VIII.

grounds of contention; and it might fuffice to un- s e r m. derstand the points of doctrine which it relateth to in other terms, laying that afide as ambiguous and litigious. Yet because the understanding the righteft, or most probable notion of the word, may fomewhat conduce to the interpretation of the Scriptures, and to clearing the matters couched in it, fomewhat alfo to the fatisfaction of perfons confiderate and peaceable, I fhall employ fome care faithfully (without partiality to any fide) to fearch it out, and declare it in order whereto I fhall propound fome obfervations, seeming material.

I. Whereas it were not hard to speak much, and criticise about the primitive fenfe of the word, and about its various acceptions both in holy Scripture and other writings, I do queftion whether doing that would be pertinent or conducible to our purpose of understanding its right notion here: for knowing the primitive fenfe of words can feldom or never deter- Verba valent mine their meaning any where, they often in com- ut nummi. mon ufe declining from it; and the knowing variety of acceptions doth at moft yield only the advantage of choosing one fuitable to the fubjacent matter and occafion. We are not therefore to learn the sense of this word from mere Grammarians.

ἀντὶ τῇ δίω

II. The fense of this word is not to be fearched in extraneous writers; both because no matter like that we treat upon did ever come into their use or confideration, and because they do feldom or never ufe the word in a fenfe any-wife congruous to this matter : in them moft commonly the word δικαιίω εδικαίωσαν, doth fignify (as the like word aw) to deem a thing καιον ἔκοιναν. juft, equal, or fit (or fimply to deem about a thing). Balf in Syn. Sometimes alfo, yet not often as I take it, being ap- Chalced plied to an action, or caufe, it importeth to make it appear lawful, or juft, as when we ordinarily fay, to juftify what one faith or doth (whence dixia in Ariftotle is an argument proving the juftice of a cause, firmamentum caufa); but in them very feldom

Can. 1.

SER M. or never it is applied to perfons; and an example, VIII. I conceive, can hardly be produced, wherein it is fo ufed.

III. In the facred Writings at large it is commonly applied to perfons, and that according to various fenfes, fome more wide and general, fome more restrained and particular. It there fometimes denoteth generally to exercife any judicial act upon, in regard unto, or in behalf of a perfon; to do him right, or justice, in declaring the merit of his cause, or pronouncing fentence about him; in acquitting or condemning him for any caufe, in obliging him to, or exempting him from any burthen, in difpenfing to him any reward or punishment, indiffer2 Sam. xv. ently thus Abfalom faid, O that I were made a judge in the land, that every man, which hath any fuit or caufe, might come unto me, ym, nai dina wow aurov, and I would juftify him, that is, I would do him right and in the 82d Pfalm, this charge is given Pfal. Ixxxii. to the princes, or judges; Defend the poor, and fatherless, p, dinarate, jufiify the that is, do right and juftice to them. poor and needy;

4.

3.

1.

:

But more particularly the word fignifieth (and that according to the moft ufual and current acception) fo to do a man right, as to pronounce fentence in his favour, as to acquit him from guilt, to excufe him from burthen, to free him from punishment; whence we moft often meet with the word placed in direct oppofition to that of condemnation: as in Deut. xxv. that law, If there be a controverfy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them, then they fhall juftify the righteous, and condemn the 1 Kings viii. wicked: and in Solomon's prayer, Then hear thou Chr. vi. in heaven, and do, and judge thy fervants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head, and juftifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness: Prov. xvii. and in the Proverbs, He that juftifieth the wicked, and be that condemneth the juft, even both are an abomination unto the Lord: And, in the Gofpel, our Saviour faith,

32.

2

23.

15.

By

By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words s E R M. thou shalt be condemned.

37.

VIII.

Luke x. 29.

In confequence upon this fenfe, and with a little. deflection from it, to justify a perfon fometime de- Matt. xii. noteth to approve him, or esteem him juft, a mental judgment, as it were, being paffed upon him; fo xliii. 9.) Wifdom is faid to be juftified, that is, approved by her Matt. xi. children: fo in the Gospel fome perfons are faid to 19: juftify themselves, that is, to conceit themselves right- xvi. 15. eous: and the Publican went home juftified rather than Luke xviii. the Pharifee, that is, more approved and accepted by 14. God: fo alfo it is faid, that All the people and the Luke vii. publicans juftified God, being baptized with John's bap-29. tifm; they juftified God, that is, they declared their approbation of God's proceeding, in the miffion of John.

In like manner, Juftification is taken for exemption from burthens; as where in the Acts St. Paul faith, And from all things, from which by the law of Acts xiii. Mofes ye could not be justified, in this is every one that 39believeth juftified.

It may also fometimes be taken for deliverance from punishment; as where in the Law God faith, The innocent and righteous flay thou not; for I will not Exod. xxiii. juftify the wicked; that is, not let him efcape without 7 impunity; according to that in the Proverbs, Though band join in hand, the wicked fhall not go unpunished.

IV. We may observe, that (as every man hath fome phrases and particular forms of fpeech, in which he delighteth, fo) this term is fomewhat peculiar to St. Paul, and hardly by the other Apoftles applied to that matter, which he expreffeth thereby: they ufually in their Sermons and Epiftles do fpeak the fame thing, whatever it be, in other terms, more immediately expreffive of the matter. St. James Acts xiii. indeed doth use it, but not fo much, it feemeth, ac- 38. ii. 38. cording to his ufual manner of fpeech, as occafion-. 19. v. ally, to refute the falfe and peftilent conceits of xxii. 16. fome perfons, who miftaking St. Paul's expreffions 47.

and

31. X. 43.

Luke xxiv.

SER M. and doctrine, did pervert them to the maintenance of Solifidian, Eunomian, and Antinomian pofitions, greatly prejudicial to good practice. And feeing the term is fo proper to St. Paul in relation to this matter, the right fenfe and notion thereof feemeth beft derivable from confidering the nature of the fubject he treateth on, obferving the drift of his difcourfe and manner of his reafoning, comparing the other phrafes he useth equivalent to this, and interpretative of his meaning.

V. Following this method of enquiry, I do obferve and affirm, that the laft notion of the word, as it is evidently most usual in the Scripture, fo it beft fuiteth to the meaning of St. Paul here, and otherwhere commonly, where he treateth upon the fame matters; that God's juftifying folely, or chiefly, doth import his acquitting us from guilt, condemnation, and punishment, by free pardon and remiffion of our fins, accounting us and dealing with us as juft perfons, upright and innocent in, his fight and efteem: the truth of which notion I fhall by divers arguments and confiderations make good.

1. This fenfe doth beft agree to the nature of the fubject matter, and to the defign of St. Paul's difcourfe; which I take to be this, the afferting the neceffity, reafonablenefs, fufficiency, and excellency of the Chriftian difpenfation, in order to that, which is the end of all religion, the bringing men to happinefs, and confequently to the rendering men acceptable to God Almighty, who is the fole Author and Donor of happinels; this is that, which in general he aimeth to affert and maintain.

This, I fay, is that which he chiefly driveth at, to maintain, that it is not unreasonable that God fhould fo proceed with men (whofe good and felicity, as their gracious Maker, he greatly tendereth) as the Chriftian Gospel declareth him to do, but that rather fuch proceeding was neceffary and fit, in order to our falvation; and withal conformable to the ordinary

nary method of God's proceedings toward the fame S E R M. purpose.

VIII.

Now God's proceeding with man according to the Gospel, the general tenour thereof doth fet out to be this; that God out of his infinite goodnes and mercy, in confideration of what his beloved Son, our bleffed Lord, hath performed and fuffered, in obedience to his will, and for the redemption of mankind (which by tranfgreffion of his laws, and defailance in duty toward him, had grievoufly offended him and fallen from his favour, was involved in guilt, and stood obnoxious to punishment), is become reconciled to them (paffing by, and fully pardoning all offences by them committed against him), fo as generally to proffer mercy, upon certain reafonable and gentle terms, to all that fhall fincerely embrace fuch overtures of mercy, and heartily refolve to comply with thofe terms required by him; namely, the returning and adhering to him, forfaking all impiety and iniquity, conftantly perfifting in faithful obedience to his holy commandments; this, I fay, is the proceeding of God, which the Chriftian Gofpel doth especially hold forth, and which, according to our Lord's commiffion and command, the Apostles Luke xxiv. did first preach to men; as whofoever will confider 47. the drift and tenour of their preaching, will eafily difcern; which therefore St. Paul may reasonably be supposed here to affert and vindicate against the Jews, and other adverfaries of the Gofpel: confequently the terms he ufeth fhould be fo interpreted as to exprefs that matter; whence being juftified, will imply that which a perfon embracing the Gospel doth immediately receive from God, in that way of grace and mercy, viz. an abfolution from his former crimes, an acquittance from his debts, a state of innocence and guiltleffnefs in God's fight, an exemption from vengeance and punishment; all that which by him fometimes, and by the other Apoftles, is couched under the phrafes of remiffion of fins, having 38.xxü 16,

A&s xiii.