The Life of Justification Opened, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
The Doctrine of justification should be keeped pure with all diligence; & what dangerous expressions should be shunned.
WE come next to speak a word unto the Second particular mentioned; to wit, That all, who would be found faithful Ambassadours, & be accepted of the Lord, should endeavoure, both in practice & in Doctrine, to keep this doctrine of the Grace of God pure & unmixed: & particularly guard against the giving ground, or occasion to proud Nature, to cry-up Self, in the matter of justification, by any expression, used in the explication thereof. We see here & elsewhere, how careful Paul is in this Matter, using such expressions, as may most emphatically exclude man, & all his paines, & set free grace on high, that God alone may be exalted; for here & elsewhere he debaseth man, & excludeth all his works, even the works of the best of men; even his works, who was the father of the faithful: & he crieth up Christ as all, & free grace as beginning & carrying on all; consonant to what the Prophet Esaias said Esai. 45: 24, 25. Surely shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness & strength (or, as it is in the Margine, Surely, he shall say of me, in the Lord is all righteousness & strength) Even to him shall men come—In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, & shall glory. So that such, as look to Him (as it is vers 22.) & come to Him (as it is vers 24.) have all their righteousnesses in the Lord, & from Him; and in Him alone are they & shall they be justified, & shall glory; & not at all in themselves. So Ieremiah Chap. 23: 6. expresseth the matter very emphatically, holding it forth, as one of Christ's glorious & comfortable Titles of honour, that He shall be called, the Lord our Righteousness, thereby Importing, that all the Saints their righteousness, in order to their justification before, & acceptance with God, was in Christ; & that it would be a robbing of Christ of His due honour, to seek for a righteousnes else where. So Chap. 33: 14, 15. it is promised that the Lord will cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David, & that hereby Iudah should be saved, & Israel should dwell saifely: And it is further said, that His spouse should wear her husbands name, & be called after Him, the Lord our righteousness; thereby professing her adherence to Him, as her Husband, & her owning of Him, as all her righteousness, & glorying in that, that He and He alone is her righteousness.
In compliance herewith, we should beware of expressing our conceptions, about the matter of justification so, as may give proud man ground of boasting, & of robbing Christ of His Crown, Title & Glory, in less, or in more: and these expressions following seem to me justly chargable herewith.
I. To say, That all works are not excluded in justification; but such only as are done by the meer Power & Strength of Nature; & not the works of Grace, wrought by the Spirit. But who seeth not, how this is to set up proud Man, whom Paul would have debased & kept down? And doth not Paul expresly tell us, that neither Abraham, nor David were so justified Rom. 4? And that if our father Abraham were justified by works, he should have had, whereof to glory, though not before God vers 2? And doth he not also tell us, that this would make the reward to be reckoned not of grace, but of debt vers 4? & would exclude faith & its operations, in reference to justification, & take away that blessed & refreshful stile of God, that He justifieth the ungodly vers 5? Should we not thus be saved by works of righteousness, which we do, & not according to His mercy, expresly contrary to Tit. 3: 5.
2. In like manner to say, That we are not justified by the works of the Ceremonial Law; but by obedience to the Moral Law, is peccant here also: for the works of the moral Law are works of righteousness, which we do, & such as obey this Law, & are considered as such, cannot be called ungodly. Neither doth the Apostle thus distinguish, that proud man might have any Interest. Nor doth he exclude only such works, when he saith, that Abraham was not justified by works; for his works were not works of the Ceremonial Law, but of the Moral, which will as well give ground of boasting, & make the reward of debt, & not of grace, as works of the Ceremonial Law, if not more. And it is manifest, that Paul speaketh of that Law (& of obedience to it, or of works commanded by it) which convinceth of sin, & discovereth it Rom. 3: 20. & 7: 7. & maketh all the world guilty Rom. 3: 19. & bringeth them under the curse Gal. 3: 10. is established by faith Rom. 3: 31. & hath the promise of life annexed to it Rom. 10: 5. Gal. 3: 12. Nor doth he exclude only such works, when he speaketh of himself Phil. 3: 9.
3. Likewise to say, That all works are not excluded, but only Outward works, which are done out of Principle of fear, & not out of love & faith, & are not inward works of grace; is to adde Fewel to this fire of pride, & to please proud Self, & proud Man: for who can think, that only such works, would lay the ground of boasting, & of glorying before men? or that only such would make the reward of debt? or that any in these daies were pleading for justification, upon the account only of such works? or that such works were to be understood by the Law, as if the Law did command no other? or that such were Abraham's works? or that Paul thought of none other, when he desired not to be found in his own righteousness Phil. 3: 9?
4. They are guilty of the same crime, who say, That Paul only excludeth the jewish Law: for if thereby they meane only the Ceremonial Law, it is manifest from what is said, that hereby Self & Man shal be much exalted, when justification is made to be by, & according to the works of the Moral Law. If they meane thereby the Judicial Law, then justification should be by obedience to the Moral Law; yea & by obedience to the Ceremonial Law, as well as by obedience to the Moral Law, quite contrary to the whole discourse of the Apostle. And if they meane all the Law, that was given to the jewes, then the Moral Law is included: & so all works are excluded, which are done in obedience to any Law of God.
5. It is no less injurious to truth, & favourable to proud Self, to say with Socinus, That Paul onelyonly excludeth perfect works, done in full conformity to the perfect Law of God; but not our Imperfect works, which through grace are accepted, & accounted our righteousness: for even these works being works of righteouness, which we do, would not exclude boasting, but give ground of glorying before men. Neither did Abraham, or Paul, or any other Saint suppose, that their works were perfect. Nor is it Imaginable, that any in these dayes did plead for justification, by their own works, upon the account, that they were perfect, & wholly commensurat unto the Law. Nor doth Paul insinuate, in all his discourse, any such Distinction, or give any ground to think, that Imperfect works should be the ground of justification, when Perfect works are not. And all this is grounded upon this gross mistake, That by faith, which the Apostle opposeth to works, is meaned our Imperfect Obedience unto the Commands of God.
6. It is injurious, upon the same account, to say, That Paul onelyonly excludeth such works, as are accompanied with a conceite of merite, & none else: for he excludeth all works, without any such Distinction, even the works of Abraham, (who, doubtless, was far from any such fonde conceite, to think, that his works were meritorious) & all such works, as give ground of boasting before men, though not before God. And who will say, that even Adam's works, performed in Innocency, had any proportion, in the ballance of commutative justice, or would merite at God's hand, ex condigno? And yet, sure, such works would have made the reward of debt, according to the Compact. Yea, the Apostle, in his way of argueing, supposeth, that works cannot be mentioned in this case, without merites; so that merite is inseparable from them. And shall we think, that Paul Phil. 3: 9. meaned, by his own righteouness, only such works, as he expresly accounted meritorious? Or that he could, or did account any of his works such?
7. It runneth far in the same guilt, to say, That faith it self, which is our work, & considered as our act of obedience, is Imputed to us for righteousness, & is that righteousness, upon which we are justified: for how easily might proud Self lift up its head, & boast & say, it was justified, because of some thing within it, or because of one work of righteouness, done by it: & so glory in it self, & not in the Lord? for though it were granted, that faith were the gift … God yet that would not sufficiently keep down pride, seing such, as plead for justification by good works, will also grant, that these good works come from the Grace of God, & are wrought by the Spirit: & yet such a justification would lay a foundation of boasting, & of glorying before men; & some would have more ground of boasting, than others, because of their stronger faith: And justification by this way, would as well be opposite to justification through Christ, & His Imputed righteousness, & by Grace, as justification by good works; for faith here would not be considered, as bringing-in & laying hold on a Righteousness without, the Righteousness of Christ imputed; but as a commanded duty, & as a piece of obedience to the Law; & would as well make the reward of debt ex congruo, & ex pacto, as if justification were by works.
8. It is of the same Nature, to say, That Paul excludeth the works of the Law, but not the works of the Gospel: for the same ground of pride, boasting & glorying should be laid, that would be laid, by pleading for the works of the Law: because these are still works of righteousness, which we do, & so opposite, in this matter, unto mercy, Tit. 3: 5. And Paul, to exclude all boasting & glorying before Men, opposeth faith, (not considered in it Self, but as laying hold on the Righteousness of Christ, & as carrying the Man out of himself to Christ for Righteousness) unto works; & not Gospel-works unto works of the Law. And, sure, we cannot say, that none of Abraham's works were Gospel-works, or works required in the New Covenant, seing even then he was a beleever, when the object of his faith, or that which he laid hold on by faith, in the Gospel, which was preached unto him, was said to be imputed unto him for righteousness. And is it not plaine, that if justification were upon the account of Gospel works, that God should not then be said to justifie the ungodly; seing he, who is clothed with a Gospel righteousness, cannot be called, or accounted an ungodly person? And yet faith looks out unto, & laith hold upon a God, that justifieth the ungodly Rom. 4: 5. In a word, the asserting of this would be the same, upon the matter, with asserting of justification by the works of the Law: for what ever is required in the Gospel, is injoined by the Law; & so is an act of obedience to the Law, which is our perfect Rule of Righteousness, & all our obedience must be in conformity thereunto.
9. It must also be accounted dangerous, for puffing-up of Self, to say, That we are justified by our Inherent Righteousness: for then the Man could not say, that all his righteousnesses were as filthy rags Esai. 64: 6. Nor could that be true, which is Psal. 143: 3. for in they sight no man living should be justified, to wit, if God should enter into Iudgment with him. Why should Iob have abhorred himself Chap. 42: 6. if he had a righteousness within him, & had been justified by the Lord, upon the account of that inherent righteousness? And had not Paul as good ground, as any, to assert his justification by his personal inherent holiness & righteousness? Yet we hear of no such thing out of his mouth; but on the contrary, his accounting all things but less & dung, that he might gaine Christ, & be found in His Righteousness, hath a far different import. How proud might man be, if he had it to say, that he was justified in the sight of God by works of Righteousness, which he had done, or by his own inherent righteousness?
10. Nor will it much help the matter, to say, That this Inherent Righteousness is not the price laid down, but onelyonly the Condition, or Causa, sine qua non, or the like: for still man would hereby have some thing to be proud of, & to glory of before men; because, he would have it to say, that his own Inherent Holiness was as well the ground of his justification, & the Condition thereof, as Adam's obedience would have been the ground of his justification. And who knoweth not, that Self can wax proud, & be puffed up, upon a smaller occasion, than is this? And is it not strange, that Paul never once made mention of this distinction? Shall we think, that Paul denied Abraham to have been justified by works, because Abraham looked upon them, as the meritorious cause, & not as the Condition only of his justification? or that Abraham indeed did so? or that Paul included them, as the condition of his justification, when he said, he desired not to be found in his own Righteousness, meaning, not his own righteousness as a price, or as the Meritorious cause of his acceptance? Why should David have spoken so absolutely, & said Psal. 143: 2. enter not into judgment with thy Servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified, seing, even though God should enter into judgment with His servants, they should be justified, as having fulfilled the condition? And why should he have said Psal. 130: 3. If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities; ô Lord, who shall stand? seing, though the Lord should mark iniquities, yet where the Person hath fulfilled the Condition, & hath a Personal Inherent Righteousness to hold up, as the fulfilling of the condition required, he is in case to stand in judgment, & to plead for his justification, & absolution, upon the account of his performing all the condition required: And would not vaine man have great ground of boasting here?
11. Neither yet will it prevent this boasting, to say, That this Inherent Righteousness is but a Subordinat Righteousness, whereby we have right unto the Merites of Christ, which are the Principal Righteousness, answering the demandes of the Law: for if man have any thing in himself, that can be called a Righteousness, though but a Subordinat Righteouness, & yet such a Righteousness, as giveth right & ground to justification, though that justification be also called, only a subordinat justification, conforme to the New Covenant, & the Condition thereof, he will soon boast, & account his justification not of free grace but of due debt, conforme to the covenant: And though this be called, only a Subordinat Righteousness; yet proud Self will account it the Principal; because upon it dependeth all his justification; for thereby not onelyonly hath he a right unto Christ's Merites, but unto justification it self; this being called the proper condition of the New Covenant, wherein justification, Adoption &c. are promised (as they say) upon this condition. And will not proud Man see, that he hath a price in his hand, & a compl… Righteousness, conforme to the Covenant, to presente unto God where-upon to seek & expect the reward of debt, according to the covenant? And so much the rather should we abstaine from such expressions, in this matter, that we finde no mention made of two fold Righteousness, & of a twofold Justification; the one subordinat, the other Principal, in the Scriptures; but all expressions, in this matter, framed designedly to abase man, & make all appear to be of free grace, that he, who glorieth, may glory in the Lord. And as Self will be ready, in this, to make that, which is called a Subordinat Righteousness, a Prinpal Righteousness; so it will have this faire & plausible ground to do so; to wit, That upon our own Righteousness, we are Immediatly accepted of God, as Righteous; especially when the Merits of Christ are made subservient unto our personal Righteousness, as procuring the New covenant; & that therein our Personal Righteousness shall be accepted, & accounted perfect & compleet, though it be not so in it self, & we thereupon immediatly justified, & accepted of God, as Righteous; as they love to speak, who assert these things.
12. Though faith be indeed the mean of our justification, that is, the onelyonly thing required of us, in order to our Interest in Christ, & actual participation of the benefites of His Redemption, & of justification in the first place, according to the Gospel methode: Yet it is too favourable to proud Self, to call it such a Condition, as hath a far more dangerous Import; That is, (1.) To call it a Condition, & withall deny, that it is an instrumental Cause, or that it is to be considered, in the matter of justification, as it laith hold on Christ, & His Righteousness. (2.) To say, that the very act of faith, or the foreign credere is imputed for Righteousness; & that Paul is to be so understood Rom. 4. as speaking properly, & not metonymically (3.) To say, that this is the Righteousness, which is imputed to us, in order to justification, & not the Righteousness of Christ, except as to its Effects, in respect of some whereof, Yea the chiefe & only immediat, it is equally Imputed to all, Reprobat, as well as Elect. (4.) To say, that this faith is our Gospel-Righteousness, & because a Righteousness, is perfect, & adequate to the Rule of the New Covenant. (5.) To say; that this faith hath the same place & consideration, & consequently, the same force & efficacy, in the New Covenant, that perfect obedience had in the Old Covenant with Adam. (6.) To say, that Christ hath purchased the New Covenant, & that this shall be the condition of persons partaking of the benefites thereo…: & withall (7) To say, that Christ hath died for all, & by his death made Satisfaction to justice for the breach of the Law; & so purchased freedom from the Curse of the Law to all, equally, at least conditionally; whereby it is apparent, that all are put in statu quo prius, in the state, they were once in, & that equally; & now have new conditions proposed unto them, which, if they performe, they are righteous, & upon that performance are freed from the Curse, & made heirs of Glory: and thus the New Covenant is of the same Nature & kinde with the Old, only its Conditions are a little altered, & made more easie; & their Performance of the condition must-have a … with it, at least, ex pacto, though not ex condigno, as neither Adam's Perfect obedience could have had. And the performers of this condition, in this case, may reflect upon their own deed, & lay their weight on it, &, it being their Righteousness, may plead upon it, as their immediat ground of right, before God, unto justification, & Acceptance. Let any man now consider these things, & see whether or not, the asserting of faiths being such a condition, as this, be not a plaine gratification of proud Self, & the laing down a ground for vaine man to boast, & of glorying, though not-before God, yet before others; And whether this be not an ascribing more to faith, than is done by such, as, yeelding it to be a condition, of the mean appointed of God, & required of us, in order to justification, say with all, that it is to be considered not in it self, nor as an act of our obedience; but as an Instrument, or mean laying hold upon the Righteousness of Christ without us, that it may be ours, & our onelyonly Righteousness, where upon we may expert, according to the Gospel justification & absolution, &c.
13. It tendeth too much to blow up proud Self, to say, That if works of Obedience be not the Condition of our first justification, yet they may be called the Condition of our Second justification, or of the Continuance of our justification: for, as the Scripture speaketh nothing of a Second justification; so to assert our works to be the Condition thereof, is to crosse the argueings of the Apostle, & manifestly to lay a foundation of glorying for Man: for if even Abraham had been justified by works, a considerable time, after he was first justified, and first a beleever, he should have had, whereof to glory, though not before God, as saith the Apostle Rom. 4: 2. And vers 3. he proveth that he was justified by faith, & that after he had been a beleever; for that passage, Abraham beleeved God, & it was imputed to him for righteousness, was not spoken of & at his first beleeving; & so cannot be properly meaned of his First justification onelyonly; but some yeers there after: & therefore must be true, of his Second justification, if there were any such; Yea, the just liveth by faith (a passage that the Apostle useth (as wee have seen) to prove justification by faith, both here in our Text, & Rom. 1: 17.) all alongs, both first & last; so that the beginning & continuance of this life of justification is by faith, & not by works.
14. It is also dangerous, to say, That the work of the Law, convining of sin, with the Effects & Consequences thereof, Sorrow, griefe, Anxiety, Legal Repentance, &c. are either Dispositions, Preparations, or Conditions of justification, or Meritorious thereof by way of Congruity; as if there were a certaine & constituted connexion betwixt these & the blessing of justification, made by any Law or promise of God; & as if none could be justified, that had not these sensible & affecting Effects going before. Sure, the asserting of this cannot but contribute much, to stirre up & foster pride in Man, & give occasion to think, that man himself hath done or suffered something, that calleth for, procureth, &, in congruity at least, meriteth justification.