the reasons which he vseth that we are created to good works and againe that they are ordained that we should walke in them The third before a worke can meritte it must please God before the worke please God the worker must please him before the worker please him he must be reconciled to God and perfectly iustified Iustification therefore goes in order before good workes and for this cause workes cannot be brought within the acte of iustification as causes Good workes make not good men in whole or in part but men first of all made good by the goodnesse of Christ imputed make good workes by their goodnesse The fourth is this The humanitie of Christ is the most excellent of all creatures in heauen and earth yet beeing considered by it selfe it cannot possibly merit at Gods hand In a work properly meritorious there be three cōditions First the doer thereof must do it by himselfe and not by another for then the praise is his by whome he doth it and not his owne Secondly the worke to be done must not be a debt or dutie for then the doer deserues nothing Thirdly there must be a proportion betweene the worke and the reward of life eternall Now the manhood of Christ considered apart by it selfe cannot performe these three conditions For it doth what it doth by the spirit of God whereby it was conceiued and is filled without measure Againe it is a creature and therefore whatsoeuer it is hath or can doe it oweth all to God Lastly it cannot doe a worke proportionall to eternall glorie because it takes all of God and can giue nothing to him If then it be demanded howe this manhood of Christ merits in our behalfe I answere not by it selfe but by meanes of the personall vnion whereby it is exalted and preferred into the vnitie of the second person the eternall Word of the father Hence it is that Christ meriteth none can merit of God but God Now then if Christ merit onely in this regard no meere creature man or angell can possibly merit by any worke The fifth reasō is this There be two kinds of trāsgression of the lawe one when a worke is directly against the law the other is whē that is don which the law requires but not in that manner and perfection the lawe requires The second kind of transgression is in euery good worke which is done by men vpon earth now where any transgression is there must be pardon where pardon is there is no merit That this doctrine of the certentie of our losses may yet the better be cleared I will set downe the supposed grounds of merit and discouer their weaknesse They are two the first is the Promise that God hath made to workes whereby he hath bound himselfe to reward them with eternall glorie I answer that this very promise is made of the good pleasure and meere good will of God and of the same goodnes it is that any man is a doer of any good worke either by nature or grace Therefore if a man could fulfill the whole law he should not merit at Gods hand Thus saith the Lord Exod. 20. 6. That he will shew mercie vpon thousands of them that loue him and keepe his commaundements The second ground is That vertue of meriting is deriued frō Christ the head to his members by diuine influence I answer it is a thing vnpossible For the vertue of meriting is in Christ not simply as he is Man but as he is in one person God and Man The worke which meriteth is done or acted euen by the manhood but the merit of the worke is from the Godhead or from the excellencie of the person Now then if this vertue be in Christ not as he is man but in respect he is Man-god or God-man it can not be deriued to vs that are but men vnlesse euery beleeuer should be Deified made of a meere man God-man which is impossible Therefore there is no capablenes or possibilitie of merit in the worke of any meere man or creature whatsoeuer For this cause the true church of God euer detested humane merit The merit of congruitie before iustification is a Pelagian conceit and was neuer maintained of the orthodoxe Fathers Stapleton confesseth thus much The merit of congruitie saith he in respect of the first grace was of old hissed out neither was it euer admitted of the better sort of schoolemen as of Thomas in his Summe and his latter writings nor of his followers And the merit of condignitie whereby workes are said of their owne dignitie and that properly to deserue the increase of the first iustification and eternall life was not receiued of the learned in the church for more then a 1000. yeares after Christ. Radulphus Ardens a very learned man in his time saith thus Seeing by one grace we come to an other they are called merits and that improperly For as Augustin witnesseth God crownes onely his owne grace in vs. Againe No man may thinke that God is bound as it were by a bargaine to repay that which he hath promised For as God is free to promise so is he free in respect of repaying especially considering that as well merits as rewardes are his grace For God crownes nothing els in vs but his grace because if he would deale with vs in extremitie none liuing should be iustified in his sight And hereupon the Apostle who laboured more then all saith I thinke that the affictions of this time are not worthie the glorie that shall be reuealed Therfore this couenant or bargaine is nothing els but a voluntarie promise Anselme after him saith If a man should serue God a thousand yeares and that most zealously he should not vvorthely deserue to be in the kingdome of heauen so much as halfe a day S. Bernard saith Touching eternall life we know that the sufflerings of this time are not worthie of the glorie to come no not if one man should suffer all For the merits of men are not such that eternall life may be due for them or that God should doe some iniurie if he gaue it not For to let passe that all merits are the gifts of God and so man is rather debter to God for them then God to man what are all merits to so great a glorie Lastly who is better then the Prophet to whome the Lord giueth so worthie a testimonie saying I haue found a man according to mine owne heart for all that he had need to say to God Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant Againe in the processe of time when the merit of condignitie had takē place it was not generally receiued for it was reiected of sundrie schoolemen and others as of Gregorie of Arimine of Durand of Waldensis of Burgensis and Scotus Wherefore to conclude it now appeares to be an infallible certentie that he which desires to be saued by Christ must indure the
be workes that are out of vs wrought in and by the person of our Sauiour Christ namely the workes of obedience in satisfying and fulfilling the lawe These indeede are the workes which iustifie and saue vs none that proceede frō vs. To this effect Paul saith that we are iustified freely by the redemption that is in Christ. Lastly it is alleadged that if all vertues be losse for Christ then faith it selfe I answer Faith must diuersly be considered first of all as a vertue working bringing forth many good fruites in vs. And thus it is to be reputed losse as all other vertues are Secondly it must be considered not as a vertue but as an instrument or hand not to giue or worke any thing but to apprehend and receiue Christ and his benefits And thus it is no losse but is a thing excepted in this text Nowe then we see that the doctrine of Paul is manifest that all vertues and workes both of nature and grace are meere losses in the cause of our iustification and saluation Hence sundrie things may be learned The first that the most holy works of holy men cannot iustifie or merit eternall life When they are brought within the Act of iustification as causes Paul saith they are but losse and as offles to be cast to dogges Let this be noted and remembred for euer against all iustitiarie papists Who if they would but seriously consider this one text they might be farre better resolued then they are Secondly hence the doctrine of our our church is plainely gathered namely that we are saued and iustified by faith alone For all things except our knowledge and faith in Christ are made as doung And that this our doctrine may not be scandalous sundry things must be remembred The first is the right meaning of the doctrine which is that there is nothing within vs that is any cause either efficient materiall formall or finall of iustification but faith The second that faith is no principall cause but onely an instrument The third that faith is no instrument to procure or worke our iustification and saluation but an instrument to receiue or to apprehend our iustification giuen by the father procured by the sonne applied by the holy Ghost The last that faith must be considered as a cause or else as a waie of saluation If as an internall cause in vs it onely iustifieth and consequently saueth vs. If as a waie it doth not saue alone For other vertues and workes though they be no causes yet are they waies to eternall life as well as faith Here then when papists make outcries against vs saying that we looke to be saued by faith alone the true and plaine answere to them is this We consider faith two waies first as a cause within vs not meriting any way but instrumentally apprehending pardon in Christ and applying it to vs for our eternall happinesse Secondly faith may be considered as a way in which we are to walke for the attainement of euerlasting life In the first sense faith alone iustifieth and saueth and nothing els within vs. To this doe the learned fathers agree Basil saith This is perfect reioycing in God when a man is not puffed vp for his owne iustice but acknowledgeth that he wants iustice and that he is iustified by faith alone in Christ. Hilarie That is remitted of Christ by faith which the lawe could not loosen for faith alone iustifies Ambrose They are iustified freely which doe nothing nor repaie like for like are iustified by faith alone through the gift of God Againe in his commentarie vpon the epist. to the Corinth This is appointed of God that he which beleeues in Christ should be saued without worke by faith alone receiuing remission of sinnes Hierom God iustifieth by faith alone Neuertheles if we speake of the way to life then we are not saued onely by faith For though faith be the onely instrument to apprehend Christ yet is it not the onely way to life repentance also is the way yea all vertues all works are the waie In this sense affliction is said to worke vnto vs a more excellent weight of glorie not as a cause but as a way giuing direction And mothers are said to be saued by bearing of children not as by a cause but as by a straight and narrow way Againe Abrahams faith went not alone but had a kind of co-operation with his works faith works both beeing considered as a way to happinesse or as markes in a way In this sense the fathers haue ascribed saluation to many things not as to causes but as to waies Bernard said well that workes are the way to the kingdome of heauen and not the causes of raigning Lactātius saith Great is the helpe of Repentance which whosoeuer taketh away cuts off to himselfe the way of life Chrysostome Some by watching by sleeping on the bare ground by tewing their bodies with daily labour doe blot out their sinnes but thou maiest obtaine the same by a more easie way that is by forgiuing Thus many hundred places of the fathers are to be vnderstood when they ascribe remission of sins to martyrdome to fasting praier workes of mercie and such like Thirdly here is laid downe the foundation of true humilitie For if all our vertues and workes be losses in the case of our saluation then all boasting is excluded and we are to take nothing to our selues but shame and confusion and giue al glorie to God Yea the more our vertues are and workes if we place any confidence in them the greater are our losses Thus we see what things are losses to Paul in the next place let vs consider howe they are losses This Paul settes downe by a gradation thus I count them losse I make them my losses I count them as doung This gradation is nothing els but a repetition of one and the same thing inlarged and amplified in speech Nowe repetitions in scripture are not idle and vaine as they are oftentimes in the writings of men but they commonly signifie two things namely the certainty and the necessitie of the thing repeated and therefore in this place they signifie the certaintie and the necessitie of Pauls losses Certaine they are because he that will be saued by Christ must certainely indure these losses without recouerie The foundation of this certenty lies in an impossibilitie of merit by any works of man which I will make manifest by fiue reasons The first is this It is a principall part of Christian inherent righteousnesse to haue and keepe a good conscience now Paul expresly excludes it from iustification saying I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified 1. Cor. 4. 4. The second is this Paul saith Eph. 2. 9. we are not saued by workes nowe he meanes no other workes but such as followe faith and are done by the spirit of God And this appeares by
losse of all his workes and vertues whatsoeuer in the cause of his owne iustification Nowe then if this doctrine be so certaine and infallible as it is thē also must we be setled in this point without doubting that the present church of Rome erreth grieuously in that it magnifieth the merit of workes Yea in this regard it reuerseth the very foundation of true religion For if they make aduantage in the matter of saluation by their workes Christ must needes vpon infallible certentie be their losse because Paul makes all workes losse that Christ may be aduantage Therefore farre be it from vs all to haue any dealing or contract of societie with that church least we be partakers of her dangerous and fearefull losses Againe in that all vertues workes of grace are but losses for Christ. We must not onely in our first conuersion but euer afterward though we be iustified and sanctified euen in the pang of death by meere faith rest on the meere mercie of God and apprehend naked Christ that is Christ seuered in the case of saluation from all respect of all vertues and workes whatsoeuer For there is nothing that may be opposed to the seuere iudgement of God but meere Christ. If we doe presume to oppose any of our doings to the sentence of the law hell death condemnation we are sure to goe by the losses Thus much of the certentie of Pauls losses now follows the necessitie of thē They are necessarie in as much as without thē no man can haue part in Christ. For the merit of our vertues and good workes and the grace of God in Christ can not stand together yea they are cōtrarie as fire and water and one ouerthroweth the other in the cause of iustification and saluation Paul to signifie this contrarietie saith If Election be of grace it is not of workes and if it be of workes it is not of grace And againe If ye be iustified by the law ye are abolished from Christ. And to the same purpose Ambrose saith Grace is wholly receiued or wholly lost and Augustine It is no way grace that is not freely giuen euery way Hence it followes that the present religion of the church of Rome abolisheth Christ in as much as it maintaines and magnifies the merit of good workes And this may be gathered by the very doctrine of that church For it teacheth that men must be saued by their praiers fastings almes pilgrimages buildings of churches chappels bridges c. What then shall the passion of Christ doe whereto serues it They answer that it frees vs from death and giues to our works the merit of eternall life and makes them meritoriously to increase our iustification Hence it followes that Christ is no more but the first cause of our saluation and that we our selues are secondarie causes vnder him and with him And thus he is made of a Sauiour no Sauiour For either he must be a full and perfect Sauiour in himselfe or no Sauiour Secondly by the former necessitie we learne that whosoeuer will be saued by the merit of Christ must come vnto him without vertues or workes of his owne not carrying in heart so much as the least confidence in them esteeming himselfe to be a most vile wretched and miserable sinner as the Publican did who praied Lord be mercifull to me a sinner Hitherto of Pauls losses now follows the second part of the comparison touching Pauls gaine But Christ is my gaine A sentence to be remembred and to be written in the tables of our heart for euer And the reason thereof is manifest Christ our Mediatour God and man is the onely Fountaine of all good things that are or can be thought on whether spirituall or temporall Saint Iohn saith Of his fulnes we receiue grace for grace Againe Paul saith In him al the treasures of knowledge and wisdome are hidde and Ye are complete in him And he calls Christ our Ransome or counterprice And as he makes Adam the roote of all euill in mankinde so makes he Christ the roote of all grace and goodnes For the better clearing of this doctrine two points are to be handled When Christ is our gaine and how Touching the time when I set downe three things He is our gaine in this life he is our gaine in death and he is our gaine after death To returne to the first He is our gaine in life if we turne from our euill waies and beleeue in him in as much as he hath gained for vs many benefits which I will reduce to tenne heads The first is pardon of sinne without tearme of time whether past present or to come Yet must we here remēber that pardon of sinne is not giuen absolutely whether men repent or no but vpon condition of repentance The second is the imputation of Christs obedience in fulfilling the law for our iustification before God From the former benefit ariseth our freedome from hell and from the law in respect of the curse thereof and from the second ariseth a Right to eternall life whereof the possession is reserued to the life to come The third is our Adoption whereby we are the children of God and brethren of Christ. And hence haue we a Right of lordship or dominion ouer the whole world and all things contained therein whether in heauen or in earth which right was lost by Adam and is now restored by Christ. Indeede wicked men and infidels haue and vse the things of this life at their wills and that by Gods permission but yet they receiue and inioy them no otherwise then children of traytours doe the goods of their parents who peraduenture are suffered to take benefite of some part of them for the preseruing of their liues though title and interest to them be not restored The fourth is the ministerie that is the presence aide and protection of the good angels The fifth gaine or benefit is that all the miseries and calamities of this life cease to be curses and are made blessings beeing turned to the good of them that are to be saued by Christ. The sixth is the mortification of originall sinne with all the parts thereof by the vertue of the death of Christ. The 7. is a spirituall life whereby we liue not but Christ liues in vs making vs partakers of his Annointing and thereby inabling vs to liue as Prophets Priests kings Prophets to teach and make confession of our faith in Christ Priests to dedicate and present our bodies and soules to God for the seruice of his maiestie Kings to beare rule and dominion ouer the corruptions and lusts of our hearts The eight gaine is that Christ presents all our praiers and good workes to his Father in his owne name and thus by his own Intercession makes them acceptable vnto him The ninth gaine is the presence of his spirit For when Christ ascended he tooke with him our pawne namely our flesh and left with
sinner righteous before God But I demaund of the Patrons of this doctrine whether when the workes of preparation are done the doer is in Christ or out of Christ If he be in Christ he is also iustified before he is iustified If he be as yet out of Christ Paul hath giuen the senteÌ„ce that the said workes are to be esteemed as losse and that the merit of coÌ„gruitie is not meate for them that desire to feede on Christ but rather food for dogges Lastly hence we learne howe Christ is to be receiued of vs. Such as would truely come to Christ and receiue him must make losses of al things they must come naked and emptied of all their owne righteousnesse As men in a shipwracke cast out their commodities and when there is no remedie leaue their ship and betake themselues to the sea thus come swimming to the shore euen so must all men first forsake all then come to Christ. Beggars that they may obtaine their almes come in their ragâ— vnfolding legges and armes that their sores and botches may be seene Benadad king of Syria that he might recouer the fauour of the king of Israel castes off his crowne and royall robes he and his men come in sackcloath with halters about their heads and thus he obtaines his desire In like manner comming to Christ we must lay aside all opinion of our owne goodnesse and in abasing of our selues follow beggars fashions and with Benhadad cloath our selues with signes of guiltinesse and confusion of face We must first be annihilated and vtterly in respect of goodnesse be made nothing in our selues that we may be what we are out of our selues in Christ. There is no entring into the kingdome of heaueÌ„ except we receiue it Christ as a little child in all meeknesse and humilitie For there must be nothing in vs to receiue Christ but meere faith resting on meere mercy Let all such think on this as desire to be in Christ and to receiue true comfort by him Thus much of Pauls losses before his conuersion nowe come to be considered the things which were his losses after his conuersion and they are set downe in the words following But doubtlesse I doe thinke all things losses for the excellent knowledge of Iesus Christ my Lord. That these losses may be the better knowne let vs a little consider the meaning of the words Whereas before Paul had said that herefore he counted things to be losse vnto him for Christ that had beene his aduantage some man might happily thinke this is but rash iudgemâ—nt in Paul he therefore to cut off this surmise saith Daubtlesse I count all things losse that is that I may not be thought to speake rashly I say more that I doe nowe account all things losse and I speake it confidently as beeing resolued what I say When he saith I doe count he speakes in the time present of himselfe as beeing not only a Christian but also an Apostle of Christ. And wheÌ„ he saith ALL things the generall speech must be obserued for he excepteth nothing pertaining to him but his knowledge and faith in Christ. Here therefore we must first of all vnderstand the priuiledge of an Apostle secondly all inward Christian vertues as hope feare loue of God good conscience c. for of al the inward gifts none is excepted but faith as I haue said Thirdly here we must vnderstand works not of nature but of grace done and effected by the spirit of God in vs. For in the verse following he doth reiect his owne righteousnes which is of the law Now he saith of all these that they are his losses for Christ. But how are they losses The speach must warily be vnderstood least it be offensiue They are losses not in respect of godly conuersation for they are the causes thereof and they are meanes of shewing our thankfulnes to God and loue to man Now then they are losses onely in respect of iustification and saluation when they are reputed and maintained as meritorious causes thereof either in whole or in part Though when they are rightly vsed applied they are the excellent gifts of God yet when they are brought into the Acte of iustification and saluation they become as losses and dung And this I take to be the meaning of these words To the like purpose the prophet Isai saith in the name of the whole church confessing hir sinnes All our righteousnes is as a cloath vtterly to be cast away And Paul to the Galatians If righteousnes be by the law Christ died without cause or in vaine that is if the righteousnes of the law be our aduantage Christ must be our losse and on the contrarie if he be our aduantage the righteousnesse of the law must be our losse This doctrine of Paul that all vertues and workes both of nature and grace are losses in the case of our saluation soundes not in mans reason and there be many things brought to the contrary First it is alleadged that God doeth accept and crowne our works and therfore that they are not losses I answer God doeth as it were keepe a double court One of iustice the other of mercie In the court of iustice he giues iudgement by the lawe and accurseth euery man that doth not continue in all things written in the lawe to doe them In this court nothing can stand but the passion and righteousnesse of Christ for the best workes that we can doe we may not looke for any acceptation or reward but vse the plea of Dauid Enter not O Lord into iudgement with thy seruant for no flesh shall be iustified in thy sight Nowe in the court of grace and mercie God hath to deale with his owne children that stand before him iustified and reconciled by Christ. And the obedience of such he accepteth in this court and mercifully rewardeth though otherwise it be imperfect yet not for the merit thereof but for the merit and worthinesse of Christ. Thus then good works in rigour of iustice are worthy condemnation are accepted of mercie procured by the merit of Christ. Secondly it is alleadged that workes are necessarie to saluation and therefore not to be reputed losses I answer workes may be considered either as causes of saluation or onely as a waie directing thereto If they be considered as causes they are not necessary but in this respect they are dung If they be respected as a way leading and directing to eternall life they are indeede necessarie thus no otherwise Thirdly it is obiected that the law requires workes and the law must be satisfied therfore that he which is iustified must be iustified by workes The answere is that whosoeuer is iustified and saued is iustified and saued by works But works must be distinguished Some are personall workes done in and by our selues These neither iustifie nor saue any man but in the case of saluation are losse and doung Besides these there
the whole person of him that beleeueth is vnited to the whole person of Christ. For the Redeemer and they which are redeemed are vnited togither and Christ God and mā redeemed vs not onely in soule but also in bodie We therefore beleeuers haue 〈◊〉 our whole persons vnited to the whole person of Christ. And S. Paul saith that our verie bodies are the members of Christ. And Christ himselfe saith that we must eate his flesh and drinke his blood that we may be in him and he in vs. The second rule is touching the order of this vnion That we are first ioyned to the flesh of Christ and by his flesh to his godhead For that which brings vs to haue fellowship with God ioynes vs to God Now by the flesh of Christ we haue our fellowship with God It is as the vaile of the temple whereby the high priest entred into the Holie of holies and into the presence of God Againe it serues as a pipe or conduit to deriue the efficacie and operation of the godhead vnto vs. The third rule is that this vnion standes not in imagination but is a true and reall coniunction Neither doth the distance of place we beeing on earth and the flesh of Christ in heauen hinder this vnion The minde is vnited after a sort to the thing it mindeth After the contract of marriage two distinct persons being a thousand miles asunder remaine one flesh If nature affoard thus much why may not the like be found in the coniuction that is aboue nature The last rule is That the bond of this coniunction is one and the same spirit beeing both in Christ and vs first in Christ and then in vs. This teacheth S. Iohn saying that Christ dwels in vs by his spirit giuen vnto vs. Againe this spirit worketh in vs faith which also knits vs to Christ who as Paul saith dwels in our hearts by faith And by this we further see that distance of place hinders not this vnion The spirit of God beeing infinit may dwell both in Christ and vs our faith though it be seated within our hearts yet can it reach foorth it selfe and apprehend Christ in heauen The second desire of Paul is that he may be found of God to be in Christ that is that God would respect him as a member of Christ and accept him into his fauour eternally for Christ. For the better vnderstanding of this the order that God vseth in shewing his loue must be obserued First of all he begins his loue in Christ whome he loues simply for himselfe then from Christ he descends to them that are vnited to Christ considering them euen as parts of Christ whome also he loueth yet not simply but respectiuely in and for Christ. He that lookes vpon things of diuers kinds through a greene glasse beholdes them all to be greene euen so whome God respecteth in and for Christ they are loued of God as he is loued and righteous as he is righteous And this is the thing which Paul desireth that in the daie of iudgement he may be thus respected Hence we learn that God will make an examination of all our hearts liues and works in the day of iudgement For this Finding which Paul mentioneth presupposeth that God sees and obserues our waies and will one daie certenly discouer them knowing euē now certainly whether we be in Christ or no. For this cause we are to call our selues to an account yea to a strait account for God will find out whatsoeuer is amisse though we haue skill to make faire shewes before men And we are withall to amend our selues Salomon vpon this ground disswades the young man from fornication why shouldest thou my sonne saith he take delite in a straunge woman seeing the waies of men are before the cies of God and he pondereth all their pathes To this purpose the Iewes haue a saying worth our marking write say they three things in thy heart and thou shalt neuer sinne There is an eie that seeth thee an eare that heareth thee and a hand that writeth all thy sayings doings in a booke And the cause of our manifold sinnes is that men falsely thinke that God neither sees nor heares them Thus saith Dauid of his enemies They bragge in their talke and swordes are in their lippes for say they who heareth vs. Againe here we see Pauls care yea the pitch of all his desires and his principall forecast that he might be found of God in the day of iudgement to be a member of Christ. The like must be our care and forecast nowe in the time of this life yea this must be the care of all cares that we may be knit to Christ and so accepted of God when we shall rise to iudgement Christ bids vs watch and praie that we may stand before the sonne of man and this we cannot doe vnlesse we be incorporate into Christ. We are bidden first to seeke the kingdome of heauen and that is indeed to be in Christ. To be wise and circumspect in many matters and yet to want forecast to compasse our maine and principall good is the greatest follie of all What is the fault of the foolish virgins virgins they were as the wise they carried the burning lamps of Christian profession likewise they had oyle that is the oyle of grace but alas they had not oyle enough to furnish their lampes Their fault was that they wanted forecast to furnish themselues with oyle sufficient And there is neuer sufficiencie of oyle till we be true and liuely members of Christ. And this was their damnable follie that they contented themselues with the name and profession of Christ and had not a serious and speciall care indeed to be members of Christ. Therfore let vs now diligently indeauour to be that in this life which we desire to be found of God in the day of iudgement There be three iudgements which we are to vndergoe the iudgement of men of our selues and of God The two first we may falsifie the third we cānot For men we may deceiue and our selues we may deceiue but God we can not It is the foundation of all good things to be ingraffed into Christ and for this cause all the forecast of our heads all other cares and studies should giue place that this be might accōplished Som mā may hereupon demand what he should doe that he might be in Christ. I answer two things first he must breake off all his sinnes and turne vnto God secondly he must pray earnestly euen vnto the death that his heart may be knitte to Christ. Againe it may be demanded how it may be knowne of vs that we are in Christ. S. Iohn answereth Hereby we know that he dwelleth in vs by the spirit which he hath giuen vs. And we may know that we haue the spirit of Christ if the same mind inclination and disposition the like loue to God and man the like
as the first Adam makes vs like himselfe in sinne and death so Christ the second Adam renewes vs and makes vs like to himselfe in righteousnes and life And the head quickned with spirituall life will not suffer the members to remaine in the death of sinne The seauenth effect is to preserue safe sound the gifts and graces which he hath procured by his death and bestowed on them that beleeue and this he doth by the vertue of his resurrection For to this ende hath he conquered all our spirituall enemies and doth by his power conquer them still in vs so as none shal be able to take his sheepe out of his hands The last effect is to raise the bodie from the graue in the day of iudgement to eternall glorie If it be obiected that the wicked are also raised then by the power of Christ I answer that the power of Christ is twofold One is the power of iudgement the other a power of a Sauiour By the first Christ as a iudge raiseth the vngodly that he may exequute on them the curse denounced from the beginning of the world at what time thou shalt eate the forbidden fruit thou shalt die the death The second power is here tearmed the power of Christs resurrection and it belongs to him as he is our Sauiour and by it will he raise to life eternall all those that by the bond of the spirit are mystically vnited to him For by meanes of this vnion this raising power shall flow from the head to the dead bodies of them that are in Christ. Thus we see what the vertue here mentioned is and what Paul desires namely that he may haue experience of these effects in himselfe The vse of the doctrine followeth First of all in that Christ rose for vs and in that his resurrection is of endlesse efficacie here is the foundation of all our spirituall comfort For by this vertue of Christs resurrection frō death to life all our spiritual enemies are conquered and subdued and by the said vertue doth he daily more and more subdue them in vs. Vpō this groūd said Christ Ye shal haue affliction in the world but be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world And this victorie is for vs and it is made ours by our faith as Iohn saith This is the victorie which ouer commeth the world euen your faith Art thou then terrified and afraied with the conscience of thy sinnes with the crueltie of tyrants the rage of the world the paines of hell the pangs of death the temptations of the deuill be not dismaied but by thy faith rest on Christ that rose againe frō death to life for thee therby shewed himself to be a rocke for thee to rest on and to be the lyon of the Tribe of Iuda and thus shalt thou finde certen remedie against all the troubles and miseries of life and death Againe here we are taught to rise with Christ from our sinnes and to liue vnto God in newnes of life and for this ende to pray that we may feele the vertue of Christs resurrection to chaunge and renew vs. Great are the benefites which we reape by this vertue and we are to shew ourselues thankfull to God for them which we can doe no way but by newnes of life Againe the ende why Christ rose for vs was that we might rise from our sinnes and corruptions in which we lie buried as in a graue to a new spirituall life And the reward is great to them that make this happie change For he that is partaker of the first resurrection shall neuer see the second death as on the contrarie he which neuer riseth from his owne sinnes and euill waies shall certenly feele and indure the second death And further it must be knowne that the vertue of Christs resurrection and the merit of his death are inseparably ioyned together and therefore he that findes not the vertue of Christ to raise him to an holy and spirituall life acceptable to God falsly perswades himself of the merit of his death in the remission of his sinnes Christ by rising put vnder his feete all our enemies and ledde captiuitie captiue euen sinne it selfe It is therefore a shame for vs to walke in the waies of sinue and to make our selues slaues and captiues to it Christ by rising from death made himselfe a principall leader and guide to eternall life What wickednes then is it to walke in the waies of our owne heart and not to ' follow this heauenly guide The care and purpose to keepe a good conscience is a certen fruit and effect of Christs resurrection Thus S. Peter saith that the effect of our baptisme is the stipulation of a good conscience by the resurrection of Christ. Where the word which I translate Stipulation signifies an interrogation vpon an interrogation For the Minister in the name of God demandes whether we renounce the world the flesh the deuill and take the true God for our God And we vpon this demaund doe further in our hearts demaund of God whether he will vouchsafe to accept vs being wretched sinners for his seruants and thus we make profession of our minde and desire When Christ rose by the vertue of his resurrection the earth trembled and thereby this bruit creature in his kinde professed his subiection and homage to Christ that rose againe If then we beleeue that Christ rose from death for vs much more should our hearts tremble and we yeeld our selues in subiection to him in all spirituall obedience Some man may say you bid vs rise from our sinnes as Christ rose to the glorie of his Father whereas this is wholly Gods worke in vs and not ours I answer it is so indeed yet can we vse the outward meanes of hearing and reading and if we haue any sparke of grace we can aske and desire the spirit of God that worketh this in vs. Againe exhortations admonitions and such like are meanes appointed of God whereby he worketh in vs the thing which he requireth and commandeth Wherefore let vs listen to the voice of Christ Awake thou that sleepest stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee life And worldly cares must not hinder vs in this worke for as Paul saith they which are risen with Christ must seeke the things that are aboue Againe here we are taught that we may not content our selues if we know Christ in the braine and can speake well of him with a glibbe tongue we must goe yet further and by all meanes labour that we taste and feele by experience how good and sweete a Sauiour Christ is vnto vs that our hearts may be rooted and grounded in his loue This is the thing which Paul aimed at which also we must seeke by all possible meanes to attaine vnto To proceede that we may haue right knowledge of our communion with Christ in his death two points are to be