The Life of Justification Opened, Chapter 35

The Life of Justification Opened · Chapter 35

p. 414CHAP. XXXV.

Faith is the only Condition on our part, of the continuance of justification.

HAving spoken of Iustification, as to its beginning, or as to a Beleevers entering into that State of Life: & having spoken to some Questions for further clearing of the truth: We come to speak a word or two of the Continuance of this Privilege & State: That it is a continueing and permanent State, we have seen above. The Question then, that we have to discuss, is, Upon what termes & Conditions is this State continued? or what is it, which the Lord requireth in order thereunto? or whether any thing more be required of us for continueing this Relation than was at first required to the making of it? that is, whether Faith alone, or Faith together with Works of sincere obedience, Mr. Baxter in his Confess, p. 47, n. 40. tels us, that there is much more goeth to the continuing & consummating our Iustification, then doth at first to justifie us as to the condition on our parts, to be performed to that end: This Continueing of our State of Iustification, & Not-losing of it, he maketh one & the same, and that, which he requireth, as necessary unto the Not-losing or Continueing of this State, he maketh to be Sincere obedience, & many particular materials of that obedience, as to be humble, to forgive others, to confess Christ, & suffer for him, if called to it.

That we may know both the State of the difference, & the Consequence thereof, we would premit these things.

1. It is readily & on all hands granted & yeelded unto, that there is an Holiness & Personal Obedience & Conformity to the Law, called for at the hands of all Justified persons, that are come to age: The denial therefore of what Mr. Baxter & others, that joyn with him, do here assert, cannot, with any shew of reason, be loaded with this foule inference, that hereby we cry down, or lay aside all necessity of Holiness, & of sincere obedience: for we still affirme that the Law is in force, & obligeth unto obedience, and that all such as are justified, have received a new frame & disposition of soul, inclineing them to obedience; Yea & that they have now both peculiar p. 415Obligations unto Holiness, and also Advantages & Helps thereunto: They are his wormanship created in Christ Jesus unto Good Works, which God hath before ordained, that they should walk in them Ephes. 2: 10.

2. Mr. Baxter tels us Confess. p. 102. that it is his strong opinion, & that he is confident of it, that no justified person shall ever lose his justification; & that God hath promised to cause them persevere. This State then is not to be compared with other States, which are losable & changeable among men: nor can we with such freedome speak of Conditions of not loseing that, which is fully secured from all loseing; as we may speak of the Conditions of keeping & Not-loseing that, which may be & oft is lost. We can not then speak of the State of Justification, as we do of Marriage betwixt man & woman: here there may be & are indeed Conditions required of each part, in order to the keeping up of the Relation, & they may be called Conditions of not loseing that Relation or Privilege: But as to justification, which is not so loseable, to speak of Conditions of not loseing it, may occasion Apprehensions in the mindes of men of its being losable. It were saifer then, in my apprehension, to enquire how or what way is this State & Relation continued? or what is required on our part, in order thereunto? then to enquire? what are the Conditions of Not-loseing this State?

3. Seing Mr. Baxter granteth Confess. p. 109. that no new sin destroyeth their State of Justification, nor maketh them cease to be God's reconciled Children, seing they are still united unto Christ, and have his Spirit, and have Faith & Repentance, (at least as to the habit) & (pag. 129.) That the habite of Faith & Repentance, which is ever in them, qualifieth them for present Remission of ordinary sins of infirmity, at least: And it is undeniable, that the Lord's Spirit preserveth them from such sins as are inconsistent with a State of Justification, or that make an intercision in that State, & consequently in their Adoption & Union with Christ: seing, I say, all this is granted, to what purpose is such a question as this here moved and stated, anent the Conditions of Not-loseing this state?

4. The terme Condition here is taken in the same sense, that it was understood in, when the question was about the Condition of our first entry into the State of Justification: and so they must take it here for a proper legal antecedent Potestative condition: for if by condition here were meaned no more than a mere Consequent Evangelick Condition: the question only would be. What is the Lord's Way, Methode & Manner, how & by which he preserveth his own, in that State of Justification? But, according to their acceptation of the word condition, the question really cometh to this, What that is, which beleevers betake themselves unto, & which they can, may, & should plead with God upon, for the continuance of their state, that is, of their Reconciliation unto, & Acceptance with God, of the Pardon of their sins, & Right to glory?

5. The question is not, what is the Condition, or what is required on our part for keeping the sense & evidence of our justification in our own▪ Consciences: many things may be useful herein, that yet cannot be called▪ Conditions of the Continuance, or Not-loseing of Iustification: But the p. 416Iustification here spoken of, is that which is before God, whereby the Beleever is indeed brought into a State of Peace & Reconciliation with God, & hath obtained a Right unto the Inheritance of Life.

6. When we speak here of the continuance, or Not-loseing of Iustification, the Iustification spoken of must be that State or Relation, where into the Beleever is already brought: for that only can be said to be continued, while we are living, and that only can be said properly to be losed, or Not-losed, which a man hath: These seeme then to be two distinct questions, What is the Condition of our final Absolution in Iudgment; & what is the Condition of the continuance of our justification here; which Mr. Baxter seemeth to confound Confess. p. 83. as the Papists do confound their second justification with the last judgment, when they are pleading for works, being required as the causes thereof.

7. Though, as we have seen before, Iustification importeth more than Remission of sins; Yet in this question of the Condition of the Continuance of Justification, the matter seemeth to be brought to this issue; whether works of Obedience be the Condition of future Remission of sins, in the justified. And though these may be conceived of, as distinct questions, yet the clearing of the way of the Remission of future sins, may serve much to cleare the present Question; for if it befound, that the same course is taken for Remission of future sins, that was taken at first, it will be manifest, that justification is continued upon the same termes, or in the same manner, that it was at first obtained, if properly we can speak at all of the Conditions of its Continuance.

Having premitted these things, the Question is, Whether faith alone, or works alone, or faith with works, are the condition required on our part, for the Continuance, or not-loseing of the state of justification? And I judge as faith alone was required at first, in order to justification, so that alone is to be called the Condition of the continuance of justification: or that the Condition both of our first installing in that state of justification, & of the Continuance of the Privilege, or of Beleevers continueing in that state, is the same grace of Faith. Yet these two things would be noted. 1. That though the first act of Faith in Christ, doth suffice to the entering of a soul into the state of justification; Yet we do not meane, that that one first, solitarie, & numerical act sufficeth for all time coming, albeit it sufficeth for making up of the Relation, according to the appointment of God; for the same Faith is to continue in its habite; Yea & in its actings. So that we state not the Question so strickly, as Mr. Baxter seemeth to do, Confess. p. 47. when from the Continuance of the habite of Faith, & from the renewing acts of that Faith, required after the first act of Faith, he inferreth, that much more goeth to the continueing of our justification, than doth at first justifie us. But our question is about the addition of sincere Obedience which he there mentioneth. 2. When we suppose the Continuance of Faith, not only as to its habite, but as to its renewed actings; we do not suppose, that the actings & Effects, or Concomitans of Faith afterward, are every way the same, with what they were at first; so that we may also yeeld to this p. 417difference, & grant that some thing more may be requisite afterward, Particularly, in order to the Remission of some hainous sin, in the acting of Faith, or in the Effects or Concomitants thereof, at least as to measure, or outward significations, to wit, in Godly sorrow, Humiliation, Forgiving of others, Restitution, or the like; & yet it will still remaine true, that justification is continued by Faith, & not by Works.

For the proof of what we conceive to be truth, we lay down these grounds, both from Scripture & Reason; as

1. The words of the Text, whereupon we are, do evince this: for it is said, the just liveth by Faith: And, as was cleared at the beginning of our discourse, the words, as used by the Prophet Habbakuk, from whom they are cited, are spoken of such, as were already Beleevers & Justified; and pointed out the way, how they were to have a life, in an evil time; and how they were to continue, or be keeped in that State of Favoure with God, whereinto they were brought; to wit by Faith; for the just shall live by his Faith; and accordingly the same words are cited by the Apostle Heb. 10: 38, 39. Now the just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them, that draw back, unto perdition, but of them that beleeve to the saving of the soul. Where living by Faith is opposed to drawing back, to wit, through unbeleefe; and as drawing back is unto perdition, so beleeving is to the saving of the soul; & therefore the Continuation of this life of justification unto the end, even unto the final Salvation of the soul, is by Faith. This life of justification, as it is begun by Faith (as the Apostle evinceth Rom. 1: 17. and in our present Text citing in both places these same words, for that end) so it is continued by Faith, as the only condition thereof. And to say, that the particle only is not here added; & therefore, other Works of Obedience must be, or may be adjoyned here, in this matter, notwithstanding it be said, the just liveth by Faith, were in effect to destroy the Apostles Argument, in our Text, where he useth this same expression, without the addition of only, to prove, that we are not justified by the works of the Law. Therefore, as this assertion, that the just liveth by faith, proveth justification by faith without the works of the Law; so the same proveth the Continuation of Justification, without the works of the Law, as the Condition thereof.

2. The Grounds & Causes of Justification, mentioned by the Apostle Rom. 3: 22, 24, 25, 26. hold good als well in the Continuation, as in the first beginning of justification; for there, as well as here, the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested, even the Righteousness of God, which is by Faith of Jesus Christ, unto all, and upon all them, that beleeve; for there is no difference. Justification first & lastly is free by his grace, through the Redemption, that is in Iesus Christ, whom God hath set fort to be a Propitiation, through faith in his blood. And there is not the least hint given, that the matter is altered, in the Continuation of justification.

3. As the beginning of justification is so contrived, as all boasting is taken away, so must the Continnance thereof be conceived to be? But if p. 418works be admitted, as Conditions of the Continuance of Instification, though they be denied to be the Condition of the Beginning thereof, all boasting shall not be excluded, contrary to Rom. 3: 27. for if a sinner, after that he is Iustified by the merite of Christ, at first, should have it to say, that for the Continuance of his justification, he were beholden to his own Works, he should surely have matter of boasting in himself, in so far at least. Papists think to evite this Argument against their Second Iustification by works, by saving that all these good works are not of themselves, but of the Father of Lights. But this shift will not help, for all these works are not the Righteousness of Christ, but are works of Righteousness, which we do, & are excluded in this matter, as occasioning boasting, or giving ground thereunto; as the next Argument will more fully cleare.

4. Abraham is said to have Righteousness imputed unto him, & Faith imputed unto Righteousness, and so to be justified by faith, not only when he was first justified, but many yeers after, even when he offered up Isaac his son. Rom. 4. & Iam. 2: 21, 23. So was he justified first & last, as, to have no ground of glorying, and therefore not by works. Rom. 4: 1, 3, 4. But it will be said, that the Apostle Iames saith expresly, in the place cited, that our father Abraham was justified by works, when he had offered his Son Isaac on the Altar. I Ans. Not to engage in the whole explication & vindication of that Passage of Scripture here, which is of late to good purpose, & most satisfyingly done by the learned Doctor Owen; I only say, that Abraham's being justified by works, was such, as thereby the Scripture was fulfilled; which saith, Abraham beleeved God, and it was imputed unto him for Righteousness &c. vers. 23. Now if Abraham had been justified by works, properly so taken, the Scripture had not been fulfilled, which said, he was justified by Faith, but the contrary had been made good, to wit, that works were imputed to him, & he was justified by them, as by his Righteousness. But the meaning is, that Abraham was justified by faith, a true faith, that proved itself such, in time of a trial, by works of obedience, & particularly by obedience to that command, whereby the Lord tried or tempted him Gen. 22: 1, 2. and by such a Faith as wrought with his works, & was perfected, or discovered & manifested to be real, after the trial of the fire. Iam. 2: 22. It is a good direction that the learned Camero giveth here Op. fol. pag. 83. That we should hóld fast the scope of the Apostle Iames, & to this end, that we should take notice of the Apostles Proposition, and of the Conclusion thereof. The Proposition is set down vers. 14. What doth it profite, my brethren, though a man say he, hath faith, & have not works, can faith, (or that faith) save him. Whereby we see, that the Apostles scope is to prove, that that Faith, which the man supposeth he hath, who hath no works, is not that Faith, by which we are Justified & saved; & that because it is unprofitable to poor indigent brethren, in necessity vers. 15. 16. is dead vers. 17. 20, it can not be shown by works vers. 18. it is a Faith that devils have vers. 19. All which & what followeth is cleared from the Conclusion vers. 26. for as the body without the Spirit is dead, so faith with works is dead also.

p. 4195. It will alwayes hold true, that God is he who justifieth the ungodly & so justifieth him, that worketh not, but him to whom saith is counted for Righteousness. Rom. 4: 5. But if the Continuance of Justification were by works; & works were counted for Righteoulness, in order to the continuance of justification; God should not continue to be the justifier of the ungodly: but should justifie the ungodly at first, & thereafter justifie the Godly; whereof the Text giveth not the least hint.

6. The Instance of David cleareth this also Rom. 4: 6, 7, 8. for David is there Psal. 32. speaking of himself, long after he was first justified, and yet his words saying, blessed are they, whose iniquities are forgiven &c. prove Justification by faith, without the works of the Law (which is the Apostles scope, & the end, for which he adduceth this prove; and we must not think, that any of his probations are impertinent) but this they could not prove, if the …ontinuance of justification were by works, & not by Faith only; as is manifest; for who can inferre, that the beginning of Justification is by Faith alone, from this, that the continuance of justification is by works? but when the Continuance of Justification is by Faith alone, it followeth manifestly, that the beginning of it must be by faith alone. Yea, it is hence also manifest, that Pardon of sins committed after Justification, is not had by works, but by the imputation of Righteousness, without works, for saith Paul, David describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth Righteousness, without works: And how did David describe this? When he said, blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven &c.

6. Paul tels us Rom. 5: 2. that as by Christ, we have access by Faith into grace, so in the same we stand, & rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Access into this grace must import the State of Justification, & as this is by Faith, so is the standing & abiding therein; and consequently, the continuance of Justification: and there is no word of works here at all, in this whole affaire.

7. Paul likewise confirmeth this, in his own Experience Gal. 2: 20. where he tels us, how, and what way he lived unto God, being dead to the Law, to wit by the Faith of the Son of God: and as this was true of the life of Sanctification: so much more of the life of justification, both as begun & as continued; for the whole life of a Christian, now crucified with Christ, & living unto God, is here spoke to: And this is in opposition to the works of the Law, as is cleare from vers, 16. & from the following vers. 21.

8. The same is confirmed by the doctrine of the Apostle Ephes. 2: 8, 9, 10. for by grace are ye saved, through faith - not of works lest any man should boast: for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Iesus, unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them. This Salvation takethin both the Beginning, Continuance & End of our life, of Justification; & all this is by Faith alone, & expresly it is said, not to be by works, and that, lest any man should boast (which confirmeth our third argument) & these works are works of Gospel-obedience, and he tels us of another end & use of these, than to be the Condition of the Continuance of our Justification, even to be the way we should walk in, according to the fore-ordination p. 420of God, and carry as his workmanshipe, created thereunto.

9. We have the Apostles own practice againe set before us, to cleare this matter Phil. 3: 9. where he tels us, what was his maine designe & work, not at first only, when he was Justified; but long thereafter, to shew what was his constant designe, & should be to the end; even labour to be found in Christ, renuncing his own Righteousness, and to seek to be hid under & covered with that Righteousness, which is through the faith of Christ, & which is of God by Faith: So that, as he beleeved in Jesus Christ, that he might be justified by the Faith of Christ, and not by the works of the Law. Gal. 2: 16. So here he sheweth, that he will continue in this exercise to the end.

10. We may adde to these, that passage of Paul. Tit. 3: 5, 6, 7. Not by works of Righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us (and this Salvation, sure, will take-in the Continuation of justification) by the washing of regeneration, & renewing of the holy Ghest; which he shed on us abundantly, through Iesus Christ, our Lord: that being Iustified by his grace, we should be made heirs, according to the hope of eternal life. And when he willeth Titus in the following verse, to affirme, that they which have beleeved in God, may be careful to maintaine good works, as being good & profitable unto men; he addeth nothing of their being the Condition of the Continuance of our justification, as sure, he had a faire occasion to do, if the matter were so: but he had fully excluded them from all interest therein vers. 5.

We may adde to these a few Reasons.

1. Is it not considerable, in this point, that Paul speaking so frequently & disputing at such a length of justification & clearing so many things about it; Yet, in all his discourses thereupon, he never mentioneth this Condition (to wit works of obedience) of its continuance. And, which is also considerable, though he oftentimes press to holiness, & useth many Arguments to that end; Yet he never maketh mention of this place & office it hath, in & about the Continuance of justification; which sure, is supposed by the Assertors, to be a mighty argument unto the constant exercise of Holiness.

2. We have proved above, that justification at first is by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ, received by faith; and we have shown, that Faith in Justification specially eyeth the Righteousness of Christ, & resteth thereupon. If then our personal Obedience be brought in to be the Condition of the Continuance of Justification, Christ's Righteousness is quite laid aside from having any Further interest therein, and the Beleever is never, after the first time, to act faith upon the Righteousness of Christ; and the reason is, because works do not act so upon the Righteousness of Christ, as Faith doth; neither have they that capacity to do so. But how absurd is it to think or say, that the Beleever hath no more to do with Christ's Righteousness? And how contrary is it to the fixed resolution of Paul Phil. 3: 9. And how inconsistent with the whole scope of the Gospel, which is the power of God unto Salvation to every one that beleeveth, and wherein is the p. 421Righteousness of God revealad from faith to faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith Rom. 1: 16, 17? If it be said, That this cannot militate against such, as take-in Faith with works. I Ans. It will militate against such; for works cannot act upon the Righteousness of Christ, as faith doth; & therefore if faith & works concurre as conditions, in one & the same manner, Faith is not here considered, as acting on the Righteousness of Christ, but only as a work, & another moral vertue: and so the Righteousness of Christ is quite excluded.

3. Beleevers by Faith in Christ, are compleatly justified, as to their state & have all their bygone iniquities pardoned, and they are accepted as children in his Favour Ioh. 1: 12, they are made heirs of God & joynt heirs with Christ Rom. 8: 17, and are discharged (as Mr. Baxter granteth himself Confess. p. 102. Concl. 9.) from all guilt of Eternal Punishment, yea & of all destructive Punishment in this life. Yea they are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the Law Act. 13: 39. They are blessed Rom. 4, 5, 6. And all this is so fixed, that none can lay any thing to their charge Rom. 8: 33, 34. Yea they are said to have Everlasting Life, Ioh. 5: 24. Now, seing all this is by Faith: what necessitie is there for another Condition, beside this same Faith, keeping fast by Christ, unto the Continuance of this State? If it be said, that notwithstanding hereof, they are liable to future sins, and these must also be forgiven; and in reference to the Pardon of these, other Conditions may be required, & in that respect, these may be called Conditions of the Continuance of Justification.

4. The answere to this will furnish us with another Argument; for answere therefore I say. That works are not the Condition of Pardon of after sins, but faith going to Christ, and washing in his bloud 1. Ioh. 2: 1, 2. If any man sin, we have an advocat with the Father, Iesus Christ the Righteous, & he is the propitiation for our sins. Christ is here proposed to sinning beleevers, in his Priestly office, as the object of their Faith, in order to Pardon: And Mr.Baxter, in the forecited place Concl. 11 saith, that when ever the Iustified do commit any sin, they have a present & effectual certaine remedie at hand for their pardon, that is, the merit of Christ's blood, & his Intercession, the Love of God, the Promise of Pardon, in which they have interest, & the Spirit to excite them to Faith & Repentance. No word of works of obedience, as Condition here. David in order to the obtaining of the pardon of his sin, did betake himself to the free mercy of God, that he might get his sin covered, his iniquities forgiven, and his sin not imputed unto him; Psal. 32: 1, 2. and this was, in Paul's judgment Rom. 4: 6, 7, 8. a betaking himself to imputed Righteousness without works. So he betook himself to mercy, and withall he desired to be purged with hysope, Psal. 51: 1, 7. which looked to the blood of Christ, that only sprinkleth consciences. Heb. 9: 13, 14, 22.

5. If Justification be continued upon Condition of works, we enquire what these works are? Are herein comprehended all commanded duties? or all that is required of justified persons by way of duty? then a faloure in any of these, whether by Omission, or Commission, should cause an intercision p. 422of that State, and a breach of that Relation: But this is utterly false; Yea, if so, the justified should become Unjustified every day, for no man liveth & sinneth not. The reason of the Consequence is, because the nonperformance of the Condition, upon which the State & Relation of the justified is continued, must make a breach in that State. If it be said, That not every sin, but only such sins as are inconsistent with the State of Justification, will make an Intercision. Then it must consequently be said, that upon these alone, or on the non-performance of these alone doth the Continuance of Justification depend, as on a Condition. And what be these? David's sin, I hope, nor Peters sin, were none of these. And whatever they be, I suppose it will be granted, (except by Arminians) that there is sufficient provision against these laid-in in the New Covenant of Grace; and that such, as are justified indeed, shal never fall into such sins. And then, what need it be said, that the State of Justification is continued upon such termes?

6. By this way, Proud Nature should have occasion to boast, and say. It was of God's Grace & Mercy, that I was brought into a justified State, & had all my former sins pardoned; but for my abiding & continueing therein; and for the pardon of all my sins, that I have committed, or do commit since, I am beholden to my own Gospel-obedience immediatly; for Remission is granted, and my Justification continued, upon Condition of my personal & Gospel-obedience. But how inconsistent this is with the whole straine of the Gospel, cannot be unknown. We no where read, that our sinnes are pardoned, or not imputed to us, in or by our Evangelick Obedience; but as we are justified freely by grace, through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Rom. 3: 24. so it is in & through Him, & his bloud, that we are washen, & our sinnes purged away Mat. 26: 28. Revel. 1: 5. Ephes. 1: 7. Col. 1: 14.

7. The dayly experience of the people of God, may cleare to us, what that is, upon which their State is continued; and upon which they seek & obtaine new Remission of their new Transgressions, and shew us, that it is not their own personal Obedience; but the Grace & Mercy of God, in Jesus Christ: for it is to this they betake themselves daily, both in reference to their being keeped in the favour of God, & in reference to their getting new extracts of Pardon; It is to the blood of sprinkling they goe dayly, that there they may be washen, & cleansed from all their sins & sailings. It is to this fountaine opened to the house of David & to the Inhabitans of Ierusalem, that they run with their sins & uncleannesses. Zach. 13: 1. For it is his bloud alone, that cleanseth from all sin. 1. Ioh. 1: 7. And so they finde by experience, that they stand only by Faith, and that it is through Faith in this bloud, that they are keept in the favoure of God, & get their sins pardoned.

These proofs may serve for confirmation of what we say; Let us now see what Mr. Baxter saith for the contrary.

In his Confess. p.47. he adduceth three Arguments. The first is this. The word expresly constituteth these Conditions of our not-loseing our State of p. 423Justification, or of Continueing it. And this he tels us, he hath formerly shewed in many Scriptures, meaning, I suppose, the passages he had immediatly before cited on the margine. But to these I Answere in general. That not one of them maketh mention of the continuance of our justification, or of our not loseing of it: And therefore it cannot be said from these, that the word expresly constituteth these Conditions of our not-losing Justification. But we shall consider them particularly.

Mat. 12: 36, 37. speaketh not of justification, whereof we are now treating, but of the last judgment, and we see no cause of confounding this Justification, whereof we speak, or its Continuance, with the last Judgment, as Papists do confound their second justification with this judgment; and abuse the same Scriptures here adduced by Mr. Baxter & the like, to prove their second justification to be by works.

Jam. 2: 24. speaketh not of the Continuance or not losing of justification; but of the very beginning of justification, which is not by a dead faith or by a faith, that cannot produce works of Obedience, or by such a faith, as devils have; but by a faith that is working, & making the soul prompt & ready to yeeld all Obedience unto the Lord: and this is the true meaning of the words, as was showne above, and the whole scope of the place evidenceth. Will Mr. Baxter say, that by a dead Faith, and by a Faith that cannot save, and by a Faith that is in devils & is attended with no Christian Love, we are brought into a justified state at first? No sure: and yet this is the faith, that Iames opposeth unto works, or rather unto a working faith, whereby we are justified first & last, as was Abraham vers. 21. whose faith was such, as it wrought with his works, and by the same was manifest to be what it was, the true & saving faith of God's Elect. And sure, this Faith of Abraham, and the faith that wrought in Rahab, was another sort of Faith, than is the Faith of devils, or that Faith, that is but a dead carcase.

Mat. 6: 14, 15. speaketh of Remission of sins: And I suppose, it will not be said, that every one, who forgiveth his neighbour, doth thereby and thereupon obtaine Remission of his own sins, at the hands of God; otherwayes Heathens, & wicked persons may be said to have their sins Pardoned before God, because they may forgive others, some wrongs done unto themselves. If it besaid, that such cannot forgive others a right, not having a principle of grace, and not being in Christ. True, but then we see, that it is not this forgiving abstractly considered, that is spoken of here, but a Forgiving, flowing from faith & principled thereby; and so the meaning of the place is, That without such a Faith in Christ, as principleth & prompteth to Pardoning of others, we can expect no pardon of our own sins from God; not have ground to suppose that we are indeed pardoned of God: our forgiving of others then is here mentioned as the native Effect, & evident Signe of Faith; as our Commentators manifest upon the place, speaking against the Papists. See Pareus, Gualter & others. Pareus particularly disproveth the Papist's gloss; & sayeth, that our pardoning of others must follow upon God's pardoning of us, as he cleareth from Mat. 18. and will not have p. 424our forgiving of others said to be the causa sine qua non of our obtaining Remission from God. This place then saith, That while we cannot finde in our heart, a readiness cheerfully & heartily to forgive others, we have no ground to imagine, that our sinnes are pardoned; for all such as are pardoned of God, have this Christian disposition flowing from faith in Christ: They may have this, as to the seed & root; but till it grow up to yeeld this fruite, they want the evidence of their faith & consequently of pardon.

1. Ioh. 1: 9. meaneth such a Confession of sins, as is accompanied with the making use by faith of the bloud of Christ, that cleanseth from all sin vers. 7. and with a running to the Advocat with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous, who is a Propitiation for sins Chap. 2: 1, 2. Most wicked persons, as Saul may make confession of their sins; but not so as to run to the fountaine, the blood of sprinkling: And by a Confession, that is not accompanied with this acting, they can attaine to no Remission before God: And therefore faith only acting in humble Confession to the glory of God, & to the taking of shame to themselves, is the condition of Pardon, & of Continuance of Justification, as to this.

Revel. 22: 14. is also abused by the Papists. to prove their second justification to be by works. The word foreign, hereused, doth not alwayes denote right, or jus: for it sometimes signifieth meer freedome, liberty & power to do such or such a thing, as 1. Cor. 9: 4, 5, 6. And so here the words import that such as do his commandements, are blessed; for thereby they have free access unto the tree of life, unto Christ, their objective blessedness, which is the same with that, which is commonly said, viz. that Works of Obedience are the way of the Kingdom, but not the cause of reigning. It will not suite with the Gospel, to say, that by our works of obedience we buy a right to the tree of life, even in part, or in subordination to Christ's blood; for Christ hath purchased the whole Right: & nothing of ours must be joined, as a part of that price, otherwise must we have a proportionable share of the glory to ourselves. Nor can it be said, that by our works of Obedience we obtaine a Right to Christ & to his Merites; for before we have a Right to Christ, we can do no works of Christian Obedience, and Christ alone hath bought to us both Grace, & Glory: But our works of Christian Obedience, though they cannot precede our Right to, yet they may go before our Possession of the Inheritance purchased; now Right & Possession are different things. But in fine we say, that this place, speaking of the possession of glory, is not apposite to the purpose now in hand, for Justification is different from Glorification. Rom. 8: 30. And of justification, as continued are we here speaking.

Ioh. 15: 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10. Verse. 3. & 9. can prove nothing, in reference to what we are upon. Vers. 4. sheweth that there is no fruitfulness in Grace, but by a constant abiding in, & sucking of sap by faith from Christ the true Vine, which none denieth. Verse 8. sheweth that by fruitfulness in good, the Father is Glorified, & thereby a demonstration is given to the world, who are indeed the true disciples of Christ, vers. 6. holdeth forth the dreadful punishment that attendeth Apostates; but we hope, true beleevers are secured p. 425against full & final Apostasie. Vers. 10. proveth indeed, that keeping of Christ's commands, is a mean to keep the sense of our being beloved of Christ fresh in our souls, & to enjoy the fruites of his Love of Beneficence: but saith nothing of good works being the Condition of our Continuance in the state of justification: unless we will also say, that Christ's obedience was the Condition of his Continueing in the State of Justification.

1. Ioh. 2: 24. &c. proveth, that full & final Apostasie from the faith & truth of the Gospel will indeed cutt off from all Interest in Christ, & from benefite by him; But as true beleevers are secured from this, as vers. 27. cleareth. So this will only prove, that continuance in Faith, is the Condition of continuance of Justification.

Mat. 18: 35. Only proveth (and so confirmeth what was said to Mat. 6: 14.) that such as do not from their hearts forgive their brethren their trespasses, can have no ground of Assurance, that God hath forgiven them theirs. ... our Cruelty & Unmercifulness towards our Brethren, may give us sufficient ground to doubt of our Pardon, whatever seeming assurance we had formerly. So that this place speaketh nothing of the Condition of our pardon, but of the condition rather of our Sense, Feeling & grounded Assurance of Pardon; which is a far different thing.

These are the Scriptures, whereby he would prove his first argument. His 2. Arg. is this. Our first faith having the nue nature of a Covenanting with Christ, & giving ourselves to him, & taking him for our Lord & Redeemer: therefore it followes, that as the Covenant making & accepting was of necessity, as the condition of our first right & remission; so is our Covenant keeping of the same necessity to our continued right. And that God is, as it were, disobliged, if we should not keep Covenant. And the keeping hath more in it, than the bare making. No Covenant-relations usually are entered among men, but the Covenant keeping is more than the making; and the conditions of their continued right more then of their first right. So it is with a Subject to his Prince, wife to a husband, Souldier to a commander, Scholer to his Teacher. Servant to his Master &c. Promising will give them the first right, but performing (in the essentials) must continue it, it or will cease: for the end of the promise was its performance: And in that respect faith, which is the Covenant, is inferiour to obedience, which is promised, though in other respect it may be superiour.

Ans. (1) Though Justifying Faith be also a Covenanting faith, and of uniteth he soul with Christ; Yet in order to Justification, it hath not (to use his words) the true Nature of a Covenanting with Christ, nor a giving up ourselves to Him: but rather it is a receiving & resting on Him, and his Righteousness, and a fleeing to his Merites for refuge. (2) Nor doth faith, in order to Justification, (as we cleared above) receive Christ, or goe to him, as Lord & King, but rather as Priest. (3) Nor doth the receiving of Christ at first, as King, formally include Obedience, or a promise of obedience; as was also manifested above. (4) Therefore, from this first acting of faith in order to justification, it can no way follow, that Obedience, or Covenant keeping (as he speaketh) is the condition of our continued Right, or of our continued justification. (5) What God p. 426hath promised upon Covenant-keeping, he is, it is true, disobliged from giving to speak so, when the Covenant is not keeped: But we find not, that he hath promised Justification, or the continuance thereof upon these termes. (6) There is no Covenants among men, that can fully quadrate, either with God's Covenanting with us, or with the matter of Justification, about which we are now speaking. The sentences of judges absolving the debitor, upon the payment of the Cautioner instructed, agreeth more with this; and we finde not in such sentences, any such-like Conditions, mentioned of their Continuance in force. (7) Some of these Relations or Covenants mentioned are purely aliene, being betwixt a Master & his servant, and the Captain and the Souldier; these are meer mercenary contracts, having Obedience & service for their only end, & promiseing a reward upon that Condition. Our justification hath no likeness to this. (8) Even in these Relations, every act of disobedience, or non-performance of the duties required, doth not dissolve the Relation; and therefore it cannot be said, that upon the contrare performance, as a condition, the continueing of the Relation dependeth, Mr. Baxter seeing this, addeth a restriction, (in the essentials.) And in our case, I would require, what he will account Essential? It must be that, sure, the contrary whereof is inconsistent with a Justified state: and what can this be, but a total Apostasie? From which there is full securitie laid-in, in the New Covenant, (which is not in any of the Covenants among men, which he hath mentioned.) And this total Apostasie must include a full renuncing of Christ, & his Righteousness, as to Justification: And this rather would say, that the continuance of Justification dependeth on the continuance of Faith, adhereing to Christ & his Righteousness: & to this I shall willingly assent. And this taketh away the force of the 3. Arg. which he adduceth, saying.

3. Arg. If there were no more necessary to the continueing of our Iustification, but only the same thing, which did constitute it, then we should be justified by no none act of faith, to our lives end, but only the first instantaneous act; & so our faith, after that instant, should never more be justifying faith. But that's false, &c. Ans. This whole argument, I yeeld unto; for I plead not against the interest of faith here; but against our works being the condition of continued Justification; as was said above.