most perfect and it being all an understanding needs must this conception of his be most perfect And so a most perfect generation which is a second manner of beeing called the Image or person called the Image of the Sonne of God the Image of his hypostasis And seeing that which God understandeth and his Essence is one and the same needs must the Essence and excellencie of the Father and the Sonne be both one and eternall Thus God cannot be minded to be but with his coeternall Sonne As there is an understanding in the Godhead so needs must there be a will also and the more understanding the more and perfecter is the will and in God there being a perfect understanding there must be also needs a perfect will and as the understanding is active essentially in the Godhead so is the will and as hee understandeth himselfe as the most perfect thing so also hee willeth himselfe as the most perfect good and thus the will reflecteth as did the understanding Gods infinite wil imbracing an infinite willed thing there must needs be infinite love and highest pleasure proceede there-from so whilst the eternall Father conceiveth his Sonne and perfectly willeth it there must needs be full and perfect love from the Father to the Sonne and from the Sonne to the Father so from both proceedeth a third manner of beeing called the third person the Holy Spirit It is called a Spirit for three causes 1 Because love is the inforcing or motive of the Will to the thing loved and as it were a spiring and breathing to it and because the Father breatheth in love to the Sonne and the Sonne againe to the Father therefore the Holy Spirit is right said to proceed from them both 2 It is called a Spirit because the proceeding of the motive betweene the Father and the Sonne is by a hidden way 3 Because Gods children perceive Gods gifts the gifts of love by secret inspiration It is called holy to discerne it from other spirits and because nothing can be more holy than this in God and because it maketh holy and sanctifieth the Church And seeing Gods Will and Essence is one in him the Holy Ghost must needs be one with the Father and the Sonne coequall and eternall Thus by undoubted principles from Gods essence there are three manner of subsistings in God and there can be neither more nor lesse unlesse we will deny God The Holy Spirit is taken as spoken substantially or accidentally substantially it meaneth a thing most simple in essence most active in efficacie Againe that it is taken either essentially and so it comprehendeth God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghost as Joh. 4.24 or personally applyed to the third person of the Trinity Accidentally the word is used for a gift or motion of the Holy Spirit Joh. 7.39 but in the 1 Cor. 12. the Spirit and the gifts are plainly distinguished The three persons have one and the same common Essence and common workes of the Essence and of one divine Essence there are three persons The persons are distinguished from the essence as the maner of a thing is from the matter and they are distinguished one from another as the manner of the Essence one from another The difference of the persons is inward and outward the inward difference is the personall propertie which floweth from the manner of beeing The Father is of himselfe not only in respect of Essence but also in respect of being the Father begetteth his Image or Son the Father sendeth the Holy Ghost The Sonne as touching the Essence is of himselfe as touching the manner of being hee is of the Father The Sonne is begotten of the Father the Sonne sendeth the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost in respect of the Essence is of himselfe in respect of the maner of the Essence he proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne The outward difference is when the persons are distinguished by the effects and operations towards the creatures As is the order of beeing so is the order of doing in the persons the Father doth of himselfe the Son in the Father and the Holy Ghost in both The Father createth conserveth and governeth the world the Sonne Redeemeth the world the Holy Ghost sanctifieth it Gods properties are either absolute or they have relations to the creatures Properties of the Essence generally considered are 1 unchangeablenesse as that the Essence of God is without all corruption alteration or locall motion Jam. 1.17 2 Infinitenesse as that God cannot be measured or determined by any hath no quantity no determination of his power vertue time and place Properties of the Essence specially considered are understanding will and holinesse 1 Gods understanding is such as hee perfectly knoweth all things in himself without discoursing of things or distance of time 2 Gods will is such that hee approveth the good and refuseth the evill himselfe directly is all good and indirectly other things are good as they carry his image and whatsoever hee will that hee can but not whatsoever hee can hee will 3 Holinesse is that high perfection and patterne of all vertue in respect whereof the holinesse and vertues of all men and Angels are but shadowes of this holinesse ariseth high blessednesse and contentation in God Gods properties referred to the creatures are vertues or vertuous acts Gods vertues in respect of his nature is power whereby he can effect what when and howsoever hee will concerning any creature Psalm 145.6 Job 41.2.3 Gods power is onely active and not passive depending on any other Eph. 1.19 20. Gods power is infinite in respect of his Essence of the objects of the effects and of the durance God can do all things that absolutely simply and in nature are possible Job 42.3 Thus things are absolutely possible to be done which are not contradictory to the nature of God nor to the Essence of other things without God he cannot deny himselfe 2 Tim. 2.13 Quest Whether can God do a thing against Nature Answ. If against be meant contradictory to Nature so as it repugneth the Essence essentiall properties and definition of things then God cannot doe such as God cannot make a body should be infinite a reasonable creature without reason for the nature of things are subordinate to the nature of God as second causes to the first and things subordinate overthrow not their nature if against be meant above the power of secondary causes as of water to make wine to make water out of stones or if it be meant the hinderance of their naturall actions of things flowing from their particular properties as to let the fire from burning the sunne from moving such things God hath done and can doe daily Gods vertue in respect of understanding is his fore-knowledge whatsoever is or commeth to passe in time be it good or evill with all the effects and events of actions
himselfe and us 2 Glory 3 The taking of the Kingdome 4 The administration of the Kingdome 5 The resignation of the Kingdome to his Father Victory is whereby Christ overcommeth the devill and sinne and death and subdued them under him and his Heb. 2.14 1 Cor. 15.54 57. Glory is the exaltation and glorification of Christ and that of the whole person but in divers respects for his divine nature was exalted not by increase of essence or of glory his humane nature was exalted both by increase and manifestation Glory is the Kingly dignity consisting of three things 1 Putting off infirmities 2 Glorification of the humane nature 3 Triumph over enemies Putting off infirmities was when Christ was delivered from all weaknesse of body and mind which for our sakes hee tooke upon him as death paine hunger thirst sorrow Rom. 6.9 1 Cor. 15.42 43. Glorification of the humane nature is its perfection by assuming new habits and powers Joh. 7.39 Christs body was glorified in that it was made incorruptible 1 Cor. 15.33 firme strong nimble spirituall splendent 1 Cor. 15.43 Mat. 17.2 3. His soule was glorified by the perfection of the understanding such as in his base estate hee knew not even all things in all places and times so farre forth as a created mind is capable of and by perfection of will and all vertues that a created will is capable of Triumph over enemies was his resurrection and manifestation after Psal. 68.1 This arising againe was the restoring of the humane nature unto life and the glorious and powerfull lifting of it out of the grave As by Christs sufferings and death hee wrought satisfaction and justice for his elect so by his resurrerection as the principall cause hee conferreth the effectuall application of justice and satisfaction The efficient cause of Christs resurrection was God the Father Act. 2.24 the Sonne Joh. 17.18 the Holy Ghost Rom. 18.11 The end of his rising is the glory of God the Father Rom. 6.4 of the Sonne Act. 3.15 to fulfill prophesies and figures 1 Cor. 15.4 to confirme the legall covenants Do this and live to justifie us by applying benefits Rom. 4.25 The benefits and fruits wee have by his resurrection are these 1 A full assurance and certainty of faith touching him 2 Full satisfaction for us as our surety and our applied justification Rom. 4.25 and 8.34 4 The gift of the Holy Ghost to quicken us from sinne Rom. 6.4 Eph. 2.5 5 Assurance of our last resurrection 1 Cor. 15.12 20 22. 1 Thess. 4.14 6 Certainty of our perseverance in faith Rom. 6.9 Gal. 2.20 7 Confidence of our hope and eternall life Col. 1.18 Rom. 8.17 5.10 1 Pet. 3.20 21. The forme and manner of Christs resurrection was first his soule returned to the body secondly the time was the third day thirdly the earth trembled for joy as for horrour at his death As hee died the sixth wherein Adam was made and fell so hee rose the first day wherein the world began to be created he rose in the dawning Mat. 28.1 2. so he was the Sun and light of the world As the Angels served him at his birth Luk. 2. so did they at his resurrection Christ was the first that should rise from the dead Act. 26.23 1 Cor. 15. Object But some rose before him raised by the Prophets Answ. Their resurrection was actuall and imperfect for they died againe afterward but Christs was perfect never dying more nor subject to mortality Act. 13.34 The manifestation of his resurrection was his glorious appearing to his Disciples forty dayes to confirme their faith and teaching them things pertaining to the Kingdome of God Act. 2.3 Testimonies of his resurrection were 1 Angels Mat. 28.3 4. Luk. 24. 2 The watchmen Mat. 28.4 11. 3 His Disciples to whom hee appeared oftentimes as to Mary Magdalen at the grave Mat. 28.9 To Simon Peter to two Disciples in the way to Emaus Luk. 24.13 To the company of Disciples Joh. 20.19 To Thomas Joh. 20.26 To his Disciples at the sea of Tiberias Joh. 22.1 To James 1 Cor. 15.7 To his Disciples on the mount at Galile Mat. 28.16 To more than 500. brethren at once 1 Cor. 15.6 To his Disciples on mount Olivet when hee ascended into Heaven Another testimony was the bodies of the Saints which arose and prophesies of the Scripture Luk. 24.25 26. Mat. 27 52 53. Christs taking of his Kingdome was 1 By ascending into heaven 2 By sitting at Gods right hand Dan. 7.13 14. Christ in his naturall body glorified went up in a cloud through the aire or orbes into the imperiall heavens by his ascension he also made way for us and is an assurance that we also shall come thither Heb. 10.19 Joh. 14.3 Also by his ascension hee furnisheth his Church with gifts of the Holy Ghost Joh. 7.39 Christs sitting at his Fathers right hand meaneth a dignity next unto the power of God and is the highest degree of exaltation whereby hee fully occupieth his kingdome gotten by his battell by repressing his enemies and conserving his Church Psal. 101.1 Cor. 15.1 This sitting at Gods right hand in respect of Christs Godhead was the restauration of the glory which hee had with the Father before the world was in respect of the manhood it is the glorification of him with the glory he never had before above all other creatures Christs Kingdome may be considered absolutely or specially His absolute Kingdome is the rule which he hath over-all creatures whether they obey or not and it may be called the Kingdome of power 1 Pet. 3.22 His speciall Kingdome is his rule over the Church which may be called the Kingdome of Grace The nature of this Kingdome is spirituall not of this World the limits of this Kingdome are the ends of the earth Psal. 2. Administration of Christs Kingdome is 1 His giving lawes 2 By executing them His giving of Lawes are outward or inward Outward propounded by the Word and Ministry Inward by the Spirit opening the conscience and giving power to do them Act. 1.3 Executing Lawes is by rewarding good deeds and punishing evill Rewards are 1 Spirituall 2 Temporall Spirituall are remission of sinnes victories over temptations justification sanctification Temporall are the things of this life with the condition of the Crosse in the next life joyes of Heaven Matt. 25. Punishments are inward and outward Inward are griefes feares and torments of conscience Outward are paines sicknesses diseases and in the next life damnation The course of administration in all ages are the opening of the seales sounding of the trumpets shedding of the vials discovery of Antichrist The great and last worke of his Kingdome is the last Judgement the day as hee knew not on earth so neither wee the manner will be glorious with innumerable companies of Angels and flaming fire The resurrection of the just and unjust the change of the living the
Conditionall Absolute are things absolutely promised or spoken without condition on our part Conditionall when God willeth any thing of us but with condition as hee willeth that all men should be saved namely if they will beleeve in Christ Mat. 28.20 As God hath a determining will concerning his creatures so hee hath an appointing will unto them Heb. 10.5 6 7. Whatsoever God willeth absolutely and of it selfe is good Jam. 1.13 Psal. 119.12 God willeth sinnes not simply but by accident as hee knoweth and meaneth to bring good out of them Gods appointing will is wholly manifested in the law of nature and in the written law Gods appointing will pertaines to all men God would have all to beleeve as beleefe is a point of obedience and honour to him but as beleefe is a grace and a gift of God hee willeth not all men to beleeve but his elect God doth not onely know all things and prescribe his will but also his providence and determinate counsell reacheth unto all his creatures Jer. 10.23 Lam. 3.37 Gods providence extendeth even to the very least things Mat. 20.29 Prov. 16.9 Gods providence consisteth in conserving and governing his creatures which creatures are of foure sorts 1 some that have beeing as heaven and earth 2 some that have beeing and life as plants and herbes 3 some that have beeing life and sense as beasts birds and fishes 4 some that having beeing life sense and reason as men God conserveth in his creatures their existence or beeing and their vertues Gods conservation of their existence is the continuing of the substance of the creatures In him wee live move and have our beeing moving being not only locall bul the moving of the heart spirit reason will c. Gods government is the ordering and ruling and disposing of his creatures to his owne pleasure and glory Psal. 104. Esay 45.7 Job 12.10 Gods government in speciall is towards Angels and Men for in them first hee determineth and ordereth their actions secondly hee giveth them lawes thirdly hee executeth justice God determineth and ordereth the actions and inclinations of men moving them and directing them to their end Mans actions and inclinations hee moveth and ruleth effectually God ordereth them to the good of this life and of the life to come which is the chiefest good God ordereth sinne two wayes first by limitation and binding it that it shall goe no further than hee please Secondly by turning it against the nature and will of the sinner into good Gods providence is double mediate and immediate mediate is when he conserveth and governeth one creature by another as by instruments immediate is when he useth no meanes or worketh against means God useth not meanes of necessity but of pleasure these meanes are not to be excluded from Gods providence but included God can use evill instruments for good against their power and will The chiefe meanes to governe the world are Angels The end of all is Gods glory Deus vult gloriam suam necessitate naturae suae non libere The foundation of true glory is vertue or goodnesse Gods glory is spoken of two wayes 1 As an essentiall property of his 2 As the glorifying of himselfe so Gods glory consisteth in the knowledge of himselfe God when he had created the world saw all that he had made and lo it was very good but after God looked upon the earth and loe it was corrupt for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth It is then now to be minded how corruption and evill came into the world The corruption of the world is set forth by divers names in respect of truth it is called lying or falshood in respect of good it is called evill in respect of righteousnesse it is called iniquity or unrighteousnesse in respect of Gods law it is called unlaw sunesse or transgression of the law generally it is called sinne that is aberration or missing of the scope or marke in respect of duty it is called disobedience rebellion defection or apostasie disloyalty perfidiousnesse in respect of our first estate it is called a fault or ruine Evill hath no efficient cause but a deficient evill hath neither nature nor substance for all such are of God but so is not evill all such are good but so is not sinne Evill is an accident cleaving unto natures substance actions Rom. 7.21 The creatures were made of nothing and being of themselves not able to sustaine themselves have an inclination to come to nothing if God do not uphold them so evill is caused of nothing Evill began in Heaven amongst the Angels and so spread into other reasonable creatures as men is called sinne their fall and is the privation of Gods Image in them God himselfe cannot do evill or be tempted thereto and he onely hath this priviledge men and Angels want it The Angels therefore being subject to temptation were tempted of their owne motions and willingly gave place to their evill thoughts and being not sustained of God did fall Jud. 5 6. Though wee know not how many yet there were many that fell from their heavenly estate of those many that fell one seemeth to be the chiefe and others drawne by or accompanying him called therefore his Angels Mat. 25.4 Being falne they could not of themselves rise againe neither did God minister any grace or helpe unto them therefore they added sinne unto sinne and so doe continue sinning still extremely untill the appointed time of their damnation The Angels that are falne have divers names to denote their evill condition sometime they are called evill Spirits lying Spirits uncleane Spirits Devill that is a calumniator Mat. 25.41 Sathan that is adversary or fiend Job 1.6 demons of their knowledge Mat. 9.34 wasters or destroyers Deut. 32.17 rugged satyrs of their horrible hew Lev. 17.7 dragon and serpent of their craft and venemous nature Rev. 12.9 the Tempter Mat. 4.3 the Malitious one 1 Joh. 3. the Enemie Mat. 13.28 Roaring Lyon 2 Pet. 5.8 the Strong-armed one Mat. 12.29 Prince of the World Job 12.31 that ruleth in the aire Eph. 6.12 2.2 Beliall the unruly or without yoke Mans first sinne is fitly called disobedience or fall for the Law was significatively given to testifie man to be subject to Gods Law and his obedience And whereas before man walked with a steady foote in Gods ordinance by this fact hee stumbled and fell from the seat of integrity The efficient immediate cause was man himselfe of his owne free will without any necessity inward or outward transgressing the Law The efficient cause remote and mediate was the Devill tempting man to sinne The instrumentall cause was the serpent whose tongue the Devill abused to frame arguments to beguile with The arguments or causes to move inwardly were first directly perswading for good that they should be as Gods Secondly perswading from feare of punishment Adde to
these 1 Ignorance whereby wee cannot know the truth nay not often with much labour 2 Obscurity and confusion in the understanding 3 Hardnesse to conceive and retaine things in the memory Punishments in respect of the body are 1 Common weaknesse and frailties of all men 2 Speciall disposition to sicknesse and diseases 3 Paine and labour especially in women paine of child-bearing 4 Deformity and want of beauty and comlinesse thorow evill proportion of the members or evill colour 5 Famine withholding or taking away the fruits of our lands chattels c. 6 Want or losse of children 7 Contentions emulations reproaches infamies warres among men 8 Many things against health good name goods and livelihood yea there is the punishment of deaths temporall the separation of soule and body and deaths eternall separation of soule and body from God from all felicity and glory called the second death The second death is to be minded first for the parts and degrees of it secondly for the circumstance of time and place The parts and degrees are these 1 the damned have no communion with God nor participation of grace 2 Thes. 1.9 2 They are united unto Satan and are partakers of his punishments 3 They are ashamed and confounded because their sinnes are manifested Rev. 20.12 4 They are ashamed and fret and envie the felicity of the Saints in Heaven Psalm 112.10 5 They are horribly pained and tormented with feeling Gods wrath and the worme of conscience The circumstances of time and place are these first of place which is hell the bottomlesse deepe the utter darknesse Gen. 16. Luk. 13.21 2 Pet. 2. Secondly of time and that will ever breake the heart of the damned which is eternity that hee is past hope of ever going out or having end of his paines Mat. 25.46 All sinne of its owne nature requireth punishment Rom. 6.23 Punishment is evill in respect of the sufferer good in respect of God that afflicteth it justly for sinne As sinne hath taken away the agreement with the nature of God so punishment hath taken away the communion with the felicity of God Mans misery is remediable through the mercy of God though God spared not the Angels that sinned yet the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared The remedy of our misery consisteth of two things 1 A deliverance from sin Secondly our reformation to the Image of God Psal. 32.1 2 Cor. 3.18 Our deliverance from sinne containeth foure things 1 Election to life eternall by God the Father 2 Redemption by God the Sonne Psal. 130.8 3 Justification Rom. 5.1 4 Sanctification and reformation into the Image of God by the Holy Ghost In our first estate wee had two things Gods favour and Image In our fall and misery wee have two things Satans Image and Gods displeasure In our restauration are had two things reconciliation to Gods favour and restoring of his Image God from all eternity did predestinate appoint and elect some Angels and some men to be for ever heires of the riches of his grace and glory 1 Tim. 5.2 1 Pet. 2.8 God keepeth the Angels that they cannot fall conserving and increasing their happinesse Joh. 13. Jer. 22.40 Mat. 24.24 Election is of God the Father Eph. 1.2 3. and onely some few men are elected unto life and they out of all sorts Jewes and Gentiles Matt. 20.16 Rom. 9.24 Rev. 7.9 Election hath two acts and degrees concerning the end which is eternall glory the first of God then of the creature Secondly the meanes to the end Rom. 9.11 The first act touching the end is Gods purpose to take some men which were to be created to eternall grace and glory leaving other some The second act is his purpose whereby hee ordaineth these men being to fall in Adam unto eternall glory through Christ Joh. 3.16 6.47 The signes testimonies and benefits of our election in Christ are an effectuall calling the gifts of lively faith Act. 13.4 5. 2 Thess. 2.13 14. Justification Rom. 8.30 and glorification begun in this life by holinesse being predestinated thereunto Eph. 1.4 That unto which God hath elected us is first Adoption of sonnes Secondly Sanctification Thirdly Eternall life The first and onely moving cause of Election is the good-pleasure and love of God Eph. 1.5 Rom. 9.18 Eph. 1.11 Christ being the ground-worke hereof This is further confirmed thus God is the beginning of his actions Rom. 11.35 The first beginning dependeth upon no other outward beginning but God should depend upon an other outward beginning if he could not elect whom he would without having respect of their faith faith is the effect of election Act. 13.48 therefore it cannot be the cause or before election The meanes whereby wee are predestinated is Jesus Christ Eph. 1.5 Christ is not the first moving cause but the meane for hee is onely Gods Sonne and we being predestinated to the adoption of Sonnes have the Sonne-ship by communion with Christ Gods election is firme and immutable Esay 46.10 2 Tim. 2.19 The meanes whereby wee come to be assured that wee are elected are these First the Gospell teaching that all truly beleeving shall be saved Tit. 1.2 and wee knowing wee beleeve assure our selves by the effects of election found in our selves as effectuall calling faith justification sanctification and good workes Secondly by the testimony of Gods Spirit in us Rom. 8.9.16 17. 1 Cor. 2.10 11 12. 2 Cor. 1.21.23 We judge our selves elect by the judgement of faith which is infallible 1 Thes. 1.4 Adoption is the first and proper thing whereunto we are predestinated and there is no exceeding benefit whereof it should not be the effect as in the Trinity the Father is first then the Sonne and the Holy Ghost In the order of working our salvation the first is the Father predestinating the second is the Son redeeming the third is the Holy Ghost sanctifying That the Father is first in working see Joh. 5.19.30 16.13 14. Adoption being then the worke of the Father it is before Redemption and so before Justification and Sanctification The first worke of Grace in bringing us to Christ is given by the Father Joh. 6.65 44 37 39. Opposite to Election is Reprobation which is Gods decree to leave some in their sinne and misery and for sinne to damne them or reprobation is Gods decree to passe by some and not elect them and to permit those to fall into sinne and to punish them eternally for sin Herein are two acts 1 Negative 2 Positive Negative to refuse or not elect positive to punish for sinne for that from which they are reprobate is from grace and glory and that whereto they are appointed is damnation the cause of not electing Gods just pleasure and will Mat. 11. Rom. 9. without respect of good or evill in the creature the cause of the second act damnation is mans sinne God is hee that
his justice must be satisfied first before any legall justice can be established in us which being satisfied by Christ and so wee absolved from our sinnes past the legall justice beginneth in us againe in this life but shall not be perfected till the next life Justification is an act undivided and all at once and so it differeth from Sanctification which is done by degrees and parts Justification of a sinner in this life is done essentially but once though it be often repaired and renued as faith once given to the elect is never quite taken away for the seede of God remaineth in him Justification and Faith are most nearly united The causes of Justification are either Principall Instrumentall Outward Inward The principall outward cause is the merit and satisfaction of Christ Rom. 3.24 25. which in respect of us is the meritorious cause in respect of God it is the cause that is outwardly moving him to pronounce us just Both these are true that we are justified for the satisfaction and merit of Christ as the outward moving cause and yet are justified freely of meere mercy as the inward moving cause Object How can it be said that God freely forgiveth us our sinnes out of his owne grace and mercy freely seeing hee hath required satisfaction to the full of Christ our head and surety and without such satisfaction forgiveth no sinne Answ. Though hee forgive it not freely in respect of his Sonne who was wounded for our iniquities yet in respect of us that were the sinners it is free Object But wee merited it in Christ our head and therefore are not freely forgiven Answ. His merit was not ours by originall possession or cleaving in us as sinne is from Adam but only by relation and application and this meere grace that wee never thinking on any such thing God found this way for our redemption Rom. 5.8 10. and that he applyeth his Sonnes redemption unto us that were by no gift or merit disposed to such a thing Eph. 1.6 9. 2.8 As Christs satisfaction is most sufficient and full so as it is sufficiently and fully to justifie us without any merit of ours or any other creatures Rom. 3.25 26. Our workes being imperfect have no proportion to the justice of God neither are they ours but Gods due unto him and proceeding from him now that which is not ours originally or by possession but is wholly owing unto another by it we can merit nothing to our selves The principall inward cause of our justification is both 1 an effectuall calling 2 the imputation of Christs merits The effectuall calling is the more remote cause of our justification when God by his Spirit effectually moveth the heart the understanding will and affections to the acknowledgement of our owne miseries to seeke deliverance and to beleeve the promise or grace This inward calling of the elect differeth from outward calling by the word whereby God offereth his grace to all in generall to this inward calling a man is meerly passive in respect of the beginning that is hee cannot any more prepare or dispose himselfe by strength of nature unto this calling or justification Herein therefore the Papists erre who ascribe to man a preparation to justification called the fundation of justification as faith that is a certaine generall knowledge and certainty of the truth of Gods Word Secondly an acknowledgement of our sinnes Thirdly feare of hell Fourthly love of God Fifthly repentance Sixthly hope of salvation which sufficiently prepare a man they say to receive justification but the Apostle saith the contrary that our sufficiencie is of God The imputation of Christs merit satisfaction is the neere and next cause of justification and constituteth the essence and definition of it which is when God for union with Christ doth so apply and make proper Christs merit to us as if wee our selves had died and satisfied for our sinnes As from Adam wee draw 1 guilt 2 native evill so from Christ we draw 1 absolution from guilt 2 reparation of Gods Image called Regeneration The instrumentall cause of justification is Faith which is taken sometime largely sometime strictly largely faith is taken for an assent to those things written in the Word called historicall faith strictly faith is justifying or miraculous justifying faith is a trustfull assurance which the Spirit of God stirreth up in the elect firmly to apply the promises of Gods grace This faith presupposeth knowledge Rom. 10.14 but formally it is assertion towards Gods promise Faith justifieth not as it is a quality passion or action in us but as it is a relation and uniteth us to Christ whose satisfaction is imputed for righteousnesse to us Gal. 2.20 Faith applyeth the promise to the particular person and not the generall onely Gal. 2.20 1 Job 4.16 Faith necessarily bringeth forth good workes yet it justifieth not in that respect Rom. 4.5 The proper object of faith is the evangelicall promise of grace in Christ Rom. 1.16 Faith hath degrees increasing and diminishing yet the essence and force of justifying remaineth in the least degree Rom. 12.3 Mark 9.24 Faith once wrought in the elect can never be utterly extinguished for faith is of the elect onely 2 Thess. 3.2 as the elect cannot perish neither can their faith Rom. 8.38 39. The immediate effect of justification knowne is Adoption by which the elect do now actually please God as his children and co-heires with Christ Another effect of justification is peace of Conscience when we perceive our selves absolved from the guilt of sinne before Gods judgement and the judgement of our owne conscience Rom. 5.1 Peace of conscience hath degrees sometimes more sometimes lesse Psal. 30.7 and 51.12 and 38.3 From peace of conscience ariseth confidence that our prayers are heard Also assurance that our good workes please God also patient suffering of the crosse ariseth from the feeling of justification Rom. 5.3 Thus much of our deliverance from sinne and the misery thereof also the punishment of sinne which was Christs worke in himselfe Now followeth our Sanctification or reformation into the image of God which is Christs worke in us it is the change of our nature into better that is into the similitude of the perfection of God called also our Glorification 2 Cor. 3.18 Justification and Sanctification differ thus Justification is the imputing of anothers justice to wit Christs Sanctification is the impression of justice that it may be in us in Justification there is the satisfaction of Christ in Sanctification there is the obedience of a Christian Justice is perfect and absolute an undivided act at once Sanctification is a work begun not equall in all Justification is first Sanctification is after Sanctification is a separation from filthinesse of sin from common prophane use and a preparation and application to holy use by the Spirit of God 2 Cor. 7.1