Righteousness of God communicated unto us by Jesus Christ. And whereas he was opposed herein with some severity by the most learned persons of those days to countenance himself in his singularity he pretended that there were twenty different Opinions amongst the Protestants themselves about the formal cause of our Justification before God This was quickly laid hold on by them of the Roman Church and is urged as a prejudice against the whole Doctrine by Bellarmine Vasquez and others But the vanity of this pretence of his hath been sufficiently discovered and Bellarmine himself could fancy but four Opinions among them that seemed to be different from one another reckoning that of Osiander for one De Justificat lib. 2. cap. 1. But whereas he knew that the Imagination of Osiander was exploded by them all the other three that he mentions are indeed but distinct parts of the same entire Doctrine Wherefore until of late it might be truly said that the Faith and Doctrine of all Protestants was in this Article entirely the same For however they differed in the way manner and methods of its Declaration and too many private men were addicted unto Definitions and Descriptions of their own under pretence of Logical accuracy in Teaching which gave an appearance of some contradiction among them yet in this they generally agreed that it is the Righteousness of Christ and not our own on the account whereof we receive the pardon of sin acceptance with God are declared Righteous by the Gospel and have a Right and Title unto the Heavenly Inheritance Hereon I say they were generally agreed first against the Papists and afterwards against the Socinians and where this is granted I will not contend with any man about his way of declaring the Doctrine of it And that I may add it by the way we have herein the concurrence of the Fathers of the Primitive Church For although by Justification following the Etymology of the Latine word they understood the making us Righteous with internal personal Righteousness at least some of them did so as Austin in particular yet that we are pardoned and accepted with God on any other account but that of the Righteousness of Christ they believed not And whereas especially in their Controversie with the Pelagians after the rising of that Heresie they plead vehemently that we are made Righteous by the Grace of God changing our Hearts and Natures and creating in us a principle of spiritual Life and Holiness and not by the endeavours of our own free will or works performed in the strength thereof their words and expressions have been abused contrary to their Intention and Design For we wholly concur with them and subscribe unto all that they dispute about the making of us personally Righteous and holy by the effectual Grace of God against all merit of works and operations of our own free Will our Sanctification being every way as much of Grace as our Justification properly so called and that in opposition unto the common Doctrine of the Roman Church about the same matter only they call this our being made inherently and personally Righteous by Grace sometimes by the name of Justification which we do not And this is laid hold on as an Advantage by those of the Roman Church who do not concur with them in the way and manner whereby we are so made Righteous But whereas by our Justification before God we intend only that Righteousness whereon our sins are pardoned wherewith we are made Righteous in his sight or for which we are accepted as Righteous before him it will be hard to find any of them assigning of it unto any other causes then the Protestants do So it is fallen out that what they design to prove we entirely comply with them in but the way and manner whereby they prove it is made use of by the Papists unto another End which they intended not But as to the way and manner of the Declaration of this Doctrine among Protestants themselves there ever was some variety and Difference in Expressions Nor will it otherwise be whilst the Abilities and Capacities of men whether in the conceiving of things of this nature or in the expression of their conceptions are so various as they are And it is acknowledged that these Differences of late have had by some as much weight laid upon them as the substance of the Doctrine generally agreed in Hence some have composed entire Books consisting almost of nothing but impertinent Cavils at other Mens Words and Expressions But these things proceed from the weakness of some men and other vitious habits of their minds and do not belong unto the cause it self And such Persons as for me shall write as they do and fight on until they are weary Neither hath the multiplication of Questions and the curious discussion of them in the handling of this Doctrine wherein nothing ought to be diligently insisted on but what is directive of our practice been of much use unto the Truth it self though it hath not been directly opposed in them That which is of real Difference among Persons who agree in the substance of the Doctrine may be reduced unto a very few Heads As 1 There is something of this kind about the nature of Faith whereby we are justified with its proper Object in Justifying and its Use in Justification And an Instance we have herein not only of the weakness of our Intellects in the Apprehension of spiritual things but also of the remainders of confusion and disorder in our minds at least how true it is that we know only in part and prophesie only in part whilst we are in this life For whereas this Faith is an Act of our minds put forth in the way of Duty to God yet many by whom it is sincerely exercised and that continually are not agreed either in the nature or proper object of it Yet is there no doubt but that some of them who differ amongst themselves about these things have delivered their minds free from the prepossession of prejudices and notions derived from other artificial Reasonings imposed on them and do really express their own conceptions as to the best and utmost of their Experience And notwithstanding this Difference they do yet all of them please God in the exercise of Faith as it is their Duty and have that respect unto its proper Object as secures both their Justification and Salvation And if we cannot on this consideration bear with and forbear one another in our different conceptions and expressions of those conceptions about these things it is a sign we have a great mind to be contentious and that our confidences are built on very weak foundations For my part I had much rather my Lot should be found among them who do really believe with the heart unto Righteousness though they are not able to give a tolerable Definition of Faith unto others then among them who can endlesly dispute about it with seeming
and unsuited unto the Genius of the present Age. For they all of them arise from or lead unto the want of a due sence of the Nature and Guilt of sin as also of the Holiness and Righteousness of God with respect thereunto And when such principles as these do once grow prevalent in the minds of men they quickly grow careless negligent secure in sinning and End for the most part in Atheism or a great Indifferency as unto all Religion and all the Duties thereof CHAP. I. Justifying Faith the Causes Object and Nature of it declared THe means of Justification on our part is Faith That we are justified by Faith is so frequently and so expresly affirmed in the Scripture as that it cannot directly and in terms by any be denied For whereas some begin by an excess of partiality which controversial Engagements and Provocations do encline them unto to affirm that our Justification is more frequently ascribed unto other things Graces or Duties than unto Faith it is to be passed by in silence and not contended about But yet also the Explanation which some others make of this general concession That we are justified by Faith doth as fully overthrow what is affirmed therein as if it were in terms rejected And it would more advantage the understandings of men if it were plainly refused upon its first proposal than to be lead about in a maze of Words and Distinctions unto its real Exclusion as is done both by the Romanists and Socinians At present we may take the Proposition as granted and only enquire into the true genuine sense and meaning of it That which first occurs unto our Consideration is Faith and that which doth concern it may be reduced unto two Heads 1 Its Nature 2 Its Vse in our Justification Of the Nature of Faith in general of the especial Nature of justifying Faith of its Characteristical Distinctions from that which is called Faith but is not justifying so many Discourses divers of them the effects of sound Judgment and good Experience are already extant as it is altogether needless to engage at large into a farther discussion of them However something must be spoken to declare in what sense we understand these things what is that Faith which we ascribe our Justification unto and what is its Vse therein The Distinctions that are usually made concerning Faith as it is a word of various significations I shall wholly pretermit not only as obvious and known but as not belonging unto our present Argument That which we are concerned in is That in the Scripture there is mention made plainly of a twofold Faith whereby men believe the Gospel For there is a Faith whereby we are justified which he who hath shall be assuredly saved which purifieth the heart and worketh by Love And there is a Faith or Believing which doth nothing of all this which who hath and hath no more is not justified nor can be saved Wherefore every Faith whereby men are said to believe is not justifying Thus it is said of Simon the Magician that he believed Act. 8.13 When he was in the Gall of Bitterness and bond of Iniquity and therefore did not believe with that Faith which purifieth the Heart Act. 15.9 And that many believed on the name of Jesus when they saw the Miracles that he did but Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew what was in man Joh. 2.23 24. They did not believe on his Name as those do or with that kind of Faith who thereon receive power to become the Sons of God Joh. 1.12 And some when they hear the Word receive it with joy believing for a while but have no Root Luke 8.13 And Faith without a Root in the Heart will not justifie any For with the Heart Men believe unto Righteousness Rom. 10.10 So is it with them who shall cry Lord Lord at the last day we have prophesied in thy name whilst yet they were always workers of Iniquity Math. 7.22 23. This Faith is usually called Historical Faith But this Denomination is not taken from the Object of it as though it were only the History of the Scripture or the Historical things contained in it For it respects the whole Truth of the Word yea of the Promises of the Gospel as well as other things But it is so called from the nature of the Assent wherein it doth consist For it is such as we give unto Historical things that are credibly testified unto us And this Faith hath divers differences or degrees both in respect unto the Grounds or Reasons of it and also its Effects For as unto the first all Faith is an Assent upon Testimony and divine Faith is an Assent upon a divine Testimony According as this Testimony is received so are the Differences or Degrees of this Faith Some apprehend it on humane motives only and their credibility unto the Judgment of Reason and their Assent is a meer natural Act of their Understanding which is the lowest degree of this Historical Faith Some have their minds enabled unto it by spiritual Illumination making a discovery of the Evidences of Divine Truth whereon it is to be believed the Assent they give hereon is more firm and operative than that of the former sort Again It hath its Differences or Degrees with respect unto its Effects With some it doth no way or very little influence the Will or the Affections or work any Change in the lives of men So is it with them that profess they believe the Gospel and yet live in all manner of sins In this Degree it is called by the Apostle James a dead Faith and compared unto a dead Carkass without life or motion and is an Assent of the very same nature and kind with that which Devils are compelled to give And this Faith abounds in the World With others it hath an effectual work upon the Affections and that in many degrees also represented in the several sorts of Ground whereinto the Seed of the Word is cast and produceth many effects in their lives In the utmost improvement of it both as to the Evidence it proceeds from and the Effects it produceth it is usually called temporary Faith for it is neither permanent against all oppositions nor will bring any unto Eternal Rest. The name is taken from that Expression of our Saviour concerning him who believeth with this Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Math. 13.21 This Faith I grant to be true in its kind and not meerly to be equivocally so called it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is so as unto the general nature of Faith but of the same special nature with justifying Faith it is not Justifying Faith is not an higher or the highest degree of this Faith but is of another kind or nature Wherefore sundry things may be observed concerning this Faith in the utmost improvement of it unto our present purpose As 1. This Faith with all the effects of it men
by the Gospel 3 The Nature of Faiths compliance with that Design or its Actings with respect thereunto 4 The Order Method and Way of Believing as declared in the Scripture 1. The Gospel is the Revelation or Declaration of that way of Justification and Salvation for sinners by Jesus Christ which God in infinite Wisdom Love and Grace hath prepared And upon a supposition of the Reception thereof it is accompanied with Precepts of Obedience and Promises of Rewards Therein the Righteousness of God that which he requires accepts and approves unto Salvation is revealed from Faith unto Faith Rom. 1.17 This is the Record of God therein that he hath given unto us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son 1 Joh. 5.10 So Joh. 3.14 15 16 17. The Words of this Life Act. 5.20 All the Counsel of God Act. 20.27 Wherefore in the Dispensation or Preaching of the Gospel this way of Salvation is proposed unto sinners as the great Effect of divine Wisdom and Grace Vnbelief is the Rejection Neglect Non-admission or Disapprobation of it on the Terms whereon and for the Ends for which it is so proposed The Unbelief of the Pharisees upon the preparatory Preaching of John the Baptist is called the rejecting of the Counsel of God against themselves that is unto their own Ruine Luke 7.30 They would none my Counsel is an Expression to the same purpose Prov. 1.30 so is the neglecting of this great Salvation Heb. 2.3 Not giving it that Admission which the Excellency of it doth require A disallowing of Christ The Stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.7 The Builders disapproved of as not meet for that Place and Work whereunto it was designed Act. 4.14 This is Unbelief To disapprove of Christ and the Way of Salvation by him as not answering Divine Wisdom nor suited unto the End designed So is it described by the refusing or not receiving of him all to the same purpose What is intended will be more Evident if we consider the proposal of the Gospel where it issued in Vnbelief in the first preaching of it and where it continueth still so to do 1. Most of those who rejected the Gospel by their Vnbelief did it under this notion that the way of Salvation and Blessedness proposed therein was not a way answering Divine Goodness and Power such as they might safely Confide in and Trust unto This the Apostle declares at large 1 Cor. 1. so he expresseth it ver 23 24. We Preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishness But unto them that are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom of God That which they declared unto them in the preaching of the Gospel was That Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture chap. 15.3 Herein they proposed him as the Ordinance of God as the great effect of his Wisdom and Power for the Salvation of sinners But as unto those who continued in their Vnbelief they rejected it as any such way esteeming it both Weakness and Folly And therefore he describeth the Faith of them that are called by their Approbation of the Wisdom and Power of God herein The want of a comprehension of the Glory of God in this way of Salvation rejecting it thereon is that Unbelief which ruines the Souls of men 2 Cor. 4.3 4. So is it with all that continue Vnbelievers under the proposal of the Object of Faith in the Preaching of the Gospel They may give an Assent unto the Truth of it so far as it is a meer Act of the mind at least they find not themselves concerned to reject it Yea they may Assent unto it with that Temporary Faith which we described before and perform many Duties of Religion thereon Yet do they manifest that they are not sincere Believers that they do not believe with the Heart unto Righteousness by many things that are irreconcileable unto and inconsistent with Justifying Faith The Enquiry therefore is wherein the Vnbelief of such persons on the Account whereof they perish doth consist and what is the formal nature of it It is not as was said in the want of an Assent unto the Truths of the Doctrine of the Gospel for from such an Assent are they said in many places of the Scripture to believe as hath been proved And this Assent may be so firm and by various means so radicated in their minds as that in Testimony unto it they may give their Bodies to be burned as men also may do in the confirmation of a false perswasion Nor is it the want of an especial fiduciary Application of the Promises of the Gospel unto themselves and the belief of the pardon of their own sins in particular For this is not proposed unto them in the first preaching of the Gospel as that which they are first to believe and there may be a believing unto Righteousness where this is not attained Isa. 50.10 This will evidence Faith not to be true but it is not formal unbelief Nor is it the want of Obedience unto the precepts of the Gospel in Duties of Holiness and Righteousness For these commands as formally given in and by the Gospel belong only unto them that truly believe and are justified thereon That therefore which is required unto Evangelical Faith wherein the nature of it doth consist as it is the foundation of all future Obedience is the Hearts Approbation of the way of Life and Salvation by Jesus Christ proposed unto it as the Effect of the infinite Wisdom Love Grace and Goodness of God and as that which is suited unto all the wants and whole design of Guilty Convinced sinners This such Persons have not and in the want thereof consists the formal Nature of Vnbelief For without this no man is or can be influenced by the Gospel unto a Relinquishment of sin or encouraged unto Obedience whatever they may do on other grounds and motives that are forraign unto the Grace of it And wherever this Cordial sincere Approbation of the way of Salvation by Jesus Christ proposed in the Gospel doth prevail it will infallibly produce both Repentance and Obedience If the Mind and Heart of a Convinced sinner for of such alone we treat be able spiritually to discern the Wisdom Love and Grace of God in this way of Salvation and be under the power of that perswasion he hath the ground of Repentance and Obedience which is given by the Gospel The receiving of Christ mentioned in the Scripture and whereby the Nature of Faith in its exercise is expressed I refer unto the latter part of the Description given concerning the Souls Acquiescency in God by the way proposed Again Some there were at first and such still continue to be who rejected not this way absolutely and in the notion of it but comparatively as reduced to practice and so perished in their unbelief They judged the way of their own Righteousness to be better as
that which might be more safely trusted unto as more according unto the mind of God and unto his Glory So did the Jews generally the frame of whose minds the Apostle represents Rom. 10.3 4. And many of them assented unto the Doctrine of the Gospel in general as true howbeit they liked it not in their Hearts as the best way of Justification and Salvation but sought for them by the works of the Law Wherefore Vnbelief in its formal nature consists in the want of a spiritual discerning and Approbation of the way of salvation by Jesus Christ as an Effect of the infinite Wisdom Goodness and Love of God For where these are the Soul of a convinced sinner cannot but embrace it and adhere unto it Hence also all Acquiescency in this Way and Trust and Confidence in committing the Soul unto it or unto God in it and by it without which whatever is pretended of Believing is but a shadow of Faith is impossible unto such persons For they want the foundation whereon alone they can be built And the consideration hereof doth sufficiently manifest wherein the nature of true Evangelical Faith doth consist 2. The Design of God in and by the Gospel with the Work and Office of Faith with respect thereunto farther confirms the Description given of it That which God designeth herein in the first place is not the Justification and Salvation of sinners His utmost compleat End in all his Counsels is his own Glory he doth all things for himself nor can he who is infinite do otherwise But in an especial manner he expresseth this concerning this way of Salvation by Jesus Christ. Particularly He designed herein the Glory of his Righteousness To declare his Righteousness Rom. 3.25 Of his Love God so loved the world Joh. 3.16 Herein we perceive the Love of God that he laid down his life for us 1 Joh. 3.16 Of his Grace accepted to the praise of the Glory of his Grace Ephes. 1.5 6. Of his Wisdom Christ Crucified the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.24 might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God Ephes. 3.10 Of his Power It is the Power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 Of his Faithfulness Rom. 4.16 For God designed herein not only the Reparation of all that Glory whose Declaration was impeached and obscured by the Entrance of sin but also a farther Exaltation and more eminent Manifestation of it as unto the Degrees of its Exaltation and some especial Instances before concealed Ephes. 3.9 And all this is called the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ whereof Faith is the beholding 2 Cor. 4.6 3. This being the principal Design of God in the way of Justification and Salvation by Christ proposed in the Gospel that which on our part is required unto a participation of the Benefits of it is the Ascription of that Glory unto God which he designs so to Exalt The Acknowledgment of all these glorious properties of the Divine Nature as manifested in the provision and proposition of this way of life Righteousness and Salvation with an Approbation of the way it self as an effect of them and that which is safely to be trusted unto is that which is required of us and this is Faith or Believing Being strong in Faith he gave Glory to God Rom. 4.22 And this is in the nature of the weakest degree of sincere Faith And no other Grace Work or Duty is suited hereunto or firstly and directly of that tendency but only consequentially and in the way of Gratitude And although I cannot wholly Assent unto him who affirms that Faith in the Epistles of Paul is nothing but Existimatio magnifice sentiens de Dei Potentia Justitia Bonitate si quid promiserit in eo praestando constantia because it is too general and not limited unto the way of Salvation by Christ his Elect in whom he will be glorified yet hath it much of the Nature of Faith in it Wherefore I say that hence we may both learn the Nature of Faith and whence it is that Faith alone is required unto our Justification The Reason of it is because this is that Grace or Duty alone whereby we do or can give unto God that Glory which he designeth to manifest and exalt in and by Jesus Christ. This only Faith is suited unto and this it is to believe Faith in the sense we enquire after is the Hearts Approbation of and consent unto the way of Life and Salvation of sinners by Jesus Christ as that wherein the Glory of the Righteousness Wisdom Grace Love and Mercy of God is exalted the praise whereof it ascribes unto him and resteth in it as unto the Ends of it namely Justification Life and Salvation It is to give Glory to God Rom. 4.20 to behold his Glory as in a Glass or the Gospel wherein it is represented unto us 2 Cor. 3.18 To have in our Hearts the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 The contrary whereunto makes God a liar and thereby despoileth him of the Glory of all those holy properties which he this way designed to manifest 1 Joh. 5.10 And if I mistake not this is that which the Experience of them that truly believe when they are out of the Heats of Disputation will give Testimony unto 4. To understand the Nature of Justifying Faith aright on the Act and Exercise of saving Faith in order unto our Justification which are properly enquired after we must consider the order of it first the things which are necessarily previous thereunto and then what it is to believe with respect unto them As 1. The state of a Convinced sinner who is the only Subjectum capax Justificationis This hath been spoken unto already and the necessity of its precedency unto the orderly proposal and receiving of Evangelical Righteousness unto Justification demonstrated If we lose a respect hereunto we lose our best Guide towards the Discovery of the Nature of Faith Let no man think to understand the Gospel who knoweth nothing of the Law Gods constitution and the nature of the things themselves have given the Law the precedency with respect unto sinners for by the Law is the knowledge of sin And Gospel Faith is the Souls acting according to the mind of God for deliverance from that state and condition which it is cast under by the Law And all those Descriptions of Faith which abound in the Writings of Learned men which do not at least include in them a virtual respect unto this state and condition or the Work of the Law on the Consciences of sinners are all of them vain speculations There is nothing in this whole Doctrine that I will more firmly adhere unto than the necessity of the Convictions mentioned previous unto true Believing without which not one line of it can be understood aright and men do but beat the Air in their contentions about it See Rom. 3.21 22
23 24. 2. We suppose herein a sincere Assent unto all Divine Revelations whereof the Promises of Grace and Mercy by Christ are an especial part This Paul supposed in Agrippa when he would have won him over unto Faith in Christ Jesus King Agrippa believest thou the Prophets I know that thou believest Act. 26.27 And this Assent which respects the Promises of the Gospel not as they contain propose and exhibit the Lord Christ and the Benefits of his Mediation unto us but as Divine Revelations of infallible Truth is true and sincere in its kind as we described it before under the notion of Temporary Faith But as it proceeds no farther as it includes no Act of the Will or Heart it is not that Faiâ—h whereby we are Justified However it is required thereunto and is included therein 3. The proposal of the Gospel according unto the Mind of God is hereunto supposed That is that it be preached according unto Gods Appointment For not only the Gospel it self but the Dispensation or Preaching of it in the Ministry of the Church is ordinarily required unto Believing This the Apostle asserts and proves the necessity of it at large Rom. 10.11 12 13 14 15 16 17. Herein the Lord Christ and his Mediation with God the only way and means for the Justification and Salvation of lost convinced sinners as the product and effect of Divine Wisdom Love Grace and Righteousness is revealed declared proposed and offered unto such sinners For therein is the Righteousness of God revealed from Faith unto Faith Rom. 1.17 The Glory of God is represented as in a Glass 2 Cor. 3.18 and Life and Immortality are brought to Light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 Heb. 2.3 Wherefore 4. The Persons who are required to believe and whose immediate Duty it is so to do are such who really in their own Consciences are brought unto and do make the Enquiries mentioned in the Scripture What shall we do What shall we do to be saved How shall we fly from the wrath to come Wherewithall shall we appear before God How shall we answer what is laid unto our Charge Or such as being sensible of the Guilt of sin do seek for a Righteousness in the sight of God Act. 2.38 Act. 16.30 31. Micah 6.6 7. Isa. 35.4 Heb. 6.18 On these suppositions the Command and Direction given unto men being Believe and you shall be saved the Enquiry is what is that Act or Work of Faith whereby the may obtain a real interest or propriety in the Promises of the Gospel and the things declared in them unto their Justification before God And 1. It is evident from what hath been discoursed that it doth not consist in that it is not to be fully expressed by any one single habit or Act of the Mind or Will distinctly whatever For there are such Descriptions given of it in the Scripture such things are proposed as the Object of it and such is the Experience of all that sincerely believe as no one single Act either of the Mind or Will can answer unto Nor can an exact method of those Acts of the Soul which are concurrent therein be prescribed Only what is Essential unto it is manifest 2. That which in order of Nature seems to have the precedency is the Assent of the Mind unto that which the Psalmist betakes himself unto in the first place for relief under a sense of sin and trouble Psal. 130.3 4. If thou Lord shouldst mark Iniquity O Lord who shall stand The Sentence of the Law and Judgment of Conscience lye against him as unto any Acceptation with God Therefore he despairs in himself of standing in Judgment or being acquitted before him In this state that which the Soul first fixeth on as unto its relief is that there is forgiveness with God This as declared in the Gospel is that God in his Love and Grace will pardon and justifie guilty sinners through the blood and Mediation of Christ So it is proposed Rom. 3.23 24. The Assent of the Mind hereunto as proposed in the Promise of the Gospel is the root of Faith the foundation of all that the Soul doth in believing Nor is there any Evangelical Faith without it But yet consider it abstractedly as a meer Act of the Mind the Essence and Nature of Justifying Faith doth not consist solely therein though it cannot be without it But 2. This is accompanied in sincere Believing with an Approbation of the way of Deliverance and Salvation proposed as an effect of Divine Grace Wisdom and Love whereon the Heart doth rest in it and apply it self unto it according to the Mind of God This is that Faith whereby we are justified which I shall farther evince by shewing what is included in it and inseparable from it 1. It includeth in it a sincere Renunciation of all other ways and means for the attaining of Righteousness Life and Salvation This is Essential unto Faith Act. 4.12 Hos. 14.2 3. Jerem. 3.23 Psal. 71.16 I will make mention of thy Righteousness of thine only When a person is in the condition before described and such alone are called immediately to believe Math. 9.13 chap. 11.28 1 Tim. 1.15 many things will present themselves unto him for his relief particularly his own Righteousness Rom. 10.3 A Renunciation of them all as unto any hope or expectation of Relief from them belongs unto sincere Believing Isa. 50.10 11. 2. There is in it the Wills consent whereby the Soul betakes it self cordially and sincerely as unto all its expectation of pardon of sin and Righteousness before God unto the way of Salvation proposed in the Gospel This is that which is called coming unto Christ and receiving of him whereby true Justifying Faith is so often expressed in the Scripture or as it is peculiarly called believing in him or believing on his name The whole is expressed Joh. 14.6 Jesus saith unto him I am the Way the Truth and the Life no Man cometh unto the Father but by me 3. An Acquiescency of the Heart in God as the Author and principal Cause of the way of Salvation prepared as acting in a way of Soveraign Grace and Mercy towards sinners Who by him do believe in God who raised him up from the dead and gave him Glory that your faith and hope might be in God 1 Pet. 1.21 The Heart of a sinner doth herein give unto God the Glory of all those holy properties of his Nature which he designed to manifest in and by Jesus Christ. See Isa. 42.1 chap. 49.3 And this Acquiescency of the Heart in God is that which is the immediate root of that waiting patience long-suffering and hope which are the proper Acts and Effects of Justifying Faith Heb. 6.12 15 18 19. 4. Trust in God or the Grace and Mercy of God in and through the Lord Christ as set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his Blood doth belong hereunto or necessarily ensue hereon For the person called
3.9 2 Cor. 4.6 The nature of Faith thence declared Faith alone ascribes and gives this glory to God Order of the Acts of Faith or the method in believing Convictions previous thereunto Sincere assent unto all Divine Revelations Acts 26.27 The Proposal of the Gospel unto that end Rom. 10.11 12 13 c. 2 Cor. 3.18 State of Persons called to believe Justifying Faith doth not consist in any one single habit or act of the Mind or Will The nature of that assent which is the first Act of Faith Approbation of the Way of Salvation by Christ comprehensive of the special nature of justifying Faith What is included therein 1. A Renuntiation of all other ways Hos. 14.2 3. Jer. 3.23 Psal. 7.16 Rom. 10.3 2. Consent of the Will unto this Way Joh. 14.6 3. Acquiescency of the Heart in God 1 Pet. 1.21 Trust in God Faith described by Trust the Reason of it Nature and Object of this Trust inquired into A double consideration of special Mercy Whether Obedience be included in the nature of Faith or be of the essence of it A sincere purpose of Vniversal Obedience inseparable from Faith How Faith alone justifieth Repentance how required in and unto Justification How a condition of the New Covenant Perseverance in Obedience is so also Definitions of Faith Pag. 125. CHAP. III. Vse of Faith in Justification various Conceptions about it By whom asserted as the Instrument of it by whom denied In what sense it is affirmed so to be The expressions of the Scripture concerning the use of Faith in Justification what they are and how they are best explained By an Instrumental Cause Faith how the Instrument of God in Justification How the Instrument of them that do believe The use of Faith expressed in the Scripture by apprehending receiving declared by an Instrument Faith in what sense the condition of our Justification Signification of that Term whence to be Learned Pag. 146. CHAP. IV. The proper sense of these words Justification and to justifie considered Necessity thereof Latine derivation of Justification Some of the Antients deceived by it From Jus and Justum Justus filius who The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vse and signification of it Places where it is used examined 2 Sam. 15.4 Deut. 21.5 Prov. 17.15 Isa. 5.23 Chap. 50.8 1 King 8.31 32. 2 Chro. 6.22 23. Psal. 82.3 Exod. 23.7 Isa. 53.11 Jere. 44.16 Dan. 12.3 The constant sense of the word evinced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vse of it in other Authors to punish What it is in the New Testament Matth. 11.19 Chap. 12.37 Luk. 7.29 Chap. 10.29 Chap. 16.15 Chap. 18.14 Acts 13.38 39. Rom. 2.13 Chap. 3.4 Constantly used in a forensick sense Places seeming dubious vindicated Rom. 8.30 1 Cor. 6.11 Tit. 3.5 6 7. Revel 22.11 How often these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are used in the New Testament Constant sense of this The same evinced from what is opposed unto it Isa. 50.8 Prov. 17.15 Rom. 5.16 18. Rom. 8.33 34. And the Declaration of it in Terms equivalent Rom. 4.6 7. Rom. 5.9 10. 2 Cor. 5.20 21. Matth. 1.21 Acts 13.39 Gal. 2.16 c. Justification in the Scripture proposed under a Juridical Scheam and of a forensick Title The Parts and Progress of it Instances from the whole Pag. 169. c. CHAP. V. Distinction of a First and Second Justification The whole Doctrine of the Roman Church concerning Justification grounded on this Distinction The First Justification the nature and causes of it according unto the Romanists The Second Justification what it is in their sense Solution of the seeming Difference between Paul and James falsly pretended by this Distinction The same Distinction received by the Socinians and others The latter termed by some the continuation of our Justification The Distinction disproved Justification considered either as unto its Essence or its Manifestation The Manifestation of it twofold initial and final Initial is either unto our selves or others No Second Justification hence insues Justification before God Legal and Evangelical Their distinct natures The Distinction mentioned derogatory to the Merit of Christ. More in it ascribed unto our selves then unto the Blood of Christ in our Justification The vanity of Disputations to this purpose All true Justification everthrown by this Distinction No countenance given unto this Justification in the Scripture The Second Justification not intended by the Apostle James Evil of Arbitrary Distinctions Our First Justification so described in the Scripture as to leave no room for a Second Of the Continuation of our Justification Whether it depend on Faith alone or our Personal Righteousness inquired Justification at once compleated in all Causes and Effects of it proved at large Believers upon their Justification obliged unto perfect Obedience The commanding Power of the Law constitutes the nature of Sin in them who are not obnoxious unto its curse Future Sins in what sense remitted at our First Justification The Continuation of Actual Pardon and thereby of a justified Estate on what it doth depend Continuation of Justification the act of God whereon it depends in that sense On our part it depends on Faith alone Nothing required hereunto but the Application of Righteousness imputed The Continuation of our Justification is before God That whereon the Continuation of our Justification depends pleadable before God This not our Personal Obedience proved 1. By the experience of all Believers 2. Testimonies of Scripture 3. Examples The Distinction mentioned rejected Pag. 189. CHAP. VI. Evangelical Personal Righteousness the nature and use of it Whether there be an Evangelical Justification on our Evangelical Righteousness inquired into How this is by some affirmed and applauded Evangelical Personal Righteousness asserted as the condition of our Legal Righteousness or the Pardon of Sin Opinion of the Socinians Personal Righteousness required in the Gospel Believers hence denominated Righteous Not with respect unto Righteousness habitual but actual only Inherent Righteousness the same with Sanctification or Holiness In what sense we may be said to be justified by Inherent Righteousness No Evangelical Justification on our Personal Righteousness The Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ doth not depend thereon None have this Righteousness but they are untecedently justified A charge before God in all Justification before God The Instrument of this charge the Law or the Gospel From neither of them can we be justified by this Personal Righteousness The Justification pretended needless and useless It hath not the nature of any Justification mentioned in the Scripture but is contrary to all that is so called Other Arguments to the same purpose Sentential Justification at the last day Nature of the last Judgment Who shall be then justified A Declaration of Righteousness and an Actual Admission unto Glory the whole of Justification at the last day The Argument that we are justified in this life in the same manner and on the same Grounds as we shall be judged at the last day
justified in his sight Whence the Prophet says in the Psalm If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquity who should stand And Ambrose to the same purpose Nemo ergo sibi arroget nemo de meritis glorietur nemo de potestate se jactet omnes speremus per Dominum Jesum misericordiam invenire quoniam omnes ante Tribunal ejus stabimus de illo veniam de illo indulgentiam postulabo quaenam spes alia peccatoribus in Psal. 119. Resh Let no man arrogate any thing unto himself let no man glory in his own merits or good deeds let no man boast of his power let us all hope to find mercy by Lord Jesus for we shall all stand before his Judgment-seat Of him will I beg pardon of him will I desire Indulgence what other hope is there for sinners Wherefore if men will be turned off from a continual regard unto the Greatness Holiness and Majesty of God by their Inventions in the Heat of Disputation if they do forget a Reverential Consideration of what will become them and what they may betake themselves unto when they stand before his Tribunal they may ingage into such apprehensions as they dare not abide by in their own personal Trial. For how shall man be just with God Hence it hath been observed that the School-men themselves in their Meditations and Devotional writings wherein they had immediate thoughts of God with whom they had to do did speak quite another Language as to Justification before God then they do in their wrangling Philosophical fiery Disputes about it And I had rather learn what some men really judge about their own Justification from their prayers then their writings Nor do I remember that I did ever hear any good man in his prayers use any expressions about Justification pardon of sin and Righteousness before God wherein any plea from any thing in our selves was introduced or made use of The Prayer of Daniel hath in this matter been the substance of their Supplications O Lord Righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of faces we do not present our Supplications before thee for our own Righteousness but for thy great mercies O Lord hear O Lord forgive for thine own sake O my God Dan. 9.7 18 19. Or that of the Psalmist Enter not into Judgement with thy servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Psal. 143.2 Or If thou Lord mark Iniquity Lord who shall stand but there is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared Psal. 130. 2 3 4. On which words the Exposition of Austin is remarkable speaking of David and applying it unto himself Ecce clamat sub molibus iniquitatum suarum Circumspexit se circumspexit vitam suam vidit illam undique flagitiis coopertam quacunque respexit nihil in se boni invenit Et cum tanta tam multa peccata undique videret tanquam expavescens exclamavit si iniquitates observaris Domine quis sustinebit vidit enim prope totam vitam humanam circumlatrari peccatis accusari omnes conscientias cogitationibus suis non inveniri Cor Castum praesumens de justitia quod quia inveniri non potest praesumat ergo omnium Cor de misericordia Domini Dei sui dicat Deo si iniquitates observaris Domine Domine quis sustinebit Quae autem est spes quoniam apud te propitiatio est And whereas we may and ought to represent unto God in our Supplications our Faith or what it is that we believe herein I much question whether some men can find in their hearts to pray over and plead before him all the Arguments and Distinctions they make use of to prove the interest of our Works and Obedience in our Justification before him or enter into Judgement with him upon the conclusions which they make from them Nor will many be satisfied to make use of that Prayer which Pelagius taught the Widow as it was objected to him in the Diaspolitan Synod Tu nosti Domine quam sanctae quam innocentes quam purae ab omni fraude rapina quas ad te expando manus quam justa quam immaculata labia ab omni mendacio libera quibus tibi ut mihi miserearis preces fundo Thou knowest O Lord how holy how innocent how pure from all deceit and rapine are the hands which I stretch forth unto thee how just how unspotted with evil how free from lying are those lips wherewith I pour forth prayers unto thee that thou wouldst have mercy on me And yet although he taught her so to plead her own purity innocency and righteousness before God yet he doth it not as those whereon she might be absolutely justified but only as the condition of her obtaining mercy Nor have I observed that any publick Liturgies the Mass-Book only excepted wherein there is a frequent recourse unto the merits and intercession of Saints do guide men in their prayers before God to plead any thing for their acceptance with him or as the means or condition thereof but Grace Mercy the Righteousness and Blood of Christ alone Wherefore I cannot but judge it best others may think of it as they please for those who would teach or learn the Doctrine of Justification in a due manner to place their Consciences in the presence of God and their Persons before his Tribunal and then upon a due consideration of his Greatness Power Majesty Righteousness Holiness of the terrour of his Glory and Soveraign Authority to enquire what the Scripture and a sense of their own Condition directs them unto as their Relief and Refuge and what Plea it becomes them to make for themselves Secret thoughts of God and our selves retired meditations the conduct of the spirit in humble supplications Death-bed preparations for an immediate appearance before God Faith and Love in exercise on Christ speak other things for the most part then many contend for 3. A clear apprehension and due sense of the Greatness of our Apostasie from God of the Depravation of our Natures thereby of the Power and Guilt of Sin of the Holiness and Severity of the Law are necessary unto a right apprehension of the Doctrine of Justification Therefore unto the Declaration of it doth the Apostle premise a large Discourse throughly to convince the minds of all that seek to be justified with a sense of these things Rom. 1.2 3. The Rules which he hath given us the Method which he prescribeth and the Ends which he designeth are those which we shall chuse to follow And He layeth it down in general That the Righteoussness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith and that the Just shall live by Faith chap. 1.17 But he declares not in particular the causes nature and way of our Justification until he hath fully evinced that all men are shut up under this state of sin and manifested how deplorable their Condition is thereby And in the Ignorance of these things in the
there is no Relief or Deliverance to be expected from any of those ways of sorrow or duty that he hath put himself upon 3 In this condition it is a meer Act of Soveraign Grace without any respect unto these things foregoing to call the sinner unto Believing or Faith in the Promise unto the Justification of Life This is Gods order yet so as that what precedeth his call unto Faith hath no causality thereof 3. The next thing to be enquired into is the proper Object of Justifying Faith or of true Faith in its office work and duty with respect unto our Justification And herein we must first consider what we cannot so well close withall For besides other Differences that seem to be about it which indeed are but different Explanations of the same thing for the substance there are two Opinions which are looked on as Extreams the one in an Excess and the other in Defect The first is that of the Roman Church and those who comply with them therein And this is That the Object of Justifying Faith as such is all Divine Verity all Divine Revelation whether written in the Scripture or delivered by Tradition represented unto us by the Authority of the Church In the latter part of this Description we are not at present concerned That the whole Scripture and all the parts of it and all the Truths of what sort soever they be that are contained in it are equally the Object of Faith in the discharge of its Office in our Justification is that which they maintain Hence as to the nature of it they cannot allow it to consist in any thing but an Assent of the mind For supposing the whole Scripture and all contained in it Laws Precepts Promises Threatnings Stories Prophesies and the like to be the Object of it and these not as containing in them things Good or Evil unto us but under this formal consideration as divinely revealed they cannot assign or allow any other Act of the mind to be required hereunto but Assent only And so confident are they herein namely That Faith is no more then an Assent unto divine Revelation as that Bellarmin in opposition unto Calvin who placed knowledge in the description of Justifying Faith affirms that it is better defined by Ignorance than by Knowledge This Description of Justifying Faith and its Object hath been so discussed and on such evident Grounds of Scripture and Reason rejected by Protestant Writers of all sorts as that it is needless to insist much upon it again Some things I shall observe in relation unto it whereby we may discover what is of Truth in what they assert and wherein it falls short thereof Neither shall I respect only them of the Roman Church who require no more to Faith or Believing but only a bare Assent of the mind unto divine Revelations but them also who place it wholly in such a firm Assent as produceth Obedience unto all divine Commands For as it doth both these as both these are included in it so unto the especial nature of it more is required It is as justifying neither a meer Assent nor any such firm degree of it as should produce such effects 1. All Faith whatever is an Act of that power of our Souls in general whereby we are able firmly to assent unto the Truth upon Testimony in things not evident unto us by Sense or Reason It is the Evidence of things not seen And all divine Faith is in general an Assent unto the Truth that is proposed unto us upon divine Testimony And hereby as it is commonly agreed it is distinguished from Opinion and moral certainty on the one hand and Science or Demonstration on the other 2. Wherefore in Justifying Faith there is an Assent unto all divine Revelation upon the Testimony of God the Revealer By no other Act of our mind wherein this is not included or supposed can we be justified not because it is not justifying but because it is not Faith This Assent I say is included in Justifying Faith And therefore we find it often spoken of in the Scripture the Instances whereof are gathered up by Bellarmin and others with respect unto other things and not restrained unto the especial promise of Grace in Christ which is that which they oppose But besides that in most places of that kind the proper Object of Faith as Justifying is included and referred ultimately unto though diversly expressed by some of its Causes or concomitant Adjuncts it is granted that we believe all divine Truth with that very Faith whereby we are justified so as that other things may well be ascribed unto it 3. On these Concessions we yet say two things 1 That the whole nature of Justifying Faith doth not consist meerly in an Assent of the mind be it never so firm and stedfast nor whatever Effects of Obedience it may produce 2 That in its Duty and Office in Justification whence it hath that especial denomination which alone we are in the Explanation of it doth not equally respect all divine Revelation as such but hath a peculiar Object proposed unto it in the Scripture And whereas both these will be immediately evinced in our description of the proper Object and Nature of Faith I shall at present oppose some few things unto this Description of them sufficient to manifest how aliene it is from the Truth 1. This Assent is an Act of the understanding only An Act of the mind with respect unto Truth evidenced unto it be it of what nature it will So we believe the worst of things and the most grievous unto us as well as the best and the most useful But Believing is an Act of the Heart which in the Scripture comprizeth all the Faculties of the Soul as one entire principle of moral and spiritual Duties With the Heart Man believeth unto Righteousness Rom. 10.10 And it is frequently described by an Act of the Will though it be not so alone But without an Act of the Will no man can believe as he ought See Joh. 5.40 Joh. 1.12 chap. 6.35 We come to Christ in an Act of the Will and let whosoever will come And to be willing is taken for to believe Psal. 110.3 and Unbelief is Disobedience Heb. 3.18 19. 2. All Divine Truth is equally the Object of this Assent It respects not the especial nature or use of any one Truth be it of what kind it will more than another nor can it do so since it regards only Divine Revelation Hence that Judas was the Traytor must have as great an influence into our Justification as that Christ died for our sins But how contrary this is unto the Scripture the Analogy of Faith and the Experience of all that believe needs neither Declaration nor Confirmation 3. This Assent unto all Divine Revelation may be true and sincere where there hath been no previous work of the Law nor any Conviction of sin No such thing is required thereunto nor are
And this must diligently be considered that by our regard by Faith unto the Blood the Sacrifice the Satisfaction of Christ we take off nothing from the free Grace Favour and Love of God 3. All those wherein the Wisdom of God in the contrivance of this way of Justification and Salvation is proposed unto us Ephes. 1.7 8. In whom we have Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the Riches of his Grace wherein he hath abounded towards us in all Wisdom and Vnderstanding See chap. 3.10 11. 1 Cor. 1.24 The whole is comprized in that of the Apostle God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them 2 Cor. 5.19 All that is done in our Reconciliation unto God as unto the pardon of our sins and Acceptance with him unto Life was by the presence of God in his Grace Wisdom and Power in Christ designing and effecting of it Wherefore the Lord Christ proposed in the Promise of the Gospel as the Object of our Faith unto the Justification of Life is considered as the Ordinance of God unto that End Hence the Love the Grace and the Wisdom of God in the sending and giving of him are comprised in that Object and not only the Actings of God in Christ towards us but all his Actings towards the Person of Christ himself unto the same End belong thereunto So as unto his Death God set him forth to be a Propitiation Rom. 3.24 He spared him not but delivered him up for us all Rom. 8.32 And therein laid all our sins upon him Isa. 53.6 So he was raised for our Justification Rom. 4.25 And our Faith is in God who raised him from the dead Rom. 10.9 And in his Exaltation Act. 5.31 Which things compleat the record that God hath given of his Son 1 Joh. 5.10 11 12. The whole is confirmed by the Exercise of Faith in prayer which is the Souls Application of it self unto God for the participation of the Benefits of the Mediation of Christ. And it is called our Access through him unto the Father Eph. 2.18 Our coming through him unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in time of need Heb. 4.15 16. and through him as both an High Priest and Sacrifice Heb. 10.19 20 21. So do we bow our Knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Ephes. 3.14 This answereth the Experience of all who know what it is to pray We come therein in the name of Christ by him through his Mediation unto God even the Father to be through his Grace Love and Mercy made partakers of what he hath designed and promised to communicate unto poor sinners by him And this represents the compleat Object of our Faith The due Consideration of these things will reconcile and reduce into a perfect Harmony whatever is spoken in the Scripture concerning the Object of Justifying Faith or what we are said to believe therewith For whereas this is affirmed of sundry things distinctly they can none of them be supposed to be the entire adequate Object of Faith But consider them all in their Relation unto Christ and they have all of them their proper place therein namely the Grace of God which is the Cause the pardon of sin which is the Effect and the Promises of the Gospel which are the Means of communicating the Lord Christ and the benefits of his Mediation unto us The Reader may be pleased to take notice that I do in this place not only neglect but despise the late Attempt of some to wrest all things of this nature spoken of the Person and Mediation of Christ unto the Doctrine of the Gospel exclusively unto them and that not only as what is noisome and impious in it self but as that also which hath not yet been endeavoured to be proved with any Appearance of Learning Argument or Sobriety CHAP. II. The Nature of Justifying Faith THat which we shall now enquire into is the Nature of Justifying Faith or of Faith in that Act and Exercise of it whereby we are justified or whereon Justification according unto Gods Ordination and Promise doth ensue And the Reader is desired to take along with him a supposition of those things which we have already ascribed unto it as it is sincere Faith in general as also of what is required previously thereunto as unto its especial Nature Work and Duty in our Justification For we do deny that ordinarily and according unto the method of Gods proceeding with us declared in the Scripture wherein the Rule of our Duty is prescribed that any one doth or can truly believe with Faith unto Justification in whom the Work of Conviction before described hath not been wrought All Descriptions or Definitions of Faith that have not a respect thereunto are but vain speculations And hence some do give us such Definitions of Faith as it is hard to conceive that they ever asked of themselves what they do in their Believing on Jesus Christ for Life and Salvation The Nature of Justifying Faith with respect unto that Exercise of it whereby we are justified consisteth in the Hearts Approbation of the way of Justification and Salvation of sinners by Jesus Christ proposed in the Gospel as proceeding from the Grace Wisdom and Love of God with its Acquiescency therein as unto its own Concernment and Condition There needs no more for the Explanation of this Declaration of the Nature of Faith than what we have before proved concerning its Object and what may seem wanting thereunto will be fully supplied in the ensuing Confirmation of it The Lord Christ and his Mediation as the Ordinance of God for the Recovery Life and Salvation of sinners is supposed as the Object of this Faith And they are all considered as an Effect of Wisdom Grace Authority and Love of God with all their actings in and towards the Lord Christ himself in his susception and discharge of his Office Hereunto he constantly refers all that he did and suffered with all the Benefits redounding unto the Church thereby Hence as we observed before sometimes the Grace or Love or especial Mercy of God sometimes his actings in or towards the Lord Christ himself in sending him giving him up unto Death and raising him from the dead are proposed as the Object of our Faith unto Justification But they are so always with respect unto his Obedience and the Atonement that he made for sin Neither are they so altogether absolutely considered but as proposed in the Promises of the Gospel Hence a sincere Assent unto the divine Veracity in those Promises is included in this Approbation What belongs unto the Confirmation of this Description of Faith shall be reduced unto these four Heads 1 The Declaration of its contrary or the nature of privative unbelief upon the proposal of the Gospel For these things do mutually illustrate one another 2 The Declaration of the Design and End of God in and
were For how impossible it is according unto their principles who believe Justification by Faith alone that justifying Faith should be without a sincere purpose of Heart to obey God in all things I shall briefly declare For 1 They believe that Faith is not of our selves it is the Gift of God yea that it is a Grace wrought in the Hearts of men by the exceeding greatness of his Power And to suppose such a Grace dead unactive unfruitful not operative unto the Great End of the Glory of God and the transforming of the Souls of them that receive it into his Image is a Reflection on the Wisdom Goodness and Love of God himself 2 That this Grace is in them a principle of spiritual Life which in the habit of it as resident in the Heart is not really distinguished from that of all other Grace whereby we live to God So that there should be Faith habitually in the Heart I mean that Evangelical Faith we enquire after or actually exercised where there is not an habit of all other Graces is utterly impossible Neither is it possible that there should be any Exercise of this Faith unto Justification but where the mind is prepared disposed and determined unto universal Obedience And therefore 3 It is denied that any Faith Trust or Confidence which may be imagined so as to be absolutely separable from and have its whole nature consistent with the absence of all other Graces is that Faith which is the especial Gift of God and which in the Gospel is required of us in a way of Duty And whereas some have said That Men may believe and place their firm Trust in Christ for Life and Salvation and yet not be justified it is a position so destructive unto the Gospel and so full of scandal unto all pious Souls and contains such an express denial of the Record that God hath given concerning his Son Jesus Christ as I wonder that any person of Sobriety and Learning should be surprised unto it And whereas they plead the Experience of multitudes who profess this firm Faith and Confidence in Christ and yet are not justified it is true indeed but nothing unto their purpose For whatever they profess not only not one of them do so in the sight and judgment of God where this matter is to be tried but it is no difficult matter to evict them of the folly and falseness of this profession by the Light and Rule of the Gospel even in their own Consciences if they would attend unto Instruction Wherefore we say the Faith whereby we are justified is such as is not found in any but those who are made partakers of the Holy Ghost and by him united unto Christ whose Nature is renewed and in whom there is a principle of all Grace and purpose of Obedience Only we say it is not any other Grace as Charity and the like nor any Obedience that gives life and form unto this Faith but it is this Faith that gives life and efficacy unto all other Graces and form unto all Evangelical Obedience Neither doth any thing hence accrue unto our Adversaries who would have all those Graces which are in their Root and Principle at least present in all that are to be justified to have the same influence unto our Justification as Faith hath or that we are said to be justified by Faith alone and in Explication of it in answer unto the Reproaches of the Romanists do say we are justified by Faith alone but not by that Faith which is alone that we intend by Faith all other Graces and Obedience also For besides that the nature of no other Grace is capable of that Office which is assigned unto Faith in our Justification nor can be assumed into a society in operation with it namely to receive Christ and the promises of life by him and to give Glory unto God on their Account so when they can give us any Testimony of Scripture assigning our Justification unto any other Grace or all Graces together or all the Fruits of them so as it is assigned unto Faith they shall be attended unto And this in particular is to be affirmed of Repentance concerning which it is most vehemently urged that it is of the same necessity unto our Justification as Faith is For this they say is easily proved from Testimonies of Scripture innumerable which call all men to Repentance that will be saved especially those two eminent places are insisted on Act. 2.38 39. chap. 3.16 but that which they have to prove is not that it is of the same necessity with Faith unto them that are to be justified but that it is of the same use with Faith in their Justification Baptism in that place of the Apostle Act. 2.38 39. is joined with Faith no less than Repentance And in other places it is expresly put into the same condition Hence most of the Antients concluded that it was no less necessary unto Salvation than Faith or Repentance it self Yet never did any of them assign it the same use in Justification with Faith But it is pleaded whatever is a necessary condition of the new Covenant is also a necessary Condition of Justification For otherwise a man might be justified and continuing in his justified estate not be saved for want of that necessary condition For by a necessary Condition of the new Covenant they understand that without which a man cannot be saved But of this Nature is Repentance as well as Faith and so is equally a condition of our Justification The Ambiguity of the signification of the word Condition doth cast much disorder on the present enquiry in the Discourses of some men But to pass it by at present I say final perseverance is a necessary condition of the New Covenant wherefore by this Rule it is also of Justification They say some things are Conditions absolutely such as are Faith and Repentance and a purpose of Obedience some are so on some supposition only namely that a mans life be continued in this world such is a course in Obedience and Good Works and Perseverance unto the End Wherefore I say then that on supposition that a man lives in this World perseverance unto the End is a necessary Condition of his Justification And if so no man can be justified whilst he is in this World For a Condition doth suspend that whereof it is a Condition from Existence until it be accomplished It is then to no purpose to dispute any longer about Justification if indeed no man is nor can be justified in this life But how contrary this is to Scripture and Experience is known If it be said that final perseverance which is so express a Condition of Salvation in the New Covenant is not indeed the Condition of our first Justification but it is the Condition of the Continuation of our Justification then they yield up their grand position that whatever is a necessary Condition of the New Covenant is a
Topicks of the name of God his Mercy Grace Faithfulness tender Compassion Covenant and Promises all manifested and exercised in and through the Lord Christ and his mediation alone Do they not herein place their only trust and confidence for this end that their Sins may be pardoned and their persons though every way unworthy in themselves be accepted with God Doth any other thought enter into their Hearts Do they plead their own Righteousness Obedience and Duties to this purpose Do they leave the prayer of the Publican and betake themselves unto that of the Pharisee And is it not of Faith alone which is that Grace whereby they apply themselves unto the Mercy or Grace of God through the mediation of Christ It is true that Faith herein worketh and acteth it self in and by Godly sorrow Repentance Humiliation Self-judging and Abhorrency Fervency in Prayer and Supplications with an humble waiting for an Answer of Peace from God with engagements unto renewed Obedience But it is Faith alone that makes Applications unto Grace in the Blood of Christ for the continuation of our justified Estate expressing it self in those other ways and effects mentioned from none of which a Believing Soul doth expect the Mercy aimed at 2. The Scripture expresly doth declare this to be the only way of the continuation of our Justification 1 Joh. 2.1 2. These things write I unto you that you sin not And if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the Propitiation for our Sins It is required of those that are justified that they sin not it is their duty not to sin but yet it is not so required of them as that if in any thing they fail of their Duty they should immediately lose the Priviledge of their Justification Wherefore on a supposition of sin if any man sin as there is no man that liveth and sinneth not what way is prescribed for such persons to take what are they to apply themselves unto that their sin may be pardoned and their acceptance with God continued that is for the continuation of their Justification The course in this case directed unto by the Apostle is none other but the Application of our Souls by Faith unto the Lord Christ as our Advocate with the Father on the account of the Propitiation that he hath made for our Sins Under the consideration of this double Act of his Sacerdotal Office his Oblation and Intercession he is the Object of our Faith in our absolute Justification and so he is as unto the continuation of it So our whole progress in our justified Estate in all the degrees of it is ascribed unto Faith alone It is no part of our enquiry what God requireth of them that are justified There is no Grace no Duty for the substance of them nor for the manner of their performance that are required either by the Law or the Gospel but they are obliged unto them Where they are omitted we acknowledge that the Guilt of sin is contracted and that attended with such Aggravations as some will not own or allow to be confessed unto God himself Hence in particular the Faith and Grace of Believers do constantly and deeply exercise themselves in Godly sorrow Repentance Humiliation for sin and confession of it before God upon their Apprehensions of its Guilt And these Duties are so far necessary unto the continuation of our Justification as that a justified Estate cannot consist with the Sins and Vices that are opposite unto them So the Apostle affirms that if we live after the flesh we shall dye Rom. 8.13 He that doth not carefully avoid falling into the Fire or Water or other things immediately destructive of life natural cannot live But these are not the things whereon life doth depend Nor have the best of our Duties any other respect unto the continuation of our Justification but only as in them we are preserved from those things which are contrary unto it and destructive of it But the sole Question is upon what the continuation of our Justification doth depend not concerning what Duties are required of us in the way of our Obedience If this be that which is intended in this position the continuation of our Justification depends on our own Obedience and Good Works or that our own Obedience and Good Works are the Condition of the continuation of our Justification namely that God doth indispensably require Good Works and Obedience in all that are justified so that a justified estate is inconsistent with the neglect of them it is readily granted and I shall never contend with any about the way whereby they chuse to express the conceptions of their minds But if it be enquired what it is whereby we immediately concur in a way of Duty unto the continuation of our justified estate that is the pardon of our sins and acceptance with God we say it is such alone For the Just shall live by Faith Rom. 1.17 And as the Apostle applies this Divine Testimony to prove our first or absolute Justification to be by Faith alone So doth he also apply it unto the continuation of our Justification as that which is by the same means only Heb. 10.38 39. Now the Just shall live by Faith but if any man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition But of them that believe unto the saving of the Soul The drawing back to perdition includes the loss of a justified Estate really so or in Profession In opposition thereunto the Apostle placeth Believing unto the saving of the Soul that is unto the continuation of Justification unto the end And herein it is that the Just live by Faith and the loss of this life can only be by unbelief So the life which we now live in the flesh is by the Faith of the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us Gal. 2.20 The life which we now lead in the flesh is the continuation of our Justification a life of Righteousness and Acceptation with God in opposition unto a life by the works of the Law as the next words declare ver 21. I do not frustrate the Grace of God for if Righteousness came by the Law then is Christ dead in vain and this life is by Faith in Christ as he loved us and gave himself for us that is as he was a Propitiation for our sins This then is the only way means and cause on our part of the preservation of this life of the continuance of our Justification and herein are we kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation Again if the continuation of our Justification dependeth on our own works of Obedience then is the Righteousness of Christ imputed unto us only with respect unto our Justification at first or our first Justification as some speak And this indeed is the Doctrine of the Roman School They teach that
consists in them alone For without Faith it is impossible to please God And to what purpose should the Apostle exclude evil works and hypocritical from our Justification Who ever imagined that any could be justified with respect unto them There might have been some pretence for this gloss had the Apostle said his own Works but whereas he rejects his own Righteousness to restrain it unto such Works as are not righteous as will denominate none righteous as are no Righteousness at all is most absurd 3. Works wrought in Faith if applied unto our Justification do give occasion unto or include boasting more then any others as being better and more praise worthy then they 4. The Apostle elswhere excludes from Justification the Works that Abraham had done when he had been a Believer many years and the Works of David when he described the Blessedness of a Man by the forgiveness of sins 5. The state of the Question which he handles in his Epistle unto the Galatians was expresly about the Works of them that did believe For he doth not disspute against the Jews who would not be pressed in the least with his Arguments namely that if the inheritance were by the Law then the promise was of none effect and if Righteousness were by the Law then did Christ die in vain For these things they would readily grant But he speaks unto them that were Believers with respect unto those Works which they would have joyned with Christ and the Gospel in order unto Justification 6. If this were the mind of the Apostle that he would exclude one sort of Works and assert the necessity of another unto the same end why did he not once say so especially considering how necessary it was that so he should do to answer those objections against his doctrine which he himself takes notice of and returns answer unto on other grounds without the least intimation of any such distinction Bellarmine considereth this Testimony in three places Lib. 1. cap. 18. Lib. 1. cap. 19. Lib. 5. cap. 5. De Justificat And he returns three answers unto it which contain the substance of all that is pleaded by others unto the same purpose 1. He saith That the Righteousness which is by the Law and which is opposed unto the Righteousness which is by Faith is not the Righteousness written in the Law or which the Law requires but a Righteousness wrought without the aid of Grace by the knowledge of the Law alone 2. That the Righteousness which is by the Faith of Christ are opera nostra justa facta ex fide our own righteous Works wrought in Faith which others call our Evangelical Works 3. That it is blasphemous to call the Duties of Inherent Righteousnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loss and dung But he labors in the fire with all his sophistry For as to the first 1. That by the Righteousness which is by the Law the Righteousness which the Law requires is not intended is a bold assertion and expresly contradictory unto the Apostle Rom. 9.31 Chap. 10.5 In both places he declares the Righteousness of the Law to be the Righteousnes that the Law requires 2. The Works which he excludes he calls the Works of Righteousness that we have done Tit. 3.5 which are the Works that the Law requires Unto the second I say 1. That the substance of it is That the Apostle should profess that I desire to be found in Christ not having my own Righteousness but having my own Righteousness for Evangelical Inherent Righteousness was properly his own And I am sorry that some should apprehend that the Apostle in these words did desire to be found in his own Righteousness in the presence of God in order unto his Justification For nothing can be more contrary not only unto the perpetual tenor and design of all his discourses on this subject but also unto the Testimony of all other holy Men in the Scripture to the same purpose as we have proved before And I suppose there are very few true Believers at present whom they will find to comply and joyn with them in this desire of being found in their own Personal Evangelical Righteousness or the Works of Righteousness which they have done in their tryal before God as unto their Justification We should do well to read our own hearts as well as the Books of others in this matter 2. The Righteousness which is of God by Faith is not our own Obedience or Righteousness but that which is opposed unto it That which God imputes unto us Rom. 4.6 That which we receive by way of gift Rom. 5.17 3. That by the Righteousness which is by the Faith of Christ Jesus our own Inherent Righteousness is not intended is evident from hence That the Apostle excludes all his own Righteousness as and when he was found in Christ that is what ever he had done as a Believer And if there be not an opposition in these words between a Righteousness that is our own and that which is not our own I know not in what words it can be expressed Unto the third I say 1. The Apostle doth not nor do we say that he doth call our Inherent Righteousness dung but only that he accounts it so 2. He doth not account it so absolutely which he is most remote from but only in comparison with Christ. 3. He doth not esteem it so in it self but only as unto his trust in it with respect unto one especial end namely our Justification before God 4. The Prophet Isaiah in the same respect terms all our Righteousness filthy rags Chap. 64.6 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an expression of as much contempt as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. Some say all Works are excluded as meritorious of Grace Life and Salvation but not as the condition of our Justification before God But 1. what ever the Apostle excludes he doth it absolutely and with all respects because he sets up something else in opposition unto it 2. There is no ground left for any such distinction in this place For all that the Apostle requires unto our Justification is 1. That we be found in Christ not in our selves 2. That we have the Righteousness of God not our own 3. That we be made partakers of this Righteousness by Faith which is the substance of what we plead for CHAP. XIX Objections against the Doctrine of Justification by the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. Personal Holiness and Obedience not obstructed but furthered by it THat which remaineth to put an issue to this Discourse is the consideration of some things that in general are laid in objection against the truth pleaded for Many things of that nature we have occasionally met withal and already removed Yea the principal of those which at present are most insisted on The Testimonies of Scripture urged by those of the Roman Church for Justification by works have all of them so fully and frequently been answered by
occasions are they pester'd withal especially if not under the conduct of the same inlightning spirit that some will confidently condemn others unto eternal flames for those things whereon they place on infallible grounds their hopes of eternal blessedness and know that they love God and live unto him on their account But this wretched advantage of condemning all them of Hell who dissent from them is greedily laid hold of by all sorts of persons For they thereby secretly secure their own whole party in perswasion of eternal Salvation be they otherwise what they will For if the want of that Faith which they profess will certainly damn men whatever else they be and how good soever their lives be many will easily suffer themselves to be deceived with a foolish Sophisme that then that Faith which they profess will assuredly save them be their lives what they please considering how it falls in with their inclinations And hereby they may happen also to frighten poor simple people into a compliance with them whilest they peremptorily denounce Damnation against them unless they do so And none for the most part are more fierce in the denunciation of the condemnatory sentence against others for not believing as they do then those who so live as that if there be any truth in the Scripture it is not possible they should be saved themselves For my part I believe that as to Christians in outward profession all unregenerate unbelievers who obey not the Gospel shall be damned be they of what Religion they will and none else for all that are born again do truly believe and obey the Gospel shall be saved be they of what Religion they will as unto the differences that are at this day among Christians That way wherein these things are most effectually promoted is in the first place to be embraced by every one that takes care of his own Salvation If they are in any way or Church obstructed that Church or way is so far as it doth obstruct them to be forsaken And if there be any way of profession or any visible Church state wherein any thing or things absolutely destructive of or inconsistent with these things are made necessary unto the professors of it in that way and by vertue of it no Salvation is to be obtained In other things every man is to walk according unto the light of his own mind for whatever is not of Faith is sin But I return from this digression occasioned by the fierceness of him with whom we have to do For the Objection it self that hath fallen under so perverse a management so far as it hath any pretense of sobriety in it is this and no other If God justifie the ungodly merely by his Grace through Faith in Christ Jesus so as that works of Obedience are not antecedently necessary unto Justification before God nor are any part of that Righteousness whereon any are so justified then are they no way necessary but men may be justified and saved without them For it is said that there is no connexion between Faith unto Justification as by us asserted and the necessity of Holiness Righteousness or Obedience but that we are by Grace set at liberty to live as we list yea in all manner of sin and yet be secured of Salvation For if we are made Righteous with the Righteousness of another we have no need of any Righteousness of our own And it were well it many of those who make use of this Plea would endeavour by some other way also to evidence their esteem of these things for to dispute for the necessity of Holiness and live in the neglect of it is uncomely I shall be brief in the answer that here shall be returned unto this Objection for indeed it is sufficiently answered or obviated in what hath been before discoursed concerning the nature of that Faith whereby we are justified and the continuation of the moral Law in its force as a rule of Obedience unto all believers An unprejudiced consideration of what hath been proposed on these heads will evidently manifest the Iniquity of this charge and how not the least countenance is given unto it by the Doctrine pleaded for Besides I must acquaint the Reader that some while since I have published an entire Discourse concerning the nature and necessity of Gospel Holiness with the Grounds and Reasons thereof in compliance with the Doctrine of Justification that hath now been declared Nor do I see it necessary to add any thing thereunto nor do I doubt but that the perusal of it will abundantly detect the vanity of this charge Dispensat of the Holy Spirit Book 5. Some few things may be spoken on the present occasion 1. It is not pleaded that all who do profess or have in former ages professed this Doctrine have exemplified it in an holy and fruitful conversation Many it is to be feared have been found amongst them who have lived and dyed in sin Neither do I know but that some have abused this Doctrine to countenance themselves in their sins and neglect of duty The best of holy things or truths cannot be secured from abuse so long as the Sophistry of the old Serpent hath an influence on the lusts and depraved minds of men So was it with them of old who turned the grace of God into lasciviousness or from the Doctrine of it countenanced themselves in their ungodly deeds Even from the beginning the whole Doctrine of the Gospel with the grace of God declared therein was so abused Neither were all that made profession of it immediately rendered Holy and Righteous thereby Many from the first so walked as to make it evident that their Belly was their God and their end destruction It is one thing to have only the conviction of truth in our minds another to have the power of it in our hearts The former will produce an outward profession the later only effect an inward Renovation of our Souls However I must add three things unto this concession 1. I am not satisfied that any of those who at present oppose this Doctrine do in Holiness or Righteousness in the exercise of Faith Love Zeal Self-denial and all other Christian Graces surpass those who in the last ages both in this and other Nations firmly adhered unto it and who constantly testified unto that effectual influence which it had into their walking before God Nor do I know that any can be named amongst us in the former ages who were eminent in Holiness and many such there were who did not cordially assent unto that imputation of the Righteousness of Christ which we plead for I doubt not in the least but that many who greatly differ from others in the explication of this Doctrine may be and are eminently holy at least sincerely so which is as much as the best can pretend unto But it is not comely to find some others who give very little evidence of their diligent following after that
had by this time infected the minds of many with their abominations and amongst them this was one and not the least pernicious that by Faith was intended a liberty from the Law and unto Sin or unto them that had it the taking away of all difference between good and evil which was afterwards improved by Basilides Valentinus and the rest of the Gnosticks Or it may be it was only the corruption of mens hearts and lives that prompted them to seek after such a countenance unto Sin And this latter I judg it was There were then among professed Christians such as the world now swarms withal who suppose that their Faith or the Religion which they profess be it what it will shall save them although they live in flagitious wickedness and are utterly barren as unto any good Works or Duties of Obedience Nor is there any other occasion of what he writes intimated in the Epistle For he makes no mention of Seducers as John doth expresly and frequently some while after Against this sort of persons or for their conviction he designs two things 1. In general to prove the necessity of Works unto all that profess the Gospel or Faith in Christ thereby 2. To evidence the vanity and folly of their pretence unto Justification or that they were justified and should be saved by that Faith that was indeed so far from being fruitful in good Works as that it was pretended by them only to countenance themselves in Sin Unto these ends are all his arguings designed and no other He proves effectually that the Faith which is wholly barren and fruitless as unto Obedience and which men pretended to countenance themselves in their sins is not that Faith whereby we are justified and whereby we may be saved but a dead carcass of no use nor benefit as he declares by the Conclusion of his whole Dispute in the last Verse of the Chapter He doth not direct any how they may be justified before God but convinceth some that they are not justified by trusting unto such a dead Faith and declares the only way whereby any man may really evidence and manifest that he is so justified indeed This design of his is so plain as nothing can be more evident and they miss the whole scope of the Apostle who observe it not in their Expositions of the Context Wherefore the principal design of the Apostles being so distant there is no repugnancy in their Assertions though their words make an appearance thereof For they do not speak ad idem nor of things eodem respectu James doth not once enquire how a guilty convinced Sinner cast and condemned by the Law may come to be justified before God and Paul speaks to nothing else Wherefore apply the Expressions of each of them unto their proper design and scope as we must do or we depart from all sober Rules of Interpretation and render it impossible to understand either of them aright and there is no disagreement or appearance of it between them Secondly they speak not of the same Faith Wherefore there can be no discrepancy in what one ascribes unto Faith and the other denies concerning it seeing they understand not the same thing thereby for they speak not of the same Faith As if one affirms that fire will burn and another denyeth it there is no contradiction between them whilst one intends real fire and the other only that which is painted and both declare themselves accordingly For we have proved before that there are two sorts of Faith wherewith men are said to believe the Gospel and make profession thereof as also that which belongs unto the one doth not belong unto the other None I suppose will deny but that by Faith in the matter of our Justification St. Paul intends that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or properly so called The Faith of Gods Elect precious Faith more precious then Gold the Faith that purifieth the heart and works by love the Faith whereby Christ dwelleth in us and we abide in him whereby we live to God a living Faith is that alone which he intendeth For all these things and other Spiritual effects without number doth he ascribe unto that Faith which he insisteth on to be on our part the only means of our Justification before God But as unto the Faith intended by the Apostle James he assigns nothing of all this unto it yea the only Argument whereby he proves that men cannot be saved by that Faith which he treats of is that nothing of all this is found in it That which he intends is what he calls it a dead Faith a Carcass without breath the Faith of Devils a wordy Faith that is no more truly what it is called than it is true Charity to send away naked and hungry persons without relief but no without derision Well may he deny Justification in any sense unto to this Faith however boasted of when yet it may be justly ascribed unto that Faith which Paul speaks of Bellarmine useth several Arguments to prove that the Faith here intended by James is justifying Faith considered in its self but they are all weak to contempt as being built on this supposition that true justifying Faith is nothing but a real assent unto the Catholick Doctrine or Divine Revelation De Justificat lib. 1. cap. 15. His first is that James calleth it Faith absolutely whereby always in the Scripture true Faith is intended Ans. 1. James calls it a Dead Faith the Faith of Devils and casteth all manner of reproach upon it which he would not have done on any Duty or Grace truely Evangelical 2. Every Faith that is true as unto the reality of assent which is given by it unto the Truth is neither living justifying nor saving as hath been proved 3. They are said to have Faith absolutely or absolutely to believe who never had that Faith which is true and saving Joh. 2.23 Act. 8.13 He urgeth that in the same place and Chapter he treats of the Faith of Abraham and affirms that it wrought with his works Vers. 22 23. But this a vain shadow of Faith doth not do It was therefore true Faith and that which is most properly called so that the Apostle intendeth Ans. This pretence is indeed ridiculous For the Apostle doth not give the Faith of Abraham as an instance of that Faith which he had treated with so much severity but of that which is directly contrary unto it and whereby he designed to prove that the other Faith which he had reflected on was of no use nor advantage unto them that had it For this Faith of Abraham produced good Works which the other was wholly without Thirdly He urgeth v. 24 You see then how that by Works a man is justified and not by Faith only For the Faith that James speaks of justifieth with works but a false Faith the shadow of a Faith doth not so it is therefore true saving Faith whereof the Apostle speaks Ans.
they would quickly discern such an imperfection in the best of their Duties such a frequency of sinful irregularities in their Minds and disorders in their Affections such an unsuitableness in all that they are and do from the inward frames of their Hearts unto all their outward actions unto the Greatness and Holiness of God as would abate their confidence in placing any Trust in their own Righteousness for their Justification By means of these and the like presumptuous conceptions of unenlightened minds the Consciences of men are kept off from being affected with a due sense of sin and a serious consideration how they may obtain acceptance before God Neither the consideration of the Holiness or Terrour of the Lord nor the severity of the Law as it indispensibly requireth a Righteousness in compliance with its commands nor the promise of the Gospel declaring and tendring a Righteousness the Righteousness of God in answer thereunto nor the uncertainty of their own minds upon Trials and Surprizals as having no stable ground of Peace to Anchor on nor the constant secret disquietment of their Consciences if not seared or hardened through the deceitfulness of sin can prevail with them whose thoughts are prepossessed with such slight conceptions of the state and guilt of sin to fly for Refuge unto the only hope that is set before them or really and distinctly to comport with the only way of Deliverance and Salvation Wherefore if we would either teach or learn the Doctrine of Justification in a due manner a clear apprehension of the Greatness of our Apostasie from God a due sense of the Guilt of sin a deep Experience of its power all with respect unto the Holiness and Law of God are necessary unto us We have nothing to do in this matter with men who through the Feavor of Pride have lost the Understanding of their own miserable condition For Natura sic apparet vitiata ut hoc majoris vitij sit non videre Austin The whole need not the Physician but the sick Those who are pricked unto the Heart for sin and cry out what shall we do to be saved will understand what we have to say Against others we must defend the Truth as God shall enable And it may be made good by all sorts of Instances That as men rise in their notions about the extenuation of sin so they fall in their regard unto the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. And it is no less true also on the other hand as Unbelief worketh in men a disesteem of the Person and Righteousness of Christ they are cast inevitably to seek for countenance unto their own Consciences in the extenuation of sin So insensibly are the minds of men diverted from Christ and seduced to place their confidence in themselves Some confused respect they have unto him as a Relief they know not how nor wherein but they live in that pretended height of humane Wisdom to trust to themselves So they are instructed to do by the best of the Philosophers Vnum bonum est quod beatae vitae causa firmamentum est tibi fidere Senec. Epist. 31. Hence also is the internal sanctifying Grace of God among many equally despised with the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. The sum of their Faith and of their Arguments in the confirmation of it is given by the Learned Roman Oratour and Philosopher Virtutem saith he nemo unquam Deo acceptam retulit nimirum recte Propter virtutem enim jure laudamur in virtute recte gloriamur quod non contingeret si donum a Deo non a nobis haberemus Tull. de nat Deor. 4. The opposition that the Scripture makes between Grace and Works in general with the Exclusion of the one and the Assertion of the other in our Justification deserves a previous consideration The opposition intended is not made between Grace and Works or our own Obedience as unto their Essence Nature and Consistency in the order and method of our Salvation but only with respect unto our Justification I do not design herein to plead any particular Testimonies of Scripture as unto their especial sense or declaration of the mind of the Holy Ghost in them which will afterwards be with some Diligence enquired into but only to take a view which way the Eye of the Scripture guides our Apprehensions and what compliance there is in our own Experience with that Guidance The Principal seat of this Doctrine as will be confessed by all is in the Epistles of Paul unto the Romans and Galatians whereunto that also of the Hebrews may be added But in that unto the Romans it is most eminently declared For therein is it handled by the Apostle ex professo at large and that both Doctrinally and in the way of controversie with them by whom the Truth was opposed And it is worth our consideration what process he makes towards the Declaration of it and what principles he proceeds upon therein 1. He lays it down as the fundamental maxime which he would proceed upon or as a general Thesis including the substance of what he designed to explain and prove that in the Gospel the Righteousness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith as it is written the Just shall live by Faith chap. 1.17 All sorts of men who had any knowledge of God and themselves were then as they must be always enquiring and in one Degree or other labouring after Righteousness For this they looked on and that justly as the only means of an Advantagious Relation between God and themselves Neither had the Generality of men any other thoughts but that this Righteousness must be their own inherent in them and performed by them as Rom. 10.3 For as this is the Language of a natural Conscience and of the Law and suited unto all Philosophical notions concerning the nature of Righteousness so whatever Testimony was given of another kind in the Law and the Prophets as such a Testimony is given unto a Righteousness of God without the Law chap. 3.21 there was a Veil upon it as to the understanding of all sorts of men As therefore Righteousness is that which all men seek after and cannot but seek after who design or desire Acceptance with God so it is in vain to enquire of the Law of a natural Conscience of Philosophical Reason after any Righteousness but what consists in inherent Habits and Acts of our own Neither Law nor natural Conscience nor Reason do know any other But in opposition unto this Righteousness of our own and the necesssity thereof testified unto by the Law in its Primitive constitution by the natural Light of Conscience and the apprehension of the nature of things by Reason the Apostle declares that in the Gospel there is revealed another Righteousness which is also the Righteousness of another the Righteousness of God and that from Faith to Faith For not only is the Righteousness it self revealed aliene from those other Principles
but also the manner of our Participation of it or its Communication unto us from Faith to Faith the Faith of God in the Revelation and our Faith in the Acceptation of it being only here concerned is an eminent Revelation Righteousness of all things should rather seem to be from Works unto Works from the Work of Grace in us to the Works of Obedience done by us as the Papists affirm No saith the Apostle it is from Faith to Faith whereof afterwards This is the general Thesis the Apostle proposeth unto Confirmation and he seems therein to exclude from Justification every thing but the Righteousness of God and the Faith of Believers And to this purpose he considers all Persons that did or might pretend unto Righteousness or seek after it and all ways and means whereby they hoped to attain unto it or whereby it might most probably be obtained declaring the failing of all persons and the insufficiency of all means as unto them for the obtaining a Righteousness of our own before God And as unto Persons 1. He considers the Gentiles with all their notions of God their Practice in Religious Worship with their Conversation thereon And from the whole of what might be observed amongst them he concludes that they neither were nor could be justified before God but that they were all and that most deservedly obnoxious unto the sentence of Death And whatever men may discourse concerning the Justification and Salvation of any without the Revelation of the Righteousness of God by the Gospel from Faith to Faith it is expresly contradictory to his whole Discourse chap. 1. from ver 19. to the End 2. He considers the Jews who enjoyed the written Law and the Priviledges wherewith it was accompanied especially that of Circumcision which was the outward Seal of Gods Covenant And on many Considerations with many Arguments he excludes them also from any possibility of attaining Justification before God by any of the Priviledges they enjoyed or their own compliance therewithall chap. 2. And both sorts he excludes distinctly from this priviledge of Righteousness before God with this one Argument That both of them sinned openly against that which they took for the Rule of their Righteousness namely the Gentiles against the Light of Nature and the Jews against the Law whence it inevitably follows that none of them could attain unto the Righteousness of their own Rule But he proceeds farther unto that which is common to them all And 3. He proves the same against all sorts of Persons whether Jews or Gentiles from the consideration of the universal depravation of nature in them all and the horrible effects that necessarily ensue thereon in the Hearts and Lives of men chap. 3. So evidencing That as they all were so it could not fall out but that all must be shut up under sin and come short of Righteousness So from Persons he proceeds to Things or Means of Righteousness And 4. Because the Law was given of God immediately as the whole and only Rule of our Obedience unto him and the works of the Law are therefore all that is required of us these may be pleaded with some pretence as those whereby we may be justified Wherefore in particular he considers the Nature Use and End of the Law manifesting its utter insufficiency to be a means of our Justification before God chap. 3.19 20. 5. It may be yet objected That the Law and its works may be thus insufficient as it is obeyed by Vnbelievers in the state of Nature without the Aids of Grace administred in the Promise but with respect unto them who are Regenerate and do believe whose Faith and Works are accepted with God it may be otherwise To obviate this Objection he giveth an Instance in two of the most eminent Believers under the Old Testament namely Abraham and David declaring that all Works whatever were excluded in and from their Justification chap. 4. On these Principles and by this Gradation he peremptorily concludes That all and every one of the Sons of men as unto any thing that is in themselves or can be done by them or be wrought in them are guilty before God obnoxious unto Death shut up under sin and have their mouths so stopped as to be deprived of all pleas in their own excuse that they had no Righteousness wherewith to appear before God and that all the ways and means whence they expected it were insufficient unto that purpose Hereon he proceeds with his Enquiry how men may be delivered from this condition and come to be justified in the sight of God And in the Resolution hereof he makes no mention of any thing in themselves but only Faith whereby we receive the Attonement That whereby we are justified he saith is the Righteousness of God which is by the Faith of Christ Jesus or that we are justified freely by Grace through the Redemption that is in him chap. 3.22 23 24 25. And not content here with this answer unto the enquiry how lost convinced sinners may come to be justified before God namely That it is by the Righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith by Grace by the blood of Christ as he is set forth for a Propitiation He immediately proceeds unto a positive exclusion of every thing in and of our selves that might pretend unto an Interest herein as that which is inconsistent with the Righteousness of God as revealed in the Gospel and witnessed unto by the Law and the Prophets How contrary their Scheme of Divinity is unto this Design of the Apostle and his management of it who affirm that before the Law men were justified by Obedience unto the Light of Nature and some particular Revelations made unto them in things of their own especial private concernment and that after the giving of the Law they were so by Obedience unto God according to the Directions thereof as also that the Heathen might obtain the same benefit in compliance with the Dictates of Reason cannot be contradicted by any who have not a mind to be contentious Answerable unto this Declaration of the mind of the Holy Ghost herein by the Apostle is the constant Tenour of the Scripture speaking to the same purpose The Grace of God the Promise of Mercy the free pardon of Sin the Blood of Christ his Obedience and the Righteousness of God in him rested in and received by Faith are every where asserted as the causes and means of our Justification in opposition unto any thing in our selves so expressed as it useth to express the best of our Obedience and the utmost of our personal Righteousness Wherever mention is made of the Duties Obedience and personal Righteousness of the best of men with respect unto their Justification they are all renounced by them and they betake themselves unto Soveraign Grace and Mercy alone Some places to this purpose may be recounted The Foundation of the whole is laid in the first Promise wherein the Destruction of
of those notions and conceptions of things Religious which it retains from its first state and condition is to debase and corrupt them as we shall see in sundry Instances and so make way for their Rejection Hence very difficult it is to keep up doctrinally and practically the minds of men unto the Reality and Spiritual height of this mystery For men naturally do neither understand it nor like it And therefore every attempt to accommodate it unto the principles and inbred notions of corrupt Reason is very acceptable unto many yea unto the most For the things which such men speak and declare are without more ado without any exercise of Faith or Prayer without any supernatural Illumination easily intelligible and exposed to the common sense of mankind But whereas a Declaration of the mysteries of the Gospel can obtain no Admission into the minds of men but by the effectual working of the Spirit of God Ephes. 1.17 18 19. it is generally looked on as difficult perplexed unintelligible and even the minds of many who find they cannot contradict it are yet not at all delighted with it And here lyeth the Advantage of all them who in these days do attempt to corrupt the Doctrine of the Gospel in the whole or any part of it for the accommodation of it unto the common notions of corrupted Reason is the whole of what they design And in the confidence of the suffrage hereof they not only oppose the things themselves but despise the Declarations of them as Enthusiastical canting And by nothing do they more prevail themselves then by a pretence of reducing all things to Reason and a contempt of what they oppose as unintelligible Fanaticism But I am not more satisfied in any thing of the most uncontroulable Evidence then that the Understandings of these men is no just measure or standard of Spiritual Truth Wherefore notwithstanding all this fierceness and scorn with the pretended Advantages which some think they have made by traducing Expressions in the writings of some men it may be improper it may be only not suited unto their own genius and capacity in these things we are not to be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ which is the power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth Of this Repugnancy unto the mystery of the Wisdom and Grace of God in Christ and the Foundation of its whole Oeconomy in the distinct operations of the Persons of the Holy Trinity therein there are two parts or branches 1. That which would reduce the whole of it unto the private Reason of men and their own weak imperfect mannagement thereof This is the entire design of the Socinians Hence 1. The Doctrine of the Trinity it self is denied impugned yea derided by them and that solely on this Account They plead that it is incomprehensible by Reason for there is in that Doctrine a Declaration of things absolutely infinite and eternal which cannot be exemplified in nor accommodated unto things finite and temporal This is the substance of all their pleas against the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity that which gives a seeming life and sprightly vigour to their Objections against it wherein yet under the pretence of the use and exercise of Reason they fall and resolve all their reasonings into the most absurd and irrational principles that ever the minds of men were besotted withall For unless you will grant them that what is above their Reason is therefore contradictory unto true Reason that what is infinite and eternal is perfectly comprehensible and in all its concerns and respects to be accounted for that what cannot be in things finite and of a separate existence cannot be in things infinite whose being and existence can be but one with other such irrational yea bruitish Imaginations all the Arguments of these pretended men of Reason against the Trinity become like Chaff that every Breath of Wind will blow away Hereon they must as they do deny the distinct Operations of any Persons in the Godhead in the Dispensation of the mystery of Grace For if there are no such distinct Persons there can be no such distinct Operations Now as upon a denial of these things no one Article of Faith can be rightly understood nor any one Duty of Obedience be performed unto God in an acceptable manner so in particular we grant that the Doctrine of Justification by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ cannot stand 2. On the same Ground the Incarnation of the Son of God is rejected as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most absurb conception that ever befell the minds of men Now it is to no purpose to dispute with men so perswaded about Justification Yea we will freely acknowledge that all things we believe about it are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no better then old Wives Tales if the Incarnation of the Son of God be so also For I can as well understand how he who is a meer man however exalted dignified and glorified can exercise a Spiritual Rule in and over the Hearts Consciences and Thoughts of all the men in the World being intimately knowing of and present unto them all equally at all times which is another of their fopperies as how the Righteousness and Obedience of One should be esteemed the Righteousness of all that Believe if that One be no more then a man if he be not acknowledged to be the Son of God incarnate Whilst the minds of men are prepossessed with such prejudices nay unless they firmly assent unto the Truth in these foundations of it it is impossible to convince them of the Truth and Necessity of that Justification of a sinner which is revealed in the Gospel Allow the Lord Christ to be no other Person but what they believe him to be and I will grant there can be no other way of Justification then what they declare though I cannot believe that ever any sinner will be justified thereby These are the issues of an obstinate Refusal to give way unto the Introduction of the mystery of God and his Grace into the way of Salvation and our Relation unto him And he who would desire an Instance of the fertility of mens Inventions in forging and coyning Objections against heavenly mysteries in the Justification of the Soveraignty of their own Reason as unto what belongs to our Relation unto God need go no farther then the Writings of these men against the Trinity and Incarnation of the Eternal Word For this is their fundamental Rule in things divine and Doctrines of Religion that not what the Scripture saith is therefore to be accounted true although it seems repugnant unto any Reasonings of ours or is above what we can comprehend but what seems repugnant unto our Reason let the words of the Scripture be what they will that we must conclude that the Scripture doth not say so though it seem never so expresly so to do Itaque non quia utrumque Scriptura dicat propterea haec inter se
their God And if men come to their Trial before God whether they shall be justified or condemned these also must be heard and taken into the Account But then no man can stand no man can be justified as it is elsewhere expressed Wherefore the wisest and safest course is as unto our Justification before God utterly to forego this plea and not to insist on our own Obedience least our sins should appear also and be heard No Reason can any man give on his own Account why they should not so be And if they be so the best of men will be cast in their Trial as the Psalmist declares Two things are required in this Trial that a sinner may stand 1 That his Iniquities be not observed for if they be so he is lost for ever 2 That a Righteousness be produced and pleaded that will endure the Trial. For Justification is upon a Justifying Righteousness For the first of these the Psalmist tells us it must be through pardon or forgiveness But there is Forgiveness with thee wherein lies our only relief against the condemnatory sentence of the Law with respect unto our Iniquities that is through the Blood of Christ for in him we have Redemption through his Blood even the Forgiveness of sins Ephes. 1.7 The other cannot be our own Obedience because of our Iniquities Wherefore this the same Psalmist directs us unto Psal. 71.16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God I will make mention of they Righteousness of thine only The Righteousness of God and not his own yea in opposition unto his own is the only plea that in this case he would insist upon If no man can stand a Trial before God upon his own Obedience so as to be justified before him because of his own personal Iniquities and if our only plea in that case be the Righteousness of God the Righteousness of God only and not our own then is there no personal inherent Righteousness in any Believers whereon they may be justified which is that which is to be proved The same is again asserted by the same Person and that more plainly and directly Psal. 143.2 Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified This Testimony is the more to be considered because as it is derived from the Law Exod. 34.7 so it is transferred into the Gospel and twice urged by the Apostle unto the same purpose Rom. 3.20 Gal. 2.16 The Person who insists on this plea with God professeth himself to be his Servant Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant that is one that loved him feared him yielded all sincere Obedience He was not an Hypocrite not an unbeliever not an unregenerate person who had performed no Works but such as were legal such as the Law required and such as were done in the strength of the Law only such works as all will acknowledge to be excluded from our Justification and which as many judge are only those which are so excluded David it was who was not only converted a true Believer had the Spirit of God and the Aids of special Grace in his Obedience but had this Testimony unto his sincerity that he was a man after Gods own Heart And this witness had he in his own Conscience of his Integrity Uprightness and personal Righteousness so as that he frequently avows them appeals unto God concerning the Truth of them and pleads them as a Ground of Judgment between him and his Adversaries We have therefore a case stated in the Instance of a sincere and eminent Believer who excelled most in inherent personal Righteousness This Person under these circumstances thus testified unto both by God and in his own Conscience as unto the sincerity yea as unto the eminency of his Obedience considers how he may stand before God and be justified in his sight Why doth he not now plead his own merits and that if not ex condigno yet at least ex congruo he deserved to be acquitted and justified But he left this plea for that Generation of men that were to come after who would justifie themselves and despise others But suppose he had no such confidence in the merit of his Works as some have now attained unto yet why he doth not freely enter into Judgment with God put it unto the Trial whether he should be justified or no by pleading that he had fulfilled the Condition of the New Covenant that Everlasting Covenant which God made with him ordered in all things and sure For upon a supposition of the procurement of that Covenant and the Terms of it by Christ for I suppose the virtue of that Purchase he made of it is allowed to extend unto the Old Testament this was all that was required of him Is it not to be feared that he was one of them who see no necessity or leave none of Personal Holiness and Righteousness seeing he makes no mention of it now it should stand him in the greatest stead At least he might plead his Faith as his own Duty and Work to be imputed unto him for Righteousness But whatever the Reason be he waves them all and absolutely deprecates a Trial upon them Come not saith he O Lord into Judgment with thy Servant as it is promised that he who believes should not come into Judgment Joh. 5.24 And if this Holy Person renounce the whole consideration of all his personal inherent Righteousness in every kind and will not insist upon it under any pretence in any place as unto any use in his Justification before God we may safely conclude there is no such Righteousness in any whereby they may be justified And if men would but leave those shades and coverts under which they hide themselves in their Disputations if they would forego those pretences and Distinctions wherewith they delude themselves and others and tell us plainly what plea they dare make in the presence of God from their own Righteousness and Obedience that they may be justified before him we should better understand their minds than now we do There is one I confess who speaks with some confidence unto this purpose And that is Vasquez the Jesuite in 1.2 Disp. 204. cap. 4. Inhaerens Justitia ita reddit animam justam sanctam ac proinde filiam Dei ut hoc ipso reddat eam heredem dignam aeterna Gloria imo ipse Deus efficere non potest ut hujusmodi justus dignus non sit aeterna beatitudine Is it not sad that David should discover so much Ignorance of the worth of his inherent Righteousness and discover so much pusillanimity with respect unto his Trial before God whereas God himself could not otherwise order it but that he was and must be worthy of eternal Blessedness The Reason the Psalmist gives why he will not put it unto the Trial whether he should be acquitted or justified upon his own obedience is this general Axiom for in thy sight
Christ which I am sure the Scripture encourages them unto And they will be ready to think that the Righteousness which cannot justifie it self but must be obliged unto Grace and Pardon through the merits of Christ will never be able to justifie them But what will ensue on this Explanation of the Acceptance of our imperfect Righteousness unto Justification upon the merit of Christ This only so far as I can discern that Christ hath merited and procured either that God should judge that to be perfect which is imperfect and declare us perfectly Righteous when we are not so or that he should judge the Righteousness still to be imperfect as it is but declare us to be perfectly Righteous with and by this imperfect Righteousness These are the plain paths that men walk in who cannot deny but that there is a Righteousness required unto our Justification or that we may be declared Righteous before God in the sight of God according unto the Judgment of God yet denying the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto us will allow of no other Righteousness unto this end but that which is so weak and imperfect as that no man can justifie it in his own Conscience nor without a phrensie of pride can think or imagine himself perfectly Righteous thereby And whereas it is added that he is blind who sees not that this Righteousneso of ours is subordinate unto the Righteousness of Christ I must acknowledge my self otherwise minded notwithstanding the severity of this censure It seems to me that the Righteousness of Christ is subordinate unto this Righteousness of our own as here it is stated and not the contrary For the end of all is our Acceptance with God as Righteous But according unto these thoughts it is our own Righteousnesses whereon we are immediately accepted with God as Righteous Only Christ hath deserved by his Righteousness that our Righteousness may be so accepted and is therefore as unto the End of our Justification before God subordinate thereunto But to return from this Digression and to proceed unto our Argument This personal inherent Righteousness which according to the Scripture we allow in Believers is not that whereby or wherewith we are justified before God For it is not perfect nor perfectly answereth any Rule of Obedience that is given unto us and so cannot be our Righteousness before God unto our Justification Wherefore we must be justified by the Righteousness of Christ imputed unto us or be justified without respect unto any Righteousness or not be justified at all And a threefold imperfection doth accompany it First as to the Principle of it as it is habitually resident in us For 1 There is a contrary principle of sin abiding with it in the same subject whilst we are in this World For contrary Qualities may be in the same subject whilst neither of them is in the highest Degree So it is in this case Gal. 5.17 For the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would 2 None of the Faculties of our Souls are perfectly renewed whilst we are in this World The inward man is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 And we are always to be purging our selves from all pollution of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 And hereunto belongs whatever is spoken in the Scripture whatever Believers find in themselves by experience of the Remainders of In-dwelling-sin in the Darkness of our minds whence at best we know but in part and through Ignorance are ready to wander out of the way Heb. 5.2 in the Deceitfulness of the Heart and disorder of Affections I understand not how any one can think of pleading his own Righteousness in the sight of God or suppose that he can be justified by it upon this single account of the Imperfection of its Inherent Habit or Principle Such notions arise from the Ignorance of God and our selves or the want of a due consideration of the one and the other Neither can I apprehend how a thousand Distinctions can safely introduce it into any place or consideration in our Justification before God He that can search in any measure by a spiritual light into his own Heart and Soul will find God be merciful to me a sinner a better plea than any he can be furnished withall from any worth of his own What is man that he should be clean and he that is born of a woman that he should be righteous Job 15.14 15 16. chap. 18.19 Hence saith Gregory in Job 9. lib. 9. cap. 14. Vt saepe diximus omnis Justitia humana injustitia esse convincitur si distincte judicetur Bernard speaks to the same purpose and almost in the same words Serm. 1. fest omn. sanct Quid potest esse omnis humana justitia coram Deo nonne juxta Prophetam velut pannus menstruatus reputabitur si distincte judicetur injustitia invenietur omnis Justitia nostra minus habens A man cannot be justified in any sense by that Righteousness which upon Trial will appear rather to be an Vnrighteousness 2. It is imperfect with respect unto every Act and Duty of it whether internal or external There is Iniquity cleaving unto our holy things and all our Righteousnesses are as filthy raggs Isa. 64.6 It hath been often and well observed that if a man the best of men were left to choose the best of his works that ever he performed and thereon to enter into Judgment with God if only under this notion that he hath answered and fulfilled the Condition required of him as unto his Acceptation with God it would be his wisest course at least it would be so in the Judgment of Bellarmin to renounce it and betake himself unto Grace and Mercy alone 3. It is imperfect by reason of the Incursion of actual sins Hence our Saviour hath taught us continually to pray for the forgiveness of our sins and if we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves for in many things we offend all And what confidence can be placed in this Righteousness which those who plead for it in this cause acknowledge to be weak maimed and imperfect I have but touched on these things which might have been handled at large and are indeed of great consideration in our present Argument But enough hath been spoken to manifest that although this Righteousness of Believers be on other accounts like the fruit of the Vine that glads the Heart of God and man yet as unto our Justification before God it is like the Wood of the Vine a pin is not to be taken from it to hang any weight of this cause upon Two things are pleaded in the behalf of this Righteousness and its Influence into our Justification 1 That it is absolutely compleat and perfect Hence some say that they are perfect and sinless in this life They have no more concern in the
were necessary unto it And two things doth the Scripture testifie unto concerning this Law 1. That it was a perfect compleat Rule of all that internal spiritual and moral Obedience which God required of the Church The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul the Testimony of the Lord is sure making Wise the Simple Psal. 19.7 And it was so of all the external Duties of Obedience for matter and manner time and season that in both the Church might walk acceptably before God Isa. 8.20 And although the Original Duties of the Moral Part of the Law are often preferred before the particular Instances of Obedience in Duties of outward Worship yet the whole Law was always the whole Rule of all the Obedience internal and external that God required of the Church and which he accepted in them that did believe 2. That this Law this Rule of Obedience as it was ordained of God to be the Instrument of his Rule of the Church and by Vertue of the Covenant made with Abraham unto whose Administration it was Adapted and which its Introduction on Sinai did not disanul was accompanied with a Power and Efficacy enabling unto Obedience The Law it self as meerly preceptive and commanding administred no Power or Ability unto those that were under its Authority to yield Obedience unto it no more do the meer Commands of the Gospel Moreover under the Old Testament it enforced Obedience on the Minds and Consciences of men by the manner of its first delivery and the severity of its Sanction so as to fill them with fear and bondage and was besides accompanied with such burthensom Rules of outward Worship as made it an heavy yoke unto the people But as it was Gods Doctrine Teaching Instruction in all acceptable Obedience unto himself and was adapted unto the Covenant of Abraham it was accompanied with an Administration of effectual Grace procuring and promoting Obedience in the Church And the Law is not to be looked on as separated from those Aids unto Obedience which God administred under the Old Testament whose effects are therefore ascribed unto the Law it self See Psal. 1. Psal. 19. Psal. 119. 2. This being the Law in the sense of the Apostle and those with whom he had to do our next enquiry is what was their sense of Works or Works of the Law And I say it is plain that they intended hereby the universal Sincere Obedience of the Church unto God according unto this Law And other Works the Law of God acknowledgeth not yea it expresly condemns all Works that have any such defect in them as to render them unacceptable unto God Hence notwithstanding all the Commands that God had positively given for the strict Observance of Sacrifices Offerings and the like yet when the people performed them without Faith and Love he expresly affirms that he Commanded them not that is to be observed in such a manner In these Works therefore consisted their personal Righteousness as they walked in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Law blameless Luk. 1.6 wherein they did instantly serve God day and night Acts 26.7 And this they esteemed to be their own Righteousness their Righteousness according unto the Law as really it was Phil. 3.6 9. For although the Pharisees had greatly corrupted the Doctrine of the Law and put false glosses on sundry Precepts of it yet that the Church in those days did by the Works of the Law understand either Ceremonial Duties only or external Works or Works with a conceit of merit or Works wrought without an internal Principle of Faith and Love to God or any thing but their own personal sincere Obedience unto the whole Doctrine and Rule of the Law there is nothing that should give the least colour of Imagination For 1. All this is perfectly stated in the Suffrage which the Scribe gave unto the Declaration of the sense and design of the Law with the Nature of the Obedâ—ence which it doth require that was made at his request by our blessed Saviour Mark 12.28 29 30 31 32 33. And one of the Scribes came and having heard them reasoning together and perceiving that he had answered them well asked him which is the first Commandment of all or as it is Matth. 22.36 Which is the great Commandment in the Law And Jesus answered him the first of all the Commandments is Hear O Israel the Lord our God is One Lord and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and with all thy strength this is the first Commandment and the second is like namely this Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self And the Scribe said unto him Well Master thou hast said the Truth for there is one God and there is none but he And to love him with all the Heart and with all the Vnderstanding and with all the Soul and with all the Strength and to love his Neighbour as himself is more then all whole burnt Offerings and Sacrifices And this so expresly given by Moses as the Sum of the Law namely Faith and Love as the Principle of all our Obedience Deut. 6.4 5. that it is marvellous what should induce any learned sober Person to fix upon any other sense of it as that it respected ceremonial or external Works only or such as may be wrought without Faith or Love This is the Law concerning which the Apostle disputes and this the Obedience wherein the Works of it do consist And more then this in the way of Obedience God never did nor will require of any in this World Wherefore the Law and the Works thereof which the Apostle excludeth from Justification is that whereby we are obliged to believe in God as One God the only God and love him with all our Hearts and Souls and our Neighbours as our selves And what Works there are or can be in any Persons regenerate or not regenerate to be performed in the strength of Grace or without it that are acceptable unto God that may not be reduced unto these Heads I know not 2. The Apostle himself declareth that it is the Law and the Works of it in the sense we have expressed that he excludeth from our Justification For the Law he speaks of is the Law of Righteousness Rom 9.31 The Law whose Righteousness is to be fulfilled in us that we may be accepted with God and freed from Condemnation Chap. 8.3 That in Obedience whereunto our own personal Righteousness doth consist whether what we judg so before Conversion Rom. 10.3 or what is so after it Phil. 3.9 The Law which if a man observe he shall live and be justified before God Rom. 2.13 Gal. 3.12 Rom. 10.5 That Law which is Holy Just and Good which discovereth and condemneth all sin whatever Rom. 7.7 9. From what hath been discoursed these two things are evident in the Confirmation of our present Argument 1. That The Law intended by the Apostle
with a pretence of propriety and accuracy CHAP. XVII Testimonies out of the Evangelists considered THe Reasons why the Doctrine of Justification by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ is more fully and clearly delivered in the following Writings of the New Testament than it is in those of the Evangelists who wrote the History of the Life and Death of Christ have been before declared But yet in them also it is sufficiently attested as unto the state of the Church before the Death and Resurrection of Christ which is represented in them Some few of the many Testimonies which may be pleaded out of their Writings unto that purpose I shall consider 1. The principal design of our Blessed Saviours Sermon especially that part of it which is Recorded Matth. 5. is to declare the true nature of Righteousness before God The Scribes and Pharisees from a Bondage unto whose Doctrines he designed to vindicate the Consciences of those that heard him placed all our Righteousness before God in the Works of the Law or Mens own obedience thereunto This they taught the People and hereon they justified themselves as he chargeth them Luke 16.15 Ye are they which justifie your selves before men but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God As in this Sermon he makes it evident And all those who were under their conduct did seek to establish their own Righteousness as it were by the works of the Law Rom. 9.33 Chap. 10.3 But yet were they convinced in their own Consciences that they could not attain unto the Law of Righteousness or unto that perfection of obedience which the Law did require Yet would they not forego their proud fond imagination of Justification by their own Righteousness but as the manner of all Men is in the same case sought out other inventions to relieve them against their convictions For unto this end they corrupted the whole Law by their false glosses and interpretations to bring down and debase the sense of it unto what they boasted in themselves to perform So doth he in whom our Saviour gives an instance of the principle and practice of the whole Society by way of a Parable Luk. 18.10 11 12. And so the young Man affirmed That he had kept the whole Law from his youth namely in their sense Matth. 19.20 To root out this pernicious Error out of the Church our Lord Jesus Christ in many instances gives the true spiritual Sense and intention of the Law manifesting what the Righteousness is which the Law requires and on what terms a Man may be justified thereby And among sundry others to the same purpose two things he evidently declares 1. That the Law in its Precepts and Prohibitions had regard unto the regulation of the heart with all its first motions and actings For he asserts that the inmost thoughts of the heart and the first motions of concupiscence therein though not consented unto much less actually accomplished in the outward deeds of sin and all the occasions leading unto them are directly forbidden in the Law This he doth in his holy Exposition of the Seventh Commandment Ver. 27 28 29 30. 2. He declares the penalty of the Law on the least sin to be Hell fire in his Assertion of causless anger to be forbidden in the Sixth Commandment If Men would but try themselves by these Rules and others there given by our Saviour it would it may be take them off from boasting in their own Righteousness and Justification thereby But as it was then so is it now also the most of them who would maintain a Justification by Works do attempt to corrupt the sense of the Law and accommodate it unto their own practice The Reader may see an eminent demonstration hereof in a late excellent Treatise whose title is The Practical Divinity of the Papists discovered to be destructive of Christianity and Mens souls The Spirituality of the Law with the severity of its Sanction extending it self unto the least and most imperceptible motions of sin in the heart are not believed or not aright considered by them who plead for Justification by Works in any sense Wherefore the principal design of the Sermon of our Saviour is as to declare what is the nature of that obedience which God requireth by the Law so to prepare the minds of his Disciples to seek after another Righteousness which in the cause and means of it was not yet plainly to be declared although many of them being prepared by the Ministery of John did hunger and thirst after it But he sufficiently intimates wherein it did consist in that he affirms of himself That he came to fulfil the Law Ver. 17. What he came for that he was sent for for as he was sent and not for himself He was born to us given unto us This was to fulfil the Law that so the Righteousness of it might he fulfilled in us And if we our selves cannot fulfil the Law in the proper sense of its commands which yet is not to be abolished but established as our Saviour declares if we cannot avoid the Curse and Penalty of it upon its transgression And if he came to fulfil it for us all which are declared by himself then is his Righteousness even which he wrought for us in fulfilling the Law the Righteousness wherewith we are justified before God And whereas here is a twofold Righteousness proposed unto us one in the fulfilling of the Law by Christ the other in our own perfect obedience unto the Law as the sense of it is by him declared and other middle Righteousness between them there is none it is left unto the Consciences of convinced sinners whether of these they will adhere and trust unto And their direction herein is the principal design we ought to have in the declaration of this Doctrine I shall pass by all those places wherein the foundations of this Doctrine are surely laid because it is not expresly mentioned in them But such they are as in their proper Interpretation do necessarily infer it Of this kind are they all wherein the Lord Christ is said to die for us or in our stead to lay down his life a ransom for us or in our stead and the like but I shall pass them by because I will not digress at all from the present Argument But the Representation made by our Saviour himself of the way and means whereon and whereby Men come to be justified before God in the Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican is a guide unto all Men who have the same design with them Luk. 18.9 10 11 12 13 14. And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others Two Men went up unto the Temple to pray the one a Pharisee and the other a Publican The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other
Hereby it was plainly and fully declared that there must be such a Righteousness provided for our Justification before Men as would answer and remove that curse 4. In the Prefiguration and Representation of that only way and means whereby this Righteousness of God was to be wrought This it did in all its Sacrifices especially in the great Anniversary Sacrifice on the Day of Expiation wherein all the sins of the Church were laid on the Head of the Sacrifice and so carried away 3. He describes it by the only way of our participation of it the only means on our part of the communication of it unto us And this is by Faith alone The Righteousness of God which is by the Faith of Christ Jesus unto all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference Ver. 22. Faith in Christ Jesus is so the only way and means whereby this Righteousness of God comes upon us or is communicated unto us that it is so unto all that have this Faith and only unto them and that without difference on the consideration of any thing else besides And although Faith taken absolutely may be used in various senses yet as thus specified and limited the Faith of Christ Jesus or as he calls it the Faith that is in me Acts 26.18 It can intend nothing but the reception of him and trust in him as the Ordinance of God for Righteousness and Salvation This description of The Righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel which the Apostle asserts as the only means and cause of our Justification before God with the only way of its participation and communication unto us by the Faith of Christ Jesus fully confirms the truth we plead for For if the Righteousness wherewith we must be justified before God be not our own but the Righteousness of God as these things are directly opposed Phil. 3.9 And the only way whereby it comes upon us or we are made partakers of it is by the Faith of Jesus Christ then our own personal inherent Righteousness or Obedience hath no interest in our Justification before God which Argument is insoluble nor is the force of it to be waved by any distinctions whatever if we keep our hearts unto a due reverence of the Authority of God in his Word Having fully proved That no Men living have any Righteousness of their own whereby they may be justified but are all shut up under the guilt of sin and having declared That there is a Righteousness of God now fully revealed in the Gospel whereby alone we may be so leaving all Men in themselves unto their own lot In as much as all have sinned and come short of the glory of God he proceeds to declare the nature of our Justification before God in all the causes of it Ver. 24 25 26. Being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God To declare I say at this time his Righteousness that he might be just and the Justifier of them that believe in Jesus Here it is that we may and ought if any where to expect the interest of our personal obedience under some qualification or other in our Justification to be declared For if it should be supposed which yet it cannot with any pretence of Reason that in the foregoing discourse the Apostle had excluded only the Works of the Law as absolutely perfect or as wrought in our own strength without the aid of Grace or as meritorious yet having generally excluded all Works from our Justification Ver. 20. Without distinction or limitation it might well be expected and ought to have been so that upon the full Declaration which he gives us of the nature and way of our Justification in all the causes of it he should have assigned the place and consideration which our own personal Righteousness had in our Justification before God the first or second or continuation of it somewhat or other or at least made some mention of it under the qualification of gracious sincere or Evangelical that it might not seem to be absolutely excluded It is plain the Apostle thought of no such thing nor was at all solicitous about any reflection that might be made on his Doctrine as though it overthrew the necessity of our own obedience Take in the consideration of the Apostles design with the circumstances of the context and the Argument from his utter silence about our own personal Righteousness in our Justification before God is unanswerable But this is not all we shall find in our progress that it is expresly and directly excluded by him All unprejudiced persons must needs think that no words could be used more express and emphatical to secure the whole of our Justification unto the Freegrace of God through the Blood or Mediation of Christ wherein it is Faith alone that gives us an interest than these used here by the Apostle And for my part I shall only say that I know not how to express my self in this matter in words and terms more express or significant of the conception of my mind And if we could all but subscribe the answer here given by the Apostle how by what means on what grounds or by what causes are we justified before God namely that we are justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his Blood c. There might be an end of this Controversie But the principal passages of this Testimony must be distinctly considered 1. The principal efficient cause is first expressed with a peculiar emphasis or the causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being justified freely by his Grace God is the principal efficient cause of our Justification and his Grace is the only moving cause thereof I shall not stay upon the exception of those of the Roman Church namely that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which their Translation renders per gratiam Dei the internal inherent Grace of God which they make the formal cause of Justification is intended For they have nothing to prove it but that which overthrows it namely that it is added unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely which were needless if it signifie the Free-grace or Favor of God For both these expressions gratis per gratiam freely by Grace are put together to give the greater emphasis unto this assertion wherein the whole of our Justification is vendicated unto the Free-grace of God So far as they are distinguishable the one denotes the principle from whence our Justification proceeds namely Grace and the other the manner of its operation it works freely Besides the Grace of God in this subject doth every where constantly signifie his goodness love and favor as hath been undeniably proved by many See Rom.
in every word And those other redoubled expressions all loss for him that I may win him that I may be found in him that I may know him all argue the working of his affections under the Conduct of Faith and Truth unto an acquiescency in Christ alone as all and in all Somewhat of this frame of mind is necessary unto them that would believe his Doctrine Those who are utter strangers unto the one will never receive the other 2. In his expression of all other other things that are our own that are not Christ whether Priviledges or Duties however good useful excellent they may be in themselves yet in Comparison of Christ and his Righteousness and with respect unto the end of our standing before God and acceptance with him with the same vehemency of Spirit he casts contempt upon calling them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dogs meat to be left for them whom he calleth Dogs that is evil Workers of the Concision or the wicked Jews who adhered pertinaciously unto the Righteousness of the Law v. 2. This account of the earnestness of the Apostle in this Argument and the warmth of his Expressions I thought meet to give as that which gives light into the whole of his design 6. The question being thus stated the enquiry is what any person who desires acceptance with God or a Righteousness whereon he may be justified before him ought to betake himself unto One of the ways proposed he must close with all Either he must comply with the Apostle in his Resolution to reject all his own Righteousness and to betake himself unto the Righteousness of God which is by Faith in Christ Jesus alone or find out for himself or get some to find out for him some exceptions unto the Apostles conclusion or some distinctions that may prepare a reserve for his own works one way or other in his justification before God Here every one must chuse for himself In the mean time we thus argue If our own Righteousness and the Righteousness which is of God by Faith or that which is through the Faith of Christ Jesus namely the Righteousness which God imputeth unto us Rom. 4.6 Or the abundance of Grace and the gift of Righteousness thereby which we receive Rom. 5.17 are opposite and inconsistent in the Work of Justification before God then are we justified by Faith alone through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto us The consequence is plain from the removal of all other ways causes means and conditions of it as inconsistent with it But the antecedent is expresly the Apostles Not my own but that of God Again That whereby and wherewith we are found in Christ is that whereby alone we are justified before God for to be found in Christ expresseth the state of the person that is to be justified before God Whereunto is opposed to be found in our selves And according unto these different states doth the judgment of God pass concerning us And as for those who are found in themselves we know what will be their portion But in Christ we are found by Faith alone All manner of evasions are made use of by some to escape the force of this Testimony It is said in general That no sober minded Man can imagine the Apostle did not desire to be found in Gospel Righteousness or That by his own Righteousness he meant that For it is that alone can intitle us unto the Benefits of Christs Righteousness Nollem Dictum 1. The censure is too severe to be cast on all Protestant Writers without exception who have expounded this place of the Apostle and all others except some few of late influenced by the heat of the Controversie wherein they are ingaged 2. If the Gospel Righteousness intended be his own Personal Righteousness and Obedience there is some want of consideration in affirming That he did not desire to be found in it That wherein we are found thereon are we to be judged to be found in our own Evangelical Righteousness before God is to enter into judgment with God thereon which those who understand any thing aright of God and themselves will not be free unto And to make this to be the meaning of his words I desire not to be found in my own Righteousness which is after the Law but I desire to be found in mine own Righteousness which is according to the Gospel whereas as they are his own inherent Righteousness they are both the same doth not seem a proper interpretation of his words and it shall be immediately disproved 3. That our Personal Gospel Righteousness doth intitle us unto the Benefits of Christs Righteousness that is as unto our Justification before God is gratis dictum not one Testimony of Scripture can be produced that gives the least countenance unto such an assertion That it is contrary unto many express Testimonies and inconsistent with the freedom of the Grace of God in our Justification as proposed in the Scripture hath been proved before Nor do any of the places which assert the necessity of obedience and good Works in Believers that is Justified Persons unto Salvation any way belong unto the Proof of this Assertion or in the least express or intimate any such thing And in particular the Assertion of it is expresly contradictory unto that of the Apostle Tit. 3.4 5. But I forbear and proceed to the consideration of the special answers that are given unto this testimony especially those of Bellarmine whereunto I have as yet seen nothing added with any pretence of Reason in it 1. Some say that by his own Righteousness which the Apostle rejects he intends only his Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or by the Works of the Law But this was only an outward external Righteousness consisting in the observation of Rites and Ceremonies without respect unto the inward frame or obedience of the heart But this is an impious imagination The Righteousness which is by the Law is the Righteousness which the Law requires and those works of it which if a Man do he shall live in them for the doers of the Law shall be justified Rom. 2.16 Neither did God ever give any Law of Obedience unto Man but what obliged him to love the Lord his God with all his heart and all his soul. And it is so far from being true That God by the Law required an external Righteousness only that he frequently condemns it as an abomination to him where it is alone 2. Others say that it is the Righteousness whatever it be which he had during his Pharisaism And although he should be allowed in that state to have lived in all good Conscience instantly to have served God day and night and to have had respect as well unto the internal as the external Works of the Law yet all these Works being before Faith before Conversion to God may be and are to be rejected as unto any concurrence unto our Justification But Works wrought in Faith
by the aid of Grace Evangelical Works are of another consideration and together with Faith are the condition of Justification Answ. 1. That in the matter of our Justification the Apostle opposeth Evangelical Works not only unto the Grace of God but also unto the Faith of Believers was proved in the consideration of the foregoing Testimony 2. He makes no such distinction as that pretended namely That Works are of two sorts whereof one is to be excluded from any interest in our Justification but not the other neither doth he any where else treating of the same subject intimate any such distinction but on the contrary declares that use of all Works of Obedience in them that believe which is exclusive of the supposition of any such distinction but he directly expresseth in this rejection his own Righteousness that is his Personal Inherent Righteousness whatever it be and however it be wrought 3. He makes a plain distinction of his own twofold estate namely that of his Judaism which he was in before his Conversion and that which he had by Faith in Christ Jesus In the first state he considers the priviledges of it and declares what judgment he made concerning them upon the Revelation of Jesus Christ unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he referring unto the time past namely at his first conversion I considered them with all the advantages gain and reputation which I had by them but rejected them all for Christ because the esteem of them and continuance in them as priviledges was inconsistent with Faith in Christ Jesus Secondly he proceeds to give an account of himself and his thoughts as unto his present condition For it might be supposed that although he had parted with all his legal priviledges for Christ yet now being united unto him by Faith he had something of his own wherein he might rejoyce and on the account whereof he might be accepted with God the thing inquired after or else he had parted with all for nothing Wherefore he who had no design to make any reserves of what he might glory in plainly declares what his judgment is concerning all his present Righteousness and the ways of obedience which he was now ingaged in with respect unto the ends inquired after Ver. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The bringing over of what was affirmed before concerning his Judaical priviledges into this Verse is an effect of a very superficiary consideration of the context For 1. there is a plain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He could not more plainly express the heightning of what he had affirmed by a Proceed unto other things or the consideration of himself in another state But moreover beyond what I have already asserted 2. The change of the time expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respects what was past into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein he hath respect only unto what was present not what he had before rejected and forsaken makes evident his progress unto the consideration of things of another nature Wherefore unto the rejection of all his former Judaical priviledges he adds his judgment concerning his own present Personal Righteousness But whereas it might be objected That rejecting all both before and after conversion he had nothing left to rejoyce in to glory in to give him acceptance with God he assures us of the contrary namely that he found all these things in Christ and the Righteousness of God which is by Faith He is therefore in these words Not having mine own Righteousness which is by the Law so far from intending only the Righteousness which he had before his Conversion as that he intends it not at all The words of Davenant on this passage of the Apostle being in my judgment not only sober but weighty also I shall transcribe them Hic docet Apostolus quaenam illa justitia sit qua nitendum coram Deo nimirum quae per fidem apprehenditur at haec imputata est Causam etiam ostendit cur jure nostra fiat nimirum quia nos Christi sumus in Christo comperimur quia igitur insiti sumus in corpus ejus coalescimus cum illo in unam personam ideo ejus justitia nostra reputatur De Justif. Habit. cap. 38. For whereas some begin to interpret our being in Christ and being found in him so as to intend no more but our profession of the Faith of the Gospel The Faith of the Catholick Church in all ages concerning the Mystical Union of Christ and Believers is not to be blown away with a few empty words and unproved Assertions The Answer therefore is full and clear unto the general Exception namely that the Apostle rejects our Legal but not our Evangelical Righteousness For 1. the Apostle rejects disclaims disowns nothing at all not the one nor the other absolutely but in comparison of Christ and with respect unto the especial end of Justification before God or a Righteousness in his sight 2. In that sense he rejects all our own Righteousness but our Evangelical Righteousness in the sense pleaded for is our own inherent in us performed by us 3. Our Legal Righteousness and our Evangelical so far as an Inherent Righteousness is intended are the same and the different ends and use of the same Righteousness is alone intended in that distinction so far as it hath sense in it That which in respect of Motives unto it the ends of it with the especial causes of its acceptance with God is Evangelical in respect of its original Prescription Rule and Measure is Legal When any can instance in any Act or Duty in any habit or effect of it which are not required by that Law which injoyns us to love the Lord our God with all our heart soul and mind and our neighbor as our selves they shall be attended unto 4. The Apostle in this case rejects all the Works of Righteousness which we have done Tit. 3.5 But our Evangelical Righteousness consisteth in the Works of Righteousness which we do 5. He disclaims all that is our own And if the Evangelical Righteousness intended be our own he sets up another in opposition unto it and which therefore is not our own but as it is imputed unto us And I shall yet add some other reasons which render this pretence useless or shew the falsness of it 1. Where the Apostle doth not distinguish or limit what he speaks of what ground have we to distinguish or limit his Assertions Not by Works saith he sometimes absolutely sometimes the Works of Righteousness which we have done that is not by some sort of Works say those who plead the contrary But by what warrant 2. The Works which they pretend to be excluded as wherein our own Righteousness that is rejected doth consist are Works wrought without Faith without the aid of Grace But these are not good Works nor can any be denominated righteous from them nor is it any Righteousness that