Justification Justified, Theses · Thesis 117 – Thesis 158
CXVII.
Faith is a Grace by it self, distinct from fear of God, Love, self denyal, &c. and as such, it acteth when it is instrumental in Justification, or doth concur thereto, either as an Instrument, or a Condition (call it either). When the Apostle defineth Faith, Acb. 11. 1. saying, Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen, he gives that description of that one grace, and not of all the rest. Faith and Charity are not the same grace; for the Apostle saith, now abideth Faith, Hope, and Charity, these three, but the greatest of these is Charity. If they be not distinct, how are they called three? or how could Charity be said to be the greatest, if Faith, Hope, and Charity be all one? Is the same thing greater than it self at the same time? Morever, Faith shall hereafter be done away, that is swallowed up in Vision, but Charity never faileth, as the Apostle speaketh, v. 8. Now that which faileth, and that which shall never fail, cannot be the same. Moreover, Faith is said to work by love, which implies, that they are two distinct things. Also, Faith is said to be made perfect by love, i. e. demonstrated to be perfect, which sheweth it is not the same thing. I might add Faith, and Repentance are not the same, witness that expression, Repentance toward God, and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is causal to several other Graces. They differ as causes, and effects, therefore they cannot be the same thing, ex gr. Faith is the cause of Christian Patience. He that believes maketh aot haste, 2 Cor. 4.16. For which cause we faint not, there was their Patience. Now that Faith was the cause of it may be proved by v. 18. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. Now to be the evidence of things not seen, or to look at and to reallize unseen things, is the nature, and work of Faith. Faith is spoken of but as one fruit of the Spirit amongst many, Gal. 5.22. where St. Paul enumerates Love, Long suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Meekness, Temperance, &c. were these one, and the same, surely they would not be presented to us under so many several names, and denominations, &c. Faith is not the name of a Christians whole Panoply, or spiritual Armor, but of one piece thereof. That indeed is called the Shield, Eph. 6.16. but Truth the Girdle. Righteousness the Brestplate, and the Helmet, the hope of Salvation. In 2 Thes. 1.4, are these words, We glory for your Patience and Faith. and v. 3. Your Faith groweth, and your Charity aboundeth. and in 1 Tim. 1.5. The end of the Command is Love, ovt of a pure heart and Faith, where Faith and Love are spoken of as two things, Faith as the cause, and Love as the effect, Love out of Eaith, &c. For fear of tiring you, I shall quote but one text more, to this purpose, 1 Tim. 1.11. Follow after Righteousness, Godliness, Faith, Love, Pacience, Meekness. Would the Apostle have given so many names to one and the same thing? or do's it not enough appear by their being so constantly spoken of in Scripture as distinct, that they are not the same? That Justifying Faith involves all other Graces, and is the name of all Graces in one, cannot at all be prov'd by the Apostle James his discourse of Justification by works: For St. James doth not mention any prrticular Grace, but Works in general, as externally, and visibly practised. Had he said Abraham was justified not only by Faith, but also by Love, self denial, Obedience, &c. there had been some colour for such an Assertion. But now there is none.
CXVIII.
Seeing Faith is almost every where else in Scripture taken for a Grace by it's self, distinct from the rest, and other Graces spoken of as distinct one from another, it can at no hand be proved, that where Faith is mentioned with reference to Justification, or we said to be Justified by, or through Faith, by Faith is meant all sorts of Grace, or the whole Chain of Graces, whereas indeed Faith is but one link of that Chain.
CXIX.
If Faith it's being the only Instrumental cause, or the only condition of Justification cannot be evaded, by saying that by Faith is meant the Gospel, or by Faith is meant Faith, and good works together; or by Faith is meant not one single Grace, but all comprized under that Name: Nor yet by saying that when works are excluded from Justification, we must alwayes understand it of works either as meritorious, or as Perfect, or as works before Regeneration, or as works of the Ceremonial Law only, or as works of the Law, not of the Gospel, or as works insincere, and only materially, and extrinsically good: I say, If works, as works be excluded from Justification, and none of the other evasions will hold water (as hath been shewed) then we are not justified by our real, inward holiness, or sincere Obedience to the Gospel, but by Faith alone, as the only Instrument whereby we receive, and apply to our selves the Righteousness of our Saviour, &c. And if our Obedience to the Gospel, though sincere, cannot be proved to be so much as the Instrument, or Condition of our Justification, much less the matter of our Righteousness before God, or that which in God's Court of Chancery (as they call it) is accepted instead of a perfect Righteousness for our Justification, &c.
CXX.
As for the Popish Distinction of a first and second Justification; to the latter of which they say good works doth concurr. I think there is nothing in it that will satisfie any good Protestant, or any rational man of an unprejudiced mind. For by our first Justification they do understand our being made Holy, and Godly of unholy, and ungodly. Now, that Protestants do call not Justification, but Sanctification. By our second Justification, they understand our being made of Holy, more Holy, and of Godly, more Godly. This Protestants deny to be truly called Justification, and do call it our growth in Grace, or progress in Sanctification, and doubtless so it is. But for a Persons being really justified more than once, we have no ground or foot steps in Scripture. Therefore though it be a Truth that a Believer by abounding in good works, doth increase in Grace, and Holiness (for repeated Acts do strengthen their respective Habits) yet that by doing good works, they do acquire a second Justification, is a most ungrounded notion, and must suppose that either the first justification may be lost, and a second obtained, and if so, why may there not be twenty justifications as well as two? or else that a Believer is not virtually justified from all his sins at once (which our Divines do generally affirm that he is) Now, if there be no second justification, the concurrence of good works thereunto, is a notion that falls to the ground. For, non entis nulla est affectio.
CXXI.
The denying of Justification to be by our own inherent Righteousness, accepted as if it were perfect, or instead of the perfect Righteousness of the Law, and asserting of Justification to be by the only Righteousness of Jesus Christ apprehended by Faith alone, doth greatly tend to keep Sinners humble, and to exclude all boasting (which God aimeth to do) when they shall consider that that whereby they are justified is not in themselves, this being certain that we are more apt to be proud of what is supposed to be in us, than of what is imputed to us. As a Debtor hath less to boast of when the payment of his Surety is imputed to him for his discharge, than if by his industry he had procured something to pay for himself, although the stock had been freely bestowed on him by the Surety. 'Tis evident by the Apostles words, that that can be no true notion of the way of God's justifying a sinner which doth leave any room, or place, or pretence for boasting, Rom. 4.2. If Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to boast (or glory) q. d. That is Argument enough to prove that Abraham was not Justified by works. He adds as a minor proposition or assumption, But not before God, meaning, But he had no cause to glory, or to boast before God. Ergo. He was not justified by works.
CXXII.
Our Graces and good works, though from henceforth they should be perfect, and intire, lacking nothing, would not be able to satisfie God for our Original sin, and our Actual sins that are past, and to discharge us from the guilt of them, for we cannot pay one debt with another, and our best Obedience is a daily debt; much less then can imperfect Obedience to the Gospel, though sincere, justifie us, or be the matter of our Righteousness before God.
CXXIII.
Our Justification is as free to us (though 'twere not so to Christ) as any Pardon ever was to a Traytor. Now, unto a Pardon freely given there is nothing required but the hearty acceptance of it upon the terms of promising to be a Faithful Subject for time to come, or so. Now, though such a Pardon cost a man nothing, and is abundantly sufficient for his discharge, yet must he come and plead this Pardon in open Court, he must produce it, and insist upon it, before his Judge, in arrest of Judgment, that the Sentence denounced against him may not be Executed. A Traytor that is so acquitted, cannot be said to be acquitted by his willingness to accept of a pardon, or to produce it in Court when obtained (for what Malefactor is not willing to do these two things?) But by the Pardon it's self it is that a Traytor is discharged, though he cannot have the benefit of his Pardon, if it be only tendered, unless it be also accepted, and pleaded by him. Now, to accept, and plead his Pardon, when nothing else but that is required of him, renders it no less free, than if he mjght have had it without accepting, or at leastwise, without pleading of it. But were he for his Pardon, and in order to the procurement thereof, to be a Servant all the dayes of his Life, that would alter the case, and make his pardon unfree.
Believing, or Faith is the Acceptance of our Pardon upon God's terms, but justification by works, resembleth the last instance, viz. of one who must work hard all the dayes of his Life, to pay his Debt, or else be cast into Prison, &c.
CXXIV.
In saying that Faith is the Instrumental cause, or Condition of Justification, we ascribe much more to it than if we had called it only causa sine qua non. For causa sine qua non do's nihil ponere in esse, it produceth nothing; no effect doth necessarily follow upon it. The poorest begger hath that in him without which no man can be a Prince, viz. Humane Nature. For to be a man is a causa sine qua non, of being a Prince, yet how far from being a Prince is a poor Begger? Every Virgin that Liv'd in that time when Christ was look'd for, had a causa sine qua non, of being the Mother of Christ. For none but a Female, and a Virgin, could be that, yet respective to the decree of God none but the Virgin Mary could be that.
But a Condition is such a thing, as when it is performed, produceth a real effect, viz. intitleth to the performance of the promise, which was suspended upon it. Also an Instrumental Cause, which is such in Fact, or in facto esse, produceth the effect. For no man can be said to be the Instrument of doing such a thing untill the thing be done. A cause in facto esse supposeth it's effect to be so. For nothing is actually a cause that doth not actually effect something, &c. Faith is so an Instrument, and so a Condition of Justification that whensoever a sinner believeth he is thereupon justified immediately in the same Instant.
CXXV.
There is no danger in owning Holiness, and good works to be causae sine quibus non of Justification, because a causa sine qua non is as remore a thing as can be thought of, and do's not at all intitle what in that sense is called a Cause to the effect. For the Law of God is a causa sine qua non of sin. For had there been no Law, there had been no transgression. Yea, God himself who can as soon cease to be God, as be the Author of sin, yet may be said to be a causa sine qua non of sin in e-ference to his making of men, and Angels. For had God Created no intelligent Creatures, there could have been no sin; for such Creatures only are capable of sinning. But shall we therefore make God the Author of sin? God forbid.
Privation is a causa sine qua non of Generation, yet Philosophers deny it to be a cause truly so called.
One calls causa sine qua non, causam stolidam, and well he may, for there is little reason to be given why it should be called a cause, sith the Definition of a cause doth not agree to it, Causa est cujus vires est. A cause is that by virtue, or means whereof, some other thing is, or is produced. But nothing is produced by virtue of a causa sine qua non. There may be a hundred causae sine quibus non, that a man may have of his being a Lord Mayor of London, if he had not been ens, or had a being, he could not have been that, without he had a vegetative soul, or without he had had a sensitive soul, and a rational soul, and a Body that had not been monstrous, the right shape of a man, without he had Lived in Europe, yea, Lived in England, yea, Lived in London, yea, had been a Free Man of London, yea, been possest of a visible good Estate, &c. (and twenty things more) he could never have been Lord Mayor of London. And yet will any man say that any of these things were the causes of his being Lord Mayor?
CXXVI.
Yet owning Holiness, and every grace to be (as they are) causes without which there is no Justification, though it doth not advance other Graces to a parity with Faith, or to an equal influence upon the Justification of a sinner, to that which Faith hath yet is an effectual bar (if right- by considered) against presuming to live unrighteously, and unholily, upon the account of our being justified by a righteousness without us. For what is any man the better, or what more encouragement hath he to sin, though it be so that we are not justified by every sort of Grace, but by Faith alone (as the only Instrument where by we apprehend the righteousness of Christ, and the only condition to which the Promise of Justification is made) sith they that say so, do acknowledge that Repentance, Love, Self-denyal, and all other Graces, must concur in the person Justified, though not to his Justification; or that we cannot be justified without the presence of those, though by these we are not justified, but by Faith alone: yea that the person justified cannot be saved without doing of good works, if he hath space of time for them (which the Thief on the Cross had not) no more than a Sum of Money that is due, can be received without giving an Acquittance for it, when it is demanded, and insisted on.
CXXVII.
They give the truest, and best account of the Doctrine of Justification, who so state it as neither to deprive God of the glory of his free Grace, not to deter man from his duty, in point of sincere obedience; so as Justification may not be confounded with Sanctification (as by the Papists it is, as if it were the same thing) as consisting in righteousness not imputed, but infused, nor yet Sanctificaiion be excluded, and rendered needless by the Doctrine of Justification as it is stated, but Imputed Righteousness so confined to the use for which it is designed of God, that Righteousness inherent, or implanted may be owned as indispensably necessary, though not for the same with Imputed, yet for other great ends and uses, &c. By taking care of the latter, we shall arm our selves against Antinomians, and Libertines; of the former, against Papists, and Socinians, &c. The account we have given of Justification by Faith alone, hath to the best of our knowledg, been so stated, and hath therefore a great character of Truth upon it.
CXXVIII.
The asserting of new Terms, Phrases, and Modes of speaking, in so great a Doctrine as that of Justification, though nothing but some more accuracy in stating the old Doctrine concerning it were intended, has been, and is, of dangerous consequence, especially when the old terms, and expressions, whereby it hath been competently understood formerly, are cri'd down, and exploded. I say it is of dangerous consequence, because men are thereby led to to think, that all that which they have heard concerning Justification formerly, was false, though the Inventors of these new expressions, they themselves do not think so, or whatsoever they think, by their new Phrases, they lead the people into Fundamental Errors, being deceived themselves, and deceiving others, I say deceiving, and being deceived.
CXXIX.
Mr. Durham, on the Revelation, hath a worthy passage to this purpose, p. 236. We are perswaded (saith he) that the reflecting on many worthy men, the obscuring of the troden path by new Questions, and Objections, the confounding of Readers by proposing, as it were, of a different strain of the Covenant from what formerly hath been Preached, the giving an open door to men to propose new draughts in all things, and that not in expressions only, but also in Fundamental things, shall be more prejudicial to edificatiom, than the bringing forth of this shall be useful: For if by this all the former Doctrines of Justification be enervated, where were we all till now? If it stand so that the followers thereof may attain Heaven, what is the use of this so full a new model, with so much professed danger in, and dissatisfaction with the former? Will it not be welcom to Papists (saith he) to have Protestants speaking in their terms, and homologating them in condemning the former language of the most eminent Reformers?
CXXX.
The opening of Faiths peculiar concurring for the Application of Christ his Righteousness in the Covenant of Grace, is a business of great use and concernment, &c. into which we may receive some light by considering how, and in what sense, Faith is and may be said to be a Condition of the Covenant of Grace, or of Justification.
CXXXI.
Covenants are either such as meer entering into them doth entitle to the benefits comprehended in them, as in the Marriage-Covenant, entry thereinto intitleth the Wife to the Husband, and all that is his: Sometimes again the Relation must not only be entered, but also the terms thereof actually performed, before there be a right to the thing promised. Thus if Jacob Covenant with Laban to serve him seven years, that he may Marry his daughter, at the expiration thereof, he enters into the Relation of a Servant presently, but his reward becomes not due till the end of his service: Or if a Master Covenants to make his Servant free at the end of eight years, in case he shall do him good and faithful service, though he be now his Covenant Servant, yet his Fredom, the reward of his Service, will not become due to him till he hath actually serv'd his Master, so many years, &c.
CXXXII.
As there are two sorts of Covenants (as hath been said) so there are two sorts of Conditions of a Covenant, or Covenants: For 1. The words Condition of a Covenant, are sometimes taken more largely; for all the duties that are required of one in that Relation: And so a Wives dutifulness to her Husband after Marriage, may be called Conditions of the Marriage Covenant. Sometimes a Condition is taken more strictly, and Formally; that is, for such a thing as makes up the Relation, and entitles one to, and enstates him in the Priviledges Covenanted. So Formal consenting in Marriage is the Condition. And a Sons actual accepting of the assured Adoption, and engaging himself to be dutiful, do enstate him in the priviledge of a Son, although he hath not actually perform'd all that he is engaged to. And in this respect the actual performing of such duties, is rather the duty of one in such a Relation, than the Condition required to the up-making of it.
CXXXIII.
There is difference betwixt the Priviledges, of a Covenant which flow from it; as such, and to all in such a Relation, (Thus all Wives, as such, have interest in their Husbands) and those Priviledges of a Covenant, which are but conditionally promised even to them that are within those Relations. So what a Husband promiseth to give his Wife upon condition of her being a Faithful Wife, depends not upon her Relation as a Wife, but upon the continuing faithful. An Adopted Son cannot plead actual possession of the Inheritance, though he be a Son, till that time come that was appointed by the Father, or till he perform something call'd for in the right of Adoption, (which is insinuated,) Gal. 4.1, 2.
CXXXIV.
What hath been said may help to shew us in what sense Works may be called the Condition of the Covenant of Grace, and in what sense Faith only. If we take Condition largely, and materially for whatsoerer is required of one in Covenant; so Works may be called the Condition of the Covenant. Even as a Wife or Son, their performing Conjugal, or Filial Duties to a Husband, or Father, may he called Conditions of Marriage, and Adoption: Yet if we consider the Condition of the Covenant of grace strictly and formally, for that which doth actually interess one in, or entitle him to Christ's Righteousness, and maketh him a son, that is Faith properly taken as it doth unite with Christ Joh. 1.12. because it is impossible to conceive one to believe in Christ but he must be conceived to have title to him, as a Wife to her Husband, or a Son to his Father. And so he cannot be conceived to be a true Believer but he must be justified; because to have interest in Christ, and his Righteousness, cannot be separated from Justification.
CXXXV.
The Covenant of Grace is not like the Covenant betwixt a Husbandman and his Labourer, for his hire, which presupposeth working, and so the performance of it must go before the Servant, or Labourer can plead any thing upon the Agreement: But it is like a Marriage Covenant, or free Adoption, which doth indeed infer duties to follow in the respect aforesaid, and doth imply an ingagement to perform them, but doth not presuppose the actual performance thereof before any right can be pleaded by such Relations, but only consenting and ingaging to the same. The Covenant of Works is in Scripture compared to that Covenant which is betwixt a Master and his hired Labourer; hence the reward is called Debt, or Hire; because the performing of the Conditions, of Holiness, and Obedience was necessarily presupposed unto having right to the great priviledges of that Covenant. For though Adam was in covenant with God at first, yet could he not claim life by vertue thereof, till he had continued in obedience to the commands, and actually performed the same, as Servants must do before they can plead for their hire. Again, The Covenant of Grace is compared to Free Adoption, and to Marriage betwixt Man, and Wife, not because the Covenant of Grace requires not Holiness, or Works, but because it doth not require them actually to precede a persons title to all the priviledges Covenanted, and doth freely entitle him to the same upon his entery therein, as a Wife is entitled to what is her Husbands upon her Marriage with him, although afterwards she be to perform the Duties of the Relation, rather as duties called for by it, than as Conditions of it, &c.
CXXXVI.
The difference betwixt the Covenant of Works, and Covenant of Grace lieth not in this, that the one requireth Works perfectly holy, as the Condition thereof, and the other Evangelical works, not perf…ctly holy: because so there were not the same Law for ordering holiness to us which they had, nor the same absolute pattern of Holiness for our Copy, viz. God's Holiness calling us to be holy as he is holy; nor were defects in reference to our perfect Holiness, sinful under the Covenant of Grace, if perfection were not required therein; all which are false, beside that so it were still of works. But the difference lieth in this, that our working is not to be the ground of our inheritance, nor actually to precede our Righteousness, (as in the Covenant of works was necessary) but believing, and consenting only.
CXXXVII.
The difference betwixt the Covenant of Works, and the Covenant of Grace, may be conceived thus: Suppose a Debter Sued for his own Debt should either plead no Debt, or that he had paid it, or would pay it; this is the Covenant of Works. Again, the Covenant of Grace, is as a Debtor, acknowledging Debts, but being unable to pay, pleadeth only the Surety's payment, and expecteth to be absolved on that account; and not as if by a Surety's intervening he had had all the Debt forgiven him, to so much, or had a new bargain given him, for a penny yearly, or a Pepper-corn in the place of a thousand Talents; and in a word, so much down, and that for Gold, Oare of Gold should be accepted. For if so, It would be the same kind of Condition, and so the same Covenant in kind. For, Majus & minus non variant speciem.
CXXXVIII.
Whereas the Gospel requireth perfect Obedience (as hath been proved) as truly as the Covenant of Works did, were that perfect Obedience, the Condition of it, without which the benefits thereof cannot be enjoyed, there would be no difference at all betwixt the Covenant of Grace, and the Covenant of Works, forasmuch as both did require works, yea and perfect works as the condition thereof.
CXXXIX.
It may be farther evidenced, that not sincere, though imperfect Obedience, is the Condition of the Covenant of Grace, and of our Justification, but Faith, because when the Apostle opposeth the Righteousness of Law and Gospel, he opposeth …t as it were 1000 Talents to a penny, … of works to another; but the Righteousness of Christ, or to be found in him to all kind of Works whatsoever, Phil. 3.9. 2 Cor. 5.21. Gal. 3.12. And to have the Righteousness of Faith, and the Righteousness of Christ, and the Righteousness by Faith, are ever one and the same things, and are still opposed to Works.
CXL.
Moreover, the Sinners charge is not this, that he wants his penny, or pepper-corn, but that he hath broken the Law, his Righteousness therefore must be such as doth meet that charge, Rom. 8.34. And so it must be such a Righteousness as may be equivalent, at least to his own fulfilling the Law, or his having satisfied the penalty thereof.
CXLI.
When we say Faith is the Condition of the New Covenant, and of our Justification (which is one great priviledge thereof) we mean, that our having right to God's promises supplyeth that room which Conditions do in men's mutual bargains; wherein when one promiseth something on such a Condition, the performance of that Condition doth turn the conditional promise into an absolute right to him that hath performed it. And so Faith is the Condition upon which the Title to that great promise, viz. God's being our God doth depend. Faith hath obtained that Name in respect of the place which God hath put it into in his Covenant, and so it flows from his extrinsick Ordination, Durham, 240.
CXLII.
But when Faith is called the Instrumental cause of our Justification the intrinsick manner of it's Acting is respected. For though it be from the Spirit, with other Graces, and they be not separated, yet hath it a peculiar aptitude to look to Christ, receive him, apprehend, and eat him, take hold, and rest on him, &c. That is, expect Salvation from him, for so the Jews were said to rest in the Law who expected Justification by it, Rom. 2.
CXLIII.
It is a Truth greatly to be observed, that for attaining of Justification by Christ's Righteousness, Faith doth peculiarly concur in the apprehending thereof, and working thereon, otherwise than other Graces can be said to do, Durham 240.
CXLIV.
The fore-going Proposition will not seem strange if we consider, That to be Justified by Christ, and by Faith, or by the Righteousness of Christ, and by the Righteousness of Faith, are still one in Scripture, even then where that concurrence which is allowed to Faith is deny'd to all other things, which sheweth, that Faith concurreth peculiarly, and that it justifieth by obtaining Justification through Christ. 2. As Faith of Miracles did concur for the obtaining of a particular benefit, so doth saving Faith for attaining of Justification. But Faith of Miracles did concur Instrumentally for health; for 'tis said, some had Faith to be healed. i. e. to receive virtue from Christ to heal them, which others had not. And accordingly the effects are attributed both to their Faith, and to Christ's power. Therefore it may be so here, viz. Justification may flow from Faith, as the Instrumental Cause, and from Christ's Righteousness as the Meritorious.
CXLV.
Works are not the Instrument, or Condition of our Justification, whether works before Conversion, for they were not acceptable, nor works after Conversion, for they are after Justification; and so can be no cause thereof.
CXLVI.
If any shall object and say, that neither Faith before we are Sanctified can Justifie us Instrumentally, nor Faith after we are Sanctified (for the reasons alleaged against Works) I answer, It is neither Faith before, nor after our being Sanctified, or Converted, that is the Instrument of our Justification, but that Faith which enters into us into a justified estate, and it cannot be conceived either before, or after, being an instantaneous Act, as solemn consenting in Marriage is not before, nor after, as it constituteth Marriage, but instantly.
CXLVII.
Some to make way for Works being a Condition of Justification as well as Faith, do say that Justification is not an instantaneous, but a continued Act: but in the sense they do affirm it is false. For it cannot be said that Believers do continue in being admitted into a justified Estate, or that by a continued Act the Lord is still admitting them, as it inferreth non-admission, or an imperfect admission, which is the sense in which they affirm it: but all that can truly be said is, that God continueth to Justifie, or that the Act of their admission into that Estate is a continuing Act. As a Man is married but once, to one Woman, but though his consent to Marry be given at once, and the same instant they are Man and Wife; yet that an Instantareous Act of his in declaring his consent to Marry, abideth for ever, as long as they two shall Live.
CXLVIII.
That Justification is no continued Act, I prove thus. 1. A Sinner upon his Believing is instantly justified and freed from the curse, and instated into Friendship with God, Ergo. Justification is no continued Act. 2. Our being admitted into the Covenant of Grace as to a right to the saving Blessings promised therein is no continued, but an instantaneous Act. Ergo. Justification is so. For they who are so in Covenant are Justified, &c. 3. A Believer is not partly under the Curse, and partly under Grace; partly saved, and partly damn'd; partly absolv'd, and partly condemn'd; therefore being certainly under Grace, and absolution in part, (for else he could not be said to be justified at all) he must be altogether so. 4. A Believer, for that he is such, or as, and as soon as he is such, hath a Righteousness that can abide the Trial in Justice. Therefore Justification cannot be a continued Act. For if the Justification of a Sinner were but a perfecting, it could not be said that he had an Actual, perfect Righteousness (as that of Christ imputed to him is) but only that it were a perfecting.
CXLIX.
To say that Works are a Condition of the Covenant, or of Justification, were to confound the Covenant of Grace, and the Covenant of Works. Now, the Apostle doth directly oppose these. The Righteousness of the Law saith on this wise, The man that doth these things shall live in them. And the Righteousness of Faith is holden forth as opposite to that, and so cannot be said to consist in doing of works, Rom. 10.5, 6. Gal. 3.12. The Covenant of works is so called, in respect of the formality of the Condition thereof, viz. Doing, that is, the Righteousness which we our selves do, Titus 3.5. Not by works of Righteousness which we have done, &c.
CL.
Faith is opposed to works as the Condition of the Covenant, or of Justification not as considered in it's self, but with Respect to it's object Christ. Works inherent in us, and performed by us are call'd for in the Covenant of works, as the Righteousness thereof, and as the only ground upon which we can expect to be justified by it. Again, by the Covenant of Grace Christ's Righteousness without us received by Faith is only admitted as a Right and ground of Justification. 'Tis evident that Faith is so to be understood, Rom. 10.5, 6. Gal. 3.10, 11, 12. For the Righteousness spoken of, Rom. 10.3, 4. (which is the Righteousness of Faith, and is opposed to our Righteousness) is Christ the end of the Law for Righteousness to all that believe. So it is also, Gal. 3. And it is observable that in both these Chapters the difference of the Condition of the Covenant of Works, and of Grace is insisted, on to plead the necessity of a Righteousness without us in opposition to our own: and so Faith must be the Condition of the Covenant of Grace as it acteth, or resteth on that.
CLI.
We cannot assent to the distinction which some give, viz. That Christ is our Legal Righteousness, that is, that by him we have satisfied the Covenant of Works, he having pay'd in our Name; but Faith and Obedience are our Evangelick Righteousness; that is, as he hath procur'd a new grant of Life upon these easie terms, in the Covenant of Grace, and so as by performing thereof we may come to have right to what he hath purchased in satisfying the first Covenant.
CLII.
I say, we cannot assent to the fore-said distinction. 1. Because it doth make two Righteousnesses in Justification, and one of them to be the means for attaining the other, whereas the Gospel Righteousness is but one in it's self, by Faith apprehended and made ours. Christ is our Legal Righteousness, as the Law's charge is satisfied by him: and he is our Evangelick Righteousness, as the mean of answering the Law is proposed to us in the Gospel, and for us, upon the condition of Faith, accepted by the same, without which Christ had never been our Legal Righteousness. But if we consider the Law righteousness strictly, as it requireth Satisfaction from the very Party, so Christ is not our Legal Righteousness, but our Evangelick Righteousness, seeing no other way but by the Gospel we have access to him.
CLIII.
To such as do affirm that Christ hath procured Faith (in that large sense as involving Gospel Obedience) to be accepted as our Righteousness, I would answer, 1. That were not to make Christ our immediate Righteousness, but only to procure that such works should be accepted, and the former Covenant mitigated, but not in its Nature changed. 2. That overturneth the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness as our immediate Righteousness, and so puts upon being found not in Christ's Righteousness, but in our own, contrary to Paul, Phil. 3.9.
CLIV.
Concerning Faith, it is modestly, and safely expressed, that Faith, at most, is but the condition on which Christ becomes our Righteousness; and so Faith it self properly cannot be our Righteousness. When Faith is called the condition of the Covenant, or our Righteousness, it doth not imply that it is properly imputed, but it shews to whom, and upon what terms Christ's Righteousness is imputed, or how a Sinner may have access to be justified by it.
CLV.
Faith when it is called a condition of the covenant ought alwayes to be taken strictly, as it receiveth Christ, and by that manner of Acting is differenced from all other Graces, and Works.
CLVI.
Faith strictly taken cannot be rightly conceiv'd but as looking to Christ's Righteousness, the object thereof, even as we cannot conceive a consent which constituteth a Marriage, without respect to the party consented to: or as we cannot conceive looking to the brazen Serpent, as the condition, or mean, by which health was gotten, but with respect to the object thereof, the Serpent, and the ground preceding, viz. God's appointment; without which, a look simply considered was of no such virtue.
CLVII.
To them that shall say, If Faith properly taken be the condition of the Covenant of Grace, and hath in that succeeded in the room that works had in the Covenant of Works, it therefore must be our Evangelical Righteousness; as Works were our Legal Righteousness. I answer; That Faith is never to be taken without implying the Object, Christ, or without respect to it's proper aptitude for receiving him. And so Believe and thou shalt be saved, implyeth still this. Receive Christ and rest on his Righteousness, or submit to Christ's Righteousness, and accept of him for that end, that he may be Righteousness to thee, and thou shalt be saved. Our Evangelick Righteousness whereby we are absolved is in Christ, not in our selves, 2 Cor. 5.21. as the sin for which he was sentenced was in us, not in him.
CLVIII.
The disproving of Justification to be a continued Act, plainly proveth Faith and Works joyned together not to be the Condition thereof. For if so, no man could be justified till the close of his life, or till he had persevered in Faith and Holiness to the end of his days. Now if Justification be an Instamaneous act (like that of a Judge giving sentence of Absolution) then good works cannot precede our Justification, and consequently not be the Instruments of it. True it is, God continueth to pronounce Believers Justified to their dying day, and the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness unto them never ceaseth as to the virtue of it; but it cannot be said that God doth continue to change Believers from a state of Enmity to a state of Friendship, which is the true notion of Justification.