Confession of His Faith, Chapter 3 · Section 7
SECT. VII.
3. THe third term that I would have explained, is, Worthy or Worthiness, concerning which, my meaning may be gathered from what is said in the last. I only adde these two Propositions 1. Being the phrase of the Lord Jesus and his Apostles, it is law… …o say …t Beli…d Obedient Christians are worthy of eternal life, and that we must believe and obey, that we may be accounted worthy, and that there is a certain Evangelical worthyness of Gods Love, and so of the Reward, which consisteth in our sincere Faith and obedience. For this is plain Scripture.
2. But yet though Christ speak of such a worthiness, because the phrase is improper we should use it sparingly, and alwayes either avoid it, or explain it, where there is danger either of hardening the erroneous, or of offending the weak, by the incautelous use of it.
4. The same I say of the term Reward; 1. It is lawful to use it, because Christ doth it so oft: and indeed some more necessity of using this, then either of the former. 2. But yet it must be used with Caution and Explication, for the foresaid reasons.
5. But there is no word that we have made more quarrelling about in this business, then the terms Righteous, Righteousness, and Justification, even when we were agreed about the matter. It is inconsistent with my intended brevity, now to mention the divers significations, and uses of these words: Only in brief I shall lay down my thoughts, as far as is requisite to our present purpose, in these Propositions.
Proposition 1. I do not in these disputes about the Righteousness of Believers, take the word for that particular vertue, which is usually said to be a Constant and Perpetual Will of giving every man his due: But sometime materially for the Observation of the Laws: And most usually Relatively for Non-reatus, not guiltiness, either as to the Reatus Culpae vel poenae, in a legal and judiciary sense.
Proposition 2. It is not only agreeable to Scripture, and so warrantable to call men Righteous, because of their own Faith, Repentance and sincere Obedience, but also so frequently done in Scripture, and on such weighty grounds, that this phrase is to be used ordinarily by Christians, and not disowned or avoided.
Proposition 3. Yet where-ever any men are called righteous, because of their own holyness and obedience, it still supposeth the pardon of all their sin in the blood of Christ, which is called ordinarily, imputed righteousness: and this as supereminent above the other, as to their Justification, as I have before expressed.
Proposition 4. It is the Scripture phrase, and therefore warrantable to say, that By our words we shall be Justified, and by your words me… shall be condemned. And that men shall be judged according to their works: (And to judge, is to justifie or condemn) And that a man is justified by his works, and not by Faith only; Jam. 2. 24. I am not now speaking of the sense of these texts, but of the warrantableness of this langauage, as being used by the Holy-Ghost. None therefore is to be charged with error, for the meer use of the words, unless it be proved that he useth them in an ill sense.
Proposition 5. Yet, though it be Scripture phrase, it should be used with great Caution; and the very phrase of Justification by Works, should be avoided or explained, where it may be an occasion of drawing men to ascribe too much to their works, or of offence to the godly: and we should more frequently use Pauls phrase, (which is not contrary to this) and say, that a man is justified by Faith, without the works of the Law. All things are not convenient, that in themselves are lawful.
Proposition 6. I had rather my self use this phrase, We shall be finally justified, if we believe and sincerely obey; which is all one as to say, Faith and sincere Obedience are Conditions of our final Justification: then this phrase, We are justified by works, and not by Faith only, for the foresaid reasons. And if I understand that the latter phrase. though it be the Holy-Ghosts, is offensive, I will avoid it: so be it I may have leave on necessary occasion to use these three phrases, which all our Divines, so far as I know, do allow.
1. That sincere Obedience is a Condition of our final absolution in Judgement▪ and of the Continuance of our Justification here: Or if the term Condition, and Continuing be offensive (though me thinks they should not) I would consent to disuse them both (except when by dispute we are driven to debate the Case, whether they may be used or no, or when I am urged to express what phrases I judge most proper.) Instead of Continuance of Justification, I would as willingly say, It is the Condition of not-losing our Justification; and instead of calling it a Condition, I am content to use the very words of …cripture, and say, If we confess our sins, he is Faithful and just to forgive; and if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you, but if ye forgive not, &c.
The second phrase that I would have liberty to use, is, Our faith and sincere Obedience do themselves make us Righteous, our sins being freely pardoned in the blood of Christ: All our Divines Confess an Inherent Righteousness. A Righteousness which will not so far make Righteous, is a most palpable contradiction; with me, its one thing to Justifie Constitutive (which goes before all kind of sentential Justification) and to make Righteous: seeing therefore I have their good leave to say, that faith it self and obedience, do make or constitute us Righteous, *…oh Crociu… de Iust. sic. D…sp 6. p. 231. Non n…g… Credentes Justos Constitu… per inhaerentem justitiam: non nisi per ill…m just…s constitui nego: sed affirmo Justos constitui tum per Justificationem tum per sanctificationem.I can forbear, if it displease them, to use the equipollent phrase, that faith it self and obedience do Justifie.
The third phrase that I would have leave to use, is that of God, we shall all be judged According to our works, or, to what we have done in the body. If they can bear mens use of this phrase, they can bear all that I intend or desire: and I think it apter to express my thoughts by, then the other, we are Justified by works: for it is to the Justification at judgement that I have chief respect, when I speak of the interest of Obedience in our Justification.
Propos. 7. The word Justification is usually by many Divines taken only for Gods first Remission of sin at our Conversation, and his then Accepting us as Righteous: And when we dispute with men that do and will understand the word Justifie in no larger sense then so, we must needs grant them, that (according to that sense) we are not justified by any Positive works of external obedience; no, nor by any act (or habit) of faith it self, performed from the time of the first act till death, but by the very first instantaneous act only; so that in their sense of Justification, Joh. 16. 27. Gen 22 16, 17, 18. Luk 19. 17. Mark 7. 29 For this saying Rev. 7. 15. foreign Mat. 25. 34, 35.I grant them, as to the exclusion of man, much more then they desire.
Some other phrases there be that I had thought to have said something to, as being Justified for faith or obedience, or because of them, and by them, and of trusting to them, with other the like; but having done that which I account most necessary, I shall pass by these, for brevity▪ sake.
And thus I have given, for the satisfaction of all▪ offended, Censorious Brethren, a true Account of my judgement, how much I ascribe to mans works, both in sense and terms. I begun with the lateer, being about a Confession, where verbal differences have the least and last place: but had I been opening the doctrine1 Ioh. 3. 22, 23. 2 Chron. 34. 27. Rev. 3. 10. Ps. 91. 9, 14. Rev. 3. 4. Eze. 18. 27, 28, 29. of Justification, I would have begun with the former, (which I say, as fore-seeing some will carp at that) I have been so far from hiding any part of m… Judgement, which I may conceive distastfull to any, that I have said more for holiness and obedience, then ever I said before, and as much as I could possibly find at present ascribed to them in my mind. But I do again profess, that I hold not all this with that tenaciousness, nor full certainty, nor conceit of necessity, as I do the Articles of my Creed, or first generall Confession: and that if I find any word here contrary to it, or the Scripture, I will revoke it. And I shall thankfully receive the instructions of any Brother that will manifest to me any error, in sence or word, which I am far from daring to imagine that I am free from. In the mean time, as I can unfeignedly say, that I can bear the differing Judgements of my Brethren in love and peace, so I could wish they could do by me; but if they cannot, there is no remedy: I bless my God that bear, mine Errors, when my dear Brethren cannot bear his Truth.