all euill For these are the effectes to come of that present and perpetuall wil of God towards vs which wee apprehend by faith Rom. 8.24 Wee are saued by hope but hope that is seen is not hope But if we hope for that we see not we doo with patience abide for it 1 Obiection Life euerlasting is a thing to come We beleeue life euerlasting Wee beleeue therefore that which is to come that is faith is also of things to come and so faith is hope it selfe Ans The Maior must bee distinguished Life euerlasting is to come tru as concerning the consummation or accomplishment therof But it is present vnto vs as cōcerning the wil and vnchaungeable purpose of God who hath decreed from euerlasting that which he hath begun in vs and will also in due time accomplish it Againe it is present vnto vs as concerning the beginning therof For euerlasting life is begun here in the elect by the holy ghost Wherefore faith apprehendeth it as it is present both in respect of the purpose of God in respect of the beginning thereof in vs. For he that beleeueth feeleth and knoweth that he is quickened and resolueth this to bee the will of God that that quickening and reuiuing which is here begunne shall bee absolued in another life Iohn 5.24 He that beleeueth in the sonne hath passed from death to life Iohn 17.3 This is life eternall that they know thee to be the only verie God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ Gal. 4.6 God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into your harts which crieth Abba father Rom. 8.24 We are saued by hope 1. Ioh. 3.2 Now are we the sonnes of God but it doth not yet appear what we shal be By faith thē we are certein that those blessings also which as yet we haue not are notwithstanding ours for Gods promise for the vnchangeable will in God to giue them vs but in certain hope wee looke for them as concerning their accomplishment Faith apprehendeth the promises of thinges to come hope relieth on the thinges promised The summe is There is one and the same act and operation of faith and of hope but they differ in consideration It is called faith as it doth apprehend things to come as if they were present in regard of the vnchangeablenes of Gods will It is called hope as it doth certainlie look for the bestowing of those things Therfore Heb. 11 1. it is shewed that faith is the ground substance of things which are hoped for that is it is that which maketh things which are hoped for to be extant and present in that manner as hath bin shewed Shorter thus Faith apprehendeth the promises concerning things to come as they are to come Hope the things themselues which are promised 2 Obiection Faith is the euidence of thinges which are not seene therefore not of thinges present Aunswere It is the euidence of thinges which are not seene to wit by the outward senses but they are seene by the eies of the mind euen as if they did lie open to the eies of the bodie Againe they are not seene in respect of their accomplishment or consummation 5 What are the causes of Faith THE first and principall efficient cause of faith is the holie ghost illightening the minde that it may vnderstand the word and moouing the will that it may assent vnto the woord once vnderstoode Yee are freelie saued by faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 Obiection The Diuel hath faith It is wrought therefore in him by the holie ghost Aunswere What faith is in the Diuel is wrought by the spirit of God but that by a generall woorking onely whereby hee worketh in all euen in Diuels and hypocrites what-soeuer knowledge or vnderstanding is in them 1. Cor. 12. c. not by a speciall and proper action or working wherby to regenerat or sanctifie them that they might truely acknowledge him to bee the author of this gift and magnifie him therefore after which maner hee woorketh faith in the elect alone The Diuels therefore and hypocrits haue faith from the spirit of God but the elect from the spirit of God sanctifieng them The instrumentall cause of faith in generall is the whole worde of God the Lawe and the Gospell written spoken readde heard The chiefe instrumental causes of ingendering iustifieng faith are the preaching of the word and the vse of the sacramentes meditated likewise many works miracles of God in the world But the chiefe and proper instrument of iustifieng faith is the preaching of the Gospell the vse of the sacraments For these doth the holy ghost vse as instruments yet not necessarie but arbitrarie at his own good pleasure both to stir vp faith in vs and to nourish strengthen increase the same Rom. 10.17 Faith commeth by hearing Rom. 1.16 The gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beleeueth 1. Cor. 4.15 I haue begottē you through the gospel Mar. 16.16 He that shall beleeue and be Baptized shall be saued Act. 22.16 Wash away thy sins 1. Cor. 10.16 The bread which we break is the communion of the bodie of Christ Wherefore ordinarilie iustifieng faith is neuer engendred in those who are of yeares to receiue it without the preaching of the gospell The cause of that faith which worketh miracles is not simply the woorde of God but there must necessarily come thereto an especiall and immediate reuelation from God The formal causes of faith a sure and ful confidence in Christ The obiect of faith Christ and his benefites promised The final causes of faith Gods glorie our saluation The formall cause of iustifieng faith is a certaine knowledge confidence in Christ The obiect of it is Whole Christ and his benefits promised in the word Likewise God fauorable to vs through Christ The subiect wherein it remaineth is the vnderstanding will of man The end or finall cause 1 The glorie of God to wit the celebration of his trueth iustice bountie mercie which hee hath shewed in the sending of his Sonne and in the giuing of faith in him 2 Our Saluation that we may receiue the blessings which are promised in the worde 6 What are the effects of faith The effectes of faith iustification and regeneration THe effects of iustifieng faith are 1 The iustifieng of vs before God 2 Peace of conscience or ioy resting on God Rom. 5.1 Beeing iustified by faith we haue peace with god 3 Our whole conuersion which followeth faith and beginneth at the same time with faith For by faith are our hats purified 4 The fruits of conuersion repentance euen good woorkes For whatsouer is not of faith is sinne Hither may be referred also the consequences of faith that is encrease of spirituall corporal giftes The first then and immediate effect of iustifieng-iustifieng-faith is Iustification from this afterwardes flow al other benefites
purchased by the blood of Christ which all we beleeue to be giuen vs by faith If therefore faith be the next cause of our Iustification in respect of vs it is also the cause of those thinges which necessarily followe Iustification Luk. 8.48 Thy faith hath saued thee In a worde The effects of faith are Iustification and Regeneration which is begunne here and is to bee perfected in the life to come Rom. 3.28 10.10 Acts. 13.39 7 Vnto whom faith is giuen IVstifieng faith is only proper to the elect Iustifieng faith giuen to all the Elect and to them onely and that to all of them For it is giuen to the elect alone and to all the elect euen to infants as concerning some inclnation Ioh. 6.44 No man cā come to me except the father which hath sent me drawe him Ioh. 20.16 Ye beleeue not for yee are not of my sheepe Mat. 13.11 It is giuen to you to knowe the secrets of heauen but vnto them it is not giuen Act. 13.48 And they beleeued as many as were ordained to euerlasting life Rom. 8.30 Whome hee predestinated them also hee called and whome hee called them also hee iustified Ephes 2.8 Faith is the gift of God Rom. 10.16 All haue not harkened to the gospell 2. Thes 3.2 For all men haue not faith Temporarie faith and the faith of miracles is giuen to those who are members of the visible Church only that is hypocrites But now neuerthelesse this faith of miracles ceaseth which florished in the Primatiue Church for that nowe the Doctrine is sufficiently confirmed Historicall faith all they haue who are by profession of the Church whether they be of the godly or reprobates yea and they also who are not members of the Church but enimies as Diuels Tyrants Historicall is a part of Iustifieng faith because there can bee no assent or perswasion of a thing which is not first knowen Obiection Historicall faith is a good worke Historical faith which is good in it selfe made ill The Diuels haue Historicall faith Therefore they haue good woorkes Aunswere Historical faith is a good worke if it be ioyned with an application of those thinges whereto it assenteth that is with confidence Reply Historicall faith is a good woork though it bee not ioined with confidence because it is an effect of the spirite of God Therefore the Diuels haue good woorkes Aunswere Historical faith is a good woorke in it selfe but is made ill by an accident for that the reprobate doe not apply those thinges to themselues which they knowe and beleeue to bee true Wherefore the Diuels are saide to tremble for that they doe not think that God is towardes them also such as is described in his woorde good mercifull c. The summe is As the substaunce it selfe of the Diuels and other things which they retaine still of their first creation so also both the knowlege and faith which they haue concerning diuine matters are in themselues very good because they are the effects and gifts of god but they are made euil by an accident euen by reason of their abusing of them for that they referre them not to this end as to shewe themselues gratefull vnto God the author of these good things and to magnifie him for them A beleeuing inclination in infante though not an actual beleefe Obiection Against this that all the Elect are saide to haue faith some thus reason Many infantes are of the Elect and yet haue not faith Therefore al the Elect haue not faith Answere They haue not indeede actuall faith but they haue a power or inclination to beleeue which the holy Ghost as is fittest for their capacity and condition woorketh in them Wherefore that remaineth stil which before was confirmed That all the Elect haue faith And further this I adde that not only faith but the confession also of faith is necessary for al the Elect which are growen to years and vnderstanding 1. Because of the commandements of God Exod. 20. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vaine Therfore thou shalt take it aright He that shal confes me c. Mat. 10.32 2. Because of the glory of god Let your light shine before the woorlde Mat. 5.16 3. Bicause faith is not idle for it is as a fruitful tree 4. That we may bring others to Christ And thou beeing conuerted confirme thy brethren Luc. 22.32 How to know that wee haue faith Now we know that we haue faith 1. By the testimony of the holy ghost and by a feeling of true faith in our selues or by the thing it selfe that is by a true and vnfained desire of receiuing the benefits offered by Christ For he that beleeueth knoweth that hee dooth beleeue 2. By the strife and conflict within vs of the faith of doubtfulnes 3. By the effects that is by an earnest purpose of obeying God according to all his commandements Against the certainty of faith The certaintie of faith whereof we spake in the definition of faith some dispute on this wise Obiect 1. They who may fal before the end of their life into sin dānation cannot be certain of their saluation euerlasting life This is proued because to be certaine and to be in possibility to fall are contrary one to the other It is false therefore which is taught in the definitiō of Iustifieng faith to wit that euerlasting life is giuen vs and so our faith to be certaine and assured of it Ans To be in possibility of falling or failing that is finally True faith may faint for a time but cannot fail finallie is contrary to the certainty of our saluatiō But they who are once inriched by god with true faith doe not fail finally Reply 1. All that are weak may faile finally We are al weak Therefore we maie fail finally Auns The Maior is to bee distinguished All that are weak may faile finally true if they stoode by their owne strength But we who are beleeuers stand preserued and vphelde by the grace and power of God Therefore can wee not finally fail For whom God hath once embraced with his fauour them he wil not nor suffereth to fal vtterly from his grace Reply 2. But god hath no where promised that he wil keep and preserue vs in his grace Answere Yes he hath promised and expressed it Ioh. 1.28 I giue vnto them eternal life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any pluck them out of mine hand My father which gaue them me is greater than all and none is able to take them out of my fathers hand I and my father are one Rom. 8.38 I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come c. shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus Reply 3. But it is saide 1. Corint 10.12 Let him that thinketh hee standeth take heede least hee
of Christ imputed vnto vs. Christ is in respect of our iustification 1. As the subiect matter wherein our iustice is 2. As the impellent cause because he obtaineth it 3. As the chief efficient because he together with his Father dooth iustifie vs and 4. Because he giueth vs faith whereby we beleeue and apprehend it The mercy of god is as the impellent cause thereof in GOD. Christes satisfaction is the formal cause of our iustification giuing the very life and being vnto it 7 Why Christes satisfaction is made ours by faith onelie Faith the apprehensiue instrument of Christs satisfaction CHRISTES satisfaction is made ours by faith alone 1. Because faith is the onely instrument which apprehendeth Christs satisfaction 2. Because the proper act operation of faith and not any other act of vertue is the application or apprehension of Christes merite yea faith is nothing else than the acceptation it selfe or apprehension of anothers iustice and of the merit of Christ 3. It is done by faith onely because we are iustified by the obiect of faith onely to wit by the merite of Christ alone besides which there is no iustice of ours nor any part thereof For wee are iustified freely for Christes sake without woorkes There is nothing which is our iustice and righteousnes before God neither in whole nor in part besides Christes merite onely by receiuing and beleeuing anothers iustice and not by working wee are iustified Not by working nor by meriting but by apprehension and acceptation only we are iust and righteous Wherefore we are iustified by faith onely by faith as Saint Paul speaketh as by a mean and instrument but not for faith as the Papistes say who wil admit both these maners of speaking as if faith were indeede the application whereby we apply vnto our selues Christes iustice but were also besides a certaine work or merite whereby we merite to bee iust Nowe the exclusiue particle onely is added that whatsoeuer merit of ours may bee excluded and faith vnderstoode with relation and respect to Christes merit which is our iustice That so the sense may be Christes merite iustifieth vs and not faith it selfe that which is apprehended dooth iustifie vs and not the instrument which doth apprehend Neuerthelesse this proposition Wee are iustified by faith may bee vnderstoode also without relation to wit wee are iustified by faith as by a meane But this proposition of the Apostle Faith was imputed to him for righteousnesse and other the like are necessarilie to bee vnderstoode with a relation vnto Christes merite and iustice Faith was imputed vnto him for righteousnes as faith is the apprehending instrument of righteousnes apprehended faith beeing as it were the hande wherewith the Iustice of Christ is receiued and by this means faith is wholy excluded frō that which is receiued by faith vnto which nature notwithstanding of faith it were repugnaunt That For faith we should be iust and righteous For if for faith then faith were nowe no longer an acceptation of anothers righteousnesse but were a merit and cause of our owne iustice neither should receiue anothers satisfaction which now it should haue no neede of Obiections against this Doctrine of Iustification 1 OBiection Wee are iustified by faith Faith is a woorke Therefore we are iustified by the woorkes thereof that is by the merite of faith Aunswere First the consequence of this reason is denied because more is in the conclusion than in the premisses of which premisses this onely followeth That by that worke wee are iustified as by an instrument or meane not as an impellent cause Nowe it is one thing to be iustified by faith that is to be iustified faith only being the meane to receiue it by the bloode of Christ and it is another thing to be iustified for faith that is for the merite of faith 2. The kinde of affirmation is diuerse for in the Maior faith is vnderstoode with relation to Christes merite in the Minor it is taken absolutelie and properlie 2 Obiection Justice is that whereby wee are formallie or essentiallie iust Faith is iustice Therefore we are by faith formallie and essentiallie iust Aunswere The consequence of this reason is to bee denied because the kinde of affirmation is diuers For the Maior is meant properly but the Minor * Per Metalepsin figuratiuely one thing being taken for another faith for the obiect of faith which is Christs merite and iustice 3 Obiection Faith is imputed for righteousnes as Paul saith Therefore for faith we are righteous Aunswere This is also figuratiuely vnderstood because by faith which is imputed for righteousnes is correlatiuely vnderstood the obiect of faith vnto which faith hath relation For Christs merite which is apprehended by faith is properly our iustice and this merite of Christ is the formall cause of our iustice The efficient of our iustice is God applying that merite of Christ vnto vs. The instrumental cause of our iustice is faith And therefore this proposition We are iustified by faith being legallie vnderstoode with the Papists is not true but blasphemous but being taken correlatiuely that is Euangelically with relation to Christs merit it is true For the correlatiue of faith is the merit of Christ which faith also as a ioint-relatiue or correlatiue respecteth and as an instrument apprehendeth 4 Obiection That which is not alone dooth not iustifie alone Faith is not alone Therefore faith dooth not iustifie alone Aunswere Here is a fallacie of composition the reason beeing deceitfully composed For the woorde alone is composed and ioined in the conclusion with the predicate which is the woorde iustifie but in the premisses or antecedent it is ioined with the verbe is The Argument is true if in the conclusion alone bee not sundred from the verbe is or from being which is the participle of is but bee ioined with it on this wise Faith therefore doth not iustifie alone that is being alone For if it be so vnderstood the argument is of force for faith is neuer without workes as her effects Faith iustifieth alone but is not alone when it iustifieth hauing workes accompanying it as effects of it but not as joint-ioint-causes with it of iustification 5 Obiect That which is required in those who are to be iustified without the same faith doth not iustifie Good works are required in those who are to be iustified Therefore without good workes faith doth not iustifie Auns The particle without is ambiguously doubtfully taken for in the Maior it is taken thus Faith without it that is being without it doth not iustifie So that the same fallacie is in this obiection which was in the former The Minor also of this obiection is more at large to be explaned In them who are to be iustified moe things are required but not after the same maner Faith is required in them who are to be iustified as an instrumēt apprehending anothers iustice Good works are required in them not as a cause of
iustification but as effectes of faith and as it were a testimony of their faith and thankefulnes For faith is not without her fruit Now to applie the merit of Christ is the proper act of faith but other good workes are not so though they also proceede from faith Wherefore also the apprehension of Christs merite is after another manner required in them that are to bee iustified than are other good woorkes For faith with this her proper act without which faith cannot bee considered is required as a necessarie instrument whereby we applie Christs merite vnto vs. But good woorkes are not required that by them we may apprehend Christs merite and much lesse that for them wee should be iustified but that by them we may shew our faith which without good woorkes is dead and is not knowen but by them Whatsoeuer is necessarily coherent with the cause that is not therefore necessarily required to the proper effect of that cause but good workes although they are necessarily coherent and ioined with faith yet are they not necessarie for the apprehension of Christs merit that we should ouer and besides faith by them also apply the same vnto vs. 6 Obiection The Messias bringeth euerlasting iustice and righteousnes Jmputed righteousnes is not eternall Therefore wee are not thereby iustified Aunswere It is said that Christes righteousnesse shall bee an euerlasting righteousnesse but after a diuerse manner For in the life to come wee shal bee iust after another manner than in this life For although we shall then be iust by the same righteousnes euen by the righteousnes of Christ imputed vnto vs yet with this shall also the legal iustice and righteousnesse be continued so that then also by the legall righteousnesse we shall be perfectly iust because now onely we are as concerning that but in part and beginning iust Each iustice both the iustice of the Law and the iustice of the Gospel is eternall by continuation And the iustice and righteousnesse of the Gospell that is the iustice of Christ imputed vnto vs is eternal by continuation of the imputation The iustice of the Law is eternal by continuation of good woorkes euen as it is continued by good woorkes first and beginning in this life vntill at length after this life it bee perfected and become perfect and so continue to al eternity 7 Obiection Knowledge dooth not iustifie Faith is a knowledge Therefore faith doth not iustifie Aunswere Knowledge alone dooth not iustifie But iustifieng faith is not a knoweledge onely but also a confidence and sure persuasion whereby as a meane we apply Christes merit vnto vs. And furthermore Knowledge and this sure persuasion are much different Knowledge is in the vnderstanding but this is in the will Therefore a sure persuasion or confidence is not only a knoweledge of a thing but also a will and purpose of doing or applieng that which wee knowe or of resting in it so that wee are thereby secure and take ioie of heart therein 8 Obiection Saint Iames saith cap. 2.24 Yee see then how that of workes a man is iustified and not of faith onelie Answere 1. Hee speaketh of that iustice whereby wee are iustified through our workes before men that is are approued iust or are found to be iustified but he speaketh not of that iustice whereby we are iustified before God that is whereby wee are reputed of God iust for vniust For hee saith in the same chapter Shew me thy faith by thy works and J will shewe thee my faith by my woorkes 2. He speaketh not of a true or liuely faith but of a dead faith which is without works 9 Obiection Euil workes condemne Therefore good workes iustifie Ans 1. These contraries are not matches for our euil works are perfectly euil our good workes are imperfectly good 2. Although our good woorkes were perfectly good yet should they not deserue eternal life because they are debts Vnto euil workes a reward is giuen by order of iustice vnto good works not so because we are obliged and bound to doe them For the creature is obliged vnto his creator neither may he of the contrary bind god vnto him by any works or means to benefit him 10 Obiect Saint Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 3.7 He that doth righteousnes is righteous Therefore not he that beleeueth Ans 1. He is righteous before mē that is by doing righteousnes he declareth himself righteous to others but before god we are righteous not by dooing righteousnes but by beleeuing 2. He sheweth there not how we are righteous but what the righteous are when he saith that hee that is regenerated is also iustified 11 Obiection Christ saith Luk. 7.47 Many sinnes are forgiuen her because she loued much Therfore good works are the cause of iustification Ans 1. Christ here reasoneth from the latter to the former from the effect which commeth after to the cause which goeth before Manie sins are forgiuen her Therefore shee loued much and because there is a great feeling in that woman of the benefite it must needes therefore bee that the benefite is great and many sins are forgiuen her That this is the meaning of Christes woordes appeareth by the parable which hee there vseth 2. Not euerie thing that is the cause of consequence in reason is also the cause of the thing it selfe which followeth in that consequence of reason Wherefore it is a fallacie of the consequent if it bee concluded Therefore for her loue manie sins are forgiuen her For the particle because which Christ vseth doth not alwaies signifie the cause of the thing folowing It foloweth not The Sunne is risen because it is day Therefore the day is cause of the rising of the Sun the contrarie rather is true 12 Obiection That which is not in the Scripture is not to be taught or reteined That wee are iustified by faith onelie is not in the Scripture neither the wordes themselues nor the sense of the woords Therefore it is not to be reteined Aunswere To the Maior we say That which is not in Scripture neither in words nor in sense is not to be reteined But that we are iustified by faith onely is conteined in Scripture as touching the sense thereof For we are said to be iustified freely Rom. 3.27 Gal. 2.16 Eph. 2.8 9. Tit. 3.5 1. Iohn 1.7 without the workes of the Law by faith without merite Not of anie righteousnesse which we haue doone The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth vs from al sinne Therefore no woork shall be meritorious If no worke Therefore are we iustified by faith onely apprehending Christes merit Wherefore wee are necessarily to retaine the particle onelie 1. That all merite either of faith or our workes maie be remooued from this woork of our iustification 2. That it maie be shewed that faith not the merite of faith is necessarily required to iustice because the iustice or merite of Christ is giuen by faith onely and by this meane alone we receiue that iustice and
you into all truth for hee shall not speake of himselfe but whatsoeuer hee shal heare shal hee speake and hee wil shew you the things to come Hee shall glorify mee for hee shall receiue of mine and shall shew it vnto you To this witnes do the Apostles appeal as beeing the chiefe and alone sufficient The Apostle Paul 2. Cor. 1. And it is God which stablisheth vs with you in Christ who hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirit in our hartes And 1. Thes 1. For our Gospel was not vnto you in word onely but also in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance And 1. Iohn 2. But yee haue an ointment from him that is holie and yee haue knowen al thinges Wherefore wee must euer remember this that by the alone witnes of the holy spirite wee are mooued forcibly in our harts to beleeue the Scripture and to submit our selues vnto it as vnto the voice of God and that by al the other before alleadged Testimonies al men indeed are conuicted and the godlie also profitably confirmed but no man is turned vnto God thereby without the spirit witnessing within him For whenas he once breedeth this most assured persuasion in our mindes that the doctrine which is conteined in the holy Bible is of a truth the wil of God worketh that comfort and change of our minds and harts which is promised and taught in this booke by our experience and feeling it is so confirmed that while this remaineth within vs though al Angels men should say contrarie yet we would beleeue this to be the voice of God Obiection The scripture beareth witnes of the spirit therefore the spirit not of it Answere but if that remaine not or be not in vs though al should say it yet we would not beleeue it Neither doth not the spirit therefore establish the autoritie of the Scripture because we are to examine what the spirit speaketh within vs by the rule of the Scripture for before that this is done of vs the spirite himselfe declareth vnto vs that the Scripture is the word of God and inspired by him that he wil teach vs nothing in our hartes which is not agreeable vnto that Testimonie before set downe of him in the Scripture And if this be not first most certainlie persuaded vs of the spirit himselfe we will neuer recal our opinions of God his worship to the Scripture as the onelie rule to trie them by Now then after it is declared vnto vs by diuine inspiration that the Scripture is a sufficient witnes of that diuine Reuelation in our harts then at length do we find our selues to be confirmed by the mutual Testimonie of the same spirite in the Scripture and in our harts and we beleeue the Scripture affirming of it selfe that it was deliuered by diuine inspiration to the holie men of God as it said 2 Tim. 3. and 2. Pet. 1. OF THE FOVRTH QVESTION For what cause no doctrine beside the holy Scripture is to be receaued in the Church The scripture is of God therefore the rule of faith WHEREAS it appeareth vnto vs that it is the woorde of God which the Prophets and Apostles haue left in writing there is no man which doth not see that the Scripture must bee the rule and squire by which all thinges which are taught and done in the church must be tried Now all thinges of which there vseth to arise questions in the Christian Church doe appertaine either vnto doctrine or vnto discipline and ceremonies That the word of God ought to be the rule vnto both sorts it is out of doubt But in this place wee speake of the doctrine of the church which consisteth in the sentences and decrees which wee are bound by the commandement of God to beleeue or obey and therefore they can not bee chaunged by the autoritie of any creature they are become obnoxious vnto the wrath of God whosoeuer submit not themselues in faith and obedience vnto them To these decrees and preceptes the Papists adde many sentences which not onely are no where deliuered in the Scripture but are repugnant vnto it and they contend that the Church or the Bishops haue autoritie of decreeing yea contrarie and besides the Scripture what the Church must beleeue or doe and that mens consciences are bound by those decrees no lesse than by the woordes of the holy Scripture to beleeue or obey Contrariwise wee beleeue and confesse that no doctrine is to bee proposed vnto the Church not onely if it bee repugnant vnto the holie Scripture but if it bee not conteined in it And whatsoeuer either is not by the expresse testimony of the holie Scripture deliuered The difference of the Scripture of other mens opiniōs or doth not consequently follow out of the woordes of the Scripture rightly vnderstood that wee hold may bee without any hurt or conscience beleeued or not beleeued chaunged abrogated and omitted 1 The Scripture only is of it selfe to be beleeued and the rule of faith For wee must euer hold a necessarie difference betweene the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles and the writinges and doctrine of others in the Church first that the Scripture onely neither hath nor can haue anie error in anie matter other teachers both maie erre and oftentimes also doe er when they depart from the written woord of God Againe that the Scriptures are beleeued on their own word because we know that God speaketh with vs in them others haue credit not because themselues say so but because the scripture witnesseth so neither a whit more than they can proue by the Scripture Wherefore we doe not reiect others doctrine and labors in the Church but onely setting them in their owne place we submit them vnto the rule of Gods word This doctrine first is deliuered of God himselfe and that not in one place onely of the Scripture as Deut. 4. You shal not ad vnto the word which I speak vnto you neither shal you take away frō it And in the last Chapter of the Apocalyps I protest vnto euerie man that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this book if any man shal ad vnto these things God shal adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this book And if anie man shal diminish of the words c. Neither onely by these wordes is forbidden that no false things openly repugnant to the written woord be added to the doctrine of the church but also that no vncertaine things or things not appertaining vnto it be mingled therewith For it is not in the power of any creature to pronounce what we are to thinke of God and his wil but this is onely to bee learned out of that which is disclosed in his woord And therefore the men of Beraea are commended Act. 17. Who searched the Scriptures daily whether those thinges were so 2 Faith is grounded only of the word Secondly
wee beleeue that the scriptures were deliuered from heauen be the witnes of the church who seeth not that heerby the autoritie of mans voice is made greater then of the voice of God For he that yeeldeth his testimonie vnto an other so that he is the onely or the chiefe cause why credence is giuen vnto the other out of all doubt greater credite is giuen vnto him then vnto the other who receiueth his testimonie Wherefore it is a speech most vnwoorthy the maiestie of God that the voice of God speaking in his holie booke is not acknowledged except it bee confirmed by the witnesse of men Secondarily 2. Reason Our comfort Faith is groūded on approoued witnes therfore not on mans wheras the doctrine of the Prophets Apostles doth preach of so great matters as the certaine knowledge of thē is so greatly desired of all who are well disposed and the conflictes of doubtfulnes in all mens mindes are so great what full assurance of our faith can there bee what sure consolation against the assaultes of temptations if that that voice on which our confidence relieth bee no otherwise knowen vnto vs to bee indeed the voice of God but because men say so in whom wee see so much ignorance error and vanitie to bee that no man scarcely especially in matters of some weight doth attribute much vnto their woorde except other reasons concurre with it 3 Reason The confutation of our enemies Thirdly the truth of God and christian religion is plainly exposed vnto the mockes and scoffes of the wicked if we going about to stop their mouthes do therefore onely desire that we should be credited that our Religion is from God because our selues say so For if they bee by no other confutation repressed they will with no lesse shew of truth deny it than wee affirme it 4 Reason Witnesses Last of all the scripture it selfe in many places is against this opinion doth chalenge a far higher authoritie vnto it selfe thē which hangeth vpon mens woords For so sayth Christ himselfe Iohn 5. I receiue not the record of man signifieng thereby that his doctrine stood not no not on Iohn Baptists testimonie although yet he did alleadge it but as of lesse account that he might omit nothing by which men might be moued to beleeue Therefore he addeth But I saie these thinges that you may beleeue I haue a greater witnes then the witnes of Iohn And if Christ nowe beeing humbled said these thinges of himselfe then surely shall they be no lesse true of him being in glory and sitting in his throne And 1. Corinth 2. Paul saith My word and my preaching stood not in the entising speech of mans wisedome but in plaine euidence of the spirit and of power that your faith should not be in the wisedome of men but in the power of God If so bee then our faith must not rest no not vpon reasons wisely framed by men much lesse shal it depend on the bare word of men Eph. 2. the Church herselfe is said to bee builded vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles If then the confidence and confession of the Church staieth on the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles as on the foundation the certainty of the Scripture cannot hang on the Churches witnes For so should not the Church be vpheld by the testimonie of the Prophets and Apostles but by her owne And 1. Iohn 5. it is said If we receiue the witnes of men the witnes of God is greater If it be greater then the authoritie of it hangeth not on the record of man But wee are to giue more credence vnto God witnessing the Prophets and Apostles writings to bee indeede his voice then vnto the Church affirming the same Now that it is said of the contrary That they are true the Church alone doth witnesse Answere The minor is false That by the Churches Obiection 1 record alone it doth appeare vnto vs that the sacred bookes which wee haue were written by the Prophets and Apostles whose names they beare in their forhead and that euen vnto vs they are come vncorrupt this we grant not For God farre more certainly testifyeth both in the Scripture and in the hartes of his Saints that no fained or forged thing is in these books thē it can be by the Church and all the creatures of the world confirmed They therefore who stand vpon the Churches testimonie alone in this point shew that themselues haue not as yet felt or vnderstood the chiefest testimonies Furthermore they say that the bookes authentike The discerning of bookes Answere The Minor is false 1 The working of the holy Ghost or as they Obiection 2 terme them Canonical of both Testamentes are discerned from the Apocryphall by the Churches iudgement and therefore that the autority of holy canon doth depend on the churches wisedome But that this difference of the bookes is not determined by the churches iudgement but being imprinted into the books themselues by the Spirite of God is onely acknowledged and approoued by the Church this is easily to be vnderstood if the causes of this difference be considered For either in these which are called Apocryphall the force and maiesty of the heauenly spirit doth lesse euidently appeare in the weight and vehemency of woordes and matter then in others of which it is clear that they are the heauenly oracles therefore set downe in writing by diuine instinct that they might be the rule of our faith or it cannot be determined neither out of these books themselues 2 The certainty of authours nor out of others which are canonicall that they were written either by the Prophets or Apostles because either they were not penned by those whom God by certaine testimonies hath warranted vnto vs to be endued with a prophetical spirit or themselues do not shew any certaine authors of them or by their forme of speech or other reasons it may be gathered that they were not left of them whose names they beare Now as touching either this euidence of the spirit or certainty of the authors we builde not our iudgement on the testimonie of the Church but of the bookes themselues And therefore not for the Churches iudgement onely do we iudge some bookes to be canonicall and the foundation and rule of our faith and do therefore accept of the doctrine of other some because they agree with the canonicall but rather for the verie causes of this difference which wee finde in the bookes them-selues Obiection 3 The Church is more ancient than the Scripture 1. Answere The minor is false As for that which some men say that the Church is ancienter then the Scriptures and therefore of greater autoritie it is too trifling For the woord of God is the euerlasting wisedome in God him-selfe Neither was the knowledge of it then first manifested vnto the Church when it was committed to writing but the manifesting of it began together with the
Vnrighteousnes and damnation from our parentes but righteousnes by the grace of Christ subiect to defects and euil inclinations If they replie that therefore the guilt stretcheth not to the posteritie because the Parents are freed from it the Aunswere is that that is not deriued from the Parents to their posteritie which the Parents by nature haue not and that they are freed from the guilt not by nature but by the grace and benefit of Christ Wherefore they deriue vnto their posteritie not righteousnes which is freely imputed but vnrighteousnes and damnation vnto which themselues by nature are subiect Why the Parents righteousnes is not deriued vnto their childrē And the cause why they deriue their guilt vnto them not their righteousnes is this because their posteritie are not borne of them according to grace but according to nature neither is grace and iustification tied to carnall propagation but to the most free election of God As it is said Iohn 1. Which are borne not of blood nor of the wil of the flesh nor of the wil of man but of the wil of god 3 Obiection It is said by the Apostle Rom. 11. If the roote be holie so shal be the branches also Aunswere This hindereth nothing at al. For hee vnderstandeth not here by holines remission of sinnes and regeneration but this worthines of Abrahams posteritie for that God for his league made with Abraham had appointed alwaies to conuert some of his posteritie and to indow them with true and inward holines Rom. 9. 4 Obiection It is said vnto holie Parentes Your children are holie Answere The Apostle in that place sheweth that neither al the children of holie men obtaine remission of their sinnes or are regenerated by the holy ghost neither the holines of the children proceedeth from carnal propagation For of Iacob and Esau it was said when they had neither done good nor euil I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau The meaning therefore of Paul is that the children of godly Parentes although one of the Parentes be an infidel yet they are holy in respect of the external fellowship of the Church that is that they are to be counted for members or citizens of the Christian Church and so also for the chosen and inwardlie sanctified of God except themselues declare are themselues to be others by their vnbeliefe and impiety But neither is outward nor inward sanctifie of the nature of the parents seeing neither is found in it but both befal as wel to the children as to the Parents of the free mercy and couenant or promise of God 5 Obiection They are more miserable vnto whom their sinnes of al their ancestors are deriued the they vnto whom haue stretched but the sinnes of some of their ancestors But if sinne passe from the Parents vnto the children then vnto the latest of their posteritie come the sinnes of al the ancestors vnto the former onely their sins who liued before them So then are the latter more miserable then al the rest which would be absurd and not agreeable to the iustice of God The first aunswere to this is that it would be neither absurd nor vniust although god should punish more heauily and more forsake the latter of the posteritie then the former For how manie more sinnes are committed and heaped vp by mankinde so much the more vehemently is his wrath kindled and the punishment is more aggrauated Whereupon are those sayinges Genes 15. The wickednesse of the Amorites is not yet ful Matt. 23. That vpon you may come all the righteous blood 2. God therefore suffereth the sinne of our first Parents to passe vnto al their posteritie as concerning the corruption of nature and guilt that hee might satisfie his owne iustice and that himselfe might haue occasion of exercising his mercy in his sonne Rom. 5. and 11. But of the actual sinnes of euerie man he saith that he visiteth the iniquitie of the father on the children vnto the third and fourth generation that is according to his iustice hee punisheth the sinnes of the parents in their posteritie and yet of his mercy doth set bounds and limits for sinne that the posteritie may not alwaies pay for the sinnes of their ancestors or imitate them and that it may not be of necessitie that the children of euil Parents should be euil or worse or more miserable then their Parentes euen as also he exerciseth his mercie vnto the thousand generation of them that loue him and yet retaineth the liberty of his election so that not alwaies good Parents haue their posteritie good also The reason of this difference betweene Original and Actual sinne is because that righteousnes and life euerlasting was not lost first by the posteritie but by our first Parents Obiection But God wil not punish the posteritie for the Parents sins Answere 1. True except they persist in them 2. If the Parents had not receaued this conformity with God both for themselues and their posterity so that if they did retaine it their posteritie also retaine it and if they did leese it also from their posteritie 2 Causes for which God doth iustly punish in the posteritie both their own sins and their parents Hereof it may bee vnderstood that god for two causes doth iustlie punish in the posterity both their owne sinnes and their auncestors first because the whole nature of the Parents sinning is guiltie and the childrē are as it were a part of the Parents because they proceede out of their substance or masse Wherefore that cannot bee but guiltie as wel after as before the propagation from the Parents vnlesse by some singular benefit remission of that fault befal vnto it which now before in the Parents themselues it did commit Againe because the Parents haue receaued the giftes of God to be imparted also vnto their posteritie of that condition if the Parents them selues did retaine them and if they did cast them away and leese them that their posteritie also should be depriued of them Wherefore after the Parents did bereaue themselues of righteousnes and the grace of God they cannot being themselues vncleane bring foorth cleane but corrupt children and like to themselues and therefore guilty as well of their owne as of their Parents sinne because they partake of it being deriued vnto them consenting vnto it either in act as to vs who are come to some yeares or by inclination as infantes except by the singular mercie of God this their in-bred corruption be corrected Why after the fall came this general corruption There was added in the definition of Originall sin that this corruption of nature ensewed vpon the fal in our first parentes For of man not yet fallen it is said that he was made to the image of God and all thinges which God had made were verie good but of man fallen and his posteritie All the imaginations of the heart of man are onelie euill continuallie Wherewithall wee are taught
so the worke of god that the will of man is not only the obiect but the instrument also of gods working an agent by it own force giuen it of god in producing an effect in that the wil is not only passiue but both actiue passiue for as much as it is to this end moued of the spirite to worke that it self might do that which God wil worke by it which also so commeth to passe in all the good actions of the will euen as in ill actions also when it is incited either by the Diuel or other causes it self is not in the mean season idle Wherefore in Ezechiel it is added 36. I wil cause you to walke in my Statutes and yee shall keepe my Iudgements and doe them The fourth degree of libertie is in man perfectlie regenerated after his glorification The fourth degree of libertie is in man perfectlie regenerated after his glorification or after this life In this libertie the will shal be only free to choose good and not to choose euill this shal be the perfect libertie of our wil by which we shall not only not sin but shall abhorre nothing more than sin also shal not be able to sin anie more The reasons hereof are these Because in the mind shal shine the perfect knowledge of god his will in the wil heart a most perfect exceeding inclination to obeie god an exceeding loue of god a ioy resting in god an agreeablenes or conformitie with god Wherefore no place shal be for ignorance for errour or any doubting of God yea or for the least stubbornes against God Lastly That conformitie in the elect of all their inward powers and faculties with God and the effectuall guiding of the holie Ghost shal bee continued to all eternitie For the blessed Saints are neuer forsaken but continuallie ruled by the holie Ghost in all their actions in the celestiall life For which cause it cannot possiblie bee that any motions or actions of man there shoulde once swarue from rightnesse And therefore it is said Math. 22. They are as the Angels of god in heauen This last degree of libertie after mans glorification greater than the first before his fall because this excludeth all possibility of falling the other did not Neither by this meanes is the libertie of will taken away or diminished but is truely confirmed and perfected in the blessed Angels men for as much as both the vnderstanding is free from al error ignorance and doubtfulnes and lightened with the perfect knowledge of god and the heart and wil free from all stubbornes and without all soliciting or suggestiō to withstand god is carried with an exceeding loue of god and an alacrity to obey the knowen will of god And hence it appeareth also how much more excellent our state shal be than was Adams before his fall Adam truely before his fall was perfectly conformed to god but he could wil both good euil and therefore had some infirmity ioined with his excellent gifts euē a power to depart from god leese his gifts that is he was changeablie good But we shall not be able but to will good onely And as the wicked are onely carried to euill because they are wicked so shal we also only loue chuse good because we shal be good It shal be then impossible for vs to will any euill Because wee shal bee preserued by gods grace in that perfect liberty of wil that is we shal be vnchangeably good It is necessary that this doctrine Of the similitude and difference of free-will which is in god and his creatures The vse of this doctrine concerning the diuersities of libertie which is in God and in man and of the diuerse degrees of mans libertie and in diuers states and degrees of mans nature deliuered hitherto out of the scripture should be manifest knowen in the Church for many waighty causes 1. That this glorie may be giuen to god that he alone is the most free agent whose libertie and wisedome dependeth of no other and that all the creatures are subiect to his gouernement 2. That we may remember that they who wittinglie and willinglie sin or haue cast themselues into a necessitie of sinning are not at al excused and so not god but their own wils declining of their own accord from gods commandements to be the cause of their sins 3. That we may know god alone to be of himself vnchangeably good the fountain of goodnes but no creature to be able neither to haue nor to keep more goodnes than god of his free goodnes wil work keep in him therefore we must desire it of him ascribe it receiued to him 4. That we knowing god to be a most free gouernor of al things may confesse that he is able for his glory our safety to change those things which seeme most vnchangeable 5. That wee knowing from what excellencie of our nature wee haue fallen by our owne fault may the more deplore and bewaile our vnthankefulnes and magnifie Gods mercie who aduaunceth and lifteth vs vp euen to a greater excellencie 6. That knowing the miserie and naughtines of our nature and disposition if once god forsake vs we may be humbled in his sight and ardentlie desire to wade and come out of these euils 7. That hauing knowledge of that libertie into the which the sonne of god restoreth vs wee may the more desire his benefites and be thankefull vnto him for them 8. That knowing we are by the mercie of god alone seuered from them that perish that we rather than they might bee conuerted wee bee not lifted vp with an opinion of our owne goodnes or wisedome but ascribe the whole benefite of our iustification and saluation not to anie cause appearing in vs but to the mercie of god alone 9. That acknowledging the vveakenes and corruption vvhich remaineth euen in vs regenerated vve may seeke for iustification in Christ alone and may vvithstand those euils 10. That knovving our selues not to be able to stand against tentations vvithout the singular assistance of the holie spirite vve may ardently and dailie desire to bee preserued and guided by god 11. That vnderstanding that vve are not preserued against our vvils but with our wils we may wrastle with tentations indeuour to make our calling and election sure 12. That vnderstanding the counsaile of god concerning the conuerting of men by the doctrine of the gospel and ministerie of the Church vve may imbrace earnestlie and desirouslie the vse thereof OF EVILS OF PVNISHMENT IN this question also we are to speake of the effects of sinne that is of the other part of mans miserie euen of the euill of paine and punishment It is saide that God doth most grieuouslie most iustlie and most certainelie punish sinne Most grieuouslie for the greatnes of sin because the infinite good is offēded thereby Most iustlie because euery sin violateth
made against the distinction of the Maior proposition in appointing either our selues or another Where only one meanes of satisfieng is put downe there must not be sought for or set downe another But the Lawe acknowledgeth and putteth downe onely one means and way of satisfieng to witte by our selues Therefore wee must not set downe also another neither must wee say either by our selues or by another Aunswere We graunt the whole reason being vnderstoode of the Law or according to the declaration of the Law For in the Law in vaine is sought the way of satisfieng by another Againe the Law teacheth onely one way or meanes of satisfieng yet so that it no where excludeth or denieth the other meanes which is by another For no where doth the Lawe say ONELY by our selues satisfaction must be made to the Law And albeit God did not expresse that other meanes in the Law yet in his secret counsail hee vnderstood it and left it to bee reuealed by the Gospel The law requireth our selues to satisfie The gospel sheweth and Gods mercie admitteth another to satisfie In this therefore we must seeke it This double meanes of satisfieng is to be obserued the former meanes of satisfaction the Law and iustice of God requireth to wit that satisfaction be made by vs the other doth the Gospel declare and the mercy of god admit Reply The doctrine of the Gospel then is disagreeing from the Law Aunswere It is not disagreeing Because the Law putteth it not exclusiue as shutting out al other neither what the Law teacheth not dooth it therefore deny or take away Lastly that a Mediatour is necessarie to make satisfaction to the iustice of God for vs many other thinges declare 1. The tremblings and tormentes of conscience in euerie one 2. The paines of the wicked 3. The sacrifices ordained by God whereby was desciphered Christes onely perfect Sacrifice 4. The Sacrifices of the Heathen For when as they were pressed with the prickes of conscience they sought for a meanes without themselues whereby they might pacifie God 5. The Sacrifices of hypocrits 6. The sacrifices of Papistes 3 What is the office of a Mediatour THe office of a Mediatour is To deale with both parties What the mediator doth with God both the offended and the offender First with GOD who was offended our Mediatour had necessarily to do these things 1. To make intercession for vs vnto him and to craue pardon for our fault 2. To offer himselfe for to satisfie 3. To satisfie indeede the iustice of GOD by suffering for our sinnes punishment sufficient though temporall 4. To craue of God and also to obtaine that he would accept of this satisfaction as a price of sufficient woorthinesse for which hee woulde account vs for Children pardoning our offences 5. To bee our surety and to promise in our behalfe that at length we wil leaue off to offend him by our sinnes Without this suretiship or promise intercession findeth no place no not with men much lesse with God Secondly with the party offending that is with vs What he doth with man our Mediator must do these things 1. He must be the messenger or embassador of God the father vnto vs that is to shew and open this decree of the father that hee dooth present himselfe to make satisfaction for vs and that God wil for this satisfaction pardon vs and receiue vs into fauour This vnlesse he should perform we should bee euer ignoraunt of this will of God and so should not be desirous of so great a benefit nor euer attain vnto it For there is no desire after that which is vnknown 2. Hee must perfourme this satisfaction by the pouring out of his owne blood because otherwise the iustice of God shoulde be violated 3. He must impute and apply that satisfaction vnto vs. 4. Hee must cause vs by giuing his holy spirite vnto vs to agnise this so great a benefit and to embrace and not reiect it For neither can any reconcilement be or any amity be knit betweene parties who are at variaunce except both partes accorde 5. Hee must by the same spirite cause vs to leaue off to sinne and beginne to bee conformable to Gods Lawe that is he must regenerate vs and restore the lost Image of god in vs. 6. He must preserue maintaine shield vs in this reconcilement and obedience begunne in vs against the Diuels and all enimies yea against our owne selues least we reuolt againe 7. Hee must glorifie vs being raised againe from the dead that is perfect and finish our saluation which is begun or all the giftes both which we haue lost in Adam those which himselfe hath merited for vs. In merit and efficacie doeth the Mediatourship consist The office therefore of the Mediator consisteth in merite in efficacy or forcible operation For in these two are all those things which we haue mentioned comprehended absolued Ioh. 10. I laie downe my life for my sheep I giue vnto them eternall life God giueth vs eternall life and this life is in his Sonne Iohn 1. In him was life Iohn 5.26 As the Father hath life in himselfe so likewise hath hee giuen to the Sonne to haue life in him-selfe As the Father raiseth vppe the dead and quickeneth them euen so the Sonne quickeneth whome hee will The benefites of the Mediatour Nowe when question is made of the office of the Mediator question is made withall concerning his benefites For the office inioyned of God vnto the Mediatour is to bestowe benefits which Paul 1. Cor. 1.30 compriseth in fowre generall heades as it were when hee saith Christ is made of God vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption I. Wisedome 1 He is called wisedome first because he is the matter or subiect of our wisedome 1. Cor. 22. I esteemed not to know any thing among you but Iesus christ him crucified This is our chiefest wisedome to knowe and beleeue that Christ is appointed our sauiour by whom wee beeing reconciled to GOD haue giuen vnto vs the holy spirite righteousnesse and euerlasting life Secondly Because hee is the cause or author of our wisedome and that three waies 1 Because hee hath brought foorth out of the bosome of the eternall father wisedome that is the Doctrine of our redemption 2 Because he hath ordained and doth preserue the ministerie of his woord by which he informeth vs of the fathers will and his office 3 Because hee is forcible and effectuall in the hartes of the chosen and maketh them to yeeld their assent vnto the woorde or Doctrine and to bee refourmed by it according to his Image For these three causes hee is called the woorde and the image of GOD as it is saide No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and hee to whom the Sonne will reueale him Shorter thus Christ is called our wisedome because hee is 1 The subiect 2 The author 3 The meanes of
from the concrete to the abstract the reason doth not follow Christ therefore suffered according to his humane nature onelie making a sufficicnt and most perfect satisfaction thereby for our sins Which his satisfaction is made ours by applicatioÌ„ which is double The one from god who iustifieth vs for christs merit maketh vs to cease from sin The other from our selues who by faith apprehend applie vnto vs Christs merit by being fully persuaded that God for the ransome of his Son doth pardon vs our sinne Nowe that there was another nature in christ which nether suffered nor died is proued by these testimonies Ioh. 2.19 Destroie this Temple in three daies I wil raise it vp again 1. Pe. 3.18 was put to death concerning the flesh but was quickned in the spirit Reu. 1.18 I was dead and behold J am aliue Ioh. 18. I haue power to laie downe my soule and power to take it vp againe 3 The causes impellent or motiues of Christs Passion 1 THE loue of God towardes mankind Ioh. 3.16 So God loued the world that he gaue his onlie begotten Sonne 2. The mercy of God towards men fallen into sin 3. The wil of God to reuenge the iniurie of the Diuel who in reproch and despite of God auerted vs from him and maimed the image of God in vs in despite of the creator But here it maie be demaunded whether Christ fulfilled the Lawe or no and secondly if he did why then hee shoulde suffer so bitter a Passion Whereunto we aunswere first that he fulfilled the Law 1. By his righteousnes in obseruing it 2. By satisfaction in suffering punishment for our sinnes who had transgressed it Both which are most perfect Nowe to the second demand then why if Christ fulfilled the law was he so grieuously punished of God seeing punishment is the wages of sinne and sinne was not in him who neuer committed anie We answere that it was not for himselfe but for vs that hee was punished Reply A righteous man ought not to be punished for the vnrighteous Aunswere True except first he voluntarilie offer himselfe for them Secondly except he willinglie do suffer in such sort for them as that he yeelde a sufficient ransome and payment Thirdly except he haue the power of recouering himselfe out of the punishment once suffered Fourthly except he be able to bring to passe that they also for whom he offereth himselfe to satisfie leaue off to transgresse and sinne hereafter Fifthly except he bee of the same nature with them for whom he satisfieth If such a satisfier bee substituted there is nothing committed against the iustice of God for in so suffering both are saued both he that suffereth and they for whome hee suffereth Now such a suretie and satisfier was Christ who is not onelie man or of the same nature with vs but wee are also his members when the whole suffereth punishment the members also and partes are punished And for this coniunction of ours with Christ our head the Apostles commonly say that he suffered in Christ 4 The final causes or ends of his Passion THE first final cause or end of his passion is That his passion might bee a sufficient ransome for our sins or the redeeming of vs. 2. The mâ—nifesting of the loue goodnes mercie righteousnes of God while he punnisheth his sonne for vs. The chiefe finall causes then are Our saluation and the glorie of God To the former belongeth the knowledge of the greatnesse of sinne that we may knowe how great an euil sinne is and what it deserueth and further to knowe that death is not now pernicious and hurtfull to the Godly and therfore not to bee feared To the latter belongeth our Iustification wherein all the benefites are comprehended which Christ merited by dying euen our deliuery from death which hee bestoweth vpon vs. Obiection If hee haue satisfied for all then al should be saued Answere He satisfied for al as touching his satisfaction but not as touching the application thereof al not applying it vnto them Wherefore hee hath satisfied for al but doth not deliuer all but only those who by faith applie it And those he deliuereth 1. Because the Father ordeined him to this or because the Father will 2. Because the Son willingly offereth himselfe 3 Because this ransome is sufficient SVFFERED VNDER PONTIVS PILATE MEntion is made of Pilate in Christs passion 1. Because Christ would receiue from him a testimony of his innocencie that thereby we might knowe that he was pronounced innocent by the voice of the iudge himselfe 2. Beecause it was requisite that he should be solemnly coÌ„demned that we might know that hee though innocent was notwithstanding condemned that we might not be coÌ„demned as also he sustained death that we might be freed from it 3. That wee might be aduertised of the fulfilling of the Prophecy Gen. 49.10 The scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a Law-giuer from betweene his feete vntill Shilo come For then was the Scepter taken from Iudah when Christ was a little after condemned of Pilate a Romane gouernour of whom before he was absolued This circumstance therefore is diligently to be coÌ„sidered in Christs passion that we may know him to be the Messias because al conditions are fulfilled in him which are required in the Messias Whereof this Prophecie of the taking away of the Scepter from Iudah was one 4. That we might know that Christ was condemned of God himselfe also and therefore that hee satisfied God for vs. For the head and gouernour of ordinarie iudgement is God himselfe Wherefore Christ was not to haue beene priuily taken away by the Iewes neither to be drawen to death by tumult and disorderlie but by lawefull order and iudgement and by inquisition made concerning all the accusations of Christ God would haue him first to be examined that his innocencie might appeare Secondly to be condemned that it might appeare that hee beeing before pronounced innocent was now condemned not for his owne fault but for ours and that so his vniust condemnation might be insteed of our most iust condemnatioÌ„ Thirdly to be put to death both that the prophecies might bee fulfilled and also that it might appear that both Iewes Gentils did put Christ to death CRVCIFIED I Beleeue in Christ Crucified that is I beleeue Christ did vndergo this punishment and this curse of the Crosse for my sake and that he was made obnoxious for my sake to Gods curse which I and we all deserued a type also of which curse was the death of the Crosse cursed by God himselfe Now for three causes would God haue his Sonne suffer the punishment of so ignominious a death 1 That we might knowe The curse due for our sinnes to haue laine vpon him so should be stirred vp to greater thankefulnesse considering how detestable a thing sinne is so that it could not be expiated or satisfied for but with the most bitter and most opprobrious and shamefull
All other proofes and arguments may be referred vnto these 2 What is the last iudgement IN euerie iudgement are the Accused the Accuser the iudge the cause examination hearing of the cause the Law according to which iudgement is giuen the sentence of absolution and condemnation and the execution thereof according to the Lawes Judgement then in generall is an inquisition or examination of a cause by an ordinarie and lawfull iudge according to iust Lawes and a pronouncing of sentence and the exequution thereof according to iust Lawes Nowe is it easie to define this iudgement of God This iudge hath no neede of inquisition or examination of the cause or of witnesses and accusers seeing he is himselfe the searcher of harts Therefore there shal be only the iudge men of whom sentence shall be giuen the law according to which sentence shal be giuen execution The definition of it is this 1 The last iudgement is a iudgement which God shal exercise in the end of the world by christ who should then visiblie descend froÌ„ heauen in a cloud in the glorie maiesty of his Father Angels by whom also then shall be raised from the dead all men which haue died since the beginning of the world vnto the end thereof but the rest who are then liuing shal be sodainly chaunged and all presented before the tribunall seate of Christ who shall giue sentence of al and shal cast the wicked with the diuels into euerlasting tormentes but shall receiue vp the godlie vnto himselfe that they maie with him and blessed Angels enioie eternal happinesse and glorie in heauen It may be defined more brieflie on this wise The last iudgement shall bee a manifestation or declaration and separation of the iust and vniust who euer haue liued or shall liue from the beginning of the woâ—ld vnto the end proceeding from God by christ and a pronouncing of sentence on these men and an execution thereof according to the doctrine of the Law and Gospel The partes of this definition wee wil now in few wordes confirme 1. That iudgement shall be a manifestation of the iust and vniust For Reuel 20.12 The books shall be opened that the secrets of hartes may bee laied open 2. There shall bee a separation of the iust and vniust For Mat. 25.32 Christ shall place the sheep on his right hand but the goats on his left hand 3. This manifestation and separation shal be wrought of God by Christ If of God then shal it bee a most diuine and iust iudgement Rom. 3.6 Jf God bee vnrighteous how shall hee iudge the world Jt shall bee made and wrought by christ because Iohn 5.22 The Father hath committed all iudgement vnto the Son And Act. 17.31 God hath appointed to iudge the worlde by a man 4. Jâ— shall bee a pronouncing of sentence Mat. 25.34 Come yee Blessed of my Father We are Blessed of God not in Adam but in his seed and therefore the sentence shall bee giuen according to the gospel For by nature wee are subiect vnto the wrath of God Therefore also shall the godly say When saw wee thee hungering or thirsting They shall confesse that the retribution of rewardes commeth not by their merit but by his grace Furder after this manner the wicked and the godly shall bee iudged according to the Lawe and Gospell Absolution shall bee principally according to the Gospel but shal be confirmed by the Law Condemnation shal bee principally by the Lawe but shall be confirmed of the Gospel Sentence shal bee giuen on the wicked according to their owne merite Sentence shall be giuen on the godlie according to Christes merite applyed vnto them by faith a testimonie and witnesse of which faith shal be their workes Now to be iudged is to bee declared iust before the tribunal of Christ and to enter into euerlasting life and that with a respect and condition of faith which is required in the Gospell Obiection But vnto euerie man shall be giuen according to his workes Therefore iudgement shall be giuen on al according to the doctrine of the Law Aunswere In this sense shal be giuen also vnto the elect according to their works not that their works are merites but in that they are the effects of faith Wherefore vnto the elect shal be giuen according to their woorkes that is they shal be iudged according to faith to be iudged according to faith is to be iudged according to the Gospel But the iudge maketh mention of our woorks and not of faith First because he wil haue it knowen to others why he so iudgeth least the vngodly condemned persons might obiect that hee giueth vs eternal life vniustly Wherefore he wil shew them our workes and will bring them forth as testimonies to refute them that we haue in this life applyed vnto vs Christes merit Secondly That wee maie haue comfort in this life that we shall hereafter according to our works stand at his right hand 3 Who shall be iudge CHrist shall bee the iudge Iohn 5.22 Hee hath committed all iudgement vnto the Son Neither yet are the Father the holie Ghost remoued from this iudgement But Christ immediatly shal speake and giue sentence and that in his humane nature And when he speaketh God shal speake not onely because he himselfe is God but because the Father shal speake by him The iudgement then shall belong vnto all three persons of the God-head as concerning their consent and authority but vnto Christ as touching the publishing and exequuting of the iudgement For Christ shall visibly giue sentence of all which sentence he shal also together execute The church also shal iudge as touching the approbation and allowing of this iudgement as Christ saith Luk. 22.30 That the Apostles shal sit on twelue seates and shall iudge the twelue tribes of Israel that is they shall subscribe vnto Christes iudgement and approoue his sentence The causes why Christ man shall bee iudge are these 1. Because the church is to bee glorified by the same Mediatour by whom and for whom it was iustified Act. 17.31 God wil iudge the woorld in righteousnesse by that man whome hee hath appointed Matth. 24.30 They shal see the sonne of man come in the cloudes of heauen with power and great glorie Ioh. 5.27 The Father hath giuen power to the Sonne to execute iudgement in that hee is the Sonne of man 2. That we maie haue comfort knowing him to bee our iudge who hath purchased vs with his bloode and who maketh vs his brethren yea his parts and members For he is 1 Our brother and our flesh 2 He hath promised and saide Ioh. 3.36 He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath eternall life cap. 6.24 Verilie verily I say vnto you hee that heareth my word beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death vnto life The third cause why he commeth is to deliuer his Church
worketh also in them to be warie and to take heed thereof Rom. 8.3 Whom hee predestinate them hee iustified They therfore doe amisse who thinke to receiue comfort without any desire of a good conscience Replie But if they must take heed and beware they are vncertaine Aunswere No because they haue this as a spur to goe forwarde and perseuere But To bee certaine and not to haue a desire of repentance amendment of life implieth a contradiction as if thou shouldest say I am certaine of my reward therefore I will not runne for a rewarde is not giuen but to him that runneth These propositions doe mutuallie one follow another To bee certaine of saluation and to haue a desire of conuersion and amendement of life 2 What Predestination is PRedestination differeth from prouidence The difference bâ—tweene predestination and prouidence as a speciall from the generall For prouidence is the eternall counsell of God concerning al creatures but Predestination is the eternall counsel of GOD concerning the sauing of men and Angels Wherefore Predestination is the eternal most iust and vnchangeable counsel of God of creating men of permitting their fal into sinne and eternal death of sending his Sonne into flesh that hee might bee a sacrifice and of conuerting some by the woorde and the holie ghost for the Mediatours sake and sauing them in true faith and conuersion and of leauing the rest in sinne and eternall death raising them vp to iudgement casting them into eternal paines Here is spoken of men which shall bee saued and not saued therefore to them onely and not to Angels doth this definition of Predestination agree Election The partes of Predestination are Election and Reprobation Election is the eternal vnchaungeable free and most iust decree of god whereby hee hath decreed to conuert some to Christ to preserue and keepe them in faith and repentaunce and by him to giue them eternall life Reprobation Reprobation is such a decree of god as whereby hee hath decreed to leaue some according to his most iust iudgement in their sinnes to punish them with blindnesse and damnation and to condemne them beeing not made partakers of Christ euerlastingly That Election likewise as also Reprobation are both the decree of god these and the like sayinges doe prooue John 13.18 I know whom I haue chosen 2. Tim. 1.9 His grace was giuen to vs before the worlde was Rom. 9.18 He hath mercy on whom he wil. Both therefore election and reprobation were made by counsell and therefore both are a decree and that eternal because there is no new thing in God but all from euerlasting and the Scripture doth manifestlie saie Ephes 1.4 That God hath chosen vs before the foundation of the worlde Seeing then hee hath chosen vs hee hath therefore reiected the rest That which the verie word of choosing doth shew For whatsoeuer is chosen the same is chosen other thinges beeing reiected This Election is of grace and free that is not in respect of anie good foreseene in vs. He hath mercie on whom he will that is He giueth freely what he giueth Joh. 15.16 You haue not chosen me 3 What the causes of Predestination or Election and Reprobation The efficient cause of our election Gods good pleasure not any thing in vs. THE efficient and motiue cause is the good pleasure of God Matth. 11.26 Jt is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such God hath not foreseene any thing in vs for which he should choose vs for there can be no good in vs as of our selues For if anie good bee found in vs that hee dooth worke wholy in vs and hee woorketh nothing in vs which hee hath not decreed to woorke from euerlasting Wherefore the alone gracious and most free good pleasure of God or the alone free mercy of God is the efficient and motiue cause of our Election Ephes â— 5. God hath predestinate vs to be adopted through Jesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his wil. See further Roman 9.11 Coloss 1.12 2. Timot. 1.9.10 The cause of reprobatioÌ„ in God In like manner also the efficient cause of Reprobation is the most free good pleasure of God For wee beeing all by nature the children of wrath had al perished if sin were the cause of reprobation Wherefore the cause of reprobation is not in men themselues but that is in God his will of shewing foorth his iustice Therefore of particular men why this man is elected and he reprobated there can bee no other reason giuen but the good pleasure of God onely But the cause of damnation is altogether in men The cause of Damnation in men which is sinne The supreme final cause of Predestination is gods glorie and the last and proper final cause of Election is the manifestation of Gods goodnesse and mercie in freelie sauing the Elect. The next neerest finall cause of our Election is our Iustification when God dooth in his Sonne freely account vs for righteous Both which finall causes the Apostle compriseth in these wordes Ephes 1 6. He hath predestinate vs to the praise of the glorie of his grace wherewith he hath made vs freely accepted in his beloued Likewise of the contrarie The first final cause of Reprobation is the declaration of gods iustice seueritie and hatred against sinne in the reprobate 1 Obiection God did foreknowe our workes Therefore he choose vs for our woorks Aunswere He did foreknowe those good thinges which he purposed to woorke in vs as also he foreknewe the persons otherwise he could not haue foreknowen any good workes So could he not haue foreseene any euill except he had purposed to permit the same 2 Obiection Christs merite applied vnto vs by faith is the cause of our Election Therefore not the good pleasure of God Answere Christes merit is not the cause of election but is reckoned among the effects thereof 3 Obiection Euil workes are the cause of reprobation therefore good workes are the cause of election Aunswere Euil workes are not the cause of reprobation but of that which followeth reprobation that is of damnation Good workes go not before in him that is to be iustified muchlesse are they the cause of election but they followe in a man beeing iustified and draw their original and their perpetual efficacy and vertue from gods meâ—e grace 4 Whaâ— are the effects of Predestination THE effect of election is the whole woork of our saluation and al the degrees of our redemption 1. The creation and gathering of the church 2 The sending and giuing of Christ the Mediatour and his Sacrifice 3. Effectuall calling of men to his knowledge which is the conuersion of the Elect by the holie Ghost and the woorde 4. Faith iustifâ—cation regeneration 5. Good woorkes 6. Finall perseueraunce 7 Raising vnto glorie 8. The effects of Reprobation Glorification and eternal life The effects of Reprobation are the creation of the reprobate priuation
that hee hath done If then the bodies which haue sinned shall receiue accordingly not other bodies but the same shall rise And the very word it selfe of rising enforceth as much for nothing can rise but that which is fallen Wherefore seeing our bodies shall rise no other bodies shall rise or bee quickened than those which haue fallen and are dead or no other than those which doe fall and die How flesh and bloud i◠denied the heauenly inheritance Obiection But saint Paul saith that flesh and bloud cannot inherite the kingdome of god Therefore our bodies cannot possesse the kingdome of god because they are flesh and bloud Answere The flesh oftentimes signifieth some qualitie or the substaunce in respect of some certaine qualitie So flesh that is being sinfull and corruptible shall not possesse the kingdome of God but our flesh then shall no more be able to sinne neither shall it bee corruptible Obiection 2. Our bodies shall be spirituall 1. Cor. 15.44 Jt is sowen a naturall bodie and is raised a spirituall bodie Therefore our bodies shall not then haue the properties of our flesh Aunswere In what sense our bodies shall bee spirituall They shall bee indeede spirituall but shall not haue all the properties of a spirite but some onely because they shall bee agile and quicke mightie and vncorrupt and indeede are therefore chieflie called spirituall because they shall be guided by the spirite neither shall any more the naturall life remaine in them That this is true is apparent by these reasons 1. The Apostle himselfe addeth This corruptible must put on incorruption 2. Hee calleth it a spirituall bodie but a spirite is no bodie 3. Jf anie bodie after the resurrection should be so spirituall as not retaining at all anie bodilie properties then surelie Christs bodie should haue beene so but now he saith to the Apostles Luk. 24.39 Handle me and see for a spirite hath not flesh and bones as ye see mee haue Obiection 3. How are wee saide to beleeue the resurrection when as yet wee are saide to hope for the resurrection to come Answere We are saide to hope for the resurrection as it is an effect of Gods counsell wee are saide to beleeue it as it is the counsell it selfe and purpose of God 9 Whether the soule be immortal The causes for which this Question is to bee moued Mat. 22.23 2. Tim. 2.17 BEsides that this question belongeth to the Article of the Resurrection the explication also thereof in it selfe shal not be altogether vnprofitable or fruitlesse For not now onely doe they beginne to dispute against the immortalitie of the soule but the Sadduces also denied it as they likewise that said the Resurrection was past alreadie vnto him that beleeued neither made anie other resurrection besides that spirituall resurrection of the regenerate Likewise also some Anabaptists denie the immortalitie of the soule Moreouer Paul the third Pope of Rome when he was breathing out his soule and readie to dy said that now at length he should trie know three things whereof in his whole time he had much doubted 1. Whether there were a god 2. Whether soules were immortall 3. Whether there were any hel Wherefore it ought not to seeme straunge if this question be moued neither shal it bee altogether vaine and needelesse both because it serueth for the controuling and refuting especially of Epicures and also because it maketh for the better vnderstanding of some places of holy Scripture But because there haue beene and euen nowe are who haue taught that the soule of man like as of bruite beastes is nothing else but life or the vitall power arising of the temperature and perfection of the bodie and therefore dieth and is extinguished together with the bodie and as some of them speake who wil seeme to beleeue the resurrection of the dead doth sleepe when the bodie dieth that is is without motion or sense vntil the raising of the bodie which indeede is nothing else than that the soule is mortal that is a meere qualitie onlie in the bodie and when the bodie is dissolued becommeth nothing because if it were an incorporeal substance it could not be without sense and motion against these we are to holde the recordes of Gods woorde and writ concerning the spiritual and immortal substaunce of mans soul The soule an in corporeall substance That the soule of man is not onely a forme or perfection or temperament or force and power or an agitation arising out of the temperature of the bodie but a substaunce incorporeall liuing vnderstanding dwelling in the bodie and susteining and moouing it these places following of holy Scripture doe shewe Psalm 48. His soule shal be blessed in life Heb. 12. God is called the Father of spirites And it is saide of the faithfull Yee are come to the celestial Ierusalem and to the companie of innumerable Angels and to the spirites of iust and perfect men 1 Cor. 2.11 No man knoweth the thinges of a man saue the spirite of a man which is in him In these and the like places of Scripture both the soule of man is called a spirite and the properties of a liuing vnderstanding substance are attributed vnto it Wherefore to no purpose doe the aduersaries of this doctrine oppose those places in which the name of the soul is taken for the the life and wil of man as Matth. cap. 6. The soul is more woorth than meate Iob. 13.14 J put my soule in my hand For by the fore-alledged places it is manifest thnt this is not general but is vsed by a * Metalepsis figure of speech whereby we cal the effect by the name of his cause Now the immortalitie of the soule is prooued by manifest places of holie Scripture 1. Luk 23.43 The soule immortall Christ hanging on the crosse said to the theefe this daie shalt thou be with me in Paradise But he could not be there in bodie because that was dead and buried Therefore his soule was gathered with Christs into Paradise and so consequentlie the soul liueth 2. Paul saith Phil. 1.23 I desire to be loosed and to be with christ he speaketh of the rest ioie which he should enioie with christ But they who feele nothing what can their ioie or happinesse bee Wherefore they also are refuted in this place who saie mens souls sleep so withall denie the immortality of the soul 3. Wised 3.1 The souls of the iust are said to be in the hands of god 4. Matt. 22.32 God is not the god of the dead but of the liuing Therefore the soules liue 5. Luk. 23.46 Into thy hands I commend my spirit 6. 2 Corinth 5.8 When we remoue out of the body we may goe vnto the Lord. Wherefore the soules sleep not as some Anabaptistes wil haue thē but enioie immortall life and celestiall glorie with the Lorde 7. In the Reuelation cap. 6.10 The soules of the godly that were killed are said to
of the Gospel It may bee also defined briefly thus Euangelical iustice is a conformitie with the law performed by Christ imputed of God to vs by faith The legal iustice is performed either by the obedience of the law or by punishment For the lawe necessarily requireth one of these That which is performed by the obedience of the law is either generall or particular The general is an obseruing of al the laws which belong vnto vs or it is an obedience according to all the lawes vnto vs appertaining 1. Thes 4.11 Studie to be quiet and to meddle with your owne busines Generall or Vniuersal Iustice â—erfect Iustice This generall iustice is of two sorts perfect and vnperfect The perfect is an external and internal obedience to all the lawes belonging vnto vs. Or it is a perfect both inwarde and outward conformitie with the law of God Deut. 27.26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not al the words of this law to doe them The imperfect or begun iustice Vnperfect Iustice is a conformitie begun onelie and vnperfect euen such a iustice as doth not doe all things or not after that manner which the lawe requireth This vnperfect iustice is also of two sorts Philosophicall Iustice the one Philosophicall the other Christian The Philosophicall is a knowledge in the mind of Gods law and vertues vnperfect obscure and weake and whatsoeuer manner of purpose in the will and heart to doe those things which are right and honest according to that vnperfect knowledge and a directing and gouerning of their behauiour and manners according to the lawes Christian Iustice The Christian is regeneration or a knowledge of God and his law vnperfect indeede yet more notable and perfect than the philosophicall and to be perfected after this life rising from faith and the loue of God kindled in the hearts onely of the regenerate by the vertue and operation of the holy ghost through the gospel and ioined with an earnest and serious inclination of the will and heart to obey God according to all his commaundements The particular iustice Particular Iustice Commutatiue Iustice is that vertue which giueth to euerie one his owne and is of two sorts Commutatiue or exchanging and distributiue The Commutatiue obserueth equalitie of things and prices in exchanges and contracts or bargains The Distributiue Distributiue Iustice obserueth a proportion in distributing offices goods rewardes punishments giuing rewardes and punishments agreeable and proportionable vnto the persons There is also an other diuision of iustice namely Iustice of the person and of the cause Of the person and of the cause Iustice of the person when a person is iust and agreeable to the law Of the cause when he hath a iust and good cause in any controuersie whether the person himselfe be good or bad 3 In what iustice differeth from iustification IVstice is the verie conformitie it selfe with the lawe and the fulfilling of the lawe and the thing whereby wee are iust before god which is the very satisfaction of Christ performed on the Crosse Iustification is the application of that iustice What Iustification is and by this application the thing whereby we are iust euen that iustice and satisfaction of Christ is made ours and except that bee made ours or applied and imputed vnto vs wee cannot bee iust as neither the wall is made white except whitenes be applied vnto it For euen in like manner doth iustice differ from iustification or iustifieng as whitenes from whitening so application and imputation are not all one for imputation is not extended so farre as application For God alone doth impute but wee also doe applie vnto vs. Now Iustification is diuided in like sort as is Iustice Legall Iustification For there is one Justification legall which is a working of that conformitie with God or with the law of God in vs when as wee are regenerated There is another Iustification Euangelicall which is an application of the Euangelicall Iustice vnto vs Euangelicall Iustification but not a transfusion of the qualities into vs or it is an imputation of anothers iustice which is without vs an assoiling and absoluing of vs in iudgement Psal 143.2 In thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified Therefore that iustice whereby being applied and imputed vnto vs wee are iustified is not in vs but without vs. 4 What is our iustice Our righteousnesse is Christs satisfaction which consisteth in his whole humiliation OVR Iustice or righteousnesse that is the iustice or righteousnes of the Gospel whereby we are iust in the sight of God is not our conformitie with the Law but it is Christs satisfaction perfourmed vnto the Lawe for vs or the punishment which he susteined for vs and so his whole humiliation that is his taking of fleshe his vndertaking of seruitude penuâ—ie ignominie and infirmitie his suffering of that bitter passion and death all which he did vndergoe for vs but willinglie and that humiliation and satisfaction freely of God imputed vnto vs his faithful and beleeuers 1. Corinth 2.2 J esteemed not to know anie thing among you saue Jesus Christ and him crucified Coloss 2.10 Ye are compleate in him Rom. 5.19 By the obedience of one shal manie be made righteous Isai 53.5.6 With his stripes we are healed The Lord hath laid vpon him the iniquitie of vs al. Nowe that Christ might perfourme obedience and satisfie for vs it behooued him to bee our Mediatour beeing by himselfe iust and holy Heb. 7.26 For such an High-Priest it became vs to haue holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners and made higher than the heauens All these things are true perfectly wholy in Christ For hee hath perfectly fulfilled the Law for vs 1. by the holinesse of his humane nature 2. Phil. 2.8 by his obedience for he became obedient vnto the death eueÌ„ the death of the crosse And the former fulfilling of the law namely the holinesse of Christes humane nature was requisite for the other euen for his obedience This obedience satisfaction of Christ is our satisfaction our proper iustice for which we please god for which we are receiued into fauor with God the Father and which is imputed vnto vs. That former fulfilling of the Law is indeed imputed also vnto vs namely the humiliation and iustice or righteousnesse of Christes humane nature that wee maie bee reputed holy before god but this holinesse of Christ is imputed vnto vs for his obedience or satisfaction sake because he satisfied for vs gods iustice in susteining eternall punishment and paines which we should haue susteined euerlastingly Hence is it that the effusion of Christes blood as being the complement and consummation of Christes satisfaction is onely said to bee our iustice and righteousnesse 1. Ioh. 1.7 The blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from al sin that is not only from that which is past but also from that which is to come Obiection The
righteousnesse 13 Obiection Jf Christ hath satisfied for vs we shall not be iustified freelie but for merite and desert Aunswere Wee are iustified freely in respect of vs not freely in respect of Christ whom the sauing of vs cost full dearely 14 Obiection Reward presupposeth merite So that where reward is there is also merite For reward and merite are correlatiues whereof if one bee put the other is put also But euerlasting life is proposed as a reward for good workes therefore also the merite of good workes is euerlasting life Aunswere The Maior is sometimes true as concerning creatures as when men may merite or deserue of men But neither alwaies among men doth it folowe that there is merite where there is reward For men also oftentimes giue rewards not of merit or desert Now it is vnproperly saide of God that he proposeth eternal life vnto our workes as a reward for we can merite nothing at Gods hands by our workes But for this cause especially doth God say that he wil giue a reward to our workes thereby to shew that good workes are grateful and pleasing vnto him 15 Obiection That which is not required vnto iustification is not necessarie to be done Good woorkes are not required vnto iustification Therefore it is not necessarie to doe them Answere The Maior is false if it bee meant generallie because wee ought to doe good woorkes in token of thankefulnes But if the Maior be meant particularly then nothing can bee concluded the premisses beeing meere particular nowe good woorkes are as an effect without which the cause to wit faith cannot be Therefore good workes verily are necessarie but not as any cause or merite of iustice 16 Obiection He that is iustified by two things is not iustified by one only But we besides that we are iustified by faith are iustified also by the merite and obedience of Christ therefore not by faith onely Answere He that is iustified by two things is not iustified by one onely that is after one and the same manner But we are iustified by two thinges after a diuerse manner For we are iustified by faith as by an instrument apprehending iustice but by the merit of Christ as by the formal cause of our iustice 17 Obiect Doctrine which maketh men profane is not to be deliuered But this doctrine that we are iustified by works maketh men profane Therefore it is not to be deliuered Ans If it should so fal out with any man it were but an accident Reply Euen those thinges which fall out to bee euils by an accident are to be eschued But this doctrine maketh men by an accident euil Therefore it is to be eschued Aunswere Those thinges which fal out to be euils by an accident are to be eschued if ther remain no greater cause for which they are not to bee omitted which by an accident make men euil But we haue greater causes why this doctrine ought to be deliuered 1. The commaundement of God 2. Our owne saluation 18 Obiection Christ hath brought vs eternall iustice This applied iustice is not eternal Therefore this is not our iustice but God himselfe is our iustice Aunswere The Lorde is our iustice that is our iustifier But that our applied iustice is eternal hath been shewed before because the imputation thereof is continued to all eternity That iustice also of the Lawe which is begunne in vs in this life shall bee continued and perfected in the life to come But that iustice which is God himselfe is not in vs because so God should be an accident to his creature and become iustice in man For iustice and vertue are thinges created in vs not the essence of God Moreouer Osiander who obiecteth this doth not discerne the cause from the effect As we liue not or are wise by the essence of God for this is all one as to say that wee are as wise as God so also we are not iust by the essence of God Wherefore nothing is more impious than to say That the essentiall iustice of the creatour is the iustice of the creatures for thereof it would follow that wee haue the iustice of God yea the verie essence of God The cause must be discerned from the effect increate iustice from created iustice 19 Obiection Where sinne is not there is no place for remission or imputation Jn the life to come sinne shall not be Therefore no place there for remission or imputation Aunswere In the life to come shall not bee remission of any sin then present but the remission which was graunted in this life shall continue and endure for euer And that conformity also which we shal haue with God in the life to come shal be an effect of this imputation 20 Obiection Ten Crownes are part of a hundred Crownes in paiment of a debt Therefore good workes also may be some part of our iustice Aunswere There is a dissimilitude because ten Crownes are a whole part of an hundred Crownes But our workes are not a whole and perfect part 21 Obiection It is said that Phinees worke and deede was imputed vnto him for righteousnes Answere The meaning of the place is That God did approue his worke but not that he was iustified by that worke Why we are iustified by christs merit onely We are iustified by the merite of Christ onely 1. For his glorie that his sacrifice might not bee extenuated and made of lesse value 2. For our owne comfort that we may be assured that our iustice doth not depend vpon our owne woorkes but vpon the sacrifice of Christ onely otherwise we should leese it a thousand times Why we are not Iustified partly by faith and partly by works Gal. 3.10 We are iustified not partly by faith partly by works 1. Because works are vnperfect and therefore our iustice also should be then vnperfect Cursed is euerie man that continueth not in all thinges which are written in the booke of the lawe to doe them 2. Although they were perfect yet are they due and debt So that wee cannot satisfie for an offence past by them When ye haue done all that yee are commaunded say wee are vnprofitable seruants 3. They are Gods works who worketh them in vs. 4. They are temporarie neither haue anie proportion with eternall blessinges 5. They are effectes of iustification therefore no cause 6. They are excluded that wee might not haue whereof to glorie 7. If they were part of our iustification our conscience should be destitute of stable and certaine comfort 8. Christ should haue died in vain 9. We should not haue the same way to saluation 10. Christ should not be a perfect Sauiour Why our works are vnperfect therefore cannot merit Now our workes are vnperfect 1. Because we omit manie things which we should doe and doe manie things which we should not doe 2. Because we blend and mingle euil with that good which wee doe that is wee doe good but wee doe it ill The thinges
reuerence him and declare our loue and thankefulnes towardes him by our good workes and obedience Rom. 12.1 J beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that ye giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruing of God 1. Pet. 2.5 Yee are made an holie Priesthoode to offer vp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to god by Jesus Christ We are to doe good workes also in respect of our selues 1. That by our good workes we maie be assured of our faith Mat. 7.17 Euerie good tree bringeth forth good fruite Iames 2.20 That faith which is without workes is dead Phil. 1.11 Filled with the fruites of righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glorie and praise of god Now by our workes we must needes know that wee haue faith because the effect is not without his cause and wee must knowe the cause by his proper effect when as therefore we find not in our selues good works or newe obedience we are hypocrites neither haue we faith but an euil conscieÌ„ce For true faith only which neuer waÌ„teth al her fruites bringeth foorth as a fruitful tree good woorkes obedience amendment of life and these fruites likewise discerne and distinguish true faith from historical and temporary faith and so also from hypocrisie 2. That we maie be assured that we haue obtained remission of sinnes through Christ and are for Christes sake iustified before God for iustification and sanctification are benefites linked together which so cleaue together and that necessarily as they neuer can be seuered or pulled asunder For Christ obtained both for vs at once namely both remission of sinnes and the holy Ghost who stirreth vp in vs by faith the study and desire of good works and new obedience 3. That we maie be assured of our election and saluation 2. Pet. 1.10 Giue diligence to make your calling and election sure These proceede from the cause next going before For god hath chosen from euerlasting of his free mercy those onely which are iustified for the merit of his sonne Roman 8.30 Whom he predestinat them also hee called and them also he iustified Nowe that wee haue receiued from Christ iustification which is neuer giuen vnto the Elect without sanctification we knowe by faith And that we haue faith wee perceiue by the woorkes of faith true obedience and true conuersion 4. That by good woorkes our faith maie bee exercised cherished strengthned and aduaunced For they who giue themselues ouer to corrupt lusts against their conscience in them faith cannot be and therefore neither a good conscience neither a confidence and trust in god as beeing appeased and fauourable vnto them For wee haue through faith onelie a feeling of gods fauor towards vs a good conscience Rom. 8.13 Jf yee liue after the flesh yee shal die 2. Tim. 1.6 J put thee in remembrance that thou stirre vp the gift of god which is in thee by the putting on of my hands 5. That by good works we may shew forth and honest our life and calling Ephes 4.1 I praie you that yee walke worthie of the vocation whereunto yee are called 6. That wee maie escape temporal and eternal punishmentes Matth. 7.19 Euerie tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is cut off and cast into the fire Rom. 8.3 If ye liue according to the flesh ye shal die 7. That we maie obtaine corporall and spirituall rewardes which according vnto the promise accompanie good workes 1. Timot. 4.8 Godlines is profitable vnto al things which hath the promise of the life present and of that that is to come Except God woulde haue the hope of rewards and the feare of punishments to be motiue causes vnto good works he would not vse them in admonitions We must doe good woorkes also in respect of our neighbour 1. That wee maie bee profitable vnto our neighbours by our good example and so edifie them 1. Cor 15. All things are for your sakes that most plenteous grace by the thankes-giuing of manie maie redound to the praise of god Phil. 1.24 That I abide in the flesh is more needefull for you 2. That offences maie bee auoided Matth. 18.7 Woe bee to that man by whome offences come Rom. 2.24 The name of god is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you 3. That wee maie winne vnbeleeuers and by our woordes and deedes and example conuert them vnto Christ Luk. 22.32 When thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren We see now then what are the causes for which we must necessariely doe good workes as also how or in what sense our workes are said to be necessarie for vs vnto saluation to wit not as a cause of our saluation but as mean or way without which wee come not vnto it And after the same sort also it maie be said That good woorkes are necessarie vnto iustice and righteousnes or vnto iustification or in them that are to be iustified namely as a consequent following iustification wherewith regeneration is vnseparably ioined But yet I would not vse these kindes of speaking 1. Because they are ambiguous doubtful 2. Because they breed contentioÌ„s minister occasioÌ„ of cauilling vnto the aduersaries 3. Because the Scripture doth not vse them which must be followed of vs in speaking 6 Whether good woorkes merit any thing before God THIS sixt question ariseth out of the fift as the fourth did out of the thirde For when men heare that wee receiue rewardes by our woorkes they presently conclude that we merit somewhat by them Wherefore wee are to know that good workes indeede are necessarie and therefore are to bee doone also for the rewardes ensuing them but yet that they merit nothing no not the least of gods giftes either corporall or spirituall The reasons hereof are most true and most euident 1 Our woorkes are vnperfect wherefore we can merit nothing by them Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrarie one to the other so that yee do not the same thinges that yee would 2 The good workes what euer we are able to doe are all due Luk. 17.10 When ye haue doone all those thinges which are commanded you say we are vnprofitâ—ble seruants 3 Our woorkes are impure and vitious how-euer they seeme most good Isay 64.6 Wee haue all beene as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnesse is as filthy cloutes Phil 3.8 J thinke all things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Jesus my Lord for whome I haue counted all thinges losse and doe iudge them to be dongue that J might winne Christ 4 If we doe any good woorkes they are not ours but are belonging to god onely Phil. 2.13 Jt is god which worketh in you both the will and the deede euen of his good pleasure 1. Corinth 4.7 What hast thou which thou hast not receiued We are euill trees if then we doe any good that must needes come from God onely Mat 20.15 Is it
Matth. 12.31 Euery sinne and blasphemy shal be forgiuen vnto men but the blasphemie against the holie Ghost shal not be forgiuen vnto men Whence it appeareth seeing Paul saith hee was a blasphemer and yet obtained pardon and seing likewise christ affirmeth that some blasphemy is forgiuen and some is not forgiuen that the name of blasphemy is taken in diuers senses Vnto the confession of the truth is repugnaunt first The denial of the truth for feare of hatred or persequution or ignominie This deniall is of two sortes The first is an vniuersal and general defection from true religion which is to cast awaie the profession of the truth either certainelie or doubtfullie knowen and receiued with a certaine and purposed aduise and with the whole hearts desire of resisting God and without anie griefe or remorse of flying and shunning this casting awaie of the truth and without any purpose of obeying God in applying vnto himselfe the promise of grace and in shewing repentaunce This denial is proper to reprobats and hypocrites Whereof is spoken Matt. 13. and Luk. 8. and 1. Joh. 2. And this defection if it be don against the truth certainly knowen is sinne against the holy Ghost whereof none repent The other denial is special and particular which is the denial of weaklings is committed either through error not voluntary neither purposed or through feare of affliction when as notwithstanding there remaineth still in the hart an inclination and griefe detesting that weaknesse and denial and some purpose also to struggle out of it and to obey God by applying vnto himselfe the promise of grace and by giuing himselfe vnto repentaunce Into this denial may the elect and regenerate fall but they get out of it againe and returne vnto the confession of the truth in this life as it is shewed and exemplied in Peter Matth. 26. Secondlie Vnto confession is also opposed dissimulation or dissembling and hiding of the truth when as Gods glorie and our neighbours safetie requireth a confession of the truth which then requireth it when false opinions concerning God and his wil or woorde or concerning the church seeme to be confirmed and strengthned by our silence in the mindes of men or when those thinges remaine secret and hidden which God wil haue known and manifest for the maintenance of his glorie against the reproches of the wicked for the conuincing of the obstinate and for the instructing of those which are desirous to learne or lastly when our silence maketh vs suspected to be approuers and abetters of the wicked Thirdly vnto the right and lawfull confession of truth is opposed an vnseasonable and vntimelie confession that is whereby without any aduancing of Gods glory and without the furtherance of any ones safety and without any necessity of discharging his calling or duety there is stirred vp either a derision and euill entertainment of the truth or the fiercenesse and cruelty of the enemies against the godly Such a confession whereas it dooth rather darken than set forth the glory of God rather hindereth than furthereth the safety of the Church swarueth plainly from the scope and end of true and lawful confession and therefore is not a right vsing but an abusing of Gods name Therefore Christ forbiddeth it Mat. 7. Giue not that which is holie to dogs And Paul Tit. 3.10 Reiect him that is an heretique after once or twise admonition knowing that he that is such is peruerted and sinneth beeing damned of his own self Neither doth that crosse this which is said 1. Pet. 3.15 Be readie alwaies to giue an answere to euerie man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekenesse and reuerence For Peter willeth vs to be alwaies in a readinesse or furnished to make aunswere concerning the summe and groundes of Christian doctrine yet so as that it is not necessary to vtter and expound all vnto euery one but vnto all those which require a reason and an account of our faith therby either to learne it or to know it But whom we see once to scoffe at the true doctrine which hath beene expounded confirmed vnto them if they again require a reason and account of our faith we are not to make further answere For so Christ himselfe after hee had sufficiently confessed and confirmed his doctrine by testimonies answereth nothing vnto the High-Priest and Pilate touching the false witnesses and Luk 22. himselfe rendereth this reason of his silence If J shal tel you you wil not beleeue me Another reason is giuen by Isaiah cap. 53. He was oppressed and was afflicted did not open his mouth that is because Christ knewe he was now to suffer according to his fathers will after his cause was sufficiently defended he is not careful of deliuering his person from iniuries contumelies and punishments For he knewe that this obedience did tend to his fathers glorie But contrariwise when the High-Priest adiureth him he confesseth himselfe to bee Christ because then his silence woulde haue giuen suspicion of contempt of the name of god whereby he was adiured Obiection We do not perceiue who are swine and dogs wherefore we are to render a reason of our faith to al without putting anie difference Aunswere Christ doth not cal al wicked men swine or dogs but those only who contemne and make a mock of the doctrin confirmed which they haue heard and which hath beene expounded vnto them 2. Christ willeth not vs to iudge of dogs and swine by the secretes of their hearts but by their present words and deedes If againe it be replied In matters of difficultie and such as are hard to be iudged except there be deliuered some certaine and exact rule how to iudge and deale mens consciences are left wauering and in doubt 1. But if also we are to iudge of the outward shew of swine and dogs it is hard to pronounce who are to bee accounted for swine and dogs Therefore mens consciences are left in doubt vnto whom and when confession must bee made The Minor is false For Christ wil haue none to be counted for dogs and swine but such as shew manifest stubburnes and obstinacy in their woords and deedes of whom it is no hard thing to iudge out of the word of God And further the holy Ghost is promised vnto all that aske him by whom their iudgementes and actions may be directed that they er not And lastly seeing in this life we attaine not vnto the perfection of Gods Law neither in other things neither in this point they who ioine the desire of Gods direction with an earnest care of Gods glory and loue of their neighbour may and ought to be certain assured either that their counsels are so ruled by the holy Ghost that they erre not or if they er that yet their error is pardoned forgiuen them And this certainty sufficeth for the reteining of a good conscience If lastly it be obiected That tyrants and manie Magistrates
From what euils he saueth vs 433 How he saueth 434 VVhom he saueth 437 Of Christ What is signified by the name of christ 437 What Christes vnction or annointing is 438 What his Prophetical function 444 VVhat his Priesthood 448 VVhat his kingdome 451 Of the communion of the faithful with Christ vvhat the Annointing of Christians is 452 In what sense christians are called prophets 456 vvhat is the Priesthoode of christians 456 vvhat is the kingdom of christians 458 Of Christ the Sonne of God How manie waies men are called sons 461 How christ is the son of God 463 vvhy christ is called the only begotten and first begotten sonne of God 464 Of Christs Diuinitie The sonne of God is a subsistent in the flesh borne of the virgin and before the flesh 467 The sonne of God Christ is a person reallie distinct from the Father and the holy Ghost 498 The Worde is equall consubstantial with the Father 500 503 Other rules whereby the obiections of the Arrians are dissolued 507 The principall arguments against the Diuinitie of the Sonne and the Holie Ghost with the answeres vnto them 509 Of Christ our Lord. In what sense christ is called Lord 514 For what causes he is our Lorde 515 Of christs conception by the holy ghost and birth of the Virgin Marie 518 The common place of the two natures in Christ vvhether there be two natures in christ our Mediatour 520 vvhether christ be one person or moe 525 vvhat maner of vnion this is of the two natures in christ and how made 529 A rule to bee obserued touching the proprieties of both natures in christ 536 A rule to bee obserued touching the proprieties of christ the Mediatour 544 vvhy it was necessary that two natures should bee vnited in the person or subsistence of the sonne of God 550 Of Christs humiliation that is of his Passion vvhat Christ suffered 554 According to which nature christ suffered 556 The causes impellent or motiues of christes Passion 55â— The final causes oâ— ends of his Passion 558 Of Christs death How christ is said to haue beene dead 561 vvhether it was requisite and necessary that christ should die 562 The fruit of christs death 564 His burial 566 His descension into hel 567 Of Christs glorification that is of his Resurrection vvhether christ rose againe 571 How christ rose 571 For what cause he rose 572 vvhat are the fruits of christes Resurrection 576 Of Christs Ascension into heauen vvhither christ ascended 580 How wherefore christ ascended into heauen 582 587 vvhat is the difference between christs Ascension and our 588 vvhat are the fruits of christs AscensioÌ„ 589 Of Christs sitting at the right hand of GOD. vvhat the right hand of God signifieth 591 vvhat is to sit at Gods right hand 591 vvhether christ did alwaies fitte at the right hand of God 595 vvhat are the fruites of christes sitting at the right hand of the father 597 Of Christs comming to iudgement vvhether there shal be any iudgement 599 vvhat the last iudgement is 601 vvho shal iudge 603 vvhence and whither christ shal come 604 Howe christ shall come to iudgement 605 vvhom christ shal iudge 605 vvhat shall be the senteÌ„ce executioÌ„ 606 For what cause that iudgemeÌ„t shal be 607 vvhen it shal be 608 vvherefore God woulde haue vs certaine of the last iudgement 608 For what causes God would not haue vs certain of the time of iudgement 609 For what cause GOD differreth that iudgement 609 Whether the last iudgement be to bee wished for 610 The third part of the Creede of the Holie Ghost the sanctifier What the name spirite signifieth 610 Who and what the holie Ghost is 611 What the office of the holy gost is 617 Of whom the holie Ghost is giuen and wherefore 621 To whom the holie Ghost is giuen 622 How he is giuen receiued 624 How the holie Ghost is reteined 625 Whether and how the holie ghost may be lost 625 wherefore the Holie Ghost is necessarie 626 Howe wee may knowe that the holie ghost dwelleth in vs. 627 Of the Church What the Church is 627 How many waies the Church is taken 629 What are the tokens and markes of the church 631 Why the church is called Holy Catholicke 633 In what the church differeth from the common weale 634 Whence ariseth the difference of the church from the rest of mankinde 635 Whether any one may be saued out of the church 636 Of Predestination Whether there be Predestination 636 What Predestinâ—tion is 641 What are the causes of Predestination or Election and of Reprobation 642 What are the effects of Predestination 644 Whether Predestination be vnchangeable 645 How far forth Predestination Election and Reprobation are known vnto vs. 645 Whether the elect be alwaies meÌ„bers of the church the reprobate neuer 646 Whether the elect may fall from the church and the reprobate abide alwaies in the church 648 What is the vse of this doctrine 649 Of the communion of Saints 649 Of the remission of sinnes What remission of sinnes is 651 Who giueth remission of sinnes 652 For what remission of sinnes is graunted 653 Whether remission of sinnes agreeth with Gods iustice 653 Whether remission of sinnes be freely giuen 654 To whom remission of sins is giuen and how 655 Of the Resurrection of the flesh What the Resurrection is 656 The Errours concerning the Resurrection 656 Whence it may appeare that the Resurrection shall certainely be 657 For what end the Resurrection shall be 659 By whom the Resurrection shal be 660 How the Resurrection shal be 660 When the Resurrection shal be 661 What bodies shal rise 661 Whether the soule be immortall 662 Of euerlasting life What euerlasting life is 670 VVho giueth euerlasting life 672 To whom euerlasting life is giuen 673 For what cause euerlasting life is giuen 673 VVhen how euerlasting life is giuen vnto vs 674 675 VVhether wee can bee assured in this life of euerlasting life 675 Of Justification VVhat iustice or righteousnes is in generall how manifold it is 677. 678 In what iustice differeth from iustification 679 VVhat is our iustice 680 How Christs satisfactioÌ„ is made our iustice and righteousnes 681 VVhy Christs satisfaction is made ours 683 VVhy Christs satisfaction is made ours by faith onely 684 Obiections against this doctrine of iustification aunswered 685 Of Sacraments VVhat sacraments are 694 VVhat are the ends of sacraments 697 In what sacraments differ from sacrifices 699 In what sacramentes agree with the word and in what they differ from it 700 How the sacraments of the old new Testament agree how they differ 702 VVhat the sacramentall vnion is 703 In what the thinges differ from the signes 704 VVhat phrases and formes of speaking of the sacraments are vsuall vnto the church and scripture 705 VVhat is the right and lawful vse of sacraments 705 VVhat the wicked receiue in the vse administration of the sacraments 706 How
sinnes for which Christ hath satisfied cannot hurt but christ hath satisfied for sinnes past and to come Therefore sinnes past and to come cannot hurt vs. Aunswere Nowe knitte and force this reason that wee maie see whither it tendeth Reply That which hurteth not we neede not to eschue sinnes to come hurt not therefore wee neede not beware of sinnes to câ—me Auns 1. The Minor is false For god is offended with sinnes which is the greatest hurt and further sinnes bereaue vs of that conformity with God purchase bodily paines vnto the faithful But we are to distinguish between these questions 1. How a reasonable creature may be iust before god 2. Hâ—w maÌ„ being a sinner may be iust before god 3. Whether a reasonable creature may merit or deserue ought at gods hands To the first question we answere That a reasonable creature may be iust before God by the conformitie with the law inherent in him as blessed men and Angels are iust To the second That man being a sinner is iust by the imputation onely of Christs merit and of this question is our speech when we speake of iustification To the third That no reasonable creature can deserue ought at gods hands Luk. 17.10 When yee haue done all say Wee are vnprofitable seruantes For neither is Christes obedience verily any merit in this respect as if any good came to God by it but in respect of the dignitie of the person bicause it was Christ that suffered it is called merite But a man which is a sinner cannot bee iust before God 1. Because before his iustification his woorkes are corrupt 2. Also after his iustification the works of a man which is a sinner are vnperfect 3. And when they are perfect as in the life to come they shal be yet can we not satisfie for the sinnes past for we owe those workes when we doe them 5 How Christes satisfaction is made our iustice and righteousnesse THIS question is adioined because it seemeth absurd that we should bee iustified by that which is another mans Christs satisfaction made ours two waies 1 By God imputing it or applyeng it vnto vs. and not ours The satisfaction or iustice of Christ is made ours or applied vnto vs two waies that is by a double application The former application is Gods who in respect of that fulfilling of the Law perfourmed by christ accepteth vs and applieth the same vnto vs that is he imputeth it no lesse than if wee had neuer sinned or at least had paied and suffered sufficient punishment for our sinnes For albeit to iustifie signifieth to make iust yet in the Church it signifieth another thing and is taken in another sense Or god doth applie it when hee imputeth the fulfilling of the Lawe perfourmed by Christ vnto vs euen as if it were perfourmed by vs neither wil at all punish vs. But to impute is to accept christs satisfaction performed to this end that it might be our iustice righteousnes 2 By our selues applyeng it vnto our selues We then also applie vnto vs the fulfilling of the Law perfourmed by Christ when we are stedfastly persuaded that God doth impute applie giue it vnto vs and for it reputeth vs for iust absoluing vs from al guilt Without this application the former is not at all and this latter is also from God For God first imputeth vnto vs Christes satisfaction then he engendereth faith in vs whereby wee maie applie the same vnto vs. Whence also it appeareth that Gods application doth go before is the cause of our application which is of faith albeit his is not without ours as christ also saith Ioh. 15.16 Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you Moreouer wee may then bee assured and certaine that the righteousnesse or satisfaction of Christ is imputed vnto vs of God When wee may be assured of Christs satisfaction imputed vnto vs. when wee earnestly desire the grace of God and feele the holy ghost to work in vs a true confidence in the Mediatour of the faithful That which we haue nowe spoken of both applications both gods and ours doth manifestly shew what is meant in this place by iustifieng Which is that to iustifie is not to make one iust who is vniust but to repute him for iust and righteous who is vniust and to absolue the vniust and vnrighteous from al guilt and not to punish him and this for anothers iustice and righteousnesse imputed by faith vnto vs. Obiection But to iustifie is to make one iust who is vniust Aunswere This indeede is true in general but in the Church it is taken otherwise For the legall iustification is a woorking of iustice and righteousnesse in vs as in one subiect But the iustification of the gospell whereof wee speake here is a farre diuerse thing For the subiect of that iustice and righteousnesse which is made ours by the Gospels iustification that is whereby being appplied by faith vnto vs wee are reputed iust and righteous is Christ himselfe and wee are onely the obiect of this iustice and the matter about which it is conuersaunt but the matter wherein it is inherent is Christ only 6 Why Christs satisfaction is made ours THE perfect fulfilling of the Law performed by Christ for vs is made ours or applied vnto vs The cause of Christs satâ—sfaction applied imputed is in God onely not in vs. through the alone and free mercie of God as who from euerlasting did predestinate vs and freely chuse vs to whom he might apply of his mere grace by faith that iustice and righteousnesse at his appointed time Wherefore al imagination and affirmation of merit is to bee taken awaie as which fighteth with the grace of God and is a denial of his diuine grace For the grace and mercie of GOD is the onely cause of both applications Hee of his goodnesse infinite and passing measure applieth Christes merit vnto vs and maketh that we also may apply the same vnto vs. The cause therefore why this application is wrought is in God alone but not at al in vs that is it is neither anie thing foreseene in vs neither also our apprehension and receiuing of this iustice For all the giftes and graces which are in vs are effectes of the application of Christes merit and therefore that merit of Christ is no waie applied vnto vs for the workes sake which we doe but this is done as the Apostle teacheth Ephes 1.5 according to the good pleasure of his wil. WhereupoÌ„ also it is said 1. Cor. 4 7. What hast thou that thou hast not receiued And Ephes 2.8 By grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God And here it is to be obserued that to bee saued by the grace of God and to be iustified by faith are not all one for that signifieth the impellent or motiue cause in God this the instrumental cause in vs whereby we apprehend the righteousnesse