The Life of Justification Opened, Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII.
How Faith is, and may be called a Condition of the new Covenant, and of Justification, how not.
IT may be of some use. ... to enquire in what way faith is and may be called a Condition. ... The orthodox never denied, that it may be called a Condition. ... yet with all we must alwayes look upon Faith, as an Instrument, or Instrumental Meane in Justification, because of its being as the hand of the soul to receive, bring-in, grip-to & lay hold on the Righteousness of Christ, as the Righteousness of a Cautioner & of a publick person, to the end they might be Justified, Absolved from the sentence of the Law, & Accounted & pronunced Righteous, in the sight of God.
Upon the other hand, Socinians & Arminians, who cast the whole Gospel in a new mould of their own, deny Faith to be an Instrument, & assert, that it is only a Condition, or a cause sine qua non, as they speak: And this they do, that their doctrine about Justification (which is wholly corrupt) may appeare to hang the better together. We heard how they denied the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness; & now they must of necessitie also deny, Faith to be considered here as an Instrument … for they know that it was called an Instrument meerly upon … account of the Surety-Righteousness of Christ, which it was to apply, to receive, & to put on. They affirmed, that Faith properly taken was imputed unto Righteousness, & by vertue of Christ's merites was accepted of God for a Righteousness, & was so accounted, & now consequentially they must say, that Faith (together with new Obedience, which they also … & conjoine, as making up one Righteousness) is to be looked upon, us a Condition, or causa sine qua non. Socinus de Iustis. tels us, that though that obedience, which … performe unto Christ, be neither the different nor Meritorious cause, of our Iustification & eternal Salvation, yet it is the caus… sine quation, as they say. The same he saith Synops. justis. 2. p. 14. So doth Volkelius do vera Relig. lib. 4.c. 3. & Smalc, Coner. Frantz. disp. 4. p. 103. So the Remonstrants in their Apologief. 112. Faith (say they) if we consider the matter aright, cannot properly be called an Instrument of Iustification; nor can the act of beleeving be an Instrumental action; far less can it as an Instrument be opposed to faith, as an action, Corvin. cont. Tilen, Faith carrieth that respect unto the gift of adoption, that it is an obedience required of God, upon condition of which the gift of adoption is decerned unto the sinner for a reward, faith is not a meanes, or instrument, but a condition, ordained of God for obtaining of life. Simon Episcop. disp. 22. faith, in this matter, cometh to be considered, not as an instrument apprehending Christ's Righteousness imputed, but as apprehending Christ Iesus, by whom that Righteousness is obtained. It cannot be called properly an instrument, but a condition prescribed by, & required in the Gospel-Covenant, without which God will not pardon sin & impute Righteousness.
Lawyers, as may be seen in Spigely & Calvinilexic. …urid. tell us of various sorts of Conditions; Some Possible, Some impossible; Some certaine, some uncertaine; Some ... Voluntarie conditions, say they, do suspend the whole obligation, untill they be performed, Casual (& also necessary) conditions do only prorogue the effect of the obligation, the obligation itself, & its force is instantly perfected. A condition thus taken they usually define, Suspensio, cujus de futuro effectus, vel confirmatio pendet; or futurus eventus pendet: or le… adposita hominum actionibus, eas suspendens: or Modus qui suspendit actum, donec ca existente confirmetur: or Modus vel causa, que suspendit id quod agitur, donec ex post facto confirmetur.
They tell us with all, that the word Conditio is some time, in the Law, taken pro Modo, though in many things, these two differ much; and that it is the same with ratio, lex, pactio, pactum, fortuna, status, locus jus, causa; so that it admitteth of various significations: and in which of these significations here definitly to take it, the Scripture giveth no determination; for it is no scripture-expression, in this matter: And if it be said, that the termes used in Scripture, in this matter, such as these, beleeve, & thou shalt be saved, to whom it shall be imputed, if we beleeve, if thou shall beleeve thou shalt be saved, & the like, will sufficiently warrand the use of the word Condition; I Answere, So will the like termes of being justified by Faith, and through faith foreign, allow us to call faith an Instrument, which yet our Adversaries, as we have seen, will not suffer us to do. But moreover. We do not condemne the use of the word Condition, in this affaire, simply, but allow it, & also make use of it: But this however is manifest, that seing it is no Scripture word, we are under no Law to receive the word, in that determinate sense, in which the Adversaries use it, & must use it according to their principles: nor are we to conceive of Faith Repentance & new Obedience, as such conditions, as they hold them forth … be.
We know, how variously the word Condition is used, in our ordinary language: & how some time, that is called a condition, which is the real price, & worth of the thing given upon that condition; as when a man is willing to quite his house, lands or horse to another, upon condition of so much money, which is the real price, or a valuable consideration: if we should call Faith & Good Works such a condition, the errour would be worse than Popish. But Mr. Baxter tels us Apol. ag. Mr. Black p. 39. § 27. that he doth not understand the word de conditione contractus vendition is & emptionis, vel emphyteusis, or any the like, that is proper pretium; but it is the condition purae donation is, but some what partaking naturae sendi, as to some of the benefites. And yet this will not sufficiently clear the matter, especially seing that natura feudi is not fully explained, and the feud-duties, (whether we look to the first use of these donations; or to perfect practice, or whether we speak of the highest degree, that is, of the Vassallage of dukes, marquises and Earles. ... And some are most personal, being but yeerly pensions, which is extinct with the death of the giver, or of the receiver, other divisions may be seen in Craig de feudis lib. 1. Dieg. 10. And as to the way of giving these: though it be said to be by donation; yet the Service required in most, may be very onerous, to speak nothing of such, as are purchased by money, or by excambion; nor yet of such, as are burdened with that, which we call Ward, & Ward & Reliefe.
Mr. Baxter ibid, defineth to us, the condition of the Covenant, which he calleth a potestative condition, thus; Actio voluntaria de futuro, a Deo legislatore & Christo Testatore, innovalege, foedere, Testamento requisita, ut ex ejus praestatione, constituatur jus actuale ad beneficium: vel, ut obligationem & eventum suspend at donec praestetur: for (he addeth) ex stipulatione conditionali neque obligatio, neque act to ulla est, antequam conditto even…at; quia quod est in conditione, non est in obligatione. But first, as to the name potestative condition, as opposed by the Lawyers to what is Casual; & as importing that the person of whom that condition is required, hath full power to performe it, if he will, except some inevitable, & unfore-seen impediment fall out, which is not ordinarily supposed; how can any reckon Faith amongst these, unless they grant, that it is as much in Man's power to beleeve, as it is to one at Rome, to ascend the Capitol, if he fall not sick, or break not his leg? Whereby to all, who are not Pelagians, Socinians & Arminians in this matter, but acknowledge Faith to be the pure gift of God, & wrought by the Spirit, Regenerating the soul & giving an heart of flesh, it may be manifest, that no kinde of Conditions, spoken of by Lawyers, who treat only of Compacts, & other Actions, betwixt man & man, can comprehend this matter; whereof we are now speaking. Where is there such an instance, in all the Law, of a person promising to give or to do such or such a Favour, Courtesie, upon condition that he do something, which is not in his power, nor in his will, & which he only who promiseth, can make him able & willing to do? This would either be looked on by them, as an impossible condition, which is next to none, or if the promiser should possiblie make him to fulfil, as a casual condition, or rather, as no proper condition at all. If a father should promise his little childe an apple, on condition he should touch the Crown of his fathers head with his finger, which were impossible for him to do, unless the Father should either stoop so low unto him with his head; or take him up in his armes, that he may reach his head; who would call this a potestative condition? But next, what meaneth Mr. Baxter by this jus actuale? Is this the same with jus in re, as opposed to jus ad rem? this jus ad rem; which yet I suppose, he will not grant, or doth he meane by this. ... But what is a Potential Right? Is it the same with a remote right? and how very far remote must that Right be (if it be at all) which the Reprobat have? And is there no difference as to this Remote & Potential Right, or what way it may be called, which is opposite to an Actual Right betwixt the Reprobat & the Elect, before Faith? It is like, Mr. Baxter will say, there is none, by reason that the Redemption is Universal and for all alike, & so that Right, how ever it be called, that preceedeth the Actual Right, is equally common to all, if we meane that Potential Right, which followeth upon the Redemption. But to us, who affirme, that Christ died only for the Elect, & that he took on their debt; & in due time made fall satisfaction, according to his undertaking, these Elect ones for whom Christ engadged, in the Covenant of Redemption, have another sort of right, call it Potential, or what you will, than the Reprobat have: because Christ hath purchased all the blessings, promised in the Covenant, unto them: and he hath a Right keeped, for them, and not for the rest: so that a Right unto all these good things, being purchased by their Lord Redeemer, & Cautioner, and left unto them as his sure legacie, in his Testament, & all so ensured, that in due time, according to the methode condescended upon, they shall be put in possession of the same, their Right is in Christ's purchase, and they are put in actual Possession of Justification, when they beleeve; which Faith is also purchased for them: all the benefites they shall enjoy concerning grace & glory are equally by him purchased, & are equally neer related unto his merites & death, as to the right, though as to the actual collation, Soveraigne wisdom hath appointed an Order, & determining of one, before another, & so hath resolved to give faith, and than Justification &c. And though it be true, that in this case, what is inconditione, non est in obligatione, as to the actual possession; yet we cannot think, but the holy & Just God, having received satisfaction from the Mediator, in behalfe of such, for whom it was laid down, is under an obligation (as we may conceive, and speake) unto the Mediator, to cause him see of the travel of his soul, & to give him his seed, and those he purchased, and in due time to call them effectually, & work Faith in them, & then Justifie &c. Adopt them &c. & thus bestow all the benefites purchased upon then▪ in the time & methode wisely determined. But if Mr.Baxter understand by this jus actuale, that is constituted upon the performance of the condition, a plaine, and simple Right unto the benefite, we can acknowledge no such Condition, lest we render the death of Christ void: for in him alone, have we all our Law-title & Right to all the blessings of the Covenant, to Faith, & all that follow upon it.
That we may put an end to this, we shall first shew, in what sense, we cannot admit Faith to be a Condition, & then shew in what sense we do admit the denomination.
As to the first we say. 1. We cannot admit it to be a Condition, in their sense who will have Justification so to depend upon it, as on a Procuring Cause, some way or other meriting, at least ex pacto or ex congruo as Bellarm, saith that benefite as a Reward: for this destroyeth the Freedome of Grace, that: shineth forth in our Justification; & overturneth the whole nature of the Covenant of Grace, & spoileth Christ of his glory; and doth man to come in, as a sharer in the glory of that purchase.
2. We cannot admit it to be a Condition, in their sense, who take a new Obedience with it: for this taketh away the special Use of Faith and its special End, in laying hold on & refuging the soul under the wings of the Surety-Righteousness of Jesus Christ; This changeth the nature of the Covenant of Grace, & maketh it a new Covenant of Works, & giveth ground of boasting & of glorying before men; yea & maketh the reward of Justification, and what followeth thereupon, to be of debt, & not of grace: And such a Condition in the Covenant of Grace we cannot owne.
3. We cannot admit it to be a Condition, in their sense, who make it strickly a Potestative Condition; placeing it in the power & free will of man, to beleeve or not, as he will; for as this overturneth the whole Covenant of Grace, and exalteth proud man; so it parteth, at least, the glory of Redemption betwixt Christ & Man; & giveth man ground to sing to the praise of his own Lord, free will; & to say, he hath made himself to differ, & he oweth but halfe thanks, & hardly so much, to Jesus Chaist, for all that he hath done and suffered, in order to the purchasing of Salvation.
4. We cannot own it for a Condition, in their sense, who make it, or it & our new obedience together, our Gospel-Righteo…sness, & that Righteousness which only is properly Imputed to us, & Reckoned upon our score, as the Righteousness, upon the account of which, we are Justified: for thus the nature of the Covenant of Grace is changed; God is made to estimate that for a Righteousness, which is no fulfilling of the Law; & Christ is made to have procured, that it should be so; & that his own Surety-Righteousness, should no otherwayes be imputed.
5. We cannot account Faith a Condition, in their sense, who ascribe to it or to it with works, the same Place, Use & Efficacie in the new Covenant, that Perfect Obedience had in the old Covenant of Works: for this maketh the New Covenant nothing but a new Edition of the old; and shooteth Christ, the Lord our Righteousness, far away, who is & should be our immediat Righteousness, that in him we might be found hid, & secured from the dint of the Law-Curse; and with all giveth proud man too palpable ground of boasting, contrare to the whole Contrivance of the Gospel-Covenant.
6. We cannot owne it for a Condition, in their sense, who reject it, and disowne it for an Instrument, or an Instrumental Meane, in our Justification; because they deny that particular and special Use, which it hath, in our Justification, & so pervert its whole Gospel-Nature: Its special use & work in Justification being to lay hold on the Lord Jesus, & his side jussorie-Righteousness, to carry the Man out of himself, as renuncing his own Righteousness, & every thing that is not Christ & his Righteousness, that as poor, empty, & naked he may lay hold on, & rest upon the Surety-Righteousness of the publick person & Cautioner, Jesus Christ: for thus Christ & his Righteousness are put by, and he getteth not that rent of glory that is only due to him; & the soul is made to leane upon something beside this Rock of ages.
7. We cannot admit it for a Condition, in their sense, who will have us hereby to have gotten a legal Title or Right unto Justification & other benefites according. ... following the same; seing this puts the crown upon Mans head, as having by his deed acquired a jus & Law-right unto these blessings, which become hereby a reward not of grace, but of just debt: We acknowledge all our Right & Title to all the blessings of the Covenant, to be from Christ, the only purchaser; & of him must we hold all, that all may be of free grace, & he, even he alone, may have all the Glory, having redeemed us with his precious bloud, & purchased the whole Inheritance, of grace & glory for us.
8. We cannot account it a Condition, in their sense, who plead for Universal Redemption; because thereby Christ is only made to have purchased something to all alike, & that Conditionally, & no more grace & glory for Peter than for Iudas, but Peter by his own Paines & Industrie, by his Faith & New Obedience, did purchase the whole personal and immediat Right unto the blessings, which he enjoyeth; and hath received no more from Christ, than what Iudas had, & so hath no more ground of exalting him for Redeemer, than those have, who perish, seing what he purchased was common to all, & no more for one in particulur than for another: for this setteth the crown upon mans head, who hath saved himself by his sweating, paines & labour; and spoileth our Lord Redeemer of his glory.
9. Nor can we account it a condition, in their sense, who will have the whole or principal part of what Christ purchased to be the New Covenant & the Termes & Conditions thereof; as if Christ had been a Cautioner for none in particular, but had so far redeemed all, as to have brought them into such an estate, wherein they might now work & won for themselves, run & fight for the prize, according to the new Conditions purchased; and so, if they run well, sacrifice to their own net, and burn incense to their own drag, because by their own industrie & care in performing the Conditions, now made easier, than they were to Adam in the first Covenant, their portion is fat, & their meat plenteous.
10. Nor yet can we call it a Condition, in their sense, who will have us look upon it, in the work of Justification, purely as a work of ours & as an act of Obedience to a command; & as such a work, as comprehendeth in it all the works of new Obedience: for thus its peculiar Use of applying Christ, & of apprehending his Surety-Righteousness, is taken from it; & the whole nature of the new Covenant is changed into the old Covenant of works; & Christ's …idejussorie-Righteousness is not made our immediat Gospel-Righteousness; yea when we are thus justified by Faith, we are justified by works; whereby the whole of the Apost…l's disput is overturned; & we are taught to leane to, & lay our weight upon a Righteousness within ourselves; contrare to the whole scope of the Gospel.
Upon the other hand, we say, Faith may be looked upon, and called a Condition of the Covenant, and of Justification, in this sense; That Christ having purchased all the good things of the Covenant, all the sure Mercies of David, all Grace, and all Glory, unto the chosen ones, and the Father having promised the actual collation & bestowing of all and every one of these mercies & blessings, so purchased and procured; and Jehovah & the Mediator both, in the counsel of their will condescending on such a methode & way of making the ransomed ones the owners of the Blessings purchased, that is, first to give the New Heart and the heart of fless and in effectuall calling, worke them up to Faith in and Union with Christ and so draw them to the mediator, and cause them accept of him, & wait upon him, and rest there, for life & salvation; and then to Justifie, Accepte of as Righteous, Adopte them, and then worke the works of holiness by his Spirit & more, in their soul; and so carrie on the work unto Perfection, till grace be crowned with glory: matters, I say, being thus wisely ordered, in the councel of heaven, there is a Priority of order; Faith, receiving Christ, and resting on his Surety-righteousness, going before; and Justification following, and a firme connexion made betwixt the two, that who so ever beleeveth thus, shall be justified, and none shall be justified who beleeveth not thus: Now, when by vertue of this constitute order & Method, explained & revealed in the Gospel, the Ambassadours of Christ, in obedience to their Injunctions, call upon all, who heare the Gospel, to receive Christ and refuge themselves under his wings, and receive the atonement through his Righteousness, and promise them thereupon, in their Masters name, Pardon, Peace with God, Reconciliation; and acceptance &c. nothing more is here insinuated, than that such a Methode & Order is wisely determined, and that there is a fixed connexion made betwixt Faith & Justification; so that who ever would be saved from the wrath to come; & would enjoy God for ever, must come unto God in this way, and according to this methode, and must receive his blessings and Favoures, in this order, first beleeve, and lay hold on Christ and his Righteousness, and then receive Justification &c. Thus we see faith is no legal, Antecedent Condition, no Proper or Potestative Condition; but only a consequent, or Evangelick Condition, or a Condition denoting a fixed and prescribed Order and Method of receiving of the blessings purchased by Christ, with a firme and fixed connexion betwixt the performance of the condition, and the granting of the thing promised thereupon. Thus Christ hath the whole glory of the work; Man is abased, and hath nothing to glory of in himself; The reward is not of debt, but purely of grace; The wisdom and love of God is wonderful and remarkable; All ground of carnal security and self confidence is removed; A plaine and powerful ground is laid for ministers, to press, exhort, aud obtest to Faith in the first place, with all seriousness and zeal; Full security and ground of confidence of being Justified and Accepted of God upon our beleeving, is given; The difference betwixt the Covenant of works and the Covenant of Grace, is distinctly observed; The Antinomian mistakes, saying we are Justified from Eternity, or at the death of Christ, or at any time before faith, are manifestly obviated; And all grounds of excepting against, or dissatisfaction with this way, are removed from all such, as will willingly comply with the designe of free grace, in the Gospel.