what faith it selfe is and what is the vse and end of it Concerning the ground and cause of our beleeving if wee carefully marke the scriptures of God it is placed especially in three thinges The first is the will of God and his eternall Decree according to his will as is cleere by Math. chapt 11. vers 26. where Christ attributed vnto the good will and pleasure of the Father that some did beleeve and some did not And Acts chap. 13. ver 48. where it is expreslie said That as many as were ordayned vnto eternall life beeleved And this teacheth vs two things First that faith is no worke depending vpon the will of man nor any power in nature Secondly that it is of the nomber of those blessings not which God did communicate in the first creation but of those which were hid vp in the mysterie of Gods will touchinge the dispensation of life in and through Christ The second thinge wherein the ground and cause of beleeving is placed in Gods free gift accordinge to the sayinge of Christ him selfe Ioh. chap. 6. vers 37. and 65. Which gift of God is there also declared to be two folde The first the giving of our persons vnto Christ according to these wordes All that the Father giveth me shall come to mee The second is the giving vnto vs grace to beleeve According to that other saying No man can come vnto mee except it be given him of my Father For as saieth the Apostle Rom. chap. 11. vers 32. God hath shut vp all men vnder vnbeleefe that he might shewe mercie on all And againe Gallat chap. 3. vers 22. The Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve And this ground is verified by the saying of Ioh. chap. 12. ver 39. 40. where he giveth a reason why the Iewes for all his miracles not only beleeved not but also why they could not beleeve in Christ saying Therefore could they not beleeve because that Esay saieth Hee hath blinded their eyes c. The third thing wherein the ground and cause of our beleeving is placed is our spirituall birth Therefore saith Iohn 1. Ep. chap. 5. 1. VVhosoever beleeveth that Iesus is the Christ is borne of God Therefore the same Iohn describing who they are that doe beleeve in the Gospell Chap. 1. vers 13. sayeth which ar borne not of bloud nor of the will of flesh nor of the will of man but of God By al these three groundes it is evident that faith is no naturall but a supernaturall gift and therefore the praise of our beleeving is taken from vs and given wholy vnto God as is cleere in the wordes of Christ to Peter Math. chap. 16. ver 17. Flesh and bloud hath not reveiled that vnto thee but my Father which is in heaven Now we come to the propertie that is attributed to faith and which through faith is in every one that beleeveth and this propertie is the power of God according to the saying of the Apostle Ephe. chap. 1. ver 19. Where the Apostle prayeth that they might knowe what was the exceeding greatnes of the power of God in them that beleeve and therefore is it that faith is called the faith of the effectuall working of God Coll. chap. 2. ver 12. and that for two reasons First because no power nor working of any power can ever worke faith in our hearts except the power of God onely and therefore the Prophet Esay doeth put beleeving and the having of the arme of the Lord revealed for one thinge Chapter 53. verse 1. Secondly because the power and the effectuall working of faith in vs is nothing but the very power and the workinge of the power of God him selfe Who as saith Peter by his power through faith keepeth vs 1. Epist chap. 1. ver 5. and for this cause it is not only that faith is compted for the chiefe piece of the armour of God and of the might of his power Ephes chap. 6. but also that to have Christ livinge in vs and to live by the faith of Christ are put for one thinge Gallat chapt 2. ver 20. Thereby shewing vs that the power of faith is not any thinge but the power of GOD and of Christ dwelling by faith in vs. and that faith is the effectuall instrument whereby Christ is powerfull in vs. Vpon which grounde it is that the effectes of Christ him selfe are often attributed vnto faith as in these sayinges of Christ Thy Faith hath made thee whole Thy Faith hath saved thee And when we are saide to bee saved by faith to have our heartes purged by faith to bee iustified by faith c. A cleere example of this wee have Acts chap. 3. ver 16. where the Apostle indifferentlie attributes to the power of Christ and to faith the healing of the Creeple man Which place is carefully to be marked because it giveth a marveillous light in the vse of faith For there it is saide That through faith in his Name his name had made the man sound Which saying doth shew vs expreslie that it was not faith it selfe as it was the worke of that man but the name of Christ in which his faith was that did make him sound so that the power of faith is nothing but the power of Christ embrased by faith and that the worke of faith is nothing but the worke of Christ dwelling in our heartes by faith Which doeth iustifie their opinion who affirme that to be iustified by faith is alwayes to bee vnderstood to bee iustified by Christ For as by faith in his Name his Name made the man sounde even so by faith in his bloud his bloud maketh vs righteous Therefore sayeth the Apostle Rom. chap. 3. vers 25. That God hath set Christ forth a propitiation by faith in his bloud Where reconciling by faith in his bloud is to be vnderstoode in the same sense that making soūd by faith in his name is to be vnderstood in the other place by which it is evident that faith is never rightly taken in our iustification when it is taken for the thing wherein standeth our righteousnes and not for the instrument apprehending that thing which is our righteousnes Thus the power of God working faith and the power of God accompanying faith doeth evidently shewe faith to bee a supernaturall gift being wrought by a supernaturall power and possessing vs with a supernaturall power of God him selfe This is cleerily verified by the third pointe touching these effectes that are attributed vnto faith in the booke of God when it is saide to doe things that are above the strength of all created nature and when Saintes are saide to have done by it such thinges as are supernaturall Of these first sorte are those sayings where in the iustifying of vs the saving of vs miraculous healing of diseases by nature incurable are attributed vnto saith as also the keeping of
vs vnto salvation Of the other sorte are those sayinges wherein we are saide by faith to overcome the Divill to quenche all his fierie dartes 1. Pet. cha 5. ver 9. Ephe. chap. 6. vers 16. By faith we are saide to overcome the world 1. Iohn chap. 51 ver 4. 5. and of these effectes of faith there is a large rehearsall made Hebr. chap. 11. by which it is evident that faith is a supernaturall gift seeing it produceth such supernaturall effectes For nature never did yeeld or produce any thinge no not in the integritie of it whereby wee could bee able in resisting to overcome the Divell and the world or to performe such great things and endure such heavie torments ioyfully as by faith wee are made able to doe and suffer And this may well be verified by the dolefull experience of the fall both of men and Angells who by all the strength of nature vncorrupted could not preserve them selves in their blessed estate nor overcome their temptations Which sheweth vs that the power which accompanieth faith in the heart of the beleever is more stronge and mightie then any power which God placed by creation in any nature whatsoever Seeing it is able to save a man even now in his corrupted estate and ro preserve him vnto salvation Whereas all the power naturall of man Angells could not keepe them Now being in safetie from falling from their felicitie as also that thereby a sinnefull fraile corrupted man is able to overcome the Devil whom man created in the image of God yet perfect and without sinne was not able to withstande For this cause it is that the Apostle doth so extoll and magnifie the exceeding greatnes of Gods power which is in them that beleeve Ephe. chap. 1. ver 19. By all this it is evident that faith is no worke of nature or the effect of anie power in nature but a supernaturall gifte flowinge from the supernaturall power of GOD. By the which GOD effectually worketh in vs and by vs supernaturall effectes as beeing the supernaturall instrument whereby his power is effectuall in vs as it was in Christ when he raysed him from the dead and crowned him with glorie and with honour and this gift of God cometh vnto vs in ordinarie dispensation by hearing of the word Rom. chap. 10. For there be three ordinarie meanes by which God vseth to bestow faith vpon vs and whereby his spirit is effectuall in vs to that end The first is the Gospell therefore is the Gospell called the power of God vnto salvation Rom. chap. 1. ver 16. as also the gospell is said to be written to this end that we might bileeve Iohn chap. 20. ver 31. and we are saide to bee called vnto the faith by the Gospell 2. Thess cap. 2. ver 14. but the speciall parte of the Gospell vnto faith whereby we are called is the promise For this cause Abraham is saide not to have doubted of the promise and we are saide to be children of the promise Gal. cha 4. ver 28. Rom. chap. 9. ver 8. The second ordinarie meane is the Sacramentes which are the signes and seales of the righteousnes which is by faith The third instrument and meane is the Ministers of the Gospell who therefore are called the ministers by whom we beleeve CHAPTER XXVII NOW it followeth that wee speake of the second point touching faith that is to whom it is given of which point some what may bee collected out of these three grounds and causes of beleeving set downe heretofore therefore wee wil be the shorter herein In handling this point we have two things specially to bee marked The first is what persons they are amongst men in whom the Lord doth worke faith that is whether he worketh it in all men indifferently or in some certaine nomber only The second is in what part power or facultie of man faith is wrought Touching the first The first ground or cause that wee laid downe of beleeving may alone sufficiently cleere this seeing our beleeving depends vpon the Lords ordayning vs to eternall life of his good will and pleasure It must follow that God giveth faith to no more then hee hath Predestinated and that faith is not indifferently given to all it is manifest by experiences in all ages and by the testimonie of Gods trueth Math. cha 11. vers 25. Where Christ giveth thankes vnto the Father because hee had denied faith vnto the wise and men of vnderstanding and had given it vnto babes And againe Math. chap. 13. vers 11. it is expresly said by Christ that it was given to his disciples to know the secretes of the Kingdome of heaven but vnto the rest of the Iewes it was not given Therefore the Apostle 2 Thes chap. 3. vers 2. affirmeth plainly that all men have not faith Or rather as the words seeme to importe that faith belongs not to all men And these testimonies preceeding doe prove that this is true not only in respect of the action of mans will reiecting the meanes of knowledge and faith offered by God but in respect of the action of God in denying the meanes yea which is more in blinding their eyes that they shall not see Esay 6. and Ioh. 12. and Rom. 9. 18. Besides this it is manifest by the description of those to whom faith is given First they are described to be the sheepe of Christ Ioh. chap. 10. ver 26. and therefore sayeth Christ to the Iewes that beleeved not but yee beleeve not for yee are not of my sheepe Whereby it is manifest that none save they which are Christes sheepe doe receyve faith and that because Christ did lay downe his life for none but for his sheepe Iohn chapt 10. ver 11. 15. For none can have faith in the bloud of Christ for whom Christ never shed his bloud The second thing whereby they are described is the Fathers giving of them to Christ and this is the ground of the former For none are Christes sheepe but such as the Father gives him and therefore he him selfe acknowledgeth those who are his sheepe to have bene given him by the Father Iohn cha 10. ver 29. and 17. 6. c. according to which ground Christ speaketh Iohn chap. 6. vers 35. 36. 37. shewing this to bee the cause why the Iewes beleeved not to wit because the Father had not given them vnto him while he takes his argument from the contrarie effect in this manner All that the Father giveth me commeth vnto mee Vpon the which it must followe that of the contrarie effect there must bee a contrarie cause that is that who do not come vnto him must not be given of God vnto him For it is the will of the Father that sendes Christ that he save those only whom he hath given him Ioh. chap. 6. ver 39. and 17. 2. For which cause Christ him selfe declareth that he did manifest his Fathers Name and give the words which his Father had
signified by the Lord Ier. 32. when he promiseth that he would put his feare in their heartes that they should not departe from him and most cleerly Eze. cap. 36. 26. 27. A newe heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stonie heart out of your body and will give you a heart of flesh and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my Statutes For this cause it is that Christ calleth them blessed who honger and thirst for righteousnes For it is most certaine that the earnest desire of the heart to enioye Christ and his righteousnes c. is an vndoubted token of Gods saving grace and of his effectuall calling in the which he bestowes this as a supernaturall gift vppon the elect as the seconde effect of his working power whereby hee changeth our willes which are of them selves rebellious and maketh them willing to come vnto Christ and to obey his voyce Therefore is it saide That God is the worker both of the will and of the deed of his good pleasure in vs Phil. cap. 2. 13. so this is the second parte of that supernatural gift of faith when as our will maketh choise of that which is the will of God and wee submit our willes to his will in all thinges which is most contrarie to the nature of fleshe For as sayth the Apostle Rom. chap. 8. ver 7. The wisedome of the fleshe is not subiect to the Law of God neither can be Therefore doeth the Prophet David say That the man is blessed whom the Lord choses and causes to come Psalm 65. 4. It is for this same cause that David prayeth so often that God would incline his heart to his statutes The thirde parte of Gods workinge in givinge Faith vnto vs is the sanctification of our affections to make vs to love Christ above all thinges and that by the powring of his love in our heartes by his holy Spirit For as hee inclineth our myndes to mynde heavenly thinges by insinuatinge his mynd towardes vs in Christ Iesus into our myndes as by the sense and feelinge and proofe of his good will towarde vs in all thinges hee drawes out willes vnto his will So by the sense of his love in his giving his deare Sonne to the death for vs while wee were his enimies hee enflames our heartes with the love of him againe so that with our affection wee are set vppon Christ more then all thinges and are content to lose all things that we may gaine him Therefore saith Christ Math. cha 10. ver 37. He that loveth father or mother better then mee is not worthie of me c. And Luke chap. 14. ver 26. If any man come vnto mee and hate not his Father and Mother VVife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his owne life also he can not be my Disciple Wherein it appeareth most plainly that faith is a gift supernaturall seeing it bringeth a supernaturall love into the heart which overcommeth all the love and affection which can be in nature especally when it overcommeth the love of man to him selfe and his owne life Fourthly the Lord by working faith doeth imprinte his knowledge and his will and love to vs in our memories working such a stedfast impression in our hearts of his mercie and grace towards vs in Christ as can never be defaced therefore the wicked in the booke of God are noted by this name they that forget God whereas the childrē of God have him alwayes before theit eyes Thus the Lord when he worketh faith in our hearts he worketh it in all the powers of our soule filling the whole heart with such supernaturall vertue and power in all the faculties thereof whereby the heart which of it selfe naturally could never be able to knowe or to desire or to love or to keepe any heavenly thing belonging vnto life and godlines is made able both to knowe and to will and to love and with the will and affection to apprehende and to keepe constantly the Lord Iesus and all blessings in him vnto eternall life And all these pointes are wrought by God in the heart of everie one of his elect particularly as in them selves so also concerning them selves so that their knowledge and assurance of the trueth of the things reveyled touching Christ and redemption in him is not a generall notion perswasion of the heart that God hath given his sonne to be a Redeemer to mankinde and that he hath performed redemption in his death for such a faith not onely the reprobate but Sathan him selfe hath but it is a particular sight and assurance of every mans owne heart concerning him selfe that God hath elected him for him in particular hath given Christ to bee a Redeemer and hath made him particularly vnto him wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption For it is not my faith-concerning the minde of God vnto others nor yet of the minde of God conceyved generally toward all his elect but the particular knowledge and assurance of his minde concerning my selfe that doeth saue mee For the iust shall live by his owne faith Habac. chapt 2. ver 4. But this will appeare more cleerely in the next point while we consider Faith being newe wrought in our hearts howe we are saide with our heart to beleeve In this point we have to consider First that it is the man him selfe who beleeveth Secondly that it is his heart whereby he beleeveth And thirdly beleeving is the action which man performeth with his heart As for the first man is said to beleeue because that this supernaturall gift is given him of God and that in his heart it is effectuall in him in all the points forespoken for by Gods enlightning of him he sees and by his teaching he vnderstandes and by the Lords enclining of his will he willeth and by the Lords sanctifying of his affection he loveth and by the Lords imprinting and writing in his minde and sealing by his spirit whatsoever he reveyleth vnto him he both possesseth retayneth and keepeth Christ and all the blessings promised in him so that faith actively considered is nothing but the motion of mans hearte which is wrought in him by the spirit of God and therfore in substance nothing els but the very action of GOD in man but considered in a divers manner that is passively as it is wrought by God in him and actively as he by this working of God in all the powers of his soule apprehendeth and receyveth grace from God so that the action of man in beleeving with the heart is nothing but his knowing acknowledging of things by Gods making him know and acknowledge them and his willing them by Gods making him to will them and his loving by Gods making him to love them and his apprehending and retayning them by Gods making of him to apprehende and reteyne them GOD imprinting writing and
cause our righteousnes is saide to bee the righteousnes of God which is by faith and the righteousnes which is through the faith of Christ Phil. chap. 3. ver 9. And Christ is saide to bee a reconciliation through faith in his bloud Rom. chap. 3. ver 25. All serving to teach vs that faith is not our righteousnes it selfe but only the meane by the which we attayne to that which is our righteousnes that is Christ in his bloud for in that sense is righteousnes faid to be through faith and by faith Moreover it is for this same cause that faith is called in the Scriptures the faith of Christ Rom. chap. 3. where righteousnes is saide to be the righteousnes of God by the faith of Iesus and that because the whole matter and substance which by faith wee eyther knowe or apprehende vnto righteousnes is onely Christ Sometimes it is called the faith of his name Acts cha 3. ver 16. as also the faith in his name as Ioh. chap. 1. ver 12. because all the vertue strength and power whereby we beleeve to bee iustisied is in Christ alone and in the vertue of his death and resurrection so that the vertue is not in faith it selfe but in Iesus apprehended by faith Sometimes againe it is called the faith towardes Christ Act. chap. 20. ver 21. because faith setteth nothing before it as the obiect but Christ alone for the Gospell which is the worde of faith propoundeth not any thing vnto vs but onely Christ as eyther promised or given vnto vs of God to bee the matter eyther of our righteousnes sanctification or redemption Sometimes againe it is called the faith in Christ Gal. chap. 3. ver 26. and that for two causes First because that wherein by faith our heartes are fastened and in the which our heartes only setleth their full confidence of righteousnes and remission of sinnes is onely Christ in whom onely our faith is and we also by faith for thereby we are made to be in him and hee in vs and therfore in the scripturs to be in Christ to be in the faith are put indifferently Rom. cha 8. vers 10. compared with 2. Cor. cha 13. ver 3. 5. And for this same respect the proper effectes of Christ him selfe are attributed vnto faith The second Reason is because faith neither suffereth vs to rest vpon it nor on our selues nor on anie other thing nor yet in any thing that is in faith or in our selves or in any thing except Christ onely and that which is in him as the ground of our confidence or as the matter of our righteousnes or blessednes therefore are we saide in him to have redemption in him to be made righteousnes and in him to be circumcised For whatsoever we are made by Faith we are made it in Christ and what soever faith maketh to be ours it is also in Christ therefore faith maketh not God our God but in Christ nor vs the children of God but in Christ nor righteous but in Christ c. For whatsoever faith layeth holde on it findeth it in Christ so that the hart of man when it beleeveth vnto righteousnes sendeth out faith fixeth it in Christ thereby laying holde vpon him and his obedience vnto righteousnes bringing him and his obedience with all the vertue both of his death and life into our heartes to dwell in them Sometimes also it is called the faith by Christ because hee is the Author Fountayne and occasion of it not so much because he with the Father and holy Ghost doeth worke it as because hee alone is the meane and occasion of it For as the Father redeemeth vs by Christ and by him maketh vs his sons and righteousnes c. so also he maketh vs to beleeue by Christ so that take mee away Christ all ground and foundation of saving faith in God is taken away for God hath layde the whole foundation of our beleefe in him alone For which cause Pet. 1. Epist chap. 1 ver 21. sayeth That by his meanes wee beleeve in Gâ—d and in that same place it is saide That God hath raysed him from the dead and given him glorie that our faith and hope might bee in God And to this same effect the same Apostle sayeth in the same chapter ver 3. That God hath begotten vs againe to a lively hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead Vpon which respect it is that the Apostle Paul 1. Cor. chap. 15. ver 17. sayeth expresly If Christ bee not raysed your faith is vayne Vpon which we may easilie gather that faith is a vaine fooilsh faith whereby a man is made to beleeve or hope for any blessing from God which maketh it not first to bee performed by God in Christ For our faith of our vnioÌ„ with God ariseth vpon the knowledge of Christ his assuming in vnitie of person our nature vnto his the faith of our being the sonnes of God ariseth vpon Christ the man our brother being the very sonne of GOD our faith that God will make vs righteousnes ariseth vpoÌ„ this that God hath made Christ sinne for vs and so foorth of the rest the hope of our resurrection is builded vpon his resurrection the hope of our assention vpon his assention the hope of our glorification vpon his glorification so that the Lord worketh in our heartes neither faith nor hope in him of any blessing whatsoever whereof hee doeth not first reveyle vnto vs a cleere ground and evident fouÌ„dation in Iesus Christ the sonne And therefore it may appeare how detestable a doctrine that is and execrable be the teachers of it that affirmeth that a man may be saved without the knowledge of Iesus Christ our Lord. Thus by all these phrases concerning faith the Lord would teach vs that Christ is the matter and hee is the ground of all whatsoever wee beleeve and that there is nothinge in Christ which is not made ours by faith And for this same purpose in Scriptures it is sometimes called the faith in the bloud of Christ Rom. chap. 3. ver 25. and that to teach vs what is the particular thing in Christ wherein God hath made him our righteousnes and whereby the Lord would haue vs to beleeve remission of sinnes in him for albeit Christ be vno vs all and that in all thinges and doeth fill vs all in all thinges yet as wee haue marked before there is no benefite which wee apprehende by faith in Christ but it hath the owne particular ground and foundation wherevpon it is builded and therefore as his faith is but vaine who expects his resurrection in Christ if he doe not know Christ to bee risen againe so his faith must be vaine who beleeveth the remission of sinnes in Christ and yet knoweth not that Christ did shed his bloud expressely for his iniquities For as God begettes vs to the hope of life by the resurrection of Ieses from the dead so he begetteth vs
to the faith and assurance of the remission of our sinnes by making him sinne for vs and woundinge him for our transgressions So to conclude this point albeit all blessing bee in Christ and he be made of God wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemptioÌ„ yet all this shal be in vaine to vs except we beleeve because there is no meanes in the world whereby to obtaine possesse Christ or any blessing in him except faith only For as concerning the Word and Sacraments they are not so much the meanes of our possessing Christ as the meanes of our faith whereby we possesse Christ The third vse and end wherefore faith is given is keeping preserving vs in the possession which it hath brought vnto vs and that both because through faith wee are kept vnto salvation as saieth Pet. 1. Epi. 1. 5. and also because by it wee keepe Christ and all his blessings in our heart For which cause the scriptures place our victorie over Satan sinne and the world in our faith Ioh. 1. Epi. ca. 5. ver 4. 5. and the Apost Paul placeth the chief strength of a Christlan in his faith as that whereby we are made able to quench all the fierie dartes of the Divell Eph. 6. 16. so that there is no enemie of our salvation so great neither any temptation so vehement and fierie which by faith wee are not made able to overcome Thus faith wrought in our heartes by God is of a stronger might and power then the Divel himselfe and all the powers and principalities of darknes therfore Pet. 1. Ep. 5. willeth vs to resist the divel by being stedfast in the faith thereby to teach vs that in a stedfast faith there is streÌ„gth to overcome him The examples of the great power of God which is â—n them that beleeve set downe in Heb 11. doth suâ—â—icieÌ„tly cleer the truth hereof who only by faith are said to have performed suffered so strange wonderful things as no power that ever nature hath given vnto man was able either to performe or suffer This also is manifest if we marke another pointe which is the Saintes recouering of them selves when they have appeared to have bene overthrowen by Sathan in sinne who notwithstanding have by the strength of faith onely recovered victorie over Sathan and sinne So when as in our practise and obedience to God we fall most fearfully yet by faith we not onely overcome our owne guilthines but also all the feare of Gods iust deserved wrath for our guilthines so that our verie sinnes cannot seperate our heartes that beleeve from Christ nor remove the favour of God from vs. For whatsoever blessing wee have once obtayned by faith by that same saith wee are made able to holde it fast to the ende and the faithfull heart sayeth as Iob chap 27. ver 6. I will keepe my righteousnes and will not forsake it and my heart shall never cast it away all my dayes Vpon this ground it is that the Apostle willeth Timothie to fight the good fight of faith 1. Tim. chap. 6. vers 12. because indeed our faith hath the greatest labour in our spiriruall bataile For when all other grace faileth vs yet faith must vpholde vs otherwise we could not possibly but perish For what should have become of Pieter after his fearefull fall if faith had not sustained him This point is yet more cleere if we marke the strength of faith in other two thinges The first is if we shall consider the examples of the children of God who have drawn from God manifold great blessinges by faith as their vncurable diseases to bee cured their dead to be raysed c. Of which a lively example wee have in Math. chap. 9. and Luke chap. 8. in the Woman that had an ishewe of bloud 12. yeares longe and in the wordes of Christ vnto Iairus Luke chap. 8. ver 50. where he saith Feare not beleeve onely and shee shal be saved The other thing to be considered of vs is when God himself seemeth to set him selfe against his children and they are compelled to wrestle with God as with their owne enimie yet by faith they overcome say with Iob 13. 15. Though hee slay me yet will I trust in him And this was liuely shadowed in the Lord his wrestling with Iacob Gen. chap. 32. where it is saide of the Lord that when he sawe that he could not prevaile against Iacob he touched the hollowe of his thigh c. therefore saieth the Prophet Hose cap. 12. ver 3. 4. By his strength hee had power with God and had power over the Angell and prevayled And this the Lord setteth downe expresly to shew vs that the power of God in him that beleeveth is able so to strengthen him that nothing is able to overthrow him To conclude this point that which Angells by nature could not doe in heaven and that which Adam could not doe in Paradise a poore fraile wretch beleeving in the Lorde Iesus is made able to doe by the power of God which dwelleth in his heart by faith for the verie weaknes of God is stronger then Men and Angells and it pleaseth the Lorde to magnifie his strength in our weaknes that the excellencie of this worke may be knowen to be of him and not of vs. For this cause as the Scripture calleth faith our victorie and our shield so the Fathers likewise cal it and moreover the key whereby the treasures that are in Christ are opened vnto vs the ladder by the which we climbe vp from earth to heauen Now the last vse and end wherefore Faith is given is practise that is to make vs able to doe the will of the Lord and obey his commandements for man whose imaginations are nothing but vanitie and that continually and is of no strength of him selfe to performe any good worke neyther is nor can be subiect to the lawe of God having his minde continually sett on evill workes having no goodnes at all dwelling in him is by this supernaturall gift of faith made able to doe the will of the Lord from the hearte for thereby not onely is his darkened vnderstanding illuminate that he may know what is that good acceptable and perfect will of God but also his rebellious will subdued to will and to doe the will of the Lord and his whole affections sanctified to love the lawe of God and to delight in it more then in all treasures and to esteeme it more precious then gold For by faith he is buried with Christ and also hee is raysed vp with Christ by the faith of the effectuall working of God who raysed Christ from the dead Colos chap. 2. ver 13. For which cause also the Apostle Paul to the Ephe. ca. 2. shewing what is the exceeding power of God in theÌ„ that beleeve saieth That we that were dead in sinnes are through the grace of God by faith quickened raysed and made to sit together in heaven in Christ
Christ onely being the immediate and absolute necessarie Meane appointed of God for the enioying of these blessings as being the onely matter substance of them in him selfe The word Sacraments and Faith being in them selves neither part nor portion of the Matter and substance of these benefites but onely the signes or seales or instrumentes of enioying him who alone is the substance And that onely vnto such as are partakers of the outward dispensation of the covenant others who die before they either heare faith preached or are made partakers of the Sacraments such as are many children of the faithfull such also as are called like vnto the thiefe in the last houre being adopted of God and iustified through Christ without them and therefore when in the Scriptures the spirit of God doth indifferently attribute our adoption iustification salvation c. vnto Christ and vnto â—aith yet they are not of a like large extent nor alike relatiue in all persons adopted iustified and saved c. For albeit actuall beleeving doth necessarily imply Christ yet to be adopted and iustified through Christ doth not alwayes in all persons necessarily imply actuall beleeving seeing that faith commeth of hearing the word preached and therfore is to be restrayned to such as are by outward dispensation called which all that are adopted and iustified are not for we are to distinguish betwixt these two things that is to be partakers of the covenant and to bee partakers of the outward dispensatioÌ„ of the couenant and therefore when it pleaseth God by outward dispeÌ„sation to call those who are within the covenant these meanes are then necessarily required vnto salvation For we are bound to these outward Meanes when it pleaseth God to vse them towards vs for our calling but God is no wayes bound to them nor his grace in Christ but that he may freely by his grace without them performe his Decree through Iesus Christ in vs after the manner knowne to him selfe whose wayes are past finding out els if those meanes were absolutely necessarie in all who are within the covenant then certainly the children of the faithfull who according to the Scriptures are within the covenant dying without externall dispensatioÌ„ of the covenant should contrarie to the scriptures not be accounted holy Of this it followeth that wheÌ„ it is said in scripture that without faith it is vnpossible to please God that wee are to vnderstand that saying prudently least we fall in a dangerous error so as to esteeme the children of whom coÌ„sisteth the kingdome not to be acceptable to God who notwithstanding are baptised as belonging to God in Christ and heyres of that righteousnes which is by faith although they haue never heard saith preached Of all these things we may easily perceive that seeing Christ who is the matter of our righteousnes life is not the cause why but the Meane whereby God doth decree to adopt vs iustifie vs c. that faith which is no material but instrumental Meane can much lesse be the cause why but a meane wherby God doth predestinate vs to be adopted iustified and glorified otherwise faith which is powerfull onely in respect of Christ should be of greater respect with God then Christ himself which were abominable to thinke In danger of which sinne many notwithstaÌ„ding do fall in defining both Gods decree and our iustification When as they distinguish not first betweene the thing which is decreed and the cause moving God to decree that which he decreed Secondly wheÌ„ they distinguish not in the thing which is decreed that whervnto we are ordeyned from the Meane wherby God doth ordayne to adopt vs. thirdly wheÌ„ in the meane they distinguish not betwixt that which is absolutly necessarie in all within the covenant froÌ„ those things which only are necessarie in such as not only are within the covenant but also are called by outward dispensation thereof and which are not substantial partes of our righteousnes but accidentall meanes therof except we will say that to be iustified by Christ and by faith is one and the same thing in proper and not borrowed speach which is impossible except we hold that faith in proper and not figurative speach doth signifie Christ These oversights cause some to make faith the cause moving God to predestinate vs to adoption c. and others to esteeme faith not to be the Meane and that instrumentall that in some case only but the very matter of our righteousnes and that not in borrowed or figurative but in simple and proper speach of which matter we shall have occasion to speak heereafter CHAPTER V. THis much being spoken of the substance of the Decree we are next to consider what is the cause that moved God to make this Decree Where we are to observe that we doe not speak of the final cause which is the prayse of the glorie of Gods grace neither yet of the Materiall cause and that which in the schooles is called causa procataretica that is the formost after the first or after the beginning which in the substance of Gods Decree we haue already declared to be Christ but the cause we inquire of is that which in the schooles is called proegumena that is to say which goeth before all causes and doth leade order guide al the rest Which the Apost setteth down in these words according to the good pleasure of his will by which words it is evident that nothing either in Christ as Mediator or in Man himself or any thing els without God but only Gods owne will in him selfe was the cause that did move God to predestinate such as are predestinate and to predestinate them vnto that wherevnto they are predestinate that is adoption and to predestinate them to be adopted by no other Meane except through Iesus Christ alone so that both Gods action of decreeing the persons who are predestinate and the thing wherevnto they are predestinate the Meanes whereby they are predestinate doth depend vpoÌ„ no cause without God but vpon the cause that is in God him self and vpon no cause in God him selfe except only his will Which sometimes is called in the scriptures his Mercie his love his grace his purpose his gift his good pleasure and counsell of his will And for the clearer vnderstanding of this point we are carefully to marke these two phrases conteyned in the description of predestination The first is that God is said to have predestinate vs in him selfe The seconde is that he is said to haue predestinate vs according to the good pleasure of his owne wil. By the first of these sayings the spirit of God would teach vs that God went not without him selfe neither consulted with anie thing but him self neither looked to any thing that was not in him self when he did predestinate vs. and so coÌ„sequently that the Decree of God or predestination is an action of God not in Christ the Mediator nor in vs that are
for vs but as sayth Iohn cha 10. vers 18. He receyved this commandement from the Father to laye downe his life And the Apostle Peter Acts chap. 2. ver 23. sayeth plainly That he was delivered by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God And the scriptures doe witnes Hebr. chap. 3. ver 2. Hebr. chap. 5. ver 5. that Christ did not take this office to him selfe to be either King Priest or Prophet of the house of God but that the Father did give it him and as he receyved it from the Father so doeth he performe it not according to his owne will but according to the will of the Father that sent him that is hee layes downe his life for none but such as the Father willeth that is the sheep which the Father giveth him that he should give them eternall life Ioh. chap. 10. 14. 15. 16. compared to Ioh. chap. 17. ver 2. and Esay chap. 8. ver 18. compared with Hebr. chap. 2. ver 13. 14. and 15. 16. 17. neither doth he make intercession for any but for such as the Father had given him but secludeth all who were not given him of the Father from al benefite of his intercession and fruit of his death Ioh. cha 17. ver 9. Thirdly he manifesteth the name of God and giveth the wordes and the glorie which the Father hath given him to no others saving those alone whom the Father had given him In the same chapter 6. vers 22. and 26. Fourthly he giveth eternall life to none but such as the Father hath given him Iohn chapter 6. verses 37. 38. and 39. And Iohn chapter 10. vers 26. 27. 28. 29. And Iohn chapter 17. vers 2. for the worke which he performed on earth the Father did give it him that hee should doe it as he him self witnesseth Iohn chapter 17. and verse 4. Wherefore also in the performing thereof when the bitternes of that cuppe which the Father had given him to drinke maketh him in his agonie to will If it were possible that it might passe from him He rangeth his owne will in order and submitteth him selfe to the will of his Father saying But not my will but thy will be done Mathew chap. 26. vers 39. and 42. Of all which groundes it evidently followeth that what Christ is as Mediatour and what he doeth as Mediatour and to whom he doth any thing by Mediaton and intercession is all by the will and appointement of GOD according to his good pleasure Whose Decree and free election according to his will boundeth and limiteth IESVS Christ the Mediatour in his suffering intercession and whole performance of his office and dispensation of all blessings vnto righteousnes and life as is cleare in the 11. chapt to the Romanes verses 5. and 7. Of all that is spoken touching either the substance or cause of Gods Decree we may easilie perceyve that the whole Decree of God in all the substance of it dependeth vpon nothing but onely vpon the will of God so that he predestinates because it is his will and he predestinates so many and no moe because it is his will And hee predstinates them to adoption because it is his will and he predestinates this adoption to be thorough Iesus Christ because it is his will Whilest men in humble reverence doe not acknowledge this and acquiesce in it as the trueth of this matter they not onely fall in blasphemouse errores against God but involve themselves in the daunger of that curse pronounced by the Prophet Esay chapt 45. vers 10. Woe be to him that striveth with his Maker Woe vnto him that sayeth to his Father what hast thou begotten Or to his Mother What hast thou brought foorth Which surelie they doe which search for a reason of this will of GOD as though the Lord could not be iust in ordayning some vnto adoption and not others vpon his onely will but that some cause there must be in the creatures of this difference of his will what is this else but to buyld the equitie of Gods doeings vpon the creature and not vpon God the Creator him selfe making things iust not because he willeth them but because he willeth them according to that which he findeth in the creature and which in the iudgement of man seemeth to be a iust reason why God should doe so even as though the Potter of one the same lumpe of clay did not freely according to his owne will make one vessel to honor another to dishonor without any respect of any worthines or any reason whatsoever taken frō the clay Surely it is a wretched Divinitie which doth not simply acknow ledge all things iust which God willeth evē because he willeth thē although they not only passe the capacitie but also appeare most cōtrary to humane reason For are not his iudgements vnsearchable his wayes past finding out who thē shal finde out the reason of his counsels and declare the causes of his will We will conclude this point with the saying of Augustin touching these mē lib. pri ca. 2. de Genes cont Manich. They seeke to know the causes of Gods will when as the will of God it selfe is the cause of all things that are for if the will of God have a cause there is something that goes before the will of God which is not lawfull to beleeve The vse we are to make hereof in the doctrine of iustification is great for first heereby wee learne that Gods Decree is not buylded vppon our righteousnes as the cause thereof but by the contrarie that our righteousnes is builded vpon Gods Decree For God doeth not predestinate vs because of our righteousnes but he maketh vs righteous because he hath predestinate vs so that whether our righteousnes consist in Christ and his sufferings or as some doe thinke in workes or as others doe esteeme in faith yet it still holdeth that this righteousnes is never the cause why God predestinateth vs. Secondly wee learne of this point that whatsoever be our righteousnes we must goe aboue our selves aboue our righteousnes to search the cause why it is ours For it is not any thing in vs nor any thing in that that is our righteousnes but the will of God in God himselfe which is the ground of our enioying it Thirdly we learne heereby that whatsoever we seclude from the Meanes of our righteousnes iustification and life yet Christ can never be secluded seeing God Decrees to doe all what he decrees thorough him alone Thus much concerning the Decree of God and the nature thereof CHAPTER VIII NOW followeth the second point which standeth in the knowledge of Christ as he is Mediatour Whereof because divers things have bene already spoken we wil be the shorter The mayne point chieflie to be considered in this head is this that no man is made that vnto the which GOD doth predestinate him in him selfe and through him selfe but in and through another which is IESVS
Christ onely who being ordeyned of God the Meane of al his mercie to Mākinde he commeth in as Mediatour betweene God vs in all things decreed of God for vs so as we are to expect nothing of all that is decreed concerning the vessels of honour whether it bee in making of vs sonnes or making vs cōforme to the Image of his Sonne in righteousnes and glorie but only in and through Iesus Christ our Lord in whom alone all the promises of God are yea and amen For he is the first borne among all the sonnes of God and the beginning and first begotten of the dead for it is the Fathers will that in all things hee have the praeeminence Rom. chap. 8. ver 29. Col. chap. 1. ver 18. Thus albeit God in him selfe and of him selfe ordayne vs to great dignitie and manifold vnspeakeable blessings yet this honour doeth he reserve vnto his only begotten sonne that of all these blessings we shall enioye none except in through him onely so that it is true that we are ordayned to nothing without Christ but not in that deceitfull sense whereby the mindes of many are deluded as though he were the cause why GOD doth ordeyne vs to adoption The Scripture teacheth vs farre otherwise distinguishing betwixt the cause why God decreeth vs to adoption and the cause why he ordeyneth vs to this adoption through Christ onely Setting downe the cause of the Decree to be his owne will good pleasure in him selfe And declaring the cause why he ordeyneth vs to be adopted through Christ to be this that Christ might be the first borne among manie brethren and that he might have the praeeminence in all things wherevpon it followeth that albeit he be not the cause why we are ordeyned to adoption yet notwithstanding seeing it is Gods will to performe towards vs his gracious purpose and good pleasure of his wil only in and through Christ that of necessitie we must first enioy him before we can enioy any thing of that that is decreed And therefore it was the Fathers will that in him should all fulnes dwell Coloss chap. 1. vers 19. That out of his fulnes we all should receyve Iohn chapt 1. vers 16. And for this same cause is it said That God hath made him wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption and that vnto vs 1. Corinth chapt 1. verse 13. For whatsoever God hath made Iesus Christ the Mediatour he hath made him that for our cause so that the love of God to vs and the good pleasure of his wil towards vs is the cause why Christ is made of God the meane of our salvation And therefore in the consideration of Gods Decree Christ as Mediatour commeth in order after the consideration of that wherevnto we are ordayned although in the executiō and performāce of Gods Decree Christ in vs must goe before all other things ordayned for vs for that is the nature of all Meanes which are subordinate to that whereof they are appointed to be Meanes Thus God first in order purposeth and decreeth what to doe to vs and secondly by what Meanes but when hee performeth his Decree he first prepareth the Meanes and then accomplisheth thereby his purpose and decree towardes vs. For if the Lord had never ordayned vs that are men to bee made his sonnes he had never ordayned his sonne to bee made a Man this is cleere by the Apostles speech wherein he declareth the cause why the sonne of God did take mans nature vpon him Hebr. chap. 2. ver 14. saying For asmuch therefore as the children were partakers of flesh and blood even he likewise tooke part with them And thereafter shewing the cause why not only he tooke our nature◠but also did take it with the same infirmities sinne only except wherewith our nature is indued he vseth these speeches For it became him in all thinges to be made like to his brethren Hebrewes chap. 2. vers 17. according to which grounde it is saide in another place That God sent his Sonne in the flesh in the similitude of sinnefull flesh Roman chap. 8. vers 3. This point is evidently cleare by the same Apostles speech Galath chap. 4. verses 4. and 5. when hee sheweth the ende wherefore God sent his sonne in the flesh saying VVhen the fulnes of tyme was come God sent foorth his owne Sonne made of a woman c. that we might receyve the adoption Letting vs see that in Gods execution hee giveth vs the adoption to the which he ordayned vs by the same Meane thorough the which he ordayned to give it vs. Thus we may see evidently that that parte of Gods Decree touching the Meane of our adoption doeth in order of Decreeing depende vpon the former parte touching the adopting of vs but in order of performing the sending of Christ made of a woman and made vnder the Law and made righteousnes sanctification and redemption c. doth goe before our adoptiō For he was not made the cause of eternall salvation to his owne till he was perfited Hebr. chap. 5. vers 9. For which cause the Apostle sayeth Hebr. chap. 2. vers 10. when hee gives the reason why he was made to taste of death That Christ being to bring many children to glorie it became him for whom are all these things and by whom are all these thinges to perfite or to consecrate the Prince of their salvation through afflictions This shall be yet more cleare if wee consider who it is that is appointed the Meane of our adoption that is not the Father nor yet the holy Ghost but the Sonne only and that because hee onely is that vnto the which wee are ordayned For this grounde we must holde that what so ever wee are made by grace it must firste bee in GOD him selfe and then made ours by our communion and fellowship with GOD. Now this blessing of sonne-shippe which is ordeyned vnto vs is no propertie of the Father nor yet of the Holy Ghost but of the seconde person onely who by that propertie is distinguished both from the Father and from the Holy Ghost and therefore although the Father and the Holy Ghost doe with the Sonne not onely ordeyne vs to adoption but also adopt vs yet they neither ordeyne vs to adoption neyther doe adopt vs through any but the Sonne alone for the Father and the Holy Ghost are not the Sonne neither can be because their personall properties are incommunicable howsoever their naturall properties bee common yea one and the same in all three because the nature of all three is most simply one and the same Of which it commeth to passe that we being adopted thorough Christ and so consequently called to the communion of Christ in that which he is by subsisting that is sonnes wee are also made partakers of the Divine nature as sayeth the Apostle Peter that is we are made like to all three in that which they are by nature for all three have but
or by doth most cleerely shine And as they are thus restrayned so also they are in order to bee considered So that whatsoever workes of grace are chieflie attributed to the Father must needes in order of dispensation bee first And what workes are chieflie attributed to the Sonne must needes in order bee second And the workes chieflie attributed to the H. Ghost must needes in order bee third Of this it will follow that adoption being chiefly the action of God the Father for none save he who beares the person of a Father can properly bee said to adopt any to be Sonnes for the Father and the Sonne are relative must in order goe before our redemption which is chiefly the action of the Sonne for he only dyed to redeeme vs and he only bought vs by his blood vnto God Revel chap. 5. vers 9. And seeing our Iustice or righteousnes consisteth in the action of our redemption for as sayeth the Apostle Rom. chapter 3. vers 24. we are iustified freelie by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus Therefore it must follow that iustification in order of dispensation must follow adoption For albeit all blessings be bestowed vpon vs of the Father in the Sonne in whom alone wee are adopted iustified and glorified c. Yet still the former respect of order must perpetually be kept For which cause it is that in the Scriptures the Decree of God or his predestination is defined from the benefite of adoption as the first and chiefest of all blessings and the first fruite of the love of God in the first Person that is the Father vnto Mankinde And for this same cause is it that in the Scriptures wee are said first to bee the Fathers and to bee given by him vnto the Sonne for as the Sonne hath nothing of himselfe but of the Father so he hath not vs of himselfe but of the Father Therefore sayeth he Thyne they were and thou gavest them vnto me Iohn chap. 17. vers 6. And againe Behold I and the Children whom God hath given mee Esay chap. 8. vers 18. and Hebr. chap. 2. vers 13. Thirdly it is for the same respect that in the Scriptures the first of all the workes of grace in vs which is the bringing of vs vnto Christ is still attributed vnto the Father as his speciall worke For no man commeth vnto the Sonne but by the Father Iohn chapter 6. verse 65. Neither can any man come to mee sayeth Christ except the Father which hath sent mee drawe him Iohn chapter 6. vers 44. Vpon which worke dependeth two other principall workes of grace The first is our embracing and receyving of the Sonne according to the saying of Christ All that the Father giveth mee shall come vnto mee Iohn chapter 6. vers 37. The second is the infalliblenes of Christ his saving of vs. according to his owne saying This is the Fathers will that hath sent mee that of all which hee hath given mee I should loose nothing but should rayse it vp againe at the last daye Iohn chapter 6. vers 39. For whatsoever we have of Christ whether it be righteousnes sanctification or life c. it wholy dependeth vpon this worke of the Father his giving and bringing vs vnto him For as the Sonne hath vs not of himselfe but of the Father so he dispenseth nothing to vs of himselfe neither is hee redeemer to vs of himselfe but according to the will of the Father For according to the order of the persons so becomes God our God in order And therfore according to that order are we baptized in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost God sealing vs vnto himselfe and his blessings vnto vs according to the order that he is our God and in which he dispenseth his blessings vnto vs. Thus by this first ground it is manifest that the benefite of sonne-shipp which is the proper worke of God as he is the Father must in order be first of all and next the benefite of freedome and christian libertie by redemption and so consequentlie of righteousnes must be second in order seeing it is the work of the Sonne For If the Sonne make vs free we shal be free in deed saith Christ Iohn chap. 8. ver 36. and that the worke of sanctification or glorification in the which it comprehended sanctification must be third in order of dispensation seeing it is the worke of the Holy Ghost And this order the Apostle plainly confirmeth in setting downe the order of Gods working in the execution and accomplishing of his Decree Rom. chap. 8. verse 30. saying VVhom he predestinated them also he hath called and whom hee hath called them also he hath iustified and whem he hath iustified them hee hath also glorified The whole execution of Gods Decree beeing comprised in these three workes our calling our iustification and glorification according to the number of the persons and order of their working For as we haue marked two speciall blessings in Gods Decree or Predestination are ordayned vnto vs. The first and principall is our adoption or making vs sonnes through Christ according as is manifest by the definition of predestination set downe by the Apostle Ephe. chap. 1. verse 5. The second which is included and implyed in the first is The making vs now being sonnes to be like to the Image of the Sonne of God as is cleere by the definition of predestination set downe by the Apostle Rom. chapter 8. vers 29. Both these blessings are accomplished in the execution of this Decree The first blessing which is adoption is chieflie performed in our calling when as we are brought by the Father to the Sonne and are given vnto him and haue it given vnto vs to come vnto him that is to beleeve in him or to receyve him which are all one in effect The second blessing which is the making of vs like to the image of the Sōne of God is performed in the other two points that is in our iustification and glorification For the Image of God consisteth in righteousnes and holines of truth which begunne in this life is the beginning of our glorie wherein wee shall be perfited in the life to come CHAPTER XI THE second ground followeth which consisteth in the beholding of Gods saving grace in the several obiects wherin it is to be considered which are three The first is God himselfe in whom our life is hid Colloss chap. 3. vers 3. Who is the Father of lightes from whom every good giving and perfect gift commeth downe to vs. lames cha 1. vers 17. For our grouth in blessednes is nothing els but A filling of vs with a greater fulnes of God Eph. chap. 3. vers 19. Vntill at last he be all in all 1. Corinth chap. 15 vers 28. The second obiect is Christ God and Man as Mediator betwixt God and vs in whom it pleased the Father that all fulnes should dwell Coll. chap.
his seed after him Therefore no man that is not of this seed doth obtayne any part of the promise because it is a benefite belonging to none except to the seed onely Of which it is manifest that we must bee Abrahams seed before we have right to the promise Now what is meant by the seed the Apostle telleth vs Gal. chap. 3. vers 16. saying he sayeth not to the seeds as speaking of many but vnto thy seede as of one which is Christ That is Christ mystically considered with his members who all spirituallie ingraft in him make the body whereof hee is the heade as is manifest by the Apostles speech 1 Corinth chapter 12. vers 12. Nowe we are made the seed by our Adoption For to be the seed of Abraham is to be the children of God as is cleere by the Apostle Rom. chap. 9. where he saieth Neither are they all children because they are the children of Abraham but in Isaack shall thy seed bee called that is they that are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed This same the Apostle confirmeth Gallat chapter 3. verse 29. saying And if yee be Christs then are yee Abrahams seed and heyres by promise Of these things it followeth first that to be of the seed and to be the children of God and to be Christs is all one thing Secondly that wee must be the children of God that is of the seed before wee can enioy the promise And so consequently that we must be Adopted before we be iustified seeing iustification is a part of the promise made vnto the seede as is cleere by the words of the Covenant Ierem. chap. 31. and Hebr. chap. 8. I will be mercifull to their vnrighteousnesse and I will remember their sinnes and iniquities no more This ground is yet more cleere by the Apostles speech Rom. chap. 9. where he answereth the doubt which might rise vpon the reiection of the Iewes videli Whether GOD had fayled in performing of his promise seeing they were the seed of Abraham which were reiected The Apostle answeres this and cleeres the constant truth and veritie of God in performing his promise vnto the seed according to his Covenant by defining the seed aright shewing that they are not accounted for the seed because they are the children of Abraham according to the flesh but because they are children of the promise In which discourse the Apostle layeth those as necessary and infallible grounds First that we must be of the seed before wee claime the promise Secondly that beeing of the seed wee must be partakers of the promise For otherwise God should faile in his truth and his word should be of none effect Of which things we may perceyve that the grace of God in which standeth our Adoption by which wee are made of the seed must goe before all the graces contained in the promise which is made vnto the seed seeing the beeing of the seed is the ground and foundation of enioying the promise This leades vs to the knowledge of another point which serves to cleare our iudgement touching this same ground To wit in what order to place the fruites and effects of our faith Which as we shall heare hereafter is the effectuall instrument of God by the which all blessings are communicate vnto vs. For in this life wee enioy no saving blessing but by faith onely for by it we embrace our Adoption and are made the Sonnes of God As witnesseth the Apostle Galath chap. 3. vers 26. saying ye are all the Sonnes of God by faith in Iesus Christ and by faith we apprehend our righteousnes are iustified Rom. c. 3. v. 28. Gal. c. 3. v. 8. And so of all the rest of the blessings Thus both the parts of the Covenant are wrought effectuate in vs by God through faith for by it wee are both made the seed and doe obtaine the promise but as being the seed must goe before the enioying of the promise even so that fruite of faith in Christ whereby wee are made the Sonnes of God must in order of dispensation goe before that fruite of faith whereby we are made that which is promised vnto the seed and so consequently by faith wee must first be made Sonnes before we be made iust Thus much touching these five grounds which serves for cleering the order of the blessing of God dispensed vnto vs in Christ Which was the third of these foure points which we laid downe as necessarie to leade vs to the knowledge of the right nature of the saving benefites of God and so perticularlie of Iustification So that it followeth that wee should enter to speake of the last of the foure touching the difference of one benefite from another but first it shall not be amisse to speake somewhat of that other opinion which houldeth Iustification to bee in order before Adoption and to consider the groundes wherevpon it is buylded CHAPTER XV. THE grounds of any moment which I have marked whervpon this opinion is buylded are two The first is It is thought an impossible thing that God should adopt vs before he iustifie vs. Because God cannot esteem those that are vniust to be his Sonns And this is the cause apparantly that makes so many to put reconsiliation in the first place and to divide it in iustification as the first part thereof and Adoption as the last The other ground is taken out of the Scripture especially out of that saying which is in the 1. of Ioh. ver 12. Where it is said as many as receiued him to them he gave prerogative to be the sonnes of God even to them that beleeve in his name which are borne not of blood nor of the will of flesh nor of the will of man but of God As concerning the first ground although it seeme to have great shew of trueth yet it is most dangerous if it be not rightly conceived For it may import so much as that the love of God and his grace is not free and freelie bestowed vpon vs if so bee it should be builded vpon our Iustification Which is contrarie to the course of Gods trueth in Scriptures Which sheweth plainly that God loved vs even while yet wee were sinners and vniust yea while wee were enemies Romanes chapter 5. and that when wee were polluted in our owne blood hee did pittie vs and of his love did promise life vnto vs and washed vs with water and purged away our blood from vs and anoynted vs with oyle and decked vs with ornaments Ezek. chap. 16. Whereby it is evident that our Iustification is not the cause why God acknowledgeth vs to be his children but by the contrarie his taking of vs to be his children is rather the cause why hee doth wash away our filthines from vs iustifieth vs. For seeing the Lord loveth vs before he iustifieth vs there must bee some ground of this love
before our Iustification seeing he loveth vs not then as iust men because we are yet sinners and God doth iustifie the vngodly And no other ground can preceede in dispensation except our calling which is nothing els in effect but our Adoption or at least the first part and beginning of it Which is the first fruite of his love toward vs by the which wee are made of the seed and so heyres of the promise of righteousnes conforme to the reason of the Apostle Peter Acts chap. 2. vers 39. Where he sheweth that the promise belongeth to all that the Lord our God shall call Which calling is nothing els but the applying to vs in time of our eternall election in Christ before all time which election is nothing els but our Adoption This point is cleere if we consider who they are whose filthines God promiseth to wash away Esay chap. 4. and to whom he promiseth to open the fountayne for sinne and vncleanes Zach. chap. 13. that is to the Doughters of Ierusalem and to the house of David and inhabitants of Ierusalem Which in effect is as much as to say Those who are the children of God who are citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God And this is that which we said before that we must first be of the seed before we enioy any part or portion of the promise and so consequently righteousnes For the love of God to his Sonne as his Sonne being the only foūdation of Gods love vnto vs it must follow that the first ground of Gods love to vs in Christ must be buylded vpon our communion with him in that which is the foundation of all Gods love to vs that is the Sonne-ship For it is for this cause that it is saide in scripture that Christ is the sonne of Gods love and his beloved and that God is said to make vs acceptable or beloved to him selfe in that his beloved Sonne Secondly we shall perceyve the trueth heereof more cleerly if we consider the grounds in Christ wherevpon dependeth our Adoption and iustification in him Touching our Adoption it must of necessitie be grounded neither vpon the Divine nature of Christ nor simply vpon his humane nature neither vpon his Obedience and suffering in that humane nature now assumed but onely vpon his personalitie and subsisting whereby he is the Sonne of God For which cause our nature which hee assumed was taken by him in vnitie of subsisting or person with his Divine nature In that personall vnitie of our nature assumed with the sonne of God laying the foundation of our Adoption to bee the sonnes of GOD. As touching our Iustification it is buylded vpon his obedience in giving him selfe to the death of the crosse for vs as it is cleare throughout all the scriptures These groundes being considered we have next to marke in which of these two is our communion by faith with Christ first in order accomplished that is whether first by faith we are made partakers of his sonne-ship in being made one with him as the sonne of God or whether first we be made partakers of his obedience and death In answering of this question I thinke there shall no man be founde who shall not agree that we must by faith have fellowship and communion with him selfe as he is the Sonne of God before we can have communion and fellowship of his sufferings For how can his death be our death vntill first he and we be one seeing all vnitie and communion of his sufferinges floweth from our communion and vnitie with himselfe Wherevpon it may easilie appeare that if that saying of those learned and holy men bee not rightly vnderstoode it may make many to cast from them selves the verie foundation and grounde wherevpon the assured confidence and knowledge of their Iustification in Christ dependeth For no man can ever have hope to have part in his death that firste doeth not finde that he hath parte in him selfe for first we must bee fleshe of his flesh and bone of his bones and he of ours before any thing that ever he hath done in the flesh be made ours Of which it followeth that we must first be sonnes before we be iustified For as in earthly Mariage Man and Woman are made one flesh by coniunction of their bodies in one and therevpon followeth communion of all other things even so in our spiritual Mariage with Christ we have no communion with him in any thing that is his vntill the time that first hee be ours and we be his so as he and we be but one And this agreeth with the saying of the Apostle Gallath chapter 3. vers 29. where hee sayeth And if yee bee Christs then are yee Abrahams seed and heyers according to the promise Where the Apostle sheweth that our beeing Christs maketh vs the seed that is the childeren of God And that our beeing the seede maketh vs heyres of the promise And so consequently of the righteousnes that is by faith This same is evident by the Apostles speech Ephez chapter 5. Where hee exhorteth men to love their Wives as Christ loved his Church Which love is declared in these effects that hee did give himselfe for her to this end that he might sanctifie her purifying her by the washing of water that he might make her to himselfe glorious not having spot or wrincle c. By which place it is manifest that the death of Christ and fruites thereof are the effects of his love to those that are nowe alreadie his spouse and ioyned with him in that spiritual Vnitie which is by faith And this we must acknowledge except we will consent to that vile opinion which overthroweth the foundation of all religion which is that even in the intention and purpose of God Christ dyed equally and indifferently for every man alike That is that he did give himselfe to death as well for those that perish as for the elect of God Whereas this place of the Apostle sheweth the direct contrarie that he gave himselfe only for his Church Which is cleere by the Apostles argument wherevpon he vrgeth the like love in husbands towards their wives as was in Christ towards his Church For the analogie of love is builded vpon the analogie of Vnion The force whereof is this if Christ so loved his Church because those of his Church are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones so likewise ought men to love their wives because they are one flesh and one body with their husbands For as the Apostle requireth of husbands towards their wives more then that common love which they owe to all women and that because they are one flesh with their wives but not with any other women even so he vrgeth it from a like example in Christ who beside and above that common love which he carrieth to all flesh did in greater measure declare his love to those that were members of his body flesh of his
to serve vnto our iustification by that wherein he is made our righteousnes And secondly if we shal distinguish the matter of our righteousnes it selfe in Christ from the action of God in iustifying by it wee shall perceyve evidently that the matter of our righteousnes consisteth only in the death and bloud of Christ and that all the rest of Christes obedience doeth serve not as the materiall but rather as the subordinate efficient causes of our iustification And so all the three former opinions touching the obedience of Christ may well agree in one when the question is concerning the action of God in iustifying and not concerning the particular matter of the righteousnes which God imputes vnto vs vnto iustification For there is no parte of Christes obedience which is not as it is said in the schooles causa sine qua non that is a cause without the which wee cannot be iustified For if he had not bene a man and a iust man and a Priest and such a Priest as we have said yea if hee had not risen from the dead and ascended vnto heaven and made intercession for vs his death and bloud could never have iustified vs. And yet still his death and bloud is the only matter of our righteousnes but so as it is the bloud of such a sacrifice offred by such a Priest vpon such an Altar in such a Tabernacle carried in by the same Priest after resurrection from the dead into the heavens And as by vertue of the same bloud the same Priest sittinge at the right hande of God maketh intercession for vs. Thus the matter is not of such moment being rightly waighed and charitablie considered that it needed ever to have bred such bitter contention amongst brethren in the Church of God CHAPTER XXVI HAving thus spoken of the materiall cause of our righteousnes it followeth now that we speake of the formall cause In the which three thinges are specially to be marked for clearing vnto vs how and in what manner wee are made the righteousnes of God by the death and bloud of Iesus Christ our Lord. The first is Gods giving vnto vs. The second is Gods imputation of that which is given vs. The third is the cause moving him both to give and impute For God iustifieth vs by gift by imputation and by grace Neither can the true forme of our iustification bee knowne of vs a right except we acknowledge all these three in it For mā hath no saving grace which he hath not receyved of God according to the saying of the Apostle 1. Cor. chap. 4. ver 7. For who hath seperate thee or what hast thou that thou hast not receyved and if thou hast receyved it why gloriest thou as if thou hadst not receyved it And to the same purpose saith I am 1. chap. 17. All good giving and every perfect gifte is from above Therefore also our righteousnes speciallie is called a gift and a gift by grace Rom. chapt 5. ver 15. 16. 17. as also Rom. chap. 6. vers 23. but the gift of God is eternall life Where the word gift if that place be rightly vnderstood doth signifie righteousnes given vs of God Secondly howsoever many confounde imputation and giving as one thinge as in some sense they may both bee taken for one yet it is expedient for our sounder knowledge that wee distinguish them For howsoever nothing is imputed which is not given yet many things are given which are never saide to be imputed Yea moreover in which imputation hath no place Beside the imputation of a thing if we shall rightly consider it doth alwayes presuppone the thing imputed to be in our possession either by nature working or gift as by Gods grace wee shall heare hereafter And therefore in the forme of our iustification Gods giving of a thing vnto vs is to be distinguished from his imputing of it Specially if we marke one thing which is flat contrarie sayings and yet of equall force vsed by the spirit of God in the description of iustification For sometimes it is defined by imputation of righteousnes and sometimes by not imputation of sinne Thirdly in the manner and forme of our iustification grace is specially to be considered because both the givinge and imputation of the thing given is of meere grace Therefore are wee saide to bee iustified freely by grace so that the perfect forme of our iustification consisteth in this that is in Gods gracious givinge and gracious imputinge of thinge given vnto vs to bee our righteousnes So that whosoever make our iustification to consist without giving of righteousnes or without imputing the thinge given or esteeme eyther the matter of our righteousnes which is given vs to be given otherwise then by grace or to be imputed as righteousnes vnto vs otherwise then by grace doe destroy the true forme of the iustification of a sinner before God And because this is a pointe of speciall moment and bringeth great light in the matter of iustification wee will speake severally of these three pointes And first touching the action of Gods giving Secondly of the action of Gods imputation Thirdly of his grace as the only cause of both Touching the first there be two thinges which are given vs of God vnto iustification The I. is faith The II. is Christ both these giftes of God are necessarie vnto iustification as we shall see by Gods grace hereafter when we speake of iustificatiō it self Therfore in this place wee will onely speake of faith as it is the gift of God in which we have these pointes to be marked First what kinde of gift it is Secondly to whom it is given Thirdly what faith it selfe is And fourthly to what ende and vse it is given First then that it is a gift and the gift of God it is cleere in the Scriptures according as wee have showen before of all the saving graces of God and therefore it is called by the Apostle Heb. chap. 7. vers 4. a heavenly gift and in Ephe. chap. 2. ver 8. it is expresly called the gifte of God And the same Apostle Phil. chap. 1. ver 29. teacheth vs that to beleeve in Christ is a gift given vs. Therefore 1. Cor. chap. 12. It is uombred amongst the giftes of God by his spirit So that in this there is no great contradiction but the speciall question is what kinde of gift it is that is whether it bee a naturall or a supernaturall gift Depending either vpon the naturall power which God hath created in man or vpon the supernaturall power of God For clearing hereof We are to consider that which in the scriptures is spoken concerning faith First touthing the ground and cause of our beleeving Secondly touching the propertie that is attributed vnto faith and which still is in him that beleeveth And thirdly touching certaine effectes attributed vnto faith Besides these things which heereafter will shewe them selves when we treate both to whom faith is given and
can Christ live in any more of our soule then that wich liveth by the faith of CHRIST By this it may appeare how vngraciouslie they speake of Gods grace in the worke of faith who make him effectually to renewe no more of man but his vnderstanding leavinge the action of consenting and embracing by faith the things reveiled to the will of man as also how slenderly they speake of faith who place it in nothing but in the willes assentinge to the trueth of God CHAPTER XXVIII NOw it followeth that we speake of faith it selfe what it is In which point wee will first intreate of the divers significations of Faith in the word of God And secondly of the true signification and nature of it in the wroke of iustification Touching the first Faith is taken in foure divers significations in the scriptures of God besides that signification which it hath in the worke of iustification The first signification is when faith is taken for fidelitie and trueth as Math. chap. 23. 32. Yee leave the waightier matter of the Law as iudgement mercie and fidelitie Likewise Rom. chap. 3. ver 3. Shall their vnbeliefe make the faith of God of none effect and 1. Timoth. cha 5. ver 12. having damnation because they have broken their first faith Secondly faith doeth signifie the doctrine of the Gospell because it is begotten in vs by the Gospell for faith commeth by hearing therefore faith is called the faith of the Gospell as also because the Gospell preacheth salvatiō to be no otherwise but by faith and therefore the Gospell is called the worde of faith Rom. chap. 10. ver 8. In this signification it is taken Gall. chap. 3. Receyved ye the spirit by the workes of the Lawe or by the hearing of saith And againe Galla chap. 1. ver 23. He which in time past persecuted vs. nowe preacheth the faith that he before destroyed And Acts chap. 6. ver 7. And a great companie of the Priests were obedient to the faith Thirdly faith is taken for particular knowledge Rom. 14. 22. Hast thou faith have it with thy self c. That which in this place the Apostle calleth faith in the same question matter and purpose he calleth knowledge 1. Cor. chap. 8. Fourthly faith is somtimes put for Christ himself in the gospel because al that ever faith in the gospell apprehendeth is Christ who is the only true obiect of faith vnto salvation In this sense it is takē Gal. 3. 23. before faith came we were kept vnder the law as vnder a garrison shut vp vnto that faith which afterward should be reveiled which words being cōpared with the 24. 25. verses folowing with the 19. verse preceeding it shal be manifest that by the name of faith in that place Christ the obiect of faith is vnderstood Thus much for these foure divers significations wherein faith is taken in the word of God Now we come to the special significatiō and nature of it as we are said thereby to be iustified And when it is said to be imputed vnto righteousnes In which point there is greatest need of carefull attention because vpon the mistaking hereof ariseth principally the mistaking of iustification it selfe Specially in that sentence where it is saide that Faith is imputed vnto righteousnes Concerning which there is a two-folde controversie The first is whether faith in this place be taken in the owne proper signification or in a borrowed sense The seconde controversie is touching the proper signification of faith what it is In the first controversie these who take faith in a borrowed speech doe expound that sentence Metonymically by faith vnderstanding Christ crucified apprehended by faith and so doe esteeme that faith relatively or instrumentally taken and not properly is imputed vnto vs for righteousnes And this opinion agreeth with the trueth of the matter it selfe But there is no necessitie why faith in that place should bee taken in a borrowed sense if the right minde and meaning of the holy Ghost in this phrase be gravely and maturely considered so that if they who take it properly did not erre eyther in the signification of it or in the true sense of the imputation of it their opinion might wel be allowed For faith in this sentence is in my opinion to be taken properly in that sense whereby in it selfe it is distinguished both from the worde whereby it is begotten and from the obiect of it in the worde which is Christ As also from the naked knowledge of the worde and Christ therein reveyled how soever it doeth comprehend knowledge For searching out therefore the true significatiō of the word Faith in this sentence we will first set downe the divers significations wherein it is taken Secondly wee will speake of the true nature and signification of it in this place where it is saide to be imputed vnto righteousnes Cōcerning the first we are not to speak of that differēce which in the scriptures is warranted of historicall faith miraculous faith and iustifying faith but onely of the different opinions of men touching iustifying faith In one thing all men doe consent and agree that faith is an action of the heart consisting in iudgement but they differ in three sortes The first sorte make this iudgment of the harte in beleeving to be nothing but a naked opinion which is a doubtfull inclination of an vncertayne minde to the best part of the contradiction with feare of the contrarie parte beeing destitute of the knowledge of the true cause As for example in this contradiction Christes death shall save vs. and Christes death shall not save vs they have an opinion of the best that is that Christes death shall save them but no certaine knowledge because they are ignorant of the cause of that effect and therfore feare that they shall not bee saved and in this opinion they place faith The seconde sorte which are the wiser amongst the Papistes doe make faith to be an action of the heart in iudging neyther by way of opinion nor yet by way of certayne knowledge but by a middle way of iudgement betwixt opinion and knowledge Which participates of both and yet is neyther of them For they will not have it a doubtfull inclination of the minde vnto the best parte with feare of the worst vpon ignorance of the cause Neither will they have it a certayne inclination of the minde to the best without all feare of the worst vpō certayne knowledge of the cause and necessarie meanes But will have it middle conceyte of the minde neither altogither contingent neither altogither necessarie And now in these dayes there is a sorte of men which agree with this second sorte in substance whatsoever deceitfull shew their wordes doe make to the contrarie Therefore as touching this point wee make no severall order of them For albeit in word they seeme to admit in beleeving knowledge of the thing beleeved yea which is more albeit they graunt application yet seeing they
sealing them in mans heart This worke therefore of man is likewise attributed vnto God vnder these two phrases First when it is saide that he giveth vs to come vnto the sonne Iohn chap. 6. ver 65. Secondly the Fathers giving vs vnto the sonne Iohn chap. 6. ver 37. and 17. 6. Thus the motion of man with his heart being moved of God is called mans beleeving with the heart eveÌ„ as a wheele which of it selfe caÌ„not move yet being moved by an other doth move whose motion therefore though it be but one yet is said to bee the motion of two that is of the maner and of the thing moved and therefore is both actively and passively to be considered in the one sense God is said to bring vs vnto Christ in the other sense we are saide to come vnto Christ and this is carefnlly to be marked least with a great many we erre in esteeming faith to be mans owne proper worke flowing from the natural power of his owne will and so mistake the saying of the Prophet the iust shall live by his owne faith as alfo Christes forme of speach when he sayeth thy faith hath saved thee for faith is called ours and our owne not in respect that we are the Authors the cause or workers of it but because we possesse it and are the speciall subiectes of it in the which it is wrought by God as also because it concerneth onr selves in particular and what wee beleeve wee beleeve it particularly touching our selves so that faith is called our owne faith in the Scriptures of God to declare the perticular nature of savinge faith in two particular thinges The firste is that it is not the faith that GOD workes in another mans hearte but the faith which hee worketh in myne owne hearte that saveth me Secondly it is not the faith which I have in myne owne hearte concerning others but the faith that I have concerning my selfe in particular that saveth me So that this worde vsed by the Spirit of God saying thy faith hath saved thee and the iust by his owne faith shall live is set downe not to designe the cause but the subiect of savinge faith and that in two respectes that is both in respect of him in whom it is wrought and also in respect of him concerning whom it is wrought so that my faith that saveth mee must bee wrought by GOD in my owne hearte and what hee maketh mee beleeve hee must make mee beleeve it concerninge my selfe in particnlar If the Papistes did rightly vnderstande this they would see that every particnlar Christian hath a particular warrant by particular revelation from God of the certaintie of his owne salvation For when hee saide to beleeue with the heart the same beleeving includes in it a particular knowledge by the particular revelation of God in his heart coÌ„cerning him selfe in particular that hee is chosen and elected of God that Christ is given for him that in him hee is redeemed that in him hee hath remission of his sinnes that through him hee shal be glorified Secondly they should likewise knowe and with them such as in the Church of God follow their opinion that when it is saide that man with the heart beleeveth the heart is not to bee esteemed the cause of beleeving as though naturally of it selfe it could beleeve but as a wheele moved by another doth move so our heartes action of beleeving is nothing but the action of God moving our heartes CHAPTER XXIX NOW it followeth that we speake of the vse and ende wherefore this supernatural gift is given vnto man this shortlie we may reduce vnto foure points The first is faith is given for knowledge Secondly faith is given for possession of the things knowen Thirdly faith is given for keeping and constant retayning the things possessed and that during this life Fourthly faith is given for practise Wee saye that it is given for these vses during the time of this life because that in the life to come both knowledge possession and keeping are performed in vs by another meane that is by sight For in this worlde wee walke by faith and therefore doe neither knowe possesse nor keepe but by faith but in the world to come we shall walke by sight for we shall see him as he is and therefore we shall both knowe posses and keepe by sight Now concerning the first vse and end of faith which is knowledge we are to remember the saying of the Apostle 1. Corinth chap. 2. ver 9. the things which God hath prepared for his elect are such which the eyes of man hath not seene and which the eare hath not heard which hath not entred in the hart of man Whereby the Apostle will declare vnto vs that the thinges which God hath ordayned for our glory are such as the heart of man can never possibly of it selfe conceyve therefore as sayeth the Apostle Iohn God must needes give vs a minde to knowe them before wee ever can perceyve them and this minde that God giveth is a beleeving heart For the heart of man is able by faith to know thinges to will affect thinges to enioye and possesse things and to keepe and retayne them which of it selfe by all the power of reason will c. it never could nor possibly can bee able to knowe possesse c. Thus we saye by faith that the worlde was made by the word of God and that thinges that are seene were made of thinges which did not appeare Hebr. chapt 11. which all the Philosophers and Princes of the world by all the light of nature could never vnderstand For the things of God are not naturally but spiritually discerned therefore the naturall man can not perceyve them In the same sense Abraham is saide to have seene the day of Christ and to have reioyced and by the vertue of our faith it is that we knowe IESVS to be that Christ and the sonne of God and by faith we knowe that we are elected of God and by faith we knowe that in Christ alone consisteth our adoption our righteousnes fanctification and redemption so that wee knowe that it is impossible to any man to be the sonne of God or iust or holy or free from death but in and by Christ onely thus take me away faith from the heart it is impossible to all the wisedome of the wisest hearte ever to vnderstande these thinges and to know them for vndoubted verities therefore it is as wee haue marked before that Christ sayeth to Peter Flesh and bloud hath not reveyled that vnto thee but my Father that is in heaven Math. chap. 16. For this cause Christ sayth vnto the Iewes Except yee beleeve that I am bee yee shall die in yonr sinnâ—â— Shewing vs by that speech that there is no way to knowe Christ to be the sonne of God but by beleevinge onely Nowe this knowledge that commeth by faith is not to bee taken in that sense wherein sometymes
the worde knowledge is put which is when it signrfieth the naked and bare vnderstanding of thinges that are reveyled but it is taken for an infallible science when as the heart knoweth God and knoweth him vndoubtedly to be God and when as it knoweth Christ and knoweth him vndoubtedly to bee the sonne of God and when it knoweth Gods trueth and knoweth it vndoubtedly to be the trueth of God therefore saieth Iohn the Baptist Hee that receyveth his testimonie hath sealed that God is true Iohn chap. 3. ver 33 And againe Iohn 1. Epi. chap. 5. ver 10. Hee that heleeveth not God hath made him a liar because he beleeved not the record that God witnessed of his soune Neither is this all which is meant by the knowledge of faith but a third thing is yet to be added for the full vnderstandinge thereof For besides the sight and knowledge of the thinges which are reveiled by God and also besides the knowledge of the vndoubted veritie and trueth of them it is required that wee knowe them to bee reveyled by God vnto vs and knowe the vndoubted trueth and veritie of them toward vs in our particular person that is that whatsoever God reveyle to vs he reveyleth it vnto vs as a thing which he hath appointed for vs and when he giveth vs the sight and knowledge of the vndoubted veritie of the things reveyled he maketh vs assuredlie to knowe that they shal be truely verily accomplished in our persons conforme to that ground which we have laide downe before concerning faith that is that what we beleeve we must beleeve it concerning our selves in particular according as it is said of Abraham that he beleeved God that he should bee the Father of many Nationâ—s And as Iob speaketh of him selfe chap. 19. verses 25. 26. 27. I am sure that my Redeemer liveth and I shall see God in my flesh whom I my selfe shall see and my eyes shall beholde and none other for mee According to which certaintie the Apostle Paul speaketh also of him selfe Rom. chap. 8. and for this maner of knowledge which commeth by faith the Fathers doe call faith the eye whereby we see the invisible things of God as also the ingraveÌ„ forme of the sonnes of God and for this same cause it is called by the Apostle Heb. chap. 11. the evidence of things which are not seene where by the word evidence is vnderstoode that faith doeth not onely shew them but by evident demonstration confirme the vndoubted veritie of them and that to vs in particular so that it letteth me not only see life eternall in Christ and this eternall life to belong to all that are in Chtist but particularly it letteth me see my selfe in Christ and this life to belonge to me in him and that so certainlie as nothing in heaven nor earth can bee more certaine and thus much for the first vse of faith The seconde ende wherefore faith is given is possession and this confirmeth evidently and plainely the former ground touching knowledge that it is so to be vnderstood as we have spoken For the knowledge of faith is never without possession according to thar saying of Christ Ioh. cha 14. ver 17. speaking of the spirit whow the world can not receyve because it seeth him not neyther knoweth him but yee knowe him for hee dwelleth with you and shal bee in you According to which ground it is that Ioh. sayth Hee that beleeveth in that sonne of GOD hath the witnes in him self 1. Epist chap. 5. ver 10. Thus faith maketh vs to know nothing but that which it also maketh vs to possesse therefore doeth the Apostle pray to God for the Ephesians that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith chap. 3. vers 27. For as the heart of man can never know Christ by it owne light but by the supernaturall light of faith so it can never apprehend Christ nor any blessing in Christ by any natural power that is in the will affection thereof Therefore God giveth to his elect the supernaturall gift of faith in their hearts that his elect whose heartes could never by any naturall strength ever attaine to the possession of Christ nor ever desire to have him nor yet embrace him with vnfayned love as their only treasure righteousnes and life might chose him and count all things but dunge to gaine him forsaking them selves and their owne righteousnes and to love him and embrace him with such affectioÌ„ that they prefer him to all things eveÌ„ to their owne life so that man by faith is not only made to know his redeemer but also to possesse him and all blessings in him And for this cause is it that in the scriptures we are saide to be the children of God by faith in Christ to be iustified by faith in him to bee saved by faith in him and as saith the Apostle Peter beleeving in him we carrie about with vs the end of our faith the salvation of our soules 1. Epist 1. 9. And for this working of faith it is called by the Apostle the subsisting of things hoped for Hebr. 11. 1. because it giveth a certaine being and subsisting vnto things that are yet invisible and are yet only expected and hoped for and maketh theÌ„ to subsist in our hearts therfore saith Christ he that beleeveth is alreadie translated from death to life and hath everlasting life Ioh. 5. 24. Thus we see that faith being taken away the heart of man should never be able to possesse nor apprehend Christ nor righteousnes or any other spirituall blessing in him Therefore because it is the effectuall instrument of Gods supernaturall power in our heartes whereby we apprehende and possesse Christ and all blessings in him The Fathers doe call it the hand of a Christian as also the mouth of a Christian and likewise the bound of a Christian because by faith as by a hand we lay holde on him and by faith as by a mouth wee receyve him into our heartes and by faith as by a bande that never can be broken wee are so vnited to him and hee with all the benefites that are in him vnto vs that we never can possibly bee seperated from him nor he or his blessinges from vs for this cause is it that Augustine sayth Beleeue onely and thou hast eaten him And for cleering of this grounde it is that these phrases of speech are vsed to wit that Christ is the ende of the lawe vnto righteousnes to all that beleeve that the promise is given to them that faithfully beleeve That the Gospell is the power of GOD vnto salvation to everie one that beleeveth c. all to teach vs that neither the Gospell can helpe vs to salvation neither is the promise made ours nor Christes righteousnes belongeth vnto vs except we beleeve because there is no mean to make any thing conteyned in the Gospell especially the promise or Christ him selfe to be ours but faith onely And for this same
Jesus therefore also saith Iohn 1. Epist 5. That the commandements of God are not greevous to him that is borne of God And he addeth this reason takeÌ„ from the former ground which is because by faith they overcome the world and all thinges whatsoever within them or without them opposeth it selfe vnto their obedience For this cause the obedience of the Saints is called the obedience of faith Rom. cha 1. ver 5. and obedience to the Gospel is called obedience to the faith Acts cha 6. ver 7. And for the same reason whatsoever is not of faith is said to be sinne Rom. cha 14. 23. as also That without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. chap. 11. 6. which sentence sheweth cleerely the trueth of this point that there can be no strength in mans nature to performe any thing according to the will of God of it selfe but that all his strength and abilitie to doe according to Gods minde is from IESVS Christ dwelling in his hearte by faith By whose helpe strengthening vs we are able to doe all things as saith the Apostle of him selfe Phil. chap. 4. ver 13. Vpon the same respect it is that the Apostle interpretes his owne saying That Christ liueth in him in this speech The life that I nowe live in the flesh I liue it by the faith which is of the sonne of God Galat. chap. 2. ver 20. shewing vs that to haue Christ living in vs and to liue by the faith of Christ is all one thing albeit in divers considerations for our life is the life of Christ properlie because indeed from him alone floweth al goodnes and in him is the vertue of our well doing but our life is the life of faith not properlie but because it is the meane by the which onely Christ who is our life dwelleth in our heartes and liveth in vs. This thing it is that maketh one and the selfe same action externally performed according to the coÌ„mandement by two diverse persons to be acceptable obedience to God in the one and abhominable wickednes and sinne in the other according to the speech of the Apostle touching the sacrifices of Cain and Abel because the one did offer in faith the other not Now in respect of this fruit and efficacie of faith the Fathers doe call faith the seale of our election conforme to that of Peter 2. Epi. chap. 1. who willeth vs by the vertue that is in our faith to make our calling and election sure as also they call it the soule of our soule because as our soule quickeneth our bodies so doth faith our soules also they call it the root of a good life by which all fruit is good and without the which all fruit is rotten and corrupted Of all these things which we have spoken of faith wee may easily perceive that faith is neither a parte nor portioÌ„ of any naturall power or facultie in man neither the effect or work of anie power or facultie naturall in man neither serving for any naturall vse in any naturall thing vnto man but that it is a gift supernaturall given freely by God and wrought supernaturallie above al naturall power in our hearts vnto a supernaturall end that we might be able to obtaine and to performe things which by nature it is impossible that we either caÌ„ obtain or do And this supernatural gift is placed in our harts by God as the effectual instrument mean of his power whereby ro make vs able to be capable of heavenly and supernatural things and to performe heauenly and supernaturall obedience to God Of which it is evident that faith is the first blessing in order of all the blessings of God also that no other blessing is eyther possessed by vs or preserued in vs but by it alone so that it is not so much any parte of the matter of our blessednes as it is the mean instrument of it so that our righteousnes life and glorie doth not consist in it but rather subsisteth in vs by it Of these things we may collect what faith is both as God worketh it in vs as our hearts worketh by it as God worketh it in our harts it is a supernatural gift wrought by God of his free grace in al the powers of our soule to be the effectual instrumeÌ„t of his power in vs whereby our heartes are made able both to perceyve to embrace and constantly to keepe Christ and all spirituall blessings in him belonging to life godlines of life as also to be able to walke worthie of our heavenly calling As our heart worketh by it faith is the very motion of all the powers of our hart wrought by the former working of God in them whereby our heartes now beleeving lay holde vpon the promise and vpon Christ crucified for vs and vpon righteousnes and life in him and whereby all these are brought into our heartes and wee possessed with them and whereby the things possessed are kept in our heartes in the middest of all temptation overcomming all our spirituall enemies and whereby our hearts doe serve God so as to please him And vpon this worke of faith follow these effectes in our soules First our heartes reioyce boâ—â— in the sight of the salvation and in the hope of the glory of God Psalm 105. 4. 5. Rom. chap. 5. ver 2. Secondly our hearts are filled with a confident boldnes towardes God that wee dare drawe neare vnto him confidentlie and call him Abba Father Rom. chap. 8. ver 15. Gal. chap. 5. ver 6. Ephe. chap. 3. ver 12. Heb. chapt 4. ver 16. and chap. 10. ver 16. Thirdly our heartes are filled with the peace of God and a good conscience Rom. chapt 5 ver 1. Iohn chap. 14 ver 1. so that in patience we possesse our soules wayting for that blessed hope and that appearing of the glorie of that mightie God and of Iesus Christ our Saviour and this is the first gift that God in iustifying giveth a maâ— CHAPTER XXX NOW it followeth that we speake of the seconde gift whereby we are iustified and that is Chriâ—t Iesus himselfe For God first giveth vs faith vnto righteousnes and then by faith he giveth vs Christ as our righteousnes therefore is Christ also called the gift of God and that in two respectes First in respect of Gods sending him into the worlde to suffer the death of the crosse and by his death to redeeme vs in which respect it is saide That God so loved the world that hee hath given his onely begotten sonne c. Iohn chap. 3. ver 16. Secondly in respect of Gods particular giving of Christ now crucified vnto the beleeving heart according to which the Apostle speaketh Coll. chap. 2. ver 6. As therefore yee have receyved Ghrist Iesus the Lorde walke in him and Rom. chap. 5. Our righteousnes is called the gift of God For which cause also Christ is said to dwel in our heartes by faith and of
be mans owne but Gods because it is not in the power of man by all that hee is according to nature ever to attayne to the possession of it but by that meane instrument supernaturall which is given him of God to the end he may attayne to the possession of the righteousnes of God Thus we see that the meane whereby we possesse the righteousnes is faith onely and because faith is not our owne therefore the righteousnes that we posses by it cannot be ours vntill both be made ours and this is only done and performed by the Lords gracious imputation of both that is faith and the righteousnes of Christ possessed by faith But first especially faith must be imputed to vs as our own to the intent that the righteousnes that by it we possesse might be our owne For as a man hath right to that which hee possesseth as his owne in equitie and iustice if by his owne meanes he hath obtayned possession but hath no right in equitie and iustice to it although he have it in his possession if by another mans substance given him to be imployed hee doe acquire the possession even so if we could attayne to the possession of righteousnes by our owne meanes then should that righteousnes in equitie and iustice be our owne and therefore the Scripture admitteth debt in accompting wages to him that worketh Rom. chap. 4. ver 4. but because wee doe not attayne to the possession of righteousnes by our owne meanes but by the meanes of GOD which hee hath given vs to vse that is by faith therefore this righteousnes in equitie and iustice is not our owne vntill the Lord doe impute it vnto vs and accompt it our owne So by imputinge faith vnto vs as our owne the righteousnesse which wee possesse by faith is made our owne so that faith beeing reckonned and accompted ours the righteousnes of GOD which wee possesse by faith in Christ is also reckonned and accompted ours and this is the cause why the holy Scripture doeth offtner describe the manner and forme of our iustification vnder the phrase of the imputation of faith then vnder the phrase of the imputation of the righteousnes because the right that is made vs vnto faith in Christ maketh vs to have right vnto Christ him selfe as our righteousnes and all blessings in him which by faith we possesse Secondly it is for this cause that in the description of the forme of our iustification that the spirite of God vseth this phrase to wit That to him that beleeveth his faith is imputed vnto righteousnes Which word vnto beeing commonly rendered for doeth much darken the true sense of the wordes and maketh many to fall into dangerous errour thinking that the verie acte of beleevinge is imputed for righteousnes that is as they take it in the verie same place and as the verie matter of our righteousnes whereas the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this sentence doeth declare the ende wherevnto faith is imputed that is that the obedience of Christ apprehended by faith may bee righteousnes vnto the apprehender For faith and beleeving ever imployeth the possession of Christ and his obedience in our heartes and the imputation of faith vnto righteousnes is the thing that makes Christ possessed by faith to bee our righteousnes I say to be our righteousnes for Christes obedience is righteousnes in it selfe so that it is neyther our faith nor Gods imputation of our faith that maketh his obedience to bee righteousnes but imputation of faith to vs as ours maketh the obedience of Christ possessed by faith beeing righteousnes in it selfe to be our righteousnes for as wee have saide before the making that whereby we obtayne possession to bee ours maketh the thing possessed also to be ours so that imputation of faith maketh Christes obedience to be that vnto vs which it is in it selfe though it were never imputed vnto vs. And that this phrase is so to be vnderstoode it may cleerely bee perceyved by that sentence of the Apostle Rom. chapt 10. ver 10. VVith the heart man beleeveth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth hee confesseth vnto salvation In which sentence the greeke worde which is rendered vnto can not be rendered for without darking and also perverting the true sense and meaning of that place for we are saide to beleeve with the heart vnto righteousnes in that same sense and meaning wherein wee are saide to confesse with the mouth vnto salvation But we cannot bee saide properlie at least cleerely without ambiguitie to confesse for salvation because neyther is our confession the efficient cause of our salvation neyther yet the matter or substance of our salvation neither can it bee put in place of our salvation but we confesse to this ende that wee might attayne to salvation knowing that hee that confesseth not Iesus before men shall not be saved For he that is ashamed of him before men he wil be ashamed of him before his heavenly Father Luke chap. 9. ver 26. And hee who shall denie him before men him shall hee denie before his Father which is in heaven And whosoever shall confesse him before men him shall he also confesse before his Father that is in heaven Math. chap. 10. Luke chap. 12. Therefore knowing that without confession there is no salvation seeing confession is the way and meane whereby we attayne vnto the possession of salvation we doe confesse to this ende that we may attayne to salvation And therefore in the same sense wee must bee saide to beleeve with the heart vnto righteousnes that is because there is no meane to attaine vnto righteousnes except wee beleeve For Christ is righteousnes vnto everie one that beleeveth Rom. chap. 10. ver 4. therefore we beleeve to this ende that wee may enioye righteousnes according to the saying of the Apostle Gal. chap. 2. ver 16. VVee also have beleeved in Christ that wee may bee iustified by the faith of Christ In which place that faith is vnderstood onely instrumentally and not materially it is playne by the next verse following where it is saide If then while wee seeke to bee made righteous by Christ c. Which wordes shewe plainly that Christ is the matter of our righteousnes Nowe there is no reason why faith should be said to bee imputed vnto righteousnes in any other sense as concerninge the worde vnto then wee were saide to beleeve vnto righteousnes but in all reason without contradiction the Greeke worde which we render vnto must in both these phrases bee taken in one and the same sense that is that as we beleeve with the hearte to this end that we might by faith as the onely apt and meete instrument and onely convenient and effectuall meane whereby to apprehende and possesse attayne to the possession of the righteousnes of God in Christ even so the Lord our God imputeth faith to vs as our owne to this end that the righteousnes which we possesse