The substance of the inquiry wherein alone we are concerned, is. What is that righteousness luherehy and ivherewith a believing sin- ner is justified before God; or whereon he is accepted with God, hath his sins pardoned, is received into grace and favour, and hath a title given him unto the heavenly inheritance ? I shall no otherwise propose this inquiry, as knowing that it contains the substance of what convinced sinners do look after in and by the gospel.
And herein it is agreed by all, the Socinians only excepted, that the procatarctical^ or procuring cause of the pardon of our sins and acceptance with God, is the satisfaction and merit of Christ. How- beit, it cannot be denied but that some, retaining the names of them, do seem to renounce or disbelieve the things themselves; but we need not to take any notice thereof, until they are free more plainly to express their minds. But as concerning the righteousness itself inquired after, there seems to be a difference among them who yet all deny it to be the righteousness of Christ imputed unto us. For those of the Roman chiu-ch plainly say, that upon the infusion of a habit of grace, with the expulsion of sin, and the renovation of our natures thereby, which they call the first justification, we are actually justified before God by our own works of righteousness. Hereon they dispute about the merit and satisfactoriness of those works, with their condignity of the reward of eternal life. Others, as the Soci- nians, openly disclaim all merit in our works; only some, out of reverence, as I suppose, unto the antiquity of the word, and under the shelter of the ambiguity of its signification, have faintly attempted an accommodation with it. But in the substance of what they assert unto this purpose, to the best of my understanding, they ai'e all agreed :
' From -xfUKaTOLfy^u,, — pre-existing, or predisposing. The term is now confined to medical science, and employed to distinguish a predisposing from an immediate aiid exciting cause to disease or fever Ed.
208 ON JUSTIFICATION.
for what the Papists call "jnstitia operiim," — the righteousness of works, — they call a personal, inherent, evangelical righteousness; whereof we have spoken before. And whereas the Papists say that this righteousness of works is not absolutely perfect, nor in itself able to justify us iu the sight of God, but owes all its worth and dignity unto this purpose unto the merit of Christ, they affirm that this evangelical righteousness is the condition whereon we enjoy the benefits of the righteousness of Christ, in the pardon of our sins, and the acceptance of our persons before God. But as unto those who will acknowledge no other righteousness wherewith we are justified before God, the meaning is the same, whether we say that on the condition of this righteousness we are made partakers of the benefits of the righteousness of Christ, or that it is the righteousness of Christ which makes this righteousness of ours accepted with God. But these things must afterward more particularly be inquured into.
S. The third inquiry wherein there is not an agreement in this matter is, — upon a supposition of a necessity that he who is to be justified should, one way or other, he t7iiere5iecZ in the righteousness of Christ, what it is that on our part is required- thereunto. This some say to be fe,itli alone; others, faith and works also, and that in the same kind of necessity and use. That whose consideration we at present undertake is the second thing proposed ; and, indeed, herein lies the substance of the whole controversy about our justification before God, upon the determination and stating whereof the deter-
Z 'nation of all other incident questions doth depend. This, therefore, is that which herein I affirm : — The righteousness of U/irist (in his obedience and suffering for us) imputed unto believers, as they are united unto him by his Spirit, is that righteousness whereon they are justified before God, on the account whereof their sins ore pardoned, and a right is granted them unto the heavenly inheritance.!
This position is such as wherein the substance of that doctrine, in this important article of evangelical truth which we plead for, is plainly and fully expressed. And I have chosen the rather thus to express it, because it is that thesis wherein the learned Daveuant laid down that common doctrine of the Reformed churches whose defence he undertook. This is the shield of truth in the whole cause of justifi- cation ; which, whilst it is preserved safe, we need not trouble ourselves about the differences that are among learned men about the most proper stating and declaration of some lesser concernments of it. This is the refuge, the only refuge, of distressed consciences, wherein they may find rest and peace.
For the confirmation of this assertion, I shall do these three things: — I. Reflect on what is needful unto the explanation of
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it. II. Answei' the most important general objections against it. III. Prove the truth of it by arguments and testimonies of the holy Scripture.
I. As to the first of these, or what is necessary unto the explana- tion of this assertion, it hath been sufficiently spoken unto in our foregoing discourses. The heads of some things only shall at present be called over.