the Debtor cannot properly be said to be the Author of the payment he paid not the Money 't was not his but the Sureties yet the Money being paid for him in his stead for his benefit by the Surety and accepted for him instead of his payment by the Creditor he is a subject of denomination and may be truly accounted a clear and solvent person and the payment imputed to him placed to his account as really and as fully as if he had paid it with his own hand and with his own money Hence some call the Righteousness of Christ the Formal Cause of our Justification Vid. Whitaker de Ecclesia p. 460 461. Synop. Leidens disput 33. Th. 21 23. and others the Matter or Material Cause both mean the same thing viz. That Christs righteousness is the very thing for which we are accepted and justified before God I will not contend about terms of Art in so great a point whereon Salvation depends yet it seemeth more logical to say In Justification man in the Matter or Subject viz. the Person justified Christs righteousness is the Form that by which he is constituted righteous or just before God Imputation Gods accepting this righteousness for him is as the Union betwixt the Matter and the Form even the Application of Christs righteousness to the person justified God the Father is the Efficient accepting or acquitting him for the sake of Christs righteousness The Promise of the Gospel is the medium whereby this righteousness is conveyed and Faith the instrument or disposition in the subject whereby it is rendred capable of receiving Christs righteousness or having it imputed to him And Justification is the Condition or State of a Man accepted with God to life eternal through the righteousness of Christ imputed to him From â—â—ence I inser that Imputation of Christs righteousness and Justification is all one and but â—â—e real Act and so Arctius defines it Justiâ—atio est imputatio justitiae alienae gratuita Lib. Probl. loc 25. faâ—â—a a Deo respectu meriti Filii Dei ad salutem â—â—ni credenti Some learned men make Justication to consist of 2 Acts. The First whereby Christs righteousness is imputed to a Sinâ—er The Second whereby his sins are forgiven and he accepted for the sake of that righteousness But this makes it more perplext that it is to impute righteousness We are righteous with the righteousness of Christ â—â—t in a Physical sence as if it were inherent or adherent to us but judicially We are accepted as righteous i. e. discharged from punishment and intituled to life for it and this 〈◊〉 to be justified We may indeed make it Formal Acts or formally distinct the one thereby Christs righteousness is placed to our account or reckoned to be done for us the â—ther whereby we are accepted or intituled 〈◊〉 life for that righteousness But it 's really â—â—e same thing to account Christs righteousâ—â— be wrought for us to satisfie and fulfill the â—aw of God and to accept us and give us â—ight to life for that righteousness God in â—s Promise proposeth life to Sinners on the account of Christs satisfaction in which when â—â—ey believe and trust there is by virtue of that Promise a Grant and Title to life made other to them and hereby righteousness is imputed to them or they are justified Thus Rom. 4 2. When the Apostle would prove Abraham was not justified by Works he saith v. 3. Faith was imputed to him for Righteousness Then to justifie or impute Christs righteousness is all one and God accounteth us righteous for this righteousness i. e. God justifieth or giveth us eternal life for Christs righteousness and frees us from condemnation Nor is Christ first given to us and then his right ousness as some speak as if we were actually interessed in Christs Person before we are his righteousness God worketh Faith in the Heart which apprehendeth the promise of liâ—â— through the righteousness of Christ and hereby we are accepted and justified and this righteousness is thus made ours or given to us and no other way Afterwards we are adopted and receive the Spirit of Sons by which Spirit we are united to Christ as to our Hear and the Fountain of Spiritual Life and the Christ is most properly given to us or wâ—â— are actually interessed in his person in whom all the Elect have some interest before on the account of Election but this was not actual and proper These things thus explained the Question betwixt us and our Opposites is plainly thâ—â— Whether God justifieth men and intituled them Life for the Righteousness which Christ wrought in fulfilling and suffering the Penalties of the Law The Affirmative is the Protestant Doctrine and now to be proved Argument 1. 1. I argue from the Parallel of Christ and Adam Christ is called the Second Adam the Second Man 1 Cor. 15.45 47. Adam was the Figure of him who was to come viz. Christ Rom. 5.14 Whence is this but in respect of the general Influence of what they did upon the rest of Markind Hence I argue As Adam's Disobedience condemned men so Christ's Obedience acquitteth and justifieth them But the very Acts of Adam's Disobedience are imputed to men to their Condemnation they are condemned for them therefore they that believe have the very righteousness of Christ imputed to them and by that are justified The Major is largely proved by the Apostle Rom. 5.12 ad finem where he sheweth That Justification and Life come into the World in like manner as Death and Condemnation did each by a common Person and by them derived upon the rest of Mankind As many were made Sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by one Mans Obedience so by the Obedience of one many shall be made righteous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 19. They are constituted righteous and unrighteous in the same manner unrighteous by Adams disobedience righteous by the obedience of Christ But this I suppose will not be denied and he that denieth the Minor viz. That Adams disobedience is imputed to us as the immediate Cause of our Condemnation is a down right Pelagian But because iâ— this Age all the Foundations are destroyed we shall prove it from the fore-cited Text Rom. 5.12 where the Apostle affirms That by one man Sin and death entred into the World and Death passed upon all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether we translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iâ— whom all have sinned as the the Fathers did against the Palagians meaning Adam 〈◊〉 whom all his Posterity sinned or in quantum for as much as all men have sinned the Sence is all one Sin and Death came upon all men from one man i. e. Adam and therefore they were all made Sinners in him and by him But this is clearer v. 15. where it is said Many are dead by the Offence of this one man viz. Adam And v. 26. The Judgment or Sentence unto Condemnation came by one man 〈◊〉
to his Righteousness being imputed to us The Learned may find every one â—â— these Objections against the Imputation 〈◊〉 Christ's Righteousness with some others â—â— the like kind urged to the same purpose by Bellarmin and answered by B. Davenant for substance as we do de Justi Cap. 24. and B. Downam in many Chapters of his Learned Discourse of Justification Object It is further objected Our own works anâ— said to be accounted to us for Righteousness as that Act of Phincas in slaying Zimri anâ— Cozby Numb 25.7 Psal 106.30 31. And restoring the poor Man's Pledge Deut. 24.13 It shall be righteousness to thee before the Lord And the keeping of all God's Commandments Deut. 6.25 It shall be our Righteousness if 〈◊〉 observe all these Commandments before the Lord Therefore Christ's Righteousness is not immediately imputed to us for our Justification Answ When our own works are said to be ouâ— Righteousness or accounted for Righteousness it is only meant that God doth accept then and reward them Thus he promised Phines the Priest-hood for ever which was yet revoked for the sins of Elies Sons 1 Sam. 2.30 c. And the Reason subjoyned sheweth hoâ— this Righteousness was accounted viz. Thâ—â— that honour me I will honour and those that aâ—â— spise me shall be lightly esteemed It was accounted for Righteousness i. e. honoured and rewarded Thus mercy to the Poor shall be our righteousness before God i.e. he is pleased with it and will reward it with like kindness when we need it Psal 41.1 And our keeping all the Commandments shall be our Righteousness shall be accepted and rewarded as the obedience of Children But all this proveth not that we shall be made the Children of God have our sins forgiven and be intituled to Grace and life for our own obedience We acknowledge obedience to Gods Commands is our Righteousness whereby we are morally and inherently righteous i.e. conformable to God's Law and Will and this while imperfect is our inchoate or imperfect Righteousness and when it shall be consummate it will be our perfect and compleat righteousness as B. Davenant saith well against the Papists Calumnies de Just cap. 22. But the Righteousness for which we are pardoned accepted and made Heirs of Life must be every way a perfect and compleat righteousness even the righteousness of Christ as the same Author saith Apertè affirmamus Deum justissimum neminem justificare h.e. cap. 22. p. 311. ut exposuimus à reatu absolvere justum declarare ad vitam aeternam quae est justitiae praemium acceptare nisi interveniente vera perfecta justitia quae etiam verè fiat ipsius justitia And again Dicimus neminemjustificari nisi qui donetur justitia tam cumulatâ tamque perfectâ Ibid. ut Deus in illum oculos conjiciens non possit eadem donatum pro jnsto non habere It is pleaded that Faith is imputed for Righteousness in the same manner that other Works are and so justifieth but as they do and is our Righteousness as they are and thus they interpret Gen. 15.6 Abraham's Faith was accounted for Righteousness i.e. it was reckoned a noble and excellent Act of Faith with which God was well pleased and would reward it Answ 1. Faith in the Promise of Pardon and Life of meer Grace and Free Gift cannot be counted any part of our Righteousness To trust in the general in the Goodness Power and Promises of God is required by the Moral Law and is a Natural or Moral Duty and so a part of our universal Righteousness or Conformity to that Law But to trust in the Promise of Forgiveness and Mercy which only is the Faith in question is not required by the Moral Law but supposeth us Breakers of it and to be under its Condemnation it only seeks for Mercy proposed in a new supervening Promise and therefore is not our Righteousness as Works are The Apostle taketh occasion from a notable Instance of Abraham's Faith in a particular case 2ly and its obtaining the Promise of Great Blessings to argue That Faith in the general Mercy of God in Christ doth obtain Justification Rom. 4.2 3. and that with the exclusion of all works v. 5. To him that worketh not but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly Faith is imputed for Righteousness and this Justification is explained by having sins forgiven covered not imputed v. 6 7. Faith therfore is imputed for righteousness only as it doth obtain the forgiveness of sin the acceptance of them that have no works that are ungodly in themselves and this must be by the Righteousness of Christ not by its self being our righteousness Object It is also said If we are justified immediately by the Righteousness of Christ imputed then there is nothing for us to do to obtain Justification we must only believe we are justified and we are justified Answ There is nothing for us to do to purchase Justification this is done by Christ But we must apply this purchase to our selves by believing or trusting in it flying to it for Justification When a Ransom is paid for a Captive there is nothing left for him to do to purchase his liberty yet he must accept and challenge the Fruit of this Purchase to himself before he can enjoy it Though Adam hath procured and intituled to death upon all his Posterity yet that Curse reacheth not us till we receive a Being from and do habitually consent to his Sin In like manner Christ purchased life for all the Elect yet they do not partake of it till they are ingrafted into him and we do at least habitually consent and trust to be saved by him Object Lastly it is argued If Christs Righteousness be properly imputed then we should perfectly be delivered from all sin and misery and immediately brought to Heaven Answ Justification it self obtaineth remission of all sins and an immutable right to life or the Favour of God and an actual entrance into that Favour this every justified person doth obtain upon believing 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life Rom. 8.1 Justification hath its proper effect in this life viz. it taketh away sin and the Curse or Obligation to Punishment it reconcileth to God and brings us into that Favour which will endure for ever but God having redeemed us by his Son intendeth not only to justifie us from our sins and give us the Life promised by the Law but also to make us his Children to give us glory in Heaven to make us Partakers of his Sons Glory and Kingdom And for this it pleases him to breed us to nurture and sit us for it by conflicting with sin by overcoming the World and the Devil that the Glory of his Son and Grace may appear the more Therefore the imperfect troublesome state of Believers in this life is not because their Justification is not perfect but because God hath a further design
justified or pardoned and so restored to favour for the sake of Christs Satisfaction Doth it not then follow that the Death of Christ is the Cause of Pardon then it is not meer pardon but pardon procured or merited and if Christs Death be the meritorious cause of pardon to every Believer then it is imputed or applyed to every pardoned sinner For no cause can produce its effects without Application to the Subject in whom the effect is wrought and the Application of a meritorious cause to the Subject for whom it meriteth is Imputation or accounting that what was done by that Cause was done for that Person And thus we see this Doctrine maketh more against themselves than against us But that Justification includeth more than Pardon of Sin even a positive Righteousness whereby Man is accepted to Life Eternal I shall thus evince 1. From the Notation of the Words To Pardon is only to release from the Penalty of the Law but to Justifie is to Acquit in Judgment to discharge from guilt and accusation Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that Justifieth It is confessed that to justifie an innocent person is to acquit but to justifie a Sinner they say is only to forgive him But in what Language doth the word so signifie When the King pardoneth an Offender doth any man say doth the Law ever say the King justifies him A Brother is commanded to forgive his Brother from the Heart and so Job did no doubt forgive his Friends and yet he saith God forbid I should Justifie you Job 27. v. 4. Is any Man said to justfie him whom he pardoneth Why should the Scripture besides the familiar words of Pardoning and Forgiving use another term viz. to Justifie which in its Etymology and common use signifieth to declare Righteous and yet mean no more by Justification than bare Forgiveness 'T is said A full Pardon makes a Man righteous forasmuch as he that is discharged from all Sin is accounted not to have broke the Law and not to have broke it is all one as to have fulfill'd it But this is a mistake He that forgives an Offender does not therefore account or make him Righteous though he will not exact the Penalty of him Pardon doth suppose a Man to have been a Sinner and so it leaves him as one that hath deserv'd punishment though by favour he is exempted from it the Law still chargeth him with sin and sentenceth him to punishment though the Judge supersedeth his Sentence and will not execute the Law But it is said Great Prop. p. 121. Pardon is dissolutio obligationis ad poenam dissolveth the Obligation to punishment and when there is no obligation to punishment a man is innocent and hath right to impunity I Answer The Antecedent is untrue The Obligation to punishment ariseth from the intrinsecal Nature of the Law which being broken exacteth punishment as a due Debt The Wages of Sin is death Rom. 6.23 So that if pardon take away the obligation to punishment it maketh sin to be no sin But sin is sin though forgiven and the Sinner deserves to die although he shall not die Pardon taketh away the Ordination or Destination of a Man to Punishment that he is not appointed to die but not the Obligation that he doth not deserve to die I conclude Pardon doth not render a Man as innocent as no Transgressor and therefore 't is not all one with justifying or declaring righteous 2. From those Phrases whereby Justification is expressed Eph. 1.4 It is paraphrased thus As he hath chosen us in him that we should be holy and without blame before him in love He who is only forgiven his Sins is not accounted as holy and blameless Pardon supposeth guilt and that which some call reatum culpae the guilt of the fault remaineth after pardon viz. That such a Man hath broken the Law and by such habits or actions he hath been disobedient to the Commands Pardon only takes away reatum penoe the appointment of a Man to punishment therefore there must be something more to render men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy and blameless before God and Objects of his Love Rom 4.3 4 5. Justification is called Imputing of Righteousness And Rom. 10.5 6. Justification by Works and by Faith are opposed by the Names of the Righteousness of the Law and the Righteousness of Faith To justifie therefore is to reckon or to declare in judgment that a Man is righteous and as if Man had been justified by the Law of Works he had then been pronounced righteous So now he is to be justified by Faith he is to be declared righteous by the Righteousness of Faith though not of Works Therefore Justification is more than Forgiveness Object 'T is said Pardon maketh a Man Righteous as if he had not brok'n the Law Answ Ans w. This hath been answer'd before I am sure we should take it very ill if one that hath greatly offended us and received his life and all from our Mercy should plead that he is as good as an innocent or righteous person because he is exempted from the Punishment he deserved Object A person of quality argues thus If pardon be not a Sinners Righteousness and maketh him not righteous then a man may be pardoned and be unrighteous still in the eye of the Law which he thinketh absurd Justific Evangelical p. 18. or else there must be a medium betwixt being righteous and unrighteous which he thinketh impossible Answ Both parts of the disjunction are untrue the first that he that is pardoned is not unrighteous still for if by favour punishment be remitted and no satisfaction be made to the Law then the Law remains broken still and he is a Sinner still though forgiven For it is not the Law that pardoneth if that might take effect it would condemn but the Law-Giver by his own Prerogative which pardon is not therefore looked upon as the fulfilling or the Righteousness of the Law But if as in our case the Law was satisfied and by reason of that satisfaction man is pardoned as this worthy Author acknowledgeth a little before then that satisfaction of the Law repaireth the Breach of it and so there is the real righteousness of the Law first imputed to a Man and then by reason thereof he is pardoned i.e. acquitted from punishment to which he was obnoxious before And thus here is a fair Contradiction that a Man is justified by a righteousness satisfactory to the Law yet barely pardoned The second part of the Disjunction That there is no medium betwixt being righteous and unrighteous is also untrue we speak of a declarative Righteousness Now it is apparent that there is a Middle betwixt being justified and being condemned viz. Medium negationis or rather privationis Adam before he fell was not condemned having not yet sinned nor was he justified having not finished
such as the Law will accept perfect or imperfect it is all one if the Law doth require a positive righteousness then a man cannot be justified without it And do not they themselves teach that the Gospel requireth obedience to it as our Evangelical Righteousness therefore that cannot justifie us without a righteousness conformed to it self 'T is said further Legal Justification Ibidem i. e. according to the Law of Works requireth a fulfilling of that Law but not Evangelical Justification A fallacy in words Legal and Evangelical Justification differ not specie sed modo applicationis not in the righteousness which justifieth but in the manner of its application to us Had we fulfilled the Law of Works we had been legally justified by our own righteousness but now Christ hath fulfilled that Law for us we are still legally justified to wit by the righteousness of that Law yet in an Evangelical or Gracious manner that righteousness being not our own but Christ's imputed to us a◠shall be proved in the next Chapter and I beseech you when men are justified i. e. pardoned say you what Law is it that accuseth them for the violation whereof they are pardoned Is it not the Law of Works for i◠they break the Gospel Covenant there is n◠more sacrifice for sin There must then be a legal Justification by that Law of Works unless it be wholly waved and made void by the Gospel Object But the Law of Works is satisfied by the suffering of Christ and so pardon of all sins i◠a sufficient Justification from it Great Prop. p. 116. There needeth not Obedience and suffering too Answ The Law doth not directly and immediately require both obedience and suffering the penalty but obedience only is the end of the Law suffering the penalty is no fulfilling of or proper satisfaction to the Law but a recompence to Justice for the breach of the Law that so contempt may not lie upon it so that if the Law be broken it doth accidentally require both obedience and suffering of punishment the latter for the recompence of injured Justice that the Law may not be despised or broken impunè and the former as that which is the proper and natural end of the Law When a man suffereth the penalty of any Law the Law is so far satisfied that it can exact no farther punishment but doth he therefore deserve the rewards of the Law as if he had obeyed it He is indeed restored to his former State i. e. punishment ceaseth and he is admitted to the priviledge of other men to live in obedience to the Law for the future but he hath not the reward of obedience nor is accounted for his suffering to be upon the same terms with the obedient In like manner our Lord Christ by suffering the penalties of the Law did recompence the injured Honour and Justice of God and of the Law so that it could require no more punishment of him or of those that believe in him but he did not therefore deserve the rewards of the Law they were procured by his obedience to it It is not true of the Law of God that it requireth either to be obeyed or that the penalty should be endured for so men should obey and fulfill the Law in a sort by going to hell for breaking it The Law promised life only to obedience not to the suffering of death therefore Christ by suffering of death did fulfill what the Law required but accidentally and secondarily by reason of sin but by obeying the Law he fulfilled the primary and immediate end of the Law and so merited the promised reward There must therefore be a righteousness of conformity to the Law whereby must be procured a right to life as well as a suffering of the penalty whereby a stop is put to further punishment which is all that meer pardon of sin amounteth to Upon these grounds I take leave to describe Justification an Act whereby God doth acquit and accept a Sinner as righteous unto life eternal for the righteousness of Christ whereby he hath fulfilled the precept and suffered the penalty of the Law Justification actively taken is Gods Act acquitting or declaring a man righteous passively taken it is a mans state or relation to that Act of God being declared and accepted as righteous of which as it supposeth a change from a former state of guilt and condemnation the terminus a quo or state from which he is tranflated is a state of Sin and wrath the terminus ad quem is a state of absolution or being righteous before God pardon of sin or stop of punishment is included in it or doth immediately result from it so that Justification is one single Act and not several concurring to make it up though divers things are given or granted by it either immediately or consequentially as flowing from the immediate effect or benefit of it The main Argument against this Doctrine is That the Scripture doth frequently describe Justification by pardon and forgiveness as if they were aequipollent terms But the reason of this is First Because men being sensible of sin and misery do first look after pardon and therefore pardon is promised as that which will be most welcome and comfortable to them and also because men should be fensible of their own guilt and in capacity of making satisfaction to God and therefore that the righteousness by which they must be justified is not their own but Christs nor contrived or provided by them but by God himself for them What then Justification is called pardon of sin ergò it is nothing else but Pardon This is no consequence Object But the Apostle Rom. 4. fully describeth Justification the nature of it and he saith v. 6 7. That Blessedness cometh by forgiving Justif Evang p. 27. covering not imputing sin Answ But he saith also Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness Now in the place here quoted Gen. 15.6 and the context there is a promise of positive Blessing made to Abraham and he believed that promise and this was accounted to him for righteousness Shall we say Abraham believed and this was accounted for pardon of sin There is a positive righteousness intimated as well as a positive act whereby it was procur'd and appli'd and positive promises granted thereupon David indeed under great horrors for his sin comforts himself most with apprehensions of forgiveness as most suitable to his case but what good will the fullest pardon imaginable do a man without a certain right to eternal life and a promise of effectual Grace to bring him to it will he not sin again and so lose the benefit of his former pardon Object But a Sinner is capable of no other righteousness but that of forgiveness Answ What then must become of the Evangelical Righteousness of Faith and Works which they contend for A Sinner can have no other righteousness but
his Obedience or Disobedience must be imputed to them and be Cause â—f their life or death even the immediate Cause Object Some say this Obedience of Christ is only is Sufferings according as he is said to be obedient to the death Phil. 2.6 and to have â—â—me to do the Will of God in offering up his â—wn Body Heb. 10. v. 6. to the 11th Answ 1. This maketh nothing against our main posiâ—â—on viz. That the Righteousness of Christ is â—â—puted to us and we justified by it For â—hether it be his Death only or his Life and â—eath both for which we are accepted and â—stified it is all one in this Question so long 〈◊〉 imputation of that Righteousness to us be â—e way whereby it justifies us And if they â—ean that his Sufferings are his only obedience here mentioned to make us righteous by â—â—ocuring a Covenant of Grace to be fulfilled â—â— us then they might as well have said His â—â—tive Obedience without his Sufferings doth â—â—ake us righteous For the Text leads to â—â—e no more than the other And Mr. Trueâ—â—an when he had disputed against the Imputation of Christs Active Obedience and for the Passive only and yet that must be only to procure a Law of Grace afterwards fairly grants That in this sence viz. of procuring the Covenant of Grace both Active and Passive may be said to be imputed to us 2ly But the words will not bear this sence Adam's Actual disobedience made us formally Sinners and guilty of death So the Obedience i. e. the Sufferings of Christ procureth right to life for us Thus they must run but when is the Parallel The Sufferings of Christ can not be said to make us righteous formally aâ— this Author tells Sufferings are not righteousness much less suffering the Penaltys oâ— the Law for the breach of it but Christ suffered the Curse of the Law for our sin against it his Sufferings delivered us from the Curse oâ— the Law it having been born by him but could not make us righteous according to thâ— Law that we should obtain the reward 〈◊〉 Life It is true Christ was obedient in his Sufferings and did the Will of his Father in offering himself if they had not been voluntary and obediential they could not have been meritorious but that his Sufferings as suffering of the Penalty of the Law are his only Obedience that justifies us or that he performeâ— no other obedience for us doth not folloâ— at all 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ is made unto us of God Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption that he that glorieth may glory in the Lord. Here is exprest that God hath made Christ our righteousness sc by giving him to satisfie the Law for us and accepting us for his righteousness And here we may observe that the Apostle purposely proveth against the despisers of Christ the Greeks who boasted of their own Wisdom and the Jews who trusted in their own Works v. 22 23. that Believers have all in Christ v. 24. and that they are in themselves weak foolish nothing v. 25.28 29. all their excellency is in and from Christ and therefore their righteousness and Justification as well as their Sanstification Farther observe that Righteousness here is distinguished from Wisdom and Sanctification and therefore must mean that Christ is our justifying Righteousness or that we are justified by Christ as our righteousness â—f we were to be justified by our habitual and â—ctual holiness as the Condition of the Gospel â—hen righteousness and sanctification are all â—ne Lastly The Apostle saith we have all these â—n Christ that he that glorieth may glory in the Lord We may glory in Christ in that we â—ave all grace from him but how shall we glory in him as to our Justification if we be not justified by his Righteousness but by our own though wrought by the help of his grace even as Adam if he had kept the Law of Works would have been justified by his own righteousness and might have gloried in himself that he had done his duty though it was by the power of the grace and assistance of God 2 Cor. 5.21 Christ was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Here righteousness by a usual Hebraism is put for righteous we are made the righteous of God i. e. before God or acceptable with him in Christ by or through Christ as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a Dative case is often used and how are we made righteous by Christ even by his being made sin for us as he satisfied for our sin so by that satisfaction are we made righteous as he that knew no sin was sacrificed punished for our sins so we that had no righteousness are made righteous by him and this must be by imputation Thus B Vsher out of Claud. and Sedul in locum That this righteousness therefore is not ours nor in us but in Christ in whom we are considered as Members in the Head Non nostra non in nobis sed in Christo quasi Membra in Capite Rel. Just p. 15. Object Against these two Scriptures it is excepted that in the former it is only said that Christ is made our righteousness Hotchkis p. 191. not that his obedience is imputed to us for righteousness Answ Christ cannot be made our Righteousness any other way than by imputing his perfect Obedience to us and therefore the Scripture in saying the one in words sayeth the other also in sence Object To the latter place 't is said That it saith only that we are made righteous by Christ being made a Sin Offering for us not by imputing his Obedience to us Answ If Christ was made a Sacrifice for our Sins then our Sins were so imputed to him as that he was punished for them and if this make us righteous then his bearing the Punishment of Sin is imputed to us and so his Righteousness is imputed Phil. 3.8 9. That I may win Christ and be found in him not having my own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith The Apostle in this place exhorteth to rejoyce in the Lord i. e. Christ v. 1. and to beware of Judaising Christians who joyned the Works of the Law with Christ v. 2. saying That true Believers are the true Circumcision the true people of God even they who rejoyce in Christ and have no confidence in the Flesh i. e. their own Works v. 3. And then reckoning up what he had to alledge for himself from the observation of the Ceremonial and Moral Law v. 4 5 6. he saith That he counted all this loss for Christ v. 7. and not only what might be alledged from observing the Law but whatever else might be thought excellent or a ground of self-confidence and rejoycing v. 8. Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the
excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus c. that I may win Christ and be found in him c. From hence it appeareth that the Apostle speaks of Justification by Christ in opposition to being justified by any thing else and of rejoycing in him contrary to any rejoycing in our selves In the 9th v. therefore he opposeth being found in Christ to having his own Righteousness which is of the Law sc of any works whatsoever and explaineth it by having the Righteousness of Faith the Righteousness which is of God by Faith What can the Righteousness of God mean when opposed to his own Righteousness of the Law but either the Righteousness of him which is God or a Righteousness which God provideth for him and which he did not work himself which is Christ's Also the Righteousness of Faith is opposed to the Righteousness of the Law and the Righteousness of God by Faith opposed to the same Righteousness of the Law must be a Righteousness which God gives us by believing and this is the Righteousness of Christ imputed Object It is excepted By the Law he means the Jewish Law and by his own Righteousness he means that which was his own when a Jew Hotchkis p. 190. not that which was his own when a Convert to the Christian Faith and that the things there opposed are Judaism and Christianity or Judaical Observances and the practical knowledge of Christ so that our own Evangelical Righteousness is not there opposed to the Obedience of Christ 1. Answ If the Apostle here only compare the Jewish and Christian Religion then all he meaneth is that the Christian Religion is far more excellent than the Jewish but he cannot oppose them properly in the matter of Justification For the sincere Practice of the Jewish Religion did justifie the Jews according to this opinion as well as the Practice of Christian Religion justified Christians Yea methinks these Authors who some of them can allow the Idolatrous Heathens to be justified by their obedience to the Law of Nature and hope in God's Mercy though they have no express knowledge of Christ should not deny that Jews may be saved by their Religion and their Hope in the Messias if they be only ignorant who he is and not malicious against him If so there must be more meant by opposing Faith to the Works of the Law then the Law meerly as Jewish 2ly The Apostle doth not only renounce the Works of the Jewish Law but all other things which may be thought matter of confidence in our selves v. 8. 3ly There is the same reason for the renouncing Christian as Jewish Works in Justification and those are Works of the Flesh when trusted and rejoyced in as well as these For the Moral Law is the same to Christians as it was to the Jews and all the Evangelical Precepts were the same to the Jews as to us if then they could not justifie them they cannot justifie us But if this Author intend only the Ceremonial Law it is contrary to the Text for after mention of the External Rights and Privileges the Apostle saith He was blameless as touching the Righteousness of the Law which must mean the Moral Law and the Ceremonial Law when in force had its part in justifying as well as the Moral and now it is abrogated it cannot be damning if practised out of ignorance only Acts 21.20 c. But that the Righteousness of the Law here doth by parity of reason exclude Christian Obedience from Justifying is thus proved This is not the Righteousness of God sc of God's providing but our own Righteousness as well as Jewish Obedience was It is also the righteousness of a Law the Gospel Law though not the Jewish Law Melanct. in Rom. p. 8. Vocari lex debet ubicunque praecepta leguntur sive in libris Mosis sive in libris Apostolorum c. And further It is not the righteousness of Faith or by Faith any more than the Works of Jews For No Law is of Faith but be that doth it shall live by it Gal. 3.12 It is spoken immediately of the Jewish Law but the Reason extendeth it to every Law he that is justified by obedience to any Law liveth by it is justified by doing it not by believing And it may be said of the Gospel in our Authors Sence He that doth it shall live by it as truly as of the Law of Moses or Adam It hath also been shewed that the Law hath some Faith joyned with it viz. the trust to be justified by performing that Law and therefore when doing and believing are opposed as irreconcileable extreams in Justification believing must mean a trust in anothers Righteousness not in our own for that is doing and thus the righteousness of Faith here excludeth all our own Works therefore must be the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us Add to all this That the Apostle in this place doth not speak of Christian Religion as this Author saith or of the Doctrine of Christ but of his Person and what he wrought for us For having exprest his desire of being found in him not having his own righteousness c. he subjoyneth immediately v. 10 11. That I may know him and the Power of his Resurrection and the Fellowship of his Sufferings c. If by any means I might attain unto the Resurrection of the Dead And v. 12. That I might apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Christ These things concern Christ himself not the Precepts of his Religion Object The general Evasion whereby those men wave the force of these and the like Scriptures is this Hotchkis p. 44 c. That Christ's Righteousness or Obedience is ours in the Fruits and Effects of it but not our Righteousness properly viz. That Christ's Righteousness is not that for which we are accepted of God immediately Trueman Gr. Prop. p. 116. but that it is the morally efficient or meritorious Cause of our Righteousness i. e. that we shall be accepted with God if we fulfill the Commands of the Gospel because Christ hath removed the Old Covenant of Works and purchased this New Covenant for us 1. Answ Here it may not be amiss to advertise the Reader of the equivocation that lies in these Words especially as used by some Authors whereby they hide their sence and deceive many sc when they oppose the Imputation of Christs righteousness to the Fruits and Effects of it which with us are not opposite For by imputation of his righteousness we do not mean that Christs righteousness is transferred to us and made inherently ours or that we can be denominated righteous by it as if we had wrought that righteousness but we mean that for the obedience of Christ God doth immediately pardon and justifie them that trust in it and give them a right to all the Fruits of it as truly and validly as if it were their own personal righteousness so that God doth
the infinitely meritorious Righteousness of the Mediator yet it agreeth to them in divers manners and so hath different effects it is Christs Righteousness as the efficient who wrought it as the Mediator performing it in pursuance of his Mediatorial Office and thus it is one perfect and compleat publick Righteousness satisfying the Law purchasing eternal life for all the Elect whereof Christ is the only immediate and proper subject but it is a Believers righteousness secondarily as being intended and wrought for him that he should be justified by it and so his only so far forth as he stands in need of it not as Mediatorial or meritorious or universal extending to others also it is infinite and meritorious as it is in Christ not as it is in a Believer for there it is an infinite meritorious Righteousness accepted for him so far as he needeth it not as infinite or universal for all the Elect. Thus also we may answer what is commonly said if we are righteous with Christs Righteousness then we satisfied for our selves we are our own Mediators seing by that righteousness Christ satisfied and was our Mediator For the matter of the righteousness may be imputed to us and not the circumstances and qualifications of it we may be accepted for that righteousness and yet not be accounted to have wrought it for our selves or others it is a common rule Quie quid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis a thing is received according to the capacity of the receiver not always according to the extent of the thing or the virtue of the efficient The Sun which is seen by half the World at once the sound which is heard by many thousands are seen and heard by each one in particular for themselves but not accordieg to that universal extent whereby they are seen and heard by all the rest But to come nearer the case Gods act of Creation and conservation is infinite and yet every creature created and preserved thereby is finite Gods course to the actions of the creatures is infinite as proceeding from him yet it maketh not the actions of the Creatures infinite yea all the acts of creation preservation concourse are of the same species of the same sort as they proceed from God it is not one kind whereby Men and Angels are created preserved and assisted and another whereby the same things are done for lower creatures but the same infinite power of God applied to each one according to their necessities yet this Identity of the Divine Acts doth not make the Creatures to be of the same species or nature or to exist in the same manner or all to operate with one kind of Action In like manner the Righteousness of Christ as wrought by him and proceeding from him and intended for all the Elect is infinite and meritorious but as applied to every single person it procureth so much pardon as they have need of and satisfyeth so much of the Law as they are obliged to and so purchaseth Eternal Life for every one according to their necessity and station Of the same nature is that common Objection viz. If we be justified by Christ's Righteousness then are we as righteous as Christ which followeth not unless his Righteousness was applied to every particular Believer in the same manner as it agreeth to Christ which is untrue Christ is righteous inherently as the immediate proper Subject of his own Obedience and actively as the Author of that Obedience as he that in his own person fulfilled the Law A Believer is not at all accounted the Author of that Righteousness is not lookt upon as the person that obeyed nor is he the subject of inhesion in whom that Righteousness doth inhere properly and physically but he is a legal secondary subject who receiveth the immediate benefit of that Righteousness as being intended for his Justification Again Christ wrought his Righteousness for all the Elect in the Office and Person of a Mediator and so was not only righteous as a single person but also as a publick person but each believer is righteous as a single person by that publick and universal Righteousness of Christ applied to his particular case and necessity If a Debtor be discharged by his Sureties paying the Debt may he be said to be as good as solvent a man as his Surety because the Sureties Payment is imputed to him If an Innocent person be accepted to die for one that deserves it may the Guilty person be said to be as innocent or to have satisfied for his Crime as much as the Innocent that died for it The Payment and the Punishment are accepted for the Debtor and the Guilty so that they are freed by them but the honour of being solvent and innocent of paying and suffering p. 61. for a Friend belongeth not to them but to the Sponsor This Authors second Argument is Object 2. If we be justified by the Acts of Christ's Personal Righteousness then are we justified by the Works of the Law but it 's the Apostles whole design to the Romans to prove that we are not justified by the Works of the Law nor unsinning Obedience Ergò Answ Never any Orthodox Divine denyed that we were justified by the Works of the Law wrought for us by Christ but on the contrary it is the soundation of the opinion of Imputation that the Law of Works cannot be waved but must be fulfilled both by obedience to it and suffering the punishment when it had been once broken and this being impossible in our own persons God sent forth his Son in the likeness of Sinful Flesh and for sin condemned sin in the Flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8.3 4. That which justifieth us is the Obedience of Christ to the Law of Works but we are justified not in a Legal but in an Evangelical way because it is the Gospel that granteth us forgiveness upon the obedience of another and not the Law Etsi haec Christi obedientia legalis nobis imputata Bradshaw de Just c. 18. th 7. pars sit aliqua justitiae illius quâ coram Deo justificemur Non tamen inde concluditur nos ex legis operibus vel ex parte aliqua justificarieo sensu quo ab Apostolo ea opera excluduntur Rom. 3.20 Galat. 2.16 3.11 Cum lex illa postulet ut quaecunque preceperit in propriae nimirum cujusque persona non autem per sponsorem aut vicarium quemquam praestentur The Apostle to the Romans proveth that we are not justified by our own Works wrought in our own persons but not absolutely That we are not justified by the Works of the Law in any sence but on the contrary when he saith we are justified by Faith this implyeth that we are justified by the Obedience of Christ trusted in or applyed by Faith What is here further said toucheth not us viz. If Christ's Righteousness be so imputed that
Law of Works in our stead so that his Righteousness is accepted for our fulfilling it then must we be justified by his righteousness without any further righteousness or conditions For the Law being fulfilled for us must acquit us and give us life this we defend but he means not so Christ is our legal righteousness with him not by proper fulfilling the Law of Works for us but by taking it out of the way so that no such perfect innocent righteousness should be required of us to Salvation and this he mean by pro-legal instead of our legal righteousness This is still hiding his sence with ambiguous words It remains then that by imputing Christ's Righteousness they intend nothing else but that Christ procured a Covenant of Grace by fulfilling whereof we shall be justified and saved though sinful and imperfect which Justification and Salvation we must originally yet remotely ascribe to Jesus Christ because he procured this mild Covenant for us but the righteousness which constituteth us Just in Law and for which we shall be pronounc'd righteous and Heirs of the Kingdom at Judgment is our own sincere Obedience not Christ's Obedience as appears at large from this Author It is pretended that Luther in the heat of his Spirit and Zeal against Popish Superstitions Object let fall some words which sounded as if he thought Christ's Personal Righteousness was every Believers righteousness Answer to Dr. Tully p. 15. § 11. and their Sins were made his which afterwards he qualified shewing that Christ's Righteousness is â—urs and our Sins his only in the Effects Answ But that Luther maintained the same Imputation as we do in opposition to all works his Sermons and Comments on the Gal sufficiently shew and all both Papists and Protestants do acknowledge And if by imputing Christ's Righteousness in the Effects be meant its Immediate Effects viz. that we should be justified immediately by that righteousness trusted in immedietate formae without the interposition of any other righteousness to be wrought by us it is the Doctrine we contend for but â—f this be meant as the drift seems to be that â—t is imputed so as to merit a New Covenant by performing of which we shall be justified and so it be imputed only in its remote Effects it is manifestly untrue Object It is said again That most of our Reformers rightly asserted that Christ's Righteousness was ours by the way of meriting our righteousness Ibid. p. 16. § 13. though some of them followed Luther's Expressions of the Imputation of Christ's Personal Righteousness Answ Calvin and Melancthon who do not much follow Luther's Expressions affirm That our Justification consisteth in remission of sins for the Merit of Christ received by Faith only and it is most untrue that any of our Reformers talked That Christ only merited that we should be justified by our own Righteousness according to the Gospel Covenant as is here meant Problem loc de Just 6.25 Aretius Melancthon's Scholar defineth Justification by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness and doth charge Thammerus once his fellow Pupil under the same Master with deserting his Masters and the Doctrine of all Reformers for teaching That Faith in the business of Justification includeth Obedience to the Gospel and that we are justified by it as the Fulfilling of the Gospel and that the Works which St. Paul excludeth from justifying are the Works of the Law not the Works of the Gospel also that gratis per gratiam being justified freely by his Grace was meant only that for Christ's Sake our imperfect obedience is accepted to Justification and sinless obedience not insisted on where the Reader may find Thammerus his Arguments and interpretation of Scripture there cited at large for substance the same produced by our Authors and sharply taxed as a deserting from the Reformation Object It is farther said The Papists fastning upon those Divines who held Imputation of Christ's Personal Righteousness in its self Ibid. § 16. in the rigid sence did hereupon greatly insult against the â—rotestants as if it had been their common â—octrine and it greatly stopt the Reformation Answ Thus Bellarmin pretended that amongst the â—rotestants there were several Opinions about â—â—e Imputation of Christ's Righteousness one 〈◊〉 Luther another of Calvin a third of some â—â—hers besides that of Osiander de Just. cap. 22. p. 312. to which B. â—avenant answers Secundam sententiam illoâ—â—m commemorat qui Christi obedientiam juâ—tiam nobis imputatam statuunt esse formalem â—â—usam justificationis at haec communis est nostroâ—â—m omnium sententia neque quod ad ipsam rem â—â—tinet quicquam é nostris aliter aut censit aut â—â—ipsit He reckoneth this a second Opinion our Writers That they say Christ's Righteousness is the formal cause of our Justification i. e. its self is our Righteousness but â—â—is is the common opinion of all of us nor did â—â—er any of us write or speak otherways as to â—â—e substance of the thing He also affirms â—â—at all the difference betwixt our Reformers â—â—as only in the manner of expressing themslves and that Calvin who placeth Justification in Remission of sin did yet mean that Reâ—â—ssion to be granted for the Imputed Righteousness of Christ and that to be the Immediate Cause of it and therefore adds as the â—â—mmon Protestant Doctrine p. 313. Absque imputaâ—â—ne obedientiae Christi nulla remissio peccatorum â—â—inetur haec causa est remissionis haec cauâ—â— acceptationis haec causa translationis à statis â—â—rtis ad statum vitae i. e. without the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness there is no forgiveness this is the cause of Pardon this is the cause of our acceptance with God and of our translation from the state of death to the state of life It is suggested that this offence of the Papists occasioned the German Divines to deseâ—â— the Question of Imputation Object So Dr. Tully § 17. q. 17 18 and to dispute what Righteousness of Christ it is by which we are justified and many Learned Men maintained that it was the Passive only Answ This Question arose and was agitated among themselves as Paraeus informs us in his Miscellanies nor did it at all concern the Papisâ—â— who are Enemies to the proper Imputation of Christ's Righteousness passive as well as active against his bearing our sins as well as performing the Law for us And these Divines who maintain the Imputation of Passive Obedience only yet maintain that to be our Formal Righteousness by and for which we are justified and not that it procured a Covenant of Grace only Th. Theol. de Justif Thus Vrsin Justitia Evangelica est poena peccatorum nostrorum quam Constus pro nobis sustinuit credentibus à Deo grâ—tis imputata So Paraeus in the Treatise alledged and Windeline also in his Theologia capde Justif Thes 6. he saith That the instrumental cause of Justification is
that Book which is misrepresented Chap. 22. he proposeth the Question de Just habit actual Whether we are justified by the Obedience or Righteousness of Christ imputed to us and that be the formal cause of Justification Where he explaineth the Nature of Justification of Imputation the Righteousness of Christ and the Formal Cause of Justification in the same terms as we do and without any difference in sence He gives us the Sum in these words p. 313. Vno verbo utcunque Deus sanctificatos nos reputat at que inchoatè justos per impressam inhaerentem qualitatem justitiae tamen justificatos i.e. à peccatis absolutos ad vitam aeternam acceptatos per propter justitiam Mediatoris nobis ab ipso Deo donatam hac side spiritúque applicatam i.e. Though God reputeth us inchoatively righteous or holy by the habit of holiness wrought in us yet he accounts us justified acquitted from sin and accepted to life by and for the Righteousness of Christ given to us by God and applyed by his Spirit and our Faith Then he layers down two Propositions opposite to the Papists which he pursueth to the 30th Chapter The one excludeth Works as the Papists maintain them the other affirmeth that the most perfect Obedience of Jesus Christ dwelling in us and uniting himself to us is the formal cause of our Justification for as much as it is made ours by Faith and by the Gift of God Prop. 1. Christi Mediatoris in nobis habitantis atque per spiritum sese nobis unientis perfectissima obedientia Ibid. est formalis causa justificationis nostrae utpote quae ex donatione Pei applicatione fidei fit nostra Observe he doth not say Christ's righteousness doth in some sence justifie us or is ours for or in some effects but he saith we are justified for that very righteousness or obedience of Christ this is the form whereby we are made righteous or justified in opposition to our own Holiness and that because it is our righteousness from Gods Gift from our Union to Christ and Faith in him and then he lays down the contrary Position of the Papists to be refuted and answereth their Calumnies against our Doctrine of Imputation which are much the same that are scattered in our late Authors The Proposition is Thesis 2. Papistarum Mediatoris obedientia sive justitia non donatur aut applicatur credentibus vice aut per modum causae formalis Ibid. cujus virtute fiducia stant justificati aut Deo ad aeternam vitam acceptati The Bishop goes on and Chap. 24. answereth 11 Arguments of Bellarmin against Imputation mostly the same with those alledged Chap. 4th Chap. 25. ut supra he answereth Bellarmins Citations out of the Fathers against the same Doctrine Chap. 27. He further explaineth the Nature of Imputation and what we mean by a Formal Cause just as we do Chap. 28. He proveth that Christ's Righteousness is imputed as that very Righteousness which justifieth us which he doth by 11 Arguments and by all the same Scriptures out of the New Testament which have been cited above Chap. 3. and by some others all in the same sence which we take them Chap. 29. He alledgeth the Fathers for our Doctrine Chap. 30. He refuteth the Papists slanders in saying that this Doctrine taketh away the necessity of good works where he hath this memorable passage concerning the difference of the two Covenants Lex in conditione operum vitam habet ipsam vim formam icti faederis p. 396. at Evangelium in Mediatoris sanguine fide apprehenso collocat ipsam vim formam operum autem conditionem annectit ut subservientem huic faederi Evangelico non ut continentem aut constituentem ipsum faedus i. e. the Covenant of Works includeth Works in the very form of it as the conditions of that Govenant but the Gospel placeth the form and force of the Covenant in Faith in the Bloud of Christ but that it subjoyneth works as a subservient condition not as containing any part of the Covenant Can any thing be more contrary to the Doctrine we oppose that the Gospel is a Covenant of sincere Obedience and that Obedience is the condition of the new Covenant whereby we must be justified In all this here is not a word favouring this new Opinion Chap. 31. There is something which may bare a colour of some approbation of this Doctrine but it is but a colour He saith that Works are in some sort necessary to Justification and Salvation but that the term necessary ought not to be used in Disputes with Papists or in Discourses to the People lest they ascribe too much to them Concl. 2 3. And in the 4th he saith No works are necessary neither Legal nor Evangelical p. 402. as a Meritorious Cause but conditions of the Covenant are a meritorious cause Nulla opera bona sunt renatis ad salutem aut justificationem necessaria si per necessaria intelligamus sub ratione causae meritoriae necessaria dico nulla ut excludam non solummodò opera legalia sed etiam opera inchoatae justificationis And then Concl. 5th he saith Bona quaedam opera sunt necessaria ad justificationem p. 403. ut conditiones concurrentes vel praecursoriae ut dolere de peccato detestari peccatum consimilia i. e. Some good works are necessary to Justification though not as efficient and meritorious causes yet as previous or concomitant conditions such as sorrow for sin humiliation begging of mercy hoping in it and the like But by this he meaneth not that these dispositions have any direct influence on Justification it self but that they fit the Justified Person to use and improve his Justification This we all acknowledge that ordinarily in persons that can use their reason there are such ministerial preparations both for conversion and justification and yet they are the causes of neither Nor doth this hinder but that God may extraordinarily sometimes work Grace infuse Faith and justifie men without such previous dispositions The reason following shews this was the Bishop's sence For God saith he doth not justifie Stocks and Beasts but Men and those humble contrite and tractable to his Word and Spirit Ibid. Divina enim misericordia non justificat stipites h. e. nihil agentes neque equos mulos h. e. recalcitantes libidinibus suis obstinatè adhaerescentes sed homines eosdémque compunctos contritos ac verbi spiritúsque divini ductum sequentes vid. plura To make it more plain he adds When we say things are necessary it doth not presently follow that they are necessary as causes but for orders sake Not andum quandò dicimus aliquid necessarium ad hoc vel illud obtinendum p. 404. ex ipsa vi verborum non ninuitur necessitas causalitatis sed ordinis Ibid. Concl. 6th he saith further Good works are necessary to
it self doth justifie us or make us accepted and that the righteousness which is imputed to us whereby we are justified is not Obedience to the Law but something else which God for Christ's sake graciously accepteth to our Justification Declar. sentent oper p. 102. What this is he expresseth having said that Christ's Righteousness is the onely meritorious cause of Pardon Statuo hoc censeo benè propriè dici fidem homini credenti in justitiam ex gratia imputari quatenùs Deus Jesum Christum filium suum proposuit tribunal gratiae sive propitiationem per fidem in sanguine ipsius h. e. Faith is imputed to us for righteousness in as much as God hath made Christ the Tribunal of Grace which is all one as to say with ours Christ as a King and Judge doth justifie us by and for believing in him And again in answer to the 26th Article objected to him he contendeth That though Faith may be said to concur as an Instrument to Justification yet the Act of Faith doth justifie as it is graciously accepted for our Righteousness Apprehensio Christi est proprior quam instrumentum apprehendens vel quo objectum apprehenditur Apprehensio autem est actio itaque fides non quà instrumentum sed quà actio imputatur in justitiam quanquam propter illum quem apprehendit Bertius in his Epistles explaineth this that Faith is required by the Gospel instead of perfect Obedience to the Law of Works contra Lubbert and so justifyeth us that should have done as the fulfilling of the Command of God with this difference That perfect Obedience needed no Pardon and Grace but Faith per gratiosam accepti lationem of God's Gracious condescension is accepted as a Man's Righteousness he being pleas'd to require no more of him because of his inability to keep the Law so then Christ's Righteousness hath purchased that we should be justified by our Faith but it self doth not justifie us But do the Arminians by Faith mean only the apprehending or trusting in Christ's Righteousness in opposition to or contradistinction from all other Graces and Works in the matter of Justification Nothing less By Faith they mean Obedience to the whole Gospel and all good Works they say are intended in Faith that Faith and Repentance are all one though sometimes they are separated and spoken of apart for clearness sake Thus Hornbeck proposeth their Opinion Sum. Contro lib. 8. Quest 20. Num coram Deo justificemur non fide apprehendendo Christi justitiam quae sola nobis imputetur in peccatorum remissionem â—sed fide ut est actus opus nostrum includens in se obedientiam operum Evangelicorum propter quam quamvis non ex ejus dignitate merito justificemur i. e. That we are not justified by Faith as it apprehendeth the Righteousness of Christ but as it is an Act or Work of ours including Obedience to all the Commands of the Gospel Harm Remonstr Socin Art 12 17. Joh. Peltius hath largely shewed That by Faith the Remonstrants mean Obedience to the whole Gospel and that this is it by which they would have us justified Take 2 or 3 citations Art 12. Parag. 6. p. 157. ex Remonstr confes cap. 10. Hac ratione considerata fides totam hominis conversionem Evangelio praescriptam ambitu suo continet Faith comprehends man's whole Conversion Episcop disput 22. Fides illa quae credenti imputari dicitur in justitiam bona opera non tantum non tollat sed ea ipsa aut eorum saltem faciendorum propositum natura sua in se contineat comprehendat i.e. Faith which is imputed for righteousness doth not exclude Works but containeth them or at least a purpose of doing them Joannes Geister Confess Bona opera gratia non pugnant inter sese sub fide etiam bona opera comprehenduntur i.e. Grace and Works are not opposite and Faith comprehends Works Yea this Man was so ingenuous as to tell us that we do not contend with the Papists whether we be at all justified by Works in this the Remonstrants and Papists are agreed the question only is By what Works we must be justified Quando cum Papistis disputatur non est inquirendum an per bona opera justificemur sed per quae opera He would only exclude Popish superstitious Works as our Authors would have The Apostle Paul only excludes Jewish Works or Ceremonial Observations from our Justification Would you have the matter yet plainer Adolph Venator will put it out of question Justificamúrne etiam ex operibus Certè ita i.e. Are we justified by works also Yes verily And the Remonstrants in their Apology boldly affirm ex operibus hominem justificari istud non tantum non est absurdum sed verissimum esse totidem verbis pronuntiat Apostolus Jacob. 2. Nec evadent hunc ictum censores cùm hunc locum pro suo more de declaratione justificationis intelligendum esse dicunt i.e. It is so far from being absurd that a man is justified by works that it is most true and the express words of the Apostle James which cannot be evaded by interpreting them of declarative Justification Thus we see that the Arminians meant the same thing when they said the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere the Act and Work of Faith it self doth justifie us that our late Authors do when they ascribe Justification to Faith and Obedience both agree that Faith in its usual acceptation and full latitude comprehendeth assent and obedience to the whole Gospel and that thus it justifies and no other way and in this how the Remonstrants do conspire with the Socinians Peltius doth clearly demonstrate ut supra which also the Arminians do not deny as in their Apology Si quis dicat hanc sententiam Quod Fides quà tenus viva est justificat esse ipsissimam Socini sententiam is dato quod id verum sit necesse est ut fateatur tandem Socinum hac in parte conspirare cum reformatis Ecclesiis quoad substantiam ipsam i.e. If any man say that this is Socinus's Doctrine he must confess that Socinus doth so far agree with the Reformed Churches in substance And this also seemeth to have been the true sence of Pelagius vid. Vos Hist Pelag lib. 3. par 1. viz. That men are justified and saved by their acknowledging and obeying the Gospel for as much as he taught that under the Gospel men were saved by obeying it as the Jews were by observing the Law of Moses and those before Moses by observing the Law of Nature He also ascribeth to the Death of Christ nothing but the pardon of sins acceptance with God must depend upon mens own obedience Christ helping them in it by the instructions and encouragements of the Gospel and by his own Example and this doth not much differ from the Doctrine in hand Thus we see that the First Authors of these
promised life by it 〈◊〉 to use the Ordinances and promised grace by them and that in believing him we shall have life everlasting So Faith as the rest is Gods instrument as to appointment anâ— success ours as to the use and practice of it 〈◊〉 only it is not proper to call it a passive instrument as some do or to say it justifies passively whose mistake is rather in the term thaâ— in the sence For Faith is a Moral not 〈◊〉 proper Physical instrument which only can be passive Again a passive instrument is thaâ— which hath no activity at all but is meerly used by the Agent in his action as a Knife Saw or the like but Faith justifieth actively or as a grace whereby the whole Soul understanding the promise of pardon in Christ accepts it trusteth in it expecteth Salvatioâ— only that way now this is a moral reception or acceptation of and dependance upon Christ in the Promise not a Physical passiveness as the term seems to imply We are now to prove That we are thus justified by Faith as hath been laid down because though the Scripture is full and express for it in many places yet other sences are now put upon them Argument 1. Faith is the means of obtaining all particular merits both spiritual and temporal only by trusting in the promise of them hence blessedness is ascribed to trusting in God Ps â—4 13 and many times God delivered men because they trusted in him 2 Chr. 20.20 Obedience qualifies and fits the subject to receive â—ercies but still Faith is supposed as that â—hich giveth right to mercies The Vertues 〈◊〉 Unbelievers have no promise the promise to Faith therefore Justification also comâ—â— by Faith in the Promise of pardon for â—ere is the same reason for all the Promises â—aith as faith obtain other Promises why â—t this also besides the Promise of Justification is the foundation of all the rest and â—â—udes them virtually therefore if Faith enâ—â—le to all other Promises and Mercies much â—â—re to this nay Faith in particular Promiâ—â— obtains mercy chiefly upon this account â—â—cause it hath first obtained reconciliation â—â—h God and the promise of his love in Christ for upon this all promises are founded and true trusting in them doth suppole our trusting in God first for Justification yea is a secondary act of the same Faith 2 Cor. 1.24 Argument 2. As Abraham was so are all men justified Gal. 3.7 8 9. all Believers are his Seed anâ— blessed with him and in the same way buâ— Abraham was justified by Faith as it is a trusting in the promise of God viz. a promisâ—â— that he and all the World should be blesseâ— in Christ Ergò That Abraham was thus justified the Apostle affirms Gal. 3.6 He believed and it was imputed to him for righteousness and this believing is opposed to seeking righteousness by the works of the Law v. 10. Thsy that are of the Law are not blessed with Abraham but under the Curse because thâ—â— keep not the whole Law which comprehenâ—â— the Moral as well as Ceremonial thereforâ— faith as trusting in the promise justified himâ— Moreover Christ redeemed us from the Cuâ—â— of the Law that we might receive the promiâ—â— of the Spirit by Faith v. 13 14. Vnto Abraham and his Seed were the Promises made v. 1â— and the Inheritance is not of the Law but 〈◊〉 Promise v. 18. The Faith then that justifiâ—â— Abraham was a trust in Gods Promises contradistinct to obedience to the Law or Commands If you ask what Promise I answer v. 17. directe us to it The Law was 400 〈◊〉 30 years after the Covenant or Promise whiâ—â— points at the time when Abraham was first â—alled and of the Promise made to him then â—nd to all Nations in him Gen. 12.1 2 3. by believing that promise Abraham was justified â—nd his faith in the promise of a Son mentioned above Chap. 15.6 and Rom. 4. was but a subsequent act of his justifying faith and its â—eing imputed for righteousness Vid. Prest On the Cov. Serm. 11. but an instance or evidence that his faith in the promise of being blessed in Christ did justifie him before God Argument 3. The Just shall live by Faith Habak 2.4 The Prophet spoke it immediately concerning temporal deliverance in publick calamities but these deliverances to the Children of God are tokens and fore-runners of deliverance from the Wrath to come and effects of their reconciliation with God therefore â—s it is usual in the New Testament to apply such promises to spiritual things so the Apostle applieth this of the Prophet to Justification wherefore as to live in the Prophet principally signified preservation from the temporal effects of the wrath of God so with the Apostle it signifieth to be delivered from eternal wrath and eternal death by the special favour of God i. e. to be justifyed now this he ascribes to Faith only Rom. 1.17 where he proveth that the Gospel is the power of God to Salvatian in them that believe because therein is the righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith which is further confirmed because the Just shall live bâ— Faith it is believing then that saves meâ— and faith that makes them partakers of thâ— Righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel therefore by that they live i. e. are justified and yet more express Gal. 3.11 The Apostle proves by this Text That a Man cannot be justified by his Works and thinketh it aâ— Argument above exception but that no maâ— is justified by the Law in the sight of God it 〈◊〉 evident for the Just shall live by Faith Argument 4. To be justified by Faith is directly opposed to Justification by Works and by ouâ— own Righteousness therefore Faith justified only by trusting in Gods Mercy through Chrisâ— The Antecedent is the Apostles Rom. 10.5 6. The Righteousness of the Law saith That hâ— that doth them shall live in them but the righteousness of Faith saith If thou believe in thy heart that God raised Christ from the dead thou shalt be saved v. 9. likewise Gal. 3.10 having said the Just shall live by Faith he adds the Law is not of Faith but the Man that doth them shall live by them therefore Man cannot be justified by the Works of the Law iâ— must be by Faith only will they again sayâ— that these places only exclude the works oâ— the Ceremonial Law Surely Moses in the place cited Lev. 18.5 speaketh of the whole Law given to the Jews as the context sheweth and as it is interpreted by the Prophet Ezekiel 20.13 Or will they say that only perfect Works and the Law of innocency are excluded not imperfect sincere Obedience Ans If any works justifie they must be perfect else there must be a conjunction of Gods mercy and Mans own works to justifie him and so a Medium betwixt Justification by Faith and by Works even to be justified by both together and so the Apostle argues imperfectly yea
falsly à malè divisis ad benè conjuncta we are justified by Faith Ergò not by works nay it may be by both together Argument 5. We are justified freely by Gods grace therefore by faith as a trust in the Promise The Antecedent is the Apostles Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ the Consequence is his also for he adds God hath set forth him to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Bloud likewise Rom. 4.16 It is by Faith that it may be by Grace If we are justified by Obedience to any Commands as Obedience then may we be justified by grace in part there may be some mercy in it but not freely by his grace Faith only accepteth Salvation as a gift of meer grace pleading nothing but the free Promise of God in which it trusts and Faith only applyeth the Righteousness of God by trusting in it but Obedience be it what it will provides a Righteousness of our own and hereby only is all the glory of our Salvation ascribed to God when we trust to nothing of our own in any sort But Christ is Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption to us which is by Faith only 1 Cor. 1.30 31. For obedience as obedience brings something to God and doth not receive from him and some of the Glory is due to it Argument 6. The Spirit is given by Faith as affiance to trust therefore we are justified by it The consequence is gathered hence the Spirit is the Author of all Grace in the Sanctified and of useful gifts both in them and in the unsanctified for the edifying of the Church both these are means of fitting men for Heaven If then Faith obtain the means surely it obtaineth a Right and Title to Heaven first The Antecedent is the Apostles Gal. 3.2 in a question importing a negation as to Works and an affirmation as to Faith Received you the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith And v. 5. He that ministreth the Spirit and worketh miracles amongst you doth he it by the Works of the Law or by the preaching of Faith The former words I understand of the Graces the latter of the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost but doth come not by preaching obedience to the Law but the Promises of the Gospel Again v. 14. We receive the Promise of the Spirit by Faith now here they cannot say the Apostle opposeth the works of the Law to the works of the Gospel implied in Faith as they do sometimes For those he disputes against were believing Jews and such as pretended the Authority at least the Example of Peter and John for their Doctrine as appears Chap. 2. and Acts 15.5 These did not exclude the works of the Gospel but meant that men should be saved by believing in Christ and fulfilling the Precepts of the Law and Gospel and differed nothing from our late Authors in this point but in that they accounted the Ceremonial Law still to oblige Gal. 1.6 7. I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the Grace of Christ unto another Gospel which is not another but there are some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ If they had contended for the works of the Law distinct from the Gospel it had been another Gospel they had preached their Doctrine therefore was a mixture of Faith and Works Nor is it the Ceremonial Law only whose works are excluded For these Teachers endeavoured that the Gentiles should be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses Act. 15.5 the whole Law which is also opposed to the Promise made to Abraham by which he and his Seed were justified Gal. ◠16 17. Ceremonies indeed are particularly instanced in because men put most trust in them whether appointed by God or devised by themselves and chiefly because they were the bond and badge of the whole Law Gal. 5.3 I testifie to every man if he be circumcised he is a Debtor to keep the whole Law It is therefore Justification by obedience to God's Commands as well as believing in Christ ushered in by imposing the Jewish Ceremonies which the Apostle disputes against in this Epistle and against which he proves We are justified by Faith in the Promises Argument 7. Miraculous Faith as trusting in the Promise and Power of God obtaineth miraculous Effects therefore Faith in the Promise of Pardon obtains Justification The Antecedent is frequently laid down in the Gospel Thy Faith hath saved thee thy Faith hath made thee whole be it unto thee according to thy Faith And that general Promise Mat. 17.20 If you have Faith as a grain of Mustard-seed you shall say to this Mountain Remove to yonder place and it shall obey you and nothing shall be impossible for you The consequence is thus proved The Faith of Miracles as in the unsanctified it was an extraordinary degree of common or notional Faith so in the Godly it was but an extraordinary degree of that sound Faith which justifies them We have no reason to make it a distinct gift or grace no more than that Faith whereby we believe particular promises in spiritual or temporal things should be distinct from the Faith of the Pardon of Sin Now then if a trusting in extraordinary promises will procure these extraordinary effects thereby promised by the same reason trusting in the Promise of Justification should be effectual to justifie us Argument 8. Ex opposito If Faith doth not justifie as trust in the Promise but Obedience with it and as a part of Obedience then it may be said truly and properly there is Justifying Repentance Justifying Love to God and our Neighbour Justifying Patience c. as well as Justifying Faith in that we are justified by them as well as by Faith but the Scripture is silent to any such thing Nor will it serve to say Faith justifieth principally and primarily works secondarily and less principally and therefore it is ascribed only to Faith For besides that we must not distinguish where the Scripture doth not Works in their intrinsecal value are much more excellent than Faith To believe the Scriptures or trust in a Promise is of it self the meanest lowest Act that man can perform to God and which he doth only for his own good but in Obedience man denieth himself and seeketh only the Honour of God And if you say as a condition Faith is principal Works less principal I answer It is strange that the less considerable thing should have the greatest weight laid upon it But let it be shewed how Faith doth reconcile us to God more than Love and Obedience till then we may look upon this distinction but as an old Popish Evasion revived CHAP. VIII Objections against this Doctrine answered IT is objected by a late Author Object 1. If we are justified by trusting in the Mercy of God through the Bloud of Christ then the whole
end of justifying Sinners is to glorifie the Mercy of God without providing for the Honour of his Justice or Holiness both which seem better secur'd if Justification depend upon man's works as well as faith that he cannot be reconciled to God without a holy life as well as believing in Christ For thus God would appear not only merciful but just and holy also in that he will not pardon Sinners but in a way of holiness Answ 1. The Justice and Holiness of God were abundantly declared in exacting satisfaction to the Law of Jesus Christ his obedience and death did more declare and vindicate the Justice and Holiness of God infinitely more than the worthless imperfect obedience of men can do Hereby it was declared That God would not justifie Sinners but in a way of Holiness and perfect obedience to his Law There was perfect holiness and justice towards Christ though infinite Mercy towards Sinners Though man be justified by Faith not by Holiness yet he is not saved without Holiness it is that which qualifies him to receive the Kingdom and Faith also procureth and obtaineth his Holiness For we believe not in Christ for pardon only but for grace to bring us to glory Nor doth Christ purchase oâ— God promise pardon only but grace and power to obey him He gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purchase to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 So then Faith trusting in God's mercy and free grace supposeth for its foundation the Obedience of Christ whereby God's Justice and Holiness hath been highly glorified and also obtaineth for men by and from Jesus Christ the Spirit of Adoption by whom they shall in due time be make conformable to the Image of his own Son and so more excellently holy than they would have been if they had not sinned Therefore in justifying a Sinner in the whole design Holiness and Justice are as much magnified as Mercy though Mercy only appear in the Act of justifying him without his own Righteousness This Doctrine seems to lead to Enthusiasm Object 2. If there be nothing for man to do that he may be justified but only to believe in God's Mercy and Christ's Righteousness then may they fancy themselves justified when they please and if this Faith must be wrought by God then must men onely expect till God will infuse Faith and so justifie them What use then of the preaching of the Gospel Answ For Fancy May not men as well fancy their obedience to be sincere and their works â—o be such as argue them good Christians and give them hopes to be saved yea do not most men thus think and profess If works must be tried by the Scriture so must faith also and â—hen this is no more liable to fancy than the â—ther Answ 2. For Enthusiasm which is nothing else but infusion or inspiration of something into the Mind we grant all the godly do injoy it in the working and increase of supernatural grace and so must our Opposites also unless they will turn down right â—elagians and say That all Grace is the meer work of Nature and Reason Thus Enthusiasm follows from the Doctrine of Supernatural Grace whether we be justified â—y Faith or Obedience But Enthusiasm is were taken in the worst sence and so the meaning must be The Doctrine of Justification by Faith doth necessarily lead to ungrounded unwarranted Enthusiasm Now this may be reduced to two sorts for matter and for manner for matter when men pretend Inpiration of God for things contrary to â—cripture which God hath given as a standing rule to the Worlds end for manner â—hen Inspirations are expected to exclude and â—upersede the use of reason Scripture and â—ll Divine Ordinances these are properly called Enthusiasts who pretend to these Now our Doctrine of Faith naturally leads to neither of these Not to the first in the matter for faith apprehends resteth only upon the Promises revealed in the Scripture out of that it seeâ—eth nothing for its foundation and that somâ— Antinomians have leaned to unwarranted Revelations and Fancies is no more a natural consequence of Justification by Faith thaâ— the Papists pretending Revelation for Image worship and many of their Will-worship do naturally flow from from the Doctrine 〈◊〉 Justification by Works Not the second 〈◊〉 the manner We are so far from teachingâ— That men must expect Faith to be wrought oâ— increased without the use of means appointed that on the contrary we say with thâ— Scripture That faith cometh by hearing anâ— hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10.15 Thaâ— God requires men to know understand anâ— meditate on his Word to use their Reason Conscience and Affections and while they thuâ— do he inspires faith into his Elect which enables them to do it effectually and savingly much like as our Saviour John 9. made Clay anointed the Eyes of the blind man with iâ— sent him to wash in the Pool of Siloam anâ— while he thus did by his divine Power he restored his Sight The same also may be said if we must be saved by our Obedience wâ— may sit still and expect God to work all 〈◊〉 us unless they will say we need no supernatural Grace or at least that it depended on and followeth the Will of man Enthusiasms therefore are the abuses not the just consequences of this Doctrine It is objected If we be justified by Faith only Object 3. then there need be no care of good works Answ This follows as much as that objected to the Apostle Rom. 3.8 We are slanderously reported to say let us do evil that good may come of it and Rom. 6.1 Let us continue in sin that grace may abound Surely there is more shew of reason to say if we are justified by free grace only then no matter though we sin grace will be but the more magnified in our forgiveness than to say Because God justifies freely through Faith therefore we need need not care to please him The Apostle was not moved to mitigate this Doctrine for the said slanders Ungodly men will speak and act according to their own lusts whatever their Opinions be and Calvin observes among the Papists as we may the same among Protestants that none are more zealous maintainers of Justification by good Works than they who have fewest good works to shew it seems therefore that the Doctrine of Justification by Works is not such a real incentive to holiness as some men think but rather that the Doctrine of Justification by Faith crosseth corrupt nature more and stirs up to more deep and inward holiness else why should profane Wits and unsanctified hearts so generally oppose it But that this Doctrine doth not naturally lead to unholiness but to most strict and spiritual holiness may thus appear 1. As Faith trusteth in the promise of eternal life it doth naturally stir up men to use all means to attain that and
men to obedience whether there be Promises or Threaâ— or none or whatever they be which he doâ— in this life with many infirmities and in Heaven without any CHAP. IX That Faith doth not justifie as a Condition and that it doth not justifie as believing in Christ as King and Prophet as well as Priest THat Faith justifieth a Sinner as it is a trust in the Promise of Life through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ hath been proved and vindicated in the preceding Chapters We are now to consider what the opposite Opinion is concerning Faith and its Influence upon Justification The Scriptures teach that Abraham the Father and great Exemplar of all Believers was justified by Faith his Faith was counted to him for Righteousness Rom. 4.3 And that this Faith was a Trust in the Promise of God is evident both from the occasion and immediate Object of it the Promise of a Son against all natural hope and probability and that his Seed should be numerous be the people of God the Blessed of the World Gen. 15.4 5 6 18. c. and also from the Apostles Explication or Amplification of this Faith in this Chapter v. 19 20 21 22. viz. That it was a believing in hope against hope and a not considering the natural impossibility of the thing promised and not staggering at the Promise through unbelief but being strong in Faith and fully perswaded that God was able to perform what he promised and that this Faith justified him as such a trust in the Promises and not as an Act of Obedience is evident from the Apostles own Reason in the close of that Discourse v. 22. Therefore iâ— was imputed to him for Righteousness Wherefore Because it was a firm trust in the Promise of God It is also added v. 23. That this Example was written not for Abraham's sake only but for ours that succeed because Faith also shall be imputed to us for Righteousness if we believe in him that raised Christ from the dead who died for our sins and rose again for our justification v. 24 25. If this was written for our sakes then the Faith that justifieth us must be a trust in the Promise as Abraham's was even in the Promise of Life through the death of Christ and must justifie us as a trust in that Promise as his did him and not upon any other account It is the Righteousness of Christ for which God justifies believing Sinners but because they are rational Creatures God doth not justifie them without their knowledge consent or acceptance but with and by means of it and this is Faith sc Man's trusting in or acceptance of Life promised in Christ which doth render the subject as a rational Creature capable of pardon and mercy by a Promise though that natural capacity of the subject would not obtain pardon if it were not promised to it and this is all we mean when we say Faith is the Instrument of our Justification viz. That God having promised Justification through Christ to all that believe or trust in it this Faith doth trust in it or is that disposition of the soul whereby it doth trust in that promise and so obtain a grant of Jnstification We acknowledge to believe God's Promises is commanded by him and an act of our Obedience to him always indispensibly due but we say That Faith obtaineth any thing promised and Justification in particular not as or because it obeyeth the general command of believing Gods Promises but as it trusteth in dependeth upon the Promises and consequently that God fulfilleth the Promise of Pardon Justification and the immediate fruits of it to a Believer out of his meer goodness and faithfulness not out of remunerative Justice and Debt as he must if he justifieth for Faith as an act of Obedience to any Command But our Opposites will have Faith to justifie us as the condition of the New Covenant 〈◊〉 Gospel not as a meer trust in the Promise A condition saith Amyrald Amyrald dissert de grat unic p. 52. is a certain â—aw added to a matter or business which is required to be performed by a man Conditio 〈◊〉 Lex addita negotio quae ab homine exigitur â—o that believing in Christ is annexed to the promise of Justification as a Law requiring that faith and then saith must justifie as obedience to or fulfilling of that Command is Perfect Obedience was the condition of the â—aw So they tell us Faith is the condition of the Gospel and one justifyeth now as the other did then sc as Man should then have been justified for his Perfect Obedience as the fulfilling of the Law to which life was promised so now Faith justifieth as or because it obeyeth the Gospel Chmmand of believing in Christ to which life is promised to Sinners To strengthen this they further say which indeed is but a just consequence of it that as the Covenant of Works upon the condition of Perfect Obedience was made with all Mankind in Adam so also the Covenant of Grace was made with all Mankind in him also after the Fall and renewed to Noah upon the condition of Faith in Christ i. e. as before they were all commanded to obey perfectly and they should live for so doing so now they are all commanded to believe in Christ and they shall live for so doing Foedus gratiae salutaris in Adamo cum omnibus singulis hominibus initum Ibid. p. 87. et in Noa cum omnibus singulis hominibus sancitum fuit sub fidei conditione adeo ut si omnes singuli crederent salutis à Christo partae compotes fierent This we are now to examine and there are two Opinions about it One acknowledgeth Faith to be fiducia a trust in the promise and this only to be the condition of Justification the other makes Faith to include Obedience to the Gospel Command so that when they sayâ— Faith justifys they mean Faith and Obedience flowing from it To begin with the First 'T is usual with Divines to call Faith the Condition of the Gospel and Justification but they take the terâ— condition improperly and largely for any thing required of us and that must be in us in order to being justifyed they mean no more but that men are not justifyed by the Death of Christ as a Ransom paid for them without any thing in them to apply it to themselves in particular but that his death doth justify them being offered in the Promises trusted in them for themselves in particular Ibid. in this sence we grant Faith to be a condition of Justification But some Amyraldus and others take a condition strictly for something required not only as a disposition of the subject or as an internal rational means of obtaining a thing but also as acquiring a right to it as the performance of that Command which required it and thus they say Faith is the Condition of Justification i. e. we are justifyed
because we fulfil or obey the Command of believing in Christ Against this I thus argue 1. If Faith justify as a fulfilling the command of believing then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere Faith it self is our Righteousness and Christ's Righteousness hath only procur'd a Covenant of Faith by fulfilling whereof we should be justifyed as we should have been by fulfilling the Law of Works For in this Opinion Faith justifyeth as Obedience to the Command of believing and Obedience cannot be the Medium of applying Christ's Obedience for our Righteousness but is it self a righteousness according to the Law that requires it So then Faith must be our Righteousness now as perfect Obedience was under the Law and must justify as the Work of the Gospel 2ly Faith is the unfittest of all Graces to be the condition of life because it is only a trust in Free-Mercy and carries with it an acknowledgement of our unworthiness and nothingness and so bringeth nothing to God but a bare object of Mercy and Compassion All other graces bring some positive Honour to God together with a denyal of our selves and our inordinate desires to the Creatures but Faith bringeth nothing but a confession of Misery with a desire and hope of Mercy therefore is unfit to be our Righteousness and to come into the room of Perfect Obedience 3ly If Faith justify as a condition then Man hath a natural power to believe in Christ how else can Faith be required of him as a new condition of life after he had failed of life by the first condition of Obedience The Gospel by this Doctrine is a Law of Faith but a proper Law doth suppose power to obey in the subjects of it Quest Obj. Quest 9. Vid. Pelt Art 13. Paragr 2. This Arminius confesseth Deum non posse ullo modo fidem in Jesum Christum postulare ab homine lapso quam ex se habere non potest nisi aut dederit aut dare paratus sit gratiam sufficientem quâ credere possit si velit i. e. God cannot by any means require Fallen Man to believe which of himself he cannot do unless he hath given him or will be ready to give grace sufficient to believe if he will 4ly If Faith be the gift of special grace as is acknowledged by these I now deal with how can it be required of all that hear the Gospel seeing they have neither power of their own to believe nor a promise that Faith shall be given them If it be said that Faith is promised I ask is it promised on some other condition or absolutely If upon condition then we shall have conditions in infinitum unless we stop in something that is in Man's Power to do Ibid. p. 55. as Amyraldus well observeth Fides impetrata fuit non ut offeretur sub acceptandi conditione sed ut ipsa illa conditio esset per quam salus recipitur alioqui res abiret in infinitum nec ullus unquam esset terminus conditionum impetrandarum If absolutely either to all that hear the Gospel and so all should believe or to some only but no such promise can be produc'd that when the Gospel is preach'd to a people such and such shall have Faith given them But if it be said the Promise of Life in Christ is declared to all and God persuadeth whom he pleaseth to trust in it Is it not then better to say that Faith is only an instrument whereby God inableth Men to lay hold of the Promise â—o Justification than to offer violence to the nature of all proper Laws and the conditions of them by making Faith the condition required by a proper Law which Man hath not â—ower to perform nor is sure to have it given when he needeth it and I suppose no instance can be given of any such Law either Human or Divine that requireth a condition out of the power or beyond the ability of the subject before the Law was made and doth not certainly provide that ability for him any other way The Second Opinion is of those that affirm Obedience to be included in Faith and so Faith and Obedience to be the condition of life i. e. that we are required sincerely to believe and obey the Gospel Commands Histories and Promises to our lives end and for so doing we shall be justified and saved Faith in this Opinion is not an immediate trust in the Promise of life through Christ but a general belief of the truth of the Histories and Promises of the Gospel encouraging to obey the Precepts of it yea though there be 〈◊〉 particular persuasion that this man in particular shall be saved if he obey the Gospel 〈◊〉 yet this is not proper trust or affiance but a more practical assent to the general Promises and Doctrine of the Gospel a trust upon an uncertain condition is no more a truâ— and proper trust than a proposition depending on a future contingency is a proper oâ— certain proposition or hath determinate truth or falshood This is the Doctrine 〈◊〉 the Remonstrants as hath been shewed Chapâ— 5. We may also observe That though thâ— Opinion be commonly exprest by believing in or receiving Christ as our King and Prophet as well as Priest yet in truth it maketh Faith or the condition of the Gospel tâ— respect Christ only as a King immediately and as a Prophet and Priest accidentally and remotely For to prescribe Laws and Conditions of Life whereby men must be judged saved or condemned and then to judge them by those Laws and either justifie or condemn them for their obedience or disobedience to them are all Kingly Acts or Exercises of Kingly Power and these only are immediately respected by this Faith which is nothing else but obeying what Christ hath commanded upon belief of the truth of what he hath declared and promised to that Obedience and so is that for which men shall be judicially justified It is true Christ as a Prophet doth explain and teach his own Law but this is accidental to a Legislator and men must obey the teaching of Christ but obedience as such is not because he teacheth but because he that teacheth is also the Law maker and hath authority to command obedience Therefore Faith as obedience and so justifying doth not properly respect Christ as a Prophet nor doth it eye him as a Priest being not a trust in his satisfaction and Righteousness to be saved by it which was the main Exercise of his Priestly Office but an obedience to the New Law which Christ had made as a King and only had purchased as a Priest leave of the Father to make such a Law and that those that obeyed it should be saved The Priesthood therefore of Christ is but remotely respected in believing as the foundation of his Law and Promises annexed to it This Mr. Baxter confesseth in effect 1 Disput of Just P. 25. when he saith Christ's Merit is the remote moral cause of our
Justification but his granting of this Promise or Act of Grace is the true natural efficient instrumental cause of our Justification even the immediate cause If Christ's Merit was but the remote Cause of Justification then justifying Faith doth respect it but remotely as the procuring cause of the New Covenant and if the grant of an Act of Grace be the only proper and immediate Cause of Justification then Faith only respects that immediately when it justifies and so Christ only as a King or as the Enacter of a New Law Ibid. p. 27. Again he saith It is most evident in Scripture that Merit Satisfaction are but the moral remote preparatory causes of our Justification though exceeding eminent c. and that the perfecting neerer efficient causes were by other Acts of Christ and that all concurred to accomplish the work By this it appears that Justification is an Act of Christ as a King only though his Merit made way for his Kingly Power and his Prophetical teaching promoteth mans obedience that his justifying us is his acquitting us from guilt and condemnation because we have obeyed his Law or New Covenant and that obedience to that Law as obedience to a Royal Law is the condition of our Justification or the thing for which we must be justified and that Faith with these men is nothing but obedience to the Gospel-Precepts grounded upon a belief that they came from Christ and shall be rewarded according to his Promise and therefore when they contend That Faith justifieth not by one act of affiance but by all its acts they do but confound themselves and the question For even according to themselves Faith justifieth properly and immediately by one act only or under one onely notion viz. of obedience to the Gospel and that directed to Christ only as King and that the other acts of it respecting his Merit and Teaching are but accidental to it and without its notion as justifying We are then to prove that obedience to the Gospel is not the condition of our Justification though joyned with or builded upon Faith in the truth of it and thus I argue The First Argument From Rom. 4.16 17. Therefore it is of faith that it might be of grace to the end the Promise might be sure to all the Seed not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the Faith of Abraham who is the Father of us all c. The Faith here spoken of is that whereby Abraham was justified and by which the Promise should be made sure to all his Seed both Jews and Gentiles which is the Promise of being blessed with him in his Seed Christ Now the Apostle saith That Justification or Blessedness comes by Faith that it might be by Grace i.e. altogether free but Justification upon the condition of obedience is not altogether free therefore justifying Faith includeth not obedience as the condition of Justification I prove the Minor thus Grace and Works are utterly inconsistent in God's dealing with Man for his Salvation For Work bring some worthiness though not strict Merit but Grace supposeth nothing but deseâ—â— of Punishment Rom. 11.6 If by grace the not of works otherways grace is no more grace Election of grace v. 5. excludeth all works why doth not Justification also if it be bâ— Grace If obedience to the Gospel be the condition of our Justification as perfect obedience to the Law of Works was formerly how is it Grace more now than it was then Did God gratiously grant the New Covenant to lost Sinners True here was Grace but when he had granted it he justifieth them only for the performance of it or their obedience to it therefore the giving of the New Covenant is of Grace but Justification by obedience to it is not of Grace but of Works Doth a New Covenant accept of imperfect obedience and carry pardon with it It doâ—â— indeed not insist upon perfect obedience to the Law of Innocency as the only way of life but it doth not dispence with or allow the breach of any of those Commands that were perpetual What then It requireth perfect and exact obedience to the Gospel and fâ—â— want of that obedience men shall be condemned there is no pardon for want of sincere obedience under the Gospel no more that there was for want of perfect obedience to Adam therefore all the mercy grace and pardon of the New Covenant lieth in relaxing the Covenant of perfect works in giving a New and somewhat Milder Covenant to men when they might have been condemned for the breach of the former but still their Justification or right to Life dependeth wholly upon their obedience to this New Covenant and so â—â— no more of Grace properly than Adam should have been But they say our obedience is performed by the efficacy of Divine Grace and therefore we may be said to be justified by Grace though by our Obedience As if the Elect Angels that stand were not justified or accepted in and by their own integrity because preserved by the Grace of God or as if Adam could not have been justifyed by keeping the Law unless he had done it meerly by his own connate strength without additions or assistance of Divine Grace throughout his Life What the Grace is which these men allow to our obedience is yet uncertain but this altereth not the nature of Justification if it be by obedience it is not of grace but of works i. e. a man is pronounced Just or Righteous for his own obedience by what principle soever it be wrought therefore the saith here spoken of neither is nor doth include obedience Again It is a Faith that the Promise may be sure or firm to all the Seed but if obedience be the condition of life the Promise cannot be sure to all or any Believers Ergò this Faith doth not include Obedience Professed Arminians grant there can be no assurance ordinarily of any particular man's Salvation yea that there is no absolute certainty thet any Man should be saved though Christ died for them all Others speak more dubiously but if Justification be suspended upon our Obedience to the Gospel to our lives end it cannot be certain to any Man that he shall be justifyed and saved till he be out of the World there may be indeed an objective certainty of the Promise in general viz. He that obeyeth to the End shall be saved but thus the promise to Adam was as certain viz if he had obeyed perfectly to the End he should thereby be justifyed but here was a Promise to Abraham That he and his Seed should be blessed and this Promise was not made to the Works of the Law but to the Faith of Abraham and his Seed that the promise might be certain i. e. that they should certainly attain the promised blessedness and by no means fall short of it but this certainty comes not from persevering Obedience which is it self uncertain Ergò
If any say Believers may be sure they shall persevere and so the Promise shall be certain I answer None of the Authors we deal with will say so and if they should this would overthrow Obedience being the condition of our Justification for then we should have an absolute Promise of perseverance and so of Justification before we are perfectly justifyed which no sober man will affirm Besides to what is this Promise of perseverance made to Faith then Faith alone hath the Promise of Obedience and Perseverance whereby we must be justified though they will not allow it to justifie us and then they contend to little purpose Moreover this Faith of Abraham was such as whereby both Jews under Moses's Law and Gentiles exempt from that Law should be justifyed but the Jews under the Law were not justified by Obedience to the Gospel dispensation which then was not given nor was Abraham himself justified by it which was not then in force nor yet are the Gentiles since the abolition of the Law obliged to the same Obedience that Abraham was he being under the Law of Circumcision and Sacrifices and other Institutions afterward incorporated with the Law of Moses therefore this Faith which justifieth Abraham and all Believers alike is not Obedience to the Gospel or any edition of the Law of God and the Apostle himself explains it in the next words v. 17. Abraham was made the Father of many Nations before him whom he believed c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may be rendred forasmuch as he believed in God who quickneth the dead and calleth things that are not as if they were who against hope believed in hope c. all this plainly respects Abraham's trust and Gods Promise not his Obedience and by this he was justified and made the Father and Pattern of all believers therefore Belieâ—evers are not justified by Obedience Argument 2. If Gospel Obedience or Faith as including Obedience justifys then the Gospel justifys as a Law not as a Promise of Mercy and Grace in Christ but Fal'n Man cannot be justified by any Law Ergò The Consequence is evident Obedience respects the Law as such and to be justified by a Law or the observance of it and to be justified by a promise of meer Mercy are directly opposite The Gospel according to them may have a Promise of Life annexed to Obedience but it justifieth for that Obedience to which life was promised after the manner of all other Laws that have Promises of reward annexed and not as a Promise of Mercy and Life to be given gratis I prove the Minor Fal'n Man cannot be justified by any Law of God because he is not able to perform any he is no more able oâ— himself to obey the Evangelical Law thaâ— the Perfect Law of Works for having nâ— principle of spiritual life in him he hath nâ— more power to yield imperfect than perfect Obedience in nothing there are no degrees not more and less The Apostle saith Gaâ— 3.21 If there had been a Law given or could be given which could give life Righteousness should be by the Law God as a Creator and Lord first expecteth Obedience from his Creatures and would reward them for it 〈◊〉 Men were able to fulfil any Law of Obedience fit for God to require of him in order to hâ—â— own honour and Man's happiness God would certainly enjoyn him that Law but by 〈◊〉 Law is the knowledge of Sin Rom. 4.15 bâ— every divine Law as well as the Law 〈◊〉 Works Man doth but discover his own sinfulness because not able to obey it and therefore he can be justified by no Law If they say God can enable them to fulfil the Precepts of the Gospel so he could also have enabled them to have peformed the Law of Innocency If it be said God hath promised he will enable men to it then this Promise must be as universal as the Law else the Law would require an impossibity of some Men and if it be then all that are commanded to obey the Gospel are promised to be made able to perform it which is the Jesuits Universal-sufficient-grace in the highest degree but if the Gospel do not carry with it a certain promise or power to fulfil it as it doth not before Faith then it propoundeth to Men a way of Salvation which to them at present is as impossible as to be saved by the Law of Works and for what they know ever shall be therefore the Gospel cannot justify as a Law But the natural consequence of this Doctrine is That Man hath Natural Ability to obey the Gospel and that his Nature is not corrupted or not so far as to extinguish all spiritual life and therefore that men by diligence may overcome their own indisposition and obey the Gospel sincerely which God will mercifully accept to their Salvation and hence Mr. Trueman and others tell us That the Gospel is fitted to Mans weak and broken condition requiring no more than is a greable to it it is indeed fitted to Mans miserable state if it be taken for a free promise of life but not if it be a Law promising life only to Obedience unless he hath power to obey If a Creditor to whom is due 1000 pounds would be content to take 1000 Pence from a poor Debtor and yet will stand upon it that he should perish in Prison unless he pay the 100 Pence when he knoweth he can neither pay nor procure one Penny of good and currant Mony surely he cannot be said to have tempered and suited his terms and demands to the broken and shattered condition of the Poor Debtor Argument 3. If Obedience to the Gospel justifie Christians then Obedience to the Law of Moses did justifie the Jews that were under that dispensation For that was then the way of life and obedience to the Jews as the Gospel is now to Christians nor was it given them as a Covenant of perfect Obedience but was indeed a more imperfect and obscure edition of the Gospel and the Jews were but as Heirs in their minority under Tutors and Governours till they were fit for the greater liberty of Sons Gal. 4.1 2 3 4 5. Nor can there be any reason why the Jews should not be justified by sincere obedience to the Law unless it be affirmed to be a Covenant of Perfect Obedience and then their case was worse than Adam's more being required of them than of him and they without strength to obey it Minor But the Jews were not justified by sincere obedience to the Law of Moses Ergò Acts 13.38 39. St. Paul preached to the Jews That in Christ's Name was preached to them the forgiveness of sins and that by him all that believe are justifyed from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Their Justification must come by forgiveness of sins through believing in Christ's Name and not by their obedience to the Law which he saith â—â—as impossible
be saved and former sins forgiven but if we fail as we may both the Curse of the Law and the Condemnation of the Gospel will fall upon us all this while we are but Probationers for life and all God's kindnesses to us spiritual and temporal are merciful encouragements to us but not the Effects of reconciliation 2ly Not the present favour of God God indeed out of his infinite goodness bestoweth many blessings for our present comfort to own and to encourage obedience but they proceed not from the Love of a Father to Children the greatest inward comfort and joys of the Godly cannot be tokens of fatherly love or certain special favour For Adoption doth certainly presuppose Justification God must 1st justify us before he be our Father and so accept our persons before he accept our obedience as the service of Children but obedience to the end being the condition of our Justification neither Justification nor Adoption nor the special Fruits of it can take place in this life and I think none will say we have inchoate adoption for God to be our Father and we to be his Children in this life imperfectly and when our obedience is compleat that Relation will be consummate also 3ly Nor joy in the hope of Glory for upon the uncertain condition of obedience which no man can be sure by this Doctrine that he shall persevere in a man can have at the most but a good probability of his Salvation mixed with fear and danger and this fear will be the greater the more serious men be and apprehensive how hard it is to enter in at the strait Gate what room then is there for great Joy and even boasting in the hope of Glory 4ly Nor joy in Tribulations Afflictions by this Doctrine are accounted some part of the curse fruits of vindicative Justice we must bear them Num. 196 197. but what great comfort can there be in them How can we be sure that they shall not sift out our Grace rather than our Chaff and that we shall have a blessed Issue of them seeing we have no Promise of any such thing but what depends only upon the condition of our own obedience 5ly Nor can the heart be filled with the sence of God's Love The largest apprehensions of the general offers of mercy and love though they may calm the Soul yet cannot make it joyful under afflictions nor fill it with joy and peace in believing and if there be a sence of Gods particular eternal love to us sealing to redemption and swallowing up all fears and the sence of other troubles as cannot be denied to have been in many Martyrs and some other Godly persons this must suppose their Salvation to be out of danger and not to depend upon conditions not yet fulfilled If Christians do here receive in some sort the end of their Faith the Salvation of their Souls and rejoyce even with joy unspeakable and full of glory and can be thankful for it then the finishing of their obedience is not the condition of it but it comes by believing 1 Pet. 1.8 9. Argument 5. If we are justifyed by obedience to the Gospel or obedience be the condition of our Justification which is all one then it may be truly said we are justifyed by love patience by self-denyal and every other grace as well and as much as by faith For these in habit and exercise are the parts of Gospel-obedience and Faith it self is but a part of the same and in it self not so noble and excellent a part as Love and some other Graces but the Scripture is wholly silent of any such matter We are never said to be justifyed by Love Patience c. but always by Faith and when it is once said Jam. 2. A man is justified by works and not by faith only Justification is taken improperly viz. That a man cannot be a true Christian and saved by Faith which brings not forth obedience If they say that it must be taken properly and that works in general include every particular Grace and so we may be said to be justifyed by them severally in part I demand how faith is opposed to works in justifying in the Apostle's Dispute about it in the Epistle to the Romans and Galatians Doth Faith signifie obedience to the Gospel flowing from Faith or a belief of it and Works perfect obedience to the Law Thus they say but I would fain know why obedience to the Gospel should be called Faith rather than obedience to the Law for Faith had as great aâ— part in it and as great influence upon that obedience as upon Gospel-obedience Adam that he might have kept the Law of God perfectly must have perfectly believed the Existence and Nature of God his Authority over him that this Law was from him that it was just and good for him to obey that the Promises and Threatnings annexed would be certainly fulfilled as there was occasion and then in the course of his Obedience he must have trusted in God for the fulfilling of every Promise which concerned each part of his Obedience and moreover that he should be happy â—â— he did persevere to the end Now Gospel-Faith according to this Doctrine doth no more it believeth that Jesus Christ is King and Saviour that he gave the Gospel as his Will and Law that if we keep it to the end we shall be saved that all the Promises and Threatnings of it in the general shall be performed and in particular as there is occasion for them in our lives only this Faith is imperfect as well as our obedience mixed with unbelief and subject to wavering why then may not Faith comprehend perfect as well as imperfect obedience or why should the latter be called Faith in opposition to the former if it be said Gospel-Faith doth also include a belief of the Pardon of Sin which Adam's Faith did not I Answer The addition of one new partial object alters not the nature of the habit Faith is Faith still though it believe some particulars under the Gospel which it did not extend to under the Law as it did then extend to some particular v. 9. perfect freedom from all trouble in the continuance of innocency which it doth not believe under the Gospel but perhaps belief of pardon may be the reason why it may be opposed to perfect works it may be the reason why imperfect works and the Faith joyned with them may be opposed to perfect works and their faith but it can be no reason why imperfect works should be called faith simply without any limitation and perfect works be called works simply as if they included no Faith Moreover the belief of pardon in the Gospel is but accidental by this Doctrine â—â— for eternal life is promised to sincere Obedience to the Precepts of the Law the direct and principle object of Gospel Faith here iâ— the promise of life to Obedience i. e. if they obey the Gospel sincerely they
themselves with that yet they that be throughly woundeâ— and humbled can never build their peace upon purposes or promises of obedience but upon the free Mercy of God in Christ from whence also they must have their power to obey or their purposes are in vain and also the acceptance and forgiveness of their poor imperfect obedience Whatever are the disputes of curious Wits or of rational Parts who would sain bring the Methods of Sovereign Grace to the Rules of Humane Reason yet I never met with any serious man nor I believe never shall who would soberly say That he expected to be saved or justified for and by his Obedience to the Gospel CHAP. X. An Answer to the Arguments for Obedience being the Condition of Justification WE come now for a close of this Work to consider the Principle Arguments that are brought to prove That Obedience to the Gospel or Faith as comprehending all Obedience is the Condition by fulfilling whereof we must be justified and it is alledged 1st That this way of Justification seemeth most rational obvious and agreeable to the whole Tenour of Scripture which maketh the Promises both of this Life and that which is to come to Obedience 1 Tim. 4.8 And that the way of Justification by trusting in the Promise of Mercy putteth some force both upon Reason and many Texts of Scripture Thus Mr. Trueman often 1st It was Melancthon's Observation Answ Lex com de isustif judic in Rom. That man's Reason which he call'd humana Philosophia doth always cherish a notion of being justified by Works and therefore Justification by Faith ever hath been and ever shall be opposed both by curious Wits and by grave Moral Men not only among Heathens but in the Church also which cometh partly from the Pride of Man who would fain be something but chiefly from the impression of the Law of Nature or Works which taught and allowed no other way of Justification and therefore men's Consciences though they hear the Letter of the Gospel do not cannot believe that they can be justifyed by Free Grace without any respect to their Works till they are inwardly persuaded by the Spirit of Christ Christ crucifyed was a stumbling Block to the Jews who trusted to the Works of the Law and Foolishness to the Greeks who thought themselves wise and rational men 1 Cor. 1.23 It is therefore no inconvenience that Justification by obedience is most agreeable to carnal and unsanctified reason and Justification by Faith not suitable to it But I suppose this Author by rational meant That the several parts and consequences of the Dostrine of Justification by Obedience did better cohere and agree together than if it were affirmed to be by Faith only Of this let the â—ious Reader that hath been sensible of sin â—â—d guilt and feelingly understands the grounds of a Christian's Hope and Peace â—â—dge They say That man being under â—rath for breaking the Law of Works destiâ—te of the Image or Grace of God did yet receive a New Law purchased by the Death â—f Christ to repent believe and obey the â—recepts of it and for so doing he should be â—â—aved his former sins forgiven yet all this â—hile he is not able to repent believe or oâ—â—y nor is there any promise that he shall be â—ade able and if he receive Grace to do this â—any measure yet it is not insured to him he may and many do lose it yea he may recover and and lose it again and if death should seise him in any of these sad intervals all his obedience profiteth nothing but he perisheth for ever if this will comfort or settle an afflicted unsettled conscience or be agreeable to the tasts any have had of the Grace oâ— God let such judge On the other side we teach That man being utterly lost by guilâ— and inability to obedience God sent his Soâ— fully and absolutely to satisfie his Justice and to purchase eternal life for as many as he had chosen This purchase he declared in the Gospel promising pardon and eternal life to alâ— that humbly fly to and trust in him for it that when his promise is published God sendetâ— forth his Spirit and perswadeth the hearts oâ— his Elect to trust in it that hereupon he giveth them pardon of all their sins and a right to eternal life for the sake of his Son's satisfaction and purchase that being thus reconciled to them he doth further make them hâ—â— Children and heirs of Glory for his Son sake and because they are his Children hâ— giveth them the Spirit of his Son to reneâ— them after his Image to continue and perseâ— grace in them and forgiveth all their infirmâ—ties and blesseth them with all temporal anâ— spiritual blessings in Christ and ordereth aâ— his providences for their good to purge oâ—â— sin and to perfect grace till at last of his Fatherly Goodness he crowns them with eternâ— life after their hard service on Earth to eâ—â— courage them in which Heaven was proposed as a Reward to them wherein is this irrational or inconsistent with it self The Scripture for the most part speaketh to the Conscience and Affections 2dly more than the Judgement and therefore handleth not things distinctly and didactically but putteth many things together saith and obedience in general or in particular duties as is most suited to practice and therefore it is no good Argument Faith and Obedience are joyned together often times as the means of Salvation without distinguishing the several Offices of each and what influence each have upon the several parts of our Salvation ergò both together and alike do justify us before God Yet it is evident from the whole Tenour of the Scripture That forgiveness of sin reconciliation peace with God hope of Heaven all come by our flying to and hope in Mercy and Grace alone This was renew'd to Adam by promise of the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.17 And by Sacrifices in like manner renewed to Abraham by promise with the Seal of Circumcision and a more particular promise of Christ The Psalms practically exemplify That our only refuge is Free Mercy The Prophets are full of promises of Pardon of healing Backslidings Jer. 3.12 of loving freely Hos 14.4 of forgiving beyond man's thoughts Isa 54.6 7 8. and the like Our Saviour and the Apostles preached this Doctrine to convinced and humbled Sinners though they insist much upon Obedience to convince and reclaim the hypocritical backsliding Jews To the Heathens who had no excuse for sin they preached nothing but pardon at first and besides this when the Doctrine of Justification is distinctly propounded and proved it is wholly ascribed to Faith in the Promise in two most argumentative Epistles to the Romans and Galatians upon which they that would bring in obedience are fain to make a manifest force whereas we force no Scripture but explain those that speak generally by shewing the several Acts of Faith and ascribing to it and to
next care is how he shall hold out to serve God and to be brought to his Kingdom and then upon knowledge of the Promises of the Spirit and Grace of Christ flowing from him as Prophet and King he trusteth in them to be preserved to the Heavenly Kingdom but this follows his Justification and is the immediate root of his Obedience for having hope in Christ for grace and perseverance he is thereby stirr'd up to make a Covenant or Promise of all Obedience but all this is nothing to prove that our Obedience is the condition whereby we must be justified but the quite contrary Argument 2. The usual language of the Scripture is p. 14. that we are justified by Faith in Christ or by believing in him without any exclusion of any essential part of that Faith But Faith in Christ doth essentially contain our believing in him as Teacher Priest and King or Lord Ergò Answ To the Major Faith as including habits and acts of all grace is an aggregatum and hath no essential parts and as a single habit is a quality or something like it and hath not essential parts To the Minor I answer That justifying Faith doth contain an assent to the Doctrine of Christ's Person and his Offices at least implicitely and a trust in the promise of the benefits of them all and this is essential to it but from hence it follows not that Obedience justifies as well as Faith But if by believing in Christ as Prophet Priest and King be meant as it seemeth to be a belief of and subjection to the whole Gospel of Christ then the Minor is false Justifying Faith doth not include this as the essential parts of it Obedience to the Gospel and to Christ as King and Prophet is the effect not a part of Faith or any elicit act of it and though Faith do essentially rather integrally include a belief of the whole Doctrine of the Gospel yet the sum of that Doctrine is comprised in the Promise of Justification by Christ all other truths being some way subservient and to be referred to it and so Faith hath nothing else essential to it but an assent to and trust in the promise and those things th t belong to it When it is added That we are to prove that to justifie is restrained to any one Act of Faith exclusive of the rest that is sufficiently done when we prove that Works are excluded and that Faith justifies only instrumentally or as a trust in the Promise The Scriptures alledged do some of them prove that Faith taken complexly for all Gospel-obedience is required to Salvation Mar. 16.16 Joh. 3.16 17 18. and v. 36. but then Salvation also is taken complexly for the whole deliverance from sin and misery till we are brought to Heaven whereof Justification is but one part and others spake of Faith properly which is opposed to Works said to justifie us without them as Rom. 1.16.17 18. and Rom. 3.22 25 28 31. Rom. 5.1 c. And this we deny to include the promise or purpose of Obedience Here it is not unseasonable to shew the concurrence of Dr. Preston with us in his explaining justifying Faith to extend to all the Offices of Christ because he is confidently alledged by those we dispute against for their Opinion though as injuriously as the two former They that will satisfy themselves may please to peruse his 11th Sermon on the Govenant out of which I observe these few things He saith That the way to obtain the Spirit 1st Vse 3. Ibid. to mortify Sin is to believe to apply to a man's self the Covenat of Grace the promise of the Pardon of his Sins These are his own words That is the way to get the Spirit that is the way to mortify the deeds of the flesh and to get the heart changed and to be made a new Creature For he adds Hope of pardon and mercy melteth the heart and maketh a man go about the Commands of God as now possible yea to be delighted in It is plain the Dr. maketh the Covenant of Grace and the promise of Pardon to be believed and applyed to our selves before we can make any Covenant of Obedience with God and that believing is trusting in the Covenant as a Promise and that the Promise of Pardon is the first thing a Sinner is to apply to himself as the meansto humble change and to bring him to God He saith Vse 4. God's Covenant with Abraham and with all believers is to give them all blessings in Christ and distinctly from all his Offices pardon from his Priesthood teaching from his Prophetical the Spirit and Victory over all their corruptions together with all other Priviledges from his Kingly Office He saith The Condition of this Covenant that God requireth to make a man Partaker of these Blessings is Faith alone The Condition saith he is Thou shalt believe this thou shalt believe that such a Messiah shall be sent into the World Art thou able to believe this Abraham c. Again Abraham did believe and God accounted that Faith of his for Righteousness i. e. he accepted him for it for that Faith he reckoned him a man sit to make a Covenant withal he accounted him a Righteous person i. e. he was willing to enter into a Covenant with him because he believed him Moreover That his believing for a Son and for the Inheritance of Canaan were tryals whether he could believe the Promise of the Messiah that they were not the Faith that did immediately intitle him to the Covenant but acts of the same Grace of Faith of the same habit or gracious disposition whereby he believed the Promise of the Messiah and that his Faith was tried again when he was commanded to offer his Son whereupon God renewed his Covenant with an Oath Sure saith he I will perform my Covenant since I see that thou believest me and fearest me and preferrest me before thine onely Son N. B. These are but the Concomitants of Faith Again The Condition that God requires of every man to be made Partaker of his Covenant is nothing but to believe in God i.e. God saith I will give my Son to you and I will make him a King a Priest and a Prophet to bless you he shall give you remission of sins he shall teach you to mortifie your lusts and shall make you Partakers of his Kingdom he shall make you Heirs and Sons This is a very great Promise can you believe this If a man will but believe God now I say it makes him Partaker of the Covenant Hence it is manifest that Faith only intitleth to the Covenant of Grace that this Faith is nothing else but a trust in the Promise of the Benefits of Christ in all his Offices and that by a Condition is meant only a qualification of the Subject whereby he is made fit to be covenanted with This is further proved by the Reasons he giveth why
Lutherus Redivivus OR The Protestant Doctrine of JUSTIFICATION By Christ's Righteousness Imputed to BELIEVERS Explained and Vindicated PART II. By John Troughton Minister of the Gospel sometimes Fellow of S. John's Coll. in Oxon. Augustin Epist 105. Ad Sixtum Presbyterum Romanum Nullane ergò sunt merita Justorum Sunt planè quia justi sunt sed ut justi fierent merita non fecerunt Justi enim facti sunt cum justificati sunt sed sicut dicit Apostolus Justificati gratis per gratiam ipsius LONDON Printed for Sam. Lee near Popes-Head-Alley in Lumbard-Street 1678. THE PREFACE TO THE READER Courteous Reader IN the former Part of this Work I endeavoured to open and refute the Novel Opinion of Justification upon condition of Obedience to the Gospel Which however plausibly worded and vented is in substance no other than the Old Popish Doctrine of Merits and Justification by Works And wherein it is refin'd from the old School-Notions it cometh but so much the nearer to Socinianism from whence the whole Platform of this Doctrine was taken and differs from it very little In this present Treatise my work is to explain and confirm the Protestant Doctrine of Justification by the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us by God and received by us by Faith which is denied by the Assertors of Conditional Justification They are indeed almost as loath the People should know that they deny us to be justified by the Merits or Righteousness of Christ as once Steph. Gardner was That the Doctrine of Justification by Free Grace should be preached to them And for the same Reason viz. The saving of their own Credit And hence they tell us That the Term of Imputation of Righteousness is still to be retained That Christ meriteth our Justification That he is our Legal or Pro-legal Righteousness c. They speak as like our Orthodox Divines as they can that it may not commonly appear wherein they differ Yet in all this they mean no more but that Christ by his Obedience or Death or both obtained a New Covenant for us i. e. the Evangelical Law which if we fulfill and continue in it to the end of our Lives we shall have our Sins pardoned shall be accepted and saved So that the Righteousness for which we shall be accepted and made Heirs of Eternal Life is our Obedience to the Gospel not the Obedience or Righteousness of Jesus Christ and with them the Imputing of Christ's Righteousness to us for Justification is our being justified by our own Obedience to the Gospel-Covenant which Christ procured by his Righteousness not our being justified or accepted to life for the Righteousness of Christ intended and performed immediately and only for us as all Protestants have hitherto taught except the Dutch Arminians and their Followers They do endeavour to obscure and perplex the Question what they can partly by the Rhetorical and sometimes Imprudent Expressions of Popular Preachers and Writers which ought rather to be interpreted and qualified than exagitated to the prejudice of Truth and partly by the Philosophical Notions and School-Terms accommodated to this Doctrine as well as others and too much transferred from the Schools of the Learned to the Pulpit and popular Congregations From both these they pick matters of quarrel against this received and fundamental Truth And always propose the Question in such terms that it may seem they dispute only against the Antinomians or some that have spoke too like them or else some Logical Notions and Formalities of School-Divines Amongst all that I have read with some care to know the true state of the Question and what the New Doctrine of those men is I have not met with one that doth fairly and ingenuously state the Question according to the Sence which they intend and dispute for But they always thrust in some terms lyable to exception which belong not to the substance of the Question it self e. g. They usually propound the Question thus Whether Christ's Righteousness be imputed to us so that we are accounted by God to have done and suffered all that Christ did and suffered for us whether we fulfill the Law in him and suffered the Penalty of it in him And then they infer from the Doctrine of Imputation in general what followeth only from their misrepresenting it That we satisfied for our selves obeyed and suffered for our selves were our own Mediatours and Saviours c. Which Consequences seem not only uncooth but absurd I and are readily received by the unlearned and precipitant Wits who had rather seem ingenious in finding fault with old received Doctrines than take pains to understand them throughly I have endeavoured to divest the Doctrine of Justification by Christ's Righteousness Imputed of the Additions both of School-Notions and popular Rhetorick and to present it in the plain Scriptural dress to prove it by plain Scripture and Arguments deduced thence in the three first Chapters and then to examine their Obâ—ections against it which when they are levelled against the Question as it is plainly stated are so inconsiderable that I cannot but wonder that Learned and Pious men should lay so great a stress upon them as to innovate and alter the Doctrine which all the Protestants have profest writ and died for this is done in the fourth Chapter In the fifth and sixth I examine the original and true meaning of the opposite Opinion and refute it In the rest of the Book I explain and defend the Instrumental Office of Faith in justifying us and answer the Objections against it The Question betwixt us is plainly this Whether God doth justifie Believing Sinners i. e. acquit them from Guilt and Punishment and give them a Right to Eternal Life for their own Obedience to the Gospel Or immediately for the Righteousness of Christ wrought for them and trusted in by them as it is declared in the Promises of the Gospel The former they affirm and we have disproved in the other Part The latter they deny and we affirm and â—â—ove viz. That God doth accept believing Sinners and gives them a certain grant of Eternal Life directly and immediately for the Obedience of Christ â—â—ought for them and proposed to them 〈◊〉 the Promises We say further As to impute Sin 〈◊〉 to account a man a Sinner and juâ—â—ciously to charge his Sin upon him to â—â—s Condemnation when a person hath â—â—thority to do it So to impute Righteousness is to account a man Righteous and judicially to discharge him â—â—om accusation and to grant him the â—â—ivileges and Benefits belonging to 〈◊〉 Righteous Man And therefore when righteousness is said to be imputed 〈◊〉 us without Works the meaning is â—â—at God accepteth us as Righteous â—schargeth us from all the Accusations 〈◊〉 the Law and grants us Right to all â—â—iritual Blessings without any respect 〈◊〉 our Obedience But immediately â—â—d properly for the Righteousness of â—â—rist wrought for us which is thereâ—â—re said to be imputed to us because
〈◊〉 are reputed or accepted as righteous for that Righteousness alone trusted iâ— by us upon the ground of God's own Premise of accepting us in Christ anâ— Christ's Intention of doing and suffâ—â—ring all he did for us alone to the â—â—tent that our sins should be taken awâ—â— and we are made Heirs of Eternal Lâ—â— thereby Our Opposites on the other side affâ—â—â— That Christ did not obey or suffer 〈◊〉 Penalty of the Law of Works for 〈◊〉 properly that we should be justified 〈◊〉 that Obedience or Death of his Bâ—â— that God imposed on him a certain â—â—culiar Law made up partly of the Mâ—ral Law and partly of some Speâ—â— Commands to him which he fulfillâ—â—â— as a Mediatour betwixt God and Mâ—â— God thereupon might justly and perhaps would give men as moderate 〈◊〉 easie a Law by fulfilling whereof theâ— should be saved the obedience wheâ—â— to should be their Righteousness thâ—â— which should give them right to Life Against this Opinion divers Learnâ— and Pious Men wrote in the form Generation As Mr. Caple in an Aâ—pendix to his Treatise of Temptations Mr. Anth. Burgess in his Second Part of Justification Mr. Lyford his Book against Errors Mr. Blake and reverend Mr. Norton of New-England Anno 1653 in Answer to one Mr. Pinchin who denyed the Imputation of Christ's Active and Passive Obedience â—o us or that it was performed for us â—s Obedience to the Moral Law But â—hat Christ was a Mediatorial Sacrifice for us much after the same notion that 〈◊〉 now vented of his fulfilling the Law â—f a Mediatour Which Book of Mr. Norton because it is not very common I will transcribe the Sum of it â—s it is reduced by himself into three Particulars in the Conclusion and the â—ather because it declareth the thoughts â—f the danger of this Opinion which maâ—y would persuade us differs but in words from the Orthodox and the Difference 〈◊〉 of no great consequence and that â—â—e do not rightly understand the meaning of their Authors for whom they â—ave so great reverence Like the Phyâ—â—cian who seeing in a dissected Body â—hat all the Nerves have their Original from the Brain said he should have believed it was so indeed if Aristotle 〈◊〉 not writ that they proceed from the Heaâ—â— Mr. Norton's words are Taking Heresie for a Fundamentâ—â— Error p. 267. i. e. such as whosoever â—â—â—veth and dieth in cannot be savedâ— The Dialogue containeth three Hâ—resies The first denying the Imputation of the Sin of the Elect unâ—â— Christ and his suffering the Punishment due thereto The second denying that Christ as God-man Mediator obeyed the Law and there with that he obeyed for us as ouâ— Surety The third denying the Imputation of Christ's Obedience unto Justification destroying the very Being of a Sinner's Righteousnessâ— by taking away the Obedience oâ— Christ unto the Law and Imputation which are the Matter and Form i. e. the essential Causes of Justification and placing a Sinner's Righteousness in a fictitious Atonement or Pardon of sin such as in effect manifestly doth not only deny it self to be the Effect of but denieth yea and defieth the very Being of the Mediatorial Obedience of Christ to the Law for us With him in this his apprehension concurred divers Ministers in New-England as appears by their Letter annexed to his Book which is subscribed John Cotton Rich. Mather Zech. Simmes John Willson William Thompson And having prefaced so much concerning the nature and weight of the Controversie I commend the Book to the serious consideration of the Reader and am Thine in the VVork of the Gospel J. TROUGHTON Lutherus Redivivus OR The Protestant Doctrine of Justification by Christ's Righteousness imputed to Believers Explained and Vindicated CHAP. I. The Nature of Justification explained and that it is not a meer forgiving of Sin THE Doctrine of Justification by Free Grace and the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us hath been so abundantly defended by our Protestant Writers of every Nation and every University professing the Reformed Religion that I need say little to confirm it and especially seeing I have met with nothing in our late Authors objected against it but what hath been frequently objected against it by the Papists before and as frequently answered by our Writers The chief Work is to discover the Artifice wherewith the New Doctrine of Conditional Justification is covered and made plausible whereas it is indeed the Old Popish and Arminian Doctrine of Justification by Works as I hope I have in some measure proved in the former Part. Yet that this Treatise may be compleat and that we may not seem only distruere aliena and not at all adstruere propria I shall endeavour briefly to explain the received Doctrine of Justification and imputed Righteousness And first of the Nature of Justification Our fore cited Authors and their Friends generally affirm That the Justification of a Sinner before God is nothing else but a full Pardon of all Sins both of Omission and Commission whereby all guilt and obligation to punishment being removed Man is restored ipso facto to his former State and to all those Priviledges which by Sin he forfeited This they maintain that they may the more effectually overthrow the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness supposing that if the bare Remission of Sin doth both acquit from Punishment and restore a Right to Life or Blessedness then there needeth no positive Righteousness to be imputed to intitle to life and to make us acceptable with God This is the main drift of Mr. Hotchkis his Book about Imputation of Righteousness Great Propi p. 110. c. and is largely prosecuted by Mr. Trueman not without many confident mistakes But this Opinion overthroweth their own Doctrine of Justification upon condition of our Obedience as well as ours of the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness and more which I thus prove Meer Pardon of Sin is nothing else but a Discharge from the Process of the Law that a Man should not suffer the Penalties of it but enjoy quietly his former freedom and priviledges notwithstanding his Offences Now this Discharge requireth no Righteousness at all our own no more than Christs This Pardon makes a Man righteous in the Law they say i. e. The Law hath no more to do with him or to say against him he is as free from all condemnation as if he were innocent and had fulfilled the Law Hence it follows that a Man is justified without the intervening condition of his own Obedience If any positive righteousness be necessary to pardon it is not meer pardon And why may not Christ's Righteousness imputed be joyned with and be the Cause of Pardon as well as our own sincere Obedience To say a Man is justified upon the condition of Gospel Obedience which is our Inherent Righteousness and that he is justified by the bare Remission of Sins is a Contradiction Moreover these Authors do acknowledge that Christ merited the Pardon of Sin so that a Sinner is
it must be by Christ To say that some of it was fulfilled and some Honour done to it by the Mediatorial Law is of small moment for this did not fulfill it or satisfie the End of it The Law as a Law and as a Covenant betwixt God and Man was clearly laid aside if Christ fulfill'd it not and all Mankind after the Fall were by him brought under a Covenant of Grace and so the Law is made void by Faith contrary to the Apostle Rom. 3.31 Our Saviour also testified of himself Mat. 5.17 That he came not to destroy but to fulfill the Law This was the End of his coming into the World and his fulfilling was his obeying performing the Law as he had said before Mat. 3.15 It becometh us to fulfill all Righteousness Therefore he was Baptized and therefore much more ought he to observe the Law which was of ancienter Institution This is confirmed by the Reason he giveth for his fulfilling the Law Mat. 5.18 viz. That not one Jota or Tittle of the Law should pass away till all was fulfilled though Heaven and Earth might pass away The Sanction of the Law is more stable than the Ordinances of Heaven and Earth and must attain its End Therefore every Child of Adam must be subject to it Our Saviour adds v. 19 20. That he was so far from relaxing of the Law that on the contrary he affirmed whosoever should break the least Commands and teach others so should be shut out of Heaven Nay that he required a stricter Observation of it than the Scribes and Pharisees for all their pretended severities in some things Now that all this was meant of the Law as given by Moses chiefly of the Moral Law is manifest by his proceeding to expound and vindicate the Commandments in his following Discourse v. 21. to the end from the slight Comments of their present Teachers In like manner when it is said Christ is the End of the Law for Righteousness to all them that believe Rom. 10.4 It is meant of the Law of Moses for it is immediately added v. 5. Moses describeth the Righteousness of the Law that the Man that doth them shall live in them Now Christ is the End of the Law not simply by waving it and disannulling its Obligation for then the Law should not have its End nor be unchangeable as he had told us it was but He is the End of it for righteousness to them that believe by fulfilling it in his own person for them so that their Righteousness or Justification may not depend upon their own Obedience to it Again Christ redeemed us from the Curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 being made a Curse for us How was Christ made a Curse but by bearing the Penalty of the Law for Sin For the Curse is not only the Matter of Punishment the evil inflicted but formal punishment viz. Evil inflicted for Sin for the satisfaction of Justice and the violated Law Now how came this Curse to fall upon Christ Even by the Law it self adjudging him to it For thus the Apostle argueth v. 10. They that are of the Works of the Law under the power of it are under the Curse And v. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law by being made a Curse for us This is the Argument Men cannot be justified by the Law for that curseth all that are under it but we shall be justified by Faith in Christ v. 12. because he bore the Curse of the Law for us He must therefore be under the Law as we were And it is further proved because it is written i. e. the Law saith Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree Deut. 21.23 What is this to the Death of Christ if he were not under the Law And if he were under the Jewish Law which pronounced the Death of the Cross accursed in special manner then by the same reason he was under the Law of Adam which pronounced Death in general as a Curse for Sin Lastly If the Sufferings of Christ were not inflicted by virtue of the Law of Works then they were not Penal nor had they any thing of God's wrath in them for it was that Law only that threatned a Curse They were only Prudential viz. that something should be suffered which that Law threatned that so it might decently be laid aside Now if Christ were subject to the Law as to the Curse he was also subject to the Precept and so his Obedience was in our stead and therefore to be imputed to us for our Justification We were not obliged to the Law of a Mediator Christ fulfilled not that in our stead if then he did and suffered any thing in our stead it was in obedience to our Law and so to be placed to our Account CHAP. III. More Arguments to prove the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to us Argument 3. THirdly I argue from those Scriptures which call Christ our Righteousness and say we have Righteousness in him He is not our Righteousness inherently his Righteousness is not implanted in us therefore it is ours by imputation or not at all Isai 45.24 25. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I Righteousness and Strength This is a Prophesie of Christ and Salvation by him which is to be brought about by this means viz. having Righteousness and Strength in him If we translate it as some do In the Lord there is Righteousness and Strength the sence is the same but our Translation agrees best with the following Verse Now how have we strength in Christ Surely he communicates grace and life to us and doth not only procure and grant a Covenant of Grace he must likewise communicate Righteousness to us and that his own not a Righteousness wrought in us or else it is not distinct from grace or strength mentioned in the Text which the next words also confirm In the Lord shall all the Seed of Israel be justified and shall glory It is a justifying Righteousness distinct from Grace or Strength infused into us which we have in Christ and this cannot be ours but by Imputation Jeremiah 23.5 6. This is the Name whereby Israel shall call him The Lord our Righteousness Who this is the former words shew sc the Righteous Branch to be raised up to David i. e. Christ as also the Reason of this Name because in his days his People shall be saved and chiefly with a Spiritual Salvation this is because he is Jehovah our Righteousness Our Salvation springs primarily from hence That we are made righteous or justified before God and this righteousness comes from Christ As God is our Wisdom our Strength c. because he is the Author of it in us and to us as also our Guide and Protector so Christ is our righteousness i e. the Author of righteousness to us and that he will justifie us by it Object Some object against this That in chap. 33. v. 15 16. Jerusalem the Church seems
unmarried to Parents c. But this he neither did nor could do Ergò Answ We grant that Christ did not perform all the particular Duties of every particular Believer nor was it necessary he should They acknowledge that what Christ did was sufficient to satisfie the Law of Works and to purchase a new Covenant of Life though he performed not the particular Duties of every particular Man If it was sufficient for this why is it not sufficient to justifie us by immediate Imputation They will not say that our obedience to the Gospel doth fill up the Righteousness of Christ wherein it was short or desective why might it not then justifie us absolutely by the meer application of it to us as well as purchase that we should be justified by New Obedience This is further manifest by this That the Substance and End of the Law sc universal Love and Subjection to God in whatsoever he doth or shall command is equally the Duty of all men and every one must habitually keep the whole Law This was chiefly intended by God and to be attended by Men the particular Duties are various and something are the Duties of one which are not of another and in many cases things are and have been Duties at one time which have not been at another It was therefore sufficient that Jesus Christ had the habit of all Grace and the readiness to obey his Father in any thing that he should require as well as in those things which he did actually perform and that he did obey actually in as many things as the Father thought fi◠to impose on him which were not a few The Law had its end by him even personal Obedience and those particulars wherein he observed it were more honour to God than if we had all observed our particular Duties because of the Dignity of his person and the supereminent measure of Grace and the Spirit from which he did obey This is evident à pari Adam brought condemnation upon all men not by breaking every particular Command which might concern every particular man but by one act of Disobedience by breaking our Command whereby his universal Obedience was tryed Why might not then the Sovereign Law-maker impose upon Christ so much particular Duty for so many years as the Exercise of the Universal Habit of Obedience that was in him and accept it as if he had fulfilled every particular of the Law If he that offendeth in one Command is a Transgressor of the whole Law James 2.10 Why may not he that keepeth it in all particulars required of him and that was able and ready to keep it in any other had they been imposed be accounted to have kept the whole Law If they say that Adam virtually broke the whole Law I say that Christ virtually and habitually kept the whole Law Therefore this was sufficient that we might be justified by his Righteousness The same is to be said concerning the Sufferings of Christ he did not suffer all the particular Punishments due to every particular Sin of all Believers nor some of the circumstances of any punishment viz. Eternity and Desperation c. yet he suffered the Wrath and Curse of God which was the substance of the Threatnings and in such an eminent manner as no meer Creature could have suffered and with a Mind habitually ready and able to have endured any other particular Punishments if the Father had thought fit to enjoyn them It was death in the general the Curse of God which was the Substance of the Threatning God dispenseth the particularities of Punishment as he pleaseth baring more and longer with some than others giving more and greater Mercies to some than others and will exempt some even of the Wicked from Natural Death even those that shall be found alive at Christ's Coming The particularities therefore of Punishments are not Essential to the Law and Christ did bear the Substance of the Curse with all the Particulars of it which God thought sit to inflict being ready to have born more if it had so pleased the Father Why is not this sufficient to justifie us by Imputation in concomitance with his active Obedience as well as to procure our Justification upon fulfilling Gospel-Obedience which they contend for By this also we may answer that Argument which all our Opponents use as unanswerable viz. That Christ paid not the idem but the tantundem not the very Obedience and Suffering due from every particular Believer but something in liew of it and therefore it cannot be imputed to them for Righteousness For Christ did both performing the idem in the Substance obeying the same Law which obliged them in his universal Obedience and suffering the Substance of the Curse and also in as many particulars of obedience and suffering as the Father thought fit to exact of him and this which was so far idem the same being performed by such a Person was tantundem equivalent to all the rest which were not actually done or suffered by him Yea he did habitually in the readiness of his Mind and virtually in the interpretation of his Actions and Passions do and suffer all the rest What some add That Christ did not do and suffer the very individual Duties and Sufferings of each Believer Trueman ut supra is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things being not individual before they exist and Actions and Passions such as our Duties and Sufferings be are individuated by the subjects wherein they exist at least in part as are all other individual accidents which cannot be but in that individual subject wherein they are This therefore is impertinent The second Particular in this Argument is If every Believer be justified by the very Individual Righteousness of Christ then every saved Persons Righteousness before God is identically and numerically the same with Christs in his publick capacity as Mediator and so with a Righteousness that hath a stock of Merit in it sufficient to save the World Answ We grant the whole That every Believer is righteous with that Righteousness which Christ wrought as Mediator and which is infinitely meritorious nor doth what is objected in the least disprove it p. 59. It is said that Christs Righteousness was the righteousness of God-Man that no creature could perform any thing in that manner and with those circumstances as he did yea that some things which Christ did would be unlawful for Man to do and that all he did and suffered was in pursuance of the Office of a Mediator the whole comes but to this that men are not could not be the authors workers of the Righteousness of Christ either in the matter circumstances or immediate ends of it and therefore they cannot be justified by it this is no consequence they are justified by it as wrought for them by the Mediator God-Man though not as wrought by them Moreover though the Righteousness of Christ and a Believer be numerically the same righteousness
we are accounted to have done personally what he did then our being justified by his Works is all one as if we were justified by our own For we do not maintain that Believers are accounted to have wrought what Christ did but only that it was accounted to have been wrought for them and yet it is not true that upon supposition that they are accounted to have wrought in Christ that it is all one as if they had wrought it themselves For still they did not obey the Law but another for them nor did the Law account it self to have been fulfilled by them but the Law-maker accepted anothers Obedience for them and so discharged and rewardeth them in the right of that Obedient Person But this manner of expression holdeth only when the Law alloweth a Delegate or Substitute and the persons concern'd do chuse and give him his Authority and Instructions to act in their name which is not in our case Object It is further objected If our Sins be imputed to Christ so that his Righteousness should be properly imputed to us then would they corrupt his person and he must be accounted a Sinner guilty of all that we have done Answ Our Sins are imputed to Christ not as if he should be accounted the Subject of our evil Nature and Habits or the Author of our Commissions or Omissions but that he should bear the Punishment of them and so satisfie the Law which was broken by us This doth not corrupt his Person or make him morally a Sinner If a Surety pay a Debt for another it maketh him not guilty of the imprudence dishonesty or ill-husbandry whereby the debt was contracted but he having undertaken to satisfie for the Debt the Law requireth payment of him as if he were the Debtor and so imputeth the Debt to him If an innocent person be accepted by the Law-giver to die for an Offender it maketh not him an Offender though he be punished in the Offenders room and the offence as to the Punishment be imputed to him Yet we may say That legally Christ was made a Sinner and his Person corrupted in that he having undertaken to satisfie the Law for Sin who had not broken it in his own person nor was obliged to such satisfaction before doth now become a Debtor to the Law to suffer the Penalty of it having interposed himself betwixt the Law and the Persons that had offended And thus saith Dr. Twiss â— vind Grot. lib. 1. sect 26. p. 211. Col. 1. Look on what manner Christ bore our sins on the Cross in the same manner may our Sins be said to have been in him or upon him and we Sinners to have been in him as he bore our person or suffered the punishment of our Sins Negari non potest Christum tulisse sive gestasse peccata nostra in ligno ergò qua ratione gestavit peccata nostra eadem ratione peccata nostra illi inerant aut saltem incumbebant atque eadem ratione nos peccatores illi incubuimus idque nondum habita à nobis posthumis in ipsum fidei decimus omnes redimendos fuisse in Christo non quidem â—er fidem insitos sed quatenus dari dicuntur ipsi à patre quatenus ipsorum personam sustinuit Bellarmin to add strength to this Objection de Just. lib. 2. ch 7. saith If our sins be imputed to Christ then must be not only be counted a Blasphemer Murderer c. but also a Child of the Devil seeing those for whom he died were Children of the Devil Answ This is but in terrorem to affright us with hard words A Child of the Devil is taken two ways First by Imitation for one that is like him and doth imitate his Nature and his Actions So the Jews are said to be of their father the Devil because they do his Works John 8.44 And Elymas a Child of the Deâ—il as being very subtile and obstinate in perâ—erting the right ways of God Acts 13. Thus all men by nature are the Children of the Devil but Christ was not nor doth it follow That because our sins were laid upon him â—â— bear the punishment of them he was theâ— fore the Child of the Devil i.e. like him â—â— Nature and Disposition The Imputation â—â— our Sins did not alter Christ's Nature though it did alter the State and Relation of his Person for a time making him obnoxious to the Law as if he had been an Offender Secondly A Child of the Devil may meaâ—â— one that is delivered to the Power of Sataâ—â— as the Executioner of God's Wrath he hâ—â—ving the power of Death Heb. 2.14 〈◊〉 Children of wrath are those that are born oâ—â— noxious to wrath and thus though the teâ—â—â— is hard and irreverent we grant the thing viâ— That Christ suffering for sin was also made oâ—â— noxious and subject to the Power of the Devil both in his Temptations and in his last Sufferings of which he said to the Jews This â—â— your hour and the power of darkness Luke 2â—â— 53. of the Prince of darkness And again The Prince of this World cometh and findâ—â— nothing in me John 14.30 This is so far froâ—â— making against us that it confirmeth our Doctrine The Devil is God's Executioner 〈◊〉 inflict punishment for sin but Christ the innocent and perfect Son of God was delivered inâ—â— the Power of the Devil for a time to be vered and troubled by him therefore it was 〈◊〉 the Punishment of our Sin Object These Authors unanimously complain that â—he Scripture no where saith in express words That Christ's Righteousness is imputed to â—s Answ All Scholars know that this is the first Caâ—il of Innovators to weaken the Faith of the â—nwary For themselves grant this concludeth â—ot It is not read expresly in Scripture thereâ—â—re it is not the Doctrine of the Scriptures say themselves grant it as in express terms 〈◊〉 other Questions so by their Practice in the â—resent Controversie They having new mouled Divinity in this last Age and put it into â—â—ew terms and unknown both to Scripture â—â—d Antiquity They that complain of us for â—sisting upon the term of Imputation of Christs â—ighteousness as not contained expresly in â—cripture ought in all justice and prudence to â—â—ve shewed us first the Chapters and Verses â—here their Terms of condition causa sine qua â—â—n first and second Justification remediaing Law a Law of Grace and the like are 〈◊〉 be found Moreover they know that Imâ—â—tation of Righteousness is a Scripture Term â—â—n times used in the 4th to the Romans and â—â—at Righteousness is said to be imputed without Works to him that worketh not but beâ—â—eveth on him that justifieth the ungodly v. 4. â—herefore this Righteousness cannot be a man's â—wn Obedience and also that Christ is said Scripture to be our Righteousness made of â—â—od Righteousness to us and we made the Righteousness of God in him which are equivalent
Sanâ—tification Glory and all the good which ever â—â—e receive to be given us freely in his own time and on his own terms by his New Covenant by â—is Spirit and by his Providence and that we are as justly and certainly justified pardoned and saved by and for this meritorious Righteousness and Sacrifice of Christ as if we had done and suffered all our selves and that he suffered for us and in our stead that we might not suffer and fulfill'd all Righteousness for us that were Sinners to those proper uses we have and need no other Righteousness and though it be not Scripture Phrase we may truly say that thus Christ's Righteousness is imputed to us c. This was writ to avoid the charge of denying Imputation of Christ's Righteousness and therefore worded in Protestant Phrases as much as could be and yet a different sence couche in them viz. in those words to be given us on his own terms and by his New Covenant whereby is intended that Christ merited â—â— Reconciliation Justification c. to be given to us as the immediate Effects of his Purchase but to be given us upon the fulfilling the Commands of the Gospel so that it is â—â— Christ's Righteousness that justifies us or â— imputed to us to Justification but it did only merit a New Covenant or Law by fulfilling whereof we should be justified We shall not endeavour to make plain what these men would obscure and hide viz. the difference betwinâ— them and us in the point of Imputation It is the usual Protestant Doctrine that Jesus Christ undertook to fulfill that Law which men broken and to bare that Punishment which their Since deserved in the behalf of his Elect and that God accepting this undertaking of his from Eternity and the performance of it in time did therefore promise and grant pardon of sin right to eternal life and his Spirit and all spiritual blessings to be conferred upon each of these Elect Persons when by the Grace of Christ they should claim them and put their trust in him Hereupon we say when a man is actually pardoned and intituted to life by virtue of this undertaking and grant that Christ's Righeousness is imputed to him i. e. that these benefits are bestowed upon him for that Righteousness which Christ wrought and â—â—d accepted and he flyeth to for Salvation â—â—d for no other reason And hereupon ariâ—â—h in justified persons an immutable right to â—â—e and the Grace of God to bring them to it â—ereupon they may be certain of their Perseâ—â—rance and Salvation But on the contrary â—â—ese men teach first That though Christ â—â—d materially fulfill the Law broken by men â—â—d bore the Punishment due to their sins 〈◊〉 did many things which the Law commanâ—â—d and suffered many things which it threatâ—d against Sin yet that he did not intend directly and properly to satisfie that Law by oâ—â—ying the Precepts and undergoing the Penalâ—â—s of it but did only fulfill the Law of a Meâ—â—ator imposed upon him and peculiar to him which was to do and suffer such things as God â—â—eased to enjoyn him 2ly That this which â—hrist did and suffered did respect and was intended not for any particular persons but â—â—r all mankind equally as Adam's Sin did â—â—y That therefore this Obedience or Righâ—â—ousness of Christ did not purchase Pardon â—â—stification or any of the Fruits of it for all 〈◊〉 for any man immediately 4ly But that 〈◊〉 procured this only That God being content â—â—ot to insist upon the Law of Innocency and 〈◊〉 hold man to that which was now become â—â—possible through the weakness of sinfull â—â—esh he should grant a Covenant of sincere â—bedience to them that would repent of their â—â—rmer sins and receive Christ for their Lord â—â—nd Saviour that they should be saved as â—ertainly as if they had not broke the Law of Innocency or had satisfied it when broken 5ly And therefore their Justification must be mutable as their sincere obedience is 6ly This is then that which they mean by Impuâ—â—tion of Christ's Righteousness and its pâ—â—chasing Justification for us viz. That it waâ— a means of taking the Covenant of Works on of the way and of procuring a New Covenant of sincere Obedience which if men do perform they shall be justified or live by it notwithstanding their sins and imperfections aâ—â— much as they should have been justified bâ— doing the Law of Works so that this Coâ—â—nant being the Effect of Christ's Death 〈◊〉 the Benefits of it Justification Adoption c. are to be reckoned the Fruits of it alâ—â— and when we enjoy these Benefits his Righteousness is imputed to us i.e. we receive the Benefit of that Covenant which his righteouâ—â—ness purchased Now I demand what it is thâ—â— justifyeth or giveth us a right to life immediately and properly By this Doctrine it is our fulfilling of the New Govenant the Christ's Righteousness doth not properly â—â—stifie us or immediately procure our Pardâ—â— or Life then this Righteousness is not impâ—â—ted to us for Justification To call this Impâ—â—ting of Christ's Righteousness to us is a sence so remote from the state of the question which is By what Righteousness we are justified immediately before God and from the very Notion of the word Imputation and impâ—â—ting or reckoning to one that I cannot callâ—â— less than equivocation or trifling Object But they say that Faith and Repentance or â—ur fulfilling of the Gospel-Covenant is a means â—f applying Christ's imputed Righteousness 4 disp of Just p. 264. â—nd so is a Righteousness subordinate and subservient to his not at all derogating from 〈◊〉 Answ By applying Christ's Righteousness they â—â—ean that then we have the Benefits and Effects of Christ's satisfaction when we have fulfilled the Terms of the Gospel As when a Man hath served his Apprentiship in a Corporation then he enjoyeth the Privileges of the Charter which was boutht or given many â—ears before but will any man say that then â—he buying or procuring of the Charter is â—mputed to him They teach that God hath â—romised to pardon and save them that obey â—is Gospel what is it then that gives the immediate right to Pardon and Salvation that â—s constitutive of a man justified in Law is it â—ot this Obedience to the Gospel Then this â—s it which is imputed to a man for righteousness but Christ's righteousness is not applied is that which doth constitute us righteous for which we are justified but when we are justified by our obedience to the Gospel this is a favour which we should never have had if Christ had not purchased it To call this applying or imputing of Christ's Righteousness â—s to hide a Heterodoxie with usual and Orthodox terms Object But the same Author acknowledgeth that Christ's Righteousness is our only legal righteousness or rather pro-legally p. 274. Ibid. a righteousness instead of our righteousness or obedience to the Law passim Answ If Christ fulfilled the
Christ say they did in no proper sence satisfie 〈◊〉 and therefore his Obedience could have â—o proper respect to Divine Justice much less â—o sin that had offended Justice 5ly Nor was Christ's Death a Propitiation â—r Atonement for our sins The Apostle 1 Joh. 2.1 saith That Christ was a Propitiation for our Sins that he loved us and washed us from our sins with his own Bloud Apâ—â— 1.5 But this is true only accidentally and eventually if the immediate effect of Christ's death was only that God might pardon not that he must and it was not the prime and principal intention of his death Since God hath pleased to grant terms of Salvation upon the death of Christ his death may improperly be said to have made atonement or reconciliation for them because it occasioned it 〈◊〉 made some way for it but that which left God still intirely free to pardon or not that did not appease his Anger remove his displeasure reconcile him or obtain his good Will as is the nature of a Propitiation or propitiatory Sacrifice nor was it immediately 〈◊〉 directly intended for that end 6ly Nor can it properly be ascribed to God's Love to the World that he gave his Son to die or to the Son's Love to Mankind that he gave himself For if love to men were the Motive of Christ s Obedience and Death both to the Father and the Son men's Salvation would have been immediately designed and intended in it it would have been medium ordinatum a proper means design'd to bring about their Salvation But they tell us it was designed only to save God's Honour in case he should forgive Sinners but not that he had obliged himself any way to do it no nor that he had resolved with himself or deliberately purposed to grant terms of Salvation when he sent his Son into the World or when he laid his wrath a curse upon him it seems God did not yet know what use he would make of the Death of his Son neither could the Son know when the Father was not resolved Thus we see this Opinion overthroweth the whole Nature and Intendment of Redemption and Christ's Merit Satisfaction Ransom Sacrifice and all that belong to it are but improper Metaphors and the greatest Mystery of Godliness must fly for refuge to a poor Trope to save it from being an untruth and Christ himself must be at most but an honorary Mediator and Redeemer The Second Opinion concerning the End of Christ's death is That he died to purchase the Covenant of Grace or Conditions and Terms of Salvation by the fulfilling whereof men might be saved Thus the Arminians used to speak That Christ died viam salutis pandere to open a way for Mens Salvation to purchase conditions whereupon they might be saved whereas before their Salvation was impossible by reason of the Curse or Sentence of the Law of Works Act. Syn. Dort Art 2. Remon Christus merito mortis suae Deum Patrem universo generi humano hactenus reconciliavit ut Pater propter ipsius meritum salva justitia veritate sua novum gratiae foedus cum peccatoribus damnationi obnoxiis hominibus inire sancire potuerit voluerit Thus Mr. Baxter faith That Christ purchased Justification and life to be given by his New Covenant not that he purchased these absolutely to be certainly given to any persons but that he purchased a Covenant or Law of Grace whereby these are promised upon condition of Faith and Obedience And this must be the sence if any of those that assert Christ dying for all men to make them salvabiles salvable and to render their Salvation possible being impossible before while the Law of Works stood in such sorce For before Christ's death Mens Salvation was possible to God no new power was acquired to him and possible in its self Men being subjects naturally capable of Salvation this possibility then must be a possibility in Law as we say id possumus quod jure possumus that Christ purchased a Law and grant of Salvation upon certain Terms whereby it now became possible for all Men to be saved if they should have sufficient notice of it This Opinion is a little more plausible but no more true than the former which I thus prove 1. It cannot be conceived how Christ did purchase this Covenant according to the rest of their Notions The occasion or ground of this Purchase was That God was bound by his own Law of Works violated by Men to condemn them without Mercy Now then could this Obligation be dissolved without satisfaction to and fulfilling that Law which yet they will not allow Christ to have done unless per accidens as part of it is comprised in that special Law of Mediator which was given to him If it was the Law which hindered God from shewing mercy and made mans Salvation impossible then that Law doth oblige God to see it fulfilled or else to grant no life to Sinners and if Christ did not fulfil it nor was made properly subject to it as they teach then he could not properly purchase a Covenant of life if he did fulfil it for sinners then they must be discharged by his satisfaction without further conditions imposed on them as hath been often said They say the Law of Works was neither abolished nor fulfille by Christ but relaxed I suppose they mean That God did not insist upon the absolute performance of the Law but was pleased to admit of an aequivalent reparation of his Honour by the Obedience of Christ to that Law which he should impose on him wherein should be comprehended a great part of the Moral Law I reply If God did relax the Law so as not to require the proper fulfilling of it then he did lose the obligation which was laid upon him to see it fulfilled The ordinate or relative Justice of God obliged him to proceed according to that Law and if he admitted of another way of reparation to his Honour he did not proceed in a way of Justice in all that he laid upon Jesus Christ and he might as well have saved Man without the Obedience of Christ as with it his Justice or Law allowing that relaxation no more than a total superseding or laying aside the Law by this purchase therefore they can mean no more but that Jesus Christ did so honour the Father by his Obedience and Sufferings that he might with Decorum to his Majesty give to Sinners terms of Salvation and would do it but this is no purchase which transferreth a legal right to the Purchaser if the Purchase be accepted but dependeth meerly upon Promise or Terms of Honour It is also great presumption for Men to judge what is becomming Divine Majesty and what will salve his Honour other then what is according to his Law or Promise wherers here they make him to wave his own declared Law founded in the highest reason and equity 2ly Nor in this sence is the death
of Christ a ransome satisfaction or propitiation A ransome respecteth persons to be redeemed it is a price given for them not for Laws and Covenants Whoever paid a ransome without agreeing to whom it should extend and that it should take certain effect whereas here is nothing purchased but a Covenant or Promise that all those that believe and obey the Gospel should be saved which perhaps might be none nor was it agreed how long the World should stand and so what number of Men should be made or should need or be capable of this Redemption A satisfaction to God in this case is a satisfaction to his Law whereby the Sinner must immediately be discharged A Propitiation is a Sacrifice appeasing and reconciling God to Man neither of which it done if only a Promise be procured to save Men upon their fulfilling the conditions of a New Law 3ly If Christ only purchased a Covenant of life then his Redemption is much more in-effectual to fave than Adam's Fall was to destroy Man The Apostle Rom. 5.17 18 20. comparing the Death of Christ with Adam's Fall saith As Sin reigned to death so Grace much more reigneth to life as Sin abounded to condemnation Grace much more aboundeth to justification and life but where is this much more the Obedience of Christ falls far short of Adam's Disobedience in its effects if he only purchased conditions of life Adam in a few moments by one transgression procured a sentence of certain death upon every individual person that should naturally descend from him as soon as they should have a Being but Jesus Christ by his transcendent Obedience of thirty four years by induring the Wrath of God the rage of Men and Devils and a most ignominious death purchased life for no one certain Man but only conditions whereupon they that should hear of them not half Mankind should be saved if they did fulfil them which for any thing he purchased or was contained in the Covenant of life was a meer contingency viz. whether any should ever believe and be saved or not 4ly If Christ only purchased a Covenant of life then he purchased no more for the Elect than for others no more for the Sheep than the goats and they that go to Heaven may hereafter say Christ redeemed them no more than he did those in Hell the difference betwixt them proceeded from their applying and performing the Covenant and its conditions which others neglected For the Covenant is equal to all that hear it promising life upon conditions only which every one is equally concerned in alike capable of Salvation and one no more likely to perform the conditions than another The Arminians grant this that Christ died for all alike Syn. Dordr Ibid. Th. 2. Heterodox Christi mortem impetrasse omnibus hominibus restitutionem in statum gratiae salutis 5ly It follows also That for any efficacy there was in the death of Christ there must have been no man saved For the Covenant of Grace which only he purchased would have been as true and as firm a Covenant viz. That they should be saved who would believe and obey the Gospel though no man had fulfilled it and so been saved by it as the Covenant of Works was which according to them was never fulfilled nor ever gave life to any The Covenant required no more then that God should be ready faithfully to give eternal life ro all that fulfilled it and all that Christ purchased was a Promise that he would so be which would have been true though all men had perished by their unbelief and so Christ might have had the empty Title of a Redeemer without any person being redeemed by him And this Arminius Gravirch and others are not ashamed to confess Arnoldus contra Molin Omnino credo futurum fuisse ut finis mortis Christi constaret etiamsi nemo credidisset Some of ours fay That God had his Elect whom he purposed to bring to Christ and save by him But the Scriptures are as express that Christ died for the Elect as that God elected them And if Christ purchased no more for them then for others they might have perished as well as others for any thing his Redemption or Purchase could do for them or had done 6ly If Christ intended his death for certain particular persons then he purchased more than a meer covenant or conditions of Life The consequence is evident If he purchased life to be given to certain men certainly infallibly then he purchased more than offer of life to them upon conditions which they might or might not perform The Minor That Christ in his death intended the redemption of certain particular persons the Scriptures assirm He laid down his Life for the Sheep Joh. 10.15 16. even for those of the Gentiles that were not of the Jewish Fold and so yet knew him not And the effects of this laying down his life for them was on purpose to call them in due time v. 16. to teach and make them follow him v. 27. and to keep them safe to life eternal by his own and the Fathers power v. 28 29. and from these Sheep are distinguished those who are not of his Sheep and therefore all means are ineffectual to make them believe v. 25 26. He died to gather together in one all the Children of God Joh. 11.52 that were scattered abroad i. e. all the Elect of God dispersed throughout all Nations And the Apostle Paul saith of himself He loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2.30 Therefore Christ redeemed particular persons and did not only purchase Grants and Covenants 7ly Christ purchased the Spirit and Grace to make his Death effectual to those he died for therefore he purchased more than a Covenant of Grace A meer Covenant of Grace only promiseth Life upon conditions of Faith and Obedience leaving it to men whether they will perform them or not as the Covenant of Works promised life to perfect obedience and then left it to Adam whether he would obey or not A meer Covenant makes no provision of grace and strength to enable men to perform it If then Christ purchased grace to believe and to obey for the Elect he purchased more than a Covenant of Grace and that he did so hath been partly proved and may be further evidenced by this That when Christ saith he laid down his life for the Sheep Joh. 10.16 c. he presently adds he must bring home all the Sheep and make one Fold under one Shepheard himself and that he will make them follow him and will preserve and lead them to Eternal Life and no Wolves shall pluck them out of his hand v. 27 28 29. Also that he died to gather into one all the Children of God This must be done by his Spirit and Grace purchased by his Redemption and that power which is given to him not only to purchase but also to apply the blessed Fruits of Redemption to them Thus our
Divines at Dort Rationes omnes Act. Syn. Art 2. Ibid. à scripturis fideique analogia petitae quibus Christi incarnatio humiliatio vel exaltatio probatur vel confirmatur eò spectant ut demonstretur divina expressa intentio de fructuoso hujus tanti mysterii effectu non conditionaliter producendo nempe si homines cùm aeque nolle possint velint ut hic fructus in de enascatur sed infrustrabiliter efficiendo potentiâ divinâ id operante i. e. All those Arguments that prove the Incarnation Humiliation and Exaltation of Christ tend to this to shew that it was God's express intention to produce the certain effects of that great Mystery infallibly by his own power and not to leave them to be conditional depending upon Man's Will who might as well neglect and refuse as accept of them I conclude the Sum of this Doctrine comes to this That God took occasion by the Incarnation Obedience and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant men terms of Salvation viz. if they should believe and obey the Gospel not as any satisfaction to his Justice or Law which man had broke but as some kind of salvo to his Honour at least as he was pleased to interpret it And what need Christ have been God to do no more than this How easie is the slip from hence into the dead Sea of Socinianism To lay that Christ came by his Life and Death to declare and confirm only this Covenant of Life on condition of Faith and Repentance and to intercede for the Penitents Indeed the whole platform of this Doctrine was borrowed from Socinus by the Arminians from whom most of our modern Writers have it and some immediately from the Socinian from whom also came that common but illogical Evasion of works being not the meritorious but the causa sine qua non of our Justification Opera ea sunt ex quibus justificamur sunt autem opera ista nostra Soc. de Justif apud Pelt i. e. ut dictum fuit obedientia quam Christo praestamus licet nec essiciens nec meritoria tamen causa ut vocant sine qua non justificationis coram Deo at que aeterne salut is nostrae I do not desire this should be believed on my credit much less do I write to reproach any who do in heart abhor that blasphemous heresie however their words and notions may agree too much with it I only beg that Scholars and Divines would take the pains to examin and compare them before they imbibe this new Doctrine CHAP. VII Of the Nature of Faith that it justifieth as an Instrument applying the Promises of life in Christ and not as a Condition or Part of Obedience T The Apostle Paul was sent to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles Act. 26. v. 17 18. to this end that they might receive the forgiveness of sins and an inheritance amongst thom which are sanctified by Faith which is in Christ therefore forgiveness and a right to the heavenly Inheritance comes by Faith But what this Faith is and how it gives right to Life is now to be inquired into In explaining the nature of Faith I shall wave all that is usually drawn from Philosophy to this Argument from the nature and difference of Man's Soul and his Faculties and the difference of the Faculties from each other also from the nature of Habits intellectual or moral which things are fit Exercises for Scholars but not fit to build the Doctrine of Justification and Eternal life upon and if the best Philosophers can give us no certain account how men see and hear and how the external Senses which yet are more material in their operations than the understanding do exercise their functions there is much less certainty to be had concerning the Faculties Operations and Habits of the rational part and the Scripture speaks of believing as a work of the whole Soul With the heart man believeth unto righteousness Rom. 10.9 The like may be said of every Grace and of every Sin that hath the consent of the Heart that they carry the whole Soul with them What then is this Faith The Socinians affirm Faith and Obedience to be really the same thing Peltius Artic. Parag. 21. distinct only formally or docendi causâ Soc. resp ad Epist Joan. Opera Fides nullo modo distinguuntur à Paulo nec ab ea seperari queant imò animo seu forma fidei sunt The Arminians agree with them in this and our late Authors with them both and make believing and obeying the Gospel all one and to be justified by Faith with them is to be justified by obedience to the Gospel Aphor. Th. 70. Hence it is that they describe Faith to be so to believe God as to love him fear him trust him and obey him in every particular command or more briefly to be an accepting of Christ for our Lord and Saviour i. e. to promise obedience to him Ibid. 69 67. and to desire and expect to be saved by him Now we grant as the Gospel is sometime taken for the whole Doctrine or Mind of Christ containing both Promises Precepts and Threatnings though properly it be nothing but a Promise of Life through Christ in contradistinction to all Law and Precepts so also the Faith of Christ and of the Gospel doth sometimes comprehend the whole Christian Profession whereby we promise both a belief of the doctrine and obedience to the Command of Christ Yet Faith taken properly is to be distinguished from all obediential Graces viz. those that are the immediate cause of obedience as much as those graces are distinct from each from other as Love from Fear both from Patience c. That we may wave that Philosophical question also whether Graces be several distinct habits or one universal habit distinguished by several acts and objects it is sufficient if Faith be distinct by its acts and proper object from all other graces as much as they are distinguished each from other And that it is so is evident because it is an assent of the mind to divinely revealed truth Its acts are to believe or assent its formal object is the revealed truth of God as such we speak of Divine Faith only The immediate End of it is the satisfaction of the mind in the certainty of a true proposition and the like All these are distinct from love fear desire which are the immediate principles of all obedience or practice in doing good or avoiding evil Moreover Faith is the root of obedience not as the immediate principle of the elicite acts of obedience but as a more remote principle which doth excite and direct all the immediate principles of it Thus Faith is prerequired to seeking and serving of God Heb. 11.2 to the End and yet the immediate principles of them were fear v. 7. self-denial v. 25. holy courage contempt of the World and the like Faith worketh by love Gal. 5.6 purifieth the
heart Acts 15.9 Therefore it is not love it self or the purity of the heart but something that inclineth and disposeth to love and purity and surely before we can love and obey God there must be an apprehension of his goodness faithfulness readiness to accept and reward which must incline the heart to it We cannot love and serve him 〈◊〉 we neither know him nor his Mind concerning us nor have any confidence in his good wilâ— towards us And this is Faith which we may thus describe Faith is a hearty and practical assent to all divine truth so as to believe the Histories fear the Threatnings trust in the I remises and expect the fulfilling of Prediction which proceed from God All this is easily gathered out of the 11. Heb. where the Apostle having spoken in the end of the 10th Chapter of believing to the saving of the Soul subjoynâ— this description of Faith v. 1. viz. That it is the substance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the subsistence of things hoped for and the evidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of things not seen which subsistence and evidence things yet suture have only in God's Word and Man's real belief of it things hoped for properly respect the Promises things not seen the History of things past as the belief of the Creation v. 2. and the Prediction of things to come as Noah by Faith feared the Deluge v. 7. and all the Patriarchs died in faith or expectation of the coming of Christ v. 13. Now that Faith hath several acts and causeth several affections as hope trust fear in the soul is because it hath several objects things to be desired things to be feared and things to be hoped for which is common to it with other graces which have their several acts and affections towards several objects or the same objects severally conâ—dered That special act of Faith which reâ—â—ects Promises or affection immediately â—owing from Faith without which it is not â—ompleat in Scripture is called by several â—ames rouling resting leaning relying upon God flying to him for resuge hiding our â—â—lves under him putting of our selves under â—he Shadow of his Wings which and the like â—re Metaphors from the Body and when we â—eak properly of the acts of the Soul are best â—prest by believing or trusting in the Promises which the Protestants express by fiduâ—a affiance or fiducial recumbence which is â—â—so the Scripture term of putting our hope and confidence in God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pervasion and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a full assurance of â—is Promise Now Faith justifieth a Sinner â—ot in its whole Latitude for so it believeth â—eer Histories as well as practical things and â—e Threatnings as well as the Promises and â—â—useth fear as well as hope But a Sinner cannot be reconciled unto God by fearing his Wrath and Judgment though fearing may â—cite him to look after mercy in the Promise â—or by believing the History of things past as â—â—e Creation and Floud or the Prediction of â—â—ings to come as the Resurrection and day 〈◊〉 Judgment though these things may set forth God's veracity and confirm the Truth of his promise and may excite fear and diligence 〈◊〉 seeking after mercy As trusting in the promises of particular mercies and deliverances is the means of obtaining those mercies as the promises are made to such faith or 〈◊〉 Isa 26.3.4 Thou shalt keep him in perse peace whose mind is stayed on thee because trusteth in thee The promises of deliverant go before and this is added as the means procure the accomplishment of them viz. That they should trust in God so in like mâ—ner the general promise of Pardon and Justfication is made to believing or trusting in and faith gives right to it and is the means having it performed to us Faith then justiâ—â— as it obtains mercy Heb. 11.33 Saintâ— Faith obtained Promises viz. a performan of them and in the Gospel frequently 〈◊〉 Faith hath saved thee and thy Faith hath mâ— thee whole c. As Faith obtains these mercies neither as an act of obedience not the cause or root of obedience but only trusting in the Power and Faithfulness of Gâ—engaged by the particular promises so aâ— Faith justifieth a Sinner by trusting in 〈◊〉 Grace and Mercy of God through Jeâ— Christ expressed in the general Promise of 〈◊〉 Gospel He that believeth shall be saved 〈◊〉 the like We do not contend about the aâ— ception of faith in this proposition We aâ—â— justified by saith whether it be taken objectively only as some think i. e. we are justified by Christ believed on or relatively 〈◊〉 are justified by faith as apprehending the mercy of God promised through Christ and 〈◊〉 by any works of our own it cometh all one at last The Mercy of God is the câ—â—sa proegomena the moving cause of our Justification the righteonsness of Christ wrought for us the meritorious cause procuring our acceptance with God and also the material or formal cause being the very thing for which God accepts us to life The Promise in the Gospel is the external moral or legal means whereby God conveys Justification and this Righteousness having promised 〈◊〉 to them that believe and faith is an internal means on mans part to apply Christ's Righteousness for his Justification by trusting him promising of it and that partly natural is faith is an act or habit or act properly conversant about a promise and partly moâ—al as God hath appointed our faith in the promise of Justification to be a means of obtaining it and this is all that Divines mean by saying Faith justifys as an instrument or intrumentally and when they call it the mouth and the hand of the soul viz. That Man is Justified by the Righteousness of Christ which Justification is proposed and promised in the Gospel to all that will accept it and trust in it which is believing so that Faith it self is â—ot the matter or righteousness which doth Justifie us under the Gospel instead of our Obedience under the Law but it is the means whereby through the Promise of the Gospel Christs Righteousness is imputed or applied to us by and for which we are justified Object It is no better than a cavil which is objected If Faith justifys as an instrument whose instrument is it Gods or Mans if Mans then he justifys himself if Gods then Man doth nothing in the business of Justification which is Antinomian For Answ The like may be asked of all instruments Natural or Moral Our Food whose instrument is it to nourish us If Gods then we need not eat if ours then we nourish our selves The Word and Sacraments are instruments of grace if they are our instruments then we work grace in our selves iâ— Gods then we need do nothing all these and the like are instruments of Gods appointing to be used by us to the right use of which he hath promised a blessing he hath commanded us to take food and
curses and natural evils may be inflicted without sin Even Arminius Episcopius and others of their chief Friends grant That God may without injustice lay temporal evils upon men without respect to sin of his own meer pleasure If Afflictions be part of the Curse to the godly it must be by some Law 2ly It cannot be by the Law of Grace for that is a remediating Law threatning no curse to them that obey it If by the Law of Works then Believers are in part still under the Law whereas the Apostle makes these inconsistent to be under the Law and under Grace Rom. 6.14 Moreover Afflictions if they be punishments must be satisfactory to Divine Justice For the Law requires nothing but in order to satisfie Divine Justice by obedience or punishment for failure and then Christ hath not redeemed us from the Curse of the Law part of it remaining for us to bare and so Christ's Redemption must be diminished he having onely purchased that the Law should not have its full force viz. to condemn us for ever but that we should have terms of grace or life eternal nevertheless that we should be left in the hands of the Law for this life that God may lay what curses upon us he pleaseth so that he save our Souls The same is to be said concerning sin and spiritual evils some sins are proper chastisements when men are suffered to run into some sins to correct them for former sins As David's Murder was a correction for his Adultery but these chastisements proceed really from the love of God though mixed with fatherly displeasure but for the general that God hath left sin in the hearts and lives of the Godly is not to satisfie his Law or the Curse but to magnifie his Grace and Wisdome in over-ruling sin and death to his own Glory and to further man's Salvation by those things which the Devil designed to undermine and overthrow both Object 6 If Faith only justifie and give right to life then is there no use of the Law to Believers nor any thing for them to do in way of obedience but only to expect that God should bring them to Heaven by his Grace to which Faith gives right as well as to life it self Answ As Faith it self is commanded though it be the work of God so is the use of all means whereby Grace is to be improved and exercised and in the use of them in dependance on God's Grace lies a Christian's Obedience The Promises of Grace and Perseverance do encourage to obedience but alter not the nature of obedience Phil. 2.12 13. As you have always obeyed c. work out your Salvation with fear and trembling For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Our Saviour came not to dissolve the Moral Law nor gave he commission to any man to do it but requireth better obedience to it than that of the Pharisees though they expected to be justified by it Mat. 5.18 19 20. and upon all occasions he directs men to the Law as the rule of Life Mat. 19.17 Chap. 22. v. 37. c. Though Faith encourage and Love incline to good works yet these works are properly obedience because done upon the Command of God It is true the Law is not a Covenant of Works or a Law of Life to Believers promising Life to Obedience perfect or imperfect and threatning death to the want of it Nor is this essential to a Law that life and death must depend thereon though they do so upon some Laws nor is it essential to obedience that it must proceed from hope of life and fear of death For there is no such thing with Saints in Heaven where yet is perfect obedience yet is it a Rule of Obedience a Declaration of God's Will how his Children ought to walk and to please him which is the very nature of a Law But it is not necessary to the Sanction of every Law Quest that there should be Promises to obedience and Threatnings to disobedience Answ Not from the nature of a Law but because of man's infirmities it is needful Gal. 3.19 So the Gospel hath promises of Blessings in this Life peace of Conscience increase of Grace and the Fatherly Love and Presence of God to obedience and diligence and the threatning of the contrary to negligence and disobedience yea the knowledge of the Covenant of Works as it restrains the ungodly so it is of use to the godly in this life to curb the flesh and to make them more afraid of sin and to quicken them to diligence But life and death eternal are not the Sanctions of the Law as properly given to Believers But do not the sins of Believers deserve Hell and put them into a damned state Quest Answ No. They interrupt their peace with God and the Work of Grace but make them not Children of wrath their sins in their own nature tend to death as they are an aversion from God but he will recover them out of them by repentance at death if not before and they deserve death according to the Law of Works by which they must judge of the â—inousness of them and be humbled accordingly But as the Law is tempered by the Gospel they shall not bring death And deâ—â—rt of sin being obligatio ad poenam ex lege the Laws binding a man over to punishment 〈◊〉 may be truly said they do not deserve death according to the Gospel because that doth not threaten death eternal to them yet they 〈◊〉 deserve other corrections threatned thereâ—y which are more effectual to restrain the godly than the threatning of Hell is to the â—icked But doth not this open a way to Sin and Sloth Quest. â—hen men that think they are Believers shall â—hen conclude their sins shall not damn them Answ No. For it is not the promise of great Retards nor threatning of great Punishment that 〈◊〉 keep men from sin else the Angels and Adam would never have sinned but it is the certain assistance of effectual grace which can 〈◊〉 will make men obedient without such â—â—nctions by other Reasons and Motives If Christians were left to their free will as much is Adam was then would there be a necessity 〈◊〉 the like Promises and Threats to keep them 〈◊〉 their Duty but because God hath undertaken to work all our Works in us it is enough â—â—at God declare his Will to them and will make them obedient Promises and Threaâ— of another nature are added because of the infirmity of the Flesh but they could not keeâ— them in obedience if there were not a certainty of prevailing grace and when these infirmities shall be taken away then the Declaration of God's Will without any Promise 〈◊〉 Threat will be a sufficient Obligation to Obedience for ever by the perfect and full concurrence of the Grace of God For it is the Spirit of Grace that holdeth
shall be saved and this was the nature of Adam's Faith to believe if he obeyed perfectly he should be saved now it is accidental to this that men be sinners and need pardon and so must believe that they shall be pardoned and yet with these men Pardon is nothing but nolle punire that God will not condemn foâ— sin and thus when we believe God will save us if we obey sincerely we do consequently and implicitely believe he will not condemn us i. e. will pardon us all our sins but thiâ— is implicite and indirect therefore the belief of Pardon cannot be a reason why Gospel Obedience should be called Faith and opposed to the Works of the Law Argument 6. If Faith and Obedience be the Condition of Justification then the great falls of the godly such especially as wast Conscience and make a breach upon their sincerity must interrupt their Justification and bring them into a state of damnation so that their only remedy must be to begin their Repentance and Obedience a new and if they have not time to do that but should die in their sin or senselesness after it they must perish for ever but we do not find in Scripture any word of this We read of the fall of some as Noah Lot Sampson and read nothing of their recovery and yet no question made of their Salvation We read also of David's and Peter's Repentance and their great Sorrow yet not that they reckoned themselves under condemnation We find David and others in the Psalms and Prophets much complaining of their Sins and Afflictions the fruit of them of the want of God's Favour and Presence yet they call him their God and beg the restoring of his Favour that he would not take his Spirit utterly from them Psal 51.11 12. All their Complaints and Prayers argue want of present fense of God's Favour and the quicknings of his Spirit not that they were utterly out of favour or a reconciled state It is true it is not safe for young or unexperienced Christians when guilty of foul sins or great decays of Zeal to retain mueh confidence of their good state but rather to remember from whence they are fallen and to repent and do their first works because they may be easily mistaken about the truth of grace when there hath been but little proof of it but well-rooted and experienced Christians upon their miscarriages are not bound to question their Justification but to humble themselves greatly for abusing the grace and kindness of God and submit to his fatherly correction and should they doubt as some do yet is not that the best and most proper motive to humble and recover them but rather a discouragement and hinderance Fear of Hell and such like Motives work best upon the unexperienced and ignorant but the want of God's Presence and other effects of his Fatherly displeasure are more suitable and more effectual to grown Christians Nor doth the Scripture speak any thing of the condemnation of those that die in actual sin and either have not actual repentance or not time to make proof of the sincerity of it The young Prophet 1 King 14 and the excellent Josiah 2 Chron. 35.21 22. were both slain presently upon an act of disobedience to the express Commands of God and yet nothing is said to render their Salvation doubtful and in this case I would ask whether the habit of Faith and Obedience be utterly extinguished If not it is strange that Men should go to Hell with a real disposition to love and serve God only wanting time to recover themselves from some fall If it be extinct it is also strange that one or a few acts of sin it may be for a few moments should utterly root out grace which hath been long in planting and confirming Argument 7. Lastly If Faith and Obedience be the Condition of Justification then there is no way to comfort Consciences troubled for sin but from the evidence of their sincerity past or by telling them they must be obedient for the time to come but for the present there is no peace nor hope no though they were going out of the World This Argument is much used by our first Reformers Luther Melancthon Chemnitius c. and they thought it unanswerable viz. That however men insensible of sin might dispute for the influence of their works on Justification yet when men have sore terrors of Conscience wounded for sin neither their works past nor their promises and purposes of what they will be for the future will comfort them but only the Doctrine of Free-grace and Pardon by hoping in the Mercy of God Our Martyr Mr. Bilney hearing a Rhetorical Preacher laying great stress upon Repentance and Obedience as the only ground of hope was offended and said How uncomfortable would this Poctrine have been to me when I was in my great terrors for my fall The Consequence is undeniable If we must be justified by Obedience and that persevering to the end there is no comfort to a distressed sinner unless you can shew him that he hath sincerely obeyed sometime past and therefore is fulfilling the Condition of Justification or by telling him he must now resolve to be obedient for the future and if he do so resolve there is some probability he may be saved but there can be no good hope till after some process of time he hath evidenced the sincerity of his Obedience which should he quickly die there would be no time for therefore no to lerable ground of hope or comfort for him but a bare perhaps that his purpose of obedience may be true and sincere and so accepted for his Justification But the Scriptures teach otherways our Saviours who knew best how to speak to the Soul saith to the Paralytick Mat. 9.22 Be of good chear thy sins are for given thee and to the Woman Luke 7.48 Thy sins are forgiven thee and Peter Act 2.37 38 c. when the Jews were pricked at their hearts biddeth them repent and bâ— baptized in the name of Christ for the remission of sins and that they should receive the gift of the Holy Ghost because the Promises did be long to them and their Children We see forgiveness is immediately promised to trembling souls and they are directed to hope for that and look to the Promises of it for present peace and comfort and certainly when God enlightneth the Conscience and setteth sin in order before it vid. Job 9. v. 19 to 23. and v. 13 to the end no man's sincerity will be a sufficient stay to him his obedience will appeaâ— very small not fit to be presented to God the best will cry out If thou Lord shouldâ— mark iniquity who shall stand Psal 130. v. 2â— and enter not into Judgement with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no flesh be justified Ps 143 3. And though they that be but lightly touched with sin are ready to promise great matter for the future and to quiet
Faith only is the condition 1st Because it works sanctification not that it is a part of it 2ly Because nothing else can answer the Covenant but Faith The Covenant is not a Commandment Do this and live but a Promise it runs all upon Promises I will give thee a Seed in that thou shalt be blessed c. The Covenant on God's part stands all in Promises Now you know it is faith that answers the Promise for the Promise is to be believed If the Covenant had stood in Commandments and Rules of the Law then it must have been answered by Works and Obedience and therefore it could not be by Obedience for that holds not proportion there is not agreement between them but since the Covenant consists of Promises that must needs be by Believing and not by Works 4ly It is of Faith that it might be of grace and not of Debt for if God should give a Law and Rules to men and promise them life upon it then when they had performed the work they would challenge it of debt No saith the Lord it is an inheritanee I do not use to deal with my Children as Men do with their Servants that I should give them work to do and when they have done I should give them Wages Lastly he saith Sermon 12. at the beg That Christ giveth first Remission of sins as a Priest wherein consists Justification next as a Prophet he gives Knowledge and then as a King he gives Guidance Peace and Victory over Spiritual Enemies Thus we see he opposeth Faith to Obedience to Commands and saith The Covenant is nothing but a Promise on God's part and that Faith must first look for Remission of sins from the Priesthood or Satisfaction of Christ and for other Benefits from his other Offices afterwards which is the Doctrin we defend and yet this must be meant onely implicitely as to a great part of Believers few having the knowledge and skill to make this distinct use of Christ's Offices Argument 3. The Scripture doth not only by the specifick denomination p. 19. but also by description and mentioning those very Acts include the believing in Christ as our Lord and Teacher c. in that Faith by which as a condition we are justified Ergò we are justified by believing in Christ as our Lord and Teacher Answ We deny the Antecedent Faith doth neither justifie as a condition nor doth the Scripture ascribe Justification to any other acts of Faith than trusting in the Promise of Life through Christ Let us consider the Proof Rom. 10.4 to 10. We are said to be justified 1st by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ v. 9. Therefore his Lordship is included in the object of Faith as justifying Answ Here is nothing but a designation of the person not a distinct intimation of his Kingly Office and yet Faith which justifyeth trusteth in Christ as Lord and King as was said before We must also believe that God raised him from the dead which was no part of his Priestly Office 2ly Answ Christ's Resurrection doth belong to his Priestly Office though it cannot be properly called a part of it For it was the complement or consummation of his Satisfaction and immediately necessary to his appearing in Heaven there to present his Satisfaction and to intercede for us as the High-priest after the Sacrifice of the Goat went into the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the Bloud before the Mercy-Seat and to pray for the People Besides to believe in Christ as rising from the dead is nothing else but believing in him as having made a compleat satisfaction which was evidenced by his Resurrection The same Answer will serve to what is pleaded from Rom. 4.24 25. only it is added here that we must believe in him that raised Christ from the dead Answ Ergò Faith respects not Christ only Faith immediately respects the Promise of Life by Christ as the formal object of or reason why it expecteth Salvation by Christ then it trusteth in God to justifie for Christ's sake and then in Christ as him that hath purchased Justification for us and will see it applied To believe in him that raised Christ from the dead is to trust in God to justifie us who hath testified his acceptance of Christ's Satisfaction for us by raising him from the dead What is this to Obedience 1 John 1.9 11 12. The Faith whereby we are adopted wherein Justification is included or presupposed respecteth Christ as the Light that enlightneth every Man Answ It believeth the promise of salvation preached by Christ and so trusteth in it what is this to a Promise of subjection to Christ's constant teaching as a Prophet 2ly It respecteth his Person it receiveth him and not one single benefit Answ Nor do we say that Justification giveth or justifying faith obtaineth but one single benefit it obtaineth reconciliation with God and right to life which either include or draw after them all saving benefits 3ly It is believing in his name that signifieth his Person and Offices and is all one with taking him for the Messiah and becoming his Disciples Answ To believe in God's name is the same that trusting in him They that know thy Name will trust in thee so to believe in Christ's Name was to trust in him as the Messiah or Saviour and this gives right to Adoption 4ly Faith doth not physically receive Christ by way of apprehension as I receive Gold in my hand whoever said it did but dispositively it qualifieth the subject in the sight of God and he giveth power thereupon to become his Sons Answ But how is this proved from the Text If it had been said power was given c. to them that receive him without any explication there might have been some colour for this plea but it is explained by believing on his Name i. e. trusting in him but trust is no proper legal qualification though it putteth the subject into an immediate natural capacity or disposition to receive the benefit and Moral also when the object is Moral Many other places are added where we are said to believe in the Son of God to hear his voice and believe that he was the promised Messiah c. which denote the whole Person of Christ Ergo. Justifying Faith respects immediately and directly all his Offices Did ever any Man contend that we are justified by believing in one part of Christ's Person or cannot we trust in the whole Person of Christ without respecting all his Offices distinctly primarily and immediately Do we divide the Essence of God or exclude his other Attributes absolutely when we do immediately respect his Wisdom alone or his Power or Goodness according to our present occasion at that time not distinctly making use of others and yet justifying Faith doth trust in Christ for the benefit of all his Offices Answ as before This proveth not that Obedience is joyned with it in justifying
Argument 4. We are justifyed by Christ as Priest p. 24. Prophet and King conjunctly and not by any of these alone much less by his Humiliation and Obedience alone then according to the Opponents own Principles who argue from the distinct interest of the several parts of the Objects to the distinct interest of the several acts of Faith we are justified by believing in Christ as Priest Prophet and King Answ Faith as a distinct habit hath no acts but practical assent to a revealed truth which in respect of the promise is called trust or affiance One habit hath but one sort of elicite acts though it may cause divers effects upon the will and affections according to the nature of divers objects therefore we do not argue from the distinct interest of several acts of Faith but from Faith as trusting in the Promise of Justification as the special object of the act that justifieth Again the Object of justifying Faith according to this Opinion must be the whole declared Will of Christ or the whole Gospel for that is it which we believe and obey and Obedience to it is the form or righteousness by and for which we are justifyed therefore those Terms of Christ's justifying in his whole Person and all his Offices or Faith justifying with respect to them are added in vain they being no more included in the nature of Justification or respected by Faith as justifying in this way than in ours The promise of life by Christ to believing only is as much founded upon his whole Person and all his Offices as if the promise were made to our Obedience to the whole Gospel But we deny the Antecedent let us hear the proof The Word Justification signifieth these 3 acts p. 24. 1st Condonation or constitutive Justification by the Law of grace or promise of the Gospel 2ly Absolution by sentence in judgment 3ly The execution of the former by actual liberation from penalty The two former are more properly called Justification As for the first I argue Christ doth as King and Benefactor on supposition of his antecedent Merits enact the Law of grace or promise by which we are justified Ergò As King and Benefactour he doth justifie us by condonation or constitution As the Father by a right of Creation was Rector of the new created World and so made the Covenant of Life that was then made so the Son and the Father by right of Redemption is Rector of the new redeemed World and so made the Law of grace that gives Christ and life to all that will believe c. Answ Christ as God the same in substance with the Father did together with him enact both the Covenants of Works and of Grace but as Mediator which only is to our purpose he did not enact the Covenant or Law of Grace and it is only said that he did and not proved It was God as God and in special the Father according to the order of the Three Persons that gave the Law of Works that was offended by sin that condemned sinners and therefore he only that could appoint a way whereby they should be saved and he only coul justifie him Christ as Mediator though God in Nature yet in Office was God's Servant Isa 53.11 Mat. 12 18. and his business was not to enact Laws or constitute a way for Man's Redemption but to work out and bring to pass that way which God purchased and to fulfil his Will in it Heb. 10.7 which he did first by satisfying the Law and purchasing Reconciliation as a Priest then by declaring as a Prophet that Pardon was to be had by believing in his Bloud and Lastly as a King yet ministerial under the Father by overpouring the hearts of Gods Elect to believe that God might justify them and then by sanctifying and ruling them by his Word and Spirit to bring them to life It belongeth to the Father to justifie constitutively i. e. to propose the way wherein Men should be justified and through believing to justifie them to the Mediator almost but ministerially to declare it to Men by authority from the Father but most properly to bring it to pass by the execution of all his Offices Rom. 8.33 34. It is God that justifies it is Christ that died rose and intercedeth p. 25. 2ly It is said Justification by sentence of judgment is undeniably by Christ as King for God hath appointed to judge the World by him Acts 17.31 c. Answ Christ in judging the World is but a ministerial King For God is the Supream Judg Heb. 12.23 however we deny what is here took for granted That the sentence of the General Judgment is a declaration of a sinners Justification from the guilt of sin It is only the adjudging of justified Believers to Glory in Heaven for their Obedience according to Gods Fatherly promise p. 25. 3ly It is said For the execution of the sentence by actual liberation there can be little doubt being after both the former Answ Christ is ministerial in this also for he calleth Believers to inherit the Kingdom as being the blessed of the Father and it being prepared for them from the beginning of the World Mat. 25.34 Besides Glory in Heaven is a fruit of Adoption not of Justification immediately and Adoption is the act of the Father not of the Mediator And let it be observed That here all Justification is referred to Christ as King properly and immediately as was before said and he as Priest and Prophet did but make way for his justifying of us as King and therefore these offices are mentioned in the Question only for a shew that they acknowledge we are justifyed by his Bloud This is in effect confessed in the following words As the Teacher of the Church Christ doth not immediately justify but yet mediately he doth Ibid. and it is but mediately that he justifyeth by his Merits It is also said That Christ's granting the Promise or Act of Grace is the true natural p. 25. efficient instrumental Cause of Justification even the immediate Cause So then the whole Gospel as to be obeyed by us is the proper and immediate Instrument of our Justification and our obedience to the Gospel together with God's acceptance of it is the only internal Cause of Justification or the Righteousness for which we are justifyed and Christ's Merit and Righteousness and his Promulgation of the Gospel are but extrinsecal remote and preparatory Causes of it and these not absolutely necessary seeing these Authors do not deny but that God might have saved man without satisfaction and then it will follow if a man obey the Precepts of the Gospel and acknowledge Christ as Lord and King he may be saved although he believe only in a Glorified Saviour as the Jesuites preached to the people of China yea I understand not but a Socinian may be saved by obeying the Gospel though he deny the Merit of Christ having