Aphorisms of Justification, Thesis 80
THESIS LXXX.
TO conclude: It is most clear in the Scripture, and beyond all dispute, that our Actuall, most proper, compleat Iustification, at the great Iudgement, will be according to our Works, and to what we have done in flesh, whether Good or Evill: which can be no otherwise then as it was the Condition of that Iustification. And so Christ, at that great Assize, will not give his bare Will of Purpose, as the Reason of his proceedings: but as he governed by a Law; so he will judg by a Law: and will then give the Reason of his Publique Sentence from mens keeping or breaking the Conditions of his Covenant; that so the mouths of all may be stopped, and the equity of his Iudgment may be manifest to all; and that he may there shew forth his hatred to the sins, and not onelyonly to the persons of the Condemned; and his Love to the Obedience and not onelyonly to the persons of the Iustified.
EXPLICATION.
HEre I have these things to prove: 1. That the Justifying Sentence shall pass according to Works, as well as Faith. 2. That the Reason is, because they are parts of the Condition.
For the first, see Mat. 25. 21, 23. Well done, good and faithfull servant! Thou hast been faithfull over a few things; I will make thee ruler over many things: Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. And most plain is that from the mouth of the Judg himself, describing the order of the process at that day, Mat. 25. 34, 35. Come ye Blessed! inherit the Kingdom, &c. [For] I was hungry, &c. So 1 Pet. 1. 17. Who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work. So 2 Cor. 5. 10. We must all appear before the Iudgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether good or bad. So Rev. 20. 12. 13. They were judged every man according to his Works. Heb. 13. 17. Phil. 4. 17. Mat. 12. 36. &c. But this is evident already.
2. As it is beyond doubt that Christ will then justifie men according to their Works: So that this is not onelyonly to discover the sincerity of their Faith, is as evident; but that it is also, as they are parts of that Evangelicall Righteousness which is the Condition of their Justification. 1. The very phrases of the Text import as much, Mat. 25. 21, 23. Well done good & faithfull servant, &c. Mat. 25. 34, 35. [For] I was hungry, &c. And in the rest [According] to their Works. Can any more be said of Faith, then that we are justified or judged to Life, both [for] it, and [according to] it?
2. If Works be not then considered as part of the Condition; how then? 1. Not as the Righteousness which the Law requireth: For so shall no man living be justified in the sight of God, Rom. 3. 20. Psa. 143. 2. 2. Not as a meer sign whereby God doth discern mens faith: For he seeth it immediately and needeth no sign, 3. Not as a meer sign to satisfie the justified person himself: For 1. There is no such intimation in the Text. 2. Then it should be no further usefull then men remain doubtfull of their sincerity. 3. The godly then know the sincerity of their Faith. 4. Neither is the business of that Day, to satisfie the doubting about the sincerity of their Faith, by Arguments drawn from their former works: But to judg and justifie them, and so put them out of doubt by the Sentence, and by their Glory.
4. But the common opinion is, That it is to satisfie the condemned World of the sincerity of the Faith of the godly. But this cannot stand with the Truth: For 1. It is clearly expressed a ground or reason of the Sentence. 2. And to the Consolation & Justification of the justified: and not to the satisfaction or conviction of others onelyonly or chiefly.
3. The poor world will have somewhat else to take up their thoughts, as the Text sheweth: to wit, the excusing of the sin for which they are condemned themselves. Mat 25. 44
4. It seemeth that Christ doth in the Text call them Righteous in reference to this personall Evangelicall Righteousness mentioned in their Justifying Sentence, vers. 46. The Righteous into life Eternall.
5. If Gods Justice engage him, not to forget their work and labour of Love, Heb. 6. 10, 11, 12. If the dead in Christ are blessed, because their Works follow them, Rev. 14. 13. If in every Nation, he that feareth God and worketh Righteousnes be Accepted of him, Act. 10. 35. If men shall reap the fruit of welldoing in due time, Gal. 6. 7, 8, 9. If Ministers save themselves in taking heed to themselves and to doctrine, 1 Tim. 4. 16. If he that doth Righteousness is righteous, 1 Ioh. 3. 7. If whatsoever good thing any man doth, the same he shall receive of the Lord, Ephes. 6. 8. If hearing and doing be building on a Rock, Mat. 7. 24. If the doers of Gods Will be the mothers, sisters and brothers of Christ, Mat. 12. 50, &c. Then the mention of these works at judgment, is more then to signifie their sincerity to the condemned world.
6. If Christ mentioned these works to convince the world. 1. Either it must be his own Testimony of these works, that they are sincere evidences of a sincere Faith. 2. Or else by the discovery which the works doe make themselves. But 1. Christ may testifie of their faith immediately as well. 2. Works are no certain signes of Faith to any stander-by, who knoweth not whether Works themselves are sincere, or not. See more under the 76. Position.
If any say, that it is to silence the Accusacion of Satan, that these works are mentioned at judgement; The same Answer will serve, as to the last. Besides, Scripture giveth us no intimation of any such accusation; but onelyonly the managing the Laws Accusation. But if he should Accuse us falsely of Hypocrisie, as he did Iob; It must be onelyonly Gods heart-searthing knowledg of our sincerity that can cleare us.
Yet do I not deny in all this, but that Works are effects of Faith, and to the person himself, who knoweth their sincerity, they may be some Argument of the sincerity of Faith, and God will vindicate his peoples Righteousness before all, and be admired in them. But his Justification primarily respecteth the Law, and his own Justice, and the Righteousness and Salvation of the Justified, and but remotely the beholders.
Let me conclude with two or three cautionary Quaeries concerning the inconvenience of the contrary doctrine.
1 Qu. Doth it not needlesly constrain men to wrest most plain and frequent expressions of Scripture?
2 Qu. Doth it not uphold that dangerous pillar of the Antinomian Doctrine, that we must not work or perform our duties for Life and Salvation; but only from Life and Salvation: That we must not make the attaining of Justification or Salvation an end of our Endeavours, but obey in thankfulness only, because we are saved and justified? A doctrine which I have elsewhere confuted; and if it were reduced to practise by all that hold it, (as I hope it is not,) would undoubtedly damn them: For he that seeks not, and that striveth not to enter, shall never enter. Now if good Works or sincere Obedience to Christ our Lord, be no part of the Condition of our full Justification and Salvation, Who will use them to that end? For how it can procure Justification as a means, and not by way of Condition, I cannot conceive.
3 Qu. Whether this doctrine doth not tend to drive Obedience out of the world? For if men do once beleeve, that it is not so much as a part of the Condition of their Justification, will it not much tend to relax their diligence? I know meer love and thankfulness should be enough: And so it will, when all our ends are attained in our Ultimate End; then we shall act for these ends no more: we shall have nothing to do but to love, and joy, and praise, and be thankfull; but that it is not yet. Sure, as God hath given us the affections of Fear, and Desire, and Hope, and so Care, so he would have us use them for the attainment of our great Ends. Therefore he that taketh down but one of all our Motives to Obedience, he helps to destroy Obedience it self, seeing we have need of every Motive that God hath left us.
4 Qu. Doth it not much confirm the world in their soul-cozening Faith? Sure that Faith which is by many thought to justifie, is it that our people do all most easily embrace, that is, the receiving of Christ for their Saviour, and expecting Pardon and Salvation by him, but not withall receiving him for their Lord and King, nor delivering up themselves to be ruled by him. I meet not with one, but is resolved in such a Faith, till it be overthrown by teaching them better. They would all trust Christ for the saving of their souls, and that without dissembling, for ought any man can discern: Are all these men justified? You will say, They do it not sincerely. Ans. There is evident a sincerity opposite to dissimulation: But a Morall or Theologicall sincerity there is not; Why is that? but because they take but half of Christ. Let any Minister but try his ungodly people, whether they will not all be perswaded very easily to beleeve that Christ will pardon them and save them, and to expect Justification from him alone? But whether it be not the hardest thing in the world, to perswade them really to take him for their Lord, and his Word for their Law, and to endeavour faithfull obedience accordingly? Surely the easiness of the former, and the difficulty of the latter, seemeth to tell us that it is a spirituall, excellent, necessary part of justifying Faith, to accept unfeignedly of Christ for our Governour, and that part which the world among us will most hardly yeeld to, and therefore hath more need to be preached then the other. (Though some think that nothing is preaching Christ, but preaching him as a pardoning, justifying Saviour.) Indeed among the Turks or Indians, that entertain not the Gospell it is as necessary to preach his pardoning Office, yea and the verity of his Natures and Commission: therefore the Apostles when they preached to Jews or Pagans, did first & chiefly teach them the Person and Offices of Christ, & the great benefits which they might receive by him but when they preach (as Iames) to Professors of the Christian Faith, they chiefly urge them, to strive to enter, to fight, that they may conquer, so to run that they may obtain to lay violent hands upon the Kingdom, and take it by force, and to be unwearied in laborious obedience to Christ their Lord; to be stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the Work of the Lord, forasmuch as they know their labour is not in vain in the Lord.
5. Lastly, Is not this excluding of sincere Obedience from Justification, the great stumbling block of Papists? & that which hath had a great hand in turning many learned men from the Protestant Religion to Popery? When they see the language of Scripture in the forecited places so plain to the contrary: When Illyricus, Gallus, Amsdorfius, &c. shall account it a heresie in George major, to say, That good Works are necessary to Salvation: And when (if Melchior Adamus say true) eo dementiae & impietatis ventum erat, ut non dubitarent quidam haec axiomata propugnare; Bona opera non sunt necessaria ad salutem: Bona opera officiunt saluti: Nova obedientia non est necessaria. When even Melancthons credit is blasted, for being too great a friend to good Works, though he ascribe not to them the least part of the Work or Office of Christ: And when to this day many Antinomian Teachers, who are magnified as the only Preachers of Free Grace, do assert & proclaim, That there is no more required to the perfect irrevocable justification of the vilest Murderer or Whoremaster, but to beleeve that he is justified, or to be perswaded that God loveth him. And when such a Book as that, stiled the Marrow of Moderne Divinity, have so many applauding Epistles of such Divines; when the Doctrine of it is, That we must not Act for justification or salvation; but onelyonly in thankfulness for it: contrary to the main drift of the Scripture, which so presseth men to pray for pardon, & to pardon others, that they may receive pardon themselves: and to strive to enter, & run that they may obtain, & doe Christ Commandements that they may have right to the Tree of life, & enter in by the gate into the City, Revel. 22. 14. Doe these men thinke that we are perfectly justified and saved already? before the absolving sentence at the great Tribunall; or the possession of the Kingdome, for which we wait in Hope? Indeed when we have that perfect salvation, we shall not need to seek it, or labour to attain it; but must everlastingly be thankfull to him that hath purchased it, and to him that hath bestowed it. But in the mean time, he that seeketh not, shall not find, & he that runs not shall not obtain: No, nor all that seek and run neither, Luk. 13. 24. Luk. 12. 31. 2 Tim. 2. 5.
This Doctrine was one that helped to turn off Grotius to Cassandrian Popery; See Grotii votum, Pag. 21. 22. 23. 115. And was offensive to Melancthon, Bucer, & other Moderate Divines of our own. And all ariseth hence. That men understand not the difference betwixt Christs part of the work, which he performeth himself, & that which he requireth and enableth us to perform: nor know they, that true justifying Faith doth at once receive Christ, both as Lord and Saviour; and that sincere Obedience to Christ, is part of the Condition of the New Covenant. Works (or a purpose to walke with God) (saith Mr. Ball on the Covenant pag. 73.) doe justifie as the Passive qualification of the subject capable of Justification. See Calvin on Luke 1. 6. The common assertion then That good Works do follow Iustification, but not go before it must be thus understood, or it is false, viz. Actuall obedience goeth not before the first moment of Justification, But yet it is as true. 1. That the taking of Christ for our Lord, and so delivering up our selves to his Government (which is the subjection of the heart, & resolution for further obedience, & indeed an essentiall part of Faith) doth in order of nature goe before our first justification. 2. That Actuall Obedience (as part of the Condition) doth in order of Nature goe before our Justification as continued and confirmed. For though our Marriage contract with Christ doe give us the first possession, yet it is the Marriage faithfulness and duties, which must continue that possession. 3. That perseverance in faithfull obedience doth both in nature & time go before our full, compleat and finall Justification; and that as part of the Condition of obtaining it. If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellow ship one with another, and the blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin, 1 Joh. 1. 7. So Isai. 1. 16. 17. 18. 19. Wash you; make you clean; put away the evill of your doings; cease to do evill; learne to doe well, &c. Come now, &c. though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; and though they be red like crimson, they shall be like wooll, So Ezek. 33. 14. 15, 16. & 18. 21. 22. Neither let any object that this is the Law of works: For certainly that hath no promises of forgivenesse: And though the discoveries of the way of Justification be delivered in the old Testament, in a more dark and Legall language then in the New; yet not in termes contradictory to the truth in the New Testament. Thus you may see in what sence it is that Christ will judge men according to their Works: & will say, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdome, &c. For I was hungry, & ye fed me, &c. Well done, good & faithfull Servant, thou hast been faithfull in few things; I will make thee Ruler over many things: Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord, Matth. 25.
For being made perfect, he became the Author of Eternall salvation to all them that obey him, Hebr. 5. 9. Of whom it shall be said, when they are glorified with him: These are they that come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes in the blood of the Lambe, and made them white: Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he that si…teth on the throne shall dwell among them, Revel. 7. 14. 15. To whom be Glory for ever. Amen.