justified or pardoned and so restored to favour for the sake of Christs Satisfaction Doth it not then follow that the Death of Christ is the Cause of Pardon then it is not meer pardon but pardon procured or merited and if Christs Death be the meritorious cause of pardon to every Believer then it is imputed or applyed to every pardoned sinner For no cause can produce its effects without Application to the Subject in whom the effect is wrought and the Application of a meritorious cause to the Subject for whom it meriteth is Imputation or accounting that what was done by that Cause was done for that Person And thus we see this Doctrine maketh more against themselves than against us But that Justification includeth more than Pardon of Sin even a positive Righteousness whereby Man is accepted to Life Eternal I shall thus evince 1. From the Notation of the Words To Pardon is only to release from the Penalty of the Law but to Justifie is to Acquit in Judgment to discharge from guilt and accusation Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that Justifieth It is confessed that to justifie an innocent person is to acquit but to justifie a Sinner they say is only to forgive him But in what Language doth the word so signifie When the King pardoneth an Offender doth any man say doth the Law ever say the King justifies him A Brother is commanded to forgive his Brother from the Heart and so Job did no doubt forgive his Friends and yet he saith God forbid I should Justifie you Job 27. v. 4. Is any Man said to justfie him whom he pardoneth Why should the Scripture besides the familiar words of Pardoning and Forgiving use another term viz. to Justifie which in its Etymology and common use signifieth to declare Righteous and yet mean no more by Justification than bare Forgiveness 'T is said A full Pardon makes a Man righteous forasmuch as he that is discharged from all Sin is accounted not to have broke the Law and not to have broke it is all one as to have fulfill'd it But this is a mistake He that forgives an Offender does not therefore account or make him Righteous though he will not exact the Penalty of him Pardon doth suppose a Man to have been a Sinner and so it leaves him as one that hath deserv'd punishment though by favour he is exempted from it the Law still chargeth him with sin and sentenceth him to punishment though the Judge supersedeth his Sentence and will not execute the Law But it is said Great Prop. p. 121. Pardon is dissolutio obligationis ad poenam dissolveth the Obligation to punishment and when there is no obligation to punishment a man is innocent and hath right to impunity I Answer The Antecedent is untrue The Obligation to punishment ariseth from the intrinsecal Nature of the Law which being broken exacteth punishment as a due Debt The Wages of Sin is death Rom. 6.23 So that if pardon take away the obligation to punishment it maketh sin to be no sin But sin is sin though forgiven and the Sinner deserves to die although he shall not die Pardon taketh away the Ordination or Destination of a Man to Punishment that he is not appointed to die but not the Obligation that he doth not deserve to die I conclude Pardon doth not render a Man as innocent as no Transgressor and therefore 't is not all one with justifying or declaring righteous 2. From those Phrases whereby Justification is expressed Eph. 1.4 It is paraphrased thus As he hath chosen us in him that we should be holy and without blame before him in love He who is only forgiven his Sins is not accounted as holy and blameless Pardon supposeth guilt and that which some call reatum culpae the guilt of the fault remaineth after pardon viz. That such a Man hath broken the Law and by such habits or actions he hath been disobedient to the Commands Pardon only takes away reatum penoe the appointment of a Man to punishment therefore there must be something more to render men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy and blameless before God and Objects of his Love Rom 4.3 4 5. Justification is called Imputing of Righteousness And Rom. 10.5 6. Justification by Works and by Faith are opposed by the Names of the Righteousness of the Law and the Righteousness of Faith To justifie therefore is to reckon or to declare in judgment that a Man is righteous and as if Man had been justified by the Law of Works he had then been pronounced righteous So now he is to be justified by Faith he is to be declared righteous by the Righteousness of Faith though not of Works Therefore Justification is more than Forgiveness Object 'T is said Pardon maketh a Man Righteous as if he had not brok'n the Law Answ Ans w. This hath been answer'd before I am sure we should take it very ill if one that hath greatly offended us and received his life and all from our Mercy should plead that he is as good as an innocent or righteous person because he is exempted from the Punishment he deserved Object A person of quality argues thus If pardon be not a Sinners Righteousness and maketh him not righteous then a man may be pardoned and be unrighteous still in the eye of the Law which he thinketh absurd Justific Evangelical p. 18. or else there must be a medium betwixt being righteous and unrighteous which he thinketh impossible Answ Both parts of the disjunction are untrue the first that he that is pardoned is not unrighteous still for if by favour punishment be remitted and no satisfaction be made to the Law then the Law remains broken still and he is a Sinner still though forgiven For it is not the Law that pardoneth if that might take effect it would condemn but the Law-Giver by his own Prerogative which pardon is not therefore looked upon as the fulfilling or the Righteousness of the Law But if as in our case the Law was satisfied and by reason of that satisfaction man is pardoned as this worthy Author acknowledgeth a little before then that satisfaction of the Law repaireth the Breach of it and so there is the real righteousness of the Law first imputed to a Man and then by reason thereof he is pardoned i.e. acquitted from punishment to which he was obnoxious before And thus here is a fair Contradiction that a Man is justified by a righteousness satisfactory to the Law yet barely pardoned The second part of the Disjunction That there is no medium betwixt being righteous and unrighteous is also untrue we speak of a declarative Righteousness Now it is apparent that there is a Middle betwixt being justified and being condemned viz. Medium negationis or rather privationis Adam before he fell was not condemned having not yet sinned nor was he justified having not finished
promised life by it 〈◊〉 to use the Ordinances and promised grace by them and that in believing him we shall have life everlasting So Faith as the rest is Gods instrument as to appointment anâ— success ours as to the use and practice of it 〈◊〉 only it is not proper to call it a passive instrument as some do or to say it justifies passively whose mistake is rather in the term thaâ— in the sence For Faith is a Moral not 〈◊〉 proper Physical instrument which only can be passive Again a passive instrument is thaâ— which hath no activity at all but is meerly used by the Agent in his action as a Knife Saw or the like but Faith justifieth actively or as a grace whereby the whole Soul understanding the promise of pardon in Christ accepts it trusteth in it expecteth Salvatioâ— only that way now this is a moral reception or acceptation of and dependance upon Christ in the Promise not a Physical passiveness as the term seems to imply We are now to prove That we are thus justified by Faith as hath been laid down because though the Scripture is full and express for it in many places yet other sences are now put upon them Argument 1. Faith is the means of obtaining all particular merits both spiritual and temporal only by trusting in the promise of them hence blessedness is ascribed to trusting in God Ps â—4 13 and many times God delivered men because they trusted in him 2 Chr. 20.20 Obedience qualifies and fits the subject to receive â—ercies but still Faith is supposed as that â—hich giveth right to mercies The Vertues 〈◊〉 Unbelievers have no promise the promise to Faith therefore Justification also comâ—â— by Faith in the Promise of pardon for â—ere is the same reason for all the Promises â—aith as faith obtain other Promises why â—t this also besides the Promise of Justification is the foundation of all the rest and â—â—udes them virtually therefore if Faith enâ—â—le to all other Promises and Mercies much â—â—re to this nay Faith in particular Promiâ—â— obtains mercy chiefly upon this account â—â—cause it hath first obtained reconciliation â—â—h God and the promise of his love in Christ for upon this all promises are founded and true trusting in them doth suppole our trusting in God first for Justification yea is a secondary act of the same Faith 2 Cor. 1.24 Argument 2. As Abraham was so are all men justified Gal. 3.7 8 9. all Believers are his Seed anâ— blessed with him and in the same way buâ— Abraham was justified by Faith as it is a trusting in the promise of God viz. a promisâ—â— that he and all the World should be blesseâ— in Christ Ergò That Abraham was thus justified the Apostle affirms Gal. 3.6 He believed and it was imputed to him for righteousness and this believing is opposed to seeking righteousness by the works of the Law v. 10. Thsy that are of the Law are not blessed with Abraham but under the Curse because thâ—â— keep not the whole Law which comprehenâ—â— the Moral as well as Ceremonial thereforâ— faith as trusting in the promise justified himâ— Moreover Christ redeemed us from the Cuâ—â— of the Law that we might receive the promiâ—â— of the Spirit by Faith v. 13 14. Vnto Abraham and his Seed were the Promises made v. 1â— and the Inheritance is not of the Law but 〈◊〉 Promise v. 18. The Faith then that justifiâ—â— Abraham was a trust in Gods Promises contradistinct to obedience to the Law or Commands If you ask what Promise I answer v. 17. directe us to it The Law was 400 〈◊〉 30 years after the Covenant or Promise whiâ—â— points at the time when Abraham was first â—alled and of the Promise made to him then â—nd to all Nations in him Gen. 12.1 2 3. by believing that promise Abraham was justified â—nd his faith in the promise of a Son mentioned above Chap. 15.6 and Rom. 4. was but a subsequent act of his justifying faith and its â—eing imputed for righteousness Vid. Prest On the Cov. Serm. 11. but an instance or evidence that his faith in the promise of being blessed in Christ did justifie him before God Argument 3. The Just shall live by Faith Habak 2.4 The Prophet spoke it immediately concerning temporal deliverance in publick calamities but these deliverances to the Children of God are tokens and fore-runners of deliverance from the Wrath to come and effects of their reconciliation with God therefore â—s it is usual in the New Testament to apply such promises to spiritual things so the Apostle applieth this of the Prophet to Justification wherefore as to live in the Prophet principally signified preservation from the temporal effects of the wrath of God so with the Apostle it signifieth to be delivered from eternal wrath and eternal death by the special favour of God i. e. to be justifyed now this he ascribes to Faith only Rom. 1.17 where he proveth that the Gospel is the power of God to Salvatian in them that believe because therein is the righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith which is further confirmed because the Just shall live bâ— Faith it is believing then that saves meâ— and faith that makes them partakers of thâ— Righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel therefore by that they live i. e. are justified and yet more express Gal. 3.11 The Apostle proves by this Text That a Man cannot be justified by his Works and thinketh it aâ— Argument above exception but that no maâ— is justified by the Law in the sight of God it 〈◊〉 evident for the Just shall live by Faith Argument 4. To be justified by Faith is directly opposed to Justification by Works and by ouâ— own Righteousness therefore Faith justified only by trusting in Gods Mercy through Chrisâ— The Antecedent is the Apostles Rom. 10.5 6. The Righteousness of the Law saith That hâ— that doth them shall live in them but the righteousness of Faith saith If thou believe in thy heart that God raised Christ from the dead thou shalt be saved v. 9. likewise Gal. 3.10 having said the Just shall live by Faith he adds the Law is not of Faith but the Man that doth them shall live by them therefore Man cannot be justified by the Works of the Law iâ— must be by Faith only will they again sayâ— that these places only exclude the works oâ— the Ceremonial Law Surely Moses in the place cited Lev. 18.5 speaketh of the whole Law given to the Jews as the context sheweth and as it is interpreted by the Prophet Ezekiel 20.13 Or will they say that only perfect Works and the Law of innocency are excluded not imperfect sincere Obedience Ans If any works justifie they must be perfect else there must be a conjunction of Gods mercy and Mans own works to justifie him and so a Medium betwixt Justification by Faith and by Works even to be justified by both together and so the Apostle argues imperfectly yea
falsly à malè divisis ad benè conjuncta we are justified by Faith Ergò not by works nay it may be by both together Argument 5. We are justified freely by Gods grace therefore by faith as a trust in the Promise The Antecedent is the Apostles Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ the Consequence is his also for he adds God hath set forth him to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Bloud likewise Rom. 4.16 It is by Faith that it may be by Grace If we are justified by Obedience to any Commands as Obedience then may we be justified by grace in part there may be some mercy in it but not freely by his grace Faith only accepteth Salvation as a gift of meer grace pleading nothing but the free Promise of God in which it trusts and Faith only applyeth the Righteousness of God by trusting in it but Obedience be it what it will provides a Righteousness of our own and hereby only is all the glory of our Salvation ascribed to God when we trust to nothing of our own in any sort But Christ is Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption to us which is by Faith only 1 Cor. 1.30 31. For obedience as obedience brings something to God and doth not receive from him and some of the Glory is due to it Argument 6. The Spirit is given by Faith as affiance to trust therefore we are justified by it The consequence is gathered hence the Spirit is the Author of all Grace in the Sanctified and of useful gifts both in them and in the unsanctified for the edifying of the Church both these are means of fitting men for Heaven If then Faith obtain the means surely it obtaineth a Right and Title to Heaven first The Antecedent is the Apostles Gal. 3.2 in a question importing a negation as to Works and an affirmation as to Faith Received you the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith And v. 5. He that ministreth the Spirit and worketh miracles amongst you doth he it by the Works of the Law or by the preaching of Faith The former words I understand of the Graces the latter of the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost but doth come not by preaching obedience to the Law but the Promises of the Gospel Again v. 14. We receive the Promise of the Spirit by Faith now here they cannot say the Apostle opposeth the works of the Law to the works of the Gospel implied in Faith as they do sometimes For those he disputes against were believing Jews and such as pretended the Authority at least the Example of Peter and John for their Doctrine as appears Chap. 2. and Acts 15.5 These did not exclude the works of the Gospel but meant that men should be saved by believing in Christ and fulfilling the Precepts of the Law and Gospel and differed nothing from our late Authors in this point but in that they accounted the Ceremonial Law still to oblige Gal. 1.6 7. I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the Grace of Christ unto another Gospel which is not another but there are some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ If they had contended for the works of the Law distinct from the Gospel it had been another Gospel they had preached their Doctrine therefore was a mixture of Faith and Works Nor is it the Ceremonial Law only whose works are excluded For these Teachers endeavoured that the Gentiles should be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses Act. 15.5 the whole Law which is also opposed to the Promise made to Abraham by which he and his Seed were justified Gal. ◠16 17. Ceremonies indeed are particularly instanced in because men put most trust in them whether appointed by God or devised by themselves and chiefly because they were the bond and badge of the whole Law Gal. 5.3 I testifie to every man if he be circumcised he is a Debtor to keep the whole Law It is therefore Justification by obedience to God's Commands as well as believing in Christ ushered in by imposing the Jewish Ceremonies which the Apostle disputes against in this Epistle and against which he proves We are justified by Faith in the Promises Argument 7. Miraculous Faith as trusting in the Promise and Power of God obtaineth miraculous Effects therefore Faith in the Promise of Pardon obtains Justification The Antecedent is frequently laid down in the Gospel Thy Faith hath saved thee thy Faith hath made thee whole be it unto thee according to thy Faith And that general Promise Mat. 17.20 If you have Faith as a grain of Mustard-seed you shall say to this Mountain Remove to yonder place and it shall obey you and nothing shall be impossible for you The consequence is thus proved The Faith of Miracles as in the unsanctified it was an extraordinary degree of common or notional Faith so in the Godly it was but an extraordinary degree of that sound Faith which justifies them We have no reason to make it a distinct gift or grace no more than that Faith whereby we believe particular promises in spiritual or temporal things should be distinct from the Faith of the Pardon of Sin Now then if a trusting in extraordinary promises will procure these extraordinary effects thereby promised by the same reason trusting in the Promise of Justification should be effectual to justifie us Argument 8. Ex opposito If Faith doth not justifie as trust in the Promise but Obedience with it and as a part of Obedience then it may be said truly and properly there is Justifying Repentance Justifying Love to God and our Neighbour Justifying Patience c. as well as Justifying Faith in that we are justified by them as well as by Faith but the Scripture is silent to any such thing Nor will it serve to say Faith justifieth principally and primarily works secondarily and less principally and therefore it is ascribed only to Faith For besides that we must not distinguish where the Scripture doth not Works in their intrinsecal value are much more excellent than Faith To believe the Scriptures or trust in a Promise is of it self the meanest lowest Act that man can perform to God and which he doth only for his own good but in Obedience man denieth himself and seeketh only the Honour of God And if you say as a condition Faith is principal Works less principal I answer It is strange that the less considerable thing should have the greatest weight laid upon it But let it be shewed how Faith doth reconcile us to God more than Love and Obedience till then we may look upon this distinction but as an old Popish Evasion revived CHAP. VIII Objections against this Doctrine answered IT is objected by a late Author Object 1. If we are justified by trusting in the Mercy of God through the Bloud of Christ then the whole
be saved and former sins forgiven but if we fail as we may both the Curse of the Law and the Condemnation of the Gospel will fall upon us all this while we are but Probationers for life and all God's kindnesses to us spiritual and temporal are merciful encouragements to us but not the Effects of reconciliation 2ly Not the present favour of God God indeed out of his infinite goodness bestoweth many blessings for our present comfort to own and to encourage obedience but they proceed not from the Love of a Father to Children the greatest inward comfort and joys of the Godly cannot be tokens of fatherly love or certain special favour For Adoption doth certainly presuppose Justification God must 1st justify us before he be our Father and so accept our persons before he accept our obedience as the service of Children but obedience to the end being the condition of our Justification neither Justification nor Adoption nor the special Fruits of it can take place in this life and I think none will say we have inchoate adoption for God to be our Father and we to be his Children in this life imperfectly and when our obedience is compleat that Relation will be consummate also 3ly Nor joy in the hope of Glory for upon the uncertain condition of obedience which no man can be sure by this Doctrine that he shall persevere in a man can have at the most but a good probability of his Salvation mixed with fear and danger and this fear will be the greater the more serious men be and apprehensive how hard it is to enter in at the strait Gate what room then is there for great Joy and even boasting in the hope of Glory 4ly Nor joy in Tribulations Afflictions by this Doctrine are accounted some part of the curse fruits of vindicative Justice we must bear them Num. 196 197. but what great comfort can there be in them How can we be sure that they shall not sift out our Grace rather than our Chaff and that we shall have a blessed Issue of them seeing we have no Promise of any such thing but what depends only upon the condition of our own obedience 5ly Nor can the heart be filled with the sence of God's Love The largest apprehensions of the general offers of mercy and love though they may calm the Soul yet cannot make it joyful under afflictions nor fill it with joy and peace in believing and if there be a sence of Gods particular eternal love to us sealing to redemption and swallowing up all fears and the sence of other troubles as cannot be denied to have been in many Martyrs and some other Godly persons this must suppose their Salvation to be out of danger and not to depend upon conditions not yet fulfilled If Christians do here receive in some sort the end of their Faith the Salvation of their Souls and rejoyce even with joy unspeakable and full of glory and can be thankful for it then the finishing of their obedience is not the condition of it but it comes by believing 1 Pet. 1.8 9. Argument 5. If we are justifyed by obedience to the Gospel or obedience be the condition of our Justification which is all one then it may be truly said we are justifyed by love patience by self-denyal and every other grace as well and as much as by faith For these in habit and exercise are the parts of Gospel-obedience and Faith it self is but a part of the same and in it self not so noble and excellent a part as Love and some other Graces but the Scripture is wholly silent of any such matter We are never said to be justifyed by Love Patience c. but always by Faith and when it is once said Jam. 2. A man is justified by works and not by faith only Justification is taken improperly viz. That a man cannot be a true Christian and saved by Faith which brings not forth obedience If they say that it must be taken properly and that works in general include every particular Grace and so we may be said to be justifyed by them severally in part I demand how faith is opposed to works in justifying in the Apostle's Dispute about it in the Epistle to the Romans and Galatians Doth Faith signifie obedience to the Gospel flowing from Faith or a belief of it and Works perfect obedience to the Law Thus they say but I would fain know why obedience to the Gospel should be called Faith rather than obedience to the Law for Faith had as great aâ— part in it and as great influence upon that obedience as upon Gospel-obedience Adam that he might have kept the Law of God perfectly must have perfectly believed the Existence and Nature of God his Authority over him that this Law was from him that it was just and good for him to obey that the Promises and Threatnings annexed would be certainly fulfilled as there was occasion and then in the course of his Obedience he must have trusted in God for the fulfilling of every Promise which concerned each part of his Obedience and moreover that he should be happy â—â— he did persevere to the end Now Gospel-Faith according to this Doctrine doth no more it believeth that Jesus Christ is King and Saviour that he gave the Gospel as his Will and Law that if we keep it to the end we shall be saved that all the Promises and Threatnings of it in the general shall be performed and in particular as there is occasion for them in our lives only this Faith is imperfect as well as our obedience mixed with unbelief and subject to wavering why then may not Faith comprehend perfect as well as imperfect obedience or why should the latter be called Faith in opposition to the former if it be said Gospel-Faith doth also include a belief of the Pardon of Sin which Adam's Faith did not I Answer The addition of one new partial object alters not the nature of the habit Faith is Faith still though it believe some particulars under the Gospel which it did not extend to under the Law as it did then extend to some particular v. 9. perfect freedom from all trouble in the continuance of innocency which it doth not believe under the Gospel but perhaps belief of pardon may be the reason why it may be opposed to perfect works it may be the reason why imperfect works and the Faith joyned with them may be opposed to perfect works and their faith but it can be no reason why imperfect works should be called faith simply without any limitation and perfect works be called works simply as if they included no Faith Moreover the belief of pardon in the Gospel is but accidental by this Doctrine â—â— for eternal life is promised to sincere Obedience to the Precepts of the Law the direct and principle object of Gospel Faith here iâ— the promise of life to Obedience i. e. if they obey the Gospel sincerely they
encourage men in the use of these means against all difficulties If we fly to God for Salvation and depend upon his Promise for it doth not this in its own nature oblige us to follow him in the way he hath appointed for the performance of that promise and doth it not undo and revoke what faith hath done in accepting and trusting in Christ for life to be negligent of the means whereby it should be brought about yea it shews Man regards not life and so doth not really trust in Christ for it trust and confidence in any friend to bring any business to pass for us makes no man more regardless of his friend or negligent of doing his part 2ly Faith trusts in God for his Grace and Spirit as well as for Pardon though faith as justifying directly and formally respects only the ptomise of pardon and life yet secondarily it considers and trusts in the promises of a new heart assistance and perseverance to the end and here we are said to be kept by the power of God through faith to Salvation 1 Pet. 1.8 and to be saved by hope Rom. 8. because the power and grace of God to bring us to Heaven is given to us believing and trusting in it If then Faith taketh in the promises of grace also how should it open a way to sin and sloth 3ly Faith doth virtually include an acceptance of grace or of Christ to sanctifie as well as to pardon it implies some repentance and aversion from sin and therefore must naturally engage to mortification and holiness â—ot hinder it I say not that accepting of Christ is a proper act of Faith as is usually â—â—firmed in popular discourses Acceptance â—â—mally is rather an act of love liking of and â—â—senting to such a person and his motions 〈◊〉 as before faith is wrought the heart is ordinarily prepared to believe by knowledge repentance love acceptance and deâ—â—e of pardon and grace by the common â—ork of the Spirit so Faith really trusting in 〈◊〉 promise of eternal life resting upon it â—â—h the whole heart doth include and imply â—â—ind of acceptance of it and afterwards it 〈◊〉 up more express acts of desire and acceptance from love which follows faith likeâ—â—e the heart being prepared by Convictions 〈◊〉 Sorrow to welcome Pardon then it doth 〈◊〉 all sincerity trust in the Promise of Parâ—â—â— this doth include an aversion from sin willingness to be holy why else should we 〈◊〉 strongly in the Promise of Forgiveness 〈◊〉 Life coming from a holy God through 〈◊〉 holy Mediatour and this necessarily exâ—â—â— express acts of Repentance and Mortiâ—â—tion he that truly understands what it is 〈◊〉 pardoned and justified and trust in the promise of it with all his heart doth in so doing shew an implicite resolution against sin and must manisest an explicite one afterwards 4ly Trusting in the grace of God when true brings the favour of the love of God and Christ Rom. 5.1 5. and this naturally inclineth to love thankfulness and obedience The groundless boast of Gods love are made an occasion of sloth by unsanctified hearts buâ— a true apprehension of it is a great motive tâ— love and obedience a greater and more effectual than an expectation of being justified bâ— Obedience For such Men will take a libertâ— to sin sometimes but the sence of the love 〈◊〉 God while strong in the heart will suffer nâ— such thing it is not only a rational but 〈◊〉 natural principle too and therefore it worâ—â— more forcibly 2 Cor. 5.14 The Love 〈◊〉 Christ constraineth us because we thus judgâ—â— If one died for all then were all dead aâ—â— that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto hâ—â— which died for them and rose again If tâ—â— true sense of Gods love without danger 〈◊〉 Hell were not enough to engage men to 〈◊〉 bedience what engageth Saints and Angâ—â— in Heaven now this sense of the love of Gâ—â— cometh by Faith in his Mercy therefore Faâ—â— engageth to Obedience If we are justified by trusting in Gods Mâ—â—cy Object 4. and through the Righteousness of Chrâ—â— without fulfilling any Terms or Conditions Vide True-man Gr. Prop. p. 89. then is there no proper Pardon of Sin For Christ's Righteousness being the perfect fulfilling of the Law and we being justified only by applying that Righteousness to us it seems we shall be accounted to have fulfilled the Law by our Surety and so not to be chargeable with Sin nor to need forgiveness Answ 1. They do wisely to begin to complain first for their own Opinion is not only liable to the same exception but seemeth inexcusable from it There are but two kinds of sins as they distribute them some against the Law of Works others against the Law of Grace and the Gospel and neither of these are properly pardoned Not the sins against the Law for saith our Author and his friends must say the same Christ did not properly fulfil the Law nor was the Curse of it properly executed upon him but he endeavoured that the legal threat might not be executed and gave to God a valuable consideration for which he might with Justice not execute that Law and be free to prescribe new conâ—itions of life to Sinners Hence I argue The Law was waved not fulfilled by the sinner or any for him neither was the sinner thereupon reconciled therefore the sins against the Law when men come under the Gospel are waved superseded but not pardoned Proper pardon is not only a forbearing to punish but a remission of the punishment with a reconciliation to thâ—â— offendor but in this case God is not reconciled but only gives them new terms of Savation nor doth he remit the punishment though he forbear it for the present for if after trial they fulfil not the Terms of the Gospel their sins against the Law also shall bâ— charged upon them and if at last they dâ—â— fulfil the conditions of the Gospel they aâ—â— saved thereby fulfilling the new terms thaâ—â— are given them then their old sins against the Law are forgotten and past over but theâ— is no proper pardon of them or reconcilinâ— the breakers of the Law as such Nor 〈◊〉 there pardon of their sins against the Gospel for if men fulfil not the conditions of it theâ— are condemned and so not pardoned If theâ— do fulfil them this is their righteousness bâ— this they are justified and saved because theâ— have performed those terms whereupon liâ—â— is promised where then is there place fâ—â— pardon when the Law is fulfilled If they say their Obedience is imperfect and sinful I answer it is so compared with the Law 〈◊〉 Works but not compared with the Law 〈◊〉 Grace Sincere Obedience to the Gospel 〈◊〉 as much as is required to bring a man to Heaven therefore by the Gospel it is reckoneâ—â— a fulfilling of what was required and so 〈◊〉 need no pardon Nor can it be conceiveâ—â— how the
Rom. 4.14 If they that are of the Law be Heirs faith is made void and be Promise of none effect The Apostle here proveth from v. 9. That Justification was â—ot restrained to the Jews because the Promise was made to Abraham's Faith which justifyed him and made him the Father of all Believers while he was yet uncircumcised therefore the Law here spoken of was the Law of Moses which was given after Abraham and the Promise is of his being Heir of the World or Head of the Faithful viz. That God would raise up a Church in and from him which should be saved by Faith as he was and Faith here is Abraham's Faith in that Promise by which he was justifyed before he was circumcised and by which all â—is Seed shall be justifyed directing their saith more expresly to Christ v. 14. Now saith the Apostle if they that are of the Law the Jews are Heirs of the Promise i. e. by the Law for by Faith they were Heirs as well as the Gentiles then the Promise and Faith were made void i. e. Abraham and his Seed by Faith without that Law could not be justifyed because men at that time were to be justifyed only by that Law and further he saith ver 11 12 13. That Abraham was justifyed by Faith before he was circumcised and received circumcision as the Seal of the righteousness which he had being uncircumcised to shew that the Gentiles shall be justifyed by Faith though they were not circumcised nor obliged to the Law of Moses and that the Jews though circumcised and observing the Law of which circumcision was a Badge should be justifyed by Faith as he was and not by that circumcision v. 11 12. He received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of the Faith which he had yeâ— being uncircumcised that he might be the Father of all them to believe though they be noâ— circumcised that righteousness may be imputed unto them also and the Father of circumcision to them that are not of the circumcision only buâ— also walk in the steps of that Faith of our Father Abraham which he had yet being uncircumcised The Father of circumcision to them that are not of the circumcision only i. e. not because they were circumcised and had thâ—â— Law of Moses but because they walked in the steps of his Faith of the acceptance where of Circumcision was a Seal He adds another reason v. 15. why the Law could not make them heirs of the Promise for by the Law is the knowledge of Sin and where there is no Law there is no transgression i. e. thâ— Law as given to the Jews did but shew theâ— their duty and so convince them of sin because they could not keep it and therefore that could not make them heirs of the promise but on the contrary if they must stand and be tried by that Law then the Promise was to no purpose and Faith in it had no force ergò the Jews were not justifyed by the Law of Moses they were brought into Canaan for the Promise Deut. 9.5 not for their keeping the Law and that was a Type of their attaining eternal life Argument 4. Rom. 5.1 c. the Apostle having proved that we are justified by Faith lays down the Effects of this Justification where first he speaketh of Justification as a thing done and transacted already to Believers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being therefore justifyed by Faith or when we are justifyed by Faith and then he descendeth to the Effects 1st Peace or reconciliation with God v. 1. which he amplifyeth v. 10 11. When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son and being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life i. e. brought to glory and through him we have received the atonement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and glory in God on that account which is proved by the comparison of our fall in Adam v. 12. ad sinem viz. as by being born of Adam we are enemies to God under his wrath and condemnation so by believing in Christ we are reconciled to God and have peace with him A second Effect of Justification here mentioned is access into that grace or favour wherein we now stand v. 2. i. e. present favour with God and freedom of access to him A third rejoycing in hope of glory v. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we boast the highest kind of rejoyceing A fourth rejoycing in tribulation v. 3 4. in confidence of spiritual benefit by them and deliverance out of them A fifth a pouring of the Love of God into the heart v. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All these flow from Justification in this Life as natural fruits in Believers but if we are justifyed by obedience none of these can stand 1st There is no justification in this life it is no past or present certain thing but a future and uncertain If obedience to the Gospel be that whereby we must be justifyed then we are not justifyed till our obedience be fulfilled and that is not till the Soul be out of the Body We are told that there is a sententiall Justification when the Judge shall pronounce us acquitted which is not till Judgement but there is a constitutive Justification by the Judgement of the Law in this Life when the Law pronounceth us Righteous according to it and to be such as the Judge will justify but neither will this hold the Gospel cannot judge a man to have fulfill'd it before he hath fulfill'd it which it must do if it judge or pronounce us righteous for the obeying the Gospel to our lives end before we be dead The compleat condition of Justification they acknowledge is obedience to the end of our lives and Justification is an acquitting us and accepting us to life for that obedience therefore till that obedience be performed the Gospel doth not acquit us nor pronounce us Heirs of Life therefore there is no constitutive Justification in this life by obedience Imperfect or inchoate Justification which they sometimes speak of when a man begins to obey the Gospel is nothing but a probability of being justifyed For if a man fall from his Integrity he shall never be justifyed though he obeyed for a time no not in part nor his condemnation lessned All that can be said is That such a man is in that way wherein if he continue to the end he shall be justifyed but if he continue not to the end he shall no more be justifyed than he that never entred into that way Nor can these Effects of Justification stand upon the foundation of obedience 1st Not peace and reconciliation with God For if we are to be justifyed by obeying the Gospel to our lives end then God is not at peace with us nor reconciled to us till then There is a suspension of the execution of the Curse of the Law and there is a Law of Life given by which when we have fulfilled it we shall
Divines at Dort Rationes omnes Act. Syn. Art 2. Ibid. à scripturis fideique analogia petitae quibus Christi incarnatio humiliatio vel exaltatio probatur vel confirmatur eò spectant ut demonstretur divina expressa intentio de fructuoso hujus tanti mysterii effectu non conditionaliter producendo nempe si homines cùm aeque nolle possint velint ut hic fructus in de enascatur sed infrustrabiliter efficiendo potentiâ divinâ id operante i. e. All those Arguments that prove the Incarnation Humiliation and Exaltation of Christ tend to this to shew that it was God's express intention to produce the certain effects of that great Mystery infallibly by his own power and not to leave them to be conditional depending upon Man's Will who might as well neglect and refuse as accept of them I conclude the Sum of this Doctrine comes to this That God took occasion by the Incarnation Obedience and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant men terms of Salvation viz. if they should believe and obey the Gospel not as any satisfaction to his Justice or Law which man had broke but as some kind of salvo to his Honour at least as he was pleased to interpret it And what need Christ have been God to do no more than this How easie is the slip from hence into the dead Sea of Socinianism To lay that Christ came by his Life and Death to declare and confirm only this Covenant of Life on condition of Faith and Repentance and to intercede for the Penitents Indeed the whole platform of this Doctrine was borrowed from Socinus by the Arminians from whom most of our modern Writers have it and some immediately from the Socinian from whom also came that common but illogical Evasion of works being not the meritorious but the causa sine qua non of our Justification Opera ea sunt ex quibus justificamur sunt autem opera ista nostra Soc. de Justif apud Pelt i. e. ut dictum fuit obedientia quam Christo praestamus licet nec essiciens nec meritoria tamen causa ut vocant sine qua non justificationis coram Deo at que aeterne salut is nostrae I do not desire this should be believed on my credit much less do I write to reproach any who do in heart abhor that blasphemous heresie however their words and notions may agree too much with it I only beg that Scholars and Divines would take the pains to examin and compare them before they imbibe this new Doctrine CHAP. VII Of the Nature of Faith that it justifieth as an Instrument applying the Promises of life in Christ and not as a Condition or Part of Obedience T The Apostle Paul was sent to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles Act. 26. v. 17 18. to this end that they might receive the forgiveness of sins and an inheritance amongst thom which are sanctified by Faith which is in Christ therefore forgiveness and a right to the heavenly Inheritance comes by Faith But what this Faith is and how it gives right to Life is now to be inquired into In explaining the nature of Faith I shall wave all that is usually drawn from Philosophy to this Argument from the nature and difference of Man's Soul and his Faculties and the difference of the Faculties from each other also from the nature of Habits intellectual or moral which things are fit Exercises for Scholars but not fit to build the Doctrine of Justification and Eternal life upon and if the best Philosophers can give us no certain account how men see and hear and how the external Senses which yet are more material in their operations than the understanding do exercise their functions there is much less certainty to be had concerning the Faculties Operations and Habits of the rational part and the Scripture speaks of believing as a work of the whole Soul With the heart man believeth unto righteousness Rom. 10.9 The like may be said of every Grace and of every Sin that hath the consent of the Heart that they carry the whole Soul with them What then is this Faith The Socinians affirm Faith and Obedience to be really the same thing Peltius Artic. Parag. 21. distinct only formally or docendi causâ Soc. resp ad Epist Joan. Opera Fides nullo modo distinguuntur à Paulo nec ab ea seperari queant imò animo seu forma fidei sunt The Arminians agree with them in this and our late Authors with them both and make believing and obeying the Gospel all one and to be justified by Faith with them is to be justified by obedience to the Gospel Aphor. Th. 70. Hence it is that they describe Faith to be so to believe God as to love him fear him trust him and obey him in every particular command or more briefly to be an accepting of Christ for our Lord and Saviour i. e. to promise obedience to him Ibid. 69 67. and to desire and expect to be saved by him Now we grant as the Gospel is sometime taken for the whole Doctrine or Mind of Christ containing both Promises Precepts and Threatnings though properly it be nothing but a Promise of Life through Christ in contradistinction to all Law and Precepts so also the Faith of Christ and of the Gospel doth sometimes comprehend the whole Christian Profession whereby we promise both a belief of the doctrine and obedience to the Command of Christ Yet Faith taken properly is to be distinguished from all obediential Graces viz. those that are the immediate cause of obedience as much as those graces are distinct from each from other as Love from Fear both from Patience c. That we may wave that Philosophical question also whether Graces be several distinct habits or one universal habit distinguished by several acts and objects it is sufficient if Faith be distinct by its acts and proper object from all other graces as much as they are distinguished each from other And that it is so is evident because it is an assent of the mind to divinely revealed truth Its acts are to believe or assent its formal object is the revealed truth of God as such we speak of Divine Faith only The immediate End of it is the satisfaction of the mind in the certainty of a true proposition and the like All these are distinct from love fear desire which are the immediate principles of all obedience or practice in doing good or avoiding evil Moreover Faith is the root of obedience not as the immediate principle of the elicite acts of obedience but as a more remote principle which doth excite and direct all the immediate principles of it Thus Faith is prerequired to seeking and serving of God Heb. 11.2 to the End and yet the immediate principles of them were fear v. 7. self-denial v. 25. holy courage contempt of the World and the like Faith worketh by love Gal. 5.6 purifieth the
end of justifying Sinners is to glorifie the Mercy of God without providing for the Honour of his Justice or Holiness both which seem better secur'd if Justification depend upon man's works as well as faith that he cannot be reconciled to God without a holy life as well as believing in Christ For thus God would appear not only merciful but just and holy also in that he will not pardon Sinners but in a way of holiness Answ 1. The Justice and Holiness of God were abundantly declared in exacting satisfaction to the Law of Jesus Christ his obedience and death did more declare and vindicate the Justice and Holiness of God infinitely more than the worthless imperfect obedience of men can do Hereby it was declared That God would not justifie Sinners but in a way of Holiness and perfect obedience to his Law There was perfect holiness and justice towards Christ though infinite Mercy towards Sinners Though man be justified by Faith not by Holiness yet he is not saved without Holiness it is that which qualifies him to receive the Kingdom and Faith also procureth and obtaineth his Holiness For we believe not in Christ for pardon only but for grace to bring us to glory Nor doth Christ purchase oâ— God promise pardon only but grace and power to obey him He gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purchase to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 So then Faith trusting in God's mercy and free grace supposeth for its foundation the Obedience of Christ whereby God's Justice and Holiness hath been highly glorified and also obtaineth for men by and from Jesus Christ the Spirit of Adoption by whom they shall in due time be make conformable to the Image of his own Son and so more excellently holy than they would have been if they had not sinned Therefore in justifying a Sinner in the whole design Holiness and Justice are as much magnified as Mercy though Mercy only appear in the Act of justifying him without his own Righteousness This Doctrine seems to lead to Enthusiasm Object 2. If there be nothing for man to do that he may be justified but only to believe in God's Mercy and Christ's Righteousness then may they fancy themselves justified when they please and if this Faith must be wrought by God then must men onely expect till God will infuse Faith and so justifie them What use then of the preaching of the Gospel Answ For Fancy May not men as well fancy their obedience to be sincere and their works â—o be such as argue them good Christians and give them hopes to be saved yea do not most men thus think and profess If works must be tried by the Scriture so must faith also and â—hen this is no more liable to fancy than the â—ther Answ 2. For Enthusiasm which is nothing else but infusion or inspiration of something into the Mind we grant all the godly do injoy it in the working and increase of supernatural grace and so must our Opposites also unless they will turn down right â—elagians and say That all Grace is the meer work of Nature and Reason Thus Enthusiasm follows from the Doctrine of Supernatural Grace whether we be justified â—y Faith or Obedience But Enthusiasm is were taken in the worst sence and so the meaning must be The Doctrine of Justification by Faith doth necessarily lead to ungrounded unwarranted Enthusiasm Now this may be reduced to two sorts for matter and for manner for matter when men pretend Inpiration of God for things contrary to â—cripture which God hath given as a standing rule to the Worlds end for manner â—hen Inspirations are expected to exclude and â—upersede the use of reason Scripture and â—ll Divine Ordinances these are properly called Enthusiasts who pretend to these Now our Doctrine of Faith naturally leads to neither of these Not to the first in the matter for faith apprehends resteth only upon the Promises revealed in the Scripture out of that it seeâ—eth nothing for its foundation and that somâ— Antinomians have leaned to unwarranted Revelations and Fancies is no more a natural consequence of Justification by Faith thaâ— the Papists pretending Revelation for Image worship and many of their Will-worship do naturally flow from from the Doctrine 〈◊〉 Justification by Works Not the second 〈◊〉 the manner We are so far from teachingâ— That men must expect Faith to be wrought oâ— increased without the use of means appointed that on the contrary we say with thâ— Scripture That faith cometh by hearing anâ— hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10.15 Thaâ— God requires men to know understand anâ— meditate on his Word to use their Reason Conscience and Affections and while they thuâ— do he inspires faith into his Elect which enables them to do it effectually and savingly much like as our Saviour John 9. made Clay anointed the Eyes of the blind man with iâ— sent him to wash in the Pool of Siloam anâ— while he thus did by his divine Power he restored his Sight The same also may be said if we must be saved by our Obedience wâ— may sit still and expect God to work all 〈◊〉 us unless they will say we need no supernatural Grace or at least that it depended on and followeth the Will of man Enthusiasms therefore are the abuses not the just consequences of this Doctrine It is objected If we be justified by Faith only Object 3. then there need be no care of good works Answ This follows as much as that objected to the Apostle Rom. 3.8 We are slanderously reported to say let us do evil that good may come of it and Rom. 6.1 Let us continue in sin that grace may abound Surely there is more shew of reason to say if we are justified by free grace only then no matter though we sin grace will be but the more magnified in our forgiveness than to say Because God justifies freely through Faith therefore we need need not care to please him The Apostle was not moved to mitigate this Doctrine for the said slanders Ungodly men will speak and act according to their own lusts whatever their Opinions be and Calvin observes among the Papists as we may the same among Protestants that none are more zealous maintainers of Justification by good Works than they who have fewest good works to shew it seems therefore that the Doctrine of Justification by Works is not such a real incentive to holiness as some men think but rather that the Doctrine of Justification by Faith crosseth corrupt nature more and stirs up to more deep and inward holiness else why should profane Wits and unsanctified hearts so generally oppose it But that this Doctrine doth not naturally lead to unholiness but to most strict and spiritual holiness may thus appear 1. As Faith trusteth in the promise of eternal life it doth naturally stir up men to use all means to attain that and
curses and natural evils may be inflicted without sin Even Arminius Episcopius and others of their chief Friends grant That God may without injustice lay temporal evils upon men without respect to sin of his own meer pleasure If Afflictions be part of the Curse to the godly it must be by some Law 2ly It cannot be by the Law of Grace for that is a remediating Law threatning no curse to them that obey it If by the Law of Works then Believers are in part still under the Law whereas the Apostle makes these inconsistent to be under the Law and under Grace Rom. 6.14 Moreover Afflictions if they be punishments must be satisfactory to Divine Justice For the Law requires nothing but in order to satisfie Divine Justice by obedience or punishment for failure and then Christ hath not redeemed us from the Curse of the Law part of it remaining for us to bare and so Christ's Redemption must be diminished he having onely purchased that the Law should not have its full force viz. to condemn us for ever but that we should have terms of grace or life eternal nevertheless that we should be left in the hands of the Law for this life that God may lay what curses upon us he pleaseth so that he save our Souls The same is to be said concerning sin and spiritual evils some sins are proper chastisements when men are suffered to run into some sins to correct them for former sins As David's Murder was a correction for his Adultery but these chastisements proceed really from the love of God though mixed with fatherly displeasure but for the general that God hath left sin in the hearts and lives of the Godly is not to satisfie his Law or the Curse but to magnifie his Grace and Wisdome in over-ruling sin and death to his own Glory and to further man's Salvation by those things which the Devil designed to undermine and overthrow both Object 6 If Faith only justifie and give right to life then is there no use of the Law to Believers nor any thing for them to do in way of obedience but only to expect that God should bring them to Heaven by his Grace to which Faith gives right as well as to life it self Answ As Faith it self is commanded though it be the work of God so is the use of all means whereby Grace is to be improved and exercised and in the use of them in dependance on God's Grace lies a Christian's Obedience The Promises of Grace and Perseverance do encourage to obedience but alter not the nature of obedience Phil. 2.12 13. As you have always obeyed c. work out your Salvation with fear and trembling For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Our Saviour came not to dissolve the Moral Law nor gave he commission to any man to do it but requireth better obedience to it than that of the Pharisees though they expected to be justified by it Mat. 5.18 19 20. and upon all occasions he directs men to the Law as the rule of Life Mat. 19.17 Chap. 22. v. 37. c. Though Faith encourage and Love incline to good works yet these works are properly obedience because done upon the Command of God It is true the Law is not a Covenant of Works or a Law of Life to Believers promising Life to Obedience perfect or imperfect and threatning death to the want of it Nor is this essential to a Law that life and death must depend thereon though they do so upon some Laws nor is it essential to obedience that it must proceed from hope of life and fear of death For there is no such thing with Saints in Heaven where yet is perfect obedience yet is it a Rule of Obedience a Declaration of God's Will how his Children ought to walk and to please him which is the very nature of a Law But it is not necessary to the Sanction of every Law Quest that there should be Promises to obedience and Threatnings to disobedience Answ Not from the nature of a Law but because of man's infirmities it is needful Gal. 3.19 So the Gospel hath promises of Blessings in this Life peace of Conscience increase of Grace and the Fatherly Love and Presence of God to obedience and diligence and the threatning of the contrary to negligence and disobedience yea the knowledge of the Covenant of Works as it restrains the ungodly so it is of use to the godly in this life to curb the flesh and to make them more afraid of sin and to quicken them to diligence But life and death eternal are not the Sanctions of the Law as properly given to Believers But do not the sins of Believers deserve Hell and put them into a damned state Quest Answ No. They interrupt their peace with God and the Work of Grace but make them not Children of wrath their sins in their own nature tend to death as they are an aversion from God but he will recover them out of them by repentance at death if not before and they deserve death according to the Law of Works by which they must judge of the â—inousness of them and be humbled accordingly But as the Law is tempered by the Gospel they shall not bring death And deâ—â—rt of sin being obligatio ad poenam ex lege the Laws binding a man over to punishment 〈◊〉 may be truly said they do not deserve death according to the Gospel because that doth not threaten death eternal to them yet they 〈◊〉 deserve other corrections threatned thereâ—y which are more effectual to restrain the godly than the threatning of Hell is to the â—icked But doth not this open a way to Sin and Sloth Quest. â—hen men that think they are Believers shall â—hen conclude their sins shall not damn them Answ No. For it is not the promise of great Retards nor threatning of great Punishment that 〈◊〉 keep men from sin else the Angels and Adam would never have sinned but it is the certain assistance of effectual grace which can 〈◊〉 will make men obedient without such â—â—nctions by other Reasons and Motives If Christians were left to their free will as much is Adam was then would there be a necessity 〈◊〉 the like Promises and Threats to keep them 〈◊〉 their Duty but because God hath undertaken to work all our Works in us it is enough â—â—at God declare his Will to them and will make them obedient Promises and Threaâ— of another nature are added because of the infirmity of the Flesh but they could not keeâ— them in obedience if there were not a certainty of prevailing grace and when these infirmities shall be taken away then the Declaration of God's Will without any Promise 〈◊〉 Threat will be a sufficient Obligation to Obedience for ever by the perfect and full concurrence of the Grace of God For it is the Spirit of Grace that holdeth
shall be saved and this was the nature of Adam's Faith to believe if he obeyed perfectly he should be saved now it is accidental to this that men be sinners and need pardon and so must believe that they shall be pardoned and yet with these men Pardon is nothing but nolle punire that God will not condemn foâ— sin and thus when we believe God will save us if we obey sincerely we do consequently and implicitely believe he will not condemn us i. e. will pardon us all our sins but thiâ— is implicite and indirect therefore the belief of Pardon cannot be a reason why Gospel Obedience should be called Faith and opposed to the Works of the Law Argument 6. If Faith and Obedience be the Condition of Justification then the great falls of the godly such especially as wast Conscience and make a breach upon their sincerity must interrupt their Justification and bring them into a state of damnation so that their only remedy must be to begin their Repentance and Obedience a new and if they have not time to do that but should die in their sin or senselesness after it they must perish for ever but we do not find in Scripture any word of this We read of the fall of some as Noah Lot Sampson and read nothing of their recovery and yet no question made of their Salvation We read also of David's and Peter's Repentance and their great Sorrow yet not that they reckoned themselves under condemnation We find David and others in the Psalms and Prophets much complaining of their Sins and Afflictions the fruit of them of the want of God's Favour and Presence yet they call him their God and beg the restoring of his Favour that he would not take his Spirit utterly from them Psal 51.11 12. All their Complaints and Prayers argue want of present fense of God's Favour and the quicknings of his Spirit not that they were utterly out of favour or a reconciled state It is true it is not safe for young or unexperienced Christians when guilty of foul sins or great decays of Zeal to retain mueh confidence of their good state but rather to remember from whence they are fallen and to repent and do their first works because they may be easily mistaken about the truth of grace when there hath been but little proof of it but well-rooted and experienced Christians upon their miscarriages are not bound to question their Justification but to humble themselves greatly for abusing the grace and kindness of God and submit to his fatherly correction and should they doubt as some do yet is not that the best and most proper motive to humble and recover them but rather a discouragement and hinderance Fear of Hell and such like Motives work best upon the unexperienced and ignorant but the want of God's Presence and other effects of his Fatherly displeasure are more suitable and more effectual to grown Christians Nor doth the Scripture speak any thing of the condemnation of those that die in actual sin and either have not actual repentance or not time to make proof of the sincerity of it The young Prophet 1 King 14 and the excellent Josiah 2 Chron. 35.21 22. were both slain presently upon an act of disobedience to the express Commands of God and yet nothing is said to render their Salvation doubtful and in this case I would ask whether the habit of Faith and Obedience be utterly extinguished If not it is strange that Men should go to Hell with a real disposition to love and serve God only wanting time to recover themselves from some fall If it be extinct it is also strange that one or a few acts of sin it may be for a few moments should utterly root out grace which hath been long in planting and confirming Argument 7. Lastly If Faith and Obedience be the Condition of Justification then there is no way to comfort Consciences troubled for sin but from the evidence of their sincerity past or by telling them they must be obedient for the time to come but for the present there is no peace nor hope no though they were going out of the World This Argument is much used by our first Reformers Luther Melancthon Chemnitius c. and they thought it unanswerable viz. That however men insensible of sin might dispute for the influence of their works on Justification yet when men have sore terrors of Conscience wounded for sin neither their works past nor their promises and purposes of what they will be for the future will comfort them but only the Doctrine of Free-grace and Pardon by hoping in the Mercy of God Our Martyr Mr. Bilney hearing a Rhetorical Preacher laying great stress upon Repentance and Obedience as the only ground of hope was offended and said How uncomfortable would this Poctrine have been to me when I was in my great terrors for my fall The Consequence is undeniable If we must be justified by Obedience and that persevering to the end there is no comfort to a distressed sinner unless you can shew him that he hath sincerely obeyed sometime past and therefore is fulfilling the Condition of Justification or by telling him he must now resolve to be obedient for the future and if he do so resolve there is some probability he may be saved but there can be no good hope till after some process of time he hath evidenced the sincerity of his Obedience which should he quickly die there would be no time for therefore no to lerable ground of hope or comfort for him but a bare perhaps that his purpose of obedience may be true and sincere and so accepted for his Justification But the Scriptures teach otherways our Saviours who knew best how to speak to the Soul saith to the Paralytick Mat. 9.22 Be of good chear thy sins are for given thee and to the Woman Luke 7.48 Thy sins are forgiven thee and Peter Act 2.37 38 c. when the Jews were pricked at their hearts biddeth them repent and bâ— baptized in the name of Christ for the remission of sins and that they should receive the gift of the Holy Ghost because the Promises did be long to them and their Children We see forgiveness is immediately promised to trembling souls and they are directed to hope for that and look to the Promises of it for present peace and comfort and certainly when God enlightneth the Conscience and setteth sin in order before it vid. Job 9. v. 19 to 23. and v. 13 to the end no man's sincerity will be a sufficient stay to him his obedience will appeaâ— very small not fit to be presented to God the best will cry out If thou Lord shouldâ— mark iniquity who shall stand Psal 130. v. 2â— and enter not into Judgement with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no flesh be justified Ps 143 3. And though they that be but lightly touched with sin are ready to promise great matter for the future and to quiet
all the immediate proper causes of Justification both internal and external and wanting only the remote preparatory causes If obedience to the Gospel as the Law of Christ be that alone to which Justification is promised then unbelief of his Merit when a man is not convinced of the truth of it can no more damn him than the unbelief of any other History concerning Christ suppose his being born at Bethlem or living at Nazareth c. when a man is not sufficiently perswaded of them For these were necessary ex Hypothesi because God would have it so and Christ's Merit was no more by their confession nor was it impossible according to their Principles but Christ might have been a King and enacted this Law of Grace though he had not been a Priest and satisfied for Sin And thus we have the bottom of this Mystery Next it is proved that Christ justifyeth as a Prophet p. 25. because the Gospel is a Law that must be promulgated and expounded and a Doctrine that must be taught and pressed on Sinners till they receive it and believe that they may be justified and this Christ doth as a Teacher and Faith must accordingly respect him Answ Faith must believe and trust in the Promise of Life made in Christ and preached by Christ and revealed to the heart by his Spirit But what is this to prove that a professed subjection to the teaching of Christ must justify us as well as Faith and yet methinks he that teacheth That the Covenant of Grace is written in all men's hearts and is a Secondary Law of Nature teaching men that God will forgive them that serve him sincerely though they know not that it was to be brought about by the Mediatour should not make it necessary to Justification to believe That Christ in Person preached the Gospel We have here Scriptures multiplied to prove that Christ hath power to forgive sins which is an Act of a King Mat. 9.6 ch 11. v. 27 28. ch 28. v. 19 20 c. which we grant he hath Ministerially viz. To declare the Promise of Forgiveness and to pronounce Pardon For he received this Power of the Father It followeth therefore that we must trust in him to declare and pronounce us forgiven but it is for his own Righteousness not for our Obedience Argument 5. It is a necessary condition of our being baptized for the Remission of Sins p. 27. that we profess a Belief in more than Christ's Humiliation and Merits Ergò More is a necessary condition of our actual Remission Mat. 28.19 20. 1 Pet. 3.21 Act. 8.37 1st Answ Here is continually ignoratio Elenchi We do not say that Christ's Humiliation and Merits are the only object of justifying Faith excluding his Person or any of his Offices but that Faith as justifying doth trust only in the promise of Reconciliation through the Merit of Christ but that it doth also in subsequent distinct Acts trust in the Promises of Illumination and Sanctification and in Christ himself to work these in us as a Prophet and King and to obtain them for us by his Priestly Intercession but all by virtue of his Merit and satisfaction which as it is the foundation of the other Offices of Christ so Faith always respects it as the foundation of all other Blessings to be hoped for 2ly 2ly I deny that any thing is necessary to Baptism for remission of sins more than a trust in Christ or the promise of Reconciliaon through his Bloud Baptism is as Circumcision was a Seal of the righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11 i. e. that we shall be forgiven through believing It is God's Seal to his Covenant or Promise which men are supposed to have a right to before they are baptized and so before they can promise obedience Believing in the whole Trinity and then believing Christ to be the Son of God proveth nothing but that the remission which Baptism sealeth is to be expected from the true God in opposition to the Heathen and Jewish false Gods or false Notions of God viz. That we are to trust in the Father to justify us through the Bloud of his Son who will bring us to eternal life by the Operation of his Spirit and that Jesus of Nazareth is this Son of God so to be trusted in Mat. 28.20 Men are first to be baptised being instructed in the Doctrine of Christ afterwards taught all his Commandments and thus the Apostles practised preaching through Christ the remission of sins and then baptising them that believe Acts 10. Acts 13. If a Promise of Obedience be the condition of Baptism then Infants are not to be baptised 1 Pet. 3.21 only sheweth that Baptism as an outward Sign will not profit without reallity in the heart in believing or trusting in Christ which will produce obedience The Covenants of Obedience which the Church annexed to Baptism are not annexed to it as conditions of obtaining Remission of Sins but as conditions of men's Admission into the Fellowship of the Church and those as evidences of the reality of their Faith in Christ Argument 6. The Apostles of Christ themselves before his death p. 28. were justifyed by believing in him as the Son of God and the Teacher and King of the Church yea perhaps without believing at all in his Death and Ransom thereby Ergò Answ If believing here mean as it ought the Apostles acknowledging Christ to be the Son of God King and Teacher of his Church and their giving themselves to obey him then I deny the Antecedent they were not hereby justifyed but by their trust in the Promises of Pardon and Reconciliation through the Messias whom they now knew to be Jesus Christ though they knew not the particular way how he was to reconcile them to God They were justifyed as Abraham and David and all the former Saints were and their Love and Obedience to Christ so far as they understood him was an effect of their Faith All the Proof is The Apostles were justified and they acknowledged loved obeyed Christ as King and Prophet and understood not that he was to die for them therefore this justifyed them Which is no Consequent Argument 7. The Satisfaction and Merits of Christ are not the only objects of the Sanctifying and Saving Acts of Faith p. 30. therefore not of Justifying 1st Answ Faith looketh only to the Satisfaction of Christ or rather to the Promise founded on that merit as the procuring cause for Sanctification and Perseverance viz. That as perfect Justification so perfect Sanctification is purchased for us by Christ But the Sanctifying Act must respect Christ's following applicatory Acts p. 31. and not the purchase of Sanctification only so the justifying act must respect Christ's following collation or application and not only his purchase of Justification Answ 1 This still changeth the Question which is Whether Faith in Christ as Prophet Priest and King i. e. Obedience as well as trust