Examination of Antinomianism, Treatise · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. That juſtification is not tranſacted all at once, nor any preremiſsion of ſin before it be committed.
BY his knowledge ſhall my Righteous Servant juſtifie many, ſaith God by the Prophet Iſaiah, cap. 53. 11. Shall juſtifie, is a verb of the future tenſe, the work then at that time was not done: the Queſtion is, when was it to be done? In the day of his paſſion, ſay ſome, then did he bear the ſins of many, and take away the ſin of the world, ſo that from that time and forward to the end of the world, there is no more imputation of ſin to any of the elect. It hath been commonly ſaid, even by ſome of our beſt Divines, that juſtification is tranſacted in our firſt Union and Incorporation into Chriſt, at which time it is conceived, that the pardon of all ſin is ſealed, conſequently that it is to us an act already paſſed: Nor can we ſay, He ſhall, but he hath juſtified: But I fear that the miſ-underſtanding of this point (not untrue in it ſelf, if not miſtaken and miſ-apprehended) hath laid the ground upon which the Antinomian buildeth that unhappy ſtructure which turneth the Grace of God into wantonneſs. Who knoweth not that juſtification in it's proper acceptation of the word according to the Scripture phraſe, is the act of a Iudge, pronouncing a judicial ſentence? and according to this, I ſuppoſe we ſhall not erre from the truth, if we ſay, that the main work of Juſtification is even to us as yet future, and that the time when Chriſt ſhal juſtifie thoſe many in the Text of Iſaiah, is when he ſhall condemn the Reſidue, viz. at his ſ…ond coming, when he ſhall ſeparate the ſheep from the Goats, then ſhall he juſtifie them, and at once abſolve them from all accuſations and charges laid in againſt them; then ſhall they receive a final quietus and diſcharge; then ſhall God wipe all tears from their eyes, then ſhal there be no more ſorrow nor crying, no more curſe nor fear therof, according to the words of the Angel, Rev. 21. 4. & 22. 3.
There is, I grant, a praejudicium in foro conſcientiae, a preludial Juſtification in the Court of Conſcience, which is a preguſtation and foretaſte of that final Abſolution. In the Court of Conſcience doth Chriſt ſet up his Tribunal, there doth he take notice of the Accuſations that are put in by Satan againſt the ſinner upon particular occaſions, and by the power and operation of the ſpirit working in the Conſcience, doth he upon the humble confeſſion of the penitent ſoul, pronounce the ſentence of abſolution by the Miniſtery of the Word, and ſeal it by the bleſſed Sacrament; and what is now done daily upon emergent occaſions, ſhall be ratified at the latter day, according to that gracious promiſe of Chriſt made to Peter, when he gave him the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, Mat. 16. 19. Whatſoever thou ſhalt looſe on Earth ſhall be looſed in Heaven; And the ſame in effect repeated to the Apoſtles, Joh. 20. 23. Thus in preſent by the Miniſtery of Reconciliation, there is a work of Iuſtification in the Court of Conſcience; But the final conſummation is reſerved to that day, when Chriſt the Iudge proceeding judicially ſhal pronounce the ſentence of abſolution. The main work of Iuſtification therefore is as yet future: for to ſay, that juſtification quatenus it comprehendeth remiſſion of ſin, is one individual act, or that the blood of Chriſt doth at once waſh us from all, even future ſins, in the Antinomian ſenſe, I dare not yield: It is the blood of Chriſt, and that alone, which doth cleanſe us from all ſin; ſo is it the word and ſpirit of Chriſt, that leadeth us into all truth, yet not all at once. Truth it is, that in our firſt union with Chriſt, there is conferred the ground and pledge of future remiſsion for all ſins to the end of our lives; the Ground of it is our Adoption ſealed to us in our Baptiſm, the which is not afterward cut off, no not by the greateſt ſins which the believer doth commit: ſtill he is the childe of God, though in reſpect of his ſin he may be the childe of Wrath, and lyable to puniſhment, ſtill he hath an intereſt in Chriſt, and upon his repentance he ſhall have benefit and communion with him in his Merits and Graces. The Pledge and pawn of future Remiſſion, i. e. of the Remiſſion and Forgiveneſs of all future ſins, is that actual Remiſſion of what ſin for the preſent the ſoul ſtood guilty of, at that time when he was United to Chriſt: All ſins paſt and preſent, were actually pardoned, viz. Actual ſins in Converts, Original in their Inſants, the guilt of theſe is remitted, and their juſtification in reference to theſe ſealed in Baptiſm. This favor received, is a Pledge of aſſurance to them, that in future alſo by applying themſelves to Chriſt, they may and ſhall receive the forgiveneſs of their daily ſins. He that by the application of a ſalve hath his wound cured, hath he not therein a Pledge of aſſurance, that in the uſe of the ſame means, upon the like occaſion he may receive the ſame benefit? But to ſay, That in our firſt Union with Chriſt we receive an actual Remiſſion of future ſins, is in mine Opinion as incongruous as to ſay, The Cure is done and paſt before the wound be made.
I grant, That it hath been received, and paſſed for currant in the ſchools of our Divines, That all ſins are remitted to the Believer at once; all, viz. paſt, preſent, and to come: ſo hath it been received, That juſtifying Faith is a particular perſwaſion of Gods mercy to me: But as Ameſius hath well obſerved in Medulla Theol. lib. 1. cap. 27. That this was ſet down only to oppoſe that general aſſent to the Articles of our Creed, in which Papiſts do place the eſſence of juſtifying faith [And therefore though he granteth that Fides juſtificans parit hanc ſpecialem fiduciam, &c. yet he defineth it to be Qua recumbimus in Chriſtum ad Remiſsionem] ſo I ſuppoſe that our Divines did ſet down this poſition of Iuſtification tranſacted at once, to cut off the Popiſh ground for the Sacrament of Penance; not foreſeeing what we by experience finde, how unhappy a ground is herein laid for looſneſs and Libertiniſm. Hereupon Ameſius (ibidem) coming to ſet down his Opinion of the matter, doth mince it, Remittuntur peccata juſtificatorum non praeterita ſolum ſed etiam aliquo modo futura. Note that aliquo modo: Now to explain himſelf he addeth, Hoc tamen eſt diſcriminis, quod peccata praeterita per formalem applicationem Remiſſionis nobis in Chriſto paratae; futura autem virtualiter tantum▪ Praeterita in ſeſe: Futura in ſubjecto vel perſona peccante—The which is in effect to ſay, Non remittuntur niſi in pignore, The actual Remiſſion of ſins paſt, is the Pledge and Pawn of what ſhall be upon the uſe and exerciſe of Faith. But to conceive ſin remitted as it were by an Ante-dated pardon, is not only againſt ſenſe and reaſon, but alſo againſt the grounds of Religion. Senſe and reaſon ſaith, there is no need of Remiſſion before there be a guilt, nor is there guilt before the ſin be committed: no need of a Plaiſter, before there be a wound, prepared aforehand it may be, and laid ready, but application of it muſt needs come in after the malady. Then for the ground of Religion,
1. In the fifth Petition we are taught to pray for the pardon of ſin. Now prayer is an act of Faith and hope, and both theſe are de futuris, of things expected, and not in preſent poſſeſſion. Faith looketh upon the Promiſe, hope upon the performance, neither of them upon the poſſeſſion. No man prayeth for what he hath in hand, or for what is compleatly done and paſt already. I know what is uſually ſaid, viz. That not the pardon it ſelf, but the aſſurance, the feeling and comfort of it is that which is deſired in the Petition. Nor do I deny, but that in reſpect of ſins paſt and formerly pardoned, this is ſo: We play for greater aſſurance of that pardon, becauſe our Faith is like a narrow-mouthed Bottle, which though caſt into the ſea, yet is not filled but by degrees. Or rather we pray for the continuance of aſſurance we have received, not as if God were off and on with us, or would revoke what he had given: But becauſe this daily Petition is a mean appointed of God to work that continuance; and no ſooner do we ceaſe to pray, and take off our eye from God in Chriſt, but we ceaſe to believe and receive that continuance. Thus I ſay, it is in reſpect of ſins paſt; but now for the ſins that daily are committed, it is the direct pardon of them which we deſire of God in that Petition. Nor can the words receive any other ſenſe, except we ſhould wreſt them, and ſo wrong the Wiſdom of our Saviour, as if he could not make choice of ſuch words & phraſes as might plainly and underſtandingly expreſs his meaning. And if theſe words, Forgive us—do ſignifie, Make us to know that thou haſt long ſince forgiven us, then why ſhall not the next words, As we forgive—receive the ſame interpretation? Nay why not ſo alſo in the other Petitions, Lead us not into Tentation, Give us our daily Bread, i. e. in the Antinomian ſenſe, Make us to know that thou haſt not lead us—that thou haſt given us our daily Bread. Will not this be found a ſenſleſs gloſs, nay an utter perverting of our Saviours intention? And why then ſhould it hold only in the fifth Petition, and in none of the other?
2. Adde this, That one end of our daily addreſs to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, is to obtain the Remiſſion of our ſins by the application of Chriſts blood. The words of our Saviour touching the Wine are theſe, This Cup is the New Teſtament in my Blood, which is ſhed for you, and for many for the Remiſſion of ſins: That in it, as we have often need by reaſon of our daily Tranſgreſſions, ſo we may often look upon that Braſen ſerpent for the cure of our often bitings. Thus what we ask of God in prayer, the ſame in the Sacrament doth God beſtow upon us, viz. The daily pardon of our daily ſins. Were it not in this reſpect needful to provide for our wants, was the pardon of all actual ſins at once ſealed in this Sacrament, as is the pardon of our Original guilt ſealed in Baptiſm, what neceſſity to receive this Sacrament any oftner then we do the other, ſc. once for all?
3. And above all, it is a ground of Religion, that nothing is to be received and believed, but what is Revealed to us for a truth by the Word of God. Now there is no ground in the Word of God for any particular perſon to believe that his ſins are remitted already, before he do repent and believe in Chriſt. The Word of God ſets down what counſel hath been given to men, that they might obtain Remiſſion, Act. 2. 38. and 3. 19. But no where doth the Scripture ſay to this or that man, Thy ſins be forgiven: And for any man to perſwade himſelf of Remiſſion before it be, yea before he hath a word for it, is preſumption and not ſaith. The Antinomian Doctors ſay, That the Spirit of God doth reveal it in the heart of a man, and the Voice of the Spirit is the Teſtimony of truth. In very deed, we may not refuſe the Teſtimony of the Spirit, nor queſtion the truth of it: But in as much as we know, that Satan doth ſomtimes transform himſelf into an Angel of Light, and that there be many falſe Spirits, in which reſpect the Apoſtles bids us to try the Spirits; nor doth Satan ſeduce only by the Doctrines of men, but alſo by falſe ſuggeſtions, whiſpering to the ſinner comfort upon falſe grounds: How ſhall we diſcern the Teſtimony of the Spirit from the ſuggeſtion of Satan? They Anſwer, Hereby it is diſcerned, Becauſe it ſpeaketh things conſonant to the Scripture. Let this be manifeſted, and the queſtion is at an end. But where doth the Scripture countenance that Voice of the Spirit ſpeaking to the ſinner and ſaying, Thou art juſtified in the ſight of God, and thy ſin pardoned, and that long ago in the day of Chriſts Paſſion: How I ſay, is this proved to be according to the Scriptures? They ſay, The Scripture holdeth forth the Free Grace of God in Chriſt; viz. That Chriſt is given a Saviour for ſinners, for Enemies, for the Rebellious: That God doth juſtifie the Wicked and the ungodly, even when and while they are ſuch: That he calleth for no works of mans Righteouſneſs, nor any previous diſpoſitions to qualifie men that may come to Chriſt: So that neither Impiety nor Enmity can caſt in any bar to hinder him that will lay hold upon Chriſt. This we do not much queſtion, but withall we adde, That the Scripture doth alſo call upon ſinners to Repent and turn to the Lord, that ſo they may be pardoned, and their ſins bloted out: and in as much as we know that one Text of Scripture is no leſs truth then another, nor may we ſo cleave to the one, as to neglect the other (for they are not contradictory if rightly underſtood) we conclude that Chriſt is held forth a Saviour to ſinners, but ſo, that they repent and forſake their ſins, not elſe: no ſin, not the greatneſs of any ſin, no, nor the multitude of great Tranſgreſſions can bar the humble Penitent. Saint Iohn ſaith, If we confeſs our ſins, God is faithful and juſt to forgive us, 1 Iob. 1. 7. Note that [If] q. d. If not, then there is no ground to hope for it. Again we ſay, That God doth juſtifie the ungodly, as Chriſt doth ſave ſinners in ſenſu diviſo, i. e. Not while they are ungodly, not while they are ſinners, but when they have forſaken their wicked ways, & have turned to the Lord by true and ſound repentance. That text of Rom. 4. 5. ſpeaking of him that worketh not, but believeth in him that juſtifieth the ungodly, muſt not be underſtood ſimply, of ſuch a one that doth nothing at all; but reſpectively of ſuch a one as doth not reſt upon his works, nor rely upon his Righteouſneſs, but renouncing his own works, doth caſt himſelf upon the Free Grace of God; nor doth it uſe that word ungodly in the common ſenſe, ſ…. for one that hath no goodneſs in him at all, but in a limited ſenſe, viz for one that wanteth ſuch a perfection of goodneſs, as on which he may build the hopes of his juſtification: And the reaſon of this explication is, becauſe the propoſition is drawn from the inſtance of Abraham, a man certainly not altogether void of works and Righteouſneſs, though not ſo complete and perfect in them, as that he durſt reſt upon them, but renouncing his works, he did caſt himſelf upon the Free grace of God, and ſo was juſtified by his Faith. Conſequently, that voice of Revelation in man, which teacheth him to comfort himſelf in the aſſurance of his juſtification, without any reſpect to the work of Repentance wrought in him, this is not the voice of Gods ſpirit, but the deluſion of Satan. There is no word of God on which to ground ſuch an aſſurance, and therefore it may not be received nor believed for truth; it being a ground of our Religion, That nothing is to be received, but what is revealed by the word of God.
I might adde this alſo, Nothing is to be received as a truth which is croſs and contrary to the Text of Scripture: Now, that ſins ſhould be actually pre-remitted before-hand, and the perſon actually juſtified, before that by Faith he be United to Chriſt, how doth it not croſs that Text of Saint Paul, Rom. 3. 25. where ſpeaking of the Remiſſion of ſin by the blood of Chriſt, he mentioneth not ſin indifinitely, but Sins that are paſt? [for the Remiſſion of ſins that are paſt] I, know that ſome do by this phraſe, Sins that are paſt, underſtand the Tranſgreſſions of them who lived in the time before Chriſt, the Tranſgreſſions againſt the firſt Covenant, Heb. 9. 15. But whether this be not an over-great ſtraitning of the Text, I leave it to the judgement of the Learned.
That of Heb. 11. 6. Without Faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God, alleaged by ſome to prove, No Iuſtification before Faith, is by H. D. turned off as not to the purpoſe: Why ſo? To pleaſe God (ſaith he) is to do things pleaſing to God, which cannot be done without Faith; But he cannot ſo eaſily turn of thoſe Texts, Joh. 3. 18. and Eph. 2. In the former ſaith our bleſſed Saviour, He that believeth not, is condemned already; How ſo? Is the ſentence of condemnation judicially paſt upon him, or is the meaning of it, that he is in the ſtate of condemnation; or in the words of John Baptiſt, Verſe 26. The wrath of God abideth upon him, viz. till by Faith he lay hold upon Chriſt, By nature we are the children of wrath, ſaith Saint Paul, we as well as others, Jews and Gentiles, one common eſtate of all, till by Grace, by a Quickning grace, there be put a difference, and this Grace is effectual through Faith, Verſe 8. Conſequently, no actual Remiſſion of ſin, before the work of Grace, which is yet more apparent from Verſe 12. where ſpeaking of thoſe that then were quickned and juſtified; he ſaith, That before that work of Grace calling them, and quickning to a communion with Chriſt, they were without Chriſt, without hope; It is an overbaſe and unworthy conceit of the Scripture, which is implied in the Anſwer that he maketh; viz. This were ſomething, if we were ſo in Gods account, as well as in our own eſteem: Unworthy of the Scripture, is this conceit, for whoſe Word is the Text of Scripture? From whoſe dictating is it penned? Doth Saint Paul in thoſe words ſet down the judgement of men, touching the ſtate of Nature, or rather the minde of God? If ſo, Howſoever in the purpoſe of God they were appointed to the effects and fruits of Love, yet for the preſent they were not fitted for it, till quickned by Grace: Conſequently, not juſtified from their ſins before their calling, much leſs acquitted of their debts, before they had run out into any ſinful arrerages: No Pre-remiſſion of ſin, before it be committed.