The Imputation of Christs Righteousness, Polemic 1 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. The Concord of Proteſtants in the Matter of Juſtification defended, againſt Dr. Tullies Oppoſitions, who would make Diſcord under pretence of proving it.
§. 1. WHile Truth is pretended by moſt, that by envious ſtriving introduce Confuſion, and every evil Work, it uſually falleth out by God's juſt Judgment, that ſuch are almoſt as oppoſite to Truth, as to Charity and Peace. What more palpable inſtances can there be, than ſuch as on ſuch accounts have lately aſſaulted me: Mr. Danvers, Mr. Bagſhaw, &c. and now this Learned Doctor. The very ſtream of all his Oppoſition againſt me about Imputation, is enforced by this oft repeated Forgery, that I deny all Imputation of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs: Yea, he neither by fear, modeſty, or ingenuity, was reſtrained from writing, pag. 117. [Omnem ludibrio habet Imputationem] [He derideth all Imputation]. Judg by this what credit contentious Men deſerve.
§. 2. The conciliatory Propoſitions which I laid down in an Epiſtle to Mr. W. Allens Book, I will here tranſcribe, that the Reader may ſee what it is that theſe Militant Doctors war againſt.
Leſt any who know not how to ſtop in mediocrity, ſhould be tempted by Socinians or Papiſts, to think that we countenance any of their Errors, or that our Differences in the point of Juſtification by Faith or Works, are greater than indeed they are; and leſt any weak Opinionative Perſons, ſhould clamour unpeaceably againſt their Brethren, and think to raiſe a name to themſelves for their differing Notions; I ſhall here give the Reader ſuch evidences of our real Concord, as ſhall ſilence that Calumny.
Though ſome few Lutherans did, upon peeviſh ſuſpiciouſneſs againſt George Major long ago, aſſert, That [Good Works are not neceſſary to Salvation]: And though ſome few good Men, whoſe Zeal without Judgment doth better ſerve their own turn than the Churches, are jealous, leſt all the good that is aſcribed to Man, be a diſhonour to God; and therefore ſpeak as if God were honoured moſt by ſaying the worſt words of our ſelves; and many have uncomely and irregular Notions about theſe Matters: And though ſome that are addicted to ſidings, do take it to be their Godly Zeal to cenſure and reproach the more underſtanding ſort, when they moſt groſly err themſelves: And though too many of the People are carried about through injudiciouſneſs and temptations to falſe Doctrines and evil Lives; yet is the Argument of Proteſtants thus manifeſted.
1. They all affirm that Chriſt's Sacrifice, with his Holineſs and perfect Obedience, are the meritorious Cauſe of the forgiving Covenants, and of our Pardon and Juſtification thereby, and of our Right to Life Eternal, which it giveth us. And that this Price was not paid or given in it ſelf immediately to us, but to God for us; and ſo, that our foreſaid Benefits are its Effects.
2. They agree that Chriſt's Perſon and ours were not really the ſame; and therefore that the ſame Righteouſneſs, which is an Accident of one, cannot poſſibly be an Accident of the other.
3. They all deteſt the Conceit, that God ſhould aver, and repute a Man to have done that which he never did.
4. They all agree that Chriſt's Sacrifice and Merits are really ſo effectual to procure our Pardon, Juſtification, Adoption, and right to the ſealing Gift of the Holy Ghoſt, and to Glory, upon our Faith and Repentance; that God giveth us all theſe benefits of the New-Covenant as certainly for the ſake of Chriſt and his Righteouſneſs, as if we had ſatisfied him, and merited them our ſelves: and that thus far Chriſt's Righteouſneſs is ours in its Effects, and imputed to us, in that we are thus uſed for it, and ſhall be judged accordingly.
5. They all agree, that we are juſtified by none, but a practical or working Faith.
6. And that this Faith is the Condition of the Promiſe, or Gift of Juſtification and Adoption.
7. And that Repentance is a Condition alſo, though (as it is not the ſame with Faith, as Repentance of Unbelief is) on another aptitudinal account; even as a willingneſs to be cured, and a willingneſs to take one for my Phyſician, and to truſt him in the uſe of his Remedies, are on ſeveral accounts the Conditions on which that Phyſician will undertake the Cure, or as willingneſs to return to ſubjection and thankful acceptance of a purchaſed Pardon, and of the Purchaſers Love and future Authority, are the Conditions of a Rebel's Pardon.
8. And they all agree, that in the firſt inſtant of a Man's Converſion or Believing, he is entred into a ſtate of Juſtification, before he hath done any outward Works: and that ſo it is true, that good Works follow the Juſtified, and go not before his initial Juſtification: as alſo in the ſenſe that Auſtin ſpake it, who took Juſtification, for that which we call Sanctification or Converſion.
9. And they all agree, that Juſtifying Faith is ſuch a receiving affiance, as is both … Intellect and the Will; and therefore as in …, participateth of ſome kind of Love to the juſtifying Object, as well as to Juſtification.
10. And that no Man can chuſe or uſe Chriſt as a Means (ſo called, in reſpect to his own intention) to bring him to God the Father, who hath not ſo much love to God, as to take him for his end in the uſe of that means.
11. And they agree, that we ſhall be all judged according to our Works, by the Rule of the Covenant of Grace, though not for our Works, by way of commutative, or legal proper merit. And Judging is the Genus, whoſe Species is Juſtifying and Condemning: and to be judged according to our Works, is nothing but to be juſtified or condemned according to them.
12. They all agree, that no Man can poſſibly merit of God in point of Commutative Juſtice, nor yet in point of Diſtributive or Governing Juſtice, according to the Law of Nature or Innocency, as Adam might have done, nor by the Works of the Moſaical Law.
13. They all agree, that no Works of Mans are to be truſted in, or pleaded, but all excluded, and the Conceit of them abhorred.
1. As they are feigned to be againſt, or inſtead of the free Mercy of God.
2. As they are againſt, or feigned, inſtead of the Sacrifice, Obedience, Merit, or Interceſſion of Chriſt.
3. Or as ſuppoſed to be done of our ſelves, without the Grace of the Holy Ghoſt.
4. Or as ſuppoſed falſly to be perfect.
5. Or as ſuppoſed to have any of the afore-diſclaimed Merit.
6. Or as materially conſiſting in Moſaical Obſervances.
7. Much more in any ſuperſtitious Inventions.
8. Or in any Evil miſtaken to be Good.
9. Or as any way inconſiſtent with the Tenor of the freely pardoning Covenant. In all theſe ſenſes Juſtification by Works is diſclaimed by all Proteſtants at leaſt.
14. Yet all agree, that we are created to good Works in Chriſt Jeſus, which God hath ordained, that we ſhould walk therein; and that he, that nameth the Name of Chriſt, muſt depart from iniquity, or elſe he hath not the Seal of God; and that he that is born of God ſinneth not; that is, predominantly. And that all Chriſt's Members are Holy, Purified, zealous of Good Works, cleanſing themſelves from all filthineſs of Fleſh and Spirit, that they might perfect Holineſs in God's fear, doing good to all Men, as loving their Neighbours as themſelves; and that if any Man have not the Sanctifying Spirit of Chriſt, he is none of his, nor without Holineſs can ſee God.
15. They all judg reverently and charitably of the Ancients, that uſed the word [Merit of Good Works], becauſe they meant but a moral aptitude for the promiſed Reward, according to the Law of Grace through Chriſt.
16. They confeſs the thing thus deſcribed themſelves, however they like not the name of Merit, leſt it ſhould countenance proud and carnal Conceits.
17. They judg no Man to be Heretical for the bare uſe of that word, who agreeth with them in the ſenſe.
18. In this ſenſe they agree, that our Goſpel-Obedience is ſuch a neceſſary aptitude to our Glorification, as that Glory (though a free Gift) is yet truly a reward of this Obedience.
19. And they agree, that our final Juſtification by Sentence at the Day of Judgment doth paſs upon the ſame Cauſes, Reaſons, and Conditions, as our Glorification doth.
20. They all agree, that all faithful Miniſters muſt bend the labour of their Miniſtry in publick and private, for promoting of Holineſs and good Works, and that they muſt difference by Diſcipline between the Obedient and the Diſobedient. And O! that the Papiſts would as zealouſly promote Holineſs and good Works in the World, as the true ſerious Proteſtants do, whom they factiouſly and peeviſhly accuſe as Enemies to them; and that the Opinion, Diſputing, and name of good Works, did not cheat many wicked Perſons into ſelf-flattery and Perdition, while they are void of that which they diſpute for. Then would not the Mahometans and Heathens be deterred from Chriſtianity by the wickedneſs of theſe nominal Chriſtians, that are near them: nor would the ſerious practice of that Chriſtianity, which themſelves in general profeſs, be hated, ſcorned, and perſecuted by ſo many, both Proteſtants and Papiſts; nor would ſo many contend that they are of the True Religion, while they are really of no Religion at all any further, than the Hypocrites Picture and Carcaſs may be called Religion: Were Men but reſolved to be ſerious Learners, ſerious Lovers, ſerious Practiſers according to their knowledg, and did not live like mockers of God, and ſuch as look toward the Life to come in jeſt, or unbelief, God would vouchſafe them better acquaintance with the True Religion than moſt Men have.
§. 3. One would think now that this ſhould meet with no ſharp Oppoſition, from any Learned lover of Peace; and that it ſhould anſwer for it ſelf, and need no defence. But this Learned Man for all that, among the reſt of his Military Exploits, muſt here find ſome Matter for a Triumph.
And 1. Pag. 18. he aſſaulteth the third Propoſ. [They all deteſt the Conceit, that God ſhould aver, and repute a Man to have done that which he never did].
And is not this true? Do any ſober Men deny it, and charge God with Error or Untruth? Will not this Man of Truth and Peace, give us leave to be thus far agreed, when we are ſo indeed?
But ſaith he, [Yea, the Orthodox abhor the contrary, if [to have done it] be taken in ſenſu forenſi, (for in a Phyſical and Perſonal, they abhor it not, but deride it): Doth the Aphoriſt abhor theſe and ſuch-like ſayings, [We are dead, buried, riſen from the Dead with Chriſt?]
Anſw. 1. Take notice Reader, that it is but the Words, and not the Matter that he here aſſaulteth; ſo that all here ſeemeth but lis de nomine. He before, pag. 84. extolleth Chryſoſtom for thus expounding, [He made him ſin for us]; that is▪ to be condemned as an Offender, and to die as a Blaſphemer. And this ſenſe of Imputation we all admit; But Chryſoſtom in that place oft telleth us, That by [Sin] he meaneth both one counted a wicked Man by his Perſecutors, [not by God] and one that ſuffered that curſed Death, which was due to wicked curſed Men: And which of us deny not Juſtification by Works as Chryſoſtom doth? I ſubſcribe to his words, [It is God s Righteouſneſs; ſeeing it is not of Works (for in them it were neceſſary that there be found no blot) but of Grace, which blotteth out and extinguiſheth all ſin: And this begetteth us a double benefit, for it ſuffereth us not to be lift up in mind, becauſe it is all the Gift of God, and it ſheweth the greatneſs of the benefit]. This is as apt an Expreſſion of my Judgment of Works and Grace as I could chuſe. But it's given to ſome Men to extol that in one Man, which they fervently revile in others. How frequently is Chryſoſtom by many accuſed as favouring Free-Will, and Man's Merits, and ſmelling of Pelagianiſm? And he that is acquainted with Chryſoſtom, muſt know, That he includeth all theſe things in Juſtification. 1. Remiſſion of the Sin, as to the Puniſhment, 2. Remiſſion of it by Mortification, (for ſo he calleth it, in Rom. 3. p. (mihi) 63.) 3. Right to Life freely given for Chriſt's ſake. 4. And Inherent Righteouſneſs through Faith: And he oft ſaith, That this is called the Righteouſneſs of God, becauſe as God, who is living, quickeneth the dead, and as he that is ſtrong giveth ſtrength to the weak; ſo he that is Righteous, doth ſuddenly make them Righteous that were lapſed into ſin], as he there alſo ſpeaketh. And he oft tells us, It is Faith it ſelf, and not only Chriſt believed in, that is imputed for Righteouſneſs, or Juſtifieth: And in Rom. 4. p. 80. he calleth the Reward, [the Retribution of Faith]. And pag. 89. he thus conjoyneth [Faith and Chriſt's Death] to the Queſtion, How Men obnoxious to ſo much ſin are juſtified, [he ſheweth that he blotted out all ſin, that he might confirm what he ſaid, both from the Faith of Abraham by which he was juſtified, and from our Saviours Death, by which we are delivered from ſin]. But this is on the by.
2. But ſaith Dr. T. The Orthodox abhor the contrary in ſenſu forenſi.
Anſw. How eaſie is it to challenge the Titles of Orthodox, Wiſe, or good Men to ones ſelf? And who is not Orthodox, himſelf being Judg? But it ſeems with him, no Man muſt paſs for Orthodox that is not in ſo groſs an error of his Mind, (if theſe words, and not many better that are contrary muſt be the diſcovery of it) viz. That will not ſay, that in ſenſu forenſi, God eſteemeth Men to have done that which they never did. The beſt you can make of this is, that you cover the ſame ſenſe, which I plainlier expreſs, with this illfavoured Phraſe of Man's inventing: But if indeed you mean any more than I by your ſenſus forenſis, viz. that ſuch a ſuffering and meriting for us may, in the lax improper way of ſome Lawyers ſpeaking, be called, [Our own Doing, Meriting, Suffering, &c.] I have proved, that the Doctrine denied by me, ſubverteth the Goſpel of Chriſt.
Reader, I remember what Grotius (then Orthodox, thirty years before his Death) in that excellent Letter of Church-Orders, Predeſtination, Perſeverance, and Magiſtrates, animadverting on Molinaeus, ſaith, How great an injury thoſe Divines, who turn the Chriſtian Doctrine into unintelligible Notions and Controverſies, do to Chriſtian Magiſtrates; becauſe it is the duty of Magiſtrates to diſcern and preſerve neceſſary ſound Doctrine, which theſe Men would make them unable to diſcern. The ſame I muſt ſay of their injury to all Chriſtians, becauſe all ſhould hold faſt that which is proved True and Good, which this ſort of Men would diſable them to diſcern. We juſtly blame the Papiſts for locking up the Scripture, and performing their Worſhip in an unknown Tongue. And alas, what abundance of well-meaning Divines do the ſame thing by undigeſted Terms and Notions, and unintelligible Diſtinctions, not adapted to the Matter, but cuſtomarily uſed from ſome Perſons reverenced by them that led the way? It is ſo in their Tractates, both of Theology and other Sciences; and the great and uſeful Rule, Verba Rebus aptanda ſunt, is laid aſide: or rather, Men that underſtand not Matter, are like enough to be little skilful in the expreſſing of it: And as Mr. Pemble ſaith, A cloudy unintelligible ſtile, uſually ſignifieth a cloudy unintelligent Head, (to that ſenſe): And as Mr. J. Humfrey tells Dr. Fullwood, (in his unanſwerable late Plea for the Conformiſts againſt the charge of Schiſm) pag. 29. [So overly are men ordinarily wont to ſpeak at the firſt ſight, againſt that which others have long thought upon]; that ſome Men think, that the very jingle of a diſtinction not underſtood is warrant enough for their reproaching that Doctrine as dangerous and unſound, which hath coſt another perhaps twenty times as many hard ſtudies, as the Reproachers ever beſtowed on that Subject.
To deliver thee from thoſe Learned Obſcurities, read but the Scripture impartially, without their Spectacles and ill-deviſed Notions, and all the Doctrine of Juſtification that is neceſſary, will be plain to thee: And I will venture again to fly ſo far from flattering thoſe, called Learned Men, who expect it, as to profeſs that I am perſwaded the common ſort of honeſt unlearned Chriſtians, (even Plowmen and Women) do better underſtand the Doctrine of Juſtification, than many great Diſputers will ſuffer themſelves or others to underſtand it, by reaſon of their foreſtalling ill-made Notions: theſe unlearned Perſons commonly conceive, 1. That Chriſt in his own Perſon, as a Mediator, did by his perfect Righteouſneſs and Sufferings, merit for us the free pardon of all our ſins, and the Gift of his Spirit and Life Eternal, and hath promiſed Pardon to all that are Penitent Believers, and Heaven to all that ſo continue, and ſincerely obey him to the end; and that all our after-failings, as well as our former ſins, are freely pardoned by the Sacrifice, Merits, and Interceſſion of Chriſt, who alſo giveth us his Grace for the performance of his impoſed Conditions, and will judg us, as we have or have not performed them]. Believe but this plain Doctrine, and you have a righter underſtanding of Juſtification, than many would let you quietly enjoy, who tell you, [That Faith is not imputed for Righteouſneſs; that it juſtifieth you only as an Inſtrumental Cauſe, and only as it is the reception of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, and that no other Act of Faith is juſtifying, and that God eſteemeth us to have been perfectly Holy and Righteous, and fulfilled all the Law, and died for our own ſins, in or by Chriſt, and that he was politically the very Perſon of every Believing Sinner]; with more ſuch like.
And as to this diſtinction which this Doctor will make a Teſt of the Orthodox, (that is, Men of of his Size and Judgment) you need but this plain explication of it.
1. In Law-ſenſe, a Man is truly and fitly ſaid himſelf to have done that, which the Law or his Contract alloweth him to do either by himſelf or another; (as to do an Office, or pay a Debt by a Subſtitute or Vicar). For ſo I do it by my Inſtrument, and the Law is fulfilled and not broken by me, becauſe I was at liberty which way to do it. In this ſenſe I deny that we ever fulfilled all the Law by Chriſt; and that ſo to hold ſubverts all Religion as a pernicious Hereſie.
2. But in a tropical improper ſenſe, he may be ſaid to [be eſteemed of God to have done what Chriſt did; who ſhall have the benefits of Pardon, Grace, and Glory thereby merited, in the manner and meaſure given by the free Mediator, as certainly as if▪ he had done it himſelf]. In this improper ſenſe we agree to the Matter, but are ſorry that improper words ſhould be uſed as a ſnare againſt ſound Doctrine, and the Churches Love and Concord. And yet muſt we not be allowed Peace?
§. 4. But my free Speech here maketh me remember how ſharply the Doctor expounded and applyed one word in the retracted Aphoriſms: I ſaid (not of the Men, but of the wrong Opinion oppoſed by me) [It fondly ſuppoſeth a Medium betwixt one that is juſt, and one that is no ſinner] one that hath his ſin or guilt taken away, and one that hath his unrighteouſneſs taken away: It's true in bruits and inſenſibles that are not ſubjects capable of Juſtice, there is, &c. There is a Negative Injuſtice which denominateth the Subject non-juſtum, but no… injuſtum, where Righteouſneſs is not due. But when there is the debitum habendi, its privative. The Doctor learnedly tranſlateth firſt the word [fondly] by [ſtolide]; and next he (fondly, though not ſtolidè) would perſwade the Reader, that it is ſaid of the Men, though himſelf tranſlate it [Doctrina].
And next he bloweth his Trumpet to the War, with this exclamation, [Stolide! O vocis mollitiem, & modeſtiam! O ſtolidos Eccleſiae Reformatae Clariſſimos Heroas! Aut ignoravit certè, aut ſcire ſe diſſimulat, (quod affine eſt calumniae) quid iſti ſtatu…nt, quos loquitur, ſtolidi Theologi].
Anſw. 1. How blind are ſome in their own Cauſe? Why did not Conſcience at the naming of Calumnie ſay, [I am now committing it?] It were better write in Engliſh, if Latin tranſlations muſt needs be ſo falſe! we uſe the word [fond] in our Country, in another ſenſe than [fooliſh]; with us it ſignifieth any byaſſed Inclination, which beyond reaſon propendeth to one ſide: and ſo we uſe to ſay, That Women are fond of their Children, or of any thing over-loved: But perhaps he can uſe his Logick, to gather by conſequences the Title of the Perſon, from the Title of his Opinion, and to gather [fooliſhly] by conſequence out of [fondly]. To all which I can but anſwer, That if he had made himſelf the Tranſlator of my Words, and the Judg of my Opinions; if this be his beſt, he ſhould not be choſen as ſuch by me. But it may be he turned to Riders Dictionary, & found there [fondly, vide fooliſhly].
2. The Stolidi Theologi then is his own phraſe! And in my Opinion, another Mans Pen might better have called the Men of his own Opinion [Eccleſiae Reformatae clariſſimos Heroas] compared with others! I take Gataker, Bradſhaw, Wotton, Camero, and his followers; Ʋrſine, Olevian,▪Piſcator, Paraeus, Wendeline, and multitudes ſuch, to be as famous Heroes as himſelf: But this alſo on the by.
§. 5. But I muſt tell him whether I abhor the Scripture Phraſe, [We are dead, buried, and riſen with Chriſt].
I anſwer, No; nor will I abhor to ſay, That in ſenſu forenſi, I am one political Perſon with Chriſt, and am perfectly holy and obedient by and in him, and died and redeemed my ſelf by him, when he ſhall prove them to be Scripture Phraſes: But I deſire the Reader not to be ſo fond, (pardon the word) as by this bare queſtion to be enticed to believe, that it is any of the meaning of thoſe Texts that uſe that Phraſe which he mentioneth, that [Legally, or in ſenſu forenſi, every Believer is eſteemed by God to have himſelf perſonally died a violent death on the Cross, and to have been buried, and to have riſen again, and aſcended into Heaven, nor yet to be now there in Glory, becauſe Chriſt did and doth all this in our very Legal Perſon. Let him but 1. conſider the Text, 2. and Expoſitors, 3. and the Analogy of Faith, and he will find another ſenſe; viz. That we ſo live by Faith on a dying, buried, riſen and glorified Saviour, as that as ſuch he dwelleth objectively in our Hearts, and we partake ſo of the Fruits of his Death, Burial, and Reſurrection, and Glory, as that we follow him in a Holy Communion, being dead and buried to the World and Sin, and riſen to newneſs of Life, believing that by his Power we ſhall perſonally, after our death and burial, riſe alſo unto Glory. I will confeſs that we are perfectly holy and obedient by and in Chriſt, as far as we are now dead, buried, and riſen in him.
§. 6. And here I will ſo far look back, as to remember, That he (as ſome others) confidently telleth us, That [the Law bound us both to perfect Obedience, and to puniſhment for our ſin, and therefore pardon by our own ſuffering in Chriſt, may ſtand with the reputation, that we were perfectly Obedient and Righteous in Chriſt.]
Anſw. And to what purpoſe is it to diſpute long, where ſo notorious a contradiction is not only not diſcerned, but obtruded as tantum non neceſſary to our Orthodoxneſs, if not to our Salvation? I ask him,
1. Was not Chriſt as our Mediator perfectly holy habitually, and actually, without Original or Actual Sin?
2. If all this be reputed to be in ſe, our own as ſubjected in and done by our ſelves political, or in ſenſu forenſi; Are we not then reputed in foro, to have no original or actual ſin, but to have innocently fulfilled all the Law, from the firſt hour of our lives to the laſt? Are we reputed innocent in Chriſt, as to one part only of our lives, (if ſo, which is it?) or as to all?
3. If as to all, is it not a contradiction that in Law-ſenſe, we are reputed perfectly Holy and Innocent, and yet ſinners.
4. And can he have need of Sacrifice or Pardon, that is reputed never to have ſinned (legally)?
5. If he will ſay that in Law-ſenſe, we have or are two Perſons, let him expound the word Perſons only, as of Qualities and Relations, (nothing to our Caſe in hand); or elſe ſay alſo, That as we are holy and perfect in one of our own Perſons, and ſinful, unrighteous, or ungodly in another, ſo a Man my be in Heaven in one of his own Perſons, and on Earth, yea and in Hell in the other: And if he mean that the ſame Man is juſtified in his Perſon in Chriſt, and condemned in his other Perſon; conſider which of theſe is the Phyſical Perſon, for I think its that which is like to ſuffer.
§. 7. pag. 224. He hath another touch at my Epiſtle, but gently forbeareth contradiction as to Num. 8. And he ſaith ſo little to the 11th, as needeth no anſwer.
§. 8. pag. 127. He aſſaulteth the firſt Num. of N. 13. That we all agree againſt any conceit of Works that are againſt or inſtead of the free Mercy of God].
And what hath he againſt this? Why that which taketh up many pages of his Book, and ſeemeth his chief ſtrength in moſt of his Conteſt, viz. [The Papiſts ſay the ſame] and [ſo ſaith Bellarmine]. It's ſtrange that the ſame kind of Men that deride Fanatick Sectaries, for crying out in Church-Controverſies, [O Antichriſtian Popery, Bellarmine, &c.] ſhould be of the ſame Spirit, and take the ſame courſe in greater Matters, and not perceive it, nor acknowledg their agreement with them! But as Mr. J. Humfrey ſaith in the foreſaid Book of the word [Schiſm, Schiſm] oft canted out againſt them, that will not ſacrilegiouſly ſurrender their Conſciences, or deſert their Miniſtry, [The great Bear hath been ſo oft led through the ſtreets, that now the Boys lay by all fear, and laugh or make ſport at him] ſo ſay I of this Sectarian Bugbear, [Popery, Antichriſtian, Bellarmine] either the Papiſts really ſay as we do, or they do not. If not, is this Doctor more to be blamed for making them better than they are, or for making us worſe? which ever it be, Truth ſhould defend Truth. If they do, I heartily rejoyce, and it ſhall be none of my labour any more (whatever I did in my Confeſſion of Faith) to prove that they do not. Let who will manage ſuch ungrateful Work. For my part, I take it for a better Character of any Opinion, that Papiſts and Proteſtants agree in it, than that the Proteſtants hold it alone. And ſo much for [Papiſts and Bellarmine] though I think I know better what they teach, than his Book will truly tell me.
§. 9. But he addeth, [Humane Juſtifying Works are in reality adverſe to the free Mercy of God, therefore to be accounted of no value to Righteouſneſs].
Anſw. 1. But whoſe phraſe is Juſtifying Works?
2. Doth not the Holy Ghoſt ſay, That a Man is juſtified by Works, and not by Faith only? Jam. 2.
3. Doth not Chriſt ſay, By thy words thou ſhalt be juſtified?
4. Do not I over and over tell the World, That I hold Juſtification by Works in no ſenſe, but as ſignifying the ſame as [According to Works] which you own? And ſo both Name and Thing are confeſſed by you to be Scriptural.
5. I have before deſired the Reader to turn to the words, [Righteous, Righteouſneſs, Juſtification, &c.] in his Concordance. And if there he find Righteouſness mentioned as conſiſting in ſome Acts of Man, many hundred times, let him next ſay if he dare, that they are to be had in no price to Righteouſneſs: Or let him read the Texts cited by me in my Confeſſion of Faith.
6. Becauſe, Faith, Repentance, Love, Obedience, are that whoſe ſincerity is to be judged in order to our Life or Death ere long; I will not ſay that they are to be vilified as to ſuch a Righteouſneſs or Juſtification, as conſiſteth in our vindication from the charge of Impenitency, Infidelity, Unholineſs, Hypocriſie, &c. The reading of Mat. 25. reſolved me for this Opinion.
§. 10. Next he noteth our deteſting ſuch Works as are againſt or inſtead of Chriſt's Sacrifice, Righteouſneſs, Merits, &c. To this we have the old Cant, The Papiſts ſay the like.
Reader, I proved that the generality of Proteſtants are agreed in all thoſe twenty Particulars, even in all the material Doctrines about Man's Works and Juſtification, while this warlike Doctor would ſet us all together by the ears ſtill, he is over-ruled to aſſert that the Papiſts alſo are agreed with us. The more the better, I am glad if it be ſo, and will here end with ſo welcome a Concluſion, that maketh us all herein to be Friends: only adding, That when he ſaith that [ſuch are all Works whatever, (even Faith it ſelf) which are called into the very leaſt part of Juſtification]; even as a Condition or ſubordinate perſonal Evangelical Righteouſness, ſuch as Chriſt and James, and a hundred Texts of Scripture aſſert; I anſwer, I cannot believe him, till I ceaſe believing the Scriptures to be true; which I hope will never be: And am ſorry that ſo worthy a Man can believe ſo groſs an Opinion, upon no better reaſons than he giveth: And yet imagine, that had I the opportunity of free conference with him, I could force him to manifeſt, That he himſelf differeth from us but in meer words or ſecond Notions, while he hotly proclaimeth▪ greater diſcord.
AN ANSVVER TO Dr. TULLIES Angry Letter.
By Rich. Baxter.
LONDON, Printed for Nevil Simmons and Jonath. Robinſon, at the Princes-Arms and Golden-Lion, in St. Pauls Church-yard, 1675.