A Treatise of Justifying Righteousness, Postscript 1 – Title page 3
Postscript.
TO the two Great Points in difference, let me speak this word more:
1. Those that make Faith to justifie as an Instrument, or as Apprehensio Christi, do set up the foreign Credere which they cry down. For that which they call Instrumentality, is the Apprehensive Act: And Apprehendere and Credere are here all one; and therefore if the Apprehension of Christ justifieth qua Apprehensio, or qua Acceptatatio, then the foreign Credere qua talis justifies.
2. And those that teach this Doctrine, do contradict themselves in saying, that Paul excludes all Works; because Faith (say they) justifieth not as a Work: For to justifie qua Instrumentum vel qua Apprehensio Christi, is to justifie as a Work, or as this Work. For they cannot speak de Instrumenti materia: For, 1. Faith (the act) can be no material Instrument. 2. The whole formal nature of instrumental Cause, lieth in its actual Application by the principal cause: And before that Application it is only an Aptitudinal Instrument, or apt to be an Instrument; but is not one formally and indeed. Now the Causation of Instruments is per Operationem vel Actionem: And therefore if Faith justifie as an Instrumental Cause, then it must needs justifie as Opus or Actio.
3. And so this Doctrine sets up Justification by Works, against which the Authors seem so zealous: (The unhappy fate of many Errours, to set up what they are the extream opposers of;) and that in an unlawful sense: For it makes the formal reason of Faith's justifying to be its Apprehension, that is, that it is such an Action; or its Instrumentality, which is an Operation. Whereas I only affirm (with Scripture) that Obedience to Christ justifies, not qua Obedience, or qua Opus, but as the Condition to which the free Lawgiver hath been pleased to annex Justification.
2. Against yours (and the common) conceit, [That there is such a difference between Justification and right to Salvation, that Faith alone procures one, and Works concur to the other.] Besides all that I have said, let me desire you to observe, that Paul speaks as fully and directly of right to Salvation, as of Justification; and excludes Works as much (and more) from the one as from the other.
1. Rom. 3. 23, 24. Justification freely by Grace, is opposed to [coming short of the Glory of God.]
2. Rom. 4. 4. Paul expresly speaks of [the Reward given of Grace, and not of Debt;] and therefore excludeth those Works. But, 1. Savaltion is the Reward as well as Justification; and therefore this Reason equally excludeth Works from saving as from justifying. 2. Yea, if their Doctrine were true, that say it is only Salvation, and not Pardon and Justification, that is given per modum premii, as a Reward, then this Text would not concern Justification at all, but only Salvation. (But doubtless it doth concern Justification also; and therefore this is another good Argument, that Faith justifieth not qua Instrumentum vel Apprehensio, proxime, sed qua Conditio praestita, because Justification is given as a Reward; and Rewards are given on Moral Considerations, and not merely Physical.
3. Rom. 4. 13. Paul speaks of the Inheritance: If they which be of the Law be Heirs, then Faith is made void, &c.
4. Rom. 4. 16. It is of Faith, that it might be by Grace, that the Promise might be sure to all the Seed, &c. But doubtless this Promise is the Promise of Salvation.
5. So Rom. 5. 17, 18. [Reigning in Life by Jesus Christ,] is opposed to Death reigning by Adam: And lest there should be any room left to doubting, he expresly calleth it, [Justification of Life.] And ver. 21. Even so might Grace reign through Righteousness to eternal Life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Object. But Vers. 9, 10. the Apostle distinguisheth Reconciliation and Salvation, and maketh the latter follow.
Answ. 1. But he saith not so de statu salutis, or of right to Salvation, but only of actual Salvation it self.
2. He still makes them both the fruits of the free Grace of Christ, and so excludes Works as much from Salvation as Justification: Nay he saith, [Much more shall we be saved by his Life.]
6. Rom. 6. 23. The free Gift is (not only Righteousness) but eternal Life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. And Life as free as Righteousness.
7. Rom. 8. 1, 2, 6. Freedom from the Law of Death as well as sin, is made equivalent to [no Condemnation:] And as Christ Jesus is the meritorious Cause, so that you duplicate page duplicate page may see that only Faith is not the Condition. Vers. 1. it's said, [To be spiritually-minded is Life and Peace:] Life as well as Righteousness. So Vers. 13, 14, 17.
8. Hebr. 11. throughout, speaks more expresly of Salvation by Faith, than Justification: And therefore the very Definition more respecteth Salvation, vers. 1. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. And verse 13. which you take to contain a Definition of it, saith, These all died in Faith, not having received the Promises, but, &c. These Promises, i. e. the thing promised is certainly more in Salvation than Justification (which they then had.) I could name a multitude more plain Texts, but I willl add but two, wherein the Apostle of purpose extolleth Free-Grace, and excludeth Works, and expresly doth it as to our Salvation, equally as to our Justification.
9. The one is, Tit. 3. 4, 5, 6, 7. But after the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by Works of Righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, &c. that being justified by his Grace, we should he made Heirs according to the hope of eternal Life.
10. And Ephes. 2. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. But God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses and sins, hath quickned us together with Christ: By Grace ye are saved. And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come, he might shew the exceeding riches of his Grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus. For by Grace ye are saved through Faith; and that not of your selves, it is the gift of God: Not of Works, lest any man should boast.
Did ever the Apostle more fully and and expresly exclude Works from Justification, than here he doth from saving us? or make Justification of free Grace, more than here he doth Salvation? I shall therefore take leave still confidently to conclude, That it is no more wrong to Christ and Free-Grace to say, That Obedience justifieth as a Condition; than to say, It saveth as a Condition: And that as oft as Scripture makes it a Condition of Salvation, it certainly giveth us proof, that it is a Condition of final Absolution or Justification: And that it never was the mind of Paul or the Holy Ghost, to distinguish so far between the way to Justification, and the right to Salvation, as you do; or to make one more free than the other.
FINIS.
EXCEPTIONS Against a VVRITING OF Mr. R. BAXTERS, In Answer to some ANIMADVERSIONS Upon his APHORISMS.
By Mr. Chr. Cartwright of York.
LONDON, Printed for Nevil Simmons and Jonath. Robinson, at the Princes-Arms and Golden-Lion, in St. Pauls Church-yard, 1675.