The true doctrine of justification asserted and vindicated, from the errours of Papists, Arminians, Socinians, and more especially Antinomians in XXX lectures preached at Lawrence-Iury, London / by Anthony Burgess ...

LECTURE III.

ROM. 3.24, 25.

Being Iustified freely by his grace, &c.

JUstification consisteth in these two particulars,* 1.1 Remission of sin, and Imputation of righteousnesse: Indeed here is diversity of expressions among the learned, as you have already heard: some thinking the whole nature of Justification to be only in Remission of sin, and therefore make it the same with Imputation of righteousnesse; others make one the ground of the other; some make Imputation of righteousnes, the efficient or meritorious cause of our Justification, and Remission of sin, the only form of our Justification; others make Remission of sin the effect only of Ju∣stification. But howsoever we call these two things, yet this will be made plain, that God in Justification, vouchsafeth these two priviledges to the person justified; First, He forgiveth his sins; Secondly, He imputeth righteousnesse, or rather, this latter is the ground of the former, as I shew'd before.

That Justification is remission of sins, is generally received,* 1.2 the great Question is about imputation of Christs righteousnes (but of that afterwards) only here may be a Doubt, how we can pro∣perly say, That Justification is pardon of sin, for a man is not justi∣fied, in that he is pardoned, but rather it supposeth him guilty: It is true, Remission of sin doth suppose a man faulty in himself, but because Christ did take our sins upon him, and we are accepted of through him, as our Surety, therefore may remission of sin be well called Justification: Indeed pardon can never be called an inherent righteousnesse, or a qualitative Justice (but rather it opposeth it) but it may be called a Legal or Judicial righteousnesse, because God for the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, doth account of us as righteous, having pardoned our sin; and withall imputing

Christs righteousnesse to us,* 1.3 both which make up our Justifica∣tion▪ For the understanding therefore of the first particular, viz. Remission of sins, take these Propositions, which will be the foun∣dation upon which many material questions will be built.

1. That forgivenes of sin is possible,* 1.4 there may be, and is such a thing. Hence in that ancient Creed, we are said to believe a remis∣sion of sins, where faith is described, not in the meer historical acts of it, but fiducial, the remission of my sins. Now this is some stay to a troubled sinner, that his sins may be forgiven, whereas the devils cannot; God no where saying to them, Repent and be∣lieve.* 1.5 And although Salmeron holdeth, that God gave the lapsed Angels space to repent, before they were peremptorily adjudged unto their everlasting torments; yet he hath scarce a guide or com∣panion in that opinion; were not therefore this true, that there is such a thing in the Church of God, as forgivenes of sin; How much better had it been for us, if we had never been born?

* 1.62. Consider, That a sin may be said to be forgiven divers wayes. First in the decree and purpose of God, as Christ is called the Lamb slain from the beginning. Though I do not know where the Scri∣pture useth such an expression, yet the Antinomians build much upon it.* 1.7 Secondly, A sin may be said to be forgiven in Christ me∣ritoriously,* 1.8 when God laid the sins of his people upon him, which the Prophet Isaiah doth describe as plainly, Isa. 53. as any Evangel∣ist; hence some have called Isaiah the fifth Evangelist. Now you must not conclude, such a mans sins are pardoned▪ because they are laid upon Christ a long while ago, which is the Antinomians per∣petual▪ panalogizing, for to this effect of remission of sin, there go more causes besides the meritorious, faith the instrumental cause, which is as necessary in its kinde for this great benefit, as the meritorious cause is in its kind, that though Christ hath born such a mans sins, yet they are not pardoned▪ till he do believe; for as the grace of God,* 1.9 which is the efficient cause of pardon, doth not make a sin compleatly forgiven, without the meritorious cause, so neither doth the meritorious without the instrumental, but there is a necessity of the presence, and the co-operation of all these. Thirdly,* 1.10 A sin is said to be pardoned, when the guilt is taken away, and this is properly, Remission of iniquities. Fourthly, Sin is par∣doned in our sense and feeling, when God takes away all our fears and

doubts, giving us an assurance of his love. And lastly,* 1.11 Sin is forgiven when the temporal affliction is removed, and in this sense the Scri∣pture doth much use the word, forgivenesse of sins, and his not pardoning, is when he will punish.

3. There are several things considerable in sin,* 1.12 when we say it is forgiven. First, In sin there is a privation of that innocency which he had before; as when a man is proud, by that act of pride he is depri∣ved of that innocency and freedom from that guilt which he had before. This is properly true of Adam,* 1.13 who lost his innocency by sinning: It cannot be affirmed of us but in a limited sense, thus far, that when a man commits a sin, that guilt may be charged upon him, whereof he was innocent before. Now, when sin is for∣given, the sense is, not that he is made innocent again, for that can never be helped, but that it must be affirm'd such an one hath sin'd, this cannot be repaired again. It is true, the Scripture useth such expressions, That iniquity shall be sought for, and there shall be found none, Jer. 51.20. But that is in respect of the consequence of it. We shal have as much joy and peace, as if we had not sinned at all.

A 2^d thing in sin is the dignity & desert it hath of the wrath of God;* 1.14 and this is inseparable from any sin, if it be a sin, there is a desert of damnation, & thus all the sins of the godly, howsoever they shall not actually condemn them, yet they have a desert of condemnation.

Thirdly, There is the actual ordination and obligation of the per∣son sinning to everlasting condemnation:* 1.15 and forgivenes of sin doth properly lie in this, not in taking away the desert of the guilt of sin, but the actual ordination of it to condemnation. Therefore its false that is affirmed by some, that reatus est forma peccati, guilt is the form of a sin: for a sin may be truly a sin, and yet this actu∣al ordination of it to death, taken away.

Fourthly, There is in sin an offence done unto God,* 1.16 or an enmi∣ty to him, so that now he is displeased: and this is taken away in some measure by forgivenesse; yet so, as his anger is not fully removed. If we speak exactly, God doth not punish his children, yet as a Father he is angry with them, and that makes him to chastise them, though the sin be forgiven.

Fifthly, In sinne is likewise a blo•• or pollution, where∣by the soul loseth its former beauty and excellency,* 1.17 and this is not removed by remission, but by sanctification and

renovation. Hence it is ordinarily said, that Justification hath a relative being only, but Renovation, an absolute inherent change.

* 1.18And lastly, In all sin there is an aversion from God; either Ha∣bitual, in Habitual sins; or Actual, in Actual: and in this aver∣sion from God, the soul abideth, till it be turned to him again; as a man that turneth his back on the Sun, continueth so, till he turn himself again: now Conversion, and not Justification, doth rectifie this;* 1.19 so that by this you may see, what it is to have a sin forgiven, not the foulnes or the disformity of it to Gods Law re∣moved, nor yet the dignity and desert of Gods wrath; no, nor all kinde of anger from God, but the actual ordination of it to con∣demnation.

* 1.204. There is a great difference between original sin, and actuals; for that of original is much more perplexed in the matter of re∣mission, then those of actuals; when an actual sin is committed, the act is transient, that is, quickly passed away, there remaineth only the guilt, which sticketh, till God by pardon doth remove it, and then when he hath forgiven it, there is all of that sin past. But now in original sin it is otherwise; for that corruption adhe∣ring to us, cleaving to our nature, like Ivie to the tree (as the Fa∣ther expresseth it) though it be forgiven, yet it still continueth, and that not only as an exercise of our faith and prayers, or by way of a penal langu••r upon us, but truly and formally a sin, so that its both a sin, and the cause of sin, and the effect of sin at the same time. Now in this particular lieth the greatest part of the difficulty, in the doctrine of forgivenes of sin, for here sin is in the godly, and truly so, yet for all that it doth not condemn. The Papists finding by experience such motions of original sin in us, yet do say, they are only penal effects, and remain as opportunities by spiritual com∣bate to increase the Crown of glory: and this they urge as impossi∣ble they should be sins, and yet not condemn the godly, because guilt is inseparable from sin. And the Antinomian doth expresly stumble at this stone; D^r Crisps Serm. vol. 2. p. 92. For my part (saith he) I do not think as some do, that guilt differs from sin, but that it is sin it self: They are but two words expressing the same thing. Now if it were so, that sin and guilt, or the ordination of it to punishment were the same thing, there could be no sin in the godly. It is true, guilt cannot be but where sin hath been,

yet guilt of punishment may be removed, when the sin is past. But this the Author doth shew, that sin was so laid on Christ, that from that time he ceaseth to be a sinner any more. Thou art not a Thief, a Murderer, when as you have part in Christ, p. 89. ut su∣pra. But of this hereafter.

5. When a sin is forgiven, it is totally and perfectly forgiven.* 1.21 This is to be considered in the next place; for when the Antino∣mian would have us so diligently consider that place, Jer. 50.20. where God saith, The iniquities of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none •••• If (I say) this were all his meaning, sin shall be as if it had never been in respect of condemnation, he shall be as surely freed from hell, as if he had never sinned, all this is true. But they have a further meaning, and that is, That the sin was so laid upon Christ, that the sinner ceaseth to be a sinner, as if because a surety payeth the debt of some lend bankrupt, that very pai∣ment would make him cease to be a bankrupt, that is false; yet God doth so forgive sin, that it can be forgiven no more perfectly then it is: Those sins cannot be forgiven any more then they are, which is matter of infinite comfort, and as it is totally, so irrevo∣cably, God will not revive them again: Hence are those expres∣sions of blotting them out, of throwing them into the depth of the sea; and howsoever that Parable, Mat. 18. which speaks of the Ma∣ster forgiving a servant so many talents, yet upon the servants cruelty to some of his fellows, his master calleth him to account, and throweth him in prison for his former debts; howsoever (I say) this be brought by some to prove that sins forgiven, may up∣on after-iniquities be charged upon a man, yet the ground is not sufficient. For first, The main scope only of a Parable is Argumen∣tative. The Fathers do fitly represent Parables to many things; to a Knife whose edge doth only cut, yet the back helps to that: to a Plow whose Plow-shear only cuts, yet the wood is subservi∣ent; so in a Parable, the main scope and intent is only argumenta∣tive; the other parts are but like so many shadows or flourishes in the picture to make it more glorious; now this instance was not mainly intended by our Saviour, but forgivenesse of one another; so that this part doth only shew, what is in use amongst men, or what sin doth deserve at Gods hands; not that God revoketh his pardon, or repenteth that ever he hath forgiven

us, but this is more expresly answered afterwards.

* 1.226. Though sin be forgiven, yet there may be the sense of Gods displea∣sure still; for, as though God doth forgive, there are many cala∣mities and pressures upon the godly: so though Christ hath born the agonies that do belong unto sin, yet some scalding drops of them do fall upon the godly; not that the godly is by these to satisfie the justice of God, but that hereby we might feel the bitter∣nes of sin, what wormwood and gall is in it, that so we may take heed for the future, and that we may by some proportion think on, and admire the great love of Christ to us, in undergoing such wrath. Didst thou not judge the least of his anger falling upon thee more terrible, then all the pains and miseries that ever thou wast plunged into? And by this then, thou mayest stand ama∣zed, and wondering at this infinite love of Christ to stand under this burden for thee. David is a pregnant instance for the truth of this. As when Saul was angry with Jonathan, and run a Jave∣lin at him, he escaped, and that run into the wall; so the wrath of God, which was violently to fall upon thee, missed thee, and ran into Christ.* 1.23 But the sense of Gods displeasure for sin, may be retained in us two wayes;

* 1.241. Servilely and slavishly▪ whereby we run from the promise and Christ, and have secret grudgings and repinings against God: this is sinfull for us to do.

* 1.252. There is a filial apprehending of Gods displeasure, though we are perswaded of the pardon; this is good and necessary, as we see in David, who made that Psalm of Repentance, Psal. 51. though he had his absolution from his sin. Tears in the soul by the former way, are like the water of the Sea, salt and brackish; but those in the latter are sweet, like the rain of the Clouds fal∣ling down on the earth.

* 1.267. No wicked man ever hath any sin forgiven him; for seeing remission of sins, is either a part or fruit of Justification, no wicked man is more capable of the one then the other: Indeed we may read concerning wicked men, Ahab and the Israelites, when they have humbled themselves, though externally and hypocritically, yet God hath removed those judgements, which were imminent upon them, and thus far their sins have been forgiven them; but God did not at the same time take off the curse and condemnation

due to them. Though they were delivered from outward cala∣mity, yet not from hell and wrath. This therefore doth demon∣strate the wofull condition of wicked men, that have not one farthing of all their debts they owe to God, paid, but are liable to account for the least sins, and it must needs be so, for Christ the true and only paimaster of his peoples debts, doth not own them; so that when their sins shall be sought for, every one in all the aggravations of it will be found out.

8. This remission of sin is onely to the repenting, believing sinner.* 1.27 To the repentant, Act. 5.31. To give repentance to Israel, and for∣givenesse of sins. So Luk. 44.47. That repentance and forgivenesse of sins should be preached in his name, Act. 8.22. Repent, and pray, if the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee, 1 Joh. 1.9. If we confesse our sins he is faithfull to forgive, &c. These, and many other pla∣ces do abundantly prove, that there is not forgivenes but where there is repentance▪ Therefore look upon all those doctrines, as false and dangerous, which make justification to be before it. Not that we do with Papists make any merit, or causality in repent∣ance, or that we limit it to such a measure and quantity of repent∣ance, nor as if we made it the condition of the Covenant of Grace; but only the way, without which (not the cause for which) remis∣sion of sins is not obtained, neither can there be any instance gi∣ven of men forgiven, without this repentance; and the same like∣wise is affirmed of faith, though faith is in another notion then repentance, this being the instrument to apply and receive it. But of this hereafter.

9. This remission of sin is not limited to persons, times,* 1.28 or the quan∣tity and quality of sins. Indeed the sin against the holy Ghost cannot be forgiven: we will not explain that (cannot) by difficul∣ty, as if indeed it might be forgiven, but very hardly. The ordi∣nary answer is, that therefore it cannot be forgiven, because the person so sinning, will not confesse, humble himself, and seek par∣don. God is described by pardoning iniquity, transgressions and sins. Christ is said to take away the sin of the world. David and Peters sins were voluntary, yet God forgave them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Justification consists in re∣mission of sin, and imputati∣on of righte∣ousnesse.
• * 1.2

  How justifica∣tion can be said to be par∣don of sin? Answer.
• * 1.3

  Propositions for the under▪standing of re∣mission of sins.
• * 1.4

  1. That for▪giveness of sin is possible.
• * 1.5

  Vide Gerard▪ in •• Epist▪ Pet.
• * 1.6

  2. Sin may be said to be for▪given divers wayes.
• * 1.7

  1. In Gods de▪cree.
• * 1.8

  2 In Christ meritoriously through faith.
• * 1.9

  3. Sin is par∣doned when the guilt is ta∣ken away.
• * 1.10

  4. When God gives us assu∣rance of his love.
• * 1.11

  5. When tem∣poral affliction is removed.
• * 1.12

  3. Several things consi∣derable i•• sin, when it is said to be forgiven.
• * 1.13

  1. A privation of innocency.
• * 1.14

  2. Desert of the wrath of God.
• * 1.15

  3. An actual or∣dination of the person sinning to everlasting condemnation.
• * 1.16

  4. An offence done unto God
• * 1.17

  5. A blot or pollution in sin.
• * 1.18

  6. An aversion, from God.
• * 1.19

  What it is to have sin forgi∣ven.
• * 1.20

  4. There is great difference between ori∣ginal and actu∣al sin.
• * 1.21

  5. When sin is forgiven it is totally and perfectly forgi∣ven.
• * 1.22

  6. Though sin be forgiven▪ yet the sense of ••ods displea∣sure may re∣main
• * 1.23

  And that two wayes,
• * 1.24

  1. Servilely.
• * 1.25

  2. Filially.
• * 1.26

  7. The wicked hath no sin f••rgiven.
• * 1.27

  8. Remission of sin only to the penitent.
• * 1.28

  9. Remission of sins not limited,