EVANGELICAL PERSONAL RIGHTEOUSNESS. 153
belongs unto the difference that will be among ns in the expression of our conceptions about spiritual things whilst we know but in part, than unto the substance of the doctrine itself And on such differ- ences no breach of charity can ensue, whilst there is a mutual grant of that liberty of mind without which it will not be preserved one moment.
It is, therefore, by some apprehended that there is an evangelical justification upon our evangelical personal righteousness. This they distinguish from that justification which is by faith through the im- putation of the righteousness of Christ, in the sense wherein they do allow it; for the righteousness of Christ is our legal righteousness, whereby we have pardon of sin, and acquitment from the sentence of the law, on the account of his satisfaction and merit. But, more- over, they say that as there is a personal, inherent righteousness re- quhed of us, so there is a justification by the gospel thereon. For by our faith, and the plea of it, we are justified from the charge of unbelief; by our sincerity, and the plea of it, we are justified from the charge of hypocrisy ; and so by all other graces and duties from the charge of the contrary sins in commission or omission, so far as such sins are inconsistent with the terms of the covenant of grace. How this differeth from the second justification before God, which some say we have by works, on the supposition of the pardon of sin for the satisfaction of Christ, and the infusion of a habit of grace en- abling us to perform those works, is declared by those who so express themselves.
Some add, that this inherent, personal, evangelical righteousness, is the condition on our part of our legal righteousness, or of the im- putation of the righteousness of Christ unto our justification, or the pardon of sin. And those by whom the satisfaction and merit of Christ are denied, make it the only and whole condition of our ab- solute justification before God. So speak all the Socinians constantly ; for they deny our obedience unto Christ to be either the meritorious or efficient cause of our justification; only they say it is the condition of it, without wdiich God hath decreed that we shall not be made par- takers of the benefit thereof So doth Socinus himself, De Justificat. p. 17, " Sunt opera nostra, id est, ut dictum fait, obedientia quam Christo pra?stamus, licet nee efficieus nee meritoria, tamen causa est (ut vocant) sine qua non, justificationis coram Deo, atque seternjB nostrge." Again, p. 14, inter Opuscul, " Ut cavendum est ne vitse sanctitatem atque innocentiam effectum justificationis nostrce coram Deo esse credamus, neque illam nostrre coram Deo justificationis causam efficientem aut impulsivam esse affirmemus; sed tantummodo causam sine qua earn justification em nobis non contingere decrevit Deus." And in all their discourses to this purpose they assert Our
lOtt ON JUSTIFICATION.
personal righteousness and holiness, or our obedience unto the com- mands of Christ, which they make to be the form and essence of faith, to be the condition whereon we obtain justification, or the remission of sins. And indeed, considering what their opinion is con- cerning the person of Christ, with their denial of his satisfaction and merit, it is impossible they should frame any other idea of justifica- tion in their minds. But what some among ourselves intend by a compliance with them herein, who are not necessitated thereunto by a prepossession with their opinions about the person and mediation of Christ, I know not. For as for them, all their notions about grace, conversion to God, justification, and the like articles of our religion, they are nothing but what they are necessarily cast upon by their hypothesis about the person of Christ.
At present I shall only inquire into that peculiar evangelical jus- tification which is asserted to be the effect of our own 'personal righteousness, or to be granted us thereon. And hereunto we may observe, —
1. That God doth require in and by the gospel a sincere obedience of all that do believe, to be performed in and by their own persons, though through the aids of grace supplied unto them by Jesus Christ. He requireth, indeed, obedience, duties, and works of righteousness, in and of all persons whatever ; but the consideration of them which are performed before believing is excluded by all from any causality or interest in our justification before God : at least, whatever any may discourse of the necessity of such works in a way of preparation unto believing (whereunto we have spoken before), none bring them into the verge of works evangelical, or obedience of faith; which would imply a contradiction. But that the works inquired after are necessary unto all believers, is granted by all; on what grounds, and unto what ends, we shall inquire afterward. They are declared, Eph. ii. 10.
2. It is likewise granted that believers, from the performance of this obedience, or these works of righteousness, are denominated righteous in the Scripture, and are personally and internally right- eous, Luke i. 6 ; ] John iii. 7. But yet this denomination is nowhere given unto them with respect unto grace habitually inherent, but unto the effects of it in duties of obedience ; as in the places mentioned : " They were both righteous before God, walking in all the command- ments and ordinances of the Lord blameless ;" — the latter words give the reason of the former, or their being esteemed righteous before God. And, " He that doeth righteousness is righteous;" — the deno- mination is from doing. And Bellarmine, endeavouring to prove that it is habitual, not actual righteousness, which is, as he speaks, i\\e formal cause of our justification before God, could not produce