VII. SER M. and the Scripture largely and plainly affirms. But let thus much fuffice for the enquiry concerning the genuine nature and notion of faith proper to this place (that faith by which in this text we are faid to be juftified): the other particulars I cannot fo much as touch upon at this time. 5th Sunday after Easter. 14th Sunday after Trinity. I end with those good prayers of our Church : O Lord, from whom all good things do come, grant to us thy humble fervants, that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that be good; and by thy merciful guiding may perform the fame, through our Lord Jefus Chrift. Amen. Almighty and everlasting Lord, give unto us the increafe of faith, hope, and charity, and that we may obtain that which thou doft promife, make us to love that which thou doft command, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. SERMON Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace wh IN N order to the understanding of thefe words, IS ER M. did formerly propound divers particulars to be vIII. confidered and difcuffed: the firft was, What that Faith is, by which Chriftians are faid to be juftified? This I have difpatched: the next is, What Juftification doth import? The which I fhall now endeavour to explain; and I am concerned to perform it with the more care and diligence, because the right notion of this term hath in latter times been canvaffed with fo much vehemence of diffenfion and ftrife. In former times, among the Fathers and the Schoolmen, there doth not appear to have been any difference or debate about it; because, as it seems, men commonly having the fame apprehenfions about the p matters, to which the word is applicable, did not fo much examine or regard the ftrict propriety of expreffion concerning them: confenting in things, they L 2 did Naz. SER M. did not fall to cavil and contend about the exact VIII. meaning of words. They did indeed confider dif tinctly no fuch point of doctrine as that of juftification, looking upon that word as used incidentally in fome places of Scripture, for expreffion of points more clearly expreffed in other terms; wherefore they do not make much of the word, as fome Divines now do. But in the beginning of the Reformation, when the discovery of fome great errors (from the corruption. and ignorance of former times) crept into vogue, Articulus rendered all things the fubjects of contention, and dentis Eccle- multiplied controverfies, there did arife hot difputes fia. Luth. about this point; and the right ftating thereof seem ftantis et ca ed a matter of great importance; nor fcarce was any controverfy profecuted with greater zeal and earnestnefs: whereas yet (fo far as I can difcern) about the real points of doctrine, whereto this word, according to any fenfe pretended, may relate, there hardly doth appear any material difference; and all the questions depending, chiefly feem to confist about the manner of expreffing things, which all agree in; or about the extent of the fignification of words capable of larger or ftricter acception: whence the debates about this point, among all fober and intelligent perfons, might, as I conceive, eafily be refolved or appeafed, if men had a mind to agree, and did not love to wrangle; if at least a confent in believing the fame things, although under fome difference of expreffion, would content them, fo as to forbear ftrife. To make good which obfervation, tending as well to the illuftration of the whole matter, as to the ftating and decifion of the controverfies about it, let us confider the feveral divine acts, to which the term Juftification is, according to any fenfe pretended, applicable: I fay divine acts; for that the Juftification we treat of is an act of God fimple or compound (in fome manner) refpecting, or terminated upon man, is evident, and will not, I fuppofe, be contefted; the words words of St. Paul in feveral places fo clearly de- s E R M. claring it; as in that, Who shall lay any thing to the VIII. charge of God's elect? It is God that juftifieth; and in that, To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that Rom. viii. juftifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteoufsness. ii. 26. Now according to the tenour of Christian doctrine fuch acts are these. 33. IV. 5. 1. God (in regard to the obedience performed to his will by his beloved Son, and to his interceffion) is fo reconciled to mankind, that unto every perfon, who doth fincerely believe the Gofpel, and, repenting of his former bad life, doth ferioufly refolve thereafter to live according to it, he doth (upon the folemn obfignation of that faith, and profeffion of that refolution in baptifm) entirely remit all paft offences, accepting his perfon, receiving him into favour; affuming him into the ftate of a loyal fubject, a faithful fervant, a dutiful fon; and beftowing on him all the benefits and privileges fuitable to fuch a ftate; according to thofe paffages: It behoved Chrift Luke xxiv. to fuffer- -and that repentance and remiffion of fins 46, 47. fhould be preached in his name among all nations: Then Peter faid unto them, Repent, and be baptized every A&ts ii. 38. one of you in the name of Jefus Chrift, for the remiffion of ii. 19. fins; and, To him give all the Prophets witness, that Acts x. 43. through his name, whofoever believeth in him shall receive 2 Cor. v. remiffion of fins; and, God was in Chrift, reconciling the Rom. iii. world unto himfelf, not imputing their fins; and in other 24, 25. places innumerable. v. 31. 19. 2. As any perfon perfifting in that fincere faith, and ferious purpofe of obedience, doth affuredly continue in that state of grace, and exemption from the guilt of fin; fo in cafe that, out of human frailty, fuch a perfon doth fall into the commiffion of fin, God (in regard to the fame performances and interceffions of his Son) doth, upon the confeffion and repentance of fuch a perfon, remit his fin, and retain him in or reftore him to favour; according to those fayings of St. John, If we confejs our fins, he is faith- 1 John i. 9. L 3 ful Rom. viii. 14. Gal. iv. 6. SER M. ful and just to forgive us our fins, and to cleanfe us from VIII. all unrighteousness: and, If any man fin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous. 1 John ii. 1. 3. To each perfon fincerely embracing the Gospel, and continuing in steadfast adherence thereto, God doth afford his holy Spirit, as a principle productive of all inward fanctity and virtuous difpofitions in his heart, enabling alfo and quickening him to discharge the conditions of faith and obedience required from him, and undertaken by him; that which is by fome termed making a perfon juft, infufion into his Acts ii. 38. foul of righteoufnefs, of grace, of virtuous habits; Rom. viii. in the Scripture ftyle it is called acting by the Spirit, beftowing the gift of the holy Ghost, renovation of the boly Ghoft, creation to good works, fanctification by the Eph. ii. 10. Spirit, &c. which phrafes denote partly the collation of a principle enabling to perform good works, partly the defign of religion tending to that performance. 1 Cor. ii. 12. 2 Tim. ii. 7. 9. Tit. iii. 5. (Eph. ii. 22.) iv. 23. Now all these acts (as by the general consent of Chriftians, and according to the fenfe of the antient Catholick Church, fo) by all confiderable parties feeming to diffent, and fo earnestly difputing about the point of juftification, are acknowledged and affcribed unto God; but with which of them the act of juftification is folely or chiefly coincident; whether it fignifieth barely fome one of them, or extendeth to more of them, or comprehendeth them all (according to the conftant meaning of the word in Scripture), are queftions coming under debate, and fo eagerly profecuted: of which questions whatever the true refolution be, it cannot methinks be of fo great confequence, as to caufe any great anger or animofity in Diffenters one toward another, feeing they all confpire in avowing the acts, whatever they be, meant by the word Juftification, although in other terms; feeing all the difpute is about the precise and adequate notion of the word Juftification: whence thofe questions might well be waved as unneceffary grounds |