decretis Publicis Politicis Ecclesiasticis fuit sancita roborata Sic ergò habent Articuli quos in Anglicum Sermonem versos exhibemus X. Of Free-will This is the condition of man after Adams fall that by his own Power and good works he cannot convert and prepare himself to Faith and calling upon God Wherefore without the grace of God which is by Christ preventing us that we may will and to operating while we will for doeing works of Pietie which are acceptable and well pleasing to God we can doe nothing XI Of Mans Justification Wee are only reputed Righteous before God for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ by Faith not for our works and merits For which cause the Doctrine of our being Iustified by Faith alone is most wholsome and full of consolation as it is explained in the Homilie about mans Iustification at more length XII Of Good Works Good works which are the fruits of Faith and follow the Iustified although they cannot expiat our sins or endure the severity of Divine Iustice Yet they are pleasing and accepted by God in Christ and necessarily flow from a true and lively Faith So that plainly by them a vive faith can be known as a tree can be judged by it's fruit XIII Of works before Justification Works which are done before the Grace of Christ and the influence of his Spirit since they do not proceed from the Faith of Iesus Christ are not at all acceptable to God neither doe they merit the grace which many call congruous Yea because they are not done according to Gods will and command we doubt not but they have the nature of sin XVII Of Predestination and Election Predestination to life is the eternal purpose of God whereby He before the setling of the foundations of the world by his Counsel hid indeed as to us Immutably decreed those whom he had chosen in Christ out of mankind should be delivered from the curse and destruction and as vessels made to honour brought to eternal Salvation by Christ. Hence those who are gifted with this notable favour of God are called in due time according to his purpose His own Spirit working they obey by Graces call are Iustified freely are Adopted to be the sons of God and made consorme to the Image of his only begotten Son Iesus Christ they walk holily in good works and in end by the mercy of God they come to eternal happiness As the pious consideration of our Predestination and Election in Christ is sweet pleasant and full of ineffable consolation to the truely Godly and to those who find in themselves the efficacie of the Spirit of Christ mortifying the deeds of the flesh and members which yet are upon the earth and by force drawing the mind to things above both because it does much establish and confirme our Faith of obtaining eternal Salvation as also because it vehemently kindles our love toward our good So it is a very destructive precipice to curious and carnal men and who are destitute of the Spirit of Christ to have alwayes the sentence of Gods Predestination proposed to their view whereby the Devil either presses them to despair or into equally pernicious security of a most impure life Thereafter the Divine Promises most be so imbraced as they are generally proposed to us in the holy Scriptures and the will of God which we have expresly revealed in Gods word is to be followed by us in our actions Atque hi quidem sunt Ecclesiae Anglicanae de Gratia Iustificatione Articuli convenientes utique cum aliarum Ecclesiarum praesertim Ecclesiae Scoticanae doctrina â—ti ex hujus Confessione Art III. VIII XII XIII manifestum est THE LIFE OF JUSTIFICATION Through faith cleared from Gal. 3 11. For the Iust shall live by faith CHAPT I. The Introduction the text the ground of this following discourse opened-up THe Doctrine of Iustification cannot but be acknowledged by all whose thoughts are taken up about an interest in everlasting felicity to be of great concernment debates or Controversies about the same cannot be esteemed vaine fruitless Digladiations Disputes about a thing of naught seing in this lyeth the Ground of all our Hop peace Eternal Salvation a Mistake or Errour as to the Theorie in this matter followed with an answerable corresponding practice I meane as to what toucheth the heart Substance of this Divine Mystery may yea must of necessity prove not only dangerous to Souls but even inevitably destructive Wherefore it cannot be justly accounted blame worthy that Churches particular persons who woule be faithful so accounted unto the grand-interests of Souls contend with alle earnestness for the faith once delivered to the Saints in this particular this being the true Basis of all Religion of Christianity without which there can be no access to nor Communion with God No peace with God nor true peace in owr own Consciences no life of Comfort here nor true hope of Salvation for ever here after No change of State nor saving change of liâ—e conversation in a word no life of Grace here nor of Glory hereafter And what then must follow upon the corrupting of this Truth upon Erroneous Apprehensions practices herein is aboundantly obvious to all such as have not sinned away all sense consideration in these matters Wherefore it is no wonder that Satan hath in all ages laboured by one Instrument or other upon one occasion or other and under one pretext or other to corrupt the pure streames of this wholesome Fountaine of Truth in one Measure or other in one particular or other that by such Mediums Arguments as he knew would be most taking seem most plausible at these Several times upon these Several occasions What way how far the corruption of this Truth was advanced in the Antichristian Church is yet known what ground their errour in this gave un to such as began to be enlightened in the knowledge of the Truth to separate from them to appear against them is manifest and what Effaies the Devil made about the beginning of Reformation or shortly after to darken this Truth by Questions Disputes even among such as hold the Truth fast as to the maine and what since by Several New Opinions or new Modes and Methods as they were called and given out to be vented and improven by Several Artifices to seeming different Ends he hath effectuated to the hardening of some in their Misapprehensions to the Corrupting of the Hearts Mindes of others and also the Staggering and Shaking of not a few may be called to minde with grief and sorrow Not to mention the bold attempt made by Socinians to overturne the whole Grounds of Christian Religion and to take away at once all the pillars of Gospel-justification The devil began early in the breaking up of the clear day of Christianity to darken this
to be considered afterward But what is this Faith It is a Faith saith he that hath Repentance Regeneration sincere Obedience in a holy life for its inseparable effects Then 1 this Faith is not fruite of Regeneration because Regeneration is an effect of it 2 Then upon a mans sincere Beleeving he cannot be said to have passed from death to life be freed from Condemnation nay not untill all the effects of faith be produced And this he expresseth more clearly within a line or two calling Regeneration new obedience parts of the Condition thus making men able to Regenerat themselves with some help of the Spirit according to his former doctrine Passing his inveighing pag. 134. forward against the orthodox doctrine concerning Justification by faith alone and loading it with Socinian reproaches wherein he bewrayeth more acquaintance with Popish Socinian Arminian Principles Consequences than with the Gosp. I doctrine either in Theorie or practâ—ce I proceed to examine his grounds which he laieth down Chap. 7. pag. 140 141. and prosecuteth to the end of that Chapter His grounds are Ten in number The first is That works of Evangelical obedience are never in Scripture opposed to God's grace in reference to Iustification Salvation Ans. 1 Here we have the fundamental errour of his whole discourse hinted to us when he putteth Justification Salvation together making all that is antecedently required unto Salvation to be also antecedently required unto Justification or he must acknowledge no justification untill Salvation come 2 A perfect contradiction to this ground of his we have Ephes. 2 8 9 10. for by grace are ye saved through faith not of works lest any man should boast for we are his workmanshipe created in Christ Iesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Here grace is opposed to works to good works unto which we are created in Christ Jesus in which we are to walk and that in reference to the Salvation that is in justification The man was so wise for his own unhallowed ends as never once to take notice of this place He cannot but grant that Works Grace are opposed to other but he giveth us a very sceptick evasion telling us that then by works we are to understand either works antecedent to conversion or as they are denyed I think he would have said deemed or some such thing to merite at the hands of God or the works of the Law of Moses as erroneously contended for by the jewes or the works of the Law as Typical as opposed to things typified or the works of the Law as the Law is in its rigour opposed to the milder oeconomie of the Gospel And yet all this will not helpe the matter for Paul tels us that even Abraham was not justified by his works but by faith in opposition to works Rom. 4 1 2 3. And Abraham's works here excluded from Justification can be reduced to none of these heads of works here mentioned They were not works antecedent to Conversion for in opposition to these it is said his Faith was reckoned unto him for Righteousness long after his Conversion Nor did the holy father dreame of any merite in his works nor were these the works of the Law in any of the senses mentioned for Faith was reckoned to Abraham for Righteousness even when he was in uncircumcision Rom. 4 9 10 11. c. He taketh notice of Tit. 3 5. not by works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he sâ—ved us but giveth us p. 143. this glosse This change of their condition was not effected or so much as begun among them by any reformation of their own till the Gospel came to work it which is meant by the appearing of the kindness Love of God vers 4. is of like import with Ch. 2 11 12. Ans. By what either Law or Reason he restraineth that appearing of the kindness Love of God mentioned vers 4. to the Gospel I know not 2 And though the Gospel were here understood that would not help the matter for the Text saith that after this did appear he saved them that is Justified in the first place as we see vers 7. according to his mercy not by work of Righteousness 3 These works are called works of Righteousness But no works of their own before Conversion can be so called can the works of such as are foolish disobedient deceived serving diverse lasts pleasures living in malice envie hateful hating one another be called works of Righteousness and yet such were these before the kindness Love of God reached them as vers 3. showeth He thinks the same answere may be given to 2. Tim. 1 9. And so we think the same reply may suffice His 2. ground is p. 114. That Paul in speaking agaist Iustification by works giveth sufficient caution not to be understood thereby to speak against Evangelick obedience in the case That is not to speak against justification by Evangelick works which were to say he took much paines for nothing for if he had but said that the Ceremonial Law was abrogate he had sufficiently confuted justification by the Ceremonies if that had been all the Law he meaned But how proveth this man what he here alledgeth He adduceth Rom. 3 31. But I wonder how did the Apostle by his doctrine establish the Ceremonial Law In the Spirit of it saith he in as much as in preaching Iustification in the Gospel way he preached in plaine precepts the necessity of that spiritual purity unto Salvation which was but darkly taught by the Ceremonial Law Ans. 1 Then this man supposeth that he is establishing the Ceremonial Law by his doctrine in this book for he thinks that therein he is preaching up Justification in the Gospel way 2 Neither did the Ceremonial Law more darkly nor doth the Gospel in more plaine termes preach the necessity of spiritual purity as the Condition of Justification So that this Author beggeth what he cannot prove 3 But that this is the Moral Law hath been frequently shown above as also it hath been shown how what way it was established by the doctrine of justâ—fication without works so that we need not regaird his saying that by the doctrine of justification by faith they established the moral Law both in the letter Spirit of it in teaching the necessity of Evangelical obedience to it after a more spiritual forcible manner than had been taught before For this saith nothing for their pleading for obedience to this Law as a Condition of Justification which is the thing he should have said And if he know not how Justification without the works of the moral Law can consist with necessity of Obedience to the Moral Law upon Gospel grounds he is ignorant of the Gospel and hath been more educate in Socinus his School than in the orthodox Church He citeth to the
4 When he saith that to be justified constitutively is nothing else but to be made such as are personally themselves just he speaketh very indistinctly not only as confounding being made just being justified as if they were formally the same but also as not giving us to understand what he meaneth by these words personally thâ—mselves just Hereby he would seem to say that only by something inherent in our persons we are constituted Righteous are justified and not by any thing imputed to us And if so the ground of all Anti-evangelick boasting glorying in ourselves is laid 5 Pardon of sin as such is neither a making a just nor a justifying and the same we say of Right to Christ to Glory 6 Christ's Righteousness according to Mr. Baxter can not be called the meritorious cause of our pardon justification Right to Glory c. because it is only made by him the meritorious cause of the New Covenant wherein pardon Right to Christ to Glory are promised upon New Conditions so is made the meritorious Cause of the connection betwixt the performance of these New Conditions the obtaining of Pardon that Right so that by vertue of Christ's Merites these New Conditions are made the proper immediat meritorious cause ex pacto of these favours And by this way Man can not but boast glory in himself immediatly and give Christ only some remote far-off thanks for procuring the New termes 7 Christ's Righteousness cannot be called our Material Righteousness any other way than as it hath purchased the New Covenant according to Mr. Baxter this being equally for all Christ's Righteousness shall be the Material Righteousness of the Reprobat as well as of Beleevers And how can that be called ours which is not ours nor our own nor are we by it made personally just ourselves as he spoke before 8 According to this doctrine Christ Righteousness meriteth to us another Righteousness which is our own on ourselves by this we are formally justified that is according to what went before to what followeth we are formally justified by our own personal inherent holiness for of this he is speaking only and yet that which he here mentioneth as the Righteousness which formally justifieth us is said to be pardon of sin a Right to Christ to Glory which formally is no Righteousness at all nor no where so called in Scripture is but a consequent of that which elsewhere he calleth our Gospel Righteousness and the Condition of Justification He goeth on n. 182. He that is no cause of any good work is no Christian but a damnable wretch worfe than any wicked man I know in the world And he that is a cause of it must not be denyed falsly to be a cause of it Nor a Saint denied to be a Saint upon a false pretence of self-denyal Ans. Of such a cause of any good work he knoweth the objection speaketh that should have the glory praise thereof and of good works as the ground formal Cause of justification which these against whom Mr. Baxter here disputeth do deny But we may see here what Mr. Baxter accounteth good works even such as the most damnable wretch and possiblie the devil himself may do that is a work materially good though far different from the good works described to us in Scripture And thus the Justification upon good works which Mr. Baxter here meaneth must be a Justification that all Heathens damnable wretches yea devils themselves are capable of But this is not the justification we speak of of which who ever are partakers shall be glorified Rom. 8 30. We say nothing that giveth him ground to think that our thoughts are that a Saint should be denyed to be a Saint upon pretence of Self-denyal Only we say that such as are Saints indeed will be loth to rob God of his glory or take any of that to themselves which is due to him alone in so far as they act as Saints And they should not because Saints glory boast as if their justification before God were by their Sanctity good works not of meer grace through the imputation of the Surety-Righteousness of Christ. One thing I would ask Doth Mr. Baxter think that Christ's Righteousness hath merited that justification which those damnable wretches devils may partake of by any good work which they do himself told us in the foregoing n. 81. that all Righteousnuss which formally iustifieth is our own that to be made just to be justified are the same or equipollent and to be Justified constitutively is nothing else then to be made such as are personally themselves just Now when devils damnable wretches may be the causes of some good work that good work cannot but formally justifie them and they thereby become constitutively justified I would enquire whether this Justification be purchased by Christ or not And againe I would enquire whether this Justification be accompanied with pardon of sin with Right to Christ to glory or not If not how can it be called a justification if it be not a justification how can they be hereby formally justified constitutively justified He tels us next n. 183 As God is seen here in the glass of his works so he is to be loved praised as so appearing This is say I good reasonable What then Therefore saith he he that dishonoureth his work dishonoureth God hindereth his due love and praise This consequence I grant is good but what is it to the point in hand And his most lovely honourable work saith he on earth is his holy image on his Saints as Christ will come to be admired glorified in them at last so God must be seen glorified in them here in some degree Neither say I is any thing of this to the purpose in hand He addeth And to deny the glory of his image is the malignants way of injuring him that in which the worst will serve you And what then He that will praise God saith he further as Creator Redeemer must praise his works of Creation Redemption And is it the way of praising him as our Sanctifier to dispraise his work of Sanctification Ans. What maketh all this to the purpose Must all such be guilty of this malignant wickedness who tell men that no part of their Righteousness is in themselves by which they are to be justified but that it is all in Christ only or that say that God must have all the glory of what good action they do This is hard that either we must be wicked Malignants or Sacrilegious robbers of God of the Glory due unto him But I see no connexion and Mr. Baxter hath not yet demonstrated the same He must then prove the Consequence of this argueing He addeth n. 184. Those poor sinners of my acquantance who lived in the grossest sins against
within it or because of one work of righteouness done by it so glory in it self not in the Lord for though it were granted that faith were the gift 〈◊〉 God yet that would not sufficiently keep down pride seing such as plead for justification by good works will also grant that these good works come from the Grace of God are wrought by the Spirit yet such a justification would lay a foundation of boasting of glorying before men some would have more ground of boasting than others because of their stronger faith And justification by this way would as well be opposite to justification through Christ His Imputed righteousness by Grace as justification by good works for faith here would not be considered as bringing-in laying hold on a Righteousness without the Righteousness of Christ imputed but as a commanded duty as a piece of obedience to the Law would as well make the reward of debt ex congruo ex pacto as if justification were by works 8. It is of the same Nature to say That Paul excludeth the works of the Law but not the works of the Gospel for the same ground of pride boasting glorying should be laid that would be laid by pleading for the works of the Law because these are still works of righteousness which we do so opposite in this matter unto mercy Tit. 3 5. And Paul to exclude all boasting glorying before Men opposeth faith not considered in it Self but as laying hold on the Righteousness of Christ as carrying the Man out of himself to Christ for Righteousness unto works not Gospel-works unto works of the Law And sure we cannot say that none of Abraham's works were Gospel-works or works required in the New Covenant seing even then he was a beleever when the object of his faith or that which he laid hold on by faith in the Gospel which was preached unto him was said to be imputed unto him for righteousness And is it not plaine that if justification were upon the account of Gospel works that God should not then be said to justifie the ungodly seing he who is clothed with a Gospel righteousness cannot be called or accounted an ungodly person And yet faith looks out unto laith hold upon a God that justifieth the ungodly Rom. 4 5. In a word the asserting of this would be the same upon the matter with asserting of justification by the works of the Law for what ever is required in the Gospel is injoined by the Law so is an act of obedience to the Law which is our perfect Rule of Righteousness all our obedience must be in conformity thereunto 9. It must also be accounted dangerous for puffing-up of Self to say That we are justified by our Inherent Righteousness for then the Man could not say that all his righteousnesses were as filthy rags Esai 64 6. Nor could that be true which is Psal. 143 3. for in they sight no man living should be justified to wit if God should enter into Iudgment with him Why should Iob have abhorred himself Chap. 42 6. if he had a righteousness within him had been justified by the Lord upon the account of that inherent righteousness And had not Paul as good ground as any to assert his justification by his personal inherent holiness righteousness Yet we hear of no such thing out of his mouth but on the contrary his accounting all things but less dung that he might gaine Christ be found in His Righteousness hath a far different import How proud might man be if he had it to say that he was justified in the sight of God by works of Righteousness which he had done or by his own inherent righteousness 10. Nor will it much help the matter to say That this Inherent Righteousness is not the price laid down but onely the Condition or Causa sine qua non or the like for still man would hereby have some thing to be proud of to glory of before men because he would have it to say that his own Inherent Holiness was as well the ground of his justification the Condition thereof as Adam's obedience would have been the ground of his justification And who knoweth not that Self can wax proud be puffed up upon a smaller occasion than is this And is it not strange that Paul never once made mention of this distinction Shall we think that Paul denied Abraham to have been justified by works because Abraham looked upon them as the meritorious cause not as the Condition only of his justification or that Abraham indeed did so or that Paul included them as the condition of his justification when he said he desired not to be found in his own Righteousness meaning not his own righteousness as a price or as the Meritorious cause of his acceptance Why should David have spoken so absolutely said Psal. 143 2. enter not into judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified seing even though God should enter into judgment with His servants they should be justified as having fulfilled the condition And why should he have said Psal. 130 3. If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities ô Lord who shall stand seing though the Lord should mark iniquities yet where the Person hath fulfilled the Condition hath a Personal Inherent Righteousness to hold up as the fulfilling of the condition required he is in case to stand in judgment to plead for his justification absolution upon the account of his performing all the condition required And would not vaine man have great ground of boasting here 11. Neither yet will it prevent this boasting to say That this Inherent Righteousness is but a Subordinat Righteousness whereby we have right unto the Merites of Christ which are the Principal Righteousness answering the demandes of the Law for if man have any thing in himself that can be called a Righteousness though but a Subordinat Righteouness yet such a Righteousness as giveth right ground to justification though that justification be also called only a subordinat justification conforme to the New Covenant the Condition thereof he will soon boast account his justification not of free grace but of due debt conforme to the covenant And though this be called only a Subordinat Righteousness yet proud Self will account it the Principal because upon it dependeth all his justification for thereby not onely hath he a right unto Christ's Merites but unto justification it self this being called the proper condition of the New Covenant wherein justification Adoption c. are promised as they say upon this condition And will not proud Man see that he hath a price in his hand a complâ—â—â— Righteousness conforme to the Covenant to presente unto God where-upon to seek expect the reward of debt according to the covenant And so much the rather should we abstaine from
first to convince them of their Sin and Misery by setting home the Law wekening their Consciences as Paul doth Doctrinally follow this method when he is about to cleare-up explaine the truth about Gospel-justification in his Epistle to the Romans where in the first place he convinceth all of Sin both jewes Gentiles Chap. 1. 2. 3. concluding vers 23. That all have sinned come short of the glory of God vers 9. he giveth an account of his foregoing Discourse saying we have before proved both jewes Gentiles that they are all under sin And againe vers 19. that every mouth may be stopped all the world may become guilty before God Now this work of Conviction layeth the sinner low before God for thereby the Man is discovered to himself to be undone in himself to be under Sin Wrath under the Sentence of the Law having his mouth stopped having nothing to plead for himself neither by way of Extenuation nor of Apology having nothing in himself wherewith he can come before the Lord to make Atonement for his Transgressions to make Satisfaction to justice And thus the man is made to despare in himself as being irremediably gone undone if free grace prevent him not II. Whereupon the man is made to renounce all his former grounds of Hop Confidence all his former Duties good works civility Negative Holiness what else he placed his Confidence in formerly Yea all his Righteousnesses are as filthy rags accounted as loss dung So that he hath nothing within himself as a Righteousness that he can expect to be justified by before God but on the contrary he findeth himself under the Curse that what he thought before to be his Righteousness is now by the light of the Law the discovery he hath of his natural condition founde to be sin iniquity before God therefore to be so far from bringing any reliefe unto him that thereby his anxiety is made greater his case more desperat III. The way of Gospel-justification is so contrived the wakened man whom God is about to justifie is now convinced of it that Man must be abased for he is now made to see that he is empty poor hath nothing to commend him to God no Righteousness of his own to produce nothing within him or without him except the alone Righteousness of Christ the Mediator Cautioner that can stand him in stead Nothing of his own must here come in reckoning neither alone nor in conjunction with the Righteousness of Christ for what is of Grace must not be of works otherwise Grace is no more Grace Rom. 11 6. Christ must have all the glory he who glorieth must glory alone in the Lord. And therefore is Christ made Righteousness unto us 2. Cor. 1 30. is become the Lord our Righteousness Ier. 23 6. And all His must say That in the Lord they have righteousness Esai 45 24. IV. Nothing that preceedeth faith no motions or workings of the Law no legal Repentance the like have any infallible connexion with justification nor are they any congruous disposition thereunto or a Condition thereof there being no promise made that all such as are convinced awakened have some legal terrours works of the Law upon their Spirites shall certainely be justified experience proving that several who have had deep convictions Humiliations have with the dog returned to their vomite become afterward worse than ever doth also confirme this So that after the deepest legal Humiliations works of Terrour outward Changes the like Effects of the Law though when they are wrought by the Lord intending bringing about the Elect sinner's Conversion justification they have this kindly work upon the heart to cause the Soul more readily willingly listen to the offers of Salvation Mercy in the Gospel to submit to the termes Method which God hath in His great wisdom mercy condescended unto as to the actual Conferring bestowing of the blessings purchased by Christ for His own chosen ones justification is an Act purely of God's free Grace undeserved of them on any account an act of His meer mercy Love So that they are justified freely by His grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Rom. 3 24. V. Unto this justification their good Works are not required upon what somever account for good works must follow justification not preceed it They must be first accepted through Christ before their works of holiness can be accepted The whole Gospel doth most plainely exclude works of the Law under whatsoever Notion Qualification or Restriction as we manifested above shall more manifest hereafter Yea all works upon what somever account are excluded as opposite to justification by faith through Jesus Christ. The man who had no more to say but God be merciful to me a sinner went home justified when he who said God I thank thee I am not as other men nor as this Publican c. did miss that Privilege Paul hath so directly plentifully proved that no man is justified by works that we need say no more of it and therefore in this matter of justification man hath no ground of boasting but must glory in the Lord alone VI. As without a Righteousness no man can be justified before God because His judgment is alwayes according to truth He will pronunce no man Righteous who is not so or who hath no Righteousness And as no man hath a Righteousness of his own in himself that will abide the trial of God's judgment for if He should enter into judgment with any that liveth they should not be able to stand before His judgment seat be justified but all who are justified are in themselves ungodly void of all Righteousness that can ground a sentence of absolution from the Condemnation of the Law So it is the Righteousness of Christ as Mediator Cautioner which is to them the only ground of their absolution justification this Surety-Righteousness of Christ is imputed to them by God they are clothed therewith being considered as clothed there with are pronounced Righteous by the Lord the righteous judge dealt with as such So that all the Righteousness which is the ground of their absolution from the Condemnation of the Law is without them in another who was appointed their Cautioner therefore all appearance of any ground of boasting in themselves is quite taken away by the Law of faith Rom. 3 27. the reward is now wholly of grace not of debt Rom. 4 4. VII Though faith faith only be required of us in order to our having Interest in Christ His Righteousness to justification therethrough Yet this leaveth no ground of boasting unto man or of glorying in himself for it is in it self a plaine solemne Declaration of the Beleevers Sense
the score of Beleevers as if he had recalled the former pardon granted for he remembereth their sin no more Ier. 31 34. Heb. 8 12. 10 17. And for future sins by vertue of their State they have access to seek for pardon and have ground 3 The Righteousness of Christ which is a perfect Righteousness is fully and perfectly communicated and imputed so as thereby they become the Righteousness of God in Christ 2. Cor. 5. last He is their whole Righteousness in order to Iustification and wholly their Righteousness as made of God Righteousness unto them Ier. 23 6 1. Cor. 1 30. And with this Righteousness they are wholly perfectly covered to expect it as found hid there Phil. 3 9. are made Righteous Rom. 5 19. 10 4. 4 They are now wholly Reconciled unto God and have Peace with Him and not by halfes or in some certain respects only as if in other respects they were still Enemies or in a state of Enmity Being justified by faith they have Peace with God Rom. 5 1. once they were enemies but now they are reconciled vers 10. by Christ they have now received the Atonement vers 11. once alienated enemies in their mindes by wicked works but now reconciled Col. 1 21. once a far off but now made neer Ephes. 2 13. the enmity being staine vers 16. No more strangers or forreigners now but fellow citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God vers 19. Then is the Lord pacified toward them for all that they have done Ezek. 16 63. 5 They are compleetly translated into a new Covenant state not halfe the children of Saran and half the children of God not halfe in Nature and halfe in the state of Grace not half translated halfe not Ephes. 2 13 19. Col. 1 21. not halfe quickened with Christ and halfe not Ephes. 2 5. They are not now halfe without Christ or aliens from the common wealth of Israel or strangers from the Covenants of promise c. Ephes. 2 12. There is a perfect change as to their state 1. Cor. 6 11. 6 They are secured as to final Condemnation There is no condemnation for them Rom. 8 1. being beleevers they shall not perish but have eternal life Ioh. 3 15 16. He that beleeveth is not condemned vers 18. See also Ioh. 3 36. 6 47. They are passed from death unto life Ioh. 5 24. 1. Ioh. 3 14. being discharged of all guilt of eternal punishment which formerly they deserved by their sinnes And all this holdeth good notwithstanding of their after sins which as we shall shew do not annull or make any such breach upon their state of Justification It is true these sins must also be Pardoned will be Pardoned but yet when they are pardoned their Justification as to their state is not hereby more perfected as to these respects formerly mentioned It holdeth good also notwithstanding of what shall be at the great day for that will put no man in a new Justified state who was not Reconciled to God before It is true there will be many additions as to the Solemnitie Declaration Consequences Effects thereof in that day but not withstanding hereof the state of Justification here as to what respecteth its grounds the essential change it maketh together with the Right that beleevers have thereby unto all that in that day they shall be put in possession of is perfect may be said so to be Propos. 7 By what is said it is manifest how in what respects this life of Iustification differeth from the life of Sanctification 1 Sanctification maketh a real Physical change Iustification maketh a Relative change And thereby they come to have a new State or Relation unto the Law unto God the judge 2 Sanctification is continueing work wherein beleevers are more more built up daily Iustification is an act of God or a juridcial sentence Absolving a sinner pronunceing him free of the charge brought in against him and not liable to the penalty 3 Sanctification is a groÌ„wing and increasing work admitteth of many degrees is usually weak and small at the beginning Iustification doth not grow neither doth it admit of degrees but is full compleet adequate unto all ends here 4 Sanctification is ever growing here and never cometh to full Perfection before death Justification is perfect adequate unto all ends as we shewed 5 Sanctification is not alike in all but some are more some are less sanctified But Iustification is equal in all none being more justified then others 6 Some measures degrees of Sanctification which have been attained may be lost againe But nothing of Iustification can really be lost for we are not here speaking of the sense and feeling of Justification which frequently may be lost but of Justification it self 7 Sanctification is a progressive work Iustification is instantaneous as was shown 8. Sanctification respecteth the Being Power Dominion of â—in in the beleever and killeth subdueth and mortifieth it Iustification respecteth its guilt demerite taketh away guilt and the obligation to punishment or obnoxiousness to the paying of the penalty 9 In justification a man is accepted upon the account of the Righteousness of Christ imputed to him and received by Faith But in Sanctification grace is infused and the Spirit given to perfecte holiness in the fear of God 10 In Iustification there is a right had unto life and unto the rich recompence of reward upon the account of the Righteousness of Christ imputed whence they are said to have passed from death to life But in Sanctification they are made meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light 11 Unto Iustification nothing is required but faith in Christ whereby the soul may become united to Him have a right to his benefites But unto Sanctification all the graces of the Spirit are requisite and all the exercises of the same all diligence is required and an adding of Vertue to Faith of Knowledge to Vertue of Temperance to Knowledge of Patience to Temperance of Godliness to Patience of Brotherly kindness to Godliness of Charity to Brotherly kindness 2 Pet. 1 5 6 7. Propos. 8 Hence it followeth also thar there is no ground to assert a first a second Justification as Papists do meaning by the first an Infusion of an inward Principle or Habite of Grace which is no Justification nor part thereof but the beginning of Sanctification and by the Second another Justification which with them is an Effect or Consequent of the former having good work which flow from the foresaid infused principle of grace love for its proper formal cause This Justification they say is by works where as the former is by faith and yet this second they make to be an Incrementum an increase of the first and for this they say the church prayeth when she saith Lord increase our saith hope
Salvation But the meaning of the Assembly is plaine enough against that which is the opinion of Socinians Arminians as the words of the Answer to quest 73. of the larger Catech. make manifest where it is said in answere to that Question How doth faith justifie a sinner in the sight of God Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God not because of these other graces which do alwayes accompany it or of good works that are the fruit of it nor aâ— if the grace of faith or any act thereof were imputed to him for his justification this is confirmed from Rom. 4 5. comp with Rom. 10 10. but only as it is an instrument by which he receiveth applyeth Christ his Righteousness And in the Confess of Faith Ch. 11. f. 1. nor by imputing faith it self the act of beleeving nor any other evangelical obedience to them as their Righteousness Nor is this a determining of a point expresly against the words of God as he supposeth for it is not the bare words as Hereticks interpret them that is the minde of God but the true sense meaning of his words And in Confessions Catechismes I judge that matters should be made plaine and that it were not plaine ingenuous dealing to set down the truth in these expressions that hereticks can subscribe unto when it is known they have an exposition of these words contrary to truth It seemeth that Mr. Baxter will not say in the explication of the Sacrament of the Lords supper that the bread is not changed into the body of Christ lest he seem to contradict expresse Scripture which saith that Christ said of the bread this is my body But now as to the matter I assert with our Confess Catechis and with all the orthodox against Socinians Arminians That faith considered as our act of obedience is not that which is accounted our Righteousness in order to Justification nor that which is properly imputed to us for that end Nor is that the meaning of the Apostle Rom. 4. And of this I give these reasons 1. The Apostle in his whole Disput about Justification opposeth Faith Works as inconsistent with yea as repugnant to other as is notoure But this could not be if Faith as our act of obedience were imputed to us as our Righteousness for faith as our act of obedience is a work and a work commanded by the Law of God otherwayes it should be unlawful or a work of supererogation The meaning then of the Apostles Conclusion Rom. 3 28. should be this a man is justified by one dead of the Law without all works or deeds of the Law which were a contradiction And it is certaine that when the Apostle excludeth the works of the Law he excludeth their from being looked upon as our Imputed Righteousness for Adversaries did plead for their interest in justification as a Righteousness to be imputed to the doers where upon they might be justified if then faith as our work were imputed as our Righteousness Pauls disput should be whether all works should be imputed for Righteousness or one work of faith only Nor can it be said that by the Law here the Apostle understandeth only the Law of Moses as such for he is speaking this even of the Gentiles who never were under the Law of Moses and instanceth Chap. 4 in Abraham who was justified long before the Law of Moses as such had a being And he is speaking of the Law by which is the knowledge of sin Rom. 3 20. which worketh wrath Rom. 4 15. which cannot agree to the Law of Moses only 2. By asserting that Faith properly taken is accounted our Righteousness the whole scope all the Arguments which the Apostle useth in this matter should be enervated and contradicted as a very light view of them might make manifest and the following Arguments will evince 3. Faith considered as our act of obedience and as a work of ours is not that Righteousness of God without the Law which is witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Nor is it that Righteousness of God which is by the Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that beleeve Rom. 3 21 22. Neither Law nor Prophets did bear witness that faith as our act work was accounted all the Righteousness that was to be imputed to the beleever Nor said that our act of faith was the Righteousness of God without the works of the Law Nor is it imaginable how faith can be that Righteousness of God which by Faith is imputed unto all and put upon all that beleeve Shall we think that the Apostles words have but this sense That faith is unto upon them that have faith or that faith is imputed by faith Sure the Apostles words must be so understood as to import that the beleever hath by his faith something imputed to him which is distinct from faith as is obvious 4. If faith as our work were imputed as Righteousness how could the Righteousness of God be declared in the justification of sinners God be just when he was the justifier of him which beleeveth in Jesus as the Apostle saith Rom. 3 26 Is our Beleeving such a perfect compleat Righteousness that God cannot but account us Righteous because of it so justifie us as Righteous upon the account of it Is it not sick of the same discemper of weakness with other graces 5. If Faith as our act work were imputed to us as our Righteousness how should boasting be excluded all occasion of glorying though not before God before whom even Adam though he had continued in his state of innocency unto the end could not have gloried yet before Men taken away as it is in the matter of justification Rom. 3 27. 4 2. The Law of works will not exclude boaâ—ing faith as our work belongeth to the Law of works and if we were justified by Faith as our imputed Righteousness we should certainly have ground of glorying before Men as well as Adam should have had if he had stood in his integrity obtained the crown by his doing 6. If Faith as our work were imputed to us for our Righteousness Justification the reward should not be of grace but of debt as the Apostle expresly affirmeth Rom. 4 4 5. Now to him that worketh he who beleeveth in this which he now opposeth worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt but to him that worketh not but beleeveth beleeving then here is opposite to working therefore cannot be considered as a work of obedience in us but as carrying us out of our selves to seek lay hold on the Righteousness of Christ without us on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness that is the Righteousness of Christ which Faith laith hold on is counted for Righteousness 7. If Faith as our act of obedience were accounted our Righteousness
Righteousness by upon the account of which we might be justified Saith not the Apostle Rom. 4 4. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt inferring debt so merite from all works that we do whereby to patch up a Righteousness in order to Iustification He doth not distinguish betwixt works that are by way of merite other works but meaneth even such works as were performed by Abraham who was far from imagineing any merite is his works 3. And sure if any work be accounted meritorius in this case that must be so accounted which is made the whole of our Righteousness upon which we are justified is said to be the only Righteousness that is imputed to us for that end that we may be Justified Is not that beleeving made our Righteousness thereby declared to be no less meritorious than Adam's perfect Obedience would have been Argum. 3. That which maketh justification not to be of grace cannot stand with the truth of the Gospel But the imputation of Faith for Righteousness maketh Justification not to be of Grace He excepteth The Scripture still maketh a perfect consistency of free grace with the condition of saith Eph. 2 8. Rom. 3 24 25. Nay the work of beleeving is purposely required that the freeness of his grace might have place Rom. 4 16. How can a gift be conceived to be more freely given than when nothing more is required than that it be received now beleeving is nothing else but a receiving of that righteousness or justification which God giveth in with his Son Iesus Christ Iob. 1 12. Ans. Here are good words but nothing to loose the argument for Faith receiving a Righteousness or the gift of Righteousness or the Atonement or Christ his Righteousness is but the instrument as it were of the soul laying hold on in law presenting to speak so the fidejussorie-righteousness of the Surety Christ as the Righteousness upon the account of which for which alone he is to be justified But beleeving considered in it self as our work made to be our Righteousness all our Righteousness said to be imputed for our Righteousness is not considered as a receiving of a gift of Righteousness which is distinct from Justification howbeit he confound them but really is made a price in our hand wherewith to purchase the gift of Justification the reckoning of this work to us which is our work as our Righteousness in order to justification maketh Justification not of grace but of debt as the Apostle argueth Rom. 4 4. maketh our Justification to be of works if it be of works it is no more of grace as the Apostle asserteth Rom. 11 6. The consideration of Faith as the act of the soul receiving laying hold upon a Righteousness or on Christ his Righteousness establisheth the Imputation of Christs Righteousness but the Imputation of Faith properly taken doth quite extrude it these two are made incompatible by our adversaries the one is asserted that the other may be denied for which there were no necessity if Faith were considered in the Scripture sense as it ought to be that is an Instrument laying hold on bringing in a Righteousness from without even the Surety-Righteousness of Christ. So that this exception if it be ingenuous must overthrow the Position maintained Arg. 4. That which ministereth occasion to the flesh of boasting in it self is not consonant to the tenor of the Gospel But the imputation of Faith for Righteousness doth minister occasion to the flesh of boasting Therefore c. He excepteth Suppose the act of beleeving which is so imputed for righteousness be a mans own work yet it is so by the meer gift of God Ephes. 2 8. Phil. 1 29. 1 Cor. 2 12. 3 6. and this cuttech off all groud of boasting 1. Cor. 4 7. Ans. 1 Though there be no true ground of boasting of that which is freely given yet the flesh can take occasion therefrom to boast as the Pharisee did Luk. 18. when yet he acknowledged all to be gives for he thanked God for what he was not for what he did so acknowledged all to be given and all to be given freely 2 The Apostle saith expresly that boasting is not excluded by the Law of works Rom. 3 27. and yet all works are given are not absolutely of from our selves 3 Saith not the Apostle expresly Rom. 4 2. If Abraham were justified by works he hath to glory And yet I hope Abraham did acknowledge that all these works of his were of grace of God's free gift and not absolutly every way his own 4 The works required in the old Covenant of works were not absolutely Adam's own but were in some sense also given of God yet by that way of Justification there had been ground of boasting 5 Though now there should be no ground of boasting before God as neither would there have been ground of boasting before him by the way of works for the Apostle addeth Rom. 4 2. but not before God yet there is ground laid for boasting before men when our Beleeving is made our Righteousness upon the account of which we are justified pronunced righteous in order to Absolution from what was brought in against us 6 Therefore is the way of Justification now so contrived that man should have ground or coloure of ground of boasting even before men for all that Righteousness which is required unto Justification as that Righteousness upon the account of which they are to be justified and by which only they are to be declared pronunced Righteous is not in them but in another and imputed unto them it is the Righteousness of Christ made over unto them of God's free grace received by Faith which receiving hand is also given so that the Righteousness upon which all are justified is one the same is a Righteousness without them therefore the flesh hath no seeming occasion of boasting in this matter He excepteth 2. Suppose the act of beleeving were from a mans self yet there were no cause of boasting because that weight of glory is not given to faith for any worth in it but by the most free gracious good pleasure of God If a King for taking a Pin of a Mans sleeve should raise his house make him honourable in the State were it not a ridiculous thing for such a man to brag of the Pin of his sleeve c. Ans. 1 Can we think that those against whom the Apostle disputed in this matter did think that there was worth excellency in all their works to merite the exceeding great eternal weight of glory did Abraham think so And yet though we cannot say that he thought so Paul not withstanding denieth that he was justified by his works 2 If the act of Beleeving were from a Mans self made all that Righteousness which he
Rom. 4 6 7 8. for David is there Psal. 32. speaking of himself long after he was first justified and yet his words saying blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven c. prove Justification by faith without the works of the Law which is the Apostles scope the end for which he adduceth this prove and we must not think that any of his probations are impertinent but this they could not prove if the â—ontinuance of justification were by works not by Faith only as is manifest for who can inferre that the beginning of Justification is by Faith alone from this that the continuance of justification is by works but when the Continuance of Justification is by Faith alone it followeth manifestly that the beginning of it must be by faith alone Yea it is hence also manifest that Pardon of sins committed after Justification is not had by works but by the imputation of Righteousness without works for saith Paul David describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without works And how did David describe this When he said blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven c. 6. Paul tels us Rom. 5 2. that as by Christ we have access by Faith into grace so in the same we stand rejoice in the hope of the glory of God Access into this grace must import the State of Justification as this is by Faith so is the standing abiding therein and consequently the continuance of Justification and there is no word of works here at all in this whole affaire 7. Paul likewise confirmeth this in his own Experience Gal. 2 20. where he tels us how and what way he lived unto God being dead to the Law to wit by the Faith of the Son of God and as this was true of the life of Sanctification so much more of the life of justification both as begun as continued for the whole life of a Christian now crucified with Christ living unto God is here spoke to And this is in opposition to the works of the Law as is cleare from vers 16. from the following vers 21. 8. The same is confirmed by the doctrine of the Apostle Ephes. 2 8 9 10. for by grace are ye saved through faith not of works lest any man should boast for we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them This Salvation taketh-in both the Beginning Continuance End of our life of Justification all this is by Faith alone expresly it is said not to be by works and that lest any man should boast which confirmeth our third argument these works are works of Gospel-obedience and he tels us of another end use of these than to be the Condition of the Continuance of our Justification even to be the way we should walk in according to the fore-ordination of God and carry as his workmanshipe created thereunto 9. We have the Apostles own practice againe set before us to cleare this matter Phil. 3 9. where he tels us what was his maine designe work not at first only when he was Justified but long thereafter to shew what was his constant designe should be to the end even labour to be found in Christ renuncing his own Righteousness and to seek to be hid under covered with that Righteousness which is through the faith of Christ which is of God by Faith So that as he beleeved in Jesus Christ that he might be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the works of the Law Gal. 2 16. So here he sheweth that he will continue in this exercise to the end 10. We may adde to these that passage of Paul Tit. 3 5 6 7. Not by works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us and this Salvation sure will take-in the Continuation of justification by the washing of regeneration renewing of the holy Ghest which he shed on us abundantly through Iesus Christ our Lord that being Iustified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life And when he willeth Titus in the following verse to affirme that they which have beleeved in God may be careful to maintaine good works as being good profitable unto men he addeth nothing of their being the Condition of the Continuance of our justification as sure he had a faire occasion to do if the matter were so but he had fully excluded them from all interest therein vers 5. We may adde to these a few Reasons 1. Is it not considerable in this point that Paul speaking so frequently disputing at such a length of justification clearing so many things about it Yet in all his discourses thereupon he never mentioneth this Condition to wit works of obedience of its continuance And which is also considerable though he oftentimes press to holiness useth many Arguments to that end Yet he never maketh mention of this place office it hath in about the Continuance of justification which sure is supposed by the Assertors to be a mighty argument unto the constant exercise of Holiness 2. We have proved above that justification at first is by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ received by faith and we have shown that Faith in Justification specially eyeth the Righteousness of Christ resteth thereupon If then our personal Obedience be brought in to be the Condition of the Continuance of Justification Christ's Righteousness is quite laid aside from having any Further interest therein and the Beleever is never after the first time to act faith upon the Righteousness of Christ and the reason is because works do not act so upon the Righteousness of Christ as Faith doth neither have they that capacity to do so But how absurd is it to think or say that the Beleever hath no more to do with Christ's Righteousness And how contrary is it to the fixed resolution of Paul Phil. 3 9. And how inconsistent with the whole scope of the Gospel which is the power of God unto Salvation to every one that beleeveth and wherein is the Righteousness of God revealad from faith to faith as it is written the just shall live by faith Rom. 1 16 17 If it be said That this cannot militate against such as take-in Faith with works I Ans. It will militate against such for works cannot act upon the Righteousness of Christ as faith doth therefore if faith works concurre as conditions in one the same manner Faith is not here considered as acting on the Righteousness of Christ but only as a work another moral vertue and so the Righteousness of Christ is quite excluded 3. Beleevers by Faith in Christ are compleatly justified as to their state have all their bygone iniquities pardoned and they are accepted as children in his Favour Ioh. 1 12 they are made
Pauli Iacobi c. printed An. 1620. But this opinion doth not correspond with truth as may be manifest from these particulars 1. If Paul disput only against Justification by Ceremonial Observances he had a far shorter cut to confute that conceite than the way he took to wit to tell them that shortly that Law with all its observances was to be laid aside no more to be observed by vertue of the Gospel Administration because the end of all these observances He who was typified thereby was come and had put an end to that dispensation But we finde not the Apostle making any use of this One Onely Argument which had sured that purpose but on the contrary he useth such Mediums Arguments as suite no less if not more other Lawes beside the Ceremonial 2. Yea before the writting of these Epistles wherein the Apostle did disput against Justification by the Law at least before he wrote that to the Galatians he had by his preaching practice opposed the observation of the Ceremonial Law as himself telleth us Gal. 2. And in that same Epistle Chap. 3. 4. he condemneth the observation of that Law in most peremptory termes as being no less than a falling from grace And yet when he is treating of Justification not by the works of the Law Chap. 3. he mentioneth not this ground which would have taken away the very subject of the debate Shall we think that the Apostle would have disproved Justification only by the works of the Ceremonial Law by such Arguments and Tipicks out of Scripture when he was within a little by forcible reasons to remove the very Law itself and condemne all observation thereof 3. It is strange that Paul in writting to the Gentils should deny Justification to be by the works of the Law meaning the Ceremonial Law only and Iames writting to the Jewes should cry up the observation of that Law and plead for justification thereby This would say that Jewes Gentiles were not both to be justified one way or that Iames Paul do clearly contradict other neither of which must be said That Iames speaketh of another Law than Paul speaketh of cannot be made good And therefore when our Adversaries will prove from Iames that we are justified by works their meaning is that we are justified by the Observation of the Ceremonial Law 4. The several things mentioned of this Law whereof the Apostle speaketh sheweth that he is not speaking of the Ceremonial Law only as 1 Rom. 3 19. It is a Law that stoppeth all mouthes whereby all the world becometh guilty before God But this is not the Ceremonial Law or the jewish or Moses Law under which the Gentiles were not nor yet are 2 Rom. 3 20. It is that Law by which is the knowledge of sin but this is not by the meer Ceremonial Law as we see Paul himself professing Rom. 7 7 3 Rom. 2 13. It is that Law the döers whereof shall be justified But this can not be asserted of the meer Ceremonial Law or of Moses's Law 4 Rom. 3 27. It is that Law which doth not exclude boasting but it cannot be said that the Law of Moses is only that Law 5 Rom. 3 31. It is that Law that is not made void through Faith But this is not the Ceremonial Law The Ceremonial Law is not established by Faith 6 Rom. 3 28. It is that Law justification by which is inconsistent with opposit to justification by Faith but this is not the Ceremonial Law only 7 Rom. 4 1 2. It is that Law by the works whereof Abraham was not justified But the Apostles argument from the Instance of Abraham had not been pertinent if no Law had here been understood but Moses's Law which was not in being in Abraham's dayes 8 Rom. 4 2. It is that Law works of obedience to it that would give ground to man of glorying But this is not true only of the Ceremonial Law 9 Rom. 4 4. It is that Law obedience to which is a working and maketh the reward of debt But this cannot be said only of the Ceremonial Law 10 Rom. 4 15. It is that Law that worketh wrath But other Lawes do this than the Ceremonial Law 11 Rom. 8 3 4. It is that Law that was weak through the flesh and the Righteousness of which was to be fulfilled in us but this cannot be applied to the Ceremonial Law only 12 Gal. 3 10. It is that Law◠of the works of which as many as are are under the Curse and of which it is said cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Law to do them But this agreeth not to the Ceremonial Law only 13 Gal. 3 12. It is that Law by the doing of which man should live But by perfect obedience to the Law of Moses alone life was not to be had 14 It is that Law that cursed all transgressours under the Curse whereof all thoselay for whom Christ died Gal. 3 13. But that is not the Ceremonial Law which laid no Curse upon the Gentiles 15 Ephes. 2 9 10. It is that Law that enjoineth those good works which God hath before ordained that we even Gentiles should walk in them But that is not the Ceremonial Law 16. It is that Law the works whereof are inconsistent with grace as the ground of Election Rom. 11 6. But this is not Ceremonial Law only else we must say that Election is for works of the Moral Law and yet is for grace 17 Phil. 3 9. It is that Law obedience to which can be called our Righteousness But this is not the Ceremonial Law only 5. If Paul's minde had been only to disput against Justification by Mosaical Observances after he had stated the question and proposed the Truth he was minded to confirme Rom. 1 17. to what purpose did he insist so much to shew how guilty the Gentiles were who were never under Moses's precepts and thereby clear what need they had of a justification by free grace through faith without the works of the Law This seemeth not to have a clear tendency unto the clearing of justification to be by Faith not by Mosaical Observances for what had the Gentiles to do with these 6. We finde like wise the Apostle to convince the Jewes themselves to be under sin in order to the necessity they had of being justified by faith holding forth their breaches of the Moral Law Rom. 2 21 22. and speaketh of a Law distinct from that to which Circumcision belonged saying vers 25. c. for Circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law but if thou be a breaker of the Law thy Circumcision is made uncircumcision And this Law is a Law that he by supposition saith one not circumcised might observe and so could not be the Law of Ceremonies See also Rom. 3 9 19. 7. The Arguments which the Apostle adduceth to disprove
those who are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped all the world become guilty before God Rom. 3 19. 8. The Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ is as much without the Law or the works of the Law done by Regenerat persons as without the Works of the Law done before Regeneration And justification by these works after Regeneration is as much inconsistent with justification by faith without the works of the Law as justification by the works of the Law done before regeneration as is manifest from the true sense of justification by faith 9. Paul excludeth all works of the Law from justification that giveth any ground of boasting and of glorying as we see Rom. 3 27. 4 2. But if justification were by works of the Law done after Faith Regeneration all boasting glorying should not be excluded Ephes. 2 9. Not of works lest any many should boast And what these works were the next Argument will shew 10. Even works are excluded unto which we are created which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Ephes. 2 8 9 10. for by grace are ye saved through Faith that not of yourselves it is the gift of God Not of works lest any man should boast for we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Now these works are works done after regeneration as is manifest 11. All works are excluded in this matter which make justification not be of mercy or of grace Rom. 3 24. Ephes. 2 8. Tit. 3 5 7. But this do works after Regeneration as well as before as Paul cleareth Ephes. 2 8 9 10. works grace cannot consist in being the ground of justification no more than in being the ground of Election Rom. 11 6. 12. Works done after regeneration belong to that Righteousness which is of the Law which Paul describeth Rom. 10 5. from Levit. 18 5. to be that the man which doth those things shall live in them But the Righteousness of the Law the Righteousness of Faith are opposite inconsistent as the Apostle cleareth there Rom. 10. 13. Works done after regeneration if made the ground of justification will made the reward of debt not of grace Rom. 4 4. as well as works done before regeneration for the Scripture holdeth forth no ground of difference in this matter 14. If works done by Faith and after Regeneration be admitted as the ground of justification God should not be said to justifie the ungodly for a Regenerat beleever working works of Righteousness is no where in Scripture called an ungodly man But the Scripture speaketh this expresly Rom. 4 5. 15. Paul tels us Rom. 4 16. that the promise was of Faith that it might be by 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 ut all Now this seed which is of the Faith of Abraham are beleevers or Regenerat persons And yet as to these the Law is excluded the works thereof because if they which are of the Law be heirs Faith is made void the promise made of none effect vers 14. 16. If Justification were by the works of the Law done after Regeneration we could not upon first beleeving be justified have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ nor could we rejoice in hope of the glory of God glory in tribulation c. And yet this the Apostle expresly affirmeth Rom. 5 1 2 3. c. If justification did depend upon our after works we could not as yet have peace reconciliation or assurance or joy c. because of the uncertainty of our obedience 17. If Paul had not excluded works done after Faith Regeneration from being the Cause ground of our justification what seeming ground or occasion had there been for that objection Rom. 6 1. What shall we say then Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound What ground could any have to say We are justified by our works done after Regeneration therefore we may continue in sin that grace may abound Any might see at first how ridiculous this was 18. And if we are justified by works done after Regeneration is it not strange that in all Paul's answers unto this objection he never once sayeth nor hinteth that by these works we shall be justified no other way and yet this had been the shortest clearest solution of the objection if it been according to the doctrine of justification delivered by Paul 19. The false Apostles who were corrupting the doctrine of the Gospel of Justification did not urge works done before Faith in the Gospel as the ground of justification for they were corrupting such as had already embraced the Gospel beleeved in Christ as is clear out of the Epistle to the Galatians Therefore when Paul is confuting their errour opposing himself unto them he must deny that we are justified by works done after Faith in Christ. 20. Justification by works done after regeneration is as opposite to faith to living the life of justification by faith as justification by works done before Regeneration for the Law is never of faith so reasoneth Paul Gal. 3. 11 12. But that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God it is evident For the just shall live by Faith And the Law is not of Faith 21. All the works of the Law are excluded But works wrought after beleeving after Regeneration are works of the Law being required thereby Psal. 119 35. Rom. 7 22. Therefore even these works are excluded 22. When the Apostle excludeth works from being causes of justification he must meane good works for no man was ever so mad as to imagine that he could be justified by bad works But no works can be called good works but such as flow from faith from the Spirit of grace granted in Regeneration Therefore while good works are excluded these done after Regeneration are excluded What is said by Bellarmine in confirmation of his sense of these works of the Law which are excluded from justification is abundantly answered by all that write against him therefore we need not take any notice thereof There is another Evasion found out by our Adversaries in this matter another glosse put upon these works By the works of the Law there shall no flesh be justified For some say that hereby the Apostle only excludeth those works that are perfect which were required by the Law in Innocency This Evasion granteth that the Law here spoken of is not the Ceremonial Law for that was not required in Innocency but the Moral Law The end why they invent this Evasion is not to exclude works in the matter of justification but to establish their own fancie
If this had been all which the Apostle had intended his saying with Christ. Luk. 17 10. So lilkewise ye when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you say we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do had sufficiently confuted that mistake But the long series of Arguments with their variety which the Apostle here useth manifestly declare there was some other thing in his eye and he levelled at some other mark even that which he plainly declareth in his repeated conclusions viz. That we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ without the works of the Law 10. Gospel Justification is of Grace And therefore is not of works Rom. 4 4. Ephes. 2 9 10. And the Apostle cleareth the consequence because all works have a ground of merite with them make the reward of debt give ground to the worker to boast to glory before men thought not before God for upon these grounds doth the Apostle reject all works in this affaire as we see Rom. 3 27. 4 2. Now to say that the Apostle rejecteth only such works as men conceite to be meritorious for their intrinsick worth not other works that merite only ex pacto is to destroy the Apostles Arguments to enervat all his discourse for even works meritorious ex congruo or ex pacto will give ground of boasting before men make the reward of debt as we know it would have been if Adam's Covenant had stood But whatever works lay the foundation of due debt they stand in opposition to the way of grace for grace debt are not compatible 11. If any were puffed up with this conceite of the meritoriousness of their works ex condigno it could be none beside the proud fantastick Pharisees nor is there any ground to suspect any other And if so why may we suppose would the Apostle state a needless controversie a controversie concerning all both Iewes Gentiles when none of the Gentiles and few if any of the Iewes were concerned therein And why may we enquire would the Apostle so laboriously prove both Iewes Gentiles to be guilty of sin and why doth he speak of them all without exception seing the question did only concerne a few a very few such as are never once named in all the dispute These things look not very probable like 12. Can we think that the Galatians who were seduced by false Teachers to adjoine to their Christianity the practice of some jewish Ceremonies were also carried away with this absurd Phancie that there was a meritoriousness ex condigno in all their works Though there be ground to imagine such a thing Yet we see the Apostle followeth the same disput against them that he did in writting to the Romans of which no reason could be assigned if this merite was all he disputed down 13. We finde it said of the Jewes Rom. 9 31. that they followed after the Law of Righteousness and yet by so doing did not attaine unto the Law of Righteousness because vers 32. it was not by Faith but as it were by the works of the Law Now neither were these works of the Law nor that Law of Righteousness which they were following after a meer irrational conceite groundless fancie of a merite in what they did or of an intrinsick worth meriting ex condigno the reward they expected But a groundless apprehension that their works themselves was the way of their attaining unto life therefore they followed that way of works would not take the way of faith but stumbled at that stumbling stone 14. Then according to this interpretation works performed without this conceite of merite must be God's Righteousness as works together with this conceite of merite must be our owne for these two are opposite Rom. 10 3. But there is no ground to imagine that our works performed without this fonde conceit of merite in them are the Righteousness for these are not Christ or his Righteousness And it is there added vers 4. for explication of the Righteousdess of God for Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that beleeveth 15. The Righteousness of the Law is that the man which doth these things shall live by them Rom. 10 5. Gal. 3 12. Levit. 18 5. So that this Righteousness consisteth in mans own doing and not in a meer irrational apprehension of a merite in what he doth So that it is not this groundless phancie that the Apostle is disputing against but this Righteousness which is of the Law because he is labouring to establish by his doctrine the Righteousness of Faith which is opposite to inconsistent with the Righteousness of the Law And this Righteousness of Faith is not our own personal Righteousness or obedience performed to the Law without this apprehension conceite of merite as is clear from vers 8 9 10 11. following from the whole Gospel 16. If this be all that the Apostle is disputing down to wit justification by works which we conceite to be meritorious not all justification hy works why did the Apostle adduce the Instance of Abraham insist so much upon it as he doth Rom. 4 Shall we think that Abraham that holy Patriarch friend of God did obey with any such conceite of intrinsick worth in his obedience Was he infected with that leaven of Pharisaical pride And if not where is the consequence of the Apostles argueing from his practice Is it a good consequence to say Abraham was not justified by works performed in sincerity without pharisaical pride conceite of merites therefore we cannot be justified by works which we conceite to have merite in them but by such works we can must be justified when we conceite no merite in them but a simple merite ex congruo or ex pacto The like may be said of David who had no conceite of merite in his works yet expected not to be justified by them but looked for free pardon for justification through imputed Righteousness Rom. 4 6 7 8. 17. If the Apostle had been establishing justification by works performed without such a fonde conceite of merite in them what ground was there for that objection which he preoccupieth Rom. 6 1. saying Shall we sin that grace may abound The urging of justification by works could give no shew or apparent ground for this Neither can any such purpose be in the least seen observed in all the answere at large prosecuted Chapters 6. 7. which is given hereunto There is not the least hint given of his rectifying of the misapprehensions that any might have about works as if they were or could be supposed to be meritorious ex condigno Nor is there the least ground of surmise laid down of their being meritorious of justification or of life eternal ex congruo or ex pacto but all things sound the contrary way life eternal is
the principles from which nor the ends to which our works proceed are intended There is as much need of a divine heart-searching knowledge to discerne the sincerity of works as of faith it self He may see that all this will make as much against Christ's saying Mat. 5 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works glorifie your Father which is in heaven And that Ioh. 13 35. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye love one another and that 1. Pet. 2 12. Having your Conversation honest among the Gentiles they may by your good works which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of Visitation Nor is it to the purpose to say that he was the justifier who was the imputer of Righteousness that is God for works of obedience may declare that God hath imputed Righteousness unto the person hath justified him and this is all we say that Abraham was in this sense justified by his works that he was declared to be justified indeed before God by his works Some were pleased to express their sense of Iames's words thus That Iames speaks of works as justifying our faith not as justifying our persons meaning only that the Apostle did not consider works here as the Cause or Condition of the persons being justified before God but as the effect evidence proving the mans faith to be sound saving and consequently the man thereby to have been justified which sense is the same with what we have given but Mr. Baxter saith it is as plaine as can be that it is the person not his Faith which is here said to be justified Ans. The person it is true is said here to be justified but not causatively but declaratively that is It is not said that by works his justification is effectuated but that it is declared that because it is hereby declared that the man is a true beleever thus his faith is manifested to be of the right kind which is all that was intended by that expression Yet Mr. Baxter will not say that works do effectually produce our justification for Faith doth not so But yet he will have both to justifie as Conditions or as parts of one Condition Only he addeth that they do not justifio as equal parts of the Condition for Faith is the principal but as the secondary less principal part of the Condition Ans. Yet Iames hinteth at no such thing but giveth the preference to works Yea excludeth the faith whereof he speaketh altogether from having any interest in justification as being nothing but a dead carcass a vaine fruitless unprofitable thing so hath no kind of causality or procurement in justification But he addeth as a reason 1. That when it is said we are justified by works the word by implieth more than an idle concomitanoy Ans. I shall easily grant this but withall say that this will not give unto works any causality in justification but only evince works to be an evidence of justification as the cause is said to be manifested by the effect He addeth 2. When the Apostle saith By works not by faith only he plainly makes them concomitant in procurement or in that kind of causality which they have Especially seing he saith not as he is commonly interpreted not by faith which is alone but by faith only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ans. Then hath fruitless dead faith which devils may have a kind of causality in justification which is expresly contrary to the scope all the reasonings of the Apostle And therefore the common interpretation must be admitted But he addeth 3. Therefore he saith that faith is dead being alone becaâ—se it is dead as to the use purpose of justifying This appears from his comparison in the former vers 16. that this is the death he speaks of so works make faith alive as to the attainment of its end of justification Ans. If it be thus how could he then say before that faith was the principal part of the Condition can that be the principal part of the Condition which is dead useless without the other must be quickened in order to its usefulness by the other I would think that other looked rather like the principal part and most considerable necessary seing this were but a dead Cypher without it But the truth is the Apostle as is said hath a far other designe sheweth that that faith which they pretended unto as sufficient to ground their conclâ—sion of their justification hope of Salvation was no true saving faith at all but a dead thing so no works could make it of any use as to justification because it behoved first to flow from another principle even from a principle of saving grace and then it would evidence prove itself to be of the right kind by good works that would flow from it But saith he When the Apostle saith that faith did work in with his works it clearly aimeth at such a working in with as maketh them conjunct in the work of justifying Ans. No such matter for the Apostle is only there shewing as the whole context cleareth that Abraham's faith was another sort of faith than that whereupon they relyed even a faith that did prompt to the most difficulte duties when the call of God came so did work in with his performances but not in order to justification for he was justified already many yeers before this He addeth And when he saith that Faith was made perfect with works it is not only a manifesting to be perfect But as the habite is perfected in its acts because they are the end to which it tendeth as marriage is perfected per congressum procreationem or any Covenant when its Conditions are performed Ans. The whole of the context sheweth that faith was perfected purely as to its manifestation as by the like expression is clear 2. Cor. 12 9. Col. 4 12. Mat. 5 48. Nay though It were granted that faith were perfected by works as the end to which it tendeth that would say nothing for the interest of faith in justification but in Salvation let is be granted that justification is perfected by faith without works as marriage is by consent without what he addeth we have what we desire That works are a Condition of entering into Covenant or of the Covenant in order to justification as required before justification is still denied He saith further elsewhere against Mr. Cartwright p. 212. That by works faith was made perfect as is hath naturam medii viz. conditionis to the continuation consummation of justification Ans. That the continuation of justification hath other media or Conditions than the beginning hath is not yet made apparent far less can any such thing be drewn from this passage to continuance the same the Apostles scope not being to speak to any such thing nor
THE LIFE OF JUSTIFICATION OPENED Or A Treatise grounded upon Gal. 2. 11. Wherein the Orthodox Doctrine of Justification by Faith Imputation of Christ's Righteousness is clearly expounded solidly confirmed learnedly vindicated from the various Objections of its Adversaries Whereunto are subjoined some Arguments against Universal Redemption By that Faithful and Learned Servant of Iesus Christ Mr. JOHN BROUN sometimes Minister of the Gospel at Wamfrey in Scotland JER 23. 6. In His dayes JUDAH shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is His name whereby He shall be called THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS Iustificatio est Articulus stantis cadentis Ecclesiae LUTH Printed in the Year M.DC.XCV THE PREFACE TO THE READER IT is the true wisdome of a Christian to understand aright and with a spiritual eye to discern the great difference between the Law and the Gospel the Covenant of Works and that of Grace the Legal and Euangelical Justification the ignorance whereof is the great Cause of most errours this day among professed Christians When our blessed Saviour came into the world he found flowing out of this bad fountain a multitude of Heresies in the Jewish Church deceived by the Pharisees blind Leaders of a blind People erecting establishing their our Righteousness before the throne of God And it is certain that our Lord Jesus Christ was rejected of the Jews because they could not believe their own unrighteousness miserie condemnation by the Law nor be made to seek in the Messiah his Sufferings Satisfaction the true expiation of sins and a compleat Righteousness sufficient to eternal happiness Certainly they understood not the promises of the Prophets especially that of Isaiah Chap. LIII neither looked they to the end of the Ceremonial oeconomie Law which was to be abolished 2 Cor. 3. 13. Of this Judaical errour we have a clear example in the Apostle Paul before his conversion a Pharisee by his great Masters well instructed in the letter of the Law For he looking upon himself and not understanding the nature of the Law in its Spiritual meaning was in his own eyes no sinner but a just man living and having a right to pretend a sentence of Justification before God upon the account of his works according to the Law But when it pleased God to reveal his Son to his soul he could count all things but lâ—ss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ and desire only to be found in him not having his own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith Phil. 3. 8 9. And so became a great example of all true Converts Believers his Conversion a Demonstration of this Euangelical Doctrine that no man is Justified by his works but by the Righteousness of Christ imputed by Faith received applyed No doubt Christian Reader but this doctrine is the whole scope of the same Apostle in his Epistles to the Romans Galatians For having proved both Jews and Gentiles to be all under sin supposing consequently that by the works of the Law no flesh shall be justified in the sight of God he sheweth that all elected sinners coming short of the glorie of God must be justified freely by his grace through the Redemption which is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be our Propitiation through faith in his blood so that all boasting may be excluded which cannot be if a man could be justified by his works Yea the Apostle Chap. 4. gives a Demonstration of this doctrine out of the examples of Abraham David to whom after conversion Righteousness is imputed sin pardoned by faith in the promise In his Epistle to the Galatians he likewise presseth this Doctrine against the heresie of judaizing Ministers who would have mingled the Law with the Gospel and rejects their sentence as another Gospel worthy to be Anathematized with every one who teacheth it though even an Angel from Heaven since he saith upon the matter that Christ is dead in vain as we see Chap. 1. 8 11. Chap. 11. 21. How happy were the Church in these dayes if the Doctrine of Gospel-Justification did continue pure could be propagated transmitted to the following ages But it is too manifest that the Christian Church by Heathenish Jewish errours upon the one hand by Pelagian infusions on the other hath lost a great deal of her primitive sinceritie puritie Certainly the Roman Superstitions tending only to the establishing of humane Righteousness in Gods sight are clear demonstrations of a corrupted doctrine yea of that Apostacie of the latter times so oft soretold by the Apostle Paul For we see that Popery is wholly erected upon a Judaical Pelagian Righteousness proceeding from the bitter root of the Heathenish Free-will whereby the corruption of Nature is denyed sin excused the faculties of Nature as sufficient to all good works asserted especially when they are sustained by a sufficient grace given to all men for obtaining eternal happiness But this great errour worthy of the Apostles Anathema was abominable in the eyes of our Protestant Fathers and therefore the Doctrine of a contrary Gospel-Justification was the greatest reason of separation especially when they heard the trumpet from Heaven sounding and crying come out of Babel my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues And herein we must admire the wonderful providence of God that the Protestants did aggree in this point of Justification even when their minds were distracted about the Doctrine of the Lord's Supper and it is known how careful the Lutherians are even to this day in following the Doctrine of their Master in this great Article But alas it is a sad lamentable thing that Arminians being fomented by the Kings of France Spain as the immediate way to introduce Popery saith Wilson in his Historie of Great Britain pag. 119. when they adopted the Pelagian grounds did forsake the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ because they could not join this great mystery of the Gospel with the opinions of Universal Grace Redemption as appears in the writings of Episcopius Curcellaeus Limburgh and others filled not only with Arminian but also with wicked Socinian errours against the Divinity Satisfaction of our Saviour Jesus Christ. And how could it be thought that those books should have been accepted approved by Reformed Divines Churches as we see they are in our neighbouring Kingdom of England O what errours in that Nation are observed complained of before by Honorius Reggius in his book de Statu Ecclesiae Britannicae errours tending even to the ruine of the Protestant Cause And what shall we say of the latter books written by Bull Parker Sherlock and others against the principles of Reformation expressed hitherto with great agreement in all the Confessions of Reformed Churches Yea
is with Him alone that the poor convinced wakened Sinner hath to do And this is the justification that we are most concerned to know the nature of to understand what way it is brought about or to be had This is the justification which the Apostle alwayes denieth to be by works asserteth alwayes to be by faith in opposition to works As for a justification of our selves against the false Accusations of Satan the unjust Surmises of our own treacherous Hearts mis-informed Consciences the groundless Alleigances of men judging not according to truth but according to their owne mis-apprehensions whereof Iob's friends were guilty in an high measure It is not that justification whereof the Apostle treateth And whatever Interest good works may have herein as real fruites of an upright working faith consequenly as evidences of our Interest in Christ of our being in a state of justification Yet they are utterly excluded from having an Interest in that justification which is before God in His sight here Christ's Righteousness Laid hold on by faith only taketh place The Argument whereby the Apostle disproveth this justification by the works of Law in the sight of God is in the following words where he ushereth-in the argument with an It is Manifest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew That the Argument was irrefragable that the truth thereby was certaine beyond Contradiction Now the Argument is taken from the opposition that is betwixt Faith the Law or the works of the Law in the matter of justification A ground whereupon the Apostle goeth in his whole Disput upon this matter as we see Rom. 3 27 28. 4 1 2 3 4 5. 9 32. Gal. 2 16. and therefore it must be a certaine truth That if justification before God be by faith it can not be by works consequently whoever assert justification by works destroy Gospel-justification by faith and hence it is also Manifest That justification cannot be by both together Faith works conjoined because what is of faith cannot be of works these two being here inconsistent Rom. 11 6. That Gospel-justification is by faith the Apostle proveth from that known sentence the just shall live by faith a sentence which the Apostle adduced first of all when he was to handle this question in his Epistle to the Romans Chap. 1. vers 17. saying for therein i.e. in the Gospel is the Righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written the just shall live by faith Where we see that this Sentence confirmeth the whole nature contents of the Gospel that is That the Righteousness of God i.e. the Righteousness which only will stand in Gods Court be accepted of him in order to the justifying of sinners which is the Righteousness of one who is God is revealed from faith to saith that is to say is hold forth to be embraced bysinners through faith first last this Righteousness thus embraced laid hold on by faith is the onely ground of the life of justification so that beleevers their living by faith saith their faith laith hold on the Righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel as the onely ground of their life As to the passage it self it is cited our of Habakuk chap. 2. vers 4. where the Prophet being told vers 3. that howbeit sometime would passe ere the promised delivery should come Yet it would come that therefore he all the People of God should waite for it live in the certaine expectation thereof addeth these words as being told him of the Lord that his Soul which is lifted up is not upright in him how variously these words are rendered by diverse we need not mentione the meaning is this That such as will not in faith patience waite with confidence upon the Lords promise that shall be made good in His good time but in their pride impatience of heart will think to anticipate their delivery by sinistrous sinful meanes declare that their heart is not upright that they are void of true faith Upon the other hand it is said the just shall live by his faith that is Such as are real true beleevers will waite in the exercise of faith till God's time come by this faith trusting leaning to the faithful promise of God through the Messiah in whom all the promises are yea amen 2 Cor. 1 20. they shall have a life of it they shall be carried thorow supported strengthened comâ—orted And much to this same Purpose is this passage cited by the Apostle Hebr. 10 37 38. For yet a little while he that shall come will come will not tarry now the just shall live by faith c. of which we have spoken elsewhere in all these places the Apostle leaveth out the pronoun his which the Prophet useth but that maketh no great alteration the matter being clear that sufficiently understood The Septuagints make a great alteration when they render the words thus The just shall live by my faith The great difficulty is how these words of the Prophet spoken of such as were already justified beleevers his saying of them that they shall live by their faith for we need not owne that sense of the words which some think may not improbably be given to wit That he who is by his faith just or justified shall live can be applicable to the Apostl'es purpose to prove justification by faith Not to mentione what others say to this nor judging it very necessary to enquire anxiously into this matter seing the Spirit of the Lord 's moving inspireing of Paul to alleige apply this passage of Old Testament truth for confirmation of what he was about to prove may fully satisfie us as to its pertinency though we should not satisfie all by proprosing our thoughts concernin it â— Conceive the ground may be this That this being a general truth universally true that even beleevers who are already changed have a life begun in them must all their life long make use of faith gripping to the promises as yea amen in Christ promised come who is the Substance Kirnel of them all to the end they may be supported Strengthened Upheld carried thorow Difficulties Distresses Darknesses Temptations the like without fainting or doing what is unbeseeming a living Beleever in the day of trial so that their whole life even unto the end is kept-in continued by faith bringing new supplies influences from the head through the promises it will hence follow that without faith no man can at first attaine to this life change from death yea that in this case faith is much more necessarily requisite yea faith only without works is must be the only way to justification of life for if the progress continuance of this life or renewing of it after decayes be had by faith drawing
to their justification before acceptance with God was in Christ that it would be a robbing of Christ of His due honour to seek for a righteousnes else where So Chap. 33 14 15. it is promised that the Lord will cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David that hereby Iudah should be saved Israel should dwell saifely And it is further said that His spouse should wear her husbands name be called after Him the Lord our righteousness thereby professing her adherence to Him as her Husband her owning of Him as all her righteousness glorying in that that He and He alone is her righteousness In compliance herewith we should beware of expressing our conceptions about the matter of justification so as may give proud man ground of boasting of robbing Christ of His Crown Title Glory in less or in more and these expressions following seem to me justly chargable herewith I. To say That all works are not excluded in justification but such only as are done by the meer Power Strength of Nature not the works of Grace wrought by the Spirit But who seeth not how this is to set up proud Man whom Paul would have debased kept down And doth not Paul expresly tell us that neither Abraham nor David were so justified Rom. 4 And that if our father Abraham were justified by works he should have had whereof to glory though not before God vers 2 And doth he not also tell us that this would make the reward to be reckoned not of grace but of debt vers 4 would exclude faith its operations in reference to justification take away that blessed refreshful stile of God that He justifieth the ungodly vers 5 Should we not thus be saved by works of righteousness which we do not according to His mercy expresly contrary to Tit. 3 5. 2. In like manner to say That we are not justified by the works of the Ceremonial Law but by obedience to the Moral Law is peccant here also for the works of the moral Law are works of righteousness which we do such as obey this Law are considered as such cannot be called ungodly Neither doth the Apostle thus distinguish that proud man might have any Interest Nor doth he exclude only such works when he saith that Abraham was not justified by works for his works were not works of the Ceremonial Law but of the Moral which will as well give ground of boasting make the reward of debt not of grace as works of the Ceremonial Law if not more And it is manifest that Paul speaketh of that Law of obedience to it or of works commanded by it which convinceth of sin discovereth it Rom. 3 20. 7 7. maketh all the world guilty Rom. 3 19. bringeth them under the curse Gal. 3 10. is established by faith Rom. 3 31. hath the promise of life annexed to it Rom. 10 5. Gal. 3 12. Nor doth he exclude only such works when he speaketh of himself Phil. 3 9. 3. Likewise to say That all works are not excluded but only Outward works which are done out of Principle of fear not out of love faith are not inward works of grace is to adde Fewel to this fire of pride to please proud Self proud Man for who can think that only such works would lay the ground of boasting of glorying before men or that only such would make the reward of debt or that any in these daies were pleading for justification upon the account only of such works or that such works were to be understood by the Law as if the Law did command no other or that such were Abraham's works or that Paul thought of none other when he desired not to be found in his own righteousness Phil. 3 9 4. They are guilty of the same crime who say That Paul only excludeth the jewish Law for if thereby they meane only the Ceremonial Law it is manifest from what is said that hereby Self Man shal be much exalted when justification is made to be by according to the works of the Moral Law If they meane thereby the Judicial Law then justification should be by obedience to the Moral Law yea by obedience to the Ceremonial Law as well as by obedience to the Moral Law quite contrary to the whole discourse of the Apostle And if they meane all the Law that was given to the jewes then the Moral Law is included so all works are excluded which are done in obedience to any Law of God 5. It is no less injurious to truth favourable to proud Self to say with Socinus That Paul onely excludeth perfect works done in full conformity to the perfect Law of God but not our Imperfect works which through grace are accepted accounted our righteousness for even these works being works of righteouness which we do would not exclude boasting but give ground of glorying before men Neither did Abraham or Paul or any other Saint suppose that their works were perfect Nor is it Imaginable that any in these dayes did plead for justification by their own works upon the account that they were perfect wholly commensurat unto the Law Nor doth Paul insinuate in all his discourse any such Distinction or give any ground to think that Imperfect works should be the ground of justification when Perfect works are not And all this is grounded upon this gross mistake That by faith which the Apostle opposeth to works is meaned our Imperfect Obedience unto the Commands of God 6. It is injurious upon the same account to say That Paul onely excludeth such works as are accompanied with a conceite of merite none else for he excludeth all works without any such Distinction even the works of Abraham who doubtless was far from any such fonde conceite to think that his works were meritorious all such works as give ground of boasting before men though not before God And who will say that even Adam's works performed in Innocency had any proportion in the ballance of commutative justice or would merite at God's hand ex condigno And yet sure such works would have made the reward of debt according to the Compact Yea the Apostle in his way of argueing supposeth that works cannot be mentioned in this case without merites so that merite is inseparable from them And shall we think that Paul Phil. 3 9. meaned by his own righteouness only such works as he expresly accounted meritorious Or that he could or did account any of his works such 7. It runneth far in the same guilt to say That faith it self which is our work considered as our act of obedience is Imputed to us for righteousness is that righteousness upon which we are justified for how easily might proud Self lift up its head boast say it was justified because of some thing
speak of this matter as if Righteousness Sanctification were one the same thing so give us here a most needless Tautologie And others who will not yeeld to imputed Righteousness yet will grant a difference betwixt Righteousness Sanctification must tell us distinctly how He is the one how He is the other to His chosen ones 3. Wisdom Sanctification are of a different Nature from Righteousness for Righteousness cannot be here taken for Inherent Grace Holiness for then it should be the same with Sanctification so there must needs be here a Tautology withall no perfect enumeration of the several great things we stand in need of Christ is made to be unto us of God seing they are different there is ground to say that He is not to us Righteousness the same way that He is Sanctification Sanctification is wrought in us by His Spirit but so is not Righteousness for if we had a Righteousnes wrought in us we should be justified by vertue thereof upon the account thereof if we be justified by a Righteousness within us we are justified by our own works by the law contrary to all the Apostles disput contrary to what preceedeth followeth the words under consideration for then he who glorieth might glory in himself not in the Lord alone 4. Al these particulars here mentioned we must have or finde in Christ as the Aeâ—â—â—opik version hath it each according to its Nature And withall we must be made partakers posâ—essors of them all according as the Nature of the benefite will admit therefore as Christ is forthcoming to His chosen ones for Wisdom so as they may really become wise for Sanctification that they may become holy for Redemption that they may be redeemed so is He forthcoming to His own for Righteousness that they may be justified for though Righteousness justified be not one the same as our Excepter often alleigeth yet they have constant respect to other and are inseparable in our case If then we finde a Righteousness in Christ for justification that Righteousness must be made ours this being a Righteousness that is not our own before it be made our own it must be imputed to us that we may be there by justified He addeth Suppose Christ were made Righteousness unto us by Imputation yet this special manner of his being righteousness to us must be made out by other Scriptures than this as because a rich man hath silver gold jewels in possession it will not follow that he hath silver in one chest and gold in another jewels in a third Ans. Christs being made Righteousness to us who have no Righteousness of our own in order to our justification saith that the Righteousness we have from Him can be no otherwayes ours than by Imputation for it cannot be wrought in us else it should be the same with Holiness Sanctification And therefore the similitude of gold silver jewels is not worth a straw in this case because the dissimilitude is obvious Except 2. The meaning only is this That Christ is made ordained of God to be the author or sole meanes by way of merite of our justification Ans. 1 According to his former exception it will follow hence that He worketh not Holiness Wisdom in us by His Word and Spirit but only is the meanes thereof by way of merite for he will have Christ to be all these particulars to us one the same way 2 This differeth little from the answere of Schlightingius cont Meisnerum p. 250. who saith It is enough that Christs righteousness be the cause of our justification Christ may be said to be made righteousness to us because his righteousness redoundeth to our good and justification 3 It is not said that Christ is made justification to us but it is said He is made Righteousness to us though it is true that He hath merited our justification yet when He is said to be made of God Righteousness to us it is apparent that He bestoweth a Righteousness upon us in order to justification or He must be Righteousness to us ere we be justified how shall we partake of His Righteousness if not by Imputation 4 Christ can not be the Author or sole meanes by way of merite of our justification till we have a Righteousness that is He must be the sole Author Meanes of a Righteousness for we must not say That He hath merited that we shall be justified without a Righteousness it being an abomination to the Lord that even a terrene judge should justifie one that hath no Righteousness If then He hath merited that we shall be justified by having a Righteousness that Righteousness must be within us or without us if within us then He hath merited that we shall be justified by the works of righteousness which we do by the law by the works of the law contrary to the whole Gospel If without us then it must either be Christs own Righteousness or the Righteousness of some other It cannot be the Righteousness of any other as will easily be granted and if it be Christs Righteousness it must be imputed to us to the end it may be ours and we justified thereby and this is the thing we press He addeth to confirme this sense That Righteousness is very frequently used for justification Ans. Thus he gaineth nothing for 1 That will not prove that it is so used here 2 And though it did Import justification here yet seing there is no justification before God without a Righteousness it would say That Christ were our Righteousness too or that He merited a Righteousness for us and what is that Righteousness that He hath procured that we shall have in order to our justification Is it the Righteousness of our own works Then He hath merited that our works shall merite justification why not also glorification Is not this to overturne th◠〈◊〉 Gospel He addeth 2. Righteousness or justification which Beleevers have in or by Christ is still attributed unto His death Sufferings never to His active obedience Ans. But he hath forgetten what is said Rom. 4 25. Who was delivered for our offences and was raised againe for our justification Sure His Resurrection was neither His death nor His Sufferings He hath forgotten also what is said Rom. 5 19. So by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous And to be Righteous and to be justified is all one with him as we have oft-times heard Except 3. This will not say That Christs active obedience only is imputed or that he only by his active obedience is made righteousness to us Ans. I plead not for the sole Imputation of Christs active obedience but for the Imputation of Christs whole Surety Righteousness that is His compleet obedience Suffering or of what He did suffered in answering all the demands of the law
at which they stumbled when he said Rom. 9 31 32. But Israel which followed after the law of Righteousness hath not attained to the law of Righteousness wherefore Because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the law for they stumbled at that stumbling stone And againe Rom. 10 3 4. But they being ignorant of God's Righteousness going about to establish their own Righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the Righteousness of God for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness c. Is it not hence clear that they rejected Christ and would not owne Him as the end of the law for Righteousness that they stumbled at Him seeking after justification life by their own personal following after the law of Righteousness by seeking to establish their own righteousness How then can this man say pag. 61. That Paul was as far from holding justification by the works of the law as performed by Christ as the jewes were who would have nothing to do with Christ but stumbled at Him while as Paul sought only to be found in Him not having his owne Righteousness which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by faith Phil. 3 9. And proclamed Christ to be the end of the law for Righteousnes to every one that beleeveth Rom. 10 4. Against Fit 3 5. where mention is made of the works of righteousness which we have done a sufficient ground laid for the distinction mentioned to prevent the stumbling of such as love to walk in the light he advanceth several answers pag. 62. c. As I. He never said that the active righteousness of Christ should be made a stander-by but that it hath a blessed influence into justification as it issueth into His passive obedience which together may be called a Righteousness for which but not with which we are justified except it can be proved to be either the Material or formal or instrumental cause of justification whoever attempt to do this will wholly dissolve the merite of it Ans. 1 All this maketh nothing to the purpose now in hand which is to show that Paul by this expression cleareth sufficiently what he meaneth by the works of the law which he excludeth from having any interest in justification viz. The works of the law performed by us in our own persons 2 What influence the active obedience of Christ hath in justication when he will not admit it to be any part of that Surety-righteousness which is imputed unto us he showeth not nor what way it issueth in to His passive obedience If all this influence be to make Him fit to be a Sacrifice we have shown above that the personal Union did that and consequently His active obedience if it had no other influence is made a meer stander by 3. A Righteousness for which a Righteousness with which is a distinction in our case without a difference for the one doth no way oppugne or exclude the other because the meritorious cause imputed made over to and reckoned upon the score of beleevers can be also that Righteousness with which they are justified 4 Whether it may be called the Material or Formal cause of justification that any ever called it the instrumental cause is more than I know is no great matter seing it may be either as the termes shall be explained which men are at freedom to do according to their own minde when they apply them unto this matter which hath so little affinity with Effects meerly Natural unto the causes of which these termes are properly applied though I should choose rather to call it the formal objective cause if necessitated to use here philosophik termes 3 That to call Christ's whole Righteousness either the Material or Formal cause of justification is to overthrow the merite of it is said but not proved It is not these philosophical termes themselves but the explication of them by such as use them in this matter that is to be regarded and none shall ever show that either of these termes as explained by the orthodox doth overthrow the merite of Christ's Righteousness both doth rather establish it He saith 2. The H. Ghost may reject the works of men from being the cause of such or such a thing yet no wayes intimat that the works of any other should be the cause thereof If the words had gone thus not by the works of Righteousness which we our selves had done this had been some what an higher ground to have inferred the opposite member of the distinction upon viz. by the works of another or of Christ. Ans. This exception is as little to the purpose as the former for these words were here brought only to show what the Apostle meant by the works of the law which he excluded from justification viz. the works which we do and not to prove immediatly that the works of any other were understood hereby 2 It is foolish thing to imagine a distinction betwixt works which we do works which we our selves do the same word in the original which vers 5. is rendered we is rendered we our selves vers 3. What poor shifts are these which men take to support a desperat cause He saith 3. To put the matter out of all question that excluding the works of the law which we had done he had no intent to imply the works which another might do he expresseth the opposition thus according to His mercy Ans. The mistake is still continued in By these words we onely cleare what the works are which are excluded viz. our personal works or works which we do or have done whose works else are accepted other places prove expresly this by consequence unless the worke of a third could be alleiged 2 The opposition here made destroyeth not the opposition which we make for when we are justified Saved by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ we are justified saved according to His mercy as well as we are justified freely by His grace when justified through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ Rom. 3 24. He saith 4. thereby seemeth to reply to what is last said The Apostle delivereth himself distinctly of that wherein this Mercy of God be speaks of consisteth viz. regenerating us c. Ans. But I hope the Apostles mentioning of Regeneration doth not exclude the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness the ground thereof nor can he suppose this unless he plead with Papists for justification by our good works done after Regeneration the new birth He saith 5. Such an inference is neither probable nor pertinent to the purpose because the Apostle rejecteth the works of righteousness which he nameth from being any cause antecedaneously moving God to save us not from being the formal cause of justification and we our selves saith he will not say that the works of the law which Christ hath
Spirit of God Inclining Drawing Perswading Causing the heart beleeve are real strangers to this grace whatever great Enduements Gifts or ordinary effects of the Spirit they may be possessed of The author of a Discourse of the two Covenants a book recommended to us by Mr. Baxter in his preface prefixed thereunto as a Treatise which will give us much light into the Nature of the Gospel pag. 24. tels us that man himself is not wholly passive in this change or what goes to the making of it but is so far active in it as to denominate what he doth by God's assistance to be his own act Whereby he sufficiently discovereth an Arminian designe yet so qualifieth his expressions as may abundantly show he intendeth to evade For he will not say that man is not at all passive in this change but only that he is not wholly passive and yet he dar not say this confidently but must adde or what goes to the making of it and how much he may comprehend under this who can tell But if man be not passive he must be active How far then is he active So far saith he as to denominate what he doth by God's assistance to be his own act That the act of Faith is mans act is most certain for it is he that beleeveth but the question is what change is wrought in the soul by the Spirit of God before the act of faith be exerted and what hand mans labours and endeavours have in the infusion of the new Principle the Divine Nature Is not the man purely passive in the receiving of the effect of that creating act or in the work of Regeneration That the Lord prescribeth the use of ordinary means wherein the man is to waite for the free gracious working of the Spirit is true but there is no connexion made by the Lord by any Law or Constitution betwixt the use of these meanes and the gracious work of faith nor betwixt ordinary Light Conviction and the like common effects of these meanes and Saving Grace Yet he tels us afterward that if man do but what he can do through the assistance of God's common providente in whom we live move have our being God is most ready through his good pleasure or out of the goodness of his will pleasure to work in him both to will to do savingly to carry the work quite thorow But what Scripture doth teach us this Sure I am that Phil. 2 12 13. with which he ushereth in this discourse giveth no ground for this for that is spoken to such in whom the work of Salvation is already begun and who are commanded to work it out to say that the case is the same is to overturne the whole Gospel and present us with pure Pelagianisme is there as sure certane a connexion betwixt mans work of nature God's gracious works of Grace as is betwixt the work of grace Begun Carried on His adducing afterward p. 25. the commands to make ourselves a new heart to repent c. to enforce this is but the old Pelagian argument brought againe upon the stage to which I have said what I hope will befound Consonant to the Scripture in my book against the Quakers But this man discovereth himself more plainly afterward pag. 28 where after mentioning some acts of men which cannot be called acts of super-natural grace he tels us if men will but go thus far as they can out of a real-desire to â—e happy I should make no question but that the Spirit of God would yeeld them his assistance to carry them quite through in the work of conversion Beside that connexion whereof he maketh no question though the orthodox have hithertill denied it writting against Pelagians Iesuites Arminians we may observe this here That nature can carry the work of conversion quite through having only the assistance of the Spirit of God and what difference is there then betwixt Nature Begun Grace for begun Grace needeth the assistance of the Spirit of God to work Salvation quite thorow and Nature needeth no more where are then the Infused Habites Is Regeneration only brought about by assistance Need they who are dead no more but Assistance If this Author help us to clearness in the doctrine of the Gospel it must be the Gospel that only Pelagians Iesuites Arminians Quakers owne but not the Gospel of the Grace of God revealed to us in the Word which telleth us of something more requisite unto the Conversion of a sinner to the bringing of him to Beleeve Repent than the Cooperation of God's assistance as he speaketh pag. 25. mans endeavours He tels us pag. 26. that there is a promise of divine assistance to Man using his â—ndeavours in doing what he may can do towards the performing the condition of the Covenant But he showeth us not where that promise is to be found and pag. 17. he talks of an implicit promise and this he very wonderfully inferreth from the Gospel that was preached to Abraham for thus he speaketh for God in promising blessedness to the Nations through Abrahams seed therein promised all that was absolutly necessary for him to vouch safe to make them blessed without which they could not be blessed And if so then he therein implicitly promised to assist the endeavours of men to perform the condition of the promise without the assistance of whose grace they cannot savingly beleeve repent obey Whence it would seem 1 that all men are comprehended within this promise and 2 That no more is promised in reference to the Elect than to the Reprobat 3 That the promise of faith Repentance is but a promise of of Assistance 4 And this promise of Assistance is not to assist Grace but to assist Nature 5 That the promise of Faith Repentance was but an implicite promise This is a sufficient taste of this Authors Pelagian-Gospel 4. We proceed This work of the Spirit upon the soul whereby the man is brought to a closing with and to a resting upon Christ is ordinarily wrought by the word for faith cometh by hearing hearing by the word of God Rom. 10 17. The Lord hath established that great Ordinance of Preaching for this end and for this end he blesseth it unto his chosen ones we meane not this exclusivly as iâ— the word could no other way be-blessed for he blesseth as he seeth good for this end the Reading of Meditation on the word also though the grand special mean be the Preaching as we see Act. 2 37 41. 8 26-30 26 18. The Lord it is true may send wakenings by his Judgments by other like Occasions may blesse the private Endeavours of Parents friends by their private Instructions Admonitions yet all these are no way prejudicial unto but rather contribute to the confirming of the privilege of the word as the Principal Mean
beleeve Mr. Baxter's Preface Beside that hereby no man can win to any solide Peace or Joy so long as he liveth for he is but still performing the Condition of his Justification and perfecting it by his works so that till they be at an end the Condition of Justification is not performed and consequently no Justification and it is the maine scope of this mans discourse to prove the interest of Gospel-obedience as he calleth it as a Condition as well as Faith or rather as a part or best part of practical Faith in the matter of Justification 10. Hence we may also see how erroneous dangerous that definition of faith as Evangelical Christian Justifying is which the mentioned Author giveth us pag. 38. to wit Such an hearty assent consent unto God's declaration in the Gospel by his Son concerning Christ himself his Grace Favour towards men by him concerning their own duty as causeth a man to expect from God and to act in a way of duty according to the tenor of such a declaration his own concerns in it This upon the matter is the very faith of Adam only Adam heard no word of Christ so it is but a Law-faith no Gospel-Faith And againe more plainly by way of explication he saith pag. 39. nor is it a bare beleefe that God will for Christ's sake pardon save as many as truely repent amend their lives become new creatures unless they so beleeve all this as seriously heartily to repent themselves of their former folly and to return to their duty in new Evangelical obedience Not only doth this man take away from Justifying saving Faith all that peculiar closing with Christ accepting of him as Redeemer all particular special eye or respect had to his Righteousness Mediation but he maketh Iustification depend on works as well as on faith or on works as the integral parts of practical justifying faith It is true Saving faith cannot but bow incline the man in whom it is to all holy Obedience But to make these thus to be included in Faith as the Condition of Justification is to give us the Socinian Iustification the Socinian Faith for the true orthodox justification faith and if this be the Gospel justification Gospel faith which as Mr. Baxter thinks this look will help us unto the Socinians are better acquainted with the Gospel than the orthodox have been or are And to evince this which is all I need to do here I shall propose a few of their Assertions concerning Faith that the Reader may judge what harmonie is betwixt this Author them The Racov. Catech. cap. 9. de fide tels us that faith is a Trust in God whereby we not only confide in him but also obey him This is short yet fully the same with our Auther's Socinus himself dial de justif f. 11. what is that to beleeve in his name It is receive him to beleeve his words to confide in him finally to obey him And in not in dial f. 25. he tels us that the faith by which we are justified doth containe obedience to the commands not as an effect but as its substance forme yea faith he it is obedience it self And againe de fid oper f. 60. he faith I will have nothing else than to conâ—ide de in Christ and this is done receiveth its perfection as it were its forme when obedience is yeelded unto his commands So that betwixt justifying faith good works there is no difference See him further f. 123. 134. Smalcius de divin Christ. cap. 14. f. 38. tels us that faith in Iesus Christ is a firme assent unto what he hath said a confideing truely so called whereby not only we firmly beleeve what he hath said concerning us but we confide in him adhere to him this is much more than our Author saith heartly embrace his doctrine as celestial saving placeing our considence hope in him as such so great a King as our Priest fy upon our Author that is less orthodox than this Socinian hanging wholly upon him with a firme hope to obtaine these things which he hath promised to such as obey him that is if we amend our lives according to his prescriptien we are confident to receive remission of sins deliverance from death eternal life But you will say there is no mention made of good works in this faith See therefore what he saith disp 6. cont Frantz de bon ope Thes. 53 55 63 68. We do not saith he consider two parts of faith Trust in God Obedience to his commands but we distinguish them as if they were two for albeit really they may be taken for encthing are one they can be some way distinguished Obedience is rather the forme of faith or faith it self than any part of it And in this the Arminian Remonstrants in their Confess cap. 10. s. 1 2 3. do homolegate with the Socinians telling us that faith comprehendeth all the commands of the Gospel and that the command of Faith must no other-way be considered than as by a natural proprietie it includeth obedience and is a fruitful mother of good works and that faith thus considered comprehendeth a mans whole conversion prescribed in the Gospel Socinus is plaine Synops. 1. s. 8. and tels us that the way of justification is the same under both Covenants seing in both on God's part was required Remission of sins on mans part Repentance Obedience to his commands which is truely that very faith that every did ever will make man acceptable unto God And then tels us that we must beware to make sanctification an effect of justification These things may shew that this part at least of this Authors Gospel is more learned out of the Socinian Arminian Scholes than out of the Scriptures and if we would be guided into this we may follow other more ancient leaders than is this Author whom else where I suppose Mr. Baxter calleth Mr. W. Allen. 11. We would also take notice of this That when the Scripture saith the just liveth by faith or we are justified by faith the meaning must not be we are justified by Hope or we are justified by Love or we are justified by Patience or by any other Grace for though all these Graces of the Spirit may be conceived as springing from one and the same root seed of God which is planted in the soul in the new birth and though we may by our acute wits so explaine each as to include the rest more or less Yet as divine Revelation is the ground of all our Faith in this matter so Scripture expressions are the best guide to us in our Expressions Conceptions about this matter And as the Scripture doth speak of and name these Graces as formally distinct ascribing to each their distinct and several Operation End and Use so
this occasion trouble the Reader with some more of their expressions that we may see that the doctrine which is now so much cried up followed after is nothing but old Socinianisme so owned professed by such as do not deserve to be called Christians Socin de Servat lib. 4. c. 4 7 11. God justifieth the ungodly but now converted penitent after he hath left off to be ungodly the justified are not ungodly in themselves neither are they so called yea they are not sinners which is more they do not now sinne And so faith works that is obedience to the commands of Christ as the forme of faith doth justifie us before God by them through them per illa ex illis he justifieth us Smalcius disp 4. c. Frantzium Regeneration all other good works Love Prayer Obedience Faith Charity c. are so far from being effects of justification that without them justification can no way really exist for God justifieth no man but him who is compleetly adorned with all these vertues â— yea the study of good works walkeing before God were the cause though not the chiefe of the justification of Noah Abraham others who are said to be justified by faith Socin ubi supra de Serv. lib. 1. c. 4. Faith doth not justifie by its proper vertue but by the mercy goâ—d will of God who justifieth such as do such a work imputeth it for righteousness With Paul to have righteousness imputed is nothing else but to have faith imputed to be accounted just faith is so imputed to us as that because of faith we howbeit guilty of many unrighteousness are esteemed perfectly righteous or God so dealeth with us as if we were perfectly righteous who can doubt that the Apostle meaneth no other thing than that we are not righteous before God because our works require that as a due reward but because it hath so seemed good to the Lord to take our faith in place of righteousness so that we receive the reward of grace by which we are declared righteous before him More might be adduced for this end as it might be shown also how herein the Arminians conspire with them against the orthodox And as for the judgment of Papists in this point it is likewise known It will not be necessary that we insist in disproving that which hath been so much witnessed against by the orthodox writting against Papists Socinians Arminians upon these heads It will suffice I suppose if we give a few reasons why we cannot acquiesce in the doctrine proposed by the forenamed Author 1. Hereby works of obedience are exalted to the same place are allowed the same Force Influence Efficacy into Justification with Faith whereby all the Apostles disputes for Faith against Works for faith as inconsistent with exclusive of works are evacuated rendered useless So that the Apostle hath either not spoken to the purpose or hath not spoken truth either of which to say is blasphemie The Apostle argueth thus we are Justified by faith therefore we are not Justified by works This man reasoneth on the contrary we are justified by faith therefore we are justified by works because by a faith that includeth works as if the Apostle had meaned a Faith that was dead had no affinity with works 2. Hereby he confoundeth all these duties which are required of Beleevers or of such as are in Covenant with God with that which is solely required of them in order to their first entering in Covenant or into a state of Justification as â— one should say that all the marriag-duties required of such as were already in that marriage state were conditions of entering into the marriag-state 3. Hereby he confoundeth Justification with Glorification making all that Faith sincere obedience which is required in order to actual Salvation Glorification to be necessary before Justification And thereby must say that no man hath his sins pardoned so long as he liveth but if he be sincerely obedient he is in the way to a Pardon to Justification He cannot say that by a practical Faith he only meaneth such a true and lively Faith as will in due time produce these effects for as that will not consist with his explication of that practical Faith so it would crosse his whole designe The just man in the eye of this new Law as he saith p. 49. is every one that rightly beleeves repents sincerely obeyes because that is all that it requires of a man himself to his Iustification Salvation Where we see that with him Justification Salvation go together have the same conditions and he that is just must be one that hath these Conditions and he who hath not these Conditions is not just in the eye of that new Law and if he be not just in the eye of that new Law his faith cannot be accounted to him for Righteousness nor he Justified 4. The man hereby confoundeth the two Covenants or giveth us a new Covenant of Works in stead of the Covenant of Grace for this practical Faith which includeth all obedience hath the same place force efficacy in the new Covenant that compleet Obedience had in the old And this Gospel is but the old Law of works only with this change that where as the old Law required Perfect Obedience to the end in order to Justification Salvation this new Covenant of works requireth Sincere Obedience to the end in order to Justification Salvation And so thus we are Justified saved as really by upon the account of our works as Adam would have been if he had continued in obedience to the end this Faith and sincere Obedience is as really to all ends purposes as effectually and formally our Righteousness as Perfect Obedience would have been the Righteousness of Adam And thus the reward must as really be reckoned to us of debt not of grace as it would have been to Adam if he had stood And as faire a ground is laid for us to boast glory though not before God as had been for Adam if he had continned to the end The evasion he hath to make all this of grace saying p. 49 50. And yet every beleevers justification will be all of grace because the Law by which they are justified is wholly of grace was enaâ—ed in meer grace favour to undone man is not able to help him for it was wholly of undeserved grace love that God did so far condescend to Adam to all mankinde in him as to strick a Covenant with him a promise of such an ample reward upon his performance of the condition of Perfect Obedience to the end yet notwithstanding this Law was wholly of grace was enacted in meer grace favoure for neither was the Lord necessitated thereunto nor could Adam say he had deserved any such thing at God's hand the reward
thou shalt be saved to whom it shall be imputed if we beleeve if thou shall beleeve thou shalt be saved the like will sufficiently warrand the use of the word Condition I Answere So will the like termes of being justified by Faith and through faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 allow us to call faith an Instrument which yet our Adversaries as we have seen will not suffer us to do But moreover We do not condemne the use of the word Condition in this affaire simply but allow it also make use of it But this however is manifest that seing it is no Scripture word we are under no Law to receive the word in that determinate sense in which the Adversaries use it must use it according to their principles nor are we to conceive of Faith Repentance new Obedience as such conditions as they hold them forth â— be We know how variously the word Condition is used in our ordinary language how some time that is called a condition which is the real price worth of the thing given upon that condition as when a man is willing to quite his house lands or horse to another upon condition of so much money which is the real price or a valuable consideration if we should call Faith Good Works such a condition the errour would be worse than Popish But Mr. Baxter tels us Apol. ag Mr. Black p. 39. § 27. that he doth not understand the word de conditione contractus vendition is emptionis vel emphyteusis or any the like that is proper pretium but it is the condition purae donation is but some what partaking naturae sendi as to some of the benefites And yet this will not sufficiently clear the matter especially seing that natura feudi is not fully explained and the feud-duties whether we look to the first use of these donations or to perfect practice or whether we speak of the highest degree that is of the Vassallage of dukes marquises and Earles ... And some are most personal being but yeerly pensions which is extinct with the death of the giver or of the receiver other divisions may be seen in Craig de feudis lib. 1. Dieg. 10. And as to the way of giving these though it be said to be by donation yet the Service required in most may be very onerous to speak nothing of such as are purchased by money or by excambion nor yet of such as are burdened with that which we call Ward Ward Reliefe Mr. Baxter ibid defineth to us the condition of the Covenant which he calleth a potestative condition thus Actio voluntaria de futuro a Deo legislatore Christo Testatore innovalege foedere Testamento requisita ut ex ejus praestatione constituatur jus actuale ad beneficium vel ut obligationem eventum suspend at donec praestetur for he addeth ex stipulatione conditionali neque obligatio neque act to ulla est antequam conditto evenâ—at quia quod est in conditione non est in obligatione But first as to the name potestative condition as opposed by the Lawyers to what is Casual as importing that the person of whom that condition is required hath full power to performe it if he will except some inevitable unfore-seen impediment fall out which is not ordinarily supposed how can any reckon Faith amongst these unless they grant that it is as much in Man's power to beleeve as it is to one at Rome to ascend the Capitol if he fall not sick or break not his leg Whereby to all who are not Pelagians Socinians Arminians in this matter but acknowledge Faith to be the pure gift of God wrought by the Spirit Regenerating the soul giving an heart of flesh it may be manifest that no kinde of Conditions spoken of by Lawyers who treat only of Compacts other Actions betwixt man man can comprehend this matter whereof we are now speaking Where is there such an instance in all the Law of a person promising to give or to do such or such a Favour Courtesie upon condition that he do something which is not in his power nor in his will which he only who promiseth can make him able willing to do This would either be looked on by them as an impossible condition which is next to none or if the promiser should possiblie make him to fulfil as a casual condition or rather as no proper condition at all If a father should promise his little childe an apple on condition he should touch the Crown of his fathers head with his finger which were impossible for him to do unless the Father should either stoop so low unto him with his head or take him up in his armes that he may reach his head who would call this a potestative condition But next what meaneth Mr. Baxter by this jus actuale Is this the same with jus in re as opposed to jus ad rem this jus ad rem which yet I suppose he will not grant or doth he meane by this ... But what is a Potential Right Is it the same with a remote right and how very far remote must that Right be if it be at all which the Reprobat have And is there no difference as to this Remote Potential Right or what way it may be called which is opposite to an Actual Right betwixt the Reprobat the Elect before Faith It is like Mr. Baxter will say there is none by reason that the Redemption is Universal and for all alike so that Right how ever it be called that preceedeth the Actual Right is equally common to all if we meane that Potential Right which followeth upon the Redemption But to us who affirme that Christ died only for the Elect that he took on their debt in due time made fall satisfaction according to his undertaking these Elect ones for whom Christ engadged in the Covenant of Redemption have another sort of right call it Potential or what you will than the Reprobat have because Christ hath purchased all the blessings promised in the Covenant unto them and he hath a Right keeped for them and not for the rest so that a Right unto all these good things being purchased by their Lord Redeemer Cautioner and left unto them as his sure legacie in his Testament all so ensured that in due time according to the methode condescended upon they shall be put in possession of the same their Right is in Christ's purchase and they are put in actual Possession of Justification when they beleeve which Faith is also purchased for them all the benefites they shall enjoy concerning grace glory are equally by him purchased are equally neer related unto his merites death as to the right though as to the actual collation Soveraigne wisdom hath appointed an Order determining of one before another so hath resolved to give faith and
justified CHAP. XXIX What Interest Repentance hath in our Justification IN reference to the clearing of this Question about the Interest of Repentance in Justification it will not be necessary to speak much of Repentance it self the premitting of a few things will be sufficient unto our purpose The Hebrew word which is rendered repent is of a general signification for it signifieth to return whether from a place or from the distemper of our minds or from our former courses so denoteth a motion or change of the body from one place to another or of the mind from any purpose or of the whole way walk and in special it sometime signifieth a change of the whole man to the better both as to his Mind Resolution and Deportment thus denoteth a mans turning unto God And accordingly we read in the New Testam of the Prodigals coming or returning to himself or to his right mind wits and we heare of Repentance towards God In the N. Testam there are two greek words the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importing such a change as it attended with after care the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying such a change as denoteth after-wit or after thought Some do so difference these two as that they say the last signifieth so to sorrow for what is done as to amend it called by the latines Resipiscere therefore properly is meaned of a good saving Repentance wherein the penitent returneth to his right wits so as to reforme amend what hath been amisse and the other denoteth properly care anxiety solicitude after something done called by the Latines poenitere and this may be used in an evil sense as denoting properly no change of minde or carriage to the better but simply such a trouble anxiety for what is done as maketh them wish it were not done whether the thing done was good or evil But in the New Test. we finde not this difference constantly obsérved for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken both in a good sense for a good Repentance saving Mat. 21 32 29. and for a common Repentance that is not saving Mal 27 3. where mention is made of Iudas repenting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that cometh therefrom import a good saving Repentance except Heb. 12 17. What this word denoteth when used of God either affirmativly or negativly we need not here enquire It is more for our purpose to consider that Repentance may be taken in a threefold sense 1. for a common work of legal sorrow through conviction of hazard because of sin whereby the man may rew be grieved be sorrowful for what he hath done and wish he had not done it as Iudas repented of his wickedness This may be and yet not be attended with Pardon of sins And as to such in whom the Lord purposeth to carry on the work of Condition Humiliation untill it come to real Conversion and an Union with Christ though it may be called a conditio sine qua non of Justification Pardon in such in regaird that usually if not alwayes the Lord premitteth some thing of this as to some sensible measure or other unto his more gracious workings yet this Common Repentance hath no proper interest in justification cannot be called a Condition thereof far less a Cause seing in it self it hath no certain connexion with justification though it be an antecedent in the justified yet it may be and often is where no justification followeth being in many nothing but the sorrow of the world that worketh death 2. Cor. 7 10. But 2. There is a Repentance that is only peculiar unto such as are already Justified Pardoned following upon flowing from the sense and intimation of Pardon expressed by Self-abhoring Self-lothing Melting of heart and Tenderness the like so Ezek. 16 63. That thou mayest remember be confounded never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified toward thee c. So Ezek. 36-25 26 27 28. comp with vers 31 See also Ier. 31 19 20. Neither can this be called or accounted a Condition of Justification Remission because it manifestly followeth not only Justification Remission itself but also the sense and intimation thereof therefore cannot go before it But. 3. The greatest difficulty is anent that work of Repentance which is a saving work of the Spirit going a longs with Faith ariseing from the sense of sin committed and the apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ causing spiritual kindly griefe sorrow and indignation at themselves and their sinful wayes with an hatred of sin a fixed purpose to forsake it and to turn to the Lord this is frequently mentioned in the Scriptures Now this Repentance may be considered two wayes first as it is in these in whom the Lord is working a work of Conversion whom He is translating out of dearkness in to the Kingdom of his dear Son and Secondly as it is in such as are already brought in to a justified state after new sins committed As to this last we will have a fit occasion to enquire afterward how or what way it is required in reference to Remission Pardon of after-sins The first falleth now under consideration because we are speaking of Justification which holdeth forth a change of state as was formerly explained That we may therefore proceed the more distinctly in this Inquisition we must fiâ—st take notice of the several senses of the word or of the termes equipollent in Scripture and see what is properly denoted there by And 1. Sometime it denoteth most griefe sorrow or that which is called contrition or that part of Repentance as Luk. 10 33. where it is explained by sitting in sackcloth ashes Ier. 8 6. No man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done Thus it may also be taken 2. Cor. 11 21. that I shall bewail many which have sinned already have not Repented of the uncleaness fornication lasciviousness which they have committed Here I say it may be looked upon as mostly denoting this part of Repentance though not as excluding the other parts 2. Some time it denoteth mostly a change of former courses wayes whether of errour as 2. Tim. 2 25. If God per adventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the truth or of Conversation called Repentance from dead works Heb. 6 1. So 2. Chron. 7 14. it is called a turning from their evil wayes from sins Ezek. 18 21. It was said to Simon Magus Act. 8 22. repent of this thy wickedness See Rev. 2 21 22. 3. Sometime it denoteth the whole work of Conversion turning unto God Act. 26 20 that they should Repent turn to God where the latter expression is but exegetick of the former So also Act. 3 19. Repent ye therefore be converted where both expressions
the Inheritance or would receive them But all this is nothing to our present question Obj. 4. He citeth in the Margine Luk. 24 47. And that Repentance Remission of sins should be preached in his name And Luk. 15 7. I say unto you that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth Ans. This last place maketh no mention of Pardon or of Justification only saith that Repentance will Include Faith doth import the whole Conversion of a sinner unto God whereof Faith in Christ is the first chiefe step As to the other place we told before that by Repentance here is understood all that duty which is called for in the Gospel this being a short summe of the whole preaching of the Gospel that therefore by Remission of sins all the blessings favours that sinners need are promised in the Gosspel must be understood So that this maketh nothing against us Yea if these two expressions were strickly to be taken it would give ground to inferre that Repentance alone were the Condition of Remission But what saith all this to the purpose now in hand do any of these expressions give the least coloure to inferre that Repentance strickly taken hath the same use Interest in Justification that Faith hath Obj. 5. Others possibly may urge Act. 8 22. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness pray God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee Ans. 1 If this place prove any thing that way it will say as much for the Interest of Prayer in Justification equal to the Interest of Faith as for the Interest of Repentance 2 Yea plead for these only with exclusion of Faith or at least for the Sufficiency of Repentance prayer without Faith which is not here expresly mentioned 3 But Repent here is taken in a comprehensive sense as including Faith its ground Cause whereof it is the expressive evidence sensible effect So that the presence of Repentance in such as would be Pardoned may hence be well inferred which is granted necessary upon several accounts but the present question is whether it hath the same Place Office Influence in Justification Pardon that Faith hath Obj. 6. It may be some will fâ—rther object Luk. 13 3 5 except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish And this likely was the passage which Mr. Baxter cited in the first place the printer putting vers 35. for 3. 5. through a mistake But I Ans. This place only proveth what is not denied to wit That Repentance is necessarily required of such as would be saved And if hence it be inferred that therefore not only its presence but its interest is the same with Faiths in Justification the Interest of good works of all commanded duties may be hence inferred to be the same with Faiths in justification because these are as necessary in order to Salvation as is Repentance Obj. 7. Prov. 28 13. He that covereth his sin shall not prosper but who so confesseth forsaketh them shall finde mercy Ans. 1 If forsaking of sin be here taken strickly for Repentance if this place be urged pertinently to the point now in hand Confession of sin will be made to have the same influence will be made more necessary than Faith it self which is not here expresly named 2 Finding mercy is not strickly to be understood of Justification or of meer Pardon but is to be taken more largly for Felicity here hereafter as being opposed to a not prospering And so hence can only be inferred the necessity of the presence of confessing forsaking of sin in such as would finde grace mercy in the eyes of the Lord would prosper in all their wayes Obj. 8. Christ is sent to preach good tidings to the meek the broken hearted the mourners to such as are under the Spirit of heaviness Esai 61 1 2 3. Ans. This place indeed proveth that Christ was annointed to preach good tidings unto the meek to binde up the broken hearted to comfort all that mourne to appoint give unto them beauty for ashes the oile of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness but here as the Repentance imported is something more than ordinary as the expressions intimate so the good that Christ is here said to be sent to do unto them is something more than ordinary to wit Comfort Joy in an high measure which is more than meer Pardon or Justification some pardoned justified may stand in need hereof being indeed mourners in ashes under a spirit of heaviness notwithstanding of their being in a justified state So that this place cometh not home to the point now in question Obj. 9. Is not this to favoure the Antinomians who say that Repentance is needless and is a meer legal duty neither to be urged nor practised under the Gospel Ans. Though we say that Repentance hath not the same Place Office Interest in about Justification Remission of sins that Faith hath Yet we give no countenance unto the Antinomian errour because we affirme Repentance to be necessary in all such as are Justified and the real beginnings of Gospel Repentance to be also necessary unto such as are to be justified I say the beginnings because I conceive the principal parts or workings of saving Gospel-Repentance follow faith and upon Faith in Christ is the union betwixt Christ the Beleever made and the man brought into a justified state Seing then we presse urge the exercise of Repentance as a constant duty require it in all such as would enjoy Peace Comfort here be saved here after we yeeld nothing unto the Antinomians And against them we urge the same Scriptures that have now been alledged others also as irrefragable proofs of the necessity of this grace though to other ends than to be justified thereby in such manner as we are said to be Justified by Faith Obj. 10. Do not our Divines ordinarily say prove that Faith Repentance are Conditions of the Covenant of Grace I Ans. True but their meaning is not that Repentance is the same way a Condition of Justification that faith is but that terme Conditions of the Covenant they take largely to wit to signifie import the duties required of such as are within the Covenant of Grace not strickly for Conditions of entering into Covenant These two are carefully to be distinguished many things may be called the Conditions of marriage that is duties of married persons to other that can not be called Conditions of making up the marriage Relation as is manifest so is it here Many duties are required of Beleevers that neither are nor can be called Conditions of Justification or of entering into Covenant with God Obj. 11. But do not many both in sermons in writtings even when speaking of Pardon of justification joyn Repentance with
lest any man should boast manifestly declaring that all works were laid aside in this matter that for this end that no man should have any occasion of boasting this is not spoken as every one may see to qualifie or specifie the works that are excluded these words carry nothing of a restriction in them The same is cleare also Rom. 4 2. If Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory shalll the meaning be Abraham was not justified by such works as give ground of gloriation then the meaning lyeth not in the words but the words do expresly crosse contradict that sense unless we shall suppose them to have no sense to speak nothing of the following vers 3. where beleeving is mentioned not another sort of works to wit such as give no ground or occasion of boasting which in this case of justification no man can describe unto us or tell us what they are He tels us p. 122. that the meaning of these words Rom. 3 28. Therefore we conclude c. is no more but this viz. That a man is justified in the Gospel way But not only is that in the general included but that Gospel-way is particularly expressed to be by faith without the deeds of the Law And consequently his Popish Socinian way is diametrically opposite to the Gospel-way He goeth about to explaine to us p. 124. c. what is meaned by their own Righteousness that is so frequently set in opposition to the Righteousness of God tels us that it was so called upon a threefold account 1. Because they sought the pardon of their sins by their own Sacrifices Ans. And why not also by their works of Obedience Sure neither Abraham nor David sought for pardon upon any such accout they renunced other works than these Is that all the Righteousness that Paul renunceth Phil. 3 9 Was he then occupied about Sacrifices Some thing else sure is understood 1. Cor. 4 4. 2. Because saith he they did not think Regeneration or Supernatural grace necessary to the obtaining of it Ans. And truely all the Regeneration Supernatural grace which he thinks necessary is but that a Pelagian Iesuite Arminian will think necessary no more as we saw above But doth he think that Abraham or David had any such apprehensions yet even their works are excluded from justification Was that the Righteousness that Paul called his owne Phil. 3 9 I think for shame he will not say it And what meaneth Paul to say 1. Cor. 4 4. I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby justified This sure must include works done by supernatural Grace after Regeneration 3. Saith he Because it was a way of seeking to be justified of their own devising not of God's appointing Ans. This is very true but it is not the whole truth in this matter And his way is of the same Nature no more consistent with the Gospel methode of justification through the Righteousness of God by faith than theirs is for the Imputed Righteousness of Christ he rejecteth with contempt True justification he is ignorant of He knoweth no Faith but what is Popish Socinian His New Covenant is but a new edition of the old His Regeneration is Pelagian His Good Works are but works flowing from a Principle of Nature aided with a common divine assistance Let us now in end hear what is the result of all his discourse It is to shew That they were the works ef the Law as exclusive of Faith in Christ his death Not those which are the immediat effects of Faith in Christ in his death in his doctrine But the Gospel tels us that in the matter of Justification all the works of the Law are exclusive of faith in Christ even Abraham's works David's works Paul's works therefore they were all laid aside justification was only looked for through Faith Thus we have seen what a Gospel this is which Mr. Baxter recommendeth to us the consideration whereof may move some to say Noscitur ex socio qui non dignoscitur ex se. CHAP. XXXII Of the object of justifying Faith THough something of the Object of Faith was hinted before Chap. XX. when we were speaking of the Nature of Faith yet it will not be amisse to speak a little more of it here both in reference to what followeth and also more particularly in order to the better understanding of what it is to Live by Faith In order therefore to the explaining of this Object we would premit these few things 1. As was mentioned in the forecited place there is presupposed unto the right exercise actual exerting of Faith accepting the offered Saviour Salvation through him a Conviction of sin misery in one measure or other whereby the Sinner is brought to a desparing in himself seing he can finde no remedie or reliefe for himself within himself and to a concluding that he is an undone man if there be no other remedie than what he is able to do for himself for after all meanes assayed and a soul in that case is ready to turn to many hands to seek reliefe until preventing grace come will embrace close with any promising way how chargable troublesome so ever it be ere it sweetly comply with the only Man-abasing Grace-exalting way of Salvation through Faith in Christ revealed in the Gospel he findeth himself disappointed And further it is presupposed as necessarily requisite hereunto some knowledge of the grounds of Religion particularly of the Gospel of Christ of his offices Work c. all revealed in the Gospel 2. When we speak here of the Object of Faith we mean that Faith by which a Soul is united unto Christ closeth with Him as offered in the Gospel improveth Him to all ends uses which their case necessitie in all time coming calleth for So that it is one the same Faith whether it be called Uniting Faith Saving Faith Justifying Faith Sanctifying heart-purifying Faith or the like It is one the same radical grace receiving these or the like various denominations from the effects brought about by it or the several ends uses it hath is appointed for And the same Faith bringeth all these effects about in its way according to the Order Methode measure ordained of God the same Faith whereby the beleever is Married to Christ Covenanteth with Him as Head Husband Lord Saviour by the same is he justified adopted brought into a state of Peace Reconciliation with God By the same Faith also doth the man get his heart Purified he liveth the life of Sanctification By the same also he getteth Strength Reviving Comfort Support in times of Temptation Trial. So that the Beleevers life first last is by Faith the beginning progress all the steps of it final Salvation is by Faith whence it is called Saving
are free of this charge 2. saith he If it meane that faith is the condition of justification as it receiveth Christ's Righteousness only it hath either one or two falshoods We only say that in order to the obtaining of justification Faith acteth in a peculiar manner on Christ's Righteousness Merites conceive that in this there is neither one nor two falshoods 1. saith he if it mean that faiths receiving act is the formalis ratio conditionis or that it justifieth not quà conditio donationis but qua receptio justitiae Christ it is false Ans. We are not here speaking precisely of the formalis ratio conditionis in such a Philosophical Notion for we say that Faith in order to Justification receiveth Christ's Righteousness that the Lord hath so appointed Let Philosophers break their heads on these rationes formales the qua's quae's we speak of this matter so as every soul concerned may understand it And then saith he 2. that only the Accepting of Righteousness justifieth us that is is the condition of justification is a falshood This he should have proved to have been a falshood but in all this discourse of this we have had nothing like a proof only confident Assertions that in great number But in his Confession pag. 35. where he hath the same discourse for substance he citeth several passages of Scripture on the margine as if they were confirmations of what he saith And yet not one of them cometh home to the point in hand as a short view may discover For Col. 2 6. proveth what we deny not to wit that Beleevers receive Christ Jesus the Lord We have shown above that whole Christ belongeth to the Object of Faith that is Justifying but we are here speaking of the special acting of that faith in order to Justification Psal. 2 12. only proveth that such shall perish as do not kisse submit to the Son that kissing submitting unto him is required in order to being saved Mat. 11 28 29. saith that such as would have rest ease that is freedom from sin misery here hereafter must come to Christ take his yoke upon them Learne of him And in order to that particular rest ease had in Justification we say also that they must come to Christ take on his Righâ—eousness which is easie though it seem a yoke to unrenewed Nature Luk. 19 27. Proveth indeed that such as will not have Christ to reigne over them shall perish but doth doth not prove that in order to Justification Christ must be received as a King Rom. 10 9 10. proveth that faith eyeth Christ as raised from the dead by God which respecteth his Death Sacrifice that for a Righteousness in order to the life of Justification which is what we say Mat. 17 5. Mark 9 7. prove what is not denied to wit that it is the will of God that Christ his only beloved Son should be heard obeyed in all things And Ioh. 10 3 4 9 27. only proveth that Christ's sheep know hear his voice And who denieth this Ioh. 12 46 47 48. showeth what benefites beleevers shall receive what shall be fall unbeleevers but touch nor the point now in hand Act. 2 30 33 34 36 38. Proveth that Christ is indeed a King that all such as would be saved must receive him as the exalted King Act. 3 22 23 26. Proveth that he is that Prophet that was spoken of by Moses that he Died Rose againe sent forth the Gospel to the end that poor sinners might be turned from their iniquities But there is nothing here to prove that Faith in its special acting in order to justification receiveth layeth hold on Christ as well as a Prophet as on Christ as a Priest Act. 5 31. saith that Christ is exalted to be a Prince a Saviour for to give Repentance to Israel Remission of sins but what is this to the question now in hand Ioh. 13 35. 15 8. 8 31. sheweth the genius disposition kindly work of his disciples to wit to love one another to bear fruite to continue in his word all which we willingly grant Luk. 14 26 27 33. Evinceth that right coming to Christ is inconsistent with a predominant Love to any terrene thing how neer dear so ever But toucheth not the question now in hand These are all the passages he adduceth there none of them come neer the question CHAP. XXXV Faith is the only Condition on our part of the continuance of justification HAving spoken of Iustification as to its beginning or as to a Beleevers entering into that State of Life having spoken to some Questions for further clearing of the truth We come to speak a word or two of the Continuance of this Privilege State That it is a continueing and permanent State we have seen above The Question then that we have to discuss is Upon what termes Conditions is this State continued or what is it which the Lord requireth in order thereunto or whether any thing more be required of us for continueing this Relation than was at first required to the making of it that is whether Faith alone or Faith together with Works of sincere obedience Mr. Baxter in his Confess p. 47 n. 40. tels us that there is much more goeth to the continuing consummating our Iustification then doth at first to justifie us as to the condition on our parts to be performed to that end This Continueing of our State of Iustification Not-losing of it he maketh one the same and that which he requireth as necessary unto the Not-losing or Continueing of this State he maketh to be Sincere obedience many particular materials of that obedience as to be humble to forgive others to confess Christ suffer for him if called to it That we may know both the State of the difference the Consequence thereof we would premit these things 1. It is readily on all hands granted yeelded unto that there is an Holiness Personal Obedience Conformity to the Law called for at the hands of all Justified persons that are come to age The denial therefore of what Mr. Baxter others that joyn with him do here assert cannot with any shew of reason be loaded with this foule inference that hereby we cry down or lay aside all necessity of Holiness of sincere obedience for we still affirme that the Law is in force obligeth unto obedience and that all such as are justified have received a new frame disposition of soul inclineing them to obedience Yea that they have now both peculiar Obligations unto Holiness and also Advantages Helps thereunto They are his wormanship created in Christ Jesus unto Good Works which God hath before ordained that they should walk in them Ephes. 2 10. 2. Mr. Baxter tels us Confess p. 102. that it
truth we lay down these grounds both from Scripture Reason as 1. The words of the Text whereupon we are do evince this for it is said the just liveth by Faith And as was cleared at the beginning of our discourse the words as used by the Prophet Habbakuk from whom they are cited are spoken of such as were already Beleevers Justified and pointed out the way how they were to have a life in an evil time and how they were to continue or be keeped in that State of Favoure with God whereinto they were brought to wit by Faith for the just shall live by his Faith and accordingly the same words are cited by the Apostle Heb. 10 38 39. Now the just shall live by faith but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition but of them that beleeve to the saving of the soul. Where living by Faith is opposed to drawing back to wit through unbeleefe and as drawing back is unto perdition so beleeving is to the saving of the soul therefore the Continuation of this life of justification unto the end even unto the final Salvation of the soul is by Faith This life of justification as it is begun by Faith as the Apostle evinceth Rom. 1 17. and in our present Text citing in both places these same words for that end so it is continued by Faith as the only condition thereof And to say that the particle only is not here added therefore other Works of Obedience must be or may be adjoyned here in this matter notwithstanding it be said the just liveth by Faith were in effect to destroy the Apostles Argument in our Text where he useth this same expression without the addition of only to prove that we are not justified by the works of the Law Therefore as this assertion that the just liveth by faith proveth justification by faith without the works of the Law so the same proveth the Continuation of Justification without the works of the Law as the Condition thereof 2. The Grounds Causes of Justification mentioned by the Apostle Rom. 3 22 24 25 26. hold good al 's well in the Continuation as in the first beginning of justification for there as well as here the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested even the Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that beleeve for there is no difference Justification first lastly is free by his grace through the Redemption that is in Iesus Christ whom God hath set fort to be a Propitiation through faith in his blood And there is not the least hint given that the matter is altered in the Continuation of justification 3. As the beginning of justification is so contrived as all boasting is taken away so must the Continnance thereof be conceived to be But if works be admitted as Conditions of the Continuance of Instification though they be denied to be the Condition of the Beginning thereof all boasting shall not be excluded contrary to Rom. 3 27. for if a sinner after that he is Iustified by the merite of Christ at first should have it to say that for the Continuance of his justification he were beholden to his own Works he should surely have matter of boasting in himself in so far at least Papists think to evite this Argument against their Second Iustification by works by saving that all these good works are not of themselves but of the Father of Lights But this shift will not help for all these works are not the Righteousness of Christ but are works of Righteousness which we do are excluded in this matter as occasioning boasting or giving ground thereunto as the next Argument will more fully cleare 4. Abraham is said to have Righteousness imputed unto him Faith imputed unto Righteousness and so to be justified by faith not only when he was first justified but many yeers after even when he offered up Isaac his son Rom. 4. Iam. 2 21 23. So was he justified first last as to have no ground of glorying and therefore not by works Rom. 4 1 3 4. But it will be said that the Apostle Iames saith expresly in the place cited that our father Abraham was justified by works when he had offered his Son Isaac on the Altar I Ans. Not to engage in the whole explication vindication of that Passage of Scripture here which is of late to good purpose most satisfyingly done by the learned Doctor Owen I only say that Abraham's being justified by works was such as thereby the Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham beleeved God and it was imputed unto him for Righteousness c. vers 23. Now if Abraham had been justified by works properly so taken the Scripture had not been fulfilled which said he was justified by Faith but the contrary had been made good to wit that works were imputed to him he was justified by them as by his Righteousness But the meaning is that Abraham was justified by faith a true faith that proved itself such in time of a trial by works of obedience particularly by obedience to that command whereby the Lord tried or tempted him Gen. 22 1 2. and by such a Faith as wrought with his works was perfected or discovered manifested to be real after the trial of the fire Iam. 2 22. It is a good direction that the learned Camero giveth here Op. fol. pag. 83. That we should hóld fast the scope of the Apostle Iames to this end that we should take notice of the Apostles Proposition and of the Conclusion thereof The Proposition is set down vers 14. What doth it profite my brethren though a man say he hath faith have not works can faith or that faith save him Whereby we see that the Apostles scope is to prove that that Faith which the man supposeth he hath who hath no works is not that Faith by which we are Justified saved that because it is unprofitable to poor indigent brethren in necessity vers 15. 16. is dead vers 17. 20 it can not be shown by works vers 18. it is a Faith that devils have vers 19. All which what followeth is cleared from the Conclusion vers 26. for as the body without the Spirit is dead so faith with works is dead also 5. It will alwayes hold true that God is he who justifieth the ungodly so justifieth him that worketh not but him to whom saith is counted for Righteousness Rom. 4 5. But if the Continuance of Justification were by works works were counted for Righteoulness in order to the continuance of justification God should not continue to be the justifier of the ungodly but should justifie the ungodly at first thereafter justifie the Godly whereof the Text giveth not the least hint 6. The Instance of David cleareth this also
which is not by a dead faith or by a faith that cannot produce works of Obedience or by such a faith as devils have but by a faith that is working making the soul prompt ready to yeeld all Obedience unto the Lord and this is the true meaning of the words as was showne above and the whole scope of the place evidenceth Will Mr. Baxter say that by a dead Faith and by a Faith that cannot save and by a Faith that is in devils is attended with no Christian Love we are brought into a justified state at first No sure and yet this is the faith that Iames opposeth unto works or rather unto a working faith whereby we are justified first last as was Abraham vers 21. whose faith was such as it wrought with his works and by the same was manifest to be what it was the true saving faith of God's Elect. And sure this Faith of Abraham and the faith that wrought in Rahab was another sort of Faith than is the Faith of devils or that Faith that is but a dead carcase Mat. 6 14 15. speaketh of Remission of sins And I suppose it will not be said that every one who forgiveth his neighbour doth thereby and thereupon obtaine Remission of his own sins at the hands of God otherwayes Heathens wicked persons may be said to have their sins Pardoned before God because they may forgive others some wrongs done unto themselves If it besaid that such cannot forgive others a right not having a principle of grace and not being in Christ. True but then we see that it is not this forgiving abstractly considered that is spoken of here but a Forgiving flowing from faith principled thereby and so the meaning of the place is That without such a Faith in Christ as principleth prompteth to Pardoning of others we can expect no pardon of our own sins from God not have ground to suppose that we are indeed pardoned of God our forgiving of others then is here mentioned as the native Effect evident Signe of Faith as our Commentators manifest upon the place speaking against the Papists See Pareus Gualter others Pareus particularly disproveth the Papist's gloss sayeth that our pardoning of others must follow upon God's pardoning of us as he cleareth from Mat. 18. and will not have our forgiving of others said to be the causa sine qua non of our obtaining Remission from God This place then saith That while we cannot finde in our heart a readiness cheerfully heartily to forgive others we have no ground to imagine that our sinnes are pardoned for all such as are pardoned of God have this Christian disposition flowing from faith in Christ They may have this as to the seed root but till it grow up to yeeld this fruite they want the evidence of their faith consequently of pardon 1. Ioh. 1 9. meaneth such a Confession of sins as is accompanied with the making use by faith of the bloud of Christ that cleanseth from all sin vers 7. and with a running to the Advocat with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous who is a Propitiation for sins Chap. 2 1 2. Most wicked persons as Saul may make confession of their sins but not so as to run to the fountaine the blood of sprinkling And by a Confession that is not accompanied with this acting they can attaine to no Remission before God And therefore faith only acting in humble Confession to the glory of God to the taking of shame to themselves is the condition of Pardon of Continuance of Justification as to this Revel 22 14. is also abused by the Papists to prove their second justification to be by works The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hereused doth not alwayes denote right or jus for it sometimes signifieth meer freedome liberty power to do such or such a thing as 1. Cor. 9 4 5 6. And so here the words import that such as do his commandements are blessed for thereby they have free access unto the tree of life unto Christ their objective blessedness which is the same with that which is commonly said viz. that Works of Obedience are the way of the Kingdom but not the cause of reigning It will not suite with the Gospel to say that by our works of obedience we buy a right to the tree of life even in part or in subordination to Christ's blood for Christ hath purchased the whole Right nothing of ours must be joined as a part of that price otherwise must we have a proportionable share of the glory to ourselves Nor can it be said that by our works of Obedience we obtaine a Right to Christ to his Merites for before we have a Right to Christ we can do no works of Christian Obedience and Christ alone hath bought to us both Grace Glory But our works of Christian Obedience though they cannot precede our Right to yet they may go before our Possession of the Inheritance purchased now Right Possession are different things But in fine we say that this place speaking of the possession of glory is not apposite to the purpose now in hand for Justification is different from Glorification Rom. 8 30. And of justification as continued are we here speaking Ioh. 15 3 4 5 6 8 9 10. Verse 3. 9. can prove nothing in reference to what we are upon Vers. 4. sheweth that there is no fruitfulness in Grace but by a constant abiding in sucking of sap by faith from Christ the true Vine which none denieth Verse 8. sheweth that by fruitfulness in good the Father is Glorified thereby a demonstration is given to the world who are indeed the true disciples of Christ vers 6. holdeth forth the dreadful punishment that attendeth Apostates but we hope true beleevers are secured against full final Apostasie Vers. 10. proveth indeed that keeping of Christ's commands is a mean to keep the sense of our being beloved of Christ fresh in our souls to enjoy the fruites of his Love of Beneficence but saith nothing of good works being the Condition of our Continuance in the state of justification unless we will also say that Christ's obedience was the Condition of his Continueing in the State of Justification 1. Ioh. 2 24. c. proveth that full final Apostasie from the faith truth of the Gospel will indeed cutt off from all Interest in Christ from benefite by him But as true beleevers are secured from this as vers 27. cleareth So this will only prove that continuance in Faith is the Condition of continuance of Justification Mat. 18 35. Only proveth and so confirmeth what was said to Mat. 6 14. that such as do not from their hearts forgive their brethren their trespasses can have no ground of Assurance that God hath forgiven them theirs ... our Cruelty Unmercifulness towards our Brethren may give us sufficient ground to doubt of
of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith The question is not whether Christ be made Sanctification to us but whether that Sanctification be any part of that Righteousness which Christ is made of God to be unto us What more He addeth It is God who honoureth these that honour him praiseth his Saints as the excellent on the Earth his Jewels peculiar Treasure adorneth with his own lovely image partakers of the divine Nature and members of Christ as his own flesh And it is Satan wicked men that vilifie dishonour them Ans. This is but a Continuance of the same cheat for it is no part of the question whether the Saints should be vilified or honoured But the question is whether the Saints should rob God of his glory and ascribe that unto themselves which is due unto him be it in less or in more We know the Saints are God's excellent ones his Jewels his peculiar treasure but all this is through the free underserved grace of God making them beautiful lovely with his own graces and partakers of his divine Nature And therefore we say that for all that they ought to be humble knowing what their birth â—ativity was and whence all this is come and who ought to have the glory of all this and notwithstanding of this what is the sole ground of their justification before God and what is that Righteousness upon the account whereof they are justified in the sight of God And I have oft lamented it saith he furder that these very men that hold this kind of doctrine of self-abosement as having no part of Righteousness nor share at all in any good work are yet too oft so proudly conceited of their own goodness even for holding that they have none for which they are praise worthie as that their pride is no small trouble to the Churches all about them Ans. I shall not plead for pride or proud conceits in any but whether such as lay down doctrinal grounds of pride and teach men to be proud or such as lay down contrary grounds but do not practise accordingly be most blame worthie I leave Mr. Baxter to judge One thing I would ask How Mr. Baxter came to know that such as he opposeth here were proudly conceited of their own goodness Pride a proud conceit lyeth most within is not obvious to the view of every one especially being upon such a ground I hope Mr. Baxter will not take upon him to judge of hearts And if it be by their contendings for that which they conceive to be truth If this be an infallible mark no man can be judged more proud than is Mr. Baxter none having in this matter contended by so many so great volumnes as he hath since his Aphorismes come abroad that indeed to the no small trouble of the Churches And further some might think that if Mr. Baxter did aright lament that any were proudly conceited of their own goodness he should not have laid doctrinal grounds for fomenting of this pride nor moved such an objection against himself as he doth here for no man can rightly lament at the practice of that doctrine which himself embraceth teacheth He proceedeth â— 177. Whatever is of God is good whatever is good is laâ—dable or praise-worthie meriteth to be esteemed as it is Ans. True therefore God who is the Author thereof should have the glory it should be esteemed as it is to the glory of God not to puff us up with proud conceits or to be the ground we leane to in order to be justified accepted of God He addeth n. 178. All the Sanctified are inherently righteous but with an imperfect Righteousness which will no further justifie them in judgment save only against this Accusation that they are unholy Ans. Mr. Baxter then is much to blame who will have this Imperfect Righteousness to be a perfect Righteousness as being our Gospel Righteousness and the Poâ—estative condition of our Justification absolution at judgment and so the immediat sole formal ground of our Justification before God But this answere is also impertinent for these he here writteth against speak not of a particular justification from this or that false Accusation but of that justification before God whereof Paul treateth in his Epistles to the Romans Galatians which is a justification of the ungodly Rom. 4 5. He addeth n. 179. There is no Righteousness which will not justifie him that hath it in tantum so far as he is Righteous for the contrary is a contradiction for to be just is to be justifiable Ans. This is sick of the same impertinency with what went before for the question is not concerning a particular Righteousness a particular justification upon that account but of a general justification as to our state that from the just accusation of Law justice under which we stand by Nature in reference to which all our inherent Righteoâ—sness how great so ever it be is no ground nor part of the merite or formalis ratio of that Paul had no small share of this Righteousness when he said he knew nothing by himself And yet he addeth Yet am I not hereby justified 1. Cor. 4 4. and we would say the same speak after this manner if Mr. Baxter would suffer us Next n. 181. for 180. he saith All the Righteousness which formally justifieth us is our own or on ourselves where it justifieth us for to be made just or justified in the first sense constitutivly is nothing else but to be made such as are personally themselves just Pardon of sin is made our own Right to Christ glory is made our own though Christ's Righteousness was the only meritorious cause of all this which therefore is may be called our Material Righteousness as that which meriteth it is the matter Ans. There seemeth to be nothing here but confusion for 1 he speaketh ambiguously when he saith that all that Righteousness which formally justifieth us is our own or on ourselves for this may be true whether by that Righteousness he mean the Surety-Righteousness of Christ which he doth not meane for he is too much against the imputation of that as we have seen beeause we say that is made ours by imputation in order to our justification upon the account thereof or whether he mean our own inherent Righteousness but then if this be his meaning it is false that we are hereby formally justified unless he mean as before only a particular justification which is nothing to the point as was said 2 To be made just to be justified are not formally the same but to such only who Love confusion 3 He who is made just is but constituted justifiable is not eo ipso constitutive justified But Mr. Baxter loveth his own Expressions Explications of them
Conscience as Drunkeness horedome c. have been glad enough of such doctrine forward enough to beleeve that there is nothing in man that in any part can justifie him or that is any part of Righteousness but it is all out of us in Christ therefore they are as justifiable as any But Conscience will not let them beleeve it as they desire Ans. To this cannot answere not knowing nor having acquaintance with those poor sinners Yet this I may say others will say the same with me that Mr. Baxter's way is that which I finde more relishing unto carnal Souls than the self denying way of the Gospel which we use to preach And that the way which Mr. Baxter is not satisfied with is the way that is most pleasant acceptable unto the truely gracious and rightly exercised Souls But surder what of all this Knoweth not Mr. Baxter that some can turn the grace of God into lasciviousness Must therefore the mountains be removed for them He saith Moreover n. 185. It is arrogant folly to divide tho praise of any good act between God man to say God is to have so many parts man so many for the whole is due to God yet some is due to man for man holdeth his honour only in Subordination to God not dividedly in Co-ordination And therefore all is due to God for that which is Mans is God's because we have nothing but what we have received But he that arrogateth any of the honour due to God or Christ â—ffendeth Ans. If it be thus Mr. Baxter is the more to blame in being dissatisfied with such as are but expressing their care that God have all his due and that man do not proudly arrogat to himself any of that honour glory which is due to God alone And if Mr. Baxter knoweth not that there is a strong propension in corrupt nature to spoil God of his glory he knoweth nothing And wo to such as would indulge nature in this Sacrilege Them that honour God He will honour What honour is justly due unto man in subordination unto God none of those I suppose whom Mr. Baxter here opposeth will grudge him of but all their care is to have God's due keeped for himself that is all it is not commendable in any to oppose them in this But next he saith n. 186. If all had been taken from God's honour which had been given to the creature God would have made nothing or made nothing good heaven earth all the world would derogate from his honour and none of his works should be praised And the better any man is the more he would dishonour God the wickeder the less But he made all good and is glorious in the glory honourable in the honour of all to justifie the holiness of his servants is to justifie him Ans. All this is little or nothing to the purpose for such as are carefull that man rob not God of his glory do not deny the honour due to the creature knowing that when honour is given to the creature upon a right ground and in the right manner it redounded unto the honour of the Creator But who knoweth not how ready the Creature is to steal into the throne of God and how ready men are to transcendâ— and transgress all due limites And is it not saifest to keep far from such a dangerous precipice Is it to edification thus to gratifie with our pleadings proud Nature and to blow at this fire of corruption that the Saints have dailyhard work about to suppress exstinguish Must we thus on so small occasions plead so stoutly for man pretend to plead for God too He addeth next n. 187. If these Teachers mean that no man hath any power freely to specifie the acts of his own will by any other help of God besides necessitating predetermining premotion so that every man doth all that he can do no man can do more than he doth They di honoure God by denying him to be the Creator of that fâ—ee power which is essential to man which God himself accounteth it his honour to creat And they feigne God to damne blame all that are damned blamed for as great impossibilities as if they were damned blamed for not making a world or for not being Angels Ans. This is not a fit place to treate of that Question of Predetermination though Mr. Baxter pull it in here by the eares It is enough for us that we see now whither all that Mr. Baxter hath here been saying tendeth even to give unto Man the glory of all the good he doth of his Faith Repentance Love of God obedience perseverance in the first chiefe immediat â—â—ace for by his own Natural Power he did freely specifie the acts of his own will and so beleeved when he might have rejected the Gospel Loved God Christ when he might have hated both Repented when he might have remained impenitent Converted himself when he might have remained in his former state Mr. Baxter maketh no difference of acts here and so his words must be looked on as meaned of supernatural acts as well as of Natural that without any predetermining grace or motion of God This glory shall we never yeeld to be due unto man Let Mr. Baxter load the Doctrine of Predetermining grace with all the reproaches and absurdities he can invent He needs not think now to restrick his opinion of denying Predetermination unto natural acts for as the good spoken of by those he here opposeth is supernatural good as such so his discourse here is expressive enough of this And thus the cause is yeelded unto Pelagians Iesuits Arminians and the crown is put upon the head of man and he is to honour praise himself for what good he doth for all began at his own self-determining power will and the Almighty himself could not have bowed predetermined his will except he had overturned the course of Nature destroyed that free power which is essential to man And thus it is made to be to the honour of God to creat a Creature that is absolute Lord Master of all his own actions so must be the first Cause of his own actions as to their specifick moral nature what is this but to make man an independent Creature as to his actions consequently a God to himself Mr. Baxter hinteth some other help of God besides Predetermination but what that is he telleth us not is it his Concourse From this the same inconveniences will flow that flow from Predetermination And beside Mr. Baxter seemeth to incline more to Durandus's his opinion A dola's which even the Jesuites are ashamed to owne and his friend D. Strang doth directly confute as loving to set man yet higher up than they dar do Doth Mr. Baxter think that it is essential to man to have such a free
justification by the Law cannot conclude against the Ceremonial Law only for 1 all the world are not guilty of transgressing only the Ceremonial Law and yet because all the world are become guilty before God the Apostle inferreth Rom. 3 20. Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified 2 So that other Argument ibid. for by the Law is the knowledge of sin cannot conclude against the Ceremonial Law only 3 Justifieation by the deeds of the Ceremonial Law only repugneth not to the justification through the Righteousness of God without the Law and which is by Faith of Jesus Christ and through the Redemption that is in Christ. 4 The Law of Ceremonies alone doth not exclude boasting 5 Abraham's works were not works of the Ceremonial Law only 6 works of the Ceremonial Law only do not exclude glorying nor make the reward of debt not of grace 7 Beleeving on him that justifieth the ungodly is opposed as well to him that worketh according to other Lawes as to him that worketh according to the Ceremonial Law Rom. 4 5. 8 Imputed Righteousness mentioneth Rom. 4 7 11. is as much opposite in the matter of justification to other observances as to Mosaical Observances 9 Forgiveness of sins mentioned Rom. 4 7 8. is as inconsistent with the observation of other Lawes as of the Ceremonial Law 10 Justification by the Faith of Christ is as opposite to the Moral Law as to the Ceremonial Law And thus reasoneth the Apostle Gal. 2 16. 11 That Curse denounced Deut. 27 26. by which the Apostle proveth Gal. 3 10. that justification can not be by the works of the Law is not against transgressours only of the Ceremonial Law 12 Obedience to the moral commands is as little a living by faith as was obedience to the Ceremonial Law And by this Argument Paul proveth Gal. 3 11. that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God because the just shall live by faith 13 This is clear also from vers 12. 13. to mentione no more And the Law is not of faith which holdeth not true only of the Ceremonial Law but the man that doth them shall live in them which was the Tenor of the Old Covenant Rom. 10 5. Levit. 18 5. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law And sure this is from the Curse of other Lawes than of the Ceremonial Law 8. Though it were true that Paul's conclusion was only against Justification by Mosaical Observances Yet by good consequence it might hence be inferred that there is no Justification by the works of the Moral Law Partly because the Apostle's Mediums Arguments are general as we saw reach further than to the Ceremonial Law Partly because if it were not thus all the Apostles disput should be of no use or value unto us now the subject of that controversie being quite removed Partly because the Ceremonial Law belonged to the first table being God's institute worshipe obedience thereunto required by the Second Command Partly because so long as that Law was not abrogated obedience thereunto was their Gospel Righteousness as well as obedience to other Law 's is now called our Gospel-Righteousness And if that could not then justifie them no more can this now justifie us We do not by all this say that the Ceremonial Law had no place or interest in this disput for the Jewes being pertinacious adherers unto this the false Teachers urging the observation of this even upon the Gentile Churches gave occasion first rise unto this Question for they alleiged there was no Justification or Salvation without the observation hereof But as they did not restrict the Law the works thereof purely unto the Mosaical Rites Typical Ceremonies but urged the observation of the whole Law which comprehended moral precepts as well as Ceremonial Injunctions so the Apostle argueth against Justification by the works of the Law in general without any particular limitation expressed or hinted unto the Ceremonial Observances Mr. Baxter in his Cathol Theol. part 2. Sect. 26. where he would tell us how Paul Iames agree about justification by works n. 362. saith that The key of understanding Paul's discourses of justification is to know 1. That the grand question which he first manageth is whether the Gentiles may not be saved without keeping the Iewish Law as well as the Iewes with it Ans. 1 But our Principal difficulty here is to understand what Mr. Baxter meaneth by the Iewish Law for if he meane all that which was prescriscribed unto the Jewes as a Rule of their obedience we assent but then the Moral Law is as much concerned here as the Ceremonial or judicial And these as such being abrogated the disput concerneth us as well as them in respect of the Moral Law But if he mean hereby only the Law of Ceremonies we have shown that howbeit this might have given the first rise unto the disput yet the disput was not wholly purely restricted thereunto Nor doth the Apostle only speak to that abstracted or restricted consideration of the Law in his pleading against a justification by the works of the Law as we have seen This he doth when he pleadeth for the Abrogation of that Law against the observation of it 2 Mr. Baxter as it would seem supposeth that Paul made no question concerning the Jewes themselves but yeelded that they were justified saved by their Law for the question was saith he whether the Gentiles might not as well be saved thereby as the Iewes But where findeth he this either asserted or granted by the Apostle or the Question thus stated by the Apostle 2. Saith he To prove the Affirmative he proveth that the Jewes themselves cannot be saved or justified meerly or primarily by the Law notwithstanding the divinity great excellency of it But must be justified by a Saviour free given Pardon Right to life to which the sincere keeping of Moses Law was intended to be but subservient Ans. 1 Then the Question concerned the Jewes as well as the Gentiles Paul did no more grant justification by the Law to the one than to the other 2 Where findeth Mr. Baxter these restrictions Merely or Primarily in all the Apostles disput This is not faire to pervert the Apostles plaine peremptour absolute Conclusions restrick them to a certain limited sense that they may the better be subservient to our designes our Hypotheses Do the Apostles Mediums only serve to prove that justification is not by the Law Meerly or Primarily Which of them all I pray hath only this force 3 Though the keeping of Moses's Law be here said to be but subservient Yet according to Mr. Baxter it was all their Righteousness no other was properly imputed to them upon it immediatly they received Pardon Right to life as merited thereby ex pacto the Saviour only procuring the New Covenant that is that
were by the works of the Law is opposite to a seeking of it by Faith And againe Rom. 10 3. they went about to establish their own Righteousness and did not submit themselves unto the Righteousness of God which two are opposite inconsistent And this their own Righteousness was but an imperfect Righteousness which they were labouring to cause stand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 14. We cannot imagine that when the Apostle did exclude his own Righteousness and desired not to be found therein he only excluded that which was not desired not to be found in that which he had not and which he knew he had not to wit a perfect sinless obedience Rom. 7 24. 1. Tim. 1 13 15. He confessed he had been a blasphemer and the chiefe of sinners and so was far from imagineing that his obedience was perfect sinless This then could not be the Righteousness whereof he speaketh Phil. 3 9. but his imperfect Righteousness being that only which he could call his owne is that only which he desired not to be found in in the day of his appearing before his judge in order to his justification 15. If Paul had disputed only against perfect obedience had yeelded justification by imperfect obedience What ground was there for that objection Rom. 6 1. Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound seing justification by imperfect obedience doth of it self engadge to all endeavoure after obedience against the allowance of sin 16. And the Apostles answere to this objection may fournish us with another Argument against this for if Paul had allowed of or pleaded for justification by our imperfect works he had used this aâ— least as one argument to perswade unto an absteaning from sin by saying there is no justification but by endeavouring after obedience But we hear of no such think in all the Apostles Arguments whereby he presseth unto holiness obedience whether there or elsewhere 17. We are not justified by works done after Faith Regeneration as was proved before Therefore we are not justified by imperfect works for works after faith are imperfect againe they cannot but be so as presupposing sin guilt going before There is yet another Evasion wherewith some satisfie themselves for they say that when Paul saith we are not justified by the works of the Law by these works he meaneth only outward works of the Law performed without an inward Principle of Grace of faith or fear or Love of God But we need not insist in the discovery of the vanity of this Evasion having before at large proved that the works whereof Paul speaketh are not works done before Faith Regeneration For all these works that are done before Faith Regeneration are done without any inward Principle of Grace are only outward works such as Heathens may performe a few reasons will serve heâ—e as 1. When Paul denieth justification to be by the Law or by the works thereof he must mean such works as are enjoined commanded by the Law But the Law commandeth other works than those outward works for it condemneth all works that flow not from a principle of grace because the Law is holy spiritual the first chiefe command thereof is that we Love the Lord our God with all our heart with all our soul with all our strength c. Rom. 7 12 14. Mat. 22 37. Mark 12 30. Luk. 10 27. Deut 13 3. 30 6. If then Paul exclude only such works as flow not from a principle of grace he shall not exclude the works of the Law but works prohibited by the Law his meaning should be we are not justified by works which the Law commandeth not but we are justified by works which the Law commandeth which is contradictory to the whole scope designe of the Apostle 2. The Apostle doth manifestly exclude the works of Abraham Rom. 4 1 2. But the works of Abraham were other than such servile works or such outward works performed from no principle of grace or Love to God Therefore such cannot be here understood 3. Outward works done without any principle of grace could with no face or shew of a pretence lay a ground or be any occasion of boasting or of glorying because they were no other but manifest sins being prohibited condemned by the Law not commanded or approven But the Apostle excludeth such works as could do this Therefore he excludeth good works which were done in conformitie to the Law not such outward lifeless works only as were meer servile works no better 4. Such lifeless servile outward works could give no shew of a ground of making the reward of debt But Paul excludeth such works as would make the reward of debt Rom. 4 4. 5. If Paul had meaned here only such outward servile works which are not conforme to the Law what occasion had there been for Paul's proposeing of that objection Rom. 3 31. Do we then make void the Law through Faith for to lay aside these works which are not conforme to the Law giveth no probable ground of supposal that thereby the Law is made void 6. Israel could not have been said to have followed after the Law of Righteousness by doing of works meerly ourward lifeless And yet this is said of them it is also said that by all their following of the Law of Righteousness they could not be justified Rom. 9 31 32. 7. Meer performance of outward servile works cannot be called a Righteousness But the jewes went about to establish their own Righteousness therefore missed justification Rom. 10 4. 8. There was never any life had by these outward servile works alone But by the works which Paul excludeth there was life to be had if they had been perfect The man which doth those things shall live by them Rom. 2 13. 10 5. Levit. 18 5. Gal. 3 12. 9. These outward servile works are not good works but even good works are here excluded Ephes. 2 9 10. 10. Paul did not meane such works only when he excluded his own Righteousness Phil. 3 9. Nor can such works be called works of Righteousness which yet are expresly excluded in this matter Tit. 3 5. CHAP. VI. By works which Paul excludeth is not meant the Merite of Works THere is one other Evasion thought upon to shift by all the Apostles argueings yet to maintaine the Interest of Works as the Cause ground of justification before God to wit That Paul only disputs against a groundless conceite of merite in works not against the works themselves but against a Pharisaical sense of merite worth in their works whereby they conceived conceited that thereby they could satisfie for their sins buy purchase to themselves Justification Salvation But against this Evasion we have these things to say 1. By merite here must either be understood that which is called meritum ex condigno that is that merite
which ariseth from the due proportion of worth that one thing hath unto another in the ballance of equity justice And who ever imagine this merite in their works must dreame of an intrinsick worth in their works which God if he do according to justice cannot but reward with eternal life or that which is called meritum ex congruo which floweth not from any inward Condignity in the work but from a Promise or Covenant so it is meritum ex pacto whereby the reward is not absolutly of grace but of debt because of a congruity in the thing in respect of the Promise Compact made Our Adversaries cannot understand this last when they say that Paul disputeth against merite because themselves owne it when they make works the Condition of the Covenant God to have promised justification life unto our works Neither are they shy of the word merite it self as we saw lately from Mr. Baxter But now that Paul is not disputing against the merite of works in the first sense is manifest from these 1 The very works required of Adam in the first Covenant had not in them this intrinsick worth merite ex condigno and so the Apostle shall be disputing against that which never was nor never will be nay nor cannot be 2 Then the Apostle saith nothing to disprove justification by the Old Covenant of Works made with Adam but establisheth that which who can beleeve 3 No man that is right in his wits can imagine such a thing And shall we think that the Apostle is disputing against that which none but such as are transported with mere ignorance vanity will owne or stand to in their more sedate composed thoughts 4 Even the most proud vaine person that is will joyn the free mercy of God with all the conceite of merite they have but this merite ex condigno leaveth no imaginable room for the free mercy of God in lesse or more 5 Paul disputeth not against the merite ex congruo as separated from the works themselves whereupon it is founded As the following Arguments will evince Therefore far less doth he dispute only against the fond foolish conceite of the merite ex condigno 2. It is strange that the Apostle should dispute against that which he doth never once mentione in his dispute or in his Conclusions He every where mentioneth works the Law the works of the Law but no where mentioneth he this merite of works as the thing he disputeth against as abstracted distinguished from the works themselves 3. And that place which they think giveth some countenance unto their imaginations viz. Rom. 4 4. Now to him that worketh is the rewasd not reckoned of grace but of debt is directly against them for there the Apostle sheweth that works are excluded all works for there is no distinction made are excluded because then the reward should be of debt shewing that if works have any place in the matter of justification debt must have place also but because debt hath no place but grace which two are inconsistent incompatible therefore all works are excluded And to think that the meaning of the Apostle is now to him that worketh with a conceite of merite attending his work the reward is reckoned of debt is to adde to the word of God to pervert the Apostles Argument to contradict the scope cohesion of the words as hath been shown elsewhere far less can any hence inferre a restriction of works to such only as make the reward of debt for then the reward might be reckoned to him that worketh yet be reckoned of grace not of debt thus the Apostles Argument should be manifestly false a plaine Paralogisme which were wickedness blasphemie to assert 4. The Apostle excludeth in as plaine termes as can be all the works of the Law but even such works as are performed without this fond groundless conceite of merâ—te are works of the Law being required commanded by the Law Yea the Law never commanded any works with this conceite of merite And therefore by this opinion none of the works of the Law are excluded 5. Adam was obliged to give perfect obedience to the Law without the least thought of meriteing ex condigno thereby And if no merite or works with a conceite of merite be now excluded but the merite ex condigno then is the Covenant of works established by the Gospel Nay thus our imperfect works are made to merite as well ex congruo ex pacto justification life as Adam's perfect sinless obedience could have done 6. The man that hath works without this conceite of merite can not be called an ungodly man no more than Adam could have been called so while he stood in his integritie But the justification under the Gospel is of the ungodly God justifieth the ungodly Rom. 4 5. Nor can the worker without this conceite of meriting be said to be one that worketh not but beleeveth on him that justifieth the ungodly as is manifest 7. Either the Apostle establisheth works of justification by them only condemneth the apprehension of merite in our works or he excludeth all works in which men may conceite some merite to lye If the first be said then I conceive the Apostle would have once mentioned this in argueings conclusions and not alwayes have mentioned the Law the works of the Law for with our adversaries these are separable and from the one the other can not be inferred but we see not the least appearance of any such thing in all the Apostles argueings And if the last be said We have all we desire for thus all works shall be excluded because men can ignorant persons too oft do imagine conceite a merite in what they do though not that merite which is ex condigno Yet that which is ex congruo 8. If the Apostle disput not against works but against a conceite of merite in works why doth he not oppose works without this conceite unto this conceite or to works with this conceite Why doth he alwayes oppose Faith unto works say we are justified by faith without the deeds of the Law Is works the same with conceite of merite or with works having this conceite adjointed and is faith the same with works or with works without this conceite of merite Then Adam should have been justified by faith if he had stood in his state of innocency for he should have been justified by works without this conceite But what palpable manifest perverting of the Scripture of the works thereof is this To take this liberty of expounding the words of the Scripture is plainly to make nothing of the Scripture but what we please 9. Are there no mediums to prove that there is no merite in our works in reference to justification Salvation but such as the Apostle here useth to exclude works from this Interest
expresly said to be the free gift of God 18. Then all that Paul meaned when he desired to be found of his judge not having his own Righteousness which is of the Law was that he desired not to be found puft up with a pharisaical conceite of the perfection meritoriousness of his works as meriteing his justification life ex condigno by their intrinsick value worth But no such thing appeareth Phil. 3. 9. where he utterly renunceth his own Righteousness which is of the Law that is a Righteousness consisting in his obedience conformity to the Law for in opposition to this he desireth to be found in that Righteousness which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by faith this is some other thing than his own works performed without that pharisaical opinion 19. We are saved by grace through faith not of works lest any man should boast Ephes. 2 8 9. consequently not of any works seing all works give ground of boasting And he meaneth such works unto which we are created in Christ Jesus as his workmanship and which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them vers 10. Now these works are certainly works done without any vaine conceite of merite and yet we see that by these works we are not brought into a state of Salvation 20. The Apostle excludeth works of Righteousness which we have done as opposed to Mercy grace Tit. 3 5 7. Now grace standeth in opposition to all works even to works performed without this conceite of merite as we see Rom. 11 6. else we must say that the Apostle there granteth Election to be for foreseen works performed without a conceite of merite and nothing must be called works but what is done with a Pharisaical conceite of merite intrinsick worth in them which is absurd CHAP. VII James 2 14. c. cleared Vindicated ALI who have been of old and are this day Adversaries to the way of justification before God which the Orthodox owne from the Scriptures have thought to shelter themselves under the wings of of some expressions of the Apostle Iames have therefore laboured so to explaine streatch forth the same expressions as they with their corrupt Notions about justification may seem at least to have some countenance therefrom yea and warrandise to hold fast the same And for this cause they have laboured so much and do still laboure so to expound the words of Paul as that they may carry no seeming difference unto the words of Iames for it is received as a known truth and it is willingly granted that there is no real Contradiction betwixt the two Apostles but what ever apparent or seeming disagreement there be betwixt their words yet all that difficulty is removable their words how contradictory soever they seem to be are yet capable of such an interpretation as shall manifest their harmonious agreement in the truth so that Iames saying Ch. 2 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified not by faith only dot not contradict the Apostle Paul who saith concludeth that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law Rom. 3 28. But a question is here made whether we should interpret Iames's words by Paul's or Paul's by Iames's Our Adversaries are much for this later to wit that we must interpret Paul's words by the words of Iames because as they alledge Paul is obscure in his doctrine many were beginning to misinterpret pervert the same that therefore Iames was necessitate to clear up that doctrine of justification so as Paul's words might be better understood But how unreasonable this is the leamed D. Owen hath lately manifested his grounds are indeed irrefragable for 1 It is a received way of interpreting Scriptures that when two places seem to be repugnant unto other that place which treateth of the matter directly designedly expresly largely is to regulate our interpretation of the other place where the matter is only touched obiter on the bye and upon some other occasion and in order to some other ends And that therefore accordingly we must interpret Iames by Paul and not Paul by Iames seing it is undenible that Paul wrote of this Subject of Justification directly on purpose to cleare up the same and that with all expresness fulness on severall occasions disputing the same in a clear formal manner with all sorts of Arguments Artificial Inartificial and answereth objections that might be moved against the same at large and with a special accuracie But on the other hand it is as certaine that Iames hath not this for his scope to open up the Nature of Justification but only toucheth there-upon in order to the other end which he was prosecuting 2 There is no ground to suppose that it was the designe of Iames to explaine the meaning of Paul no footstep of any such purpose appeareth For then his maine business should be to explaine clear up the doctrine of justification which neither is apparent from this part of the Epistle nor from any part of it at all his designe being quite another thing as is obvious 3 Nor was there any necessitie for Iames to Vindicate the doctrine of Paul from such corrupt inferences as Adversaries suppose were made therefrom for as to any such as might be made to wit as if he had given any countenance unto such as were willing to lay aside good works he himself did fully sufficiently Vindicate his owne doctrine by showing on all occasions the necessity of good works and particularly when he is speaking of Justification not only in his Epistles to the Romans and to the Galatians where he largly professedly treateth of that matter but even when he is but mentioning the same on other occasions as we see Ephes. 2 8 9 10. Phil. 3 9 10 11 c. Tit. 3 5 6 7 8. So that to imagine that Iames asserteth another interest of works in our justification than Paul doth and that to explaine Paul's meaning is not to reconcile these Apostles but to set them at further varience enmity And it cannot comport with sobriety to think or say that Iames to cleare the Apostle Paul's doctrine and to vindicate it from objections should speak to the same objections which Paul himself had spoken to fully removed and that Iames should give such answers unto these objections as Paul would not give but rather rejected And yet this must be said by our Adversaries here It will be of great use to us here to understand aright what is the plaine scope drift of the Apostle Iames for as for the designe scope of Paul in his discourses of justification it is so obviously manifest unto all that read the same that no doubt can be made thereof to wit To cleare up fully plainely the Nature Causes of this great privilege of
must he said that by a work done long afterward men may see that the worker was justified But that should not sutte James's scope seing by this meanes they might think to delay for a long time their good works yet suppose themselves presently justified Ans. All this is but vaine language for it is all one to the scope of Iames whether this come to the actual knowledge of few or of many who they were to whose knowledge it came He is only shewing that such as had but a dead faith that brought forth no works of obedience when called for had no evidence or clear ground to assert their own justification seing Abraham's justification was thus declared by his signal obedience to all that came or ever should come to the knowledge of that act of obedience of his to the end of the world Yea had it been unknown to any yet hereby he had a sure proof to ascertaine his own heart conscience of his justification But say the Arminians Good works cannot be such a proof demonstration because it cannot be known to others whether these good works proceed from faith or not Ans. Nor is any infallible judgment here necessary or requisite nor doth the scope of Iames require any such thing who is only shewing that such as wrought not works of obedience when called for could not conclude themselves justified in a saife estate notwithstanding of all their faire profession Notwithstanding we cannot judge infallibly of principles motives ends of the good works of others yet by what may be seen of these God may be glorified Mat. 5 16. 1. Pet. 2 12. Thus we have seen that neither is that faith whereof Paul speaketh when he saith We are justified by faith without the deeds of the Law whereof Iames speaketh when he saith Ye see then how a man is justified by works not by faith only is not one the same Nor is it the same justification or justification in the same sense consideration that both the Apostles speak of And therefore how ever as to their words they seem to speak contrary to other Yet in their true sense meaning there is nothing but a sweet harmony agreement But now as to works whereof both make mentione the question remaineth whether they be one the same The forenamed Socinian Author saith that both do not speak of the same works and that Paul excludeth from justification only legal works not Evangelical And consequently that Iames must speak of Evangelical works only But sure we are Iames cannot be supposed to speak of Evangelical works in their sense seing they cannot say that Abraham's offering up Isaac or Rahab her receiving sending away the spies were Evangelical works James speaketh of works commanded by the Moral Law which he mentioneth both in general in its particular commands Iam. 2 9 10 11. And all the duties which he presseth them unto the sins which he disswadeth them from relate unto the Moral Law And what these works are whereof Paul speaketh we have seen before Others think that Iames by Works here meaneth a working faith so that his meaning when he saith that by works a man is justified is that by a working faith such as Abraham had a man is justified But though it be a truth that justifying faith is a working lively faith And that we are justified only by such a faith as is lively prompteth to obedience in every duty called for though this truth will follow by consequent from what the Apostle Iames here saith Yet I judge that both Paul Iames understand the same thing by works even duties of obedience performed to the Law of God that by Works here in Iames is not meant a working faith this not being the scope designe of Iames to clear up justification in its Causes or to shew by what meanes it is brought about but only to shew what way it is or may be evidenced proved demonstrated to ourselves or others so as we may not be deceived thereanent And real works of obedience as they evidence a true lively faith so they prove the reality of justification And the Apostles intention being to shew the vanity of that pretence whereby many deceived themselves thinking that their profession of the truth of the Gospel was enough to secure their Salvation to prove them to be in a justified saife state though they indulged themselves a liberty to walk loosly according to the flesh this acception of the word works in a proper sense is most contributive unto that designe no other acception how consonant so ever unto the Analogy of Faith doth so directly clearly contribute assistence thereunto Therefore he opposeth faith works denieth that to faith which he ascribed unto works though by consequence he put hereby a difference betwixt a dead faith a working faith Yet his principale Thesis vers 14. is that by works not by a bare profession of the truth we come to Salvation And the enquirie prosecuted is whether we have that faith that will indeed prove saving this can only be evidenced by works as his whole following discourse evinceth especially when he saith vers 18. shew me thy faith without thy works I will shew my faith by my works And vers 20. when he saith faith without works is dead vers 26. that it is as dead as a body is without breath or Spirit And this he fully confirmeth by the following instances of Abraham Rahab From what is said it is apparent how little ground there is to think that there is any real appearance of contradiction betwixt Paul James how needless it is in order to a reconciliation to say with Papists that Paul speaketh of a first justification Iames of a second or with others that Paul speaketh of justification as begun Iames of justification as continued or with Socinians that Paul denieth justification by the works of the Law James affirmeth justification by the works of the Gospel CHAP. VIII No countenance given to Justification by Works from Jam. 2 14. c. BEcause all who ascribe our justification in one sense or other all are not agreed in one the same sense unto our works seek countenance unto the same from these words of James Chapt. 2 14 forward notwithstanding that what was said concerning this passage in the fore going Chapter might be sufficient to discover the groundlesness of any such pretence where it was showen that the whole face of this place looked towards another airth and had not the least aspect unto any such conclusion Yet for a fuller Vindication of this place from this too ordinarie abuse perversion we shall examine every part thereof see what ground there is for any to alleige the same for confirmation of their particular opinions The Papists generally say that this place speaketh
active obedience examined With a View of Wendelin's reasonings against it John Forbes in his Treatise tending to clear the doctrine of justification Chap. 24. pag. 93. c. cometh to speak of the matter of our Righteousness that is that wherein Christ is made of God Righteousness unto us And tels us that this in one word in the Scripture is said to be his obedience Rom. 5 19. But this obedience he restricteth pag. 94. unto the passive Obedience of Christ only in his death And by this restriction not only excludeth all his obedience to the Law but even all his suffering in his state of humiliation Yea his soul-sufferings also for any thing that appeareth He mentioneth a distinction betwixt those things wherein the Righteousness itself standeth which is imputed to us those things which are requisâ—â—e in Christ to the end that in the other he may be Righteousness unto us And this distinction is good in itself but not rightly applied when he referreth all to this last head which Christ did and suffered except only in his death He granteth pag. 95. that the word obedience is oft times in the Scripture referred to the whole work of Christ's humiliation But we do not take it so largely here as to comprehend even his Incarnation but as comprehending that which belonged to his work of Mediation as our Sponsor in satisfying the Law the Law-giver for what we were owing and were not able to pay Nor can we so restrict it as he doth Let us therefore see his grounds His first ground is this We are not to esteem Christ to be our Righteousness in any thing but in that only wherein God hath purposed according to his purpose ordained according to his ordinance set forth Christ to be our Righteousness Propitiation For the purpose of God he citeth Col. 1 19 20. for the Ordinance 1. Pet. 1 18 19 20. For his setting forth Rom. 3 25. Ans. We are not to esteem Christ to be our Righteousness in any thing but in that only where in the Scriptures hold him forth to be so And in that wherein the Scripture holdeth him forth to be so God purposed ordained set him forth to be so But we must not restrict the whole Seripture to these three or four places cited If the Scriptures elsewhere pointe forth Christ to be our Righteousness in other acts than in his death all this argueing is to no purpose Sure the Scriptures speak of his sufferings in soul of his being made a curse for us of his being obedient even to the death of his being made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law And that what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us See Phil. 2 7 8. Gal. 4 4. Rom. 8 3 4. 2 There is nothing in these texts exclusive of Christ's obedience And it is loose argueing to say Christ's death only is mentioned in three or foure places of Scripture Ergo nothing else is mentioned or to be understood any where else the particle Only is not here to be found neither expresly nor tacitely 3 Beside that in all these passages there is not one word of a Righteousness no expression signifying the matter of imputed Righteousness to consist therein or that Christ was our Righteousness upon the account thereof Nay neither here nor no-where finde we Christ called our Righteousness because he died for us Nor doth the Apostle attribute our Righteousness unto his blood only Rom. 5 9. Ephes. 1 7. Col. 1 14. No such thing appeareth there Neither Pardon nor Justification which only are there spoken of are a Righteousness or our Righteousness but the consequences fruites or effects thereof His argueing That without shedding of bloud there is no remission from Heb. 6. 10. That Christ dieth no more Therefore Christ is appointed our Righteousness peace in nothing but in his death bloud of his crosse is most loose can only conclude against those if there be any such that say By Christ's obedience active only not at all by his death sufferings have we peace remission of sins We willingly grant that without shedding of bloud there is no remission But this saith not that shedding of bloud alone is all our Righteousness We conjoine both his active his passive obedience so we take in his whole Mediatory work which maketh up his compleat Surety-Righteousness and say that this must be imputed to us in order to our Justification Peace Pardon Acceptance He argueth next from Adam as the Type Rom. 5. sayeth that this Type teacheth us foure things 1. That our Righteousness should proceed from one man Iesus Christ. 2. That our Righteousness should consist in the obedience of that one man 3. That our Righteousness should consist in one obedience only of that one man 4. That our Righteousness should consist in the only one obedience of that one man once only performed Ans. 1 If our Righteousness consist in the obedience of Christ that in opposition to Adam's disobedience to the Law then it must not consist in his sufferings alone for sufferings as such are no obedience to the Law And further Christ's obedience is called his Righteousness Rom. 5 18. but suffering dying is no Righteousness 2 There is no ground to assert either of the two last much less both for though Adam's act of disobedience was one and that done at once Yet it will not follow that therein he was a Typ of Christ or that therefore Christ's obedience must be one act only that performed at one time only for Paul hinteth no such comparison and we must not make typical similitudes without warrand And againe one act of disobedience once committed is a violation of the Law enough to constitute one unrighteous but one act of obedience howbeit frequently performed far less once only performed cannot be a compleet Righteousness which requireth conformity to the whole Law in all points that all the dayes of our life Wherefore Christ's obedience being a Righteousness which consisteth in full conformity to the Law must be perfect correspond with the whole Law cannot be one only act once only performed that such an act too is no formal act of obedience to the Law at all His Second ground is taken from the signes seals of the Righteousness which is by faith that is Baptisme the Lord's supper tels us that they signifie represent to us what is the Righteousness it self whereby we are justified seale confirme unto us that that Righteousness is ours Ans. I should rather think that they represent exhibite whole Christ seal to beleevers or the worthy receivers their interest in Him Right to Him
way If thou fleest from darkness he is light if thou seek meat he is aliment Idem de side lib. 2. c. 4. O sides the sauris omnibus opulentior O vulnerum nostrorum peccatorumque medicina praestantior Consideremus quia nobis prodest bene credere Mihi enim prodest scire quia propter me Christus suscepit infirmitates meas mei corporis subiit passiones pro me peccatum pro me maledictum factus est pro me atque in me subditus atque subjectus i. e. O faith more rich than all treasures O most excellent medicine for all our wounds sins Let us consider for it is profitable for us to beleeve well It is profitable for me to know because Christ for me took on my infirmities he underwent the passions of my body he was made sin for me-for me was he made a curse for me in me was he made a subject Macarius Homil. 20. Quicunque enim in propria sua justitiâ redemptione consistit in vanum cassum laborabit nam omnis opinio de propria justitia concepta tanquam pannus menstruatâ— mulieris in novissimo die manifestabitur sicut inquit Esaias Propheta-Petamus itaque obtestemur Deum ut induat nobis vestem salutis Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum ineffabilem lucem quem ferentes animae in aeternum non exuentur i. e. Who ever standeth in his own Righteousness redemption laboureth in vaine for all conceived opinion of our own Righteousness shall be manifest to be a menstruous cloth in the last day as the Prophet Esai saith Let us ask therefore beseek the Lord that he would cloth us with the garment of Salvation our Lord Jesus Christ that ineffable light whom if our souls put on wear they shall never be denuded thereof Even some Papists of old though few or none now since the Councel at Trent did assent unto this Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. In Colon there was a book written an 1475. directing how to comfort dying persons wherein these words are found Age ergo dum superest in te anima in hac sola morte fiduciam tuam constitue in nulla re fiduciam habe huic mortite totum committe hac sola tetotum contege totum immisce te in hac morte in hac morte totum te involve si Dominus Deus te voluerit judicare dic Domine mortem D.N.I.C. objicio inter me tuum judicium aliter â—ecum non contendo Et si tibi dixerit quia peccatores dic mortem D.N.I.C. pono inter te peccata mea Si dixerit tibi quod meruisti damnationem dic Domine mortem D.N.I.C. obtendo inter te mala mea merita ipsiusque merita offero pro merito quod ego debuissem habere nec habeo Si dixerit quod tibi est iratus dic Domine mortem D.N.I.C. oppono inter me iram tuam i. e. Go to then while thy soul is in thee put all thy confidence in this death alone have confidence in no other thing commit thy self wholly unto this death cover thy self wholly with this death alone mixe thy self wholly in this death roll thy self wholly in this death if the Lord will judge thee say Lord I cast up the death of our Lord. J. C. betwixt me thy judgment no other way do I contend with thee And if he say to thee that thou art a sinner say I put the death of the Lord Jesus Christ betwixt thee my sins If he say that thou hast deserved damnation say Lord I hold forth the death of our Lord J. C. betwixt thee my evil merites I offer his merites for the merite which I should have had have not If he say that he is angry at thee say Lord I set up the death of our Lord J. C. betwixt me thine anger Isidorus Clarius Orat. 40. in Luc. Nos dicimus neque fide primò neque charitate sed una Dei justitiâ in Christo nobis impertitâ justificari i. e. We say we are justified at first neither by faith neither by charity but by the Righteousness of God alone in Christ bestowed upon us Albertus Pighius Controv. 2. de side Fortassis etiam nostram hanc damnarent n. Scholastici sententiam qua propriam 〈◊〉 ex suis operibus esset 〈◊〉 Deo justitiam derogamus omnibus Adae filiis docuimus una Dei in Christo niti nos pesse justitid una illa justos coram Deo destitutos propria nisi hoc ipsum astruxissemus aliquanto diligentius i. e. It may be they i. e. the Scholasticks would condemne this opinion of ours whereby we take away from all the Sons of Adam their own Righteousness which is of their own works before God did teach that we must leane upon the Righteousness of God in Christ alone that by that alone we are Righteous before God though destitute of our own if we had not confirmed it a little more diligently Idem ibid. Nam quod nen operibus nostris non in justitia nostra sed in una ignoscente iniquitates nostras misericordia benevolentiâ— erga nos divinae salutis a Deo assignandae nobis spes sit Davidis Testimonio Apost ad Rom. comprobans non alia justitiâ— niti nos posse nisi quam imputari nobis absque nostris operibus affirmat-non dicit beati qui ex operibus suis justi coram Deo sunt beatus vir qui non commisit nec fecit injustitiam sad beati quorum a Deo misericorditer remissae sunt iniquitates quorum ipse sua justitia tegit abscendit peccata i. e. That our hope of the Lord 's good will of life is not by our works nor in our Righteousness but only in the mercy of God forgiving iniquities Paul to the Rom. confirmeth by the testimonie of David proving to us that we may lean to no other Righteousness but that which he affirmeth to be imputed to us without our works He saith not blessed are they who are Righteous before God by their own works blessed is the man that hath done no iniquity but blessed are they whose iniquities are mercifully pardoned whose sins he covereth and hideth with his own Righteousness Thereafter the same man saith In illo ergo justificamur coram Deo non in nobis non nostra sed illius justitia quae nobis cum illo jam communicantibus imputatur Propriae justitiae inopes extra nos in illo docemur justitiam quaerere Cum inquit qui peccatum non noverat pro nobis peccatum fecit hoc est hostiam peccâ—ti expiatricem ut nos efficeremur justitia Dei in ipso non nostra sed Dei justitia justi efficimur in Christo quo jure Amicitiae quae communionem omnium inter amicos facit juxta vetus celebratissimum proverbium Christo insertis conglutinatis unitis sua nostra facit suas divitias
one person should be reconciled are the Reprobate his brethen Ephes. 5 25 26. To what end did Christ give himself for his Church And all the world of mankinde belong not to his Church It was that he might sanctifie cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spotor wrinkle or any such thing but that it shâ—uld be holy and without blemish Is this a meer Possibility Then might Christ have died have no Church to present to himself faire spotless his Church might have remained full of spots wrinkles unholy full of blemishes yea should have been no Church Tit. 2 14. He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Do all the world belong to his peculiar people doth Christ redeem all the world from all iniquity Is all the world purified made zealous of good works Or is all this meer may be which may not be 2. Corinth 5. vers 21. He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him Was Christ made sin or a sacrifice for sin that all the world might possibly be made the Righteousness of God in him that is that possibly not one person might be made the Righteousness of God in him who can dream thus that God's intentions designes should be so loose frustrable that God should be so uncertain in his purposes Gal. 1 4. why did the Lord Jesus give himself for our sinnes It was that he might deliver 〈◊〉 from this present evil world according to the will of God and our Father This is no meer Possible Deliverance and it is such as was designed not for all the world but for the us there mentioned So Chap. 4 4 5. God sent forth his son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sones This Real Benefite is manifestly here restricked Ioh. 17 19. for their sakes I sanctify my self that they also may be sanctified through the truth Christ sanctified himself to be an obâ—ation not to obtaine a meer may be but 〈◊〉 they for whose sakes he did sanctifie himself that is they that were given to him vers 6 9. and were his owne vers 10. were in due time to beleeve in him vers 20. might Really Actually be Sanctified through him Heb 13 12. wherefore did Jesus suffer without the gate it was that ho might sanctifie the people with his own bloud sure this is more than a may be Rom. 3 25 26. Why did God set forth Christ to be a propitiation It was to declare his Righteousness for the remission of sinnes that are past that he might be just and the justifier of him that beleeveth in Iesus a Certaine Real thing Many moe passages might be added to this purpose but these may suffice to discover the absurd falshood of this doctrine Adde 6. such passages as mention the Actuaâ— Accomplishment Effect of Christ's death where it will yet more appear that this was no meere may be or Possible thing but that which was to have a certaine Being Reality as to the persons for whom it was designed Such as Heb. 1 3â— when he had by himself purged our sinnes Can their sinnes be said to be purged who pine a way in hell for ever because of their sinnes could this be true if no man had been saved and yet if it had been a mere possible may be Redemption it might have come to passe that not one person should have been actually saved So Heb. 9 12. by his owne blood he entered in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption Is a meer possible Redemption to be called an eternal Redemption and was that all that Christ obtained Then Christ's blood was more ineffectual in the truth than the type was in its typicalness for the blood of buls goats and the ashes of an hiefer sprinkling the unclean did not obtaine a possible and may-besanctification and purifying of the flesh but did actually really sanctify to the purifying of the flesh vers 13. Againe vers 14. which also confirmeth what is now said how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God So that all such for whom he offered himself and shed his blood and none else have their consciences purged from dead works to serve the living God and who darsay that this is common to all or is a meer may be which the Apostle both restricteth asserteth as a most certaine real thing Againe vers 26. but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself So that he did Actually Really and not Possibly Potentially only put away sin the sin viz. of those for whom he was a sacrifice even of them that look for him and to whom he shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation vers 28. and sure no man in his wits will say that this is the whole world Gal. 3 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a curse for us 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith Here are three Ends Effects of Christ's Redemption mentioned which no Man will say are common to all viz. Redemption from the Curse of the Law and this was Really not potentially only done by Christ's being made a curse for us the Communication of the blessing of Abraham and the Promise of the Spirit which are ensured to such as are Redeemed from the Curse of the Law and to none else So Ephes. 2 13 14 15 16. But now in Christ Iesus ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ for he is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us having abolished in his flesh the enmity the Law of commandements in ordinances for to make to himself of twain one new man so making peace and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the crosse having slaine the enmity thereby To which adde the paralled place Col. 1 21 22. 2 14 15. was all this delivery from Wrath Enmity Law of commandements whatever was against us but a meer Potential thing and a may be common to all in whose power it was to cause it take effect or not as they pleased Esai 53 5. He was wounded for our transgressions â—e was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed with
left and ensured by his death unto the heires of salvation Upon his Death Satisfaction made in his death hath he gote all power in heaven earth a power to quicken whom he will Matth. 28 18. Ioh. 5 21 22 27. Phil. 2 9 10. Hence we are said to be compleat in him Col. 2 10. to be blessed with all spiritual blessings in celestials to which no doubt Faith Repentance do belong in him Ephes. 1 3. Is it not from hence that the divine power hath given unto us all things that pertaine unto life and godliness 2. Pet 1 3 Nay Paul tels us expresly Phil 1 29. that it is given to us in the behalfe of Christ to beleeve on him And certainly there is a promise of Faith Repentance and all the promises are yea amen in Him 2. Cor. 1 20. all the Blessings contained in the Covenant are made sure by his death who was the surety of this better Testament Heb. 7 22. this Testament was to have force by his death Heb. 9 15 16 17 18 the New heart heart of flesh is promised in the Covenant comprehendeth Faith Repentance they being some of his Lawes which he hath also promised to write in the heart Ier. 31 33 Heb. 8 10. Ezech. 11 19 20 36 26 27. We have moreover seen that Sanctification Holiness from which Faith Repentance cannot be separated were purchased by Christ intended in his death whence he is made of God unto us Sanctification 1. Cor. 1 30. If it be not purchased by Christ how come we by it is it a thing in our Power and an act of our owne Free Will Then as I said before we are beholden to ourselves for Faith and all that follow upon it then farewell all Prayer for Faith Repentance all Thanksgiving to God for it This is pure Pelagtanisme If it be said that it is the free gift of God Ephes. 2 8. and a Consequent of electing love I Answere all the fruites of election which are to be wrought in us are procured by the blood of Christ for all are conveyed to us in a Covenant whereof Christ is the Mediator Surety and with Christ he giveth us all things Rom. 8 32. we are blessed in Him with all spiritual blessings according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world Ephes. 1 3 4. So we are predestinate unto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ Ephes. 1 5. and adoption is not had without Faith Ioh. 1 12. can we have Actual Redemption in Christ's blood Ephes. 1 7. Col. 1 14. even forgiveness of sinnes and not have also in his blood Faith without which there in no actual redemption or forgiveness of sinnes to be had when Christ gave himself for us that he might purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2 14. did he not purchase Faith without which we cannot be such when the Renewing of the holy Ghost is shed on us abundantly through I. C. Tit. 3 5 6. have we not Faith also through him May we not pray for Faith and can we pray for any thing not in Christ's name See 2. Tim. 1 9. 1. Pet. 1 3. Rom. 8 32 39. Luk. 22 32. Againe 13. All that Christ died for must certanely be Saved But all Men shall not be saved That all for whom Christ died must certanely be saved is hence apparent 1. That all who have Saving Faith Repentance shall be saved will not be denyed that Christ hath purchased Faith Repentance to all for whom he died we have showne above 2. These who shall freely get all things fâ—om God must get Salvation for all things else signifie nothing without that but all they for whom Christ was delivered shall get all things Rom. 8 32. 3. They whom nothing shall separate from the Love of Christ and from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord must certainly be saved But all they for whom Christ hath died will in due time have ground to say this Rom. 8 34 35 39. 4. All they to whose charge nothing can be laid shall be saved But this will be true of all that Christ died for for Christ's death is held forth as the ground of this Rom. 8 33 34. 5. They for whom Christ interceedeth shall undoubtedly by saved But Christ interceedeth for all for whom he died Rom. 8 33 34. 6. All who are sanctified shall be saved But all that Christ died for shall in due time be sanctified Sanctification being as we shewed above one principal intended end of Christ's death 7. All Christ's Elected sheep shall be saved But such are they for whom Christ died as was showne 8. All that God Christ love with the greatest love imaginable shall certainly be saved But such are they for whom Christ died Ioh. 3 16. 15 13. Act. 20 28. Eph. 5 25. 9. All that become the Righteousness of God in Christ shall be saved But that shall be true of all for whom he died or was made sin or a sacrifice for sin 2. Cor. 5 21. 10. All that shall be blessed in having their sins pardoned shall be saved Rom. 4 6 7 8. But all for whom Christ died shall have this Redemption Ephes. 1 7. Col. 1 14. 11. All they whom Christ knoweth acnowledgeth shall be saved Mat. 7 23. But he knoweth all them for his sheep Ioh. 10 14 17. for whom he died 12. All for whom Christ rose againe shall be saved seing he rose for our justification Rom. 4 25. But he rose againe for all those for whom he died Rom. 4 25. who was delivered for our offences and was raised againe for our justification Rom. 8 34. 13. All who shall be planted together with Christ in the likeness of his resurrection shall be saved But that is true of such as he died for Rom. 6 5. 14. All they in whom the old man shall be crucified that the body of sin might be destroyed that hence-forth they should not serve sin shall be saved But that is true of such as he died for Rom. 6 6 7 8. knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin for he that is dead is freed from sin Now if we be dead with Christ we beleeve that we shall also live with him c. 15. All they who shall be made Kings Priests unto God shall be saved But all the redeemed shall be such Rev. 1 5 6. 5 10. See worthy Mr. Durham on the Revel p. 303. 16. If Christ must see of the travail of his soul then these he died for must be saved But the former is true Esai 53 11. 17. All whom Christ shall Justifie shall be saved But he shall justify all whose iniquities he beareth Esai 53 11. Thus is this sufficiently proved It is
by others to the same end from the Exceptions of Iohn Goodwine in his Treatise of Iustification part 2. Ch. 6. The first Argum. is thus framed That which impeacheth the truth or justice of God can have no agreement with the truth This is undeniable But the imputation of our act of Beleeving for Righteousness doth so because then he should esteem account that to be a Righteousness which is not Therefore c. He excepteth against the Assumption its probation thus 1. This was in effect the plea of Swencfeâ—dus as recorded by Zanchy Epist. lib. 1. p. 215. likewise of the Councel of Trent as Calv. hath observed Antidot ad Sess. 6. p. 324. to prove that the word Justification in the Scripture was not to be taken in a juridical sense to wit for absolution but in a physical or moral sense for making of a man compleetly just righteous Ans. What Swencfeldus said I finde not recorded by Zanchie in the place cited in my edition if his words be rightly repeeted in the margine he hath had the same judgment that Papists have which is sufficiently known with whom none in reason will say we conspire upon the account of this argument who but observeth this which abundantly discovereth the impertinency of this Exception That the minor its Probation speak not of the act of God Justifying but of his simple act of Estimating or Judging which must alwayes be according to truth therefore we cannot think or say that God judgeth or estimateth that to be a compleat Righteousness which is nothing so And beside though Justification it self were here understood yet it might be said without any ground of imputation either of Popery or of Swencfeldianisme that God who is the just Righteous Judge will not absolve a person as Righteous who is not Righteous nor pronunce him Righteous who hath not a Righteousness as he hath not who hath nothing but his act of Beleeving imputed to him Except 2. Any action conformable to a righteous Law may be is called Righteousness as that fact of Phineas Psal. 106 30. And faith being an obedience to a special commandement 1 Ioh. 3 23. 2 Pet. 2 21. Rom. 1 5. it may be with truth sufficient propriety of speach called a righteousness Ans. But of a particular Righteousness we are not here speaking nor of a particular Justification of such an act but of a Justification as to State and of a corresponding Righteousness which must be universal answerable to the challenge of the Law and no particular act of Obedience will be accounted such a Righteousness by God who is Truth Justice it self in order to the condemned mans Justification Beside himself tels us in end that this exception is nothing to the purpose for he doth not conceive that by Faith when it is said to be imputed is meaned an act of conformity to any particular precept of God And therefore he Excepteth 3. That which we meane is this that God looks upon a man who truely beleeveth with as much grace favour intends to do as bountifully by him as if he were a man of perfect righteousness Ans. But this Excepter should have said that Faith in the letter formality of it is imputed for thus he disputes against the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness and he should have said that God looketh upon the simple act of Faith as Perfect Obedience to all the Law for when we plead for the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness he said that thereby we make God to look upon us as performing that Righteousness in our own persons Neither will he others understand any other Imputation and yet we see how they can speak when explaining the imputation of faith that they may think to evite the force of an argument But 2 though it be true that God dealeth thus as is said with Beleevers Yet that can give no ground to think that he imputeth Faith for Righteousness because it is not upon the account of Faith taken as an act of their obedience that the Lord dealeth so with them but upon the account of the Righteousness of Christ imputed to them and received by faith 3 A Justified person is accounted Righteous not inherently but imputativly and is accepted as such and pronunced such and therefore must be righteous indeed for the judgment of God is according to truth And if nothing be imputed to the justified but his faith unto Righteousness that faith must be accounted to be a Perfect Righteousness which yet it is denied to be He Excepteth 4. Nothing is more frequent with the best writers than that God accounts those just who in strickness of speach are not such but only have their sinnes forgiven them Ans. And their ground is good because they alwayes suppose that such as have their sins pardoned have a perfect Righteousness imputed to them and received by Faith without which their could be no Pardon Argum. 2. If faith should be imputed for Righteousness then should Justification be by worksâ— or by some what in our selves But the Scripture every where rejecteth works all things in our selves from having any thing to do in Justification He excepteth That by works or some what in ourselves may be understood either by way of merite and in this sense the Consequence of the Proposition is false or by way of simple performance then the Assumption is false for the Scripture expresly requireth faith or a work of us in order to Iustification When Faith is required in order to Justification in way of simple performance it is not required as our Righteousness far less as all the Righteousness which the Justified soul must have but only as a mean or Instrument laying hold upon and putting on the Righteousness of Christ which is offered and imputed and whereby the beleever resteth upon and wrappeth himself in that Righteousness as the only Righteousness wherein he can think to appeare before God's tribunal and thus Faith is not considered as our act making up our Righteousness but as bringing in with a begger 's hand a Righteousness from without But when faith or Beleeving is purely considered as our work and as an act of obedience in us and yet is called our Righteousness said to be all that Righteousness which is had is imputed in order to Justification it justifieth as a work upon the account of it as something in our selves we are said to be justified all this in perfect opposition to the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness 2 It is but a Popish evasion to say that by Iustification by works the Scripture only meaneth justification by works that are meritorious as if either any work of ours what somever could be meritorious or as if such against whom Paul disputed did meane a meritoriousness in their works or as if the Scripture did not inferre merite from every work that is ours and that we do to make up a
of God Gal. 2 20. Yet faith receiveth him as God manifest in the flesh 1. Tim. 3 16. as the word made flesh Ioh. 1 14. as the Christ the Son of the living God Matt. 16 16. Ioh. 6 63. as the Immanuel God with us Esai 7 15. Mat. 1 23. Luk 1 31. 2. Faith taketh him wholly as to his Offices as a Prophet as a Priest as a King Faith embraceth him as that great Prophet Act. 3 22. as the Word of God that came out of the bosome of the Father to reveal his mind counsel for our Salvation Ioh. 1 17 18. Faith receiveth him also as Priest offering up himself to God a sacrifice for sins and making Satisfaction to the justice of God as Interceeding with the Father Ephes. 5 2. Heb. 2 17. 7 25. 9 14 28. Hence we hear of Faith in his blood Rom. 3 25. And Christ crucified is proposed to Faith to receive feed upon And in order to Justification Pardon faith as we shall hear hath a special eye unto the Surety Righteousness of Christ. Faith also receiveth him as a King to subdue their souls to himself to make them Subjects to swey his scepter in their souls to subdue all their spiritual Enemies to Support Rule Guide Defend them by his Spirit Esai 33 22. Act. 5 31. Psal. 110. through out 3. Faith receiveth him wholly as to the Relations he hath taken on in reference to his people to wit as an Husband Ephes. 5 30 31 32. as an Head Ephes. 5 23. 1 22. Col. 1 18. as the Chief-Corner stone Ephes. 2 20. 1. Pet. 2 4 5 6 7. as a Vine Ioh. 15 1 2 5. As a Witness Leader Commander Esai 55 4. as a Light Esai 42. 6. 49 9. Faith receiveth him under whatsoever Title Denomination he is held forth for the comfort of his People 4. Faith receiveth him wholly as to the Work imported Ends designed by these Offices Relations Denominations which he took upon him under which he holdeth forth himself 5. Faith receiveth him wholly as to the Furniture Qualifications whereby he was fitted for the discharge of the duties belonging to the Offices which he did execute both in his Estate of Humiliation Exaltation for throughing perfecting of the work which he undertook to do so that Faith receiveth him as the Anointed of the Lord as having the Spirit of the Lord upon him as having all Fulness all Power Authority even the Spirit without measure Esai 61 1. Luk. 4 18. Ioh. 3 34. 1 14 16. Col. 1 19. 2 3 9 10. Mat. 28 18. 6. Faith receiveth him wholly as to all the sinners Necessities Cases Wants Straits Difficulties which they either are or may be into from first to last All the Vessels must hang on Him as the nail that it fastened in a sure place Esai 22 24 25. Faith eyeth Him Him alone seeketh the upmaking of all in Him alone as knowing that in Him only sinners can be compleet Col. 2 10. out of his fulness must they receive grace for grace Ioh. 1 16. Therefore is he held forth as fournished with all richly that we stand in need of as a Store house Treasurie of all necessaries as having Eye salve Gold Rayment what we need Revel 3 18. 7. Faith receiveth Him with all the Sufferings Crosses Inconveniences that can follow Faith taketh up the Crosse followeth Christ. Mat. 10 37 38. Mark 8 34. Mat. 16 24. Luk 9 23. Next I say That Christ as revealed held forth offered in the Gospel is the object of Saving Justifying faith And so 1. He is received as the result to speak so of the wonderful Contrivance Designe of free Grace Love Goodness Mercy Wisdom concerning the glorifying of God in the Salvation of the chosen ones in through Him faith here observeth closeth chearfully with that gracious Covenant of Redemption betwixt Jehovah or God Father Son and Holy Ghost and the Son in order to the Salvation of poor man through the Sones becoming Mediator God-man becoming Cautioner for such as were given unto Him and coming in their Law-place and suffering for them and their debt c. Faith closeth with and embraceth this foundamental Ground of Salvation in all its Parts Ends Meanes and so receiveth Christ as standing in such a place and as engageing to through such a designe of Love free Grace so far as the Beleever cometh to know understand the same to be revealed We may consider to this end Esai 53. through out Ephes. 1 3. forward Rom. 3 21-27 and other places there see how Christ is held forth 2. He is received as the great Gift of God Ioh. 4 10. as the Soveraigne Mean through which all the great designe of Grace is brought about in a glorious manner as the authorized Ambassadour of God and messenger of the Covenant Mal. 3 1. as the grand Effect of Love Grace Goodwill Tu. 3 4. Ioh. 3 16. as fore-ordained and set forth to be a Propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3 25. and as made of God unto us wisdom Righteousness Sanctification Redemption 1. Cor. 1 30. He is received as the Power of God and as the Wisdom of God 1. Cor. 1 24. as He in whom God was reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them 2. Cor. 5 19. and as made sin though he knew no sin for us that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him 2. Cor. 5 21. that is as the Lord our Righteousness Ier. 23 6. Thus faith in receiving Christ as thus held forth in the Gospel eyeth God the Giver the Sender the Maker of Christ to be sin and eyeth God as the Justifier of the ungodly in him Rom. 4 5. and as the Reconciler of us to himself by Christ 2. Cor. 5 18. as forgiving sins and granting Redemption through Christ's blood according to the riches of his Grace wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom prudence Ephes. 1 7 8. Here is the incomprehensible riches of the Mercy Grace of God Father Son Holy Ghost eyed as the Object according to their peculiar methode order of working in this grand affaire 3. He is received as offered held forth in the Promises Thus was he embraced of old as the promised Messiah and as the substance of all the Promises which the Fathers of old saw a far off Heb. 11 13. Ioh. 8 56. That promise made to Abraham that in him all Nations should be blessed was the Gospel Gal. 3 8. and contained a bunddle of promises vers 16. And the faith of this was that faith by which Abraham was justified Rom. 4 16-22 Hence all the promises are made good in and through him and they are all yea amen in him 2. Cor. 1 20. And he is
the Substance of them all for they either hold forth his Person or his Work or some thing of Him or some thing from Him according to the Various Exigencies Necessities of his people 4. He is received as the grand meane of declaring setting forth the glorious Attributes of God which the Lord will have manifested in and by this noble designe of the Gospel for Faith sweetly acquiesceth in this designe of God's to preach forth his Excellencies Vertues in this manner and therefore receiveth Christ as offered held forth in the Gospel for such a glorious End so receiveth him as the great Gift of Love Ioh. 3 16. as the mean whereby the Righteousness of God is declared Rom. 3 25. and his Grace Ephes. 1 5 6. and as the Power of God and the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1 24 Ephes. 3 10. Thus Faith seeth the glory of God shining with a peculiar splendour in the face of Jesus Christ 2. Cor. 4 6. 5. So is he received as the grand only Meane to bring about all the great Ends designed of God and desired by them so that in the receiving of him all these ends are closed with and expected such as Remission of sins Justification Acceptation Adoption Sanctification Peace of Conscience Joy in the Holy Ghost yea life and Immortality full Redemption Ephes. 1 7. Col. 1 14. Act. 26 18. Rom. 3 25. 4 6 7 8. Ephes. 1 11 12 13 14. Rom. 5 1 2 3. 1. Pet. 1 3 4. So that Faith eyeth here by way of end all that Grace Glory they would have and can desire to make them up 6. And in a word He is received as the grand meane to Interest them in God Father Son Holy Ghost as theirs to bring them nigh unto God and in Covenant with Him and to enjoy the several Effects Benefites of their Workings They come to God through Him as the only way to the Father Ioh. 14 6. They close with the Father as their God and Father through Him and with the Holy Ghost as their Sanctifier and comforter through Him who sendeth the Spirit from the Father Ioh. 15 26. 14 26. All these several things belong unto the adequate full Object of that faith whereby beleevers become Justified Adopted Sanctified shall be at length finally Saved for they shall receive the end of their faith the Salvation of their souls 1. Pet. 1 9. Yet to prevent mistakes we would adde some few considerations 1. By all this we do not meane that all these Objects or Various parts or Considerations of the one adequate compleet Object are expresly and distinctly conceived laid hold on by every Beleever when they act faith on Christ or come unto God through him according to the Gospel-command But that these things belong to the full Object of Saving faith and are implied therein so that whoever beleeveth savingly beleeveth these several truthes according to the measure of the Revelation of God and of their Capacity Information So that a more full explicite beleefe of these particulars is now required under the Gospel than was required under the Old Testament when â—his Revelation was not so full and plaine as now and more is required of such who have had clear information of Gospel truthes than of others who have wanted that Advantage and more also is required of such as have large Capacities Understandings than of others who are more Rude of a narrower Reach 2. Wherever any of these truthes are rightly beleeved and heartily closed with all the rest are implicitly also received for they cannot be separated the whole contrivance is such a noble piece af divine art of infinite wisdom that all the several pieces are indissolubly knit together Hence what ever piece it be that the beleever first doth directly explicitly close with or under whatsoever notion Christ at first be embraced according us the beleever cometh to more distinct apprehensions of other pieces or parts of this contrivance so his heart complyeth with and he cordially embraceth the same 3. We may be hereby helped to understand the several and various expressions used in Scripture to pointe forth faith acting on its object for however these be not alwayes one and the same but different yet the same whole object is implicitly understood and these particulars expresly mentioned must not be considered abstractly or alone but according to their several place in the grand designe and with respect thereto as when the object of faith is said to be He who justifieth the ungodly Rom. 4 5. and to be Him who raised up Iesus our Lord from the dead vers 24. and in that same Chap. the object of Abraham's faith whereby he was justified is the Promise that God would make him a Father of many Nations c. vers 17 18. c. all these must be considered with respect unto Christ the grand medium who was appointed to be a Saviour to all Nations and was to die rise againe after satisfaction made to Justice and in and through whom alone God will Justifie the poor sinner that is ungodly in himself With reference here unto must we understand the Publicans saying God be merciful to me a sinner and the saints under the Old Testam their so frequent fleeing to the Grace Mercy Bounty of God for all this was with respect to the only Soveraigne way that the Lord had condescended upon whereby to shew forth and manifest his Mercy Goodness Grace to sinners In the New Test. we finde more express mention made of Christ as the object of faith as Iesus of Nazareth the true Messiah who was promised Ioh. 20 31. 1. Ioh. 5 9 10 20. Ioh. 1 45. Act. 13 38. or as Lord God Ioh. 20 28. as the Son of David Mat. 15 21. 9 27 20 30. 21 42. As the Son of God Ioh. 9 35. as the Christ the Son of God Ioh. 11 27. Act. 8 37. as come forth from God Ioh. 16 30 27. as the Lord Iesus Act. 16. 31. as raised by God from the dead Rom. 10 9 as one that died rose againe 1. Thes. 1 14. as sent of God Ioh. 17 8. that Iesus is the Christ. 1. Ioh. 5 1. So that under all these and the like one and the same thing for substance is pointed forth though some particular in that grand designe of grace is more expresly immediatly pointed at yet that particular is to be understood with reference to the whole and the whole is to be included So also when God is mentioned as the object of faith either absolutely 1. Pet. 1 2. Tit. 3 8. Heb. 5 1. 1. Thes. 1 8. or in Reference to Christ whom he sent Ioh. 5 24. or through whom he is beleeved in 1. Pet. 1 21. or the like the matter must be thus understood 4. Hereby also may the Various Explications of this object of faith given