A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 122 (Questions 32-33)
SERMON CXXII.
QUESTION XXXII.
THAT Benefits do they that are Effectually Called partake of in this Life?
ANSWER.
THEY that are Effectually Called, do … Life partake of Juſtification, Adop… Sanctification, and the ſeveral … which do in this Life, either ac… or flow from them.
… have taken a brief Account of the … firſt part of the Spirits's Work in Ap…, viz. Out Union to Chriſt in Effectual … by vertue of which Union we are …ed to his Perſon in an Everlaſting Co… which is thus ratify'd between him and us, and ſo we come to be owners of that precious Redemption which he wrought out for us. We are ow come to the ſecond Part of it, which conſiſts in Communion with Chriſt, in thoſe Glorious Benefits which he hath purchaſed, and laid in for us, by that Redemption of his. It is certain, tha… that Great and Admirable Work of Chriſt. was not for nothing, but had a worthy Deſign in it, which he did unfailingly, accompliſh. And, though there was a Mediator's Glory ſecured to him in the Eternal Compact, which he had a reſpect unto in the Work he did, which he bare up upon; According to Heb. 12.2. and therefore upon the finiſhing of it he challengeth it, Joh. 17.4, 5. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finiſhed the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorifie thou me with thine own ſelf, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. Yet his Doing and Sufferings, bare a next aim at thoſe, whom he undertook to redeem. His active and paſſive Obedience were not for himſelf, but for thoſe whom his Father had given him and they were to be made partakers in the precious fruits thereof. Union t…en with Chriſt, is the ground of Communion with him; the Spirit therefore having made us owners of them in vocation, thereupon makes us to ſhare in the vertue and efficacy of them. Theſe Benefits are many and great, containing in them out compleat deliverance from all Miſeries, and out advancement to perfect Felicity: They contain in them Grace and Glory, and that is good, Pſal. 84.11. They are ſummarily cor…rized in Bleſſedneſs Hence that, Pſal. 2.12. Bleſſed are all they that put their truſt in him. Which Bleſſedneſs conſiſts, in a freedom from all Evil, and a participation in all Good. This Bleſſedneſs is neither inchoated in this Life, or perfected in another. This Perfection the Soul arrives to at Death, and both Soul and Body at the Reſurrection. Accordingly our Catechiſm ranks theſe Benefits under three Heads; thoſe that we partake in …n this Life; thoſe that we are entertained with at Death, and thoſe that we ſhall enjoy at the R…ſurrection. The firſt of theſe we are pointed to, and have an account of in the Anſwer before us. A perſon is no ſooner put into Chriſt, but immediately a Change infinitely for the better paſſech upon him. He hath not theſe Benefits only in reverſion, but there are ſome that he is actually poſſeſſed of, whereof we have mentioned, every whereof is exceeding comprehenſive; Juſtification, Adoption, Sanctification, and Glorification. For that I ſuppoſe to be intended by the ſeveral Benefits, which in this Life accompany or flow from the other, and may be evidenced when we come to ſpeak of them. Divines do uſually diſtribute theſe under two Heads, which they diverſly expreſs, viz. ſuch as make only a Relative change in us, or ſuch as change our Nature; ſuch as are compleated or perfected in one individual act, or thoſe that are imperfect at firſt, and are carried on to perfection by degrees. To the former Head belong Juſtification & Adoption; to the latter Sanctification & Glorification. In what order theſe are to be treated of, is a matter of ſome debate. And though poſſibly the thing in it ſelf would not be of ſuch moment as to thoſe Controverſies about it, yet the perverſe improvement, that hath been made by ſome, calls for ſomething to be ſaid on this account. Here then let us obſerve, that in a gennetical method, the order of things is warily to be conſidered, for the avoiding of Confuſion, and falſe Principles drawn from ſuch a miſtake. Thus ſome placing Sanctification before Juſtification, have inferred our Works to have a cauſal influence into our Juſtification, which is a pernicious error, and which the putting of theſe things in their right place would help to prevent. Let us then take notice, that if we ſpeak of Time, there is no … of priority or poſteriority between theſe …enefits, becauſe they all come in together, … at the ſame inſtant. In the ſame … which we are Called, we are Juſtifyed, … But if we ſpeak of the order of Nature, … is that to be obſerved in the relation which theſe things bear each to other, which wi… give us light and reaſon for the placing of them in the method of Divinity. … Calling muſt needs go before all theſe … for though that alſo be a fruit and … of the Covenant of Redemption, yet it i… …work… which brings us into the Covenant of G…, and ſo to the enjoyment of the benefits of it. And though the benefits come with it, put it brings them, and hath the priority of a …. Among theſe Benefits themſelves alſo … is an order; for though our ſtate … nature are changed together, yet in as … as the former of theſe is compleated … inſtant, by one act, whereas the other is … at firſt, and carried on in a work, that … to challenge the firſt place; beſides … Sanctification, and Glorification … Priviledges appropriated to the J… and Adopted. And the admiſſion of a … into a ſtate of favour, ſeems to be in Nature before his participation in the ſpecial … which are reſerved only for thoſe that … ſuch a ſtate. As to the order between Juſtification and Adoption, there ſeems … ſo much need of being curious, ſince the… … refer to the change of ſtate; only the… to be a rational priority in Juſtification … much as the Adopting a perſon into … ſuppoſeth a being entirely reconciled … This therefore is firſt treated of in … chiſm; which is now to be looked ….
QUESTION XXXI….
WHAT is Juſtification?
ANSWER!
JUSTIFICATION is and Act … GOD's Free Grace, wherein He Pardoneth all our Sins, and Accepeth us as righteou… in His ſight, only for the Righteouſneſs of CHRIST, imputed to us, and rece…d by Faith alone.
I Have not long ſince, Publiſhed a … Diſcourſe concerning this Article of … ficaton, and had ſome thoughts of … any further treating of it here, and ſo … referred you to that Treatiſe. But con… ing it to be a Fundamental Point to the Chriſtian Religion, and therefore never … much inculcated by the Goſpel Mi…: That it is not a little undermined & depen… in the preſent Age, and ſo had need to … defended by all ſuch as love the honour of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: That the true O… ſolation of every Believer depends upon …; … they cannot hear too much of it; and … the omiſſion of is will make a needleſs … …uption in theſe Catechiſtical Expoſitions, I … therefore eſſay to offer an abſtract of this …. And here I ſhall only give a brief …tion and Confirmation of the Truths …ed in the Deſcription before us.
And here,
1. THE thing intended by Juſtification is to … ſ…d. For how ſhould we think or ſpeak … of a thing, until we know what we … by it? If I take Juſtification for one …, and another miſtakes it for ſomething … ou… …otions and reſentments about it, … be different. A great part of the …ies between the Papiſts and …s, are … on this difference. They confound …cation & Sanctification, and make them … the ſame thing; pretending the … of the words in the notation of them, … that to juſtify, muſt needs ſignify … a man juſt, as ſanctify, ſignifies, to … holy. But ſuppoſing the Etymology … word ſhould favour them, yet it is a … words are to be underſtood according … and cuſtom of the Nations among whom … uſed. Now, Proteſtant Divines that … …ded into this Affair, have made to …, that the Hebrew & Greek words uſed … Old and new Teſtament, which are … to juſtify, are not in more than two … …ed for making a perſon to be righte… where… righteouſneſs; and theſe alſo …. And that in all other places they … for in…ecally, for the declaring or the …g of one to be righteous. Nor is it … p…ible, to produce any Claſſick Latin … who uſeth the word Juſtify in any …. Yea, the Papiſts themſelves do, … their alterations, acknowledge the … plead for, vi…. That there is ſuch a …ing as God's declaring the perſon to be …, as he is a Judge; though they …ld it upon his being friſt made inherently …: Their miſtake wherein will in the … be detected.
… …ſication then, we here underſtand, An … pronouncing of a perſon to be Righ… … fair Trial. Which is excellently … by the proceedure of Civil Courts …, upon a perſon that hath been … before them, and upon the Examination and Judgment of his Cauſe, is found not only … of the Crimes alledged againſt him, … to have demeaned himſelf worthily; … he is cleared from the Court, and … vindicated. This then is the … before us, and to be laid forth in all … of it in the Sequel.
… have the General Nature of it, ex… …oſ… words, it it an Act of God's Free …. For as it derives from God's free … us, ſo it agrees with all the other … which derive from Chriſt to us. That is …antain of them all. And as it is an … agrees with Adoption, which is … deſcribed. Here we may obſerve … things.
1. THE Author of it, and that is G…d. This the Apoſtle plumply aſſerts, Rom. 8.33. It is God that justi…ieth. And it is ſo appropriated to him, that it is incommunicable to any other, ſo to juſtify as he doth: i. e. Authoritatively. There is indeed a declarative Juſtification, ſo called improperly, which men are capable of. This is done charitably by one Neighbout for another, when he ſtands in his defence, and pronounceth his innocency. And there is and Eceleſiaſtical juſtification, when thoſe whom Chriſt hat… authorized to bind and looſe on Earth, do according to the Goſpel Rules, acquit a perſon; and ſet him right in the Church. But this is no farther right than approved by God: And it is only a declaration of what God himſelf doth for ſuch an one. And hence it proceeds in his Name. That the Juſtification under conſideration, is proper to God, will appear for theſe Reaſons,
(1) BECAUSE He only is man's Judge in this Affair. Authoritative Juſtification is a judicial act, and ſo is proper to him that is Judge. But this is God's p…emgative and property, Pſal. 75.7. God is the Judge. & 50.6. The Law on which it proceeds, hath him for its Author, and he only hath the power to call man to account about it. And for that reaſon he hath that title put… on him, Gen. 18.25. The Judge of all the Earth.
(2.) BECAUSE it is the Juſtification of the Ungodly. So it is expreſs'd, Rom. 4. …. But believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly. i. e. One that before this was ſuch an one, & was ſo till this act paſs'd upon him. And to juſtify ſuch an one righteouſly, is beyond the power of any but God to do. There is ſo much required to the Juſtification of a Sinner, that none leſs then God can do it, as will be ſeen when we come to confider what it is.
(3.) BECAUSE Pardon of Sin belongs to this Juſtification, which none hath power of but God. How, and wherein this appertains to it, will be ſeen afterwards. But if, in the juſtifying a Sinner, there muſt be a Pardon beſtowed upon him, it muſt be peculiar to God, for none can forgive Sins but …e. This the Jews reſented when they ſaid, Mar. 2.7. Why doth this man thus ſpeak blaſphemies? who can forgive ſins but God only? Men may forgive to one another the wrong done to them, but the Sin they cannot forgive, becauſe fin is only againſt God, Pſal. 54.4. Againſt thee, thee only have I finned, and done this evil in thy fight: And who ſhall deliver us from his Judgment but himſelf?
(4.) BECAUSE Juſtification ſets the man free from Condemnation. It reſtores the man to peace with God, Rom. 8.1. & 5.1. And if God himſelf doth not give the man this diſcharge, and receive him into favour, he muſt needs be obnoxious, and ſo, far from being in a ſafe ſtate.
2. THE Quality of this Juſtification is e…preſt in that it is called an Act. And herein it in general agrees with Adoption, which is alſo called an Act, and differs from Sanctification and Glorification, which are called Works. The difference between an act and a work hath been before obſerved. And that theſe are applicable to Juſtification, will appear. For,
(1.) JUSTIFICATION is of the Perſon. It is the man himſelf that is Juſtifyed. Whatſoever reſpect the Proceſs in it may have to the things which the man hath done, yet, the Juſtification that is conſequent upon it terminates on the perſon. And thus we ſhall find the word every where applied in Scripture. Pſal. 143.2. Iſal. 50.8. Rom. 4.5. & 5.1.
(2.) JUSTIFICATION only makes a change in the man's ſtate, and not on his nature. There is indeed always a change in the nature of the perſon juſtified concomitant with it. Juſtification & Sanctification are ever inſeperable in the work of Application, yet they are in themſelves diſtinct things. In Juſtification the man paſſ…th from a ſtate of Condemnation, in which he before was, into a ſtate of Reconciliation and Abſolution. He is now delivered from his Judge, as Job 23.7. And may ſay as he did, Pſal. 118 17. I ſhall not die but live, and declare the works of the Lord.
(3.) HENCE Juſtification is perfected at once. The ſtate of the man is changed in an inſtant. The ſame moment wherein the ſentence paſſeth upon him, he is entirely paſs'd from his former ſtate. The Law hath no more hold of him. Rom. 6.14. For ſin ſhall not have dominion ever you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. There is nothing can to be laid to his charge, as to be faſtned upon him, Rom 8 33. Who ſhall lay any thing to …he charge of God's elect? it is God that juſtifieth? He can never again be condemned, Rom 8.1. There is therefore n…w no condemnation to them which are in Chriſt Jeſus. A Believer is as much juſtified in the very moment of his be lieving, as ever he ſhall be; and is as ſecure from Condemnation, as thoſe who are now in Glory. There are no degrees in Juſtification. For, becauſe it is the perſon, that it terminates upon, either he is not juſtifyed at all, or he is entirely ſo. It is true, there are degrees of Aſſurance of this ſtate that men may have, but that belongs not to Juſtification, but Glorification. And let the man be never ſo much in the dark, & doubtful about it, it makes not the leaſt alteration in his real eſtate. It it be inquired, Whether Juſtification be a tranſient or a continued act? It may be ſafely anſwered, that Juſtification, as it proceeds from God, and changeth the ſtate of the perſon, is a tranſient act, it is done in time, at what inſtant the man believes, and ſo it is at once. But if we conſider the vertue & efficacy of this act, ſo it continues, becauſe God is one mind, and changeth nor, Job 23.13. And ſo the man abides in this ſtate for ever.
3. THE Fountain from which this Act proceeds the free Grace of God. Hitherto are all theſe benefits which derive to us through Jeſus Chriſt to be aſcribed. It is true, that Juſtification, in the very notion and ſeaſe of it, points us to the conſideration of the Righteouſneſs of God, which muſt be manite… in it, otherwiſe it could not be truly called Juſtification: The manifeſtation whereof in this Affair, will afterwards be confid…. But, as it is applied to ſinful man, ſo it caries in it a glorious diſcovery of the riches of Grace. Grace is in Scripture taken in a … fold ſenſe; ſometimes from the inward … ciple from which a favour derives, and ſometimes for the favour it ſelf ſo beſtow'd. We are here more eſpecially to underſtand it i… the former ſenſe. And there are theſe Conſiderations that will diſcover the Abun… of Grace appearing in it.
(1.) JUSTIFICATION is it ſelf a great v…edge. There is nothing leſs than happi… contained in it. How ſafe, how ſecure is th… man, who is put out of all danger of puri… ing? Who ſhall never be hurt by the … Death? Who hath peace with God, & … his own Conſcience? Who hath a cla… … to Eternal Life, and may challenge it as … own? Who ſhall ſtand in the Judgment … look his Judge in the face without … and in the Great Day hear the joyful Se… Come thou bleſſed? This honour and … hath every juſtified perſon
(2) IT is a Priviledge that none de… … the contrary. It is the juſtifying of the … Rom 4.5. Now ungodlineſs expoſes … condemnation. They were by ſin & … lineſs brought under the curſe & th… of the Law, and deſerved to die. If Go… pr…ſec…ed that Sentence againſt th… … eternal deſtruction, their mouths may … been ſtopp'd; for all the World ſtood … before him: ſhame, and confuſion belong … them. Whe… therefore God abſolved … he might have done execution upon … and been juſt.
(3.) IT is a Priviledge which God be… … ſome, and not upon others, who are alike is … natural estate. It is certain, that all a… … rally alike, there is no difference, Rom 3.9. If …t then? are we better than they? … i… no wiſe: for we have before proved both J…s and Gentiles, that they are all under …. The Apoſtle puts himſelf in, Eph. 2.3. …. 3.3. God acts his Sovereignty in this grea… …. Rom. 9.18. Therefore hath he mercy on … he wi… have mercy, and whom he will be … eth. It therefore muſt be Grace that de… the ſubject of this benefit.
(4.) IT is a Priviledge for the … whereof they could do nothing. Juſtification i… a Sentence for the paſſing of which, … muſt be a Righteouſneſs, elſe there wo…ld be injuſtice in the paſſing of it. To de… … perſon righteous, without a righteouſneſs for it, is to err in Judgment. Now … have no righteouſneſs perſonal of their …, which will bear the trial of the holy …, ſo as to acquit them; not can they … to ſuch as one by their utmoſt endeavours. …ce we have ſuch acknowledgments made by …dy men in the word of God. Pſal. 130. … Iſ…l. 64.6. Den. 9.18. and elſewhere.
(…) IT is a Priviledge to make way for the …ing of which, be himſelf hath laid in a …ghteouſneſs. Without a Righteouſneſs … not be juſtined; we had none of … …n: No meer creature could afford one … He therefore ordained and ſent his … the World to provide & lay in ſuch Righteouſneſs as might anſwer this deſign. … that, Rom. 3.24, 25, 26. Being juſtifies … by his grace, through the redemption that … Chriſt Jeſus: Whom God hath ſet forth to … …ciation, through ſaith in his blood, to … his righteouſneſs for the remiſſion of ſins … paſt, through the forb…ance of God. … I ſay, at this time, his righteouſneſs: … …ight he juſt, and the juſtifier of him that … in Jeſus. Rather than we ſhould not … …yed, he would condemn his own Son. … that, 2 Cor. 5.21. For he hath made him … for us, who know no ſin, that we might … the righteouſneſs of God in him. It is … called the Righteouſneſs of God, Phil. … and he is ſaid to bring it in, Dan. 9.24. … …inly, when theſe things are laid …, it will appear to be a tranſcendent … Grace herein expreſt to any, to whom … applied. Not doth it in the leaſt … …t indeed greatly enhance the Grace … that it juſtifies none but on the ac… a Righteouſneſs of God's own pro… them.
LEARN we hence, How v…in a thing … any to ſeek their Juſtification with … other way but that of his free Grace. … muſt ſeek it throught Chriſt's Righ… but therein is the elevation of … but if we think to obtain it by any … our own, we deceive our ſelves, and … to fruſtrate the Grace of God. Let … encourage Chief Sinners, to hope … …cation, and ſeek it of God, ſince, … is ſufficient Righteouſneſs laid in … where Sin hath abounded, Grace can … …and.
[JULY 5. 1698.]