The Plain Doctrine of the Justification of a Sinner in the Sight of God, Sermon 1
God only juſtifieth a Sinner.
THE FIRST SERMON
ON
Romans 3.24, 25.
Being juſtified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jeſus Chriſt:
Whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his bloud, to declare his righteouſneſſe for the remiſsion of ſins that are paſt, through the forbearance of God.
AS touching the Context, the Apoſtle had proved, verſ. 23. That all Mankind lies under the guilt of Sin, and therefore ſtand in need of Juſtification that they may be ſaved: which Juſtification hee alſo ſhewed, could not bee had either from any Creature, or from the Law, to verſ. 20. from whence he concludes, that juſtification muſt neceſſarily bee ſought in that Goſpel Myſtery, propounded in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. The whole diſpute of the Apoſtle may be reduced to this Reaſon;
Men are juſtified either by Nature, or by the Law, or by the Goſpel:
But they cannot bee juſtified either by Nature, or by the Law, therefore they muſt be juſtified by the Goſpel.
The Propoſition is pre-ſuppoſed, and underſtood as manifeſt by it ſelf. The Aſſumption was demonſtrated in the former part of this Epiſtle, to verſ. 21. of this Chapter.
The Concluſion is expounded, and illuſtrated to the end of this Chapter, and ſo forward.
As touching the Text, the words of it contain the Epitome of Evangelical Juſtification, which is deſcribed,
1 By the efficient, principal and higheſt cauſe, which is God, verſ. 25.
2 By the inward impulſive cauſe, the grace of God; theſe ſignifying,
1 Excluſively, and that two-fold.
1 Excluding Commutative juſtice, or rendring like for like, or ſo much for ſo much.
2 Excluding Diſtributive juſtice, proportionately reſpecting the dignity of men.
2 Incluſively, reſpecting the meer and pure grace of God, obſervable in that Emphatical ingemination, freely, or gratis, and by his grace.
3 By the Meritorious cauſe, which may alſo in ſome ſort be called the Formal cauſe of our juſtification, that is, the Redemption made by Jeſus Chriſt.
4 By the Inſtrumental cauſe apprehending the object, that is, faith in his bloud.
5 The Final cauſe:
1 In reſpect of Us [our Salvation and remiſſion of Sins.]
2 In reſpect of God, the manifeſtation of his Juſtice and Mercy [that he might be juſt, &c.]
Doct. God the Father is the Fountain of juſtification.As God the Father is the Fountain of all Happineſs, ſo is he of the juſtification of a ſinner. This is grounded upon verſ. 25. [Whom God ſet forth] And this is the rule of Divines generally received, That whereſoever the Name of God is put in contra diſtinction to Chriſt Jeſus, it muſt not be taken eſſentially, but perſonally for God the Father: ſo here, God ſet forth Chriſt to be a Propitiation, i. e. God the Father.
For the better underſtanding whereof, we are to know, That where we ſay God the Father is the Fountain of our Juſtification, it may be conceived in two reſpects.
1 In way of oppoſition to the other perſons of the holy and undivided Trinity.
2 In oppoſition to the Creatures.
Object. 1. In oppoſition to the Son and Spirit, which will be cleared in anſwering this objection; All the works of the Trinity that are without the God-head, are undivided, but Creation, Redemption, Juſtification, and Sanctification, are works without the Trinity, or are acted and terminated on the Creature as their object; and all the Perſons in the bleſſed Trinity do work together in the effecting of them, ſo that one and the ſame work is ſometimes attributed to the Father, ſometimes to the Son, and ſometimes to the Holy Ghoſt; yea what things the one doth, the other is ſaid to doe alſo, Joh. 5.17. My Father worketh hitherto, and I work; and verſ. 19. Whatſoever things the Father doth, theſe alſo doth the Son likewiſe; how then can the Father be the Fountain in Juſtification?
Anſw. The Father is the Fountain of Juſtification, not excluding the Son, and Holy Ghoſt, from being cauſes in it, (for it is ſaid, 1 Cor. 6.11. Yee are ſanctified, yee are juſtified, in the name of our Lord Jeſus, and by the Spirit of our God) but ſhewing, that the Father is the original, in the action of Juſtification: Or, that the Father is the firſt in order of working. So Joh. 5.19. The Son can doe nothing of himſelf, &c. So Joh. 16.13, 14. The Spirit ſhall not ſpeak of himſelf, &c. ſo the Father juſtifieth through the Son by the Holy Ghoſt, the Holy Ghoſt juſtifieth by himſelf, from the Father and the Son, the Son juſtifieth from the Father by the Holy Ghoſt, and that upon two grounds,
1 Becauſe the Father is the Fountain of the Trinity, and as the Perſons are in order of ſubſiſting, ſo they are in order of working; but the Father is firſt in order of ſubſiſting, Matth. 28.19. ſo alſo he is in working.
2 The Father was the Perſon, that moſt properly and directly, was offended by ſin; hence it is ſaid, that Chriſt is an Advocate to the Father, 1 Joh. 2.1. the Father is in this caſe the Judge, the Son the Advocate.
The Creation, which is eſpecially aſcribed to the Father, is wronged by ſin.
Secondly, The Father is the Fountain of Juſtification in oppoſition to the Creature, for juſtification (as it is in man) is meerly paſſive, and therefore doth pre-ſuppoſe the action of another juſtifying us: and of whom but of God? as Rom. 3.30. God is one who ſhall juſtifie, &c. And again, Gal. 3.8. God would juſtifie, &c. and that of Rom. 8.30. Thoſe whom he called, he juſtified, &c. Hee that juſtifieth is the ſame with him that calleth, and predeſtinates, and that is God.
Queſt. What are we to underſtand by the juſtification of a Sinner in the ſight of God?
Anſw. The meaning of Juſtification.God is ſaid to juſtifie a Sinner, not becauſe he doth infuſe righteouſneſſe, or makes him fit to doe ſuch things as are juſt, which is the error of the Papiſts: placing juſtification firſt in the infuſing the habits, and then in the Acts of Grace, or good works flowing from thoſe habits; wherewithall they intermingle a kind of remiſſion of ſin. But God is ſaid therefore to juſtifie, becauſe by his judicial proceedings or ſentence he abſolves, and acquits Sinners from the guilt of ſin, with the puniſhment thereof; and accepts them as juſt perſons unto life eternal. This might be many ways proved, but for brevity ſake, reſt in this. That juſtification in the Scripture, is wont to be oppoſed to accuſation, and condemnation, as Prov. 17.15. Rom. 8.33.
Queſt. But to what purpoſe ſerves Chriſt then in the Popiſh Juſtification?
Anſ. Hee hath merited that grace for ſinners, that they might merit and juſtifie themſelves; but herein they make Chriſt the Cauſa ſine qua non (as Logicians ſpeak) that is, ſuch as hath no real influence on the effect; yea they aſcribe more to the good works of ſinners, than they doe to the merits of Chriſt: for Chriſts merits (by their Aſſertion) doe but make us juſtifiable; which is a woeful deluſion, and at the beſt, implicite blaſphemy.
Queſt. But doth it belong to God only to juſtifie?
Anſw. 1. How can it be otherwiſe, ſince it belongs to none to juſtifie, but to him to whom it belongs to judge? now the Lord is the ſupreme Judge, all power of judging, in Spiritual regards being taken from the creature, Rom. 14.4. Who art thou that judgeſt another mans ſervant? to his own Maſter hee ſtands or falls. And verſ. 10. Why doſt thou judge thy brother? we ſhall all ſtand before the Judgement Seat of Christ. Mortal man muſt not be an everlaſting Judge; yea the Apoſtle goes further, 1 Cor. 4.3. and ſaies, he paſſes little to bee judged of them, or by mans judgement; yea (ſaies he) I judge not my ſelf: i. e. no other man had power to judge him, nor himſelf to judge himſelf, who then hath power? And verſ. 4. to ſhew who was the Judge to pardon or condemn, he ſaies, Hee that judgeth me is the Lord.
2 It appears from the nature of juſtification, in that the word juſtification is taken from Courts of Juſtice, and juridical proceedings in Scripture uſe, and ſignifies the ſentence of abſolution, and is oppoſed to condemnation, Prov. 17.15. To juſtifie the wicked, &c. Pſal. 143.3. Enter not into judgement, &c. and in the text it ſignifies remiſſion of ſins, and imputation of righteouſneſſe; ſo that none but God can juſtifie, becauſe none but God can forgive, Mark 2.7. and God takes it to himſelf, Iſa. 43.25. I have put away thy tranſgreſſions, &c. Rom. 4.6. God imputeth righteouſneſſe without works. God muſt doe it, or it will never be done. Beſides, in juſtification there is the Will of God not to puniſh, or not to impute, Pſal. 32.1, 2. and a diſcharge from the Curſe and Wrath of God, Rom. 8.1, 3, 4.
3 It appears by the Concomitants and fruits of juſtification, which God only can beſtow; as bleſſedneſſe, Pſal. 32.1. communion with God, peace of conſcience, joy in the Holy Ghoſt, Rom. 5.1.3. and freedome of acceſſe to the Throne of Grace; but who keeps the key of Gods Preſence-chamber but himſelf? Who can admit us to communion with God but himſelf? Spiritual bleſſings and priviledges are farre out of the reach of any Creature, and have no Steward but Gods own Spirit, from whence this joy is called, 1 Theſ. 1.6. The joy of the Holy Ghoſt.
Vſe 1. Let this ſerve for confutation of ſuch, as either divide juſtification between God and man, or elſe utterly exclude God from being the efficient cauſe: of which ſort are the Papiſts, who fancy a double juſtification: Firſt, in infuſing habits of grace, whereby they are prepared to juſtifie themſelves, the Lord of his grace purging away their ſins. Of this they grant God to be in part the efficient cauſe, joyning mans free will concurring with him, as a burthen too heavie for God alone to bear; which is (in truth) that which Proteſtants call Regeneration. Secondly, in improving their gracious habits or qualities infuſed, whereby they are every day more and more righteous: and in this they place their merits for eternal life. And in this juſtification (which is in truth that which the Proteſtants call Sanctification) they deny God to be the efficient cauſe. But the Scripture makes but one Juſtification, whereof one God is the Author, Rom. 3.30. Seeing it is one God that ſhall juſtifie, &c. i. e. All the faithful are juſtified alike. And this admits not of divers degrees, but is all at once, though the manifeſtation, ſenſe, and aſſurance of it, may be by divers degrees.
Vſe 2. This may ſerve for unſpeakable terror, to all that have lived in enmity and rebellion againſt God, and ſtill goe on in their grievous provocations. Whom doe they provoke to anger? Is it not the Lord, who alone doth and can juſtifie a ſinner in his ſight, Jam. 4.12. There is one Law-giver, that hath power to ſave and to deſtroy: there is none elſe that hath either power or authority to ſave a poor Sinner from Death or Hell. God ſaith, Exod. 23.7. I will not justifie the wicked, i. e. that ſtill goe on in their wickedneſſe, and none can doe it beſides him. Many vile wretches will either deny, or juſtifie themſelves in their wickedneſſe (as it is ſaid of the Phariſees, Self juſtifiers in a ſad eſtate.Luke 16.15. & 10.29.) and with the Harlot in the Proverbs, can carry it out, with their lyes and brazen faces, and purſe, and friends, in earthly Courts, and whatſoever their cauſe is, will finde ſome like themſelves to acquit them: but theſe are but inferiour Courts, the Cauſe muſt bee tried again in an higher Court, before the ſupream Judge, from whom there can be no eſcape, whoſe ſentence no creature can avoyd or abide. Hee knows all hearts, and mens privie pranks, who will juſtly condemn what the world hath unjuſtly commended, and force them to ſay with Job 9.20. If I juſtifie my ſelf, mine own mouth ſhall condemn me; yea know, thou juſtifieſt thy ſelf (O vile man) (as Elihu ſpeaks, Job 32.2.) more than God: and in juſtifying thy ſelf condemneſt the Lord. Yea, nothing doth more hinder thine own juſtification, than thy ſelf-juſtification, for what careſt thou for another to juſtifie thee, that canſt doe it thy ſelf? as the Phariſee, Luke 18.11. went away unjuſtified, becauſe he juſtified himſelf; while the poor ſelf-condemning Publican was ſent away rather juſtified, for that remarkable reaſon, becauſe hee abaſed himſelf. And thou diſanulleſt Gods Judgement, and condemneſt him that thou mayeſt bee righteous, Job 40.8. thou bringeſt the Lord to thy barre, to ſtand as guilty before thee.
Many pleaſe themſelves, that they are juſtified by their companions and fellows, becauſe their iniquity is ſecret, and hath eſcaped the view of man; but alas! the Malefactor ſhall not ſpeed according to the ſentences of Fellow-priſoners, but according to the ſentence of the Judge. Paul cries, 1 Cor. 4.3, 4. What doe you tell me of mans judgement? this is the prophane mans day, and the proud mans day, but the Lords Court-day is coming, when hee ſhall bring to light the hidden things of darkneſſe, and then you will bee ſelf-damned, Tit. 3.11. thy conſcience ſhall ſet thy ſins in order before thee, and thy abetters in ſin ſhall curſe thee, as the Shechemites afterward curſed Abimelech, Judg. 9.27. The Devil ſhall lay the load of all thy ſins upon thee, to bring thee to deſpair, (and it may be) to the Halter, as he did Judas; yea, the ſenſeleſſe creatures ſhall riſe up againſt thee, the ſtone out of the wall, the beam out of the timber ſhall cry out againſt thy ſins, Hab. 2.11. every Sermon thou haſt heard, yea the duſt of the Miniſters feet ſhall riſe up in judgement againſt thee, Luke 9.5. but (that which is worſe than all) God himſelf will bee a ſwift witneſſe againſt thee, Malac. 3.5. his mercy, patience, and long ſuffering ſhall condemn thee, and his ſentence of everlaſting deſtruction ſhall certainly paſſe againſt thee, and then thou wilt finde Jeremiahs words too true, cha. 23. ver. 20. The anger of the Lord ſhall not return, until hee have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart, and though thou wilt not now conſider it, yet in the latter days thou ſhalt conſider it perfectly.
Vſe 3. It is a ground of ſtrong conſolation to poor penitent Sinners, Comfort to penitent ſinners.that God the Father juſtifies; againſt whatſoever the World or Devil can lay to his charge. The Apoſtle challenges World and Devil to doe their worſt, Rom. 8.33. Who dares lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? let them bring in what Bills of Complaint, Accuſation, or Indictments they can invent againſt the poor ſoul (and they will invent enough) yet they ſhall not hurt; Why? becauſe it is God that juſtifieth, And in 1 Cor. 4.2, 3. I paſſe not to be judged of you, or of mans judgement. Men will have their Court-days, to judge the Saints; there is many ſuch a Court kept in the Chimney corner, over the Pot, thither they ſummon and cite Gods ſervants to be tried; they ſit on their perſons, or names, or eſtates, and give them their doom; but let not the Chriſtian paſſe for mans day which way the cauſe goes; there is another day behind, which is the Lords Day of Judgement, Acts 17.31. and then he that is holy ſhall bee happy, and he that makes conſcience of his ways ſhall bee acquitted for ever. This makes Iſaiah exceeding confident, chap. 50.8, 9. becauſe he is neer that juſtifieth me, who ſhall contend with me? Let us ſtand together, who is mine adverſary? let him come forth, behold the Lord will help me; Who ſhall condemn me? Loe they all wax old as doth a garment, the moath ſhall eat them up. It is a pithy compariſon. Many will profeſſe, they will ſtick as cloſe to ſuch and ſuch profeſſors as the garments to their backs; many ſpick and ſpan new accuſations laid to the charge of Gods people, ever and anon: Well (ſaith the Prophet) all ſuch Accuſations will be ſoon worn out, ſoon moath-eaten, they have a worm in them, that will ſoon conſume them, and then God will bring forth their righteouſneſſe, &c. Pſal. 37.6.
This ground of comfort is three-fold.Three-fold ground of comfort that God juſtifies.
1 Becauſe no body hath any thing to doe with a beleevers ſoul but God, and he will Non-ſuit all the Pleas made againſt him; and if the Lord ſay, He is ſatisfied, and paid, who can take any advantage againſt him? All the ſin is committed againſt the Lord only, Pſal. 51.3. and if he ſay, ile remember thy ſins no more, as he doth, Iſa. 43.25. Who dares commence a Suit againſt him? Hee is the Creditor, all the Debts wee owe are due to him: if hee croſſe the Book, and cancel the Handwriting, who ſhall challenge the debt?
2 God doth juſtify Us, therefore wee may bee ſure it ſhall go well with us, becauſe his ſentence is unchangeable: once juſtified by God and never condemned, for whom hee juſtifies hee glorifies, Rom. 8.30. Iſa. 54.10. Mountains ſhall depart, and Hills bee removed, but my kindneſſe ſhall not depart, &c. Jews cryed ſometimes Hoſannah, ſometimes Crucify; if the Lord ſhould deal ſo by us, woe bee to Us. Yet Papiſts and Arminians hold, a man may bee juſtified to day and damned to morrow: but the Lord ſaith, My Caunſel ſhall ſtand; Pſal. 33.11.
3 As there is no change on Gods part, ſo there is no appeal to bee made, Gods Court is the higheſt Court: no appeal from the Court of Heaven: if the world, Devil, or our own Conſciences bee caſt here, they can never remove the Suit to another Court, Eccl. 5.8.
Uſe 4. Let it ſerve for Direction, Direction to troubled Conſciences.in caſe of diſtreſs of Conſcience: Since it is God the Father that juſtifieth, Let your afflicted ſouls take heed of admitting any other Judge to ſit upon your Hearts and Conſciences, but bee ſure to repair to God for ſentence, and whatſoever hee ſpeaks, that attend and ſubmit to. Poor ſouls too often give way, to many unrighteous Judges, to ſit upon their everlaſting eſtate. Sometimes they admit Satan, and hee eclipſeth all their comfort, 2 Cor. 2.11. if Satan get advantage, the Soul will bee ſwallowed up of grief, ver. 7. Sometimes they ſet up their Carnal Reaſon, that is unacquainted with the things of God: ſometimes their Care and Suspicion ſhall try their Caſe; which have infinite cavils to ſuggeſt to the heart, to vex and trouble All, and then they preſently conclude they have loſt the day. Tis madneſs to make our Adverſary Judge (as Satan is) in a Cauſe depending about our whole eſtate. And folly to put over thy cauſe to ſome ignorant Perſon (as carnal Reaſon is.) Look onelyonly to ſtand or fall by Gods judgement. Mind not what wrangling Proctors or Lawyers ſay, who can pick a hole in the beſt eſtate, and ſureſt conveyance, but liſten after the Judge of the Court, becauſe his ſentence muſt ſtand. Thus would David do, Pſal. 85.8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak, &c. Care not what Senſe and Feeling ſay, but attend diligently what God ſhall ſay, for if hee ſpeak peace; Hee will certainly make it good. Appeal from any other that intrudes, as Paul did to Caeſar; and as David doth, Pſal. 43.1. Judge mee O Lord, and plead my cauſe &c. ſo Pſal. 35.23, 24. Stir up thy ſelf, and awake to my judgement, even to my cauſe, my God, and my Lord; and liſten to his ſentence.
Queſt. How ſhall I know whether God doth juſtify me or not?
Anſw. 1 Conſider what the Word ſaith, if that acquit thee thou art ſure: How we may know whether God juſtifieth us.but if that condemn thee, thine eſtate is dreadful; for Rom. 1.17. therein is Gods righteouſneſs revealed. Joh. 12.48. The Word that I have ſpoken to you, that ſhall judge you. There mayeſt thou read the laſt doom. That's one of the books, Rev. 20.12. ſhall be opened.
2 See whether thou doſt condemn thy ſelf, and judge thy ſelf unfeignedly, 1 Cor. 11.31. If wee judge our ſelves, wee ſhall not bee judged of the Lord.
Queſt. How ſhould I make my appeal to the Lord?
Anſ. In ſecret and humble Prayer, as Job ſaid ch. 9.15. I will make my Supplication to my Judge; yea, though the word ſhould caſt thee, lying in impenitency, yet it ſhall acquit and abſolve thee, if thou meet the Lord in a treaty of peace, with ſuitable importunity and conſtancy, as the poor widdow did, Luk. 18.7. ſhall not God avenge his own Elect, that cry day and night before him? &c. I tell you that he will avenge them ſpeedily.