decretis Publicis Politicis Ecclesiasticis fuit sancita roborata Sic ergò habent Articuli quos in Anglicum Sermonem versos exhibemus X. Of Free-will This is the condition of man after Adams fall that by his own Power and good works he cannot convert and prepare himself to Faith and calling upon God Wherefore without the grace of God which is by Christ preventing us that we may will and to operating while we will for doeing works of Pietie which are acceptable and well pleasing to God we can doe nothing XI Of Mans Justification Wee are only reputed Righteous before God for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ by Faith not for our works and merits For which cause the Doctrine of our being Iustified by Faith alone is most wholsome and full of consolation as it is explained in the Homilie about mans Iustification at more length XII Of Good Works Good works which are the fruits of Faith and follow the Iustified although they cannot expiat our sins or endure the severity of Divine Iustice Yet they are pleasing and accepted by God in Christ and necessarily flow from a true and lively Faith So that plainly by them a vive faith can be known as a tree can be judged by it's fruit XIII Of works before Justification Works which are done before the Grace of Christ and the influence of his Spirit since they do not proceed from the Faith of Iesus Christ are not at all acceptable to God neither doe they merit the grace which many call congruous Yea because they are not done according to Gods will and command we doubt not but they have the nature of sin XVII Of Predestination and Election Predestination to life is the eternal purpose of God whereby He before the setling of the foundations of the world by his Counsel hid indeed as to us Immutably decreed those whom he had chosen in Christ out of mankind should be delivered from the curse and destruction and as vessels made to honour brought to eternal Salvation by Christ. Hence those who are gifted with this notable favour of God are called in due time according to his purpose His own Spirit working they obey by Graces call are Iustified freely are Adopted to be the sons of God and made consorme to the Image of his only begotten Son Iesus Christ they walk holily in good works and in end by the mercy of God they come to eternal happiness As the pious consideration of our Predestination and Election in Christ is sweet pleasant and full of ineffable consolation to the truely Godly and to those who find in themselves the efficacie of the Spirit of Christ mortifying the deeds of the flesh and members which yet are upon the earth and by force drawing the mind to things above both because it does much establish and confirme our Faith of obtaining eternal Salvation as also because it vehemently kindles our love toward our good So it is a very destructive precipice to curious and carnal men and who are destitute of the Spirit of Christ to have alwayes the sentence of Gods Predestination proposed to their view whereby the Devil either presses them to despair or into equally pernicious security of a most impure life Thereafter the Divine Promises most be so imbraced as they are generally proposed to us in the holy Scriptures and the will of God which we have expresly revealed in Gods word is to be followed by us in our actions Atque hi quidem sunt Ecclesiae Anglicanae de Gratia Iustificatione Articuli convenientes utique cum aliarum Ecclesiarum praesertim Ecclesiae Scoticanae doctrina â—ti ex hujus Confessione Art III. VIII XII XIII manifestum est THE LIFE OF JUSTIFICATION Through faith cleared from Gal. 3 11. For the Iust shall live by faith CHAPT I. The Introduction the text the ground of this following discourse opened-up THe Doctrine of Iustification cannot but be acknowledged by all whose thoughts are taken up about an interest in everlasting felicity to be of great concernment debates or Controversies about the same cannot be esteemed vaine fruitless Digladiations Disputes about a thing of naught seing in this lyeth the Ground of all our Hop peace Eternal Salvation a Mistake or Errour as to the Theorie in this matter followed with an answerable corresponding practice I meane as to what toucheth the heart Substance of this Divine Mystery may yea must of necessity prove not only dangerous to Souls but even inevitably destructive Wherefore it cannot be justly accounted blame worthy that Churches particular persons who woule be faithful so accounted unto the grand-interests of Souls contend with alle earnestness for the faith once delivered to the Saints in this particular this being the true Basis of all Religion of Christianity without which there can be no access to nor Communion with God No peace with God nor true peace in owr own Consciences no life of Comfort here nor true hope of Salvation for ever here after No change of State nor saving change of liâ—e conversation in a word no life of Grace here nor of Glory hereafter And what then must follow upon the corrupting of this Truth upon Erroneous Apprehensions practices herein is aboundantly obvious to all such as have not sinned away all sense consideration in these matters Wherefore it is no wonder that Satan hath in all ages laboured by one Instrument or other upon one occasion or other and under one pretext or other to corrupt the pure streames of this wholesome Fountaine of Truth in one Measure or other in one particular or other that by such Mediums Arguments as he knew would be most taking seem most plausible at these Several times upon these Several occasions What way how far the corruption of this Truth was advanced in the Antichristian Church is yet known what ground their errour in this gave un to such as began to be enlightened in the knowledge of the Truth to separate from them to appear against them is manifest and what Effaies the Devil made about the beginning of Reformation or shortly after to darken this Truth by Questions Disputes even among such as hold the Truth fast as to the maine and what since by Several New Opinions or new Modes and Methods as they were called and given out to be vented and improven by Several Artifices to seeming different Ends he hath effectuated to the hardening of some in their Misapprehensions to the Corrupting of the Hearts Mindes of others and also the Staggering and Shaking of not a few may be called to minde with grief and sorrow Not to mention the bold attempt made by Socinians to overturne the whole Grounds of Christian Religion and to take away at once all the pillars of Gospel-justification The devil began early in the breaking up of the clear day of Christianity to darken this
of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith The question is not whether Christ be made Sanctification to us but whether that Sanctification be any part of that Righteousness which Christ is made of God to be unto us What more He addeth It is God who honoureth these that honour him praiseth his Saints as the excellent on the Earth his Jewels peculiar Treasure adorneth with his own lovely image partakers of the divine Nature and members of Christ as his own flesh And it is Satan wicked men that vilifie dishonour them Ans. This is but a Continuance of the same cheat for it is no part of the question whether the Saints should be vilified or honoured But the question is whether the Saints should rob God of his glory and ascribe that unto themselves which is due unto him be it in less or in more We know the Saints are God's excellent ones his Jewels his peculiar treasure but all this is through the free underserved grace of God making them beautiful lovely with his own graces and partakers of his divine Nature And therefore we say that for all that they ought to be humble knowing what their birth â—ativity was and whence all this is come and who ought to have the glory of all this and notwithstanding of this what is the sole ground of their justification before God and what is that Righteousness upon the account whereof they are justified in the sight of God And I have oft lamented it saith he furder that these very men that hold this kind of doctrine of self-abosement as having no part of Righteousness nor share at all in any good work are yet too oft so proudly conceited of their own goodness even for holding that they have none for which they are praise worthie as that their pride is no small trouble to the Churches all about them Ans. I shall not plead for pride or proud conceits in any but whether such as lay down doctrinal grounds of pride and teach men to be proud or such as lay down contrary grounds but do not practise accordingly be most blame worthie I leave Mr. Baxter to judge One thing I would ask How Mr. Baxter came to know that such as he opposeth here were proudly conceited of their own goodness Pride a proud conceit lyeth most within is not obvious to the view of every one especially being upon such a ground I hope Mr. Baxter will not take upon him to judge of hearts And if it be by their contendings for that which they conceive to be truth If this be an infallible mark no man can be judged more proud than is Mr. Baxter none having in this matter contended by so many so great volumnes as he hath since his Aphorismes come abroad that indeed to the no small trouble of the Churches And further some might think that if Mr. Baxter did aright lament that any were proudly conceited of their own goodness he should not have laid doctrinal grounds for fomenting of this pride nor moved such an objection against himself as he doth here for no man can rightly lament at the practice of that doctrine which himself embraceth teacheth He proceedeth â— 177. Whatever is of God is good whatever is good is laâ—dable or praise-worthie meriteth to be esteemed as it is Ans. True therefore God who is the Author thereof should have the glory it should be esteemed as it is to the glory of God not to puff us up with proud conceits or to be the ground we leane to in order to be justified accepted of God He addeth n. 178. All the Sanctified are inherently righteous but with an imperfect Righteousness which will no further justifie them in judgment save only against this Accusation that they are unholy Ans. Mr. Baxter then is much to blame who will have this Imperfect Righteousness to be a perfect Righteousness as being our Gospel Righteousness and the Poâ—estative condition of our Justification absolution at judgment and so the immediat sole formal ground of our Justification before God But this answere is also impertinent for these he here writteth against speak not of a particular justification from this or that false Accusation but of that justification before God whereof Paul treateth in his Epistles to the Romans Galatians which is a justification of the ungodly Rom. 4 5. He addeth n. 179. There is no Righteousness which will not justifie him that hath it in tantum so far as he is Righteous for the contrary is a contradiction for to be just is to be justifiable Ans. This is sick of the same impertinency with what went before for the question is not concerning a particular Righteousness a particular justification upon that account but of a general justification as to our state that from the just accusation of Law justice under which we stand by Nature in reference to which all our inherent Righteoâ—sness how great so ever it be is no ground nor part of the merite or formalis ratio of that Paul had no small share of this Righteousness when he said he knew nothing by himself And yet he addeth Yet am I not hereby justified 1. Cor. 4 4. and we would say the same speak after this manner if Mr. Baxter would suffer us Next n. 181. for 180. he saith All the Righteousness which formally justifieth us is our own or on ourselves where it justifieth us for to be made just or justified in the first sense constitutivly is nothing else but to be made such as are personally themselves just Pardon of sin is made our own Right to Christ glory is made our own though Christ's Righteousness was the only meritorious cause of all this which therefore is may be called our Material Righteousness as that which meriteth it is the matter Ans. There seemeth to be nothing here but confusion for 1 he speaketh ambiguously when he saith that all that Righteousness which formally justifieth us is our own or on ourselves for this may be true whether by that Righteousness he mean the Surety-Righteousness of Christ which he doth not meane for he is too much against the imputation of that as we have seen beeause we say that is made ours by imputation in order to our justification upon the account thereof or whether he mean our own inherent Righteousness but then if this be his meaning it is false that we are hereby formally justified unless he mean as before only a particular justification which is nothing to the point as was said 2 To be made just to be justified are not formally the same but to such only who Love confusion 3 He who is made just is but constituted justifiable is not eo ipso constitutive justified But Mr. Baxter loveth his own Expressions Explications of them
is with Him alone that the poor convinced wakened Sinner hath to do And this is the justification that we are most concerned to know the nature of to understand what way it is brought about or to be had This is the justification which the Apostle alwayes denieth to be by works asserteth alwayes to be by faith in opposition to works As for a justification of our selves against the false Accusations of Satan the unjust Surmises of our own treacherous Hearts mis-informed Consciences the groundless Alleigances of men judging not according to truth but according to their owne mis-apprehensions whereof Iob's friends were guilty in an high measure It is not that justification whereof the Apostle treateth And whatever Interest good works may have herein as real fruites of an upright working faith consequenly as evidences of our Interest in Christ of our being in a state of justification Yet they are utterly excluded from having an Interest in that justification which is before God in His sight here Christ's Righteousness Laid hold on by faith only taketh place The Argument whereby the Apostle disproveth this justification by the works of Law in the sight of God is in the following words where he ushereth-in the argument with an It is Manifest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew That the Argument was irrefragable that the truth thereby was certaine beyond Contradiction Now the Argument is taken from the opposition that is betwixt Faith the Law or the works of the Law in the matter of justification A ground whereupon the Apostle goeth in his whole Disput upon this matter as we see Rom. 3 27 28. 4 1 2 3 4 5. 9 32. Gal. 2 16. and therefore it must be a certaine truth That if justification before God be by faith it can not be by works consequently whoever assert justification by works destroy Gospel-justification by faith and hence it is also Manifest That justification cannot be by both together Faith works conjoined because what is of faith cannot be of works these two being here inconsistent Rom. 11 6. That Gospel-justification is by faith the Apostle proveth from that known sentence the just shall live by faith a sentence which the Apostle adduced first of all when he was to handle this question in his Epistle to the Romans Chap. 1. vers 17. saying for therein i.e. in the Gospel is the Righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written the just shall live by faith Where we see that this Sentence confirmeth the whole nature contents of the Gospel that is That the Righteousness of God i.e. the Righteousness which only will stand in Gods Court be accepted of him in order to the justifying of sinners which is the Righteousness of one who is God is revealed from faith to saith that is to say is hold forth to be embraced bysinners through faith first last this Righteousness thus embraced laid hold on by faith is the onely ground of the life of justification so that beleevers their living by faith saith their faith laith hold on the Righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel as the onely ground of their life As to the passage it self it is cited our of Habakuk chap. 2. vers 4. where the Prophet being told vers 3. that howbeit sometime would passe ere the promised delivery should come Yet it would come that therefore he all the People of God should waite for it live in the certaine expectation thereof addeth these words as being told him of the Lord that his Soul which is lifted up is not upright in him how variously these words are rendered by diverse we need not mentione the meaning is this That such as will not in faith patience waite with confidence upon the Lords promise that shall be made good in His good time but in their pride impatience of heart will think to anticipate their delivery by sinistrous sinful meanes declare that their heart is not upright that they are void of true faith Upon the other hand it is said the just shall live by his faith that is Such as are real true beleevers will waite in the exercise of faith till God's time come by this faith trusting leaning to the faithful promise of God through the Messiah in whom all the promises are yea amen 2 Cor. 1 20. they shall have a life of it they shall be carried thorow supported strengthened comâ—orted And much to this same Purpose is this passage cited by the Apostle Hebr. 10 37 38. For yet a little while he that shall come will come will not tarry now the just shall live by faith c. of which we have spoken elsewhere in all these places the Apostle leaveth out the pronoun his which the Prophet useth but that maketh no great alteration the matter being clear that sufficiently understood The Septuagints make a great alteration when they render the words thus The just shall live by my faith The great difficulty is how these words of the Prophet spoken of such as were already justified beleevers his saying of them that they shall live by their faith for we need not owne that sense of the words which some think may not improbably be given to wit That he who is by his faith just or justified shall live can be applicable to the Apostl'es purpose to prove justification by faith Not to mentione what others say to this nor judging it very necessary to enquire anxiously into this matter seing the Spirit of the Lord 's moving inspireing of Paul to alleige apply this passage of Old Testament truth for confirmation of what he was about to prove may fully satisfie us as to its pertinency though we should not satisfie all by proprosing our thoughts concernin it â— Conceive the ground may be this That this being a general truth universally true that even beleevers who are already changed have a life begun in them must all their life long make use of faith gripping to the promises as yea amen in Christ promised come who is the Substance Kirnel of them all to the end they may be supported Strengthened Upheld carried thorow Difficulties Distresses Darknesses Temptations the like without fainting or doing what is unbeseeming a living Beleever in the day of trial so that their whole life even unto the end is kept-in continued by faith bringing new supplies influences from the head through the promises it will hence follow that without faith no man can at first attaine to this life change from death yea that in this case faith is much more necessarily requisite yea faith only without works is must be the only way to justification of life for if the progress continuance of this life or renewing of it after decayes be had by faith drawing
first to convince them of their Sin and Misery by setting home the Law wekening their Consciences as Paul doth Doctrinally follow this method when he is about to cleare-up explaine the truth about Gospel-justification in his Epistle to the Romans where in the first place he convinceth all of Sin both jewes Gentiles Chap. 1. 2. 3. concluding vers 23. That all have sinned come short of the glory of God vers 9. he giveth an account of his foregoing Discourse saying we have before proved both jewes Gentiles that they are all under sin And againe vers 19. that every mouth may be stopped all the world may become guilty before God Now this work of Conviction layeth the sinner low before God for thereby the Man is discovered to himself to be undone in himself to be under Sin Wrath under the Sentence of the Law having his mouth stopped having nothing to plead for himself neither by way of Extenuation nor of Apology having nothing in himself wherewith he can come before the Lord to make Atonement for his Transgressions to make Satisfaction to justice And thus the man is made to despare in himself as being irremediably gone undone if free grace prevent him not II. Whereupon the man is made to renounce all his former grounds of Hop Confidence all his former Duties good works civility Negative Holiness what else he placed his Confidence in formerly Yea all his Righteousnesses are as filthy rags accounted as loss dung So that he hath nothing within himself as a Righteousness that he can expect to be justified by before God but on the contrary he findeth himself under the Curse that what he thought before to be his Righteousness is now by the light of the Law the discovery he hath of his natural condition founde to be sin iniquity before God therefore to be so far from bringing any reliefe unto him that thereby his anxiety is made greater his case more desperat III. The way of Gospel-justification is so contrived the wakened man whom God is about to justifie is now convinced of it that Man must be abased for he is now made to see that he is empty poor hath nothing to commend him to God no Righteousness of his own to produce nothing within him or without him except the alone Righteousness of Christ the Mediator Cautioner that can stand him in stead Nothing of his own must here come in reckoning neither alone nor in conjunction with the Righteousness of Christ for what is of Grace must not be of works otherwise Grace is no more Grace Rom. 11 6. Christ must have all the glory he who glorieth must glory alone in the Lord. And therefore is Christ made Righteousness unto us 2. Cor. 1 30. is become the Lord our Righteousness Ier. 23 6. And all His must say That in the Lord they have righteousness Esai 45 24. IV. Nothing that preceedeth faith no motions or workings of the Law no legal Repentance the like have any infallible connexion with justification nor are they any congruous disposition thereunto or a Condition thereof there being no promise made that all such as are convinced awakened have some legal terrours works of the Law upon their Spirites shall certainely be justified experience proving that several who have had deep convictions Humiliations have with the dog returned to their vomite become afterward worse than ever doth also confirme this So that after the deepest legal Humiliations works of Terrour outward Changes the like Effects of the Law though when they are wrought by the Lord intending bringing about the Elect sinner's Conversion justification they have this kindly work upon the heart to cause the Soul more readily willingly listen to the offers of Salvation Mercy in the Gospel to submit to the termes Method which God hath in His great wisdom mercy condescended unto as to the actual Conferring bestowing of the blessings purchased by Christ for His own chosen ones justification is an Act purely of God's free Grace undeserved of them on any account an act of His meer mercy Love So that they are justified freely by His grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Rom. 3 24. V. Unto this justification their good Works are not required upon what somever account for good works must follow justification not preceed it They must be first accepted through Christ before their works of holiness can be accepted The whole Gospel doth most plainely exclude works of the Law under whatsoever Notion Qualification or Restriction as we manifested above shall more manifest hereafter Yea all works upon what somever account are excluded as opposite to justification by faith through Jesus Christ. The man who had no more to say but God be merciful to me a sinner went home justified when he who said God I thank thee I am not as other men nor as this Publican c. did miss that Privilege Paul hath so directly plentifully proved that no man is justified by works that we need say no more of it and therefore in this matter of justification man hath no ground of boasting but must glory in the Lord alone VI. As without a Righteousness no man can be justified before God because His judgment is alwayes according to truth He will pronunce no man Righteous who is not so or who hath no Righteousness And as no man hath a Righteousness of his own in himself that will abide the trial of God's judgment for if He should enter into judgment with any that liveth they should not be able to stand before His judgment seat be justified but all who are justified are in themselves ungodly void of all Righteousness that can ground a sentence of absolution from the Condemnation of the Law So it is the Righteousness of Christ as Mediator Cautioner which is to them the only ground of their absolution justification this Surety-Righteousness of Christ is imputed to them by God they are clothed therewith being considered as clothed there with are pronounced Righteous by the Lord the righteous judge dealt with as such So that all the Righteousness which is the ground of their absolution from the Condemnation of the Law is without them in another who was appointed their Cautioner therefore all appearance of any ground of boasting in themselves is quite taken away by the Law of faith Rom. 3 27. the reward is now wholly of grace not of debt Rom. 4 4. VII Though faith faith only be required of us in order to our having Interest in Christ His Righteousness to justification therethrough Yet this leaveth no ground of boasting unto man or of glorying in himself for it is in it self a plaine solemne Declaration of the Beleevers Sense
in its convinced Conscience before the tribunal of God and then seeth in the Gospel a well contrived way of absolution closeth with it How will all this shine forth unto them with a heavenly Lustre and Majestie And how sweetly will their hearts acquiesce in this Sure and Saife way of obtaining life Secondly This may discover unto us what a manifold wisdom of God is to be seen observed in the Gospel dispensation that even Principalities and powers may look into and wonder at as it is said to be made known unto them by the Church Ephes. 3 10. That is by what they see and observe in the administration thereof in the Church And in this part of Gospel-device there are several things remarkable that may give us ground to wonder at this manifold Wisdom of God The whole is a mysterie and this is a prime part of the mysterie and in this mysterie there are many mysteries a short view of which may be of some use to us 1. What a mysterious and wonderful thing is it That such as are dead by Law lying under the sentence thereof so bound over to the wrath of God according to the threatning of the Law which is just and righteous in all points and such as have nothing to defend themselves by from the threatned death unto which they are obnoxious nor any thing whereby to make Satisfaction to the demandes of the Law or to the offended Law-maker or where with to appease Him should notwithstanding hereof be Really Formally and Effectually absolved from the sentence of the Law by the sentence of the Judge and so made and declared to live juridically in Law-sense and to be as free of the curse and penalty of the Law as if they had never been guilty of the transgression thereof And thus is it here indeed Such as were dead in trespasses and sinnes and in the uncircumcision of the flesh are quickened together with Christ Ephes. 2 1 5. Col. 2 13. He who before had the wrath of God on him and abiding on him by beleeving on the Son of God hath everlasting life Ioh. 3 36. And they who were in a manner condemned already yet by beleeving on Him are not condemned yea have eternal life Ioh. 3 15 18. 2. What a mysterie is this That God who is righteous and just and the righteous Judge of the World and who hath declared that he looketh upon it as an abomination for any man to justifie the wicked Prov. 17 15. And whose judgement is alwayes according to truth Rom. 2 2. Should be one that justifieth the Ungodly And yet so is He said to be and so is He stiled and so is He held forth as the object of faith Rom. 4. 5. But to him that worketh not but beleeveth on Him that justifieth the Ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness Papists others who will not suffer their Reason to follow Revelation but will measure all the mysteries of the Gospel by the corrupt rule of Reason and wiredraw those according to the dictats of this pretend an Inconsistency here and therefore will rather pervert the whole nature of Gospel-justification than yeeld to the Spirits Revelation of the matter Hence it is that they say a person cannot be justified by God untill he be a Godly man and have a Righteousness within him upon the account of which he must be justified little adverting That by their own principles it would follow that no man should ever be justified for seing God is a God of righteousness and it is a sure and certaine thing that His judgment is alwayes according to truth He could not absolve a Person as righteous that were not perfectly righteous and void of all sin where is the man not out of his wits that dar say this remembering what David said Psal. 130. 3. 143. 2. But here lyeth the truth the mystery Such as are really and truely Ungodly in themselves and have nothing of their own but unrighteousness within them and whose righteousnesses are but as filthy rags Esai 64 6. are yet justified by God upon the account of a perfect righteousness imputed to them received by faith In the judgment of God such as in themselves are Ungodly are considered as clothed with the perfect righteousness of the Mediator Christ that Head publik person which free grace putteth on them they receive stand under by faith and so are justified declared to be righteous by God whose judgment herein and sentence is most righteous most consonant to truth for he justifieth such as are righteous though not with their own inherent righteousness yet with the righteousness of their cautioner now made theirs 3. Here is another piece of this mystery That Transgressours of the Law shall be Absolved and Justified yet the Law established which threatneth death to Transgressours and promiseth life only to such as observe it in all points Who can reconcile this seeming Contradiction that is not acquanted with the glorious mystery of the Gospel Paul a man well acquanted with this mystery tels us expresly that the Gospel-way of justification which he preached and fully cleared in his Epistles derogateth nothing from the Law but establisheth it Rom. 3 31. Where after he had cleared confirmed the Nature and Causes of Gospel-justification had said vers 30. that He was one God who would justifie the circumcision or Jewes by faith and the uncircumcision that is the Gentiles through faith hy obvâ—ateth this objection that some might have proposed said What shall then become of the Law you make it void by speaking of faith ascribing justification to it as a mean in opposition contradiction to works he answereth Do we then make void the Law through faith That be far from us yea we establish the Law So that there is nothing in this Gospel justification that weakeneth or maketh void the Law but on the contrary it is thereby more fully confirmed and established for what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteouness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8 2 3. Here is then the mysterie Transgressours of the Law are justified upon the account of what their Mediator and Surety their publik person Representer did suffered for Satisfaction to Law Justice the Law-giver by what He did suffered the Law is more established then it would have been by any thing that we did or could suffer for He made Satisfaction to all its demands there was perfect obedience given thereunto its commands answered in all points by our Lord Jesus Christ who knew no sin nor was deceite found in His mouth 2 Cor. 5 21. Esai 53 9. And because it was violated by sinners the Curse threatned was due therefore He did also
receive the Adoption of Sones and the blessing of Abraham Gal. 3 13 14. 4 4 5. As it is one thing to finish the Transgression to make an end of sin to make Reconciliation for iniquity another thing to bring-in Everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9 24. Yea the redemption from the Law and from its curse is mentioned as preceeding the other as the finishing of transgression is also mentioned before the bringing-in of Righteousness in the passages cited And thus as these Effects are distinguished though inseparable so is the Cause By the Imputation of Christs Satisfaction we have pardon of sin being redeemed from the curse of the Law by His being made a curse for us by the Imputation of His Rigteousness and obedience we are looked upon as Righteous so have a right to the promise and Inheritance Though we need not thus distinctly consider both save only to demonstrat the necessity of the Imputation of both for Christ by His death did also purchase the Inheritance for us and by His obedience made Satisfaction for sin it being a piece of His Humiliation So that both in the deep wisdom of God make up one cause of that one Effect which comprehendeth all Blessedness that is both pardon of sinnes and Right to the Inheritance c. By the Imputation of both or of this compleat Surety-righteousness of Christ including both beleevers are pardoned and adjudged unto life Hence our pardon and justification are often ascribed unto Christs death not as distinctly considered or as excluding His Righteousness obedience but among other reasons because that was the compleating Act of His obedience and to which all the rest preceeding had a respect as to that which should compleat the whole Meritorious part of His Mediation And hereby His obedience can no more be excluded than His foregoing soul-sufferings Nay His death did presuppose and include His obedience for it was the death of one who had perfectly obeyed the Law which death obedience being His Mediatory work in the state of His Humiliation was a compleat Righteousness for the blessedness advantage of all those for whom He appeared whose debt He undertook to pay 5. That the obedience of Christ must also be imputed to sinners is manifest from this That otherwise they should have no Righteousness at all imputed to them that properly can be called a Righteousness for if nothing but that which is commonly called Christs passive obedience or His Sufferings be imputed there can no Righteousness be said to be imputed for dying and suffering the penalty as such are no righteousness being no obedience to the commands of the Law in conformity to which consisteth proper Righteousness as when one dieth for his crime of Murther he cannot be said to be thereby a righteous man or to have obeyed the Law forbidding Murther nor can we be said properly to have obeyed the Law when Christ in our room did suffer the penalty of death due to us for the breach of it They who are in hell suffering the vengeance of eternal fire cannot be said to be obeying the Law It is true Christ in dying did obey a command Imposed upon Him by the Father but that was no command of the Moral Law prescribed unto man thereafter in dying Suffering He gave no obedience to that Law under the obligation to which we were standing no more than He can be said to have Suffered the penalty while He was obeying the Law these two being so manifestly different So that it is clear that if Christs obedience be not imputed to us no proper Righteousness is or can be said to be imputed to us Yea 6 If Christs obedience be not imputed to us that Law which saith do this and live is not fulfilled but rather abrogated quite abolished and it must be said that not withstanding of that constitution of Gods we live though we neither do this nor is our Cautioners doing of it imputed to us And so we have a right to the Reward get it at lenght without the Righteousness required in order thereunto Let us therefore admire the harmonious perfection of this Effect Work of infinite wisdom I know several things are objected against this Truth as there are many other grounds Reasons adduced for the same but these I shall speak to at more length afterward 7. This is also a mysterie here to be noticed That a Righteousness that is not ours inherently but Christs should be made ours made over to us reckoned upon our score or we become clothed therewith there upon justified as Righteous as really effectually as if we had wrought it our selves and it had been properly inherent in us Socinians Papists Arminians others who will not subject their reason unto this mystery and give credite to Revelation will acknowledge no such imputation of Righteousness but at most do grant but an improper imputation that is an imputation as to Effects so that with them Christ neither Suffered nor obeyed in our stead room but only for our good advantage that too conditionally only in case we beleeve and performe the Gospel-condition But this imputation as to Effects only is no imputation at all there being no thing thereby Imputed not the Righteousness of Christ it self for this they expresly deny nor yet the Effects themselves for we no where read of Imputed Justification Adoption Pardon c. which are the Effects Yea it is not enough to them to deny this Imputed Righteousness but in contempt scorne they call that which we name an Imputed Righteousness a putative Righteousness as if it were a meer imaginary thing But whatever such in decision think or say the Gospel holdeth forth to us a Righteousness imputed or the Righteousness of Christ graciously bestowed upon made over to belevers or freely given unto them so that they are dealt with by God as Righteous Juridically legally or as possessours of such a compleat perfect Righteousness that as really to all Effects as if it had been their own inherently performed by them so had been theirs without any such Imputation And because this as the cause is imputed to them made theirs therefore all the Effects thereof shall really certainely be bestowed upon them in God's appointed time methode This is the Truth which the Gospel holdeth forth to the solide peace joy comfort of Beleevers the full clearing vindicating of which would require a just Treatise I shall therefore here propose but a few clear manifest Grounds of this refreshful comfortable truth leaving the further prosecution vindication of them of other arguments that are used in this matter with the examination of what is objected on the contrary till afterward First therefore we say as Christ who knew no sin was made sin that is had the sinnes of His people laid upon Him imputed to Him so
Gospel like grounds and by Arguments more sutable to the state of the justified who only are in case to performe acts of obedience and duties of holiness acceptably unto God Such as the Image of God proposed for our Imitation the perpetual obligation of His Law the Relation they stand into the holy appointment of God the engagments they stand under the Spiritual help furniture which is at hand the Nature of holiness it self the genius kindly inclination of the new Nature whereof they are partakers and the many advantages thereof here and hereafter too many here to be mentioned Let any consider the Arguments used to this purpose by Paul Rom. 6. 7. 8. Chapters and in many places elsewhere he shall finde this true CHAP. VII Justification through the Imputed Righteousness of Christ cleared out of the Old Testament the Passages Vindicated from the exceptions of JOHN GOODWINE WE shall now proced unto another use mentione another way how this Truth That belevers in Christ attaine unto a life in justification ought to be improved to wit Secondly That we may hence take notice of a loud call herein to all Persons not yet justified to beware of a cheate in this matter not fix upon a wrong bottom in Justification nor lay their weight on any thing within themselves or on any thing else whatever except upon the Imputed Righteousness of Christ alone which they are to embrace to leane to by faith If they leane to their own works and make them the condition ground of their justification they will be disappointed for by the works of the Lawâ—an no man be justified in the sight of God as the Apostle asserteth proveth in our Text irresragably concludeth Rom. 3 20 28. in several other places Yea if they leane unto faith it self which is called for only to interesse us in the Righteousness of Christ that free grace may be exalted proud man abased they deceive themselves not only disappoint themselves of what they are expecting but even destroy the very Nature Ends of true Gospel-justifying faith for its native proper work is to carry the man out of him self wholly unto Christ for Righteousness Life Salvation for faith is the Mans looking to Christ as the stung Israelite in the wilderness did look unto the brazen serpent Ioh. 3 14 15. and saying as it is Esai 45 24. In the Lord have I righteousness and it is the beleevers putting-on of the Lord Jesus that he may be found in Him clothed with His Righteousness Phil. 3 9. It is the Man's receiving of Christ Ioh. 1 12 and receiving of the Atonement in Him through Him Rom. 5 11. and of aboundance of grace of the gift of Righteousness Rom. 5 17. Therefore it is called a beleeving on His name Ioh. 1 12. on Him whom the Father hath sent c. Ioh. 6 29 7 35. 17 20. Act. 16 31. 19 25. And because faith laid hold on this Righteousness of Christ therefore is this Righteousness called the Righteousness of faith Rom. 4 11. the righteousness which is of faith Rom. 9 30. that which is through the faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by faith Phil. 3 9. Now if this be the native work of justifying faith as we shall more fully cleare afterward to receive Christ and His Righteousness consequently to carry the Man out of himself that he may finde partake of that al sufficient Righteousness of Christ to the end he may with confidence stand before God and expect pardon and Acceptance It cannot be said without destroying the Native work of justifying faith that faith is that Gospel-Righteousness unto which they may leane upon the account of which they may expect justification Faith in this matter is as the eye of the Soulâ— that seeth not it self but looketh out to another Beside this would overturne the whole Nature of the Covenant of Grace and is irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Apostle Paul about justification as shall be manifested hereafter Therefore all who would live the life of justification must betake themselves to Jesus Christ leane to Him to His Righteousness for with the rob of His Righteousness must they alone be cloathed in Christ alone must they be found they must think of standing before God having on His Righteousness that God imputeth unto Beleevers which they receive by faith in order to their justification I know this doctrine is not favourie to many now adaies as Papists Socinians Arminians do oppose themselves with all their Industrie learning unto this doctrine of the Imputation of the Surety-Righteousness of Christ so there are now a dayes and have been of late who would not willingly be reckoned among either of these mentioned and yet do oppose this foundamental truth the sure ground of our Hop Peace Comfort As the Principles whereupon these mentioned go are different so are the grounds upon which they plead against this truth yet they do unanimous enough joine in this 〈◊〉 arguâ— against this Imputation which the Orthodox have owned and do owne Before I come to consider the chiefe at least of their Arguments against the Truth which hath been now asserted I shall with what brevity plainness I can lay down vindicate the Grounds and Reasons of our Assertion and then take notice of their contrary Objections that this Truth may be made plaine clear to such as are concerned therein As to our Grounds I shall first beginne with Scripture Authority here propose our Reasons from the Old Testament First The First passage to this purpose which I shall take notice of is Esai 45 24. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness or in the Lord is all righteousnesses to wit for me and this following upon what was said vers 22. look unto me be ye saved all the ends of the earth which was an Invitation call to them to act faith upon Him in order to their Salvation as the stung Israelites did look unto the brazen serpent in order to their recovery this looking being clearly explained by coming vers 24. Even to Him shall men come and we know how frequently faith is held forth expressed by coming in the Gospel saith that hereby is pointed forth the rich Advantage that such shall have who look come to Him by faith submit unto Him heartily cheerfully imported by bowing of the knee swearing with the tongue to wit That they shall have a righteousness in Him this they shall avow profess and this being exclusive of all others as the Context cleareth saith that they should be brought to that that they should renounce all other righteousness what somever rest on this God alone who is the only God vers 22. on His righteousness for in Him they shall
the Lord. Against that passage Rev. 19 8. which was adduced for clearing of the place now under hand he excepteth thus These words only pointe forth the honour and dignity which Christ now conferreth upon the Church in remembrance of her Righteousness for it is parallel to that other place Rev. 3 4. Ans. This is nothing but a plaine perversion of the Scriptures for it is not said for her Righteousness nor for the Righteousness of the Saints but in these words a reason is given why by this araying in fine Linen the bride is said to be made ready and withall hereby the signification and Import of that fine-linen is held forth when it is said for the fine linen is the Righteousness of the Saints The Spirit of the Lord is here speaking of the returne of the jewes and of their marrying of new with their former husband from whom they had so long departed by playing the harlot as worthy and judicious M. Durham sheweth in his comment on the place and of this new Bride it is said that she is arayed in fine linen clean and white and this linen is explained to be the Righteousness of Saints or justifications of Saints the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same that is used Rom. 5 16 18. Where it is translated justification and it is called here the Righteousness or justifications of Saints because it is no other than that which is common to all Saints whereby is signified that the jewes at their conversion shall be accepted and justified after the same manner that all the Saints have been even after that self same manner at which they formerly stumbled and which wickedly and peremptorily they refused and rejected This Righteousness therefore can be nothing else than the Righteousness of Christ imputed for this only is cleane and white all other having spots and defilements This is not within but from without and is put on is granted to the Church and so imputed Against that saying of putting on Christ twice mentioned he excepteth saying That none of them speak of justification but that Rom. 13 14. speaketh of Sanstification and that Gal. 3 27. of profession Ans. If we are said to put on Christ in Sanctification and as to a profession much more may we be said to put Him on in justification which is the basis and ground work of Sanctification and the truth reality of that which is professed Without justification there is no Sanctification and except we be clothed with Christ and put Him on in order to justification we cannot put Him on in order to Sanctification And as such as are baptized in Christ have declared that they have put on Christ so such have done it in truth and reality who are the Children of God by faith in Christ Jesus and are Christ's and are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise Gal. 3 26 29. Not could they be said to do this outwardly as to a profession in their Baptisme if a real putting on of Christ were not to be found in such as had the Spiritual and inward thing Imported signified by outward Baptisme Thirely a 3 passage is Ier. 23 5 6. Bohold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a Righteous Branch and a King shall reigne prosper and shall execute judgment justice in the earth In his dayes judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell saifly and this is His name whereby He shall becalled the Lord our Righteousness It is undeniable and manifest that this is spoken of Christ who was the Branch raised up unto David and the King that should reigne and prosper and it is through Him that judah is saved and Israel made to dwell saiâ—ly Now of this Righteous Branch it is said that His name shall be called Jehovah our Righteousness He shall be owned and embraced as such whereby it is declared that as we have need of a Righteousuess and have none of our owne so this Righteous Branch shall become a Righteousness to us in Him and in Him alone shall all His people have a Righteousness He and His Righteousness shall be made over unto them And as they shall glory in Him acknowledging all their Righteousness to be in and from Him so He shall glory in that stile and Title which shall be given to Him upon that account and He shall owne it as His glorious Title and Name for their further refreshment and Consolation He shall look upon that as His greatest honour to be called the Lord our Righteousness Jehovah that purchaseth and prepareth for and bestoweth a sufficient Righteousness on His people This passage with its forcible light so opened the eyes of Bellarmine the popish adversary to the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ that he was forced to confess That Christ is said to be our Righteousness because he hath made Satisfaction for us to the Father and doth so give and communicat that Satisfastion unto us when He justifieth us that it may be said to be our Satisfaction Righteousness and in this sense it would not be absurd if any should say that the Righteousness of Christ His merites are imputed unti us as if we our selves had satisfied De justif lib. 2. cap. 10. Fourthly adde to this Ier. 33 15 16. where as Iunius the Dutch translation have it this same Title is repeated as given unto the righteous Branch but if we take the words as they are rendered by others as they are in our Translation as the Stile name of the Church they willcon tribute not a little to our present purpose And this wherewith she shall be called THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNES for hereby is clearly Imported the Churches glorying in that Title in having all her righteousness in through her Head Husband that as she owned herself to be the Spouse of Christ had His name called upon her so this would be all the name that she would owne as her greatest glory by that alone would she be called thereby professing with glorying satisfaction that she had no righteousness of her own if any would know her aright give her her highest titles they should know her under that notion give her that Name that should openly declare that she were void of Righteousness in her self were ungodly had all her Righteousness from her husband would appear before God in no righteousness but in her husbands So that she would owne that Title alone which should be a proclamation to all the world that she was covered with her Husbands righteousness with that alone a constant Memorandum to keep her in the fresh conviction Faith Profession of this Against these clear pregnant passages Ioh. Goodwine excepteth pag. 127. saying It is not here said the righteousness of the Lord shall be our righteousness or shall be imputed to us for righteousness Avs. Though this be not said
the most remarkable piece thereof expressive of His love and condescension and terminating point of Surety-obedience for He said it was finished when He offered up Himself gave up the Ghost He addeth So where it is said againe Chap. 5. vers 16. that the gift viz. of Righteousness by Christ is of many offences unto justification If the gift of many offences i.e. the forgiveness of Mans Sinnes will not amount to a justification without the Imputation of a legal Righteousness we must give a check to Paul's pen. Ans. This is but vanity we need give no check unto the Apostle's pen for though He said not in this verse expresly that there was a gift of Righteousness also imputed yet he said it expresly vers 17. 18. 1. And shall we think that in such a continued discourse as this is wherein the Apostle is explaining the whole mystery by its parts he should mention all things in one verse He proceeds to prove that Remission of sins is the whole of justification pag. 131. Because the end saith he for which this Imputed Righteovsness of Christ is thus brought in to the business of justification viz. to be the Right to the Inheritance is supplied in a way more evangelical of more sweetness dearness to the Children of God to wit by the grace of Adoption Ans. To this we have said enough above will have occasion to speak againe to it in the next objection He addeth further 4. That if we thus separat and divide the benefite of Christ's Active and passive Obedience in Iustification we take a course to lose destroy both Ans. Not to transcribe his tedious discourse on this accout I only say That it is wholly founded upon a mistake as if our showing the necessity of the Imputation of both were a separating or dividing of the benefite of both whileas the whole Effect floweth from the whole cause both Christ's Active His passive obedience making up one compleat Surety-righteousness and so producing one whole blessedness to beleevers consisting in Remission of Sins in a Right to Glory we say with him that neither of them separated or abstracted from the other can profite us and therefore we assert the Imputation of both as one compleat Surety-righteousness answereing our necessity in all points His own words pag. 132. 133. make clearly for us I would not have saith he the active obedience of Christ separated from the passive nor againe the passive from the active in respect of the common joint effect justification arising from a concurrence of them both yet would I not have Christ in his mystery tumbled up together on a heap for this would be to deface the beauty and excellency of that wisdom which shines forth gloriously in the face thereof I would have every thing that Christ was did-and suffered to be distinguished not only in themselves but also in their proper and immediat Effects respectively ariseing and flowing from them severally Lastly He tels us If the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness must be added as another part of justification then must the formal cause of one the same Effect be double yea one the same formal part of the thing shall be compounded of two things of a diverse and opposite consideration Ans. We make the Impâ—tation of Christ's Righteousness not a part of justification But the cause of it and yet the formal cause of one and the same Effect is not made double for as the Cause is one compleat Cause viz. the Surety-righteousness of Christ so the Effect is one compleat Effect though both Cause and Effect may be considered as consisting of several Integral parts There is no ground here to say That one and the same formal part of a thing is compounded of diverse or opposite things Obj. 4. Chap. 12. Pag. 136. c. That which dissolveth and taketh away the necessity use of that sweet evangelical grace of Adoption cannot hold a streight course with the thruth of the Gospel But this is done by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness Ergo. The Minor which is only here to be denied he laboureth to prove because we say The Righteousness of Christ must be imputed in order to our obtaining Right and Title to Life that by Remission of Sins a man is only delivered from death but receiveth no Right to the Kingdom of heaven But what can he hence inferre for confirmation of the Minor Now saith he this being the direct proper end use office purpose intent of Adoption to invest a beleever with a capacity with heaven it followes that whosoever shall attempt to set any thing else upon this throne seeks to dissolve Adoption Ans. The Consequence is null The Imputation of Christ's Righteousness will no more take away Adoption than justification for it is the ground and Cause of both He might as well say That because in and by justification we have Remission of Sins to assert the Imputation of Christ's death and Sufferings for this end is to dissolve justification But the truth is clear as was explained above Myst. 14. He thinks both cannot stand together because either of them is a compleat entire Title within itself perfect Righteousness is a perfect title alone so is Adoption or Sonship Ans. 1. This will say as much against the Imputation of Christ's death and Sufferings as against justification for either of these is a compleat Title according to our Adversary to Immunity from death perfect Satisfaction is a perfect title alone to this Immunity as well as perfect Righteousness is a perfect title to the Inheritance Justification or Remission of Sins which are one with him is also a perfect Right to this as well as Adoption is a perfect Right to that 2 But as Justification is founded upon the Imputed Righteousness of Christ so is Adoption As Christ's death and Satisfaction is not formall pardon or Right to Impunity but is when Imputed the ground and cause of justification wherein the Beleever is solemnely brought into a state of freedome from death So Christ's Obedience and Fulfilling of the Law is not a formal Right unto the inheritance but when Imputed and received by faith the ground and cause of Adoption whereby the Beleever is as it were solemnely infeoffed of the Inheritance Here then is nothing in vaine but all things so ordered as may most commend the riches of the wisdom Grace of God may most ensure life and all to the â—eleever So that his following discourse is meer froath and vanity for as God may appoint moe meanes for the same end as He pleaseth as His promises oath Sacraments to confirme the faith of beleevers so there can be no reason given why it may not be so here yet to speak properly Adoption is no mean or Cause of the Right and Title to Glory being the solemne Collation of that Right to the beleever or the solemne stating of
of justice truth in God in reference to Christ yet as to us it is of free grace so much the more of free grace that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us for that end And such as understand not this are more principled with Socinian abominations than with the doctrine of the Gospel of the grace of God Obj. 18. pag. 173. If men be formally just by God's act imputing Christ's righteousness then do men become formally sinful by the like act of God imputing Adam's sin But this is not true for then an Act of God should be as the life soul of that sin which is in men Ergo Ans. As this argument concludeth nothing against the truth now asserted this conclusion being different from the question now in hand so it is but a meer exhaling of vapores out of the fog of philosophical termes notions that thereby the truth may be more darkened We are not obliged by any Law of God to explaine or interpret these mysteries of Salvation according to these Notions which men explaine after their own pleasure knowing no Law constraining them to follow either one man or other in the arbitrary sense which they put upon these termes But as to the present â—rgument no answer can be given untill it be known what is the true meaning of these words formally just Possibly he will understand hereby the same that others meane by Inherently just so indeed do all the Papists And if so we can answere by saying That no orthodox man thinketh or saith that in this sense we are made formally just by God's act imputing Christ ' righteousness but by Holiness wrought in us by His Spirit And as to that righteousness which is imputed whether it be called the Formal or the Material cause of our justification it is but a nominal debate having no ground or occasion in the Word of God by which alone we should be ruled in our thoughts expressions in this matter Nor do they who say we are formally just by Christ's righteousness say we are formally just by God's Act imputing that righteousness But by the righteousness it self imputed by God received by faith Nor do they say that men become formally sinful by the like act of God imputing Adam's sin unto his posterity but by Adam's sin imputed though God's Act be the cause of this effect it is not the effect it self Adam's sin imputed doth constitute the posterity sinners that is guilty obnoxious to wrath so Christ's righteousness imputed doth constitute beleevers Righteous Obj. 19. pag. 175. If justification consists in the Imputation of Christ's righteousness partly in Remission of sins then must there be a double formal cause of justification that made up compounded of two several natures really differing the one from the other But this is impossible Ergo. Ans. 1. This Argument is founded upon another School-nicety or notion viz the Simplicity Indivisibility of Natural formes this Philosophical Notion is here adduced to darken the mystery we are treating of It were a sufficient answere then to say That the Minor though it be true in natural formes Yet will not necessarily hold in the privileges of Saints which may be single or compounded as the Lord thinketh meet to make them And can any reason evince that the Lord cannot conferre bestow in the grand privilege of justification moe particular favoures than one Can He not both pardon sins accept as declare to be Righteous Can He not both free the beleever from the condemnation of hell adjudge him to the life of glory or cannot these two be conceived as two things formally distinct though inseparable 2. But I shall not say That Imputation of Christ's righteousness is a part of justification But rather that it is the ground thereof necessarily presupposed thereunto Nor shall I say that Remission of sins is the forme or formal cause of justification a pardoned man as such not being a justified man It is true pardon of sins doth inseparably follow upon is a necessary effect of our justification a certaine consequent of God's accepting of us as righteous in His sight upon the account of the righteousness of Christ imputed to us received by faith I grant also that justification may be so described or defined as to take in that Effect without making it thereby a formal part thereof when strickly considered 3. But he will have Remission of sins to be the whole of justification nothing more included therein or conferred thereby abusing to this end as we heard above Rom. 4 6 7 8. Where the Apostle is citing the words of the Psalmist is not giving us a formal definition of justification nor saying that justification is the same with Remission nor that Remission's the formal cause of justification but only is proving that justification is not by our works as the ground thereof that by this reason Because that would utterly destroy free Remission which is a necessary Effect consequent of Gospel-justification cannot be had without it in order to which justification he there asserteth expresly an Imputation of righteousness Now an Imputation of righteousness is not formally one the same thing with Remission of sins nor can Remission of sins be-called a righteousness or the Righteousness of God or of Christ yet the Man is a blessed man whose sins are covered because that man is necessarily covered with the righteousness of Christ whose sins are covered for Imputation of righteousness free pardon do inseparably attend one another Nor is it to the purpose to say That pardon is a passive righteousness though not an Active righteousness for all righteousness rightly so called is conformity to the Law that is not a passive or Negative righteousness which may be in a beast that transgresseth no Law consequenly hath no unrighteousness Obj. 20. pag. 176. If such Imputation be necessary in justification this necessity must be found either in respect of the justice of God or in respect of His Mercy or for the salving or advancing of some other attribute But there is no necessity in respect of any of these Ergo. Ans. 1 This same man tels us that there is a necessity for the Imputation of faith as our Righteousness not withstanding of all that Christ hath done and why may he not grant the same necessity for the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ will it satisfie him that we found the necessity of Imputation of Christ's Righteoufness on the same ground 2 Though we should not be in case to assigne the real just ground of this necessity yet I judge it should satisfie us that the Lord in His wisdom Goodness hath thought fit to appointe and ordaine this methode manner of justification so far should we be from disputing against this Truth with such Arguments from rejecting of it untill we be satisfied as to
the grounds of necessity requiring this that we should receive it close with it and embrace it with all thankfulness as a Mystery of Love free Grace wisdom that Angels may wonder at 3 Yet accrding to the Scriptures we may say that the Truth Justice of God require this for His judgment is alwayes according to truth Rom. 2 2. and it would be an abomination in His eyes to justifie one every way wicked Therefore if He pronounce a person righteous in His sight which He doth when He justifieth a person that person must be a Righteous person but when no man can be justified or pronounced Righteous as being inherently Righteous Psal. 130 3. 143 2. all who are justified must be clothed with an Imputed Righteousness for God must be just even when he justifieth him which beleeveth in Jesus Rom. 3 26. In reference to the justice of God he saith That there is nothing at all necessary to be done either by God himself or by man about justification of a sinner by way of Satisfaction to the justice of God since that one offering of Christ of himself upon the cross Ans. We plead not for Imputation upon any such account nor do we see the least ground to think that this should derogat any thing from the full compleat Satisfaction of Christ made to justice or from the price laid down by Him as if this Imputation were required to supply some thing wanting there Yea our doctrine of Imputation doth rather confirme establish the same it being an application of the Sponsor's Surety-righteousness or payment Satisfaction unto the debtors in order to their Absolution freedome from the sentence Though the Surety hath paid the creditor yet the Law may require that when the debtor is charged or challenged for the debt the payment of his Surety be instructed made manifest unto the judges And yet it will not hence follow thaâ— the Satisfaction or payment made by the Surety was defective and insufficient He further saith That God can as well and as truely pronounce that Man righteous that wants a literal or legal Righteousness especially supposing he hath another Righteousness holding any Analogy or proportion thereto as he may account any Mans uncircumcision circumcision Rom. 2 26. Ans. That the Lord may deal with one uncircumcised that keepeth the Law no less than if he were circumcised and so thereby declare that He valueth not outward circumcision so much as the jewes were ready to dream who questieneth But what is this to the business in hand shall we therefore think that the Lord whose judgment is according to truth shall account any Righteous who have no righteousness Shall we think that the Righteous judge shall pronounce declare him to be Righteous who is not so 2. He may think to warde this of by his parenthesis But I pray what is that other righteousness that holds any analogy or proportion to the righteousness required by the Law of God Is that the single Act of faith Sure that must hold a very unproportionable proportion a poor analogy unto Obedience to all commands of God! I need not take notice of that word legall righteousness literally so called for he hath many such of little other use than to amuse the Reader darken the matter 3. If by this proportionable righteousness he mean the righteousness of Christ which may be said to hold an analogy to the righteousness of the Law which man was obliged to performe which possibly he understandeth by a legal righteousness literally properly so called he speaketh truth yeeldeth the cause for that is it we contend for But afterward he seemeth to tell us what he meaneth by analogical righteousness saying So may God with as much righteousness truth pronounce call or account a man righteous that is not strickly properly or literally such if he hath any qualification upon him that any way answereth or holdeth proportion in any point with such a Righteousness as he should do in case this man had this legal righteousness upon him in the absolutest perfection of the letter Ans. And who may not see the folly of this Reddition to inferre this from the Lord's calling Iohn Baptist Elias the like Will he make the Lord 's pronouncing sentence in judgment as a righteous judge as He doth in the matter of justification to be such a figurative speach as when Iohn Baptist was called Elias because he had some resemblance to Elias when he came in his Spirit power Will he be accounted a righteous judge upon earth who in judgment should pronounce that man righteous who in stead of the righteousness he should have had hath only one poor qualification upon him that some way or other holdeth proportion with it in any point If so it will be a great question if ever any wicked man can be condemned seing it will be rare to finde one that hath never all his dayes done some thing that answereth to the Law in some poor way or measure as to same one point or other Yea if we might drive this further it might be made probable that hence it would follow that all the world should be justified even in the sight of God But enough of this which is too too gross Yet wo heare not what that qualification is He saith when God pronounceth a man righteous it is sufficient to beare out the justice truth of God if his person be under any such relation condition as belongeth to a legal righteousness or which a legal righteousness would cast upon him Ans. What before was called a Qualification is here called a Relation or condition these seem not to be one the same thing But what if that Relation or condition have no foundation how shall the Lord upon that account pronounce such a person righteous or though it be not founded upon a legal righteousness performed by the mans self in his own person yet may it not be founded upon a Surety-righteousness imputed But what is this He addeth Now one special privilege or benefite belonging to a perfect legal righteousness is to free the person in whom it is found from death condemnation he that hath his sins forgiven him is partaker with him in the fulness of this privilege is as free of condemnation as he Ans. But he hath not yet proved that any man is pardoned without the Imputed righteousness of Christ beside righteousness bringeth with it as a special privilege or benefite right to the promised Inheritance of Glory But a pardoned man as such hath not this Right nor yet can challenge it as was showne above Moreover if God pronounce a Man righteous because he is pardoned then the man must be pardoned before he be justified for in justification he is declared pronounced Righteous not made such if he be pardoned before he be justified pardon is not the forme of justification nor
and the termes thereof I am far deceived He that would understand this plaine discovery of the Question must understand what Relations are what Reatus culpae poenae what poena damni sensus what cessante capacitate Subdut what pro-legal Righteousness what quoad valorem quoad ordinem conferendi rationem comparativam What is Terminus fundamentum in relations what is Titulus fundamentum juris what causa fundamenti donationis the like And if all Unexercised Readers shall be able to understand this I doubt And sure I am many a poor soul that understands nothing of these termes gets grace of God to understand the thing better than all this explication how plaine so ever it be called shall ever make him do And if this be the plainest way that Mr. Baxter can chose to make us understand this so necessary and fundamental a truth I shall never choose him for my Teacher as to this It could therefore tend o no edification at least unto his Unexperienced Readers whose edification I judge should be sought by us all in handling of this matter to fall upon any examination of or debate with him about what he hath here said seing it would necessarily end in a debate about logical and Law termes which I shall rather leave to others who have delight therein And beside the matter it self delivered by him in more plaine intelligible termes as I judge both to exercised more unexercised Readers is already examined Notwithstanding as we have seen his opinion be different from what the orthodox do commonly hold in this question yet Chap 4. he stateth the question against which he purposeth to disput so as he may be sure none of these will oppose him yea and it may be doubted if Antinomians themselves will contradict him for thus he proposeth what he denieth That God did so impute Christ's Righteousness to us as to repute or account us to have been holy with all that habitual holiness which was in Christ or to have done all that He did in obedience to His Father or in fulfilling the Law or to have suffered all that He suffered to have made Satisfaction for our sins merited our own Salvation justification in by Christ or that He was did suffered merited all this strickly in the person of every sinner that is saved Or that Christ's very individual Righteousness material or formal is so made ours in a strick sense as that we are Proprietors Subjects or Agents of the very thing it self simply and absolutely as it is distinct from the effects or that Christ's individual formal Righteousness is made our formal personal Righteousness or that as to the Effects we have any such Righteousness imputed to us as formally ours which consisteth in perfect Habitual and Actual conformity to the Law of Innocency that is that we are reputed perfectly holy and sinless and such as shall be justified by the Law of Innocency which saith perfectly obey and live or sin dye And the more to secure himself from all opposition from the orthodox 〈◊〉 proposeth this Law which is but equitable to all that will answere him I suppose he meaneth the Arguments that there follow that he must keep to his words not alter the sense by leaving any out I shall therefore be none of his Opposites here on these termes but shall consider what he saith elsewhere CHAP. XIV How Christ is our Surety and what Mr. Baxter saith as to this is examined OUr Lord Jesus being called a Surety in the Scriptures may give us much satisfaction and clear light anent the Doctrine of the Imputation of His Righteousness if prejudice and Love to our own particular hypothesis do not blinde us The Apostle tels us Heb. 7 22. that Iesus was made a Surety of a better Testament or Covenant rather and though the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendered Surety be only in this place found in the N. Testam yet that can give no colourable ground of Exception against the true Native import of the word and the truth thereby hold forth seing one sentence of divine Revelation should captivat our faith judgment as well as Twenty otherwise all divine Revelation though never sooft reiterated will hereby at length come to be questioned And beside the word properly signifieth a Surety Cautioner Praes Sponsor fide jussor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sponsio expromissio fidejussio hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sub fide sponsionis trade as it were to deliver into hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spondeo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fidejussio Vadimonium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fidejussor vas sponsor and whether the word come from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prope or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appropinquo or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in manibus the same import and signification is hold forth and the conjunction and neerness betwixt the Sponsor or Surety and the person for whom He is sponsor with the ends for which he engageth himself who is a Sponsor is manifestly hold forth for the word Importeth one who of his own accord engageth for another taking upon him the Cause and Condition of that other promising to do or pay what the other was obliged unto or to see it done and thus engaging and promising becometh the just legal debtor for what he hath engaged and obliged unto the performance And this sense is both obvious and generally received by all men which should Satisfie us as to the acceptation of the word here untill it be demonstrat that of necessity it must be taken in a peculiar distinct sense in this place which yet the scope and circumstances of the place will not admit but rather confirme the usuall and generally received signification Import of the word This is also confirmed by the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath many significations all or most of which as some think may be reduced to two general heads one is of mixing things together or agreeing things or persons together by compacts Merchandice pledges or Caution Hence it signifieth to become Surety Gen. 43 9. 44 22. Prov. 11 15. 6. 1. 17 18. 22 26. Psal. 119 122. as also to oppignorat or give in pledge Neh. 5 3. 2. King 18 23. Esai 36.8 Iob. 17 3. Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 arrabon a pleage Gen. 38 17 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fidejussion sponsio pignus suretiship a pledge 1. Sam. 17 18. 2 King 14 14. This word then denoteth the Conjunction Mixture that is between a Surety him for whom he is Surety for the word signifieth to mix or mingle together so that they become hereby one person in Law an engaging Ier. 30 21. to shew that the Surety standeth engaged to performe what he hath promised become Surety for having 〈◊〉 stricken hands as it is rendered Prov. 22 26. Whence we see
fault guilt charged on him by the law So that here is a long series of efficient causes bringing down from Adam's person guilt a distinct numerical person guilt of everyone of this later posterity Ans. 1. The fundamentum of that relation of guilt is more properly proximely the foederal relation of the person to Adam than the Natural relation and the fundamentum of this foederal relation is not Generation but the free Ordination and Constitution of God 2 What he meaneth by these words and Adam's generation being the communication of a guilty nature with personality to his Sons and Daughters is the fundamentum next following his personal fault and guilt charged on him by the Law I do not know If his meaning be that the Communication of a guilty Nature by the peccatum originale originatum is the fundamentum of the following personal fault and guilt by reason of the peccatum originale originans that is if he say that the corrupted Nature is the ground of the Imputation of Adam's transgression it is not consonant to truth nor to what himself said above pag. 34. against Placeus But if he meane that Adam's Generation being the communication of a guilty Nature is the fundamentum that next followeth his personal guilt charged on him by Law I must say I do not understand what he would be at though the words seem to express some such thing But the truth that I shall lay down is this That all Adam's posterity being federally in him sinned in him and fell with him in his first transgression by vertue whereof when they come physically by natural Generation to partake of his Nature they are first in order of Nature guilty of Adam's transgression and then have a corrupt Nature communicated as a punishment and consequent of the other this Corrupt Nature being sin hath its own guilt attending it also 3 Though this long series of Efficient causes be requisite to the production of a distinct numerical person from Adam's person in a physical and natural sense yet every one of these physically distinct numerical persons do immediatly derive from Adam their legal and foederal personalities that is these same persons considered foederally are equally and alike neer to Adam their federal Head and Representative And therefore the guilt of Adam's sin cometh from him immedratly to each one of them foederally considered and is consequently the same numerical guilt and all this is founded upon their Federal Union with and Interest in Adam He saith 2. And it is not the same sort of guilt or so plenary which is in us for Adam's act as was on him but a guilt Analogical or of another sort that is he wes guilty of being the wilfull sinning person so are not we but only of being persons whose being is derived by Generation from the wilful sinning persons besides the guilt of our own inherent pravity that is the Relation is such which our persons have to Adam's person as makes it just with God to desert us and to punish us for that our pravity together This is our guilt of original sin Ans. 1 Hereby that original sin whereof we are speaking here viz Adam's breach of Covenant seemeth quite to be taken away for not only is it said that original sin as in us is another sort of thing than what it was in Adam and so not only not the same numerically as he formerly said but not the same specifically but moreover it is said to be only an Analogical guilt yea in end it is made just nothing for it is said that we are guilty of being persons whose being is derived from the wilfull sinning persons and this is no guilt at all no mans simple being let it be by generation from the most prodigiously guilty and wicked persons that can be can be imputed to him for guilt for his receiving a being is contrary to no Law And beside when he addeth by way of Explication that the Relation is such which our persons have to Adam's person as makes it just with God to deserte us he must either make the simple Relation to be the guilt or the ground of guilt and its Imputation The Simple Relation without some guilt following it and founded upon it cannot make it just with God to desert us c. For sin only can do this that Relation is not sin If he say That guilt is Superadded upon this account it is just with God thus to punish I would ask what is this guilt It is not Adam's sin but some analogical thing which Scripture knoweth nothing of and Reason can give us no account whence it came He cannot say that it came from Adam's sin for if we be federally united to Interessed in Adam as we are as he confessed we were and if upon that account we be reputed guilty the same Individual guilt which was on Adam must be upon us and if our guilt be of another sort he must give us another Adam from whom that other analogical sort floweth The Scripture saith that we all sinned in Adam Rom. 5 12. which were not truth if his individual sin were not ours or if ours were of another sort and only analogical But this is the fruit of Mr. Baxter's casting all these things in Aristotle's mould But moreouer 2 It hath a foule aspect towards Pelagianisme to make our guilt another than Adam's because that Adam was the wilful sinning person and so are not we for this is to confirme the Pelagians who say that that sin was only Adam's because he was the only wilfully sinning person we had no will therein 3. He saith And this guilt cometh to us by Natural propagation and resultancie from our very Nature so propagated Ans. It is true we come to be actually charged with this guilt to have it imputed to us when we partake of our beings by Natural Generation or propagation and that because of our federal Union with Interest in Adam and exclusive of this it cannot be said to come to us by resultancy from our very Nature so propagated for the guilt of all Adam's after-Transgressions should as well be said to come to us after this manner as the guilt of that one Transgression Disobedience of which only the Scripture maketh mention Rom. 5. He cometh next to consider our contrary Interest in Christ tels us 1. Our persons are not the same as Christ's person nor Christ's as ours nor ever so judged or accounted of God Ans. Physically this is true but it is not true legally for when he came in the Law-place of the Elect become Surety for-them they and he became one person in Law He saith 2. Our persons were not Naturally seminally virtually in Christ's person any further than He is Creator Cause of all things as they were in Adam's Ans. Adam was a natural Head our Lord is a Spiritual Supernatural Head as to
our concernment to enquire after know the way how adult persones come to partake of these Privileges 5. We do not here speak of that Justification which some call a Iustification of the cause and distinguish from that which they call a justification of the person for that is but the justification of a person falsly accused as to some particular as David was frequently accused of many things by his Adversaries of which he was Innocent laying to his charge crimes he knew not about which he was in case as we finde he did several times in his Psalmes to appeal unto God the righteous Iudge being conscious to himself of no guilt in the particulars alledged knowing his own innocency in the sight of God who knew all things Such was the matter of that question concerning Job's sinceritie so much agitated betwixt him his friends in the book of Iob and at length decided in Iob's favours by God himself for though this was not concerning one or a few particular acts but concerning his whole deportment and concerning his State before God upon the account of his deportment and the Lord's dispensations with him yet it was a justification of his Cause rather than of his Person for in the justification of our Persons we have to do immediatly with God and not with man and the question was properly about a matter of fact to wit whether he had been a real beleever or an hypocrite though such a matter of fact as meerly concerned his whole State 6. Nor do we here speak of that justification even as to our state which is before men or in the judgment of men which oft proceedeth upon mistakes and unsure grounds as the now-mentioned instance of Iob's friends evidenceth and so varieth according to the various judgments apprehensions of men yea and of the same Man at several times according as the grounds whereupon he judgeth are to him clear or dark Neither is this sentence or judgment of men who are but fallible and judge by outward appearance not being able to see into the heart and judge how matters are there alwayes according to truth even though according to that judgment of Charity which the Law of God requireth Nor is it Constant and equable 7. Nor do we speak of that Iustification whereof the Apostle Iames speaketh Chap. 2. which is not the justification before God whereof the Apostle Paul speaketh in his Epistles but the evidencing proving and demonstrating thereof by effects and works obvious to the eyes of others and demonstrative of the cause Those I grant will oft admit of an intercision through Temptation and the prevalency of Corruption and so the cause or true justification may as to this manifestation he eclipsed though not in it self 8. Far less do we here speak of a groundless fancied supposed justification whether in the apprehension of deluded persons themselves or of others for this is no true Iustification but a meer delusion as to themselves and a conjecture as to others and the sooner this be quite cast away and renunced the better 9. Nor do we here speak of that Iustification which is in the court of mans own conscience or as it is there and opposed to that Iustification which is in God's court for it is certaing this Iustification which is said to be in the court of conscience is but a manifestation of the other unto the mans conscience and is some times had sometimes missed sometimes it is more clear some times more dark and therefore can be oft repeated and reiterated and intended and remitted yea and some may for a long time if not their whole life time be wholly without it Walking in darkness without all light as to this some may once get a cleare sight thereof and never see more of it till nigh the landing in eternity yet all this while the Iustification which is in the court of God remaine fixed invariable and without any interuption 10. By Justification here we meane not that which some call a Particular justification and do distinguish it from an Universal Iustification by this understanding an universal pardon of all sins past and committed and by the other understanding a particular pardon of this or that sin that is committed after the man hath been universally pardoned and accepted of God and now pardoned after a new act of faith in Christ Though it be needless to debate whether this Particular Pardon can be called a Iustification or not yet it is certaine it is not that Iustification whereof Paul speaketh so much and explaineth in all its causes in his Epistles nor that Iustification which connoteth a change of State before God and the translation of a person out of an estate of Enmity into an estate of Favour and Friedshipe in reference to which there must be a juridical sentence passed in the favours of the man through the impured Righteousness of Christ received by Faith while as this posterior act of pardon of a particular transgression is rather a Fatherly act pardoning the failing of his Son receiving him againe into his Fatherly embracements 11. Nor finally do we here speak of that sentence of Absolution that shall be pronunced at the last day for howbeit that may be called a Iustification yet it is not that Iustification whereof we are now speaking it doth not make such a change in the state of such as are thereby absolved as this doth and therefore in respect of this it is rather a publick Declaration and Manifestation before Angels and Men of their Iustification or being in a Iustified state who shall be adjudged unto eternal life than any Iustification connoteing a change of state seing none in that day will be justified but such as have been here partakers of this Iustification whereof we speak they who have been in heaven will need none such as have been in hell will expect none none of the living who have not by faith laid hold on Christ will hear any other sentence then depart from me ye cursed 12. The justification then whereof we here speak is That change of state before God which such are made partakers of as lay hold on Christ by faith through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ whereby they are brought into an estate of Favour Reconciliation with God who were before under his Wrath Curse and upon which they have all their iniquities whereof they are guilty actually pardoned are accepted of as Righteous and pronunced such through the Surety-Righteousness of Christ imputed to them and freed from the sentence Curse of the Law under which they were lying That we may cleare the nature of this life of Justification as to its continuance we shall lay down these few Propositions Propos. 1. Justification denoteth a State wherein the beleever is brought a real change as to state as a man accused of some crime keeped in prison till he be tryed
of nature if not also in order of time And if matters be thus sins are first forgiven and then Faith is imputed 2 If the supposing of a righteousness will follow to wit Remission of sins then there is no answere to the argument for the argument speaketh of a Righteousness anterior to Justification and in order there unto 3 It is againe said but was never proved that to forgive sins is to give a Righteousness And I would ask what for a Righteousness this pardon of sins is is it a Righteousness perperly so called But that cannot be for all such Righteousness consisteth in obedience to the Law therefore it must be a Righteousness improperly so called if so it cannot be called our formal righteousness as he said it was 4 When he saith we are made righteous in justification yet will not grant an Imputed Righteousness and his Remission of sins is not yet found to be a proper Righteousness the sense must either be Popish or none at all I shall not here adde other reasons against this Assertion whereby it might be made manifest how dangerous this Opinion is if it be put in practice how it tendeth to alter the Nature of the Covenant of Grace It may suffice at present that we have vindicated these few reasons against it that we have found it in the foregoing Chapter inconsistent with the doctrine of grace in the New Testament repugnant to the Nature of Justification as declared explained to us by the Apostle and that we shall finde it in the next Chapter without any footing in the Apostles discourse Rom. 4. which is the only place adduced for its confirmation CHAP. XXIV The imputation of Faith it self is not Proved from Rom. IV. THe maine if not only ground whereupon our Adversaries build their Assertion of the Imputation of our act of Beleeving is Rom. 4. where they tell us the Apostle doth frequently expresly say that Faith is imputed unto Righteousness We must therefore in order the vindication of truth vindicate this place from their corrupt glosses to this end we shall first show that that can not be the meaning of the Apostle in this place which our Adversaries contend for next we shall examine what they say to enforce their Exposition of the place That the meaning of the Apostle Rom. 4. where it is said Abraham beleeved God and it was counted unto him for righteousness afterward his faith is counted for righteousness and faith was counted to Abraham for righteousness c. is not that Abraham's act of beleeving was accounted the Righteousness whereupon he was accepted was imputed unto him as a Righteousness in order to his justification and consequently that the act of Beleeving is now imputed to Beleevers for their Righteousness as said Servetus Socinus his followers Arminius his followers Papists others that I say this is not the true meaning of the place may appear from these particulars 1. If the act of Beleeving be accounted a Righteousness it must either be accounted a Perfect Righteousness or an Imperfect Righteousness If it be accounted for an Imperfect Righteousness no man can be thereupon Justified But Paul is speaking of a righteousness that was accounted to Abraham the father of the faithful in order to Justification that behoved to be a perfect righteousness for all his works wherein was an Imperfect Righteousness were rejected It cannot be accounted for a perfect righteousness because then it should be accounted to be what it is not and this accounting being an act of God's judgment it would follow that the judgment of God were not according to truth contrare to Rom. 2 2. The reason is because our faith is not perfect in it self there being much drosse admixed many degrees wanting in it far lesse can it be a Perfect Righteousness seing a Perfect Righteousness must comprehend full Obedience to the whole Law of God 2. The Imputation whereof the Apostle speaketh is of some thing to be made the Beleevers by the Imputation of God which the Beleever had not before But this cannot be Faith or the work of Beleeving because Faith is ours before this Imputation for Abraham beleeved God then followed this Imputation and vers 24. it is said that it to wit some other thing than the act of beleeving shall be imputed to us if we beleeve therefore it is not the act of Beleeving properly taken that is imputed or accounted here 3. Faith being antecedent to this Imputation if the act of Beleeving be imputed the word impute or account here must not signifie to Bestow Grant or Reckon upon their score but simply to Esteem Judge or Repute and thus Faith or the act of beleeving shall be in a beleever and yet not be a Righteousness till God repute it to be so But when God esteemeth judgeth or reputeth any thing to be in us he doth not change it nor make it something that it was not before but judgeth it to be what it is indeed for his judgment is according to truth Rom. 2 2. 4. This sense glosse is quite opposite unto and inconsistent with the Apostles maine scope in the first part of that Epistle which is to prove that Righteousness is now revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1 17. and that we are not Justified by the works of the Law but freely by grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3 24 25. And therefore not through the Imputation of Faith the act of Beleeving or any work of Righteousness which we have done for that should not exclude boasting or glorying but through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ received by Faith 5. That which was accounted to Abraham for righteousness did exclude all works and that to the end that all ground of boasting even before men might be take away vers 2. 3. Therefore Faith as a work or the act of beleeving can not be it which is here said to be reckoned or accounted to Abraham for righteousness for this is a work and being made the Ground Formal Objective Cause of justification can not but give ground of glorving before men 6. This glosse maketh the Apostles discourse wholly incoherent for he saith vers 4 5. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned ef grace but of debt but to him that worketh not but beleeveth on him that justifieth tht ungodly his faith is counted for Righteousnese Now if Faith properly taken be imputed the reckoning shall be of just debt for to reckon a men righteous who is righteous antecedent to that act of accounting is no act of grace but of just debt but Faiths being accounted for Righteousness is an act of grace and therefore it must be the Object of Faith or the Righteousness that Faith laith hold on that is here said to be counted upon
the Beleevers score and this indeed is no act of just debt but of grace 7. Againe as was said above if Faith properly taken or the act of Beleeving be imputed for Righteousness God should not be the justifier of the ungodly nor could Faith act upon God as such with truth And yet the Apostle tels us here expresly that Faith acteth upon God as one that Justifieth the ungodly He who hath a Righteousness in himself is no ungodly man and God justifying a righteous man could not be said to justifie the ungodly But if we take faith here for the object of faith or for the Righteousness of Christ which faith fleeth unto and layth hold on all is clear harmonious for then that man is not a worker but beleeveth he beleeveth on God that justifieth the ungodly that is one that hath no Righteousness in himself but must have it elsewhere even imputed to him and bestowed upon him through Faith when he thus heleeveth or layelh hold on Christ's Righteousness this Righteousness which by faith he leaneth to is counted on his score for Righteousness he is thereupon justified 8. Leaving what was formerly adduced against this glosse from vers 6 7. 8. of this Chapter Chap. XVIII we shall see what other passages in this chapter will say against it The Faith that was reckoned to Abraham for Righteousness when he was in uncircumcision vers 9 10. is the same with the Righteousness of faith which he had being uncircumcised vers 11. But this Righteousness of faith is not his act of Beleeving nor Faith taken properly as an act of Obedience but the Righteousness of the promised seed of the woman in whom all Nations of the earth should be blessed embraced by faith for it is this and not the meer act of beleeving that was sealed by the signe of Circumcision vers 11. for this Sacrament was a seal of the Covenant we know Sacraments seal the whole Covenant all the promises thereof to such as beleeve never seal our Faith or the like to be our Righteousness 9. The same that was imputed to Abraham for Righteousness will be imputed to all beleevers vers 11. But that is not the pure act of Beleeving for Abrahamt act of Beleeving was a strong act and is declared and explained to be such but every beleever who yet must be justified hath not such a strong act of faith as Abraham had And we cannot say that some are lesse some are more justified because the faith of some is weak and the faith of others is strong and yet this must be said if the act of Beleeving be imputed for a Righteousness for the Righteousness of one shall be greater than the Righteousness of another their Justification must hold correspondence with the ground thereof 10. That which was imputed to Abraham will be imputed to all beleevers for a Righteousness vers 11. must be a Righteousness which such have imputed unto them who do beleeve for it is added that he might be the father of all them that beleeve though they be not circumcised that righteousness might be imputed unto them also Abraham had Righteousness imputed to him or reckoned upon his score through faith while he was uncircumcised that he might be the Father of Beleevers among the Gentiles to whom also when they beleeve a Righteousness will be imputed as it was to Father Abraham 11. It is againe called vers 13. the Righteousness of faith through it he sais the promise was to Abraham to his seed but the promise is not through faith as an act of virtue obedience in us for then it should be through the Law but as the promise was made upon the account of the Righteousness of the promised seed our faith can not be said to procure or purchase the promise so its application is by Faith laying hold on gripping to that Righteousness 12. If faith properly taken were imputed it should be made void the promise of none effect they that are of the Law should be heires for faith taken properly for the act of Beleeving belongeth to the Law when it is made our Righteousness it is opposite to the free promise for what is promised or given upon the account of Righteousness or any thing within us is not a free gracious promise And when a free gracious promise is taken away all the right use of Faith is taken away so Faith is made void for the very essence of justifying faith lyeth in looking to laying hold on leaning to a free gracious promise 13. The Apostle vers 15. proveth that they who are of the Law cannot be heirs consequently that Faith or the act of Beleeving cannot be imputed for Righteousness as it is our act done in obedience to the Law by this reason because the Law worketh wrath c. And this also maketh against the Imputation of faith properly taken because that is an act of obedience to the Law cannot become our Righteousness being Imperfect consequently not conforme to the Law which requireth Perfection in all duties or other wayes threatneth wrath And if any shall deny this of faith viz. that it belongeth to the Law they must say that there is no Law for it consequently that not to beleeve is no sin for the Apostle addeth where no Law is there is no transgression 14. The ground of the free promise is that which must be Imputed and laid hold on by Faith But that cannot be Faith properly taken as our act for then the promise should not be of grace as it is expresly said to be vers 16. nor should it be sure if it depended upon our faith not upon that which faith laith hold on These things beside what was mentioned before from this same Chapter vers 6 7 8 23 24. may satisfie us in this matter and sufficiently evince that it is not the Apostles meaning that Faith properly taken as our act or our act of Beleeving is imputed unto Righteousness but that the Object of Faith or the Righteousness of Christ laid hold on and applied by Faith is that Righteousness which is reckoned upon the beleevers score Let us now in the next place see what the Adversaries say to make us beleeve that Paul saith Rom. 4. That our very act of Beleeving is imputed to us for Righteousness that thus the Apostle must be understood not as meaning the object of faith or the righteousness of Christ. The forecited Author Iohn Goodwin of Iustifie Part. 1 Ch. 2. adduceth some grounds for his glosse which must be examined His first ground is the letter of the Scripture that speaks it once twice yea a third a fourth time vers 3 9 22 23 24. Certanely saith he there is not any truth in Religion not any article of â—he Christian beleefe that can boast of the letter of the Scripture more full expresse
to be yet I cannot think that he shall approve of this which yet is the maine designe of the book His 8. ground p. 156. That the promise of forgiveness of sins is sometimes made unto Evangelical obedience This he goeth about to prove from 1. Ioh. 1 7. Where the Apostle is shewing the Advantages that such have as have fellowship with God through faith in Jesus Christ evidenced by their walking in the light as is clear from vers 6. and this in particular that as they will be dayly failing so they will have ready accesse to the blood of Christ to get all their sins cleansed away Neither is the Apostle here speaking of the first Pardon granted when persons are translated into a state of justification but he is speaking of such as are already in that State He citeâ—h next to this purpose 1. Pet 1 2. addeth they were not elected to the benefite of being sprinkled with the blood of Christ without obedience Making that a condition of being sprinkled with the blood of Christ which the Apostle mentioneth as a distinct medium to which they were elected in reference to eternal life the supream end as to them And he might as well say they were not elected to the benefiâ—e of obedience without being sprinkled with the blood of Christ and that too agreeth more with truth His 9. ground p. 157. is That to forgive injuries is an act of Evangelical obedience to that precept Mat. 11 25. And yet without this men cannot be pardoned so not justified Mark 11 25. Mat. 6 15. 18 35. Ans. Though men cannot be pardoned without this it will not follow that therefore it is a part of the condition of Justification but only proveth that this must be present as an evidence of their acting Faith on Jesus Christ in truth reality in order to pardon And these passages are explications of the fift petition of the Lord's prayer the sense whereof is well given in our larger Catechisme § 194. in these words which we are the rather emboldened to ask encouraged to expect when we have this testimony in ourselves that we from the heart forgive others their offences His 10. last ground is That Repentance is an act of Evangelical Obedience Act. 17 30. yet pardon of sin which is essential to justification is not to be obtained without it Luk 13 3 5. Ans. Of Repentance we have said enough above Chap. XXV I wonder how he can to this end cite Luk 13 3 5. where no mention is made of Remission of sins but perishing threatned to all that will not repent I shall not here meddle with his mis representation of our doctrine in the following pages nor with the grounds reasons of the preference he giveth unto his way seing by all that he speaks he bewrayeth utter ignorance of the Gospel truth which we owne of its true Tendency to promove Gospel holiness beyond any other way what somever hatched by Papist's Socinians that may be little or nothing beholden to Iesus Christ for Grace here or for Glory hereafter And his Insinuations as if we did not presse Repentance Holiness is little to his credite or to the credite of the cause he maintaineth seing the contrarie is so well known to say no more Nor shall insist on the grounds he layeth down to overturne the whole argueings of the Apostle in this matter seing they are upon the matter the same that others have laid down and have been before spoken to for from a tedious discourse concerning the mistaking apprehensions of the jewes about the Law the works thereof in order to justification to very little purpose he inferreth p. 117. that doubtless Paul's denial of Iustification Salvation to be by the Law is to be understood in the very same sense in which the incredulous jewes against whom he disputed did hold these so be attainable thereby Forgetting with all that what Paul wrote was dictated by the Spirit so that for the use of the Church unto the end of the world But sure if no other works were here understood than this Author will have here understood it could be of little use to the Gospel churches after the subject of the question the Ceremonial Law it self is taken away And had it not been a shorter most effectual way to have confuted the jewes errour here simply to have proven as he doth elsewhere the abolishing of that Law Beside we finde many things spoken of this Law against Justification by obedience to which the Apostle disputeth that cannot agree to the Ceremonial Law as hath been several times touched But let us hear what the true question was We must understand him saith he to deny a freedom from the eternal punishment to be attainable by legal Sacrifices also to deny that the promise of eternal life was made upon Condition of literal Circumcision a literal observation of the Mosaical Law Ans. If this had been all to what purpose I pray did the Apostle laboure so much to prove that not only the jewes but that the Gentiles also were under sin Rom. 1. 2. The Gentiles were not nor yet were to be under the Law of Ceremonies 2 How could the Apostle inferre that by the deeds of the Law there should no flesh be justified from his proving that both jewes Gentiles were guilty of the breach of the Moral Law whereby every mouth was stopped all the world become guilty before God Rom. 3 10-20 3 did only the Law of Ceremonies give the knowledge of sin Himself proveth the contrary pag. 57. 4 did the curse only belong unto the Ceremonial Law or did Christ only become a Curse in reference to the breaches of that Gal. 3 10. He will not so much as yeeld p. 119. that Paul doth on the bye deny Justification by other works And that meerly because it would destroy his fabrick of a Iudaical Socinian justification though he pretend that thereby the Apostles doctrine would be made inconsistent not only with the Faith of the holy men of old but also with his own doctrine But neither did the holy men of old express the Condition of Justification which he confoundeth with the Condition of the Covenant of mercy by loving God keeping his commandements nor doth Paul speak any such thing as we have seen what ever he with Socinians Arminians say He giveth us another character which also we heard from others before of the works by which Paul denied men were justified calling them such works which were apt to occasion boasting Ephes. 2 9. Rom. 4 2. But thus he quite perverreth both the sense of the words scope argueing of the Apostle for the Apostle cleareth that it is by grace we are saved not by works upon this very account that if we were saved or justified upon the account of any of our works man should boast Ephes. 2 9. Not of works why
Faith to distinguish it from that Historical Faith which though true in its kind yet is not from the saving grace of God nor hath it effects accompanying Salvation 3. Though this Faith be one the same by which the Beleever liveth first last and which proveth serviceable useful to him on all occasions to all ends uses that his several necessities call for Yet in reference to these various ends uses it acteth not after one the same manner in all points Faith acteth not every way after one the same manner in order to get Strength for Duties that it acteth in order to get Sin Pardoned It acteth not the same way for Subdueing the reigning power of sin that it acteth for Justification nor doth it act the same way for Comfort and upholding strength in a day of trial that it acteth in order to Justification And yet we need not say that it acteth distinctly differently according to every distinct benefite and blessing that is had thereby The diffeâ—ent natures of the necessities we stand into with the different wayes of the â—ord's communicating what we stand in need of according to the various Relations he standeth in various offices he hath taken on in reference to his peoples good may satisfie us herein according as these several particular necessities may come under one head reliefe may be conveyed to them after one the same manner All which will be best discerned by the understanding Christian in his application to Christ according to his Condition wants which he would have helped supplied 4. Hence though the Principal Object of this Faith be alwayes one and the same Yet there may be some peculiarities in that object which Faith eyeth more in one case than in another As we finde the Saints in their adresses to God in their several straits necessities sometimes pitching upon one attribute of God sometimes upon another according as thereby Faith presented God to the soul in a sutablness to the present case it was in and so when dispensations seemed to crosse the promises Faith eyed God as Faithful Unchangable when enemies appeared strong difficulties invincible and the like Faith took hold on God as the Almighty to whom nothing was impossible when sin appeared as a discouragment to drive them from their hopes Faith took hold of the mercy of God c. So when a poor sinner is under the convictions of sin threatnings of the Law Faith must take up Christ in a sutableness thereto eye something in Him that peculiarly suiteth that case when againe the beleever hath need of Light Instruction Strength Comfort Throwbearing the like he fixeth his eye on some thing in Christ that suiteth that particular necessity and so Faith acteth accordingly And thus though the object remaine the same and Christ be alwayes made use of Yet Faith may and doth act more immediatly on Christ as Prophet when in one case whereunto this office carrieth a respect and at another time more immediatly directly on Christ as a King when the present necessity calleth for help from Christ as King againe faith acteth on him as a Priest when only that which Christ as a Priest did can answere their present necessitie Yet which is carefully to be observed to prevent Mr. Baxter's challenge I do not say nor see I any necessity to say that these several acts of Faith are as so many several Conditions unto the receiving of the several favours taking the terme Condition in his sense I do not say that Faith acting one way on Christ is a proper Condition of Justification Faith as acting another way on Christ is the proper Condition of Adoption that Faith acting a third way on Christ is the proper Condition of Sanctification c. but that as the effects benefiâ—es which sinners stand in need of are ascribed unto several effectuating acts of Christ to the several Relations offices he hath taken on so Faith in order to the receiving of these benefites acteth suitably on Christ the Beleever is taught so to do by the Spirit of the Lord to his Comfort Hope Encouragment 5. I presuppose here the Formal Object of all divine faith which is the Truth Veracity of God for all divine faith giveth credite unto divine Revelations upon the Credite the Truth Veracity of the Revealer Thus saith the Lord who is true who is Truth itself is the sole Formal ground Ratio of this Faith 6. I presuppose here also that Comprehensive Material Object of all divine Faith which is the whole will mind of God concerning whatsomever thing it be revealed whether by the Scriptures or by the Light of Nature If the Truth Veracity of God be the only Formal Ground of this Faith then all that this God revealeth must be beleeved received as true when known to be revealed by Him By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God Heb. 11 3. we beleeve all things which are written in the Law the Prophets Act. 24 14. Yea in the whole word of God I do not here determine what particular Truthes revealed in the word are necessarily to be expresly explicitly beleeved by every one that hath a true Saving Faith what not only this I say that many particular truthes are revealed whereof a true Beleever may be ignorant yet have a true Saving Faith receiving all which he knoweth to be revealed by the Lord rejecting no one Truth whatsomever that he knoweth to be revealed But we are here to speak of that Object of Faith which immediatly directly concerneth our delivery from our natural state of sin and miserie and our eternal Salvation And this we judge to be whole Christ Iesus as he is hold forth and revealed in the Gospel We say Christ Jesus 1 wholly and 2 as he is held forth and revealed in the Gospel And both these for explications sake may be branched out in several particulars I say then first That whole Christ is the object of Saving or Justifying Faith Hence are we so often times commanded to Receive him to Beleeve in on Him in his name Faith is expressed by a Coming to him Eating Drinking of Him Receiving of him c. Ioh. 1 12. 3 16 36. 6 29 35 37 40 44 47 51 54 55 58. 7 38. Act. 10 41 13 38 39. 26 18. Rom 3 22. Gal. 2 16. and many moe places Hence this Faith is called the Faith of Christ Gal. 2 16. and the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 2 20. So then Saving and Justifying Faith taketh whole Christ. 1. Faith taketh him closeth with him wholly as to his Natures Faith receiveth him as Mediator God Man in one person though it be formally terminated on him as God Ioh. 14 1. as the Son
by men be some way understood reconciled when some say the Mercy of God is it others say the Promises some Remission of sins and the like some God the Father Son Holy Ghost for such as seem to restrict it most may be understood as not speaking exclusively of what else the Scripture mentioneth as belonging thereunto 5. All this notwithstanding faith may have hath a special respect to Christ as Priest and making Satisfaction to justice and laying down the Ransome-money and paying the debt according to his undertaking as Surety in order to the particular benefite of Justification and of Pardon of sins as was in part cleared above and may be more spoken to afterward in the following Chapters CHAP. XXXIII The Righteousness of Christ is the special Object of Faith in Justification COnsidering what hath been said at some length above concerning the imputation of the Surety-Righteousness of Christ in order to Justification we needed not insist on this here Seing if what is said touching that fundamental point hold this will not endure much debate Yet because Mr. Baxter in his Apologie against Mr. Blake § 11. is pleased to tell us that Faith which is the Iustifying condition is not terminated on the Righteousness of Christ And that it is a meer fancy delusion to speak of the receiving a Righteousness that we may be justified constitutive thereby in such a sense as if the Righteousness were first to be made ours in order of nature before our Iustification then justification follow because we are Righteous But sure this eyeing of laying hold on and leaning to the Righteousness of Christ holdeth clear correspondence with the experience of the Children of God not only at their first Conversion when delivered from under the Convictions of sin and the terrours of the Law but even afterward when exercised with new assaults of Satan objecting unto them their Unworthiness Filthiness and hence inferring their exclusion from the face of God for then their maine quieting refuge is the Righteousness of Christ wherein they seek only to be found acknowledging that in themselves they are but sinners and so rejecting their own worth holiness as too ragged to cover the shame of their nakedness wherein they have the Apostle Paul going before them Phil. 3 8 9. which may also serve for a scriptural proof and ground of the truth in hand He rejected all these things wherein sometime he gloried and he did now even long after his Conversion while a prisoner at Rome after all his great Labour Paines in spreading the Gospel count all things nothing is here excepted but loss saith he for the excestency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things do count them but dung that I may win Christ be found in him not having mine own Righteousness it is nor good that Mr. Baxter should carp at Writters Preachers for speaking teaching after this manner as he doth Cath. Theol. Mor. Works § 176. which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by faith This saith â—early that in order to Justification before God faith laith hold on a Righteousness which is of God and which is had by the Faith of Christ. And this Surety-Righteousness of Christ is that which can only prove sutable unto the case of a wakened sinner pressed with the guilt of sin and seeing justice armed against him stopping his way to life because of his Un-righteousness What can be more welcome unto such a sinner than the newes of a Righteousness and of having Christ to become the Lord his Righteousness as made of God Righteousness And what can his faith grippe to more earnestly than to this Righteousness that he may be covered therewith and think with joy of appearing before God How else shall he think to be justified by God who is just even when the justifier of a beleeving sinner He knoweth that God is Righteous and will not acquit the guilty and therefore he must have a Righteousness that he may be in case to stand before the Righteous God So that he can have no peace till by faith he have interest in the Surety-Righteousness of Jesus Christ for he knoweth that he hath none of his owne and that there is none any where else to be had And further this way doth exceedingly serve to demonstrate upon the one hand the Righteousness of God who will not Justifie without a Righteousness or one that hath no Righteousness and upon the other hand it commendeth the riches of the free Grace Mercy of God when the sinner seeth how free Love hath provided such an alsufficient Remedie a Righteousness against which no exception can be made and a Righteousness under the wings of which he may saifly hide shelter himself being covered with which he may rest confidente of acceptance and so may with full peace of mind rest here and relye upon it As also it serveth exceedingly to abase man in his own eyes and to make him for ever keep a low saile and walk humblie before this God and give Him the Glory of all Hence this Righteousness is called the Righteousness of Faith or of Christ beleeved in and laid hold on Rom. 4 13. the Righteousness of God which is by faith of Iesus Christ Rom. 3 22. Phil. 3 9. a Righteousness through the faith of Christ ibid. All which the like expressions do manifestly say that faith laith hold on a Righteousness even on the Righteousness of God And this Righteousness is said to be unto all upon all them that beleeve Rom. 3. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And imputed or reckoned upon their score Rom 4 24. Mr. Baxter in the forecited book Cath. Theol. § 131. saith that the meaning of this Rom. 4 24. is no more but that God reputeth or judgeth us Righteous But how can he repute us Righteous unless we have a Righteousness either of our own or from some other of ourselves we have not a Righteousness unless he account beleeving all our Righteousness against which we have said enough above and the very words of the text will not admit of this glosse as was also shown above If it be the Righteousness of Christ who was delivered for our Offences and was raised againe for our Justification vers 25. then it is fit object for faith to lay hold on it being Christ's Surety-Righteousness or the Righteousness which he performed wrought out when he was delivered for our offences and which was publickly declared to be accepted when he was raised againe for our Justification And whatever Mr. Baxter think this is and must be so far made our owne through the gracious Imputation of God that the Righteous God whose judgment is to according to truth may pronunce us Righteous and accept of us as such But saith he Imputing
of asserting justification by other works than perfect works required by the Covenant of works to wit by imperfect works which they say are required in the Gospel And therefore their meaning is we are not justified by perfect sinless obedience but by imperfect obedience to the Law This is the Evasion of the Socinians who say the Apostle speaketh of the works of the Law to shew that he speaketh of those works which are enjoined by the Law to wit of perpetual perfect obedience required by the Law And they say that by Faith he meaneth that confidence obedience which every one is able to performe and which is endeavoured after studied That this cannot be the meaning of the Apostles conclusion we suppose will be clear from these Considerations 1. This supposeth that they against whom the Apostle is here disputing were of opinion that men could yet be justified must be justified by perfect obedience to the Moral Law But it is hardly imaginable that men in their wits did ever so dreame or think that they were innocent could expect to be justified before God by their own perfection or perfect obedience to the Law in all points for this were to say they never had sinned 2. When the Apostle in the beginning of his disput in his Epistle to the Romans proveth that all have sinned are guilty before God both jew Gentile he thence inferreth that by the works of the Law no flesh shall be justified in God's sight Rom. 3 20. Whereby he giveth us to understand that there is no justification by the Law unless it be perfectly keeped And because no meer man did ever keep it perfectly or can so keep it therefore he concludeth that no man can be justified thereby There is no justification by works unless the works be perfect consequently that such as expect justification thereby be wholly sinless 3. If the Apostle had so disputed against justification by perfect works as to have granted or established justification by imperfect works he needed not have used any moe arguments to that end than what was mentioned cleared Rom. 1. 2. in the beginning of the 3. Chapter for his evincing that all had sinned come short of the Glory of God had been sufficient to this end without the addition of any one argument more seing it is impossible that sinners can be perfect obeyers And we must not think that all the Apostles further argueings are meerly superfluous for this would reflect upon the Spirit of God who acted Paul in this 4. How strange is it to imagine that the Apostle should disput against perfect works that he might establish imperfect works in the matter of justification to think that the Apostle is proving that we are not justified by the perfect works of the Law but by the imperfect works thereof that is we are not justified by such works as keep a conformity with the Law but by such works as are violations of the Law as all works are which are not conforme thereunto in all points 5. Imperfect works as to the ground of justification are not that Righteousness of God without the Law which is by Faith of Jesus Christ but opposite theâ—eunto and inconsistent therewith as well as perfect works for as he that perfectly keepeth the Law needeth not another Righteousness in order to his justification so neither needeth he who hath an imperfect obedience if that be made the formal objective merite cause of justification But Gospel-justification is by the Righteousness of God which is without the Law which Faith laith hold on Rom. 3 21 22. 6. Gospel justification is by Faith as the whole Gospel cleareth but faith imperfect works are not one the same Yea they are as repugnant in this affaire as faith perfect works are We are justified by faith without the deeds of the Law Rom. 3 28. Gal. 2 16. Living by faith living by works are opposite Gal. 3 11 12. 7. Justification by imperfect works is not free justification by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood as is manifest But this is the Gospel-justification Rom. 3 24 25. 8. Imperfect works exclude grace are as inconsistent therewith as perfect works are But Gospel-justification is by grace without works Rom. 3 24. Ephes. 2 8 9. Tit. 3 5 6 7. The Major is clear from the places cited as also from Rom. 11 6. If by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace But if it be of works then is it no more grace otherwise work is no more work Now if it be said that perfect works are here understood and not imperfect works it must be said also that Election of which the Apostle here speaketh is upon foresight of imperfect works 9. Imperfect works if made the Cause of Justification can give ground of boasting of glorying as we see in the Pharisee Luk. 18. But Gospel justification removeth all ground of boasting Rom. 3 27 4 2. 10. Imperfect works can not be accounted a perfect Righteousness by the Lord whose judgment is according to truth Rom. 2 2. But there is no justification without a perfect Righteousness either inherent or imputed God will pronounce no man Righteous who is not so nor justifie any as Righteous who is not so indeed But upon the account of an imperfect Righteousness can no man be justified as Righteous 11. Even this imperfect Righteousness when made the ground of justification will make the reward of debt and not of grace As Abraham's works if he had been justified by them would have done for Abraham's works were not perfect works but imperfect works as is manifest 12. If justification were not by perfect works but by imperfect works then through faith or through Gospel justification the Law should be made void contrary to Rom. 3 31. The reason of the consequence is because hereby the Law that requireth perfect obedience is laid aside another Law that requireth imperfect obedience admitted in its place or rather the same Law is pretended but it is made void as to its requireing perfect obedience must now be satisfied with an imperfect obedience But this is not to establish the Law but to destroy it when many Jotes titles are taken away from it Mat. 5 17 18. 13. The Iewes did not imagine that they were perfect without sin but followed after the Law of Righteousness that as it were â—s by the works of the Law Rom. 9 31 32 And this of necessity must have been mixed with much imperfection And yet the Apostle plainly saith in the place cited that they did not attaine to a Righteousness nor to the Law of Righteousness because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law so that seeking after Righteousness as it
justification which is the hinge ground work as it were of his doctrine of the Gospel and to shew how poor sinners standing under the Curse for sin come to be justified before God as in his Epistle to the Romans And to Vindicate the same doctrine of the Gospel from the corrupt pervesions of false teachers as in his Epistle to the Galatians as also to commend the free grace of God in that noble contrivance both in the places mentioned and Ephes. 2. Phil. 3. Tit. 3. and elsewhere when he mentioneth the same Now as to the scope of the Apostle Iames there is nothing to declare unto us that it was his Intent or designe to explaine make known the way how poor convinced sinners standing under the sentence of the Law come to be justified before God and to receive pardon of their sins No such question proposeth he to be discussed No such point of truth doth he lay down to be cleared or Vindicated But his whole scope drift is to press the reall study of holiness in several points particularly spoken to through the Epistle And in that second Chapt. from vers 14. forward as will appear more fully in the explication vindication of the several verses in particular he is particularly obviating that grosse mistake of some who thought that a bare outward profession of the Gospel Faith or of Christian Religion was sufficient to save them and evidence them to be in a justified state and that therefore they needed not trouble themselves with any study of holiness And therefore sheweth that all such hopes of Salvation were built on the sand for they had no ground to suppose that they were truely justified so were in any faire way unto salvation so long as all their faith was no other than a general assent unto the doctrine of the Gospel to truthes revealed not that true lively faith hold forth in the Gospel whereby sinners become justified before God Mr. Baxter tels Cath. Theol. part 2. n. 364. that St. James having to do with some who thought that the bare profession of Christianity was Christianity that faith was a meer assent to the Truth that to beleeve that the Gospel is true trust to be justified by Christ was enough to justification without Holiness fruitful Lives that their sin barrenness hindered not their justification so that they thus beleeved perhaps misunderstanding Paul's Epistles doth convince them that they were mistaken that when God spake of justification by faith without the works of the Law he never meaned a faith that containeth not a resolution to obey him in whom we beleeve nor that is separate from actual obedience in the prosecution But that as we must be justified by our Faith against the charge of being Insidels so must we be justified by our Gospel personal holiness and sincere obedience against the charge that we are unholy wicked or impenitent or hypocrites or else we shall never be adjudged to Salvation that is justified by God Ans. 1 It is true for it is manifest and undeniable that Iames had to do with some who thought that the bare profession of Christianity was enough that an assent unto the truth was that faith that would prove justifying saving But 2 it is not so manifest that Iames had to do with such as thought that to trust to be justified by Christ was enough to justification without holiness fruitful lives that their sin barrenness hindered not their justification for whatever Mr. Baxter imagine we finde not in Scripture that justification followeth lives that is that there is no justification before this fruitfulness of life appear And himself useth to say that in order to the first justification this holiness of life is not requisite And beside this which he calleth the first we know no other unless he mean glorification But then 3 as to glorification final Salvation we grant that Iames hath to do with such as thought a meer assent to the truth without holiness was sufficient hereunto but that their beleeving thus could flow from their misunderstanding of Paul's Epistles is not any way probable seing Paul in all his Epistles even where he speaks most of justification by Faith without the deeds of the Law presseth the necessity of holiness in order to Salvation so as no imaginable ground hereof can with the least of shewes be pretended 4 That when Paul said justification was by Faith without the works of the Law he meant a true lively faith which only is to be found in that soul in which the seed of grace is sown and which is made partaker of the holy Ghost and of the divine Nature is true but yet justifying faith doth not formally containe in it a resolution to obey him in whom we beleeve as was shown elsewhere 5 Then we see that the faith whereof Iames speaketh is not the same with that Faith whereby Paul said we are justâ—fied And seing both do not speak of the same Faith there can be no appearance of discrepance 6 When he saith we must be justified by our Faith against the charge of being infidels I would know what he meaneth by this charge of infidelity If he meane the charge of not beleeving the Gospel he knoweth that a meer assent to the truth will â—ustifie from that Charge If he meane the charge of not receiving resting upon Christ according to the Gospel even that will be but a particular justification from that particular charge and is not that justification from the sentence of the Law whereof Paul speaketh 7 That we must be justified as he saith by our Gospel personal holiness sincere obedience against the charge that we are unholy wicked or impenitent hypocrites is true but what can all this say for a justification from the sentence of the Law under which we are all lying by Nature and of which the Apostle Paul speaketh And if Iames speak of justification by works in reference to this accusation he speaketh of no other kind of justification than that which the most wicked wreatch yea the devils are capable of when to wit they are falsely accused of having done some evil which they have not done And how can Mr. Baxter inferre from what Iames saith if he speak of no other kind of justification that works are required unto our justification as to state or unto our general justification from the sentence of the Law adjudging us to death because of transgression 8 But he addeth or else we shall never be adjudged to Salvation that is justified by God Then the Justification that Iames speaketh of that Mr. Baxter meaneth is final Salvation And we willingly grant that there must be personal holiness sincere obedience before this and that no wicked or impenitent person or hypocrite shall be adjudged to Salvation But the justification which Paul treateth of is different from
this though it be the sure way to this seing all who are justified shall be thus saved Thus we see that according to Mr. Baxter the meaning of Iames is the same with Paul's when he saith Heb. 12 14. Follow peace with all men holinoss without which no man shall see the Lord. And then Iames speaketh nothing of that justification whereof Paul treatch this is what we say whence it is manifest that there is no appearance of contradiction betwixt the two holy writers But that we may come to some further clearness in this matter we must see whether Paul Iames mean speak of one the same Faith for if it be found that they speak of diverse Faiths all appearance of Contradiction is removed Now that the Apostle Paul meaneth of a true lively saving Faith which is a saving fruite of the Spirit of God the special Gift of God is easily granted on all hands All the question is of that faith which Iames speaketh of Papist's say that it is true justifying that Iames speaketh of for justifying Faith with them is nothing but a real assent unto the Catholick Doctrine or to divine Revelation And indeed if Justifying Faith be nothing else it can not be well denyed that Iames meaneth here a justifying faith But the folly of this ground is obvious to all that understand the Gospel and we need not here insist in confuting the same That which Iames here saith of this Faith is enough to demonstrate of what Nature it is and the Epithets he giveth it do sufficiently manifest that it is not Faith of the Right stamp nor that true lively Faith by which Paul saith that we are justified and the discovery of this will be enough to our purpose and every verse of his discourse hereanent will help us herein for 1 vers 14. it is a profitless Faith which cannot be said of justifying Faith as the whole Scripture cleareth 2 Ibid. it is a Faith that hath no ground or reality but a mans saying nor no other evidenee or proof What doth it profite my Brethren though a man say he hath Faith There is no other proof adducable but his say so which cannot be justifying Faith 3 Ibidâ—can Faith save him so that it is a Faith that hath no sure connexion with nor tendency to Salvation which cannot be supposed of the true lively justifying Faith as is known 4 vers 15 16. It is no more true Faith than that is true charity which saith to the naked destitute brother depart in peace be thou warmed filled notwithstanding giveth not those things which are needful to the body 5 vers 17. It is expresly called a dead Faith But the precious Faith of God's elect is a lively Faith 6 ibid. It is a Faith without works having no connexion therewith nor being any ground thereunto but the true Faith that justifieth worketh by Love is a living principle and floweth from the infusion of life 7 So vers 18. It is a Faith uncapable of any true evidence or demonstration as to its being from works of holiness and so is not accompanied with any real change of soul But it is not thus with true saving Faith 8 vers 19. It is such a Faith as devils may have But devils are not capable of justifying Faith 9 vers 20. It is the Faith that a Vaine man never humbled in the sense of his own lost Condition nor driven out of himself to seek reliese elsewhere in the free mercy grace of God through Jesus Christ may have But that is not the Faith of the humbled hear broken man that 's sleeing to Christ for refuge 10 vers 21 22 23. It is not such a Faith as Abraham had that made him willing to offer up his son Isaac when commanded so wrought with was evidenced demonstrated by works 11 vers 25. Nor is it like the Faith of Rahab which prompted her to receive the Messengers and send them out another way 12 vers 26. It is such a Faith that is no better than a carcase without breath which is no essential part of a living man But the Faith that justifieth is a far other thing By these particulars it is manifest that this Faith whereof James speaketh so much and which he opposeth unto works denieth justification salvation unto is not the precious faith that Paul speaketh of We have seen that Paul James speak not of one the same faith we shall now enquire whether they speak of One the same Justification And if it be found that therein they differ all ground of imaginable difference will be further removed What that justification is whereof Paul speaketh is manifest needeth not here be declared for it is plaine that he treateth of that justification whereby a poor sinner convinced of his sin misery in lying under guilt under the Curse of God because of sin is absolved before God from the sentence of the Law accepted of Him and brought into an estate of Favour reconciliation having a right unto Salvation through Faith in Jesus Christ. Upon the other hand it is as obvious cleare that James is not treating of this justification whereby a change of state is made in the man But of a justification of a far other nature even such a justification whereby the Mans Faith the reality of his Christianity his justification before God is evidenced or may be evidenced to himself or to others So that whether we take justification here as mentioned by James for the evidence demonstration of justification or for a justification of the truth of the Mans Faith Christianity it cometh all to one for where true faith true Christianity is there is justification and there only so that what demonstrats the one will demonstrat the other and a justification or manifestation of the one will be a justification of the other Nor is this sense of the word justifie or justification alien from the Scriptures as we see Psal. 51 4. Rom. 3 4. for God can not other wayes be justified but by being declared avowed proclamed to be Righteous So Ier. 3 11. Ezek. 16 51 52. Mat. 11 19. Luk. 7 35 29. 1. Tim. 3 16. Now that this is the justification whereof Iames speaketh may be furder cleared by these particulars 1 The scope that Iames here levelleth at being not to clear up the way manner how or the causes by which this change of Relation State is wrought brought about but to discover the groundlesness of the vaine pretenses of such as supposed they were justified in a sure way to be saved who had no more for their ground but a loose verbal outward profession of the preached truth without any real fruit of godliness So that this Enquirie is what can truely evidence a person to be justified indeed before God And he sheweth that an empty fruitless profession
did know then sure this death was more particularly designedly intended for them than for the rest and upon what account to what end should Christ lay down his life a Ransome for such as he knew certainly should never be the better thereof And why would the Father send him to die for such 3. This Condition is either in mans sole power without the help of the Grace of God to performe or not If it be in mans power from what Scripture shall this Pelagianisme be confirmed How shall then the new Covenant of Grace be distinguished in specie from the Covenant of Works made with Adam If this Condition be not in mans power but the Grace of God must work it Then either God will work it in all or not If not why would God purchase good things to people upon a Condition which they could not performe which he alone could work in them resolved not to worke in them If he will worke it in all then all shall certainly be saved Againe if this Condition be the free gift of God then either God will give it Absolutely to all and so all shall certainly be saved or Absolutely to some then none but they shall be saved and why should Christ die for the rest Or Conditionally to all And if so the doubt will recurre concerning that Condition which either must be Absolutely given so we are where we were or Conditionally and so still the doubt recurreth 4. This condition is either purchased by Christ or it is not If not then we owe no thanks to Christ for it nor for what is obtained upon that Condition more then others who performe not the Condition so obtaine nothing but to ourselves only who make ourselves to differ and so may we sing praises to ourselve put the crown upon our owne heads and give no song of praise to the Redeemer but what such as go to hell are bound to give contrary to all Christian Religion If Christ hath purchased this Condition then it is done either Absolutly of Conditionally If Absolutely than all shall Absolutely have it if Conditionally we enquire what is the Condition And whatever it be we may move the same questions concerning it 5. By this meanes the act should creatits owne object for Faith in the death of Christ is ordinarily given as the Condition and this faith maketh the death of Christ valide which otherwayes would not be 6. This maketh all the vertue of Christs death to depend upon mans act so that if man will all shall be saved if not no man shall be saved notwithstanding that Christ died for them 7. This makes Christ but at most a half Mediator doing one part of the work and man coming in to compleete it must be the other half mediator and so at least must have the halfe of the Praise 8. where saith the Scripture that if we beleeve Christ died for us or that Christ died for all or for any Conditionally It is true some of the effects of Christ's death are bestowed Conditionally taking the word conditionally not properly as if the performance of that Condition did in proper Law sense procure a right to these mercies for through the merites of Christ's blood have we a right properly to all but improperly as denoteing nothing but the Methode way of God's bestowing the blessings purchased first this and then upon the souls acting of that another as for example first faith then upon the souls acting of Faith Justification then Sanctification c. and upon the souls acting of Sanctification Glorification but the death of Christ cannot therefore be called Conditional more than the will or purpose of God can be called conditional because some of the things willed may depend upon other as upon a condition 9. Then by performing the Condition man should procure to himself a Legal Right and Title not only to the death of Christ but to Justification Adoption Sanctification yea to Glorification yea and that a more near effectual Title Right than what was had by Christ's death for the Title had by Christ's death if it can be called a Title was far Remore Common to such as shall never have any profite by it but the other is Certain Particular Proxime giveth possession â—us in re 10. Then Christ's blood as shed upon the crosse was but a Poâ—â—ntial thing having no power or vertue in it self to redeem any it was but a poor Potential price and all its vertue of actual purchasing procureing is from mans performing the Condition this and this only giveth it Power Efficacy and so Christ is beholden to man for giving vertue unto his Blood and making it effectual which before was a deadineffectual thing Then let any judge who should have the greatest share of the Glory of Redemption Man or Christ. 11. was Christ's death Absolute in no respect or was it as to some things I mean belonging to Grace Glory Absolute if in nothing then Man must certanely have a great share of the glory if it was Absolute as to any thing what was that and why was it more Absolute as to that than as to other things And why should it then be simply without limitation said that Christ died for all Conditionally For Further confirmation of our 19. Argument confutation of our Adversaries position we adde 21. That Christ Jesus is heard of the Father in all that he asketh Psal. 2 8. Ioh. 11 41 42. and as an High Priest he entred into heaven Heb. 9 11 12. now to appear in the presence of God for us vers 24. to prepare a place Ioh. 14 2. to act the part of an Advocat interceding with the Father in the behalfe of all such for whom he died 1. Ioh. 2 1 2. If then Christ whom his Father heareth alwayes intercedeth in the behalfe all these for whom he died either he did not die for all or all must certainly be saved That Christ's Intercession Death are for the same persons will be and must be denyed by our Adversaries But to us it is most manifest from these grounds 1. To Intercede pray are as Essential Necessary Acts of the Priestly office as to offer sacrifice and the Apostle Heb. 9. cleareth up how Christ did in truth what the High Priest among the Jewes did in the type for as the High Priest alone went once every yeer into the second tabernacle or holy of holies not without blood which he offered for himself and the errours of the people vers 7. So Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle by his owne blood he entered in once into the holy place having obtained eternal Redemption vers 12. Hence he is said to Live for ever to make Intercession for us Heb. 7 25. and he is an Advocat with the Father 1. Ioh. 2 1. Hence then it is
that it is nothing to the present question But this we say That all men by nature and so Beleevers before they be justified by faith in Christ are not only under the Curse because of sin but are under the demand of the law or the commanding power of the law requiring perfect obedience in order to the reward And that therefore both these demands of the law must be satisfied by their Surety and the same must be imputed to them and reckoned upon their score before they can be looked on as free of the Curse and as heirs of the Reward promised to full perfect obedience 3. We are not saith he therefore exempted from keeping the law no not in respect of justification it self because we have transgressed it but because 1. having once transgressed it we are utterly uncapable of such an observation whether personally or by imputation which may amount to justification or exemption from punishment 2. That relaxation or release from an observation of or dependance upon the law by justification accrueth unto us by meanes of our dependance upon Christ for justification through his death Rom. 7 4. Ans. 1 If our transgression of the law doth not exeem us from the obligation to keep it perfectly in order to justification then ere we be justified that obligation must be satisfied as well as the obligation to punishment and so the law must be perfectly keeped as well as its penalty suffered And seing we our selves can do neither our Surety must do it for us that must be accepted for us imputed to us 2 Nor can it be said that our uncapableness to keep it so as may amount to justification doth exeem us from the obligation or destroy the lawes power to require that of us more than our uncapableness to suffer the penalty so as may amount to a justification doth or can exeem us from the obligation to suffer or destroy the lawes power to require the penalty of us It is true that no man now is called of God to endeavoure this way of justification yet all such as live without the Gospel have not the better more sure way through faith in Christ made known unto them The obligation to perfect obedience remaining after the transgression saith that ere a man that was both obliged to Suffer and to yeeld perfect obedience can be justified the law as to both these demands must be satisfied the Sureties Satisfaction to both must be reckoned upon his score 3 Justification Exemption from punishment are not one the same in our case more than pardon Righteousness 4 The Exemption that accrueth to beleevers saith not that there was no obligation upon mankind both to suffer and to obey in order to justification anteriour to Christs doing both 4. God never required saith he pag. 210. of any man but only of Christ both exactness of obedience to the law subjection to punishment due to the transgression of the law conjunctim but divisim only He that shall perfectly keep the law is not bound to suffer the penalty Ans. 1 Then our transgressing of the law should exeem us from the obligation to obedience contrare to what was granted in the First Exception 2 Though he who perfectly keepeth the law is obnoxious to no punishment yet he who breaketh the law as we all did in Adam beside our daily transgressions is obnoxious to punishment this obnoxiousness to punishment no more dissolveth his obligation to obedience than his transgression was able to do And therefore we are all considered in our Natural state obliged to both conjunctim for we are borne sinners and yet born under the obligation of keeping the law of God 3 Gods requiring both of Christ who was Mediator Surety saith that both were required of us for what was required of him as Surety was required of the principal debtors 5. He saith In case a Man hath transgressed the law hath suffered whether by himself or by some other for him the full punishment threatned he is no further a debtor unto the law neither in point of punishment nor of obedience for the punishment is of equal consideration to the law with the most absolute conformity and as no man can be obliged to fulfill the law twice for his justification so neither is it reasonable to conceive that he who hath suffered the full penalty that being as satisfactory to the law as the exactest obedience should be still bound to the observation of the law Ans. When the law promiseth life to the fulfillers as well as threatneth death to the transgressours the suffering of death for the transgression is not such a fulfilling of the law as hath the promise of life annexed to it Devils though now suffering the vengeance of eternal fire the death threatned yet cannot be said to be fulfilling the law or obeying unto life nor can they be said to be justified nor to be suffering any thing in order thereunto In order therefore to our justification Acceptance with God as heirs of the life promised who were both obnoxious to punishment also obliged to give perfect obedience to the law the law as to both must be satisfied Nor can we say that the punishment of Devils is of equal consideration to the law with the conformity yeelded thereunto by the confirmed Angels And though the suffering of the penalty in lawes penal or such as promise no reward unto the obeyers may be said to be of equal consideration with the keeping of the law yet this cannot be said in lawes which promise a Reward to the observers as well as threaten a punishment to transgressours Nor can the man that suffereth the punishment suppose to the full that is threatened in the law be said to have fulfilled the law and to have deserved the reward promised to obeyers 2 Though Christ hath both obeyed the law suffered the punishment yet the law is not twice fulfilled but once because as was granted such as were sinners and obnoxious to punishment were also obliged to yeeld perfect obedience for transgression did not destroy this obligation As when a man is punished for breach of a law that not only required obedience under such a penalty but also promised a reward to the observers when he is put to performe what was commanded ere he can have the promised reward he is not put to fulfill the law twice for his punishment was but Satisfaction to one part of the law or to threatning but it was no satisfaction of the law as to the reward promised Arg. 6. If there be no justification without a perfect Righteousness no such Righteousness to be found but the Righteousness of Christ performed to the law then of Necessity this Righteousness must be imputed to us unto justification But the former is true Ergo c. The ground of this Argument is that justification is the pronouncing of a person righteous justification being
Gods act the person justified must be righteous ere God can judge pronounce him to be such for the judgment of God is alwayes according to truth no person having a righteousness of his own all that are justified must have a Righteousness imputed to them and there is no Righteousness that can be said to be imputed but the Surety righteousness of Christ and particularly in satisfying all the demands of the law He Excepteth pag. 211. against the Minor 1. That however it be true that justification cannot take place without a perfect Righteousness being nothing else than the making of a man perfectly Righteous yet a Righteousness consisting determinatly of such a tale of righteous acts as Christ performed unto the Moral law is not absolutely necessary for in reference to the jewes there must have been righteous acts performed unto the ceremonial law also Ans. 1 Justification is not the making of a man perfectly righteous but the judicial pronouncing declaring of a man to be so through the Righteouseness of Christ imputed to him received by faith 2 A perfect Righteousness consisting in compleat obedience the law is required we urge not such a determination of acts in number tale to the moral or to the Ceremonial law only we assert the necessity of a full obedience to the Rule of Righteousness which God prescribed unto men this was the Moral law Though as to the jewes there were other prescriptions proposed than were to others of the world yet these same prescriptions consisting in Ceremonials or in Judicials were reduced to the Moral law were enjoined thereby so long as they stood in force and were not repealed by the Supream Law giver Except 2. Neither is it so absolutly true that there is no perfect Righteousness to be found beside Christs There is a Righteousness in the law as absolut compleat And it is much more probable that if God Imputes a legal Righteousness unto Men in justification He fournisheth them this way out of the law Ans. But what is that Righteousness in the law doth the law hold forth any Righteousness but perfect obedience and how can God furnish them with this but by Imputing unto them the perfect obedience of Christ seing He hath not so ordered matters as they shall be in case while here perfectly to keep the law themselves 2 He remitteth us to what he said formerly in the same Treatise and in that place he maketh this compleat Righteousness to consist in Remission of sinnes And yet it is certaine that Remission is no obedience nor is it a Righteousness held forth in the law not is it any Satisfaction to the law yea it agreeth noth with common sense nor with Reason to say that by Remission of sins men are made formally Righteous Except 3. That perfect Righteousness wherein justification consisteth and where with men are made formally Righteous when they are justified is nothing else but Remission of sins Rom. 4 6 7. Ans. Remission of sins is not a perfect Righteousness This hath no countenance from Scripture nor from Reason or common sense Who ever thought or said that a pardoned Thiefe or Murderer was a Righteous man or that his pardon made him formally Rightheous and an observer of the law Though thereupon he be freed from the penalty or from the punishment threatned in the law against such transgressours yet is he nor thereupon either made or declared to be Righteous but his pardon is a virtual declaration that he is not Righteous but a Transgressour How that place Rom. 4 6 7. is perverted when adduced to give countenance to this fiction is declared already He addeth pag. 215. two Reasons for this the first is That remission of sins is equivalent unto and virtually containeth comprehendeth in it the most absolute and entire obedience unto the law Ans. Remission of sins as such is so far from being equivalent to this or from comprehending this in it that it is a plaine declaration of the contrary for where entire obedience is there Remission hath no place and Remission must presuppose a Transgression The next is Because swaith he it hath all these great and high privileges annexed to it and depending upon it which a Righteousness most strickly so called could have as the Love Favour acceptation and approbation of God Ans. If we speak of Remission of sinnes in it self and abstractly considered this is also false for though a pardoned man be freed from the punishment due to Transgressours yet as meerly pardoned he hath no right to Reward promised to the perfect observers of the law Nothwithstanding hereof we grant that the man pardoned of God hath all these high and great privileges but not by vertue of his meer pardon but because there is a Righteousness imputed to him upon which these privileges do depend and Exemption from punishment dependeth upon his pardon He hath two other Reasons elsewhere pag. 5 6. to this purpose as 1. That Remission includeth the acknowledgment of the observation of the whole law even as the Imputation of the law fulfilled necessarily includeth the non-imputation of sin Ans. Though in our justification this might be granted to be true upon the matter because there is an Imputation of the whole Surety-righteousness of Christ together and the one part is not separated from the other so that the one consequently inferreth the other But when it is thus reasoned against the Imputation of the one the Inference here must be understood of a formal Inference and so it is false that Remission includeth the acknowledgment of the observation of the whole law for it only includeth the non-Imputation of guilt notwithstanding that the law was broken yea as is said it manifestly supposeth the contrary viz. That the law was not perfectly observed for had the law been perfectly observed there had been no place for pardon Moreover Remission as such giveth no Right to the reward promised unto perfect obedience but only impunity from the punishment threatned for disobedience 2. saith he He cannot be said to have all this sinnes fully forgiven who is yet looked vpon as one that hath transgressed either by Omission or Commission intended to be dealt with all as such Ans. Though he whose sinnes are fully forgiven cannot be dealt with as one guilty of sin that is as one liable to the punishment yet he may be looked on as one that was guilty and so did not give full and perfect obedience and therefore though he cannot be dealt with as a Transgressour yet neither can he be dealt with upon the account of his Remission as one that hath yeelded perfect obedience did never transgress Wherefore seing he cannot be looked upon as one that never transgressed he cannot be looked upon as one that hath a perfect Righteousness and so a Right to the Reward The similitudes taken from a phisician restoreing his patient to health by recovering him from his sickness and