Apostle, so much observed, _Rom._ viii. 30. _Whom he called, them
he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified_:
This is commonly called the _Golden Chain_, as being acknowledged
to comprehend the Method and Order of Salvation. And therefore, if
[_Justified_] were not understood here in its proper Signification
of being _made just_, Sanctification would be excluded out of this
Chain. And truly it is very worthy of Observation, that the Apostle,
in this succinct and compendious Account, makes the Word [_Justified_]
to comprehend all betwixt _Calling_ and _Glorifying_; [Sidenote:
Righteousness_, the only Medium by which from our _Calling_ we pass
to _Glorification.] thereby clearly insinuating, that the being
really _Righteous_, is that only _Medium_ by which from our _Calling_
we pass to _Glorification_. Almost all do acknowledge the Word to be
so taken in this Place; and not only so, but most of those who oppose
are forced to acknowledge, that as this is the most proper, so the
most common Signification of it: Thus divers famous _Protestants_
acknowledge. [Sidenote: D. Cham. _Tom. 3. de_ Sanct. _L. 10._ P. 1.]
“We are not,” saith _D. Chamierus_, “such impertinent Esteemers of
Words, as to be ignorant, nor yet such importunate Sophists, as to
deny that the Words _Justification_ and _Sanctification_ do infer one
another; yea, we know that the Saints are chiefly for this Reason
so called, because that in Christ they have received Remission of
Sins: And we read in the Revelations, _Let him that is just, be just
still_; which cannot be understood, except of the Fruit of inherent
Righteousness. Nor do we deny, but perhaps in other Places they may
be promiscuously taken, especially by the _Fathers_.” [Sidenote: Beza
_in C. 3. ad_ Tit. _Ver. 7._] “I take,” saith _Beza_, “the Name of
_Justification_ largely, so as it comprehends whatsoever we acquire
from Christ, as well by Imputation, as by the Efficacy of the Spirit in
sanctifying us. So likewise is the Word _Justification_ taken, _Rom._
viii. 30.” [Sidenote: Melanct. _in Apol. Conf. Aug._] _Melancthon_
saith, “That to be justified by Faith, signifies in Scripture not only
to be pronounced just, but also of unrighteous to be made righteous.”
Also some chief _Protestants_, though not so clearly, yet in Part,
hinted at our Doctrine, whereby we ascribe unto the _Death of Christ_
Remission of Sins, and the Work of Justification unto the _Grace of
the Spirit_ acquired by his Death. [Sidenote: Boræus, _in_ Gen. _C.
15_. Credidit Abraham. Deo, _P. 161_.] _Martinus Boræus_, explaining
that Place of the Apostle, _Rom._ iv. 25. _Who was given for our
Sins, and rose again for our Justification_, saith: “There are two
Things beheld in Christ, which are necessary to our Justification;
the one is his Death, the other is his arising from the Dead. By his
Death, the Sins of this World behoved to be expiated: By his Rising
from the Dead, it pleased the same Goodness of God to give the Holy
Spirit, whereby both the Gospel is believed, and the Righteousness,
lost by the Fault of the first _Adam_, is restored.” And afterwards
he saith; “The Apostle expresseth both Parts in these Words, _Who was
given for our Sins_, &c. in his Death is beheld the Satisfaction for
Sin; in his Resurrection, the Gift of the Holy Spirit, by which our
Justification is perfected.” [Sidenote: _Idem Lib. 3. Reg. Cap. 9. V.
4. P. 681._] And again, the same Man saith elsewhere; “Both these Kinds
of Righteousness are therefore contained in _Justification_, neither
can the one be separate from the other. So that in the Definition of
_Justification_, the Merit of the Blood of Christ is included, both
with the Remission of Sins, and with the Gift of the Holy Spirit of
Justification and Regeneration.” [Sidenote: Bucerus_, in _Rom. 4._ ad
Ver. 16._] _Martinus Bucerus_ saith; “Seeing by one Sin of _Adam_ the
World was lost, the Grace of Christ hath not only abolished that one
Sin, and Death which came by it; but hath together taken away those
infinite Sins, and also led into full Justification as many as are of
Christ; so that God now not only remits unto them _Adam_’s Sin, and
their own, but also gives them therewith the Spirit of a solid and
perfect Righteousness, which renders us conform unto the Image of the
First-begotten.” [Sidenote: Righteousness, _a Conformity to the Image
of the First-begotten_.] And upon these Words [_by Jesus Christ_] he
saith; “We always judge that the whole Benefit of Christ tends to
this, that we might be strong through the Gift of Righteousness, being
rightly and orderly adorned with all Virtue, that is, restored to the
Image of God.” [Sidenote: W. Forbes _in Consider. Modest. de _Just._
Lib. 2. Sect. 8._] And _lastly_, _William Forbes_ our Countryman,
Bishop of _Edinburgh_, saith; “Whensoever the Scripture makes Mention
of the Justification before God, as speaketh _Paul_, and from him
(besides others) _Augustine_, it appears that the Word [_justify_]
necessarily signifies not only to pronounce just in a Law Sense, but
also really and inherently to make just; because that God doth justify
a wicked Man otherwise than earthly Judges. [Sidenote: _How God
justifies the Wicked._] For he, when he justifies a wicked or unjust
Man, doth indeed pronounce him as these also do; but by pronouncing
him just, because his Judgment is according to Truth, he also makes
him really of unjust to become just.” And again, the same Man, upon
the same Occasion, answering the more rigid _Protestants_, who say,
That _God first justifies, and then makes just_; he adds: “But let them
have a Care, lest by too great and empty Subtilty, unknown both to the
Scriptures and the Fathers, they lessen and diminish the Weight and
Dignity of so great and divine a Benefit, so much celebrated in the
Scripture, to wit, _Justification_ of the Wicked. For if to the formal
Reason of _Justification_ of the Ungodly doth not at all belong his
_Justification_ (so to speak) _i. e._ his being made righteous, then in
the Justification of a Sinner, although he be justified, yet the Stain
of Sin is not taken away, but remains the same in his Soul as before
Justification: And so, notwithstanding the Benefit of Justification,
he remains as before, unjust and a Sinner; and nothing is taken away,
but the Guilt and Obligation to Pain, and the Offence and Enmity of God
through Non-imputation. But both the Scriptures and Fathers do affirm,
That in the _Justification_ of a Sinner, their Sins are not only
remitted, forgiven, covered, not imputed, but also taken away, blotted
out, cleansed, washed, purged, and very far removed from us, as appears
from many Places of the holy Scriptures.” The same _Forbes_ shews us at
length, in the following Chapter, That this was the confessed Judgment
of the _Fathers_, out of the Writings of those who hold the contrary
Opinion; some whereof, out of him, I shall note. [Sidenote: Calv.
_Inst. L. 3. C. 11. Sect. 15_.] As, first, _Calvin_ saith, “That the
Judgment of _Augustine_, or at least his Manner of speaking, is not
throughout to be received; who although he took from Man all Praise
of Righteousness, and ascribed all to the Grace of God, yet he refers
Grace to Sanctification, by which we are regenerate through the Spirit
unto Newness of Life.” [Sidenote: Chemnit. _in Exam. Conc. Trid. de
Just._ P. 129.] _Chemnitius_ saith, “That they do not deny, but that
the Fathers take the Word [_justify_] for _renewing_, by which Works
of Righteousness are wrought in us by the Spirit.” And P. 130. “I am
not ignorant, that the Fathers indeed often use the Word [_justify_]
in this Signification, to wit, of _making just_.” [Sidenote: Zanchius
_in C. 2. ad_ Ep. _Ver. 4. Loc. de Just_. Thes. 13.] _Zanchius_
saith, “That the Fathers, and chiefly _Augustine_, interpret the Word
[_justify_] according to this Signification, to wit, of _making just_;
so that, according to them, to be _justified_ was no other than of
_unjust_ to be made _just_, through the Grace of God for Christ.” He
mentioneth more, but this may suffice to our Purpose.
§. VIII. [Sidenote: 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, [Sidenote:
_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_, [Sidenote: 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_.
[Sidenote: 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.
[Sidenote: _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.
[Sidenote: 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.
[Sidenote: _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, [Sidenote: _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. [Sidenote: 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. [Sidenote: _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.” [Sidenote: Inuncunas.] So also affirmeth
_Claudius Albertus Inuncanus_, see his _Orat. Apodict. Lausaniæ Excus.
1587. Orat. 2_. P. 86, 87. [Sidenote: 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.” [Sidenote: 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.” [Sidenote: 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. [Sidenote: 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.
[Sidenote: Object.] But if it be queried, _Whether we have not said, or
will not affirm, that a Man is justified by Works?_
[Sidenote: _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.
[Sidenote: _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.
[Sidenote: 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.
[Sidenote: _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:
[Sidenote: _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. [Sidenote: Obj. 1.] But they object, _That Works are not
necessary to Justification_: First, because of that Saying of _Christ_,
Luke xvii. 10. [Sidenote: _Unprofitable Servants._] _When ye shall have
done all these Things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable
Servants._
[Sidenote: _Answ._] _Answer_; As to God we are indeed unprofitable,
for he needeth nothing, [Sidenote: _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. [Sidenote: _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_.
[Sidenote: 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._
[Sidenote: _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_. [Sidenote: _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: [Sidenote: _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. [Sidenote: _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.
[Sidenote: _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. [Sidenote: 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_.
[Sidenote: 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_;