Eighteen Sermons, Sermon 15
ROM. 5.1.
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, &c.
HAving declared unto you heretofore the nature of faith, and that point which concernes the practice of it in our near approach unto God; I am now come to shew unto you the fruits and benefits Christians receive from this Mother-grace; and that the Apostle sets down in these words.
He sets down,
1. The Mother-Grace, Justification; that whereas we were afarre off, we are made near, and of enemies made friends of God. Then,
2. There are the daughters or hand-maids of this grace: For when we are justified by Faith, then,
1. We have peace with God: that peace of conscience which passeth all understanding; then,
2. We have free accesse by faith unto the Throne of grace, so that we need not look for any other Mediators. Christ hath made way for us to God, so that we may go boldly to the Throne of grace, and find help at any time of need.
3. There follows a joyful hope, that a Christian hath by it, a taste of Heaven before he come to enjoy it. We rejoyce in hope, saith the Apostle; hope being as firme a thing as faith, faith makes things absent as present; hope hath patience with it, and would have us wait. We shall be sure of it, but yet we must wait patiently.
4. Not only rejoycing in hope, but even that which spoils a natural mans joy, as crosses, troubles, afflictions: and these are made the matter of this mans joy, not delectable objects only. Not in time to come after afflictions, but in afflictions; so as that which spoils the joy of a natural man, is fuel to kindle this mans joy.
Now concerning justification by faith; though it be an ordinary point, yet there is nothing more needs Explication, than to know how a man shall be justified by Faith. It's easily spoken, hardly explicated; Therefore in this mother-Grace, I shall shew you,
1. What faith is that doth justifie. And,
2. What this justification is. For it is not so easie a matt… neither.
1. Concerning the nature of faith, I have spoken sufficiently already wherein it consists; but yet notwithstanding, there is a certain thing as like this faith as may be, and yet comes short of it. Many there are who are like the foolish Virgins, that thought they were well enough, and thought they should come time enough. So many think, verily they have faith, yea and perchance go with such a perswasion to their very graves, and think they have grace, and that they labour after Christ, and lay hold on him, and are free from worldly pollutions, so as that they have a taste and relish of the joy of the world to come, and yet are carried all this while in a fooles Paradise, and think there is no feare of their safety, never knowing that they are cast-awayes, till they come to the gates of hell, and find themselves by woful experience shut out of heaven. And their case is woful that are thus deceived. Know then that it is not every faith that justifies a man; a man may have faith, and yet not be justified. The Faith that justifies, is the Faith of Gods Elect, Tit. 1.1. there is a faith that may belong to them that are not Gods elect, but that faith does not justifie. In the Epistle to Timothy, that faith which justifies, must be a Faith unfeign'd, 1 Tim. 1.5. 2 Tim. 1.5, Now here's the skill of a Christian to try what that faith is which justifies him. Now this justifying faith is not every work of Gods Spirit in a mans heart: for there are supernatural operations of the Spirit in a mans heart, that are but temporary, that carry him not thorow, and therefore are ineffectual: but the end of this faith is the salvation of our soules. We read in Scripture of Apostacy, and falling back. Now, they cannot be Apostates that were never in the way of truth. This being an accident, we must have a subject for it; Now there is a certaine kind of people that have supernatural workings; some that are drawn up and down with every wind of Doctrine; these are they that have this cold and temporary faith; temporary, because in the end it discovers it self to be a thing not constant and permanent. We read in John 11.26. That they that are born of God, never see death, shall never perish eternally; but yet we must know withal, that there may be conceptions that will never come to the birth, to a right and perfect delivery. And thus it may be in the soul of a man, there may be conceptions that will never come to a ripe birth; but let a man be borne of God, and come to perfection of birth, and the case is cleare, he shall never see death. He that liveth and believeth in me shall not see death. And this is made a point of faith: Believest thou this?
There is another thing called conception, and that is, certain dispositions to a birth that come not to full perfection. True, a child that is borne and liveth, is as perfectly alive as he that liveth an hundred years: yet I say, there are conceptions that come not to a birth. Now, the faith that justifies, is a living faith: there is a certaine kind of dead faith; this is a feigned, that an unfeigned faith; The life that I now live, I live by the faith of the Sonne of God. Dost thou think a dead faith can make a living soule? It's against reason. A man cannot live by a dead thing, not by a dead faith. Now a dead faith there is. A faith that doth not work is a dead faith, Jam. 2.22. Seest thou how faith wrought with his works and by his works was faith made perfect? for verse 26. As the body without the spirit is dead, (or without breath is dead) so faith without works is dead also. See how the Apostle compares it, as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without workes is dead also. The Apostle makes not faith the form of works, as the soul is the forme of the man: but as the body without the spirit is dead, so that faith that worketh not, that hath no tokens of life, is dead; but then doth not the other word strike home? Faith wrought with his works. It seems here is not as the Papists say, fides informis, and works make it up as the foreign of it. Compare this with the other places of the Scripture, 2 Cor. 12.9. where the Apostle pray'd to God that the messenger of Satan might be removed from him; and he said unto him, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse. What? does our weaknesse make Gods strength more perfect, to which nothing can be added? No, it is, My strength and the perfection of it, is made known in the weaknesse of the meanes that I made use of for the delivery of mans soul from death. So here the excellency and perfection of our faith is made known by works; when I see that it is not an idle but a working faith, then I say it is made perfect by the work: when it is a dead faith, that puts not a man on work, never believe that will make a living soul. In St. Judes Epistle, ver. 20. it hath another Epithite, viz. the most holy faith: not holy only, but most holy. That faith which must bring a man to God the holy of holies, must be most holy. It's said, that God dwells in our hearts by faith. Now God and faith dwelling in a heart together, that heart must needs be pure and cleane. Faith makes the heart pure: It were a most dishonourable thing to entertaine God in a sty; a filthy and unclean heart: but if faith dwell there, it makes a fit house for the habitation of the King of Saints, therefore it purifieth the heart. Well then, doest thou think thy sinnes are forgiven thee; and that thou hast a strong faith, and yet art as prophane and as filthy as ever? How can it be? It is a most holy faith that justifieth, it is not a faith that will suffer a man to lie on a dunghill, or in the gutter with the hog. There may be a faith which is somewhat like this, but it is but temporary, and cometh short of it.
But now there is another thing which distinguishes it: it is the peculiar work of faith. In Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but the new creature, Gal. 6.15. and againe, Gal. 5.6. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing, but faith which worketh by love. It's twice set down. Now what is a new creature? why, he that hath such a faith as works by love: not a dead faith, but a faith that works: but how does it work? it not only abstaines from evil, and does some good acts, which a temporary may do, but its such a faith as works by love. The love of God constraines him, and he so loveth God, as that he hates evil for Gods sake; the other does it not out of love to God; all the love he hath, is self-love: he serves his own turn on God, rather than hath any true love to serve him.
Now that we may the better distinguish between these two, I shall endeavour to shew you how farre one may go farther than the other. I know not a more difficult point then this, nor a case more to be cut by a thread then this; it being a point of conscience; therefore, First, I declared unto you the nature of faith; How God first works the will and the deed, and that there is a hungring and thirsting after Christ. First, I say there is a will and desire to be made partaker of Christ and his righteousnesse; then there is the deed too. We are not only wishers and woulders, but do actually approach unto the Throne of grace, and there lay hold on Christ, touch the golden Scepter which he holdeth out unto us; but,
Object. Now you will ask, Is there not an earnest and good desire in a temporary faith, a desire unfeign'd?
Sol. Yes, there may be for a time, a greater and more vehement desire in a temporary then in a true believer, then in the elect themselves all their life.
Object. Where's the difference then? I thought all had been well with me, when I had such a desire, as I could scarce be at rest till it were accomplished.
Sol. I answer, beloved, It is a hard matter to tell you the difference: but you must consider,
1. From whence this desire flowes; whether it come from an accidental cause: as if by accident my heart be made more soft, and I more sensible of my condition, or whether my nature be changed; to give you an instance, in iron: when iron is put into the forge it is softened, and as soon as it's taken forth, we say 'tis time to strike while the iron is hot; the fire hath made a change in it, it's malleable, the hammer is able to work on it; but let the fire be gone, and it's as hard as before; nay, we say steel is harder, so that there is no change in the nature of iron, it's hard still, redit ad ingenium, it goes back into its own estate. If it be softened, it is by an accidental cause; so here, as long as the temporary faith is in the furnace of afflictions, when God shall let loose the cord of his conscience, and makes him see that there is no way for salvation but by Christ, then the sense of his torture will make him desire with all the veines in his heart to have Christ. See a singular example of this temporary desire in Psal. 78.34. When he slew them, then they sought him, and returned and enquired early after God. So Prov. 1.27. When their fear was on them as desolation, and their destruction as a whi…le-wind: when distresse and anguish cometh upon you, then shall they call upon me, &c. Not with a feign'd desire, but in truth and reality they desire relief; They remembred then that God was their Rock, and the high God their Redeemer; they saw a Redeemer when he was slaying of them, and they believed that God would free them, though it was but temporary: Neverthelesse they flattered him with their mouths, and lyed unto him with their tongues; for their heart, was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his Covenant. Observe then this was but a temporary case, a temporary change; there was no new creature, no new nature wrought: but being in the furnace of affliction, as long as the fire was hot they were pliable; they were not stedfast in his Covenant. Let this be an admonition to them that think they never can have true faith till God slay them. I am not of that opinion. God sometimes useth this means; but it is not so necessary, as that it cannot be otherwise; and to speak truly, I had rather have faith that comes another way; the difference is this, The temporary believers will have Christ while God is slaying of them, whil'st they are in the furnace of afflictions: but the other in cold blood when Gods hand is not on them. The true believer is sick of love, and when he hath no affliction, nor Gods hand on him, with the Apostle, he accounts all things dung and drosse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus. There's an ardent desire when this external cause draws not. If when thou art out of the forge, thou hast thy heart softned, and findest this work of grace and faith to drive thee to Christ, thou hast a faith unfeigned, and so the faith of Gods elect.
Again, there is not only this desire in him who hath a temporary faith; but having understood the Word, he so desires it, that when he knows there is no having Christ, nor happinesse or salvation by him, unlesse he deny himself, and part from his evil wayes, being perswaded of this, out of self-love he would have Christ; and seeing these be the termes, that he must turn a new leaf, and lead a new life, or go to hell, therefore he will do this too; this is much▪ yet I say, he doth this too; but how shall this be proved? most evidently in 2 Pet. 2.20. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again intangled therein and overcome, the latter end with them is worse than the beginning. Here is that Apostasie, and here is the subject of the temporary faith. It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, then after they have known it, to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto them; this was a temporary conversion, as Ephraim, like a broken bow, turned back again in the day of battel. Observe what they did, they were like the foolish Virgins, they kept their maiden-heads in respect of the pollutions of the world; they lived very civilly, they escaped the corruptions of the world, and no man could challenge them of any filthy act; they knew that Christ was the King of Saints, and had the knowledge of him; they knew that it was not fit that the King of glory and holinesse should be attended on by the black guard; that they must have sanctity that will follow him; and therefore they laboured to be fit to attend him: They escaped the pollutions of the world; but yet it continues not; why so? For it hapned to them according to the true Proverb, the Dog is returned to his vomit, and the Sow that is washed, to her wallowing in the mire. Mark, the Dog turns again to his own vomit. This proceeds from some pang in his stomach, that enforceth that filthy beast to disgorge it self that it may have some ease; but he quickly gathers it up again as soon as the pang is over. Some there are that would be content to hide their iniquity under their tongues, as Job speaks; but there comes a pang sometimes, a pang in their consciences which forceth them to vomit up their sweet bits again; but well, the fit is gone, and being gone, they, like the filthy dog, return to their vomit again, considering the pleasure which they took in that filthy thing; that they did disgorge themselves, was but from that pang and present pinch, not from the loathing or hatred of the thing, and therefore they return again unto it.
By the way then take notice▪ of the filthinesse of sinne; how filthy is it, that the Lord compares it to the vomit of a dog? Then there followes another comparison of it: It's as the So… that is washed, and returns to her wallowing in the mire: See another loathsome resemblance of this temporary faith; the Sow was washed, but how? her swinish nature was not washed from her; as long as the Sow is kept from the mire, in a fair Meadow with the Sheep, she looks as sleek and clean as they; she was washed, there's an external change, but her nature remained; bring the Sow and the sheep to a puddle, the sheep will not go in, bec…use it hath no swinish nature; but the other, retaining its swinish nature, though before in outward appearance as clean as the sheep was, yet she goes again to her wallowing in the mire. There may be the casting away of a mans sinnes, and yet no new creature wrought in him. That I may shew this to you, take this example. A man known to be as covetous a man as liveth, he loveth his money as well as his God, yet perchance this man is brought in danger of the Law, and must be hang'd, for some misdemeanour committed; this man to save his life will part with all he hath; what; is his disposition changed? no not a whit, he is as covetous as before, he is the same man, he doth it to save his life, and to this end he is content to part with his money; the same minde had those in the Acts of the Apostles, who in a storm cast their wares into the Sea with their own hands; Acts 27. foreign; willingly, and yet half unwilling; for the saving of their lives they would part with these things, yet it was with a great deal of repining and reluctancy. As we read of Phaltiel; when his wife was taken from him, he followed behinde weeping, till they bid him be gone, and return back. So these men forsake their sinnes and hate them, but it is but imperfectly; they part with them, but they part weeping. Well, at this parting there may be a great deal of joy, it may taste not only the sweetnesse of the Word of God, but because they are in a disposition and way to salvation, they may have some kinde of feeling of the joyes, and taste of the powers of the world to come; as the Apostle speaks, H…b. 6.4. It's impossible for those who were once enlightned, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partak…rs of the Holy Ghost, &c. There's a supernatural work wrought in them, and they have tasted the good Word of the Lord; they begin to have some hope, and rejoyce in the glory of the world to come: what's the difference then? here's a tasting; but as it is John 6. it's not said he that eats my flesh, and tastes my blood; but he that eats my flesh and drinks my blood shall live for ever. There is a difference betwixt tasting and drinking, there may be a tasting without drinking; and the Text saith, Matth. 27.34. When they gave Christ vineger, he tasted thereof, but would not drink. He that can take a full draught of Christ crucified, he shall never thirst, but shall be as a springing fountain that springeth up to everlasting life; but it shall not be so with him that doth but taste. The Vintner goes round the Celler, and tastes every Vessel; he takes it only into his mouth, and spits it out again, and yet knows by the tasting whether it be good or bad; the wine goeth but to his palate, it reaches not to the stomack. So a temporary believer tastes and feels what an excellent thing it is to have communion with Christ, and to be made partaker of his glory, but he does but taste it. Look in Hosea 5.15. where we have another instance of this temporary Believer; Ye would think they sought God in a good sort, and in as good a manner as one could desire: well, but how did they seek him? it was only upon occasion, in time of affliction: I will go and return to my place untill they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face; in their affliction they will seek me early; and again, Hosea 6.4. the Lord complains of them notwithstanding. They will in their affliction seek me early: was not this a fair returning? Come (say they) let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn, and he will heal us, &c. What a deal of comfort did they seem to gather from the wayes of the Lord! but see what follows, Hosea 6.4. O Ephraim, saith the Lord, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah what shall I do unto thee? for your goodnesse is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away; that is, it is but a temporary thing, wrought by affliction, which will not abide. As when a wicked man on his death-bed desires that God would spare him and restore him to his health, and that he would become a new man, all this comes but from the terrours of death; for it oft proves that if God restores him he becomes as bad, if not worse than ever he was before. But that I may not hold you too long;
2. Take this for another difference: That Gods children can as earnestly desire grace as mercy; The temporary desire mercy, but never desire grace. The believer desires grace to have his nature healed, to hate his former conversation. The temporary never had, nor never will have this desire; should one come to the temporary believer, and tell him God will be merciful unto him, you may go on and take your fit of sinne, you shall be sure of mercy; he would like this well, and think it the welcomest news as could be, because he only fears damnation, & self-love makes him only desire freedome from that; but now the childe of God hates sinne, though there were no Hell, Judge nor Tormentor; he begs as hard of God for grace, as for mercy, and would do so, were there no punishment. His nature being chang'd, he desireth grace as well as mercy, which the temporary never does.
3. The last mark is from the words of the Apostle, Neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love. Love and the new creature puts Gods children on work; their hearts are first altered and changed by being made new creatures. As the Scripture saith, his flesh is circumcised, he is a dead man; deadnesse argueth impotency of doing those things which a living man doth; he cannot walk, &c. The temporary will not sinne for fear of after-claps,; but this man cannot sinne, his heart is changed, he is dead to sinne; we see how both abstain from sinne, but the perusal and disposition is not alike. The temporary sinner perchance commits not the sinne, but he could finde in his heart to do it; he saith not with Joseph, How can I do this great wickedness and sinne against my God? the other saith, I could do this evil well enough, but I will not. Thou canst not bear those that are evil, as in the Revel. Now he that is born of God cannot sin, there is that seed, that spring in him, that for his life he cannot sin, but it turns his heart from it; for his life he cannot tell how to swear, lye, &c. or joyn with others in wickednesse; but this must be understood of the constant course of their lives; I speak not what they may do in afflictions, when they are surprized, but in the course of their lives, they commit sinne as if they knew not how to do it; the other doth it skilfully; these coblingly and bunglingly, they do it ill-favouredly; thus it is with a wicked man in doing a good work, he cobles it up. Thy faith then must be a faith that worketh by love; can'st thou do those good works thou doest out of love? then my soul for thine thou art saved. Get me any temporary that loves God, and I shall say something to you. Hast thou then a faith that causeth thee to love God, a working faith, and a faith that will not suffer thee to do any thing displeasing to him? if thou hast such a faith, thou art justified before God.
2. And so I come now to the point of justification, the greatest of all blessings: Blessed is he (saith David) whose transgression is forgiven, and whose sinne is covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity; it's the most blessed condition as can be; it is set down by way of Exclamation. O the blessednesse of the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity! For justification, see what it is; the Scripture in St. Pauls Epistles, speaks of justification by faith; and in St. James, of justification by works. Now it will be useful for us in this point to know whence justification comes; it comes from justice, Tsedeck as the Original hath it, and to justifie; so that justification and righteousnesse depend one upon the other; for what is justification but the manifestation of the righteousnesse that is in a man? and therefore in Gal. 3.21. they are put for one and the same thing: For if there had been a Law given which could have given life, verily righteousnesse had been by the Law; that is, justification had been by the Law. Again, If righteousnesse be by the Law, then Christ is dead in vain. Gal. 2. that is also if justification had been by the Law, &c. justification is a manifestation of righteousnesse; and as many wayes as righteousnesse is taken, so many wayes is justification, which is a declaration of righteousnesse; so that if there be a double righteousnesse, there must be also a double justification; Beloved, I bring you no new doctrine; be not afraid of that; but I shew you how to reconcile places of Scripture against the Church of Rome, and those things which the Papists bring against us in this point. It stands by reason, seeing justification is a declaration of righteousnesse, that there must be so many sorts of justification as there be of righteousnesse.
Now there is a double sort of righteousness, Rom. 8.4. That the righteousnesse of the Law may be fulfilled in us; see then there is a double righteousnesse; there is a righteousnesse fulfilled in us, and a righteousnesse fulfilled by us, that's walking in the Spirit. The righteousness fulfilled in us, is fulfilled by another, and is made ours by imputation; so we have a righteousnesse without us, and a righteousnesse inhaerent in us; the righteousnesse without us, is forgivenesse of sinnes, and pardon of them, which is a gracious act of God, letting fall all actions against me, and accounting of me as if I had never sinned against him all my life time; then there is a righteousnesse within me, an inherent righteousnesse. And if a righteousnesse, then justification; for that is but a declaration of righteousnesse. And so that which the Fathers call justification, is taken generally for sanctification; that which we call justification, they call forgivenesse of sinnes; that which we call sanctification, they call justification; so that the difference is only in the termes. Justification we must know, is not taken only as opposed to condemnation, which is the first kinde of righteousnesse, Rom. 6.7. He that is dead, is freed from sinne; if you look to the Greek or to the Margent, it is, he that is dead, is justified from sinne; this is not took in the first sense as opposed to condemnation, but in the other sense as it hath relation to final grace; The perfection of sanctification is wrought in me; for where there is final grace, there is a supersedeas from all sinne; so Rev. 22.11. Let him that is righteous, be righteous still; the Greek is, let him that is righteous, be justified still. See then the difference between Saint Paul, and Saint James. Saint Paul speaks of that which consists in remission of sinnes, as in comparing the Apostle with David will appear, Blessed is the man whose sinnes are forgiven. Saint James speaks of justification in the second acception. You need not flie to that distinction of justification before God, and justification before men; think not that Saint James speaks onelyonly of justification before men. Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac on the Altar? What justified by killing his son? this was a proper work indeed to justifie him before man, to be a parricide; to kill his sonne, though it were not so before God. So Psal. 106. we read how God accounted the act of Phine as for righteousness; thus you see how works are accounted righteousnesse in the second kinde of righteousnesse. In the former righteousnesse we are justified by faith; for in righteousnesse inherent there is a goodly chaine of vertues: Adde to your faith vertue, &c. adde one grace to another; Adde to vertue knowledge; faith is but one part of the Crown. Now this justification in the first sense whereby my sinnes are forgiven, is called the righteousnesse of God, because of Christ which is God, because its wrought by Christ, Dan. 9. he is called an everlasting righteousnesse, which continueth for ever world without end; for do not think the Saints in heaven have onelyonly the second kinde of righteousnesse; for they have the same covering by justification by Christ in heaven that they had before; God covers their sins not here onelyonly, but there also; justification follows them for ever.
Quest. But now what parts hath justification in it? we are wont to say that there are two parts; one imputation of righteousness, the other forgivenesse of sinnes.
Sol. I answer; for my own part I think Justification is one simple act of God, and that it is improperly distinguished as parts; but rather as terminus a quo is distinct from terminus ad quem. And this I shall shew unto you both by reason and authority, that faith is but one act.
Let none say that I take away the imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ; No: the bringing in of light, and the expulsion of darknesse is not two acts, but one; but there is terminus á quo, and terminus ad quem. We are accounted righteous, and that is, we have our sinnes forgiven. And the reason is this; if sinne were a positive thing, and had a being in it self, then the forgivenesse of sin must be a thing distinct from the imputation of righteousnesse. Scholars know the difference between adversa and privantia; white and black are both existent; but darknesse and light are not, but only a privation one of another, Darknesse is nothing of it self but the absence of light; The bringing in of light is the suppression of it; you must understand sinne hath no being, no entity; it's only an absence of righteousnesse, the want of that light which should be in the subject; which want is either in our nature, and then it's call'd original; or in our person and actions, and then its call'd actual transgression. Sinne is an absence of that positive being, which is, as I said, either in our nature, or works. Then thus I will resolve you in another point: viz. If sin were a positive thing, all the world cannot avoid it but God must be the Author of it; for there is nothing can have a being, but it must derive its being from the first being, God. Now how can we avoid Gods being the Author of sin? Why thus, it is nothing.
But what is sinne nothing? Will God damne a man, and send him to hell for nothing?
I answer; its not such a nothing as you make it; a man is not damned for nothing. It's a nothing privative, an absence of that that should be, and that a man ought to have. As when a Scholar is whip't for not saying his lesson, is he whip't think you for nothing? indeed he hath nothing, he can't say a word of his lesson, and therefore it is he is whip't; it is for a thing he ought to have, and hath not. Well, if you will say there are two parts of justification, do if you please; but this I take to be the more proper and genuine explanation.
Besides, it appears by testimony of the Apostle, Rom. 4.6. As David describeth the blessednesse of the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without works, &c. Saying, blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sinnes are covered. The Apostle cites the Prophet David, Psal. 42. Mark the Apostles conclusion, and how he proves it. His conclusion is, That man is blessed unto whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without works. His argument then must needs be thus framed.
He whom God forgives is blessed;
But, He to whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works, hath his sinnes forgiven him:
Therefore he is blessed.
Now, how could this assumption hold, if imputation of righteousnesse, and remission of sinnes were two distinct acts? for not imputing righteousnesse is not to bring in light, which keeps out darknesse; but observe, the Apostle to the Colossians and Ephesians, makes this forgivenesse of sins, the whole work, way, foundation of our redemption. But here remember I deny not the imputation of righteousnesse; for that is the foundation of the other; here's the point. How is Christs righteousnesse imputed to me? that positive thing which expels the other? Not so as if Christs righteousnesse were in me subjectively; for it was wrought by his passion as well as his action; The Apostle calls it faith in his blood; by faith in Christ Christs passive obedience is imputed to me: What do you think the meaning is that God doth esteem me as if I had hang'd on the Crosse, and as if I had had my sides pierced? No, that would not stead me, or do me any good; that which was meritorious and singular in him, did reach to us; so that the meaning is this, as it is in the Articles of the Church of England, That for the merits of Jesus Christ, God is well pleased with the obedience of his Son, both active and passive, as that he takes us to be in that state for his sake, as if we had fulfilled all his Laws, and never broken them at any time, and as if we ow'd him not a farthing; this is imputative righteousnesse, however the Papists may scoffe at it. And this kinde of justification must of necessity be by imputation: why? because when a man hath committed a sinne, it cannot be undone again; God by his absolute power cannot make a thing done undone; for it implies a contradiction. The act past cannot be revoked, nor the nature thereof changed; murther will be murther still, &c. How then can I be justified, the sinne being past, and the nature of it still remaining? I say, how can I be justified in the first sense any other way than by imputation? its said in 2 Cor. 5.19. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, &c. This kinde of justification which consists in remission of sinnes, cannot be but imputative; sin cannot be changed, nor the thing done, undone.
But now cometh a greater question; If by justification our sinnes be forgiven us, what sinnes are forgiven I pray? sinnes past, or sinnes to come? we are taught that in the instant of justification, all our sinnes past and to come are remitted; which is in my mind an unsound doctrine: for if we look narrowly into it, we shall finde that in propriety of speech, remission of sinnes hath relation to that which is past; its said therefore, Rom. 3.25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sinnes that are past through the forbearance of God. And remission of sinnes hath relation to those that are past, as appears by inevitable reason; for what is remission of sinnes, but sinne covered? Now can a thing be covered before it be? blot out mine iniquities, &c. saith David; can a thing be blotted out, before it's written? this is the thing makes the Pope so ridiculous, that he will forgive sins for the time before they are committed; but what, do we get nothing for the time to come? yes, yes, when the sinne is past, by faith we have a new accesse unto God; and having risen by repentance, we get a new act, not of universal justification, but of a particular justification, from this and that particular sinne.
But if there be forgivenesse of sinnes past already, and I know that I am justified, and my sinnes remitted: may I now pray for forgivenesse of sinnes past? The Papists say it is active infidelity, and as absurd as to pray to God to create the world anew, or incarnate his Son again.
But there is no conversion where there is no praying; and there is need of praying for the remission of sinnes past, and against sinne for the time to come, as I shall shew next time; as also consider whether there be any interruption of the act of justification by falling into great sins. There's no man hath a mind more against quierks and quillets than I; yet for the opening of these things, and staying and setling the mind, and clearing the understanding, give me leave the next time to clear these things unto you.