The Marrow of Sacred Divinity - William Ames (1642)

1. COmmunion of the blessings flowing from Union with Christ, is that whereby the faithfull are made partakers of all those things they have need of, to live well, and blessedly with God. Eph. 1. 3. He hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings. Rom. 8. 32. He who spared not his own Son, &c. How shall he not freely with him give us all things also?

2. This communion therefore doth bring a translation and change of condition to believers, from the state of sin and death, to the state of righteousnesse and life eternall. 1 John 3. 14. We know that we are translated from death to life.⁸⁸

3. This change of state is twofold; relative, and absolute or reall.

4. A relative change of state is that which consists in Gods reputation. Rom. 4. 5. And he that worketh not, but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is imputed to him for righteousnesse, 1 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the World tot himselfe: not imputing to them their offences.

5. Hence it admits no degrees properly so called, but it is together and at once perfect in one only act, although in respect of the manifestation, sence, and effects, it hath divers degrees. Hitherto pertaines justification and adoption.

6. Iustification is a gracious sentence of God, whereby for Christs sake apprehended by Faith he doth absolve the believer from sin and death, and accounts him righteous unto life. Rom. 3. 22, 24. The righteousnesse of God by Faith of Iesus Christ in all, and upon all that believe: as they who are freely justified by his grace through the redemption made by Iesus Christ.

7. It is the pronouncing of a sentence, as the use of the word declares, which doth norset forth a physicall, or reall change in the holy Scriptures: but that judiciall, or morall change which consists in pronouncing of a sentence and in reputation. Prov. 17. 15. He that justifies the wicked. Rom. 8. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? It is God that Iustifies.

8. Therefore Thomas with his followers doth fowly erre, who would have justification as it were a physicall motion, by a reall transmutation from a state of unrightousnesse to a state of righteousnesse; so as that the terme from which is sin, the terme to which, is inherent righteousnesse, and the motion is partly remission of sin, partly infusion of righteousnesse.

9. This sentence was. 1. As it were conceived in the mind of God by a decree of justifying. Gal. 3. 8. The Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Gentiles by Faith. 2. It was pronounced in Christ our head, now rising from the dead. 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe not imputing their sins to them. 3. It is virtually pronounced upon that first relation which ariseth upon Faith begotten, Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus. 4. It is expresly pronounced by the Spirit of God witnessing unto our spirits our reconciliation with God. Rom. 5. 5. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Spirit that is given to us. In this testimony of the spirit justification itselfe doth not so properly consist, as an actuall perceiving of that before granted as it were by a reflected act of Faith.⁸⁹

10. It is a gratious sentence, because it is not properly given by the Iustice of God, but by his grace, Rom. 3. 24. Freely by his grace. For by the same grace whereby he called Christ to the office of Mediator, and did draw the elect to Union with Christ, he doth account them being already drawn and believing, to be just by that Union.

11. It is for Christs sake, 2 Cor. 5. 21. That we may be made the righteousnesse of God in him, for the obedience of Christ is that righteousnesse in respect whereof the grace of God doth justifie us, no otherwise, then the disobedience of Adam was that offence in respect whereof the justice of God did condemne us. Rom. 5. 18.

12. Therefore the righteousnesse of Christ, is imputed to believers in justification. Phil. 3. 9. That I may be found in him not having mine own righteousnesse which is of the Law, but that which is by Faith of Christ, the righteousnesse of God through Faith.

13. But because this righteousnesse is ordained of God to that end, and by his grace is approved and confirmed: so that sinners can stand before him through this righteousnesse, therefore it is called the righteousnesse of God. Rom. 10. 3.

14. But this justification is for Christ, not absolutely considered,⁹⁰ in which sence Christ is also the cause of vocation,⁹¹ but for Christ apprehended by Faith, which Faith doth follow Calling as an effect, and followeth righteousnesse, by which being apprehended justification followes: whence also righteousnesse is said to be of Faith. Romans 9. vers. 30. & 10. 16. And Iustification through Faith, Chap. 3. 28.⁹²

15. This justifying Faith⁹³ is not that generall Faith whereby in the understanding we yield assent to the truth revealed in the holy Scriptures: for that doth neither properly belong to those that are justified, neither of it own nature hath it any force in it selfe to justifie, neither doth it produce those effects which are every where in the Scripture given to justifying Faith.

16. Neither is it (to speake properly) that speciall confidence, whereby we doe apprehend remission of sins, and justification it selfe: for justifying Faith goeth before justification it selfe, as the cause goeth before the effect: but Faith apprehending justification doth necessarily presuppose, and follow justification, as an act followes the object about which it is exercised.

17. That Faith therefore is properly called justifying, whereby we rely upon Christ for remission of sins and for salvation. For Christ is the adaequate object of Faith as Faith. Iustifyeth. Faith also doth no otherwise justifie, then as it apprehends that righteousnesse by which we are justified: but that righteousnesse is not in the truth of some sentence to which we yield assent, but in Christ alone, who is made sinne for us, that wee might bee righteousnesse in him, 2 Cor. 5. 21.

18. Hence are those Sermons so often repeated in the new Testament, which doe shew that justification is to be fought for in Christ alone. John 1. 12. & 3. 15. 16. & 6. 40. 47. 14. 1. 54. Romans 4. 5. & 3. 26. Acts 10. 43. & 26. 18. Gal. 3. 26.

19. This justifying Faith of it own nature doth produce, and so hath joyned with it a speciall and certaine perswasion of the grace and mercy of God in Christ: whence also justifying Faith is oftentimes not amisse described by the orthodox by this perswasion, especially when they doe oppose that generall Faith to which the Papists ascribe all things: but 1. This perswasion as touching the sence of it, is not alwayes present. For it may and often doth come to passe, either through weakenesse of judgement, or through divers tentations and troubles of mind, that he, who truly believeth, and is by Faith justified before God, yet for a time may thinke according to that which hee feeles, that he neither believeth, nor is reconciled to God. 2. There be divers degrees, of his perswasion, so that neither all believers have altogether the same assurance of the grace and favour of God, nor the same believers at all times: which yet they cannot properly affirme of justifying Faith without a great deale of detriment of that consolation and peace which Christ hath left to believers.

20. Iustification absolves from sin and death not immediatly by taking away the blame, or staine, or all the effects of sin: but that oblation and guilt to undergoe eternall death. Rom. 8. 1. 33. 34. There is no condemnation, who shall lay any thing to their charge? who shall condemne?

21. Neither yet doth it so take away the guilt, as that it takes away the desert of punishment from the sin, which (the sinne it selfe remayning,) can in no sort be taken away; but it so takes away the guilt, that it takes away the revenging pursuit of the desart of it, or the deadly effects of it.

22. This absolution from sins is called in a divers respect, but in the same sence in holy Scriptures Remission, Redemption, and Reconciliation, Eph. 1. 6. 7. For as the state of sin is considered as a bondage, or certaine spirituall captivity in respect of the guilt, so his justification is called Redemption, but as the same state is considered as a subjection to doe punishment, so it is called remission, as also a passing by, a blotting out, a disburdening, a taking away, a casting away, a removing, a casting behind the back, Rom. 4. 7. Col. 2. 13. Mich. 7. 18. Isay 43. 12. 38. 17. Psal. 32. 1, 2. And as the same state is considered as a certaine enmity against God, so justification is called a reconciliation. Romans 5. 10. As also a certaine winking at sin, Numb. 23. 25. A covering of sin. Ps. 32. 1, 2.

23. But not only the sins of justified persons that are past are remitted, but also in some sort those to come. Numb. 23. 25. He seeth no iniquity in Iacob, nor perversnesse in Israel, because justification hath left no place to condemnation, John 5. 24. He that believeth hath eternall life, and shall not come into condemnation: and it doth certainly and immediatly adjudge one to eternall life. It also maketh all that remission, which was in Christ obtained for us, to be actually ours: neither can sins past and present be altogether and fully remitted, unlesse sins to come be in some sort remitted also.

24. But there is this difference, that sins past are remitted by a formall application, by sins to come onely virtually: sins past are remitted in themselves, sins to come in the subject or person sinning.

25. Yet those that are justified doe daily desire the forgivenesse of sins. 1. Because the continuance of this grace is necessary to them. 2. That the sence and manifestation of it may be more and more perceived, as severall sinnes required. 3. That the execution of that sentence which in justification is pronounced, might bee matured and furthered.

26. Besides the forgivenesse of sinnes there is required also imputation of righteousnesse, Rom. 5. 18. Rev. 19. 8. Rom. 8. 3. Because there may be a totall absence of sin, where notwithstanding there is not that righteousnesse which must come in place of justification.⁹⁴

27. But this righteousnesse is not severally to be sought in the purity of the nature, birth, and life of Christ: but it ariseth out of all the obedience of Christ together with remission of sins, as the same disobedience of Adam, hath both robbed us of originall righteousnesse, & made us subject to the guilt of condemnation.