The True Doctrine of Justification Asserted and Vindicated, Lecture 8
LECTURE VIII.
JEREMIAH 50.20.
In thoſe daies, and at that time the iniquity of Judah ſhall be ſought for, and it ſhall not be found, &c,
A Fifth rank of arguments is from thoſe places of Scripture,Fifth rank of Arguments. wherein the people of God in their petitions and ſupplications, doe neceſſarily imply this truth, that God ſeeth, taketh notice, and is angry with their ſins. Now all petitions uſe to be in a two-fold faith, one applicative and fiduciall, the other doctrinall and aſſertive, which is the foundation of the former. If a Papiſt pray for the deliverance of any out of purgatory, it is a vain prayer, becauſe there is not a theologicall verity to ground his prayer upon: thus a Socinian cannot truly pray to God in Chriſt, becauſe he hath not a dogmaticall or aſſenting faith to the truth of Chriſts divine nature, and ſo cannot have a fiduciall faith in the ſame.
Thus it would be with the people of God, how can they in their prayers entreat God to turn away his anger from them, to hide his face from their ſins, if he were not indeed angry? Now that the petitions of Gods people are for this end, will appear by ſeverall places. I ſhall not here mention that petition, we are directed to in the Lords prayer, viz. forgive us our ſins, for that is a noble inſtance, and deſerveth a ſingle conſideration of its ſelf; but we have many other inſtances, as Pſa▪ 51.9. Hide thy face from my ſins. It is plain by this praier, Gods face, and ſo his eyes were upon Davids ſins though juſtified, and that a godly man falling into grievous ſins, hath them not preſently covered from Gods eyes; for his meaning by this phraſe, is, that God would not regard them to viſit them on him, the contrary whereof is Pſa. 119.15. Let their ſin be continually before thee; and this is obſervable, that David doth again and again petition for pardon, whereby is ſhewed how difficult a thing it is to obtain the favour of God after we have offended him by our ſins. Neither let that be replied, that this is done by Believers in the Old Teſtament; for Paul bringeth a proof from Pſa. 32.1. to ſhew what is the nature of Juſtification, even under the Goſpel. And that I may once for all this diſſolve this objection of theirs, I ſhall handle diſtinctly this queſtion, Whether the Justification of believers under the Old Teſtament and New, be not uniform and altogether the ſame? which is to be affirmatively maintained, and therefore remit you to that queſtion. For the preſent, we ſee how David here doth twice and thrice with much vehemency deſire that Gods face would not be upon his ſins. Queſtion conſiderable propounded.Here may be one conſiderable queſtion made, ſeeing Nathan the Prophet had told David his ſin was forgiven him; Was not this great unbelief and diffidence, to pray for pardon after that conſolation? To this it may be anſwered,
1. That Nathans comfort might be given after this penitential Pſalm: for although 2 Sam. 12.13. the Hiſtory makes mention of Nathans oyl poured into David, as ſoon as ever he was wounded, yet it is a frequent thing in Scripture to have thoſe things immediatly connected in ſtory, when yet there was a great diſtance in the practice. But grant it was immediatly upon Davids repentance; yet faith in God for pardon, may well ſtand with prayer for pardon; The deep ſenſe and feeling of Gods offence, cannot but provoke to earneſt petition, though faith at the ſame time perſwadeth the heart God will hear: Hence David doth not here pray in unbelief, thinking God would not pardon him; therefore ſome tranſlate v. 7. in the future tenſe, Thou wilt purge me with hyſop, becauſe of his aſſurance. Again, though God removed Davids ſin in reſpect of condemnation, yet not in reſpect of all other effects of his anger, for ſo his ſin did ſtill lie as a burden on him, and in this reſpect he ſtill ſeeketh Gods face. In the next place conſider, Pſa. 32.1, 3, 4. Of all parts of the Scripture, the Pſalms have this excellency, that they do in a lively experimental way ſet forth the gracious works of God upon the ſoul, and David doth in many Pſalms, ſtill as it were play upon the Harp, to drive out the evil ſpirit of unbelief and diffidence out of a mans heart. Now this Pſalm is a moſt excellent directory for the obtaining of pardon after ſin committed; wherein David being for a while grievouſly cruſhed by Gods anger for his ſins, at laſt feeling the Sun-ſhine of his favour breaking through the clouds, he doth in the beginning of the ſame joyfully break out, admiring the happines of thoſe who have their ſins pardoned, and he doth in ſeveral words repeat the ſame benefit, becauſe of the excellency of it: and certainly were your hearts touched with the ſenſe of Gods diſpleaſure for ſin, neither riches, nor good trading, or any advantage in the world, would ſo glad your heart, as to have a pardon of ſin. For how cometh David to be thus affected with forgiveneſſe of his ſins? even becauſe he confeſſed it not, was not humbled under it, till Gods wrath was heavy upon him, and then he reſolved to acknowledge it, whereupon God immediatly forgiveth him. Now leſt any ſhould think What is this to us in the times of the Goſpel? obſerve v. 6. For this every one that is godly ſhall pray unto thee, that is, for this remiſſion, for this pardon every one that is godly ſhall pray; ſo that its ungodlineſſe by Davids judgement not to confeſſe ſin, or to pray for the pardon, which how can any Antinomian do by his principles, that holdeth, God ſeeth not, or taketh notice, ſo as to be offended with the ſins of juſtified perſons: and ſo they are not only Antinomiſts, but Anti▪Confeſſioniſts, Anti-Petitioniſts, and Anti-penitents.
Take one more inſtance, Pſa. 6.1. where David prayeth God would not rebuke him in his hot diſpleaſure, Compare this with Jer. 10.24. where you ſee the ſervants of God do ſuppoſe an anger from God will fall on them for their ſins, and they do not refuſe his rebukes, only they deſire God would moderate and ſet bounds to his wrath, that it may not overwhelm them. Many other places there are, where its plain, the people of God praying, do ſuppoſe him to be angry with them for their ſins; and it is a truth ſo ingraven in the heart of a godly man, that no error can ever quite obliturate it.
A ſixth ſort of Arguments ſhall be from thoſe places,Six ſort of Arguments. where God is ſaid to take notice of our ſin, more then we can or do, 1 Joh. 3.18, 19, 20. where the Apoſtle preſſeth believers to a ſincere love of one another with this Argument, that hereby we ſhall aſſure our hearts before him; the Greek word ſignifyeth to perſwade, and doth excellently ſet forth the difficulty of being aſſured in Gods preſence. Now this great benefit he illuſtrates by the contrary, if our hearts condemn us, God is greater then our hearts; and this holdeth univerſally in every holy duty, as well as that of love: if our hearts condemn us for hypocriſie, and inſincerity in them, God doth much more, for he knoweth more evil by our ſelves then we do. Now how can this Apoſtolicall aſſertion be true, if ſo be God took no notice, or were not offended at the ſins of his people? Its an argument of ſweet meditation to humble us, that if where there is but a drop of grace, our ſins are ſo lothſome and offenſive; how much more muſt they be to the ocean of all purity?Antinomian objections anſwered. To this the Antinomian replieth (Honey-Comb p 89.) that John ſpeaks this of hypocrites, and not the juſtified children of God; But 1. he gives the expreſſe title of little children to them, ver. 18. and my little children, ſo that he taketh upon him the bowels of a father to them. Again, let it be granted that he deſcribes hypocrites, yet there is no godly man but this text will in ſome ſenſe belong to, there is no man ſo godly, but he hath ſome hypocriſie and inſincerity in his beſt love; there is that worm in his beſt fruit, that droſſe in his beſt gold. It followeth then by proportion, that ſo far as the godly do diſcern imperfections, and inſincerity in their duties, ſo far they are to be humbled before God, who knoweth much more by them then they diſcern; as you ſee little moats are diſcerned by the Sun-beams in the Air, which were not diſcerned before: therefore when John addeth, If our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence with God, his meaning is not, as if we could have no confidence where our hearts doe condemn us in ſome degrees, for then none in the world could have confidence; but he ſpeaks of condemning our ſelves upon a diſcovery of a total and wilful hypocriſie; and ſo we will indeed grant that he ſpeaks of hypocrites, but yet it proveth as much as we deſire, namely, that where there is any condemnation of our ſelves for any degree of inſincerity in any duty, we are to tremble, and to remember that God is greater then our hearts, knoweth more by us, and ſo his wrath might break out hotter then we can imagine. Neither is the former anſwer weakned, though we grant it to be underſtood of total hypocrites, for it is uſuall with the Apoſtle to threaten even thoſe that are godly, and dear to him, with the condition and puniſhment of Hypocrites and Apoſtates, as Heb. 6. See another inſtance, 1 Cor. 4.4. I know nothing by my ſelf; yet am I not thereby juſtified, for it is God that judgeth me; where the Apoſtle doth not ſpeak of an Anabaptiſtical perfection, as if Paul knew no ſin by himſelf; but his meaning is to be reſtrained to the faithfull diſpenſation of the office committed to him, in which though he had not perfection, yet his conſcience did not accuſe him of groſſe negligence or unfaithfulnes; but for all this, he doth not think himſelf juſtified, by any godlines in him; and why ſo? becauſe God judgeth him, who takes notice of, and is offended with more ſins then he underſtands by himſelf; ſo that Paul doth acknowledge God to ſee ſin in him, and therefore he cannot be juſtified by any thing inherent; and this made Bernard ſay excellently, Tutior eſt juſtitia donata, quam inhaerens, Imputed righteouſnes is ſafer to relie upon then inherent. Think it therefore a ſmall thing to be acquitted by Antinomian principles, when it is God that judgeth; and whatſoever the Adverſary ſpeaketh about a righteouſneſſe of Chriſt communicated unto us, ſo that thereby God ſeeth no ſin; yet becauſe they ſay, he ſeeth no ſin in us inherently▪ they muſt conclude for ſome perfect inherent righteouſnes. Laſtly, Pſ. 19. David crying out, Who can underſtand his errors? prayeth thereupon, Cleanſe thou me from ſecret ſins; and this doth imply, that there were many ſins that David had, which were loathſome and foul in Gods eyes, though undiſcovered by himſelf, and therefore he would have God waſh him, and make him clean ▪
A ſeventh rank of Arguments, ſhall be from thoſe places,Seventh rank of arguments. wherein God hath commanded Miniſters to binde and retain the ſins of ſcandalous offenders, and hath promiſed, to ratifie that in heaven, which they according to his will, do on earth. Experience witneſſeth, that a juſtified perſon may fall into ſome ſcandalous ſin, whereby the whole Congregation may be much offended, and God highly provoked. Now in this caſe God hath commanded the Miniſters of the Goſpel to binde & to retain ſuch a mans ſins till he doth repent. This binding is not by way of authority, but miniſterial declaration, & effectual application of Gods threatnings in his Word to ſuch a perſon ſinning, and when this is done, God hath promiſed, that all this ſhal be ratified and made good in Heaven againſt that man. Now how can God make good the Miniſters threatnings applied to that godly man, if he take not notice, and be not offended with the perſon ſo hainouſly ſinning? The places that prove ſuch a binding of ſin, and Gods ratifying of their ſentence, are Joh. 20.23. Mat. 16.19. Mat. 18.18. Can any man ſay, that when a godly man is caſt out of Gods family, the ſeals of Gods grace denied him, and he delivered up to Satan, that God is not angry with him? yea, is not he bound then to apprehend God eſtranged from him? when a godly man is excommunicated, he is not only caſt out from the externall Church-ſociety, but likewiſe there is a deprivation from internal communion with Chriſt; not as if he were cut off from the purpoſe or decree of Gods election, or as if the habitual ſeed of grace were quite extinct in him, but only as the outward ſeals of Gods favour are denied him; ſo alſo doth God being angry with him, deny him any inward teſtimonies of his favour; and it would not be faith againſt ſenſe (as the Adverſary cals it) but preſumption againſt Scripture to ſay▪ God was at that time well pleaſed with him; yea Divines ſay (Synopſis puri. Theol. diſ. 48.) that there is a conditional excluſion of the perſon ſo offending from future glory, for the Church threatens him, that as they judge him now, and bid him depart from their ſociety, ſo if he do not repent, Chriſt at the laſt day will command him to depart from his preſence and the holy Angels, according to that of Tertul. in Apologetico, Summum futuri judicii praejudicium eſt, ſi quis it a deliquerit, ut à communicatione orationis & conventus, & omnis ſancti commeroii relegetur.
Eighth kinde of Argument▪The eighth kinde of Arguments is from thoſe places, where Chriſt is ſaid ſtill to be an Advocate, and to make Interceſſion for believers after they are juſtified, which would be altogether needleſs, if God did not take notice of their ſins, and were ready to charge them upon believers'; conſider the places, 1 Joh. 2.1. Heb. 7.25. In the former place, John having ſaid, That Chriſts bloud cleanſeth us from all ſin (a place the Antinomian much urgeth, not conſidering that at the ſame time the Apoſtle ver. 9. requireth confeſſion and ſhame in our ſelves, if we would have pardon) in the firſt verſe of the ſecond Chapter, he ſaith, He writes theſe things that they ſhould not ſin; all true doctrine about Chriſt and free-grace tendeth to the demoliſhing, and, not incouraging of ſin: but the Apoſtle ſuppoſeth ſuch fragility that we will ſin, and therefore ſpeaketh of a remedy, If we ſin we have an Advocate; now this makes ſeveral wayes againſt the Antinomian.
Firſt, That ſins committed after our Juſtification need an Advocate; it is not enough that we were once juſtified, our new ſins would condemn us for all that, were it not for Chriſt.
Secondly, In that Chriſt is an Advocate, it ſuppoſeth, That though God be a Father to his people, yet he is alſo a Judge, and that he ſo taketh notice of, and is diſpleaſed with their ſins, that did not Chriſt intercede and deprecate the wrath of God, it would utterly conſume them. Thou therefore who ſayeſt, God the Father is not offended, why then doth Chriſt perform the Office of an Advocate? If thy ſins be not brought into the Court, what need any pleading for thee? In the other place, Heb 7.25. The Apoſtle acknowledgeth a two-fold function of Chriſts Prieſtly Office, The one is, The offering up of himſelf for our ſins; The ſecond is, The continual Interceſſion for us, which the Apoſtle, Chap. 9.24. calleth, Appearing before Gods face in our behalf; now we muſt not ſo advance Chriſts ſufferings in the taking away of ſin, ſo as to exclude the other part of his Prieſtly Office, which is, continually to plead our cauſe for us: for the Apoſtle makes Chriſt to ſtand before the face of God, as ſome great Favorite before an earthly Prince, to plead in the behalf of thoſe who are accuſed; ſo that the Doctrine which denieth God ſeeing of ſin in his people, doth wholly overthrow Chriſts Interceſſion, and the efficacy of it. Concerning the manner of Chriſts Interceſſion, it is not to be conceived in that way as he prayed here upon the earth; but it is his holy will, and expreſſe deſire of his ſoul, that God the Father ſhould be reconciled with thoſe for whom he hath ſhed his bloud: and truly that point of Divinity, viz. Chriſts affections and ſympathizing with his people now in heaven, is an Ocean of infinite comfort.