and Relations But Cyphers are without Significations All Duties smell so rankly of the Cask To satisfie is more than humane Task Oh GOD and MAN what will become of Me If Satisfaction be not made by Thee As it is true the Sore is solely Mine Is is as true the Salve is solely Thine JUSTIFICATION Justification that 's one of the Depths of God For a Person to be acquitted from Sin and Death the WAGES thereof to be also accounted righteous unto Life and Glory the REWARD thereof is not this one of the Depths of God Is not Justification an absolute Act of Free-Grace and consequentially one of the Depths of God God doth not justifie a Sinner for any thing that he finds or sees in him the Act as to the Sinner is altogether free and is it not then one of the Depths of God Thus Rom. 4.5 But to him that worketh not That worketh not for reward so Paraeus But believeth on him who justifieth the ungodly They were ungodly but they are godly God makes them holy as well as righteous and justifies as well as sanctifies Righteousness of LIFE must follow Righteousness of FAITH God justifieth the ungodly but Wo to that Man who justifieth the ungodly God would not justifie the ungodly but for the righteousness of another and shall we justifie the ungodly in their own unrighteousness God justifies the ungodly not in their Sins but from their Sins thorough a sinless CHRIST His faith is counted for righteousness Not for our Merit but for the Merit of Christ not inherent in us but communicated to us by his Spirit not from the Act of Faith abstracted from the Object of Faith There is a Soul-solacing Difference between Moses the Servant and Christ the Son the one condemneth the other condoneth the one accuseth the other acquitteth the one chargeth the other dischargeth the one judgeth the other justifieth all his Jedidiah's and JEWELS Justification is a Jowel but this Jewel only hangs upon the Ear and this Chain only hangs about the Neck of a person given unto Christ and unto whom Christ is given Socium habet Neminem We may say of Christ as was once said of Caesar he may have a Companion but he must not have a Competitor Is not that TEXT sweeter than the Honey or the Drops of the Honey-comb Being justified freely by his grace thorough the redemption that is in Jesus Christ The whole Act of Justification in this Text Rom. 3.24 hath its Description in Law-Terms Here is the Criminal who is the Sinner the Plaintiff who is Satan the Witness which is Conscience the Advocate who is Christ and the Judge who is God Is not Justification then one of the Depths of God This Justification is described from the efficient and the impulsive cause EFFICIENT This is Grace Being justified by his grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By grace here is not meant a meer external proposing of the word of God as the Pelagians say nor any work of Sanctity within us as Papists say but the Grace and Goodness of God without us The Grace of Himself IMPULSIVE This is implied in the word Freely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being justified freely by his grace Without Cause saith Beza From free Gift or meer Liberality saith Toletus Without our Merits saith Lyra. Without our Merits either foreseen or present saith Paraeus To be justified by Grace is to be justified freely but to he freely by Grace justified Aut praevisis aut praesentibus is to be justified with all imaginable Freeness Yea with a Freeness uninimaginable Is not Justification now one of the Depths of God But as this impulsive cause is internal so 't is external which is Redemption Being justified freely by the grace of himself thorough the redemption which is in Christ Jesus Is not Justification now one of the DEPTHS of GOD Here is Justification from the efficient and impulsive cause Freeness of Grace together with the Active and Passive Obedience of Christ The Price was Jesus Christ saith Vatablus He by his Action and Passion redeemed which most aptly may be subjoined that it may be exclusive as to the Glory of humane Works But how can Justification be free Qu. 1 when there is the Intervention of a Price It may be free Yea Sol. freely free ex parte Hominis as to Man though it be not so ex parte Christi as to God-Man This Liberation as to Justification may well be ascribed and attributed unto divine GOODNESS because it was of the Goodness of God that Christ was given Thus John 3.16 So God loved the Word that he gave his only begotten Son c. Here is a God not a Man loving the World a lapsed World a lustful World a wicked World a wickedly-wicked World A SIC without a SICUT Yea so So God loved the World Here is the Emphasis 't is an Emphatical SO a SO to a wonder a SO 't is above all wonder This So signifieth the Vehemency of his Love saith Chrysostome God loved the world so vehemently so admirably saith Polanus But how doth this appear In giving a Son not a Servant His Son not his Servant His begotten Son not his adopted Son Nay his ONLY begotten Son This was such a Gift as none but a God could give Had this God such another Gift to give but Himself and in giving his Son he giveth Himself Oh greatest God! here is the greatest Love An only CHRIST is given from above But if Iustification be free Qu. 2 why then is Faith required Can this be free when that is imposed Faith is the Gift of God Resp Sine Pretio et Praemio Thus Eph. 2.8 By grace ye are saved thorough faith By grace Favore Dei gratuito Zanchy By the Favour of God without reward or hope of recompence Ye are saved Ye are justified so Tirinus Thorough faith Not as the Hand but as the Instrument Though he speaks here not only of the Habit but also of the Act of FAITH yet this Act must not be taken without the Object In order to Salvation or Justification there must not only be the Grace of God but also Grace from God to believe in the Person of Christ And this Faith not of your selves Not from the strength of Nature so Estius Or Dignity so Bodius Or Desert so Menochius Or Desire so Zanchius It is the Gift of God This FAITH comes to us from the gratuitous and spondaneous Liberality of God The Apostle therefore deservedly adscribeth and assigneth this Faith to the Goodness of God and emphatically cals it his Gift Christ hath made our Sins HIS that he might make his Righteousness OURS is not Justification now one of the Depths of God He that justifies himself condemns himself for his very Justification is an Accusation He that would be justified by his WORKS must not have one ill Action amongst all his Actions One Flie in the Box of Ointment corrups all One
God hath appointed as their PORTION in PASSION there is somewhat hehind of the afflictons of Christ Col. 1.24 which Paul for his part rejoyced to fil up It is as true till Christ and Christians have a Resurrection of Body there is somewhat behind of the Resurrection of Christ Christ is not perfectly risen until all his also rise For though the personal Resurrection of Christ was perfect when he arose yet till all His also arise personally the Resurrection of Christ hath not received its utmost Perfection Is not the Resurrection of the Body now one of the Depths of God The Apostle proceeds to turn this Argument v. 16 17 18. For if the dead rise not then is not Christ raised And if Christ be not raised your faith is vain ye are yet in your sins Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished From all which he draws this Conclusion v. 20. But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept Here is a Resurrection of Christ and of the Creature is not this then one of the DEPTHS of GOD Christ is so much in the Resurrection that he cals himself the Resurrection When Christ was going to the grave of Lazarus he saith to Martha John 11. 23 24 25. Thy Brother shal rise again She. answered I know he shal rise again in the Resurrection at the last day Her faith was clear for the Resurrection and Christ approved her Confession yet gives her further Instruction as followeth I am the Resurrection and the Life Thus he is not formally but causally or virtually He is the Author of the Resurrection and that in reference to both NATURES Divine This is the efficient cause of the Resurrection He shal raise our Bodies out of the Dust and the Dust shal give up its Prisoners by the Power of his DEITY for he is God He is co-eternal co-equal and con-substantial with the Father Phi. 2.6 Humane This is the exemplary cause or pattern of the Resurrection Upon this Ground the Apostle cals Christ Col. 1.18 the first-born from the dead For though some were raised from the dead before Christ yet seeing his Resurrection was the cause saith Caryl of their Resurrection and wil be the cause of Theirs who shal be raised therefore he is called the first-born from the dead CHRIST Rev. 1.18 had the Keys of Hel and of Death resigned up to him as the Trophies of his Triumphant Resurrection is not this then one of the Depths of God Are not they much beside the Text and Truth who assert that the Resurrection of the Body is a Resurrection of the Light within to a Dominion of the Man They make the Resurrection of the Body a meer ALLEGORY and against it they make these sollowing Objections Obj. 1 Job 14.14 former part If a man dies shal he live again Sol. The latter part of the verse is a Comment on the former part of it All the days of my appointed time wil I wait til my change cometh What can the meaning be if GOD understood himself but this He shal not live again in the state wherein he lived before he died Obj. 2 Eccl. 3.19 What befalleth the Sons of Men befalleth Beasts as the one dieth so dieth the other c. Sol. The COMMENT is legible and intelligible v. 26. All go unto one place all are of the dust and all turn to dust again Obj. 3 1 Cor. 15.50 Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God Sol. By flesh and blood I understand corruptible flesh and blood Thus v. 42. 44. It is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption It is sown a natural body it is raised a spiritual body It shall be the same body but changed into Spirituality and Incorruptibility Obj. 4 1 Cor. 15.35 36. But some man wil say how are the dead raised up and with what body do they come Thou Fool that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die Sol. He is not called a NABAL in respect of his Acquisition after the Resurrection but in respect of his Haesitation about the Resurrection from its seeming Impossibility and for the Identity of the Body 1 Cor. 15.38 Thou suggestest carnally concerning the Resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex priv 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mens La amens and subjectest not thy humane Sence to divine Prudence so Estius Thou mightest had'st thou not been besides thy self or defective in thy Prudentials have learned either of these by dayly experience For Seeds are sown and rot yet they are so far from perishing thereby that contrariwise they grow up far more beautiful They are sown naked but grow up green and fresh Why then should it seem to thee incredible that our BODIES should rise from Corruption and that with far more excellent Qualities than they had before Obj. 5 1 Cor. 15.51 We shal not all sleep but we shal all be changed Hence they say not the same body Sol. There may be Sameness of Body for many reasons Because the Change in a Person is not the Change of the Person Because if not the same Body that is raised 't is a Contradiction For then it must not be a Resurrection but a CREATION Because 't is Syllabically expressed v. 38. To every seed his own Body Though there may be Diversity as to Form there is Identity as to Kind Is not this now one of the Depths of God But lest this should not arrive at a Satisfaction let another speak who was a far greater and better ORATOR than my self Thus Job 9.26 27. And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shal I see God Whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold though my reins be consumed within me Here is a Confession of the Faith of Job concerning his own personal Resurrection I shal see God Here are the strenuous and vigorous actings of this FAITH notwithstanding all Obstacles and Obstructions Though the Body be destroyed and the Reins be consumed Here is a Narrative of the Felicity that shal accrew to him after the Resurrection of the Body I shal see God I shal see him for my self Here is an Assertion as to the Identity of his Flesh or Body in the Resurrection The same Body which fals shal rise This is asserted in a twoful NOTION An Identity specifical It shal be the same Body in Kind An Identity numerical or individual It shal be the same particular Body which he had on the Earth and which he laid down in the Eurth Both these are evidenced and evinced beyond all modest Contradiction from these passages in the Text. I shal see him in my flesh mine eyes shal behold him and not another I my mine and not another these imply nothing if not HIMSELF or no other thing but HIMSELF Is not the Refurrection of the Body now one of the Depths of God That there shal be a corporeal Resurrection
Rom. 8. 28. And we know We assuredly certainly and experimentally know Either from the Word of God or the History of the Saints or from a filial Confidence so Paraeus But what follows That all things shal work together for good Things prosperons and adverse Tam prospera Quam adversa so Estius All things Not only this thing or that thing and the other thing but also ALL things These things shal co-operate for Good But to whom To them that love God From the whole HEART so Tirinus To them that are the called according to his purpose As they are the called according to his Purpose so it is his Purpose which is not a successless Purpose that there should be a Concurrence and Co-operation of all things for their good Is not this now one of the Depths of God CONCURRENCE is another Depth of God That Saints may make a Comfort of a Rod As wel as make a Comfort of a Staffe And dying in the Face of DEATH may laugh Thus may a Rod under a dismal Shade As wel as Staff be then a Comfort made If CHRIST be mine in Covenant then I Shal find all things concurring really For saving GOOD though seemingly for Evil And so Defeat is given to the Devil Though Joseph Goaled be a Jedidiah And in the DUNG'ON be a Jeremiah Though Daniel too be in the Lyons Den And in the Furnace be the three Children Though ISRAEL no Prospect hath of Life No more than Job had Comfort from his Wife Yet all things did concur for all their Good And They the Depths of SHADDAI understood Lord Jesus Christ mine Eyes are up to THEE Oh let all thins in a Concurrence be For Good and not for Evil unto ME That I also the Depths of God may see FAITH Faith that 's one of the Depths of God If Mary once a Virgin but not always so was more blessed in receiving the FAITH than in conceiving the FLESH of Christ certainly then Faith is one of the Depths of God If an affectionate closing with and acting of any known Sin be utterly incompatible and inconsistent with a living Faith certainly then this is one of the Depths of God If Faith comes with an empty hand and takes in all from the Plenitude of Christ certainly then this is one of the Depths of God If Faith be the first work the great work Yea THE WORK by way of Emphasis Eminency Excellency If Faith be the greatest and most glorious work the Work of Works certainly then this is one of the Depths of God Thus John 6.29 This is the work of God that ye beleive in him whom he hath sent This is the work of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the Command and Will of God 1 Jo. 3.23 This is the work which God esteemeth above all Works This is the Work and Gift of God Eph. 2.8 This is saith Beza the work that pleaseth God 'T is true Quod DEO placet for saith the Apostle Heb. 11.6 without faith 't is impossible to please God Is not FAITH now one of the Depths of God If Faith may be shaken in the Soul but not out of the Soul if Faith goes not into Vision til Time goeth into Eternity if Beleif lives til the Beleiver dies certainly then this is one of the Depths of God This should be the DIALECT of a Christian Vox Christiani under the greatest Despondency of Spirit Lord thorough grace I beleive yet Lord thorough Grace I do beleive Yet Lord thorough Grace I would beleive Yet Lord thorough Grace I wil beleive help Lord thorough Grace my Vnbeleif The Father of that Child who had a dumb Spirit hath set us this Copy to write after Thus Mark. 9.24 Lord I beleive help thou mine unbeleif Supply with Grace in thy Self the Defect of this Grace in my Soul Faith and Vnbeleif may be in the same Soul at the same Time in the same Action and upon the same Subject Hath not Faith a Chymical-Art Wil not Chymists extract Gold out of Silver or Stones Wil not the Act of Faith thorough the Object of Faith draw help out of things cross and contrary Is not FAITH an Herculean-Task and the hardest work in the World Hic Labor hoc Opus May Spira though dead speak You call upon me to beleive but I cannot beleive Oh how fain would I beleive but cannot 'T is easier to keep the moral Law than to beleive for 't is natural to work for Life but 't is supernatural to beleive for Life Is not Faith now one of the Depths of God To beleive things incredible to hope things improbable and to do things impossible any other way to be done they were Luthers WONDERS and are Mine and may be Thine To beleive that another wil pay my Debts and bear my Charges that He wil be buffeted that I may be blessed that He wil be hated that I may be loved that He wil be crucified that I may be crowned that He wil be sacrificed that I may be saved is not this one of the Depths of God Did Vlpian complain that there were few true Philsophers We may complain there are few true Beleivers Is not Faith then one of the Depths of God If FAITH be a Gift of God effected by the Spirit of God whereby there is a Reception of Christ and a Recumbancy upon Christ only for Salvation certainly then this is one of the Depths of God If Faith be the first Hand to receive a Mercy and the first Eye to discover a Judgment is it not then one of the Depths of God If this be the true Logick of FAITH to draw Conclusions of Peace in War of a Feast in Famine of Safety in Danger of Light in Darkness of Life in Death certainly then this is one of the Depths of God If Salvation and all in a Tendency unto Salvation be intailed upon Faith in the Person of Christ certainly then this is one of the Depths of God Thus Acts 16.31 Beleive on the Lord Jesus Christ Ther 's the Precept The Object of Faith is the Person of Christ in his Triple OFFICE Prophetical Sacerdotal and Regal Lord Jesus Christ We may beleive the Church but we must not beleive in the Church 'T is Christ and not the Church that must be beleived on and beleived in for the Church is not God but the House of God And thou shalt be saved Ther 's the Promise Is not Faith now one of the DEPTHS of GOD It is as easy for the Children of Belial and of Blood to pluck the Sun out of the Firmament as true Faith out of a true Christian Is not this then one of the Depths of God Tertullian saith of the Papists They beleive without the Scriptures Credunt sine Scripturis ut credant contra Scripturas that they may beleive against the Scriptures The Jewel of Faith can never be kept in a cracked Cabinet in a crasie Conscience Is