The Marrow of Divinity, Religious treatise · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. Questions, and Cases of Conscience about some of the Antinomian Errours.
Quest. THe Antinomians say▪ That through the blood-shed and righteousnesse of Christ in their free Justification. God sees no sin in them, and therefore they should see no sin in themselves; Or if they do see it with the eye of Reason, yet they should not see it with the eye of faith.
Quest. Is this true Doctrine?
Ans. No; for the blood of Christ was never shed to destroy all sense and sight of sin in believers. But he died rather to make them sensible of their sins: For he died to save his people from their sins, 1 John 3.5. Tit. 3.14. but by the sight of sin they come to be weaned from it, and so saved out of it: and hence it is, that the greatest and deepest spirit of mourning for sin is poured out upon believers, when God hath poured upon them the Spirit of grace, Zach. 12.10, 11. and godly sorrow works repentance, &c. 2 Cor. 7.10. The blood of Christ which was shed for the killing of sin, makes them sensible of their sin, with the aggravations of it, being now not only against the Law of God, but against the blood and love of the Son of God. The contrary doctrine is very false and pernicious.
Quest. VVhether is the Law given as a Rule to believers under the Gospel?
Answ. Yea, as may be proved by these Arguments.
First, if sin be the transgression of the Law, as the Apostle affirmes it to be, 1 John 3.4. then a believer is bound to attend the Law as his rule, that so he may not transgresse it: as David did, Psal. 119.11. For whosoever makes conscience of sin, cannot but make conscience of observing the rule: and they which lay aside the rule, cannot make conscience of sin, which is downright Atheism and Profanenesse. P…rquius, a great Libertine in Calvins time, makes this only to be sin, viz. to see, know, or feel sin, and that the great sin of man is to think that he doth sin, and that the old man is put off by not seeing sin. But these are liars, 1 John 1.8, 10.
Secondly, a true believer, though he cannot keep the Law perfectly as his rule, yet he loves it dearly, and blames himself when he cannot keep it, and cries out with the Apostle, Rom. 7.12. The Law is holy and good, though I am carnal: He loves his Copy, though he can but scribble after it.
Thirdly, had believers been free from this directive power of the Law, Paul would never have perswaded them to love upon this ground, Because its the fulfilling of the Law, Gal. 5.13, 14.
Ob. But the Law written in the heart and the spirit, is the rule of life: therefore not the written Law?
Answ. First, the Law written in the heart, is called a Law, not in respect of perfect direction, (which is essential to the rule) but in respect of …ighty and effectual operation, … being a power in it as of a strong Law effectually, and sweetly compelling …o …he obedience of the Law.
Secondly, for the spirit, he is indeed the principle of our obedience, whereby we conform unto the rule, but not the rule it self. Only this is true,
1. That the Spirit enclines the heart to the obedience of the rule.
2. It illuminates the minde many times to see it by secret shinings of preventing, as well as brings things to remembrance which we knew before.
3. It acts them also sometimes: as when we know not what to pray, it prompts us. Rom. 8.26. when we know not what to speak before our adversaties, it gives it in to us, M…t. 10.19 when we know not whither or how to go, its a voice behinde us, and leads us to the fountain of living waters, Isa. 30.21. Rev. 7.17. But all these quickening acts proves it not to be a rule by which we ought to walk, but only by meanes of which we come to walk, and are enclined, directed, and enabled to walk according to the rule.
Fourthly, the Spirit of God which endited the Scriptures, and this Law, is in the Scriptures, and in the Law as well as in the Believers heart, and therefore to forsake or reject the Scriptures, or this written rule, is to forsake and reject the spirit speaking in it as our rule; nay, it is to forsake that Spirit, which is the Supream Judge, according to which all private spirits, nay, all the actings, dictates, movin…s and speakings of Gods Spirit in us, are to be tried, examined, and judged, as Isa. 8.20. John 5.39. For which the men of Bereah were commended, Act… 17.11.
Ob. The diff…r…nce between the Old and New Testament is this: That of Moses was a Ministery from without, but that of Christ from within, and therefore the letter of the Scriptures is not a Law to a Christian, but the Law written in their hearts, &c?
Answ. If this be the difference between the dispensation of the Old and New Testament Ministry, then we may all burne our Bibles as uselesse: and then its a marvel why the Apostles preached, or why they wrote the Gospel for after-times; that men mi…ht believe, &c. as it is, John 20.31. 1 John 5.13. For either their writing and preaching was not an external Ministry, which is contrary to sense: or it was not Christs Ministry, which is blasphemous: whereas Christ in the Spirit, leads us to Christ in the letter; the Spirit within to the Word without, by which we shall be judged at the last day, John 12.48. and therefore certainly we are to be regulated by it now.
Ob. But the faithful receive an Unction of the Spirit, which teacheth them all things?
Answ. This teaching is either immediate or mediate: If immediate, why doth St. John tell them that he writ to them, that they might hereby know that they had eternal life, 1 John 5, 13. But if mediate, to wit, by the Word externally preached, or writ, then that external word is still to be our rule, which the anointing of the Spirit helps us to know: when therefore he saith, 1 John 2.27. that being taught of the Spirit, they need not that any man should teach them, he speaks not of the immediate teaching of the Spirit, but explains his meaning in the words following; Ye need not that any man should teach you, (i. e. otherwise, or after another manner of way then the Spirit taught them) but as the anointing teacheth you all things, and is truth. For if Ministers are to preach in demonstration of the Spirit, then they that hear them, and are taught by them, need no man to teach them otherwise, then as the same spirit in the same demonstration teacheth them all things. As therefore the Spirit leads us to the Word, so the Word leads us to the Spirit, but never to a spirit without or beyond the Word, whereby the outward administration in the Word, or letter should cease, when the inward administration of Christ in the Spirit comes.
Ob. We are not to be led or guided by any outward commands in our obedience unto God, because God is to work all our works for us, and we are not to live, but Christ is to live in us?
Answ. Its vain to think that we are not to look at any Promises, because Christ is to accomplish all Promises for us: If the question therefore be, by what we are to live? the Apostles answer is full, Gal. 2, 19, 20. We are to live by the faith of the Son of God: But if the question be, According to what rule are we to live; the answer is given by David, Psal. 119.4, 5. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy Precepts diligently, &c. So v. 17.77. If any demand what is the rule of faith by which we live? Answ. The Gospel, Phil. 3.16. But if you demand, what is the rule of life it self? Answ. The Moral Law, and of this is the controversie.
Ob. But we are neither subject to the Law, nor to sin: Because all things both good and evil come from Gods VVill, and all things that are done are wrought by him, and all that he doth is good, and therefore all sinful actions are good, because he works them?
Answ. The commanding Will of God, called Voluntas mandati, is to be our Rule, and not the working Will of God, called Voluntas decreti; For we cannot sin by fulfilling the one, but we may sin in fulfilling the other: Gods secret, and working Will was fulfilled when Josephs brethren sold him into Egypt, and when the Babylonians afflicted Israel seventy years, and when the Jewes caused Christ to be crucified, yet in all these they sinned, and provoked God against them, Acts 4.28. Gods Will is his own rule to work by, not ours: and therefore Samuel convinced Saul, when he spared Agag, that his disobedience against Gods command, was rebellion, and as the sin of witchcraft, though therein he fulfilled the decree of God, 1 Sam. 15.23.
Fourthly, a fourth Argument to prove that the Law is our tule, is this: If the love of Christ is to lead us, then the commands of Christ (wherein he discovers one chief part of his love) are to guide us, and to be a rule of life to us; He that believes that a Christian under the rule of the Law, is under bondage, may justly be feard that himself is still under the bondage of sin, and Satan, and never knew what the true love of Christ is: For it's a great part of the love of Christ to command us to do any thing for him. A poor humbled Prodigal will account it great love to be made an hired servant.
Object. The Law indeed requires doing, but not the Gospell, and therefore Believers that are under the Gospel are under no Law of doing?
Answ. As the Gospel requires …o doing that thereby we may be just, so it requires doing also when by Christ Jesus we are made just: For it commands us to be holy as God is holy, 1 Pet. 1.15. and perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect, Mat. 5.48. The Law and Gospel require the same perfection of holinesse, onelyonly here is the difference, the Law requires it that thereby we may be made just, and therefore accepts of nothing but perfection: but the Gospel requires it, because we are already perfectly just in Christ: Hence though it commands as much as the Law, yet it accepts of lesse, even the least measure of sincerity, though mixed with the greatest measure of imperfection.
Object. A Believer hath repented in Christ, and mortified sin in Christ: so that mortification, and vivification is nothing but a b…lieving that Christ hath mortified sin for us, and been quickned for us, and sanctification that is inherent in Christ, and not in us, is the evidence of our justification?
Answ. First, this principle confounds a Christians justification, and sanctification, as it casts the seed of denying all inherent graces in a believer, and lays the basis refusing to do any duty, or conform to any Law in our own persons; and it will follow, that as the perfection of Christs righteousnesse to our justification, should make us abhor any righteousnesse of our own to our justification: so if we be perfectly sanctified in Christ, then perfection of Christs righteousnesse to our sanctification, should make a beleever not only renounce the Law, but abhorre all personal righteousnesse through the spirit to our sanctification: and then a Believer must abhor to seek any love, or feare of God in his heart, which directly is an inlet to all manner of prophannesse.
Secondly, Christ indeed is our sanctification, as well as our righteousnesse, 1 Cor. 1.30. but not materially, and formally, but virtually, meritoriously, and (with meet explications) exemplarily. Our righteousnesse to our justification is inherent in him, but our sanctification is inherent in our selves, though derived from him: Hence we are never commanded to justifie our selves, unless it be instrumentally, and Sacramentally, but we are commanded by faith to wash ourselves, Isa. 1.18. Act. 22.16. we are exhorted to repent, to believe, to mortifie our earthly members, to walk in newnesse of life, &c. because these things are wrought in us by Christ to our sanctification, but not wrought in Christ for us as our righteousnesse to our justification.
Object. They that are in Christ are said to be compleat in him, Col. 2.10. and that they receive all grace from his fulnesse, John 1.16. therefore they have no grace in themselves; but its first in him, and consequently their sanctification is perfected in him?
Ans. Though the perfection and fulnesse of grace is first in Christ, yet beleevers have not all in him after one, and the same manner, nor for the same end: For our righteousnesse to our justification is so in him as never to be inherent in us, neither here, nor in heaven; but our righteousnesse to our sanctification is so far in him as it is to be derived to us, and hence it's formally in us, but virtually and meritoriously in him.
Object. A Christian must do what is commanded, but not by vertue of the command, for the spirit will binde their hearts to the Law, but they are not bound by any authority of the Law to the directions thereof; For the Spirit (say they) is free, and they are under the government of the Spirit, which is not to be controlled by any Law?
Answ. If their meaning be that a beleever is not bound by the commanding power of any Law to conforme thereunto, only the spirit will conforme their hearts to it, so that perhaps they shall do the thing which the Law requires, but not because the Law commands it, then it will follow, that in case a beleever fall into any sin: as whoredome, drunkenness, murder, &c. these wicked acts though they be sins in themselves; yet they are not so to him, because he is now free from the Law, and not bound to obedience by vertue of any command, and where there is no Law, there is no transgression.
Object. The Law is our rule as it was given by Christ, and not as it was given by Moses?
Answ. The Law may be considered, either materially, as it contains the matter of the Covenant of Works, and thus a believer is not to be regulated by it: or it may be considered finally, or rather relatively, as it stood in relation to the people of the God of Abraham, who were already under Abrahams covenant, which was a Covenant of Grace, Gen. 17.7. And so the Law as it was given by Moses, was given by Christ in Moses: Hence it is that the Law of love commanded by Moses is called the Lawe of Christ, Gal. 6.2. therefore we must not set Christ, and Moses together by the eares.
Object. The written Law is not to be a Christians rule, but so far as its written in the heart?
Answ. This is a cursed assertion: For did not Christ himself resist tentations to sin by cleaving to the written word, Mat 4.4, 10. and was not this done for our imitation: So David, and Christ delighted to do Gods Will, because it was so written of them, Psal. 40.7, 8. Paul exhorts children to obedience, because it's the first Commandment with promise, Eph. 6.2. Paul preached what was in the Old Testament, Acts 22.20. what is it but Popery to make the spirit within to be the supream Judge, and superior to the Spirit of God in the written Word without? The grace of God appearing in the Gospel will have us to walk worthy of God in all well-pleasing according to the Law, Tit. 2.12, 13. and to mourn bitterly that we are so unlike the will, and image of God revealed in the Law, Rom. 7.23, 24.
Object. Paul speaks of a Law written and engraven in stone, and therefore of the Moral Law, which yet he saith is abolished by Christ in the Gospel? 2 Cor. 3.6, 7, 11, 13.
Answ. The meaning of this place, as also Gal. 3.25. is, that the Apostle speaking of the moral Law by a Synecdoche, comprehends the ceremonial Law also, both which the false Teachers urged as necessary to salvation, and justification, at least together with Christ, against whom the Apostle here disputes: The moral Law therefore is abolished, First, as thus accompanied with a yoke of ceremonies. Secondly, as it was formerly dispensed, the greater light of the Gospel obscuring that lesser light of the Law, as ver. 10. Thirdly, he may speak of the moral Law as a Covenant of life, which the false Teachers urged, in which respect he calls it a Ministry of death, and a letter which killeth; and thus its abolished by Christ, that with open face we may behold the glory of the Lord, as the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that doth believe.
Object. The Gospel under which Believers are, requires no doing, for doing is proper to the Law, which promises life, and requires conditions; But the Gospel promiseth to work the conditions, but requires none, and therefore a beleever now is fully free from the Law?
Answ. The Gospel and the Law are taken two wayes. 1. Largely, the Law is taken for the whole doctrine contained in the Old Testament, and the Gospel for the whole doctrine of Christ, and the Apostles in the New Testament. 2. Strictly, the Law pro lege operum: for the Law of Works: the Gospel, pro lege fidei: for the Law of faith: The Law of Works is strictly taken for that Law which promises Gods favour, and life upon condition of doing, or of personal obedience: the Law of faith is strictly taken for that doctrine which reveals remission of sins, and reconciliation with God by Christs righteousnesse only, apprehended by faith: Now the Gospel in this latter sense excludes all works, and requires no doing in point of justification, but only believing: but take it largely for the whole doctrine of Gods love, and free grace, and so the Gospel requires doing: For as it's an act of Gods free grace to justifie us without calling for our works: so it's an act of the same free grace to require works of a justified person, to serve him in righteousnesse, and holinesse all the days of our lives, Tit. 2.14. and to think that the Gospel requires no conditions, is a dreame against multitudes of Scriptures, which contains conditional, yet evangelical promises. There are indeed no conditions required of us in the Gospel, but what the Lord himself hath, or shall work in us: but it doth not therefore follow that no conditions are required of us; for requiring the condition is the means to work it, and the means and end should not be separated: As Christs righteousnesse must go before as the matter, or moving cause of our justification: so faith must go before this righteousness, as an instrument, or applying cause of it by which we are justified: 'Tis true, God justifies the ungodly. But not immediatly without faith, but mediately by faith, Rom. 4.5. when the Apostle affirms that we are justified by faith without works, he doth hereby plainly give that to faith which he denies to Works: so then as he denies works to be the antecedent condition of our justification, so he affirms the contrary of faith which goes before our justification. Believe, and live.
Object. There is no sin now but unbelief, which is a sin against the Gosp…l onelyonly; therefore there being no sin against any Law, Christ having abolished it by his death, the Law cannot be our rule?
Answ. Are drunkenness, whoredome, theft, &c. then no sinns to be repented of, or watched against, but only unbelief? will not the Lord judge men, not only for unbelief, but for all the works done in the body, as Rom. 2.16. 2 Cor. 5.10 Is not the wrath of God revealed from heaven against all unrighteousnesse, &c? Rom. 1.18. If there were no sin but unbelief, how can all flesh, Jews and Gentiles become guilty before God, that so they may believe the Gospel? as Rom. 3, 21, &c. if they be all guiltless till unbelief comes in? No sin indeed shall condemn a man if he believe, but it will not hence follow that there is no sin but unbelief; sin is before unbelief comes: a sick sinner, before an healing Saviour: sin kills the soul, as it were, naturally, unbelief, morally: No sin shall condemn us if we believe: but it doth not hence follow that there is no sin before, or after faith, because there is no condemning sin, unlesse we fal by unbelief.
Object. But now to preach the Law savours of an Old Testament spirit, which was wont to wound, then to heale, to humble, and then to raise: But now we are to be Ministers of the New Testament, and no Law is to be heard of?
Answ. Indeed to preache the Law as the means of our justification, and as the matter of our righteousnesse without Christ, or together with Christ, as they did, 2 Cor. 3.6. is a Ministry of the letter, not of the Spirit: But to preach Christ plainly, as the end of the Law, & to preach the Law, as the means to prepare for, and advance Christ in our hearts is no Old Testament Ministry, neither doth it put a vaile upon mens hearts that they cannot see the end of the Law, as 2 Cor. 3.14. but it takes away the vail of all conceit of mans own strength, and righteousnesse by seeing his curse, that so he may flie to Christ, and embrace him for righteousnesse.
Object. Indeed the children of the Old Testament were under the Law as their School-master to lead them to Christ, Gal. 3.24, 25. But now (saith the Apostle) we are no longer under this School-master?
Answ. Be it so that the sons of God are now no longer under the terrour of this School-master, is it not therefore a Ministers work to preach the Law unto the slaves of sin?
Object. No, but we must say: Thou poor drunkard, &c. here is a God that hath loved thee, and a Christ to die for thee: here is salvation by him only, because thou art a sinner, fear not; thou art free from dam…ation, Christ died for thee.
Answ. Is a poor drunkard, a villaine that never believed in a state of condemnation? Rom. 8.1. Paul saith, there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ, but where are they freed that are out of Christ? who are by nature the children of wrath whil'st dead in sin, Eph. 2.1, &c. much lesse are such to believe because they are such: Are not such Ministers therefore that preach this doctrine like the false Prophets, Isa. 48. ult. and 57. ult. that cry, peace, peace, when God saith there is no peace to the wicked? and saith not Christ, John 3. ult. He that believes not, the wrath of God abides on him: It was upon him before, and when he believes not, it abides still on him. Must the Ministers of the New Testament preach lies, and tell drunkards and villains, before they reject the Gospel by unbelief, that the Lord loves them, and there is no condemnation to them?
Object. To judge of Justification by sanctification is a doubtful evidence, a carnal and inferior evidence?
Answ. If to be under the power and dominion of sin be a certain evidence of condemnation, so that he that says he knows Christ, and yet walks in darkness is a liar, 1 John 1.6. and 2.4. then sanctification, whereby we are freed from the power of sin, is a clear and full evidence of our actual justification: 1 …oh. 2.3. Hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments: So Act. 3. ult. Christ is sent to blesse his people by turning the… from their iniquities: then they that are turned from them by him, may know certainly that they are blessed. So 1 Tim. 4.8. Godlinesse hath the promise of this life, and that which is to come; therefore sanctification is a clear evidence of Gods love to us; sanctification is always an evidence in it self of a justified estate, though it be not always evident unto us.
Now to prove that its no carnal, and inferior, but the first evidence, and a principal one, take th…se propositions.
First, the free offer of grace is the first evidence to a poor lost sinner that he may be beloved.
Secondly, the receiving of this offer by faith (relatively considered in respect of Christs spotlesse righteousnesse) is the first evidence that sheweth why he is beloved, and what hath moved God actually to love him.
Thirdly, the work of sanctification (which is the fruit of our receiving this offer is the first evidence shewing that he is beloved.
See Shepheards morality of the Sabbath.
Object. That which revealeth any evidence of assurance that I am Christ, and he is mine, is the Spirit speaking personally, and particularly to my heart, with such a voice, Son, be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee: and this is that broad seale of the Spirit, making an immediate impression on my heart, without any begged testimony from works of sanctification, which is the revealing evidence of my interest in Christ: and the receiving evidence is faith, believing this Testimony of the spirit, only because the spirit saith so; not because I have evidences or particular works of sanctification, such as are, universal obedience, sincerity of heart, and love of the brethren?
Answ. The Papist is the black devil, taking away all certainty of assurance: the Antinomian is the white devil; a spirit of hell clothed with all heaven, and the notions of Free-grace; they say, Free-grace in us is a dream: sanctification inherent is a fiction: Christ is all: there is no grace existent in the creature; Grace is all in Christ, and nothing but imputed righteousnesse. But if works of sanctification can give no assurance, then
First, the joy, and rejoycing which we have in the Testimony of a good conscience, that in simplicity, and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdome, but by the grace of God, we have our conversation in the world, 2 Cor. 1.12. must be but a dream. David, Job, Moses, Samuel, the Prophets, and Apostles, their joying in a good conscience, must arise from doubtful and conjectural evidences: yea, then none can say in any assurance: I beleeve in Christ: In the inward man I delight in the Law of God. I am crucified to the world. My conversation is in Heaven, &c. for all these are inherent qualifications in a childe of God, but they are doubtful and uncertain. How then hath God promised to love the righteous: to give the prize to him that runneth, &c.
Secondly, the testimony of the Spirit, bearing witnesse to our spirit that we are the children of God, Rom. 8.16. is in this sense, an immediate act of the Spirit, because the reflex acts of the soul are performed without any other medium, or meanes, but that whereby the direct acts are performed. I know that I know, and I know that I believe; my sense by the same immediate operation of the Spirit, by that which I know God, without any other light, teacheth me to know that I know God: As by light I see colours, and my common sense needs not another li…ht to make me know that I see colours: so when I believe in Christ, that habitual instinct of the grace of God actuated and stirred up by the Spirit of God, makes me know that I know God, and that I believe, and so that I am in Christ to my own certain feeling and apprehension: but this doth not hinder, but the assurance of my interest in Christ is made evident to me by other inferiour evidences, as 1 John 2.3. Hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments. By keeping Gods Commandments we do not simply know that we know him by certainty of faith; but we know that we know God these two wayes.
1. We know (the instinct of the new man being stirred up to action by the winde which bloweth when, and where it lusteth) our knowing of God to be sound, saving and true; we do not so much know our knowing of God by this supernatual sense, as we know the supernatural qualification and sincerity of our knowing of God; so that we rather know the qualification of the act, that the work is done according to God: then the act according to its substance, though we do also know it in this relation. So 1 John 3.14. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren, i. e. our love to the brethren doth evidence to us, both that we are translated to the Kingdome of grace, and also we know that that translation is real, true, sincere, and effectual by love, and all the fruits of the Spirit.
2. By these works of sanctification we have evidence that we have interest in Christ, not as by formal light suggesting to us, that the immediate impression of this great, and broad Seal of God, and his personal and particular testimony is true, (for Gods Spirit needeth not another witnesse to adde authority to what he saith) but because this Conclusion, (thou John, Thomas, &c. hast interest in Christ to thy own feeling) must be proved by Scripture, (except with Enthusiasts, we separate the Word and the Spirit) therefore these works of Sanctification prove the Conclusion consequently by Scripture and sense, and so lead us to the word of Promise, thus. He that believeth, and maketh sure his belief by walking not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, hath a clear evidence to his own feeling that he hath interest in Christ. But I John, Thomas, &c. do believe, and do make sure my belief by walking, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit; therefore I have a clear evidence to my own feeling that I have interest in Christ. The Proposition is Scripture, John 3.36. and 5.24. and 11.25, 26. Rom. 8.1, 2. 1 John 1.4. and 2.3. The Assumption is made sure by sense, not at all times, but when the Spirit is breathing upon the soul. For though I do believe, and walk after the Spirit, yet to my own feeling I have only evidence of my interest in Christ, when the Spirit stirs up my sense to compare my faith, and walking with the Promises of God in Christ.
Ob. If this be so, then all the certainty that I have of my interest in Christ, is ultimately and principally resolved into this weak and rotten foundation of my own good works, which being examined by the Law of God, will be found so sinful, that they must needs involve me under the Curse of God?
Answ. This will not follow for if our works of Sanctification were the causes of our peace and comfort, then it might have some colour of truth: but, though these works have sin cleaving to them, yet because our supernatural sense of the Spirit suggesteth that these works are the fruits of faith, and are done in some measure of sincerity, and flow not from the Spirit of the Law, but from the Spirit of the Gospel, therefore they lead us to Christ, and drive us upon a clear Gospel-Promise, thus.
First, That the adherent sinfulnesse of our works are purged by the blood of Christ.
Secondly, That our peace and assurance depends not upon our works, but upon the Promises of the Gospel in such Scriptures as these, 2 Tim. 4.7, 8. 1 Cor. 9.24. Rev. 22.14. Only our inherent qualification leads us, as a moral motive, to look to the Promises of God, which is the foundation of our peace.
Thirdly, if works of sanctification be no sure marks of our interest in Christ, because sin cleaveth to them, which involves us in the curse, then neither can faith in Christ be a sure mark of our interest in Christ, because it is mixed with sinful doubtings: But as faith justifies, not because its great and perfect, but because its lively and true, (as a palsie-hand may receive a piece of gold as well as a strong one) so also do our inherent works of Sanctification evidence to us that we are in Christ, and so lead us to the Promises of the Gospel, as signes, not causes of our interest in Christ, and that under this notion, because they are sincerely performed, not because they are perfect, and without sin.
Fourthly, in exalting Christs righteousnesse one way by making Christ all, they make Christ nothing another way, by vilifying the glory of sanctifying grace. For we are not by good works to make our calling and election sure to our selves, and in the evidence of our own consciences, if our good works be no signes of our interest in Christ.
Fifthly, the Spirit which they make the only witnesse, must be known to us by Scriptures, not to be a deluding Spirit: For if this Spirit cannot be known by those things which are called the fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22. Love, Joy, Peace, &c. as the fruits are evidences of the life of the tree, then men are to labour for faith, and the raptures, impressions, and the immediate and personal influence of a Spirit from Heaven without making any conscience of holy ving, and so this is the high-way for men void of all sanctification to believe that they are in Christ; and they may live after the flesh, and yet believe the Testimony of the broad Seal of an immediate working Spirit.
Mr. Rutherfords Parl. Sermon.
Ob. But Rom. 4.5. Its said that God justifies the ungodly?
Answ. First, Some answer it thus: that these words are not to be understood in sensu composito, but diviso, and antecedenter: He that was ungodly, is, being justified, made godly also, though that godlinesse doth not justifie him; and so they compare these passages with those of making the blinde to see, and the deaf to hear, not that they did see whilest they were blinde, but those that were blinde do now see; which is true and good. But
Secondly, Ungodly here is meant of such, who are so considered in their nature, having not an absolute righteousnesse: so then the subject of Justification is a sinner, but withal a believer: Now its impossible that a man should be a believer, and not have his heart purified, Acts 15.9. For whole Christ is the object of his faith, who is received not only to justifie, but also to sanctifie.
Ob. But Rom. 5.10. Christ died for us whilest we were enemies?
Answ. If Christ died for us whilest we were enemies, why do they say, that if a man be as great an enemy as enmity it self can make him, if he be willing to take Christ, and to close with him, he shall be pardoned, which includes a contradiction: For how can an enemy to Christ close with Christ? But Christ died, not only to justifie, but to save us: now will they hence infer, that profane men living and dying so shall be saved; and indeed, the grand principle, that Christ hath purchased and obtained all graces antecedently to us, in their sense, will as necessarily infer, that a drunkard abiding so, shall be saved, as well as justified.
Ob. But its said that Christ died, and rose again for sinners?
Answ. We must know that this is the meritorious cause of our pardon and salvation; but besides this cause there are instrumental causes, that go to the whole work of Justification; therefore some Divines, as they speak of a Conversion Passive and Active; so also of a Justification Active and Passive: and they call that Passive, not only when the meritorious cause, but the instrument applying it is also present, then the person is justified. So then to that grand mercy of Justification, something is requisite as the efficient, viz. the grace of God; something as meritorious: viz. Christs suffering: something as instrumental: viz. Faith: and one is as necessary as the other.
Mr. Burges Vindiciae Legis.