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Chapter 20
The state of justification remains, notwithstanding of
after sins, and punishments
For
further clearing up of this life of justification, as to its continuance, we
shall remove two objections, that may seem to stand in
the way of the truth, hitherto cleared. For it would seem, that justification
is not such a continuing uninterruptible state, as it was said to be, upon this
double account of, first: That the sins, which believers who are justified, do
commit, especially such as are of a more heinous and crying nature, do break
off this state of favor and reconciliation, seeing they deserve, even the least
of them, God’s wrath and curse, and so expose the sinner unto the just revenges
of God; which seems not to be consistent with a state of justification. And
then secondly, as their sins deserve God’s curse and wrath, so the many sharp
and sore afflictions, which they are made to lie under, both are effects of the
wrath of God, and fruits of the curse, and also would say, that that state is
such, as can be broken off, or at least, is not perfect, as it was said to be.
Now for
clearing of the truth, formerly asserted, and vindicating of the same, from
these two objections, to which all others may be reduced, we shall propose some
few things of consideration.
1. None
will say, that every sin of infirmity and weakness, which believers commit,
doth or can cut them off from the state of justification; for then they should
never remain one day to end in that state; for no man lives, that sins not, and
the righteous fall seven times a day; if the Lord should strictly mark
iniquity, no man should stand; even the best of their actions are defiled with
sin, and they cannot answer for one of a thousand. So that either it must be
said, there is no state of justification, or that it is consistent with sin in
the justified: Justification, though it take away all the guilt of by past
sins, and free the believer from that obnoxiousness to the wrath and curse of
God which they were formerly under; yet it prevents not all future sins, nor
doth it put the believer into a perfect sinless state; nay nor doth it kill any
one sin, as to its being, but only takes away the guilt, offensiveness and the
obligation to punishment, or the reatus poenae, whereby the sinner is
bound over unto the penalty.
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2. As
for such sins, as we may suppose, if committed, would ipso facto, as
they say, forfeit the transgressor of the state of justification, and destroy
all interest in Christ, in the Covenant of Grace, and so transfer them into
their former state of nature, while they were under the curse; as being sins,
inconsistent with a state of grace and reconciliation with God; such as the sin
against the Holy Ghost, or of full and final apostasy: as for such sins, I say,
the faithfulness of God, Mediation of Christ, and the Operation of the Spirit
of Grace, are, as it were, engaged, to keep the justified from falling into
them; as all the arguments, proving the perseverance of the saints do
abundantly evince.
3.
Though every sin, being a transgression of the Law of God, which still remains
in force to oblige the believer, as all others, unto obedience in all points,
doth, in its own nature, deserve God’s wrath and curse, according to the
threatening and penalty of the law: yet these sins do not annul the state of
justification, nor interrupt it, (1.) because notwithstanding thereof, all
their former sins, of which they were pardoned, remain pardoned, and do not
bring them again under the curse, and their right to the inheritance remains
firm, through Jesus Christ. (2.) Because all these after sins were virtually
pardoned, and their obligation to the suffering of the penalty upon the account
of these, virtually removed, in their justification; for therein was there a
legal security laid down and given, that all future sin should not actually
bring them under the curse, or into the state of condemnation: and this is much
more, than what was before their actual closing with Christ, and being thereby
brought into an estate of justification, for though it may be said, there was
sufficient security laid-in in the Covenant of Redemption betwixt Jehovah and
the Mediator, concerning the non-perishing of the elect; yet this security was
hid and laid underground, lying in the unchangeable purposes of God; in the
Father’s election of them, and giving of them to the Son to be redeemed; in the
Son’s undertaking for them, and in due time becoming sin and a curse for them,
and so taking on their debt, and making full and complete satisfaction
therefore; and this fundamental and remote right, (as it may be called) could
not be pleaded by themselves. But after they have closed with Christ, and are
brought into a state of justification, their right appears above ground, and
the security is laid open in the Covenant of Grace, whereby they are in case to
plead their virtual pardon, to be made actual, and the promises to be made
good, according to the Gospel terms, and after the Gospel method. And thus: 3.
Not only doth the Law’s threatenings speak to them, as showing what de jure
only they may look upon as due unto them, and not declaring what shall
eventually befall them, or that eventually they shall fall under the eternal
curse; for in a sense, that is true even of all the elect not yet justified, as
was said; but they have a legal ground and right in the Covenant of Grace,
securing them from condemnation, and they have access and ground in Law to
plead this right and so to plead for actual pardon in the terms, and according
to the method of the Gospel: I do not say, that the justified while lying in
sin, without making application to Jesus Christ, and acting faith on him, in
order to pardon, have ground to plead for actual pardon
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for that is repugnant to the method of the Gospel,
requiring new acts of faith, in order to new acts of pardon, I mean the
implicit acts of faith (to speak so) in reference to daily infirmities and
unseen sins, and the more explicit acts of faith, in reference to grosser sins,
seen and lamented: But they have ground to plead for grace to discover their
sins, to humble them for their sins, and to excite their soul to renewed acts
of faith in Christ, and thereupon to expect, according to the Gospel method,
remission; and to plead for it, in the merits of Christ, unto which they have a
sure right. Therefore, 4. new sins cannot annul the state of justification;
because not only are believers secured de eventu, they shall not come
into condemnation for these sins; but even as to any legal dueness of
punishment, that new sins may bring them under, there is a sure and safe remedy
at hand, the blood of Christ takes away all sin, to which they are called to
go, that they may wash their souls there by faith, and be clean, and be
delivered from guilt.
4. For
further clearing of this, we would consider, that there is a wide difference to
be put betwixt sin, in order to its direful effects, considered in itself, and
considered, as it is in the justified. Though sin, in itself is always
mortiferous, and exposes to the curse and wrath of God, having a malignant
demerit constantly attending it: yet it is not so, being considered, as it is
in the justified: for as poison, is always deadly in itself, and working
towards death; yet it is not so, as in a person, who hath received a sufficient
antidote. Though every act of felony in itself makes obnoxious unto death,
according to the law; yet some acts, as committed by one, who can read, will
not have that effect: so the believer is antidoted by the Covenant of Grace,
that howbeit sin remains still deadly, in its own nature; yet as to him, it
cannot produce these effects.
5.
Though after-sins, in a justified person, may have, before they be pardoned,
very sad effects, in reference to comfort, or comfortable improvement of their
privileges and advantages: yet they cannot disinherit them, or put them from
their right: though leprosy did deprive the leper of the comfortable enjoyment
and uses of his own house; yet it did not destroy his right: though the
miscarriages of the prodigal son did incapacitate him for any present enjoyment
of his interest in his Father’s affection; yet they did not destroy his Sonship
(Luke 15:17.) So though sins, not yet washed away, in such as have been
justified, may and will certainly prejudge them of many comfortable advantages,
which they might otherwise have; yet they do not take away their Sonship, nor their right to the inheritance of sons.
6.
Though after-sins, not yet pardoned through faith, do and will stir up Fatherly
anger and displeasure against them, who are justified, and become his adopted
children; Isaiah 54: 7, 8, yet they bring not the justified man under pure
judicial wrath, and under the curse and law-anger, so as God is no more their
Father, but hath cast them out of his familial, and fatherly favor. It is one
thing to be under the frowns and glooms of an angry Father, and another thing
to be under the severe aspect of an angry judge.
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7. It
is considerable also, that through grace, and the Lord’s great love and wisdom,
after-sins are so far from destroying their state and right to the inheritance,
that upon the contrary, they are ordered to the justified man’s good, and
further establishment in grace; not that sin itself hath any such natural
tendency; but it is by accident to sin, which is so ordered by the wise
disposal of a loving Father, making all things work together for good, and thus
counter-working Satan without, and corruption within, making that, which Satan
had designed to their ruin and destruction, contribute to their good and
advantage, by giving them fresh occasion, of exercising humility and
repentance, and of renewing their gripping of Christ by faith, and of watching
more with diligence hereafter; as also hereby they are put to search and
examine themselves, to try their rights and securities, and thus to make their
calling and election sure, to their further establishment and comfort in the
Holy Ghost.
8. Thus
we see whatever present alteration after sins, not yet taken to Christ, to the
end they may be pardoned through his blood, do, or can make, as to the present
condition of the justified; yet their state remains firm, and unshaken; for
thereby they fall not again under the old covenant; nor under the sentence
thereof, nor under pure Law-wrath, pure justice and the curse of a broken
covenant; but being under grace, and not under the Law, they are secured as to
condemnation, Romans 8: 1, and as to the loss of the favor and friendship of
God, Romans 8: 35 – 39. For not only is the guilt of original sin, and of all
their preceding actual sins taken away, through faith in Christ, when they were
justified, but there is a sure way condescended upon betwixt Jehovah and the
Mediator, how their after sins shall be pardoned, and taken out of the way, and
the same method and way is declared in the Gospel, and made sure by the
Covenant of Grace: and by their being in the Covenant, they have a right unto
the promises thereof, and ground to press for the performance; and so for
remission, and for all things requisite thereunto, or following thereupon; yea
they have a sure pledge of remission already, to wit, the actual pardon of what
is past, and their past justification; that is a comforting and strengthening
word, Romans 5: 9, 10, much more then being now justified by his blood, we
shall be saved from wrath through him; for if when we are enemies, we were
reconciled to God, by the death of his Son; much more being reconciled, we
shall be saved by his life. And so is Romans 8: 32, He that spared not
his own Son, but delivered him up for us all: how shall he not with him also
freely give us all things?
9. We
may add, that if sins, afterward committed, could take away justification, then
they should also take away adoption, and regeneration; and so the justified
man, should by after sins, not only become an unjustified man, but also the
child of God should become again the child of the devil, and the relation
should be quite broken off, and he, who was born, again, should return unto his
former state of black nature: and thus there should be a second, and a third,
yea and multiplied regeneration; whereof the Scripture is silent, nay it
clearly depones the contrary.
10. And
if it be enquired, how it comes to pass, that after sins may
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not, at least, gradually impair the state of
justification, as sins do impair and weaken sanctification? I answer, (and this
may further help to clear the business under hand,) the reason is manifest from
the difference that is betwixt these two blessings and benefits. Justification
is an act of God, changing the relative state of a man, and so is done and
perfected in a moment: Sanctification is a progressive work of God, making a
real physical change, in the man; whence sin may retard this or put it back,
but cannot do so with the other, which is but one single act, once done, and
never recalled, the gifts and calling of God being without repentance, Roman
11: 29. In justification we are merely passive, it being a sentence of God
pronounced in our favors; in sanctification, as we are in some respects
patients, so are we also agents, and actors, and thus sin may retard us in our
motion, and as it evidences our weakness for acting, so it produces more
weakness. Moreover sin and holiness are opposite to each other, as light and
darkness, and therefore, as the one prevails, the other must go under, and as
the one increases, the other must decrease. But there is no such opposition
between sin and pardon, which is granted in justification. And whereas it may
be said, that sin expels also grace meritoriously: yet that prejudges not the
truth in hand, for it can expel grace meritoriously no further, than the free
constitution of God hath limited: and so though it can and oft doth expel many
degrees of sanctification, yet it cannot expel and make null the grace of
regeneration; or the Seed of God, so no more can it expel or annul
justification; because the good pleasure of God, hath secured the one and the
other and made them both unalterable.
By
these particulars, we see how the first doubt is removed out of the way; we
shall next speak to the second, which is concerning afflictions, and
punishments, which are the fruits and deserts of sin, and seem to be part of
the curse or penalty threatened in the first Covenant: To which we need not say
much to show, that notwithstanding hereof, the State of justification remains
firm, and unaltered. These few things will suffice to clear the truth.
1.
Though all affliction, and suffering be the fruit and consequent of the breach
of the Covenant by Adam, the head of mankind; for if he had stood, and the
Covenant had not been violated, there had been no misery, affliction, death or
suffering; and though in all, who are afflicted in this world, there is sin to
be found; and though it cannot be instanced, that God ever brought an
afflicting or destroying stroke upon a land or nation, but for the provocations
of the people; yet the Lord may sometimes afflict outwardly or inwardly, or
both, a particular person, in some particular manner, though not as provoked
thereunto by that person’s sin, or without a special reference to their sin, as
the procuring cause thereof; as we see in Job, and as Christ’s answer
concerning the blind man, John 9: 3, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his
parents (that he was born blind;) but that the works of God should be made
manifest in him, gives ground to think.
2. Though
it more often falls out that God does afflict, punish and
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chasten his people even because of their sins, as well as
other wicked persons; yet the difference betwixt the two is great, though the
outward calamity may be materially the same. To the godly, they flow from love,
are designed for good, are sanctified, and made to do good,
they are covenanted mercies; but nothing so to the wicked. They are mercies to
the one, but curses to the other. They speak out love to the one, but hatred to
the other. They are blessed to the one, but blasted and cursed to the other.
They work together for good to the one, but for evil to the other; and all this
notwithstanding, that the outward affliction and calamity that is on the godly,
may be double or triple to that, which is upon the wicked: Yea there is mercy
and love in the afflictions of the godly, when the prosperity of the wicked is
cursed. Whence we see that all these afflictions cannot endanger
or damage their justified state.
3.
Though the Lord may be wroth and smite in anger his own people, chasten and
punish them in displeasure; yet, this wrath and anger, is but the wrath and
anger of a Father, and is consistent with fatherly affection in God, and
therefore cannot be repugnant to a state of Sonship in them. Proverbs 3: 11,
12; Hebrews 12: 5 – 8; Psalm 89: 30 – 34; Revelation 3: 19.
4. In
all these afflictions, that seem to smell most of the curse, and of the death
threatened, and are most inevitable, such as death, &c. there is nothing of
pure vindictive justice to be found in them, when justified persons are exercised
with them: for Christ did bear all that, being made a curse for them, and as to
this, the Lord caused all their iniquities to meet together upon him: He drunk
out the cup of vindictive anger, and left not one drop of the liquor of the
curse of the law, for any of his own to drink: He alone did bear the weight of
revenging justice; and there is nothing of this, in all that doth come upon
believers; so that the very sting of death is taken away, and the sting of all
these afflictions is sucked out, and now they are hanged into mercies and
blessings, I Corinthians 3: 21, 22. Therefore we must not think that they
contribute the least mite unto that satisfaction, which justice required for
sins, and Christ paid down to the full; and justice was fully satisfied with
what he paid down: nor must we think, that God will exact a new satisfaction
for sins, or any part thereof, of the hands of believers, after he hath
received a full satisfaction from the Mediator Christ, and did rest satisfied
therewith. The afflictions and punishments then, that the godly meet with,
being no parts of the curse, nor of that satisfaction that justice requires for
sin, nor flowing from vindictive justice; but being rather fatherly
chastisements, mercies and means of God, can do no hurt unto their state of
justification; nor can anything be hence inferred, to the prejudice of that
glorious state.
5. But
it is said, pardon and justification is one thing, and a man is no more
justified than he is pardoned; and pardon is but the taking off of the
obligation to punishment, and consequently of punishment itself; and seeing
punishment is not wholly taken off, but there remains some part of the curse,
or of the evil threatened for sin, and will remain until the resurrection, it
is clear, that pardon is not fully complete, nor consequently
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justification so long as we live. But for answer, and to clear up
the matter in hand more, we say (1.) Pardon of sins is not adequately the same
with justification, nor the whole thereof, but at most a part, or rather a
partial effect in justification, the person is constituted righteous, and declared
such, and thereupon hath his sins pardoned, and a right to the purchased
reward; and he is thus made and declared righteous, through the Mediator’s
surety righteousness, imputed to him, and laid hold upon by faith. (2.) When a
person is justified, he is at once and forever freed from the punishment due
from the law and from
vindictive justice, for the broken covenant: and the obligation
to punishment required by vindictive justice, is taken away and dissolved;
Christ having fully born that punishment, and satisfied that demand of justice,
they, in and through him, are delivered from the curse, and the maledictory
sentence. (3.) Hence all their sufferings and afflictions here, being no part
of the curse, nor of satisfaction to divine vindictive justice, nor of the
condemnation threatened, how ever they be materially evil, and Fatherly
chastisements or punishments; yet are no effects of law vengeance, nor parts of
vindictive punishment: and so cannot give ground to infer an imperfect pardon,
or an imperfect justification. (4.) Nor must we call them any part of the
punishment, threatened by the law, remaining yet unremoved; for that would make
them parts of the curse; and yet Mr. Baxter Confession p. 125, conceives
it fittest to say, that believers are freed from the curse, and are not
under it, and adds his reasons there: And the consequence is clear,
because, what the law threatens, as such, belongs to the curse; for the law
says, Cursed is everyone, that continueth not in all things, which are
written in the book of the law to do them, Galatians 3: 10, Deuteronomy 27: 26.
And therefore every punishment, that is a punishment of the Law, must be
part of the curse; so if the punishments, or afflictions, that the godly are
now under, be part of the curse, that is yet remaining unremoved, or of the
punishment (as Mr. Baxter there p. 124 says) it will inevitably follow, that
believers are yet under the curse, and not wholly delivered there from; and as
to these outward afflictions, many of the truly godly shall be more under the
curse, than several of the wicked: and if they be under any part of the curse,
how can they be pronounced blessed? How can they be said to be redeemed from
the curse of the Law? How can Christ be said to have been made a curse for
them, how shall their sufferings not be a part of satisfaction to vindictive
justice? Shall not they be in part satisfiers for themselves? Shall not they
then be beholden to Christ only in part? How then shall these afflictions flow
from love, run in the channel of love, and work out their good, through grace
and love, if they be any real and formal parts of the curse? Shall not the
curse then be a part of the blessedness of the saints, and of their bequeathed portion,
which they may own as theirs, as well as they may own life! Shall not the
curse, or a part of the curse, separate from the love of God, and of Christ?
What will, I pray, if that do it not; and yet the Apostle tells us Romans 8: 35
&c. that afflictions cannot do it, nor death
itself. How can any part of the curse work for us a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory?
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and yet afflictions do that, II Corinthians 4: 17. The
curse will not conform us unto Christ; yet afflictions
will, and do, Romans 8: 29. (5.) Even as to the remnants of the body of death,
that cause the godly to groan, and cry out, Miserable man &c., if we
consider them, as an affliction, we cannot say, that they are a remnant part of
law-vengeance, of law-punishment, or of the curse, threatened in the law; for
then they should be effects of God’s hatred towards the persons, and of pure
vengeance and of juridical, and judicial wrath and anger, and were not capable
of sanctification to their spiritual advantage; and believers, upon this
account, could not be said to be delivered from the law, and dead to that,
wherein they were formerly held, as they are Romans 7: 6, for they who are
under the curse, and under such an especial part or effect thereof, cannot but
be under the law, and that, as a cursing condemning law, Galatians 3: 10. Nor
could the Apostle infer, as he does, after the mentioning of the sad
wrestlings, that the godly have, with the body of death, Romans