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Part II. Chap. 8.

XXIII.

The Same ftill

requir'd, either from one to be justify'd, or from one already juftify'd. That it is not requir'd of one already justify'd or juft, our Saviour's own Words plainly prove Luk. 15.7. for there he exprefly afferts, that juft Perfons need no Repentance, that is, they need not that Repentance whereby the whole Course of Life is chang'd, and they turn from a State of Sin and Death into a State of Grace and Salvation, which is the Repentance we are here fpeaking of. Wherefore it remains that Repentance, fince it is requir'd by the Confeflion of the Solifidians themselves, is requir'd of one to be justify'd, and fo in order to his Juftification.

The other Confideration, which ferves to overthrow further prov'd. the Cavillings of the Solifidians in this Cafe, is this: That fuppofing Forgiveness of Sins not neceffarily to be included in the Notion of Juftification by the GofpelCovenant; yet it remains certain, that the Condition both of Forgiveness and of Juftification is one and the fame. Which is easily prov'd thus: The Solifidians themselves own, that Forgiveness of Sins do's necessa rily proceed from or follow after Juftification. But whatever is requir'd to that which neceffarily followes Juftification, the fame is neceffarily requir'd to Justification it felf. The Solifidians themselves obferve, that Forgiveness of Sins do's infeparably accompany Juftification, and therefore that St Paul rightly proves out of the Pfalm, that a Man is juftify'd by Faith without Works, because bis Sins are forgiven him without Works, as they understand Rom. 4. 6. But now in like manner therefore we may argue thus on the forefaid Authority of St Paul: A Man's Sins are not forgiven him without Repentance; therefore a Man is not justify'd without Repentance. The Reafon of the Confequence is the very fame which the Solifidians themselves affert, viz. that Forgiveness of Sins do's infeparably accompany Juftification. Whence it follows, that fuppofing Forgiveness of Sins not to be included in the Notion of Juftification, (which has been afore Chap. 2. of this fecond Part fhewn to be falfe,) yet the faid Suppofition do's not at all help the Caufe of the Solifidians, or make against

against the Catholick Doctrin of the Neceffity of good Works to Juftification.

Part II.

Chap. 8.

XXIV. taken from Want

Fruits of Repen-·

tance, or Good

Laftly, it is objected, that it may fall out, that one that has obtain'd the Righteoufnefs of Faith, may be The Objection depriv'd of the Opportunity of bringing forth the Fruits of Opportunity to of Repentance, or doing good Works, by being fnatch'd bring forth the away by Death. Now this is another filly piece of Sophiftry, which has been fufficiently anfwer'd by what works, anfwer'd. has been already faid, and that more than once, viz. that the Works of Repentance or good Works are twofold, Inward and Outward. The former Sort only are abfolutely neceffary in order to obtain Juftification, forafmuch as there is no Time when these may not be perform'd, and therefore no One can be juftify'd without thefe. As for the fecond Sort or outward Works, they are only necessary to preferve or continue Juftification on Suppofition that God fpares Life, and fo gives Opportunity to exercife them. But even thefe, by one that is to be justify'd or in order to obtain at firft Jufti fication, are to be perform'd at least by Vow, which Vow is comprehended under the Purpose of new Life, which is one of the internal good Works. I have now confider'd all the moft material Objections of the Solifidians drawn from Scripture or Reafon; and indeed feveral of them are so very weak and ill-grounded, as not to have deferv'd Confutation, but that they are wrongly lookt on to be material by injudicious and prejudiced Perfons.

away.

XXV.

It remains now only to confider the Calumnies, The Objection of which Solifidians are wont to endeavour to caft on the Popery against the Orthodox Doctrin, as being what ufually works on Catholick Doctrin of the Neceffity of common People more than Arguments. It is then pre- good works to Jutended by them, that the Orthodox Doctrin favours of fification taken Popery and Socinianifm. For as to Popery they pretend, that the Orthodox Doctrin concerning the Neceffity of good Works comes to the fame as the Popish Doctrin concerning the Merits of good Works. But this is a very falfe Charge, as the Reader will quickly fee. For it, The Papifts generally maintain, that the Reward of Heaven is due to good Works out of Con- .

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Part II
Chap. 8,

dignity, i. e. on account of their own intrinsick and commenfurate or altogether equal Worth. 2ly, Some of the Popish Doctors maintain, that good Works are meritorious Condignly, and that on account of the Work only, i. e. without refpect to any Covenant or Favour of God; and therefore that neither Chrift's Merits, nor any Promife, Covenant or Favour of God has refpect to, or contributes to make up, the Merit of good Works. There are others, of whom are Bellarmin and Suarez, that are more modeft and Temperate in this Controverfy; for altho' they maintain good Works to be Meritorious of eternal Life out of Condignity; yet they allow it to be fo, not on account of the Work only, but on account of the Work and Covenant together. So that according to thefe, condign Merit is made up of these two Particulars, viz. the intrinfick and commenfurate Worth of the Work, and the foregoing Promife or Covenant of God. So that altho' a good Work as it is perform'd by the Worker, has Worth in its felf propor tional to the Reward of eternal Life, yet it wants God's Promife or Covenant only to lay an Obligation, whereby the Reward may become due out of Juftice. Juft as altho' one fhould offer the full Value for another Man's Eftate, yet the Owner is no way oblig'd to part with his Eftate, till he has made fome free Bargain and Agreement with him that would make the Purchase. These are the two Opinions among the Papifts, which both agree in afferting the condign Merit of good Works, which the Orthodox Doctrin denies to belong thereto. Viz. the Orthodox Doctrin is this, that good Works are by no means of themselves or by their own Merit of fuch Worth, as to make us acceptable to God unto eternal Life; but that the whole of this is only owing to the meritorious Satisfaction of Chrift, whereby alone was obtain'd the gracious and free Covenant of the Gofpel, according to which we may become Partakers of eternal Life on most reasonable Conditions. Indeed this Calumny may be retorted on the Solifidians themfelves. For if he that afferts good Works to be neceffary to Juftification, do's thereby affert the condign Merit

of

of good Works; then by parity of Reason, he that af ferts Faith to be neceffary to Juftification, do's thereby affert the condign Merit of Faith. Further, tho'our Virtues have no Merit properly fo call'd in them, yet it is clear from Scripture, that our Virtues are of great Price or Esteem even in the fight of God, St Peter exprefly affuring us, that a meek and quiet Spirit is in the fight of God of great Price, 1 Pet. 3. 4. It is alfo clear from Scripture, that to Faith and the other Christian Virtues the Reward of eternal Life is due, viz. not on account of their own condign Merit, but on account of the GoSpel-Covenant. Hereto belongs what is faid I Joh. 1. 9. He (viz. God) is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins, &c. It being but Just for God to pay what he owes; and he owes what he has promised. But then it is to be remember'd in the mean while, that God pro1. mifed only what he pleas'd, viz. of his Good Will thro' = Chrift; and fo God made himself a Debter to us, not by taking any thing of us, but only by promifing on his Part. Whence the School-men choofe rather to fay, that God by his Promifes made himself a Debter, not to us, but to himself, i. e. to his own voluntary Decree; forafmuch as it is agreeable to his Truth, to ftand to his Promises. Laftly, it is clear from Scripture, that there is in our Faith and other Chriftian Virtues fomeWorth. Hence St Paul exhorts the Ephefians to walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith they were call'd, Eph. 4. 1. Hence thofe in Sardis, who had not defil'd their Garments, are faid to be worthy, Revel. 3. 4. In like manner our Church teaches us in the Collect for Ashwednesday to pray, that we worthily lamenting our Sins, may obtain perfect Remiffion. For by Worthiness, in the Gofpel Senfe thereof, is meant only that Fitness, which the Gospel requires in thofe, to whom the Kingdom of Heaven is given. So St Paul expreffes himself, as elsewhere, fo particularly Col. 1. 12. Giving Thanks unto the Father, who has made us meet (or fit) to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. And thus I have quite wip'd off the Columny of Popery from the Orthodox Doctrin.

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Part II. Chap. 8.

Part II. And the like will be done as to the Calumny of SoChap. 8. cinianifm in a few Words. For the condign Merit, XXVI. which Popery falfly afcribes to good Works, the OrthoThe Charge of dox Doctrin wholly takes from them, and afcribes it Socinianifm fhewn alfo to be falfe. only to the meritorious Satisfaction of Chrift, which Socinianifm denies. I fhall now proceed to speak of the Gofpel-Law, whence the Neceffity of good Works to Juftification will further appear.

I.
Wrong Notions

concerning the
Gospel-Law. A-

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CHA P. IX.

Of the Gospel-Law, and of the Poffibility and Neceffity of fulfilling it, in order to attain Salvation.

IT

T is requifite for a young Student of Divinity to have a right Knowledge of the Gospel-Law, and gainft which it Particulars relating thereto. And the more, because is prov❜d, there are feveral false Notions vented, and to be met with in Books relating thereto; which as they have been taught and fpread by fome others, fo efpecially by the Solifidians and Antinomians. Thefe fuppofe either first, that Christ gave no moral Laws; or fecondly, if he did, they can't be fulfill'd by us; or lastly, if they can be fulfill'd, yet we are not judg'd according to them by God in the A&t of Juftification, but according to the Law of Perfect Righteoufnefs, which commenced with the Creation of Adam. All which three "Suppofitions or Opinions are falfe.

II.

First, that Chrift For as to the firft, that the contrary thereto is true, gave Moral-Laws viz. that Christ in his Sermon contain'd in Chap. 5,6, to his Difciples. and 7. of St Matthew, did not only explain the Maal

Law, but also laid it down as his own Law, and requir'd the Keeping thereof temper'd by the Grace of the Gofpel, as a neceffary Condition of his Covenant, no one can reasonably doubt, who do's read the Conclufion of the faid Sermon, without being half asleep, viz. Matth. 7.24. and fo on to the end of that Chapter. The fame alfo clearly appears from that ferious Affeveration, which

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