Confession of His Faith, Chapter 3 · Section 1
SECT. I.
VNcharitable jealousies, and high expectations are not easily§. …. satisfied. Because the charge that Mr. Crandon and his brother lay against me, is from my judgement about mans works and personal righteousness, I strongly imagine that it must be a larger confession in this point then the Assemblies, or then any of the forrain Churches have made, which must satisfie these men. I will do what I apprehend to be my duty, and let them use it as they see meet.
And here I must desire the Reader, that would not wrong himself and me, to difference between Matter and Words: and to know, that though fit Terms and Methods be commendable, yet while we agree in the Matter, the difference about meer words should not seem great. I will therefore lay down my judgement as to the Matter, and then say something to Verbal differences by themselves.
And first I shall tell you Negatively what I do not give to works: and then Affirmatively what I do: and I shall not hide my mind in either.
1. I Believe that neither Adam in Innocency, nor any Angel, were capable of deserving any thing that was good from God, by way of Commutative Justice, or as making God their Debtor for any benefit that he received by their works.
2. I believe that ever since Adams fall, it is a thing impossible for any meer man to be Justified or saved by his Works, according to the tenor of that first Law of Works, in force.
3. According to the tenor of that first rigorous Law, no unregenerate man can do any work so good, which shall not deserve death for the evil of it.
4. The same is true of the best works of the Regenerate themselves, as tried by that Law alone: Because of the sinful imperfections in Principles, Ends, Degree, Manner, &c.
5. All men therefore Regenerate and Ʋnregenerate must be so far from thinking to be Justified by that Law, that they must not think that any one work that ever they did, should not be condemned by it, and they themselves for that work.
6. It is therefore false Doctrine of them that teach, that there is any true sin so small or venial, as to deserve only temporal punishment, and not everlasting, according to that Law.
7. No works of obedience which an Ʋnregenerate man can perform, can deserve pardon of sin past from God: No not of one the smallest sin.
8. There was no such Vertue or Efficacy in the most costly Sacrifices of Moses Law, or the fullest observance of all their Rites, as could of themselves procure the pardon of sin, or do any thing thereto, otherwise then in Subordination to the blood of Christ.
9. The best works and fullest obedience of all the Creatures in the world, could not have made God Satisfaction for our former sin.
10. A Heathen that hath not the Gospel, cannot by the light or power of Nature, do any such Works, upon which God is obliged to give him the Gospel: Not only on the account of desert, but even as meer conditions of a Covenant, are they thus totally defective, God being in no such Covenant with any such men.
11. An Infidel that hath the Gospel, cannot by the meer help of that Gospel, and the meer power of Nature, do any work, on the performance whereof (as Meritorious, or meerly conditional) God is bound to give him Faith: because God is not in any such Covenant with them, nor can their Works deserve it.
12. A Baptized unsound Believer, who hath the highest faith, short of that which is saving, cannot by the meer light of the Gospel, or by the power of Nature and common Grace, do any act or work, on which God is bound to give him sincerity, or special saving Grace: there being neither Merit in his Work, nor any Promise, which should oblige God hereto.
13. Works of External Obedience to Christ, do not so much as go before our first Remission and Justification as bare conditions.
14. Nay, they do not (if sincere) exist before it, but in order of nature seem to follow after it: So that it is not only fides solum, but fides sola, in respect of them, by which we are Justified.
15. Faith it self doth not Merit our Pardon or Justification, nor Justifie us as a Work, nor as Faith.
16. The Regenerate, when Justified, cannot for the future perfectly fulfill the Law of God; much less can they do works of supererrogation, pleasing to God.
17. No works of the Regenerate, Internal or External, are to joyn with Christs Sufferings and Merits, as any part of Satisfaction to Gods Justice for our sins; no not the least part, for the least sin. Nay, they make us further indebted to God, in that our best graces are Gods gifts, and the exercise of them is but a receiving more from him: The more we do, the more we enjoy, not only for, but in our duty.
18. Works done by the power of Grace, according to the Law of Grace or Nature, do not Merit either our Justification or Remission, as begun, continued or consummate at Judgement; Nor yet our Salvation: No nor any temporal Blessing; nor yet do they joyn with Christ in Meriting, as any part of Merit.
19. Neither Faith, Love, Repentance, or any Works of ours, are any true efficient Causes of our Remission, or Justification (Constitutive or Sentential before God) either Principal or Instrumentall.
20. External Works, be they never so glorious and costly, (as the giving of all that we have to the poor) are not so much as accepted by God, without inward sincerity, and right ends: And when there is both sincerity, and right ends, and the Work materially good, yet is it not so much as accepted by God, but only for Christ, in whom the defects and sinfulness of it are pardoned, without which it could not be accepted, so far as for the person to escape punishment for it.
A Man would think, that among true Subjects of Christ, who know what obedience they owe him, I should need to say no more against works; and among men of holiness, one would think that this much should suffice to free me from the imputation of Popery: Unless the Flaccian spirit be again revived. But if indeed it be true that Mr. Eyre, and Mr. Crandon say, that the Papists give no more to Works then I, then I think the Papists are less Erroneous then we have hitherto made the World believe. Do Protestants deny to Works any more then I have here done? In a word more, I do utterly disclaim the giving of the least part of Christs Office or Honor to mans Works. Now I hope my affirmations, wherein I shall shew what I ascribe to Works, will not be offensive, if they contradict not these Negations.