doctrine and duty of the Law as inferiour Sciences which are in order directly one under another borrow some principles and chiefe grounds from the Sciences next above them For after that the Law hath arraigned and convicted us of sin and proved that wee are sinners the Gospel immediately taketh this principle and concludeth that whereas wee are sinners in our selves wee must seeke for righteousnesse without our selves in Christ that wee may be saved So then by these five meanes wee may finde that sinne is in us Sin is knowne five waies 1. By Gods owne assertion 2. By Gods law principally and in speciall 3. By the Gospel lesse principally and in generall 4. By the touch and sense of conscience 5. By the punishments which God being just inflicteth not but for sinne 2 What sinne is SIn is a transgression of the law or whatsoever is repugnant to the law that is a defect 1 John 3.4 or an inclination or action repugnant to the law of God offending God and making the creature that sinneth guilty of the everlasting wrath of God except remission be granted for the Son of God our Mediatour The generall nature of sinne is a defect The Logicians call it Genus which is the more common nature of a thing or the matter of it or an inclination or action but to speak properly a defect is this generall nature and inclination or actions are rather the matter of sinne The difference and formall essence of sin is a repugnancie with the law which John calleth a transgression of the law The property which necessarily cleaveth fast unto it is the guilt of the creature offending that is to say a binding of the offendor to temporall and eternall punishments which is done according to the order of Gods justice And this is that which they commonly say that there is a double formality or two-fold nature of sinne A two-fold nature of sin 1 Repugnancie with the law 2 Guilt repugnancy with the law and guilt or that there are two respects of which the former is a comparison or a dissimilitude with the law the other an ordaining unto punishment An accidentall condition of sin is expressed in these words Except remission be granted c. because it ariseth not out of the nature of sinne but it is by occasion and accident in respect of sinne that they who beleeve in Christ are not punished with everlasting death because forsooth sinne through Christ is not imputed unto them but remitted by grace Now these are called defects In the understanding ignorance and doubtfulnesse of God and his will In the heart a privation or want of the love of God and our neighbour of joy in God and of an earnest desire and endeavour to obey God according to all his commandements and an omitting of inward and outward actions which are commanded by the law of God What corrupt inclinations are Corrupt inclinations are said to be stubbornnesse of the heart and will against the law of God or against the judgement of the minde as touching honest and dishonest actions or a pronenesse and willingnesse of nature to do those things which God forbiddeth which evill they call Concupiscence That these defects and corrupt inclinations are sins and condemned by God is proved Three proofes that corrupt inclinations are sins Gods Law Out of the Law of God which expresly condemneth these defects and inclinations when it saith Cursed is every one that confirmeth not all the words of the Law to doe them and Thou shalt not covet which Law also requireth in men the contrary graces and faculties I mean a perfect knowledge and love of God and our neighbour Deut. 6.5 John 17.3 Exod. 20.3 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart c. This is life eternall that they know thee to be the only very God c. Thou shalt have no other gods before mee Testimony of Scripture Gen. 8.21 Jer. 17.9 Rom. 7 7. John 3.5 1 Cor. 2.14 15.50 Rom. 1.21 8.6 By many testimonies of Scripture condemning these evils for sinnes The frame or imagination of mans heart is evill even from his youth The heart is deceitfull and wicked above all things I had not knowne lust that is to say to be sin unlesse the Law had said Thou shalt not lust Death of Infants By the punishments and death of Infants who although they doe neither good nor evill and offend not after the similitude of Adams transgression yet they have sin in them for which death reigneth over them And this sinne is the blindnesse and frowardnesse of our nature towards God of which we have hitherto spoken 1. Object That which is not voluntary neither can be avoided is not sinne neither deserveth punishment Defects and inclinations cannot be avoided by us Therefore they are no sinne Answ The Major holdeth true in a Civill Court but not in the judgement of God before whom whatsoever is repugnant unto his Law whether it be in our power to avoid it or no is sin and deserveth punishment For Scripture teacheth both that the wisdome of the flesh cannot be subject to the Law of God and that all who are not subject to the Law are subject to the wrath of God 2. Object Nature is good But our inclinations and desires are naturall Therefore they are good Answ True it is that Nature is good if you consider it before the corruption Genes 1.31 All things were very good which God made Even now also Nature is good in respect of the substance and being of it and as it was made of God but not in respect of the quality of it and as it is corrupted 3. Object Punishments are not sinnes But these inclinations and defects are punishments of the first fall Therefore they are not sinnes Answ It is true that punishments are not sins if we respect the course of Civill justice but not so if we respect Gods justice For God oftentimes punisheth sins with sins which the Apostle especially sheweth Rom. 1.27 2 Thes 2.11 For God hath power of depriving his creatures of his Spirit which power his creatures have not 3. How many kinds of sins there are There be five principall divisions of sin THe first division is this All sin is either Originall or Actuall This distinction is expressed Rom. 5.14 and 7.20 and 9.11 OF ORIGINALL SIN ORiginall sinne is the guilt of all mankind What Originall sâ—n is by reason of the fall of our first Parents and a privation of the knowledge of God and his will in our mind and of all inclination to obey God with our will and heart and of the contrary in these there remaineth a wicked inclination to those things which God forbiddeth and backwardnesse in those things which he commandeth ensuing upon the fall of our first Parents and derived from them unto all their posterity and so corrupting their whole nature that all by reason of this
corruption are become guilty of the everlasting anger of God neither can they doe any thing pleasing and acceptable to God Rom. 5.14 Psal 51.5 Originall sin containeth two things except remission be granted for the Sonne of God the Mediatour and a renewing of their nature by the holy Ghost Of this sinne it is said Death reigned even over them also that sinned not after the like manner of the transgression of Adam In sin hath my mother conceived mee Originall sinne then containeth two things Guilt of eternall damnation The guilt of eternall damnation for the sinne of our first Parents Corruptâ—on of mans whole nature The corruption of mans whole nature after the fall Of both these Paul saith By one man sinne entred into the world Rom. 5.12 and death by sinne and so death went over all men forasmuch as all men have sinned The vulgar definition passing under Anselmus his name containeth the same in effect with this our definition save that it more obscurely thus propoundeth it Originall sinne is a want of originall righteousnesse which should be in us Anselm's definition of originall sin For originall righteousnesse was not onely a conformity of our nature with the Law of God but also it comprehendeth in it Gods acceptation and approbation of this righteousnesse Now by the fall of man in stead of conformity there succeeded in mans nature deformity and corruption and guiltinesse in stead of approbation Such is that definition also of Hugo Cardinall Originall sin as that which we draw from our birth Hugo Cardinall his definition through ignorance in our understanding and concupiscence in our flesh The errour of the Pelagians and Anabaptists in the doctrine of originall sin Against this doctrine of Originall sin in times past did the Pelagians strive as at this day the Anabaptists doe denying that there is any Originall sin because that neither the posterity are guilty by reason of the first Parents fall neither is sin derived into them from their ancestors by propagation but every one sinneth and becometh faulty by imitation onely of the first Parents These Pelagians Saint Augustine hath confuted in many bookes Others grant that all became faulty by reason of the fall of our first Parents but they deny that such corruption was bred in us as might deserve condemnation for the defects as they think with which we are borne are no sin But against these Sectaries and Schismaticks wee are to hold these foure Theoremes or Positions 1. That all mankind is held guilty of Gods everlasting wrath Foure Theses of the doctrine of originall sin Foure proofes shewing that originall sin is derived by nature unto posterity for the disobedience of our first Parents 2. That there are in us besides this guilt defects and inclinations repugnant to the Law of God even from the houre of our birth 3. That these defects and inclinations are sins and deserve the eternall wrath of God 4. That these evils are derived not by imitation but by the propagation of a corrupt nature from our first Parents unto all their posterity except Christ only The first second and third are sufficiently confirmed in that which hath already been spoken The fourth is thus proved Testimony of Scripture Ephâ—s 2.3 Rom. 5.18 19. Job 14.4 Psal 51.5 John 3.5 By testimonies of Scripture Wee are by nature the children of wrath as well as others By the offence of one the fault came upon all men to condemnation By one mans disobedience many were made sinners Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse I was borne in wickednesse Except a man be borne of water and of the spirit hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Death of Infants Isa 48.8 Gen. 8.21 De bono mortis cap. 11. Infants dye and are to be baptised therefore they have sin But they cannot as yet sin by imitation It must needs be then that sin is bred in them Whence it is said I called thee a transgressour from the womb The heart of man is evill from his youth And Ambrose saith Who is just in the sight of God whereas an infant of a day old cannot be cleere from sinne Every thing which is borne carrieth with it the nature of that which bare it 3 Community or participation of nature between parents and children as touching the substance and accidents proper to that speciall kind But wee are all born of corrupt and guilty Parents We therefore all draw by nature in our birth their corruption and guilt From the double grace of Christs death Justification and Regeneration By the death of Christ who is the second Adam we receive a double grace Justification and Regeneration therefore it followeth that out of the first Adam there issued and flowed a double evill the guilt I meane and corruption of our nature otherwise wee had not stood in need of a double grace and remedy The Pelagians objection 1. Object If sinne be propagated from the Parents unto their posterity it passeth to the off-spring either by their body or by their soule Not by the body because that is bestiall and unreasonable nor by the soule because that is not derived by deduction out of the soule of the Parents whereas it is a spirituall substance which may not be severed into parts neither is it created corrupt by God whereas God is not the authour of sin Wherefore certainly originall sinne passeth not by nature from the Parents unto the children 1. Answ We deny the Major because the soule being created by God pure and undefiled may draw naughtinesse and corruption from the body though it be brutish into which it is infused Neither is it absurd to say that the evill disposed temperature of the body is an unfit instrument for the good actions of the soule and corrupteth the soule not being established in her righteousnesse so that it presently falleth from her integrity as soone as it is infused and united unto the body 2. Answ We likewise deny the consequence and coherence of the Major because in it there is not made a sufficient account and reckoning of the parts by which Originall sin passeth For it passeth neither by the body nor by the soule but by the offence of our Parents in regard whereof God even whilest hee createth mans soule bereaveth it of Originall righteousnesse and other such like gifts which hee gave on that condition to our first Parents that they should continue or lose them to posterity according as they themselves either kept or lost them Neither is God in so doing either unjust or the cause of sin for this privation or want of righteousnesse is in respect of God which inflicteth it for the offence of our first Parents no sinne but a most just punishment although in respect of the Parents which draw it unto themselves and their posterity it be a sinne Wherefore if the whole Major be laid downe thus Originall sinne
two or three parts of our justice are either three perfect justices of Christ every one of which apart satisfieth the Law or they are so many imperfect justices concurring to make up one perfect righteousnesse If they are imperfect do they not manifestly derogate from the death of Christ If perfect how is not God unjust who for one fault demands two or three perfect satisfactions whereas his justice requires but one 8. If a part of our justice must be sought for here a part there a part in the death a part in the actuall Antecedent obedience and a part in the naturall holinesse of Christ is not our faith dangerously distracted and our comfort undermined 9. Lastly that which chiefly with-holds me is that I reade no-where in Scripture such a tripartite or bipartite division of our justice I reade no-where that Christs humane holinesse is imputed to us that either it or any part of it is our righteousnesse If any man hath read it I intreat him to shew it that I may also reade and beleeve it Neither do I reade this any-where of actuall obedience nor do the five testimonies which they bring prove any such thing which I briefly shew thus Out of that saying Rom. 5. they conclude more then followes for the consequence will not hold We are justified by Christs obedience ergo by his active obedience The Apostle sets in opposition Christs obedience and Adams disobedience not as action against action but as satisfaction against the fault as the remedy against the disease otherwise the sinnes of omission were not transgressions but Adams sin was not onely a perpetration of evill but the omission of good also Now the obedience which he understands here in another place he doth more expresly declare saying He was made obedient to death even the death of the Crosse But this was the obedience of his exinanition and of death and of the same obedience Theophylact interprets both places Therefore we deny that in this other place which they object the second time any mention is made of two obediences for the text sheweth that the Apostle speakes of his continuated obedience Even to the death of the Crosse Phil. 2. which began when he assumed a servile condition and ended with his death Gal. 4. Neither doth that place Gal. 4. availe any whit to the active obedience for how Christ for us was made subject to the Law the Apostle himselfe explaines cleerely chap. 3. He redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us that the blessing of Abraham may be extended upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus But this is understood of Christs voluntary humiliation even to the death appointed by the Law for our sins How notwithstanding this place may be understood of the servitude to the whole Law I will speake hereafter In that saying to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1. the Apostle joyneth foure things but not as parts of imputed justice for who will reckon among these wisdome or redemption it selfe but as the chiefe heads of Christs benefits of which some do helpe us onely by imputation as justice others by reall participation also in this life inchoatively in the other life perfectly as all the rest Hence then no partition can be proved In that place to the Romans is the fallacy of Figura dictionis Rom. 8. for there The Law of the Spirit of life doth not signifie life or Christs active obedience much lesse his formall holinesse but it signifieth the doctrine or quickning grace of the Gospell The place is somewhat obscure but by the scope the simple meaning may be knowne that the remainders of the flesh condemne not godly men if so be they make resistance against them by the helpe of the Spirit What the Apostle said in the first verse he proves in the second by supposing his owne person from the effect of the Gospell The Law saith he of the spirit of life that is the doctrine or grace of the Gospell which is the ministery of the Spirit of life or of that which makes us live in Christ Jesus hath made me free that is hath absolved me and all the faithfull and pronounceth us free from the law of sin and of death that is from condemnation with which the Law threatneth sinners therefore the Apostle opposeth here the law of the Spirit and the law of death as he opposeth the ministery of the Spirit and the Ministery of condemnation 2 Cor. 3.8 as if he would say Although that killing law endeavoureth to condemne those that are justified in Christ Jesus because of the remainders of sin in them with which as yet they wrestle yet the Law of the Spirit of life that is the living doctrine and grace of the Gospell doth absolve them from damnation notwithstanding these remainders of sin seeing these also are pardoned them through Christ for The bloud of Jesus Christ purgeth us from all sin and from all remainders of sin This without prejudice to other mens judgements seems to me to be the genuine meaning of the Apostle But this by the way I hasten to the other Arguments To the sixth wee have already answered Christ wholly quickneth us but one way as he is the efficient another way as he is the matter of righteousnesse And neverthelesse he all justifieth although his passion or death is onely said to be imputed for he all suffered and dyed Neither is his active obedience excluded from merit or justification though it is not said to be imputed which is that the seventh Reason would have For how can the efficient cause or that which is called sine qua non be excluded from its effect Truly both the obediences as well the active as the passive were required in the Mediatiour for our justification but after a divers way that as the cause sine qua non or without which the effect cannot be produced as also his naturall holinesse this as the matter In the eighth Reason we deny the Antecedent For it was never heard that the Law did oblige both to obedience and punishment at the same time but every law obligeth dis-junctively not copulatively either to obedience or to punishment For so long as obedience is performed the Law obligeth no man to punishment that is it pronounceth no man guilty of punishment but promiseth life but when obedience is violated then the Law obligeth the sinner to punishment This is generally true both of divine and humane lawes Therefore their suppositions which they here assume are untrue and repugnant to Gods justice 1. That Adam before his fall at once was tyed to obedience and punishment 2. That man after his fall and so the Mediatour for man was obliged both to fulfill the Law and to suffer punishment When obedience indeed is violated the sinner is bound to make satisfaction by punishment this being performed he is no more a sinner and he is tyed to obedience not to that for the violation
happy and religious and is created to be holy happy and religious The former of these is referred to the question What in respect of the beginning the latter to the question For what in respect of continuance and perseverance So righteousnesse and true holinesse whereas they are the forme and very being of a new man are tearmed his end Neither is it absurd that the same things should in divers respects be called the finall cause and the formall For that which is the forme in respect of the creature may be tearmed the end Ephes 4.24 in respect of the intent and purpose of the Creator The manifestation of Gods mercy and justice The manifestation of God or the declaration of Gods mercy in his chosen to everlasting life and of his justice and wrath against sinne to be punished in the reprobate This fourth is subordinated to the knowledge of God and mans felicity For that thou mayest know God and he communicate himselfe unto thee it is needfull also that he make himselfe manifest unto thee The preservation of the societie of men Psal 22.23 The preservation of society in mankinde which end is subordinated to the manifestation of God For except there were men God should not have whom to manifest himselfe unto I will declare thy name unto my brethren The community of civill duties amongst men The communion of mutuall intercourse of duties and curtesies amongst men serving for the preservation of humane society For that the society and conversing of men together may be maintained there must needs be peace and mutuall duties interchangeably passing betweene them The first creation of man is diligently to be compared with the misery â—f mankind as also the end for which wee were created with the aberration and â—â—verving from the end that so by this meanes also wee may know the greatnesse of our miserie For how much the greater wee see the good was which wee have lost so much the greater wee know the evils to be into which wee are fallen OF THE IMAGE OF GOD IN MAN The chiefe Questions hereof are 1 What is the Image of God in man 2 How farre forth it is lost and how farre it remaineth 3 How it is repaired in man 1 What the Image of God in man is What the Image of God is THE Image of God in man is a vertue knowing aright the nature will and workes of God and a will freely obeying God and a correspondence of all the inclinations desires and actions with the will of God and in a word a spirituall and unchangeable purity of the soule and the whole man perfect blessednesse and joy resting in God and the dignity of man and majesty whereby he excelleth and ruleth other creatures 5 Parts of the Image of God in man Wherefore the whole Image of God in man comprehendeth 1. The soule it selfe together with the faculties thereof indued with reason and will 2. All our naturall notions and knowledge of God his will and his works that is to say perfect wisedome in the soule 3. All just and holy actions inclinations and motions of the will I mean perfect righteousnesse and holinesse in our heart and will and all our externall actions 4. Felicity blessednesse and glory linked with perfect joy in God and abundance of all good things free from all misery and corruption 5. Rule and dominion of man over the creatures as fishes fowles and other living creatures In all these things this reasonable creature in some sort resembleth his Creator as the Image expresseth in some sort the Arch-type or principall patterne yet can he by no meanes be equalled unto his Creator for in God all things are immense and without measure Ephes 4.24 and even his essence infinite The Apostle Paul putteth Righteousnesse and Holinesse as the chiefe parts of this Image yet doth he not exclude but presuppose wisdome and knowledge for no man can worship God unknown But neither doth Paul exclude perfect blessednesse and glory for this according to the order of Gods justice is necessarily coupled with perfect holinesse or conformity with God For where true righteousnesse and holinesse is there is the absence of all evils whether of crime or offence Righteousnesse and holiness in this text of the Apostle may either be taken for the same thing or so distinguished that Righteousness may be meant of the actions both inward and outward as they have a conformity and congruity of the will and heart with the mind judging aright and with the Law of God and Holinesse may be understood of the qualities themselves Ob. 1. Perfect wisdome and righteousnesse is in God alone Man was perfect but in a certaine degree and measure not infinitely as God is and is not found in any creature and the wisdome of all creatures even of the Angels themselves both may and doth increase how then was the Image of God perfect wisdome and righteousness in man An. By perfect wisdome here is meant not such a kind of wisdome as is ignorant of nothing but which hath as absolute perfection as is incident unto the nature of a creature as great a portion as the rich Creator hath measured and sundred out unto his creature sufficient to indue it with happiness and felicity as the wisdome of the Angels and their blessednesse is perfect because it is such as God hath ordained and yet unto it somewhat daily may be added otherwise it were infinite So was man perfectly just because he was conformable to God in all things which God required of him not that he was of equall perfectnesse or had justice inherent in him in that degree of perfection which God had but because he wanted nothing of the full measure of such perfection as God created in him and would should be in him and which might suffice a created nature to the attaining of blessedness There is therefore an ambiguity in the word perfection in this sense here expressed man is said in Scripture to be the image of God 1 Cor. 15.47 or to be made after the image of God Obj. 2. The first man was of the earth earthly the second man the Lord from heaven As the earthly was such are they that are earthly and as is the heavenly such are they also that are heavenly And as we have borne the image of the earthly so shall we bear the image of the heavenly Ans The Apostle doth not here take away the image of the heavenly man from Adam when he as yet stood but compareth his nature and estate as well before as after his fall with that heavenly glory unto which we are restored by Christ that is not onely the nature of man corrupted through sin by death but the degree of the image of God in mans nature before the fall and before glorification with that which followeth in glorification Christ called the image of God in two respects Christ is called the image
agnise the mercy and grace of God and yeeld thanks unto him for the same The summe therefore of all is that though the satisfaction of Christ our Mediator for our sins is most perfect yet all are not delivered by it but they only who beleeve the Gospel and do apply the merit of Christ by a true faith unto themselves Object 1. Grace exceedeth the sinne of Adam If therefore for the sin of Adam all men are cast away much more by the grace of Christ all and not beleevers onely shall be saved Answer to the antecedent Grace exceedeth and is above sin in respect of the sufficiency of the satisfaction not in respect of the application thereof Wherefore that all are not saved through the satisfaction or obedience of Christ the fault thereof sticketh in men themselves and is to be ascribed unto the unbeleevers who imbrace not the grace of Christ offered but like ungratefull men reject it Object 2. Whomsoever Christ hath fully satisfied for they are to be received of God into favour for so doth the justice of God require But Christ hath fully satisfied for all the sins of all men Therefore all men are to be received of God into favour or if this be not done God shall be unjust or somewhat is derogated from Christs merit Answ The Major proposition being understood simply and without any limitation is false All are received into favour for whom Christ hath satisfied with this condition if they apply the satisfation of Christ unto themselves by faith This condition is expresly added John 3.10 So God loved the world that hee gave his Sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but might have everlasting life Object 3. Adam by one sinne made all subject to condemnation but Christ doth justifie onely some The force therefore of Adams sin is greater to condemne then of Christs satisfaction to save Answ The force of Christs satisfaction is seen not in the multitude of them who are saved but in the greatnesse of the benefit We deny the consequence of this argument because the force excellency and efficacy of Christs satisfaction is not to be esteemed by the multitude or number of those men who are thereby saved but by the greatnesse of the benefit it selfe For it is a greater work to deliver and save even one from everlasting death then to make all men by one sin guilty of everlasting death for be it that Christ should save even but one man yet it was necessary 1. That he should pay in a finite time a punishment in greatnesse and value infinite not onely for that one sin of Adam but for other infinite sins which follow it of which every one also deserves infinite punishment It was required also 2. That he should purge and take away not only that originall and birth-sin but also infinite others 3. And should restore in him a perfect conformity with God Wherefore the grace of Christ in saving even one man doth in infinite manner exceed the sin of Adam Ans 2. Again that the force of that efficacy which is in Christs merit and benefit passeth not through all men as the strength of Adams sin passed through all his posterity the fault hereof is in men who do not as much apply unto themselves by a true faith Christs merit as they do apply unto themselves the sin of Adam both by being born in it and consenting unto it and fostering it Now the reason why all men do not beleeve nor apply this Christs benefit unto themselves is a question of higher and deeper speculation impertinent to this place This may suffice for answer herein Rom 9.28 God hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth And he will so shew his mercy that hee will also exercise his justice Quest 21. What is true faith Answ It is not only a certain knowledge whereby I surely assent to all things which God hath revealed unto us in his word a James 2.19 but also an assured trust b Heb. 11.1 7. Rom. 4.18 19 20 21. 10.10 Ephes 3.12 Hebr. 4.6 James 1.6 kindled in my heart by the holy Ghost c Gal. 5.22 Matth. 16.17 2 Cor. 4.13 Joh. 6.29 Eph. 2.8 Act. 16.14 Phil. 1.19 through the Gospel d Rom. 1.16 10.17 1 Cor. 1.21 Act. 10.44 16.14 whereby I make my repose in God being assuredly resolved that remission of sins everlasting righteousnesse and life is given not to others only but to me also e Rom. 1.17 5.1 Gal. 3.11 2.16 and that freely through the mercy of God for the merit of Christ alone f Eph. 2.8 Rom. 3.24 5.19 Luke 1.77 78. The Explication THe doctrine of Faith followeth 1. Because faith is the means whereby we are made partakers of the Mediatour 2. Because without faith the preaching of the Gospel profiteth and availeth nothing The Questions touching Faith are 1. What faith is in generall 2. How many kindes of faith there are in Scripture 3. How faith differeth from hope 4. What are the efficient causes of justifying faith 5. What are the effects of it 6. To whom it is given 1. What faith is in generall THe word fides or faith according to Cicero's derivation Whence faith hath his name Cic. Offic. 1. receiveth his appellation and name from the Gerund fiendo which signifieth doing because that which is covenanted is performed and is defined by him to be The assurance and truth of contracts and whatsoever kind of composition yea the very foundation of justice The generall nature of faith as it is extended unto all things It is commonly defined to be A certain or grounded knowledge of propositions or conclusions to which we assent on authority of the assertion of true witnesses whom wee may not except against or doubt of whether it be God or Angels or man or experience The generall nature of faith as it concerneth onely divine things and is taught in Scripture But whereas in the most generall distinction of faith there is one kind of faith in divine matters another in humane the question here is what Theologicall faith or faith in divine things is Wherefore we must give a more strict difinition of faith taken in generall which notwithstanding must be such as that it comprise all the specials of faith delivered in Scripture In generall therefore The divers acceptations and uses of the name of faith whatsoever faith is mentioned in Scripture it is A certain knowledge firmly yeelding assent to all things which are delivered in the sacred Scriptures of God his will works and grace whereunto we condescend even because God himselfe doth affirme it Or it is to yeeld assent to every word of God delivered to the Church either in the law or in the Gospel for that it is the asseveration or avouching of God himselfe Oftentimes faith is taken for the very doctrine of the Church or those things
man Nestorius separated the two natures in Christ Nestorius heresie neither would have the Sonne of God but man onely to have died Doe not boast thou Jew saith Nestorius thou hast not crucified God but man The Ubiquitaries beleeve that the humanity of Christ The Ubiquitaries heresie from the moment of his incarnation was so endowed with all the properties of the God-head as that onely in this the humanity differeth from the God-head that the humanity hath by an accident whatsoever the God-head hath by and of it selfe Hereof it cometh that they imagine that Christ was in the time of his death yea when he was inclosed in the Virgins womb in heaven and every where not only as touching his God-head but with his body too This is it which they call the forme of God Phil. 2.6 Wherefore against all these we affirme and in the Creed beleeve that Christ died truly and corporally even by a true divulsion and separation of his soule from his body 1. Christ died truly and that a locall separation so that not onely his soule and body were not together every where but were not together in one place the soule was not where the body was Matth. 27.50 Marke 15.37 Luke 23.46 John 19.30 nor the body where the soule was Then Jesus cried againe with a loud voyce and yeelded up the Ghost Jesus cried with a lowd voyce and gave up the Ghost Father into thy hands I commend my spirit And when he had said these words he gave up the Ghost He bowed his head and gave up the Ghost Object But as vertue that is his divinity is said to have gone out of him so also he gave up the Ghost Answ There is a dissimilitude in these Because the divinity remaining united with the humane nature yet did work abroad without it The soule did depart from the body The reason of this dissimilitude is because the act of his divinity is increate and infinite but the act and power of his soule finite and created But yet this is further to be added 2. Christ died without breach of the union of his two natures that although his soule was truly separated from his body yet the Word notwithstanding did not forsake neither body nor soule but remained neverthelesse joyned both to body and soule and therefore the two natures in Christ were not divelled or sundered by that divulsion of the soule and body Object Why then cryed he Matth. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Answ Because of his delay and deferring of help and succour For the two natures in Christ ought not to have been divelled or sundred because it is written God hath purchased the Church with his own bloud And he was to be the Son of God who should die for our sins Acts 20.28 that he might be a sufficient price for them Hereby also it doth cleerly appeare That The union of both natures in Christ is no Vbiquity For the soule being separated from the body was not in the grave with the body and by a consequent not every where because that which is every where can never be separated and yet in death and in the grave the union of both natures remained and continued 2. Whether it was requisite and necessary that Christ should die IT was requisite and necessary that Christ to make full satisfaction not only should suffer but also should die 1. In respect of the justice of God that so his justice might be satisfied which required the death of men by whom it was violated For the hurting and offending of the greatest good is to be expiated with the greatest punishment or with the utmost destruction of nature that is with the death of the guilty condemned for sinne according to that The wages of sinne is death Rom. 6.23 But Christ succeeded in our stead and took on him our person who had sinned and had deserved death not only eternall but temporall also For wee deserved destruction which is the dissolution of the soule from the body whereon ensueth the dissolution of the body as a house is said to be subverted and destroyed when one part is separated from another Now it was requisite that the Sonne of God should die that he might be a sufficient ransome for our sins For no creature could have sustained such a punishment as should have been equivalent to eternall punishment and yet withall should have been temporall Object They have deserved eternall punishment whosoever are not reconciled to God by Christ therefore the soules ought not to be separated from their bodies that they might suffer eternall damnation Ans It doth not follow but this rather That therefore both body and soule must be together that they may suffer it which at length shall so come to passe Therefore it was necessary that Christ should die for us and his soule be separated from his body 2. In respect of Gods truth that the truth of God may be satisfied For God threatned and denounced death when ever we sinned which denouncing was to be fulfilled after sin was once committed And this is that commination or threatning pronounced by God himself In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Obj. But Adam did not presently die Ans Truely he forth-with died not a bodily death Gen. 2.17 howbeit he became mortall straight upon it and by little and little he dayly died and even now already had he died spiritually eternall death and now was dead I heard saith he thy voice and I was affraid because I was naked Gen. 3.20 There was a terrour in him and a feeling of Gods wrath a strife with death the losse of all the gifts both of body and mind But there followed the equity moderation and lenity of the Gospel For God had not expresly said that he should certainly die wholly and presently For so had he perished for ever Wherefore the Son offered a mitigation and lenifying raised him up to a new life that notwithstanding he should remain subject to the corporall death which yet should not be deadly and pernicious unto him 3. In respect of the promise made to the Fathers both by words He is brought as a sheep to the slaughter and as a sheep before be shearer is dumb Esay 53.7 so openeth he not his mouth and by sacrifices whereby God promiseth that Christ should die such a death as should be an equivalent price for the sins of the whole world This could not be the work of a meere creature but of the Son of God only and therefore it was requisite and necessary that the Son of God should suffer so grievous a death for us Ob. Then they do not satisfie Gods justice who are punished because their punishment is endlesse and eternall Ans They satisfie by eternall punishment Rep. So then might we also be delivered from the curse by our selves Ans So then shall we never be
certainly be Probable proofes of the Resurrection yeelded by Philosophy but no necessary demonstrance IT may be verily collected probably out of Philosophy that there shall be sometime a Resurrection but no necessary demonstration can be yeelded thence that the Resurrection shall certainly be For in Philosophy are many principles which accord not with the sacred writings of Gods Spirit Againe in Philosophy the knowledge which it hath of Gods justice and truth is but a maimed reason But in the holy writ of God Proofes hereof out of Scripure the reasons are firme and true Hence alone therefore is demonstration given for the most certaine accomplishment of the Resurrection And this Testimony By testimony of Scripture Reason By reason drawn out of the Scripture The testimonies of Scripture which confirme the certainty of the Resurrection hereafter to come Testimonies of Scripture for demonstrance of the Resurrection Job 19.25 26. Esay 26.19 Ezek. 37.12 are most evident and those taken both out of the old and new Testament I am sure that my Redeemer liveth and he shall stand the last on the earth and though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh The dead men shall live even with my body they shall rise I will open your graves and cause you to come out of your sepulchers And many of them that sleep in the dust shall awake some to everlasting life Dan. 12.2 Job 5.28 29. and some to shame and perpetuall contempt The houre shall come in the which all that are in the graves shall heare his voyce And they shall come forth that have done good unto the resurrection of life but they that have done evill unto the resurrection of condemnation John 6.40 1 Cor. 15.13 1 Thess 4.14 Rev. 20.12.13 I will raise him up at the last day If there be no resurrection of the dead then is Christ not risen And if Christ be not risen then is our preaching vaine and your faith is also vaine If we beleeve that Jesus is dead and is risen even so them which sleep in Jesus God will bring with him And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the sea gave up her dead which were in her and death and hell delivered up the dead The reasons which are drawne also out of Scripture are diverse 1. God is the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and God is not the God of the dead but of the living But he should not be the God of whole Abraham nor the God of the living except the body of Abraham should one day be raised God is the God of the whole man not of a part onely but he should not be the God of the whole man but of a part of man only if the body did never rise againe Mat. 22.32 This reason Christ useth against the Sadducees 2. God promiseth eternall life not to the soule onely but also to the body of the godly and contrary to the ungodly he threatneth eternall punishment and paines both of body and soule and these promises and threatnings of God must be fulfilled For the certainty of them is unchangeable But they shall not be fulfilled if the dead shall not rise Seeing therefor God doth most certainly in his good time accomplish that which he promiseth to the godly and menaceth to the wicked it followeth of necessity that the dead must rise againe 3. The mercy of God is perfect as which extendeth it selfe to the whole man and which will have us wholly saved therefore our bodies also shall rise againe 4. The mercy and love of God towards the godly is perpetuall and unchangeable so that what he once will of his fatherly love towards them performe unto them the same he ever will But he will have the godly saved both in soule and body therefore they must be both in soule and body even whole saved and therefore that they be whole saved they must needs rise againe 5. The perfect justice of God requireth that the same wholly whereby the wicked sin should be punisht with eternall paines But they sin both in their whole body and in their soule Therefore their bodies must be raised againe because they ought no lesse in body then in soule to suffer eternall paines 6. Christ is risen therefore we all shall rise This sequell is most sure For 1. Christ therefore rose againe that he might raise us 2. Christ is our head and we be his members Seeing then Christ our head is risen we also his members doubtlesse shall rise for the glory of the head requites this that he have his members sutable and in like condition with him Wherefore if the members should continue rotten the head should not be glorious 3. The same spirit is in us which is in Christ raised he joyneth and uniteth us with Christ and worketh the same in us which he doth in Christ nor is at any time not like himselfe But he hath raised Christ therefore also he will raise us 7. It is said that Christ shall have an everlasting kingdome but this he shall not have Psal 45. if our bodies should alwayes continue in death for neither would it suffice that our soules are immortall or eternall without our bodies For that Christs kingdome may be eternall he must have eternall subjects and those wholly eternall Therefore our bodies also shall rise that so we whole may be subject eternally unto Christ our King 8. Christ is a perfect Saviour because he hath saved and reconciled to God whole man Therefore our corrupt bodies also shall be raised by Christ and rise againe 9. Christ is not of lesse force to save then Adam to lose nay Christ restored to us all that which Adam lost and destroyed by sinning yea farre more and greater things by his merit Adam lost from us among other gifts the eternall life also of our bodies therefore Christ hath restored it unto us and consequently our bodies shall certainly rise againe 10. He published his law unto man after the fall therefore he will have man once keep it But that is not done in this life therefore it shall be done in the life to come and therefore men shall rise againe 11. The wages of sinne is death Therefore sin being abolished Rom. 3.23 death shall be abolished and death being abolished we shall rise againe to everlasting life 12. To this end also our bodies were made that in them as temples the holy Ghost might dwell for ever therefore our bodies shall rise and live for ever 4. What bodies shall rise The same bodies shalâ— rise THe bodies which shall rise shall be not onely humane bodies but even the selfe-same also which we now in our life time carry about with us and not others created of Christ as the Anabaptists will have it For Job saith In this flesh shall I see my Lord Job 19.26 Ephel 6.8 1 Cor. 15.53 I
Our sacrifices differ from Christs three waies 236. How sacrifices and sacraments differ 400. A propitiatory sacrifice cannot be without bloud 461. Save Saviour Vide Jesus How the whole three persons may be said to save 221. 222. Christ is our most perfect Saviour 223. Why all men are not saved by Christ and why onely the faithfull 132. Scriptures Their authority depend not on the Church 5. 6. Objections against this answered 6. 7. Arguments shewing the certainty of Scriptures 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Why no doctrine but the Scripture is to be received into the Church 12. It is the rule of faith ibid. The difference of it and other mens opinions 13. The Scriptures sufficiency proved by the Ancients 14. Objections against it answered ibid. c. The Papists objection of the Scriptures obscurity answered 18. 19. Some places of Scripture more darke then other some confessed and instanced 19. Three points observable in the interpretation of Scriptures 20. 438. Not the Church but the holy Ghost is Judge of the Scriptures 21. Six waies of deciding doubts in Scriptures 21. 22. Servant Whence the word is derived and what it signifies 269. Shamefastnesse What it is 603. Silence What 612. Simplicity What. 612. Sinne Vid. Wickednesse What sinne and what manner of sin the first sin of man was pag. 45. It consists in six things pag. 45. 46. What were the causes of its first sinne ibid. c. and effects 47. The cause of its permission by God with excellent uses of it 47. 48. How we know that sin is in us 48. What sin is 49. A two fold nature of it ibid. Two proofes that corrupt inclinations are sinnes 50. What originall sin is ib. 51. proofes of its being derived to posterity ibid. Foure causes why Adams posterity abideth the punishment of his sinne 53. Whether Infants sinne seeing they want will 54. Actuall sin what ibid. Of reigning sinne and why so called ibid. of mortall and veniall sin that Popish distinction 55. The Elect may sin against conscience yet not unto death 55. All sinne mortall in its owne nature 56. Of sin against and not against conscience 59. Of the sin against the holy Ghost what and why unpardonable 59. 60. Sin what it is of it selfe 62. The vertues of the unregenerate are sins by accident ibid. What the causes of sinne are 64. An order in the causes of sinne ibidem Foure pretended causes of sin 65. God no cause of it ibid. It ariseth from man himselfe 66. It s beginning is from the Devill 67. GOD is the causer of sinne not as sinne but as punishments ibid. The proper ends of sinne ibid. Sinne is a naturall property of man corrupted 71. The fearfull effects of sinne 72. 73. All sinnes not equall 73. God in sinne though he be the mover of the wicked will yet he is not the mover of the wickednesse in the will 80. Three causes why God is said to permit sinne 201. The Question of Gods being thought to be the cause of sinne decided 209. 210. 211. c. Sin is not of the nature of mans flâ—sh but by accident only 275. The Article of remission of sins 361. Sit. Sitting Why it is said Christ sitteth at the right hand of God 321. 322. Vide Hand of God Slandering What. 611. Sonne Vide Christ How Christ can be called the onely begotten Sonne of God when wee also are called his sonnes 238. 246. Divers sorts of sonnes ibidem How Christ is the onely and first begotten Sonne of GOD. 239. How the naturall Sonne of God 239. 244. and co-eternall 244. 245. Christ so named before he tooke our flesh 245. The onely begotten Sonne of God 246. The Sonne hath all things from the Father not by grace but by nature 260. Hee doth all things with the Father as the Father doth ibidem Arguments against the Sonnes Divinity answered 264. 265. Why the Sonne is called Lord and why Our Lord. 268. How the Sonne was conceived by the holy Ghost 270. Soule Whether immortall 365. sundry places of Scripture alledged against the immortality of the soule 366. The Elects soules estate separated from the body 369. Spirit Vide holy Ghost The divers names which are given in the Scripture to the Spirit 341. Suffering Vide passion pag. 290. 291. 292. c. Whether Christ suffered according to both natures 293. why hee suffered under Pontius Pilate 294. why on the Crosse 295. Ancient types of that death ibidem Superstition Who are superstitious 540. Supper Vide Sacraments What the Lords Supper is 426. 427. It s manifold names 427. Its ends 428. How Baptisme and the Lords Supper differ 429. What it is to eate the flesh of Christ in the Lords Supper 430. who ought to approach to the Lords Supper and who not 462. what the wicked receive in the Lords Supper 463. Three causes for which the wicked are said to eate unto themselves condemnation 464. The right and lawfull use of it 465. Who are to be admitted to it 466. Vide Passeover page 467. c. Reasons against the reall presence 477. Suspicion What it is 611. Foure roots of good and evill suspicion 612. Swearing Of right and lawfull swearing 568. Whether lawfull to sweare by the creatures 569. By whom wee must sweare 570. Five causes why we must sweare by GOD alone 570. 571. Two principall causes of swearing 573. Vide Oathes T. TEmperance What it is 603. Temptation What it is with its kinds 650. What it is to leade into temptation 651. Testament The Old and New Testament in what they agree and how they differ 126. Thanks Thankfulnesse Why the knowledge of our thankefulnesse is necessary 35. 36. What mans thankefulnesse is and what Christian Thankefulnesse is 498. 560. the danger of omitting of it or being cold in it 560. 561. Transubstantiation Of it very largely and learnedly 448. 449. c. And Consubstantiation 450. Trinity What it is 172. Heretikes Objections answered that say that they are not named in the Scripture 173. The number of persons in Trinity ibidem Six strong proofes of the three persons in Trinity 174. How distinguished 175. Their order ibidem Their Attributes Effects and Operations what 175. 176. The doctrine of the Trinity necessary to bee held and maintained in the Church 177. Heretikes opposing that doctrine 178. Truth Six waies whereby we are taught the truth of GOD in Scripture 162. Truth what 610. V. UBiquitaries Their opinion refuted by many strong Arguments 477. 478. c. Three pestilent weeds that grow in their Garden 318. Vertue Two causes why the vertues of Ethnickes please not God pag. 44. The vertues of the Vnregenerate are sinnes by accident 62. The difference betweene the vertues of the Regenerate and of the Vnregenerate 63. Unchangeablenesse Gods unchangeablenesse proved 157. 158. Union The similitude of mans body to declare our union with Christ 234. Of the union of Christs two Natures and what it is in Nature what in Person 278. 279. W WIckednesse Whence the
to obedience and punishment together for it were great iniquitie to oblige them to punishment that obey the Law but dis-junctively either to obedience of his humane justice with the Law as the chiefe perfection of the person of the Mediatour without which he could not be our High-Priest and Saviour so the justice of his merit or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not onely the bloud and death but comprehends also all the obedience of his humiliation from the minute of his conception even till the death of the Crosse For the whole life of Christ being full of miseries and sorrowes what else was it then a perpetuall suffering and punishment for our sins For by the order of divine justice whereas Christ was most just his life should not have been miserable and calamitous but altogether sorrowlesse fortunate and happy but in that it was miserable it was by reason hee suffered and satisfied for our sins 4. Therefore when the Scripture points out to us justice in the bloud crosse and death of Christ he doth not speak exclusively as if the sufferings that went before his death did nothing belong to his merit but synecdochically comprehending under the complete finishing of our redemption all the antecedent degrees also that is the beginning encrease and consummation The beginning was in his Incarnation when having assumed the forme of a servant hee became poore c. for us The encrease was throughout all his life which he led in perpetuall miseries tentations and dangers being subject to Gods wrath for us Lastly the consummation was in his crosse and death when giving up the ghost he cried out It is finished All these the Prophet conjoynes in the price of our redemption which Christ paid for us He did truly beare our infirmities Isa 53. and took upon him our sorrowes he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities and with his stripes we are healed So the Apostle 2 Corinth 5. When he was rich be became poore for us that we by his poverty might be rich So Herb. 2. He was made somewhat inferiour to the Angels by suffering of death But chiefly Phil. 2. Being in the forme of God he emptied himselfe taking the forme of a servant and he humbled himselfe being made obedient even to the death of the Crosse Nor will their cavill availe in saying that the Apostle speaks not here of the matter of our justice it is enough that he here extends Christs obedience which elsewhere he shewed was our justice to his whole humiliation Neither is that place Hebr. 9.22 against us Without shedding of bloud there is no remission It onely followes from hence that the shedding 〈◊〉 bloud is not excluded from the cause of remission but that it is the cause sine qua non of this But it will not follow that it is the onely cause or that death which followed or the antecedent sufferings are excluded Therefore to Christs death belongeth the whole obedience of his humiliation even to the death of the Crosse 5. But why the Scripture ascribes merit which Christ hath purchased for us in all the course of his obedience to his death as if it were peculiar onely and proper to that the reason is because the sufficiencie of merit consisteth in the death of Christ alone for had hee not dyed the obedience of his humiliation had not been absolute neither had the wrath of God in threatning death to Adam been satisfied Therefore all the rest of Christs obedience without dying had been an insufficient merit and unprofitable to us But they who attribute the merit of justice to his active obedience or naturall holinesse they make void doubtlesse the death of Christ This explication true and consonant to Scripture being observed it will appeare 1. That there is something amisse in both sides of the controvertents in the former because they confound the justice of the person with the justice of merit and by dividing merit into many heterogeneall parts they doe not onely disturbe our faith and comfort but also against Scripture they separate justification from Christs death In the later because from the justice of merit they exclude the whole life of Christ with his humility and sufferings that went before his death And they oppose the exclusive particle Alone in their phrases as when they say The death of Christ alone justifieth His bloud alone purgeth to his life and antecedent obedience whereas it is opposed in meritorious or materiall causes partly to personall justice partly and chiefly to mens merits and all other externall causes except they restraine this particle Alone to sufficiency of which wee have said in the fifth position Againe it will appeare that this will be an easie way to reconcile the controversie if all of them will agree to urge against the Papists and mens merits all these common passages in which as I said already they agree concerning free justification of faith by Christs imputed justice and that they would not use scrupulous disputations concerning this justice or the matter of imputative justice before the people in their Sermons but that they would use Scripture phrases and be content that we are justified not by workes but by faith not by our owne righteousnesse but by anothers obedience to wit by the bloud and death of the Son of God imputed to us and applyed by faith c. For these are sufficient to beget true comfort to all and to refute humane merits As for the controversie it selfe if it must at all be handled in the Schooles it is needfull for a tolerable reconciliation to beware on both sides that the Disputants minds may not be too much alienated The later sort are offended at the partition of merit into so many divers pieces because they see many absurdities spring from thence and the Scripture to be wronged On the other side the former are offended by restraining merit to the death of Christ because they feare lest his life and antecedent obedience be excluded against the Scripture What shall be done then It is needfull that the one forbeare to divide the matter of merit into two three or foure as they use and that they doe not separate the merit of justice from Christs death nor justification from remission of sins That the others restraine not merit to the effusion of bloud upon the Crosse or to the three dayes death and that they exclude not his life and antecedent obedience And both must distinguish with the Scripture personall justice from merit as the efficient cause or sine qua non from the materiall seeing many inconveniences must arise of confusion by which the sense of Scripture is overthrowne the consciences are disturbed and occasion of cavilling is ministred to Papists as we shewed in the first and second Position 2. Let the personall justice of the Mediatour be rightly limited according to the third Position 3. Let the justice of merit be rightly defined and let the Synecdoche
stead For of force and necessity he must be either a creature alone or God alone or both in one A sole creature he may not be for the causes before discovered and expressed Meerley God could not satisfie for man Meerly God he could not be both 1. Because not God but man sinned and also 2. Because it behooved the Mediatour to suffer and die for the sin of man neither of which are incident to the Deity so that God can neither suffer nor die It remaineth therefore that we stand in need of such a Mediatour as is both in one that is to say which is both God and man The causes hereof shall be assigned in the questions immediately following ON THE 6. SABBATH Quest 16. Wherefore is it necessary that he be very man and perfectly just too Ans Because the justice of God requireth that the same humane nature which hath sinned doe it selfe likewise make recompence for sin a Eze. 18.4 20. Rom. 3.18 1 Cor. 15.21 He. 2.14 15 16. but he that is himselfe a sinner cannot make a recompence for others b Heb. 7.26 27 Psal 49.7 8.1 Pet. 3.18 The Explication IT behooved our Mediatour to be 1. man 2. and indeed very man 3. and that man also perfectly just I Our Mediatour must be man Rom. 5.12 1 Cor. 15.21 He ought to be Man 1. Because it was man that sinned therefore man must make recompence As by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death c. Sith by man came death by man also came the resurrection of the dead 2. That he might suffer death for he ought to make satisfaction for us by dying and shedding his bloud Gen. 2 17. Heb. 9.22 because it was said Thou shalt die the death Without shedding of bloud is no remission II He must be true man He ought to be True man that is descending and springing of mankind which had sinned not created of nothing or coming from heaven but every way subject to all our infirmities sin only except 1. Because of Gods justice which requireth that the self same humane nature which had sinned should pay for those sins For The soule which sinneth shall die Ezek. 18.20 Gen. 2.17 And In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Wherefore true man of the posterity of Adam which transgressed ought to pay for men that which was required at their hands Hitherto tend those sayings Since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 15.21 1 Tim. 2.5 Heb. 2.16 17. Col. 2.12 There is one God and one Mediatour between God and man which is the Man Christ Jesus He took the seed of Abraham Wherefore in all things it became him to be made like unto his brethren c. Hereof the Apostle also saith that we are buried with Christ through baptisme in whom we are also raised up together c. And Augustine in his book of true religion Aug. lib. de vera Religione cip 53. saith The same nature was to be taken which was to be delivered 2. For the truth of God who often by the Prophets describeth our Mediat our to be such a man as is poor weake contemptible And of Isaiah especially is he described to be such a one 3. For our comfort for except we knew him to have come out of Adams loyns and sprung of his bloud we should never be able to resolve that he is the promised Messias and Saviour and our naturall brother For it is registred in Scripture that The seed of the woman should break the head of the serpent Gen. 2.15 Gen. 22.18 In thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed Whence the Apostle teacheth that Hee that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one that is of the same humane nature wherefore he is not ashamed to call them brethren Now therefore that he might be our brother it was requisite that he should be born of Adam For Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch as the children were partakers of flesh and bloud he also himselfe likewise took part with them c. 4. That he might be a faithfull high Priest and might help and relieve our infirmities For Heb. 2.17 18. It became him in all things to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and a faithfull high Priest in things concerning God that he might make reconciliation for the sins of the people For in that he suffered and was tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted III He must be perfectly just It is necessary that he be a man perfectly just that is defiled with no spot of originall or actuall sin that he might worthily be our Saviour and his passion and sacrifice be a ransome not for himself but for us for had he himself been a sinner he must have satisfied for his own sins Hence the Scripture testifieth of him Isa 53.11 1 Pet. 2.22 1 Pet. 3.18 My righteous servant shall justifie many Who did no sin neither c. Christ hath once suffered for sin the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God Yea if the Mediatour himselfe had been subject to any sin he should not have been able to have avoyded the wrath of God much lesse to have merited for others freedome from punishment and the favour of God neither could his passion and death who had not suffered as an innocent have been the price and ransome of others sins Therefore God made him to be sin for us that is to be a sacrifice for sin which knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 that were should be made the righteousnesse of God in him For such an high Priest it became us to have Heb. 7.26 27. which is holy harmlesse undefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the heavens which needeth not daily as those high Priests to offer up sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the peoples Now four manner of wayes was the man Christ perfectly just Christ said to be perfectly just four wayes or hath perfectly fulfilled the law 1. By his own righteousnesse For Christ alone performed perfect obedience such as the law requireth 2. By paying sufficient punishment for our sins It was necessary that this double fulfilling of the law should be in Christ for had not his righteousnesse been full and perfect hee could not have satisfied for the offence of others And except his suffering of punishment had been sufficient we by it should never have been delivered from everlasting punishment The former of these is called The fulfilling of the law by obedience whereby himself was conformable in all points to the law The latter is termed The fulfilling of the law by punishment to wit which he suffered for us lest we should remaine subject unto everlasting death 3. He doth fulfill the law in us by his Spirit
issuing of the bloud and posterity of the Woman and the Fathers and therefore to have been indeed begotten of the substance of Mary and to have taken true flesh By his office of Mediatourship The office of the Mediatour confirmeth the same The sinne of men in respect of Gods truth and justice could not be punished in any other nature than in a humane nature which should be of the same kind with ours But in the Mediatour which is Jesus Christ alone our sinnes were to be punished Therefore he must needs be true man who hath humane flesh not created of nothing or borne else-whence but sprung from the bloud of Adam as well as ours Moreover it was necessary for Christ not onely to take but also to retaine our nature for ever because God hath decreed to bestow and doth bestow the benefits which Christ by his death hath purchased for us by this man Christ upon them onely who are and remaine ingraffed into his masse and flesh as members into their head or branches into their Vine 1 Cor. 15.21 John 15.6 For since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and withereth Lastly It behooved Christ to be made and to continue our brother for ever that as he is flesh of our flesh so we also of the other side might be flesh and bones of his flesh and bones by the same spirit dwelling in us Ephes 5.30 John 5.56 Ephes 4.12 16. Rom. 8.11 We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Wherefore except Christ had indeed taken our nature without which he cannot be our brother we should lose that comfort ever needfull and necessary for us which consisteth in the brotherhood onely of Christ with us I am of his flesh and of his bones Object 1. The flesh of Adam that is humane flesh issuing from Adam by generation unto his posterity is sinfull The flesh of Christ is not sinfull Therefore the flesh of Christ is not the flesh of Adam Answ The Major proposition hath a fallacy of the accident For it is not necessary that of whatsoever the accident of a thing is denied of the same the thing also or subject of the accident should be denied because an accident doth so cleave to the thing wherein it is as it may be separated from it Sin is not of the nature of mans flesh but an accident only thereof Sin is not of the essence and nature of humane flesh for that was created pure of God but sin came otherwise by the defection and falling of our first Parents from God Seeing then the flesh of Adam is sinfull only by an accident it followeth that the flesh of Christ is onely in respect of that accident not the flesh of Adam but is as touching the substance the same flesh with the flesh of Adam Wherefore they deale like Sophisters who deny the flesh of Christ for that it is void of sinne to be the same in substance or essence or kind with the flesh of Adam For he that could in the beginning create humane flesh pure of nothing he is able also by his omnipotent power and speciall working so to form it of the substance of the Virgin being a sinner as withall to let and stop any issuing of sin thereunto that is to make it puâ—e and holy There is no new or strange thing therefore if the omnipotent Lord hath taken humane substance without the accident sinne into the unity of his person Wherefore this their argument shall be rather thus inverted The flesh of Adam is true flesh Christs flesh is the flesh of Adam and therefore Christs flesh is true flesh and by a consequent Christ is true man See the explication of the 35 Question of the Catechisme Object 2. That which is conceived and begotten of another is of the same substance with him The flesh of Christ was conceived of the holy Ghost Therefore the flesh of Christ is no creature but came downe from heaven issuing from the substance of God Answ There is a faâ—â—acy in the diverse understanding of the particle of For that in the Major signiâ—â—eth the matter or materiall cause in the Minor the efficient cause onely that is That which is conceived or begotten of another transfusing or passing his substance or part of his substance into the thing begotten this is of the same essence with him who begot it Christs flesh was conceived by the holy Ghost not that he transfused or passed his substance into flesh begotten but because in miraculous sort he formed in the Virgins womb of her substance the body of Christ so that it should not be contaminated or polluted with originall sin Object 3. In God are not two natures Christ is God Therefore there are not two natures in him Ans Meere particulars doe in force nothing For if the Major be taken universally it is false Whosoever is God in him are not two natures this generall proposition is false The Major therefore is true as touching God the Father and God the holy Ghost but not as touching God the Son incarnate Repl. 1. But nothing can be added unto God by reason of the great perfection and simplicity of his nature Christ is God Therefore the humanity could not be added to his divine nature Answ Nothing can be added to God by way of perfection that is whereby his essence may be changed and perfected but by way of copulation or union Now in that God the Word joyned the humane nature unto him personally there came no change or great perfection thereby to the Word which took it but to the nature which was taken Repl. 2. Humane nature cannot come unto him 1 Tim. 6. â—â— who dwelleth in the light that none can come unto Answ This is true if so God of speciall grace doth not assume and take it unto him Repl. 3. But it is ignominious for God to be a creature Christ-man is God Answ The changing of the God-head into a creature would have been ignominious and reproachfull unto the Word but that the God-head should be united unto a creature is most glorious unto God as who by that meanes hath demonstrated and made knowne his infinite both goodnesse and wisdome and justice and power to the whole world 2. Whether Christ be one person or moe IN Christ are two perfect natures whole and distinct and double properties also and operations naturall but one person which subsisting in both these natures divine and humane is truly designed by the concrete termes or voyces of both natures For it is requisite that one and the same should be Mediatour both by merit and by power or efficacy But they who make two persons make also two Christs with Marcion and Nestorius See Iren. Lib. 3. cap. 17. advers haeret The one a man passive and crucified the other God not crucified
whole space and time coming between the soules are live feele understand out of the body though the manner of their operations without the body be to us unknown Wherefore also this gift of immortality hath some similitude with God who alone 1 Tim. 6.16 as the onely fountaine and author of life hath immortality Lastly the resurrection of the flesh presupposeth the immortality of the soule so that we beleeve the one with the other For that the same body should rise againe necessary it is that it be quickned with the same substantiall forme it once injoyed which is the soule For not every change of an accidentary forme maketh another individuall but one and the same individuall still remaineth as long as one and the same matter is quickned with the same essentiall forme Now if the soule die and God create another soule and seat it in the body then not the same but a diverse forme quickneth the body and so it shall not be the same Individuall But it shall be the same Individuall as in the fifth of these questions it is proved Therefore it must needs be quickned with the selfe-same soule But furthermore Man should have lived immortally if he had not sinned Rom. 5.12 Rom. 6.23 Gen. 3.24 That man should have led a blessed life immortally and for ever not in soule onely but also in body if he had not purchased death and mortality unto himselfe by sinne is proved 1. Because by sinne death entered into the world as the wages of sinne 2. Because we being freed from sinne by Christ are also freed from death 3. Because God himselfe did withdraw from man being made by sinne subject unto death the signe or sacrament of immortality which was the fruit of the tree of life Wherefore their objections are nought worth who imagine the soule after death to sleep or vanish away Gen. 2.7 1 Cor. 15.45 For Adam is said to have been made a living soule not simply as these will have it like as other living creatures are termed in the same place living soules but as being made to the image and similitude of God which he hath not in common with other creatures Sundry places of Scripture alledged against the immortality of the soule interpreted according to their right sâ—nse and meaning Object 1. God saith In the day that thou eatest of the tree of knowledge of good and evill thou shalt die the death Answ He doth not threaten unto man the destruction or extinguishing of his soule but eternall death that is the horrible feeling and terrours of Gods wrath and judgement and to live forsaken and cast from God subject to all miseries and torments an adjoynt of which death is the separation of the soule and body which at that time through the mercy of God that mankind might be saved was deferred For so was Adam dead while yet he lived in Paradise according to Gods denouncement Genes 2.17 Ephes 2.5 Ephes 5.14 even as soone as he had eaten of the forbidden fruit So in eternall death live all the damned and reprobate Whose fire shall not be put out and their worme not die So they are said to be dead through sinne who live in sinne without repentance And he is willed to rise from the dead who is reclaimed from sin to God Rom. 7.10 11. and S. Paul saith he was dead through the knowledge of his sin and the wrath of God Object 2. The dead are said to sleep Acts 7.60 Ans But this is by a * Synecdoche figure of speech translating that which is proper unto the body to the whole man For that this belongeth to the body which is to be re-called from death to life as it were from sleep to wake again many places declare as Behold now I sleep in the dust For not the soul 1 Cor. 1â— 30 but the body only sleepeth in the dust and grave Object 3. The Preacher saith The condition of the children of men and the condition of beasts are even as one condition unto them Therefore there is no immortality of soule Ans 1. It is a fallacy concluding that which is in some respect so to be simply so Indeed the condition of both man and beast is equall as touching the necessity of dying imposed on both for men as well as beasts must needs once die and depart out of this life because men are not to continue here for ever but it is decreed that all must die and so they have here no setled place But the Preachers meaning is not that the condition of man and beast is all one concerning the event ensuing after death for the soules of beasts are extinguished and vanish away then when their bodies die but the souls of men as hath been proved by the fore-rehearsed testimonies remain alive after the death of their bodies Ans 2. We deny the Antecedent for the Preacher speaketh of mans death not as he himselfe thought of it in his own heart but as it seemeth in the sense and judgement of the wicked and profane vulgar sort of men built and grounded on the outward apparent likelihood of events betiding both the good and evill For to the doctrine of Gods providence and just judgement whereby one day the good shall be crowned with good things and the evill recompenced with evill to this I say he adjoineth by way of objection a lamentable complaint of mans erroneous judgement Object 4. Blessednesse and the kingdome promised to the godly is said then first to fall unto them at the last day Ans These places shew not Mat. 24.25 Mark 13. Dan. 12. that the souls of the godly do not presently when they depart from their bodies enjoy celestiall blessednesse and joy but that at the last day when their bodies are raised again their felicity and glory shall be consummated and made absolute for so we pray Thy kingdome come when yet God now also reigneth in us Object 5. He that is blessed and happy befâ—re the resurrection is not without the resurrection most miserable But wee without the resurrection should be of all men most miserable If in this life only we have hope we are of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15.9 Therefore we are not before the resurrection blessed and happy Ans to the Major Hee is not miserable without the resurrection who can not only before it but without it also be blessed But we are in such wise blessed before it that notwithstanding without it following and insuing we cannot enjoy that former blessednesse because God hath joyned with so inseparable a knot the beginning and proceeding and finishing or perfection of the elects blessednesse that none can have the beginning who must not come to the end and consummation thereof Wherefore either we must rise again or we must want also that celestiall blessednesse before the resurrection If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you
de veritate mat Art 26. q. 7. An. Christi 1270. The sufficiency of Christs merit is equally extended to all but not the efficacy thereof which comes to passe partly by free-will partly by Divine election by which the effect of Christs merits is conferred in mercy on some and in Gods just judgement it is with-drawn from some Idem in cap. 5. Apocal. We may speake two wayes of that Redemption which was performed by the suffering of God Either according to sufficiency and so his suffering redeemed all because he delivered all so far as concerned him for he is sufficient to save and redeeme all although there were infinite worlds as Anselme saith lib. 2. Cur Deus homo c. c. 14. or according to efficacy and so he redeemed not all by his suffering because all do not adhere to the Redeemer and therefore all have not the efficacy of redemption Peter Lombard l. 3. dist 22. Christ offered himselfe for all to God the Trinity in respect of the sufficency of the price but only for the Elect in respect of efficacy because he effected salvation only for the predestinated Peter Galatinus de arcanis Cathol veritatis l. 8. c. 14. on that place of Esay cap. 53. My just Servant shall justifie many Though the suffering of Christ is sufficient to blot away the sins of all men yet it was not to blot them all away but of those only who were to beleeve in him and were to repent for that cause he saith And he tooke away or â—are the sins of many IX Thus besides the Schoole-men the Orthodox Fathers also teach So Prosper Aquitanicus in the yeare of Christ 460. Resp ad object Vincent object 1. Whereas it is rightly said that our Saviour was crucified for the redemption of all the world for undertaking the affaires of humane nature and for the common losse in Adam yet it may be said that he died only for these to whom his death was profitable And Cyril on John l. 11. c. 19. saith That Christ is an Advocate for the sins of all the world that is not only for the Jews but also for other Nations or for all who being called by faith attaine to righteousnesse and sanctification so that the benefit of a Mediatour not without cause belongs only to them whose Mediatour and High-Priest he is X. But of all men Austin speakes most clearely whose opinion because it is altogether ours I thought to set in opposition to some Sycophants Thus he speaks If we consider * Tom. 1. ad Art falsò imp Art 1. the greatnesse and power of the price and that it belongs to the only cause of mankinde the bloud of Christ is the redemption of the whole world but they that passe out of this life without faith and the Sacrament of regeneration they are not partakers of redemption Whereas then by reason of that one nature of all and the one cause of all undertaken by our Lord truly all are said to be redeemed and yet not all are delivered from captivity doubtlesse the propertie of redemption is in them out of whom the Prince of this world is ejected and now they are no more the vessels of Satan but the members of Christ Whose death is not so spent upon mankinde that they also who are not regenerated should appertaine to his redemption but so that what by one example is done for all by a particular Sacrament should be celebrated in each one for that cup of immortality which was composed of our infirmity and of our verity and of divine verity it hath in it selfe that which may benefit all but if it be not drunke it doth not cure A monition of PHILIP PARRY to the Reader THis doctrine of the efficacy of Christs death D. Parry handled more at large in the first part of the golden Ladder of salvation where he wrote a particular Exercise of it As also in the Epitome of Arminianisme or The examination of the five Articles of the Remonstrants in the Netherlands As also in the Body of Christian doctrine to the 40. Question Edit posthumae Also Collegio 18. disp 23. of Christs death for all And lastly in that peculiar Speech which we placed among the Orations declaimed in the University Tom. 2. oper Theol. D. Parry In which Writings he defends and retaines that distinction of the Schoole-men and Ancient Fathers of sufficiency and efficacy with other Orthodox Divines But the good old man a little before his death when he understood that in the Provinciall Synod of Dort this was called into question unwisely by some brethren under Parries name and authority he began to think more seriously of it supposing that it was not altogether so necessary whereas without it these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or seeming contradictions of Scripture may seeme to be fitly reconciled XI We therefore with all our heart reject the Epicurean blasphemies of the late Pelagians namely Huberus Puccius and such like by which the foundation of Christian faith is utterly overthrowne as 1. That Christ so died for all men that by his death truly and undoubtedly all men are freed from all sin and condemnation whether they beleeve or not 2. That by Christs death God was reconciled to all mankind and that he hath truly received into his favour the whole race of mankinde whether they be Turks Jews or Epicures 3. And that he hath also received them to mercy who before his death were in hell For Huberus in his 66. These saith That Christ died effectually for them 4. That remission of sins is given equally to all Idem Thes 270. Puccius de â—ffiâ— pag. 7. Idem lâ—b MS. cap. 24. 5. That the pardon of sin is generall 6. That the Reprobates were as well saved by Christ as others 7. That all and every one by the bounty and universall grace of God the Father in Christ are saved 8. That as Christ was the Creator so he is the Redeemer of all and every one One Egge is not liker to another then Huberus is to Puccius they both build upon one foundation to wit upon the generall redemption pardon and salvation by Christs death without any particular faith from which notwithstanding Infidels fall away here is only the difference that what is covertly and sophistically spoken by Huberus is roundly professed by Puccius to wit Pelagianisme necessarily resulting thence as is shewed in Margarita Aurea that there is no originall sin seeing that by the power of Christs death all men and every one are borne as they are men according to Huberus as they are redeemed men according to Puccius in the state of grace and salvation saith he in the bosome and grace of God saith this and therefore in the state of blessednesse so they procure not their owne destruction by infidelity Let the Church yea let God judge betweene these two and betweene Osiander with what conscience he can deny that there is any controversie about this to wit
flesh and is equall to the Father by the nature of his divinity he died by the nature of his flesh and died not by the nature of his divinity This is the Faith and the Catholick Confession which the Apostles delivered the Martyrs confirmed and the faithfull hitherto maintaine How then darest thou who art most impious and infected with the poyson of Eutychian Heresie reprove Leo whilst out of the diversity of the actions of one Lord Christ he teacheth the truth of both natures that what he produceth to demonstrate both natures thou calumniates as if he professed two persons A Question proposed to DAVID PARRY By Mr. MOSES VASHARHELINUS Rector of the famous Schoole of PATACHIN in Hungary An. 1601. a. d. 14. August Gregor Whether God created all men for one end in Adam to salvation upon condition of keeping the Law I See here saith Mr. Moses that there is if not truly yet seemingly a contradiction among Writers Mr. Calvin saith l. 3. Inst c. 21. § 5. That all men were not created in the same condition Dr. Vrsinus quaest 6. Catech. affirmes That God created man that he might live for ever with him in blessednesse If this be so it seemes that mans fall is not subject to divine providence and that God did not attaine his end which he intended in the creation Piscator against Andrew Schaffman Propos 29. saith That God created all mankinde in one but not for one end And in the Question 37. to this argument of Schaffmans The Image of God was concreated holinesse and righteousnesse were to be propagated for which man both pleased God and by obeying his will which was then sound he was to be made partaker of eternall joy Piscator answereth That it is false that holinesse which was concreated should be propagated because it is true that by Gods Decree it was to be lost before our first Parents should propagate children for if an haire of our head cannot fall without the will of our heavenly Father how much lesse could that holinesse be lost without his will and providence Dr. Parrie's Answer You enquire Mr. Moses Whether God created all men in Adam for one end to salvation upon condition of observing the Law And of this Question you shew the different opinions of Authors If I say that I am willingly ignorant of this Question I shall not lye for it is fetched out of the secret closet of Gods hidden decrees having in it more quicknesse of wit then edification Yet I will tell you what I think of this matter If you consider it à priori I affirme that all were made for one end in Adam as the branches of the tree in the stock but with this condition if in the Image of God which was the beginning and a part of salvation Adam himselfe had stood and had propagated it to posterity or in it had propagated all men in it but because this condition was neither placed in the counsell of God nor was to be placed in the event à posteriori we are forced to deny except we will beleeve that God hath failed in his end or hath changed his counsell whereas it is apparent that many never attaine to salvation But to cut off all Sophistry so I state it Adam hath a double consideration one before his fall as the stock of mankinde potentially in him which was never to be brought into act for God as we are taught by the event not onely created man mutably good who being tempted might lose his uprightnesse before he did procreate but he decreed also to suffer him to be tempted to fall and to lose his righteousnesse before he did procreate which being granted he was not to procreate any men at all in this estate It is idle then to aske if God created all men to salvation in him which he did not decree them to procreate of him for causes hid in his manifold wisedome Then he is considered after his fall as the stock of mankinde actually when not onely by nature but also by divine disposition man was actually to procreate mankinde but such as himselfe was to wit evill and liable to the curse and to this belongs the present question as the whole decree of predestination about election and reprobation Now an answer out of Scripture and experience à posteriori may easily be given that as all men begotten of sinfull Adam do not aime at the same end but some at life others at death so all are not procreated of Adam to the same end and therefore all are not created of God to the same end Nor can it be said that they were created in lapsed Adam except we will utterly exclude God from creating man or make him idle in it or yeeld that he is frustrated of his intention Every man then is created to that end to which either by the pravity of his nature he is permitted to tend that is to death or to which by the meanes of grace in Christ he is directed that is to salvation For doubtlesse God did not idly see or fore-see that divorce which presently appeared amongst the sons of Adam Noah Abraham Isaac c. being by nature corrupted but what by grace he effected in time according to that Jacob have I loved Esau have I hated and Before the children were borne when they had not as yet done good or evill that the purpose of God might remaine firme according to election so he decreed from eternity You see the question neerely agrees with the doctrine of election of which therefore I will adde no more to avoid prolixity Calvin then saith well That all men are not created in the like condition to wit after the fall in respect of the end not of the estate for all men are borne alike in the same estate to wit all the sons of wrath for concerning the diversity of the end it is said of the elect He hath appointed us to salvttion c. 1 Thes 5.9 of the rest He made the wicked for the evill day When Vrsinus then saith That God created man to the end he might live with him in blisse for ever he must be understood conditionally so far as man should persevere in integrity the end therefore was conditionall not to be placed in Adam but in Christ if as it came to passe Adam had fallen and so Schaffman is to be understood That the holinesse which was concreated with Adam was to be propagated to all men to wit if Adam did not lose it before he did procreate all therefore he speakes truth conditionally but false absolutely which is that Piscator saith Thus briefly Mr. Moses of that great Question that you may have matter to thinke more at large although it becomes you and us all in this according to the Apostles rule Not to thinke of our selves more highly then we ought to thinke but to thinke soberly ANIMADVERSIONS UPON THE POSITIONS OF Dr. AEGIDIUS HUNNIUS Concerning the Hypostaticall Union by
His active filling of the Law 4. His passive obedience the question is Whether all these justices or some or the last onely be that thing by the imputation of which we are justified Some call this the matter others the forme of our justice I to be better understood will call it the matter This question hath drawne with it another concerning the forme of our justification whether remission of sins be the whole or onely the halfe of our justification And so far as I can remember this controversie began first to be in agitation amongst some Divines of Marchia about the yeare 64. then in the yeare 70. by the mediation of the University of Witteberg it was in some sort laid asleep or rather suppressed heretofore it was unknowne to the Reformed Churches neither is there any mention or dispute of it for ought I know in the writings of Luther Melancthon Zuinglius Calvin Martyr Musculus Hyperius or of the other Divines of this Age. But the simple doctrine of Scripture was received by consent of all to wit that we are justified by the death of Christ whereas by it we have remission of sins Now there are in a manner foure opinions which whilst I am writing I thinke of Lombard who rehearseth also foure opinions of his side Lib. 3. d. 19. concerning Justification he himselfe being ignorant what to thinke The first sort are they who will have all these foure justices of Christ at once to be imputed to us to them the matter of justification is the foure-fold righteousnesse of Christ the forme the quadripartite imputation yet this they reduce sometimes to two parts to wit the remission of sins by the death of Christ and the imputation of Christs righteousnesse divine humane active c. and the proper reason of these is that whole of Christ God and man is our Saviour King and Priest c. and that the dignity of Christs merit especially from the dignity of the person that is of the divinity hath its dependence Others will have the three latter justices of Christ to be the matter and the three-fold imputation of them to be the forme of justification And they teach that first is imputed to us the passive obedience to this end that we may not be unjust that is for remission of sins Secondly the active obedience for this end that we may be just that is to righteousnesse Thirdly the formall or as they call it the habituall sanctity for this end that we may be accounted holy that is to perfect holinesse The third sort make the two latter justices onely of Christ the matter of justification and the two-fold imputation of them the forme of justification All these three agree in this that they distinguish remission of sins and justification as the part and the whole sometime also as the integrall parts of the whole and the former they attribute to the death of Christ the latter to his active obedience they all likewise use the same arguments and words of Scripture of which I will briefly set downe the chiefest 1. As by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one many are made righteous Rom. 5. But Adams disobedience was active therefore we are justified by Christs active obedience 2. He was made obedient even to the death of the Crosse Phil. 2. Here is a two-fold obedience of Christ the one before death the other in death therefore both are imputed 3. God sent forth his Son made of a woman and made under the Law that he might redeeme those that were under the Law Gal. 4. Therefore the active fulfilling of the Law by Christ is imputed to us 4. He was made of God to us wisdome righteousnesse sanctification c. 1 Cor. 1. Therefore his justice and sanctity are imputed to us 5. The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus freed me from the law of sin and of death Rom. 8.2 Therefore the life of Christ or his active obedience is imputed to us 6. Whole Christ is our justice with which he justifieth us therefore whole Christ is imputed 7. Active justice cannot be excluded from Christs merit and from justification ergo it is imputed 8. The Law obligeth both to obedience and to punishment therefore it behooved Christ both to fulfill the obedience of the Law for us and also to suffer punishment 9. To whom the Law doth promise life such must we be by the grace of Christ that we may obtaine life the Law promiseth life not to them who transgresse not the Law but to them who fulfill it all but by the imputation of his passive obedience we are accounted indeed not unjust not sinners or not transgressors of the Law but we are not as yet accounted just or fulfillers of the Law for what is more vaine then to call him just who hath not fulfilled the Law Therefore not onely must his passive obedience be imputed to us for this that we may not be unjust or not transgressours of the Law but also his active for this that we may be just or fulfillers of the Law for he that in Christ is accounted for no sinner shall escape death but by what right shall he also sue for life unlesse he fulfill the whole righteousnesse of the Law in the same Christ 10. The sacrifice and death of Christ comfort us against the guilt and death eternall but his holinesse against our inherent impurity or the remainders of sin therefore the imputation of both is necessary for our consolation 11. Lastly the Catechisme of the Palatinate teacheth qq 60. and 61. that the perfect satisfaction justice and sanctity of Christ are imputed and given to us to be our justice and q. 36. that our Mediatour by his innocency and perfect sanctity covers our sins in which we were conceived lest they should appeare in the sight of God The same is found every-where in the Palatinate Directory I have faithfully set downe the arguments by which the former sort maintaine their opinions the fourth sort remaine who make Christs passive obedience onely our righteousnesse and define justification by remission of sins onely these make use chiefly of two arguments taken our of Scripture the one from the matter the other from the forme of justification The first is this The Scripture sheweth the whole matter of our righteousnesse to consist in the passion Crosse bloud and death of Christ therefore this onely is it for which we are justified They prove the Antecedent by testimonies of Scripture a Rom. 3.24 We are justified freely by redemption made in Christ Jesus whom God hath set as a propitiation by faith in his bloud b Rom. 5.9 We are justified by his bloud being reconciled by the death of his Son c 2 Cor. 5.21 Him who knew no sin be hath made sin that is a sacrifice for sin that we might become the righteousnesse of God in him d Gal. 3.13 He being
for all beleevers I beleeve Ergo he dyed and prayed for mee But they are too cold comforters who teach afflicted consciences thus to reason Christ dyed for all men I am a man Ergo he dyed for mee Why may not a Turk a dog or a hog wallowing in the mire conclude so O brave comforters and Preachers of Gods word for the maineâ—inew of Christian comfort is not to be a man but to be ingraffed into Christ Againe they object out of the Apostle That all are made alive in Christ 1 Cor. 15.22 as all dyed in Adam But if they will absolutely say that all are made alive in Christ Scripture and experience will refell them This is it then the Apostle saith that Christ gives life to all his owne as Adam brought death upon all his owne And he indeed by grace which is more but this by naturall propagation which is easier This sense of the Apostle is proved by the subsequent words for when he had said that all were made alive in Christ hee presently subjoynes Every one in his owne order Christ as the first-fruits afterward they that are Christs that is beleevers who are given to him by the Father and for whom he earnestly prayed to the Father Neither is Austins interpretation different from this De civit Dei l. 13. c. 33. therefore it is said that all are alive in Christ not as if all that die in Adam were members of Christ but because as no man except in his naturall bodie dyeth in Adam so no man in the spirituall bodie is quickned but in Christ Neither have they cause to object that by these meanes Adam is made stronger then Christ if he destroy more by death then Christ preserveth by his death and life They know not what they bark against Be it so that all who are lost in Adam are saved by Christ But this way grace shall not abound but will be onely equall to sin The power of both is not to be measured by the number of those who die or live but by the manner by which perdition and vivification are obtained or else by the greatnesle of the benefits received or lost It s an easie matter to wound but hard to cure according to the Proverb You shall sooner and with more ease destroy 600 men then save one You shall sooner tumble downe many men from off the bridge into the water then you can preserve one from drowning So it was more easie to undoe all mankind then to restore one man from destruction That Satan could doe Adam could doe but this none can effect except Christ Beasts or afflictions can hurt offend and kill men but it is in no mans power save onely in his who is the Creatour of all things â—o restore salvation and life eternall Therefore Christs death had been stronger then Adams though he had restored but one man to life Besides it is certaine and out of question that the good things we have by Christ doe as far excell those things which we lost by Adam as heaven and eternitie exceed terrene and transient blessings For Adam was earthly saith the Apostle Christ heavenly he was naturall this spirituall he ejected us out of an earthly Paradise this hath introduced us into an heavenly Mansion and hath crowned us with eternitie of happinesse Thus I suppose we have sufficiently demonstrated and defended that the fruit of Christs death and resurrection doth appertaine to all and onely to them who repent and by faith adhere to Christ A briefe Introduction to the Controversie of the Eucharist explaining the chiefe Questions that are controverted or not controverted among the Protestants By D. DAVID PARIE Foure generall Remembrances 1. LEt the younger sort remember to discriminate between the questions that concerne the ceremonies and rites of the Supper and questions of doctrine which is the Evangelicall promise annexed to the ceremonie 2. Let them learne also to put difference between questions controverted and not controverted whether of doctrine or of ceremony 3. Let them know that the controversies about the ceremony are of lesse consequence and may for the most part yea should with moderation be decided or agreed upon according to the circumstances of time place and people but alwaies to edification 4. Let them know that there are three chiefe questions of the doctrine of the Supper not controverted and so many controverted to which all others may be easily reduced Of both I will briefly give some hints to young Divines Three uncontroverted Questions concerning the doctrine of the Supper 1. What the Supper of the Lord is All Protestants agree in this that the Lords Supper is a Sacrament of the New Testament instituted by Christ in which bread and wine being taken the true bodie and bloud of Christ is also received so that there is sealed to the faithfull the communion of Christ and of his benefits 2. What be the ends and uses of the Supper instituted by Christ All Protestants consent in this that this receiving confirmes the faith of the promises of grace both because this is the common use of Sacraments as also because Christ said of this Sacrament 1 Cor. 11.26 Doe this in remembrance of mee And This cup is the new covenant in my bloud Therefore they consent in this that the holy Supper is the commemoration of our Lords death untill he come according to the Apostles admonition 3. What is exhibited and received in the Lords Supper In this also the Protestants agree that bread and wine is received by the mouth and bodie the bodie and bloud of our Lord with all his benefits are taken by a faithfull heart I say the Protestant Divines agree in these but as for contentious pratlers they neither agree in these nor in any thing else whose brawlings should not measure mens judgements concerning the consent or controversies of the Protestant Churches The three controverted Questions be these Quest 1. What the union of the signe and thing signified is in the Lords Supper Whether transubstantiation or consubstantiation or else a mysticall relation To these the answer shall be in three Propositions two whereof shall be negative and one affirmative Proposition 1. The signe and the thing are not united by transubstantiation that is by such a mutation which turnes the substance of the signes into the substance of the things the bare accidents remaining Reason 1. From Christs words This is my body He said not Be this or Let this be made my bodie Reas 2. Bread in the Scripture is called bread in the action before and after the action Reas 3. The orthodox Fathers retaine bread in the Supper and when they speak hyperbolically of changing of the bread they will be understood sacramentally as Theodoret Dial. 1. Christ would have those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 causa est sacramentis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who receive the Sacraments not to be intent upon the nature of the things which are seen but