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
way of handling sacred things But the Spiritual Amplitude of Divine Truths is restrained hereby whilst low mean Philosophical senses are imposed on them And not only so but endless Divisions and Contentions are occasioned and perpetuated Hence when any Difference in Religion is in the pursuit of Controversies about it brought into the field of Metaphysical Respects and Philosophical terms whereof there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufficient provision for the supply of the Combatants on both sides the truth for the most part as unto any concernment of the souls of men therein is utterly lost and buried in the rubbish of senseless and unprofitable words And thus in particular those who seem to be well enough agreed in the whole Doctrine of Justification so far as the Scripture goeth before them and the Experience of Believers keeps them company when once they ingage into their Philosophical Definitions and Distinctions are at such an irreconcilable variance among themselves as if they were agreed on no one thing that doth concern it For as men have various apprehensions in coining such Definitions as may be defensible against Objections which most men aim at therein So no Proposition can be so plain at least in materia probabili but that a man ordinarily versed in Paedagogical Terms and Metaphysical Notions may multiply Distinctions on every word of it 8. Hence there hath been a pretence and appearance of twenty several Opinions among Protestants about Justification as Bellarmine and Vasquez and others of the Papists charge it against them out of Osiander when the Faith of them all was one and the same Bellar. lib. 5. cap. 1. Vasq. in 1.2 Quaest. 113. disp 202. whereof we shall speak elsewhere When men are once advanced into that field of Disputation which is all overgrown with thorns of subtilties perplexed notions and futilous terms of Art they consider principally how they may entangle others in it scarce at all how they may get out of it themselves And in this posture they oftentimes utterly forget the business which they are about especially in this matter of Justification namely how a guilty Sinner may come to obtain Favour and Acceptance with God And not only so but I doubt they oftentimes dispute themselves beyond what they can well abide by when they return home unto a sedate meditation of the state of things between God and their own souls And I cannot much value their notions and sentiments of this matter who object and answer themselves out of a sense of their own Appearance before God much less of theirs who evidence an open inconformity unto the Grace and truth of this Doctrine in their hearts and lives 9. Wherefore we do but trouble the faith of Christians and the peace of the true Church of God whilst we dispute about Expressions Terms and Notions when the substance of the Doctrine intended may be declared and believed without the knowledge understanding or use of any of them Such are all those in whose subtile management the captious Art of wrangling doth principally consist A diligent Attendance unto the Revelation made hereof in the Scripture and an examination of our own experience thereby is the Sum of what is required of us for the right understanding of the truth herein And every true Believer who is taught of God knows how to put his whole trust in Christ alone and the Grace of God by him for Mercy Righteousness and Glory and not at all concern himself with those loads of thorns and briars which under the names of Definitions Distinctions accurate Notions in a number of Exotick Paedagogical and Philosophical terms some pretend to accommodate them withall 10. The Holy Ghost in expressing the most eminent Acts in our Justification especially as unto our Believing or the acting of that faith whereby we are justified is pleased to make use of many Metaphorical Expressions For any to use them now in the same way and to the same purpose is esteemed rude undisciplinary and even ridiculous but on what Grounds He that shall deny that there is more spiritual sense and experience conveyed by them into the hearts and minds of Believers which is the life and soul of teaching things practical than in the most accurate Philosophical expressions is himself really ignorant of the whole Truth in this matter The Propriety of such Expressions belongs and is confined unto natural science but spiritual Truths are to be taught not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual God is wiser then man and the Holy Ghost knows better what are the most expedient ways for the Illumination of our minds with that knowledge of Evangelical Truths which it is our Duty to have and attain then the wisest of us all And other knowledge of or skill in these things then what is required of us in a way of Duty is not to be valued It is therefore to no purpose to handle the mysteries of the Gospel as if Holcot and Bricot Thomas and Gabriel with all the Sententiarists Summists and Quodlibetarians of the old Roman Peripatetical School were to be raked out of their Graves to be our guides Especially will they be of no use unto us in this Doctrine of Justification For whereas they pertinaciously adhered unto the Philosophy of Aristotle who knew nothing of any Righteousness but what is an habit inherent in our selves and the Acts of it they wrested the whole Doctrine of Justification unto a compliance therewithall So Pighius himself complained of them Controv. 2. Dissimulare non possumus hanc vel primam doctrinae Christianae partem de Justificatione obscuratam magis quam illustratam a scholasticis spinosis plerisque quaestionibus definitionibus secundum quas nonnulli magno supercilio primam in omnibus autoritatem arrogantes c. Secondly A due consideration of him with whom in this matter we have to do and that immediately is necessary unto a right stating of our thoughts about it The Scripture expresseth it emphatically that it is God that justifieth Rom. 8. 33. And he assumes it unto himself as his Prerogative to do what belongs thereunto I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins Isa. 43.25 And it is hard in my Apprehension to suggest unto him any other reason or consideration of the pardon of our sins seeing he hath taken it on him to do it for his own sake that is for the Lords sake Dan. 9.17 in whom all the seed of Israel are justified Isa. 45.25 In his sight before his Tribunal it is that men are justified or condemned Psal. 143.2 Enter not into Judgement with thy servant for in THY SIGHT shall no man living be justified And the whole work of Justification with all that belongeth thereunto is represented after the manner of a Juridical proceeding before Gods Tribunal as we shall see afterwards Therefore saith the Apostle
justified in his sight Whence the Prophet says in the Psalm If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquity who should stand And Ambrose to the same purpose Nemo ergo sibi arroget nemo de meritis glorietur nemo de potestate se jactet omnes speremus per Dominum Jesum misericordiam invenire quoniam omnes ante Tribunal ejus stabimus de illo veniam de illo indulgentiam postulabo quaenam spes alia peccatoribus in Psal. 119. Resh Let no man arrogate any thing unto himself let no man glory in his own merits or good deeds let no man boast of his power let us all hope to find mercy by Lord Jesus for we shall all stand before his Judgment-seat Of him will I beg pardon of him will I desire Indulgence what other hope is there for sinners Wherefore if men will be turned off from a continual regard unto the Greatness Holiness and Majesty of God by their Inventions in the Heat of Disputation if they do forget a Reverential Consideration of what will become them and what they may betake themselves unto when they stand before his Tribunal they may ingage into such apprehensions as they dare not abide by in their own personal Trial. For how shall man be just with God Hence it hath been observed that the School-men themselves in their Meditations and Devotional writings wherein they had immediate thoughts of God with whom they had to do did speak quite another Language as to Justification before God then they do in their wrangling Philosophical fiery Disputes about it And I had rather learn what some men really judge about their own Justification from their prayers then their writings Nor do I remember that I did ever hear any good man in his prayers use any expressions about Justification pardon of sin and Righteousness before God wherein any plea from any thing in our selves was introduced or made use of The Prayer of Daniel hath in this matter been the substance of their Supplications O Lord Righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of faces we do not present our Supplications before thee for our own Righteousness but for thy great mercies O Lord hear O Lord forgive for thine own sake O my God Dan. 9.7 18 19. Or that of the Psalmist Enter not into Judgement with thy servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Psal. 143.2 Or If thou Lord mark Iniquity Lord who shall stand but there is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared Psal. 130. 2 3 4. On which words the Exposition of Austin is remarkable speaking of David and applying it unto himself Ecce clamat sub molibus iniquitatum suarum Circumspexit se circumspexit vitam suam vidit illam undique flagitiis coopertam quacunque respexit nihil in se boni invenit Et cum tanta tam multa peccata undique videret tanquam expavescens exclamavit si iniquitates observaris Domine quis sustinebit vidit enim prope totam vitam humanam circumlatrari peccatis accusari omnes conscientias cogitationibus suis non inveniri Cor Castum praesumens de justitia quod quia inveniri non potest praesumat ergo omnium Cor de misericordia Domini Dei sui dicat Deo si iniquitates observaris Domine Domine quis sustinebit Quae autem est spes quoniam apud te propitiatio est And whereas we may and ought to represent unto God in our Supplications our Faith or what it is that we believe herein I much question whether some men can find in their hearts to pray over and plead before him all the Arguments and Distinctions they make use of to prove the interest of our Works and Obedience in our Justification before him or enter into Judgement with him upon the conclusions which they make from them Nor will many be satisfied to make use of that Prayer which Pelagius taught the Widow as it was objected to him in the Diaspolitan Synod Tu nosti Domine quam sanctae quam innocentes quam purae ab omni fraude rapina quas ad te expando manus quam justa quam immaculata labia ab omni mendacio libera quibus tibi ut mihi miserearis preces fundo Thou knowest O Lord how holy how innocent how pure from all deceit and rapine are the hands which I stretch forth unto thee how just how unspotted with evil how free from lying are those lips wherewith I pour forth prayers unto thee that thou wouldst have mercy on me And yet although he taught her so to plead her own purity innocency and righteousness before God yet he doth it not as those whereon she might be absolutely justified but only as the condition of her obtaining mercy Nor have I observed that any publick Liturgies the Mass-Book only excepted wherein there is a frequent recourse unto the merits and intercession of Saints do guide men in their prayers before God to plead any thing for their acceptance with him or as the means or condition thereof but Grace Mercy the Righteousness and Blood of Christ alone Wherefore I cannot but judge it best others may think of it as they please for those who would teach or learn the Doctrine of Justification in a due manner to place their Consciences in the presence of God and their Persons before his Tribunal and then upon a due consideration of his Greatness Power Majesty Righteousness Holiness of the terrour of his Glory and Soveraign Authority to enquire what the Scripture and a sense of their own Condition directs them unto as their Relief and Refuge and what Plea it becomes them to make for themselves Secret thoughts of God and our selves retired meditations the conduct of the spirit in humble supplications Death-bed preparations for an immediate appearance before God Faith and Love in exercise on Christ speak other things for the most part then many contend for 3. A clear apprehension and due sense of the Greatness of our Apostasie from God of the Depravation of our Natures thereby of the Power and Guilt of Sin of the Holiness and Severity of the Law are necessary unto a right apprehension of the Doctrine of Justification Therefore unto the Declaration of it doth the Apostle premise a large Discourse throughly to convince the minds of all that seek to be justified with a sense of these things Rom. 1.2 3. The Rules which he hath given us the Method which he prescribeth and the Ends which he designeth are those which we shall chuse to follow And He layeth it down in general That the Righteoussness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith and that the Just shall live by Faith chap. 1.17 But he declares not in particular the causes nature and way of our Justification until he hath fully evinced that all men are shut up under this state of sin and manifested how deplorable their Condition is thereby And in the Ignorance of these things in the
unto Believing is 1 convinced of sin and exposed unto wrath 2 Hath nothing else to trust unto for Help and Relief 3 Doth actually renounce all other things that tender themselves unto that End and therefore without some Act of Trust the Soul must lye under actual Despair which is utterly inconsistent with Faith or the Choice and Approbation of the way of Salvation before described 5. The most frequent Declaration of the Nature of Faith in the Scripture especially in the Old Testament is by this Trust and that because it is that Act of it which composeth the Soul and brings it unto all the Rest it can attain For all our Rest in this world is from Trust in God And the especial Object of this Trust so far as it belongs unto the Nature of that Faith whereby we are Justified is God in Christ reconciling the World unto himself For this is respected where his Goodness his Mercy his Grace his Name his Faithfulness his Power are expressed or any of them as that which it doth immediately rely upon For they are no way the Object of our Trust nor can be but on the account of the Covenant which is confirmed and ratified in and by the Blood of Christ alone Whether this Trust or Confidence shall be esteemed of the Essence of Faith or as that which on the first fruit and working of it we are found in the exercise of we need not positively determine I place it therefore as that which belongs unto Justifying Faith and is inseparable from it For if all we have spoken before concerning Faith may be comprised under the notion of a firm Assent and Perswasion yet it cannot be so if any such Assent be conceiveable exclusive of this Trust. This Trust is that whereof many Divines do make special mercy to be the peculiar Object and that especial mercy to be such as to include in it the pardon of our own sins This by their Adversaries is fiercely opposed and that on such Grounds as manifest that they do not believe that there is any such state attainable in this Life and that if there were it would not be of any use unto us but rather be a means of security and negligence in our Duty wherein they betray how great is the Ignorance of these things in their own Minds But Mercy may be said to be Especial two ways 1 In it self and in opposition unto common mercy 2 With respect unto him that believes In the first sense Especial mercy is the Object of Faith as Justifying For no more is intended by it but the Grace of God setting forth Christ to be a propitiation through Faith in his Blood Rom. 3.23 24. And Faith in this Especial mercy is that which the Apostle calls our Receiving of the Atonement Rom. 5.11 That is our Approbation of it and Adherence unto it as the great Effect of Divine Wisdom Goodness Faithfulness Love and Grace which will therefore never fail them who put their Trust in it In the latter sense it is looked on as the pardon of our own sins in particular the especial mercy of God unto our Souls That this is the Object of Justifying Faith That a man is bound to believe this in order of Nature antecedent unto his Justification I do deny neither yet do I know of any Testimony or safe Experience whereby it may be confirmed But yet for any to deny that an undeceiving belief hereof is to be attained in this life or that it is our duty to believe the pardon of our own sins and the especial Love of God in Christ in the order and method of our duty and priviledges limited and determined in the Gospel so as to come to the full assurance of them though I will not deny but that Peace with God which is inseparable from Justification may be without them seem not to be much acquainted with the Design of God in the Gospel the Efficacy of the Sacrifice of Christ the Nature and Work of Faith or their own Duty nor the professed Experience of Believers recorded in the Scripture See Rom. 5.1 2 3 4 5. Heb. 10.2 10 21 20. Psal. 46.1 2. Psal. 138.7 8. c. Yet it is granted that all these things are rather fruits or effects of Faith as under Exercise and Improvement than of the Essence of it as it is the Instrument in our Justification And the Trust before mentioned which is either Essential to Justifying Faith or inseparable from it is excellently expressed by Bernard De Evangel Ser. 3. Tria considero in quibus tota mea spes consistit charitatem adoptionis veritatem promissionis potestatem redditionis Murmuret jam quantum voluerit insipiens cogitatio mea dicens Quis enim es tu quanta est illa gloria quibusve meritis hanc obtinere speras ego fiducialiter respondebo Scio cui credidi certus sum quia in charitate adoptavit me quia verax in promissione quia potens in exhibitione licet enim ei facere quod voluerit Hic est funiculus triplex qui difficulter rumpitur quem nobis ex patria nostra in hanc terram usque demissum firmiter obsecro teneamus ipse nos sublevet ipse nos trahat pertrahat usque ad conspectum gloriae magni Dei qui est benedictus in secula Concerning this Faith and Trust it is earnestly pleaded by many that Obedience is included in it But as to the way and manner thereof they variously express themselves Socinus and those who follow him absolutely do make Obedience to be the Essential form of Faith which is denied by Episcopius The Papists distinguish between Faith informed and Faith formed by Charity which comes to the same purpose For both are built on this supposition that there may be true Evangelical Faith that which is required as our Duty and consequently is accepted of God that may contain all in it which is comprised in the name and duty of Faith that may be without Charity or Obedience and so be useless For the Socinians do not make Obedience to be the Essence of Faith absolutely but as it justifieth And so they plead unto this purpose that Faith without works is dead But to suppose that a dead Faith or that Faith which is dead is that Faith which is required of us in the Gospel in the way of Duty is a monstrous Imagination Others plead for Obedience Charity the Love of God to be included in the Nature of Faith but plead not directly that this Obedience is the form of Faith but that which belongs unto the perfection of it as it is justifying Neither yet do they say that by this Obedience a continued course of Works and Obedience as though that were necessary unto our first Justification is required but only a sincere active purpose of Obedience and thereon as the manner of our days is load them with reproaches who are otherwise minded if they knew who they
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
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
shall not farther here insist on this Testimony Many others also unto the same purpose I shall wholly omit namely all those wherein the Saints of God or the Church in an humble acknowledgment and confession of their own sins do betake themselves unto the Mercy and Grace of God alone as dispensed through the Mediation and Blood of Christ and all those wherein God promiseth to pardon and blot out our Iniquities for his own sake for his names sake to bless the people not for any good that was in them nor for their Righteousness nor for their Works the consideration whereof he excludes from having any influence into any actings of his Grace towards them And all those wherein God expresseth his Delight in them alone and his Approbation of them who hope in his mercy trust in his name betaking themselves unto him as their only Refuge pronouncing them accursed who trust in any thing else or glory in themselves such as contain singular promises unto them that betake themselves unto God as Fatherless Hopeless and lost in themselves There is none of the Testimonies which are multiplied unto this purpose but they sufficiently prove that the best of Gods Saints have not a Righteousness of their own whereon they can in any sense be justified before God For they do all of them in the places referred unto renounce any such Righteousness of their own all that is in them all that they have done or can do and betake themselves unto Grace and Mercy alone And whereas as we have before proved God in the Justification of any doth exercise Grace towards them with respect unto a Righteousness whereon he declares them Righteous and accepted before him they do all of them respect a Righteousness which is not inherent in us but imputed us Herein lies the substance of all that we enquire into in this matter of Justification All other disputes about qualifications conditions causes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any kind of Interest for own Works and Obedience in our Justification before God are but the speculations of men at ease The Conscience of a convinced sinner who presents himself in the presence of God finds all practically reduced unto this one point namely whether he will trust unto his own personal inherent Righteousness or in a full Renuntiation of it betake himself unto the Grace of God and the Righteousness of Christ alone In other things he is not concerned And let men phrase his own Righteousness unto him as they please let them pretend it meritorious or only Evangelical not legal only an accomplishment of the condition of the new Covenant a cause without which he cannot be justified it will not be easie to frame his mind unto any confidence in it as unto Justification before God So as not to deceive him in the Issue The second part of the present Argument is taken from the nature of the thing it self or the consideration of this personal inherent Righteousness of our own what it is and wherein it doth consist and of what use it may be in our Justification And unto this purpose it may be observed 1. That we grant an inherent Righteousness in all that do believe as hath been before declared For the fruit of the Spirit is in all Goodness and Righteousness and Truth Ephes. 5.9 Being made free from sin we become the Servants of Righteousness Rom. 6.20 And our Duty it is to follow after Righteousness Godliness Faith Love Meekness 1 Tim. 2.22 And although Righteousness be mostly taken for an especial Grace or Duty distinct from other Graces and Duties yet we acknowledge that it may be taken for the whole of our Obedience before God and the word is so used in the Scripture where our own Righteousness is opposed unto the Righteousness of God And it is either Habitual or Actual There is an Habitual Righteousness inherent in Believers as they have put on the new man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness Ephes. 4.24 As they are the Workmanship of God created in Jesus Christ unto good Works Chap. 2.8 And there is an Actual Righteousness consisting in those good Works whereunto we are so created or the fruits of Righteousness which are to the praise of God by Jesus Christ. And concerning this Righteousness it may be observed 1 That men are said in the Scripture to be just or righteous by it but no one is said to be justified by it before God 2 That it is not ascribed unto or found in any but those that are actually justified in order of nature antecedent thereunto This being the constant Doctrine of all the reformed Churches and Divines it is an open Calumny whereby the contrary is ascribed unto them or any of those who believe the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto our Justification before God So Bellarmine affirms that no Protestant Writers acknowledge an inherent Righteousness but only Bucer and Chemnitius when there is no one of them by whom either the thing it self or the necessity of it is denied But some excuse may be made for him from the manner whereby they expressed themselves wherein they always carefully distinguished between inherent Holiness and that Righteousness whereby we are justified But we are now told by one that if we should affirm it an Hundred times he could scarce believe us This is somewhat severe for although he speaks but to one yet the charge falls equally upon all who maintain that Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ which he denies who being at least the generality of all Protestant Divines they are represented either as so foolish as not to know what they say or so dishonest as to say one thing and believe another But he endeavours to justifie his censure by sundry Reasons And first he says that inherent Righteousness can on no other account be said to be ours than that by it we are made Righteous that is that it is the condition of our Justification required in the new Covenant This being denied all inherent Righteousness is denied But how is this proved what if one should say that every Believer is inherently Righteous but yet that this inherent Righteousness was not the condition of his Justification but rather the consequent of it and that it is no where required in the new Covenant as the condition of our Justification how shall the contrary be made to appear The Scripture plainly affirms that there is such an inherent Righteousness in all that believe and yet as plainly that we are justified before God by Faith without works Wherefore that it is the condition of our Justification and so antecedent unto it is expresly contrary unto that of the Apostle unto him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted unto him for Righteousness Rom. 4.5 Nor is it the condition of the Covenant it self as that whereon the whole Grace of the Covenant is suspended For as it is
justified but there is no force in this Argument For 1. The whole nature of Justification is not here declared but only what is required on our part thereunto The respect of it unto the Mediation of Christ was not yet expresly to be brought to light as was shewed before 2. Although the Publican makes his address unto God under a deep sense of the guilt of sin yet he prays not for the bare pardon of sin but for all that sovereign Mercy or Grace God provided for sinners 3. The term of Justification must have the same sense when applied unto the Pharisee as when applied unto the Publican And if the meaning of it with respect unto the Publican be That he was pardoned then hath it the same sense with respect unto the Pharisee he was not pardoned but he came on no such errand He came to be justified not pardoned nor doth he make the least mention of his sin or any sense of it Wherefore although the pardon of sin be included in Justification yet to justifie in this place hath respect unto a Righteousness whereon a Man is declared just and righteous wrapt up on the part of the Publican in the sovereign producing cause The Mercy of God Some few Testimonies may be added out of the other Evangelists in whom they abound As many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his name Joh. 1.12 Faith is expressed by the receiving of Christ. For to receive him and to believe on his name are the same It receives him as set forth of God to be a propitiation for sin as the great Ordinance of God for the Recovery and Salvation of lost sinners Wherefore this notion of Faith includes in it 1. A supposition of the proposal and tender of Christ unto us for some end and purpose 2. That this proposal is made unto us in the promise of the Gospel Hence as we are said to receive Christ we are said to receive the promise also 3. The end for which the Lord Christ is so proposed unto us in the promise of the Gospel and this is the same with that for which he was so proposed in the first promise namely The recovery and salvation of lost sinners 4 That in the tender of his person there is a tender made of all the Fruits of his Mediation as containing the way and means of our deliverance from sin and acceptance with God 5. There is nothing required on our part unto an interest in the end proposed but receiving of him or believing on his name 6. Hereby are we intitled unto the Heavenly inheritance we have power to become the Sons of God wherein our Adoption is asserted and Justification included What this receiving of Christ is and wherein it doth consist hath been declared before in the consideration of that Faith whereby we are justified That which hence we argue is That there is no more required unto the obtaining of a right and title unto the Heavenly Inheritance but Faith alone in the name of Christ the receiving of Christ as the Ordinance of God for Justification and Salvation This gives us I say our original right thereunto and therein our acceptance with God which is our Justification though more be required unto the actual acquisition and possession of it It is said indeed that other Graces and Works are not excluded though Faith alone be expressed But every thing which is not a receiving of Christ is excluded It is I say virtually excluded because it is not of the nature of that which is required When we speak of that whereby we see we exclude no other member from being a part of the body but we exclude all but the eye from the act of seeing And if Faith be required as it is a receiving of Christ every Grace and Duty which is not so is excluded as unto the end of Justification Chap. 3.14 15 16 17 18. And as Moses lifted up the Brazen Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternal life For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life God sent not his Son into the World to condemn the World but that the World through him might be saved He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God I shall observe only a few things from these words which in themselves convey a better light of understanding in this Mystery unto the minds of Believers then many long discourses of some Learned Men. 1. It is of the justification of Men and their right to eternal Life thereon that our Saviour discourseth This is plain in Ver. 18. He that believeth is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already 2. The means of attaining this condition or state on our part is believing only as it is three times positively asserted without any addition 3. The nature of this Faith is declared 1 By its object that is Christ himself the Son of God whosoever believeth on him which is frequently repeated 2 The especial consideration wherein he is the object of Faith unto the Justification of life and that is as he is the Ordinance of God given sent and proposed from the Love and Grace of the Father God so loved the World that he gave God sent his Son 3 The especial act yet included in the type whereby the design of God in him is illustrated For this was the looking unto the Brazen Serpent lifted up in the Wilderness by them who were stung with Fiery Serpents Hereunto our Faith in Christ unto Justification doth answer and includes a trust in him alone for deliverance and relief This is the way these are the only causes and means of the Justification of condemned sinners and are the Substance of all that we plead for It will be said that all this proves not the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto us which is the thing principally inquired after But if nothing be required on our part unto Justification but Faith acted on Christ as the Ordinance of God for our recovery and salvation it is the whole of what we plead for A Justification by the remission of sins alone without a Righteousness giving acceptance with God and a right unto the Heavenly Inheritance is alien unto the Scripture and the common notion of Justification amongst Men. And what this Righteousness must be upon a supposition that Faith only on our part is required unto a participation of it is sufficiently declared in the words wherein Christ himself is so often asserted as the object of our Faith unto that purpose Not to add more particular Testimonies which are multiplied unto the same
things we may observe in the Apostles assignation of the causes of our deliverance from a state of sin and acceptance with God 1. That he assigns the whole of this work absolutely unto Grace Love and Mercy and that with an exclusion of the consideration of any thing on our part as we shall see immediately Ver. 5 8. 2. He magnifies this Grace in a marvellous manner For 1. He expresseth it by all names and titles whereby it is signified as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercy Love Grace and Kindness For he would have us to look only unto Grace herein 2. He ascribes such Adjuncts and gives such Epithets unto that Divine Mercy and Grace which is the sole cause of our deliverance in and by Jesus Christ as render it singular and herein solely to be adored 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rich in Mercy Great Love wherewith he loved us The exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness Ver. 4 5 6 7. It cannot reasonably be denied but that the Apostle doth design deeply to affect the Mind and Heart of Believers with a sense of the Grace and Love of God in Christ as the only cause of their Justification before God I think no words can express those conceptions of the Mind which this Representation of Grace doth suggest Whether they think it any part of their duty to be like minded and comply with the Apostle in this design who scarce ever mention the Grace of God unless it be in a way of diminution from its efficacy and unto whom such Ascriptions unto it as are here made by him are a matter of contempt is not hard to judge But it will be said these are good words indeed but they are only general there is nothing of Argument in all this adoring of the Grace of God in the work of our Salvation It may be so it seems to many But yet to speak plainly there is to me more Argument in this one consideration namely of the Ascription made in this cause unto the Grace of God in this place then in an hundred Sophisms suited neither unto the expressions of the Scripture nor the experience of them that do believe He that is possessed with a due apprehension of the Grace of God as here represented and under a sense that it was therein the design of the Holy Ghost to render it glorious and alone to be trusted unto will not easily be induced to concern himself in those additional supplies unto it from our own works and obedience which some would suggest unto him But we may yet look further into the words The case which the Apostle states the inquiry which he hath in hand whereon he determineth as to the Truth wherein he instructs the Ephesians and in them the whole Church of God is How a lost condemned sinner may come to be accepted with God and thereon saved And this is the sole inquiry wherein we are or intend in this controversie to be concerned Further we will not proceed either upon the invitation or provocation of any Concerning this his position and determination is That we are saved by Grace This first he occasionally interposeth in his enumeration of the benefits we receive by Christ Ver. 5. But not content therewith he again directly asserts it Ver. 8. in the same words for he seems to have considered how slow Men would be in the admittance of this Truth which at once deprives them of all boastings in themselves What it is that he intends by our being saved must be inquired into It would not be prejudicial unto but rather advance the truth we plead for if by our being saved eternal Salvation were intended But that cannot be the sense of it in this place otherwise than as that Salvation is included in the causes of it which are effectual in this life Nor do I think that in that expression By Grace ye are saved our Justification only is intended although it be so principally Conversion unto God and Sanctification are also included therein as is evident from Ver. 5 6. And they are no less of sovereign Grace than is our Justification it self But the Apostle speaks of what the Ephesians being now Believers and by vertue of their being so were made partakers of in this life This is manifest in the whole context For having in the beginning of the Chapter described their condition what it was in common with all the Posterity of Adam by nature Ver. 1 2 3. He moreover declares their condition in particular in opposition to that of the Jews as they were Gentiles Idolaters Atheists Ver. 11 12. Their present delivery by Jesus Christ from this whole miserable state and condition that which they were under in common with all mankind and that which was a peculiar aggravation of its misery in themselves is that which he intends by their being saved That which was principally designed in the description of this state is That therein and thereby they were liable unto the wrath of God guilty before him and obnoxious unto his judgment This he expresseth in the declaration of it Ver. 3. Answerable unto that method and those grounds he every where proceeds on in declaring the Doctrine of Justification Rom. 3.19 20 21 22 23 24. Tit. 3.3 4 5. From this state they had deliverance by Faith in Christ Jesus For unto as many as received him power is given to be the sons of God Joh. 1.12 He that believeth on him is not condemned that is he is saved in the sense of the Apostle in this place Joh. 3.15 He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life is saved but he that believeth not the wrath of God abideth on him Ver. 36. And in this sense saved and Salvation are frequently used in the Scripture Besides he gives us so full a description of the Salvation which he intends from Ver. 13. unto the end of the Chapter that there can be no doubt of it It is our being made nigh by the Blood of Christ Ver. 13. Our Peace with God by his death Ver. 14 15. Our Reconciliation by the Blood of the Cross Ver. 16. Our access unto God and all Spiritual priviledges thereon depending Ver. 18 19 20 c. Wherefore the inquiry of the Apostle and his determination thereon is concerning the causes of our Justification before God This he declares and fixeth both Positively and Negatively Positively 1. In the supream moving Cause on the part of God This is that free sovereign Grace and Love of his which he illustrates by its adjuncts and properties before mentioned 2. In the meritorious procuring cause of it which is Jesus Christ in the Work of his Mediation as the Ordinance of God for the rendring this Grace effectual unto his Glory Ver. 7 13 16. 3. In the only means or instrumental cause on our part which is Faith By Grace are ye saved through Faith Ver. 8. And lest he should seem to derogate any thing from the Grace