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A96805 The abridgment of Christian divinitie so exactly and methodically compiled, that it leads us, as it were, by the hand to the reading of the Holy Scriptures. Ordering of common-places. Vnderstanding of controversies. Cleering of some cases of conscience. By John Wollebius. Doctor of Divinity, and ordinary professor in the University of Basil. Now at last faithfully translated into English, and in some obscure places cleared and enlarged, by Alexander Ross. To which is adjoined, after the alphabetical table, the anatomy of the whole body of divinity, delineated in IX. short tables, for the help of weak memories.; Christianae theologiae compendium. English. Wolleb, Johannes, 1586-1629.; Vaughan, Robert, engraver.; Ross, Alexander, 1591-1654. 1650 (1650) Wing W3254; Thomason E1264_1; ESTC R204089 204,921 375

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by Adam when he gave every creature its name according to its nature Gen. 2.20 XII The will was free indifferent to good or evil so that man might have persever'd in uprightness if he had pleased he received power if he would but not will and power There is a foursold liberty of will according to the foursold state of man In the first man the will was free to good or evil in man lapsed the will is onely free to evil In man regenerated or in the state of grace it is free from evil to good by the grace of God but imperfectly in the state of glory it shall be free from evil to good perfectly in the state of innocency he could not sin * A. R. When it is said here that in the state of misery man cannot but sin 't is not meant that man is forced to sin for he is free from compulsion both in the state of sin and of grace but he is not free from necessity for freedom and necessity may be together in the same will so it shall be in heaven when we shall necessarily yet freely will that onely which is good as the Angels do and even here the will is necessitated when it is determinated by the last act or practical judgement of reason why then may not grace in our conversion necessitate as well as reason determinate but man by his voluntary fall hath brought the necessity of sinning on himself So that with Saint Paul we do the evil which we would not do in that we have lost by the abuse of our free will both our selves and our free will in the state of misery he cannot but sin in the state of grace sin cannot reign in man in the state of glory he cannot sinne at all XIII The inferiour appetites and affections agreed with reason XIV Adam even in respect of his body was immortall but not simply as though his body being composed of the elements could not be resolved into its principles but by Divine covenant not as though it could not die but because it had a possibilitie not to die XV. Mans dominion over the inferiour creatures was not onely intire in respect of possession but milde also and gentle in respect of use and execution XVI That labour which was injoyned to Adam to keep and dresse Paradise was not toylsome but most pleasant CHAP. IX Of the fall of our first Parents the beginning of mans misery SO much concerning the government of man in the state of innocency the government of man in the state of misery is whereby God in his just judgement hath subjected man to divers miseries who of his own accord fell into sin This state of man consisteth in sin and in the miseries which follow upon sin Sin is a transgression of the Law or whatsoever is repugnant to Gods Law 1 Joh. 3.4 Under the name of Law in this place are understood both things commanded and things prohibited in the beginning proposed to man as also the law of nature printed in his heart But concerning the restoring and enlarging of the Law after the fall we are to speak in its own place The RULES I. By Sin is meant either the subject of transgression with the transgression it selfe in the concrete or the transgression alone in the abstract II. The definition of sin by thought word and deed is too narrow For so it is defined by the Pontificians but as it shall appeare afterward this definition belongs nothing to original Sin III. God cannot be called the author of sin without blasphemy IV. One and the same thing in a divers consideration may be both sin and the punishment of sin Sin is either primitive or derivative Primitive is the disobedience of our first Parents whereby they transgressed Gods commandement concerning the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil The RULES I. Neither God nor Gods Decree nor the denial of special Grace nor the permission of sin nor the stirring up of natural motion nor finally the government of that sinne were the causes of Adam and Eves transgression Not God because he most severely prohibited the eating of the fruit not his Decree because that infers a necessity only of immutability not of coaction neither doth it force any man to sin not the denyal of special Grace by which man should continue in his integrity for God was not bound to give that Grace to man which he gave him for he received possibility if he would although not a Will to that possibility not the stirring up of natural motion because motion of it self is not sin not the government of his fall because to turn evil into good is rather to be the author of good then of evil II. God did both will and nill the first Sin He nilled it so far forth as it was sin he willed and decreed it as it was a means of manifesting his glory mercy and justice III. The Procatartical or external * A. R. The direct cause of sin was mans own will the indirect cause was Satan by perswasion and suggestion For no external thing can necessarily move the will but the last end onely Satan may internally work upon the phantasie by representing forms to it and upon the appetite by moving it to passion by means of the spirits and heart But he cannot work upon the understanding and will cause was the instinct and perswasion of Satan that subtile Serpent IV. The Proegumene or internal cause was the will of man of it self indifferent to good or evil but by Satans perswasion bent to evil V. There be certain degrees of that sin by which Adam fell from God not at once but by little and little to wit 1. Incogitancie and curiosity of Evahs talking with the Serpent her husband being absent 2. Incredulity by which she began by degrees to distrust God and to give assent to Satans lies who called in question Gods good-will towards man 3. An inordinate desire to the forbidden fruit and an affection of divine glory 4. The Fact it selfe 5. The seducing of Adam and an inordinate affectation raised in him also VI. If you consider the parts of this sin you way justly call it the transgression of the whole Law of Nature For man sinned by incredulity diffidence ingratitude Idolatry whereby he fell from God and of himself indeavoured to make an Idol of himself by contemning Gods Word by Rebellion Homicide Intemperance Theft by laying hand on that which was anothers without the owners consent by assenting to false witnesse lastly by an ambitious affectation of too high an honour yea of that glory which belongs only to God whence the definition of this sin by Intemperance Ambition or Pride is too narrow VII Therefore with the blessed Apostle we rightly call this sin a transgression an offence and disobedience Rom. 5.14 18 19. VIII Adam in this businesse is to be considered not as a private but as a publique person and consequently as the Parent
to be no more as the former testimonies affirm So much of the end of the world Life eternal is the highest degree of blessedness in which we shall be made partakers of Christs glory enjoying the sight of God and heavenly joyes for ever and ever The RULES I. The general efficient cause of Life eternal is the whole Trinity but particularly Christ our Lord who by his merit obtained life for us and by his efficacy applies it to us and bestows it upon us Hence he is called the everlasting Father Isa 9.6 and metonymically Life it self Joh. 14.6 II. Good works are not the meritorious cause of life eternal although life is promised to them as a free reward A reward is promised to good works not as a due debt but as a free gift not that by them we can merit life but that we may be provoked to them III. That eternal happinesse consisteth in our freedome from all evil in the variety magnitude and eternity of joyes Rev. 21.4 And God will wipe all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor shall there be any more pain for the first things are past IV. The variety of joyes shall be in the delights of heavenly mansions in the blessed society of the Saints but chiefly in the union with God V. There shall be a glorification both of body and of soule VI. In the body shall be 1 Clarity 2 Impassibility 3 Subtility 4. Agility VII The soule shall be farre more perfect then it was in the state of innocency for in it shall be understanding without error light without darknesse wisdome without ignorance reason without obscurity memory without oblivion the will also shall be without perversenesse joy without sorrow pleasure without pain In the state of innocency there was in man a possibility not to sin in the state of glory there shall be no possibility to sin VIII The beauty of heavenly mansions was shadowed by the type of Solomons temple and Jerusalem Psal 84.1 c. Rev. 21.22 IX The communion of Saints which shall be with joy is expressed by the similitude of a feast Matt. 22.2 c. X. Neither shall we have communion onely with the Angels but we shall be also like the Angels Matt. 22.30 Luk. 20.36 XI There shall be such a communion with God that we shall see him without end love him without tediousnesse and praise him without wearisomnesse XII So great shall be that joy that nei●her our tongues can expresse it nor our mindes conceive it For in this life neither hath the eye seen nor ear heard nor minde conceived that which can equal that glory 1 Cor. 2.9 XIII Neither shall any bounds be set to this happinesse nor shall we ever fall from it but it shall continue for ever Psal 16.11 Thou shalt shew me the path of life for in thy presence is fulnesse of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for ever more XIV There sall be degrees of eternal happinesse This is gathered from Daniel cap. 12. v. 3. They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever Neither is this opnion overthrown by that place of Matth. 13. v. 43. whereas the just in general are said to shine as the Sun for though the glory of the Elect being considered in themselves is likened to the brightnesse of Sun and Stars yet in Daniel cap. 12. this is promised to Doctors above other men neither can any other reason be given why there mention is made chiefly of them that instruct others That place 1 Cor. 15.39 40 41. Is alleadged but to little purpose for proofe of this for the simile concerning the diversitie of brightnesse in the starres doth not prove the degrees of future glory but the difference only that is betwixt a mortal and a glorified body as it appears by what followes In the mean while we allow not that manner of different glory which the Papists teach to wit diversity of merits For as the gift of Faith and Sanctification according to Gods meere grace is unequally distributed to the Saints so he will according to his gracious pleasure impart glory but so that no man shall have cause to complaine of any want of glory in himselfe or why he should envie it in another The SECOND BOOK Concerning the WORSHIP of GOD. CHAP. I. Of the Nature of good works IN the former Book we have spoken of the Knowledge of God now we are to speak of his Worship The true worship of God consisteth in true holiness and righteousness or in the study of good works which good works are performed by the grace of the Holy Spirit out of true Faith according as the Law requires to the glory of God the certainty of our salvation and edification of our neighbour The RULES I. Good works are called Vertues But we take this word vertue in a larger sense then it is taken by Philosophers for here we call vertues holy affections holy thoughts and actions II. The same Synecdochically are called by the name of Charity For so Christ saith that the whole Law consisteth in the precept of love towards God and our neighbour whereas love towards God belongs to the first Commandment but love to our neighbour to the second Table III. The principal efficient cause of good works is the Holy Ghost in respect of beginning continuation and perfection For it belongs to the same power to begin in us a good work and to perfect it Phil. 1.6 as also to give both to will and to be able or to do cap. 2.13 IV. Their instrumental cause is Faith the root of good works Rom. 14.23 What is not done of faith is sin V. The matter of good works are the affections and actions of a regenetate man VI. The form of them is their agreement with the precepts of the Decalogue For sin is a transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3.4 VII Therefore these are not good works which are conformable to the commandments of men and not of God Isa 29.13 Mat. 15.9 In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men VIII Neither are those good works which the Papists call works of Supererogation by which they say more is performed then by the Law is required IX This opinion is grounded upon their conceit of counsels or things not commanded but left to our liberty the omission of which is not punishable but the performance is greater then legall obedience and therefore meritorious They say such counsels may be seen Mat. 19.11 where they teach that the counsel of single life is not contained within the command and ver 21. where they say that to the young man a counsel was given not a command that he should sell his goods and give them to the poor and then follow Christ and 1 Cor. 7. where they say that the single life is counselled But
God yet for our better understanding the Will is considered as the cause efficient the Decree as the effect Now whereas this word Will is taken diversly it is divers wayes distinguished by Divines to wit into the will of his good pleasure and the will of the signe into an antecedent and consequent into absolute and conditional into secret and revealed But these are not real distributions of the Divine will but distinctions only of the name For to speak properly there is in God but one only will which is called the will of his good pleasure because out of his most free good pleasure he hath decreed what shall be done It is called also his antecedent will because it had existence before any creature and from eternity with God it was established It is named also * A. R. The Schoolmen take Gods antecedent will in another sense for his velleity and they call it conditional they make his consequent will absolute and which is alwayes fulfilled the other not alwayes absolute because it depends upon Gods good pleasure and not from the things which are done in time Lastly it is called secret because in respect of priority it is known neither to men nor Angels But these things are improperly stiled by the name of Divine will which are comprehended in that ordinary verse Praecipit prohibet promittit consulit implet Commands forbids promiseth consulteth fulfilleth For as the Magistrates commands are called his will so the name of will is attributed to precepts prohibitions promises to effects also and events And this is it which is called the will of the signe because it signifieth what is acceptable to God and what he would have done by us It is also called his consequent will because it follows that eternal antecedent will And 't is a conditional will because Gods precepts prohibitions comminations and promises have the condition of obedience and disobedience annexed Lastly his revealed will because it is daily set forth in Gods word This distinction of the will is duly to be observed lest we should imagine that there are in God either really different or contrary wils III. What things are done against the will of God are not done besides his will For many things may be done against his revealed will which notwithstanding are consistent with his secret will or will of his good pleasure God by his revealed will desired not mans fall but most severely forbid it yet he did will and decree the same by the will of his good pleasure as it was a means for manifestation of his glory IV. Therefore by the decree and will of God good and evil come to passe Good by efficiencie Evil by permission V. Yet the decree or will of God is not the cause of evil or sinne although what God hath decreed necessarily comes to passe For when evil is decreed by Gods will not effecting but permitting it this decree of God is not the cause of evil neither again is the will of God the cause of evil because his decrees are without repentance and unavoidable for they come not to passe by the necessity of coaction but by the necessity of * A. R. Gods will is immutable because his substance is unchangeable and his knowledge unalterable therefore God changeth not his wil though he wils change in the creatures neither can God wil evil because it is not appetible and 't is repugnant to his nature and goodnesse immutability VI. The necessity of Gods decrees takes not away the liberty of the rational creature The reason is because there is no necessity of coaction but of immutability The fall of Adam if we look upon Gods decree came to passe necessarily In the mean while Adam sinned freely being neither commanded nor constrained nor forced or moved by God but rather most severely admonished that he may not sinne VII Nor doth this Necessity take away Contingencie in the second causes For many things are contingent in respect of the second causes which in regard of Gods decree come to passe necessarily VIII No moving or impulsive cause can be given of Gods decree except Gods most free will and good pleasure IX The chief end of Gods decree is his own glory X. Gods decree in it self is one and most simple neither is there priority or posteriority in it XI But in respect of the things which are decreed is so distinguished that in what manner or order they come to passe God is said to decree them that they should thus come to passe These are idle questions Whether God decreed this or that first Whether he first ordained the end or the means For whereas the decree of God in it self is one and a most simple action there is neither priority nor posteriority in it but it is distinguished only in regard of the things which are decreed in which respect we say that God 1. Decreed to create man 2. To bestow his Image upon him but so that it might be lost 3. To permit his fall 4. Of those who were to fall some he decreed to leave to themselves and others he appointed to raise and to save them eternally CHAP. IV. Of Predestination GOD's Decree in respect of the Creatures is either general or special The general Decree is that by which he appointed to declare the glory of his power wisdom and goodness in the creation and conservation of all things The speciall Decree called Predestination is that by which he appointed to manifest the glory of his grace mercy and justice in the Election and Reprobation of the reasonable Creatures The RULES I. Although Predestination in the minde of God be one and a most simple act yet by reason of the weakness of our understanding it is distinguished into that Predestination which decrees the end and that which decrees the means II. He that is predestinate to the end is predestinate also to the means Predestination is either of Angels or of men The Predestination of Angels is that by which God appointed to save eternally some of them in their first happiness and that in Christ their head but to leave others to themselves and to punish them eternally fOr deserting their station voluntarily this for the manifestation of the glory of his grace justice The * A. R. Predestination is a part of Divine Providence differing in this that Providence hath respect to a natural end Predestination to a supernatural man therefore being subject to Providence is also subject to Predestination Predestination of men is that by which God appointed out of the race of mankinde created to his Image but falling into sin voluntarily to save some through Christ eternally but others being left to themselves in their own misery to damn eternally and that for the manifestation of the glory of his mercy and justice The parts then of this Decree are two Election and Reprobation The RULES I. Predestination is a Decree partly absolute partly not II. It is
head and root of all mankind IX Whatsoever therefore he received and lost he received and lost it for himself and posterity As the head contains Reason both for it selfe and the members as a Gentleman keeps or loses his Copy-hold for himself and posterity as out of a venemous root nothing can proceed that 's wholsome so all that are come of Adam naturally are born guilty of that primitive sin X. That Primitive sin therefore is not only personal but natural also because by it whole Nature is destroyed of which also Adams posterity is held g●ilty to wit all that are naturally sprung from Adam Christ then is excepted from this guilt for he was born of Adam but not by Adam not by natural generation but by the Vertue of the Holy Ghost XI As therefore the Person infected Nature so afterward Nature infected the Person XII We religiously believe that our first Parents were received into favour by God CHAP. X. Of Original Sinne and Free-will THat Sin which is derived from the first or primitive Sin is either original or actual original Sin is that native corruption derived into the whole man and to the whole race of man naturally descending from Adam whereby man having utterly lost his freedome to good becomes prone to evil The RULES I. This sin in Scripture is named by way of excellencie Sin and the Body of sina Sinful sin b Inhabiting sin c The law of our members d The old man e Fleshf. a Rom. 6.6 b Rom. 7.13 c Rom. 7.17 d Rom. 7.23 e Rom. 6.6 f Joh. 3.6 Gal. 5.17 II. It is called also Concupiscence Rom. 7.7 I had not known lust or concupiscence unlesse the Law had said Thou shalt not covet or lust III. Therefore the Papists do erroniously exempt it from being a sin reckoning it among the works of God By the name of Concupiscence is understood either that natural faculty of desire which was in man even before his fall or that corruption which naturally adheres to it as it is in the first act and as it inclines man onely to evil IV. The proximate cause of original sin is the guilt of the first sin in respect of which it is a most just punishment from God to wit a part of that death which God threatned to man V. Although the soule is immediately infused by God into man yet being united to the body it is made guilty presently of the first sin imparted to the whole man and therefore is infected with original contagion VI. Neither for this cause doth original sin cease to be sin in that it is not wittingly nor willingly committed for it is sufficient that the irregularity of our nature is present though spontaneousnesse be absent VII From this original sin except Christ alone no man is free not the blessed Virgin Mary Neither is it only in Infants but it is in the embryo scarce at yet conceived and before the birth and it appears still more and more as the rapacity of wolves shews it self in their whelps Psal 51.7 Behold I was born in iniquity and in sin hath my mother conceived me 2 Cor. 5.21 for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin VIII Original sin doth consist not onely in an impotency and ineptitude to goodnesse but also in pronenesse to evill neither is it onely the amission of original good but also the immission of the contrary evil IX By Original sin our natural gifts are corrupted but supernatural are utterly lost X. The Vnderstanding remained but darkned the Will remained but depraved the inferiour Appetite remained but altogether vitiated XI Hence it is that in natural and civil actions an irregenerate man can doe no good without speciall grace XII Without this special grace no excelling thing could be performed by the Gentiles XIII Whatsoever good then that was which they did it was mixed with much vanity so that their cheif vertues were in Gods sight but glorious enormities XIV For these are not good works which are good in themselves but which are done well A work is said to be good either univocally or equivocally univocally so such a work is simply good in respect of all circumstances equivocally a work is good in it self but withall vitious either in respect of the subject or object or means or the end for if we look upon the actions of the Gentiles we shall finde rhat they aimed more at their own then at Gods glory in them XV. Although the affections of the wicked are kept in by God as with a Bit yet they are not healed XVI But supernatural gifts were utterly lost to wit a A. R. When it is said here that supernatural gifts were utterly lost is meant that Faith was utterly lost and Faith is the cheif of all supernatural gifts now that Faith was utterly lost in our first Parents is plain because they gave credit to the Serpent therefore they believed not that God was either true or omnipotent they thought to hide themselves from him therefore they believed not his omnipresence and in a manner Adam accused God for giving him the woman that made him sin and in this he lost the faith of Gods goodnesse and justice yet though man lost his Faith he did not utterly lose all other spiritual gifts for he did not utterly lose the knowledge of God nor did his posterity for that is learned by the things that are made Rom. 1.20 nor did he utterly lose the fear of God for Adam confesseth Gen. 3. that when he heard that voice of God he was afraid which Fear though servile yet it is a supernatural gift but of an inferiour rank the claritie of the intellect the rectitude of the will and the conformity of the appetite with reason XVII b A. R. When it is said here that there is no spiritual knowledge in us this must not be taken subjectively but causatively for there is knowledge in us because the soule is the subject of knowledge but this knowledge or performance of spiritual things is not of us or from us for of our selves we cannot think a good thought Again when it is said here that the principle of this knowledge is not in us the meaning is that the prime or chief principle is not in us for that is grace yet the secondary or subordinate principle of knowledge is in us and that is the minde Lastly it is said here that this principle is not in us either in act or in possibility we must not conceive that here is meant possibility passive for there is in us a power to receive spiritual knowledge when it is infused or else we are stones but here is meant an active possibility for we are not agents but patients in the first act of our Conversion so that there is no power nor possibility in us to illuminate ours own mindes or to rectifie our own wils Hence there is no principle of knowledge or performance of spirituall things in us
Isa 6.2 How much lesse then could any man intercede whereas there is not one just Person Rom. 3.10 The evill that was to be taken away was sin and the consequents of sin the wrath of God the power of Satan both temporal and eternal death Now I pray by whose suffering could that infinite Majesty be satisfied which was offended unlesse by his suffering who was also Infinite By whose Intercession could the wrath of God be appeased but by his onely who is that best beloved Sonne of God By whose strength could Satan with the whole power of darknesse be overcome except by his who in power exceeds all the Devils who finally could overcome death except he who had the power over death Heb. 2.15 But the good things that were to be restored were perfect righteousness adoption into sons the Image of God the gifts of the Holy Ghost life eternal and such like but now who could bestow that righteousness on us except he who is justice it self Who is so fit to make us the sons of God as he who is by nature the Son of God Who was so fit to restore in us the Image of God as he who is himself the image of the invisible God Who can bestow on us the holy Spirit so assuredly as he from whom the Spirit proceedeth Who at last can give us life eternal but he who is life it self Joh. 1.4 XII That he might be man the justice of God required which as it leaves not sin unpunished so it punisheth not sin but in that nature which sinned The first branch of this Rule is plain both by the justice and by the truth of God By his justice because God by this doth not onely resist but also punish sin Psal 5.5 6 7. For thou art not a God that hast pleasure in wickedness nor shall evil dwell with thee the foolish shall not stand in thy sight thou hatest all workers of iniquity thou shalt destroy them that speak lies the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitfull man Now by the truth of God because the threatning which was given before the fall could not be in vain therefore Socinus is idle and foolish who that he might overthrow the merit of Christ feigns such a justice of God which doth not necessarily inflict eternal death or require satisfaction and which in this respect can be content to lose its own right but if sins are to be punished they were surely to be punished in our nature for to man the Law was given and to man death was threatened therefore it lies upon man to suffer the punishment XIII It was requisite that God and man should be united in one Person that he might be a Mediator between God and us He was therefore the medium between God and man that is he was at the same time God and man that he might perform those things which were to be effected towards God and man Heb. 5.1 These works of God and man do require both natures in the same person of which in the next Chapter more at large The parts of Christs Incarnation are two to wit the Conception and the Nativity In the Conception three things for the better understanding are considerable the forming the assuming and the personal union of the humane nature The forming of the humane nature of Christ is that whereby it was produced without the help of man of the Virgins blood by the operation of the Holy Ghost The RULES I. The Holy Ghost is not the material but the efficient cause of Christs conception For he was conceived not of his substance but by his power not by generation but by his commanding force and benediction Aug. II. The next or proximate matter was the blood of the blessed Virgin III. the form of Christs conception consisteth in the preparing and sanctifying of the Virgins blood by the vertue of the Holy Ghost in the forming of the body whereby together at the same instant it was made perfect and not successively as the bodies of other men are Lastly in the inspiring of the reasonable soul Whereas fourty dayes are appointed in ordinary generation for the time of forming the embryo the body of Christ was perfected in a moment otherwise not Christ the man but an embryo had been conceived IV. The end of Christs miraculous conception was that he might be free from Original sin for this sticks close to all that are of and by Adam that is to all who are naturally descended from him but it was needfull that Christ should be born without sin that we might have a holy High Priest Heb. 7.17 The assumption of the humane nature is whereby Christ assumed truly a humane soul and body with all their affections proprieties and infirmities yet without sin The RULES I. Christ assumed not man but the humanity not the person but the nature For otherways he had not been God-man and one person but two persons and so there had been two Christs The Scripture stiles him Emanuel because the same who is with us that is to say who is man is also God Isa 7.14 the same eternall Word is said to be made flesh Joh. 1.1 and the same is called both Davids Son and his Lord Mat. 22.42 II. And not onely did he assume a true humane body consisting of three dimensions and a true soul but also the essential Properties III. Yea and he took our infirmities too but not those damnable ones but such as were faultlesse and miserable These infirmities are either of the body or of the soule Again the infirmities of the body are from external causes as the calamities and torments inflicted by enemies Or they have their being from some internal cause and they follow wholly our nature since it fell front its primitive happinesse as to be cold to be hot to thirst to hunger to be in pain to grow weary and such like But the infirmities of the soule are sadnesse feare ignorance c. IV. So likewise he took upon him our affections but free from all disorder or inclination to evil The Personal Union is whereby the Person of the Son of God did communicate his Hypostasis or Personality to the humane nature and he so knit it to himself and with his divine nature that the propriety of both natures being entire he is in one Person God and man The RULES I. Christs humane nature hath no other or particular Hypostasis or subsistence then that of the Word that is of the Son of God In this point Christ differs from all other men because every man hath a peculiar Hypostasis or manner of subsisting by which he differs from other Persons besides his Essence consisting of body and soul but Christs humane nature wanting a proper subsistence is assumed into the fellowship of the Hypostasis of the divine nature neither doe we inferre from hence that the humane nature in Christ in this point is more inferiour then in other men for it is so much the
for it is one thing not to account us unrighteous and another thing to esteem us righteous Which that we may the better understand we must know how these terms are different Not just and just Unjust and just Not just and unjust Not unjust and just Not just and just are contradictories Vnjust and just are partly privatives partly contraries Not just and unjust also Not unjust and just are diversa We must also know that Unjust and Just are not immediate contraries for the medium is innocent who is neither unjust nor just Now whereas the remission of sins is a removing or putting away of our sins but the imputation of justice is the adjudging of it to be ours by that we are accounted for not unjust or innocent by this for just Now who knowes not that it is more to be just then to be innocent only and not only to have done no evil but also to have done good But although these two now in man differ not in subject but in some respect only yet heretofore they differed in subject also For Adam in Paradice was innocent but not just for he was at length to attain justice by his perfect obedience 2. They differ in their proximate and proper causes for Christs death and passion are the cause or remission of sins which are expiated by them Heb. 9.22 Without blood there is no remission 1 Joh. 1.7 The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin But the cause of the imputation of justice is Christs perfect obedience Rom. 5.19 For as by the disobedience of one man many are made sinners so by the obedience of one many are made righteous We have shewed above Cap. 18. that this obedience is that actual by which he fulfilleth the whole Law for us 3. They differ in their proper effects for by remission of sins we are freed from damnation Rom. 5.9 Much more then now being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him But by imputation of righteousnesse we attain over and above life eternal Rom. 5.17 Much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse shall reign c. so Gal. 4.5 both effects are put Made under the Law that he might redeem them that are under the law that is under the curse of the law and that wee might receive adoption It is then a greater benefit to redeem a Slave and being redeemed to adopt him then onely to redeem it is a greater favour to give and forgive then barely to forgive therefore that justification is lame by which onely Christs passion is imputed and which onely consisteth in remission of sins Here divers things are objected 1. The Scripture in many places makes mention of Christs Passion or Remission of sins onely But this is no wonder for in many places it speaks Synecdochically its sufficient that it explains it self in the above-cited places 2. The Apostle promiscuously useth these phrases as equavalent to forgive sins and to impute righteousnesse Rom. 4.5 6. But we answer that it is one thing for propositions to be equivalent and an other thing for one proposition to follow upon or to conclude another as Paul out of this phrase of David Psal 32.2 Blessed are they whose sins are forgiven them c. collects this that David doth describe him to be blessed to whom righteousnesse is imputed without works The reason of the consequence is because if the remission of sins be free then so is also the imputation of justice Although then that is not formally spoken by David which Paul affirmeth v. 5. yet it is spoken by way of consequence yea it is an argumentation as Chrysostome saith from the lesser to the greater for if he be blessed whose sins are forgiven then much more blessed is he to whom besides righteousnesse is imputed 3. To whom sins are forgiven to him also righteousnesse is imputed and whosoever is freed from damnation he is inheritor of life eternal therefore these benefits are not different Ans Those things are not the same which are in the same subject together For so it would follow that Vocation Justification and Sanctification are not different benefits because every man that is called is also justified and sanctified 4. In the pardon of sins there are the sins of omission pardoned and therefore by that man is made perfectly just They adde the reason of the consequence Because he performs all things who omits nothing Ans The consequence is false because there is one cause why we are said to have omitted nothing another why we are said to have done all things We are said to have omitted nothing because Christ hath suffered for our sins also of omission But we are said to have performed all things because he hath for us performed all things Besides to have omitted nothing and to have done all things differ in respect of punishment and reward for although the fault and the punishment are remitted to him who omits what he should do yet for this there is no reward due to him 5. It is absurd that the same debt should be paid twice If therefore satisfaction is made for sin by Christs suffering satisfaction also is not to be demanded by active obedience Ans Here is Ignoratio Elenchi for there is is not a double payment of the same debt but two parts of one payment Neither is Christs active obedience required to make satisfaction for sin but to satisfie for our interest in the Kingdom of heaven 6. If it be the same thing to be liberal and not to be prodigal nor covetous then it is the same thing to be just and not unjust Ans The Assumption is false because these are not immediate opposites for there are men who are neither covetous nor prodigal nor liberal 7. If it be the same thing to be clothed and to have nakednesse covered then it is the same thing to have our sinnes remitted and justice imputed because by the garment of Christs righteousnesse our sins are covered Ans This is an unfit simile for the sinner must not only be clothed but he must be first unclothed to wit from the rags of sin Therefore as Joshuah the High-Priest had his filthy garments taken from him first then new garments were put upon him and a crown on his head Zac. 3.4 5. So we also first must be divested of this dirty garment of sin then we are clothed with the glorious garment of Christs righteousnesse XVI The form of Justification taken passively is whereby believers lay hold on Christ with all his merits by the hand of faith and apply him to themselves XVII The end of that benefit is Gods glory and our salvation XVIII Out of this commemoration of causes we firmly gather That man is not justified before God by his good works and merits Reas I. For to be justified by grace and by merit are repugnant Rom. 3.24 They are justified freely by his grace v. 28.