for feare of the Law because she threatens the breach of them For I am not under the Law but am dead to the Law and it is a part of my Justification to bee free from the Law But the workes which continue my Justification are the works of Grace For seeing God hath so highly Graced mee as to make mee his sonne and heyre therefore to shew my gratefulnes and thankefulnes to God for his grace I observe those duties offices and services whatsoever they be whereto not the letter of Gods Law but the spirit of his grace doth move and draw mee those workes which the grace of his Gospel commands and requires from mee for I am under his Grace And the workes which Gods grace causeth in me and requires from me are the acts of Love exercising it selfe in the offices of equity mercy courtesie and kindnesse For seeing God hath so loved and graced me as to make me his son and heire what other workes should his love and grace produce in me but the workes of love for what should love beget but love and what duties should the son doe to his father but the duties of love And these workes of Love have two strange properties for 1. They are super-legall i. e. above and beyond the Law of Moses not only fulfilling but transcending and exceeding it As to feed the hungry and cloath the naked to entertaine the stranger to visit the sicke and releeve the prisoner 2. They are super-naturall i. e. above and beyond the law of Nature for as there is a miraculous faith so there is also a miraculous love which in a maner worketh miracles surpassing the common course of naked nature As not to be Angry not to resist or revenge evill to suffer persecution gladly and joyfully to lay down my life for my brother and therefore much more for my heavenly Father to love mine enemies who hate revile and persecute me and in some case to hate my friends as my father and mother my wife and children my brothers and sisters Luk. 14.26 These and the like workes of Love are not the commands of the Law for they are not there manifested though some of them be there testified But they are the Commands of Grace for they are manifested in the Gospel which contayning the precepts and rules of equity mercy courtesie and kindnesse whereto Gods Grace obligeth and enableth me is therefore called the word of his Grace Hence Christ calls Love a new Commandement John 13.34 A new commandement I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another And Christ calleth it his commandement John 15.12 This is my Commandement that ye love one another as I have loved you And these workes offices and services of Love are the tenure to continue and maintaine my state of Justification For sayth Paul Gal. 5.6 In Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love i. e. The only thing which availeth to make mee continue and abide in Christ is faith working by love And 1. John 2.10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light i. e. Continueth in his state of light and life And 1. John 4.16 He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him i.e. Hee that continueth in the workes of love continueth in that alliance which is between God and him And when James affirmeth that a man is justified by works he meanes not works of the law but works of love and of such love as is both super-legall and supernaturall according to the two strange properties formerly mentioned For sayth he Jam. 2.21 Was not Abraham our father justified by workes when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar Did not Abraham continue justified by his worke in offering Isaac Was that worke a duty of the Law or was it not a service of love whereby at Gods immediate command he offered unto God his onely sonne in sacrifice Was not his love super-legall above and beyond the Law For did any Law command that a father should sacrifice his son And