Confession of His Faith, Chapter 3 · Section 2
SECT. II.
1. MAnkind oweth to God as his Creator and Ruler, a perfect §. 2, …obedience to all his Commands, Deut. 12. 32. Mat. 4. 10.
2. Mans Moral-Natural perfection consisted in his perfect internal and external conformity to Gods will: In dispositive and actual obedience.
3. God is the Principal Efficient and Ʋltimate Final cause, the Alpha and Omega, in Morality, as he is in Naturality. His will is the first cause of duty, and other Duness or Right, and the pleasing his will is the Ʋltimate end of man in all.
I know Gods glory may be said to be our Ʋltimate end: But we must take great heed how we understand that Phrase: Not as if the thoughts or praises of man, or any thing without God, could be his Ʋltimate end, or should be ours: Nor as if mans Praises added a felicity to God, Reputative or Real, which should be his end: But it is the Communication and Manifestation to the Creature of his Glory, even the Glory of his Greatness, Holiness, Love, Justice, Mercy, &c. for ever. Though the honoring of God in the Estimation and Praises Col. 3. 20. 1 Joh. 3. 22. 1 Thes 2. 4. Psal. 147. 11. Psal. 149. 4. Isa. 53. 10.of man, may be our end too, as it is duty to God, yet not our Ʋltimate end, much less is it Gods. Now this Communicative Declarative Glorification of God is materially his end, because it is the thing that most pleaseth him in respect to the Creature: therefore the pleasing of God is, as it were, formally his end. This is all spoken, on supposition that we must ascribe to God, after the manner of man, An end, and the intention of it, and a being pleased therein: (as we use to say, God is mans happiness objectively, and fruition formally) For we cannot conceive or speak of God if we renounce such conceptions and expressions. So that the Ʋltimate end that man was made for, was to please God, Rev. 4. 11. Heb. 10. 38. Heb. 13. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 17. Col. 1. 10. The end as such, is better then all the means as such.
4. The Righteous Lord loveth Righteousness: Such is the holy nature Psal. 11. 7. and 116. 8. Joh. 16. 27. 2 Cor. 9. 7.of God, that he is pleased with Holiness, and the Obedience of his will. We must therefore intend the pleasing of him as our end, by Holiness Internal and External as the means.
5. Christ came not to take down this end, in the necessity or excellency of it, nor ever intended any such change: Which would have Eph. 6. 7. Rom. 12. 1. 11. Rev. 2 19. Rev. 22. 3. Heb. 9. 14. and 12. 28.been to come as an enemy to God and man, and not as a Redeemer and Reconciler, Luk. 1. 74. Rev. 7. 15. Yea Christs own Death, Resurrection, Intercession, sending the Spirit, and Government, are but means to the pleasing of God, and they are means also for the restoring of man to Holiness and Obedience, that thereby he may please God again, who had displeased him, was displeasing to him, and in a necessity of future displeasing him: Though the Communication of Mercy, Rom. 6. 6, 7, 13, 14, &c. Rom. 7. 6. 1 Thes. 1. 9. Rom. 14. 18.and Manifestation of Love, Holiness, and other attributes of God were one Principal end of Christs death, which was much obtained immediately in his dying: Yet was it no small part of the further ends which were to be attained to make man again so holy, as that he might please God by his Obedience, and to forgive the mixture of his sin which displeaseth him: Of which more anon.
6. Mankind doth now owe obedience not only to God, as Creator, Rom. 14 9. 18. Mat. 28. 18, 19, 20. Ioh. 18. 3. Eph 6. 5, 6. Col 3. 24. Luk. 19. 27.but to Christ as Redeemer, and Rector on that Title. So that he is obliged by a double bond; and therefore his disobedience is a double transgression, and doubly displeasing to God: So far is he from being freed from obedience by Christ: which would be, if de jure, to make us Gods; if de facto only, to make us Devils, or worse: and therefore could be none of the Redeemers work.
7. Infidels, and all Ʋnregenerate men are under an Obligation to please God, and have means prescribed to them by God, which they ought to use for bringing them nearer to Christ, and to saving faith and full Ʋnion with Christ, that so they may be able to please God. And if they neglect these means, they are justly denyed the benefits of Ʋnion with Christ, which is the end, Act. 17. 24, 27. Rom. 24. 15. Rom. 1. 18, 19, 20.
8. Ʋnregenerate men may do such works by nature and common 1 King. 21. 29. Mark 10. 21.Grace, which for the matter, and ad hoc, or secundum quid, may please God, and upon which he may see meet to manifest some approbation of them, and will not only forbear to execute his Justice for the failing of that work, but also of some former works; yea, of gross sins: as in the case of Ahab, Nineve, and others, doth appear, Psal. 78. Though still as he is not obliged to this much, so he never accepteth any work of a wicked man simplicitèr, to the accepting of the person; nor to the pardon of the Eternal punishment.
9. Though Faith in Christ be a fruit of Gods Eternal Election, Ioh. 3. 16, 17, 18.and of Christs Meritorious Redemption, and of the Holy Ghost's Effectual, Special saving operation; yet is it mans Act and Habit, and Rom. 10. 9.by the Precept made his duty, and by the Promise made the condition of our first Right in Christ as our Head and Husband, and our Conjunction with him, and consequently of our first Actual proper pardon of our sins, as to the Everlasting and greatest punishment: It being the tenor of the promise or deed of gift, that if we will believe, we shall have the son, and shall be pardoned and justified, and have power to become the Sons of God, and shall have Right to life.
10. This Faith is called One act in a Moral sence, as taking a man to be my Prince, my Teacher, my Master, to be a Husband, a Physitian, &c. and not in a Physical sense: for so it is many acts: and that both, 1. As diversifyed by the faculties of the soul which believeth (and so it is 1. The Ʋnderstandings Assent, 2. The wills Consent, with that Assiance which is an act of the Affection) 2. And as these acts are diversifyed from the divers Objects, and formal Reasons of the objects: And so for the assenting part, the formal Object is the Veracity of God, the Material Object is both the Verity of the Ennunciation, and also the Natural Verity of the Things contained therein, which are more then one. The Principal are 1. Christ himself, and that considered in Act. 8. 37. Heb. 11. 1. 6, 7, 8, 10, 13. Ioh. 1. 12. Col. 2. 6. 1 Ioh. 5. 10, 11, 12. Rev. 22. 17. Heb. 10. 22. Ioh. 5. 24.his Nature, as God and as man, and in his office as Mediator, and so as King, Priest, Prophet; and in the exercise of these, as One that hath been born, lived perfectly, dyed innocently, satisfied, risen again, and is now ascended and in glory, Reigning and Interceding. 2. The End of his Redemption, viz. our final blessedness in the unseen Glory, and our pardon and sanctification as the way and beginning. It is more then one Axiome or Ennunciation, and more then one Benefit and Matter contained which we must believe, which cannot be done with one Physical Act of the Intellect. 2. Also the Object of the will is more then one: 1. The Direct Object is Christ himself. 2. The Final is the salvation which he brings: 1. Ʋltimate, in our Glory: 2. Mediate, or neerer, in our Pardon, Adoption and Sanctification. Also Christ himself is considered as Good, and so is received, with Love; and as a Benefactor, and so with Gratitude; and as Great and Magnificent, and so with reverence and admiration; and as King, and so by a consent of subjection: He is considered as offered, and so our Receiving is consent: or he is considered as in competition with other pretending Means, and so our Receiving is Election. All these are but o…e Moral act, called Faith, or Taking, or Receiving Christ as our Saviour: And all these Natural acts are essential to this one Moral Act.
11. Though Charity, as it respecteth other Objects, is no part of 1 Cor. 16. 22. Ioh. 15. 27. Matth. 10. 37.this Faith, yet as it respecteth an offered Saviour, it is as much essential to Faith to Receive Christ with love, as it is essential to a Saviour (the object of Faith) to be Good for us. For Good as Good is received by Love. Nor was it ever the intent of the Holy Ioh. 14. 21. Psal. 2. 12. Luk. 19. 14.Ghost, to take Faith in Christ in so narrow a sence as includeth not love to him, when it is saving Faith that is spoken of. The like may be said of Gratitude; being a modification of a right Receiving, Rev. 22. 17 Joh. 1. 12.
12. This faith by which we are justified and saved, is the Receiving Ioh. 1. 11. 12. Rom. 14. 4. Rev. 1. 5, 18. Phil. 2. 9, 10, 11.of Jesus Christ as Jesus Christ; and as a Saviour entirely; and as a Physitian of our Souls, to cure us of, and save us from both Guilt and Power of sin, and the misery due for it. And so it is the Receiving of Christ as a Prophet to Teach us, and a King to Rule us, and a Priest, after the Order of Melchizedeck, now to intercede for us, and not only as a sacrifice for our sins, or a satisfier of Justice for us. Its the Receiving of whole Christ.
13. It is not only without any ground in Gods word, but fully Col. 2. 6. Psal. 2. 12. Mat. 11. 28, 29. Luk. 19. 27. Rom. 10. 9, 10, 13. Mar. 17. 5. Mar. 9. 7. Joh. 10. 2, 3, 4, 9, 27. Ioh. 2. 46, 47, 48. Act. 2. 30, 33, 34, 36, 38. Act. 3. 15, 18, 22, 23, 26. Act. 5. 31. Ioh. 13. 35. & 15. 8. & 8. 31. Luk. 14. 26, 27, 33.against it, to say, that faith justifieth only as it apprehendeth Christ as a Ransom, or satisfier of Justice, or Meriter of our Justification, or his Righteousness as ours, and not as it Receiveth him as King, or as a Saviour from the stain and tyrannie of Sin: If the word As respect but the Aptitude and matter of Faith, it is both; and the Scripture makes no such distinction here: but if it respect the nearest formal Reason of faiths Interest in our Justification, then it is neither as one nor as the other. Though ex parte Christi, it be only his Ransom and Merit, that satisfyeth and purchaseth our justification (as it is Christ as King that justifieth us a…tually:) Yet exparte nostri, it is not our receiving Christ in one respect that procures one benefit, and our Receiving him in another respect that procures another benefit; but it is the full sincere Reception of him as our Saviour, in all the essential parts of his office, which is the Condition of our Right in him, and all his benefits that accompany him; so that the necessity of distinguishing the several causes of our salvation in Christ, or the several benefits which he brings and we receive, doth not infer any necessity of ascribing …he Effects to several acts of faith, or several respects as it is distinguished according to these several objects, or respects in the object: Because Faith doth not make Christ and his benefits ours, by a proper natural Reception, which is always a Passion, but by an improper Moral Reception, properly called Acceptation, and called Reception Reputatively, as being the condition of that Natural Reception, Joh. 3. 16. and 19. compared.
14. The neerest and formal Reason of Faiths Interest in our pardon and justification, is not either because it is Faith in Genere, nor because it is haec fides, this faith in specie, that is, because it is the Apprehension of Christ: For the object specifieth the act, and to be an act on such an object, is essential to that act in specie: to be an Apprehension of Christ is essential to saving Faith in specie: And it is not the Essence of Faith, General or Special, that is the formal reason of its interest in our justification: But it is its being a Condition of the promise, constituted such by the free Donor: 1 Ioh. 5. 10, 11, 12. Ioh. 1. 12. & 3. 16, 17, 18, 19. Tit. 3. 5, 7.seeing it belongs to every free Donor, much more to the Absolute Monarch of the World, to make his own terms, and determine of the Conditions of his own Donations: and as Gods will as Creator gives us the faculty whereby we Believe, and Gods will as New-Creator or Renewer, gives us the Rectitude of that faculty, and so ☞ Ioh. 6. 38, 39, 40. 27. 28, 29faith it self; so it is Gods will as Donor of pardon, Iustification, Adoption and Right to Glory, which only is able to give our faith its neerest formal Interest in our Remission, Iustification, Adoption, &c. In order of Nature, though not of time, it is Faith, before it is Justifying or Saving. The Nature of the thing is before the office it is freely designed to.
I should have put this conclusion among the Negatives, because it takes from mans Act of Believing, and not gives to it, but gives all to the free Constitution and will of the Donor, but that it was here necessary to illustrate the rest.
15. Nor yet is it the goodness of Faith, as a good work, that is the formal Reason of its Interest in our pardon and justification (which was hinted in the Negatives.)
16. Yet is the Goodness of Believing pleasing to God; and as Ioh. 6. 28, 29. & 16. 27. Heb. 11. 4, 5, 6, 7. Gen. 22. 16. Iude 21. Ioh. 15. 9, 10. & 19. 21. Psal. 33. 5. Pro. 15. 9.Entity and Event, as such, is the Object of Gods will, as it is the fountain of Entity and Event as such; (or the product of that will:) so is Goodness-Moral the Object of the Will of God, as it is the Fountain and end of Ethical Rectitude and Goodness. And therefore as the terms Love and Complacency, &c. are more ordinarily and properly applyed to the Ethical acts of the Will and Affection, which are in man most excellent, then to the Natural Appetite and Delight: and the Objects of these Ethical Affections, are an Ethical Good (as the objects of Natural Appetite is a meer Natural Good;) so it is the most seemly, and honorable, and Scriptural way of expression, to call those acts of Gods which are terminated on Moral Good, by the name of Love and Complacency: though sometime also Scripture extendeth them to those acts that are t…rminated in Natural Good: but ordinarily God is said rather to Will Enti…y and acts as such; and to love them, Delight in them, and be Pleased with them as Good Morally: If without Faith we cannot please God, doubtless both in and after believing we do.
17. Yea Faith (and holyness, of which anon) is therefore pleasing See the same Texts last cited.to God, and loved by him, because good Morally. Its true, that properly we must not say that the object is the cause of Gods Act, as it is of mans: But 1. It is but after the manner of man, and improperly, that we apply the Act it self to God; and therefore on the same ground (only with an acknowledged further impropriety) we may apply that to him which is the definition of mans act. 2. Though as Gods will, loving, pleasedness, &c. is his Essence, so we may neither think nor speak of it, as caused by the object: But as it is either Formaliter (as Scotus speaks) or, ratione ratiocinata (as the Thomists speak) distinct from his Essence, or at least quoad Denominationem extrinsecam, so it may be said that God therefore loveth Holiness because it is Good, and hateth sin because it is Evil: and so give a Reason of his Act from the Object. If it be but an Objective respect that denominateth Gods Essence to be Knowledge, Will, Love; So from the Object must the particular Acts be denominated, though there be no real diversity.
18. A quatenus, ad omne valet consequentia: If faiths formal Ioh. 16. 27.interest in pardon be, As it is the Condition of the Act of pardon, then whatsoever is such a condition must have the same kind of formal Interest as faith.
19. Repentance is made by God in the Gospel, a proper Condition Luk. 24. 47. & 15. 7.of our first general pardon of sin, as well as Faith is, Luk. 13. 35. Act. 3. 19. & 2. 38. & 26. 20.
20. Faith was not designed to the office of being a condition of pardon, only or directly for the general goodness of it: but for a special sort of goodness, consisting in a special and peculiar aptitude which it had to this office and honour. For God having determined to glorifie, love and mercy, it must needs be by Free-Grace and gift: and determining to pardon us by free gift, there is no act so directly fit for that office, as the acceptance of that free gift. It must be an Rom. 4. 16. 20. Luke 14. 17. 24.acceptance, or consent, because God deals as Rector as well as Benefactor, with a rational creature, who is a free Agent, and therefore it were not fit that he should have Christ, Pardon, Justification, Right Mat. 22. 35. Mat. 9. 15. Mat. 11. 28, 29, 30.to Glory, against his Will: Nor would that stand with the curing of his Nature, or the giving him the use or comfort of these Benefits, which are other parts of Salvation, and must here begin in this first See before Prop. 12, 13. the texts cited.consent. It must be an humble consent, or acceptance, with free acknowledgement and bewailing of unworthiness: For the Receiver is miserable, and therefore must receive humbly; and the Grace is Free, and penitent Confession is the Acknowledging and Glorifying the freeness of it: It must be a loving acceptance, because the Object is eminently good in it self, and to us: It must be a grateful acceptance, because the benefit is so great. It must be an acceptance of Christ as our Guide and King; because 1. There be ends of his own to be respected as well as ours: God cannot intend man before and above his own Glory; Nor must we: Christ will be had only on terms honorable to himself, as well as profitable to us: As a Husband, Head, Master, Lord, and not as an equal. 2. And because also that his Teaching, Guiding, and Sanctifying us is a Principal part of his saving us; And so for our selves we must so accept him. So that Faith in all its parts and respects, is in natura rei, fitted to this office: Insomuch that we may in some respect call it, The Law of nature which imposeth Faith on Redeemed man (all the preparations considered and supposed) as well as we may call it the Law of nature which imposed perfect obedience on perfect man.
Also the Intellectual Act before all these must needs be Pure Belief, because the Object was a meer promise, and an unseen blessedness. So then you may see that it was not the general goodness of Faith, as a Vertue or good Work only, but it was a peculiar Aptitude that Faith had to this special way of conveying Salvation by Free-Grace, for which God made it the condition thereof.
21. The very nature of this saving Faith, is to be a Heart-Covenant Psal. 50. 5. Col. 2. 6. Ioh. 1. 12. Mar. 3. 34. Eph 5. 23, 24. Ier. 3. 14. Mar. 21. 28, 30.of a sinner with Christ as a Saviour (and in him with the offended Majesty:) Even as is a Covenant of a woman to her husband, a Souldier to his Commander, a Subject to his Prince, a Scholler to his Master; It is our becoming his Disciples.
22. This Covenant containeth an Engagement to future Obedience: So that though our first faith be not the same thing with Obedience to Christ (at least its distinct from all other following obedience Psal. 2. 11, 12. 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ioh. 10. 27. & 5. 23.as is aforesaid) yet in taking Christ for King, it essentially containeth a Resolution and Covenant to obey him.
23. Though Repentance, being a condition of the promise of pardon, have the same formal Interest for kind in our pardon as Faith, yet in that they are made conditions upon several grounds, and from very different Reasons in the nature of the Acts, therefore there is a great difference to be put between one and the other in this business. Faith is Act. 20. 21. Luke 5. 31, 32. & 24. 47. Act. 5. 31. 2 Tim. 2. 25. Heb. 6. 1. Mar. 1. 15. & 6. 12. Act. 2. 38. & 17. 30. & 26. 20. & 3. 19.therefore made the condition, because in its nature it is fitted directly ad ipsam Remissionem; It is commanded and appointed to this office, for the immediate necessity and fitness of it, to our obtaining pardon as pardon: For it is not Repentance, but Faith, which is the accepting or receiving applying Act or Grace (which is called its Instrumentality by Divines: and if this concession will satisfie, I should be glad:) But Repentance is made a condition of pardon, on another reason, (though as necessary) viz. Because without it God and the Redeemer cannot have their end in pardoning us, nor can the Redeemer do all his work, for which we do accept him. For his work is, upon the pardoning of us, to bring us back in heart and life to God, from whom we were fallen and strayed. This was Christs work, to seek and save that which was lost. To be lost, is to lose God. To be saved, is to be brought back to God. Therefore the conditions which Christ maketh are, as if he should say, If you will be saved by me, and are willing that I shall bring you back to God, I will both bring you into his favor by pardon, and into a capacity of personal pleasing and enjoying him. Now our Repentance is our consent to return to God, and the change of our minds, by turning from former sin that was our Idol, and being willing by Christ to be restored to obedience. Ʋnderstand therefore (as I shall say more anon) that pardon of past sins, is a step to our future Sanctity and Obedience, as one of its ends. Therefore doth Christ pardon what is past, that we may be in a capacity acceptably to return to God by obodience. And therefore we must first turn to him by Repentance, which is a purpose of obedience, before he will pardon us. For without this he cannot attain the ends of his pardoning us. I have Animadversions from a most Judicious Learned Divine, that thinks indeed Repentance and Faith to be all one: and many others are of that mind. In some respect it may be so: but not in all: of which I'le not stand to speak now.
This I say, that men may see I do not Level Faith with Repentance, much less (as they charge me,) with actual external works of obedience, which in this first Remission and Justification, I take not to be so much as existent.
Though when the Question is, why Faith or Repentance have such an interest in our pardon, we give the same answer de ratione formali, because God hath made them the Conditions of his promise; yet we give not the same Reason, à natura & aptitudine actus; but very different, as is declared.
24. As the Commination is but the last part of the Law, and subservient Ezek. 33. 11. Lam. 3. 33.to the precept which is the principal part; and as the penalty is not intended by the Legislator propter se, nor propter se loved or desired by him, but upon supposition of disobedience, by which his principal Will is violated, and for the prevention of such disobedience for the future; so in restoring the sinner, the promise of pardon or impunity is a means subservient to the Moral Law; and the Heb. 9. 14. 1 Pet. 2. 5, 9. Eph. 2. 10. 1 Cor. 7. 19. Gal. 6. 15. Tit. 2. 14. Rom. 6. 16. 2 Cor. 10. 5, 6. 1 Pet. 1. 2. Heb. 5. 8. 2 Tim. 2. 21.remitting of sin is not intended to be absolutely the principal part of our Recovery to God, but a part subservient to our real Renovation by Sanctity and Obedience, as imperfectly now begun, and to be perfected hereafter. Our first general pardon is, that we may escape Gods wrath, and be capable of acceptable Obedience for the future: Our following particular pardon of each particular sin, is that we may escape Gods wrath for that sin, and may have the blemishes and defects of our obedience supplied, and healed, and covered, and may be continued in a capacity of acceptable obeying for the future; which else we could not be, seeing the defect of the best duty deserveth condemnation; and therefore it is through pardoning grace that the defects must be covered, that it may be accepted.
25. Yet as our unholiness and actual sin, is considered, not in it self, as disobedience to God, and as displeasing to him, but as a poenal misery on us (poenal by accident, as committed, or not cured, or not removed, though never poenal per se) so to sanctifie is to pardon. For pardon is of three distinct sorts. 1. Constitutive, by God as Legislator, Psal. 81. 12.giving us right to Impunity. 2. Declarative or Sentential, by God as Judge, determining our Right. 3. Executive, by God, as Executor of Justice, in taking off, or not inflicting the penalty. In the first respect, to give right to Impunity, containeth the giving Right to sanctification, so far as the want of it is considered as a punishment. In the last respect, non punire, containeth among other things, the not denying us the spirit and grace, and so not leaving us to our selves in unholiness and disobedience. And indeed sin is a punishment to it self, and sin and unholiness it self, is not the least part of that misery of the sinner; though still it must be distinctly considered as sin and punishment, and how it is both.
26. So proportionably in the life to come, whither all these preparations Rom. 11. 36. Prov. 16. 4. Rev. 1. 5, 6. & 19 5 6, 7, 8, 9. & 20. 6. & 7. 15. & 22. 3. & 4. 8.tend, our own impunity in heaven is not Gods ultimate end, but a means to our perfect pleasing and giorifying of him; and not onelyonly glorifying him objectively, as we are pardoned sinners, but further pleasing and glorifying him actually: being such perfected creatures, and doing him such perfect service of praise, as is most agreeable to his blessed nature, and which he can take complacency in. Yea, though you consider our glorification and perfection it self, as the effect of pardon, because pardon gives us right to full impunity, and the poena damni is punishment, as well as the poena sensus, yet the same sanctity and phrases, as they are our impunity, yea as our felicity, are below themselves considered as terminated in God, and being the perfect pleasing of him.
27. Therefore all the righteousness or perfections of the people of Mat. 5. 20. Rom 6. 16. 1 Joh 37.God in this life consisteth not in the meer pardon of their sin, as distinct from holiness and obedience, but they must needs have also a personall righteousness, co…sisting in the holiness of their hearts and lives: which Scripture most frequently mentioneth, and which all Divines confess, calling it by the name of inherent righteousness.
28. The more holiness and obedience any man hath, and the less 1 Cor. 10. 22. & 11. 31 32. … Joh. 3 7, 8, 9, 10, 22. Heb. 3. 13, 14.unholiness and sin, the more lovely and pleasing is he to God. And the less sin any man hath, the less he hath to be pardoned: And the less is pardoned, the less he hath of that sort of righteousness▪ which consisteth in free pardon, through the blood of Christ, therefore the more any Saint hath of the righteousness of sanctity and obedience, and the lesse need of that which consisteth in remission, the more pleasing is he to God, and more suitable to his will, as he is Rector of mankind; Rom. 12. 2. Col. 4. 12. 1 Thes. 4. 3. 1 Pet. 2. 15. 2 Pet. 3. 17 18 Psal. 45. 7.yet he will deal injuriously, and as a Calumniator, that shall run away with one piece of this, dismembred from the rest, and so of the true sence, and shall report meerly, that I say, that he is most pleasing to God, that hath least imputed righteousness, or least remission of sin, much more if he say [He that hath least of Christs righteousness]; when even inherent righteousness is Christs righteousness, who is made unto us Wisdom, Righteousness, and Sanctification, in that he effecteth them in us by his Spirit. My experience of the impudency of Calumniators causeth me to add this Caveat, on foresight Eph. 4. 15. See the …llowing texts.of their attempts.
29. Therefore it is that every Christian must first bend the powers of his soul, for holiness and obedience, and for these lay out the first of his care and labour, and but consequentially for Remission of sin, because of his unavoidable failing in his first attempts for obedience. Mar. 13. 33. 35 …7. 1 Cor. 16. 13. 1 T…s. 5. 6. R…v. 3. 2, 3. Lu…. 12. 37. Eph. 6. …0, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18. &…. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.Otherwise, if before the sin is committed, the Righteousness of Remission were in order to be referred and desired before the Righteousness of obedience, then a man that should use his utmost endeavour to commit as many sins as he could, or at least, as he could hope should be pardoned, and he that sinned most, that he might have the most use for pardon, did take the most pleasing course to God, and so men should sin that grace might abound. Then which wicked imagination, nothing is more contrary to Gospel-Grace.
30. Therefore it is also, that God doth deter men from some greater 1 Cor. 10. to ver. 13, 20, 21, 22. Heb. 6. 6. & 10. 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 38. Gal. 5. 19, 20, 21. Rom. 8. 13. Ma…. 5. 21, 22, 23, 25, 29, 30. 2 King. 24. 4. Lam. 3. 42. Ier. 5. 7. Isa. 43. 24. Ma…. 2. 17. Isa. 1. 12, 13, 14. Ps. 95. 10. & 78. 40. Eph. 4. 30. Amos … 13.sins, as more difficult to be pardoned in some respects, then less: that is, They shall not have the pardon of them, at least fully, on so quick and easie terms, as the other: nay he deterreth them from going far in sin, either as to the intensive increase, or the continuance of time, lest he cut them off, or withdraw his Grace, and give them up to themselves, and pardon them not at all: He chargeth them to seek him while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near, and that the wicked forsake his way, and that they harden not their hearts, but hear while it is called to day, lest he swear in his wrath, that they shall not enter into his rest. Nay, there is a sin which he will not pardon, but hath excepted out of the Act of Remission, viz. the final nonperformance of the Gospel-conditions, of Faith Repentance and sincer… new obedience, and the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, (whatsoever be said of totall Apostacy also.) All which shews that God, as Rector, would have us rather to obey him, then put him to pardon our disobedience: Sanctity being our sanity, the health of our souls, and pardon but one part of the cure (curing our own loss and misery, but not our unholiness as such.) And God would have us rather to forbear wounding our selves, then to make wounds for him to cure. And therefore, disobedience (which must be pardoned) is commonly called in the Scriptures, the displeasing of God, and the offending him; it is a wronging and abusing him, it is a pressing him, a provoking him, a grieving him, &c. And God would rather have us forbear this, then to put him to remedy it: and is better pleased with not-grieving him, not displeasing and offending him, not abusing him, then to do all this, and then seek a pardon. Though its true, that when we have foolishly offended, a pardon through Christs blood doth blot out all the guilt or obligation to punishment.
I speak not all this of Gods Decretive Will de Rerum eventu, nor do I now dispute, whether according to that he willeth sin, and whether it be fit to say, that God had rather David committed Adultery and Murder by Gods permission, and be pardoned for it, then not to commit it: These I now meddle not with; but it is his Will as Rector, de aequo, Bono, Debito, Jure, that I speak all this of: And so Inherent Righteousness is thus pleasing to God.
31. Hence it is that Christ himself, as Mediator, and Redeemer, in satisfying and procuring pardon, is a Remedy, a means to our Recovery, a way to the Father, &c. It is one end of his bloodshed and Mat. 21. 37. 1 Joh. 3. 5, 6. Ma…. 1 21. & 18. 11. Luk. 19. …0. J…h. 14. 6. Mat. 9. 12. 1 Joh. 3. 8. Heb. 13. 15.Redemption to procure us the Spirit, and restore us to a state of Holiness, and to purifie to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, Tit. 2. 14. & to wash us & cleanse us, that he may present us pure and acceptable to his Father, without spot or wrinkle, Eph. 5. 26, 27.
Yet let none say here, that I make our own sanctity to be a better thing simply then Christs satisfaction or merits, in making it the End, which is alway better then the Means: For, 1. I make it but one part of the End, and not the whole (nor do I say that it is the Ʋltimate End at all:) And it is the whole End that is better then the Means. 2. And it is not simpliciter & materialiter, that the End is alway better then the means, but its only true of the means in the formal notion of a means, and not quoad naturam rei. If any further object, that God is better pleased to have the world Redeemed by Christ, then to have had them keep their innocency, and to have his own people sin, then to live perfectly, or else it should not so come to pass. I answer, This is transire à genere ad genus: It concerneth Gods will de Rerum Eventu quâ talis, of which I will not now d…spute; and not his Rectoral Will, de Debito & bono Morali. I doubt not but God can see that he be no loser by sin, or else he would not permit it: But I am not now speaking of that Decretive will about events, which in most things is so far above our reach, and therefore is called by Divines, his Secret Will; but of that will by which he is the Fountain of Moral Good, and Governeth the world, and which is more within our reach, and therefore fittest to govern our expressions: and which in the Lords Prayer we pray may be done in Earth as it is in Heaven.
32. Hence also it is that as we increase in Holiness we increase in favour with God: which if it might be said of Christ who never had Luk. 2. 53. Heb. 5. 8. Mat. 25. 28, 29 Luk. 19. 17, 24, 25. Prov. 11. 20. Mar. 10. 25. Prov. 8. 17. Heb. 13. 21. 2 Tim. 2. 21. … Cor. 15. …4.any Privative defect of Holiness, but only was to increase in the exercise of it, having no sin at all, how much more of us, who are removing still from our Corruption and sinful provocations of God. Though if we take Gods Love as signifying only his Decree of doing Good to us Eventually: it hath so no increase or decrease, and is the same before we are Regenerate, born or Redeemed, is after yet takeing it (as I before shewed it is fittest for us usually to take it) for the Act of his will as the Fountain and end of Morality, and as he is conceived (after our low manner of Conception) to have that transcendently and eminenter, which formaliter in m…n we call Ethical Vertue, Goodness, Holiness, &c. wherein consisteth the perfections of the Will, and so we may, we must say, that we increase in favour with God, as we increase in Holiness and obedience, and the better any man grows, the more God loveth him which whether it can be said of his pardon, which addeth no more to him, but the continued or renewed Right to Impunity (and therefore most Divines say Justification is perfect, but sanctification is still to increase) I leave to consideration.
33. Hence also it is, that in the state of perfection in Glory, there shall be no more pardoning of sin, (though the remembrance & blessed effects Rev. 21. 27. Eph. 5. 26, 27. Luk. 11. 2.of former pardon shall be continued, and we shall praise God for ever for redeeming us by the blood of the Lamb) but our Holiness shall be perfect, and our Righteousness from that time forward only inherent (though as to former sins, we still shall retain the Righteousness of Remission): which shews that perfect holiness and inherent Righteousness, is that which God is better pleased with, then to be still remitting sin, and covering our own faults; or else he would not make that the state of our perfection, where he shall attain the end of Christs blood, and all his means and workings fully, and we attain the end of our faith, hope and labours.
34. As subjection and allegiance to God goeth naturally before our sinning against him, and so before the pardon of our sin, so when the sinner is Receiving Christ by Faith, he must first in order consider him as a King, Ruler, and Teacher, before he consider or Receive him as the Pardoner of any future sin against Christ, which (though it be like to meet with reluctancy with those whose principles it subverteth) is yet a most evident truth. For pardon presupposeth sin, and sin presupposeth a Law and Law giver and subjection: Iosh. 24. 22, Mat. 28. 19, 20. Luke 19. 27. Heb. 5. 9. Col. 2. 6. Rom. 7. 19. 24, 25. Mat. 17. 5. See befor…, Mat. 11. 28, 29, 30. Rom. 3. 25. Luke 1. 74, 75, 77. mark well that 1 Ioh. 2. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Ioh. 5. 14. & 8. 11. Psal. 85. 8. Mat. 7. 24.There is no sin but against a Law and a Soveraign, and no pardon of any thing but sin and punishment.
Hence it follows that as to the future, we Receive Christ first and principally to sanctifie, rule and guide us, and but consequently to pardon the imperfection of our Obedience and our actual sins, which we would fain avoid and be without if we could: But Obedience is in…ended before the pardon of disobedience.
35. Yet herein is a main difference between our first and second All…giance; between our first subjection to, and Acceptance of God-Creator, and God-Redeemer, God as Ruling by the Law of Works, and as rul…ng by the Law of Grace, viz▪ that we had no former faults to be pardoned, when we were first subjected to God as Creator only; but we have a mountain of debt, of crimes, of guilt upon our backs when we are first called to Accept of, and submit to the Redeemer: And therefore as to all this former guilt, we do define Christ, first in the order of our consideration, as one that hath s…ti… fied for us, and paid that score, and will pardon all these former sins, upon his Gospel terms, before we consider him as either to govern us, or pardon our future sins. But this proves not that pardon is first accepted or received before Christ as Lord, though it be first desired by us: For the order of Acceptance and particip…tion is not the same as the order of Desire: For Acceptance must follow the Order of the gift or offer, but Desire may run before it.
Here also it appears, that there is a great difference between our Receiving Christ for the pardon of past sins, and of future sins, in our consideration and intention. Also a Christian may lawfully wish and pray against the need of further pardoning Grace, and hope for the time when he shall renew his need of it no more: But he may not wish for the time when he shall have no need of being inherently righteous▪ perfectly holy and obedient.
36. Christ never dyed to Reconcile God to our sins, nor doth 2 Sam. 12. Hab. 1. 13. Heb. 10. 26, 24, 30, 31. Num. 3…. 23. 1 Pet. 1. 17. A…s 16. 34. 35.God through Christ love, or accept our sins, though he do accept a Duty that hath sin commixt: nor doth God like sin ever the better because it is a member of Christ that committeth it: nay, as it b…th many aggravations more then the sins of aliens, so in respect of them he hateth it the more. Of a truth I perceive (better upon these convincing considerations then heretofore I did) that God is no respecter of persons, but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted of him.
37. Nothing but sin needeth pardon by Christ: And he never pardoneth any while they are in their Rebellion, and under the full dominion of sin: But when they in heart and Covenant Return to Act. 13. 39. Act. 26. 18. Rom. 3. 26. Isa 1. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. & 55. 6, 7. Ioel 2. 12, 13, 14. Ezek. 18. 30.their Allegiance, to their rightful Lord by the Redeemer, then doth he pardon all sins past while they were in Rebellion, and putteth them in a sure way for the pardon of their future imperfections of obedience: so that all their future pardon but of imperfections, or sins consisting with their Allegiance, which still imply sincere obedience: but it is not of the sin of Rebellion, or Renouncing their Soveraign again, nor of denying totally the son by Apostacy: should they do this, there were no more sacrifice for sin, but a fearfull looking for of Judgement. Whereby it yet further appears that our pardon of sins after Conver…on, is not our whole or only Righteousness: but as to our state before Conversion, the pardon ☞of our sins then committed, is all our true Righteousness: unless improperly, secundùm quid, comparatively, or the like, you should call a wicked mans works Righ…eous, when they are less unrighteous. Yea this Righteousness, which consisteth in Remission of our past sins, doth in order of Nature follow our inherent Righteousness; There is no Adult person that ever partaketh of this, commonly called Imputed Righteousness, till he have first the inherent Righteousness of Faith and Repentance, which contains a resolution, for future New Obedience; though yet he have not actually so obeyed: yea, and that actual obedience followeth in the same minute of time according to the opportunity of exercising it, and thats ever in forbearing evil; and as soon as may be in doing good. So that its Gods stablished order, that the Inherent Righteousness of Faith and Repentance shall go before the Righteousness of Remission, as the condition of enjoying it.
38. There is no such thing in rerum natura, as a true Righteousness, which doth not formaliter make the person so far Righteous. It is a contradiction: As to say, There is whiten…ss which makes not white, or Honour that makes not Honorable: Or merit that 2 Ioh. 3. 7.makes not deserving, or similitude that makes not simile: Or parity that makes not parem; or Paternity that makes not patrem, &c.
39. To make just, is one (the first) sort of justifying, commonly Rom. 5. 16, 17, 18, 19, 22. compared.called Constitutive, as the following sorts are esteeming just, Judiciò discretionis, and maintaining just, Apologetically by plea, and sentencing Iust, definitively by Iudgem…nt, which is the most proper and perfect. Other subservient sorts there be, as by witnesses, &c.
40. There is much more goes to the continuing and consummating Mat. 12 36, 37. Iam. 2. 24. Mat. 6. 14, 15. 1 Ioh. 1. 9. Re…. 22. 14. …oh. 15. 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10. 1 Ioh. 2. 24, 25, 28, 26. Mat. 18. 35.our Justification, then doth at first to justifie us, as to the condition on our parts, to be performed to that end. Faith alone without externall acts of Obedience, doth suffice to our first Justification: Yea, the first solitary numericall act of faith: But so it doth not to the continuance. For there is still requisite thereto, 1. The continuance of the Habit, 2. And renewing the act of that faith, 3. The addition of sincere Obedience: and many particular Materials of that Obedience (but not all) are made so necessary, that without them, the obedience cannot be sincere; as to be Humble, to forgive others, to love one another in Christ, to be merciful, to confess Christ, and suffer for him, if called to it, &c. these must be in the Habit, and ordinarily prevalent in act, upon opportunity.
1. Arg. The word expresly constituteth these Conditions, of See after of this more. Heb. 1. 26, 27.our not losing our state of Justification, or of continuing it, therefore they are so. I have formerly shewed it in many Scriptures. 2 Arg. Our first faith having the true nature of a Covenanting with Christ, and giving our selves to him, and taking him for our Lord-Redeemer: therefore it follows, that as the Covenant making and Accepting was of necessity, as the Condition of our first Right and Remission, so is our Covenant keeping, of the same necessity to our continued Right; and that God is, as it were, disobliged, if we should not keep Covenant. And the keeping hath more in it then the bare making. No Covenant Relations usually are entered among men, but the Covenant keeping is more then the making, and the Condition of their continued Right more then of their first Right. So it is with a Subject to his Prince, Wife to a Husband, Souldier to a Commander, Scholler to his Teacher, Servant to his Master, &c. Promising will give them the first Right; but performing (in the essentials) must continue it, or it will cease. For the end of the promise was its performance: And in that respect faith, which is the Covenant, is inferiour to Obedience which is promised; though in other respects it may be superiour. 3. Arg. If there were no more necessary to the continuing of our Justification, but onelyonly the same thing which did constitute it, then we should be justified by no one act of faith to our lives end, but only the first instantaneous act, and so our faith after that instant should never more be Justifying faith. But thats false: for Abraham is said to be Justified by an act of faith, which was not his first; so was Rahab, and so are we all. So that more is required, as the condition of continuing it, then beginning it.
41. Hence also it appears, that though we are simul & semel,1 Ioh. 1. 9. & 2. 1, 2. Luk. 11. 3. universally Justified from all the sins of our unregenerate state, yet we are not so from all following sins: and that there must be a continuing cause of our continued Iuistfication; which is (for the neerest efficient) the continued Morall act or force of the remedying Law, or the promise.
42. Hence also it is evident, that Justification or pardon, as to the See all the Texts cited before to Prop. 40.present existence of it to a Believer, is actuall and not meerly conditionall, as it was before Believing: But as to the continuance, and renewed pardon of Renewed sins, and the consummation, it is conditionall still. Arg. 1. Its evident in the letter of the promise, Giving even to Believers such Remission and Iustification, if they persevere, if they forgive others, obey, &c. Arg. 2. Else (as is said) no one Act of faith it self, but the first could be the condition of pardon, if it did not remain conditionall as to the continuance and renewall.
43. Salvation is as freely Given as our Iustification, and on the Rom. 3 2…, 24 compared. Rom. 4. 4, 13, 16. & 5. 17, 18, 21. & 6. 23. & 8. 1, 2, 6, 13, 14, 17. Heb. 11. 1, 13 Tit. 3. 4 5. 6, 7 Eph. 2 4, 5, …, 7, 8, 9.same conditions as our full Iustification at Iudgement is: for that Iustification consisteth principally but in determining our right to salvation by publick sentence. And it is as much dishonor to Christs blood and Free-Grace▪ to make man his own Glorifyer, as pardoner, or to give the honor of Christ to man, in the matter of salvation, as much as in pardon and Iustification. It is therefore a vain distinction without any ground in Scripture, to say that faith onelyonly is the condition of our finall Iustification, but works also are conditions of the Gift of Glorification. And to make one act of faith Iustifying (viz. the apprehension of Christs Righteousness) and another saving, or adopting▪ as the condition of these, is meerly without Scripture, which distinguisheth not saving from justifying faith, as to the nature of the act.
44. It is a Christians duty to make his own continued, renovate, Mat. 6. 12, 14, 15. Col. 1. 22, 23. Phil. 2. 12. Mat. 11. 12. Rev. 22. 14.and consummate Remission of sin, and his salvation, one end of his obedience: and to work out his salvation with fear and trembling: and the contrary doctrine is pernicious and intollerable. Therefore our obedience is some means to these ends: therefore called, The way to the Kingdom.
45. Though Christ only hath satisfied for our disobedience, and merited our pardon, and Causeth us to perform the Conditions of the New Covenant, yet he never performed these for us in his own person, to free us from that performance: He neither Believed in himself, nor Repented by a change of mind, in our stead; nor will save us, if we do it not our selves. Nor did he ever procure or intend a pardon, for the final non-performance of these Conditions.
46. The Covenant of Nature (or works) giveth us no Pardon of Rom 3. 9, 10. 19, 20, 21, 22. 23, 24, 27, & 4, 13, 14, 15, 16. Mat. 25. 46.sin, nor yet will it pronounce our persons Righteous (simply and properly) for our most sincere Obedience, while it is imperfect: so that neither our imputed Righteousness is given by that Covenant, nor our inherent Righteousness at all Denominated a Righteousness (in the sense before expressed) by that Covenant. But it is the New Covenant that giveth us the righteousness of Remission, and Imputation, and Denominateth us righteous because of our performing its Conditions so far, and upon both denominateth us universally Righteous.
47. The Law is the rule of Judgement, as well as of Duty; by which Dueness or Right is determined sententially, as it is constituted first. To Judge by sentence, is the Genus, which consisteth in Iustification, Ioh. 12. 48. Ioh. 5. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 30. Ioh. 3. 16, 17, 18, 19, 35, 36. Mat. 7, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26. Rom 14. 9, 10. compa…ed. Rom. 2. 16. Act. 17. 31. 1 Pet. 4, 5, 6, Mat 25. throughout. Psal. 50 5. Iam. 2. 12.or Absolution, and adjudication of the Reward as one Species, and Condemnation as the other. As the Law hath two parts, the precept and the sanction, one determining what shall be Due from us to God, the other what shall be due from God to us: so the Accusation and the Iudgement hath two parts. The first is the mediate, nearest, inferior part (in Iudgement) as referring to the other as the end: And so the Accusation will be this, [Lord, these are sinners, or have broken thy Law.] This is but in preparation to the Conclusion, which is [Therefore they are not to be absolved and glorified, but condemned.] The Antecedent must be confessed [we have no Iustification from that charge in itself considered] The consequence is to be denied, and the reason given [Iesus Christ hath died for us, and we are pardoned for his Merits: and therefore we are not to be condemned, but to be glorified, though we have sinned.] In this part of Iustification mans works have no partnership with Christs Righteousness, or Remission of sin: But this much will not serve the turn: For seeing Christ himself was given with his benefits, by a Law of Grace▪ and upon certain conditions, and did rule his redeemed ones by that Law; therefore the final sentence will be by Christ, as Redeemer, and according to that Law (with all that are under it): And therefore the next Accusation will be [Lord, these are Ʋnbelievers, Impenitent, or Rebels against thee the Redeemer, and did not perform the conditions of thy promise, or Law of Grace] that is the Mediate Accusation de Reatu culpae: From whence is inferred the remote and the ultimate quoad reatum poenae, thus, [Therefore they have no Remission of sin according to thy Promise] and [therefore they are liable both to the common condemnation of sinners, and to the greater special Condemnation of unbelieving impenitent sinners] Against the first Accusation no man is Iustified but by his own Faith, Repentance and Obedience, that is, by pleading not Guilty. And if this Accusation be not brought or supposed against men in Judgement, no man can be condemned (at least that hath heard the Gospel): For it is onelyonly the Ʋnbelieving, or Impenitent, and Rebels against God-Redeemer, that shall be condemned to Hell, because being such, the former Guilt is not removed, and a Greater is incurred. The soul that is Justifi…d by its own Faith, Repentance and sincere Obedience, against the first Accusation, is consequentially Justified against the Second, [of having no pardon or part in Christ,] for the Antecedent being disproved, the Consequent is thereby disproved. And this being proved that he hath part in Christ, and in his promise of pardon and Life, thence followeth immediately the final sentence, therefore for the sake of Christ his blood and Merits he is to be Justified or Absolved, or not condemned, but as a Member of him to be Glorified with him in his Glory. So then m…n shall be condemned both by the Law of Works, and the Law of Grace: but those that are Justified shall be Justified only by the Law of Grace; yet against the Accusation of being condemnable for violating the Law of works, shall we be Justified by Christs satisfaction; and therefore I may call that satisfaction our Justitia prolegalis; that which is instead of a Legal Righteousness to us.
48. Therefore doth the Judge justifie men, because they are Just: He hateth him on earth, that justifieth the wicked, or condemneth Gen. 18. 23, 24, 25. Prov. 17 15. 1 Kings 8. 32. Rom. 3, 5, 6. Rom. 2. 2, 3, 5. 2 Tim. 4. 8. 2 Thes. 1. 5.the Innocent. The Righteousness of the cause, and of the person as to that cause, is the Reason why as to that cause he is Justified. (Though yet that may be called a Cause in Law-sense, which in Logick is but a Condition: and that may be a true Cause of the Justifying or Rewarding sentence, which is no true cause, but only a condition of the Reward it self or Right to Impunity.) Whatsoever Cause is to be tried in Judgement is either …ust or unjust; and so the person as to Iob. 8 3, & 34 10, 11, 12. Psal. 1. 4, 5, & 33, 5, & 37, 28, & 89, 14 & 47. 2. Isa 30. 18. & 61▪ 8.that Cause, is just or unjust; and there is no middle between these. Whatsoever therefore will be the cause of the Day to be tried, if it be a Iust cause, will so far Iustifie the person as his Righteousness. It is evident that as the general final cause of that Day will be whether we are sons of Life or Death▪ to be sent to Heaven or Hell. as to which our Righteousness is [Non Reatus mortis, & Jus ad praemium] formally (which is a Relation) so there are two subordinate causes to be tryed, in order to this: The next to it, will be, whether we have part in Christ, and the Gospel Guift: The next Eccles. 12. 14. Mat. 12. 26. Mat. 25.is in subordination to this; viz, whether we have performed the Conditions of the Gospel: and upon this will all depend, and the final sentence: so that this being part of the Cause of the Day, the Righteousness of this cause must needs be the Righteousness of the Person, because of which the Iudge will so far Iustifie him. The Confession of the first Guilt of meer sin, is still supposed.
49. By this it appeareth that God will Iudge men according to their works, and according to what they have done in the flesh, whether it be Good or Evil; and that it will be a part of the cause of Paraeus in Mat. 2 5. 20. Rom. 14. 9, 10, 11, 12, 18. 2 Cor. 5. 9, 10. Acts 17. 30, 31. Mat 12. 36, 37. Rom. 2. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. 1 Cor 4 4, 5. Rev. 20. 12, 13. Mat. 13. 49, 41, 42, 43 … & 22. 12, 13. 1 Pet. 1. 17.the day, to try us, whether we have fulfilled the conditions of the New Covenant or not, appeareth, in that Christ doth not only tell us so in his description of the Iudgement; but so much insisteth upon this, that we must be very observant lest we see not the rest, but take this for the whole trial: Mat. 25. 21. Well done good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a little, &c. And Luke addeth, (what is here plainly implyed) Because thou hast been faithful: Vers. 35, 36. For I was hungry, and y… gave me meat, &c. that i…, [Ye preferred me your Lord Redeemer before your worldly Riches, Pleasures, and safety of Life, which you are not invested i…, not denying to hazard or ex…end all for me, when I call you to it, on behalf of my members:] And upon this ground, they are not only called Righteous, but adjudged to Life, vers. 46 And the Lord himself who spake these words, doth expound the word Righteous here by other words, in Ioh 5. 29. Here he saith▪ And these shall go away into Everlasting punishment, but the Righteous into Life Eternal. And there he saith, [The hour is comming in the which all that are in the graves, shall hear his voice, and shall come forth, They that have Done Good unto the resurrection of Life, and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation. Yet let none think, that because Christ maketh in all this no mention of his own satisfaction, and our Righteousness which consisteth in Remission of sin, that therefore there is none such by which we are Iustified; for he here presupposeth the sinner Redeemed by him, and conditionally pardoned through his blood, and this to be out of doubt, and his performance of the Condition to be that which is questionable, and not whether Christ have done his part on the cross.
50. By all this it is most evident that all that shall be saved and Iustified in judgement, yea or Constitutively, or estimatively in this life, must have a twofold Righteousness, one in the Remission of their All the Texts last cited prove this. 1 Ioh. 3. 7. Iames 3. 18. 2 Cor. 9 9. Ma…. 6. 3 3. Ezek. 18. 24, 26. & 33. 18, 19, 20. Rom. 4, 5, 9, 22, 24. Iames 2. 23. Gal. 3. 6. Heb. 11. 7. 2 Tim 4. 8. Act. 1…. 35. Mat. 5. 20. Prov. 10 2. & 11, 4. & 11, 6. & 11, 18, 19. & 12▪ 28. & 15, 19. & 21. 21.sins by Christs blood and grace, the other in the performance of that condition of pardon and salvation which the Gospel doth Impose: and that by both these a man is constituted Iust now, (as I think all Divines confess) and because of both shall he be sentenced Iust in Iudgement. Yet with a very great difference both in the Reason and the Order of them, which must be carefully marked. For Christs Righteousness doth Iustifie us Meritoriously, but so doth not our own performance of the Conditions. Our Ʋnbelief and Impenitency do Merit our Damnation; and so we may yield that the Meritum Causae must be enquired after in Iudgement: but our faith or any other act…ons merit not pardon or salvation. And for the order, observe it in respect of our first Iustification, and of our continued Iustification, and our sentential Iustification. As to our first Iustification (which Divines commonly mean alone when they treat of Iustification) Our Remission of sin is only for the Merit of Christ, and in his blood: and I give not saith, or any act of man the least Copartnership with Christs Righteousness▪ nor any share in this honour. Now seing our Divines do commonly mean the Remission of sin, and the Accepting us as pardoned when they speak of Iustification, and all this I ascribe to Ch…ists M…itorious satisfactory Righteousness alone, and not at all to faith or works as any causes, I conceive, I grant them the thing that they contend f…r. Only our own faith and Repentance (without the present existence of external Gospel-works, much more without the works of Mosaical Ceremonies) are Conditions without which God will not pardon or Iustifie any man. The sinner being thus pardoned of free Grace, it being the nature of all Grace to Cooperate and mutually further each other, our after-Holiness and Obedience may well be called one End of our former Iustification and pardon: for Christ did of purpose pardon us, that being clensed from Guilt, we might be more capable of the further Psal. 106. 3. & 15, 1, 2, 3, 4. Mat. 10, 41. Rev. 22. 11. Heb. 11. 4. Mat. 13▪ 43. Isa. 3 10, 11. Num. 23 10. Psal 91. 11. & 58, 11. Gal. 6. 7, 8. 2 Cor. 9. 6.degrees of Grace, and Acceptable serving God: And that Holiness and Obedience which was in some respect one End of former pardon, is a Means to future pardon, and so on; every pre…edent work of Grace in pardoning or sanctifying having some tendency to the furthering of that which follows, and all being wonderfully linked by Divine wisdom in the blessed chain of our salvation. So that pardon may be both a means to Holyness, and Holyness or Holy acts some means to pardon, in several respects (though in the same respect they could not.) But in respect of our Sentential Justification by the Judge, our personal Righteousness is meerly subordinate to the righteousness of Christ: (and so it is as to the Remission of our sin in this life: I mean as to the end of [Remitting]) even as the Condition is subordinate to the pardon or other Gift. So that it is to prove us to have Right in Christ and Life in and by him, that our own Faith, Repentance and Obedience, come to be questioned at that day, and to be so much of the cause of the day. Let no man therefore say, that I make our own Righteousness (personal) to be sharer with Christs in the same office or honour▪ for I only make it a necessary subordinate to it, but not Coordinate at all: and this I do, because he hath done it. Yet if we speak of Righteousness, not as consisting in one species, Remission of sin, (for so Christs Righteousness is the whole meritorious cause) but Universally, as containing all that Righteousness which we have, or are any way Justified by, so I say, Christs Righteousness is the whole causally, both as to Merit and proper Efficiency, (for we have all from his blood alone, or his blood and Spirit,)Rev. 22. 14▪ Mark 16. 16. Luke 13. 3, 5. Exod. 34. 6, 7. & 23. 7. Mat 7. 21, 23. Phil 4. 17. Ioh. 14. 21. Mat 5. 12, 46, & 16▪ 27. Col. 3. 23, 24. Heb 5. 9. and so Christs Righteousness procuring our pardon, may be said to be quasi Universalis, Ʋniversal in a sort, that is excepting only our performanc… of the said condition: when, alas, that is so small a part, tha… its meer grac… that gives it the name of righteousness, & the very defects of faith it self must be pardoned thorow Christ, or we perish. But yet …o …ay simply and absolutely, that our universal righteousness consisteth in pardon through Christs blood, is plainly to say▪ the Saints are … …ts, for they have nothing but sin, and have no inherent ha… …ctu…l Righteousness at al; (for nothing but sin is pardoned) … which noth…ng more contrary to Scripture or the concurrent v…e of all …ber Christians of what Party soever (the Antinom…ns I … this as sober.) Our own perfor…ce therefore hath but the na… …s it were of a particular Righteousness (though consisting in many particular acts) subordinate to Christs Righteousnes…: yet not such a particular Righteousness as even the worst man may have, but Mat. 25. Iames 2 24 Luke 19. 17. 1 Tim 4. 8. Iames 1. 12. & 2. 5.such a one as our Absolution or Condemnation Final and General dependeth on as its Condition; because God hath chosen the particular Matter of it to this great office. And whereas this particular Righteousness consisteth of our faith and repentance as the Condition of our Iustification is first given, & of the Continuance of as faith and Repentance; with the fruits of new sincere obedience as the Conditions of the continuing or not-losing our Iustification or pardon; so in Iudgement, 1. If we are accused of final predominant Infidelity, w… must be Justified materially by faith; 2. If we are Accused of final Impenitency, we must be Justified by proving our Repentance▪ 3. If we be accused of final predominant Disobedience, we must be Justified by our works of obedience. 4. If of Hypocrisie, we must be Just…fied by our …ncerity, appealing to the searcher of hearts; and, saith Dr. Preston, by our works: But they more immediately justifie in the forementioned respect. And Christ mentioneth them in his description of the Judgement more then faith or Repentance, (perhaps as foreseeing how men would mistake here); because faith is visible and unquestionably implyed in sincere obedience (and so is Repentance); but obedience is not implyed as existent in faith and Repentance. Obedience is in them but as in semine, and in the Cause, but they are in obedience as the life of the tree is in the fruit, or the life of the Root in the ear of wheat, or as the life of the Heart appeareth in the lively motions and operations of the body.
If any say, It is not proved that there is any Accusation of the Saints at Judgement, or any such particular proceedings in their Justification; I Answ. 1. I am not now proving but confessing my own Judgement. Yet that Satan is the Accuser of the Brethren I know, and that we shall be Iudged according to what we have done in the body, whether it be Good or Evil, and must give an account for every idle word: and Christ will mention feeding or not feeding, cloathing, or not cloathing, visiting, or not visiting, as a Reason of his sentence: And he will call for an account of the particular talents, whether one, two, or ten. 2. We do not know how God will manage that Iudgement, further then he hath revealed▪ But suppose, as is most probable, that Christ will dispatch all in a small time, and make no long and delatory work of it, yet if he do but open the eye of Conscience to see all as naked in a moment, he will reveal it in the true order of Causes and Effects, Antecedents and Consequents; and how one dependeth on another: This his own description of the Iudgement plainly evinceth; and all this Order can he shew to the soul in one moment. So that they who would from the spiritualness and speed of that Iudgement, or from the perfection of the Saints deliverance by Iustification in this life, argue against this Iudgement, or the rational natural order of its proceeding, that in this Confusion they may hide their mistakes, do in vain contend against the clearest light of Scripture. And they that say we shall not be Iustified in Judgement, but only Declared to be Iustified here, do either say consequentially [we shall be condemned] or else [we shall not be Iudged at all,] seeing Iudgement in general, is by Iustification or Condemnation in special: and then they deny a main Article of the Creed, that Christ shall come again to Iudge the quick and the dead. To Determine our Right by Authoritative Decision, and put it out of all further Controversie, and give us our Jus Judicatum, (who had before but our Jus Constitutum,) and this as made prerequisite to our Possession of the Kingdom of Glory, and our Jus in re; all this, which is the work of Iudgment, is somewhat more then bare declaration of what was done before. Though if it were no more, yet such a kind of Declaration as that is, may well be called Iustification, and Absolution. And if by Declaration they mean a true Iudging, they say and unsay, contradicting themselves.