The Covenant Sealed, Treatise · Chapter 12 · Section 5
SECT. V A third Corollary from the doctrine.
THen it followes by way of neceſſary Corollary, that Chriſtians ſhould ſee,All muſt ſee that they be rightly principled in the doctrine of this righteouſneſſe. that they be rightly principled in this doctrine of the righteouſneſſe of faith, as that in which the great mercy of the new Covenant, and all that the Sacraments ſeal is comprized. Ignorance of this, being the undoing of the zealous Jew, A miſtake or flaw here muſt needs be of ſingular danger. And here thoſe of the Church of Rome may be ſuppoſed to be moſt of all ſecure, ſeeing there is no imaginable righteouſneſſe, but they hedge it in: as may appear in a brief view of their doctrine. That righteouſneſſe which muſt ſave, either muſt be wrought by our ſelves, and ſo ſtiled our righteouſneſſe; or elſe it muſt be wrought by an other, and made ours. There is no righteouſneſſe of a third ſort. That which is wrought by our ſelves, is either according to the command of God, preſcribed in the law, or elſe over, above, and beſides the Law, aſſumed by our ſelves, or received by tradition. As Phariſees had an high zeal for both of theſe, whereof Paul in his unconverſion is an inſtance, Phil. 3.6. Gal. 1.14. So it is at leaſt pretended by theſe perſons, though their zeal for their righteouſneſſe of the law, falls farre ſhort of that for the tradition of the Church. And for righteouſneſſe, beſides their own, wrought by others, they take in not onelyonly the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt; but alſo the ſupererogation of the Saints; which, as they perſwade themſelves, is ſatiſfactory, not onelyonly for the Saints themſelves, but for others. The Church of Rome makes it her care to take in the whole of all theſe branches of righteouſneſſe, and in all of them they place their juſtification. Here we had need of the clew of Scriptures to lead us. That righteouſneſſe which according to the precept of the Law, is to be wrought by our ſelves; as to ſanctification or qualification of the ſoul in the way of ſalvation; we muſt vigorouſly purſue and not diſclaim. As Chriſt when he was accuſed by the Phariſees to deſtroy the law, and to be an enemy to righteouſneſſe; to take off this calumny, he tells his Diſciples, Matth. 5.20. I ſay unto you, that except your righteouſneſſe, ſhall exceed the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſees, ye ſhall in no caſe enter into the Kingdome of Heaven. So we may ſay to theſe adverſaries that charge us to be enemies of good works, except your righteouſneſſe exceed the righteouſneſſe of theſe ſuperſtitious ones, ye can by no means enter into the Kingdome of heaven. The righteouſneſſe of a Papiſt being of the ſelf ſame ſtamp with that of the Phariſees, for tradition the Trent Councel makes known their zeal, Concil. Triden. Seſſ. quart. p. 11. With the ſame degree of reverence, and eſteem we receive the Traditions of our Fathers, as we do the bookes of the Old and New Teſtament; and how defective both of them were touching the righteouſneſſe of the law, their agreement in the gloſſe which they put upon the law is a ſufficient witneſſe. The Phariſees gloſſe on the law we may read in Chriſts refutation, Matth. 5. and the ſeveral precepts, which Chriſt there delivers, tranſcending the Phariſees dictates, Papiſts will have to be no branches of the law, but Evangelical Counſels added to it; So that B. Hall quotes a ſpeech of Serrarius the Jeſuite that the Phariſees may not unfitly be compared to Catholiques, adding as his own, that one egge is not liker to an other, then the Tridentine Fathers to theſe Jeſuites. Supererogating righteouſneſſe, and that which is bottom'd on tradition, we muſt wholly ſhun. It is enough that we can bring it up to the rule, in the parts of it, it muſt not exceed. It is hard to determine whether a man that caſts off all regard of righteouſneſſe, or a man of ſuch righteouſneſſe, be more hatefull in Gods preſence; one utterly ſleights the ſoveraignty of God, and the other corrects his wiſdome; one refuſes to ſerve at all, the other ſerves onelyonly, according to his own pleaſure. As to the other branch of righteouſneſſe wrought by others, The ſuppoſed ſatiſfaction of the Saints muſt be left, and the Lord Chriſts alone choſen. That ſpeech of Chriſt in the Prophet Iſai. 63.3. ſpoken of the conqueſt of his enemies, I have trod the Wine-preſſe alone, and of the people there were none with me, holds true, when it is applied (as by many it hath been, though not according to the letter of the text) to his ſatisfaction, By one offering he hath perfected for ever thoſe that are ſanctified, Heb. 10.14. yea, the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, in the matter of juſtification muſt ſtand alone, in oppoſition to all righteouſneſſe in the world, whether of others, imaginarily to be applyed, out of any publique treaſury, by way of indulgence; or wrought by our ſelves, either by the ſtrength of natural abilities without grace, (which the Papiſts confeſſe to be too weak) or in grace, and theſe works (how great an honour ſoever of late is put upon them) come ſhort of perfection to juſtification likewiſe, as plainly appears by the Apoſtles argumentation, Rom. 3.20. By the deeds of the Law there ſhall no fleſh be juſtified in his ſight, giving this in for his reaſon, for by the Law is the knowledg of ſin. The argument runs thus, Where the Law diſcovers ſin, the works commanded by it cannot juſtifie; This propoſition is the Apoſtles: But the law diſcovers ſinne, even in thoſe in whom grace here hath its moſt perfect work; This needs not to be proved: Therefore works commanded in the law, and done by aſſiſtance of grace in the regenerate cannot juſtifie. And that the Apoſtle diſclaims all righteouſneſſe any other way his own, then by free imputation from God in the work of juſtification, is clear, 1 Cor. 4.4. I know nothing by my ſelf, yet am I not hereby juſtified. Though he had the witneſſe of a good conſcience, as his rejoycing, 2 Cor. 1.12. Yet this is not his juſtification, when the Rhemiſts on the place, and Bellarmine de juſtificat. urge this text againſt aſſurance of ſalvation, Mr. Ball, Treat. of Faith. pag. 107. ſaith, This text makes ſtrongly againſt juſtification by works, but againſt certainty of ſalvation it makes nothing. And Pareus upon the words ſaith, Hence it is moſt firmly concluded that by the works of the law no man is juſtified. If ſo great an Apoſtle cannot be juſtified by works, then much leſſe others. His works were certainly done by the power of grace, and upon new-Covenant-engagements. That of Mr. Baxter, Aphor. of juſtif. pag. 307. muſt ſtand as an eternal truth; who after that he had laid down the Socinians tenent, that they acknowledg not that Chriſt hath ſatisfied the Law for us, and conſequently is none of our legal righteouſneſſe, but onelyonly hath ſet us a coppy to write after, and is become our pattern, and that we are juſtified by following him, as a captain and guide to heaven and ſo all our proper righteouſneſſe is in this obedience; And having mark'd it with this juſt brand, [Moſt curſed doctrine] he addes, So far am I from this, that I ſay, The righteouſneſſe which we muſt plead againſt the lawes accuſations, is not one grain of it in our faith or works, but all out of us in Chriſts ſatisfaction.
As this righteouſneſſe which is no otherwiſe ours, but by imputation (being neither inherent in us,Faith the alone grace that intereſts us in this righteouſneſſe. nor wrought by us) muſt ſtand entire, and ſole in our juſtification: ſo faith muſt be acknowledged to be the alone grace which intereſts us in it, and attains to our reconciliation to God in Chriſt, otherwiſe why is it that not onelyonly the denomination is ſtill from faith onelyonly? (as we ſee in the text, and alwaies when it is named, it is called the righteouſneſſe of faith, and not of hope, love, obedience, or repentance) But that juſtification is evermore in Scripture aſcribed to this grace? The Apoſtle ſpeaking of Chriſt who is confeſſed to be our righteouſneſſe, ſaith, Whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood. In him, God, who otherwiſe through wrath ſtands at the greateſt diſtance, is propitious, and this through Faith; on which Diodate hath theſe words, All this hath been done by vertue of Gods appointment, who of his meer will, and full power, hath from everlaſting appointed Chriſt to be the onelyonly means of expiation and reconciliation, applyable to man by faith, which is the means, or inſtrument whereby we receive the mercy of God. So alſo, Gal. 2.16. is very full, Knowing that a man is not juſtified by the works of the Law, but by faith in Chriſt Jeſus. The Apoſtle there firſt in the negative ſhewes, where our juſtification is not, and in the next place tells us, in the affirmative where it is; ſo that all works of all kinds, are by him excluded, and faith onelyonly is acknowledged. Whereas one ſaith, that Paul doth either in expreſſe words, or in the ſenſe and ſcope of his speech, exclude onelyonly the works of the Law, that is, the fulfilling of the condition of the Law our ſelves, but never the fulfilling of the Gospel-conditions, that we may have part in Chriſt; It is fully againſt the Apoſtle, if by fulfilling the Goſpel-condition any thing but faith be underſtood. All works are excluded, and faith as in oppoſition to works is acknowledged, and we have our part or intereſt in Chriſt, in or by fulfilling of no other Goſpel-condition, then that of faith, whereby we receive Chriſt, and Chriſt dwells in us, John 1.12. Eph. 3.17. The ſame Authour teaches us to diſtinguiſh betwixt our firſt poſſeſſion of Juſtification (which is upon our contract with Chriſt, or meer faith) and the confirmation, continuation and accompliſhment of it, whoſe condition is alſo ſincere obedience and perſeverance. But being firſt poſſeſt of juſtification, we are juſtified, and of this Paul ſtill ſpeaks, and there is no interciſion of it, nor any other way in progreſſe of time to be intereſted in it. Being juſtified we enter upon are reconciled ſtate, which is never loſt, and held up onelyonly by Chriſt upon the intereſt of our faith. Obedience and Perſeverance are both of neceſſity to obtain the end of our Faith, the ſalvation of our ſoules, but not to give us this intereſt in Chriſt. Sin in the elect-regenerate, may work a man (as hath been ſaid) under preſent wrath, but renders him not a child of wrath; brings upon him an inaptitude for glory, but makes him not ſimply liable to condemnation for eternity. This accompliſhment of Juſtification in the ſenſe ſpoken to, is no other then glorification; and theſe two are diſtinct links in Paul's golden chain (as it is called) Rom. 8.30. Whom he did predeſtinate, them alſo he called; and whom he called, them alſo he juſtified; and whom he juſtified, them he alſo glorified. As Predeſtination differs from vocation, and juſtification; ſo Juſtification alſo from glorification; when our firſt poſſeſſion of Juſtification is acknowledged to be of meer faith, Paul's juſtification is confeſſed to be of meer faith likewiſe. The ſame Authour ſaith, Paul doth by the word [faith] especially direct your thoughts to Chriſt believed in: for to be juſtified by Chriſt, and to be juſtified by receiving Chriſt is with him all one; and I am ſure faith alone receives Chriſt, and no Evangelical work either of obedience or perſeverance; therefore Faith alone juſtifies. There is added, And when he doth mention faith, as the condition, he alwayes implyeth obedience to Chriſt, therefore [believing] and [obeying the Goſpel] are put for the two ſummaries of the whole conditions: But Faith as an inſtrument receiving Chriſt is the condition, when the Evangeliſt complains, that He came to his own, and his own received him not, Joh. 1.11. he points out their neglect of the condition required: They were his in Covenant, or elſe they had not been called his own; and in not receiving him they failed in the condition required of them; and in the words following the Evangeliſt ſpeaks of thoſe of his own in Covenant, that did make good the condition of it, and that is no otherwiſe then by believing; But as many as received him, to them he gave power to be the Sons of God, even to them that believe on his Name. And this faith implyes onelyonly acceptation, though it be an act of the ſoul that yeelds obedience. It is further ſaid, Our full juſtification, and our everlaſting ſalvation have the ſame conditions on our part: But ſincere Obedience is without all doubt a condition of our ſalvation; Therefore alſo of our juſtification. Here is either a manifeſt tautology, or an errour. For either full juſtification, and ſalvation are both one, and ſo here is a tautology; or elſe, if they differ, it is an errour. The ſame are not conditions of both ſtrictly taken, onelyonly Faith gives title to Chriſt for Juſtification; Works qualifie as a condition in order to ſalvation. And whereas it is further ſaid, It would be as derogatory to Chriſts righteouſneſſe if we be ſaved by works, as if we be juſtified by them. Either of both is doubtleſſe derogatory to it, and therefore ſtill diſclaimed in Scriptures, and alwayes expreſly denyed, except in that one Text of James, Jam. 2. which ſpeakes to Juſtification, and muſt admit of another interpretation then our Authour would put upon it, otherwiſe he can neither be reconciled to himſelf, nor to the whole current of the Goſpel. Works may be cauſa ſine quâ non of ſalvation, or a qualification of thoſe that are ſaved, as, Heb. 5.9. He became the Authour of eternal ſalvation to all them that obey him. But this is not to be ſaved by works, which the Apoſtle denyes, Eph. 2.9. Not of works, leſt any man ſhould boaſt. And works of this efficiency, wrought through grace, will raiſe a man to boaſtings, as appears in the Phariſees [God, I thank thee.] But ſeeing there are ſeveral new queſtions ſtarted, Whether Faith be an inſtrument in Juſtification? Whether works do not juſtifie? Whether the new Covenant have any condition? Whether Faith be not the alone condition? And how Repentance can be a condition of the Covenant, and not of Juſtification? And Mr. Ball is almoſt on every hand appealed to, I ſuppoſe it will not be ungrateful to the Reader, if in this place I commend to him the words of that Reverend Authour, (though it be in a larger way, then quotations are ordinarily brought) in which we have not barely his authority, (which I do not offer to put in the balance with any) but the Points in queſtion with ſingular ſtrength, debated and ſpoken to; Treating of the Covenant of Grace, pag. 18. he ſaith, Repentance is called for in this Covenant, as it ſetteth forth the ſubject capable of ſalvation by faith,Luke 13.5. Acts 11.18. 2 Cor. 7.10. Ezek. 18.27. but is it ſelf onelyonly an acknowledgment of ſin no healing of our wound, or cauſe of our acquittance. The feeling of pain and ſickneſſe, cauſeth a man to deſire and ſeek remedy, but it is no remedy it ſelf. Hunger and thirſt make a man deſire and ſeek for food, but a man is not fed by being hungry. By repentance we know our ſelves, we feel our ſickneſſe, we hunger and thirſt after grace, but the hand which we ſtretch forth to receive it, is faith alone, without which repentance is nothing but darkneſſe and deſpair. Repentance is the condition of faith, and the qualification of a perſon capable of ſalvation, on our part required. It is a penitent and petitioning Faith, whereby we receive the Promiſes of mercy, but we are not juſtified partly by prayer, partly by Repentance, and partly by Faith, but that faith which ſtirreth up godly ſorrow for ſin, and enforceth us to pray for pardon and ſalvation. Faith is a neceſſary and lively inſtrument of Juſtification, which is amongſt the number of true cauſes, not being a cauſe without which the thing is not done; but a cauſe whereby it is done. The cauſe without which a thing is not done, is onelyonly preſent in the action, and doth nothing therein: but as the eye is an active inſtrument for ſeeing, and the eare for hearing; ſo is faith alſo for juſtifying. If it be demanded, whoſe inſtrument it is? It is the inſtrument of the ſoul, wrought therein by the Holy Ghoſt, and is the free gift of God. In the Covenant of works, works were required as the cauſe of life and happineſſe: but in the Covenant of grace, though repentance be neceſſary, and muſt accompany faith, yet not repentance but faith onelyonly is the cauſe of life. The cauſe not efficient, as works ſhould have been, if man had ſtood in the former Covenant, but inſtrumentall onelyonly: for it is impoſſible that Chriſt, the death and blood of Chriſt, and our faith, ſhould be together the efficient or procuring cauſes of Juſtification or ſalvation.Rom. 3.21, 22, 28, 30. Gal. 2.16, 17. Rom. 4.2, 3. When the Apoſtle writeth, that man is not juſtified by works, or through works, by the Law, or through the Law (oppoſing Faith and Works in the matter of Juſtification, but not in reſpect of their preſence; Faith, I ſay, and works, not faith and merits which could never be) without doubt he excludes the efficiency and force of the Law and works in juſtifying: But the particles [By] and [Of] do not in the ſame ſenſe, take Juſtification from the Law and Works, in which they give it to faith. For faith onelyonly doth behold and receive the promiſes of life and mercy; but the Law, and Works, reſpect the Commandments, not the Promiſes of meer grace. When therefore Juſtification and life is ſaid to be by Faith, it is manifeſtly ſignified, that faith receiving the promiſe,Deut. 7.12. & 10.12. Jer. 7.23. Lev. 19.17, 18. Luk. 10.27. Mark 12.30. doth receive righteouſneſſe and life freely promiſed. Obedience to all Gods Commandments is covenanted, not as the cauſe of life, but as the qualification and effect of faith, and as the way to life. Faith that imbraceth life is obediential, and fruitful in all good works: but in one ſort faith is the cauſe of obedience and good works, and in another of Juſtification and life eternal. Theſe it ſeeketh in the promiſes of the Covenant: thoſe it worketh and produceth, as the cauſe doth the effect. Faith was the efficient cauſe of that precious oblation in Abel, Heb. 11.4, 7, &c.of reverence and preparing the Ark in Noah, of obedience in Abraham; but it was the inſtrument onelyonly of their Juſtification. For it doth not juſtifie as it produceth good works, but as it receiveth Chriſt; though it cannot receive Chriſt, unleſſe it bring forth good works. 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 onelyonly a precedent qualification or condition to final forgiveneſſe and eternal bliſſe. If then when 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 onelyonly inſtrumental, faith or belief in the promiſes of free mercy is the onelyonly condition. Faith and works are oppoſed in the matter of Juſtification and ſalvation in the Covenant; not that they cannot ſtand together in the ſame ſubject, for they be inſeparably united, but becauſe they cannot concur or meet together in one and the ſame Court to the Juſtification or abſolution of man. For in the Court of Juſtice according to the firſt Covenant, either being juſt, he is acquitted; or unjuſt, he is condemned: But in the Court of mercy, if thou receive the promiſe of pardon, which is done by a lively faith, thou art acquitted and ſet free, and accepted as juſt and righteous: but if thou believe not, thou art ſent over to the Court of Juſtice. Thus far Mr. Ball. In which words of his the blood of Chriſt, faith in his blood, repentance and works have all of them their due place aſſigned them. The blood of Chriſt as the alone efficient procuring cauſe, Faith as the inſtrument giving intereſt, and making application: Repentance as a neceſſary qualification of the juſtified perſon in order to glory. In this (which is the good old Proteſtant doctrine) God loſeth nothing of his grace, but all is free in the work. Chriſt loſeth nothing of his merit, it ſtands alone as the procuring cauſe. Faith receives all from Chriſt, but takes nothing off from the free grace of God, or Chriſts merits. God loſeth nothing of his Soveraignty, and man is not at all diſpenſed with in his duty. God is advanced in his goodneſſe and Soveraignty: man is kept humble, thankful, and in ſubjection, no place being left for his pride, or gap open for licentiouſneſſe.