on his Crosse 1. Pet. 2.24 Wherefore hee which was most iust and righteous offering himselfe a sacrifice for our sinnes who are vniust and bearing the punishment which our sinnes deserued hath paid our ransome 1. Tim. 2.6 and redeeming vs by this meanes is become that Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world and thus hee being made vnrighteousnes for vs by these his sufferings and if there were any further thing for vs to doe doing it also for vs. For he is the end of the Law Rom. 10.4 and in him we are compleat Colos 2.10 we are made in him the righteousnesse of God 2. Cor. 5.21 Christ is therefore in Ier. 23.6 called Iehouah our righteousnesse Malachy calleth him the Sonne of righteousnesse chap. 4. vers 2. because hee is first made vnto vs righteousnesse of God and then doth make vs righteous vnto God This doctrine hath three vses Vse 1 First whereas the Lord doth so iustifie vs of grace It sheweth the agreement of Gods iustice and mercy in our redemption that we are also made iust in the redemption of Christ we may see and contemplate that admirable mysterie how the Lords iustice and his mercy doe kisse each other There is all iustice vnto Christ whose soule felt the anger of God in that extremity that his body affected heerewith did sweat clotty blood who was broken euen with hellish torments by the hand of God for our sinnes and was humbled to the death of the Crosse There is all mercy to vs it is mercy that the satisfaction of Christ should be ours that all that he did should be accounted as done by our selues It is mercy that Christ himselfe the satisfier should bee giuen vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Paul Rom. 8.32 He hath gratified vs with his Sonne hee hath bestowed him freely on vs. Vse 2 Secondly this may be a comfort to a distressed conscience Jt sheweth where we may fetch righteousnesse to iustifie vs. For often beholding and feeling our filthinesse and corruption that is in vs wee are ready to think that we haue no iustice wherwith to stand and appeare before the Lord. But loe beloued here is righteousnesse enough for thee and for me and for the whole multitude of beleeuers we are righteous in Christ our Redeemer Yea but haply it will sticke somwhat with thee how thou shouldest be righteous with an others righteousnesse If a priuate man indeed should die How anothers righteousnesse may iustifie vs. hee could but satisfie for his owne sinne Gal. 6.5 Euery one in this order beareth his owne burthen But the case is otherwise with Christ for he was not a meere man but God in nature glory and maiesty equall with the Father and hee being not a seruant but the Sonne by nature was sent and made subiect to the Law that he might redeeme vs which were vnder the Law Gal. 4.4.5 And what Christ did or suffered he did not as a priuate person but as a publike in the name and behalfe of Gods elect and not of himselfe but as appointed therunto of God It was not for himselfe but for the faithfulls sake that Christ did sanctifie himselfe Ioh. 17.19 and God it is who doth make him righteousnesse vnto vs 1. Cor. 1.30 It is of force amongst men what one man doth in anothers name chiefly where there is a common agreement that it shall bee so And why may not it be thus in our iustification before God for if the iustice of God preuailed so farre that through the offence of one many shal be dead Rom. 5.15 much more shall his mercy cause that grace and the gift of grace that is righteousnesse which is by one man Iesus Christ should abound vnto many For the iustice of God serueth and ministreth to his mercy as Rom. 11.32 God hath shut vp all vnder vnbeleefe but to what intent doth Gods iustice this that so they should remaine so no but that place might bee made for mercy as it followeth that he might haue mercy on all Vse 3 Thirdly seeing the Lord doth make vs righteous in Christ his redemption It teacheth vs to renounce our owne righteousnesse let vs abandon our owne righteousnesse in this case counting our best deeds as menstruous garments reckoning all as drosse and dung to winne Christ that is to be found not hauing our owne righteousnesse but that which is through faith This righteousnesse is not the righteousnesse of meere man but of God and to bring ours hereunto were as foolish as to helpe the shining of the sunne with the light of some small spattering candle or to bring a drop of muddy water to a cleere chrystall ocean Now there remaineth one thing further to bee handled For though a remedy against an infirmity be found out though euery matter be knowne which concurreth to the confection yet vnlesse this be taken inwardly or applied outwardly nothing will be effected so beloued vnlesse the grace of God the redemption of Christ bee laid to vs after a sort and receiued all is in vaine Then this is the question in the third place how the remedies are to bee vsed and receiued The answere to this question is to be fetched out of the 25. verse and is contained in these words by faith in his blood Doct. 7. Which doth teach vs this doctrine that wee are euery one to apprehend the grace of God in the redemption of Christ to iustification We are tu embrace Christs redemption wrought for vs by faith by hearty and vnfained faith Faith hath been alwaies requisite as the instrument to take Christ our righteousnesse that so we might in Gods sight be iustified This is taught vs euery where Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the saith of Iesus Christ should bee giuen to all And Ioh. 3.16 So God loued the world that hee hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth on him should haue euerlasting life Where we see faith to be brought in as the instrument without the which neither the promise can bee appropriated nor saluation attained So Act. 16.30.31 Which is the instrument to receiue it when the question is made what shall I doe to be saued it is answered by the Apostle beleeue on the Lord Iesus thou and thy houshold and you shall bee saued And truly the righteousnesse of Christ hath not been of more ancient time giuen to men than faith hath beene appointed the receiuer heereof Wherefore it is called the righteousnesse of faith because it is receiued by faith as our righteousnes which God imputeth to vs. If we should search the register of the Scriptures a cloud of witnesses would compasse vs about for the confirmation of this poynt But by the way it seemeth more necessary to answere what may be obiected For aboue we haue taught you will say that the grace of God cannot stand with any thing in man How then will you aske
can it stand with faith How Gods free grace doth stand with faith It is true that the grace of God doth not brooke any thing inherent in man and of man and yet notwithstanding may well agree with faith for faith is not of man no not in man by nature For al men haue not faith 2. Thes 3.2 but it is in man renewed and as a gift of meere grace as Phil. 1.29 Vnto you it is giuen for Christ that you should beleeue on him where faith is challenged as a largesse of the Lords liberality Secondly faith doth not iustifie vs as it is an inherent quality in vs for this smelleth somewhat of the Gnosticks but as it apprehendeth Christ Iesus the redeemer who is made vnto vs of God righteousnesse Thus then briefly you see how euery one of vs must through faith take hold of the grace of God in the redemption of Christ and that faith is not at all preiudiciall to Gods fauour And now me thinkes you are willing to know what it is to beleeue What it is to beleeue I will tell you and that according as the Scripture speaketh without any laborious distinction If then beloued you first hauing a sight and sense of your miserable estate and beholding Christ crucified before you in this Gospell viz. Out of a sense of our misery to goe and to rest on Christ for our saluation that is hearing the word of this free grace of God through the redemption of Christ doe come and cast your selues on his mercy in Christ the redeemer and receiue it into your hearts afterward abhorring your selfe more and more euen in dust and ashes louing this God who is so gracious to you and expressing it by walking in his commandements then doe you truly beleeue For in the sight and sense of misery thus to come to and relie on Gods mercy is to beleeue as Iohn chap. 6. vers 35. Hee that commeth vnto me shall not hunger and hee that beleeueth in me shall not thirst Marke heere that to beleeue in Christ and to come to him are put for one when then our will doth moue toward God and make vnto his grace in Christ then we beleeue Againe to receiue the grace of God in Christ And to apply his grace to our selues in particular euen euery one for himselfe particularly with an honest heart in such manner as to say It is mine it belongeth vnto me this by the interpretation of the Scripture is to beleeue Ioh. 1.12 And hee that commeth thus to Christ and layeth hold on him though it be waueringly yet hee truly beleeueth Though it be weakly and not without doubting For true faith is not alwaies an vndoubted certainty which causeth one gloriously to triumph let the wind lie in what corner it pleaseth but it is sometimes as smoking flaxe and standeth rather in groanes sighes and desires than confident defiances and challenges especially vnder the beginnings of our conuersion and time oftentation We speake indeed against the popish doubtings wauerings and vncertainty first to shew that these though they may stand with faith yet they are no vertues but fruits of vnbeleefe Secondly because that true faith which is sometime plunged and perplexed with much doubting doth often get vp and is carried with a ful saile in the perswasion of Gods mercy as it is reported of Abraham Rom. 4.20.21 that hee did not doubt of the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was fully assured of the performance thereof which pitch though we cannot rise and reach vnto yet if wee doe from the heart long after Gods grace in Christ and truly though in much weaknesse rest on him for pardon of our sinnes there is no doubt but we haue that faith vnfained which doth make vs partakers of that redemption which is in Iesus Christ Soli Deo gloria
carried away Leuit. 13. and 14. so the whole frame of heauen and earth must burne in the fier to bee purged of it Vse 2 Secondly these doctrines are a ground of all true humility It teacheth vs humility and thankefulnesse and thankfull acknowledgement of Gods mercy If that a man could haue seene the heart of the poore Publican Luk. 18. no doubt one should haue seene that it was the priuity of these things we haue spoken of viz. that he was so sinfull and corrupt so wretched and neare to damnation that made him so abased and abashed in himselfe as not to dare so much as to looke vp to heauen made him with such griefe and passion to smite his breast and to sigh out Lord be mercifull vnto mee a sinner What vvas it but the due pondering of these things that did carry Dauid to such an admiration of Gods bounty toward himselfe and all men crying out Psal 144.4 Lord what is man that thou regardest him or the sonne of man that thou thinkest on him and forceth the Prophet to this confession It is the Lords mercy that we are not consumed because his compassions faile not From the ignorance of it springeth pride and vnthankfulnesse Lam. 3.22 But contrarivvise vvee carry our heads aloft face the heauens and svvell vvith great thoughts of our ovvne vvorth Againe vve are not onely spared from day to day and saued from vvrath but are fed and filled vvith good things from Gods hand without any due and feeling confession of Gods patience bounty and mercies heerein And whence is it but euen hence that we haue not thorowly learned nor taken vnto heart these lessons what wee are naturally before God viz. abominable most filthy and cursed wretches children of wrath and sonnes of perdition Find me the man that doth know this in his soule and is not lowly in his owne eyes doth not tremble and is not with an holy shame confounded in himselfe when hee commeth before God that doth not acknowledge Gods mercy in the least good hee enioyeth and wonder at his bounty that he doth load him such a caitiffe with so great benefits Grant that poore Mephibosheth had been guilty of treason against King Dauid as Ziba did falsly accuse him and that vpon plaine conuiction of the crime and sentence of death being giuen on him and all things made ready for his execution the King had giuen him his pardon restored him to his lands and as formerly admitted him to his owne table Can we thinke that hee would not haue blushed euen as oft as he came in the Kings presence and that he would not much more than formerly haue magnified Dauids princely mercy and clemency vnto him saying What is thy seruant that thou shouldest looke toward much more shouldest deale so graciously with such a dead dog as I am 1. King 9.8 If the apprehension of ones outward miserie and basenesse can so abase our mindes and endeare the curtesies and fauours of other men towards vs how much rather will it make vs truly humble before the Lord and thankfully to record his goodnesse to vnderstand well how vile and wretched our naturall condition is Vse 3 Thirdly this must awake vs to looke about and lay hold of the meanes of our saluation that wee escape death and damnation It should stirre vs vp to lay hold of saluation When the Iewes had heard Peter preaching roundly to them concerning their wickednesse in crucifying the Lord Iesus and their danger for it they were pricked in their hearts and cried out to the Apostle Men and brethren what shall we doe Act. 2.37 And truly it must needs affright vs and make vs to labour for a better estate vnlesse we be of that sort of men that haue made a couenant with hell and are at a league with the graue Isa 28.15 to consider that we are guilty before the Lord in the loynes of Adam to weigh that we are throughout stained and spotted with the filthinesse of sinne to thinke that all we can speake or doe all our thoughts words and deeds are so many inditements against vs and euidences that wee are shut out of heauen into vtter darknesse Will any man vnlesse hee be dead drunke lay himselfe downe to sleepe in the top of the mast the ship being vnder saile in the middest of the sea Prou. 23.34 And wee hold him desperately mad that dare take a nap in a house on fier ouer his head O then let vs not when the wrath of God which is a fier burning to the pit of destruction when I say this wrath is seated in soule and body let vs not presume to snort securely till we know our selues pulled out of this fier and till we perceiue that it is fully quenched and extinguished And thus much spoken concerning our wretched estate by nature were enough But lest those who are deliuered from this misery should thinke that this doctrine concerneth them not it shall be needfull in a word to adioyne one other instruction Marke therefore beloued who it is that vttereth these words all haue sinned It is Paul one who had now laboured 20. yeeres in the worthy Ministery of Apostleship yet hee speaketh this including himselfe in the same number Which teacheth vs thus much Doct. 3. That after our deliuerance wee must not shake hands with the doctrine of our miserie Our miserie must not be forgotten though wee be deliuered from it but still beare it in mind and often recount it It is the practice of Saint Paul almost euery where In the second to the Ephesians vers 3. after he had laid before the eyes of the Ephesians their former estate he spareth not to rip vp his owne constitution by nature thus Among whom wee also haue had our conuersation in time past in the lusts of our flesh in fulfilling the will of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others So again 1. Tim. 1.15 doth hee ranke himselfe amongst the chiefe sinners Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners whereof I am the chiefe Lastly Tit. 3.3 doth he make a large acknowledgement of his owne and others wretched condition what it was before conversion We our selues also were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing the lusts and diuers pleasures liuing in maliciousnesse and enuie hatefull and hating one another 3. Effects of its remembrance And this lesson is the worthier our learning by how much the vse of it is the greater for it hath three excellent effects 1. To make vs gentle toward others First to remember what we our selues haue bin and are by nature will make vs meeke and gentle towards others not ouer rash and rigorous in our censures Thus much the Apostle sheweth plainly vnto vs in the place aboue-named For in the second verse of that chapter he doth bid Titus to dehort men from speaking euill and exhort them to softnesse
and meeknesse But now what reason doth he giue why such kindnesse and courtesie should be vsed toward others Marke that in this 3. verse for we our selues saith he were in times past disobedient vnwise c. plainly shewing that nothing more engendreth mildnes and gentlenes toward others than to set before vs what we our selues haue been 2. To long for our dissolution Secondly in the relicks of sinne to remember our miserie will make vs sigh and grone for our heauenly tabernacle and desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ As Dauid being very much a-thirst did long to drinke and said Oh that one would giue me of the water of the well of Bethlehem 2. Sa. 23. So Saint Paul hauing wel considered of his slauish and irksome case through sinne abiding in him and continually molesting him doth conceiue an earnest desire and breaks out into most passionate wishes of his full deliuery Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death 3. To tast our saluation by Christ the more pleasant Thirdly it will make vs taste the benefit of Christ more pleasantly When did Paul come thankfully as it were to take the cup of saluation in Christ Iesus euen then when he looked vnto it through the body of death And therefore after his former exclamation hee annexeth this thanks-giuing I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord. And certaine it is that as the Paschall Lambe did relish the best when it was eaten with sowre herbs so by these remembrances which humble and breake the spirit our saluation by Christ is made much more comfortable and sauoury Vse It is then to be blamed in Gods children It reproueth those that neglect to call it to mind if they doe not exercise their thoughts in a frequēt meditatiō of their naturall misery there are diuers who being aduanced from a lowe estate to great preferment forget their base parentage nor will once looke downe to the dung-hill from whence they were raised but what doth ensue in such persons but strange pride and insolencie out of which they domineere cruelly ouer their inferiours disdaine and set themselues against their equalles and to their ruine at length set at naught him that aduanced them not acknowledging his former fauours and thinking that they can now sit fast without him It is a faireway to spirituall pride Gods children are in danger of nothing more than of spirituall pride with the which the diuell when all other of his traines faile hopeth to blow them vp by dazling their eyes with the view of their perfections and present happinesse And to prepare them thereunto and make way for this stratagem this he doth driue at to make them forget what they were of old and little to thinke of their former miserie to which if he can bring them then with ease and readily will succeed vncharitable censures and proud disdain of others inferiour to them in grace contentious emulations toward those that match them or goe before them yea a sleight esteeme of Gods mercy and grace whereby they were deliuered Great aduantage therefore doe they giue the diuell against them who loue not to keep in mind and humbly to recount their wretched state by nature euen when through Gods mercy they bee freed It followeth And are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom he hath proposed a reconciliation through faith in his blood Euen as the way to Sion was by Sinai so vnlesse wee desire rather to bee carnally secured than truly comforted wee must passe by the diligent view of our most wofull plight wherein by nature wee are enwrapped to the consideration of the good things which the Lord hath prepared for them that loue him These words then vnfolded will plainly declare what I propounded to shew in the second place viz. the very thing which belongeth to our happines I cannot cast them more conueniently for our capacities than into these three members The parts First that there is restitution for all sorts of men from this misery in these words All are iustified Secondly the grounds or causes of this restitution and these are two first the mercy of God in these words freely by his grace secondly the redemption in Christ whereof hee speaketh thus through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Thirdly the instrument whereby these are applied to vs in vers 25. through faith in his blood These three poynts we will handle in order Doct. 4. We are restored from this misery That there is a reparation of mans lamentable condition is not necessary to dispute since it is a matter nothing controuersall The Apostle Gal. 3.22 euidently saith that all are by the Scripture concluded vnder sinne But why that they might lie in this condition Nothing lesse but that the promise through the faith of Iesus Christ should bee giuen to them that beleeue And it were woe with vs if this case were any whit doubtfull I will therefore in stead of arguing whether there bee a restoring yea or nay set downe the order of our restitution For though this word Iustified doe not signifie directly euery parcell of our happy estate yet it being opposed to our miserable estate doth it selfe signifie some part of our deliuerance from it and by necessary consequence implieth all that concurreth thereunto First therefore let vs know 1. By iustification that for man guilty before the tribunall seat of God for the sinne hee committed as he was in Adams loynes and many aduerse sinnes in his owne person there is iustification that is Whereby God acquitteth vs from sinne nothing else as Paul euery where vseth it but an action of God as iudge of all the world whereby he doth acquit his creature of whatsoeuer crime might be laid vnto his charge holding him for iust and innocent yea and according to this iustice which he imputeth to him hee doth most graciously entreat him And accepteth vs to life by acception to life euerlasting This is the very import of this word as is gathered by these two arguments First it is a word iudiciall as may bee seene 2. Sam. 15.4 Oh saith Absalom that they would make me a Iudge in the land that euery one who hath any matter or controuersie might come to mee and I would doe to him iustice that is pronounce him quit cnd cleare him as his cause requireth Secondly the opposition requireth the same for condemnation is set against it as the contrary Rom. 8.33.34 It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne And this may be considered as the first degree in our reparation and is precisely signified by the word it selfe which though it be distinguished from these that follow otherwise a wholesome forme of words and doctrine cannot be kept yet it must not be separated 2 By sanctification Secondly therefore the Lord whom hee thus iustifieth he
sendeth into their hearts the Spirit of his Sonne Gal. 4.6 that spirit of promise Ephes 1.13 I meane that promised spirit which doth regenerate them throughout so that though they were by nature darknesse Jn all parts yet they now become light in the Lord Ephes 5.8 though they were rebellious such as could not bee subiect yet now they come to delight at least in the inner man of their mindes in the Law of God though their affections were prophane and vnsanctified yet now they are renewed to that image which is in holinesse so that their ioy is not fixed in outward things as wisedome strength riches but in this that they know the Lord to be their God in Christ Ier. 9.23.24 and that their names are written in heauen Luk. 10.20 their loue is setled on God their hearts speaking with Dauid Psalm 73.25 What haue I in heauen but thee and whom in earth in comparison of thee So also their feare and hope is turned from the world and things temporall vnto God and matters euerlasting And though before what euer they did was sinne yet now they doe those good workes which the Lord hath prepared for them to walke in And thus the life of glory is againe restored For this their sanctification is the beginning of glory so that euen while they are on earth Which is a beging of glory they haue euerlasting life He that beleeueth hath euerlasting life Ioh. 3.36 And Rom. 8.23 wee are said to haue here the first fruits of the spirit The first fruits and the whole lumpe differ not in substance and kind but in the measure and circumstance What were the first fruits of corne oliues or any other fruit of the earth offered to the Lord vnder the Law but a part and a prime part of the whole haruest and so the sanctifying graces of Gods spirit which wee receiue on earth are parts and beginnings of our glorious life in heauen from which they differ not in kind but in measure and degree Now when Gods faithful ones depart 3. By glorification begun in death they goe neerer to the fulnesse of this glory as whose soules goe into Paradise as our Sauiour speaketh to the thiefe Luk. 23.43 and whose spirits are gathered to the spirits of iust and perfect men in the heauenly Ierusalem Heb. 12.23 But at the resurrection of the iust Consummate at the resurrection then shall this life of glory bee consummate their bodies being made conformable to the glorious body of Christ Iesus Phil. 3.21 the Lord being glorified in his saints made maruellous in all them that beleeue 2. Thes 1.10 Thus farre then it goeth well that wee who were condemned persons and had our faces couered as being ready to bee carried away to execution should bee iustified that wee who were drie wood fruitfull onely in the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse should become greene trees planted in the true temple of the God-head Christ Iesus and so be made to beare good fruit abundantly euen to abound in euery good worke that wee finally who were dead should liue Now it is some comfort for any man labouring of a desperate disease to heare say there is cure for it But come to one whom some griefe incurable as it is reputed doth hold and tel him there is remedy for him as he will be glad to heare it so hee will hardly beleeue it wherefore he will aske what be the ingredients or simples of which that medecine should be made that by this meanes the force of these well considered he may see if it bee likely to doe the deed yea or no. So in maladies spirituall which no power in heauen or earth but that which can subdue all things to it selfe can correct To say there is a salue for these sores is somewhat comfortable but it will not presently passe for currant You will therefore aske in the first place how this should come to passe for man is full of sinne and the Lords eyes are too pure to behold nothing but filthinesse When there is nothing then in him which may moue God vnlesse it be to iudgement how should the Lord come to-restore him very well Looke on the next words We are iustified freely by his grace Though there bee nothing in vs yet the Lord of his free grace doth iustifie vs. Doct. 5. This then is our lesson that the grace of God that is We are iustified freely by Gods meere grace God himselfe of himselfe in great fauour and riches of mercy bowing downe to succour his miserable creature altogether vndeseruing God I say thus meerly mercifull doth iustifie vs. So the Apostle teacheth euery where Tit. 2.11 The grace of God bringing saluation vnto all men hath appeared So Ephes 2.8.9 We are saued by grace not of workes where it is to bee marked how the meere grace of God not excited by any workes but working of its owne accord hath the whole stroke in our saluation For workes are secluded from working any whit therein And although these speeches be plaine enough to cleere the poynt yet loe how it is affirmed more plainly 2. Timoth. 1.9 Who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace c. Our saluation is of grace and what grace not such as doth follow vpon any goodnesse inherent in vs or works foreseene which should come from vs but onely vpon the intent and purpose of God within himselfe This is a truth which was well knowne in the time of the old Testament By mercy and truth saith Salomon Prou. 16.6 iniquitie shall bee forgiuen and by the feare of the Lord men depart from euill What mercy and truth is heere meant what that of man toward man no surely It cannot bee fitly vnderstood but of Gods meere grace whereby he promiseth good things to men and his fidelity in performing most constantly what he promiseth from which we obtaine this fauour to get our sinnes couered and pardoned As the reuerence of Gods Maiesty doth cause his children to eschew euill so his mercy toward them being in Christ a most mercifull Father vnto them doth bestow on them the pardon of their sinnes And what else meant the Saints of old but to ascribe all to Gods mercy when they did alwaies make their request to God and craue of him to haue respect vnto them not for their owne sake but for his mercies which last for euer his kindnesse and goodnesse his names sake c. That God may haue the glory of our saluation For Gods glory is most deare vnto him neither can he endure therein to haue any partner Wherefore in the businesse of our saluation hee doth so worke that man may haue no matter of reioycing out of God who doth all this worke in himselfe and out of man that who so reioyceth might reioyce onely in the Lord 1. Cor. 1.31 Vse 1 This doctrine serueth first