Christ Crucified, Sermon 57
SERMON LVII.
ISAIAH LIII.XI.
Verſ. 11. — By his knowledge ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many; For he ſhall bear their iniquities.
IF any thing ſhould be ſtudied with diligence ſure this ſhould be, even to be clear how we may come to be at peace with God; how we may be Abſolved and Juſtified, when we come to reckon before Him; It is no curioſity, ſingly and diligently to make inquity here; although the unfaithfulneſs, and pride of ſome unhappy men, have made the ſtudy of it unpleaſant by corrupting, and making crooked Gods plain, and ſtraight way of making of our peace with Him, and of our being Juſtified before Him.
We entered to ſpeak of the great mids, or mean by which this Righteouſneſſe, that Juſtifies a Sinner before God is derived, or, by which we come to have a Title to, and an intereſt in it: And as we have great need to be clear in that Righteouſneſs, which will be a relevant defence before the Tribunal of God's Juſtice, that we propoſe not one that wi…l be caſten, and rejected; So we have as great need to be clear in the way, how that Righteouſneſſe may be made ours, ſeing many are, and will be condemned, notwithſtanding of Chriſts Righteouſneſſe, becauſe there is no application of it made by them to themſelves.
We ſhew you that by Knowledge here is meaned Faith, as the Scriptures in the New Teſtament (which hold out Juſtification to be by Faith) make clear: It being evident, that no meerly ſpeculative Knowledge can intitle to this Juſtification; yet it's called Knowledge. 1. Becauſe Faith neceſſarily preſuppoſes Knowledge; If i… be not a part of it, yet certainly it's a neceſſary antecedent of it. 2. Becauſe, though there be not an evidence to reaſon in all the things which we believe; yet there is a certainty; and Faith gets this Name, becauſe it makes men certain of theſe things which it takes up, as if it were a Science or Knowledge. 3. To diſtinguiſh it from all other ſorts of Knowledge, and to bound and include it, moſtly, at leaſt within this Object, Christ, to ſpeak ſo; Therefore it's ſaid, by his knowledge, or as the Word is better rendered, by the knowledge of him ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many; Which ſhews, that it's not Knowledge taken largely, that he means of, but Knowledge with reſpect to Chriſt, the great Object of it; as it is, 1 Cor. 2.2. I determined to know nothing among you, but Jeſus Chriſt, and him crucified: And ſaith, Paul, Philip. 3.8. I count all things to be but loſſe, for the excellency of the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt my Lord. Ye will aſk men, how doth Knowledge and Faith differ, ſeeing, wherever there is Faith, there is Knowledge, though not contrary wayes, wherever there is Knowledge there is Fai…h? We ſhall not ſtand upon this; but ſhortly we conceive, that Knowledge diſcovers the Object, and Faith takes hold of the Object and reſts upon it; Knowl…dge is the Eye of the New Creature, diſcovering ſuch a thing; and Faith is the ha…d that catcheth hold of, and grips that thing that is diſcovered; Or thus, Knowledge is like to the Head, that takes up ſ…ch a thing in a Notion, and Faith is as the Heart that cloſes with it; Therefore, Rom. 10. It's ſaid, With the heart man believes unto righteouſneſſe, and with the mouth confeſſion is made unto Salvation: I know many take Knowledge for Faith, which at the beſt, is but Hiſtorical Faith; and it's as if a Man who is a drowning, ſhould ſee another caſting in a Rop to him; and he ſees, and knows ſuch a thing, but takes no hold of it, and therefore periſhes; or, as a Sea-mans diſcovering good ground, to caſt Anchor on, but not caſting forth his Anchor thereon, is expoſed to the violence of the Storm, and ſo ſhipwracked; Knowledge diſcovers the ground, but Faith caſts the Anchor on it: It's much to get you brought up to know, but much more to get you brought to know the difference that is betwixt Faith and Knowledge; Hence it is, that many ſay, that they believed ever ſince they knew good by ill; becauſe they never looked on Faith but as the knowing, profeſſing, and declaring ſuch a thing to be true; But it's one thing to know a Phyſician, and another thing to imploy him, and to make uſe of his Phyſick.
We ſpake of this general Doctrine, that Knowledge is a neceſſary thing, as being preſuppoſed to Faith, and particularly the Knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt; Therefore it's called, The knowledge of him; Becauſe it's Chriſt Jeſus which is the Object of F…ith; Therefore our ſtudy of Knowledge would eſpecially be with reference to Him: There are Two ſorts of Perſons, who are not utterly ignorant, and yet are defective here. 1. There are ſome that love and ſtudy to be Schollars, but Chriſt is not the Object of their Knowledge; it's not the Knowledge ſpoken of here, to be well ſkilled in Philoſophy, in Tongues, in Mathimaticks, &c. Which we diſcommend not; nor is it to be able, ſpeculatively to diſput and diſcourſe of Divinity, but it's the Knowledge of Chriſt's Righteouſneſſe; and to ſtudy experimentally, and practically to make uſe of it, and to be cloathed with it; as one ſayes well; If we know him we know all, and if we know not him though we know all, we know nothing; Therefore, though Paul was a very learned man, and a great Schollar, yet ſayes he, 1 Cor. 2.2. I determined to know nothing among you, but Chriſt Jeſus and him crucified. A 2d. Sort, are ſuch as want not affection to Truth; nor love to Piety, yet to them the ſtudying of this Doctrine, that concerns Chriſt, and His Off…ces, is ſomewhat taſteleſſe, and weariſome; they would be at hearing of Duties, Caſes and Queſtions ſpoken of; though we may, in ſome reſpects ſay, that none of theſe are Objects of Faith, properly, at feaſt as it is Juſtifying; but means and midſes to guide you to make uſe of, and to carry ſuitably to the previledges, that are in the Covenant; Hence many have good affection, that are very ſhallow in their Knowledge of Chriſt, and think but little of Preaching, and Books that hold out the Doctrine concerning Chriſt, becauſe they come not in ſo cloſſe to practical Things, and Caſes, whereas, If they were better ſettled in the knowledge of Chriſt, it would anſwer all their Caſes, and louſe all their Queſtions and Doubts, let therefore theſe be well looked to, and this by no means be nauſeated or ſlighted; Though Knowledge of the Truths of God be neceſſary; yet it's eſpecially the Knowledge of Chriſt that is neceſſary.
There is another thing ſuppoſed here, that ſerves to clear the Doctrine of Juſtification, which we ſhall Obſerve, ere we ſpeak of Faith it ſelf particularly, becauſe it's antecedent to it, and it's this, That the Goſpel is a neceſſary external mean, for promoving of our Juſtification; for Faith, as we have ſhewed, preſuppoſes Knowledge, and Knowledge preſuppoſes the Revelation of Gods mind in the Goſpel; and If Knowledge be neceſſary to Faith; then the Goſpel muſt be neceſſary; For it's ſaid, Rom. 11.17. That by it the righteouſneſs of God is revealed from faith to faith; There is great need to obſerve all the ſteps of this Doctrine well, and this among the reſt; The Goſpel is not a thing …hat bred in natures breaſt; or a thing that man by nature hath the Knowledge of; Nay, it's foollſhneſſe to the wiſe Men of the World, as we may ſee, 1 Cor. 1. we, (ſayes the Apoſtle) Preach Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks fooliſhneſſe; Faith comes by hearing, as it is Rom. 10.17. and hearing by the word of God; and in the ſame Chap. v. 14, 15. How ſhall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how ſhall they hear without a preacher? and how ſhall they preach except they be ſent? Where the Apoſtle clearly, and convincingly in…rt the neceſſity of a lawfully called Miniſtry for preaching of the Goſpel, and for carrying on the Work of Juſtifying and S…ving Faith: The reaſon is, becauſe, if their be a neceſſity of Faith, and if no Faith can …e without Knowledge, then there muſt neceſſarily be ſomething to reveal it; I ſpe…k here of the ordinary way of Gods revealling Himſelf; what He may do …xtraordinarly towards Dumb and Deaff Perſons, to Idiots and Young Children, I midle not with that, but leave it to Himſelf as a Secret, which He thinketh not fit to impart to u: I call the Goſpel the external mean of promoving our Juſt…fication, in Four reſpects. 1. Becauſe it layes before us the Object of our Faith, for in it, (as it is, Rom. 1.17.) is the righteouſneſs of God revealled, &c. and, Rom. 11.21, 22. it's ſaid, Now the righteouſneſſe of God without the law is manifeſted, &c. We would never know the way how a Sinner comes to be at peace with God, and to be Juſtified without the Goſpel. 2. Becauſe, it not only reveals the Object of Faith, but it makes offer of it; and hereby a Sinner that hears the Goſpel, hath warrand to imbrace and make uſe of Jeſus Chriſt's Righteouſneſſe, and to reſt upon it; and therefore, if tentation ſhould ſay to the Sinner, though Chriſt dyed, what is that for thee; Faith hath this to reply; The Goſpel calls me, and that warrands me to come to Him, and to make uſe of His Death; the Promiſe, as it is, Act. 2. Is to as many as the Lord our God ſhall call; And in this reſpect, the Promiſe is our Right and Evident, whereby we come to have a claim to Chriſt. 3. Becauſe God makes uſe of the Word preached, for ingaging of Sinners to Chriſt, and for making them to take hold of Him; It's true, that it is not powerful of it ſelf, and without the Spirit; yet it's the ordinary mean that God maketh uſe of, Therefore, ſayeth the Apoſtle; 2 Cor. 10.4. The weapons of our warefare are not carnal; though they be weak in themſelves, yet they are mighty through God, to the pulling down of ſtrong holds: And in this reſpect, the Goſpel not only offers Life, but through Gods bleſſing, as a mean begets Life; and by the Spirit accompanying it, Sinners are ingaged to take hold of Chriſt, and to reſt on Him for Salvation. 4ly Becauſe this Word being taken hold of, and cloſed with, contains the pronuncing of the Sinners Abſolvitor, of His abſolving Sentence, when it ſayes, If thou believest, thou ſhalt be juſtified and ſaved; upon ſuppoſition of believing, the Sentence ſtands good to the Believer, Thou art paſt from death to Life; There being no condemnation to them who are in Chriſt Jeſus.
The 1. Uſe Serves to clear that which we hinted at before; in naming this for a cauſe of Juſtification; though it be the external inſtrumental cauſe, yet it is a Cauſe.
The 2. Uſe Serves to teach you to put a Pryce on the Goſpel; It's the bane both of prophane ſecure Sinners, and of a ſort of vain and giddy People among us, that they prize not the Preaching of the Goſpel, as the external inſtrumental Cauſe, that concurres in the Juſtification of Sinners; but if ever ye be abſolved, ye will be beholden to this preached Goſpel; I will not ſay alwayes to the Preaching, but ſure to the Goſpel that is Preached: This on the one hand reproves theſe who will be ready to ſay, that they have Faith, who yet never knew the Goſpel to do them good; and ſuch alſo who ſeldom come to hear, and who never care for preaching; And upon the other hand, it reproves theſe, who, when they fall a Tottering, Reeling, and wavering, and begine to incline to error; caſt at the preaching of the Goſpel, having, it may be ſlighted it before in their hearts; whether, when Satan once gets them, he toſſes them in a great meaſure, as he pleaſes, and makes them ſo giddy, by frequent turning about, that they ſcarcely leave to themſelves a foot-broad of Scripture-ground to ſtand upon: But as ye reſpect the glory of Chriſt, the good of your Souls, and your abſolution before God, eſteem much of the Goſpel; For it's the power of God to ſalvation; And if ever ye ye come to Heaven, it will be by this Goſpel, as the external mean: Theſe Nations that never heard it will think you to be moſt deſperatly wicked, and miſerable, who have had it, and yet ſo unworthily ſlighted it.
For preſſing of this Uſe a little, Take Two or Three Directions in reference to it. 1. Walk under the Convictions of the neceſſity of the Goſpel; For there is no abſolution without it; It is true, God might have taken another way, but on the ſuppoſition, that He hath appointed Faith to be a mids to Juſtification, and that Faith ſuppoſes Knowledge, then certainly Knowledge doth ſuppoſe a neceſſity of hearing the Goſpel; ye will never value Preaching, nor any other Ordinances of Chriſt, if ye ſee not a neceſſity of them, and know them not to be for your good. 2. Study to know what is the main End and Deſign of, and what is the advantage that is to be had by the Ordinances; many come to the Preaching of the Goſpel, to hear and learn ſome Leſſon, for informing their Judgement, ſome come to get Directions, in ref…rence to ſome particular Dutie, ſome to get a doubt looſed, none of which are to be diſſallowed in themſelves▪ but rather in ſo far to be commended, but how few come to it, as to a mean to carry on, and bring about their Juſtification; and to bring them out of Black N…ture into a State of Grace? It's the ſum of Pauls Preaching, and the end of it, as the Divine Hiſtorian ſhews, Act. 26.18. To open blind eyes, to turn them from darkneſs to light, and from the power of ſatan unto God, that they may receive forgiveneſſe of ſins, and an inheritance among them that are ſanctified by faith that is in him. 3. Aim in your practice to carry on this Deſign, even to put a cloſe to the Treaty anent Juſtification betwixt God and you; when ye come to the Preaching, and hears us declare in the name of the Lord, that a believing Sinner hath acceſſe to have his Sin taken away, and to be Juſtified through the imputation of Chriſts Righteouſneſſe; ye would ſtep to, hearing this Proclamation made of the pardon of Sin▪ by one of Chriſts Ambaſſadors in His Name, and accept of, embrace, and cordially cloſe with it, if it were juſt now, at this very occaſion. 4. This would be the great deſign, both of Preachers and Hearers; Of Preachers to follow that way of Preaching moſt, that layes open the miſtery of Faith in Chriſt; and of Hearers to love that way of Preaching beſt; not ſo much that which fills the head with Notions, as that which ſerves to help to cloſe a Bargain betwixt God and you; This was Pauls great deſign in Preaching, as we ſee, 1 Cor. 2.2. and 1 Cor. 1.23.24. He no doubt ta…ght other things; but he compended all in this, or levelled all at this, as the ſcope, and this was his main Deſign in his Preaching and Preſſing of other things.
The 3d. Uſe Serves, To make a ſad diſcovery of many of you; is this Goſpel the external mean of Juſtification; Then ſee if ye ever knew any benefit ye got by it; ye will belike ſay; that ye are in friendſhip with God? but, how, I pray you, came ye by it? There is little ch…nge, to the better in your Knowledge, and as little odds in your Practice, ye are as much given to Covetouſneſſe, Tipling Lying, Swearing, Pride, Vanity, &c. as ev…r; and are theſe, think ye, the Fruits of Juſtification? do ye think that to be Juſtification, which is neither from the Word, nor conform to it? If God would commend this to your hearts, I think it might alarm you to more ſerious thoughts of your Condition; I put it to your Conſcience, if ye can conceive any difference betwixt you, and theſe that never heard the Goſpel? ye are baptized, and hear preachings. &c. But, alace, it's none of theſe that Juſtifies; they are only uſeful as they lead you forward to the uſe making of Jeſus Chriſt: Again, let me aſk you, what effect hath Preaching upon you? H…th it convinced you of Sin? …o, how then can it convince y…u of Righteouſneſſe? Therefore, if ye would make ſure Juſtification indeed, try it by the Word. 1. What was it that put you to ſeek after, Righteouſneſſe, and Juſtification? was ye ever convinced of the need of it? and if ye have been convinced; was it by Preaching of the Word? 2. If ye have been convinced of your Sin and miſery; where ſought ye for a remedy? was ye led in through the Word, to ſeek a Plaiſter to heal that wound of Conviction? 3. What was it that warranted you to take hold of that Word, or that gave you right to it? I know that ye will ſay, that it was Chriſt holden out in the Word, that ye did betake your ſelves to; but what weight laid ye on Gods call in the Goſpel warranding you to lay hold on the Promiſe of Righteouſneſſe, and Pardon of Sin through Chriſt? I know there are many, who, though there had not been a call from God, would have confidently ſtepped forward to the Promiſe; but were ye ever like to Peters hearers, pricked in your hearts, and made to ſay, men and brethren what ſhall we do? Or, being ſome way pricked, was it Gods call holding out, the Promiſe to be to you, and your children, and to as many as our God ſhall call, that brought you to reſt on the Promiſe? God hath deſigned preaching for this end; and ye would try, if ever ye was put to it, to look to Gods call, that g…ve you warrand to believe; for there is nothing more certain then this; that wherever Faith is ſicker and well built, it's grounded on Gods call, and doth take His Fai…hfulneſſe for it's Back-bond (to ſay ſo) and warrand.
More particularly, we come to ſpeake of this Word, as it reſpects the inward mean, or the inward inſtrumental cauſe, of Juſtification, which is Faith; for there is this order and method. 1. The Sinner is convinced, and made ſenſible of Sin, and brought to reckon for it, in his own Conſcience, before God. 2. There is Chriſts being holden forth interpoſing himſelf to take on Sinners Debt, and ſatisfy…ng the Ju …ice of God for it, which is the meritorious Cauſe. 3dly. There is Gods Offer in the Goſpel, holding our Chriſts Righteouſneſſe to loſt Sinners, and calling them to make uſe of it. 4ly. Upon this, there is Faith's receiving of the Offer, and reſting upon Chriſt, and His Righteouſneſſe for Life; which (to ſpeak ſo) is the inward inſtrumental Cauſe taking hold of the external, and as I ſaid of Chriſt in it. 5. And laſty follows Gods imputing the Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt to the Sinner, and abſolving him, by vertue of that Righteouſneſſe from the guilt of his Sin, as if he had never Sinned.
In ſpeaking of this inward inſtrumental Cauſe, Five things would be cleared, which we ſuppoſe are implyed in the Words. 1. The neceſſity of Faith, holden out, as the Mean, by which Juſtification is come by. 2. The immediat Object of Juſtifying Faith, and that is Chriſts Sufferings, or Jeſus Chriſt, as Suffering, Travelling in Soul, and paying our Debt. 3. The Act of this Faith, on this Object; which is not a bare ſpeculative Knowledge, or a meer Hiſtorical Faith, but ſomething that really Acts on Chriſt with reſpect to His Sufferings. 4. The effect of this Faith taking hold on Chriſt, and His Sufferings, and that is Juſtification, which is not the making a Sinner to be Juſt, by inherent Righteouſneſſe, but the Actual abſolving of him from the Guilt of Sin, and from God's Curſe, the changing of his State, and the bringing him from under the Curſe, into good terms with God. 5. The manner how Faith concurres in proceeding, or bringing about this effect; wherein we have this general; That Faith hath a peculiar influence in the Juſtification of a Sinner, that no good work, nor any other Grace hath; There is none of all theſe things but it is in this miſerably declined generation (wherein the Devil ſets himſelf mightily to obſcure Tru…h, as the Lord by the Goſpel doth clear it) contraverted, I ſhall only endeavour to clear the poſitive part, and let you ſee what is Truth in theſe things, whereby ye may be brought to diſcover, and abhore the errors that are contrare thereto.
The 1. Doctrine than is this; That before a man can be Juſtified, and Abſolved from the Curſe of God due to him for Sin, there is a neceſſity of Faith in our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; This is clear from the Words, and from what hath been ſaid in the opening of them up; If it be by his knowledge, or the knowledge of him, that many are juſtified, then it cannot be that they are Juſtified before they come to the Knowledge of Him, or from Eternity; only in paſſing, take two or three words of Advertiſement, and then we ſhall confirm the Doctrine. 1. When we ſpeak of Juſtification, it's in reſpect of our being abſolved, and fred not from the pollution of Sin, but from the guilt of it, as it makes us obnoxious to the Curſe, the clearing of the effect will clear this more. 2. When we ſpeak of Faith, it's not to be underſtood as it were a Declaration, or Manifeſtation of our Juſtification; Or, it is not to be underſtood of Faith, in the hight of full aſſurance, and as it is a plezophory; but of Faith, as it is a laying hold upon Chriſt. 3. When we ſpeak of the neceſſity of Faith, in order to Juſtification, we mean not, as if there were ſuch an abſolute neceſſity of it, in it ſelf, that God could not do otherwayes, or Juſtifie without it; but we mean a neceſſity, in reſpect of the order which God hath laid down, and held forth in the Goſpel, which is by the Knowledge of His Son to Juſtifie many; And from theſe conſiderations many Arguments of our Adverſaries are made very little regardable, yea utterly void.
For Confirmation of the Doctrine then, 1. Conſider theſe Scriptures that expreſly limit, confine and bound Juſtification, and pardon of Sin to the Perſon that doth believe; So, Rom. 1.17. The righteouſneſs of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, the juſt ſhall live by faith. Rom. 3.24, 25. Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Chriſt Jeſus, whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, &c. Col. 3.22. God hath concluded all under ſin, that the promiſe by faith of Jeſus Christ might be given to them that believe. Act. 13.38.39. Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveneſs of ſins, and by him, all that believe are juſtified from all things, from which they could not be juſtified by the law of Moſes: Conſult the Scriptures, and we will find, that Paul clears both theſe Queſtions. 1. who are Juſtified? All that believe. 2. When are they Juſtified? When they believe. 2ly Conſider theſe Scriptures, that place all men before believing, into a ſtate of Wrath, and they will furniſh a ſecond ground for this, as John 3.18. He that believeth on him, is not condemned: but he that believeth not, is condemned already, He lyes under the Covenant of Works, and is condemned, as conſidered in himſelf, though God may have a purpoſe to make a change of his ſtate; So, Epheſ. 2.1, 2, 3. You hath he quickned, who were dead in treſpaſses and ſins, wherein, in time paſt ye walked, and were children of wrath even as others, &c. and v. 12, 13. We were ſometimes without Chriſt, being alians from the common wealth of Iſrael, and ſtrangers from the Covenant of promiſe, without hope, and without God in the world; but now in Chriſt Jeſus, ye who ſometimes were far of, are made near by the blood of Christ; and v. 8. By grace are ye ſaved, through faith, and that not of your ſelves, it is the gift of God, not of works, leaſt any man ſhould boaſt, it's Faith that gives the Title, which we had not before. 3. Conſider, That the Scriptures do expreſly make believing to preceed Juſtification; and make Juſtification to be an effect, or rather a conſequent of Faith, to which Faith neceſſarly concurrs; as all theſe places, which ſay, that we are Juſtified by Faith in Chriſt, do clear, as Rom. 5.1. Being juſtified by Faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; which place looks on Faiths concurring in Juſtification, with a kind of cauſality, Rom. 3.22.25. The righteouſneſs of God, which is by faith of Jeſus Chriſt unto all, and upon all them that believe, &c. Epheſ. 2.8. By grace are ye ſaved, through faith; See more fully to this purpoſe, Gal. 2.16. where the Apoſtle deſignedly as it were, ſets himſelf to confirm this Truth; For ſpeaking of the way, how Sinners come to be Juſtified, and as it were entring in the Debate, he ſays; Knowing that a man is not juſtified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jeſus Chriſt, even as we have believed in Jeſus Chriſt that we might be justified by the faith of Christ; In which place we have three things conſiderable, to make out the point. 1. He compares the concurring of Faith, to Juſtification, in the Covenant of Grac…, to the concurring of Works to Juſtification, or to the obtaining of Life, in the Covenant of Works; as Works did Juſtifie, in the Covenant of Works, ſo does Faith in the Covenant of Grace; Now certainly the performing of Works, in the Covenant of Works, behoved to go before Juſtification that way, therefore the want of Works made Adam to come ſhort of Juſtification by Works. 2. He looks on Faith, and ſpeaks of it, as concurring to Juſtification, with a reſpect to Chriſt, and never looks on it in this matter, as a Grace conſidered in, and by it ſelf; but as acting on Chriſt in a peculiar manner. 3. In expreſſe words, he ſayes, We have believed in Christ Jeſus that we might be juſtified; which clearly implyes, that they could not be Juſtified before they believed, and we may well, and eaſily gather, that the Juſtification here meant, is that which is real and actual, and not the declaring of a man to be Juſtified to Himſelf; elſe Works might declare a man to be Juſtified to himſelf, as well as Faith; But he contradiſtinguiſhes Faith and Works here, and oppoſes the one to the other.
The 1. Uſe, Serves for clearing of this Truth, That there is a neceſſity of Faith's taking hold of, and reſting on Chriſt, ere we can be abſolved, and Juſtified; And ſo both theſe Errors of Antinomians fall to the ground, 1. That, by which they aſſert, that theſe who are Juſtified, were Juſtified from Eternity; and were never under God's Curſe: And 2. That Faith is not neceſſary to the attaining of Juſtification, but only to a Perſons knowing that he is Juſtified; and ſo they ſay, that Faith enters us not in the Covenant; which is falſe, it being the terms, or condition, on which God propoſeth, and promiſeth pardon in his Covenant, as is clear, John 3.18. Whoſoever believes ſhall not be condemned, but ſhall have everlaſting life, and, Mark 16.16. He that believes, and is baptized, ſhall be ſaved, with this oppoſition, He that believeth not ſhall be damned; Faith being it which enters us in the Covenant; For, either Sinners are Juſtified before they can be in Covenant with God, which is an abſurdity, and inconſiſtent with Gods Covenant, or it's by Faith that they are entered in the Covenant: There is here alſo a clear diſcovery, and confutation of a 3d. Error of Antinomians, concerning the nature of Faith, That it is Perſons believing, that they are Juſtified; No, not ſo, For as the Apoſtle ſayes▪ Gal. 2.16. We have believed that we might be juſtified, We believe, in order to Juſtification; And to ſay, as Antinomians do, would do much to infer univerſality of Juſtification, as well as of Redemption; It's Gods mercy, that this Error is diſcovered; and that we have His Truth pointing out to us, that Juſtification muſt have Faith going before it, and alongſt with it.
The 2d. Uſe Serves to demonſtrat the abſolute neceſſity of believing, and taking hold of Chriſt; If Abſolution and Juſtification be neceſſary, Faith muſt be neceſſary; And therefore, if Chriſt be preached to you, and if by Him, all that believe are Juſtified; Take hold then, I beſeech you of the Offer, receive, embrace, cloſe, with it, and let your very hearts open to it; without which ye can never expect to be Juſtified, before the Tribunal of God, Now let God Himſelf bleſſe the ſame Word to you, through Jeſus Chriſt.