the Work of the Devil by the suffering of the seed of the woman is proposed as the only Relief for sinners and only means of the Recovery of the favour of God It shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel Gen. 3.15 Abraham believed in the Lord and he counted it unto him for Righteousness Gen. 15.6 And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the Head of the live Goat and confess over him all the iniquities of the Children of Israel and all their Transgressions in all their sins putting them on the head of the Goat and the Goat shall bear upon him all their Iniquities unto a Land not inhabited Lev. 16.21 22. I will go in the strength of the Lord God I will make mention of thy Righteousness even of thine only Psal. 71.16 If thou Lord shouldst mark Iniquity O Lord who shall stand but there is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared Psal. 130.3 4. Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Psal. 143.2 Behold he put no trust in his Servants and his Angels he charged with folly how much less on them that dwell in houses of Clay whose foundation is in the dust Job 4.18 19. Fury is not in me who would set the Briers and Thorns against me in battel I would go through them I would burn them together Or let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me Isa. 27.4 5. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I Righteousness and strength in the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and Glory Isa. 45.24 25. All we like Sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the Iniquity of us all By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their Iniquities Isa. 53.6 11. For this is his name whereby he shall be called the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23.6 But we are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousnesses are as filthy raggs Isa. 64.6 He shall finish the Transgression and make an End of sin and make Reconciliation for Iniquity and bring in Everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9.24 Vnto as many as received him he gave power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe in his name Joh. 1.12 For as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life chap. 3.14 15. see ver 16 17 18. Be it known therefore unto you Men and Brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of Sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13.38 39. That they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by Faith that is in me chap. 26.18 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 at this time his Righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus Where then is Boasting it is excluded by what Law of Works nay but by the Law of Faith Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law Rom. 3.24 25 26 27 28. For if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to Glory but not before God For what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for Righteousness now to him that worketh is the Reward not reckoned of Grace but of Debt But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness Even as David also describeth the Blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without works saying Blessed are those whose Iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord will not impute sin Rom. 4.2 3 4 5 6 7 8. But not as the offence so also is the free Gift for if through the offence of one many be dead much more the Grace of God and the Gift by Grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many And not as it was by one that sinned so is the Gift for the judgment was by one to Condemnation but the free Gift is of many offences unto Justification For if by one mans offence Death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of Grace and of the Gift of Righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offence of one judgement came upon all men unto condemnation even so by the Righteousness of one the free Gift came upon all men unto Justification of life For as by one mans Disobedience many were made sinners so by the Obedience of one shall many be made righteous chap 5. 15 16 17 18 19. There is therefore no condemnation unto them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit For the Law of the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death and what the Law could not do in that it 's weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us chap. 8. 1 2 3 4. For Christ is the End of the Law for Righteousness unto every one that believeth chap. 10.4 And if by Grace then it is no more of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace but if it be of Works then it is no more Grace otherwise Works is no more Works chap. 11.6 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Knowing that a man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed 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 Gal. 2.16 But that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God is evident For the just shall live by Faith and the Law is not of Faith but the man that doth them shall live in them Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us chap. 3.11 12 13. For by Grace ye are saved through
1 All our sins past present and to come were at once imputed unto and laid upon Jesus Christ in what sense we shall afterwards enquire He was wounded for our Transgressions He was bruised for our Iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes are we healed All we like Sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath made to meet on Him the Iniquities of us all Isa. 53.6 7. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 The Assertions being indefinite without exception or limitation are equivalent unto Vniversals All our sins were on him he bare them All at once and therefore once died for all 2 He did therefore at once finish Transgression made an End of sin made Reconciliation for Iniquity and brought in everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9.24 At once he expiated all our sins for by himself he purged our sins and then sate down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Heb. 1.3 And we are sanctified or dedicated unto God through the offering of the Body of Christ once for all for by one Offering he hath perfected consummated compleated as unto their spiritual state them that are sanctified Heb. 10.10.14 He never will do more than he hath actually done already for the Expiation of all our sins from first to last for there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin I do not say that hereupon our Justification is compleat but only that the meritorious procuring cause of it was at once compleated and is never to be renewed or repeated any more All the enquiry is concerning the renewed Application of it unto our Souls and Consciences whether that be by Faith alone or by the works of Righteousness which we do 3 By our actual Believing with Justifying Faith believing on Christ or his Name we do receive him and thereby on our first Justification become the Sons of God Joh. 1.12 That is joynt heirs with Christ and heirs of God Rom. 8.17 Hereby we have a Right unto and an Interest in all the Benefits of his Mediation which is to be at once compleatly justified For in him we are compleat Col. 2.10 For by the Faith that is in him we do receive the forgiveness of sins and a lot or inheritance among all them that are sanctified Act. 26.18 being immediately justified from all things from which we could not be justified by the Law Act. 13.39 yea God thereon blesseth us with all spiritual Blessings in heavenly things in Christ Ephes. 1.3 All these things are absolutely inseparable from our first believing in him and therefore our Justification is at once compleat In particular 4 On our Believing all our sins are forgiven He hath quickened you together with him having forgiven you all Trespasses Col. 2.13 14 15. For in him we have Redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of sins according unto the riches of his Grace Ephes. 1.7 which one place obviates all the petulant exceptions of some against the consistency of the free Grace of God in the pardon of sins and the satisfaction of Christ in the procurement thereof 5 There is hereon nothing to be laid unto the charge of them that are so justified For he that believeth hath Everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation but is passed from Death unto Life Joh. 5.24 And who shall lay any thing unto the charge of Gods Elect it is God that Justifieth it is Christ that died Rom. 8.33 34. and there is no condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus ver 1. For being justified by Faith we have peace with God chap. 5.1 And 6 we have that Blessedness hereon whereof in this life we are capable Rom. 4.5 6. From all which it appears that our Justification is at once compleat And 7 it must be so or no man can be justified in this world For no time can be assigned nor measure of Obedience be limited whereon it may be supposed that any one comes to be Justified before God who is not so on his first Believing For the Scripture doth no where assign any such time or measure And to say that no man is compleatly justified in the sight of God in this life is at once to overthrow all that is taught in the Scriptures concerning Justification and therewithall all peace with God and comfort of Believers But a man acquitted upon his legal trial is at once discharged of all that the Law hath against him 2. Upon this compleat Justification Believers are obliged unto universal Obedience unto God The Law is not abolished but established by Faith It is neither abrogated nor dispensed withall by such an Interpretation as should take off its obligation in any thing that it requires nor as to the degree and manner wherein it requires it Nor is it possible it should be so For it is nothing but the Rule of that Obedience which the nature of God and man make necessary from the one to the other And that is an Antinomianism of the worst sort and most derogatory unto the Law of God which affirms it to be divested of its power to oblige unto perfect Obedience so as that what it is not so shall as it were in despight of the Law be accepted as if it were so unto the End for which the Law requires it There is no medium but that either the Law is utterly abolished and so there is no sin for where there is no Law there is no Transgression or it must be allowed to require the same Obedience that it did at its first Institution and unto the same degree Neither is it in the power of any man living to keep his Conscience from judging and condemning that whatever it be wherein he is convinced that he comes short of the perfection of the Law Wherefore 3. The Commanding Power of the Law in positive precepts and prohibitions which Justified Persons are subject unto doth make and constitute all their inconformities unto it to be no less truly and properly sins in their own nature than they would be if their persons were obnoxious unto the Curse of it This they are not nor can be for to be obnoxious unto the Curse of the Law and to be justified are contradictory but to be subject to the Commands of the Law and to be justified are not so But it is a subjection to the commanding power of the Law and not an obnoxiousness unto the Curse of the Law that constitutes the nature of sin in its Transgression Wherefore that compleat Justification which is at once though it dissolve the Obligation on the sinner unto punishment by the Curse of the Law yet doth it not annihilate the commanding Authority of the Law unto them that are justified that what is sin in others should not be so in them See Rom. 8.1.33 34. Hence in the first Justification of believing sinners all future sins are remitted as unto
5. cap. 18. And elsewhere That the actual sin of Adam is imputed unto us as if we all had committed that actual sin that is broken the whole Law of God And this is that whereby the Apostle illustrates the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto Believers and it may on as good grounds be charged with absurdities as the other It is not therefore said that God judgeth that we have in our own persons done those very Acts and endured that penalty of the Law which the Lord Christ did and endured For this would overthrow all Imputation But what Christ did and suffered that God imputeth unto Believers unto the Justification of Life as if it had been done by themselves and his Righteousness as a publick person is made theirs by Imputation even as the sin of Adam whilst a publick person is made the sin of all his Posterity by Imputation Hereon none of the absurdities pretended which are really such do at all follow It doth not so that Christ in his own person performed every individual Act that we in our circumstances are obliged unto in a way of Duty nor was there any need that so he should do This Imputation as I have shewed stands on other Foundations Nor doth it follow that every saved Persons Righteousness before God is the same identically and numerically with Christs in his publick capacity as Mediator For this Objection destroys it self by affirming that as it was his it was the Righteousness of God-Man and so it hath an especial nature as it respects or relates unto his Person It is the same that Christ in his publick capacity did work or effect But there is a wide difference in the consideration of it as his absolutely and as made ours It was formally inherent in him is only materially imputed unto us Was actively his is passively ours was wrought in the Person of God-man for the whole Church is imputed unto each single Believer as unto his own concernment only Adams sin as imputed unto us is not the sin of a Representative though it be of his that was so but is the particular sin of every one of us But this Objection must be further spoken unto where it occurs afterwards Nor will it follow that on this supposition we should be accounted to have done that which was done long before we were in a capacity of doing any thing For what is done for us and in our stead before we are in any such capacity may be imputed unto us as is the sin of Adam And yet there is a manifold sense wherein men may be said to have done what was done for them and in their name before their actual existence so that therein is no absurdity As unto what is added by the way that Christ did not do nor suffer the Idem that we were obliged unto whereas he did what the Law required and suffered what the Law threatned unto the disobedient which is the whole of what we are obliged unto it will not be so easily proved nor the Arguments very suddenly answered whereby the contrary hath been confirmed That Christ did sustain the place of a surety or was the surety of the New-Covenant the Scripture doth so expresly affirm that it cannot be denied And that there may be sureties in cases criminal as well as civil and pecuniary hath been proved before What else occurs about the singularity of Christs Obedience as he was Mediator proves only that his Righteousness as formally and inherently his was peculiar unto himself and that the Adjuncts of it which arise from its relation unto his person as it was inherent in him are not communicable unto them to whom it is imputed It is moreover urged That upon the supposed Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ it will follow that every Believer is justified by the works of the Law For the Obedience of Christ was a legal Righteousness and if that be imputed unto us then are we justified by the Law which is contrary unto express Testimonies of Scriptures in many places Ans. 1 I know nothing more frequent in the Writings of some Learned Men then that the Righteousness of Christ is our legal Righteousness who yet I presume are able to free themselves of this Objection 2 If this do follow in the true sense of being justified by the Law or the Works of it so denied in the Scripture their weakness is much to be pitied who can see no other way whereby we may be freed from an Obligation to be justified by the Law but by this Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. 3 The Scripture which affirms that by the deeds of the Law no man can be justified affirms in like manner that by Faith we do not make void the Law but establish it that the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us that Christ came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it and is the End of the Law for Righteousness unto them that do believe And that the Law must be fulfilled or we cannot be justified we shall prove afterwards 4 We are not hereon justified by the Law or the Works of it in the only sense of that Proposition in the Scripture and to coin new senses or significations of it is not safe The meaning of it in the Scripture is that only the doers of the Law shall be justified Rom. 2.13 and that he that doth the things of it shall live by them chap. 10.5 namely in his own person by the way of personal Duty which alone the Law requires But if we who have not fulfilled the Law in the way of inherent personal Obedience are justified by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto us then are we justified by Christ and not by the Law But it is said that this will not relieve For if his Obedience be so imputed unto us as that we are accounted by God in Judgment to have done what Christ did it is all one upon the matter and we are as much justified by the Law as if we had in our own proper persons performed an unsinning Obedience unto it This I confess I cannot understand The Nature of this Imputation is here represented as formerly in such a way as we cannot acknowledge from thence alone this inference is made which yet in my judgment doth not follow thereon For grant an Imputation of the Righteousness of another unto us be it of what nature it will all Justification by the Law and Works of it in the sense of the Scripture is gone for ever The Admission of Imputation takes off all power from the Law to justifie for it can justifie none but upon a Righteousness that is originally and inherently his own The man that doth them shall live in them If the Righteousness that is imputed be the Ground and Foundation of our Justification and made ours by that Imputation state it how you will that Justification is of Grace and not of the Law
habitual wherein the Denomination of Righteous is principally taken it is a Grace of the Covenant it self and so not a condition of it Jerem. 31.33 Chap. 32.39 Ezek. 36.25 26 27. If no more be intended but that it is as unto its actual exercise what is indispensably required of all that are taken into Covenant in order unto the compleat ends of it we are agreed But hence it will not follow that it is the condition of our Justification It is added that all Righteousness respects a Law and a Rule by which it is to be tried And he is Righteous who hath done these things which that Law requires by whose Rule he is to be judged But 1 This is not the way whereby the Scripture expresseth our Justification before God which alone is under consideration namely that we bring unto it a personal Righteousness of our own answering the Law whereby we are to be judged Yea an Assertion to this purpose is forraign to the Gospel and destructive of the Grace of God by Jesus Christ. 2 It is granted that all Righteousness respects a Law as the Rule of it And so doth this whereof we speak namely the Moral Law which being the sole eternal unchangeable Rule of Righteousness if it do not in the substance of it answer thereunto a Righteousness it is not But this it doth in as much as that so far as it is is habitual it consists in the Renovation of the Image of God wherein that Law is written in our Hearts and all the actual Duties of it are as to the substance of them what is required by that Law But as unto the manner of its communication unto us and of its performance by us from Faith in God by Jesus Christ and Love unto him as the Author and Fountain of all the Grace and Mercy procured and administred by him it hath respect unto the Gospel What will follow from hence why that he is just that doth those things which that Law requires whereby he is to be judged He is so certainly For not the Hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified Rom. 2.13 So Moses describeth the Righteousness of the Law that the man that doth those things shall live in them Rom. 10.5 But although the Righteousness whereof we discourse be required by the Law as certainly it is for it is nothing but the Law in our hearts from whence we walk in the ways and keep the Statutes or Commandments of God yet doth it not so answer the Law as that any man can be justified by it But then it will be said that if it doth not answer that Law and Rule whereby we are to be judged then it is no Righteousness for all Righteousness must answer the Law whereby it is required And I say it is most true it is no perfect Righteousness it doth not so answer the Rule and Law as that we can be justified by it or safely judged on it But so far as it doth answer the Law it is a Righteousness that is imperfectly so and therefore is an imperfect Righteousness which yet giveth the Denominati of Righteous unto them that have it both absolutely and comparatively It is said therefore that it is the Law of Grace or the Gospel from whence we are denominated Righteous with this Righteousness But that we are by the Gospel denominated Righteous from any Righteousness that is not required by the moral Law will not be proved Nor doth the Law of Grace or the Gospel any where require of us or prescribe unto us this Righteousness as that whereon we are to be justified before God It requires Faith in Christ Jesus or the receiving of him as he is proposed in the Promises of it in all that are to be justified It requires in like manner Repentance from dead works in all that believe as also the fruits of Faith Conversion unto God and Repentance in the works of Righteousness which are to the praise of God by Jesus Christ with perseverance therein unto the end And all this may if you please be called our Evangelical Righteousness as being our Obedience unto God according to the Gospel But yet the Graces and Duties wherein it doth consist do no more perfectly answer the commands of the Gospel then they do those of the moral Law For that the Gospel abates from the Holiness of the Law and makes that to be no sin which is sin by the Law or approves absolutely of less intension or lower degrees in the Love of God than the Law doth is an impious Imagination And that the Gospel requires all these things entirely and and equally as the Condition of our Justification before God and so antecedently thereunto is not yet proved nor ever will be It is hence concluded That this is our Righteousness according unto the Evangelical Law which requires it by this we are made Righteous that is not guilty of the non-performance of the condition required in that Law And these things are said to be very plain So no doubt they seemed unto the Author unto us they are intricate and perplexed However I wholly deny that our Faith Obedience and Righteousness considered as ours as wrought by us although they are all accepted with God through Jesus Christ according to the Grace declared in the Gospel do perfectly answer the commands of the Gospel requiring them of us as to matter manner and degree and that therefore it is utterly impossible that they should be the cause or condition of our Justification before God Yet in the Explanation of these things it is added by the same Author that our maimed and imperfect Righteousness is accepted unto Salvation as if it were every way absolute and perfect for that so it should be Christ hath merited by his most perfect Righteousness But it is Justification and not Salvation that alone we discourse about and that the works of Obedience or Righteousness have another respect unto Salvation then they have unto Justification is too plainly and too often expressed in the Scripture to be modestly denied And if this weak and imperfect Righteousness of ours be esteemed and accepted as every way perfect before God then either it is because God judgeth it to be perfect and so declares us to be most just and justified thereon in his sight or he judgeth it not to be compleat and perfect yet declareth us to be perfectly Righteous in his sight thereby Neither of these I suppose can well be granted It will therefore be said it is neither of them but Christ hath obtained by his compleat and most perfect Righteousness and Obedience that this lame and imperfect Righteousness of ours should be accepted as every way perfect And if it be so it may be some will think it best not to go about by this weak halt and imperfect Righteousness but as unto their Justification betake themselves immediately unto the most perfect Righteousness of
same manner as it was under the Covenant of Works But the Argument speaks not as unto the manner or way whereby it is so but to the thing it self If it be so in any way or manner under what qualifications soever we are under that Covenant still If it be of Works any way it is not of Grace at all But it is added that the differences are such as are sufficient to constitute Covenants effectually distinct As 1. The perfect sinless obedience was required in the first Covenant but in the new that which is imperfect and accompanied with many sins and failings is accepted Answ. This is gratis dictum and begs the Question No Righteousness unto Justification before God is or can be accepted but what is perfect 2. Grace is the original fountain and cause of all our acceptation before God in the new Covenant Answ. It was so also in the old The Creation of Man in Original Righteousness was an effect of Divine Grace Benignity and Goodness And the reward of Eternal Life in the enjoyment of God was of meer Soveraign Grace Yet what was then of Works was not of Grace no more is it at present 3. There would then have been Merit of Works which is now excluded Answ. Such a Merit as ariseth from an equality and proportion between Works and Reward by the rule of commutative Justice would not have been in the Works of the first Covenant and in no other sense is it now rejected by them that oppose the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. 4. All is now resolved into the Merit of Christ upon the account whereof alone our own Personal Righteousness is accepted before God unto our Justification Answ. The Question is not on what account nor for what reason it is so accepted but whether it be or no seeing its so being is effectually constitutive of a Covenant of Works CHAP. XIV The Exclusion of all sorts of Works from an interest in Justification What intended by the Law and the Works of it in the Epistles of Paul WE shall take our Fourth Argument from the express Exclusion of all Works of what sort soever from our Justification before God For this alone is that which we plead namely that no Acts or Works of our own are the Causes or Conditions of our Justification but that the whole of it is resolved into the Free Grace of God through Jesus Christ as the Mediator and Surety of the Covenant To this purpose the Scripture speaks expresly Rom. 3.28 Therefore we conclude that a Man is justified by Faith without the Works of the Law Rom. 4.5 But unto him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness Rom. 11.6 If it be of Grace then is it not of Works Gal. 2.16 Knowing that a Man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed 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 Eph. 2.8 9. For by Grace are ye saved through Faith not of Works lest any Man should boast Tit. 3.5 Not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according unto his Mercy he hath saved us These and the like Testimonies are express and in positive Terms assert all that we contend for And I am perswaded that no unprejudiced person whose mind is not prepossessed with notions and distinctions whereof not the least Title is offered unto them from the Texts mentioned nor elsewhere can but judg that the Law in every sense of it and all sorts of Works whatever that at any time or by any means Sinners or Believers do or can perform are not in this or that sense but every way and in all senses excluded from our Justification before God And if it be so it is the Righteousness of Christ alone that we must betake our selves unto or this matter must cease for ever And this Inference the Apostle himself makes from one of the Testimonies before-mentioned namely that of Gal. 2.16 for he adds upon it I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me I do not frustrate the Grace of God for if Righteousness come by the Law then is Christ dead in vain Our Adversaries are extreamly divided amongst themselves and can come unto no consistency as to the sense and meaning of the Apostle in these Assertions for what is proper and obvious unto the understanding of all Men especially from the opposition that is made between the Law and Works on the one hand and Faith Grace and Christ on the other which are opposed as inconsistent in this matter of our Justification they will not allow nor can do so without the ruine of the opinions they plead for Wherefore their various conjectures shall be examined as well to shew their inconsistency among themselves by whom the Truth is opposed as to confirm our present Argument 1. Some say it is the Ceremonial Law alone and the Works of it that are intended or the Law as given unto Moses on Mount Sinai containing that intire Covenant that was afterwards to be abolished This was of old the common opinion of the Schoolmen though it be now generally exploded And the opinion lately contended for that the Apostle Paul excludes Justification from the Works of the Law not because no Man can yield that perfect obedience which the Law requires or excludes Works absolutely perfect and sinless obedience but because the Law it self which he intends could not justifie any by the observation of it is nothing but the renovation of this obsolete notion that it is the Ceremonial Law only or which upon the matter is all one the Law given on Mount Sinai abstracted from the Grace of the Promise which could not justifie any in the observation of its Rites and Commands But of all other conjectures this is the most impertinent and contradictory unto the design of the Apostle and is therefore rejected by Bellarmine himself For the Apostle treats of that Law whose doers shall be justified Chap 2.13 And the Authors of this opinion would have it to be a Law that can justifie none of them that do it That Law he intends whereby is the knowledge of sin for he gives this reason why we cannot be justified by the Works of it namely Because by it is the knowledge of sin Chap. 3.20 And by what Law is the knowledge of sin he expresly declares where he affirms That he had not known Lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet Chap. 7.7 which is the Moral Law alone That Law he designs
which stops the mouth of all sinners and makes all the World obnoxious unto the judgment of God Chap. 3.19 Which none can do but the Law written in the heart of men at their Creation Chap. 2.14 15. That Law which if a man do the works of it he shall live in them Gal. 3.12 Rom. 10.5 and which brings all men under the Curse for sin Gal. 3.10 The Law that is established by Faith and not made void Rom. 3.31 which the Ceremonial Law is not nor the Covenant of Sinai The Law whose Righteousness is to be fulfilled in us Rom. 8.4 And the instance which the Apostle gives of Justification without the Works of that Law which he intends namely that of Abraham was some hundreds of years before the giving of the Ceremonial Law Neither yet do I say that the Ceremonial Law and the Works of it are excluded from the Intention of the Apostle For when that Law was given the Observation of it was an especial Instance of that Obedience we owed unto the first Table of the Decalogue and the exclusion of the Works thereof from our Justification in as much as the performance of them was part of that Moral Obedience which we owed unto God is exclusive of all other works also But that it is alone here intended or that Law which could never justifie any by its observation although it was observed in due manner is a fond Imagination and contradictory to the express Assertion of the Apostle And whatever is pretended to the contrary this opinion is expresly rejected by Augustine lib. de Spirit liter cap. 8. Ne quisquam putaret hic Apostolum dixisse ea lege neminem justificari quae in Sacramentis veteribus multa continet figurata praecepta unde etiam est ista circumcisio carnis continuo subjungit quam dixerit legem addit per legem Cognitio peccati And to the same purpose he speaks again Epist. 200. Non solum illa opera legis quae sunt in veteribus Sacramentis nunc revelato Testamento novo non observantur a Christianis sicut est Circumcisio praeputii Sabbati carnalis vacatio a quibusdam escis abstinentia pecorum in Sacrificiis immolatio neomenia azymum caetera hujusmodi verum etiam illud quod in lege dictum est non concupisces quod ubique Christianus nullus ambigit esse dicendum non justificat hominem nisi per fidem Jesu Christi gratiam Dei per Jesum Christum dominum nostrum 2. Some say the Apostle only excludes the perfect Works required by the Law of Innocency which is a sense diametrically opposite unto that foregoing But this best pleaseth the Socinians Paulus agit de Operibus perfectis in hoc dicto ideo enim adjecit sine operibus legis ut indicaretur loqui eum de operibus a lege requisitis sic de perpetua perfectissima divinorum praeceptorum obedientia sicut lex requirit Cum autem talem obedientiam qualem lex requirit nemo praestare possit ideo subjecit Apostolus nos justificari fide id est fiducia obedientia ea quantum quisque praestare potest quotidie quam maximum praestare studet connititur Sine operibus legis id est etsi interim perfecte totam legem sicut debebat complere nequit saith Socinus himself But 1. We have herein the whole granted of what we plead for namely that it is the moral indispensible Law of God that is intended by the Apostle and that by the works of it no man can be justified yea that all the works of it are excluded from our Justification for it is saith the Apostle without Works The works of this Law being performed according unto it will justifie them that perform them as he affirms Chap. 2.13 and the Scripture elsewhere witnesseth that he that doth them shall live in them But because this can never be done by any Sinner therefore all consideration of them is excluded from our Justification 2. It is a wild Imagination that the dispute of the Apostle is to this purpose that the perfect works of the Law will not justifie us but imperfect works which answer not the Law will do so 3. Granting the Law intended to be the Moral Law of God the Law of our Creation there is no such distinction intimated in the least by the Apostle that we are not justified by the perfect Works of it which we cannot perform but by some imperfect Works that we can perform and labour so to do Nothing is more foreign unto the design and express words of his whole discourse 4. The Evasion which they betake themselves unto that the Apostle opposeth Justification by faith unto that of works which he excludes is altogether vain in this sense For they would have this faith to be our Obedience unto the Divine Commands in that imperfect manner which we can attain unto For when the Apostle hath excluded all such Justification by the Law and the works thereof he doth not advance in opposition unto them and in their room our own Faith and Obedience but adds 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 3. Some of late among our selves and they want not them who have gone before them affirm that the Works which the Apostle excludes from Justification are only the Outward Works of the Law performed without an inward Principle of Faith fear or the Love of God Servile Works attended unto from a respect unto the Threatning of the Law are those which will not justifie us But this Opinion is not only false but impious For 1. The Apostle excludes the Works of Abraham which were not such outward servile Works as are imagined 2. The Works excluded are those which the Law requires and the Law is holy just and good But a Law that requires only outward Works without internal Love to God is neither holy just nor Good 3. The Law Condemns all such Works as are separated from the internal Principle of Faith Fear and Love for it requires that in all our Obedience we should love the Lord our God with all our hearts And the Apostle saith that we are not justified by the Works which the Law condemns but not by them which the Law commands 4. It is highly reflexive on the honour of God that he unto whose Divine Prerogative it belongs to know the Hearts of men alone and therefore regards them alone in all the duties of their Obedience should give a Law requiring outward servile Works only for if the Law intended require more then are not those the only Works excluded 4. Some say in general it is the Jewish Law that is intended and think thereby to cast off the whole Difficulty But if by the Jewish Law they intend only the Ceremonial Law or the Law absolutely as
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
much more as it includeth Obedience in it is a Work and in the later sense it is all Works And in the ensuing Context he proves that Abraham was not justified by Works But not to be justified by Works and to be justified by some Works as Faith it self is a Work and if as such it be imputed unto us for Righteousness we are justified by it as such are contradictory Wherefore I shall oppose some few Arguments unto this feigned sense of the Apostles words 1. To believe absolutely as Faith is an Act and Duty of of ours and Works are not opposed for Faith is a Work an especial kind of Working But Faith as we are justified by it and Works or to Work are opposed To him that worketh not but believeth So Gal. 2.16 Eph. 2.8 2. It is the Righteousness of God that is imputed unto us For we are made the Righteousness of God in Christ 2 Cor. 5.21 The Righteousness of God upon them that believe Rom. 3.21 22. But Faith absolutely considered is not the Righteousness of God God imputeth unto us Righteousness without Works Rom. 4.16 But there is no intimation of a double Imputation of two sorts of Righteousnesses of the Righteousness of God and that which is not so Now Faith absolutely considered is not The Righteousness of God For 1. That whereunto the Righteousness of God is revealed whereby we believe and receive it is not its self the Righteousness of God For nothing can be the cause or means of of it self But the Righteousness of God is revealed unto Faith Rom. 1.16 And by it is it received Rom. 3.22 Chap. 5.11 2. Faith is not the Righteousness of God which is by Faith But the Righteousness of God which is imputed unto us is the Righteousness of God which is by Faith Rom. 3.22 Phil. 3.9 3. That whereby the Righteousness of God is to be sought obtained and submitted unto is not that Righteousness it self But such is Faith Rom. 9.30 31. Chap. 10.30 4. The Righteousness which is imputed unto us is not our own antecedently unto that Imputation That I may be found in him not having my own Righteousness Phil. 3.9 But Faith is a mans own Shew me thy Faith I will shew thee my Faith Jam. 2.18 5. God imputeth Righteousness unto us Rom. 4.6 And that Righteousness which God imputeth unto us is the Righteousness whereby we are justified for it is imputed unto us that we may be justified But we are justified by the Obedience and Blood of Christ. By the Obedience of one we are made Righteous Rom. 5.19 Much more now being justified by his Blood v. 9. He hath put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself Heb. 9.26 Isai. 53.11 By his knowledg shall my righteous Servant justifie many for he shall bear their Iniquities But Faith is neither the Obedience nor the Blood of Christ. 6. Faith as we said before is our own And that which is our own may be imputed unto us But the discourse of the Apostle is about that which is not our own antecedently unto Imputation but is made ours thereby as we have proved for it is of Grace And the Imputation of what is really our own unto us antecedently unto that Imputation is not of Grace in the sense of the Apostle For what is so imputed is imputed for what it is and nothing else For that Imputation is but the Judgment of God concerning the thing imputed with respect unto them whose it is So the Fact of Phineas was imputed unto him for Righteousness God judged it and declared it to be a Righteous rewardable act Wherefore if our Faith and Obedience be imputed unto us that Imputation is only the Judgment of God that we are Believers and Obedient The Righteousness of the Righteous saith the Prophet shall be upon him and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him Ezek. 18.20 As the wickedness of the wicked is upon him or is imputed unto him so the Righteousness of the Righteous is upon him or is imputed unto him And the wickedness of the wicked is on him when God judgeth him wicked as his Works are So is the Righteousness of a man upon him or imputed unto him when God judgeth of his Righteousness as it is Wherefore if Faith absolutely considered be imputed unto us as it contains in it self or as it is accompanied with Works of Obedience then it is imputed unto us either for a perfect Righteousness which it is not or for an imperfect Righteousness which it is or the Imputation of it is the accounting of that to be a perfect Righteousness which is but imperfect but none of these can be affirmed 1. It is not imputed unto us for a perfect Righteousness the Righteousness required by the Law for so it is not Episcopius confesseth in his disputation Disput. 43. § 7 8. that the Righteousness which is imputed unto us must be absolutissima perfectissima most absolute and most perfect And thence he thus defineth the Imputation of Righteousness unto us name y that it is gratiosa Divinae mentis aestimatio qua credentem in filium suum eo loco reputat ac si perfecte justus esset ac legi voluntati ejus per omnia semper paruisset And no man will pretend that Faith is such a most absolute and most perfect righteousness as that by it the Righteousness of the Law should be fulfilled in us as it is by that Righteousness which is imputed unto us 2. It is not imputed unto us for what it is an imperfect Righteousness For 1. This would be of no advantage unto us For we cannot be justified before God by an imperfect Righteousness as is evident in the Prayer of the Psalmist Psal. 143.2 Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight no man living no Servant of thine who hath the most perfect or highest measure of imperfect Righteousness shall be justified 2. The Imputation of any thing unto us that was ours antecedently unto that Imputation for what it is and no more is contrary unto the Imputation described by the Apostle as hath been proved 3. This Imputation pleaded for cannot be a judging of that to be a perfect Righteousness which is imperfect For the Judgment of God is according to Truth But without judging it to be such it cannot be accepted as such To accept of any thing but only for what we judg it to be is to be deceived Lastly if Faith as a Work be imputed unto us then it must be as a Work wrought in Faith For no other Work is accepted with God Then must that Faith also wherein it is wrought be imputed unto us for that also is Faith and a good Work That therefore must have another Faith from whence it must proceed And so in infinitum Many other things there are in the ensuing Explication of the Justification of Abraham the nature of his Faith and his Righteousness before God with the
do it by the gratuitous Imputation of the Righteousness of another unto them It may be it will be said it is true in the time of their Heathenism they did not at all follow after Righteousness but when the Truth of the Gospel was revealed unto them then they followed after Righteousness and did attain it But 1. This is directly to contradict the Apostle in that it says that they attain'd not Righteousness but only as they followed after Righteousness whereas he affirms the direct contrary 2. It takes away the distinction which he puts between them and Israel namely that the one followed after Righteousness and the other did not 3. To follow after Righteousness in this place is to follow after a Righteousness of our own To establish their own Righteousness Chap. 10.3 But this is so far from being a means of attaining Righteousness as that it is the most effectual obstruction thereof If therefore those who have no Righteousness of their own who are so far from it that they never endeavoured to attain it do yet by Faith receive that Righteousness wherewith they justified before God they do so by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto them or let some other way be assigned In the other side of the instance concerning Israel some must hear whether they will or not that wherewith they are not pleased Three things are expressed of them 1. Their Attempt 2. Their Success 3. The Reason of it Their Attempt or Endeavour was in this that they followed after the Law of Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word whereby their endeavour is expressed signifies that which is earnest diligent and sincere By it doth the Apostle declare what his was and what ours ought to be in the Duties and Exercise of Gospel Obedience Phil. 3.12 They were not indiligent in this matter but instantly served God day and night Nor were they Hypocritical for the Apostle bears them record in this matter that they had a zeal of God Chap. 10.2 And that which they thus endeavoured after was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law of Righteousness That Law which prescribed a perfect personal Righteousness before God the things which if a man do them he shall live in them Chap. 10.5 Wherefore the Apostle hath no other respect unto the Ceremonial Law in this place but only as it was branched out from the Moral Law by the Will of God and as the Obedience unto it belonged thereunto When he speaks of it separately he calls it the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances but it is no where called the Law of Righteousness the Law whose Righteousness is fulfilled in us Chap. 8.4 wherefore their following after this Law of Righteousness was their diligence in the performance of all Duties of Obedience according unto the Directions and Precepts of the Moral Law 2. The issue of this attempt is that they attained not unto the Law of Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is they attained not unto a Righteousness before God hereby Though this was the end of the Law namely a Righteousness before God wherein a man might live yet could they never attain it 3. An account is given of the Reason of their failing in attaining that which they so earnestly endeavoured after And this was in a double mistake that they were under first in the means of attaining it secondly in the righteousness it self that was to be sought after The first is declared Ver. 32. Because not by Faith but as it were by the works of the Law Faith and Works are the two only ways whereby Righteousness may be attained and they are opposite and inconsistent so that none doth or can seek after Righteousness by them both They will not be mixed and made one intire means of attaining Righteousness They are opposed as Grace and Works what is of the one is not of the other Rom. 11.6 Every composition of them in this matter is Male sartae gratia nequicquam coit rescinditur And the reason is because the Righteousness which Faith seeks after or which is attainable by Faith is that which is given to us imputed unto us which Faith doth only receive It receives the abundance of Grace and the gift of Righteousness But that which is attainable by Works is our own inherent in us wrought out by us and not imputed unto us For it is nothing but those works themselves with respect unto the Law of God And if Righteousness before God be to be obtained alone by Faith and that in contradistinction unto all Works which if a Man do them according unto the Law he shall even live in them then is it by Faith alone that we are justified before God or nothing else on our part is required thereunto And of what nature this Righteousness must be is evident Again if Faith and Works are opposed as contrary and inconsistent when considered as the means of attaining Righteousness or Justification before God as plainly they are then is it impossible we should be justified before God by them in the same sense way and manner Wherefore when the Apostle James affirms That a Man is justified by Works and not by Faith only he cannot intend our Justification before God where it is impossible they should both concur For not only are they declared inconsistent by the Apostle in this place but it would introduce several sorts of Righteousness unto Justification that are inconsistent and destructive of each other This was the first mistake of the Jews whence this miscarriage insued they sought not after Righteousness by Faith but as it were by the Works of the Law Their second mistake was as unto the Righteousness it self whereon a Man might be justified before God For this they judged was to be their own Righteousness Chap. 10.3 Their own Personal Righteousness consisting in their own Duties of Obedience they looked on as the only Righteousness whereon they might be justified before God This therefore they went about to establish as the Pharisees did Luke 18.11 12. And this mistake with their design thereon to establish their own Righteousness was the principal cause that made them reject the Righteousness of God as it is with many at this day What ever is done in us or performed by us as obedience unto God is our own Righteousness Though it be done in Faith and by the aids of Gods Grace yet is it subjectively ours and so far as it is a Righteousness it is our own But all Righteousness which is our own whatever is so far divers from the Righteousness by which we are to be justified before God as that the most earnest endeavor to establish it that is to render it such as by which we may be justified is an effectual means to cause us to refuse a submission unto and an acceptance of that whereby alone we may be so This ruined the Jews and will be the ruine of all that shall follow their example in
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
believe in answer unto the commands of the Gospel and not to be thereon in the same instant of time absolutely justified is not to dispute about any point of Religion but plainly to deny the whole truth of the Gospel But it is Faith alone that gives power and efficacy unto Gospel Commands effectually to influence the Soul unto Obedience Wherefore this Obligation is more powerfully constraining as they are given unto those that are justified then if they were given them in order unto their Justification Secondly The Apostle answers as we do also Do we then make void the Law through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law For although the Law is principally established in and by the Obedience and Sufferings of Christ Rom. 8.3 4. Chap. 10.3 4. Yet is it not by the Doctrine of Faith and the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto the Justification of life made void as unto Believers Neither of these do exempt them from that Obligation unto universal Obedience which is prescribed in the Law They are still obliged by vertue thereof to love the Lord their God with all their Hearts and their Neighbours as themselves They are indeed freed from the Law and all its commands unto Duty as it abides in its first consideration Do this and live the opposite whereunto is Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them For he that is under the Obligation of the Law in order unto Justification and Life falls inevitably under the Curse of it upon the supposition of any one Transgression But we are made free to give Obedience unto it on Gospel motives and for Gospel ends as the Apostle declares at large Rom. 6. And the Obligation of it is such unto all Believers as that the least Transgression of it hath the nature of sin But are they hereon bound over by the Law unto everlasting punishment or as some phrase it will God damn them that Transgress the Law without which all this is nothing I ask again what they think hereof And upon a supposition that he will do so what they further think will become of themselves For my part I say no even as the Apostle saith There is no condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus Where then they will say is the necessity of Obedience from the Obligation of the Law if God will not damn them that Transgress it And I say it were well if some men did understand what they say in these things or would learn for a while at least to hold their peace The Law equally requires Obedience in all instances of Duty if it require any at all As unto its Obligatory power it is capable neither of Dispensation nor Relaxation so long as the essential differences of good and evil do remain If then none can be obliged unto Duty by vertue of its commands but that they must on every Transgression fall under its curse either it obligeth no one at all or no one can be saved But although we are freed from the Curse and condemning power of the Law by him who hath made an end of sin and brought in everlasting Righteousness yet whilest we are viatores in order unto the accomplishment of Gods design for the Restauration of his Image in us we are obliged to endeavour after all that Holiness and Righteousness which the Law requires of us Thirdly The Apostle answereth this Objection by discovering the necessary Relation that Faith hath unto the Death of Christ the grace of God with the nature of Sanctification excellency use and advantage of Gospel Holiness and the end of it in Gods appointment This he doth at large in the whole Sixth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans and that with this immediate design to shew the consistency of Justification by Faith alone with the necessity of personal Righteousness and Holiness The due pleading of these things would require a just and full Exposition of that Chapter wherein the Apostle hath comprized the chief springs and reasons of Evangelical Obedience I shall only say that those unto whom the reasons of it and motives unto it therein expressed which are all of them compliant with the Doctrine of Justification by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ are not effectual unto their own personal Obedience and do not demonstrate an indispensible necessity of it are so unacquainted with the Gospel the nature of Faith the genius and inclination of the new Creature for let men scoff on whilest they please he that is in Christ Jesus is a new Creature the constraining efficacy of the grace of God and love of Christ of the Oeconomy of God in the disposition of the causes and means of our Salvation as I shall never trouble my self to contend with them about these things Sundry other considerations I thought to have added unto the same purpose And to have shewed 1 That to prove the necessity of inherent Righteousness and Holiness we make use of the Arguments which are suggested unto us in the Scripture 2 That we make use of all of them in the sense wherein and unto the ends for which they are urged therein in perfect compliance with what we teach concerning Justification 3 That all the pretended Arguments or motives for and unto Evangelical Holiness which are inconsistent with the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ do indeed obstruct it and evert it 4 That the Holiness which we make necessary unto the Salvation of them that believe is of a more excellent sublime and Heavenly nature in its causes essence operations and effects than what is allowed or believed by the most of those by whom the Doctrine of Justification is opposed 5 That the Holiness and Righteousness which is pleaded for by the Socinians and those that follow them doth in nothing exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees nor upon their principles can any man go beyond them But whereas this Discourse hath already much exceeded my first intention and that as I said before I have already at large treated on the Doctrine of the nature and necessity of Evangelical Holiness I shall at present omit the further handling of these things and acquiesce in the answers given by the Apostle unto this Objection CHAP. XX. The Doctrine of the Apostle James concerning Faith and Works It s agreement with that of St. Paul THe seeming difference that is between the Apostle Paul and James in what they teach concerning Faith Works and Justification requires our consideration of it For many do take advantage from some words and expressions used by the later directly to oppose the Doctrine fully and plainly declared by the former But whatever is of that nature pretended hath been so satisfactorily already answered and removed by others as that there is no great need to treat of it again And although I suppose that there will not be an end of contending and writing in these causes
Rule of all Inherent Moral or Spiritual Obedience What are the Works of the Law declared from the Scripture and the Argument thereby confirmed The nature of Justifying Faith further declared Pag. 400. CHAP. XV. Of Faith alone CHAP. XVI Testimonies of Scripture confirming the Doctrine of Justification by the Imputation of the Rightesness of Christ. Jere. 23.6 Explained and vindicated Pag. 419. CHAP. XVII Testimonies out of the Evangelists considered Design of our Saviours Sermon on the Mount The purity and penalty of the Law vindicated by him Arguments from thence Luk. 18.9 10 11 12 13. The Parable of the Pharisee and Publican explained and applied to the present Argument Testimonies out of the Gospel by John Chap. 3.14 15 16 17 18 c. Pag. 425. CHAP. XVIII Testimonies out of the Epistles of Paul the Apostle His design in the Fifth Chapter to the Romans That Design explained at large and applied to the present Argument Chap. 3.24 25 26. explained and the true sense of the words vindicated The Causes of Justification enumerated Apostolical Inferences from the consideration of them Chap. 4. Design of the Disputation of the Apostle therein Analysis of his Discourse Ver. 4 5. particularly insisted on their true sense vindicated What Works excluded from the Justification of Abraham Who it is that worketh not In what sense the ungodly are justified All Men ungodly antecedently unto their Justification Faith alone the means of Justification on our part Faith it self absolutely considered not the Righteousness that is imputed unto us Proved by sundry Arguments Pag. 431. Chap. 5. Ver. 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. Boasting excluded in our selves asserted in God The design and sum of the Apostles Argument Objection of Socinus removed Comparison between the two Adams and those that derive from them Sin entered into the World What Sin intended Death what it compriseth What intended by it The sense of those words in as much or in whom all have sinned cleared and vindicated The various oppositions used by the Apostle in this Discourse Principally between Sin or the Fall and the Free Gift Between the disobedience of the one and the obedience of another Judgment on the one hand and Justification unto Life on the other The whole Context at large explained and the Argument for Justification by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ fully confirmed P. 464. Chap. 10. V. 3 4. explained and insisted on to the same purpose Pag. 489. 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ how of God made Righteousness unto us Answer of Bellarmine unto this Testimony removed That of Socinus disproved True sense of the words evinced P. 497. 2 Cor. 5.21 In what sense Christ knew no sin Emphasis in that expression How he was made Sin for us By the Imputation of Sin unto him Mistakes of some about this expression Sense of the Antients Exception of Bellarmine unto this Testimony answered with other Reasonings of his to the same purpose P. 502. The Exceptions of others also removed Gal. 2.16 Pag. 513. Ephes. 2.8 9 10. Ephes. 2.8 9 10. Evidence of this Testemony Design of the Apostle from the beginning of the Chapter Method of the Apostle in the Declaration of the Grace of God Grace alone the cause of Deliverance from a State of Sin Things to be observed in the Assignation of the Causes of Spiritual Deliverance Grace how magnified by him Force of the Argument and evidence from thence State of the Case here proposed by the Apostle General determination of it By Grace ye are saved What it is to be saved inquired into The same as to be justified but not exclusively The causes of our Justification declared Positively and Negatively The whole secured unto the Grace of God by Christ and our Interest therein through Faith alone Works excluded What Works Not Works of the Law of Moses Not Works antecedent unto believing Works of true Believers Not only in opposition to the Grace of God but to Faith in us Argument from those words Reason whereon this exclusion of Works is founded To exclude Boasting on our part Boasting wherein it consists Inseparable from the Interest of Works in Justification Danger of it Confirmation of this Reason obviating an Objection The Objection stated If we be not justified by Works of what use are they answered Pag. 516. Phil. 3.8 9. Heads of Argument from this Testimony Design of the Context Righteousness the Foundation of Acceptance with God A twofold Righteousness considered by the Apostle Oppossite unto one another as unto the especial end inquired after Which of these he adhered unto his own Righteousness or the Righteousness of God declared by the Apostle with vehemency of speech Reasons of his earnestness herein The turning point whereon he left Judaism The opposition made unto this Doctrine by the Jews The weight of the Doctrine and unwillingness of Men to receive it His own sense of Sin and Grace Peculiar expressions used in this place for the Reasons mentioned concerning Christ. Concerning all things that are our own The choice to be made on the Case stated whether we will adhere unto our own Righteousness or that of Christs which are inconsistent as to the end of Justification Argument from this place Exceptions unto this Testimony and Argument from thence removed Our Personal Righteousness Inherent the same with respect unto the Law and Gospel External Righteousness only required by the Law an impious Imagination Works wrought before Faith only rejected The Exception removed Righteousness before Conversion not intended by the Apostle Pag. 256. CHAP. XIX Objections against the Doctrine of Justification by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. Nature of these Objections Difficulty in discerning aright the sense of some Men in this Argument Justification by Works the end of all declension from the Righteousness of Christ. Objections against this Doctrine derived from a supposition thereof alone First principal Objection Imputed Righteousness overthrows the necessity of an holy Life This Objection as managed by them of the Church of Rome an open calumny How insisted on by some among our selves Socinus fierceness in this charge His foul dishonesty therein False charges on Mens opinions making way for the rash condemnation of their persons Iniquity of such censures The Objection rightly stated Sufficiently answered in the previous Discourses about the nature of Faith and force of Moral Law The nature and necessity of Evangelical Holiness elswhere pleaded Particular answers unto this Objection All who profess this Doctrine do not exemplifie it in their lives The most holy Truths have been abused None by whom this Doctrine is now denied exceed them in holiness by whom it was formerly professed and the power of it attested The contrary Doctrine not successful in the Reformation of the lives of Men. The best way to determine this difference The same Objection managed against the Doctrine of the Apostle in his own days Efficacious prejudices against this Doctrine in the minds of Men. The whole Doctrine of
Arguments For 1 without the due consideration and supposition of it the true nature of Faith can never be understood For as we have shewed before Justification is Gods way of the Deliverance of the convinced sinner or one whose mouth is stopped and who is guilty before God obnoxious to the Law and shut up under Sin A sense therefore of this estate and all that belongs unto it is required unto Believing Hence Le Blanc who hath searched with some diligence into these things commends the Definition of Faith given by Mestrezat that it is the flight of a penitent sinner unto the mercy of God in Christ. And there is indeed more Sense and Truth in it than in twenty other that seem more accurate But without a supposition of the Conviction mentioned there is no understanding of this definition of Faith For it is that alone which puts the Soul upon a flight unto the mercy of God in Christ to be saved from the wrath to come Heb. 6.18 fled for Refuge 2 ly The Order Relation and use of the Law and the Gospel do uncontroulably evince the necessity of this Conviction previous unto Believing For that which any man hath first to deal withall with respect unto his Eternal Condition both naturally and by Gods Institution is the Law This is first presented unto the Soul with its Terms of Righteousness and Life and with its Curse in case of failure Without this the Gospel cannot be understood nor the Grace of it duely valued For it is the Revelation of Gods way for the relieving the Souls of men from the sentence and curse of the Law Rom. 1.17 That was the Nature that was the Use and End of the first Promise and of the whole work of Gods Grace revealed in all the ensuing Promises or in the whole Gospel Wherefore the Faith which we treat of being Evangelical that which in its especial nature and use not the Law but the Gospel requireth that which hath the Gospel for its Principle Rule and Object it is not required of us cannot be acted by us but on a supposition of the work and effect of the Law in the conviction of sin by giving the knowledge of it a sense of its Guilt and the state of the sinner on the Account thereof And that Faith which hath not respect hereunto we absolutely deny to be that Faith whereby we are justified Gal. 3.22 23 24. Rom. 10.4 3 ly This our Saviour himself directly teacheth in the Gospel For he calls unto him only those who are weary and heavy laden affirms that the whole have no need of the Physician but the sick and that he came not to call the Righteous but sinners to Repentance In all which he intends not those who were really sinners as all men are for he makes a difference between them offering the Gospel unto some and not unto others but such as were convinced of sin burdened with it and sought after deliverance So those unto whom the Apostle Peter proposed the Promise of the Gospel with the pardon of sin thereby as the Object of Gospel Faith were pricked to the Heart upon the conviction of their sin and cried what shall we do Act. 2.37 38 39. Such also was the state of the Jaylor unto whom the Apostle Paul proposed Salvation by Christ as what he was to believe for his Deliverance Act. 16.30 31. 4 ly The state of Adam and Gods dealing with him therein is the best Representation of the order and method of these things As He was after the Fall so are we by nature in the very same state and condition Really he was utterly lost by sin and convinced he was both of the nature of his sin and of the effects of it in that Act of God by the Law on his mind which is called the the opening of his Eyes For it was nothing but the communication unto his mind by his conscience of a sense of the nature guilt effects and consequents of sin which the Law could then teach him and could not do so before This fills him with shame and fear against the former whereof he provided by Figg-leaves and against the latter by hiding himself among the Trees of the Garden Nor however they may please themselves with them are any of the contrivances of men for freedom and safety from sin either wiser or more likely to have success In this condition God by an immediate Inquisition into the matter of fact sharpeneth this Conviction by the Addition of his own Testimony unto its Truth and casteth him actually under the Curse of the Law in a juridical denunciation of it In this lost forlorn hopeless condition God proposeth the Promise of Redemption by Christ unto him And this was the Object of that Faith whereby he was to be justified Although these things are not thus eminently and distinctly transacted in the minds and consciences of all who are called unto Believing by the Gospel yet for the substance of them and as to the previousness of the Conviction of sin unto Faith they are found in all that sincerely believe These things are known and for the substance of them generally agreed unto But yet are they such as being duely considered will discover the vanity and mistakes of many definitions of Faith that are obtruded on us For any definition or description of it which hath not express or at least virtual respect hereunto is but a deceit and no way answers the Experience of them that truly believe And such are all those who place it meerly in an Assent unto divine Revelation of what Nature soever that Assent be and whatever Effects are ascribed unto it For such an Assent there may be without any respect unto this work of the Law Neither do I to speak plainly at all value the most accurate Disputations of any about the Nature and Act of Justifying Faith who never had in themselves an Experience of the work of the Law in Conviction and Condemnation for sin with the Effects of it upon their Consciences or do omit the due consideration of their own Experience wherein what they truly believe is better stated than in all their Disputations That Faith whereby we are justified is in general the acting of the Soul towards God as revealing himself in the Gospel for deliverance out of this state and condition or from under the Curse of the Law applied unto the Conscience according to his mind and by the ways that he hath appointed I give not this as any definition of Faith but only express what hath a necessary influence into it whence the nature of it may be discerned 2. The Effects of this Conviction with their respect unto our Justification real or pretended may also be briefly considered And whereas this Conviction is a meer work of the Law it is not with respect unto these Effects to be considered alone but in conjunction with and under the conduct of that temporary Faith of the Gospel
they found in many who yet do so assent unto the Truth But as we have shewed this is necessary unto Evangelical Justifying Faith and to suppose the contrary is to overthrow the order and use of the Law and Gospel with their mutual Relation unto one another in subserviency unto the design of God in the Salvation of Sinners 4. It is not a way of seeking Relief unto a convinced sinner whose mouth is stopped in that he is become guilty before God Such alone are capable Subjects of Justification and do or can seek after it in a due manner A meer Assent unto Divine Revelation is not peculiarly suited to give such persons Relief For it is that which brings them into that condition from whence they are to be relieved For the knowledge of sin is by the Law But Faith is a peculiar acting of the Soul for Deliverance 5. It is no more then what the Devils themselves may have and have as the Apostle James affirms For that Instance of their Believing one God proves that they believe also whatever this one God who is the first Essential Truth doth reveal to be true And it may consist with all manner of wickedness and without any Obedience and so make God a liar 1 Joh. 2.4 And it is no wonder if men deny us to be justified by Faith who know no other Faith but this 6. It no way answers the Descriptions that are given of justifying Faith in the Scripture Particularly it is by Faith as it is justifying that we are said to receive Christ Joh. 1.12 Col. 2.6 To receive the Promise the Word the Grace of God the Attonement Jam. 1.21 Joh. 3.33 Act. 2.41 chap. 11.1 Rom. 5.11 Heb. 11.17 To cleave unto God Deut. 4.4 Act. 11.23 And so in the Old Testament it is generally expressed by Trust and Hope Now none of these things are contained in a meer Assent unto the Truth but they require other actings of the Soul than what are peculiar unto the understanding only 7. It answers not the Experience of them that truly believe This all our Enquiries and Arguments in this matter must have respect unto For the sum of what we aim at is only to discover what they do who really believe unto the Justification of Life It is not what notions men may have hereof nor how they express their Conceptions how defensible they are against Objections by accuracy of Expressions and subtile Distinctions but only what we our selves do if we truly believe that we enquire after And although our Differences about it do argue the great imperfection of that state wherein we are so as that those who truly believe cannot agree what they do in their so doing which should give us a mutual tenderness and forbearance towards each other yet if men would attend unto their own Experience in the Application of their Souls unto God for the pardon of Sin and Righteousness to Life more than unto the notions which on various occasions their minds are influenced by or prepossessed withall many differences and unnecessary disputations about the nature of Justifying Faith would be prevented or prescinded I deny therefore that this general Assent unto the Truth how firm soever it be or what effects in the way of Duty or Obedience soever it may produce doth answer the Experience of any one true Believer as containing the entire Actings of his Soul towards God for pardon of sin and Justification 8. That Faith alone is Justifying which hath Justification actually accompanying of it For thence alone it hath that denomination To suppose a man to have Justifying Faith and not to be justified is to suppose a Contradiction Nor do we enquire after the nature of any other Faith but that whereby a Believer is actually justified But it is not so with all them in whom this Assent is found nor will those that plead for it allow that upon it alone any are immediately justified Wherefore it is sufficiently evident that there is somewhat more required unto Justifying Faith than a real Assent unto all Divine Revelations although we do give that Assent by the Faith whereby we are justified But on the other side it is supposed that by some the Object of Justifying Faith is so much restrained and the nature of it thereby determined unto such a peculiar Acting of the mind as compriseth not the whole of what is in the Scripture ascribed unto it So some have said that it is the pardon of our sins in particular that is the Object of Justifying Faith Faith therefore they make to be a full perswasion of the forgiveness of our sins through the Mediation of Christ or that what Christ did and suffered as our Mediator he did it for us in particular And a particular Application of especial mercy unto our own Souls and Consciences is hereby made the Essence of Faith Or to believe that our own sins are forgiven seems hereby to be the first and most proper Act of Justifying Faith Hence it would follow that whosoever doth not believe or hath not a firm perswasion of the forgiveness of his own sins in particular hath no saving Faith is no true Believer which is by no means to be admitted And if any have been or are of this Opinion I fear that they were in the asserting of it neglective of their own Experience Or it may be rather that they knew not how in their Experience all the other Actings of Faith wherein its Essence doth consist were included in this perswasion which in an especial manner they aimed at whereof we shall speak afterwards And there is no doubt unto me but that this which they propose Faith is suited unto aimeth at and doth ordinarily effect in true Believers who improve it and grow in its exercise in a due manner Many great Divines at the first Reformation did as the Lutherans generally yet do thus make the mercy of God in Christ and thereby the forgiveness of our own sins to be the proper Object of Justifying Faith as such whose Essence therefore they placed in a fiducial Trust in the Grace of God by Christ declared in the Promises with a certain unwavering Application of them unto our selves And I say with some confidence that those who endeavour not to attain hereunto either understand not the nature of Believing or are very neglective both of the Grace of God and of their own Peace That which enclined those great and holy Persons so to express themselves in this matter and to place the Essence of Faith in the highest Acting of it wherein yet they always included and supposed its other Acts was the state of the Consciences of men with whom they had to do Their Contest in this Article with the Roman Church was about the way and means whereby the Consciences of convinced troubled sinners might come to rest and peace with God For at that time they were no otherwise instructed but that these things were to be obtained not
being supplied by some to comply with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that ensues And this phrase of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is peculiar unto this Apostle being no where used in the New Testament nor it may be in any other Author but by him And he useth it expresly 1 Epist. 2.29 and Chap. 3.7 where those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do plainly contain what is here expressed 2 To be justified as the word is rendred by the vulgar let him be justified more as it must be rendred if the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be retained respects an act of God which neither in its beginning nor continuation is prescribed unto us as a duty nor is capable of increase in degrees as we shall shew afterwards 3 Men are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 generally from inherent Righteousness and if the Apostle had intended Justification in this place he would not have said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All which things prefer the Complutensian Syriack and Arabick before the vulgar reading of this place If the vulgar reading be retained no more can be intended but that he who is Righteous should so proceed in working Righteousness as to secure his justified estate unto himself and to manifest it before God and the World Now whereas the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are used 36 times in the New Testament these are all the places whereunto any exception is put in against their Forensick signification And how ineffectual these exceptions are is evident unto any impartial Judge Some other Considerations may yet be made use of and pleaded to the same purpose Such is the opposition that is made between Justification and Condemnation So is it Isa. 50.8 9. Prov. 17.15 Rom. 5.16 18. Chap. 8.33 34. and in sundry other places as may be observed in the preceding enumeration of them Wherefore as Condemnation is not the infusing of an habit of wickedness into him that is condemned nor the making of him to be inherently wicked who was before Righteous but the passing a sentence upon a man with respect unto his wickedness no more is Justification the change of a person from inherent unrighteousness unto Righteousness by the infusion of a principle of Grace but a sentential Declaration of him to be Righteous Moreover the thing intended is frequently declared in the Scripture by other aequivalent terms which are absolutely exclusive of any such sense as the infusion of an habit of Righteousness So the Apostle expresseth it by the Imputation of Righteousness without Works Rom. 4.6 11. And calls it the Blessedness which we have by the pardon of sin and the covering of Iniquity in the same place So it is called Reconciliation with God Rom. 5.9 10. To be justified by the Blood of Christ is the same with being Reconciled by his Death Being now justified by his Blood we shall be saved from wrath by him For if when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life See 2 Cor. 5.20 21. Reconciliation is not the infusion of an habit of Grace but the effecting of peace and love by the removal of all enmity and causes of offence To save and Salvation are used to the same purpose He shall save his people from their sins Matth. 1.21 is the same with by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Act. 13.39 That of Gal. 2.16 We have believed that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of the Law is the same with Act. 15.11 But we believe that through the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they Ephes. 2.8 9. By Grace ye are saved through Faith and not of Works is so to be justified So it is expressed by pardon or the Remission of Sins which is the effect of it Rom. 4.5 6. By receiving the Atonement Chap. 5.11 not coming into Judgment or Condemnation Joh. 5.24 Blotting out sins and Iniquities Isa. 43.25 Psal. 51.9 Isa. 44.22 Jer. 18.23 Act. 3.19 Casting them into the bottom of the Sea Micah 7.19 and sundry other expressions of an alike importance The Apostle declaring it by its effects says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many shall be made Righteous Rom. 5.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who on a juridical Trial in open Court is absolved and declared Righteous And so it may be observed that all things concerning Justification are proposed in the Scripture under a juridical Scheme or Forensick Tryal and Sentence As 1 A judgment is supposed in it concerning which the Psalmist prays that it may not proceed on the terms of the Law Psal. 143.2 2 The Judge is God himself Isa. 50.7 8. Rom. 8.33 3 The Tribunal whereon God sits in Judgment is the Throne of Grace Heb. 4.16 Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you and therefore vvill he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you for the Lord is a God of Judgment Isa. 30.18 4 A Guilty person This is the Sinner who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so guilty of sin as to be obnoxious to the Judgment of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.19 Chap. 1.32 whose mouth is stopped by Conviction 5 Accusers are ready to propose and promote the charge against the guilty person These are the Law Joh. 5.45 and Conscience Rom. 2.15 and Sathan also Zach. 3.2 Rev. 12.10 6 The Charge is admitted and drawn up into an Hand-vvriting in form of Law and is laid before the Tribunal of the Judge in Bar to the Deliverance of the Offender Col. 2.14 7 A Plea is prepared in the Gospel for the guilty person And this is Grace through the Blood of Christ the Ransome paid the Atonement made the Eternal Righteousness brought in by the Surety of the Covenant Rom. 3.23 24 25. Dan. 9.24 Eph. 1.7 8 Hereunto alone the Sinner betakes himself renouncing all other Apologies or defensatives whatever Psal. 130.2 3. Psal. 143.2 Job 9.2 3. Chap. 42.5 6 7. Luk. 18.13 Rom. 3.24 25. Chap. 5.11 16 17 18 19. Chap. 8.1 2 3. ver 32.33 Isa. 53.5 6. Heb. 9.13 14 15. Chap. 10.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. 1 Pet. 2.24 1 Joh. 1.7 Other Plea for a Sinner before God there is none He who knoweth God and himself will not provide or betake himself unto any other Nor will he as I suppose trust unto any other defence were he sure of all the Angels in Heaven to plead for him 9 To make this Plea effectual we have an Advocate with the Father and he pleads his own propitiation for us 1 Joh. 2.1 2. 10 The Sentence hereon is Absolution on the account of the Ransome Blood or Sacrifice and Righteousness of Christ with Acceptation into favour as persons approved of God Job
any actual Obligation unto the Curse of the Law unless they should fall into such sins as should ipso facto forfeit their justified estate and transfer them from the Covenant of Grace into the Covenant of Works which we believe that God in his Faithfulness will preserve them from And although sin cannot be actually pardoned before it be actually committed yet may the obligation unto the Curse of the Law be virtually taken away from such sins in justified persons as are consistent with a justified estate or the Terms of the Covenant of Grace antecedently unto their actual commission God at once in this sense forgiveth all their Iniquities and healeth all their Diseases redeemeth their life from Destruction and crowneth them with loving kindness and mercies Psal. 103.2 3. Future sins are not so pardoned as that when they are committed they should be no sins which cannot be unless the commanding power of the Law be abrogated But their respect unto the Curse of the Law or their power to oblige the justified person thereunto is taken away Still there abideth the true nature of sin in every inconformity unto or transgression of the Law in justified persons which stands in need of daily actual pardon For there is no man that liveth and sinneth not and if we say that we have no sin we do but deceive our selves None are more sensible of the Guilt of sin none are more troubled for it none are more earnest in supplications for the pardon of it than justified persons For this is the effect of the Sacrifice of Christ applyed unto the Souls of Believers as the Apostle declares Heb. 10.1 2 3 4 10 14. that it doth take away Conscience condemning the Sinner for sin with respect unto the Curse of the Law But it doth not take away Conscience condemning sin in the Sinner which on all considerations of God and themselves of the Law and the Gospel requires Repentance on the part of the sinner and actual pardon on the part of God Whereas therefore one Essential part of Justification consisteth in the pardon of our sins and sins cannot be actually pardoned before they are actually committed our present enquiry is whereon the continuation of our Justification doth depend notwithstanding the Interveniency of sin after we are justified whereby such sins are actually pardoned and our persons are continued in a state of Acceptation with God and have their right unto Life and Glory uninterrupted Justification is at once compleat in the Imputation of a perfect Righteousness the Grant of a Right and Title unto the heavenly Inheritance the actual pardon of all past sins and the virtual pardon of future sins but how or by what means on what terms and conditions this state is continued unto those who are once justified whereby their Righteousness is everlasting their Title to Life and Glory indefeazable and all their sins are actually pardoned is to be enquired For answer unto this enquiry I say 1 It is God that Justifieth and therefore the continuation of our Justification is his Act also And this on his part depends on the immutability of his Counsel the unchangeableness of the everlasting Covenant which is ordered in all things and sure the Faithfulness of his Promises the Efficacy of his Grace his complacency in the Propitiation of Christ with the power of his Intercession and the irrevocable Grant of the Holy Ghost unto them that do believe which things are not of our present enquiry 2. Some say that on our part the continuation of this state of our Justification depends on the Condition of Good works that is that they are of the same consideration and use with Faith it self herein In our Justification it self there is they will grant somewhat peculiar unto Faith but as unto the continuation of our Justification Faith and Works have the same influence into it Yea some seem to ascribe it distinctly unto Works in an especial manner with this only proviso that they be done in Faith For my part I cannot understand that the continuation of our Justification hath any other dependencies than hath our Justification it self As Faith alone is required unto the one so Faith alone is required unto the other although its operations and effects in the discharge of its duty and office in Justification and the continuation of it are divers nor can it otherwise be To clear this Assertion two things are to be observed 1. That the continuation of our Justification is the continuation of the Imputation of Righteousness and the pardon of sins I do still suppose the imputation of Righteousness to concur unto our Justification although we have not yet examined what Righteousness it is that is imputed But that God in our Justification imputeth Righteousness unto us is so expresly affirmed by the Apostle as that it must not be called in question Now the first act of God in the imputation of Righteousness cannot be repeated And the actual pardon of sin after Justification is an effect and consequent of that imputation of Righteousness If any man sin there is a Propitiation deliver him I have found a Ransome Wherefore unto this actual pardon there is nothing required but the application of that Righteousness which is the cause of it and this is done by Faith only 2. The Continuation of our Justification is before God or in the sight of God no less than our absolute Justification is We speak not of the sense and evidence of it unto our own Souls unto peace with God nor of the evidencing and manifestation of it unto others by its effects but of the continuance of it in the sight of God Whatever therefore is the means condition or cause hereof is pleadable before God and ought to be pleaded unto that purpose So then the enquiry is What it is that when a Justified person is guilty of Sin as guilty he is more or less every day and his Conscience is pressed with a sense thereof as that only thing which can endanger or intercept his justified Estate his Favour with God and Title unto Glory he betakes himself unto or ought so to do for the continuance of his State and pardon of his Sins what he pleadeth unto that purpose and what is available thereunto That this is not his own Obedience his personal Righteousness or fulfilling the condition of the new Covenant is evident from 1 the experience of Believers themselves 2 Testimony of Scripture and 3 the Example of them whose cases are recorded therein 1. Let the experience of them that do believe be enquired into for their Consciences are continually exercised herein What is it that they betake themselves unto what is it that they plead with God for the continuance of the pardon of their Sins and the acceptance of their persons before him Is it any thing but Soveraign Grace and Mercy through the Blood of Christ Are not all the Arguments which they plead unto this end taken from the
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
abounding in good works 1 Pet. 2.12 chap. 3.16 And so is it with respect unto the Church that we be not judged dead barren Professors but such as have been made partakers of the like precious Faith with others Shew me thy Faith by thy Works Jam. 2. Wherefore 3 This Righteousness is pleadable unto our Justification against all the charges of Satan who is the great Accuser of the Brethren of all that believe Whether he manage his charge privately in our Consciences which is as it were before God as he charged Job or by his instruments in all manner of reproaches and calumnies whereof some in this Age have had experience in an eminent manner this Righteousness is pleadable unto our Justification On a supposition of these things wherein our personal Righteousness is allowed its proper place and use as shall afterwards be more fully declared I do not understand that there is an Evangelical Justification whereby Believers are by and on the account of this personal inherent Righteousness justified in the sight of God nor doth the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto our absolute Justification before him depend thereon For 1. None have this personal Righteousness but they are antecedently justified in the sight of God It is wholly the Obedience of Faith proceeding from true and saving Faith in God by Jesus Christ. For as it was said before Works before Faith are as by general consent excluded from any Interest in our Justification and we have proved that they are neither Conditions of it Dispositions unto it nor Preparations for it properly so called But every true Believer is immediately justified on his Believing Nor is there any moment of time wherein a man is a true Believer according as Faith is required in the Gospel and yet not be justified For as he is thereby united unto Christ which is the foundation of our Justification by him so the whole Scripture testifieth that he that believes is justified or that there is an infallible connexion in the Ordination of God between true Faith and Justification Wherefore this personal Righteousness cannot be the condition of our Justificaion before God seeing it is consequential thereunto What may be pleaded in exception hereunto from the supposition of a second Justification or differing causes of the beginning and continuation of Justification hath been already disproved 2. Justification before God is a freedom and absolution from a Charge before God at least it is contained therein And the Instrument of this charge must either be the Law or the Gospel But neither the Law nor the Gospel do before God or in the sight of God charge true Believers with Unbelief Hypocrisie or the like For who shall lay any thing unto the charge of Gods Elect who are once justified before him Such a charge may be laid against them by Sathan by the Church sometimes on mistake by the World as it was in the case of Job against which this Righteousness is pleadable But what is charged immediately before God is charged by God himself either by the Law or the Gospel and the Judgment of God is according unto Truth If this charge be by the Law by the Law we must be justified But the plea of sincere Obedience will not justifie us by the Law That admits of none in satisfaction unto its demands but that which is compleat and perfect And where the Gospel lays any thing unto the charge of any Persons before God there can be no Justification before God unless we shall allow the Gospel to be the Instrument of a false Charge For what should justifie him whom the Gospel condemns And if it be a Justification by the Gospel from the charge of the Law it renders the death of Christ of no effect And a Justification without a Charge is not to be supposed 3. Such a Justification as that pretended is altogether needless and useless This may easily be evinced from what the Scripture asserts unto our Justification in the sight of God by Faith in the Blood of Christ. But this hath been spoken to before on another occasion Let that be considered and it will quickly appear that there is no place nor use for this new Justification upon our personal Righteousness whether it be supposed antecedent and subordinate thereunto or consequential and perfective thereof 4. This pretended Evangelical Justification hath not the Nature of any Justification that is mentioned in the Scripture that is neither that by the Law nor that provided in the Gospel Justification by the Law is this The man that doth the Works of it shall live in them This it doth not pretend unto And as unto Evangelical Justification it is every way contrary unto it For therein the Charge against the person to be justified is true namely that he hath sinned and is come short of the Glory of God In this it is false namely that a Believer is an Unbeliever A sincere Person an Hypocrite one fruitful in good Works altogether barren And this false charge is supposed to be exhibited in the name of God and before him Our Acquitment in true Evangelical Justification is by Absolution or pardon of sin here by a Vindication of our own Righteousness There the plea of the person to be justified is Guilty all the World is become guilty before God but here the plea of the person on his Trial is not Guilty whereon the proofs and evidences of Innocency and Righteousness do ensue But this is a Plea which the Law will not admit and which the Gospel disclaims 5. If we are justified before God on our own personal Righteousness and pronounced Righteous by him on the account thereof then God enters into Judgment with us on something in our selves and acquits us thereon For Justification is a juridical Act in and of that Judgment of God which is according unto Truth But that God should enter into Judgment with us and justifie us with respect unto what he judgeth on or our personal Righteousness the Psalmist doth not believe Psal. 130.2 3. Psal. 143.2 nor did the Publican Luke 18. 6. This personal Righteousness of ours cannot be said to be a subordinate Righteousness and subservient unto our Justification by Faith in the Blood of Christ. For therein God justifieth the ungodly and imputeth Righteousness unto him that worketh not And besides it is expresly excluded from any consideration in our Justification Ephes. 2.7 8. 7. This Personal inherent Righteousness wherewith we are said to be justified with this Evangelical Justification is our own Righteousness Personal Righteousness and our own Righteousness are expressions equivalent But our own Righteousness is not the material cause of any Justification before God For 1 It is unmeet so to be Isa. 54.6 2 It is directly opposed unto that Righteousness whereby we are justified as inconsistent with it unto that end Phil. 3.9 Rom. 10.3 4. It will be said that our own Righteousness is the Righteousness of the
However I know not of any that say we are accounted of God in Judgment personally to have done what Christ did and it may have a sense that is false namely that God should judge us in our own persons to have done those Acts which we never did But what Christ did for us and in our stead is imputed and communicated unto us as we coalesce into one mystical person with him by Faith and thereon are we justified And this absolutely overthrows all Justification by the Law or the Works of it though the Law be established fulfilled and accomplished that we may be justified Neither can any on the supposition of the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ truly stated be said to merit their own Salvation Satisfaction and Merit are Adjuncts of the Righteousness of Christ as formally inherent in his own person and as such it cannot be transfused into another Wherefore as it is imputed unto individual Believers it hath not those properties accompanying of it which belong only unto its existence in the person of the Son of God But this was spoken unto before as much also of what was necessary to be here repeated These Objections I have in this place taken notice of because the answers given unto them do tend to the farther explanation of that Truth whose confirmation by Arguments and Testimonies of Scripture I shall now proceed unto CHAP. X. Arguments for Justification by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. The first Argument from the Nature and Vse of our own Personal Righteousness THere is a Justification of convinced sinners on their Believing Hereon are their sins pardoned their persons accepted with God and a Right is given unto them unto the Heavenly Inheritance This state they are immediately taken into upon their Faith or Believing in Jesus Christ. And a state it is of actual peace with God These things at present I take for granted and they are the Foundation of all that I shall plead in the present Argument And I do take notice of them because some seem to the best of my understanding to deny any real actual Justification of sinners on their Believing in this life For they make Justification to be only a general conditional sentence declared in the Gospel which as unto its Execution is delayed unto the day of Judgment For whilst men are in this world the whole Condition of it being not fulfilled they cannot be partakers of it or be actually and absolutely justified Hereon it follows that indeed there is no real state of assured Rest and Peace with God by Jesus Christ for any persons in this life This at present I shall not dispute about because it seems to me to overthrow the whole Gospel the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and all the comfort of Believers about which I hope we are not as yet called to contend Our Enquiry is how convinced sinners do on their Believing obtain the Remission of sins Acceptance with God and a Right unto Eternal Life And if this can no other way be done but by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto them then thereby alone are they justified in the sight of God And this Assertion proceedeth on a supposition that there is a Righteousness required unto the Justification of any person whatever For whereas God in the Justification of any person doth declare him to be acquitted from all crimes laid unto his charge and to stand as Righteous in his sight it must be on the consideration of a Righteousness whereon any man is so acquitted and declared for the Judgment of God is according unto Truth This we have sufficiently evidenced before in that juridical procedure wherein the Scripture represents unto us the Justification of a Believing sinner And if there be no other Righteousness whereby we may be thus justified but only that of Christ imputed unto us then thereby must we be justified or not at all And if there be any such other Righteousness it must be our own inherent in us and wrought out by us For these two kinds inherent and imputed Righteousness our own and Christs divide the whole nature of Righteousness as to the End enquired after And that there is no such inherent Righteousness no such Righteousness of our own whereby we may be justified before God I shall prove in the first place And I shall do it first from express Testimonies of Scripture and then from the consideration of the thing it self And two things I shall premise hereunto 1. That I shall not consider this Righteousness of our own absolutely in it self but as it may be conceived to be improved and advanced by its Relation unto the satisfaction and merit of Christ For many will grant that our inherent Righteousness is not of it self sufficient to justifie us in the sight of God But take it as it hath value and worth communicated unto it from the merit of Christ and so it is accepted unto that End and judged worthy of Eternal Life We could not merit Life and Salvation had not Christ merited that Grace for us whereby we may do so and merited also that our Works should be of such a Dignity with respect unto Reward We shall therefore allow what worth can be reasonably thought to be communicated unto this Righteousness from its respect unto the Merit of Christ. 2. Whereas persons of all sorts and parties do take various ways in the assignation of an interest in our Justification unto our own Righteousness so as that no parties are agreed about it nor many of the same mind among themselves as might easily be manifested in the Papists Socinians and others I shall so far as it is possible in the ensuing Arguments have respect unto them all For my design is to prove that it hath no such Interest in our Justification before God as that the Righteousness of Christ should not be esteemed the only Righteousness whereon we are justified And first we shall produce some of those many Testimonies which may be pleaded unto this purpose Psal. 130.3 4. If thou Lord shouldst mark Iniquities O Lord who should stand But there is Forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared There is an Enquiry included in these words how a man how any man may be justified before God how he may stand that is in the presence of God and be accepted with him How he shall stand in Judgment as it is explained Psal. 1.5 The wicked shall not stand in the Judgment shall not be acquitted on their Trial. That which first offereth it self unto this End is his own Obedience For this the Law requires of him in the first place and this his own Conscience calls upon him for But the Psalmist plainly declares that no man can thence manage a plea for his Justification with any success And the Reason is because notwithstanding the best of the Obedience of the best of men there are Iniquities found with them against the Lord
or before thee shall no man living be justified This must be spoken absolutely or with respect unto some one way or cause of Justification If it be spoken absolutely then this work ceaseth for ever and there is indeed no such thing as Justification before God But this is contrary unto the whole Scripture and destructive of the Gospel Wherefore it is spoken with respect unto our own Obedience and works He doth not pray absolutely that he would not enter into Judgment with him for this were to forego his Government of the world but that he would not do so on the account of his own Dutys and Obedience But if so be these Dutys and Obedience did answer in any sense or way what is required of us as a Righteousness unto Justification there was no Reason why he should deprecate a Trial by them or upon them But whereas the Holy Ghost doth so positively affirm that no man living shall be justified in the sight of God by or upon his own Works or Obedience it is I confess marvellous unto me that some should so intepret the Apostle James as if he affirmed the express contrary Namely that we are justified in the sight of God by our own Works whereas indeed he says no such thing This therefore is an Eternal Rule of Truth by or upon his Obedience no man living can be justified in the sight of God It will be said that if God enter into Judgment with any on their own Obedience by and according to the Law then indeed none can be justified before him But God judging according to the Gospel and the terms of the new Covenant men may be justified upon their own Duties Works and Obedience Ans. 1 The negative Assertion is general and unlimited that no man living shall on his own Works or Obedience be justified in the sight of God And to limit it unto this or that way of Judging is not to distinguish but to contradict the Holy Ghost 2 The Judgment intended is only with respect unto Justification as is plain in the words But there is no Judgment on our Works or Obedience with respect unto Righteousness and Justification but by the proper Rule and Measure of them which is the Law If they will not endure the Trial by the Law they will endure no Trial as unto Righteousness and Justification in the sight of God 3 The Prayer and Plea of the Psalmist on this supposition are to this purpose O Lord enter not into Judgment with thy servant by or according unto the Law but enter into Judgment with me on my own Works and Obedience according to the Rule of the Gospel for which he gives this Reason because in thy sight shall no man living be justified which how remote it is from his Intention need not be declared 4 The Judgment of God unto Justification according to the Gospel doth not proceed on our Works of Obedience but upon the Righteousness of Christ and our interest therein by Faith as is too evident to be modestly denied Notwithstanding this exception therefore hence we argue If the most Holy of the servants of God in and after a course of sincere fruitful Obedience testified unto by God himself and Witnessed in their own Consciences that is whilst they have the greatest evidences of their own sincerity and that indeed they are the servants of God do renounce all thoughts of such a Righteousness thereby as whereon in any sense they may be justified before God then there is no such Righteousness in any but it is the Righteousness of Christ alone imputed unto us whereon we are so justified But that so they do and ought all of them so to do because of the general Rule here laid down that in the sight of God no man living shall be justified is plainly affirmed in this Testimony I no way doubt but that many learned men after all their Pleas for an Interest of Personal Righteousness and Works in our Justification before God do as unto their own practice betake themselves unto this method of the Psalmist and cry as the Prophet Daniel doth in the name of the Church we do not present our supplications before thee for our own Righteousness but for thy great mercies Chap. 9.18 And therefore Job as we have formerly observed after a long and earnest defence of his own Faith Integrity and Personal Righteousness wherein he justified himself against the charge of Sathan and men being called to plead his cause in the sight of God and declare on what grounds he expected to be justified before him renounceth all his former Pleas and betakes himself unto the same with the Psalmist Chap. 40.4 Chap. 42.6 It is true in particular cases and as unto some especial end in the Providence of God a man may plead his own Integrity and Obedience before God himself So did Hezekiah when he prayed for the sparing of his life Isa. 38.3 Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight This I say may be done with respect unto temporal Deliverance or any other particular end wherein the glory of God is concerned So was it greatly in sparing the life of Hezekiah at that time For whereas he had with great Zeal and Industry reformed Religion and restored the true worship of God the cutting him off in the midst of his days would have occasioned the Idolatrous multitude to have reflected on him as one dying under a token of Divine displeasure But none ever made this Plea before God for the absolute Justification of their persons So Nehemiah in that great contest which he had about the worship of God and the service of his house pleads the Remembrance of it before God in his Justification against his Adversaries but resolves his own personal acceptance with God into pardoning mercy and spare me according unto the multitude of thy mercies Chap. 13.22 Another Testimony we have unto the same purpose in the Prophet Isaiah speaking in the name of the Church Cap. 64.6 We are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags It is true the Prophet doth in this place make a deep confession of the sins of the people But yet withal he joyns himself with them and asserts the especial Interest of those concerning whom he speaks by Adoption that God was their Father and they his people Chap. 63.16 Chap. 64.8 9. And the Righteousness of all that are the Children of God are of the same kind however they may differ in Degrees and some of them may be more Righteous than others But it is all of it described to be such as that we cannot I think justly expect Justification in the sight of God upon the account of it But whereas the consideration of the nature of our inherent Righteousness belongs unto the second way of the confirmation of our present Argument I
mortification of sin nor of growth in Grace And indeed this is the only rational pretence of ascribing our Justification before God thereunto For were it so with any what should hinder him from being justified thereon before God but only that he hath been a sinner which spoils the whole market But this vain Imagination is so contrary unto the Scripture and the Experience of all that know the Terrour of the Lord and what it is to walk humbly before him as that I shall not insist on the Refutation of it 2. It is pleaded that although this Righteousness be not an exact fulfilling of the moral Law yet is it the Accomplishment of the Condition of the New Covenant or entirely answereth the Law of Grace and all that is required of us therein Ans. 1. This wholly takes away sin and the pardon of it no less then doth the conceit of sinless perfections which we now rejected For if our Obedience do answer the only Law and Rule of it whereby it is to be tried measured and judged then is there no sin in us nor need of pardon No more is required of any man to keep him absolutely free from sin but that he fully answer and exactly comply with the Rule and Law of his Obedience whereby he must be judged On this supposition therefore there is neither sin nor any need of the pardon of it To say that there is still both sin and need of pardon with respect unto the moral Law of God is to confess that Law to be the Rule of our Obedience which this Righteousness doth no way answer and therefore none by it can be justified in the sight of God 2. Although this Righteousness be accepted in justified persons by the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ yet consider the principle of it with all the Acts and Duties wherein it doth consist as they are required and prescribed in the Gospel unto us and they do neither joyntly nor severally fulfil and and answer the commands of the Gospel no more then they do the commands of the Law Wherefore they cannot all of them constitute a Righteousness consisting in an exact conformity unto the Rules of the Gospel or the Law of it For it is impious to imagine that the Gospel requiring any Duty of us suppose the Love of God doth make any Abatement as unto the matter manner or degrees of perfection in it from what was required by the Law Doth the Gospel require a lower degree of Love to God a less perfect Love than the Law did God forbid The same may be said concerning the inward frame of our natures and all other Duties whatever wherefore although this Righteousness is accepted in justified Persons as God had respect unto Abel and then unto his Offering in the way and unto the ends that shall be afterwards declared yet as it relates unto the commands of the Gospel both it and all the Duties of it are no less imperfect then it would be if it should be left unto its Trial by the Law of Creation only 3. I know not what some men intend On the one hand they affirm that our Lord Jesus Christ hath enlarged and heightened the spiritual sense of the moral Law and not only so but added unto it new precepts of more exact Obedience than it did require But on the other they would have him to have brought down or taken off the Obligation of the Law so as that a man according as he hath adapted it unto the use of the Gospel shall be judged of God to have fulfilled the whole Obedience which it requires who never answered any one precept of it according unto its original sense and obligation For so it must be if this imperfect Righteousness be on any account esteemed a fulfilling of the Rule of our Obedience as that thereon we should be justified in the sight of God 4. This opinion puts an irreconcileable Difference between the Law and the Gospel not to be composed by any distinctions For according unto it God declares by the Gospel a man to be perfectly Righteous justified and blessed upon the consideration of a Righteousness that is imperfect and in the Law he pronounceth every one accursed who continueth not in all things required by it and as they are therein required But it is said that this Righteousness is no otherwise to be considered but as the condition of the new Covenant whereon we obtain Remission of sins on the sole account of the satisfaction of Christ wherein our Justification doth consist Ans. 1. Some indeed do say so but not all not the most not the most learned with whom in this controversie we have to do And in our Pleas for what we believe to be the Truth we cannot always have respect unto every private opinion whereby it is opposed 2 That Justification consists only in the pardon of sin is so contrary to the signification of the Word the constant use of it in the Scripture the common notion of it amongst mankind the sense of men in their own Consciences who find themselves under an Obligation unto Duty and express Testimonies of the Scripture as that I somewhat wonder how it can be pretended But it shall be spoken unto elsewhere 3 If this Righteousness be the fulfilling of the condition of the new Covenant whereon we are justified it must be in it self such as exactly answereth some Rule or Law of Righteousness and so be perfect which it doth not and therefore cannot bear the place of a Righteousness in our Justification 4 That this Righteousness is the condition of our Justification before God or of that interest in the Righteousness of Christ whereby we are justified is not proved nor ever will be I shall briefly add two or three considerations excluding this personal Righteousness from its pretended interest in our Justification and close this Argument 1. That Righteousness which neither answereth the Law of God nor the end of God in our Justification by the Gospel is not that whereon we are Justified But such is this inherent Righteousness of Believers even of the best of them 1 That it answereth not the Law of God hath been proved from its Imperfection Nor will any sober person pretend that it exactly and perfectly fulfills the Law of our Creation And this Law cannot be disanulled whilst the Relation of Creator and Rewarder on the one hand and of Creatures capable of Obedience and Rewards on the other between God and us doth continue Wherefore that which answereth not this Law will not justifie us For God will not abrogate that Law that the Transgressors of it may be justified Do we saith the Apostle by the Doctrine of Justification by Faith without Works make void the Law God forbid yea we establish it Rom. 3.31 2 That we should be justified with respect unto it answereth not the end of God in our Justification by the Gospel For this is to take away all glorying in
essence of it whereunto alone respect is had in this Law by any thing that can fall out And although God might superadd unto the original Obligations of this Law what Arbitrary commands he pleased such as did not necessarily proceed or arise from the Relation between him and us which might be and be continued without them yet would they be resolved into that Principle of this Law that God in all things was absolutely to be trusted and obeyed 7. Known unto God are all his Works from the foundation of the World In the constitution of this order of things he made it possible and foresaw it would be future that man would rebell against the preceptive power of this Law and disturb that order of things wherein he was placed under his moral Rule This gave occasion unto that effect of infinite Divine Righteousness in constituting the punishment that man should fall under upon his Transgression of this Law Neither was this an effect of Arbitrary will and pleasure any more than the Law it self was Upon the supposition of the Creation of man the Law mentioned was necessary from all the Divine Properties of the nature of God And upon a supposition that man would Transgress that Law God being now considered as his Ruler and Governour the Constitution of the punishment due unto his Sin and Transgression of it was a necessary effect of Divine Righteousness This it would not have been had the Law it self been Arbitrary But that being necessary so was the penalty of this Transgression Wherefore the constitution of this penalty is liable to no more change alteration or abrogation then the Law it self without an alteration in the state and relation between God and man 8. This is that Law which our Lord Jesus Christ came not to destroy but to fulfil that he might be the end of it for Righteousness unto them that do believe This Law he abrogated not nor could do so without a Destruction of the Relation that is between God and man arising from or ensuing necessarily on their distinct Beings and Properties But as this cannot be destroyed so the Lord Christ came unto a contrary end namely to repair and restore it where it was weakned Wherefore 9. This Law the Law of Sinless perfect Obedience with its sentence of the punishment of Death on all Transgressors doth and must abide in force for ever in this World For there is no more required hereunto but that God be God and Man be Man Yet shall this be farther proved 1. There is nothing not one word in the Scripture intimating any alteration in or Abrogation of this Law so as that any thing should not be duty which it makes to be duty or any thing not be sin which it makes to be sin either as unto matter or degrees or that the thing which it makes to be sin or which is sin by the Rule of it should not merit and deserve that punishment which is declared in the sanction of it or threatned by it The wages of sin is Death If any Testimony of Scripture can be produced unto either of these purposes namely that either any thing is not sin in the way of Omission or Commission in the matter or manner of its performance which is made to be so by this Law or that any such sin or any thing that would have been sin by this Law is exempted from the punishment threatned by it as unto merit or desert it shall be attended unto It is therefore in universal force towards all mankind There is no Relief in this case But behold the Lamb of God In exception hereunto it is pleaded that when it was first given unto Adam it was the Rule and Instrument of a Covenant between God and man a Covenant of Works and perfect Obedience But upon the entrance of sin it ceased to have the nature of a Covenant unto any And it is so ceased that on an impossible supposition that any man should fulfil the perfect Righteousness of it yet should he not be justified or obtain the benefit of the Covenant thereby It is not therefore only become ineffectual unto us as a Covenant by reason of our weakness and disability to perform it but it is ceased in its own nature so to be But these things as they are not unto our present purpose so are they wholly unproved For 1. Our Discourse is not about the Foederal adjunct of the Law but about its moral nature only It is enough that as a Law it continueth to oblige all mankind unto perfect Obedience under its Original penalty For hence it will unavoidably follow that unless the commands of it be complied withal and fulfilled the penalty will fall on all that Transgress it And those who grant that this Law is still in force as unto its being a Rule of Obedience or as unto its requiring Duties of us do grant all that we desire For it requires no Obedience but what it did in its Original constitution that is sinless and perfect and it requires no Duty nor prohibits any sin but under the Penalty of Death upon disobedience 2. It is true that he who is once a sinner if he should afterwards yield all that perfect Obedience unto God that the Law requires he could not thereby obtain the Benefit of the Promise of the Covenant But the sole Reason of it is because he is antecedently a sinner and so obnoxious unto the Curse of the Law And no man can be obnoxious unto its Curse and have a right unto its Promise at the same time But so to lay the supposition that the same person is by any means free from the Curse due unto sin and then to deny that upon the performance of that perfect sinless Obedience which the Law requires that he should not have right unto the Promise of Life thereby is to deny the Truth of God and to reflect the highest dishonour upon his Justice Jesus Christ himself was justified by this Law And it is immutably true that he who doth the things of it shall live therein 3. It is granted that man continued not in the Observation of this Law as it was the Rule of the Covenant between God and him The Covenant it was not but the Rule of it which that it should be was superadded unto its Being as a Law For the Covenant comprized things that were not any part of a Result from the necessary Relation of God and Man Wherefore man by his sin as unto Demerit may be said to break this Covenant and as unto any Benefit unto themselves to disannul it It is also true that God did never formally and absolutely renew or give again this Law as a Covenant a second time Nor was there any need that so he should do unless it were declaratively only for so it was renewed at Sinai For the whole of it being an Emanation of Eternal Right and Truth it abides and must abide in full force for
Punishment threatened been immediately inflicted unto the utmost of what was contained in it this could have been no Question For Man had died immediately both temporally and eternally and been cast out of that state wherein alone he could stand in any relation unto the preceptive power of the Law He that is finally executed hath fulfilled the Law so as that he ows no more obedience unto it But 2. God in his Wisdom and Patience hath otherwise disposed of things Man is continued a Viator still in the way unto his end and not fully stated in his eternal and unchangeable condition wherein neither Promise nor Threatning Reward nor Punishment could be proposed unto him In this condition he falls under a twofold consideration 1. Of a guilty person and so is obliged unto the full punishment that the Law threatens This is not denied 2. Of a Man a Rational Creature of God not yet brought unto his Eternal End 3. In this state the Law is the only instrument and means of the continuance of the Relation between God and him Wherefore under this consideration it cannot but still oblige him unto Obedience unless we shall say that by his sin he hath exempted himself from the Government of God Wherefore it is by the Law that the Rule and Government of God over Men is continued whilest they are in statu Viatorum For every Disobedience every Transgression of its Rule and Order as to its commanding Power casteth us afresh and further under its Power of obliging unto Punishment Neither can these things be otherwise neither can any Man living not the worst of Men chuse but judge himself whilest he is in this World obliged to give Obedience unto the Law of God according to the notices that he hath of it by the light of nature or otherwise A wicked servant that is punished for his fault if it be with such a punishment as yet continues his Being and his state of servitude is not by his Punishment freed from an Obligation unto Duty according unto the Rule of it Yea his Obligation unto Duty with respect unto that crime for which he was punished is not dissolved until his punishment be capital and so put an end unto his state Wherefore seeing that by the pardon of sin we are freed only from the Obligation unto Punishment there is moreover required unto our Justification an Obedience unto what the Law requireth And this greatly strengthneth the Argument in whose Vindication we are ingaged for we being sinners we were obnoxious both unto the Command and Curse of the Law Both must be answered or we cannot be justified And as the Lord Christ could not by his most perfect Obedience satisfie the Curse of the Law dying thou shalt die so by the utmost of his suffering he could not fulfil the command of the Law Do this and live Passion as Passion is not Obedience though there may be Obedience in suffering as there was in that of Christ unto the height Wherefore as we plead that the Death of Christ is imputed unto us for our Justification so we deny that it is imputed unto us for our Righteousness For by the Imputation of the Sufferings of Christ our sins are remitted or pardoned and we are delivered from the Curse of the Law which he underwent But we are not thence esteemed just or righteous which we cannot be without respect unto the fulfilling of the Commands of the Law or the Obedience by it required The whole matter is excellently expressed by Grotius in the words before alledged Cum duo nobis peperisse Christum dixerimus impunitatem praemium illud satisfactioni hoc merito Christi distincte tribuit vetus Ecclesia Satisfactio consistit in meritorum translatione meritum in perfectissimae obedientiae pro nobis praestitae imputatione 3. The Objection mentioned proceeds also on this Supposition That pardon of sin gives title unto Eternal Blessedness in the injoyment of God For Justification doth so and according to the Authors of this opinion no other Righteousness is required thereunto but pardon of sin That Justification doth give Right and Title unto Adoption Acceptation with God and the Heavenly Inheritance I suppose will not be denied and it hath been proved already Pardon of sin depends solely on the death or suffering of Christ In whom we have Redemption through his Blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his Grace Ephes. 1.7 But suffering for Punishment gives Right and Title unto nothing only satisfies for something nor doth it deserve any Reward It is no where said Suffer this and live but Do this and live These things I confess are inseparably connected in the Ordinance Appointment and Covenant of God Whosoever hath his sins pardoned is accepted with God hath Right unto Eternal Blessedness These things are inseparable but they are not one and the same And by reason of their inseparable Relation are they so put together by the Apostle Rom. 4.6 7 8. Even as David also describeth the Blessedness of the Man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without Works Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Blessed is the Man unto whom the Lord will not impute sin It is the Imputation of Righteousness that gives Right unto Blessedness but pardon of sin is inseparable from it and an effect of it both being opposed unto Justification by Works or an Internal Righteousness of our own But it is one thing to be freed from being liable unto Eternal Death and another to have Right and Title unto a Blessed and Eternal Life It is one thing to be redeemed from under the Law that is the Curse of it another to receive the Adoption of Sons One thing to be freed from the Curse another to have the Blessing of Abraham come upon us as the Apostle distinguisheth these things Gal. 3.13 14. 4.4 5 And so doth our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 26.18 That they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance a Lot and Right to the Inheritance amongst them that are sanctified by Faith that is in me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we have by Faith in Christ is only a dismission of sin from being pleadable unto our condemnation on which account there is no condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus But a Right and Title unto Glory or the Heavenly Inheritance it giveth not Can it be supposed that all the great and glorious effects of present Grace and future Blessedness should follow necessarily on and be the effect of meer pardon of sin Can we not be pardoned but we must thereby of necessity be made Sons Heirs of God and Coheirs with Christ Pardon of sin is in God with respect unto the sinner a free gratuitous Act Forgiveness of sin through the riches of his Grace But with respect unto the satisfaction of Christ it is an Act in Judgment For on the consideration thereof as imputed unto him doth God absolve and
5.15 Eph. 2.4 8 9. 2 Tim. 1.9 Tit. 3.4 5. Being justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the LXX render the Hebrew particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without price without merit without cause and sometimes it is used for without end that is what is done in vain as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used by the Apostle Gal. 2.21 without price or reward Gen. 29.15 Exod. 21.22 2 Kings 24.25 without cause or merit or any means of procurement 1 Sam. 19.5 2 Sam. 24.24 Psal. 69.4 Psal. 102. In this sense it is rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 15.25 The design of the word is to exclude all consideration of any thing in us that should be the cause or condition of our justification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 favour absolutely considered may have respect unto somewhat in him towards whom it is shewed so it is said that Joseph found grace or favour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the eyes of Potiphar Gen. 29.4 but he found it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without any consideration or cause for he saw that the Lord was with him and made all that he did to prosper in his hand v. 3. But no words can be found out to free our justification before God from all respect unto any thing in our selves but only what is added expresly as the means of its participation on our part through faith in his blood more emphatical than these here used by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely by his grace And with whom this is not admitted as exclusive of all Works or Obedience of our own of all conditions preparations and merit I shall despair of ever expressing my conceptions about it intelligibly unto them Having asserted this Righteousness of God as the cause and means of our justification before him in opposition unto all Righteousness of our own and declared the cause of the communication of it unto us on the part of God to be meer free Sovereign grace the means on our part whereby according unto the ordination of God we do receive or are really made partakers of that Righteousness of God whereon we are justified is by faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by faith alone Nothing else is proposed nothing else required unto this end It is replied that there is no intimation that is by faith alone or that Faith is asserted to be the means of our Justification exclusively unto other Graces or Works But there is such an exclusion directly included in the description given of that faith whereby we are justified with respect unto its especial object by faith in his blood For Faith respecting the blood of Christ as that whereby propitiation was made for Sin in which respect alone the Apostle affirms that we are justified through faith admits of no association with any other Graces or Duties Neither is it any part of their nature to fix on the blood of Christ for Justification before God wherefore they are all here directly excluded And those who think otherwise may try how they can introduce them into this context without an evident corrupting of it and perverting of its sense Neither will the other evasion yield our Adversaries the least relief namely that by faith not the single grace of Faith is intended but the whole obedience required in the new Covenant Faith and Works together For as all works whatever as our works are excluded in the declaration of the causes of our Justification on the part of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely by his grace by vertue of that great Rule Rom. 11.6 If it be of grace then no more of works otherwise Grace is no more Grace so the determination of the object of faith in its act or duty whereon we are justified namely the blood of Christ is absolutely exclusive of all Works from an interest in that duty For whatever looks unto the blood of Christ for Justification is faith and nothing else And as for the calling of it a single act or duty I refer the Reader unto our preceding discourse about the nature of justifying Faith Three things the Apostle inferreth from the declaration he had made of the Nature and Causes of our Justification before God all of them further illustrating the meaning and sense of his words 1. That Boasting is excluded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 27. Apparent it is from hence and from what he affirms concerning Abraham Chap. 4. v. 2. that a great part at least of the controversie he had about Justification was whether it did admit of any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those that were justified And it is known that the Jews placed all their Hopes in those things whereof they thought they could boast namely their Priviledges and their Righteousness But from the declaration made of the Nature and Causes of Justification the Apostle infers that all Boasting whatever is utterly shut out of doors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Boasting in our language is the name of a vice and is never used in a good sense But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words used by the Apostle are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of an indifferent signification and as they are applied may denote a Vertue as well as a Vice So they do Heb. 3.6 But alwayes and in all places they respect something that is peculiar in or unto them unto whom they are ascribed Wherever any thing is ascribed unto one and not unto another with respect unto any good end there is fundamentum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a foundation for boasting All this saith the Apostle in the matter of our Justification is utterly excluded But wherever respect is had unto any condition or qualification in one more than another especially if it be of works it giveth a ground of boasting as he affirms Chap. 4.2 And it appears from comparing that verse with this that wherever there is any influence of our own works into our Justification there is a ground of boasting but in Evangelical Justification no such boasting in any kind can be admitted Wherefore there is no place for Works in our Justification before God for if there were it is impossible but that a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in one kind or other before God or man must be admitted 2. He infers a general conclusion that a man is justified by Faith without the Works of the Law v. 28. What is meant by the Law and what by the Works of the Law in this discourse of the Apostle about our Justification hath been before declared And if we are justified freely through Faith in the Blood of Christ that Faith which hath the Propitiation of Christ for its especial Object or as it hath so can take no other Grace nor Duty into Partnership with it self therein and being so justified as that all such boasting is excluded as necessarily exults from any differencing Graces or Works in our selves wherein all the
Works of the Law are excluded it is certain that it is by Faith alone in Christ that we are justified All Works are not only excluded but the way unto their return is so shut up by the Method of the Apostles Discourse that all the reinforcements which the wit of man can give unto them will never introduce them into our Justification before God 3. He asserts from hence that we do not make void the Law through grace but establish it v. 31. which how it is done and how alone it can be done hath been before declared This is the Substance of the Resolution the Apostle gives unto that great Enquiry how a guilty convinced Sinner may come to be justified in the sight of God The sovereign Grace of God the Mediation of Christ and Faith in the Blood of Christ are all that he requireth thereunto And whatever notions men may have about Justification in other respects it will not be safe to venture on any other Resolution of this case and enquiry nor are we wiser than the Holy Ghost Rom. Chap. 4. In the beginning of the fourth Chapter he confirms what he had before doctrinally declared by a signal instance and this was of the Justification of Abraham who being the Father of the Faithful his Justification is proposed as the pattern of ours as he expresly declares vers 22 23 24. And some few things I shall observe on this instance in our passage unto the fifth Verse where I shall fix our Discourse 1. He denies that Abraham was justified by Works vers 2. And 1. These Works were not those of the Jewish Law which alone some pretend to be excluded from our Justification in this place For they were the Works he performed some hundreds of years before the giving of the Law at Sinai wherefore they are the Works of his Moral Obedience unto God that are intended 2. Those Works must be understood which Abraham had then when he is said to be justified in the Testimony produced unto that purpose But the Works that Abraham then had were Works of Righteousness performed in Faith and Love to God Works of New Obedience under the Conduct and aids of the Spirit of God Works required in the Covenant of Grace These are the Works excluded from the Justification of Abraham And these things are plain express and evident not to be eluded by any Distinctions or Evasions All Abraham's Evangelical Works are expresly excluded from his Justification before God 2. He proves by the Testimony of Scripture declaring the Nature and Grounds of the Justification of Abraham that he was justified no other way but that which he had before declared namely by Grace through Faith in Christ Jesus vers 3. Abraham believed God in the Promise of Christ and his Mediation and it was counted unto him for righteousness vers 3. He was justified by Faith in the way before described for other Justification by Faith there is none in opposition unto all his own Works and Personal Righteousness thereby 3. From the same Testimony he declares how he came to be Partaker of that Righteousness whereon he was justified before God which was by imputation it was counted or imputed unto him for Righteousness The Nature of Imputation hath been before declared 4. The especial Nature of this Imputation namely that it is of Grace without respect unto Works he asserts and proves vers 4. from what is â—â—ntrary thereunto Now to him that worketh is the reward â—ot reckon'd of Grace but of Debt Where Works are of any consideration there is no room for that kind of Imputation whereby Abraham was justified for it was a gracious Imputation and that is not of what is our own antecedently thereunto but what is made our own by that Imputation For what is our own cannot be imputed unto us in a way of Grace but only reckon'd ours in a way of Debt That which is our own with all the effects of it is due unto us And therefore they who plead that Faith it self is imputed unto us to give some countenance unto an Imputation of Grace do say it is imputed not for what it is for then it would be reckoned of Debt but for what it is not So Socinus Cum fides imputatur nobis pro justitia ideo imputatur quia nec ipsa fides justitia est nec vere in se eam continet De Servat Part. 4. cap. 2. which kind of Imputation being indeed only a false Imagination we have before disproved But all works are inconsistent with that Imputation whereby Abraham was justified It is otherwise with him that worketh so as thereon to be justified then it was with him Yea say some all Works that are meritorious that are performed with an opinion of Merit that make the Reward to be of debt are excluded but other Works are not This distinction is not learned from the Apostle For according unto him if this be merit and meritorious that the Reward be reckon'd of Debt then all Works in Justification are so For without distinction or limitation he affirms that unto him that worketh the reward is not reckon'd of Grace but of Debt He doth not exclude some sort of Works or Works in some sense because they would make the reward of Debt but affirms that all would do so unto the exclusion of gracious Imputation For if the foundation of Imputation be in our selves Imputation by Grace is excluded In the fifth Verse the Sum of the Apostles Doctrine which he had contended for and what he had proved is expressed But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness It is granted on all hands that the close of the Verse his Faith is counted for Righteousness doth express the Justification of the person intended He is justified and the way of it is his Faith is counted or imputed Wherefore the foregoing words declare the Subject of Justification and its qualification or the description of the Person to be justified with all that is required on his part thereunto And first it is said of him that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who worketh not It is not required unto his Justification that he should not work that he should not perform any Duties of Obedience unto God in any kind which is working For every person in the world is always obliged unto all Duties of Obedience according to the light and knowledg of the Will of God the means whereof is afforded unto him But the expression is to be limited by the Subject matter treated of He who worketh not with respect unto Justification though not the design of the Person but the Nature of the thing is intended To say he who worketh not is justified through believing is to say that his Works whatever they be have no influence into his Justification nor hath God in justifying of him any respect unto them Wherefore he alone who worketh not is
and Grace And this is that which principally we are to consider in our Justification the glory of them being the end of God therein He made us accepted in the Beloved to the praise of the glory of his Grace Ephes. 1.6 Wherefore this being the fountain spring and sole cause both of the Obedience of Christ and of the Imputation thereof unto us with the pardon of Sin and Righteousness thereby it is every where in the Scripture proposed as the prime object of our Faith in our Justification and opposed directly unto all our own Works whatever The whole of Gods design herein is that Grace may reign through Righteousness unto eternal life Whereas therefore this is made most evident and conspicuous in the Death of Christ our Justification is in a peculiar manner assigned thereunto 2. The love of Christ himself and his Grace are peculiarly exalted in our Justification that all men may honour the Son even as they honour the Father Frequently are they expressed unto this purpose 2 Cor. 8.9 Gal. 2.20 Phil. 3.6 7. Rev. 1.5 6. And those also are most eminently exalted in his death so as that all the effects and fruits of them are ascribed thereunto in a peculiar manner As nothing is more ordinary than among many things that concur to the same effect to ascribe it unto that which is most eminent among them especially if it cannot be conceived as separated from the rest 3. This is the clearest Testimony that what the Lord Christ did and suffered was for us and not for himself For without the consideration hereof all the Obedience which he yielded unto the Law might be looked on as due only on his own account and himself to have been such a Saviour as the Socinians imagine who should do all with us from God and nothing with God for us But the suffering of the curse of the Law by him who was not only an innocent man but also the Son of God openly testifies that what he did and suffered was for us and not for himself It is no wonder therefore if our Faith as unto Justification be in the first place and principally directed unto his Death and Blood-shedding 4. All the Obedience of Christ had still respect unto the Sacrifice of himself which was to ensue wherein it received its accomplishment and whereon its efficacy unto our Justification did depend For as no Imputation of actual Obedience would justifie Sinners from the condemnation that was passed on them for the Sin of Adam so although the Obedience of Christ was not a meer preparation or qualification of his person for his Suffering yet its efficacy unto our Justification did depend on his Suffering that was to ensue when his Soul was made an offering for Sin 5. As was before observed Reconciliation and the Pardon of Sin through the Blood of Christ do directly in the first place respect our relief from the state and condition whereinto we were cast by the Sin of Adam in the loss of the favour of God and liableness unto Death this therefore is that which principally and in the first place a lost convinced Sinner such as Christ calls unto himself doth look after And therefore Justification is eminently and frequently proposed as the effect of the Bloodshedding and Death of Christ which are the direct cause of our Reconciliation and Pardon of Sin But yet from none of these considerations doth it follow that the Obedience of the one man Christ Jesus is not imputed unto us whereby Grace might reign through Righteousness unto eternal life The same Truth is fully asserted and confirmed Chap. 8. v. 1 2 3 4. But this place hath been of late so explained and so vindicated by another in his learned and Judicious Exposition of it namely Dr. Jacombe as that nothing remains of weight to be added unto what hath been pleaded and argued by him Part. 1. vers 4. pag. 587. and onwards And indeed the answers which he subjoyns to the Arguments whereby he confirms the Truth to the most usual and important objections against the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ are sufficient to give just Satisfaction unto the minds of unprejudiced unengaged persons I shall therefore pass over this Testimony as that which hath been so lately pleaded and vindicated and not press the same things it may be as is not unusual unto their disadvantage Chap. 10. Vers. 3 4. For they the Jews who had a zeal for God but not according to knowledg being ignorant of Gods Righteousness and going about to establish their own Righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the Righteousness of God For Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness unto every one that believeth What is here determined the Apostle enters upon the Proposition and declaration of Chap. 9. vers 30. And because what he had to propose was somewhat strange and unsuited unto the common apprehensions of men he introduceth it with that prefatory Interrogation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he useth on the like occasions Chap. 3.5 Chap. 6.1 Chap. 7.7 Chap. 9.14 What shall we then say that is is there in this matter unrighteousness with God as vers 14. or what shall we say unto these things or this is that which is to be said herein That which hereon he asserts is that the Gentiles which followed not after Righteousness have attained unto Righteousness even the Righteousness which is of Faith But Israel which followed after the Law of Righteousness hath not attained unto the Law of Righteousness that is unto Righteousness it self before God Nothing seems to be more contrary unto reason than what is here made manifest by the event The Gentiles who lived in Sin and Pleasures not once endeavouring to attain unto any Righteousness before God yet attained unto it upon the Preaching of the Gospel Israel on the other hand which followed after Righteousness diligently in all the Works of the Law and Duties of Obedience unto God thereby came short of it attained not unto it All Preparations all Dispositions all merit as unto Righteousness and Justification are excluded from the Gentiles For in all of them there is more or less a following after Righteousness which is denied of them all Only by Faith in him who justifieth the ungodly they attain Righteousness or they attained the Righteousness of Faith For to attain Righteousness by Faith and to attain the Righteousness which is of Faith are the same Wherefore all things that are comprized any way in following after Righteousness such as are all our Duties and Works are excluded from any influence into our Justification And this is expressed to declare the Sovereignty and freedom of the Grace of God herein Namely that we are justified freely by his Grace and that on our part all boasting is excluded Let men pretend what they will and dispute what they please those who attain unto Righteousness and Justification before God when they follow not after Righteousness they
Righteous and the Sons of God then may Christ by the imputation of our unrighteousness be said to be a sinner and a child of the Devil Ans. 1 That which the Scripture affirms concerning the imputation of our sins unto Christ is that he was made sin for us This the Greek Expositors Chrysostome Theophylact and Oecumenius with many others take for a sinner But all affirm that denomination to be taken from imputation only he had sin imputed unto him and underwent the punishment due unto it as we have Righteousness imputed unto us and enjoy the benefit of it 2 The imputation of sin unto Christ did not carry along with it any thing of the pollution or filth of sin to be communicated unto him by transfusion a thing impossible so that no denomination can thence arise which should include in it any respect unto them A thought hereof is impious and dishonourable unto the Son of God But his being made sin through the imputation of the guilt of sin is his honour and glory 3 The imputation of the sin of Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers c. such as the Corinthians were before their Conversion unto Christ doth not on any ground bring him under a denomination from those sins For they were so in themselves actively inherently subjectively and thence were so called But that he who knew no sin voluntarily taking on him to answer for the guilt of those sins which in him was an act of Righteousness and the highest Obedience unto God should be said to be an Idolater c. is a fond imagination The denomination of a sinner from sin inherent actually committed defiling the Soul is a reproach and significative of the utmost unworthiness But even the denomination of a sinner by the imputation of sin without the least personal guilt or defilement being undergone by him unto whom it is imputed in an act of the highest Obedience and tending unto the greatest glory of God is highly honourable and glorious But 4 The imputation of sin unto Christ was antecedent unto any real union between him and sinners whereon he took their sin on him as he would and for what ends he would But the imputation of his Righteousness unto Believers is consequential in order of nature unto their union with him whereby it becomes theirs in a peculiar manner so as that there is not a parity of reason that he should be esteemed a sinner as that they should be accounted Righteous And 5 we acquiesce in this that on the imputation of sin unto Christ it is said that God made him to be sin for us which he could not be but thereby and he was so by an act transient in its effects for a time only that time wherein he underwent the punishment due unto it But on the imputation of his Righteousness unto us we are made the Righteousness of God with an everlasting Righteousness that abides ours always 6 To be a child of the Devil by sin is to do the works of the Devil Joh. 8.44 But the Lord Christ in taking our sins upon him when imputed unto him did the work of God in the highest act of holy Obedience evidencing himself to be the Son of God thereby and destroying the work of the Devil So foolish and impious is it to conceive that any absolute change of state or relation in him did ensue thereon That by the Righteousness of God in this place our own Faith and Obedience according to the Gospel as some would have it are intended is so alien from the scope of the place and sense of the words as that I shall not particularly examine it The Righteousness of God is revealed to Faith and received by Faith and is not therefore Faith it self And the force of the Antithesis is quite perverted by this conceit For where is it in this that he was made sin by the imputation of our sin unto him and we are made Righteousness by the imputation of our own Faith and Obedience unto our selves But as Christ had no concern in sin but as God made him sin it was never in him inherently so have we no interest in this Righteousness it is not in us inherently but only is imputed unto us Besides the act of God in making us righteous is his justifying of us But this is not by the infusion of the habit of Faith and Obedience as we have proved And what act of God is intended by them who affirm That the Righteousness of God which we are made is our own Righteousness I know not The constitution of the Gospel Law it cannot be for that makes no Man righteous And the Persons of Believers are the object of this act of God and that as they are considered in Christ. Gal. 2.16 The Epistle of the same Apostle unto the Galatians is wholly designed unto the vindication of the Doctrine of Justification by Christ without the Works of the Law with the use and means of its improvement The sum of his whole design is laid down in the repetition of his words unto the Apostle Peter on the occasion of his failure there related Chap. 2.86 Knowing that a Man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed on 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 That which he doth here assert was such a known such a fundamental principle of Truth among all Believers that their conviction and knowledge of it was the ground and occasion of their transition and passing over from Judaism unto the Gospel and Faith in Jesus Christ thereby And in the words the Apostle determines that great inquiry how or by what means a Man is or may be justified before God The subject spoken of is expressed indefinitely A Man that is any Man a Jew or a Gentile a Believer or an Vnbeliever The Apostle that spake and they to whom he spake the Galatians to whom he wrote who also for some time had believed and made Profession of the Gospel The answer given unto the question is both Negative and Positive both asserted with the highest assurance and as the common faith of all Christians but only those who had been carried aside from it by Seducers He asserts that this is not this cannot be by the Works of the Law What is intended by the Law in these disputations of the Apostle hath been before declared and evinced The Law of Moses is sometimes signally intended not absolutely but as it was the present instance of Mens cleaving unto the Law of Righteousness and not submitting themselves thereon unto the Righteousness of God But that the consideration of the Moral Law and the duties of it is in this Argument any where excepted by him is a weak imagination yea it would except the Ceremonial Law it self for the observation of it whilest
he had declared v. 10. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them And the force of his Reason which the causal Conjunction intimates the Introduction of consists in this That all good Works those concerning which he treats Evangelical Works are the Effects of the Grace of God in them that are in Christ Jesus and so are truly justified antecedently in order of nature unto them But that which he principally designed in these words was that which he is still mindful of wherever he treats of this Doctrine namely to obviate an Objection that he foresaw some would make against it and that is this If good Works be thus excluded from our Justification before God then of what use are they we may live as we list utterly neglect them and yet be justified And this very Objection do some men continue to manage with great vehemency against the same Doctrine We meet with nothing in this cause more frequently than that if our Justification before God be not of Works some way or other if they be not antecedaneously required thereunto if they are not a previous condition of it then there is no need of them Men may safely live in an utter neglect of all Obedience unto God And on this Theme men are very apt to enlarge themselves who otherwise give no great evidences of their own Evangelical Obedience To me it is marvellous that they heed not unto what party they make an Accession in the management of this Objection namely unto that of them who were the Adversaries of the Doctrine of Grace taught by the Apostle It must be elsewhere considered For the present I shall say no more but that if the answer here given by the Apostle be not satisfactory unto them if the Grounds and Reasons of the necessity and use of good Works here declared be not judged by them sufficient to establish them in their proper place and order I shall not esteem my self obliged to attempt their further satisfaction Phil. 3.8 9. Yea doubtless and I account all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith This is the last Testimony which I shall insist upon and although it be of great importance I shall be the more brief in the consideration of it because it hath been lately pleaded and vindicated by another whereunto I do not expect any tolerable reply For what hath since been attempted by one it is of no weight He is in this matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the things that I would observe from and concerning this Testimony may be reduced into the ensuing heads 1. That which the Apostle designs from the beginning of this Chapter and in these Verses in an especial manner to declare what it is on the account whereof we are accepted with God and have thereon cause to rejoyce This he fixeth in general in an interest in and participation of Christ by Faith in opposition unto all Legal Priviledges and advantages wherein the Jews whom he reflected upon did boast and rejoyce Rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Vers. 3. 2. He supposeth that unto that Acceptance before God wherein we are to Rejoyce there is a Righteousness necessary And to whatever it be is the sole ground of that acceptance And to give evidence hereunto 3. He declares that there is a twofold Righteousness that may be pleaded and trusted unto to this purpose 1. Our own Righteousness which is of the Law 2. That which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith These he asserts to be opposite and inconsistent as unto the end of our Justification and acceptance with God Not having mine own Righteousness but that which is c. And an intermediate Righteousness between these he acknowledgeth not 4. Placing the instance in himself he declares emphatically so as there is scarce a greater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or vehemency of Speech in all his Writings which of those it was that he adhered unto and placed his confidence in And in the handling of this Subject there were some things which engaged his holy mind into an earnestness of expression in the exaltation of one of these namely of the Righteousness which is of God by Faith and the depression of the other or his own Righteousness As 1. This was the turning point whereon he and others had forsaken their Judaism and betaken themselves unto the Gospel This therefore was to be secured as the main instance wherein the greatest controversie that ever was in the world was debated So he expresseth it Gal. 2.15.16 We who are Jews by 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 believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of the Law 2. Hereon there was great opposition made unto this Doctrine by the Jews in all places and in many of them the minds of multitudes were turned off from the Truth which the most are generally prone unto in this case and perverted from the simplicity of the Gospel This greatly affected his holy Soul and he takes notice of it in most of his Epistles 3. The weight of the Doctrine it self with that unwillingness which is in the minds of men by nature to embrace it as that which lays the axe to the root of all Spiritual Pride elation of Mind and Self-pleasing whatever whence innumerable Subterfuges have been and are sought out to avoid the efficacy of it and to keep the Souls of men from that universal resignation of themselves unto sovereign Grace in Christ which they have naturally such an aversation unto did also affect him 4. He had himself been a great Sinner in the days of his ignorance by a peculiar opposition unto Christ and the Gospel This he was deeply sensible of and therewithal of the excellency of the Grace of God and the Righteousness of Christ whereby he was delivered And men must have some experience of what he felt in himself as unto Sin and Grace before they can well understand his expressions about them 5. Hence it was that in many other places of his Writings but in this especially he treats of these things with a greater earnestness and vehemency of Spirit than ordinary Thus 1. On the part of Christ whom he would exalt he mentioneth not only the knowledg of him but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The excellency of the knowledg of Christ Jesus my Lord with an Emphasis
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
Holiness without which no man shall see God vehemently declaming against that Doctrine as destructive of Holiness which was so fruitful in it in former days 2. It doth not appear as yet in general that an attempt to introduce a Doctrine contrary unto it hath had any great success in the Reformation of the lives of men Nor hath personal Righteousness or Holiness as yet much thrived under the conduct of it as to what may be observed It will be time enough to seek countenance unto it by declaming against that which hath formerly had better effects when it hath a little more commended it self by its fruits 3. It were not amiss if this part of the controversie might amongst us all be issued in the advise of the Apostle James Chap. 2.18 Shew me thy Faith by thy works and I will shew thee my Faith by my works Let us all labour that fruits may thus far determine of Doctrines as unto their use unto the interest of Righteousness and Holiness For that Faith which doth not evidence it self by works that hath not this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Index which James calls for whereby it may be found out and examined is of no use nor consideration herein Secondly The same Objection was from the beginning laid against the Doctrine of the Apostle Paul the same charge was managed against it which sufficiently argues that it is the same Doctrine which is now assaulted with it This himself more than once takes notice of Rom. 3.31 Do we make void the Law through Faith It is an objection that he anticipates against his Doctrine of the free Justification of sinners through Faith in the blood of Christ. And the substance of the charge included in these words is that he destroyed the Law took off all Obligation unto Obedience and brought in Antinomianism So again Chap. 6.1 What shall we say then shall we continue in sin that grace may abound Some thought this the natural and genuine consequence of what he had largely discoursed concerning Justification which he had now fully closed and some think so still If what he taught concerning the grace of God in our Justification be true it will not only follow that there will be no need of any relinquishment of sin on our part but also a continuance in it must needs tend unto the exaltation of that grace which he had so extolled The same objection he repeats again v. 15. What then shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace And in sundry other places doth he obviate the same objection where he doth not absolutely suppose it especially Ephes. 2.9 10. we have therefore no Reason to be surprized with nor much to be moved at this objection and charge for it is no other but what was insinuated or managed against the Doctrine of the Apostle himself whatever inforcements are now given it by subtilty of arguing or Rhetorical exaggerations However evident it is that there are naturally in the minds of men efficacious prejudices against this part of the Mystery of the Gospel which began betimes to manifest themselves and ceased not until they had corrupted the whole Doctrine of the Church herein And it were no hard matter to discover the principal of them were that our present business However it hath in part been done before 3. It is granted that this Doctrine both singly by it self or in conjunction with whatever else concerns the grace of God by Christ Jesus is liable unto abuse by them in whom darkness and the love of sin is predominant For hence from the very beginning of our Religion some fancied unto themselves that a bare assent unto the Gospel was that Faith whereby they should be saved and that they might be so however they continued to live in sin and a neglect of all Duties of Obedience This is evident from the Epistles of John James and Jude in an especial manner Against this pernicious evil we can give no relief whilest men will love darkness more than light because their deeds are evil And it would be a fond imagination in any to think that their modellings of this Doctrine after this manner will prevent future abuse If they will it is by rendring it no part of the Gospel for that which is so was ever liable to be abused by such persons as we speak of These general observations being premised which are sufficient of themselves to discard this Objection from any place in the minds of sober men I shall only add the consideration of what answers the Apostle Paul returns unto it with a brief application of them unto our purpose The objection made unto the Apostle was that he made void the Law that he rendred good works needless and that on the supposition of his Doctrine men might live in sin unto the advancement of Grace And as unto his sense hereof we may observe 1. That he never returns that answer unto it no not once which some think is the only answer whereby it may be satisfied and removed namely the necessity of our own personal Righteousness and Obedience or Works in order unto our Justification before God For that by Faith without Works he understandeth Faith and Works is an unreasonable supposition If any do yet pretend that he hath given any such answer let them produce it as yet it hath not been made to appear And is it not strange that if this indeed were his Doctrine and the contrary a mistake of it namely that our personal Righteousness Holiness and Works had an influence into our justification and were in any sort our Righteousness before God therein that he who in an eminent manner every where presseth the necessity of them sheweth their true nature and use both in general and in particular Duties of all sorts above any of the Writers of the new Testament should not make use of this truth in answer unto an objection wherein he was charged to render them all needless and useless His Doctrine was urged with this objection as himself acknowledged and on the account of it rejected by many Rom. 10.3 4. Gal. 2.3 He did see and know that the corrupt lusts and depraved affections of the minds of many would supply them with subtile arguings against it Yea he did foresee by the Holy Spirit as appeareth in many places of his Writings that it would be perverted and abused And surely it was highly incumbent on him to obviate what in him lay these evils and so state his Doctrine upon this objection that no countenance might ever be given unto it And is it not strange that he should not on this occasion once at least somewhere or other give an intimation that although he rejected the works of the Law yet he maintained the necessity of Evangelical Works in order unto our Justification before God as the condition of it or that whereby we are justified according unto the Gospel If this were indeed his
Justification Rom. 8.33 Isa. 43.25.45.23 Psal. 145.2 Rom. 3.20 What thoughts will be ingenerated hereby in the minds of Men. Isai. 33.14 Mic. 6.7 Isa. 6.5 The Plea of Job against his friends and before God not the same Job 40.3 4 5. Chap. 42.4 5 6. Directions for visiting the sick given of old Testimonies of Jerome and Ambrose Sense of Men in their Prayers Dan. 9.7 18. Psal. 143.2.130.3 4. Paraphrase of Austine on that place Prayer of Pelagius Publick Liturgies Pag. 8. § 3. A due sense of our Apostasie from God the Depravation of our Nature thereby with the power and guilt of Sin the holiness of Law necessary unto a right understanding of the Doctrine of Justification Method of the Apostle to this purpose Romans 1 2 3 4. Chap. Grounds of the antient and present Pelagianism in the denial of these things Instances thereof Boasting of Perfection from the same Ground Knowledge of Sin and Grace mutually promote each other Pag. 18. § 4. Opposition between Works and Grace as unto Justification Method of the Apostle in the Epistle to the Romans to manifest this opposition A Scheam of others contrary thereunto Testimonies witnessing this opposition Judgment to be made on them Distinctions whereby they are evaded The uselessness of them Resolution of the case in hand by Bellarmine Luk. 17.10 Dan. 9.18 Pag. 24. § 5. A Commutation as unto Sin and Righteousness by Imputation between Christ and Believers represented in the Scripture The Ordinance of the Scape Goat Levit. 16.21 22. The nature of Expiatory Sacrifices Levit. 4.29 Expiation of an uncertain Murther Deut. 21.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. The Commutation intended proved and vindicated Isa. 53.5 6. 2 Cor. 5.21 Rom. 8.3 4. Gal. 3.13 14. 1 Pet. 1.24 Deut. 21.23 Testimonies of Justin Martyr Gregory Nissen Austine Chrysostome Bernard Taulerus Pighius to that purpose The proper actings of Faith with respect thereunto Rom. 5.11 Matth. 11.28 Psa. 38.4 Gen. 4.13 Isa. 53.11 Gal. 3.1 Isa. 45.22 Joh. 3.14 15. A bold Calumny answered Pag. 38 39. § 6. Introduction of Grace by Jesus Christ into the whole of our Relation unto God and its respect unto all the parts of our Obedience No Mystery of Grace in the Covenant of Works All Religion originally commensurate unto Reason No notions of Natural Light concerning the Introduction of the Mediation of Christ and Mystery of Grace into our Relation to God Eph. 1.17 18 19. Reason as corrupted can have no notions of Religion but what are derived from its primitive state Hence the Mysteries of the Gospel esteemed folly Reason as corrupted repugnant unto the Mystery of Gâ—â—â—e Accommodation of Spiritual Mysteries unto Corrupt Reason wherefore acceptable unto many Reasons of it Two parts of corrupted Natures repugnancy unto the Mystery of the Gospel 1. That which would reduce it unto the private Reason of Men. Thence the Trinity denied And the Incarnation of the Son of God Without which the Doctrine of Justification cannot stand Rule of the Socinians in the Interpretation of the Scripture 2. Want of a due comprehension of the Harmony that is between all the parts of the Mystery of Grace This Harmomy proved Compared with the Harmony in the Works of Nature To be studied But is learned only of them who are taught of God and in experience Evil events of the want of a due comprehension hereof Instances of them All applied unto the Doctrine of Justification Pag. 53. § 7. General prejudices against the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. 1. That it is not in Terms found in the Scripture answered 2. That nothing is said of it in the writings of the Evangelists answered Joh. 20.30 31. Nature of Christs Personal Ministery Revelations by the holy Spirit immediately from Christ. Design of the writings of the Evangelists 3. Differences among Protestants themselves about this Doctrine answered Sense of the Antients herein What is of real Difference among Protestants considered Pag. 69. § 8. Influence of the Doctrine of Justification into the first Reformation Advantages unto the World by that Reformation State of the Consciences of Men under the Papacy with respect unto Justification before God Alterations made therein by the Light of this Doctrine though not received Alterations in the Pagan unbelieving World by the Introduction of Christianity Design and success of the first Reformer herein Attempts for Reconciliation with the Papists in this Doctrine and their success Remainders of the â—gnorance of the Truth in the Roman Church Vnavoidable consequences of the corruption of this Doctrine Pag. 83. CHAP. I. JVstification by Faith generally acknowledged The meaning of it perverted The nature and use of Faith in Justification proposed to consideration Distinctions about it waved A twofold Faith of the Gospel expressed in the Scripture Faith that is not justifying Acts 8.13 Joh. 2.23 24. Luk. 8.13 Matth. 22.28 Historical Faith whence it is so called and the nature of it Degrees of Assent in it Justification not ascribed unto any Degree of it A Calumny obviated The causes of true saving Faith Conviction of Sin previous unto it The nature of legal Conviction and its Effects Arguments to prove it antecedent unto Faith Without the consideration of it the true nature of Faith not to be understood The Order and Relation of the Law and Gospel Rom. 1.17 Instance of Adam Effects of Conviction internal Displicency and sorrow Fear of punishment Desire of Deliverance External Abstinence from Sin Performance of Duties Reformation of Life Not conditions of Justification not Formal Dispositions unto it not Moral Preparations for it The Order of God in Justification The proper object of justifying Faith Not all Divine Verity equally proved by sundry Arguments The pardon of our own sins whether the first object of Faith The Lord Christ in the Work of Mediation as the Ordinance of God for the Recovery of lost Sinners the proper object of justifying Faith The Position explained and proved Rom. 3.24 25. Ephes. 1.6 7 8. Acts 10.41 Chap. 16.13 Chap. 4.12 Luk. 24.25 26 27. Joh. 1.12.3.16 36.6.29.7.38 c. Col. 2.12 1 Cor. 2.1 31. 2 Cor. 5.19 20 21. Pag. 92 93 c. CHAP. II. The nature of justifying Faith in particular or of Faith in that exercise of it whereby we are justified The Hearts approbation of the way of the Justification and Salvation of Sinners by Christ with its acquiescency therein The description given explained and confirmed 1. From the nature of the Gospel 2. Exemplified in its contrary or the nature of unbelief Prov. 1.30 Heb. 2.3 1 Pet. 2.7 1 Cor. 1.23 24. 2 Cor. 4.3 4. What it is and wherein it doth consist 3. The Design of God in and by the Gospel His own Glory his utmost End in all things The Glory of his Righteousness Grace Love Wisdom c. The end of God in the Way of the Salvation of Sinners by Christ. Rom. 3.25 Joh. 3.16 1 Joh. 3.16 Eph. 1.5 6. 1 Cor. 1.24 Ephes. 3.10 Rom. 1.16.4.16 Ephes.
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
that Judgment being according unto Works answered and the Impertinency of it declared Pag. 211. CHAP. VII Imputation and the nature of it The first express Record of Justification determineth it to be by Imputation Gen. 15.6 Reasons of it The Doctrine of Imputation cleared by Paul the occasion of it Maligned and opposed by many Weight of the Doctrine concerning Imputation of Righteousness on all hands acknowledged Judgment of the Reformed Churches herein particularly of the Church of England By whom opposed and on what Grounds Signification of the Word Difference between reputare and imputare Imputation of two kinds 1. Of what was ours antecedently unto that Imputation whether good or evil Instances in both kinds Nature of this Imputation The thing imputed by it imputed for what it is and nothing else 2. Of what is not ours antecedently unto that Imputation but is made so by it General nature of this Imputation Not judging of others to have done what they have not done Several distinct Grounds and Reasons of this Imputation 1. Ex Justitia 1. Propter Relationem foederalem 2. Propter Relationem Naturalem 2. Ex voluntaria sponsione Instances Philem. 17. Gen. 43.9 Voluntary sponsion the Ground of the Imputation of Sin to Christ. 3. Ex injuria 1 King 1.21 4. Ex mera Gratia Rom. 4. Difference between the Imputation of any Works of ours and of the Righteousness of God Imputation of Inherent Righteousness is Ex Justitia Inconsistency of it with that which is Ex mera Gratia Rom. 11.6 Agreement of both kinds of Imputation The true nature of the Imputation of Righteousness unto Justification explained Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. The thing it self imputed not the effect of it proved against the Socinians Pag. 226. CHAP. VIII Imputation of Sin unto Christ. Testimonies of the Antients unto that purpose Christ and the Church one Mystical Person Mistakes about that State and Relation Grounds and Reasons of the Vnion that is the foundation of this Imputation Christ the Surety of the New Covenant in what sense unto what ends Heb. 7.22 opened Mistakes about the Causes and Ends of the Death of Christ. The New Covenant in what sense alone procured and purchased thereby Inquiry whether the Guilt of our sins was imputed unto Christ. The meaning of the words Guilt and Guilty The Distinction of Reatus culpae and Reatus paenae examined Act of God in the Imputation of the Guilt of our Sins unto Christ. Objections against it answered The Truth confirmed Pag. 246. CHAP. IX Principal Controversies about Justification 1. Concerning the nature of Justification stated 2. Of the Formal Cause of it 3. Of the Way whereby we are made partakers of the Benefits of the Mediation of Christ. What intended by the Formal Cause of Justification declared The Righteousness on the account whereof Believers are justified before God alone inquired after under those Terms This the Righteousness of Christ imputed unto them Occasions of Exceptions and Objections against this Doctrine General Objections examined Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ consistent with the Free Pardon of Sin with the necessity of Evangelical Repentance Method of Gods Grace in our Justification Necessity of Faith unto Justification on supposition of the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. Grounds of that Necessity Other Objections arising mostly from mistakes of the Truth asserted discussed and answered Pag. 289. CHAP. X. Arguments for Justification by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. Our own Personal Righteousness not that on the account whereof we are justified in the sight of God Disclaimed in the Scripture as to any such end The truth and reality of it granted Manifold Imperfections accompanying it rendering it unmeet to be a Righteousness unto the Justification of Life Pag. 315. CHAP. XI Nature of the Obedience or Righteousness required unto Justification Original and Causes of the Law of Creation The Substance and End of that Law The Immutability or unchangeableness of it considered absolutely and as it was the Instrument of the Covenant between God and Man Arguments to prove it unchangeable and its Obligation unto the Righteousness first required perpetually in force Therefore not abrogated not dispensed withal not derogated from but accomplished This alone by Christ and the Imputation of his Righteousness unto us Pag. 340. CHAP. XII Imputation of the Obedience of Christ no less necessary then that of his suffering on the same Ground Objections against it 1. That it is impossible Management hereof by Socinus Ground of this Objection That the Lord Christ was for himself obliged unto all the Obedience he yielded unto God and performed it for himself answered The Obedience inquired after the Obedience of the Person of Christ the Son of God In his whole Person Christ was not under the Law He designed the Obedience he performed for us not for himself This Actual Obedience not necessary as a qualification of his Person unto the discharge of his Office The Foundation of this Obedience in his being made Man and of the Posterity of Abraham not for himself but for us Right of the Humane Nature unto Glory by virtue of Vnion Obedience necessary unto the Humane Nature as Christ in it was made under the Law This Obediencs properly for us Instances of that nature among Men. Christ obeyed as a publick Person and so not for himself Humane Nature of Christ subject unto the Law as an Eternal Rule of dependance on God and subjection to him not as prescribed unto us whilest we are in this World in order unto our future Blessedness or Reward Second Objection that it is useless answered He that is pardoned all his sins is not thereon esteemed to have done all that is required of him Not to be unrighteous Negatively not the same with being righteous Positively The Law obligeth both unto punishment and obedience how and in what sense Pardon of Sin gives no title to Eternal Life The Righteousness of Christ who is one imputed unto many Arguments proving the Imputation of the Obedience of Christ unto the Justification of Life Pag. 361. CHAP. XIII The Difference between the two Covenants stated Arguments from thence Pag. 396. CHAP. XIV All Works whatever expresly excluded from any interst in our Justification before God What intended by the Works of the Law Not those of the Ceremonial Law only Not perfect Works only as required by the Law of our Creation Not the outward Works of the Law performed without a principle of Faith Not Works of the Jewish Law Not Works with a conceit of Merit Not Works only wrought before believing in the strength of our own wills Works excluded absolutely from our Justification without respect unto a Distinction of a First and Second Justification The true sense of the Law in the Apostolical Assertion that none are justified by the Works thereof What the Jews understood by the Law Distribution of the Law under the Old Testament The whole Law a perfect
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
may have and not be justified and if they have not a Faith of another kind they cannot be justified For Justification is no where ascribed unto it yea it is affirmed by the Apostle James That none can be justified by it 2. It may produce great Effects in the Minds Affections and Lives of Men although not one of them that are peculiar unto justifying Faith Yet such they may be as that those in whom they are wrought may be and ought in the Judgment of Charity to be looked on as true Believers 3. This is that Faith which may be alone We are justified by Faith alone But we are not justified by that Faith which can be alone Alone respects its influence into our Justification not its nature and existence And we absolutely deny that we can be justified by that Faith which can be alone that is without a principle of spiritual Life and universal Obedience operative in all the works of it as Duty doth require These things I have observed only to obviate that Calumny and Reproach which some endeavour to fix on the Doctrine of Justification by Faith only through the Mediation of Christ. For those who assert it must be Solifidians Antinomians and I know not what such as oppose or deny the necessity of universal Obedience or Good Works Most of them who manage it cannot but know in their own Consciences that this Charge is false But this is the way of handling Controversies with many They can aver any thing that seems to advantage the cause they plead to the great scandal of Religion If by Solifidians they mean those who believe that Faith alone is on our part the Means Instrument or Condition of which afterwards of our Justification all the Prophets and Apostles were so and were so taught to be by Jesus Christ as shall be proved If they mean those who affirm that the Faith whereby we are justified is alone separate or separable from a principle and the fruit of Holy Obedience they must find them out themselves we know nothing of them For we allow no Faith to be of the same kind or nature with that whereby we are justified but what virtually and radically contains in it universal Obedience as the effect is in the cause the fruit in the Root and which acts it self in all particular Duties according as by Rule and Circumstances they are made so to be Yea we allow no Faith to be justifying or to be of the same kind with it which is not its self and in its own nature a spiritually vital principle of Obedience and Good Works And if this be not sufficient to prevail with some not to seek for advantages by such shameful calumnies yet is it so with others to free their minds from any concernment in them For the especial nature of Justifying Faith which we enquire into the things whereby it is evidenced may be reduced unto these four Heads 1 The Causes of it on the part of God 2 What is in us previously required unto it 3 The proper Object of it 4 It s proper peculiar Acts and Effects Which shall be spoken unto so far as is necessary unto our present design 1. The Doctrine of the Causes of Faith as unto its first Original in the Divine Will and the way of its communication unto us is so large and so immixed with that of the way and manner of the operation of efficacious Grace in Conversion which I have handled elsewhere as that I shall not here insist upon it For as it cannot in a few words be spoken unto according unto its weight and worth so to engage into a full handling of it would too much divert us from our present Argument This I shall only say that from thence it may be uncontroulably evidenced That the Faith whereby we are justified is of an especial kind or nature wherein no other Faith which Justification is not inseparable from doth partake with it 2. Wherefore our first Enquiry is concerning what was proposed in the second place namely what is an our part in a way of Duty previously required thereunto or what is necessary to be found in us antecedaneously unto our Believing unto the Justification of Life And I say there is supposed in them in whom this Faith is wrought on whom it is bestowed and whose Duty it is to believe therewith the work of the Law in the Conviction of sin or Conviction of sin is a necessary Antecedent unto Justifying Faith Many have disputed what belongs hereunto and what effects it produceth in the mind that dispose the Soul unto the receiving of the Promise of the Gospel But whereas there are different Apprehensions about these effects or concomitants of Conviction in Compunction Humiliation Self-judging with sorrow for sin committed and the like as also about the Degrees of them as ordinarily pre-required unto Faith and Conversion unto God I shall speak very briefly unto them so far as they are inseparable from the Conviction asserted And I shall first consider this Conviction it self with what is essential thereunto and then the effects of it in conjunction with that temporary Faith before spoken of I shall do so not as unto their nature the knowledge whereof I take for granted but only as they have respect unto our Justification As to the first I say The work of Conviction in general whereby the Soul of man hath a practical understanding of the nature of sin its Guilt and the Punishment due unto it and is made sensible of his own interest therein both with respect unto sin original and actual with his own utter disability to deliver himself out of the state and condition wherein on the account of these things he findeth himself to be is that which we affirm to be antecedaneously necessary unto Justifying Faith that is in the Adult and of whose Justification the Word is the external means and instrument A Convinced sinner is only Subjectum capax Justificationis not that every one that is convinced is or must necessarily be justified There is not any such disposition or preparation of the subject by this Conviction its effects and consequents as that the form of Justification as the Papists speak or justifying Grace must necessarily ensue or be introduced thereon Nor is there any such preparation in it as that by virtue of any divine Compact or Promise a Person so convinced shall be pardoned and justified But as a man may believe with any kind of Faith that is not justifying such as that before mentioned without this Conviction so it is ordinarily previous and necessary so to be unto that Faith which is unto the Justification of Life The motive is not unto it that thereon a man shall be assuredly justified but that without it he cannot be so This I say is required in the Person to be justified in order of nature antecedaneously unto that Faith whereby we are justified which we shall prove with the ensuing
before described And these two Temporary Faith and Legal Conviction are the principles of all Works or Duties in Religion antecedenr unto Justification and which therefore we must deny to have in them any Causality thereof But it is granted that many Acts and Duties both internal and external will ensue on real Convictions Those that are internal may be reduced unto three Heads 1 Displicency and Sorrow that we have sinned It is impossible that any one should be really convinced of sin in the way before declared but that a dislike of sin and of himself that he hath sinned shame of it and sorrow for it will ensue thereon And it is a sufficient Evidence that he is not really convinced of sin whatever he profess or whatever confession he make whose mind is not so affected Jer. 36.24 2 Fear of punishment due to sin For Conviction respects not only the instructive and preceptive part of the Law whereby the Being and Nature of sin are discovered but the Sentence and Curse of it also whereby it is judged and condemned Gen. 4.13 14. Wherefore where fear of the punishment threatned doth not ensue no person is really convinced of sin nor hath the Law had its proper Work towards him as it is previous unto the Administration of the Gospel And whereas by Faith we fly from the wrath to come where there is not a Sense and Apprehension of that wrath as due unto us there is no Ground or Reason for our Believing 3 A desire of Deliverance from that state wherein a convinced sinner finds himself upon his Conviction is unavoidable unto him And it s naturally the first thing that Conviction works in the minds of men and that in various degrees of care fear solicitude and restlessness which from Experience and the conduct of Scripture Light have been explained by many unto the great benefit of the Church and sufficiently derided by others 2 These internal Acts of the mind will also produce sundry external Duties which may be referred unto two Heads 1 Abstinence from known sin unto the utmost of mens power For they who begin to find that it is an evil thing and a bitter that they have sinned against God cannot but endeavour a future Abstinence from it And as this hath respect unto all the former internal Acts as Causes of it so it is a peculiar exurgency of the last of them or a desire of deliverance from the state wherein such persons are For this they suppose to be the best expedient for it or at least that without which it will not be And herein usually do their Spirits act by Promises and Vows with renewed sorrow on surprisals into sin which will befall them in that condition 2 The Duties of Religious Worship in prayer and hearing of the Word with diligence in the use of the Ordinances of the Church will ensue hereon For without these they know that no deliverance is to be obtained Reformation of Life and Conversation in various degrees doth partly consist in these things and partly follow upon them And these things are always so where the Convictions of men are real and abiding But yet it must be said that they are neither severally nor joyntly though in the highest degree either necessary dispositions preparations previous congruities in a way of merit nor conditions of our Justification For 1. They are not Conditions of Justification For where one thing is the Condition of another that other thing must follow the fulfilling of that Condition Otherwise the Condition of it it is not But they may be all found where Justification doth not ensue Wherefore there is no Covenant Promise or Constitution of God making them to be such Conditions of Justification though in their own nature they may be subservient unto what is required of us with respect thereunto But a certain infallible connexion with it by virtue of any Promise or Covenant of God as it is with Faith they have not And other Condition but what is constituted and made to be so by divine compact or promise is not to be allowed For otherwise Conditions might be endlesly multiplied and all things natural as well as moral made to be so So the meat we eat may be a Condition of Justification Faith and Justification are inseparable but so are not Justification and the things we now insist upon as Experience doth evince 2. Justification may be where the outward Acts and Duties mentioned proceeding from Convictions under the conduct of temporary Faith are not For Adam was Justified without them so also were the Converts in the Acts chap. 2. For what is reported concerning them is all of it Essentially included in Conviction ver 37. And so likewise was it with the Jaylor Acts 16.30 31. And as unto many of them it is so with most that do believe Therefore they are not Conditions For a Condition suspends the Event of that whereof it is a Condition 3. They are not formal dispositions unto Justification because it consisteth not in the Introduction of any new form or inherent Quality in the Soul as hath been in part already declared and shall yet afterwards be more fully evinced Nor 4 are they moral preparations for it for being antecedent unto Faith Evangelical no man can have any design in them but only to seek for Righteousness by the Works of the Law which is no preparation unto Justification All Discoveries of the Righteousness of God with the Souls adherence unto it belong to Faith alone There is indeed a Repentance which accompanieth Faith and is included in the nature of it at least radically This is required unto our Justification But that legal Repentance which precedes Gospel Faith and is without it is neither a Disposition Preparation nor Condition of our Justification In brief The order of these things may be observed in the dealing of God with Adam as was before intimated And there are three degrees in it 1 The Opening of the Eyes of the sinner to see the filth and guilt of sin in the Sentence and Curse of the Law applied unto his Conscience Rom. 7. 9 10. This effects in the mind of the sinner the things before mentioned and puts him upon all the Duties that spring from them For Persons on their first Convictions ordinarily judge no more but that their state being evil and dangerous it is their Duty to better it and that they can or shall do so accordingly if they apply themselves thereunto But all these things as to a Protection or Deliverance from the sentence of the Law are no better then Figg-leaves and hiding 2 Ordinarily God by his Providence or in the Dispensation of the Word gives life and power unto this Work of the Law in a peculiar manner in answer unto the charge which he gave unto Adam after his Attempt to hide himself Hereby the mouth of the sinner is stopped and he becomes as throughly sensible of his Guilt before God so satisfied that
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
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
his Priestly Office And therefore is Justification either expresly or virtually assigned unto them also Gen. 3.15 1 Joh. 3.8 Heb. 2.13 14 15 16. Rom. 4.25 Act. 5.31 Heb. 7.27 Rom. 8.34 But yet wherever our Justification is so assigned unto them they are not absolutely considered but with respect unto their relation to his Sacrifice and Satisfaction 3 All the means of the Application of the Sacrifice and Righteousness of the Lord Christ unto us are also included therein Such is the principal Efficient cause thereof which is the Holy Ghost whence we are said to be justified in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 and the instrumental cause thereof on the part of God which is the Promise of the Gospel Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.22 23. It would therefore be unduly pretended that by this Assertion we do narrow or straiten the Object of Justifying Faith as it Justifies For indeed we assign a respect unto the whole Mediatory Office of Christ not excluding the Kingly and Prophetical parts thereof but only such a notion of them as would not bring in more of Christ but much of our selves into our Justification And the Assertion as laid down may be proved 1. From the Experience of all that are justified or do seek for Justification according unto the Gospel For under this notion of seeking for Justification or a Righteousness unto Justification they were all of them to be considered and do consider themselves as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 guilty before God subject obnoxious liable unto his wrath in the curse of the Law as we declared in the Entrance of this Discourse Rom. 3.19 They were all in the same state that Adam was in after the Fall unto whom God proposed the Relief of the Incarnation and Suffering of Christ Gen. 3.15 And to seek after Justification is to seek after a discharge from this woful state and condition Such persons have and ought to have other designs and desires also For whereas the state wherein they are antecedent unto their Justification is not only a state of Guilt and Wrath but such also as wherein through the Depravation of their Nature the power of sin is prevalent in them and their whole Souls are defiled they design and desire not only to be justified but to be sanctified also But as unto the Guilt of sin and the want of a Righteousness before God from which Justification is their Relief herein I say they have respect unto Christ as set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood In their Design for Sanctification they have respect unto the Kingly and Prophetical Offices of Christ in their especial exercise But as to their freedom from the Guilt of sin and their Acceptance with God or their Justification in his sight that they may be freed from condemnation that they may not come into judgment it is Christ crucified it is Christ lifted up as the brazen Serpent in the Wilderness it is the Blood of Christ it is the Propitiation that he was and the Atonement that he made it is his bearing their sins his being made sin and the curse for them it is his Obedience the End which he put unto sin and the Everlasting Righteousness which he brought in that alone their Faith doth fix upon and acquiesce in If it be otherwise in the Experience of any I acknowledge I am not acquainted with it I do not say that Conviction of sin is the only antecedent Condition of actual Justification But this it is that makes a sinner subjectum capax Justificationis No man therefore is to be considered as a person to be Justified but he who is actually under the power of the Conviction of sin with all the necessary consequents thereof Suppose therefore any sinner in this Condition as it is described by the Apostle Rom. 3. Guilty before God with his mouth stopped as unto any pleas defences or excuses suppose him to seek after a Relief and Deliverance out of this estate that is to be justified according to the Gospel he neither doth nor can wisely take any other course than what he is there directed unto by the same Apostle ver 20 21 22 23 24 25. Therefore by the Deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of sin But now the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Even the Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God 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 Whence I argue That which a Guilty condemned sinner finding no hope nor Relief from the Law of God the sole Rule of all his Obedience doth betake himself unto by Faith that he may be delivered or justified that is the especial Object of Faith as Justifying But this is the Grace of God alone through the Redemption that is in Christ or Christ proposed as a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood Either this is so or the Apostle doth not aright guide the Souls and Consciences of men in that condition wherein he himself doth place them It is the Blood of Christ alone that he directs the Faith unto of all them that would be justified before God Grace Redemption Propitiation all through the Blood of Christ Faith doth peculiarly respect and fix upon This is that if I mistake not which they will confirm by their Experience who have made any distinct observation of the actings of their Faith in their Justification before God 2. The Scripture plainly declares that Faith as Justifying respects the sacerdotal Office and Actings of Christ alone In the great Representation of the Justification of the Church of Old in the Expiatory Sacrifice when all their sins and iniquities were pardoned and their persons accepted with God the acting of their Faith was limited unto the Imposition of all their sins on the head of the Sacrifice by the high Priest Lev. 16. By his knowledge that is Faith in him shall my righteous Servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities Isa. 53.11 That alone which Faith respects in Christ as unto the Justification of sinners is his bearing their iniquities Guilty convinced sinners look unto him by Faith as those who were stung with fiery Serpents did to the Brazen Serpent that is as he was lifted up on the Cross Joh. 3.14 15. So did he himself express the nature and actings of Faith in our Justification Rom. 3.24 25. Being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set
Righteousness of Christ. And this Justification if any will needs call it so is capable of degrees both of encrease in its self and of exercise in its fruits as was newly declared But not only to call this our Justification with a general respect unto the notion of the word as a making of us personally and inherently Righteous but to plead that this is the Justification through Faith in the Blood of Christ declared in the Scripture is to exclude the only true Evangelical Justification from any place in Religion The second Branch of the distinction hath much in it like unto Justification by the Law but nothing of that which is declared in the Gospel So that this Distinction instead of coyning us two Justification according to the Gospel hath left us none at all For 4. There is no countenance given unto this Distinction in the Scripture There is indeed mention therein as we observed before of a double Justification the one by the Law the other according unto the Gospel But that either of these should on any account be sub-distinguished into a first and second of the same kind that is either according unto the Law or the Gospel there is nothing in the Scripture to intimate For this second Justification is no way applicable unto what the Apostle James discourseth on that Subject He treats of Justification but speaks not one word of an encrease of it or addition unto it of a first or second Besides he speaks expresly of him that boasts of Faith which being without works is a dead Faith But he who hath the first Justification by the confession of our Adversaries hath a true living Faith formed and enlivened by Charity And he useth the same Testimony concerning the Justification of Abraham that Paul doth and therefore doth not intend another but the same though in a divers respect Nor doth any Believer learn the least of it in his own experience nor without a design to serve a farther turn would it ever have entered the minds of sober men on the reading of the Scripture And it is the bane of spiritual Truth for men in the pretended Declaration of it to coyn arbitrary distinctions without Scripture ground for them and obtrude them as belonging unto the Doctrine they treat of They serve unto no other end or purpose but only to lead the minds of men from the substance of what they ought to attend unto and to engage all sorts of Persons in endless strifes and contentions If the Authors of this Distinction would but go over the places in the Scripture where mention is made of our Justification before God and make a distribution of them unto the respective parts of their Distinction they would quickly find themselves at an unrelievable loss 5. There is that in the Scripture ascribed unto our first Justification if they will needs call it so as leaves no room for their second feigned Justification For the sole foundation and pretence of this Distinction is a denial of those things to belong unto our Justification by the Blood of Christ which the Scripture expresly assigns unto it Let us take out some instances of what belongs unto the first and we shall quickly see how little it is yea that there is nothing left for the pretended second Justification For 1 Therein do we receive the compleat pardon and forgiveness of our Sins Rom. 4.4 6 7. Ephes. 1.7 Chap. 4.32 Act. 26.18 2 Thereby are we made Righteous Rom. 5.19 Chap. 10.4 And 3 are freed from Condemnation Judgment and Death Joh. 3.16 19. Chap. 5.25 Rom. 8.1 4 Are Reconciled unto God Rom. 5.9 10. 2 Cor. 5.21 22. And 5 have peace with him and access into the favour wherein we stand by Grace with the advantages and consolations that depend thereon in a sense of his Love Rom. 5.1 2 3 4 5. And 6 we have Adoption therewithal and all its priviledges John 1.12 And in particular 7 a Right and Title unto the whole inheritance of Glory Act. 26.18 Rom. 8.17 And 8 hereon eternal life doth follow Rom. 8.30 Chap. 6.23 Which things will be again immediately spoken unto upon another occasion And if there be any thing now left for their second Justification to do as such let them take it as their own these things are all of them ours or do belong unto that one Justification which we do assert Wherefore it is evident that either the First Justification overthrows the Second rendring it needless or the Second destroys the First by taking away what essentially belongs unto it we must therefore part with the one or the other for consistent they are not But that which gives countenance unto the Fiction and Artifice of this Distinction and a great many more is a dislike of the Doctrine of the Grace of God and Justification from thence by Faith in the Blood of Christ which some endeavour hereby to send out of the way upon a pretended sleeveless Errand whilst they dress up their own Righteousness in its Robes and exalt it into the Room and Dignity thereof But there seems to be more of reality and difficulty in what is pleaded concerning the continuation of our Justification For those that are freely justified are continued in that state until they are glorified By Justification they are really changed into a new spiritual state and condition and have a new Relation given them unto God and Christ unto the Law and the Gospel And it is enquired what it is whereon their Continuation in this state doth on their part depend or what is required of them that they may be justified unto the End And this as some say is not Faith alone but also the works of sincere Obedience And none can deny but that they are required of all them that are justified whilst they continue in a state of Justification on this side Glory which next and immediately ensues thereunto But whether upon our Justification at first before God Faith be immediately dismissed from its place and office and its work be given over unto works so as that the continuation of our Justification should depend on our own personal Obedience and not on the renewed Application of Faith unto Christ and his Righteousness is worth our enquiry Only I desire the Reader to observe that which was the necessity of owning a personal Obedience in justified persons is on all hands absolutely agreed the seeming difference that is herein concerns not the substance of the Doctrine of Justification but the manner of expressing our conceptions concerning the order of the Disposition of Gods Grace and our own Duty unto Edification wherein I shall use my own liberty as it is meet others should do theirs And I shall offer my thoughts hereunto in the ensuing observations 1. Justification is such a work as is at once compleated in all the causes and the whole effect of it though not as unto the full possession of all that it gives Right and Title unto For
the Righteousness of Christ is so far imputed unto us that on the account thereof God gives unto us Justifying Grace and thereby the Remission of Sin in their sense whence they allow it the meritorious cause of our Justification But on a supposition thereof or the reception of that Grace we are continued to be justified before God by the works we perform by vertue of that Grace received And though some of them rise so high as to affirm that this Grace and the works of it need no farther respect unto the Righteousness of Christ to deserve our second Justification and life eternal as doth Vasquez expresly in 1.2 q. 114. Disp. 222. cap. 3. Yet many of them affirm that it is still from the consideration of the merit of Christ that they are so meritorious And the same for the substance of it is the Judgment of some of them who affirm the continuation of our Justification to depend on our own works setting aside that ambiguous term of merit For it is on the account of the Righteousness of Christ they say that our own works or imperfect obedience is so accepted with God as that the continuation of our Justification depends thereon But the Apostle gives us another account hereof Rom. 5.1 2 3. For he distinguisheth three things our Access into the Grace of God 2 Our standing in that Grace 3 Our Glorying in that station against all opposition By the first he expresseth our absolute Justification By the second our continuation in the state whereinto we are admitted thereby and by the third the assurance of that continuation notwithstanding all the oppositions we meet withal And all these he ascribeth equally unto Faith without the intermixture of any other cause or condition And other places express to the same purpose might be pleaded 3. The examples of them that did believe and were justified which are recorded in the Scripture do all bear witness unto the same Truth The continuation of the Justification of Abraham before God is declared to have been by Faith only Rom. 4.3 For the instance of his Justification given by the Apostle from Gen. 15.6 was long after he was justified absolutely And if our first Justification and the continuation of it did not depend absolutely on the same cause the instance of the one could not be produced for a proof of the way and means of the other as here they are And David when a justified Believer not only placeth the Blessedness of man in the free Remission of sins in opposition unto his own works in general Rom. 4.6 7. but in his own particular case ascribeth the continuation of his Justification and acceptation before God unto Grace Mercy and forgiveness alone which are no otherwise received but by Faith Psal. 130.3 4 5. Psal. 143.2 All other works and duties of obedience do accompany Faith in the continuation of our justified estate as necessary effects and fruits of it but not as causes means or conditions whereon that effect is suspended It is patient waiting by Faith that brings in the full accomplishment of the Promises Heb. 6.12 16. Wherefore there is but one Justification and that of one kind only wherein we are concerned in this Disputation The Scripture makes mention of no more and that is the Justification of an ungodly person by Faith Nor shall we admit of the consideration of any other For if there be a second Justification it must be of the same kind with the first or of another if it be of the same kind then the same person is often justified with the same kind of Justification or at least more than once and so on just reason ought to be often Baptized If it be not of the same kind then the same person is justified before God with two sorts of Justification of both which the Scripture is utterly silent And the continuation of our Justification depends solely on the same causes with our Justification it self CHAP. VI. Evangelical Personal Righteousness the Nature and Vse of it Final Judgment and its respect unto Justification THe things which we have discoursed concerning the first and second Justification and concerning the continuation of Justification have no other Design but only to clear the principal subject whereof we treat from what doth not necessarily belong unto it For until all things that are either really heterogeneous or otherwise superfluous are separated from it we cannot understand aright the true state of the Question about the nature and causes of our Justification before God For we intend one only Justification namely that whereby God at once freely by his Grace justifieth a convinced sinner through Faith in the Blood of Christ. Whatever else any will be pleased to call Justification we are not concerned in it nor are the Consciences of them that believe To the same purpose we must therefore briefly also consider what is usually disputed about our own personal Righteousness with a Justification thereon as also what is called sentential Justification at the day of Judgment And I shall treat no farther of them in this place but only as it is necessary to free the principal subject under consideration from being intermixed with them as really it is not concerned in them For what Influence our own personal Righteousness hath into our Justification before God will be afterwards particularly examined Here we shall only consider such a notion of it as seems to enterfere with it and disturb the right understanding of it But yet I say concerning this also that it rather belongs unto the Difference that will be among us in the Expression of our conceptions about spiritual things whilst we know but in part than unto the substance of the Doctrine it self And on such differences no breach of Charity can ensue whilst there is a mutual Grant of that liberty of mind without which it will not be preserved one moment It is therefore by some apprehended that there is an Evangelical Justification upon our Evangelical Personal Righteousness This they distinguish from that Justification which is by Faith through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ in the sense wherein they do allow it For the Righteousness of Christ is our Legal Righteousness whereby we have pardon of sin and acquitment from the sentence of the Law on the account of his satisfaction and merit But moreover they say that as there is a Personal inherent Righteousness required of us so there is a Justification by the Gospel thereon For by our Faith and the plea of it we are justified from the charge of Unbelief by our sincerity and the plea of it we are justified from the charge of Hypocrisie and so by all other Graces and Duties from the charge of the contrary sins in Commission or Omission so far as such sins are inconsistent with the Terms of the Covenant of Grace How this differeth from the second Justification before God which some say we have by works on the supposition
is much more an eminent procuring of the New Covenant than what is pretended about the procurement of its Terms and Conditions For if he should have procured no more but this if we owe this only unto his Mediation that God would thereon or did grant and establish this Rule Law and Promise that whoever ever believed should be saved it were possible that no one should be saved thereby yea if he did no more considering our state and condition it was impossible that any one should so be To give the sum of these things it is inquired with respect unto which of these considerations of the new Covenant it is affirmed that it was procured by the Death of Christ. If it be said that it is with respect unto the actual communication of all the Grace and Glory prepared in the Covenant and proposed unto us in the Promises of it it is most true All the Grace and Glory promised in the Covenant was purchased for the Church by Jesus Christ. In this sense by his Death he procured the new Covenant This the whole Scripture from the Beginning of it in the first Promise unto the end of it doth bear witness unto For it is in him alone that God blesseth us with all spiritual Blessings in Heavenly things Let all the good things that are mentioned or promised in the Covenant expresly or by just consequence be summed up and it will be no hard matter to demonstrate concerning them all and that both joyntly and severally that they were all procured for us by the Obedience and Death of Christ. But this is not that which is intended For most of this Opinion do deny that the Grace of the Covenant in Conversion unto God the Remission of sins Sanctification Justification Adoption and the like are the effects or procurements of the Death of Christ. And they do on the other hand declare that it is Gods making of the Covenant which they do intend that is the contrivance of the terms and conditions of it with their proposal unto mankind for their Recovery But herein there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For 1. The Lord Christ himself and the whole work of his Mediation as the Ordinance of God for the Recovery and Salvation of lost Sinners is the first and principal promise of the Covenant So his Exhibition in the flesh his work of Mediation therein with our deliverance thereby was the subject of that first Promise which virtually contained this whole Covenant So he was of the Renovation of it unto Abraham when it was solemnly confirmed by the Oath of God Gal. 3.16 17. And Christ did not by his Death procure the promise of his Death nor of his Exhibition in the flesh or his coming into the World that he might dye 2. The making of this Covenant is every where in the Scripture ascribed as is also the sending of Christ himself to dye unto the Love Grace and Wisdom of God alone no where unto the Death of Christ as the actual Communication of all Grace and Glory are Let all the places be considered where either the giving of the Promise the sending of Christ or the making of the Covenant are mentioned either expresly or virtually and in none of them are they assigned unto any other cause but the Grace Love and Wisdom of God alone all to be made effectual unto us by the Mediation of Christ. 3. The assignation of the sole end of the Death of Christ to be the procurement of the new Covenant in the sense contended for doth indeed evacuate all the vertue of the Death of Christ and of the Covenant it self For 1 the Covenant which they intend is nothing but the Constitution and proposal of new Terms and Conditions for life and salvation unto all men Now whereas the acceptance and accomplishment of these conditions depend upon the Wills of men no way determined by effectual Grace it was possible that notwithstanding all Christ did by his Death yet no one Sinner might be saved thereby but that the whole end and design of God therein might be frustrate 2 Whereas the substantial advantage of these conditions lieth herein that God will now for the sake of Christ accept of an Obedience inferior unto that required in the Law and so as that the Grace of Christ doth not raise up all things unto a Conformity and compliance with the Holiness and Will of God declared therein but accommodate all things unto our present condition nothing can be invented more dishonourable to Christ and the Gospel For what doth it else but make Christ the Minister of sin in disanulling the Holiness that the Law requires or the Obligation of the Law unto it without any provision of what might answer or come into the Room of it but that which is incomparably less worthy Nor is it consistent with Divine Wisdom Goodness and Immutability to appoint unto mankind a Law of Obedience and cast them all under the severest penalty upon the Transgression of it when he could in Justice and Honour have given them such a Law of Obedience whose observance might consist with many failings and sins For if he have done that now he could have done so before which how far it reflects on the Glory of the Divine Properties might be easily manifested Neither doth this fond Imagination comply with those Testimonies of Scripture that the Lord Christ came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it that he is the end of the Law and that by Faith the Law is not disanulled but established Lastly the Lord Christ was the Mediator and Surety of the new Covenant in and by whom it was ratified confirmed and established and therefore by him the Constitution of it was not procured For all the Acts of his Office belong unto that Mediation And it cannot be well apprehended how any Act of Mediation for the Establishment of the Covenant and rendring it effectual should procure it But to return from this Digression That wherein all the precedent causes of the Vnion between Christ and Believers whence they become one mystical person do center and whereby they are rendred a compleat foundation of the Imputation of their sins unto him and of his Righteousness unto them is the Communication of his Spirit the same Spirit that dwelleth in him unto them to abide in to animate and guide the whole mystical Body and all its Members But this hath of late been so much spoken unto as that I shall do no more but mention it On the considerations insisted on whereby the Lord Christ became one mystical Person with the Church or bare the Person of the Church in what he did as Mediator in the Holy Wise disposal of God as the Authour of the Law the supreme Rector or Governour of all mankind as unto their Temporal and Eternal concernments and by his own consent the sins of all the Elect were imputed unto him This having been the Faith and Language of the Church
not able to preserve its station in the minds of men the Popish Doctrine of Justification must and will return upon the world with all the concomitants and consequences of it Whilst any knowledge of the Law or Gospel is continued amongst us the Consciences of men will at one time or other living or dying be really affected with a sense of sin as unto its guilt and danger Hence that Trouble and those Disquietments of mind will ensue as will force men be they never so unwilling to seek after some Relief and Satisfaction And what will not men attempt who are reduced to the condition expressed Micah 6.7 8. Wherefore in this case if the true and only relief of distressed Consciences of sinners who are weary and heavy laden be hid from their eyes if they have no apprehension of nor trust in that which alone they may oppose unto the sentence of the Law and interpose betweens Gods Justice and their Souls wherein they may take shelter from the storms of that wrath which abideth on them that believe not they will betake themselves unto any thing which confidently tenders them present ease and relief Hence many persons living all their days in an ignorance of the Righteousness of God are oftentimes on their sick Beds and in their dying hours proselyted unto a confidence in the ways of Rest and Peace which the Romanists impose upon them For such seasons of advantage do they wait for unto the Reputation as they suppose of their own Zeal in truth unto the scandal of Christian Religion But finding at any time the Consciences of men under disquietments and ignorant of or disbelieving that Heavenly relief which is provided in the Gospel they are ready with their Applications and Medicines having on them pretended Approbations of the experience of many Ages and an innumerable company of devout Souls in them Such is their Doctrine of Justification with the Addition of those other Ingredients of Confession Absolution Penances or Commutations Aids from Saints and Angels especially the blessed Virgin all warmed by the Fire of Purgatory and confidently Administred unto Persons sick of Ignorance Darkness and Sin And let none please themselves in the Contempt of these things If the truth concerning Evangelical Justification be once disbelieved among us or obliterated by any Artifices out of the minds of men unto these things at one time or other they must and will betake themselves For the new Schemes and Projections of Justification which some at present would supply us withal they are now way suited nor able to give Relief or Satisfaction unto a Conscience really troubled for Sin and seriously enquiring how it may have Rest and Peace with God I shall take the boldness therefore to say whoever be offended at it that if we lose the antient Doctrine of Justification through Faith in the Blood of Christ and the Imputation of his Righteousness unto us publick profession or Religion will quickly issue in Popery or Atheism or at least in what is the next door unto it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The second principal Controversie is about the formal cause of Justification as it is expressed and stated by those of the Roman Church And under these terms some Protestant Divines have consented to debate the matter in difference I shall not interpose into a strife of words So the Romanists will call that which we enquire after Some of ours say the Righteousness of Christ imputed some the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ is the formal cause of our Justification some that there is no formal cause of Justification but this is that which supplies the place and use of a formal cause which is the Righteousness of Christ. In none of these things will I concern my self though I judge what was mentioned in the last place to be most proper and significant The substance of the enquiry wherein alone we are concerned is what is that Righteousness whereby and wherewith a Believing sinner is justified before God or whereon he is accepted with God hath his sins pardoned is received into Grace and Favour and hath a Title given him unto the Heavenly Inheritance I shall no otherwise propose this enquiry as knowing that it contains the substance of what convinced sinners do look after in and by the Gospel And herein it is agreed by all the Socinians only excepted that the Procatarctical or procuring cause of the pardon of our sins and acceptance with God is the satisfaction and merit of Christ. Howbeit it cannot be denied but that some retaining the names of them do seem to renounce or disbelieve the things themselves But we need not to take any notice thereof until they are free more plainly to express their minds But as concerning the Righteousness it self enquired after there seems to be a difference among them who yet all deny it to be the Righteousness of Christ imputed unto us For those of the Roman Church plainly say that upon the infusion of an habit of Grace with the expulsion of sin and the Renovation of our natures thereby which they call the first Justification we are actually justified before God by our own works of Righteousness Hereon they dispute about the merit and satisfactoriness of those works with their condignity of the Reward of eternal life Others as the Socinians openly disclaim all merit in our works only some out of Reverence as I suppose unto the Antiquity of the word and under the shelter of the Ambiguity of its signification have faintly attempted an accommodation with it But in the substance of what they assent unto this purpose to the best of my understanding they are all agreed For what the Papists call Justitia Operum the Righteousness of works they call a personal inherent Evangelical Righteousness whereof we have spoken before And whereas the Papists say that this Righteousness of Works is not absolutely perfect nor in it self able to justifie us in the sight of God but owes all its worth and dignity unto this purpose unto the merit of Christ they affirm that this Evangelical Righteousness is the condition whereon we enjoy the Benefits of the Righteousness of Christ in the pardon of our sins and the acceptance of our Persons before God But as unto those who will acknowledge no other Righteousness wherewith we are justified before God the meaning is the same whether we say that on the Condition of this Righteousness we are made partakers of the Benefits of the Righteousness of Christ or that it is the Righteousness of Christ which makes this Righteousness of ours accepted with God But these things must afterwards more particularly be enquired into 3. The third Enquiry wherein there is not an Agreement in this matter is upon a supposition of a necessity that he who is to be justified should one way or other be interessed in the Righteousness of Christ what it is that on our part is required thereunto This some say to be Faith
condition ever did yield in our own persons that perfect sinless Obedience unto God which is required of us in the Law of Creation two things are supposed that our Obedience such as it is may be accepted with God as if it were sinless and perfect For although some will not allow that the Righteousness of Christ is imputed unto us for what it is yet they contend that our own Righteousness is imputed unto us for what it is not Of these things the one respecteth the Law the other our Obedience 14. That which respecteth the Law is not the Abrogation of it For although this would seem the most expedite way for the Reconciliation of this Difficulty namely that the Law of Creation is utterly abrogated by the Gospel both as unto its Obligation unto Obedience and Punishment and no Law to be continued in force but that which requires only sincere Obedience of us whereof there is as unto Duties the manner of their performance not any absolute Rule or Measure yet this is not by many pretended They say not that this Law is so abrogated as that it should not have the power and efficacy of a Law towards us Nor is it possible it should be so nor can any pretence be given how it should so be It is true it was broken by man is so by us all and that with respect unto its principal End of our Subjection unto God and dependance upon him according to the Rule of it But it is foolish to think that the fault of those unto whom a Righteous Law is rightly given should abrogate or disannul the Law it self A Law that is good and just may cease and expire as unto any power of Obligation upon the ceasing or expiration of the Relation which it did respect So the Apostle tells us that when the Husband of a Woman is dead she is free from the Law of her Husband Rom. 7.2 But the Relation between God and us which was constituted in our first Creation can never cease But a Law cannot be abrogated without a new Law given and made by the same or an equal power that made it either expresly revoking it or enjoyning things inconsistent with it and contradictory unto its observation In the latter way the Law of Mosaical Institutions was abrogated and disannulled There was not any positive Law made for the taking of it away but the Constitution and Introduction of a new way of Worship by the Gospel inconsistent with it and contrary unto it deprived it of all its obligatory power and efficacy But neither of these ways hath God taken away the obligation of the Original Law of Obedience either as unto Duties or Recompences of Reward Neither is there any direct Law made for its Abrogation nor hath he given any new Law of moral Obedience either inconsistent with or contrary unto it Yea in the Gospel it is declared to be established and fulfilled It is true as was observed before that this Law was made the Instrument of a Covenant between God and Man and so there is another Reason of it For God hath actually introduced another Covenant inconsistent with it and contrary unto it But yet neither doth this instantly and ipso facto free all men unto the Law in the way of a Covenant For unto the Obligation of a Law there is no more required but that the matter of it be Just and Righteous that it be given or made by him who hath just Authority so to give or make it and be sufficiently declared unto them who are to be obliged by it Hence the making and promulgation of a new Law doth ipso facto abrogate any former Law that is contrary unto it and frees all men from Obedience unto it who were before obliged by it But in a Covenant it is not so For a Covenant doth not operate by meer Soveraign Authority it becomes not a Covenant without the consent of them with whom it is made Wherefore no Benefit accrues unto any or freedom from the Old Covenant by the constitution of the new unless he hath actually complied with it hath chosen it and is interested in it thereby The first Covenant made with Adam we did in him consent unto and accept of And therein notwithstanding our sin do we and must we abide that is under the Obligation of it unto Duty and Punishment until by Faith we are made partakers of the new It cannot therefore be said that we are not concerned in the fulfilling of the Righteousness of this Law because it is abrogated 15. Nor can it be said that the Law hath received a new Interpretation whereby it is declared that it doth not oblige nor shall be construed for the future to oblige any unto sinless and perfect Obedience but may be complied with on far easier terms For the Law being given unto us when we were sinless and on purpose to continue and preserve us in that condition it is absurd to say that it did not oblige us unto sinless Obedience and not an Interpretation but a plain Depravation of its sense and meaning Nor is any such thing once intimated in the Gospel Yea the Discourses of our Saviour upon the Law are absolutely destructive of any such Imagination For whereas the Scribes and Pharisees had attempted by their false Glosses and Interpretations to accommodate the Law unto the Inclinations and Lusts of men a course since pursued both notionally and practically as all who design to burden the Consciences of men with their own commands do endeavour constantly to recompence them by an Indulgence with respect unto the commands of God He on the contrary rejects all such pretended Epikeia's and Interpretations restoring the Law unto its pristine Crown as the Jews Tradition is that the Messiah shall do 16. Nor can a Relaxation of the Law be pretended if there be any such thing in Rule For if there be it respects the whole being of the Law and consists either in the suspension of its whole Obligation at least for a season or the substitution of another person to answer its demands who was not in the original Obligation in the room of them that were For so some say that the Lord Christ was made under the Law for us by an Act of Relaxation of the original Obligation of the Law how properly ipsi viderint But here in no sense it can have place 17. The Act of God towards the Law in this case intended is a Derogation from its obliging power as unto Obedience For whereas it did originally oblige unto perfect sinless Obedience in all Duties both as unto their substance and the manner of their performance it shall be allowed to oblige us still unto Obedience but not unto that which is absolutely the same especially not as unto the compleatness and perfection of it For if it do so either it is fulfilled in the Righteousness of Christ for us or no man living can ever be justified in the sight
became him to fulfil all Righteousness Whereas therefore he was neither made Man nor of the Posterity of Abraham for himself but for the Church namely to become thereby the Surety of the Covenant and Representative of the whole his obedience as a Man unto the Law in general and as a Son of Abraham unto the Law of Moses was for us and not for himself so designed so performed and without a respect unto the Church was of no use unto himself He was born to us and given to us lived for us and died for us obeyed for us and suffered for us that by the obedience of one many might be made Righteous This was the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and this is the Faith of the Catholick Church And what he did for us is imputed unto us This is included in the very notion of his doing it for us which cannot be spoken in any sense unless that which he so did be imputed unto us And I think Men ought to be wary that they do not by distinctions and studied evasions for the defence of their own private opinions shake the Foundations of Christian Religion And I am sure it will be easier for them as it is in the Proverb To wrest the Club out of the hand of Hercules then to dispossess the minds of true Believers of this perswasion That what the Lord Christ did in Obedience unto God according unto the Law he designed in his Love and Grace to do it for them He needed no Obedience for himself he came not into a capacity of yielding Obedience for himself but for us and therefore for us it was that he fulfilled the Law in Obedience unto God according unto the terms of it The Obligation that was on him unto Obedience was originally no less for us no less needful unto us no more for himself no more necessary unto him then the obligation that was on him as the Surety of the Covenant to suffer the penalty of the Law was either the one or the other 3. Setting aside the consideration of the Grace and Love of Christ and the compact between the Father and the Son as unto his undertaking for us which undeniably proves all that he did in the pursuit of them to be done for us and not for himself I say setting aside the consideration of these things and the Humane Nature of Christ by virtue of its union with the Person of the Son of God had a right unto and might have immediately been admitted into the highest Glory whereof it was capable without any antecedent Obedience unto the Law And this is apparent from hence In that from the first instant of that Vnion the whole Person of Christ with our Nature existing therein was the object of all Divine worship from Angels and Men wherein consists the highest Exaltation of that Nature It is true there was a peculiar Glory that he was actually to be made Partaker of with respect unto his antecedent Obedience and Suffering Phil. 2.8 9. The Actual Possession of this Glory was in the Ordination of God to be consequential unto his obeying and suffering not for himself but for us But as unto the right and capacity of the Humane Nature in it self all the Glory whereof it was capable was due unto it from the instant of its union For it was therein exalted above the condition that any Creature is capable of by meer Creation And it is but a Socinian fiction that the first Foundation of the Divine Glory of Christ was laid in his Obedience which was only the way of his Actual Possession of that part of his Glory which consists in his Mediatory Power and Authority over all The Real Foundation of the whole was laid in the Vnion of his Person whence he prays that the Father would glorifie him as unto manifestation with that Glory which he had with him before the World was I will grant that the Lord Christ was Viator whilest he was in this World and not absolutely Possessor yet I say withal he was so not that any such condition was necessary unto him for himself but he took it upon him by especial Dispensation for us And therefore the Obedience he performed in that condition was for us and not for himself 4. It is granted therefore that the Humane Nature of Christ was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle affirms That which was made of a Woman was made under the Law Hereby Obedience became necessary unto him as he was and whilest he was Viator But this being by especial Dispensation intimated in the expression of it He was made under the Law namely as he was made of a Woman by especial Dispensation and Condescension expressed Phil. 2.6 7 8. The Obedience he yielded thereon was for us and not for himself And this is evident from hence For he was so made under the Law as that not only he owed Obedience unto the Precepts of it but he was made obnoxious unto its Curse But I suppose it will not be said that he was so for himself and therefore not for us We owed Obedience unto the Law and were obnoxious unto the Curse of it or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obedience was required of us and was as necessary unto us if we would enter into life as the answering of the Curse for us was if we would escape Death eternal Christ as our Surety is made under the Law for us whereby he becomes liable and obliged unto the Obedience which the Law required and unto the penalty that it threatned Who shall now dare to say that he underwent the Penalty of the Law for us indeed but he yielded Obedience unto it for himself only The whole Harmony of the Work of his Mediation would be disordered by such a supposition Judah the Son of Jacob undertook to be a Bondman instead of Benjamine his Brother that he might go free Gen. 44.33 There is no doubt but Joseph might have accepted of the stipulation Had he done so the service and bondage he undertook had been necessary unto Judah and righteous for him to bear howbeit he had undergone it and performed his duty in it not for himself but for his Brother Benjamine and unto Benjamine it would have been imputed in his liberty So when the Apostle Paul wrote those words unto Philemon concerning Onesimus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers. 18. If he hath wronged thee dealt unrighteously or injuriously with thee or oweth thee ought wherein thou hast suffered loss by him put it on my account or impute it all unto me I will repay it or answer for it all He supposeth that Philemon might have a double action against Onesimus the one injuriarum and the other damni or debiti of wrong and injury and of loss or debt which are distinct actions in the Law If he hath wronged thee or oweth the ought Hereon he proposeth himself and obligeth himself by his express Obligation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 I Paul have written it with my own hand that he would answer for both and pay back a valuable consideration if required Hereby was he obliged in his own person to make satisfaction unto Philemon but yet he was to do it for Onesimus and not for himself Whatever Obedience therefore was due from the Lord Christ as to his Humane Nature whilest in the form of a servant either as a Man or as an Israelite seeing he was so not necessarily by the necessity of nature for himself but by voluntary condescension and stipulation for us for us it was and not for himself 5. The Lord Christ in his Obedience was not a private but a publick person He obeyed as he was the Surety of the Covenant as the Mediator between God and Man This I suppose will not be denied He can by no imagination be considered out of that capacity But what a publick person doth as a publick person that is as a Representative of others and an undertaker for them whatever may be his own concernment therein he doth it not for himself but for others And if others were not concerned therein if it were not for them what he doth would be of no use or signification Yea it implies a contradiction that any one should do any thing as a publick person and do it for himself only He who is a publick person may do that wherein he alone is concerned but he cannot do so as he is a publick person Wherefore as Socinus and those that follow him would have Christ to have offered for himself which is to make him a Mediator for himself his offering being a Mediatory act which is both foolish and impious so to affirm his Mediatory Obedience his Obedience as a publick person to have been for himself and not for others hath but little less of impiety in it 6. It is granted That the Lord Christ having an Humane Nature which was a Creature it was impossible but that it should be subject unto the Law of Creation For there is a Relation that doth necessarily arise from and depend upon the Beings of a Creator and a Creature Every rational Creature is eternally obliged from the Nature of God and its Relation thereunto to love him obey him depend upon him submit unto him and to make him its End Blessedness and Reward But the Law of Creation thus considered doth not respect the World and this life only but the future state of Heaven and Eternity also And this Law the Humane Nature of Christ is subject unto in Heaven and Glory and cannot but be so whilest it is a Creature and not God that is whilest it hath its own Being Nor do any Men fancy such a transfusion of divine properties into the Humane Nature of Christ as that it should be self-subsisting and in it self absolutely immense for this would openly destroy it Yet none will say that he is now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under the Law in the sense intended by the Apostle But the Law in the sense described the Humane Nature of Christ was subject unto on its own account whilest he was in this World And this is sufficient to answer the Objection of Socinus mentioned at the entrance of this Discourse namely That if the Lord Christ were not obliged unto Obedience for himself then might he if he would neglect the whole Law or infringe it For besides that it is a foolish imagination concerning that holy thing which was hypostatically united unto the Son of God and thereby rendered incapable of any deviation from the Divine Will the eternal indispensible Law of Love Adherence and Dependance on God under which the Humane Nature of Christ was and is as a Creature gives sufficient security against such Suppositions But there is another consideration of the Law of God namely as it is imposed on Creatures by especial dispensation for some time and for some certain end with some Considerations Rules and Orders that belong not essentially unto the Law as before described This is the nature of the Written Law of God which the Lord Christ was made under not necessarily as a Creature but by especial dispensation For the Law under this consideration is presented unto us as such not absolutely and eternally but whilest we are in this World and that with this especial end that by Obedience thereunto we may obtain the reward of Eternal Life And it is evident that the Obligation of the Law under this consideration ceaseth when we come to the injoyment of that Reward It obligeth us no more formally by its command Do this and live when the life promised is injoyed In this sense the Lord Christ was not made subject unto the Law for himself nor did yield obedience unto it for himself For he was not obliged unto it by virtue of his created condition Upon the first instant of the Vnion of his natures being holy harmless undefiled and separate from sinners he might notwithstanding the Law that he was made subject unto have been stated in Glory For he that was the object of all Divine Worship needed not any new Obedience to procure for him a state of Blessedness And had he naturally meerly by virtue of his being a Creature been subject unto the Law in this sense he must have been so eternally which he is not For those things which depend solely on the Natures of God and the Creature are eternal and immutable Wherefore as the Law in this sense was given unto us not absolutely but with respect unto a future state and reward so the Lord Christ did voluntarily subject himself unto it for us and his Obedience thereunto was for us and not for himself These things added unto what I have formerly written on this subject whereunto nothing hath been opposed but a few impertinent cavils are sufficient to discharge the first part of that charge laid down before concerning the impossibility of the Imputation of the Obedience of Christ unto us which indeed is equal unto the Impossibility of the Imputation of the Disobedience of Adam unto us whereby the Apostle tells us That we were all made sinners The second part of the Objection or Charge against the Imputation of the Obedience of Christ unto us is That it is useless unto the persons that are to be justified For whereas they have in their Justification the pardon of all their sins they are thereby righteous and have a right or title unto Life and Blessedness For he who is so pardoned as not to be esteemed guilty of any sin of omission or commission wants nothing that is requisite thereunto For he is supposed to have done all that he ought and to have omitted nothing required of him in a way of duty Hereby he becomes not unrighteous and to be not unrighteous is the same as to be righteous As he that is not dead is alive Neither is there nor can there be any middle state between Death and life Wherefore
those who have all their sins forgiven have the Blessedness of Justification and there is neither need nor use of any farther Imputation of Righteousness unto them And sundry other things of the same nature are urged unto the same purpose which will be all of them either obviated in the insuing discourse or answered elswhere Answ. This cause is of more importance and more evidently stated in the Scriptures than to be turned into such niceties which have more of Philosophical subtilty than Theological solidity in them This exception therefore might be dismissed without farther answer than what is given us in the known rule That a truth well established and confirmed is not to be questioned much less relinquished on every intangling sophism though it should appear insoluble But as we shall see there is no such difficulty in these arguings but what may easily be discussed And because the matter of the Plea contained in them is made use of by sundry learned Persons who yet agree with us in the substance of the Doctrine of Justification namely that it is by Faith alone without Works through the Imputation of the Merit and Satisfaction of Christ. I shall as briefly as I can discover the mistakes that it proceeds upon 1. It includes a supposition That he who is pardoned his sins of omission and commission is esteemed to have done all that is required of him and to have committed nothing that is forbidden For without this supposition the bare pardon of sin will neither make constitute nor denominate any Man righteous But this is far otherwise nor is any such thing included in the nature of Pardon For in the Pardon of sin neither God nor Man do judge That he who hath sinned hath not sinned which must be done if he who is pardoned be esteemed to have done all that he ought and to have done nothing that he ought not to do If a Man be brought on his tryal for any evil fact and being legally convicted thereof is discharged by Soveraign Pardon it is true that in the eye of the Law he is looked upon as an innocent man as unto the punishment that was due unto him but no Man thinks that he is made righteous thereby or is esteemed not to have done that which really he hath done and whereof he was convicted Joab and Abiathar the Priest were at the same time guilty of the same crime Solomon gives order that Joab be put to death for his crime but unto Abiathar he gives a Pardon Did he thereby make declare or constitute him righteous Himself expresseth the contrary affirming him to be unrighteous and guilty only he remitted the punishment of his fault 1 King 2.26 Wherefore the Pardon of sin dischargeth the guilty person from being liable or obnoxious unto Anger Wrath or Punishment due unto his sin but it doth not suppose nor infer in the least that he is thereby or ought thereon to be esteemed or adjudged to have done no evil and to have fulfilled all righteousness Some say Pardon gives a righteousness of Innocency but not of Obedience But it cannot give a Righteousness of Innocency absolutely such as Adam had For he had actually done no evil It only removeth guilt which is the respect of sin unto punishment insuing on the Sanction of the Law And this Supposition which is an evident mistake animates this whole Objection The like may be said of what is in like manner supposed namely That not to be unrighteous which a man is on the pardon of sin is the same with being righteous For if not to be unrighteous be taken privatively it is the same with being just or righteous For it supposeth that he who is so hath done all the duty that is required of him that he may be righteous But not to be unrighteous negatively as the expression is here used it doth not do so For at best it supposeth no more but that a Man as yet hath done nothing actually against the Rule of Righteousness Now this may be when yet he hath performed none of the duties that are required of him to constitute him righteous because the times and occasions of them are not yet And so it was with Adam in the state of Innocency which is the height of what can be attained by the compleat pardon of sin 2. It proceeds on this Supposition That the Law in case of sin doth not oblige unto punishment and obedience both so as that it is not satisfied fulfilled or complied withal unless it be answered with respect unto both For if it doth so then the pardon of sin which only frees us from the penalty of the Law doth yet leave it necessary that Obedience be performed unto it even all that it doth require But this in my judgment is an evident mistake and that such as doth not establish the Law but make it void And this I shall demonstrate 1. The Law hath two parts or powers 1. It s preceptive part commanding and requiring obedience with a promise of life annexed Do this and live 2. The sanction on supposition of disobedience binding the sinner unto punishment or a meet recompence of reward In the day thou sinnest thou shalt die And every Law properly so called proceeds on these suppositions of obedience or disobedience whence its commanding and punishing Power are inseparate from its Nature 2. This Law whereof we speak was first given unto Man in innocency and therefore the first power of it was only in act It obliged only unto Obedience For an innocent person could not be obnoxious unto its sanction which contained only an obligation unto punishment on supposition of disobedience It could not therefore oblige our first Parents unto Obedience and Punishment both seeing its Obligation unto Punishment could not be in actual force but on supposition of actual disobedience A Moral Cause of and Motive unto Obedience it was and had an influence into the preservation of Man from sin Unto that end it was said unto him In the day thou eatest thou shalt surely die The neglect hereof and of that ruling influence which it ought to have had on the minds of our first Parents opened the door unto the entrance of sin But it implies a contradiction that an innocent person should be under an actual obligation unto punishment from the sanction of the Law It bound only unto Obedience as all Laws with Penalties do before their transgression But 3. On the committing of sin and it is so with every one that is guilty of sin Man came under an actual obligation unto punishment This is no more questionable than whether at first he was under an Obligation unto Obedience But then the Question is whether the first Intention and Obligation of the Law unto Obedience doth cease to affect the sinner or continue so as at the same time to oblige him unto Obedience and Punishment both its Powers being in act towards him And hereunto I say 1. Had the
acquit the sinner upon his tryal But pardon on a juridical tryal on what consideration soever it be granted gives no right nor title unto any favor benefit or priviledge but only meer deliverance It is one thing to be acquitted before the Throne of a King of Crimes laid unto the charge of any Man which may be done by clemency or on other considerations another to be made his Son by Adoption and Heir unto his Kingdom And these things are represented unto us in the Scripture as distinct and depending on distinct causes So are they in the Vision concerning Joshua the High Priest Zech. 3.4 5 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him saying Take away the filthy garments from him And unto him he said Behold I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee and I will cloath thee with change of rayment And I said Let them set a fair Miter upon his Head so they set a fair Miter on his Head and cloathed him with garments It hath been generally granted That we have here a Representation of the Justification of a sinner before God And the taking away of filthy garments is expounded by the passing away of iniquity When a Mans filthy garments are taken away he is no more defiled with them but he is not thereby cloathed This is an additional grace and favor thereunto namely to be cloathed with change of garments And what this rayment is is declared Isa. 61.10 He hath cloathed me with the garments of Salvation he hath covered me with the robe of Righteousness which the Apostle alludes unto Phil. 3.9 Wherefore these things are distinct namely the taking away of the filthy garments and the cloathing of us with change of rayment or the pardon of sin and the robe of Righteousness by the one are we freed from Condemnation by the other have we right unto Salvation And the same is in like manner represented Ezek. 16.6 7 8 9 10 11 12. This place I had formerly urged to this purpose about Communion with God p. 187. which Mr. Hotch in his usual manner attempts to answer And to omit his reviling expressions with the crude unproved assertion of his own conceits his answer is That by the change of rayment mentioned in the Prophet our own personal righteousness is intended For he acknowledgeth that our Justification before God is here represented And so also he expounds the place produced in the confirmation of the Exposition given Isai. 61.10 where this change of rayment is called The garments of Salvation and the robe of Righteousness and thereon affirms That our Righteousness it self before God is our Personal Righteousness p. 203. That is in our Justification before him which is the only thing in question To all which Presumptions I shall oppose only the testimony of the same Prophet which he may consider at his leisure and which at one time or other he will subscribe unto Chap. 64.6 We are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousnesses are as filthy rags He who can make garments of Salvation and robes of Righteousness of these filthy rags hath a skill in composing Spiritual Vestments that I am not acquainted withal What remains in the Chapter wherein this Answer is given unto that testimony of the Scripture I shall take no notice of it being after his accustomed manner only a perverse wresting of my words unto such a sense as may seem to countenance him in casting a reproach upon my self and others There is therefore no force in the comparing of these things unto life and death natural which are immediately opposed So that he who is not dead is alive and he who is alive is not dead there being no distinct state between that of life and death For these things being of different natures the comparison between them is no way argumentative Though it may be so in things natural it is otherwise in things Moral and Political where a proper Representation of Justification may be taken as it is forensick If it were so that there is no difference between being acquitted of a crime at the Bar of a Judge and a Right unto a Kingdom nor different state between these things it would prove that there is no intermediate estate between being pardoned and having a Right unto the Heavenly Inheritance But this is a fond imagination It is true That Right unto Eternal Life doth succeed unto freedom from the guilt of Eternal Death That they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified But it doth not so do out of a necessity in the nature of the things themselves but only in the free constitution of God Believers have the pardon of sin and an immediate Right and Title unto the favor of God the Adoption of Sons and Eternal Life But there is another state in the nature of the things themselves and this might have been so actually had it so seemed good unto God For who sees not that there is a Status or Conditio Personae wherein he is neither under the guilt of Condemnation nor hath an immediate Right and Title unto Glory in the way of Inheritance God might have pardoned Men all their sins past and placed them in a state and condition of seeking Righteousness for the future by the Works of the Law that so they might have lived For this would answer the original state of Adam But God hath not done so true but whereas he might have done so it is evident that the disposal of Men into this state and condition of Right unto Life and Salvation doth not depend on nor proceed from the pardon of sin but hath another cause which is the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto us as he fulfilled the Law for us And in truth this is the opinion of the most of our Adversaries in this cause For they do contend that over and above the remission of sin which some of them say is absolute without any respect unto the merit or satisfaction of Christ others refer it unto them they all contend that there is moreover a Righteousness of Works required unto our Justification only they say this is our own incomplete imperfect Righteousness imputed unto us as if it were perfect that is for what it is not and not the Righteousness of Christ imputed unto us for what it is From what hath been discoursed it is evident that unto our Justification before God is required Not only that we be freed from the damnatory sentence of the Law which we are by the pardon of sin but moreover that the Righteousness of the Law be fulfilled in us or that we have a Righteousness answering the Obedience that the Law requires whereon our acceptance with God through the riches of his Grace and our Title unto the heavenly Inheritance do depend This we have not in and of our selves nor can attain unto as hath been proved Wherefore the perfect Obedience and
was neither Promises nor Threatning of eternal things of any thing beyond this present life we are still in our Sins under the Curse of the Moral Law notwithstanding all that he hath done for us It is excepted with no colour of sobriety that he was made under the Law only as to the Curse of it But it is plain in the Text that Christ was made under the Law as we are under it He was made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law And if he was not made so as we are there is no consequence from his being made under it unto our Redemption from it But we were so under the Law as not only to be obnoxious unto the Curse but so as to be oblieged unto all the Obedience that it required as hath been proved And if the Lord Christ hath redeemed us only from the Curse of it by undergoing it leaving us in our selves to answer its Obligation unto Obedience we are not freed nor delivered And the Expression of under the Law doth in the first place and properly signifie being under the obligation of it unto Obedience and consequentially only with a respect unto the Curse Gal. 4.21 Tell me ye that desire to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under the Law They did not desire to be under the Curse of the Law but only its Obligation unto Obedience which in all usage of Speech is the first proper sense of that Expression Wherefore the Lord Christ being made under the Law for us he yielded perfect Obedience unto it for us which is therefore imputed unto us For that what he did was done for us depends solely on Imputation 2. As he was thus made under the Law so he did actually fulfil it by his Obedience unto it So he testifieth concerning himself Think not that I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil Mat. 5.17 These Words of our Lord Jesus Christ as recorded by the Evangelist the Jews continually object against the Christians as contradictory to what they pretend to be done by him namely that he hath destroyed and taken away the Law And Maimonides in his Treatise De fundamentis Legis hath many blasphemous Reflections on the Lord Christ as a false Prophet in this matter But the Reconciliation is plain and easie There was a twofold Law given unto the Church The Moral and the Ceremonial Law The first as we have proved is of an eternal Obligation The other was given only for a Time That the latter of these was to be taken away and abolished the Apostle proves with invincible Testimonies out of the Old Testament against the obstinate Jews in his Epistle unto the Hebrews Yet was it not to be taken away without its Accomplishment when it ceased of it self Wherefore our Lord Christ did no otherwise dissolve or destroy that Law but by the Accomplishment of it and so he did put an end unto it as is fully declared Ephes. 2.14 15 16. But the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which obligeth all men unto Obedience unto God always he came not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to destroy that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to abolish it as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ascribed unto the Mosaical Law Heb. 9. In the same sense is the Word used Matth. 24.2 Chap. 26.6 Chap. 27.40 Mark 13.2 Chap. 14.58 Chap. 15. 29. Luk. 21.6 Acts 5.38 39. Chap. 6.14 Rom. 14.20 2 Cor. 5.1 Gal. 2.18 mostly with an Accusative Case of the things spoken of or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle denys to be done by Christ and Faith in him Rom. 3.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do we then make void the Law through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to confirm its Obligation unto Obedience which is done by Faith only with respect unto the Moral Law the other being evacuated as unto any Power of obliging unto Obedience This therefore is the Law which our Lord Christ affirms that he came not to destroy so he expresly declares in his ensuing discourse shewing both its Power of obliging us always unto Obedience and giving an Exposition of it This Law the Lord Christ came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in other Writers that is to yield full perfect Obedience unto the Commands of the Law whereby they are absolutely fulfilled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to make the Law perfect for it was always 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perfect Law Jam. 1.25 but to yield perfect Obedience unto it the same that our Saviour calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 3.15 to fulfil all Righteousness that is by Obedience unto all Gods Commands and Institutions as is evident in the Place So the Apostle useth the same Expression Rom. 13.8 he that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law It is a vain exception that Christ fulfilled the Law by his Doctrine in the Exposition of it The Opposition between the Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fulfill and to destroy will admit of no such sense And our Saviour himself expounds this fulfilling of the Law by doing the Commands of it v. 19. Wherefore the Lord Christ as our Mediator and Surety fulfilling the Law by yielding perfect Obedience thereunto he did it for us and to us it is imputed This is plainly affirmed by the Apostle Rom. 5.18 19. Therefore as by the Offence of one Judgment came upon all men to Condemnation even so by the Righteousness of one the free Gift came upon all men unto Justification of life For as by the disobedience of One many were made Sinners so by the Obedience of One shall many be made Righteous The full plea from and Vindication of this Testimony I refer unto its proper place in the Testimonies given unto the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto our Justification in general Here I shall only observe that the Apostle expresly and in terms affirms that by the Obedience of Christ we are made Righteous or Justified which we cannot be but by the Imputation of it unto us I have met with nothing that had the appearance of any sobriety for the eluding of this express Testimony but only that by the Obedience of Christ his death and sufferings are intended wherein he was obedient unto God as the Apostle saith he was Obedient unto death the death of the Cross Phil. 2.8 But yet there is herein no colour of probability For 1. It is acknowledged that there was such a near conjunction and alliance between the Obedience of Christ and his Sufferings that though they may be distinguished yet can they not be separated He suffered in the whole course of his obedience from the Womb to the Cross and he obeyed in all his sufferings unto the last moment wherein he expired But yet are they really things distinct as we
given by Moses we have already shewed the Vanity of that pretence But if they mean thereby the whole Law or Rule of Obedience given unto the Church of Israel under the Old Testament they express much of the Truth it may be more than they designed 5. Some say that it is Works with a Conceit of Merit that makes the Reward to be of Debt and not of Grace that are excluded by the Apostle But no such distinction appeareth in the Text or Context For 1. The Apostle excludeth all Works of the Law that is that the Law requireth of us in a way of Obedience be they of what sort they will 2. The Law requireth no Works with a Conceit of Merit 3. Works of the Law Originally included no Merit as that which ariseth from the Proportion of one thing unto another in the Ballance of Justice and in that sense only is it rejected by those who plead for an Interest of Works in Justification 4. The Merit which the Apostle excludes is that which is inseparable from Works so that it cannot be excluded unless the Works themselves be so And unto their Merit two things concur 1. A Comparative boasting that is not absolutely in the sight of God which follows the Meritum ex condigno which some poor sinful Mortals have fancied in their Works but that which gives one man a preference above another in the obtaining of Justification which Grace will not allow Chap. 4.2 2. That the Reward be not absolutely of Grace but that respect be had therein unto Works which makes it so far to be of debt not out of an internal Condignity which would not have been under the Law of Creation but out of some Congruity with respect unto the promise of God v. 4. In these two regards Merit is inseparable from Works and the Holy Ghost utterly to exclude it excludeth all Works from which it is inseparable as it is from all Wherefore 5. The Apostle speaks not one word about the exclusion of the Merit of Works only but he excludeth all Works whatever and that by this Argument that the Admission of them would necessarily introduce merit in the sense described which is inconsistent with Grace And although some think that they are injuriously dealt withal when they are charged with maintaining of merit in their asserting the Influence of our Works into our Justification yet those of them who best understand themselves and the Controversie it self are not so averse from some kind of merit as knowing that it is inseparable from Works 6. Some contend that the Apostle excludes only Works wrought before believing in the strength of our own Wills and Natural Abilities without the aid of Grace Works they suppose required by the Law are such as we perform by the Direction and Command of the Law alone But the Law of Faith requireth Works in the strength of the supplies of Grace which are not excluded This is that which the most learned and judicious of the Church of Rome do now generally betake themselves unto Those who amongst us plead for Works in our Justification as they use many distinctions to explain their Minds and free their Opinion from a co-incidence with that of the Papists so as yet they deny the name of Merit and the thing it self in the sense of the Church of Rome as it is renounced likewise by all the Socinians Wherefore they make use of the preceding Evasion that Merit is excluded by the Apostle and Works only as they are meritorious although the Apostles plain Argument be that they are excluded because such a Merit as is inconsistent with Grace is inseparable from their Admission But the Roman Church cannot so part with Merit Wherefore they are to find out a sort of Works to be excluded only which they are content to part withal as not meritorious Such are those before described wrought as they say before believing and without the aids of Grace and such they say are all the Works of the Law And this they do with some more Modesty and Sobriety than those amongst us who would have only external Works and Observances to be intended For they grant that sundry internal Works as those of Attrition sorrow for Sin and the like are of this Nature But the Works of the Law it is they say that are excluded But this whole Plea and all the Sophisms wherewith it is countenanced hath been so discussed and defeated by Protestant Writers of all sorts against Bellarmine and others as that it is needless to repeat the same things or to add any thing unto them And it will be sufficiently evinced of falshood in what we shall immediately prove concerning the Law and Works intended by the Apostle However the Heads of the Demonstration of the Truth to the contrary may be touched on And 1. The Apostle excludeth all Works without distinction or exception And we are not to distinguish where the Law doth not distinguish before us 2. All the Works of the Law are excluded therefore all Works wrought after believing by the aids of Grace are excluded For they are all required by the Law See Psal. 119.35 Rom. 7.22 Works not required by the Law are no less an Abomination to God than Sins against the Law 3. The Works of Believers after Conversion performed by the Aids of Grace are expresly excluded by the Apostle So are those of Abraham after he had been a Believer many years and abounded in them unto the Praise of God So he excludeth his own Works after his Conversion Gal. 2.16 1 Cor. 4.4 Phil. 3.9 And so he excludeth the Works of all other Believers Ephes. 2.9 10. 4. All Works are excluded that might give countenance unto boasting Rom. 4.2 Chap. 3.17 Eph. 2.9 1 Cor. 1.29 30 31. But this is done more by the Good Works of regenerate Persons than by any Works of Unbelievers 5. The Law required Faith and Love in all our Works and therefore if all the Works of the Law be excluded the best works of Believers are so 6. All Works are excluded which are opposed unto Grace working freely in our Justification But this all Works whatever are Rom. 11.6 7. In the Epistle unto the Galatians the Apostle doth exclude from our Justification all those Works which the false Teachers pressed as necessary thereunto But they urged the necessity of the Works of Believers and those which were by Grace already converted unto God For those upon whom they pressed them unto this End were already actually so 8. They are Good Works that the Apostle excludeth from our Justification For there can be no Pretence of Justification by those Works that are not Good or which have not all things essentially requisite to make them so But such are all the Works of Unbelievers performed without the Aids of Grace they are not Good nor as such accepted with God but want what is essentially requisite unto the Constitution of Good Works And it is ridiculous to think
in our general Enquiry into the use of it in our Justification It shall not therefore be here much again insisted on Two things we may observe concerning it 1. That it is so expressed with respect unto the whole Object of Faith or unto all that doth any way concur unto our Justification For 1. We are said to receive Christ himself Vnto as many as have received him he gave power to become the Sons of God Joh. 1.12 As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord Col. 2.6 In Opposition hereunto Unbelief is exprest by not receiving of him Joh. 11.1 Chap. 3.11 Chap. 12.48 Chap. 14.17 And it is a receiving of Christ as he is the Lord our Righteousness as of God he is made Righteousness unto us And as no Grace no Duty can have any co-operation with Faith herein this Reception of Christ not belonging unto their Nature nor comprized in their Exercise so it excludes any other Righteousness from our Justification but that of Christ alone For we are justified by Faith Faith alone receiveth Christ and what it receives is the Cause of our Justification whereon we become the Sons of God So we receive the Atonement made by the blood of Christ Rom. 5.11 For God hath set him forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood And this receiving of the Atonement includeth the Souls Approbation of the way of Salvation by the blood of Christ and and the Appropriation of the Atonement made thereby unto our own Souls For thereby also we receive the forgiveness of Sins That they may receive the forgiveness of Sin through the Faith that is in me Acts 26.18 In receiving Christ we receive the Atonement and in the Atonement we receive the forgiveness of Sins But moreover the Grace of God and Righteousness it self as the Efficient and Material Cause of our Justification are received also even the Abundance of Grace and the Gift of Righteousness Rom. 5.17 So that Faith with the respect unto all the Causes of Justification is expressed by receiving For it also receiveth the Promise the Instrumental Cause on the Part of God thereof Acts 2.41 Heb. 9.15 2. That the Nature of Faith and its acting with respect unto all the Causes of Justification consisting in receiving that which is the Object of it must be offered tendred and given unto us as that which is not our own but is made our own by that giving and receiving This is evident in the general Nature of receiving And herein as was observed as no other Grace or Duty can concur with it so the Righteousness whereby we are justified can be none of our own antecedent unto this Reception nor at any time inherent in us Hence we argue That if the Work of Faith in our Justification be receiving of what is freely granted given communicated and imputed unto us that is of Christ of the Attonement of the Gift of Righteousness of the forgiveness of Sins than have our other Graces our Obedience Duties Works no influence into our Justification nor are any Causes or Conditions thereof For they are neither that which doth receive nor that which is received which alone concur thereunto 2. Faith is expressed by looking Look unto me and be saved Isa. 45.22 A man shall look to his Maker and his Eyes shall have respect unto the Holy One of Israel Chap. 17.1 They shall look on me whom they have pierced Zech. 12.10 See Psal. 123.2 The nature hereof is expressed Joh. 3.14 15. As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life For so was he to be lifted up on the Cross in his Death Joh. 8.28 Chap. 12.32 The Story is recorded Numb 21.8 9. I suppose none doubt but that the Stinging of the people by fiery Serpents and the Death that ensued thereon were Types of the guilt of Sin and the Sentence of the fiery Law thereon For these things happened unto them in Types 1 Cor. 10.11 When any was so stung or bitten if he betook himself unto any other Remedies he dyed and perished Only they that looked unto the Brazen Serpent that was lifted up were healed and lived For this was the Ordinance of God this way of healing alone had he appointed And their healing was a Type of the Pardon of Sin with everlasting life So by their looking is the Nature of Faith expressed as our Saviour plainly expounds it in this P ace So must the Son of man be lifted up that he that believeth on him that is as the Israelites looked unto the Serpent in the Wilderness And although this Expression of the great Mystery of the Gospel by Christ himself hath been by some derided or as they call it exposed yet is it really as instructive of the Nature of Faith Justification and Salvation by Christ as any passage in the Scripture Now if Faith whereby we are justified and in that exercise of it wherein we are so be a looking unto Christ under a sense of the guilt of Sin and our lost Condition thereby for all for our only Help and Relief for Deliverance Righteousness and life then is it therein exclusive of all other Graces and Duties whatever for by them we neither look nor are they the things which we look after But so is the Nature and Exercise of Faith expressed by the Holy Ghost And they who do believe understand his mind For whatever may be pretended of Metaphor in the Expression Faith is that Act of the Soul whereby they who are hopeless helpless and lost in themselves do in a way of expectancy and Trust seek for all help and relief in Christ alone or there is not Truth in it And this also sufficiently evinceth the Nature of our Justification by Christ. 3. It is in like manner frequently expressed by coming unto Christ. Come unto me all ye that labour Mat. 11.28 See Joh. 6.35.37 45 65. Chap. 7.37 To come unto Christ for life and Salvation is to believe on him unto the Justification of life But no other Grace or Duty is a coming unto Christ and therefore have they no place in Justification He who hath been convinced of Sin who hath been wearied with the Burthen of it who hath really designed to fly from the Wrath to come and hath heard the Voice of Christ in the Gospel inviting him to come unto him for Help and Relief will tell you that this coming unto Christ consisteth in a mans going out of himself in a compleat Renunciation of all his own Duties and Righteousness and betaking himself with all his Trust and Confidence unto Christ alone and his Righteousness for pardon of Sin acceptation with God and a right unto the Heavenly Inheritance It may be some will say this is not believing but canting Be it so we refer the Judgment of it to the Church of God 4. It is expressed by flying for Refuge
seeking after Justification yet is it not easie for Men to take any other way or to be taken off from this So the Apostle intimates in that expression They submitted not themselves unto the Righteousness of God This Righteousness of God is of that nature that the proud mind of Man is altogether unwilling to bow and submit it self unto yet can it no otherwise be attained but by such a submission or subjection of mind as contains in it a total Renuntiation of any Righteousness of our Men. And those who reproach others for affirming That Men indeavoring after Morality or Moral Righteousness and resting therein are in no good way for the participation of the Grace of God by Jesus Christ do expresly deride the Doctrine of the Apostle that is of the Holy Ghost himself Wherefore the plain design of the Apostle is to declare that not only Faith and the Righteousness of it and a Righteousness of our own by Works are inconsistent that is as unto our Justification before God but also that the intermixture of our own Works in seeking after Righteousness as the means thereof doth wholly divert us from the acceptance of or submission unto the Righteousness of God For the Righteousness which is of Faith is not our own it is the Righteousness of God that which he imputes unto us But the Righteousness of Works is our own that which is wrought in us and by us And as Works have no aptitude nor meetness in themselves to attain or receive a Righteousness which because it is not our own is imputed unto us but are repugnant unto it as that which will cast them down from their legal dignity of being our Righteousness So Faith hath no aptitude nor meetness in it self to be an Inherent Righteousness or so to be esteemed or as such to be imputed unto us seeing its principal faculty and efficacy consists in fixing all the trust confidence and expectation of the Soul for Righteousness and acceptation with God upon another Here was the ruine of those Jews they judged it a better a more probable yea a more righteous and holy way for them constantly to indeavor after a Righteousness of their own by duties of obedience unto the Law of God then to imagine that they could come to acceptance with God by Faith in another For tell them and such as they what you please if they have not a Righteousness of their own that they can set upon its legs and make to stand before God the Law will not have its accomplishment and so will condemn them To demolish this last fort of unbelief the Apostle grants that the Law must have its end and be compleatly fulfilled or there is no appearing for us as righteous before God and withal shews them how this is done and where alone it is to be sought after For Christ saith he is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth Ver. 4. We need not trouble our selves to inquire in what various sense Christ may be said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the end the complement the perfection of the Law The Apostle sufficiently determineth his intention in affirming not absolutely that he is the end of the Law but he is so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Righteousness unto every one that believeth The matter in question Is a Righteousness unto Justification before God And this is acknowledged to be the Righteousness which the Law requires God looks for no Righteousness from us but what is prescribed in the Law The Law is nothing but the Rule of Righteousness Gods prescription of a Righteousness and all the Duties of it unto us That we should be righteous herewith before God was the first original end of the Law It s other ends at present of the conviction of sin and judging or condemning for it were accidental unto its primitive constitution This Righteousness which the Law requires which is all and only that Righteousness which God requires of us the accomplishment of this end of the Law the Jews sought after by their own personal performance of the Works and Duties of it But hereby in the utmost of their endeavors they could never fulfil this Righteousness nor attain this end of the Law which yet if Men do not they must perish for ever Wherefore the Apostle declares That all this is done another way that the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled and its end as unto a Righteousness before God attained and that is in and by Christ. For what the Law required that he accomplished which is accounted unto every one that believes Herein the Apostle issueth the whole disquisition about a Righteousness wherewith we may be justified before God and in particular how satisfaction is given unto the demands of the Law That which we could not do that which the Law could not effect in us in that it was weak through the flesh that which we could not attain by the Works and Duties of it that Christ hath done for us and so is the end of the Law for Righteousness unto every one that believeth The Law demandeth a Righteousness of us the accomplishment of this Righteousness is the end which it aims at and which is necessary unto our Justification before God This is not to be attained by any works of our own by any Righteousness of our own But the Lord Christ is this for us and unto us which how he is or can be but by the Imputation of his Obedience and Righteousness in the accomplishment of the Law I cannot understand I am sure the Apostle doth not declare The Way whereby we attain unto this End of the Law which we cannot do by our utmost endeavors to establish our own Righteousness is by Faith alone for Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness unto every one that believeth To mix any thing with Faith herein as it is repugnant unto the nature of Faith and Works with respect unto their aptitude and meetness for the attaining of a Righteousness so it is as directly contradictory unto the express design and words of the Apostle as any thing that can be invented Let Men please themselves with their distinctions which I understand not and yet perhaps should be ashamed to say so but that I am perswaded they understand them not themselves by whom they are used or with cavils objections feigned consequences which I value not Here I shall for ever desire to fix my Soul and herein to acquiesce namely That Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that doth believe And I do suppose that all they who understand aright what it is that the Law of God doth require of them how needful it is that it be complied withal and that the end of it be accomplished with the utter insufficiency of their own endeavors unto those ends will at least when the time of disputing is over betake themselves unto the same refuge and rest
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
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
Doctrine and that which would so easily solve this difficulty and answer this objection as both of them are by some pretended certainly neither his wisdom nor his care of the Church under the conduct of the infallible Spirit would have suffered him to omit this reply were it consistent with the truth which he had delivered But he is so far from any such Plea that when the most unavoidable occasion was administred unto it he not only waves any mention of it but in its stead affirms that which plainly evidenceth that he allowed not of it See Eph. 2.9 10. Having positively excluded Works from our Justification not of Works least any man should boast it being natural thereon to enquire to what end do Works serve or is there any necessity of them instead of a distinction of Works legal and Evangelical in order unto our Justification he asserts the necessity of the later on other Grounds Reasons and Motives manifesting that they were those in particular which he excluded as we have seen in the consideration of the place Wherefore that we may not forsake his pattern and example in the same cause seeing he was Wiser and Holier knew more of the mind of God and had more zeal for personal Righteousness and Holiness in the Church than we all if we are pressed a Thousand times with this objection we shall never seek to deliver our selves from it by answering that we allow these things to be the condition or causes of our Justification or the matter of our Righteousness before God seeing he would not so do Secondly we may observe that in his answer unto this objection whether expresly mentioned or tacitly obviated he insisteth not any where upon the common principle of moral Duties but on those motives and reasons of Holiness Obedience good works alone which are peculiar unto Believers For the question was not whether all mankind were obliged unto Obedience unto God and the Duties thereof of by the moral Law But whether there were an Obligation from the Gospel upon Believers unto Righteousness Holiness and good Works such as was suited to affect and constrain their minds unto them Nor will we admit of any other state of the question but this only whether upon the supposition of our gratuitous justification through the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ there are in the Gospel grounds reasons and motives making necessary and efficaciously influencing the minds of Believers unto Obedience and good Works for those who are not Believers we have nothing to do with them in this matter nor do plead that Evangelical grounds and motives are suited or effectual to work them unto Obedience yea we know the contrary and that they are apt both to despise them and abuse them See I Cor. 1.23 24. 2 Cor. 4.4 such persons are under the Law and there we leave them unto the Authority of God in the moral Law But that the Apostle doth confine his enquiry unto Believers is evident in every place wherein he maketh mention of it Rom. 6.2 3. How shall we that are dead unto sin live any longer therein Know ye not that so many of us as were Baptized into Jesus Christ c. Eph. 2.10 For we are the workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus unto good Works Wherefore we shall not at all contend what cogency unto duties of Holiness there is in Gospel motives and reasons unto the minds of Vnbelievers whatever may be the truth in that case But what is their power force and efficacy towards them that truly believe Thirdly The answers which the Apostle returns positively unto this objection wherein he declares the necessity nature ends and use of Evangelical Righteousness and good Works are large and many comprehensive of a great part of the Doctrine of the Gospel I shall only mention the heads of some of them which are the same that we plead in the vindication of the same truth 1. He pleads the Ordination of God God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Eph. 2.10 God hath designed in the disposal of the order of the causes of Salvation that those who believe in Christ should live in walk in abound in good Works and all Duties of Obedience unto God To this end are Precepts Directions Motives and Encouragements every where multiplied in the Scripture Wherefore we say that good Works and that as they include the gradual progressive Renovation of our natures our growth and increase in grace with fruitfulness in our lives are necessary from the Ordination of God from his will and command And what need there any further dispute about the necessity of good Works among them that know what it is to believe or what respect there is in the Souls and Consciences of Believers unto the commands of God But what force say some is in this Command or Ordination of God when notwithstanding it and if we do not apply our selves unto Obedience we shall be justified by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ and so may be saved without them I say 1 As was before observed that it is Believers alone concerning whom this enquiry is made and there is none of them but will judge this a most unreasonable and senseless objection as that which ariseth from an utter ignorance of their state and relation unto God To suppose that the minds of Believers are not as much and as effectually influenced with the Authority and Commands of God unto Duty and Obedience as if they were all given in order unto their Justification is to consider neither what Faith is nor what it is to be a Believer nor what is the Relation that we stand in unto God by Faith in Christ Jesus nor what are the Arguments or motives wherewith the minds of such persons are principally affected and constrained This is the Answer which the Apostle gives at large unto this Exception Rom. 6.2 3. 2 The whole fallacy of this Exception is 1 In separating the things that God hath made inseparable These are our Justification and our Sanctification To suppose that the one of these may be without the other is to overthrow the whole Gospel 2 In compounding those things that are distinct namely Justification and eternal actual Salvation the respect of Works and Obedience being not the same unto them both as hath been declared Wherefore this Imagination that the commands of God unto Duty However given and unto what ends soever are not equally obligatory unto the Consciences of Believers as if they were all given in order unto their Justification before God is an absurd figment and which all of them who are truly so defie Yea they have a greater power upon them than they could have if the Duties required in them were in order unto their Justification and so were antecedent thereunto For thereby they must be supposed to have their efficacy upon them before they truly believe For to say that a man may be a true Believer or truly
unto the Preface unto his Exposition of his Epistles of which kind they will be directed unto more in due season But he needs not the Testimony of men nor of the whole Church together whose safety and security it is to be built on that Doctrine which he taught In the mean time it would not be unpleasant to consider but that the perverseness of the minds of men is rather a real occasion of sorrow how those who have the same design do agree in their conceptions about his Writings for some will have it that if not all yet the most of his Epistles were Written against the Gnosticks and in the confutation of their errour others that the Gnosticks took the occasion of their errours from his Writings So bold will men make with things Divine to satisfie a present interest Secondly This was not the judgment of the ancient Church for three or four hundred years For whereas the Epistles of Paul were always esteemed the principal treasure of the Church the great guide and rule of the Christian Faith this of James was scarce received as Canonical by many and doubted of by the most as both Eusebius and Hierome do testifie Thirdly The design of the Apostle James is not at all to explain the meaning of Paul in his Epistles as is pretended but only to vindicate the Doctrine of the Gospel from the abuse of such as used their liberty for a cloak of Maliciousness and turning the Grace of God into lasciviousness continued in sin under a pretence that Grace had abounded unto that end Fourthly The Apostle Paul doth himself as we have declared vindicate his own Doctrine from such exceptions and abuses as men either made at it or turned it unto Nor have we any other Doctrine in his Epistles than what he Preached all the World over and whereby he laid the foundation of Christian Religion especially among the Gentiles These things being premised I shall briefly evidence that there is not the least Repugnancy or contradiction between what is declared by these two Apostles as unto our Justification with the causes of it And this I shall do 1. By some general considerations of the nature and tendency of both their discourses 2 By a particular explication of the context in that of St. James And under the first head I shall manifest 1 That they have not the same scope design or end in their discourses That they do not consider the same question nor state the same case nor determine on the same enquiry and therefore not speaking ad idem unto the same thing do not contradict one another 2 That as Faith is a word of various signification in the Scripture and doth as we have proved before denote that which is of divers kinds they speak not of the same Faith or Faith of the same kind and therefore there can be no contradiction in what the one ascribes unto it and the other derogates from it seeing they speak not of the same Faith 3 That they do not speak of Justification in the same sense nor with respect unto the same ends 4 That as unto Works they both intend the same namely the Works of Obedience unto the moral Law As to the scope and design of the Apostle Paul the question which he answereth the case which he proposeth and determines upon are manifest in all his Writings especially his Epistles unto the Romans and Galatians The whole of his purpose is to declare how a guilty convinced sinner comes through Faith in the blood of Christ to have all his sins pardoned to be accepted with God and obtain a right unto the Heavenly inheritance that is be acquitted and justified in the sight of God And as the Doctrine hereof belonged eminently unto the Gospel whose Revelation and Declaration unto the Gentiles was in a peculiar manner committed unto him so as we have newly observed he had an especial reason to insist much upon it from the opposition that was made unto it by the Jews and Judaizing Christians who ascribed this priviledge unto the Law and our own Works of Obedience in compliance therewithal This is the case he states this the question he determines in all his Discourses about Justification and in the explication thereof declares the nature and causes of it as also vindicates it from all exceptions For whereas men of corrupt minds and willing to indulge unto their lusts as all men naturally desire nothing but what God hath made eternally inconsistent namely that they may live in sin here and come to blessedness hereafter might conclude that if it were so as he declared that we are justified freely through the Grace of God by the Imputation of a Righteousness that Originally and inherently is not our own then was there no more required of us no relinquishment of sin no attendance unto the duties of Righteousness and Holiness he obviates such impious suggestions and shews the inconsequence of them on the Doctrine that he taught But this he doth not do in any place by intimating or granting that our own Works of Obedience or Righteousness are necessary unto or have any causal influence into our Justification before God Had there been a Truth herein were not a supposition thereof really inconsistent with the whole of his Doctrine and destructive of it he would not have omitted the Plea of it nor ought so to have done as we have shewed And to suppose that there was need that any other should explain and vindicate his Doctrine from the same exceptions which he takes notice of by such a Plea as he himself would not make use of but rejects is foolish and impious The Apostle James on the other hand had no such scope or design or any such occasion for what he wrote in this matter He doth not enquire or give intimation of any such enquiry he doth not state the Case how a guilty convinced Sinner whose mouth is stopped as unto any plea or excuse for himself may come to be justified in the sight of God that is receive the Pardon of sins and the gift of Righteousness unto life To resolve this question into our own Works is to overthrow the whole Gospel But he had in hand a business quite of another nature For as we have said there were many in those days who professed the Christian Religion or Faith in the Gospel whereon they presumed that as they were already justified so that there was nothing more needful unto them that they might be saved A desirable estate they thought they had attained suited unto all the interest of the Flesh whereby they might live in Sin and neglect of all Duty of Obedience and yet be eternally saved Some suppose that this pernicious conceit was imbibed by them from the poysonous Opinions that some had then divulged according as the Apostle Paul foretold that it would come to pass 2 Tim. 4.1 2 3. For it is generally conceived that Simon Magus and his followers
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.
for it was so imputed unto him long before and that in such a way as the Apostle proves thereby that Righteousness is imputed without Works 2 That he was not justified by a real efficiency of an habit of Righteousness in him or by any way of making him inherently Righteous who was before unrighteous is plain also because he was Righteous in that sense long before and had abounded in the Works of Righteousness unto the praise of God It remains therefore that then and by the Work mentioned he was justified as unto the evidencing and manifestation of his Faith and Justification thereon His other instance is of Rahab concerning whom he asserts that she was justified by Works when she had received the Messengers and sent them away But she received the Spies by Faith as the Holy Ghost witnesseth Heb. 11.31 And therefore had true Faith before their coming and if so was really justified For that any one should be a true believer and yet not be justified is destructive unto the foundation of the Gospel In this condition she received the Messengers and made unto them a full Declaration of her Faith Josh. 2.10 11. After her believing and Justification thereon and after the confession she had made of her Faith she exposed her life by concealing and sending of them away Hereby did she justifie the sincerity of her Faith and Confession and in that sense alone is said to be justified by Works And in no other sense doth the Apostle James in this place make mention of Justification which he doth also only occasionally Fourthly As unto Works mentioned by both Apostles the same Works are intended and there is no disagreement in the least about them For as the Apostle James intends by Works Duties of Obedience unto God according to the Law as is evident from the whole first part of the Chapter which gives occasion unto the Discourse of Faith and Works So the same are intended by the Apostle Paul also as we have proved before And as unto the necessity of them in all believers as unto other ends so as evidences of their Faith and Justification it is no less pressed by the one than the other as hath been declared These things being in general premised we may observe some things in particular from the Discourse of the Apostle James sufficiently evidencing that there is no contradiction therein unto what is delivered by the Apostle Paul concerning our Justification by Faith and the Imputation of Righteousness without Works nor to the Doctrine which from him we have learned and declared as 1 He makes no composition or conjunction between Faith and Works in our Justification but opposeth them the one to the other asserting the one and rejecting the other in order unto our Justification 2 He makes no distinction of a first and second Justification of the beginning and continuation of Justification but speaks of one Justification only which is our first personal Justification before God Neither are we concerned in any other Justification in this cause whatever 3 That he ascribes this Justification wholly unto Works in contradistinction unto Faith as unto that sense of Justification which he intended and the Faith whereof he treated Wherefore 4 He doth not at all enquire or determine how a sinner is justified before God but how Professors of the Gospel can prove or demonstrate that they are so and that they do not deceive themselves by trusting unto a lifeless and barren Faith All these things will be further evidenced in a brief consideration of the context it self wherewith I shall close this Discourse In the beginning of the Chapter unto v. 14. He reproves those unto whom he wrote for many sins committed against the Law the rule of their sins and Obedience or at least warneth them of them and having shewed the danger they were in hereby he discovers the Root and principal occasion of it v. 14. which was no other but a vain surmise and deceiving presumption that the Faith required in the Gospel was nothing but a bare assent unto the Doctrine of it whereon they were delivered from all obligation unto moral Obedience or good Works and might without any danger unto their eternal state live in whatever sins their lusts inclined them unto Chap. 4. v. 1 2 3 4. Chap. 5. v. 1 2 3 4 5. The state of such persons which contains the whole cause which he speaks unto and which gives rule and measure unto the interpretation of all his future arguings is laid down v. 14. What doth it profit my Brethren though a man say he hath Faith and have not Works can Faith save him suppose a man any one of those who are guilty of the sins charged on them in the foregoing verses do yet say or boast of himself that he hath Faith that he makes profession of the Gospel that he hath left either Judaism or Paganism and betaken himself to the Faith of the Gospel and therefore although he be destitute of good Works and live in sin he is accepted with God and shall be saved will indeed this Faith save him this therefore is the question proposed whereas the Gospel saith plainly that he who believeth shall be saved whether that Faith which may and doth consist with an indulgence unto sin and a neglect of Duties of Obedience is that Faith whereunto the promise of life and Salvation is annexed And thereon the enquiry proceeds how any man in particular he who says he hath Faith may prove and evidence himself to have that Faith which will secure his Salvation And the Apostle denies that this is such a Faith as can consist without Works or that any man can evidence himself to have true Faith any otherwise but by Works of Obedience only And in the proof hereof doth his whole ensuing Discourse consist Not once doth he propose unto consideration the means and causes of the Justification of a convinced sinner before God nor had he any occasion so to do So that his words are openly wrested when they are applied unto any such intention That the Faith which he intends and describes is altogether useless unto the end pretended to be attainable by it namely Salvation he proves in an instance of and by comparing it with the love or charity of an alike nature v. 15.16 If a Brother or Sister be naked and destitute of daily food and one of you say unto him depart in peace be ye warmed and filled notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body what doth it profit This love or charity is not that Gospel Grace which is required of us under that name For he who behaveth himself thus towards the poor the love of God dwelleth not in him 1 Joh. 3.17 whatever name it may have whatever it may pretend unto whatever it may be professed or accepted for love it is not nor hath any of the effects of love is neither useful nor profitable Hence the
be genuine precious more precious than Gold of the right nature with that whereunto the Gospel promise of Salvation is annexed 2. This trial was made by Works or by one signal Duty of Obedience prescribed unto him for that very end and purpose For Abraham was to be proposed as a Pattern unto all that should afterwards believe And God provided a signal way for the trial of his Faith namely by an act of Obedience which was so far from being enjoyned by the moral Law that it seemed contrary unto it And if he be proposed unto us as a Pattern of Justification by Works in the sight of God it must be by such Works as God hath not required in the moral Law but such as seem to be contrary thereunto Nor can any man receive any incouragement to expect Justification by Works by telling him that Abraham was justified by Works when he offered up his only Son to God for it will be easie for him to say that as no such Work was ever performed by him so none such was ever required of him But 3 upon Abrahams compliance with the command of God given him in the way of Trial God himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declares the sincerity of his Faith and his Justification thereon or his gracious acceptance of him This is the whole design of the place which the Apostle traduceth unto his purpose And it contains the whole of what he was to prove and no more Plainly it is granted in it that we are not justified by our Works before God seeing he instances only in a Work performed by a justified believer many years after he was absolutely justified before God But this is evidently proved hereby namely that Faith without Works is dead seeing justifying Faith as is evident in the case of Abraham is that and that alone which brings forth Works of Obedience For on such a Faith alone is a man evidenced declared and pronounced to be justified or accepted with God Abraham was not then first justified He was not then said to be justified he was declared to be justified and that by and upon his Works which contains the whole of what the Apostle intends to prove There is therefore no appearance of the least contradiction between this Apostle and Paul who professedly asserts that Abraham was not justified before God by Works For James only declares that by the Works which he performed after he was justified he was manifested and declared so to be And that this was the whole of his design he manifests in the next verses where he declares what he had proved by this instance ver 22. Seest thou how Faith wrought with his Works and by Works was Faith made perfect Two things he inforceth as proved unto the conviction of him with whom he had to do 1 That true Faith will operate by Works so did Abrahams it was effective in Obedience 2 That it was made perfect by Works that is evidenced so to be For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth no where in the Scripture signifie the internal formal perfecting of any thing but only the external complement or perfection of it or the manifestation of it It was compleat as unto its proper effect when he was first justified and it was now manifested so to be See Mat. 5.48 Col. 4.12 2 Cor. 12.9 This saith the Apostle I have proved in the instance of Abraham namely that it is Works of Obedience alone that can evince a man to be justified or to have that Faith whereby he may be so 3 He adds in the confirmation of what he had affirmed ver 23. And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for Righteousness and he was called the friend of God Two things the Apostle affirms hereâ—â— 1 That the Scripture mentioned was fulfilled It was so in that Justification by Works which he ascribes unto Abraham But how this Scripture was herein fulfilled either as unto the time wherein it was spoken or as unto the thing it self any otherwise but as that which is therein asserted was evidenced and declared no man can explain what the Scripture affirmed so long before of Abraham was then evidenced to be most true by the Works which his Faith produced and so that Scripture was accomplished For otherwise supposing the distinctions made between Faith and Works by himself and the opposition that he puts between them adding thereunto the sense given of this place by the Apostle Paul with the direct importance of the words and nothing can be more contradictory unto his design namely if he intended to prove our Justification before God by Works than the quotation of this Testimony Wherefore this Scripture neither was nor can be otherwise fulfilled by Abrahams Justification by Works but only that by and upon them he was manifested so to be 2 He adds that hereon he was called the friend of God So he is Isa. 41.8 as also 2 Chron. 20.7 This is of the same importance with his being justified by Works For he was not thus called merely as a justified person but as one who had received singular priviledges from God and answered them by an holy walking before him Wherefore his being called the friend of God was Gods approbation of his Faith and Obedience which is the Justification by Works that the Apostle asserts Hereon he makes a double conclusion for the instance of Rahab being of the same nature and spoken unto before I shall not insist again upon it 1 As unto his present argument ver 24. 2 As unto the whole of his design v. 26. The first is that by works a man is justified and not by Faith only Ye see then you whom I design to convince of the vanity of that imagination that you are justified by a dead Faith a breathless Carcass of Faith a mere assent unto the Truth of the Gospel and profession of it consistent with all manner of impiety and wholly destitute of good fruits you may see what Faith it is that is required unto Justification and Salvation For Abraham was declared to be Righteous to be justified on that Faith which wrought by Works and not at all by such a Faith as you pretend unto A man is justified by Works as Abraham was when he had offered up his Son to God That is what he really was by Faith long before as the Scripture testifieth was then and thereby evidenced and declared And therefore let no man suppose that by the Faith which they boasted of any one is or can be justified seeing that whereon Abraham was declared to be so was that which evidenced it self by its fruits 2 He lays down that great conclusion which he had evinced by his whole Disputation and which at first he designed to confirm v. 26. For as the body without the spirit is dead so Faith without Works is dead also A breathless Carcass and an unworking Faith are alike as unto all the ends of natural or spiritual life This was that which the Apostle designed from the beginning to convince vain and barren professors of which accordingly he hath given sufficient Reason and Testimony for FINIS