The Life of Justification Opened, Appendix · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
No countenance given to Justification by Works, from Jam. 2: 14. &c.
BEcause all, who ascribe our justification in one sense or other (all are not agreed in one & the same sense) unto our works, seek countenance unto the same from these words of James Chapt. 2: 14, & forward: notwithstanding that what was said concerning this passage, in the fore going Chapter, might be sufficient, to discover the groundlesness of any such pretence, where it was showen, that the whole face of this place looked towards another airth, and had not the least aspect unto any such conclusion; Yet for a fuller Vindication of this place from this too ordinarie abuse & perversion, we shall examine every part thereof, & see, what ground there is; for any to alleige the same, for confirmation of their particular opinions.
The Papists generally say, that this place speaketh of the Second Justification: But their opinion of a first & second justification is vaine, having no ground in the word, and the whole of their fabrick is sufficiently demolished by the Reformed, writting against them; so that we need not insist thereupon. Others there are, who suppose that James is here shewing, how justification is continued, & therefore say, though faith alone be the Condition of Justification, as begun; Yet unto the continuance thereof works are required, as the Condition. But all that speak thus, & think that Iames pointeth forth the Condition of Justification as continued, must say, that those persons, who had this faith, whereof James speaketh, were really justified, & that James doth presuppose them to be justified, & speaketh to them & of them, as such▪ But then it must be granted, that the Popish faith, consisting in a meer assent unto the truth revealed, is justifying faith; and that that faith, which is no more true & saving faith, than that is true & Christian Charity, which saith to a brother or sister, that is naked & destitute of daily food, depart in peace, and giveth not those things, which are needful to the body, is sufficient to bring one into a justified state; and that a dead faith, & a faith of the same nature & kinde, with the faith of devils & a faith, which a vaine man, puft up with a vaine conceite & a fleshly mind may have, & a faith, that cannot & will not worke with works, is a justifying faith: which if true, it would follow, that all men, who beleeve that God is, & Devils also, who beleeve this, should be justified. But none, who understand the Gospel can think or speak thus. And therefore this place carrieth no shew of proof, that works are the Condition of Justification▪ as continued.
Nor can this place give any countenance to such, as say that Faith & Works together are the Condition of Justification, making no difference betwixt justification, as begun, & as continued. For (1) James'… scope (as we manifested above) is not to cleare up & explaine the way, how justification is brought about, or to shew, what are the Causes, or Conditions thereof: but to discover the vanity of that ground, whereupon some professours, who indulged their Lusts, deceived themselves & supposed that they were in a state of justification, & salvation, notwithstanding they neglected all duties of holiness. (2) James opposeth a faith here unto works, a faith, which he called unprofitable, dead &c. & doth not ascribe justification hereunto, as to a Condition, in whole, or in part: But such, as speak thus, include faith & works, as making up one full & compleat Condition. (3) The Instances, which James here adduceth, should not then serve his designe, if his purpose was to prove faith & works to be the Condition of Justification; for Abraham was long justified before that particular act of obedience in offering up his son Isaac, was called for: And so was Rab… justified before she sent away the spies. (4) This work, by which Abraham is said to have been justified, was a work, that seemed contrary unto the Moral Law: And therefore if this be urged, as a ground of justification by works, it will rather prove justification by other works, then by works commanded in the Moral Law of God. (5) The works, mentioned in both the Instances, are outward external works, obvious to the eyes & eares of others: And hence it may as well be proved, that only external works, are required unto justification, and no other. And indeed, if it had been Iames's designe to prove justification by works, he had named other works, then meerly external, that he might have prevented a mistake.
But more fully to discover the vanity of this supposition, let us see, what can be alleiged from the several parts of this passage, for justification by works, from vers. 14. it is said. Faith alone cannot save, but is unprofitable; but yet faith & works is profitable & will save. Ans. This maketh nothing for justification by works; because it is denied, that whatever is requisite before Salvation, is requisite also before justification, for if so, no man could be said to be justified, as long as he lived. But next, the faith, whereof Iames here speaketh, availeth not to Salvation, because it is not of the right kinde, & we say also, that this faith availeth not to justification, because it is but meer empty profession, deceiving & puffing up & it is but a faith, that a man saith he hath.
From vers. 15, 16, 17. It is said As charitable wishes, joined with real acts of Love & Alms deeds is, profitable & no other charitable wishes; so Faith with works, is available to justification, but not without them. Ans. These charitable wishes, not accompanied with Alms deeds, as they are not profitable unto the indigent brother & sister, so they are far from that Christian charity, that is called for in the Gospel: & as that charity is not true, Christian & saving charity; so neither is the Faith, which he proveth to be dead, true, saving or justifying Faith. Nor doth the Apostle say, that faith with works is available unto justification; but that that faith, which hath not works, is dead, & not available to prove & evidence, that the man that hath it, is in a saife & in a justified state.
But the maine ground of this apprehension is vers. 21, 22, 23, &c. for it is objected that it is expresly said, that Abraham was justified by works. Ans. That it is so said, we grant; but the difference is about the sense & meaning, in which it is said so. We have shown, that the meaning is. That by works Abraham was declared, proved & manifested to be a justified person, and one that had a true & lively faith; for it is added, that hereby the Scripture was fulfilled declaring him to have been justified by faith, or that he beleeved God, & it was accounted to him for Righteousness. And this is it, which others have called justification before men, in opposition to justification before God, that is, a justification declared & manifested to the mans own conscience & to others, & not the justification before God in its causes. And this Mr. Baxter seemeth to have mistaken in his Aphorismes, when he argued against this justification before men, as if it had been meerly a justification from Mens Accusation, & not the true justification before God, as evidenced & proved to men: And when we speak of justification in this sense, we do not make the world lawful judges of our Righteousness before God, or in reference to the Law of God, or say, that they are competent, or capable judges: But we only say, that by works of obedience Faith & Justification by Faith is evidenced. And where as he saith. That works are no certaine medium, or evidence, whereby the world can know us to be Righteous: for there is no outward work, which an hypocrite may not performe, & inward works they cannot discerne: nor yet the principles from which, nor the ends to which our works proceed & are intended. There is as much need of a divine heart-searching knowledge, to discerne the sincerity of works, as of faith it self. He may see, that all this will make as much against Christ's saying Mat. 5: 16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, & glorifie your Father, which is in heaven. And that Ioh. 13: 35. By this shall all men know, that ye are my disciples: if ye love one another: and that 1. Pet. 2: 12. Having your Conversation honest among the Gentiles— they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorifie God, in the day of Visitation. Nor is it to the purpose to say, that he was the justifier, who was the imputer of Righteousness, that is, God; for works of obedience may declare, that God hath imputed Righteousness unto the person, & hath justified him; and this is all; we say that Abraham was in this sense justified by his works, that he was declared to be justified indeed before God, by his works.
Some were pleased to express their sense of Iames's words thus, That Iames speaks of works as justifying our faith, & not as justifying our persons, meaning only, that the Apostle did not consider works here, as the Cause, or Condition of the persons being justified before God, but as the effect & evidence proving the mans faith to be sound & saving, and consequently the man thereby to have been justified: which sense is the same with what we have given: but Mr. Baxter, saith, it is as plaine, as can be, that it is the person & not his Faith, which is here said to be justified. Ans. The person, it is true, is said here to be justified, but not causatively, but declaratively, that is, It is not said, that by works his justification is effectuated, but that it is declared, & that because it is hereby declared, that the man is a true beleever, & thus his faith is manifested to be of the right kind, which is all that was intended by that expression.
Yet Mr. Baxter will not say, that works do effectually produce our justification (for Faith doth not so.) But yet he will have both to justifie, as Conditions, or as parts of one Condition: Only he addeth, that they do not justifio, as equal parts of the Condition; for Faith is the principal; but as the secondary less principal part of the Condition. Ans. Yet, Iames hinteth at no such thing, but giveth the preference to works: Yea excludeth the faith, whereof he speaketh; altogether from having any interest in justification, as being nothing but a dead, carcass, a vaine, fruitless & unprofitable thing, & so hath no kind of causality or procurement in justification. But he addeth as a reason. 1. That when it is said we are justified by works, the word by implieth more than an idle concomitanoy. Ans. I shall easily grant this, but withall say, that this will not give unto works any causality in justification; but only evince works to be an evidence of justification, as the cause is said to be manifested by the effect.
He addeth 2. When the Apostle saith. By works & not by faith only, he plainly makes them concomitant in procurement, or in that kind of causality, which they have. Especially seing he saith not, as he is commonly interpreted, not by faith, which is alone; but by faith only foreign Ans. Then hath fruitless dead faith, which devils may have, a kind of causality in justification; which is expresly contrary to the scope & all the reasonings of the Apostle: And therefore the common interpretation must be admitted; But he addeth. 3. Therefore he saith, that faith is dead being alone, beca…se it is dead, as to the use & purpose of justifying;—This appears from his comparison in the former vers. 16. that this is the death he speaks of; & so works make faith alive, as to the attainment of its end of justification. Ans. If it be thus, how could he then say before, that faith was the principal part of the Condition? can that be the principal part of the Condition, which is dead & useless without the other, & must be quickened, in order to its usefulness by the other: I would think, that other looked rather like the principal part, and most considerable & necessary, seing this were but a dead Cypher without it. But the truth is, the Apostle, as is said, hath a far other designe, & sheweth, that that faith, which they pretended unto, as sufficient to ground their concl…sion of their justification, & hope of Salvation, was no true saving faith at all, but a dead thing & so no works could make it of any use as to justification; because it behoved first to flow from another principle, even from a principle of saving grace; and then it would evidence & prove itself to be of the right kind, by good works, that would flow from it.
But saith he. When the Apostle saith, that faith did work in & with his works, it clearly aimeth at such a working in & with, as maketh them conjunct in the work of justifying. Ans. No such matter; for the Apostle is only there shewing (as the whole context cleareth) that Abraham's faith was another sort of faith, than that, whereupon they relyed; even a faith that did prompt to the most difficulte duties, when the call of God came, & so did work in & with his performances; but not in order to justification, for he was justified already, many yeers before this.
He addeth. And when he saith, that Faith was made perfect with works, it is not only a manifesting to be perfect, But as the habite is perfected in its acts, because they are the end to which it tendeth: & as marriage is perfected per congressum & procreationem; or any Covenant, when its Conditions are performed. Ans. The whole of the context sheweth, that faith was perfected purely, as to its manifestation, as by the like expression is clear 2. Cor. 12: 9. Col. 4: 12. Mat. 5: 48. Nay, though It were granted, that faith were perfected by works as the end to which it tendeth, that would say nothing for the interest of faith in justification, but in Salvation; let is be granted, that justification is perfected by faith without works, as marriage is by consent, without what he addeth, & we have what we desire. That works are a Condition of entering into Covenant, or of the Covenant, in order to justification, as required before justification, is still denied. He saith further elsewhere, against Mr. Cartwright p. 212. That by works faith was made perfect, as is hath naturam medii viz. conditionis to the continuation & consummation of justification. Ans. That the continuation of justification hath other media or Conditions, than the beginning hath, is not yet made apparent: far less can any such thing be drewn from this passage to continuance the same, the Apostles scope not being to speak to any such thing; nor can it be supposed, that he looketh on such, whose proud conceits he was here depressing, as already justified, as to the beginning of justification, seing a dead faith, (which was all the faith they had) is no Condition of justification at all. And as to consummation of justification (as he speaketh) Abraham's saith was not yet perfected, neither could be before his death. He addeth finally. That obedience perfecteth faith, as it is part of that necessary matter (not necessary, at the first moment of beleeving, but necessary afterward, when he is called to it) whereby he is to be justified against the charge of non-performance of the New Covenants Condition, even against the Accusation of being an unbeleever or hypocrite. Ans. If obedience perfect faith thus, it is only as evidenceing & proving the man a true beleever, & no hypocrite, or one that hath only a meer profession; which is the thing we say? if it be looked on as the Condition of the Covenant, & so as the ground of justifying the man from the charge of nonperformance of that Condition, it standeth only for itself, & for its own part, & cannot not be said upon that account, to perfect faith; as when both abstaining from murther, and from stealing is called for; the absteaning from stealing cannot be said to perfect the other, though it ground a Mans justification from the charge of stealing. And therefor by this assertion, faith can as well be said to perfect works, as works be said to perfect faith.
Mr. Baxter giveth this ground of Agreement betwixt Paul & Iames; that Paul is about this question, What is the Righteousness, which we must pload, against the Accusation of the Law? or by which we are justified as the proper Righteousness of that Law? And this he well concludeth is neither works, nor faith: But the Righteousness which is by faith, that is, Christ's Righteousness, Ans. Paul speaketh to this question, how sinners come to be justified before God, & therefore cleareth up the matter of justification, in all its causes; and not only sheweth what that Righteousness is, which must be pleaded against the accusation of the Law; but also what way we come to be partakers of that Righteousness in order to our being justified before God, to wit, by faith, without the deeds of the Law. If faith be not that Righteousness, why did Mr. Baxter say▪ that Rom. 4. where it is said, that faith is imputed unto Righteousness, faith is taken for our act, & not for the object of faith, or Christ's Righteousness laid hold on by faith. But now, what question handleth Iames? His question is, saith he. What is the Condition of our …ustification by this Righteousness of Christ, whether faith only, or works also? Ans. And doth not Paul also speak to this question, when he saith. We are justified by faith? Will not Mr. Baxter grant, that faith is the Condition of our justification by this Righteousness? If Iames then handle this question, there shall be no agreement betwixt him & Paul, but a manifest contradiction, for Paul saith that we are justified by faith without the deeds of the Law, that is upon Condition of Faith, as Mr. Baxter will grant, & Iames saith, that we are justified not by faith only, but by works, as the Condition: & here is a perfect contradiction, both speaking ad idem & the one saying we are justified by faith without works, & the other saying by faith & works. What the true question is, whereof Iames speaketh, we have shown above; & the …eby manifested a cleare harmonie betwixt the Apostles, & left no ground of suspicion of any contradiction.
He saith, next that Paul doth either in express words, or in the sense, & scope of his speach, exclude only the works of the Law, that is, the fulfilling of the Conditions of the Law ourselves. But never the fulfilling of the Gospel Conditions, that we may have part in Christ. Ans. Whether the works of the Law, which Paul excludeth, be so to be understood, or not, we have seen above: only I say, now, that both speak of the same Law, that is, the Moral Law, & both consequently, speak of the same obedience, that is obedience to the same Law: And nothing can be alledged to prove that Paul meaneth works as taken for the fulfilling of the Conditions of the Law ourselves & Iames meaneth the same works as taken for the fulfilling of the Conditions of the Gospel ourselves. And further, the faith that Iames speaketh so much of, is none of the Gospel Conditions of justification, for it is but a dead carcass, & an unprofitable thing. But his following words, saying. Indeed if a man should obey the commands of the Gospel with a legal intent that obedience should be but legal shew that by the works of the Law he meaneth some thing in opposition to the commands of the Gospel, wherein he joineth with Socinians. But we owne no commands of the Gospel, but such as are enjoined by the Law of God, even the Moral Law, of which Iames speaketh expresly vers. 10, 11.
He tels us 3. for clearing of this agreement, That Paul doth by the word Faith especially direct our thoughts to Christ beleeved in: for to be justified by Christ, & to be justified by receiving Christ, is with him all one. Ans. This is all very true, & sure, he must also say, that to be justified by Christ, & to be justified by works, is not all one, for all obedience or works is not receiving of Christ. But now, what doth Iames direct us to by the word Faith, which he mentioneth? doth he not direct our thoughts to Christ beleeved in? If not, it cannot be justifying Faith, he speaketh of, as Mr. Baxter supposeth. If yea, why doth he adde works more than Paul doth? Shall Paul's directing our thoughts to Christ beleeved in, exclude works, and Iames's directing our thoughts the same way include them? Where is then the agreement?
But 4. he addeth, that when Paul doth mentione Faith, as the Condition, he alwayes implieth obedience to Christ. Ans. It is denied, that he implieth obedience, as the Condition of Justification: And Mr. Baxter himself will grant this, I suppose, as to justification begun, or as to our fi…st justification as he speaketh, in replying to Mr. Cartwright: which is enough for us, for we know no second justification, distinct from the first, whereof either of the Apostles do speak. And I like not that which he addeth, saying. He i.e. Paul) implieth obedience in requiring Faith, as truely, as he that subjecteth himself to a Prince, doth imply future obedience, in his engagement to obey: for this maketh justifying faith a plaine engagment to obey. And thus to be justified by faith is to be justified by a formal engagment to obey, & a formal engagment to obey, is a receiving of Christ: for to be justified by faith, & to be justified by receiving Christ is all one.
Mr. Baxter in his Catholick Theol. part. 2. n. 365. giveth us five particulars of justification by works, that Iames standeth for, & that he accounteth undeniable by any thing but prejudice, Ignorance, & siding peevishness. So that it must be unquestionable, that Iames speaketh of all those particulars, & that he speaketh of justification by works, in no other sense, the contrary whereof we have seen already: Yet let us see what these particular respects are, wherein (as he saith) works are not excluded from being Conditions of our justification, or the matter of it.
1. Saith he. That faith itself, which is our act, & an act of obedience to God, & is the fiducial accepting beleefe in God the Father Son & Holy Ghost, for the benefites of the Covenant, is the Condition of our first Cevenant-Right to these benefites. Ans. To speak of Saving Faith in its full latitude, or of that faith, whereby the Covenant is fi…st made up, as such, is not to the present purpose; but of faith only, or of its acting, in order to justification: and as to this, himself lately told us, that Paul by the word Faith doth especially direct our thoughts to Christ beleeved in: so that faith in this matter is not considered as our work, or as an act of obedience in us, & as our personal Righteousness; but as the Mean, Hand, or Instrument laying hold on Christ & his Righteousness. And if this be the meaning of Iames, when he saith, we are justified by works, that, we are justified by faith, we shall not contend, as to the thing; though we conceive Iames handleth another purpose, as is said.
2. Saith he, That this faith is not actual obedience to Christ, as Christ (at first, but only to God, as God) But it is the souls subjection to Christ, as Christ, which is our Covenant-consent, to our future obedience, & virtually, though not actually, containeth our future obedience in it. Ans. This upon the matter, is but the same with the former, & needeth no furder answere, as to our present question, concerning the meaning of Iames, when he saith we are justified by works; for if this faith be not actual obedience, Iames doth not mean actual obedience by the word works, but only that Faith, which is a consent to future obedience. But what the Faith is, whereby we are justified, & what is its peculiar acting, in order to justification, we have shown elsewhere. And to distinguish betwixt obedience to Christ, as Christ, and to God as God, is to be unnecessarily critical: & by Mr. Baxeer we see, that all the after obedience of beleevers is obedience to God, as God, though their first Faith be said to be a fiducial accepting beleefe in God the Father, Son & Holy Ghost, and this be said virtually to containe after obedience, which therefore must be obedience, to God Father, Son & Holy Ghost; And their first Faith is no obedience to Christ, as Christ, though Christ, as Christ call & invite, yea & command sinners to come unto him, & beleeve in him.
3. He saith. That there is somewhat of Love Consent or willingness, of Desire, of Hop, of Repentance, which goeth to make up this Moral work of Faith, as it is the Condition, even our first Christianity itself. Ans. All this somewhat of Love, Consent &c. which necessarily attendeth Faith (for that they make up this moral work of Faith, as integral parts thereof, I see no ground to assert) only shew the true nature & genius of that Faith, whereby we are justified, for it is no where said, that we are justified by Love, Hop, or Repentance (as for Consent or willingness & desire, they are included in Faith.) But all this yet saith nothing for the Interest of Works (as it is pleaded) in our justification: And if Iames mean no other thing by works he shall give little ground to any to assert justification by works, as is done this day, by too many.
4. He saith, That at the making of a Covenant, is for the performing of it; & subjection is for obedience; & Marriag for conjugal duties; so our said first Covenanting-faith is for our future faith, Hop, Comfort, & grateful obedience & Holiness. And these are the secondary parts of the Condition of Salvation. And so are the secondary parts of our justifications Condition, as continued, or not lost & consummat. For to justifie us is to justifie our Right to Impunity & Glory. Ans. How different Faith as justifying, or in its acting in order to justification, is from this Covenant making, Subjection & Marriage, as explained & applied to this purpose by Mr. Baxter, is elsewhere showne. (2) That these graces are required in order to Salvation, we grant, & shall not stand to call them secondary parts of the Condition of Salvation, as to its possession. But (3) we are here speaking of justification, and not of Salvation, which two differ, as we conceive, much more being required to the one, in case persons live after their first Faith, than to the other. (4) We have shown elsewhere, that justification, as continued hath the same Conditions, that justification as begun hath, & of loseing of justification we read not in the Scriptures, nor yet consummat justification: these are Mr. Baxters new Notions, with which we are not satisfied. (5) Our Right to Impunity & Glory is had by Christ alone, when we are possessed of his Surety-Righteousness, through Faith; and thus are justified by Faith: And how justification is a justification of that Right, Mr. Baxter would do well to explaine.
In the last place he saith. That our own performance of the Condition of the free Gift of Impunity & Glory, by the New Covenant, purchased by Christ's Righteousness is the thing to be tried & judged in God's judgment. And therefore we must so far be then justified from the charge of not performing that Condition of being Infidels, unsanctified, Impenitent, hypocrites, Apostats; & so of having no part in Christ & the free gift, even by our personal, Evangelical Faith, Holiness, Repentance, Sincerity & Perseverance, Ans. Then, it seemeth, Iames speaketh only of works, in order to final Salvation, or our justification; at the day of judgment, and not in order to our justification here, when first brought out of nature into the State of Grace: And if so, what ground can any hence have, to inferre our present justification to be by works, unless they think, that whatever is required antecedent unto our Final Salvation, is required also antecedent to our first justification? which I know Mr. Baxter will not say. And if this be all that Iames saith, why did not Mr. Baxter give this as a ground of reconciling Iames with Paul, that Iames speaks of works, in order to Final Salvation, but Paul, excludeth them, in reference to justification? This would have had greater agreement with what the Orthodox say, than to tell us of works being the secondary parts of the Condition of our Justification, and that Iames includeth them as such, when he saith, we are justified by works, and not by Faith only.