of Salvation second and third Part. merit of the best Works yea d Si quis cum crediderit mox de vita discesserit justificatio Fidei manet cum illo non praesentibus bonis operibus quia non merito ad illum sed gratiâ pervenit nec consequentibus quia in hâc vitâ esse non sinitur Aug. Libro quaestionum 83. qu. 76. See Mr. Thornd Epil l. 2. c. 30. p. 26. 5 and without the absolutely-necessary presence of outward good Works where a See the Homily of Good Works the first Part at the latter end See also Augustini Serm. de tempore 71. And oecumenius in Epist Jacobi C. 2. 14. life and time to do them is not afforded But not without the Inward b Davenant de Justitiâ actuali P. 386. Facile est bujus modi opera multa praesertim interna commemor are sine quilâ—â— justificatio nunquam fuit ab ullo mortalium obtenta nunquam â—â—tinebitur Item P. 387. Hoec bujusmodi opera Cordis interâ—â— sunt omnibus justificatis necessaria non quod contineant in saefficaciam sen meritum justificationis sed quod juxta ordinationem divinam vel requiruntur ut Conditiones proevioe seu Concurrentes sicuti poenitere credere vel ut effecta à fide justificante manantia ut amare Deum diligere proximum coâ—similia Videtis igitur necessitatem quorundum Operum internorum ad statum justificationis ab ipso initio obtinendum Eadem habet Cap. 31. Pag. 403. Ubi recenset Dolere de peccato detestari peccatum humiliter Deo se subjicere ad Dei misericordiam confugere in Christo mediatore spem figere Novoe vitapropositum inire inter opera necessaria ad justificationem ut conditiones concurrentes vel proecursorias See also the Homily of Salvation second Part circa finem And Homily of Faith first Part circa medium finem asserting these Conditions acts of repentance and conversion unto God not without such a true Love Devotion c A true Faith cannot be kept secret but when occasion is offered it will break out and shew it self in good Works Homily of Faith first Part P. 21. And about the end of it This true Faith will shew forth it self and cannot be long Idle for it is written The Just shall live by his Faith Dr. Jackson of Saving Faith Sect. 2. C. 6. P. 207. Justifying Faith necessarily includes in it such Works as James requires at least a preparation or immediate promptness of mind to them Mr. John Ball. Treatise of the Covenant of Grace Ch. 3. P. 20. â— disposition to good Works is necessary to Justification being the qualification of an active and lively Faith to good Works as wants nothing but an opportunity to exert them When therefore the Scripture says That we are justified by Faith Rom. 5. 1. Saved through Faith Ephes 2. 8. or That the Gospel is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believes I say â—hen so much is ascribed unto â—aith we must beware that we 〈◊〉 not take up with too scanty a â—â—tion of Faith so as to divide it â—rom it self i. e. from this Obedience of Faith For if we would truly speak and impartially judge with Scripture no Faith can be look'd â—on as actually justifying but at which naturally a Homily of Salvation third Part 〈◊〉 beginning Some other thing is required for our Salvation than the Law and that is a true and a lively Faith â—â—ging forth good works and a Life according to God Family os Faith second Part circa medium By all Declaration of St. Paul 't is evident that the true lively and Christian Faith is no dead vain or unfruitful thing but a thing of perfect vertue of wonderful operatiâ—â— oâ— working and strength bringing forth all good 〈◊〉 and good Works Also Homily of Faith first part circa medium we trust in him and commit our selves to him hang of upon him and call upon him ready to obey and serve 〈◊〉 This is the true lively and unfeigned Faith and is not the Mouth and Profession only but it liveth and stirreth wardly in the Heart See also the Quotations of the pâ—â—ceding Page as it here and essentially contains in it the Seeds and Principles of new Life i. e. That which involves in it self Obedience a That a justifying Faith includes in it this Obedience is no new thing with Protestant Divines eithâ—â— forreign or English as will appear by these following Tâ—stimonies most of them collected by Mr. Baxter in Confession of his Faith Mr. Wotton de reconciliatione Pag. 138. Fides in châ—â—stum est Justitia quoedam est enim obedientia quoedam enim obedientia quasi conformitas mandato Dei Joh. 3. 3. 1 Jo. 3. 23. Conradus Bergius in Praxi Cathol Divin Canon P. 973. Fides est obedientia quatenus ejus Actus proprius spondet praecepto Evangelii crede in Dominum Jesum sic Fides est obedientia erga Evangelium inquit Apologia gust Confessions Pag. 125. To which he adds Sit therus soepe per sidem proecipue quidem formaliter intelligâ—â—â—â— apprehensionem promissionis in Christo abnegationem mâ—â— proprii includit simul totam Obedientiam Inclination voluntatis charitatem adeo Evangelio consentaneam per opera contra intelligit actiones factas cum opinione 〈◊〉 cum expectatione justificationis vitae aeternae tanqâ—â— mercedis debitoe citing many places of Luther to this 〈◊〉 Ludovicus Crocius Syntagm L. 4. C. 7. Pag. 1223. Fides 〈◊〉 sola justificat quatenus notat Obedientiam quandam â—â—pectantem promissionem ut Donum gratuitum unde pluâ—virtutes actus cum antecedentes tum consequentes cannoâ—â— opponitur illi obedientioe quoe non expectat promissionem 〈◊〉 donum omnino gratuitum Mr. Ball of the Covenants Page 73. A purpose to walk with God justifies as the passive qualification of the Subject 〈◊〉 of Justification or as the qualification of that Faith 〈◊〉 justifieth Mr. Throgmorton of Faith Page 29. He that turns from upon such suggestions promises perswasions as Christ makes to him he receives Christ by Faith And Page 91 92. that obeyeth not the Son to follow and to be led and â—â—ided by him shall not see Life but the wrath of God â—ideth on him but he that believeth on the Son to follow him as his Shepherd and his Voice and Doctrine 〈◊〉 10. hath Everlasting Life My Sheep hear my voice and 〈◊〉 them and I will give unto them Eternal Life Dr. Stoughton Right Mans Plea Serm. 6. P. 32. Faith imprehendeth not only the Act of the Understanding but 〈◊〉 Act of the Will too And Page 41. Faith hath 〈◊〉 Acts and Faith in Christ containeth loving of Christ as 〈◊〉 of its principal Acts. Dr. Preston Treatise of Faith P. 44 45 c. If I would sine justifying Faith it may be thus described It is a â—â—ace or Habit infused into the Soul whereby we
pure Offering shall be offered to my Name for my Name shall be great among the Heathen Excellently does St. Chrysostome Orat. secunda contra Judaeos urge this Place against the Jews It is not said says he my Name shall be great in Israel as Psal 76. 1. In Juda is God known his Name is great in Israel but great among the Gojim among the Heathen or Gentiles And again not in one two or three Cities or Countries but in every place yea and from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same Thereby shewing says he that as far as the light and course of the Sun reaches over the Earth so far should be the course and compass of the Gospel But then secondly another grand Effect that followed the promulgation of the Gospel was the Conversion of the Nations of the Gentiles to the Faith and Worship of the True God And is not this from first to last frequently mentioned with and as it were limited to the coming of the Messia Gen. 22. 18. In thy Seed i. e. Christ Gal. 3. 16. shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Gen. 49. 10. The Scepter shall not depart from Judah till Shilo till Christ the Peace-maker come And presently he adds And to him shall the gathering of the People be Aggregatio or Obedientia populorum erit ei as it is in Arias Montanus So in Psal 2. 8. says God to his Christ Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thy Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession i. e. for thy Church and People A Psalm which even the Rabbies themselves expound of the Messia says Solomon Jaerchi To these I shall add but one more that in Isa 2. Verse 2 4. where 't is said That in the last Verse 2. days i. e. in the days of the Messiah says the same Rabbi Solomon the Mountain of the Lords House that is the Religion of the Messia shall be established on the top of the Mountains shall be advanced above all others and all Nations shall flow unto it that is to be enriched with the knowledge of Gods Will and Ways as it follows in the third Verse For out of Zion shall go Verse 3. forth the Law The Law of Faith Rom. 3. 27. and the Word of the Lord out of Jerusalem for so was it commanded To be preached unto all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Luke 24. 47. And then it follows And he that is Verse 4. the Lord shall judge among the Nations i. e. shall rule and govern them by the Scepter of his VVord and Gospel From all which Places nothing more evident than the predicting of the calling and conversion of the Gentiles as to be at the appearing of the Messia And it is as evident that these Prophecies have been accomplished in the preaching and progress of the Gospel the Event has verified the Prediction For no sooner was the Sun of Righteousness fully risen but the Idolatry of the Pagan World began to fall as Dagon before the Ark till at length the Worship of their false Gods was destroyed their According to the Prophecies Isa 2. 19 20. Jer. 10. 11. Isa 25 6 7. Temples demolished their famous Oracles long ceased and gone and the Knowledge of the One True God and his Son Jesus Christ set up and advanc'd in the room of them And this was that same Shaking of the Heavens Movit Coelum Angelorum Syderum testimonio quando incarnatus est Christus movit terram ingenti miraculo de ipso Virginis partu movit Mare Aridum â—am in Insulis in Orâ—e tuto Christus annuntiaretur Ita movâ—ri omnes Centes vidâ—mus ad Fidem Aug. de Civ Dei L. 18. C. 35. and the Earth yea and of all Nations spoken of Hag. 2. 6 7. that is The universal Change and Mutation that was to come over the Face of the Earth as to the Matter of Religion But so much shall suffice to be spoken of the first Remarkable in the Text i. e. The large spread and extent of the Gospel In being made known unto all Nations I shall now pass unto the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin M. P. 265. The same is mentioned Rom. 1. 5. Rom. 16. 19. 2 Cor. 10. 5. St. Austin calls it Obedientiam credendi Aug. in Joâ—n tract 29. Considerable in the Text which is more practical and that is to the main Scope End and Drift of the Gospel in being thus made known and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says the Apostle For the Obedience of Faith This as ye see is here mentioned as the whole design and intent of the Gospel to frame us to Obedience to the Obedience of Faith For as the Sum of the Gospel on Gods part are the Mercies and Benefits therein tendered and promised so the Sum and Substance of all that it requires on our parts to whom it comes is To believe and obey it This then being the Total of what is expected at our Hands in order unto Life here and Salvation hereafter namely the practice of Evangelical Obedience it will highly concern us in the first place to enquire into the nature of this Obedience and in the next vigorously to pursue it And that we may understand it the better we should here consider three things First The parts and Branches of this Obedience Secondly The Principles and Properties of it Thirdly The Assistances and Encouragements given thereunto The first of these I fear will take up our time at present First then This Evangelical Obedience or the Obedience of Faith it consists in three main Branches or Particulars The first is Obedience to the Truths of the Gospel by receiving and retaining them The second is Obedience to the Call of the Gospel bidding us to Repent and Believe and return unto God The third is Obedience to the more special Rules of the Gospel appointing us in every kind how to live and walk in our Converstions First then The prime and leading part of our Obedience 〈◊〉 lies in yielding the assent of our Minds and Judgments unto the Truths of the Gospel When we captivate our Reasons to the plainness and simplicity of the 2 Cor. 11. 3. 2 Cor. 10. 5. 1 Cor. 4. 6. Gospel for there is Obsequium Fidei as well as obsequium Viâ—â— When we give up our appreheâ—sions to be shaped and our Judgments to be filed as it were and framed according to theat form sound words 2 Tim. 1. 13. according to that Mould of Doctrine Rom. 6 17. delivere to us in the Gospel Now that our assenting 〈◊〉 and embracing of the Truths 〈◊〉 the Gospel is a piece and part 〈◊〉 our Obedience will appear froâ— these few Considerations First 'T is a thing under command Mark 1. 15. Believe the Gospel John 12. 36. Believe in the Light John 14. 11. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father
Hearts to consider That of our Saviour Mat. 7. 21. Not every one that says in profession Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father that is in Heaven That of St. Paul Gal. 6. 15. In Christ Jesus i. e. in the Profession or Religion of Christ neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but a New Creature or as it is Chap. 5. 6. but Faith that worketh by Love or as it is 1 Cor. 7. 19 But the keeping of the Commandments of God Lastly that of St. John 1 John 3. 7. Little Children let no Man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous As if he should say take heed 't is an easie thing for a Man to slip into such a deceit as this Namely to think that if he has but some measure of knowledge in the matters of Christ and a Belief of the Doctrine of Christ if he has but the Name of Christ in his Mouth and a Profession of him in his Life with some attendance upon him in his Ordinances that then it is enough enough to righteousness enough to acceptance here and to Salvation hereafter Yea but let none flatter himself into so gross a deceit For he that doth righteousness is righteous He only shall pass for such in Gods account that brings forth the real Fruits of righteousness in the conscionable care and discharge of his Duty towards God and Man in every kind For as it is Acts 10. 34. God is no respecter of Persons but in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him And Rom. 2. 7 8. God shall one day render unto every Man according to his Deeds To them that by patient continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality shall be Eternal Life But unto them that obey not the Truth but obey unrighteousness to them indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every Soul that doth evil Ye hence see what is it shall carry the main stroke with God what is it that shall weigh with God and cast the ballance of his favour to us another day Namely a beginning in Faith and a patient continuance in well-doing in short an obeying of his Truth in righteonsness And I would to God this it were a thing more preach'd and press'd upon the Consciences of Men and more practised in the lives of men For it will be found a true saying of His what ever his Judgment was otherwise in reference to the thentimes I say it will be found a great truth what I meet with in a fast Sermon delivered six and thirty years ago where speaking of the Duty of the Ministers he has these words Says Mr. Herbert Palmer his Sermon before the House of Commons June 28. 1643. P. 35 he ' When we all have preached up Repentance to which let me also add Obedience as much as we have preached first Confidence and then Faith we shall then be reformed and saved but I doubt not till then Tit. 1. 3. This Word or Witness true Thirdly and lastly by what has been said of the several Parts and Branches of Evangelical Obedience we may be able to make Judgment how much of it goes before the Grace of Pardon and Justification and what it is â—ust follow and come after Obedience to the Truths of Christ by â—elieving them and Obedience â—o the call of Christ by returnâ—ing and resigning up our selves to â—im These are clearly and fundamentally necessary as antecedents â—o our justification And beâ—ides what has been said were there no other Scripture save that only in Rom. 8. 30. it were enough to prove it Where 't is said by the Apostle That whom God calls them he justifies Them and them only does he justify whom he first calls that is calls a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quoe quando nobis contingit praedestinationem nostram ex effectu cognoscimus Paraeus And that this is the Judgment of our Church appears plainly from the 17th Article of Religion Wherefore they which be indued with so excellent a Benefit of God be called according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in due season They through Grace obey the Calling they be justified freely they be made Soâ—s of God by adoption effectually so calls as that they fully answer to his Call neither can the words with truth bear any other sence So that the Blessing of Justification belongs to none but such as are the Called of God that is such as obey his Call by a sincere repentance towards God and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ And upon this measure b It is for the honour of Christianity to maintain that God for Christ's sake is ready to admit the Heirs of everlasting damnation into the Inheritance of everlasting happiness in never so short a time as we can believe they can change their resolution from following sin to prosess that Belief and Conversation which Christianity importeth Mr. Thorndike Epilog L. 2. c. 30. P. 256. of Obedience without more ado the true Believer who thus far answers the Call of God a The sincere undertaking the trust of a Christian really entitles him to the promises of the Gospel Mr. Thornd ibidem L. 2. C. 7. P. 38. It would be a disparagement to that Fountain which God has opened for Juda and Jerusalem that there should be â—â—y sin which it cannot cleanse supposing the change sinâ—â—re which the undertaking of Christianity professes Mr. Thornd ibidem L. 2. C. 5. P. 22. presently enters and passes into a state of favour and acceptance with God As for the third Branch of Obedience consiâ—ing in a course of holy Actions and in a continued observance of the particular Rules of the Gospel God stays not for this God does not suspend the Grace or benefit of Justification till the Person has run through a course of Obedience through all the Precepts and Instances of a Holy Life but forthwith bestows it on the faithful Believer upon his first Faith and Obedience unto Gods Call provided it be real and sincere which God can see and discern though Man cannot And therefore this last kind of Obedience i. e. to the particular superstructive Rules of a Holy Life though it be necessary in its place for we stand bound to it by the Law of Faith by the Rule of the Gospel and are obliged to it in the vertue of Gods general Call yet if we speak of it in relation to our Justification with God 't is not required as an antecedent to go before it but as a consequent to come after it as the Evidence that must prove and testifie the effectualness of that Call and our sincere obeying it For he that would be found a Tunc veraciter fideles sâ—mus si quod verbis promisimus operibus complemus Gregor in Evangel Hom. 19. true to that Call he must and will pursue and prosecute it through all the