3. That it is not directly at the bar of Gods secret Judgment, in his own breast, may appear thus: 1. That is not a bar at which God dealeth with sinners, for Justification or Condemnation in any known or visible way; No Scripture ⟨p. 123⟩intimateth it. 2. We could not then judge of our Justification. 3. They are immanent Acts; but Justification is a transient Act: Therefore Dr Downame in the place before mentioned hath proved against Mr Pemble, that Justification is not from Eternity. And (as I judge by his following Tract of Justification) Mr Pemble himself came afterwards to a sounder Judgment in the nature of Justification. 4. God dealeth with man in an open way of Law, and upon Covenant terms, and so will try him at a public Judgment according to the Tenor of his Covenants. There secrets of his breast are too high for us. By the word will he judge us: That must justify or condemn us. Therefore when you hear talk of the Bar of God, you must not understand it of the immanent Acts of Gods Knowledge or Will, but of his Bar of public Judgment, and in the sense of the Word, Some think that Justification by Faith is properly and directly none of all these yet, but that it is a public Act of God in heaven before his Angels. I think this opinion better then any of the three former, which would have it at the Bar of Gods secret Judgment, or of Conscience, or of the World; and I know no very ill consequence that followeth it; But that God doth condemn or justify at any such Bar. I find no Scripture fully to satisfy or persuade me. Those places, Rom. 2. 13. Heb. 9. 24. Luke 12, 8, 9. & 15. 10. which ⟨p. 124⟩are alleged to that purpose, seem not to conclude any ••ch thing, as that to be the Bar where Faith doth most properly justify: Yet I acknowledge that in a more remote sense we may be said to be justified by Faith at all the four other Bars, viz. Gods Immanent Judgment, and before the Angels, and before Conscience, and the World: For God and Angels do judge according to Truth, and take those to be just, who are so in Law and in deed: and so do our Consciences, and Men when they judge rightly; and when they do not, we cannot well be said to be justified at their Bar. Therefore I think they mistake, who would have Works, rather then Faith, to justify us at the Bar of the World, as I shall show afterward, when I come to open the conditions of Justification.
3. That it is not directly at the bar of Gods secret Judgment, in his own brest, may appear thus: 1. That is not a bar at which God dealeth with sinners, for Justification or Condemnation in any known or visible way; No Scripture ⟨p. 123⟩intimateth it. 2. We could not then judge of our Justification. 3. They are immanent Acts; but Justification is a transient Act: Therefore Dr Downame in the place before mentioned hath proved against Mr Pemble, that Justification is not from Eternity. And (as I judge by his following Tract of Justification) Mr Pemble himself came afterwards to a sounder Judgment in the nature of Justification. 4. God dealeth with man in an open way of Law, and upon Covenant terms, and so will try him at a publique Judgment according to the Tenor of his Covenants. There secrets of his brest are too high for us. By the word will he judge us: That must justifie or condemn us. Therefore when you hear talk of the Bar of God, you must not understand it of the immanent Acts of Gods Knewledg or Will, but of his Bar of publique Judgment, and in the sence of the Word, Some think that Justification by Faith is properly and directly none of all these yet, but that it is a publique Act of God in heaven before his Angels. I think this opinion better then any of the three former, which would have it at the Bar of Gods secret Judgment, or of Conscience, or of the World; and I know no very ill consequence that followeth it; But that God doth condemn or justifie at any such Bar. I find no Scripture fully to satisfie or perswade me. Those places, Rom. 2. 13. Heb. 9. 24. Luke 12, 8, 9. & 15. 10. which ⟨p. 124⟩are alledged to that purpose, seem not to conclude any ••ch thing, as that to be the Bar where Faith doth most properly justifie: Yet I acknowledge that in a more remote sence we may be said to be justified by Faith at all the four other Bars, viz. Gods Immanent Judgment, and before the Angels, and before Conscience, and the World: For God and Angels do judge according to Truth, and take those to be just, who are so in Law and in deed: and so do our Consciences, and Men when they judge rightly; and when they do not, we cannot well be said to be justified at their Bar. Therefore I think they mistake, who would have Works, rather then Faith, to justifie us at the Bar of the World, as I shall shew afterward, when I come to open the conditions of Justification.
