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
Christ you can do nothing Yet there be men saith an ancient vnthankefull to Grace ascribing much to poore and wounded Nature It is true that man when hee was created receiued great strength of free will but by sinning he lost it Saint Augustine cited by Doctor Fulke propoundeth this question Rhem pag. 206. May not that part of mankinde to which God hath promised deliuerance and an eternall kingdome bee repaired by the merit of their owne workes God forbid for what good can he worke that is lost or cast away except he be deliuered from perâ—â—tion What by freewill God forbid that also For man vsing free will amisse lost himselfe and it also For as he that killeth himselfe doth it while he liueth but in killing himselfe liueth not neither can hee reuiue himselfe when he hath slaine himselfe So when man sinned by free will sinne got the victory and free will was lost For of whomsoeuer a man is ouercome to him hee is addicted or bound as a slaue Rom. 6. What liberty then can there be of him that is a bond-slaue but when he delighteth in sinne For he serueth freely that doth his maisters will gladly And by this he is free to commit sinne which is a slaue to sinne but to do iustly he shall not be free except he being deliuered from sinne beginne to be the seruant of righteousnesse That is true liberty for the ioy of well doing and a godly bondage to the obedience of the commandements But whence shall a man that is bound and sold haue this liberty Except Christ doth redeeme him whose saying that is Iohn 8. If the Sonne shall make you free then are you free indeed which thing before it begin to be wrought in man how can any man boast of free will in a good worke which yet is not free to worke well except he extol himselfe being puffed vp with vaine pride which the Apostle beateth downe when he saith You are saued by grace through faith Neither doth man when hee is made free by Christ make himselfe euery day more honorable then other vntill he come to be more pretious then fine gold Rem 9.23 Phil. 2.23 ye aboue the wedges of the gold of Ophir For this is a worke peculiar to Gods Spirit that worketh in vs the will and the deed according to his good pleasure We will saith Saint Augustine but it is God that worketh in vs to will we worke but it is God that worketh in vs according to his good pleasure This is behouefull for vs to speake This is a godly and true doctrine that our confession may be humbled and lowly and that God may haue the whole We liue in more safety if wee giue all vnto God rather when wee commit our selues partly to our selues and partly to him For as it is God that first worketh a new recreation in the minde through a heauenly illumination and a holy will by creating holinesse in the will so it is the same God that causeth the light of the one to increase and the holinesse of the other to abound Concerning which spirituall beatitude Saint Iohn teacheth most excellently when he saith That life was in God from the beginning Ioh. 1.4.5 and that life was the light of mâ—n that this light shineth in the darknesse and the darknesse comprehended it not It was the speciall reuelation of the Father that Peter knew Christ And it was the exceeding mighty and powerfull worke of Christs Spirit Ioh. 2.20 that Saul afterward called Paul did preach Christ not directed by any fleshly or humane Spirit but by the Spirit of Christ by which he did liue in him That we liue well that we vnderstand aright we haue it of God of our selues we haue nothing saith Saint Augustine cited by Bishop Iewel From this want ariseth the paiers of holy men Dauid beseecheth God to create a cleane hart in him And Salomon saith Let him incline our hearts vnto himselfe that we may keepe his commandements These holy Patâ—â—â—â—ke did not thinke as ambitious Popish Priests dâ—e that they had power in themselues to make themselues cleane and to purge their owne hearts aâ— the Rhems teacheth By this which hath bene said we may see more cleare then the light that the will of man doth not co-operate with the Spirit of God in his recreation no more then Adam in his creation For the vnderstanding seeth no further then the Spirit of God inlightneth it which is but in part in this world no more then a man carrying a candle into a large gallery garnished on euery side with variety of curious workes seeth no more then that the light of the candle maketh apparent Psa 18.28 Surely saith Dauid thou wilt light my candle the Lord my God will lighten my darknesse Againe send thy light and thy truth let them leade me let them bring me into thy holy mountaine and to thy tabernacle Neither doth the will in any thing obey the Lords command more then it is effectually moued thereunto by Gods Spirit As it doth appeare in Ionas Ionah 1.3 who being commanded by the Lord to go to Niniuah that great citty and cry out against it rose vp to fly to Tharshish froÌ„ the presence of the Lord. But more apparant in the saying of Paul Rom. 7.23 For I delight saith hee in the law of God concerning the inward man But I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading one captiue vnto the law of sin which is in my members But Kellison saith Suruey pag. 144. If we co-operate not with God by our own free wil In vain do we pray that his will be done vpon the earth But to this we answer if we doe co-operate with God then our will shall bee done as well as Gods will 1. Cor. 25.28 Phil 4.6 Ibid. 2.13 And so God shall neuer be all in all in vs that we may bee wholly gouerned by his holy Spirit which is plaine opposite to truth and most dishonourable to Christ For if Christ should not wholly gouerne vs by his Spirit At the day of resurrection when our bodies shall rise Spirituall bodies that is wholly to be gouerned by his holy Spirit which now they are but in part then there would remaine a will in vs as now there doth cooperating against and not with the Spirit of God euen the will which the Apostle complaineth of when hee cryeth out Rom. 7. Who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Euen from the law of my minde which leadeth me captiue vnto the law of sinne So also should Christs body that is his Church be imperfect the good worke of the Spirit of God vnfinished Eph. 1.23 and the fulnesse of Christ thereby extinguished For as by his gratious dispensation he is head of his Church hee is not full without his body But what should we speake further of the worke of Gods Spirit to those
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