shadow of a dream a fancy a mummery an imagination say some among us An opinion foeda execranda pernitiosa detestanda saith Socinus And opposition ariseth unto it every day from great variety of principles For those by whom it is opposed and rejected can by no means agree what to set up in the place of it However the weight and importance of this Doctrine is on all hands acknowledged whether it be true or false It is not a dispute about Notions Terms and Speculations wherein Christian Practice is little or not at all concerned of which nature many are needlesly contended about but such as hath an immediate influence into our whole present Duty with our eternal Welfare or Ruine Those by whom this Imputation of Righteousness is rejected do affirm that the Faith and Doctrine of it do overthrow the necessity of Gospel Obedience of personal Righteousness and good Works bringing in Antinomianism and Libertinism in life Hereon it must of necessity be destructive of Salvation in those who believe it and conform their Practice thereunto And those on the other hand by whom it is believed seeing they judge it impossible that any man should be justified before God any other way but by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ do accordingly judge that without it none can be saved Hence a Learned man of late concludes his Discourse concerning it Hactenus de Imputatione Justitiae Christi sine qua nemo unquam aut salvatus est aut salvari queat Justificat Paulin. cap. 8. Thus far of the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ without which no man was ever saved nor can any so be They do not think nor judge that all those are excluded from salvation who cannot apprehend or to deny the Doctrine of the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ as by them declared But they judge that they are so unto whom that Righteousness is not really imputed nor can they do otherwise whil'st they make it the foundation of all their own Acceptation with God and eternal salvation These things greatly differ To believe the Doctrine of it or not to believe it as thus or thus explained is one thing and to enjoy the thing or not enjoy it is another I no way doubt but that many men do receive more Grace from God than they understand or will own and have a greater efficacy of it in them than they will believe Men may be really saved by that Grace which Doctrinally they do deny and they may be justified by the Imputation of that Righteousness which in opinion they deny to be imputed For the Faith of it is included in that general Assent which they give unto the truth of the Gospel and such an Adherence unto Christ may ensue thereon as that their mistake of the way whereby they are saved by him shall not defraud them of a real Interest therein And for my part I must say that notwithstanding all the disputes that I see and read about Justification some whereof are full of offence and scandal I do not believe but that the Authors of them if they be not Socinians throughout denying the whole merit and satisfaction of Christ do really trust unto the mediation of Christ for the pardon of their Sins and Acceptance with God and not unto their own Works or Obedience Nor will I believe the contrary until they expresly declare it Of the Objection on the other hand concerning the danger of the Doctrine of the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ in reference unto the necessity of Holiness and works of Righteousness we must treat afterwards The Judgment of the Reformed Churches herein is known unto all and must be confessed unless we intend by vain cavils to encrease and perpetuate contentions Especially the Church of England is in her Doctrine express as unto the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ both active and passive as it is usually distinguished This hath been of late so fully manifested out of her Authentick Writings that is the Articles of Religion and Books of Homilies and other Writings publickly authorized that it is altogether needless to give any farther Demonstration of it Those who pretend themselves to be otherwise minded are such as I will not contend withall For to what purpose is it to dispute with men who will deny the Sun to shine when they cannot bear the heat of its beams Wherefore in what I have to offer on this subject I shall not in the least depart from the ancient Doctrine of the Church of England yea I have no design but to declare and vindicate it as God shall enable There are indeed sundry differences among Persons Learned Sober and Orthodox if that term displease not in the way and manner of the Explication of the Doctrine of Justification by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ who yet all of them agree in the substance of it in all those things wherein the Grace of God the Honour of Christ and the Peace of the Souls of men are principally concerned As far as it is possible for me I shall avoid the concerning of my self at present in these Differences For unto what purpose is it to contend about them whilst the substance of the Doctrine it self is openly opposed and rejected why should we debate about the order and beautifying of the Rooms in an House whilst Fire is set unto the whole when that is well quenched we may return to the consideration of the best means for the disposal and use of the several parts of it There are two grand Parties by whom the Doctrine of Justification by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ is opposed namely the Papists and the Socinians But they proceed on different principles and unto different Ends. The design of the one is to exalt their own Merits of the other to destroy the merit of Christ. But besides these who trade in company we have many Interlopers who coming in on their hand do make bold to borrow from both as they see occasion We shall have to do with them all in our progress not with the Persons of any nor the way and manner of their expressing themselves but the Opinions of all of them so far as they are opposite unto the Truth For it is that which wise men despise and good men bewail to see persons pretending unto Religion and Piety to cavil at Expressions to contend about Words to endeavour the fastening of Opinions on men which they own not and thereon mutually to revile one another publishing all to the World as some great atchievement or victory This is not the way to teach them truths of the Gospel nor to promote the Edification of Church But in general the Importance of the cause to be pleaded the Greatness of the opposition that is made unto the Truth and the high concernment of the Souls of Believers to be rightly instructed in it do call for a renewed Declaration and Vindication of
Justification Rom. 8.33 Isa. 43.25.45.23 Psal. 145.2 Rom. 3.20 What thoughts will be ingenerated hereby in the minds of Men. Isai. 33.14 Mic. 6.7 Isa. 6.5 The Plea of Job against his friends and before God not the same Job 40.3 4 5. Chap. 42.4 5 6. Directions for visiting the sick given of old Testimonies of Jerome and Ambrose Sense of Men in their Prayers Dan. 9.7 18. Psal. 143.2.130.3 4. Paraphrase of Austine on that place Prayer of Pelagius Publick Liturgies Pag. 8. § 3. A due sense of our Apostasie from God the Depravation of our Nature thereby with the power and guilt of Sin the holiness of Law necessary unto a right understanding of the Doctrine of Justification Method of the Apostle to this purpose Romans 1 2 3 4. Chap. Grounds of the antient and present Pelagianism in the denial of these things Instances thereof Boasting of Perfection from the same Ground Knowledge of Sin and Grace mutually promote each other Pag. 18. § 4. Opposition between Works and Grace as unto Justification Method of the Apostle in the Epistle to the Romans to manifest this opposition A Scheam of others contrary thereunto Testimonies witnessing this opposition Judgment to be made on them Distinctions whereby they are evaded The uselessness of them Resolution of the case in hand by Bellarmine Luk. 17.10 Dan. 9.18 Pag. 24. § 5. A Commutation as unto Sin and Righteousness by Imputation between Christ and Believers represented in the Scripture The Ordinance of the Scape Goat Levit. 16.21 22. The nature of Expiatory Sacrifices Levit. 4.29 Expiation of an uncertain Murther Deut. 21.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. The Commutation intended proved and vindicated Isa. 53.5 6. 2 Cor. 5.21 Rom. 8.3 4. Gal. 3.13 14. 1 Pet. 1.24 Deut. 21.23 Testimonies of Justin Martyr Gregory Nissen Austine Chrysostome Bernard Taulerus Pighius to that purpose The proper actings of Faith with respect thereunto Rom. 5.11 Matth. 11.28 Psa. 38.4 Gen. 4.13 Isa. 53.11 Gal. 3.1 Isa. 45.22 Joh. 3.14 15. A bold Calumny answered Pag. 38 39. § 6. Introduction of Grace by Jesus Christ into the whole of our Relation unto God and its respect unto all the parts of our Obedience No Mystery of Grace in the Covenant of Works All Religion originally commensurate unto Reason No notions of Natural Light concerning the Introduction of the Mediation of Christ and Mystery of Grace into our Relation to God Eph. 1.17 18 19. Reason as corrupted can have no notions of Religion but what are derived from its primitive state Hence the Mysteries of the Gospel esteemed folly Reason as corrupted repugnant unto the Mystery of Gâ—â—â—e Accommodation of Spiritual Mysteries unto Corrupt Reason wherefore acceptable unto many Reasons of it Two parts of corrupted Natures repugnancy unto the Mystery of the Gospel 1. That which would reduce it unto the private Reason of Men. Thence the Trinity denied And the Incarnation of the Son of God Without which the Doctrine of Justification cannot stand Rule of the Socinians in the Interpretation of the Scripture 2. Want of a due comprehension of the Harmony that is between all the parts of the Mystery of Grace This Harmomy proved Compared with the Harmony in the Works of Nature To be studied But is learned only of them who are taught of God and in experience Evil events of the want of a due comprehension hereof Instances of them All applied unto the Doctrine of Justification Pag. 53. § 7. General prejudices against the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. 1. That it is not in Terms found in the Scripture answered 2. That nothing is said of it in the writings of the Evangelists answered Joh. 20.30 31. Nature of Christs Personal Ministery Revelations by the holy Spirit immediately from Christ. Design of the writings of the Evangelists 3. Differences among Protestants themselves about this Doctrine answered Sense of the Antients herein What is of real Difference among Protestants considered Pag. 69. § 8. Influence of the Doctrine of Justification into the first Reformation Advantages unto the World by that Reformation State of the Consciences of Men under the Papacy with respect unto Justification before God Alterations made therein by the Light of this Doctrine though not received Alterations in the Pagan unbelieving World by the Introduction of Christianity Design and success of the first Reformer herein Attempts for Reconciliation with the Papists in this Doctrine and their success Remainders of the â—gnorance of the Truth in the Roman Church Vnavoidable consequences of the corruption of this Doctrine Pag. 83. CHAP. I. JVstification by Faith generally acknowledged The meaning of it perverted The nature and use of Faith in Justification proposed to consideration Distinctions about it waved A twofold Faith of the Gospel expressed in the Scripture Faith that is not justifying Acts 8.13 Joh. 2.23 24. Luk. 8.13 Matth. 22.28 Historical Faith whence it is so called and the nature of it Degrees of Assent in it Justification not ascribed unto any Degree of it A Calumny obviated The causes of true saving Faith Conviction of Sin previous unto it The nature of legal Conviction and its Effects Arguments to prove it antecedent unto Faith Without the consideration of it the true nature of Faith not to be understood The Order and Relation of the Law and Gospel Rom. 1.17 Instance of Adam Effects of Conviction internal Displicency and sorrow Fear of punishment Desire of Deliverance External Abstinence from Sin Performance of Duties Reformation of Life Not conditions of Justification not Formal Dispositions unto it not Moral Preparations for it The Order of God in Justification The proper object of justifying Faith Not all Divine Verity equally proved by sundry Arguments The pardon of our own sins whether the first object of Faith The Lord Christ in the Work of Mediation as the Ordinance of God for the Recovery of lost Sinners the proper object of justifying Faith The Position explained and proved Rom. 3.24 25. Ephes. 1.6 7 8. Acts 10.41 Chap. 16.13 Chap. 4.12 Luk. 24.25 26 27. Joh. 1.12.3.16 36.6.29.7.38 c. Col. 2.12 1 Cor. 2.1 31. 2 Cor. 5.19 20 21. Pag. 92 93 c. CHAP. II. The nature of justifying Faith in particular or of Faith in that exercise of it whereby we are justified The Hearts approbation of the way of the Justification and Salvation of Sinners by Christ with its acquiescency therein The description given explained and confirmed 1. From the nature of the Gospel 2. Exemplified in its contrary or the nature of unbelief Prov. 1.30 Heb. 2.3 1 Pet. 2.7 1 Cor. 1.23 24. 2 Cor. 4.3 4. What it is and wherein it doth consist 3. The Design of God in and by the Gospel His own Glory his utmost End in all things The Glory of his Righteousness Grace Love Wisdom c. The end of God in the Way of the Salvation of Sinners by Christ. Rom. 3.25 Joh. 3.16 1 Joh. 3.16 Eph. 1.5 6. 1 Cor. 1.24 Ephes. 3.10 Rom. 1.16.4.16 Ephes.
may have and not be justified and if they have not a Faith of another kind they cannot be justified For Justification is no where ascribed unto it yea it is affirmed by the Apostle James That none can be justified by it 2. It may produce great Effects in the Minds Affections and Lives of Men although not one of them that are peculiar unto justifying Faith Yet such they may be as that those in whom they are wrought may be and ought in the Judgment of Charity to be looked on as true Believers 3. This is that Faith which may be alone We are justified by Faith alone But we are not justified by that Faith which can be alone Alone respects its influence into our Justification not its nature and existence And we absolutely deny that we can be justified by that Faith which can be alone that is without a principle of spiritual Life and universal Obedience operative in all the works of it as Duty doth require These things I have observed only to obviate that Calumny and Reproach which some endeavour to fix on the Doctrine of Justification by Faith only through the Mediation of Christ. For those who assert it must be Solifidians Antinomians and I know not what such as oppose or deny the necessity of universal Obedience or Good Works Most of them who manage it cannot but know in their own Consciences that this Charge is false But this is the way of handling Controversies with many They can aver any thing that seems to advantage the cause they plead to the great scandal of Religion If by Solifidians they mean those who believe that Faith alone is on our part the Means Instrument or Condition of which afterwards of our Justification all the Prophets and Apostles were so and were so taught to be by Jesus Christ as shall be proved If they mean those who affirm that the Faith whereby we are justified is alone separate or separable from a principle and the fruit of Holy Obedience they must find them out themselves we know nothing of them For we allow no Faith to be of the same kind or nature with that whereby we are justified but what virtually and radically contains in it universal Obedience as the effect is in the cause the fruit in the Root and which acts it self in all particular Duties according as by Rule and Circumstances they are made so to be Yea we allow no Faith to be justifying or to be of the same kind with it which is not its self and in its own nature a spiritually vital principle of Obedience and Good Works And if this be not sufficient to prevail with some not to seek for advantages by such shameful calumnies yet is it so with others to free their minds from any concernment in them For the especial nature of Justifying Faith which we enquire into the things whereby it is evidenced may be reduced unto these four Heads 1 The Causes of it on the part of God 2 What is in us previously required unto it 3 The proper Object of it 4 It s proper peculiar Acts and Effects Which shall be spoken unto so far as is necessary unto our present design 1. The Doctrine of the Causes of Faith as unto its first Original in the Divine Will and the way of its communication unto us is so large and so immixed with that of the way and manner of the operation of efficacious Grace in Conversion which I have handled elsewhere as that I shall not here insist upon it For as it cannot in a few words be spoken unto according unto its weight and worth so to engage into a full handling of it would too much divert us from our present Argument This I shall only say that from thence it may be uncontroulably evidenced That the Faith whereby we are justified is of an especial kind or nature wherein no other Faith which Justification is not inseparable from doth partake with it 2. Wherefore our first Enquiry is concerning what was proposed in the second place namely what is an our part in a way of Duty previously required thereunto or what is necessary to be found in us antecedaneously unto our Believing unto the Justification of Life And I say there is supposed in them in whom this Faith is wrought on whom it is bestowed and whose Duty it is to believe therewith the work of the Law in the Conviction of sin or Conviction of sin is a necessary Antecedent unto Justifying Faith Many have disputed what belongs hereunto and what effects it produceth in the mind that dispose the Soul unto the receiving of the Promise of the Gospel But whereas there are different Apprehensions about these effects or concomitants of Conviction in Compunction Humiliation Self-judging with sorrow for sin committed and the like as also about the Degrees of them as ordinarily pre-required unto Faith and Conversion unto God I shall speak very briefly unto them so far as they are inseparable from the Conviction asserted And I shall first consider this Conviction it self with what is essential thereunto and then the effects of it in conjunction with that temporary Faith before spoken of I shall do so not as unto their nature the knowledge whereof I take for granted but only as they have respect unto our Justification As to the first I say The work of Conviction in general whereby the Soul of man hath a practical understanding of the nature of sin its Guilt and the Punishment due unto it and is made sensible of his own interest therein both with respect unto sin original and actual with his own utter disability to deliver himself out of the state and condition wherein on the account of these things he findeth himself to be is that which we affirm to be antecedaneously necessary unto Justifying Faith that is in the Adult and of whose Justification the Word is the external means and instrument A Convinced sinner is only Subjectum capax Justificationis not that every one that is convinced is or must necessarily be justified There is not any such disposition or preparation of the subject by this Conviction its effects and consequents as that the form of Justification as the Papists speak or justifying Grace must necessarily ensue or be introduced thereon Nor is there any such preparation in it as that by virtue of any divine Compact or Promise a Person so convinced shall be pardoned and justified But as a man may believe with any kind of Faith that is not justifying such as that before mentioned without this Conviction so it is ordinarily previous and necessary so to be unto that Faith which is unto the Justification of Life The motive is not unto it that thereon a man shall be assuredly justified but that without it he cannot be so This I say is required in the Person to be justified in order of nature antecedaneously unto that Faith whereby we are justified which we shall prove with the ensuing
there is no Relief or Deliverance to be expected from any of those ways of sorrow or duty that he hath put himself upon 3 In this condition it is a meer Act of Soveraign Grace without any respect unto these things foregoing to call the sinner unto Believing or Faith in the Promise unto the Justification of Life This is Gods order yet so as that what precedeth his call unto Faith hath no causality thereof 3. The next thing to be enquired into is the proper Object of Justifying Faith or of true Faith in its office work and duty with respect unto our Justification And herein we must first consider what we cannot so well close withall For besides other Differences that seem to be about it which indeed are but different Explanations of the same thing for the substance there are two Opinions which are looked on as Extreams the one in an Excess and the other in Defect The first is that of the Roman Church and those who comply with them therein And this is That the Object of Justifying Faith as such is all Divine Verity all Divine Revelation whether written in the Scripture or delivered by Tradition represented unto us by the Authority of the Church In the latter part of this Description we are not at present concerned That the whole Scripture and all the parts of it and all the Truths of what sort soever they be that are contained in it are equally the Object of Faith in the discharge of its Office in our Justification is that which they maintain Hence as to the nature of it they cannot allow it to consist in any thing but an Assent of the mind For supposing the whole Scripture and all contained in it Laws Precepts Promises Threatnings Stories Prophesies and the like to be the Object of it and these not as containing in them things Good or Evil unto us but under this formal consideration as divinely revealed they cannot assign or allow any other Act of the mind to be required hereunto but Assent only And so confident are they herein namely That Faith is no more then an Assent unto divine Revelation as that Bellarmin in opposition unto Calvin who placed knowledge in the description of Justifying Faith affirms that it is better defined by Ignorance than by Knowledge This Description of Justifying Faith and its Object hath been so discussed and on such evident Grounds of Scripture and Reason rejected by Protestant Writers of all sorts as that it is needless to insist much upon it again Some things I shall observe in relation unto it whereby we may discover what is of Truth in what they assert and wherein it falls short thereof Neither shall I respect only them of the Roman Church who require no more to Faith or Believing but only a bare Assent of the mind unto divine Revelations but them also who place it wholly in such a firm Assent as produceth Obedience unto all divine Commands For as it doth both these as both these are included in it so unto the especial nature of it more is required It is as justifying neither a meer Assent nor any such firm degree of it as should produce such effects 1. All Faith whatever is an Act of that power of our Souls in general whereby we are able firmly to assent unto the Truth upon Testimony in things not evident unto us by Sense or Reason It is the Evidence of things not seen And all divine Faith is in general an Assent unto the Truth that is proposed unto us upon divine Testimony And hereby as it is commonly agreed it is distinguished from Opinion and moral certainty on the one hand and Science or Demonstration on the other 2. Wherefore in Justifying Faith there is an Assent unto all divine Revelation upon the Testimony of God the Revealer By no other Act of our mind wherein this is not included or supposed can we be justified not because it is not justifying but because it is not Faith This Assent I say is included in Justifying Faith And therefore we find it often spoken of in the Scripture the Instances whereof are gathered up by Bellarmin and others with respect unto other things and not restrained unto the especial promise of Grace in Christ which is that which they oppose But besides that in most places of that kind the proper Object of Faith as Justifying is included and referred ultimately unto though diversly expressed by some of its Causes or concomitant Adjuncts it is granted that we believe all divine Truth with that very Faith whereby we are justified so as that other things may well be ascribed unto it 3. On these Concessions we yet say two things 1 That the whole nature of Justifying Faith doth not consist meerly in an Assent of the mind be it never so firm and stedfast nor whatever Effects of Obedience it may produce 2 That in its Duty and Office in Justification whence it hath that especial denomination which alone we are in the Explanation of it doth not equally respect all divine Revelation as such but hath a peculiar Object proposed unto it in the Scripture And whereas both these will be immediately evinced in our description of the proper Object and Nature of Faith I shall at present oppose some few things unto this Description of them sufficient to manifest how aliene it is from the Truth 1. This Assent is an Act of the understanding only An Act of the mind with respect unto Truth evidenced unto it be it of what nature it will So we believe the worst of things and the most grievous unto us as well as the best and the most useful But Believing is an Act of the Heart which in the Scripture comprizeth all the Faculties of the Soul as one entire principle of moral and spiritual Duties With the Heart Man believeth unto Righteousness Rom. 10.10 And it is frequently described by an Act of the Will though it be not so alone But without an Act of the Will no man can believe as he ought See Joh. 5.40 Joh. 1.12 chap. 6.35 We come to Christ in an Act of the Will and let whosoever will come And to be willing is taken for to believe Psal. 110.3 and Unbelief is Disobedience Heb. 3.18 19. 2. All Divine Truth is equally the Object of this Assent It respects not the especial nature or use of any one Truth be it of what kind it will more than another nor can it do so since it regards only Divine Revelation Hence that Judas was the Traytor must have as great an influence into our Justification as that Christ died for our sins But how contrary this is unto the Scripture the Analogy of Faith and the Experience of all that believe needs neither Declaration nor Confirmation 3. This Assent unto all Divine Revelation may be true and sincere where there hath been no previous work of the Law nor any Conviction of sin No such thing is required thereunto nor are
what is intended For these causae sine quibus non may be taken largely or more strictly and precisely So are they commonly distinguished by the Masters in these Arts. Those so called in a larger sense are all such causes in any kind of efficiency or merit as are inferiour unto principal Causes and would operate nothing without them but in conjunction with them have a real effective influence Physical or Moral into the production of the effect And if we take a Condition to be a causa sine qua non in this sense we are still at a loss what may be its Use Efficiency or Merit with respect unto our Justification If it be taken more strictly for that which is necessarily present but hath no causality in any kind not that of a receptive Instrument I cannot understand how it should be an Ordinance of God For every thing that he hath appointed unto any end Moral or Spiritual hath by virtue of that Appointment either a symbolical instructive efficacy or an active efficiency or a rewardable condecency with respect unto that End Other things may be generally and remotely necessary unto such an End so far as it partakes of the order of natural beings which are not Ordinances of God with respect thereunto and so have no kind of causality with respect unto it as it is Moral or Spiritual So the Air we breath is needful unto the preaching of the Word and consequently a causa sine qua non thereof but an Ordinance of God with especial respect thereunto it is not But every thing that he appoints unto an especial spiritual End hath an Efficacy or Operation in one or other of the ways mentioned For they either concur with the principal cause in its internal Efficiency or they operate externally in the removal of Obstacles and Hinderances that oppose the principal cause in its Efficiency And this excludes all causes sine quibus non strictly so taken from any place among Divine Ordinances God appoints nothing for an End that shall do nothing His Sacraments are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but by virtue of his Institution do exhibit that Grace which they do not in themselves contain The preaching of the Word hath a real Efficiency unto all the Ends of it so have all the Graces and Duties that he worketh in us and requireth of us by them all are we made meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light And our whole Obedience through his gracious Appointment hath a rewardable condecency with respect unto Eternal Life Wherefore as Faith may be allowed to be the condition of our Justification if no more be intended thereby but that it is what God requires of us that we may be justified so to confine the declaration of its Vse in our Justification unto its being the condition of it when so much as a determinate signification of it cannot be agreed upon is subservient only unto the Interest of unprofitable strife and contention To close these Discourses concerning Faith and its Vse in our Justification some things must yet be added concerning its especial Object For although what hath been spoken already thereon in the description of its nature and object in general be sufficient in general to state its especial Object also yet there having been an Enquiry concerning it and debate about it in a peculiar notion and under some especial terms that also must be considered And this is whether Justifying Faith in our Justification or its Vse therein do respect Christ as a King and Prophet as well as a Priest with the satisfaction that as such he made for us and that in the same manner and unto the same Ends and Purposes And I shall be brief in this Enquiry because it is but a late controversie and it may be hath more of Curiosity in its Disquisition than of Edification in its Determination However being not that I know of under these terms stated in any publick Confessions of the Reformed Churches it is free for any to express their Apprehensions concerning it And to this purpose I say 1. Faith whereby we are justified in the receiving of Christ principally respects his Person for all those Ends for which he is the Ordinance of God It doth not in the first place as it is Faith in general respect his Person absolutely seeing its formal Object as such is the Truth of God in the Proposition and not the thing it self proposed Wherefore it so respects and receives Christ as proposed in the Promise the Promise it self being the formal Object of its Assent 2. We cannot so receive Christ in the Promise as in that Act of receiving him to exclude the consideration of any of his Offices For as he is not at any time to be considered by us but as vested with all his Offices so a distinct conception of the mind to receive Christ as a Priest but not as a King or Prophet is not Faith but unbelief not the receiving but the rejecting of him 3. In the receiving of Christ for Justification formally our distinct express Design is to be justified thereby and no more Now to be justified is to be freed from the Guilt of sin or to have all our sins pardoned and to have a Righteousness wherewith to appear before God so as to be accepted with him and a Right to the Heavenly Inheritance Every Believer hath other designs also wherein he is equally concerned with this as namely the Renovation of his Nature the Sanctification of his Person and Ability to live unto God in all holy Obedience But the things before mentioned are all that he aimeth at or designeth in his Applications unto Christ or his receiving of him unto Justification Wherefore 4. Justifying Faith in that Act or Work of it whereby we are justified respecteth Christ in his Priestly Office alone as he was the surety of the Covenant with what he did in the discharge thereof The Consideration of his other Offices is not excluded but it is not formally comprised in the Object of Faith as Justifying 5. When we say that the Sacerdotal Office of Christ or the Blood of Christ or the satisfaction of Christ is that alone which Faith respects in Justification we do not exclude yea we do really include and comprise in that Assertion all that depends thereon or concurs to make them effectual unto our Justification As 1 The free Grace and Favour of God in giving of Christ for us and unto us whereby we are frequently said to be justified Rom. 3.24 Ephes. 2.8 Tit. 3.7 His Wisdom Love Righteousness and Power are of the same Consideration as hath been declared 2 Whatever in Christ himself was necessary antecedently unto his discharge of that Office or was consequential thereof or did necessarily accompany it Such was his Incarnation the whole course of his Obedience his Resurrection Ascension Exaltation and Intercession For the Consideration of all these things is inseparable from the Discharge of
when he denies that by the Works of the Law any can be justified is the entire Rule and Guide of our Obedience unto God even as unto the whole frame and spiritual Constitution of our Souls with all the Acts of Obedience or Duties that he requireth of us And 2. That the Works of this Law which he so frequently and plainly excludeth from our Justification and therein opposeth to the Grace of God and the Blood of Christ are all the Duties of Obedience Internal Supernatural External Ritual however we are or may be enabled to perform them that God requireth of us And these things excluded it is the Righteousness of Christ alone imputed unto us on the account whereof we are justified before God The Truth is so far as I can discern the real Difference that is at this Day amongst us about the Doctrine of our Justification before God is the same that was between the Apostle and the Jews and no other But Controversies in Religion make a great Appearance of being new when they are only varied and made different by the new Terms and Expressions that are introduced into the handling of them So hath it fallen out in the Controversie about Nature and Grace For as unto the true nature of it it is the same in these days as it was between the Apostle Paul and the Pharisees between Austin and Pelagius afterwards But it hath now passed through so many forms and dresses of Words as that it can scarce be known to be what it was Many at this day will condemn both Pelagius and the Doctrine that he taught in the Words wherein he taught it and yet embrace and approve of the things themselves which he intended The Introduction of every Change in Philosophical Learning gives an Appearance of a Change in the Controversies which are managed thereby But take off the covering of Philosophical Expressions Distinctions Metaphysical Notions and futilous Terms of Art which some of the Ancient Schoolmen and later Disputants have cast upon it and the Difference about Grace and Nature is amongst us all the same that it was of old and as it is allowed by the Socinians Thus the Apostle treating of our Justification before God doth it in these Terms which are both expressive of the thing it self and were well understood by them with whom he had to do such as the Holy Spirit in their Revelation had consecrated unto their proper use Thus on the one hand he expresly excludes the Law our own Works our own Righteousness from any interest therein and in opposition unto and as inconsistent with them in the matter of Justification he ascribes it wholly unto the Righteousness of God Righteousness imputed unto us the Obedience of Christ Christ made Righteousness unto us the blood of Christ as a Propitiation Faith receiving Christ and the Atonement There is no avvakened Conscience guided by the least beam of spiritual Illumination but in it self plainly understands these things and what is intended in them But through the Admission of Exotick Learning with Philosophical Terms and notions into the way of teaching Spiritual things in Religion a new face and Appearance is put on the whole matter and a Composition made between those things which the Apostle directly opposeth as contrary and inconsistent Hence are all our Discourses about Preparations Dispositions Conditions Merits de congruo condigno with such a train of Distinctions as that if some bounds be not fixed unto the inventing and coyning of them which being a facile Work grows on us every day we shall not e're long be able to look through them so as to discover the things intended or rightly to understand one another For as one said of lies so it may be said of arbitrary distinctions they must be continually new thatched over or it will rain through But the best way is to cast of all these coverings and we shall then quickly see that the real difference about the Justification of a Sinner before God is the same and no other as it was in the days of the Apostle Paul between him and the Jews And all those things which men are pleased now to plead for with respect unto a Causality in our Justification before God under the Names of Preparations Conditions Dispositions Merit with respect unto a first or second Justification are as effectually excluded by the Apostle as if he had expresly named them every one For in them all there is a management according unto our Conceptions and the Terms of the Learning passant in the present Age of the Plea for our own personal Righteousness which the Jews maintained against the Apostle And the true Understanding of what he intends by the Law the Works and Righteousness thereof would be sufficient to determine this Controversie but that men are grown very Skilful in the Art of endless Wrangling CHAP. XV. Faith alone THe Truth which we plead hath two Parts 1. That the Righteousness of God imputed to us unto the Justification of Life is the Righteousness of Christ by whose Obedience we are made Righteous 2. That it is Faith alone which on our Part is required to interest us in that Righteousness or whereby we comply with Gods Grant and Communication of it or receive it unto our Use and Benefit For although this Faith is in it self the radical Principle of all Obedience and whatever is not so which cannot which doth not on all occasions evidence prove shew or manifest it self by Works is not of the same kind with it yet as we are justified by it its act and Duty is such or of that nature as that no other Grace Duty or Work can be associated with it or be of any Consideration And both these are evidently confirmed in that Description which is given us in the Scripture of the Nature of Faith and believing unto the Justification of life I know that many Expressions used in the Declaration of the Nature and Work of Faith herein are Metaphorical at least are generally esteemed so to be But they are such as the Holy Ghost in his Infinite Wisdom thought meet to make use of for the Instruction and Edification of the Church And I cannot but say that those who understand not how effectually the light of knowledg is communicated unto the minds of them that believe by them and a sense of the things intended unto their Spiritual Experience seem not to have taken a due consideration of them Neither whatever Skill we pretend unto do we know always what expressions of Spiritual things are Metaphorical Those oftentimes may seem so to be which are most proper However it is most safe for us to adhere unto the Expressions of the Holy Spirit and not to embrace such senses of things as are inconsistent with them and opposite unto them Wherefore 1. That Faith whereby we are justified is most frequently in the New Testament expressed by receiving This notion of Faith hath been before spoken unto
grace is added to secure Believers of the certainty of the effect It is that whereunto nothing is wanting unto our Justification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expresseth the free grant of that Righteousness which is imputed unto us unto the Justification of life afterwards called the obedience of Christ. Be Men as wise and learned as they please it becomes us all to learn to think and speak of those Divine Mysteries from this Blessed Apostle who knew them better then we all and besides wrote by divine inspiration And it is marvellous unto me how Men can break through the fence that he hath made about the grace of God and obedience of Christ in the work of our Justification before God to introduce their our own Works of Obedience and to find a place for them therein But the design of Paul and some Men in declaring this point of our Justification before God seems to be very opposite and contrary His whole discourse is concerning the Grace of God the Death Blood and Obedience of Christ as if he could never sufficiently satisfie himself in the setting out and declaration of them without the least mention of any works or duties of our own or the least intimation of any use that they are of herein But all their pleas are for their own works and duties and they have invented as many terms to set them out by as the Holy Ghost hath used for the expression and declaration of the Grace of God Instead of the words of Wisdom before mentioned which the Holy Ghost hath taught wherewith he fills up his discourse theirs are filled with conditions preparatory dispositions merits causes and I know not what trappings for our own works For my part I shall chuse rather to learn of him and accommodate my conceptions and expressions of Gospel Mysteries and of this in especial concerning our Justification unto his who cannot deceive me than trust to any other conduct how specious soever its pretences may be 2. It is plain in this Verse that no more is required of any one unto Justification but that he receive the abundance of Grace and the gift of Righteousness For this is the description that the Apostle gives of those that are justified as unto any thing that on their part is required And as this excludes all Works of Righteousness which we do for by none of them do we receive the abundance of Grace and the gift of Righteousness so it doth also the imputation of Faith it self unto our Justification as it is an act and duty of our own For Faith is that whereby we receive the gift of Righteousness by which we are justified For it will not be denied but that we are justified by the gift of Righteousness or the Righteousness which is given unto us for by it have we right and title unto life But our Faith is not this gift for that which receiveth and that which is received are not the same 3. Where there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abounding grace superabounding grace exerted in our Justification no more is required thereunto For how can it be said to abound yea to superabound not only to the freeing of us from condemnation but the giving of us a title unto life if in any thing it is to be supplied and eeked out by works and duties of our own The things intended do fill up these expressions although to some they are but an empty noise 4. There is a gift of Righteousness required unto our Justification which all must receive who are to be justified And all are justified who do receive it for they that receive it shall reign in life by Jesus Christ. And hence it follows 1. That the Righteousness whereby we are justified before God can be nothing of our own nothing inherent in us nothing performed by us For it is that which is freely given us and this donation is by imputation Blessed is the Man unto whom the Lord imputeth Righteousness Chap. 4.6 And by Faith we receive what is so given and imputed and otherwise we contribute nothing unto our participation of it This it is to be justified in the sense of the Apostle 2. It is such a Righteousness as gives right and title unto eternal life For they that receive it shall reign in life Wherefore it cannot consist in the pardon of sin alone For 1. the pardon of sin can in no tolerable sense be called the gift of Righteousness Pardon of sin is one thing and Righteousness another 2. Pardon of sin doth not give right and title unto eternal life It is true he whose sins are pardoned shall inherit eternal life but not meerly by vertue of that pardon but through the imputation of Righteousness which doth inseparably accompany it and is the ground of it The description which is here given of our Justification by Grace in opposition unto the condemnation that we were made liable unto by the sin of Adam and in exaltation above it as to the efficacy of Grace above that of the first sin in that thereby not one but all sins are forgiven and not only so but a right unto life eternal is communicated unto us is this That we receive the Grace of God and the gift of Righteousness which gives us a right unto life by Jesus Christ. But this is to be justified by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ received by Faith alone The conclusion of what hath been evinced in the management of the comparison insisted on is fully expressed and further confirmed Ver. 18 19. Ver. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all Men unto condemnation even so by the Righteousness of one the free gift came upon all Men unto the Justification of life So we read the words By the offence of one the Greek Copies vary here Some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom Beza followeth and our Translation in the Margin by one offence most by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the offence of one and so afterwards as unto Righteousness but both are unto the same purpose For the one offence intended is the offence of one that is of Adam And the one Righteousness is the Righteousness of one Jesus Christ. The Introduction of this Assertion by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the note of a Syllogistical inference declares what is here asserted to be the substance of the truth pleaded for And the comparison is continued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these things have themselves after the same manner That which is affirmed on the one side is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the sin or fall of one on all Men unto condemnation that is Judgment say we repeating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the foregoing Verse But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is guilt and that only By the sin of one all Men became guilty and were made obnoxious unto condemnation The guilt of it is imputed unto all Men. For no otherwise can it
for it was so imputed unto him long before and that in such a way as the Apostle proves thereby that Righteousness is imputed without Works 2 That he was not justified by a real efficiency of an habit of Righteousness in him or by any way of making him inherently Righteous who was before unrighteous is plain also because he was Righteous in that sense long before and had abounded in the Works of Righteousness unto the praise of God It remains therefore that then and by the Work mentioned he was justified as unto the evidencing and manifestation of his Faith and Justification thereon His other instance is of Rahab concerning whom he asserts that she was justified by Works when she had received the Messengers and sent them away But she received the Spies by Faith as the Holy Ghost witnesseth Heb. 11.31 And therefore had true Faith before their coming and if so was really justified For that any one should be a true believer and yet not be justified is destructive unto the foundation of the Gospel In this condition she received the Messengers and made unto them a full Declaration of her Faith Josh. 2.10 11. After her believing and Justification thereon and after the confession she had made of her Faith she exposed her life by concealing and sending of them away Hereby did she justifie the sincerity of her Faith and Confession and in that sense alone is said to be justified by Works And in no other sense doth the Apostle James in this place make mention of Justification which he doth also only occasionally Fourthly As unto Works mentioned by both Apostles the same Works are intended and there is no disagreement in the least about them For as the Apostle James intends by Works Duties of Obedience unto God according to the Law as is evident from the whole first part of the Chapter which gives occasion unto the Discourse of Faith and Works So the same are intended by the Apostle Paul also as we have proved before And as unto the necessity of them in all believers as unto other ends so as evidences of their Faith and Justification it is no less pressed by the one than the other as hath been declared These things being in general premised we may observe some things in particular from the Discourse of the Apostle James sufficiently evidencing that there is no contradiction therein unto what is delivered by the Apostle Paul concerning our Justification by Faith and the Imputation of Righteousness without Works nor to the Doctrine which from him we have learned and declared as 1 He makes no composition or conjunction between Faith and Works in our Justification but opposeth them the one to the other asserting the one and rejecting the other in order unto our Justification 2 He makes no distinction of a first and second Justification of the beginning and continuation of Justification but speaks of one Justification only which is our first personal Justification before God Neither are we concerned in any other Justification in this cause whatever 3 That he ascribes this Justification wholly unto Works in contradistinction unto Faith as unto that sense of Justification which he intended and the Faith whereof he treated Wherefore 4 He doth not at all enquire or determine how a sinner is justified before God but how Professors of the Gospel can prove or demonstrate that they are so and that they do not deceive themselves by trusting unto a lifeless and barren Faith All these things will be further evidenced in a brief consideration of the context it self wherewith I shall close this Discourse In the beginning of the Chapter unto v. 14. He reproves those unto whom he wrote for many sins committed against the Law the rule of their sins and Obedience or at least warneth them of them and having shewed the danger they were in hereby he discovers the Root and principal occasion of it v. 14. which was no other but a vain surmise and deceiving presumption that the Faith required in the Gospel was nothing but a bare assent unto the Doctrine of it whereon they were delivered from all obligation unto moral Obedience or good Works and might without any danger unto their eternal state live in whatever sins their lusts inclined them unto Chap. 4. v. 1 2 3 4. Chap. 5. v. 1 2 3 4 5. The state of such persons which contains the whole cause which he speaks unto and which gives rule and measure unto the interpretation of all his future arguings is laid down v. 14. What doth it profit my Brethren though a man say he hath Faith and have not Works can Faith save him suppose a man any one of those who are guilty of the sins charged on them in the foregoing verses do yet say or boast of himself that he hath Faith that he makes profession of the Gospel that he hath left either Judaism or Paganism and betaken himself to the Faith of the Gospel and therefore although he be destitute of good Works and live in sin he is accepted with God and shall be saved will indeed this Faith save him this therefore is the question proposed whereas the Gospel saith plainly that he who believeth shall be saved whether that Faith which may and doth consist with an indulgence unto sin and a neglect of Duties of Obedience is that Faith whereunto the promise of life and Salvation is annexed And thereon the enquiry proceeds how any man in particular he who says he hath Faith may prove and evidence himself to have that Faith which will secure his Salvation And the Apostle denies that this is such a Faith as can consist without Works or that any man can evidence himself to have true Faith any otherwise but by Works of Obedience only And in the proof hereof doth his whole ensuing Discourse consist Not once doth he propose unto consideration the means and causes of the Justification of a convinced sinner before God nor had he any occasion so to do So that his words are openly wrested when they are applied unto any such intention That the Faith which he intends and describes is altogether useless unto the end pretended to be attainable by it namely Salvation he proves in an instance of and by comparing it with the love or charity of an alike nature v. 15.16 If a Brother or Sister be naked and destitute of daily food and one of you say unto him depart in peace be ye warmed and filled notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body what doth it profit This love or charity is not that Gospel Grace which is required of us under that name For he who behaveth himself thus towards the poor the love of God dwelleth not in him 1 Joh. 3.17 whatever name it may have whatever it may pretend unto whatever it may be professed or accepted for love it is not nor hath any of the effects of love is neither useful nor profitable Hence the
acknowledged that the objective Grace of the Gospel in the Doctrine of it is liable to abuse where there is nothing of the subjective Grace of it in the Hearts of men and the ways of its influence into the Life of God are uncouth unto the Reasonings of carnal minds So was it charged by the Papists at the first Reformation and continueth yet so to be Yet as it gave the first occasion unto the Reformation it self so was it that whereby the Souls of men being set at liberty from their bondage unto innumerable superstitious fears and observances utterly inconsistent with true Gospel Obedience and directed into the ways of Peace with God through Jesus Christ were made fruitful in real Holiness and to abound in all those blessed effects of the Life of God which were never found among their Adversaries The same charge was afterwards renewed by the Socinians and continueth still to be managed by them But I suppose wise and impartial men will not lay much weight on their Accusations until they have manifested the efficacy of their contrary perswasion by better effects and fruits than yet they have done What sort of men they were who first coined that systeme of Religion which they adhere unto one who knew them well enough and sufficiently enclined unto their Antitrinitarian Opinions declares in one of the Queries that he proposed unto Socinus himself and his followers If this saith he be the truth which you contend for whence comes it to pass that it is declared only by persons nulla pietatis commendatione nullo laudato prioris vitae exemplo commendatos imo ut plerumque videmus per vagabundos contentionum zeli carnalis plenos homines alios ex castris aulis ganeis prolatam esse Scrupuli ab excellenti viro propositi inter oper Socin The fiercest charge of such men against any Doctrines they oppose as inconsistent with the necessary motives unto Godliness are a Recommendation of it unto the minds of considerative men And there cannot be a more effectual Engine plied for the ruine of Religion then for men to declame against the Doctrine of Justification by Faith alone and other Truths concerning the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ as those which overthrow the necessity of moral Duties Good Works and Gospel Obedience whilst under the conduct of the Opinions which they embrace in opposition unto them they give not the least evidence of the power of the Truth or Grace of the Gospel upon their own hearts or in their lives Whereas therefore the whole Gospel is the Truth which is after Godliness declaring and exhibiting that Grace of God which teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and that we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this world we being fallen into those times wherein under great and fierce contests about notions opinions and practices in Religion there is an horrible decay in true Gospel Purity and Holiness of life amongst the generality of men I shall readily grant that keeping a due regard unto the only standard of Truth a secondary Trial of Doctrines proposed and contended for may and ought to be made by the ways lives walkings and conversations of them by whom they are received and professed And although it is acknowledged that the Doctrine pleaded in the ensuing discourse be liable to be abused yea turned into licentiousness by men of corrupt minds through the prevalency of vitious Habits in them as is the whole Doctrine of the Grace of God by Jesus Christ and although the way and means of its efficacy and influence into universal Obedience unto God in Righteousness and true Holiness be not discernable without some beam of spiritual Light nor will give an experience of their power unto the minds of men utterly destitute of a principle of spiritual Life yet if it cannot preserve its station in the Church by this Rule of its useful tendency unto the promotion of Godliness and its necessity thereunto in all them by whom it is really believed and received in its proper light and power and that in the experience of former and present times I shall be content that it be exploded 4. Finding that not a few have esteemed it compliant with their Interest to publish exceptions against some few leaves which in the handling of a subject of another nature I occasionally wrote many years ago on this Subject I am not without Apprehensions that either the same persons or others of alike temper and principles may attempt an opposition unto what is here expresly tendered thereon On supposition of such an Attempt I shall in one word let the Authors of it know wherein alone I shall be concerned For if they shall make it their business to cavil at Expressions to wrest my words wiredraw inferences and conclusions from them not expresly owned by me to revile my person to catch at advantages in any occasional passages or other unessential parts of the Discourse labouring for an Appearance of success and reputation to themselves thereby without a due attendance unto Christian moderation candor and ingenuity I shall take no more notice of what they say or write then I would do of the greatest impertinencies that can be reported in this world The same I say concerning oppositions of the like nature unto any other writings of mine a work which as I hear some are at present engaged in I have somewhat else to do than to cast away any part of the small remainder of my Life in that kind of controversial Writings which good men bewail and wise men deride Whereas therefore the principal design of this Discourse is to state the Doctrine of Justification from the Scripture and to confirm it by the Testimonies thereof I shall not esteem it spoken against unless our Exposition of Scripture Testimonies and the Application of them unto the present Argument be disproved by just Rules of Interpretation and another sense of them be evinced All other things which I conceive necessary to be spoken unto in order unto the right understanding and due improvement of the Truth pleaded for are comprised and declared in the ensuing general Discourses to that purpose These few things I thought meet to mind the Reader of From my Study May the 30th 1677. J. O. Considerations previous unto the Explanation of the Doctrine of Justification § 1. THe General Nature of Justification State of the Person to be justified antecedently thereunto Rom. 4.5 Chap. 3.19 Chap. 1.32 Gal. 3.10 Joh. 3.18 36. Gal. 3.22 The sole Inquiry on that state Whether it be any thing that is our own inherently or what is only imputed unto us that we are to trust unto for our Acceptance with God The sum of this Inquiry The proper ends of Teaching and Learning the Doctrine of Justification Things to be avoided therein Pag. 1. § 2. A due consideration of God the Judge of all necessary unto the right stating and apprehension of the Doctrine of
Apprehensions who cryed Sirs What must I do to be saved 2. With respect unto this state and condition of men or men in this state and condition the enquiry is What that is upon the account whereof God pardoneth all their sins receiveth them into his favour declareth or pronounceth them Righteous and acquitted from all Guilt removes the Curse and turneth away all his wrath from them giving them Right and Title unto a blessed Immortality or life Eternal This is that alone wherein the Consciences of sinners in this estate are concerned Nor do they enquire after any thing but what they may have to oppose unto or answer the Justice of God in the commands and curse of the Law and what they may betake themselves unto for the obtaining of Acceptance with him unto life and salvation That the Apostle doth thus and no otherwise state this whole matter and in an Answer unto this Enquiry declare the nature of Justification and all the causes of it in the third and fourth Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans and elswhere shall be afterwards declared and proved And we shall also manifest that the Apostle James in the second Chapter of his Epistle doth not speak unto this Enquiry nor give an Answer unto it but it is of Justification in another sense and to another purpose whereof he treateth And whereas we cannot either safely or usefully treat of this Doctrine but with respect unto the same Ends for which it is declared and whereunto it is applied in the Scripture we should not by any pretences be turned aside from attending unto this Case and its Resolution in all our Discourses on this subject For it is the Direction Satisfaction and peace of the Consciences of men and not the curiosity of Notions or subtilty of Disputations which it is our Duty to design And therefore I shall as much as possibly I may avoid all those Philosophical Terms and Distinctions wherewith this Evangelical Doctrine hath been perplexed rather than illustrated For more weight is to be put on the steady Guidance of the Mind and Conscience of one Believer really exercised about the Foundation of his peace and acceptance with God then on the confutation of ten wrangling Disputers 3. Now the Enquiry on what account or for what Cause and Reason a man may be so acquitted or discharged of sin and accepted with God as before declared doth necessarily issue in this Whether it be any thing in our selves as our Faith and Repentance the Renovation of our Natures inherent habits of Grace and actual works of Righteousness which we have done or may do or whether it be the Obedience Righteousness Satisfaction and Merit of the Son of God our Mediator and Surety of the Covenant imputed unto us One of these it must be namely something that is our own which whatever may be the Influence of the Grace of God into it or causality of it because wrought in and by us is inherently our own in a proper sense or something which being not our own not inherent in us not wrought by us is yet imputed unto us for the pardon of our sins and the Acceptation of our Persons as righteous or the making of us Righteous in the sight of God Neither are these things capable of mixture or composition Rom. 11.6 Which of these it is the Duty Wisdome and safety of a convinced sinner to rely upon and trust unto in his Appearance before God is the sum of our present Enquiry 4. The way whereby sinners do or ought to betake themselves unto this Relief on supposition that it is the Righteousness of Christ and how they come to be partakers of or interested in that which is not inherently their own unto as good Benefit and as much Advantage as if it were their own is of a distinct consideration And as this also is clearly determined in the Scripture so it is acknowledged in the Experience of all them that do truly believe Neither are we in this matter much to regard the senses or arguings of men who were never throughly convinced of sin nor have ever in their own persons fled for Refuge unto the Hope set before them 5. These things I say are always to be attended unto in our whole Disquisition into the nature of Evangelical Justification For without a constant respect unto them we shall quickly wander into curious and perplexed Questions wherein the Consciences of guilty Sinners are not concerned and which therefore really belong not unto the substance or truth of this Doctrine nor are to be immixed therewith It is alone the Relief of those who are in themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 guilty before or obnoxious and liable to the Judgment of God that we enquire after That this is not any thing in or of themselves nor can so be that it is a Provision without them made in infinite Wisdom and Grace by the mediation of Christ his Obedience and Death therein is secured in the Scripture against all contradiction And it is the fundamental Principle of the Gospel Math. 11.28 6. It is confessed that many things for the Declaration of the Truth and the order of the Dispensation of Gods Grace herein are necessarily to be insisted on such are the nature of Justifying Faith the place and use of it in Justification the Causes of the new Covenant the true notion of the Mediation and Suretiship of Christ and the like which shall all of them be enquired into But beyond what tends directly unto the Guidance of the Minds and satisfaction of the Souls of Men who seek after a stable and abiding foundation of Acceptance with God we are not easily to be drawn unless we are free to lose the Benefit and Comfort of this most important Evangelical Truth in needless and unprofitable contentions And amongst many other miscarriages which men are subject unto whilst they are conversant about these things this in an especial manner is to be avoided 1. For the Doctrine of Justification is directive of Christian Practice and in no other Evangelical Truth is the whole of our Obedience more concerned For the Foundation Reasons and Motives of all our Duty towards God are contained therein Wherefore in order unto the due improvement of them ought it to be taught and not otherwise That which alone we aim or ought so to do to learn in it and by it is how we may get and maintain peace with God and so to live unto him as to be accepted with him in what we do To satisfie the Minds and Consciences of men in these things is this Doctrine to be taught Wherefore to carry it out of the understandings of ordinary Christians by speculative notions and distinctions is disserviceable unto the Faith of the Church Yea the mixing of Evangelical Revelations with Philosophical Notions hath been in sundry Ages the Poison of Religion Pretence of accuracy and artificial skill in Teaching is that which giveth countenance unto such a
denying or palliating of them lyeth the foundation of all mis-belief about the Grace of God Pelagianism in its first Root and all its present Branches is resolved thereinto For not apprehending the dread of our Original Apostacy from God nor the consequents of it in the universal Depravation of our Nature they disown any necessity either of the Satisfaction of Christ or the Efficacy of Divine Grace for our Recovery or Restauration So upon the matter the principal Ends of the Mission both of the Son of God and of the Holy Spirit are renounced which issues in the denial of the Deity of the one and the Personality of the other The Fall which we had being not great and the Disease contracted thereby being easily curable and there being little or no evil in these things which are now unavoidable unto our nature it is no great matter to be freed or justified from all by a meer act of Favour on our own Endeavours nor is the Efficacious Grace of God any way needful unto our Sanctification and Obedience as these men suppose Where these or the like conceits are admitted and the minds of men by them kept off from a due apprehension of the State and Guilt of sin and their Consciences from being affected with the terrour of the Lord and curse of the Law thereon Justification is a notion to be dealt withall pleasantly or subtilly as men see occasion And hence arise the Differences about it at present I mean those which are really such and not meerly the different ways whereby Learned men express their thoughts and apprehensions concerning it By some the Imputation of the actual Apostasie and Transgression of Adam the head of our nature whereby his sin became the sin of the world is utterly denied Hereby both the ground the Apostle proceedeth on in evincing the necessity of our Justification or our being made Righteous by the Obedience of another and all the Arguments brought in the Confirmation of the Doctrine of it in the fifth Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans are evaded and overthrown Socinus de Servator par 4. cap. 6. confesseth that place to give great countenance unto the Doctrine of Justification by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. And therefore he sets himself to oppose with sundry Artifices the Imputation of the sin of Adam unto his natural posterity For he perceived well enough that upon the Admission thereof the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto his spiritual seed would unavoidably follow according unto the Tenour of the Apostles Discourse Some deny the Depravation and Corruption of our Nature which ensued on our Apostasie from God and the loss of his Image Or if they do not absolutely deny it yet they so extenuate it as to render it a matter of no great concern unto us Some Disease and Distemper of the Soul they will acknowledge arising from the disorder of our Affections whereby we are apt to receive in such vitious habits and customs as are in practice in the world And as the Guilt hereof is not much so the danger of it is not great And as for any spiritual filth or stain of our nature that is in it it is clear washed away from all by Baptism That Deformity of Soul which came upon us in the loss of the Image of God wherein the Beauty and Harmony of all our faculties in all their Actings in order unto their utmost End did consist That Enmity unto God even in the mind which ensued thereon that Darkness which our Understandings were clouded yea blinded withall the Spiritual Death which passed on the whole Soul and total Alienation from the life of God that Impotency unto Good that Inclination unto Evil that Deceitfulness of sin that Power and Efficacy of corrupt Lusts which the Scripture and Experience so fully charge on the state of lost Nature are rejected as empty Notions or Fables No wonder if such Persons look upon Imputed Righteousness as the shadow of a Dream who esteem those things which evidence its necessity to be but fond imaginations And small hope is there to bring such men to value the Righteousness of Christ as imputed to them who are so unacquainted with their own unrighteousness inherent in them Until men know themselves better they will care very little to know Christ at all Against such as these the Doctrine of Justification may be defended as we are obliged to contend for the Faith once delivered unto the Saints and as the mouths of Gainsayers are to be stopped But to endeavour their satisfaction in it whilst they are under the power of such apprehensions is a vain Attempt As our Saviour said unto them unto whom he had declared the necessity of Regeneration if I have told you Earthly things and you believe not how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things so may we say if men will not believe those things whereof it would be marvellous but that the Reason of it is known that they have not an undeniable Evidence and Experience in themselves how can they believe those Heavenly mysteries which respect a supposition of that within themselves which they will not acknowledge Hence some are so far from any concernment in a perfect Righteousness to be imputed unto them as that they boast of a perfection in themselves So did the Pelagians of old glory of a sinless perfection in the sight of God even when they were convinced of sinful miscarriages in the sight of men as they are charged by Hierom lib. 2. Dialog and by Austin lib. 2. contra Julian cap. 8. Such persons are not Subjecta capacia auditionis Evangelicae Whilst men have no sense in their own Hearts and Consciences of the spiritual disorder of their Souls of the secret continual actings of sin with deceit and violence obstructing all that is good promoting all that is evil defiling all that is done by them through the lusting of the Flesh against the Spirit as contrary unto it though no outward perpetration of sin nor actual omission of Duty do ensue thereon who are not engaged in a constant watchful conflict against the first motions of sin unto whom they are not the greatest burden and sorrow in this life causing them to cry out for deliverance from them who can despise those who make acknowledgments in their confession unto God of their sense of these things with the Guilt wherewith they are accompanied will with an assured confidence reject and contemn what is offered about Justification through the Obedience and Righteousness of Christ imputed to us For no man will be so fond as to be solicitous of a Righteousness that is not his own who hath at home in a readiness that which is his own which will serve his turn It is therefore the ignorance of these things alone that can delude men into an apprehension of their Justification before God by their own personal Righteousness For if they were acquainted with them
before described And these two Temporary Faith and Legal Conviction are the principles of all Works or Duties in Religion antecedenr unto Justification and which therefore we must deny to have in them any Causality thereof But it is granted that many Acts and Duties both internal and external will ensue on real Convictions Those that are internal may be reduced unto three Heads 1 Displicency and Sorrow that we have sinned It is impossible that any one should be really convinced of sin in the way before declared but that a dislike of sin and of himself that he hath sinned shame of it and sorrow for it will ensue thereon And it is a sufficient Evidence that he is not really convinced of sin whatever he profess or whatever confession he make whose mind is not so affected Jer. 36.24 2 Fear of punishment due to sin For Conviction respects not only the instructive and preceptive part of the Law whereby the Being and Nature of sin are discovered but the Sentence and Curse of it also whereby it is judged and condemned Gen. 4.13 14. Wherefore where fear of the punishment threatned doth not ensue no person is really convinced of sin nor hath the Law had its proper Work towards him as it is previous unto the Administration of the Gospel And whereas by Faith we fly from the wrath to come where there is not a Sense and Apprehension of that wrath as due unto us there is no Ground or Reason for our Believing 3 A desire of Deliverance from that state wherein a convinced sinner finds himself upon his Conviction is unavoidable unto him And it s naturally the first thing that Conviction works in the minds of men and that in various degrees of care fear solicitude and restlessness which from Experience and the conduct of Scripture Light have been explained by many unto the great benefit of the Church and sufficiently derided by others 2 These internal Acts of the mind will also produce sundry external Duties which may be referred unto two Heads 1 Abstinence from known sin unto the utmost of mens power For they who begin to find that it is an evil thing and a bitter that they have sinned against God cannot but endeavour a future Abstinence from it And as this hath respect unto all the former internal Acts as Causes of it so it is a peculiar exurgency of the last of them or a desire of deliverance from the state wherein such persons are For this they suppose to be the best expedient for it or at least that without which it will not be And herein usually do their Spirits act by Promises and Vows with renewed sorrow on surprisals into sin which will befall them in that condition 2 The Duties of Religious Worship in prayer and hearing of the Word with diligence in the use of the Ordinances of the Church will ensue hereon For without these they know that no deliverance is to be obtained Reformation of Life and Conversation in various degrees doth partly consist in these things and partly follow upon them And these things are always so where the Convictions of men are real and abiding But yet it must be said that they are neither severally nor joyntly though in the highest degree either necessary dispositions preparations previous congruities in a way of merit nor conditions of our Justification For 1. They are not Conditions of Justification For where one thing is the Condition of another that other thing must follow the fulfilling of that Condition Otherwise the Condition of it it is not But they may be all found where Justification doth not ensue Wherefore there is no Covenant Promise or Constitution of God making them to be such Conditions of Justification though in their own nature they may be subservient unto what is required of us with respect thereunto But a certain infallible connexion with it by virtue of any Promise or Covenant of God as it is with Faith they have not And other Condition but what is constituted and made to be so by divine compact or promise is not to be allowed For otherwise Conditions might be endlesly multiplied and all things natural as well as moral made to be so So the meat we eat may be a Condition of Justification Faith and Justification are inseparable but so are not Justification and the things we now insist upon as Experience doth evince 2. Justification may be where the outward Acts and Duties mentioned proceeding from Convictions under the conduct of temporary Faith are not For Adam was Justified without them so also were the Converts in the Acts chap. 2. For what is reported concerning them is all of it Essentially included in Conviction ver 37. And so likewise was it with the Jaylor Acts 16.30 31. And as unto many of them it is so with most that do believe Therefore they are not Conditions For a Condition suspends the Event of that whereof it is a Condition 3. They are not formal dispositions unto Justification because it consisteth not in the Introduction of any new form or inherent Quality in the Soul as hath been in part already declared and shall yet afterwards be more fully evinced Nor 4 are they moral preparations for it for being antecedent unto Faith Evangelical no man can have any design in them but only to seek for Righteousness by the Works of the Law which is no preparation unto Justification All Discoveries of the Righteousness of God with the Souls adherence unto it belong to Faith alone There is indeed a Repentance which accompanieth Faith and is included in the nature of it at least radically This is required unto our Justification But that legal Repentance which precedes Gospel Faith and is without it is neither a Disposition Preparation nor Condition of our Justification In brief The order of these things may be observed in the dealing of God with Adam as was before intimated And there are three degrees in it 1 The Opening of the Eyes of the sinner to see the filth and guilt of sin in the Sentence and Curse of the Law applied unto his Conscience Rom. 7. 9 10. This effects in the mind of the sinner the things before mentioned and puts him upon all the Duties that spring from them For Persons on their first Convictions ordinarily judge no more but that their state being evil and dangerous it is their Duty to better it and that they can or shall do so accordingly if they apply themselves thereunto But all these things as to a Protection or Deliverance from the sentence of the Law are no better then Figg-leaves and hiding 2 Ordinarily God by his Providence or in the Dispensation of the Word gives life and power unto this Work of the Law in a peculiar manner in answer unto the charge which he gave unto Adam after his Attempt to hide himself Hereby the mouth of the sinner is stopped and he becomes as throughly sensible of his Guilt before God so satisfied that
Object of our Faith unto the Justification of Life Act. 2.39 Act. 26.6 Rom. 4.16 20. chap. 15.8 Gal. 3.16 18. Heb. 4.1 chap. 6.13 chap. 8.6 chap. 10.36 4. The End for which the Lord Christ in the Work of his Mediation is the Ordinance of God and as such proposed in the Promises of the Gospel namely the Recovery and Salvation of lost sinners belongs unto the Object of Faith as Justifying Hence the forgiveness of sin and Eternal Life are proposed in the Scripture as things that are to be believed unto Justification or as the Object of our Faith Math. 9.2 Act. 2.38 39. chap. 5.31 chap. 26.18 Rom. 3.25 chap. 4.7 8. Col. 2.13 Tit. 1.2 c. And whereas the Just is to live by his Faith and every one is to believe for himself or make an Application of the things believed unto his own behoof some from hence have affirmed the pardon of our own sins and our own Salvation to be the proper Object of Faith and indeed it doth belong thereunto when in the way and order of God and the Gospel we can attain unto it 1. Cor. 15.3 4. Gal. 2.20 Ephes. 1.6 7. Wherefore asserting the Lord Jesus Christ in the Work of his Mediation to be the Object of Faith unto Justification I include therein the Grace of God which is the Cause the pardon of sin which is the Effect and the Promises of the Gospel which are the means of communicating Christ and the benefit of his Mediation unto us And all these things are so united so intermixed in their mutual Relations and Respects so concatenated in the purpose of God and the Declaration made of his Will in the Gospel as that the Believing of any one of them doth virtually include the belief of the rest And by whom any one of them is disbelieved they frustrate and make void all the rest and so Faith it self The due Consideration of these things solveth all the Difficulties that arise about the nature of Faith either from the Scripture or from the Experience of them that believe with respect unto its Object Many things in the Scripture are we said to believe with it and by it and that unto Justification But two things are hence evident 1 That no one of them can be asserted to be the compleat adequate Object of our Faith 2 That none of them are so absolutely but as they relate unto the Lord Christ as the Ordinance of God for our Justification and Salvation And this answereth the Experience of all that do truly believe For these things being united and made inseparable in the constitution of God all of them are virtually included in every one of them 1 Some fix their Faith and Trust principally on the Grace Love and Mercy of God especially they did so under the Old Testament before the clear Revelation of Christ and his Mediation So did the Psalmist Psal. 130.34 Psal. 33.18 19. And the Publican Luke 18.13 And these are in places of the Scripture innumerable proposed as the Causes of our Justification See Rom. 3.24 Ephes. 2.4 5 6 7 8. Tit. 3.5 6 7. But this they do not absolutely but with respect unto the Redemption that is in the Blood of Christ Dan. 9.17 Nor doth the Scripture any where propose them unto us but under that consideration See Rom. 3.24 25. Ephes. 1.6 7 8. For this is the cause way and means of the communication of that Grace Love and Mercy unto us 2 Some place and fix them principally on the Lord Christ his Mediation and the Benefits thereof This the Apostle Paul proposeth frequently unto us in his own Example See Gal. 2.20 Phil. 3.8 9 10. But this they do not absolutely but with respect unto the Grace and Love of God whence it is that they are given and communicated unto us Rom. 8.32 Joh. 3.16 Ephes. 1.6 7 8. Nor are they otherwise any where proposed unto us in the Scripture as the Object of our Faith unto Justification 3 Some in a peculiar manner fix their Souls in Believing on the Promises And this is exemplified in the Instance of Abraham Gen. 15.16 Rom. 4.20 And so are they proposed in the Scripture as the Object of our Faith Act. 2.39 Rom. 4.16 Heb. 4.1 2. chap. 6.12 13. But this they do not meerly as they are Divine Revelations but as they contain and propose unto us the Lord Christ and the Benefits of his Mediation from the Grace Love and Mercy of God Hence the Apostle disputes at large in his Epistle unto the Galatians That if Justification be any way but by the Promise both the Grace of God and the death of Christ are evacuated and made of none effect And the Reason is because the Promise is nothing but the way and means of the Communication of them unto us 4 Some fix their Faith on the things themselves which they aim at namely the pardon of sin and Eternal Life And these also in the Scripture are proposed unto us as the Object of our Faith or that which we are to believe unto Justification Psal. 130.4 Act. 26.18 Tit. 1.2 But this is to be done in its proper order especially as unto the Application of them unto our own Souls For we are no where required to believe them or our own Interest in them but as they are effects of Grace and Love of God through Christ and his Mediation proposed in the Promises of the Gospel Wherefore the Belief of them is included in the Belief of these and is in order of nature antecedent thereunto And the Belief of the forgiveness of sins and Eternal Life without the due Exercise of Faith in those Causes of them is but Presumption I have therefore given the entire Object of Faith as Justifying or in its Work and Duty with respect unto our Justification in compliance with the Testimonies of the Scripture and the Experience of them that believe Allowing therefore their proper place unto the Promises and unto the Effect of all in the pardon of sins and Eternal Life that which I shall farther confirm is That the Lord Christ in the Work of his Mediation as the Ordinance of God for the Recovery and Salvation of lost sinners is the proper adequate Object of Justifying Faith And the true nature of Evangelical Faith consisteth in the Respect of the Heart which we shall immediately describe unto the Love Grace and Wisdom of God with the Mediation of Christ in his Obedience with the Sacrifice Satisfaction and Attonement for sin which he made by his Blood These things are impiously opposed by some as inconsistent For the second Head of the Socinian Impiety is That the Grace of God and Satisfaction of Christ are opposite and inconsistent so as that if we allow of the one we must deny the other But as these things are so proposed in the Scripture as that without granting them both neither can be believed so Faith which respects them as subordinate namely the Mediation of
were For how impossible it is according unto their principles who believe Justification by Faith alone that justifying Faith should be without a sincere purpose of Heart to obey God in all things I shall briefly declare For 1 They believe that Faith is not of our selves it is the Gift of God yea that it is a Grace wrought in the Hearts of men by the exceeding greatness of his Power And to suppose such a Grace dead unactive unfruitful not operative unto the Great End of the Glory of God and the transforming of the Souls of them that receive it into his Image is a Reflection on the Wisdom Goodness and Love of God himself 2 That this Grace is in them a principle of spiritual Life which in the habit of it as resident in the Heart is not really distinguished from that of all other Grace whereby we live to God So that there should be Faith habitually in the Heart I mean that Evangelical Faith we enquire after or actually exercised where there is not an habit of all other Graces is utterly impossible Neither is it possible that there should be any Exercise of this Faith unto Justification but where the mind is prepared disposed and determined unto universal Obedience And therefore 3 It is denied that any Faith Trust or Confidence which may be imagined so as to be absolutely separable from and have its whole nature consistent with the absence of all other Graces is that Faith which is the especial Gift of God and which in the Gospel is required of us in a way of Duty And whereas some have said That Men may believe and place their firm Trust in Christ for Life and Salvation and yet not be justified it is a position so destructive unto the Gospel and so full of scandal unto all pious Souls and contains such an express denial of the Record that God hath given concerning his Son Jesus Christ as I wonder that any person of Sobriety and Learning should be surprised unto it And whereas they plead the Experience of multitudes who profess this firm Faith and Confidence in Christ and yet are not justified it is true indeed but nothing unto their purpose For whatever they profess not only not one of them do so in the sight and judgment of God where this matter is to be tried but it is no difficult matter to evict them of the folly and falseness of this profession by the Light and Rule of the Gospel even in their own Consciences if they would attend unto Instruction Wherefore we say the Faith whereby we are justified is such as is not found in any but those who are made partakers of the Holy Ghost and by him united unto Christ whose Nature is renewed and in whom there is a principle of all Grace and purpose of Obedience Only we say it is not any other Grace as Charity and the like nor any Obedience that gives life and form unto this Faith but it is this Faith that gives life and efficacy unto all other Graces and form unto all Evangelical Obedience Neither doth any thing hence accrue unto our Adversaries who would have all those Graces which are in their Root and Principle at least present in all that are to be justified to have the same influence unto our Justification as Faith hath or that we are said to be justified by Faith alone and in Explication of it in answer unto the Reproaches of the Romanists do say we are justified by Faith alone but not by that Faith which is alone that we intend by Faith all other Graces and Obedience also For besides that the nature of no other Grace is capable of that Office which is assigned unto Faith in our Justification nor can be assumed into a society in operation with it namely to receive Christ and the promises of life by him and to give Glory unto God on their Account so when they can give us any Testimony of Scripture assigning our Justification unto any other Grace or all Graces together or all the Fruits of them so as it is assigned unto Faith they shall be attended unto And this in particular is to be affirmed of Repentance concerning which it is most vehemently urged that it is of the same necessity unto our Justification as Faith is For this they say is easily proved from Testimonies of Scripture innumerable which call all men to Repentance that will be saved especially those two eminent places are insisted on Act. 2.38 39. chap. 3.16 but that which they have to prove is not that it is of the same necessity with Faith unto them that are to be justified but that it is of the same use with Faith in their Justification Baptism in that place of the Apostle Act. 2.38 39. is joined with Faith no less than Repentance And in other places it is expresly put into the same condition Hence most of the Antients concluded that it was no less necessary unto Salvation than Faith or Repentance it self Yet never did any of them assign it the same use in Justification with Faith But it is pleaded whatever is a necessary condition of the new Covenant is also a necessary Condition of Justification For otherwise a man might be justified and continuing in his justified estate not be saved for want of that necessary condition For by a necessary Condition of the new Covenant they understand that without which a man cannot be saved But of this Nature is Repentance as well as Faith and so is equally a condition of our Justification The Ambiguity of the signification of the word Condition doth cast much disorder on the present enquiry in the Discourses of some men But to pass it by at present I say final perseverance is a necessary condition of the New Covenant wherefore by this Rule it is also of Justification They say some things are Conditions absolutely such as are Faith and Repentance and a purpose of Obedience some are so on some supposition only namely that a mans life be continued in this world such is a course in Obedience and Good Works and Perseverance unto the End Wherefore I say then that on supposition that a man lives in this World perseverance unto the End is a necessary Condition of his Justification And if so no man can be justified whilst he is in this World For a Condition doth suspend that whereof it is a Condition from Existence until it be accomplished It is then to no purpose to dispute any longer about Justification if indeed no man is nor can be justified in this life But how contrary this is to Scripture and Experience is known If it be said that final perseverance which is so express a Condition of Salvation in the New Covenant is not indeed the Condition of our first Justification but it is the Condition of the Continuation of our Justification then they yield up their grand position that whatever is a necessary Condition of the New Covenant is a
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The doers of the Law shall be justified The place declares directly the nature of our Justification before God and puts the signification of the word out of question For Justification ensues as the whole effect of inherent Righteousness according unto the Law And therefore it is not the making of us Righteous which is irrefragable It is spoken of God Rom. 3.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That thou mayest be justified in thy sayings where to ascribe any other sense to the word is Blasphemy In like manner the same word is used and in the same signification 1 Cor. 4.4 1 Tim. 3.16 Rom. 3.20 26 28 30. Chap. 4.2 5. Chap. 5.1 9. Chap. 6.7 Chap. 8.30 Gal. 2.16 17. Chap. 3.11 24. Chap. 5.4 Tit. 3.7 Jam. 2.22 24 25. And in no one of these instances can it admit of any other signification or denote the making of any man Righteous by the infusion of an habit or principle of Righteousness or any internal mutation whatever It is not therefore in many places of Scripture as Bellarmine grants that the words we have insisted on do signifie the declaration or juridical pronuntiation of any one to be Righteous but in all places where they are used they are capable of no other but a Forensick sense especially is this evident where mention is made of Justification before God And because in my judgment this one consideration doth sufficiently defeat all the pretences of those of the Roman Church about the nature of Justification I shall consider what is excepted against the observation insisted on and remove it out of our way Lud. de Blanc In his Reconciliatory endeavours on this Article of Justification Thes. de usu acceptatione vocis Justificandi grants unto the Papists that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth in sundry places of the New Testament signifie to renew to sanctifie to infuse an habit of Holiness or Righteousness according as they plead And there is no reason to think but he hath grounded that concession on those instances which are most pertinent unto that purpose Neither is it to be expected that a better countenance will be given by any unto this concession then is given it by him I shall therefore examine all the instances which he insists upon unto this purpose and leave the determination of the difference unto the judgment of the Reader Only I shall premise that which I judge not an unreasonable demand namely That if the signification of the word in any or all the places which he mentions should seem doubtful unto any as it doth not unto me that the uncertainty of a very few places should not make us question the proper signification of a word whose sense is determined in so many wherein it is clear and unquestionable The first place he mentioneth is that of the Apostle Paul himself Rom. 8.30 Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified The reason whereby he pleads that by justified in this place an internal work of inherent Holiness in them that are predestinated is designed is this and no other It is not saith he likely that the Holy Apostle in this enumeration of gracious Priviledges would omit the mention of our Sanctification by which we are freed from the service of sin and adorned with true internal Holiness and Righteousness But this is utterly omitted if it be not comprized under the name and title of being Justified For it is absurd with some to refer it unto the Head of Glorification Answ. 1 The Grace of Sanctification whereby our natures are spiritually washed purified and endowed with a principle of life Holiness and Obedience unto God is a Priviledge unquestionably great and excellent and without which none can be saved Of the same nature also is our Redemption by the Blood of Christ. And both these doth this Apostle in other places without number declare commend and insist upon But that he ought to have introduced the mention of them or either of them in this place seeing he hath not done so I dare not judge 2. If our Sanctification be included or intended in any of the Priviledges here expressed there is none of them Predestination only excepted but it is more probably to be reduced unto than unto that of being justified Indeed in Vocation it seems to be included expresly For whereas it is effectual Vocation that is intended wherein an Holy principle of spiritual life or Faith it self is communicated unto us our Sanctification radically and as the effect in its adaequate immediate cause is contained in it Hence we are said to be called to be Saints Rom. 1.7 which is the same with being Sanctified in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1.2 And in many other places is Sanctification included in Vocation 3. Whereas our Sanctification in the infusion of a principle of spiritual life and the actings of it unto an encrease in duties of Holiness Righteousness and Obedience is that whereby we are made meet for Glory and is of the same nature essentially with Glory it self whence its advances in us are said to be from Glory to Glory 2 Cor. 3.18 and Glory it self is called the Grace of life 1 Pet. 3.7 It is much more properly expressed by our being Glorified than by being Justified which is a Priviledge quite of another nature However it is evident that there is no reason why we should depart from the general use and signification of the Word no circumstance in the Text compelling us so to do The next place that he gives up unto this signification is 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but you are washed but ye are Sanctified but ye are Justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God That by Justification here the infusion of an inherent principle of Grace making us inherently Righteous is intended he endeavoureth to prove by three Reasons 1 Because Justification is here ascribed unto the Holy Ghost ye are justified by the Spirit of our God But to renew us is the properwork of the Holy Spirit 2 It is manifest he says That by Justification the Apostle doth signifie some change in the Corinthians whereby they ceased to be what they were before For they were Fornicators and Drunkards such as could not inherit the Kingdom of God but now were changed which proves a real inherent work of Grace to be intended 3 If Justification here signifie nothing but to be absolved from the punishment of sin then the reasoning of the Apostle will be infirm and frigid For after he hath said that which is greater as heightning of it he addeth the less For it is more to be washed then merely to be freed from the punishment of sin Answ. 1. All these reasons prove not that it is the same to be Sanctified and to be Justified which must be if that be the sense of the latter
〈◊〉 I Paul have written it with my own hand that he would answer for both and pay back a valuable consideration if required Hereby was he obliged in his own person to make satisfaction unto Philemon but yet he was to do it for Onesimus and not for himself Whatever Obedience therefore was due from the Lord Christ as to his Humane Nature whilest in the form of a servant either as a Man or as an Israelite seeing he was so not necessarily by the necessity of nature for himself but by voluntary condescension and stipulation for us for us it was and not for himself 5. The Lord Christ in his Obedience was not a private but a publick person He obeyed as he was the Surety of the Covenant as the Mediator between God and Man This I suppose will not be denied He can by no imagination be considered out of that capacity But what a publick person doth as a publick person that is as a Representative of others and an undertaker for them whatever may be his own concernment therein he doth it not for himself but for others And if others were not concerned therein if it were not for them what he doth would be of no use or signification Yea it implies a contradiction that any one should do any thing as a publick person and do it for himself only He who is a publick person may do that wherein he alone is concerned but he cannot do so as he is a publick person Wherefore as Socinus and those that follow him would have Christ to have offered for himself which is to make him a Mediator for himself his offering being a Mediatory act which is both foolish and impious so to affirm his Mediatory Obedience his Obedience as a publick person to have been for himself and not for others hath but little less of impiety in it 6. It is granted That the Lord Christ having an Humane Nature which was a Creature it was impossible but that it should be subject unto the Law of Creation For there is a Relation that doth necessarily arise from and depend upon the Beings of a Creator and a Creature Every rational Creature is eternally obliged from the Nature of God and its Relation thereunto to love him obey him depend upon him submit unto him and to make him its End Blessedness and Reward But the Law of Creation thus considered doth not respect the World and this life only but the future state of Heaven and Eternity also And this Law the Humane Nature of Christ is subject unto in Heaven and Glory and cannot but be so whilest it is a Creature and not God that is whilest it hath its own Being Nor do any Men fancy such a transfusion of divine properties into the Humane Nature of Christ as that it should be self-subsisting and in it self absolutely immense for this would openly destroy it Yet none will say that he is now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under the Law in the sense intended by the Apostle But the Law in the sense described the Humane Nature of Christ was subject unto on its own account whilest he was in this World And this is sufficient to answer the Objection of Socinus mentioned at the entrance of this Discourse namely That if the Lord Christ were not obliged unto Obedience for himself then might he if he would neglect the whole Law or infringe it For besides that it is a foolish imagination concerning that holy thing which was hypostatically united unto the Son of God and thereby rendered incapable of any deviation from the Divine Will the eternal indispensible Law of Love Adherence and Dependance on God under which the Humane Nature of Christ was and is as a Creature gives sufficient security against such Suppositions But there is another consideration of the Law of God namely as it is imposed on Creatures by especial dispensation for some time and for some certain end with some Considerations Rules and Orders that belong not essentially unto the Law as before described This is the nature of the Written Law of God which the Lord Christ was made under not necessarily as a Creature but by especial dispensation For the Law under this consideration is presented unto us as such not absolutely and eternally but whilest we are in this World and that with this especial end that by Obedience thereunto we may obtain the reward of Eternal Life And it is evident that the Obligation of the Law under this consideration ceaseth when we come to the injoyment of that Reward It obligeth us no more formally by its command Do this and live when the life promised is injoyed In this sense the Lord Christ was not made subject unto the Law for himself nor did yield obedience unto it for himself For he was not obliged unto it by virtue of his created condition Upon the first instant of the Vnion of his natures being holy harmless undefiled and separate from sinners he might notwithstanding the Law that he was made subject unto have been stated in Glory For he that was the object of all Divine Worship needed not any new Obedience to procure for him a state of Blessedness And had he naturally meerly by virtue of his being a Creature been subject unto the Law in this sense he must have been so eternally which he is not For those things which depend solely on the Natures of God and the Creature are eternal and immutable Wherefore as the Law in this sense was given unto us not absolutely but with respect unto a future state and reward so the Lord Christ did voluntarily subject himself unto it for us and his Obedience thereunto was for us and not for himself These things added unto what I have formerly written on this subject whereunto nothing hath been opposed but a few impertinent cavils are sufficient to discharge the first part of that charge laid down before concerning the impossibility of the Imputation of the Obedience of Christ unto us which indeed is equal unto the Impossibility of the Imputation of the Disobedience of Adam unto us whereby the Apostle tells us That we were all made sinners The second part of the Objection or Charge against the Imputation of the Obedience of Christ unto us is That it is useless unto the persons that are to be justified For whereas they have in their Justification the pardon of all their sins they are thereby righteous and have a right or title unto Life and Blessedness For he who is so pardoned as not to be esteemed guilty of any sin of omission or commission wants nothing that is requisite thereunto For he is supposed to have done all that he ought and to have omitted nothing required of him in a way of duty Hereby he becomes not unrighteous and to be not unrighteous is the same as to be righteous As he that is not dead is alive Neither is there nor can there be any middle state between Death and life Wherefore
Heb. 6.18 Who have fled for Refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us Prov. 18.10 Hence some have defined Faith to be perfugium animae the flight of the Soul unto Christ for Deliverance from Sin and Misery And much light is given unto the Understanding of the thing intended thereby For herein it is supposed that he who believeth is antecedently thereunto convinced of his lost condition and that if he abide therein he must perish eternally that he hath nothing of himself whereby he may be delivered from it that he must betake himself unto somewhat else for Relief that unto this end he considereth Christ as set before him and proposed unto him in the Promise of the Gospel that he judgeth this to be an holy a safe way for his Deliverance and Acceptance with God as that which hath the Characters of all Divine Excellencies upon it hereon he flyeth unto it for Refuge that is with diligence and speed that he perish not in his present Condition he betakes himself unto it by placing his whole Trust and Affiance thereon And the whole Nature of our Justification by Christ is better declared hereby unto the supernatural Sense and Experience of Believers than by an hundred Philosophical Disputations about it 5. The Terms and Notions by which it is expressed under the Old Testament are leaning on God Micah 3.11 or Christ Cant. 8.5 rolling or casting our selves and our burthen on the Lord Psal. 22.8 Psal. 37.5 The Wisdom of the Holy Ghost in which Expressions hath by some been prophanely derided Resting on God or in him 2 Chron. 14.11 Psal. 37.7 Cleaving unto the Lord Deut. 4.4 Acts 11.15 as also by Trusting Hoping and Waiting in Places innumerable And it may be observed that those who acted Faith as it is thus expressed do every where declare themselves to be lost hopeless helpless desolate poor Orphans whereon they place all their hope and expectation on God alone All that I would infer from these things is that the Faith whereby we believe unto the Justification of life or which is required of us in a way of Duty that we may be justified is such an Act of the whole Soul whereby convinced Sinners do wholly go out of themselves to rest upon God in Christ for Mercy Pardon Life Righteousness and Salvation with an acquiescency of Heart therein which is the whole of the Truth pleaded for CHAP. XVI The Truth pleaded farther confirmed by Testimonies of Scripture Jer. 23.6 THat which we now proceed unto is the consideration of those Express Testimonies of Scripture which are given unto the Truth pleaded for and especially of those places where the Doctrine of the Justification of Sinners is expresly and designedly handled From them it is that we must learn the Truth and into them must our Faith be resolved unto whose Authority all the arguings and Objections of men must give place By them is more light conveyed into the understandings of Believers than by the most subtle Disputations And it is a thing not without scandal to see among Protestants whole Books written about Justification wherein scarce one Testimony of Scripture is produced unless it be to find out Evasions from the force of them And in particular whereas the Apostle Paul hath most fully and expresly as he had the greatest occasion so to do declared and vindicated the Doctrine of Evangelical Justification not a few in what they write about it are so far from declaring their Thoughts and Faith concerning it out of his Writings as that they begin to reflect upon them as obscure and such as give occasion unto dangerous mistakes and unless as was said to answer and except against them upon their own corrupt Principles seldom or never make mention of them As though we were grown wiser than he or that Spirit whereby he was inspired guided acted in all that he wrote But there can be nothing more Alien from the genius of Christian Religion than for us not to endeavour humbly to learn the Mystery of the Grace of God herein in the Declaration of it made by him But the foundation of God standeth sure what course soever men shall be pleased to take into their Profession of Religion For the Testimonies which I shall produce and insist upon I desire the Reader to observe 1. That they are but some of the many that might be pleaded unto the same purpose 2. That those which have been or yet shall be alledged on particular occasions I shall wholly omit and such are most of them that are given unto this Truth in the Old Testament 3. That in the Exposition of them I shall with what diligence I can attend 1. Unto the Analogy of Faith that is the manifest scope and design of the Revelation of the Mind and will of God in the Scripture And that this is to exalt the Freedom and riches of his own Grace the Glory and Excellency of Christ and his Mediation to discover the woful lost forlorn condition of man by Sin to debase and depress every thing that is in and of our selves as to the attaining Life Righteousness and Salvation cannot be denied by any who have their senses exercised in the Scriptures 2. Unto the Experience of them that do believe with the condition of them who seek after Justification by Jesus Christ. In other things I hope the best helps and Rules of the interpretation of the Scripture shall not be neglected There is weight in this case deservedly laid on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God as promised and given unto us namely the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23.6 As the name Jehovah being given and ascribed unto him is a full indication of his Divine person so the addition of his being our Righteousness sufficiently declares that in and by him alone we have Righteousness or are made righteous So was he typed by Melchisedec as first the King of Righteousness then the King of Peace Heb. 7.2 For by his Righteousness alone have we Peace with God Some of the Socinians would evade this Testimony by observing that Righteousness in the Old Testament is used sometimes for Benignity Kindness and Mercy and so they suppose it may be here But the most of them avoiding the palpable absurdity of this imagination refer it to the Righteousness of God in deliverance and vindication of his people So Brennius briefly Ita vocatur quia Dominus per manum ejus judicium justitiam faciet Israeli But these are evasions of bold men who care not so they may say somewhat whether what they say be agreeable to the Analogy of Faith or the plain words of the Scripture Bellarmine who was more wary to give some appearance of Truth unto his answers first gives other reasons why he is called the Lord our Righteousness and then whether unawares or over-powered by the evidence of Truth grants that sense of the words which contains the whole of the cause we plead
Doctrine and that which would so easily solve this difficulty and answer this objection as both of them are by some pretended certainly neither his wisdom nor his care of the Church under the conduct of the infallible Spirit would have suffered him to omit this reply were it consistent with the truth which he had delivered But he is so far from any such Plea that when the most unavoidable occasion was administred unto it he not only waves any mention of it but in its stead affirms that which plainly evidenceth that he allowed not of it See Eph. 2.9 10. Having positively excluded Works from our Justification not of Works least any man should boast it being natural thereon to enquire to what end do Works serve or is there any necessity of them instead of a distinction of Works legal and Evangelical in order unto our Justification he asserts the necessity of the later on other Grounds Reasons and Motives manifesting that they were those in particular which he excluded as we have seen in the consideration of the place Wherefore that we may not forsake his pattern and example in the same cause seeing he was Wiser and Holier knew more of the mind of God and had more zeal for personal Righteousness and Holiness in the Church than we all if we are pressed a Thousand times with this objection we shall never seek to deliver our selves from it by answering that we allow these things to be the condition or causes of our Justification or the matter of our Righteousness before God seeing he would not so do Secondly we may observe that in his answer unto this objection whether expresly mentioned or tacitly obviated he insisteth not any where upon the common principle of moral Duties but on those motives and reasons of Holiness Obedience good works alone which are peculiar unto Believers For the question was not whether all mankind were obliged unto Obedience unto God and the Duties thereof of by the moral Law But whether there were an Obligation from the Gospel upon Believers unto Righteousness Holiness and good Works such as was suited to affect and constrain their minds unto them Nor will we admit of any other state of the question but this only whether upon the supposition of our gratuitous justification through the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ there are in the Gospel grounds reasons and motives making necessary and efficaciously influencing the minds of Believers unto Obedience and good Works for those who are not Believers we have nothing to do with them in this matter nor do plead that Evangelical grounds and motives are suited or effectual to work them unto Obedience yea we know the contrary and that they are apt both to despise them and abuse them See I Cor. 1.23 24. 2 Cor. 4.4 such persons are under the Law and there we leave them unto the Authority of God in the moral Law But that the Apostle doth confine his enquiry unto Believers is evident in every place wherein he maketh mention of it Rom. 6.2 3. How shall we that are dead unto sin live any longer therein Know ye not that so many of us as were Baptized into Jesus Christ c. Eph. 2.10 For we are the workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus unto good Works Wherefore we shall not at all contend what cogency unto duties of Holiness there is in Gospel motives and reasons unto the minds of Vnbelievers whatever may be the truth in that case But what is their power force and efficacy towards them that truly believe Thirdly The answers which the Apostle returns positively unto this objection wherein he declares the necessity nature ends and use of Evangelical Righteousness and good Works are large and many comprehensive of a great part of the Doctrine of the Gospel I shall only mention the heads of some of them which are the same that we plead in the vindication of the same truth 1. He pleads the Ordination of God God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Eph. 2.10 God hath designed in the disposal of the order of the causes of Salvation that those who believe in Christ should live in walk in abound in good Works and all Duties of Obedience unto God To this end are Precepts Directions Motives and Encouragements every where multiplied in the Scripture Wherefore we say that good Works and that as they include the gradual progressive Renovation of our natures our growth and increase in grace with fruitfulness in our lives are necessary from the Ordination of God from his will and command And what need there any further dispute about the necessity of good Works among them that know what it is to believe or what respect there is in the Souls and Consciences of Believers unto the commands of God But what force say some is in this Command or Ordination of God when notwithstanding it and if we do not apply our selves unto Obedience we shall be justified by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ and so may be saved without them I say 1 As was before observed that it is Believers alone concerning whom this enquiry is made and there is none of them but will judge this a most unreasonable and senseless objection as that which ariseth from an utter ignorance of their state and relation unto God To suppose that the minds of Believers are not as much and as effectually influenced with the Authority and Commands of God unto Duty and Obedience as if they were all given in order unto their Justification is to consider neither what Faith is nor what it is to be a Believer nor what is the Relation that we stand in unto God by Faith in Christ Jesus nor what are the Arguments or motives wherewith the minds of such persons are principally affected and constrained This is the Answer which the Apostle gives at large unto this Exception Rom. 6.2 3. 2 The whole fallacy of this Exception is 1 In separating the things that God hath made inseparable These are our Justification and our Sanctification To suppose that the one of these may be without the other is to overthrow the whole Gospel 2 In compounding those things that are distinct namely Justification and eternal actual Salvation the respect of Works and Obedience being not the same unto them both as hath been declared Wherefore this Imagination that the commands of God unto Duty However given and unto what ends soever are not equally obligatory unto the Consciences of Believers as if they were all given in order unto their Justification before God is an absurd figment and which all of them who are truly so defie Yea they have a greater power upon them than they could have if the Duties required in them were in order unto their Justification and so were antecedent thereunto For thereby they must be supposed to have their efficacy upon them before they truly believe For to say that a man may be a true Believer or truly
believe in answer unto the commands of the Gospel and not to be thereon in the same instant of time absolutely justified is not to dispute about any point of Religion but plainly to deny the whole truth of the Gospel But it is Faith alone that gives power and efficacy unto Gospel Commands effectually to influence the Soul unto Obedience Wherefore this Obligation is more powerfully constraining as they are given unto those that are justified then if they were given them in order unto their Justification Secondly The Apostle answers as we do also Do we then make void the Law through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law For although the Law is principally established in and by the Obedience and Sufferings of Christ Rom. 8.3 4. Chap. 10.3 4. Yet is it not by the Doctrine of Faith and the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto the Justification of life made void as unto Believers Neither of these do exempt them from that Obligation unto universal Obedience which is prescribed in the Law They are still obliged by vertue thereof to love the Lord their God with all their Hearts and their Neighbours as themselves They are indeed freed from the Law and all its commands unto Duty as it abides in its first consideration Do this and live the opposite whereunto is Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them For he that is under the Obligation of the Law in order unto Justification and Life falls inevitably under the Curse of it upon the supposition of any one Transgression But we are made free to give Obedience unto it on Gospel motives and for Gospel ends as the Apostle declares at large Rom. 6. And the Obligation of it is such unto all Believers as that the least Transgression of it hath the nature of sin But are they hereon bound over by the Law unto everlasting punishment or as some phrase it will God damn them that Transgress the Law without which all this is nothing I ask again what they think hereof And upon a supposition that he will do so what they further think will become of themselves For my part I say no even as the Apostle saith There is no condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus Where then they will say is the necessity of Obedience from the Obligation of the Law if God will not damn them that Transgress it And I say it were well if some men did understand what they say in these things or would learn for a while at least to hold their peace The Law equally requires Obedience in all instances of Duty if it require any at all As unto its Obligatory power it is capable neither of Dispensation nor Relaxation so long as the essential differences of good and evil do remain If then none can be obliged unto Duty by vertue of its commands but that they must on every Transgression fall under its curse either it obligeth no one at all or no one can be saved But although we are freed from the Curse and condemning power of the Law by him who hath made an end of sin and brought in everlasting Righteousness yet whilest we are viatores in order unto the accomplishment of Gods design for the Restauration of his Image in us we are obliged to endeavour after all that Holiness and Righteousness which the Law requires of us Thirdly The Apostle answereth this Objection by discovering the necessary Relation that Faith hath unto the Death of Christ the grace of God with the nature of Sanctification excellency use and advantage of Gospel Holiness and the end of it in Gods appointment This he doth at large in the whole Sixth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans and that with this immediate design to shew the consistency of Justification by Faith alone with the necessity of personal Righteousness and Holiness The due pleading of these things would require a just and full Exposition of that Chapter wherein the Apostle hath comprized the chief springs and reasons of Evangelical Obedience I shall only say that those unto whom the reasons of it and motives unto it therein expressed which are all of them compliant with the Doctrine of Justification by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ are not effectual unto their own personal Obedience and do not demonstrate an indispensible necessity of it are so unacquainted with the Gospel the nature of Faith the genius and inclination of the new Creature for let men scoff on whilest they please he that is in Christ Jesus is a new Creature the constraining efficacy of the grace of God and love of Christ of the Oeconomy of God in the disposition of the causes and means of our Salvation as I shall never trouble my self to contend with them about these things Sundry other considerations I thought to have added unto the same purpose And to have shewed 1 That to prove the necessity of inherent Righteousness and Holiness we make use of the Arguments which are suggested unto us in the Scripture 2 That we make use of all of them in the sense wherein and unto the ends for which they are urged therein in perfect compliance with what we teach concerning Justification 3 That all the pretended Arguments or motives for and unto Evangelical Holiness which are inconsistent with the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ do indeed obstruct it and evert it 4 That the Holiness which we make necessary unto the Salvation of them that believe is of a more excellent sublime and Heavenly nature in its causes essence operations and effects than what is allowed or believed by the most of those by whom the Doctrine of Justification is opposed 5 That the Holiness and Righteousness which is pleaded for by the Socinians and those that follow them doth in nothing exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees nor upon their principles can any man go beyond them But whereas this Discourse hath already much exceeded my first intention and that as I said before I have already at large treated on the Doctrine of the nature and necessity of Evangelical Holiness I shall at present omit the further handling of these things and acquiesce in the answers given by the Apostle unto this Objection CHAP. XX. The Doctrine of the Apostle James concerning Faith and Works It s agreement with that of St. Paul THe seeming difference that is between the Apostle Paul and James in what they teach concerning Faith Works and Justification requires our consideration of it For many do take advantage from some words and expressions used by the later directly to oppose the Doctrine fully and plainly declared by the former But whatever is of that nature pretended hath been so satisfactorily already answered and removed by others as that there is no great need to treat of it again And although I suppose that there will not be an end of contending and writing in these causes