Catholic Theology Plain Pure Peaceable, Section 9

Catholic Theology Plain Pure Peaceable · Section 9

p. 69SECT. IX. Of the nature and distinctions of Juſtification.

152. Juſtification is a word of many ſignifications, the Scheme whereof And 1. Of conſtitutive Juſtification.ſhould I give them all, would ſeem to moſt Readers a troubleſome di…tinguiſhing. Therefore I take up with theſe three moſt notable ſenſes. …. Juſtification conſtitutive: 2. Sentential: 3. Executive.

The firſt is to make a man righteous; The ſecond is to judge him righte…us; The third is to uſe him as righteous. 1. By Impunity; 2. Reward.**The Papiſts are confounded in the point of Juſtification, by ſticking to confounding words: They talk of Juſtification and remiſſion of ſin, but cannot tell men intelligibly what they mean. They ſay that Remiſſion is a putting away the ſin it ſelf, and not only the Reatum poenae, and yet ſay (many) that it may be done without any phyſical change of the Sinner. 1. By ſin they mean, not the Habit; for that cannot be removed without a phyſical change. 2. Nor the act▪ For that is paſt as ſoon as done. 3. When they ſay it is macula moralis habitualiter remanens; they talk gibberiſh and play with a metaphor, and the word [habitualiter;] A true habit is quid phyſicum, and what macula is they can tell no man beſides a habit, diſpoſition, privation …r relation: If they mean that it is the Reatus culpae, or culpability that is done away, and not only the Reatus poenae, they hold …he ſame thing which they oppoſe in thoſe Proteſtants that go too far from them. And it is not ſound: For the pardoned Sin…er will be culpable, though not puniſhable for ever; that is, will be really the man that ſinned; and it will be an ever…aſting truth, This man ſinned, though he be pardoned: See Pet. a S. Joſeph. Theol. Speculat. l. 4. c. 10. pag. 509, 510, 511. The Papiſts ſay, Homo eſt formaliter juſtus per formam gratiae ipſt ex…ri…ſecam, & non tantum per juſtitiam Chriſti illi imputatam: And yet [Nullus actus quantumvis perfectus ſive ſit▪ contritio, ſive Amor Dei ſuper omnia, eſt cauſ… formalis juſtificationis: Patres di…entes charitatem eſſe perfectam juſtitiam, intelligendi ſunt diſpoſitive, non autem formaliter. Becauſe it is in the Habit, and not in the Act, …r rather as others of them ſay in ſome internal inclination antecedent to the habits of Faith, Hope and Love, that they place Juſtification, or as we call it, Sanctification, Pet. a S. Joſeph. Theſ. Univerſ. de grat. Hab. pag. 88, 89.

p. 70153 God never judgeth a man righteous (either by ſecret eſteem or open ſentence) till he have made him ſuch.

154. To be made righteous, is to be justified in Law-ſenſe; which is, To be juſtifiable (or juſtificandus) by ſentence.

155. A man is righteous, 1. Particularly, ſecundum quid, as to ſome particular cauſe that he is accuſable of. 2. Or univerſally as to all cauſes▪ 3. Or eminently, as to all thoſe cauſes that Heaven or Hell depend upon.

156. 1. No man is univerſally righteous, really or reputatively. God judgeth no Saint in Heaven to be one that never ſinned: And he that hath once ſinned, is unavoidably under the Relation of … that ſinned, to eternity, ex neceſſitate exiſtentiae: which Relation is the very Reatus ipſius peccati; though all the ill effects be remitted.

157. 2. Every man hath ſome particular righteouſneſs. For the worſt man may be falſly accuſed, and be righteous as to that falſe accuſation But this will not ſave him.

158. 3. That eminent Righteouſneſs neceſſary to our Salvation, though it be not univerſal or perfect (elſe we ſhould never be afficted by chaſti… ments or denials of Grace, or permiſſions to ſin); yet is it at leaſt perfect as to its proper uſe, and to our glorious perfection; And may be called our univerſal Righteouſneſs, becauſe it is all that we have. And … conſiſteth not of any one or two Cauſes, but of many: Of which no o… muſt be excluded or ſet againſt the reſt. As there are ſeveral Allegatio… or Accuſations againſt us, ſo there muſt be ſeveral parts of the matter of our Juſtification.

159. Not only an actual Accuſation, but a poſſible or a virtual o…, which we are liable to, ſufficeth to denominate Justification as its contrary, in the firſt Law-ſenſe of Juſtification.

160. It is our Right to Impunity, and to the heavenly Glory, which is to be juſtified finally in Judgment; and our perſons as the Subjects of that Right: And our Actions but mediately in order to that end.

161. It is only at the Bar of Chriſt as Redeemer, that we are to be judged and juſtified, and not by God only as a Creator. Therefore it is by the Law of Grace that we muſt be judged to life or death, finally, and not by the ſole Law of Innocency.

162. Therefore no man is juſtified by the Law of Innocency, either by the preceptive or retributive part: But we are juſtified only by the L… or Covenant of Grace, againſt the Accuſation which may be brought againſt us from the Law of Innocency: Againſt it; not by it.

163. We are liable to all theſe following Accuſations, which will ope… to us the correlate Juſtifications, and the matter of each part.

1. It may be ſaid by the Accuſer of the Brethren, [Thou art a Si…, againſt the Precepts of Nature and Grace.] He that denieth this is a Lyar▪ Againſt this Charge there is no Justification for ever. But we muſt … Heaven confeſs that we have ſinned: but Glory be to him that waſhed …s from our ſins in his blood (by Pardon and Sanctifiation.)

164. 2. Next it may be ſaid, that [We did deſerve Hell by our Sin.] This alſo is to be confeſſed for ever.

165. 3. It may be ſaid, that by Gods Law of Innocency Hell is ou… due, and therefore we are to be condemned to it. To this, we deny the conſequence; becauſe we have right to Impunity and to Glory, freely given us by God our Redeemer by a Covenant of Grace, merited for us, by the Obedience and Satisfaction given for us by Christ our Saviour. Where note, that here in this firſt part of our Juſtification, there are all theſe p. 71conjunct neceſſary Cauſes. 1. Gods Love and Mercy giving: 2. Chriſt's Righteouſneſs and Satisfaction meriting. 3. The Covenant inſtrumentally giving. 4. Right to Impunity and Glory (by Juſtification and Adoption conjunct) the thing given: which Right is our very Righteouſneſs againſt …his Accuſation; that is, a relation, whence the other relation of juſt and …uſtifiable reſulteth: (For if you will not here ſee relations reſulting from …elations, pretend not to true accurateneſs in your ſearch.)

166. Theſe four Cauſes now were enough to conſtitute, and ſo prove …s righteous againſt the Charge of being damnandi, if we were queſtiona…le no further. But the turning point of the day is yet behind; 1. Our …llegation of Juſtification by Chriſt and the Covenant may be denied. …t may be ſaid by the Accuſer, that the Covenant juſtifieth none but …enitent Believers, and giveth plenary Right to Glory to none but saints …nd perſevering Conquerors, and that we are none ſuch. Againſt this Ac…uſation we muſt be juſtified or periſh; elſe all the reſt will be un…ffectual. And here to ſay, that it is true, I died an impeninent Perſon, …n Inſidel, Hypocrite, or Ungodly, but Chriſt was a penitent Believer for Of our own perſonal performance, or righteouſneſs, how far neceſſary to our Juſtification.…e, or ſincere and holy for me, or that he died to pardon this,] all this will …e falſe and vain. Chriſt's Merits and Satisfaction is not the Righteouſneſs it ſelf which muſt juſtifie us againſt this Accuſation; But our own …erſonal Faith, Repentance, ſincere Holineſs and Perſeverance,] purchaſed …y Chriſt, and wrought by the Spirit in us, but thence, our own acts. Mr. W. Thomas of Ubley, in his Book againſt Speed the Quaker, ſaith, pag. 42. part. 2. [This is an old Popiſh trick to make much of the Doctrine of the St. James in a miſtaken interpretation, and to lay aſide the Doctrine of St. Paul, Rom. 3. 28. when they ſhould joyn both together, and aſcribe to Faith the juſtification of men as ſinners, and to work their juſtification as Believers.] This is ſound, and needeth but fuller explication.Rom 3:28…e that cannot truly ſay, The Accuſation is falſe. I am a true Penitent, …anctified perſevering Believer muſt be condemned and periſh. Thus …aith and Repentance are our Righteouſneſs by which we muſt thus far …e juſtified.

167. But this is but a particular mediate ſubſervient Righteouſneſs, …nd part of our Juſtification, ſubordinate to Chriſts Merits.

168. Yet this being the Condition on our part for our Participation …n all the free Gifts of the Covenant; Scripture uſeth to deſcribe Gods …udgment as enquiring after this. The great thing to be glorified in …udgment is Gods Love, Wiſdom, Juſtice and Truth, and Chriſt's great Merits and performance in our Redemption; But the great thing queſtio…ed, accuſed, tried and judged will be our performance of the Covenant of Grace as to our conditions. The day is not to try God whether he be …uſt, or Chriſt, whether his Merits and Satisfaction were ſufficient; and whether he have done his part: But to try man whether, 1. He have …rue Right to Impunity and Glory. 2. Whether he have performed the Condition on which the Covenant giveth that Right, and be indeed the …rue Receiver of it. The Devils hope cannot lie at all, in proving Chriſt or the Covenant faulty, or defective on their part; but in proving …s to be none of the perſons that have Right. This therefore is the Righteouſneſs mentioned, Matth. 25. and of Faith imputed, Rom. 4, &c. …nd elſe-where.

169. But if we will ſpeak of Righteouſneſs and Juſtification entirely, …s that which containeth all its Cauſes, we muſt ſet all the five forementioned together, giving each one its proper place, and no one the …lace or office of the reſt. And give leave to the ſelf-conceited, pieviſh, …gnorant, blindly to revile you, for ſaying that you joyn your Faith and Holineſs to make one Righteouſneſs with that of Chriſt, as if it were not ſufficient. And tell him, that Chriſt's Righteouſneſs is not ours abſolutely in it ſelf, but to and in the proper effects: And that it is perfect as to its …roper ends; And that he never intended it to this end, to be inſtead of Faith and Holineſs in us, nor to make them needleſs to our Salvation.

p. 72170. No man muſt aſcribe any thing to his own Faith or Holineſs i… the leaſt degree, which is proper to, 1. Gods Mercy or Grace. 2. To Chriſt, or his Righteouſneſs or Merits. 3. Or to the Covenant: not any thing but its proper part: And that muſt be granted it.

171. It is a vain Fiction in them that think our Right to Justificatio… or Impunity, and our Right to Salvation, have not the ſame cauſes and conditions, but that our own Repentance and Obedience is a condition of our Right to Salvation, but not to Impunity or forgiveneſs. Whereas ou… very Juſtification is a juſtifying of our Right to Salvation, and the ſame Covenant giveth them conjunctly on the ſame conditions.

172. But our Right to both as begun, hath leſs for the condition th… our Right to them as continued and perfected. For our believing▪ conſent to the Baptiſmal-Covenant putteth us into immediate Right to all the benefits of the Covenant which we are then capable of, but not to all that we ſhall be made further capable of hereafter; we are pardoned, and ſhould be glorified, if we preſently died: But as we have more Grace to receive, ſo we have more Duty to perform as a means, yea a condition, of obtaining it.

173. This (over-lookt by many) is much to be conſidered, both as to the caſe of Infants baptized, and the Adult. Many wonder that the What right the Covenant giveth to the afterhelps and degrees of Grace.Children of godly Parents prove oft ſo bad, as if by the Baptiſmal-Covenant they had received nothing from God. But the Synod of Dort, Art. 1. §. 17. well concludeth that godly Parents have no cauſe to doubt of the Election or Salvation of their Children dying in Infancy, they being holy and in the ſame Covenant with their Parents. But the continuance of Gods Grace hath a continued condition and means to be uſed on our part. The condition which the Covenant requireth to an Infants firſt Justification, is, [that he be the Child of a true Believer, by him dedicated to God]. And as the firſt Condition is to be found in the Parent (or Owner) ſo muſt the Condition of continued Grace as long as the Child continueth an Infant. And that is the continuance of the Parents Faith, and his faithful performance of his promiſe made to educate his Child in the way of God: But if the Parents ſhould preſently both turn Infidels, and ſo educate their Child, and give him up as the J…izaries are, to an Infidel to educate, I know God may nevertheleſs give him Grace above his Promiſe if he pleaſe (for a Benefactor as ſuch is free): but I know of no aſſurance of it by Promiſe. For in Baptiſm both Parties were obliged for the future, and not one only. And if when the Child cometh to the uſe of Reaſon he wilfully reject and reſiſt Gods Grace, and break his Covenant, he forfeiteth Gods further Grace. And I have noted, 1. That moſt Children which I have ſeen very early wicked, have been ſuch whoſe Parents groſly neglected their Duty and Covenant as to a holy prudent careful Education of them; as if God muſt needs ſave their Children, becauſe they were the Children of Believers, who thus betrayed them. 2. And thoſe that were well educated by their Parents, uſually ſhew hopeful ſigns at firſt, till their own luſts grow up, and deceive, and overthrow them. The nature of the mutual Covenant, and the ſad experience of the caſe of many baptized Children, maketh me incline to this Opinion; which I do not peremptorily aſſert, but humbly propoſe to better judgments with ſubmiſſion: …ut what-ever we ſay of the Parents, I doubt not but to the perſon at age, future benefits have future conditions.

174. Though Gods Decree is that his Elect ſhall perſevere, yet I conceive (with ſubmiſſion to better information) that the Baptiſmal-Covenant p. 73as ſuch doth not abſolutely promiſe or give right to ſo much Grace as ſhall certainly cauſe the baptized to perſevere; that is, all that are rightfully baptized (even coram Deo as well as coram Eccleſia) have not perſeverance ſecured to them by baptiſm. But only the Holy Ghoſt is given to them by Covenant to be their Sanctifier, and carry on his work to their Salvation, if they will uſe thoſe means which God hath appointed, and doth enable them to uſe, in attendance on his Spirit.

Though Election infer the certainty of perſeverance, I never ſaw their aſſertions proved, who ſay, 1. That if Adam had once obeyed (ſay ſome) or overcome that one Temptation (ſay others) God promiſed confirmation to him and all his Poſterity▪ 2. That the Baptiſmal-Covenant promiſeth confirmation and certain perſeverance to all the baptized, regenerate or juſtified. What God doth, I am not now queſtioning; but what in that Covenant he promiſeth to do.

175. It is plain in the Scripture, that when men are converted and baptized, the particular helps of Grace are promiſed them upon further particular conditions: And that the continuance of Pardon and Right to Life, is promiſed them upon the continuance of their Faith, and uſe of means; And that actual Glorification is promiſed them on condition of overcoming and perſevering: And therefore that we muſt uſe and take all theſe as conditions.

176. It is ordinary with ſome Writers and Preachers to tell men, What muſt be in our ſelves.that no part of their Righteouſneſs is in themſelves; and with others, that at leaſt none which they are justified by in any part is in them; and that it is all in Chriſt only: And that nature is loth to yield to this, but thinketh it a fine thing to have ſome little part of the honour to it ſelf: And as to the honour of a good Action, if it be but 999 parts that it aſcribeth to God, and taketh one part of a thouſand to our ſelves, it is a dangerous arrogation: we muſt have none.] This well explained, may be made ſound: But thus groſly delivered, it is but a popular cheat under the taking pretence of ſelf-abaſement and giving Christ all. The Devil is as willing as any one, that you ſhould have nothing honourable or praiſe-worthy in you: and be as vile as he can make you. It is God who honoureth thoſe that honour him, and praiſeth his Saints as the excellent on Earth, and his Jewels and peculiar Treaſure, adorned with his own lovely Image, and partakers of the Divine Nature, and members of Chriſt, as his own Fleſh: And it is Satan and wicked men that vilifie and diſhonour them. And I have oft lamented it, that theſe very men that hold this kind of Doctrine of ſelf-abaſement, as having no part of Righteouſneſs, nor ſhare at all in any good work, are yet too oft ſo proudly conceited of their own goodneſs (even for holding that they have none for which they are praiſe-worthy) as that their pride is no ſmall trouble to the Churches and all about them.

177. What-ever is of God is good: and what-ever is good is laudable or praiſe-worthy, and meriteth to be eſteemed as it is.

178. All the ſanctified are inherently righteous: But with an imperfect righteouſneſs, which will no further juſtifie them in Judgment, ſave only againſt this Accuſation, that they are unholy.

179. There is no Righteouſneſs which will not juſtifie him that hath it, in tantum, ſo far as he is righteous: For the contrary is a contradiction. For to be juſt is to be juſtifiable: He that gave but ſix pence to the poor is juſtifiable againſt this Accuſation, that he did not give it.

p. 74181. All the Righteouſneſs which formally juſtifieth us, is our own or on our ſelves where it juſtifyeth us: For to be made juſt or juſtified in the I would here cite the words of B…za, Paraeus, Dr. Field, Bonhaus, B…llinger, Alberius, Zanchy, Aepinus, Spang…bergius, Brentius, Co…feſs. Auguſtan. &c. Aſſerting that [Juſtification] is oft uſed as Sanctification in Scripture, and that plenary Juſtification hath three parts, 1. Pardon. 2. Accepting us into favour and life. 3. The gift of the Holy Ghoſt, or inherent righteouſneſs] but that Guil. Forbes hath largely done it. Conſid. Pacific. 2 Theſ. 1. 9, 10.2 Thess 1:92 Thess 1:10firſt ſence conſtitutively, is nothing elſe but to be made ſuch as are perſonally themſelves just. Pardon of ſin is made our own; Right to Chriſt and Glory is made our own; Though Chriſt's Righteouſneſs was the only meritorious cauſe of all this; which therefore is and may be called our Material Righteouſneſs, as that which meriteth it is the matter.

182. He that is no cauſe of any good work, is no Chriſtian, but a damnable wretch, and worſe than any wicked man I know in the world: And he that is a Cauſe of it, muſt not be denyed falſly to be a cauſe of it: Nor a Saint denyed to be a Saint, upon a falſe pretence of ſel… denyal.

183. As God is ſeen here in the Glaſs of his works, ſo he is to be loved and praiſed as ſo appearing: Therefore he that diſhonoureth his work diſhonoureth God, and hindereth his due love and praiſe; And his moſt lovely and honourable work on earth, is his holy Image on his Saints▪ And as Chriſt will come to be admired and glorified in them at laſt, ſo God muſt be ſeen and glorified in them here in ſome degree. And to deny the Glory of his Image is the malignants way of injuring him, and that in which the worſt will ſerve you. He that will praiſe God as Creator and Redeemer muſt praiſe his works of Creation and Redemption: And is it the way of praiſing him as our Sanctifyer to diſpraiſe his work of Sanctification?

184. Thoſe poor Sinners of my acquaintance who lived in the groſſe… ſins againſt Conſcience (as Drunkenneſs, Whoredom, &c.) have been glad enough of ſuch doctrine, and forward enough to believe, that there is nothing in man that in any part can juſtifie him, or that i… any part of righteouſneſs, but it is all out of us in Chriſt, and therefore they are as justifiable as any: But Conſcience will not let them believe it as they deſire.

185. It is arrogant folly to divide the praiſe of any good act between God and Man, and to ſay God is to have ſo many parts, and Man ſo many: For the whole is due to God, and yet ſome is due to Man: For man holdeth his honour only in ſubordination to God, and not dividedly in co-ordination: And therefore all is due to God: For that which is Mans is Gods, becauſe we have nothing but what we have received. But he that arrogateth any of the honour due to God or Chriſt, offendeth.

186. If all had been taken from Gods honour which had been given to the Creature, God would have made nothing, or made nothing Good;- Heaven and Earth, and all the World would derrogate from his honour; and none of his Works ſhould be praiſed: And the better any man is, the more he would diſhonour God; and the wickeder the leſ…. But he made all Good, and is Glorious in the Glory, and honourable in the honour of all: And to juſtifie the holineſs of his Servants is to juſtifie him.

187. If theſe Teachers mean that no man hath any power freely to ſpecifie the Acts of his own will, by any other help of God, beſides neceſſitating predetermining premotion, and ſo that every man doth all that he can do, and no man can do more than he doth; They diſhonour God by denying him to be the Creator of that Free-power, which is eſſential to man, and which God himſelf accounteth it his honour to create. And they feign God to damn and blame all that are damned and blamed, for as great Impoſſibilities, as if they were p. 75damned and blamed for not making a world, or for not being Angels.

188. Thus alſo ſuch men, teach that Christ ſtrippeth a Christian of two things, His Sins, and his Righteouſneſs: Or that Two things muſt be That all that are ſaved have inherent Righteouſneſs or Holineſs, none of us all deny: nor yet that in tantum we are Righteous by it: Nor that a man accuſed as being an Infidel, Atheiſt, Impenitent, ungodly, an Hypocrite, &c. muſt be juſtified by pleading all the contraries in himſelf, or elſe periſh: And all agree that this inherent Righteouſneſs is imperfect, and in us found with ſin: and therefore that no man can be juſtified by it without pardon of ſin; nor at all againſt the charge of being a ſinner, and condemnable by the Law of Innocency. And what remaineth then, but to trouble the world with contending de nomine, whether this imperfect Righteouſneſs ſhall be called Righteouſneſs: and the giving of it called Juſtifying or making us righteous ſo far?caſt away, for Christ; Sins and Righteouſneſs: But they ſhould ſpeak better, if they would not deceive; nothing is to be caſt away as evil but Sin. Righteouſneſs, truly ſuch, is Good, and never to be caſt away. If it be no Righteouſneſs, why do they falſly ſay that we muſt caſt away our Righteouſneſs. To caſt away a falſe conceit of Righteouſneſs, is not to caſt away Righteouſneſs, but Sin only. Indeed beſides Sin, we are ſaid juſtly to caſt away that which would be the Object and Matter of Sin: And the phraſe is fitlyer applyed to a thing Indifferent, than to a thing neceſſary, leaſt it ſeduce. There is nothing ſo Good, which may not be made the object of Sin, not Chriſt or his Righteouſneſs, or God himſelf excepted; But we muſt not therefore ſay that we must cast away God or Christ, becauſe we muſt not thus objectively abuſe them: So Holineſs and true Righteouſneſs (Inherent or imputed) may be objects of ſinful pride and boaſting; But it is not edifying Doctrine therefore to ſay that we muſt caſt away Inherent and Imputed Righteouſneſs: But yet true ſelf-denyal requireth that we deny our Righteouſneſs (Inherent or Imputed) to be that which indeed it is not. And ſo when men accounted the Jewiſh obſervations to be a Juſtifying Righteouſneſs in competition with, and in oppoſition to Chriſt, Paul counteth it as loſs, and dung, and nothing in that reſpect: when yet elſewhere he ſaith, I have lived in all good Conſcience to this day. And Chriſt himſelf fulfilled that Law and Righteouſneſs. So if a man will conceit, that his common Grace will juſtifie him without Holineſs, or his Holineſs, without Pardon and the Righteouſneſs of Christ, he muſt deny this Righteouſneſs; that is, he muſt deny it to be what it is not, and muſt caſt away (not it, but) the falſe conceits of it: And ſo if any Libertine will ſay that Chriſts Righteouſneſs imputed to him, will juſtifie him, without faith, or be inſtead of Holineſs to him, he muſt deny Imputed Righteouſneſs thus, to be what indeed it is not.

189. When we tell them, that, If we had fulfilled all the Law reputatively More againſt the wrong ſence of Imputation; confuting many Sophiſms.by Chriſt as our Legal perſon, we could not be bound to further obedience to it, They anſwer, that we are not bound to obey to the ſame ends as Chhist, that is for Righteouſneſs, or Juſtification or merit, but in Gratitude. But this is but to give us the cauſe, and ignorantly to deſtroy At quis unquam e noſtris nos per juſtitiam Chriſti imputatam formaliter juſtificari, aſſeruit? Prideaux Lect. 5 de Juſt. cap. 4.their own. For, 1. This is but to ſay, that when a man is reputed to have fulfilled all the Law, yet it is to be reputed unfulfilled as to certain ends. As if he fulfilled all the Law that fulfilled it not to all due ends: 2. Or as if the Law obliged one man to fulfill it twice over for the ſame lifes time; once ſimply and in all its obligations, and another time for other ends. 3. Or as if the Law required any more than abſolute perfection. 4. Or that abſolute perfection had not been in Chriſt's holy The Papiſts concur with them that feign a middle ſtate between Juſt and privatively unjuſt, viz. not juſt negatively, ſo Brianſon in 4. q. 8. Cor. 3. fol. 145. at large: But they can give us no inſtance but in a ſtone or other incapable creature, that is not obliged: And we confeſs that if a man can be found that is not obliged to be Juſt, he is neither juſt nor (Privatively, but Negatively) unjuſt: But what's this to our caſe? And the Papiſts commonly joyn with them, that ſay that God remitteth not only the Reatum vel Obligationem ad poenam, but alſo the Reatum culpae in ſe; But when they come to open it, they mean but that God is not diſpleaſed with, or hath not a puniſhing Will againſt the Sinner: As if they knew not that as Gods Love is our chief reward, ſo his diſpleaſure is our chief puniſhment; And that Remiſſion doth make no change in God, but by taking away Guilt of Gods hatred and other puniſhment, God then is reconciled becauſe they are not objects of his hatred: And to take away the Reatum poenae and the Reatum culpae, non in ſe, ſed quoad poenam is all one, and all that both ſides mean if they underſtand what they ſay. But to all eternity it will be true, that we once ſinned, which none deny.obedience. 5. Or as if there were any obedience whoſe end is not Righteouſneſs and Juſtification, againſt the change of the contrary diſobedience. Do not theſe men obey that they may be ſo far righteous? Or is not every man ſo far Righteous as he doth Righteouſneſs? Is not every man p. 76that loveth God juſtifiable as a Lover of him for ſo far as he loveth him? 6. And is not Gratitude an end, and a thing commanded by the Law? If we obeyed perfectly in Chriſt, we were perfectly thankful in Chriſt. 7. But if they ſay that Chriſt fulfilled only the Law made to Adam for us, and not his own Law of Grace, and therefore that he obeyed for us, only to the ends of that Law; I anſwer, 1. If the ends and matter of that Law be fulfilled by us in him, our obedience to any other muſt be needleſs: For he that is ſuppoſed never to have ſinned, need not uſe any means for pardon or remedy. 2. By this rule Chriſt only fulfilled the Law for Adam, and Eve, and for us only as we were in them, which is only Virtually and not Actually at all; but not at all for us according to any obligation that ever fell upon our perſons. For, 1. We were never perſonally bound to perfect perſonal perpetual obedience as the Condition of life; For that Covenant as to the promiſe and condition ceaſed before any man was born. 2. And all the duty in the world which … are bound to, is to be done for Evangelical ends; for recovering Grace, and unto Gratitude, &c. To ſay therefore that we are perfectly Righteous, as having perfectly obeyed all Gods Law in Chriſt, and yet that we are bound to obey all that Law that ever we were under to another end; and that Chriſt obeyed for us only as to that which we were never under perſonally but virtually in Adam, this is to ſay and unſay. 8. Laſtly, they ſee not that their own anſwer implyeth the truth of what we aſſert; and is the ſame that we give; which their cauſe is uncapable of: … We ſay, that Chriſt did indeed moſt perfectly obey the Law of Innocency, ſo far for us and in our ſtead (though not in our perſons) as that he hath vindicated the truth and glory of God and his Law, by doing that which we ſhould have done and did not: And hath merited for us a better Covenant, which obligeth us not at all to obey for the ends of the firſt Covenant, viz. that our perfection might be our Righteouſneſs, or the condition of life; but only to obey for the ends of the new Covenant, for the obtaining and improving of Recovering Grace, and Salvation by Chriſt freely given us: which we our ſelves muſt do or periſh.

190. And whereas they tell us that [We may as well ſay that man muſt not dye becauſe Chriſt dyed for us, as not obey becauſe Chriſt obeyed for us,] They ſtrangely uſe our reaſon againſt themſelves and know it not. For we ſay that we muſt dye becauſe we did not perfectly either obey the Law or ſuffer all its penalty by Chriſt as our legal perſon: But he ſuffered only to ſatisfie Juſtice in tantum… to this end, that man himſelf ſuffering death and temporal afflictions, and obeying the Law of Grace, might be ſaved from all the reſt of the puniſhment. But if we had ſo fulfilled the Law as aforeſaid, by Doing or ſuffering, we could not have dyed nor ſuffered the leaſt affliction as a penalty. For all puniſhment in the eſſence of the …elation is for ſin.

191. And when they ſay that [It is no more inconvenient to ſay that Christ was perfect in our perſon, than that he ſatisfied in our perſon and we by him.] I anſwer, 1. Both are falſe and ſubvert the Goſpel, as aforeſaid. 2. But yet we may fitly ſay that Chriſt ſuffered in the perſon of a Sinner; but mark the ſence. 1. Suffering as penal belongeth to a Sinner as ſuch: But Satisfaction is an Effect of Chriſt's ſuffering, which reſulteth not from the meer ſuffering, nor from the perſon of a Sinner: but from the Will and Covenant of God made to that excellent perſon who was God and perfect Man. So that it is not ſo aptly ſaid, He ſatisfyed, as it is that he ſuffered, in the perſon of a Sinner. 2. Note that it is not any other man's p. 77perſon that we mean that Chriſt ſuffered in, but his own. And we mean that he took upon him the perſon of a Sinner himſelf▪ in as much as he conſented to ſuffer for Sin. And ſo perſonating here is not meant becoming any other man's perſon in Law ſenſe, ſo as that other legally ſuffered what he did; But it is only his own perſons becoming a ſufferer in the ſtead of Sinners for their Sins: As the Apoſtle ſaith, He was made ſin for us, ſo he might as truly have ſaid, He was made a ſinner for us; that is, ſo far by Imputation, as that he undertook to ſuffer as Sinners ſuffer, and for their ſins.

But becauſe wordy controverſies ſeeming real, are the great trouble…s of the world, leſt any ſhould think that we differ more than indeed we do, I would fain bring the matter as far from under the ambiguity of words as poſſibly I can. To which end I further add, 1. That as we hold that Adam was the Natural Root or Parent of Mankind; ſo alſo that Chriſt was the Foederal Root of all the ſaved, and in ſeveral reſpects (though not all) a ſecond Adam.

2. Adam was but one ſingle Natural perſon, nor did God (by error or arbitrary reputation) eſteem or account him to be any other than he was. None of our perſons were diſtinct perſons in Adam, nor thoſe perſons that now they are: Therefore we were not ſo perſonally in him at his fall: But all our perſons are in time and mediately by our Progenitors derived lineally from him (yet we deny not all Souls to be from God, and all Bodies an accretion of the common Elements); not as having been Perſons exiſtent in him, but being Perſons cauſed remotely by him. Our preſent Perſons were ſeminally or virtually in him; which is as much as to ſay, that not the Perſon, but the Semen Perſonae vel virtus cauſalis was in him: To be only Virtually, or Cauſally or Seminally in Adam, is in proper ſpeech for that Perſon not really to have been in him: For Cauſa non eſt effectus, & Virtus generativa non est Perſona generata: To be only Virtually in Adam is terminius diminuens as to perſonal inexiſtence, and denyeth it. And as Dr. Twiſſe hath oft well aſſerted, It is our natural relation to Adam ſuppoſed in Gods Law, which is the reaſon of our participation in his Sin, and not any Will or Judgment of God, without or beyond our Natural intereſt: For elſe it ſhould be God moſt properly who by his arbitrary imputation ſhould either make us Sinners, or repute us ſuch when we are none. But yet when we become Perſons, it is by Derivation from Adam, and ſo the effect can be no better than the cauſe, and as ſoon as we are Perſons we are Guilty perſons, having Guilt with perſonality from him, though we were not perſons in him.

3. So Chriſt is, though not the Natural, yet the Federal Adam or Root of Believers: when he ſatisfied and merited, we were not in him either as in Adam ſeminally, as in a natural Generator, nor as exiſtent Perſons, nor did God falſly ſo repute us to be: But he was then the Cauſe (materially) or had that Virtus effectiva, which would Juſtifie, and Sanctifie, and Glorifie us in due time. It was the Nature of Sinners, though not a ſinful Nature which he aſſumed; But that Nature which he undertook was exiſtent in his Individual perſon: and no other Individual perſon was exiſtent in his exiſtent perſonal Nature: So that when we ſay it was the common Nature of Man, we mean only ſpecifice, that Nature which is of the ſame Species with all other mens, but not that which exiſted individually in any but himſelf; and a Species extra individuum is nothing but an ens rationis, or a notion. But it was individual Perſons in whoſe ſtead or place Chriſt ſuffered, and whom he undertook to Juſtifie, Sanctifie, and Save, and gather into a holy Society to p. 78that end; and to that end he undertook and performed his office, and merited all this by his perfect righteouſneſs: So that hereby he made Himſelf a Federal Head and Root of a holy Society (his Church): And whenever any perſon doth Believe and is united federally to him, he then receiveth the effects of that which was before in Chriſt as a Virtus effectiva.

The Law made to Adam or to us, did not aſſign Chriſt to this office, nor oblige him to ſuffer or merit for ſinners according to it: Therefore by ſo doing he fulfilled not the Law as it obliged us; that is, by that obligation, nor ſuffered by that obligation which bound us to ſuffer; But by the obligation of his own Conſent, and that Law which was peculiar to himſelf as to the formal obligation, though materially he was bound by it to fulfill the Law of Nature and of Moſes.

The Law of Innocency then or Works, took not Chriſt for the Civil or Legal Perſon of ſuch Sinner, or Believer, no more than it made him ſuch.

4. As Gods Law to the Mediator made him this office, ſo Chriſt's Law of Grace doth quod jus & Relationem give to every true believing Covenanter, firſt, Chriſt himſelf in union to be their federal Head, and with him title to his Grace, Spirit and Glory. And now they are Perſonally and actually his federal Subjects, Friends, and Members; and have right to all his conferred gifts.

5. But this right floweth not immediately to them, from what Chriſt did or ſuffered for them; but from his Law or Covenant of Grace, by which as his Donative and Ruling Inſtrument he conveyeth that title to them.

6. And therefore they have no right before the Time, nor any but on the Conditions and Meaſure ſpecified in that Covenant or Law; ſo that Righteouſneſs is not theirs becauſe it is Chriſts, nor in the manner or meaſure and to the ends of the donation.

7. This much containeth the matter of this Doctrine of the Collation and Imputation of Chriſt's righteouſneſs, ſtill remembring that as no one till he was a Perſon, could be a perſon-guilty of Adam's ſin; not when he was a perſon, any ſooner than he was alſo guilty of his own inherent pravity, and none that had the uſe of Reaſon was guilty of either or both theſe only, without the guilt of his own Actual Sin, and all three together, (1. Adam's ſin juſtly imputed to us, 2. And our innate Pravity, 3. And our actual Sin) are the parts which conſtitute our plenary guilt; even ſo no one till he is a Believer is related as a Member of a Perfectly Righteous Saviour; and that is done no ſooner (in time) that he hath the Inherent Righteouſneſs of his perſonal faith and federal conſent; and that obligeth him to the further active righteouſneſs of a holy life, and all theſe three conjunct (though not co-ordinate) make up the total Righteouſneſs of a Saint, viz. 1. Our Relation to Christ in Union as to a perfectly Righteous Head, who fulfilled all righteouſneſs for us to mer… our Juſtification (which is called Chriſt's Righteouſneſs Imputed to us, as being thus far reputed ours). 2. And our penitent believing conſent to his Covenant, which is the condition of the foreſaid Relation to Chriſt. 3. And our after Sanctification and obedience to Chriſt's Law.

8. And when we are commonly thus far agreed of the Matter, if any will contend for their ſelf-coyned phraſes and words, and not being content to call Chriſt our Redeemer, Saviour, Teacher, King, Prieſt, Head, Lord, Te…ator, Sponſor or Surety, Ranſom, Price, Sacrifice, &c. as p. 79the Scripture doth, will needs plead that he is or was our Perſon, or was holy, obedient, ſuffered in our Perſons, Legal or Civil, or was our Subſtitute, Delegate, Inſtrument, &c. his contention will be both corrupting and dividing: And yet I will acknowledge that among Lawyers the word [Perſon] hath ſo many ſenſes, that in ſome of them (were they our way of ſpeech here) it might be ſaid that Chriſt did in ſome things perſonate each Sinner, or each believer, limitedly, in tantum & ad hoc, & non ſimpliciter, aut ad omnia: And all verbal quarrel I would ſhun even with them that ſpeak ineptly, and dangerouſly, and injuriouſly to …he truth and Church, ſo they will but by a ſound and neceſſary explication vouchſafe us an Antidote againſt the hurtful tendency of their …hraſes.

9. Obj. If Chriſt's perſon be given us, then his perſonal Righteouſneſs is given us with it. Anſ. Yes, as his Perſon is: He is not given us as Proprietors and Lords to become our Own at our diſpoſe: Nor is his Perſon made one Perſon with each or any of us: His Perſon is not turned …nto ours, nor ours into his: As the Husband is not the perſon of the Wife, nor the King of each Subject; But as one that hath a Great, Wiſe, Learned, Bountiful, Holy King or Husband, hath alſo his Greatneſs, Wiſdom, Learning, Bounty and Holineſs, as they have him; that is, As his perfections for their good as far as his Relation binds him, but not as …f his endowments, were removed from him to them, or falſly reputed to …e in them, or his perſon to be their perſons; ſo here, as we have a Chriſt, …o we have a perfect Righteous Chriſt given us to be our federal Head when we believe; and the Righteouſneſs which is not in us but in him is …urs, ſo far as to be for our Good, as far as his Office and Covenant do ob…ige him: So that a Righteous Chriſt, and therefore the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt are ours, Relatively themſelves, quoad jus beneficis, ſo as …hat we have right to theſe Benefits by them, which we ſhall poſſeſs: …nd for the merits of his Righteouſneſs we are conditionally juſtified and ſaved before we believe, and actually after: But are not accounted to be Chriſt, nor the Legal Actors of what he did, nor Chriſt …ccounted to be each of us.