Well shall we consent and agree to set vpon onr worke afresh For therefore ye are come I am sure Aquila It is so I come about that very thing and haue here indeed somewhile expected you It is my quality you say right that first hauing made choyse of good and rightful things I loue to goe thorow stitch and like the constant builder to proceede in laying one stone vpon another till he come to the loouer But goe we to our taske it is about the first and cheefe fruite of a liuely faith which hauing but lightly mentioned before as in his passage a Traueller would looke vpon a faire Tower now we are to make a more neere and particular suruey and to dwell vpon it especially the point being of so good vse and great moment What will ye Sir that I doe moue to you by questions such things as concerne it or will you put vpon me the office of a replyer for though I cannot doe either to purpose yet looke what ye enioyne mee that I will frame my selfe vnto with my best skill Apollos Nay friend Aquila I meane to be your poser and examiner this day First let mee vnderstand from you by what plaine place of Scripture yee proue that there is such an vnion of the Elect with Christ and that faith is the instrument of it Aquila Herein I will quickly satisfie you if first I tell you that there is an vnion of seuerall persons in one Nature so are the Father Sonne and Spirit one Secondly there is an vnion of seueral Natures in one person Thus God and man are one Christ. Thirdly there is an vnion of sundry persons in one Spirit Thus the Elect amongst themselues and with Christ be one This vnion is our being one with Christ and Christ his being one with vs by the band of one Spirit For plaine places to proue such an vnion it is written 1 Iohn 1 3. That the Gospell is therefore preached that wee should haue communion with the Father and the Sonne Also it is expresly saide 1 Cor. 10. That we haue communion with his body and bloud 1 Cor. 6. 17. a Christian is said to be ioyned to the Lord And 1 Cor. 12. 12. Christ and his members are there affirmed to be one body Also the faithfull are saide to be his members Flesh of his flesh bone of his bone Ephe. 5. 30. All those places wherein we are affirmed to be in Christ doe proue this vnion In Iohn 17. 21. Our Sauiour praying that such as beleeue might be one in him and in his Father doth teach both that there is such an vnion and that faith is the Instrument thereof Which is cleered also by Ephe. 3. 17. That Christ dwels in our heart by faith Vnto which we may adde that which is written Gal. 3. 26. For yeare all the sonnes of God by faith in Iesus Christ. And in Iohn 1. 12. When Christ had said that such as beleeue haue this dignity done them to be sonnes of God he addeth which be borne anew not of flesh and bloud but of the will of God where he plainely teacheth that our vnion with Christ where by our new birth wee are brought forth into the Christian World to become members of Christ and children of God that this is effected by faith So as this our vnion with Christ it is not by touching or bodily mixture or as it were by souldering one soule into another but it is a spirituall vnion made in a spirituall manner and by a spirituall band an infinite diuine power creating faith in vs as an hand whereby we graspe and take holde on Christ applying him to vs that hee may be most neerely ioyned to vs. As the soule of man conioyneth together the head and the foote which be farre asunder so the mighty Spirit of Christ in an vnexpressable manner by meanes of faith ioyneth him to vs and vs to him notwithstanding all the distance between vs. Whence it is that though the faithful be ioyned to the very substance of his manhood as wel as to his godhead touching the operation and efficacy thereof yet it is a spirituall vnion being from the Spirit as authour by faith as a spirituall Organ and to this ende to leade a spirituall life Apollos Shew vs now more distinctly first what is required to the working of this vnion secondly by what similitudes it is exprest thirdly what is the necessity of it fourthly as also the commodities and fruites doe come from it Aquila Two things necessarily required to make this vnion one is donation or free gift of God the Father freely bestowing Christ his onely Sonne vpon the Elect and the Elect vpon Christ for thus it is written That he gaue his Sonne to vs Es. 9. 9. and for vs Rom. 8. 32. And on the other side it is saide The Elect are giuen to Christ I declared thy name to them whom thou gauest me out of the World Iohn 17. 6. And Iohn 10. 29. My Father which gaue them me is greater then all Vnto this donation we must adde a second thing which is a mutuall agreement and consent betweene Christ and the soule of an elect sinner each consenting to be one with the other Christ comprehends the faithfull soule as his owne the soule apprehending Christ as her own Phil. 3. 12. As in marriage the coniunction betweene man and wife is effected both by the gift of the parents each giuing their children to liue in maried state together and also by each party agreeing to bee ioyned to the other and so they twaine become one flesh and are no more twaine so it is betweene Christ and his Church And now to your second point this of marriage is one and the most frequent similitude whereby the neere coniunction betweene Christ and the faithfull is shadowed out The whole Booke of Canticles alludes to this similitude and by a continuall allegory setteth forth vnder it the most sweet and happy fellowship betweene Christ and his Church Againe in the Gospell the similitude of a mariage feast is vsed also Ephesians 5. 24 and Romans 7. verse 3. 4 5. and in many other places And indeed there is no straighter band in humane society then this of mariage by the band whereof and the vertue of Gods institution they which were before twaine are now no more so but as it were one body which light of Nature taketh notice of Therefore by humane Lawes there lieth no action against the woman the man being aliue shee is no person to be sued in Law so as this fellowship was very apt and meete to declare that most neere vnion which the soule as Spouse hath with Christ as her Husband For as in mariage the man communicateth his person and all his goods whatsoeuer hee hath to the woman so it is here Christ and all his good things whatsoeuer are bestowed vpon euery soule beleeuing in him
Sathan outward troubles inward temptations yet especially those last and greatest euils and afflictions which at and about the time of his crucifying and sacrifice were for mans sinne inflicted vpon him in soule and body either immediately from the hand of his most irefull highly offended Father or mediately from the Diuell and wicked men Iewes and Gentiles outragiously conspiring and working him all the smart and shame possible could be put vpon him whatsoeuer euill diuine iustice would or hellish malice could heape vpon him and he was capable of that and all that he as our surety in humble submission to his Father did endure for our iniquities The which his passiue righteousnesse consisting in his willing and constant obedience of his manhood vnder the Crosse hath receiued such sufficiency of merit and worthinesse from his godhead to which it is personally vnited for the deseruing and purchasing for all his Elect that most notable benefit which the Scriptures commonly call remission or forgiuenesse of sins Which is an vtter acquitting and deliuering of all beleeuers from all guilt come vpon them by their owne or Adams sinne imputed and from all punishment due to them for the same either in this World or in the next So as West is not so farre remoued from East the highest heauens from the nethermost earth as guilt and paine fault and curse be remoued from the faithfull by this passiue obedience of Christ Iesus Wherevnto belong all those Scriptures which affirme that we haue remission of sinnes by his bloud and that hee died for our sinnes and redeemed vs from alliniquity by his death This being his last and greatest suffering by a Synecdoche of the part for the whole comprehends all other sufferings which being endured of him with most hearty obedience haue freed all beleeuers from extreme euill from damnation in hell and the whole wrath of God for sinne Insomuch as howsoeuer many and great tribulations doe chance to befall them in their life time and death in the end seaze vpon the godly yet these happen vnto them as no part of Gods curse for sinne or as fruites of his fury and hot indignation but quite contrary the crosses of their life being sanctified by Christ his Crosse they are great furtherances to mortification and amendment of life and good trials of their faith patience and nourishments of their hope and death when it comes hauing lost his sting there is nothing remaining in it which is not beneficial to them it being but as a bridge or gate to carry them ouer and conuey them into their heauenly Countrey And as the faithfull doe escape all euill by the passiue righteousnesse of Christ his suffering of euils being their acquittance and discharge as a surety hauing answered a debt for thee enfreeth thee as if it had beene satisfied with thy owne money the most iust God neuer exacting one debt twise so they find entrance into life by his actiue iustice for none must liue but the iust which haue perfect conformity with the strict iustice of the Law The iust shall liue This exact righteousnesse all flesh lacketh for No flesh can be iustified in his sight Psal. 143. 2. Therefore no more surely was Adam shut out of earthly Paradise then we his posterity for lacke of perfect iustice are excluded out of the third heauens the Paradise which is aboue Therefore as Iesus Christ our Mediatour by bearing the whole punishment due to the breach of the Law with most sincere obedience hath enfreed vs from the curse and destruction of hell so by keeping doing all duties toward God and man required in the Law and that in most perfect loue he hath by this his actiue obedience merited and obtained for his people a right and title to the Kingdome of Heauen This actiue righteousnesse is doing and keeping the whole Law it is the absolute conformity and agreement of the man Christ in his life vnto the perfect rule of righteousnesse giuen of God in the Decalogue or ten Commandements Of this actiue righteousnesse there are two parts one is the conformity of his nature to the wil of God all the powers and faculties both of body and soule being rightly framed according to the most exact iustice of the moral Law he being conceiued by the holy Ghost the lumpe of flesh which hee tooke and whereout his manhood was framed was so seuered from all spot of sinne as there was not to bee found in him the least taint of sinne and corruption no inclination in minde or will against God but a through-disposition to all good Hence called the immaculate Lambe vndefiled separate from sinners and so he behoued to be that hee might offer himselfe a spotlesse sacrifice to God who vnder the Law would admit no blemished oblation Had ought in his nature been neuer so little crooked and vnright his death had no more auayled for remission or his life for righteousnesse then the death or life of Peter Paul or any other Saint for then himselfe needing a Sauiour should not haue beene ours The other part of his actiue obedience is the conformity of his actions with the holinesse of the Law which in the course of his life hee kept and fulfilled doing all that was commanded in both Tables doing it in a perfect manner and measure with perfect loue of God his Father whom he obeyed to the death and of men his neighbours whom hee loued as himselfe yea more then himselfe giuing himselfe to a cruell infamous death for them Also doing all this to a right end that he might honor his Father whose glory he sought in all things And lastly being constant vnto the end continuing in his loue obedience vnto the last breath Hence it is saide He did all things well he knew no sinne no guile found in his mouth and is called that Holy one and iust and righteous one who indeede alone hath that iustice which is able to abide the touch-stone euen the most rigorous examination of the most seuere diuine iustice which hauing thorowly and narrowly sifted it cannot not onely finde nothing what to blame in it but of right must allow it and crowne it with eternall life Hence it is that this righteousnes which Christ in his manhood hath thus performed as we haue saide is often in the Epistles of Paul termed the righteousnes of God as Rom. 3 〈◊〉 22 26. 2 Cor. 5 verse last Phil. 3. Not onely because that person which wrought it was very God the Sonne of the eternall God though it were wrought in the humane nature assumed but especially to teach vs that this righteousnes of the man Christ it is that and that alone which the most iust God approoueth and rewardeth not as hee doth approoue the vnperfect obedience of his children in fauour pardoning what is wanting and accepting the will for the worke but
this poore testimony of my thankfull minde who daily mention you in my prayers that all sauing blessings may be powred on you and continued to you till my sonne through Gods mercy prospering in his studies may expresse a morefull measure of a gratefull mind vnto you all to whom he hath beene and may yet be so much bounden which the Lord of his fauour in his good time enable him well to performe Fare ye well From my House in Canterbury the 10. of Iuly 1620. Yours euer euen to his vtmost Thomas Wilson An Aduertisement vnto the Reader COurteous and Christian Reader there bee foure seuerall things which I purposed to effect in this whole Dialogue Treatise First for the Matter to deliuer so neere as my iudgement could attaine all those workes of the Spirit euen in their particulars which are peculiar vnto Gods elect children who liue to be partakers of an outward effectuall Calling that when the manifold riches of Christ his grace should be in some sort discouered and laide foorth to their eye to view and looke vpon them it might stir them vp to a marueilous loue and thankefulnesse towards him who hath called them to such riches honour Also that finding themselues endued and blessed with such graces as they shall learn from the Word to belong onely to the chosen of God it may settle them in the perswasion and full assurance of their election to life Secondly for the Manner Because euerie one of the workes of Christ in his elect hath his counterfet in the reprobate which liue in the Church and partake onely in a generall vocation therefore I haue somewhat endeauoured to descry what the truth of euerie grace wrought in Gods Children and to discouer it from that apparence and shadow which an Hypocrite hath of the same grace for this purpose that whether the godly Reader would proue himselfe and make triall of his owne sincerity either in the whole worke of Christianity or in some special part or duty thereof heere he may find what may further him Thirdly for the Order I haue followed so precisely and truly as euer my skill would direct mee that very order of causes in this whole Treatise which God himselfe doth keepe in the bestowing and working of the graces propounding them to the Reader to be considered as they haue necessary and naturall coherence one with another and dependance one vpon another setting causes afore effects and giuing cheefe place to the principall effects By this meanes the carefull Christian in the search of himselfe shall by effects be able to finde out causes the roote by the fruites and how to value each grace and fruite according to his proper worth Also the Conscionable Minister which hath not as yet thought vpon such an order and shall approue of this as good sound may in his teaching helpe himselfe to deliuer such things first as by order of nature ought to haue precedency for the better edification of their hearers Finally as touching the Persons for whose sake I wrote this Dialogue I meant it though not onely yet cheefly for the godly vnlettered Christians to further them in this knowledge how to examine their owne estate before God As for the more Learned they can helpe themselues in this part of our Christian science or else may fetch direction from other manner of Lights then mine Whatsoeuer it is that I haue performed I pray thee good Reader take it in good part make thy profit of it and praise God for all Farewell Yours in the Lord Thomas Wilson The particular Contents of the whole Dialogue diuided into ten Portions The first Part entreateth of Calling 1. OF common and outward Calling 2. Of inward effectuall calling 3. Of differences betweene them 4. What effectuall Calling is 5. Of the meanes thereof by the Word of God 6. Time of Calling that it is diuers and vncertaine 7. Persons who for the most part are vncapable thereof 8. Of what quality and estate be the persons which be commonly called with a true effectuall Calling 9. Effectuall Calling may be knowne of them in whom it is 10. Of the tokens whereby it is knowne 11. Meanes whereby such are prepared to Calling who as yet are not called 12. Of the sundry wayes that God taketh in the worke of Calling 13. The ends or finall causes of a true Calling 14. The mouing cause thereof 15. Differences amongst those which are called in the act of their Calling 16. Election to be iudged of by Calling 17. Rash iudgement about the calling of other men to be auoyded The second Part of the Dialogue entreateth of the Graces which flow from Calling 1. ALl sauing Graces come together at one time with our Calling 2. One Grace before another in order of causes 3. Of illumination of the Minde the first worke of Grace 4. Opening of the heart 5. Of the engandring of faith and what workes of the Spirit goe thervnto The third Part of the Dialogue entreateth of a true and liuely Faith 1. A Liuely faith is a fruite of effectuall Calling 2. A gift proper to the Elect. 3. What it is and how it differeth from the faith of hypocrites and wicked men 4. Of the parts of Faith and of the properties thereof 5. Of application by Faith how it is proued and what things belong to it The fourth Part of the Dialogue entreateth of the degrees of Faith 1. A Little Faith and a great Faith a weake and strong Faith 2. Wherein they are like each other 3. The least measure of Faith what it is 4. That it must and doth labour to encrease it selfe 5. Of a strong Faith what it is 6. Of the seuer all measures thereof and which is the highest degree of beleeuing 7. By what steps Gods Children climb vp to the greatest degree of beleeuing in this life The fifth Part of the Dialogue entreateth of the rarenesse and fruitfulnesse of faith 1. OF the rarenesse of Faith or the fewnesse of beleeuers 2. Of the signes or causes thereof both common and proper to this age 3. Of the efficacy and fruitfulnesse of Faith in generall 4. Of the manifold encouragements to beleeue 5. Of discouragements and how the obiections of Satan and our corruption against beliefe in Christ are to be repelled The sixth Part of the Dialogue entreateth of the fruites of faith in particular 1. OF vnion with Christ that there is such a gift and that it is by faith 2. Two things necessarily required to the working of this vnion 3. The nature and neerenesse of it expressed by Scripture similitudes 4. In what respect this vnion with Christ is necessary for vs. 5. Of the great and seuerall fruites thereof 6. Of Iustification the second maine fruite of Faith 7. What Iustification signifieth 8. In what sense wee are instified by Faith 9. Of the double righteousnesse of Christ actiue and passiue 10. Of the two parts of Iustification forgiuenesse of sinnes and imputation of Iustice.
beholding this iustice of the man Christ with the eye of his strict Diuine iustice he doth finde nought in it to mislike giuing to it De iure euen according to good right the recompence of life eternall This was well knowne to the wise and blessed Apostle Paul who hauing in his owne person yeelded obedience to the morall Law before his conuersion while he was a Pharisie but much better and more obedience after his calling to be a Christian yet beeing well assured that it could not stand before the tribunal of Gods iustice which condemneth the least obliquity and sweruing from the Law therefore hee renounceth it as hauing no affiance in it nay reiecting it as losse and as dung that he might be found not hauing his owne but the righteousnesse of Christ Phil. 3 6 7 Teaching all Christians euery where in his Writings namely in his Epistles to the Romanes and the Galathians to seeke after their perfect iustice from and in Christ agreeable to the rest of Scripture which exhorteth all men as they will euer enioy life to thirst hunger after the same For this all men are to take notice of that as Christ Iesus suffered not for himself but for sinners so the righteousnesse which he wrought in his humane Nature by his actiue obedience it belongeth to all his members being a mantle or robe large and broad enough to couer and cloath both himselfe and all his Howsoeuer our garments doe but fit one body at once to couer it yet this Wedding garment is able to apparrell both husband and spouse Christ his whole inuisible church which is the society of chosen and beleeuing ones There being deriued from his Godhead an infinite worth valew and price as to the sufferings of Christ so also to his passiue and actiue obedience and workes which he did that he might bee able to iustifie thereby all his elect These things being thus opened now a way is paued for vs to speak somthing of that worthy benefit of Iustification which according to your desire I will declare what manner of blessing it is and how it is by faith Iustification what it is Amongst sundry significations of this word Iustification which I meane not now to meddle with there be three especially to bee obserued One is to make iust which except it be with some commodious interpretation doth not agree to this matter wee haue in hand for we are not made iust by a iustice in our selues or in our persons Secondly it importeth as much as to declare shew foorth and allow for good and iust that which before was so as in that saying Wisedome is iustified of her children Luke 16 15. Againe the Publicans iustified God Luke 10 29. And in Iames 2. Abraham is sayd to be iustified declared such by his Workes In a third signification to iustify it is according to the vse and custome of speaking among the Hebrewes to absolue one from guilt and to pronounce him innocent As in all these places where Iustification is set against condemning as in the Prouerbes He that iustifieth the wicked or that condemneth the innocent both are like abhomination c. And Rom. 8. who shall condemne it is God that iustifieth and Acts 13 39. All that beleeue in him are iustified from all those things c. and innumerable the like places It is a word borrowed by the holy Ghost from Courts of ciuill Iustice where such as being accused and are found guiltlesse they bee by the mouth of the Iudge absolued and pronounced innocent In this third signification we vse the word here when we speake of the iustification of an elect sinner by faith not for infusion of iustice into vs whereby wee should be made iust by an inherent righteousnesse of our own nor for the declaration of our iustice before men but for the absoluing of a sinner from his guilt of sinne and the accounting or pronouncing him iust before the tribunall of God In which sence the worde is taken without all exception to the contrary in Acts 13 39 where it is written Through this man is preached to you forgiuenesse of sin and from all things from which ye could not be iustified by the Law of Moses by him euery one that beleeueth is iustified Which words in good and right interpretation can haue no other meaning then this That whereas by the Law by the workes and ceremonies thereof men could not be acquitted and assoyled from their sinnes yet by Iesus Christ so we by a liuely faith lay hold on him we shall bee absolued from our sinnes before the iudgement of Almighty God And in this selfesame meaning doth the blessed Apostle vse this word throughout his disputation of this matter in his Epistles to the Romanes and Galathians so as now it will be no hard thing to shew what benefite our iustification is Iustification of an elect sinner before God it is an action of the most mercifull God freely according to his couenant of grace absoluing him at what time he beleeueth from his sinnes before his Tribunall by the passiue righteousnesse or sufferings of his Son imputed and an accounting or pronouncing him for perfectly iust by the actiue righteousnesse of Christ imputed also vnto such a beleeuing sinner For the fuller vnderstanding hereof we are to note that in this worke of Iustification there is a two-fold action of God to be considered One is an imputation or reckoning of all our sinnes and the whole punishment thereof vnto Christ vpon whom as our surety or husband they were put by the decree of his Father and his owne election that he by bearing them might so acquit vs from them The second is an imputation or reckoning of Christ his whole righteousnesse both passiue and actiue to vs for the forgiuenesse of sinnes by the merit of the former and the acceptation of vs as absolutely righteous in his sight for the merit of the latter Euen as in a marriage where a Noble man marrieth a begger there is an exchange made The nobility and riches of the Husband is communicated to the Wife and her meannesse or extreme pouerty is now esteemed his or at least extinguished in his greatnesse so it fareth here All our faults and punishments were by imputation of God the Father so put vpon his Sonne as if they had beene his owne he was recounted a sinner yea made a sinner by it and the chastisements of our peace was vpon him he became a curse for vs and on the other side the whole righteousnesse of Christ both in his keeping the Law and in his suffering paine and death for the breach of it is so beeome and made ours by imputation as if wee in our owne person had suffered and fulfilled all So as a mans body and soule is no more his owne his sicknesse or health is no more his owne then vpon Gods imputation the passion and obedience of Christ are
ours for our Iustification For as Adams disobedience done in his owne person is yet the fault of all his Progeny euen to the subiecting them vnto death by Gods imputing it vnto them so is the obedience of Christ in his nature actions and sufferings though it sticke inherently in his manhood yet it is verily ours for forgiuenesse of sinnes and for our accounting righteous by Gods imputation of it vnto vs. The reason why this imputation is so requisite in the worke of our iustification it is apparent because the righteousnesse of Christ being without vs in the humane nature of Christ it can no otherwise become ours for the absoluing vs from our sinnes and getting vs to be accepted as iust in Gods sight then by a free imputation of it vnto vs. God accounting all the righteousnesse of his Sonne vnto the elect sinner to be his owne with the whole merit of it at what time hee beleeueth on his Sonne by a liuely and true faith And this the Scripture plentifully and plainely teacheth that as on Gods part there is this action of imputing Christ his iustice vnto vs so on our part there is required faith to beleeue the promise hereof made vnto vs by his Sonne Therefore it is so often saide that we are iustified by faith and Christ his righteousnesse is called the righteousnesse of faith in many Texts of Paul his Epistles Which is not so to be taken as if either faith were a part of righteousnesse which is wholy in Christ his doings and sufferings or as if the quality and action of faith did deserue remission of sinnes for it is vnperfect as all other graces are in vs and it selfe with the weake action of beleeuing needeth pardon from God neither as any mouing cause of our righteousnesse for it is the onely meere grace and vndeserued loue of God which moues him to offer and giue vs his Sonne with his righteousnesse Therefore it is written We are iustified by grace but we are saide to be iustified by faith as by an Instrument or hand created in the soule by the holy Ghost for this purpose that it may receiue apprehend or lay hold on the perfect iustice of Christ as it is promised and giuen vs of God in his Word of Grace euen the Gospell of Christ. As it is written that by faith we receiue the Sonne of God and the promise of the Spirit and the righteousnesse of God This way and meane of receiuing Christ his iustice by faith being ordained of God as meetest for our humbling and the praise of his owne free grace For when wee are brought once to see that we can bring nothing of our owne to iustifie vs hauing in vs manifest and manifold guiltinesse from Adam and our selues and an vtter emptinesse and depriuation of all righteousnesse and so are driuen to goe out of our selues to borrow and take from another euen from Christ his perfect iustice in his workes and passions performed and haue all this reckoned vnto vs for our owne both for remission of sinnes and for being accounted perfectly rightcous and that done freely by the gracious loue and fauour of God freely giuing his Sonne for vs to death offering him in his Gospel preached freely freely bestowing him with his righteousnesse vpon vs beleeuing in him and also freely working that faith by which alone it is whereby wee receiue both Christ and his iustice the due meditation 〈◊〉 must needs make greatly as for the abasing of our selues who are vtterly by this meanes put from all matter and cause of glorying and reioycing in our selues before God so also for the honour and commendations of Gods infinite loue and grace thus enriching vs with the most perfect righteousnesse of his Sonne vnto the full pardon of all our sinnes and freedom from the whole curse due to them and to the obtaining of such absolute iustice whereby we may stand iust before the seuere iudgement seate of God and worthy of eternall life through the same For this is a necessary consequent of our iustification or righteousnesse imputed euen the right of eternall life restored as it is written The iust by his faith shall 〈◊〉 where the Apostle argueth that righteousnesse is by faith because wee liue by faith Here are then two effects of faith one consequent to the other Faith bringeth vs to Iustice Iustice hath life annexed to it Hence it is saide Rom. 5. 17. That by the gift of this righteousnesse being receiued the Elect reigne in life that is they are made partakers of true and euerlasting life which no more can be seuered from righteousnesse then death from sinne which made the Apostle say that hee did liue because he did beleeue in the Sonne of God For then he began to liue the life which is eternall in Heauen at what time his faith did grapple on Christ his righteousnesse for this is the compact of God to giue life vnto him which keepeth the Law Doe this and liue which the faithfull doe in the person of Christ to whom they are ioyned by faith and therefore the right of life belongeth vnto them So as they can no more be depriued of eternall life in Heauen then Christ who already enioyes it Thus by the double righteousnesse of Christ imputed to the faithful both death damnation is auoided and euerlasting life and blessednesse is attained Apollos By this which you haue spoken so amply of this second fruite of faith to wit of Iustification before God it may appeare that they are deceiued which will haue it to consist onely in remission of sins whereas beside our absolution from sinne by the sufferings of Christ there is also an accounting of Christ his actiue righteousnesse vnto vs for our perfect iustice Secondly that they are in an errour also which doe teach it to be a grace or quality powred into our selues whereby wee leade a iust and holy life by which they say one is iustified Also the ignorant Christians seemeth to be in wofull case who neuer vnderstand what this great benefit meaneth But especially Gods children already called may herein see their owne most happy condition by their calling to the faith of the Gospell For as it fareth with a bondman ransomed out of bondage by his Emperour and aduanced to great dignity and riches or with a poore miserable man imprisoned for debt vnto his Prince and is not onely pardoned his debt but hath a very great treasure heaped vpon him being one which had neuer deserued well nay many wayes very ill of his Prince and from whom his Prince could neuer looke for any benefit and commodity to himselfe yet now by this most franke liberality and grace of his Soueraigne is suddenly of extreme poore and contemptible made very rich and glorious Euen so it fareth with Gods Children being through guilt of sinne and corruption of Nature and by actuall