Page images
PDF
EPUB

The right

MERE GRACE AND MERCY, THAT RECOMPENCE:

all this is judicious, folid and orthodox.

LXX. This manifeftation of mere juftice is not eous judg- more strongly concluded from that day being called cludes the day of the righteous judgment, Rom. 2. 5. For, ift. not grace. It is there called the day of wrath. And yet wrath

ment ex

As neî

ther re

fpect of perfons.

The per

will not be exercised only, without a manifestation of mercy. 2dly, Even in the juftification of a sinner, in this world, there is a declaration of the righteousness of God, Rom. 3. 25; where notwithstanding, as Paul exprefsly affirms v. 24. and all own, grace has the principal place: fo alfo here GRACE reigneth thro' RIGHTEOUSNESs unto eternal life, Rom. 5. 21. 3dly, As God will justly inflict punishments on the impenitent, fo in like manner, agreeably to his juftice, he will distribute rewards, and fhew grace to the godly, as we explained fett. 68. Justice and grace are here not to be oppofed but joined together.

LXXI, What is afferted Rom. 2. 11, viz. that with God there is no refpest of perfons, its still lefs fufficient to confirm this opinion. For because God does all things without refpect of perfons, does it follow, that he exercifes no grace? When Peter took notice of the piety and faith of Cornelius, and said; of a truth I perceive, that God is no refpecter of perfons, Ats, 10. 34, did he ever intend, by these words, to deny, that grace was fhewn to Cornelius? A nonrefpect of perfons excludes, indeed, injuftice, and the confideration of these things, which ought to have no place in judgment; but it no ways excludes, grace and mercy. These things have been fo often confuted; that there is no occafion to con fider them again.

LXXII. It is a new opinion, and an extraordinary. fons to be poftulatum, to fay, that the works of thofe who are to juftified, be juftified, and according to which they fhall be be perfect. judged, will be perfect, yea most perfect, that nothing

will then

may derogate from the righteousness of the judgment of that day. It is a certain truth, that the perfons then

to

to be juftified, will be perfect: ift. In Chrift, on account of his moft perfect righteoufnefs imputed to them, Col. 2. 10. 2dly. In themselves, being then, perfectly fanctified: For, they, who had died before that time, are called just men made perfect Heb. 12.23; and they, who fhall, at that day, be alive, fhall be changed, 1 Cor. 15. 51, 52, and doubtless, obtain perfect holiness by that change, which the others obtained at death. But that the works, which they performed in this life, can then be faid to be moft perfect, is neither confonant with fcripture, nor reason.

which

LXXIII. The fcripture declares, that the works, But the which were done by believers, in this life, were not works by without blemish, because they, who performed them, they shall had the old man ftill remaining, who mixed and be justifitainted them with fome corruption of his own, ed, will Rom. 7. 22, 23, 24. Gal. 5. 15: This is without not be difpute. But the fcripture no where fays, that these perfect. works, fhall appear otherwise, at the latt judgment, than they did in this life; nay, it afferts the contrary, when it teftifies, that every one fhall be judged according to that he hath done in his body, 2 Cor. 5.10; but it is certain that the things, done in the body, were imperfect. It is alfo contrary to reason, to fay that actions, which were imperfect while they were performing, and actually exifting, fhould be declared to be perfect, when they were no more; and perfect not only in the estimation of God the judge, but alfo by, I know not, what fanctification, really perfecting them, when they had no further exiftence. No doubt habits, which are holy when first infused, are perfected by a farther fanctification; but that actions, which were imperfect while they exifted, should become perfect, after they have Sceafed to be, is inconceivable.

[ocr errors]

LXXIV. Seeing, what we are taught in fcripture What the concerning the perfection of believers by a progref Scripture five fanctification, and the death of the body, regards perfons,

K 3

their

afcribes to

[ocr errors]

scribed to

their ac

tions.

ought not their perfons, about the perfection of which there is to be a- no difpute, it is erroneous to apply it to their antecedent works. That God refines thofe works like gold, purging away all their tin and drofs, fo as to be altogether pure in his eyes, is an unfcriptural fancy. The paffagés, Ifa. 1. 25. Zech. 13. 9. Mal. 3. 3, do not treat of works but of perfons, nor speak of their abfolute perfection, nor have a reference to the day of the laft judgment, but relate to the condition of the prefent life, as will plainly appear to any who will peruse them; and can therefore with no probability be wrefted to this fense.

LXXV. Indeed, the good works, of those whọ die [in the Lord] are faid to follow them Rev. 14. 13: but they are fuch as they were performed here; and they follow, not in themselves, but in their fruits and effects; in fo far as God, in regard of their good works, does good to the pious even after death. For this end it is not requifite, that they be perfect; it is fufficient, that they be performed in faith, and by the fpirit of Chrift. I do not remember, that the fcripture fays, that good works fhall rife with them. They who speak thus, mean no more, at least they ought to mean no more by that phrase, but that, in the refurrection of the juft, the pious fhall rejoice in the gratuitous reward of their holiness. It is faid indeed, that he, who bath begun a good work in believers, will perform it until the day of Jefus Christ Phil. 1.6. But by a good work is there meant the communication of the grace of Chrift, revealed in the gofpel, as appears from v. 5, which God perfects in certain degrees, till the finishing hand is put to it at the laft day. There is nothing in that paffage relating to the perfection of our actions, which are already over and gone. LXXVI. In the last place, if good works are there to appear perfect, there can be no reafon, why alfo meri. they should not be meritorious. For, that is certainly

Which if perfect

would be

torious.

merito..

meritorious, which fatisfies every demand of the law; if merit is to be ascribed to fuch a work, which when a man does, he is to live therein, according to the law of the covenant of works. It is not required to meritorious works, in the fenfe now in debate, that they are not due and properly our own, that is, that they are done in our own ftrength, without the grace of God. For, the papists themselves readily acknowledged, that there are no fuch meritorious works. But by those meritorious works, which are the present subject of difpute, are understood fuch actions, on performing which one has a right to life. But the only, or at least the principal reason, why our works are not meritorious, is what the catechifm affigns, because they are imperfect and ftained with fin.

LXXVII. Nor will the righteousness of the judgment of that day, be in the leaft diminished, tho' the works of believers, by which they fhall be judged, are imperfect. For, they will not be mentioned, as the caufes of their right to claim the reward, to which perfection is requifite; but as effects and, figns of grace, and of union with Chrift, and of a living faith, and of juftification by faith, and of a right to life for whi h their unfeigned fincerity is fufficient. We therefore conclude, that the justification in the next world is not to be fo very much diftinguished from the juftification in this world.

LXXVIII. As this doctrine of free juftification, The ufeon account of the righteousness of Chrift, apprefulness of hended by faith alone, is founded on clear tefti

Q. 62. Why cannot our good works be righteousness, or fome part of righteoufnefs before God?

A. Becaufe that righteousness, which muft ftand before the judgment of God, muft be in all points perfect and agreeable to the law of God. But our works, even the best of them are im perfect in this life, and defiled with fin. K 4

monies

the doc

trine of free juftification.

1. For the

monies of fcripture; fo it approves itself to every pious confcience, by its most excellent ufes and fruits.

LXXIX. ift. It tends much to difplay the difplay of glory of God, whole moft exalted perfections the glory fhine forth with an eminent luftre in this matter. of God. It fets forth the infinite GOODNESS of God, by which he was inclined to procure falvation freely for loft and miferable man, to the praife of the glory of his grace, Epb. 1. 6. It displays alfo the ftricteft JUSTICE, by which he would not forgive even the fmalleft offence, but on condition of the fufficient engagement, or full fatisfaction of the mediator, that he might be just, and the juftifier of him which believeth in Jefus, Rom. 3. 26. It fhews further the unfearchable WISDOM of the deity, which found out a way, for the exercife of the most gracious act of mercy, without injury to his tritest justice and infallible truth, which threatned death to the finner: juftice demanded that the foul, that finned, fhould die, Rom. 1. 32. Truth had pronounced, curled is be that continueth not in all things, Deut. 27. 26. Goodness, in the mean time, was inclined to adjudge life to fome finners, but by no other way, than what become the majefty of the most holy God. Here wisdom interpofed faying, "I will fully fatisfy my "goodness, and fay to mine elect; I, even I am be,

that blotteth out thy tranfgefions for mine own fake, "Ifa. 43.25. Nor fhall you, my justice and my "truth, have any cause of complaint, because full "fatisfaction fhall be made to you by a mediator.” Hence the incredible philantropy of the Lord Jefus fhineth forth, who, tho' Lord of all, was made fubject to the law, not to the obedience of it only, but alfo to the curfe; made fin for us, that we might be made the rigteoufness of God in him, 2 Cor. 5. 21.

LXXX. Ought not the pious foul, who is deeply engaged in the devout meditation of these things, break out into the praises of a justifying God, and

« PreviousContinue »