any should conceive God should give way to relax or abrogate the Law of perfect Obedience nay send his Son to do it and in its room bring in a Law for imperfect Obedience to justifie us as if he repented he ever gave it For by this means saith a learned Author God should lose much Honour in making this second Covenant and granting such easie Terms for there is no comparison betwixt perfect Obedience required by the Law and due to God as our Creator and that imperfect Obedience which is accepted by the Gospel neither in Quantity Quality nor Duration Here it is possible a Man may be converted at the last hour and saved though he have lived in Rebellion against God many years What little Honour or Service hath God from such a Man yea from the best Men who confess their righteousness to be as filthy rags in comparison of a sinless Nature and perfect Life in respect of all Duties Time and Place without mixture of any sinful Imperfections What should be the reason of this alteration If there had been a Law given which could have given Life verily righteousness should have been by the Law Gal. 3. 21. Could not Man keep the Law of Works then it seems the first Law was too strict This reflecteth upon the Wisdom and Justice of God It must be granted that perfect Man could observe a perfect Law had God pleased to give him Grace and Assistance sufficient to his State and Necessity and so there was no need the Law should be altered and the Obedience the Condition of it changed from perfect to imperfect For if perfect Man could not keep the Law of perfect Obedience with sufficient Grace How should sinful Man perform the Law of sincere Obedience having no more than sufficient Grace to assist him Did not God foreknow that Man would break the Law of Works and so was necessitated to make a New and more easie Law Or did not God both foreknow and permit the Fall of Man Or could he not have hindred it Why then should he give way to the abrogating the Command of perfect Obedience to bring in that of imperfect Surely as Augustine saith God is so Just that he can allow no Evil and so Good that he can permit no Evil except it be with design to bring greater Good out of it If God permitted the First Covenant to be broken that thereby he might abase Man and magnifie his own Grace and his Son in bestowing Heaven freely on him and in bringing him thither by the continued Power of pardoning and sanctifying Grace hereby indeed God doth 〈◊〉 advance his own Glory by the change of the Covenants But that the Condition of perfect Obedience being broke by Man's Sin the Law therefore should be dis-annulled and a new way of treating with Man set up wherein still Man should be something and his Works bring about his own Salvation and God be contented with few and very imperfect Acts of Obedience this certainly is a prejudice to his Honour nor doth this make it up i.e. That our Obedience is accepted for Christ's sake for Christ only made way for removing the Old Covenant say you and the granting a New but he did not obey in our stead nor doth add any Worth to our Obedience unless you will say that we are Justified by our own sincere Obedience the righteousness of Christ making up the defects of it and so our own righteousness will be a co-ordinate cause of our Justification with the righteousness of Christ we say When the Apostle saith By the Works of the Law no Flesh shall be Justified he doth not mean only the Law as in the Hands of Moses but also as it is a-new given forth by Jesus Christ for we are still under Obedience to the Moral Law the substance of which is to Love God and our Neighbour as our selves By the Law is meant that Rule of Life God hath given whether as written in the Heart or given by Moses or as given a-new by Christ as Rule of Life to us Lusts is a breach of Christ's Law or as the Law given by Christ as well as it was given by Moses no Man because a Sinner can be Justified by his own Works Righteousness or Obedience but all Men are Sinners whether Professors or Prophane Rom. 3. 23. As I said before he that is justified must be just or without Sin or have such a Righteousness imputed to him God will in no wise clear the guilty Exod. 34. 7. God is just as well as gracious Rom. 3. 26. he cannot suffer any wrong to be done to his Holy Law Consider the Purity of his Nature and Rectitude of his Will His Justice must be satisfied his Law fulfilled by us or by our Surety for us and will not abate a tittle of that Righteousness it doth require yet such is also his Goodness that what we could not do in keeping perfectly the Law he sent his Son in our Nature as our Surety and Representative to do it for us Rom. 8. 3. That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us that is in our Head who by Faith is ours and thus by Faith we do not make void the Law but establish it Is the Law rendred useless or of none effect by Faith Are we justified without regard had to the just Commands thereby required or without a Compensation made for the breach thereof Is it made void No God forbid saith the Apostle we establish the Law in as much as by Faith we get or attain to a perfect Righteousness even such a Righteousness as the Law requires by being Interested in the compleat and perfect Righteousness and Obedience of Christ to the Moral Law in whom every Type and Shadow of the Ceremonial Law and in whom each Promise and Prophecy is fulfilled also To close this take this Argument If we are justified by a compleat and perfect Righteousness then an imperfect though a sincere Righteousness doth not justifie us but we are justified by a compleat and perfect Righteousness Ergo Remember Sinners you are guilty and must be justified in a way of Righteousness as well as pardoned in a way of Sovereign Mercy that God might be just and the Justifier of them that believe in Jesus Rom. 3. 26. We can only be justified saith learned Leigh by that Righteousness which is universal and compleat Leigh's Body of Divinity p. 529. Our Obedience though sincere is not universal nor compleat therefore our sincere Obedience or Righteousness justifies us not in God's sight 5. All Works done by the Creature are excluded in point of Justification of the Sinner before God appears because Gospel-Justification is a great Mystery and the preaching of it counted Foolishness to the wise Men of this World to preach Christ and his Righteousness as that which justifies us they cannot understand Natural Light and Reason comprehends it not What must we be justified by the Obedience and Righteousness of
him in God's sight 3. And that their Will and Affections are also depraved and in like manner corrupted he proceeds farther to cite what David in the same Psalm saith viz. They are all gone out of the way they are altogether become unprofitable there iâ— none that doth good no not one verse 12. Now least any one Zealot should fansie himself in a good condition and excluded from this black Indictment and so in a Justified State by his own righteousness he confirms again his former Universal Charge All are gone out of the way they are altogether become unprofitable and therefore not one of them can be Justified And as the Faculties of their Souls are corrupt so the Apostle proceeds to shew the infection had seized on the Members of their Bodies therefore he saith Their Throat is an open Sepulchre with their Tongue they have used Deceit the Poyson of Aspes is under their Lips verse 13. Whose Mouth is full of cursing anâ— bitterness verse 14. Their Feet are swift to shed Blood verse 15. Both Tongues Lips Throat and Feet are polluted and abominable being Instruments oâ— unrighteousness In verse 19. he seems to Answer by way of anticipation an Objection which the Jews might bring against what he had said as if they should say What you speak doth not concern us but the prophane Gentiles we have the Law and that relieves us and thereby we may be Justified to which he Reasons thus to cut off all their Hopes viz. Now we know that whatsoever the Law saith it saith unto them that are under the Law that every Mouth may be stopped and all the World become guilty before God By the Law is not only meant the Law as it was given to Israel in the Two Tables of Stone but as the substance of the same Law was written in the Hearts of all Mankind the Apostle means the Law of the First Covenant which was broke by our First Parents by the breach of which all the World became guilty before God originally and also by their actual Breach thereof for that neither Jews nor Gentiles lived without Sin but contrariwise werâ— guilty of the Breach of that Law under which they lived But although all the World were under the Law of the First Covenant and had the same Law as to the substance of it as a rule of Life yet the Jews had the upper hand of the resâ— of the World by their having the Oracles of God committed to them by which means they had greater advantages to come to the knowledge of Sin and also by means of divers Figures and Prophecies to the knowledge of the Messias But what of all this the Apostle shews them that the Law on which they rested was so far from relieving them that it served chiefly to convince them of their horrid guilt and bound the Sentence upon them so that they and all the World were subject to the Just Judgment of God and under his Wrath and Curse 2. And therefore he infers that by the Law either as it was written in the Two Tables or in the Heart which the Gentiles had as well as the Jews no Man could be justified so ver 20. Therefore by the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of Sin 3. But lest upon this the lost World should be left under utter Despair the Apostle proceeds to shew us there is a way found out in the infinite Wisdom of God and according to his unspeakable Grace and Goodness to deliver us from Sin and Guilt and so to justifie us before God and therefore he adds but now the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets v. 21. Even the Righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe for there is no difference v. 22. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ v. 23 24. No wonder there is no difference when both Jews and Gentiles lie under the guilt of Adam's Transgression it being imputed to them he being the common Head and Representative of the whole race of Mankind Rom. 5. 12. And since also all of them partake of the same original Corruption or depraved Nature inherent in them from whence proceed all those actual Transgressions by which means it appears that all come short of that glorious Image of God in which they were at first created and also of the eternal Glory above Yet to the praise of God's Grace the lost World is not left in a hopeless Condition God having sent his Son to satisfie the Law and Divine Justice or to be a propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his Righteousness for the remission of Sins that are past through the forbearance of God v. 25. 4. In the 27th Verse he adds a God-honouring and a self-confounding Inference from what he had said Where is boasting then It is excluded By what Law Of Works Nay but by the Law of Faith 5. And hence he draws another conclusion viz. ver 28. Therefore we conclude That a man is justified by faith without the works of the Law and in the 4th Chapter he proceeds to prove his main Argument i. e. That a Sinner is justified by Faith without Works by the Example of Abraham for if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God chap. 4. 2. 6. This is the Apostle's Argument if Abraham was justified by Works he had somewhat whereby he might boast and glory but Abraham had nothing whereof to boast or glory and therefore he was not justified by Works But to put it further out of doubt he affirms what the Scripture saith viz. That Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for Righteousness v. 3. 7. In the next place he proceeds to prove this blessed Doctrine from the nature of Works and Grace they being quite opposite and contrary the one to the other Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt v. 4. If therefore it was granted a Man could perform the condition of perfect Obedience yet he could not he justified 1. Because all as he had shewed before have sinned 2. Because there is no Reward as a due debt from God because we can do no more than our Duty we being the Lords and all our Abilities and Services can ne'er make a reparation for the wrong we have done against the Law and the Holiness and Justice of God And thus I come to my Text ver 5. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for Righteousness To him that worketh not That is worketh not thinking thereby to be justified and saved Though he may work i. e. lead a holy and righteous Life yet he doth
it not to merit thereby nay though he be wicked and an ungodly person and so worketh not or hath no Moral Righteousness at all yet if he believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted or imputed for righteousness Not as a simple Act or as it is a quality or habit or in us as the Papists teach ipsa fides saith Bellarmine censetur esse Justitia Faith it self is counted to be a Justice and it self is imputed unto Righteousness No nor in respect of the effects or fruits of it for so it is part of our Sanctification But as it is a hand to take hold of or receive or apply Christ and his Righteousness Manus accipientis saith Dr. Downham the hand of the Receiver is the Grace of justifying Faith 'T is not Faith but the Object and Righteousness Faith apprehends or takes hold of that justifies the ungodly 1. The Apostle doth not intend by these Words That if a Man hath the Works here meant he cannot be justified unless he throws them away and become openly wicked and prophane and so sin that Grace may abound No as the Apostle says God forbid Rom. 6. 1. But his meaning is that the absence or want of good Works or moral Righteousness cannot hinder a Man's Justification if he believes in Jesus Christ though he be never so wicked and ungodly That justifieth the ungodly Every Man is ungodly before he is acquitted and justified having till that very instant a great Mountain of guilt and filth lying upon him Justifie 't is Verbum foreâ—se a judicial Word used in Courts of Judgment or a Law-Term which usually is opposed to Condemnation And it signifies to absolve to acquit from guilt and accepting a Man as righteous or to pronounce him just and righteous or give sentence for him Deut. 25. 1. Prov. 17. 15. not the making a person inherently righteous but to count or impute Righteousness to one that is in himself a Sinner or as my Text ungodly Obj. But may be you will say what ungodly ones doth God justifie if it be an impenitent ungodly one how can you reconcile this Text with that of Solomon He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just even they are both abomination to the Lord Prov. 17. 15. 1. Answ I answer 't is not meant of justifying of any ungodly Act of a wicked Person for God can as soon cease to be as so to justifie the ungodly 2. Nor Secondly he means not justifying the person in his committing of any sinful deed for that is as opposite to God's holy Nature and all one with the former 3. Nor in the Negative are they such ungodly ones that are righteous in their own Eyes like as many of the Jews and Pharisees were and Paul also before his Conversion Phil. 3. 4 5 6 7. when a Persecutor For although such who are Righteous in their own sight are the worst of Sinners in the sight of God yet they are such whom God while they retain that conceit of themselves will never justifie Christ did not come to call the righteous but sinners to Repentance There is saith Solomon a Generation pure in their own eyes yet are they not cleansed from their filthiness Prov. 30. 11. Our Saviour compares this sort of Men to painted Sepulchres who appear beautiful without but are within full of dead Men's bones and of all uncleanness Matth. 23. 27. What pollution is more loathsome than the filth of a rotten and stinking Sepulchre The proud Phaâ—isee crys out God I thank thee I am not as other Men are Extortioners Vnjust Adulterers or even as this Publican I fast twice 〈◊〉 the week I give Tithes of all that I possess Luke 18. 13. These Men boast of â—heir good Works Prayers and Alms-deeds but never saw their horrid â—ride hardness of their Hearts Unbelief and cursed Hypocrisie They make â—lean the outside of the cup and platter but are abominable inwardly in his eye â—ho beholds their hearts These Men are wicked and ungodly notwithstanâ—ing they look upon themselves to be Righteous and yet are not therefore â—he ungodly whom God will justifie 'T is said the Publican who cried Lord â—e merciful to me a Sinner went away rather justified than the proud Pharisee 4. And in the fourth place neither are they such wicked and ungodly â—nes who though openly prosane and wretched Creatures such that love and â—ive in Sin yet glory presumptuously of Christ's Death and say through â—im they hope to be saved They believe in Christ and therefore do not â—oubt of their Salvation Faith is one thing and Presumption is another I â—m afraid Brethren that this conceit and delusion of the Devil sends daily many thousands to Hell because God hath abounded in his Grace they abound 〈◊〉 Sin and Wickedness and presumptuously trust to lying Words These unâ—odly ones are not the persons which God doth justifie but rather positively â—ondemns in his Word and will condemn for ever unless they believe truly â—elieve in Jesus Christ 5. Therefore in the Fifth place they are such ungodly ones in the Affirmaâ—â—ve who do see themselves to be ungodly and vile they are such whom God brings to see their Sickness to feel themselves wounded who find themâ—elves lost and undone nay though some of them may like Paul be blameless 〈◊〉 respect of the outward Acts of Sin yet by the coming of the Commandment â—ith powerful Convictions sin revives and they die Rom. 7. They see the polâ—tion of their Hearts and the pravity of their Nature and behold themselves â—e worst of Men. Though some others may be indeed guilty of gross Acts of Sin or notorious Transgressors even just until that very instant that they hear the Gospel preached and have done no Acts of Righteousness yet if they believe on Jesus Christ or throw themselves by an Act of saving Faith on the Blood and Merits of Christ they are immediately justified for let Men have moral Righteousness or no moral Righteousness they are all ungodly in God's sight till they believe and at that very instant they do believe they are accounted righteous through the Imputation of Christ's perfect Righteousness For as a Man 's own Righteousness cannot further his Justification or conduce or add thereto so his Sin and Ungodliness cannot hinder or obstruct his Justification if he truly believe on him who justifies the Ungodly My Brethren do not mistake a Man seeing himself wounded doth not heal him though it may and does put him upon seeking out for healing so a Man seeing himself a Sinner doth not render him Righteous Nothing renders a Man righteous to Justification in God's sight but the Imputation of the perfect Personal Righteousness of Christ received only by the Faith of the Operation of God When I was a Lad I was greatly taken with a Book called The flowing of Christ's Blood freely to Sinners as Sinners O my Brethren that 's the Case that 's the Doctrine
which the Apostle preaches you must come to Christ believe on Christ as Sinners as Ungodly ones and not as Righteous not as Saints and Holy persons The whole need not a Physician but they that are sick The Thief on the Cross as a Sinner cry'd out Lord remember me c. and the Jaylor as a Sinner cry'd out Sirs what must I do to be saved So much as to the Explanation of the Terms of the Text in which you have three parts 1. A Negative Proposition But to him that worketh not 2. An Affirmative Proposition But believeth on him that justifies the ungodly 3. The Conclusion from hence His faith is counted or imputed for Righteousness The Observations I shall take notice of from the Words shall be but two 1 Doct. That all Works done by the Creature are quite excluded in point of Justification of a Sinner in the sight of God 2. Doct. That Justification is wholly of the free Grace of God through the Imputation of the perfect Righteousness of Jesus Christ by Faith I purpose to begin with the first of these Points of Doctrine and then come to speak to the second 1. But before I proceed I shall shew you divers false and erroneous Principles which Men have sucked in in and about the great Doctrine of Justification 2. I shall then prove the Point viz. That all Works done by the Creature are quite excluded in point of Justification of a Sinner in God's sight 1. I shall begin with the Papists who hold that Men are Justified by inherent Righteousness by Good Works and not by Faith only affirming Good Works to be meritorious or that Men thereby deserve Eternal Life nay â—hat a Man may perfectly fulfil the Law of God though he cannot live without Sin But to mend the matter Bellarmine's Argument is That Venial Sins of which he denies not that all are guilty yet they do not hinder a Man from â—eeping the Law perfectly The foolishness of which distinction is easily â—iscerned for if they be Sins which he calls Venial then they are the Transgression of the Law and he that transgresses the Law doth not keep it perfectly but contrariwise breaks it and so is accursed cast and condemned by 〈◊〉 But they affirm that a Man may not only by his Good Works merit for himself but also may do more than is commanded or may do Works of â—upererogation or do more than his Duty 2. The second sort I shall mention are the Socinians who deny the Deity of the Son of God and from hence deny also the Satisfaction of Christ because the latter depends upon the former It was from the dignity and excellency of Christ's Person he being God as well as Man that his Sacrifice â—ad such infinite value and worth in it that by one single payment as I may 〈◊〉 say he made such a full compensation to the Law and Justice of God But â—â—ey erring in those two grand Points of Christian Religion run into the â—hird and deny the imputation of Christ's Personal righteousness to us in â—ustification And indeed it seems to me that this sort of Men assert that Justification of the Sinner is nothing more than God's pardoning him freely by â—is Mercy and that only as a simple act of his own Mercy and Grace without â—espect had to the Satisfaction made for our Sins by Jesus Christ by which act of God's pardoning Grace they affirm the guilt of Sin that binds the Sinner â—ver to punishment is taken off and so he is acquitted and delivered from Eternal Wrath but could this be admitted which they affirm why should God â—end his beloved Son into the World to be a Sacrifice for Sin For could not God without that Glorious Fruit of his infinite Goodness have pardoned and acquitted us and never have suffered his Son to have underwent such pain and â—orrow for us which indeed he did 3. Another sort there be which are those called Arminians of which â—here are many of late Times I find one of them does affirm That though the Works of the Law are excluded from justifying the Sinner in the sight of God yet Gospel Works are not So that they â—nclude Love to God Acts of Mercy and other Gospel Duties and Obedience in â—oint of Justification as well as Faith or joyn Good Works done under the Gospel and Faith together and this plainly appears by what Mr. William Allen hath wrote in his Book called A Glass of Justification See p. 18. These are his Words viz. It is no where neither in Words nor Sence said but he that â—oveth not but believeth on him that Justifieth 〈◊〉 Vngodly his Faith is counted to him for righteousness Sure this Man forgot that Love to God was one great thing the Law commanded Were not the Israelites or the People of the Jews under the Law to do all they did in Love to God Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy strength c. He proceeds to blame our Protestant Writers in asserting Justification by Faith alone without Works Brethren although we do not oppose Faith to Love as if Faith that is of the right Kind can be without Love to God yet we say 't is Faith and not Works not love nor Deeds of Mercy nor any other Gospel Duties or Obedience that is counted to us for righteousness And why to Faith only Because that Grace only carries us out of our selves to another for righteousness i. e. to Jesus Christ 4. The same sort affirm Faith doth Justifie the Sinner as far as I can gather as it is the act of the Creature God accepting of that internal act of the Soul according to his good pleasure to Justification not having respect so to the Object of Faith as that the matter thereof is Christ perfect righteousness and the form or formal Cause of it the Imputation thereof to such who believe in Jesus but that it hath pleased God to appoint or ordain Faith in respect of it self to that end and purpose namely to Justifie the Sinner Of this sort are the Dutch Arminians in pursuance of their main Doctrine of Free Will they exalt Man's Works and therefore affirm that he is Justified not by Christ's righteousness but by his own Faith God having required of him instead of full Obedience to the Law of Works that now he should believe on his Son and that for so doing he should be Justified and saved as he should have been before for perfect Obedience So that with this sort as one observes Faith is that righteousness for which we are Justified before God Moreover they tell us that Faith is a belief of the Truth of the Gospel so as to live according to it thus it includeth and not excludeth Works and that Faith and Works or Obedience to the Gospel is our righteousness for which we are Justified and saved At the same time you must remember that they do not
acceptance of a Man so far as he performeth the New Condition of sincere Obedience But we affirm that believing Sinners are made Partakers of Christ's Righteousness and the benefits of it and that by Faith alone as that by which we wholly fly to him for Righteousness and trusting in the promise of Life for his Sake and Merits Not that Faith as one observes in the whole Latitude is believing and obeying the Gospel by which we are made Partakers of the benefit of Christ in his Obedience to his own Law and in that he having purchased this Grant or Law i.e. that they which obey him should be justified and saved and not that Christ's Obedience shall or doth save them We believe and teach that by Christ's Righteousness imputed he that believes is perfectly justified and is free'd from the Curse of the Law and accepted and accounted righteous in the sight of God and hereby hath a certain Title to Eternal Life Not that our Justification or Right to Life dependeth wholly upon our Obedience as the Condition to which it is promised and we only put into a condition or state of Life imperfect and subject to change as Obedience it self is And so that we are not perfectly justified till our Obedience be perfected which is the Doctrine some Persons of late preach for as sure as God justifies us so sure will he save and glorifie us Rom. 8. 30. Thus having made our way clear and removed some Stumbling-blocks I shall now proceed to shew that all Works done by the Creature are utterly excluded in point of Justification in the sight of God which must be my business the next day the time being gone I shall therefore conclude with a word or two of Application 1. The First shall be a use of Caution to both Saints and Sinners to take heed who you hear it greatly concerns you for the Times are perilous the Devil is endeavouring to strike at the Root even at the Foundation it self beware lest you are deceived and carried away with those poisonous and abominable Doctrines that are fomented at this present time in and about this City We ought to keep clean from all Errors but especially such as are Capital ones I am afraid many good Christians are not sensible of the sad danger they are in I cannot see but that the Doctrine some Men strive to promote is but little better than Popery in a new Dress Nay one of the worst branches of it too shall any who pretend to be true Preachers of the Gospel go about to mix their own Works or their sincere Obedience with Christ's Righteousness nay to put their Obedience in the room and place of Christ's Obedience as that in which they trust and desire to be found 2. Let me exhort you all to stand fast in that precious Faith you have received particularly about this great Doctrine of Justification give your selves to Prayer and to the due and careful study of God's Word And beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked fall from your own stedfasâ—ness 2 Pet. 3. 17 18. But grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ To him be Glory both now and for evermore Amen JUSTIFICATION without WORKS Rom. IV. 5. But to him that worketh not c. I have already opened this Text of Scripture and gave you an account of the Scope and Coherence thereof at large and then observed two Points of Doctrine therefrom First That all Works done by the Creature are quite excluded in Point of Justification of a Sinner in the sight of God THE last Day I shewed you divers erroneous Principles held by some Men about the Doctrine of Justification I shall trouble you with no Repetition of what we have said but proceed to what was then propounded to be further done which is to give you the Scripture Proofs and Arguments to confirm the Truth of the first Point of Doctrine viz. That all Works done by the Creature are quite excluded c. 1. My first Argument shall be taken from the very Letter and express Testimony of the Holy Scripture Rom. 3. 27. Where is boasting then It is excluded By what Law Of Works Nay but by the Law of Faith This Text almost in so many Words confirms this Proposition if all boasting is excluded all Works are excluded But more of this hereafter See Rom. 4. 2. If Abraham were justified by Works he had whereof to glory but not before God If he had been justified by Works he had whereof he might glory but he had nothing to glory in before God Therefore he was not justified by Works v. 6. Even as David describeth the Blessedness of the Man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without Works He brings in David to confirm this great Gospel-Truth Psal 32. 1. And the David doth not use the very same Words as here expressed by the Apostle yet they are Words of the same Purport the sence and meaning of David is the same I wonder at the boldness of some Men who affirm the Word Imputation of Righteousness is no where to be found in the Scripture Doth not the Apostle plainly and positively assert that God imputeth Righteousness toâ— Man and that too without Works See Gaâ— 2. 16. Knowing a Man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Christ Knowing That is being sure and certain of this this is a Doctrine as if he should say we are well grounded in and confident of That a Man is not justified by the Works of the Law Works do not justifie or declare us righteous in the light of God So Eph. 2. 8 9. By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves 't is the gift of God not of Works lest any Man should boast Here it is again in the Affirmative it is by Grace and also laid down in the Negative not of Works and the Reason subjoined To these Proofs of Holy Scripture I might mention That in Phil. 3. 8 9. Yea doubtness and I account all things but loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having my own Righteousness which is of the Law â—ne that 〈◊〉 is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith What was it Paul accounted but Dung and gave up for Loss Why he tells you it was whatsoever he accounted once for gain or did esteem of and rested upon viz. all his own Righteousness while he was a Pharâ—see and all his other external and legal Privileges which in times past he gloried in but now they were nothing to him He saw no Worth or Excellency in them but wholly threw himself on Christ and on his Righteousness for Justification I count now at this very time all the
Righteousness I have he speaks in the present Tense but as dung that is in comparison of that Righteousness which doth and must justifie him in God's sight in which he would be found now and at Death and Judgment Compare this Text with that in Tit. 3. 5. Not by works of righteousness that we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us Obj. But perhaps some will object that the Apostle in all these places only excludes the works of the Law Answ 'T is evident he excludes all Works done by the Creature either before Grace or after Grace as well Works of Obedience to the Gospel as to the Law Pray observe not by works of righteousness that we have done We that are Saints we who profess the Gospel nay such Works which God hath prepared or ordained that we should walk in them Eph. 2. 9 10. Good Works done by Saints and godly Persons cannot justifie them in God's sight Were not the Galatians Christians and Professors of the Gospel who held without Faith in Christ no doubt that they could not be justified But yet were so far fallen from the true Faith as to look to be justified also by the Law or by their Obedience to it or by an inherent Righteousness which the Apostle 〈◊〉 opposed Works are indifferently mentioned as being excluded He that is said to be justified by faith is said not to work but to have a Righteousness imputed therefore all works are excluded in this respect 2. If all Works were not excluded then there would still be the same cause or reason to glory or to boast be they either Legal or Gospel work◠but since all boasting is excluded all Works are excluded It signifies nothing what Works they are if the reason of their Exclusion be but considered which is to take away all manner of boasting and to abase the Creature and wholly to magnifie God and exalt Free Grace 3. Moreover the like Debt would be due to us For to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt What though some of my Works doth not make God a Debtor to me Yet if any Works in this case are not excluded God would still become a Debtor to me which is inconsistent with the Doctrine of Free Grace 4. If Works going before Justification are excluded from being any cause thereof then much more those Works that follow Justification for Causes as one well observes do not use to follow after but go before their Effects at least in order of Nature 5. If Works justifie they must of necessity be good Works but Works done before Faith or without Faith are not good Works for whatsoever is not done of Faith is Sin and are dead Works Neither can the Fruit be good as our Saviour saith while the Tree is bad Every evil Tree bringeth forth evil fruit But every Man before he is justified is like an evil Tree and therefore can bring forth no good Fruit no good Works wherefore all Works 't is evident before Faith and Justification are utterly excluded 6. Furthermore the Apostle speaketh of all Men whether converted or unconverted that 't is not of Works or Works done by them or either of them that they are justified or saved but by grace we are justified by grace and not by Works all Works are opposed by the Apostle to Grace therefore all Works are excluded From hence take this Argument That Doctrine that gives the Holy Scripture the Lie is false and to be rejected But the Doctrine that mixes any Works of Righteousness done by the Creature with Faith or the Free Grace of God in point of Justification gives the Scripture the Lie therefore that Doctrine is false and to be rejected 2 Arg. That all Works done by the Creature are utterly excluded in point of Justification appears from the different Nature of Works and Grace 't is positively said we are justified by Grace Now Grace and Works let Works be of what sort they will are directly contrary the one to the other See Rom. 11. 6. And if it be of Grace then it is not of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace but if it be of Works then it is no more of Grace otherwise work is no more work There is no mixing Works and Free Grace together but one of these doth and will destroy the Nature of the other and as it holds true in Election so in Justification If Justification was partly of Grace and partly by Works done by the Creature or from foreseen Holiness and sincere Obedience done by us then Grace is no more Grace or Works no more Works For whatsoever proceeds of Grace as our Annotators observe that cometh freely and is not of Debt But whatsoever cometh by Works that cometh by Debt but now Debt and Free Grace or that which is free and absolutely by Grace and that which is by Desert are quite contrary things therefore to say Men are called and justified partly by Grace and partly by Works done by the Creature this were to put such things together as cannot agree for 't is to make Merit no Merit Debt no Debt Work no Work Grace no Grace and so to affirm and deny one and the same thing From hence take this Argument That which is of the Free Grace of God is not by any Works done by the Creature But Justification is of the Free Grace of God therefore not by any Works done by the Creature That being justified by his Grace we should be made Heirs according to the hope of Eternal Life Tit. 3. 5. From hence rises all the hopes we have of Salvation 't is by or according to the Free Grace of God through the Merits of Jesus Christ alone 3 Arg. My third Argument to prove all Works done by the Creature are excluded in Justification is this viz. Faith is the way prescribed in the Gospel in order to Justification not Love not Charity not Works of Mercy but Faith Now why is Faith rather than any Grace mentioned as the way to be justified is it not from the Nature of this Grace In respect of the Object it flies unto or takes hold of Faith contrary to any other Grace of the Spirit carries the Soul out of himself to Christ like as those who were stung with the fiery Serpents in the Wilderness were healed by looking up to the Brazen Serpent So by fixing our Eye upon Christ looking by Faith upon Christ we come to be healed and justified Moreover pray wherein doth the Terms of the Gospel differ from the Terms of the Law Do this and live or The Man that doth these things shall live in them Gal. 3. 12. Lev. 18. 5. These are the Terms of the Law Thus runs the Tenour of the Law But the Terms of the Gospel are quite different Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved Acts 16. 31. This was the Doctrine Paul preached to the poor trembling Jailor which agrees with what the
same Apostle says Rom. 10. 9. If thou shalt confess with thy Mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved This Confession and this Faith has more in it 't is true than some believe 't is not a verbal Confession only or a bare believing Christ was raised from the dead 'T is a believing with all the heart Acts 8. 37. or to throw our selves wholly on Christ by the Faith of the Operation of God Col. 2. 12 13. in full confidence and assurance that he was raised from the Dead as our Head Surety and Representative for our Justification by the Power or Virtue of which Faith we also rise with him from a Death in Sin to walk in newness of Life From hence I argue thus That Doctrine which confoundeth the Terms of the Law and Gospel together in point of Justification is a false and corrupt Doctrine But the Doctrine that mixeth sincere Obedience or Works of any kind done by us with Faith in point of Justification confound the Terms of the Law and Gospel together in point of Justification therefore that Doctrine is false and a corrupt Doctrine Obj. May be our Opposers will object that the Terms of the Law consist in perfect Obedience and that the Terms of the Gospel consist in Faith and sincere Obedience and therefore they do not confound the Law and Gospel together c. Answ 1. The difference betwixt the Law and the Gospel as all our true Protestant Divines teach doth not at all consist in this i. e. that the one requires perfect Obedience and the other only sincere Obedience but in this that the one requires doing Do this and live but the other no doing but believing for Life and Salvation their Terms differ not only in degree but in their whole Nature 2. The Apostle 't is evident opposeth the believing required in the Gospel to all manner of doing or working for Life as the Condition proper to the Law The Law is not of Faith but the Man that doth them shall live in them Faith in Jesus Christ the Mediator is not commanded by the Law by which the Soul shall live the Law saith nothing of this this is not of the Law And the Gospel speaks nothing of doing or working for Life neither of perfectâ—or 〈◊〉 Obedience but the direct contrary He that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the Vngodly his Faith not his Obedience to the Gospel but his Faith is counted for Righteousness If therefore we seek Justification by any manner of Doing or Works though upon never so easie and mild a Condition of Obedience we do thereby bring ourselves under the Terms of the Law which is a compleat Declaration of the only Terms whereby God will judge all and condemn all who are not brought to see the Insufficiency that is in it through the Flesh Rom. 8. 3. no justifie the Soul and from that sight and sense disown all their Works of Obedience and accept of Christ his Righteousness and perfect Obedience to the Law to justifie them in the sight of God for let our Obedience be never I so sincere if it be not perfect we are still Debtors to the Law and are a coursed by it unless we believe in Jesus Christ so that all who seek for Justification or Eternal Life knowingly or ignorantly by any Works done by thenâ—less or more whether commanded by the Law or Gospel confound the Terms of the Law and Gospel together And to this let me add one thing more i. e. it cannot be rationally doubted but that the Jews and Judaizing Christians in the Apostles Days against whom he contended did profess any hope to be justified by a compleat or perfect Obedience to the Law according to the rigour of it but no doubt thought if they did sincerely do what they could to love God and keep his Commandments they should be accepted and justified in his sight For the Jewish Religion taught them that professed it as one observes to acknowledge themselves Sinners which appears by their Anniversary Humiliation at the day of Atonement and several other Rites of the Law nor have we any reason to conclude but some of them yielded also sincere Obedience I speak of Moral Sincerity to the Law this being so I see not why their sincere Obedience might not justifie them as far forth as any sincere Obedience to the Gospel or milder Law can a Christian now Brethren this new Doctrine is but a piece of Old Judaismâ— These Men do but stumble at the Old Stumbling-stone which was the seeking to be justified by a man 's own Righteousness in a sincere or upright Obedience to that Law or Rule of Life God gave them and so thereby not submitting themselves to the Righteousness of God which is by Faith in Jesus Christ without the Law or any Obedience of ours Moreover pray consider that Paul who told the Galatians they were fallen from Grace did not disown Jesus Christ they were still Professors of the Gospel though they thought Obedience to the Law a necessary Condition in order to Justification also Nor was the Observation of the Moral Law a damning Sin No no the Gospel obliges to it but it was their seeking Justification thereby and not by Faith only or in that respect mixing Works with Faith 4. All Works done by the Creature are excluded in point of Justification of a Sinner in the sight of God because we are justified by a perfect Righteousness If no Man is in himself perfectly righteous then no Man can be justified by any Works done by him But the Apostle proves that the Justice of God requires a perfect or sinless Righteousness in point of Justification and also proves that all have sinned nor is there one that doeth good and sinneth not No Person has a perfect Righteousness of his own Alas Sirs the Law of God is but as a Transcript or written Impression of that Holiness and Purity that is in his own Nature and serveth to shew us what a Righteousness we must be found in if we are ever justified in his sight Nor can it be once supposed by any Man unless blinded that God will ever loose or relax the Sanction of his Holy Law or abate a jot or tittle of that Righteousness his Holy Nature and Law requires in point of out being justified in his sight it must be all fulfilled by us in our own Persons or by our Surety for us and imputed to us The Law did not only proceed from God doubtless as an Act of his Sovereign Will and Prerogative but as an Act proceeding from his infinite Justice and Holiness Can any be so left as once to conclude God sent his Son to destroy the Law or to diminish or take away the least part or tittle of that Obedience he therein injoins which so well agrees with the Perfections of his own pure Nature 't is strange to me
another This to the learned Greeks was a strange Doctrine But to say a Man is justified by sincere Obedience i. e. by believing the Truth of God's Word and living a godly Life suits well with Man's natural Wisdom and Reason But the Doctrine of Faith though it be not against humane Reason yet it is above it and wholly depends upon divine or supernatural Revelation through this Man is preached unto you remission of Sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things by which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13. 38 39. For as by one Man's Disobedience many were made Sinners so by the Obedience of one shall many be made righteous Rom 5. 19. How dare any say our Works or sincere Obedience is our Righteousness sith the Apostle positively asserts We are made righteous by the Obedience of Jesus Christ If it be by his Obedience 't is not by our own For as Adam's Sin was imputed to his Seed to Condemnation so is the Obedience or Righteousness of Christ imputed to all those who believe in him to Justification Now the worst of Men that have any sense of Religion are prone to conclude the only way to obtain God's Favour and to be justified in his sight is to make the practice of Holiness and upright Walking a Condition nay the only way thereunto and that Happiness is to be by that means obtained Hence 't is when they meet with any awakening Convictions or Terror of Conscience they presently begin to think they must amend their Lives and perform Religious Duties Nay this way the Heathens were brought to their best Devotion as a learned Writer observes Mankind being made and born under a Covenant of Works are naturally led to work for Life or to do something to procure God's Acceptance and escape his Displeasure The very Light of natural Reason informs us that it is just with God to require us to perform Duties of sincere Obedience or Duties of natural or instituted Religion and if we fall in doing what our Consciences tells us we ought to do we presently through self-love and blind hope persuade our selves God being gracious will pardon us wherein we come short through Christ who died for Sinners And thus we may perceive that the Persuasion of Salvation and Justification by the Condition of sincere Obedience hath its Original from our corrupt natural Reason and is part of the Wisdom of the World but it is none of the Wisdom of God in a Mystery yea that hidden Wisdom God hath ordained before the World began to our Glory It is not of the things of the Spirit of God nor of the Mystery of Faith which the natural Man cannot receive but are Foolishness unto him This is not the foolishness of preaching whereby God is pleased to save them that believe 1 Cor. 2. 6 7 9 14. Certainly the Justification of a Sinner in the sight of God by Faith only or to believe on him that justifies the Ungodly is one of the chief Mysteries of the Gospel but if our Justification was by our own Obedience or by conforming our Lives to the Rules of the Gospel Justification and Salvation would cease from being any more a Mystery But to be justified by the Righteousness of another though Sinners in our selves and have done nothing to procure such Favour and Acceptance at God's hand can't enter into the heart of natural and self-deceived Mortals Sirs our Justification is a great Mystery as 't is an Act of God's Sovereign Grace and Wisdom Herein his Justice and Mercy equally shine forth and the one doth not eclipse the Glory of the other Sin is punished and the Sinner acquitted 6 Arg. If when we have done all we can do we are unprofitable Servants then by our best Works of Obedience and Services under the Gospel we cannot be justified But contrariwise all Works in that respect as done by us are excluded Luke 17. 10. He is no unprofitable Servant whose Works or sincere Obedience commends him to God in point of Justification no Man is able to come up fully to discharge his Duty If therefore sincere Obedience â—nstead of perfect God now requires of us in the case of Justification and we are able fully to discharge the Law of sincere Obedience which our new Doctors must say or they say nothing then it follows that all such Persons are not unprofitable Servants for they have done all that God requires of them Nor indeed can I see as a Divine observes if sincere Obedience be the Condition of Justification and Life how the Imperfections of the Godly should be any Sins against the Gospel Where there is no Law there is no Transgression For this New Law i. e. the Gospel requires no more than sincere and upright Obedience say they though the Law did and the Gospel also promises Life in like manner to sincere Obedience as the Law did to perfect and compleat Obedience they may be Imperfections saith he in Nature but not proper Sins Praeter non contra Legem as the Papists say If they say that more than sincere Obedience is required of us but not as a Condition of Life I ask by what Law The Covenant of Works required nothing but as the Condition of Life no more doth the Gospel if it be a Law of Life After such a manner our Saviour doubtless by his Expressions shews us that all we do avails us nothing in point of Desert though never so sincerely performed and therefore far from justifying us in God's sight but that all we have is of God's Free Grace 7 Arg. Because we are said to be justified by the Righteousness of God Hence it follows that all our own Works of Obedience are excluded Rom. 3. 21 22. 'T is called the Righteousness of God in opposition to the Righteousness of the Creature not the Essential Righteousness of God but the Righteousness of Christ the Mediator who is God as well as Man and that Righteousness God in his infinite Wisdom hath found out to discharge us guilty and condemn'd Sinners and to justifie us in his sight Hence St. Paul renounced all his own Righteousness that he might be found in the Righteousness of God which is by Faith in Jesus Christ Phil. 3. 8 9 10. Obj. But say some Paul speaks only of that Righteousness which he had whilst a Pharisee or of the Righteousness of the Law He intends not saith Mr. Williams p. 204 205. Gospel-sincerity but those Jewish thing or what they boasted of And again he saith It was not Gospel-holiness which he counted dung or loss Answ 'T is strange this Man should adventure to give such a sence of this Text when at the same time he would â—ain have his Reader believe he owns the imputed Righteousness of Christ for our Justification p. 202. 'T is evident he does deny that the Righteousness of Christ alone is imputed to us for Justification as being the only Matter
Poyson that lies hid in it and 't is full of hard and uncouth or unintelligible Terms Notions and Expressions not formerly known to the Christian World 'T is strange to me that he should intimate and hold forth the Gospel to be a Law or Command of Duty as a Condition with the Sanction of Threats upon Non-performance and Promises of Rewards upon Performance of sincere Obedience for if Sincerity of Grace and Holiness be not the Condition of that which he often calls the Rule of the Promise which he nevertheless says is not the Precept I understand him not Doth he not mean a Man must be holy sincere or a New Creature before he ventures on the Promise of the Gospel or can be justified which is the Error my Text opposes as if the free Promise of the Grace of God in laying hold on Christ and his Righteousness justifies us not but that we must get some inherent Qualifications of Holiness as the Rule of the Promise before we venture upon it or throw our selves upon Jesus Christ and so must receive him as Saints and not as Sinners which is directly contrary to what all our true Protestant Writers and Modern Divines have all along asserted The Papists say a Man must be inherently righteous before he can be declared just and that Faith justifies as it infuses such a Righteousness in us And this Man says but little else if I understand him i. e. a Man must answer the Rule of the Gospel-Promise asserting that the Gospel doth judicially determine a Conformity to the Rule thereof and when God forgives he judicially declares a Man hath true Faith and by Faith he means doubtless more than a laying hold on Christ viz. the making good the Baptismal Covenant i. e. to love serve and sincerely to yield Obedience to the Gospel so that Faith must by him be taken in a large and comprehensive manner And that before God declares us righteous to Justification he looks whether or no we have fully answered the Conditions according to the Doctrine these Men preach and finding the Creature has done that God judicially gives the Promise in a way of Reward and the Obedience being sincere though imperfect 't is accepted as far forth as perfect Obedience would have been could it have been performed under the Law of Works so that still inhereut Righteousness is the Condition 〈◊〉 our Justification before the holy God and not the Righteousness of Christ Away with this Error Brethren This New Law it seems can give Life upon Obedience thereto the first being taken away but if by the Law any Law a Man might be justified Christ is dead in vain For as one Law so all Laws of Works since Man hath sinned utterly fail and are unable to justifie us in God's sight For as some learned Men have observed the Greek Word is not the Law but a Law Let it be what Law or Rule of Righteousness it will that requires perfect or imperfect Obedience it will not do Gal. 3. 11. For the just shall live by Faith Justification and Life comes only that way and not by Works of Obedience we have done And truly to talk of sincere Obedience when performed by an unregenerate Person 't is strange Doctrine Sincerity must only be look'd for in him who is renewed by the Grace of God 'T is as impossible for an unregenerate Person to perform sincere Obedience if we speak of Gospel-Sincerity as it is for a Believer to perform perfect Obedience to the Law of Works Therefore Sinners though 't is your Duty to reform your Lives and leave your abominable Sins which often bring heavy Judgments upon you in this World and expose you to eternal Wrath in the World to come yet know that all that you can do will fail in point of your Acceptation and Justification in God's sight or to save your Souls Your present Work and Business is to believe in Jesus Christ to look to him who only can renew his sacred Image in your Souls and make you New Creatures which must be done or you perish O cry that he would help your Unbelief Come venture your Souls on Christ's Righteousness Christ is able to save you though you are never so great Sinners Come to him throw your selves at the Feet of Jesus Look to Jesus who came to seek and save them that were lost If any man thirst let him come to me and drink Joh. 7 37 38. You may have Water of Life freely Do not say I want Qualifications or a Meetness to come to Christ Sinner dost thou thirst Dost thou see a want of Righteousness 'T is not a Righteousness but 't is a sense of the want of Righteousness which is rather the Qualification thou should'st look at Christ hath Righteousness sufficient to cloath you Bread of Life to feed you Grace to adorn you or whatsoever you want it is to be had in him We tell you there is help in him Salvation in him through the Propitiation in his Blood you must be justified which is by Faith alone Know that God justifies the Vngodly not by making them first inherently righteous nor are they ungodly any more after justified The Faith of the Operation of God will soon purifie your Hearts and cleanse your Lives this Grace will teach you to deny all Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present evil World We do not tell you you must be holy and then believe in Jesus Christ but that you must believe in him that you may be holy You must first have Union with him before you can bring forth Fruit to God you must act from Life and not for Life Obj. But O 't is hard thus to believe to be ungodly and yet to believe to see no Holiness of our own no divine Habits planted in us Had we some degree of Sanctification or Righteousness of our own we could then believe Answ Is not Christ able to save you or is he not willing to save you unless you are Co-workers and Co-partners with him in your Salvation Or are you unwilling to be saved unless you might share with him in the Glory of your Salvation Is it hard for you to believe the highest Testimony and Witness that ever was born to any truth Can't you believe the Report of the Gospel or receive the Record God hath given of his Son Is resting on Christ hard Can't you beg for Bread rather than perish Can't you drink when thirsty when you are bid to do it freely We say the Gospel is not a conditional Covenant of Obedience or that Faith and Holiness or Faith and Good Works are the Condition of it denying we are justified by any Works of ours as a subordinate Righteousness to the Righteousness of Christ or that we are justified for Christ's sake only but not that his Righteousness is imputed to us also as our Sins were imputed or laid upon him We say that Faith doth
that justifies us from all things and that without any Works done by us either in respect of answering the Rules of Law or Gospel though never so sincerely performed All indeed that I can find he means is this i. e. That Christ's Merits are the Cause of the Gospel Rule and Promise and his Righteousness imputed is the Cause for which we are justified and saved when we have got new Hearts and answer the Rule of the Gospel in Holiness and sincere Obedience And thus though imperfect Obedience to the Law was Dogs meat yet imperfect Obedience to the Rule of the Gospel or Promise thereof if sincere is the Children's Bread nay that which they ought to seek Justification by and to desire to be found in If this Man's Doctrine may be received it should appear by him that Christ's Righteousness imputed and our Gospel-obedience mixt together justifies us But the chief part is our Conformity to the Rule of sincere Obedience and Christ's Righteousness cannot do by Faith alone without this of ours 2. But Soul know and be not deceived this Text hath always been urged by sound Protestant Writers as one of the Pillars of the Doctrine of Justification by the Righteousness of Christ applied by Faith alone St. Paul doth not only disclaim his Righteousness he had before Conversion or his Obedience to the Law in point of Justification but he speaks in the present Tense What things were gain to me those have I counted loss for Christ But that which he adds is more I do count all things loss He speaks as our Divines note of all both past long since and also now present whether Righteousness of his own in Obedience to the Law or Works done by him under the Gospel all he counted as dung in comparison of the Knowledge of Christ and his Righteousness or the Righteousness of God which is by Faith 3. 'T is to be noted how Mr. Williams and Bellarmine do jump together and agree in their Exposition of this Text The latter saith That by Righteousness which is of the Law are meant Works of Obedience done through the Knowledge of the Law by the only strength of natural Abilities before his Conversion To which Chemnitius and other Protestant Writers answer That Paul rejected not only his Works before his Conversion which he signifieth speaking of the time past v. 7. but also the Works of his present Condition yea doubtless and I do count all things but loss Mr. Williams saith They were the Jewish Privileges and that conceited Christless Righteousness which he once valued But saith he a Gospel-holiness is not here intended and that still by speaking in the present Tense Paul means what was past saith he Pray observe they both exclude the Righteousness of the Law done by natural or legal Abilities and they both agree to include an inherent Righteousness performed by gracious Assistance under the Gospel This Man is I hope no Papist though he strives 't is plain to maintain one of the grossest parts of Popery and that part God raised up holy Luther principally to detect Christians look about you for you are greatly concerned 4. Consider that the Apostle positively disclaims all Righteousness of Obedience done by the Creature in Justification before God and did relie on the Righteousness of God For if he sets our Righteousness or the Righteousness of the Creature in direct opposition to the Righteousness of God which is by Faith then that which is the Righteousness of God applied by Faith is not the Righteousness of the Creature though never so sincerely performed but the former is true Ergo 5. 'T is such a Righteousness Paul here intended that he desired to be found in both at Death and Judgment but durst he think you desire to be found in any Righteousness of his own at that Hour or in that great and dreadful Day As to this take what Reverend Downham and others say When a Man shall be summoned to appear before the Judgment-seat of God shall seriously consider with himself what he shall oppose to the Accusations of Satan to the Convictions of the Law to the Testimony of his own Conscience confessing himself to be a most wretched Sinner to the Judgment of God and most righteous Judge if he look back on his own Conversation as having nothing to trust to but his own Righteousness he shall find sufficient Master of Despair He may say with Anselm Terret me vita mea c. My Life doth terrifie me Alas what Man is fully able to say he is perfect or that he sincerely has done all his Duty in respect of that milder Law of Obedience which they talk of Sirs there is no way in order to Peace of Conscience for us but to do as Paul did i. e. renounce all our own inherent Righteousness and Obedience and fly to the Doctrine of Justification by the Grace of God through the compleat Righteousness of Jesus Christ received by Faith only For while a Man saith he retains this Opinion that he can be justified by his own Works or inherent Righteousness he can never be soundly persuaded that his Righteousness is sufficient for that purpose but hath just Cause not only to doubt but also to despair And this is the Cause of that Popish Opinion That no Man without special Revelation can be assured of the Remission of his Sins in this Life Downhamâ—oâ— Just p. 202. Brethren some of the Papists themselves have on a Death-bed been forc'd to seek relief by renouncing all their own Works and Obedience under distress of Conscience and to fly to the Righteousness of Christ only they kept it close to themselves lest that gap being opened their Trade should fall to the ground as appears by the Answer of Stephen Gardyner to the Bishop of Chichester Foxe's Acts and Mon. Vol. 2. p. 46. Take two or three Arguments further here viz. 1. If that Righteousness which is the Righteousness of God which is by Faith in opposition to the Righteousness of the Creature doth justifie us then all Works done by the Creature are excluded in point of Justification in God's sight But the former is true Ergo all VVorks done by the Creature are excluded c. 2. If Paul nor no other Child of God durst or dare to be found in any Righteousness of their own at Death or Judgment then Works done by us or sincere Obedience justifie us not but the former is true therefore no Works of ours nor sincere Obedience doth justifie us in God's sight 3 Arg. That Doctrine that holds a Christian down under slavish Fear by grounding his Justification on his own Works of Holiness and sincere Obedience is not of God but the Doctrine of Justification by our own Work of Holiness or sincere Obedience holds a Christian down under slavish Fear by grounding his Justification on his Works of Holiness and sincere Obedience therefore that Doctrine is not of God Christians take heed what Books you read if you
would have a sound and stedfast ground of Hope Peace and Comfort nay not only have the Joy of God's Salvation but Salvation it self For if you build on your own Righteousness or Obedience and not on the Righteousness of God which is received by Faith only you will fall into Hell by stumbling at the same stumbling-stone the Jews did Rom. 9. 32. Chap. 10. 2. 8 Arg. All Works done by the Creature are excluded in point of Justification of a Sinner in the sight of God because we are justified by that Righteousness by which the Justice of God is satisfied and his Wrath appeased That Righteousness that delivers us alone from Condemnation and the Curse of the Law doth justifie us and none else and is not that the Righteousness of Christ Is not he that is acquitted from Condemnation and Death put into a state of Justification and Life What is it that these new Doctors talk of How is Christ's Righteousness made our legal Righteousness and yet not our Evangelical Righteousness If the Righteousness of Christ be imputed to us as that which when apply'd by Faith delivers us from Condemnation Wrath and Death certainly we need no other Righteousness to justifie us in God's sight unto eternal Life Obj. But Vnbelief is against the Gospel what Defence against this Answ The Person that we speak of hath Faith he believes in Christ therefore the Gospel charges him not and the Law cannot Here is a Pardon if you receive it you are acquitted Here is a Plaster if you apply it you are healed The Man receives the Pardon applies the Plaster he is by the Grace of God helpt to believe he is therefore delivered from Death and put into a State of Justification and shall not come into Condemnation Rom. 8 1. 2. No Man is acquitted from the Charge of any Sin either against the Law or Gospel till he believes but when he believes when he applies the Merits and Righteousness of Christ he is justified from all Things from all Sins of what Nature soever they are Must we by our sincere Obedience make God a Compensation for the Sins we have committed against the Gospel and free Tenders of his Grace or for slighting the Word of Reconciliation c. Hath not Christ satisfied God's Justice for all our Sins and when we believe are we not thereby justified from all Sins committed against the Gospel as well as against the Law Have we any Plea at God's Bar but that of the Merits of Christ and his Righteousness only let our Sin or Guilt be what it will Quest But how doth it appear a Man doth believe in Christ indeed Answ Why his Faith if true will make him a new Creature 't will purifie his Heart it will lead him into sincere and universal Obedience but 't is Christ's Righteousness still nevertheless that justifies him in God's sight though his Obedience and inherent Righteousness may justifie his Faith or evidence the Truth of Grace to his own Conscience and to Men also But Obj. God doth require an Evangelical Righteousness in all that do believe this Righteousness Christ is not nor is it the Righteousness of Christ he may be said to be our legal Righteousness but our Evangelical Righteousness he is not And so far as we are righteous with any Righteousness so far we are justified by it for according unto this Evangelical Righteousness we must be tried if we have it we shall be acquitted and if we have it not we shall be condemned there is therefore a Justification according to it To this take reverend Dr. Owen's Answer According to some Authors or Maintainers of this Opinion I see not saith he but that the Lord Christ is as much our Evangelical Righteousness as he is our Legal for our Legal Righteousness he is not in their Judgment by a proper Imputation of his Righteousness unto us but by the Communication of the Fruits of what he did and suffered for us And so he is our Evangelical Righteousness also for our Sanctification is an Effect or Fruit of what he did and suffered for us Eph. 5. 25 26. Tit. 2. 10. 2. None have this Evangelical Righteousness but those who are in order of Nature at least justified before they actually have it for it is that which is required of all that do believe and are justified and we need not much enquire how a Man is justified after he is justified 3. God hath not appointed this Personal Righteousness in order to our Justification before him in this Life though he have appointed it to evidence our Justification before others c. 4. If we are in any sence justified hereby in the sight of God we have whereof to boast before him Though we may not absolutely in respect of Merit yet we may so comparatively and in respect of others who cannot make the same Plea for their Justification but all boasting is excluded And it will not relieve to say that this Personal Righteousness is of the Free Grace and Gift of God unto some and not unto others for we must plead it as our Duty and not as God's Grace See his further Answer Dr. Owen of Just p. 221 222. To close this take this Argument If by that Righteousness of Christ which is out of us though imputed to us the Justice of God is fully satisfied we are justified then all Works done by us or inherent in us are excluded in our Justification before God But by that Righteousness of Christ which is out of us though imputed to us the Justice of God is satisfied therefore all Works done by us or inherent in us are excluded in our Justification before God Finally saith Bellarmine Nothing more frequently doth the Scripture testifie than that the Passion and Death of Christ was a full and perfect Satisfaction for Sins Further he saith God doth indeed not accept as a true Satisfaction for Sin any Justice but that which is infinite because Sin is an infinite Offence c. De Just l. 2. Now the Sufferings of Christ and his Righteousness only is of an infinite Value ours is not therefore Christ's Righteousness only and not ours is a true Satisfaction for Sin Our Adversaries sometimes are forc'd to speak the Truth 〈◊〉 Arg. All Works done by the Creature are excluded c. Because 't is by the Obedience of one Man that many are made righteous that is Jesus Christ he is made of God unto us Righteousness c. Rom. 5. 18 19. 1 Cor. 1. 30. But our inherent Righteousness is of many i. e. every Man 's own sincere Obedience that obtains it 10 Arg. All Works done by the Creature are excluded in point of Justification I prove thus If any one Man was justified without Works or sincere Obedience or through Faith only then all Works of Obedience c. are excluded But the Thief on the Câ—oss was justified without Works of Obedience and so are all Infants that die in Infancy that are
saved the Matter of Justification is one and the same the Balsam that cures our Malady is all one in Infants and in Adult Persons 't is Christ's Death Christ's Blood the Merits of Jesus Christ or 't is his active and passive Obedience which is our only Righteousness to discharge us from Sin and Condemnation Though the Mode or Manner of the Application thereof may be different to the Adult 't is by Faith only to Infants in a more secret and hidden Manner not known to us Nay Abraham David and Paul were not justified by inherent Righteousness but by Faith without Works of Obedience and as Abraham was justified so are all his spiritual and true Seed to them and every one of them is Faith imputed to Justification or Righteousness even by Faith alone without Works as Paul proveth Rom. 4. 3 4 5. 11 Arg. Is Because Christ is tendered or offered to Sinners as Sinners not as righteous Persons but as ungodly ones without any previous Qualifications required of them to fit themselves to receive Christ they are all as poor lost undone weary and heavy laden Sinners required to believe in Christ or venture their Souls upon him though they have no Money no Righteousness if they have they must cast it away in point of Dependance Trust or Justification These are they Christ came to call these are they he invites to come to him these are they he came to seek and to save who see nothing of Good in themselves but contrariwise are sensible of their filthy Hearts and abominable Lives And yet though it be thus if they come to Christ believe truly in Christ they shall at that very Instant be justified which Faith or Divine Grace will soon make them holy and sanctifie them for holy Habits are at that very instant infused into them though Sanctification is a gradual Work This being so it follows all Works done by the Creature are excluded in point of Justification of a Sinner before God What said Paul to the ungodly Jailor when he cry'd out Sirs what must I do to be saved Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved and thy house Act. 16. 31. The Apostle did not put him upon doing to be saved but upon believing But O how contrary is this to the Doctrine some Men preach now a-days they tell Sinners what they must do what good Fruits they must bring forth and this before the Tree is good or they have closed with Christ or have real Union with him nay bid the People take heed they do not too soon believe on Christ or venture on Christ Sirs you cannot too soon believe in Christ I mean truly believe I don't say you should get a presumptuous Faith but true Faith But is it not strange a Minister should be heard lately to say A Man must get a new Heart before he can be justified I thought a Man could not have a new Heart before he had true Faith Is not a new Heart one of the absolute Promises of the New Covenant Ezek. 36. 26. Can any thing short of Almighty Power make the Heart new or form the Image of God in the Soul or can a Man that hath a new Heart be under Condemnation for are not all in that Condition who are not actually justified Or can a dead Man quicken himself or dead Works please God Or the Fruit be good before the Tree is good Are not all that are new Creatures in Christ Jesus and have Union with him 2 Cor. 5. 17. 12 Arg. With which I shall conclude the Proof of the Doctrine though I might mention many more to prove all Works done by the Creature or Obedience of his are in this Case excluded c. It is because if a Man should so walk as to know nothing of himself i.e. be so righteous or so sincere in his Obedience as not to have his Conscience to accuse or reproach him yet he cannot thereby be justified See what Paul saith Though I know nothing of my self yet am I not thereby justified 1 Cor. 4. 4. Though he had kept a Conscience void of Offence towards God and towards Men yet in the Point of Justification he renounces all his own Obedience and Righteousness that was inherent in him Durst holy Job depend upon his Sincerity or venture in that to stand at God's Tribunal Though he could plead Uprightness against the false Charge of his three friends and with much Confidence persevere therein justifying his Sincerity with his Faith and Hope in God against their Accusatioâ—s he shewed his Faith â—y his Works and stands on his Justification of himself against Hypocrisie But at length he is called into the immediate Presence of God to plead his own Cause not now as it was stated between himself and his Friends before Wheâ—her he were sincere or not The Question was now reduced to this i. e. on that grounds he might or could be justified in the sight of God and God to â—â—epaâ—e him in this Case and to shew him what to plead at his Bar graciously â—anifested himself unto him And quickly now he comes to see all his former â—leas as Dr. Owen notes of Faith Hope and sincere Obedience would not avail â—â—m but he is made to fly under the deepest Self-abasement and Abhorrency 〈◊〉 Sovereign Grace and Mercy For then Job answered the Lord and said I â—m viâ—e what shall I answer thee I will lay mine hand upon my mouth Once 〈◊〉 I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further Job 〈◊〉 3 4 5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear but now mine Eye â—eth thee Wherefore I abbor my self and repent in Dust and Ashes Dr. Owen How Job abhor thy self that art so holy so sincere such an upright â—an What is all the Beauty of thy inherent Holiness and sincere Obedience â—ecome nothing to thee Is it as Dung now Darest thou not appear before â—od in it not stand at his Bar thereby to be justified No no he saw that here was Sin cleaving to his best Duties and that he was vile in God's sight Sure thâ—â— agrees 〈◊〉 with Mr. Daniel William's New Doctrine It was not Goâ—â—el-holiness which Paul counted Dung says he No doubt Job's Righteousness was â—he Fruits of Faith as well as Paul's and purified his Heart too who says 〈◊〉 knew that his Redeemer lived Job 14 But yet for all this Holiness Upâ—ightness and sincere Obedience he abhors himself and repents he ever had 〈…〉 Conceit of the Worth of his own Righteousness Let a Man place himself in the Condition wherein Job was to stand before the Bar of God's Justice and let him attend to the Charge he hath against him and let him consider what will be his best Plea at God's Tribunal that he may be justified I do not believe saith the reverend Doctor that any Man living hath more encouraging grounds to plead for an Interest in his own Faith and
not justifie as an Act nor as a Habit or from any Worth there is in that it being only as a hand to apply the Remedy We say Faith is a Fruit of Christ's Purchase and that he who spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all will much more give us all things that is Grace here and Glory hereafter He that gave us the greatest Gift will not deny to his Elect ones the lesser Gift And now know all you Pharisaical Persons this Doctrine will pull down your high Thoughts and Imaginations and abase your Pride To you that are Believers Oh! admire Free Grace lift Christ up who died for you the Just for the Vnjust who bore your Sins who was made sin for us that knew no Sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him He gave himself for you and has given Grace the Fruit of his Death and himself to you O labour to be a holy People live to him that died for you and rose again To conclude Is there any Sinner here Are you ungodly and in a wrâ—tched Condition in your own Eyes Are you weary and heavy laden Come to Christ lift up your Heads For to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifies the Vngodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness POSTSCRIPT REader I have now given thee the Substance of the two first Sermons preached on this Text and that which follows contains an Answer to all the main Objections brought against this Doctrine particularly that of the Apostle James about Works justifying and not Faith only And if this meets with kind Reception and I have Encouragement I shall publish two Sermons more God willing and fully demonstrate That Justification is by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness or by Grace alone and the Nature of Imputation opened together how we are to understand the change of Persons Wherein I shall produce the Testimony of the ancient Fathers and a multitude of our faithful Modern Divines and worthy late Writers that so you may see we plead for no New Doctrine but the very same that all Good Men and Orthodox Christians in every Age have maintained which will I hope be of great Advantage to the Church of God And also shew you how Faith is concerned in our Justification or is said to justifie and how not together with the Nature of that Faith As also the Difficulty and Excellency of that Faith that is accounted for Righteousness Likewise the horrid Evil and Danger of the Sin of Unbelief and Mr. Williams's Book and Doctrine further considered Reader there are some Faults that have escaped the Press which spoil the Sense Pray be pleased to correct these following with you Pen. PAge 14. Line 27. for true read new p. 15. l. 1. for no more r. no where p. 15. l. 41. for that Christ r. not that Christ p. 24. l. 22. blot out indeed FINIS ADVERTISEMENTS A Vindication of the Protestant Doctrine concerning Justification and of its Preachers and Professors from the unjust Charge of Antinomianism In a Letter from a Minister in the City to a Minister in the Countrey London Printed for Dorman Newman at the King ' s-Arms in the Poultrey in the Year 1692. MR. Rutherford's Letters the Third Edition now divided in Three Parts The First containing those which were written from 〈◊〉 where he was confined by a Sentence of the High Commission drawn forth against him partly upon the account of his declining them partly upon the accounâ— of his Nonconformity The Second and Third containing some which were written from Anworth before he was by the Persecution thrust from his Ministry and others upon Occasions afterward from St. Andrews London c. Printed for Dorman Newman at the King ' s-Arms in the Poultrey