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Chapter 18
Some of the duties of such, as live the life of
Justification, proposed.
In the
last place, we shall mention this use of the truth, formerly cleared and
confirmed, in reference to such as have attained unto this life of
justification, through faith, which everyone may readily see, that it is the
duty of such, as are made partakers of this life, to beware of such things, as
may and will provoke the Lord to anger; and will be unsuitable for them, who
are thus graciously advanced to such an high state and privilege of grace; and to
mind such duties, as do most suit such, as are so highly advanced, and so
greatly obliged to Him, that hath thus called them effectually, by his grace,
and hath wrought up their hearts unto a full compliance with the
Gospel-contrivance of free-grace. Many such particular duties might here be
mentioned: but I shall only point at a few, to which others may be reduced.
1.
Such, as live this life of Gospel Justification, should beware of entertaining
thoughts of pride, or of boasting of anything, they have freely and graciously
received, and particularly, they should guard against boasting in this matter,
that they are preferred to others, and brought out of a state of death, when
others are left yet to lie there into. This whole matter is so contrived, and
so wisely framed, that no ground of boasting, either before God, or man, may be
left unto man; but that everyone may celebrate the praise of free grace.
Therefore justification is not by works, or by our obedience to the Law; for
then the justified man, being justified upon the account of his own works, or
of the works of righteousness, which he hath done, should have ground of
glorying, though not before God, yet before men; as having by his own sweat,
working and doing, obtained that, which others by their laziness, negligence
and not doing, have come short of. Paul tells us expressly, Romans 4: 2, If
Abraham were justified by works, he hath to glory, but not before God: and
this is further confirmed in verse 4, Now to him, that worketh, is the
reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. So that if justification were by
works, justification itself, and all the consequences thereof should be due
debt unto the worker, and his reward: and so, as the hireling may boast of his
labor, when he gets his hire and reward; so the justified man, if justification
were by the works of the Law, might boast of his own pains and diligence, as
having received but his reward, and that which was due to him of debt, and not
of grace. But now, that all mouths may be stopped, and no flesh might glory, or
have ground of boasting, in themselves, and before others, the Lord hath
contrived a far other way of justification, to wit, by faith alone, whereby the
man goes out of himself, renounces all his own righteousness, professes himself
poor,
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naked and miserable, and a plain devoir, and utterly non-solvendo,
and lays hold on a complete and all sufficient righteousness, in Jesus Christ;
and so hath no ground of boasting or glorying even before men: for it is
nothing that is in him; or that he doth, that is that righteousness, upon the
account of which he is justified; but only the righteousness of Christ without
him. It is not his faith, not his works, nor his righteousness; but Christ’s
righteousness is equally imputed to all believers, to the weakest believer, as
well as to the strongest; and so the strongest believer hath no ground of
boasting before the weakest. Where is boasting then? (says
the Apostle, Romans 3: 27.) It is excluded by what Law? Of
works? nay; but by the Law of faith.
2. Upon
the other hand, let all such glory in the Lord, and in His free grace and
gracious workings; Let them say, when they reflect on this matter, not unto
us Lord, not unto us, but unto thee be the glory, seeing the matter is so
contrived, as that all the justified may see, that God may only have the glory
of all, and that none ought to share with him; that he alone should wear the
crown; and all his glorified ones should most cheerfully cast their crowns down
at his feet. But of him (says the Apostle, I Corinthians
3. Let
such as are thus advanced, mind the great duty of holiness, and of growing in
grace, and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ; the way of faith is not to make
void the Law, but it doth establish it Romans 3: 31, as Christ is made of God
unto us righteousness, so is he made sanctification. As he is Priest to
reconcile us to God, and become righteousness to us, so is he a King to cause
us to walk in the Lord, and to subdue our spiritual enemies, and so become
Sanctification to us. It is the language of the flesh and of corruption, to
argue from this change and advancement unto a liberty to sin. The flesh will
object, Shall we continue in sin, that grace may
abound? But the Apostle answers, Romans 6: 2 &c. God forbid, how
shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer
therein? It is repugnant to the nature of that state, whereinto now they
are brought to give way to sin: Therefore the justified should mind what they
are called to, and what new grounds, new advantages, new helps, new
encouragements they have unto holiness, that they had not before, all plainly
and fully set down by Paul in Romans 6 and elsewhere.
4. How
should they commend and cry up the free grace of God, and that love that
visited them, when they were lying in their blood, and no eye pitied them. They
were ungodly and without strength, yet Christ died for them, Romans 5: 6, and
the Lord did justify the ungodly, even them, who had no righteousness of their
own, nor nothing to commend them unto him,
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Romans 4: 5. Yea were sin abounded, grace did much
more abound, Romans 5: 20. Not only had they nothing more than others to
commend them unto God, but even they had less, and yet God through free grace
set his love upon the less worthy; for, says Paul (I Corinthians 1: 26, 27, 28)
ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not
many mighty, not many noble: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the
world, to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world,
and things which are despised hath God chosen, and things which are not, to
bring to naught things which are. That no flesh should glory in his presence.
Should not the thoughts of this raise their wondering,
and cause them to speak to the commendation of the rich and free grace of God?
5. Let
such as are brought into this state of life, wherein they have peace with God,
and are reconciled to Him, through Jesus Christ, carry as persons no more
strangers unto him, and as foreigners, but as now made nigh by the blood of
Jesus; and therefore let such remember, that through him, they have an access
by one Spirit unto the Father, being now fellow citizens with the saints, and
of the household of God, Ephesians 2: 13, 14, 18, 19, Romans 5: 2. Therefore
they should improve this advantage, both for their own good and for the good of
others; and should exercise communion and fellowship with the Father and with
his Son Jesus Christ and so walk with him, as agreed with him, and have their
conversation in heaven. Hath the Lord brought them into his household, yea and
admitted them to his presence, that they may <?> his hand, and stand
before his face continually, in the lower chamber of presence; and should they
behave as yet estranged from him? Is He at peace with them, and should they
have jealous thoughts of Him? Is He reconciled unto them, and should they act
as keeping up some grudge against Him?
6. Such
should account this state, whereinto now they are brought, their only
blessedness here below. Even as David (says Paul Romans 4: 6, 7, 8) also
describes the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputes righteousness
without works, saying, blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and
whose sins are covered: blessed is the man unto whom the Lord will not impute
sin. Here is the poor self condemned sinner’s blessedness, that he hath a
righteousness imputed to him, who had none of his own, and who thereupon hath
his iniquities forgiven, covered, and not imputed. And such as are made partakers
of this blessedness, should account it their happiness, that however it be with
them, as to outward things in the world, yet they are now brought within the
Covenant, and are covered with the mantle of Christ’s righteousness and have
all their iniquities covered, cast into the midst of the sea, so that they
shall never be reckoned upon their score.
7. This
should be a ground for them of glorying in the Lord, in the hardest condition, they
can be into the world; being thus justified, they should glory in tribulations
knowing that they can suffer no loss or disadvantage thereby, but on the
contrary reap much good and advantage; for tribulation worketh in such
as are thus justified, and at peace with God, patience, and patience
experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed, because
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the love of God is shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost. Ought they not
then to carry under all oppressions, persecutions, hard usages of men, upon the
account of owning Christ and his interest, as persons that are upon the gaining
hand, and reaping much spiritual advantage, being now brought through grace into
such a state of life? And how would they hereby glorify God in the world?
8. The
consideration of their present state of life, should cause them triumph, in the
midst of all difficulties and temptations, that they shall meet with in their
way, as knowing, that the life of justification, whereof now they are made
partakers, shall continue: and that it shall end in the life of glory; for whom
the Lord justifies, them he also glorifies, Romans 8: 30. Who shall then lay
anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifies: who is he that
condemns? Who shall then separate such from the love of Christ? Shall
tribulation, or persecution, or distress, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword? Nay in all these things they are more than conquerors, through him that
loved them: Romans 8: 33, 34, 35, 37. Hear how Paul concludes that matter for himself
and others verse 38, 32, for I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to
come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate
us from the love of God: which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Therefore
should not such persons conduct themselves as those who cannot be made
miserable? How much doth the Apostle insist on this, and clear it from this
ground, Romans 5: 9, 10, saying, much more then being now justified by his
blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him, for if when we were enemies,
we were reconciled unto God, by the death of his Son; much more being
reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And again verse 21, That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace
reign through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ, our Lord. There
being then a sure ground of confidence and assurance of life and of complete
salvation, laid in justification, all such are called to rejoice in hope of the
glory of God, Romans 5: 2. And to have confidence in the Lord, that he will
perfect what he hath begun and to rest assured, that all they, which receive
abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life by
one Jesus Christ, Romans 5: 17.
9. Yea
particularly, the consideration of their many sins should not discourage them,
or cause them to despond: for being now justified, all their by-gone sins are
pardoned, and shall not be by the Lord laid to their charge again, however the
memory of them may humble them, and cause them to run to the fountain of the
blood of Jesus; and all their future sins shall be pardoned, according the
Gospel grounds, and after the Gospel method, so that they shall not prejudge
them of their promised possession of glory and life everlasting. Now the free
gift is of many offenses, unto justification, Romans 5: 16. There is a sure way
laid down, in the Gospel, whereby all their sins shall be taken away, and the
very body of death shall be killed more and more daily, so that they shall not
finally perish, whatever Satan, and body of death within shall do, to prejudge
them of the promised inheritance. Hence the Apostle infers from his foregoing
discourse, Romans 8: 1.
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There is therefore now no condemnation to them, which
are in Christ Jesus.
10.
Such as are thus justified, should follow the example of Paul, Philippians 3:
7, 8, 9, and so account such things less for Christ, which formerly were gain
yea and count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of
Christ Jesus, their Lord, yea and account them but dung, that they may win
Christ, and be found in Him; Here should their heart and delight be: about this
should their whole occupation be, to win and gain Christ more, to know him and
the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, and to be
made conformable unto his death verse 10, that hereby Christ may be their gain,
their glory, and their all. How jealous should they be of their deceitful
hearts, that nothing be admitted, to share of the glory due to Christ, or to
possess any of that room in the heart, that is due to him? He should have the
throne, for He is well worthy of it: and whatever comes in competition with
him, be it within us, or without us, should be rejected that He alone may be
exalted in our souls.
11.
Such as have been made partakers of this royal life of justification, through a
crucified Christ, laid hold on by faith, should labor to keep this doctrine
pure both by word and deed, so far as they can, that the grace of God, that so
eminently shines forth therein, may not be darkened by men’s erroneous apprehensions;
and that so much the rather, that Satan without and corruption within many, are
so far at enmity with this doctrine of the grace of God, that they labor by all
means, either more directly, or more indirectly to pervert it, and to press for
a mixture of works upon one consideration, or other, in this matter, which it
will not admit: and that because, it is so cross and contrary to the corrupt
inclinations of man, who is so proud of nothing, that he will not be beholden
to Christ for less and for more, and for all. We see Paul was most jealous in
this matter, and most zealous for the truth, and therefore on all occasions did
assert and vindicate it, as we may see especially in his epistle to the
Galatians, where he did so zealously withstand Peter, chapter 2: 14, and
immediately did state the question, verse 16, saying, knowing that a man is
not justified by works of the Law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we
have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of
Christ and not by the works of the Law, &c. adding, verse 18, that he
for his part, would not build again the things, which he had destroyed, and so
make himself a transgressor. Nor would he, verse 21, frustrate the grace of God.
12.
Finally all such, as have by faith laid hold on Christ, and his righteousness,
and are by faith justified, and so made partakers of this life through faith in
Christ, must resolve to abide in Christ by faith, that life may be preserved,
and by new acts of faith daily on Christ, get as it were new breath, that their
life may be continued, and thus live continually the life of justification by
faith, and by faith take their new sins to Christ, that they may be done away
in his blood; for the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as
it is written, the just shall live by faith; But of this we are to speak more
hereafter.