Baxters Aphorisms, Part 2 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
Arg. Mr. Baxters 7. Argument for Juſtification by Works examined, drawne from the Tenour of the laſt dayes Judgement which he ſaith ſhall paſs according to works. And theſe queſtions diſcuſſed, whether, upon whom, and in what reſpects the laſt ſentence ſhall ſo paſſe according to Works.
A Seventh Argument which he brings to prove Juſtification by works is drawne from the iſſues upon which our future Judgement ſhall paſſe in the laſt day. That (ſaith he) ſhall be according to works: Therefore is this alſo. But let him bee heard ſpeaking his owne words.
B. Theſis 80. pag. 317. It is moſt clear in the Scripture, and b…yond all diſpute, that our Actuall, moſt proper, compleat Juſtification at the great Judgement will be according to our works, and according to what we have done in the Fleſh, whether good or evill: which can bee no therwiſe than as it was the Condition of that Juſtification. And ſo Chriſt at that great Aſſize will not give his bare will of Purpoſe as the Reaſon of his proceedings, but as he governed by a Law, ſo he will judge by a Law; and will then give the reaſon of his publicke ſentence from mens keeping or breaking of the conditions of his Covenant, that ſo the mouths of all may be ſtopped, and the equity of his Judgement may be made manifeſt to all; and that he may there ſet forth his hatred to the ſins, and not only to the perſons of the condemned; and his love to the obedience, and not only to the perſons of the juſtified.
This alſo he hath from Bellarmine & the other Jeſuits & Papiſts. Neither is there any one beſides his fourth Argument which he hath not tranſcribed from them: and even that alſo is by them ſomewhat hammered to his uſe. Nay, from the very beginning to the end of this his Tractate all is theirs as to the matter thereof: onelyonly the tranſlating of it into Engliſh, and reducing it to his owne method and order he can call his; but the ſubſtance of all is theirs [as to Juſtification by works,] and from them in common with the Socinians and Arminians, [as to Juſtification by Faith, as an Act or Worke.] This I could eaſily make evident by affixing but marginall quotations of thoſe Popiſh and Arminian Authours to this Worke, whom in every particle hee followeth, as having ſpoken the ſame things before him; if I had now that which once I had, that which might be called a Library. By how much the more I admire ſome that make their concourſe & confluence to him from all parts as to an Oracle, to learne from him that which at home by their owne fire, Eckins, Hoſius, Vega, &c. or the more ancient Schoolemen before them, or Be…armin… with the Jeſuits and Arminians, ſince them, would have taught them more at large; or which beſides other hundreds of our Divines, one Chamier in his 3 Tome of his Panstratia, would have given them to underſtand at large, together with a large and full confutation of all [as to the Papiſts:] Yet ſee with what confidence Mr. Baxter ſpeaketh. It is moſt clear and beyond all diſpute, &c. What is ſo cleare? that our proper, compleat, and actuall juſtification, &c. This is cleare by Scripture. Yet neither hath he alleadged or can alleadge any one Scripture that tels us of or teacheth any ſuch juſtification. The Papiſts tell us indeed of a two-fold Juſtification, but both in this life. They ſay Chriſts judgement or ſentence; or our account and reckoning, not our juſtification, ſhall thus paſs in the laſt day. The Arminians indeed ſay as Mr. Baxter, and hee hath learned to ſpeake as confidently as they, proving as little as they. Now what boldneſs is it to call that, from a pretended cleare teſtimony of Scripture, our Actuall, moſt Proper, compleat Juſtification, which the Scripture doth in no place call or bid us to call Juſtification in any ſenſe or conconſideration? we would grant to Mr. Baxter the uſe of his owne Phraſe and uſe it with him, if he would underſtand by the Juſtification in the day of Judgement, onelyonly either the publication and open declaration of the juſtification before given and received; or the conferring on Believers the Glorious and eternall fruits above of their juſtification here; or their exemption from the ſentence of vengeance which ſhalbe then pronounced, againſt & from condemnation, which ſhalbe then executed upon the unbelieving world: (in which ſenſe it is ſometimes indeed in Scripture called our Redemption, and the day of Redemption to the Saints, which to the world will be an evill day, a day of judgement.) But this will not ſatisfie him, and the Scripture grants no more: ſo that we cannot pleaſe him without diſpleaſing God.
Againe when he ſaith our moſt Proper Juſtification will be at the great Judgement according to our workes, and according to what wee have done in the fleſh, whether it be good or evill. Doth he meane firſt, that the meaſure of our juſtification wilbe according to the meaſure of our works, great works, and a great and full juſtification; a little Treaſury of workes, and a little corner of juſtification? This agrees not with his owne phraſe in tearming it a compleat juſtificacation. Nor will it cohere with the definition that he gives to this juſtification, Theſ. 39. making it to conſiſt in Gods acquitting from the Accuſation, and condemnation of the Law. This Act of God or of Chriſt doth not recipere magis & minus, hee that hath more works cannot be ſaid to bee more, or he that hath leſs to be leſs acquitted: but i… at all acquitted, then compleatly acquitted; acquitting, and not acquitting being contradictories that admit of no medium, but the one or other muſt ſtand in all its force.
Or 2. doth he mean that the being or not being of juſtification doth follow the being or not being of our Works, no works and no juſtification, but if works then juſtification? will it not hence neceſſarily follow both that many which have died in Chriſt ſhall be condemned? viz. all that after their union to Chriſt by the Spirit, departed out of this life before they had time and oportunity to doe ſuch works as Mr. Baxter after inſtanceth and many that never believed in Chriſt, never were in Chriſt ſhall bee juſtified by Chriſt in the laſt day viz. ſuch as have lived and died ſuch as the Apoſtle Paul was before his converſion: touching the Righteouſneſſe which is by the Law blameleſſe, Phil. 3. 6. and that of ſincerity in oppoſition to hypocriſie and vaine glory, walking in all good Conſcience before God? As for faith in Chriſt hee doth not heere touch upon, andActs 23. 1 whether any of his reaſons which hee brings to confirme his Theſis will infer it, we ſhall ſee in examining them.
3. When he ſaith that Chriſt at that great Aſſize will not give his bare will of Purpoſe as the reaſon of his proceedings, &c. Let him ſay whether his intent in this paſſage were not to caſt an Odium upon the Proteſtants, as if they ſo taught: And except hee can produce any one man that hath ſo taught, and hath not ſtill aſſerted that the damnation of the damned ſhall be for their ſinnes, and the glorification of the glorified a free gift of God for the ſatisfaction which Chriſt hath made for them with reference to their being in Chriſt: Let him confeſs that he hath ſlandered them.
4. In the reſt that is contained in this Theſis we finde nothing but contradictions, his unſaying and gainſaying of what he had before ſaid. A little before, pag 294, 295. to deſtroy that interpretation of James which our Divines bring, that when he ſpeakes of juſtification by workes, hee meanes the declaring to men by works the truth of their Faith and Juſtification; the man is angry and cries out An uſurped Judgement and Juſtification, I affirme, The World is no lawfull Judge of our Righteouſneſſe before God; neither are they competent or capable Judges of our Righteouſneſſe or unrighteouſneſſe; neither are works a certaine Medium or evidence whereby the world can know us to be righteous, for the outward part an hypocrite may performe, and the inward part, Principles and ends of the worke they cannot diſcern. Why was it that hee was ſo hot there againſt the poſſibility of manifeſting to men the truth of our Righteouſneſs? It was againſt his Cauſe there to owne it. Here contrariwiſe, Juſtification in the laſt day muſt paſſe by workes to declare to the World not only the righteouſnes & obedience of the juſtified, but alſo the equity of the Juſtifier, and to ſtop every month from ſpeaking againſt either. And now the world is no longer an uſurping, but a lawfull Judge, not an inſufficient, but a competent and capable Judge, not onelyonly of mans righteouſneſs, but of Chriſts equity in judgement, and works are become a certaine Medium and evidence to manifeſt both to the world. How comes this ſudden change? he…r it tends to the promoting of his cauſe to affirme it. And this alters the Caſe quoth Ploydon. How rightly did Mr. Baxter deſcribe his owne acting in this buſineſſe, p. 291. I reſiſted (ſaith he) the Light of this Concluſion as long as I was able. It is the light of the Concluſion, not of the Premiſes that ſwayeth him. Firſt hee pitcheth upon this Concluſion, Works juſtifie, there was light in this Concluſion, it fell out of the Lant-horne of the Jeſuits ſophiſtry into his boſome, and by that light he is ſwayed, and having taken up the concluſion in ſuch light of its owne from them, now he digs downward for day, and takes up that which erewhile he ſhook off as darkneſs, for light to illuſtrate and prove it. So his light concluſion is firſt formed, and afterward he ſeeks for Crutches and reaſons what come firſt to hand to ſupport it, ſacrificing here more to haſt than to reaſon leſt his idol ſhould fall before he returnes with his props to ſuſtaine it. And what if upon new thoughts we ſhall finde all that is here ſaid all ſo, unſaid again? Let us paſse to his explication, peradventure we may ſtumble at ſuch a ſtone before we come off from it.
B. Explication.
Heere I have theſe things to prove: 1 that the Juſtifying ſentence ſhall paſſe according to works as well as Faith: 2. That the Reaſon is, becauſe they are parts of the condition.
For the firſt ſee Mat: 25. 21. 23. well done good a…d faithfull ſervant, thou haſt been faithfull over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord. And moſt plaine is that from the mouth of the judge himſelfe deſcribing the order of the proceſſe of that day Mat. 25. 34 35. Come ye bleſſed inherit the Kingdome &c: [for I was hungry &c. So 1 Pet 1. 17. who without reſpect of perſons judgeth according to every mans worke. So 2. Co 5. 10. we muſt all appeare before the judgement ſeat of Chriſt, that every one may receive the things done in his body, acording to that he ha…h done whether good or bad. So Rev. 20. 12. 13. They were judged every man according to his works, Heb. 13. 17. Phil 4 17. Mat. 12. 36 &c. but this is evident already.
The Scriptures that he brings to prove that the juſtifying ſentence ſhall paſſe according to workes, as well as Faith are firſt here put and therefore firſt to be examined. And againſt his reaſoning from them I except. 1. [as well as Faith] is here foyſted in being wanting in the poſition. And why heere ſupplyed but to beguile the ſimple with a good opinion of his aſſertion as if he attributed ſomething to Faith alſo in Chriſts and Pauls ſenſe. When contrariwiſe he teacheth that Faith hath nothing to doe in this buſineſſe, but in the notion of our Act, our righteouſneſſe or worke, ſo that with him to be juſtified by Faith is to be juſtified by our owne worke. 2. That there is no one of theſe Scriptures but is alledged by Bellarmin and his fellows againſt the Proteſtants, and by them fully anſwered & manifeſted to make nothing for juſtification or ſalvation by works, ſcripture after ſcripture, no one of them pretermitted. When Mr. Baxter now ſtands up in Bellarmins place againſt us, is it ſufficient for him to tel us what Bellarmin hath ſaid againſt the truth (as if we could not without him know it) and to leave unanſwered yea unmentioned the hundreds of our ſide that have retorted upon him his owne arguments to the ſubverting of his owne cauſe, that by theſe Scriptures he would have maintained? If he would have another anſwer; ought he not to have excepted againſt the validety of thoſe that have beene already given? Is he worthy to heare more from vsus that hath ſtopped his eares againſt all that ſo many worthies have ſaid already, ſcorning to take notice thereof? Nay when he will onelyonly alledge the Scriptures, and not take the labour to tel us what or how he will conclude from them he leaves us not in a capacity to declare ſo much as our conſent with him or diſſent from him. Yet for the uſe of the weaker ſort of readers that have not ability to make recourſe to thoſe learned workes where theſe controverſies are handled, or to underſtand them in that language in which moſt of them are written; I ſhal ſpeak ſomething in generall to all theſe Scriptures.
Firſt of that of Mat. 25. 21. 23. or rather taking the whole parable together, beginning at ver. 14. and ending at v. 30. granting it on both ſides to be the ſame Parable which Luke recordeth chap. 19. beginning at the 12. and ending at the 27. verſe, (which very few have queſtioned, no one hath had cauſe to deny) then it ſuits not at all with Mr. Baxters purpoſe, or his Judgement dayes juſtification. For the Kingdome of Heaven, and the Lords comming and reckoning with his Servants, and retribution of their ſervice is to be taken for Chriſts comming to preach firſt in his owne perſon, and then to ſet up and ſtabliſh the Goſpel by the Miniſtry of his Apoſtles. The ſervants to be reckoned with are principally the Teachers of the Iewes; the Talents uſed, or abuſed, are the myſteries of the Goſpel revealed, though veyled under the Law. The matter of the Account is what each by his ſerious ſtudies and labours had cleared up to himſelfe and others of this Goſpel and ſaving knowledge of Chriſt before his comming for the advancement and advantage of Chriſt at his comming. They which had ſpent their labours this way, received at Chriſts comming a double meaſure of the ſpirit of illumination in the knowledge of Chriſt and ſalvation by him, and were intruſted with a fu…ler meaſure of this ſacred Treaſure to bee the diſpencers thereof to the world. But hee which …ad wrapt his Talent in a N…pkin and hid it in the earth, left the Doctrine of Chriſt (ſcattered throughout the old Teſtament) under a veile as he found it, without ſearching into it, and clearing it up to others; was l…ft in the ſtate of infidelity, rejected, and bound over hand and foot by his unbeliefe to perdition. And his Citizens which ſent word after him, wee will not have this man to rule over us, we will have a Chriſt, ſuch a one as wee have framed to our ſelves in our owne immaginations, but not this Chriſt; have their doom not only denounced, but executed alſo upon them, bring them hither and ſl…y them before me. Who are theſe but the great Body and Nation of the Iewes, that profeſſed themſelves Citizens and the onelyonly Saints of God, but for their refuſall of Chriſt, were ſlaine and deſtroyed by the ſword of the Romans? And ſo the parable comprehends in it a Prophecy of the ſucceſſe of the Kingdome of Grace, now in the way of erecting in its power; as to the Iews: So ſaith Luke in that 19. Chapter, verſe 11. Hee added and ſpake a parable becauſe he was nigh to Jeruſalem, and becauſe they thought that the Kingdom of God ſhould immediatly appeare, by this Parable foretelling them that the Citizens, the Children of the Kingdom, the Iews for their rejection of Chriſt ſhould bee caſt out into utter darkneſſe, where is weeping and gnaſhing of teeth: i. e. into blindneſſe of minde and ſtubbornneſſe of heart, accompanied with all calamity and miſery, as we ſee them undergoing untill this day. This I acknowledge to be but my owne private opinion▪ yet ſuch as I could eaſily manifeſt from the Text it ſelfe (if occaſion were) to be very probable, if not certainely the minde of Chriſt. Yet let it ſtand or fall, ſub calculo melioris Indicii.
But if we are to underſtand all of Chriſts laſt Comming to judgement, it miniſters nothing to advantage Mr. Baxters Cauſe, but enough to ruinate it: For firſt the faithfull Servants that ſhall bee ſo richly rewarded, are ſuch as wrought with a free ſpirit, and the reward which they received was a free gift, they challenged it not in St. Conditions name, and Chriſt confers it freely as their munificent Lord. That hee mentions their ſervice argues not either dignity or deſert in their ſervice, but the riches of his grace that having juſtified their perſons, hee had in regard their ſervice alſo. The unprofitable ſervant caſt into utter darkneſſe, is Mr. Baxters legall man, ſerving with a mercenary and ſlaviſh ſpirit, expects nothing from Chriſt but in the way of juſtice, lookes upon him as upon an Auſtere man, a ſtrait Law-giver, and a rigorous exactor of the fulfilling of his Lawes; I knew thee that thou art an hard man reaping where thou haſt not ſowne, and gathering where thou haſt not ſtrawed, and I was afraid, (ſaith he) and ſo did nothing becauſe of his feare of ſo ſtrict a Lord, at leaſt nothing to purpoſe, nothing to the advancing of the Kingdome of Chriſt in righteouſneſſe, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghoſt within himſelfe or others.
The ſecond Scripture, Mat. 25. 34. 35. is moſt plain (ſayth Mr. Baxter) in which the mouth of the Judge himſelfe deſcribeth the order of the proceſſe of that day; Come ye bleſſed inherit &c. For I was hungry &c. The Judges mouth deſcribes, but why doth Mr. Baxters mouth refuſe to ſpeak out the deſcription which the Judge maketh of the proceſſe of that day? If hee began at ver. 31. when Chriſt is ſet in his throne to call all Nations before him, to judgement, he declares the maner of the proceſſe, 1. by ſeparating the ſheep from the goats, 2. by ſetting the ſheep at his right hand. What the ſheep were himſelf declares, Jo. 10. ſuch as hear his voice, his Goſpel voice and are Goſpellized and ſpirituallized by it. What hee means by his right hand, the Apoſtle declares, 1. Theſſ 4 16 17. The dead in Chriſt ſhall riſe firſt, and ſhall bee caught up in the clouds to meet with the Lord in the ayre: What to do? not only to be with the Lord, but alſo, as the ſame Apoſtle ſayth, to ſit with him in judgement▪ and to judge the world, 1. Co. 6. 2. This is the right hand of Chriſt, to which the ſaints perhaps ſhall bee advanced, even before the dead out of Chriſt ſhall be rayſed. To this at laſt is annexed what Mr. Br. alleadgeth, Come yee bleſſed of my Father, inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world Who ſeeth not heer the grounds of their glorification to bee, that they were Chriſts ſheep? the heirs of God, and his elect veſſels? That they are to be convened before Chriſt, not as priſoners to bee judged, but to bee owned as his juſtified ones, and to receive the glorious fruits of their juſtification and adoption, a Kingdome by inheritance; yea to ſit as partners and Commiſſioners with Chriſt in judging the world? what the Lord Ieſus addeth, for I was hungry &c and yee thus and thus miniſtred unto me; will Mr. Baxter becauſe of the word for, conclude theſe offices to be the cauſe of their juſtification? then let him alſo conclude, that the cauſe of Gods ſhewing mercy to Paul was his ignorance and unbeliefe. This will as well follow from thoſe words of Paul, 1 Tim. 1. 13. I obtained mercy, becauſe I did it ignorantly in unbeliefe. To his condition the proper place is to ſpeak afterward.
So the 1 Pet. 1. 17. who without reſpect of Perſons judgeth according to every mans work, holds forth thus much to us, that God cannot be deluded or corrupted, as oft times earthly Iudges are, either to pervert juſtice for favour or carnall ends, or to take appearances for ſubſtance, but jugeth all both perſons and actions according to what they are, not what they ſeem.
In like mnner, 2 Cor. 5. 10. the Apoſtle appeales (as may appeare by the 11. and 12. verſes compared with this) from the ſtanders and cenſures of the falſe Apoſtles to the judgment Seat of God. They had (it ſeems) queſtioned among the Corinthians, the ſincerity of both the Apoſtle and his Miniſtry: Hee refers all to Chriſt the Iudge. Before him wee muſt all appeare (ſaith he) and hee will reveale who are the ſincere, and which the hypocriticall Profeſſors and Preachers of Chriſt, they or I to take vengeance of the one, and to owne the other.
He maimeth that teſtimony of Rev. 20. 12, 13. that the force therof may not be underſtood by his Reader. Let him ſupply what he hath cut off, the Book of life by which they which are in Chriſt are to be judged, which is there mentioned aſwel as the other books by which the world is to be judged, and then the judgments which the Saints are to paſs through wil appear to be a judgment of Grace, not of ſtrict juſtice; & to conſiſt in their admiſſion to the Kingdom after the tenour of Grace, not of Workes. The other three Scriptures he ſeeth to have ſo little even of ſhew in them for his uſe, that he deigns not the labour to alleage the words; and let him not expect that I ſhould ſtil do it for him.
Thus far we grant that the ſentence of Iudgement (though not the juſtifying ſentence) ſhall paſſe in the laſt day according to works. 1. The whole world that hath not heard of Chriſt, much leſs beleeved on him, ſhall be judged according to their works, to life or death, according as their works have been perfect or unperfect: yea to a meaſure of vengeance anſwering to the meaſure of their ſinnes, ſome to many, ſome to fewer ſtripes.
2. The whole bulk of profeſſed Chriſtians alſo ſhall [in this reſpect] be judged according to their works: viz. that as their profeſſions of and actings in Chriſt, were eyther in truth or in hypocriſie, meerly formall, or elſe Vitall and reall, ſo ſhall they be either exempted from, or adjudged unto vengeance. And ſo the ſecrets of all hearts ſhall bee then diſcloſed, the Sheep and Goats, Saints and Hypocrites ſhall then bee fully ſeperated one from the other, which untill that time ſhall never be wholly done, nor bee known to all whoſe works were vitall, and whoſe dead works.
3. That the very Saints as compared one with another, ſhall be judged according to their works, i. e. ſhall be adjudged to glory in ſeverall meaſures above, according to the ſeverall meaſures of their ſervices and ſufferings heere, is the opinion of many, eminent for learning and godlineſs; neither doe their Reaſons yet wholly ſway me who diſſent from them, and will have neither right hand nor left hand, nor ſun, nor ſtars, nor great, nor ſmall, but all equall in one degree of glory. It is no proper place heer to diſpute it, but I ſee no reaſon to conclude that hee which diſtributeth his gifts of grace heer in different meaſures, may not ſo alſo there diſtribute the degrees of glory. Seeing both are by the purchaſe of his death, and whether by the former he puts us in a greater or leſſer capableneſs of the later, is in queſtion.
But in any other ſenſe, how (as he ſayth) the ſentence of juſtification ſhall paſſe according to works, and that as hee infers from 2. Co. 5. 10. according to works, whether good or evill, I cannot conjecture. 1. Not according to works as they are a condition, (which is the next thing hee undertakes to prove) for evill works cannot be the condition of our juſtification, either negatively that if we have done evill, we neyther are nor ſhalbe juſtified; then all muſt bee damned: nor poſitively, that whoſoever hath done evill, ſhall be juſtified; then all ſhall be ſaved. Nor 2. ſhall it paſſe ſo as that according to our good works we ſhall be juſtified, and according to our evill works we ſhall be condemned; then every man, at leaſt every true Chriſtian, ſhould be both ſaved and damned. 3 Nor that we ſhalbe much juſtified if we have all good works, & little juſtified if we have done ſome evil works alſo, for that is the laſt judgment, where every man ſhall have a full diſcharge or no diſcharge. I muſt leave this as one of Mr. Baxters Myſteries, it muſt die with him (as to my underſtanding,) unleſs hee vouchſafe his interpretation.
As for the thing it ſelfe, I utterly deny that they which are in Chriſt ſhall be ſo judged or juſtified according to their works as other men, that they ſhall ſtand as priſoners with the world at the bar of Chriſt, to bee judged for life and death as the other, according to their works. What that the Lord Chriſt ſhould then diſcover the nakedneſs, and lay open in the ſight of men and divels all the ſin and ſhame of his beloved members? That he ſhould caſt in their faces all the filth of all their originall and actuall pollution even when they are upon the threſhold of heaven? Let it be Mr. Baxters doctrine, my eares are abhorrent from the ſound thereof. It is againſt the ſtream of Goſpel doctrine, which tells us that Chriſt hath born their ſin and curſ, and done their law, therfore they are not to be called to ſuch a reckoning. That their iniquities are forgiven and ſins covered, Ro. 4. 7. That the Lord will no more remember them Heb. 10. 17. That they are not under the Law, but under Grace, Ro. 6. 14. Therfore exempted from the accuſations of the Law at the Bar of Juſtice, where the world is to be tried, and to receive no other judgement, but what flowes from the throne of grace. That there is no condemnation to them; that the law of the ſpirit of life which is in Chriſt Jeſus hath freed them from the law of …in and death, Ro. 8. 1. 2. So that the Law hath no m…re power of judgmēt over thē, than the lawes of our Land to try an Angel of Heaven for life and death. That none can lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect, becauſe God juſtifieth them, and who is hee that is the judge and condemner? even Chriſt which is their Saviour, Ro. 8. 33. 34. That they are the ſheep that ſhalbe firſt ſeparated and ſet at the right hand of Chriſt, before he enters upon the judging of the world, and ſo freed from judgement by the mercy of God in ſeparating them, as Auguſtine well obſerveth.Aug. de Conſenſ. Evang. lib. 2. cap. 30. That they ſhall not come into condemnation, but are paſſed from death to life, Jo. 5. 24. That what to the world is the day of judgement, to theſe is the day of Redemption, Lu. 21. 28. They ſhall not come into judgement to anſwer for any one of their ſins, as is well obſerved by Reverend Mr. Fox, the author of that which we call theDe Chriſto gratis Juſtif. p. 336. Book of Martyrs, for (ſaith he) Sublatâ offensâ, tollitur ſimul Judicii obligatio. i. e. The ſin being taken away [viz. by the Lamb of God, as appears Io. 1. 29.] all obligation of judgement is taken away with it.
As for the works and righteouſneſs, which theſe Scriptures declare ſhalbe mentioned to beleevers in that their Jubilizing day, this ſpeaks out the infinit freeneſs and riches of Gods grace in covering their nakedneſs. and ſetting forth only the beauty and ornaments which he hath put upon them: but in no wiſe any ſufficient ground or reaſon upon which they might expect ſo great a ſalvation. Suppoſe a noble and indulgent Father hath a prodigall and rebellious ſon, that for many yeers hath grieved the ſpirit of his Father with his impure cariage, and exorbitant outrages, to whom notwithſtanding his Fathers heart is no leſs indeared than was Davids to Abſolom, therfore never hath a thought of diſinheriting him, but reſerves his whole heritage, together with a boundles treaſ…re entire for him; in the mean while wooing and even melting him with loving kindneſs into love and duty … at length the ſon repenteth, becomes aſhamed of his baſe carriage toward ſo good a Father, returns to him, waits on him, miniſtreth to him in his weakneſs and ſickneſs: and his Father by his laſt Will and Teſtament gives him all, naming him therin his good and beloved ſon that hath done him great ſervice, miniſtred to him much comfort in the time of his neceſſity. Will any hence gather, that the attendance of ſuch a ſon on ſuch a Father at laſt, is a ſufficient ground and reaſon for the Fathers ſetling on him ſo vaſt an eſtate? Could not the Father have hired a ſtranger for a few Crowns to have done him as much ſervice? Doth not the mentioning of the ſons good deeds which he would ſeem to reward with ſo rich munificence, ſpeak out only the remarkable goodneſs of the Father, that hath buried in oblivion all the diſobedience and miſchiefs which his ſon hath committed, and will have his good parts alone to be mentioned? or if another that was not his ſon had done a thouſand times more in his ſervice ſhould he have been entitled for it to the inheritance? So alſo in this caſe to attribute to the works of beleevers the reaſon or ground of their glorification becauſe the Grace of Chriſt mentioneth them, is to lay the honour of Chriſts Grace in the duſt. They that ſhall be glorified, even when Chriſt of his infinite Grace extolleth their ſervice done to him, ſhall depreſſe themſelves, that the entire prayſe may bee his: Lord when did wee thus and thus miniſter to thee? what ever did we of any worth that thou ſhouldeſt owne it as a ſervice to thee? what thou imputeſt is no otherwiſe our obſervance but in thy acceptance.
It is therefore denyed that the juſtifying ſentence (as Mr Baxter termes it) ſhall paſse in the laſt day either for or according to works, otherwiſe than hath beene before granted. And if wee ſhall not at laſt be glorified according to and for our workes, but that Mr. Brs. proofes in this particular faile; Then is his labour loſt in going about to prove the ſecond particular that the reaſon hereof is becauſe they are parts of the condition. It muſt firſt appear that it is, before wee trouble our ſelves to know in what reſpect it is ſo. So that we will not contend about the ſecond particular with him, to deny what he concludeth, that workes concurre in the ſame concauſality with Faith to our glorification, 1. Not to evidence the truth of our Faith, nor ſecondly as the righteouſneſſs which the Law requireth, not thirdly as a meer ſigne by which God doth diſcern our Faith, nor fourthly as a mere ſign to ſatisfie the juſtified perſon himſelfe, nor fiftly to ſatisfie the condemned world of the ſincerity of our Faith. All this we grant, and further adde in the ſixt place nor as a condition (in Mr Baxters) ſenſe of our glorification. And becauſe none of theſe or other wayes, therefore not at all.
The Scriptures which he brings pa. 322. n. 5. that ſeeme to hold forth the promiſe of glorification for our workes, are of the ſame nature with thoſe examined in the former Chapter alleaged by him and all (as thoſe) gathered by the Papiſts to his hand, and either do conclude no more than what a little before we have in this Chapter granted, or pertaine to ſome of thoſe ends of ſuch promiſes of life which God maketh to our obedience, ſpecified in the former chap. I ſhall therefore here pretermit to ſpeak to them, becauſe Mr Baxter alleageth them to another end here, viz to prove that the mention of theſe works to judgement is more than to ſignifie their ſincerity to the condemned world, as in the end of that Section he expreſſeth himſelfe. And this we deny not. So that it were impertinent to examine the premiſes where the concluſion is granted.