THE HIGH-VVAY To Heauen OR The doctrine of Election effectuall Vocation Iustification Sanctification and eternall Life Grounded vpon the holy Scriptures Confirmed by the testimonies of sundry iudicious and great Diuines Ancient and Moderne Compiled by THOMAS TVKE LONDON Printed by NICHOLAS OKES dwelling neere Holborne bridge 1609. TO THE WORshipfull Maister IOHN Leuesen Esquire SIR many and great are the Priuiledges of the Faithful and farre more excellent then any which either are or can be granted by any mortall Monarch whatsoeuer For first they were elected of almightie God freely from all eternity to be partakers of his grace in this world and to be inuested with immortall glory in the world to come Secondly when they had reuolted from God and were become the vassals of the Diuel dead in sinnes and the children of wrath God in 〈…〉 recall and gather them and redeemed them from their seruitude with the bloud of his owne and only sonne Christ Iesus who was made sinne for vs that wee might be made the righteousnes of God in him assuming our iniquitie to himselfe and imputing his righteousnesse vnto vs. Magnum autem est quod peccata remissa sunt sed maius est quòd per sanguinem Dominicum remissa sunt Now it is much that we should be redeemed by God who were Runna gates from God but that we should be redeemed by the bloud of God by the bloud of the sonne of God who was perfect God perfect man of the same substance honor and antâ—quitie with the Father this commends the wonderfull loue of God vnto vs and is a fauour that all the world besides doth want Thirdly God doth refine and reuiue them breathing into them the breath of life the spirit of sanctification who doth reforme purge and alter them ruinating the cursed workes of the Diuell and repairing rectifying and adorning them by grace with goodnes Fourthly God doth when hee pleaseth bath them in the waters of sorrow and try them in the furnace of affliction to correct and clense them that his graces in them may appeare more fresh and shining as flowers doe in a shower or as the Moone doth in the night Finally the Lord will one day translate them out of the wide and wast Wildernes of this wicked and wofull World and will safely bring them into celestiall Canaan where they shall liue for euer with him in ful freedome from all euill and in perpetuall fruition of all felecity so that as nothing shal be found in Hell which shal be desired so nothing shal be desired in Heauen which shall not be found Ibi laetitia sine tristitia locus sine dolore vitasine labore lux sine tenebris ibi iuuentus semper vigescit nunquam senescit ibi dolor nunqum sentitur nec gemitus vnquam auditur ibi tristitia nunquam videtur sed aeternum gaudium possidetur ibi est summa certa tranquillitas tranquilla faelicitas foelix aeternitas aeterna beatitas beata Trinitas There shal be mirth without mourning a life without labor day without darknes eternall happines happy eternity Ibi nec malitia nec militia ibi nec poena nec poenitenria ibi nec peccatum nec perditio There is neither sinne nor sorow neither penalty nor penitency neither foe nor fighting neither corruption nor contention amity and no enmity faith and no fraud godlines and no guile loue without lust â— wisedome without wilines simplicity without simulation perpetuall solace and solacious perpetuity prosperous security and secure prosperity Ibi nil intus quod sastiolatur nil foris quod appetatur ibi rex veritas lex charitas possessio aeternitas There we shall neither lothe nor long for The King is veriâ—y the law charity the possession eternity yea the fruition of the eternall God who will be Mel in ore melos in aure iâ—bilus in corde All in all to them that loue him These things you may take a further view of if you please by perusing this little â—ractate which I dedicate to you as a testimony of my desire of your proficience in holy learning And thus hoping of your kind acceptance thereof I commend it to you and both it and you to the Lord desiring him to honor you with his grace 〈◊〉 you may so know him in your youth as that you may be knowen of him in your age and that seruing him like a faithfull Souldier against sinne and all sinnefull vanities in the Church militant you may raigne also like a noble Victor with him in the Church Triumphant February 16. 1608. Your Worships in the Lord to be commanded THOMAS TVKE 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eduardi Smithi ad Lectorem Laesciuae faâ—iem Veneris laudare vetustas Respersam naeuo garrula saepè solet Exhibet iste liber veneres naeuo sine castas Es laetam quicquid sternat ad astra Viam Eiusdem ad Momum Nigro si tibi mos bene facta notare lapillo Hâ—â— omnis maculis pagina sparsa foret Vanae at sicarpas tantummodo somnia Mome Crede tuss maculis non locus vllus erit Eiusdem ad Auctorem Ergò age pensentur tibi tot mercede labores A Eternà dignam saecula nostra negant Exhibe tende docâ— condigna salubria Verae Christo â—uibus cunctos carminâ— voce stylo The names of such as are alledged in this booke beside the Scriptures A AMbrose Angelome Anselme Aquinas Aristotle Augustine B Bede Beza Bellarmine Bernard Bradford Buâ—anuâ— Basill C Caluin Cicero Chrysostome Clemens Alex Cameracensis Cyprian Cyrill D Danaeus F Fox Fulgentius G Greenham Gregorie H Hugo Haimo Hâ—ome I Innocentius Isidore Isychius Iustine K Kâ—â—ke maâ— L Lactaâ—tiuâ— Luthâ—r M P. Martyr O Origen P Perâ—iuâ— Pâ—â—lpâ—t Piscator Polanus Primasius Prâ—â—pâ—r R Radulphus Roffensis Rogers Remiâ—iâ—s Roilâ—â—â— S Sedulins Sturmius T Tertullian Theodulus Trelâ—atius Tyndall V Vrsinus VV Willet OF GODS ETERnall Election CHAP. I. The word Election hath fiue significations Three reasons to proâ—ue that there is an Election to life Two reasons prouing the necessary vse of this Doctrine Foure reasons to shew that Ministers should teach it Three duties to bee done concerning the handling of it ALL men are by a certaine instinct of nature desirous of knowledge and account ignorance euill and vnseemely like a defectiue body or a light-lesse house For knowledge is the eye of the minde the light of the soule the ornament of grace and nature and such riches as will swimme with the master when he suffers shipwracke and sees his whole estate to sinke before his eyes Now the more excellent and commodious a thing is the more worthy it is of our knowledge Therefore it is discommendable and vncomely for any man to bee ignorant of himselfe and of the causes the meanes and maner of his eternall saluation and redemption from horrible and intolerable miserie To
vs thâ—se things vve stand in need of Fourthly Iustification begets patience in afflictions and makes a man reioice in the middest of tribulations Being iustified by Faith wee haue peace to Godward Neither that only but also we reioice in tribulations knovving that tribulation produceth patience to wit through the perswasion of our reconciliation vnto God and our assurance that all things how bitter and grieuous soeuer doe worke for the best vnto them that loue God and are pleasing to him Lastly Glorification is an inseparable companion and a notable effect of Iustification Being freed from sinne and made seruants vnto God yee haue your fruit in holinesse and the end euerlasting life The obedience of Christ by grace imputed to vs and by Faith receiued of vs workes in vs a desire care and endeuour to obey God His death for which our sins are remitted works in vs another death whereby wee die to sinne And his glorious righteousnesse wherewith wee are inuested and made to bee reputed righteous doth merit for vs eternall life and glorie The subiect of Iustification or the persons that are iustified or to whom Iustification doth belong are the Elect of God the sheep of Christ euen all that are predestinated vnto life For therefore the Scriptures speak on this sort The Lord hath laied vpon him the iniquitie of vs all I laie dovvne my life for my sheepe Whom hee did predestinate hee hath also iustified Who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all how shall he not vvith him giue vs all things also But for what vs saith Augustine Euen for them vvhich are fore-knowen praedestinated iustified and glorfiied Haimo saith Christ hath taken avvaie in the Elect not onely originall sinne but all actuall offences also and hath moreouer giuen the euerlasting life Radnulphus also saith that the blood of the High-priest Christ vvas the expiation of all Beleeuers I adde further that the Elect are the onely persons to whom this worthy worke of God belongs and none but they First the Scripture is euident By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie Manie He bare the sinne of manie His blood vvas shed for manie for the remission of sins Hee vvas once offered to take awaie the sinnes of manie The Scripture saith Manie and not All without the exception of any Thou shall call his Name Iesus for he shal same his people from their sinnes Now all are not his For his people are his sheep and his sheepe are the deuils Goaets all are not his sheepe Yee beleeue not saith Christ for yee are not of my sheepe Some men haue neuer faith therefore some are neuer iustified Secondly for whom Christ did not pray for them hee did not sacrifice because to intercede and to sacrifice are conioyned But Christ prayed onely for the Elect and for Beleeuers and in praying did offer himselfe to the Father I praie for them saith Christ I praie not for the world but for them which thou hast giueÌ„ me for they are thine And for their sakes I sanctifie my selfe I praie not for these alone but for them also which beleeue in me Origen saith accordingly Hom. 9. in Leuit. that Christ prayth Onelie for those which are the Lordes portion Augustine saith There is a world of the damned for this world Christ praieth not And there if a world of those that are to be saued for this world Christ praieth And likewise Cyrill The Lord Iesus putting a difference betwixt his and such as were not his for those onelie saith he I praie which keepe my word and haue taken my yoke For to whom he is a Mediatour and High-priest on them only he bestowes the benefit of Meditation Therefore the Elect and faithfull are only iustified redeemed by Christ Thirdly Christ gaue himselfe that he might sanctifie to himselfe a peculiar people that is a people selected out of others as a precious treasure and his owne proper goods Therefore it was not Christs intention to giue himselfe to be a ransome for all and euery one alike Lastly regeneration and life eternall belong not to all All men doe not die to sinne and liue to God and the kingdome of God shall be giuen to them for whom it is preprared Many shall be excluded Therefore all are not iustified For they that are iustified shal be also glorified Isychius saith that Christ who suffered for vs hath deliuered vs from sinne and from the bondage of it And Augustine more plainly Euerie one that is generated is damned and no man is deliuered but he that is regenerated And againe God gaue a great price bought those whom he doth reuiue It is manifest therefore that the Elect are onely partakers of the merits of Christ and iustified in the sight of God For whereas Christ is said to take awaie the sinnes of the world here the vvorld only that is the vniuersall coÌ„panie of the Elect which are taken from all degrees and callings in the world is to he vnderstood For there is as it were a little world of the Elect. Eusebius saith Christ hath suffered for the saluation of the vvorld of those that shal be saued And S. Augustine hauing made a distinction of Worlds saith that this vvorld which God doth reconcile vnto himselfe in Christ and which is saued by Christ and to which euerie sinne is remitted through Christ is elected ouâ— of the maligning damned and defiled world And though the Apostle say that hee gaue himselfe a ransome for all men yet we must in no wise therefore conclude that all are iustified without exception For the word All as Aristotle in his Politiques hath obserued signifieth either euerie one in particular and then it is takeÌ„ distributiuely or else Not each particular and then it is taken collectiuelie signifieth anie not ech many not al without exception of any Whereas then the Apostle saith that Christ gaue himselfe a ransome for All he meaneth al beleeuers of what condition or couÌ„trey soeuer Neither 〈◊〉 it any new thing that the word All should be taken in such a sense seeing the like examples may be found as in Luk. 11.42 Woe be to you Pharisies for you â—â—the mint rue and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all hearbes that is hearbs of euerie kinde So Christ is said to heale Euerie disease that is all kinds of diseases All Iudea is said to goe out to Iohn Baptist Multi Omnes in Paulo idem sunt Manie saith Sedulius and Al are the same with Paul It is true indeed I grant that the obedience of Christ being the obedience of God was in it self sufficient to haue procured the Iustification of all without exception but if wee respect either Gods decree or Christs intention it is appropriated to the Elect and belongs to none but them Innocentius saith His blood was shed
perish and that therefore there can bee no certaintie made of the continuance of it For nothing can separate vs from the loue of God wherewith hee loueth vs in Iesus Christ our Lord. Who hath redemed vs with his blood Hee saith Aug. who hath bought vs for so great a price will not that they should perish whom hee hath bought Master Tyndall saith thus Christ is thine and all his deeds are thy deeds Christ is in thee and thou in him neither canst thou be daÌ„ned except Christ be damned with thee Wee conclude therefore according to the trueth that as Iustification is irreuocable so it is discerneable Let him doubt sath M. Philpot of his faith that listeth God giue we alwaies grace to beleeue that I am sure of true faith and fauour in Christ And so much concerning iustification the second meane ordeined for the execution and demonstration of â—â—ds eternall Election â—rga Dei bonitas veniam noÌ„ dimidiabiâ— Aut nihil aut totum to lachrymaÌ„te dabis CHAP. VI. What sanctification is All the causes of it are expressed Four effects of it The subiects termes and time of it Nine properties thereof Ten tokens of it THE third thing wherein the Apostle placeth the execution of the decre of Election is Glorification Whom he hath foreknowne predestinated effectually called and iustified them â—e hath also glorified Glorification is the communication or free donation of true holinesse and happinesse to them that are elected called and iustified For glorie comprehendeth in it both holines happinesse Holines is one degree of happinesse and happines is the highest degree of holinesse No man is holy but the same is happy and no maÌ„ can be happy but he must bee holie Grace is the inchoation of glorie and glorie is the consummation of grace He that sits in the throne of grace is truely intituled to the crowne of glorie and it is one point of glorie to be a man of grace A gracious man may be rightly stiled a glorious man Glorification then comprehendeth in it two things Sanctification in this world and the collation of eternall happinesse in the world to come Of both these we will intreat in order Sanctification or Regeneration is a benefit of God whereby our corrupt nature is renewed to the image of god by the Holy Ghost Polan Part. The lib. 1. Or sanctification is an inward change of a man iustified wherby the image of God is restored in him Hippocrates saith of Phisick that it is an adiection and a subraction Adiection of things wanting and a Subtraction of things redounding in the bodies of men Euen so sanctification is a remouing of the corrupt humors of our soules and an adiection or infusion of spirituall graces which are wanting It was excellently said by one The wise men saith he which were expert in nature could say that in euerie generation there is a corruption And we see that the seede sowen is much changed before it grow vp and beare fruit Then needfull it is that in regeneration there be a corruption of sin so that as the seed in the ground so sinne in our mortall bodies may decay that the new man may be raised vp the Spirit of God taking possession of our soules Now this transformation of a man is very requisit to saluation For without holines no man shall see God If wee will not liue to God by grace vpon the earth wee shall not liue in glorie with him in the heauens If wee will not die to sin in this world wee shall not escape death the wages of sin in the world to come If we doe not liue to God in holinesse in this life wee shall not liue in happines with God in the life to come It is not onely necessary in him that is to be saued that sinne be abolished by remission but that it bee likewise mortified by regeneration Neither is it onely requisit that a man stand righteous by the imputation of righteousnesse but that a man also be righteous by the infusion of righteousnes Sanctification is not deriued to vs from our parents For parents must be considered two waies First as they are Man the children of Adam Secondly as they are holy men sonnes of the second Adam and thus they doe not beget their children though their holinesse bee a meanes to make them to be reputed holy with men and accounted the children of the Church But they produce their children as they are men and corrupted in their father Adam and so conuey nature corrupted in Adam to them although they be regenerated Take wheat make it as clean as you can sowe it and it will come vp not as it was sowen but in stalk blade and eare and it brings vp as much chaffe as euer it did though none vvere sowen with it Euen so parents though sanctified by grace do bring forth childreÌ„ that are vnholie But the fountaine and proper Efficient of our sanctification and holines is almightie God whose workemanship we are created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes and who in mercie hath translated vs out of the kingdome of darknes into the kingdome of his beloued sonne in whom he hath quickned vs through his loue and hath lifted him vp with his right hand to giue repentance vnto Israel And albeit our Sanctification be the worke of the whole Trinitie yet it is immediately performed by the holy ghost therefore by a peculiar epithet hee is called Holy and we are said to be borne of the Spirit who is also compared vnto seede and vnto fire and vvater Vnto seede because of his vertue as it vvere of seede the faithfull are renevved and created nevv men that beeing dead to sin they might liue vnto God Vnto fire first because he doth eat out the drosse of sin and consume our lusts and so refine vs secondly because he doth enlighteÌ„ our mindes and shine like a lamp shew vs the way wherein wee ought to walke and lastly because he doth set vs on heat and inflame vs vvith a zeale of Gods glorie vvith a care of our duetie and vvith a loue of all mankinde And vnto Water because he doth refresh vs extinguish our spiritual thrist and because he doth vvater vs being destitute of all the iuice of life and make vs fertill and finally because he doth wash avvay the filth of our hearts and is povvred out like vvater vpon Beleeuers In like maner also he is compared to the Northerne and Southerne windes to the Northerne because he doth pinch dry the luxurious humours of our hearts and coole the vnnaturall heate and swelling pride of our soules and kil those wormes of wickednes which ly as it were at the very roote of our hearts And to the Southerne because hee doth comfort vs with his warme blasts and moisten vs with his sweete showers and dissolue our frost bitten
affections make vs to sprout vp and looke fresh like flowers The meritorious cause of sanctification is Iesus Christ who by his death and obedience hath merited for vs thâ—t the holy Ghost should bee giuen vs to refine and purge vs. And therefore he is said to be made of God vnto vs Sanctification As by Adam our nature is corrupted euen so by Christ it is restored The Ministers of the word are gods liuely Organs which he vseth to draw men out of the territories and regimeÌ„t of the Diueâ— into the kingdome oâ— his sonne Paul is said to be sent to conuert the Gentiles from darkenes vnto light to the Corinths he saith In Christ Iesus I haue begotten you by the Gospell The instruments which he vseth to this purpose are the word and sacraments Gods word is compared to fire and to an hammer For through his blessing it doth breake our marble hearts and burne vp our sin like stubble and kindles in vs a zeale of his glorie a true loue of righteousnes And by the foolishnes of preaching it is his pleasure to saue them that beleeue And as concerning the sacraments they represent and seale vnto vs our insition into Christ our new birth and our progresse and spirituall nutrition vnto eternall life The matter of Sanctification are the parts whereof it doth consist The parts or actes of sanctification are two the Remotion of euill or Mortification and the Substitution of good or Viâ—ification Mortification is a part of Sanctification whereby the power strength and tyrannie of originall sinne is weakned and also by little and little abolished The ground wherof is the power of Christs God-head or the efficacie of his death which being by faith applyed is as a Corafine to consume the corruption of our nature Viuification is the second part of our Regeneration when as wee are raised vp to a new spirituall life that we might liue vnto righteousnes Or it is a work of the spirit by which true Christian habits virtues and dispositions are infused encreased in vs. And this substitution of good or Quickening is Where Christ dwels and raignes in our hearts by his spirit so as we can say we hencefoorth liue not but Christ in vs. The ground of this is the vertue of Christs resurrection or the power of his God-head raising vp his Man head releasing him of the punishment and tyrannie of our sinnes which vertue and power is as a Restoratiue to restore and quicken vs that we might liue vnto God in holinesse and newnesse of life Mortification then is of the Oldâ— man which is the vitiositie and distemper of our nature deriued from Adam the first ViuificatioÌ„ is of the New man which is the nature of man refined and restored to the image of God and this is deriued from Adam the second in whom are hid all the treâ—sures of wisâ—â—â— knowledge and holinesse The forme of Sanctification is the very translation and alteration of the heart and life or a spirituall reduction and conuersion of a man by God from the vncleannes of sinne to true puritie and Christian sanctitie The endes of our Sanctification are the glorie of God the saluation of our soules the edification of our Brethren the beautifying of our honorable prosession and calling the silencing of Athiests and prophane Mockgods the alluring of others vnto God godlines that we might bee something like God our father and Christ our elder brother and gather assurance to our soules that weâ— are in the state of life The effects of Sanctification are first the true loue of God our selues and our neighbours Secondly a serious desire to doe all good duties and to auoyd all the courses of sinne and wickednes Thirdly it makes him that is sanctified to couet and labour for the renouation and conuersion of others Finally it is the roote of all those good fruites wee bring foorth and beare For if the fountaine bee altogether corrupt and foule the waters must needs be also naught and fithy For who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse There is not one But when a man is once truely sanctified though not fully the good workes he doth are then truely holy though not fully The Subiects of Sanctification or or the persons sanctified are such as are elected called and iustified and therfore the Apostle saith that whom God predestinated called and iustified he did also glorifie These and none but these are truely sanctified For God sanctifies those only whom he maketh to be Temples of his spirit but all men are not such yea there are a number in the world that sit in perpetuall darknesse and worship the very deuill Indeed a Reprobate may seeme holy but he is not holy but is like a faire apple rotten in the heart or to a wound that hath a skin drawen ouer it but yet festers inwardly And they may liue amongst Gods holy one as Frogs and fishes in one pond but they are not of them but indeed pertaine to another state And finally Christ is sanctification to those onely to whom hee is wisedome righteousnesse and redemption which he is not vnto all but vnto his owne people onely Now why Christ doth not communicate holinesse vnto all as Adam did corruption the reason is because the maner by vvhich Adam doth communicate his euils vnto all and euery one is naturall to wit generation and humane nature but the maner by which Christ doth communicate his benefits is supernaturall to wit faith and the grace of God whereof all men are not pertakers for it dependeth on Gods Election Therefore whosoeuer haue humane nature the same are sinners But they onely are renewed who are possessed of faith Furthermore those which are sanctified must be considered in a twofold estate first as they are in themselues till God doe worke vpon them and that is lothsome and vgly dead in sinnes and trespasses Euen when we were dead in sins hath hee quickned vs together in Christ Secondly as they are made by grace that is a royall priesthood an holy nation and the Temples of God and of his Spirit Finally these things are worthy to be knowen concerning the regenerate First their Countrey which is heauen Secondly their Parents to wit the holy Ghost and the Church Thirdly their Essentiall parts these are an intelligent soule and an organicall body Fourthly their food which is the word of God Fiftly their disposition or condition that in the minde is a diuine light and reformation in heart Sixtly their war-fare or indeuours which is the flight of the pleasures of the flesh and of fleshly vanities Seauenthly their Religion and that is true godlinesse and faith in Christ Lastly their consummation which is eternall life The obiects or two termes of Sanctification are corruption and sinne to bee diminished and extirped and Christian holinesse to bee planted inpired and augmented The subiect in vvhich this sanctification is wrought is the vvhole man according to both soule and body yea and life also
work and with Primatius God doth iustifie the vngodly but not by works which â—e wanteth For if he should iustifie him according to workes he must be punished and not deliuered The externall moâ—â—er then and meritorious efficient of our Iustification is Christ by his obedience For God made him to be sinne for vs who knew no sinne that â—e should be made the rightousnesse of God in him Wee are iustified through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set foorth to bee a reconciliation through faith in his blood Augustine saith Christ alone hath 〈…〉 the punishment for vs without his 〈◊〉 demerits that we might obtaine grace by him without good merits Christ saith Basill is true righteousnesse vvho is made vnto vs of God righteousnesse vvisdom sanctification and redemption As the 〈◊〉 couered the dike and the Decalogue so he couereth 〈◊〉 sinne and hee hides our bodies and soules from the furious indignation and vengeance of God Now the obedience of Christ is two-fold actiue and passiue The former stands in his perfite fulfilling of the Law the latter is contained in his passion both in life and death By the passion of Christ our sinnes are remitted Therefore Peter saâ—th that he bare our sinnes vpon the Crosse And Iohn likewise saith that he washed vâ— from our sinnes in his blood And long before them the Prophet Esay saith that he was vvounded for our transgressions and by his stripes we are healed Remission of sins saith Chrysostome is on the blood of Christ His death saith Amâ—â—ose is the iustification of sinners By it gods iustice is fully satisfied his wrath is appealed and â—ll punishments temporall and eternall deserued by sin are quite remoued By his fulfilling of the Law we are reputed and esteemed righteous For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth â—e was made vnto vs of God righteousnes By the obedience of this one maniâ— shall be made righteous Lord saith Bernard I will remember thy righteousnes onely for that is also mine For thou art made vnto me righteousnes of God Now this his righteousnesse is not ours but his originally is made ours by Gods tree imputation It is imputed to vs by God accounted ours Christ being our Suretie and standing in our stead and so appropriated to vs as if we had performed it in our owne persons Bernard saith that the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to vs. And againe the iustice of another is assigned vnto man because he wanted his owne The satisfaction of one is imputed vnto all And no maÌ„ must thinke it strange that the obedience of Christ could satisfie for the disobedience of all the Elect make them to bee reputed righteous with God For in that it was the obedience of God that is of that holy man who was true God it was of endlesse merit of inualuable value with the Lord. The perfection and merit of this obedience comes from the dignity of his person that did obey And though iustification bee through Christ yet God may bee sayed to iustify freely because it comes freely to vs wee doe nothing for it and because also it was his free loue which moued him to send his sonne to suffer for our sins and to fulfil the Law fully for vs. Neither must any man imagine that Christ did not fulfill the Law for vs but for himselfe onely and consequently that his actiue obedience is not imputed to vs. For Christ is not onely our redemption but he is also the perfection of the Lawe for vs that beleeue in him Whereupon it is that Ambrose saith He hath the perfection of the Law who beleeueth in Christ Moreouer Whole Christ is giuen vnto vs with his benefits Otherwise if his Passiue obedience were onely imputed to vs it would follow that haâ—fe Christ were onely giuen vs Patientem non Agentem to wit as he is a Patient and not an Agent or dooer of those things which are pleasing to his Father and auferentem peccatâ— onely as he takes away sin and death and not affâ—rentem iustitiam bringing righteousnes But he was not borne for himselfe but for vs and was giuen vnto vs that hee might both doe for vs the things that were to be done and suffer the things which were to be suffered Againe Christ as man fulfilled the Lawe for himselfe that hee might be in both natures an holy high Priest so continue Neuerthelesse as Mediatour God and Man hee became subiect to the Law and in this regard he did not fulfill tâ—â— Lawe for himselfe neither was he bound so to doe Neither must this seeme strange to any that the Law should both exact obedience and the penalty too For howsoeuer in the state of innocency the Law threatned the penaltie and onely exacted obedience yet since the fall it doth both exact obedience the punishment The threatning of the Law exacts the punishment the precepts exact obedience And albeit Christ hath kept the Law fully for vs yet none must from thence conclude that therefore we are not bound to keepe the Law â—hat saith one which Christ did we are not bound to doe for the same end and in the same maner Now he fulfilled the law in way of redemption and satisfaction for vs and so doe not we fulfill the Law but onely in the way of thankefulnesse for our redemption And though we be bound to obey the Lawe yet wee must not thinke that God will reiect our obedience for the weakenes of it as hee would haue reiected Christs if his had beene imperfect For he was our Mediatour and therefore his obedience was of necessitie to be most perfect or else Gods iustice had not been satisfied and so we had perished and besides all our imperfections and defects whatsoeuer are couered with his perfection as with a vaile and so our weake obedience is accepted and not contemned Finally for our comfort we must know that if we respect the Trueth of that righteousnes which is imputed to vs weare accounted as truly righteous before God as Christ himselfe is but if we regard the quantity and subiect Christ is more iust theÌ„ we Because he is originally and actually righteous but we by imputation he is subiectiuely iust and by inherency but we by application relation in him and vnto him And yet we must not therefore thinke our selues to be redeemers For his obedience is imputed to vs onely for our owne redemption and not as it is the price of redemption for all the Elect. As for example Christs righteousnes is imputed to Peter not as it is the price of redemption for All but as it is the price of redemption for Peter And so much for the efficient causes of our Iustification The matter of iustification according as are the parts thereof is twofold Remission of