they were Things before God or in his sight is one thing and things as to us or as actually existing is another thing That God sees the Elect justified and glorified too from Eternity is evident who are not actually and personally justified nor indeed can be said so to be until they personally exist and are in Jesus Christ 2. That to be federally fundamentally and representatively justified in Christ is one thing and to be actually and personally justified is another thing or Christ's receiving our Discharge and Justification as our Head and Surety for us is one thing and the application thereof or his giving of it out unto us pronouncing us just and righteous before God in our own Consciences and before all the World is another thing Thirdly We infer from hence that God magnifies his rich Grace exceedingly to us who believe or that the work of Grace is a glorious work upon the Soul and that Union with Christ is to be esteemed as one of the richest manifestations of his electing Love Fourthly That all Men out of Christ may see cause from hence to tremble considering what a woful State they are in and so strive to fly to Christ with speed Fifthly That such who are in Christ have cause to admire God's Free Grace and may from hence also take in a most precious and rich Cordial of the highest comfort and consolation for therefore Now there is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus But no more at this time A POSTSCRIPT containing a few Reflections upon some Passages in Mr. Clark's new Book intituled Scripture-Justification NEver more need for all that are Orthodox I mean who are established in the Doctrine of Justification by the imputed Righteousness of Jesus Christ or by his active and passive Obedience alone according to the Scripture and as maintained by most of the Antient Fathers and all our worthy modern Protestant Divines to cement together in Love and Union and to pass by small matters of Difference considering what a grand design is carrying on by the great Enemies of the true Christian Religion for Satan never appeared in his Instruments more bold and bare-fac'd against this grand Fundamental of Christianity viz. that of Justification since blessed Luther's days who as an Instrument with others gave him such a Wound than at this present time Reader we had need bestir our selves and rouse up with holy Zeal for God for all even the Foundation is struck at Just as this precedent Sermon was going to the Press a Book came to my hand wrote by Mr. Samuel Clark a Man of great Learning and who indeed writes without much seeming Gall or Invectives against any Man's Person the better to vent his Indignation against the Doctrine he opposes striving to revive and maintain the Baxterian Error with such Confidence and barefacedness that if some able Pen do not answer him it may do much harm to weak and unwary Christians He says He would not for a World lift up the least thought much less a Finger or Pen or utter the least word derogatory to the free Grace of God or cast the least blemish or speck upon the Reformation or the worthy Persons that were Instruments in it Yet he hath been so unhappy as to attempt the razing and utter overthrowing of that grand Truth in which mainly the Reformation consisted viz. Justification by the imputation of Christ's active and passive Obedience through the free Grace of God apprehended and received by Faith alone without any thing wrought in us or done by us not by imputing Faith or any other act of Evangelical Obedience but the imputing of Christ's Obedience and Satisfaction exclusively of all things else whatsoever And that Faith is only said to justify us objectively or in respect had to the Object Jesus Christ which it taketh hold of To this purpose Luther Melancthon Calvin Zanchy Perkins Ames Dr. Vsher Dr. Goodwin Dr. Owen Dr. Sibs Dr. Preston Norton Burroughs Caryl Pemble the Assembly and indeed all other Antient and Modern Writers generally But contrary to this Doctrine see what Mr. Clark saith viz. That justifying Faith is the same thing in substance with effectual Calling Repentance Regeneration Conversion Sanctification Renovation forming of Christ in the Soul c. Ans What now is the Purport of this Notion Why that Faith in a large or comprehensive Sense i.e. Faith with all other Graces and inherent Righteousness God hath instituted and ordained to be our justifying Righteousness in his Sight as in other places in his Book he doth assert without mincing the matter Again he saith I would avoid many figurative Expositions of Scripture which others are feign to make use of to salve their Phaenomena as when we are said to be justified by Faith they take it Metonymically for the Object of Faith viz. the Righteousness of Christ which what is it else than to make the Scripture a meer Nose of Wax and a Leaden Rule and to comply with our Fancies c. Answ This is much like Bellarmine in another case it appears the Doctrine we are established in and upon which we build all our Hopes of Justification and eternal Life is but a Fancy What is now become of that Doctrine Paul preached and all our worthy Reformers How will this make the Papists and Quakers smile 'T is not according to Mr. Clark the Object of Faith not Jesus Christ that Faith apprehends and we alone trust in but it is Faith that justifieth us comprehensively taken that is Faith Love Charity good Works and sincere Obedience that is imputed to us to our Justification in the sight of God And that so far as you act in Faith Holiness and in sincere Obedience so far you are justified For he positively affirms viz. That our Justification at present while we are in this World is but partial imperfect and incompleat These are his Words Answ Now if we are not perfectly justified it follows then we are not perfectly delivered from Condemnation nor acquitted from the Guilt of all Sin and so not in a state of Life nor made free indeed by the Son of God and then also Christ's Dove is not without spot nor undefiled in respect to Justification And then also it follows as the Papists say there is no assurance can be had or attained in this Life or until Death nor can we be said to be compleat in Christ besides it confounds Justification with Sanctification nay it makes them but one and the same thing Nay more that by a Law Righteousness is to be obtained and so Christ is dead in vain Now I profess I can see but little difference between this Doctrine and that of Bellarmin's and other Papists If famous Luther and other worthy Reformers had wrought no better Reformation than this the Church of God would have received but little benefit from them nor would the Papists have been so angry with them
past upon him as I have proved and upon all Men in him 2. An actual Curse or a Curse for all actual Sin which remains upon all whilst they abide under the Law for as many as are for the Works of the Law are under the Curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Book of the Law to do them Thus by our actual Sins we were brought also under this Curse is evident Obj. But doth not Paul say Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law Ans 1. It appears such whom he hath redeemed c. were once under it and if they were delivered before they believed 't is necessary that such who assert that should assign the time when they were delivered Paul tells the Saints when they were delivered from Sin Guilt and the Curse being then made free from Sin Then when why when they believed and received Christ and his holy Doctrine and obeyed it from the Heart 2. It is evident that Paul speaks it of Believers even of such as had received the Spirit of Adoption and so could call God Father 3. The Price may be paid for the Redemption of Captives and yet they may not presently be delivered but may remain in Bondage in Slavery and lie in Chains A Surety may satisfy the Law for a Criminal or for a Debtor yea pay the utmost Farthing but he may notwithstanding lie under the Sentence of Death or remain in Prison for a time and not have his personal Discharge The Sacrifice may be offered up and an Atonement may be made but the Blood may not be sprinkled the slaying the Sacrifice is one thing and the sprinkling the Blood is another So the Atonement made for us by Jesus Christ which is the Price and meritorious Cause of our Redemption and Justification is one thing and our receiving the Atonement or the application of his Blood to our personal and actual discharge from Sin Guilt and Condemnation is another thing For if when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life We grant God was not only made reconcilable by the death of his Son but by his Death God was fully reconciled that is he received a full Satisfaction by that one Offering Faith adds nothing to the Merits of Christ's Blood or meritorious Sacrifice but it is by his Life by his Intercession that it is made effectual or efficacious unto us who pleads with God for the Spirit which he purchased also for his Elect that so the saving Benefits and Blessings might be applied to them And therefore the Apostle adds in the next verse And not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the Atonement God hath as if Paul should have said through Christ's Intercession given us a free and personal Discharge purchased for us he hath given us Faith to receive the Atonement The particle Now hath its Emphasis denoting the Privilege of all such as believe and hence it is that we glory in Tribulation we are now actually acquitted and for ever delivered from Condemnation Sirs since the strict time of the laying down the Price of our Redemption was not the time when many of the Elect were actually acquitted and justified why should it be asserted to be the time when any of them were For those Believers that lived and died from Adam till Christ came were justified and went to Heaven before the Sacrifice was offered and the Atonement actually made the Father trusted the Son according to that holy Compact that was between them Christ covenanting and engaging that he would die for them And now as Adam received the Atonement when he believed and not till then so we when we are in Christ believe do receive the Atonement also and not before for at the same time and upon the same terms they under the Law received it we under the Gospel-Dispensation do receive it by Time I mean when they had and we have actual Union with Christ and believe or do receive the Spirit the Bonds of this Union Brethren tho all in the first Adam were fundamentally and representatively condemned in him his Sin being imputed so to all his Off-spring yet none are actually condemned until they actually exist and partake of his corrupt Nature So in the second Adam all the Elect were fundamentally and representatively justified in him his Righteousness being imputed so to all his Spiritual Seed or Off-spring yet none of them are actually and personally justified until they are united to him and partake of his Divine Nature Fifthly All Men the Elect as well as others are under Condemnation before Grrce or actual Union with Christ because it is positively said that he that believeth not is condemned and the Wrath of God abideth upon him The Law condemns him let him be who he will even every Soul that believes not savingly in Jesus Christ and it remains upon him because he believes not or because he continues in the first Adam in condemned Adam and is not transplanted into the second Adam Jesus Christ Nay and his Unbelief binds all his Sins and the Sentence upon him not believing is not the first Disease but it is the refusing the Remedy Those stung with fiery Serpents were mortally wounded that was their Disease and if any would not did not look up to the Brazen Serpent that was the reason they died in respect of their refusing the Remedy but their being stung was that which kill'd them So 't is Sin that is the breach of the Law of God which is the Disease and the Cause why Sinners perish all are condemned already and their refusing of Christ offered in the Gospel for their Cure aggravates their Sin and Condemnation and it leaves such that finally persist in Unbelief incurable for ever Sixthly All before they are in Christ are under Condemnation because the Holy Ghost frequently ascribes our actual or personal Justification to Faith and can't we read those Scriptures without offence or do any think they understand this Point better than Paul or the other Apostles Being justified by Faith we have Peace with God c. Therefore we conclude that a Man is justified by Faith c. Knowing that a Man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ c. And again he saith That we might be justified by Faith In him all that believe are justified from all things c. He that believeth hath the Son and he that believeth not hath not the Son but the Wrath of God abideth on him Brethren Where is it said in the Scripture that any Person was justified that believed
not or whilst an Unbeliever or before he believed And is it not good nay best to keep to the form of sound Words For tho it is said that God justifies the Vngodly yet they are not ungodly when justified true that excludes all previous Qualifications to Faith but not that God justifies an Unbeliever that is in his Sins in the first Adam Obj. Is it not Christ and his Righteousness that which justifies us or is the matter of our Justification Will ye make Faith to be a Cause or the condition of our Justification before God Answ No by no means tho I know some Learned Men and sound in the Faith seem to hint as if Faith was a condition of our Justification But how that which God himself gives to us by his free and absolute Promises can be a condition of the Covenant or of our Justification I see not that which is part of the Covenant on God's part can't be the Condition of it on our part Also they call Faith the instrumental cause of Justification which we must leave them to explain they mean I think but as the Hand that applies a Plaister is a cause of the Cure We must say with a late learned Author Faith is no qualifying Condition nor any procuring Cause of our Justification tho without Faith God declares no Man a justified Person 2. Faith doth not cause or render the Satisfaction of Christ any ways the more satisfactory unto God for God was as much satisfied in Christ for his Elect before Faith as after tho the Satisfaction Merits and Righteousness of Christ are not applied so as the Man is pronounced a justified Person until he is united to Christ by the Spirit and so is help'd to believe on him Faith being the Hand that receives or that apprehends Jesus Christ Brethren The Holy Spirit in our Union with Christ puts upon us the Robe of Righteousness which was not upon us before we obtained that Spiritual Union it is offered unto all but it is upon all them that believe All our Orthodox Divines agree with us that Faith neither as a Habit or Grace or as an Act much less in respect of the Fruits thereof justifies us when therefore 't is said we are justified by Faith it intends not any Moral or Physical Causality in Faith as a Qualification but only by virtue of the Object it apprehends Mr. Bradford that Holy Martyr saith Not the Action it self of believing as it is a quality in Man doth so deserve but because it taketh that Dignity and Virtue from the Object Jesus Christ We do not mean that Faith by it self and of it self doth justify us which is only as an Instrument whereby we apprehend Christ who is our Justice Faith was accounted to Abraham for Righteousness not the action by which but that which he did believe or Faith not in respect of it self apprehending but in respect of the Object apprehended Faith justifies a Sinner in the sight of God not because of those other Graces that do always accompany it or of good Works which are the Fruits thereof nor as if the Grace of Faith or any act thereof were imputed to him for Justification but only as an Instrument by which he receiveth and applieth Christ and his Righteousness For any to say otherwise is to render Faith to be part of our Reconciliation or Satisfaction to God which is to lessen the Merits of Christ and take the Crown from his Head and make Justification not to be by Grace alone or by Christ alone Faith we know is the Creatures act tho given of God or a Grace bestowed upon us by which we are helped so to do yet with the Heart Man belâ—eveth c. The Doctrine of some Men about Faith justifying the Sinner tends to bring in a new Covenant of Works i.e. a mild Law of Faith and sincere Obedience in the stead of the severe Law of perfect Obedience and plainly renders the Satisfaction and Righteousness of Christ defective or insufficient as if Faith was part of our justifying Righteousness or as if we were not fully reconciled to God by the death of his Son but that he was only reconcileable and that it is Faith and sincere Obedience indeed which compleats that Reconciliation Brethren Faith I say again is said to justify us only in respect of the Object Jesus Christ whom it apprehended and it is no part of the matter which doth justify us the Righteousness of Christ being alone the material cause of our Justification nor doth Faith add any thing to Christ's Satisfaction or to his Righteousness which alone is imputed to us to our Justification before God Tho we say that Righteousness is not imputed to the actual and personal Justification of any Man till he has actual Union with Christ yet I deny that Faith in order of Nature is before Union or at least before the reception of the Spirit in order to Union tho not as to time for Christ takes hold of us before we can take hold of him also Faith is a Fruit of the Spirit and sure the Seed must be sown before there can be Fruit. We are passive in Regeneration but not in the act of Faith But when a poor Sinner receives the Spirit then it is that he in his own Person is declared and pronounced righteous he being in Christ is pardoned and actually acquitted and discharged from that Legal Guilt or from that Obligation he lay under to Condemnation in the first Adam the Sentence being then taken off and he loosed from those Fetters and Chains by which he was before bound and this therefore is more no doubt than simply justified in his own Conscience For tho Christ as our Surety when he rose from the dead received a full discharge for us yet until we are united by the Spirit unto him by which Faith is wrought in our Souls and our Eyes are inlightned we have not this great Blessing made over to us Mind that Passage of the Apostle again By whom now we have received the Atonement Now the Case is altered now we are in Christ Jesus Brethren we have not the Portion until we have the Person now the Law 's Sentence and Condemnation can no more reach us now that Husband is dead that cruel Husband and we are married unto another now we are actually acquitted or not till now personally justified Some add justified Foro Dei or in God's sight but so expressing it I fear hath clouded the matter because known to God before him or in his sight were all his Works from everlasting Justified before God may be taken two ways 1. In distinction from that before Men or in a Man 's own Conscience if they mean that I grant it 2. In respect had to that sight he hath of things who calls things and seeth things that are not as if they were As Abraham is called the Father of many
but the Notion of Mr. Clark and his Abettors certainly tends to raze and root out that antient Doctrine which the Apostles preached and those worthy Men laboured to restore about Justification Did Bellarmine ever deny that their good Works and inherent Holiness which they made the matter of their Justification before God were performed by the Grace of God and the Assistance of the Holy Spirit This Man only excludes legal Works from having any thing to do in our Justificâ—â—â—on but includes all Gospel-Works and sincere Oâ—edience he asserts these kind of Works and free â—â—ace are consistent and because not derogatory in point of Salvation therefore not in Justification He says that we must allow of Gospel-Works or Holiness to concur to Justification and this Doctrine will appear c. Answ Yet he would feign insinuate that this Doctrine of his is in effect the same with that of the old received Doctrine of our Divines who teach saith he That the sola fides solum yet not fides sola i.e. solitaria justificat tho Faith alone yet not that Faith which is alone does justify What 's the Purport of this Why because the Faith of God's Elect by which alone we apprehend or receive the Object Jesus Christ by whom we are justified is attended with good Fruits as Sanctification and Holiness by which it is known from a false and dead Faith therefore Faith good Works and Holiness is the matter or that which doth justify us before God or because Faith in respect of its own excellent Nature doth purify and sanctify us therefore God hath instituted and ordained Faith and inherent Holiness to justify us and because inherent Holiness and Sanctification tends to make us meet for Heaven therefore it is our only Title for Heaven Is it not said that God imputes Righteousness without Works and justifies him that works not How then do Works concur with or are included or joined with that Righteousness that is our Justification before God Take a Passage of Reverend Perkins viz. It is objected that true Faith is never alone I answer saith he thus Faith is never alone in the Person justified nor in Godly Conversation but is joined with all other Vertues yet in the act and office of Justification it is alone the Eye in the Body is not alone being joined with all other Parts Hand Foot c. nevertheless the Eye in seeing is alone for no part of the Body seeth but the Eye He shews that Faith alone is the Eye which sees the Object Jesus Christ and apprehends him and his Righteousness whose Righteousness only is the material cause of our Justification before God See the Assembly's Confession c. All whom God effectually calleth he freely justifieth not by infusing Righteousness into them but by pardoning their Sins and by accounting and accepting their Persons as righteous not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for Christ's sake alone not by imputing Faith it self the act of believing nor any other Evangelical Obedience as their Righteousness but by imputing the Obedience and Satisfaction of Christ unto them they receiving and resting on him and his Righteousness by Faith which Faith they have not of themselves it is the Gift of God This agrees with that Doctrine Paul preached to the Romans and Galatians c. But from this Doctrine Mr. Clark and many more are departed what saith the Apostle If we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than what you have received let him be accursed Paul as Mr. Perkins notes saw the Galatians to be corrupted in the point of Justification false Teachers being got among them who preached Justification by Christ and by the works of the Law they did not exclude Christ's Merits but brought in the works of the Law with Christ in Justification before God as some now do the works of a new Law i.e. Gospel Law But let them tremble Where 's Paul's Doctrine for it is palpable this new Doctrine excludes not boasting or ground of boasting I argue thus viz. That Law doth not exclude boasting that commands works of Obedience as the Condition of Acceptance and Justification But this new Law these Men speak of commands works of Obedience as the Condition of our Acceptance and Justification Ergo It doth not exclude boasting But Mr. Clark intimates That works of the Law performed by our own Strength or without special assistance only admit of boasting Answ The Papists say that all their Works and inherent Righteousness are performed by God's Grace or special Assistance yet how do they boast Let the Creature perform good Works c. by what Assistance he will yet the Works are his Works and if such by which he is justified they admit of boasting Reader The Righteousness this Man contends for by which we are justified is not the Righteousness of one but the Righteousness of many i.e. every Man 's own Faith and sincere Obedience contrary to what Paul affirms Rom. 5.17 18 19. Christ did not saith Mr. Clark obey the Law in Man's stead Answ Then say I he hath not fulfilled all Righteousness for us nor answered all the demands of the Law nor doth God's Holy Nature and Justice require a perfect Righteousness to our Justification in his sight Was not perfect Righteousness part of that Debt we owed to God If so who pays the Debt for us the Penalty was but one part of our Debt Then also it seems the Law of perfect Righteousness doth not result from the Purity and Holiness of God but only from the Sovereignty of his Will not from the rectitude of his Nature Moreover why then did not God give this mild Law of Faith and sincere Obedience at first and so have saved himself of buying it so dear i.e. with the Price of the Blood of his own Son Christ's active Obedience he affirms is not imputed to us nay he says that imputing Christ's Righteousness to us is not a Scripture Expression 't is not found in any place of Scripture tho he says he denies not the thing Answ Righteousness was imputed to Abraham and he was the Father of all Elect Gentiles That Righteousness might be imputed to them also Now it must be Abraham's own Righteousness and so our own Righteousness that is imputed or else the Righteousness of Christ Again He may as well say Adam's active Disobedience was not imputed to us For as by one Man's Disobedience many were made Sinners so by the Obedience of one shall many be made righteous As Adam's Disobedience in his first Sin was imputed to all his Seed so is the Obedience of Christ imputed to all his or to all in him This Text I find he knows not how to answer see pag. 97 98. but boggles with it Obj. They object if the Righteousness of Christ be made ours we may be said to be the Saviours of the World as he was or to
Duty and that Debt we owed to God Dare you deny Christ as our Surety paid it Certainly had he not fulfilled the Preceptory part of the Law as well as born the Penal part for us we could not be justified from the Charge and Curse thereof But why must we because we say Surety hath done this be justified by the Law or Covenant of Works Are we Saviours or Mediators because we have his Righteousness imputed to us of meer Grace Is the Debtor the Surety because the Surety's Payment is accepted for him The old Covenant-Righteousness was an inherent Righteousness a Righteousness in a Man's self i. e. Adam's own Righteousness not a Righteousness imputed but inherent the Righteousness of your new Law is a Legal or Law-Righteousness and looks more like an old Covenant-Righteousness because 't is inherent or infused into you not put upon you or imputed to you as being wrought out for you without you And Sir is there no favour shewed to us because our Surety has paid this Debt Was it not great Love great Grace and Favour for God to accept of a Surety nay to substitute his own Son in our stead to satisfy all the Demands of the Law and Justice True we are not simply dealt with in a way of Mercy I mean pardoned only but in a way of Justice and Righteousness also Justification has more than Pardon in it as your Notion allows we found not the Surety but God found him therefore all is of God's free Grace tho also all is by the Obedience of Christ i. e. by his keeping Law for us and dying in our stead To plead for a Righteousness by Obedience to any mild Law is no other than to plead for a Legal Righteousness in our selves to justify us and that is as opposite to the Righteousness of God as the trusting in the Moral and Ceremonial Law it being opposite to Grace the Righteousness therefore of the Law by which no Flesh can be justified is a Righteousness rested in or trusted to that is inherent in us whatsoever Thoughts a Person may have of it i. e. as perfectly or only sincerely kept But to proceed Did not God send his Son that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us c that is in our Nature in our Head Christ and Believers as I said before are one in a Law-sense and evident it is that the Righteousness of the Law is not fulfilled in us in Sanctification because that is imperfect that is far from fulfilling it and there is no other way it can be said to be fulfilled in us but by imputation Moreover by Christ's coming to keep the Law in our Nature God hath magnified the Law and made it honourable and hereby we do not make void the Law through Faith but establish the Law in that the Son of God in Man's Nature yielded perfect Obedience thereto and died for our breach of it whose Obedience is ours by imputation to our Justification at his Bar. Pray observe that through Faith we attain a perfect Righteousness i. e. are interested in the most compleat Obedience of Christ to the Moral Law but now if Christ only satisfied for our breach of the Law by his Death and his perfect active Obedience has no hand in or is not the material Cause of our Justification before God how do we by believing in him establish the Law I say the Righteousness of the Law which is so called which the Apostle decries as unable to justify us is a resting in or trusting to our inperfect Conformity to it or to any other Law tho never so sincerely performed for this sort of Righteousness is always opposed to the Righteousness of Faith or of Grace If it be of Works of any Works whatsoever it is not of Grace all works of sincere Obedience to any Law of God are alike materially good But God has not ordained any Law of sincere Obedience to justify us because Grace excludeth all Works done by us in point of Justification in God's Sight We can no more be justified by the Law of the Gospel i.e. the New Law than by the Old Mr. Clark says The Justification Paul speaks of in the Romans and that which James speaks of is the same And further he says to be justified by Faith according to Paul and by Works according to James is all one Justification by Works springing from Faith is Justification by Faith in this Sense Answ Now we and the Orthodox say that Paul speaks of our Justification before God or of the Person James of the Justification of our Faith good Works demonstrating our Faith to be of the right kind or do declare to Men and to our own Consciences that we are justified Persons Paul speaks of the Justification of a Sinner James of the Justification of a Believer as it is said the People justified God that is declared he was just so our Gospel-Works springing from Faith declare that our Faith is true and we sincere Believers Yet he would have his Reader believe he is no Heterodox Person in this Point Paul speaks of Justification and Absolution of a Sinner at God's Bar through the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness James speaks of the Manifestation or Declaration of that Justification to the Conscience Paul speaks of the cause of our Justification before God James of the signs of it before Men. Paul speaks of the Imputation of Righteousness James of the Declaration of Righteousness Paul speaks of the Office of Faith by God's Ordination as it apprehends Christ c. James of the quality of Faith or of its own excellent Virtue Paul speaks of the Justification of a Person James of the Justification of the Faith of that Person Paul speaks of Abraham how justified James of Abraham's good Works as already justified and as declaring him so to be Paul speaks of Justification in a proper Sense as God's gracious act through Christ's Righteousness whereby a Man is imputed or counted Just and Righteous in God's Sight James speaks of Justification whereby we are not made Just before God but declared to be justified being sincere Believers and free from Hypocrisy Paul had to do with Legal and Judaizing Christians such who either brought in a Law or a self-Righteousness instead of God's Grace in imputing Christ's Righteousness or else setting up an inherent Righteousness with it as these Men do now And James had to do with such who might be justly called Antinomians i.e. such that abused the Grace of God or Doctrine of free Grace to encourage themselves in Sin boasting of a false and presumptuous Faith a dead Faith Now James's work is to shew the effects and nature of true Faith therefore he speaks not of Justification in a proper Sense when he says Abraham was justified by Works but declaratively only Faith wrought not with Abraham's Works in the Justification of his Person at God's Bar but in declaring and evincing that his
save others as he did c. Ans Take Dr. Owen's as to this viz. The Apostle declares that as Adam's actual Sin is imputed unto us to Condemnation so is the Obedience of Christ imputed unto us to the Justification of Life but Adam's Sin is not so imputed unto any Person as that he should then and thereby be the cause of Sin and Condemnation unto all other Persons in the World but only that he himself should become guilty before God thereon And so is it on the other side and as we are made guilty of Adam's actual Sin which is not inherent in us but only imputed unto us so are we made righteous by the Righteousness of Christ which is not inherent in us but only imputed unto us and with it not for himself but for us Object The Effects of Christ's Righteousness c. are imputed to us Answ Saith the Doctor In this Imputation the thing is first imputed unto us and not any of the Effects of it but they are ours by virtue of that Imputation To say that the Righteousness of Christ that is his Obedience and Sufferings are imputed to us only in their Effects is to say that we have the benefit of them and no more but Imputation it self is denied so say saith he the Socinians Again he saith The Righteousness of Christ is imputed unto us as unto its Effects hath this sound Sense in it viz. that the Effects of it are made ours by reason of that Imputation it is so imputed so reckoned unto us of God as that he readily communicates all the Effects of it unto us but to say the Righteousness of Christ is not imputed unto us but the Effects only is really to overthrow all Imputation But Mr. Clark says 'T is the Righteousness of God by which we are justified not the Righteousness of Christ He will not have it be the Righteousness of him that was God or take it in that Sense but that Righteousness that God hath ordained and instituted for our Justification viz. our Faith and sincere Obedience Answ We do not only say it was the Righteousness of him that was God as well as Man but also that Righteousness which God hath found out and approves of as agreeing with his Holy Nature and infinite Justice and Purity of his Law That he might be just not the essential Righteousness of God but the Righteousness of Christ as Mediator Who of God is made to us Wisdom and Righteousness c. Where pray hath God made our imperfect Righteousness a Righteousness to justify us at his Bar I am perswaded this Man would not willingly be found in his own Righteousness at Death let it be never so sincere Ay but we must take the Scripture in the plain literal Sense about Justification this he much harps at tho his Notion by thus doing brings in Justification by Works which the Apostle shews is inconsistent and directly contrary to Grace Rom. 11.6 Works are Works whether Law-Works or Gospel-Works He argues much as the Papists in another case and upon as grand a Point Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church I will appeal to all whether the Words in the Letter do not seem to run smoother for the Papists i.e. for the Church to be built upon Peter than upon Christ that Peter confessed And so this is my Body c. Mr. Clark cries out against puzling perplexing Distinctions and taking Faith Metonymically i. e. for the Object of Faith tho it is clearly imply'd and that way only it beareth a true Analogy of Faith I infer saith he that we are not justified by the active Righteousness of Christ or his Obedience to the Law of Works imputed to us for then a Man would be justified by the Law and by the Deeds and Works thereof as much to be reckon'd his own as if they were done personally by himself for that is their Sense of Justification then we are justified by the Law or Covenant of Works in a Legal and in an Evangelical way for then the Law is fully satisfied by Christ our Surety and we stand recti curiâ and the Law has nothing to say to us or charge us withal as if a Surety in Bond pay the full Debt the Creditor has no Action against the principal Debtor and there 's no Favour at all show'd him in his Discharge Answ In all Places where in the New Testament it is said a Man is not cannot be justified by the Works of the Law or by the Deeds of the Law 't is evident that the Apostle speaks of that Obedience to the Law that frail depraved and impotent Man is able to yield thereunto and the Reason why no Man can be justified hereby is 1. Because he hath both originally and actually broken it and as it admits of no pardon for what is past so also it affords no strength to keep it for time to come Hence what the Law could not do God sent his own Son What for Was it only to make God amends for our Breach of it and so to purchase a new a milder and better Law of Works c No sure Where is there the least shadow of proof for this See what this Gentleman 's Reverend Father saith speaking of Christ's fulfilling the Law for us he saith That it was not meerly Obedience but a meriting Obedience there was an intrinsick Worth and Excellency in Christ's Obedience answering to our Salvation Hence tho we have Justification of meer Grace yet in respect of Christ it was Justice and Debt so that in Christ the Covenant of Works was fulfilled tho in us the Covenant of Grace This Work Christ finished and compleated First In that he did it wholly and universally there was not one Tittle of the Law which he did not fulfil Secondly He finished it universally for Parts and not only so but fully for Degrees He did not only love God but loved him as much as the Law requires all that he did was so fully done that there wanted not the least Degree of Grace in any Duty Thirdly Because he had not only an Objective Perfection in Parts and Degrees but also a Subjective all within was throughly and perfectly holy So that as we are originally and actually polluted he was originally and actually holy so that the Law had no fault to find with him Fourthly He finished it in respect of Duration the Law requiring continuance tho there were Perfection of Parts and Degrees and subjective Perfection also Yet cursed is he that continueth not therein Again he saith For to obey the Law of God and to suffer all the Wrath that was due to our Sins was a bitter Cup to drink Thus Christ fulfilled the Law for us as our Surety and in him it was fulfilled in us there being a Legal or Law-Union between him and us Now since this perfect this compleat and constant Obedience to the Law was our
the World which until we do believe he could not do for according to the revealed Rules of his Word which he professeth to proceed by at the latter day there is a Curse and Sentence of Condemnation pronounced against us under which we stand till he shall take it off by giving us Faith unto which he hath in the same word made the promise of justifying us in our own Persons as before he had done in Christ Yet still notwithstanding so as altho when we first believe then only Justification is actually and personally applied to us c. Thus the Doctor which I agree with Eighthly All Men are in a State of Condemnation before they are in Christ or have actual Union with him doth appear because Ministers in preaching the Gospel are commanded and do preach it to lost undone and miserable Sinners or to such as are in a deplorable State even under Wrath and Condemnation and do declare this to be the State of all out of Christ without exception Not to offer Christ to justified Persons to such that are dâ—liver'd from Condemnation and so in a good State but to such who are in a lost state condemn'd to eternal Misery and under the Curse of the Law which is God's Curse and Children of Wrath. I am told lately that some there are who affirm the Elect did not fall in Adam but this I can't tell how to believe why then did Christ die Brethren must Christ be offered to righteous Persons to justified Persons or to Sinners condemned or do any of us preach that which we believe not do any preach thus or have they any Authority so to do viz. Sinners if you are elected you are in a good State and are actually justified whether you believe or not only you do not know it or have not the evidence of it in your own Consciences Or do we not all preach to all out of Christ as unto ungodly ones to such that are under Wrath and Condemnation in their own Persons and so remain until they believe or have Union with Christ Our Lord came not to call the Righteous as such neither self-righteous ones nor such who in a Gospel-Sense are righteous Persons but Sinners to Repentance to such that were really lost in the first Adam and under the Bondage of Sin and the Law True the Jews said indeed that they were free and never were in Bondage c. How saist thou ye shall be made free but what says our Blessed Lord he that committeth Sin is the Servant of Sin If the Son therefore shall make you free then are you free indeed And doth Christ make any free until they are united to him and so believe in him But to put the matter to an issue I find we are all agreed in this Point who preach free Grace Dr. Crisp who I think is abused both by his Friends and Enemies says All by Nature are under the Curse of the Law Cursed cursed cursed saith he every Moment every Hour But how actual Condemnation can consist with actual Justification I see not or how a Man can be under the curse of the Law and yet be blessed with the chiefest Gospel-blessing is strange to me Ninthly and Lastly All are under Condemnation c. before they are in Christ Jesus appears because the Holy Spirit by its Convictions represents this to be the state of every elect Soul by nature namely Children of Wrath even in a condemned state and not only so in their own Consciences but even as others And hence a Minister when he meets with a Person under Convictions on whom God hath begun a good work asketh him what do you judg your State is by Nature O Sir saith he a woful state and condition as in the first Adam and without Christ under God's fearful Wrath being condemned to Eternal Misery having originally and actually broken the Law of God which lays every Man obnoxious to everlasting Burning Now sure the Divine Spirit in Convictions would never hold forth or represent this to be the state of the Soul before it is in Jesus Christ if it was not really so because he is a faithful and true Witness and because he is God and cannot lie So much shall suffice to prove this premised Proposition Application Caution 1. Shall be a Use of Caution to such to take heed how they seek to render the state of the Elect to be good before Grace and actual Union with Jesus Christ 1. Because the holy Word of God declares their State to be very bad and as to the present State of their Persons whilst Unbelievers there is no difference 2. Because such a Notion cannot tend to the Glory of God nor the profit of any Person either before or after they do believe I challenge any to shew what Glory it can bring to God or benefit it can be to any Sinner to hear he is justified or discharged from Wrath and Condemnation before he is in Christ or that it can be of profit to him when he doth believe to be told that his State was good before he did believe in Christ Jesus tho he knew it not 3. But contrariwise it may tend to encourage Unbelievers to conclude that their State is good tho Swearers Drunkards and what not and so harden them in their Sins and to disbelieve or cast contempt upon what some faithful Ministers daily declare to the contrary 4. It also clearly tends to lessen or extenuate the rich Grace of God in giving his Spirit to regenerate the Soul and to work Faith in us if the relative and real change were not at one and the same time which the Scripture doth affirm it is But you are sanctified but ye are justified c. Also then Grace received could not be any sign of our being passed from a state of Death unto a state of Life which the Apostle asserts it is By this we know that we have passed from Death to Life because we love the Brethren he that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death The Apostle no doubt intends a state of Death 2ly It puts also a just rebuke upon such as cause trouble or divisions amongst Christians on such a Notion Brethren were it a Truth that the Elect were actually delivered from Condemnation and were personally justified before they are in Jesus Christ yet certainly it cannot be judged to be an Essential of Salvation nor of Church-communion Are all such Persons not to be communicated with that can't believe the Elect are acquitted or delivered from Condemnation or personally justified before they are in Christ Jesus Secondly This I hope may tend to clear up the matter and shew the present difference is but little and rises rather from mistaking of words than otherwise for according to what I have said and proved it appeareth 1. That God sees things even all his works from everlasting and calls things that are not as if