epistles shewed that Christ was made vnto vs our righteousnes that we are iustified onely by faith that is by Christ apprehended by faith So he speaking of Christ saieth he is onely iust and the iustifier made that he sayeth the only iustifier And againe in an other place Blessed are they that thirst after righteousnes for they shal be satisfied now the Apostle Paule saith he doth shewe that Christ is our righteousnes and therfore he that hūgreth after this bread hungreth after righteousnes that came downe from heauen which God giueth not which man maketh to himself And in the end concludeth This is righteousnes of God not by which God is righteous but by the which God giueth vnto man that mā might be righteous before him Thus then you see that if we seeke to be found righteous before God wee must bring not that righteousnes which is of our workes but that righteousnes which we haue not in our selues but by faith in Christ Iesu For as Chrysostome speaketh this is Gods righteousnes since not of our workes And as vertuous Bernard discoursing on the merite of man the comfort of christians in the midst of their troubles My merite saith he is the mercy of God and so long as he shal not be without mercy so long I shall not be without merite what then shall I sing of my righteousnes nay I wil remember thy righteousnes onely euen the righteousnes of God which he giueth in Christ for by this he iustifieth the world For as there is no sitting at the supper of the great king except we are clothed with our wedding garmēt so there is no comming into the presence of the Father but with this robe of righteousnes the righteousnes of the sonne The which Pighius seing in this wise writeth Therfore it is that our righteousnes is placed in Christs obediēce because the same is imputed to vs which are incorporated into him as though it were our owne so that by it euen we are accounted righteous And as Iacob being not the first borne yet couering him self with his brothers sweet smelling garmēt did so insinuate himselfe vnto his father that vnder an other person he obteined the blessing of the first borne euen so is it meet that we lie hid vnder the purenes of Christ our elder brother that wee smell of his sweet couer our imperfections with his perfections that so comming into the presence of God our father we may receiue the blessing of righteousnes frō him And the same Pighius after not well vnderstanding the fauorers of the truth would seeme in this cause to conclude against them but with them as his words do speake But we say if we speake formally and properly that we are not iustified before God either by our faith or by our loue but by the onely righteousnes of God which is in Christ And that which Pighius speaketh the same we speake with our Apostle we are made the righteousnes of God in him Wherfore as Beda noteth out of Austin vpō the 126. Psalme Away with thy selfe away I say with thy selfe for thou doest but hinder thy selfe if thou shalt build thy selfe thou buildest thy ruines for except the Lord builde the house in vaine doe they labour that doth build the same do not therfore wil to haue thy righteousnes least thou be voided of the righteousnes of Christ What then wilt thou say shall I liue losely be nothing studious of good works God forbid for you are Gods workemanship created to good works which God hath prepared that you should walke in them Although those thy workes doe not make thee righteous before God yet they are fruites of that righteousnes which thou hast in Christ by them thou causest thy father to be glorified sealest vp thine election to thy selfe A good tree is knowen by his fruit a true faith by his loue What should we say they that are iustified in Christ doe liue in Christ nay Christ liueth in them his good spirite maketh them fruitfull vnto euery good worke but this is not questioned at this time what we should be in this life or how we should be iustified before man but by what meanes we should stand iustified before God and that wee say is not by our workes but by the righteousnes of God which is found by faith in Iesu Christ But yet the weake Christian will say how can this be one man may pay an others debt but how can one satisfie for an others sinne the Scripture sayth the father shall not eate a sower grape and the childes tooth shal be turned an edge but that euery one shall beare his owne burden and that the soule which sinneth shall die the death How then is the iustice of God satisfied that he which knew no sinne should be punished for our sinne that we which are full of sinne should reape the fruite of that righteousnesse that is in him How euen very well because he is not an other from thee but is one with thee for if we looke vpō that blessed vnion by which al faithfull soules are iayned vnto Christ the man is not more ioyned to his wife nor the science to the stocke nor the foode vnto the body which it doth nourish nor in the body one member to one other or they al vnto the head as is Christ Iesu vnto his Church and to euery faithfull soule that trusteth and beleeueth in him And therefore sometime we are said to be one bodie in him sometime to growe vp into him which is our head sometime to be members of Christ sometime to be bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh sometime to dwell in him and he in vs sometime to be one with him what should I say this the faithful know and thus wee must know except as S. Paule speaketh we be reprobats know ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Thus beloued are we his vnworthy members vnited vnto him which is our head by those two most blessed handes his spirit which he giueth vnto vs and our faith which we reach to him Then goe to let this bee graunted that Christ and the faithfull are but one that he is the head of that misticall body whereof they are members then let vs see how the iustice of God is violated whilest he is punished we rewarded Thou sayest in thy vsuall speach that man seeth and man heareth yet it is his eare that heareth and eye that seeth euen so thou mayest say that it is man that hath borne the punishment of sin although it is his head Christ Iesu that hath borne and endured the same For as in the naturall body that which is proper to the eye and to the eare is attributed vnto the whole in
respect of that neare coniunction which each parte hath with the whole so in the misticall body of Iesu Christ in respect of that spirituall and blessed vnion that which is proper onely vnto Christ is attributed also to his Church And therefore as wee see in ciuill pollicies the wife is aduaunced to the honour of her husband and made either Countesse or Lady according to the honour of her husbands state euen so the church which is the spouse of Christ although she be of her selfe a daughter of the earth a woman of no price yet in respect of Christ who in marriage hath aduaunced her she is full of honour and pertaketh of all the honour of her head So that of the faithfull we may say that wee all haue receaued of his grace euen grace for grace And as the oyle that was powred on Aarons head ranne downe to the skirtes of his garments and perfumed them so the righteousnes of our Aaron that is Iesus Christ although powred on his head yet perfumeth vs and maketh vs gratious in the sight of God So that now as euery member is liued of the head and hath their sence and moouing from it euen so haue wee our life from him and all our sence and motion which is vnto good Nay as the viler partes of the bodie doe partake of the worship and glory of the head and are then honored when it is honoured and then dispised when it is dispised euen so in this spirituall vnion betwixt Christ and his faithfull members although they be more vile in comparison to Christ then are the basest partes of the body inferiour to the head yet are they honoured when he is honored and with the crowne of righteousnesse that setteth on his head are they also crowned and made righteous Thus then you see that it is not an other that hath suffered for you nor an other by whom yee are made righteous but it is the head that suffereth for his members and the head that in himselfe crowneth euery member with the crowne of righteousnes and of glory Wherefore comfort your selues you that mourne in Sion and are feared with Gods wrath and the filth of your sinne for GOD which was your enimie is become your friend and beseecheth you to be reconciled vnto him and although your sinnes haue kept you backe and defaced image hath made you ashamed to approch his presence yet now he hath sent his sonne the brightnes of his glory not only by his suffering to take away your sinnes but by his obedience to restore you to your former bewty and to present your faultlesse vnto himselfe Let vs therefore rest on the goodnes of our God and accept of his reconcilement perfourmed in his sonne let vs cast downe our crownes and fall on our faces and giue all glory to him that sitteth on the throne and to the Lambe for euermore Amen Praise glory wisdome and thanks and honor power and might be vnto our God for euermore Amen FINIS 2. Cor. 5. ver 20. 21. a Mat 23 3 〈…〉 Ier 25.4 b Eze â—3 1 a Luk. 19 41. b Mat. 23.37 c Iohn 11.53 d Mark 13.9 e Act. 1.8 Mat. 28.19 a Iob 4.9 b Mat. 3 9. c Exo. 32.10 d Isa 5.4 e Mic. 6 3 f Ioel 2.11 â—ob 9 5 â—er 10.12 g Ps 86.5 b Exo 34 6 Pâ— 145 8 a Mat. 18 2â— b Ier. 31.10 Ezech. 〈…〉 Rom. 10.20 c Luke 23 3 d Luke 9.54 e Gen. 4.10 f Act. 7.60 a Iohn 6.60 b Leu. 24.20 c Hest 3.6 d 1. Sam. 18.8.29 e 1. Sam. 20.33 f 1. Sam. 24.12 g 1. Sam 34. vers 2â— h 2. Reg 2.23 i Gen. â—â— 29 k Gen. â—â— 8 l Luk. â—â—4 m 1. Sam. 25.22 n Gal. â— â—â— o Gal. 2 2â— p 2. Sam. 16 11 q Gen. 50.19 r vers 19 s Iohn 17.9 t 1. Cor. 11.3 a Ezod 5.2 b Ier. 11.21 c Luk. 19.42 d Mat. 7.6 e 1. Reg. 8.39 Reu. 2.23 f 1. Tim. 2.4 g Marke 16.15 h Luke 8.5 i Mart. 20.9 k Exo. 17 6 l Luke 5.6 a â—at 19.26 b Gen. 1.3 c Rom 4 17 d Iohn 11. â— e Eze 37.3 f Iohn 12.47 g Iohn 17.2 h Eccl. 11.9 i Reu. 3.20 a Mat. â—5 1â— b 〈…〉 c Gen 2â— ver 38. d Rom. â—â— 11 e Gen. 3. â— f Gen. 45. â— a Luke 5.8 a Maâ— â—4 â—â— b 〈…〉 21 c Gen. 41 4 d 〈…〉 e Mat. 2â—â—6 f Ier. 31.19 g 1. Cor 9.27 h Rom. 7.24 a 1. Iohn 1 7 b Heâ— 1.3 1. Cor. 4 4 c 1. Cor 15.49 Col. 3 1â— d 1. Tim. 2.5 e Markâ— 2 7 f Rom. 8 29 g Actes 4.12 h 2. Cor. 1.20 i Col. 1.20 k Heb. 12 2 a Mat. 1.21 b Eph. 1.10 c Iohn 14.1 d Gen. 27.21 e Heb. 9.7 f Reu. 12.1 g Reu. 12.1 h Luk. 23 45 i Reu. 1.6 k Exo. 12.35 l Iosh 14.1 m Matt. 8.14 a Pern in â—ant ser 15. b Iosh 24.15 c Luk. 10 4â— a Col. 2.9 b Mat. 3.17 c Col. 1.35 Hebr. 1 3 d Phil. 2.6 e Iohn 10.30 1. Iohn 5.7 f Mat. 11.9 a Iohn 20.28 b 1. Tim. 3.16 c Act. 2.24 d Ioh. 19 30 e Hebr. 2.14 f 2. Tim. 1.10 g Marke 2.7 h Gen. 3.23 i Iude 1.6 k Iohn 14.1 l Ier. 17.5 m Isa 43 11 1. Sam. 1.14 1.19 a 1. Tim. 2.6 b Gen. 3.15 c Gen. 17.19 d Gal. 3.16 e Ier. 23 5 f Rom â— 3 g Luk. 1 4â— h Gal 4.4 i â—att â— 2â— 9.6.11.19 Luke 9.22 12.10 Iohn 3.13 k Luk. 14 35 l Ioh. 19 3â— m Heb. 2 2â— a Damascen de pass b Cedrinus â—pist hist. c Rom. 5.19 d Chrysost â—er in Leu. a Iohn 1 â—2 b Mat. 21.45 c Mat. 22 12 d Act. 10 42 2. Tim 4.8 e Luke 1.34 f Gen. 41. 2â— g 1. Sam. 1.19 h Iohn 8.46 i Iohn 14 30 k Heb. 7.26 l Iohn 17.19 m Heb. 9.14 n 1 Pet. 2.22 a Leuit. 1.10 Num 28.31 Deut. 15.21 b Heb 19.14 c Austin l. b. 2. contr Maxi. d Exo. 29.14 Catath a Leui 4.29 Catath b Num. 7.16 22. 28. 34 40. 46. 52. c. c Iohn 1.29 d Heb 10 1 e Rom. 10.4 f Hebr. 10.4 11 a Psal 85.2 b Isa 44.22 c Psa 103.12 d Isa 38.17 e Isa 43 25 f Reu. 20.12 g Col. 2.14 h Austin retract lib. 1. c. 19. i Rom. 4.6 a Isa â—5 8 b Num. 23.23 a 1. Ihon 2.2 a Matt. 1.21 b 1. Iohn 1.7 c Mat. 4.23 d Iohn 3.14 e Iohn 5 4 f Eph. 5.14 g Iohn .29 h Isa 53.5 vers 8 i 1. Pet. 2.24 a Ier. 31.34 a Austin retract lib. 1. c. 19. c 1. Iohn 2.2 a Iob 9.3 b Gen 4 1â— a Ioh. 19 2â— Hebr. 10.14 a Exo. 12 3â— Gal. 3.13 Austin coÌ„tr Faust Mana. lib. 14. c. 4. Beda in epist Rom. c. 8. a Gen 3.17 2 Sam. 12.10 Num. 12.14 b Heb. 12.5 c Iob 1 9 d 2. Sam. 12.14 e 2. Cron 23 12 f Luk. 16.17 g 1. Reg 19 4 h Rom. 7.24 Chrysost de paenit confes Tertull. lib. de paenit Austin enchiâ—id ad Laâ—â—es c. 41. a 1. Cor. 1.30 b Eph 2.8 Gal. 2.16 c Austin de ciuit li â—7 c 4 d Aust tract 26. in Iob. 1. Cor. 1.30 e Chrysost coÌ„ in hunc loc 〈…〉 a Bernard sup cantic ser 61. b Mat. 22.11 c Pig in coÌ„tr 2. d Ambr. li. 2. de Iacob beat vit c. 2. a Pigh de fide inst cont 2. b Beda in ca. 10. epist ad Rom. c Eph. 2.8 d Rom. 8.14 e Iames 2 22. f Mat. 5.16 g 2. Pet. 1.10 h Mat. 7.17 a Gal. 5.24 b Gal 2.20 Eph. 5.8 Ezech. 18.2 vers 20 a Rom. 12.4 b Eph. 4.16 c 1. Cor. 6.15 d Eph 5.30 e 1. Cor. 3.16 f Iohn 17.20 g 2 Cor. 13.5 h Chrysost ser de spirit sanct a Iohn 1.16 b Psa 131.2 a Reu. 4.10 b Reu. 7.12
were yea and that wee might the better conceyue of his goodnes towards vs concerning these our sinnes which make vs to hang downe our heads and to feare to come into his presence he sheweth that he hath crost his bookes in which our sinnes were written nay that hee hath cancelled the handwriting that was against vs that he hath acknowledged the receipt and giuen vs our quietus est Insomuch that now wee may safely walke abroad because we know he hath no writ to serue on vs or action to commence against vs. Thus the feare of Gods displeasure is ouerblowen and the sunne shine of his fauour resteth on vs because our sinnes are not imputed to vs. And to that end records the Apostle that heauenly note of that most kingly Prophet blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not his sinne and although it is true of man that he will repent him sometime of his kindnes the which he hath shewed and will seeke to call backe his former goodnes yet to the consummation of our comfort it is not so with God he will not cast vs in the teeth nor lay to our charge the things he hath once pardoned for whom he pardoneth once he pardoneth euer his thoughts are not as our thoughts neyther are our waies his waies he is not as man that he should lie or as the sonne of man that he should repent Wherfore we may with boldnes now lift vp our heades since we doe most perfectly know that our sinnes neither now are nor yet euer shal be imputed vnto vs. And if this be the first step by which we begin to grow into fauour with our God not to haue our sinnes imputed to vs surely thâ—se marchandizers of mens soules doe but abuse the world when they teach that they ought not to looke for this fauour of gods in pardoning our sins but to seeke to satisfie his iustice for our sin the which we are as wel able for to doe as to moue mountaines out of there places or to number the drops of water in the Ocean sea Nay this for to attempt is not onely to builde vp the babell of confusion vnto our selues but vnder the shewe and colour of peace to giue defiance vnto God and to make voide the means of that reconcilement which he hath offered in his sonne for if the Lord of mercy when he saw no other meanes to satisfie his iustice and to saue man sent his onely sonne who in his blessed body should satisfie his iustice for our sinne surely herewith not to be content is to despise the wisedome and counsaile of God to repute other their vaine satisfactions of greater merite then is the merite and passion of the Sonne They answere for excuse that they content themselues with the ordinaunce of God and rest in the merite and satisfaction of the sonne but they say all that he did was for their originall sinne and such sinnes which were committed before they were baptised but as for their actuall sinne which follow baptisme and those which they commit after they were entered into the couenant of grace for them they say Christ hath not satisfied but hath merited only that for them man himself by his fastings and praiers his watchings and almes deeds should satisfie the iustice of the father The which their most impious assertion how abhorrent it is from all Christian truth I pray you a while harken and consider for of whom spake the Apostle Iohn but of the regenerat and of what sinnes but of their actual when committed but as well after baptisme as before and who is then the propitiation for them but Iesus Christ the righteous if any man sinne wee haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not onely for ours but for the sinnes also of the whole worlde Wherfore as this would giue small comfort to a Christian soule to heare that God would pardon one faâ—lt but not another so this would make but a little for the glorie of our Sauiour to heare that he saued from some sinnes but not from other wherefore herein they eclipse the glory of Christ and magnifie their owne for when our actuall sinnes both in quantitie and qualitie are farre more grieuous then is the originall in which we were borne The satisfaction for this one which is the lesse they ascribe vnto Christ but the remedie of the other they chalenge to theÌ„selues but beloued wee haue not so learned Christ But wee knew that he is a Iesus which saueth his people not from their sinne but from their sinnes euen al their sinnes as Iohn speaketh the bloud of Iesus Christ clenseth vs from all sinne if from all then from our actuall as well as originall from this which wee daily commit as well as from that in which we were borne So that as we find in scripture that Christ cured euery disease and infirmitie of the body and some of that qualitie which could not be remedied by the power of man euen so he cureth euery sicknesse of the soule hath made himselfe a brasen serpent to be stinged one soueraigne medicine for al. Descend therefore into this poole not of water but of the bloud of Christ not stirred by an Angell but by our Michaell who is as the Lord and although thou werst dead in thy sinnes yet stand vp and the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde shall take away thine euen thine actuall and originall all that thou hast and leaue none to be satisfied by thee All this some of the Papists will confesse but yet that they may stil maintein this diuelish doctrine of mans satisfaction they are not afraid to say that although Christ hath satisfied for our actuall and originall sinne yet it is but for the guilt and filthines it is not for the paine and punishment of the sinne so that although they graunt that our sins by Christ in respect of the guilt are taken away yet they leaue our sinnes in respect of the punishment to be susteined and satisfied by vs. The which if it were so how is it that the Scripture saieth that hee was wounded for our transgressions broken for our iniquities that the chasticement of our peace was layed vpon his shoulders that he made his soule and offering sacrifice for sinne and that with his stripes we are healed Surely this wounding breaking chastising scourging infer a punishmeÌ„t which was inflicted not for his sinnes the which he neuer knew but for ours which were imputed vnto him And therfore S. Peter speaketh he bare they were a burden not his owne sins but ours and not the guilt onely but the punishment too for it was on his body whilst yet he hangeth on the crosse And alas that at so great a light wee should shut our eyes why was he buffeted and
scourged why was he nailed and pearced why was his head crowned with thornes himselfe crucified among theeues why was his soule sore troubled within and frighted with the feare of his fathers wrath why did he pray to his father to remoue this crosse from him and crie out as a soule that was forsakē my God my God why hast thou forsaken me but that the Lorde in his great mercy to vs warde but iustice towardes him did punish in his blessed soule body the sins of all the faithfull in the worlde surely beloued if we were to beare the punishment of our sinnes then hath not Christ suffered for our sinne if he hath then do the Papist accuse GOD of great iniustice that he would punish vs for such sinne he hath already punished in his sonne But God is iust let the Papist blatter what he will and because he hath said it shall surely stand for it is part of that new couenaunt which he promised to make I will forgiue their iniquitie will remember their sins no more if he forgiueth how doth he call them to punishment if he wil not remember how doth he require satisfactiō for them can a creditor forgiue the debt and yet require satisfaction for the debt no more can God be said to forgiue vs our sinne and yet seeke to punish vs for our sinne If any man sinne saith the Apostle wee haue an aduocate Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes not he saieth the papist but we now whether the Apostle or papist is to be beleeued iudge you And to speake to men whose eies affectiō hath not wholy blinded and from whose hartes wilful obstinacie hath not taken away all sense of reason is this rightly to cōsider of the weight of sinne and of his filth is this equally to ballance the iustice of the almighty the fiercenes of his wrath kindled against the wickednes of men surely if the punishment of sinne could so haue beene satisfied and the wrath of the father hath so beene appeased thou hadst not sent thy sonne O blessed maker neyther hadst thou needed to haue died for vs O Emanuell For we by our watchings fastings we by our hairie weedes and other penaunce we by our many praiers and consecrated water wee by hearing of Masses and going in pilgrimage will satisfie for all such punishment that is due for our sinne O foolish flesh that thus presumest before thy maker if God should deale with thee according to iustice the greeuousnes of thy sinne thou shouldest stand as a man wholy confounded not able to satisfie one of a thousand no not the least that euer thou cōmittest in thy life for when thy sinne euen the least of thy sins is infinite because it was committed against the infinite maiesty of thy God thy punishment therfore must be infinite and therefore not to be satisfied by thee in this finite life and if thou canst not satisfie for one how wilt thou satisfie for all especially when not onely in this that thou seekest to satisfie but also in the most holiest of thy workes and sorowest penaunce thou often sinnest and trespassess God Wherefore that which Cain spake in dispaire thou oughtest not onely to speake in the humblenes of thy soule my punishment is greater then I am able to beare but withal thankfulnesse to receaue the mercy of thy maker who hath giuen his sonne to beare in his body that which otherwise for euer thou shouldst haue borne in thine Looke therefore with the eyes of faith vppon this brasen Serpent which hath not onely taken away the stinge of the serpent which is your sinnes but euen all your swellings and rancklinges all your paines and maladies the punishment due to all your sinnes This also some of the papistes do acknowledge but yet not resting on the good word of God they distinguish betweene eternall and temporall punishments and they are content to confesse that Christ hath satisfied for their eternall punishment but as for the temporall they say that they must satisfie for it in themselues It cannot be denied but that God layeth on the sonnes of men many punishments in this life the which are to be reputed temporall because they are in this life which is but temporall but yet these temporall punishments endured by men in this temporall life or neither in part nor in whole any part of satisfaction for our infinite and eternall sinne For if we consider this as they are in the godly some say that they are not punishments for sinne but rather fatherly admonitions that they should not sinne because for their sinne Christ hath beene punished and hath satisfied not in part but in whole whatsoeuer the iustice of God could require for them or if wee consider these as they are in the wicked true it is that GOD sometime beginneth to deale roughly with them and to inflict in this life some part of the punishment which for euer hereafter they must in most grieuous manner suffer in hel But yet since there is no proportion betwixt a finite punishment and an infinit sinne since of the punishment and satisfaction of these no Papist speaketh but of such for whom Christ died and for whose eternall punishment Christ hath satisfied wee leaue to speake farther of these wicked ones and call now enquire whether Christ hath not fully endured all punishment due for the sins of the faithfull but hath left some temporall punishment as part of the satisfaction due for their sinnes to be endured suffered by themselues The which if it be so as the papist speaketh not onely blasphemy followeth our Sauiour because his satisfaction is made insufficient the sin of man of greater filth then the merite of his most blessed passion but also man speaketh with ouer great pride that he presumeth to satisfie where Christ hath not satisfied and to make perfect which he hath left vnperfect vnto vs or if it be true the which our Sauiour speaketh Consummatus est it is finished euen the worke of our saluation and redemption of the world if he as the author speaketh to the Hebrewes by one sacrifice not by many hath made perfect not left vnperfect and that not for a time but for euer and that not some but all which beleeue in his name why do we seeke to make vnperfect the satisfactiō of Christ or to turne away the destroying Angell by any other means then by the bloud of this immaculate Lambs sprinkled by faith on the dore postes of beleeuing heartes The Apostle Paule saith Christ was made a curse for vs that he might redeeme vs from the curse of the law now when the iustice of God did inflict vpon the transgressors of the law not only eternall punishment but temporall too and when Christ endured in his most blessed body euen all the punishment due to the transgressors of the law it must