way If thou fleest from darkness he is light if thou seek meat he is aliment Idem de side lib. 2. c. 4. O sides the sauris omnibus opulentior O vulnerum nostrorum peccatorumque medicina praestantior Consideremus quia nobis prodest bene credere Mihi enim prodest scire quia propter me Christus suscepit infirmitates meas mei corporis subiit passiones pro me peccatum pro me maledictum factus est pro me atque in me subditus atque subjectus i. e. O faith more rich than all treasures O most excellent medicine for all our wounds sins Let us consider for it is profitable for us to beleeve well It is profitable for me to know because Christ for me took on my infirmities he underwent the passions of my body he was made sin for me-for me was he made a curse for me in me was he made a subject Macarius Homil. 20. Quicunque enim in propria sua justitiâ redemptione consistit in vanum cassum laborabit nam omnis opinio de propria justitia concepta tanquam pannus menstruatâ— mulieris in novissimo die manifestabitur sicut inquit Esaias Propheta-Petamus itaque obtestemur Deum ut induat nobis vestem salutis Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum ineffabilem lucem quem ferentes animae in aeternum non exuentur i. e. Who ever standeth in his own Righteousness redemption laboureth in vaine for all conceived opinion of our own Righteousness shall be manifest to be a menstruous cloth in the last day as the Prophet Esai saith Let us ask therefore beseek the Lord that he would cloth us with the garment of Salvation our Lord Jesus Christ that ineffable light whom if our souls put on wear they shall never be denuded thereof Even some Papists of old though few or none now since the Councel at Trent did assent unto this Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. In Colon there was a book written an 1475. directing how to comfort dying persons wherein these words are found Age ergo dum superest in te anima in hac sola morte fiduciam tuam constitue in nulla re fiduciam habe huic mortite totum committe hac sola tetotum contege totum immisce te in hac morte in hac morte totum te involve si Dominus Deus te voluerit judicare dic Domine mortem D.N.I.C. objicio inter me tuum judicium aliter â—ecum non contendo Et si tibi dixerit quia peccatores dic mortem D.N.I.C. pono inter te peccata mea Si dixerit tibi quod meruisti damnationem dic Domine mortem D.N.I.C. obtendo inter te mala mea merita ipsiusque merita offero pro merito quod ego debuissem habere nec habeo Si dixerit quod tibi est iratus dic Domine mortem D.N.I.C. oppono inter me iram tuam i. e. Go to then while thy soul is in thee put all thy confidence in this death alone have confidence in no other thing commit thy self wholly unto this death cover thy self wholly with this death alone mixe thy self wholly in this death roll thy self wholly in this death if the Lord will judge thee say Lord I cast up the death of our Lord. J. C. betwixt me thy judgment no other way do I contend with thee And if he say to thee that thou art a sinner say I put the death of the Lord Jesus Christ betwixt thee my sins If he say that thou hast deserved damnation say Lord I hold forth the death of our Lord J. C. betwixt thee my evil merites I offer his merites for the merite which I should have had have not If he say that he is angry at thee say Lord I set up the death of our Lord J. C. betwixt me thine anger Isidorus Clarius Orat. 40. in Luc. Nos dicimus neque fide primò neque charitate sed una Dei justitiâ in Christo nobis impertitâ justificari i. e. We say we are justified at first neither by faith neither by charity but by the Righteousness of God alone in Christ bestowed upon us Albertus Pighius Controv. 2. de side Fortassis etiam nostram hanc damnarent n. Scholastici sententiam qua propriam 〈◊〉 ex suis operibus esset 〈◊〉 Deo justitiam derogamus omnibus Adae filiis docuimus una Dei in Christo niti nos pesse justitid una illa justos coram Deo destitutos propria nisi hoc ipsum astruxissemus aliquanto diligentius i. e. It may be they i. e. the Scholasticks would condemne this opinion of ours whereby we take away from all the Sons of Adam their own Righteousness which is of their own works before God did teach that we must leane upon the Righteousness of God in Christ alone that by that alone we are Righteous before God though destitute of our own if we had not confirmed it a little more diligently Idem ibid. Nam quod nen operibus nostris non in justitia nostra sed in una ignoscente iniquitates nostras misericordia benevolentiâ— erga nos divinae salutis a Deo assignandae nobis spes sit Davidis Testimonio Apost ad Rom. comprobans non alia justitiâ— niti nos posse nisi quam imputari nobis absque nostris operibus affirmat-non dicit beati qui ex operibus suis justi coram Deo sunt beatus vir qui non commisit nec fecit injustitiam sad beati quorum a Deo misericorditer remissae sunt iniquitates quorum ipse sua justitia tegit abscendit peccata i. e. That our hope of the Lord 's good will of life is not by our works nor in our Righteousness but only in the mercy of God forgiving iniquities Paul to the Rom. confirmeth by the testimonie of David proving to us that we may lean to no other Righteousness but that which he affirmeth to be imputed to us without our works He saith not blessed are they who are Righteous before God by their own works blessed is the man that hath done no iniquity but blessed are they whose iniquities are mercifully pardoned whose sins he covereth and hideth with his own Righteousness Thereafter the same man saith In illo ergo justificamur coram Deo non in nobis non nostra sed illius justitia quae nobis cum illo jam communicantibus imputatur Propriae justitiae inopes extra nos in illo docemur justitiam quaerere Cum inquit qui peccatum non noverat pro nobis peccatum fecit hoc est hostiam peccâ—ti expiatricem ut nos efficeremur justitia Dei in ipso non nostra sed Dei justitia justi efficimur in Christo quo jure Amicitiae quae communionem omnium inter amicos facit juxta vetus celebratissimum proverbium Christo insertis conglutinatis unitis sua nostra facit suas divitias
exception upon condition of acceptance as also an offer of Faith Repentance Conversion with all the consequences thereof 7. An Universal will in God to call into this Covenant and unto the Participation of the benefites thereof all every man 8. An Universal execution of this will or promulgation of this Gospel or New Covenant unto all every one by common favours benefites bestowed on all whereby all are called to believe in a merciful pardoning God and all have abundance of Mercies Meanes of Recovery of life for the Lord now governeth the world only on termes of grace 9. Upon this followeth an Universal Command to all men to use certaine duties meanes for their Recovery by Faith Repentance 10. An Universal pardon of the first Sin so far at least that no man shall perish for the meer Original sin of Nature alone unless he adde the rejection of grace 11. Hence followeth an Universal Judgment Sentence on all in the great day only according as they have performed the new Gospel Conditions 12. Some also adde an Universal Subjective Grace whereby all are enabled to performe the conditions of the new Covenant 13. Universal proper Fruits Effects of this death whereby all the outward favours that Heathens enjoy are said to be purchased for them by Christ why not also what Devils enjoy Finally 36. This assertion of Universal Redemption layeth the ground of maketh way to a new frame of the Covenant of Grace quite overturning its Nature and transforming it into a new Covenant of Works making it one the same with that as to kinde only to differ as to the change of Conditions to be performed by man for as in the first Covenant Adam was to obtain right to possession of life promised in by for through and upon the account of his fulfilling the Condition of perfect obedience imposed by the Lord so in the New Covenant man is to obtaine acquire to himself a right to possession of the Life promised in by for through upon the account of his performance of the Condition of Faith new obedience now imposed in the Gospel and all the difference is that in stead of perfect obedience to the Law which was the Condition of the first Covenant now Faith sincere Gospel Obedience is made the Condition And thus we can no less he said to be justified by works of the Law or which we do then Adam should have been said to have been so justified had he stood and this justification giveth as great ground of boasting unto man of making the reward of debt not of grace as justification by the first Covenant would have done for though it be said that Christ hath made satisfaction to justice for the breach of the first Law thereby purchased to all upon Condition Justification Salvation yet this removeth not the difficulty for what is purchased by Christ's death is made Universal Common to all and so can be nothing according to our Adversaries but a putting of all men in statu quo prius in case to run obtaine the prize for themselves as God's absolute free love put Adam in that Condition at first Christ's death though thereby as they say he purchased the New Covenant which with them is the chiefe if not the only effect fruit of his Death Merites can be no more than a very remote ground of Right to Life Salvation unto any person for it is made Universal Common to all so that all have equal share therein advantage thereby man himself by performing the new Conditions only making the difference so that the immediat ground of the Right to life which any have is their own Faith Obedience or performance of the New Covenant-conditions Whereby it is manifest that as to our Particular and Immediat Right to Happiness we are to plead our own works lean to them as our ground whereupon we may stand appear before God's Tribunal and upon the account thereof plead for the crown as our due debt having now run for it performed the Condition agreed upon and so sing praises to our selves in stead of singing praises to our Redeemer Hence the Righteousness wherein we must appear before God is not the Righteousness of Christ but our own for the Righteousness of Christ say they is only imputed in regard of its effects whereof the new Covenant is the All or the Chiefe and so that doth not become the Righteousness of any man nor can be said to be imputed to any man properly which also they assert but his own Faith is only imputed properly which also they plead for as his Righteousness not as a Way Medium or Methode of Gospel-Righteousness especially when Gospel-Obedience is adjoyned The Righteousness of Christ being thereby only accounted to be imputed in that it hath procured that our own Gospel Righteousness Faith new Obedience shall be imputed to us as our Immediat Righteousness the ground of our Right to Glory What accord is betwixt this frame of the Covenant of Grace that way of justification held forth by Socinians Arminians Papists the learned will easily see and how contrary it is to the Covenant of Grace held forth in the Gospel hitherto professed maintained by the orthodox every one acquainted therewith cannot be ignorant it is obvious how opposite this is unto what the Apostle saith Phil. 3 8 9. yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith And Tit. 3 5 6 7. Not by works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Iesus Christ our Saviour that being justified by his grace we should be made heâ—rs according to the hope of eternal life And Rom. 3 20 21 22 24. Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified but now the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifest even the Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe being justified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Iesus Christ. And many other places It is no less clear how hereby the true nature of justifying faith and Gospel Obedience is perverted withall how dangerous this is if put into practice or if men act live accordingly every serious exercised Christian knoweth FINIS The Contents of the Chapters CHAP. I. THE Introduction to the Work and the Text Gal 3.
them nor all of them do fully unfold the mystery And in it there is ground enough to suppose Christ to be a publick person a Representative as also for asserting of this Imputation because Beleevers being thus united unto Christ are made partakers of His righteousness of what He as Head Husband did suffered in their room place they thereupon are blessed with all the fruits effects thereof Fourthly His being called a Surety Heb. 7 22. doth also give ground confirmation unto this Imputation for as He who becometh Surety for another undertaketh to do or suffer what he for whom he is Surety was obliged to do or suffer As when Paul became Surety for Onesimus bound himself as such unto Philemon he would have Philemon requiring all that Onesimus was due to him at his hand reckoned upon his score he undertook to satisfie him for this debt or for what he could crave of Onesimus as we see Philem. vers 18 19. If he hath wronged thee or oweth thee ought put that upon mine account I Paul have written it with mine own hand I will repay it So what the cautioner doth or suffereth as such or according to his undertaking is reckoned upon the score of the Principul debtor as Paul's paying of what Onesimus imputed to was endue te Philemon was to be reckoned on the score of Onesimus him that he thereby might be freed from all pursuite of Law or action against him at the Instance of Philemon Wherefore as Christ becoming Surety for His Children saying to the Father Lo I come in the volumne of they book it is written of me I delight to do thy will ô God Psal. 40 7 8. Heb. 10. 7. did take upon Himself the debt of sinners engaged to pay all that is both to give perfect Obedience to the Law fulfill all Righteousness Mat. 3 15. as also to pay the penalty to make Satisfaction to Justice by becoming a Curse suffering Griefs Sorrowes Bruisings Mockings the cursed death of the Cross for all this He did willingly cheerfully I have said He a baptisme to be baptized with meaning His death how am I straitened or pained untill it be accomplished Luk. 12 50. He laid down His life that He might take it againe no man took His life from Him against His will but He laid it down of His own accord Ioh. 10 17 18. And as Christ did really actually performe all that He did undertake so that He said upon the Cross it is finished It must of necessity follow that all they for whom He became Surety undertook to do suffer what was laid upon Him must have that Imputed made over unto them they must be clothed with that rob of Righteousness which He did make for them must appear before the throne of justice clothed therewith Fiftly Christ's making proper full Satisfaction to the Father in the Name room of His people saith also That there is an Imputation of Christ's Righteousness unto them for whom He performed that Righteousness as His Satifaction must be for them So that if Imputation be denied Satisfaction also must be denied Hence the Socinians wickedly deny both indeed who ever deny the one must also deny the other or not speak consequentially for when one laith down a satisfactory price for another it must be reckoned upon the score of imputed to that other to the end he may be dealt with as if he had laid it down himself thereby be freed from what otherwayes he must have undergone if upon the account of that Satisfaction he be not so freed it cannot be called a Satisfaction for him When Christ laith dwon his life for His sheep His sheep must not dye perish for if they perish He did not die for them if they perish not because of His dying for them His death must be imputed to them upon the account of it they must be saved So that Christ's dying for His own is dying in their Room Person place Stead as the particle for manifestly importeth 2 Sam. 18 33. Gen. 44 33. Numb 3 12. Rom. 5 6 7. Hence His Ransome is expresly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2 6. Many moe arguments might be here adduced for confirmation of this Truth but I shall satisfy my self at present with these few plaine ones so proceed 8. This Mystery is also considerable here That both the justice of God the Mercy free Grace of God take place in this matter Socinians cry up the Mercy free Grace of God in the matter if justification but it is to this end that they may with more desperat confidence shut out the Justice of God so as it may have no place there therefore they deny all Satisfaction Redemption Atonement c. except what is meerly metaphorical because they cannot see how justice mercy both can with joint hands concurre to our justification But the Apostle better taught than they better acquainted with the mind of Christ in this Mystery than they are seeth no Inconsistency But rather declareth the sweet perfect harmony concurrence of these in this mystery telling us Rom. 3 24 25 26. That we are justified freely by His grace yet addeth through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His bloud to declare His righteonsness c. And againe to declare His righteousness that He might be just the justifier of him which beleeveth in Iesus Here is a free grace triumphing yet Justifice declared and manifested God declared to be just and His righteousness manifested yet sinners and beleevers justified freely by grace So Eph. 1 7 8. There is a Redemption through the price of bloud yet a free pardon of sinnes according to the riches of Gods grace wherein He hath abounded towards us in all wisdome prudence But if it be enquired wherein appeare to this mercy and freedom of grace in our justification seing there was a Satisfaction made to justice for all the sinnes of His peaple I answer 1 was it not an Act of wonderful free grace mercy that when the Lord might have executed the sentence of the Law upon us according to that threatning that day thou eats thou shalt die and so have made us sinners who transgressed the Law to die and suffer yet He would accept of a Satisfaction at the hands of a Surety Cautioner 2 Was it not Act of grace mercy to us that He himself would provide a Surety and put His name in our obligation so make Him sin for us who know no sin lay all our iniquities upon Him that He might bear the punishment due to us for the same See Ioh. 3 16. 3 Was it no Act of Soveraigne grace mercy that God should both provide
justified CHAP. XXIX What Interest Repentance hath in our Justification IN reference to the clearing of this Question about the Interest of Repentance in Justification it will not be necessary to speak much of Repentance it self the premitting of a few things will be sufficient unto our purpose The Hebrew word which is rendered repent is of a general signification for it signifieth to return whether from a place or from the distemper of our minds or from our former courses so denoteth a motion or change of the body from one place to another or of the mind from any purpose or of the whole way walk and in special it sometime signifieth a change of the whole man to the better both as to his Mind Resolution and Deportment thus denoteth a mans turning unto God And accordingly we read in the New Testam of the Prodigals coming or returning to himself or to his right mind wits and we heare of Repentance towards God In the N. Testam there are two greek words the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importing such a change as it attended with after care the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying such a change as denoteth after-wit or after thought Some do so difference these two as that they say the last signifieth so to sorrow for what is done as to amend it called by the latines Resipiscere therefore properly is meaned of a good saving Repentance wherein the penitent returneth to his right wits so as to reforme amend what hath been amisse and the other denoteth properly care anxiety solicitude after something done called by the Latines poenitere and this may be used in an evil sense as denoting properly no change of minde or carriage to the better but simply such a trouble anxiety for what is done as maketh them wish it were not done whether the thing done was good or evil But in the New Test. we finde not this difference constantly obsérved for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken both in a good sense for a good Repentance saving Mat. 21 32 29. and for a common Repentance that is not saving Mal 27 3. where mention is made of Iudas repenting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that cometh therefrom import a good saving Repentance except Heb. 12 17. What this word denoteth when used of God either affirmativly or negativly we need not here enquire It is more for our purpose to consider that Repentance may be taken in a threefold sense 1. for a common work of legal sorrow through conviction of hazard because of sin whereby the man may rew be grieved be sorrowful for what he hath done and wish he had not done it as Iudas repented of his wickedness This may be and yet not be attended with Pardon of sins And as to such in whom the Lord purposeth to carry on the work of Condition Humiliation untill it come to real Conversion and an Union with Christ though it may be called a conditio sine qua non of Justification Pardon in such in regaird that usually if not alwayes the Lord premitteth some thing of this as to some sensible measure or other unto his more gracious workings yet this Common Repentance hath no proper interest in justification cannot be called a Condition thereof far less a Cause seing in it self it hath no certain connexion with justification though it be an antecedent in the justified yet it may be and often is where no justification followeth being in many nothing but the sorrow of the world that worketh death 2. Cor. 7 10. But 2. There is a Repentance that is only peculiar unto such as are already Justified Pardoned following upon flowing from the sense and intimation of Pardon expressed by Self-abhoring Self-lothing Melting of heart and Tenderness the like so Ezek. 16 63. That thou mayest remember be confounded never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified toward thee c. So Ezek. 36-25 26 27 28. comp with vers 31 See also Ier. 31 19 20. Neither can this be called or accounted a Condition of Justification Remission because it manifestly followeth not only Justification Remission itself but also the sense and intimation thereof therefore cannot go before it But. 3. The greatest difficulty is anent that work of Repentance which is a saving work of the Spirit going a longs with Faith ariseing from the sense of sin committed and the apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ causing spiritual kindly griefe sorrow and indignation at themselves and their sinful wayes with an hatred of sin a fixed purpose to forsake it and to turn to the Lord this is frequently mentioned in the Scriptures Now this Repentance may be considered two wayes first as it is in these in whom the Lord is working a work of Conversion whom He is translating out of dearkness in to the Kingdom of his dear Son and Secondly as it is in such as are already brought in to a justified state after new sins committed As to this last we will have a fit occasion to enquire afterward how or what way it is required in reference to Remission Pardon of after-sins The first falleth now under consideration because we are speaking of Justification which holdeth forth a change of state as was formerly explained That we may therefore proceed the more distinctly in this Inquisition we must fiâ—st take notice of the several senses of the word or of the termes equipollent in Scripture and see what is properly denoted there by And 1. Sometime it denoteth most griefe sorrow or that which is called contrition or that part of Repentance as Luk. 10 33. where it is explained by sitting in sackcloth ashes Ier. 8 6. No man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done Thus it may also be taken 2. Cor. 11 21. that I shall bewail many which have sinned already have not Repented of the uncleaness fornication lasciviousness which they have committed Here I say it may be looked upon as mostly denoting this part of Repentance though not as excluding the other parts 2. Some time it denoteth mostly a change of former courses wayes whether of errour as 2. Tim. 2 25. If God per adventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the truth or of Conversation called Repentance from dead works Heb. 6 1. So 2. Chron. 7 14. it is called a turning from their evil wayes from sins Ezek. 18 21. It was said to Simon Magus Act. 8 22. repent of this thy wickedness See Rev. 2 21 22. 3. Sometime it denoteth the whole work of Conversion turning unto God Act. 26 20 that they should Repent turn to God where the latter expression is but exegetick of the former So also Act. 3 19. Repent ye therefore be converted where both expressions
be true lively is the sole Condition of Pardon 8. As at first so alwayes that holdeth true which Peter saith Act. 10 43. To him i. e. to Jesus give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive Remission of sins As the stung Israelit was alwayes in order to his cure to look to the brazen serpent so is the Beleever that would be cured of the guilt of new transgressions to have his recourse by Faith unto the Mediator crucified lifted up Ioh. 3 14 15. Obj. 1. It is said that Repentance is necessary both as commanded and as a meane appointed for attaining Remission of sins And therefore must be the Condition of Remission Ans. The consequence is not good for this same may be said of Prayer and other Duties which yet cannot be called proper Conditions of Pardon That prayer is a commanded duty none will deny That a praying sinner may be said to be using the meanes to attaine unto Pardon and to be in the way of obtaining of it will also be granted and so in that respect prayer may be accounted a meane and yet it cannot be called the Condition for then every one that prayeth should have pardon though he act not faith And if it be said that it must be prayer in faith Iam. 5 15. I Ans. True but then the Condition is not Prayer but Faith exerting itself and acting in through Prayer And the same we say of Repentance and so keep it in its due place and presse it in the Gospel way methode Obj. 2. It is said That there is a kind of congruity sutablness in this order by subjoining the promise of pardon to it for it is more sutable that a penitent sinner should have Pardon than an impenitent Ans. So this same may be said of Prayer for it is also more sutable that a praying sinner be pardoned than a sinner that nevâ— once asketh pardon And this tendeth more also to the exalting of free grace But the truth is in pardon there is not only a declaration exalting of Grace Mercy but also of divine Justice Rom. 3 25 26. and unto this Faith is singularly fitted because it layyeth hold on the Propitiation and on bloud for the declaration of God's Righteousness for Remission of sins and hereby is the Lord declared to be just when he is the Justifier Pardoner of the beleever So that neither prayer nor Repentance nor Self-searching c. can be properly called the Condition but Faith acting in by these Obj. 3. It is said that Repentance qualifieth the sinner in reference to the promise of pardon or putteth him within the reach of the promise so that he may take hold of the promise of pardon And it disposeth him to accept the offered Salvation freely and to rest upon Christ alone for that end Ans. 1 What disposeth to accept of Salvation c. cannot for that cause be called the Condition of Pardon unless we speak improperly as felt poverty in a beggar though it disposeth him to receive an offered almes thankfully Yet it is not the proper Condition No more self conviction in our case a Condition of Pardon 2 If it qualifieth for the receiving of the offered Salvation then it qualifieth immediatly for Faith but mediatly remotly for Pardon 3 The promise of Pardon is not made to the penitent properly as such but to the Penitent beleever that is to faith acting exerting itself in by Repentance Obj. 4. Esai 1 15 16. put away the evil of your doings cease to do evil c. this is Repentance then vers 18. full pardon is promised though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow c. Ans. Yet with all he bids them wash make cleane which could only be by the blood of the Messiah for that only cleanseth 1. Ioh. 1 7. and this they had neglected in going about their Sacrifices which therefore were abominable in the eyes of the Lord vers 11 12 13. because not accompanied with Faith that purifieth the heart Act. 15 9. Obj. 5. 2. Chron. 7 14. the Lord promiseth to forgive sin if his people would turne from their wicked wayes Ans. But with all it is required there that they seek the face of God that was in through the Messiah typified by the Temple to which their prayers were to be directed as we see Chap. 6 20 24 26 29 31 34 38. Obj. 6. Prov. 28 13. He that confesseth his sin forsaketh it shall finde mercy Ans. True because none will do that a right but the beleever who laith hold on the Merites of Christ. And so this the like places are not exclusively to be taken but principally to be understood of Faith so acting and evidencing itself to be true lively and of the right stamp by its acting so FINIS CHAP. I. Imputation both of Christs Active and Passive Obedience necessary MR. Iohn Goodwine in his Treatise of justification part 2. Ch. 2. laith down several conclusions whereby he might overturne this Truth what he saith must be examined His 1. Conclusion in this He for whose sins a plenary satisfaction hath been made either by himself or another for him hath been accepted by him against whom the transgression was committed is as just righteous as he that never sinned but had done all things that were requisite meet for him to do Ans. If by just righteous be meaned one who only hath not deserved the punishment threatned then his Conclusion is true but if by just righteous be meaned one who not only hath not deserved the punishment but hath also deserved the reward promised then his Conclusion is false for the Satisfaction if it respect only the transgression committed can only put the man for whom it is given accepted in the state of one that is under no obligation to be punished but it cannot put him in the state of one who not only is not to be punished but is also to be rewarded He addeth This is evident because there is as much justice righteousness in repairing the the wrongs injuries done to any as there is in abstaining from doing wrong Ans. True in reference to the wrong done and therefore such an one is rightly justly delivered from the obligation to punishment but is not made so righteous as to challenge the reward till a more compleet satisfaction be made to wit such as may comprehend also perfect conformitie unto the Law in all points to the end he for whom this is done may be looked upon as a fulfiller of the Law therefore to have right to the reward as he would have had if he had in his own person perfectly keeped it He that simply repaireth the wrong done doth not that which deserveth the reward The simile he annexeth confirmeth this and demonstrateth how far out he is
his owne he died to prevent their falling into and to keep them from this sin for he died to bring them unto God that they might have the Adoption of sons that they might be sanctified and live unto Righteousness be made Righteous yea the Righteousness of God as is clear 1. Pet. 2 24. Heb. 10 10. 2. Cor. 5 21. 1. Pet. 3 18. Rom. 5 19. what then will they say to this Final unbeleef is certainly a sin and Christ either died for it or not if he died for it than it can be laid to no mans charge or Christ's death is of no value If he died not for it he died not for all the sinnes of all men but at most for some sinnes of all men and if that was all no man could thereby be saved for one sin is enough to procure damnation Moreover 10. we finde the Persons for whom this price of blood was laid down designed more particularly and the Object of this Redemption restricted and so it could not be for all every one It is said to be for Many Esai 53 11. Matth. 20 28. 26 28. Mark 10 45. Heb. 9 28. and what these many are is abundantly declared in other Scriptures where they are called Christ's Sheep Ioh. 10 15. Christ's People Mat. 1 21. His People whom according to the predictions of the Prophets which have been since the world began he should save from their enemies and from the hand of all that hate them to performe the mercy promised to the Fathers and to remember his holy Covenant the oath which he swore to Father Abraham that he would grant unto them that being delivered out of the hand of their enemies they might serve him without fear in holiness Righteousness before him all the dayes of their lifo Luk. 1 68 70 71 72 73 74 75. His Church Ephes. 5 25. Act. 20 28. His Body Ephes. 5 22. The Children of God that were scattered abroad Ioh. 11 52. Sones Sanctified Brethren the Children that God gave him that Seed of Abraham Heb. 2 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. They are the Sheep that shall infallibly beleeve because sheep Ioh. 10 26. and Whom Christ knoweth and of whom he is known vers 14. and such as shall heare his voice vers 16. follow him vers 27. to whom he will give eternal life so that they shall never perish who are given to him of his Father vers 28 29. the Elect 2. Tim. 2 10. He is bread giving life unto the World of them that the Father hath given him and shall come to him Ioh. 6 33 39. They are these concerning whom the Fathers will was as being given of him that he should lose nothing but raise it up againe at the last day ver 38 39 47. The Redeemed ones that are numbered by God 144000. are the first fruites unto God and the Lamb. Revel 14 3 4 5. They are such as are the Lords whom the Lord knoweth for his 2. Tim. 2 19. are enrolled in the Lambs book Revel 13 8. 20 15. So are they designed to be these for whom God is and who shall have unquestionably all things the Elect who shall be justified who shall not be separated from the Love of Christ are in all things more then Conquerours Rom. 8 31 32 33 34 37 38 39. These with whom the Covenant shall be confirmed Dan. 9 27. The redeemed out of every Kinred Tongue People Nation and made Kings Priests Revel 5 9 10. Further 11. if Christ died for the sinnes of all persons how cometh it that they are not all actually pardoned It cannot be said that Christ's death was not a satisfactory price nor that the Father did not accept of it If then he shed his blood for the remission of sins Mat. 26 28. are not all these sins pardoned virtually fundamently or shall they not all actually be pardoned in due time If it be said they shall be pardoned upon Condition of their faith But if the sinnes of all be equally payed for and equally in a virtual manner discharged in Christ's being actually discharged from that debt in the day of his Resurrection and the actually discharge depending upon the uncertain Condition of mans Will man who willingly performeth the Condition shall praise himself for the actually pardon and none else for Christ did no more for him as to the Actual Pardon than for others who never shall be blessed with actual forgiveness and yet forgiveness is held forth as a special act of free grace forgivenesse of sinnes is according to the riches of his grace Ephes. 1 7. Moreover as to that Condition whether did Christ purchase it or not If he did not purchase it than man is not beholden to Christ for the Condition be it faith or what ye will it is no purchased mercy but man is beholden to his good Lord Free Will for it and so he may sacrifice to his own net and sing glory to himself for making himself to differ and for obtaining to himself Actual Remission of all his sinnes and consequently blessedness Rom. 4 6 7 8. for had not his owne well disposed Lord Free Will performed that Condition all that Christ did had never more advantaged him than it did others that perish If it be said that grace to performe the condition though it be not purchased by the blood of Christ yet it is freely given by God to whom he will I Answer Not to insist here on the proof of faith's being purchased by Christ because we shall cleare it afterward there is nothing else assigned for the condition I would enquire whether Christ knew to whom this grace would be given or not if not then we must deny him to be God if he knew why shall we suppose that he would lay down his life equally for all when he knew before hand that many should never get grace to performe the condition upon which his death should redound to their actual pardon justification what Ends or what Advantages can we imagine of such an Universal Redemption 12. If the Condition upon which actual pardon justification is granted in the blood of Christ be purchased by Christ then either all shall certainly be Pardoned Justified or Christ hath not purchased an Equal Common Possible Redemption to all and every man But the former is true it is not true that all shall certainly be pardoned actually justified for then all should be glorified That the condition to wit Faith Repentance is purchased by Christ who can deny seing he is expresly called the Author of Faith Heb. 12 2. and a Prince exalted to give Repentance forgiveness of sins Act. 5 31 So that as forgiveness of sins is founded upon his death as the Meritorious cause so must Repentance be and Christ as an exalted Prince Saviour hath this power to dispose of his owne purchased legacy which he hath
sap life influence from the head much more must this be the way of getting the first change made from death to life And this way or not much different of argueing in this same debate we see the Apostle followeth Rom. 4. where from what was said of Abraham a considerable time after he was a beleever he proveth justification by faith without works or that Abraham was justified by faith not by works The Import then of the Testimony is that this life whereof beleevers are made partakers is begun continued carried on by faith therefore it is not by the works of the Law but by faith that they are justified brought into a state of life If it be true that without faith even belevers cannot be supported nor in case to live as becometh to the glory of God to their own peace Comforth in new Trials Difficulties much more is it true that without faith those who are in nature in state of Enmity to God cannot live the life of justification with it alone they can shall Before we come to speak particularly to any Truthes deducable from the words we shall premise some few things considerable CHAP. II. Naturally we are inclined to cry up Selff in Justification THe Apostle as we see in all his writtings about this matter is very carefull to cleare the question of justification so as Man may have no cause of boasting or of glorying in himself upon the account of any thing he hath or he hath done in order to justification that hereby he might cast a copie unto all such as would approve themselves faithful unto the Lord in being co-workers with Him in the Gospel that he might so much the more set himself against that innatelusting of heart that is in all naturally unto an exalting crying up of Self in the matter of their justification before Acceptance with God and especially we finde how zealously how frequently with what strength multitude of Arguments he setteth himself against cryeth down that which men do so naturally with such a vehement byasse incline unto to wit justification by their own works or by their own obedience to the Law to the end their innate pride may have ground of venting it self in boasting glorying before men From this we may premit in short the consideration of these Three things to prepare our way unto the clearing-up of the Gospel-Doctrine in this matter First That there is a corrupt byasse in the heart of men by nature a strong Inclination to reject the Gospel-Doctrine of free justification through faith in Christ to ascribe too much to themselves in that affaire as if they would hold the life of justification not purely of the free grace rich mercy of God through Jesus Christ but of themselves either in whole or in part in one measure or another Secondly That it is the duty of all who would be found faithful Ambassadours for Christ after the example of the Apostle so to preach forth the Grace of God in this mystery to explaine the same as corrupt Nature within such without as are byassed with mistakes about this matter are led away with proud carnal self conceits may have no apparent or seeming ground of boasting nor be confirmed in their natural prejudices Mistakes therein Thirdly That in very deed free Gospel-justification is so contrived ordered as that none have any real ground of boasting or of glorying in themselves or of ascribing any part of the glory thereof unto themselves as if they by their deeds works did contribute any thing to the procuring thereof It will not be necessary to speak to these at any length but only briefly to touch upon them to make way unto what followeth to be said on this weighty subject which is of so much concernment to us all As to the First of these to which we shall speak little in this Chapter thereafter of the rest in their due order it is too too apparent to be a truth from these grounds following I. This is most manifest from the many Errours false opinions that are Vented Owned Maintained with so much Violence corrupt zeal all to cry-up Self in less or in more to cry down Grace Hence so many do plead with great confidence for an Interest of our works in our justification Such as Papists who quite mistake the nature of true justification Socinians Arminians Others who side with these in less or in more will plead for a justification by our inherent Righteousnoss or works of Righteousness which we do Others that will not plead for such an early Interest of our works in this matter will plead for faith as our Gospel-Righteousness affirme that the very act of our Obedience in us is imputed for a Righteousness to us is accounted such by God so hath the same place in the New Covenant that compleet perfect obedience had in the Old Covenant of works made with Adam which as shall hereafter appear driveth us upon the same rock II. It is manifest likewise from the large frequent Disputes about this matter that we have in Paul's Epistles If there had not been a great pronness in man by nature to cry-up himself to set up his own Righteousness in matter of justification why would the Spirit of the Lord have been at so much paines to speak so to cry down Self our works in this matter as He is in these Epistles of Paul if He had not seen the great necessity thereof by reason of this strong Inclination that men Naturally have hereunto We must not think that any thing is there spoken in vaine or that the Spirit of the Lord would have left that Doctrine so fully cleared wherein our works are so expresly excluded if there had not been a necessity for it if it had not been as necessary in all after ages of the Church as at that time when first written Whatever the truth be that is so frequently pungently inculcated in the Scriptures we may saifly suppose that as the faith practice of that truth is necessary so there must be much reluctancy of Soul in us to receive the same to close with it and a strong Inclination to beleeve practise the contrary III. In the Infancy of Christianity we see what a strong Inclination there was to cry-up works what we do the Law as the only ground of justification or at least to have a share with Christ in that Interest which gave occasion to the penning of these Epistles of Paul where this matter is so fully clearly handled particularly that to the Romans that to the Galatias unto the speaking less or more hereunto in almost all his other Epistles And this Inclination to the crying up of works the Law in Opposition to the pure Gospel-way of
or Delegate The 4. is but a consequent of this and consequently saith he to repute a double formal Righteousness to result from the said habites acts passions one to Christ as the Natural Subject Agent another to us as the Moral Political or reputed Subject agent so His formal Righteousnese not to be imputed to us in it self as ours but another to result from the same matter This is too Philosophical for me to owne or follow The 5 is or else that we are reputed both the agents Subjects of the matter of His Righteousness morally also of the formal Righteousness of Christ himself All these are but the effuvia of a braine floteing swimeing in ill digested Philosophical Notions School dregs contribute nothing to the clearing of Gospel-Truth which hath little or rather no affinity with aery Philosophical Notions but tende manifestly to the darkening of the same But now when all these Philosophical Notions Relations are at an end we can proceed no further where is that Imputation which is legal plaine to every ordinary Man viz whereby the Satisfaction made to a judge Governour for a crime committed by the delinquen'ts friend or that payment Satisfaction made to the creditor for the debtor by a friend Interposing is in Law-sense accounted the delinquent's debtor's he as really effectually delivevered out of prison therefore as if he had made Satisfaction in his own proper person or had paid the summe out if his own Substance If any Philosopher after Mr. Baxter's manner here should with such Philosophical Whimseyes I call them so for they are no other in this case laboure to disprove any such Imputation say it must be in one of those five senses c. would not any countrey man smille at this But now let us see Mr. Baxter's sixt sense wherein he granteth the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness Or else saith he by Imputation is meant here that Christ being truely reputed to have taken on the Nature of sinful Man become an Head for all true Beleevers in that undertaken Nature office in the person of a Mediator to have fulfilled all the Law imposed upon him by perfect Holiness obedience offering himself on the cross a sacrifice for our sins voluntarily suffering in our stead as if He had been a sinner guilty of all our sins as soon as we beleeve we are pardoned Iustified Adopted for the sake Merites of this Holiness obedience Penal Satisfaction of Christ with as full demonstration of divine Iustice at least more full Demonstration of His wisdom Mercy than if we had suffered our selves what our sinnes deserved that is been damned or had never sinned And so Righteousness is imputed to us that is we are accounted or reputed Righteous not in relation to the Precept that is innocent or sinless but in relation to the Retribution that is such as have right to impunity Life because Christ's foresaid perfect Holiness Obedience Satisfaction meritedour pardon Adoption and the Spirit or merited the New Covenant by which as an Instrument Pardon justification Adoption are given to Beleevers and the Spirit to be given to Sanctifie them and when we beleeve we are justly reputed such as have right to all these purchased gifts As to this I shall only note a few things 1. Christ's fulfilling of the Law imposed on Him doth not hinder but that He paid our debt so came in our Law-place substitute Himself in our room to do what we should have done to suffer what we should have suffered according to the Law in all the essentials Substantials of that punishment for had He not done this He could not be said to have suffered in our stead for he only suffereth in the room stead of another who suffereth what that other should have suffered If one be condemned to suffer death another that suffereth only Imprisonment for his delivery cannot be said to suffer in this stead but onely for his cause good as the Socinians say Christ suffered for us 2. Christ not only suffered in our stead as if he had been a sinner guilty but as sinner legally juridically guilty having sins imputed to Him though He was most free of all sin inherently and knew it not the reason is manifest for otherwayes Divine justice should not have shined forth in His sufferings it being no Demonstration of justice to punish one who neither inherently nor Imputatively legally is or can be accounted reputed a sinner 3. Wee cannot with right be reputed Righteous except we be either inherently righteous or righteous by Imputation so legally juridically in Law-sense righteous by vertue of the Imputation of the Surety-righteousness of Christ our Sponsor 4. Righteousness must properly respect the Commands Prohibitions of the Law but secondarily the Retribution if not most Improperly as unrighteousness is in reference to the Law as commanding or forbidding very improperly attributed to any in reference to the punishment threatned And therefore if we be accounted Righteousness it must be in relation to the precept at least in the first place Nor can we be accounted Righteous in reference to the Retribution that is have a Right to Impunity life in the sight of God who judgeth reputeth according to equity right unless we be first accounted Righteous in reference to the precept for this is the only just legal foundation of the other 5. Upon this it doth not follow that we are Innocent or sinless inherently far less that we never transgressed but on the contrary it clearly saith that we were sinners but now are legally or juridically innocent sinless by the Imputation of the side jussorie Righteousness of Christ therefore are not obnoxious to the penalty or to punishment but have right to Impunity life 6. When he speaketh of what Christ merited he expresseth himself dubiously not being positively clear whether Christ merited our pardon c. or the New Covenant the disjunctive particle Or saith He did not merite both in his judgment but before we heard him plainly affirming that Christ merited the New Covenant consequently He did not purchase pardon Adoption the Spirit to any immediatly but only mediatly in purchasing the Covenant which promiseth these to such as performe the Conditions thereof 7. By this way Beleevers are repute such as have right to all these purchased gifts not immediatly by vertue of Christ's Merites righteousness imputed to them bestowed upon them but by vertue of their being inherently Righteous with that Gospel-righteousness faith which is the potestative Condition of the Covenant is now imputed to them accounted their Righteousness according to his judgment Speaking afterward pag. 55. of Christ as an Head Root he tels us that He was no Natural Root or Head which is undeniable Yet He
third yea multiplied Regeneration whereof the Scripture is silent nay it clearly depones the contrary 10. And if it be enquired how it cometh to passe that after sins may not at least gradually impaire the State of Justification as sins do impaire and weaken Sanctification I answere and this may further help to clear the business under hand The reason is manifest from the difference that is betwixt these two blessing and benefites Iustification is an act of God changing the Relative-state of a man and so is done and perfected in a moment Sanctification is a progressive work of God making a real physical change in the man whence sin may tetard this or put it back but cannot do so with the other which is but one single act once done and never recalled the gifts and calling of God being without repentance Rom. 11 29. In justification we are meerly passive it being a sentence of God pronunced in our Favours in Sanctification as we are in some respect patients so are we also Agents and Actors and thus sin may retard us in our motion and as it evidenceth our weakness for acting so it produceth more weakness Moreover Sin and Holiness are opposite to other as light and darkness therefore as the one prevaileth the other must go under and as the one increaseth the other must decress But there is no such Opposition betwixt sin pardon which is granted in Justification And whereas it may be said that sin expelleth also grace Meritoriously yet that prejudgeth not the truth in hand for it can expell grace meritoriously no further than the free constitution of God hath limited and so though it can and oft doth expell many degrees of Sanctification yet it cannot expell make null the grace of Regeneration or the Seed of God so no more can it expell or annul Justification because the good pleasure of God hath secured the one the other made them both unalterable By these particulars we see how the first doubt is removed out of the way we shall next speak to the Second which is concerning afflictions Punishments which are the fruits and deserts of sin and seem to be part of the curse or penalty threatned in the first Covenant To which we need not say much to show that notwithstanding hereof the State of Justification remains firme and unaltered These few things will suffice to cleare the truth 1. Though all affliction and suffering be the fruite consequent of the breach of the Covenant by Adam the head of mankind for if he had stood and the Covenant had not been violated there had been no Misery affliction Death or Suffering and though in all who are afflicted in this world there is sin to be found And though it cannot be instanced that God ever brought an afflicting or destroying stroke upon a Land or Nation but for the provocations of the People yet the Lord may some rimes afflict outwardly or inwardly or both a particular Person in some particular manner though not as provoled thereunto by that persons sin or without a special reference to their sin as the procuring Cause thereof as we see in Iob and as Christ's answer concerning the blinde man Ioh. 9 3. Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents that he was born blinde but that the works of God should be made manifest in him giveth ground to think 2. Though it doth oftner fall out that God doth afflict Punish and Châ—sten his people even because of their sinnes as well as other wicked persons yet the difference betwixt the two is great though the outward Camitie may be materially the same To the godly they flow from Love are designed for good are sanctified and made to do good they are covenanted mercies but nothing so to the wicked They are mercies to the one but curses to the other They speak out love to the one but hatred to the other They are blessed to the one but blasted cursed to the other They work together for good to the one but for evil to the other and all this notwithstanding that the outward affliction calamity that is on the godly may be double or treeble to that which is upon the wicked Yea there is mercy and love in the afflictions of the Godly when the prosperity of the wicked is cursed Whence we see that all these afflictions cannot endanger or dammage their Justified state 3. Though the Lord may be wroth smite in anger his own people chasten punish them in displeasure yet this wrath anger is but the wrath and anger of a Father and is consistent with fatherly Affection in God and therefore cannot be repugnant to a state of Sonshipe in them Prov. 3 11 12. Heb. 12 5-8 Psal. 89 30 33 34. Revel 3 19. 4. In all these afflictions that seem to smell most of the Curse and of the death threatned and are most inevitable such as death c. there is nothing of pure vinâ—ictive justice to be found in them when Justified persons are exercised with them for Christ did bear all that being made a curse for them and as to this the Lord caused all their iniquities to meet together upon him He drunk out the cup of Vindictive anger and left not one drop of the liquor of the Curse of the Law for any of his own to drink He alone did bear the weight of revenging justice and there is nothing of this in all that doth come upon beleevers So that the very sting of death is taken away the sting of all these Afflictions is sucked out and now they are changed into Mercies Blessings 1 Cor. 3 21 22. Therefore we must not think that they contribute the least mite unto that Satisfaction which justice required for sins Christ payed down to the full justice was fully satisfied with what he paid down nor must we think that God will exact a new satisfaction for sins or any part thereof of the hands of beleevers after he hath received a full satisfaction from the Mediator Christ did rest satisfied therewith The afflictions and Punishments then that the godly meet with being no parts of the Curse nor of that Satisfaction that justice requireth for sin nor flowing from vindictive justice but being rather fatherly chastisments mercies meanes of God can do no hurt unto their state of justification nor can any thing be hence inferred to the prejudice of that glorious state 5. But it is said Pardon and Justification is one thing and a man is no more Justified than he is Pardoned and Pardon is but the taking off of the obligation to punishment and consequently of punishment it self and seing punishment is not wholly taken off but there remaineth some part of the curse or of the evil threatned for sin and will remaine untill the resurrection it is cleare that pardon is not fully compleet not consequently Justification so long as we live But
the full price of Redemption conforme to the Eternal compact betwixt Jehovah Him make an absolute actual purchase of all those that were given to him to be saved did buy purchase all the Favours Blessings Privileges for them which were afterward to be actually bestowed in the time after the way methode condescended upon by Jehovah the Mediator I am here speaking of such as came to have a being in the world after Christ had in the fulness of time come laid down the price not of those who lived before when Christ's death Satisfaction had only a Moral being yet full efficacie to produce the same saving effects on beleevers and though in this respect all the Elect may be said to have been virtually justified when Christ laid down the actual price and was justified from all the charge of their debt that was laid upon him as in some sense it may be said that all the Elect were virtually Justified in Him when he undertook to make satisfaction for their debt yet there is no actual Justification before Faith according to the Scriptures that speak of justification of adoption of Sanctification by Faith shewing that these Benefites Privileges follow Faith as to their actuall being though they were from eternitie decreed as was also Glorification were actually procured by Christs death in which respect as also in respect of Christs undertaking or substituting himself in the room of sinners they may be said to have been virtually Sanctified Glorified even then It is true that before Faith the justification actual of the Elect is every way secured all things tending thereunto are concluded firmly laid all the other anteceding causes are existent before Faith for Christ is appointed substitute Mediator Christ hath accepted undertaken the work of Mediation He is come in the fulness of time hath laid down the full price The Father is satisfied with the price paid The Father laid upon him the iniquity of all the Elect He hath born it made full satisfaction therefore he is accepted of the Father as Head of the Elect justified possessed of glory so as they may be said to be risen with him in heavenly places to wit virtually meritoriously all this before faith Thus God was in Christ reconciling the Elect world unto himself not imputing trespasses unto them because he imputed them to Christ made him sin who know no sin this before the word of Reconciliation ministred by the Ambassadours of Christ hath wrought them up unto God by faith 2 Cor. 5 18 19 20. And this I think was more then what Mr. Baxter saith confess pag. 225 226. to wit that he was providing a sufficient remedie for the pardon of it if they would accept of it freely given for the world here spoken of is the world of the Elect though he think otherwayes ibid. the Lords not imputing their sin unto them was more then his not dealing with them according to the desert of their sin but in mercy for as yet many of them had not a being and so were not capable of being dealt with according to the desert of their sin but it importeth what is more emphatically expressed thereafter vers 11. to wit that God was laying their sins on Christ ' and making him sin as to its demerite or guilt for them that they might in due time be made the Righteousness of God in him Yet notwithstanding of all this actual justification Reconciliation is not before 〈◊〉 as is clear from many passages of Scripture asserting our justification life to by faith Rom. 1. 17. 3. 28. 9 1. Ephes 2 8. Gal. 2 16 20. Ad it cannot be said to evite the force of these the like Scriptures that this is to be understood only of justification as to our feeling sense apprehension for the case which the Apostle proveth all to be into before justification in his Epistle to the Romans Chap. 1. 2. 3. is such as cannot consist with a justified state as to be under sin Rom. 3 9. to have their mouth stopped be guilty before God vers 19. But it is manifest that many who are now not under the Law nor under sin but delivered from under both yet may do want the sense feeling of their justification doubt thereof And beside this crosseth the whole scope of the Apostle in proving justification by faith which is to evince that justification is not by the works of the law or the works of Righteousness which we do so that the justification whereof the Apostle speaketh cannot be by works but by faith alone but the manifestation of justification to our sense consciences can well be by works as Iames sheweth proveth Chap. 2. Works can contribute unto this but not unto that justification whereof the Apostle speaketh in his Epistles to the Romans Galattans which is justification in the sight of God That justification is not before faith is manifest from the condition which the Scripture telleth us such are into who have not yet beleeved for if that condition be such as is inconsistent with a state of justification Reconciliation there can be no justification before faith now the Scripture telleth us that such as beleeve not are condemned Ioh. 3 18. dead in trepasses sins children of wrath Ephes. 2 1 2 3. Without Christ without God in the world strangers from the Covenants of promise Ephes. 2 12. have made God a liar 1 Ioh. 5 10. cannot please God Heb. 11 6. By all which many like passages that might be cited it is manifest that before faith there is no real justification Faith is required in order to adoption Remission of sins and therefore must be before justification Ioh. 1 12. Act. 10 43. Gal 3 26. Act. 13 38 39 of 26 18. But enough of this seing M. Baxter hath abundantly confuted it in his Confess pag. 229 c. Some move this Objection If we are justified by faith then faith is in order before justification consequently the act is before the object whereas on the contrary the act depends upon the object not the object upon the act Thus Bellarm◠de justif lib. 1. c. 10. disputeth against the assertion that maketh the special mercy of God to be the object of justifying faith wherein the ground of the whole debate lyeth in a mistake of that special mercy of God and whatever mistake may be at least as to expression in the assertion which Bellarmine opposeth yet Bellarmius Opinion can no way be owned who doth so defend the object of faith as that he maketh justifying faith to be nothing but Historical Faith Learned grave Mr. Norton in his Orthodox Euangelist Ch. 14. p. 314. in answering this objection distinguisheth betwixt the being of justification our being Justified or betwixt justification in
hath ground of glorying before men in himself and not in the Lord alone for all have alike ground of glorying upon that account seing what the Lord did was common to all and this new personal Righteousness maketh the difference But it will be said That Christ's Righteousness being acknowledged to be our only legal Righteousness whereby we answere the charge of the Law the asserting of a Gospel-Righteousness whereby we come to have an interest in that legal Righteousness can do no prejudice I Ans. Beside that this maketh two distinct Righteousness as the one a meane to obtean another the one within us a price ex pacto for the other without us and all this in order to Absolution from one charge of the Law brought in against the sinner hereby as to us our personal Righteousness is really made our legal Righteousness because it is made that Righteousness whereupon this man and not the other that wants it is freed from the charge of the Law for according to this way Faith is not imployed to lay hold on Christ's Righteousness that by presenting that Surety-Righteousness unto justice the soul may escape the charge but when the charge of violation of the Law of God is brought in against the sinner his only reliefe is his Gospel-Righteousness which he presenteth whereupon he pleadeth for Pardon Absolution by vertue of the new Covenant which Christ hath purchased for should he alledge the death satisfaction of Christ that should give no reliefe because that was for all alike thereby the New Covenant was purchased where in the Gospel Righteousness whether Faith alone or Faith New Obedience was set down as the Condition and therefore it can stand him in no avail but he must refuge himself from wrath under the wings of his own Gospel-Righteousness for he hath no other and thereupon rest secure be confident of his Absolution from all that the Law could charge against him As for example if the Princes son should by a valuable price given to the Prince procure new Termes and Conditions to be proposed to a company of condemned treatours lying in prison if any one of these were challenged for the old crime threatned with the execution of the sentence past upon that account it would be of no avail to him to say the Princes son hath laid down a valuable price to buy me from death because he knew that he did that for all the rest in purchasing a New Covenant new conditions but the first sure course he would take would be to present his performance of the new conditions say the charge cannot reach me because I have performed the Conditions of the New Covenant procured by the Princes son This I suppose is plaine cleare this in our case would be found to be the only saife course that poor challenged sinners would take if they should act according to the doctrine of our Adversaries to which as I said I should not dar to advise one or other But really the Gospel-way which is opposite to this is plaine saife if we have but so much humility as to complye therewith And a difference may seem small in the debate which yet in practice may prove great of dangerous consequence CHAP. XXVI Christ did not procure by his death the New Covenant or the termes thereof WE heard what the Author of the discourse of the two Covenants what Iohn Goodwine said of this New Covenant As the foundation of their assertion of the imputation of faith properly taken they tell us that the New Covenant wherein this Righteousness is required as the condition thereof is founded wholly in the blood of Christ so that whatever is required of man by way of condition of his acceptation with God becomes accepted to that end upon account of Christ's suffering Mr. Allen p. 16. p. 53. 54. saith Nor doth this that faith accompanied with obedience is imputed for righteousness at all derogate from the obedience sufferings of Christ in reference to the ends for which they serve Because the whole Covenant all the parts termes of it both promises of benefites the Condition on which they are promised are all founded in Christ his undertaking for us and all the benefites of it accrue to us upon our beleeving obeying upon his account for his sake Mr. Baxter also telleth us in his book against D. Tully p. 66. That that which Christ did by his merites was to procure the new Covenant And elsewhere p. 181 that they were the meritorious cause of the forgiving Covenants the like he â—aith elsewhere frequently The Arminians ground the imputation of faith upon the merites obedience of Christ Apol. f. 113. And Arminius himself disp 19. thes 7. that justification is attribute to faith not because it is the very righteousness which may be proposed to God's rigide severe judgment howbeit acceptable to God but because by the judgment of mercy triumphing over judgment it obtaineth pardon of sins is graciously imputed unto righteousness the cause of which is both God righteous merciful Christ by his obedience oblation intercession And in his Epistle ad Hyppolet he tels us that the word imputing signifieth that faith is not the righteousness it self but that it is graciously accounted for righteousness whereby all worth is taken away from faith except that which is by God's gracious estimation that gracious estimation of God is not without Christ but in respect of Christ in Christ for Christ. Christ by his obedience is the impetrating cause or meritorious why God imputeth faith to us unto righteousness And againe in his Artic. perpend de justif What fault is it so say that faith by free gracious acceptation is accounted for righteousness because of Christ's obedience But with this assertion we are not satisfied for these reasons 1. The Arminians who maintaine this so confidently make it the whole of what Christ merited by his death Satisfaction saying that Christ by his death did so satisfie the offended party as he would be favourable to the offender and so say that he acquired to the father a jus a will to enter into a new Covenant with men See their Confess c. 8. § 9. collat cum Apolog. c. 8. § 9. and as the learned Voetius inferreth Select dispp p. 2. p. 233 234. it followeth hence that Christ was not in very deed our Cautioner that he died not in our room stead that he did properly obtaine acquire nothing to us that he did not sustaine the person of the elect while he suffered on the crosse 2. ... that Christ procured no more but a power or liberty unto God of prescribing new Conditions and some go so far as to say that this liberty was such only at the Lord might if he had pleased have appointed the old way of works againe for the condition So said
the Inheritance or would receive them But all this is nothing to our present question Obj. 4. He citeth in the Margine Luk. 24 47. And that Repentance Remission of sins should be preached in his name And Luk. 15 7. I say unto you that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth Ans. This last place maketh no mention of Pardon or of Justification only saith that Repentance will Include Faith doth import the whole Conversion of a sinner unto God whereof Faith in Christ is the first chiefe step As to the other place we told before that by Repentance here is understood all that duty which is called for in the Gospel this being a short summe of the whole preaching of the Gospel that therefore by Remission of sins all the blessings favours that sinners need are promised in the Gosspel must be understood So that this maketh nothing against us Yea if these two expressions were strickly to be taken it would give ground to inferre that Repentance alone were the Condition of Remission But what saith all this to the purpose now in hand do any of these expressions give the least coloure to inferre that Repentance strickly taken hath the same use Interest in Justification that Faith hath Obj. 5. Others possibly may urge Act. 8 22. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness pray God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee Ans. 1 If this place prove any thing that way it will say as much for the Interest of Prayer in Justification equal to the Interest of Faith as for the Interest of Repentance 2 Yea plead for these only with exclusion of Faith or at least for the Sufficiency of Repentance prayer without Faith which is not here expresly mentioned 3 But Repent here is taken in a comprehensive sense as including Faith its ground Cause whereof it is the expressive evidence sensible effect So that the presence of Repentance in such as would be Pardoned may hence be well inferred which is granted necessary upon several accounts but the present question is whether it hath the same Place Office Influence in Justification Pardon that Faith hath Obj. 6. It may be some will fâ—rther object Luk. 13 3 5 except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish And this likely was the passage which Mr. Baxter cited in the first place the printer putting vers 35. for 3. 5. through a mistake But I Ans. This place only proveth what is not denied to wit That Repentance is necessarily required of such as would be saved And if hence it be inferred that therefore not only its presence but its interest is the same with Faiths in Justification the Interest of good works of all commanded duties may be hence inferred to be the same with Faiths in justification because these are as necessary in order to Salvation as is Repentance Obj. 7. Prov. 28 13. He that covereth his sin shall not prosper but who so confesseth forsaketh them shall finde mercy Ans. 1 If forsaking of sin be here taken strickly for Repentance if this place be urged pertinently to the point now in hand Confession of sin will be made to have the same influence will be made more necessary than Faith it self which is not here expresly named 2 Finding mercy is not strickly to be understood of Justification or of meer Pardon but is to be taken more largly for Felicity here hereafter as being opposed to a not prospering And so hence can only be inferred the necessity of the presence of confessing forsaking of sin in such as would finde grace mercy in the eyes of the Lord would prosper in all their wayes Obj. 8. Christ is sent to preach good tidings to the meek the broken hearted the mourners to such as are under the Spirit of heaviness Esai 61 1 2 3. Ans. This place indeed proveth that Christ was annointed to preach good tidings unto the meek to binde up the broken hearted to comfort all that mourne to appoint give unto them beauty for ashes the oile of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness but here as the Repentance imported is something more than ordinary as the expressions intimate so the good that Christ is here said to be sent to do unto them is something more than ordinary to wit Comfort Joy in an high measure which is more than meer Pardon or Justification some pardoned justified may stand in need hereof being indeed mourners in ashes under a spirit of heaviness notwithstanding of their being in a justified state So that this place cometh not home to the point now in question Obj. 9. Is not this to favoure the Antinomians who say that Repentance is needless and is a meer legal duty neither to be urged nor practised under the Gospel Ans. Though we say that Repentance hath not the same Place Office Interest in about Justification Remission of sins that Faith hath Yet we give no countenance unto the Antinomian errour because we affirme Repentance to be necessary in all such as are Justified and the real beginnings of Gospel Repentance to be also necessary unto such as are to be justified I say the beginnings because I conceive the principal parts or workings of saving Gospel-Repentance follow faith and upon Faith in Christ is the union betwixt Christ the Beleever made and the man brought into a justified state Seing then we presse urge the exercise of Repentance as a constant duty require it in all such as would enjoy Peace Comfort here be saved here after we yeeld nothing unto the Antinomians And against them we urge the same Scriptures that have now been alledged others also as irrefragable proofs of the necessity of this grace though to other ends than to be justified thereby in such manner as we are said to be Justified by Faith Obj. 10. Do not our Divines ordinarily say prove that Faith Repentance are Conditions of the Covenant of Grace I Ans. True but their meaning is not that Repentance is the same way a Condition of Justification that faith is but that terme Conditions of the Covenant they take largely to wit to signifie import the duties required of such as are within the Covenant of Grace not strickly for Conditions of entering into Covenant These two are carefully to be distinguished many things may be called the Conditions of marriage that is duties of married persons to other that can not be called Conditions of making up the marriage Relation as is manifest so is it here Many duties are required of Beleevers that neither are nor can be called Conditions of Justification or of entering into Covenant with God Obj. 11. But do not many both in sermons in writtings even when speaking of Pardon of justification joyn Repentance with
Faith to distinguish it from that Historical Faith which though true in its kind yet is not from the saving grace of God nor hath it effects accompanying Salvation 3. Though this Faith be one the same by which the Beleever liveth first last and which proveth serviceable useful to him on all occasions to all ends uses that his several necessities call for Yet in reference to these various ends uses it acteth not after one the same manner in all points Faith acteth not every way after one the same manner in order to get Strength for Duties that it acteth in order to get Sin Pardoned It acteth not the same way for Subdueing the reigning power of sin that it acteth for Justification nor doth it act the same way for Comfort and upholding strength in a day of trial that it acteth in order to Justification And yet we need not say that it acteth distinctly differently according to every distinct benefite and blessing that is had thereby The diffeâ—ent natures of the necessities we stand into with the different wayes of the â—ord's communicating what we stand in need of according to the various Relations he standeth in various offices he hath taken on in reference to his peoples good may satisfie us herein according as these several particular necessities may come under one head reliefe may be conveyed to them after one the same manner All which will be best discerned by the understanding Christian in his application to Christ according to his Condition wants which he would have helped supplied 4. Hence though the Principal Object of this Faith be alwayes one and the same Yet there may be some peculiarities in that object which Faith eyeth more in one case than in another As we finde the Saints in their adresses to God in their several straits necessities sometimes pitching upon one attribute of God sometimes upon another according as thereby Faith presented God to the soul in a sutablness to the present case it was in and so when dispensations seemed to crosse the promises Faith eyed God as Faithful Unchangable when enemies appeared strong difficulties invincible and the like Faith took hold on God as the Almighty to whom nothing was impossible when sin appeared as a discouragment to drive them from their hopes Faith took hold of the mercy of God c. So when a poor sinner is under the convictions of sin threatnings of the Law Faith must take up Christ in a sutableness thereto eye something in Him that peculiarly suiteth that case when againe the beleever hath need of Light Instruction Strength Comfort Throwbearing the like he fixeth his eye on some thing in Christ that suiteth that particular necessity and so Faith acteth accordingly And thus though the object remaine the same and Christ be alwayes made use of Yet Faith may and doth act more immediatly on Christ as Prophet when in one case whereunto this office carrieth a respect and at another time more immediatly directly on Christ as a King when the present necessity calleth for help from Christ as King againe faith acteth on him as a Priest when only that which Christ as a Priest did can answere their present necessitie Yet which is carefully to be observed to prevent Mr. Baxter's challenge I do not say nor see I any necessity to say that these several acts of Faith are as so many several Conditions unto the receiving of the several favours taking the terme Condition in his sense I do not say that Faith acting one way on Christ is a proper Condition of Justification Faith as acting another way on Christ is the proper Condition of Adoption that Faith acting a third way on Christ is the proper Condition of Sanctification c. but that as the effects benefiâ—es which sinners stand in need of are ascribed unto several effectuating acts of Christ to the several Relations offices he hath taken on so Faith in order to the receiving of these benefites acteth suitably on Christ the Beleever is taught so to do by the Spirit of the Lord to his Comfort Hope Encouragment 5. I presuppose here the Formal Object of all divine faith which is the Truth Veracity of God for all divine faith giveth credite unto divine Revelations upon the Credite the Truth Veracity of the Revealer Thus saith the Lord who is true who is Truth itself is the sole Formal ground Ratio of this Faith 6. I presuppose here also that Comprehensive Material Object of all divine Faith which is the whole will mind of God concerning whatsomever thing it be revealed whether by the Scriptures or by the Light of Nature If the Truth Veracity of God be the only Formal Ground of this Faith then all that this God revealeth must be beleeved received as true when known to be revealed by Him By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God Heb. 11 3. we beleeve all things which are written in the Law the Prophets Act. 24 14. Yea in the whole word of God I do not here determine what particular Truthes revealed in the word are necessarily to be expresly explicitly beleeved by every one that hath a true Saving Faith what not only this I say that many particular truthes are revealed whereof a true Beleever may be ignorant yet have a true Saving Faith receiving all which he knoweth to be revealed by the Lord rejecting no one Truth whatsomever that he knoweth to be revealed But we are here to speak of that Object of Faith which immediatly directly concerneth our delivery from our natural state of sin and miserie and our eternal Salvation And this we judge to be whole Christ Iesus as he is hold forth and revealed in the Gospel We say Christ Jesus 1 wholly and 2 as he is held forth and revealed in the Gospel And both these for explications sake may be branched out in several particulars I say then first That whole Christ is the object of Saving or Justifying Faith Hence are we so often times commanded to Receive him to Beleeve in on Him in his name Faith is expressed by a Coming to him Eating Drinking of Him Receiving of him c. Ioh. 1 12. 3 16 36. 6 29 35 37 40 44 47 51 54 55 58. 7 38. Act. 10 41 13 38 39. 26 18. Rom 3 22. Gal. 2 16. and many moe places Hence this Faith is called the Faith of Christ Gal. 2 16. and the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 2 20. So then Saving and Justifying Faith taketh whole Christ. 1. Faith taketh him closeth with him wholly as to his Natures Faith receiveth him as Mediator God Man in one person though it be formally terminated on him as God Ioh. 14 1. as the Son
by men be some way understood reconciled when some say the Mercy of God is it others say the Promises some Remission of sins and the like some God the Father Son Holy Ghost for such as seem to restrict it most may be understood as not speaking exclusively of what else the Scripture mentioneth as belonging thereunto 5. All this notwithstanding faith may have hath a special respect to Christ as Priest and making Satisfaction to justice and laying down the Ransome-money and paying the debt according to his undertaking as Surety in order to the particular benefite of Justification and of Pardon of sins as was in part cleared above and may be more spoken to afterward in the following Chapters CHAP. XXXIII The Righteousness of Christ is the special Object of Faith in Justification COnsidering what hath been said at some length above concerning the imputation of the Surety-Righteousness of Christ in order to Justification we needed not insist on this here Seing if what is said touching that fundamental point hold this will not endure much debate Yet because Mr. Baxter in his Apologie against Mr. Blake § 11. is pleased to tell us that Faith which is the Iustifying condition is not terminated on the Righteousness of Christ And that it is a meer fancy delusion to speak of the receiving a Righteousness that we may be justified constitutive thereby in such a sense as if the Righteousness were first to be made ours in order of nature before our Iustification then justification follow because we are Righteous But sure this eyeing of laying hold on and leaning to the Righteousness of Christ holdeth clear correspondence with the experience of the Children of God not only at their first Conversion when delivered from under the Convictions of sin and the terrours of the Law but even afterward when exercised with new assaults of Satan objecting unto them their Unworthiness Filthiness and hence inferring their exclusion from the face of God for then their maine quieting refuge is the Righteousness of Christ wherein they seek only to be found acknowledging that in themselves they are but sinners and so rejecting their own worth holiness as too ragged to cover the shame of their nakedness wherein they have the Apostle Paul going before them Phil. 3 8 9. which may also serve for a scriptural proof and ground of the truth in hand He rejected all these things wherein sometime he gloried and he did now even long after his Conversion while a prisoner at Rome after all his great Labour Paines in spreading the Gospel count all things nothing is here excepted but loss saith he for the excestency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things do count them but dung that I may win Christ be found in him not having mine own Righteousness it is nor good that Mr. Baxter should carp at Writters Preachers for speaking teaching after this manner as he doth Cath. Theol. Mor. Works § 176. which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by faith This saith â—early that in order to Justification before God faith laith hold on a Righteousness which is of God and which is had by the Faith of Christ. And this Surety-Righteousness of Christ is that which can only prove sutable unto the case of a wakened sinner pressed with the guilt of sin and seeing justice armed against him stopping his way to life because of his Un-righteousness What can be more welcome unto such a sinner than the newes of a Righteousness and of having Christ to become the Lord his Righteousness as made of God Righteousness And what can his faith grippe to more earnestly than to this Righteousness that he may be covered therewith and think with joy of appearing before God How else shall he think to be justified by God who is just even when the justifier of a beleeving sinner He knoweth that God is Righteous and will not acquit the guilty and therefore he must have a Righteousness that he may be in case to stand before the Righteous God So that he can have no peace till by faith he have interest in the Surety-Righteousness of Jesus Christ for he knoweth that he hath none of his owne and that there is none any where else to be had And further this way doth exceedingly serve to demonstrate upon the one hand the Righteousness of God who will not Justifie without a Righteousness or one that hath no Righteousness and upon the other hand it commendeth the riches of the free Grace Mercy of God when the sinner seeth how free Love hath provided such an alsufficient Remedie a Righteousness against which no exception can be made and a Righteousness under the wings of which he may saifly hide shelter himself being covered with which he may rest confidente of acceptance and so may with full peace of mind rest here and relye upon it As also it serveth exceedingly to abase man in his own eyes and to make him for ever keep a low saile and walk humblie before this God and give Him the Glory of all Hence this Righteousness is called the Righteousness of Faith or of Christ beleeved in and laid hold on Rom. 4 13. the Righteousness of God which is by faith of Iesus Christ Rom. 3 22. Phil. 3 9. a Righteousness through the faith of Christ ibid. All which the like expressions do manifestly say that faith laith hold on a Righteousness even on the Righteousness of God And this Righteousness is said to be unto all upon all them that beleeve Rom. 3. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And imputed or reckoned upon their score Rom 4 24. Mr. Baxter in the forecited book Cath. Theol. § 131. saith that the meaning of this Rom. 4 24. is no more but that God reputeth or judgeth us Righteous But how can he repute us Righteous unless we have a Righteousness either of our own or from some other of ourselves we have not a Righteousness unless he account beleeving all our Righteousness against which we have said enough above and the very words of the text will not admit of this glosse as was also shown above If it be the Righteousness of Christ who was delivered for our Offences and was raised againe for our Justification vers 25. then it is fit object for faith to lay hold on it being Christ's Surety-Righteousness or the Righteousness which he performed wrought out when he was delivered for our offences and which was publickly declared to be accepted when he was raised againe for our Justification And whatever Mr. Baxter think this is and must be so far made our owne through the gracious Imputation of God that the Righteous God whose judgment is to according to truth may pronunce us Righteous and accept of us as such But saith he Imputing
heirs of God joynt heirs with Christ Rom. 8 17 and are discharged as Mr. Baxter granteth himself Confess p. 102. Concl. 9. from all guilt of Eternal Punishment yea of all destructive Punishment in this life Yea they are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law Act. 13 39. They are blessed Rom. 4 5 6. And all this is so fixed that none can lay any thing to their charge Rom. 8 33 34. Yea they are said to have Everlasting Life Ioh. 5 24. Now seing all this is by Faith what necessitie is there for another Condition beside this same Faith keeping fast by Christ unto the Continuance of this State If it be said that notwithstanding hereof they are liable to future sins and these must also be forgiven and in reference to the Pardon of these other Conditions may be required in that respect these may be called Conditions of the Continuance of Justification 4. The answere to this will furnish us with another Argument for answere therefore I say That works are not the Condition of Pardon of after sins but faith going to Christ and washing in his bloud 1. Ioh. 2 1 2. If any man sin we have an advocat with the Father Iesus Christ the Righteous he is the propitiation for our sins Christ is here proposed to sinning beleevers in his Priestly office as the object of their Faith in order to Pardon And Mr. Baxter in the forecited place Concl. 11 saith that when ever the Iustified do commit any sin they have a present effectual certaine remedie at hand for their pardon that is the merit of Christ's blood his Intercession the Love of God the Promise of Pardon in which they have interest the Spirit to excite them to Faith Repentance No word of works of obedience as Condition here David in order to the obtaining of the pardon of his sin did betake himself to the free mercy of God that he might get his sin covered his iniquities forgiven and his sin not imputed unto him Psal. 32 1 2. and this was in Paul's judgment Rom. 4 6 7 8. a betaking himself to imputed Righteousness without works So he betook himself to mercy and withall he desired to be purged with hysope Psal. 51 1 7. which looked to the blood of Christ that only sprinkleth consciences Heb. 9 13 14 22. 5. If Justification be continued upon Condition of works we enquire what these works are Are herein comprehended all commanded duties or all that is required of justified persons by way of duty then a faloure in any of these whether by Omission or Commission should cause an intercision of that State and a breach of that Relation But this is utterly false Yea if so the justified should become Unjustified every day for no man liveth sinneth not The reason of the Consequence is because the non-performance of the Condition upon which the State Relation of the justified is continued must make a breach in that State If it be said That not every sin but only such sins as are inconsistent with the State of Justification will make an Intercision Then it must consequently be said that upon these alone or on the non-performance of these alone doth the Continuance of Justification depend as on a Condition And what be these David's sin I hope nor Peters sin were none of these And whatever they be I suppose it will be granted except by Arminians that there is sufficient provision against these laid-in in the New Covenant of Grace and that such as are justified indeed shal never fall into such sins And then what need it be said that the State of Justification is continued upon such termes 6. By this way Proud Nature should have occasion to boast and say It was of God's Grace Mercy that I was brought into a justified State had all my former sins pardoned but for my abiding continueing therein and for the pardon of all my sins that I have committed or do commit since I am beholden to my own Gospel-obedience immediatly for Remission is granted and my Justification continued upon Condition of my personal Gospel-obedience But how inconsistent this is with the whole straine of the Gospel cannot be unknown We no where read that our sinnes are pardoned or not imputed to us in or by our Evangelick Obedience but as we are justified freely by grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus Rom. 3 24. so it is in through Him his bloud that we are washen our sinnes purged away Mat. 26 28. Revel 1 5. Ephes. 1 7. Col. 1 14. 7. The dayly experience of the people of God may cleare to us what that is upon which their State is continued and upon which they seek obtaine new Remission of their new Transgressions and shew us that it is not their own personal Obedience but the Grace Mercy of God in Jesus Christ for it is to this they betake themselves daily both in reference to their being keeped in the favour of God in reference to their getting new extracts of Pardon It is to the blood of sprinkling they goe dayly that there they may be washen cleansed from all their sins sailings It is to this fountaine opened to the house of David to the Inhabitans of Ierusalem that they run with their sins uncleannesses Zach. 13 1. For it is his bloud alone that cleanseth from all sin 1. Ioh. 1 7. And so they finde by experience that they stand only by Faith and that it is through Faith in this bloud that they are keept in the favoure of God get their sins pardoned These proofs may serve for confirmation of what we say Let us now see what Mr. Baxter saith for the contrary In his Confess p. 47 he adduceth three Arguments The first is this The word expresly constituteth these Conditions of our not-loseing our State of Justification or of Continueing it And this he tels us he hath formerly shewed in many Scriptures meaning I suppose the passages he had immediatly before cited on the margine But to these I Answere in general That not one of them maketh mention of the continuance of our justification or of our not loseing of it And therefore it cannot be said from these that the word expresly constituteth these Conditions of our not-losing Justification But we shall consider them particularly Mat. 12 36 37. speaketh not of justification whereof we are now treating but of the last judgment and we see no cause of confounding this Justification whereof we speak or its Continuance with the last Judgment as Papists do confound their second justification with this judgment and abuse the same Scriptures here adduced by Mr. Baxter the like to prove their second justification to be by works Jam. 2 24. speaketh not of the Continuance or not losing of justification but of the very beginning of justification
he mindeth to Pardon he giveth also a Spirit of Repentance as both Scripture Experience proveth 3. Yet notwithstanding of this it is true that an outward Repentance where there is no inward real sanctified change wrought may hold off for a time or prorogue the inflicting of temporal strokes as we see in Aabh Nineveth others 4. It will be granted also by all the orthodox that Repentance is no proper meritorious cause of pardon not doth it make any Satisfaction to God or appease his wrath anger 4. I shall also grant that where there is true unfeigned Repentance after some sin committed there that person may saifly inferre that his sin is pardoned Repentance is a good signe of Remission because it is a good evidence that the man hath run to the fountaine to the blood of Jesus and there hath washen himself made himself cleane See Esai 1 16 17 18. 5. The Exercise of Repentance is very usefull to make sin become bitter mercy welcome to make the soul more careful watchful in time to come But the Question is whether Repentance be a proper Condition of Pardon of sins committed after Justification or not And when we speak of Repentance here we consider it by itself not as being the sensible signification expression of Faith for the Question is not whether Faith acting in through Repentance or working the soul up unto unfaigned Repentance be the Condition of Remission for that is not Repentance but Faith accompanied with acting the soul to Repentance but the Question is of Repentance considered in itself as a distinct grace from Faith And speaking of Repentance as such considered in itself I say that it is not the Condition of Remission of after sins but faith only acting in a Gospel manner on Jesus Christ his Bloud Merites And the reasons are 1. Because it is Faith not Repentance that carrieth the sinner away to the Bloud of Jesus Christ to his Merites through whom by which alone Remission is had Ephes. 1 7. Col. 1 14. Zach. 13. 1. Heb. 9 14 22. Revel 1 5. Repentance as such layeth not hold on Christ grippeth not his Merites maketh no application of these but is wholly exercised about another object about sin 2. This would give man too great ground of boasting in himself if upon his Mourning Sorrow Repentance Pardon were to be had and would give occasion to think that there were some merite worth in that work some thing satisfying or appeasing to God for the man hereby is keeped within himself upon the account of something within himself or done by himself is he pardoned as he might suppose 3. This should be derogatorie to the Bloud Merites of Christ by which alone we have pardon first last and the Gospel is so contrived as that Christ must have all the Glory and all the methodes meanes order of the Gospel and new Covenant are in like manner framed so that man may be abased free grace exalted Christ acknowledged the only Redeemer But if our Repentance were made such a Condition there should be no application made of Christ of his bloud by the sinner No acting on him on his merites in order to the obtaining of Pardon and so no occasion of exalting free grace and Love in Christ no occasion of wondering at the wise contrivance of the Covenant of Grace in all points If it be said There is no derogating from Christ his Merites here because it is by vertue of his Merites that Repentance is made such a Condition I Ans. This is not cleared from the Scripture nor is it sutable to the frame of the Gospel-Covenant for the whole of it is so contrived as that Christ is immediatly to be made use of But this way keepeth the soul off all immediat going to applying of and resting upon Christ in order to Remission of new sinnes setteth them only upon the exercise of Sorrow Repentance within themselves 4. The Apostle Iohn pointeth out the way to beleevers of obtaining Remission-of sins 1. Ioh. 2 1 2. And if any man sin we have an Advocat with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous And he is the Propitiation for our sins Now Repentance doth not make use of Christ as an Advocat as a Propitiation but Faith doth And it is the proper work of Faith in order to Remission to make use of Christ in his Priestly office to carry the soul away to his Propitiation Intercession 5. The dayly experience of the Saints evidence this when upon conviction of sin they betake themselves to the free Mercy of God in Christ to the Bloud of sprinkling crying out for Pardon for the Lord's sake and seeking to be washen in his blood It is not their Repentance or Sorrow that they flee to as the ground of their hope of Pardon but the merites of Christ held forth in the new Covenant is that fountaine wherein they must wash be cleane See Psal. 25 11. 51 7. 6. This was sufficiently held forth under the Law when for their Errours Failings dayly Transgressions the people were to bring their Sacrifices to the Priest which were to be offered up as types of Christ they were to lay their hands upon the head of the Sacrifice in signe of their resting upon the Sacrifice typified of rolling their sins upon that only Sacrifice of expecting Acceptance Pardon through it alone See Levit 4 20 26 31 35. 5 10 13 16 18. 6 7 19 22. 7. If Repentance be the Condition then this must either be said of that part of Repentance which preceedeth the acting of faith or of that which followeth This last cannot be said for then it would follow that upon the acting of faith that preceedeth there were no Remission so faith laying hold on Christ his Merites should be utterly excluded from having any Interest in the pardon of sins Nor can the first be said for then there should be Remission before without all application made of Christ by Faith Yea the very imperfect beginnings of Repentance should be judged sufficient for Remission which cannot be said If it be said that this is meaned of compleat Repentance I Ans. Compleet Repentance cannot be without Faith it is against what is said to make Repentance considered alone by itself or as abstracted from Faith the only Condition seing this would be a manifest exclusion of Faith altogether If it be said that Repentance Faith may be considered together as joyned together called the Condition of Pardon I Ans. Seing it is manifest that both do not neither can act one the same way on Christ they cannot be considered as equally sharing in the place interest of a condition And therefore I judge it saifest to say That faith acting in by Repentance or so discovering itself to
all who work well keep the Law of Moses shall have free Pardon Right to life And thus they were as well justified by the works of the Law as by faith for faith was also required of them And then the meaning of the Apostles Conclusion Rom. 3 28. is therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith and by the deeds of the Law for both faith works with Mr. Baxter belong to this Subservient Righteousness as he calleth it If this be consonant to the Apostles doctrine which doth so contradict it let the Reader judge 3. Saith he That therefore it appeareth that the Jewes did so fondly admire the Law their National Privileges under it that they thought the exact keeping of it was necessary sufficient to Iustification Salvation And they thought the Messiah was not to be their Righteousness as a Sacrifice for sin meriter of free Pardon the Gift of life but only a great King Deliver to redeem them by Power from all their Enemies Bondage Ans. This mistake of the Jewes concerning the Messiah speaketh nothing to the point whereupon we are that is that Paul denieth justification to be by the Law And their errour mistake about the Law is not to be limited restricted to the Ceremonial Law so the thing that we say is confirmed hereby 2 They thought the Messiah was not to be their Righteousness And Mr. Baxter will not have him to be our Righteousness save only in that he hath purchased the New Covenant wherein our faith obedience to the Law is to be looked upon as all our proper immediat Righteousness upon the account of which we are to receive Pardon Right to life 4. He saith That is was not Adam's Covenant of Innocencie or persection which the Jewes thus trusted to or Paul doth speak against as to justification though a minore ad majus that is also excluded for the Jewes knew that they were sinners that God pardoned sin as a Merciful God that their Law had Sacrifices for Pardon Expiation with Confessions c. But they thought that so far as God had made that Law sufficient to Political ends to Temporal Rewards Punishments it had been sufficient to Eternal Rewards Punishments that of it self not in meer subordination to the typified Messiah Ans. Though the jewes knew that they were sinners yet they did also suppose that by their works of obedience to the Law Moral as well as Ceremonial they might make amends so think to be justified pardoned thereby and that God would accept of them grant them life for their own Righteousness sake therefore did they laboure so much to establish their own Righteousness followed after the Law of Righteousness sought Righteousness as it were by the works of the Law What Mr. Baxter talks here of the jewes not using of that Law in subordination to the Typified Messiah hath need of Explication for as to his sense of it we see no ground thereof in all the Apostles discourse 5. He saith That the thing which Paul disproveth them by is 1. That the Law was never made for such an End Ans. Yet he said that the man which doth those things shall live by them Rom. 10 5. Levit. 18 5. Gal. 3 12. that the doers of the Law are justified Rom. 2 13. And therefore speaketh of that Law which according to its primitive institution was made for such an end 2. saith he That even then it stood in subordination to Redemption free given life Ans. This we cannot yeeld to in Mr. Baxters sense often mentioned for Paul no where giveth us to understand that their obedience to this was their immediat Righteousness Condition of Justification the meritorious cause ex pacto of their Right to Christ to life c. 3. saith he That the free Gift or Covenant of Grace containing the promise of the Messiah and Pardon life by him was before the Law and justified Abraham others without it Ans. It is true this Argument did particularly militate against the Ceremonial Law Yet this not being the Apostles onely Argument other Arguments reaching the Moral Law as well as the Ceremonial we must not limite the Apostles disput only to the Ceremonial Law 4. saith he That their Law was so strick that no man could perfectly keep it all Ans. Adde also that they could not perfectly keep any one command thereof 5. saith he That every sin deserveth death indeed though their Law punished not every sin with death by the Magistrate Ans. And this holdeth true of the Moral as of the Ceremonial Law 6. saith he That their Law was never obligatory to the Gentile world who had a Law written in their hearts therefore not the common way of justification Ans. The Apostle maketh no such conclusion that therefore it was not the common way of justification for this would suppose that it were the way of justification unto them which is directly against the Apostles disput 7. saith he That their Law as such discovered sin but gave not the Spirit of Grace to overcome it in so much as though he himself desired perfectly to fulfill it without sin yet he could not but was under a Captivity that is a moral necessity of Imperfection or sins of infirmity from which only the grace of Christ could as to guilt power deliver him Ans. Therefore the Moral Law is as well here to be understood as the Ceremonial as is manifest 8. saith he That no man ever come to heaven by that way of merite which they dreamed of but all by the way of Redemption Grace free Gift Pardoning Mercy Ans. But that way of merite attendeth all works in the matter of justification as the Apostle assureth us Rom. 4 4. Ephes. 2 8 9. is opposed to the way of Redemption Grace free Gift Pardoning Mercy Rom. 11 6. 3 21 24. Tit. 3 5 7. From these things Mr. Baxter draweth this Conclusion Therefore their conceite that they were just in the maine forgiven their sins so justifiable by the meer dignity of Moses Law which they keept by the works of the Law not by the free Gift Pardon Grace of a Redeemer by the Faith Practical Beleife of that Gift and acceptance of it with thankful penitent obedient hearts was a Pernicioue Errour Ans. 1. Nothing is here said to ground a restriction of this erroneous conceite of theirs unto the Ceremonial Law for this conceite of being justifiable by the Law and the works thereof in opposition to the free Gift Pardon Grace of a Redeemer is as applicable to the Moral as to the Ceremonial Law 2 The Apostle doth not ground his disput upon the Iewes their express rejecting of a free Gift of Pardon c. But from justification by Faith laying hold on the free Grace
also considerable 14. That no where in Scripture we finde it expresly said affirmed That Christ died for all men Far less finde we it said that Christ died for all and every man Why then is all this trouble made But they say as much as all that is said by consequence And this we deny if they will rationally presse this matter they should evince that such expressions as they make so much work about can be no otherwise understood than they suppose in the places where they stand and this they shall never be able to do Though it be said that Christ gave his life a Ransome for all yet no reason can evince that that is necessarily to be understood of all every man so nor can they conclude any thing rationally from the word world They may as well inferre from these words all and the world that Christ died for devils beasts sensless creatures as that he died for all every man for they are comprehended under these terms as well as Men And if they will restrict these termes to men because of other Scriptures why may not we restrick them also to the Elect because of the correspondence of other passages of Scripture They cannot deny us the liberty they take to themselves If they say that there is a vast difference betwixt Devils an Men in reference to such favours We deny it not but shall adde that in reference to spiritual favours amongst which we cannot but reckon with the good leave of our Adversaries the death of Christ being the fruit expression of the greatest Love of God to Man we finde also a great difference in Scripture Some are Loved some Hated Rom. 9 11 12. Some whom he Knoweth some whom he Knoweth not Ioh. 10 14. 13 18. Mat. 7 23. 2. Tim. 2 19. Some Chosen Ordained to life others not but to Wrath Act. 13 48. Rom. 8 30. 9 18. c. Ephes. 1 4. 1. Thes. 5 9. Some Sheep others Goats Mat. 25 32. Some on whom God hath Mercy others whom he Hardeneth Rom. 9. Some his Church others not Act. 20 28. Ephes. 5 25. Some of the World others not Ioh. 17 9 10. Some his Brethren others not Heb. 2 10 12 13. And as plainly read we that Christ died for his People Mas. 1 21. his Sheep Ioh. 10 11 12 14. his Church Act. 20 28. Ephes. 5 25. his Elect Rom. 8 32 34. and his Children Heb. 2 12 13. If we would consider aright 15. What Christ did undergoe suffer while he was made sin or was making satisfaction for sin we should hardly think it probable that Christ Jesus God-man who was the brightness of tho Fathers glory and the express image of his person Heb. 1 3. and thought it no robbery to be counted equal with God Phil. 2 6. Should have undergone what he did undergoe and that the Father should have laid all that upon him which he did lay upon him and that to purchase only a meer Possible Redemption from sin wrath whereby not one person should be saved or pardoned if so it had seemed good to captaine Free will Not to mention his condescending to be Born of a woman to be made under the Law Gal. 4 4. nor his being in the forme of a servant Phil. 2 7. nor his Poverty mean Condition in the world 2. Cor. 8 9. nor his Conflicting with the indignities of the world Psal. 22 6. Heb. 12 2 3. with the temptations of Satan Math. 4 1-12 Luk. 4 15. and his being under the infirmities common to the nature of man being in all things like us except sin Heb. 2 17. 4 15. Esai 52 13 14. Nay nor his sufferings in his Body Name Honour at death when he was betrayed by Iudas Mat. 27 4. forsaken by his disciples Math. 26 56. Scorned Reviled by the world Esai 53 2â— 3. Condemned as a malefactor by Pilat Tormented by his persecutors Mat. 27 26-50 Ioh. 19 34. Endured the Painful Shameful Cursed death of the crosse Phil. 2 8. Heb. 12 2. all which the like being endured by Him who was the Son of God could be no mean suffering nor undergone for an uncertain end or for the procureing of a meer Possible Uncertain good But that which we would most take notice of here is his Soul sufferings being persued by divine justice when that Zach. 13 7. was accomplished awake O sword against my shepheard against the Man that is my follow saith the Lord of hostes smite the shepheard and the sheep shall be scattered Mat. 26 31. and the Lord did bruise him and put him to griese Esai 53 5 10. and he began to be sorrowful even unto death Mat. 26 37 38. and was sore amazed and very heavy Mark. 14 34. and was put to offer up prayers and supplications with strong cryes and teares to him that was able to save him Heb. 5 7. when notwithstanding that an angel appeared unto him from heaven strengthening him yet being in an agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground Luk. 22 43 44. and at length was made to cry out my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Psal. 22 1. Mat. 27 46. Mark 15 34. This was no mean business when the Rayes Irradiations of Divine Love were drawn-in withheld from him who had such a sharp sense of the happiness in the enjoying of God's favour because of the Personal union with the Godhead But that which is most of all to be considered is his being made a Curse Gal. 3 13. and so made to wrestle with the Justice and Wrath of a sin revenging God This was the gall and the worm wood that made him cry Ioh. 12 27. Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour Shall we suppose that all this was about an Uncertane Bargane Shall we think that he died the cursed death of the crosse and bore the weight of God's wrath Luk. 22 41. Mat. 27 46. and so became a sacrifice to satisfie divine justice Heb. 9 14 18 all to purchase a meer Possibility or a meer Possible Redemption Shall we think that the Second person of the Trinity should do suffer all these things for to redeem man when possibly if Freewill should be so ill natured not one man should reap any advantage thereby Me thinks the asserting of this should be a great temptation to cause people turne Socinians and deny all these soul sufferings of Christ his bearing the wrath of God making any satisfaction to justice Adde to this 16. That the Scriptures speak of Christ's Death Sufferings as being not for himself but for others and that not only for the good advantage of others and doubtless the advantage of all this should be but little if it were nothing else but a meer Possible Redemption which