THe Doctrine contain'd in this Verse is of great Moment , and requires our most earnest Attention and most narrow search and enquiry into its Nature and all its Circumstances ; for it is , How shall we be Justified before God ? how shall we behave our selves before such an awful Tribunal ? When he riseth up , what shall I do ? and when he Visiteth , what shall I answer ? says Holy Job ; Wherewith shall we come before the Lord , and bow our selves before the most High ? will he be pleas'd with thousands of Rams , or ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl ? shall I give my First-born for my Transgression , the Fruit of my Body for the Sin of my Soul ? That God would plead with Is●ael , made her Mountains tremble , and the Foundations of her Earth to shake , Mic. 6. It 's David's Deprecation , Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant , for in thy sight shall no Man living be justified , Psal. 143. How can Man be just ( or Justified ) with God ? for if he will Contend with him , he cannot answer him one of a thousand , Job 9.3 . But it is a most certain thing , That we must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ , 2 Cor. 5. Rom. 14.12 . Psal. 139. and that every one of us must give an Account of himself to God ; We cannot decline it ; Darkness cannot hide from his sight , nor Distance remove from his Presence : We cannot flye from his Spirit , tho' we had the Wings of the Morning : He is higher than the Heaven , what can we do ? lower than Hell , whether can we go ? from the Depth of the Sea , or the uttermost End of the Earth , his Hand can bring us back . He has appointed a Day , Act. 17. wherein he will judge the World in righteousness , Eccl. 12. and he will bring every Work into Judgment , with every secret thing , whether it be good or evil : 1 Cor. 4. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness , and will make manifest the Counsels of the Heart . Heb. All things are naked and open to the Eyes of him with whom we have to do . If there be a God there is a Governour , and if there be a Governour there must be a Judgment : Can we be his Creatures and his Subjects , and will he be so Careless as not to take an Account of us ? Humane Government is but an Image of his : There can be no Shaddow without a Substance . Doth a Summons from Man fright us ? Doth the very Name of an Arraignment , a Court , a Judge , an Appearance at a Humane Barr , shake off our Security , and rouse our Phlegmatick Constitution , and put us into a most serious thinking frame , and shall not the certain Warning of this rouse us out of our sleepy Condition , and entirely monopolize our Thoughts ? Yet because of our Dullness to hear things concerning our Eternal State , I shall propose these Helps to render us serious about it .

1. The Majesty and Holiness of the Judge , the Voice of the Arch-Angel , the Trump of God , the Train of Saints , and glorious Appearance at the Great Day , will add nothing to it ; he is as Holy , as Just , as Powerful now as then , as nigh to us now as then : When his Seat is upon the Conscience , is he not as nigh as when he makes a Cloud his Theatre ? the Matter to be try'd the same now that then , all the Business of that Day depends upon this : A sight of this God by Faith , and the Belief of our being now in his Presence , would put us in the same frame we shall be in then , as we may see from Job 40.4 , 5. & 42.5 . Behold I am vile , what shall I answer ? I will lay my hand upon my Mouth , once have I spoken , but I will not answer : I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear , but now mine Eye seeth thee , wherefore I abhorr my self in dust and ashes . Job's Faith would make Job's Temper .

2. Exactness of the Law we are under as his Creatures ; it 's holy , just and good , it allows not , nor indulges any Sin , in Thought , Word or Deed , and is fenc'd with the most severe Sanction ; In the Day thou eatest thou shalt dye : Cursed is he that continueth not in all things written in the Book of the Law to do them , Gal. 3.10 . This may fill Sinners with Terror , Isa. 33.14 . The Sinners in Zion are afraid , fearfulness hath surpriz'd the Hypocrite ; who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire ? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings ?

3. Our Condition ; Sinners , Transgressors of this Law , Rebels against this Sovereign God : There is none righteous , no not one ; Jews and Gentiles , all are under Sin ; there is no Pagan , but he approaches God with his Sacrifices and Prayers as an Offender ; Propitiation , Pardon , Reconciliation , is that he looks after . Every one that has an Exercise of Conscience , whose Heart is not entirely hardened , has this for his principal Care , What shall I do to be saved ? Acts 2.

4. This is the Summ of the Gospel , the principal End of all Divine Revelation , to teach how this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , this guilty Person , this Enemy , this Ungodly Man may be Justified , Rom. 1.16 , 17 , 18. for these come all to one thing , How Saved ? how Pardon'd ? how Justified ? how Reconcil'd ? how Sanctifi'd ? how in Covenant of Peace with God ? how shall I escape Hell ? how shall I enjoy Heaven ? Christ is the one true and living way , Christ is the one Mediator , Christ is the Surety of the Covenant : We are Justified thorough the Redemption that is in Christ , that Jesus Christ is the Object of the Gospel , Gen. 3.15 . Rom. 1.2 , 3 , 4. Heb. 7.25 . This is the End of the Law , Gal. 3.24 . Rom. 10.4 . And this is the End of Ordinances , Salvation is by Faith , and Faith by Hearing .

A 5th . Help to render us studious about it , is Satans Pains , and alas ! his Success too in either Corrupting it in our Thoughts , or keeping us from Thoughts of it : Satanae solamen ( sicut solamen miserorum ) est habere socios : A ring-leader of Rebels drew all to his Party he could or can , and all Mankind he has brought unto the same Condemnation with himself : But our God from his special Compassion to us poor miserable Men who are deceiv'd by Satan , has invented this way of our Salvation thorough Christ , which is a Delivery from Satan's Tyranny into the sweet Government of Christian Liberty ; this he endeavours to hinder by Blinding Mens Eyes , that they may mistake it , 2 Cor. 4.3 . If our Gospel be hid , it is hid to them that are lost , whose Minds the god of this World hath blinded : His Device among both Pagans and Jews in the old World , was to trust to their own Sacrifices , that God in Mercy would accept the Blood of a Beast for the Life of a Man , or one Man for many . The Jews took the Ceremonial Law for a Remedying Law , Gal. 1.6 , 7. The Apostle calls it another Gospel , that is none ; and v. 4. tells what the Gospel is : But all Sacrifices being laid down among the Christians , after Christ's sacrificing himself , Satan attempts other Methods . 1. The grossest : That Christ dy'd only for an Example , and that his Self-denyal to Natural Inclinations might move us to be deny'd to our sinfull ; and that his Powerful Interest in his Father , and Prayer to him , inclines him to Pardon on easie Terms , so that now half-work may be taken for the whole . 2. Others , That Christ's Sacrifice did obtain a Pardon , but not for all kind of sins ; some for Original Sin only , some for sins in Ignorance also ; some for all sins before Conversion , for others their own good Works , Merits , Penances , together with the Priestly Absolution , must pay or appease . A 3d. Opinion is , That Christ Merited that we might Merit , immediately we are accepted for our own Works , but remotely for Christs , for on his Account our own are acceptable . Christ has purchas'd a Covenant of Grace for all , which Promises Remission of Sin , Helps of the Spirit , and a right to Heaven , under the easie Conditions of Faith and Repentance : by these a Man is just in respect of this Covenant that requires no more , and by this Justice and Righteousness he is Justifi'd , but it is on the Account of Christ's Merits that this is reckon'd Righteousness , and this Covenant or Law of Grace is given , that accepts such imperfect Holiness for Righteousness . This Righteousness is Meritorious , says Grotius , Luk. 17. because it consists in the Willingness of the Mind ; the Obedience is due , but to do willingly Merits . As to the Order of the Covenant , it Merits an Interest in Christ's Righteousness . By this Doctrine all are equally Justifiable by Christ's Righteousness , but all do not equally partake of Gifts to perform the Conditions : Nor is there any Promise of Ability to perform these Conditions , for then some of the Promises would be absolute . Our Justification is by our own Works , but our Justification on such Imperfect Works is of Christ , or we are oblig'd to Christ for this easie Law ; but the Works of the Law are our own , and we must be try'd by them : And yet some Protestants say , this Evangelical Law requires greater Perfection than the Law of Nature , Bull. Examen . p. 173. and that no other Law threatens Eternal Death , or Promises Eternal Life but it , and all since Adam are born under this Gospel-Law alone as to Eternal Concern . I think this deserves the Title of Neonomianism , and justles both Christ and his Gospel out of doors ; for then there is no Pardon of Sin by Christ , for none can transgress the Law they were or are not under , and according to themselves Christ did not suffer for Sins against the Gospel , but they admit any Absurdity for this Idol : It 's now in Vogue , and puts on many various shapes ; I could reckon several , but shall forbear the Schemes of them till afterwards : I mention them now only to show Satan's Diligence in Obscuring and Perplexing this Case , that is of greatest Concern to our Souls of any in this World or the World to come ; and should not we be as diligent in Searching out and Contending for this Faith once deliver'd to the Saints , since it is a Title to so great an Estate , our Charter for Heaven ? And yet for the weak Christian's Comfort I must say , the Doctrine may be Fundamental that may have many Problematic Questions about it , that the Ignorance , Doubts or Errors in , will be but as the Stubble and Hay upon a good Foundation . Ill Management of our Plea at a Tribunal of Grace will not make us lose the Cause , when uttermost diligence is given . Once more under Correction , I believe that serious Christian that holds Faith as the Instrument of Justification in his Profession , and the other that earnestly Contends it bears the room of a Condition , often have not the least difference in their Idea's or Thoughts , when they plead their Cause in Prayer before God ; yet when Ministers inculcate in People's Ears , they may , yea ought to plead their good Works at the Day of Judgment , as lately has been , it will soon breed this Difference in Ignorant People's Minds , and they who are Teachers of others ought to be better instructed themselves .

A 6th . Help : Because the Purity of this Doctrine of Justification from any Mixture of Man's Works or Merits with it , is the greatest Blessing of the Reformation from Popery : In England the Discipline was very little altered , the Idolatry of Worshipping of Saints fell as a Consequent of this Doctrine , that ascribes all Merit to Jesus Christ . This Doctrine was the Everlasting Gospel Prophesy'd of Rev. 14.6 , 7. and was fulfill'd in the Preaching of Zuinglius and Luther , and they who followed them ; they were the first of the Witnesses or Protestants God illuminated with this Doctrine , and encourag'd them to bear their Testimony for it thorough all manner of Persecutions : For the Gospel is the Doctrine of Christ's Righteousness , his Righteousness is the Evangelical Righteousness , Rom. 1.17 . c. 3.20 , 21 , 22. c. 9.31 , 32. & c. 10.3 . and the Righteousness of Faith , or by it ; it is the Test of a Protestant and Shibboleth of an Heretick : It is , says Luther , Articulus stantis aut cadentis Ecclesiae ; and Augustine before him , Ecclesia discernit justos ab injustis non Lege Operum , sed Lege Fidei : And there is great Reason for it , it has such an Influence on all other Doctrinal and Practical Truths . The Deity of Christ , if not God , no Value in the Satisfaction : the Trinity , if no distinct Persons , no Mediator ; Original Sin , for if all not lyable to Death , guilty Sinners , no need of his Righteousness , &c. There is no fear of relapsing into Popery by any Person on whose Heart this Doctrine is impress'd ; but there is ground to fear that Luther was a true Prophet , who said , Post mortem nostram hac Doctrina rursus obscurabitur . As we would Value the faithfulness of our Ancestors , who suffered Martyrdom for propagating this Doctrine to us , it is the most precious Inheritance we enjoy ; as we would Value our own Souls , for there is no escaping Wrath if we neglect so great a Salvation , Heb. 3. as we Value the Sacred Revelations of God , for this is the Marrow of it , we would seriously set about this Study , How shall I be Justified before God ? What doth Christ's Righteousness contribute to a Sinner's Salvation ? What Kindness has our Lord Jesus Christ for poor Sinners ?

But I shall come to the Words , which contains these two things :

( 1. ) The Explicatory Repitition of the former Proposition , that Abraham found nothing as to the Flesh ; for if Abraham was justified by Works .

( 2. ) An Argument for the Proof of it , because he had nothing to Glory in before God . To begin with the first of these , though the Proposition is Explicatory , yet such is the Subtilty of Satan , and his Diligence in filling the World with darkness of Error , and reflecting his black Clouds upon the Light of Scripture , that the Explication it self needs a Comment , or rather a Defence : The ( 1. ) Thing to be explain'd , is the Signification of the Word it self , Justifie : Never was there Word of greater Moment or Concern ; for Justification is the Soul of Religion , and Marrow of the Gospel , without it nothing in the whole Scripture could Comfort a Sinner ; never was Word matter of greater Strife and Contention , and yet never less Reason for it ; but the greatness of its influence for bringing Souls out of Satans Kingdom , makes it Satans principal Butt and Aim ; the most of all other Disputations of Religion end in Criticism , but this begins with it : The 1st . Question is , between us and Papists , with whom the Swinckfeldians take part , that is , Whether this Word Justifie in St. Pauls Epistles , especially in this , when it treats of our Righteousness , the Ground of our Pardon before the Tribunal of God , is to be taken in a Physical or a Forensick Sense ? Whether for sanctifying a Sinner and making an unjust Person just , or for a judicial Absolving of a guilty accused Person from the charge brought against him ? The latter is the common Sence and Tessera of a Protestant , and the former the Shiboleth of a Papist , excepting Grotius and his Followers ; who in this , and worse , take part with Papists . Therefore this shall be the first Assertion , That it is a Justidiction , not a Justification , of a Moral or Politick , and Relative , not an absolute Nature .

( 1. Arg. Tho' the Word it self is barbarous in the Latin Tongue , and made by Divines , for the most genuine near and faithful Translation of the Original Text ; yet the Latin will favour this Sence , for Justifica mens deorum . Catul : Signifies their juridical Distributions of Rewards and Punishments , and an Adopted Son is call'd justus filius , from Jus Right , and in English we use the Word Magnifie and Glorifie , not for making but esteeming Great and Glorious . The Hebrew with all its Oriental Daughters do far more Confirm this Sence , for one of their Conjugations usually adds declaring to the Primitive Signification , as Barar pure , in Arabick , the Conjugation Taphahalah makes it signifie , he clear'd himself , or justified himself juridically ; in the Heb. Tame polluted , Levit. 13.12 . signifies to pronounce Unclean , which in this Word Zadak , to Justifie , holds almost always in all the six Oriental Languages , in Hiphi● ; as to the Greek we find it about thirty six or thirty eight times in the New Testament always in this Sence , declaring , esteeming , or judging Just ; the shortest Method of the Proof is by instances of these Texts , that the Papists plead for , and some Protestants are willing to yield ; ( that it often signifies Forensically the Papist themselves grant ) the Principal place is Revel. 22.11 . A Forensick Justification is not capable of encrease .

Resp. ( 1. ) In the Sence and Manifestation of it , it is . ( 2. ) Where Courts are subordinate , it is ; he that is justified in one , may go on to be justified in another . ( 3. ) This Text speaks only of the Continuation of it , and there is a considerable difference between the first Sentence of Justification , and the Continuation in that State . ( 4. ) Some Original Copies of considerable Authority , reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which removes all pretence . The next place to this in their Opinion is , Dan. 12.3 . And they that turn many to Righteousness ; the Original is , they that justifie many . Resp. ( 1. ) Preachers do as much Justifie , as they Sanctifie , their Instruction and Authority hath equal Influence on both : A third place , 1 Cor. 6.11 . The Objection may be thus obviated , Tho' sanctifying and justifying be named together ; yet they may be distinct Blessings , and not Explicatory one of another . ( 2. ) Our Lord Jesus is the Author of the One , and the Spirit of God the Author of the Other . ( 3. ) The Blessed Spirit of God is also a Cause of Justification , in his working Faith and Sealing a Pardon ; but for Scriptures that prove its Forensick Sence , the Reader may look Deut. 25.1 . 2 Sam. 15.4 . 1 King . 8.31 . Job 13.18 . Mat. 11.19 . and 12.37 . Luk. 7.29 . and 10.29 . and 16.15 . and on this very Subject , Rom. 2.13 . and 8.33 . which the Papists themselves grant . Thus much for the first Argument , from the Etymology , and usual Acceptation of the Word from Sacred Writ ; to which may be added , the Testimony of Fathers and Prophane Authors ; as Chrys. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Homil. 15. to justifie is to declare Just , the Greek Etymologist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , justified , that is judged Just. Suidas , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to esteem just ; and most frequently in prophane Authors , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to Punish . ( 2. ) Argument is from its contrary , the contrary of making just , is Sinning , or Tempting to Sin ; but the Scripture shews us , that the contrary of justifie is to condemn , Deut. 25.1 . Prov. 17.15 . Luk. 18.14 . Rom. 3.4 , 5. and 8.33 . The usual Signification , or Primitive Significations , to which all others are reducible , is the final result of a try'd Case , to acquit or condemn , treat as just or unjust , upon an Antecedent judicial Tryal : And Scripture uses the most favourable Signification to acquit ; the prophane Authors the other , to Punish or Condemn : from which we see no Word of the World so fit ; for our Justification is not properly so , but a Pardon ; it is an Acquitment upon a Suffering or Satisfaction given ; Christ was properly justified , we properly pardon'd ; but the nearness of Relation between Him and Believers , the Reflection or Rebound his Justification has on our Pardon , gives it the Name . Christ was in some sence , tho' different , both condemn'd and justifi'd ; and so are we ; this makes the Word which signifies both so proper ; for our Justification is on a foregoing Condemnation . ( 3. ) The Explicatory and Synonymous Expressions in Scripture , shews it to be taken in a Forensick Sence , as Remission of Sin , Reconciliation with God , not coming into Condemnation : Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant , for in thy sight shall no Flesh be justified . (4) The Description of it in Scripture , as the result of a judiciary Process : we read of the Judgment , Psal. 143.2 . ( 1. ) Job 9.3 . How shall Man be Just with God , if he will Contend with him ( 2. ) A Judge , the Judge of all the Earth will do righteously . ( 3. ) Of a Law . ( 4. ) Of a Guilty Person , Rom. 3.19 . ( 5. ) Of this Law drawn up into a Charge against a Man , Colos. 2.14 . ( 6. ) And Satan as an Accuser . ( 7. ) Conscience as a Witness . ( 8. ) There is a Tribunal of exact Justice , and a Throne of Grace as a Superiour Chancery . ( 9. ) There is Faiths Pleading at the Barr of the one , and appealing from the other . ( 10. ) Christ as an Advocate , 1 John 2.2 . ( 11. ) His Righteousness the Plea , and the Absolving Sentence pass'd upon that account , Rom. 3.26 . To declare his Righteousness , that he may be just , and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus . ( 5. ) I shall only explain that one Rom. 5.18 . Even so by the Righteousness of one , the free Gift came upon all men unto Justification of Life : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . The Righteousness of that one Christ , as the Matter or Merit of our Justification , is put in Opposition to the offence of that one Adam , as the Matter or Demerit of our Condemnation ; so Justification as the absolving Sentence is put in Opposition to Condemnation , for Holiness or Righteousness is not a proper opposite to Condemnation . The laborious Gerard does not without cause say Sanctification is rather us'd for Justification , than Justification for it ; for when the Priest did cleanse the Leper , it was as much and more by Absolving and pronouncing clean , than by any Physical Cure those Ceremonies could make on that Distemper , Lev. 13.14 . to which the New Testament alludes , Heb. 10.10 . By the which Will we are sanctified , through the Offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all . The immediate Fruit of the Sacrifice was Atonement , Peace and Pardon , our Sanctification is the immediate Fruit of the Spirit . Thus much for the Signification of the Word , and general Nature of the thing .