Vindication of the Protestant Doctrine of Justification, Postscript
POSTSCRIPT.
THis Paper, preſented to thee, was in its firſt deſign intended as a private Letter to a particular Brother, as the Title bears. How it comes to be publiſhed, I ſhall not trouble the World with an account of: I think that Dr. Owen's Excellent Book of Juſtification, and Mr. Marſhal's Book of the Myſtery of Sanctification by Faith in Jeſus Chriſt, are ſuch Vindications and Confirmations of the Proteſtant Doctrine, againſt which I fear no effectual Oppoſition. Dr. Owen's Name is ſo ſavoury, and famous, his ſoundneſs in the Faith, and ability in Learning for its defence, ſo juſtly reputed, that no ſober man will attempt him. Mr. Marſhal was a holy retired Perſon, and is only known to the moſt of us by his Book, publiſhed lately. The Book is a deep, practical, well-jointed Diſcourſe, and requires a more than ordinary attention in the reading of it with profit. And if it be ſingly uſed, I look upon it as one of the moſt uſeful Books the World hath ſeen for many years: Its excellency is, that it leads the ſerious Reader directly to Jeſus Chriſt, and cuts the ſinews, and overturns the foundation of the New Divinity, by the ſame argument of Goſpel-Holineſs, by which many attempt to overturn the Old. And as it hath already the ſeal of high approbation, by many judicious Miniſters and Chriſtians that have read it; ſo I fear not, but it will ſtand firm as a Rock againſt all Oppoſition, and will prove good Seed, and Food, and Light, and Life to many hereafter.
All my deſign in publiſhing this, is plainly and briefly to give ſome Information to ordinary plain people, who either want Time or Judgement to peruſe large and learned Tractates, about this point of Juſtification, wherein every one is equally concerned.
The Theme of Juſtification hath ſuffered greatly by this, That many have imployed their Heads and Pens, who never had their Hearts and Conſciences exerciſed about it. And they muſt be frigid and dreaming ſpeculations, that all ſuch are taken up with, whoſe Conſciences are not enlivened with their perſonal concern in it.
Theſe things are undoubted, 1. That, as it is a point of higheſt concern to every man, ſo it is to the whole-Doctrine of Chriſtianity. All the great Fundamentals of Chriſtian Truth, center in this of Juſtification. The Trinity of perſons in the Godhead; The Incarnation of the only Begotten of the Father; The Satisfaction paid to the Law and Juſtice of God, for the ſins of the World, by his Obedience, and Sacrifice of Himſelf in that fleſh he aſſumed; and the Divine Authority of the Scriptures which reveal all this; Are all ſtraight lines of Truth, that center in this Doctrine of the Juſtification of a Sinner by the Imputation and Application of that Satisfaction. No Juſtification, without a Righteouſneſs; No Righteouſneſs can be, but what anſwers fully and perfectly the Holy Law of God: No ſuch Righteouſneſs can be performed, but by a Divine Perſon; No benefit can accrue to a Sinner by it, unleſs it be ſomeway his, and applied to him; No application can be made of this, but by Faith in Jeſus Chriſt. And as the connexion with, and dependance of this Truth upon, the other great Myſteries of Divine Truth, is evident in the plain propoſal of it; So the ſame hath ſadly been manifeſt in this, that the forſaking of the Doctrine of Juſtification by Faith in Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, hath been the firſt ſtep of Apoſtaſie in many, who have not ſtop'd till they revolted from Chriſtianity it ſelf. Hence ſo many Arminians, and their chief Leaders too, turned Socinians; from denying Juſtification by Chriſts Righteouſneſs, they proceeded to the denying of his Satisfaction, from the denial of his proper Satisfaction, they went on to the denying of the Divinity of his Perſon: And that man's Charity is exceſſive, that will allow to ſuch Blaſphemers of the Son of God, the Name of Chriſtians. Let not then the Zeal of any, for ſo fundamental a point of Truth, as that is of the Juſtification of a Sinner by Faith in Chriſt, be charged with folly. It is good to be always zealouſly affected in a good thing; and this is the beſt of things.
2. It is undoubted, That there is a Myſtery in this Matter of Juſtification. As it is God's act, it is an act of Free-Grace and Deep Wiſdom. Herein Juſtice and Mercy kiſs one another in ſaving the Sinner. Here appears God Man, with the Righteouſneſs of God, and this applied and imputed to ſinful men; Here mans Sin and Miſery, are the field in which the Riches of God's Grace in Chriſt are diſplay'd. Here the Sinner is made Righteous by the Righteouſneſs of another, and obtains Juſtification through this Righteouſneſs, though he pays, and gives nothing for it; God declares him righteous, or juſtifies him freely, and yet he is well paid for it by the Redemption that is in Chriſt Jeſus, Rom. 3.24, 25, 26. It is an act of Juſtice and Mercy both, when God juſtifies a Believer on Jeſus Chriſt. And muſt there not then be a great Myſtery in it? Is not every Believer daily admiring the depth of this way of God? This Myſtery is uſually, rather darkned, than illuſtrated, by Logical Terms uſed in the handling of it. The only defence that good and learned men have for the uſe of them, is (and it hath great weight) that the craft of Adverſaries doth conſtrain them to uſe ſuch Terms to find them out, or hedge them in. It's certain that this Myſtery is as plainly revealed, in the Word, as the Holy Ghoſt thought fit to do in teaching the Heirs of this Grace; and it were well if men did contain themſelves within theſe bounds.
3. It is certain, That this Doctrine of Juſtification propoſed in the Word, hath been very differently underſtood and expreſſed by men, that profeſs that God's Word is the only Rule of their thoughts and words about the things of the Spirit of God. It hath been, and will be ſtill a Stone of Stumbling, as our Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf was, and is, Rom. 9.32, 33. 1 Pet. 2.7, 8.
4. That whatever Variety and Differences there be in Men's Notions and Opinions (and there is a great deal) about Juſtification, They are all certainly reducible to two; one of which is every mans opinion. And they are, That the Juſtification of a ſinner before God, is either on the account of a Righteouſneſs in and of our ſelves, or on the account of a Righteouſneſs in another, even Jeſus Chriſt, who is Jehovah our Righteouſneſs. Law and Goſpel, Faith and Works, Chriſts Righteouſneſs and our own, Grace and Debt, do equally divide all in this matter. Crafty Men may endeavour to bend and mix theſe things together in Juſtification; but it is a vain attempt. Is it not only moſt expreſly rejected in the Goſpel, which peremptorily determines the Contrariety, Inconſiſtency, and Incompatibility, betwixt theſe two; But the Nature of the things in themſelves and the ſenſe and conſcience of every ſerious perſon, doth witneſs to the ſame, that our own Righteouſneſs and Chriſts Righteouſneſs, do comprehend all the pleas of men to Juſtification (one or other of them, every man in the world ſtands upon;) and that they are inconſiſtent with and deſtructive one of another in juſtification: if a man truſt to his own Righteouſneſs he rejects Chriſts, if he truſts to Chriſts Righteouſneſs he rejects his Own. If he will not reject his own Righteouſneſs as too good to be renounced, if he will not venture on Chriſts. Righteouſneſs as not ſufficient alone, to bear him out, and bring him ſafe off at God's Bar, he is in both a convicted Unbeliever. And if he endeavour to patch up a Righteouſneſs before God, made up of both, he is ſtill under the Law, and a deſpiſer of Goſpel-Grace, Gal. 2.21. That Righteouſneſs that juſtifies a Sinner, conſiſts in aliquo indiviſibili, and this every man finds when the caſe is his own, and he ſerious about it.
5. Theſe different Sentiments about Juſtification have been at all times managed with a ſpecial Acrimony. They that are for the Righteouſneſs of God by Faith in Jeſus Chriſt, look upon it as the only foundation of all their hopes for eternity, and therefore cannot but be zealous for it. And the contrary ſide are as hot for their own Righteouſneſs, the moſt admired and adored Diana of proud Mankind, as if it were an Image fallen down from Jupiter, when it is indeed the Idol that was caſt out of Heaven with the Devil, and which he hath ever ſince been ſo diligent to ſet up before ſinful men, to be worſhip'd, that he might bring them into the ſame condemnation with himſelf; And by true Sin, and falſe Righteouſneſs he hath deceived the whole world, Rev. 12.9.
6. As the Holy Ghoſt ſpeaking in the Scriptures, is the Supreme and Infallible Judge and Determiner of all Truth; So where he doth particularly, and on purpoſe deliver any Truth, there we are ſpecially to attend and learn. And tho in moſt points of Truth, he uſually teacheth us by a bare Authoritative Narration, yet in ſome Points, which his Infinite Wiſdom foreſaw ſpecial Oppoſition to, he doth not only declare, but debate and determine the Truth. And the Inſtances are two eſpecially. One is about the Divinity of Chriſt's Perſon and Dignity of his Prieſthood, reaſoned, argued, and determined in the Epiſtle to the Hebrews. The other is about Juſtification by Faith, exactly handled, in the Epiſtles to the Romans, and to the Galatians. In the former of theſe two, the Doctrine of free Juſtification, is taught us moſt formally, and accurately. And tho we find no Charge againſt that Church in Paul's time, or in his Epiſtle, for their departing from the Truth in this Point, yet the Wiſdom of the Holy Ghoſt is remarkable in this, That this Doctrine ſhould be ſo plainly aſſerted, and ſtrongly proved in an Epiſtle to that Church, the pretonded Succeſſors whereof, have Apoſtatized from that Faith, and proved the main Aſſerters of that damnable Error, of Juſtification by Works. That to the Galatians is plainly written, to cure a begun, and obviate a full Apoſtaſy, from the purity of the Goſpel, in the point of Juſtification by Faith, without the Works of the Law. And from theſe two Epiſtles, if we be wiſe, we muſt learn the Truth of this Doctrine, and expound all other Scriptures, in a harmony with what is there ſo ſetly determined, as in Foro contradictorio.
Laſtly, It is not to be denied, nor concealed, That on each ſide, ſome have run into Extreams, which the generality do not own, but are uſually loaden with. The Papiſts run high for Juſtification by Works; yet even ſome of them in the Council of Trent, diſcourſed very favourably of Juſtification by Faith. The Arminians have qualified a little the groſsneſs of the Popiſh Doctrine in this Article; And ſome ſince have eſſayed to qualifie that of the Arminians, and to plead the ſame cauſe more finely. Again, ſome have run into the other extream, as appeared in Germany a little after the Reformation; and ſome ſuch there have been always, and in all places, where the Goſpel hath ſhined; and theſe were called Antinomians. But how unjuſtly this hateful Name is charged upon the Orthodox Preachers and ſincere Believers of the Proteſtant Doctrine of Juſtification by Faith only, who keep the Goſpel-midſt betwixt theſe two Rocks, is the deſign of this Paper, to diſcover. What we plead for, is in ſumm, That Jeſus Chriſt our Saviour is the fountain opened in the Houſe of David, for Sin and for Ʋncleanneſs, wherein only men can be waſhed in Juſtification and Sanctification. And that there is no other fountain of mans deviſing, nor of God's declaring, for waſhing a Sinner firſt, ſo as to make him fit and meet to come to this, to waſh, and to be clean.
As for In herent Holineſs, Is it not ſufficiently ſecured by the Spirit of Chriſt received by Faith, the certain Spring and Cauſe of it, By the Word of God, the plain and perfect Rule of it, By the declared neceſſity of it to all them that look to be ſaved, and to juſtifie the ſincerity of a mans Faith? Unleſs we bring it in to Juſtification, and thereby make our own pitiful Holineſs ſit on the Throne of Judgement, with the precious blood of the Lamb of God.
Though I expect that a more able hand will undertake an Examination of the New Divinity; yet to fill up a little room, I would ſpeak ſomewhat to their Achillaean Argument, that is ſo much boaſted of, and ſo frequently inſiſted on by them, as their Shield and Spear. Their Argument is this, That Chriſt's Righteouſneſs is our Legal Righteouſneſs; but our own, is our Evangelical Righteouneſs; that is, when a Sinner is charged with Sin againſt the Law of God, he may oppoſe Chriſt's Righteouſneſs as his Legal Defence; But againſt the Charge of the Goſpel, eſpecially for Unbelief, he muſt produce his Faith as his Defence or Righteouſneſs, againſt that charge.
With a great deference to ſuch Worthy Divines as have look'd on this as an argument of weight, I ſhall in a few words, effay to manifeſt, that this is either a ſaying the ſame in other odd words, that is commonly taught by us, or a Sophiſm, or a departing from the Proteſtant Doctrine about Juſtification.
1. This Argument concerns not at all the Juſtification of a Sinner before God. For this end, no more is needful, than to conſider, what this charge is, againſt whom it is given, and by whom. The charge is ſaid to be given in by God, and a charge of Unbelief, or diſobeying the Goſpel. But againſt whom? Is it againſt a Believer or Unbeliever? And theſe two divide all mankind. If it be againſt a Believer, it is a falſe charge, and can never be given in by the God of Truth. For the Believer is juſtified already by Faith, and as to this charge he is innocent. And Innocence is defence enough to a man falſly charged, before a Righteous Judge. Is this charge given us againſt an Unbeliever? We allow it is a Righteous charge. Ay, but ſay they, Will Chriſt's Righteouſneſs juſtifie a man from this Charge of Goſpel-Ʋnbelief. The anſwer is plain, No, it will not, nor yet from any other charge whatſoever, either from Law or Goſpel: for he hath nothing to do with Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, while an Unbeliever. What then doth this arguing reprove? Is it, that no mans Faith in Chriſt's Righteouſneſs can be juſtified in its ſincerity before men, and in a mans own Conſcience, but in and by the fruits of a true lively faith? In this they have no Oppoſers, that I know of. Or is it, That a man may have Chriſt's Righteouſneſs for his Legal Righteouſneſs, and yet be a Rebel to the Goſpel and a ſtranger to true Holineſs? Who ever affirmed it? Or is it, That this Goſpel-Holineſs is that, that a man muſt not only have (for that we grant) but alſo may venture to ſtand in, and to be found in before God, and to enter into judgement with God upon, in his Claim to Eternal Life? Then we muſt oppoſe them that think ſo, as we know their own Conſciences will, when in any lively exerciſe. Theſe plain Principles of Goſpel-Truth, while they remain (and remain they will on their own foundation, when we are all in our Graves, and our fooliſh contentions are buried) do overthrow this pretended charge. 1. That Chriſt's Righteouſneſs is the only Plea and Anſwer of a Sinner arraigned at God's Bar for Life and Death. 2. This Righteouſneſs is imputed to no man but a Believer. 3. When it is imputed by Grace, and applied by Faith, it immediately and eternally becomes the mans Righteouſneſs, before God, Angels, Men and Devils, Rom. 8.33, 35, 38, 39. It is a Righteouſneſs, that is never loſt, never taken away, never ineffectual, anſwereth all charges, and is attended with all Graces.
2. I would ask, What is that Righteouſneſs that juſtifies a man from the Sin of Unbelief? We have rejected the imaginary charge, let us now conſider the Real Sin. Unbelief is the greateſt Sin againſt both Law and Goſpel: More remotely againſt the Law which binds all men to believe God ſpeaking, ſay what he will; more directly againſt the Goſpel, which tells us what we ſhould believe, and commands us to believe. Let us put this caſe (and it is pity the caſe is ſo rare, when the Sin is ſo common) that a poor ſoul is troubled about the greatneſs of the Sin of Unbelief, in calling God a Lyar. 1 John 5.10. in diſtruſting his faithful promiſe, in doubting Chriſt's ability and good-will to ſave, in ſtanding aloof ſo long from Jeſus Chriſt; as many of the Elect are long in a ſtate of Unbelief, till called; and the beſt of Believers have Unbelief in ſome meaſure in them, Mark 9.24 Abraham's faith ſtaggered ſometimes, Gen. 12. and 20. What ſhall we ſay to a Conſcience thus troubled? Will any man dare to tell him, that Chriſt's Righteouſneſs is his Legal Righteouſneſs againſt the Charge of Sins againſt the Law, but for Goſpel-Charges, he muſt anſwer them in his own Name? I know our hotteſt Oppoſers would abhor ſuch an Anſwer, and would freely tell ſuch a man, that the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt cleanſeth from all Sin, and that his Juſtification from his Unbelief, muſt be only in that Righteouſneſs which he ſo ſinfully had rejected while in Unbelief, and now lays hold on by Faith.
3. But ſome extend this Argument yet more dangerouſly. For they ſay, That not only men muſt have their Faith for their Righteouſneſs againſt the Charge of Unbelief but Repentance againſt the charge of Impenitence, Sincerity againſt that of Hypocriſie, Holineſs againſt that of Ʋnholineſs, and Perſeverance as their Goſpel-Righteouſneſs againſt the charge of Apoſtaſy. If they mean only, that theſe things are Juſtifications and Fruits of true Faith and of the ſincerity of the Grace of God in us; We do agree to the meaning, but highly diſlike the expreſſions, as Unſcriptural and Dangerous, tending to the diſhonouring of the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, and to run men on the Rocks of Pride and Self-Righteouſneſs, that natural corruption drives all men upon. But if they mean, that either jointly or ſeparately, they are our Righteouſneſs before God, or that either ſeparate from, or mixed with Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, they may be made our Claim and Plea for Salvation, I muſt ſay, that it is dangerous Doctrine, and its native tendency is to turn Chriſt's imputed Righteouſneſs out of the Church, to deſtroy all the ſolid Peace of Believers, and to exclude Goſpel Juſtification out of this world, and reſerve it to another, and that with a horrible uncertainty of any particular mans partaking of it. But theſe Bleſſed Truths of God, and bleſſings of Believers, ſtand on firmer foundations than Heaven or Earth, and will continue fixed againſt all the Attempts of the Gates of Hell. Bleſſed be the Rock, Chriſt, on which all is built, bleſſed be the New Covenant, ordered in all things and ſure, and bleſſed is he that belieneth, for there ſhall be a performance of thoſe things which are told him from the Lord, Luke 1.45. Amen.
London, Sept. 1. 1692.
FINIS.
ADVERTISEMENT.
MR. Rutherfoord's Letters, the Third Edition, Now divided in Three Parts; The Firſt containing thoſe which were written from Aberdeen, where he was confined by a Sentence of the High Commiſſion, drawn forth againſt him, partly upon the account of his declining them, partly upon the account of his Nonconformity The Second and Third containing ſome, which were written from Anwoth, before he was by the Prelates perſecution thruſt from his Miniſtry: and others upon occaſions afterward, from St. Andrews London, &c. Publiſhed for the uſe of all the People of God; but more particularly, for thoſe who now are, or afterwards may be put to ſuffering for Chriſt and his Cauſe. By a well-wiſher to the Work, and People of God. Printed for Dorman Newman at the King's Arms in the Poultry.
End of the text · Robert Traill, Vindication of the Protestant Doctrine of Justification (1692)