as a cause so is our Righteousness Justification inseparable as the full Effect CHAP. IX Other passages of the N. T. briefly mentioned which plead for this Imputation of Christs Righteousness THere are other passages of Scripture beside these mentioned in the preceeding chapter and against which I finde no Exceptions made by Mr. Goodwine in the forecited Book which yet do with no small clearness and fulness of evidence plead for the truth which we owne to wit The Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto Beleevers in order to their Justification These we shall not insist upon but only mentione in short seing the full insisting upon them will not be necessary after what is said in the Explication Vindication of foregoing passages 1 Rom. 1 17. For therein is the Righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written the just shall live by faith The Apostle is here giving a reason proving the Gospel whereof he was not ashamed to be a preacher of to be the power of God unto Salvation that to every one that beleeveth be he jew or be he Gentile viz. Because there is a Righteousness revealed therein which sinners only stand in need of that Righteousness of God that is not only a Righteousness which is devised by God and is accepted in His sight but an excellent Righteousness even the Righteousness of one who is God and a Righteousness revealed for faith to lay hold on receive that which faith leaneth to first and last when it is weakest and when it is strongest that thereby the poor sinner who formerly was dead by law may live as one reconciled to God So that hence we see Sinners have need of a Righteousness and this Righteousness is the Righteousness of God is revealed in the Gospel that it may be received by faith and so Imputed made over to the poor sinner in order to his Justification and acceptance with God 2 Rom. 4 11. And he i. e. Abraham received the signe of circumcision a seal of the Righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised that righteousness might be imputed to them also Here is a Righteousness and a Righteousness called the Righteousness of faith because received applied only by faith and a Righteousness whereof circumsion was appointed a seal granted to Abraham as such and a Righteousness which was imputed to Abraham that he might be the Father of all them that beleeve for it is added that Righteousness might be Imputed to them also And this must be the same Righteousness that was Imputed to Abraham the same way Imputed the same way received that there migt be no essential difference betwixt the way of justification of Father and Children The Aethiopick Version may serve for a commentary and he had circumsion a signe of his righteousness which He gave him and the signe thereof that this might be made known unto him that God justified Abraham by faith when he was not at that time circumcised that they may know that they also are justified by faith 3. Rom. 4 24 25. But for us also to whom it shall be Imputed if we beleeve on Him who raised up tesus our Lord from the dead who was delivered for our offences was raised againe for our justification Here is some thing said to be Imputed this must be in order to justification And this that is Imputed cannot be faith it self or our act of beleeving for what is said to be Imputed is promised to be Imputed upon condition of faith or our beleeving on Him who raised up Iesus our Lord. So that it must be the Righteousness of Christ consisting in His Mediatory work which He undertook performed for His owne for it is added that He was delivered for their offences that is He was delivered unto the death to make satisfaction for their sinnes He rose againe that He might declare He had given full Satisfaction that He might apply this Surety-righteousness of His to the end they might be justified Socinus doth not understand this therefore de Servat part 4. p. 333 saith It is most certaine that the Apostle doth not speak of any Imputation of the righteousness of Christ but assert that the faith or credite we give God because He hath called Iesus Christ our Head from death to eternal life shall be accounted unto us in the place of righteousness just as faith whereby Abraham gave credite to the words of God was Imputed to him for righteousness But the Text hereby is manifestly perverted for it saith that some thing shall be imputed if we beleeve which can not be faith but something distinct from faith which is to be Imputed upon condition of faith And what can this be else than the Surety-righteousness of Christ who is here mentioned as dying riseing in the place and for 〈◊〉 good of His people that they might be justified And further if it were faith it self that were here said to be Imputed in order to justification the justified man should not be one that is in himself ungodly because he hath a Righteousness in himself and he who hath a Righteousness in himself is not ungodly yet it is said Rom. 4 5. That God justifieth the ungodly Againe That which is Imputed must be a Righteousness without works vers 6. but if faith it self be Imputed a work is Imputed and not a Righteousness without works and this would also lay down a ground of boasting make the reward of debt not of grace v. 14. 4. Rom. 10 10. For with the heart man beleeveth unto Righteousness with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation The Apostle had been before vers 4. telling us That Christ was the end of the law for righteousness to every one that beleeveth thereafter he discriminateth the way of justification by the law and by the Gospel under the Notion of a Righteousness which is of the law and a Righteousness which is of faith then more particularly he describeth the Righteousness of faith or a Righteousness is had unto Salvation in through faith vers 9. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus shalt beleeve in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved which he proveth in the 10. vers now cited therein sheweth how by this beleeving that God hath raised the Lord Jesus from the dead Salvation is brought about viz. That by beleeving with the heart a Righteousness is obtained received and this righteousness must be Christs even His surety-Surety-righteousness for faith looketh on Him as raised from the dead that by God as having now received full Satisfaction from Him thereupon bringing Him as it were out of prison And in the Text cited we see that by faith a Righteousness is received or faith is the way unto the possession of a Righteousness as Confession is the
they were in their way So againe Rom. 10 3 4. it is said of them for they being ignorant of God's Righteousness going about to establish their own Righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the Righteousness of God for Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that beleeveth They would not follow God's way nor submit to that Righteousness which is twice here called the Righteousness of God but in the pride of their heart would set up establish their own Righteousness and make it stand on its feet and therefore would not be beholden to Christ to his Righteousness nor look to him by faith who was the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that beleeveth and so they lost all This sad example should cause all look about them beware of intertaining a prejudice at the Gospel-way of Justification 6. From this Instance we may also take notice of another Consideration to wit That to refuse this Gospel-way of Justification argueth intolerable pride of heart haughtiness of minde It is observed of the Jewes here that they would not submit themselves unto the Righteousness of God they would not bow so low nor humble themselves so far as to deny their own Righteousness condescend to take on Christ but in their pride stoutness of heart they thought though the bricks were fallen they should build all up againe with their own hewn stones so they went about to underprop set up their own Righteousness that it might stand And what an intolerable thing is this for beggers dyvours to be so proud of nothing to refuse to accept of be satisfied with the payment of a Cautioner As then we would not have this guilt of contemning in the pride of our hearts the way that the Wisdom of God hath found out the Righteousness of God let us not refuise our own Salvation stand out against this established sure approven way of taking on Christ's Righteousness 7. We may take notice of another Consideration here to move us to close with this only way to wit That the refuising of this way as it argueth ignorance both of the worth of the excellency of the necessity of this way of Justification through the Imputed Righteousness of Christ so it argueth a rooted prejudice against Christ and the way of justification through him a judicial stroke of wrath from the Lord upon such as wilfully pertinaciously refuise this Gospel way for it is said of the jewes here Rom. 10 3. that they were ignorant of God's Righteousness And Chap. 9 32. that they stumbled at that stumbled stone they brake their necks on that which was the only meane of saving them that in the righteous judgment of God according to what was foretold Esai 8 14 15. where it is said that the Lord of hosts who would be for a Sanctuary to his own should be for a stone of stumbling for a rock of offence for a gin for a snare many among them shall stumble fall be broken be snared be taken And this is further confirmed by that which Peter saith 1. Pet. 2 7 8. but unto them which be disobedient the stone which the builders disallowed the same is made the head of the corner And a stone of stumbling a rock of offence to them which stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed The consideration of this should cause all look about them 8. It is also considerable that such as will not submit themselves unto this Righteousness of God have no way to betake themselves unto no course that they can follow in order to their Justification but that which is peremtorily rejected of the Lord condemned in his word that is the way of their Owne Works These Jewes who would not submit themselves unto the Righteousness of God could fall upon no other course but the establishing of their own Righteousness And there is no other way mentioned in Scripture but these two either by Works or by Faith that is either by the Righteousness of Christ or by our own Righteousness hence the Apostle doth alwayes oppose these two to other by disputing against the Law our Works or our Righteousness according to the Law he establisheth and confirmeth the true only way through the Righteousness of Christ by pleading for this he destroyeth the other and as there are no third way distinct from both so there is no commixture of both to make up a third in apart agreeing with both for grace works cannot agree to gether to make one composition Rom. 11 6. So that what ever different Wayes and Modes or Methodes men excogitate in this matter if they step aside from the pure way of grace the way of Justification through the Imputed Righteousness of Christ they must of necessity close with that way which is through Works against which Paul hath disputed so much in his Epistles Now what madness is it to embrace such a way in whole or in part if in part it must also be in whole for as is said grace and works will not mixe against which the Apostle hath argued so much both in his Epistle to the Romans to the Galatians 9. This way of Justification through the Imputed Righteousness of Christ is the only way to Peace Reconciliation with God as the Apostle concludeth Rom. 5 1. Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. Peace with God standeth only upon this foundation to wit Justification by Faith that is Justification through the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us by God received by faith People may dream of obtaining Peace Reconciliation another way but they will be miserably disappointed for as we said above justice can be no other way satisfied till iustice be satisfied there is no Reconciliation no Peace What a miserable case then are persons in who will not submit unto this way They may frame a way to themselves and be very Zealous in it as the Jewes had a Zeal of God Rom. 10 2. be at much expense of duties toile therein as the Pharisee who fasted twice a week and yet attaine to no Peace or Reconciliation with God All then who are desireous of this blessed Peace must choose this way and close with it heartily and this should be a strong enducement unto them thereunto We should remember what Paul said 2 Cor. 5 18 19 21. God hath reconciled us to himself by Iesus Christ that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself but how was this See vers 21. for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him This even this only is the way to Peace Reconciliation with God and who ever take a way different from this or
which is had by Faith and which every one partaketh of that beleeveth as the following words show 16. When the Apostle saith Rom. 5 19. by the Obedience of one shall many be made righteous doth he meane by that obedience of one our Faith not rather the Obedience of Christ which is imputed and whereby we become Righteous As the disobedience of Adam was not some particular after deed of his posterity which was imputed to them for their disobedience but it was the particular fact of Adam eating the forbidden fruit which was imputed to all his posterity and whereby they were constituted sinners so this obedience of Christ cannot be any act of obedience in us be it Faith or what you will but the acts of Christ obeying the Law imputed to us whereby we become Righteous are constituted Righteous in the sight of God 17. When Paul said Phil. 3 9. and be found in him i. e. Christ not having mine own righteousness which it of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith can he meane by this Righteousness which he was desirous to be foundin only Faith If he had meaned Faith had not that been his own Righteousness Is not our Faith called our owne If not why saith Iames Chap. 2. shew me thy faith I will shew thee my faith And should not this Righteousness if his beleeving had been it been of the Law Or is faith according to no Law If it be according to no Law it is no act of obedience Moreover how could Faith be said to be through Faith Is Faith a mean to it self How can Faith be the Righteousness of God which is by faith Was not the Apostles scope desire to win Christ And is Faith Christ 18. If our act of beleeving be imputed to us as our Righteousness then we cannot say In the Lord have we righteousness contraire to Esai 45 24. in order to a saying in the Lord we shall be justified as vers 25. but rather in ourselves have we Righteousness in order to this end for Faith or our act of Beleeving is in our selves immediatly and is said to be our Righteousness Nor can we thus call the Lord our righteousness contrate to Ier. 43 6. But rather our own act of beleeving shall be our Righteousness trusted to as such Nor yet could we say that Christ is made of God to us righteousness As it is 1 Cor. 1 30. unless that because by vertue of his mediation our act of beleeving is made of God to us Righteousness sure I am the emphasis of the words pointeth out some other thing as hath been seen 19. Is our beleeving that rob of Righteousness wherewith the Lord covereth such as have ground to rejoice greatly in the Lord and to be joyful in their God Esai 61 10 Such might as well rejoice greatly in themselves be joyful in themselves in their Beleeving 20. Is Faith that everlasting Righteousness that the Messias was to bring in Dan. 9 24 Doth our act of beleeving last for ever Paul hinteth some other thing 1 Cor. 13. 21. When Paul saith Rom. 10 10. that with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousness must not this Righteousness be something distinct from beleeving If not we may as well say that Confession with the mouth is the same with Salvation for he addeth with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation wherefore as Confession is but a mean way unto Salvation so Beleeving is but a mean way unto Righteousness 22. Can we with any coloure of reason suppose that our act of beleeving is that Righteousness of God which is revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1. 17. Can faith be said to be revealed from it self to it self 23. Our act of Beleeving cannot be that Righteousness whereof Noah become heir Heb. 11 7. for he became heir of this Righteousness by Faith he could not be said to be come heir of Faith by Faith 24. Faith is among the works of Righteousness which we do and alâ— these works of Righteousness the Apostle excludeth from an interest in that Righteousness where-upon we are Justified as opposite to mercy Tit. 3 5. Therefore our Beleeving cannot be our Righteousness unto Justification 25. If our act of Beleeving be imputed to us for Righteousness then it alone must be that fine linen wherein the lambs bride is arayed and it must be the fine linen that is clean and white for this fine linen is said to be the Righteousness of the saints Revel 19 8. But that cannot be because our Faith is not so pure as that it may be called clean white linen the Saints themselves are ashamed of their faith as being so full of blemishes and imperfections as also because this favour granted to her to be arayed in this linen cometh in after that she hath made herself ready vers 7. which as Mr. Durham on the place sheweth is to be meaned of Faith 26. All this work about the Imputation of Faith taken properly for our act of Beleeving is made of purpose to shoot out the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ as is clear by Iohn Goodwines whole disput from his very stateing of the question part 1. pag. 7. saying But the Question in precise termes is this Whether the Faith of him who truely beleeves in Christ or whether the Righteousness of Christ himself be in the letter propriety of it that which God imputes to a beleever for righteousness or unto righteousness in his Justification Now let any judge which of the two hath more countenance in Scripture when the one to wit the Imputation of Faith is but to be drawn with any show of probability from one place of Scripture and yet how small countenance that giveth to it shall be seen hereafter and the other is so emphatically expressed in so many places both in the Old New Testament And which of the two deserve most the name of Righteousness in order to our Justification and the Imputation of which of the two is most consonant unto the genius of the Gospel Covenant which we must suppose to be far different from the Nature Constitution of the Covenant of Life made with Adam withall which of the two wayes speaketh out most distinctly the riches of the Love Grace of God giveth most sure ground of hope Confidence unto a poor wakened and distressed Soul finally which of the two is that which the seriously exercised Christian dar with fixedness of Resolution Lean the weight of his soul upon exercised Christians finde to be that whereupon they Loaning resting finde Peace Quietness of Soul CHAP. XXIII Some Arguments against the imputation of Faith Vindicated from the Exceptions of John Goodwine AFter these Reasons against the Imputation of our act of Beleeving drawn from the Scriptures we come here to Vindicate some Arguments adduced
any necessity to take is so Ans. It is true the 〈◊〉 is here showing the whole way method meanes of our justification particularly what that Righteousness is by which poor sinners can stand justified Righteous in the sight of God even a Righteousness that is not had by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ and this sufficiently evinceth that the Righteousness of God here spoken of is the Righteousness of Christ which saith seeketh in and goeth to Christ for that it may be imputed for faith hath no other end or errand to Christ in reference to a freedom from the wrath Curse of God but to lay hold on a Righteousness in which the poor self condemned sinner may appear before God Beside that the following words vers 24 25 26. where the Redemption propitiation of Christ which was His Surety-righteousness is mentioned may Satisfie us as to what is meaned by this Righteousness of God Sure there is not the least appearance of Paul's understanding that Mean Method which this Excepter supposeth to be the onely Method to wit That our faith considered as our Act is that as if that were the Righteousness of God could constitute us Righteous in the sight of God and were a Righteousness had without works without the Law received by all that beleeve Secondly Rom. 3. last Do we then make void the Law through faith God forbid yea we establish the Law Where the Apostle preoceupying an objection asserteth That through justification by faith he did not make void the law but rather did establish it the ground whereof is this That by the Gospel-way of justification the law getteth full Satisfaction in all points because Christ not only Satisfied for the penalty thereof which we were guilty of and did lye under but did also yeeld a perfect obedience thereunto that so He might make up a full compleat Surety-righteousness by the Imputation of which unto His own or the Lord 's reckoning it upon their score when they receive it by faith they may be justified And thus though sinners who have broken the Law so have forfeited the reward promised to such as observe it in all points are come under the Curse threatned to Transgressours be not only freed from the Curse but receive the rich Recompence of reward yet the law is not made null void but is rather established confirmed in its full force both as to its Commands Sanction Iohn Goodwine excepteth 1. There is no necessity that by the Law in this-place should be meaned precisely the moral law others understand it as well of the Ceremonial Law Ans. But sure Paul's doctrine was not for establishing of the Ceremonial Law in whole or in part The Law whereof the Apostle is speaking is that Law by which both Gentiles jewes were convinced of sin had their mouthes stopped were become guilty before God vers 19. that Law which maketh a discovery of sin vers 20. comp with Rom. 7 7. by the deeds of which no flesh shall be justified in the sight of God vers 20 28. It is that Law by the works whereof even Abraham could not be justified nor David Rom. 4 1 2 6 7 8. 2. He said It is much more probable that Paul should here assert the establishing of the Ceremonial Law than of the Moral 1. Because the jewes were more tender and jealous over the Ceremonial Law placing the far greatest part if not the whole of their hop of justification and Salvation in the observation thereof 2. Because the Doctrine of faith did not carry any such colour of opposition to the Moral as to the Ceremonial part of their Law Ans. To imagine that no Law is here to be understood but the Ceremonial Law is to make the Apostle establish here what he destroyeth else where particularly in his Epistles to the Galatians Colossians in his whole doctrine yea this would make the Apostle to cross the whole intent and designe of the Gospel which who dar once have the least thought of The Law here doth plainely signifie that which was the Rule of Righteousness and of Obedience was publickly given unto the jewes for that end by obedience to observation of which Law they were expecting justification life as by the young man is manifest who came to Christ to enquire what he should do to be saved said he had observed all these c. As to his reasons they have no force for 1. The jewes had a zeal for the whole Law but not according to knowledg went about to establish their own Righteousness which was not in meer Ceremonials but in obedience full conformity as they supposed unto the Righteousness which they sought after yea followed and hunted after Rom. 9 31. 10. 3. 2. The doctrine of faith carrieth the same colour of opposition to the Moral Law that it doth to the Ceremonial in the point of justification And it is not the doctrine of faith that carrieth any colour of opposition to the Ceremonial Law though the doctrine of the Gospel-administration doth else we must â—ay there was nothing of the doctrine of faith under the Law or that old dispensation 3. He saith Though the moral Law were precisely here understood yet there is no necessity to say that it is established by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness for Some affirme that the Law is therefore said to be established by faith because faith compasseth attaineth that righteousness which the Law sought after could not attaine 2. The Moral Law may in this sense be said to be established because faith purgeth the hearts of beleevers so promotes the observation of it Ans. As for the first I do not understand what the meaning of it is What is that Righteousness which faith compasseth and the Law sought after and could not attaine It would seem to be nothing else but Holiness and Sanctification and if so the two make but one and therefore I answere to this also by saying to the Second That albeit Subordinates can well consist together this sense needeth not thrust out our sense yet I judge this is not the maine Objection that Paul obviateth here he reserveth a peculiar place for that hereafter where he speaketh fully to it Chap. 6. 7. But he speaketh of the establishing of the Law both in its commanding power and Sanction for having spoken so much of justification by faith in opposition to justification by the Law and having said in the foregoing vers that the circumcision shall be justified by faith and the uncircumcision through faith and neither the one nor the other by or through the Law some might have thought that by his thus crying up of faith and speaking so much of it and only of it as to justification he was quite casheering and rendering the Law null void And therefore he answereth
his sin to us 3 Thus we see by asserting the cause viz. our relation to Christ he taketh away the effect viz. the Imputation of His Righteousness as being no distinct thing as if one should say we are related to Adam a sinful Head who broke the Law for us this is called Adam's sin imputed to us as being thus far reputed ours But yet Christ's fulfilling all Righteousness for us if that for us were understood in the Scripture sense and not according to the Socinian or Arminian gloss would abundantly ground the Imputation we plead for and that as a fruit of our Relation to Christ. Passing what he saith 8 as not worth the noticeing We come to see what he saith 9. lastly Proposing this objection to himself if Christ's person be given us then His personal Righteousness is given us with it He replieth thus Yes as His person is He is not given us as proprietors Lords to become our own at our dispose nor is his person made one Person with each or any of us His person is not turned into ours nor ours into his Ans. This is all to no purpose for no man in his wits either said so or dreamed so at any time As the husband saith he is not the person of the wife nor the King of each Subject but as one that hath a Great wise learned Bountiful Holy King or Husband hath also his Greatness c. as they have him that is as his perfections for their good as far as his relation bindes him but not as if his enduements were removed from him to them or falsely reputed to be in them or his person to be their persons so here as we have a Christ so we have a perfect Righteous Christ given us to be our federal head when we beleeve and the Righteousness which is not in us but in Him is ours so far as to be for our good as far as His office Covenant do oblige Him Ans. This savoureth of making Christ's dying for us to be nothing else than His dying for our good as Socinians say and if it import more as it doth in truth he cannot but see that his simile here hath nothing of a similitude in it for the objection speaketh of Christ's person given to us not as a great wise c. King is given to his Subjects but as the Surety is given to the debtor i.e. as one whose payment of the debt must be reckoned on the score of the debtor in order to his liberation out of prison He addeth So that a Righteous Christ and therefore the Righteousness of Christ are ours relatively themselves quoad jus beneficii so as that we have right to these benefites by them which we shall possess and for the merites of His Righteousness we are conditionally justified and saved before we beleeve and actually after Ans. All this jus beneficii is but remote for in the foregoing pag. he told us as we heard that this right doth not flow immediatly from what Christ did and suffered but from his Covenant of Grace and I think he should have said rather from their performance of the condition for the Covenant conveyeth no title but conditionally he knoweth and therefore can give no title or Right untill the condition be performed upon the performance of which the conditional Title becometh actual And further there is no more here said than what a Socinian will say and particularly Sclightingius pro Socino cont Meisnerum pag. 250. whose words we cited above towards the beginning of our XIII Chapter CHAP. XVII Reasons enforcing the practice of the Truth hithertill Vindicated WE have now at some length as the Lord was pleased to help essayed to vindicat this noble fundamental Truth of the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness in order to the obtaining of this life of justification and ere we proceed I judge it will not be amiss to press the practice of this Truth the hearty practical embracing thereof by several Arguments Considerations for it will not be enough for us to know the Theory and to be orthodox in our judgments as to these Necessary soul-concerning truthes but we must also practise them that it may appear we do beleev them in very deed and that we beleeve them with the heart this will be the best way to be kept orthodox and stedfast in the truth I shall therefore propose a few Considerations moving to the practice of this so necessary concerning a Truth As 1. This way of justification through the Imputed Righteousness of Christ the Mediator Surety is a way thath hath the testimony of both Law Prophets confirming it is now more clearly revealed manifest under the Gospel dispensation than it was formerly Rom. 3 21 22. But now the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law the Prophets even the Righteousness of God which is by faith of Christ unto all upon all them that beleeve And the same Apostle tels us Rom. 1 16 17. That he was not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that beleeveth c. And what is the ground reason of this for therein saith he is the Righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written the just shall live by â—aith This then must be a very sure saife way being thus attested witnessed by all that are worthy of credite in this matter a way that is one the same as to its substance both before the Law under the Law now under the Gospel though it be now more clearly unfolded explained since the coming exaltation of the blessed Mediator than it was before His coming when it was darkly revealed shadowed under the Mosaical Ceremonies Observances None need to feare a Miscarrying or a disappointment in following of this way which even the Law it self or the Mosaical observances did point forth in the daily yeerly Sacrifices pointing forth the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world on which the offerers were to lay their hands before they were to be offered up in token of their devolving laying their sin guilt upon the same as the the type of that one only acceptable Sacrifice that was to come in the fuluess of time was to satisfie justice for their sinnes to shew forth declare their faith relying thereon expecting acceptance there through as we see Levit. 1 4 3 2. 16 21. And a way which also the Prophets or the Spirit of Christ which was in them did testifie and bear witness to when it testified before hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow 1 Pet. 1 10. c. So Peter in his Sermon to Cornelius told him Act. 10 43. that to Him i.e. to Christ gave all Prophets witness that through His Name
Ordinance both as leading thereunto as receiving strength thereby for what ever real beginnings the Lord may work so they have this effect to commend the word more unto these persons in special the publick Administration thereof by his Authorized Ambassadours so that whatever saving work be wrought as it is not altogether without the word some way or other made known so it tendeth to the further usmaking of the word publickly administred where it may be had as Saul when under that terrible work of God Act. 9. was directed to go to Ananias in Damascus to understand what he should do Cornelius was ordered Act. 10. to send for Peter to get instruction in the wayes of God And whatever work of Light Conviction or Terrour be wrought upon any occasion that is attended with a contrary effect is to be suspected as not of God nor saving How dreadful then their Condition is who have not the word but are without the pale of the Church where this word is preached their condition also who though living within the Church have this word as a sealed book needeth not be said 5. The condition of soul unto which the Man is brought by the Spirit accompanying the Administration of the word in order to his actual beleeving is considerable here for thereby we will be helped to understand better the Nature and Actings of Faith whereby only as a mean reliefe is brought unto the soul and to know what that reliefe is and wherein it lyeth that the distessed man is pursueing after seeking with earnesness In order to which we would know 1 That the Spirit by the Word beareth home Convictions of Sin and Misery discovereth to the man how he standeth guilty of the breach of the Law of God so chargeth sin home upon him both Original and Actual thereby fixeth guilt upon the Conscience shewing how he hath forfeited all Right to blessedness life how moreover he is under the Curse threatned to the breakers of the Law and hath the wrath malediction of God hanging over him He is made to see the sins he never saw before both of Omission Commission the sad Consequences thereof to wit how he is obnoxious to the penalty the insupporrable wrath of the living God Thus the Spirit convinceth of sin Ioh. 16 8 9. thus he openeth their eyes turneth them from darkness to light in so far Act. 26 18. thus the secrets of the heart are made manifest 1. Cor. 14 24 25. and they become lost in themselves like a lost sheep the lost piece of mency the lost son Luk. 15 6 9 24. and like one of those whom Christ came to seek to save Mat. 18 11. Luk. 19 10. These are the sinners mentioned Mal. 9 13. that is such as are now brought by the work of the Spirit to see feel their sinful condition to know that they are sinners and that they are in a lost condition 2 There is a discovery made of their Inability to relieve help themselves out of this woful condition of sin miserie They are made to see that nothing in them or in any other creature can make satisfaction unto the justice of God thereby redeem them from the Curse of the Law and from the wrath of God that is lying upon them the sense apprehension whereof doth now presse pinch them sore Which maketh them cry out with these pricked in their hearts Act. 2 37 16 30. What shall we do to be saved They see they cannot keep the Law though they could it would not availe as a Compensation Satisfaction to the Justice of God for the by gone innumerable Transgressions whereof they stand guilty Whereby we see that the troubled wakened soul in this case is brought to a desparing in himself He is under the sentence and he seeth nothing under heaven that can command Peace to his soul nothing within him nor without him beside God that can bring him out of this Prison relieve him from this dreadful sentence under which he is lying as a condemned Malefactor And we see what is properly the reliefe that he would be at and that he only desireth to wit To be freed delivered from the sentence of the Law and from the curse of God to be brought into a state of Favour Reconciliation with God that his sins may be pardoned he may be accepted of God as Righteous so brought into a State of Peace Salvation This is the plaister that his soul is longing for this is the only remedie that can relieve him this is the only good that he can be satisfied with all the Pleasures Honours Rihes of the world will bring no reliefe or ease to his distressed soul And when he findeth thaâ— this is not to be found in himself nor in any other Creature he must look for it elsewhere And thefore 3 When the Spirit of the Lord is carrying on this work he by the preaching of the Gospel convinceth the man of the reality truth thereof discovereth the Suitablness Fulness Satisfactoriness Glory Excellency of the remedie that is hold forth in that Gospel that hath brought life immortality to Light even in the Gospel of the grace of God wherein is revealed what Christ God-man hath done suffered to satisfie the justice of God therein is the Righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith There he seeth that the Father is well pleased with him with the Sacrifie which he offered up for sins Whence the poor wakened sinner seeth that his case is not utterly desperate that there is hope for him through Jesus or at least that it is possible he may be saved from the wrath to come a may be of reliefe is a great reliefe And he seeth that if that Righteousness Satisfaction of Christ were made over to him or he interessed therein he were well for that would sufficiently guarde him from the wrath of God and secure him as to future blessedness Thus the Spirit by the word revealeth the Gospel of Salvation to the end the wakened sinner may see his reliefe there betake himself to the only reliefe that is held forth there 6. Hence we see that while the wakened sinner is in this condition his maine only work will be how he may be interessed in that al sufficient Redemption Purchase of Christ to the end he may be partaker of the Benâ—fites that flow there from and so be freed from the state of Sin Wrath Enmity wherein he is now â— plunged And when the Gospel calleth for Faith in order to this he findeth that it is not in his power to Beleeve but that it is the pure gift of God who must give the new heart the heart of flesh must regenerat beget him of new so create a new Principle of grace in his soul to
left and ensured by his death unto the heires of salvation Upon his Death Satisfaction made in his death hath he gote all power in heaven earth a power to quicken whom he will Matth. 28 18. Ioh. 5 21 22 27. Phil. 2 9 10. Hence we are said to be compleat in him Col. 2 10. to be blessed with all spiritual blessings in celestials to which no doubt Faith Repentance do belong in him Ephes. 1 3. Is it not from hence that the divine power hath given unto us all things that pertaine unto life and godliness 2. Pet 1 3 Nay Paul tels us expresly Phil 1 29. that it is given to us in the behalfe of Christ to beleeve on him And certainly there is a promise of Faith Repentance and all the promises are yea amen in Him 2. Cor. 1 20. all the Blessings contained in the Covenant are made sure by his death who was the surety of this better Testament Heb. 7 22. this Testament was to have force by his death Heb. 9 15 16 17 18 the New heart heart of flesh is promised in the Covenant comprehendeth Faith Repentance they being some of his Lawes which he hath also promised to write in the heart Ier. 31 33 Heb. 8 10. Ezech. 11 19 20 36 26 27. We have moreover seen that Sanctification Holiness from which Faith Repentance cannot be separated were purchased by Christ intended in his death whence he is made of God unto us Sanctification 1. Cor. 1 30. If it be not purchased by Christ how come we by it is it a thing in our Power and an act of our owne Free Will Then as I said before we are beholden to ourselves for Faith and all that follow upon it then farewell all Prayer for Faith Repentance all Thanksgiving to God for it This is pure Pelagtanisme If it be said that it is the free gift of God Ephes. 2 8. and a Consequent of electing love I Answere all the fruites of election which are to be wrought in us are procured by the blood of Christ for all are conveyed to us in a Covenant whereof Christ is the Mediator Surety and with Christ he giveth us all things Rom. 8 32. we are blessed in Him with all spiritual blessings according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world Ephes. 1 3 4. So we are predestinate unto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ Ephes. 1 5. and adoption is not had without Faith Ioh. 1 12. can we have Actual Redemption in Christ's blood Ephes. 1 7. Col. 1 14. even forgiveness of sinnes and not have also in his blood Faith without which there in no actual redemption or forgiveness of sinnes to be had when Christ gave himself for us that he might purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2 14. did he not purchase Faith without which we cannot be such when the Renewing of the holy Ghost is shed on us abundantly through I. C. Tit. 3 5 6. have we not Faith also through him May we not pray for Faith and can we pray for any thing not in Christ's name See 2. Tim. 1 9. 1. Pet. 1 3. Rom. 8 32 39. Luk. 22 32. Againe 13. All that Christ died for must certanely be Saved But all Men shall not be saved That all for whom Christ died must certanely be saved is hence apparent 1. That all who have Saving Faith Repentance shall be saved will not be denyed that Christ hath purchased Faith Repentance to all for whom he died we have showne above 2. These who shall freely get all things fâ—om God must get Salvation for all things else signifie nothing without that but all they for whom Christ was delivered shall get all things Rom. 8 32. 3. They whom nothing shall separate from the Love of Christ and from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord must certainly be saved But all they for whom Christ hath died will in due time have ground to say this Rom. 8 34 35 39. 4. All they to whose charge nothing can be laid shall be saved But this will be true of all that Christ died for for Christ's death is held forth as the ground of this Rom. 8 33 34. 5. They for whom Christ interceedeth shall undoubtedly by saved But Christ interceedeth for all for whom he died Rom. 8 33 34. 6. All who are sanctified shall be saved But all that Christ died for shall in due time be sanctified Sanctification being as we shewed above one principal intended end of Christ's death 7. All Christ's Elected sheep shall be saved But such are they for whom Christ died as was showne 8. All that God Christ love with the greatest love imaginable shall certainly be saved But such are they for whom Christ died Ioh. 3 16. 15 13. Act. 20 28. Eph. 5 25. 9. All that become the Righteousness of God in Christ shall be saved But that shall be true of all for whom he died or was made sin or a sacrifice for sin 2. Cor. 5 21. 10. All that shall be blessed in having their sins pardoned shall be saved Rom. 4 6 7 8. But all for whom Christ died shall have this Redemption Ephes. 1 7. Col. 1 14. 11. All they whom Christ knoweth acnowledgeth shall be saved Mat. 7 23. But he knoweth all them for his sheep Ioh. 10 14 17. for whom he died 12. All for whom Christ rose againe shall be saved seing he rose for our justification Rom. 4 25. But he rose againe for all those for whom he died Rom. 4 25. who was delivered for our offences and was raised againe for our justification Rom. 8 34. 13. All who shall be planted together with Christ in the likeness of his resurrection shall be saved But that is true of such as he died for Rom. 6 5. 14. All they in whom the old man shall be crucified that the body of sin might be destroyed that hence-forth they should not serve sin shall be saved But that is true of such as he died for Rom. 6 6 7 8. knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin for he that is dead is freed from sin Now if we be dead with Christ we beleeve that we shall also live with him c. 15. All they who shall be made Kings Priests unto God shall be saved But all the redeemed shall be such Rev. 1 5 6. 5 10. See worthy Mr. Durham on the Revel p. 303. 16. If Christ must see of the travail of his soul then these he died for must be saved But the former is true Esai 53 11. 17. All whom Christ shall Justifie shall be saved But he shall justify all whose iniquities he beareth Esai 53 11. Thus is this sufficiently proved It is
it may look more conforme to their works when their works are no way conforme to it So likewise they are ignorant of god of His Holiness Righteousness because they see that if He be Such as the Orthodox say He is according to His Word they cannot stand before His justice therefore they deny His justice altogether as do Socinians or Imagine Him to be all Mercy c. so imagine Him to be altogether such an one as themselves therefore are not very zealous for any other righteousness than what may come most readily to hand they themselves can make up with their own diligence care never remembering that the justice of God must be satisfied therefore deny all Satisfaction as do Socinians or suppose Christ hath satisfied for all procured a New Covenant or way to life wherein we may bring what we have it will be accepted there is no more to do Nor remembering that we must have an Interest in Christ by faith ere we have any Interest in His Merites Satisfaction that the whole of our Salvation is so contrived as Man may be abased Christ only exalted III. A vaine conceite that all things in Religion must be just as we apprehend them to be our blinde corrupt byassed Reason Understanding must be the Supream judge Determiner of all these Mysteries Hence the Socinians down-right say that 〈◊〉 the Scripture say what it will how oft it will they are to beleeve to receive nothing but according to their Reason so that what their blinded Reason cannot comprehend they may will reject And others who possibly will not so plainely lay down this ground Yet in stead of conforming their judgments and Apprehensions to the word of being led by it do frame a conception of the Matters of God in their own heads then cause the Scriptures comply with their Apprehensions by Interpreting them accordingly So that following a corrupt guide here they cannot but incline to that way which suiteth most with that corrupt Principle be most averse from compliance with the Mystery of God which is most opposite there-unto IV. Natural corrupt self love is another evil Principle concurring to this effect by its malignant Influence We love to cry-up ourselves to have something of our owne to boast of to glory of before men and hence we cannot naturally comply so sweetly with that way which taketh away all boasting leaveth no ground for man to glory in any thing save in the Lord such is the way of faith of Gospel-justification Rom. 3 27 4 2. V. A vaine groundless high conceite that people have of themselves of what they do as if there were worth excellency in it to oblige God to bestow upon them what reward they think meet not knowing that when they have done all they can they are but unprofitable that they have nothing but what they have received that for any good they do they are more beholden to God than God is beholden to them that the best of their actions are so defiled that they could not answere for one of them nor stand if God should enter into judgment with them strickly mark iniquity Psal. 130 3 143 2. VI. Pride of heart is another malignant cause of this Aversation Unwillingness to comply with God's way of this strong Inclination to the way of justification by Works This was it which led the jewes away from Christ the end of the Law for righteousness they would not submit themselves unto the righteousness of God Rom. 10 3. because they would not bow themselves to take on this Righteousness therefore they were at so much paines labour to establish their own to cause it stand Proud man would work enjoy the reward of his laboures will not willingly hearken to any other way he will not be beholden to free Grace nor ascribe glory to the Lord Mediator but will still be at the old way of the first Covenant at work wages that he may have it to say he hath erned purchased the crown of life with his own hands industrie Therefore from this we should all take warning to look about us to guard against this strong violent torrent that is ready to carry us headlong to our ruine to be jealous of our treacherous hearts Hence also we may see whence it cometh that the Gospel getteth so little footing among many how nothing less than the mighty power of God will be able to prevail with a Natural Soul cause it comply with the Gospel-way of justification submit it self unto the Righteousness of God hold on Christ by faith Further We need not wonder to see so many riseing-up in all ages against the Gospel of the Grace of God corrupting the Gospel-Doctrine of justification seing blinded unmortified Man is not in case to be cast in its mould nor willing to embrace it untill he be broken broken over againe CHAP. III. The Doctrine of justification should be keeped pure with all diligence what dangerous expressions should be shunned WE come next to speak a word unto the Second particular mentioned to wit That all who would be found faithful Ambassadours be accepted of the Lord should endeavoure both in practice in Doctrine to keep this doctrine of the Grace of God pure unmixed particularly guard against the giving ground or occasion to proud Nature to cry-up Self in the matter of justification by any expression used in the explication thereof We see here elsewhere how careful Paul is in this Matter using such expressions as may most emphatically exclude man all his paines set free grace on high that God alone may be exalted for here elsewhere he debaseth man excludeth all his works even the works of the best of men even his works who was the father of the faithful he crieth up Christ as all free grace as beginning carrying on all consonant to what the Prophet Esaias said Esai 45 24 25. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness strength or as it is in the Margine Surely he shall say of me in the Lord is all righteousness strength Even to him shall men come In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified shall glory So that such as look to Him as it is vers 22. come to Him as it is vers 24. have all their righteousnesses in the Lord from Him and in Him alone are they shall they be justified shall glory not at all in themselves So Ieremiah Chap. 23 6. expresseth the matter very emphatically holding it forth as one of Christ's glorious comfortable Titles of honour that He shall be called the Lord our Righteousness thereby Importing that all the Saints their righteousness in order
death destruction if the Lord should enter with them in jugdment and mark iniquity Psal. 130 3. 143. 2. Yet the judgment of the Lord being alwayes according to truth Rom. 2 2. Such as He pronunceth Righteous and absolveth from the sententence of the Law as such must be Righteous for to justifie the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Prov. 17 15. And seing they are not neither can be Righteous in themselves nor have a Righteousness of their own which they can present to justice and in which they can appear before God who is a righteous Judge they must needs have a righteousness from some other and this is a Surety-righteousness the righteousness of the Mediator and Cautioner Jesus Christ Imputed to them and received by faith and being clothed with this noble rob of Rigteousness with Christ who is the Lord our Righteousness and beareth this Name and Title Ier. 23 6. And who is made of God unto us Righteousness 1. Cor. 1 30. They may be looked upon as living indeed In the Lord have they righteousness and upon this account in the Lord are they justified and shall glory Esai 45 24 25. This is the Righteousness of God without the Law which is witnessed by the Law and the Prophets the righteousness of God which is by faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all them that beleeve Rom. 3 21 22. This is that faith or object of faith that was imputed to Abraham for righteousness Rom. 4 3 5 9. And the righteousness that God imputeth without works vers 6 11. This is the righteousness of faith through which the promise is vers 13. This is the righteousness that shall be imputed to all who beleeve on Him that raised up Iesus our Lord from the deed vers 24. This is the free gift by grace which is by one man Iesus Christ that hath abounded unto many Rom. 5 15. This is that aboundance of grace and gift of righteousness which beleevers receive whereby they reigne in life by one Iesus Christ vers 17. And that righteousness of one by which the free gift come upon all beleevers unto justification of life vers 18. And the obedience of one by which many are made righteous vers 19. And that righteousness through which grace reigneth unto eternal life by Iesus Christ our Lord vers 21. This is the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in us by Gods own Son whom He sent in the likeness of sinful flesh Rom. 8 2 3. This is Gods righteousness to which the Jewes would not submit but went about to establish their own righteousness for Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that beleeveth Rom. 10 3 4. It is that righteousness which is of faith which the Gentiles have attained who followed not after righteousness which Israel did not attaine to though they followed after the Law of righteousness because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law for they stumbled at that stumbling stone Rom. 9 30 31 32. By this are Believers made the righteousness of God in Him who though He knew no sin yet was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5 21. This is that righteousness which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith Phil. 3 7 8 9. which Paul desired only to be found in and that in opposition to his own righteousness which is of the Law and for which he did account all things which formerly were gaine to him to be loss dung Now what a noble life of faisty and Security is this for a poor naked sinner void of all righteousness and thereby exposed to the lash of the Law to the Curse and wrath of God to be covered with a compleet and perfect righteousness consisting in full satisfaction to all the demandes of the Law both for doing and suffering with which the Self condemned sinner may now with boldness and confidence think of approaching unto and appearing before the Tribunal of God who can express the Serenity of Soul the inward peace calmness and Quietness of mind the Joy Cheerfulness and Exulting of heart that followeth here upon How is the Drooping Sincking Dead and discouraged Soul that hath any sense or feeling of this revived quickened And how beit the sense of it be away as oft it happeneth yet the change that is hereby made when the Lord imputeth this righteousness of Christ causeth the Soul by faith to embrace it and accept of it is as a Resurrection from the dead 5. They have as a benefite necessarily following upon and inseparably accompanying this justification the noble and rich privilege of Adoption For to as many as received Him to them gave He power to become the Sones of God Joh. 1 12. And all those that are justified receive Him and His righteousness and rest upon it Being thus redeemed from under the Law they receive the Adoption of Sones Gal. 4 5. And being justified by His grace they are made heirs according to the hop of eternal life Tit. 3 7. And by this as their State is demonstrated to be a State of life so the many and exceeding great and rich yea incomprehensibly glorius and excellent favours Advantages and Privileges that lye in the womb of this comprehensive Privilege shew their life to be an excellent life for 1 Being thus adopted they have a new Relation unto God as their Father and they are His Children taken into His Family they have His name put upon them they are called by His name or His name is called upon them Ier. 14 9. Then is that word make good 2 Cor. 6. 18. I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord God Almighty Then is He their God in a peculiar manner and they are His People Ier. 31. 1. Then have they written upon them the name of Christs God and the name of the City of His God and His own new name in its earnest and beginnings Revel 3 12. O! what a life is here to stand thus related unto the great God what an honourable life and Privilege is this for such who were by Nature Children of the Devil 2 Being thus Adopted they have a Relation to all the Children of the Family and are united unto them as members of the same Familie as Brethren or Sisters of the chosen Family They are then among those whom Christ hath gathered together in one Ephes. 1 10. And belong to that Church which is His Body the fulness of Him that filleth all in all vers 22 23. They have a relation now unto the Church Triumphant as well as to the Church Militant whence that is in part verified Heb. 12 22 23. But ye are come unto Mount Zion and unto the living God the heavenly Ierusalem to an innumerable company of Angels to the General Assembly Church of the first born which are written in
Rom. 3 22 28 30. in other places now cited and that because faith carrieth a poor convicted self-condemned sinner out of himself to seek a righteousness in Christ in upon the acount of which he may be accepted of God justified so bringeth him to close with Christ to accept of His righteousness put it on that he may appear in it before God so receive the Atonement abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness Rom. 5 11 17. And albest it may satisfie us to know that so the Lord God hath ordained it that the self-condemned sinner should flee to the Righteousness of Christ held forth in the Gospel lay hold on it lean to it thereby he may attaine Justification and Remission without enquireing after reasons of this Contrivance Yet we may clearly see the wisdom of God shining forth in this appointed way of justification for the sinner is hereby brought to swear as it were himself bare to renounce all in himself to declare profess himself a plaine bankrupt and so to despare in himself that the riches of the free grace of God everlasting love may shine forth in him in a more divine lustre in a singular heavenly beauty hereby all ground of pride boasting or glorying in himself is taken away the sinner is made to see to subscribe unto the glorious wisdom that then appeareth in that contrivance to wonder as also to see his everlasting obligation unto the Lord contriver to the Lord Ransomer So is he made to see the perfect ground of security saifty in this way when he seeth that in order to his partaking of the great blessings favoures his soul longeth for he must first be united unto Jesus Christ himself married unto Him in a perpetual marriage-Covenant that shall never be dissolved And he winneth hereby to a sure ground of peace Tranquillity of soul when he seeth that it is nothing in himself that is taken as Satisfaction to the Infinite justice of God but the Righteousness of Christ who is God Man in one person so a perfect Infinite Righteousness able fully to repare the breach made to make Satisfaction for the wrong done to the Infinite God So that upon this ground he may boast glory in the Lord alone triumph over all assaults Temptations of Satan Hereby then as the Lord hath consulted His own glory for the sinner fleing to the Righteousness of Christ as his only refuge resting there doth proclame God to be Holy Just Righteous Gracious only Wise so he hath consulted the saifty Peac joy Confidence of His own The consideration whereof should make us comply sweetly with this noble contrivance in stead of disputing against it or ourselves out of it acquiesce with all our heart in it rest there 13. We may observe further another mystery in this matter of justification to wit That the way of justification through the Imputed Righteousness of Christ doth not take away the necessity Usefulness of the Exercise of the Grace of Repentance Socinians others who follow their footsteps can observe no harmony here cry-out against the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness because as they suppose it 〈◊〉 the Use and Necessity of Repentance and enervateth all the commands enjoining it But 1 This mistake must certainly flow from a misconception of the true Nature Use ends of Gospel-repentance for they must of necessity Suppose that Gospel-Repentance is required for the same Ends Uses for which the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness is required otherwise they could not think that the asserting of the one should tend to the justling out of the other But whatever they imagine we assert no such thing but affirme That Christ hath purchased the whole of our Remission and Repentance whatever Papists say hath no interest herein nor hath it any merite with-it whether ex condigno or ex congruo to procure Remission the Favoure of God or Reconciliation with Him but it is only required in its own place to accompany faith to follow upon it as a sutable profitable exercise for sinners advanced to such high favoures Privileges And the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness can no more prejudge the exercise of this grace than of any other Gospel-Grace or duty such as Love Fear Hop prayer Patience c. but rather incite encourage to it 2. what was formerly said of faith its harmonious agreement with the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness will sufficiently also clear confirme this for if the Adversaries speak of legal Repentance the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness will no more take that away than faith for it preceedeth faith whereby the sinner laith hold on Christ. And if they speak of Gospel Repentance which is more to the purpose they must know that though in its Exercise at least in its remarkakle exercise it doth follow faith and in order of Nature is posteriour to it Yet it is inseparably-connected therewith so that where faith is there is must also be Repentance at least in its root begun exercise for a sinner cannot rightly accept of close with Christ as offered in the Gospel for Gospel ends in a Gospel manner according to the call of the Gospel but withall he must have a sight sense of his sins a hatred thereof as also a purpose firme fixed to turn from them unto God as also an Endeavour after new obedience Yea we finde sometimes Repentance pressed as including faith in it as when pressed in order to pardon acceptance with God Sometimes againe it is mentioned together with faith as being inseparable therefrom 3. As the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ and the justification of beleevers thereupon doth not put them in such a case as they shall sinne no more afterward so neither doth it take away the Usefulness and necessity of renewed Acts of faith and Repentance nor in the least weaken the after exercise of these Graces but rather doth excite thereunto each in their proper place and to their proper ends in order to actual pardon according to the Gospel Method in which it is required that justified persons or Believers repent of their after sinnes and by faith flee to Christ for pardon and as at the first so afterward there can be no true exercise of faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ for pardon of after sinnes without a true exercise of Repentance towards God these perpetually accompanying other yet we must not think that Repentance considered by it self and as distinct from faith hath the same Interest in the Covenant for pardon first or last that faith hath for neither doth it so act on Christ and his Righteousness in order to pardon as faith doth nor is it appointed or called for for that end and when it is enjoined and mentioned in order to Remission
of the righteousness of the law is taken out of the heart of Ceremonials seing in the place cited both before and after the words morals are mentioned yea that whole Chapt. is taken up in rehearsing morals Except 2. Neiter is it any wayes agreable to truth that the Righteousness of Christ imputed to beleevers should be called the end of the moral Law for no Law considered simply as such is any cause or meanes of justifing a person than by the observation of it self consequently justification by Christ cannot be conceived to be the end of the moral Law for nothing can properly be said to be the intent or end of a thing but that which in likelyhood may be obtained by it Now it is impossible that justification by Christ should be procured by the moral Law It may be said with a for more favourable aspect to truth that Christ is the end of the Ceremonial Law yet not simply considered as a Law but as comprehending in it such such usages rites typifying Christ. Ans. 1. This whole Exception looketh with a very ill favoured aspect both to truth modesty For its scope drift is not so much against the truth which we maintaine as against the Apostle Paul himself against the language of the Spirit of Lord for it faith this in effect that either the Apostle spoke not truth or spoke not good sense when he said that Christ was the end of the Law for to use Mr. Goodwin's reason as nothing can be properly said to be the Intent or end of a thing but that which in likelihood may be obtained by it so nothing can be said to be the Intent end of a Law but what in likelihood may be obtained by it But how can any think that Christ can be in any likelihood obtained by the Law 2. But we say not that justification by Christ is had by the moral Law yet why the righteousness of Christ consisting in perfect obedience to the Law in full answering of the same in all its demands may not be called the end or fulfulling of the Law I see not especially seing the Apostle saith expresly that Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness The question being moved about a Righteousness required by the Law this not being to be found in Man's obedience but in Christ's who was the end of the Law for righteousness the Law hath its full accomplissement in him also when He suffered satisfied the Sanction of the Law the Law had satisfaction or the Law-giver rather the Law its end accomplishement Now this Righteousness of Christ being imputed to beleevers they are thereupon justified the Law is satisfied And though the Law because it was weak throuw the flesh could not bring about this righteousness this end in us yet Christ having answered all the demands of the Law given full Satisfaction both in point of obedience in point of Suffering the Law hath its full accomplishment in Him that End which is here meaned 3 We do not say that the Righteousness of Christ imputed to beleeleevers is or is called the end of the moral Law but that Christ came was made under the Law that He might answer all the demands thereof both satisfie for its violation yeeld perfect obedience unto its commands so fulfill it in all points So that it had its end accomplishment in through Him what He did suffered that He submitted Himself hereunto that He might make up a righteousness wherewith the Law should be satisfied for the justification of Believers 4. Though the Moral Law nor no Law considered in it self can be any cause or meanes of justifying a person otherwise than by the observation of it self though justification by Christ cannot be conceived to be the end of moral Law yet in Christ's obedience Suffering the Law may be said to have received its Accomplishment and Satisfaction thereby a compleat Righteousness may be said to be obtained for all Believers Except 3. The Greek Expositors make Christ in this sense to be called the end of the law for righteousness because he performed or exhibited unto them that which the law propounded to it self as its end would have performed but could not to wit their justification Ans. Seing the law ptopounded their justification as its end only by the perfect observation of it self or by a full perfect conformity unto it Christ cannot be called the end or accomplishment of the law unless He had performed all that which the law required nor could He be called the end of the law for righteousness unless He had fully satisfied the law and thereby made up a Righteousness in the behalfe for the behove of Believers to whom it being Imputed they might be accepted justified upon the account thereof And this righteousness where with the law was satisfied wherin it had its full accomplishment is I grant exhibited in the Gospel to the end that all who would be justified may lay hold on it receive it rest upon it as the only righteousness in and through which they desire to be accepted and to stand before God the righteous judge Except 4. Some conceive that Christ is said to be the end of the law c. Because the law by convinceing men of sin and exacting of them a Righteousness which it doth not enable them to performe againe by threatning condemning them for the want of it it doth as good as lead them by hand to Christ by whom they are freely justified But neither doth this seem to be the meaning of the place Ans. Seing he himself is not satisfied with this interpretation he might have forborne to have added it But as for the interpretation it self I judge the thing said to be true and that it hath a subordinat aspect unto what we have said holdeth forth part of the truth though it be not a plaine and full exposition of the place for there is mention made here of a Righteousness of God which the jewes neither understood not would submit unto but in opposition to this they went about to establish their own righteousness that is to seek after a righteousness by their own works or by their own obedience to the law therefore did misse their end for this righteousness which they were seeking after which they could not attaine unto by all their own acts of obedience that is a righteousness that was a perfect obedience conformity to the law withall a Sufficient compensation Satisfaction for the breaches of the law already committed was only to be found in Christ who is the end of the law for righteousness that is made full Satisfaction for the breaches committed and performed compleat and perfect obedience which the law did principally require what ever other accidental ends it might have had or the law-giver in promulgating
Revelation of this mysterie so it cannot but be offensive to use such expressions as not only are not scriptural but also seem inconsistent with Scriptural expressions when the Scripture saith expresly frequently that we are Justified by faith and that in opposition to works and not only saith it but proveth it it cannot be justifiable in us to say that we are Justified by Love seing that would at least seem to crosse the Apostle's assertion the force whereof is as ours abundantly evince against the Papists that we are Justified only by Faith consequently by no other grace neither by Love nor by Hope nor by Patience c. 3. By the Scriptures telling us that we are Justified by Faith never saying that we are Justified by any other grace as by Love c. we are given to understand that Faith hath other Operations Uses Ends in the office of justification than Love or any other grace hath And therefore to insinuate that love hath the same Interest Office in about justification that Faith hath is to deny or overturn the proper specifick actings of Faith in order to justification And how small a matter soever this may appear to be at first yet when it is further prosecuted or the ground of this searched into or its designe tendency considered impartially it will befound of a deeper consequence to tend to the alteration of the whole specifick nature of the Covenant of Grace as it is distinct from the Covenant of Works for though both Faith Love may must be looked upon as acting upon the same object Christ yet when Faith is conceived as acting no other way than Love and both as potestative Conditions or as parts of one Potestative Condition and no other way it is plaine enough how the special actings of faith in compliance with the designe of God's Wisdom Grace and Love in the Gospel contrivance and thereupon in receiving resting upon Christ as the alone propitiating Sacrifice and on his Surety-Righteousness as that alone by vertue of which they are to expect Justification Acceptance with God to receive the Atonement are laid aside And the beleeving soul is supposed not to act on Christ nor apply Him his Righteousness in order to the being Acquit from the sentence of the Law from the Curse due for the breach of the same in that particular manner that both its case condition requireth and the Gospel pointeth forth and the experience of soul attaining hereby to Peace doth confirme 4. It is true there is Love to Christ in the soul that beleeveth and it must be so and it is true also that this Love is called for in the Gospel but hence it will not follow that Love is the Condition of Justification or that every thing that is present with or accompanieth faith in justification hath the same Life Ends and Interest in Justification or the same Influence thereupon that faith hath far less will it follow that that which followeth faith and whereby faith worketh through all the after-carriage of a Beleever hath the same Place Power and Interest in about justification that faith hath as we shewed above of Repentance 5. If by this Love nothing else were meaned but that Love of desire that necessarily accompanieth the souls accepting and closeing with what is good or offered as good sure it would have given no ground of offence to have called it so would have been more acceptable than to have called it otherwayes even though speaking strickly the Love of desire may be called Love and is a Love in its own kinde and therefore I judge that denomination might have been rather chosen which would have given no offence than the other which to avoide suspicion and offence calleth for so much waste of words to render the expression less noxious especially seing for all that is said in clearing of the same all ground of suspicion is not removed but that some other thing was intended than that meer Love of desire that is inseparable from the will 's earnest pursuite after or embraceing any good thing offered especiasly when it is said That Ioh. 16 27. 14 21. make Love the antecedent Condition of God's Love Christ's Love to the person And that that goeth with Remission and is a Love of Reconciliation and Reconciliation comprehendeth Remission At least you will never shew out of Scripture that the procureing God's Love and the Procuring Remission Reconciliation have not the same conditions for hereby it is manifest that Love even as distinct from faith as it is Ioh. 16 26 because ye have loved me have beleeved that I am come out from God is made as formal full a Condition of Reconciliation Pardon consequently of justification as faith his Yea that both faith Love are made Conditions procuring God's Pardon Reconciliation Thus speaketh Mr. Baxter against Mr. Cartwright pag. 202. But lest any should think that either of these places cited should prove what Mr. Baxter alledgeth them for it would be considered 1 That Ioh. 14 21. He is speaking of such as are already beleevers justified when he is speaking of such as have already Christ's commandemants keep them 2 He speaketh of the Fathers of his own Love of such in the future time which cannot be meaned in reference to his Disciples unless we think they were not yet justified contrary to the very forgoeing verse many other passages in that discourse particularly Chap. 14 1 15 3 4 5 9. 3 This is meaned of a Love of Manifestation as Christ's own words added exegetically declare And I will Love him will manifest my self to him 4 This same sort of expression of Love is also to be understood Ioh. 16. as the whole scope cleareth this being spoken to perswade them that they should receive the returne of their prayers should not ask the Father in vaine for such a Love carrieth he towards you as if he had said that in a manner I need not intercede for you 5 And so the Love of the disciples here mentioned is that Love of complacencie which they had in Christ in abiding still in his Company and delighting in him whom they had followed as their Master all alongs and the cause from whence this flowed is added and have beleeved that I came out from God As to the second particular to wit Purpose of obedience M. Baxter in his Aphorismes told us that as the accepting of Christ for Lord which is the hearts Subjection is as essential a part of justifying faith as the accepting him for Saviour So consequently sincere obedience which is the effect of the former hath as much to do in justifying us before God as some Affiance which is the fruit of the latter Hereby he would seem to give the same Interest unto actual Obedience in Justification that he giveth unto Affiance which cannot be
same purpose Rom. 10 4. tels us that Christ was the end of the Law in his doctrine having taught that Righteousness of living which the Law itself taught but in a more excellent spiritual effectual manner Which is a very Socinian like gloss but no way suiting the words nor the scope of the Apostle as the very reading of them may evince the following words vers 7 8 9 10. may put beyond all question His citeing thereafter pag. 146. Rom. 7 4. Gal. 2 19 20. is to no purpose for in neither of these nor any where else doth he cry up holiness performed in any manneâ— whatsomever as a Condition of Justification and this our Author should show or he doth nothing for we are not against the necessity of holiness but see more Sure more Comfortable more Heart quieting more Divine and more Gospel-like grounds whereupon to presse holiness than any he discovereth in all his book or can according to his principles His 3. ground is p. 147. That Regeneration or the new creature as including Evangelical Obedience is opposed to works of the Law in the business of mans Iustification as well as Faith is as well as the grace of God it self is And this he thinketh to prove from Gal. 6 15. as Schlightingius the Socinian did before him cont Meysner p. 148. But one thing is to be proved to wit that the Apostle is speaking this in order to justification and so contradicting all the former disput he had which neither Reason nor Religion will allow us to think nor do the words nor any Circumstance of the words nor any thing of the scope or of the threed of the Apostles discourse give the least countenance hereunto His 4. ground p. 148. is also from Schlichtingius ubi supra That Evangelical obedience as well as faith together with faith is opposed to the works of the Law in reference to Iustification Salvation Gal. 5 6. Ans. He supposeth here that Circumcision is the same with the works of the Law while as these that were crying it up at that time took it only for a privilege which might be keeped together with Christianity and therefore the Apostle told them vers 3. which they did not take notice of that by their taking on that badge of circumcision they made themselves debtors to do the whole Law 2 All that is required in reference to Salvation is not required in reference to Justification 3 Faith working by Love denoteth the right the livly Faith which only is Justifying Saving but bringeth not in all Evangelick Obedience under Love as sharing with faith in the same prerogative of justification as was shewed above His 5. ground p. 149. is That Evangelical Obedience alone is opposed to the works of the Law in reference to Iustification And this he confirmeth by 1. Cor. 7 19. borrowing it from Schlightingius the Socinian where only two things are wanting to make this passage a confirmation of his Assertion one is that by Circumsion here is meaned the keeping of the Law and what shall then be understood by Uncircumcision The other is that the Apostle is speaking this in reference to Justification contrary to the whole context His 6. ground ibid. is That faith itself is an act of Evangelical obedience Unto which we need say nothing here having said so much above to shew that Faith in the matter of justification is not considered as an act of Gospel-obedience but as an Instrument laying hold on the Righteousness of Christ the Cautioner His 7. ground is p. 152. That by Gospel-obedience Christians come to have a Right to Salvation Revel 22 14. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liberty as it is translated 1. Cor. 8 9. Power or privilege as it would seem to import 1. Cor. 9 18. elsewhere is no proper Right for all that can be called proper Right the Saints have it through the purchase of Jesus Christ his blood his blood alone hath bought the inheritance to us And hereby we see the true tendency of this Man's doctrine even to give us heaven as that which we have bought with our labour obedience that is to give us heaven by a new Covenant of Works which Christ hath procured to be made with us But this Right is but a liberty to take possession of the crown of life purchased by Christ promised at the end of the journay in the way wherein the Lord hath appointed us to walk towards the possession thereof And can only prove what we deny not to wit the necessity of Holiness in order to the actual injoyment of life But what saith this unto justification He will not have us put any difference betwixt them alledging that such as do are more curious nice in distinguishing than Paul was And why so Paul cals Iustification the justification of life Rom. 5 18. Therefore Justification Glorification is one the same have every way the same conditions Ans. It followeth not He citeth next Rom. 8 30. which clearly maketh them distinct What more He i.e. Paul proves that men shall be justified by faith because it is written the just shall live by faith Gal. 3 11. with him to be justified blessed are all one Gal. 3 8 9. Rom. 4 7 8 9. Ans. What that from Gal. 3 11. can be made to prove by him I know not And as for the next it will prove as much that is just nothing He might as well inferre that Poverty in Spirit Mourning Meekness Hungring Thirstâ—ng after Righteousness Mercifulness Purity in heart Peacemaking Suffering of persecution were all the same with glory because of what is said Mat. 5 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. Yet he proceedeth at this rate tels us p. â—54 That Paul useth Righteousness or Iustification life as Synonimous termes Gal. 3 21. Ans. As if Justification were not a state of life unless it were the same with Glory We have shown above what a life it is And saith he Iustification Condemnation are put in direct opposition to eachother Rom. 5 18. 8 33 34. Ans. And what then In short saith he Salvation as well as justification is promised to beleeving Ioh. 3 16. Act. 3 31. Heb. 10 39. therefore both must be the immediat effect of faith Ans. Himself answereth all this by adding if we take Salvation as begun here in this life as the Scripture represents it to be Ioh. 5 â—4 1. Ioh. 3 14. 5 12. He would further prove it from Iam. 2 14. As if in one Chapter the Apostle could not speak both of Justification Salvation unless he would make them both one thing But though there be a life begun in Justification that shall at length end in Glory we see no ground to say for all that he hath brought forth that they are so the same as to require the same previous Conditions How profitable so ever Mr. Baxter account this Treatise
power as that of himself he can specifie the acts of his own will without any predetermining Motion of God Can he then beleeve in Christ. Hope savingly in God yeeld Christian Obedience to all the commands of God without God's Predetermining motion upon his heart And is that Common General influx whereby he is preserved in his being his faculties power not taken away enough to make a man turn from Nature unto Grace if he will be so good natured as to bow his own will determine himself as he may Why do we then condemne the Pelagians What did or could Pelagius say more But enough of this here In the following Paragraph n. 188. He tels us that some men teach that Christ strippeth a Christian of two things his Sins his Righteousness Or that two Things must be cast away for Christ Sins Righteousness And he is not satisfied with such speeches though they be consonant to yea upon the matter the very same with the speeches of Paul Phil. 3 8 9. He faith they should speak better if they would not deceive And why saith he not so of the Apostle Paul also May it serve him that we speak as Paul did Nothing saith he is to be cast away as evil but sin True and yet the Apostle desired to be found in Christ not having his own Righteousness what was a Righteousness in his eyes before and was a Righteousness which is in the Law and wherein he was blameless he now accounted loss for Christ yea he accounted them but dung which includeth a rejecting casting of it away with detestation He addeth Righteousness truely such is good never to be cast away If it be no Righteousnâ—ss why do they falsly say that we must cast away our Righteousness Ans. Let the Apostle Paul answere this whom it concerneth as much as us And let Mr. Baxter in soberness consider how this reflecteth upon the Spirit of the Lord inspiring the Apostle to speak so As for us we are not very anxious in this matter but can freely tell Mr. Baxter that though our personal Righteousness be good Yet in the matter of justification before God and absolution from the condemnatory sentence of the Law adjudication to life we must lay it aside and betake ourselves solely to the Righteousness of Christ and seek to be found in him alone after the example of the Apostle according to the clear doctrine of the Gospel And this we are resolved to do how displeased soever Mr. Baxter be with us upon that account He addeth To cast away a false conceit of Righteousness is not to cast away Righteousness but Sin only indeed beside sin we are said justly to cast away that which would be the object matter of sin And the phrase is fitlier applied to a thing Indifferent than to a thing necessary lest it seduce Ans. To account our Righteousness consisting in our obedience to the Law to be dung as Paul did in the business of justification is all we plaid for let Mr. Baxter call it a casting away of a false conceite of Righteousness if that will satisfie him but even in this we cast away our Righteousness when we will not trust to it as our Righteousness in order to justification or as that Righteousness upon the account of which we expect to be justified in the sight of God And if Mr. Baxter be afraid of Seducing here he may know where we ground our expressions I suppose Paul was far from seducing when he spoke as he did Phil. 3 8 9. There is nothing so good saith he which may not be made the object of sin not Christ or his Righteousness or God himself excepted But we must not thus objectivly abuse them Ans. And what is all this to the purpose Doth he think that those teachers he here opposeth were enemies to holiness or would have men laying aside all thoughts of it and care about it when they spoke so He may as well inferre such things from the Apostles speaches But what is meaned secundum quid should not be understood as spoken simpliciter His reasoning here then is impertinent as also is that which followeth when he saith So holiness true Righteousness inherent or imputed may be objects of sinful pride boasting But it is not edifying doctrine therefore to say that we must cast away inherent imputed Righteousness For we plead not for casting away every thing that may be abused but for casting away our own Righteousness in the matter of justification that impured Righteousness may only take place But how imputed Righteousness can be the object of sinful pride boasting he would do well to teach us that Inherent Righteousuess may be so we know and to plead for justification upon that account is to lay the foundation of sinful pride boasting as the Scriptures teach us He addeth But yet true self denyâ—l requireth that we deny our Righteousness inherent or Imputed to be that which indeed it is not Ans. And therefore we deny that our inherent Righteousness is the ground or formalis ratio objectiva of our justification But what way Self-denyal teacheth us to deny our imputed Righteousness to be what it is not he must be pleased to informe us and to speak thus alike of both our inherent imputed Righteousness is not very faire as if there were no difference Further he tels us And so when men accounted the jewish observations to be a justifying Righteousness in competition with in opposition to Christ Paul counteth it as loss dung nothing in that respect when yet elsewhere he saith I have lived in all good conscience to this day And Christ himself fulfilled that Law Righteousness Ans. What meaneth Mr. Baxter by these jewish observations Meaneth he nothing but their observance of the Ceremonial Law But did Paul meane nothing but his consciencious observance of this Law when he said I have lived in all good conscience to this day And did he mean nothing else by that Righteousness which he counted loss dung Phil. 3 The Apostle himself distinguisheth betwixt the Law touching which he was a Pharisee and that Law touching the Righteousness whereof he had been blameless And sure before the writting of this Epistle he had preached down the observation of the Ceremonial Law and was far from the observation thereof yet now he accounted that same Righteousness which formerly was gaine to him now to be loss dung so that this could not be his Ceremonial Observances for it had been a small demonstration of his excessive desire to win Christ to count thaâ—loss now which he had before comdemned as unnecessary Yea as unlawfull had laid aside as such So that he meaneth all that which could be called his own Righteousness which is of the Law and was not that Righteousness which is through the Faith of Christ and of God by Faith And it is also
Merites of a Mediator he argueth against justification by the Law the works thereof And according to the Apostle's Methode do we argue 3 To cover Justification by our own inherent Righteousness having the same place in the New Covenant which inherent Righteousness Obedience had in the old by these fine words Faith a Practical beleef of the Gift acceptance of it with thankful penitent obedient hearts is not such ingenuous dealing as the Importance of the matter requireth But this will be clearer by what followeth But saith he the true way of Righteousness was to become true Christians that is with such a penitent thankful accepting practical beleefe or affiance to beleeve in God as the giver of Salvation in Christ as the Redeemer his Spirit as our life Sanctifier and to accept Christ and all his procured Benefites Iustification Life as purchased by his Sacrifice Meritorious Righteousness given in the New Covenant on this Condition and so to give up ourselves to his whole saving work as to the Physician of our souls only Mediator with God This is the summe of Paul's doctrine on this point Ans. Not to speak of this matter here which is elsewhere done I shall only say that we are not enquiring after the true way of Righteousness but after the true way of Justification before God And enquire where the Apostle teacheth that all the Righteousness required unto justification must be within us none at all imputed as this Summe holdeth forth Where he teacheth that this faith including works all obedience is the only meane of justification Where he teacheth that this inherent imperfect Righteousness of ours is the immediat ground and meritorious Cause ex pacto of our justification Salvation Where he teacheth that Christ's Righteousness is no otherwise ours than as purchasing the New Covenant wherein our own personal Righteousness is made the Potestative Condition of our Justification Salvation And yet these and several other Particulars of this alloy doth Mr. Baxter hold forth as taught in Scripture as hath been seen elsewhere CHAP. V. Works excluded in Justification are not works only done before Faith nor perfect works required in the Law of Innocency nor outward works only THe other Evasion which such as plead for the Interest of Works in Justification fall upon to evite the dint of the Apostle's argueing concludings against Works is That by the works of the Law which Paul excludeth from justification works are meant which are done before Conversion Faith by the strength of Nature not the works of grace done after This is the Evasion of Bellarmine others But against this we have these Reasons to propose 1. When the Scripture saith we are justified by faith the meaning is that so soon as a soul beleeveth in Christ by a true Faith he is justified before God But this opinion saith That a man is not justified when he beleeveth in Christ No not untill he performe Works of Righteousness after he hath beleeved And thus we may conceive a man to be a beleever yet not to be justified which is contrary to the Gospel 2. If we were justified by the Works of Regenerat persons we should be justified by works that are imperfect and consequently by an imperfect Righteousness for these works being made our Righteousness if we be justified by them as our Righteousness we must be justified by an imperfect Righteousness for they are not perfect neither as to parts nor as to degrees Esai 64 5. 1. Ioh. 1 8 10. 1. King 8 46. 2. Chron. 6 36. Eceles 7 20. 3. Regenerat persons have renunced their own Righteousness in the matter of justification before God therefore they judged that they were not justified thereby And this is registrate in the word for our Instruction example that we may learne also to renunce our own works in this business The Antecedent is clear from these Instances 1 David saying Psal. 130 3. If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquity o Lord who shall stand And in opposition to this he betakes himself to free Remission saying vers 4. But there is forgiveness with thoe So Psal. 143 2. And enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified So that if God should enter in judgment with the best even with his servants they could not expect to be justified by their works even by their best works So when he saith Psal. 32 1 2. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered c. he renunceth all justification by the best of his works for Paul Rom. 4 6 7. giveth the meaning hereof to be that David describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without works 2 Paul also renunceth his Righteousness in this matter that several times for he saith 1. Cor. 4 4. for I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby justified And he speaketh of himself while in the State of Regeneration So Gal. 2 16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the Faith of Iesus Christ even we have beleeved in Iesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ not by the works of the Law And Phil. 3 9. he desired to be found in Christ not having his own Righteousness which is of the Law No man can think that by his own Righteousness here he meaneth only works done before he was regenerate 4. The Instances whereby Paul proveth Justification by Faith without the works of the Law confirmeth this that works after regeneration are excluded as well as works before for 1 Abraham was a regenerat man when his saith was said to be imputed to him Rom. 4 1 2 3. compared with Gen. 15. for before this time Gen. 12 1. he obeyed the call of God by faith Heb. 11 8. See also Rom. 4 9 10 11. 2 David another Instance of Justification by Faith was also regenerat when he was justified as Paul cleareth Rom. 4 6 7. by the imputation of a Righteousness without the works of the Law 5. The Apostle excludeth simply the works of the Law from being the Righteousness of any in point of justification And we have no warrant to except or distinguish where the Law excepteth not nor distinguisheth The works of Regenerat persons are works works of the Law as well as any other And Paul doth absolutely simply exclude works the works of the Law from being the ground of justification 6. By what reason can it be evinced that the Law or the Works of the Law signifie works before Regeneration or works done before faith more than other works Do these words carry this sense where ever they are used Or can it be demonstrated that they carry this express sense any where 7. Are only regenerat persons said to be under the Law Now the Apostle speaketh of all the works of
he knew before hand that these would not performe the new Condition how can he then be supposed to die for them not withstanding Thus we see what difference is among men that hold Universal Redemption about the Proper Immediat End Aime of the purpose of God in sending Christ to die and of Christ in comeing to died and how for the most part it cometh all to little or nothing for it was saith Arminius That God might save sinners what way it pleased Him his Iustice which stood in the way being satisfied or as Corvinus That God might will to save sinners That Christ intended by his death to make such satisfaction to justice as that he might obtainâ— to himself power of saving upon what Condition the Father pleased And thus Christ is said to have obtained Reconciliation Redemption to all not that they should actually be partakers thereof but that God his justice now being satisfied might prescribe a Condition which when they had performed he might would actually make them partakers thereof Some say that all men are put into a new Covenant in which Adam was a common person as well as in the old by vertue whereof none shall be damned that do not sin actually against the Condition fall thereby from that new state whereunto they are borne And this opinion differeth not much from that of Iacobus Andreae at the conference at Mompelgard which afterward Huberus maintained as Kimedoncius sheweth in his refutation of the same which was this in short That Christ suffered died for all none excepted Effectually and obtained for all a Reconciliation without any respect to Faith or Unbeleefe so that all who receive this Reconciliation continue in it shall be saved but as to those who refuse it by unbeleef it is made null and they perish Others say That Christ by his satisfaction removed Original sin in all so that all Infants dying in infancy are undoubtedly saved Others that he died for all sinnes alike but conditionally Some say that after the price was payed it was absolutely undetermined what condition should be prescribed so as God might have re-established the Covenant of works Others that the procuring of a new way was part of the fruit of Christ's death As for this condition some say that man can performe it with the help of such meanes as God affordeth to all and thus establish the Diana of Freewill But others assert the necessity of grace flowing from election hereunto and so destroy Universal Redemption which yet they assert So that some say Christ died for all Conditionally if they beleeve making the Act the cause of its own object for Faith with them is a beleeving that Christ died for them Some say that he died for all Absolutely Yet so as they partake not of the benefire until they performe the Condition which was to be prescribed and thus they affirme that Christ did no more sustaine the persons of the Elect than of the Reprobat but of all alike If we enquire therefore what was the Immediat Result Product of the death of Christ they agree not to tell us whether it was a Power or a Will or a Right to God to save any he pleased However all the Arminians Camero with them agree in this That Christ did not purchase faith for any and that as to all say some or as to the most part say others Christ hath only procured a Possibility of Salvation And what is this Possibility Some call it an Exemption from that necessity of perishing under which they came by the violation of the former Covenant if a satisfaction had not interveened and by this Exemption they say it cometh to passe that Christ if he will justice being now satisfied may bring all to life And hereby also say they all may be saved if they will But what is this else then a meer Possibility What efficacy hath it seing notwithstanding thereof all may perish againe They say it is really Efficacious as to this Possibility which was not before Justice was satisfied But yet notwithstanding of this Efficacious Possibility it might come to passe that not one should have been saved for how can salvation be possible without faith So that if faith be not hereby purchased it would seem that Salvation is not possible And further it doth hereby appear that all which is procured is but some power to God to Christ But what is mans advantage They say That a way to life is opened unto man that so he may now come to God by Faith Repentance But how can he come who hath no power to Beleeve or Repent without grace Or is it in corrupt mans power to Beleeve or Repent What that truth is which we stand for is plainly fully enough set downe in several places of Our Confession of Faith as Chap. 3. § 6. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory so hath he by the Eternal and most free purpose of his Will fore ordained all the meanes thereunto Wherefore they who are Elected being fallen in Adam are redeemed by Christ are effectually called unto faith in Christ by his Spirit working in due season are Justified Adopted Sanctified Keeped by his power through faith unto salvation Neither are other Redeemed by Christ effectually Called Iustified Adopted Sanctified Saved but the Elect only So Chap. 8. § 1. It pleased God in his eternal purpose to chose ordaine the Lord Iesus his only begotten Son so be the mediator between God man â—Unto whom he did from all eternity give a people to be his seed and to be by him in time Redeemed Called Iustified Sanctified Glorified And ibid. § 5. The Lord Iesus by his perfect obedience sacrifice of himself which he through the eternal Spirit once offered up unto God hath fully satisfied the Iustice of his Father purchased not only Reconciliation but an Everlasting inheritance in the Kingdom of heaven for all those whom the Father hath given unto him So ibid. § last To all those for whom Christ hath purchased Redemption he doth certanely and effectually apply communicate the same making intercession for them revealing unto them in by the word the mysteries of salvation effectually perswading them by his Spirit to beleeve obey and governing their hearts by his word Spirit overcoming all their enemies by his Almighty power wisdom in such manner wayes as are most cansonant to his wonderful unsearchable dispensations Our judgment is this in short That Christ according to the good pleasure of his Father laid downe his life a Ransome for the Elect only who were given to him to save from Wrath and Destruction and by that price purchased Salvation all the Meanes necessary thereunto for them only to whom in due time after the method which he thinketh best doth effectually apply the same unto them actually save them Though grounds sufficient considering the