The Works of William Bridge Volume 3, Sermon 2
SERMON II.Preached at Stepney. July, 9. 1648.
GALATIANS, 2. part of the 20. verſ.
— Nevertheleſs I live, yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me.
YE heard the laſt day, that two things eſpecially, are obſervable from theſe words:
Firſt. That every godly, gracious man, is a living man, is in the ſtate of life, lives a ſpiritual life. And this I have ſpoken to.
Doct. 2 Secondly. That our juſtification by faith alone, is no enemy, but a real friend unto this our Spiritual life.
Nevertheleſs, foreign and now I live; but now I live. As if he ſhould ſay, I never did live before; but now being juſtified by faith alone, and having the experience of this great Truth, Now I live. At the 16. verſe, he had ſaid, That a man is not juſtified by the works of the Law, but by the faith of Jeſus Chriſt; Whereupon it was, or might be objected: If a man be not juſtified by the works of the Law, then is he free from the Law, then is he dead unto the Law, then may a man live as he liſts? Nay, not ſo (ſaies the Apoſtle at the 19. verſe) For I through the Law, am dead to the Law, that I might live to God: (quite contrary) That I might live to God, I am dead to the Law. Yea, and though I am crucified with Chriſt, yet now I live, and I never did live till now; but now I live: This very principle of juſtification by faith alone, is the fountain, and original of all my ſpiritual life. And thus indeed you ſhall find: for if you look into thoſe three Epiſtles of Paul, To the Romans, the Galatians, and the Hebrews; ye ſhall find, that the Apoſtle does give this as the riſe unto all his Exhortations unto Holineſs of life. In the latter end of the Epiſtle to the Romans, the Apoſtle does exhort unto holy practiſes, and to a godly converſation: but in the begining, he does ſtate, and prove this Doctrine, of Juſtification by faith alone. So in this Epiſtle to the Galatians; So in the Epiſtle to the Hebrews: As if the only riſe of all our Holineſs, and Godly Converſation were this, Our Free-juſtification through the Blood of Chriſt, by faith alone.
For the opening, and cleering of this great Truth; I ſhal ſpend a little time in the Explication of the terms.
Firſt. Juſtification by faith alone.
Secondly. I ſhall labor to demonſtrate this Truth unto you, That Juſtification by faith alone, Is the Fountain, and Original of all our Holineſs, and Spiritual life.
Thirdly. Anſwer to ſome Objections.
Fourthly. Labor to ſhew ye, What there is in this Free-juſtification by faith alone, that may, can, or doth advance our Holineſs.
Queſt. 1 What is meant by this Juſtification by faith alone?
Anſw. That I may be underſtood by the meaneſt. By this juſtification, I mean, That act of Gods grace, wherby through the imputation of our ſins to Chriſt, and Chriſts righteouſneſs unto us, God the father doth pronounce us righteous in his ſight. This is juſtification. And this is done by the Righteouſneſs, and the Blood of Chriſt only, as the Material and Meritorious cauſe; 'Tis done only by Faith as the Inſtrumental cauſe, ſo we are ſaid to be juſtified by Faith alone. Yet not ſo, as that a man is juſtified by faith which hath no works; for all juſtifying faith is full of works: but theſe works do not come into our juſtification: As now, a mans ſervants, they have him to bed; Servants have their Maſter and Miſtris to bed, tend upon them to bed; but they do not go into the bed with them: They are with them again in the morning, they bring them water and neceſſary things, but they do not come to bed to them. Now (ſaies Luther) Juſtification is that bed, where Chriſt and a Beleeving ſoul lies: & though good works, Duties, and Prayers tend upon Chriſt, and where ever there is faith, there are theſe; yet this bed of Juſtification is kept free, and entire, and only for the Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt; and they come not to bed, they come not into this work. Or if you will thus: Ye know, that when an Iſraelite was ſtung in the wilderneſs, by a fiery biting ſerpent, he was then to look upon the Braſen ſerpent; and by the beholding of the Braſen-ſerpent he was cured; the looking of his eyes cured him. He had other members, there was the Arms, and the Legs, and other members that did accompany the Eyes; but though there were other members that did accompany the Eyes, it was the ſeeing of the Eyes that did cure the perſon. And ſo, though works do accompany faith; and there is no ſaving, juſtifying faith, but works accompany it; yet it is only the beholding of this Braſen-ſerpent by the eye of faith, that does cure the ſoul as to the point of Juſtification. When Abraham went up into the mountain to offer up his ſon, he ſpake to his ſervants to ſtay below,Gen. 22.5. Stay you here till I come again, at the foot and the bottom of this hill: and ſo they did. Servants he had, but they ſtayed below. And ſo when a man goes up into this hil of juſtification, this high mountain, he takes only his faith with him, and he ſayes unto all his works, and unto all his duties, ſtay you below at the bottom of the hil; and there they attend. So that faith, juſtifying faith, though it hath alwaies works, yet they come not into this matter of Juſtification. 'Tis Faith alone that juſtifies. This by way of Explication.
Queſt. 2 But Secondly. You will ſay, How may it appear now, that this free-juſtification of a poor ſinner by Faith alone, is the original of all our Holineſs and Spiritual life?
Anſw. 1 Thus, it appears by contraries: Contraries, have contrary Conſequences. If the Law, and Juſtification thereby, be no friend, but a real enemy unto all our Grace and Holineſſe, then Juſtification by faith alone is a friend to it. But now take the Law, and you ſhall find, that juſtification thereby, is no friend, but a real enemy unto all our Holineſs, and the power of godlineſs. What greater enemies had the world ever to the power of godlineſs, than the Jews were? and they ſought to eſtabliſh their own Righteouſneſs, and to be juſtified by the Law. And now a dayes, What more bitter, & more fel enemy unto the power of godlineſs, than a Moral Civil man? Why? Becauſe though he do not underſtand himſelf, yet he doth ſecretly ſeek his acceptance with God, by his own doing, and good meaning. A man can never live to God, that lives in himſelf: So long as a man ſeeks Juſtification by his own doing, & working, he lives in himſelf. Therefore ſaies the Apoſtle,Phil. 3.9. I deſire not to be found in mine own righteouſneſs, to be found in it. Hope is the Spring of action. The Plow-man plowes in hope, & he ſows in hope; Hope is the Spring of action. Now if a man ſeeks to be juſtified by the Law, or the works of the Law, there is no hope; for all works are imperfect: and if no hope, (ſaies the ſoul) why ſhould I work? as good never a whit, as never the better. That cannot be the Principle of our grace and holineſs, which can neither Convert a man, nor mortifie his ſins, nor quicken one to what is good, nor comfort, or free him from temptation. Now I pray, What is it that Converts a ſoul to Chriſt? is it the Law, or the preaching of the Law? Nay,Joh. 16.9 (ſaies our Savior) I will ſend the Comforter, and he ſhall convince the world of ſin. But where do I receive the Spirit? Saies the Apoſtle in the next chapter, (the 3. of the Galatians) O ye fooliſh Galatians, this would I know of ye, Received ye the Spirit by the preaching of the Law, or by the hearing of Faith? Not by the preaching of the Law. And as for Mortification of ſin: Can the Law do that? Nay, (ſaies the Apoſtle in the 8. of the Romans) The Law is weak: What the Law could not do, being weak, God ſent his own Son, to condemn ſin in the fleſh. So that the Law cannot mortifie ſin, the Law cannot do it. And as for our Quickening unto what is good; Can the Law do that? Nay, (ſaies the Apoſtle) The Law is a dead letter; and, the Law is the miniſtration of death: And can that which is a dead letter, and the miniſtraction of death, quicken us unto what is good? certainly it cannot. And as for our Temptations, and freedom from them; Does the Law do that? Ye know, the Apoſtle triumphs,Rom. 8.33 Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? And who ſhall lay any thing to may charge? ſhall the Anger, and Wrath of God? ſhall Satan, or mine own Conſcience? I will not be much afflicted (ſaies he:) why? for, It is God that juſtifies. He does not ſay, for it is Moſes that juſtifies: but 'tis Chriſt that died, and God juſtifies, not Moſes. Sampſon (ye know) found honey-combs in the body of the dead lyon; not in hives at home, or trees abroad; but he found honey-combs in the body of the dead lyon. So does a poor tempted ſoul find all the honey-combs of comfort, in the body of the dead Lyon of the tribe of Judah, not in his own hive. I have read of a certain man, that was much in prayer, faſting, and reading; and the Devil came to him and told him, Friend, Why doeſt thou Pray ſo much, and Reade ſo much, and Faſt ſo much? 'tis all to n purpoſe, for thou ſhalt go to Hell at the laſt, thou ſhalt never go to Heaven: Saies he, As for that, I leave that to God; it is not my Queſtion, whether I ſhall go to Heaven, or Hell: but my Queſtion is, How ſhall I ſerve God, and live to God? Had he now ſought Juſtification in a away of works, and by the Law; could he have ever bin able to have anſwered to this temptation? Ye may ſee what the Apoſtle ſaies, in the 7. chap. of his Epiſtle to the Romans; he gives you a Similitude thus: As a woman; ſo is the ſould of every man: So long as a woman is married unto one man, ſhe brings forth children unto him, and not unto any other, but is dead unto all others: but when that man dies, ſhe is free to marry; and ſhe marries another, and ſhe brings forth children unto him. Now ſaies the Apoſtle (at the 4. verſe.) Wherefore my brethren, ye alſo are become dead to the Law by the body of Chriſt, that ye ſhould be married to another, even to him, who is raiſed from the dead, that we ſhould bring forth fruit unto God. So that ſo long as a man, is married to the Law, he can never bring forth fruit unto God. Now then, thus lies the Reaſon: If that the Law, and Juſtification thereby, be no Friend, but a real Enemy unto all our Holineſs: then (contraries having contrarie conſequences) Juſtification by faith alone is a friend, and no Enemy unto our Spiritual life and Holineſs.
Seondly. This alſo will appear, if ye conſider the paralel between the firſt and ſecond Adam. Chriſt is our ſecond Adam. Now ſaies the Apoſtle in the 5. of the Romans, As by the ſin of one, death came upon all men to condemnation: ſo by the Righteouſneſs of one, life comes unto many. Well, but how came condemnation upon all men by the ſin of one? The firſt Adam, he was a common perſon, he did ſtand for all mankind; when he ſinned, all mankind ſinned: and therefore aſſoon as any one is born, the ſin of Adam being imputed to him judicially; that imputation is the original of all the Unholineſs that is among the children of men. So our Lord and Savior Jeſus Chriſt, being our ſecond Adam, he is a Common perſon, ſtands in the room of al the Elect; he was obedient, not for Himſelf, but for Them; Chriſtus non meruit ſibi. Obeyed not for Himſelf: and he died not for himſelf, but for them, righteous for them. When therefore, a man is born into the world, is regenerate by faith? then all that Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, the ſecond Adam, is imputed to him.
And this imputation of his Righteouſneſs by faith, is the original of all that Holineſs that is in our lives, thus: As al the Unholineſs, and Wickedneſs that is in the world, does flow from the imputation of the firſt Adams ſin: So al that grace and holineſs that is in the world, does flow from the imputation of the ſecond Adams Righteouſneſs. Now by faith alone, this Righteouſnes is imputed, and does become ours, and therefore, Juſtification by faith alone, is the principle and original of all our grace and holineſs.
Thirdly. If free-remiſſion of ſin, and the ſence thereof, be the cauſe of our Holineſs: then Juſtification by faith alone muſt needs be a friend unto it. For theſe Two, Free-remiſſion of ſin, and juſtification by faith alone, go together, and are ordinarily taken for one. And therefore, in the 3. of the Romans, The Apoſtle having ſaid, (as the 24. verſe) Being juſtified freely by his grace; he ſaies (at the 28. ver.) That a man is juſtified by faith: and ſaying, That a man is juſtified by faith, he ſaies, That a man is juſtified freely by grace; theſe are put together. Now, Free-remiſſion of ſin, and the ſence thereof, is the Cauſe of al our Holineſs. Ye know what the Apoſtle ſaies,Tit. 2.11, 12. The grace of God hath appeared unto all men, teaching us to deny Ʋngodlineſs, and worldly luſts, and to live righteouſly, and ſoberly in this preſent world. All Holineſs comes from thence, The apparition of grace, Free-remiſſion of ſin. And ye know what it is that doth hatch the Chicken: 'tis not the fire that does hatch the Chicken; nor is it the cold water that does hatch the Chicken; but laying of the eggs under the warm feathers of the living Hen. Come to a man or woman that hath many eggs that are yet not Chickens, within a month or two, theſe are al become living Chickens: Say you, How comes it to paſs, that all theſe are now living Chickens? What! did you lay theſe eggs unto the fire? No, for then they would have been roaſted. What! did you lay theſe eggs in the cold water? No, then they would have rotted; but I laid them under the warm wings of the living Hen, and ſo they are become chickens. So you come to a living ſoul, a living heart, and you ſay, Friend, how came you to be thus enlivened, and quickned? a month or two ago, I heard you complaining of your dead heart, Oh! my heart is dead: but how came you to be thus enlivened, and to be thus quickned? Did you go and lay your heart againſt the fire of the Law? No, that would have ſcorch'd me, and tormented me. What? did you go and lay your heart in the cold world? No? that would have rotted me: How then? Truly, after all my fears, and after all my doubtings, I went and laid my cold heart under the warm wings of Divine-love, and ſo it came to paſs that I am thus enlivened, and I am thus quickened, as you ſee this day, for the which I bleſſe the Lord for ever. Three things there are, that do make up a gracious Converſation: Repentance for ſin paſt; Mortification of ſin preſent; and the Obedience of faith, or Obedience.
Now as for Repentance: look I pray what is ſaid in the 7. Chapter of Luke, and ſee what is the Cauſe of that: You reade there a ſtory of a great Sinner, that became a great Penitent, (at the 37. verſe.) Behold a woman in the City which was a great ſinner; and ſhe came and ſtood behind Jeſus (at the 38. verſe) weeping, and began to waſh his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head. She wept much; Why? for (ſaies the text at the latter end of the Chapter) ſhe loved much. But why did ſhe love much? She loved much, becauſe much was forgiven her. So then, Remiſſion is the Cauſe of Repentance. And have ye not ſo much expreſly, in that 16. Chapter of Ezekiel, and the laſt verſe. I will eſtabliſh my Covenant with thee, that thou maieſt remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, becauſe of thy ſhame, when I am pacified towards thee, for all that thou haſt done. So that, this ſhame, and repentence comes from pacification. And as for this matter, Luther had ſo great a fight into it, that (ſaies he) before I was juſtified by faith alone, and ſaw into this matter of Free-remiſſion; I look't upon that word, Repent, as a terrible word, I did even hate that word; and I wiſh't that there had been no ſuch word in all the book of God: but after once that word, juſtitia, was opened, the righteouſneſſe of faith; and after once I underſtood this Doctrine of Free-remiſſion, and Juſtification by faith alone, then I loved Repentance.
As for the Mortification of ſin: Ye know what the Apoſtle ſaies, Let not ſin raign in your mortal bodies, Rom. 6.12. & 14.or have dominion over you: why? for ye are not under the Law, but under grace. So then, 'tis being under grace that does mortifie ſin.
And as for the matter of Obedience: Ye know what the Pſalmiſt ſaies, There is mercy with thee, O Lord, Pſal. 130 4that thou maieſt be feared: That is, that thou maieſt be Served, that thou maieſt be Obeyed. So that, Obedience alſo, comes from the ſight of mercy, and of Free-remiſſion.
Now, if Free-remiſſion and the ſence thereof be the Cauſe of our Holineſſe, then ſurely, Juſtification by faith alone, can be no Enemy, but muſt needs be a real friend unto all our ſpiritual life.
Object. But by way of Objection, it will be ſaid, (In the Third place) This Doctrine of Free-remiſſion, and Juſtification by faith alone, ſeems to carry ſomwhat with it, that is oppoſite unto Grace and Holineſs; for the more a man is bound unto the Law, and takes himſelf to be ſo, the more obedient he will be to the Law: but now, a man never takes himſelf more to be bound unto the Law, than when he ſeeks to be juſtified by the works of the Law, and ſo he will be moſt obedient.
Anſw. For Anſwer, Ye muſt know that the word Law, in the new Teſtament is taken Two waies: Either it is taken for the Covenant of Works, thus: If you keep the Ten Commandements perfectly, you ſhall live for ever; this is the Covenant of Works; Somtimes the Law is taken for the Ten Commandements, the Rule of mans life. In the firſt ſence a Chriſtian is dead vntounto the Law, and is freed from it: but in the ſecond ſence, a Beleever, a Juſtified perſon, is more bound to the Law, to obſerve it as a Rule of life, than ever he was. OnelyOnly you muſt know, there is a Twofold Bond: There is the bond of Love; and there is the bond of Fear: as there is the Law of Love; and the Law of Fear. Love, and the bond of Love; is ſtronger than Fear, and the bond of Fear: for Fear is ſervant to Love, Fear is the hand maid to Love; for ye never Fear the loſing of any good thing, but what ye firſt Love; Fear is the ſervant to Love, and therefore Love is ſtronger than Fear, and the bond of Love ſtronger than the bond of Fear. Now though a Juſtified perſon be not bound unto the Law, with the bond of a ſervile-Fear; yet he is bound unto the Law, with the bond of Love; and ſo he is more obedient, as the bond of Love, is ſtronger than the bond of Fear. A man muſt needs be obedient unto Chriſt, that takes himſelf to be none of his own, but Chriſts. Therfore ſaies the Apoſtle,1 Cor. 6.20 Glorify Chriſt with your body, becauſe ye are bought with a price, and becauſe ye are Gods. So long as a man ſeeks to be juſtified by works, and by the Law, ſo long he looks upon himſelf as his own: but when a man ſees that he is juſtified by faith alone, then he looks upon himſelf as Chriſts; that he is not his own, and ſo he is more obedient unto Chriſt than ever be was before.
Object. 2 Secondly. If this be ſuch a principle of Grace and Holineſs, How comes it to paſſe, that men ſin the more as they hear more of this Free-remiſſion, and Juſtification of a poor ſinner by faith alone? Oh! ſaies one, God is merciful, and gracious, and therefore I will now live as I liſt, and repent afterward: If this Doctrine, this truth, and this Grace of God, be the Principle of all our Holineſs; How comes it to paſſe, that men ſin more hereby?
Anſw. I pray, How comes it to paſſe, if that water do cleanſe, that it doth not cleanſe the Blackmore? and if fire do warm, how comes it to paſſe, that it doth not put heat into the Dead man? and if the Sun do enlighten, how comes it to paſſe, it doth not enlighten thoſe that are blind? I may ask you the reaſon likewiſe: But I wil tel you the reaſon; the reaſon of this is, Becauſe men are contrary unto God; and all that do make this uſe & application of the Lords mercy and grace, they are contrary unto God; for God works good out of evil: Now a wicked man being contrary unto God, he works evil out of good. God works the greateſt good, grace, out of the greateſt evil ſin: a wicked man, he works the greateſt evil, ſin, out of the greateſt good, Gods love and grace. Why? becauſe he is contrary to God. But now, take this Truth, and this Grace of God, as it is in it ſelf, and ſo it is a very real friend unto all our grace and holineſs.
Queſt. 4 But in the Fourth place, You will ſay then, What is there in this Juſtification by faith alone, or Free-remiſſion, that does advance our Holineſs? how comes it to paſſe? what is there in this, that hath ſuch an influence upon our lives, to make us the more holy, the more heavenly?
Anſw. 1 Firſt. The more a man does forſake any good thing of his own for Chriſt, the more Chriſt is engaged to give a man his good things. There is no loſing, in loſing for Jeſus Chriſt: what ye loſe for Chirſt, ye ſhal gain by Chriſt: And the greater, and ſweeter any bleſſing is that ye loſe for Chriſt, the greater bleſſing will Chriſt give unto ye in the room thereof. Now what neerer thing is there to a man, than his own Righteouſneſs? In Juſtification by faith alone, a man laies down al his own Righteouſneſs at the feet of Jeſus Chriſt; and therfore Chriſt is engaged to give him a better Righteouſneſs, the Righteouſneſs of God.
Secondly. God does never cauſe any man to paſſe under any Relation, but he does write the Law of that Relation upon his heart. For example, If the Lord does cauſe a man to paſſe under the Relation of a Magiſtrate: God wil write the Law of that Relation upon him, and give him ability to it. If God doe cauſe a man to paſſe under the Relation of a Miniſter; God will write the Law of that Relation on him. If God do cauſe a man to paſſe under the Relation of a Husband, or a Father; God will cauſe the Law of that Relation to be written upon his heart. Now when a man is juſtified by faith alone, then he becomes the Son of God; To as many as receive him, he gives power to be called the Sons of God; even to as many as beleeve on his Name. John, 1.12. I ſay When a man is juſtified by faith alone, he becomes the Son of God, he paſſes under that Relation; therefore then does the Lord write the Law of that Relation of a Son upon his heart, and thereby he is made more Son-like by his obedience.
Thirdly. The more a man does agree with God and the Law, the more fit he is to walk with God, and obſerve the Law. when a man is juſtified by faith, then he is agreed with God:Amos 3.3 Can two walk together, unleſs they be agreed? Now when a man is juſtified by faith, he is Reconciled to God; reconciled to the Juſtice of God; reconciled to the Anger of God; reconciled to the Law of God, the Law is his friend. Now before a man was juſtified, the Anger of God was his enemy, and the Juſtice of God his enemy, and the Law his enemy; but now being juſtified, he is reconciled to God: reconciled to his Anger; that is ſatisfied by Chriſt: reconciled to the Law; that is ſatisfied by Chriſt; thus he is made a friend to God, he is agreed with God, and with the Law, and ſo he can walk with God, and ſo he is the more obedient.
But Fourthly (and eſpecially) thus: As by Works, and ſeeking Juſtification by Works, a man is Eſtated in the Covenant of Works: So by Faith, and ſeeking Juſtification by Faith alone, a man is Eſtated in the Covenant of Grace. When a man is Eſtated in the Covenant of grace, God is engaged to give grace unto him, to make him Holy. For that, I pray do but reade what ye have in that 36. Chapter of Ezekiel, at the 25. verſe, and ſo downwards: Then will I ſprinkle clean water upon you, and ye ſhall be clean: from all your filthineſs, and from all your idols will I cleanſe you. A new heart alſo will I give you, and a new ſpirit will I put within you, and I will take away the ſtony heart out of your fleſh, and I wil give you an heart of fleſh: And I will put my Spirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in my Statutes; and ye ſhall keep my judgments and do them. Firſt, I pray mark here, That the Lord does promiſe Remiſſion of ſin, although it be never ſo great: I will ſprinkle clean water upon you, and waſh ye from all your filthineſs, and from all your idols wil I cleanſe you. But ſaies a poor doubting ſoul, Though the Lord do thus waſh me, I am ſo foule, and ſo unclean, that I am afraid I ſhall never be cleanſed. Yes, (ſaies the Lord) I will ſprinkle clean water upon you, and ye ſhall be clean. But though I be clean, and cleanſed from my guilt, and my ſin pardoned; yet notwithſtanding, I have ſuch a naughty, filthy heart, as I ſhall foul my ſelf again. See what follows, A new heart alſo will I give you, and a new ſpirit will I put within you. Oh! but my heart is ſo hard, like a ſtone, that I ſhall reſiſt this mercy of God. Nay (ſaies he) And I will take away the ſtony heart cut of your fleſh: I will take away the Reſiſtance, the ſtony heart out of your fleſh. But though it be ſo; as long as my nature is unchanged, I ſhal never do that which is right. Saies God, I will change your nature for you; I will take away the ſtony heart out of your fleſh, and I will give you an heart of fleſh. I wil make ſuch a change in you, That whereas before, Naturally, ye were as hard as a ſtone, now I wil make you as ſoft as fleſh. But though the Lord do thus change my Nature, yet notwithſtanding, I ſhall never be able to order my converſation aright, I ſhall never be obedient. Mark what follows, I will put my Spirit within you, and I will cauſe you to walk in my Statutes: I will make you obedient, ſaies God. Oh! what ſtreams of mercy are here! But I pray, mind the Fountain whence theſe flow; They al flow from this fountain of Free-remiſſion: The firſt is, I will ſprinkle clean water upon you, and cleanſe you from all your idols: I will forgive you freely. I but, though this be ſet firſt, it may be this is not the Cauſe of the reſt, how ſhal it appear, that this Free-remiſſion is the Cauſe of all our holineſs? Then (I pray) look into the 8. chap. of the Epiſtle to the Hebrews, (where this Covenant of grace is repeated) at the 10. verſe, For this is the Covenant that I will make with the houſe of Iſrael, ſaith the Lord, I will put my laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts: and they ſhall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, ſaying, Know the Lord: for all ſhall know me, from the leaſt to the greateſt. Why? for I will be merciful to their unrighteouſneſs, and their ſins, and their iniquities will I remember no more. So that Remiſſion is the Cauſe of Sanctification: I will thus and thus ſanctifie, ſaies the Lord; For I will be merciful to their unrighteouſneſs, and their ſins and iniquities will I remember no more: this is the Cauſe of all that. Now I ſay, When a man is once eſtated in this Covenant of grace, the Lord (ye ſee) is engaged then for to make him holy. And as by works, and ſeeking Juſtification by works, a man is eſtated in the Covenant of works: So by faith, and ſeeking Juſtification by faith alone, a man is eſtated in the Covenant of grace; and ſo the Lord is engaged for to make him holy. So that, thus you ſee now, This Free-grace of God, Juſtification of a poor ſinner by faith alone, it is no enemy, but a real friend unto all our Holineſs, and Spiritual life. No wonder therefore, that the Apoſtle ſaies, And now I live.
Applyca. By way of Application. If all theſe things be ſo: Then here we ſee the reaſon, why men are no more Gracious, no more Heavenly, no more Holy, no more Spiritual in their lives; becauſe they think not of this, they ſtudy not this, they never had the true ſence of this; Even becauſe they do not ſtand cleer from their own Duties, and their own Doings, as to the great matter of Juſtification, and acceptance with God. Is the Free-remiſſion of ſin, and Juſtification by faith alone, the Fountain and Original of all our Holineſs? Then why ſtand ye gazing upon your own Duties? upon your own Prayers, and Mournings? Would ye live? I know you would: Skin for skin, Job, 2.4.and all that a man hath will he give for his life. But, would you live Spiritually? would you live an Eternal life? that life that never dies? that Communicative life? that life that is better than you ſhould have had in the State of innocencie? Then do you ſtand clear from all your own Doings, and Duties, and Workings, as to this great matter of your Acceptance with God the Father. Do ye think that Jeſus Chriſt will preſent a Duty, or a ſervice unto God the Father, that ſteps into his room, and place, and Office? What is the Place, and room of Chriſt? He is our Saviour; and the Mediator between God and man, that ſtands between God and man, for to cauſe Acceptance with God the Father: if then you Pray, Hear, Reade, Mourn; and think by al theſe to fetch in your Acceptance with God the Father; Do you not bring your Duty into the room of Chriſt, and into the place of Chriſt? and do ye think, that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, will ever preſent ſuch a Duty unto God the Father, as ſteps into his room and place? What a ſad thing is it, for a man to draw his own Works, or his own Doings into his Acceptance, or Juſtification! for a man to turn aſide to the Covenant of Works.
Object. You will ſay, But when may a man be ſaid, for to draw his own Works, or Duties into his Acceptance with God the Father? Or when may a man be ſaid, To turn aſide to the Covenant of Works?
Anſw. Even godly men do it too much. Abraham, though the father of the faithful, went into Hagar, the type of the Law. And ſo now the children of Abraham, (Beleevers) do too much go into Hagar ſtill, and to the Law ſtill. When a man cannot, dares not relye upon Jeſus Chriſt, till he firſt ſees his own Duty, and his own Prayer, and Inlargment in Duty; then he does this too much. When a man does meaſure all his Acceptance with God the Father, by his own Performance; if I be Enlarged, then I am Accepted; if I am ſtraightened, now I am not Accepted; then he does this too much. When a man will not come to Chriſt, till his heart be firſt quickened, and warmed by ſome particular word; then he does this too much. But Oh! you, you that are godly, labour I beſeech ye in Chriſt, to ſtand clear from your own Duties, and Doings. The more diſtinct knowledge ye have in this Truth, and the more ye walk in the ſence of it, the more Spiritual and Holy ye will be.
Object. 1 But will ſome ſay (that I may take off ſome ſcruples, and anſwer ſome Caſes of Conſcience) If theſe things be ſo; then do I fear that my Obedience was never right, for truly, I have even turned aſide to a Covenant of Works, the Lord knows I have: I remember the time, when I had Legal-breakings, and all my Obedience hath flowed from thence: Is Free-remiſſion, and Juſtification by faith alone, the fountain and ſpring-head of all our Obedience, and Holineſs? then ſeeing that Legal-breakings have been the ſpring-head of all my Obedience; then do I fear my Obedience was never right; Oh! I fear that I have been wrong all this while, that I have been but an Hypocrite all this while, and have deceived my ſelf, and been under the Law all this while.
Anſw. Stay a little, You read in Scripture concerning Jacob and Eſau: 'tis ſaid, That the Elder ſhall ſerve the Younger. Gen. 25.23.That is (ſaies Luther) in a ſpiritual way: the Elder, the Law, ſhall ſerve the Younger, the Goſpel: and the Elder Sin, ſhall ſerve the Younger Grace. Now, have your former Legal-breakings, made you more for to prize Grace? and to prize Chriſt? and to prize Free-remiſſion, and Juſtification by faith alone? Here then, the Elder does ſerve the Younger. And what though Legal-breakings were firſt, and were the Elder in your heart, yet ſo long as the Elder does ſerve the Younger, thou haſt no reaſon to be diſcouraged in this reſpect.
Object. 2 I fear that my Obedience and my Holineſs is not right; becauſe it is ſo little, and ſo ſcant; Free-remiſſion the fountain of all our Holineſs, that is a full Fountain: and if my Holineſs were a ſtream from that Fountain, it would be more full and more abundant: The Jews, they knew little of this Truth, Juſtification by faith alone, and yet they were Holy; David holy, and Moſes holy, and Joſiah holy: is this the fountain of all our Grace, and of all our Holineſs, Free-remiſſion and Juſtification by faith alone? Then the more diſcovery there is of this, the more Holy we ſhould be: but alas, I find my Holineſs, and my Obedience ſo ſcant, and little, that I am afraid it can never come from ſo full a fountain as this is.
Anſw. Beloved! There is nothing little between God and a gracious ſoul. There is nothing ſmal that comes from God to you, becauſe it comes from an infinite God: There is nothing ſmal that goes from a gracious ſoul unto God again, becauſe it comes from an infinite deſire of pleaſing God. It is one thing to be more in the Shell, and another thing to be more in the Kernel. Luther profeſſes, that when he was a Monke (as it ſeems by his writings he was fifteen years in a Cloyſter.) Saies he, When I was a Monke, I was a great deal more Holy then, according to the outward appearance, than I am now: then I Prayed, and then I Faſted, and then I Macerated my body, and then I went meanly; but now I Eat, and I Drink, and I Cloath my ſelf as others do; and yet now one little Prayer, is more accepted with God, than all my fifteen years Prayers before: why? becauſe (ſaies he) then I prayed in a way of Works, and ſought Juſtification in a way of Works; but now I have had a taſte of this Juſtification by faith alone, and a little from thence is more pleaſing unto the Lord, then all the fifteen years before.
But who ever you are that make this Objection, Give me leave to propound theſe Two Queſtions to you.
Firſt, Whereas you ſay, It is little, and therefore you fear it cannot come from ſo full a fountain: Doeſt thou ſtint, or limit thy ſelf in thy Obedience, or in thy Holineſs? A man that ſeeks to be juſtified, and ſaved by his working, he does ſtint, and limit himſelf: I have enough (ſaies he) for to bring me to heaven, and what need I more? a great many are very preciſe, and ſtrict, but I praiſe the Lord, I have enough for to bring me to heaven, and what need I more? So he ſtints, and limits himſelf. And I have been Weeping, and Mourning enough for to get forgiveneſſe, and the Lord now hath forgiven me, and what need I more? Thus he ſtints, and limits himſelf, becauſe he is under the Law, and under a Covenant of Works.
Again, Though your Obedience as you think is very little, and very ſmall: Do you oppoſe thoſe that have much? do you oppoſe thoſe that have the power of godlineſs? and thoſe that have more than your ſelf? A man that ſeeks Juſtification by Works, he does oppoſe thoſe men that have more Holineſs than himſelf. See I pray, how it was with the Jews in that 9. of the Romans, and the 31. verſ. But Iſrael which followed after the Law of righteouſneſs, hath not attained to the Law of righteouſneſſe: Wherefore? Becauſe they ſought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the Law: for they ſtumbled at that ſtumbling ſtone. They ſtumbled at Chriſt, they ſtumbled at Chriſtianity, they ſtumbled at the corner ſtone. And ſo now, Moral and Civil men, that ſeek acceptance (though they do not underſtand themſelves) in a way of working; they oppoſe thoſe that are more godly that have the power of godlineſs. But ye know, a ſpark of fire, though it be but a ſpark of fire, it will not oppoſe the flame; though it be not ſo great as the flame, yet it will not oppoſe the flame: it oppoſes the water, but it doth not oppoſe the flame of fire. And ſo, if a man have grace, though it be but a ſpark of grace, yet notwithſtanding, if it be in truth, it will not oppoſe a flame: But now Civil and Moral men, that walk in a way of works, and are under the Law; Oh! how do they oppoſe thoſe that have the power of godlineſs! that have more grace than themſelves! that are in a flame for Chriſt! them they oppoſe. Is it ſo with you that make this Objection? Oh! No, I praiſe the Lord (your ſoul will ſay, if it ſpeak in truth) though I have but little, the Lord knows, I do not oppoſe them that have much: I rejoyce rather in thoſe that have more than my ſelf, yea, I rejoyce in thoſe that have the power of godlineſſe. And Lord! thou knoweſt, I do not ſtint, and limit my ſelf: Oh! I can never be godly enough, and I can never Repent enough, and I can never mourn for my ſins enough: Well, be of good comfort, this may be no other ſtream, then what flows from this bleſſed fountain, Free-remiſſion, and Juſtification by faith alone.
Object. 3 Thirdly. Will ſome ſay, I fear that upon all this account, my Obedience, and my Holineſs is not right; for I do not find the viſible Characters of Juſtification, upon my Sanctification: Juſtification by faith alone, is the fountain of all our Holineſs; Then if my obedience were right, it would taſt of my Juſtification, and of Free-remiſſion, if my Holineſs were right, it would ſavour of Free-remiſſion: but I do not find any viſible Characters of Juſtification, upon my Sanctification; I do not find that my Sanctification does reliſh, or ſavour of Free-remiſſion, or Juſtification by faith alone, & therfore I fear al is naught, my obedience hath been naught and wrong all this while.
Anſw. For anſwer to this. Know ye not, (beloved) That a mans Juſtification may be hidden from Sence, when Sanctification is in truth? Know ye not, That the life of grace is a hidden life? not only hidden from the world, but hidden from ones own ſoule, many times?
Queſt. But what are thoſe Viſible Characters of Juſtification, which are engraven upon a mans Sanctification, ſo that when a man does ſee them, he may ſay, Surely! here is a Sanctification, that is no other, than that which flows from Free-remiſſion, and Juſtification by Faith along?
Anſw. 1 Firſt. When a man does mourn for his ſin, becauſe it is pardoned; does not this repentance ſavour of Free-remiſſion? When a man does obey the Lord, becauſe God hath pardoned and forgiven him; does not this Sanctification then ſavour of his Juſtification, and of Free-remiſſion?
Secondly. When there is a meeting of all graces, and one good work, and duty, and grace, is reconciled to another in a mans life; is there not then a taſt, and a ſavour of Juſtification and Free-remiſſion? When the Lord does juſtifie a poor ſinner, then al the Attributes of God are reconciled to one another; Juſtice is reconciled to Mercy; and Mercy is reconciled to Juſtice: and all theſe reconciled Attributes of the Lord, do meet upon the ſoul of a juſtified perſon: and accordingly, there is a meeting of all graces in the ſoul, and all good works, and graces, they are reconciled to one another: That whereas before a man was juſtified, they were at ods, at a diſtance one from another, and were inimititious one to another; now they are not. Whereas before a man was juſtified, he could not rejoyce in God, but it hindred his mourning for ſin; and he could not mourn for ſin, but it hindred his faith; and he could not beleeve, but his beleeving hindred his repentance. But now, when a man is juſtified, and reconciled to the Lord, then all thoſe Works, Duties, and Graces, are reconciled to one another. Why? Becauſe the Attributes of God are reconciled unto one another, and all the Attributes of God, they meet upon the heart of a juſtified perſon, and ſo there are the Characters of his Juſtification upon his Sanctification here. And I appeal to ye, who ever you are that labor under this ſcruple, Is it not thus with thy ſoul in truth? Do not you find it thus? That now you look upon the very Juſtice of the Lord, as your friend, the Juſtice, and Righteouſneſs of the Lord as your friend? That now ye are reconcil'd (as it were) to thoſe Duties, that heretofore you looked upon as your Enemies? That now you reſt upon the Lord Chriſt, that you may be Obedient; and your very reſting upon Chriſt, makes you obedient? your very beholding of Chriſt, changes you from glory to glory: as the Apoſtle ſpeaks.2 Cor. 3.18 If you would ſpeak in truth from your ſoul, you would ſay thus; Lord! thus 'tis with me: Now I am reconciled to that Duty that before was an enemy to me, and now theſe Workes, Duties, and Graces are reconciled: for now, the more I can rejoyce in God, the more I can mourn for ſin; and the more I Beleeve, the more I can Repent: Heretofore, the more I Beleeved, the leſſe I Repented, my Beleeving was my Security; but now I ſee theſe works, and Duties, are friends to one another, that now, the more I Repent, the more I Beleeve; and the more I Beleeve, the more I Repent, all theſe works are reconciled in me. And Lord, thou that knoweſt all things, knoweſt, That therefore I grieve for my ſins, becauſe thou haſt pardoned them: and therefore I deſire to obey thee, becauſe thou haſt forgiven me. Well then, here are the Viſible Characters of thy Juſtification, upon thy Sanctification, And therefore be of good comfort notwithſtanding this Objection.
Only let me tell thee this: It may be thou haſt not ſtood enough at a diſtance from thy own Doings, and Duties, as to the matter of thy Acceptance with God. But, would you be more Spiritual, and Holy in your lives? labour more and more, to ſtand at a diſtance from all your Duties and Doings, as to the great matter of your Acceptance with God the father.
Queſt. But you will ſay, Suppoſe that I have not ſtood cleare from my owne Doings as to the matter of my Juſtification, or Acceptance with God the Father; what ſhall I do, that now I may ſtand clear in this matter? that ſo this fountain, of Free-remiſſion, and Juſtification by faith alone, may be opened upon my ſoul, and my Spiritual life thereby, may be more inlarged, and increaſed?
Some things by way of Anſwer to this, and ſo I have done.
Firſt, Be ye humbled in the ſight and preſence of the Lord, that you have walked in that way, that you have tied Jeſus Chriſt unto your conditions, and that you have made uſe of Chriſt, only to eek out your Performance, as to the matter of your Acceptance.
Secondly, Study much the Tranſactions of things between God the Father and Jeſus Chriſt. And then you will find, That Jeſus Chriſt had ſatisfied God the Father, before ever you came into the world: and therefore your ſouls when you think of this will ſay, How therefore can my Work, or my Duty, any way bring in Satisfaction, or Acceptance with God the Father. Study (I ſay) the Tranſactions between God the Father and Jeſus Chriſt.
Thirdly, Acquaint your ſoul much, with the difference between the Covenant of Works, and the Covenant of Grace. In the Covenant of Works, a mans Work is firſt accepted, and then his Perſon: But in the Covenant of Grace, a mans Perſon is firſt accepted, and then his Work. And when you underſtand this, then you will ſay, I, if this be true, That a mans Perſon is firſt accepted, and then his Work, How can my Work any way fetch me in acceptance with God the Father? O my ſoul, for ever ſtand clear in this great matter of my Acceptance in my Duties.
Fourthly, when ever your Duties, your Works, and your Graces, are Higheſt, then, and then eſpecially, uſe thy ſoul to be beyond them; and ſay thus: Though now (I bleſſe the Lord) my heart is thus and thus Inlarged, yet I do not count upon my Acceptance, by reaſon of this Inlargment. Though (I bleſſe the Lord) I have now Prayer, that before had none: yet I do not count my Acceptance with God the Father by this Prayer. When (I ſay) thy Duty is Higheſt, uſe thy ſoul to be beyond it.
Fifthly, When your Duty, Grace, and Holineſs is loweſt, then know, that now ye have an opportunity to ſtand clear from your own Duties, and Workings, as to the matter of your Acceptance, and Juſtification by faith alone. If I have a friend in my houſe, that lives in my houſe with me, whom I would not have privy unto a Work, or a buſineſs; I'le take the opportunity to do the Work, when that friend is out of doors: now (ſay I) he is abroad; if he were at home, he would be prying over my ſhoulder, and he would have a ſinger in the buſineſs, and he would ſee it; but now he is abroad, now I will take the time to do it. My brethren, your Duties, Prayer, and Humiliation, they are all friends to your Juſtification: but when Prayer is out, and Duty is out, and abroad, and out of ſight, and not at home; Now take your time to be clear in the matter of neſting upon Chriſt ad one, and ſay, Now my Prayer is gone, and Duties gone, and all out of ſight, Oh! Lord, now I have an opportunity to reſt upon Chriſt alone: had my Prayer been at home, and Duties at home; they would have been peering, and prying into this Work, but now they are all out of ſight, now I will reſt upon Chriſt, and his righteouſneſs alone. This is certain, that this Juſtification by faith alone, and Free-remiſſion of a poor ſinner, 'tis the great fountain and principle of all our Grace and Holineſs: and therefore, if you would be more Gracious, and more Holy; I beſeech ye in the Name of Chriſt, ſtudy it much, and walk in the ſence of it. And what's the reaſon, that many Profeſſors are no more Holy, and Humble; but waſpiſh, and peeviſh, and harſh, and of a rugged diſpoſition? but becauſe they have not ſtudied the Goſpel more, and Free-remiſſion, and Juſtification by faith alone, and they have not the ſence of this upon then hearts; poor ſouls, you want the Experience of this: you think (ſome of you) there is no ſuch way to be Holy, and Gracious, as to have Legal-breakings, to have the Law preſt upon you: but I do here tell you in the Name of the Lord, and I lie not, That Juſtification by faith alone, and Free-remiſſion, is the principle of all our Obedience, and all our Holineſs. And when Paul came to this, and the ſence of this, Now I live, (ſaies he.) And ſo wilt thou ſay, (poor foul) when thou comeſt to the ſence of this Truth; I was dead before, but now I live: indeed, I was down, and my heart dead, when I hung upon my owne Duties, but now I live. Now there fore, as you deſire to live, and liue ſpiritually, the Lord give you hearts to live in the ſence and experience of this great Truth, Juſtification, and Free-remiſſion by faith alone.