Aphorisms of Justification, Thesis 57 – Thesis 61
THESIS LVII.
IT is the Act of Faith which justifieth men at age, and not the habit: yet not as it is a good work, or as it hath in it's self any excellency in it above other Graces: But 1. In the neerest sence, directly and properly as it is, [The fulfilling of the Condition of the New Convenant:] 2. In the remote and more improper sence, as it is [The receiving of Christ and his satisfactory Righteousnesse.]
EXPLICATION.
1. THat the habit of Faith doth not directly and properly justifie, appeares from the tenour of the Covenant: which is not [He that disposed to beleeve shall be saved] But [he that believeth.]
2. That Faith doth not properly justifie through any excellency that it hath above other Graces, or any more usefull property, may appear thus: 1. Then the praise would be due to Faith. 2. Then love would contend for a share, if not a priority. 3. Then Faith would justifie, though it had not been made the Condition of the Covenant.
Let those therefore take heed, that make Faith to justifie, meerely because it apprehendeth Christ: which is its naturall, effentiall property.
3. That it is Faith in a proper sence that is said to justifie, and not Christs Righteousnesse onelyonly which it receiveth, may appear thus. 1. From the necessity of two-fold righteousness, which I have before proved, in reference to the two-fold Covenant. 2. From the plain and constant Phrase of Scripture, which saith, He that beleeveth shall be justified: and that we are justified by Faith: and that faith is imputed for righteousnesse. It had been as easie for the Holy Ghost to have said, that Christ onelyonly is imputed, or his righteousnesse onelyonly, or Christ onelyonly justifieth, &c. If he had so meant. He is the most excusable in an error, that is lead into it by the constant expresse phrase of Scripture. 3. From the nature of the thing: For the effect is ascribed, to the severall Causes (though not alike) and in some sort to the Conditions, Especially, me-thinks they that would have Faith to be the Instrument of Iustification, should not deny that we are properly justified by Faith as by an Instrument: For it is as proper a speech to say [our hand and our teeth feed us,] as to say, [our meet feedeth us.]
4. That Faith doth most directly and properly justifie [as its the fulfilling of the Condition of the New Covenant] appeareth thus. 1 The new Covenant onelyonly doth put the stamp of Gods Authority upon it, in making it the Condition. A two-fold stamp is necessary to make it a current medium of our Justification. 1. Command. 2. Promise. Because God hath neither Commanded any other meanes, 2. Nor promised Justification to any other, therefore it is, that this is the onelyonly condition; and so only thus Justifieth. When I read this to be the tenour of the New Covenant [Whosoever believeth shall be justified:] doth it not tell me plainly why Faith Justifieth? even because it pleaseth the Lawgiver and Covenant-maker to put Faith into the Covenant, as its condition. 2. What have we else to shew at Gods barr for our Justification, but the New Covenant? The Authority and Legality of it must bear us out. It is upon point of Law that we are condemned; and it must be by Law, that we must be Justified. Therefore we were condemned, because the Law which we break did threaten death to our sin: If we had committed the same Act, and not under a Law that had threatned it with death, we might not have dyed. So therefore are we Justified, because the New Law doth promise Iustification to our faith. If we had performed the same Act under the first Covenant, it would not have Iustified. As the formall Reason, why sin condemneth is, because the Law hath concluded it in its threatning: so the formall Reason, why Faith justifieth, is, because the New Law of Covenant hath concluded it, in its Promise. And as where there is no Law, there is no Transgression nor Condemnation: because sin is formally a transgression of the Law, and Condemnation is but the execution of its Threatning: so where there is no fulfilling the new Law, there is no Righteousnesse nor Iustification: because Righteousnesse is formally a conformity to the Law of Righteousnesse, and Iustification is but the performing of part of its Promise.
5. That Faith's receiving Christ and his righteousnesse, is the remote of secondary, and not the formall Reason, why it doth Iustifie, appeareth thus. 1. I would ask any dissenter this Question. Suppose that Christ had done all that he did for sinners, and they had believed in him, thereupon, without any Covenant promising Iustification to this faith: Would this faith have justified them? By what Law? Or whence will they plead their Iustification at the barr of God? Well: but suppose that Christ having done what he did for us, that he should in framing the New Covenant have put in any other Condition; and said [whosoever loveth God shall by vertue of my satisfaction be Iustified.] Would not this love have Iustified? No doubt of it. I conclude then thus: The receiving of Christ, is as the silver of this coin: the Gospell-promise is as the Kings stamp which maketh it currant for justifying. If God had seen meet to have stamped any thing else, it would have passed currantly. Yet take this. Faith is, even to our own apprehension, the most apt and suitable condition that God could have chosen: (for as far as we can reach to know;) There cannot be a more Rationall & apt condition of delivering a redeemed Malefactor from Torment, then that he thankfully accept the pardon, and favour of redemption, and hereafter take his Redeemer for his Lord.
So that if you ask me [what is the formall Reason, why Faith Iustifieth?]
I answer. Because Christ hath made it the condition of the New Covenant, and promised Iustification upon that Condition.
But, 2. If you ask me further, Why did Christ chuse this rather then any thing else for the Condition?
I. Answer. 1. To ask a Reason of Christs choice and commands is not alway wise or safe. 2. But here the reason is so apparent, that a posteriore, we may safely adventure to say: That this is the most self-denying, and Christ advancing work: Nothing could be more proportionable to our poverty, who have nothing to buy with, then thus freely to receive: Nothing could be more reasonable, then to acknowledge him who hath redeemed us, and to take him for our Redeemer and Lord: many more such Reasons might be given. In a word, then Faith Justifieth primarily and properly, as it is the Condition of the New Covenant, (that is the formall reason.) And secondarily, remotely, as it is the receiving of Christ and his righteousnesse: (that is the aptitude of it to this use to which it hath pleased Cod to destinate it.)
I stand the more on this, because it is the foundation of that which followeth.
THESIS. LVIII.
THe ground of this is; because Christs Righteousness doth not Iustifie us properly and formerly, because we Beleeve or receive it; but because it is ours in Law, by Divine Donation, or Imputation.
THis is plain in it self, and in that which is said before.
THESIS LIX.
IVstification is not a momentaneous Act, begun and ended immediately upon our Believing: bnt a continued Act; which though it be in its kind compleat from the first, yet is it still in doing, till the finall Iustification at the Iudgement day.
EXPLICATION.
THis is evident from the nature of the Act: it being as I shewed before, an Act of God by his Gospell: Now 1. God still continueth that Gospell-Covenant in force. 2. That Covenant still continueth Justifying Believers. 3. God himself doth continue to esteem them accordingly, and to Will their Absolution. 1. This sheweth you therefore with what limitation to receive the Assersion of our Divines, that Remission and Justification are, simul & semel, performed. 2. And that the Justified & pardoned may pray for the continuance of their pardon and Justification. 3. That of Christs satisfaction and our Faith are of continuall use, and not to be laid by, when we are once Justified, as if the work were done. See Dr. Downame of Iustific. of this point.
THESIS. LX.
THe bare Act of beleeving is not the onelyonly Condition of the New Covenant: but severall other duties also are part of that Condition.
EXPLICATION.
I Desire no more of those that deny this, but that Scripture may be Iudge: and that they will put by no one Text to that end produced, till they can give some other commodious, and not forced Interpretation.
1. Then that pardon of sin and salvation are promised upon condition of Repenting, as well as beleeving, is undeniably asserted from these Scriptures. Prov. 1. 23. & 28. 13. Mar. 1. 15. & 6. 12. Luk. 13. 3, 5. Act. 2. 38. & 3. 19. & 8. 22. & 17. 30. & 26. 20. & 5. 31. & 11. 18. Luk. 24. 47. Heb. 6. 1. 2 Pet. 3. 9. Ezek. 18. 27, 28. & 33. 12. Hose 14. 2. Ioel 2. 14, 15. Deut. 4. 30. & 30. 10.
2, That praying for Pardon, and forgiving others, are Conditions of Pardon, is plain, 1 King. 8. 30, 39. Mat. 6. 12, 14, 15. & 18. 35. Mar. 11. 25, 26. Luke 6. 37. & 11. 4. 1 Ioh. 1. 9. Iam. 5. 15. Io. 14. 13, 14. 1 Ioh. 5. 15. Act. 8. 22.
3. That Love, and sincere Obedience, and Works of Love, are also parts of the Condition, appeareth in these Scriptures, Luk. 7. 47. (though I know in Mr Pinks Interpretation of that) Ma. 5. 44. Lu. 6. 27. 35. 10. 11. 12. 17. 1 Cor. 2. 9. Rom. 8. 28. Ephes. 6. 24. 1 Cor. 16, 22. Iam. 1. 12. & 2. 5. Ioh. 14. 21. Pro. 8. 17, 21. Ioh. 16. 27. Ma. 10. 37. Luk. 13. 24. Phil. 2. 12. Rom. 2. 7. 10. 1 Corinth. 24. 9. 2 Tim. 2. 5. 12. 1 Tim. 6. 18. 19. Rev. 22. 14. Luk. 11. 28. Mat. 25. 41, 42. Iam. 2. 2, 22, 23, 24, 26.
THESIS LXI.
THerefore though the non-performance of any one of these be threatned with certain death; yet there must be a Concurrence of them all, to make up the Conditions which have the promise of life.
EXPLICATION.
THerefore we oftner read, death threatned to those that repent not, then Life promised to them that Repent: And when you do read of Life promised of any one of these, you must understand it caeteris partibus, or in sensu composito, as it stands conjunct with the rest, and not as it is divided. Though I think that in regard of their existence, they never are divided (For where God giveth one, he giveth all,) yet in case they were separated, the Gospell would not so own them as its intire Conditions.