against this expofition; who contend that all works, however confidered, are opposed to faith. The Apoftle's words are plain, he that worketh not, but believeth, and his mind or intention, as Lubbertus has learnedly obferved, is to be confidered from the ftate of the controverfy, then in debate. But the ftate of the controverfy was not, whether a man could be juftified by a perfect obfervance of the law, if there was any one, who could keep it perfectly? Which none in his fenfes will deny: or whether there are many, who, fince Adam's first sin, have, for the whole of their life, done nothing amifs, but have attaind to every perfection both of parts, degrees and perfeverance? Which none in his right mind will affirm. But, the matter in

queftion was, whether the Jews could be juftified by that obfervance of the law, which they were able to perform. They certainly thought, that they could be justified, if they only obferved the moral law to the utmost of their power, and gave thefe fatisfactions for their failings, which the ceremonial law had prescribed. But the Apoftle denies this, refting his argument on that maxim, that the righteoufnefs, which can be valid at God's tribunal, must be perfect in all its parts: but fince none can pretend to any fuch works, he concludes, that no works, of what kind foever, can contribute any thing to obtain juftification. The Apoftle, doubtless, excludes thofe works, in which they commonly trufted, who endeavoured to establish their own righteoufnefs. But it is not credible, that any of them, could fay, that he kept himself pure, thro the whole caufe of his life from every, even the leaft ftain of fin. These things are evident.

LV. But I would not have it wrefted to the worst fense, in that I have, in fome things, compared the opinion of this celebrated perfon with that of Socinus

and

and the remonstrants. It was not with the view, to rank a man, in other refpects orthodox, and usefully employed in the fervice of the church of God, with thofe perverters of our faith. This of all things, is farthest from my mind and manner: but my defign was only to warn thofe, under my care, and who may reap benefit by the very learned labours of this perfon, with confiderable encrease of knowledge, against these and the like expreflions: in which, thro' a difguft for controverfy, and a too eager defire of laying difputes afide, he feems to yield ⚫ rather too much to our adverfaries. Peace, indeed, is to be purfued, but by no means at the expence of truth.

of union

LVI. The geunine opinion of the reformed is Faith juf this that faith justifies, as it is the band of our tifies, as it stricteft union with Chrift, by which all things that is the band are Chrift's become alfo ours, as we explained with Sect. XXXI. Or, which is the fame thing, as it is Chrift. the acceptance of the gift offered, rendering the donation firm and irrevocable. And this is what the Apostle intended when he wrote Rom. 4. 5, that faith is counted for righteousness, that is, faith is judged to be that, with which the right of demanding the reward is connected; a way of fpeaking borrowed from merchants: thus in the book of God's accompts is fet down what he hath given to us, and what we are indebted to him. But when in the other page, our compleat obedience, and the payment of the debt, could not be inferted, what then is written there viz to ballance the account? In the first place, our righteoufnefs or the righteousness of Chrift wrought out for us: then + our faith, by

+ The author does not here mean, that faith, as an act of ours, juftifies; for he has fufficiently explained himself on that head; he only mentions faith here as the inftrument by which we lay hold on Chrift's righteoufnefs whereby our debt, both of duty and punishment, is fully paid,

Juftifica

fifts of va

rious arti

which we receive that righteoufnefs offered to us, and prefent it to God as ours.

LVII. It is, moreover to be obferved, that tion con- juftification, if we take in whatever can be comprized under that name, confifts of various † articles, or cles. Im- periods, which we will defcribe in the most pointed mediately manner, we can. And firft, God's fentence of on the fall abfolution regards either all the elect in general demned collected into one myftical body; or relates to each Satan, and in particular. I obferve two articles with respect adjudged to that general fentence: the first of which comfalvation menced immediately upon the fall; when Chrift,

God con

to the

Elect.

having entered into furetifhip-engagements for elect finners, obtained by his covenant, which the father was affured he would most faithfully perform, that fatan fhould be condemned in the ferpent, his right over man, which he acquired by wicked arts, be made void as to the elect; and the elect, on the other hand, who are comprehended under the feed of the woman, be declared, in Chrift their head, no longer friends or fubjects, but enemies and conquerors of the devil. For, all these things are contained in the firft Gofpel-promife; which presupposes that furetifhip of Chrift, whereby he took upon himself all the fins of the elect, and on account of which God declared, he never intended to exact them from any of his chofen: because, on admitting furety, the principal debtor is freed from all obligation to make fatisfaction. And this is the first effect of Chrift's furetifhip, the declaration of that counsel of God, by which he had purpofed to juftify the ungodly; and not to impute fin to thofe, who are inferted as heirs in the testament.

The word articulus is of various fignifications; but it is plain from the feque', that the author here ufes it, for a moment or period, fo that he here gives us a very diftin&t account of the TIME of juftification.

A

LVIII. The

death,

LVIII. The other article of this general juftification Upon relates to the time, in which God declared, that full Chrift's fatisfaction was made to his juftice by a dying Chrift. God deOf which Paul treats 2 Cor. 5. 19, God was in Christ, clared fareconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their tisfaction trespasses unto them. He, together and at once recon- his juftice.

ciled to himself the whole world of his elect; and declared that he would not impute their trefpaffes to any of them, on account of the perfect fatisfaction of Christ. For, when he raised Chrift from the dead, he gave him a difcharge, in teftimony that the payment was made; and when he rent the vail of the temple, he alfo tore the hand-writing confifting in ordinances, which, till that time, loudly proclaim'd that payment was not yet made. But who can doubt, that a creditor, tearing the hand-writing or bond, and giving a difcharge to the furety, declares, he will not, and even in law cannot, demand any fatisfaction of the principal debtor?

made to

to every

LIX. But juftification is not confined to thefe And apbounds. Befides that general declaration of God, plied in there is also another, applied to every believer in particular particular. And this again has its diftinct articles. believer. The firft is, when the elect perfon, who is redeemed, regenerated and united to Chrift by a living faith, is declared to have now actually paffed from a state of condemnation and wrath, to a ftate of grace or favour. For, the elect finner, tho' redeemed by Christ, and fo far reconciled to God, as that he declares, he is never actually to be condemned; yet that right, purchased by Chrift, is not applied to him, till he is regenerated, and united to Christ by faith. Till then he is in the prefent evil world, Gal. 1. 4.; alienated and an enemy, and under the power of darkness, Col. 1. 13, 21. But immediately, on his receiving Chrift by faith, God declares in the court of heaven, that he is no longer under wrath, but under grace; tho' perhaps the juftified perfon may yet be ignorant of it. ignorant of it. And in this fenfe God is

And inti

fcience.

faid to justify the ungodly, Rom. 4. 5; him who is fo in himself, and actually continues fuch 'till he is born again, when that faith is freely bestowed on him, by which he is immediately justified.

LX. The fecond article is, when that fentence of mated to God, which was pronounced in the court of heaven, his con- is intimated and infinuated to the confcience by the Holy-Spirit; fo that the believer knows, feels, and experiences, that his fins are forgiven. To this David has an eye, Pf.32. 5, and thou haft taken away or thou forgaveft the iniqui ty of my fin, that is, thou madeft me to know and experience this, by fpeaking to my heart.

Who is

familiar

inter

courfe

LXI. The third article is when the finner, being next ad- actively and paffively, juftified, is admitted to famimitted to liar converfe with God, and to the mutual participation of the most delightful friendship. For, it may happen, that God may have removed the tokens of with God. his anger from the elect finner, and given him affurance of it, and yet not directly admit him to an intercourse of familiarity. In the fame manner almoft, as David had forgiven Abfolom's parricide, and declared it by Joab, by ordering his return from Gefbur to Jerufalem; yet he did not immediately admit him to court, much lefs to his prefence chamber, and least of all to the kiffes of his mouth, 2 Sam. 14. David himself is an example of this. Nathan had told him, in the name of God; .the Lord hath put away thy fin, 2 Sam. 12. 13. And yet, for fome time, he was racked with grievous forrows crying out from the bottom of a contrite heart, and a fenfe of broken bones; have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness; according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my tranfgreffions, P. 51. 1. That is, as he explains it v. 12, refiore unto me the joy of thy falvation. This near and intimate access to God, as the author of his moft joyful exultation, is the real declaration of his juftification. And it is to be observed, that fuch a declaration is often repeated. [For inftance,] when a believer

2

happens