all enmity and causes of offence. To save, and salvation are used to the same purpose. "He shall save his people from their sins;" Matt. i. 21. is the same, with, "by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses," Acts xiii. 39. That of Gal. ii. 16. "We have believed that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law," is the same with Acts xv. 11. "But we believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved even as they" Eph. ii. 8, 9. By grace ye are saved, through faith, and not of works; is so to be justified. So it is expressed by pardon, or the remission of sins, which is the effect of it; Rom, iv. 5, 6. By receiving the atonement; chap. v. II. not coming into judgment or condemnation; John v. 24. Blotting out sins and iniquities; Isa. xliii. 25. Psalm li. 9. Isa. xliv, 22. Jer. xviii, 23. Acts iii. 19. Casting them into the bottom of the sea; Micah. vii. 19. and sundry other expressions of an alike importance. The Apostle declaring it by its effects, says, many shall be made righteous, Rom, v. 19. who on a juridical trial in open court, is absolved and declared righteous,

And so it may be observed that all things concerning justification are proposed in the Scripture under a juridical scheme, or forensick trial and sentence. As (I.) A judgment is supposed in it, concerning which, the Psalmist prays that it may not proceed on the terms of the law, Psalm cxliii. 2, (2.) The Judge is God himself; Isa, l. 7, 8, Rom. viii, 33. (8.) The tribunal whereen God sits in judgment, is the throne of grace, Heb. iv. 16. Therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, " and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you; for the Lord is a God of judgment, Isa. xxx. 18. (4.) A guilty person. This is the sinner, who is so guilty of sin, as to be obnoxious to the judgment of God; Rom. iil. 19. chap. i. 39. whose mouth is stopped by conviction. (5.) Accusers are ready to propose and promote the charge against the guilty person; these are

the law, John v. 45. and conscience, Rom. ii. 15. and Satan also, Zach. iii. 2. Rev. xii. 10. (6.) The charge is admitted and drawn up into an handwriting in form of law, and is laid before the tribunal of the Judge in bar, to the deliverance of the offender. Col. ii. 14. (7.) A plea is prepared in the gospel for the guilty person. And this is grace, through the blood of Christ, the ransom paid, the atonement made, the eternal righteousness brought in by the surety of the covenant. Rom. iii. 23-25. Dan. ix. 24. Eph, i. 7. (8.) Hereunto alone the sinner betakes himself, renouncing all other apologies or defensatives whatever. Psalm cxxx. 2, 3. Psalm cxliii. 2. Job ix. 2, 3. chap. xlii, 5-7. Luke xviii. 18. Rom. iii. 24, 25. chap. v. 11, 16--19, chap. viii. 1-3. verse 32. 83, Isa. liii. 5, 6. Heb. ix, 13-15. chap. x. 1—13. I Pet. ii. 24, I John i. 7. Other plea for a sinner before God there is none. He who knoweth God and himself, will not provide or betake himself unto any other. Nor will he as I suppose trust unto any other defence, were he sure of all the angels in heaven to plead for him, (9.) To make this plea effectual we have an Advocate with the Father, and he pleads his own propitiation for us. I John ii. 1, 2. (10.) The sentence hereon is absolution, on the account of the ransom, blood or sacrifice and righteousness of Christ; with acceptation into favour, as persons approved of God. Job, xxxiii. 24. Psal. xxxii. 1, 2. Rom, iii, 23, 24, 25, chap viii. I. 33, 34. 2 Cor. v. 21. Gal, iii. 13, 14.

Of what use the declaration of this process in the justification of a sinner may be, bath been in some measure before declared. And if many did seriously consider, that all these things do concur and are required unto the justification of every one that shall be saved, it may be they would not have such slight thoughts of sin, and the way of deliverance from the guilt of it, as they seem to have. From this consideration did the Apostle learn that terror of the Lord, which made him so earnest with men to seek after reconciliaton; 2 Cor. v. 10, 11.

I had not so long insisted on the signification of the words in the Scripture, but that a right anderstanding of it doth not only exclude the pretences of the Romanists about the infusion of an habit of charity, from being the formal cause of our justification before God, but may also give occasion unto some to take advice, into what place or consideration they can dispose their own personal inherent righteousness in their justification before him.

CHAPTER, V.

The distinction of a first and second justification examined, The continuation of justification whereon it doth depend.

BEFOR

EFORE we inquire immediately into the nature and causes of justification, there are some things yet previously to be considered, that we may prevent all ambiguity and misunderstanding, about the subject to be treated of. I say therefore that the evangelical justification which alone we plead about, is but one, and is at once completed. About any other justification before God but one, we will not contend with any. Those who can find out another, may as they please ascribe what they will unto it, or ascribe it unto what they will. Let us therefore consider what is offered of this

nature.

Those of the Roman church do ground their whole doctrine of justification upon a distinction of a double justification, which they call the first and the second. The first justification, they say, is the infusion of the communication unto us of an inherent principle or habit of grace or charity. Hereby they say original sin is extinguished, and all habits of sin are expeled. This justification they say is by faith, the obedience and satisfaction of Christ being the only meritorious cause thereof. Only they dispute many things about preparations for it, and dispositions unto it. And this accord

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ing unto them is that justification, whereof the Apostle Paul treats in his epistles, from the procurement whereof he excludes all the works of the law. The second justification is an effect or consequent hereof. And the proper formal cause thereof is good works, proceeding from this principle of grace and love. Hence are they the righteousness wherewith believers are righteous before God: whereby they merit eternal life. The righteousness of works they call it, and suppose it taught by the Apostle James. This distinction brings confusion into the whole doctrine of the gospel. Justification through the free grace of God by faith in the blood of Christ is exacuated by it. Sanctification is turned into a justification, and corrupted by making the fruits of it meritorious. The whole nature of evangelical justification consisting in the gratuitous pardon of sin and the imputation of righteousness, as the Apostle expressly affirms, and the declaration of a believing sinner to be righteous thereon, as the word alone signifies, is utterly defeated by it.

Howbeit others have embraced this distinction also, though not absolutely in their sense. For they allow of a justification which in order of nature is antecedent unto works truly gracious and evangelical. But consequential unto such works, there is a justification differing at least in degree, if not in nature and kind, But they mostly say, it is only the continuation of our justification and the increase of it as to degrees, that they intend by it. And if they may be allowed to turn sanctification into justification, and to make a progress therein, or an increase thereof, either in the root or fruit to be a new justification, they may make twenty justifications as well as two for ought I know. For therein the "inward man is renewed day by day." II. Cor. iv. 16. and believers go from strength to strength, are changed from glory to glory, II. Cor. iii. 18. by the addition of one grace unto another in their exercise. II. Pet, i, 5-8. and increasing with the increase of God. Col, ii. 19. do in all things grow up into him who is the head. Eph, iv, 15. And if their justifica