our libâ—rtie to enter into the most holy place that is to come vnto God proceedeth from the bloud of Iesus Hebr. chap. 10. ver 19. which summarily seemeth to be expressed by the Apostle in that saying Hebr. chap. 5. ver 9. And being consecrate he was made the Authour of eternall salavtion c. By which saying it is manifest that Christ is not the Authour of righteousnes or life to vs but by his consecration that is by his death For therein did his consecration consist as is manifest Hebr. chap. 2. vers 10. and therefore is he said Hebr. chap. 10. ver 14. to have consecrate vs for ever by that one offering wherein consisted his owne consecration And for this same cause is it that the Apostle Hebr. chap. 9. 17. sayeth That the Covenant or Testament is coufirmed when men are dead and that it is yet of no force as longe as he that made it is alive Thereby evidently witnessing that no blessing promised of God in the covenant of grace is made ours but by the death of Christ So that whatsoever went before his death could no wise make the Covenant of God of any force or effect vnto vs. Thus neither in respect of tyme assigned of God vnto the Priestes for entring into their office neither in respect of the Priestlie actions ordayned to bee accomplished by them for reconciliation of the people and expiation of sinne can any thing in Christ before the 30. yeare of his age bee accompted a Priestlie action of expiation neither any action after except onely the offering of him selfe and enteringe with his owne bloud into the heavens for vs all whose names hee carried in that action before the Lorde whom by vertue of his bloud he bringeth vnto God Thus have we shewed such things as in the worde of God doe seeme to exclude all things from the matter of our righteousnes except the blood and death of Christ alone Of which opinion it appeareth evidently that Calvin was if his minde bee wel marked in his owne writings in the third book of his institutions Chap. 11. Secti 4. 11. 21. 22. Where 4. things are expreslie set down by him making all to this purpose The 1. is That righteousnes is simplie opposed vnto guiltines The 2. is That he affirmeth the manner of our reconciliation to be expressed in the words of the Apostle when he saith That Christ who knew no sinne was made sinne for vs. 2. Cor. 5. 21. The 3. is That in that place he affirmeth reconciliation to signifie nothing but iustification The 4. is Touching the place of David Psal 32. cited by the Apostle Rom. 4. In the which he plainiy affirmeth that neither David nor the Apostle doeth speake of one parte only of our iustification but of the whole And therfore addeth that seeing the blessednes of a man which hee taketh to signifie righteousnes is said by the Prophet and Apostle to consist in remission of sinnes there is no reason why we should define it otherwise By which sentence hee plainly cuts away the ground of these men whereon they build their evasion When they are vrged out of that and such other places to acknowledge that full righteousnes consists in remission of sinnes only For to maintayne the imputation of Christs actuall obedience they alledge that vnto eternal life it is not sufficient to have all iniquitie pardoned That is as they interprete it to be innocent but that it is requisit beside the remission of sinnes to have righteousnes which they accompt to come by the imputation of Christ actuall obedience Therfore when these places are aledged wherein blessednes and iustification is only attributed to the death of Christ and only placed in remission of sinnes they answere that these places are synecdochically to be vnderstood As though a parte of righteousnes were put for the whole in which Calvin sheweth himselfe plainly to disagree from them by affirming the direct contrary Thus they who seeme to be followers of Calvin in this point are deceyved CHAPTER XXV NOW it followeth that we speake of these things which are required in Christ to the end that in his bloud hee may be righteousnes vnto vs. For albeit without shedding of bloud there be no remission of sinnes yet many things are required both in the bloud that is shed and in the action of shedding it before it can serve vnto the remission of sinnes First them to speake of the bloud it must needes bee better then the bloud of Goats of Lambes of Bullocks or all the sacrifices of the Law For although the similitude of heavenly things bee purified with the bloud of such sacrifices yet heavenly thinges them selves must be purified with greater and better sacrifices then these Hebr. chap. 9. vers 23. and that because the bloud of those sacrifices which were offered according to the Lawe can never make holy concerning the conscience him that doeth the service To trie then what bloud it must bee First the bloud of a man is better then the bloud of a beast and that it must bee the bloud of a man it is cleere by the holy scripture For he which sanctified and they which are sanctissed must be all of one Heb. chap. 2. 11. And as by one man sinne entered into the worlde so by one man rigreousnes is brought in the world therefore is it saide that IESVS for a little space was made lower then the Angels that by the grace of God he might taste of death for vs all Hebr. chap. 2. ver 9. for the iustice of God requireth that sinne be punished in that nature that hath committed it But yet this is not sufficient to make that bloud that is shed righteousnes vnto vs. For the bloud of a sinner caÌ„ never recoÌ„cile a sinner vnto God and he that hath need to offer sacrifice for his owne sin caÌ„ never by his bloud purge any other man froÌ„ sinne therfore it is requisit not only that it be the bloud of a man but moreover that it be the bloud of a iust maÌ„ in whom there is no iniquitie And this is declared plainly by the types of the law in the which no vncleane thing could be offred for sinne neither behoved there to bee spott or wrinckle or blemish in the Lambe as is cleerly seene in the commaundement of God Levit. chap. 22. ver 20. Yee shall not offer any thing that hath a blemish for that shall not bee acceptable for you According to which lawe it is said of Christ that he offered vp him selfe without fault vnto God Heb chap. 9. vers 14. And the Apostle Peter sayeth That Christ suffered once for sinne the iust for the vniust 1. Epist chap. 3. ver 18 And againe That we are redeemed by the precious bloud of Iesus Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot Neither is this yet sufficient to make the bloud that is shed to be righteousnes before God but more is required in
predestinate and according thereto effectually called Secondly that those who are so called that is according to Gods purpose or foreknowledge doe remayne sure and never can so fall away from grace and from the trueth of God that they should erre frō the marke But heere it is not my purpose to speake more of the persons that are ordayned because heereafter we wil have occasion at greater length to entreat of them The second thing in the substance of Gods Decree to be considered of vs is that wherevnto they are ordeyned which by the Apostle is called Adoption that is sonneship or filiation When he sayeth he hath predestinated vs vnto adoption which benefire implieth all the rest which consist in these things whereof we are made partakers in the sonne of God to make vs conforme to his Image both in death and life in suffering and reigning with him Which as we haue said appeareth evidently by that other description of predestinatiō set downe in the 8 chap. to the Rom. where it is said that he hath predestinated vs to be made like to the Image of his Sonne Whereby it is evident that the thing whereto first and principally we are predestinate is to be sonnes by adoption and secondarily in and vnder that adoption we are by infallible consequent predestinate to bee made like vnto the only Sonne of God For first we are made Gods sonnes in his sonne then we are made like Gods sonne in his sonne for the conforming of vs vnto Christ succeedeth not only in order but also in some respect in time vnto our being sonnes in him according to that saying of Iohn in his 1. Epist chap. 3. vers 2. We are now the sonnes of God but yet it is not made manifest what we shal be and we knowe that when hee shal be made manifest we shal be made like him for we shall see him as he is And to the same effect speakes the Apostle to the Colossians chap. 3. vers 3. and 4. saying That we are dead and that our life is hid with Christ in God and when Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glorie For this ground is to be well marked that the likening of vs who are made sonnes in Christ requireth necessarily the manifestation of Christ vnto vs to goe before in the same blessings wherein we are to be made like vnto him For as to make vs sonnes by adoption requireth necessarily the revelation of Iesus Christ as the sonne of God vnto vs so the conforming of vs vnto him either in death or life requireth necessarily that he be manifested to vs in his death and crosse and in his life and glorie Therefore doth Peter in his 1. Epist chap. 1. vers 13. ascribe the bringing of all grace to vs vnto the revelation of IESVS Christ saying Trust perfectly in that grace which is brought vnto you in the revelation of Iesus Christ And of this it commeth to passe that in this present life we are in some measure made like vnto Christ in the communion of the benefites flowing from his death and suffering and his resurrection from the death because he hath alreadie appeared to vs in these things But in this life we are not neither shal be made like vnto him in his glorie which followeth the resurrection frō the dead because in that we cannot be made conforme vnto him vntill that he appeare vnto vs againe in glorie but we rest in full assurance of it because of our conformitie in his death alreadie begunne For as sayth the Apostle Rom. 6. 5. If we haue bene planted with him vnto the similitude of his death we shall also be planted with him to the similitude of his resurrection And this assurance made the Apostle Paul to labour above all things to know Christ and the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings in being made conforme to his death Phil. 3. 10. because as in the same place he declareth by that cōformitie vnto his death he did know that he should attayne vnto the resurrection from the dead that is the glorious and immortall estate in all perfection which the Saints doe enioy in the resurrection from the dead In respect of this ground it is that first principally as we haue said we are predestinate vnto adoption as vnto that wherein Christ is first of all to be manifested vnto vs and in the communion whereof is builded and grounded our communion with him in all other things wherein he is heereafter to be revealed vnto vs to this ende that we may bee made like vnto him This is one of the mayne pointes chiefly to be marked in the consideration of the substance of Gods Decree Which not being rightly conceyved maketh that not onely the Decree of God it selfe is mistaken by many but also that the benefites of God in Christ are both wrongly defined and ordered and specially the benefite of Iustification as heereafter wee will see more cleerly CHAPTER IIII THE third thing to bee marked in the substance of Gods Decree is the Meane whereby we are to attayne vnto that wherevnto we are predestinate that is whereby God hath ordayned vs to be Adopted which is Iesus Christ according as the description of predestination contayneth when it fayeth That we are Predestinate to be adopted through Iesus Christ Of which point for avoyding idle repetition we will not speake much vntill we come to the second of these foure points which we haue propounded to be considered because vnto it it properly belongeth onely these two things we are to marke by the way First that Iesus Christ is not the cause why but the Meane whereby God doth ordayne vs to adoption Which will more clearly appeare when we speake of the cause mooving God to predestinate vs. The second thing that we haue to marke is that all other secondary Meanes whereby in the Scriptures we are said to be made sonnes or iustified c. as namely the Gospell preached the Sacramentes faith are no wayes to be esteemed Meanes simply in respect of them selves but only by relation and reference to Christ in and by them revealed offered and receyved Which is most evident by the description aforesaide of predestination in the which nothing saving Christ alone is set downe to be the Meane whereby God ordayneth vs to be adopted so that it is not the word but Christ revealed by the word neither the Sacraments but Christ signified by the Sacramentes nor faith but Christ receyved by faith which in proper sense maketh vs sonnes and iustifieth vs. They only by consequence and mediatly being said in Scripture to make vs sonnes and Iustifie vs c. because they are the meanes appointed of GOD whereby we atteyne vnto Christ who is the onely proper and immediate meane whereby we are Adopted and Iustified c. Neither are they appointed mediate Meanes absolutely necessarie vnto our adoption and iustification
Christ onely who being ordeyned of God the Meane of al his mercie to Mākinde he commeth in as Mediatour betweene God vs in all things decreed of God for vs so as we are to expect nothing of all that is decreed concerning the vessels of honour whether it bee in making of vs sonnes or making vs cōforme to the Image of his Sonne in righteousnes and glorie but only in and through Iesus Christ our Lord in whom alone all the promises of God are yea and amen For he is the first borne among all the sonnes of God and the beginning and first begotten of the dead for it is the Fathers will that in all things hee have the praeeminence Rom. chap. 8. ver 29. Col. chap. 1. ver 18. Thus albeit God in him selfe and of him selfe ordayne vs to great dignitie and manifold vnspeakeable blessings yet this honour doeth he reserve vnto his only begotten sonne that of all these blessings we shall enioye none except in through him onely so that it is true that we are ordayned to nothing without Christ but not in that deceitfull sense whereby the mindes of many are deluded as though he were the cause why GOD doth ordeyne vs to adoption The Scripture teacheth vs farre otherwise distinguishing betwixt the cause why God decreeth vs to adoption and the cause why he ordeyneth vs to this adoption through Christ onely Setting downe the cause of the Decree to be his owne will good pleasure in him selfe And declaring the cause why he ordeyneth vs to be adopted through Christ to be this that Christ might be the first borne among manie brethren and that he might have the praeeminence in all things wherevpon it followeth that albeit he be not the cause why we are ordeyned to adoption yet notwithstanding seeing it is Gods will to performe towards vs his gracious purpose and good pleasure of his wil only in and through Christ that of necessitie we must first enioy him before we can enioy any thing of that that is decreed And therefore it was the Fathers will that in him should all fulnes dwell Coloss chap. 1. vers 19. That out of his fulnes we all should receyve Iohn chapt 1. vers 16. And for this same cause is it said That God hath made him wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption and that vnto vs 1. Corinth chapt 1. verse 13. For whatsoever God hath made Iesus Christ the Mediatour he hath made him that for our cause so that the love of God to vs and the good pleasure of his wil towards vs is the cause why Christ is made of God the meane of our salvation And therefore in the consideration of Gods Decree Christ as Mediatour commeth in order after the consideration of that wherevnto we are ordayned although in the executiō and performāce of Gods Decree Christ in vs must goe before all other things ordayned for vs for that is the nature of all Meanes which are subordinate to that whereof they are appointed to be Meanes Thus God first in order purposeth and decreeth what to doe to vs and secondly by what Meanes but when hee performeth his Decree he first prepareth the Meanes and then accomplisheth thereby his purpose and decree towardes vs. For if the Lord had never ordayned vs that are men to bee made his sonnes he had never ordayned his sonne to bee made a Man this is cleere by the Apostles speech wherein he declareth the cause why the sonne of God did take mans nature vpon him Hebr. chap. 2. ver 14. saying For asmuch therefore as the children were partakers of flesh and blood even he likewise tooke part with them And thereafter shewing the cause why not only he tooke our nature◠but also did take it with the same infirmities sinne only except wherewith our nature is indued he vseth these speeches For it became him in all thinges to be made like to his brethren Hebrewes chap. 2. vers 17. according to which grounde it is saide in another place That God sent his Sonne in the flesh in the similitude of sinnefull flesh Roman chap. 8. vers 3. This point is evidently cleare by the same Apostles speech Galath chap. 4. verses 4. and 5. when hee sheweth the ende wherefore God sent his sonne in the flesh saying VVhen the fulnes of tyme was come God sent foorth his owne Sonne made of a woman c. that we might receyve the adoption Letting vs see that in Gods execution hee giveth vs the adoption to the which he ordayned vs by the same Meane thorough the which he ordayned to give it vs. Thus we may see evidently that that parte of Gods Decree touching the Meane of our adoption doeth in order of Decreeing depende vpon the former parte touching the adopting of vs but in order of performing the sending of Christ made of a woman and made vnder the Law and made righteousnes sanctification and redemption c. doth goe before our adoptiō For he was not made the cause of eternall salvation to his owne till he was perfited Hebr. chap. 5. vers 9. For which cause the Apostle sayeth Hebr. chap. 2. vers 10. when hee gives the reason why he was made to taste of death That Christ being to bring many children to glorie it became him for whom are all these things and by whom are all these thinges to perfite or to consecrate the Prince of their salvation through afflictions This shall be yet more cleare if wee consider who it is that is appointed the Meane of our adoption that is not the Father nor yet the holy Ghost but the Sonne only and that because hee onely is that vnto the which wee are ordayned For this grounde we must holde that what so ever wee are made by grace it must firste bee in GOD him selfe and then made ours by our communion and fellowship with GOD. Now this blessing of sonne-shippe which is ordeyned vnto vs is no propertie of the Father nor yet of the Holy Ghost but of the seconde person onely who by that propertie is distinguished both from the Father and from the Holy Ghost and therefore although the Father and the Holy Ghost doe with the Sonne not onely ordeyne vs to adoption but also adopt vs yet they neither ordeyne vs to adoption neyther doe adopt vs through any but the Sonne alone for the Father and the Holy Ghost are not the Sonne neither can be because their personall properties are incommunicable howsoever their naturall properties bee common yea one and the same in all three because the nature of all three is most simply one and the same Of which it commeth to passe that we being adopted thorough Christ and so consequently called to the communion of Christ in that which he is by subsisting that is sonnes wee are also made partakers of the Divine nature as sayeth the Apostle Peter that is we are made like to all three in that which they are by nature for all three have but
hatred the blotting out of the hand-writinge which was against vs the removinge of the partition wall and abolishinge of all Principalities and Powers and all our spirituall enimies is still attributed vnto his crosse And therefore the whole worde of the Gospell is called the worde or preachinge of the Crosse first Corinth chapt 1. vers 18. And the speciall thinge which the Apostle respected in preaching nothinge but Christ and him crucified and why Christ will not have the Gospell preached in wisedome of wordes is that the Crosse of Christ may not bee made of none effect 1. Corinth chap. 1. vers 17. Which should make vs all to take heed vnto our selves in layinge downe any other grounde except the death of Christ or ioyning any other thing vnto the death of Christ in the matter of our righteousnes least wee make his death and crosse of none effect The fourth grounde which seemeth cleerlie to confirme this pointe is the argument which the Apostle vseth Hebr. chapter 10. ver 18. conteyned in these wordes VVhere there is remission of sinnes there is no more oblation for sinne By which argument hee both proveth the ineffectuallnes of all the sacrifices of the Law and the eternall vertue of the death of Christ vnto the remission of sinnes By which argument of the Apostle it seemeth necessarilie to followe that in nothing which is in Christ himselfe before his death consisteth the remission of our sinnes and so consequentlie our righteousnes For where remission of sinnes is there is no more offeringe for sinne Therefore if in Christes actuall obedience or in his habituall righteousnes there had beene remission of sinnes originall and actuall as it behoved to bee if they bee imputed to vs for righteousnes surely the death of Christ is needlesse For to what ende should Christ have bene delivered to death for our sinnes as sayeth the Apostle Rom. chapt 4. vers 25 or to what ende should hee haue beene offered for the takinge away of sinne as hee is saide to bee Hebr. chap. 9. vers 26. 28. if so be that all our iniquities both originall and actuall be pardoned in his preceeding actuall obediende Surely it seemeth that this opinion would have made Christ to die without a cause For where it is aledged that he was offred to remove the punishment of our sinne it seemeth to conteyne a double contradiction to Gods truth For first it is manifest by the Scriptures that he was offred not only to deliver vs from the curse and punishment but also from sinne it selfe Secondly it seemeth to impugne the iustice and righteousnes of God who never punisheth where guiltines is taken away For death is the reward of sinne Therefore where sinnes are removed death can not bee inflicted For where there is no sinne there is no death And therefore sayeth the spirit of God that where remission of sinnes is there is no more sacrifice for sinne According to which saying either Christs death and suffring vpon the crosse is no sacrifice for sinne or then there was no remission of sinne before either in his habituall righteousnes or actuall obedience or any other thing whatsoever Thus the very offring of Christ for sinne secludes all things preceeding whatsoever from all vertue or efficacie of purging sinne and removing of iniquitie For as witnesseth the same Apostle Heb. chap. 10. vers 2. 3. Where there is a new remembrance againe of sinnes they have never bene formerly taken away An therefore seeing in Christs death there is a new remembrance of sinnes againe it cannot bee that they were ever taken away by any thing preceeding his death For otherwise Christ should not have bene offred Because that the offerers beeing once purged have from that tyme forth no more conscience of sinnes Heb. chap. 10. vers 2. The first ground which serveth to cleere this point is set downe by 1. Ep. Ioh. chap. 1. vers 7. where he sayth that the bloud of Iesus Christ purgeth vs from all sinne which wordes importe playnlie that it is a needles and vnnesseccary thing to adde any thing to the death of Christ in the matter of our righteousnes For if it alone performe the whol worke of our iustification it is an idle curiositie and a fruitles contention when men contend for any other thing to bee ioyned in this worke with it But these wordes of the Apostle doe plainly manifest that the bloud of Christ alone accomplisheth our iustification For whatsoever purgeth vs from all sinne must needes accomplish our righteousnes and fully iustifie vs both from originall and actuall sinne therefore it must needes holde that in his bloud consisteth the full matter of our righteousnes For nothing that contayneth not full and perfect righteousnes can possibly cleanse vs from all sinne Moreover by this sentence of Iohn it would appeare that the opinion of those men who put a difference betwixt an innocent man and a iust man hath no soliditie at all nor any warrant in Gods trueth if we compare the saide sentence with the wordes of David Psalm 32. repeated by the Apostle Rom. 4. in the which The man whose sinnes are pardoned is pronounced to be blessed By which wordes it is manifest that vnto eternall blessednes it is sufficient to have remission of sinnes which could not be true if after remission of sinnes which is alleadged to be by imputatiō of Christes actuall obediēce and fulfilling of the Lawe men should yet be in dāger of punishment vntill Christ did die for thē For hovv can he be blessed that still is liable to punishment vnder the sentence of death Therefore either remission of sinnes maketh not a man blessed or then remission of sinnes must onely cōsist in the bloud of Christ seeing as saith the Apost Heb. ch 2. ver 15. we are not delivered from the feare of death but by the death of Christ only by whose stripes onely wee are healed By the same reason it is evident that by Christs actual obedience there can be no remission of sinnes seeing in the cōfession of those that are of that opinion by that obedience men are not exempt from punishment and so cannot be said to be blessed Besides this opinion doth flatly contradict the trueth For the Scriptures placeth righteousnes in the remission of sinnes and vnto life it requireth no more but righteousnes For the iust by faith shall live Moreeover innocencie before God cannot preceede righteousnes For as the Lord holdeth not the wicked innocent so by the contrarie he holdeth him that is righteous to be innocent therefore betwixt a sinner and a iust man there can be no mid dell estate and condition of a man before God Except we will place a middest betwixt righteousnes sinne and a middell condition betwixt heaven and hell in the world to come For as heaven is for iust men and hell for wicked men the same iustice of God requireth that there bee a middell condition for such as are betwixt both
therefore doeth the Apostle say Rom. chap. 11. ver 7. that the Election hath obtayned it to shew vs that the cause of obtayning the promise all blessings therein contayned dependeth neither vpon Christ as Mediator nor vpon Man but vpon the Lords free choice who giveth Christ for whō and to whom he will and therefore is Christ him self called the gift of God Iohn chap. 4. ver 10. and Iohn chap. 3. ver 16. because even he is given vnto vs of grace according as the words of Iohn declare manifestly saying God so loved the world that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne And although all power bee given vnto Christ both in heaven and earth yet in dispensing of life he is limited by the Fathers will and therefore saith him selfe that al power is given him to this end that he may give eternal life not to all simply and indifferently but to all that the Father hath given him Iohn chap. 17. vers 2. And that because such is the Fathers will as Christ him self witnesseth Ioh. cha 6. ver 39. This is the will of my Father that sent me that of all which hee hath given me I should loose none and the reason why hee restrayneth his dispensation of life vnto the Fathers will whose will and pleasure is that he should save only those whom he had given vnto him is declared by Christ him self in the verse immediately preceeding saying I am come downe from heaven not that I should doe myne owne will but the will of him that sent me which wordes plainly teach vs that the dispensation of life dependeth not vpon the will of Christ as he is Mediator much lesse vpon the will of Man but only vpon the good wil pleasure of God And this is cleere in all the blessings bestowed vpon vs in Christ of al the meanes which God grants vs to bring vs to the communion of the blessings which all are said in scripture to be according to the will of God and to be given vs freely by grace as namely the revelation of the mysterie of godlines Eph. chap. 1. ver 9. preachers to reveale it Eph. cha 3. ver 7. c. and Gala. chap. 1. ver 15. 16. also the benefit of our calling 2. to Timot. chap. 1. vers 9. also our beleeving and by faith assenting to the calling of God 1. to the Corint cha 12. ver 9. 11. and Ephe. chap. 2. ver 8. Phil. chap. 7. ver 29. and 2. chap. ver 13. Rom. chap. 11. ver 7. Ioh. chap. 6. ver 36. 37. and 44. 45. and Math. chap. 11. vers 25. 26. and Mat. chapt chap. 13. ver 11. Also the gift of perseverance 1. to the Corinthi chapt 1. vers 8. 9. and Iohn chap. 10. verses 28. 29. and 1. Epist of Iohn chapter 2. vers 27. and chapter 3. vers 9. 1. to the Corinthians chapter 15. vers 57. and 58. 1. epist to the Thess chap. 5. ver 23. 24. and 2. epist to the Thessal chapter 16. verse 17. and I eremy chap. 31. vers 32. 33. and chap. 32. ver 40. so forth of all the remanent benefites of God and namely of our Iustification for we are iustified freely by grace And therefore even the righteousnes of Christ whereby we are iustified is said to be the gift of God that of free grace Rom. chap. 5. vers 15. 16. 17. For of whatsoever worth vertue value the satisfaction made by Christ be of in Gods sight far exceeding al vnworthines and weaknes of all mankinde yet it is no farther extended nor given to any moe but such as is the good will pleasure of God Neither is it contrarie vnto this that all the blessings of God are said to be in Christ and we said to be blessed with all spirituall blessings in him For neither he nor they in him are made ours for any cause either in him or vs but onely by the will good pleasure of God which is manifest by the saying of the Apostle Ephe. chap. 1. ver 6. which is That God by his grace hath freely made vs acceptable to him selfe in his beloved Sonne Which wordes doe evidently witnes that although GOD give vs no blessing but in Christ yet the cause moving God is only his owne grace and good pleasure which excludes all other cause whatsoever either in Christ or in vs. Neither is this to be vnderstood of the benefites themselves onely but also of their measure which also dependeth wholy vpon the purpose and good pleasure of Gods will Which is cleare by the speech of Christ in the 20. chapt of Math. ver 23. And Marke chap. 10. ver 40. where he sayeth To sit at my right hande and at my left hande is not myne to give but to whom it is prepared of my Father Moreover this is not onely to be vnderstood of the blessinges them selves and of their measure but also of all the circumstances concerning their dispensation Which wholy depend vpon the will of God who hath assigned the seasons which were ordeyned before and the bounds of mens habitatiō Act. chap. 17. vers 26. And who hath put the times and seasons in his owne power Actes chap. 1. vers 7. and hath appointed a day of grace to every one that shal be called Hebr. chap. 3. ver 13. and 15. and Hebr. chap. 4 vers 7. 8. and 9. so that the reason that one is called from the wombe another in his mid-age another in the houre of his death why the Gospell is salvation first vnto the Iewes and next vnto the Gentiles why Christ did come at such a time died at such a time and the Gentiles not called till such a time is the onlie appointmēt of Gods will who as saith the Apostle Ephe. chap. 1. vers 11. Doth all things according to the counsell of his owne will Thus it is manifest that not onely the blessings in Christ the measure of them but all circumstances of these blessings either in respect of persons place time or maner doe depend wholie vpon the counsell of Gods will CHAPTER VII IT resteth now thirdly that we trye the truth of this same ground in the third point of the substance of Gods Decree that is in the Meane whereby we are predstinate vnto adoption which is Iesus Christ of whom it is manifest in the Scriptures that he is the Meane of our happines by the same will of God as is evident by the Apostle Coloss chap. 1. vers 19. 20. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnes dwell and by him to reconcile all things to him selfe making peace by the blood of his crosse For first there was no cause in Christ why hee should haue beene made Man and sinne for Man Secondly there was no cause nor reason in vs which could move the Father to give him to the death for vs or which could move him to become our brother and to lay down his life
Rom. chap. 11. vers 16. If the first fruites be holy so is the whole lumpe And this is that which the Apostle will signifie when hee sayeth that Christ is the beginning first be gotten of the dead that in all things he might have the preeminence Coll. chap. 1. vers 18. Revel chap. 1. ver 5. As also when he sayeth that Christ was made the first fruites of them that sleepe 1 Corinth chap. 1. vers 20. this same thing doth the Apostle declare in the 8. to the Romanes When hee sheweth the reason why God hath predestinate vs to bee made like to the Image of his Sonne which is that he might bee the first borne amongst many Brethren For his prerogative in birth is made manifest by this that in his consecration we are consecrated according as sayeth the Apostle Hebr. chap. 10. vers 14. with one offring hath he consecrated for ever those that are sanctified Thus the very lawe of God doth teach vs that as the first borne Male did consecrate all the rest of the same wombe that is brethren begotten of the same parents and no other and every first ripe fruite of every mans ground and in heritance did consecrate to God the remanent fruite of the same ground and inheritance and no other eaven so Iesus Christ is consecrate for none but for his brethren and none are consecrate by him who are not brethren with him For it is not his oblation that maketh brotherhood but it is brotherhood that maketh his oblation Wherevpon it must follow that seeing Christ must first be our Brother before he redeeme vs that we also must first be adopted before we bee iustified This same the Lord would seeme to declare by the lawe of redemption which he established in Israel whereby all right of redemption is given to the neerest kinsman As also by the law touching the prerogative of the first borne whereby he is made Lord amongst his brethren but amongst none other by which it appeareth cleerly that brotherhood is both the ground and limitation of Christs office both as Redeemer and Head of the Church and this same brotherhood is the ground of all right that we can pretend vnto the death or life of Iesus Christ ourhead CHAPTER XII THE third ground serving to cleere the order of the blessings of God is the difference betwixt the order of Gods dispensation and our perception or sense of his benefites For that is not alwayes formost in order of dispensation which is first perceyved by our sense for in our conception of Gods benefites we ascend from the later in order to the former Gathering the knowledge and certeintie of the blessings going before by the sense and feeling of those which follow after Hereof we have many examples in Scripture For as Christ teacheth vs it is with every man that is borne of the Spirit as it is with him who heareth the sound of the wind blowing but cannot tell whence it commeth nor whither it goeth Iohn cha 3. vers 8. Thereby informing vs that the man begotten of God knoweth neither from whom the working of the Spirit is nor yet what is the end of it at the first vntill afterward that the effects following manifest both the Author the worke and the end thereof According to which Iohn sayeth 1 Epist chapter 1. vers 6. By this we know we have fellowship with God because we walke in the light and againe by keeping his commandements we know that we know him and yet surely wee must have fellowship with him and knowe him before wee either walke in the light or keepe his commandements So also by confessing that Iesus is the Sonne of God we know that God abideth in vs we in him as saith the same Apostle Ephe. chap. 1. ver 15. yet God must be in vs by his spirit we in him before we can give any such confession for no man can doe so much as call Iesus Lord but speaking by the spirit 1. Corint chap. 12. ver 3. Likewise it is said that we know that God loveth vs because we love him and yet as saith the same Apostle we love him because he loveth vs first 1. Epistle chap. 4. vers 19. For the former blessings lying in our heartes vnperceyved are made manifest vnto vs by these effects following For as Iohn sayeth Heereby do we perceyve Gods love to vs by giving his sonne for vs 1. Epistle chap. 4. ver 9. For the love of God towardes vs which did goe before as the cause is not perceyved of vs but by the giving of his sonne for vs as the effect following And to this end is it that Peter 2. Epist chap. 1. ver 10. willeth vs by our succeeding holines as the fruite of our righteousnes to make our calling and our election sure Thus wee see that the blessinges of GOD are not at the first perceyved of vs in the order wherein they are dispensed For there is a cōtrarie course of order betwixt the Lords dispensing of his grace to vs in Christ and of our perceyving of the graces imparted vnto vs. for we ascend vpward vnto God the fountayne of all blessing backe agayne by the same steps by the which he did descend first vnto vs. The ladder of God reaching from heaven vnto earth doeth bring GOD downe to vs from the vpmost steppe to the lowest but it leadeth vs vpwarde to God from the lowest to the vpmost Therefore God doeth not beginne in dispensation to vsward where wee beginne according to our apprehension to rayse our myndes vpwards in the collection of the benefites dispensed But if we will rightlie know how God hath made that ladder we must beginne at the vpmost nearest vnto God steppe downe to the lowest where first wee began to steppe vp vnto God so shall we know the right order of Gods dispensation towards vs. It may be probablie thought that the negligent consideration of this point maketh many to mistake the right place of adoption For although we doe not thoroughly perceyve neyther have the cleere knowledge of our adoption vntill the time that we have remission of sinnes and feele the peace of God and ioye of his Spirit in our heartes and that confidence and boldnesse whereby we may crye Abba Father yet it followeth not that these goe in order before our adoption But even as our Iustification is thoroughly perceyved and confirmed in vs by our succeeding sanctification for hee that doeth righteousnes in righteous Iohn first Epistle chapter the thirde verse 7. eaven so our Adoption is cleered and confirmed vnto vs by our succeeding Iustification and fruites thereof For our Adoption hath the accomplishment of it partly in everie one of the remanent blessings of God and wholy in the ioynt and full accomplishment of them all Therefore are wee saide still in this life to waite for our Adoption Rom. chapt 8. vers 23. because our Adoption is not fully finished vntill our full
For there is a great difference betwixt these workes of the Father to witt the bringing of vs to the Sonne or giving of vs vnto him or making vs to receyve him which are all one and the same thing and the Fathers iustifying of vs in the sonne whom now we have receyved The first is the proper worke of God calling vs The other is the worke of God after our calling Which evidētly appeares by the speech of Christ him selfe Math. cha 11. ver 28. where first he invites vs to come vnto him and then promiseth to such as doe come that he will give them rest vnto their soules for God iustifieth none who have not first receyved the sonne For who cā be made the righteousnes of God in Christ who is not first ingrafted in him Now the first worke of faith standeth in our receyving Christ and making him to dwell in our heartes in and through whom now receyved and possest by faith the Lord doth thereafter iustifie and glorifie vs. so to make a Man to be iust before he be a sonne is as much as to make an accident or qualitie to be before or without a subiect or to make a Man wise before he be a Man and this ground the Apostle cleers by his owne speech when he coūted all but dongue that he might gaine Christ and be found in him to this end that he might not haue his owne righteousnes but the righteousnes which is by the faith of Christ Phil chap. 3. thereby playnelie he sheweth vs that we must first gayne Christ and be found in him by faith before we can haue the righteousnes that is by the faith of Christ so that to receyve Christ and to be iustified in Christ are in no sorte to be confounded although they cannot be separated For this is the principall cause why Iustification and all remanent blessings are attributed vnto faith because by faith onely we are made one with Christ and ioyned vnto him who onely is the substance of all our blessings as being made of God vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1. Corint ahap 1. vers 30 Vpon which vnion with Christ followeth our cōmunion with him both in death and life For being once in him we can not but be pertakers of all blessings in him And of this worke of the Father it is that the Evangelist speaketh in this place which is the first worke of his gracious dispensatiō when as he maketh vs to beleeve in his onely sonne as is manifest by the Evangelistes owne words interpreting the first phrase that is Those that receyved him by these wordes that is Those that beleeue in his Name The second argument lieth in the third phrase of this description which is Those that are borne of God By which wordes both the two former phrases that is those that receyved him those that beleeved in his Name are interpreted thereby teaching vs that this worke is not the worke of Iustification but of Adoption and of our receiving of Christ himselfe by faith that in vnitie with him we may be the Sonnes of God and not our receiving of his obedience by faith vnto righteousnes For by beeing borne of God we are made the Sonnes of God Which birth especially is performed by the Father when by his Spirit he brings vs vnto the Sōne makes vs to receive him by faith in our hearts so making vs one with him By which Vnitie alone it is that we are made the Sonnes of God For as the Vnitie of Christs humane nature in subsisting and personalitie with his divine nature maketh that Iesus Christ the Man is the Sonne of God so our spirituall Vnitie by faith with Iesus Christ the Sonne of God makes vs also to be the Sonnes of God Thus it is plaine by the third phrase that the former two are not rightly taken when they are expounded of those that are iustified If any man would expound this birth not of our effectuall Adoption it selfe but of the preparation of vs therevnto as some most learned and reverent Divines doe Yet never can it make the former opinion true for our beeing borne of God in the Scripturs can never be showen to be meant of our Iustification And if they take it for our Regeneration or Sanctification to the obedience of God then it will follow that wrongly they make Adoption to be a part of Reconciliation If sanctification which is no part of Reconciliation must goe before For they them selues acknowledge that Reconciliation hath but two parts Iustification and Adoption Besides this distinction of Adoption wil hardlie be warranted by the 9. of the Romanes except men will make the Apostle playnely to contradict himselfe who restrayneth the Adoptiō which he ascribes to the Iewes onely to the seed of Abrahā according to the promise and not according to the flesh Because otherwise the trueth of God in his promise would have failed Which consideration likewise appeareth evidently to destroy that distinction of Adoption albeit first devised by one of the auncient Fathers whereby one Adoption is made Adoption but by figure and resemblance the other in substance and effect But it seemeth that the ground of this opinion in some though not in all is buylded vpon this that they esteeme our Righteousnes to consist in the very act of beleeving which may be more iustly said of our Adoption albeit in a circumspect meaning CHAPTER XVI TOVCHING the benefite it selfe which Christ bestowes vpon those that receyve him although we should grant it to be the same in sense which they expound it to be yet it will never inferre that in this place To receyve Christ and beleeve in his name is to be vnderstood of Iustification but according as some of themselves say of the worke of God in making vs to beleeve Of the which followeth the dignitie and prerogative of being sonnes as the first and immediate fruite of faith in Iesus Christ In which sense we denie not but this place may be commodiously interpreted although it seemeth that the spirite of God doth meane somewhat more For vnderstanding whereof we are first to consider the third point which we have said to be the ground of the mistaking of this place which stands in the not distinguishing betwixt the Fathers worke and the Sonnes in our Adoption although in the same place they bee cleerely distinguished by the Evangelist Which oversight maketh great confusion in knowledge For we are to vnderstand that although the three persons of the Trinitie be neither in subsisting nor working to bee separated yet in both they are still to be distinguished and never to be confounded if ever we thinke to have a cleere and vnconfused sight of these great workes of grace which they performe in vs. Now in this place the worke of the Father and the worke of the Sōne in our Adoption are cleerely and distinctly set down Like as in other parts the worke of the spirit
as is cleere Rom. chap. 5. 1. In which we have to observe that as the Father by Adoption maketh vs one with the sonne so by Iustification hee maketh vs one with him selfe Conforme to the saying of the Apostle 2. Corinth chapt 5. vers 19. For God was in Christ reconciling the worlde vnto him selfe by not imputing to them their sinnes therefore is our peace and reconciliation with GOD attributed vnto the Crosse of Christ by the which sayeth the Apostle hee killeth hatred Ephe. 2. 16. and also our libertie and boldnes to enter into the most holy place is attributed vnto the bloud of IESVS Heb. 10. 19. Secondly by sanctification the Lord makes vs like to his Son by puritie and holines of nature Thirdly by redemption as it is particularly taken for glorification the Lord makes vs like vnto his Sonne in immortalitie glory and power This order and difference of these benifites is cleere 1 Cor. chap. 1. vers 30. where wisdome is put in the first place which specially answeres to our calling wherein consisteth our Adoption In the second place righteousnes In the third sanctification and in the fourth place redemption Which place is specially to be marked for the right knowledge both of the order and difference that is amongst is benefites of God For in other places of Scripture Redemption as likewise Iustification and Reconciliation are taken in a larger sense to signifie the whole freedome of the sonnes of God and every parte thereof in particular And that because all libertie peace and reconciliation whatsoever is given vs of God floweth from the death of Christ in the which standeth our righteousnes peace redemption For which cause it is that in the Scriptures sometymes our Iustification is ascribed to the death of Christ sometymes our Sanctification sometymes our Reconciliation and sometimes our Redemption Because howsoever these blessings as they are imparted vnto vs differ both in order and nature yet they proceed all from one fountayne and are all comprehended only in that one oblation of Iesus Christ vpon the Crosse For cleering our iudgements therefore in this point we are carefully to marke these two senses in the which in the Scriptures Redemption Iustification and Reconciliation and Sanctification are taken Sometymes they are taken for the action of God in Christ for his saints when as God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe according to that which hee had purposed in Christ which was as sayeth the Apostle Eph. chap. 1. vers 10. That in the fulnes of tyme he would gather together all things in Christ Iesus as sayth the same Apostle Coll. chap. 1. ver 20. It pleased the Father to reconcile all things to himselfe by him making peace by the blood of his crosse In this sense God at one tyme by the only one oblation of Iesus Christ in one worke once performed did eternally redeeme Iustifie Sanctifie and Reconcill to himselfe all his ellect that ever were is or shall bee vntill the end of the world For Christ bare all their persons vpon the Crosse and God did lay vpon him the iniquitie of them all and did wound him for their transgressions and breake him for their iniquities and did lay vpon him the chastisment of their peace Esa 53. Therefore sayeth the Apostle Heb. 10. that by that will of God we are sanctified even by the offringe of the body of Iesus Christ once And in the 9. chap. 12. verse hee sayeth that Christ by his owne bloud entered once in the most holy place and abtayned eternall redemption and in that same Chapter ver 28. it is sayd that Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many Now in this sense there is neither difference of tyme nor order nor distinction to be made all beeing accomplished together and at once by one worke of one man Iesus Christ the Lord. Sometymes againe they are taken for the worke of God in vs and toward vs in his owne tyme applying that which hee wrough in Christ for vs to every one of vs in particular bringing vs by effectual calling to the knowledge apprehension by faith of our Redemption Iustification and Reconciliation which God accomplished onely in that day of Christ which all the Fathers desired to see howsoever in divers ages and divers tymes they bee applyed by God to these whō then and in that day by the death of his Sonne he did Redeeme Iustifie and Reconcile vnto him selfe And in this sense we speake of these benefites in this treatise not as they were wrought by God in Christ for vs but as in the dispensation of God they are applied vnto vs for whom Christ dyed In which sense the Apostle speakes of them 1. Coll. 1. 21. 22. saying And you also which were in tyme past straungers and enemies having your mindes exercised in evill workes hath he now reconciled in that body of his flesh by death And in this sense it is that both order and difference is to be marked amongst these benefites In consideration whereof how so ever Adoption and Iustification agree in this that they both are benefites bestowed by imputation without inhesion in vs yet as they differ in nature so doe they in order in respect of the grounds wherevpon they are builded whence they flow For Adoption neither dependeth vpon nor floweth from the death of Christ But from his personall propertie of beeing the sonne of God whereas Iustification dependeth vpon floweth from his suffering and therefore as our cōmunion with him in person goeth before our cōmunion with him in his suffrings so doth our Adoption in order goe before our Iustification CHAPTER XX. HITHERTO have we spoken of those groundes whereby both the nature and order of Gods saving benefites are most cleerly knowen So that by these things which are alreadie set downe a modest minde onely searching truth and abhorring contention may sufficiently knowe what Iustification before God is yet notwithstanding for the further contentement of those of weaker iudgement we will speake something more particularly of the benefite is selfe For the clearer vnderstanding whereof and discovering of the trueth which now almost lyeth hid by the manifold opinions of men it were needfull that we should speake of divers things as namely of God him selfe what place he hath in that worke 2. of his grace 3. of Christ and his obedience 4. of faith 5. of man him selfe and of his workes and lastly of the Lawe and of the Gospell For all these points are called in cōtroversie and mens iudgements is divers concerning every one of them in the worke of Iustification but to eschew longsomnes wee will reduce all that we are to speake into these few grounds The first shal be touching the special divers and severall iudgements of men concerning Iustification The second shal be touching the discussing of these pointes controverted which are of greatest moment The third shal be concerning the worke it selfe of Iustification
partly faith and partly Christes obedience is the matter of our righteousnes The fourth and last is that onely Christ in his obedience is the whole matter of our righteousnes The vanitie of the first 3. opinions will more fully appeare when we speake of the formal cause of iustification when we shall treat of Iustificatiō it selfe as likewise when we shall cleere the truth of the fourth opinion therefore we wil speak the more shortlie of them now Against all three this ground generally serveth to witt that no man is iustified before God by any worke inherent in himselfe or done by him selfe whether it be of nature or of grace or whether it be a worke of the Lawe or of the Gospell The reason is If man be iustified in any sorte by workes Iustification can not be by grace according as sayeth the Apostle Rom. 11. 6. If it be of grace it is no more of workes els were grace no more grace and if it be of workes it is no more grace els were worke no more worke Thus none of these three formost opinions can stande excepte we will destroy the grace of God and abolish it altogether frō the worke of Iustification for grace and workes even though they bee of grace can never stande together in the worke of our Iustification Which also manifesteth the grosse impietie of all these three opinions in placing faith either in whole or in parte in our righteousnes as it is our owne worke seeing by no worke of his owne can man possibly be iustified For otherwise it cannot be but Christ must have died in vaine Secondly our righteousnes consisteth not in Gods acceptation of any thing that proceeds from vs to Godward but in Gods imputation of that that comes from him to vsward by his gift as is cleere Rom. 5. 15. 16. 17. where our righteousnes is still called the gift of God we are saide to receyve righteousnes as a gift Whereby it is most evident that no worke of the Law nor faith as it is the worke of our heart can possibly be our righteousnes For our act of beleeving is an action passing from vs to God-ward and being attributed as it is by them to mans free will is no lesse the worke of man then any other worke of the Law what soever But our righteousnes is called in the Scriptures the righteousnes of GOD and not of man because it goeth not from vs towardes him but it commeth from him to vs. Thirdly it is manifest by the Scriptures that no man is iust in him selfe but in another For among men there is none righteous no not one Psal 14. But if that whereby hee is iustified which is the matter of his righteousnes bee in him selfe he must not onely bee iust but iust in him selfe which both doe playnely contradict the trueth of God which plainlie denies that there is any man righteous and that any man is made righteous in him selfe but whom soever God iustifieth he iustifieth them in Christ and maketh them the righteousnes of God in him 2. Corinth 5. 21. Fourthly the nature of Iustification consisting in the remission of sinne it can not possibly stande in that that is the direct contrarie But all these three opinions maketh it stande in the contrarie that is in Gods acceptation of obedience For whether the Lorde iustifie vs for doeing the workes of the Lawe or for fulfilling the condition of the Gospell required by God of vs vnto Iustification it is alwayes for and by our obedience that he iustifieth vs. so that Iustification shall never consist in pardoning of sinne and covering of iniquitie but by the contrarie in the acceptation of obedience Which saying is so impious that nothing can be devised more contrarie to the grace of God and mans salvation These groundes serve generally to shewe the wickednes of all these three opinions Nowe we come to speake somwhat concerning the first alone against which these groundes conteyned in scripture shall sufficiētly serve of which divers make against the rest also First that which excludes not mans gloriation can not have place in his righteousnes for God will have no flesh to glory in his sight in any thing except in him alone wherevppon it followeth that no man can bee iustified by the workes of the Law For as sayeth the Apostle Rom. chap. 3. vers 27. gloriation is not excluded by the lawe of workes For if Abraham was iustified by workes hee hath wherein to glory Rom. chap. 4. vers 2. and the reason heere of is declared in the fourth verse saying That to him that worketh the wages is not compted by favour but by debt Wherevpon it followeth that if man bee iustified by workes he hath wherein to glorie because he is not iustified by grace but by deservinge and Gods iustifying of him is not a worke of his favour but a worke which hee is indebted to doe And this is the same very thing which the Romish Church doeth meane by their merit ex condigno whereby Gods free grace iniustification is quite overthrowen Secondly man can not be iustified by that which makes the death of Christ of none effect but as sayeth the Apostle Gallat chapter 2. verse 21. If righteousnes bee by the Lawe then Christ hath died without a cause Which place doeth evidently convince them all of errour and proove them all to bee enimies to the crosse of Christ and to his death that make righteousnes to bee by any other thinge then by his death for if Christ died without a cause if righteousnes bee by the Lawe he must have much more died in vaine if it bee by any other thing For righteousnes is not to be found in any other thing but either in the Law of God or Christ By this we may perceyve that the opinion of those men who place our righteousnes in faith properly taken as it is the acte of our heart without relation of it as an apprehending instrument vnto Christ is much more pernitious then the opinion of the Papistes and that by cleere evidence of both their doctrines cōpared together For the Papist placeth his righteousnes in that which conteynes in it selfe perfect righteousnes in deed so that if their other ground could holde wherein also the other sorte doeth agree with them that is that it were in mans power to fulfill the Lawe certaynlie they should be iustified by the works of the Law For the doers of the Lawe shal be iustified Rom. 2. 13. And if there had bene a lawe given which could have given life surely righteousnes should haue bene by the Lawe sayeth the same Apostle Gal. 3. 21. But these other men doe place their righteousnes in that which they them selves confesse to be imperfect and not to contayne in it selfe perfect righteousnes For when faith is not relatively or instrumentally taken in respect of Christ apprehended by it it can never contayne perfect righteousnes and so the Lord can never
For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so also by the obedience of one man many shall be made righteous and this general is embraced of all who acknowledge Christ to be our righteousnes but yet in a threefolde different sense The first is of those who by the obedience of Christ vnderstande the whole worke of his humiliation in the which they lay three groundes wherein they place the matter of our righteousnes The first is the worke of Christ in taking vpon him our Nature without sinne The second is his active obedience in fulfilling the Lawe of God during the whole course of his life The third is his passive obedience in submitting him selfe to the death and that of the crosse In the first of these actions they place our iustification from originall sinne and the inborne corruption of our nature In the second they place our Iustification from all our actuall sinnes both of commission and of omission In the third they place our Iustification and absolution from the punishment due to our sinnes The second sense wherein the obedience of Christ is taken is when thereby his active and passive obediēce are only meant without respect of the integritie of his nature and this twofold obedience they esteeme to be necessarie in our iustification against the two evills wherevnto wee are subiect through the fall of Adam The first is the evill of sinne From the which they esteeme vs to bee iustified by the imputation of Christes active obedience in fulfilling the Law The second is the evill of punishment From the which they esteeme vs to be iustified by the imputation of Christes passive obedience in his death and sufferings The third sense wherein the obedience of Christ is taken in our iustification is when thereby the passive obediēce of Christ only in his death is vnderstood by the imputation whereof only as that wherein Christ only is made our righteousnes wee are iustified from all sinne and punishment thereof These three opinions agreeing all in the mayne pointe that is that onely Christ in his obedience is our righteousnes may well without any contention strife or scisme bee tollerated in the Church of God if Christian modestie humblenes of mind meeknes did in that measure possesse al that they could support one another in love and studie more to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the baunde of peace then by controversies of disputations to engender strife Especially seeing none of these opinions overthrowe the foundation or yet contayneth in them any impietie or leadeth any man from the marke or matter of his righteousnes seeing all three exclude all things except onely Christes obedience from our righteousnes Moreover if wee shall consider two thinges distinctlie we shall easilie perceyve that these three opinions may easily be reconciled and made all to agree in one and that none of them is contrarie to the trueth of God The two things which are distinctly to bee considered are these The first is that wherein standeth the righteousnes it selfe which is imputed vnto vs. The second is of these thinges which are requisite in Christ to the end that in the other he may be righteousnes vnto vs. For these two thinges are not to bee confounded that is that wherein Christ is made righteousnes and that whereby he is made meete to be our righteousnes in that wherein hee is made righteousnes vnto vs. Like as the bloud of the Lambe shadowing Christes bloud is to bee distinguished from these thinges in the Lambe which made the Lambes bloud to serve for a propitiation for sinne For the properties of the beast which was to bee sacrifised for sinne are to bee distinguished from the bloud of the beast which onely was carried in to the most holy place to make expiation of sinnes before the Lord. This ground being considered wee shall easilie perceyve that although Christ bee made righteousnes vnto vs in one particular thinge yet before in that thinge hee can bee our righteousnes all his perfections both in nature and action is required For cleering hereof yet more we have to consider that the matter of our righteousnes in it self is not to be confunded with the action of God in iustifying vs thereby vnto the which many things are required that are no parte nor portion of the righteousnes it selfe so that if wee speake of the action of our iustification all what soever is conteyned in all these three opinions and more also in Christ is required thereto but if we speake of the matter of the righteousnes it selfe whereby wee are iustified wee are to consider of them otherwise Therefore it shall bee needfull that wee consider these two points severally that is first what it is wherein particularly Christ is righteousnes vnto vs. Secondly What thinges they are that are required in him to the ende that in the other hee may bee righteousnes vnto vs. Touching the first The question or doubt seemeth chieflie to arise vpon the worde Obedience which in deede is oftentymes in the Scripture referred to the whole worke of Christs humiliation even from his conception to his resurrection So that all whatsoever hee did in the world is accompted obedience vnto the Father Thus his very Incarnation and takinge vppon him our nature and taking of it in the similitude of sinfull flesh his becomming vnder the Lawe his taking our sinnes and transgressions vpon him his becomming a curse for vs his becomming our high Priest his offering of him selfe vnto the Father his doctrine his actions his sufferings and resurrection are all to be accompted obedience For it was the Father that sent him into the worlde and he came into the world not to doe his owne will but the will of the Father that sent him therefore he witnesseth him selfe that hee spake nothing but according to the commandement which his Father had given him Iohn chap. 12. vers 49. the same hee witnesseth of his actions Ioh chep 14. vers 31. as also of his death and resurrection Iohn chap. 10. ver 18. and yet there is no man that will say that all the particulars of Christes sayings and doinges are parte and portion of the matter of our righteousnes albeit every one of them be a parte of his obedience Therefore we must needes take the name of Christes obedience in a more strict sense when we vnderstand by it the matter of our righteousnes and this stricter sense we are not to gather out of our owne conceyts and fantasies but out of the expresse word of God The word every where when it speakes of our righteousnes not vnder the generall worde of Christes obedience but particularly by those workes of his obedience wherein our righteousnes consisteth doeth onely mention his sufferinge death or laying downe of his life or his bloud or his oblation or offering of him selfe or his being made sinne or his bearinge the chastisement of our peace and such like phrases Which all signifie one
evidently what is the matter and substance of our righteousnes before God Now in them nothing but water and the washing thereby and bread broken and wine poured out with eating drinking thereof is set before vs as either the signes or seales of our righteousnes To teach vs that our righteousnes consists in nothing but in Christs bloud shed and sprinkled vpon vs and in his body broken vpon the Crosse and his bloud communicated vnto vs. But it is most certayne that if there had bene any other thing in his obedience in which had consisted any part or portion of our righteousnes he would likewise have left it in the seales of the covenant to bee remembred of vs and vsed by vs for our instruction and comfort For nothing is to be esteemed to bee any part or portion of our righteousnes in Christ wherof Christ himselfe hath institute neither signe nor seale This ground is confirmed further vnto vs by divers sentences of the holy Ghost touching Baptisme which beeing answerable vnto circumcision is most properly both the signe and seale of the righteousnes which is by faith In which sentences Baptisme is made to have referēce to no part of Christs obediēce except vnto his death only as is manifest Rom. chap. 6. vers 3. Where it is said knowe yee not that all wee which have bene baptised into Iesus Christ have bene Baptised into his death Therefore also this same Apostle 1 Cor. chap. 1. vers 13. taketh his argument from no parte of Christs obedience but his death only and from Baptisme in the name of Christ as the signe and seale of our righteousnes in his death and suffering to remove the schismes and divisions that were amongst the Corinthians saying Was Paul crncified for you or were ye Baptised in the name of Paul For which cause also the Apostle to the Eph. chap. 5. vers 25. 26. 27. doth wholly attribute the worke of our iustification purgation from sinne vnto Christs giving himselfe vnto the death for vs the vertue whereof hee makes to bee applied vnto vs by the washing of water through the word And this point is most cleere by the words of the Apostle Peter who sheweth the veritie hereof in the practise of God towards his saints both before the comming of Christ and now after For hee affirmeth that Noach and these that were with him in the Arck were saved by water and that now we are saved by Baptisme as answering in analogie to the waters of the floud Thereby expresly teaching vs that from the beginning Christ was crucified and set forth in nothing but in his death and bloud to be the matter our righteousnes as by the Apostle Peter in the same place interpreting the benefite that redounds vnto vs by Baptisme or rather defining what Baptisme it self is whereby we are saved may easily be gathered when he saith that this Baptisme is uot a putting away of their filth of the flesh but a confident demanding which a good conscience maketh vnto God 1 Epi. chap. 3. vers 20. and 21. Which discription is nothing els in effect but iustification Which the Apostle in another place calleth the purging of our consciences from dead workes Heb. chap. 9. vers 14. and the sprinkling of our harts from an evill conscience Heb. chap. 10. vers 22. which by the Apostle Peter is discribed from the effect which is our accesse with confidence vnto God in calling vpon him as our Father vpon the sense and frelling of the remission of all our sinnes in the bloud of Christ This same also is manifest touchinn the other seale of the covenant which is the Supper of the Lord by the wordes of Christ himselfe Luke chap. 22. vers 19. 20. and of the Apostle 1 Cor. chap. 11. vers 24. 25. where expounding his owne minde touching the bread and wine he sayeth that the bread was his body which was given and as the Apostle sayeth which was broken for them and that the cup was the new Testament in his bloud which was shed for them For Iesus Christ flesh and his bloud are vnto vs no righteousnes vntill his body be broken and his bloud shed vpon the crosse for vs. For neither did hee destroy the Devill but by his death nor set vs at libertie from our bondage but by his death Heb. chap. 2. vers 14. 15. Neither did he put away our sinnes but by the offering of himselfe Heb. chap. 9. vers 26. 28. And therefore sayeth Christ himselfe Ioh. chap. 12. vers 24. except the wheat corne fall into the ground and die it abydeth alone but if it die it bringeth forth many fruite Thus by the seales of the righteousnes of faith and by the phrase of the spirit concerning them and by the testimonie of Christ himselfe touching his owne death it would evidently appeare that the matter of our righteousnes consisteth in no parte of his obedience proceeding his death but consisteth wholly in the onely one oblation of him selfe vppon the crosse The third grounde in holy Scripture confirminge this pointe is builded vpon the testimonie of Christ him selfe and the Apostles interpretation of his minde sett downe Hebr. chapt 10. where first out of the 40. Psalme the speech of Christ is cited wherein hee declareth what is the will of the Father touching the expiation of our sinnes in him Which is by his obedience vnto the Father in doeing his will Which will of the Father is expounded by the Apostle in the 10 verse in these wordes By the which will we are sanctified even by the offering of the body of Iesus Christ once Now the obedience of Christ in the matter of our righteousnes is not to bee esteemed of any larger extent then is the will of GOD which hee did obey and by which wee are sanctified Therefore seeing the will of GOD in the matter of our righteousnes is restrayned onely to the offeringe of Christ Surely his obedience as it is saide to make vs righteous must bee of no larger sense except we will be wise above that which is written If the Lordes owne interpretation of his owne minde touchinge his owne will and obedience of his Sonne therevnto whereby wee are iustified will not serve to satisfie mens mindes it is in vaine to labour by any other meanes to give contentement to those who cannot be content with that which God him selfe hath revealed touching this point Whose minde must needes be best knowne to him selfe and in the which we are to rest according as it is revealed And that this interpretation set downe in this same place is the vndoubted mynde of God him selfe it may evidentlie appeare by the cōstant course of his speech set down thronghout all the New Testament In the which still all the partes of our Redemption touching Iustification Reconciliation and Sanctification are ever attributed vnto the bloud of Christ◠vnto his death and vnto his crosse and sacrifice of him selfe And the killinge of
seeing they are neither in the state of the iust nor of the wicked Men doe not see what a foundation this opinion layeth for establishinge the Papistes Limbus Patrum and vainely invented Purgatorie Furthermore this opinion seemeth to imply a contradiction in it selfe For first it affirmeth that the actuall obedience of Christ is imputed vnto vs as righteousnes and yet they holde that it doth not iustifie vs from punishment Secondly they confesse that it maketh vs innocent and yet denie that it maketh vs iust Which are thinges impossible For whatsoever is imputed as righteousnes must iustifie vs and whatsoever maketh vs innocent must necessarily make vs iust For nothing but righteousnes can make a man innocent before God Therefore seeing that sentence of Iohn asscribeth the purging of all sinne to the bloud of Christ be it originall or arctuall it is the safest way for vs being warranted by the H. Ghost to accompt it onely the matter of our righteousnes and to beware of adding any thing too it Whereof we have not the like expresse warrant And to make this ground yet more sure we are to coÌ„sider the nature of the death and suffering of Christ Which is manifest by the wordes of Christ him selfe Math. cha 20. ver 28. Marke cha 10. ver 45. where he sayeth The sonne of man is not come to bee served but to serve and to give his live a ransome for many therefore was he called Iesus because he saved vs from our sinnes And for the same cause we are saide in his bloud to have redemption and by the bloud of his crosse to be reconciled vnto God And for this same cause the Lord is said to have set him foorth a propitiation for sinne in his bloud and to have wounded him for our transgressions to have broken him for our iniquities and to have made him sinne and a curse for vs. All which phrases import three thinges The I. is that Christ did pay by his death a price for vs to set vs at libertie from sinne The II. is that by his death he reconciled vs vnto God removing his wrath froÌ„ vs. The III. is that God did execute vpon him in his death the iudgement due to vs for our iniquities therefore is hee saide not to have spared his owne sonne Vpon the which it followeth that both the whole price of our Redemption the whole matter of our peace and the whoie satisfaction for our sinnes consisteth in the death of Christ and so consequently of our full righteousnes Now as we have said before the iudgemeÌ„t of God is alwayes according to truth so that in wounding his sonne for our transgressions he behoved to have chastised him in proportion and measure answerable to all our iniquities So that this satisfaction by his death being layde in ballance with the perfect obedience of the Law required of vs it behoved in the iustice of God to be of equal waight with it and no lesse able fully to answere the iustice of God then the full obedience of the Lawe For the onely iust GOD and Iudge of all the worlde can not ordayne a punishment and satisfaction to his iustice for sinne neither execute it in greater or lesser measure or proportion of iustice then the fault required Hereof it must follow seeing Christes death bloud is the chastisement of our peace punishmeÌ„t inflicted of God for the sinnes of his elect it must contayne in it as full iustice righteousnes as the full accomplishment of the Lawe by vs should have done therefore saith Ioh. That the bloud of Iesus purgeth vs from all iniquities to teach vs that his bloud being imputed vnto vs as our righteousnes by God doth put vs in the same estate case touching righteousnes vnto life before God wherin we should have bene if we had performed the condition of the law which is do this thou shalt live and therfore it being equivalent in the iustice of God to that which was required of vs vnto life it is in vaine to adde anything vnto it vnto perfect righteousnes This same is also cleere by the Apostles speech Rom. cha 3. ver 25. when he sheweth that God did set foorth Christ a propitiation in his bloud to shew his righteousnes to this end that he might be iust For heere two thinges are to be observed serving to this purpose The first is that only in the bloud of Iesus the righteousnes of God whereby we are iustified is to be seene The second is that by the sight thereof God is knowne to bee iust in sparing his elect and iustifying them freely by the redemptioÌ„ that is in Christ Wherevpon it must follow that Christ in his death must have in most full and perfect manner answered the iustice of God no lesse then our full and perfect obedience should have done otherwise it could never have shewen the righteousnes of God neither could he have bene manifested iust in iustifying vs thereby For the Law of God is fulfilled and the righteousnes or iustice of God therein required is accomplished two manner of wayes that is eyther by doeing all thinges commanded therein or els by suffering such punishment as in the iustice of God for the transgression thereof is in iust proportion answerable therevnto so that in eyther of these fully finished the iustice of God vnto eternall life is answered The sixt ground is builded vpon the lawe of the Priesthood which was ordayned particularly of God for this end to make expiation of our sinnes and bring vs vnto God Which two benefites were shadowed in two actions of the Levâ—ticall high Priest in the day of expiation The first was in offering sacrifice for the peoples sinnes and sprinkeling the bloud thereof before the Lord. The second was the carying of the names of the Tribes of the Lord into the Sanctuarie ingraven in the two stones vpon his shoulders and twelve vpon his brest for a remembrance continually before the Lord Exod. 28. Now the Law of this Priesthood is that none performe this office before the 30. yere of his age as is manifest Nomb 4. where all that enter in the assemble to doe the worke in the tabernacle of the congregation are commanded to bee nombred from 30. yeare olde and above vntill 50. according to which lawe Christ him seife who was the substance of all those shadowes did not enter in that office vntill hee began the thirtie yeare of his age as is cleere Luke chap. 3. vers 21. Heereof it must followe that no action performed by Christ before that time can be accompted the action of expiation of sinne or reconciliation of vs vnto God therefore the Scripture attributeth our redemption and reconciliation and particularlie our iustification to no action preceeding but to his death thereafter following and the action of bringing vs vnto God is particularie asscribed by the Apostle Peter vnto the death of Christ 1. Epi. chap. 3. vers 18. And the Apostle declareth that
it then that it be the bloud of a man or yet of a iust man For no man that is nothing more but a man can possibly redeeme his brother or give his ransome to God that he may live still for ever So precious is the redemption of their soules and the continuance for ever sayeth the Prophet Psalm 49. For the bloud of no flesh can be able to satisfie the infinite iustice of God For he that liveth not for ever can never be the cause of eternall life vnto others and he that is not eternall can never bring in eternall righteousnes and no righteousnes but that which is eternall can possibly procure eternall life For all being infinit that is the iustice that wee have transgressed infinit our guiltines in trasgressing infinite the punishment of our guiltines infinite as being the iust recompence of the transgression of an infinit iustice proceeding from the iust iudgement of an infinit God it is impossible that a finit creature can performe it seeing he should never be able to loose the sorrowes of death Therefore it is required that the bloude should be the bloud of him who is eternall to the end that hee should not be holden of death eternally Act. chap. 2. vers 24. and that his bloud might be of an infinite value and that our righteousnes might be eternall and make vs eternally righteous therefore is it saide by the Apostle that God hath purchased his Church with his owne bloud Act. chap. 20. 28. thus it is required in the bloud that iustifieth vs before God that it bee not onely the bloud of a man and of a iust man but also that it bee the bloud of him who is God blessed for ever and all these considerations are necessarilie requisit in the bloud vnto our iustification thereby And as in the bloud so in the shedding of it divers things are required in it to the same end Which that wee may the more cleerely perceyve we are first to consider that the shedding of bloud must needes be by way of oblation and sacrifice Therefore Christ is saide to have offered vp him selfe a sacrifice of a sweet smelling favour vnto God Ephe. chap. 5. vers 2. and also he is said to have bin made manifest once to put awy sinnes by the sacrificing of him selfe Heb. chapt 9. vers 26. and therefore also saith the Apostle that Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for vs 1. Cor. chap. 5. ver 7. Now the things requisite in the offering of this sacrifice are partlie to be considered in the nature of the sacrifice it selfe and partly in those thinges which are necessarilie required for the offering of a sacrifice Touching the sacrifice it selfe besides that it must bee by bloud because without shedding of bloud there is no remission it must needes be but one and of such nature as never needeth to be repeated For the sacrifices that are oft repeated can never sanctifie the commers therevnto And therefore it is said That we are sanctified by the offering of the body of Iesus Christ once Heb. chap. 10. ver 10. And againe in that same Chap. verse 12. it is said But hee having offered by one sacrifice for sinne sitteth for ever at the right hand of God Of which it is manifest that this sacrifice alone without anie other thing ioyned therewith and without anie iterating of it contrarie to the blasphemous doctrine of the papistes must needs make vs eternally righteous according to which it is said by the Apostle That Christ is entered into heaven not that hee should offer him selfe often because then it behooved him to die often But as it is appointed that men once die and thereafter commeth the iudgement even so Christ also being once offered to take away the sinnes of many hee shall appeare the second tyme without sinne c And this point is most cleerlie set downe Heb. cha 10. ver 14. where it is said For by one offering he hath consecrated for evermore those which are sanctified Wherevpon it must followe seeing by one offering hee hath obtayned vs eternal remission according to the promise of God in his covenant and their finnes and their iniquities I will never remēber anie more that there remayneth no more sacrifices for sinne For according to the saying of the Apostle VVhere remission of sinnes is there is no more sacrifice for sinne Heb. chap. 10. vers 18. The thinges that are required for the offering of a propitiatorie sacrifice for sinne are especially three The first is a Priest For none but a consecrate Priest appointed by God and not by man might ever offer sacrifice for sinne vnto God The second is the Altar vpon which it must bee offered The third is the Tabernacle or Sanctuarie wherein it must be offered The thinges to be considered in the Priest concerne partly the nature of the Priesthood it selfe and partly the actions to be performed by the Priest Touching the nature of the Priesthood The first thing to be considered is that no man can take this office to him selfe but he who is called of God Heb. cap. 5. ver 4. 5. The second thing to be considered is that it must not bee according to the order of Aaron but according to the order of Melchisedeck For there is no perfection by the Levitical Priesthood Hebr. chap. 7. ver 11. and this that he must bee according to the order of Melchisedeck comprehendeth vnder it these particular pointes First that he is not made a Priest by the Lawe but according to the power of endlesse life For as we have saide if his Priesthood had bene after the Lawe it could never have made vs perfect For the Lawe made nothing perfect Hebr. chap. 7. ver 19. And of this ground followeth other two consequences The first is that seeing hee is made a Priest after the power of endlesse life none save hee alone can ever enioye this Priesthood For as sayeth the Apostle Amongest the Leviticall Priestes many were made Priestes because ther were not suffered to endure by reason of death but Christ because hee endureth for ever hath a Priesthood which can not passe from him to an other Hebr chap. 7. ver 23. 24. The seconde consequence is as saveth the Apostle Hebr. chap. 7. ver 25. That hee is able perfectly to save those that come to God by him seeing hee ever liveth to make intercession for them The third thing to bee considered in the nature of the Priest is as sayeth the same Apostle That he bee without sinne because such a High Priest it became vs to have as is holy harmeles vndefyled and seperate from sinners Hebr. chapt 7. 26. Which also was expreslie commanded in the Lawe Levit. chap. 21. where it is saide VVho soever of the seede of Aaron hath any blemish hee shall not come neare to offer the sacrifices of the Lorde neither shall he presse to offer the bread of his God neither shall he goe in vnto the vayle
nor come neare the Altar least he pollute my Sanctuarie The fourth thing to be marked in the Priest is that hee must not be vpon the earth For if hee were vpon the earth hee were not a Priest Heb chap. 8. vers 4. Therefore is it saide of him After that hee had offered one sacrifice for sinne he sitteth for ever at the right hande of God Hebr. chapt 10. ver 13. as also That the heavens must conteyne him vnto the tyme that all things be restored Act. chap. 3. ver 21. The fift thing to be considered in the Priest is that he behooved to be subiect to infirmities that having experience of them he might be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest Hebr. chap. 2. ver 17. and chap. 4. ver 15. Nowe wee come to the actions to bee performed by the Priestes Which likewise are of two sortes The firste sorte are those which are performed in offering of the sacrifice The seconde sorte is those which are to be performed after the oblation In the Sacrifice especially is to bee considered First the Priestes puttinge all our iniquities and sinues vpon the head of the offeringe that hee may beare them all Accordinge to which it is saide of Christ That hee bare the sinne of many Esay 53. 12. And the Apostle Peter sayeth That he him selfe did beare our sinnes in his body vpon the tree For he was made sinne for vs. The second action consisteth in killing of the offering before the Lord. according to which it is saide of Christ That hee offered vp him selfe by the eternall spirit vnto God Hebr. 9. 14. And he is saide to put away sinne by the sacrifice of him selfe Hebr. 9. 26. And Christ him selfe saieth I lay downe my life that I might take it againe no man taketh it from me but I lay it downe of my selfe Iohn chapt 10. vers 17. 18. According to which also Esay saith That he pâ—wred out his soule vnto death Chap. 53. ver 12. The third action is the offering of the sacrifice it selfe by fire vnto the Lord. And al these actions are accoÌ„plished in the death of Christ in the which principally consisteth the matter of our righteousnes for therein was hee made both sinne and a curse for vs. The actions following are especially three which all serve to our iustification by his death and bloud although they be no parte nor portion of the righteousnes it selfe The first is his rising from the dead The second is his sitting at the right hande of God in heaven The third is his making intercession for vs. Therefore the Apostle in the 8. chap. to the Rom. ver 34. setteth downe these foure actions of Christ as the things whereby wee are saved from all condempnation when he sayth VVho shall condemne it is Christ that hath died or rather who is risen againe who also is at the right hande of God and who also maketh intercession for vs. Which saying is carefully to bee marked of vs for many waightie reasons First it sheweth vs that as the worke of God in iustifying vs doth save vs from all accusation so the groundes whereby we are saved from being condemned of God that is by which we are iustified and absolved are these foure actions of Christ whereof his death is first Secondly it cleareth that point which we have in hande to wit that many things serve to our iustification which are no parte of our righteousnes For his resurrection his ascending into heaven and sitting at the right hande of God and his interceding for vs are all necessarily required to our iustification and yet none of them is any parte of the matter of that righteousnes which is imputed vnto vs. For his rysinge from the dead is not our righteousnes and yet except he had risen we could not have bin iustified by his death according to the saying of the Apostle 1. Cor. chap. 15. ver 17. If Christ be not raysed your faith is vaine ye are yet in your sinnes For so longe as Christ was holden of death vnder the guiltines of our sinnes we could never be absolved from sinne death in the sight of God because our satisfaction and redemption although they were in doeing were not fully performed vntill Christ having vtterly abolished sinne was raysed from the dead but his suffering beeing finished and hee having loosed the sorrowes of death our redemption and satisfaction for our sinnes were fullie accomplished and so our righteousnes full and compleate in Gods sight By the imputation whereof GOD then might iustly iustifie vs. Therefore is it said by the Apostle Rom. chap. 4. 25. that he was delivered to death for our transgressions and is risen againe for our iustification Shewing vs that as the matter of our righteousnes consisteth in Christes death because he was delivered therevnto for our sinnes so the iustification of vs by his death dependeth vpon his resurrection because therein his death was ended and so the satisfaction for our sinnes and our righteousnes was fully and perfectly finished Likewise his entring into heaven and sitting at the right hande of God is no parte of the matter of our righteousnes and yet it is a necessarie action of his Priestlie office required vnto our iustification by that which is our righteousnes For the high Priest once a yeare in the day of expiation entered into the most holy place with the bloud of the expiatorie sacrifice to make an attonement for the children of Israel The true sanctuarie resembled by the most holy place is heaven into which the bloud of our sacrifice must be brought by Iesus Christ our high Priest there to make our attonement Therefore is it said That Christ being come a High Priest of good thinges to come entered once by his owne bloud in the most holy place and obtayned eternall redemption Hebr. chap. 9. ver 11. 12. and therefore also is it saide That if hee were on the earth he were not a Priest Heb. chap. 8. vers 4. For which cause in that same place the Apostle esteemeth this to bee the chieff and principall point of all that had bene spoken of his Priesthood videlicet that we have such a high Priest that sitteth at the right hande of the throne of the maiestie in heaven c. Thus howsoever the sacrifice of Christ in his death or his bloud be the matter of our righteousnes and that Christ in his bloud be ordayned a propitiation for vs yet to the iustifying vs by that bloud this action of our High Priest even the entring with the bloud into heaven is necessarily required Even so also concerning his intercession albeit it bee not the matter of our righteousnes yet it serveth to our iustification by his blood For all his intercession is by vertue thereof that God by it and for it may pardon all our iniquities and iustifie vs. For this action is the end of the three former that is of his death resurrection and ascending into heaven
make neither of the two necessarie stable or constant but variable and subiect to change affirming that the Saintes may fall from saving grace they must needes agree with the former touching the sense and meaning of the word faith as it is the action of our heartes in iudging and apprehending of our salvation The third sorte are they who esteeme faith to signifie the assured confidence of the heart vpon certayne knowledge of the best parte without any feare of the worst And this opinion onely agreeth with Gods truth For nothing can be more contrarie to the nature of faith then an vncertayne opinion seeing no demonstration can ever make a surer conclusion then faith maketh in the heart of man of all whatsoever it beleeveth So that iustly we may say that salvation beleeved and embrased by faith is more sure and stedfast and certayne vnto vs by faith then ever it was in the beginning to Adam or Angells by possession For he that beleeveth shall never perish and the gates of hell shall never prevaile against him For hee that beleeveth is perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angells nor Principalities nor powers nor thinget present nor thinges to come nor height nor depth nor any other ereature shall be able to seperate him from the love of GOD which is in Christ Iesus his Lord. And for confirmation heereof wee referre the Reader to that which we have spoken before touching the supernaturall effectes of faith and to that which heereafter followeth in the description of the true nature of faith vnto the which we nowe come leaving to speake of the error concerning the imputation of faith vntill we come to treate of imputation it selfe Wee have heard alreadie that faith is the supernaturall gift of God And that the meanes whereby the holy Ghost worketh it is the Word the Sacraments and the ministerie and that the persons to whom he giveth it are only his elect whom he hath given to Christ to be his sheepe And lastly that the whole heart of man and the powers of his soule are the subiect wherein it is wrought So that nowe it resteth to know what it is that God worketh in our soules when he giveth vs faith For in these things that have already beene said it differeth nothing from the rest of Gods saving graces For they are all heavenly spirituall and supernaturall giftes of God wrought in the whole heart of every one of Gods elect eyther by the inward operation of the holy Ghost extraordinarily or els in ordiraaie dispensation by the effectuall revelation of the Gospell Therefore seeing faith hath these things common with all the rest wee are nowe to trie the particular difference whereby it is distinguished in substance and nature from all the rest of Gods blessings The consideration of the nature of faith in it selfe is twofolde First faith is to be considered as it is the gift of God cōming from him and wrought by him in our heartes Secondly faith is to be considered as our hearts having it not wrought in them worke by it againe towards God vnto iustification This twofold consideration of faith is necessarie for the right knowledge both of the nature of the working of it For faith passively taken signifieth the effect of Gods working framinge faith in our heartes but actively taken it signifieth the action of our hearts now beleeving in laying holde vpon Iesus Christ as he who is made of God vnto vs wisedome sanctification and redemption First then we will speake of it as it is the worke of God in vs. And next as our hearts worketh by it And this we are carefully to consider for herevpon dependeth all our fellowship with God in Christ and all participation of the promise and inheritance promised to the children of God all true reioycing and gloriation in God and in this worke of faith consisteth all the strength whereby we are made able to stande against all powers of darknes and sinne and are vpholden to the ende In the scriptures of God we finde that all blessings that come from Christ vnto vs are attributed vnto faith as also our beeing Christs and the children of God in him is likewise attributed vnto faith For there be two speciall grounds in the which consists all our felicitie The first is our becomming Christes that is when wee are made his The seconde is the infallible consequence of the former when all that Christ is made of God for vs is made ours So that his death his resurrection his ascention his glorification c. are all made ours And this followeth vpon the former for as sayeth the Apostles If yee bee Christes then are yee Abrahams seede and heyres by promise Gallat chapt 3. ver 29. according to which also the Apostle sayeth All thinges are yours and ye Christes Christ Gods 1. Cor. chap. 3. ver 21. 32. 23. Now faith is the meane and instrument of both these points For by faith wee are made Christs and by faith Christ is to vs wisdome righteousnes sanctification and redemption The first of these two is the fruite of faith as God worketh it in our hearts or rather the work of God by working faith in our hearts The second is the fruit of faith nowe wrought in our hearts or rather the worke of our heartes by faith Thus faith is the mean effectual instrumēt of al our blessednes both in our vnion with Christ the sonne of God and also of our cōmunion with him both in his death life and glory and therefore we are said both to bee the sonnes of God by faith in Christ and to be iustified by faith in him and to live by faith in him and to be saved by faith in him so that faith is the supernaturall gift of God given vs for these supernaturall endes that by it we may be in Christ and Christ in vs for by faith he dwelles in our hearts and that in him and by him we may enioy righteousnes and life To speake then of the first that is of faith as God worketh it it consisteth specially in foure things The first is in Gods opening illuminating of our vnderstandings making our hearts in our vnderstanding power not only to know the promise in Christ Christ to be the seed in whom blessednes is promised to all Nations and in whom all the promises of God are yea and amen but also to iudge and esteeme these thinges reveyled of God to be a most vndoubted and vnfallible trueth so that by this first worke of the Father the heart of Gods elect is made to see vndoubtedly to acknowledge that there is no blessednes vnto man but onely in Iesus Christ crucified So that his eyes are open to see in him selfe nothinge but iust cause of condemnation from the which there is not any helpe neither in him selfe nor any creature but in Iesus Christ alone And therefore is made of God to determine with him selfe to knowe
the worde knowledge is put which is when it signrfieth the naked and bare vnderstanding of thinges that are reveyled but it is taken for an infallible science when as the heart knoweth God and knoweth him vndoubtedly to be God and when as it knoweth Christ and knoweth him vndoubtedly to bee the sonne of God and when it knoweth Gods trueth and knoweth it vndoubtedly to be the trueth of God therefore saieth Iohn the Baptist Hee that receyveth his testimonie hath sealed that God is true Iohn chap. 3. ver 33 And againe Iohn 1. Epi. chap. 5. ver 10. Hee that heleeveth not God hath made him a liar because he beleeved not the record that God witnessed of his soune Neither is this all which is meant by the knowledge of faith but a third thing is yet to be added for the full vnderstandinge thereof For besides the sight and knowledge of the thinges which are reveiled by God and also besides the knowledge of the vndoubted veritie and trueth of them it is required that wee knowe them to bee reveyled by God vnto vs and knowe the vndoubted trueth and veritie of them toward vs in our particular person that is that whatsoever God reveyle to vs he reveyleth it vnto vs as a thing which he hath appointed for vs and when he giveth vs the sight and knowledge of the vndoubted veritie of the things reveyled he maketh vs assuredlie to knowe that they shal be truely verily accomplished in our persons conforme to that ground which we have laide downe before concerning faith that is that what we beleeve we must beleeve it concerning our selves in particular according as it is said of Abraham that he beleeved God that he should bee the Father of many Nationâ—s And as Iob speaketh of him selfe chap. 19. verses 25. 26. 27. I am sure that my Redeemer liveth and I shall see God in my flesh whom I my selfe shall see and my eyes shall beholde and none other for mee According to which certaintie the Apostle Paul speaketh also of him selfe Rom. chap. 8. and for this maner of knowledge which commeth by faith the Fathers doe call faith the eye whereby we see the invisible things of God as also the ingraveÌ„ forme of the sonnes of God and for this same cause it is called by the Apostle Heb. chap. 11. the evidence of things which are not seene where by the word evidence is vnderstoode that faith doeth not onely shew them but by evident demonstration confirme the vndoubted veritie of them and that to vs in particular so that it letteth me not only see life eternall in Christ and this eternall life to belong to all that are in Chtist but particularly it letteth me see my selfe in Christ and this life to belonge to me in him and that so certainlie as nothing in heaven nor earth can bee more certaine and thus much for the first vse of faith The seconde ende wherefore faith is given is possession and this confirmeth evidently and plainely the former ground touching knowledge that it is so to be vnderstood as we have spoken For the knowledge of faith is never without possession according to thar saying of Christ Ioh. cha 14. ver 17. speaking of the spirit whow the world can not receyve because it seeth him not neyther knoweth him but yee knowe him for hee dwelleth with you and shal bee in you According to which ground it is that Ioh. sayth Hee that beleeveth in that sonne of GOD hath the witnes in him self 1. Epist chap. 5. ver 10. Thus faith maketh vs to know nothing but that which it also maketh vs to possesse therefore doeth the Apostle pray to God for the Ephesians that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith chap. 3. vers 27. For as the heart of man can never know Christ by it owne light but by the supernaturall light of faith so it can never apprehend Christ nor any blessing in Christ by any natural power that is in the will affection thereof Therefore God giveth to his elect the supernaturall gift of faith in their hearts that his elect whose heartes could never by any naturall strength ever attaine to the possession of Christ nor ever desire to have him nor yet embrace him with vnfayned love as their only treasure righteousnes and life might chose him and count all things but dunge to gaine him forsaking them selves and their owne righteousnes and to love him and embrace him with such affectioÌ„ that they prefer him to all things eveÌ„ to their owne life so that man by faith is not only made to know his redeemer but also to possesse him and all blessings in him And for this cause is it that in the scriptures we are saide to be the children of God by faith in Christ to be iustified by faith in him to bee saved by faith in him and as saith the Apostle Peter beleeving in him we carrie about with vs the end of our faith the salvation of our soules 1. Epist 1. 9. And for this working of faith it is called by the Apostle the subsisting of things hoped for Hebr. 11. 1. because it giveth a certaine being and subsisting vnto things that are yet invisible and are yet only expected and hoped for and maketh theÌ„ to subsist in our hearts therfore saith Christ he that beleeveth is alreadie translated from death to life and hath everlasting life Ioh. 5. 24. Thus we see that faith being taken away the heart of man should never be able to possesse nor apprehend Christ nor righteousnes or any other spirituall blessing in him Therefore because it is the effectuall instrument of Gods supernaturall power in our heartes whereby we apprehende and possesse Christ and all blessings in him The Fathers doe call it the hand of a Christian as also the mouth of a Christian and likewise the bound of a Christian because by faith as by a hand we lay holde on him and by faith as by a mouth wee receyve him into our heartes and by faith as by a bande that never can be broken wee are so vnited to him and hee with all the benefites that are in him vnto vs that we never can possibly bee seperated from him nor he or his blessinges from vs for this cause is it that Augustine sayth Beleeue onely and thou hast eaten him And for cleering of this grounde it is that these phrases of speech are vsed to wit that Christ is the ende of the lawe vnto righteousnes to all that beleeve that the promise is given to them that faithfully beleeve That the Gospell is the power of GOD vnto salvation to everie one that beleeveth c. all to teach vs that neither the Gospell can helpe vs to salvation neither is the promise made ours nor Christes righteousnes belongeth vnto vs except we beleeve because there is no mean to make any thing conteyned in the Gospell especially the promise or Christ him selfe to be ours but faith onely And for this same
cause our righteousnes is saide to bee the righteousnes of God which is by faith and the righteousnes which is through the faith of Christ Phil. chap. 3. ver 9. And Christ is saide to bee a reconciliation through faith in his bloud Rom. chap. 3. ver 25. All serving to teach vs that faith is not our righteousnes it selfe but only the meane by the which we attayne to that which is our righteousnes that is Christ in his bloud for in that sense is righteousnes faid to be through faith and by faith Moreover it is for this same cause that faith is called in the Scriptures the faith of Christ Rom. chap. 3. where righteousnes is saide to be the righteousnes of God by the faith of Iesus and that because the whole matter and substance which by faith wee eyther knowe or apprehende vnto righteousnes is onely Christ Sometimes it is called the faith of his name Acts cha 3. ver 16. as also the faith in his name as Ioh. chap. 1. ver 12. because all the vertue strength and power whereby we beleeve to bee iustisied is in Christ alone and in the vertue of his death and resurrection so that the vertue is not in faith it selfe but in Iesus apprehended by faith Sometimes againe it is called the faith towardes Christ Act. chap. 20. ver 21. because faith setteth nothing before it as the obiect but Christ alone for the Gospell which is the worde of faith propoundeth not any thing vnto vs but onely Christ as eyther promised or given vnto vs of God to bee the matter eyther of our righteousnes sanctification or redemption Sometimes againe it is called the faith in Christ Gal. chap. 3. ver 26. and that for two causes First because that wherein by faith our heartes are fastened and in the which our heartes only setleth their full confidence of righteousnes and remission of sinnes is onely Christ in whom onely our faith is and we also by faith for thereby we are made to be in him and hee in vs and therfore in the scripturs to be in Christ to be in the faith are put indifferently Rom. cha 8. vers 10. compared with 2. Cor. cha 13. ver 3. 5. And for this same respect the proper effectes of Christ him selfe are attributed vnto faith The second Reason is because faith neither suffereth vs to rest vpon it nor on our selues nor on anie other thing nor yet in any thing that is in faith or in our selves or in any thing except Christ onely and that which is in him as the ground of our confidence or as the matter of our righteousnes or blessednes therefore are we saide in him to have redemption in him to be made righteousnes and in him to be circumcised For whatsoever we are made by Faith we are made it in Christ and what soever faith maketh to be ours it is also in Christ therefore faith maketh not God our God but in Christ nor vs the children of God but in Christ nor righteous but in Christ c. For whatsoever faith layeth holde on it findeth it in Christ so that the hart of man when it beleeveth vnto righteousnes sendeth out faith fixeth it in Christ thereby laying holde vpon him and his obedience vnto righteousnes bringing him and his obedience with all the vertue both of his death and life into our heartes to dwell in them Sometimes also it is called the faith by Christ because hee is the Author Fountayne and occasion of it not so much because he with the Father and holy Ghost doeth worke it as because hee alone is the meane and occasion of it For as the Father redeemeth vs by Christ and by him maketh vs his sons and righteousnes c. so also he maketh vs to beleeue by Christ so that take mee away Christ all ground and foundation of saving faith in God is taken away for God hath layde the whole foundation of our beleefe in him alone For which cause Pet. 1. Epist chap. 1 ver 21. sayeth That by his meanes wee beleeve in Gâ—d and in that same place it is saide That God hath raysed him from the dead and given him glorie that our faith and hope might bee in God And to this same effect the same Apostle sayeth in the same chapter ver 3. That God hath begotten vs againe to a lively hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead Vpon which respect it is that the Apostle Paul 1. Cor. chap. 15. ver 17. sayeth expresly If Christ bee not raysed your faith is vayne Vpon which we may easilie gather that faith is a vaine fooilsh faith whereby a man is made to beleeve or hope for any blessing from God which maketh it not first to bee performed by God in Christ For our faith of our vnioÌ„ with God ariseth vpon the knowledge of Christ his assuming in vnitie of person our nature vnto his the faith of our being the sonnes of God ariseth vpon Christ the man our brother being the very sonne of GOD our faith that God will make vs righteousnes ariseth vpoÌ„ this that God hath made Christ sinne for vs and so foorth of the rest the hope of our resurrection is builded vpon his resurrection the hope of our assention vpon his assention the hope of our glorification vpon his glorification so that the Lord worketh in our heartes neither faith nor hope in him of any blessing whatsoever whereof hee doeth not first reveyle vnto vs a cleere ground and evident fouÌ„dation in Iesus Christ the sonne And therefore it may appeare how detestable a doctrine that is and execrable be the teachers of it that affirmeth that a man may be saved without the knowledge of Iesus Christ our Lord. Thus by all these phrases concerning faith the Lord would teach vs that Christ is the matter and hee is the ground of all whatsoever wee beleeve and that there is nothinge in Christ which is not made ours by faith And for this same purpose in Scriptures it is sometimes called the faith in the bloud of Christ Rom. chap. 3. ver 25. and that to teach vs what is the particular thing in Christ wherein God hath made him our righteousnes and whereby the Lord would haue vs to beleeve remission of sinnes in him for albeit Christ be vno vs all and that in all thinges and doeth fill vs all in all thinges yet as wee haue marked before there is no benefite which wee apprehende by faith in Christ but it hath the owne particular ground and foundation wherevpon it is builded and therefore as his faith is but vaine who expects his resurrection in Christ if he doe not know Christ to bee risen againe so his faith must be vaine who beleeveth the remission of sinnes in Christ and yet knoweth not that Christ did shed his bloud expressely for his iniquities For as God begettes vs to the hope of life by the resurrection of Ieses from the dead so he begetteth vs
by it may make vs righteous before him or be righteousnes vnto vs in his sight Thus this sentence rightly vnderstoode giveth no advanvantage eyther to the Papistes to prove that by workes we are iustified or yet vnto others who doe make the very act of our beleeving to be our righteousnes but rather doeth evidently convince both these opinions of manifest etror The first because faith is no worke of ours neither yet is the matter but the meane only of our righteousnes The second for the same foresaid reason for it is not the act of beleeving but the thing purchased and possessed by the act of beleeving which is our righteousnes before God And thus much concerning imputation CHAPTER XXXII NOW we come to the third pointe touching the forme and manner of our iustification which consisteth in the grace of God for we have said before that God iustifieth by gift by imputation and by grace therefore giving and imputing doth not simply make the full forme of our iustification but it is further required that both gift and imputation bee by grace Therefore are we said to be iustified freely by his grace Rom. chap. 3. ver 24. Tit. chap. 3. ver 7. Now we are first to consider what is meant by the name of grace and secondly to consider how we are iustified by grace Touching the name of grace leaving that generall signification of grace whereby it is extended to all Creatures in respect of the goodnes of God in some measure vnto all we will only treate of these two significations of grace where it is taken in the worke of our salvation The first signification of grace is when it signifieth the free favour love and good will of God in God him self and his good will towards man which from himselfe and of him selfe without any respect of any thing without him selfe moveth him to make man gracious and acceptable to him selfe in which sense it is taken Tit. chap. 2. ver 11. For that grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared And Rom. cha 3. ver 24. Being iustified freely by his grace And Ephe. chap. 1. ver 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace c. And chap. 2. ver 5. By whose grace ye are saved Secondly the name of grace is taken for the benefits and gifts which God of his grace doth bestowe vpō vs in Christ in which sense it is takē 1. Pet. cha 4. ver 10. Let every man as he hath receyved the gift minister the same one to another as good disposers of the manifolde graces of God In which sense our righteousnes is called grace Rom. chap. 5. ve 17. much more shall they which receyve that aboundance of grace and of that gift of that righteousnes c. and not onely righteousnes but all the remaynant blessinges which wee receyve from God in Christ and therfore they are all called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is gratious gifts or giftes of grace Rom. chapt 12. ver 6. 1. Cor. chap. 12. ver 4. And as grace is taken in this sense Christ him selfe and his death and mediation c. may iustly be accompted grace Therefore is hee also him selfe called the gift of God moreover faith love hope peace ioye patience perseverance life and salvation are all comprehended vnder the name of grace as it is taken in this sense In which sense the foolish Papistes doe call it gratia gratum faciens that is the grace that maketh vs acceptable or gratious whereas it is cleer by scripture that it is grace taken in the first sense whereof it evidently appeareth that the papists are vtterly ignorant whereby we are made acceptable vnto God as Eph. cha 1. ver 6. To the praise of the glorie of his grace by the which he hath made vs freely accepted in his beloved And this is the grace which onely should bee called the first grace because it goeth before all other grace taken in the seconde sense yea before the gracious Decree or Predestination of God eyther of vs to adoption or of Christ to bee our Redeemer as wee have showen before But the ignorant Papist calleth the very gift of GOD whereby a mans hearte is drawen backe from evill and stirred vp to goodnes the first grace Which opinion were not amisse in respect of the grace that is dispensed to vs if hee did acknowledge the particular love of God and his grace remayninge and resident in him selfe towarde his elect to goe before it as the cause but the reason of his stumblinge is this the foolishe opinion of the vniversalitie of grace when as they esteeme Gods grace generally to bee extendede alike to all and have no light nor iudgement to discerne betwixt the generall and vniversall grace of God to all Whereby hee maketh his Sunne to arise vpon the evill and the good and sendeth raine vpon the iust and vniust Math. chap. 5. ver 45. and that speciall grace and love of God which moveth him to love Iacob when he hated Esau of the same lumpe whereof he maketh all mankind to make certaine vessells vnto honour while as the rest are prepared for dishonour This being shortly spoken of the signification of grace wee have next to consider in what sense wee are said to be iustified by grace First we are to marke that we are not said to be iustified by grace in the second sense wherein grace is taken howsoever the thing whereby we are iustified be a grace for in this phrase grace is not referred to any of the thinges that are given vs and imputed to vs vnto righteousnes but vnto the manner and forme of Gods giving them and imputing them And that we may knowe this more cleerlie we are to vnderstand that grace taken in the first signification hath a three-folde place in the worke of our iustification First it hath place in the efficient cause in which sense it is taken 2. Tim. cha 9. VVho hath saved vs and hath called vs with a holy calling not according to our workes but according to his purpose and grace For the grace of God is the cause moving God to predestinate call iustifie and glorifie and of this wee have spoken of at length before in the cause of Gods Decree Secondly the grace of God hath place in the formall cause in which sense we are said to be iustified by grace Thirdly it hath place in the finall cause in which sense it is taken Ephe. chap. 1. ver 6. 12. where he is saide to doe all to vs Vnto the praise of the glory of his grace When it is referred to the manner of Gods iustifying vs it is opposed specially to two thinges First the word grace secludeth all price given by vs to God for iustifying vs. Secondly it secludeth all merit of ours from the worke of our iustificatiō so that it importeth as much as that in our iustification whatsoever God doeth he doeth it freely of his love and gratious