§. VIII.

Asser. I.Having thus sufficiently proved, that by Justification is to be understood as really being made righteous: I do boldly affirm, and that not only from a notional Knowledge, but from a real, inward experimental Feeling of the Thing, Christ revealed and formed in the Soul of a Man, is the formal Cause of Man’s Justification.That the immediate, nearest, or formal Cause (if we must in Condescension to some use this Word) of a Man’s Justification in the Sight of God, is, the Revelation of Jesus Christ in the Soul,Proof 1.changing, altering, and renewing the Mind, by whom (even the Author of this inward Work) thus formed and revealed, we are truly justified and accepted in the Sight of God. For it is as we are thus covered and clothed with him, in whom the Father is always well pleased, that we may draw near to God, and stand with Confidence before his Throne, being purged by the Blood of Jesus inwardly poured into our Souls, and clothed with his Life and Righteousness therein revealed. And this is that Order and Method of Salvation held forth by the Apostle in that divine Saying, Rom. v. 10. For if when we were Enemies, we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son; much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his Life. For the Apostle first holding forth the Reconciliation wrought by the Death of Christ, wherein God is near to receive and redeem Man, holds forth his Salvation and Justification to be by the Life of Jesus. Now, that this Life is an inward, spiritual Thing revealed in the Soul, whereby it is renewed and brought forth out of Death, where it naturally has been by the Fall, and so quickened and made alive unto God, the same Apostle shews, Ephes. ii. 5. Even when we were dead in Sins and Trespasses, he hath quickened us together in Christ (by whose Grace ye are saved) and hath raised us up together. Now this none will deny to be the inward Work of Renovation, and therefore the Apostle gives that Reason of their being saved by Grace; which is the inward Virtue and Power of Christ in the Soul: But of this Place more hereafter. Of the Revelation of this inward Life the Apostle also speaketh, 2 Cor. iv. 10. That the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our Bodies; and Ver. 11. That the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal Flesh. Now this inward Life of Jesus is that whereby, as is before observed, he said, We are saved.

Proof 2.Secondly, That it is by this Revelation of Jesus Christ, and the new Creation in us, that we are justified, doth evidently appear from that excellent Saying of the Apostle included in the Proposition itself, Tit. iii. 5. According to his Mercy he hath saved us, by the Washing of Regeneration, and Renewing of the Holy Ghost, &c. Now that whereby we are saved, that we are also no Doubt justified by; which Words are in this Respect synonymous. The immediate Cause of Justification is the inward Work of Regeneration.Here the Apostle clearly ascribes the immediate Cause of Justification to this inward Work of Regeneration, which is Jesus Christ revealed in the Soul, as being that which formally states us in a Capacity of being reconciled with God; the Washing or Regeneration being that inward Power and Virtue, whereby the Soul is cleansed, and clothed with the Righteousness of Christ, so as to be made fit to appear before God.

Proof 3.Thirdly, This Doctrine is manifest from 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Examine your own selves, whether ye be in the Faith; prove your own selves: Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be Reprobates? First, It appears here how earnest the Apostle was that they should know Christ in them; so that he presses this Exhortation upon them, and inculcates it three Times. The Cause of Reprobation is Christ not known by inward Revelation.Secondly, He makes the Cause of Reprobation, or Not-justification, the Want of Christ thus revealed and known in the Soul: Whereby it necessarily follows, by the Rule of Contraries, where the Parity is alike (as in this Case it is evident) that, where Christ is inwardly known, there the Persons subjected to him are approved and justified. For there can be nothing more plain than this, That if we must know Christ in us, except we be Reprobates, or unjustified Persons; if we know him in us, we are not Reprobates, and consequently justified ones. Like unto this is that other Saying of the same Apostle, Gal. iv. 19. My little Children, of whom I travail in Birth again, until Christ be formed in you; and therefore the Apostle terms this, Christ within, the Hope of Glory, Col. i. 27, 28. Now that which is the Hope of Glory, can be no other than that which we immediately and most nearly rely upon for our Justification, and that whereby we are really and truly made just. And as we do not hereby deny, but the original and fundamental Cause of our Justification is the Love of God manifested in the Appearance of Jesus Christ in the Flesh, Christ by his Death and Sufferings has opened a Way for our Reconciliation.who by his Life, Death, Sufferings, and Obedience, made a Way for our Reconciliation, and became a Sacrifice for the Remission of Sins that are past, and purchased unto us this Seed and Grace, from which this Birth arises, and in which Jesus Christ is inwardly received, formed, and brought forth in us, in his own pure and holy Image of Righteousness, by which our Souls live unto God, and are clothed with him, and have put him on, even as the Scripture speaks, Ephes. iv. 23, 24. Gal. iii. 27. we stand justified and saved in and by him, and by his Spirit and Grace, Rom. iii. 24. 1 Cor. vi. 11. Tit. iii. 7. So again, reciprocally, we are hereby made Partakers of the Fulness of his Merits, and his cleansing Blood is near, to wash away every Sin and Infirmity, and to heal all our Backslidings, as often as we turn towards him by unfeigned Repentance, and become renewed by his Spirit. Those then that find him thus raised, and ruling in them, have a true Ground of Hope to believe that they are justified by his Blood. But let not any deceive themselves, so as to foster themselves in a vain Hope and Confidence, that by the Death and Sufferings of Christ they are justified, so long as Sin lies at their Door, Gen. iv. 7. Iniquity prevails, and they remain yet unrenewed and unregenerate; lest it be said unto them, I know you not. Let that Saying of Christ be remembered, Not every one that saith Lord, Lord, shall enter, but he that doth the Will of my Father, Matt. vii. 21. To which let these excellent Sayings of the beloved Disciple be added; Little Children, let no Man deceive you; he that doth Righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth Sin is of the Devil; because if our Heart condemn us, God is greater than our Heart, and knoweth all Things, 1 John iii. 7. & 20.

Many famous Protestants bear Witness to this inward Justification by Christ inwardly revealed and formed in Man. Boræus in Gen. P. 162.As M. Boræus: “In the Imputation,” saith he, “wherein Christ is ascribed and imputed to Believers for Righteousness, the Merit of his Blood, and the Holy Ghost given unto us by Virtue of his Merits, are equally included. The Testimonies of famous Protestants of inward Justification.And so it shall be confessed, That Christ is our Righteousness, as well from his Merit, Satisfaction, and Remission of Sins obtained by him, as from the Gifts of the Spirit of Righteousness. And if we do this, we shall consider the whole Christ proposed to us for our Salvation, and not any single Part of him.” The same Man, P. 169. “In our justification then Christ is considered, who breathes and lives in us, to wit, by his Spirit put on by us; concerning which putting on the Apostle saith, Ye have put on Christ.” And again, P. 171. “We endeavour to treat in Justification, not of Part of Christ, but him wholly, in so far as he is our Righteousness every Way.” And a little after: “As then blessed Paul, in our Justification, when he saith, Whom he justified, them he glorified, comprehends all Things which pertain to our being reconciled to God the Father, and our Renewing, which fits us for attaining unto Glory, such as Faith, Righteousness, Christ, and the Gift of Righteousness exhibited by him, whereby we are regenerated, to the fulfilling of the Justification which the Law requires; so we also will have all Things comprehended in this Cause, which are contained in the Recovery of Righteousness and Innocency.” And P. 181. “The Form,” saith he, “of our Justification is the divine Righteousness itself, by which we are formed just and good. This is Jesus Christ, who is esteemed our Righteousness, partly from the Forgiveness of Sins, and partly from the Renewing and the Restoring of that Integrity, which was lost by the Fault of the first Adam: So that this new and heavenly Adam being put on by us, of which the Apostle saith, Ye have put on Christ, ye have put him on, I say, as the Form, so the Righteousness, Wisdom, and Life of God.” Inuncunas.So also affirmeth Claudius Albertus Inuncanus, see his Orat. Apodict. Lausaniæ Excus. 1587. Orat. 2. P. 86, 87. Zuinglius.Zuinglius also, in his Epistle to the Princes of Germany, as cited by Himelius, C. 7. P. 60. saith, “That the Sanctification of the Spirit is true Justification, which alone suffices to justify.” Estius.Estius upon 1 Cor. vi. 11. saith, “Lest Christian Righteousness should be thought to consist in the Washing alone, that is, in the Remission of Sins, he addeth the other Degree or Part, [but ye are sanctified] that is, ye have attained to Purity, so that ye are now truly holy before God. Lastly, Expressing the Sum of the Benefit received in one Word, which includes both the Parts, But ye are justified (the Apostle adds) in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that is, by his Merits, and in the Spirit of our God, that is, the Holy Spirit proceeding from God, and communicated to us by Christ.” R. Baxter.And lastly, Richard Baxter, a famous English Preacher, in his Book called Aphorisms of Justification, P. 80. saith, “That some ignorant Wretches gnash their Teeth at this Doctrine, as if it were flat Popery, not understanding the Nature of the Righteousness of the new Covenant; which is all out of Christ in ourselves, though wrought by the Power of the Spirit of Christ in us.”

§. IX.

Posit. 3.The third Thing proposed to be considered is, concerning the Necessity of good Works to Justification. I suppose there is enough said before to clear us from any Imputation of being Popish in this Matter.

Object.But if it be queried, Whether we have not said, or will not affirm, that a Man is justified by Works?

Answ.I answer; I hope none need, neither ought to take Offence, if in this Matter we use the plain Language of the holy Scripture, which faith expresly in answer hereunto, James ii. 24. That Works are necessary to Justification.Ye see then how that by Works a Man is justified, and not by Faith only. I shall not offer to prove the Truth of this Saying, since what is said in this Chapter by the Apostle is sufficient to convince any Man that will read and believe it; I shall only from this derive this one Argument.

Arg.If no Man can be justified without Faith, and no Faith be living, nor yet available to Justification without Works, then Works are necessary to Justification:

But the first is true: Therefore also the last.

For this Truth is so apparent and evident in the Scriptures, that for the Proof of it we might transcribe most of the Precepts of the Gospel. I shall instance a few, which of themselves do so clearly assert the Thing in Question, that they need no Commentary, nor farther Demonstration. And then I shall answer the Objections made against this, which indeed are the Arguments used for the contrary Opinion, Heb. xii. 14. Without Holiness no Man shall see God. Matt. vii. 21. Not the Sayers, but the Doers are blessed.Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven. John xiii. 7. If ye know these Things, happy are ye if ye do them. 1 Cor. vii. 19. Circumcision is nothing, and Uncircumcision is nothing, but the Keeping of the Commandments of God. Rev. xxii. 14. Blessed are they that do his Commandments, that they may have Right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the Gates into the City: And many more that might be instanced. From all which I thus argue:

Arg.If those only can enter into the Kingdom that do the Will of the Father; if those be accounted only the wise Builders and happy that do the Sayings of Christ; if no Observations avail, but only the Keeping of the Commandments; and if they be blessed that do the Commandments, and thereby have Right to the Tree of Life, and Entrance through the Gates into the City; then Works are absolutely necessary to Salvation and Justification:

But the first is true: And therefore also the last.

The Consequence of the Antecedent is so clear and evident, that I think no Man of sound Reason will call for a Proof of it.

§. X.

Obj. 1.But they object, That Works are not necessary to Justification: First, because of that Saying of Christ, Luke xvii. 10. Unprofitable Servants.When ye shall have done all these Things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable Servants.

Answ.Answer; As to God we are indeed unprofitable, for he needeth nothing, God needeth nothing.neither can we add any Thing unto him: But as to ourselves, we are not unprofitable; else it might be said, that it is not profitable for a Man to keep God’s Commandments; which is most absurd, and would contradict Christ’s Doctrine throughout. Doth not Christ, Matt. v. through all those Beatitudes, pronounce Men blessed for their Purity, for their Meekness, for their Peaceableness, &c? And is not then that for which Christ pronounceth Men blessed, profitable unto them? Moreover, Matt. xxv. 21, 23. Those that had improved their Talents, were called good and faithful Servants.Doth not Christ pronounce the Men good and faithful Servants that improved their Talents? Was not their doing of that then profitable unto them? And Ver. 30. it is said of him that hid his Talent, and did not improve it, Cast ye the unprofitable Servant into utter Darkness. If then not improving of the Talent made the Man unprofitable, and he was therefore cast into utter Darkness, it will follow by the Rule of Contraries, so far at least that the Improving made the other profitable; seeing, if our Adversaries will allow us to believe Christ’s Words, this is made a Reason, and so at least a Cause instrumental of their Acceptance; Well done, good and faithful Servant, thou hast been faithful over a few Things, I will make thee Ruler over many Things; enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord.

Obj. 2.Secondly, They object those Sayings of the Apostle, where he excludes the Deeds of the Law from Justification; as first, Rom. iii. 20. Because by the Deeds of the Law there shall be no Flesh justified in his Sight. And Ver. 28. Therefore we conclude, that a Man is justified by Faith, without the Deeds of the Law.

Answ. 1..Answ. We have shewn already what Place we give to Works, even to the best of Works, in Justification; and how we ascribe its immediate and formal Cause to the Worker brought forth in us, but not to the Works. But in answer to this Objection, I say, there is a great Difference betwixt the Works of the Law, and those of Grace, or of the Gospel. The Works of the Gospel or Grace distinguished from those of the Law.The first are excluded, the second not, but are necessary. The first are those which are performed in Man’s own Will, and by his Strength, in a Conformity to the outward Law and Letter; and therefore are Man’s own imperfect Works, or Works of the Law, which makes nothing perfect: And to this belong all the Ceremonies, Purifications, Washings, and Traditions of the Jews. The second are the Works of the Spirit of Grace in the Heart, wrought in Conformity to the inward and spiritual Law; which Works are not wrought in Man’s Will, nor by his Power and Ability, but in and by the Power and Spirit of Christ in us, and therefore are pure and perfect in their Kind (as shall hereafter be proved) and may be called Christ’s Works, for that he is the immediate Author and Worker of them: Such Works we affirm absolutely necessary to Justification, so that a Man cannot be justified without them; and all Faith without them is dead and useless, as the Apostle James saith. Now, that such a Distinction is to be admitted, and that the Works excluded by the Apostle in the Matter of Justification are of the first Kind, will appear, if we consider the Occasion of the Apostle’s mentioning this, as well here, as throughout his Epistle to the Galatians, where he speaks of this Matter and to this Purpose at large: Which was this, That whereas many of the Gentiles that were not of the Race or Seed of Abraham, as concerning the Flesh, were come to be converted to the Christian Faith, and to believe in him, some of those, that were of the Jewish Proselytes, thought to subject the faithful and believing Gentiles to the legal Ceremonies and Observations, as necessary to their Justification: The Occasion of the Apostle’s speaking of the Works of the Law, which are excluded.This gave the Apostle Paul Occasion at length, in his Epistle to the Romans, Galatians, and elsewhere, to shew the Use and Tendency of the Law, and of its Works, and to contra-distinguish them from the Faith of Christ, and the Righteousness thereof; shewing how the former was ceased and become ineffectual, the other remaining, and yet necessary. And that the Works excluded by the Apostle are of this Kind of Works of the Law, appears by the whole Strain of his Epistle to the Galatians, Chap. i, ii, iii, and iv. For after, in Chap. iv. he upbraideth them for their Returning unto the Observation of Days and Times, and that, in the Beginning of Chap. v. he sheweth them their Folly, and the evil Consequence of adhering to the Ceremonies of Circumcision, then he adds, Ver. 6. For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision availeth, but Faith, which worketh by Love; and thus he concludes again, Chap. vi. Ver. 15. For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth, nor Uncircumcision, but a new Creature. From which Places appeareth that Distinction of Works before-mentioned, whereof the one is excluded, the other necessary to Justification. For the Apostle sheweth here, that Circumcision (which Word is often used to comprehend the whole Ceremonies and legal Performances of the Jews) is not necessary, nor doth avail. Here then are the Works which are excluded, by which no Man is justified; but Faith, which worketh by Love, but the new Creature, this is that which availeth, which is absolutely necessary: For Faith, that worketh by Love, cannot be without Works; for, as it is said in the same 5th Chapter, Ver. 22. Love is a Work of the Spirit; also the new Creature, if it avail and be necessary, cannot be without Works; seeing it is natural for it to bring forth Works of Righteousness. Again, that the Apostle no Ways intends to exclude such good Works appears, in that in the same Epistle he exhorts the Galatians to them, and holds forth the Usefulness and Necessity of them, and that very plainly, Chap. vi. Ver. 7, 8, 9. The Usefulness and Necessity of good Works.Be not deceived, saith he, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a Man soweth, that shall he also reap: For he that soweth to the Flesh, shall of the Flesh reap Corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap Life everlasting. And let us not be weary of Well-doing, for in due Season we shall reap, if we faint not: Doth it not hereby appear, how necessary the Apostle would have the Galatians know that he esteemed good Works to be? To wit, not the outward Ceremonies and Traditions of the Law, but the Fruits of the Spirit, mentioned a little before; by which Spirit he would have them to be led, and walk in those good Works: As also, how much he ascribed to these good Works, by which he affirms Life everlasting is reaped. Now, that cannot be useless to Man’s Justification, which capacitates him to reap so rich an Harvest.

Answ. 2.But Lastly; For a full Answer to this Objection, and for the establishing of this Doctrine of good Works, I shall instance another Saying of the same Apostle Paul, which our Adversaries also in the Blindness of their Minds make use of against us; to wit, Tit. iii. 5. Justified not by our legal Performances, but the Fruit of the Spirit.Not by Works of Righteousness which we have done, but according to his Mercy he saved us, by the Washing of Regeneration, and Renewing of the Holy Ghost. It is generally granted by all, that [saved] is here all one as if it had been said [justified.] Now there are two Kinds of Works here mentioned: One by which we are not saved, that is, not justified; and another by which we are saved, or justified. The first, the Works of Righteousness which we have wrought, that is, which we in our first fallen Nature, by our own Strength, have wrought, our own legal Performances, and therefore may truly and properly be called ours, whatever specious Appearances they may have. And that it must needs and ought to be so understood, doth appear from the other Part, By the Washing of Regeneration, and Renewing of the Holy Ghost; seeing Regeneration is a Work, comprehensive of many good Works, even of all those which are called the Fruits of the Spirit.

Obj.Now in Case it should be objected, That these may also be called ours, because wrought in us, and also by us many Times as Instruments;

Answ.I answer; It is far otherwise than the former: For in the first we are yet alive in our own natural State, unrenewed, working of ourselves, seeking to save ourselves, by imitating and endeavouring a Conformity to the outward Letter of the Law; and so wrestling and striving in the Carnal Mind, that is Enmity to God, and in the cursed Will not yet subdued. But in this second we are crucified with Christ, we are become dead with him, have partaken of the Fellowship of his Sufferings, are made conformable to his Death; and our first Man, our old Man with all his Deeds, as well the openly Wicked as the seemingly Righteous, our legal Endeavours and foolish Wrestlings, are all buried and nailed to the Cross of Christ; Not We, but Christ in us is the Worker of Righteousness.and so it is no more we, but Christ alive in us, the Worker in us. So that though it be we in a Sense, yet it is according to that of the Apostle to the same Galatians, Chap. ii. Ver. 20. I am crucified, yet nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: Not I, but the Grace of Christ in me. These Works are especially to be ascribed to the Spirit of Christ, and the Grace of God in us, as being immediately thereby acted and led in them, and enabled to perform them. And this Manner of Speech is not strained, but familiar to the Apostles, as appears, Gal. ii. 8. For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the Apostleship of the Circumcision, the same was mighty in me, &c. Phil. ii. 13. For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do, &c. So that it appears by this Place, that since the Washing of Regeneration is necessary to Justification, and that Regeneration comprehends Works, Works are necessary; and that these Works of the Law that are excluded, are different from these that are necessary and admitted.

§. XI.

Obj. 3.Thirdly, They object That no Works, yea, not the Works of Christ in us, can have Place in Justification, because nothing that is impure can be useful in it; and all the Works wrought in us are impure. For this they allege that Saying of the Prophet Isaiah, lxiv. 6. All our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags; adding this Reason, That seeing we are impure, so must our Works be; which though good in themselves, yet as performed by us, they receive a Tincture of Impurity, even as clean Water passing through an unclean Pipe is defiled.

Answ. 1.That no impure Works are useful to Justification, is confessed; but that all the Works wrought in the Saints are such, is denied. And for Answer to this, the former Distinction will serve. We confess, that the first Sort of Works above-mentioned are impure; but not the second: Because the first are wrought in the unrenewed State, but not the other. And as for that of Isaiah, it must relate to the first Kind; What Sort of Righteousness is as filthy Rags.for though he saith, All our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags, yet that will not comprehend the Righteousness of Christ in us, but only that which we work of and by ourselves. For should we so conclude, then it would follow, that we should throw away all Holiness and Righteousness; since that which is as filthy Rags, and as a menstruous Garment, ought to be thrown away; yea, it would follow, that all the Fruits of the Spirit, mentioned, Gal. iv. were as filthy Rags; Whereas on the Contrary, some of the Works of the Saints are said to have a sweet Savour in the Nostrils of the Lord; are said to be an Ornament of great Price in the Sight of God; are said to prevail with him, and to be acceptable to him; which filthy Rags and a menstruous Garment cannot be. Yea, many famous Protestants have acknowledged, that this Place is not therefore so to be understood. Calvin and others their Sense concerning Isa. 64. 6. of our Righteousness.Calvin upon this Place saith, “That it is used to be cited by some, that they may prove there is so little Merit in our Works, that they are before God filthy and defiled: But this seems to me to be different from the Prophet’s Mind,” saith he, “seeing he speaks not here of all Mankind.” Musculus.Musculus upon this Place saith, “That it was usual for this People to presume much of their legal Righteousness, as if thereby they were made clean; nevertheless they had no more Cleanness than the unclean Garment of a Man. Others expound this Place concerning all the Righteousness of our Flesh; that Opinion indeed is true; yet I think that the Prophet did rather accommodate these Sayings to the Impurity of the People in legal Terms.” (Bertius) Epistolæ præfixæ dissert. ann.The Author (commonly supposed Bertius) speaking concerning the true Sense of the 7th Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, hath a Digression touching this of Isaiah, saying; “This Place is commonly corrupted by a pernicious Wresting; for it is still alleged, as if the Meaning thereof inferred the most excellent Works of the best Christians, &c.” Ja. Coret Apol. Impress. Paris, Ann. 1597 Page 78.James Coret, a French Minister in the Church of Basil, in his Apology concerning Justification against Alescales, saith; “Nevertheless concerning the Counsel of certain good Men, I must admonish the Reader, that it never came into our Minds to abuse that Saying of Isa. lxiv. 6. against good Works, in which it is said, that all our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags, as if he would have that which is good in our good Works, and proceedeth from the Holy Spirit, to be esteemed as a filthy and unclean Thing.”

§. XII.

As to the other Part, That seeing the best of Men are still impure and imperfect, therefore their Works must be so; it is to beg the Question, and depends upon a Proposition denied; and which is to be discussed at farther Length in the next Proposition. But though we should suppose a Man not thoroughly perfect in all Respects, yet will not that hinder, but good and perfect Works in their Kind may be brought forth in him by the Spirit of Christ: Neither doth the Example of Water going through an unclean Pipe hit the Matter; because though Water may be capable to be tinctured with Uncleanness, yet the Spirit of God cannot, whom we assert to be the immediate Author of those Works that avail in Justification: And therefore Jesus Christ’s Works in his Children are pure and perfect, and he worketh in and through that pure Thing of his own forming and creating in them. Moreover, if this did hold, according to our Adversaries Supposition, That no Man ever was or can be perfect, it would follow, that the very Miracles and Works of the Apostles, which Christ wrought in them, and they wrought in and by the Power, Spirit and Grace of Christ, were also impure and imperfect; Were the Miracles and Works of the Apostles, wrought by the Power of Christ in them, impure and imperfect?such as their converting of the Nations to the Christian Faith; their gathering of the Churches, their writing of the Holy Scriptures; yea, and their offering up and sacrificing of their Lives for the Testimony of Jesus. What may our Adversaries think of this Argument, whereby it will follow, that the Holy Scriptures, whose Perfection and Excellency they seem so much to magnify, are proved to be impure and imperfect, because they came through impure and imperfect Vessels? It appears by the Confessions of Protestants, that the Fathers did frequently attribute unto Works of this Kind that instrumental Work, which we have spoken of in Justification, albeit some ignorant Persons cry out it is Popery, and also divers, and that famous Protestants, do of themselves confess it. A. Polan. Our Doctrine of Justification and Works, is not Popery.Amandus Polanus, in his Symphonia Catholica, Cap. 27. de Remissione Peccatorum, P. 651. places this Thesis as the common Opinion of Protestants, most agreeable to the Doctrine of the Fathers: “We obtain the Remission of Sins by Repentance, Confession, Prayers, and Tears, proceeding from Faith, but do not merit, to speak properly; and therefore we obtain Remission of Sins, not by the Merit of our Repentance and Prayers, but by the Mercy and Goodness of God.” Gentiletus Ex Impress. Gen. 1516.Innocentius Gentiletus, a Lawyer of great Fame among Protestants, in his Examen of the Council of Trent, P. 66, 67. of Justification, having before spoken of Faith and Works, adds these Words: “But seeing the one cannot be without the other, we call them both conjunctly instrumental Causes.” Zanchius.Zanchius, in his fifth Book, De Naturâ Dei, saith; “We do not simply deny, that good Works are the Cause of Salvation, to wit, the instrumental, rather than the efficient Cause, which they call [sine quâ non.”] And afterwards, “Good Works are the instrumental Cause of the Possession of Life eternal; for by these, as by a Means and a lawful Way, God leads unto the Possession of Life eternal.” G. Ames. in Medulla S. Theologiæ, L. 2. C. 1. Thes. 30.G. Amesius saith, “That our Obedience, albeit it be not the principal and meritorious Cause of Life eternal, is nevertheless a Cause in some Respect, administering, helping, and advancing towards the Possession of the Life.” R. Baxter.Also Richard Baxter, in his Book above-cited, Page 155. saith, “That we are justified by Works in the same Kind of Causality as by Faith, to wit, as being both Causes sine quâ non, or Conditions of the New Covenant on our Part requisite to Justification.” And P. 195. he saith, “It is needless to teach any Scholar, who hath read the Writings of Papists, how this Doctrine differs from them.”

Of the Merit and Reward of Works.But lastly, Because it is fit here to say something of the Merit and Reward of Works, I shall add something in this Place of our Sense and Belief concerning that Matter. We are far from thinking or believing, that Man merits any Thing by his Works from God, all being of Free Grace; and therefore do we, and always have denied that Popish Notion of Meritum ex condigno. Nevertheless we cannot deny, but that God, out of his Infinite Goodness wherewith he hath loved Mankind, after he communicates to him his holy Grace and Spirit, doth, according to his own Will, recompence and reward the good Works of his Children; GOD rewards the good Works of his Children.and therefore this Merit of Congruity or Reward, in so far as the Scripture is plain and positive for it, we may not deny; neither wholly reject the Word, in so far as the Scripture makes use of it. For the same Greek [Greek: axion: αξιον], which signifies [Merit] is also in those Places where the Translators express it Worth, or worthy, as Mat. iii. 8. 1 Thess. ii. 12. 2 Thess. i. 5. 11. Concerning which R. Baxter saith, in the Book above-cited, P. 8. “But in a larger Sense, as Promise is an Obligation, and the Thing promised is said to be Debt, so the Performers of the Conditions are called Worthy, and that which they perform Merit; although properly all be of Grace, and not of Debt.” Also those, who are called the Fathers of the Church, frequently used this Word of Merit, whose Sayings concerning this Matter I think not needful to insert, because it is not doubted, but evident, that many Protestants are not averse from this Word, in the Sense that we use it. The Apology for the Augustan Confession, Art. 20. hath these Words; “We agree that Works are truly meritorious, not of Remission of Sins, or Justification; but they are meritorious of other Rewards corporal and spiritual, which are indeed as well in this Life, as after this Life.” And further, “Seeing Works are a certain fulfilling of the Law, they are rightly said to be meritorious; it is rightly said, that a Reward is due to them.”

Conference of Oldenburgh.In the Acts of the Conference of Oldenburgh, the electoral Divines, P. 110. & 265. say, “In this Sense our Churches also are not averse from the Word [Merit] used by the Fathers; neither therefore do they defend the Popish Doctrine of Merit.”

G. Vossius of the Word Merit.G. Vossius, in his Theological Thesis concerning the Merits of good Works, saith; “We have not adventured to condemn the Word [Merit] wholly, as being that which both many of the Ancients use, and also the reformed Churches have used in their Confessions. Now that God judgeth and accepteth Men according to their Works, is beyond Doubt to those that seriously will read and consider these Scriptures.” Matt.. xvi. 27. Rom.. ii. 6. 7. 10. 2 Cor. v. 10. James i. 25. Heb. x. 35. 1 Pet. i. 17. Rev. xxii. 12.

§. XIII.

And to conclude this Proposition, let none be so bold as to mock God, supposing themselves justified and accepted in the Sight of God, by Virtue of Christ’s Death and Sufferings, while they remain unsanctified and unjustified in their own Hearts, Job 8. 13.and polluted in their Sins, lest their Hope prove that of the Hypocrite, which perisheth. The Hope of the Hypocrite shall perish, but Grace is to the Humble.Neither let any foolishly imagine, that they can by their own Works, or by the Performance of any Ceremonies or Traditions, or by the Giving of Gold or Money, or by afflicting their Bodies in Will-worship and voluntary Humility, or foolishly striving to conform their Way to the outward Letter of the Law, flatter themselves that they merit before God, or draw a Debt upon him, or that any Man or Men have Power to make such Kind of Things effectual to their Justification, lest they be found foolish Boasters, and Strangers to Christ and his Righteousness indeed. But blessed for ever are they, that having truly had a Sense of their own Unworthiness and Sinfulness, and having seen all their own Endeavours and Performances fruitless and vain, and beheld their own Emptiness, and the Vanity of their vain Hopes, Faith and Confidence, while they remained inwardly struck, pursued, and condemned by God’s holy Witness in their Hearts, and so having applied themselves thereto, and suffered his Grace to work in them, are become changed and renewed in the Spirit of their Minds, passed from Death to Life, and know Jesus arisen in them, working both the Will and the Deed; and so having put on the Lord Jesus Christ, in Effect are clothed with him, and partake of his Righteousness and Nature; such can draw near to the Lord with Boldness, and know their Acceptance in and by him; in whom, and in as many as are found in him, the Father is well pleased.