Confession of His Faith, Chapter 3 · Section 3
SECT. III.
The sum of my Iudgment, with the sum of my Proofs.
HAving thus faithfully opened my thoughts, how much I give to any actions of man, I will adjoyn some of those Texts of Scripture, at length, which perswade me hereunto, lest some negligent Readers will not be at the labour to turn to them in their Bibles.
The sum of my doctrine which I bring them to confirm, I contract into these heads. 1. That faith Justifieth not as an Instrumental efficient Cause, but as Conditio Applicans & disponens, The Applying and Disposing Condition: its Applicatory nature being the Aptitude to the office, and Its being the Condition of the Promise being the formal or nearest reason of its Interest.
2. That Repentance is Conditio disponens a Dispositive Condition of our first Justification.
3. That Covenant-keeping by sincere Love, Thankfulness and Obedience to God▪ Redeemer is a Condition of the Continuing, or notlosing our state of Iustification.
4. That the Renewal of our Faith and Repentance, upon our lapses into discerned wounding sins, is a Condition of the particular pardon of those sins, and our Discharge or Justification from the guilt of them.
5. That all the foresaid Conditions, Faith, Repentance, Love, Thankfulness, sincere Obedience, together with final Perseverance, do make up the Condition of our final Absolution in Iudgement, and our eternal Glorification.
6. That in the day of Judgement, seeing we must be Judged by the Gospel or New Covenant, and it will be no small part of the work of the day to enquire, Whether we have performed the Conditions of that Covenant which giveth us Christ, and Life and pardon, or not; we must therefore against the Accusation of non-performance (real or supposed) be Justified by our own Performance as our particula… Righteousness: and this is the Judging or Jusiifying us According to our Works, which Scripture mentioneth. And upon this will our universal and final Justification depend, as upon its Condition. And therefore whoever will be Justified at that day, must have a Justitia prolegalis or a Righteousness of Remission of sin through the blood of Christ, to plead against the Law, and also a personal Evangelical Righteousness, consisting in a performance of the Conditions of the Gospel or new Covenant, which is the Condition of our interest in the first; or else he cannot be Iustified, (yet is this latter but subordinate to the former, as to that sentential Absolution.)
7. Seeing this twofold Righteousness is necessary to our Iustification in Judgement, therefore it must needs follow that it is necessary to the making us Righteous, or our Constitutive Justification in this life (in the order before laid down): For the Law is the Rule of Judgment; and God Judgeth men to be as they are; and therefore he maketh them Righteous, both by Remission of all sin and by giving them to perform the Conditions of the New Covenant, before he judge them so.
Having thus given you the sum of my Judgement in these seven Propositions, I will not apply the cited Texts to each distinctly, it being done in the Margin already, but will only recite together those Texts, which force me to give this much to other Acts besides faith, (and to faith it self in the sense expressed); as against the general charge of those Brethren that have not feared to censure and defame me, as giving too much to works, yea as much as Bellarmine, and teaching an almost pure Socinian Justification.
And first I shall recite some of those texts that seem to give a Causalitie to mans actions, to the obtaining of Gods favour, pardon and salvation which can be sure interpreted of nothing lower then a Condition, which is no proper Cause.
Luke 19 17. And he said unto him: Well, thou good servant! Because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authoritie over ten Cities.
Mat. 25. 21, 23. Well done, thou good and faithful servant! thou hast been faithful over a few things; I will make thee Ruler over many thing…; enter thou into the Ioy of thy Lord.
Verse 34, 35, 40. Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was hungry and ye gave me meat, I was thirstie and ye gave me drink, &c. Verily I saie unto you, in as much as ye have done it to one of the least of these my Brethren, ye have done it unto me.
46. And these shall go into everlasting punishment, but the Righteous into Life eternal.
Gen. 22. 6, 17, 18. By my self have I sworn saith the Lord, For because thou hast done this thing, and ha… not withh…ld thy son, thine only son, that in Blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the Heaven, &c. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast Obeyed my Voice.
Joh. 16. 27. For the Father himself Loveth you, because you have Loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
Joh. 3. 22, 23. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, Because we keep his Commandments, and Do those things that are Pleasing in his sight. And this is his Commandment, that we Believe in the name of his son Jesus Christ, and Love one another.
2 Chron. 34. 26, 27. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, &c. Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thy self before God, when thou heardst his words against this place▪ and against the Inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thy self before me, and didst rend thy clothes and weep before me, I have even heard thee also satih the Lord.
Rev. 3. 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my Patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come on all the world.
Psal. 91. 9, 14 Because thou hast made th. Lord, which is my refuge, even the most high, thy habitation, there shall no evil befall thee, &c. Because he hath set his Love upon me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he hath known my name: he shall call upon me, and I will answer him, I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him, and honour him; with long life will I satisfie him, and shew him my salvation:
Mark 7. 29. And he said unto her, For this saying, go thy way, the Devil is gone out of thy Daughter.
Rev. 3. 4. They shall walk with me in white, For (or because) they are Worthie, foreign
So Rev. 7, 14, 15. Gen. 7. 1.
So those Scriptures that saie we are Justified now, or shall be at Judgement, by other actions besides Faith: such as are these following.
Mat. 12. 36, 37. But I say unto you, that everie idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of Iudgement. For by thy Words thou shalt be Justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
James 2. 24. Ye see then how that by Works a man is Justified, and not by faith only (Read the rest from verse 13. to the end of the Chapter.
Beza thinketh that Tit. 3. 7. and Rom. 8. 30. do in the term Justification comprehend both Remission of sin and Sanctification: And if that be so, then there is a Iustification in Scripture mentioned, whereof Remission of sin is one part, and inherent Righteousness is another, both together making us perfectly Righteous or Justified, as Beza there intimates, on Tit. 3. 7. That being Justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of Eternal Life. Rom. 8. 30. Whom he called, them he also Justified.
Luke 18. 13, 14. And the Publican standing afar off, would not lift up so muth as his eyes to heaven, but smote on his brest, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner! I tell you this man went down to his house Justified rather then the other: For everie one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Rom 2. 13, 14. For not the Hearers of the Law are Just before God, but the Doers of the Law shall be Justified; For when the Gentiles which have not the Law, do by nature the things contained in the Law, these having not the Law, are a Law unto themselves: which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts, their Conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another, in the day wh…n God shall Judge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ according to my Gospel.
So those Texts that contain terms equipollent to Iustification by works, or putting Judging for Iustifying, and According to instead of [By]; or the like.
Rev. 20. 12, 13. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their Works And the Sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them, and they were Judged every man according to their Works.
2 Cor. 5. 9, 10. Wherefore we Labour that whether present or absent, we may be Accepted of him; For we must all appear before the Judgement seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad; knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we perswade men.
1 Cor. 3. 8, Every man shall receive his own Reward, according to his own Labour.
Joh. 5. 22, 27, 28, 29. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement unto the Son, And hath given him authority to execute Iudgement also, because he is the Son of man. Marvail not at this▪ for the hour is coming 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 to the Resurrection of Damnation.
1 Pet. 1. 16, 17. Be Holy, for I am Holy: And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons Iudgeth According to every mans Works, pass the time of your so journing here in fear.
Phil. 4. 17. I desire fruit that may abound to your Account.
Mat. 16. 27. For the Son of m…n shall come in the Glory of his Father with his Angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
Act. 17. 30, 31. But now commandeth all men every where to Repent, because he hath appointed a day, in which he will Judge the world in Righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained.
Mat. 13. 49. So shall it be at the end of the world, the Angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the Iust, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire. 43. Then shall the righteous shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father.
2 Cor. 9. 6. But this I say. He which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly: and he which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully.
Vers. 9. As it is written, he hath dispersed abroad, he hath given to the poor; his Righteousness remaineth for ever.
Gal. 6. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. But let every man prove his own work▪ and then shall he have rejoycing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden. Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things. Be not deceived; God is not mocked For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap Corruption: but he that …oweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap Life everlasting. And let us not be weary of wel-doing: for in due season we shall Reap, if we faint not. As we have opportunity therefore, let us do good to all men, &c.
Psal. 58. 11. So that a man shall say, Verily there is a Reward for the Righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.
2 Tim▪ 4. 7, 8. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my Course, I have kept the Faith▪ Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but to them also that love his appearing.
Heb. 6. 10. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour, &c. Col. 3. 23, 24. Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, not to men: knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the Inheritance.
Heb. 11. 26. For he had respect to the Recompence of Reward, (viz. in choosing affliction with the people of God, &c.)
2 Thes. 1. 5, 6. Which is a manifest token of the Righteous Iudgement of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer. Seeing it is a Righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you who are troubled, Rest with us, when the Lord Iesus shall be revealed from heaven, &c.
Mat▪ 5. 12, 46. Rejoyce, for great is your Reward in Heaven. If ye love them that love you, what Reward have you?
Mat. 10. 41, 42. He that Receivet a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, shall receive a Prophets Reward: and he that receiveth a righteou… man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous mans Reward: And whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little Ones, a cup of cold water only in the name of a Disciple, Verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his Reward.
Mat. 6. 1 2, 4 6. That thine Alms may be in secret: and thy father which seeth in secret, himself shall Reward thee openly. When thou hast shut thy door. Pray to thy father which is in secret: and thy father which s…eth in secret, shall Reward thee openly.
1 Cor 9. 17. If I do this willingly, I have a Reward.
Col. 2. 18. Let no man beguile you of your Reward.
Mat. 19. 29. Every one that hath forsaken houses or Brethren; &c. for my Names sake, shall receive an hundred …ol…, and shall inherit everlasting Life.
Luke 16. 9. And I say unto you, Make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
So all those texts that promise pardon, or Glory on condition of mans Actions.
Isa. 1. 16, 17, 18. Wash you … make you clean: put away the Evil of your doings from before mine eyes: cease to do evil, Learn to do well, seek Judgement, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow; Come now and let us Reason together saith the Lord, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like Crimson, they shall be like wool.
Isa. 55, 6 7. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, Call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Act. …. 38. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the Remissions of sins.
Acts 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be Converted, that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come, &c.
Mark 1. 4. John did baptize, and preach the baptism of Repentance for the Remission of sins.
Luke 13. 3, 5. Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. So Rev. 2. 5 16, 22. & 3. 19 Act. 8. 22. with many the like.
1 Joh. 1. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and Just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Rom. 10. 8, 9, 10, 13. The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that is, the word of faith which we preach: that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy Luke 11. 11. Pr…v. 16. 6. & 10. 16 2 Cor. 4. 17. Heb. 6. 12. Iames 1. 25.heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: For with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness, and with the mouth Confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be saved.
Mat. 6. 14, 15. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Act. 10. 35. But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh Righteousness, is Accepted with him.
Rev. 22. 14. Blessed are they that do his Commandments, that they may have Right to the tree of Life, and may enter in by the gate into the City.
Joh. 12. 26. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be; If any man serve me, him will my father honour.
Rom. 8. 13. If ye live afteer the flesh ye shall dye: but if ye by the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Mat. 5. 20. Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of heaven. Read all that Chapter.
Ezek. 33. 11. 16. As I live saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die O house of Israel! 14. 16. If he turn from his sin and do that which is lawful and right, &c. None of his sins that he hath committed, shall be mentioned to him, &c.
Ezek. 18. 28, 29, 30, 31, 32. When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive; because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live he shall not dye, &c. Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions, so Iniquity shall not be your ruine, &c.
Rom. 2. 5, 6, 7, 10.—Revelation of the Righteous judgement of God, who will render to every man According to his Deeds: To them who by patient Continuance in wel-doing, seek for Glory and Honour, and Immortality, Eternal Life; Glory, Honour and Peace, to every man that worketh good, &c.
1 Tim. 4. 8. But Godliness is profitable to all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
1 Joh. 3. 7. Little children, let no man deceive you: He that doth Righteousness, is righteous, even as he is righteous.
Rev. 14. 13. Wait; Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, from henceforth yea saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, and their works do follow them.
Heb. 5. 9. He became the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him.
Joh. 14. 21. He that Loveth me, shall be loved of my father, and I will love him, &c.
Mat. 10. 37, 38. He that loveth Father or Mother more then me, is not worthy of me, &c.
1 Cor. 16, 22. If any man Love not the Lord Iesus Christ, let him be Anathema, Maranatha.
Prov. 28. 13. He that confesseth and forsaketh his sins, shall have mercy.
Mat. 7. 21, 24. Not everie one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doth the will of my father, &c. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doth them, I will liken him to a wise m…n that built his house on a Rock, &c.
Luke 11. 28. 1 Tim 6. 18, 19. That they m…y do good, be rich in good works, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
1 Cor. 9. 24, 25, 26, 27. Mat. 11. 12. Luke 13. 24▪ Phil. 2. 12. Psal. 2. 12. Kiss the Son, lest he be angrie, &c.
Mat. 11. 28, 29, 30. Come to me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest: Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls.
So those texts that describe the contrary d…mning sin.
Luke 19. 27. Those mine enemies that would not I should reign over them, bring them hither, and slay them before me.
Joh. 3. 19. This is the condemnation that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather then light, b…cause their deeds were evil, See vers. 20.
See James 1. 12. Mat. 10. 22. Rev 2. 7, 11, 17, 26. He that overcometh and keepeth my works to the end, &c. And 3, 5, 12, 21 I will add no more: but intreat the Reader to lay by the prejudicing Comments of each partie while he …mpartially weigh… these words of God; and then let him judge as the Lord shall direct him.
THus I have given the offended part of my brethren a true and full account of my judgement, how much I give to Works, and how much I deny to them in this matter of Justification. Which yet I do with this protestation. 1. That I intend not all this as the Articles of my Creed, or as being all of it of necessity to Salvation to be believed, nor would I obtrude it on others, if I had power, nor is it all of equal moment. 2. That I do not peremptorily fix upon any part of it that is doubtful or controvertible among learned Godly men, so as not to hear any reason against it; but am ready to lay it by, when I can by my utmost industry and Gods illumination procure so much more light as to discern my mistakes. 3. That if there be ever a word in this contrary to that General Creed or Confession which I made in the beginning, or contrary to the Scripture, I do now in the general and implicitely disclaim it; and when I see it particularly, I will particularly Renounce it, and Correct it.
And the Reasons of my being so large on this Point, are these two. 1. Because Mr. Crandon doth so frequently and uncharitably accuse me of subtile reserves, and dissimulation, and hiding the worst, and meaning one thing, when I write another; I have therefore opened my mind to the full, reserving nothing that I can remember, of moment, as to the point in hand, but shewing how much I give to man; Yea, I have studied to say the very utmost for Holiness and Obedience, that was in my thoughts, that they who account this Popery, may see the worst.
2. Also many do follow me with importunity to Reprint my Aphorisms, whilest others do hold my hands. To satisfie these in the mean time, I have Anticipated much of them in these Conclusions, and given them the summ of what I mean to say on this point more largely (though I be put to repeat much of this again:) Or if God will not let me live to do that work, and publish my thoughts more fully, yet these conclusions have discovered so much of them, as may acquaint men with my meaning in the main, in this point, that they mistake me not so grosly as some formerly have done.
But yet I have something more to add: For though this be the summ of my thoughts on this point, as to the matter, and I will not differ to contending, with any that agree with me in the thing, and disagree in words only; and though I verily think that it is most in meer words that I differ from those Reverend brethren who have given me their Animadversions on these points; Yet because even verbal mistakes may introduce real, or the Verbal and the Real are not by all discerned asunder, and lest any think I make a greater matter of any terms or Notions of my own, then indeed I do, I will say something of my judgement about the very terms which there is so much strife about in the Churches.