Apostle elegantly saith were while in the state of sinne free from righteousnesse Christ therfore was so made sinne for vs as that he was reputed yea and iudged as a sinner as Esay saith He was numbred with the transgressours and hee bare the sinne of many Now that Christ is said to bee made sin in the abstract and we to be made righteousnesse in the abstract not righteous in the concrete as Logicians speake Lyra saith Ideo in abstracto dicitur iustitia Dei vt efficeremur perfecte iusti We are said to be made the righteousnesse of God in the abstract that is perfectly iust And that is wee are made iust but relatiuely in respect to Christ as he was made sinne but relatiuely in respect of vs we are made the righteousnesse of God in him as hee was made sinne for vs and in vs to wit in our person as wee haue said so he is called The Lord our righteousnesse Yet true it is that Christ might be said to be made sinne to wit the sacrifice for sinne though not so properly in this place But if Papists will wrangle and wring out this sense from this place because the Glosse saith so let them remember that as Lyra's Glosse saith As we are made perfectly iust by Christ so was he made a perfect sacrifice for vs to free vs both à culpa poena from the fault and the penaltie and not a lame sacrifice or imperfect to free vs onely à culpae but not à poena as Papists say reseruing the punishment for their purgatorie But of this hereafter Howsoeuer if they will needes take sinne there for the sacrifice for sinne yet Christ was so the sacrifice for sinne as must necessarily imply the imputation of our sinnes vpon his person But enough of this place which one place is enough to proue the formall cause of our iustification to be the righteousnesse of Christimputed vnto vs. It followeth therefore that the formall cause of our iustification that which makes vs truely iust in the sight of God yea before Gods iudgement seate is the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to vs and that no otherwise than our sinnes were imputed to him whereby hee was made a malefactor not by hauing our sinnes in him but vpon him He bore our sinnes vpon him saith Peter So Esay Hee bare the sinnes of many and was numbred with the transgressors Hee is the truth of the type of those two goates Leuit. 16. the one slaine the other let goe figuring the humanity the slaine Goate and the diuinity of Christ the scape Goate or the slaine Goate the death of Christ and the scape Goate his resurrection For he dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification which his rising againe from the dead is liuely shadowed in the scape Goat on which Aaron put both his hands confessed ouer him all the iniquities of the children of Israel putting them vpon the head of the Goate sending him away by the hand of a fit man into the wildernesse where those sinnes should neuer be seene more vers 21. Hee was that Ioshua the high Priest our Iesus or Iehoshua and high Priest who offering himselfe vpon the Crosse was clothed in filthy garments euen with the menstruous cloth of our sinnes imputed vnto him or imposed vpon him As Chrysostome applies that place to Christ that we might be clad in the glorious robes of his righteousnesse put vpon vs As the ordinary Glosse vpon this place saith excellently Iesus est indutus sordidis vestibus quiae qui peccatum non fecit pro nobis peccatum factus est Sed haec sordida vestis est ei ablata cum nostra deleuit peccata vt quia ille sordidis indutus est vestibus nos resurgentes in eo semper candida habeamus vestimenta Iesus hath filthie rayment put vpon him because he that did no sinne was made sinne for vs. But this filthy rayment was taken from him when he had cancelled our sinnes that because he was attired in filthy rayment we rising againe in him may alwayes haue white garments vpon vs. That we as Iacob being cladde in the sweete smelling robes of our elder brother Christ might bee accounted as a field which the Lord hath blessed and so receiue the blessing of the birth-right in our elder brothers name As the type is very pregnant to this purpose whereupon Ambrose saith thus Iacob primogeniturae benedictionem obtinuit veste fratris maioris natu indutus â—ic vestis Christi optimum odorem spirat c. Iacob clothed in the garment of his elder brother obtained the blessing of the birth-right so the garment of Christ doth yeeld a fragrant smell c. And againe Quod Isaac odorem vestium â—lfecit fortasse illud est quia non operibus iustificamur sed fide quoniam carnalis infirmit as operibus impedimento est sed fidei clarit aâ— factorum obumbrat errorem quae meretur venianâ— delâ—ctorum That Isaac smelled the odour of the garments haply it is to signifie that we are not iustified by workes but by faith because carnall infirmity is an impediment to workes but the glory of faith doth shadow the errour of our workes and procureth pardon of our sinnes The conuert Prodigall had the fatte Calfe slaine for him and the best robe put vpon him Euery sinner is this Prodigall yea that beleeuing repenting theefe hanging vpon the Crosse as Saint Augustine compares them together Iesus Christ is the fatte Calfe killed for vs his righteousnesse is that best robe put vpon vs. So St. Augustine applyeth it Proferat hic pater stolam illam primam induat filium immortalitate quem secum videt in cruce pendentem mactet vitulum saginatum hominem illum susceptum etiam pro latronibus crucifixum Let the father bring forth that best robe let him clothe his sonne with immortality whom he seeth crucified with Christ let him kill the fatte Calfe that man taken and crucified euen for theeues And the ordinary Glosse saith Adduâ—ite vitulam id est pradicate Christum mortem eius insinuate Bring forthe the fat Calfe that is preach Christ and put men in minde of his death Nor is that an obscure type of Christ clothing vs with his righteousnesse which wee finde Gen. 3. 21. where the Lord God doth make coates of akinnes and therewith clotheth the man and the woman No doubt of skinnes of beasts sacrificed types of Christ. The Scripture it selfe leades vs to this construction so often mentioning the putting on of Christ as Gal. 3. 26. 27. Being by faith in Iesus Christ made the children of God and such saith the Apostle haue put on Christ. Now what is it to put on Christ but to make him wholly ours As the king of Babel is said to put on Egypt as a garment in token that it was become wholly his Ier. 43. 12. Christ standing before Pilate to be iudged as he
tooke the purity of our nature in his conception so now hee put on the impurity of our guilty persons in his condemnation And by the way behold here a great mystery The sonne of God not only in our innocent nature by assumption but in our guilty persons by imputation stands before Pilate the Iudge to bee sentenced by him Why what if Christ had beene killed by any of the sundry attempts of the malicious lewes made vpon his person as by casting him headlong downe the steep Rocke as once they made sure account of him when they had him in the midst of them yea had laid hands on him leading him to the brow of the hill No it was not possible in regard of the purpose of Gods wisedome and iustice destinating his sonne to such a death as he must dye as Luke 24. 26. that Christ could be so put to death by all the power and malice of hell it selfe For Gods wisedome so disposed that the death of his son should be such as might bee most effectuall to satisfie and appease his fathers wratâ— and giue a beleeuer sure confidence in the day of iudgement as St. Iohn speakes 1. Ioh. 2. 28. Otherwise if it had beene so that Christ had been killed in any such tumultuous manner or in hugger mugger not by a legall iâ—diciall proceeding against him how had his death secured vs from the terrour of Gods Tribunall Christ must dye but hee must first be sentenced and iudged to dye by a lawfull Iudge And such was Pilate For howsoeuer Pilate was a man and so subiect to be led away with passion and affection which as a bribe doth blinde the eyes euen of the wise and peruerteth the wayes of iudgement yet a lawfull Iudge hee was deputed and appointed for that Prouince by Caesar yea by a greater than Caesar euen by God himselfe for euery earthly Iudge sustains the person of God himselfe who is the Iudge of all the world Therefore Iehoshaphat in his charge to the Iudges whom he sent said Take heed what you do for ye iudge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the iudgement And such is the iudgement and sentence which proceedeth from the mouth of an earthly Iudge as that it is to be taken receiued as the iudgement and sentence of God himself As the wise man speakes from the mouth of the holy Ghost Many seeke the Rulers fauour but euery mans iudgement coâ—â—â—th from the Lord. Euery mans iudgement Yes euery mans iudgement Nay more which is also there implyed euery iudgement whatsoeuer it bee true or false right or wrong it proceedeth shal I say from the Lord Yes from the Lord. Euery mans iudgment coÌ„meth from the Lord And yet many men coÌ„plain that their cause is vniustly censur'd sentenc'd by the iudge But God is iust shal not he the Iudge of all the world do right doubtlesse he is most iust and euen that iudgement which seemeth to vs most vniust coÌ„ming from an earthly iudge yet the same iudgement comming from God is most iust We will vse no other instance but that iudgement of Pilate passed vpon the Lord Iesus Christ. Iesus Christ the innocent Lambe of God stands arraigned at the barre of Pilates iudgement-seate many accusations are brought against him but without any proofe at all And the Iudge must goe secundum allegata probata according to the allegations and proofes or else aequum licet statuerit haud aequuâ— fuit though hee giues a iust sentence yet himselfe is vniust Well the â—ewes with much vehemencie of mortall malice accusing Christ before Pilate but all without proofe Pilate knowing that of enuie the Iewes had deliuered him to him to bee condemned acquits Christ as an innocent person and that solemnely before them all But the Iewes at length preuailing with their wicked importunities Pilate contra probata passeth and pronounceth the sentence of condemnation vpon Christ that hee should dye A most vniust and wicked sentence if we consider the person of the Iudge Pilate a man swayed by humane affections and especially feare of men the bane of many a good cause who against his owne conscience pronounced Christ guilty and worthy of death whom he knew for no other but a most innocent person But now take mee this iudgement as-proceeding from the tribunall of God and we shall see it to bee most iust for in or with Pilate God sits vpon the Tribunall to iudge his owne Sonne But God and Pilate passe the same sentence with a most different respect vpon Christ. For Christ here sustaines a two-fold person his owne which only Pilate looked vpon not knowing any other and so Pilates sentence of death was most vniust but Christ bore another person vpon him to wit our sinfull person which God looking vpon and finding him now in our stead a guilty person by the imputation of our sinnes being our suretie hee passeth the same sentence of death vpon him that Pilate did and yet Gods sentence is most iust Yea but God the iudge must goe also Secundum allegata probata according to due allegations true proofes for shall not the Iudge of all the world doe right But all the allegations and accusations brought against Christ wanted proofe yea they were most false True But consider Christ now as he stood in our person so all the allegations accusations brought against him were most true In which respect Christ at the hearing of them was silent as guiltie persons who haue nothing to answer for themselues as he that wanted his wedding garment was speechlesse because Christ knew that hee stood there in our person Against whom what accusation of sinne can be produced but may easily bee proued Christ was accused of two maine impieties against God and against the King and the People as a peruerter and traytor All this was true for sustaining our person standing as our surety and vndertaking to discharge all our debts what debt was so great what sinne so grieuous that hee now stood not charged withall and was not as culpable of This made him to be numbred among transgressours not common offenders but transgressors among criminall yea capitall malefactors and for this very reason euen Barabbas a seditious murtherer is preferred before him If Christ had not thus stood in our stead beene iudged and condemned in our persons he had neuer saued the Thiefe vpon the Crosse. And therefore as St. Ambrose saith Nemo est qui possit excludi quando receptus est Latro There is none that can bee shut out when the Thiefe is let in And standing in our stead if hee had not been formally and legally iudged and so condemned wee should neuer haue beene able to haue stood before Gods iudgement-seate But now Christ being cast and condemned by a lawfull â—udge ordained and appointed of God so that this iudgement was not mans iudgement but Gods this
Hereunto they adde sundry places of Scripture as all such where there is eyther any exhortation to take hold of grace or any admonition to take heede of falling As 1. Cor. 10. 12. Let him that thinketh hee standeth take heede lest hee fall And Rom. 11. the Iewes fall is propounded to the called Gentiles as an example of admonition vers 20. Because of vnbeliefe they were broken off and thou standest by faith Bee not high minded but feare And to omit many other they alledge one maine place out of Ezech. 18. where God threateneth That if the righteous forsake his righteousnesse and commit iniquity in the iniquity that hee hath committed he shall dye and his former righteousnesse shall be remembred no more From these and such like places the aduersaries would conclude That a man may fall totally and finally from grace or at least they would waue the matter and leaue it indifferent sith say they we find such opposition in the Scripture about this point Nay say they we can bring as many places that make against certainty of election and perseuerance in grace as can be brought for it So that the aduersaries I neede name none but the Pontificians for all that hold of their wicked Doctrine though they seeme to abhorre the name of Pontificians yet indeede they are one with them the aduersaries I say are here upon very peremptory and insolent because not vnderstanding the Scriptures but peruerting them to their owne destruction they thinke they are as fast and full on their side as against them Hereupon at the leastwise they would I say waue the matter and make it indifferent whether side a man choose So that by hooke or by crooke they would bring in a new Diuinity as Copernicus and his followers a new Philosophy who making demonstration that the earth may as well moue round about in 24. houres as the heauens therefore his disciples conclusion must be that not the heauens but the earth moueth about once in 24. houres The motion whereof hath caused this brain-sicke giddinesse in these new Philosophicall Heretickes or Hereticall Philosophers But the grounds of Diuinity in this point in hand are farre more demonstratiue and certaine than that of Copernicus his Philosophy For he can finde no certaine demonstration of the heauens motion but that he can stoppe with his versatilous wit no more then my braine earthy as it is can be moued to beleeue his earths motion But these Nouel-Diuines must needes confesse that the Doctrine of Gods election effectuall vocation of the Elect and their perseuerance in grace is very clearly set down in the Scriptures Which being so while they would oppose other places of Scriptures against it what doe they else but goe about to make God a lyar that with him should be Yea and Nay For if the Scripture be contradictory in the matter of saluation then it should be no better than a lye and so God the author of the Scripture a lyar But let God be true and euery man a lyar Yea let the Scriptures be true vniforme consonant and like themselues and all such wresters and peruerters of the truth lyars But they cannot bring any one sentence of Scripture to contradict this truth of the certainty of Gods election The Scripture saith The foundation of God stands sure and hath the seale The Lord knoweth who are his but where can the aduersaries bring one place of Scripture contradictory which saith The foundation of God is vncertaine without seale The Lord knoweth not who are his The Scriptures saith of Apostates They went out from vs but they were not of vs for had they been of vs they had continued with vs but where saith it the contrary that Apostates were once the true Children of God sealed vp in Gods foundation and knowne of God to be his and that they were once really of the number of Gods Elect The Scripture saith It is impossible to deceiue the Elect and to seduce them from Christ. The Scripture saith He that is borne of God sinneth not neyther can be sinne because he is borne of God that is he cannot sinne vnto death namely by sinne fall away from God finally Where saith it That he that is borne of God doth sinne vnto death and so falleth totally and finally from God Indeede if as Archimedes that famous Mathematician and Engineer who was so confident of his Art that he durst say he would remoue this whole terrestriall Globe if he had but a Ground or Base to fasten his Engine vpon although the Base must needes be farre bigger than the Moueable So they if they could finde such a solid ground in Scripture seruing their owne opinion and preponderating the eternall vnmoueable truth of Gods election as thereupon they could pitch their artificiall Engine much might be that these rare Engineers might Giant-like be able to reere Mount Pelion vpon Mount Ossa and so climbe to the top of Olympus while by their faith as a graine of scelerata Sinapis they command the vnmoueable mountaine of Truth if the foundation of it did not stand the more sure to bee cast into the floating sea of their fleeting imagination But say they the Scripture speaketh doubtfully in many places as in those fore-alledged and other To which all I answer in one word that none of those fore-alledged places doe crosse or contradict the truth of God Nay contrary they are all as meanes to bring the purpose of God to its finall period and effect For Be not high minded but feare Let him that thinketh he standeth take heede lest he fall Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling If ye doe these things ye shall neuer fall If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered If the righteous forsake his righteousness and commit iniquity and if there be any other Scriptures of this nature eyther exhortatory or admonitory besides that they are excellent restrictiues to all sorts of men in generall God extending his restraining grace euen to wicked men they are all necessary precepts and soueraigne preseruatiues and antidotes especially to the elect of God to preserue them from falling These places do not imply that Gods elect may fall away but they serue as meanes to preuent them that they doe not fall Now God hath as I said not only ordained the end but all means tending thereunto Of which meanes those many exhortations and admonitions in Scripture are a speciall part To this purpose Augustine speaketh excellently Tene quod habes ne alius accipiat Coronam tuam Quod autem etiam perseueraturis Sanctis sic ista dicuntur quasi eos perseueratures habeatur incertum non aliter hoc audire debent quibus expedit non altum sapere sed timere Hinc Apostolis dicebatur si manseritis in me dicente illo qui illos vtique sciebat esse mansuros Et per Prophetam si volueritis audieritis me cum sciret
owne saluation and the like these are the signes and fruits of a true Conuert say I. No say you The matter now standing betweene your No and my Yea who shall be the vmpire Nay let vs decide it betweene vs by the rule of Gods word Either make the tree good and the fruit good or else the tree euill and the fruit euill saith Christ. An euill tree cannot bring forth good fruit contra Now a man before his effectuall conuersion before he be in Christ is an euill tree and therefore cannot bring forth any fruit of true grace or vertue But if a man begin once to bring forth such fruits shew me if you can any reason why such a man is not already a true Conuert For ought you know hauing these signes and symptomes of true conuersion he is a true Conuert Nay that he is without question a true Conuert I proue by two reasons First because till a man be a true Conuert he cannot be truely humble he cannot truely renounce himselfe his sins confesse his vnworthinesse feele the hardnesse of his heart to complaine of it and the like Secondly because all these things are common and proper to the regenerate man Both these together I pâ—â—â—e thus 1. No dead man can performe the workes of a liuing man but these forementioned be the workes of a liuing man therefore no dead man therefore no man before his conuersion can performe such workes But you will say these things are not so the workes of a man conuerted but that also as morall workes they may be performed of a morall or naturall man before his conuersion To which I answer that all these things are not of a morall but of a spirituall nature are the proper gifts of the spirit of grace which no naturall man hath till he become spirituall which is by conuersion when hee recâ—â—â—eth spirituall life God giues grace to the humble but first he giues grace to be humble God giueth more grace saith St. Iames and what followeth He giues grace to the humble that is more grace to him whom first he hath made humble by grace This humility comes only from Christ to those that are in Christ. True humility St. Augustines compares to the water of life and of grace which floweth from the inward fountaine of the pure veine of truth This is the water of confession of sinnes this the water of humiliation of the heart this the water of sauing life of him that casts downe himselfe that presumes nothing of himselfe that proudly attributes nothing to his owne power This water is in no Forreiners bookes not in the Epicures not in the Stoickes not in the Manichees not in the Platonicks Wheresoeuer other precepts of manners and discipline are found yet this humility is not found The way of this humility flowes from no where else it comes from Christ c. So Augustine This Humility is the Herbe-grace and growes no where but in the garden of grace euen the heart of the true Conuert It growes not in the whole field of nature though neuer so well tilled with the doctrine of Philosophy And for hardnesse of heart it is in euery impenitent man but when once it comes to be felt and to be mourned for this is the proper effect of a man renued by grace whose not onely vnderstanding is inlightened to see but his will and affections touched with a godly sense and feeling of his spirituall miseries which a dead man cannot doe Now till a man be in Christ by faith he is a dead man Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drink his bloud that is Except ye beleeue in the son of man ye haue no life in you Ioh. 6. 53. And saith the Apostle Now I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in mee and in that I now liue I liue by the faith of the sonne of God c. Gal. 2. 20. Now a dead man knowes not that he is dead but when he is restored to life he then knowes that he was dead So a man till hee be in Christ that is truely conuerted he is dead and knowes it nâ—â— much lesse can bewaile or so much as see and feele his spirituall death but being in Christ and so made aliue he knowes then that he was a dead man and feeling some reliques of spirituall mortality in him as corruption of sinne hardnesse of heart and the like he is truely humbled for it he heartily bewailes and confesseth it and prayeth against it which humility which bewayling and confessing of his spirituall misery is no lesse an infallible signe of a man restored from spirituall death to spirituall life by Christ than the seuen times neezing of the widowes son was a true token of his restitution from death to life againe But as the clause comes in but obiter so let it suffice to haue touched it by the way And this I haue said I am sure will stand good till any shall be able to proue That a man doth spiritually liue before he be in Christ before he be a true Conuert CHAP. IV. The Romish Doctrine of the Iustification of a sinner what it is and wherein it consisteth NOw after all this adoe about preparation to iustification which the more they magnifie the further off they are from attaining vnto it what is that iustification which the Romish Church stands vpon Let vs see if it bee worth all that labour and merit whereby they must come by it The foolish Virgins while they went to bestow their paines and cost to prepare oyle for their empty Lampes to meete the Bridegroome lost all their paines and expence for when they came Heauen gate was shut against them The Romish Virgins for such they would bee accounted wanting oyle in their Lampes to wit the pure oyle-oliffe of grace distilling from the true Oliffe Tree Iesus Christ while they goe about to prepare artificiall oyle made by humane inuentiâ—â— they may iustly feare to find the gate of righteousnesse and mercie barred vp against them If they proue not rather like the men of Sodome who pressing vpon righteous Lot to surprise euen his Angel-guests were strucke with blindnesse that they could not finde the right doore where they would haue entred So these seeking to enter the gate of the righteous as if they would surprise Heauen the lodging of Angels by a strange and new inuented violence it will proue a matter of high admiration if euer by their new way of preparation choaked with so many mists of foggie errours and blinde inuentions they hit vpon the gate of iustification and so come promiscuously to ioyne themselues to the sacred society of righteous Angels But now let their iustification speake and iustifie it selfe The Councell of Trent in the seuenth Chapter saith thus Hanc dispositionem seu praeparationem iustificatio ipsa consequitur quae non est sola peccatorum remissio sed
giues a supersedeas and a quietus est to all true beleeuers and penitent sinners that they shall most assuredly stand innocent and righteous before Gods iudgement-seat seeing their sins are already absolutely iudged and condemned For as Christ was legally condemned in our person so shall wee be before Gods Tribunall acquitted and absolued as iust and righteous in his person For Who shall now lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ that is dead O singular vnspeakeable comfort to all true beleeuers The debt is discharged and we are free Christ is iudged and we acquitted hee is condemned and wee absolued his chastisement is our peace his stripes our healing So that now being iustified by his bloud wee shall bee saued from wrath through him Now we may with comfort and confidence wait for the Sonne of God from heauen whom God raised from the dead euen Iesus which hath deliuered vs from the wrath to come as saith the Apostle And all this for that Christ in his owne person innocent but in ours guilty was iudged and condemned euen by Gods owne iudgement though by the mouth of a mortall man yea an vniust though a lawfull iudge It is not therefore for nothing that in our Creede we say He suffered vnder Pontius Pilate O happy suffering vnder Pontius Pilate But why vnder Pontius Pilate How comes Pontius Pilate in our Christian Creed Surely not for any honour due to his name or to his person but in memorie of his office and calling as he was a Iudge who passed sentence on the Lord Iesus Christ. This very article wherein Pontius Pilate is mentioned is a strong argument to perswade mee that those who compiled this Creede called the Apostles Creede did it by the speciall instinct of the holy Ghost And in this very Article doth this Creede exceede all other Creedes sith it of all the rest expresseth the manner of Christs condemnation which being done by Pontius Pilate the Iudge is the very life and soule of our iustification I haue dwelt the longer vpon this point as being a mysterie of rare and singular vse to the Church of God I confesse I haue looked into sundry Catechists and Expositors vpon the Creede but I haue not had the hap to meete with any to lead me thus to consider of this point of Christs suffering vnder Pontius Pilate as a lawfull Iudge which seemeth to my poore iudgement to bee as a secure roade and safe harbour for all heauenly Merchants to anchor in Although it be easie at the first sight to take it rather as a history than as a mysterie Much lesse may we wonder at Popish writers who in their deuoutest meditations set forth vpon the passion of Christ as Guiuara's mysteries of mount Caluary and such like doe expresse more womanish passions and affections in condoling Christs sufferings like those daughters of Ierusalem whose naturall teares Christ reproued in weeping for him and would haue them turned into spirituall teares in weeping for themselues than any masculine discretion in discerning the true cause end of Christs sufferings as that he was thus iudicially condemned in our persons that so wee might stand guiltlesse before Gods iudgement seate A mysterie altogether vnknowne to Pontifician spirits as the Gospell is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that beleeue not lost the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ who is the image of God should shine vnto them 2. Cor. 4. 4. Of this sort also is that viperous brood of the Socinians who oppugning the doctrine of Christs satisfaction in our persons are easily confuted and confounded by this very article of the Creed whose madnesse is sufficiently discouered by Lubbertus Ludouicus Lucins and others so that they neede none other confutation their arguments being but meere argutiae no lesse futile than seemingly subtile which as the hissings of the serpent are to be hissed and whipped out of Christs schoole Now the imputation of Christs obedience vnto vs to our iustification is partly negatiue and partly affirmatiue Negatiue in the not imputing of sinne vnto vs whereof the Psalmist and from him the Apostle speaketh Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sinne The reason of this not imputing our sins to vs is because they were imputed to Christ he being iudged and condemned for them As Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the Law being made a curse for vs. In this respect the Apostle makes a challenge in the behalfe of all Gods chosen Who shall condemne them who shall lay any thing to their charge For if our sinnes be imputed to Christ and he bore them vpon him and discharged our debt then it cannot possibly bee that they should be imputed to vs also who beleeue in him Also this not imputing our sinnes includes in it an affirmatiue imputation to wit of the passiue obedience of Christ vnto vs hee suffering for vs whatsoeuer wee should haue suffered yea euen eternall death it selfe for as much as the Eternall suffered the nature of that death though hee onely tasted of it as the Apostle saith Heb. 2. 9. yet he so tasted it as that at once as it were at one morsell he wholly deuoured it and swallowed it vp in victory as 1. Cor. 17. 54. Secondly Imputation affirmatiue is the imputing of Christs actiue obedience and righteousnesse vnto vs wherein as in most rich robes we stand most gloriously arrayed in the presence of God For as the Prophet saith To vs a childe is borne to vs a sonne is giuen c. so that Christ is ours as well in his birth and life as in his death And Esay saith againe O Lord thou wilt ordaine peace for vs for thou also hast wrought all our workes for vs or in vs. This the Apostle also declareth Christ made himselfe of no reputation and tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant and was made in the likenesse of men hee humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death Note the Apostle speakes there of the whole and intire humiliation and obedience of Christ continued throughout his whole life euen vnto the death the death of the Crosse. Yea Christs obedience to the death was an actiue obedience for Passus est quia voluit the Apostle applies that of the 40. Psalm Heb. 10 9. for Christ suffered willingly to show that in his very suffering his obedience was actiue Now for whom did Christ become a seruant become obedient but for vs men who by disobedience had made our selues seruants who were by creation Lords of the world So the Lord himselfe saith For euen the Sonne of man came not to be ministred vnto but to minister and to giue his life a ransome for many And againe I am
among you as one that serueth Now for whom was Christ in the condition of his life a seruant For himselfe Not for himselfe but for vs as himselfe saith For their sakes I sanctifie my selfe that they also might be sanctified through the truth Ioh. 17. 19. So that the actiue obedience of Christ in his life his holinesse as of a seruant is also imputed to vs For how was hee a seruant in our person but that hee might free vs from the condition of seruants That as the passiue obedience of Christ in his death remoued away from vs the ragges of our sins the badge and band of our seruitude So Christs actiue obedience in his life hath put vpon vs the most glorious libertie of our infranchisement and freedome his death hath cleansed vs his life hath clothed vs. These two therefore are in no sort to be diuided vnlesse we would bee content to haue our deliuerance from hel separated from our inheritance in heauen and still to bee subiect to the punishment of losse though free from the punishment of sense like those infants who dying vnbaptized the Pontificians haue deuised to put them in a certain Limbus or Hell wherein they must suffer though not the punishment of sense yet the punishment of losse as they say But as this is a meere fiction and fable so is that other it being as impossible for a man eue◠to come to possesse the Kingdome of Heauen without the imputation of Christs actiue obedience and righteousnesse as without his passion imputed euer to escape hell fire So that Christ cannot be diuided wee must haue him whole or none For it was necessary that the actiue righteousnesse of Christ should both goe before and accompany his passiue obedience seeing without the actiue the passiue should haue been altogether vnprofitable therefore they are ioyned together Phil. 2. 7. 8. that so his passiue might seale vnto vs his actiue and his actiue sanctifie vnto vs his passiue Nay was not his passiue obedience also actiue by a voluntary offering vp of himselfe Was hee not obedient vnto the death Saith not Christ himselfe Ioh. 10. 15. I lay downe my life for my sheepe and vers 17. Therefore doth my father loue me because I lay downe my life that I might take it againe and vers 18. No man taketh it from me but I lay it downe of my selfe I haue power to lay it downe and I haue power to take it againe Christs passiue obedience therefore being it selfe also actiue how can these two possibly bee separated and diuorced one from the other That as the passiue obedience of Christ hath freed vs from sinne hell death and condemnation so the actiue obedience of his life might restore vs vnto possesse vs in the perfect state of righteousnesse life saluation and the Kingdome of heauen Yea these two are so vnseparable as that the confluence of all the sweet streames of Christs actiue obedience in his life haue a most sweete and comfortable influence into the bitter sea of his passiue obedience in his death making it to bee a most perfect and intire sacrifice the holinesse of Christs life sanctifying his death and shewing him to bee that Lambe of God without spot or blemish So that we cannot be partakers of Christs passiue obedience without his actiue lest hee proue vnto vs a lame and imperfect sacrifice And therefore the Apostle doth infold the affirmatiue imputation in the negatiue saying Euen as Dauid also described the blessednesse of the man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sinne Here is imputation of righteousnesse without workes concurring with the not imputing of sinnes For euen the passiue obedience of Christ whereby our sinnes come not to bee imputed had in it the holinesse and vertue of his actiue obedience throughout his whole life hauing beene obedient vnto his death that so the righteousnesse of his life also might be imputed vnto vs. Stella vpon Luke saith Omnes passiones Christi potius actionis nomine appellandae sunt quà m passiones Christi martyrium crucis eius tormentum nihil redemptioni nostrae prodessent nisi actionem habuissent quod est velle flagellari velle crucifigi All the passions or sufferings of Christ are rather to bee called actions than passions The martyrdome of Christ and the torment of his Crosse had auailed nothing to our redemption if they had not had action which is to be willing to be scourged and willing to be crucified He therefore that separates the actiue obedience of Christ in his life from his passiue in his death is like the man in the Gospell whom when the vncleane spirit had cleane left returned turned and finding him as an house swept with whited wals but voide of the garnish of grace he takes seuen other spirits worse than himselfe makes with them his re-entry and dwels there so the last state of that man is worse than the first Such is he that seemes to be cleansed from his sinnes and all his vncleannesse like a new swept house by acknowledging the righteousnesse of Christs passiue obedience in his death imputed to him but neglecting yea reiecting the righteousnesse of Christs actiue obedience in his life as nothing pertaining to him in the point of iustification but as though hee must haue a selfe-garnish as of a whited wall inherent in him whereby to claime the kingdome of heauen he becometh seuen times more vncleane than he was before O neuer let Christs life and death be diuided his actiue obedience his passiue let euer go together lest if we let go the one we lose both Therefore giue me whole Christ or none both his death that I may not dye for euer from him and his life that I may liue for euer with him The learned and godly Cardinall Contarenus who liued in Luthers time and writ soundly of iustification saith well to this purpose Omnis Christi iustitia attribuitur nobis quicunque Christum induimus The whole righteousnesse of Christ is attributed or imputed to vs as many as haue put on Christ. For to conclude this in a word the redemption by Christ procureth two things vnto vs deliuerance from death and the purchase of life By his passiue obedience hee wrought the first by his actiue the second For properly the death of Christ was to free vs from death but the life of Christ to infeoffe vs in life The condition of the first Adams life was Doe this and liue the second Adam hath done it that we might liue eternally eternally not as Adam had the promise here on earth but in heauen Hence it is that as Iesus Christ descended into the state of death to redeeme vs thence by his death So hee came downe from heauen that in the humility and obedience of his life
moment how thou hast spent all that time limitted and bestowed on thee to spend thy life in O extremity On the one side sinnes accusing on the other iustice affrighting vnderneath Hels horrible Chaos gaping aboue the angry Iudge within the conscience boyling without the world burning The righteous shall scarcely be saued the sinner taken tardy where shall hee appeare To lurke shall be impossible to appeare intolerable Who shall aduise me Whence shall I expect saluation Who is he that is called the Angell of great counsell The same is Iesus The same is the Iudge betweene whose hands I tremble Pause awhile O sinner doe not despaire Hope in him whom thou fearest flye to him from whom thou hast fled O Iesus Christ for this thy name sake deale with mee according to this name looke vpon this wretch calling on thy name Therefore O Iesus bee my Iesus for thy names sake If thou shalt admit me into the large bosome of thy mercy it shall be neuer a whit the narrower for me True it is my conscience hath deserued damnation and my repentance sufficeth not for satisfaction but certaine it is that thy mercy surpasseth all misdeedes c. It is recorded of Edward the Confessor once King of this Island that lying on his death-bed his friends about him weeping he said If ye loued mee ye would forbeare weeping and reioyce rather because I goe to my Father with whom I shall receiue the ioyes promised to the faithfull not through my merits but by the free mercy of my Sauiour who sheweth mercy on whom he pleaseth Thus by these and such like testimonies of holy and deuout men not in their Rhetoricall declamations to winne applause with men but in their saddest meditations as standing in the presence yea before the dreadfull Tribunall of that iust God it may easily appeare what confidence is to be put in the â—â—â—â— mans workes or inherent righteousnesse All these will proue but dry fewell and stubble when they come to that consuming fire to those euerlasting burnings It is an easie matter for a carnall man seduced with errour and possessed with the spirit of pride while hee is in his prosperitie and senslesse securitie as little confidering as conceiuing the power of Gods wrath as Dauid speakes as little knowing the nature of sin as the terrour of Gods strict iustice to be puffed vp with an opinion of a few poore beggarly supposed good deeds Iust like our first Parents who when they had sinned and so incurred Gods eternall wrath got a few figge-leaues to couer their nakednesse and shame thinking themselues now safe and secure enough But no sooner did they heare the voyce of the Lord God comming as a Iudge towards them but for all their figge-leaues they runne and hide themselues among the Trees of the Garden Their figg-leaues quickly beganne to wither when once the fire of Gods iealousie beganne to approach But let now the brauest Pontifician of them all standing so much vpon the pantofles of inherent righteousnesse let him lay aside his carnall security his loue of the world his wilfull blindnesse hauing looked his face in the glasse of Gods Law and catechised himselfe according to the strict Canon thereof c. and let him now bethinke himselfe of an account he is to make and that presently before a most seuere and vnpartiall vncorrupt Iudge of all his thoughts words workes omissions commissions let him take into his consideration if hee haue so much grace and iudgement to consider the nature of sinne which is such as the least â—innene is sufficient to damne him soule and body for euer for Hee that keepeth the whole Law and yet faileth in one point is guilty of all And the Law saith Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them Mark In all things yea such is sin as it could not be purged nor mans soule redeemed from it nor Gods wrath appeased nor his iustice satisfied but by the only death of the only son of God Tel me what that iustice is which will not be satisfied Tell me what that sin is which will not be expiated but by the extreame humiliation bloud-shedding death passion of the deerest son of the eternall God Tell me how seuere is that iustice how implacable that indignation against sin which would not spare the most immaculate Lambe of God the pure spotlesse Sonne of righteousnes euen righteousnes holines innocency itselfe These things well weighed digested in thy more refined iudgment according to the standard of the Sanctuary come now Pontifician glittering in thy white linnen of thine inherent righteousness set thy self before Gods dreadful Tribunall to receiue thy eternal doom according to thine own deseruings bring with thee all thy merits number now before the iudge of heauen earth thy many pilgrimages thy many Prayers Pater-nosters Aue-Maries Canonicall houres Shrifts Shrineâ— adored Saints inuoked and the like But thy conscience will giue thee that all these being but will-worship and humane inuentions of which God wil say Who required these things at your hands condemned also in Esay saying Their feare towards me was taught by the precept of men they will vanish into smoke when they are tryed in Gods Test. Therefore howsoeuer the Romane-Catholicke Church preferres these her own Rites and Ceremonies and Ecclesiasticall obseruances of her own inuention asbeeing more holy and more meritorious than those duties of Christian holinesse commanded and prescribed in Gods Word yet in the more sober iudgement of thine vnpartiall Conscience know that if God respect any righteousnesse at all in vs it must be that especially which himselfe hath commanded If therefore thou hast any store of these bring them with thee If thou canst Tell this Iudge that thou hast dealt truely and iustly with all men that thou hast beene liberall to the poore giuen much Almes yea perhaps bequeathed all thy goods and possessions to pious vses â—uâ—â— iâ—â—hy life time and that not to the maintenance of a Monasticall Society of lazie and lustfull Abbey-lubbers but vpon the truly poore indigent Brethren of Christ that thou hast dispossessed and diuested thy selfe of all earthly preferment and honor so become poore for Christs sake thou hast exercised thy self with watchings fastings not as man but as the Lord hath commanded and much more than all this if thou canst alledge for thy selfe Well But all these things must now bee weighed in a iust and euen ballance not of mans imagination but of Gods strict iudgement Now will not he finde thinkest thou an infinite lightnes in thy best works will not his most pure eyes easily discerne thy most pious actions to be fraught with many imperfections defiled with the mixture of manifold corruptions as water running through a puddly chaÌ„nel he will discouer in all these works of thine besids infinite defects faylings in all thy many sinister ends the pride of thy heart
immaculate Ramme being giuen to be sacrificed thou shalt receiue remission of sinnes Now this particular faith in Christ is absolutely necessary for euery one that will be saued And therefore the same Origen concludeth Certum est quod remissionem peccatorum nullus accipiat nisi detulerit integram probam sanctam fidem per quam mercari possit Arietem cuius natura haec est vt peccata credentis abstergat Et hic est Siclus sanctus probata vt diximus syncera fides id est vbi nullus perfidiae dolus nulla hereticae callâ—ditatis peruersitas admiscetur vt synceram fidem offerentes precioso Christi sanguine tanquam immaculatae hostiae diluamur It is certaine that no man can receiue remission of sinnes vnlesse he being an intire approued and holy faith wherewith hee may purchase the Ramme the nature whereof is this to blot out the sinnes of the beleeuer And this is the holy Sicle an approued and sincere faith that is where no perfidious fraud nor peruerse hereticall craft is mingled that offering a sincere faith wee may be cleansed with the precious bloud of Christ as of an immaculate sacrifice Euery man therefore must bring a speciall particular holy sincere faith of his own wherewith as with a holy Sicle he may purchase Christ and which as his hand he must lay hold on Christ which no man else can doe for him His generall implicite faith to beleeue as the Church beleeueth that is to beleeue he knoweth not what will not serue the turne This speciall particular faith in Christ requisite in euery beleeuer in euery one that lookes for saluation is liuely prefigured by the eye as Numb 21. 9. if a Serpent did bite any man when hee beheld the Serpent of brasse hee liued This brasen Serpent was a liuely figure of Christ crucified A man bitten with the Serpent is euery sinner the way for him to be healed is to looke vpon the brasen Serpent lifted vp vpon the pole that is vpon Christ crucified Euery man that was Serpent-bit hee must looke vpon the brasen Serpent with his owne eyes not with any others eyes as Iob said I shall see him with these eyes and none other for mee Christ himselfe applyeth the truth to the type As Moses lifted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the Sonne of man be lifted vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting As therefore none of the stung Israelites were cured but those that looked with their owne eyes vpon the brasen Serpent so none of the Israel of God is healed of the sting of sinne but by his speciall cleare viue Faith as the Chrystall eye of his soule looking vpon Christ crucified As St. Augustine vpon the place applyeth it Interim modò Fratres vt à peccato sanemur Christum crucifixum intuâ—amur Quomodo qui intuebantur illum Serpentem non peribant morsibus Serpentium sic qui intuentur fide mortem Christi sanantur à morsibus peccatorum Now Brethren saith he that wee may be cured of our sinne let vs looke vpon Christ crucified As they which beheld that Serpent did not perish by the bitings of Serpents so they that by Faith behold the death of Christ are healed of the bytings of sinnes As therefore euery one must look with his owne eyes and that not vpon euery obiect but vpon the Serpent and liue so euery sinner must looke with the cleare eyes of his own faith that vpon no other obiect but Christ crucified that so he may liue eternally and be healed of all his infirmities as Dauid saith Psal. 103. If we look into the whole Word of God we shall finde this particular faith of euery beleeuer to haue beene in all the Saints of God The Prophet Abacuc saith of euery iust man The iust man shall liue by his Faith by his owne Faith not by anothers This was Abrahams faith the Father and Figure of all the Faithfull who hearing Gods promise concerning the blessed â—eed to wit Christ in whom all the Nations of the earth should be blessed as the Apostle applies it Gal. 3. 16. hee thereupon beleeued How beleeued he not as the Pontificians would haue it by a general faith concerning the truth of that which God had said for it is not said barely Abraham beleeued God but Abraham beleeued in the Lord and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse Gen. 15. 6. And the Apostle saith That Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was strong in Faith giuing glory to God Rom. 4. 20. and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousnesse v. 22. But the Pontificians will say this was a speciall Faith which Abraham had not common to ordinary and common beleeuers No such thing for looke what kind of Faith Abraham had the same kinde though haply not in the same measure and degree haue all true beleeuers This the Apostle plainely resolueth in the next words saying Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but for vs also to whom it shall bee imputed if wee beleeue on him that raised vp Iesus our Lord from the dead who was deliuered for our offences and was raised againe for our iustification If therefore Abraham had a speciall and particular faith then euery true Beleeuer hath the like faith in him But Abraham had a speciall and particular Faith for first he beleeued in God secondly hee beleeued in God especially concerning the promise the substance whereof was Christ. This Faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse If it had not been Abrahams speciall Faith how had it beene imputed to him for righteousnesse It was Abrahams peculiar proper owne Faith looking with open eyes vpon the promise of God which promise was Christ whose day Abraham though a farre off saw and reioyced which was imputed to him for righteousnesse Thus it is with euery true beleeuer whose owne speciall cleare Chrystall-ey'd Faith beholding and applying Gods promise in Christ is particularly imputed to him for righteousnesse This the Apostle concludes in generall from the example and instance of Abraham and makes it the common case of all true Beleeuers saying Rom. 4. 5. To him that worketh not but beleeueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly his Faith is counted for righteousnesse This beeing so cleere a Conclusion what neede we adde further testimonies Christ himselfe said to Thomas when he confessed and said My Lord and my God Thomas because thou hast seene me thou hast beleeued blessed are they that haue not seene and yet haue beleeued Where note two things first Thomas his Faith in applying Christ to himselfe saying My Lord and my God and secondly Christs deduction shewing the same Faith to be in euery true beleeuer the property of which Faith is to apply Christ to himselfe as Thomas did and to say with the voyce of faith confessing Christ in his death and resurrection
mysterie of mans saluation but it is expresly and particularly referred to the will and good pleasure of God as the prime and supreme cause of all That the Sonne of God Iesus Christ came into the world to take our nature vpon him to be incarnate of the Virgin Mary and to become our Mediatour and to accomplish the worke of mans saluation it is wholly and in euery part ascribed to the will and good pleasure of God How often doth Christ himselfe say in the Gospell I came downe from Heauen not to doe mine owne will but the will of him that sent mee Ioh. 6. 38. It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell and hauing made peace through the bloud of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe c. His death and passion were the fruits of Gods will and good pleasure Esa. 53 10. It pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to griefe when thou shalt make his soule an offering for sinne c. and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand His preaching here on the earth and reuealing the mysterie of God vnto Babes was from his Fathers good will Euen so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Mat. 11. 26. I hope they will not deny or question any of this as by pretending any merit in vs to precede or procure as a motiue from God any part of this grace of Redemption And yet I know not what they meane when they ascribe to the Virgin Mary a merit at least Ex congruo why shee should be the Mother of God That we should be saued by such a means as the preaching of the Gospell which is Christ crucified a meanes contemptible in the eyes of the world it is Gods good pleasure It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue 1. Cor. 1. 21. The whole administration of the Word of God is according to his owne will Heb. 2. 4. Our regeneration is not according to the will of the flesh nor the will of man but of God And Iames 1. 18. Of his owne will beg ate he vs by the Word of truth that wee should be a kinde of first-fruits of his creatures So also our saluation 1. Thes. 4. 3. This is the will of God euen your sanctification It is hee that worketh in vs both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. The perseuerance of Gods Saints and Elect in the state of grace vntill they come to full glory is the will of God Iohn 6. 39. This is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath giuen me I should lose nothing but should raise it vp againe at the last day And Mat. 18. 14. It is not your Fathers will that one of these little ones should perish That we inherit eternall life it is Gods good pleasure Luke 12. 32. Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers good pleasure to giue you the Kingdome So also Iohn 6. 40. It is the will of the Father to giue vs eternall life The Scriptures abound in setting forth the glory of Gods will and good pleasure herein Admirable is the wisedome and counsell of God that hee hath in the holy Scriptures so punctually and particularly pointed out vnto vs the pleasure of his will taking place in euery part and passage of the worke of our Redemption as altogether depending vpon that prime independent eternall will and good pleasure of God in his free purpose and appointment of vs vnto eternall life Let all aduersaries here stop their mouthes and be couered with confusion of face that goe about to robbe God of this his great glory while they would haue Gods electing of vs to depend vpon the free-will and work of man and Gods will and pleasure to bee no more but a consequence of their wils which qualities and actions in them God fore-seeing from all eternity say they did thereupon will that such should be saued according as he saw they would both receiue grace offered and retaine the same vnto the end And this they will haue to be the very substance and whole contents of the Gospell O for a Gagge for this new Gospell Nay no Gospell but it is the old spell of the Serpent which subtile though it were yet it is foolishnesse with God Ye shall be as Gods knowing good and euill That is as some learned Interpreters note vpon it the Serpent would perswade mankinde as indeede he did that hee should not neede any further Gods wisedome and counsell for direction themselues should bee thenceforth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selfe-wise sufficient yea euen as Gods knowing all things And Salomon saith Hee that is selfe-wise is a foole yea a foole of all fooles Well yet this Doctrine of the Serpent did not directly though by consequence it did exalt man aboue God but onely seemed to place him in an equall ranke with him But this Doctrine built vpon that foundation of the Serpent is now erected so high as it surmounts the Throne of God Now must God become inferiour to his creature his Souereigne will must daunce attendance at the doore of mans will Onely they haue left God his bare prescience as if he were no better than a poore Prognosticator or Fortune-teller And yet if this hellish and blasphemous doctrine were to bee found onely amongst those ancient Heretiques the Pelagians or among their successors the Pontificians it were but dignum patella operculum no maruaile if they that are of their Father the Deuill doe the workes of their Father The Lord Christ keepe out or whippe out this dotage yea this doctrine of Deuils out of his Schoole Let such vncleane Birds neuer nestle or roost in Christian Nurceries But passe wee to the next point in the definition From the perennious and pure fountaine of Gods will and pleasure doe flow all the riuers of the waters of life towards the creature as first in Gods eternall electing out of the corrupt masse of mankinde a certaine number of men This election of God is the prime and proper act of his good pleasure and will As Ephes. 1. 4. 15. Verses So Deut. 7. 6. 7. 8. Vers. where we haue a type of his election in the children of Israel flowing from the free loue and fauour of God But this reflecteth vpon that before sufficiently confirming this Againe this election is of a certaine number of men I say of a certaine number not of all as some absurdly affirme which is against the nature of an election For Electio est aliquorum non omnium Election is of some not of all as the word it selfe also importeth signifying to gather out from among others Againe a certaine number and definite not vncertaine and indefinite as the Pontificians teach The number of the Elect of God is a certaine and fixed number Hereupon Augustine saith Qui praedestinati sunt in