himselfe the spirituall worker and Author of them making them in our apprehension correspondent and agreeable to the Almighty nature and glorious working of so wonderfull a workman Fifthly the literall knowledge although it bee never so great doth not change him that is in it but leaves him in his former old nature and corrupt conversation as if he were prophane it leaves him still prophane if he were meerely civill honest it leaves him still meerely civill honest if he were blindly zealous with a legall zeale it leaves him still blindly zealous with a legall zeale of advancing works works and doing as wee may see by the example of S. Paul who before his conversion followed the righteousnes of the Law Rom. 9. 31. and was zealous towards God Act. Rom 9. 31. Aâ—ts 22. 3. 26. 7. 22. 3. serving God instantly day and night Act. 26. 7. And yet was but in this literall knowledge Yea as this literall knowledge findes a man in death and condemnation so it leaves him in death and condemnation saving that it leaves him in greater condemnation than if hee never knew any thing at all Bâ—â— the spirituall knowledge wholy changeth him that is in it and makes him to leave his old corrupt course of life and to live a godly conversation and not only makes him that was prophane or meerly civill to become zealous of Gods glory but also changeth the legall zeale of advancing works into the Evangelicall zeale of advancing Christs benefits and to doe all good duties zealously in meere thankfulnesse for the same because he that by this spirituall knowledge with open face beholdeth as in a looking glasse the glory of the Lord is changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord. Sixthly and lastly as the spirituall knowledge discerning the deep things of God counts them and embraceth them as precious and glorious so the literall knowledge resting in the bare letter cannot perceive nor receive the deep things of God that is the excellency of Christs benefits because it counts and rejects them as absurd and foolish yea very foolishnesse it selfe 1 Cor. 2. 14. and because great learning 1 Cor 2 14. The ground of contention and wrangling againstâ—râ—e justification counts it her wisdome to confute that which she takes for foolishnesse hereupon ariseth unfallibly against the preaching of the excellency of Christs benefits strong sophisticating and bold contention because the literall learning being mounted up upon the horse of pride for this knowledge puffeth up 1 Cor. 8. 2. 1 Cor. 8. 2â— And being pricked forward with two spurres the one of envie at her brothers gift of preaching the glory of Christ and the other of vaine glory lest this literall learning loose some of her praise she rusheth out like a warre-horse into the battle of contention and yet layes all the blame hereof upon the preaching of the excellency of Christs benefits yea so strongly doth this literall knowledge judge the excellency of Christs benefits to be meere foolishnesse and thereupon so impudent in contention against the same that Luther upon these words Then is the slander of the â—uther upon Gal. 5. 11. Crosse abolished Gal. 5. 11. proveth with many arguments that Paul taketh it for a most certaine signe that the Gospel of Christ and righteousnesse of faith are not rightly preached and is not the Gospel if it be preached without contention against it for saith hee when the crosse is abolished and the rage of the false Apostles wrangling sophisticating and persecuring ceaseth on the one side and offences and scandals on the other-side and all things are in peace this is a sure token that the Devil keeping the entrie of the house the pure doctrine of Gods Word is taken away Because saith he it cannot be but as long as the Gospel flourisheth the crosse and offence thereof must needs follow it or else truly the Devil is not The Devill rageth against the Gospel rightly levelled at and hit but slightly glanced at but if he be rightly hit indeed he resteth not but beginneth horribly to rage and to raise up by these literall vaine-glorious men all the troubles he can And again notably writeth Luther upon these words but as then he that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the spirit even so is it now whose whole exposition is worthy to be often read of the children of faith the sum and effect whereof is thus This persecution Luther on Gal. 4 29 vers alwaies remaineth in the Church especially when the word of God is powerfully brought to light and the doctrine of the Gospel flourisheth to wit that the children of the flesh mock the children of the promise and persecute them And therefore Paul in this place armeth the godly asore-hand that they should not be offended with these persecutions sects and offences As if he should say if we be the children of the promise and born after the spirit holding that righteousnesse commeth without works meerely by the promise we must surely look to bee persecuted of our brother which is born after the flesh that is after the Law and works and yet shines in the righteousnesse and glorious works of the Law that is to say not only our open enimies which are manifestly wicked shall persecute us but also such as at the first were our deare friends with whom we were in religion familiarly conversant in one house which received from us the true doctrine of the Gospel shall become our deadly enimies persecute us extreamely for they are brethren after the flesh and will persecute their brethren which are born after the Spirit and so raise hurries and molestations Indeed they lay the blame and fault in our doctrine when they themselves are the authors of these troubles and persecutions But because they are perswaded by this literall knowledge that they persecute that which is absurd and but meere foolishnesse they cannot beleeve this that they are the authors of these troubles and much lesse can they beleeve that it is they which murmur rise up and take counsell against the Lord and his annoynted nay rather they think that they maintaine the Lords cause that they defend his glory and doe him acceptable service in persecuting us The reason whereof is this expressed by Luther in other places upon the Galathians speaking against vaine-glory and therefore as worthy the often reading as the former the summe also whereof is thus That such is the nature of these literall and vaine-glorious Ministers of Satan That they can make a goodly shew that they are very charitable humble lovers of concord and are indued with all other fruites of the Spirit also they protest that they seek nothing else but the glory of God and the salvation of mens souls and yet being full of vaine-glory and doing all things to seeme learned and godly and so to get praise and estimation among
and knowest his will and approvest the things that are excellent being instructed in the Law or word or doctrine from heaven Neither thus hast thou knowledge for thy selfe only but also art confident that thou art a guide of the blinde a light to them that are in darknesse verse 19. an Instructer of the foolish a Teacher of the ignorant having the whole forme of knowledge and of the truth in the law or word c. Secondly such may think that they have a strong faith in all Gods graces through Christ and that they beleeve them as well and as truly as any can doe as it is expressed Revel 3. 17. saying Thou sayest that thou art rich namely in the treasures and benefits of the Gospel and encreased in goods amd hast need of nothing but thou knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Thirdly which is most dangerous of all such as are in this dead faith may have not only a kinde of earnest repentance as King Saul had described 1 Sam. 24. 16 17. and as King Ahab had who rent his clothes in great repentance and p ut on sack cloth upon his flesh and fasted and lay in sack cloth and walked so mournfully that the Lord the searcher of hearts said Seest thou not how Ahab is humbled before me But also such may have a great zeale of Gods glory Rom. 10. 2. in devout holy desire and walking as they are perswaded in all Gods holy Commandements Rom. 9. 31 32. so zealously mortifying their sins legally that concerning the good works and righteousnesse of the good and holy law of God they may be unreproveable and unblameable and yet lie in sin death and in a damnable estate as Paul did Phil. 3. 6. And many other Jewes before their conversion out of the dead faith Acts 22. 3. who were devout persons Acts 13. 50. Instantly serving God day night Acts 26. 7. whereby such striving as it were who shall serve and worship God the best way by the best works they are distracted thereby into divers sects errours schismes and divisions about works And yet notwithstanding all this great knowledge and zeale whilst they lie sleeping in this dead faith in which spirituall sleep the Lord of wisedome Christ Iesus hath foretold and forewarned us that many in the last dayes of all shall slumber and sleep Math. 25. 25. And therefore shall these last dayes be most perillous and dangerous times because men shall abound in all cloaked corruptions having a forme and shew of godlinesse but denying the truth and power of the same 2 Tim. 3. 1. to 6. verse These because they have not on the wedding-garment Math. 22. 11 12. doe not only beare a name by this dead faith and blinde zeale that they live when they are dead Revel 3. 1. but also do give Christ hereby but a Iudas his kisse saying haile Gospel but doe betray it and so doe lie under greater sinne wrath and damnation than if they had never knowne and professed Christ at all And because the only meanes to call these people out of this most dangerous dead faith and to rectifie their straggling zeales is to lay forth the glory of the wedding-garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse that only makes us fit Brides for so glorious a Bridegroom as Christ Jesus is Hosea 2. 19. which is put on only by understanding and a joyfull faith and right embracing the excellency of Free Iustification by Christ alone Revel 3. 18 19. Therefore have I here endeavoured pro meo modulo to lay forth in this Treatise this said excellency of Free Iustification For which to performe some spark of faithfulnesse herein to Gods Church our Kings and to my Countrey I have suffered much hurry and have by divers imprisonments in some measure approved my ministry in tumults and in labours by ill report and good report 2 Cor. 6. 4 5 8. Because we ought not gentic Reader to content our selves as too many doe with the bare name of Free Iustification and know it as they that are in the dead faith doe with a carnall knowledge only whereby such doe popishly and blasphemously think and say that this only saving benefit opens the gate to all wickednesse neither must we content our selves as it is Heb. 6. 4. with a meere taste only of this heavenly gift as it is often called Rom. 5. 15 19. which bare taste only makes us to lie in the fearfull danger of falling away from it Heb. 6. 4 5. worse than the Galathians did But if we have one spark of spirituall life by the Gospel we but especially Gods Ministers must labour they by preaching and you by hearing reading and meditating upon it to get a true lively and rejoycing knowledge of it for when it works joy peace and content with God in the heart then hath a man the true and right knowledge of it And when a man hath a true and right saving knowledge and faith of it then it hath brought him into the Kingdome of heaven Math. 11. 11 12. and worketh in his heart peace and great joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 5. 1 2 3. Because the Kingdome of heaven is righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17 18. as it is further proved in the Treatise following Now this joyfull right knowledge is wrought and attained by this meanes namely by marking and often rubbing the memory and by deeply meditating upon Gods word of grace and testimonies of the faithfull Expositors as they expresse the Excellency of free Justification in the truth of faith For as it is necessary that we dive into the knowledge of this benefit ut intellectus rapiatur vero that our understanding may be enlightened and possessed with this only soule-saving truth of God so it is necessary that we look into the Excellency of it ut voluntas rapiatur bono that our will and affections may be ravished and carried after the goodnesse and excellency of the benefit this being the right true meanes both of begetting and encreasing true faith and of going with a right foot to the truth of the Gospel Gal. 2. 14. as it is manifest Rom. 10. 15 17. where it is said that the feet that bring glad tidings of peace and glad tidings of good things are both beautifull making the comming of the true Preachers of the Gospel comfortable and also mighty for the working of faith and true prayer and all good life and godly conversation For thus is the whole man converted by this benefit unto the assured knowledge of his free salvation by Jesus Christ For ignoti nulla cupido of that thing whereof the goodnesse and excellency is not knowne there is no desire And seeing the dead faith is a cold apprehending of Christ and his wonderfull benefits upon a use and custome of the Countrey because all the Countrey that we live in is of that beliefe as we generally and confusedly conceive rather
despising of God appearing in all that Majesty and a contemning of that high authority of the law-giver so terribly appearing yea the sinner by his lust and concupiscence against the law doth as it were trample under the feet of his affections all that Majesty of God that was manifested in such fearefull thundering and lightening Is it any marvell then that God said unto David Why hast thou despised me in doing that which is evill in my sight 2 Sam. 12. 9 10. 2 Sam. 12. 9 10. Secondly hereby sinne is become rebellion against God as Daniel confessed saying We have sinned and broken thy Commandements and have rebelled against thee Dan. 9. 5 6. But how horrible Dan. 9. 5 6. Rebellion is Samuel declareth saying Rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft and transgression is wickednesse and idolatry 1 Sam. 15. 23. And thus the Law entring 1 Sam. 15. 23. upon sinne doth make the fault thereof so greatly to abound Rom. 5. 20. that sinne is made out of measure Rom. 5. 20. sinnefull by the Commandement so terribly forbidding it Rom. 7. 13. so that in sinne these six evills Rom. 7. 13. doe concurre first a despising and contempt of the 1 Contemptus majestatis Deiâ— 2 Superba contumacia adversus Legem majesty of God forbidding the least sinne in such terrible thundering and lightning Secondly a proud stubbornesse against the law and revealed will of God 3 Nefanda imaginis Dei conspurcatio destructio 4 Imitatio Satauâ—â— hostis Dei improba proditâ—â—ne defectione 5 Intolerabilis ingratituâ—o 6 Imago Satanae Thirdly an horrible defiling and destroying of the image of God wherein man was created Fourthly an imitation and doing like the Devill the enimy of God by a wicked treason and revolting from God Fifthly an untolerable ingratitude and unthankfulnesse of the creature against the Creator Sixthly that which in it selfe is a foule and abhominable thing that sinne is the very image of the Devill which for men to beare that were made to the image of God nothing can bee more detestable the least sinne for the horriblenesse of it though it be but in thought only defiling us and all our good works and holy walking and making them in the sight of God like a menstruous cloath Mark 7. 23. Esay 64. 6. now if Mark 7. 23. Esay 64. 6. our good works be by sinne so loathsome how horrible then are our evill works have we not just cause to cry out every one of us and say with David Bee mercifull to my sinnes O Lord for they are great Psal 25. 11 The second maine thing to work this true feeling The second maine thing concerning sinne of our lost estate is to look into the multitude of our sinnes which we daily commit in thought word and deed by breaking all Gods tenne Commandements which wee must know not only in a grosse confused generality but take notice of particulars in each Commandement wherein we have offended both in leaving undone that which we should have done and by doing that which we should not have done if not in the grosse act which the world and light of nature condemnes yet in the spirituall breach which as we have heard is horrible before God For the Law Rom. 7. 14. Ioh. 4. 24. is spirituall saith S. Paul And God is a spirit saith Christ and must be obeyed and worshipped in spirit and truth and herein we may see our sinnes to be many and innumerable concerning which although I referre thee to such Catechismes as lay open Gods tenne Commandements at large for the fuller sight hereof yet to sharpen thy stomack unto Free Justification and because the Paschall Lambe must bee eaten with sowre herbs give me leave to give thee a glimse of this pure glasse of the Law that thou maist see some few spots of thy foule leprosie in the spirituall breach of all Gods Commandements As in the first Commandement namely Thou shalt have no strange gods before me containing the inward A pithy opening of the 10 Commandements worship of God though herein differing somewhat from the Gentiles thou confesse but one God which also the Devils doe yet look how many profits and pleasures doe steale away thy love feare trust and obedience from God to the committing of sinne so many idols in this lost state hast thou in the sight of God yea look how many sinnes thou dost commit in thought word and deed in a day so much thou corruptest in thee the pure inward worship of God and so many idols art thou guilty of and so many strange Gods hast thou in the sight of God Secondly in the second Commandement contayning the outward worship of God although peradventure thou makest not grosly to thy selfe any graven Image of God the father nor any Picture of Christ as the Papists doe yet look how often and how many allurements have enticed thee to neglect either the preaching or the zealous hearing of the word being offered either in season or out of season look how often thou hast neglected to bow thy knees in solemne prayer to God three times a day with Daniel David and Peter for the holy Ghost to be given thee look how often thou hast neglected to conferre as the prudent Sergius Paulus did with the faithfull minister and with other faithfull children of God to be resolved of such doubts of the assurance of thy Justification and salvation as may arise in thy minde look how often thou hast neglected either the administring or receiving of the holy Sacraments so many Images art thou guilty of that have stolne away thy heart from the zealous performance of the pure outward worship of God Thirdly in the third Commandement although peradventure thou art not guilty of grosse blaspheming of God yet look what zeale thou wantest in life for the threefold works of God upon thee as namely of Creation Redemption and continuall preservation look how often in word thou hast sworne by thy faith and troth by the fire by the light by bread or any other creature of God so often art thou guilty Christ being witnesse Mat. 5. of taking Gods Mat. 5. 34 35 36. name in vaine look how often thou hast rashly taken up and used the titles of God as Lord and Iesus and Christ who is God blessed for ever c. look how often thou hast unreverently used the properties of God as his grace to practise vanity his mercy to sinne his Judgements to cursing and hast abused his providence in crying out upon luck and fortune and such like look how often in the creatures thou not marking the power of God in making the creatures his wisedome in fitting them to thy necessities his goodnesse in giving them unto thee but turning them from their right use as the drink to drunkenesse thy tongue to lying and such like so abusing them to sinne and vanity so often art thou souly guilty of
the winde and tossed to and fro Neither let that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord a double or doubtfull minded man is unstable in all his wayes I am 1. 6 7 8. Fearefull examples Iam 1 6 7 8. ever to be set before our eyes to make us strive against Fearfull examples of doubting doubting much more to take heed of wrangling against the excellency of Gods mysteries are First Peter who whilst he rested upon the word 1 Peter Come went safely upon the waters but when he looked at the outward swelling of the windes and waves and began upon the likelyhood of them to prevaile to doubt presently he began to sink Mat. 14. 30. so Math. 14. 30. 2 Zachary Secondly Zacharias when he began to consider outward appearances and likelyhoods of impossibilities of that which the Angel had spoken by reason of his owne old age and his wives impossibility to naturall reason to conceive and thereupon doubted of that which was from heaven spoken was presently strucken dumbe Luke 1. 20. Luke 1. 20. Thirdly the Prince that looking upon outward and 3 The Prince present unlikely hoods and thereupon with the other old unbeleeving Jewes Psal 78. 41. did limit the power Psal 78. 41. of God and so did run into doubting and unbeliefe was trodden under foot of the people and died 2 King 7. 17 20. The reason whereof is concluded by 2 Kings 7. 17 20. God that the just by faith shall live but if any withdraw himselfe namely by doubting and unbeliefe my soule saith God shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10. Heb. 10. 38. 38. But we are not they which by doubting and unbeliefe doe with-draw our selves unto peâ—dition and follow not the righteousnesse of works and preposterous holy walking according to the law of righteousnesse as the Jewes did Rom. 9. 31. but follow faith unto the Rom. 9. 31. conservation of our soules verse 39. and therefore Verse 39. briefe but wise and faithfull like Luther â—o him that hath an eare to heare is that saying of Luther namely De libertate Christiana that the first and principall care of every Christian man ought to be in this especially That setting aside all confidence in Gods sight of holy walking he strengthen his faith more and more and by daily encreasings grow in knowledge Whereof not of works but of Christ Jesus and of him crucified for him being so delivered to death to abolish from before God his sinnes and risen againe to make him freely righteous which is the admonition of Peter 2 Epist 3. 18. for as much as none other works doe make a true Christian The same advice giveth Christ himselfe the Lord of wisedome who in the sixth of Iohn when the Luth. ibid. Iohn 6. 28. Jewes asked a question what they should doe to doe the works of God excluding the multitude of works and their preposterous holy walking according to the law of righteousnesse Rom. 9. 31. wherewith he Rom. 9. 31. perceived them to swell and to be puft up in themselves seeming humble yet full of pride Luke 18. 11. Luke 18. 11 did prescribe unto them one only rule saying This is the work of God to beleeve on him to make you freely righteous Rom. 10. 3 4. whom he hath sent for him Rom. 10. 3 4. hath God the father sealed thereunto whereof riseth such a necessity of beleeving and resting only upon this before God that Christ maketh this the short and long of all That he that believeth viz. That the blood of Christ the Sonne of God doth make him cleane from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely 1 Ioh. 1. 7. and is Baptized that is hath this 1 Ioh. 1. 7. my washing of him clean from all sin with my blood sealed unto him putting him out of all doubt hereof by Baptisme shall be saved but he that beleeveth not this shall be damned Mark 16. 16. This is Christs short Mark 16. 16. and long But why is he damned that believeth not this The reason hereof is the horribleness of unbelief notably expressed by the learned Calvin saying thus No injury more grievous can be offered unto God the Father 〈◊〉 in Ioh. 3. 33. sheweth the horriblenesse of unâ—eliefe and unto Christ his Sonne than when the joyfull newes of his Gospel is not beleeved for the truth of God is not acknowledged But God cannot bee spoyled of his truth but his whole glory Majesty are abolished Therfore look how much the faith of the godly maketh to the glory of God so much on the contrary doth the unbeliefe of the wicked not believing in Christ make to the grievous reproach of God Not that their wickednesse doth hurt the truth of God but that in respect of them or as much as lies in them they accuse and condemn God of falshood and lying But peradventure some man will say What is this Quest unbeliefe that is thus horrible before God not only in the effects of it hitherto described but even in the essence and being of it in it selfe I answer That this is plainly expressed by the learned Answ Beza saying thus Significat hoc loco 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Beza in Rom. â—â— 20. that is unbeliefe in this place signifieth Absence of assent or agreement to the word spoken and uttered by God such as is of them to whom the words of the Gospel except they be brewed to agree with humane reason are vel ludibrio vel offendiculo that is either toyish as a merriment or else an offence to them as absurd foolish and hurtfull so that the power of God promising so great so difficult and so unlikely a thing is utterly rejected as if hee did promise that which is impossible to himselfe or else they doe despise nullifie and set light of his will revealed in the same as speaking one thing and willing an other thus running into all those eight inconveniences and evils spoken of before because most true and weighty and therefore worthy often to be thought upon is that testimony of Luther saying thus As there is no honour De liberâ—ate Christianae like unto the opinion conceived of truth and righteousnesse wherewith we doe reverence willingly obey and most highly esteeme of him whom we doe beleeve for what are we able to ascribe to any person more than truth righteousnesse and goodnesse of all parts perfect and absolute And contrariwise it is a detestable reproach to conceive a secret opinion of a man to be false faithlesse and wicked so stands the case between God and the soule of man by beliefe for as long as it beleeveth stedfastly in God that promiseth it doth account him in that which he speaketh even above reason sense and feeling to be true and righteous than which opinion can nothing bee more acceptable to God This is the highest honour of
of God conveyed by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that doe beleeve whereby God doth more fully declare at this time the perfection of his iustice and righteousnesse that he is iust and a maker of him iust and perfectly righteous that beleeveth in Iesus Again this is yet more fully expressed by the Author to the Hebrews ch 10. where citing the Prophesie of Ieremy that under Heb 10. 17. the time of the Gospel God will so forgive the iniquity of his people that hee will remember their sinnes no more he shewes that this is the meaning of this perfect forgivenesse That by one offering Christ hath made perfect for ever all them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. Heb. 10. 14. Such a wonderfull and glorious thing is Gods forgivenesse And because the blessednesse of the Church and of the children of God and the assurance of their salvation doth consist in the forgivenesse of their sins therefore doth the Apostle in this first alledged place of the Epistle to the Ephesians so gloriously describe both by the causes by the nature and by the effects this forgiveness and remission of sins saying Christ gave himselfe The cause the nature and the effects of our forgivenesse described for his Church there is the cause of forgivenesse to sanctifie it and hath made it cleane by washing of water through the word there is the nature of Gods forgivenesse with the meanes and instruments of convaying the same then followes the force operation and efficacie of this forgivenesse to make it to himselfe a glorious Church not having at this present time one spot or wrinkle of sin or any such thing but to be holy and without blame All which declares what a powerfull operative Gods forgivenesse is powerfull and glorious wonderfull and glorious work Gods forgivenesse is and how short wee Ministers come of laying forth as the Apostle doth the excellency of Gods remission and forgivenesse of sinnes being both perfect and glorious in its owne nature and also making the true beleevers perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely As it is notably expressed in Erasmus his Paraphrase upon the same Erasmus his Paraphrase upon Ephes 5. 26 27. place worthy for the evident cleering and concluding of this point to be repeated againe and againe saying thus That this might be brought to passe Christ gave himselfe unto death to make clean his Church and so of a defiled one he hath made her pure and holy and whereas she was uncleane and foule hee hath made her faire and beautifull having washed her clean in the streame of his own blood and hath made her to himselfe a glorious wife even the Congregation not having now one spot or wrinkle nor any such thing but be in every point mark in every point both faire and faultlesse for he hath cleansed her adorned her and made her perfectly trimme mark again perfectly trimme in every point THe second proofe of Scripture evidently proving The second place of Scripture proving that we are being justified fully righteous in Gods sight â—â— Colos 1. 22. that Justification makes the true Beleever perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely is Colos 1. 22. where the Apostle saith unto the called and justified Colossians after this manner And you which were in times past strangers Is that all nay and enimies to God Why because your minds were set on evill works hath he now reconciled that is he hath set you in his perfect love againe this is an happy change and alteration but how and by what meanes is this brought to passe In that body of his flesh through death to make you holy and unblameable and without fault and as our new Translation saith well unreproveable in his sight In which saying is expressed such perfect making of us holy and righteous in the sight of God That if all the children of God being troubled in their consciences for the horribleness vileness of their sin should lay their heads together to sue at Gods hand for a perfect abolishing of all their sins out of Gods sight and for a perfect making of them compleatly righteous in the sight of God they could not invent a more full and perfect happinesse than is here granted them for can the heart of man wish more than to be so holy as to bee without all blame and without all fault and unreproveable as the originall Greeke words import And that also as Zanchius well observeth non simpliciter sed in Zanchius Colos 1. 22. conspectu suo that is not simply and barely but in the sight of God whose eyes as it is in Rev. 1. in Rev. 1. 14. are Rev. 1. 14. as a flame of fire that is with unresistable purity searching the heart and reines Must not the Ecphonesis or Chrysostome upon Ephes 5. 26 27. acclamation of Chrysostome upon this place needs be true saying Et sanèmagnum est c. Surely it is a great matter that he hath given us a righteousnesse that makes us so perfectly righteous as to be able to stand in his sight Whereupon the collection of Zanchius Zanchius upon the place upon this place must needs be true also saying Haec non potest esse justitia operum sanctitas in nobis inchoata c. that is This cannot be the righteousnesse of works and inherent holinesse begun in us why because saith he that is unperfect and of which David speaketh saying Enter not into judgement with thy servant O Lord for in thy sight shall none living be found righteous Onely Christs holinesse and righteousnesse is perfect in the sight of God This therefore being imputed unto us is the formall cause of our salvation qua fit ut in conspectu Dei simus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by which it is brought to passe that Zanch. ibid. we mark how he saith not Christ for us but we are without all blame and without all fault and unreproveable in the sight of God Of which most happy and joyfull estate the learned in the Gospel doe give two Two reasons of our happy estate are from the cause and from the effects of it principall reasons the one taken from the cause of his happy condition the other from the effect of the same First the cause why we are so perfectly holy and righteous that we are unblameable and without fault in the sight of God is because we being though mystically yet truly cloathed both with in and without with the wedding garment of Christs righteousnesse have though not inherently and actively yet Evangelically and passively more than an Angelicall righteousnesse in us as Calvin testifies upon Iob. 15. 15 16. saying All our filthinesse being washed away Calvin upon Iob 15. 15 16. with the blood of Gods Sonne and his righteousnesse imputed unto us being thus cloathed with
Colos â— â—2 13. of the Saints in light Coloss 1. 12. 13. 5. The meâ—nâ—s of our glorâ—h atioa Fiftly and lastly this free Justification is the only immediate cause and meanes of our finall glorification and of setting us in the right and assurance of eternall lise Therefore doth the Apostle say Whom God justifieth them he glorifieth Rom. 8. 30. Hence it is also Rom. 8. â—0 Rom 5. 18. that hee doth call it the Iustification of life Rom. 5. 18. Because to the Enjoyers of it by faith it doth freely and undoubtedly bring life and eternall salvation which the same Apostle againe testifieth when hee saith Grace doth reign indeed but how By righteousnesse or through righteousnesse unto eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5. 21. As if he should say Rom. 5. 11. Grace indeed doth infallibly bring eternall life and yet by this only meanes that men of necessity bee first justified and freely made perfectly holy compleatly righteous before God or else grace it selfe reigneth not unto eternall life Hereupon S. Chrysostome saith Chrysost in Rom. truly thus For where righteousnesse is there necessarily doth everlasting life goe withall and also infinite other Radix vitae Calv. ex Marlo Sicut â—eccatum non nisi mortâ—m parere potest ita donum illud Dei nâ—fâ—ra scilicet justificatâ—o vitae aeteâ—nae beaâ—iâ—â—dinem nobis a â—sertivel si mavis quemadmodùm mortis causa pcccatum est c. good things even as where there is sinne there is death for righteousnesse is more than life seeing it is the very root of life Herewithall agree the modern Expositors saying thus As sinne cannot but bring forth death so that gift of God namely our Iustification bringeth upon us all blessednesse and eternall life or if you had rather thus As sinne is the cause of death so the righteousnesse which is freely given us by Christ hath restored unto us eternall life Faith therefore of Free Iustification is sure of eternall life and so sure that it glorieth and rejoyceth in eternall life because Free Iustification only doth make us fit or worthy or sufficiently meet Luther in Gal. 1. 6. to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light by which only God hath delivered us out of the power of Id in cap. 1. 17. darkness and hath translated us into the kingdome of his Colos 1. 12. 13. deare Son Colos 1. 12. 13. For thus are we translated out of sinne into righteousness out of Gods wrath into his well-pleased favour out of cursednesse into blessednesse out of death into life for when sinne is taken away in the place thereof commeth righteousnesse in the place of wrath reconciliation and grace and free and well-pleased favour in the place of death life and in the place of damnation salvation CHAP. XVI Of the other foure fruits or effects declaring the Vtility and Majesty of Free Iustification THe third maine point shewing the Majejestie The third effect is Peace and loy in the conscience and Utility of Justification is That whereas the want or the ignorance of it is the losse of all true peace and joy in God so the right knowledge and apprehension thereof is the lively spring of joy and of a good conscience bursting forth into a joyfull confession and glorifying of God both in heart and tongue See this is that sweet Song of Mary Luke 1. 46 47. Where she saith My soule magnifieth the Lord and my Spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour for seeing the imperfections of our Sanctification are in this life so great That all our Righteousnesse is as a menstruous cloath If wee know not assuredly that by this glory of Justification all our sins which simply of themselves as the Image of the Devill God so cloatheth are quite and clean abolished from before him and that wee are perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God wee cannot have but rather doe disanull that Peace and great joy unspeakable and glorious That Justification by such perfect abolishing of all our sinnes from before God and free making as so perfectly rigteous in the sight of God doth hereby bring unto us For which the Gospel is expresly called joyfull newes from heaven without which joy we are not sure that we are delivered out of the kingdome of Satan which is sinne and death but by this joy the faithfull soule the true Bride of Christ may feele it selfe to be entred with Christ into the Eride-Chamber which is the kingdome of heaven For the kingdome of God is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost And whosoever in these things serveth Christ are accepted unto God and are approved of men Rom 14. 17. 18. But if thou ask how Rom. 14 17 thou maist attaine so great righteousnesse as may bring such peace and joy The Apostle answereth That being justified that is freely made perfectly holy and righteous by faith we are so compleatly righteous and become so just and saved That having no need of any works hereunto at all but through faith only obtaining true righteousnesse sufficiently Wee have peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 5. 1. For seeing only sinnes doe breed displeasure between Rom. 5. 1. Sola pe cata simultâ—tem pariant â—â—st uaâ—ex impiâ—s peâ—ateribus c. Phil. 1 7. Incredibi'e gaudiuâ— Marlo in Rom. 5. 1. God and man after that of ungodlinesse and sinners we are made just and righteous from hence it must needs bee that forthwith true peace doth presently arise and this peace that is to say quietnesse and tranquilliâ—y of minde and securitie of conscience which doth passe all understanding Phil. 4. 7. and doth breed in the hearts of the faithfull incredible and wonderfull joy indeed the Law sinne and failing in works terrifieth the conscience oppresseth it with feares and heavinesse of spirit and plucketh it from the assurance of righteousnesse of life and all goodnesse Luth. Gal. 4. 2 3. therefore let us not suffer the Law in any case to beare rule in our conscience especially seeing it cost Christ so great a price to deliver the conscience from the Schoolmaster-like slavery of the Law let the godly learn therefore that the Law and Christ are Why the Law is not to beare rule in the conscience two contrary things whereof the one cannot abide the other for when Christ is present the Law may in no case rule but must depart out of the conscience Idem in Gal. 5 22. and leave the bed which is so straight that it cannot hold two as Esay saith and give place only to Christ Let him only reign in righteousnesse in peace in joy and life that the conscience may sleep and repose it selse in Christ the Bridegroomes bosome without any feeling of the Law sin and death for the fruits of the The voyce of the Bridegroome spirit are not only love but also joy
c. Gal. 5. 22. This is the voyce of the Bridegroome and of the Bride that is to say sweet cogitations of Christ wholsome exhortations pleasant Songs and Psalmes praises and thanksgiving whereby the godly doe instruct stirre up and refresh themselves Therefore God loveth not heavinesse and dulnesse Heavinesse must be abandoned and why of spirit he hateth uncomsorrable doctrine heavie and sorrowfull cogitations and loveth cheerfull hearts for therefore hath he sent his Sonne not to oppresse us with heavinesse and sorrow but to cheere up our soules in him Mark what great joy all the Prophets doe prophesie of and even extort at our hands for the first comming of Christ so do the Psalms so doth Christ and so doe his Apostles not only exhorting us but even commanding us to rejoyce Rejoyce thou Daughter of Zion bee joyfull thou Daughter of Ierusalem â—ach 5. for behold thy King commeth to thee Againe for the fruits of his comming Rejoyce yee heavens for the Esay 44. 12 23. Lord hath done it Shout yee lower parts of the earth burst forth into prayses yee mountaines why what is done and wherefore must there be such great joy For I have put away thy sinnes as darkness and thy transgressions as a mist And thus hath the Lord redeemed Iacob and will be glorified in Israel And albeit wee Luth. Seâ—m in Phil. 4. 4. fall sometimes into sinnes which by nature bring sadnesse and sorrow with them yet forasmuch as they cannot bring so much hurt as Christ if we believe in him bringeth power of abolishing them with profit and safety Joy in the Lord ought alwayes to have the first place with us and farre to overcome the sorrow and sadnesse that commeth by reason of our sinnes Hence doth the truly faithfull soule the Bride of Christ burst forth into this extasie saying I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord and my soule shall bee joyfull in my God Why Because hee hath cloathed me with the garments of Salvation What garments are those He hath covered me with the Robes of righteousness he hath decked Esay 61. 10. me as a Bride tireth her selfe with her Iewells Esay 61. 10. And hereupon saith Luther Beholdhow for this knowledge Luth. in Gal. 3. 13. and benefit of Christ to come the Saints of the Old Testament rejoyced more than we now doe when he is so comfortably revealed and exhibited unto us Indeed we do acknowledge that this benefit of Christ the righteousnesse of faith is an inestimable Treasure But wee conceive not thereby such a full joy of spirit as the Prophets and Apostles did Hereof it commeth that They especially Paul doe so plentifully set forth and so diligently teach the Articles of Justification for this is the proper office of an Apostle and of a Minister of the Gospel to set forth the glory and benefits The proper office of a Minister of the Gospel of Christ to the working of this joy and therefore doth S. Paul define a Minister to be but an help to the peoples joy 2 Cor. 1. 24. When such a rejoycing 2 Cor 1. 24. faith possesseth the heart and the Gospel is so received indeed then God appeareth sweet and altogether loving neither feeleth the heart any thing but the favour and grace of God it standeth with a bold and strong confidence Luth. serm in Phil. 4. 4. it feareth not least any evill come unto it it being quiet from all feare of displeasure is merry and glad of so incomparable grace and goodnesse of God given unto it freely and most abundantly in Christ Wherfore there must needs forthwith proceed from such a faith love joy peace gladnesse giving of thanks praise and a certaine marvellous delight in God as in a most deare and favourable Father which dealeth so fatherly with us and poureth forth his gifts so plentifully and in so great measure upon them also which doe not deserve them Behold of such joy Paul speaketh here which â—ruly where it is there can be no place for sin or feare of death or hell yea nothing is there but a joyfull quiet and omnipotent trust in God and in his favour wherefore it is called joy not in gold silver delights singing health knowledge wisedome power glory friendship favour no nor in works holinesse and such like but joy in the Lord wherefore Paul speaketh saying Rejoyce in the Lord alway and againe I say rejoyce Phil. 4. 4. And Peter Phil. 4. 4. testifieth that the faithfull by beleeving did rejoyce 1 Pet. 1. 8. with joy unspeakable and glorious For in this righteousnesse wherein I am made passively righteous I Luthers argument in Galat. have no sin no feare no sting of conscience no care of death for where Christ is truly seene indeed there must needs be full and perfect joy in the Lord. Wherefore if any man feele himselfe oppressed with Luther in Gal. 2. 20. heavinesse and anguish of heart he must not impute it unto Christ although it come under the name of Christ but unto the Devill who oftentimes commeth under the colour of Christ and transformeth himselfe into an Angel of light for if there be any feare or any griefe of conscience it is a token that this passive The cause of feare and sadnesse of heart righteousnesse wherewith I am freely made perfectly holy and righteous is withdrawne that grace is hidden and Christ is darkned out of sight wherefore we must Luther in serm of the lost sheep in Gal. 4. 7. fight against sadnesse and heavinesse of spirit caused by the law and give no place to the Devill who would by the law break up the bride-chamber of Christ and thrust himselfe into his place that is take away from the conscience her joy and comfort whereby he may not bee able cheerfully to lift up his heart and head before God ever remembring that the Kingdome of heaven into which we by our effectuall calling are translated as the Bride of Christ into his bride-chamber is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. Rom. 14. 17. Fourth Effect Good judgement right discerning of all spirits The fourth effect or fruit declaring the utility of Free Iustification is that it worketh a good judgement and right discerning of all Religions works and worships to the utter overthrowing of all Superstitions Sects and Schismes and doth reduce people from their contentious and dangerous by-paths and doth rectifie their blinde legall zeales mentioned Rom. 10. 3. Rom. 10. 3. declining to sundry Sects and contentious opinions and brings them to the pure and sincere worship of God in spirit and truth that is in one faith only and one Baptisme Ephes 4. 2. to 6. unto which they Ephes 4. 2. to 6. cannot be wonne but by understanding the excellency of Free Iustification and how compleat they are made by it alone before God Colos 2. 10. but will be carried Colos 2. 10. away
separated them away from us as far as the East is from the West before God what is there to separate between us and our God that either his arme should be shortened that hee will not help or his eare heavie that he wil not heare or any way to hinder his presence from us much more seeing not only our sinnes are so utterly abolished but also we are of foule sinners freely made perfectly holy and righteous in his sight This knitteth his presence with us yet more strongly for the righteous Lord loveth the righteous especially such as are not imaginarily but reipsa in very deed made righteous with so pretious a righteousness as is his own sonnes righteousnesse may wee not then boldly say That God is on our side But saith the Apostle seeing Rom. â— God by this Justification is on our side who can bee against us being now made righteous will he forsake Iustiâ—icatuses dâ—sâ—ret tâ— qui justificat imâ—â—um reâ—inquâ—t â—ium Aug. thee will he which of unrighteous made thee righteous now leave and forsake thee being righteous Surely the righteous man not righteous before God by his sanctification which out of Justification is as a menstruous cloath but freely made righteous with this righteousnesse of Christ what of this righteteous man He will not be afraid of any evill hearing or tidings for his heart is fired that is Christs blood hath made him perfectly righteous and believeth in the Lord that he doth love him and protect him and make all things to work together for the best unto him Psal 112. 7. I might instance not in the examples of Abraham Psal 112. 7. or of David so mightily delivered from Saul nor of Daniel delivered from the Lions nor of the three Children of Israel cast into the hot fiery Oven and such like antient examples whereof the eleventh to the Hebrewes is a sufficient Catologue but I may instance in two notable Examples of our time As First for reverence sake of Queen Elizabeth of ever-renowned memory who setting forth the Article of Free Iustification to bee learned of her people as the first and chiefest Article of their salvation testifying thereby her own safety and the safety of the whole Land and people to consist therein how safe was shee preserved from a number of most dangerous Treasons and how couragiously and invincibly did shee stand against all her enimies round about her The other Example is that notable Example raised up of God to produce this Doctrine into the cleer light from the darknesse of Popery under which it had a long time been hid even Luther who going up to the Luthers Acts Moâ—um in vita Latheri Counsell at Wormes to maintaine the same when it was told him that the multitude of his enimies would surely oppresse and burn him and therefore counselled him not to goe up His answer was that hee was resolved The invincible courage of Luther since hee was sent for to enter Wormes in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ although he knew there were so many Divels to resist him as there are Tiles to cover the Houses at Wormes and so courageously Luthers enimies standing against all his enimies which were almost the whole world both of high and low degree hee went away safely more than Conquerour against them all Therefore by his own experience thus he teacheth us A troubled conscience feeling sin flyeth from God I uthâ— inserm loh. 14. 1. neither can it abide to commit it selfe unto him But they that are justified by the word of Christ of whom Christ said Now are you clean through the word which I have spoken unto you Ioh. 15. 3. yea and clean every whit Ioh 15. 3. Ioh. 13. 10. doe not any more contemn the Father Iâ—h 13. 10. neither flie him as the Israelites did but stand before him as Moses did are enlightened with Divine truth that they may know the power of God and mercy of the Father Hereupon commeth trust and confidence in him hereby wee know that wee receive all things at his hands and that our times are in his hands Psal 31. 15. and look for all as well spirituall as corporall Psal 31. 15. things from him Reason at the least contrary appearance cannot attaine unto them for it endeavoureth to obtaine God by her own strength and holinesse But that endeavour is vaine Wherefore when it is not able to come to the knowledge of God by its own strength it utterly denieth God and saith that there is no God After when it seeth uncleannesse in its works it despaireth and is in most great distresse but when wee are justified by foolish preaching wee come to the knowledge of God the Father before whom our hearts hereby condemne us not and then have we boldnesse towards God 1 Ioh. 3. 21. But â— Ioh. 3. 21. where this faith that wee are freely made righteous is not there can be nothing but feare trembling horrour and sadnesse as often as either such remember God or heare him named yea a secret hatred and enmity of God remaineth in such hearts or else at the most a secret slavish flattery towards him as it is said in the Psalme of hypocrites thy flatter him Psal 78. 36. with their mouth The cause whereof is for that the heart not seeing it selfe by Iustification made righteous findeth it selfe defiled with sinnes whereby it doubteth not but that it hath deserved the dispeasure of God and that sinnes cannot but be hated of God which is just hence ariseth terrors feare and distrust whereby the soule is farre from that rejoycing and joyfull boldnesse that is in heart whereby that is verified which Solomon saith The Prov. 28. 1. ungodly flyeth when no man persueth him but the righteous are bold as a Lion Wherefore sinners must first be shewed how they may be delivered from their sins and made righteous which when they have obtained then they begin to rejoyce in the Lord and being delivered from remorse of conscience they are full of boldnesse trust and confidence whereupon the Prophet saith Bee glad O yee righteous and rejoyce in the Lord but herein let him not begin at his own works and righteousnesse as the deceitfull Papists teach but remember that being made righteous by faith wee have peace toward God through our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 5. 1. Whereby Rom. 5. â— wee commit our selves wholy to God casting all our care upon him and doe stand with a strong and bold confidence feeling nothing but a joyfull quiet and omnipotent trust in God and in his favour which doth so embolden the heart of the true Believer that trusting to have God on his side he is not afraid to oppose himselfe alone against all creatures Being perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor any creature can separate him from the love of God which