The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 2 · Chapter 49
CHAP. XLIX. That we are not iuſtified by our workes and merites.
§. Sect. 1 ANd ſo much breefely of the doctrine of Iuſtification.Sathans tentations concerning iuſtificatiō of two ſorts. Now we are to ſpeake of and to anſwere ſuch tentations as are ſuggeſted by our ſpirituall enemie, to the end that hee may perſwade vsus that wee are notiuſtified, or that hee may moue vsus to ſeeke for iuſtification where it is not to bee had, and ſo in the meane time neglect it where only it is to be found, and the alone meanes whereby it is to bee inioyed. In ſpeaking whereof I ſhall not need to handle things ſo largly as thoſe points which went before, partly becauſe our iuſtification doth inſeperably follow our effectuall calling, and therefore hee that is aſſured of the one needs not to doubt of the other, partly becauſe the moſt of thoſe tentations which Sathan ſuggeſteth to impugne and make void our aſſurance that we are iuſtified are alreadie anſwered, namely thoſe which concerne the remiſſion of our ſinnes, and true faith in Ieſus Chriſt, and partly becauſe thoſe tentations which Sathan ſuggeſteth into the minds of afflicted chriſtians are the ſelfe ſame which the lims of Sathan the antichriſt of Roome and all his apoſtaticall ſinagogue doe hold and defend; and therefore I ſhall not need to intreat hereof at large becauſe theſe points in controuerſie hauehave beene alreadie and will be hereafter ſo copiouſly, learnedly, and religiouſly handled by others of greater abilities, and farre more excellent gifts.
But let vsus come to the matter in hand. The tentations of Sathan concerning this point are of two ſorts; the firſt tend to perſwade vsus to labour after and to reſt vponupon an imperfect and maymed righteouſneſſe for our iuſtification, whereby wee can neuer be iuſtified in Gods ſight, & ſo in the meane time he cauſeth vsus to neglect the alſufficiēt & moſt perfect righteouſnes of Ieſus Chriſt by which alone we are iuſtified before God and eternally ſaued; the other tend to make vsus doubt of our true iuſtification, that ſo hee may either make this gratious worke of God fruſtrate in vsus, or els at leaſt depriue our ſoules of that true conſolation and peace of cōſcience, which dependeth vponupon the aſſurance of our iuſtification.
§. Sect. 2 For the firſt,How Sathan tempteth vsus to neglect Chriſts righteouſneſſe & to reſt vponupon our owne. he will labour to perſwade vsus that it is not the righteouſneſſe of Ieſus Chriſt, imputed vntounto vsus by God and apprehended and applied vntounto vsus by faith, whereby wee are iuſtified in Gods ſight, for this imputatiue righteouſneſſe is but meerely putatiue and imaginacy but by that inhaerent righteouſnes which is in our ſelues; for Chriſt (will he ſay) did not fulfil the law & died, that this his righteouſnes & obediēce ſhould become ours by imputation, but he died for vsus to the end he might merite for vsus the ſpirit of God, which ſhould infuſe into vsus an inhaerent righteouſnes, & he ſhed his blood to the end that our good workes being dipped and died therein, might become perfect and ſo iuſtifie vsus in Gods ſight; and therefore that wee are not iuſtified by faith alone, but by our other graces and vertues alſo, and our good workes proceedding from them; neither by faith at all as it is an inſtrument which applieth Chriſt and his benefits vntounto vsus, but as it is a grace or vertue infuſed into our ſelues. Againſt which tentation it behooueth vsus moſt carefully to arme our ſelues as being moſt daungerous and pernitious, for it robbeth God and our ſauiour Chriſt of the whole glorie of our iuſtification and ſaluation, and deriueth ſome, yea the greateſt portion vntounto our ſelues, as being chiefly iuſtified by our owne meanes; and alſo it depriueth our ſoules of all true comfort and full aſſurance that we are iuſtified & ſaued, by taking out of our hands the ſtrong ſtaffe of our ſaluation, the perfect righteouſneſſe of Ieſus Chriſt and by putting into them the weake reed of our owne workes, which will preſently breake and faile vsus, when we moſt reſt vponupon it, and ſo we ſhall vnrecouerably fall into the horrible pit of deepe deſperation, when as we are abandoned of our chiefe hope, that is, when on the one ſide the huge waight of our grieuous ſinnes, and on the other ſide the great imperfection of our moſt perfect righteouſneſſe, and the filthie pollution of our moſt glorious workes appeare vntounto vsus.
And to the end that we may be the better inabled to reſiſt this dangerous and damnable tentation, I will firſt ſhew that we cannot be iuſtified before the tribunall of Gods iudgement by our inhaerent righteouſneſſe & good workes; and ſecondly that we are iuſtified by faith alone as it onelyonly applieth vntounto vsus Chriſt Ieſus his righteouſneſſe and obedience.
§. Sect. 3 That we are not iuſtified by our owne workes and righteouſneſſe, it manifeſtly appeareth both by plaine teſtimonies of holy Scripture,That we are not iuſtified by our works prooued by the Scriptures. and ſtronge arguments which are grounded vponupon them. For the firſt, the Apoſtle plainely ſaith, that by the workes of the law ſhall no fleſh be iuſtified in his ſight, for by the law commeth the knowledge of ſinne: but now is the righteouſneſſe of God made manifeſt without the law, hauing witneſſe of the law and the Prophets; to wit the righteouſneſſe of God, by the faith of Ieſus Christ, Rom. 3.20.21.22. Phil. 3.9.vntounto all and vponupon all that beleeue. Rom. 2.20.21.22. So Phil. 3.9. He diſclaimeth his owne righteouſneſſe, & reſteth vponupon the alone righteouſneſſe of Chriſt Ieſus, which is made ours by faith for his iuſtification and ſaluation. I hauehave (ſaith he) counted all things loſſe and doe iudge them to be dunge that I may winne Chriſt, and might bee found in him, not hauing mine owne righteouſneſſe, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Chriſt, euen the righteouſneſſe which is of God through faith. Phil. 3.9. and Gal. 3.10.11.Phil. 3.9. Gal. 3.10.11. Hee affirmeth that as many as reſt in the workes of the law are vnderunder the curſe; and that no man is iuſtified by the law in the ſight of God, it is euident becauſe the iuſt ſhall liue by faith. So Rom. 4.5. To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iuſtifieth the vngodly his faith is coūted for righteouſneſſe. Rom. 4.5.And our Sauiour Chriſt teacheth vsus to ſay and acknowledge when we hauehave done all to our vttermoſt power which is commaunded vsus that we are ſtill vnprofitable ſeruants Luk. 17.10.Luk. 17.10.
§. Sect. 4 But vntounto theſe and ſuch like manifeſt places it is anſwered, that the Apoſtle ſpeaketh not of the works of the morall law,That the former places are to be vnderſtood of the works of the morall law, and not of the ceremonies onelyonly. but of the ceremonies onelyonly, to which againe wee reply that no ſuch friuolous diſtinction can be gathered out of the Apoſtles wordes, nay the plaine contrary euidently appeareth, by his maine ſcope and drift in his whole diſcourſe of our iuſtification, and alſo by ſome particular places. His chiefe ſcope is to beate downe the pride of all, both Iewes and Gentiles to the end that the whole glory and praiſe of our iuſtification and ſaluation might be aſcribed to the free mercy, grace, and goodneſſe of God alone; now it is moſt certaine that the morall duties are in themſelues farre more excellent then the ceremoniall, and conſequently more fit to puffe vsus vp with a ſpirituall pride, and to make vsus to reſt in our ſelues for our iuſtification, aſcribing at leaſt ſome part of the praiſe vntounto our owne workes and vertues; ſo that if the Apoſtle had onelyonly ſpokē of the works of the ceremoniall law, mans pride ſhould not bee beaten downe, neither ſhould God hauehave the whole praiſe of our ſaluation, and ſo his diſcourſe ſhould be vaine, as not tending to prooue & inforce that, for which end and purpoſe hee chiefly vndertakes it. Againe this ſhould nothing concerne neither the Gentils in former times, nor any true Chriſtians ſince the comming of Chriſt, foraſmuch as they did not nor doe not, neither were nor are bound to obſerue the ceremoniall law, & cōſequently could neuer once dreame of obtayning righteouſneſſe by fulfilling the ceremonies; but they would rather aſcribe the glorie of their iuſtification to their morall duties, to which they found themſelues bound by the law of nature written in their harts, or doe find themſelues bound by the morall law of God written in his worde; and therfore it was neceſſarie for the beating downe of their pride, and that they might aſcribe the whole glory vntounto God of their iuſtification and ſaluation, that the apoſtles in this diſcourſe ſhould proue that they were not iuſtified neither by obſeruing the law of nature written in their hartes, nor yet the morall law of God reuealed in his word. Whereby it manifeſtly appeareth that howſoeuer the Apoſtle excludeth the workes of the ceremoniall law from being cauſes of iuſtification, yet not them alone but the workes of the morall law alſo.
§. Sect. 5 But this may more manifeſtly appeare by particular places wherein the Apoſtle plainly ſheweth that he ſpeaketh not onelyonly of the ceremoniall law,The former point prooued by particular teſtimonies. but of the morall law alſo. In the ſecond chapter of the Epiſtle to the Romanes, he plainly diſputeth as well of the law of nature, to the obedience whereof the Gentiles were obliged as of the law giuen by Moſes. Rom. 3.19.20.Chap. 3.19.20. Hee ſayth that all the world are made culpable before God, and therefore by the works of the law ſhal no fleſh be iuſtified in his ſight. Now if this conſequence be good he ſpeaketh not onelyonly of the ceremoniall but of the moral duties, for the former belonged not to the gentiles, and therefore the neglect of them did not make them culpable, nor debarre them of being iuſtified by their owne workes.Rom. 10.5.6 Gal. 3.11.12 21.22.24.
Secondly Rom. 10.5.6. and Gal. 3.11.12.21.22.24. The Apoſtle putteth a plaine difference betweene the righteouſneſſe which is by the law, and the righteouſneſſe which is by faith, and maketh a flatt oppoſition in the acte of iuſtification not betweene morall & ceremonial duties, but betweene doing and beleeuing,Eph. 2.8.9. faith and workes.
Thirdly hee ſaith, Eph. 2.8.9. that wee are ſaued by grace through faith not of our ſelues, nor of workes leaſt any man ſhould boaſt himſelfe. If hee had ſpoken only of workes they might (though fooliſhly) hauehave wreſted it to ceremonies only ſeeing the Epheſians were not bound to the ceremoniall law, as being ſtrangers to the common wealth of Iſrael, as himſelfe ſpeaketh ver. 12. but whē he ſaith alſo not of our ſelues,verſ. 12. he excludeth al whatſoeuer is in vsus from being the cauſe of our ſaluation, not onelyonly ceremoniall but alſo morall duties. So writing to Titus he ſaith Tit. 3.5.Titus. 3.5. Not by the workes of righteouſnes which wee had done but according to his mercy, hee ſaued vsus, in which place we are neceſſarily to vnderſtand the works of the morall law; for Titus being a Grecian was not bound to obſerue the ceremoniall law, and therefore he was not ſo much as circumciſed as the apoſtle plainely affirmeth,Gal. 2.3. Gal. 2.3.
Fourthly Paul ſpeaketh of that law by which wee come to the knowledge of ſinne,Rom. 3.20. and 7.7.8.9. as appeareth Rom. 3.20. and 7.7.8.9. But the knowledge of ſinne came eſpecially by the morall law, and therefore of this law the Apoſtle ſpeaketh.
Laſtly the Apoſtle ſpeaking of the workes of the law alleadgeth theſe ſentences. Gala. 3.10.Gal. 3.10. As many as are of the workes of the law are vnderunder the curſe, for it is written curſed is eueryevery man that continueth not in all thinges which are written in the booke of the law to doe them. So that he ſpeaketh not of the ceremoniall law alone but of the whole law of Moſes and of all things contayned in it. and ver. 12.ver. 12. And the law is not of faith, but the man that ſhall doe thoſe things ſhall liue in them. Which cannot be vnderſtoode of the ceremoniall law alone, but of the workes of the morall law yea of them eſpecially.
That the Apoſtle excludeth as well the workes of the regenerate, as of the vnregenerate.Secondly it is anſwered that the apoſtle ſpeaketh only of the workes of thoſe who are not regenerate nor indued with faith, and not of the regenerate and faithfull. Which ſhifting cauill the apoſtle clearly taketh away, not only by applying his ſpeeches vntounto all men without any limitation; but eſpecially in that example of Abraham which he bringeth for this purpoſe; who though hee were long before regenerate, indued with faith and exceeding plentifull in good workes, yet hee flatly excludeth all his workes from being any cauſes of his iuſtification. So Rom. 4.2.Rom. 4.2. If Abraham were iuſtified by works he had wherein to reioyce but not with God. and ver. 3.and ver. 3.4. Abraham beleeued God and it was counted vntounto him for righteouſneſſe. 4. Now to him that worketh, the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt. 5. But to him that worketh not, but beleeueth in him that iuſtifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteouſneſſe.
§. Sect. 6 And ſo much cōcerning the teſtimonies of ſcripture which manifeſtly proue that we are not iuſtified by our works.Reaſons to proue that w… are not iuſtified by our workes. Rom. 8.1.33 34. The reaſons which may be brought to the ſame purpoſe are exceeding many, but I wil briefly touch, ſome few only. Firſt iuſtification is manifeſtly oppoſed to cōdemnation: & they are both iudiciall words vſed in ciuill courts, & therefore to be vnderſtood both iudicially & not after a diuers maner. But to condēne ſignifieth not to infuſe any fault or crime in to the perſon cōdēned; but to pronoūce him guiltie & faulty: And therfore to iuſtifie ſignifieth not to infuſe righteouſnes into the perſon iuſtified; but to declare, pronoūce, & repute him as iuſt & righteous. Secondly, by the ſame meanes whereby we obtaine the remiſſion of our ſins, we are alſo iuſtified & made righteous; but wee obtaine the remiſſion of our ſinnes not for our workes or inhaerent righteouſnes, or any vertue that is in our ſelues, but by and for the alone merites, obedience, and full ſatisfaction of Chriſt, apprehended and applyed vntounto vsus by a liuely faith, as appeareth Rom. 3.25. And therefore by this meanes alone we are alſo iuſtified.Rom. 3.25.
Thirdly, whoſoeuer are iuſtified freely by grace they are not iuſtified by their owne merits, works, or inhaerent righteouſneſſe:Rō. 3.23.24 but the ſcriptures teſtifie that all the faithfull are iuſtified freely by Gods grace, as appeareth Rom. 3.23.24. All hauehave ſinned and are depriued of the glorie of God. Eph. 1.7. & 2.8.And are iuſtified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Chriſt Ieſus. So Eph. 1.7. By whom we hauehave redemptiō through his bloud, euen the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes according to his rich grace. Tit. 3.5.7.and 2.8. By grace are you ſaued through faith, and that not of your ſelues, it is the gift of God. and Tit. 3. not by the works of righteouſneſſe which we had done, but according to his mercy he ſaued vsus &c. 7. That we being iuſtified by his grace ſhould be made heires according to hope of eternall life. And therefore none are iuſtified by their owne merits, workes, or inhaerent righteouſneſſe.
Laſtly, the apoſtle Paul himſelfe gathereth many abſurdities which would follow this doctrine of iuſtificatiō by works: firſt that our faith ſhould bee vaine, and the promiſſe of God voide, Rom. 4.14.Rom. 4.14. Secondly that Chriſt Ieſus ſhould die in vaine if we hauehave righteouſneſſe by the law. Gal. 2.21.Gal. 2.21. Thirdly that wee ſhould hauehave cauſe of boaſting and glorying in our ſelues. Eph. 2.9.Eph. 2.9. for if a man were iuſtified by his owne inhaerent righteouſneſſe, hee ſhould hauehave whereof to glory, and ſo God ſhould be robbed of the whole praiſe of our ſaluation. Rom. 4.2.Rom. 4.2. But the Lord of purpoſe hath iuſtified vsus freely of his grace, and not for our workes and inha rent righteouſnes, that all glorying in our ſelues might be excluded: as appeareth Rom. 3.27. Eph 2.9.Rom. 3.27. Eph. 2.9. Fourthly it would follow hereupon that we ſhould ſtill be vnderunder the curſe of the law, which is denoū ced againſt all who continue not in all that is written in the booke of the law to do them, as the Apoſtle reaſoneth Gal. 3.10.Gal. 3.10. Fiftly that the obedience and ſatisfaction of Chriſt ſhould be maymed and imperfect, vnleſſe it were patched vp with our owne righteouſneſſe: the contrary whereof the Apoſtle affirmeth Heb. 7.25. namely that hee is able perfectly to ſaue all them who come vntounto God by him. Laſtly,Heb. 7.25. hereupon it would follow that wee ſhould continually wauer in doubting, in reſpect of our manifold corruptions and imperfect righteouſneſſe, and ſhould hauehave our ſoules depriued of that peace of conſcience which followeth iuſtification by faith, as it is Rom. 5.1.Rom. 5.1. Laſtly with the Iewes we ſhall bring our ſelues into moſt certaine daūger of being reiected and caſt of, from being the people and Church of God, if with them we goe about to ſtabliſh our owne righteouſneſſe, in the meane time not ſubmitting our ſelues to the righteouſneſſe of God,Rom. 10.4.6. which is of faith in Ieſus Chriſt, as it is Rom. 10.4.6.