An End to Discord, Introduction · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
An Abstract of what helped me to avoid some Perplexity concerning Iustification, with some account of our being justified at the Creator and Redeemer's Bar.
THO I avoid arguing any Controversy in these Sheets, which are designed for Peace, yet I think it may promote this healing Design, to give a short Abstract of some Thoughts whereby I arrived to Satisfaction in the Doctrine of Justification.
§. 1. Justification being a forensick Act, our Thoughts ought not to wander beyond what's necessary to it as a judicial Sentence, nor disregard whatever belongs to that. Here the principal Considerations are the Judg, the Rule of Judgment, the Cause and Person to be tried by that Rule, and the Sentence to be past by the Judg on the Person whose Cause is so tried, which must be no other than what that Rule of Judgment, duly applied, containeth. Hereby what some call Constitutive Justification, is strictly no other than the Conformity of the Person to the Rule of Judgment, by which he is acquittable or rewardable, or both. Passive Justification is no other than the Effect of the judicial Sentence, or the Person's State considered as absolved, or to be rewarded, or both, by the Sentence now judicially past upon him, and supposeth a Sentence, and is measured by it.
§. 2. A justifying Sentence is past upon every justified Person, and continues to pass upon him by the Gospel-Promises applied by an Omnipresent, All-seeing, Infallible, Faithful, Almighty God, Rom. 5. 1, 2. The Gospel-offer is the Rule of Judgment, the Gospel in its respective Promises complied with, is God's justifying Sentence, and that, conclusive and effectual, tho not so discernable by us, as if it were solemnly pronounced. 1. Here the transcendent Perfections of God must raise our Minds above Human Judicatories: he needs no Evidence, because he knoweth all things; there needs no Summons to appear, for he is ever with us; he cannot err in Judgment, for he is inflexibly righteous, and knows the Rule of Judgment in its extent and allowances. 2. We know not what Solemnity this Sentence may be pronounced with concerning us, tho out of our hearing, what in Heaven, where there is Joy for the Conversion of Sinners; what at the Throne, where Christ is our interceding Advocate, &c. And sometimes God condescends to make it audible to our own Consciences by the received Testimony of his Spirit. 3. This Sentence is in part executed upon every Believer as to what is promised for the present, as well as his Title is adjudged to what is reserved for the future. The in-dwelling Spirit, Assistances peculiar to Christ's Members, Answers of Prayer, the Comforts of the Holy Ghost, and whatever special Actings of Providence belong only to God's adopted Ones, are the Execution of the justifying Sentence, and suppose such a Sentence past, as well as that it is a gracious one. 4. God still pronounceth a justifying Sentence according to the variety of his Gospel-Promises, tho that great one which alters our State passeth upon our first believing. As he adjudgeth us to Pardon and Adoption upon our first acceptance of his Grace, so he adjudgeth us non-forfeiters upon our abiding in Christ, or persevering acceptance, instanced as the various Promises describe the Heirs thereof.
§. 3. The same justifying Sentence that God past by his Promises applied by himself in this Life, will be more solemnly and convincingly pronounced at the Judgment-day, when the full and perfect Execution of the Sentence is to take place.
1. We shall be as truly judged at that day as if we had not been sentenced, or the Sentence executed at all in this Life, or at Death. The wise God who knows the Subserviency hereof to Practical Religion, doth oft and most expresly deliver it, and in words as if we were all to be among those found alive when the Trumpet sounds. 2 Cor. 5. 10. We must all appear before the Iudgment-seat of Christ, that we may all receive, &c. Rom. 14. 10, 12. Every one of us shall give an account of himself to God, 1 Pet. 4. 5. And what must we give an account of? Our Words, Mat. 12. 36. Secrets of Hearts, Rom. 2. 16. use of Talents, Mat. 25. Heb. 13. 17. our Works, &c. that is, every thing as gives Evidence concerning Mens Condition, as it's determinable by the Rule of Judgment, and principally centers in this, Have they sincerely accepted of the Salvation offered by the Redeemer?
2. The Rule of Judgment and Sentence at that day will be the same as that by which every Believer is justified on this side Death; it's no new or other Sentence, but the same more solemnly declared, unless you'll say it includes the entire extent of the Rule for the time of trial, as well as that which changed our State.
3. The great design of that solemn Process and open Sentence, is to vindicate God in Christ as no Respecter of Persons, in the extremely different State of the Damned and the Saved, both in this Life and Eternity, especially such as lived under the offers of Salvation; and withal to vindicate his own mysterious Methods towards the Justified in their past Life, as also them from unjust Aspersions, 2 Thess. 1. Dan. 12. Mat. 22. & 25. But to instance no more than the first, he'll convince Angels and Men by manifested Instances, that they whom he justified, and now saveth, were Persons justifiable by that Rule of Judgment whereby the others are condemned; and that the Sentence he pronounceth and executes on each, is the very Sentence which that Rule impartially applied to their real Cases denounced.
§. 4. The Rule of Judgment in its nature and scope is to be principally regarded in order to right Apprehensions concerning the justifying Sentence: This determineth what is a justifying Righteousness, and what is not; this declares the nature of the adjudged Title, whether it be of Grace or Debt, dependent or independent; thereby is evident what we are adjudged to, and whether the Sentence passeth upon several complex Conditions, or one particular one; for we must be free from whatever the Rule of Judgment denounceth condemnable, and not be without what it confineth its promised Absolution or Benefits to; seeing the Lord our Judg doth sentence us as this revealed Rule takes hold of us.
§. 5. I find nothing plainer, than that on the one hand we are made righteous by Christ's Obedience, Rom. 5. 19. 2 Cor. 5. 21. and accepted in the Beloved, Eph. 1. 6, 7. and washed from our Sins in his Blood, Rev. 1. 5. and we receive the Atonement, Rom. 5. 11. And on the other hand, that Faith is imputed for Righteousness, Rom. 4. 9, 11, 22, 24. and we are justified by Faith, Rom. 5. 1. chap. 3. 30. and by our words, Mat. 11. 37. and by our Works, Iam. 2. 24. and Men are called righteous with respect to their Graces and Actings short of Perfection; and that Christ's judicial Proceedings are upon Mens Temper and Behaviour, Mat. 22. 25. chap. 10. 32. and Promises of Pardon and Life are made still to Repentance, Faith, and Perseverance; and the Gospel denounceth Death against impenitent Ones, Luke 13. 3. Infidels, Iob. 3. 36. Disobedient, Rom. 2. 8. Barren, Heb. 6. 8. Apostates, Heb. 10. 38. and Workers of Iniquity, Luke 13. 27. Nor can it be overlook'd that Perfection is not intended in what the Gospel-Promise is made to, nor is the Gospel threatning of Damnation levell'd against any Offences consistent with Sincerity. Hence I conclude, that when God justifies a Sinner, the Rule by which he judgeth requires a judicial regard to inherent Faith, &c.
§. 6. By one Rule of Judgment the same justifying Sentence, in all respects, could not be pronounced upon Christ's Righteousness, and upon that of a believing Sinner, unless that one Rule did either,
1. Originally promise Life to perfect Legal Obedience, and also to that which was not a perfect Obedience to the Law: But if I suppose this, I must admit that the Law did not denounce Death for the least Sin; for to condemn to Death for the least Sin, and to promise Life to imperfect Obedience, consist not: yea, I must then consider God to enact that Rule of Judgment as in his first relation to innocent Man, viz. as Creator, governing by virtue of his absolute Propriety in Man as his Creature. But if God be considered only in that relation, it was inconsistent with his Perfections to enact a Rule of Judgment which promised Life to any thing short of perfect Obedience to the Law he delivered, and which Man was originally capable to obey. And moreover, we find in the Rule of Judgment, by which he now justifies Men, a direct respect to many things which that first Law was inconsistent with, as the Death of a Redeemer for our Sin. Faith in this Redeemer, Pardon of Sin, and Absolution from the Curse which condemned us as Sinners, &c.
2. Or unless that one Rule of Judgment were the Gospel-Promise of the Redeemer, viz. He that believeth shall be saved. Hereby indeed the justifying Sentence would directly pass upon Man as a Believer, and adjudg him to a right in whatever the Gospel promised to Believers, qua such. And considering the chief design of the Gospel is to induce fallen Sinners to believe upon a supposition and assurance given that Satisfaction is already made by our Redeemer, and not now to be made or adjusted: Many are apt to confine their thoughts of Justification to this as the alone Rule of Judgment, and the account of the final Judgment generally states it in this manner; nor can I deny but this is in some respects a safe as well as easy method.
But I cannot agree that the justifying Sentence is by this Rule so abstractedly taken: For, 1. This would too much confine the Influence of Christ's Merits to the mere procuring of the Gospel-Promise; whereas we find it more immediately and fully connected with Pardon, and all other saving Benefits. 2. We must be made righteous by Christ's Obedience in some way less remote than this. 3. The Satisfaction of Christ is not hereby sufficiently acknowledged nor applied in our Justification. Many other Reasons might be given why I am convinced, that when God ustifies a believing Sinner, the Sentence respects him under some further judicial Consideration than merely a Believer; and consequently the Rule of Judgment extensively taken, required somewhat more to constitute him a justifiable Person.
§. 7. I therefore take the Rule of Judgment to be the Gospel-Law in a subordinated Connexion with the Law of Mediation, wherein the Honour of our Creator governing us by the Law of Works is provided for, and the Ends of that Law fulfilled; and so the Sentence will respect the imputed Righteousness of Christ, and the Righteousness of Faith too; the first as satisfactory and meritorious with our injured creating Lawgiver, the latter as the performed Condition of the Redeemer's Grant of the blessed Effects of Christ's Satisfaction and Merits; and whereby this Man who believes is discriminated from such who rejected the Offer of Salvation. In the first, Justice is satisfied that a Rebel should be absolved and glorified; in the last, the Rule enacted by governing Grace is answered by the Believer; so that the Judg is no more a Respecter of Persons in applying these Benefits as Redeemer, than he was regardless of governing Justice in the Condition upon which they were procured by our Saviour.
§. 8. The Rule of Iudgment then must be this: That the Believer (tho a Sinner) whose Absolution, Pardon, Acceptance as righteous, and Salvation were promised to Christ by the governing Creator in reward of his Obedience and Sufferings, and promised to himself for the sake of Christ in the Gospel upon his believing with that Faith which it appoints, is to be absolved, pardoned, accepted as righteous, and saved.
From this Rule of Judgment is easily inferr'd that justifying Sentence on which our State is changed, viz. Thou art that true Believer whose Absolution, Pardon, Acceptance as righteous, and Salvation were promised to Christ in the Covenant of Redemption, and to thy self personally in my Gospel; and therefore thou art adjudged absolved, pardoned, accepted, and an Heir of Glory by virtue of that Promise made to Christ, and the Gospel-Promise made to thy self, and hast a Title to plead Christ's perfect Obedience and Sufferings for thy certain enjoyment thereof, which will also be continually pleaded by Christ thy Advocate.
In like manner we see Constitutive Justification is our being made such Believers, through the Influence of the Spirit of Christ, as fall under the foresaid Promise made to Christ in the Covenant of Redemption, and the Gospel-Promise made to our selves, and so are conformed to the Rule of Judgment, but yet considered as not judicially sentenced according to it. Again, Passive Iustification is no other than our Persons and State considered as affected by that Sentence as already past upon us, viz. absolved, pardoned, accepted as righteous, and intitled to Glory. Finally, Executive Iustification is no other than God's dealing with us as Persons so absolved, pardoned, accepted and entitled to Glory, and his performing whatever is included in the justifying Sentence, yet in the way, time, manner, and limits which the Gospel declares.
§. 9. The Consideration of the Rule of Iudgment as before explained, led me to affirm that the Justification of a believing Sinner is equivalent to a twofold Justification, the one at our Creator's Bar, the other at the Redeemer's; the first by the imputed Righteousness of Christ, the other by that of Faith, which I have insisted on in PS. to Gospel-Truth, p. 276, 279, &c. 3d Edit. And being desirous to prevent Mistakes in this Point, which I think is probable to prevent furious Debates concerning the Doctrine of Iustification, I'll give a few hints of fuller Thoughts about it, premising only that I hoped none would think that I said there is a twofold Justification, for I make the Sentence to be but one, tho that includes what's equivalent to a twofold Justification: Nor yet that I denied Christ as of one Essence with the Father to be Creator, or said there be two actually existing Bars. But these are things too low for many words.
1. I consider God at our first Formation as our Creator, governing Men by a Law suted to their rational, innocent and perfect Natures, by which Law he promised Life to sinless Obedience, and threatned Death for all Disobedience; God considered in this relation cannot be apprehended to enact a Gospel-Law, with a Promise of Pardon and Life to the imperfect, tho sincere, Faith of Sinners.
2. I consider this Creator offended by Man's Violation of his holy Law: Under this Notion, 1. He condemns the Sinner unless Satisfaction be made, and excludes him from Life unless purchased by one capable of meriting it. 2. He would reject Faith and every Work of a Sinner as satisfactory or meritorious, this Offendor being incapable to satisfy for the least Fault, or merit the least Blessing.
3. I consider our Mediator transacting with our offended creating Lawgiver in the Covenant of Redemption; wherein, 1. Our governing Creator demands of Christ, if he would save Sinners, that in their Nature he must obey the violated Law, and endure Death, and what was equivalent to its threatned Punishment in their stead. 2. He declareth that this Obedience, and those Sufferings of this Mediator, considering the Dignity of his Person, should be accepted for Satisfaction for Sin and the Merit of eternal Life, and of whatever subserved Sinners obtaining thereof. 3. He promiseth Christ as a Reward of his Obedience and Sufferings, that whoever of fallen Men should believe on him, should be absolved, pardoned, accepted as righteous, and eternally glorified for the sake of what he was to do and suffer; and that a certain number should believe on him, and so be absolved, &c. to his Glory, and he have all Power, Authority and Iudgment committed to him. 4. Christ our Mediator covenanteth to do and suffer what was proposed, and accepts of the said Rewards. 5. In due time Christ porforms his Undertaking, and becomes entitled to the said Rewards, and invested in a right thereto, with respect to which he is said to be justified. 6. His Undertaking is allowed to operate as if performed, at least from Adam's Fall; and thereby his Kingdom, and the saving Effects of his Obedience and Death antecede his obeying and dying. 7. Whatever concerned the Sinner's Salvation, was to be founded upon the satisfactory and meritorious Death and Obedience of Christ our Mediator. 8. Man is to be considered under the first Head as an innocent Subject in a state of Trial, according to the Law of Works; and under the second Head as a Sinner obnoxious to the Curse of the Law, past Relief by his own Merit, and yet upon Christ's Satisfaction (pursuant to the Covenant of Redemption in this third Head) as savable notwithstanding the Curse of the Law.
4. As an Effect of this Transaction, I do not consider only Christ our Mediator under the Notion of a Redeemer, as all will grant him to be in an especial manner, because he alone paid the redeeming Price: But I consider also the Creator to be Redeemer as he gave his Son to be a Saviour, accepted the Satisfaction made by him, promised to him the foresaid Rewards; and so far executed them as to invest him in his Office of an accepted authorized Mediator, admitting his Kingdom to commence (as well as his Death to operate to saving Effects) before he actually dy'd, &c. Upon these and the like accounts I apprehend the blessed God (considered essentially, tho the Father eminently bears the Title of Creator, and sustains the Dignity of the Divine Essence and Government in proposing the Terms, and receiving Satisfaction) to stand towards us in the relation of a Redeemer, who hath received Satisfaction, and transacting with us in and by our Mediator, in whom he is well pleased.
Our Creator being considered thus as God in Christ, who is satisfied as to the Violations of his Law, the Honour of his Government vindicated, and the Ends of it secured, tho Pardon and Life be granted to Sinners, it will follow, that in a consistency with rectoral Iustice, he can so far suspend the Curse of the Law towards sinful Man, and exert his Mercy, as, 1. To be willing to admit to Peace and Favour all whom Christ shall present to him. 2. To be ready to forgive our Offences. 3. To make Offers of Peace, Pardon and Salvation to lost Sinners, begging them to be reconciled, &c. 4. To return his expelled forfeited Spirit to strive with and work on dead Sinners in order to their acceptance of this offered Salvation. 5. To be long-suffering, and waiting to be gracious in the use of fit Methods and Means to conquer their Resistance. These and the like immediately ensue upon Christ's Satisfaction; and if Men intend but Instances of this kind when they say God was reconciled to us by the Death of Christ before Conversion, we should allow it: yet intreating them to note, that the Curse suspended thus far, and the Curse removed by an actual Interest in saving Blessings, are very distinct, as be Forgiveness with God, and Forgiveness bestowed on us; and yet I fear many do detract from this Benefit, viz. that there is Forgiveness with God for guilty Sinners, and Salvation for undone Apostates: this is in it self a higher thing than that this or that Man is Partaker of it, tho our personal Advantage consisteth in the latter.
5. I consider God in Christ Redeemer, making his offers of Salvation to Sinners, and stating the Conditions upon which he will give the merited Pardon and eternal Life personally to them, commanding their acceptance, with a Promise of applying Christ's Satisfaction in those Effects upon their Compliance, and denouncing their abiding under Guilt and Misery, with sorer Punishments if they finally refuse. This is by the Gospel: To explicate which, Note, 1. Compliance is injoined by a governing Authority, tho with a display of Grace; it supposeth Christ's Sacerdotal Offering over, and is an Instrument of Government resulting from a Dominion acquired as Redeemer; and therefore may well be called a Law, yea, and that by which he will judg us. 2. The Historical Account of Christ's Offices, Fulness, Love, Death, and of Man's Misery; the Displays of Covenant-Benefits present and eternal, Revelations of Divine Truths and Mysteries, Gospel-Institutions, and Directions whence to derive Grace, &c. are all to subserve our due acceptance of this Offer. 3. If Christ had not proclaimed Pardon and Life to Sinners, we had not known that these were to be obtained by any of us. If he had not declared that he gave Pardon and Life to such as have Faith, and none else, we had not been certain whether it were the Believer or Unbeliever were pardoned: If he had not told us he gave Faith and then Pardon, there had been no known Order of these Gifts: If by his Gospel God had not offered Pardon to all if they would accept it, commanding their acceptance in order to it, promising it upon their acceptance, and determining to judg Men as they accepted or refused, then there had been only an order in giving Faith and then Pardon, but Acceptation had been no Condition nor Righteousness, nor had Man been justifiable by it, or condemnable to the want of Pardon for rejecting it. 4. Acceptance of offered Salvation, tho a Righteousness supposeth a meritng Righteousness of Christ, and can be no higher a Righteousness than a performed Condition of a Law of Grace, by which Benefits already impetrated are given: Which Law differs not from a Deed of Gift, but that the Donor expresseth a governing Authority in the method of applying these Blessings, and resolves to judg them to whom that Offer is made, by their acceptance or nonacceptance. 5. Our Right adjudged upon our acceptation is a Right of Grace and Mercy, and tho infallible, it can infer no Claim of Debt. 6. This Acceptation is described by the Gospel, and nothing is an Acceptation upon which we shall receive the offered Blessings, if it be not in its Principle, Nature, Extent, Operativeness and Duration, such an Acceptation as the Gospel doth promise its saving Benefits to. 6. Tho this Acceptation merit nothing, yet Christ's Righteousness being ordained to merit Salvation for such as shall accept of it, and this Acceptance being the Gospel-ordained Condition of our personal Interest in that merited Salvation, we can be saved without neither of them. 7. To prevent Mistakes I add, the Elect shall infallibly be brought savingly to accept of this Salvation.
6. I consider God applying Pardon, Peace, Adoption, &c. to Men that have accepted of this Salvation according to the Gospel-offer. 1. He acts herein as a Iudg. 2. The Relations he stands in are as Creator and Redeemer; the first ceaseth not, tho the other is superadded. 3. The Cause is adjusted by the Rule of Judgment described in §. 8. and this Cause partly refers to what satisfied the offended Creator for this Sinner's Fault, and merited Salvation for this forfeiting Rebel. Here Christ's Righteousness is the only justifying Righteousness, Faith hath no place in God's regard, who as Creator judgeth in this matter. The Cause is partly also: Is this a true Accepter of Salvation, for whom Pardon, Peace and Glory were promised in the Covenant of Redemption to Christ in reward of his satisfying, meriting Death and Obedience, and to whom these were promised in the Gospel? Here Acceptation is a Righteousness, the want whereof Christ's Righteousness is not appointed to supply; and the adjudging a Man a Believer, intitled to Pardon, Peace and Glory, upon the Satisfaction of Christ, I call Justification active, or the Judg's justifying Sentence.
7. I call it a Justification at the Creator's and Redeemer'S Bar; at the Creator's Bar, as far as the Sentence refers to what vindicated the Honour of God's violated Law, secured his governing Authority as our Maker, and merited the Blessings, before which there was no Pardon, Peace, or Glory for the Sinner, tho a Believer, none to be offered, none to be had by accepting. Nor is it a needless thing that the justifying Sentence have an express regard to what that refers to, viz. Christ's Righteousness: for as it was the alone Condition of Christ's Impetration of Pardon, Peace and Life for Sinners, so when these are to be adjudged to the Sinner, the Honour of the Creator, of the violated Law, and of Christ's Satisfaction, is wisely provided for by an express acknowledgment of, and reference to that Righteousness. I call it a Justification at the Redeemer's Bar, as far as the Sentence refers to our Acceptation, or Faith as a Righteousness; for the unsatisfied Creator, who governeth and judgeth by the Law of Works, could make no Offers of Pardon and Glory to Sinners, if they would accept, nor admit Faith to be a Righteousness; and yet considered as a Redeemer (as God was, when he had received Satisfaction) he could not again demand a satisfying, meriting Righteousness to acquit the Believer now upon; no nor, unless under the Notion of a Redeemer, require Faith as a proper Condition of Pardon, &c. because in the Covenant of Redemption it was promised to Christ for Sinners as meerly described by Faith. But God in Christ as Redeemer could make the Gospel-offer of Pardon upon condition of Acceptation, injoyning that acceptance, and promising thereto the Pardon impetrated by Christ; and so that Acceptation is referred to in the justifying Sentence of God in Christ as Redeemer, as what discriminates one Man who obtains the Pardon, according to the Gospel-Promise, from him who is judicially debarred of it.
8. I think they who are altogether for Faith as the only imputed Righteousness in Justification, do too much contract the justifying Sentence by excluding that distinct Respect which ought to be to the Satisfaction and meriting Obedience of Christ, whereby God as our governing Creator can admit the Absolution of a Sinner. And they who are altogether for the Righteousness of Christ as only imputed in Justification, do also too much limit the justifying Sentence, by excluding the Gospel-Righteousness of Faith which the Redeemer regards, and by which he judicially discriminates who among them, to whom Salvation was offered, shall obtain it, and who of them shall not obtain it. May these Hints contribute to an Agreement between these worthy Persons, at least encline all to Christian Forbearance, I shall reckon it worth all my Labour and Sufferings. O that the God of Peace would give us Peace by any just means!
FINIS.
End of the text · Daniel Williams, An End to Discord (1699)