Aphorisms of Justification, Guide to the reader – To the reader 2
REader, because an exact Index would contain a great part of the Book, I shall omit it: and instead of it, I here lay thee down some of the chief Distinctions, upon which this Discourse dependeth; desiring thee to understand them, and keep them in memory. You must distinguish,
1. BEtwixt Gods Decretive or Purposing Will: And his Legislative or Preceptive Will. The 1. is his Determining of Events. The 2. of Duty and Reward.
2. Betwixt 1. the Covenant or Law of Works, which saith, Obey perfectly, and Live; or sin, and Dye. 2. And the Covenant or Law of Grace, which saith, Beleeve, and be saved, &c.
3. Betwixt the two parts of each Covenant: viz. 1. The Primary, discovering the duty in Precepts, and prohibiting the Sin. 2. The secondary, discovering the Rewards and Penalties, in Promises and Threatnings.
4. Betwixt a two-fold Righteousness of one and the same Covenant. 1. Of perfect Obedience, or performance of the Condition. 2. Of suffering, or satisfaction for disobedience or non-performance which maketh the Law, to have nothing against us, though we disobeyed. See Pemble of Iustification, pag. 2. Our Legall Righteousness is of this last sort, & not of the first. Both these sorts of Righteousnesse are not possible to be found in any one person, except Christ, who had the former Righteousness as his own, (incommunicable to us in that form) The second he had for us, as he was by imputation a sinner: And so we have it in, or by him. Mark this.
5. Betwixt two kinds of Righteousness, suitable to the two Covenants and their Conditions 1. Legall Righteousness, which is our Conformity, or satisfaction to the Law. 2. And Evangelicall Righteousness, which is our Conformity to the new Covenant. Note, that 1. Every Christian must have both these. 2. That our Legall righteousness is onelyonly that of Satisfaction: but our Evangelicall is only that of obedience, or performance of the Condition. 3. That our Legall Righteousnesse is all without us in Christ, the other in our selves.
6. Betwixt Evangelicall Righteousness, improll perly so called, viz. because the Gospell doth reveain and offer it. This is our Legall righteousness o Christ. 2. And Evangelicall righteousness prnt perly so called viz. Because the new Covenar is the Rule to which it is conformed. This is ou performance of the new Covenants Conditions.
7. Betwixt the Life or Reward in the first Covenant: viz. Adams paradise happiness. 2. And the Life of the second Covenant; which is, Eternall glory in heaven.
8. Betwixt the death or curse of the old Covenant, which is opposite to its reward: This onelyonly was laid on Christ, and is due to Infants by nature, 2. And the death of the second Covenant, opposite to its life, called the second death, and far sorer punishment. This finall unbeleevers suffer.
9. Betwixt sins against the first Covenant: For these Christ died. 2. And sins against the second Covenant: For these he dyed not.
10. Betwixt sinning against Christ and the Gospell, as the object of our sin only: So Christ died for them. 2. And sinning against the new Covenant as such, or as a threatning Law: So Christ dyed not for them.
11. Betwixt delaying to perform the conditions of the new Covenant. This is not threatned with death. 2. And finall non-performance. This is proper violation of the Covenant, and a sin that leaveth no hope of recovery.
12. Betwixt paying the proper debt of obedience (as Christ did himself,) or of suffering (as the damned do.) 2. And satisfying for non-payment; as Christ did for us.
13 Betwixt repealing the Law or Covenant (which is not done) 2. And relaxing it or dispensing with it (which is done.)
14. Betwixt relaxation or dispensation in the proper subject and circumstances of the Penalty. This is done in removing it from us to Christ. 2. And dispencing with the Penalty it self. This is not done; for Christ did bear it.
15. Betwixt the change of the Law: 2. And of the sinners relation to the Law.
16. Betwixt the Lawes forbidding and condemning the sin: (so it doth still.) 2. And its condemning the sinner: (So it doth not to the justified, because Christ hath born the curse.)
17. Betwixt the Precepts as abstracted from the Covenant termes, (which really they are not at all) 2. And as belonging to the severall Covenants.
18. Betwixt perfection of Holinesse (which is a quality.) This is not in this life. 2. And Perfection of Righteousness, (which is a Relation:) This is perfect, or none at all.
19. Betwixt recalling the Fact, or the evil of the Fact, or its desert of punishment. These are never done, nor are possible. 2. And removing the duenesse of punishment from the Offendor. This is done.
20. Betwixt Pardon and Iustification Condiditionall, which is an immediate effect of Christs Death and Resurrection, or rather of the making of the new Covenant. 2. And Pardon & Iustification Absolute, when we have performed all the Conditions.
21. Betwixt Conditionall Pardon and Iustification, which is only Potentiall. (Such is that which immediately followeth the enacting of the new Covenant to men before Faith, or before they have sinned.) 2. And Conditionall Iustification, which is actual, & of which the person hath true possession, such is our Iustification after Faith, till the last Iudgement, which is ours actually, but yet upon condition of perseverance in Faith and sincere Obedience.
22. Betwixt Pardon and Iustification, as they are Immanent Acts in God, (improperly, and without Scripture, called Pardon or Iustification.) 2. And Pardon and Iustification, as they are Transient Acts, performed by the Gospell-Promise as Gods Instrument. This is the true Scripture Iustification.
23. Betwixt Iustification in Title and Sence of Law, (which is in this Life.) 2. And Iustification in sentence of the Iudge, (which is at the last Iudgement.)
24. Betwixt justifying us against a true Accusation, (as of breaking the Law.) Thus Christ justifieth us; and here it is that we must plead his Safaction. 2. And justifying us against a false Accusation, (as of not performing the Conditions of the Gospell.) Here we must plead not guilty, and not plead the Satisfaction of Christ.
25. Betwixt the Accusation of the Law, (from Christ doth justifie believers.) 2. And the Accusation of the Gospell or new Covenant, for not per, forming its Conditions at all, (from which no man can be justified, and for which there is no sacrifice.)
26. Betwixt those Acts which recover us to the state of Relation which we fell from; that is, Pardon, Reconciliation and Iustification. 2. And those which advance us to a far higher state, that is, Adoption and Vnion with Christ.
27. Betwixt our first Possession of Iustification, which is upon our contract with Christ or meer Faith.) 2. And the Confirmation, Continuation and Accomplishment of it, (whose Condition is also sincere Obedience and Perseverance.)
28. Betwixt the great summary duty of the Gospell to which the rest are reducible: which is Faith. 2. And the Condition fully expressed in all its parts, where of Faith is the Epitome.
29. Betwixt the word, Faith, as it is taken Physically, and for some one single Act: 2. And as it is taken Morally, Politically and Theologically here; for the receiving of Christ with the whole soul.
30. Betwixt the accepting of Christ as a Saviour only, (which is no true Faith, nor can justifie.) 2. And Accepting him for Lord also (which is true Iustifying Faith.)
31. Betwixt the foresaid Receiving of Christ himself in his offices (which is the Act that Iustifieth:) 2. And Receiving his Promises and Benefits, (a consequent of the former:) Or betwixt accepting him for Iustification; 2. And beleeving that we are justified.
32. Betwixt the Metaphysicall Truth of our Faith: 2. And the Morall Truth.
33. Betwixt the Nature of the Act of Faith, which justifieth, or its Aptitude for its office (which is, its receiving Christ: 2. And the proper formall Reason of its Iustifying power, (which is, because it is the Condition upon which God will give us Christs Righteousness.)
34. Betwixt Works of the Law (which is perfect Obedience: 2. And Works of the Gospell Covenant (which is Faith and sincere Obedience to Christ that bought us.)
35. Betwixt Works of the Gospell used as Works of the Gospell, i.e. in subordination to Christ, as Conditions of our full Iustification and Salvation by him. 2. And Works commanded in the Gospell used a-Works of the Law, or to legall ends, viz. to make up in whole or in part our proper legall Righteousness; and so in opposition to Christs Righteousness, or in coordination with it. In the first sence they are necessary to Salvation: In the second, Damnable.
36. Betwixt receiving Christ and loving him as Redeemer (which is the Condition it self:) 2. And taking the Lord for our God and chief Good, and loving him accordingly; Which is still implyed in the Covenant as its End and Perfection; And so as more excellent then the proper Conditions of the Covenant.
Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth Peace; Good-will towards men, Luk. 2. 14.
Postscript.
WHereas there is in this Book an intimation of something which I have written of Vniversall Redemption, Understand, that I am writing indeed a few pages on that subject onelyonly by way of Explication, as an Essay for the Reconciling of the great differences in the Church thereabouts: But being hindered by continuall sickness, and also observing how many lately are set a work on the same subject, (as Whitfield, Stalham, Howe, Owen, and some men of note that I hear are now upon it,) I shall a while forbear, to see if something may come forth, which may make my endeavour in this kinde useless, and save me the labour: Which if it come not to pass, you shall shortly have it, if God will enable me.
Farewell.
AN APPENDIX to the fore-going TREATISE; BEING An Answer to the Objections of a Friend concerning some Points therein contained. And at his own Desire annexed for the sake of others that may have the same thoughts.
Zanchius in Philip. 3. 13. What can be more pernicious to a Student yea to a Teacher, then to think that he knoweth all things, and no knowledge can be wanting in him; For being once puft up vvith this false opinion, he vvill profit no more. The same is much truer in Christian Religion, and in the Knovvledge of Christ.
Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, through Faith in his blood, for Remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.
READER,
THe disorder of the Interrogations and Objections, which extorted from me this whole Tractate by pieces one after another, hath caused me (an unfeigned lover of method) to give thee such a disorderly, immethodicall Miscellany. Also the quality of these Objections hath occasioned me to answer many things triviall, whilest I know more difficult and weighty points are overlooked: these things need no excuse; but this information; That I was to follow and not to lead: and that I write only for those who know less than my self; if thou know more, thank God, and joyn with me for the instruction of the ignorant, whose information, reformation, and salvation, and thereby Gods glory, is the top of my ambition.
R. B.