not good first as he is good yea essentiall goodnesse cannot but require notwithstanding our wofull fall obedience at our hands to the fulfilling of his law through the purity of nature in which he created Adam Which purity lost being also the grouÌ„d and iustice out of the which the law should be kept no man though the Lord command obedience is able to performe the same For by sinne as Kellison saith we were dispoyled of grace Suruey pag. 254. And that force of grace had we none because sinne had depriued vs of it Likewise Saint Augustine cited by M. Whittaker against Campian saith Naturall gifts were corrupted the supernaturall extinguished Insomuch that the naturall mans vnderstanding as the Scriptures auerre is so farre off from doing the office of a Generall to direct the will to the effecting that which is good That it neither perceiueth 2. Cor. 2.14 Ephes 4.18 Rom 7.14 Ibid. 6.16.17.20 nor conceiueth the things of God And the will depriued of liberty to choose that which is good and wanting the direction of reason like an vnruly Souldier transgresseth coÌ„tinually the law through disordered motions and euill desires O euill is free will without God saith S. Augustine cited by Bishop Iewel Againe Man misusing his free will Apol. pag. 16. spilt both himselfe and his will Againe What do men presume so much of the possibility of nature it is wouÌ„ded it is maÌ„gled it is troubled it is lost it behoueth truly to confesse it then stedfastly to defend it Againe Free-will once made thrall auaileth nothing but sinne But to make this yet more manifest Rhem. pag 195. that neither the will nor vnderstanding haue life in them most excellent is that place cited by Doctor Fulke from the Councell of Arausican Chap. 7. That we are not apt to thinke any thing of our selues as of our selues If any man do hold that by force of nature he can thinke any good thing which pertaineth and is expedient to eternall life or that hee can choose to be saued that is to consent to the preaching of the Gospel without illumnation and inspiration of the holy Ghost which giueth to all men the sweetnesse in consenting and beleeuing the truth He is deceiued with an hereticall spirit not vnderstanding the voice of God saying in the Gospel Without me yee can do nothing And that of the Apostle Not that we are apt of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiency is of God And touching vnderstanding the Apostle saith The naturall man vnderstaÌ„deth not those things that be of the spirit of God For they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned So that neither the will nor vnderstanding haue heauenly life in them Therefore it is impossible to do good although the Lord commands it Neither is the Lord bound â—o woâ—k it in vs for he oweth vs nothing may leaue vs reprobate to be condemned for euer without impeachment to his goodnesse As he refused Esau when he loued Iacob Respecting them both as ill Rom. 9. Annotat. Rhem. as the Annotations vpon the Rhems teacheth and the one no lesse then the other guilty of damnation for originall sinne which was alike in them both And therefore where he might haue iustly refused both he saued of mercy one which one being as ill as void of grace as the other must therefore hold of Gods eternall purpose mercy eleâ—tion thâ—t he is prâ—fâ—rred before his brother which was â—lder then himselfe and no worse then himselfe Suruey pag. 58â— Secondly God as he is iust requireth obedience at our hands that our actions may be tryed by the diuine rule of iustice namely his law Otherwise as S. Augustine cited by Kellison teacheth No sinne should be if no law did forbid it If no sinne then no death Iâ— no death then Aâ—am should escape vnpunished contrary to Gods word which saith In the day that thou â—aâ—â—st thereof thou shâ—lt dye the death Yet God in commanding vs that which is good and in puniâ—hing vs doing euill and not good which both as Saint Augustine saith are damnable neither impeacheth hiâ— gooâ—nesse as we said before nor iustice the fault being ours that we transgresse and not Gods who created Adam and we in Adam able to performe his law as his word doth auerre his Angels witnesse and Kellison afore cited testifie Therefore if Princes for a momentary transgression may iustly punish their subiects with perpetual exile and death it selfe how much more may God that created Adam so glorious a creature both punish him for his rebellion all his posterity in him that spaâ—â—d not the Angels yet himselfe a most iust and good God According to that saying of Moses Perfect is the work of the mighty God Deut. 32.4 all his waies are iustice and iudgement God is true and without wickednesse iust and righteous is he Not cruell inhumane barbarous or tyranicall as the false Prophet Kellison like a prophane Marcionite vrgeth For as Aristotle a heathen could say Iustitiam esse hespero lâ—cifero sormosiorem Iustice is farre more beautifull then the euening and morning starre But to conclude against this most blasphemous hereticke with Saint Augustine Detrâ—ctor diabolum in lingua portat A slaunderer beareth the diuell in his tongue and yet maketh himselfe in the meane time as cunning as any Pelagian of whom Saint Augustine thus speaketh The Pelagians thinke themselues cunning men when they say That God would not command that thing that he knoweth a man is not able to do And who iâ— there that knoweth not this But therefore God commandeth vs to do some things that we are not able to do that we may vnderstand that we ought to craue of him Thus we see God is good in requiring that which is good at our hands and iust in punishing vs not performing the same And Kellison a blasphemous wretch to vrge the contrary to disgrace the truth the Lord of truth and the preachers of the same OPPOS 2. The Protestant Preachers auouching the lawes and commandements of God to be impossible giue occasion to all impiety Suruey of tâ—â— new religion Pag. 570. The Protestant preachers auerring the couenant of workes founded in nature and in the law of God impossible to be performed auouch the truth Yet teaching the true vse of the law direct the way to all piety Whereas Popish Iesuites and Priests making the law to be no law leade the way to all impiety as the sequele shall declare Although the promise of the law hath annexed condition impossible to be performed by any of the sonnes of Adam yet concerning the elect it is not without most excellent vse For first it serueth thâ— Spirit of God as an instrumentall meanes to bring them to the notion of sinne Secondly to worke a terrour in them for sinne And thirdly to be as a Schoolemâ—ister directing to Christ Concerning the
and is risen againe for our iustification If one dyed for all saith Saint Bernard in his 190 Epistle to Innocent Bishop of Rome then all were lead that so the satisfaction of one might be imputed to all euen as that one person bare the sinne of all No maâ— saith Kellison citing Saint Iohn hath greater charâ—ty then this to dye for his friend and especially for his enemy And this also extolleth Christs power most highly who by death ouercame death yea sinne also and condemnation Here it plainly appeareth by Kellisons owne words that sinne with the guilt and punishment is taken away by Christ and we deliuered fron all sin both originall and actuall veniall and mortall à culpa poena that is from the fault and punishment due to the same as the Annotations vpon the Rhems acknowledgeth and the very Canon law likewise confesseth 1. Ioh. 1. annot De consec 4 cap. 8. 2. Cor. 5.2 Rhem. pag. 570. in teaching that the Son God tooke vpon him the flesh of sinne that is to say sinfull flesh and the punishment he being without fault that so in the flesh of sin both the fault might be satisfied and the punishment also Nay more that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him For he hath made him to be sinne for vs which knew no sinne saith the Apostle that wee should be made the righteousnesse of God in him Vpon which place Saint Chrysostome cited by Doctor Fulke saith that we should be made the iustice of God in him what speech what mind can set forth these things worthily for him that was iust he made a sinner that he might make sinners iust But rather he said not so but that which was much more for he named not the quality but the essence he said not a sinner but sinne it selfe not onely him which sinned not but him which knew no sinne that we might be made he said not iust but iustice it selfe and the iustice of God For this is the iustice of God when iustification commeth not of workes seeing it is necessary that no spot be found but by grace by this meanes all sinne cleane vanisheth away In the meane time he suffereth them not to be extolled seeing God performeth all and sheweth the greatnesse of the giuer in that the former iustice was of the law and of works but this is the iustice of God Primasius vpon this text saith God the Father made his Sonne sinne for vs that is a sacrifice 〈◊〉 sinne The sacrifice offered for sinne in the law was called sinne although it did not sinne at all as it is written And he shall lay his hand vpon the head of his sinne c. By the bloud of these sacrifices that bloud which was shed for vs was prefigured for Christ being offered for our sinnes was called by the name of sinne that we might be made the iustice of God in him not in vs. Theodoret vpon this text saith That when he was free from sinne he suffered the death of sinners that he might loose theâ— sinne of men and being called that which we were hee made vs that which he was for he gaue vs the riches of his iustice Thus it doth appeare that Christ hath not onely taken away the paine and punishment of sinne but also merited a sempiternall righteousnes for vs which is as an Ancient saith the very roote of life Otherwise what would become of that faith which the Annotations vpon the Rhems speaketh of that reacheth to the life to come Rom. 10. annot making man assured of such articles as concerne the same As of Christs coming downe to be incarnate of his descending to hell of his resurrection ascension and returne againe to be glorified by which actions we be pardoned iustified and saued as by the law we could neuer be In vaine would our faith be saith the Apostle if Christ was not risen iustified from our sins we in him 1. Cor. 15. â—7 for theÌ„ we were yet in our sins that is guilty before God Therefore because Christ is risen we are no longer in our sinnes that is we are in very deed absolued from them and the punishment due for them Being thus compassed about with a cloud of witnesses concerning the perfect redemption of man who can but behold our King comming out of his sepulcher as out of a palace leading death in chains and the Prince of death fast bound in fetters of iron and with all his elect traine following him saying O death where is thy sting O graue Ibid. 15.55 56. where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne the strength of sinne is the law But thankes be vnto God that hath giuen vs victory in our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we haue redemption through his bloud Eph. 1.7 euen the forgiuenesse of our sinnes according to his rich grace Secondly forasmuch as that it standeth not with Christs Kingly power to begin and not to accomplish his subiects happinesse hee in his all-seeing wisdome hath merited the Spirit of his Father for vs through the effectuall working power whereof as by his diuine finger he writeth his law in our minds and hearts according to his promise So that the elect may say together with their Sauiour Heb. 8. Psal 40.8 I desired to do thy will ô my God I am ready to do it yea thy law is within my heart That is all knowledge to the performaÌ„ce of thy law which the naturall man cannot attaine vnto vnlesse God inlighteneth his vnderstanding to discerne betweene obiects things set before it in the holy Scriptures Againe Christ through the effectuall working of his Spirit prepareth the heart by making it soft and tender to will those things that are pleasing to God yea to do the will of God 1 Thes 4.3 whose will it is that we should be holy and cleane When he hath thus done he sitteth in the heart of man working both the will and the deed according to his good pleasure to the perfecâ— repairing of the Image of God in him God sittetâ— saith an Ancient in the heart of man like a King in 〈◊〉 palace in his word like a King in his Councell in hiâ— Church like a Generall in his army in his throne like a conquerour in his triumph Hee sate in the heart of Matthew whom of a Publican and notable sinner he made an Apostle and Euangelist He stirred such a course in the heart of Paul that of a cruell persecutor he became a faithfull and zealous Preacher Yea though Christ doth repaire that which we haue losâ— by Adams transgression according to the saying oâ— the Councell of Arausicanum chap. 21. Nature by Adam lost by Christ is repaired yet Kellison doth taxe his passion with this false imputation to egge vs forward to all vice to open a wide gappe to all licencious lilibertie and iniquitie But if a Pope with Bonifacâ— the eighth or Clement the sixth
body or soule of Adam was the image of God but that it had it residence in both In the body there was maiesty representing a diuine maiesty immortality and innocency which as spirituall rich robes decked the same with an vnspeakeable beauty In the firmament of the soule the image of God in knowledge and the same in righteousnesse and holinesse Col. â— 10 Ephâ—s â— 24 as glistering lights did shine â—orth to the garnishing thereof In the vnderstanding as a bright shining sunne soundnesse of reason ouerspread his glorious rayes In the will vprightnesse and holinesse The libertie of the will shewing forth some very diuine matter in the soule like a precious stone set in gold as Saint Bernard speaketh was â—â—ch that by it owne and proper motion it chose and refused that which sound reason said was to be chosen and refused that is the choise of good and euill was free Briefly to take along with vs one of our aduersaries â—â—rney of the new râ—ligion pag. 253. that his owne mouth may condemne him Adam saith Kellison was enriched with a soule filled with grace and spirituall treasures which was prone to vâ—rtue not inclined to vice neither molested with concupiscence nor ouer-ruled by passion but ruled reason which was ruled by grace His superiour part was obedient to God his inferiour part to the superiour sensualitie to reason the flesh to the spirit and all creatures to him were obedient Now God hauing created Adam in this surpassing glory placed him in Eden where he was inuironed about with varietie of pleasures And because it was necessary that maÌ„ adorned with such height of dignity should yet owe homage vnto his creator as to the supreme Maiesty he made a couenant with him founding it in that pure and holy nature of mans part in which he was made On Gods part in Gods owne law ingrauen in mans heart by his diuine finger in the first creation And not in Christ nor the grace of God in Christ For then God hauing a delight to be with man and man with God there was no breach nor variance that there needed a mediator as after Adams fall there did when a new couenant was to be made namely the couenant of grace in Christ in which legall or natural couenant the Lord promised vnder condition of holy and good workes in obedience and faith to be performed a coÌ„tinuance of immortality through a perpetuall life free from sorrow sicknesse age and death it selfe or otherwise if by disobedience he transgressed death In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death saith God to Adam in his fatherly warning or admonition to the end he should not fall Iehouah who had thus made the Angels witnessing spectators of the purity of Adams creation yee for a further testimony likewise to all succeeding ages concerning the goodnes of the Angels of man and all creatures it is said God saw all that he had made and it was very good In the heauens when this celestiall Oracle was published the Angels stood in their beauty surpassing excelling in Wisedome Power Holinesse and Happinesse In paradise Adam was in most admirable glory meditating in the height of his vnderstanding in the mirrour of the diuine Deity neither was there in heauen or earth any enemy to be seene or found to vnrobe Adam by breach of the couenant of the illustrious image of God But as it commonly falleth out in best gouerned states though the Prince do shew neuer such loue to the subiect by the gift of honour and rich possessions yet some are so vngratefull that by conspiracy and in hatred of all piety they seeke to murther their Prince and Soueraigne that they might while streames of bloud inuironne the mournefull throne set the crowne vpon their owne tyranicall heads so in some sort it fell out in heauen the beâ—utiful citie of perfection For some of the Angels not contented with the blessed permanent state in which they were created hauing Lucifer for their General became aduersaries to God by conspiring in the height of their ambition to plucke the royall and euer-shining Diademe off their creators head Insomuch that in Gods iustice they were throwne downe like lightening from heauen That they might at the time appoynted be chiefe as a terrour to all traytors in hellish torments that would haue bene aboue God in heauenly pleasure and felicity Lucifer and his associates thus banished the coelestiall Hierusalem like a wandring Archtraytor that desireth euery one to be like himselfe by infusing into others his poysoÌ„ through hellish perswasion set vpon Adam vsing his wife as an instrument to effect what he intended And like as an Aspe doth first send poyson with a tickling delight into one veine and so from veine to veine vntill the vitals be seized vpon and the body wrapped in the armes of Death So did Satan first by sugered temptation eclipse the cleare shining light of Adams vnderstanding when he caused him to call in question the Lords commandement And afterward wounded him with the sting of concupiscence inwardly hauing procured him to reach his hand towards the apple But once eating and by eating transgressing he was wounded to death And by transgression likewise of the law which is a priuation and want of conformity with the law of God the glorious eye of the vnderstanding became presently obscured like a dead mans eye 1. Ioh. 3. with thicke and palpable darknesse of ignorance And the shining beauty of the will turning away from righteousnesse and holinesse was ouerwhelmed with the darksome cloudes of impurity and iniustice and became through the hardnesse of heart deceiptfull lusts corrupt froward and more poisoned then the minde it selfe Briefly Adam like an euil maÌ„ that hateth the light being become the companion of of death hating his Creator â—uruey of â—he new â—eligion â—ag 353. thought forthwith to hide himselfe vnder shade trees from his presence from whom darknesse it selfe cannot be hidden Thus when by sin as Kellison saith man would not be subiect to God he became a slaue to his owne flesh passions and sensuality hell and damnation And of all this seruile subiection sinne was the cause For when Adam sinned and we in him transgressed we were by and by guilty of death which is the reward of sinne and by sinne we became slaues to sinne and concupiscence For as Christ saith Whosoeuer sinneth is a slaue to sinne And being slaues to sin we were slaues to the Diuell who hath no authority or power ouer vs but by sinne and being slaues to the Diuell we were the captiues of hell Though this be the state of all the sons of men whose birth-right Adam sold in the height of his pleasure for an apple Rom. 5.18 Heb. 12.16 Suruey pag. 580. and not onely his owne as Esau did for a portion of meate in his hunger Yet God who is good and iust and must be iust as Kellison saith else were he
of the first resurrection without any co-operation of it owne Fides nostra est clauis regni coelorum saith Clemens Alexandrinus cited by Bishop Iewel Apol. Bis Iewel pag. 178. Our faith is the key of the kingdome of heauen Cor clausum habent quia clauem fides non habent saith S. Augustine They haue their hearts shut vp because they lacke the key of faith God giueth vs this key before we can haue passage into heauen wee no sooner receiue the same but Gods treasury is opened vnto vs our of which we receiue through Christ righteousnesse and life that we may be made partakers of the first resurrection Againe â—o make this more apparent our Sauiour saith Except a man be borne againe hee cannot see the kingdome of God Nor cannot enter into the kingdome of God that is into a vertuous life Man is so farre off from disposing himselfe thereunto as Christ testifieth that he is not able to discerne it And no maruell Rom 8.6 1. Cor. 2. for the wisdome of the flesh is death as the Apostle saith Againe the naturall man vnderstandeth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned This did liuely appeare in the Philosophers who did know that there was a God but neither knew what that God was nor how he was to be worshipped And therefore no better stiled in the height of their wisedome by Tertullian and Saint Hierome then the Patriarkes of heretickes He therefore that would attaine to this spirituall knowledge must first receiue his new birth not in body but in minde that is his minde must be illuminated and made spirituall that it may become the minde of Christ by receiuing a recreation from the Spirit of Christ Rhem. Rom. annot We haue the minde of Christ saith the Apostle And the gift of faith which is the first foundation and ground to build vpon must bee created and placed in that royall chaire of illumination before we can either see what a vertuous life is or do any thing that is pleasing to God For without faith it is possible to please God Yet for a further demonstration of that we haue in hand there is a kingdome of darknesse and a kingdome of light The kingdome of darknesse consisteth of dead men wounded to death by Adams transgression The kingdome of light of liuing men reuiued and viuicated by the second Adams spirit Concerning these two kingdomes Col. 1.12.13 the Apostle thus speaketh Giuing thanks to the Father which hath made vâ— meet to be partakers of the inheritance of Saints in light who hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse that is out of the kingdome of Satan by iustification and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his deare Sonne by sanctificatioÌ„ Vpon which place Theodoret thus speaketh We praise the merciful God which wheras we are vnworthy hath made vs partakers of the Saints in light Thus we see that this translating from the poweâ— of darknesse that is from death to life can bee no more in the will of men that are dead in sin then it was in Lazarus to raise himselfe out of the graue who only are raised by the effectual working power of Gods Spirit as all the selected are from time time As Saint Paul notably teacheth the Ephesians in shewing them what is the exceeding greatnesse of Gods power not onely in raising vp Christ their head from the dead that he might sit at the right hand of his Father but also in raising vp them the members of Christ quickening them together in Christ by whose grace they are saued That they might sit likewise together in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus The dead man cannot be raised againe vnlesse the Lord cry within him saith S. Augustine Seeing therefore that that sanctified body of Christ free from sinne both originall and actuall could not be raised vp but by the exceeding great power of the Godhead Iniurious is this Popish position which would haue vs fellow-workers with the whole Trinity in raising our selues being dead Nay double iniurious it is to the whole trinity First to God the Father in making his couenant to none effect who hath promised for Christs sake to remember our sins no more Secondly to Christ in extenuating the merits of his passion In saying he onely hath merited grace for vs and left vs in Aegypt vnder the slauery of the diuel the Aegyptian Pharaoh Thirdly it abasheth the power of Gods Spirit in making vs fellow workers with him in our recreation as if darknesse could co-operate with light to the perfecting of our redemption which Christ as they say hath not Fourthly most iniuriously for their owne righteousnes for their own merit sake yea in murthering of Princes would tye Gods Spirit to be life vnto them or to whoÌ„ they sell life by selling of merits Masses such like The heresie of Macedonius which said that the holy Ghost is seruant and slaue to the Father the Son is as tollerable as the heresie of these meÌ„ that would make the holy Ghost their seruant yea while they are through false doctrine Monstra portentu as Platinia somtimes said of their Popes Monsters vnnaturall and ill shapen creatures In this position wee may behold the Angels of light preaching the exceeding greatnesse of his power towards vs which beleeue Eph. 1.19 according to the working of his mighty power as the Apostle saith and the Angels of darknesse attributing as vâ—â—â—ankfull to grace that to nature which is proper to the diuinity Teaching also by denying the sufficiency of Christs passion night as Saint Cyprian saith in stead of day destruction in stead of health desperaâ—iâ—â— vnder the colour of hope infidelity vnder the pretence oâ— faith Antichrist vnder the name of Christ OPPOS 6. Christ hath redeemed vs from the seruitude of the laâ—â— not that the law bindeth vs not but because he hatâ— takeÌ„ away the heauinesse of the law And by his grace hath giuen vs force easily to fulfill it which otherwise would haue tyrannized ouer vs in commanding more then we should haue bene able to haue performed Suruâ—y 261. THese Co-operators with grace still seeking tâ— lessen and extenuate the merit of Christs passion Heb. 1. marg Ioh. 17.5 leaue him to merit his owne glory and themselues to do the like Christ saith the Annotationâ— vpon the Rhems by his passion merited his owne glorification When as contrariwise Christ praying to his Father desireth to bee glorified not with any new merited glory but with the glory he had with hiâ— Father before the world was God the creator of alâ— things needed not to haue stepped downe from hiâ— throne to haue taken our nature vpon him to merit his owne glory but our saluation that we might in him become righteous by his whole intire obedience of the law and not as Kellison would haue it by a
part onely For as not some part of Adamâ— disobedience by which he transgressed the law iâ— imputed vnto vs. Rom. â— 19 So not some part of Christs obedience but all which he most perfectly in the purity of his innocency and holinesse fulfilled both in doing and suffering is imputed vnto vs. For the threatning of the law cannot be fulfilled but by bearing and suffering the curse nor the commandement of the law otherwise performed but by doing of them Christ Phil. 2. Gal. 3. that he might take away the curse of the law humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto death euen the death of the Crosse S. Hierome saith For that which was impossible of the law in that it was made weake by the flesh God sending his Son in the similitude of sinfull flesh condemned sinne of sinne in the flesh Which if it bee true it may bee obiected vnto vs Then Moses Isaiah and the rest of the Prophets which were vnder the workes of the law were vnder the curse which thing he will not be afraid to confesse which hath read the saying of the Apostle That Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law being made a curse for vs And to answer that euery one of the Saints for their time were made a curse to the people As Christ became obedient vnto the death to take away the curse of the law Ibid. 3.4.5 So likewise to the fulfilling of the commandements the Apostles speaking of the precepts of the law saith But when the fulnesse of the time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the law that hee might redeeme them which were vnder the law that wee might receiue the adoption of Sonnes Againe 2. Cor. 5 2â— Rhem. pag. 571. he hath made him which knew no sinne to be sinne for vs that we should bee made the righteousnesse of God in him Theophilact cited by Doctor Fulke vpon this place saith What is this that God gaue his Son which knew no sin that is which was iustice it selfe to dye for vs and caused him to dye as a sinner and wicked man For cursed is he that hangeth on a tree And he was reputed among the vniust He saith not that he made him a sinner but sin it selfe which is more why was this done That we might be iustified not of workes and the law but of grace For this is the iustice of God when a man is iustified by grace so that no blemish or small spot is sound in him For therefore he said not that we might be made iust but the iustice of God shewing the excellency of grace Oecumenius saith He made him sinne that is he should be condemned a sinner that we should be made the iustice of God in him He said not that wee might bee made iust but that which was more iustice it selfe and the iustice of God And that is the iustice of God which is not of workes but that we might be iustified in him that is by him forgiuing and pardoning vs. Saint Augustine God made Christ sinne for vs to whom we are to be reconciled He therefore was made sinne that we might be made iustice not our iustice but Gods iustice neither in vs but in him As he declared sinne not to be his but ours not placed in him but in vs by the similitude of sinfull flesh in which he was crucified Thus by the testimony both of Scripture and Fathers we see that Christ hath not only taken away the heauinesse of the law and left it to our fulfilling but hath also fulfilled the law to the meriting of a sempeternall righteousnesse for vs. Yea to the reducing and restoring vs to a farre more excellent state then Adam before inioyed who had posse non peccare we non posse peccare He pâ—sse non mori we non posse mâ—ri He had power not to sinne we no power to sinne He power not to dye we no power to dye Nay our estate if we enter into some particular coÌ„sideration is in some measure through these two parts of Christs obedience farre more excellent in this life not to speake of the life to come then Adams was Adam was mortall so are we euen while we are mortall 1. Ioh. 3.14 We are translated already saith the Apostle from death to life Adam enioyed the pleasures of Paradice so we in part in this our pilgrimage Eph. 2. haue the fruition of the pleasures of heauen While we are made to sit together in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus Who being the first ripe corne offered to the Lord sanctified the whole field that is all his members and ascended on high that he might prepar a place and take as our feoffe possession of heauen for vs. Adam in the height of his liberty was called but the seruant of God but we euen in this vaile of misery are called the members of Christ 1. Cor. 12.12 the spouse of Christ yea Christ By the name of Bride-groome bone of his bone by being through regeneration made partakers of his diuine nature flesh of his flesh hauing our flesh made the flesh of Christ By sanctification we haue the same minde and affections the same life that Christ hath through the participation of the same Spirit Adam standing in his estate of integrity God had a delight to be with him and he with God but God hath a delight to be with vs in this our state of imperfection Delicia mea cum filijs hominum My delight is to be saith God with the sonnes of men Delicia nostra cum filio Dei Our delight is to be wiâ—â— the Sonne of God The wife of Adam in the middest of his pleasures became an instrumentall meanes to vnrobe him of the glorious image of God But the Spirit of Christ our husband in this our pilgrimage beginneth to cloath vs with the image of God againe Adam in his ioy in eating the fruit forbidden found nothing but death We in the middest of our afflictions can finde nothing but life we cannot dye though we would Haba 1.12 For neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God But seeing these priuiledges are in no request with them that leaue Christ to merit by his paines his owne glory and theirs to do the like I cannot see how they can by this their owne doctrine be saued for that no man hath this iustice of workes the Annotations elsewhere thus speaketh Rhem. Rom. 8. annot Maâ—th 5. annot We be truly called the sonnes of God and so iust indeed though we be not without all sinnes Euery one of vs as well iust as vniust being taught and bound to confesse our offences to aske daily of God by this petition Forgiue vs our debts So farre are we off from meriting any