A Treatise of Justification, Book 1 · Chapter 6
CAP. VI. The end or finall cause, the essentiall parts, the fruits and consequents of justification.
§. I.
THE finall cause or end, for which God doth justifie aThe end Supreame. sinner by imputation of Christs righteousnesse, is either supreme, or subordinate. The supreme, is the manifestation of the glory, both of his mercy, and of his justice (as is noted in the definition) which as they doe concurre in all the worke of God, Psalm. 145. 17.Psal. 145. 17. so especially in the worke of redemption and justification. For therein the mercy of God appeareth to be so great, that rather than hee would suffer us most miserable sinners to perish in our sinnes, he hath sent his owne and his only begotten Son, that we might be justified aRom. 3. 24.freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein hee hath made us bEphes. 1. 6.accepted in his beloved. His justice also such, that rather than hee would suffer the sinnes of his owne elect to goe unpunished, or forgive them without due satisfaction; hee hath punished them in his owne Sonne, and exacted from him a full satisfaction for them: having set him forth cRom. 3. 25, 26.to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud, to declare his righteousnesse through the forgivenesse of sinnes, which are past, by the sufferance of God; to demonstrate, I say, his righteousnesse at this time, that hee might be just and the justifier of him who beleeveth in Iesus. Not unto us therefore, not unto us, as if we were justified by our owne righteousnesse or worthinesse; but dPsal. 119. 1.to the name of God all glory is due for his mercy and for his righteousnesse sake; who doth justifie us, not of workes eEphes. 2. 9. Rom. 4. 2.lest wee should glory in our selves: but of his grace, freely, without any desert or cause in our selves, through the redemption wrought by Christ; who is of God made righteousnesse f1 Cor. 1. 30, 31.unto us, that he which gloryeth may glory in the Lord.
§. II. The subordinate end is our salvation, and the way unto it,The subordinate end. which is our new obedience or sanctification. Salvation, though it bee1 Salvation. our foreign, our particular supreme end and chiefe good, unto which both justification and sanctification is referred; yet it is subordinate to the glory of God, as to the soveraigne and universall end. For such is Gods goodnesse towards his elect, that hee hath subordinated our salvation to his owne glory; as he hath our justification and sanctification to both. And therefore, as we are first above all things to desire, that God may bee gMat. 6. 9, 10, 11.glorified; so, that hee may bee glorified, wee are first among those things, which wee desire for our owne good, to seeke his hMat. 6. 33.Kingdome, and his righteousnesse; that his Kingdome of glory, and the Kingdome of Grace, which consisteth in the iRom. 14. 17.righteousnesse of justification, and the two companions thereof peace and joy in the holy Ghost; may come upon us; and next, that his will may be done upon earth, as it is in heaven, by our new obedience: for this is the will of God k1 Thes. 4. 3., even our sanctification. Salvation, I say, is the end both of our justification and sanctification: for being made free from sinne▪ and become servants to lRom. 6. 22.God, we have our fruit unto holinesse, and the end everlasting life. The end of our faith by which we are justified, is the m1 Pet. 1. 9.salvation of our soules, unto which by justification wee are entituled, and nRom. 8. 24.saved in hope that being justified by his oTit. 3. 7.grace, wee should bee made heires according to, hope of eternall life: for all that be justified, pRom. 8. 30.shall be glorified. And this also I noted in the definition, when I said, that those whom the Lord doth justifie by imputation of Christs righteousnesse, he accepteth as righteous in Christ, and as heires of eternall life: for by faith qAct 26. 18.we have remission of sinnes, and inheritance among them that are sanctified.
§ III. But we are justified by faith, not onelyonly, that in the end wee2. Certainety of Salvation. may be saved; but also, that in the meane time our salvation being of Grace, might be certaine and sure: and that being justified rRom. 5. 1, 2.by faith we might have peace and joy in the holy Ghost: Whereas, if it depended upon our workes or worthinesse, it would be uncertaine. For the promise of this inheritance was not made to Abraham, and his seed through the Law, in respect of any righteousnesse therein prescribed, but through the righteousnesse of Faith. And therefore it is of faith, that it might bee by grace, to the end the promise might be sure to allRom. 4. 13, 16. the seed, Rom. 4. 13. 16.
§ IV. The other end, which is subordinate not onelyonly to Gods glory,Sanctification. but also to our Salvation, is our sanctification, as being the way to eternall life: for though we be saved by grace through faith, and not of workes; yet we are the workmanship sEph. 2. 8, 9, 10.of God, created in Christ Iesus unto good workes, which God hath before ordained, that we should walke in them: We are therefore justified, First, that God may be glorified. Secondly, that wee may bee saved in the life to come. Thirdly, that in this world we may lead a godly life. See Luk. 1. 74, 75. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Tit. 2. 11, 12, 13. So much of the causes.
§ V. There remaine the essentiall parts of justification, which I expressedThe parts of justification. in the definition, when I said, that God doth justifie a beleeving sinner, when imputing unto him the righteousnesse of Christ, he doth absolve him from his sinnes, and accepteth of him in Christ as righteous, and as an Heire of Eternall Life.
The parts therefore of justification are two, absolution from sinne, and acceptation as righteous in Christ; both which the Lord granteth by imputation of the full and perfect satisfaction of Christ, whereby he fully satisfied the Law, both in respect of the penalty, which he satisfied by his sufferings; and also in respect of the precept, which he satisfied duplicate page duplicate page by his perfect righteousnesse, both habituall and actuall. As therefore there were two branches of the Law to be satisfied, the commination and the Commandement; and two parts of Christs satisfaction answerable thereunto: so there are two parts of justification, absolution from the curse of the Law, by imputation of Christs sufferings, wherein he became a curse for us; and acceptation as righteous in Christ by imputation of Christs most perfect righteousnes both habituall & actuall: in respect of both which parts of his satisfaction, Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnestRom. 10. 4., that is, doth justifie all that truly beleeve in him.
§ VI. And hereby it may appeare, that those three benefits of Redemption, Reconciliation, and Adoption, are all comprehended underRedemption, reconciliation, adoption comprised under Iustification. this maine benefit of justification; the two former, being all one in substance with the former part: for as touching the former, In Christ wee have Redemption through his blouduEp 17. Col. 1. 14, even remission of sinnes, Eph. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. And as touching the latter; God was in Christ*2 Cor. 5. 19. reconciling the world unto himselfe, not imputing unto them, or remitting their sinnes, 2 Cor. 5. 19. and therefore all three, Remission ofx1 …. 2. 7. Heb. 9. 22. sinnes,yCol. 1. 14. 1 Pet. 1 19. Redemption, andzRom. …. 10. Col. 1. 20. Reconciliation are ascribed to the bloud and to the death of Christ. The third is all one in substance with the second part: For what is it to be adopted, but to be accepted of GodaEph. 1. 5, 6. in his beloved as righteous, and as an Heire of Eternall Life? and this is ascribed to the righteousnesse and obedience of ChristbRom. 5. 19. both in his life and death. For therefore was the Sonne of God made under thecGal. …. 4, 5. Law, namely to obey, and to fulfill, and to satisfie it; that hee redeeming us from the yoke of the Law requiring perfect obedience in us to justification, we might receive the Adoption of sonnes.
§ VII. Now follow the consequents and fruits of justification, whichThe fruits and consequents o… Iustification. are the Grace of Sanctification and the parts therof, consisting partly in righteousnesse inherent, and partly in outward obedience called good workes: which I doe the rather mention in this place; because the Papists though they cannot deny, that they are the effects and fruits of justification, which as they use to alleage out of Augustine, Non praecedunt justificandum, sed sequuntur justificatum, not goe before as causes, but follow as effects, yet notwithstanding most absurdly contend, that they concurre with faith unto justification, as the causes thereof: wee acknowledge them to be necessary in the subject, that is, the party that is justified, and to bee saved necessitate praesentiae, as the necessary fruits and consequents of justification, and as necessary antecedents to glorification: but we deny their necessity of efficiencie, as causes concurring to the act of justification, or merit of salvation: We acknowledge them as the necessary fruits of Redemption and Iustification, as the markes and cognizances of them that shall be saved, the necessary forerunners of glorification, the onelyonly true way to our heavenly countrey, the evidence according to which wee shall be judged at the last day; yet we are not justified by them, nor saved for them (as hereafter I shall plainely and plentifully prove) but onelyonly by and for the righteousnesse and merits of Christ apprehended by Faith.