not to abolish but to fulfill the law and the Prophets And therefore Paul doubteth not to say that the righteousnesse of the Law is still fulfilled in vs. Rom. 8.4 Namely Euangelicè and applicatiuè according to the tenour of the Gospell by application but in Christ legaliter and inhaesiuè according to the Law inhaesiuely in himselfe 3 Causeâ— wâ—y in Scripâ—â—râ—â—â— so small mention of Câ—â—â—stâ— actâ—ue obâ—dâ—eâ—ce Why then will some say doth the Scripture speake so little of this kinde of obedience and so much of his passion There are sundry causes of it First because That of his Passion was most sensible and exposed to the eyes of all Secondly because that the Ceremoniall types had in that their accomplishment Thirdly because his Passion hath in it the chiefe actuall obedience See Chrysostom in the second homily on the Acts. The third degree of the giuing of Christ 3. In his death to suff r for 〈◊〉 which standeth more agreeably with this place is the giuing of him to be lifted vp vpon the tree that there in his bodie hee might beare our sinnes 1. Pet. 2.24 For in his lifting vp which phrase noteth the manner of his death hee answereth to the type of the brazen Serpent Iohn 3.14 Which as whoso looked on had cure for the stings of the fierie serpents so wee looking on Christ by faith are cured of the sting of that old serpent sinne and death Of this giuing Paul speaketh Rom. 8.32 He hath giuen his own Sonne for vs all Which iâ— the height â—f Godâ— louâ— And the Epitasis and height of Gods loue is made manifest in it that our hearts should burne within vs. Yea with the Spouse in the Canticles Cant. 2.5 we should swoone to consider it For what vnspeakeable loue is it that Almightie God a father so glorious and full of Maiestie should giue his onely Sonne a sonne like and equall to himselfe for his enemies to be made vnder the Law yea the curse of the Law and to be deliuered vp to the powers of darknesse This doctrine hath foure vses Vses 1. To make vs mourne for our â—â—nnes First it serueth to shew vs how horrible sinne is to engender in vs godly griefe and to make vs studiously auoide it Such Epicurisme is in vs that wee count sinne a light hurt which any thing will salue But whoso duely weigheth this that sinne ere it could bee done away and satisfied hath made the Lord of glory to empty himselfe of his Maiestie the Son of God to walke as a seruant God himselfe to shed his bloud this will make his heart to melt bleed within him for his sinnes and to water his cheekes with teares no lesse aboundantly then he hath before laughed merrily and blithely I will poure saith the Lord Zachary 12.10 vpon the house Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and compassion and they shall looke vpon mee whom they haue pearced and they shall lament for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne and be sorry for him as one is sorry for his first borne c. If once the Lord make vs turne our eyes to Christ and to regard what he hath suffered for our sinnes nothing will more then that humble vs with godly sorrow and bruise our hearts for them For what sorrow can we thinke deepe enough what teares sufficient for our sinnes which haue pearced the Sonne of God vvith extreame sorrowes and put him to most base vile and painefull sufferings And this grace also will curbe a man most effectually from breaking forth into euill and â—o curbe vs from sinne As Tit. 2.11 12. The grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that wee should deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts What is this grace of God but that fauour and loue vvhich God hath shewed vs in the sufferings of Christ then the vvhich there is no better master to teach vs and to presse vpon vs this lesson of vsing all endeauour to shunne sinne For therein as in a cleere glasse may we contemplate and behold what Christ hath endured to free vs from it what fearefull torments it deserueth how odious and hatefull it is to God which he would so seuerely punish in his owne Sonne And lastly into vvhat horrible misery it will eternally plunge vs if we doe not shake it off and abstaine therefrom 2. To comfort in temptation Secondly it is comfortable in temptation For when Sathan shall trouble our mindes and charge vs with our sinnes and vvant of righteousnesse there is nothing in the world that can quiet our mindes and stop his mouth but this that Christs righteousnesse and satisfaction is ours Shewing Christ to be ours and that by his death we are acquitted from our sinnes and by his righteousnesse made righteous before God But how is Christs righteousnesse and satisfaction made ours Euen by the gift and donation of God For as wee haue heard By Gods gift God hath giuen vs his Sonne and if Christ himselfe be giuen vs doubtlesse vvith Christ wee haue all the merits of his obedience conferred on vs by the same gift And what better right and title can we haue to him and his righteousnesse then this that God who is the sole owner possessour of him hath bestowed him on vs 3. To make 〈◊〉 trust to God â—or all other good things Rom. 8 3â— Thirdly it is a ground of hope in all our vvants that God vvill supply vnto vs all things good and needfull For hath God giuen vs Christ his Sonne How shall hee not with him giue vs all things also No man vvhose kindnesse and loue to vs hath beene so great as to bestow on vs the best and dearest thing he hath vvill hold backe any thing that should make that gift sure and behoouefull to vs or see vs in distresse for want of smaller matters Loe God hath giuen vs his Sonne the most excellent deere and precious thing he had And can wee thinke that his loue is so cold as that hee vvill sticke to bestow vpon vs earthly things that are toyes and trifles to this great gift if he see them fit for vs or that he will not giue vs faith and other graces whereby this gift should be made certaine and of vse vnto vs 4. To â—ssuâ—e vs of the continuance of â—oâ—s loue herâ—a â—er Fourthly it doth assure vs of Gods loue for the time to come If when we were enemies vvee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled shall wee bee saued by his life Rom. 5.10 If a man out of loue haue sought the friendship of his enemie and vsed meanes to be reconciled to him is it not likely that he will be constant in this loue and take all waies to maintaine it vnto the end But howsoeuer it fall out with man who is variable most sure it is that GOD
her Doest thou beleeue this that whoso beleeueth on me shall not die euerlastingly She doth answere Yea Lord I beleeue that thou art the Christ that is Since I beleeue this that thou art the Messiah I cannot doubt but that those that cleaue to thee shall haue euerlasting life teaching that these confessions imply an affiance and trust of all good through him The second ranke of places proue that to beleeue the power of God is iustifying faith Scriptures affirming faith to be a beliefe of Gods power Mat. 9.28 c. Christ required no more of the blinde man then to beleeue that hee was able to heale him And Luke the seuenth that faith of the Centurion which Christ commended to be greater then hee had found any in Israel seemeth to bee no more then a perswasion of Christs power to restore his sicke seruant Say the word and my seruant shall be whole verse 7. So Marke 1.4 The Leper seemeth to doubt of Christs will but was well perswaded of his power If thou wilt thou canst make me cleane And how is Abrahams faith otherwise set out vnto vs then by this that hee was fully assured that he which had promist was also able to doe it Rom. 4.21 Hence it is thus argued That faith which Christ requireth and confirmeth by miracle that is a iustifying faith But to bee perswaded touching the power of God is that faith which hee requireth and hath so confirmed Ergo c. I answere to the first part of this reason that it is false For the faith which Christ requireth to iustification is such a faith as doth acquite vs from our sinnes and procure vs righteousnesse but such a faith is not heere required but onely a faith seruing to receiue a temporall blessing Which speake not of iustifying faith but of a faith auailing to temporall blessing to which faith it suffices to bee perswaded of Gods generall goodnesse and power as hee is a Creatour The which faith since it doth giue vnto God the glory of power aboue all his creatures it pleaseth him to reward with temporall benefits as a thing good in it selfe though it doe not iustifie vs in his sight But Abrahams example must bee further examined and explaned from the which they goe about to conclude the same thus Abrahams faith Abrahams faith was a iustifying faith But his faith was not a perswasion of mercy To confirme which they make two maine exceptions at this example First that it was of a temporall promise and ergo the obiect of it was not forgiuenesse of sins in Christ Secondly that it was of Gods power Rom. 4.21 and not of any speciall grace and fauour For the first this promise was as well spirituall was of a spirituall blessing as temporall It was as you may see Gen. 15.5.18 17.5 6 7 8. c. of a seed which God would raise vp out of him and of Canaan which should bee giuen to his seede and in that seede the blessed seede Iesus Christ In Iesus Christ and vnder Canaan as a type heauen was figured and promised Now the obiect of Abrahams faith so farre as it did iustifie him was that blessed seede which is Christ Gal. 4 16. For it was rather the sight of Christ which hee had by faith then the perswasion of a sonne to bee borne to him and Canaan to be giuen his seede that made him to reioyce as Iohn 8.56 Abraham reioiced to see my day and hee saw it and was glad For the second when they say it was a perswasion of the power of God and not of his fauour they are mightily ouershot For the text saith first verse 20. that he did not doubt of the promise of God Now the promise alwaies implyeth Gods good will Looked first to Gods good will in the promise and grace The promise runnes not I can giue thee a seede Abraham and this Canaan to be possessed by thy seede but I will do thus and thus How then doth the Apostle set out Abrahams full beliefe in this that hee was assured that he who had promised was able also to doe it I answere Not because Abrahams saith did iustifie him as it did beleeue the power of God but because his iustifying faith which was fixed on the promise did sustaine it selfe Next to Gods power to sustaine himselfe in temptation by this consideration of Gods power in the time of triall betweene the promise and execution For vsually the Lord puts a time of delay betweene these vvherein faith is exercised Thus it was with Abraham he had a promise touching a seed the execution is deferred Hereupon his faith is assailed thus Thy body is dead Abraham thy wife hopelesse that way These things foiled Sarah Now when Abrahams faith on the promise is likewise set vpon hee holds fast the promise and against these arguments of vnbeliefe faith opposeth the all-sufficient power of God and sustaineth it selfe with this consideration God is able A third ranke of places tendeth to shew that to beleeue Christ dead and risen Scriptures putting faith in a beliefe of Christs death resurrection is true faith As Rom. 10.9 If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleeue in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saued And 1. Cor. 15.3 4. c. it is made the summe of the Gospell To beleeue the death and resurrection of Christ Hence thus they reason To giue credit that Christ is dead and risen is a iustifying faith but this is no perswasion of mercy Ergo. I answer The Apostles must interpret and construe themselues To beleeue Christ dead and risen as they taught him is true beleefe but they teach these things still with application But these are to be vnderstood with applicatiō as Rom. 4.25 He was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification And Rom. 8.34 Who shall condemne it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe for vs for that is to be vnderstood in euery member of this sentence which is added onely in the last that he maketh request for vs. So also say the Apostles Acts 5.31 that God had raised vp Christ to be a Prince and Sauiour to giue repentance to Israel forgiuenesse of sinnes Now thus to beleeue the death resurrection of Christ as thereby to look for forgiuenesse of sinnes is not bare knowledge but true affiance and assurance And these are the scriptures from the which they would proue this generall faith to be true faith Now follow the reasons Aduerse reasōs answered by which they goe about to shewe that there is not any particular assurance of mercie in faith First then thus they dispute There is no faith where there is no word but there is no word that saieth to any of vs Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Ans We haue a particular word infolded and wrapped
not the vilest and basest creature on the earth but it is in more happy state and condition then we are Vses 1 We erre to doubt of Gods loue vnder the Crosse The vse of this briefely is to take away the scandall of the Crosse and comfort vs therein For vvee when euill doth whip vs the Crosse lies heauy on vs and some bitter cup is measured out vnto vs morning by morning beginne to question Gods loue and thinke that vvee are not beloued of him But wee goe by a vvrong line and false rule For wee must looke off from these things and examine whether hee hath giuen CHRIST vnto vs or no. If wee finde this onely begotten Sonne reuealed in vs Specially if wee know haue Christ wee may then assure our selues that vvee are loued of GOD and that euen with this speciall loue Who is the sole â—â—râ—est of Gods loue CHRIST is the surest yea the onely pledge of Gods loue whom if wee haue bestowed on vs let other matters goe as they may wee neede not to doubt but that wee are of Gods best and dearest fauourites 2. They dream who presume on Gods loue for their worldly prospâ—ritie Secondly this may serue to quell and pull downe that vaine prefidence that is in many vvho vpon the bare enioyment of outward things in great plenty presume themselues to bee most deepely in the Lords fauour and before others in that point For this is a most fond presumption and meere delusion to build our hopes of Gods loue on such sandie grounds No man can know whether GOD loue or hate him by these outward things Eccles 9.1 In â—â— ir â—uffe without Christ they are but as traitours without a Pardon frolick ng it by the Kingâ— patience Were it not fond for a Traitour to presume of the Kings Mercie that hee doth let â—im in the Tower take his reuenues enioy his Lady and children ride his great Horse and vse what Lordly sports hee please Can any thing assure him of this gracious mercy of his Prince but his pardon sent vnto him vnder the Kings hand and Seale So haue thou as much of this vvorldly happinesse as thou canst wish be thou for outward things the mirrour and enuie of the vvorld yet art thou neuer the farther in the fauour of GOD. Thou standest but as a condemned Traitour before him vnlesse thou finde that hee haue giuen CHRIST vnto thâ—e to bee thy peace and thy attonement Onely so farre as thou hast the knowledge of of this Iust One imparted to thee as thou doest loue him and his Gospell as by faith hee is become thine so farre canst thou haue any assurance of Gods loue and mercy All other things notwithstanding No better thâ—â— Cain without Christ giuen to thee it is no better with thee then Cain or Iudas nay then vvith the Diuell himselfe Nay then the Diuell who is the Prince of the world and hath the glory and happinesse of it aboue the greatest Monarch of the earth Doct. 3. God doth loue his before Ch i st be giuen to die for them Thirdly since God out of loue to his giues Christ for their redemption obserue that there is a loue of God to his now in misery before Christ himselfe cometh in as Mediator for them Loue though in God it is but one most simply as himselfe is most simply one Gods loâ—e twofold A latter ensuing of Christs deâ—th Mâ—nifest in our iustâ—fiâ—ation yet for the change that it maketh in the creature and to help our weake vnderstanding a former and a latter loue and grace may be considered For there ariseth a grace of God vnto vs from the bloud of Christ in which mercy this new testament of giuing to vs beleeuing iustification vnto life is stricken Therefore Christ is called the Mediatour of the new testament Heb. 9.15 12.24 his bloud the bloud of the newe testament Mat. 26.28 And of this grace that place in the third to the Romanes verse 24. may bee vnderstood where the Apostle saith that wee are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus And reconciliation And in this respect the scripture putteth our reconciliation to God in the death of Christ 2 Cor. 5.19 Eph. 2.16 Rom. 3.25 and elsewhere But now these places must not be so vnderstood as if the Lord within himselfe before entirely hated vs but therefore these phrases are vsed because that in Christ that former loue of God springeth forth which while iustice was vnsatisfied might not bud out but lay hid and couched A former loue shewing it selfe in the gift of Christ For there was a loue to vs before Christ of which here is spoken and the effect whereof the giuing of Christ himselfe is heere affirmed A kinde-hearted father doth oft beare a secret and inward affection toward an vngratious sonne whom he hath cast out from him as Dauid toward Absalom 2 Sam. 13.39 14.1 c. though he will not suffer it to appeare till by the suit and request of som friend whom perhaps himselfe suborneth he bee reconciled to his sonne no lesse was there in God a hid loue toward vs before Christ which the Lord would not suffer to break forth to our knowledge till Christ by his death had made our peace for vs. Neither need we feare the putting of contrary wils in God by this meanes Before whom God was estraâ—ged from vs in regard of sin but did loue vs as foreknowne of himselfe for though as we were in a sort our owne worke through sinne in regard of iustice hee did stand separated and estranged from vs yet as wee were his worke or rather as he had of his gratious pleasure foreknowne vs he loued vs and in loue elected vs and therefore nothing hindreth but that his immutable fauor in these respects might be still continued toward vs and so it was For as his iustice for sinne held vs vnder wrath and death so his loue worketh another way taking vs out of the hand of iustice by giuing his only begotten in whom iustice and mercy doe kisse each other And to say that the Lord altogether hated vs in himselfe vntill Christ made intercession is such an assertion as we shall be easily inforced to reuerse For Christ made intercession called or vncalled if called there was great loue in the Father calling him to do such a kinde office for vs. If we say vncalled we goe against the Scriptures of the old and new testament in which nothing is more euidently taught then the calling anointing and the sending of the sonne by God the father The vse to commend Gods loue as very antient This now ought to make Gods loue the more deare and pretious vnto vs as being very antient and freely borne toward vs antient I say for we are loued of God before Christ was appointed our Mediatour who yet was ordained before the