Confession of His Faith, Chapter 10 · Section 1
SECT. I.
I Am now come to the last part of my undertaken task, to shew the world whether I be singular or not, by producing the Consent§. 1. of Churches and Divines, in the chief point in question! At least me thinks I may promise my self this success; that I shall not be judged to love singularity, nor to desire to hear an Ego primus inveni, to be honored as the first inventer of any opinion, much less to be the leader of a party, while I do so ambitiously endeavour to perswade men that the opinion which I maintain is so common, as that it is owned by such an Army of the most eminent Divines; and that I do but come after them all in the entertainment of it. It shall appear that I affect not to stand alone.
Before I come to cite the words of others, I must tell you to what end I do it, and therefore I must tell you what is my own opinion which is suspected to deviate from the judgement of the Orthodox.
It is not only the Antinomians that I have now to deal with in this Chapter; but it is those Brethren whom I highly honour, whose judgements I more esteem. I confess it is Scripture that turns the scales of my judgement, and not mens opinions: though I shall still bear a Reverend regard to the judgement of the learned and Godly, as being such as are meet to be my Teachers, and of whom I am unfeignedly willing to learn. But the reason of my reciting these Testimonies, is to be a Pill to Prejudice, and open mens ears to Scripture-proof. It is not a few, nor only the unlearned and ungodly, who are mastered by prejudice in these disputable things. Were not the Power of prejudice wonderful, we should not see the Divines of one Nation all Lutherans, as Denmark, Sweden, Saxonie, &c. and of another all Calvinists, as they are called; and of so many all Papists: and none or so few to depart from the way in Credit where they live. I confess I find in experience, that it doth more with most objectors, to cite the plain words of a Divine in Credit, then of Peter or Paul: When I mention what Christ saith, they make a puff at it, and say, That is your Exposition? but what say such and such Divines? As if Scriptures and humane Authority were of the same account in England as in Italie! I speak not this of all; but of too many: Nor do I speak it to accuse them, but as the necessary reason of my following task, which they who know not our common case, may judge superfluous and vain.
The opinions which are excepted against in me, are those which are supposed to ascribe too much to man and his Actions in the matter of Justification. Which are especially these following.
1. That we are justified by believing the truth of the Gospel, and accepting Christ as offered therein, that is, as an entire Saviour, to save us from sin it self, as well as from guilt and punishment, and as a King to Rule us: and so that subjecting the soul to Christ by Consent to his Kingdom, is an Act of Faith whereby we are justified, as well as resting on him for Justification, or apprehending or accepting pardon and righteousness. And that it is utterly void of Scripture-warrant to say, that It is only the Accepting of Christs sacrifice, or Imputed Righteousness, which is the justifying Act: or else, only the resting upon it for Justification. Or that though fides quae Iustificat, Recepit Christum ut Regem, Faith which Justifieth, taketh Christ for Lord: yet Qua Iustificat, as it justifieth, it taketh him only to Justification.
The ground of my opinion here is misliked, which is this. 2. Faith doth not Justifie qua fides, or qua haec fides, as this Faith, that is, as it is an apprehending or accepting of Christs righteousness, nor is our Right to each particular Benefit of Christ particularized and constituted by the partitular object apprehended by Faith, as Impressions are made on the soul in sanctification, and individuated by individual objects, and specified by special objects; and so it is not as an Instrumental efficient cause that Faith Justifieth (for such it is not) nor yet formally from its natural act of Reception of such an object.
But Right to Christ and Life being a Moral effect, and conveyed by a Moral cause and way, that is, by a Law of Grace, or conditional Promise or gift; therefore the formal reason of Faiths Interest in our Justification is, as it is the Condition of that Promise by us performed: and its Essence, or Physical act, (the Acceptance of Christ and life) commonly called its instrumentality, though it be the Reason why it was chosen and preferred to this office of being the Condition of the Promise, yet is it but its aptitude to the office, and so the remote, and as it were, material reason of its Interest in our Justification, and not the formal Reason. And therefore so far as it is a Condition of pardon or Justification, it must needs be the pardoning or justifying act: And therefore it being the undivided and undistinguished acceptance of Christ as Christ; that is, as Lord-Redeemer and Saviour, which is by Scripture made the Condition of our Right to Christ and his benefits, it follows, that we are justified by receiving him for Lord, as well as for Justifier by satisfaction, and that it is besides and against Scripture to say, that Faith Justifieth as an Instrument, or as it hath the Physical respect of an act to such an object; that is, as it apprehendeth Christs righteousness, and resteth thereon, or as it is Faith in Christ as a Justifier.
3. As that Faith which is the Condition of our first Right to a state of Justification, is the accepting of Christ as Christ, and so as King, and so contains the entering our selves by Consent into the Relation of subjects hereafter to obey, and a disposition and resolution to obey; so in those that survive, sincere obedience, (which is the performance of this Covenant) is the Condition, 1. Of our not losing our state of Justification, or of continuing it. 2. Of our particular pardon of particular sins, (at least renewed Repentance is such.) 3. And of our great Justification by Sentence at Judgement. But it is but a meer remote and secondary part of the Condition, in some subordination to faith, whereof it is a fruit. So that there is more required to the continuance and consummation of our Justification, then is to put us into a Justified state at first.
4. The performance of the Conditons of the New Covenant, for Justification and salvation (by Faith, Repentance, sincereobedience) are a personal, evangelical righteousness (commonly called Inherent); and therefore is it called our righteousness, because it is the performance of the Gospel condition, (rather then from its Relation to the Law or Covenant of works, which it violateth by its imperfection) seeing whosoever believeth and repenteth is non Reus, not guilty of the non-performance of the Condition of Justification, and he that also sincerely obeyeth to the end, is not guilty of the non-performance of the Conditions of sentential Absolution in Judgement.
It is not that Law (commonly called Moral or of works) which saith, Obey perfectly, or else dye; which judgeth me righteous because of my Inherent qualifications, or imperfect obedience: but it is that Law, which saith, He that repenteth and believeth shall be forgiven, and he that sincerely obeyeth, (both naturally Moral, and supernatural precepts) and endureth to the end, shall be saved. This Law or Covenant pronounceth me righteous, upon my imperfect performances.
5. This righteousness is not our universal righteousness, nor the matter of our Justification against the Accusation of violating the Law of works, nor any part of satisfaction for such violation: but only it is first the Condition of our Interest in that righteousness (of Christ) and consequently a special particular righteousness, constituting us truly righteous; but only in tantum, so far as not to be chargeable with the final non-performance of the conditions of the new Covenant; that is, not to be guilty of final Impenitency, Infidelity, Rebellion, or Hypocrisie. And in judgement, it is only against this false accusation that we must be justified by it, as the matter of our righteousness; and against the charge of violating the Law of works, or being in general sinners, it is Christs righteousness that must justifie us, as the only meritorious cause or matter, and this of ours no otherwise then as the Condition sine qua non, of our Right in it: Yet when in order to our final universal Absolution, the question comes to be, Whether we have any Right in Christ or not? And so whether we performed the Condition of that grant or Promise, which giveth Right? Here that Faith and Repentance, which first are but Conditions of our Justification by Christ, do next become the very matter of that righteousness whereby we are Justified, against the particular accusation of being Infidels, Impenitent, or Rebels, or Hypocrites, and such as never performing the Condition have no Right in Christ. So that it is only in subordination to Christ and his righteousness, that we are to be justified by personal Righteousness: As it is in subordination to him, that we are now said to be constituted in tantum, personally (or Inherently righteous) by our being sincere Believers, penitent and obedient.
And thus I have truly given the very summe of my judgement in this matter, which is accepted against by some Brethren; In all which, 1. I make neither Faith, nor any act of man, to be the least causes of our justified state, or of continuing it, or of our final Absolution. 2. Nor do I take works of Obedience to Christ to be so much as present in our first Justification, but in order of nature to follow it.
The main thing that I find offend, are these two. 1. That I say, The Accepting Christ as King, and Teacher, is part of that Faith which is the Condition of Justification, and so justifying as well as the taking his righteousness. 2. That I say, Obedience to God Redeemer, is a secondary part of the Condition of the continuance, or not losing of our justified state, and of our final Justification at judgement. It is therefore these two that I shall especially endeavour to prove that I am not singular in.
And lest you should imagine that I wrong any Authors by forcing their words, or leaving out any thing. 1. I will suppose you to have the books at hand to peruse the whole context, which I cannot have time to write, or suppose concern me not. 2. I will not undertake to reconcile all other passages in any book with what I cite, but if I force their words, I am contented to bear the blame. 3. I will annex the conclusion which I gather from many of them, lest you say, I cite each one as approving my whole cause. 4. But all shall drive at the proofs of this Truth, that I give no more to Works, then the most eminent Reformed Divines ordinarily do, though perhaps I give less to Faith and Man.