Confession of His Faith, Chapter 10 · Section 3 · Version 15 – Conclusion 8
SYnops. Doctr. Natur. & Grat. pag. 164. Thes. 201. ▪Peccator consideratur vel absolute & in se tantum: Eo sensu nemo in Dei judicio ex operibus legis justificabitur, &c. Vel comparatè cum alio peccatore; & in hoc sensu quidam in Dei judicio Justificabuntur ex operibus prae aliis, &c. Deinde & id sedulo notandum est & attentè: Deum nullibi dici in scriptura redditurum in judicio secundum opera legis, sed tantum secundum opera: Nempe vox [Opus] aliquando & sapius pertinet ad Justitiam legalem quae absolutissima esse debet, ut Justificet; qualis non reperitur in peccatore: Aliquando designat omnem hominis obedientiam, etiam eam quae praecepto credendi in Deum miserecordem, & resipiscendi, praestatur: Quo sensu fides ipsa & resipiscentia, sub hoc genere continentur. Eo certe modo intelligenda veniunt, non priore, omnia loca quibus Deus secundum opera unicui{que} retributurus dicitur. Nempe reddet unicui{que} Deus secundum fidem, poenitentiam at{que} bona opera quae fidem sequuntur, & infidelitatem, indurationem, reliquis peccatis superadditam. Deus enim ex quo gratiae faedus cum hominibus pepegit, neminem vult deinceps ex lege absolutè & simpliciter judicare; sed ex conditione novi faederis quae legis rigorem temperat. At{que} haec distinctio maximi est usus, & diligenter observanda in Orthotomia verbi. Nam cum apud peccatorem sub legis jugo trementem, sub peccati pondere laborantem, res agitur, tum ad consolationem ejus Iustificatio ex fide in sanguine Christi illi proponenda est: Cum verò apud carnaliter securum & in peccatis lascivientem, tum ad excitandam conscientiam, urgendum est Iudicium Dei ex operibus in magna illa die instituendum.
A Sinner is considered either absolutely and in himself only; In that sense none shall be Justified by the works of the Law in Gods Judgement, &c. Or comparatively with another sinner; & in this sense some shall in Gods judgement be Justified by works before others, &c. And then this is to be diligently and attentively noted: that God is nowhere said in Scripture to render in Judgement according to the Works of the Law; But only according to Works: For the word [Works] doth sometime and most frequently belong to legal righteousness, which must be most perfect, that it may Justifie *i. e. It cannot justifie unless it were perfect.: Such is not to be found in any sinner. Sometime it signifieth all mans obedience, even that which is performed to the precept of believing in the mercifull God, and of repenting. In which sense faith it self and repentance are contained under this kind. In this sense, and not in the former are all those places to be understood, in which it is said that God will render to every man according to his works. For God will render to every man according to his faith, repentance and good works which follow faith, or to his infidelity, and hardning superadded to his other sins. For since God hath made with man the Covenant of Grace, he will afterwards Judge no man absolutely and simply by the Law, but by the condition of the New Covenant which tempereth the rigor of the Law. And this distinction is of very great use, and diligently to be observed in the right dividing of the word; For when we have to do with a sinner that trembleth under the yoke of the Law, laboreth under the weight of sin, then Justification by faith in the blood of Christ is to be propounded to him for his consolation; But when we deal with one Carnally secure, and sporting himself in sin, then must we urge the Judgement of God which in that great day shall proceed according to Works, for the excitation of his Conscience.
HEnce you have the distinction between Legal and Evangelical righteousness, and what those works be, v…z. Evangelical, which men shall be Judged, and consequently Justified according to: with much more observable matter closely couched.
13. LƲdovicus de Dieu in Rom. 8. 4. and Iac. 2. hath so much to13. Lud. de Dieu. this purpose that I must crave the patience of the Reader, that I may make a larger recitation of it: not only as a Testimony, but as an explication of this matter, it will be usefull.