Answ. 2.But Lastly; For a full Answer to this Objection, and for the establishing of this Doctrine of good Works, I shall instance another Saying of the same Apostle Paul, which our Adversaries also in the Blindness of their Minds make use of against us; to wit, Tit. iii. 5. Justified not by our legal Performances, but the Fruit of the Spirit.Not by Works of Righteousness which we have done, but according to his Mercy he saved us, by the Washing of Regeneration, and Renewing of the Holy Ghost. It is generally granted by all, that [saved] is here all one as if it had been said [justified.] Now there are two Kinds of Works here mentioned: One by which we are not saved, that is, not justified; and another by which we are saved, or justified. The first, the Works of Righteousness which we have wrought, that is, which we in our first fallen Nature, by our own Strength, have wrought, our own legal Performances, and therefore may truly and properly be called ours, whatever specious Appearances they may have. And that it must needs and ought to be so understood, doth appear from the other Part, By the Washing of Regeneration, and Renewing of the Holy Ghost; seeing Regeneration is a Work, comprehensive of many good Works, even of all those which are called the Fruits of the Spirit.
Obj.Now in Case it should be objected, That these may also be called ours, because wrought in us, and also by us many Times as Instruments;
Answ.I answer; It is far otherwise than the former: For in the first we are yet alive in our own natural State, unrenewed, working of ourselves, seeking to save ourselves, by imitating and endeavouring a Conformity to the outward Letter of the Law; and so wrestling and striving in the Carnal Mind, that is Enmity to God, and in the cursed Will not yet subdued. But in this second we are crucified with Christ, we are become dead with him, have partaken of the Fellowship of his Sufferings, are made conformable to his Death; and our first Man, our old Man with all his Deeds, as well the openly Wicked as the seemingly Righteous, our legal Endeavours and foolish Wrestlings, are all buried and nailed to the Cross of Christ; Not We, but Christ in us is the Worker of Righteousness.and so it is no more we, but Christ alive in us, the Worker in us. So that though it be we in a Sense, yet it is according to that of the Apostle to the same Galatians, Chap. ii. Ver. 20. I am crucified, yet nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: Not I, but the Grace of Christ in me. These Works are especially to be ascribed to the Spirit of Christ, and the Grace of God in us, as being immediately thereby acted and led in them, and enabled to perform them. And this Manner of Speech is not strained, but familiar to the Apostles, as appears, Gal. ii. 8. For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the Apostleship of the Circumcision, the same was mighty in me, &c. Phil. ii. 13. For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do, &c. So that it appears by this Place, that since the Washing of Regeneration is necessary to Justification, and that Regeneration comprehends Works, Works are necessary; and that these Works of the Law that are excluded, are different from these that are necessary and admitted.
§. XI.
Answ. 1.That no impure Works are useful to Justification, is confessed; but that all the Works wrought in the Saints are such, is denied. And for Answer to this, the former Distinction will serve. We confess, that the first Sort of Works above-mentioned are impure; but not the second: Because the first are wrought in the unrenewed State, but not the other. And as for that of Isaiah, it must relate to the first Kind; What Sort of Righteousness is as filthy Rags.for though he saith, All our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags, yet that will not comprehend the Righteousness of Christ in us, but only that which we work of and by ourselves. For should we so conclude, then it would follow, that we should throw away all Holiness and Righteousness; since that which is as filthy Rags, and as a menstruous Garment, ought to be thrown away; yea, it would follow, that all the Fruits of the Spirit, mentioned, Gal. iv. were as filthy Rags; Whereas on the Contrary, some of the Works of the Saints are said to have a sweet Savour in the Nostrils of the Lord; are said to be an Ornament of great Price in the Sight of God; are said to prevail with him, and to be acceptable to him; which filthy Rags and a menstruous Garment cannot be. Yea, many famous Protestants have acknowledged, that this Place is not therefore so to be understood. Calvin and others their Sense concerning Isa. 64. 6. of our Righteousness.Calvin upon this Place saith, “That it is used to be cited by some, that they may prove there is so little Merit in our Works, that they are before God filthy and defiled: But this seems to me to be different from the Prophet’s Mind,” saith he, “seeing he speaks not here of all Mankind.” Musculus.Musculus upon this Place saith, “That it was usual for this People to presume much of their legal Righteousness, as if thereby they were made clean; nevertheless they had no more Cleanness than the unclean Garment of a Man. Others expound this Place concerning all the Righteousness of our Flesh; that Opinion indeed is true; yet I think that the Prophet did rather accommodate these Sayings to the Impurity of the People in legal Terms.” (Bertius) Epistolæ præfixæ dissert. ann.The Author (commonly supposed Bertius) speaking concerning the true Sense of the 7th Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, hath a Digression touching this of Isaiah, saying; “This Place is commonly corrupted by a pernicious Wresting; for it is still alleged, as if the Meaning thereof inferred the most excellent Works of the best Christians, &c.” Ja. Coret Apol. Impress. Paris, Ann. 1597 Page 78.James Coret, a French Minister in the Church of Basil, in his Apology concerning Justification against Alescales, saith; “Nevertheless concerning the Counsel of certain good Men, I must admonish the Reader, that it never came into our Minds to abuse that Saying of Isa. lxiv. 6. against good Works, in which it is said, that all our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags, as if he would have that which is good in our good Works, and proceedeth from the Holy Spirit, to be esteemed as a filthy and unclean Thing.”
§. XII.
Of the Merit and Reward of Works.But lastly, Because it is fit here to say something of the Merit and Reward of Works, I shall add something in this Place of our Sense and Belief concerning that Matter. We are far from thinking or believing, that Man merits any Thing by his Works from God, all being of Free Grace; and therefore do we, and always have denied that Popish Notion of Meritum ex condigno. Nevertheless we cannot deny, but that God, out of his Infinite Goodness wherewith he hath loved Mankind, after he communicates to him his holy Grace and Spirit, doth, according to his own Will, recompence and reward the good Works of his Children; GOD rewards the good Works of his Children.and therefore this Merit of Congruity or Reward, in so far as the Scripture is plain and positive for it, we may not deny; neither wholly reject the Word, in so far as the Scripture makes use of it. For the same Greek [Greek: axion: αξιον], which signifies [Merit] is also in those Places where the Translators express it Worth, or worthy, as Mat. iii. 8. 1 Thess. ii. 12. 2 Thess. i. 5. 11. Concerning which R. Baxter saith, in the Book above-cited, P. 8. “But in a larger Sense, as Promise is an Obligation, and the Thing promised is said to be Debt, so the Performers of the Conditions are called Worthy, and that which they perform Merit; although properly all be of Grace, and not of Debt.” Also those, who are called the Fathers of the Church, frequently used this Word of Merit, whose Sayings concerning this Matter I think not needful to insert, because it is not doubted, but evident, that many Protestants are not averse from this Word, in the Sense that we use it. The Apology for the Augustan Confession, Art. 20. hath these Words; “We agree that Works are truly meritorious, not of Remission of Sins, or Justification; but they are meritorious of other Rewards corporal and spiritual, which are indeed as well in this Life, as after this Life.” And further, “Seeing Works are a certain fulfilling of the Law, they are rightly said to be meritorious; it is rightly said, that a Reward is due to them.”
Conference of Oldenburgh.In the Acts of the Conference of Oldenburgh, the electoral Divines, P. 110. & 265. say, “In this Sense our Churches also are not averse from the Word [Merit] used by the Fathers; neither therefore do they defend the Popish Doctrine of Merit.”
G. Vossius of the Word Merit.G. Vossius, in his Theological Thesis concerning the Merits of good Works, saith; “We have not adventured to condemn the Word [Merit] wholly, as being that which both many of the Ancients use, and also the reformed Churches have used in their Confessions. Now that God judgeth and accepteth Men according to their Works, is beyond Doubt to those that seriously will read and consider these Scriptures.” Matt.. xvi. 27. Rom.. ii. 6. 7. 10. 2 Cor. v. 10. James i. 25. Heb. x. 35. 1 Pet. i. 17. Rev. xxii. 12.