A Conciliatoy Judgement CONCERNING Dr. Crisps' Sermons. AND Mr. BAXTER'S Dissatisfactions in Them.  
By T. Beverley,  
London, Printed, and Sold by William Marshal at the Bible in Newgate-street, where you may be supplied with the Scripture Line of Time, and the other pieces of the same Authors. 1690.   

A Conciliatory Judgement concerning Dr. Crisps' Sermons, and Mr. Baxter's Dissatisfactions in them.  
AN Interposal in this Case is Nice and Tender, whether we consider the persons concerned, or the Case itself.  
If we consider the persons, They are Dr. Crisps in his Memory, who being a Person Dissolved, and as we have Great Reason to be assured, with Christ in Spirit near these Fifty years, and who being Dead, yet speaketh, His Memory ought to be precious to us, and to be embalmed with Honour: On the other side is Mr. Baxter, grown now in his excellent Ministerial Labours of all Kind's, Such a one, as the Aged Servant of Jesus Christ, and a Father: Great Estimation, Reverence, and Tenderest Regard are therefore due to Him.  
If we consider the Case itself, it Requires much Greater Caution; For it is a seeming Controversy between the Justification, and the Sanctification of the Gospel, betwixt Justifying Faith, and Good works.  
Notwithstanding the Great Nicety, and Caution, necessary to be used, I am yet most desirous to Contribute my utmost service, to mediate betwixt a Dead, and a Living Servant of Christ, as also to fix the Situation, and order of Two so Great Points of Christian Religion, and thereby to conciliate the Two Ministeries before us.  
And certainly in the first place, the so often calling the Righteousness of Christ, by which we are Justified, the Righteousness of God, does without any more words, determine it to be our supreme, not only Righteousness, but Holiness; And no distinctions, or Limitations can dethrone, or confine it: If it be divine, It must be Infinite, and Supreme; And All Inherent Righteousness of Faith, Repentance, Sanctification, or whatever names of Qualification of the persons, who Receive it, can be no more, than the Wise and Holy Oeconomy of that Supreme Righteousness, that so manages, and fits the Person, to whom it communicates itself to a Fitness, and Agreeableness to so High a Communication; If it be Divine and Infinite, All must flow from it; nothing can be Brought, or Added to it.  
Now that it is Divine, is out of measure clear by Jesus Christ, being styled Jehovah our Righteousness, Jerem. 23.6. by the Apostle Paul's so often calling the Righteousness of Christ, the Righteousness of God, Rom. 3.21.22. 2 Cor. 5.21. Phil. 3.6. This then being once declared, fully determines the Case; That this Righteousness is the Supreme Righteousness, and Holiness also, to whom soever it is a Righteousness; And no Restrictions can be Received to the diminution of it, nor can any Thing be spoken too High, too Great, too much of it: For what is our Righteousness is also that Holiness, by which we stand Accepted before God, seeing Righteousness, and Holiness are the same, the Abundance of which we Receive by Grace and Free Gift.  
Now that it can come to us, upon us, that we may be Found in Christ, and have not our own, but it; that we are made the Righteousness of God by it, that it is Imputed to us; are all Scripture Expressions, Assuring, It may be made ours; And whatever is divine, where it Communicates to us itself, is so Unitive, that it is nearer to us, than we ourselves, or any Thing of ours can be to ourselves.  
It nevertheless follows, That this Righteousness prepares for itself by Humiliation, by Faith, by Repentance, a Reception suitable to itself in the person, who is to Receive it, but so that these Things are not offered in Sacrifice to the Righteousness of Christ to incline, or draw it, but are wholly from it by Emanations, Emissions, divine Effluviums from itself, winning, Atracting, and uniting that Spirit to it, to which it is pleased to unite itself; And where it is pleased so to be united, it Prints, and Enstamps its own Image upon the Heart, and Life by Sanctification.  
And These Things are All done by so Infallible and Inseparable an Efflux from Christ, that a Thousand Times sooner may the Beams be cut off from the Sun, the streams from the Fountain, than the inward Holiness, and Righteousness of Faith, Repentance, the new Creation and good works can be cut off from the Righteousness of Christ, imputed to any Person.  
But withal it is to be known, that the Communication in this Life is but to such degrees, and these so various, and in the Best, Leaving a Body of Sin, and Death, that as till the very Kingdom of Redemption, There is not a perfect washing of the Robes of Saints in the Blood of the Lamb; so there is not a perfect Communication of the Image of that Righteousness in Holiness; So that That Righteousness depended upon by Faith, and witnessed by the Spirit, is our only Title to Righteousness; and yet the Signatures of Holiness, the clearer They are, the Greater is the Evidence, that Righteousness is ours; and the more Cloudy they are, the Greater Reason of doubt, and fear, It is not ours, and therefore the more Earnest aught the Application to be, that we may have the more lively Impresses of itself upon us; And in that supposed Justification, or Title to the Righteousness of Christ, as ours, made good by Faith, and Holiness; The Righteousness of Christ is still Supreme; For the Image, the Reflex, or Reverse of that Righteousness imputed, is Christ's owning us, as His, and Justified by Him; Hence is our humble Appeal to God in Him, that it is so: But Christ first owns his Servants Graces, as Appears, Mat. 25.35. I was an Hungered, etc. They plead His Righteousness only.  
And even when this Righteousness is indeed communicated, There is always Uprightness, and Sincerity; but still the Eye of a Man's Spirit is turned by the Spirit of God, so to this Righteousness, that when It is in Darkness, and sees no Light, It moves to it, and against Hope belieus in Hope; and when it sees no other Light, It Trusts in the Name of the Lord, and Stays on its God, which is certainly from the divine Witness of the Spirit of God to a Man's Spirit, that He is Christ's.  
If it should be said, the State of the Righteousness of Christ thus Communicating itself, seems not to agree with so Great parts of Scripture, insisting upon Holiness of Heart and Life; And there are but some chosen places of Scripture, that speak of the Righteousness of Christ; Our great work therefore seems to be in minding inward and active Righteousness, that we may be Righteous according to 1 John 3.7. Be not deceived, He that doth Righteousness is Righteous, even as He is Righteous.  
It is very True, a Greater Proportion of Scripture is taken up in Rules of Holiness, Precepts, Commands, Promises, Threaten, Exhortations, Expostulations, Reproofs pressing hereunto, in regard of the variety of persons, and of Cases herein concerned; and that there might be a Vindication of of the Holiness, and Purity of the Salvation of Christ before Natural Conscience, and against the Enemies of Grace: Further, so many Scriptures pressing to Holiness, are Barriers, that profane and unholy Men, who Hate to be Reformed, and Hypocrites may not presume upon an Interest in Christ, and his Righteousness, till they Find their Hearts changed; But especially, Scripture is so large in all these Methods of persuading Men to Holiness, because They are serviceable to that Oeconomy of Grace, that moves and acts upon the Intellectual Spirit of Man Rationally, while it Supremely moves, and Subordinates' it thereby to its own operations: And Secondarily, These Abundant discourses of Holiness, show to Man his own Unrighteousness by his so Great Falls, Failings, and Imperfections, even under the Covenant of Grace; That Boasting in Regard of Sanctification under that Grace may be excluded, and we may make mention of the Righteousness of the Lord, and Glory in that Alone.  
But then that so little Comparatively is spoken of the Righteousness of Christ; Though very much, and very Great is spoken of it, is, because All divine is simple, clear, One, spoken of, as it were at once; and as the Being, and Attributes of God, though often spoken of, need not many words at a time, but are to be especially Meditated upon; Even so, though upon occasion, the Righteousness of Christ requires larger Discourses, as Rom. c. 3. c. 4. c. 5. Gal. c. 2. c. 3. c. 4. Ephes. c. 1. c. 2. Philip. c. 3. Yet it is rather continually spoken of, as our only Foundation and Hope, and always employed.  
This Righteousness then being Infinite, Therefore Justification by it is Attributed to Faith without works, because an Infinite Righteousness can be only Received, and not Aided by our works, it can only be believed in, not helped out by any thing in us.  
If it be said, the Apostle James seems to have decided the Point much otherwise by Asserting, Faith does not, nor can Justify or save without Works: And if so, than it must follow, Not the Righteousness of Christ only, but Works of Sanctification, under that, are our Righteousness also, and Conditions of our Justification, as our Acts and Works; And so this notion of the Righteousness of Christ being Infinite, and giving Room to no other Righteousness cannot Hold.  
To that I Answer, To any Attended Considerer of that Apostles discourse, It will be found; He does not discourse of Faith, and Works, as Two distinct complete things, but as Two parts of one, and the same Thing complete; viz. A complete Faith; As if we discourse of the Body, and Spirit of a Man; It is not a discouse of Two complete Being's, but of that one complete Being, Man, compounded of Body, and of Spirit: Of this we may find Great proof in many Expressions, and in the last verse, the Key of All; As the Body without the Spirit is dead, so Faith without Works is dead also. James 2. last.  
Now in Faith, there is the outward Profession, or, as we call it, Confession of Faith, which the Apostle Intimates in those words; Thou believest, There is one God, with which Article Confessions of Faith generally begin; and this Confession, tho' the Body of Faith only, the Apostle calls Faith, as we Vulgarly speaking, call the Body oftenest, the Man: But then there is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as the Apostle Paul calls it, the Work of Faith with Power, 2 Thes. 1.11. or as the Apostle James speaks the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the works, viz. of Faith; With which Faith, Those Works of Faith are to be close connected, and understood only of Faiths own Works. And the difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Work in the Apostle Paul, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Works in the Apostle James, makes no more difference, than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Works and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Work in the Apostle Paul himself, Rom. 11.6. in another case.  
Now this Work of Faith with Power is such, that when the whole Result shall be seen in the High Operation of True Faith, in relation to Justification, Sanctification, and Glorification; It will be seen to the Admirable Glory of God in Christ, in his Saints, and of their Glory in Him; for the Holiness, Wisdom, and yet infinite Grace of all, to the Admiration of All Angels and Saints, and Confusion of Devils and wicked Men, as v. 10. and 12. compared, make out.  
Now these Two, the Confession of Faith, and the Work of Faith are, as I may call it, Hypostatically, or as it were Personally united; Confession the Body; Work and Power, or Works the Spirit; And when they are thus united, The Confession Works with that Operation of Faith, or Vis Effectrix, that Spirit of Faith, as the Body works with the Mind, or the instrument with the Workman, and thereby the Confession of Faith is perfected into a complete Faith, by being thus united with the Works of Faith.  
Now to show This was the Apostles meaning; He does not instance in the Works of a Holy, Regular Conversation according to the Moral Law, but in Two Solitary, Single, Eminent, and Extraordinary Acts of Abraham, and Rahab; and such, as the general Face of the Moral Law would rather Condemn, then Justify upon.  
But as the First, and Specific Act of Justifying Faith, is Apprehending the Righteousness of Christ, for whieh it is first Apprehended of Christ, and so Justifies by this Righteousness of Christ, Apprehended by this Operation. From which Operation of Apprehending Christ, if the Confession be divided, it cannot Justify, because it misses the Righteousness of Christ.  
Even so the Apostle Instances in Acts of Abraham, and Rahab's Faith, that were nearly Related to Christ, and as it were a Mirror of Christ Apprehended, viz. Abraham's offering Isaac, so Great a Type of the Sacrifice of Christ; and Rahab's Receiving the People of the Promised Messiah, under whom she desired shelter from the common Wrath, coming on her Own People; So that Thread of Typical Scarlet, Purifying Sin was given her as a Type of the Blood of Christ.  
Now the occasion of all this discourse Appears to be, to make good, that the True Faith of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory, that hath that First work of Seeing, and Receiving Him so essential to it, hath such a sight of him, and of his Glory, that it puts Glory on the meanest Christians, so that Christ in them is highly Precious, though without the World's Trappings of Glory, because of Christ in them, which Faith seeing Christ hath always in its Eye. c. 2. v. 1. etc.  
But if any One think this Explication too narrow, though I am much persuaded, deep Consideration will be satisfied; and the rather, because the Trembling of the Devils Confessionary Faith of God, that hath no operation into the Mediator is opposed to the Rest, a Justifying Faith in Christ gives. Yet if any One think it too narrow, He may enlarge it by considering, that from the Righteousness of Christ in his Death, and Resurrection, Justification, and Sanctification Flow as in an Hypostolick Union; So the Faith that receives the one, Receives the other: and That Faith which hath that Specific Operation of Receiving Christ, By that Operation, it hath Received therein, can in All other Things Act like itself; and as it Receives the Righteousness of Christ, so it Receives the Image of it, in which All Good Works lie Treasured. Ephes. 2.10. But seeing the Apostle Paul hath once so Fully, and Expressly Asserted to Faith, that it Justifies in Receiving Christ, and the Abundance of Grace, and the Gift of Righteousness from Him; It can never be dismounted from that dignity, but whatever is said to Justify, must be so Personally united with Faith, Receiving Christ's Righteousness, as to Justify only, as it is so united to Faith, and Faith to Christ. For as Infinite Righteousness can have no Additions of any other Righteousness; So there can be nothing added to Believing in it, but what must fall into the Essence of Believing or Receiving, in this point of Justification: For else something must be added to the Righteousness itself, which cannot be, if it be, an Infinite Righteousness, without a Contradiction. And even this Faith can not be Raised out of ourselves, but is from the Beams of that Righteousness shining about the Heart, the Spirit Strengthening the Inner Man, and drawing it to Christ, that he may dwell in it.  
I come then to the Conclusive point, the Reconciling Dr. Crisps' Sermons with Mr. Baxter; In order to which, I make these observations.  
1. God gives to the Variety of his Servants a diversified poiz of Spirit; In some it comes nearest to the Sons of Thunder; In others to the Sons of Oil, or Consolation. Thus the Apostle James in his Epistle, is as a Son of Thunder; the Apostle Paul in the Doctrine of Free Grace, as a Son of Consolation; But in both these Two Breathed One, and the same Spirit, Dividing to each, as it pleased Him: And so I doubt not in these Two Eminent Ministers of Christ; The same Spirit hath wrought, wherein their way of Preaching or Writing seems to differ most, abating to each Humane Infirmity, and not Attributing to either the Infallible Spirit, that Guided the Writers of Scripture in their writing.  
2. I observe in Scripture, the Spirit often in the Point it is upon, moves straight forward, and in a Stream like a Torrent, and takes notice of nothing, to hinder, but hath in due place Balanced every Truth, one with another.  
Thus the Apostle Paul moves on in the Doctrine of Justification of the ungodly by Faith in Christ without Works, Rom. c. 3. c. 4. c. 5. and then c. 6. considers, and Fore-prizes the bad consequences that may be drawn from it.  
The Apostle James dictated to by the same Spirit, even derides a Confession of Faith, that hath not Works, that is, an effective Power of doing Things like itself, as utterly Impotent, to Justify or Save, because it Receiving none of the mighty Influences of the Righteousness of Christ, it is thence Evident, it hath not Received that Righteousness itself; And herein the Spirit in the Apostle James runs so high, as to offer a seeming Contradiction to itself in the Apostle Paul, and Leaves to the Searchers of Scripture to find the True Key of the Intrepretation.  
But herein was no Cause to either Apostle to be offended one with Another, or for the Readers of either to be offended with either of them, but they are to lay both together, and thereby to deduce the whole Scripture Truth.  
In the very same matter, though not with so high a Deference to either of these Two Ministers of Jesus Christ; All which, They both have spoken according to the Truth of Christ, is to be laid together; and neither part to be considered principally, as from them, but as from one and the same Spirit, Guiding both in each part of Truth, according to his word, and the Dispensation committed to each of them; One singly, and Solely exalting the Righteousness of Jesus Christ, as our whole Foundation, and Comfort, and in Cases of Great difficulty, and darkness to be Rested upon alone; and yet always implying, and many times Expressing, and never contradicting that this Righteousness of Christ Flows out with all Holiness; The other more insisting upon the Righteousness of Christ in its Impress of Mortification, by Conformity to his Death, and of Sanctification by the Power of his Resurrection; The one most necessary, when Conscience hath to do with God; The other necessary in the Course of a Christian Conversation.  
But it must be Acknowledged, the Increated Righteousness of Christ being infinite, and all Inherent Righteousness considered as ours, and distinct from Christ's, from which yet it can never be separated, being Created; and not only so, but very Scanty, and imperfect; the Righteousness of Christ is most Radical, and the Standard, by which all Inherent Righteousness must in the discourse of it be Bounded; and wherever the Righteousness of Christ is Received, Holiness infallibly follows; whereas a seemingly good Conversation often misses that Root; But far be it to suppose, Mr. Baxer in all his discourses, pressing Mortification, and Holiness hath not so Learned, and so taught, as the Truth is in Jesus, that His Righteousness is our alone Justification.  
But I am much persuaded, Dr. Crisp was raised up on purpose by God to Break that Box of Spikenard, that sent out so High, and Sweet a savour of Christ; And I do not perceive, He attained that Height of his Ministry, till the latter end of it; so I Collect from the Additional Sermons, which are not of so Rich a Savour of those Good Ointments; And speedily after, He attained that Height, God Took Him, even early out of the World: For but a little of so Great a Cordial God Allotted the World; And if any say, why did not Dr. Crisp Balance that Doctrine of Christ, with the Treaty of other Scriptures, pressing Holiness, it may very well be Answered; The Preaching of Christ was his peculiar Ministerial Lot, and Talon, Assigned him by God, as in the forenamed differences of Holy Writers. And He is not to be considered as alone in the Hand of Christ, or as a single Star, but with all the other Stars, by whom the Holy Spirit hath Abundantly written, what may Balance his preaching of Christ so singly, and wholly; For tho' He, and They are several Men to us, and their preaching several; yet They are All Stars together in the Hand of Christ, and the Truth taken together one; Though the Truth He preached was certainly of the Highest Orb, and it shall be Remembered to his Honour, when the Everlasting Gospel is Preached.  
For I am much persuaded, as the Preaching these Sermons was before a notable Breaking out of Gospel Light, and Truth, and a Dawn of the Kingdom of Christ in his Redemption; Not concerning myself in the civil differences of that Time, nor the miscarriges of wild opinions; So I cannot but hope, The Reprinting of these Sermons is ordered by Providence, as a Forerunning of a much Clearer opening of that Kingdom of Redemption, in preparation whereunto, the Song of Redemption shall be, as it were, a New Song set to a Higher Elah; even when the Forty Two Months of the Apostasy, that now clouds it, shall come to an end.  
Let us then in Conclusion of the Matter magnify the Ministry of the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus, as Excelling in Glory, 2 Cor. 3.9. Great was the Ministry, that gave us his Great Sermon in the Mount, his other most Powerful Sermons, as the Voice of Thunder; and that Prayer of the Kingdom, we style the Lord's Prayer, together with many High Emanations of the Spirit upon Him, to Preach the Jubilee of the Lord; But the Beloved Disciple gave us the more constant still Voice of his most Evangelical discourses, and his Mediatory Prayer, spreading itself over All. John 17.  
Great was the Ministry of the Apostle James, who when He Appeared, as a Son of Thunder against a Liveless Confession of Faith, as a Dead Body; yet so gives the Working Spirit of Faith, that He dares not describe it, as in the Appearance of Works of the Moral Law, lest he should establish Works contrary to the Spirit in the Apostle Paul; but in the Acts of Obedience, as Extraordinary to the Moral Law, as Imputation of the Righteousness of Another to us is to it; Nor in a whole Conversation of Evangelical Obedience, lest He should seem to set up that in the place of the Works of the Law, but in single Acts; and those Acts looking to Christ; Abraham seeing, and Rejoicing in Christ's day in Isaac; Rahab looking on the Brazen Serpent, and not Perishing with them that Believed not, Heb. 11.31. and showing in A●l, He did but Explorate by Works like itself, for a Faith Reaching Christ in that Fundamental Operation of it, as the Immanent Spirit of it; 
* The Scripture was Fulfilled, which said long before Abraham believed, etc. And It was Imputed, etc. James 2.23.  and therefore chooses the Operation of Abraham's Faith, that God stayed, ere it became a Full Transient Act, or passed into Full Work; that He might no way injure Infinite Righteousness: And yet He, who as the Chief of Forgiven Sinners, Loved most, Published Free Grace more Abundantly, than They All; Yet not He, but the Grace of God with Him; Let us therefore learn with Him to Know nothing, but Christ, and Him Crucified; Till in Robes washed in his Blood, we sing that, as it were new Song of Redemption, as Kings, and Priests to the Father on the Throne, and to the Lamb, to whom be Glory for Ever and Ever, Amen.  
FINIS.   

Books sold by William Marshal at the Bible in Newgate-street.  
THE Works of Dr. Crisp, complete in 52 Sermons, some never before printed.  
Many Works of Dr. Owen; Of the nature of a Gospel Church and its Government, in Answer to the unreasonableness of Separation; Of the State of Protestant Religion, lately published.  
The Catechism of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ in the 1000 Years. By the Author of this Conciliatory Judgement▪ newly printed.