For there is a great difference betwixt these workes of the Father to witt the bringing of vs to the Sonne or giving of vs vnto him or making vs to receyve him which are all one and the same thing and the Fathers iustifying of vs in the sonne whom now we have receyved The first is the proper worke of God calling vs The other is the worke of God after our calling Which evidētly appeares by the speech of Christ him selfe Math. cha 11. ver 28. where first he invites vs to come vnto him and then promiseth to such as doe come that he will give them rest vnto their soules for God iustifieth none who have not first receyved the sonne For who cā be made the righteousnes of God in Christ who is not first ingrafted in him Now the first worke of faith standeth in our receyving Christ and making him to dwell in our heartes in and through whom now receyved and possest by faith the Lord doth thereafter iustifie and glorifie vs. so to make a Man to be iust before he be a sonne is as much as to make an accident or qualitie to be before or without a subiect or to make a Man wise before he be a Man and this ground the Apostle cleers by his owne speech when he coūted all but dongue that he might gaine Christ and be found in him to this end that he might not haue his owne righteousnes but the righteousnes which is by the faith of Christ Phil chap. 3. thereby playnelie he sheweth vs that we must first gayne Christ and be found in him by faith before we can haue the righteousnes that is by the faith of Christ so that to receyve Christ and to be iustified in Christ are in no sorte to be confounded although they cannot be separated For this is the principall cause why Iustification and all remanent blessings are attributed vnto faith because by faith onely we are made one with Christ and ioyned vnto him who onely is the substance of all our blessings as being made of God vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1. Corint ahap 1. vers 30 Vpon which vnion with Christ followeth our cōmunion with him both in death and life For being once in him we can not but be pertakers of all blessings in him And of this worke of the Father it is that the Evangelist speaketh in this place which is the first worke of his gracious dispensatiō when as he maketh vs to beleeve in his onely sonne as is manifest by the Evangelistes owne words interpreting the first phrase that is Those that receyved him by these wordes that is Those that beleeue in his Name The second argument lieth in the third phrase of this description which is Those that are borne of God By which wordes both the two former phrases that is those that receyved him those that beleeved in his Name are interpreted thereby teaching vs that this worke is not the worke of Iustification but of Adoption and of our receiving of Christ himselfe by faith that in vnitie with him we may be the Sonnes of God and not our receiving of his obedience by faith vnto righteousnes For by beeing borne of God we are made the Sonnes of God Which birth especially is performed by the Father when by his Spirit he brings vs vnto the Sōne makes vs to receive him by faith in our hearts so making vs one with him By which Vnitie alone it is that we are made the Sonnes of God For as the Vnitie of Christs humane nature in subsisting and personalitie with his divine nature maketh that Iesus Christ the Man is the Sonne of God so our spirituall Vnitie by faith with Iesus Christ the Sonne of God makes vs also to be the Sonnes of God Thus it is plaine by the third phrase that the former two are not rightly taken when they are expounded of those that are iustified If any man would expound this birth not of our effectuall Adoption it selfe but of the preparation of vs therevnto as some most learned and reverent Divines doe Yet never can it make the former opinion true for our beeing borne of God in the Scripturs can never be showen to be meant of our Iustification And if they take it for our Regeneration or Sanctification to the obedience of God then it will follow that wrongly they make Adoption to be a part of Reconciliation If sanctification which is no part of Reconciliation must goe before For they them selues acknowledge that Reconciliation hath but two parts Iustification and Adoption Besides this distinction of Adoption wil hardlie be warranted by the 9. of the Romanes except men will make the Apostle playnely to contradict himselfe who restrayneth the Adoptiō which he ascribes to the Iewes onely to the seed of Abrahā according to the promise and not according to the flesh Because otherwise the trueth of God in his promise would have failed Which consideration likewise appeareth evidently to destroy that distinction of Adoption albeit first devised by one of the auncient Fathers whereby one Adoption is made Adoption but by figure and resemblance the other in substance and effect But it seemeth that the ground of this opinion in some though not in all is buylded vpon this that they esteeme our Righteousnes to consist in the very act of beleeving which may be more iustly said of our Adoption albeit in a circumspect meaning CHAPTER XVI TOVCHING the benefite it selfe which Christ bestowes vpon those that receyve him although we should grant it to be the same in sense which they expound it to be yet it will never inferre that in this place To receyve Christ and beleeve in his name is to be vnderstood of Iustification but according as some of themselves say of the worke of God in making vs to beleeve Of the which followeth the dignitie and prerogative of being sonnes as the first and immediate fruite of faith in Iesus Christ In which sense we denie not but this place may be commodiously interpreted although it seemeth that the spirite of God doth meane somewhat more For vnderstanding whereof we are first to consider the third point which we have said to be the ground of the mistaking of this place which stands in the not distinguishing betwixt the Fathers worke and the Sonnes in our Adoption although in the same place they bee cleerely distinguished by the Evangelist Which oversight maketh great confusion in knowledge For we are to vnderstand that although the three persons of the Trinitie be neither in subsisting nor working to bee separated yet in both they are still to be distinguished and never to be confounded if ever we thinke to have a cleere and vnconfused sight of these great workes of grace which they performe in vs. Now in this place the worke of the Father and the worke of the Sōne in our Adoption are cleerely and distinctly set down Like as in other parts the worke of the spirit
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
in the same Adoption is distinguished from both The worke of the Father is our Vnion with Christ when he brings vs vnto him and makes vs to receive him by beleeving in his name And this is our comming to the Sonne Which is the proper worke of the Father For none can come vnto the Sonne except the Father drawe him And this is the principall act of our Adoption which most properly is to be called Adoption and as we have said consisteth chiefly in our calling For seeing most properly it is the worke of the Father to adopt certayne it is that our Adoption most properly must consist in the action of the Father For which cause the Fathers worke in making vs to receyve the Sonne that is to beleeve in his name is in this place expounded by way of similitude in a borrowed speech that is to be borne of God For the begetting and working of faith in our hearts is the chiefe and principall part of our spirituall birth beeing the roote ground of all that followeth The worke of the Sonne is next subioyned which stands in giving to those who have receyved him prerogative or as some do render the word dignitie as others authoritie and as others power to bee the Sonnes of God Of all which significations of the word there is none which doth not fitt this place without giving any advantage vnto the Papists in their forged sense of the word power Which benefite proceeding from the Sonne is alwayes to bee distinguished in our Adoption from our Vnion and communion with him by faith which is the worke of the Father vpon which as the cause dependeth the other as the effect for to those whom the Father doth give to the Sonne to be his brethren and in vnitie with him to be the Sonnes of God the sonne doth give the prerogative the dignitie the authoritie and the power belonging to the sonnes of God And this work consisteth in the sonnes bringing vs to the Father For none can come to the Father but by the Sonne for Christ suffred for vs that he might bring vs to God 1. Pet. chap. 3. vers 18. And this is that which is so often spoken of in scriptures by Christ himselfe that to those whom the Father giveth him to those he giveth eternall life and that he giveth the glorie that the Father hath given him vnto those that beleeve in him For whatsoever prerogative dignitie c. the Father hath given vnto the Sonne the same doth the Sonne impart to vs that are his brethren For the prerogatives and priviledges of sonne-ship appertayne onely to Iesus Christ as the onely sonne of God and therefore it belongeth to him alone to communicate those prerogatives to such as the Father doth first by Adoption make his brethren For the prerogative of a sonne is a dignitie depēding not vpon the essence and nature of our Redeemer but vpon his subsisting and personalitie For as the prerogative of a father is proper to the first person so the prerogative of a sonne is proper to the second person and therefore as we doe holde that to adopt is the prerogative of the first person because he onely is the Father so to communicate the prerogatives belonging to those who are adopted to bee children is the prerogative of the second person because he only is the Sonne And therefore is it said if the Sonne make vs free wee shall bee free indeed Iohn chap. 8. ver 36. for freedome is the prerogative of a Sonne and not of a servant And therefore the whole libertie and freedom bee it from ignorance Sathan sinne or death which the saints enioy in Christ is called by the Apostle the libertie of the Sonnes of God in which libertie is comprehended both our wisdome righteousnes sanctification and redemption Which prerogatives when we doe enioy them then may we bouldly esteeme our selves the Sonnes of God And this is that which it seemes the spirit of God doeth meane when he sayeth that Christ doth give vs the prerogative to be the Sonnes of God that is that he bestowes vpon vs such priviledges and blessings or such authoritie and power over all our spirituall enemies as may make vs not only to glorie in God the Father of Christ as our God and our Father but also to carrie our selves in our whole conversation as becommeth the sonnes of God For we do esteeme that to be adopted or made sonnes and to receyve prerogative to be sonnes are two distinct benefites of the two first persons of the Trinitie For a man may bee a Sonne and yet wante the prerogative dignitie authoritie and power of a Sonne For as saith the Apostle Gallath chap. 4. vers 1. 2. The heyre while hee is a childe differeth nothing from a seruant though he be Lord of all but is vnder Tutors and Governours vntill the time appointed of the Father Which custome of men the Apostle applyeth to the Church of God to let vs know that it is a thing to be considered in the children of God aswell as in the children of men so the oversight standes in the not distinguishing betwixt the being of a sonne simply which comes by procreation and birth and the being of a sonne in prerogative dignitie authoritie and power of a sonne which comes by age and fulnes of time appointed by the Father For every child is a sonne to his Father as soone as he is borne yet longe after he receyveth not the prerogative of a sonne but still is in condition as a servant But when the time appointed for his freedome commeth he who was before a sonne by birth but a servant in condition becōmeth to be a sonne likewise by condition aswell as by birth when as the prerogative or dignitie or authoritie or power to be a sonne in estate is given vnto him And in this sense is this place to be vnderstood if it be rightly taken that is that vnto them who were borne of the Father and so which were sonnes by the Fathers begetting of them Christ the sonne did give prerogative or dignitie or authoritie or power to be sonnes in cōdition and state For as we have said before the benefit of being sonnes simply by begetting or birth or by adoption is the proper worke of the Father but to make vs sonnes in the condition and estate belonging vnto sonnes is the proper worke of the Sonne For we have no boldnes to call the Father our Father nor have wee any accesse vnto him as vnto our Father but through Christ alone Neither have we the libertie of the sonnes of God from sinne either by righteousnes or sanctification nor any part of the glory of the sonnes of God but frō Christ alone in whom doth all fulnes dwell and out of whose fulnes we all receyve and by whom only we come vnto the Father And this distinction of these two works of the Father and of the Sonne shineth cleerly in the wordes of the Evangelist
efficient cause which is God alone for he is the Father of lights from whom commeth down all good gifts and every perfect donation Iam. chap. 1. vers 17. This may be confirmed by particular testimonies of Scripture touching every particular benefite as of Faith Adoption Iustification Peace or Reconciliation Sanctification Glorification and our whole Redemption For they are neither bred in vs by nature nor acquired by our industrie nor ministred by humane education but are all the gifts of God The second thing wherein they all agree is the cause which moueth God to give them which is nothing but his grace and good pleasure For none of them is obtayned by our desert or meritt For as sayeth the Apostle 2 Tim. chap. 1. vers 9. God hath saved vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace and this likewise is cleere by particular testimonies of the Scriptures touching every one of these benefites The third thing wherin they all agree is the meanes through which God of his grace doth give them which is Iesus Christ the Sonne who is made of God vnto vs all these blessings For in him all fulnes dwelleth and out of his fulnes we all receive grace Which point also is most evident throughout all the Scriptures in everie particular benefite The fourth thing wherein they all agree is the instrument by the which God maketh vs to apprehend them all in Christ which is Faith only The fift thing wherein they all agree is that they are inseparable one from another so that none can have one of them but he must needs have all for whom he calleth them he Iustifieth and whom he Iustifieth them he glorifieth Rom. chap. 8. vers 30 And as sayeth the Apostle by the grace of God which is given vs in Christ Iesus we are made riche in him in all gifts 1 Cor. cha 1. ver 4. 5. And the same Apostle gives thankes to God because he hath blessed vs with all blessings in Christ Eph. ch 1. ver 3. The last thing wherein they all agree is that they are never taken away againe from those that receive them For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. ch 11. ver 29. And whom Christ loved hee loveth to the end Iohn chap. 13. vers 1. Now followeth the third thing to be considered of vs which is touching the vse arising vpon those former 6. points which wee are to marke for our right vnderstanding of the nature of Gods saving benefites and this vse is sixe fould The first is that none of these blessings is in vs by nature nor from nature nor any power or facultie in nature but are all the supernaturall gifts of God The second vse is that we are to acknowledge the good will of God and his free grace to bee the only cause moving God to give these benefites For by his grace he hath made vs freely accepted in his beloved so that even what in Christ hee gives vs he gives it freely of grace so that all respects is removed why God should bestowe his blessings in Christ except his owne grace in himselfe Which we are carefully to marke that we may keepe our selves from the error of these who confound either the subordinate meane through which or the subordinate Instrument by which God bestowes his blessings with the cause moving God to bestow them For although Christ be the meane through which faith be the instrument by which God gives all spirituall blessings yet the cause moving him to give all is his grace For hee gives Christ and the righteousnes that is in him and faith freely to whom he will and withouldes them from whom he will Thus although the subordinate meanes in and by which God dispenseth his blessings are not to be separate from his grace yet they are never to bee confounded with it but even Christ himselfe and all blessings in him and the merit of his sufferings and faith by the which wee apprehend all are still to bee distinguished from the grace of God which is the only cause why eyther Christ himselfe or the meritt of his suffrings or faith to apprehend it is given vs of God Therefore in Gods working the Scriptures still ioyne these three together to wit grace Christ and faith Faith as the instrument whereby we apprehend and Christ as the subiect in which wee apprehend the blessings of God and the grace of God as the only cause moving God both to giue faith and Christ by faith and in Christ al these blessings So that it is a greevous sinne against the grace of God for the prayse of the glory whereof the Lord doth bestowe vpon vs all spirituall blessings when we spoyle it of this prayse due to it alone by making any other thing to bee the moving cause why God doth blesse vs. As likewise it is a great sinne when separating this grace from the subordinate meanes wee doe despise the meanes and turne the grace into wantonnes The third vse is that no where except in Christ alone is any of the saving blessings of God to bee found And therefore it never can be accompted to be Gods Adoption Gods Righteousnes Sanctificatian Reconciliation or Redemption which is placed in any thing without Christ Wherevpon it must follow that they erre farre from the trueth who place their righteousnes either in their faith or workes or who place reconciliation in their owne satisfaction For though Christ be the obiect of faith yet it hath the being of it in mans hart concerning works and our own satisfactions It is cleere that they are not in Christ who notwithstanding is all in all things and filleth all in all things The fourth vse is that without faith God by his grace communicates noe blessing in Christ in ordinarie dispensation Therefore they must erre who thinke that Christ and the blessings of God in him may be apprehended by the externall bodily action of man in receyving the Sacraments that is as they call it by the very externall worke wrought This likewise teacheth vs to perceive their error who doe make Faith which is but the apprehending instrument to bee the blessing it selfe thereby apprehended in Christ Of which sort they all are who place the matter of our righteousnes in the act of our beleeving The fift vse is to teach vs to be wise in iudging of our selves whether we be truly in the state of grace or no for he that is destitute of any one of these saving blessings he is destitute of them all whatsoever foolish confidence he have to the contrarie For as sayeth the Apostle Peter 2. Epi. chap. 1. vers 3. God through the knowledge of him that hath called vs hath given vnto vs al things that appertayne to life and Godlines And therfore Iames sheweth that it profits nothing that a man say he hath faith if he have no workes And Iohn 1. Ep.
as is cleere Rom. chap. 5. 1. In which we have to observe that as the Father by Adoption maketh vs one with the sonne so by Iustification hee maketh vs one with him selfe Conforme to the saying of the Apostle 2. Corinth chapt 5. vers 19. For God was in Christ reconciling the worlde vnto him selfe by not imputing to them their sinnes therefore is our peace and reconciliation with GOD attributed vnto the Crosse of Christ by the which sayeth the Apostle hee killeth hatred Ephe. 2. 16. and also our libertie and boldnes to enter into the most holy place is attributed vnto the bloud of IESVS Heb. 10. 19. Secondly by sanctification the Lord makes vs like to his Son by puritie and holines of nature Thirdly by redemption as it is particularly taken for glorification the Lord makes vs like vnto his Sonne in immortalitie glory and power This order and difference of these benifites is cleere 1 Cor. chap. 1. vers 30. where wisdome is put in the first place which specially answeres to our calling wherein consisteth our Adoption In the second place righteousnes In the third sanctification and in the fourth place redemption Which place is specially to be marked for the right knowledge both of the order and difference that is amongst is benefites of God For in other places of Scripture Redemption as likewise Iustification and Reconciliation are taken in a larger sense to signifie the whole freedome of the sonnes of God and every parte thereof in particular And that because all libertie peace and reconciliation whatsoever is given vs of God floweth from the death of Christ in the which standeth our righteousnes peace redemption For which cause it is that in the Scriptures sometymes our Iustification is ascribed to the death of Christ sometymes our Sanctification sometymes our Reconciliation and sometimes our Redemption Because howsoever these blessings as they are imparted vnto vs differ both in order and nature yet they proceed all from one fountayne and are all comprehended only in that one oblation of Iesus Christ vpon the Crosse For cleering our iudgements therefore in this point we are carefully to marke these two senses in the which in the Scriptures Redemption Iustification and Reconciliation and Sanctification are taken Sometymes they are taken for the action of God in Christ for his saints when as God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe according to that which hee had purposed in Christ which was as sayeth the Apostle Eph. chap. 1. vers 10. That in the fulnes of tyme he would gather together all things in Christ Iesus as sayth the same Apostle Coll. chap. 1. ver 20. It pleased the Father to reconcile all things to himselfe by him making peace by the blood of his crosse In this sense God at one tyme by the only one oblation of Iesus Christ in one worke once performed did eternally redeeme Iustifie Sanctifie and Reconcill to himselfe all his ellect that ever were is or shall bee vntill the end of the world For Christ bare all their persons vpon the Crosse and God did lay vpon him the iniquitie of them all and did wound him for their transgressions and breake him for their iniquities and did lay vpon him the chastisment of their peace Esa 53. Therefore sayeth the Apostle Heb. 10. that by that will of God we are sanctified even by the offringe of the body of Iesus Christ once And in the 9. chap. 12. verse hee sayeth that Christ by his owne bloud entered once in the most holy place and abtayned eternall redemption and in that same Chapter ver 28. it is sayd that Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many Now in this sense there is neither difference of tyme nor order nor distinction to be made all beeing accomplished together and at once by one worke of one man Iesus Christ the Lord. Sometymes againe they are taken for the worke of God in vs and toward vs in his owne tyme applying that which hee wrough in Christ for vs to every one of vs in particular bringing vs by effectual calling to the knowledge apprehension by faith of our Redemption Iustification and Reconciliation which God accomplished onely in that day of Christ which all the Fathers desired to see howsoever in divers ages and divers tymes they bee applyed by God to these whō then and in that day by the death of his Sonne he did Redeeme Iustifie and Reconcile vnto him selfe And in this sense we speake of these benefites in this treatise not as they were wrought by God in Christ for vs but as in the dispensation of God they are applied vnto vs for whom Christ dyed In which sense the Apostle speakes of them 1. Coll. 1. 21. 22. saying And you also which were in tyme past straungers and enemies having your mindes exercised in evill workes hath he now reconciled in that body of his flesh by death And in this sense it is that both order and difference is to be marked amongst these benefites In consideration whereof how so ever Adoption and Iustification agree in this that they both are benefites bestowed by imputation without inhesion in vs yet as they differ in nature so doe they in order in respect of the grounds wherevpon they are builded whence they flow For Adoption neither dependeth vpon nor floweth from the death of Christ But from his personall propertie of beeing the sonne of God whereas Iustification dependeth vpon floweth from his suffering and therefore as our cōmunion with him in person goeth before our cōmunion with him in his suffrings so doth our Adoption in order goe before our Iustification CHAPTER XX. HITHERTO have we spoken of those groundes whereby both the nature and order of Gods saving benefites are most cleerly knowen So that by these things which are alreadie set downe a modest minde onely searching truth and abhorring contention may sufficiently knowe what Iustification before God is yet notwithstanding for the further contentement of those of weaker iudgement we will speake something more particularly of the benefite is selfe For the clearer vnderstanding whereof and discovering of the trueth which now almost lyeth hid by the manifold opinions of men it were needfull that we should speake of divers things as namely of God him selfe what place he hath in that worke 2. of his grace 3. of Christ and his obedience 4. of faith 5. of man him selfe and of his workes and lastly of the Lawe and of the Gospell For all these points are called in cōtroversie and mens iudgements is divers concerning every one of them in the worke of Iustification but to eschew longsomnes wee will reduce all that we are to speake into these few grounds The first shal be touching the special divers and severall iudgements of men concerning Iustification The second shal be touching the discussing of these pointes controverted which are of greatest moment The third shal be concerning the worke it selfe of Iustification
according as it is set downe in the truth of God And intreating of these three we shall touch by the way everie one of these points mentioned in doing whereof if we shall insist somewhat more largely then shall seeme expedient to riper iudgements yet we hope that heerein we shall easily be pardoned seeing we take this paynes not for the instruction of those that are of greater iudgement then our selfe but for the helpe and cōfort of the simplest sorte Who in this mayne point of salvation may through the diversitie of opinions be brought in danger of destruction For seeing there is no hope of life to anie but such as are iustified by the righteousnes of God which is by the faith of Christ it must followe that this Iustice being taken away and any other whatsoever put in the place thereof all ground and certeyntie of salvation must needes bee also taken away To come then to the first point there be foure principall different opinions beside the opinion of Osiander which beeing odious to all we need not to speake of The first is of those who devide the worke of Iustification betwixt God and man Christs merit and mans merit faith and works grace debt the Law the Gospell but in divers respects and considerations For in respect of that which they call the first righteousnes which they esteeme nothing but a preparation of a man to iustifie himself by a formall righteousnes infounded in vs by grace they give place to God as the author worker and to his grace as the cause moving him and vnto Christs sufferings as the cause meriting that grace vnto faith as the benefit in founded into vs by grace and vnto the Gospell as the instrument whereby this benefit is wrought in vs. Yet with God his grace they ioyne man in this worke ascribing vnto him freedome of will so that God by his grace man in his will concurre in the worke God by his grace helping mans will to beleeve But in respect of that which they call the second righteousnes wherein they place the merit of eternall life they seclude God from beeing the Iustifier and ascribe iustification to man him selfe they seclude grace and establish workes of free will they seclude Christ and the merit of his obedience and place them selves and the merit of their owne workes they seclude beleeving and establish working and for the Gospell place the Law The second opinion is of those who in iustification make God to be the Iustifier and that of his grace and that by faith but as our worke of our free will yet not of the Law but of the Gospel secluding Christ and his obedience wholy from our righteousnes as likewise the Law and the workes thereof So they give to God the worke of Iustifying but the matter of their righteousnes they wholy ascribe to their owne worke and act in beleeving and place grace in nothing but in Gods gracious accepting of mans imperfect faith in place of the perfect righteousnes of the Law and attribute vnto the merit of Christes obedience this gracious acceptation of our faith as though hee had dyed and suffered not for our Iustification but to merit and obtayne at Gods hande that our owne worke of beleeving should bee graciously accepted as perfect righteousnes albeit in it selfe imperfect and where they may seeme to agree with the papist in asscribing righteousnes to their owne working they thinke that they doe sufficientlie purge them selves from that blott by this subtill evasion that they doe not attribute their righteousnes to a worke of the Lawe but to a worke of the Gospell The third opinion is of those who attribute the worke of Iustification vnto God but place their righteousnes partlie in their faith as their owne worke and partly in the obedience of Christ and make two actions of God in Iustifying In the one whereof they give place vnto grace in the other not The first action is the imputation of our imperfect faith for righteousnes and that by grace The second action is the imputatiō of Christs perfect obedience for the supplying of that which is wanting in our imperfect faith for righteousnes and that by Iustice All these three opinions doe attribute Mans righteousnes either wholy or in parte to his owne working The first and last doe ioyne grace merit together in Iustification Which things are most contrarie to the truth of God whether the workes bee of nature or of grace of the Law or of the Gospell The fourth and last opinion is of those who attribute the worke of Iustification to God alone and placeth our righteousnes onely in Christes obedience and doe acknowledge saith to be nothing but the applying and apprehending instrument of Christes obedience and the Gospell to bee the instrument of faith and all to be of grace because God giveth Christ to bee righteousnes vnto vs by grace and imputes his obedience vnto vs by grace and by grace giveth vs faith and vnto faith the Gospell so that they attribute the whole prayse of the Iustification vnto God and place the whole matter of righteousnes in the obedience of Christ secluding all workes of men eyther of the Lawe or of the Gospell and acknowledge the grace of God to be the onely cause moving God to iustifie vs by Christes obedience as likewise of the giving of vs faith to apprehend it and this opinion only agreeth with the trueth CHAPTER XXI NOw we come to these things wherein especially stands the chiefest controversies whereby the trueth of Iustification is most darkened which we will reduce all to these foure points The first shal be touching the efficient cause of Iustification The second shal be touching the materiall cause of it The third shal be touching the formall cause The fourth shal be touching the subiect that is iustified Vnder these foure are comprehended the chiefe controversies touching this matter For touching the finall cause there is no great disagreement therefore we have no need to speake much of it yet notwithstanding because it serves to cleare that which we have so much insisted in before touching the order of Adoption and Iustification we will speake something thereof after the other foure First then touching the efficient cause of Iustification the controversie is only with the Papistes for in this point albeit they agree with vs in parte or rather in shew yet they disagree from vs in the chiefest substance of this question For wee saye that God onely doeth Iustifie but they albeit they graunt the first Iustification to God in parte yet they asscribe the second Iustification wherein they place the merit of eternall life wholy to man him selfe Now for discussing this controversie wee have three thinges that may sufficientlie cleare our iudgement therein The first is the manner and forme of the Scripture phrase touching the Iustification of a man The second is the testimonie of the Scripture declaring who it is that
partly faith and partly Christes obedience is the matter of our righteousnes The fourth and last is that onely Christ in his obedience is the whole matter of our righteousnes The vanitie of the first 3. opinions will more fully appeare when we speake of the formal cause of iustification when we shall treat of Iustificatiō it selfe as likewise when we shall cleere the truth of the fourth opinion therefore we wil speak the more shortlie of them now Against all three this ground generally serveth to witt that no man is iustified before God by any worke inherent in himselfe or done by him selfe whether it be of nature or of grace or whether it be a worke of the Lawe or of the Gospell The reason is If man be iustified in any sorte by workes Iustification can not be by grace according as sayeth the Apostle Rom. 11. 6. If it be of grace it is no more of workes els were grace no more grace and if it be of workes it is no more grace els were worke no more worke Thus none of these three formost opinions can stande excepte we will destroy the grace of God and abolish it altogether frō the worke of Iustification for grace and workes even though they bee of grace can never stande together in the worke of our Iustification Which also manifesteth the grosse impietie of all these three opinions in placing faith either in whole or in parte in our righteousnes as it is our owne worke seeing by no worke of his owne can man possibly be iustified For otherwise it cannot be but Christ must have died in vaine Secondly our righteousnes consisteth not in Gods acceptation of any thing that proceeds from vs to Godward but in Gods imputation of that that comes from him to vsward by his gift as is cleere Rom. 5. 15. 16. 17. where our righteousnes is still called the gift of God we are saide to receyve righteousnes as a gift Whereby it is most evident that no worke of the Law nor faith as it is the worke of our heart can possibly be our righteousnes For our act of beleeving is an action passing from vs to God-ward and being attributed as it is by them to mans free will is no lesse the worke of man then any other worke of the Law what soever But our righteousnes is called in the Scriptures the righteousnes of GOD and not of man because it goeth not from vs towardes him but it commeth from him to vs. Thirdly it is manifest by the Scriptures that no man is iust in him selfe but in another For among men there is none righteous no not one Psal 14. But if that whereby hee is iustified which is the matter of his righteousnes bee in him selfe he must not onely bee iust but iust in him selfe which both doe playnely contradict the trueth of God which plainlie denies that there is any man righteous and that any man is made righteous in him selfe but whom soever God iustifieth he iustifieth them in Christ and maketh them the righteousnes of God in him 2. Corinth 5. 21. Fourthly the nature of Iustification consisting in the remission of sinne it can not possibly stande in that that is the direct contrarie But all these three opinions maketh it stande in the contrarie that is in Gods acceptation of obedience For whether the Lorde iustifie vs for doeing the workes of the Lawe or for fulfilling the condition of the Gospell required by God of vs vnto Iustification it is alwayes for and by our obedience that he iustifieth vs. so that Iustification shall never consist in pardoning of sinne and covering of iniquitie but by the contrarie in the acceptation of obedience Which saying is so impious that nothing can be devised more contrarie to the grace of God and mans salvation These groundes serve generally to shewe the wickednes of all these three opinions Nowe we come to speake somwhat concerning the first alone against which these groundes conteyned in scripture shall sufficiētly serve of which divers make against the rest also First that which excludes not mans gloriation can not have place in his righteousnes for God will have no flesh to glory in his sight in any thing except in him alone wherevppon it followeth that no man can bee iustified by the workes of the Law For as sayeth the Apostle Rom. chap. 3. vers 27. gloriation is not excluded by the lawe of workes For if Abraham was iustified by workes hee hath wherein to glory Rom. chap. 4. vers 2. and the reason heere of is declared in the fourth verse saying That to him that worketh the wages is not compted by favour but by debt Wherevpon it followeth that if man bee iustified by workes he hath wherein to glorie because he is not iustified by grace but by deservinge and Gods iustifying of him is not a worke of his favour but a worke which hee is indebted to doe And this is the same very thing which the Romish Church doeth meane by their merit ex condigno whereby Gods free grace iniustification is quite overthrowen Secondly man can not be iustified by that which makes the death of Christ of none effect but as sayeth the Apostle Gallat chapter 2. verse 21. If righteousnes bee by the Lawe then Christ hath died without a cause Which place doeth evidently convince them all of errour and proove them all to bee enimies to the crosse of Christ and to his death that make righteousnes to bee by any other thinge then by his death for if Christ died without a cause if righteousnes bee by the Lawe he must have much more died in vaine if it bee by any other thing For righteousnes is not to be found in any other thing but either in the Law of God or Christ By this we may perceyve that the opinion of those men who place our righteousnes in faith properly taken as it is the acte of our heart without relation of it as an apprehending instrument vnto Christ is much more pernitious then the opinion of the Papistes and that by cleere evidence of both their doctrines cōpared together For the Papist placeth his righteousnes in that which conteynes in it selfe perfect righteousnes in deed so that if their other ground could holde wherein also the other sorte doeth agree with them that is that it were in mans power to fulfill the Lawe certaynlie they should be iustified by the works of the Law For the doers of the Lawe shal be iustified Rom. 2. 13. And if there had bene a lawe given which could have given life surely righteousnes should haue bene by the Lawe sayeth the same Apostle Gal. 3. 21. But these other men doe place their righteousnes in that which they them selves confesse to be imperfect and not to contayne in it selfe perfect righteousnes For when faith is not relatively or instrumentally taken in respect of Christ apprehended by it it can never contayne perfect righteousnes and so the Lord can never
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
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
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
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
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
adoption but also as the propitiation for sinne in his bloud which is the ground of Gods iustifying him For as God first openeth our eyes to see Christ to bee the sonne of God and by making vs to beleeve that maketh vs partakers of adoption so secondly by opening our eyes to see him to be ordayned by God a propitiation for sinne in his bloud and by making vs to beleeve that he layeth the foundation of our iustification in our heartes which is finished and accomplished by his gratious and free imputation For vnto the iustification of a sinner by the obedience of Christ in his death not onely faith but also the imputation of faith and that by grace must preceed before that Christ or his obedience can bee our righteousnes not that there is any defect or insufficiencie in Christes obedience but because neither faith hee nor his obedience is iustly ours vntill that by the free imputation and accompt of GOD they be made ours This we are carefully to consider that wee doe not confound the sufficiencie of Christes obedience our right therevnto as many perverslie doe in these dayes for the sufficiencie which is in Christ and his obedience vnto righteousnes is restrayned according to Gods gratious giving and imputinge faith and his obedience by faith and his imputation gift and grace are restrayned to his calling for the promise of God is restrayned to his calling as is cleere Acts chap. 2. vers 29. and all vertue in Christ vnto salvation is likewise restrayned vnto his calling as is cleere 1. Cor. chap. 1. ver 24. and his callinge is restrayned to his Decree and his Decree is restrayned to his purpose of which it appeareth evidently that all sufficiencie of Christes merit how great and infinite soever is no larger in right and efficacie then his calling and so consequently then his Decree and purpose For Gods promise is no larger then his calling and his calling no larger then his Decree and his Decree no larger then his purpose Heerevpon it followeth that Gods purpose is no larger then his applying by â—ustifying and glorifying seeing his iustification is as large as his calling and his calling as large as his Decree and his Decree as large as his purpose This is yet more evident by his promise which wee have shewen to bee of no larger extent then his calling of which it must followe that his purpose can bee of no larger extent then his applying because his calling and applying must bee of equall extent and his purpose of equall extent with his calling Of all these thinges it is manifest that the subiect of Gods iustification is the man indued with faith and this is to bee marked against those who esteeme the beleeving man in the foreknowledge of God to be the subiect of Gods Decree CHAPTER XXXIIII THE next pointe that we have to speake of is touchinge the finall cause of iustification in the which wee purpose to be short seeing it is not a matter controverted but yet it serveth to cleare the trueth of that going before concerninge the ordet of Gods benefites It is receyved vniversallie of all that the finall cause of righteousnes is life for there is no way to attayne vnto life but by righteousnes and for this cause iustification is called The iustification of life Rom. chap. 5. vets 18. and for the same cause it is saide That they who receyve that aboundance of grace and of the gift of that righteovsnes shall reigne in life Rom. chap. 5. ver 17. therefore is salvation called the end of our faith Pet. 1. Epist cha 1. ver 9. Carrying about with you the end of your faith even the salvation of your soules And this is according to the plaine speech of God Ezek. chap. 18. If a man be iust he shall surely live saith the Lord but the soule that sinneth shall die And againe in the same chapter ver 20. The righteousnes of the righteous shal be vpon him and the wickednes of the wicked shal be vpon him selfe And againe In his righteousnes that he hath done he shall live By these testimonies it is plaine that the end of righteousnes is life according to the saying of the Prophet Haba The iust shaell live by faith in the 2. chapter ver 4. and therefore eternal life is called the hope of righteousnes Gall. chapt 5. ver 5. For wee through the spirit waite for the hope of righteousnes through faith And in this same sense is the saying of the Apostle to bee taken Rom. chap. 8. ver 23. VVee doe sigh in our selves wayting for our adoption even the redemption of our bodyes as may easilie bee perceyved by the wordes following wherein hee giveth the reason of this our waytinge when hee sayeth for by hope wee are saved c. where our Adoption is put for our salvation or glorification or redemption in that sense wherein redemption is taken 1. Corinth chap. 1. ver 30. and this is needfull to bee marked to let vs see how diversly Adoption is taken in the holy scriptures of God And that wee may see the trueth of that which wee have saide before concerning the difference betwixt beeing a sonne by faith and by prerogative for as sayeth Iohn 1. Epist chap. 3. ver 2. we are now the sonnes of God but it is not made manifest yet what wee shall bee where he plainly distinguisheth betwixt beeing a sonne and being a glorified sonne for by faith wee are the sonnes of God Gall. chap. 3. ver 26. and yet by faith wee are not the glorified sonnes of God but yet still wayte for our Adoption that is our glorification And this diverse sense of Adoption is evidently cleered by the diverse sense of redemption wherein it is taken in the Rom. chap. 8 ver 23. and Heb. chap. 9. ver 15. For Rom. chap. 8. it is taken in one sense with Adoption that is for the glorification of our bodyes But in the 9. chap. to the Heb. it is taken for iustification which place also confirmeth eternall life to bee the end of our iustification whyle it is sayde that Christ is the Mediator of the New Testament for this cause that through death which was for the redemption of the transgressions that were in the former testament they which were called might receyve the promise of eternall inheritance And this same is made manifest by the Apostles order set downe Rom. chap. 8. where hee sayeth whom he iustifieth them also hee glorifieth For as calling is the fruite of predestination and iustification the fruit of calling so glorification is the fruite of iustification CHAPTER XXXV THus we are brought to the conclusion of the maine point touching iustification what it is which in the scriptures is described shortly and succinctly somtimes by the not imputatioÌ„ of sinne somtimes by the remission of sinne somtime by the covering and hiding of sinne somtime by the imputation of righteousnes sometime by the imputation of faith vnto