Discourses on Various Important Subjects, Discourse 1 (3 of 3)

Discourses on Various Important Subjects · Discourse 1 (3 of 3)

p. 89The Reaſon of this may be ſeen, from what has been already ſaid, to ſhew that it is not meet that any Thing in us, ſhould be accepted of God▪ as any Excellency of our Perſons, until we are actually in Chriſt, and juſtified through him. The Lovelineſs of the Vertue of fallen Creatures, is nothing in the Sight of God, till he beholds them in Chriſt, and clothed with his p. 90Righteouſneſs. 1. Becauſe till then we ſtand condemnned before God, by his own holy Law, to his utter Rejection, and Abhorrence, And, 2. Becauſe we are infinitely Guilty before him, and the Lovelineſs of our Vertue bears no Proportion to our Guilt; and muſt therefore paſs for nothing before a ſtrict Judge. And, 3 Becauſe our good Deeds, and vertuous Acts themſelves, are in a Senſe corrupt, and the hatefulneſs of the Corruption of them, if we are beheld as we are in our ſelves, or ſeperate from Chriſt, infinitely outweighs the Lovelineſs of the Good that is in them: So that if no other Sin was conſidered, but only that which attends the Act of Vertue itſelf, the Lovelineſs vaniſhes into nothing in Compariſon of it: And therefore the Virtue muſt paſs for nothing, out of Chriſt. Not only are our beſt Duties defiled, in being attended with the Exerciſes of Sin and Corruption, that precede them and follow them, and are intermingled with holy Acts; but even the holy Acts themſelves, and the gracious Exerciſes of the godly, tho' the Act moſt ſimply conſidered is good, yet take the Acts in their Meaſure, and Dimenſions, and the manner in which they are exerted, and they are corrupt Acts; that is, they are defectively corrupt, or ſinfully defective; there is that defect in them, that may well be called the Corruption of them; that defect is properly Sin, an Expreſſion of a vile Sinfulneſs of Heart, and what tends to provoke the juſt anger of God; not becauſe the Exerciſe of Love and other Grace, is not equal to God's lovelineſs; for 'tis impoſſible the Love of Creatures (Men or Angels) ſhould be ſo; but becauſe the Act is ſo very diſproportionate to the Occaſion given for Love or other Grace, conſidering God's lovelineſs, and the Manifeſtation that is made of it, and the exerciſes of Kindneſs, and the capacity of human Nature, and our Advantages, (and the like) together. A negative Expreſſion of Corruption may be as truly Sin, and as juſt Cauſe of Provocation, as a poſitive. Thus if a Man, a worthy & excellent Perſon, ſhould from meer Generoſity and Goodneſs, exceedingly lay out himſelf, and ſhould with great Expence and p. 91Suffering, ſave another's Life, or redeem him from ſome extream Calamity; and when he had done all, that other Perſon ſhould never thank him for it, or expreſs the leaſt Gratitude any way; this would be a negative Expreſſion of his Ingratitude and Baſeneſs; but is Equivalent to an Act of Ingratitude, or poſitive exerciſe of a baſe unworthy Spirit; and is truly an Expreſſion of …, and brings as much Blame, as if he by ſome poſitive Act, had much injured another Perſon. And ſo it would be, (only in a leſſer Degree,) if the Gratitude was but very ſmall, bearing no Proportion to the Benefit and Obligation; as if for ſo great and extraordinary a Kindneſs, he ſhould expreſs no more Gratitude than would have been becoming towards a Perſon that had only given him a cup of Water when thirſty, or ſhewn him the Way in a Journey, when at a loſs, or had done him ſome ſuch ſmall Kindneſs: If he ſhould come to his Benefactor to expreſs his Gratitude, and ſhould do after this manner▪ he might truly he ſaid to act unworthily and odiouſly; he would ſhew a moſt ungrateful Spirit: And his doing after ſuch a Manner might juſtly be abhorr'd by all: And yet the Gratitude, that little there is of it, moſt ſimply conſidered, and ſo far as it goes, is good. And ſo it is with reſpect to our exerciſe of Love, and Gratitude, and other Graces towards God, they are defectively corrupt and ſinful, and take 'em as they are, in their Manner, and Meaſure, might juſtly be odious, and provoking to God, and would neceſſarily be ſo, were we beheld out of Chriſt: For in that this Defect is Sin, it is infinitely hateful; and ſo the hatefulneſs of the very Act, infinitely out weighs the Lovelineſs of it; becauſe all Sin has infinite hatefulneſs and heinouſneſs; but our Holineſs has but little Value and Lovelineſs, as has been elſewhere demonſtrated.

Hence, tho' it be true that the Saints are rewarded for their good Works, yet it is for Chriſt's ſake only, and not for the Excellency of their Works in themſelves p. 92conſidered, or beheld ſeperately from Chriſt; for ſo they have no excellency in God's ſight, or acceptableneſs to him, as has now been ſhewn. 'Tis acknowledged that God in rewarding the Holineſs and good Works of Belivers, does in ſome reſpect give them Happineſs as a Teſtimony of his Reſpect to the Lovelineſs of their Holineſs and good Works in his Sight; for that is the very Notion of a Reward: But in a very different Senſe from what would have been▪ if Man had not fallen; which would have been to beſtow eternal Life on Man, as a Teſtimony of God's Reſpect to the Lovelineſs of what Man did, conſidered as in it ſelf, and as in Man, ſeperately by himſelf, and not beheld as a Member of Chriſt: In which Senſe alſo, the Scheme of Juſtification we are oppoſing, neceſſarily ſuppoſes, the Excellency of our Virtue to be reſpected and rewarded; for it ſuppoſes a ſaving Intereſt in Chriſt it ſelf to be given as a Reward of it.

Two Things come to paſs, relating to the Saints Reward for their inherent Righteouſneſs, by Virtue of their Relation to Chriſt. 1. The Guilt of their Perſons is all done away, and the Pollution and Hatefulneſs that attends, and is in, their good Works, is hid. 2. Their Relation to Chriſt adds a poſitive Value and Dignity to their good Works, in God's Sight. That little Holineſs, and thoſe faint and feeble Acts of Love, and other Grace, receive an exceeding Value in the Sight of God, by Virtue of God's beholding them as in Chriſt, and as it w…e Members of one ſo infinitely Worthy in his Eyes; and th… becauſe God looks upon the Perſons, as Perſons of greater Dignity on this Account. Iſai 43. 4 Since thou waſt precious in my Sight, thou haſt been honourable. God, for Chriſt's Sake, and becauſe they are Members of his own righteous and dear Son, ſets an exceeding Value upon their Perſons; and hence it follows, that he all ſets a great Value upon their good Acts and Offerings. The ſame Love and Obedience, in a Perſon of greater Dignity and Value in God's Sight, is more valuable his Eyes, than in one of leſs Dignity. Love and Reſpe… p. 93(as has been before obſerved,) is valuable, in Proportion to the Dignity of the Perſon, whoſe Love it is; becauſe, ſo far as any one gives his Love to another, he gives himſelf, in that he gives his Heart: But this is a more excellent Offering, in Proportion as the Perſon whoſe ſelf is offered, is more worthy. Believers are become immenſely more honourable in God's Eſteem, by Virtue of their Relation to Chriſt, th…n Man would have been, conſidered as by himſelf, tho' he had been free from Sin; as a mean Perſon becomes more honourable when married to a King. Hence God will probably reward the little weak Love, and poor and exceeding imperfect Obedience of Believers in Chriſt, with a more glorious Reward, than he would have done Adam's perfect Obedience. According to the Tenour of the firſt Covenant, the Perſon was to be accepted and rewarded, only for the Work's Sake; but by the Covenant of Grace, the Work is accepted and rewarded, only for the Perſon's Sake; the Perſon being beheld antecedently, as a Member of Chriſt, and clothed with his Righteouſneſs. So that tho' the Saints inherent Holineſs is rewarded, yet this very Reward is indeed, not the leſs founded on the Worthineſs and Righteouſneſs of Chriſt: None of the Value that their Works have in his Sight, nor any of the Acceptance they have with him, is out of Chriſt, and out of his Righteouſneſs; but his Worthineſs as Mediator, is the prime and only Foundation on which all is built, and the univerſal Source whence all ariſes. God indeed doth great Things out of Regard to the Saints Lovelineſs, but 'tis only as a ſecondary and derivative Lovelineſs, as it were.—When I ſpeak of a derivative Lovelineſs, I don't mean only, that the Qualifications themſelves, that are accepted as lovely, are derived from Chriſt, and are from his Power and Purchaſe; but that the Acceptance of them as a Lovelineſs, and all the Value that is ſet upon them, and all their Connection with the Reward, is founded in, and derived from Chriſt's Righteouſneſs and Worthineſs.

p. 94If we ſuppoſe that not only higher Degrees of Glory in Heaven, but Heaven it ſelf, is in ſome Reſpect given in Reward for the Holineſs, and good Works of the Saints, in this ſecondary and derivative Senſe, it won't prejudice the Doctrine we have maintain'd 'Tis no Way impoſſible that God may beſtow Heaven's Glory wholly out of Reſpect to Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, and yet in Reward for Man's inherent Holineſs, in different Reſpects, and different Ways It may be only Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, that God has reſpect to, for its own Sake, the independent Acceptableneſs, and Dignity of it being ſufficient of it ſelf, to recommend all that believe in Chriſt, to a Title to this Glory; and ſo it may be only by this that Perſons enter into a Title to Heaven, or have their prime Right to it: And yet God may alſo have Reſpect to the Saints own Holineſs, for Chriſt's Sake, and as deriving a Value from Chriſt's Merit, which he may teſtify in beſtowing Heaven upon them. The Saints being beheld as Members of Chriſt, their Obedience is looked upon by God, as ſomething of Chriſt's, it being the Obedience of the Members of Chriſt; as the Sufferings of the Members of Chriſt, are looked upon, in ſome Reſpect, as the Sufferings of Chriſt. Hence the Apoſtle ſpeaking of his Sufferings, ſays Col 1. 24. Who now rejoyce in my Sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Chriſt in my Fleſh. To the ſame Purpoſe is Matth 25. 35, &c. I was an hungred, naked, ſick, and in Priſon, &c. And ſo that in Rev. 11. 8. And their dead Bodies ſhall lie in the Street of the great City, which ſpiritually is called Sodom, and Egypt, where alſo our Lord was crucified.

By the Merit and Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, ſuch Favour of God towards the Believer may be obtained, as that God may hereby, be already, as it were diſpoſed to make them perfectly and eternally happy: But yet this don't hinder, but that God in his Wiſdom, may chooſe to beſtow this perfect and eternal Happineſs, in this Way, viz. in ſome Reſpect, as a Reward of their Holineſs, and Obedience: 'Tis not impoſſible but that the Bleſſedneſs may be beſtowed as a Reward for that which p. 95is done after that an Intereſt is already obtain'd in that Favour, which (to ſpeak of God after the Manner of Men) diſpoſes God to beſtow the Bleſſedneſs. Our heavenly Father may already have that Favour for a Child, whereby he may be thoroughly ready to give the Child an Inheritance, becauſe he is his Child; which he is by the Purchaſe of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs; and yet that don't hinder but that it ſhould be poſſible, that the Father may chooſe to beſtow the Inheritance on the Child, in a Way of Reward for his Dutifulneſs, and behaving becoming a Child. And ſo great, and exceeding a Reward, may not be judged more than a meet Reward for his Dutifulneſs, but that ſo great a Reward is judged meet, don't ariſe from the Excellency of the Obedience, abſolutely conſidered, but from his ſtanding in ſo near, and honourable a Relation to God, as that of a Child, which is obtained only by the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt. And thus the Reward, and the Greatneſs of it, ariſes properly from the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt; tho' it be indeed in ſome ſort the Reward of their Obedience. As a Father might juſtly eſteem the Inheritance, no more than a meet Reward for the Obedience of his Child, and yet eſteem it more than a meet Reward for the Obedience of a Servant. The Favour whence a Believer's heavenly Father beſtows the eternal Inheritance, and his Title as an Heir, is founded in that Relation he ſtands in to him as a Child, purchaſed by Chriſt's Righteouſneſs; tho' he in Wiſdom, chooſes to beſtow it in ſuch a Way, as therein to teſtify his Acceptance of the Amiableneſs of his Obedience in Chriſt.

Believers having a Title to Heaven by Faith antecedent to their Obedience, or it's being abſolutely promiſed to them before, don't hinder but that the actual Beſtowment of Heaven may alſo be a Teſtimony of God's Regard to their Obedience, tho' performed afterwards. Thus it was with Abraham, the Father and Pattern of all Believers: God beſtowed upon him that Bleſſing of multiplying his Seed as the Stars of Heaven, and cauſing that in his Seed all the Families of the Earth ſhould be bleſſed, in Reward for his Obedience, in Offering p. 96up his Son Iſaac, Gen. 22. 16, 17, 18. And ſaid by my ſelf have I ſworn, ſaith the Lord; for becauſe thou haſt done this Thing, and haſt not withheld thy Son, thine only Son, that in bleſſing I will bleſs thee; and in multiplying I will multiply thy Seed, as the Stars of Heaven, and as the Sand which is upon the Sea Shore, and thy Seed ſhall poſſeſs the Gate of his Enemies, and in thy Seed ſhall all the Nations of the Earth …e bleſſed; becauſe thou haſt obeyed my Voice. And yet the very ſame Bleſſings had been from time to time promiſed to Abraham, in the most poſitive Terms, and the Promiſe with great Solemnity, confirmed and ſealed to him; as Chap. 12. 2, 3 Chap. 13. 16. Chap. 15. 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, &c. Chap. 17. throughout. Chap. 18 10, 18.

From what has been ſaid we may eaſily ſolve the Difficulty ariſing from that Text, in Rev. 3. 4 They ſhall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. Which is parallel with that Text in Luke 20. 35. But they which ſhall be accounted worthy to obtain that World, and the Reſurrection from the Dead—. I allow (as in the Objection) that this Worthineſs does doubtleſs denote a moral Fitneſs to the Reward, or that God looks on theſe glorious Benefits a meet Teſtimony of his Regard to the Value which their Perſons and Performances have in his Sight.

1. God looks on theſe glorious Benefits as a meet Teſtimony of his Regard to the Value which their Perſons have in his Sight. But he ſets this Value upon their Perſons purely for Chriſt's Sake: They are ſuch Jewels, and have ſuch Preciouſneſs in his Eyes, only becauſe they are beheld in Chriſt, and by Reaſon of the Worthineſs of the Head, they are the Members of, and the Stock they are grafted into. And this Value that God ſets upon them on this Account is ſo great, that God thinks meet from Regard to it to admit them to ſuch exceeding Glory The Saints on the Account of their Relation to Chriſt are ſuch precious Jewels in God's Sight, that they are thought worthy of a Place in his own Crown. Mal. 3. 17. Z…h. 9 16. So far as the Saints are ſaid to be valuable in God's Sight, upon whatever p. 97Account they are ſo, ſo far may they properly be ſaid to be worthy, or meet for that Honour that is anſwerable to that Value or Price which God ſets upon them. A Child, or Wife of a Prince, is worthy to be treated with great Honour, and therefore if a mean Perſon ſhould be adopted to be a Child of a Prince, of ſhould be eſpouſed to a Prince, it would be proper to ſay that ſhe was worthy of ſuch and ſuch Honour and Reſpect, and there would be no Force upon the Words in ſaying that ſhe ought to have ſuch Reſpect paid her, for ſhe is worthy, tho' i… be only on the Account of her Relation to the Prince that ſhe is ſo.

2. From the Value God ſets upon their Perſons, for the Sake of Chriſt's Worthineſs, he alſo ſets a high Value in their V…i…ue… and Performance. Their meek and quiet Spirit is of great Price in his Sight. Their Fruits are pleaſant Fruits, their Offering are an Odou… of ſweet Smell to him: And that becauſe of the Value he ſets on their Perſons, as has been already obſerved and explained. This Preciouſneſs, or high Valuableneſs of Believers is a moral Fitneſs to a Reward, and yet this Valuableneſs is all in the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, that is the Foundation of it▪ The Thing that Reſpect is had to, is not the Excellency that is in them, ſeperately by themſelves, or in their Virtue by it ſelf, but to the Value that in God's Account ariſes thereto on other Conſiderations; which is the natural import of the Manner of Expreſſion in Luke 20 35. They which ſhall be accounted worthy, to obtain that World. &c And Luke 21 36. That ye may be accounted worthy to eſcape all theſe Things that ſhall come to paſs, and to ſtand before the Son of Man. 2 Theſſ 1. 5 That ye may be accounted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which ye alſo ſuffer

There is a vaſt Difference between this Scheme, and what is ſuppoſed in the Scheme of thoſe that oppoſe the Doctrine of Juſtification by Faith alone. This lays the Foundation of firſt Acceptance with God, and all actual Salvation conſequent upon it, wholly in Chriſt and his Righteouſneſs. On the contrary, in their Scheme, a Reg…d to Man's own Excellency or Virtue is ſuppoſed to p. 98be firſt, and to have the Place of the firſt Foundation in actual Salvation, tho' not in that ineffectual Redemption, which they ſuppoſe common to all: They lay the Foundation of all diſcriminating Salvation in Man's own Virtue and moral Excellency: This is the very bottom Stone in this Affair; for they ſuppoſe that it is from Regard to our Virtue, that even a ſpecial Intereſt in Chriſt it ſelf is given. The Foundation being thus contrary, the whole Scheme becomes exceeding diverſe and contrary; the one Scheme is an evangelical Scheme, the other a legal one; the one is utterly inconſiſtent with our being juſtified by Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, the other not at all.

From what has been ſaid we may underſtand what has been before mention'd, viz. How that not only is that Forgiveneſs of Sin that is granted in Juſtification indiſſolubly connected with a forgiving Spirit in us, but there may be many Exerciſes of forgiving Mercy that may properly be granted in Reward for our forgiving thoſe that treſpaſs againſt us: For none will deny but that there are many Acts of divine Forgiveneſs towards the Saints, that don't preſuppoſe an unjuſtified State immediately preceeding that Forgiveneſs; none will deny that Saints, that never fell from Grace or a juſtified State, do yet commit many Sins which God forgives afterwards, by laying aſide his fatherly Diſpleaſure. This Forgiveneſs may be in Reward … Forgiveneſs, without any Prejudice to the Doctrine that has been maintained, as well as other Mercies and Bleſſings conſequent on Juſtification.

With Reſpect to the ſecond Part of the Objection, that relates to the different Degrees of Glory, and the ſeeming Inconſiſtence there is in it, that the Degrees of Glory in different Saints ſhould be greater or leſſer according to their inherent Holineſs and good Works, and yet that every ones Glory ſhould be purchaſed with the Price of the very ſame imputed Righteouſneſs.

I anſwer, That Chriſt by his Righteouſneſs purchaſed for every one, compleat and perfect Happineſs, according to his Capacity: But this don't hinder but that the Saints being of various Capacities, may have various p. 99Degrees of Happineſs, and yet all their Happineſs be the Fruit of Chriſt's Purchaſe. Indeed it can't be properly ſaid that Chriſt purchaſed any particular Degree of Happineſs, ſo that the Value of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs in the Sight of God, is ſufficient to raiſe a Believer ſo high, in Happineſs, and no higher; and ſo that if the Believer were made happier, it would exceed the Value of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs: But in general, Chriſt purchaſed eternal Life, or perfect Happineſs for all, according to their ſeveral Capacities. The Saints are as ſo many Veſſels, of different Sizes, caſt into a Sea of Happineſs, where every Veſſel is full; this Chriſt purchaſed for all: But after all 'tis left to God's ſovereign Pleaſure to determine the Largeneſs of the Veſſel; Chriſt's Righteouſneſs meddles not with this Matter. Eph. 4. 4. 5, 6, 7. There is one Body, and one Spirit; even as ye are called in one Hope of your Calling; one Lord, one Faith, one Baptiſm, &c.—But unto every one of us, is given Grace according to the Meaſure of the Gift of Chriſt. God may diſpenſe in this Matter according to what Rule he pleaſes, not the leſs for what Chriſt has done: He may diſpenſe either without Condition, or upon what Condition he pleaſes to fix. 'Tis evident that Chriſt's Righteouſneſs meddles not with this Matter; for what Chriſt did, was to fulfil the Covenant of Works; but the Covenant of Works did not meddle at all with this: If Adam had perſever'd in perfect Obedience, he and his Poſterity would have had perfect and full Happineſs; every ones Happineſs would have ſo anſwer'd his Capacity, that he would have been compleatly bleſſed; but God would have been at Liberty to have made ſome of one Capacity, and others of another as he pleaſed. The Angels have obtained eternal Life, or a State of confirmed Glory by a Covenant of Works, whoſe Condition was perfect Obedience; but yet ſome are higher in Glory than others, according to the ſeveral Capacity that God, according to his ſovereign Pleaſure, hath given them. So that it being ſtill left with God, notwithſtanding the perfect Obedience of the ſecond Adam, to fix the Degree of each ones Capacity, by what Rule he pleaſes, p. 100he …gree of each ones Capacity, by what Rule he pleaſe; he hath been pleaſed to fix the Degree of Capacity, and ſo of Glory by the Proportion of the Saints Grace and Fruitfulneſs here: He gives higher Degrees of Glory, in Reward for higher Degrees of Holineſs and good Works, becauſe it pleaſes him; and yet all the Happineſs of each Saint is indeed the Fruit of the Purchaſe of Chriſt's Obedience. If it had been but one Man, that Chriſt had obeyed and died for, and it had pleaſed God to make him of a very large Capacity, Chriſt's perfect Obedience would have purchaſed that his Capacity ſhould be fill'd, and then all his Happineſs might properly be ſaid to be the Fruit of Chriſt's perfect Obedience; though if he had been of a leſs Capacity, he would not have had ſo much Happineſs, by the ſame Obedience; and yet would had as much as Chriſt merited for him. Chriſt's Righteouſneſs meddles not with the Degree of Happineſs, any otherwiſe than as he merits that it ſhould be full, and perfect, according to the Capacity: And ſo it may be ſaid to be concern'd in the Degree of Happineſs, as perfect is a Degree, with Reſpect to imperfect; but it meddles not with Degrees of perfect Happineſs.

This Matter may be yet better underſtood, if we conſider that Chriſt and the whole Church of Saints, are as it were, one Body, of which he is the Head and they Members, of different Place and Capacity: Now the whole Body, Head and Members, have Communion in Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, they are all Partakers of the Benefit of it; Chriſt himſelf the Head is rewarded for it, and every Member is Partaker of the Benefit and Reward: But it does by no Means follow, that every Part ſhould equally partake of the Benefit; but every Part in Proportion to its Place and Capacity; the Head partakes of far more than other Parts, becauſe it is of a far greater Capacity; and the more noble Members partake of more than the Inferiour. As it is in a natural Body that enjoys perfect Health, the Head, and the Heart, and Lungs have a greater Share of this Health, they have it more ſeated in them, than the Hands and Feet, becauſe they are Parts of greater Capacity; tho' the Hands and Feet are as much in perfect Health as thoſe nobler p. 101Parts of the Body: So it is in the myſtical Body of Chriſt, all the Members are Partakers of the Benefit of the Righteouſneſs of the Head; but 'tis according to the different Capacity and Place they have in the Body; and God determines that Place & Capacity as he pleaſes; he makes whom he pleaſes the Foot, and whom he pleaſes the Hand, and whom he pleaſes the Lungs, &c. 1 Cor. 12 18 God hath ſet the Members, every one of them, in the Body, as it hath pleaſed him. And God efficaciouſly determines the Place, and Capacity of every Member, by the different Degrees of Grace, and Aſſiſtance in the Improvement of it, here in this World: Thoſe that he intends for the higheſt Place in the Body, he gives them moſt of his Spirit, the greateſt Share of the divine Nature, the Spirit and Nature of Chriſt Jeſus the Head, and that Aſſiſtance whereby they perform the moſt excellent Works, and do moſt abound in them.

Object 4 It may be objected againſt what has been ſuppoſed, viz. That Rewards are given to our good Works only in Conſequence of an Intereſt in Chriſt, or in Teſtimony of God's Reſpect to the Excellency or Value of them in his Sight, as built on an Intereſt in Chriſt's Righteouſneſs already obtain'd, that the Scripture ſpeaks of an Intereſt in Chriſt it ſelf, as being given out of Reſpect to our moral Fitneſs. Matth. 10 37,38,39. He that loveth Father or Mother more than me, is not worthy of me: He that loveth Son or Daughter more than me, is not worthy of me: He that taketh not up his Croſs, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his Life ſhall loſe it, &c. Worthineſs here, at leaſt ſignifies a moral Fitneſs, or an Excellency or Virtue that recommends: And this Place ſeems to intimate as tho' it were from Reſpect to a moral Fitneſs that Men are admitted, even to an Union with Chriſt, and Intereſt in him: And therefore this Worthineſs cannot be conſequent on a being in Chriſt, and by the Imputation of his Worthineſs, or from any Value that is in us, or in our Actions in God's Sight, as beheld in Chriſt.

To this I anſwer, That tho' Perſons when they are accepted, are not accepted as worthy, yet when they are p. 102rejected, they are rejected as unworthy. He that don't love Chriſt above other Things, that treats him with ſuch Indignity, as to ſet him below earthly Things, ſhall be treated as unworthy of Chriſt; his Unworthineſs of Chriſt, eſpecially in that Particular, ſhall be marked againſt him, and imputed to him: And tho' he be a profeſſing Chriſtian, and live in the Enjoyment of the Goſpel, and has been viſibly ingrafted into Chriſt, and admitted as one of his Diſciples, as Judas was, yet he ſhall be thruſt out in Wrath, as a Puniſhment of his vile Treatment of Chriſt. The foremention'd Words don't imply that if a Man does love Chriſt above Father and Mother, &c. that he would be worthy; the moſt they imply is, that ſuch a viſible Chriſtian ſhall be treated, and thruſt out, as unworthy. He that believes is not received for the Worthineſs, or moral Fitneſs of Faith; but yet the viſible Chriſtian is caſt out by God, for the Unworthineſs and moral Unfitneſs of Unbelief. A being accepted as one of Chriſt's, is not the Reward of Believing; but being thruſt out from being one of Chriſt's Diſciples, after a viſible Admiſſion as ſuch, is properly a Puniſhment of Unbelief. John 3. 18, 19. He that believeth on him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, becauſe he hath not be…ed on the Name of the only begotten Son of God: And this is the Condemnation, that Light is come into the World, and Men loved Darkneſs rather than Light, becauſe their Deeds were Evil. Salvation is promiſed to Faith as a free Gift, but Damnation is threaten'd to Unbelief as a Debt, or Puniſhment due to Unbelief. They that believed in the Wilderneſs, did not enter into Canaan, becauſe of the Worthineſs of their Faith; but God ſware in his Wrath that they that believed not ſhould not enter in, becauſe of the Unworthineſs of their Unbelief▪ The admitting a Soul to an Union with Chriſt is an Act of free and ſovereign Grace; but an excluding at Death, and at the Day of Judgment, thoſe Profeſſors of Chriſtianity that have had the Offers of a Saviour, and enjoyed great Privileges as God's People, is a judicial Proceeding, and a juſt Puniſhment of p. 103their unworthy Treatment of Chriſt. The Deſign of this Saying of Chriſt is to make ſenſible of the Unworthineſs of their Treatment of Chriſt, that pro…eſs'd him to be their Lord and Saviour, an… … him below Father and Mother, &c. and not to perſwade of the Unworthineſs of loving him above Father and Mother. If a Beggar ſhould be offer'd any great and preciou Gift, but as ſoon as offer'd, ſhould trample it under his Feet, it might be taken from him, as unworthy to have it: Or if a Malefactor ſhould have his Pardon offered him, and he be freed from Execution, and ſhould only ſcoff at it, his Pardon might be refuſed him, as unworthy of it; tho' if he had received it, he would not have had it for his Worthineſs, or as being recommended to it by his Virtue; for his being a Malefactor ſuppoſes him unworthy, and its being offered him to have it only on accepting, ſuppoſes that the King looks for no Worthineſs, nothing in him for which he ſhould beſtow Pardon as a Reward.—This may teach us how to underſtand Acts 13 46 It was neceſſary that the Word of God ſhould firſt be ſpoken to you; but ſeeing ye put it from you, and judge your ſelves unworthy of everlaſting Life, …o we turn to the Gentiles.

Object. 5 'Ti… objected againſt the Doctrine of Juſtification by Faith alone, That Repentance is evidently ſpoken of in Scripture as that which is in a ſpecial Manner the Condition of Remiſſion of Sins: But Remiſſion of Sins is by all allowed to be that wherein Juſtification does, (at leaſt) in great Part conſiſt

But it muſt certainly ariſe from a Miſunderſtanding of what the Scripture ſays about Repentance, to ſuppoſe that Faith and Repentance are two diſtinct Things, that in like manner are the Conditions of Juſtification. For 'tis m…ſt plain from the Scripture that the Condition of Juſtification, or that in us by which we are juſtified, is but one, and that is Faith▪ Faith and Repentance are not two diſtinct Conditions of Juſtification, not are they two diſtinct Things, that together make one Condition of Juſtification; but Faith comprehends the whole of that by which we are juſtified, or by which we come p. 104to have an Intereſt in Chriſt, and there is nothing elſe has a parallel Concern with it, in the Affair of our Salvation. And this the Divines on the other Side themſelves are ſenſible of, and therefore they ſuppoſe that that Faith that the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaks of, which he ſays we are juſtified by alone, comprehends in it Repentance.

And therefore, in Anſwer to the Objection, I would ſay, That when Repentance is ſpoken of in Scripture as the Condition of Pardon, thereby is not intended any particular Grace, or Act, properly diſtinct from Faith, that has a parallel Influence with it, in the Affair of our Pardon or Juſtification; but by Repentance is intended nothing diſtinct from active Converſion, (or Converſion actively conſidered,) as it reſpects the Term from which. Active Converſion is a Motion or Exerciſe of the Mind, that reſpects two Terms, viz. Sin and God: And by Repentance is meant this Converſion, or active Change of the Mind, ſo far as it is converſant about the Term from which, or about Sin▪ This is what the Word Repentance properly ſignifies; which in the Original of the New Teſtament is Metanoia which ſignifies a Change of the Mind, or which is the ſame Thing, the turning or the Converſion of the Mind. Repentance is this turning, as it reſpects what is turned from Acts 26. 20. Whereupon, O King Agrippa, I ſhewed unto them of Damaſcus, and at Jeruſalem, and throughout all the Coaſts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they ſhould repent and turn to God▪ Both theſe are the ſame turning, but only with Reſpect to oppoſite Terms; in the former is expreſs'd the Exerciſe of Mind that there is about Sin in this Turning, in the other the Exerciſe of Mind towards God.

If we look over the Scriptures that ſpeak of evangelical Repentance, we ſhall preſently ſee that Repentance is to be underſtood in this Senſe; as Matth. 9. 13. I am not come to call the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance. Luke 13 3. Except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh; And Chap 15. 7, 10. There is Joy in Heaven over one Sinner that repenteth, i. e. over one Sinner p. 105that is converted. Acts 11. 18. Then hath God, alſo to the Gentiles, granted Repentance unto Life. This is ſaid by the Chriſtians of the Circumciſion at Jeruſalem, upon Peter's giving an Account of the Converſion of Cornelius and his Family, and their embracing the Goſpel, tho' Peter had ſaid nothing expreſly about their Sorrow for Sin. And again, Acts 17. 30. But now commandeth all Men, every where, to repent. And Luke 16. 30. Nay Father Abraham, but if one went to them from the Dead, they would repent. 2 Pet. 3. 9 The Lord is not ſlack concerning his Promiſe, as ſome Men count Slackneſs, but is Long-ſuffering to us ward not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to Repentance▪ 'Tis plain that in theſe and other Places, by Repentance is meant Converſion.

Now, 'ti true, that Converſion i… the Condition of Pardon and Juſtification: But …f it be ſo, how abſurd is it to ſay that Converſion is one Condition …f Juſtification, and Faith another; as though they were two diſtributively diſtinct and parallel Conditions? Converſion is the Condition of Juſtification, becauſe it is that great Change by which we are brought from Sin to Chriſt, and by which we become Believers in him: Agreeable to Matth. 21. 32. And ye when ye had ſeen it, repented not afterwards that ye might believe him. When we are directed to repent that our Sins may be blotted out, 'tis as much as to ſay, Let your Minds and Hearts be changed that your Sins may be blotted out: But if it be ſaid, Let your Hearts be changed that you may be juſtified; and … alſo ſaid, Believe that you may be juſtified; does it therefore follow that the Heart's being changed is one Condition of Juſtification, and Believing another? But our Minds muſt be changed, that we may believe, and ſo may be juſtified.

And beſides, evangelical Repentance, being active Converſion, is not to be treated of as a particular Grace, properly and entirely diſtinct from Faith, as by ſome it ſeems to have been. What i Converſion, but the ſinful, alienated Soul's cloſing with Chriſt or the Sinner's being brought to believe in Chriſt? That Exerciſe of p. 106Soul that there is in Converſion, that reſpects Sin, cannot be excluded out of the Nature of Faith in Chriſt: There is ſomething in Faith, or cloſing with Chriſt that reſpects Sin, and that is evangelical Repentance: That Repentance which in Scripture is called Repentance for the Remiſſion of Sins, is that very Principle or Operation of the Mind it ſelf, that i called Faith, ſo far as it is converſant about Sin. Juſtifying Faith in a Mediator, is converſant about two Things: It is converſant about Sin or Evil, to be rejected and to be delivered from by the Mediator, and about poſitive Good to be accepted and obtained by the Mediator; as converſant about …he former of theſe, it is evangelical Repentance or Repentance for Remiſſion of Sins. Surely they muſt be very ignorant, or at leaſt very inconſiderate, of the whole Tenour of the Goſpel, that think that that Repentance by which Remiſſion of Sins is obtained, can be compleated, as to all that is eſſential to it, without any Reſpect to Chriſt, or Application of the Mind to the Mediator, who alone has made Atonement for Sin: Surely ſo great a Part of Salvation as Remiſſion of Sins, is not to be obtained, without looking, or … to the great and only Saviour. 'Tis true Repentance in its more general abſtracted Nature, is only a Sorrow for Sin, and forſaking of it, which is a Duty of natural Religion; but evangelical Repentance, or Repentance for Remiſſion … Sins, hath more than this eſſential to it; a Dependance of Soul on the Mediator for Deliverance from Sin is of the Eſſence of it.

That juſtifying Repentance has the Nature of Faith ſeems evident by Acts 19 4. Then ſaid Paul, John verily baptiſed with the Baptiſm of Repentance, ſaying unto the People, that they ſhould believe on him that ſhould come after him, that is on Chriſt Jeſus. The latter Words, Saying unto the People, that they ſhould believe on him &c. are evidently exegetical of the former, and explain how he preached Repentance for the Remiſſion of Sins: When it is ſaid that he preached Repentance for the Remiſſion of Sin, ſaying that they ſhould believe on Chriſt, it can't be ſuppoſed but that 'tis intended, that his ſaying that p. 107they ſhould believe on Chriſt, was as directing them what to do that they might obtain the Remiſſion of Sins. So 2 Tim. 2. 25. In Meekneſs inſtructing thoſe that oppoſe themſelves, if God peradventure will give them Repentance, to the acknowleging of the Truth. That acknowleging of the Truth which there is in Believing, is here ſpoken of as what is attained in Repentance. And on the other Hand, that Faith includes Repentance in its Nature, is evident by the Apoſtle's ſpeaking of Sin as deſtroyed in Faith, Gal. 2. 18. In the preceeding Verſes, the Apoſtle mentions an Objection againſt the Doctrine of Juſtification by Faith alone, viz. that it tends to encourage Men in Sin, and ſo to make Chriſt the Miniſter of Sin: This Objection he rejects and refuſes with this, If I build again the Things that I deſtroyed, I make my ſelf a Tranſgreſſor. If Sin be deſtroyed by Faith, it muſt be by Repentance of Sin included in it; for we know that it is our Repentance of Sin, or the Metanoia, or turning of the Mind from Sin, that is our deſtroying our Sin.

That in juſtifying Faith, that directly reſpects Sin, or the Evil to be delivered from by the Mediator, is as follows, A Senſe of our own Sinfulneſs, and the Hatefulneſs of it, and an hearty Acknowlegement of its Deſe… of the threaten'd Puniſhment, looking to the free Mercy of God in a Redeemer, for Deliverance from it and its Puniſhment.

Concerning this, here deſcribed, three Things may be noted, 1. That 'tis the very ſame with that evangelical Repentance to which Remiſſion of Sins is promiſed in Scripture. 2. That 'tis all of it of the Eſſence of juſtifying Faith, and is the ſame with that Faith, ſo far as it is converſant about the Evil to be delivered from by the Mediator. 3 That this is indeed the proper and peculiar Condition of Remiſſion of Sins.

1. All of it is eſſential to evangelical Repentance, and is indeed the very Thing meant by that Repentance, to which Remiſſion of Sins is promiſed in the Goſpel. As to the former Part of the Deſcription, viz A Senſe of our own Sinfulneſs, and the Hatefulneſs of it, and an hearty p. 108Acknowlegement of its Deſert of Wrath, none will deny it to be included in Repentance: But this don't comprehend the whole Eſſence of evangelical Repentance; but what follows does alſo properly and eſſentially belong to its Nature, looking to the free Mercy of God in a Redeemer, for Deliverance from it, and the Puniſhment of it. That Repentance to which Remiſſion is promiſed not only always has this with it, but it is contained in it, as what is of the proper Nature and Eſſence of it: And Reſpect is ever had to this in the Nature of Repentance, whenever Remiſſion is promiſed to it; and it is eſpecially from Reſpect to this in the Nature of Repentance, that it has that Promiſe made to it: If this latter Part be miſſing, it fails of the Nature of that evangelical Repentance to which Remiſſion of Sins is promiſed: If Repentance remains in Sorrow for Sin, and don't reach to a looking to the free Mercy of God in Chriſt for Pardon, 'tis not that which is the Condition of Pardon, neither ſhall Pardon be obtained by it Evangelical Repentance is an Humiliation for Sin before God; but the Sinner never comes and humbles himſelf before God, in any other Repentance, but that which includes an hoping in his Mercy for Remiſſion: If his Sorrow be not accompanied with that, there will be no coming to God in it, but a flying further from him. There is ſome Worſhip of God in juſtifying Repentance; but that there is not in any other Repentance, but that which has a Senſe of, and Faith in the divine Mercy to forgive Sin. Pſalm 130 4. There is Forgiveneſs with thee, that thou mayſt be feared. The Promiſe of Mercy to a true Penitent, in Prov. 28. 13. is expreſſed in theſe Terms, Whoſo confeſſeth, and forſaketh his Sins, ſhall have Mercy. But there is Faith in God's Mercy in that confeſſing. The Pſalmiſt in Pſalm 32 ſpeaking of the Bleſſedneſs of the Men whoſe Tranſgreſſion is forgiven, and whoſe Sin is covered, to whom the Lord imputes not Sin, ſays, that while he kept Silence, his Bones waxed old, but then he acknowleged his Sin unto God, his Iniquity he did not hide, he ſaid he would confeſs his Tranſgreſſion to the Lord, and then God forgave the Iniquity of his Sin. The Manner of p. 109Expreſſion plainly holds forth that then he began to encourage himſelf in the Mercy of God, when before his Bones waxed old, while he kept Silence; and therefore the Apoſtle Paul in the 4 of Romans brings this Inſtance, to confirm the Doctrine of Juſtification by Faith alone, that he had been inſiſting on. When Sin is aright confeſs'd to God, there is always Faith in that Act: That confeſſing of Sin that is join'd with Deſpair, ſuch as was in Judas, is not the Confeſſion to which the promiſe is made. In Acts 2. 38. the Direction that was given to thoſe that were pricked in their Heart, with a Senſe of the Guilt of Sin, was to repent & be baptiſed in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, for the Remiſſion of their Sins. A being baptiſed in the Name of Chriſt for the Remiſſion of Sins, implied Faith in Chriſt for the Remiſſion of Sins. Repentance for the Remiſſion of Sins, was typified of old by the Prieſts confeſſing the Sins of the People over the Scape-Goat, laying his Hands on him, Lev. 16. 21. denoting that 'tis that Repentance and Confeſſion of Sin only that obtains Remiſſion, that is made over the Scape-Goat, over Chriſt the great Sacrifice, and with Dependance on him. Many other Things might be produced from the Scripture, that do in like manner confirm this Point, but theſe may be ſufficient.

2. All the foremention'd Deſcription is of the Eſſence of juſtifying Faith, and not different from it, ſo far as it is converſant about Sin, or the Evil to be deliver'd from, by the Mediator. For it is doubtleſs of the Eſſence of juſtifying Faith, to embrace Chriſt as a Saviour from Sin and its Puniſhment, and all that is contain'd in that Act is contain'd in the Nature of Faith it ſelf: But in the Act of embracing Chriſt as a Saviour from our Sin and its Puniſhment, is implied a Senſe of our Sinfulneſs, and a Hatred of our Sins, or a rejecting them with Abhorrence, and a Senſe of our Deſert of their Puniſhment. An embracing Chriſt as a Saviour from Sin implies the contrary Act towards Sin, viz. rejecting of Sin: If we fly to the Light to be delivered from Darkneſs, the ſame Act is contrary towards Darkneſs, viz. a rejecting of it. In Proportion to the Earneſtneſs or Appetite with which p. 110we embrace Chriſt as a Saviour from Sin, in the ſame Proportion is the Abhorrence with which we reject Sin, in the ſame Act. Yea if we ſuppoſe there to be in the Nature of Faith as converſant about Sin, no more than the hearty embracing Chriſt as a Saviour from the Puniſhment of Sin, this Act will imply in it the whole of the abovemention'd Deſcription. It implies a Senſe of our own Sinfulneſs: Certainly in the hearty embracing a Saviour from the Puniſhment of our Sinfulneſs, there is the Exerciſe of a Senſe of our Sinfulneſs, or that we be ſinful: We can't heartily embrace Chriſt as a Saviour from the Puniſhment of that which we are not ſenſible we are guilty of. There is alſo in the ſame Act, a Senſe of our Deſert of the threaten'd Puniſhment: We can't heartily embrace Chriſt as a Saviour from that, which we be not ſenſible that we have deſerved: For if we are not ſenſible that we have deſerved the Puniſhment, we ſhould not be ſenſible that we have any Need of a Saviour from it, or at leaſt, ſhall not be convinced but that the God that offers the Saviour, unjuſtly makes him needful; and we can't heartily embrace ſuch an Offer. And further, there is implied in a hearty embracing Chriſt as a Saviour from Puniſhment, not only a Conviction of Conſcience, that we have deſerved the Puniſhment, ſuch as the Devils and Damned have; but there is a hearty Acknowlegement of it, with the Submiſſion of the Soul, ſo as with the Accord of the Heart, to own that God might be juſt, and worthy in the Puniſhment. If the Heart riſes againſt the Act or Judgment of God, in holding us obliged to the Puniſhment, when he offers us his Son as a Saviour from the Puniſhment, we cannot with the Conſent of the Heart receive him in that Character: But if Perſons thus ſubmit to the Righteouſneſs of ſo dreadful a Puniſhment of Sin, this carries in it an Hatred of Sin.

That ſuch a Senſe of our Sinfulneſs, and utter Unworthineſs, and De…ert of Puniſhment, belongs to the Nature of ſaving Faith, is what the Scripture from time to time ſeems to hold forth; as particularly in Matth. 15. 26, 27, 28. But he anſwered and ſaid, it is not not p. 111meet to take the Children's Bread, and to caſt it to Dogs. And ſhe ſaid, truth Lord: yet the Dogs eat of the Crumbs which fall from their Maſter's Table. Then Jeſus anſwered, and ſaid unto her, O Woman, gre… thy Faith. And Luke 7. 6, 7, 8, 9. The Centurion ſent Friends to him, ſaying unto him, Lord trouble not thy ſelf, for I am not worthy that thou ſhouldſt enter under my Roof: wherefore neither thought I my ſelf worthy to come unto thee, but ſay in a Word, and my Servant ſhall be healed: for I am a Man ſet under Authority, &c.—When Jeſus heard theſe Things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about and ſaid unto the People that followed him, I ſay unto you, I have not found ſo great Faith, no not in Iſrael. And alſo Verſes 37, 38. And behold a Woman in the City, which was a Sinner, when ſhe knew that Jeſus ſat at Meat in the Phariſees Houſe, brought an Alabaſter Box of Ointment, and ſtood at his Feet behind him weeping, and began to waſh his Feet with Tears, and did wipe them with the Hairs of her Head, and kiſſed his Feet, and anointed them with the Ointment. Together with Verſe 50 He ſaid unto the Woman, thy Faith hath ſaved thee; go in Peace.

Theſe Things don't neceſſarily ſuppoſe that Repentance and Faith are Words of juſt the ſame Signification; for 'tis only ſo much in juſtifying Faith, as reſpects the Evil to be delivered from, by the Saviour, that is called Repentance: And beſides, both Repentance and Faith, take them only in their general Nature, and they are entirely diſtinct; Repentance is a Sorrow for Sin, and forſaking of it; and Faith is a truſting in God's Sufficiency and Truth: But Faith and Repentance, as evangelical Duties, or juſtifying Faith, and Repentance for Remiſſion of Sins, contain more in them, and imply a Reſpect to a Mediator, & involve each others Nature**Agreeable to this, is what Mr.Locke ſays in his ſecond Vindication of the Reaſonableneſs of Chriſtianity, &c. Vol. 2. of his Works, … 630, 631. "The believing him therefore, to be the Meſſiah, is very often, with great Reaſon put both for Faith and Repentance too, which are ſometimes ſet down ſingly, where one is put for both, as implying the other"; p. 112though it be true, that they ſtill bear the Name of Faith and Repentance, from thoſe general moral Virtues, that Repentance which is a Duty of natural Religion, and that Faith that was a Duty required under the firſt Covenant, that are contained in this evangelical Act; which ſeverally appear, when this Act is conſider'd with Reſpect to its different Terms and Objects, that it is converſant about.

It may be objected here, that the Scripture ſometimes mentions Faith and Repentance together, as if they were entirely diſtinct Things; as in Mark 1. 15 Repent ye, and believe the Goſpel. But there is no need of underſtanding theſe as two diſtinct Conditions of Salvation, but the Words are exegetical one of another: It is to teach us after what Manner we muſt repent, viz. as believing the Goſpel, and after what Manner we muſt believe the Goſpel, viz. as repenting: Theſe Words no more prove Faith and Repentance to be entirely diſtinct, than thoſe forementioned Matth. 21. 32 And ye when ye had ſeen it, repented not afterwards, that ye might believe him. Or thoſe 2 Tim. 2. 25. If peradventure God will give them Repentance, to the acknowleging of the Truth. The Apoſtle in Acts 19 4 ſeems to have Reference to theſe Words of John the Baptiſt, John baptiſed with the Baptiſm of Repentance, ſaying unto the People, that they ſhould believe, &c. where the latter Words▪ as we have already obſerved, are to explain how he preached Repentance.

Another Scripture, where Faith and Repentance are mentioned together, is Acts 20 21 Teſtifying both to the Jews, and alſo to the Greeks. Repentance towards God, and Faith towards the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. It may be objected. that in this Place. Faith and Repentance are not only ſpoken of as diſtinct Things, but having diſtinct Objects.

To this I anſwer, That 'tis true that Faith and Repentance in their general Nature▪ are diſtinct Things: And Repentance for the Remiſſion of Sins, or that in juſtifying Faith that reſpects the Evil to be delivered from, ſo far as it regards that Term, which is what eſpecially p. 113denominates it Repentance, has Reſpect to God as the Object, becauſe he is the Being offended by Sin, and to be reconciled, but that in this juſtifying Act, whence it is denominated Faith, does more eſpecially reſpect Chriſt.—But let us interpret it how we will, the Objection of Faith being here ſo diſtinguiſhed from Repentance, is as much of an Objection againſt the Scheme of thoſe that oppoſe Juſtification by Faith alone, as againſt this Scheme; for they hold that the juſtifying Faith that the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaks of, includes Repentance, as has been already obſerved

3. This Repentance that has been deſcribed. is indeed the ſpecial Condition of Remiſſion of Sin. This ſeems very evident by the Scripture, as particularly, Mark 1 4. John did baptiſe in the Wilderneſs, and preach the Baptiſm of Repentance, for the Remiſſion of Sins. So, Luke … And he came into all the Country about J…an, preaing the Baptiſm of Repentance for the Remiſſion of … Luke 24 47 And that Repentance, and Remiſſion of Sins, ſhould be preached in his Name among all Nations. Acts 5 31. Him hath God exalted with his own Right Hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give Repentance unto Iſrael, and Forgiveneſs of Sins Chap 2, 38 Repent, and be baptiſed every one of you, in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, for the Remiſſion of Sins. And, Chap. 3. 19. Repent, ye therefore and be converted, that your Sins may be blotted out. The like is evident by Lev. 26 40, 41, 42 Job 33. 27, 28. Pſalm 32. 5 Prov. 28 13. Jer. 3. 13. And 1 John 1. 9 and other Places.

And the Reaſon may be plain from what has been ſaid. We need not wonder that that in Faith, that eſpecially reſpects Sin, ſhould be eſpecially the Condition of Remiſſion of Sins; or that this Motion, or Exerciſe of the Soul, as it rejects and flies from Evil, and embraces Chriſt as a Saviour from it, ſhould eſpecially be the Condition of being free from that Evil; in like manner as the ſame Principle or Motion, as it ſeeks good, and cleaves to Chriſt as the Procurer of that Good, ſhould be the Condition of obtaining that Good. Faith with Reſpect to Good is accepting, and with Reſpect to Evil it is rejecting; p. 114Yea this rejecting Evil, is it ſelf an Act of Acceptance; 'tis accepting Freedom or Seperation from that Evil; and this Freedom or Seperation is the Benefit beſtowed in Remiſſion. No Wonder that that in Faith which immediately reſpects this Benefit, and is our Acceptance of this Benefit, ſhould be the ſpecial Condition of our having it: 'Tis ſo with Reſpect to all the Benefits that Chriſt has purchaſed. Truſting in God through Chriſt for ſuch a particular Benefit that we need, is the ſpecial Condition of obtaining that Benefit. When we need Protection from Enemies, the Exerciſe of Faith with Reſpect to ſuch a Benefit, or truſting in Chriſt for Protection from Enemies, is eſpecially the Way to obtain that particular Benefit, rather than truſting in Chriſt for ſomething elſe; and ſo of any other Benefit that might be mentioned. So Prayer, (which is the Expreſſion of Faith) for a particular Mercy needed, is eſpecially the Way to obtain that Mercy.**If Repentance juſtifies, or be that by which we obtain Pardon of Sin any other Way than this, it muſt be either as a Virtue or Righteouſneſs, or ſomething amiable in us; or elſe it muſt be, that our Sorrow and condemning what is paſt, is accepted as ſome Atonement for it; both which are equally contrary to the Goſpel-Doctrine of Juſtification by Chriſt.

So that we ſee that no Argument can be drawn from hence againſt the Doctrine of Juſtification by Faith alone. And there is that in the Nature of Repentance, which peculiarly tends to eſtabliſh the Contrary of Juſtification by Works: for nothing ſo much renounces our own Worthineſs and Excellency, as Repentance; the very Nature of it is to acknowlege our own utter Sinfulneſs and Unworthineſs, and to renounce our own Goodneſs, and all Confidence in ſelf; and ſo to truſt in the Propitiation of the Mediator, and aſcribe all the Glory of Forgiveneſs to him.

Object. 6 The laſt Objection I ſhall mention, is that Paragraph in the ſecond Chapter of James, where Perſons are ſaid expreſly to be juſtified by Works; Verſe 21. Was not Abraham our Father juſtified by Works? Verſe 24. Ye ſee then how that by Works a Man is juſtified p. 115and not by Faith only. Verſe 25. Was not Raha… the Harlot juſtified by Works?

In Anſwer to this Objection, I would

1. Take notice of the great Unfairneſs of the Divines that oppoſe us, in the Improvement they make of this Paſſage againſt us. All will allow that in that Propoſition of St. James, By Works a Man is juſtified, and not by Faith only, one of the Terms, either the Word Faith, or elſe the Word juſtify, is not to be underſtood preciſely in the ſame Senſe, as the ſame Terms when uſed by St. Paul; becauſe they ſuppoſe, as well as we, that it was not the Intent of the Apoſtle James to contradict St. Paul, in that Doctrine of Juſtification by Faith alone, that he had inſtructed the Churches in: But if we underſtand both the Terms, as uſed by each Apoſtle, in preciſely the ſame Senſe, then what one aſſerts is a preciſe, direct, and full Contradiction of the other, the one affirming and the other denying the very ſame Thing. So that all the Controverſy from this Text comes to this, viz. Which of theſe two Terms, ſhall be underſtood in a Diverſity from St. Paul. They ſay that it is the Word Faith; for they ſuppoſe, that when the Apoſtle Paul uſes the Word, and makes Faith that by which alone we are juſtified, that then by it is underſtood a Compliance with, and Practice of Chriſtianity in general; ſo as to include all ſaving chriſtian Virtue and Obedience. But as the Apoſtle James uſes the Word Faith in this Place, they ſuppoſe thereby is to be underſtood only an Aſſent of the Underſtanding to the Truth of Goſpel Doctrines, as diſtinguiſhed from good Works, and that … may exiſt ſeperate from them, and from all ſaving Grace. We on the other hand ſuppoſe that the Word Juſtify is to be underſtood in a different Senſe from the Apoſtle Paul. So that they are forced to go as far, in their Scheme, in altering the Senſe of Terms from Paul's Uſe of them, as we. But yet at the ſame Time, that they freely vary the Senſe of the former of them, viz. Faith, yet when we underſtand the latter, viz. Juſtify, in a different Senſe from St. Paul, they cry out of us, What Neceſſity of framing this Diſtinction, but p. 116only to ſerve an Opinion? At this Rate a Man may maintain any Thing, tho' never ſo contrary to Scripture, and elude the cleareſt Text in the Bible! Tho' they don't ſhew us why we have not as good Warrant to underſtand the Word Juſtify in a Diverſity from St. Paul, as they the Word Faith. If the Senſe of one of the Words muſt be varied on either Scheme, to make the Apoſtle James's Doctrine conſiſtent with the Apoſtle Paul's, and the varying the Senſe of one Term or the other, be all that ſtands in the Way of their agreeing with either Scheme, & the varying the Senſe of the latter be in it ſelf as fair as of the former, then the Text lies as fair for one Scheme as the other, and can no more fairly be an Objection againſt our Scheme than theirs. And if ſo, what becomes of all this great Objection from this Paſſage in James?

2. If there be no more Difficulty in varying the Senſe of one of theſe Terms than another, from any Thing in the Text it ſelf, ſo as to make the Words ſute with either Scheme, then certainly that is to be choſen, that is moſt agreable to the Current of Scripture, and other Places where the ſame Matter is more particularly and fully treated of; and therefore that we ſhould underſtand the Word Juſtify, in this Paſſage of James, in a Senſe in ſome Reſpect diverſe from that in which St. Paul uſes it. For by what has been already ſaid it may appear, that there is no one Doctrine in the whole Bible is more fully aſſerted, explained, and urged than the Doctrine of Juſtification by Faith alone, without any of our own Righteouſneſs.

3. There is a very fair Interpretation of this Paſſage of St James, that is no Way inconſiſtent with this Doctrine of Juſtification, which I have ſhown that other Scriptures do ſo abundantly teach, which Interpretation the Words themſelves will as well allow of, as that which the Objectors put upon them, and much better agrees with the Context; and that is, that Works are here ſpoken of as juſtifying as Evidences. A Man may be ſaid to be juſtified by that which clears him, or vindicates him, or makes the Goodneſs of his Cauſe manifeſt. When p. 117a … has a Cauſe tried in a civil Court, & is juſtified or … he may be ſaid in different Senſes to be juſtified or cleared, by the Goodneſs of his Cauſe, & by the Goodneſs of the Evidences of it. He may be ſaid to be cleared by what evidences …his Cauſe to be good; but not in the ſame Senſe as he is by that which makes his Cauſe to be good. That which renders … Cauſe good, is the proper Ground of his Juſtification … 'tis by that that he is himſelf a proper Subject of it … but Evidences juſtify, only as they manifeſt that his Cauſe is good in Fact, whether they are of ſuch a Nature as to have any Influence to render it ſo or no. 'Tis by Works that our Cauſe appears to be good; but by Faith our Cauſe not only appears to be good, but becomes good; becauſe thereby we are united to Chriſt. That the Word Juſtify ſhould be ſometimes underſtood to ſignify the former of theſe, as well as the latter, is agreable to the Uſe of the Word in common Speech; as we ſay ſuch an one ſtood up to juſtify another, i. e. he endeavour'd to ſhew or manifeſt his Cauſe to be good. And 'tis certain that the Word is ſometimes uſed in this Senſe in Scripture, when ſpeaking of our being juſtified before God: as where it is ſaid we ſhall be juſtified by our Words; Matth. 12 37. For by thy Words thou ſhalt be juſtified, and by thy Words thou ſhalt be condemned. It can't be meant that Men are accepted before God, on the Account of their Words; for God has told us nothing more plainly, than that 'tis the Heart that he looks at, and that when he acts as Judge towards Men, in order to juſtifying or condemning, he tries the Heart, Jer. 11.20. But, O Lord of Hoſts, that judgeſt righteouſly, that trieſt the Reins and the Heart, let me ſee thy Vengeance on them; for unto thee have I revealed my Cauſe. Pſalm 7. 8. 9. The Lord ſhall judge the People: judge me, O Lord, according to my Righteouſneſs, and according to mine Integrity that is in me. O let the Wickedneſs of the Wicked come to an End; but eſtablish the Juſt; for the righteous God trieth the Hearts and Reins. Verſe 11. God judgeth the Righteous. And many other Places to the like Purpoſe. And therefore Men can be juſtified by their Words, no otherwiſe than as Evidences or Manifeſtations p. 118of what is in the Heart. And 'tis thus that Chriſt ſpeaks of Words in this very Place, as is evident by the Context. Verſe 34, 35 Out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth ſpeaketh. A good Man out of the good Treaſure of the Heart, &c. The Words, or Sounds themſelves, are neither Parts of Godlineſs, nor Evidences of Godlineſs, but as Signs of what is inward.

God himſelf when he acts towards Men as Judge, in Order to a declarative Judgment, makes uſe of Evidences, and ſo judges Men by their Works. And therefore at the Day of Judgment, God will judge Men according to their Works: For tho' God will ſtand in no Need of Evidence to inform him what is right, yet 'tis to be conſidered that he will then ſit in Judgment; not as earthly Judges do, to find out what is right in a Cauſe, but to declare and manifeſt what is right; and therefore that Day is called by the Apoſtle, the Day of the Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God, Rom. 2 5.

To be juſtified is to be approved and accepted: But a Man may be ſaid to be approved and accepted in two Reſpects; the one is to be approved really, and the other to be approved and accepted declaratively. Juſtification is twofold; 'tis either the Acceptance and Approbation of the Judge it ſelf, or the Manifeſtation of that Approbation, by a Sentence or Judgment declared by the Judge, either to our own Conſciences, or to the World. If Juſtification be underſtood in the former Senſe, for the Approbation it ſelf, that is only that by which we become fit to be approved: But if it be underſtood in the latter Senſe, for the Manifeſtation of this Approbation, it is by whatever is a proper Evidence of that Fitneſs. In the former, only Faith is concerned; becauſe 'tis by that only in us, that we become fit to be accepted and approved: In the latter, whatever is a… Evidence of our Fitneſs, is alike concerned And therefore take Juſtification in this Senſe, and then Faith, and all other Graces, and good Works, have a common and equal Concern in it: For any other Grace, or holy Act, is equally an Evidence of a Qualification for Acceptance or Approbation, as Faith.

p. 119To juſtify has always, in common Speech, ſignified indifferently, either ſimply Approbation, or teſtifying that Approbation; ſometimes one, and ſometimes the other: And that becauſe they are both the ſame, only as one is outwardly, what the other is inwardly. So we, and it may be all Nations, are wont to give the ſame Names to two Things, when one is only declarative of the other. Thus ſometimes judging, intends only judging in our Thoughts; at other Times, teſtifying & declaring Judgment. So ſuch Words a juſtify, condemn, accept, reject, prize, ſlight, approve, renounce, are ſometimes put for mental Acts, at other Times for an outward Treatment. So in the Senſe in which the Apoſtle James ſeems to uſe the Word juſtify, for manifeſtative Juſtification, a Man is juſtified not only by Faith, but alſo by Works; as a Tree is manifeſted to be good, not only by immediately examining the Tree, but alſo by the Fruit. Prov. 20 11. Even a Child is known by his D…ings, whether his Work be pure, and whether it be right.

The Drift of the Apoſtle don't require that he ſhould be underſtood in any other Senſe: For all that he aims at, as appears by a View of the Context, is to prove that good Works are neceſſary. The Error of thoſe that he oppoſed was this, That good Works were not neceſſary to Salvation; that if they did but believe that there was but one God, and that Chriſt was the Son of God, and the like; and were baptiſed; … they were ſafe, let them live how they would: which Doctrine greatly tended to Licentiouſneſs. The evincing the contrary of this, is evidently the Apoſtle's Scope.

And that we ſhould underſtand the Apoſtle of Works juſtifying as an Evidence, and in a a…clarative Judgment, is what a due Conſideration of the Context will naturally lead us to For 'tis plain that the Apoſtle is here inſiſting on Works in the Quality of a neceſſary Manifeſtation and Evidence of Faith, or as what the Truth of Faith is ſhewed or made to appear by: As Verſe 18. Shew me thy Faith without thy Works, and I will ſhew thee my Faith by my Works. And when he ſays, Verſe 26. As the Body without the Spirit is dead, ſo Faith without p. 120Works is dead alſo. 'Tis much more rational and natural, to underſtand him as ſpeaking of Works as the proper Signs and Evidences of the Reality, Life and Goodneſs of Faith. Not that the very Works or Actions done are properly the Life of Faith, as the Spirit in the Body; but 'tis the active, working Nature of Faith, of which the Actions or Works done are the Signs, that is it ſelf the Life and Spirit of Faith. The Sign of a Thing is often in Scripture Language ſaid to be that Thing. As it is in that Compariſon by which the Apoſtle illuſtrates it. 'Tis not the Actions themſelves of a Body, that is properly the Life or Spirit of the Body; but 'tis the active Nature, of which thoſe Actions or Motions are the Signs, that are the Life of the Body. That which makes Men call any Thing alive, is that they obſerve that it has an active operative Nature in it; which they obſerve no otherwiſe than by the Actions or Motions that are the Signs of it. 'Tis plainly the Apoſtle's Aim to prove that Works are neceſſary from that, That if Faith hath not Works, 'tis a Sign that 'tis not a good Sort of Faith; which would not have been to his Purpoſe, if it was his Deſign to ſhew that it is not by Faith alone, tho' of a …ight Sort, that we have Acceptance with God, but that we are accepted on the Account of Obedience as well as Faith. 'Tis evident by the Apoſtle's Reaſoning, that the Neceſſity of Works that he ſpeaks of, is not as having a parallel Concern in our Salvation with Faith; but he ſpeaks of Works only as related to Faith, and expreſſive of it; which after all leaves Faith the alone fundamental Condition, without any Thing elſe having a parallel Concern with it in this Affair, and other Things Conditions, only as ſeveral Expreſſions, and Evidences of it.

That the Apoſtle ſpeaks of Works juſtifying only as a Sign, or Evidence, and in God's declarative Judgment, is further confirmed by Verſe 21. Was not Abraham our Father juſtified by Works, when he had offered up Iſaac his Son upon the Altar? Here the Apoſtle ſeems plainly to refer to that declarative Judgment of God, concerning Abraham▪ Sincerity, manifeſted to him, for the p. 121Peace and Aſſurance of his own Conſcience, after his offering up Iſaac his Son on the Altar, that we have Account of, Gen 22. 12 Now I know that thou feareſt God; ſeeing thou haſt not withheld thy Son, thine only Son from me. But here it is plain, and expreſſed in the very Words of Juſtification or Approbation, that this Work of Abraham's, his offering up his Son on the Altar, juſtified him as an Evidence. When the Apoſtle James ſays we are juſtified by Works, he may, and ought to be underſtood in a Senſe agreeble to the Inſtance he brings for the Proof of it: But Juſtification in that Inſtance appears by the Words of Juſtification themſelves refer'd to, to be by Works as an Evidence And where this Inſtance of Abraham's Obedience is elſewhere mention'd, in the New Teſtament, 'tis mention'd as a Fruit and Evidence of his Faith. Heb. 11. 17. By Faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Iſaac, and he that had received the Promiſes, offered up his only begotten Son.

And in the other Inſtance which the Apoſtle mentions, Verſe 25. Likewiſe alſo was not Rahab the Harlot juſtified by Works, when ſhe had received the Meſſengers, and had ſent them out another Way? The Apoſtle refers to a declarative Judgment, in that particular Teſtimony which was given of God's Approbation of her as a Believer, in directing …hua to ſave her, when the Reſt of Jericho was deſtroyed, Joſh. 6. 25. And Joſhua ſaved Rahab the Harlot alive, and her Father's Houſhold, and all that ſhe had; and ſhe dwelleth in Iſrael even unto this Day; becauſe ſhe hid the Meſſengers which Joſhua ſent to ſpy out Jericho This was accepted as an Evidence and Expreſſion of her Faith. Heb 11 31 By Faith the Harlot Rahab periſhed not with them that believed not, when ſhe had received the Spies with Peace The Apoſtle in ſaying, Was not Rahab the Harlot juſtified by Works? by the Manner of his Speaking has Reference to ſomething in her Hiſtory; but we have no Account in her Hiſtory of any other Juſtification of her but this

4. If notwithſtanding, any chooſe to take Juſtification in St. James, preciſely as we do in Paul's Epiſtles, for God's Acceptance or Approbation it ſelf, and not any p. 122Expreſſion of that Approbation, what has been already ſaid concerning the Manner in which Acts of evangelical Obedience are concerned in the Affair of our Juſtification, affords a very eaſy, clear, and full Anſwer: For if we take Works as Acts or Expreſſions of Faith, they are not excluded; ſo a Man is not juſtified by Faith only, but alſo by Works; i. e. he is not juſtified only by Faith as a Principle in the Heart, or in its firſt and more immanent Acts, but alſo by the effective Acts of it in Life, which are the Expreſſions of the Life of Faith, as the Operations and Actions of the Body are of the Life of that; agreable to Verſe 26.

What has been ſaid in Anſwer to theſe Objections, may alſo, I hope, abundantly ſerve for an Anſwer to that Objection, that is often made againſt this Doctrine, viz. That it encourages Licentiouſneſs in Life. For, from what has been ſaid, we may ſee, that the Scripture Doctrine of Juſtification by Faith alone, without any Manner of Goodneſs or Excellency of ours, does in no wiſe diminiſh, either the Neceſſity, or Benefit of a ſincere evangelical univerſal Obedience: In that Man's Salvation is not only indiſſolubly connected with it, and Damnation with the Want of it, in thoſe that have Opportunity for i…, but that it depends upon it in many Reſpects; as 'tis the Way to it, and the neceſſary Preparation for it, and alſo as eternal Bleſſings are beſtowed in Reward for it, and as our Juſtification in our own Conſciences, and at the Day of Judgment, depends on it, as the proper Evidence of our acceptable State, and that, even in accepting of us as intitled to Life in our Juſtification, God has Reſpect to this, as that on which the Fitneſs of ſuch an Act of Juſtification depends: So that our Salvation does as truly depend upon it, as if we were juſtified for the moral Excellency of it. And beſides all this, the Degree of our Happineſs to all Eternity is ſuſpended on, and determined by the Degree of this. So that this Goſpel. Scheme of Juſtification is as far from encouraging Licentiouſneſs, and contains as much to encourage and excite to ſtrict and univerſal Obedience, and the utmoſt poſſible Eminency of Holineſs, as any Scheme that can be deviſed, and indeed unſpeakably more.

p. 123I come now to the

V. and laſt Thing propoſed, which is to conſider the Importance of this Doctrine.

I know there are many that make as tho' this Controverſy was of no great Importance; that it is chiefly a Matter of nice Speculation, depending on certain ſubtil Diſtinctions, which many that make uſe of them don't underſtand themſelves; and that the Difference is not of ſuch Conſequence, as to be worth the being zealous about; and that more Hurt is done by raiſing Diſputes about it, than good.

Indeed I am far from thinking that it is of abſolute Neceſſity that Perſons ſhould underſtand, and be agreed upon, all the Diſtinctions needful particularly to explain and defend this Doctrine, againſt all Cavils and Objections; (tho' all Chriſtians ſhould ſtrive after an Increaſe of Knowlege; and none ſhould content themſelves without ſome clear and diſtinct Underſtanding in this Point:) But that we ſhould believe in the General, according to the clear and abundant Revelations of God's Word, that 'tis none of our own Excellency, Virtue, or Righteouſneſs, that is the Ground of our being received from a State of Condemnation into a State of Acceptance in God's Sight, but only Jeſus Chriſt, and his Righteouſneſs, and Worthineſs, received by Faith. This I think to be of great Importance, at leaſt in Application to our ſelves; and that for the following Reaſons.

1. The Scripture treats of this Doctrine, as a Doctrine of very great Importance. That there is a certain Doctrine of Juſtification by Faith, in Oppoſition to Juſtification by the Works of the Law, that the Apoſtle Paul inſiſts upon as of the greateſt Importance, none will deny; becauſe there is nothing in the Bible more apparent. The Apoſtle under the infallible Conduct of the Spirit of God, thought it worth his moſt ſtrenuous and zealous diſputing about and defending. He ſpeaks of the contrary Doctrine as fatal and ruinous to the Souls of Men, in the latter End of the ninth Chapter of Romans, and beginning of the tenth. He ſpeaks of it as ſubverſive of the Goſpel of Chriſt, and calls it another Goſpel, and p. 124ſays concerning it, if any one, though an Angel from Heaven preach it, let him be accurſed. Gal 1. 6, 7, 8, 9. compared with the following Part of the Epiſtle. Certainly we muſt allow the Apoſtles to be good Judges of the Importance and Tendency of Doctrines; at leaſt the Holy Ghoſt in them▪ And doubtleſs we are ſafe, and in no Danger of Harſhneſs and Cenſoriouſneſs, if we only follow him, and keep cloſe to his expreſs Teachings, in what we believe and ſay of the hurtful and pernicious Tendency of any Error.—Why are we to blame, or to be cried out of, for ſaying what the Bible has taught us to ſay, or for believing what the Holy Ghoſt has taught us to that End that we might believe it?

2. The adverſe Scheme lays another Foundation of Man's Salvation than God hath laid. I don't now ſpeak of that ineffectual Redemption that they ſuppoſe to be univerſal, and what all Mankind are equally the Subjects of; but, I ſay, it lays intirely another Foundation of Man's actual, diſcriminating Salvation, or that Salvation wherein true Chriſtians differ from wicked Men. We ſuppoſe the Foundation of this to be Chriſt's Worthineſs and Righteouſneſs: On the contrary, that Scheme ſuppoſes it to be Men's own Virtue; even ſo, that this is the Ground of a ſaving Intereſt in Chriſt it ſelf. It takes away Chriſt out of the Place of the bottom Stone, and puts in Men's own Virtue in the Room of him: So that Chriſt himſelf in the Affair of diſtinguiſhing actual Salvation, is laid upon this Foundation. And the Foundation being ſo different, I leave it to every one to judge whether the Difference between the two Schemes conſiſts only in Punctilios of ſmall Conſequence. The Foundations being contrary makes the whole Scheme exceeding Diverſe and Oppoſite; the one is a Goſpel Scheme, the other a legal one.

3. 'Tis in this Doctrine, that the moſt eſſential Difference lies, between the Convenant of Grace, and the firſt Covenant. The adverſe Scheme of Juſtification ſuppoſes that we are juſtified by our Works, in the very ſame Senſe wherein Man was to have been juſtified by his Works under the firſt Covenant. By that Covenant p. 125our firſt Parents were not to have had eternal Life given them, for any proper Merit in their Obedience; becauſe their perfect Obedience was a Debt that they owed God: Nor was it to be beſtowed for any Proportion between the Dignity of their Obedience, and the Value of the Reward; but only it was to be beſtowed from a Regard to a moral Fitneſs in the Virtue of their Obedience, to the Reward of God's Favour; and a Title to eternal Life was to be given them, as a Teſtimony of God's Pleaſedneſs with their Works, or his Regard to the inherent Beauty of their Virtue. And ſo it is the very ſame Way that thoſe in the adverſe Scheme ſuppoſe that we are received into God's ſpecial Favour now, and to thoſe ſaving Benefits that are the Teſtimonies of it. I am ſenſible the Divines of that Side, intirely diſclaim the popiſh Doctrine of Merit; and are free to ſpeak of our utter Unworthineſs, and the great Imperfection of all our Services: But after all, 'tis our Virtue as imperfect as it is, that recommends Men to God, by which good Men come to have a ſaving Intereſt in Chriſt, and God's Favour, rather than others; and theſe Things are beſtowed in Teſtimony of God's Reſpect to their Goodneſs. So that whether they will allow the Term Merit or no, yet they hold that we are accepted by our own Merit, in the ſame Senſe, tho' not in the ſame Degree, as under the firſt Covenant.

But the great and moſt diſtinguiſhing Difference between that Covenant, and the Covenant of Grace is, that by the Covenant of Grace we are not thus juſtified by our own Works, but only by Faith in Jeſus Chriſt. 'Tis on this Account chiefly that the new Covenant deſerves the Name of a Covenant of Grace, as is evident by Rom 4 16 Therefore it is of Faith, that it might be by Grace. And, Chap. 3 20, 24 Therefore by the Deeds of the Law there ſhall no Fleſh be juſtified in his Sight;—Being juſtified freely by his Grace, through the Redemption that is in Jeſus Chriſt. And, Chap. 11. 6. And if by Grace, then it is no more of Works, otherwiſe Grace is no more Grace: But if it be of Works, then it is no more Grace, otherwiſe Work is no more Work. Gal. 5 4 Whoſoever p. 126of you are juſtified by the Law, ye are fallen from Grace. And therefore the Apoſtle when he in the ſame Epiſtle to the Galatians, ſpeaks of the Doctrine of Juſtification by Works as another Goſpel, he adds, which is not another, Chap 1. Verſe 6, 7. 'Tis no Goſpel at all; 'tis Law: 'Tis no Covenant of Grace, but of Works: 'Tis not an evangelical, but a legal Doctrine. Certainly that Doctrine wherein conſiſts the greateſt and moſt eſſential Difference between the Covenant of Grace and the firſt Covenant, muſt be a Doctrine of great Importance. That Doctrine of the Goſpel by which above all others it is worthy of the Name of Goſpel, is doubtleſs a very important Doctrine of the Goſpel.

4 This is the main Thing that fallen Men ſtood in Need of divine Revelation for, to teach us how we that have ſinn'd, may come to be again accepted of God; or which is the ſame Thing, How the Sinner may be juſtified Something beyond the Light of Nature is neceſſary to Salvation, chiefly on this Account. Meer natural Reaſon afforded no Means by which we could come to the Knowledge of this, it depending on the ſovereign Pleaſure of the Being that we had offended by Sin. This ſeems to be the great Drift of that Revelation that God has given, & of all thoſe Myſteries it reveals, all thoſe great Doctrines that are peculiarly Doctrines of Revelation, and above the Light of Nature. It ſeems to have been very much on this Account that it was requiſite that the Doctrine of the Trinity it ſelf ſhould be revealed to us; that by a Diſcovery of the Concern of the ſeveral divine Perſons, in the great Affair of our Salvation, we might the better underſtand and ſee how all our Dependence in this Affair is on God, and our Sufficiency all in him, and not in our ſelves; that he is all in all in this Buſineſs, agreable to that in 1 Cor. 1. 29, 30, 31. That no Fleſh ſhould glory in his Preſence: But of him, are ye in Chriſt Jeſus, who of God, is made unto us, Wiſdom. & Righteouſneſs, and Sanctification, and Redemption. That according as it is written, he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. What is the Goſpel, but only the glad Tidings of a new Way of Acceptance with God, unto p. 127Life, a Way wherein Sinners may come to be free from the Guilt of Sin, and obtain a Title to eternal Life? And if when this Way is revealed, it is rejected, and another of Man's deviſing, be put in the Room of it, without Doubt, it muſt … an Error of great Importance, and the Apoſtle might … ſay it was another Goſpel.

5. The contrary Scheme of Juſtification derogates much from the Honour of God, and the Mediator. I have already ſhewn how it diminiſhes the Glory of the Mediator, in aſcribing th… to Man's Virtue and Goodneſs, which belongs alone to his Worthineſs and Righteouſneſs. By the Apoſtle's Senſe of the Matter it renders Chriſt needleſs. Gal. 5 4 Chriſt is become of no Effect to you, whoſoever of you are juſtified by the Law. If that Scheme of Juſtification be followed in it's Conſequences, it utterly overthrows the Glory of all the great Things that have been contrived, and done, and ſuffered in the Work of Redemption. Gal 2 21. If Righteouſneſs come by the Law, Chriſt is dead in vain. It has alſo been already ſhewn, how it diminiſhes the Glory of divine Grace; (which is the Attribute God hath eſpecially ſet himſelf to glorify in the Work of Redemption;) and ſo that it greatly diminiſhes the Obligation to Gratitude in the Sinner that is ſaved: Yea that, in the Senſe of the Apoſtle, it makes void the diſtinguiſhing Grace of the Goſpel. Gal. 5 4. Whoſoever of you are juſtified by the Law, are fallen from Grace. It diminiſhes the Glory of the Grace of God and the Redeemer, and proportionably magnifies Man: It makes him ſomething before God, when indeed he is nothing: It makes the Goodneſs and Excellency of fallen Man to be ſomething, which I have ſhewn are nothing I have alſo … already ſhewn that 'tis contrary to the Truth of God in the Threatning of his holy Law, to juſtify the Sinner for his Virtue. And whether it were contrary to God's Truth or no, it is a Scheme of Things very unworthy of God, that ſuppoſes that God, when about to lift up a poor forlorn Malefactor, condemned to eternal Miſery, for ſinning againſt his Majeſty, out of his Miſery, and to make him unſpeakably and eternally happy, by p. 128beſtowing his Son and himſelf upon him, as it were ſets all this to Sale, for the Price of his Virtue and Excellency. I know that thoſe that we oppoſe do acknowlege that the Price is very diſproportionate to the Benefit beſtowed; and ſay that God's Grace is wonderfully manifeſted in accepting ſo little Virtue, and beſtowing ſo glorious a Reward, for ſuch imperfect Righteouſneſs. But ſeeing we are ſuch infinitely ſinful and abominable Creatures in God's Sight, and by our infinite Guilt have brought our ſelves into ſuch wretched and deplorable Circumſtances, and … our Righteouſneſſes are nothing, and ten thouſand times worſe than nothing, (if God looks upon them as they be in themſelves) is it not immenſely more worthy of the infinite Majeſty and Glory of God, to deliver and make happy ſuch poor filthy Worms, ſuch wretched Vagabonds and Captives, without any Money or Price of theirs, or any Manner of Expectation of any Excellency or Virtue in them, in any wiſe to recommend them? Will it not betray a fooliſh exalting Opinion of our ſelves, and a mean one of God, to have a Thought of offering any thing of ours, to recommend us, to the Favour of being brought from wallowing like filthy Swine in the Mire of our Sins, and from the Enmity and Miſery of Devils in the loweſt Hell, to the State of God's dear Children, in the everlaſting Arms of his Love, in heavenly Glory; or to imagine that that is the Conſtitution of God, that we ſhould bring our filthy Rags, and offer them to him as the Price of this?

6. The oppoſite Scheme does moſt directly tend to lead Men to truſt in their own Righteouſneſs for Juſtification, which is a Thing fatal to the Soul. This is what Men are of themſelves exceeding prone to do, (and that tho' they are never ſo much taught the contrary) through the exceeding partial and high Thoughts they have of themſelves, and their exceeding Dulneſs of apprehending any ſuch Myſtery, as our being accepted for the Righteouſneſs of another. But this Scheme does directly teach Men to truſt in their own Righteouſneſs for Juſtification; in that it teaches them that this p. 129is indeed what they muſt be juſtified by, being the Way of Juſtification that God himſelf has appointed So that if a Man had naturally no Diſpoſition to truſt in his own Righteouſneſs, yet if he embraced this Scheme, and acted conſiſtent with it, it would lead him to it. But that truſting in our own Righteouſneſs, is a Thing fatal to the Soul, is what the Scripture plainly teaches us: It tells us that it will cauſe that Chriſt ſhall profit us nothing, and be of no Effect to us, Gal. 5. 2, 3, 4. For tho' the Apoſtle ſpeaks there particularly of Circumciſion, yet (I have ſhown already, that) it is not meerly being circumciſed, but truſting in Circumciſion as a Righteouſneſs, that the Apoſtle has Reſpect to. He could not mean that meerly being circumciſed would render Chriſt of no Profit or Effect to a Perſon; for we read that he himſelf for certain Reaſons, took Timothy and circumciſed him, Acts 16 3. And the ſame is evident by the Context, and by the Reſt of the Epiſtle. And the Apoſtle ſpeaks of truſting in their own Righteouſneſs, as fatal to the Jews, Rom. 9 31, 32. But Iſrael, which followed after the Law of Righteouſneſs, hath not attained to the Law of Righteouſneſs: Wherefore? Becauſe they ſought it not by Faith, but as it were by the Works of the Law; for they ſtumbled at that ſtumbling Stone. Together with Chap. 10. Verſe 3. For they being ignorant of God's Righteouſneſs, and going about to eſtabliſh their own Righteouſneſs, have not ſubmitted themſelves unto the Righteouſneſs of God And this is ſpoken of as fatal to the Phariſees, in the Parable of the Phariſee and the Publican, that Chriſt ſpake to them, to reprove them for truſting in themſelves, that they were Righteous. The Deſign of the Parable is to ſhew them that the very Publicans ſhall be juſtified, rather than they; as appears by the Reflection Chriſt makes upon it, Luke 18. 14 I tell you this Man went down to his Houſe juſtified, rather than the other That is, this and not the other.—The fatal Tendency of it might alſo be proved from its Inconſiſtence with the Nature of juſtifying Faith, and alſo its Inconſiſtence with the Nature of that Humiliation that the Scripture often ſpeaks p. 130of, as abſolutely neceſſary to Salvation; but theſe Scriptures are ſo expreſs, that it is needleſs to bring any further Arguments.

How far a wonderful and myſterious Agency of God's Spirit, may ſo influence ſome Men's Hearts, that their Practice in this Regard may be contrary to their own Principles, ſo that they ſhall not truſt in their own Righteouſneſs, tho' they profeſs that Men are juſtified by their own Righteouſneſs; or how far they may believe the Doctrine of Juſtification by Men's own Righteouſneſs in general, and yet not believe it in a particular Application of it to themſelves; or how far that Error, which they may have been led into by Education, or cunning Sophiſtry of others, may yet be indeed contrary to the prevailing Diſpoſition of their Hearts, and contrary to their Practice: Or how far ſome may ſeem to maintain a Doctrine contrary to this Goſpel Doctrine of Juſtification, that really do not, but only expreſs themſelves differently from others; or ſeem to oppoſe it through their Miſunderſtanding of our Expreſſions, or we of theirs, when indeed our real Sentiments are the ſame in the Main; or may ſeem to differ more than they do, by uſing Terms that are without a preciſely fix'd and determinate Meaning; or to be wide in their Sentiments from this Doctrine, for Want of a diſtinct Underſtanding of it; whoſe Hearts at the ſame Time intirely agree with it, and if once it was clearly explain'd to their Underſtandings, would immediately cloſe 'with it, and embrace it: How far theſe things may be I won't determine, but am fully perſwaded that great Allowances are to be made, on theſe, and ſuch like Accounts, in innumerable Inſtances; tho' it is manifeſt from what has been ſaid, that the teaching & propagating contrary Doctrines and Schemes is of a pernicious and fatal Tendency.