1 VINDICIAE JUSTIFICATIONIS GRATUITAE Justification without Conditions; or the Free Justification of a Sinner, Explained, Confirmed, and Vindicated from the Exceptions, Objections, and seeming Absurdities which are cast upon it, by the Assertors of Conditional Justification; More especially, from the Attempts of Mr. B. Woodbridge, in his Sermon entitled, “Justification by Faith;” of Mr. Cranford, in his Epistle to the Reader; and of Mr. Baxter, in some Passages which relate to the same Matter. Wherein also, the Absoluteness of the New Covenant is proved, and the Arguments against it are disproved. By William Eyre, Minister of the Gospel, and Pastor of a Church in the City of New Sarum. “Being justified freely by his Grace, through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ.” {Rom.3:24} From the Second Edition. Printed in London, and Sold by John Vousden at the Hand and Bible, on London Bridge, 1695. 2 CONTENTS VINDICIAE JUSTIFICATIONIS GRATUITAE ......................................................................................... 3 To my dear flock in the City of New Sarum; unto which, God and their own Choice, have made me an Over‐seer. ................................................................................................................ 7 To the Christian Reader ................................................................................................................. 13 JUSTIFICATION WITHOUT CONDITIONS; ....................................................................................... 20 the Free Justification of a Sinner Justified. ....................................................................... 21 Chapter. I. ......................................................................................................................... 21 CHAP. II. ......................................................................................................................................... 37 A digression, concerning the proposing of questions, and reasoning with ministers publicly about the matter of their sermons. ....................................................... 37 CHAP. III. ........................................................................................................................................ 47 Being a survey of Mr. Woodbridge’s Title Page, wherein the opinion he opposeth, is cleared from the aspersion of Antinomianism.................................................... 47 CHAP. IV ......................................................................................................................................... 63 Containing some Animadversions upon Mr. Cranford’s Epistle to the Reader. .............. 63 CHAP. V .......................................................................................................................................... 82 Wherein Mr. Woodbridge’s Introduction, Text, Doctrine, and Proofs, are briefly considered. .......................................................................................................... 82 CHAPTER 6 ..................................................................................................................................... 96 The Several Opinions of divines touching the meaning of this Position, that a Man is Justified by Faith. ................................................................................................. 96 CHAPTER VII. ................................................................................................................................ 115 Wherein the Question about the time of our Justification is distinctly stated, and these two Propositions: A man is justified before Faith; and a man is justified by Faith are reconciled. ................................................................................................... 115 CHAP. VIII. .................................................................................................................................... 141 3 Wherein Mr. Woodbridge’s Exceptions against our saying that Faith or the act of believing, doth justify no otherwise, than as it reveals, and evidenceth our Justification, are answered................................................................................ 141 CHAP. IX. ...................................................................................................................................... 164 That Faith doth not justify as a Condition required on our part to qualify us for Justification. ...................................................................................................... 164 CHAPTER X ................................................................................................................................... 181 Wherein Mr. Woodbridge’s first argument against Justification before Faith, taken from the nature of Justification, is answered. ........................................................... 181 CHAPTER XI .................................................................................................................................. 192 Wherein Mr. Woodbridge’s Second Argument against Justification before Faith, taken from our State by Nature, is answered. ............................................................ 192 CHAPTER XII ................................................................................................................................. 202 Wherein Mr. Woodbridge’s third, fourth, and fifth Arguments are Answered. ............ 202 CHAP. XIII ..................................................................................................................................... 214 Wherein Mr. Woodbridge’s Answers to those Scriptures which hold an immediate actual reconciliation of sinners to God, upon the death of Christ, without the intervention of Faith, are examined. ................................................................. 214 CHAP. XIV. .................................................................................................................................... 236 Of the Covenant between the Father and the Son concerning the immediate effects of Christ’s death..................................................................................................... 236 CHAP. XV. ..................................................................................................................................... 248 Wherein Mr. Woodbridge’s Replies to the second objection {as he calls it} concerning our being justified in Christ as a common person, are examined. .................... 248 CHAP. XVI. .................................................................................................................................... 263 Of Mr. Woodbridge’s Answer to the third objection, which he hath framed concerning our being in Covenant with God before believing. ......................................................................... 264 CHAP. XVII. ................................................................................................................................... 279 Concerning the Covenant, wherein Faith is promised, and by virtue whereof it is given to us. ...................................................................................................................... 279 4 CHAP. XVIII. .................................................................................................................................. 295 Wherein Mr. Woodbridge’s Exposition of the New Covenant, {mentioned Jer.31:33 and in other places,} is further examined. ............................................................... 295 CHAP. XIX. .................................................................................................................................... 305 Wherein is shown, that in the New Covenant there are no conditions required of us, to invest us with a right and title to the blessings of it. ........................................ 305 CHAP. XX. ..................................................................................................................................... 320 Wherein Mr. Woodbridge’s chief argument against the absoluteness of the New Covenant, is answered; and this position {that God is the God of his people, before they do believe and repent} rescued from his contradictions. ............. 320 CHAP. XXI. .................................................................................................................................... 332 Wherein the remaining arguments which Mr. Woodbridge hath brought to prove, that the New Covenant is not an absolute promise, and that the elect have no right to the Covenant before they believe, are answered. ....................................... 332 5 TO MY DEAR FLOCK IN THE CITY OF NEW SARUM; UNTO WHICH, GOD AND THEIR OWN CHOICE, HAVE MADE ME AN OVER‐SEER. Loving, and Beloved Brethren, It was a frequent saying in the mouth of Luther, that after his death, the doctrine of Justification would be corrupted. A few years last past, have contributed more to the fulfilling of his prediction, than all the time that went before. Can there be a greater evidence of men’s apostasy from this Article of our Faith, than their branding of the doctrine itself, with a mark of heresy? Though our Adversaries are grown more subtle to distinguish, yet they are as wide from the true Doctrine of Justification by Christ alone, as the perverters of the Faith in Luther’s days. It is not easy to number up all the wiles and methods wherewith Satan hath assaulted