The Glory of Free Grace Displayed, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
A digreſſion concerning the actual imputation of Chriſts Merits, &c. to all the Elect in the Womb.
The unſoundneſs of this notion.
The abſurd conſequences that naturally ſlow from it.
The plain Scripture notion about our actual Juſtification declared.
Faith in Chriſt antecedent thereunto.
The convinced ſinner, the only Subject capable of Juſtification.
A return from the digreſſion, ſhewing wherein Grace is highly glorified by ſome, and wherein abuſed by others.
THus, you ſee where theſe errors lead men, and how, ſuch as do entertain one error, do but prepare they way unto many. For that which is remarkable is this, Thoſe perſons, who embrace the error, I have now confuted, do aſſert, that the Elect are actually juſtified, even in the womb, though they know it not; for ſaith one "God laies the ſins of the Elect on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt by Obligation, Execution and Application; which Application, as done by the Father, is ſecret and manifeſt: Secretly unto particular Elect Perſons, before they come into the world, even while in the womb, aſſoon as conceived, for which Reaſon the Lord hath no more to lay to the charge of an Elect perſon, yet in the height of iniquity, and in the Exceſs of Riot, and committing all the Abominations that can be committed, even then, the Lord hath no more to lay to that Perſons charge, than he hath to lay to the charge of a Perſon Triumphant in Glory, though the Elect perſon knows it not," So Dr. Criſp. on Iſaiah.
The Reading which, is enough to engage a tender conſcience to abhor it. But to go on, and ſhew the unſoundneſs hereof.
If the Elect, aſſoon as they receive Being, are in the ſight of God actually juſtified by this ſecret Application of their ſins unto Chriſt, 'tis impoſſible, that any one Elect ſoul, can be truly conſidered as born, or as conceiv'd, in ſin; for their conception and this ſecret application is in one and the ſame inſtant. Neither do they need any Sanctification by the Spirit, as I ſhall ſhew immediately, neither can they be capable of a Pardon; for they are not actually guilty, nor by nature the Children of Wrath: This is plain. For Chriſts Holineſs being made their Holineſs, aſſoon as they received their Being in the Womb, therewas no one inſtant in which they were ſinners, without perfect Holineſs; whence 'twill follow, that there is no Original ſin, no being by nature the Children of wrath, no need of pardon; for a pardon preſuppoſeth Guilt, as Guilt inferreth Sin; where no Sin, their no Guilt, no Pardon, yea, and hereby Repentance, and Faith in the blood of Chriſt for pardon, is made of none effect. But if it be ſaid that although the Righteouſneſs and Holineſs of Chriſt is imputed unto the Elect, aſſoon as they receive their Being; yet the Elect may remain under the power of ſin, filthy, unclean and polluted, full of ſinful ſpots and blemiſhes. If ſo, it muſt be acknowledged. That one and the ſame perſon, may be at one and the ſame time, a Child of God and a Child of the Devil. 1. As Chriſts Righteouſneſs, and Holineſs is imputed unto him, ſo He is the Child of God, in a ſtate of grace, actually in Gods account juſtified, having a right unto the Kingdom, the Object of Gods ſpecial love and favour; but yet, 2. As he is under the power of ſin, and Unclean, ſo he is the Child of the Devil, and in a ſtate of wrath, actually unjuſtified in Gods account, liable to eternal burnings, the Object of Gods hatred, being a worker of iniquity. But how impoſſible is this? Oh how dangerous to aſſert! what! can a man be at one and the ſame time the Child of God, and alſo of the Devil? He may as well, be in Heaven and Hell at the ſametime, bathing himſelf in the Rivers of pleaſure, that run at the right hand of God for ever, even when tormented in that lake that burneth with Fire and brimſtone. What ſtrange confuſion is this? but they ſay that the ſin paſſing from the Elect, ceaſeth to be the ſin of the Elect. q. d. The Elect are never in a ſtate of ſin, or wrath though under the Power of ſin.
The truth then is this.
The Righteouſneſs of Chriſt is not actually imputed unto any under the reigning power of unbelief, for, he that believeth not, is condemned already, Joh. 3.18. The wrath of God abideth on on him, ver. 36. There is no Communication of any juſtifying, pardoning grace to any, that are not united unto Chriſt, and whatever ſoul is united unto Chriſt, he is ſo by Faith, "for, as the Reverend Dr. O. it muſt be remembred that, we require Evangelical Faith in order of nature antecedently unto our juſtification by the imputation of the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt unto us, which juſtifying Faith, includeth in its nature the entire principle of Evangelical repentance, ſo as that it is utterly impoſſible, that a man ſhould be a true believer, and not at the ſame inſtant of time, be truly penitent." A man that continueth under the power of ſin, no way convinced of his loſt eſtate out of Chriſt, (as is the caſe of many Elect perſons, a long time, after they are out of the Womb,) is ſo far from being actually juſtified in the ſight of God, that he is not, while ſo, a meet Subject of juſtification; Conviction of ſin, being a neceſſary antecedent unto that Faith, that in order of nature goes before juſtification, and therefore it muſt be conſidered, that a Convinced ſinner, (as the ſame Reverend Dr. hath largely proved,) is the only Subjectum capax juſtificationis.
But to return.
From what hath been ſaid, we may clearly ſee, wherein the Grace of God is highly glorified, and wherein by ſome 'tis greatly abuſed.
1. Tis highly glorified, in that the Son of God, according to the eternal compact between the Father and the Son, aſſum'd Humane Nature, made under the Law, voluntarily taking on him the Guilt and Puniſhment of our ſins, whereby poor faln man, may be freed from both, in being pardoned, and in being delivered from the weight of that wrath, which omnipotency was to inflict: Now the Guilty may eſcape that guilt, which tormenteth the conſciences of many here, and which is amongſt the damned, as a Gnawing Worm, that continually adds to their inſupportable horrors hereafter.
2. Free-Grace is greatly abuſed by ſuch, as do aſſert,
1. That the ſpots, and blemiſhes of our ſins, are laid on Chriſt; as if he, who is infinitely pure, had been defiled and ſtained with the Filth of our abominations; as if infinite Wiſdom, could not find out a way to make a diſplay of Free-Grace, in the accompliſhing faln mans ſalvation, but by the making Jeſus Chriſt, God-Man, ſubject unto the Pollution of ſin. Oh! How is God diſhonoured by the bold confidence of Finite mortals! who can preſume to deny the Lord to be gracious, unleſs his grace be made known in a way agreeable to their corrupt imaginations!
2. To aſſert, that the Grace of God is ſuch, as makes the Elect holy by Chriſts Holineſs, even when they are not only ſubject to much ſin, but are under the reigning power of the worſt of ſins, is to abuſe the Grace of God, for theſe talk as if ſuch as are in themſelves impure, unclean, and unholy could, while ſo, be eſteemed by the Father of our bleſſed Jeſus, as clean, pure and holy; or, as if God could not ſet forth the Excellency of his Grace any other way, than by lying under many a miſtake. Theſe notwithſtanding their pretence of exulting Free-Grace, denying the Omniſcience, or Infinite knowledge of him, who is All-wiſe; andrepreſenting the Infallible God, as liable to error do ſadly abuſe Free-Grace.
3. To ſuggeſt, that Free-Grace is glorified in the actual imputing Chriſts righteouſneſs unto any, while in unbelief, as if the ſwearer or Sabbath breaker, the drunkard, or unclean perſon, that delights in fornication and adultery, might, while ſo, be an actual partaker of the ſpecial bleſſings of God; or as if the Sanctification of the Spirit, had been no way neceſſary to our Salvation; is a ſad abuſe of Grace, tending to the great diſhonour of the infinite Holineſs, and purity of God. But ſince God is not only Gracious, but alſo is moſt holy, Grace is not, it cannot be revealed, but in a way conſiſtent with the glory of Divine Purity and Holineſs. But,
4. Some there are, who magnifie the Free-Grace of God, by concealing that glorious diſcovery God hath made thereof in our Lord Jeſus; theſe are they, who contend for the actual juſtification of all the Elect from Eternity, as if Jeſus Chriſt died to procure that for the Elect, which they had before the Worlds were made; or as if the decree of God, his electing Will, an Immanent act, had been tranſient in the actual creating, juſtifying and ſaving all the Elect from eternity, (that is) as if they had been created millions of years before there was any creature.
Thus men on pretence of lifting up the Free-Grace of God, do not only trouble the Churches with their confuſion and variety of contradictions, but morcover do lightly eſteem the greateſt Inſtance of Free-Grace, the Elect …re capable of receiving, viz. the Love of God in Chriſt. For hereby God commendeth his Love to us, that while we were yet ſinners, Chriſt died for us, Rom. 5.8. Again God SO loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son, Joh. 3.16. and without blood no Remiſſion.
5. There are others, who in their abuſe of Free-Grace, do greatly reproach the Spirit of Chriſt, and of God the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by aſſerting that the Elect are actually Juſtified in the womb, even before they do believe, yea, while they are in a ſtate of darkneſs, and ſtrang… to the powerful working of Gods holy Spirit. Theſe are they who inſiſt on Faith, as neceſſary only for the procuring the knowledge of that juſtification, which they actually had before …. But how do theſe men ſin againſt the Spirit of God, by reproaching its works, as if the gr…s of the Spirit, had been of no eſteem; as if our Faith and Repentance, our Love to God and … …lking according to the Goſpel of our … Redeemer, had been our ſin! Tis true, the … doth conſider the Righteouſneſs of the …, and the Apoſtle concluded,that his righteouſneſs, which was not done in Faith, to be as dung, in compariſon of the righteouſneſs of Chriſt: And ſurely becauſe of the many imperfections that attend our beſt performances, we have cauſe to be humbled daily before the Lord and to apply our ſelves to the blood, and righteouſneſs of Chriſt, for pardoning mercy. But yet it muſt be ſtill aſſerted, that there is a difference between thoſe graces, that are the work of God's ſpirit in us, and the imperfections which proceed from the remains of our old corruption, for that which is the work of God's Spirit, as ſuch, is not dung, nor droſs, nor filth, nor ſtinking rags, much leſs filthy ſins. The Spirit of God is the Author of Faith, and Love, and other graces; but the Spirit of God is not the Author of ſin and filth. The giving grace to the ſoul, is the renewing the Image of God on the ſoul; but the image of God doth not conſiſt in ſin, and filth, and ſtinking rags. The believer, in being a partaker of the graces of God's ſpirit, is a partaker of the divine nature, but the divine nature is not compoſed of ſin, or any filthy thing: 'Tis our duty to believe in Chriſt, to love God, &c. but, 'tis not our duty to ſin, or wallow in any ſpiritual uncleanneſs. Whence then, ſuch as do deny the neceſſity of ſaith in order to our being actually juſtified; or ſuch as do reproach the working of Gods holy ſpirit, calling what is holy, unholy, what is pure, impure; reviling, the divine nature, reproaching Gods image, on pretence of exalting free grace, do greatly ſin, in abuſing a great inſtance of free grace viz. The holy Spirit's work, unto which we are infinitely obliged. For 'tis the Spirit that doth begin, carry on, and finiſh the work of Sanctification on the ſoul; whence, although, while we are in this life, our Sanctification is but imperfect, yet there is not one ſoul in Heaven one inſtant without perfect holineſs.
But, it may be, you'l quaery how it can be, that the ſoul, which, while on earth, is but imperfectly ſanc…fied, ſhould … perfectly purged from the filth of ſin when in Heaven? I Anſwer. There are ſeveral ſorts of men, who talk, as if they had been fully acquainted with the whole counſel of God, and as if they could give a particular account of the methods of divine operations; hence ſome are confident enough to aſſert that the perfect purgati-on of the filth of ſin, muſt be either by the Spirit in this life, or by a purgatory fire in the other. The one aſſerts perfection, not only of parts, but of degrees attainable here, and conſequently denies the neceſſity of Ordinances, &c. The other viz. the Papiſts conclude, that as ſome arrive to perfection here, others do not, e're they arrive unto the purgatery ſire, but the Antinomian preſumes to ſay, that our perfect Sanctification muſt. be by Chriſt's Holineſs, even as our compleat Juſtification is by Chriſts Righteouſneſs. But I havealready ſhewn, That our perfect Sanctification, which conſiſts in the removal of the filth of every ſin is not done by the Holineſs of Chriſt: Neither is it poſſible, that any material flames ſhould be adjuſted, for the cleanſing the ſoul, which is a Being ſpiritual and Immaterial: Materiale non agit in immateriale. It is done then by the Spirit; when? not in this life, for until the body of Sin be put off, there will be the remainders of old luſts, *Note, 1 King. 8.46. Prov. 20.9. Eccl. 7.20. 1 Joh. 1.8. No meer man ſince the Fall ever arriv'd unto a ſtate of ſinleſs perfection in this life.. which are inconſiſtent with a Sanctification, that is perfect with a perfection of degrees. Doth it, (you, it may be, will ſay) enter into Heaven with its imperfections (i.e.) Spots and Filth? Anſ. No ſurely, for no Spot can have an admittance into that holy place. Doth the departed ſoul make its ſtay after it paſſeth from the body, e're it enter Heaven? Anſ. The ſtay cannot be long, for ſaid Jeſus Chriſt to the Thief on the Croſs, This day thou ſhalt be with me in Paradiſe, Who ſtood in need of as long a ſtay for a further Sanctification, as any, his converſion being juſt then; How then is it? I anſwer, That ſince 'tis certain, That 'tis the Spirits work to ſanctify, which work is not perfected while the ſoul is in the body, and yet enters into Heaven perfect, we ſhould ſatisfy our ſelves with theſe plain truths, without any further ſearch into the ſecrets of the Almighty, eſpeciallyſince the Spirit of God, on the ſouls parting from the body of ſin, can in a moment perfectly Sanctify it.
But for your fuller Satisfaction
Conſider, That the Tyrant Sin, hath its uſurped Throne, in our members, in our body, the fleſh (which is the true reaſon, why the Elect in the body, are not perfectly ſanctified) and you will ſuddenly be engaged to conclude, That our ſanctification may be immediately perfected, on the ſouls freedom from the body. If the body of ſin, be the hinderer of our perfect Sanctification, how eaſily may our perfect Sanctification be accompliſhed, when once we are freed from the body of this death? Remember the guilt of ſin being removed by the Blood of Chriſt, a Right to Glory purchaſed by his Righteouſneſs, and through the Sanctification of the Spirit all the faculties and powers of the ſoul being exactly conformable to the Rule given 'em, by the Lord, which is done on the ſouls leaving the body, caſting off its Chains and Fetters, nothing remains but that the ſoul immediately at death may go to God. Read ſeriouſly the 7th. of the Romans.