preparations The marriage of the Lamb draws nigh and his Wife hath made her self ready be sure you be not at any time found without your Wedding garment By Faith draw nigh to the Judgement Seat of Christ imagine your selves at the next door of being encompassed with the majesty of that day Let thoughts of it and of your accounts then to be taken keep you company all the day long in your buying selling eating drinking yea in all your converse and communication with men Follow God with incessant prayer to fill your souls brim full with a lively sense of these things whose weight is not to be expressed Hold much communion with your own weakness and do not trust your selves at the least distance from God abide under his shadow and in an humble way of pleasing him be alwaies confident of his strength to subdue your spiritual enemies to uphold you and keep you from falling and to carry you on from strength to strength until you appear before him That these and such things as these in the glory of their perfection may be your present portion from the Lord to prepare you upon the best terms for future glory is the true desire Of him who longs for more strength from Christ to serve you upon yet better terms in the dear Concernments of your precious Souls whil'st he is WILLIAM ALLEN April 13. 1658. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Reader I Am not unsensible but that the very name of Works as any ways interressed or concerned in mens Justification before God may possibly prejudice this work in the minds of some good people as if it were no good friend to the free grace of God especially considering that Grace and Works are so frequently opposed one to another in the Scripture as inconsistent in the business of mans Justification To prevent which I shall intreat thee to understand that this Treatise does not in the least interess those Works in mans Justification which the Scripture opposes to Grace which are sometimes called and are usually if not alwayes to be understood as meant of the Works of the Law or deeds of the Law Nor yet does it interesse any other Works I mean the most evangelical Works in the office or service of justifying in that sense in which Works are opposed to Grace and were asserted by the Jews and rejected by the Apostle to wit as doing that to justifie which is proper and peculiar only and alone to Christ Jesus For to hold any thing whether Works or Faith necessary for the doing of the same thing which Christ does in Justification would render Christs undertaking in that behalf incompleat and imperfect and disparage the sufficiency of his saving Grace and so lay the hope of salvation built thereon in the dust which yet it should seem was the errour into which the Galatians were running Gal. 5.4 and 2.21 And therefore all care must he had not to give ought of that to Works or Faith either which is the incommunicable prerogative of Christs bloud Though if it were possible that you could from this instant unto the end of your life become as holy in nature and life as the holy Angels themselves yet it would be damnable folly and wickednesse in you if you should in the least depend upon this holinesse for the benefit of atonement for the sins that are past which is to be had only by Christs bloud And therefore he that hath the most and best of Gospel Works of any man living to commend him to God can reasonably expect no more benefit by them as to this nor may with safety any more depend upon them for this then he that hath none at all but must and ought to cast himself as intirely upon the bloud of Christ for the grace of atonement purgation from sin and justification as the Theif upon the crosse did or as any poor forlorn and miserable sinner does at his first coming to Christ before he hath actually accomplished any workes of sanctification But now because Christs bloud does not actually justifie men though never so full of virtue and power to justifie till they doe believe God having suspended their personal interest in his bloud for their Justification upon their believing hence now in another respect Faith is necessary to Justification in its place and for its use as well as the bloud of Christ it self is in that superiour respect which is proper to it And because Faith also without works is dead Jam. 2.17 26. and so is altogether unserviceable to justifie and that that Faith only hath the honour conferred upon it by God to avail men to justifie and save which worketh by Love and no other Gal. 5.6 Hence the works of a holy life are as necessary to render Faith a living Faith an availing Faith and so a Faith that will justifie or which will interesse men in Christs bloud which doth Justifie as the Grace of Faith it self is necessary in order to such an interest Which as it is the utmost which I assert touching the necessity of Gospel-Obedience unto Justification so it is that which if found true which will avouch this necessity with a high hand For as a man may as soon be Justified without a Saviour as without Faith which gives him an interest in him so he may as soon be Justified without Faith as without those Evangelical Works the absence of which will render Faith uncapable to Justifie And to have no Faith and to have a Faith in no capacity to doe the work or business of Faith will be found the same thing in conclusion So that if the one be necessary so is the other but in different respects All that I shall further add is to desire thee to lay aside prejudice and so proceed to the perusal of the Work it self And as thou findest things built upon the Word and substantially backed by evidence of Scripture Light fairly treated so and no otherwise would I have thee to receive them For I assure thee my design towards thee is to make a match between thy Soul and Truth not my Opinion further then under the countenance of Truth And should count it a happiness if as a recompence of this labour I should hereby deliver though but one Soul from any longer contenting it self with that dead and barren Faith by which too many are and are like to be deceived And that the Lord may give thee a right understanding in this and in all things hath been and I hope the Lord assisting shall be the Prayer of him who loves and longs after the health and prosperity of thy soul W. A. A Table of the principal Matters touched or handled in the precedent Epistle and subsequent Treatise A ARgument of good life most taking generally Ep. S. 10 Argument against the form of profession from the miscarriages of professors not good Ep. S. 11 Assent to the Doctrine of the Gospel as true touching Christs being the Son of God
accounting men righteous or the termes upon or according to which he does so esteem them and accordingly deal with them we have set down in the next verse 22. which is saith he By faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all that beleeve for there is no difference that is this righteousness of God or this Justification of God or which is of God it is by Faith of Jesus Christ that is it does accrue to men or is vouchsafed by God unto men by the Faith of Christ that is by that Faith which men that rightly beleeve have concerning Christ And this is a priviledg a glorious one indeed which is vouchsafed unto all men indifferently who do beleeve whether Jew who hath followed the Law or Gentile who hath been without Law it is unto all and upon all that beleeve for there is saith he no difference the Jew by his Law is never the nearer Justification nor the Gentile by his living without it never the farther off it in case he do beleeve but both in a like capacity and both actually justified upon their beleeving and neither the one nor the other at all justified till then For saith he ver 23. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God both Jews and Gentiles and therefore both alike are cast upon the meer mercy and free grace of God vers 24. Being justified if ever they be justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ ver 25. whom God hath set forth both to Jews and Gentiles to be a propitiation through Faith in his blood Upon which the Apostle ver 27. makes this demand Where is boasting then if the Gentile without the Law be on equal termes with the Jews under his Law if there be no difference between them if all have sinned and all to be justified freely by grace if this Justification or righteousness be vouchsafed unto all and conferred upon all that beleeve and not otherwise and that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile in these respects then pray you where is boasting what is become of the boasting of the Jews who were wont to say we have Abraham to our Father and rejoyced in circumcision and made their boast of the Law Rom. 2.23 if for all the priviledges which in this kind they had enjoyed above the Gentile yet if the Gentile by the grace of the Gospel is made equall to the Jew though he do not at all come under the Law where then is there any longer place for boasting And in the 28 verse he draws up his conclusion from his premises saying therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law the same in effect with my Text If there be no difference between Jew and Gentile as was said before and that the Righteousness of GOD without the Law is manifested and tendred to the Gentile we may well conclude that a man even an ungodly Gentile that hath no Deeds of the Law if he once come to forsake his ungodlinesse and to beleeve and obey the Gospel which is to be preached to every Creature we may conclude that he is indeed justified his sins pardoned and he accepted in the Beloved in whom he hath beleeved But though the Apostle concludes the thing ver 28. viz. that the Gentiles might as well be justified without the Deeds of the Law as the Jews with them and both alike upon condition of beleeving yet he does not there conclude his discourse of this matter but is at it again and again And therefore in ver 29. he begins again demanding as it were with authority thus Is he the God of the Jews only is he not also of the Gentiles yes of the Gentiles also As if he should say what do you think that God only takes care of the Jews and of their Salvation and that he hath no regard at all to the Gentiles let them sink or swim Is he not the God of the Gentiles also is he not willing to bring them to Salvation as well as the Jews To which interogation he returns this answer yes he is the God even of the Gentiles also one propitious and favourable to them as well as the Jews which appears in this thirtieth verse Seeing it is one God which shall justifie the circumcision by faith and uncircumcision through faith the same God hath vouchsafed the same means and proposed one and the same way of justification and salvation both to those that are circumcised and to those that are not and that is the Faith of the Gospel Where there is neither Iew nor Greek circumcision nor uncircumcision i. e. no difference between these but as the Scripture saith They are all one in Christ Iesus Gal. 3.28 Col. 3.11 Sect. 8 Come we now to the fourth Chapter and draw we nearer the Text. In this fourth Chapter in which my Text is we have the truth under consideration drawn in lively colours viz. that men without Circumcision and the rest of the Jewish Ordinances may upon their cordial imbracing the Gospel attain justification in the sight of God This he makes plain and proves against all contradiction from the example of Gods proceeding with Abraham in the matter of his justification who as he was the Father of the Jew and one in whom they gloried as counting themselves the only people of God upon the account of that Covenant which God made with him and his seed whose seed according to the flesh they were so also was he a Father of many Nations even of as many as should beleeve in all Nations of the world and why so but because God was intended to justifie them upon the same termes as he justified Abraham Rom. 4.1 The Apostle begins thus What shall we say then that Abraham our father as pertaining to the flesh hath found In which affirmative interrogation we have laid down a vehement negation of the thing interrogated according to the usual custome and dialect of the Scriptures in that kind As if he should say look now upon Abraham our Father and consider Gods proceeding with him and the termes upon which God conferred righteousness or justification on him And what then shall we say or think that Abraham our Father according to the flesh hath found hath found what namely justification in the sight of God for that 's the thing in question the subject of his present discourse and that which he presently mentions vers 2. as that to which the interrogation relates Hath he found it as pertaining to the flesh what 's that hath he found it in that way in which the Jews boastingly think they have met with it and urge the Gentiles to seek after it viz. Circumcision and other works of the Law which in opposition to the Gospel-way of Justification is called flesh Phil. 3.3 4 5 6. Gal. 3.3 hath he found or did he meet with justification in this way no certainly he did not
nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ even we have beleeved in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of the Law for by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified By which the Apostle plainly intimates that it was so far from being necessary to compel the believing Gentiles to keep the law of the Jews to make them capable of justification as that the Jews themselves who had the Law and the works of it must needs lay aside the consideration thereof in their coming to God for justification and must be content to receive it upon like termes of grace with the Gentiles themselves as Paul himself did Phil. 3.9 who desired to be found in Christ not having his own righteousness which was of their law as he was a Jew but that which was through the Faith of Christ as he was a Christian CHAP. III. Shewing how Love Iustice and Mercy though commanded both in Law and Gospel are to he rejected in the Iewish sense and yet imbraced in the Christians as necessary unto Iustification Shewing also in what sence Works are necessary unto Iustification Sect. 1 HAving thus far shewed what Works they are which the Apostle in our Text excludes from Justification as unnecessary thereunto viz. such Works as were proper to the Jews in contra-distinction to the Gentiles which are in Scripture usually called the works of the Law for about them did the controversie grow as we have seen before all that I shall now add by way of use as to this matter shall be for caution To take heed how we oppose Faith to Works and that when we do so be we sure to keep the Scripture road which I have been now tracing out It is true Faith and Love are often in the New Testament distinguished or mentioned as things distinct in a strict sence Ephes 6.23 1 Tim. 1.14 and 2.15 2 Tim. 1.13 Philem. 5. c. but I am not without much confidence that they are never opposed as Faith and the Works of the Law are as if a man that hath no Love might be justified by his Faith as he that worketh not or which hath no Works in our Apostles sence may It is no where neither in words nor sence said But he that loveth not but beleeveth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted to him for righteousnesse but the contrary in substance is flatly affirmed by the Apostle James chap. 2. besides other Scriptures as I shall God willing come afterwards to shew And therefore I do think that our Protestant Writers have given too much advantage to the Papists whilst in asserting justification by Faith alone without any Works at all they have in the mean while chiefly if not only built this their assertion upon such Scriptures as my Text with others of like nature which treat not of all Works in generall but of such as did belong unto the Jews in special and therefore are usually called the Works of the Law or the Deeds of the Law Works of what Law I pray you but of that Law which as the Apostle saith pertained to the Israelites Rom. 9.4 and which as the same Apostle saith also the Gentiles had not Rom. 2.12.14 1 Cor. 9.21 Objection Sect. 2 But when the Apostle opposeth this Law that was given unto the Jews unto Faith and when he denies Justification to be by the works of that Law is it not all one as if he should oppose Faith unto Works commanded in the Gospel for the same Works of Love Justice and Mercy that are enjoyned in the Gospel are also commanded in the Law Answer This indeed is an Objection that deserves consideration but for answer take it thus Though it be very true that the same Works of Love Justice and Mercy be enjoyned both in Law and Gospel yet it will not follow that when the Apostle opposeth the Works of the Law to Faith that then he opposeth gospel-Gospel-works to Faith likewise for these two Reasons 1. Because those Works as they were enjoyned the Jews in the Law were part of the first Covenant but as they are enjoyned in the Gospel so they are part of the second Covenant But now the Law or first Covenant in the letter of it was not of Faith saith the Apostle the things promised in it were suspended not upon the condition of beleeving but of doing But the man that doth them shall live in them Gal. 3.12 Upon which account and in respect whereof the Works even of Love Justice and Mercy as enjoyned under that Covenant may possibly be opposed to Faith Whereas the Gospel or new Covenant which also contains in it precepts of Love Equity and Mercy as well as promises of pardon acceptation and salvation and not promising the enjoyment of the one without obedience in the other as is further to be shewed afterwards I say this Gospel or New Covenant is so of Faith and all the conditional part of it so relating to and depending upon Faith as that it is so far from being opposed to Faith as the other Covenant is as that the whole Gospel New-Testament or Covenant both in its precepts and promises bears the denomination of Faith being sometimes stiled the Faith Gal. 1.2 3. and 3.23 Acts 6 7. Romans 1.5 Iude 3. Sometimes the Law of Faith Romans 3.27 And when we suppose the duties and Works of Love to be opposed to Faith under one Covenant for reasons proper to it and yet yet the same Works not to be opposed to Faith in the other Covenant for reasons peculiar to it let it not seem strange to any man for it is no new thing to affirm and deny the same thing under several circumstances and different considerations As the Apostle Iohn for example touching this great Commandement of Love of which we now speak he affirms it to be no New Commandement but an old and yet presently again sayes the same is a New Commandement 1 Iohn 2.7 8. Brethren I write no new Commandement unto you but an old Commandement which ye had from the beginning the old Commandement is the word which ye have heard from the beginning Again a new Commandement I write unto you which thing is true in him and in you because the darknesse is past and the true light now shineth The Law of Love is an old Commandement as it is part of the old Covenant and yet the same is a new commandement as it is part of the new Covenant being given a new by Christ the Mediator thereof and now upon new termes too not as opposed to Faith as in the former but as in a collateral and subservient way joyned with it in the latter And besides this the same Commandement under this new edition of it comes out with inlargement which makes it new Which thing saith the Apostle
Mercy yea or the act of Faith it self or any other work commanded in the Gospel does justifie as Christs blood justifies by way of attonement for sin let him be accursed It is the prerogative royal peculiarly and alone belonging to Christ thus to justifie in which no creature in Heaven or Earth or any action of any creature bears any the least share Heb. 1.3 When he had by himself purged our sins sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high To purge from sin is the self-work of Christ Heb. 7.27 and 9.26 28. and 10 12 14. When some of the Galatians were but about to attribute the same justifying power unto the Law which they had acknowledged to be in Christ Paul testifies to them that in doing so they would render Christ of none effect to them and fall from grace Gal. 5.4 So dangerous a thing is it to joyn any in competition or co-partnership with Christ in this work or to attribute the same justifying vertue to any beside him And if any among the Papists should ascribe any such operation or vertue to any of their works though as dipt in the blood of Christ and receiving their vertue from that it would doubtlesse be found a piece of high presumption and a sin of a daring nature before the Lord. But alass how far off are we from ascribing any such power operation or vertue unto any work which a Christian can do Nay Faith it self though it be so necessary unto justification as that without which the blood of Christ will not justifie and save men yet it is far from being necessary upon any such account as if it could in the least operate as Christs blood does or add any thing unto the saving vertue thereof and yet necessary it is because such is the Will of God as that the saving benefit of that blood shall not be made over unto any man but upon condition of his beleeving So I say of Works I mean Gospel-obedience though we say they are so necessary as that no mans Faith shall justifie him that is void of them or which is all one that no mans Faith shall justifie him without them yet we say also that they are far from being necessary upon any such score as Christs blood is necessary or as if they could contribute any thing unto its atoneing vertue Nor is it necessary in this case to suppose them to be formally of the nature of Faith nor to be essential to the act of beleeving nor that the same justifying act office or power is placed in them by God as is in Faith Yet necessary they are unto justification because such is the will and good pleasure of God as that though he will have Faith to entitle men to the justifying and saving benefit of Christs blood yet he will not interess an unprofitable dead barren fruitless formal Faith in that saving benefit and priviledges of the New Covenant but reserves this honour for that Faith only which is an active lively working Faith and which makes a man as well ready and desirous to give honour and glory unto the Lord in doing his will as to receive honour and glory from him in the way of beleeving his promise This God willing I shall make fully evident when I come to treat of the doctrine of Faith and Justification by it in the handling of the second part of my Text. Sect. 6 In the mean while if this burden any mans mind how to think or conceive that Faith in its first justifying act in closing with Christ should be accompanied with Works when as that first act is done in an instant but Faiths bearing of Fruit and producing of good works is a work of time and shal therefore think that sure Faith must needs be alone and without works in the first act of its justifying work whatever it be after I shall ease this burden and answer this objection by distinguishing of Works There are two sorts of Works 1. Such as consist in will purpose and desire 2. Such as consist in the actual execution of those resolutions and desires That those motions resolutions and desires that are transacted in the wil by way of preparation of turning them into actions of another nature when opportunity shall serve I say that these are works in Gods account who is as well privy to them as to external actions is most evident Mic. 2.1 Wo to them that devise iniquity and work evill upon their beds when the morning is light they practice it because it is in the power of their hand Their devising and resolving upon evill in the night in order to the practice of it in the day is called a working of evill upon their beds Again Psalm 58.2 Yea in heart ye work wickedness you weigh the violence of your hands in the earth The evill actions and motions of the mind and will are called a working of wickednesse in the heart as the looking on a Woman to lust after her is called the committing adultry with her in the heart Mat. 5.28 All which is as true of good intentions resolutions and desires as of evill the resolving upon good when opportunity presents is a working of good in the soul as well as the resolving upon evill upon like termes is the working of evill Now then that Faith which is not accompanied with good Works of this kind in the souls first fastening upon Christ by Faith for salvation I say that soul that does not come to Christ with a sence of such worthinesse in him as to desire and resolve through the strength of his grace to give up it self to him and to be commanded by him that Faith that soul by all the light that I can get from Scripture is never like to be accepted or to pass for currant in Christs account Nor will such desires and resolutions do it neither that are but airy and of the nature of false Conceptions and which spend themselves and languish and vanish in desiring and resolving like the sluggard Solomon speaks of Prov. 13.4 Whose soul desireth and hath nothing No unlesse they have that truth and reality that strength and substance as to be delivered of such conceptions and to bring forth fruit to perfection when opportunity comes and not like that corn that groweth upon the house-top that withereth before it come to maturity they are never like to obtain the honour and reputation of such desires and resolutions as will passe for good works in Gods account But if the soul in its first closing with Christ by Faith go armed and the Faith of the soul attended with real hearty and unfeigned desires and purposes to render unto the Lord in love honour and service according to the benefit it expects to receive from him and that nothing but lack of opportunity hinders the real acting and executing these desires and resolves with suitable endeavours doubtlesse that soul that faith is accepted with the Lord as
the wisdom and gravity of a great Apostle It is a good rule by which to make judgement of the ill opinions and practices then reigning among men in the Apostles times viz. by their zealous and faithfull engagements against them as declared in their Epistles though they do not in so many words charge such and such men with holding or practising such or such things And so when we find the Apostle Heb. 10. so mightily labouring in this business when he hath to do with the beleeving Jews that were under temptations of looking back arguing from the Old Testament that it was never Gods intent to set up those Sacrifices under the Law to take away sin or to purge the conscience but that they served only unto an outward purification and to be as a School-master to bring to Christ by the offering of whom once for all are perfected for ever those that are sanctified it may be easily collected that certainly the unbeleeving Jews did firmly hold the contrary and that the beleeving Jews were in danger of being shaken in their Faith hereabout to prevent which and to establish them firmly in the truth is the prize for which the Apostle runs as in the Epistle in general so more especially in those passages of it in the ninth and tenth Chapters which do more immediately concern this business See more particularly hereabout Heb. 10.1 4 5 9 10 11 12 14.18 and 9.12 13 14 22 25 26. and 1.3 Acts 13.39 These three now mentioned most erronious and highly dangerous opinions held by the obstinate Jews I take to be wrapt up by the Apostle in Rom. 9.31 32 33. But Israel which followed after the law of righteousnesse hath not attained to the law of righteousnesse wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the law for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone as it is written behold I lay in Zion a stumbling-stone and a rock of offence and whosoever beleeveth on him shall not be ashamed That Christ was and is a stumbling-stone unto the Jews because of his being Crucified is that I shewed before such a thing falling crosse to their received opinion that the true Christ should never dye they thereupon thought they had good reason to reject him and those that taught in his name as being confident for that very reason he could not be the Messiah So that those two opinious 1. That the true Christ should never dye and secondly That Jesus was not the true Christ because he did suffer death are both implyed in that saying ver 32. They stumbled at that stumbling-stone and then the third thing viz. their expectation of remission of sins and acceptation with God by the legal Sacrifices and other Mosaical observances is that which in the 31 and 32. vers is called their following after or seeking the law of righteousness i. e. as I conceive that Law or Covenant by which God hath promised to count men righteous this indeed they sought to come under but missed it because they sought it not in Gods way of beleeving in Christ Jesus and him crucified for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone but as it were by the works of the Law i. e. I conceive they so sought it as if the termes of attaining it appointed by God had been the doing those works of the Law Sect. 6 4. Another erronious opinion of the unbeleeving Jews wherein some also of those who did in a sort believe did comply with them was this that the Gentiles could not be justified or saved unlesse they became prosylites to their Religion and were circumcised and so kept the law of Moses Acts 15.1 5. And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren and said except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved Which yet is more fully exprest vers 5. But there rose up certain of the Sect of the Pharisees which beleeved saying that it was needfull to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Law of Moses Which dangerous opinion being obtruded upon the beleeving Gentiles to the great unsettlement of many of them thereupon the Apostle Paul who was the Apostle of the Gentiles to the end he might undeceive such as had been surprised with it and strengthen the Brethren against the infection of it wrote as to the Churches in Galatia so to this at Rome in both which Epistles he doth at large counter-argue this together with the other fore-mentioned soul-destroying opinions Sect. 7 In flat contradiction therefore unto these opinions aforesaid our Apostle in my Text doth affirm That to him that worketh not that is to the Gentile who never had observed or kept the Law of Moses who never had followed after righteousnesse Rom. 9.30 but had lived without God in the world and as an alien from the Common-wealth of Israel But beleeveth on him that justifieth the ungodly That is though he do not nor have done the former yet if he do the latter that is if he shall believe on him that came into the world to save sinners and which in due time dyed for the ungodly His Faith that is this faith of his and not those works of the Law shall be counted to him for righteousnesse This then is clearly the doctrine of the Text that a poor Idolatrous Heathen that had no precedent Works of the Law to commend him of which the Jews boasted and in which he trusted and though such as should never after his beginning to beleeve be either circumcised or offer the Sacrifices for sin commanded in the Law or perform other Jewish Rites yet in case he did but beleeve and should indeed really imbrace the Gospel the doctrine of Jesus he should most certainly be justified and persevering therein be undoubtedly saved the highest and most confident pretention of the Jew to the contrary notwithstanding That the fastning of this naile is the very scope and drift of the Apostle not only in the words of my Text but also in his precedent and subsequent discourse as well that which goes before as that which follows after my Text is that which I shall now as briefly as well as I may come plainly to set before you I shall carry you no further back then to Rom. 3.21 But now the righteousnesse of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets The righteousness of God that is I conceive Gods way and termes of making or accounting men righteous Without the Law is manifested that is in and by the Gospel it is declared published tendred and offered in the beleeving and imbracing of which Gospel and the termes of grace therein propounded a man may attain this righteousnesse though he had never heard of the Law Though its true also that the same way and termes of Justification is witnessed and asserted in the Law and the Prophets which is now published and tendered by the Gospel Which way of
is true in him and in you In him who hath not onely given this new command Iohn 13.34 A new Commandement I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you but also hath given us the pattern of it in his own example having so loved us as to lay down his life and to give himself for us Gal. 2.20 Which thing as it is true in him so in you saith he 1 Iohn 2.8 because we ought therefore not only to love our Neighbour as our selves as before it was commanded but now even to lay down our lives for the brethren 1 Iohn 3.16 as he hath done for us Of all which viz. that the same command though in one respect it was old yet in another it was new and truly verified both in Christ and in the Saints the Apostle gives this reason in the forementioned place 1 Iohn 2.8 Because the darknesse is past and the true light now shineth the different dispensing of the same thing hath made this difference in it it was an old Commandement as it was once enjoyned under the old Covenant but now the darkness and obscutity of that Covenant and dispensation being past as when once it grew old it was then ready to vanish Heb. 8.13 and the true and new light in the Gospel and new Covenant now shining under which the same duties of Love are enjoyned upon other terms then before it might upon this account be well stiled a New Commandement which yet in substance was an old one Sect. 3 2. But Secondly and chiefly the reason why the Works of Love Justice and Mercy as commanded in the Gospel are not opposed to Faith by the Apostle in the point of Justification though these and all other Works commanded in the Law in the sence in which they were asserted by the Jews are opposed to Faith in that case is this because there is so vast a difference between the sence in which we do assert an Evangelical necessity of these to Justification and that sence in which the Jews did assert the availableness of these together with other Works of the Law unto justification as that the Apostle might well withstand the one sence as damnable and yet the other in the mean while remain under his full approbation For our Apostle was so far from denying the necessity of the Works of the Law unto justification saving in that erronious sence in which the Jews maintained them as that he did affirm that during the time in which they were enjoyned by God justification was not to be had without them as conjoyned with Faith Rom. 2.13 For not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified It was no more mens hearing of the Law and leaning upon God as some did Mic. 3.11 without sincere obedience to the Law in one thing as well as in another that would render them acceptable to God then than mens barren formal and dead Faith under the profession of the Gospel will without an upright and careful conformity to the doctrin of Christ render them acceptable to God now As concerning that sence in which the Jews asserted and the Apostle denied the necessity of the works of the Law to justification take it thus They being ignorant of Gods Righteousness Rom. 10.3 and of his designe to teach men by the types and figures of the Law as by a school-master to expect justification by the death of Christ and Faith in his blood For by reason of the vail that was upon their hearts they could not see to the end of that which is abolished 2 Cor. 3.13 14 15. I say they being herein altogether ignorant were on the other hand highly confident that God had ordained their legal Sacrifices to purge them from their sins and their obedience in them and other points of the Law to be the only means to invest them with all the good that ever the Lord intended them not only in things temporal but also spiritual and eternal So that that which the Gospel attributes to the New Covenant to the blood of it to the faith of it to the obedience of it they attributed and ascribed all of it to the blood and obedience of the Old Covenant So that the question between the Apostle and them was but this Whether Eternal Redemption were to be had upon the First Covenant termes or the Second whether by the Works of the Law or the Faith of the Gospel the beleeving in and subjecting to the Lord Jesus as that only name way and means in which Salvation is to be had The Apostle he affirms that Salvation is to be had by the latter without the former by the New Covenant termes without the Old the Jews on the contrary they held that Salvation was to be had by the former without the latter by the Works of the Law without beleeving in or obeying of Jesus It is most evident and certain that thus and thus as hath been declared is the true sence in which the Jews held the Works of the Law available to justification and salvation and it is as clear likewise that in the very same sence the Apostle doth deny and reject them charging the whole stresse of all upon Christ and beleeving in and following of him Sect. 4 This is easie to be discerned in the Apostles Writings of which I have given an account in my Second Chapter to which I refer you and shall here add two or three Texts more Phil. 3.7 8 9. But what things were gain to me those I counted losse for Christ yea doubtlesse and I do count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by Faith He had shewed before what the Jews trusted in boasted of and which he himself also whilst he was as they were did count his gain viz. Circumcised the eight day of the stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews touching the righteousnesse of the Law blamelesse But when he became a Christian he let go all these things which he held so fast before took off and removed that confidence and stresse which he had placed in these and now laies all upon Christ and Faith in him That which he now expected by Christ he did indeed expect by his righteousness in the Law before but that which was his hope and his confidence his joy and his glory before is now but loss and dung with him when once the excellency of the knowledge of the way of Salvation by Christ does appear Now all his desire is to be found in Christ rejoycing in Christ trusting in Christ cleaving to Christ not
any more to be found in the dress of his own righteousness which was of the Law the first Covenant righteousness that righteousness in the Law touching which as he sayes he was blameless vers 6. Which whilst he expected Salvation by it was a righteousness or way of justification of his own setting up never of Gods appointing In opposition whereto he desires now to be found in that righteousness which is of God through Faith in that state of justification and salvation which God in the Gospel hath setled and established upon beleeving in Jesus So that here in this Contexture of Scripture you have the Jews righteousness or justification and the Christians through both which this Apostle had passed and of both which he had made tryal the Jews claim was by the Law and the works thereof but the Christians by the Gospel and the Faith and obedience thereof the act of his conversion was his renouncing of the former and cleaving to the latter Romans Chapter 9. Verse 30 31 32. What shall we say then that the Gentiles which followed not after righteousnesse have attained to righteousnesse even the righteousnesse which is of Faith but Israel which followed after the Law of righteousnesse hath not attained to the Law of righteousnesse Wherefore because they sought it not by Faith but as it were by the works of the Law for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone Here we have two manner of people the Gentiles and the Jews and two sorts of righteousness the one of the Law the other of Faith or of the Gospel The Gentiles who had not followed after righteousness but lived in Idolatry Sin and Wickedness and without God in the World being altogether strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel and that Covenant of Promise yet attained to righteousness a state of justification and acceptation before God upon their receiving the Gospel the doctrine of life and salvation when it was brought among them The Jews though they followed after the law of righteousness those laws wherein a righteous conversation was commanded by God and did many of the things that were commanded therein having a zeal towards God yet for all that did not arrive at that justification and acceptation with God which the Gentiles attained and the reason was because they did not seek it in the Gospel-way in which the Gentiles found it they should have let go the doctrine of Moses and have imbraced the doctrine of Christ and have reckoned themselves but in the same capacity with the Gentiles for all their Works of the Law and have said as some of them did We beleeve that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they Acts 15.11 But instead of this they stumbled at that stumbling-stone Christ Jesus and him crucified and the offer of salvation by him and did adhere unto the works of the Law for all things pertaining to salvation and would have Justification upon the Law termes this ran in their mind if a man do those things he shall live in them and so ventured all upon that score It was quite beyond their expectation that the Messiah when ever he should come should turn them out of their way of Sacrificing by becoming a Sacrifice himself or that their expectation of remission of sin should be taken off the former and placed on the latter and therefore they cleaving to the letter of the Law for eternal salvation which so far was ordained by God but for a temporal and rejecting Christ and the termes of salvation by him which the Law pointed them to in the spiritual signification of it of which they were wholly ignorant hence it came to pass that for all their labouring seeking and striving after righteousness justification and salvation yet they missed it as seeking it out of Gods way upon their own termes not Gods Gal. 2.21 For if righteousnesse come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain How could that be but that they did attribute and ascribe the same attoning virtue and sin-purging efficacy unto the works of the Law which the Gospel does attribute unto the blood of Jesus And then indeed if it had been so as they supposed it was that sacrifices or any other works of the Law could have purged sin so as Christ does by his death and blood then the death of Christ would have been in vain God would never have put himself to that charge as to give his Son to death to take away the sin of men if the works of the Law had been a competent means to bring it about If there had been a Law saith the same Apostle which could have given life verily righteousnesse should have been by the Law Gal. 3.21 If the Law and the Wotks therein commanded could have done the same thing towards the conferring of life and salvation upon men which is now brought to passe by the coming and dying of Jesus then righteousness and life should have been by that But now inasmuch as that God hath given his Son to dye for here he writes to those that did acknowledge Christ and his death but withall inclined to that opinion Acts 15. that except men kept the law of Moses they could not be saved since God hath given his Son to dye it is as if he should say manifest that the Law fell short in ability of doing that for men for the doing of which God sent his own Son Rom. 8.3 For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sent his own Son in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sin or by a sacrifice for sin as it is in the margent condemned sin in the flesh What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh that is I conceive through or by reason of the sins of the flesh the sinful condition of man was so great as that it quite over-topt the purging power of the Law the disease was too strong to be cured with such a purge the sins of the flesh overmatched the Law in this kind and rendred it weak and therefore God was fain to send his own Son to condemn sin to take away the destroying power of sin by the sacrifice of himself for that the Law could not do it by its sacrifice In that the Apostle writes so much and in so many places for there are many more besides these touching the weaknesse and dis-ability of the Law to do that for men which God sent Christ to do for them it is in opposition to those who magnified the Law as if it had been able to do all that for them which the Apostle doth ascribe to Christ as done by him By what hath been now said I think it doth fully appear in what sence the Jews asserted the Works of their Law in the point of Justification and likewise in what sence the Apostle denies them Sect. 5 And now if any man shall say that Love Iustice and
say that love covereth a multitude of sins Prov. 10.12 1 Pet. 4.8 and so it does as in other respects so when such applications proceed from Soul-love as by which a man is converted from the error of his way and so his sins come to be covered or not imputed by God James 5.19 20. Sect. 10 2. And where mens souls are loved and their salvation longed after which is the best kind of love and the most God-like there there will be a great deal of care and tenderness used that nothing be done or spoken that may prove a snare a stumbling-block or an occasion of sin to others and to hide such things from them as through their weakness might harden them against any good or in any evil wayes And therefore those that are enriched with this love are wont to consider not only what is in it self lawful for them to do but how it will stand with the edification of others and what use they are like to make of it The Apostle saith that Knowledge puffeth up but love edifieth 1 Cor. 8.1 Knowledge where it is alone by it self without love makes men lofty and disdainful towards others But love edifieth that is it disposeth the person in whom it is to use his knowledge in such a way as will tend to or at least consist with the edification of others and not their prejudice It is a fine expression which we have to this purpose 1 Cor. 13.4 where he saith that Charity is not rash so it is in the margine is not puffed up It is not rash no it is a tender grace it makes a man look about him before he does many things and to consider where they may light and whereto they may tend and what use may be made of them and is wonderful fearful of doing any body any harm in the affairs of their souls Upon account whereof their own liberty and outward accomodation many a time suffers suspension as it fell out in the holy Apostle Pauls case who would take no money of some Churches but rather labour with his hands when he perceived his taking of money which was otherwise lawful for him would not tend to the furtherance of the Gospel in mens souls 1 Cor. 9.14 15 18. 1 Thes 2.6 9. 2 Thes 3.8 9. The like was about eating and not eating of meats while the lawfulness and unlawfulness thereof was under disputation and is concluded to be against the law of love for men to use their known liberty in such things when the use of it shall endanger a Brothers edification or probably betray him into any sin I may not insist at large on these things or descend further to particulars but only give general hints See 1 Cor. 8.9 13. and 10.23 33. Romans 14.13 23. Sect. 11 3. Furthermore If Faiths contemplation upon the love of God to men imprints the similitude of his love upon the soul as I have formerly shewed it does Then as it fils the soul with the love of pity and compassion to sinners in conformity to Gods love and compassion towards them which I have shewed already so does it also dispose the soul to a love of complacency delight and dear affection towards all the Saints in conformity to Gods love to them who taketh pleasure in his people Psal 149.4 The Father he loves the Saints because they love his Son which is the delight of his soul Joh. 16.27 For the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and have beleeved that I came out from God And without doubt every one whose Soul cleaveth to Christ out of the knowledg and sence he hath of the worth and loveliness of him and of the great benefit that comes by him cannot but take pleasure in all those that are true lovers of him and faithful and cordial Friends to him As it is the property of Saints to love the Saints so it is upon Christs score they do it because they love him and Christ loves them Mark 9.41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name because ye belong to Christ verily I say unto you he shall not loose his reward Plainly implying that expressions of love from one Christian to another where the love is right Christian indeed proceed toward them upon the account of that near relation they have to Christ because they belong to Christ When men are loved because they do what they do for Christs name-sake or out of Friendship to him then are they loved with a right spirit of love indeed 3 John 6 7 8. It 's common among men where one does truly and entirely love another there to love and respect the Children and Friends of such for their sake And so it is in these matters of spiritual affection and relation He that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him 1 John 5.1 the child for the Fathers sake and because of that resemblance of the Father which is found in the child And if the love which is wrought by Faith be delighted with the Saints because of their friendship to Christ then the more any man shews himself a friend to Christ in keeping his commands shewing forth his virtues pleading his cause and propagating his truth the more is he prized and truly esteemed by such as have this love truly wrought in them 2 Jo. 1.2 Whom I love in the truth and not I only but also all they that have known the truth for the truths sake which dwelleth in us Mark It 's the property of all that have known the truth to love such as are the friends of Christs truth for the truths sake whose part they take Sect. 12 4. And this love and dear affection to the Saints for Christs sake where it is indeed will shew it self in acts of real kindness and friendship to them as occasions and opportunities do occur which is called A loving not in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth by which men may know themselves to be of the truth and shall assure their hearts before God 1 John 3.18 19. If they want brotherly admonition reproof instruction exhortation or comfort for the healthful and flourishing estate of the inner man they are ready to minister to them in these according to their ability Which when faithfully done Christ takes as a real demonstration of love not only to them but also unto himself as that which contributes towards his design of saving men and nourishing and cherishing his Church and the supplying of his absence and the doing of that for him which he would do himself if he were present John 21.15 16. Lovest thou me feed my lambs Lovest thou me feed my sheep As if there were no way wherein he could better express his love to Christ then by ministring soul-food to his sheep that follow him The lips of the righteous feed many c. Prov. 10.21 Sect. 13 5. The same love also puts them in