dead it is dead indeede touching the guilt but it is not yet dead as touching corruption and infection and therfore doth infect the works of the most regenerate for none is perfect as long as he continueth in this life Indeed God hath quickened vs together with Christ and hath raised vs vp together and hath made vs sit together in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus but that is not yet really but in hope yea in our prayers there is much weaknesse and imperfections and distractions yet God respects the truth and not the measure of our faith pardoneth the same for Christs sake who is our high Priest to beare the iniquity of our offerings to make them acceptable before the Lord therfore the godly say Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for in thy sight no man liuing shal be iustified The righteous fall seuen times a day and dayly prayeth for forgiuenesse and when by frailty he doth fal God doth in mercy looke vpon him as he did vpon Peter and cause him to rise againe CON. 51. Faith created in our hearts is the onely sufficient supernaturall instrument to apprehend the free couenant of grace in Christ that is Christs righteousnesse for our iustification EXPLA. Faith is the instrument to receiue because it is the hand which wee stretch to heauen to take holde of Christ and to hold him sitting there it is the mouth whereby we eate and drinke Christ because to beleeue is to eate it is the stomack whereby we digest him for he is to be digested by faith it is the foot wherby we enter in possession of the benefits of Christ and possesse so farre as we stretch the same it is the vessell whereinto God putteth the oyle of his mercy it is by faith wee touch him and looke how much faith we bring to receiue so much we draw out of the abundant grace of God Now that whereby we are iustified is the obedience of Christ for by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous and his obedience is his righteousnesse and wee are made the righteousnesse of God in him by apprehending and receiuing the righteousnesse which is in him He is called the Lord our righteousnesse not who maketh vs righteous only but who also himselfe is our righteousnes and how should he be our righteousnes but by his righteousnes therefore in apprehending receiuing Christ by faith we apprehend and receiue the righteousnes of Christ to be our iustification before God which is that merit and obedience of Christ imputed vnto vs. The efficient and finall cause of iustification then is God in Christ Iesus for our saluation the glory of his name the Materiall is the merit obedience of Christ the Formall cause is Gods imputation apprehended and receiued by vs the instrument of this apprehension is faith alone CON. 52. Iustifying faith is euer accompanied with godlinesse and care of godly life EXPLA. As naturall birth draweth not onely guilt but also corruption so faith wherein is our new birth giueth not onely forgiuenesse of sinne to iustification but also sanctification to holinesse and newnesse of life In the iustified man faith onely is the seat and fountaine of spirituall life because as the quickning faculty and power of the liuing soule dwelleth in the heart so Christ who is our life dwelleth in our faith or in our hearts by faith But yet we consist not spiritually of faith onely but many other vertues and graces are required to make vp the perfection of a Christian man to which as to the other members frō the heart so from faith life is imparted and communicated that in them wee may bee aliue to God which are signes and tokens of a iustified man not any causes of iustification but a declaration and testimony of his being formerly iustified by the faith of Iesus Christ. So good workes follow a man being iustified but are not precedent to iustification and nothing that man can doe either by nature or grace concurreth to the act of iustification as any cause but faith alone for our hearts are purified by faith by faith we reeiue the promise of the spirit and the Law of the Spirit of Christ which is in Christ Iesus deliuered vs from the law of sinne and of death Neither is the very act of faith any part of our righteousnesse but onely the merit and obedience of Christ apprehended and receiued by faith but as the heart giueth life to the body not by the substance of it selfe which is but flesh as the rest of the body is but by the vitall and quickning power of the soule that is seated therin and as the hand feedeth the body not as beeing it selfe the food of the body but by receiuing and ministering vnto it meate wherby it is sustained euen so faith iustifieth and giueth life by receiuing Christ to bee our righteousnesse and life in him receiuing forgiuenesse of sinnes inheritance among them that are sanctified vnto eternall life CON. 53. When God promised tied the effect of his promise to the beleeuing of it not to beleeue that in beleeuing whereof wee are partakers of that which we beleeue is to make God a lyar and to frustrate that which he hath promised EXPLA. By faith onely we accept of a promise in all the benefits of God wee are the children of promise heires by promise heires of promise expecting all things by the gracious promise of God by promise to be partakers of the diuine nature the blessing by promise the spirit by promise the inheritance by promise life eternall by promise by promise a new heauen and a new earth wherein righteousnesse dwelleth all which be promises in Christ and are yea and in him amen that is for his sake first made and for his sake to bee performed also Now seeing God hath taught vs that by faith wee obtaine the promises that wee receiue the promise of the spirit by faith that the promise of blessing is giuen by the faith of Iesus Christ to them that beleeue that as we beleeue so it shall be vnto vs that whatsoeuer wee desire when wee pray if we beleeue we shall haue it it shall be accordingly vnto vs. Why should wee then not beleeue such God hath promised Christ to bee our righteousnesse and that by the faith of Iesus Christ that is by beleeuing in him to bee that vnto vs which God hath promised surely in beleeuing him to bee our righteousnesse hee is our righteousnesse and we are made the righteousnesse of God in him CON. 54. The righteousnesse and merit of Christ is spiritually and really ours within and without in spirit and body and soule to sanctifie and cleanse vs vnto God EXPLA. And this is indeede not by receiuing Christs righteousnes really into vs but by hauing righteousnesse imputed vnto vs for his sake for we
receiue the righteousnes of God euen as wee receiue himselfe who so becommeth ours as that we abide in him and hee in vs wee are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones we are really and truely by the power of his Spirit one with him and he with vs yet he is not personally and bodily brought vnto vs faith seeketh Christ and findeth him and holdeth him in the Virgins wombe in the manger in the garden vpon the crosse in the graue in his Resurrection and ascension to heauen and in his now sitting at the right hand of God making intercession for vs. Euery where faith embraceth him and in euery of these seeth him to bee ours as hauing vndertaken and atchieued al these things for our sakes CON. 55. For a speciall aptnesse in faith hath God appointed it to be the instrument for applying vnto vs the whole benefit of Christ. EXPLA. The will and ordinance of God doth not without cause appoint one cōdition when as well it might appoint another neither appointed any thing to bee done which is not more fitly to be done that way that he appointed then any other way But beside this our iustification is by faith that it may be by grace for faith is the fittest meanes to set forth the grace of God Secondly that the promise might be sure to all the seede for no otherwise can we rest assured of the promise of God but as it is of Grace who in our workes can finde nothing to assure our selues Thirdly faith is specially appointed to exclude boasting that no man should glory in his own doings but that God should haue the glory of mans saluation CON. 56. That man cannot haue fellowship with Christ by iustification who by sanctification also hath no fellowship with him EXPLA. Doe not thinke that hee that hath such a faith as whereby being iustified hee hath to reioyce with God can together therewith haue vnrighteousnes for if he that beleeueth that Iesus is Christ is borne of God and he that is borne of God sinneth not and if he doe sinne that is giue himselfe to sin it is certaine that he beleeueth not certaine it is that hee that truely beleeueth doth work the work of faith and righteousnesse and all goodnesse The root of all is faith by which alone we are iustified and so the barre of sinne is taken away that before diuided betwixt God vs that so the sanctifying Spirit of God may haue accesse vnto vs to work in vs the good work of God so to prepare vs to that inheritance to the hope whereof hee hath called vs. The theefe in his short time being vpon the crosse had with his faith many good workes the feare of God hope repentance confession of sins loue towards God and his neighbour in reprehending his fellowes blasphemies and defending of Christs innocency The good workes of the godly are glorious and acceptable in Gods sight for Christs sake being done in his name and offered vpon the Altar of faith in him the imperfection thereof is accidentall taketh not away the nature of a good worke but maketh it an vnperfect good worke which imperfection notwithstanding were sufficient to make the worke to be reiected if in rigour and extremity God shuld weigh the same which hee doth not but mercifully pardoneth it for Christs sake CON. 57. The righteousnesse wherby we are to be iustified before God admitteth no encrease as sanctification doth EXPLA. It admitteth no encrease because it must bee perfect and the righteousnesse of Christ is alwayes vniforme and alike if any thing bee taken from it it is not perfect and if it be not perfect it cannot iustifie before God but to the first grace of sanctification and all the succeeding increase thereof is of grace for God to the thankfull receiuing and vsing of his gifts doth adde greater measure thereof for to him that hath shall bee giuen yet that which is added is grace for grace and the rendring of one gift for another gift God giuing occasion himselfe by one gift of the bestowing of another as he giueth faith and to faith that which we beleeue as he giueth vs to pray and so praier giueth that for which wee pray so in all the rest hee giueth grace and giueth to vse wel the grace he hath giuen and to the wel vsing thereof hee giueth also further measure increase of grace that both in the gift in the increase al praise glory may redound to him The meanes in vs whereby this increase is wrought is faith which as it first receiueth the spirit so receiueth also the increase of it whilest by the growth thereof we grow more into Christ and thereby more more partakers of his life By imputation of the merits and obedience of Christ a man is a righteous the first day of his conuersion as hee is in the end of his life howsoeuer as touching sanctification and inherent righteousnesse he grow much and therein be renued from day to day in putting off the old man and putting on the new and stil cleansing from all defilement of the flesh and of the spirit finish his sanctification in the feare of God for euery one that beareth fruit in me my Father purgeth that hee may bring forth more fruit We must then grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ not as though I had already attained or were already perfect but one thing I doe I forget that which is behinde and endeuour my selfe to that which is before and follow hard toward the marke the price of redemption in the shedding of the blood of Christ one and alike to all and euery faithfull man but yet it is not alike apprehended by euery one There is perfect righteousnesse required of vs and the same is yeelded vnto vs in Christ there may be a difference in vs but Christ cannot be diuided neither is there in him any difference from himself where hee goeth hee goeth whole and therfore what he is to the strōg the same he is to the faint and feeble soule there is greater and lesse assurance but the matter whereof each doth take assurance is the whole mercy of God in Christ. CON. 58. When we teach Christ alone wee exclude not our faith vnto iustification or Christ excluding our owne works vnto sanctification for charity is inseparably with faith in the man that is iustified EXPLA. Faith is the onely hand which putteth on Christ vnto iustification and Christ the only garment which being so put on couereth the shame of our defiled natures hideth the imperfections of our workes preserueth vs blamelesse in the sight of God before whom otherwise the weakenesse of our faith were cause sufficient to make vs culpable yea to shut vs out from the Kingdome of heauen whither nothing that is not absolute can enter so Christ without any associate finished all the parts of redemption
purchased saluation himselfe alone yet for conueyance of this eminent blessing into vs these things are required as most necessary CON. 59. Our saluation is giuen to vs by Christ alone yet to our iustification faith to our sanctification the fruites of the Spirit c. are necessary EXPLA. For our saluation it is requisite to be chosen and knowne of God before the foundation of the world in the world to bee called iustified sanctified after wee haue left the world to be receiued into glory Now Christ in euery of these hath somewhat which hee worketh alone through him according to the eternall purpose of God before the foundation of the world borne crucified buried raised c. we were in a glorious acceptation knowne vnto God long before wee were seene of men God I say knew vs loued vs was kinde to vs in Christ Iesus in him we were elected to bee heires of life Thus God in Christ hath wrought in such sort alone that our selues are meere patients working no more then dead senselesse matter wood or stone or iron doth in the artificers hands no more then the clay when the potter appointeth it to be framed for an honorable vse nay not so much for the matter whereupon the tradesman worketh he chooseth for the fitnesse which is in it to serue his turne in vs no such thing Now touching the rest which is laide for the foundation of our faith importeth further that by him we are called that wee haue redemption and remission of sins by his blood health by his stripes iustice by him that he doth sanctifie his Church and make it glorious to himselfe that entrance into ioy shall be giuen by him alone yea al things by him alone howbeit not so by him alone as if in vs to our vocation the hearing of the Gospell to our iustification faith to our sanctification good workes to entrance into rest perseuerance in hope in faith in holinesse were not necessary which workes haue no power of satisfying God for sinne or of vertue to merit both grace here or glory in heauen for workes are a thing subordinate without which our sanctificatiō cannot bee accomplished yet God doth iustifie the beleeuing man not for the worthinesse of his beleefe but for the worthinesse of the person which is beleeued that is Christ and God also rewardeth euery one that worketh not for any meritorious dignity that is or can bee in the worke but throgh his mercy by whose commandement hee worketh CON. 60. That which we know either by sense or by infallible demonstration is not so certaine as the Principles Articles and Conclusions of Christian faith EXPLA. If the things which wee beleeue bee considered in themselues it may truely be said Faith is more certain◠then any science that meere natural men do neither know nor acknowledge the things of God is no maruell for they are spiritually to bee discerned and they in whose hearts the light of grace doth shine and are taught of God are so yet weake in faith and their assenting to the law scrupulous mingled with feare and wauering for the foggy dampe of originall corruption is so great that no heart can be so inclined in the knowledge or established in the loue of that in which his saluatiō standeth as that hee doth not doubt and if any were such what doth let why that man shold not bee iustified by his owne inherent righteousnes For righteousnes inherent being perfect will iustifie and perfect faith is a part of perfect righteousnes inherent yea a principall part the mother and roote of all the rest and if it were thus what need we the righteousnes of Christ wherefore we must learne to challenge a strength which wee haue not lest wee lose the comfortable support of that weakenes which indeed we haue CON. 61. All men haue not equall certainety of faith but some beleeuers are more scrupulous and doubtfull then others EXPLA. The reason is there is ◠double certainty a certainty of euidence as when the minde doth assent to this or that not because it is true in it selfe but because the truth is cleere and manifest to vs for things most certaine in themselues except they bee also most euident our perswasiō is not fully assured as it is of things more euident although in themselues they be lesse certaine it is as certaine that there be spirits as that there bee men but wee bee more assured of these then of them Now if there were equall euidence and truth there shold be equality of faith Yea that we see by the light of grace though it be indeed most certaine yet it is not so euidently certaine as that which sense or the height of nature will not suffer a man to doubt of as that the fire is hot c. Therefore God laboureth to confirme vs in the things were beleeue by things whereof we haue sensible knowledge for proofes must be more certaine then is the thing prooued The other is a certainety of adherence as when the heart doth cleaue and sticke to that which it doth beleeue and this certainty is greater in vs then the other because the faith of a Christian doth apprehend the words of the couenant and promises of God not only as true but as good and therefore when the euidence which hee hath of the truth is so small that it grieueth him to feele his weakenesse in assenting thereto yet is there in him such a sure adherence vnto that which hee doth but faintly and fearefully beleeue that his spirit hauing once truely tasted the heauenly sweetnesse thereof all the world is not able quite and cleane to remooue him from it but he striueth with himselfe against all hope of beleeuing For though he wold kill him yet wil he trust in him For why This is his lesson It is good for me to cleane vnto God CON. 62 Doubting doth alwayes accompany faith yea in the most faithfull that euer did beleeue EXPLA. If God did worke in vs like a naturall agent as the fire doth inflame and as the Sun enlightens according to the vttermost ability which they haue to bring forth their effects there should be nothing in the beleeuer but the incomprehensible wisedome of God doth limit the effects of his power to such a measure as seemeth best to himselfe Wherefore he worketh that certainty in all which sufficeth abundantly to their saluation in the life to come but to none so great as attaines in this life vnto perfection which is fittest for vs that feeling still our owne infirmities we may alwaies pray Lord helpe our incredulity Lord increase our faith Indeed it is said Abraham beleeued and doubted not which Negation doth not exclude all feare all doubting but onely that which cannot stād with true faith it freeth Abraham from doubting through infidelity not from doubting through infirmity from the doubting of vnbeleeuers not of weake beleeuers as is euident Genes 17.17 CON. 63. The faith