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Chapter 2
Naturally we are inclined to cry up self, in
Justification.
The
Apostle, as we see, in all his writings about this matter, is very careful to
clear the question of justification so, as man may have no cause of boasting,
or of glorying in himself, upon the account of anything he hath, or he hath
done in order to justification; that hereby he might cast a copy unto all such,
as would approve themselves faithful unto the Lord, in being co-workers with
Him, in the Gospel; and that he might so much the more set himself against that
pride of heart, that is in all naturally, unto an exalting and crying up of
self, in the matter of their justification before, and acceptance with God; and
especially we find, how zealously, how frequently, and with what strength and
multitude of arguments, he sets himself against, and cries down that, which men
do so naturally, and with such a vehement bias, incline unto, to wit,
justification by their own works, or by their own obedience to the Law; to the
end, their innate pride may have ground of venting itself, in boasting and
glorying before men.
From
this we may ground, in short, the consideration of these three things, to
prepare our way unto the clearing up of the Gospel doctrine in this matter.
First,
that there is a corrupt bias in the heart of men by nature, and a strong
inclination, to reject the Gospel doctrine of free justification, through faith
in Christ; and to ascribe too much to themselves, in that affair: as if they
would hold the life of justification, not purely of the free grace and rich
mercy of God, through Jesus Christ; but of themselves, either in whole, or in
part, in one measure, or another.
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Secondly,
that it is the duty of all, who would be found faithful ambassadors for Christ,
after the example of the Apostle, so to preach forth the grace of God, in this
mystery, and to explain the same, as corrupt nature within, and such without,
as are biased with mistakes about this matter, and are led away with proud and
carnal self conceits, may have no apparent or seeming ground of boasting; nor
be confirmed in their natural prejudices and mistakes therein.
Thirdly,
that in very deed, free Gospel justification is so contrived and ordered as
that none have any real ground of boasting, or of glorying in themselves, or of
ascribing any part of the glory thereof unto themselves, as if they, by their
deeds or works, did contribute anything to the procuring thereof.
It will
not be necessary to speak to these at any length, but only briefly to touch
upon them, to make way unto what follows to be said on this weighty subject,
which is of so much concernment to us all.
As to
the first of these (to which we shall speak little, in this chapter, and
thereafter of the rest, in their due order) it is too too
apparent to be a truth from these grounds.
I.
This
is most manifest from the many errors and false opinions, that are vented,
owned and maintained, with so much violence and corrupt zeal, and all to cry up
self, in less, or in more; and to cry down grace. Hence so many do plead, with
great confidence, for an interest of our works, in our justification; such as
Papists, (who quite mistake the nature of true justification) Socinians,
Arminians, and others, who side with these in less, or in more, and will plead
for a justification by our inherent righteousness, or works of righteousness,
which we do. Others, that will not plead for such an early interest of our
works, in this matter, will plead for faith, as our Gospel righteousness; and
affirm, that the very act of our obedience in us, is imputed for a
righteousness to us, and is accounted such by God; and so, hath the same place in
the New Covenant, that complete and perfect obedience had in the Old Covenant
of works, made with Adam; which, as shall hereafter appear, drives us upon the
same rock.
II.
It
is manifest like wise from the large and frequent disputes about this matter
that we have in Paul’s epistles. If there had not been a great proneness in
man, by nature, to cry up himself, and to set up his own righteousness, in
matter of justification, why would the Spirit of the Lord have been at so much
pains (to speak so) to cry down self and our works, in this matter, as He is,
in these epistles of Paul; if He had not seen the great necessity thereof, by
reason of this strong inclination, that men naturally have hereunto? We must
think not, that anything is there spoken in vain; or that the Spirit of the
Lord would have left that doctrine so fully cleared, wherein our works are so
expressly excluded, if there had not been a necessity for it, and if it had not
been as necessary, in all after ages of the Church, as at that time, when first
written. Whatever the truth be, that is so frequently and pungently inculcated
in the Scriptures,
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we may safely suppose, that as the faith and practice of
that truth necessary; so there must be such reluctance of soul in us to receive
the same, and to close with it, and a strong inclination to believe and
practice the contrary.
III.
In
the infancy of Christianity, we see, what a strong inclination there was to cry
up works, what we do, and the Law, as the only ground of justification; or, at
least, to have a share with Christ, in that interest, which gave occasion to
the penning of these epistles of Paul, where this matter is so fully and
clearly handled; particularly that to the Romans, and that to the Galatians;
and unto the speaking less or more hereunto, in almost all his other epistles.
And this inclination to the crying up of works and the Law, in opposition to
the pure Gospel way of justification, was not only among the Gentiles, who had
been without God, and without Christ, and all the means of understanding
anything of salvation through a slain Savior; but even amongst the Jews, who,
by the dispensation of the New Covenant, which they were under, might have been
better principled; for it was they, who most urged the interest of the Law, and
of works, and thereby labored to corrupt the Gentiles, and to lead them off the
simplicity of the Gospel truth; and of them, saith the Apostle Romans 10: 3,
that, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their
own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of
God. They sought after a righteousness another way, than by faith in
Christ, who is the end of the Law for righteousness, to everyone that believes Romans
10: 4, but as it were by the works of the Law Romans 9: 32.
IV.
The
Pharisee, who went up to the Temple Luke 18: 11, 12, and prayed thus with
himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not, as other men are, extortionists,
unjust, adulterers, or even as this Publican: I fast twice in the week, I give
tithes of all that I possess, &c. hath many followers. Many there are,
who will have confidence in the flesh, and in what they do. Nature never taught
Paul, to account all his great privileges and attainments loss and dung; but
rather to account them gain; for he says, they were gain to him; that is, while
he was a stranger to the Gospel, and to the grace of God, manifested therein.
Hence is it, that the last are first, and the first are last; such, as thought
themselves far advanced, and to have attained a great measure of righteousness,
and so to be children of the Kingdom, are shut out, and Publicans and harlots
are preferred, as being willing to renounce themselves and their own
righteousness more, than such legalists and justiciaries (officers of justice),
who confide in something, which they themselves do, and have attained.
V.
This
is also manifest from the great difficulty of prevailing with such, as seem to
themselves to have in them something more than ordinary, to relinquish and
renounce these things, and to betake themselves only unto Jesus, and to rest on
Him alone, for righteousness, life and salvation; and from the little fruit
that the Gospel doctrine finds among them. How many subterfuges find they out,
under which they think to shelter themselves from the wrath of God? How many
fig leaves do they sow together,
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that they may cover the shame of their nakedness withal?
And at what cost, pains and charges are they, in seeking to establish their own
righteousness? and all to fortify themselves in their
own delusions, and to keep out the pure doctrine of the Gospel. And how ready
are some to take hold of the smallest twig, that they may hang upon it, and
find relief, if it can yield but the least ground of hope, in their
imaginations, ere they betake themselves to Christ according to the Gospel? How
many fetchings, turnings, and windings hath a soul, pursued by wrath, and the
apprehension of death, ere it be willing to close
heartily with Christ, offered in the Gospel? Yea, if such, as have had some
wakenings, come so far, as to change something of their former outward courses,
and be not so loose and profane, as formerly, how ready are they to sit down,
even upon that bit of negative righteousness? Much more, if they be brought the
length, to go about some religious duties, how will they then sit down and
sing, as if all were well? All which do plainly evince, that there is a strong
inclination in us by nature, to follow the way of works, that we may have some
share of the honor of our own justification.
VI.
This
sad truth is hence apparent likewise, that when any opinion is broached, that
but seems to give more to works, than ought to be given, though possibly upon
the matter, there be but little said, that may make any real difference, how
ready are many to close therewith, to entertain that doctrine, to cry it up and
commend it, and to improve the advantages, real or supposed, there had, to the
further confirmation of that anti-evangelic error, which their souls fully
comply with: when, upon the other hand, there is such a nauseating in many too
too manifest, at the simplicity of the Gospel, and of the Doctrine of
justification by faith alone in Christ.
If it be
inquired, whence doth this proceed? or what can be the
true causes hereof? I answer, many things have a
powerful influence into this, as:
I.
The
natural enmity unto all the ways of God, that each hath, as a piece of his
inheritance from Adam: Whatever God willeth, we will not, yea we will nil;
though our nilling of it be against ourselves, and we have no reason for it.
There is a spirit of contradiction and enmity to God in us all by nature, that we neither can, nor will comply with God’s ways
and with what tends to set forth His glory. It is marked of the Jews, that they
stumbled at that stumbling stone, Jesus Christ, who was the end of the Law for
righteousness, to all such as believe, Romans 10: 4, and
II.
The
innate darkness of men’s minds, touching themselves, and all the things of God,
especially the mysteries of salvation, is another cause of this opposition to
the Gospel way of justification. They neither know their own hearts, nor their
own ways and doings; nor are they acquainted
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with the holy and righteous nature of God, nor with the
nature of His laws and commandments &c. They know not, I say, the
corruption of their own natures and the innate wickedness which is there, which
neither is, nor can be subject to the Law of God. Hence ordinarily such as err,
in this matter of justification, do entertain erroneous apprehensions about
original sin, and our innate pravity; as
do all the Socinians, Papists, and many Arminians, and others. So they are
ignorant of the Law of God, not knowing how holy, good and spiritual it is; and
how it obliges the whole man, spirit, soul, judgment, understanding, will,
affections, and memory; and all the outward man; condemning the least sin, in
thought, word, or deed, and commanding the highest pitch of holy duties, and
right principles, end and motives &c. And hence they see neither omissions
of what is commanded, not their commissions of what has been prohibited,
whether as to their nature, multitude, or other aggravations: and the ignorance
of this makes them to see less of a necessity of a righteousness without them;
and to seek for it with less earnestness and zeal: whence it cometh to pass,
ordinarily (as is to be seen among Papists) that such as are most for works, in
justification, shape the Law according to their mind, and curtail it, as did
the Pharisees of old, that i9t may look more conformed to their works, when
their works are no way conformed to it. So likewise, they are ignorant of God,
and of his holiness, and righteousness; and because they see, that if He be
such, as the orthodox say He is, according to His word, they cannot stand
before His justice; therefore they deny His justice altogether, as do
Socinians; or imagine him to be all mercy &c. and so imagine Him to be
altogether such a one, as themselves; and therefore are not very zealous for
any other righteousness, than what may come most readily to hand, and they
themselves can make up with their own diligence and care; never remembering,
that the justice of God must be satisfied; therefore deny all satisfaction (as
do Socinians;) or suppose Christ hath satisfied for all, and procured a New
Covenant, or way to life, wherein we may bring what we have, and it will be
accepted, and there is no more to do: Nor remembering, that we must have an
interest in Christ by faith, ere we have any interest in His merits and
satisfaction; and that the whole of our salvation is so contrived, as man may
be abased, and Christ only exalted.
III.
A
vain conceit, that all things in religion must be just as we apprehend them to
be; and our blind, corrupt and biased reason and understanding must be the
supreme judge and determiner of all these mysteries. Hence the Socinians
down-right say, that let the Scripture say what it will, and how oft it will,
they are believe and to receive nothing, but according to their reason: so
that, what their blinded reason cannot comprehend, they may and will reject.
And others, who possibly will not so plainly lay down this ground; yet instead
of conforming their judgments and apprehensions to the word, and of being led
by it, do frame a conception of the matters of God, in their own heads, and
then cause the Scriptures to comply with their apprehensions, by interpreting
them accordingly.
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So that following a corrupt
guide here, they cannot but incline to that way, which suits most with that
corrupt principle; and be most adverse from compliance with the Mystery of God,
which is most opposite there unto.
IV.
Natural
corrupt self love is another evil principle, concurring to this effect, by its
malignant influence. We love to cry up ourselves, to have something of our own
to boast of, and to glory of before men; and hence we cannot naturally comply
so sweetly with that way, which taketh away all boasting, and leaves no ground
for man to glory in anything, save in the Lord; and such is the way of faith,
and of Gospel justification Romans 3: 27, 4: 2.
V.
A
vain and groundless high conceit, that people have of themselves, and of what
they do, as if there were worth and excellence in it, to oblige God, to bestow
upon them, what reward they think meet; not knowing, that when they have done
all they can do, they are but unprofitable, and that they have nothing but what
they have received; and that for any good that they do, they are more beholden
to God, than God is beholden to them; and that the best of their actions are so
defiled, that they could not answer for one of them, nor stand, if God should enter
into judgment with them, and strictly mark iniquity. Psalm 130: 3, 143: 2.
VI.
Pride
of heart is another malignant cause of this aversion and unwillingness to
comply with God’s way; and of this strong inclination to the way of
justification by works. This was it, which led the Jews away from Christ, the
end of the Law for righteousness: they would not submit themselves unto the
righteousness of God Romans 10: 3, and because they would not bow themselves to
take on this righteousness, therefore they were at so much pains and labor, to
establish their own, and to cause it to stand. Proud man would work, and enjoy
the reward of his labors, and will not willingly harken to any other way. He
will not be beholden to free grace, nor ascribe glory to the Lord Mediator; but
will still be at the old way of the first covenant, at works and wages; that he
may have it to say, he hath earned and purchased the crown of life with his own
hands and industry.
Therefore,
from this we should all take warning, to look about us, and to guard against
this strong and violent torrent, that is ready to carry us headlong to our
ruin; and to be jealous of our treacherous hearts. Hence also we may see,
whence it cometh, that the Gospel gets so little footing among many; and how
nothing less than the mighty power of God, will be able o prevail with a
natural soul, and cause it to comply with the Gospel way of justification, and
submit itself unto the righteousness of God, and hold on Christ by faith.
Further, we need not wonder to see, so many rising up, in all ages, against the
Gospel of the grace of God, and corrupting the Gospel doctrine of
justification, being blinded and unmortified man is not in the case, to be cast
in its mold, nor willing to embrace it, until he be broken, and broken again.