4. The third reason proceeds upon a mistake; namely, That to be justified, is only to be freed from the punishment due unto sin. For it compriseth both the Non-imputation of sin, and the Imputation of Righteousness, with the privilege of Adoption and right unto the Heavenly Inheritance, which are inseparable from it. And although it doth not appear ⟨p. 183⟩that the Apostle in the enumeration of these Privileges, did intend a process from the lesser unto the greater; nor is it safe for us to compare the unutterable effects of the Grace of God by Christ Jesus, such as Sanctification and Justification are, and to determine which is greatest, and which is least; yet following the conduct of the Scripture, and the due consideration of the things themselves, we may say that in this life we can be made partakers of no greater Mercy or Privilege, than what consists in our Justification. And the Reader may see from hence, how impossible it is to produce any one place wherein the words, Justification, and to justify, do signify a real internal Work and Physical operation; in that this learned man, a person of more then ordinary perspicuity, candour and judgment, designing to prove it, insisted on such instances, as give so little countenance unto what he pretended. He adds, Tit. 3.5, 6, 7. Not by works of Righteousness which we have done, but according unto his Mercy he saved us, by the washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his Grace, we should be made Heirs according unto the hope of Eternal life. The argument which he alone insists upon to prove, that by Justification here, an infusion of internal Grace is intended, is this; That the Apostle affirming first, that God saved us, according unto his Mercy by the washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, and afterwards affirming that we are Justified by his Grace, he supposes it necessary, that we should be Regenerate and renewed, that we may be justified; and if so, then our Justification contains and compriseth our Sanctification also.
4. The third reason proceeds upon a mistake; namely, That to be justified, is only to be freed from the punishment due unto sin. For it comprizeth both the Non-imputation of sin, and the Imputation of Righteousness, with the priviledge of Adoption and right unto the Heavenly Inheritance, which are inseparable from it. And although it doth not appear ⟨p. 183⟩that the Apostle in the enumeration of these Priviledges, did intend a process from the lesser unto the greater; nor is it safe for us to compare the unutterable effects of the Grace of God by Christ Jesus, such as Sanctification and Justification are, and to determine which is greatest, and which is least; yet following the conduct of the Scripture, and the due consideration of the things themselves, we may say that in this life we can be made partakers of no greater Mercy or Priviledge, than what consists in our Justification. And the Reader may see from hence, how impossible it is to produce any one place wherein the words, Justification, and to justifie, do signifie a real internal Work and Physical operation; in that this learned man, a person of more then ordinary perspicuity, candor and judgment, designing to prove it, insisted on such instances, as give so little countenance unto what he pretended. He adds, Tit. 3.5, 6, 7. Not by works of Righteousness which we have done, but according unto his Mercy he saved us, by the washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his Grace, we should be made Heirs according unto the hope of Eternal life. The argument which he alone insists upon to prove, that by Justification here, an infusion of internal Grace is intended, is this; That the Apostle affirming first, that God saved us, according unto his Mercy by the washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, and afterwards affirming that we are Justified by his Grace, he supposes it necessary, that we should be Regenerate and renewed, that we may be justified; and if so, then our Justification contains and compriseth our Sanctification also.
