The Method of Grace in the Justification of Sinners, Chapter 1

The Method of Grace in the Justification of Sinners · Chapter 1

p. 1CHAP. I.

An Anſwer to M. Eyres 6. chap. The Queſtion ſtated. Juſtification what. Juſtification by Faith what. The conſent of Proteſtants in making Faith the condition of Juſtification. Or an inſtrumental cauſe thereof. Proved alſo by the confeſſions of ſeveral Churches.

SECT. I.

IN our entrance upon the diſcuſſion of the preſent Queſtion, namely, whether a ſinner be juſtified in§. 1. the ſight of God before he beleeve, or not till he beleeve, I muſt crave leave to digreſſe a little from Maſter Eyres method: who firſt gives his anſwer to thoſe Texts produced in my Sermon, for proof of our Juſtification by Faith, in his fifth Chapter: and then ſtates the Queſtion in his ſixth and ſeventh. I ſhall therefore p. 2firſt examine thoſe two Chapters (beginning here with the former) and ſo proceed to the entire Vindication of my Sermon by it ſelfe.

In the ſtating of the Queſtion, theſe three things are to be diſpatched, 1. What Juſtification is? 2. What it is to be juſtified by Faith: or what is the office of Faith in Juſtification? 3. What is meant by the phraſe In the ſight of God, or before God, when we enquire concerning the Juſtification of a ſinner before God, or in Gods ſight?

For the firſt, when we enquire what Juſtification is, it is ſuppoſed§. 2. that the word Juſtification is taken properly, & in ſenſu formali, not in a diminutive, comparative or tropical ſenſe, Analogum per ſe poſitum ſtat pro famoſiori ſignificato. The Reaſon why I obſerve this, is, becauſe Maſter Eyre pretends to his Reader, that I have no leſſe then yielded the cauſe, when I grant a Juſtification purpoſed of God, and merited by Chriſt before Faith: So then (ſaith he, pag. 147.) by his own confeſſion, Juſtification in a Scripture ſenſe goes before Faith: which is that horrid opinion he hath all this while ſo eagerly oppoſed, & pag. 101. challengeth ſome one text of Scripture to prove that Juſtification doth in no ſenſe precede the act of Faith.

Whereas I doubt not but the world may be ſaid to be from eternity in ſome ſenſe, namely in reference to the counſel and purpoſe of God. And he that is never juſtified at all, ſimply, may yet notwithſtanding be ſaid to be juſtified in ſome ſenſe, that is, comparatively, as being leſſe unjuſt then another, Jer. 3. 11. And many of thoſe who are now alive, and never yet taſted of death, may nevertheleſſe be ſaid to be already riſen from the dead in ſome ſenſe, to wit, in Chriſt, the firſt fruits of them that ſlept. And Juſtification it ſelf may be called condemnation in ſome ſenſe for the Scots ſay a man is juſtified when he is hanged: and the word ſeemes to be uſed in a ſenſe not much unlike, Rom. 6. 7. He that is dead, is juſtified from ſinne. If Maſter Eyre do indeed think (which I am perſwaded he doth not) that the Queſtion between him and me is, whether the wit of man cannot invent ſome ſenſe wherein Juſtification may be ſaid to go before Faith: he ſhould have acquainted his Reader with it here, in the …ſtating of the Queſtion: and not have kept him ignorant of any ſuch controverſie between us, till he is come towards the later end of his book.

Wherein the particular nature and formality of this glorious bleſſing§. 3. of Juſtification doth conſiſt, is more particularly debated in the following diſcourſe. Yet that the Reader may know what Juſtification p. 3it is which we ſpeak of, I ſhal here ſpeak ſomething briefly for explication of it: leaving whatſoever is controverted, to be proved in its proper place. Juſtification then by our late Reverend aaLarger Catech. pag 94. in 12.Aſſembly is thus defined. An act of Gods free-grace unto ſinners, in which he pardoneth all their ſinnes, accepteth and accounteth their perſons righteous in his ſight, not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full ſatisfaction of Chriſt, by God imputed to them, and received by Faith alone. This for ſubſtance, is the Juſtification which the Queſtion ſpeaks of: if thou wouldeſt have it (Reader) more particularly, take it as followeth.

The efficient (ut quod) of our Juſtification is God himſelf that juſtifieth:§. 4. and his grace the efficient ut quo, for he juſtifies us freely of his grace, Rom. 3. 24. Jeſus Chriſt alſo as King and Lord of life, is joyned by ſpecial commiſſion with the Father in his great Act of juſtifying ſinners, John 5. 22. 26, 27. Acts 5. 31. Matth. 28. 18, 19. with Mark 16. 15, 16. and Luke 24. 47. The righteouſneſſe and obedience of Jeſus Chriſt is the onelyonly meritorious cauſe of our Juſtification; but whether his active or paſſive obedience, either, or both, I do not diſpute, nor do I account it needful: becauſe all the active obedience of Chriſt was paſſive (for it was part of his humiliation, that being bbSee Bp. Uſher. Imman. pag. 10, at the end of his Body of Divinity.a Son, he would ſubject himſelf to the payment of that tribute of obedience which was due onelyonly from ſervants) and all his paſſive obedience was active: for he laid down his life of himſelf, John 10. 18. The formality of Juſtification conſiſts (as I take it) in a legal diſcharge of a ſinner from his obligation to puniſhment, and a donation of right and title to eternal life: which diſcharge and gift, becauſe it was merited by the obedience of Chriſt, without any contribution of merit from the ſinner himſelf, is truly called the ccChriſti juſtitia in juſtificatione fidelibus imputatur, quatenus ejus merito juſti coram Deo reputamur. Ameſ. Medul. Theol. l. 1. c. 27. th. 12.imputation of Chriſts righteouſneſſe: and this is the ſenſe of that phraſe in the uſe of our Divines. And theſe things I here take for granted, reſerving the proof of what is diſputable in them to its proper place.

SECT. II.

THe ſecond and more material labour is to explain, in what ſenſe§. 5. we are ſaid to be juſtified by Faith. Mr. Eyre gives us five ſenſes of the phraſe; firſt, of thoſe that take Faith in a tropical and figurative ſenſe, as thus: We are juſtified by Faith, i. e. by the obedience and righteouſneſſe of Jeſus Chriſt, in whom we believe, and p. 4upon whom we reſt for life and righteouſneſſe. Secondly, of thoſe which ſay we are juſtified by Faith inſtrumentally and relatively. Thirdly, Of the Papiſts, who aſcribe a meritoriouſneſſe to Faith, and do alſo make our Juſtification to be by inherent righteouſneſſe, or doing of righteous actions. Foutthly, of the Arminians who explode the word Merit, and deliver their opinion to this effect. That God in the legal Covenant required the exact obedience of all his Commandments: but now in the Covenant of Grace he requires Faith; which in his gracious acceptation ſtands inſtead of that obedience to the Moral Law, which we ought to performe. Fifthly, of thoſe that ſay that Faith doth juſtifie as a condition or Antecedent qualification, by which we are made capable of being juſtified according to the order and conſtitution of God.

The laſt of theſe is that which I contend for, according to the explication given of it in my Sermon, pag. 9. & 10. which why Maſter Eyre ſhould account a new opinion, and charge it here upon Maſter Baxter, and elſewhere upon Doctor Hammond as the firſt parents and patrons of it, I know not; much leſſe, why he ſhould ſo very often accuſe it as a piece of Arminianiſme and Popery, ſeeing it is a thing ſo well known, that the Synod of Dort, and almoſt all our Proteſtants do very frequently call Faith the condition of our Juſtification. (ddDe reconcil. pecc. par 1. l. 2. cap. 18. pag. 99. 100.) Mr. Wotton doth purpoſely diſpute for it: and hath ſaved me the labour of tranſcribing the teſtimonies of many famous Proteſtants, who ſay the ſame: either in expreſſe termes; as Fox, Perkins, Paraeus, Trelcatius, G. Downham, J. Downham, Scha…pius, Tho. Mathewes: or equivalent, as Calvin, Aretius Sadeel, Olevia…, M…lancthon, Beza, to whom I might adde, (eeDiſſer. de morte Chriſti. pag. 63. Eſt autem hic ordo ſtabilit…s, haec conditio expreſſe poſita in … vangelio, quod reconciliationis gratia & beneficium vitae aeternae ad peccatores ex morte Ch…iſti redundaret, ſi crederent. Idem in praelect. de Juſt. Habit. & act. pag. 395 & 396.) Davenant, (ffCollat. cum Til pag. 6…7. …taque in vocatione aliam habet fides rationem quam in Juſtificatione: nam in Juſtificatione conditio eſt praerequiſita (ut ita dicam) in vocatione gignitur: & fuſius, in Diſput. de ſatisfact. pag. 365.) Cameron, (ggPraelect. Controv. 2. de not. Eccleſ. Q. 5. pag. 331. in 4. Cum primùm credo, tum juſtus ſum: & cum juſtus ſum, tum credo: veluti ſi malefico cuiquam veniz cum hac conditione proponatur, ſi eam amplecti velit, &c. & Praelect. de Sacram. cap. 4. Promiſſio gratiae conditionalis eſt, requirit enim fidem, &c.) Whitaker, (hhDe vocat pag. 16, 17. Reliquum eſt, ut videamus foederis gratuiti conditionem, ea au…em ſola eſt ſides. Deus promittit juſtificationem & vitam ſub conditione fidei: & paſſim.) Rollock, (iiSyntag. Theol. l. 4. c. 10. de Evang. pag. 1106. Promiſſiones Evangelii de remiſſione peccatorum & vita aeterna pertinen: quidem ad omnes homines, non tamen ab…olutè, ſed ſub conditione apprehenſionis per fidem: & infra ibid. verum abſolutae tamen non ſunt, ſed hac conditione circumſcriptae, ut credant in Chriſtum.) Grotius, (kkDe Evang Decad. 4 …. 1. pag. 238, Propoſuit enim Deus Chriſtum propitiationem, nimirum ut is eſſet r…conciliatio noſtra, propter quem placatus nos adoptat in filios Dei. Verum non alia ratione quam per fidem in ejus ſanguinem, id eſt, ſi credamus, &c.) Bullinger, (llDe remi…s. peccat. cap. 6. pag (mihi) 621. Diſcernendum inter eam gratiam Dei quae nullas haber adjectas conditiones, qualis eſt, quòd ſ…lem ſuum producit ſuper bones & malos, pluitque ſuper gratos & ingratos: & eam quae conditionaliter confertur, ad quem modum peccatorum nobis remiſſio contingit & cap. 4. Quibus condition bus peccata remittantur, per tot. & paſſim.) Muſculus, (mmSyſtem. Theol. tom. 2. pag. 247. ad obj. 5. Promiſſiones Evangelii ſemper requirere Conditionem fidei, d…mus.) Brochmand, (nnTheſ… Salmur. par…. prior. de Juſtif. Theſ. 37. fide igitur juſtificamur, non tanquam parte aliqua Juſtitiae. &c.—ſed tanquam Conditione foederis gratiae, quam à nobis Deus exigit loco conditionis foederis legalis.) the Profeſſors of Somers in France, (ooS…hol. in Luc. cap 11. Deus promiſit nobis remiſſionem cum hac Conditione, ſi nos prius remiſerimus proximo, &c.Luke 11) Piſcator, (ppOpe…. Tom. 1 pag. 420. & 4…3. vide loca.) Wallaeus, (qqIn Thomſ. Diat…ib. pag. 148. Promiſſiones de fine ſunt conditiona…ae, &c. vide locum & paſſim.) Abbot, (rrChriſt. Theol. lib. 1. cap 22. ad Theſ 2 Promiſſio remiſſioni… peccatorum & vitae aete…ae ſub conditione fid…i, &c.) Wendeline, (ssOf the Covenant, pag 66. and elſewhere frequently, onelyonly miſlikes the tearme in ſome reſpect, becauſe it ſeemes to take away all cauſality from Faith in the matter of Juſtification, and therefore chuſeth rather to call it an Inſtrument then a Condition.) Ball, (ttTreatiſe of Juſtif. S…ct. 2. cap. 1.) Pemble, (uuIn Eph. 2. pag. 250.Eph 2) Bayne, (xxVo…ſt. loc. com. …x cap. 3. ad Rom. pag. 23 Tit. 6. Mr. Blake of the Covenant cap. 6. pag. 26. Mr. Bulkley of the Covenan…, part. 4. cap. 1.) and many others.

p. 5All which being conſidered, I ſhall neither account it Popery nor Arminianiſme to maintaine, that Faith is the condition of our Juſtification before God: till Maſter Eyre hath proved, that it cannot be made a condition, but it muſt withal be made a meritorious cauſe: or that to make it the condition of the imputation of Chriſts righteouſneſſe to a ſinner, be to deny that Chriſts righteouſneſſe is at all imputed to a ſinner: or to affirme, that God of his grace doth accept of Faith as our legal righteouſneſſe (which is a palpable contradiction.) None of which he hath performed in his book, nor ever will do.

When he diſtinguiſheth thoſe that take Faith objectively, from thoſe that make it an inſtrument in Juſtification, it is a diſtinction without§. 6. a difference, on purpoſe to impoſe upon the Reader, as if they were two ſorts of Authours, whereas the very ſame men that take Faith objectively, for Chriſt beleeved on, do yet univerſally make Faith an Inſtrument p. 6in our Juſtification. Our Proteſtants do indeed maintaine againſt the Papiſts (and that moſt truly) that the righteouſnes of Chriſt is the meritorious cauſe of our Juſtification; or the righteouſneſſe for which we are juſtified: but the ſame Authours do as unanimouſly affirme: that Faith is the inſtrumental cauſe thereof, (though otherwhile they call it a condition, and moſt uſe the words promiſcuouſly.) Thus (yyInſtit. l. 3. c. 14. §. 17.) Calvin, (zzEpiſt. 45. p. 210.) Beza, (aaLoc. com. claſ. 3. cap. 4. §. 47, 48.) Peter Martyr, (bbExplic. cat. par. 2. q. 61. 3. pag. 399.) Ʋrſine, (ccTheſ. Theol. cap. 35. 11.) Junius, (ddSynt. Theol. l. 6. c. 36. p 456.) Polaenus, (eeDe Juſtif. per. fid. cap. 4. §. 64. & Sect. 6. §. 153.) Gerhard, (ffEnchyr. Theol. p. 134.) Hemmingius, (ggSynopſ. pur. Theol. diſp. 33. 27.) the four Leyden Profeſſours, (hhIn Heb. pag. 486.) Hyperius, (iiMeth. Theol. p. 227.) Sohnius, (kkHarm. Evang. p. 279. & Exam. Conc. Trid. ſeſ. 6.) Kemnitius, (llLoc. Com. 31. 33.) Bucanus, and all the reſt that ever I read, both Lutherans and Calviniſts: voting concurrently for Faiths antecedency to Juſtification.

At laſt Mr. Eyre gives us his own ſenſe of Juſtification by Faith, in§. 7. theſe words.

My ſenſe of this Propoſition (we are juſtified by Faith) is no other then what hath been given by all our ancient Proteſtant Divines, who take Faith herein objectively, not properly, and explain themſelves to this effect. We are juſtified from all ſinne and death by the ſatisfaction and obedience of Jeſus Chriſt, who is the ſole object or foundation of our faith: or, whoſe righteouſneſſe we receive and apply to our ſelves by Faith. Yet I ſay, it doth not follow that it was not applyed to us by God, or that God did not impute righteouſneſſe to us before we had Faith.

If Mr. Eyre had concluded as he began, leaving out the exception which brings up the rear, and underſtanding our ancient Proteſtants in their known ſenſe: this one ſentence had confuted all his book, and ſaved me the pains of ſuch an undertaking. It is moſt true, that our Proteſtants maintaine that we are juſtified by the obedience of Chriſt as the meritorious cauſe of our Juſtification: and it is as true, that they maintaine a ſinner to be juſtified by Faith as the inſtrument or condition of his juſtification. Nor can I finde one amongſt the ancient Proteſtants, that did ever dreame of a Juſtification by the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt without Faith: no, though for the moſt part they place Faith in a particular aſſurance. To the ſingle teſtimonies already mentioned, let us adde a few more out of the Confeſſions, that the difference betweene our Proteſtants and Maſter Eyre may the better appear.

p. 7We begin with the (mmO…thodox. Tig. eccleſ. Miniſt. confeſſ. Tract. 2. fol. 43, 44.) Tigurine Confeſſion. Nullis humanis vel operibus § 8.vel meritis, ſed per ſolam Dei gratiam, id eſt, per ſanctam illam crucifixi filii Dei paſſionem, & innocentem mortem, homines juſtitiam conſequi, & peccatis mundari docemus: & quod mortis Chriſti innocentiae & meriti participes tunc reddamur, cum Dei filium noſtrum eſſe, & propter peccata noſtra, ut nos nimirum juſtos & beatos redderet, mortem ſubiiſſe, vera & conſtanti fide credimus. To the ſame purpoſe the (nnCorp. & Synt. Confeſ. fid. p. 45.) Helvetian Confeſſion, Propriè ergo loquendo, &c. To ſpeak properly, God alone doth juſtifie us, and juſtifies us onelyonly for Chriſts ſake, not imputing to us our ſinnes, but imputing to us his righteouſneſſe. But becauſe we receive this juſtification, not by any works, but by faith in Gods mercy, and in Chriſt; therefore we teach and beleeve with the Apoſtle, that a ſinner is juſtified by Faith alone in Chriſt, not by the Law or any works.—Therefore becauſe Faith receiveth Chriſt our righteouſneſſe, and attributes all to the grace of God in Chriſt, therefore Juſtification is aſcribed to Faith, principally becauſe of Chriſt, and not becauſe it is our work: to the ſame purpoſe, pag. 89. §. 13. The (ooGallic. confeſſ. ibid. p. 105, §. 20.) French Confeſſion agrees, Credimus nos, &c. We beleeve that by Faith alone we are made partakers of this righteouſneſſe: as it is written, that he ſuffered to obtaine ſalvation for us, that whoſoever beleeveth on him ſhould not periſh. The (ppIbid. p. 128. …. 11.) Engliſh conſent. Tantùm propter, &c. OnelyOnly for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, by Faith, not for our works and merits, are we reputed juſt before God. So (qqIb. p. 157. 25.) Scotland, Sed qui corde, &c. They that do in heart ſincerely beleeve, and with their mouth confeſſe Jeſus Chriſt, do moſt certainly receive thoſe bleſſings: Firſt in this life remiſſion of ſinnes, and that by Faith alone in the blood of Chriſt. The (rrIb. p. 173, 22,) Belgick Confeſſion in like manner, Meritò igitur jureque dicimus, &c. We do therefore well and rightly ſay with Paul, that we are juſtified only by Faith: or by Faith without the works of the Law. But to ſpeak properly, we do by no means underſtand Faith it ſelf, by it ſelf, or of it ſelf to juſtifie us: as which is onelyonly, as it were, an Inſtrument by which we apprehend Chriſt our righteouſneſſe. Chriſt then himſelf is our righteouſneſſe, who imputes to us all his merits: but Faith is the Inſtrument by which we are coupled unto him in the ſociety and communion of all his good things, and are continued therein. Of the ſame Faith are all the other (ssArgent p. 223 c. 3. Pa…t. 2. Auguſt. p. 22, c. 1. Sax…n. p. 79, 80, 81. Wi…emberg. p. 14… c de juſtif. Palat p. 210. ſi …emiſſionem.) Churches whoſe Confeſſions follow. Thus (ttJuſt. lib. 3 c. 11. §. 10.) Calvin, Fateor hoc tam incomparabili beno nos privari, donec Chriſtus noſter fiat.—Non ergo eum extra nos procul ſpeculamur, ut nobis imputetur ejus juſ… itia: ſed quia ipſum induimus & inſiti ſumus p. 8in ejus corpus, unum denique nos ſecum efficere dignatus eſt, ideo juſtitiae ſocietatem nobis cum to eſſe gloriamur. Thus uuUbi ſupra, Epiſt. 45.Beza. Quae obedientia (Chriſti, viz.) nobis per fidem Chriſto unitis datur, noſtraque fit per imputationem. xxLoc. com. claſ. 3. c. 4. §. 65.Thus Peter Martyr. Si quid Deus condonat vel remittit, id facit hominibus jam regeneratis, non autem à ſe alienis & filiis irae, quales neceſſe eſt eos eſſe qui nondum ſunt juſtificati. Iſtis (inquam) nihil remittitur. Quare obligati ſunt ad …mnia. And thus all our more ancient Proteſtants, that I can read: but it is a tedious thing to me to tranſcribe ſo much of humane teſtimony: and what is written is ſufficient to demonſtrate that Mr. Eyre differs from our ancient Proteſtants (notwithſtanding his pretended agreement) almoſt as farre on the one hand, as the Papiſts do on the other, in the very foundations of his diſcourſe.

For firſt, it is manifeſt by the teſtimonies produced, that our Proteſtants, when they plead for Juſtification by the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, intend the very firſt act of Juſtification: which Mr. Eyre rejects, and aſcribes no more to the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, then that it obtaines the effects of our juſtification, but not the Act, pag. 62. §. 4. 2. Our Proteſtants do ſo plead for Juſtification by the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, as that they require and aſſert the neceſſary exiſtence of Faith in us, as the inſtrument, or condition or antecedent of our Juſtification. Mr. Eyre contends for a Juſtification by the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, without Faith at preſent coexiſting. 3. They plead for a Juſtification which begins upon believing, and therefore muſt needs be a tranſient, not an immanent act of God. He, for a Juſtification which is an yyAuguſtan. Confeſ. de fide. p. 21. Non eſt hic opus diſputationibus de praedeſtinatione aut ſimilibus.immanent act, and included in the decree of election as part of it, pag. 65. §. 5. 4. They when they ſpeak of Juſtification by Faith, meane Juſtification before God: He, the manifeſtation and declaration thereof onelyonly to the conſcience. So that Mr. Eyres opinion, and that of the ancient Proteſtants look ſo little like Countrey-men, that it may not expect to be owned by them, though it challenge kindred of them.