Of Justification, Title page 1
A DISPVTATION OF JƲSTIFICATION: Whether any Works be any Conditions of it?
Conteining a neceſſary Defence of ancient Verity; againſt the unneceſſary Oppoſition of a very Learned, Reverend, and dearly Beloved Brother, in his Treatiſe of Imputation of Righteouſneſs, and his Lectures on John 17.
By Richard Baxter.
LONDON, Printed by Robert White, for Nevil Simmons, Book-ſeller in Kederminſter, 1657.
Whether Works are a Condition of Juſtification? And ſo whether we are juſtified by Works as ſuch a Condition?
THough we have ſaid enough already on theſe Queſtions (which for diſpatch I joyn together,) yet ſeeing there are ſome that muſt needs have more, or the ſame again; I ſhall yield ſo far to their Importunity, as to recite here briefly the ſtate of the Controverſie, and ſome of that evidence which is elſewhere more largely produced for the truth.
And Firſt, We muſt explain what is meant by Works, and what is meant by Juſtification; what by a [Condition] and what by the Prepoſition by here, when we ſpeak of Juſtification by works: And then we ſhall lay down the truth in ſeveral propoſitions, Negative and Affirmative.
It ſeems ſtrange to me to hear men on either ſide to ſpeak againſt the Negative or Affirmative of the Queſtion, and reproach ſo bitterly thoſe that maintain them, without any diſtinction or explication; as if either the error lay in the terms, or the terms were ſo plain and univocal, that the Propoſitions are true only on one part, what ſenſe ſoever they be taken in. No doubt but he ſaith true, that ſaith that Works are the Condition of Juſtification: and he ſaith as true, that ſaith they are not, if they take the terms in ſuch different ſenſes as commonly Diſputers on theſe Queſtions do take them. And its paſt all doubt that [a man is juſtified by faith without the works of the Law; and that it is not of Works, but of Grace: and its as certain that [a man is juſtified by works and not by faith only; and that by their Words men ſhall be juſtified, and by their Words they ſhall be condemned.] Gods word were not true, if both theſe were not true.
We muſt therefore neceſſarily diſtinguiſh: And firſt of Works.
Firſt, Sometime the term, Works is taken for that (in general) which makes the Reward to be not of Grace but of Debt: Meritorious works: Or for ſuch as are conceited to be thus meritorious, though they be not. And thoſe are materially, either Works of perfect obedience without ſin, (ſuch as Adam had before his fall, and Chriſt had, and the good Angels have,) or elſe Works of obedience to the Moſaical Law, which ſuppoſed ſin, and were uſed in order to pardon and life, but miſtakingly by the blind Unbelievers, as ſuppoſing that the dignity of the Law did put ſuch a dignity on their obedience thereto, as that it would ſerve to life without the ſatisfaction and merit of Chriſt, or at leaſt muſt concur in Co-ordination therewith. Or elſe laſtly, they are Goſpel duties, thus conceited meritorious.
Secondly, But ſometime the word Works is taken for that which ſtandeth in a due ſubordination to grace: and that firſt, moſt generally, for any moral virtuous Actions, and ſo even faith it ſelf is comprehended and even the very Receptive or fiduciall act of faith: or leſs generally, for external acts of obedience, as diſtinct from internal habitual Grace: and ſo Repentance, Faith, Love, &c. are not Works: or for all acts external and internal, except faith it ſelf. And ſo Repentance, Deſire after Chriſt, Love to him, denying our own Righteouſneſs, diſtruſt in our ſelves, &c. are called Works. Or elſe for all Acts external and internal beſides the Reception of Chriſts Righteouſneſs to Juſtification: And ſo the belief of the Goſpel, the Acceptance of Chriſt as our Prophet and Lord by the Title of Redemption, with many other acts of faith in Chriſt, are called works: beſides the diſclaiming of our own Righteouſneſs, and the reſt before mentioned.
Secondly, As for the word Juſtification, it is ſo variouſly taken by Divines, and in common uſe, that it would require more words then I ſhall ſpend on this whole Diſpute, to name and open its ſeveral ſenſes; and therefore (having elſewhere given a brief ſchem of them) I ſhall now only mention theſe few which are moſt pertinent to our purpoſe. Firſt, Some take Juſtification for ſome Immanent Acts of God, and ſome for Tranſient. And of the former ſome take it for Gods eternal Decree to juſtifie, which neither Scripture calleth by this name, nor will Reaſon allow us to do it, but improperly. Sometime its taken for Gods Immanent preſent Approbation of a man, and Reputing him to be juſt, when he is firſt ſo conſtituted. And this ſome few call a Tranſient Act, becauſe the Object is extrinſick: But moſt call it Immanent, becauſe it makes no Alteration on that object. And ſome plead that this is an eternal act without beginning, becauſe it is Gods eſſence which is eternal; and theſe denominate the Act from the ſubſtance or Agent; And other ſay, that it begins in time, becauſe Gods Eſſence doth then begin to have that Reſpect to a ſinner which makes it capable of ſuch a denomination: And ſo theſe ſpeak of the Act denominatively, formally, reſpectively: Both of them ſpeak true but both ſpeak not the ſame truth.
Sometime the word Juſtification is taken for a tranſient Act of God that maketh or conduceth to a change upon the extrinſick object. And ſo firſt, Its ſometime taken by ſome Divines, for a Conditional Juſtification, which is but an act that hath a tendency to that change; and this is not actual Juſtification. Secondly, Sometime it is taken for actual Juſtification, and that is threefold. Firſt, Conſtitutive: Secondly, Sentential: thirdly, executive. Firſt, Conſtitutive Juſtification, is firſt either in the qualities of the ſoul, by inherent holyneſs; which is firſt perfect, ſuch Adam (once) and the Angels, and Chriſt had; ſecondly, or Imperfect, ſuch as the ſanctified here have. Secondly, Or its in our Relations: when we are pardoned and receive our Right to Glory: This is an act of God in Chriſt by the free Gift of the Goſpel, or Law of Grace: and it is firſt, The firſt putting a ſinner into a ſtate of Righteouſneſs, out of a ſtate of Guilt. Secondly, Or it is the continuing him in that ſtate, and the renewing of particular pardon upon particular ſins. Secondly, Sentential pardon or Juſtification, is, firſt, by that Manifeſtation which God makes before the Angels in heaven. Secondly, at the day of Judgement before all the world. Thirdly, Executive Juſtification, viz. the execution of the aforeſaid ſentence, (leſs properly called Juſtification, and more properly called pardon) conſiſteth in taking off the puniſhment inflicted, and forbearing the puniſhment deſerved, and giving poſſeſſion of the happineſs adjudged us: ſo that it is partly in this life, viz. in giving the ſpirit, and outward mercies, and freeing us from judgements (And thus ſanctification it ſelf is a part of Juſtification) and partly in the life to come, in freeing us from Hell, and poſſeſſing us of Glory.
Thirdly, As for the word Condition, the Etymologiſts will tell us, that it firſt ſignifieth Actionem condendi: and then, Paſſionem, qua quid conditur, and then qualitatem ipſam per quam condere aliguis, vel condi aliquid poteſt; & hinc eſt pro ſtatu qui factus eſt rem condendo; & deinceps pro omni ſtatu, quem perſona vel res aut cauſa quoquo modo habet aut accipit. But we have nothing to do with it in ſuch large acceptions, in which all things in the world may be called Conditions. Vid. Martin. in Nom. They come nearer our uſe of the word, when they expound it by, Moderatio, Circumſcriptio, determinatio, limitatio.
In Naturals the word Condition is oft uſed pro ratione formali▪ per quam alicujus diſciplina ſubjectum adaquatū conſtitui ſolet. As e. g. Phyſicus conſiderat corpus, cum conditions mobilitatis, Geometer conſiderat quantitatem cum conditions continuitatis, Arithmaticus cum conditions disjunctionis; Modicus conſiderat humanū corpus cum conditions, f…i…. quatenus agretare & ſanari poteſt. Sometimes alſo any quality, or action, which is ſine qua non to an effect or event is in meer Naturals called a Condition; as the dryneſs of the wood, and the approximation of it to the fire, &c. are conditions of its burning: the non-impedition of a more powerful Agent, is a Condition of the efficacious action of every lower cauſe, &c.
Many other acceptions of the word in Phyſicks by Zabarel, Claudius Alberius and others; you may ſee in Goclenii Lexic. Philoſoph. in nom. conditio. But we are not in a Phyſical, but a moral diſcourſe, and therfore muſt be underſtood according to the ſubject matter. It is therfore a Civil or Legal Condition that we have to enquire after, and muſt fetch our deſcriptions from Lawyers, and not from Phyſicks, and therefore it is but deceitful equivocation in ſome Opponents, to fetch their oppoſition from Phyſical inſtances.
The Lawyers give us divers Definitions of Condition, but for the moſt part they come all to one in ſenſe. Some ſay, conditio eſt Lex adpoſita hominum actionibus, eas ſuſpendens, Prat. Conditio (ſay others) eſt modus qui ſuſpendit actum, donec co exiſtente confirmetur. Vult. in Inſtit. de haere. inſtit▪ § 3. n. 6. Accurſus faith, Conditio eſt ſuſpenſio, cujus de futuro effectus vel confirmatio pendet: Bart. Conditio eſt futurus eventus, in quem diſpoſitio ſuſpenditar. Cuiacius, Conditio eſt Lex addita negotio, quae donec praeſtetur eventum ſuſpendit. Theſe are of conditions de futuro: But thoſe that are de praeſenti vel de praeterito, ſuſpend not the obligation, unleſs as they are yet futurae quoad cognitionem, though not quoad eſſe, and ſo the knowledge of a Right may be ſuſpended. They are commonly divided into Caſuaeles, Poteſtativas, & mixtas. The moral operation of Conditions as ſuch, is not in cauſing the effect when performed, but in ſuſpending the effect till performed. The reaſon of the appointing of them for ſuch ſuſpenſions is various: ſometime its becauſe the perſon Giving, promiſing, or otherwiſe conſtituting the condition, is uncertain of the event of the performance, and would not have the effect come to paſs without it. But thats not alwaies: ſometime though he might be ſure of the event of performance, yet if he that is to perform the Condition be uncertain, it may make way for this conſtitution. It is therefore a vain Plea of them that ſay, God appointeth no conditions of his Promiſes, becauſe the event is not to him uncertain. Saith Mat. Martin in nom. Cond. Defimri ſolet Diſpoſitionis ſuſpenſio ex eventu incerto futuro ei oppoſito. Sic ſane apud homines quo futura non norunt, ſed Deus jub certis conditionibus etiam nobiſcum agit▪ at omnium eventuum ipſe gna…us, pro infinita ſua ſap entia qua praevidet quid occur urum nobis, & quid nos amplexuri, vel declinatur… ſim…s. Confer. Deut. 28 29 30, 31. & 32. Capitobus.] Commonly the reaſon of appointing Conditions is the deſireab…neſs of the thing to be performed, conjoyned with ſome backwardneſs or poſſibility of backwardneſs in the perſon that is to perform it, and therefore he is drawn on by the promiſe of that which he is more willing to receive: But many other reaſons there may be.
The firſt cauſe of the Condition, is the Requirer, whether he be Teſtator, Donor, Stipulator, Legiſlator, &c. And ſo the Condition of the Law or Covenant of Grace, is firſt, Gods condition as the Impoſer. Secondly, And its the condition of each Subject as obliged to perform it. Thirdly, And the condition of each profeſſing Chriſtian as having Promiſed the performance. Fourthly, And the condition of true Chriſtians only as actual Performers of it.
The condition of the Goſpel hath ſeveral reſpects according to the various reſpects of the Law that doth impoſe it. Its the Condition of a free Gift; for the Goſpel is a free Gift of Chriſt and Life: It is the Condition of a Promiſe; becauſe much of the Goſpel benefits are future. It is the Condition of a Teſtament, becauſe Chriſt dying did leave this to the Church as his laſt Will, and it was confirmed by the death of the Teſtator. It is the Condition of a premiant Law, and Act of Grace and oblivion; becauſe God made it as Legiſlator and Rector of the world in order to the conducting of his people to their happineſ: It is the condition of a Minatory Law, in that it is a duty commanded on pain of death and for the avoiding of that death.
Fourthly, The prepoſition [by] in our preſent queſtion, may ſignifie, either the uſe and Intereſt of any Medium in General; or elſe of a true cauſe conſtitutive or efficient. So much of the terms.
Propoſition 1. Since Adams fall, it is impoſſible for man to be juſtified by a perfect ſinleſs Obedience of his own, (except Chriſt only:) and conſequently impoſſible for him to be juſtified by the Law conſidered in that form and tenor as it was given to Adam: for all men are ſinners; and that Law will uſtifie no ſinner.
Propoſition 2. By the works of the Moſaical Law, no man can be juſtified. And therefore the Jews ſeek Righteouſneſs where it is not to be found, while they think that pardon of ſin and acceptance with God are to be obtained by the bare works of that Law: while they overlook or reject Chriſt who is the end of that Law for righteouſneſs to every Believer Specially now that Law is Abrogated or ceaſed, it were a double error to expect Juſtification by its works.
Propoſition 3. Much leſs can they be juſtified by the foreſaid Law, who in ſtead of fulfilling it, do but falſely imagine that they fulfill it.
Propoſition 4. No man can be juſtified by works properly meritorious, becauſe no man hath any ſuch at all; nor may we once imagine that we have any ſuch works as Paul ſpeaks of (and the Jews thought they had) which make the reward to be not of Grace but of Debt, Rom. 4.4. much leſs that we are juſtified by ſuch; even Goſpel works and faith it ſelf do not juſtifie on this account, and a conceit that they are thus meritorious would but turn them into condemning ſins.
Propoſition 5. No act of mans, no not faith it ſelf can juſtifie as an act or work, nor as This act in ſpecie that is▪ the neareſt and formal reaſon of its juſtifying Intereſt muſt not be fetcht either from the General or ſpecial nature of the act it ſelf: and therefore it is not faith as faith, that is, as it is an apprehenſion of Chriſt or recumbency on him, that Juſtifyeth: nor yet as an Inſtrument thus acting. The nature of the act is but its aptitude to its office or juſtifying Intereſt, and not the formal cauſe of it.
Propoſition 6. No work or act of man is any true proper cauſe of his juſtification, (as Juſtification is commonly taken in the Goſpel:) neither Principal or Inſtrumental. The higheſt Intereſt that they can have, is but to be a condition of our Juſtification and ſo a Diſpoſitio moralis, which therefore ſome call canſa diſpoſitiva, and ſome cauſa ſine qua non, and its indeed but a Nominall cauſe, and truly no cauſe at all.
Propoſition 7. Whatſoever works do ſtand in oppoſition to Chriſt, or diſjunct from him, yea or that ſtand not in a due ſubordination to him, are ſo far from Juſtifying even as conditions, that they are ſins which do deſerve condemnation.
Propoſition 8. Works, as taken for the Imperate Acts of Obedience external, diſtinct from the firſt Radical Graces, are not ſo much as conditions of our Juſtification as begun, or our being put into a Juſtified ſtate.
Propoſition 9. Repentance from dead works, denying our our ſelves, renouncing our own Righteouſneſs, &c. (much leſs external Obedience) are not the receptive condition of our Juſtification, as faith is, that is, Their nature is not to be an actual Acceptance of Chriſt that is, they are not faith and therefore are not deſigned on that account to be the Condition of our Juſtification.
Propoſition 10. God doth not juſtifie us by Imputing our own faith to us in ſtead of perfect Obedience to the Law, as if it were ſufficient, or eſteemed by him ſufficient to ſupply its place; For it is Chriſts Righteouſneſs that in point of value and merit doth ſupply its place: nor doth any work of ours juſtifie us by ſatisfying for our ſins: for thats the work of Chriſt the Mediator: Our faith and love and obedience, which are for the receiving and improving of him and his Righteouſneſs and ſo ſtand in full ſubordination to him, are not to be made co-partners of his office or honor.
Affirm. Propoſition firſt. We are juſtified by the merits of a perfect ſinleſs Obedience of Chriſt (together with his ſufferings) which he performed both to the Law of nature, the Law of Moſes, and the Law which was proper to himſelf as Mediator, as the ſubject obliged.
Propoſition 2. There is ſomewhat in the nature of faith it ſelf in ſpecie, which makes it fit to be elected and appointed by God to be the great ſummary Condition of the Goſpel; that it be Receptive (an Acceptance of Chriſt) is the nature of the thing: but that it be a condition of our Juſtification, is from the will and conſtitution of the Donor and Juſtifier.
Propoſition 3. There is alſo ſomewhat in the nature of Repentance, ſelf-denyal, renouncing all other Saviours, and our own righteouſneſs, deſiring Chriſt, loving Chriſt, intending God and Glory as our end, (procured by Chriſt,) confeſſing ſin, &c. which make them apt to be Diſpoſitive Conditions, and ſo to be comprized or implyed in faith the ſummary Receptive condition, as its neceſſary attendants at leaſt.
Propoſition 4. Accordingly God hath joyned theſe together in his Promiſe and conſtitution, making faith the ſummary and receptive Condition, and making the ſaid acts of Repentance, ſelf-denyal renouncing our own righteouſneſs & diſclaiming in heart Juſtification by the works of the Law, and the renouncing of all other Saviours, alſo the deſiring and loving of Chriſt offered, and the willing of God as our God, and the renouncing of all other Gods and ſo of the world, fleſh and devil; at leaſt in the reſolution of the heart; I ſay making theſe the diſpoſitive Conditions, which are ever implyed when faith only is expreſſed, ſome of them as ſubſervient to faith, and perhaps ſome of them as real parts of faith it ſelf. (Of which more anon.)
Propoſition 5. The Goſpel promiſeth Juſtification to all that will Believe, (or are Believers.) To be a Believer and to be a Diſciple of Chriſt, in Scripture ſenſe is all one, and ſo is it to be a Diſciple and to be a Chriſtian: therefore the ſenſe of the promiſe is, that we ſhall be juſtified, if we become true Chriſtians or Diſciples of Chriſt; and therefore juſtifying faith comprehendeth all that is eſſential to our Diſciple…ſhip or Chriſtianity as its conſtitutive cauſes.
Propoſition 6. It is not therefore any one ſingle Act of faith alone by which we are juſtified, but it is many Phyſical acts conjunctly which conſtitute that faith which the Goſpel makes the condition of Life. Thoſe therefore that call any one Act or two by the name of juſtifying faith, and all the reſt by the name of works, and ſay that it is only the act of recumbency on Chriſt as Prieſt, or on Chriſt as dying for us, or only the act of apprehending or accepting his imputed Righteouſneſs, by which we are juſtified, and that our Aſſent, or Acceptance of him as our Teacher and Lord, our deſire of him, our love to him, our renouncing other Saviours and our own Righteouſneſs, &c. are the works which Paul doth exclude from our Juſtification, and that it is Jewiſh to expect to be juſtified by theſe though but as Conditions of Juſtification; theſe perſons do miſtake Paul, and pervert the Doctrine of Faith and Juſtification, and their Doctrine tendeth to corrupt the very nature of Chriſtianity it ſelf. Though yet I doubt not but any of theſe acts conceited meritorious (or otherwiſe as before explained in the Negative) if men can believe contradictories, may be the matter of ſuch works as Paul excludeth: And ſo may that one act alſo which they appropriate the name of juſtifying faith to.
Propoſition 7. Sincere obedience to God in Chriſt is a condition of our continuance in a ſtate of Juſtification, or of our not loſing it. And our perſeverance therein is a condition of our appearing in that ſtate before the Lord, at our departure hence.
Propoſition 8. Our Faith, Love, and Works of Love, or ſincere Obedience, are conditions of our ſentential Juſtification by Chriſt at the particular and general Judgement (which is the great Juſtification.) And ſo as they will prove our Intereſt in Chriſt our Righteouſneſs, ſo will they materially themſelves juſtifie us againſt the particular falſe Accuſation of being finally impenitent, Unbelievers, not Loving, not obeying ſincerely. For to deny a falſe accuſation is ſufficient to our Juſtification.
Propoſition 9. As Glorification and Deliverance from Hell, is by ſome called Executive pardon or Juſtification; ſo the foreſaid acts are conditions of that execution, which are conditions of Juſtification by the ſentence of the Judge.
Propoſition. 10. As to a real inherent Juſtice, or Juſtification, in this life we have it in part (in our Sanctification and Obedience) and in the life to come we ſhall have it in perfection.
So much for the explicatory Propoſitions.