A Key to the Key of Scripture, Chapter 3 · Exposition of verse 22
Verſe 22. To wit, the righteouſneſſe of God by the faith of Ieſus Christ, vntounto all and vponupon all that beleeue.
EVen the righteouſneſſe of God by faith of Ieſus Chriſt.]
Senſe: Whether this (by faith) muſt be vnderſtood materialiter, as if faith were the matter of our righteouſnes; or inſtrumentaliter, becauſe it is the inſtrument by vvhichwhich the righteouſneſſe of GOD in Chriſt is apprehended, may be queſtioned: Moderne interpreters (all that I hauehave read) take it in the laſt ſenſe; and till of late, I thinke it neuer came into any mans head, that faith ſhould be the matter or thing) vvhereof the righteouſneſſe of God conſiſteth, which me thinkes may thus be euidenced: Firſt, then ſhould the thing vvhereof our righteouſneſſe conſiſteth be in our ſelues: Secondly, that almoſt continuall annexing of Chriſt, or his bloud, or ſome ſuch like, as it vvere knitting the inſtrument with the obiect, makes me beleeue, the ſpirit of God would teach vsus, (as all our Diuines accord) that it is not faith, but the obiect of faith, Chriſt his bloud, and obedience, for and by vvhichwhich we are iuſtified: Therefore leauing theſe quiddities to men that delight in nouelties, inſiſting in the olde broad vvay of the Saints, this plaine truth I propound.
That faith is the ſole inſtrument, or thing in vsus, Obſer. whereby true righteouſneſſe is apprehended: vt ſen…us ſit: And if you vvould know how this righteouſnes is obtained, it is by faith of Ieſus Chriſt; that is, by faith receiuing, and applying Chriſt, as he is tendered vntounto vsus in the promiſe of the Goſpel: that is, by particular acknowledgement of the truth of this propoſition, Chriſt loued me, Gal. 2.20.and gaue himſelfe for mee a. My purpoſe is, to reſerue the queſtions touching the nature, and qualitie of Faith iuſtifying, to a place more proper; here onelyonly it ſhall ſuffice to giuegive reaſon, vvhy no other thing in a Chriſtian, can ſerue, ſo much as inſtrumentally, to iuſtification: And it is this, rendred by our Diuines. Becauſe there is no other gift of God in vsus, vvhere by the matter of our righteouſnes, Chriſts obedience can be receiued; as is required Ioh. Ioh. 1.12.1.12. But hereof alſo more largely hereafter.
By faith of Christ.] As in vvhom righteouſneſſe vvhereby wee are iuſtified is reſident as in a ſubiect. Something further might here be obſerued, if I would be curious to preſſe eueryevery word (as this is indeed the priuiledge of the Scripture, no vvord but hath his waight:) This onelyonly I point at, and proceede.
Obſer. That not eueryevery beliefe, but that which apprehends Chriſt, is the meane of iuſtification.
Ʋſe. And it is an errour, ſauouring of more pittie, then pietie, that eueryevery man may be ſaued by his religion and faith: Turkes by theirs, Pagans by theirs, &c. ſo they liue accordingly. Firſt, now ſure then ſaid the Apoſtle in vaine,Acts 4.12. that there is no other name giuen vnderunder heauen, by which a man can be ſaued, but the Name of Ieſus. Epheſ. 4.12.Secondly, and Paul, ill makes it a part of heatheniſh miſerie, to be without Chriſt: thirdly, and as ill rankes them with Atheiſts, that apprehend, or with Idolaters that worſhip GOD out of Chriſt, ibid. and Gal. Gal. 4.8.4.8. and fourthly, our Sauiour was deceiued, when hee taught the kingdome of GOD ſhould be taken from Iewes, euen for erring obſtinately in the perſon of the Meſſiah: but enough of theſe.
Fiftly, the Subiect followes; (…o all and on all that beleeue.) Not to be curious about theſe particles (to and vponupon,) betwixt vvhichwhich I ſee no difference more then betwixt Aarons beard, and the beard of Aaron: The ingemination is eyther for ſtronger auouchment, or elſe for interpretation and reſtraint: (to all) as if he ſhould ſay: yea and I ſay againe to all, without excluding any, eyther Iew or Gentile All: (to all) as if he ſhould ſay, but thus limmit the vniuerſall particle; all that beleeue. But the firſt ſenſe ſeemeth fitter in reſpect of the reaſon annexed: For there is no difference, &c.
There is then no encloſure of this bleſſing of righteouſneſſe, to any nation, perſon, ſexe, Doct. or condition of men: but in eueryevery nation, in eueryevery ſtate, and order of men, hee that beleeueth in Chriſt is accepted with GOD, and approued as righteous:Acts 15.9. And note in this whole Epiſtle, the generall particle, often and purpoſely vſed.
This point a long time ſounded harſh in Iewiſh Vſe 1 earesaActs 13. & 15 & 28. Rom. 15. Epheſ. 2.: vvhichwhich made the Apoſtle ſo often inculcate it, and ſo largely inſiſt on it; ſo enuious is our nature, and ſo gladly vvould we make ſeuerall Gods common fauours. Not much vnlike Iewes in this behalfe, are the now Romiſh clergie: willing to pen vp truth, righteouſneſſe, and ſaluation, within the precincts of the Romiſh Church; forgetting the Catholiqueneſſe of the Church Chriſtian, to conſiſt in this;Pſal. 2. that now the heathen are giuen Chriſt for his inheritance, and the vttermoſt parts of the earth for his poſſeſſion.
And let vsus Gentiles praiſe God for this merciemercy.Rom. 15.
And will you ſee the cunning of Sathan, whereby he robs Gods children of much of their comfort? As he hath giuen Rome ſeizure of the keyes of heauen, ſo himſelfe hath reſerued power to widen or ſtraighten heauen gate, as may beſt ſerue for his aduantage: with prophane men, any faith, be it neuer ſo blinde or implicite, neuer ſo doubtfull or faithleſſe, the very ſhadow and lip-profeſſion of it, ſerues turne for ſaluation: with Gods children, none doth the deede, but what caries vsus full ſayle to the Mediator of righteouſneſſe. Let Gods children carefully remember, what the Apoſtle here teacheth. To all beleeuers reacheth Go…s righteouſneſſe; If thou walke in the ſteps of Abrahams faith, though thou keepe not pace with him, to thee alſo ſhall thy faith be imputed for righteouſneſſe:Rom. 4.23.24. little faith is faith, as a little ſparke is fire: And we know who hath promiſed, not to quench, either flame or coale, or ſparke,Mat. 12 20. no nor ſmoake of faith, if it be in ſincerity.
Obſer. [To all that beleeue▪] The vniuerſality of grace then, at leaſt in reſpect of efficacie, admits reſtraint, and limitation to beleeuing. There is a world of men, whom Chriſt came to ſaue, but it is the mundus credentium, the world of beleeuers, as an auncient Diuine interprets it. Theſe limitations are ſo frequent in Scripture, that they need no euidence by inſtance; and it is confeſſed by the very Aduocates of vniuerſall grace, that though Chriſts righteouſneſſe hath a ſufficiencie in it, to procure ſaluation to all: yet in reſpect of efficacie, it is appropriated to beleeuers, and their ſeede.
This onelyonly it ſhall ſuffice here to touch, by way of enquirie: what kinde of beliefe that is, to which righteouſneſſe is extended. Our aduerſaries generally accord, that a generall faith ſufficeth, and beliefe of the truth of poynts of faith, without particularizing is enough to iuſtification. Now ſurely the Diuell is beholding to them, that in generals, I dare ſay▪ goeth as farre as moſt Papiſts; yea, vponupon better euidence beleeues the Hiſtory of the Goſpell, then moſt formall Papiſts doe. And I would hauehave Papiſts tell me, what hinders euen diuels from iuſtification, if not this; that they cannot particularize the generals of faith to themſelues: it is vaine to ſay, they want charity, the fruit of faith: for in this very poynt of beleeuing there muſt be ſomething, wherein Gods children goe beyond the diuellaIam. 2.19..
But let vsus heare their reaſons: One of their principall aduocates thus pleadesbBellar▪ de iustif. lib. 1. cap. 8. & 10.: Firſt, from teſtimonies: Mat. 9. & 16. Iohn. 1. & 6. & 19. Act. 8. Rom. 4. & 10. &c.
It was all Chriſt required to iuſtification. All that Philip required to baptiſme of the Eunuch, &c. Therefore ſufficeth to righteouſneſſe and ſaluation. Anſ. 1. It will trouble theſe men, I thinke, out of theſe promiſes to draw their concluſion: for generall faith might ſuffice, to procure a cure miraculous; and profeſſion of faith, giuegive intereſt to baptiſme; and yet not be ſufficient to iuſtification in Gods ſight. Anſ. 2. Our Diuines well anſwere, that beliefe of many the particulars here ſpecified, implyed particular aſſurance of Gods louelove in Chriſt: And that, howſoeuer profeſſion is made of beleeuing particulars onelyonly here ſpecified, according to the preſent occaſion; yet it is to be preſumed, the reſt was alſo beleeued; it being one faith that apprehends all particulars propounded in the word. Anſ. 3. That what is not expreſſed is implyed:1 Iohn. 5.1.2. as 1 Iohn. 5. Ʋer. 1.2.
Their reaſons.
Ob. 1. No particular word of God declaring pardon of ſinnes, or ſaluation to belong to ſuch or ſuch particulars: Ergo.
Anſ. Firſt, that the generall compriſeth vertually all particulars: and that out of the generals rightly aſſumed, may the particular concluſion be well deduced for faith to reſt on. Ex. gra. As out of this generall, EueryEvery reaſonable Animal… a man. Socrates, rightly aſſuming, may conclude, that he is a man: ſo out of this generall, Whoſoeuer beleeues in the ſonne of God, hath life, and ſhall neuer come into condemnation, Iohn. 3. Whoſoeuer can rightly aſſume, may conclude that hee hath life. Secondly, that we hauehave it in the equiualent, God hauing made a promiſe generall, and giuing a command of particular applying. Thirdly, Sacraments at leaſt particularize the generality of the promiſe.
Ob. 2. Faith iuſtifying goes before iuſtification, as the cauſe thereof: but fa th ſpeciall followes iuſtification: becauſe I cannot beleeue my ſinnes to be forgiuen, till they be forgiuen: ſecondly, eueryevery acte depends on his obiect, not con…a.
Anſ. 1. If they ſpeake o… pr…ority of nature, it is true, faith is before iuſtification actually enioyed the ſentence of abſolution not being paſſed on any, till hee beleeue: if of priority of time, ſo we affirme them to be ſimul, neither before or after other: for as ſoone as euer I beleeue, ſo ſoone am I by the Lord approued as righteous. And ſecondly, whereas they talke nicely of the obiects praecedence to the act, & the acts dependence on the obiect. Anſ. Firſt, that the obiect, qua obiectum, is ſimul cum actu; for it is no actuall obiect, till the act be exerciſed there about. Exemp. gra. Colour though it be by fitneſſe Naturall, obiectum vi…us; yet cannot be ſaid to be obiectum actu, till ſome act of ſight be exerciſed there-abouts: ſo much of the generall. Secondly, it is harſh, that the obiect is ſaid to giuegive eſſence to the act, except it be thus vnderſtood, that without it the act cannot be exerciſed. Thirdly, more directly to the purpoſe: the obiect of faith iuſtifying, which we will ſuppoſe to be this propoſition: thy ſinnes are forgiuen thee; we are to conſider, in what ſort it is propounded to a ſinner: and that is, ſub conditi…ne fidei, in reſpect of the actuall truth thereof, that though the minde hauehave an …n…uitus of this obiect before iuſtification; yet it apprehends the truth of it, but in propoſito Dei, & ſub conditione: neither hath it actuall and categoricall truth, till the Hypotheſis be performed: And thus though the obiect be before this act of the minde (conſideration,) yet it is not before the act of beleeuing it, in reſpect of execution, and reall fruition of it.
Ob. 3. This ſpeciall faith takes away prayer, vſe of Sacraments, good workes, therefore is not iuſtifying faith, but rather deſtroying: And will you heare their reaſon? For if I muſt certainly beleeue, that my ſinnes be forgiuen me, how can I pray, Forgiue me my ſinnes? nay, I ſhall be an Infidell, to pray for forgiueneſſe, as well as if I ſhould pray, that the word might be made fleſh. A…ſ. This argument hath beene often anſwered by our Diuines. The ſumme of the anſwere is this: That though ſinnes be knowne to be forgiuen, yet is not prayer for forgiueneſſe vnneceſſary: firſt, for that aſſurance of pardon is but in part obtayned: ſecondly, becauſe new ſinnes are daily committed; which, though in the purpoſe of God they be forgiuen; yet is not ſentence of forgiueneſſe paſt in the conſcience, till act of faith, & repentance be renewed, and by all means teſtified. To that of Sacraments: Read but what is R m. 4.11.Rom. 4.11. and thou ſhalt ſee reaſon, why Sacraments are neceſſary euen for men iuſtified Viz: as Seales: that is, meanes to work farther, & more plentiful aſſurance of iuſtification.
Ob. 4. Confidence that ſinnes are forgiuen, depends vponupon good conſcience, and perſeuerance in louelove of God▪ and good worksc2 Pet. 1.10.: and therefore preſuppoſeth iuſtification, but workes it not. Anſ. Firſt▪ we muſt diſtinguiſh betwixt iuſtification it ſelfe and the manifeſtation of it: the euidence of iuſtification depends vponupon good conſcience, becauſe no man can know himſelfe to be iuſtified but he that hath good conſcience, yet the act of iuſtification ex parte Dei is performed ſimul cum fide. Secondly, or otherwiſe thus, iuſtification depends on good conſcience and good works, onelyonly as ex ſignis not as ex cauſis. Thirdly, good conſcience is not after faith in timedAct. 15.9. Heb. 9.14., but onelyonly in nature; and ſo ſoone as faith is giuen, ſo ſoone is the heart purified; and purpoſe of new obedience reſolutely determined by the beleeuer.
Obiect. 5. Becauſe this ſpeciall faith breedes nothing but perturbation, diſquietneſſe, and euen deſperation in the minde: becauſe a man may be deceaued in his ſpeciall perſwaſion; and Caluin requires a certaine knowledge of remiſſion of ſinnes, and predeſtination to life in eueryevery iuſtified man. Anſ. Firſt, it is not faith ſpeciall, but lacke of it that breedes diſquietneſſeeRom. 5.1. Secondly, and though ſome men are deceiued in their opinion and perſwaſion of iuſtification and election to life as M. Caluin at large ſheweth, that hauehave nothing but Laruam fides, yet will it follow thence, that none other may hauehave infallible perſwaſion of their iuſtification and adoption? that in deede hauehave the ſpirit to witneſſe it vntounto themfRom. 8.. Thirdly, if there be doubtings, ariſe they from faith? and not rather from remaines of infidelity? Fourthly, where teacheth M. Caluin that faith conſidered in ſubiects, as it is in Gods children, is free from doubtings? nay, ſheweth he not that the deareſt of Gods Saints hauehave conflicts with infidelity? Fiftly, and yet ſith faith is in the iſſue conquerour, might he not iuſtly aſcribe vntounto it certainty and infallibility of perſwaſion? Briefly all that M. Caluin teacheth of faith, amounts to this; that it is certaine and infallible naturâ ſuâ and ſecondly, that it is ſo in a meaſure in Gods children: and thirdly, ought to be endeuoured by ſuch as deſire ſolide comfort: fourthly, is conquerour in the end in all conflicts, no where teacheth, ſo much as by dreame, that there can be no aſſurance of election or adoption, but where is fulneſſe of perſwaſion, euer free from conflicts with doubting.