Confession of His Faith, Chapter 10 · Section 3 · Conclusion 17 – Version 36
25. MR. Ant. Wotton, Defence of Perkins against Byshop, pag. 329. [We deny not that the Reward is to and for the Work; but that the value of the Work deserves it, which worth being wanting▪ the reward is bestowed upon the party according to his work, not for the desert of it; in another sense it is all one to say ▪according to the work] or […or the work]. As in general he rewards them that do well, Because they do well: and he punisheth them that do …ll, because they do ill▪ and so gives to both according or for their works.
Page 312, 313. [These are Bernards words: [As it is enough to merit, not to pre…ume of merit: so to want merit is enoug… to condemnation]—It follows [No infants regenerate want merits, but have Christs, whereof notwithstanding they make themselves unworthy, if they had opportunity to add their own, and neglected it, which is the danger of riper years] Infants saith Bernard, have Christs merits; but if they come to years, they must also have some of their own. What merits to deserve heaven? then were Christs insufficient: But they must have good works, without which they make themselves unworthy of any benefit by Christ. Is not this wholly our doctrine? Let us hear his Conclusion: [Have a care (sayes Bernard) to have merits; having them, know they were given thee: hope for the fruit of them by the mercy of God, and thou hast avoided all danger of Poverty, unthankfulness, and presumption.]
IDem ib. pag. 226. At last you understand that we make not faith the Principal, much less the whole Cause of our Iustification. To speak properly, we make it no true Cause at all; but onelyonly as you say, A condition required by God on our part; which he accepteth instead of fulfilling the Law, and thereupon forgiveth us our sins for Christs sake.
Idem Lect. on Iohn 1. pag. 452, 453. The act of faith, or believing, doth not bring Iustification, and adoption or either of them, by any special excellency that it hath in it self; but meerly and onelyonly by the place and office which the Lord of his own will and mercy hath assigned it, to be the condition on our parts, required, for the atchieving of these favours and honours. The Covenant of the Law stood in these terms, He that doth these things shall live thereby: so that the condition was righteousness according to the exact Rule of the Law. By the Gospel the Lord enters into a New Covenant with man, the condition whereof i…, Believe and thou shalt be saved.] This is that which the Apostle teacheth us concerning the Lords accounting of faith for Righteousness. Whereas by the Law, Righteousness was necessarily required, that a man might have an interest to Heaven; Now by the Gospel, faith is accepted instead of righteousness. Do this, saith the Law: Believe in Christ, saith the Gospel. So that when the question is of Reconciliation and the parts thereof, or either of them, whether it be by faith or no? The meaning is this, Whether believing be the condition which we are to perform, that we may be reconciled to God, or no? To this doubt the Apostle answereth, that Abraham believed God, and it (that is his believing) was counted to him for righteousness] Leg. ultr.
IDem de Reconcil. part. 1. l. 2. c 18. he cites many Authors to prove faith a condition of the Covenant, and addeth [Faith therefore is a condition, and such a Condition to Iustification by Christ in the free Covenant, as Works were to Iustification by the works of the Law. And therefore the Righteousness of the Law and Gospel are opposed to one another, Rom. 10. 6▪ 7. &c. and this in vers. 9. is explained by the Conjunction [if] If thou believe: on which place Calvin gathers, that [as the Law exacteth works, so the Gospel requires that men bring saith to Receive the Grace of God] Whence it followeth that he that believeth in Christ, seeing he hath performed the Condition which the Gospel requires to be performed, is judged to have done no less according to the Gospel Covenant, then he should have been judged to have done according to the Legal Covenant, if he had performed most perfect obedience to the Law. And this is to Impute or Repute faith to Righteousness.]
IDem ib. pag. 379. [In this we differ from the Papists, that they make Man to be the efficient Cause of his own Justification. For faith, by which, or of which a man is Iustified, doth not Iustifie of its own nature or strength, but only as it brings us into communication of Christs Righteousness (as Calvin saith): Nor of it self or its own vertue, but only as a condition, and by Christs vertue.]
Idem P. 2. l. 1. c. 5. page 127. n. 3, 4. Hemmingius affirming [that the same Righteousness is required in the Law and in the Gospel] Mr. Wotton denieth it, and saith [I prove it false by these Reasons, 1. When Righteousness which is the way to eternal Life is the same, the Covenant of God also for obtaining eternal Life, is the same. For the Covenants are divers, in respect of the Righteousness which is known to be their Condition; seeing it is evident that the Covenant dependeth on the Condition, and of it, as it were, borroweth its Nature. But in the Law and the Gospel the Covenant of God for obtaining eternal life is not the same, as the Apostle Gal. 3. &c.
Idem ibid. c. 6 p. 138. n. n. [Faith in Christ Crucified is a certain Righteousness. For it is an Obedience, and as it were, a conformity to the command of God, 1 Joh. 3. 23. therefore there is a certain Righteousness, which is not Commanded in the Law; and consequently there is a certain unrighteousness or sin, that dependeth not on the Decalogue in the Law. We may say the same of Repentance, and the use and abuse of Gospel-sacraments, of which, &c.]
The main thing I cite Mr Wotton for, is the attesting the Necessity of a personal Gospel▪ righteousness, consisting in the fulfilling of the conditions of the Gospel-Covenant.
26. REverend and learned Mr. Gataker in his shaddows without Mr. Gattaker.subst. against Saltmarsh, hath these words, Page 41. [Pardon of sin and salvation are propounded and preached on Condition of Faith, Repentance and Newness of Life, which are the Conditions of the Gospel. Argument. That which is so propounded, as that being performed, Life and salvation may undoubtedly be attained, and without which it cannot be had, may well be termed a Condition. But such are the things before mentioned. They may therefore justly be termed Conditions.]
And pag. 40. Nor know I any reason why his Baptism for the substance of it should not be an example to us in these times, being the Baptism of Repentance unto remission of sins; that is, if I mistake nor, Baptism obsigning Remission of sins on Condition of Repentance. But this expression you take exceptions at, and cannot endure to hear Faith, Repentance and New obedience termed Conditions of Life and Salvation, &c.]
Pag. 48. [To your Demand, Is this free grace? I shall crave leave to return a counter-demand: suppose a King be content at the suit either of the parties themselves or some friend of theirs, to grant his gracious pardon, to a company of notorious Rebels, that had risen against him, set up some base desperate Rogue in his room, done him all the despight and mischief they were able to do, and being condemned, &c. upon condition that they acknowledge their offence, and their sorrow for it, with purpose and promise of living loyally for time to come; whether you would deem this to be free grace or no? Were he not a most ungrateful wretch that having his pardon on such terms granted and signed him, should in regard of those Conditions deny it to be free grace? And whether they do not blaspheme Gods free Grace that deny it to be free grace, if it be propounded on terms of Belief, Repentance and Amendment of life? Sir, what ever you say of Us, take heed how you tell Christ, that he doth not freely save you, if he will not save you unless you believe &c.]
Page 49. Such exact working as might fully answer the Iustice of God, was to Life required in the one Covenant: whereas that which comes far shor… of it, is in and for Christ, unto Life accepted in the other) vid. ultr.
Page 51. Do you either prove that Life and Salvation is not pro…ounded in the Gospel upon a condition▪ of believing in Christ, or that Repenting and Amending are not to life eternal as necessar…ly required as it?]
[Pag. 58. If the Gospel propound and promise pardon of sin and salvation without any condition at all required on our part, and on all …uch Conditions and qualifications, of Belief, Rep…ntance, and New obedience, destroy the freeness of Grace, then neither Christ, nor Iohn Baptist, nor the Apostles preached Gospel or free Grace; for they thus preached and propounded pardon of sin and salvation upon such terms from the first to the last.
And pag. 64. David and Peter did both of them again make up that breach that they had made by their sins between God and them, and did make their peace again with God, by their Repentance. If you will not believe me herein, you may believe David himself, if you so please, Psal. 32. 5.
2. Christ is the only Peace-maker, who by the blood of his Cross hath made Peace, &c. And yet in that Peace so purchased, without Faith, Repentance, and new Obedience, can no man have any part.
So in answer to Saltmarsh, pag. 19. he proves that God loveth us for his own Graces in us, and our exercises of the same: And in his shaddows without substance, pag. 46, 47. he shews that Repentance and Obedience are Conditions n…cessarily to be performed by all those that expect Life, or Pardon of sin and salvation by Christ: but have not a receiving nature and relation to Christ as Faith hath (all which I easily acknowledge.) See also, ibid. pag. 36.
27. MR. John Ball, a man of a clear and sober Judgement,Mr. Ball. and of precious memory in the Church with us, in his Treat▪ of the Covenants, pag. 20. saith, [A Disposition to good Works is necessary to Justification, being the Qualification of an active and lively Faith: Good works of all sorts are necessary to our Continuance in the state of Justification, and so to our final Absolution, if God give opportunity. But they are not the cause of, but only a precedent qualification or Condition to final forgiveness and eternal bliss. If then we speak of the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace; by Condition we understand whatsoever is required on our part, as precedent, concomitant or subsequent to Justification; Repentance, Faith, and Obedience are all Conditions. But if by Condition we understand, what is required on our part as the cause of the good promised, though only Instrumental Faith, or belief in the Promises of free mercy is the only Condition.]
So pag. 21. [The walking in the Light, as he is in the Light, is that Qualification whereby we become immediately capable of Christs righteousness, or actual participants of his propitiation; which is the sole immediate cause of our Justification, taken for Remission of sins, or actual approbation with God.
And pag. 73. Works then, or a Purpose to walk with God▪ Justifie as the Passive qualification of the subject capable of Justification, or as the qualification of that Faith which Justifieth.
IN the first of these sayings, Mr. Ball gives as much, and the very same place to Works of Obedience as I do: though he give more to Faith (at least in words;) and by that means puts a greater difference between them. Yet I confess them to differ in the nature of the acts as much as he doth▪ Faith being the Recipient Conditional act, and Obedience not Recipient: And in the Office I maintain that Faith hath so far the precedency, that not only without the Causality, or Conditionality, but also without the presence of Works of outward Obedience, it is sufficient (as the Condition) to our being put into a Justified state. 2. And therefore Mr. Ball in his second passage saith more then I do for walking in the Light: though I believe, he meant no more. 3. And in the third passage he saith the same as I: For he meaneth not that Works are Passive in their own nature: that were an absurdity and plain contradiction: but that as to the effect of Justification they are no causes, but Passive qualifications of the subject, making it morally capable thereof. And he puts both Works, and A purpose to walk with God, because A purpose and Covenant to obey (which is heart-subjection) is enough to our being first Justified; but it must be actual Obedience that must concurr to the continuance of that state, and to our final Absolution, as Mr. Balls first passage expresly affirmeth.
28. MR. Jos. Meade is so large and express in giving asMr. Meade. much, if not more to Works then ever I did, that I must avoid the recital of it, as too long for this place. I desire the Reader to save me that labour, and peruse five whole exercises of his which aim at this scope, viz. on Math. 7. 21. on Act. 10. 4. on Psal. 112. 6. on Neh. 13 14. 22. on Math. 10. 41. and the end of that on Luk. 2. 13, 14. Though he put Obedience into his definition of Faith, and said more then I Judge convenient, yet I believe his sense was sound.
Pag. 330. on Neh. 13. he saith, [Nay more we deny not, but in some sense, this Reward may be said to proceed of Justice. For howsoever originally it cometh of Gods free bounty, &c. Yet in regard he hath covenanted with us, and tyed himself by his Word and Promise to confer such a Reward, the Reward now in a sort proveth to be an Act of Justice, namely of Justitia promissi, on Gods part, not of merit on ours: for promise we know once made amongst honest men, is accounted a due debt, &c. Lastly for the word Merit, it is not the name we so much scruple at, as the thing, wont now adaies to be understood thereby: Otherwise we confess the name might be admitted, if taken in the more large and general sense, for any work having a Relation to a Reward to follow it, or whereby a Reward is quocunque modo obtained: In a word, as the correlatum, indifferent to merces Gratiae, or Justitiae. For thus the Fathers used it, and so might we have done still, if some had not grown too proud and mistook it, &c.
If any man will read the rest of those five exercitations, I do not fear lest he should yet say that I give more to Works, then Mr. Meade either as to pardon or salvation.
29. ZArnovecius de satisfactione Zarnovecius.contr. Socin. pag. 53, 54. [Ex his aliisque Scripturae sententiis unusquisque facilè perspicit, homini ad declinandum Justitie divinae Iudicium, & ad Consequendam miserecordiae promissionem, duas esse Conditiones datas. Vna est semen Let those mark this, that thought it so haynous in me to call both Christs sufferings and mans Faith, Causam sine qua non; When this Author calls them both Conditions.benedictum, Christus, ejusque mors, & sacrific um. Altera, fides in Christum & Poenitentia. Harum Conditionum magna est diversitas. Vna simplex est, non Conditionata, & (uti loquuntur) simpliciter data, sine alterius dignitatis respectu. Altera verò est conditionata, & secundum quid, data; hoc est, omnem Authoritatem & certitudinem ex primâ illâ percipiens; p…nitentia nimirum & fides in Christum. Prior conditio ex nulla alia dependet, sed per se ipsam & à se ipsa authentium est, & omnem ex se alteri tribuit vim, virtutem ac dignitatem. Hinc prima illa magis est principalis & praecipua, haec vero minus principalis & vilior. Haec major minor{que} principalitas in eo consistit, quod prior illa causa sit efficiens expiationis ac securitatis à Dei Iustitia, & assecutionis miserecordiae. Altera rursus posterior, causa est Instrumentalis seu organon Acceptationis applicans reconciliationem & miserecordiam acquisitam. Illa respicit ad Iustitiam: haec ad miserecordiam: Illa satisfit Judici justo sine Justitiae suae laesione sive imminutione▪ prout de caelo ipsemet clamat, Mat. 3. 17. & 17. 5. in quo complacitum mihi est: vel in quo placatus sum seu acquiesco. Ista vero altera, fide scilicet & Poenitentia, homo sibi satisfacit in Conscientia sua ut sine ulla à Justitia Dei offensione consistat. Vt igitur error enormis est eorum qui conditiones hasce in Justificationis nostrae negotio confundunt, ita peculiariter Socinus graviter hallucinatur, & in Blasphemiam erumpit dum ad Conditionem hanc, fidem scilicet & Poenitentiam, quae minus est principalis, oculis conversus, & huic soli innixus, causam esse ipsam asserit efficientem & meritoriam miserecordiae acquisitae: Alteram verò magis principalem, sine qua instar corporis esset animae destituti, seu putaminis nucleo vacui, coecus praetergreditur, & quasi non visam negligit: si enim sola nudaque in Christum fides & Poenitentia sufficerent, ad miserecordiam Dei consequendam, cujus quaeso erat usus Conditio illa prior alteri huic praemissa? nimirum promissio & exhibitio sacrosancti, ejusque mortis & sacrificii, & expressa injunctio ut hominum oculi & fides ad semen hoc sacro-sanctum sint directa. Vim itaque Socinus facit Deo, disjungens ab eo conjuncta, & quod priori loco positum voluit, non saltem ultimo collocat, sed ex hominum plane memoria eximere & delere conatur.
[BY these and other Scripture-sentences, every one easily seeth, that there are two Conditions given man that he may escape the judgement of Gods Justice, and obtain the Promise of mercy. One is the blessed seed, Christ, and his death and sacrifice. The other is Faith in Christ and Repentance. There is great difference between these Conditions; one is simple, not Conditionate, and (as they say) simply given, without respect to another dignity, (or worthiness:) But the other is Conditionate, and given secundum quid, that is, receiving all its authority and certainty from the former: to wit, Repentance and Faith in Christ. The first condition dependeth on no other, but is of it self, and from it self authentical, and giveth from it self to the other all its force, vertue and dignity. Hence the first is more principal and the chief: but the other is less principal and viler. This greater or less principality consisteth in this, that the first is the cause efficient of expiation & security from Gods Justice, and of obtaining mercy. And the latter is an Instrumental cause, or organ of acceptance applying reconciliation and mercy obtained. That respecteth Justice: this mercy, by that satisfaction is given to the just Judge▪ without the hurt or imminution of his Justice, as himself proclaims from heaven, Mat. 3. 17. and 17. 5. in whom I am well pleased, or in whom I am appeased, or rest satisfied. But by that other, to wit, Faith and Repentance, man satisfieth himself in his own conscience, that he may consist without any offence from the Justice of God. As therefore it is a hainous errour of them, who confound these conditions in the business of Justification, so peculiarly doth Socinus err, and break forth into blasphemy, while turning his eye to this Condition, to wit, Faith and Repentance, which is the less principal, and resting on this alone, he affirmeth it to be the efficient and meritorious cause of obtaining mercy. But the other more principal, without which this would be as a body without a soul, or a shell without a kernel, he blindly passeth over, and neglecteth, as if he saw it not. For if only bare Faith in Christ and Repentance would suffice to obtain Gods mercy; of what use, I pray you, was that former Condition premised to this? to wit, the Promise and exhibition of the holy one, and of his death and sacrifice, and the express injunction, that mens eyes and Faith be directed to this Holy seed. Socinus therefore doth violence to God, disjoyning what he hath conjoyned, and that which God would have put first, he doth not so much as let it follow after, but endeavoureth wholly to remove and blot it out of the memory of men.]