ingenuously acknowledge my weaknesse herein This meditation I say being an effectuall meanes to apprehend it deeper and deeper and to encrease thy knowledge and faith in it especially when thou feelest thy conscience pricked and troubled with sinne will even breath the spirit of God and life into thy soule as Paul testifieth saying Received you the spirit by hearing the Law Or by hearing of faith viz. of free Justification preached Gal. 3. 2. And so will be as it were the soule of thy soule to revive thee to eternall life yea thou shalt feele that thy often meditating in this heavenly gift like Naamans seventimes washing of himselfe in the River Iordane will assure thee clearer and clearer that all the spirituall leprosie of thy sinnes is washed away cleane out of Gods sight By which renewing as it were thy Baptisme thou mayst be anew strengthened with the spirituall inward seale of joy and gladnesse Ps 51. 7 8. Neither let thy unworthinesse of so great a benefit deterre thee from taking it because it is given thee freely I say freely that is God respecting no worthinesse in thee to deserve it nor no unworthinesse in thee to hinder thy free taking of it but only pittying thy misery doth give it thee freely to this end to declare the glory of his free Grace and to heale freely all thine unworthinesse and to make thee freely worthy of all the other benefits and blessings of God both temporall and eternall Thus Christian Reader if Christianly passing by all my weaknesses in handling this glorious free benefit yet if thou shalt here finde that the learned Writers collected have said some thing that may edifie thee in thy most holy faith then shall I be well content and fully satisfied Commending thee to God and to the word of his Grace which is able to build further I with all my poor endeavours doe wholly rest Thine in true Christian affection JOHN EATON The Contents of this Treatise according to the order of the Chapters CHAP. I. OF the necessity of Free Iustification and of the right and joyfull knowledge thereof shewne 1 Because of Gods extreme hatred of sin 2 Because Iustification is the summe of the Gospel 3. The foundation of the Church both before and since the comming of Christ 4 The strongest Armes against assaults of the Devill pag. 2. 3. infra CHAP. II. OF the nature of Free Iustification as 1 What it is pag. 7 2 Who are capable of this glorious benefit ibid. 3 How it is wrought upon us pag. 20 Three maine things revealed in the word of God concerning sinne pag. 8. infra A pithie opening of the tenne Commandements pag. 11 A fivefold punishment belonging to the least sin pag. 17 That wee are two manner of wayes made righteous p. 22 CHAP. III. OF the parts of Iustification as 1 Of the first part p. 24 2 Of the excellency of this first part described by six Emphaticall Scripture phrases expressing the same where the said Texts are opened and explained p. 29 CHAP. IIII. OBjections against this first part of Iustification especially against the fifth emphaticall Scripture phrase expressing the excellency of this first part of free Iustification answered and the faith thereof described and cleered pag 43 1 The distinction and difference of the Objectors is to bee marked ibid. 2 Their objections from places of Scripture are answered as first Sins we have in us 1 Ioh. 1. 8. and who can say his hart is pure for in many things we sin all Iam. 3. 2. Ergo God who is Almighty and searcheth the hearts and reines seeth them in us Can any thing bee hid out of his sight pag. 47 Secondly He that made the eye shall not he see Psal 94. p. 52 3 God knoweth the sinnes of his justified children infinitly more perfectly than they themselves doe as you your selfe confesse Ergo hee seeth them in them because knowing and seeing are all one in God All which places are fully discussed and cleered Two reasons shewing how knowing and seeing in God may be said to differ p. 68 How God knowes the sinnes of his children and of Reprobates p. 71 CHAP. V. WHerein other Scriptures objected are cleered and answered as 1 That all things are open and naked to Gods eyes c. Heb. 4. 13. p. 73 2 God knoweth our sitting down and rising up and understandeth all our thoughts Psal 139. p. 76 3 Against thee have I sinned and done evill in thy sight Psal 51. 4. p. 80 Paul complaineth of sinne and saith O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me c. Ergo. p. 87 5 If our hearts condemn us God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things 1 Ioh 3. 20. p. 88 6 God saw sin in the justified Church of Corinth and punished them for the same 1 Cor. 11. And also in divers of the Churches of Asia Revel 2. 3. Ergo the children of God are not made so perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God that God sees no sinne in them p. 92 7 Paul had remnants of sin in him and prayed thrice against the same that it might depart from him 2 Cor. 12. 7 8. Ergo the children of God are not made by Iustification so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God that God sees none in them p. 84 The maine essentiall difference between the Law and the Gospel p 83 How the Iustification of a Church and of a particular man are different p. 92 CHAP. VI. WHerein is contained an answer to the second rank of objections of such examples of David and others as were justified persons and yet God saw and took notice of sin in them and corrected punished some of thē for the same p. 97 A distinction between the time of the Law the time of Ioh. Baptist and the time of Christs death upon the crosse p. 98. infra Two reasons why sinnes were not punished in Iohn Baptists time p. 104 A threefold prerogative of the New Testament p. 110 CHAP. VII COntaining answers to the third rank of objections expressing certaine Reasons proving that the justified children of God are not made so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God that God sees no sin in them as 1 God doth correct with crosses and afflictions yea and punish his justified children for sin ergo p. 120 Where are discussed two severall sorts of crosses 1. Legall 2. Evangelicall p. 121. deinceps Together with the uses of Evangelicall crosses p. 127 3 Scriptures explained p. 129 Twelve Absurdities arising from the confounding of the aforesaid crosses p. 135 CHAP. VIII COntaining answers to three other objected Reasons as 1 If wee bee made so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely that God sees no sin in us what need we to pray daily in the Lords prayer forgive us our trespasses p. 147. 154 2
oppression and bondage of the Law did flie to the succour of the Gospel then twinklingly and glimmeringly shining a farre off yet we deny that they were so endued with the spirit of freedome and assuredness that they did not in some part feele both feare and bondage by the Law yea in such measure that in comparison of us they were both children and under the testament of bondage and feare Nay S. Paul is not content to liken them to little children under the Schoolmasters rod But also to men shut up in prison and to servants under an hard Apprenticeship eagerly longing for their freedome by the comming of Christ that might fully reveale the making them perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely Galath 3. 23 24. Thus was Gal. 3. 23 2◠the glory of Free Iustification hid and vailed under the severity and rod of the Law whereby they seemed not justified but rather as the Apostle saith as slaves and servants ever for their defaults under the whip and more like malefactors in prison than sonnes and heires of such glorious benefits as is the fulnesse of Free Iustification And such were the children of the Old Testament The second time comming betweene the Law and ◠the time of Iohn Baptist the Gospel was the time of Iohn Baptist continuing unto the death of Christ and was more glorious than the time of all the Prophets before by reason of the glory of his ministery for although he revealed sinne terribly by the Law so that the Scribes and Pharises that thought themselves so holy and righteous were glad to be washed of him yet because he pointed with his finger to the Messiah that was now come and preached yea and sealed by Baptisme a more full exhibiting of free Iustification saying looke how truely I wash your bodies with water so truely is the Messiah come among you ready with his blood to wash away all your sins for you may behold and see among you the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world Iohn 1. 29. Whereupon although Iohn came short of Iohn 1. 29. two points that made the ministery of all the former Prophets very glorious as first to foretell things to come and secondly to confirme the same with miracles whereof Iohn did neither yet so glorious was his ministery that among all the Prophets borne of women arose not a greater Prophet and Minister than Iohn because by his pointing to the Messiah now come and present he did not only preach and seale by baptisme a fuller exhibiting of the glory of free Iustification but thereby also the former legall severity that then lay upon the children of God and the school-masterlike governement began to slacke and cease for although Iohn laid open culpas their sins and the danger of the same belonging to the wicked and so divided and applied the Law rightly yet de poenis that is concerning any punishments inflicted upon Gods children we read none but rather many judgements and punishments by Christs miracles were healed and removed away Whereupon though Peters foule fault of denying and grosse forswearing his Master and others sinnes were in that middle state taken notice of yet no punishments were inflicted upon them for the same for Ambrose saith of Peters denyall and tears we do read but of any satisfaction or punishment we read not no not when the ungratefull Samaritans Luke 9. 53 54. though afterwards converted refusing to receive Christ Iames Iohn would in a legall rigour have had fire to come downe from heaven to consume them yet would Christ inflict none whereof two reasons may be yeelded first because the upshot and fulnesse Two reasons why sinnes were not punished in Iohn Baptists time of all punishment of all the sinnes of the Elect was now going to be acted and executed in the death of Christ upon the Crosse drowning all punishments and Schoole-master-like whippings inflicted in former times And secondly because the Bride that was a childe before and under the rod now the fulnesse of time being come Galat. 4. 4. was as one Galat. 4. 4. growne to full age no longer under a schoole-master but preparing to attire herselfe in the wedding-garment of that righteousnesse which her Bridegroome had now actually wrought Mat. 3. Herein to marry her Mat. 3. Hos 2. 29. unto himselfe in righteousnesse for ever Hos 2. 29. And this expiring of the schoole-master-like whippings vailing and darkening free justification Christ himselfe testifieth saying The Law and the Prophets prophecied untill Iohn since that time the Kingdome of God is preached and every man presseth into it Luke 16. 16. Matth. Luke 16. 16. Matth. 11. 13. 11. 13. for what was the prophecying of the Law or what else did the Law prophecie and what did the Prophets agreeing with the Law principally preach to the children of God then but as if they had not been justified a severe exacting of righteousnesse with large promises to the doers of the same as if they were to merit the favour of God and his blessings temporall and spirituall but with threats of wrath and anger and sharp punishments to his children failing in the same and not only threatning these things but also executing the same sharply upon them as wee heard before this was the prophecying of the Law untill Iohn being the meere schoole-master-like government that ceased with Iohn which the Apostle to the Galat. testifieth more fully saying But after that faith that is Christ the object of faith is come we are no longer under a Schoole-master Galat. 3. 25. upon Gal. 3. 25. which words of the Apostle the exposition of the learned Interpreters is worth the marking saying thus Iam Paedagogii munus expirâsse nec locum ampliùs habere diseriè affirmat that is now the Apostle flatly or expressely affirmeth that the office of the schoole-mastership is expired and hath place no more Not but The Law is to preached that the Law is to be preached as hereafter shall bee further shewed but that the former legall whippings of the old people of God under the old Testament driving them as little children to obedience by feare thereby vailing and darkening free justification was now expired and ended which the said learned interpreters expresse more largely thus But we Jewes and people of God under the old Testament were in times past children under the Law as under a schoolmasters ferula But Christ being exhibited and come now being by faith growne to full age wee are under the schoolemastership of the Law no more as not needing that legall schoolemastership being emancipati by our full growne age The Law therefore hath the use of that direction no more and therefore it ought not to be joyned and mingled with faith After this manner doth the Apostle lay forth not only the use of the Law but also shewes why it ought to bee but for a
nest as a bastard brood But if we doe thus annoint our eyes wee may easily by right marking the differing glory of these three times answer the former proposed question namely how it comes to passe that the faithfull dispensers of Gods mysteries avouch that God saw sinne in these Justified persons exemplified and yet now sees none in us but that the weakest capacity may not stumble at this phrase of the learned expressing the glory of free justification I will for the weaker memory make all that hath been spoken of this point cleere and manifest by a breefe and plaine antithesis thus First God saw sin in them as the vaile not fully yet An antithesis shewing the difference between the state of the old Testament and new Rom 3. 21. Zach. 13. 1. Dan. 9. 24. Ierem. 50. 20. 1 Iohn 1 7. Heb. 10. 14 17 18. Gal. 4. 1 2 3. revealing and manifesting the glory of free justification Rom. 3. 21. but he sees none in us as the vaile is removed away and the glory that we are made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely is fully revealed and fully manifested Zachar. 13. 1. Dan. 9. 24. Ierem. 50. 20. 1 Iohn 1 7. Hebr. 10. 14. 17 18. Secondly God saw sin in them as they were haeredes pupulli children that had need of the rod by reason of their non-age Galat. 4. 1 2 3. but he sees none in us as being haeredes adulti full-growne heires emancipati Gal. 4. 4 5. Gal. 4. 4 5 Thirdly God saw sin in them and punished them for it as they were under the Schoolemaster of the Law Galat. 3. 23 24. But he sees none in us as we Gal. 3. 23 24. after faith is come that we are made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely are no longer under a Schoolemaster Gal. 3. 25. Gal. 3. 25. Fourthly God saw sin in them as they were not made perfect concerning the conscience Heb. 9. 9. but he sees Hebr. 9. 9. none in us as we being perfectly purified with Christs blood actually and fully exhibited Hebr. 9. 13. 14. Heb. 9. 13 14. Heb. 10. 1. 2. 14. 22. Have no more conscience of sin Heb. 10. 1 2. 14. 22. Fithly God saw sin in them as they were come unto the Mount burning with fire and to darknesse and blacknesse and tempest Heb. 12. 18. 21. but he sees none in Heb. 12. 18. 21. us as we are come to Mount Zion and to the City of the living God and to the celestiall Jerusalem Heb. 12. 22 23 24. Heb. 12. 22 23 24. Sixthly God saw sin in them as being under the time of the Law and spirit of bondage to feare but he sees none in us as we are under the time of the Gospel and spirit of joy and love that casteth out that feare Rom. 8. 15. 1 Ioh. 4. 18. Rom. 8. 15. 1 Iohn 4. 18. Seventhly God saw sin in them as their Prophets and Teachers being lesser than Iohn Baptist came not preaching and opening the Kingdome of Heaven but he sees none in us as the least of our Prophets and Teachers being in their Ministery greater then Iohn Baptist doe bring us fully into the Kingdome of Heaven Matth. 11. 11. Luke 16. 16. Which Kingdome Matth. 11. 11. Luke 16. 16. of Heaven is not meat not drink much lesse sin and punishment but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. Rom. 14. 17. Eightly God saw sin in them as they were under the Old Testament that made nothing perfect but he sees none in us as we are under the New and better Testament stablished upon better promises and makes us perfect Heb. 7. 19. and 8. 6. and 10. 1 2. 14. and Heb 7. 19. 8. 6. 10. 1 2. 14. 11. 39 40. 1. lewel 11. 39 40. All which is worthily expressed by that Reverend Iewel of England saying thus Our elder Fathers in the Old Testament were under a Schoolemaster and had not the perfect knowledge of this light But now God hath scattered all these Clouds and we behold as in a mirror the glory of God with open face Our elder Fathers in the Old Testament had only a dimme candle to guide their feet we have the bright Sun Beames O wonderfull difference They had only the greene blade of the corne we have the plentifull encrease even as in the time of harvest 〈◊〉 exceeding advantage They had the shadow we have the light they had only a drop to refresh themselves we have the whole streame of Gods mercies powred upon us Now is that new Ierusalem the glorious City of our God revealed from on high Now hath the bright Sun of righteousnesse appeared from on high Now hath God made the new heavens the new earth and hath fixed his Tabernacle and dwelling place among men O that our tongues were untied and our lips touched with the burning coale from the Altar Christ that we might layout the worth and glory of these things then should we be right Ministers of the Gospel of Christ then should we make our feete beautifull by bringing these glad tidings of peace and these glad tidings of good things not confounding but truely distinguishing betweene the glory of the Old Testament and the exceeding glory of the New yet I end this point saying with Calvin That this distinction Christ himselfe meant of when he said the Law and the Prophets are unto Iohn and that from thence forth the Kingdome of heaven that is the fulnesse of the treasures of the Gospel is preached and Luke 16. 16. every man presseth into it Luke 16. 16. CHAP. VII Containing Answeres to certaine Reasons Objected NOW let us proceed to their third and last Third and last sort of Objectons sort of Objections namely their Reasons which prove their matter no better than their misunderstood Scriptures and examples but only bewray more unbeleefe First they say that God doth correct with afflictions and crosses yea and punish his Justified children for sin Ergo they are not with the wedding garment of Christs righteousnesse made so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely that God sees no sin in them For say they will a loving father correct and punish his children for no fault Now because this also as well as the former that went before and the rest that follow after is a Papisticall cavill much pressed by them also to prove that the Justified children of God are not made both from culpa the sin and reatus the guilt and poena the punishment perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely And because some Protestants writing in their bookes of Gods correcting his children for sin are not rightly understood and on the other side by the Thomisticall distinctions of the Schoolemen of a
axiome in true Religion that bona opera non praecedunt justificandum sed sequuntur Iustificatum that is good works of prayer or any such like doe not goe before a man be justified but they follow after a man is before justified Whereupon Luther agreeing with Austin Captivitate Patylonica Tom 2. pag. 71. b. saith promissio Dei non impletur orando sed solùm credendo Credentes autem oramus quodlibet opus bonum facimus that is the promise of God justifying us is not fulfilled by praying but only believing but when wee beleeve then wee pray and doe any other good work And thus as I said at the first have I handled this point the more fully because it is exceeding weighty THe third Reason objected is this The holy Ghost Third Reason Objected is God and shewes us our sinnes and shall not hee being God and shewing us our sins much more know and see sin in his justified children ergo the children of God are not made by Christs wedding-garment so perfectly holy and righteous that they have not one spot or wrinkle in the sight of God freely To which I answer that the holy Ghost being true Answ God knowes the sins of all men infinitely more perfectly than they themselves doe but in his justified children sees them abolished for although men themselves know something of sinne and of the wages thereof which is death by the light of nature whereby they are left without excuse Rom. 1. 20 31. 2. 14. 15. Rom. 1. 20. 31. 2. 14. 15. Yet none comes to know and see them rightly and effectually except the holy Ghost doe shew them their sins But to shew his children their sins he useth two glasses and puts them into the hands of his Ministers for that purpose the one is the glasse of the Law the other is the glasse of the Gospel Now whilst his children are unconverted the holy A twofold representation of sinne Ghost both knowes their sins and also sees them in them and wills his Ministers to hold out unto such constantly the glasse of the Law that they may see the Leprous faces of their soules in the same wherewith the spirit working open the eyes of their conscience Gen. 3. 7. to see better then by the light of nature that Gen. 3. 7. the foulnesse of sin is so horrible that he must needs curse the creature that hath the least sin in his sight saying Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law Gal. 3. 10. Gal. 3. 10. and to see the unchangable truth of this definitive sentence that Heaven and Earth may passe away but one jot or tittle of this sentence cannot passe untill it is fulfilled and to see the horriblenesse of Gods curse due to the least sin thus the holy Ghost shewes us our sins whereby they begin to see their Leprosie to bee very foule and their miserie most fearefull for one sinne much more for many sinnes whereby they are so terrified and so effectually humbled that they desire nothing more between heaven and Earth than to be healed of this their deadly Leptosie and hellish poyson of the lest sin this is the holy Ghosts and not the light of natures first shewing us our sinnes Now when this first work is thus wrought then the spirit wils his Ministers to hold forth likewise constantly before their faces the glasse of the Gospel wherein they hear that nothing can heale them of their spirituall Leprosie and wofull miserie but the blood of the Son of God which they apprehending the spirit also doth by imputation cloath them with the wedding-garment of Christs righteousuesse wherewith he abolisheth first out of his own sight all their sinnes and then gives them the eye of faith whereby they also see their sins utterly abolished out of the sight of God the Father Son and holy Ghost one God blessed for ever And yet they seeing with this eye of faith no lesse image and Idea in this glasse than the gaping wounds and goared bloody side of the Son of God hanging upon the Crosse and streaming out his blood and life to wash away and abolish all their sins as they see them thus utterly abolished so the spirit shewes them hereby the horriblenesse of their abolished sin more in the blood of Christ than before when they saw them not abolished in the glasse of the Law as if a father his sonne having committed some A smile act of theft should not be content to chide beat and all to rate him saying he should be hanged and were worthy to be hanged but also lead him out strictnesse of justice so requiring and shew him a man hanging as his pledge and surety and dying for him upon the Gallowes this sight must needs pierce his affections and although it shew him his foule fault abolished yet hee sees therein the vilenesse of it more than before so although the spirit of God doe shew us in the death of Christ our sinnes abolished out of his sight yet hee maketh us thereby both to discerne in our selves and with S. Paul in the seventh to the Romans to bewaile in our feeling for the exercise of our faith those sins which before wee counted but small or no sins and to see the exceeding vilenesse of them farre more by viewing them in the blood of Christ by which they are abolished out of Gods sight than if they were still abiding in the sight of God and although the sight sense and feeling of these sins be by a greater light in the Law never so strong in their own selves as sometimes it is stronger than it should be being reâ—dy to cast the children of God down into despaire Yet as before whilst they were under the Law the spirit did by the glasse of the Law simply shew them their sins with the curse and wrath of God due to the same so now being under the Gospel and under grace he doth not simply shew them their sins as before but it is the true office and true work of the spirit to shew them their sins abolished out of Gods sight that is as hee himselfe doth see them cloathed with the wedding-garment abolishing their sin and making them perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God and in his own sight freely and thereby enters into them himselfe as fit Temples for himselfe to dwell in and also knits them as meet and fit members into the body of Christ so doth he open their eyes of faith to see contrary to their Reason and to their strong contrary sense and feeling that Testimonie of Christ to be true and verified in in them viz. Thou art faire my Love behold thou art all faire and there is no spot in thee Cant. 4. 1. 7. And that Cant. 4. 1. 7. this is the testimonie of the holy spirit unto the children of God under
the Gospel and that these are the things which the holy Ghost shewes unto them Christ himselfe testifies saying When the spirit of truth is come hee shall glorifie mee mark that but how or after what manner shall hee glorifie Christ it followes for hee shall take of mine namely that the blood of Jesus Christ the Sonne of God doth make us cleane in the sight of God from all sinne 1 Ioh. 1. 7. Ioh. 1. 7. Ioh. 16. 14. And shall shew it unto you Ioh. 16. 14. certainly if the spirit doe not shew us this nobody will shew it us for the whole world the flesh our own sense and feeling and the Devill do all shew us the contrary but yet saith Christ when the spirit shall come he shall judge contrary to all these for he shall judge the whole world of Beleevers in my ascension of nothing but righteousnesse verse 10. Because as Luther truly saith Verse 10. upon that place In eo enim transitupeccatum in justitiam absorptum est that is in that passage of his into heaven the sinne of Beleevers is absorpted and swallowed up into righteousnesse Whereupon it followes of necessity that such preachers as blend these two glasses and intermix them and so do darken them and such people as see not that they are cleane from all sinne in the sight of God freely may justly suspect themselves to be sensuall as Iude saith not having the Spirit shewing plainely that they see no more of the foulnesse of sin then the light of nature teacheth and so did never look rightly by the spirit into the glasse of the Law to be truly touched with the foulnesse of sin it selfe Secondly they did never look rightly into the glasse of the Gospel to see themselves translated out of sin into righteousnesse and unbeliefe being blind to discern these things of the spirit 1 Cor. 2. 14. 1 Cor. 2. 14. as before shee went about to make God blind so now shee falsifies the witnesse of the holy Ghost saying that he testifies of â—inne the work of the Divell in the justified children of God when taking only of Christ and of his benefits and shewing them to Beleevers he testifieth only of righteousnesse Iohn 16. 10. and so glorifies Ioh. 16. 10. 1 Ioh. 1. 7. Christ and his blood 1 Iohn 1. 7. THe sourth reason objected is this The Lord by Fourth Reason objected his spirit doth mortifie our sinnes daily Rom. 8. and shall he not see those sinnes which by his spirit he doth mortifie ergo the children of God are not with the wedding-garment of Christs righteousnesse made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely To which I answer That as this reason doth seeme Answ most plausible to naturall reason so it is that by which these Objectors doe not only most of all delude and deceive themselves and others but also is the Papists cunningest thiefe which they use after the cleanliest manner to rob Christ of his glory against which my heart yearns But oh that it did burne more against it But that we may understand the deceit of this argument we must mark two things first that the expresse words of the Text in this objection serpent-like suppressed are these If ye that is the faithfull doe mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit Rom. 8. Rom. 8. 13. 13. Secondly we must mark that this mortifying is all one with that saying of S. Iohn And he that hath this 1 Ioh 3. 3. hope doth purifie himselfe c. And with that saying of S. Paul who although as an elect vessell to preach unto the Gentiles did most of all urge and presse free Act. 9. Iustification yet hee saith Let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7 1. Now 2 Cor. 7. 1. wee must not understand that wee purifie that wee mortifie that wee cleanse our selves no not by the spirit properly to the sight of God For this is the meere and only and proper work of Christs blood and of the spirit cloathing us with Christs righteousnesse who thus alone by himselfe only purifieth us from our sins properly in the sight of God as the Apostle saith Heb. 9. 14. For if the blood of Buls and Goats sprinkling Heb 9. 14. the uncleane sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall sprit offered himselfe without spot to God purifie your conscience from dead works c. and is set downe to be one of the maine things that declare the glory of Christs â—od-head Heb. 1. 3. where among other praises Heb. 1. 3. of the power of his Godhead this is one That hee hath purified us from our sins by himselfe and therefore it is rightly said in the Doctrine of our Church taught by the first Restorers of the Gospel in this land in King Edward dayes That it is the greatest arrogancie and presumption of man that Anti-christ could set up against God to affirme that we take away that we purifie that we cleanse our own sinnes out of the the sight of God either in whole or in part But how then will some say doe we purifie and Quest cleanse our selves I answer that wee cleanse and mortifie and purifie Answ our selves only Declaratively to the sight of men that is we only declare both to our selves and to others in the way of thankfulnesse that the holy Ghost hath by cloathing us with the wedding-garment of Christs righteousnesse purified mortified cleansed and utterly abolished all our sins out of Gods sight freely Whereby the holy Ghost sees us not properly mortifying cleansing and purifying our sins out of the sight of God our selves for then hee should see us robbing Christ of that glory which his blood hath freely done before wee begin but when the wedding-garment wrought by his blood hath freely purified them out of Gods sight then the spirit we being thus first clean in his sight enters into us to dwell in us which otherwise he would not doe but being entred and dwelling in us he enables us by walking holily and righteously to avoyd and purifie out of our own sight sense and feeling and out of the sight of other men that sin which the wedding-garment hath purified and abolished before out of the sight of God and so we meerely declare before the spirit that hee himselfe and Christs righteousnesse have originally and properly cleansed and purified away and utterly abolished them out of Gods sight freely And this is that which S. Paul expresly teacheth in the sixth to the Romans for having shewed in the three next precedent Chapters how freely of unjust we are made just that is perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely unto naturall reason objecting that then we may live freely in sinne as we list hee answers nay that is
yee were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise where we see againe that we are first beleevers of Justification and then after if not tempore in time yet naturâ in nature and order afterwards sealed with the Spirit of Sanctification dwelling in us The Reasons are first because otherwise the holy 1 First Reason Ghost should come to dwell in a foule hog-stie defiled with sin which because hee utterly abhorres therefore first he makes cleane the house and prepares us for himselfe by Justification thus purifying our hearts first to himselfe by applying unto it Christs righteousnesse so preparing and making us fit houses and Temples for himselfe to dwell in and then comes and dwells in us renewing our nature Secondly to our selves and to our sense and feeling by sanctification another Reason is because it is the proper office of the holy Ghost to glorifie Christ but how doth he glorifie Christ By taking his things and shewing them unto us Iohn 16. 14. whereby the Iohn 16. 14. holy Ghost by the preaching of the Gospel shewing to his elect the excellency of Christs righteousnesse and enabling them to receive the same by faith and so to be spiritually and mystically clothed with it to glorifie Christ in this his righteousnesse He enters in it and by it into all the faithfull to dwell in them thus glorifying the righteousnesse of Christ and thereupon it comes to passe that look how freely the righteousnesse of Christ is by the preaching of the Gospel bestowed upon them that feele their misery by sin to justifie and heale them freely so freely also is the holy Ghost bestowed upon them to dwell in them and therefore in the very preaching of free Iustification whilst the Preacher is yet speaking doth God use principally and especially to raine downe the holy Ghost upon the Hearers even whilst they do nothing but sit still and reverently heare Justification freely preached unto them Whereupon Paul convinced the Galathians by saying Received yee the holy Ghost by the law that is by hearing works works preached No how then By hearing of faith that is free Justification preached Gal. 3. 2. An evident example Gal. 3. 2. hereof is extant Acts 10. 44. where we may see that Acts 10. 44. as Peter was preaching Christ and free justification by him even whilst he was yet speaking the holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word Another notable example besides many others in that book is Acts 13. Acts 13. where likewise we may see that when Paul had very powerfully preached the Resurrection of Christ and eagerly pressing the maine fruit and benefit that comes thereof namely free justification saying Be it knowne unto you men and brethren that by this man is preached unto you the forgivenesse of sinnes and lest we should conceive Gods forgivenesse to be a slight thing not Gods forgivenesse is a most excellent and glorious forgivenesse making the creature perfectly holy and righteous like mans forgivenesse He presently expounds what hee meanes by Gods forgivenesse and shewes what a glorious thing Gods forgivenesse is above mans saying Even from all things from which you could not be justified that is made perfectly righteous by the law of God by him every one that beleeveth is justified that is made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely And when there were some Jewes among them that marvelled and wondered and murmured against it that they that had not laboured for it should freely have the same righteousnesse equall with them that had laboured all day long in the heat of the day to get it to whom Paul answereth saying Behold ye despisers and wonder and vanish away for I will work a work in your dayes which yee will not beleeve though a man should declare or demonstrate it unto you And yet some others both Jewes and Gentiles besought Paul that he would preach the same words to them the next Sabbath day which also he did but what was the end and effect of this vehement preaching of free Iustification namely this That the Disciples hearts were filled with joy and with the holy Verse 51. Ghost vers 51. And if any man here object That these are extraordinary examples belonging only to the Primitive Church I grant that it is true concerning the outward visible raining downe of the holy Ghost for the first miraculous stablishing of the Gospel by visible appearances of the same but not for the inward spirituall working of Justification and raining downe of the holy Ghost upon Gods children spiritually and invisibly to dwell in them for this is essentiall and perpetuall to the Gospel as S. Paul testifies 2 Cor. 3. 7 8 9 10. proving thereby 2 Cor. 3. 7 8 9 10. The glory of the Gospel above the Law the glory of the Gospel above the Law saying That although the ministration of death and condemnation that is the giving of the Law was glorious so that the children of Israel could not behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory was to be done away how shall not the Gospel be much more glorious why because the Law did exact at our hands that we should give to God a perfect righteousnesse but the Gospel gives unto us a perfect righteousnesse freely and thereby is the perpetuall administration of the Spirit unto us whereby saith he this ministration of righteousnesse doth exceed in glory So that we see that the preaching of free Justification is the administration or ministeriall giving both of perfect The holy Ghost unseparable from Christs righteousnesse righteousnesse and also of the holy Ghost unseparably ever going with the same for the holy Ghost will not forsake the wedding-garment of Christs righteousnesse but to glorifie the same will goe in it and with it whithersoever it goes filling the heart where they two abide with joy and right zealous new obedience Another Reason why the holy Ghost goes so unseparably ever with the righteousnesse of Christ is Because the preaching of free Iustification is after a more peculiar manner called the voice of Christ because it is the only and sole saving voice of Christ Iustification is Christs voice alone but the voice of Christ being rightly and powerfully uttered is not a dead weak thing but is mighty and goes with a lively breath breathing out no lesse than the holy Ghost upon the attentive and reverent Hearers of free Iustification the only soule-saving and sole-saving voice of Christ making them to live a new life according to that saying of Christ verily verily I say unto you the houre shall come and now is that the dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God and they that heare it namely as the voice of the Sonne of God shall live Iohn 5. 25. surely they Iohn 5. 25. must needs live when the voyce of Christ thus breathes the holy Ghost into them
Colos â— â—2 13. of the Saints in light Coloss 1. 12. 13. 5. The meâ—nâ—s of our glorâ—h atioa Fiftly and lastly this free Justification is the only immediate cause and meanes of our finall glorification and of setting us in the right and assurance of eternall lise Therefore doth the Apostle say Whom God justifieth them he glorifieth Rom. 8. 30. Hence it is also Rom. 8. â—0 Rom 5. 18. that hee doth call it the Iustification of life Rom. 5. 18. Because to the Enjoyers of it by faith it doth freely and undoubtedly bring life and eternall salvation which the same Apostle againe testifieth when hee saith Grace doth reign indeed but how By righteousnesse or through righteousnesse unto eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5. 21. As if he should say Rom. 5. 11. Grace indeed doth infallibly bring eternall life and yet by this only meanes that men of necessity bee first justified and freely made perfectly holy compleatly righteous before God or else grace it selfe reigneth not unto eternall life Hereupon S. Chrysostome saith Chrysost in Rom. truly thus For where righteousnesse is there necessarily doth everlasting life goe withall and also infinite other Radix vitae Calv. ex Marlo Sicut â—eccatum non nisi mortâ—m parere potest ita donum illud Dei nâ—fâ—ra scilicet justificatâ—o vitae aeteâ—nae beaâ—iâ—â—dinem nobis a â—sertivel si mavis quemadmodùm mortis causa pcccatum est c. good things even as where there is sinne there is death for righteousnesse is more than life seeing it is the very root of life Herewithall agree the modern Expositors saying thus As sinne cannot but bring forth death so that gift of God namely our Iustification bringeth upon us all blessednesse and eternall life or if you had rather thus As sinne is the cause of death so the righteousnesse which is freely given us by Christ hath restored unto us eternall life Faith therefore of Free Iustification is sure of eternall life and so sure that it glorieth and rejoyceth in eternall life because Free Iustification only doth make us fit or worthy or sufficiently meet Luther in Gal. 1. 6. to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light by which only God hath delivered us out of the power of Id in cap. 1. 17. darkness and hath translated us into the kingdome of his Colos 1. 12. 13. deare Son Colos 1. 12. 13. For thus are we translated out of sinne into righteousness out of Gods wrath into his well-pleased favour out of cursednesse into blessednesse out of death into life for when sinne is taken away in the place thereof commeth righteousnesse in the place of wrath reconciliation and grace and free and well-pleased favour in the place of death life and in the place of damnation salvation CHAP. XVI Of the other foure fruits or effects declaring the Vtility and Majesty of Free Iustification THe third maine point shewing the Majejestie The third effect is Peace and loy in the conscience and Utility of Justification is That whereas the want or the ignorance of it is the losse of all true peace and joy in God so the right knowledge and apprehension thereof is the lively spring of joy and of a good conscience bursting forth into a joyfull confession and glorifying of God both in heart and tongue See this is that sweet Song of Mary Luke 1. 46 47. Where she saith My soule magnifieth the Lord and my Spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour for seeing the imperfections of our Sanctification are in this life so great That all our Righteousnesse is as a menstruous cloath If wee know not assuredly that by this glory of Justification all our sins which simply of themselves as the Image of the Devill God so cloatheth are quite and clean abolished from before him and that wee are perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God wee cannot have but rather doe disanull that Peace and great joy unspeakable and glorious That Justification by such perfect abolishing of all our sinnes from before God and free making as so perfectly rigteous in the sight of God doth hereby bring unto us For which the Gospel is expresly called joyfull newes from heaven without which joy we are not sure that we are delivered out of the kingdome of Satan which is sinne and death but by this joy the faithfull soule the true Bride of Christ may feele it selfe to be entred with Christ into the Eride-Chamber which is the kingdome of heaven For the kingdome of God is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost And whosoever in these things serveth Christ are accepted unto God and are approved of men Rom 14. 17. 18. But if thou ask how Rom. 14 17 thou maist attaine so great righteousnesse as may bring such peace and joy The Apostle answereth That being justified that is freely made perfectly holy and righteous by faith we are so compleatly righteous and become so just and saved That having no need of any works hereunto at all but through faith only obtaining true righteousnesse sufficiently Wee have peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 5. 1. For seeing only sinnes doe breed displeasure between Rom. 5. 1. Sola pe cata simultâ—tem pariant â—â—st uaâ—ex impiâ—s peâ—ateribus c. Phil. 1 7. Incredibi'e gaudiuâ— Marlo in Rom. 5. 1. God and man after that of ungodlinesse and sinners we are made just and righteous from hence it must needs bee that forthwith true peace doth presently arise and this peace that is to say quietnesse and tranquilliâ—y of minde and securitie of conscience which doth passe all understanding Phil. 4. 7. and doth breed in the hearts of the faithfull incredible and wonderfull joy indeed the Law sinne and failing in works terrifieth the conscience oppresseth it with feares and heavinesse of spirit and plucketh it from the assurance of righteousnesse of life and all goodnesse Luth. Gal. 4. 2 3. therefore let us not suffer the Law in any case to beare rule in our conscience especially seeing it cost Christ so great a price to deliver the conscience from the Schoolmaster-like slavery of the Law let the godly learn therefore that the Law and Christ are Why the Law is not to beare rule in the conscience two contrary things whereof the one cannot abide the other for when Christ is present the Law may in no case rule but must depart out of the conscience Idem in Gal. 5 22. and leave the bed which is so straight that it cannot hold two as Esay saith and give place only to Christ Let him only reign in righteousnesse in peace in joy and life that the conscience may sleep and repose it selse in Christ the Bridegroomes bosome without any feeling of the Law sin and death for the fruits of the The voyce of the Bridegroome spirit are not only love but also joy
the first and sixth Chapters to the Rom. but also by the example of Nicodemus who at the first was neither regenerate nor knew nor could learne what it meant which made him to come unto Christ by night being ashamed to come in the day but after that Christ had taught him Free Iustification by the similitude of the brazen Serpent lifted up in the wildernesse freely healing us Then he was a new man enflamed with zeale to defend Christ before the faces Iohn 7. 50 51 52. of the Rulers even at mid-day Iohn 7. 50 51 52. For Christ first makes us righteous by the knowledge of himselfe in the holy Gospel and afterward he createth a new heart in us bringeth forth new motions and giveth unto us that assurance whereby we are perswaded that we please the father for his sake also he giveth unto us a true judgement whereby wee prove and try those things which before we knew not or else altogether disliked So that take a kettle of A plaine comparison cold water which we would have to be hot it would be a foolish part to set it beside the fire and then charge it to be hot and to threat it that else it shall be spilt but put fire under it then will it begin to be warme but if it grow not hot enough put more fire under and if there lie a green stick or block that keepeth away the heat yet put under more fire and then it wil burne up the block and make the water throughly hot So our soule is this block our affections are like to water as cold to God as may be but if we call unto people for Sanctification zeale and works the fruits of the same only with legall terrours not putting under the fire of Iustification we shall either but little move them or else with a constrained sanctity make them worse hypocrites twofold more the children of hell than they were before Mat. 23. 15. but if we put under the Matth. 23. 15. fire of Christs love in freely and gloriously justifying us this burneth up all lets and maketh us hot indeed and zealous to good works Tit. 2. 14. Tit. 2. 14. Againe how inseparably Justification as the cause Iustification Sanctification inseparable and Sanctification as the effect goe both together may be represented by this Similitude Take a piece of carrion as bigge as the top of ones finger that smelleth very foule and wrap it up in a great piece of musk the musk not only taketh away the foule sente from mens nostrills smelling then nothing but musk but also causeth the carrion it selfe by little and little being overcome of the more forceable cause to lose its owne bad sente and begin to smell sweet of the musk So we being wrapped by the mighty power of Gods imputation in the righteousnesse of Christ it doth not only take away the stink of sin Ioel 2. 20. from the Iâ—eâ— 2. 20. no strils of God but also maketh us by little and little to leave this corruption and sanctifieth us more and more to all holinesse of conversation So that our works doe not purifie us but when as before we are pure justified and saved we work those things which may bring profit to our neighbour and honor to God This joyfull knowledge of Justification is that Freeing truth freeing truth whereof Christ spake saying you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free Iohn 8. 32. Iohn 8. 32. Cal. 5. 1. For by the Law is the knowledge of sin by faith is the obtaining of the grace of Justification is the healing of the fault of sin by the healing of the soule is the freedome of will by the freedome of the will is the love of righteousnesse by the love of righteousnesse is the doing of the Law All these things which I have knit thus together have their testimonies in Scripture The Law saith thou shalt not lust faith saith heale my soule for I have sinned against thee The grace of Justification saith Behold thou art made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing come unto thee and thou hast healed me freedome of will saith I will sacrifice a free-will offering unto thee the love of righteousnesse saith The Law of thy mouth is dearer unto me than thousands of gold and Psal 119. silver the doing of the Law saith I have sworne and am stedfastly purposed to keep thy righteous Lawes How Iustificatus per siâ—lem qu mâ—do â—otest mâ— juâ—â—e deâ—nceps operari can a man then being justifed that is made just and righteous by faith choose but work justly and righteously This is the liberty wherein Paul also testifieth wee are made free saying Stand fast in the liberty wherein Christ hath made us free Gal. 5. 1. He speaketh not of Gal. 5. 1. a civill liberty much lesse of a carnall and fleshly liberty Luther ibid. whereby people of the world will doe what The true Christian liberty they list but of a spirituall and divine liberty reigning in the conscience there it resteth and goeth no further and it is a freedome from the Law sin the dispeasure of God death hell and damnation Yea this Christian liberty swalloweth up at once and taketh quite away the whole heap of evills the Law sin death Gods displeasure and briefly the serpent himselfe with his head and whose power and in the stead thereof it placeth righteousnesse peace everlasting life and all goodnesse Now since enimies are overcome and we be reconciled unto God by the death of his Sonne it is certaine that wee are righteous before God and whatsoever we do pleaseth A happy change him by which meanes the schoolmaster-like bondage and terrours of the Law are changed into the liberty of the conscience and consolation or joyfull newes of the Gospel revealing the righteousnesse of Christ wherewith we are both justified and quickened Yea this joyfull knowledge of Iustification is the meanes whereby we put on Christ two wayes according to Christ put on two wayes Luther in Gal. 3. 27. the Law and according to the Gospel according to the Law as it is said Rom. 13. Put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ that is follow the examples and virtues Rom. 13. of Christ doe that which he did and suffer that which he suffered as Peter saith Christ hath suffered for us 1 Pet 2. 21. leaving us an example that we should follow his steps But the putting on of Christ according to the Gospel A new creation consisteth not in imitation but in a new birth and a new creation First to God-ward by putting on by 1 towards God faith Christs innocency his righteousnesse his wisedome his power his saving-health his life and his spirit Thus is Adams old coat cast off and abolished before God and we apparelled with remission of sins righteousnesse peace consolation joy of the spirit salvation and life
the judicious Reader will make no scruple to passe by them THE Honey-Combe of Free Iustification by Christ Collected out of the meere Authorities of Scripture and common and unanimous consent of the faithfull Interpreters and Dispensers of Gods mysteries upon the same especially as they expresse the excellency of Free Justification CHAP. I. Of the necessity of the joyfull knowledge of Free Iustification BVt now is the Righteousnesse of God made manifest without the Law having witnesse of the Law and of the Prophets to wit the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ unto all or in all and upon all that beleeve Rom. 3. 21 22. Here he handles the principall and chiefest point Tractat principalem locum qui est de Iustitia Christiana item de sapientia Christiana seude gloria Christi Luth. in Psal 130 459. Sisalutem querimus quaerenda prinâ—m juâ—itia est c. Calv. in Rom. 1. 17. Marlor ibid. of salvation which is concerning Christian Righteousnesse or concerning Christian Wisedome or the glory of Christ For if we seek at Gods hand for salvation that is for life we must first seek for Righteousnesse by the which being reconciled unto God we being thus in his favour doe obtaine life For that we may be beloved of God wee must first of necessity bee righteous seeing he hateth unrighteousnesse For whereas the Gospel is said to be the power of Prius justos esse necesse est Calâ— Marlor ibid. God unto salvation even therefore because it reveals the righteousnesse of God we must therein mark the Sclater upon the Roman cap. 1. 17. necessity of righteousnesse unto eternall life such a necessary antecedence there is of righteousnesse as that without it there is no hope to bee saved Gods justice inclining him to punish his purity to hate all unrighteousnesse For God is of pure eyes and cannot see evill he cannot behold wickednesse but he must needs destroy the sinne or the sinner Habak 1. 13. Habak 1. 13. Calv in Galat. cap. 2. ver 16. sermo 12. Because God being the soveraigne Righteousnesse he must needs hate us whilst he sees us in our sinnes then standeth it in hand for us to be made righteous before we can be in Gods favour Yea I adde further that it must be with such a righteousnesse so compleatly Sclater ibid. perfect as that it may endure the strict censure of Gods justice Galath 3. 10. Gal. 3. 10. Now then the exhortation of our Saviour easily Sclater ibid. followeth That we should therefore first and principally above all things seek the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse Math. 6. 33. such a righteousnesse as may stand before God and endure the triall of his justice There is a remnant of this Principle even in nature if it bee not too farre degenerate That it is righteousnesse whereby Gods favour and Kingdome must bee obtained and therefore the very Gentiles by the light of nature have performed some both religious offices towards God and civill duties to men as it were to winne and procure Gods favour thereby But what this righteousnesse is and how to be found here nature shewes her blindnesse and vanisheth away in vaine confidence of selfe-righteousnesse and civill honesty of which notwithstanding our Saviour pronounceth that it is utterly unavaileable to Gods kingdome Phil. 3. 8 9. Haec summa Evangelii haeâ— summa est omnium beneficiorum Christi Calv Rom. chapt 1. 17. Marlor Mat. 5. 20. and Paul that had as much of it as any counts it but dunge and drosse in comparison Philip. 3. 8 9. Therefore is Justification the very summe of the Gospel yea this is the summe of all the benefits of Christ for with them that are made righteous and reconciled God is present he endues them with new Tractat ergo pricinpalem â—â—il nostre salutis Iustificationem scilicet cuius pura cognitio sola Ecclesiam servat Luth. in Psal 130. Est Sol illuminans Ecclesiam paradisus seu caâ—um gratiae Luth. ibid. E contra cum hac c. simulamittiâ—ur christus c. ibid. Eoni igitur Pastoris est c. Lut. in Psa 130. light and with eternall life he heareth them hee defendeth them in all their troubles Therefore he handles here the principall and chiefest point of our salvation namely Justification the pure knowledge whereof alone saveth the Church for it is the knowledge of the truth and of life for which the Gospel is called the power of God unto salvation Yea it is the Sunne enlightening the Church it is the Paradise or rather heaven of grace On the contrary when this knowledge of Justification is lost together with it is lost Christ and life and the Church neither any judgement of doctrines or of spirits is left but darknesse and blindnesse possesseth all things Therefore it is the duty of a good Pastor that hee suffer not himselfe to be drawne away with any disputations from the daily and continuall handling of this point For unlesse the speciall grace of Christ do help Mr. Fox Preface before Luther upon the Galathians Sect. 7. hard â—t is to flesh and blood to comprehend this mysticall and joyfull doctrine of Justification so strange it is to carnall reason so dark to the world so many enimies it hath that except the spirit of God from above doe reveale it Learning cannot reach it Wisdome is offended Nature is astonied Devils doe not know it Men doe persecute it Briefly as there is no way to life so easie so there is none so hard easie to whom it is given from above hard to the carnall sense not yet inspired the ignorance whereof is the root of all the errors sects and divisions in the world Omnis geneâ—is tentationibus obruuntur ani mi Luth. Pâ—al 130. Yea this point being lost mens mindes are overwhelmed with all kindes of temptations Therefore give all diligence that you may have this principall point diligently knowne and firmely Hunc igitur prinâ—ipalem locum date operam ut diligenter c. firmiter fundatum habeatis Luth. Psal 1 0. verse 4 grounded Neither let any of you bee so arrogant that he should think that he hath fully attained this divine and heavenly wisdome For whilst Satan and the world and our owne reason are of any force wee shall never be perfect in this knowledge Yea I doe therefore so much beate upon it because Ego ideo saepius eum inculâ—o Luth. in Psal 130. I know that Satan goeth about nothing more than that he may take away this knowledge from the sight and mindes of men hitherto principally tend all the stirres which he raiseth up both publickly and privately that men busying their heads in new disputations should forget this article for Satan feeles the force and power of this article For Justification by which of unjust we are made just Homilie of Iustification
2 part before God is the strong Rock and foundation of Christian Religion Upon this foundation of Gods free promise and Acts and Monuments in the history of Luther grace first builded the Patriarks Kings and Prophets upon the same foundation also Christ the Lord builded his Church upon the which foundation the Apostles likewise builded the Church Apostolicall and Catholicall For this doctrine advanceth and setteth forth the Hon ilâ—e of Iâ—stification 2 paâ—t true glory of Christ and suppresseth the vain glory of man this whosoever denies is not to be reputed for a Christian man nor for a setter forth of Christs glory but for an Adversary to Christ and his Gospel Yea herein lieth the Touchstone of all truth and Acts and Moâ—â—â—mâ—nts in the history of Luther doctrine as the only principall originall of our salvation Yea this doctrine briâ—geth with it all good things as well ghostly as bodily namely forgivenesse of sins Luther upon the Galathians chap. 1. ver 6. true righteousnesse peace of conscience and everlasting life Moreover it bringeth light and sound judgement of all kinds of doctrine and trades of life It approveth and stablisheth civill government houshold government and all kindes of life that are ordayned and appointed of God It rooteth up all doctrines of error sedition confusion and such like and it putteth away the feare of sinne and death and to be short it discovereth all the subtle sleights and works of the Devill and openeth the benefits and love of God towards us in Christ And to conclude this point by the preaching of Luther upon the Galathians chap. 1. ver 1. this doctrine the Devill is overthrown his kingdome is destroyed the law sinne and death wherewith as most mighty and invincible tyrants hee hath brought all mankinde in subjection under his dominion are wrested out of his hands Briefly his prisoners are translated out of the kingdome of darknesse into the kingdome of light and liberty Should the Devill suffer all this Should not the father of lies employ all his force and subtle policies to darken to corrupt and utterly root out this doctrine of salvation and everlasting life Indeed S. Paul complaineth in all his Epistles that even in his dayes the Devill shewed himselfe a cunning work-man in his businesse by darkening and hindring this doctrine of Justification Now for use let this suffice in this place to stirre up Gods children by these and the like reasons to fortifie their judgements in this maine point of Christian faith The Article of Justification is the very summe of the Gospel that once corrupted there can be no soundnesse that truly and thorowly understood and beleeved and applied armes against all assaults of Satan and let us be exhorted as to edifie our selves in all other points of our most holy faith so specially in this which who so holds not aright surely he holds not the head nor ever can be saved Thus we see the necessity of earnest teaching and diligent learning of this doctrine of Justification Let us now proceed to shew the nature of it and what it is CHAP. 11. Of the nature of Iustification what it is who are capable of the same and how it is wrought upon us IUstification is when we feeling what lost creatures we are in our owne selves and in all our works and holy walkings by reason of our sins and sighing up unto Christ for help are by the power of Gods imputation so cloathed with the wedding garment of Christs owne perfect righteousnesse that of unjust we are made just before God that is all our sinnes are utterly abolished out of Gods sight and we are made from all spot of sinne perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely And this is Gods pardon or forgivenesse which few understand great above mans and glorious and wonderfull like God himselfe Acts 13. 38 39 40. the joyfull faith Acts 13. 38 39 40. whereof sanctifieth us and makes us to doe the duties of our vocations faithfully and to walk to the glory of God in the spirituall meaning of all Gods tenne Commandements zealously Tit. 2. 14. Tit. 2. 14. In this description of Free Justification first are described the persons who they are that are capable of this benefit namely such as truly feele what lost creatures they are in themselves and in all their works this is all the preparative condition that God requireth on our part to this high and heavenly work for hereby is a man truly humbled in himselfe of whom God speaketh saying Thus saith he that is high and excellent he that inhabiteth the eternity whose name is the holy one I dwell with him that is of an humble and contrite spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to give life to them that are of a contrite heart Esay 57. 15. Esay 57. 15. For Christ came to seek and save that which was lost Luke 19. 10. Luke 19. 10. Secondly is expressed the cause of this lost state namely their sinnes for siane only and nothing but sinne is the cause of all our misery this is the true plague-sore of the soule this is the deadly leprosie of hell of this spake David when hee said There is no whole part in me by reason of my sinnes Psal 38. Psal 38. Thirdly wee must not have only a glymmering knowledge of this by the light of nature as the Gentiles that had not the word who living in unrighteousnesse wickednesse covetousnesse maliciousnesse envy murther debate dâ—ceit and such like did yet know by the light of nature that they that commit such things are worthy of death Rom. 1. 30. But this Rom. 1. 30. light of nature must by the word given by the mercy of God reveale our reveale our misery more fully bee so Psal 147. encreased that the terrors of the Almighty doe work in our hearts a true and thorough feeling of our lost condition which is brought to passe by marking out of the word of God three maine things revealed in the same concerning sinne First the infinite horriblenesse of the least sinne Three nâ—aine tâ—iâ—gs reâ—ealâ—d cen erning sinne in the sight of God there being no sinne little before God for God would not in the equity of his justice pronounce such infinite punishment as his everlasting curse and endlesse torments upon the least sinne Galat. 3. 10. if the least sinne were not an infinite Galat 3 10. horrible thing in his sight and why because all sinne is the image of the Devill and spirituall high treason against the highest spirituall Majesty and so was horrible before the law was given but after that God himselfe appeared in such fearefull Majesty and gave a law forbidding the least sinne in such terrible thundering and lightening now is the least sinne become double horrible because now the doing of the least sinne is in respect of the law forbidding it in such terrible Majesty First a
is made light with the Sun-beames For the Lord Christ being Sol justitiae the Calv. Institâ—t l b. 3. cap. 11. sect 23. Sunne of righteousnesse Malac. 4. 2. doth in such sort communicate his righteousnesse with us that after a certaine marvellous manner he poureth the force thereof into us so much as serveth to satisfie the justice of God For seeing before the Tribunall seat of God it is esteemed no righteousnesse except it be the perfect and absolute obedience of the Law as Christ alone Suam juslitiam in nos transferendo nos juslâ— reddit is thus righteous so by conveying his righteousnesse upon us nos justos reddit he makes us righteous So that as the Brazen Serpent was of strength through the promise of God to strike health into Acts and Monuments upon Patr. the wounded and dying beholders and made them againe strong and healthfull much more is the body of Christ being the object of our faith of power to strike righteousnesse to our soules and so to make us not inherently and actively as the Papists hold but objectively and passively freely in the sight of God and truly and really just and righteous For as by the disobedience of one man Adam many were made sinners before they have done any evill work so by the obedience of one man Christ are many made freely righteous before they have done any good Rom. 5. 15. work Rom. 5. 19. Because by his knowledge my righteous servant shall justifie that is make many just and righteous for hee shall beare their iniquities Esay 53. 11. Esay 53. 11. Calv. iâ— Esay iâ—id The Philosophers gave many goodly precepts of righteousnesse but they could not bestow that righteousnesse Philosâ—pâ—i multa praeâ—lara praecepâ—a tradiderunt c. Pei sâ—â—justi siâ—nt upon any yea the law of God it selfe which containeth the perfect rule of righteousnesse yet through our weaknesse it is unpossible that by it we can attaine unto righteousnesse but in the schoole of Christ men are not only taught righteousnesse but Doctrine of the Church of England in tâ—e serm oâ— Iustiâ—cation part 3. by being justified are in very deed made righteous For to justifie is that of unjust wee are made just before God For so saith the Apostle Paul He that beleeveth in Siâ— enim dicit Apostolus c. Ex impio facit justum August him that justifieth the ungodly what is meant by justifieth the ungodly or wicked that is which of a wicked and ungodly man maketh him just si justificatur impius ex impio justus fit that is if a wicked man bee justified of wicked he is made just and righteous So that the word that we are justified is not to be taken only in the judiciall signification namely that Zanch. in Eph. 2. 5. God only reputeth accounteth and pronounceth us just and righteous and so quitteth us from all guilt and Loco commu de â—ustificat Sect. 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. punishment only in which judiciall signification some doe barely rest But also it must be taken in the naturall and proper signification as it is made of justus and sio the force whereof is to be seene in other like words as in albifico to make white sortifico to sortifie or make strong because so powerfull a thing is the Lords imputation of righteousnesse that it doth verè reipsa facere nos justos that is truly and in very Two manner of wayes made righteous realnesse make us just and righteous And that also two manner of wayes First by imputing unto us his Sonnes righteousnesse he utterly abolisheth from before himselfe all our sinnes and freely makes us passively just and righteous which serveth to make us truly and in very deed perfectly just and righteous in Gods owne eyes and this is called Justification And secondly he reneweth us by his spirit unto inherent and active holinesse and righteousnesse which later is unperfect in this life and serveth to approve us for righteous to the eyes of men and is called Sanctification Thus when God hath both these wayes verè reipsa truly and in very deed made us righteous then hee reputeth accounteth and pronounceth and calleth us righteous absolving us thereby from all guilt and punishment which otherwise would stand neither with his perfect truth nor power nor wisedome nor justice Therefore God doth justifie no wicked man but Perk. in Heb. 11. ver 7. first makes him just and righteous in and by Christ and then accounteth him so Because hee was wounded for our transgressions hee was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and by making us of unjust just and righteous before God thus by his stripes wee are healed Esay 53. 5. Esay 53. 5. Thus is Christ the Physitian which healeth all our Doctrine of the Church of England in the sermon of our misery part 2. diseases thus is he the Saviour which saveth his people from all their sinnes Let us all then with one accord burst out with joyfull voyces and say with the Prophet Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name praise the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits which so wonderfully forgiveth all thine iniquities that of unjust making thee freely just before God thus healeth all thine infirmities for by his stripes we are made whole But how perfectly we are healed is to be seene by the parts of Justification following CHAP. III. Of the parts of Iustification and first of the first part and excellency thereof THe parts of Justification are two The first part of free Justification is that whereby we being by the power of Gods imputation so cloathed with the wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse that of unjust we are made just before God have thereby all our sinnes that we feele daily dwelling in us so aboue our reason sense and feeling that it may be by the faith of Gods power quite taken away from before God and so utterly abolished out of his fight that we have not one spot or wrinkle of sinne or any such thing in the sight of God because the blood of Christ doth make us cleane from all sin as these Scriptures following do abundantly testifie In those dayes of the Kingdome of Christ and at Ierem â—0 20. that time saith the Lord the iniquity of Israel shall bee sought for and there shall bee none and the sinnes of Iudah and they shall not be found but how commeth this Iohn 1. 25. Praecipuum Christi officium breviter quidem sed dilucidè exponit c. quod sciâ—â—câ—t â—â—ccata mundi tollens c. Qùioquid est injustitiâ— per Christum tolli to passe thus Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world Here he laies forth briefly yet plainly the chiefe office of Christ namely that by the sacrifice of his
That great and glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of God Psal 87. 3. Psal 87. 3. But yet both Christ and these glorious things were vailed yea and greatly obscured and darkned but how or with what vaile even with the bondage terrors and legall government not only of the Ceremoniall Law as the Papists hold but also of the morall Law whereby sinne was severely taken notice of and also punished sharply in Gods children For they having then but a little glimmering under types figures and shadowes of the glory of Free Iustification and of the other glorious benefits of the Gospel and good things to come Heb. 10. 1. for supply whereof Heb. 10. 1. they were chiefly driven to righteousnesse with the legall rigour and government wherein God was eager in all the Old Testament to exact and extort their good works and righteous living to this end greatly magnifying and extolling the legall righteousnesse of holy and righteous living promising and giving large temporall benefits whilst they did them Deut. Deut. 28. 28. And not only severely threatning the failers in in them Levit. 26. but also sharply whipping the disobeyers Levit 26. being with the same Majestie that he spake unto them ten the Commandments in thundering and lightening suddenly ready also to take vengeance on every offence both upon good and bad with sterne and horrible punishments Thus was Moses for an unadvised word not only typically but also legally and morally strucken with death that hee entred not into the land of promise thus was Vzzah strucken dead for staying up the Arke thus was Ionah cast into the Sea thus was Eli his neck broken for not correcting his children hence came their Captivities and carrying away into Babilon Hence came their terrible Famines whereby the mothers were driven to eat their own children with such like examples innumerable the whole preaching of the Prophets running chiefly upon this straine Hereupon it was that the Apostle said unto the Hebrews converted to the Gospel Yee are not Heb. 12. 18 19 20 21. come to the bodily mountaine nor unto the burning with fire nor to blacknesse and darkness and tempest so terrible that Moses said I feare and quake And againe Rom. 8. 15. Ye have not received the spirit of bondage to feare Rom. 8. 15. again Yea God kept the people of the Old Testament under this bondage of feare with such severity that the Manichees and othes Heriticks fondly conceited upon the same that there were two Gods one ca'v Insitut â—â—â— 2. cap. 11. sect 3. of the Old Testament that governed the people in rigorousnesse and another of the New Testament that governes peoples in gentlenesse Whereas it is but one and the same God that governed his people of the Old Testament with such severity and rigour for Two causes of the severity of the Old Testiment two causes or respects First to shew that nothing pleased him but that perfect righteousnesse revealed in his Law And therefore if their foot did step a little awry from the same they were presently for their disobedience severely punished Secondly to make them by the burthen hereof to groan for the comming of the Messiah that should freely cloath them with that perfect righteousnes which as the Apostle saith Rom. 3. 21. Rom. 3. 21. Was witnessed in that Law which the Apostle testifieth in the Epistle to the Galath 3. 24. and is the proper Gal. 3. 24. meaning of that place namely that the Law executed with such severitie was the Jewes Schoolmaster to drive them to Christ that they might be made righteous by faith Hence it was that although they were the true children of God as well as we and heires of the same blessings that we be yet as the same Apostle there testifies Galath 4. 1 2 3. they were in comparison Gal. 4. 1 2 3 of us like little children and like Wards in The Church of the Old Testament under the three infirmities of infants their non-age and thereby under these three infirmities of little children from which wee are now freed As first they had not a cleer sight and a ripe understanding by the death of Christ of the greatnesse of the riches of the Gospel and of the worth of their spirituall treasures as little children and Wards know not the worth of their rich lands and inheritance but saw them darkly as things a farre off Heb. 11. 13. it being Heb. 11. 13â— true that a learned Dispenser of Gods Mysteries Calv. Insiit lib. â— cap. 11. sect 5. saith That it behoved before the Sun of righteousnesse was risen there should neither be so great brightness of revelation nor so deep sight of understanding And therefore God so gave them in measure the sight of his word that they saw Christ and his riches as yet a farre off and darkly Secondly like heires in their non-age that have not their whole inheritance but as it were little pittances thereof administred unto them for comfort food and apparell as a secret testimonie that the whole land in the hand of their Guardians is theirs So these as the Apostle saith Received not the promises Heb. 11. 13. but as it were little pittances of Heb. 11. 13. their riches outwardly administred unto them under shadows types and figures of the blood of Buls and Goats which were not able to make them perfect concerning the conscience Heb. 9. 9. and therefore were faine to be renewed every yeer Heb. 10. 1 2 4 11. Because the Old Heb. 9. 9. Heb. 10. 1 2 4 11. Heb. 7. 19. Testament made nothing perfect Heb. 7. 19. That being likewise true that the foresaid Dispenser of Gods Mysteries saith That the store of heavenly riches whereof there is offered unto us in the Gospel a more plentifull enjoying they did but a little sip of it Thirdly as the little Child whilst he is a Child is under Tutors and Governours that is in feate and terrours of the rod of the Schoolmaster and of sharp corrections for his honest and vertuous education So they were under such severitie of the Law that if they did as I said before but step a little awry they had the Law as a Schoolmaster that took notice of their sins and sharply scourged them for the same thus constraining them to holinesse and righteousnesse by fear as a Schoolmaster doth children to vertuous education Galath 4. 1. But to them that object that David and Gal. 4. 1. Object Daniel and the Prophets were not little children to us but wee rather little children to them they having more freedome of conscience from the feare and bondage of the Law than wee I answer that that Answ makes little to our commendations that they profited in the Gospel more being under the time of the Law than we being under the time of the Gospel but yet I adde that further answer of Calvin That although they feeling the
speake and doe whatsoever he will and are the generation that Solomon speaketh of Prov. 30. 12. that are Prov. 30. 12. pure in their owne conceit by their mighty mortifying of their sinnes out of Gods sight by the spirit and yet are not for want of having on by faith only the wedding garment of Christs righteousnesse truely washed from their filthinesse and is as Luther truely saith a pestilent generation although in outward appearance they seeme to excell all others in good workes in holinesse and straightnesse of life and thinke themselves to lie in the very lap of God and to be his true Saints by mortification when they are in truth but white Devils by their darkening and annihilating of Free Iustification Thus although as Luther truely saith When we have the expresse Word of God we ought rather to contemne objections than to repell them especially when the Word of God is seconded with the unanimous consent of the faithfull dispensers of Gods mysteries as we see before yet haveâ— endeavoured to remove away these stumbling-blocks that lay in the way of the weake beleever leaving the full overthrow of these objections against the former consent of the learned to my brethren of higher gifts and larger talents than my selfe And although more peradventure is objected against this first part of Justification humane wit being a very fertill field to bring forth thornes and briars to choake the truth and good seed of the Word And it is also most true which the first restorers of the Gospel doe say concerning Free Iustification that contenders will ever forge matter of contention even when they have no occasion thereunto whereby they may with captious cavillations obscure and darken Free Iustification yet I thinke they may either be referred to some of the former objections or will be such slight ones that a weake faith will easily overthrow them But if faith be not first in our hearts no Answers be they never so cleere will serve at all because it is true that Austin saith Non credimus intelligendo sed credendo intelligimus That is we come not by understanding the reason of Gods mysteries to beleeve but first beleeving without reason as little children then we come to see and understand the reason of them And by believing are able to answer all objections whatsoever as Saint Iohn saith This is our victory that overcommeth the whole world of opposition even our faith And therefore now let us proceed to adde something for the kindling and preserving of our faith CHAP. IX Containing an Antidote against doubting to kindle faith that so our faith may be a preservative against all Objections of the world the flesh and the Devill whatsoever NOW although first the expresse Word of God secondly the unanimous consent of the faithfull interpreters of Gods mysteries and thirdly the removall of these Objections might be sufficient to make us strong in the assurance that we in and by the wedding garment of Christs righteousnesse are made so perfectly holy and righteous before God freely that we have not one spot or wrinkle of sinne or any such thing in the sight of God yet such is the frowardnesse of our natures against Gods promises that for all this still we will bee wavering and doubting The reason whereof Luther laying his finger upon the very boile notably expresseth in these words saying But what letteth that one dareth not challenge to himselfe this Title that he is perfectly righteous in the sight of God even a timorous conscience for we alwaies feele sin and our life is ever fraile the cause whereof saith he in another place is our corrupt Nature and our blinde Reason which will measure the Kingdome of God according to her owne opinion whereby it thinketh notwithstanding Christs clensing away of our sinnes out of Gods sight that those things so clensed are yet uncleane before God which seeme uncleane to it selfe wherefore that opinion must bee removed out of our mindes seeing the Heavenly voice hath said The things which God hath purified pollute thou not that is count not thou uncleane Acts 10. 15. And because the Apostle putteth doubting Acts 10. 15. and unbeleefe in a manner for all one Rom. Rom. 4. 20. 4. 20. which doubting is the maine desire of the Devill and the first and chiefest sacrifice that he longeth after as being most dishonorable to God and most injurious to Christ therefore that we may be found at the least wrestlers and strivers against this sin of sins wee must fence our selves with certaine remedies drawne out of Gods Word wherewith being armed as with spirituall weapons wee may by casting downe imaginations and all strong holds that exalt themselves against the knowledge of Christs benefits bee able not only to resist but also at the length to overcome all doubtings which armor or spirituall weapons I will propose in sixe points whereof although Remedies against dâ—uâ—ting cr spiriâ—uall weapons consisting in sixe points some of them have beene briefly touched before yet because they are of great moment for the working of faith in us may here with the common consent of the learned Interpreters be more largely confirmed FIrst therefore because we cannot be saved except we become the children of Abraham Luke 19. 9. and we cannot become the children of Abraham but Luke 19. 9. by walking in the steps of the faith of our Father Abraham Rom. 4. 11 12. because the Apostle plainely avoucheth that as many as are of faith the same are Rom. 4. 11 12. the children of Abraham and blessed with faithfull Abraham Galat. 3. 7. 9. Therefore first I say it Galat. 3. 7. 9. behoves us exceeding greatly to marke as being the very life of our soule and to have ever before our eyes the description of Abrahams faith that he walked in The description of Abrahams faith by foure principall things exactly described purposely for this end by the holy Ghost Rom. 4. In which description foure principall things are set downe which the Apostle flatly testifieth that we must in this case of Free Iustification expressely imitate if we will be the naturall children of Abraham The first is the right object ground and matter of Theâ—r Object and ground of his faith faith whereupon faith must rest which is a promise of God giving a reall being of the thing to be already so indeed as he hath spoken it before himselfe although to outward sense sight and feeling it seems not to be as when God said to Abraham thou art fruitfull and thy seed shall be as the starres of the skie for multitude and yet he saw and felt both in himselfe and in his wife nothing but barrennesse so likewise in the case of our Justification God saith that the blood of Iesus Christ his Sonne doth make us cleane 1 Iohn 1. 7. Psal 51. 7. 1 Iohn 1. 7. and whiter than snow from all sinne Psal 51. 7. whereby we are made
learned interpreters doe well expresse must not bee so understood as if no man at all doth receive Christs testimony seeing both the Apostles and many others beleeving have and daily doe receive the same but because very few in comparison doe receive it who if they bee compared with the huge multitude that make a shew of receiving it by the dead faith but in truth doe not doe appeare to be in a manner none Indeed almost all doe professe that they doe beleeve and doe think in a generall confused manner that they doe receive Christ and his benefits so that Abraham himselfe could not see the day of Christ more Iohn 8. cleerly than they doe saying and thinking by the dead faith I am rich and encreased in goods and have need of nothing when they know not that they are wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Rev. 3. 17. Revel 3. 17. this is not to receive Christ and the rich benefits testified by him but only to dreame that we have received To receive Christ truly includeth four things Christ but to receive Christ and his benefits truly doth necessarily include in it these foure particular points First to know the time when wee were without Christ and had him not therein feeling our misery and our lost state by the least sinne and what need we had to receive him Secondly to see the excellency and worth of having Christ and his benefits how worthy they are to bee received and retained for no man will take and advisedly receive that which he sees to be little worth except it be for custome and fashion sake because all men do so with whom we live Aesops cock contents himselfe with a barley corne neglecting a pearle because he knowes not the worth of it Thirdly it imports an having of Christ and his benefits to ones owne selfe in particular for he that receives a thing and that also to himselfe doth take it to his owne selfe and so hath and enjoyes the profit use and benefit of it to himselfe in particular as when a sick man hath received a cordiall of his Physitian hee hath it within him there working strength health and livelinesse in himselfe in particular Fourthly and lastly he that hath received to himselfe the enjoying of Christ and his benefits of such excellent worth is filled with great joy according to the excellency of the things received and becomes to the giver of the same full of thankfull zeale highly prizing them according to the worth of them above all other things whatsoever all which is evident by the testimony of Christ saying The Kingdome of heaven that is the true enjoying of Christ and his benefits is like a treasure hid in the field which when a man hath found he hideth it and for joy thereof goes and sells Matth. 13 44. all that he hath and buyeth that field But alas how few are there at this day that doe thus and therefore how few have found this treasure how few receive and consider this very testimony of Christ may we not well say in a manner none but what is the kore of this sore even this because it is a difficult and hard matter to beleeve with Abraham the excellency of the things that God speaketh contrary to our sense sight and feeling and to reason builded upon the same and therefore the paradoxes and mysteries of Christ must be wrested to agree with reason or else the world that is the greatest multitude will be so farre from receiving With what cunning Christs is by many rejected them that they will utterly reject them But how and after what manner will they dare to reject Christ and his benefits even with a threefold cunning device First to palliate their unbeleefe for we must suppose that they are no unbeleevers of any old ancient truth therefore although God himselfe the ancient of daies hath spoken it and hath the unanimous testimony of the Orthodox Interpreters and Dispensers of Gods mysteries yet it must beare the title first of new Doctrine and then it is enough to reject so when Christ came a Minister of the old and ancient truth of God but to confirme the promises made of old unto the Fathers Rom. 15. 8. yet when he began to preach Rom. 15. 8. the same the greatest multitude cried out what new Doctrine is this Marke 1. 17. whereupon it is most Mark 1 17. true that is testified by the Apologie of the Church of England saying We wot not by what meanes but wee Part 5. have ever seene it come to passe from the first beginning that as often as God did give but some light to any people and open his truth unto men though the truth were not only of greatest antiquity but also from everlasting yet of the foresaid greatest multitude it was called newfangled and of late devised Yea Eusebius writeth that the Christian Eusebius Religion that was ever of old from the beginning for very spite was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say New and strange But as Christ unto the Scribes and Pharisees objecting that he brought in a certaine new Religion said If ye beleeved Moses ye would beleeve me also So it may be answered to these that if they beleeved the excellency of Free Iustification they would not stumble at the saying of the Scriptures and unanimous consent of the learned Interpreters as they expresse the same Their next manner of rejecting the benefits of the Gospel is That going about to measure them by humane reason and finding that reason agrees with them no righter than a Rammes horne that Reason may not leese her glory no fault must be found with Lady Reason but Christs benefits must beare the blame namely that they are foolish and absurd and so The Gospell is foolishnesse to Reason foolish and absurd things are not to be received of such wise men as the whole world is these little remembring and lesse regarding to lay the blame where it is namely That the naturall man not only perceives not the things of Gods spirit but they are also foolishnesse unto him 1 Cor. 2. 14. but least of all practising 1 Cor. 2. 14. that admonition of the Apostle That if any man will be wise let him become a foole that he may be wise 1 Cor. 3. 18. but this is an hard saying to such wise heads 1 Cor. 3. 18. who can heare it Then thirdly when they have concluded of Christs benefits that they are not only strange but also foolish Doctrine lest they should be blamed of unbeleefe they think it the best to sharpen the uttermost of their wits by contradicting sophisticating wrangling gaine-saying especially by absurd calumnious consequents of their own collections hatchings as with meer Niocdemicall conclusions yea and by mockings jestings and deridings utterly to beat it down But weighty is that admonition of our Church taught by the first
not for such an one as is in this literall knowledge doth not keep that which he professeth that he knowes and that also two manner of wayes that is neither in word nor in deed For first he failes in the foundation that is hee I Not â—â— judgement keepeth it not in judgement for how can he keep that which he hath not that is doth not understand Indeed let a man runne with them in the same round of the ordinary letter or usuall phrase that they like blinde mill-horses are customably without understanding used unto thereby rocking themselves and others asleep in the cradle of custome what in Christs mysteries is carnally and customarily conceited and ordinarily spoken rather than caring to understand what is said and whilst they are applauded for learned men so long they are reasonably quiet and will sing the same song of the dead letter containing the outward shell of Christs mysteries and will some of them run as fast as you will with you in a legall zeal flowing from the light of nature of works works works and a preposterous holy walking But if a man presse the same truth which they seeme to hold and to awake them out of their lethargy of Custome doe preach Novè but not not Nova nay if one expresse the same truth which they seeme to hold but even with an old phrase used of the best Interpreters that understand rightly the mysteries of Christ which they have not before heard of or which they are not customarily acquainted withall especially if it be a phrase going to the quick of the truth and expressing the excellency of the matter which they daily like Parrots doe blindefoldly prattle of then although it be but one and the same truth and the old doctrine which is daily taught yet upon presumption and high conceit of their great learning they cry out New doctrine errors false doctrine heresie blasphemy and what not adding ever something thereto out of their owne Cimmerian darknesse to make the matter more odious and thus they keep not no not in word and judgement to that which they seemed to hold but when the excellency of Christs benefits are pressed upon them by the expresse word of God then they fall to sophisticating equivocating and plaine deniall if they cannot fashion it to agree with their naturall reason and earthly conceit and humane wit even of that truth which they seemed before to hold at leastwise in letter so that by not understanding what they have spoken in one sentence they are so farre from keeping to that which they have said especially dealing in the mysteries of Christ that are above humane wit and the light of reason that they often times speak the flat contrary in another sentence thus as I said not keeping neither in judgement nor in word and confession to that truth which they themselves professe in other termes An evident example hereof is Nicodemus who being a great learned Rabbin and teacher in Israel knew by the dead literall knowledge those usuall places often repeated in the Prophets where God promiseth to give unto his people new hearts and new spirits that they might serve him in walking holily in all his Commandements And yet because he felt not the power and truth of it in himselfe being but in this dead literall knowledge although in his daily teaching he talked of these promises and called for a new life in holy walking in all Gods Commandements yet when Christ giving an example to all preachers how they should awake people rocked asleep in the cradle of custome not by teaching Nova but yet by preaching Novè spake of the same truth which he daily beat upon but in a new phrase that he had not heard of expressing but the excellency of the doctrine namely that A man must be new borne then was Nicodmus quite beside his books and thought that Christ spake very absurdly if not erroneously the old doctrine uttered with a new phrase expressing but the truth and deepnesse of it made it seeme new and false doctrine to the old blinde literall Doctor and therefore it is well noted upon the same place by Musculus saying Exemplar quoddam in hoc viro propositum est in quo deprehenditur doctos alioqui prudentes viros nondum renatos ad doctrinam regni Christi capiendam plane stupidos esse ineptos that is there is in this man a certaine example set before us wherein we may see That men although wise and learned yet not being new borne againe are to the conceiving of the mysteries of Christ and of the doctrine concerning his kingdome meerely blockish and sottish Yea and he addeth further saying ut non solùm rem ipsam non intelligant sed neque declarationem illius Christi verbis propositam capiant that is they are so farre from understanding the matter it selfe that they conceive not the very declaration thereof set before them by the words of Christ himselfe Whereupon as the learned well note Christ seeing that he lost both his time and labour in teaching a man so high in his owne conceit and yet so greatly ignorant is constrained to fall to chiding of him saying Art thou a principall teacher in Israel and knowest not these things quasi diceret O miseram ovium conditionem c. as if hee should say oh miserable condition of those sheep whereof the Pastor that hath the cure of them is so grossely blinde and so unskilfull in divine matters hitherto thou hast been reverenced as a principall Teacher in Israel and yet knowst not those things of which it is a shame that thy very schollers should be ignorant and lest any should think that this was a blindenesse and just reproofe peculiar and proper only to Nicodemus and not of all such as are in this dead literall knowledge it is upon the same place well noted of the learned saying Est autem haec generalis objurgatio qua Christus c. But this is a generall reproofe wherewith Christ reproveth all such Rabbins and great Teachers as lie by the literall knowledge in the same blindenesse with Nicodemus And thus we see the first way how they that are in this literall knowledge do only but sophisticate about the mysteries of Christ seeing many things but they keepe them not viz. they doe not keepe to them in word and judgement but professe them one way and deny them and speake contrary to themselves divers other wayes The second way how these doe see many things but they keepe them not consisteth herein that what they professe that they know they keepe not in life practice and conversation their life conversation and Not in life and conversation action nothing agreeing with that which they professe and seeme to know and see As for example such as are in the meere literall knowledge of Free Iustification doe finde by reading and thereupon doe professe that Free Iustification is the strong Rock and foundation
that are freely given to us of God but the naturall man or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man endued only with a meere humane soule perceiveth not nor receiveth the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse Verse 14. unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned and so forth to the end of the Chapter out of which two descriptions both of the literall knowledge before expressed and of the spirituall knowledge he hath so largely described by the Apostle let us because to discerne these two knowledges the one from the other is a point of great moment the one being but a condemning knowledge making our damnation only the greater and the other being a true saving knowledge let us I say for further perspicuity and cleerenesse herein marke some maine and principall differences whereby they may be discerned the one from the other wherein for brevities Sixe maine differences betweene the literall and the true spirituall knowledge 1 sake I will only briefly touch these sixe following First the spirituall knowledge apprehends the things which neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor heart of naturall man can conceive that is it conceives the mysteries of God above reason yea and contrary to naturall reason sense and feeling but the literall knowledge apprehends not the mysteries of God but after a carnall manner as they are new-fashioned as it were and made agreeable to reason sense and feeling and hence come so many objections from reason sense and feeling Secondly the literall knowledge doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2. 18. but it doth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 2. 12. that is the Rom. 2. 18. literall knowledge so knowes the mysteries of Gods Word as a man knowes a thing by reading of it or 1 Coâ— 2. 12. as a man knowes a thing that is told him of a strange Countrey but he hath no experimentall certainty of it in himselfe whereby it is true in such that is Matth 13. 14. written Matth. 13. 14. by hearing ye shall heare but not understand and by seeing ye shall see and not perceive but the spirituall knowledge doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is so knowes the mysteries of Christ as he knowes a thing that sees it with his very eyes and hath experimentall feeling of it in his owne selfe so that hee that is in the literall knowledge only is like a man that lying in the morning in his bed and hearing that the day is broke and peradventure seeing a little at the holes and crevisses of his windowes may talke of the day light and of the actions of the day light to be done in the same but because his windowes and doores are close shut he still without doing any thing lies in darknesse when as he that is in the spirituall knowledge is like one that is abroad in the open cleer morning working and walking by the light of the same Thirdly the literall knowledge being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but doth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the literall knowledge doth know as it were by heare-say many things by which they think themselves rich and encreased in goods and have need of nothing but it doth not see the deep things of God whereby they are raysed up to no joy and zeale for the deepnesse and greatnesse of the same but the spirituall knowledge doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 2 10. see the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2. 10. that is as Bezâ— well expoundeth it excellentiam Evangelicae Doctrinae the excellency of the benefits of the Gospel working joy and zeale of Gods glory by discerning the greatnesse and excellency of the benefits wrought upon us from whence flowes the cold and formall working of great learned Clerks making a shew of doing something and think in their own hearts that to proceed any further is needlesse when they that are in the spiritual knowledge do think both that there is need and also that they can never doe enough Fourthly the literall knowledge judgeth of the mysteries of the Gospel by the Spirit of the world that is after an humane witted fashion saying the same thing that the spirituall enlightened child of God doth as farre as naturall reason and humane wit can reach but pulls down Gods thoughts in the mysteries and benefits of the Gospel and makes them like unto mans thoughts for whereas the Spirit of God useth by certain humane phrases and similitudes to descend down to our weak capacity not to the intent that wee should dwell in them but that we should as it were by a ladder reached downe to Why the holy Ghost speaketh in humane phâ—asâ—s us ascend up to the heigth and excellency of Gods working and dealing upon us correspondent to the glory of his great majesty they that are in tâ—is literall knowledge doe stick fast in the humane phrase as it were in the foot and first step of the Ladder but ascend not to the greatnesse and excellency of the work of God correspondent to the greatnesse and excellency of his Majesty whereby they hold fast to those phrases that are correspondent to humane reason and to good humane wit but cannot abide to have those humane phrases reduced and understood according to other Phrases expressing in the same case the true nature and excellent working of God above reason and passing those humane similitudes and so compare and flatly measure spirituall things with earthly things because as a learned Dispencer of Gods mysteries saith habent literam sed non habent spiritum whereby they can say in the mysteries benefits of Christ Sibboleth but not Shibboleth Iudg. 12. 6. That Iudg. 12. 6. is they come very neere the truth and are as Christ said to the young man not farre from the kingdome of heaven but they cannot frame to pronounce the asperate that hath God in it that is they cannot yeeld to the truth and mysterie correspondent to the nature and perfect working of God for that is foolishnesse unto them 1 Cor. 2. 10. But on the other side â— Cor. 2. 10. they that are in the spirituall knowledge have received not the Spirit of the world to judge worldly carnally and after an humane witted fashion of the mysteries and benefits of the Gospel but have received the Spirit which is of God that they may see after a spirituall manner the things freely given of God that is correspondent to the high nature perfect operation and glorious working of God whereby although they gladly use the similitudes and humane representations in the Scriptures as an help to their weak capacities yet they stick not in them but ascend by them as it were by steps to the high working of God above all humane representations and earthly excellencies not comparing or measuring spirituall things with earthly things but measuring spirituall things as the Apostle saith with spirituall yea even with â—od
himselfe the spirituall worker and Author of them making them in our apprehension correspondent and agreeable to the Almighty nature and glorious working of so wonderfull a workman Fifthly the literall knowledge although it bee never so great doth not change him that is in it but leaves him in his former old nature and corrupt conversation as if he were prophane it leaves him still prophane if he were meerely civill honest it leaves him still meerely civill honest if he were blindly zealous with a legall zeale it leaves him still blindly zealous with a legall zeale of advancing works works and doing as wee may see by the example of S. Paul who before his conversion followed the righteousnes of the Law Rom. 9. 31. and was zealous towards God Act. Rom 9. 31. Aâ—ts 22. 3. 26. 7. 22. 3. serving God instantly day and night Act. 26. 7. And yet was but in this literall knowledge Yea as this literall knowledge findes a man in death and condemnation so it leaves him in death and condemnation saving that it leaves him in greater condemnation than if hee never knew any thing at all Bâ—â— the spirituall knowledge wholy changeth him that is in it and makes him to leave his old corrupt course of life and to live a godly conversation and not only makes him that was prophane or meerly civill to become zealous of Gods glory but also changeth the legall zeale of advancing works into the Evangelicall zeale of advancing Christs benefits and to doe all good duties zealously in meere thankfulnesse for the same because he that by this spirituall knowledge with open face beholdeth as in a looking glasse the glory of the Lord is changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord. Sixthly and lastly as the spirituall knowledge discerning the deep things of God counts them and embraceth them as precious and glorious so the literall knowledge resting in the bare letter cannot perceive nor receive the deep things of God that is the excellency of Christs benefits because it counts and rejects them as absurd and foolish yea very foolishnesse it selfe 1 Cor. 2. 14. and because great learning 1 Cor 2 14. The ground of contention and wrangling againstâ—râ—e justification counts it her wisdome to confute that which she takes for foolishnesse hereupon ariseth unfallibly against the preaching of the excellency of Christs benefits strong sophisticating and bold contention because the literall learning being mounted up upon the horse of pride for this knowledge puffeth up 1 Cor. 8. 2. 1 Cor. 8. 2â— And being pricked forward with two spurres the one of envie at her brothers gift of preaching the glory of Christ and the other of vaine glory lest this literall learning loose some of her praise she rusheth out like a warre-horse into the battle of contention and yet layes all the blame hereof upon the preaching of the excellency of Christs benefits yea so strongly doth this literall knowledge judge the excellency of Christs benefits to be meere foolishnesse and thereupon so impudent in contention against the same that Luther upon these words Then is the slander of the â—uther upon Gal. 5. 11. Crosse abolished Gal. 5. 11. proveth with many arguments that Paul taketh it for a most certaine signe that the Gospel of Christ and righteousnesse of faith are not rightly preached and is not the Gospel if it be preached without contention against it for saith hee when the crosse is abolished and the rage of the false Apostles wrangling sophisticating and persecuring ceaseth on the one side and offences and scandals on the other-side and all things are in peace this is a sure token that the Devil keeping the entrie of the house the pure doctrine of Gods Word is taken away Because saith he it cannot be but as long as the Gospel flourisheth the crosse and offence thereof must needs follow it or else truly the Devil is not The Devill rageth against the Gospel rightly levelled at and hit but slightly glanced at but if he be rightly hit indeed he resteth not but beginneth horribly to rage and to raise up by these literall vaine-glorious men all the troubles he can And again notably writeth Luther upon these words but as then he that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the spirit even so is it now whose whole exposition is worthy to be often read of the children of faith the sum and effect whereof is thus This persecution Luther on Gal. 4 29 vers alwaies remaineth in the Church especially when the word of God is powerfully brought to light and the doctrine of the Gospel flourisheth to wit that the children of the flesh mock the children of the promise and persecute them And therefore Paul in this place armeth the godly asore-hand that they should not be offended with these persecutions sects and offences As if he should say if we be the children of the promise and born after the spirit holding that righteousnesse commeth without works meerely by the promise we must surely look to bee persecuted of our brother which is born after the flesh that is after the Law and works and yet shines in the righteousnesse and glorious works of the Law that is to say not only our open enimies which are manifestly wicked shall persecute us but also such as at the first were our deare friends with whom we were in religion familiarly conversant in one house which received from us the true doctrine of the Gospel shall become our deadly enimies persecute us extreamely for they are brethren after the flesh and will persecute their brethren which are born after the Spirit and so raise hurries and molestations Indeed they lay the blame and fault in our doctrine when they themselves are the authors of these troubles and persecutions But because they are perswaded by this literall knowledge that they persecute that which is absurd and but meere foolishnesse they cannot beleeve this that they are the authors of these troubles and much lesse can they beleeve that it is they which murmur rise up and take counsell against the Lord and his annoynted nay rather they think that they maintaine the Lords cause that they defend his glory and doe him acceptable service in persecuting us The reason whereof is this expressed by Luther in other places upon the Galathians speaking against vaine-glory and therefore as worthy the often reading as the former the summe also whereof is thus That such is the nature of these literall and vaine-glorious Ministers of Satan That they can make a goodly shew that they are very charitable humble lovers of concord and are indued with all other fruites of the Spirit also they protest that they seek nothing else but the glory of God and the salvation of mens souls and yet being full of vaine-glory and doing all things to seeme learned and godly and so to get praise and estimation among
called him to his foot Is it not quiddam stupendum that the most perfectly righteous God should call a mortall man not only righteous but righteousnesse it selfe is it not a most dangerous thing to extenuate and darken this glorious benefit or can any mortall man extoll and dignifie this happy condition sufficiently no but because it is the immediate work of God it passeth the reach both of men and Angels But thus much shall serve pro meo modulo of this first point shewing the excellency of this second part of Free Iustification namely that this cloathing us with the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ doth make us fully completely sufficiently and perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely CHAP. XII That the justified children of God are so perfectly and excellently righteous before God that they are made glorious in the sight of God THE second point shewing the exceeding excellency of Free Iustification is That they are thereby made so perfectly clean from all spot of sinne and so perfectly holy and righteous That before God they are made glorious and doe though mystically in respect of outward sense and contrary feeling yet inwardly and truly shine gloriously in the sight of God as it is evidently testified from Gods own mouth by many Scriptures and unanimous consent of all the best Dispensers of Gods Mysteries the principall and chiefe whereof I will briefly recite The first place of Scripture is that notable prophesie 1 The first place of Scripture proving that the justified children of God are made glorious in the sight of God is Psalm 45. Psal 45. Where under the Figure of Solomon marrying the King of Egypts daughter it is plainly prophesied That Christ Iesus comming to marry unto himselfe the Church of the Gentiles to make her his Queen and a fit Bride for his own selfe doth first cloath her with the wedding-garment of his own righteousnesse called in the ninth verse The Vesture of the Gold of Ophir saying thus On thy right hand doth stand the Queen in a Vesture of the Gold of Ophir and then presently adds thereupon That hereupon shee is all glorious within where we are to mark That though he saith within that is mystically to us-ward and inwardly and spiritually to God-ward yet she is not only glorious but also all glorious within and to shew that the wedding-garment of his own righteousnesse is the cause of all this perfect gloriousnesse he presently addeth for her cloathing is of wrought gold verse 13. Verse 13. whereby she enters with joy into the Kings Palace that is into the Kingdome of heaven which is not meant the kingdome of glory above but the joyfull and glorious The happy estâ—re under the Gospel is called the Kingdome of Heaven state of the Church under the time of the Gospel which in the new Testament as Calvin well noteth for the full revealing of the Treasures of Christ by which we enter even as it were into the secret closets of heaven is called every where the Kingdome of Heaven The second place of Scripture not only confirming but also explaining and cleering all this to bee verified upon the Church of the Gentiles is that to the Eph. 5. 25 26 27. Where S. Paul being an elect vessell sent forth purposedly to deck the new Bride of the Ephes â— 25 26 2â— Gentiles with this wedding-garment of Christs righteousnesse shewes that Christ giving himselfe for us hath made us so cleane that he makes us hereby to himself that is though mystically to us yet spiritually and truly to himselfe a glorious Church mark a glorious Church or Congregation but how or wherein glorious he shewes how saying not having now in this present time one spot or wrinkle of sin this is very glorious indeed but is there all no nor any such thing this is more glorious but is there all then no But makes her so holy that she is unblamably holy This is exceeding glorious indeed Thus hath Christ made us to himselfe a gloous Church Whereupon we may see the truth of that saying of Chrysostome upon the like place of Scripture Chrysost vpon Colos 1. 22. Colos 1. 22. saying non peccatis solum liberavit c. sed gloriosos illustres reddidit that is He hath not only freed us from our sinnes but also hath made us shining bright glorious Which to be truly wrought upon us in the sight of God by our Justification Master M. Downham in his Christian Warfare upon Iustification Downham in his Christian Warfare upon Justification cleerly testifies saying The bright shining Sun of righteousnesse hath made us freely so perfectly righteous that in him we also shine gloriously in the sight of God And Two Reasons why wee are glorious in Gods sight no marvell for these two evident reasons The first strongly pressed by Paul himselfe who comparing the glory of the Law with the glory of the Gospel sayth If the ministration of death written with letters and ingraven in stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not stedfestly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory was to be done away How shall not the ministration of the spirit be more glorious For if the ministration of condemnation was glorious much more doth the ministration of righteousnesse exceed in glory Where wee are to mark that if the administration of the riches of the Gospel be so glorious how glorious are the riches themselves and how glorious must they needs bee that possesse have and enjoy those riches As more particularly If the administration of this righteousnesse exceed in glory How doth this righteousnesse it selfe exceed in glory and then how unfallibly must they that are cloathed with the same needs exceed in glory yea the glory of the shining of Moses face and the glory of the Law it selfe the administration whereof made the face of Moses so to shine is as the Apostle saith no glory in comparison of this excellent glory The other reason is that which is before testified by 2 Calv. in Iob 15. 16. Serm. 59. Calvin and is grounded upon invincible divine reason That if the righteousnesse of the Angels be excellent makes them in truth gloriously righteous how glorious must wee needs bee in the sight of God that saith he have a more than Angelicall righteousnesse in us Because alâ—hough wee daily feele our selves filthy and loathsome by drinking up iniquitie like water yet God taking in hand to make us above our sense and feeling righteous from the same in his sight doth cloath us with the righteousnesse of his sonne Iesus Christ which farre surmounteth the righteousnesse of the Angels A lively figure of this our glorious state and condition by Christ in the sight of God was the Ark which had not only a cover called the mercy-seat made all of pure gold which was a Type of Christ who was
Moon or rather a candle for brightnesse so farre doth our glorifying of God directly to his own eyes the first way by joyfull embracing the greatnesse of his benefits passe the glorifying of him by works to the eyes of men the second way Because the first is meerly passive in us suffering God to glorifie himselfe upon us by working his inestimable benefits freely upon us The second is declarative and active in us by which wee declare the free goodnesse of God freely bestowed upon us The first is inward spirituall and divine wholly tending to the prayse of God first creating as it were the glory of God in us For whereas it is the nature of unbeliefe as Brentius well describes to be very curious and inquisitive and at the smallest appearance contrary to the promise doubts of God speaking it one while making question whether the Word be the Word another while making question of the meaning of the Word another while ☞ looking to the fewnesse and simplenesse of them that hold the Word another while looking at the multitude and greatnesse of them that hold otherwise but ever seeking some witty evasion whereby it may seem to do honestly in not believing the Word of God as it plainly speaks And sorobs God of the glory of his truth and of his power and with seeming wit makes him a liar So on the contrary side faith resting upon the naked and plain word spoken because it seemes contrary to reason and outward sense and feeling it flies to the truth and power of the Promiser making him true in his speaking and able to perform it and so gives him the glory of his Living and Being and true working in us whereby as Luther truly speaks faith is as a man would say the Creator of a certaine Divinity not in the substance of God but in us and so by putting us in possession of Gods bounteous divine benefits doth truly make us divine people And for this first kinde of glorifying God is Abraham so often called in the Word the friend of God But the second kind of glorifying God is outward more fleshly and humane not creating and making but shewing after a grosser manner to the eyes of worldly men that we are made divine persons whereof S. Peter speaks saying By the exceeding great and precious promises you are partakers of the Divine nature But how manifested and declared In that saith he yee flie the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1. 4. And this second active kinde of glorifying God because we are Agents in it and doe it by the spirit greatly inclines to the glorifying of man as S. Paul speaking of the sanctified works and holy life of Abraham saith What shall we say then that Abraham our Father hath found concerning the flesh For if Abraham were justified that is made righteous in the sight God by the holy works of his sanctification he had wherein to rejoyce or glory viz. before men but not before God But what saith the Scripture Abraham believed that God himselfe took in hand to make him righteous by clothing him with his Sons righteousnesse whereby he was made spiritually divinely heavenly and perfectly righteous not for mans account which counteth of righteousnesse by halfes but in Gods account whose count is perfect and counts it not righteousnesse except he himselfe alone by himselfe doe make his creature perfectly and gloriously holy and righteous from all spot of sin in his own sight freely This Abraham believed enjoyed the benefit thereof and gave glory to God and therefore was called the friend of God because he glorified him in this principall glory wherein hee will be glorified in the greatnesse of his benefits freely bestowed which especially in his Gospel are correspondent and agreeable to his great and glorious nature and therefore being above humane capacitie and to reason impossible is principally glorified by taking them by faith and this faith seeing and discerning the greatnesse and glory of them makes the true Believer to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 3. But alas here wee may take up Luthers complaint That this knowledge and benefit of Christ to come the Saints of the Old Testament rejoyced more in and so glorified God more for the same than wee now doe when hee is so brightly and comfortably revealed and exhibited unto us Indeed saith hee we do confesse that this knowledge of Christ and of the righteousnesse of faith is an inestimable treasure but wee conceive not thereby such a full joy of spirit as the Prophets and Apostle did But what is the reason hereof Because saith Luther in another place They did not consider so coldly the promises made unto the Fathers as wee doe but did reade them and weigh them with great diligence But they that understand not this benefit of fee Justification whereof the Gospel specially intreateth and so doe prize no other righteousnesse besides the righteousnesse of works works when they heare this righteousnesse of faith pressed and the excellencie thereof advanced they are offended objecting that it is so farre from glorifying God two wayes that it makes men secure and carelesse to all good works But what saith the Doctrine of our Church is the cause hereof Even this as Luther also testifieth Because they understand nothing of Free Iustification or else they understand it carnally for their minds are occupied with other cogitations and fantasticall imaginations of their own works therefore things seeme unto them strange matters and no meanes to glorifie God neither passively by faith nor actively by works but the children of wisdome will imitate the Prophets and Apostles who because they conceived the great glory thereof and felt true joy of spirit for the same therefore saith Luther did they especially Paul so plentifully set forth and so diligently teach the Article of Justification For saith he this is the proper office of an Apostle or as one may say the essence of a Minister of the Gospel to preach among people the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes 3. 8. especially Ephes 3. 8. the cause and fountaine of all the rest namely Free Justification wherewith as David saith Psal Psal 119. 32. Gal. 5. 1. 119. 32. when our heart is set at liberty Galat. 5. 1. wee will runne the way of Gods Commandements Hence it is that the Prophet Ieremy also set out so magnificently the glory of Free Justification as it should be fully revealed under the time of the Gospel saying I will make them cleane from all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against mee and whereby they have rebelled against mee c. Yea saith he in an other place Ierem. 31. I will make a new covenant with Ierem. 31 33. the house of Israel and this shall be the Covenant That I will so forgive their iniquities that I will remember their sinnes no more And it shall bee to mee a name a
confirmes the same unto us by a strong and invincible demonstration saying If God spared not his own Son but when we were sinners gave him to death to justifie us how much more being now justified will he with him give us freely all things also Rom. 8. 32. The uses that we must make Rom. 8. 32. of this perfect reconciliation brought upon us freely by Christ are these two First we must soundy trust to and set our affiance 1 Two uses of our perfect reconciliation on this reconciliation procured unto us by Christ as Peter saith Cast your care upon God for he careth for you 1 Pet. 5. 7. That is we must yeeld up our selves as Abraham 1 Pet. 5. 7. did to doe our vocations and all our affaires and actions that we take in hand faithfully and as God would have us to doe them that is to seek his glory by benefiting of men and so we walk in the steps of the faith of our Father Abraham Rom. 4. 11. and doe Rom. 4. 11. the works of Abraham through full assurance that his Almighty power is able and this loving care over us procured by this perfect reconciliation also will without any bad meanes of ours both keep away from us all hurtfull things and provide unto us without our distrustfull cark and care all necessary good things saying in strong assurance of free Justification making us perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely That wee are perswaded though some crosses doe crosse us that neither tribulation nor distresse nor persecution nor famine nor nakedness nor death nor life nor any creature shall separate us from the assurance of the love of God and perfect reconciliation that is in Christ Iesus Rom. 8. 35. Whereupon the Author to Rom. 8. 35. the Hebrewes exhorteth after this manner saying Let your conversation bee without covetousnesse and be content with such things as you have For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee So that wee may boldly say The Lord is my helper and I will not feare what man can doe unto me Heb. 13. 5. 6. And so farre as we doe Heb. 13. 5. 6. so we give both to God and to Christ their due glory to God the glory of power and to Christ the glory of his merit of reconciliation And secondly In confidence of Free Justification so The second use of our perfect reconcilâ—ation assuredly reconciling us to God wee must expect and look for at his hands and certainly promise to our selves all blessings temporall and eternall as Luther upon the voyce of God from heaven That hee is well-pleased effectually expresseth after manner Exigit itaque à nobis c. God requires of us therefore that we expect and promise to our selves from him the best things and that wee perswade our selves that hee is of a most loving and ready good-will to doe us all good and therefore to pray for and expect at Gods hands summa saluberrima the principall and most profitable good things in a strong confidence in this perfect reconciliation and in a fulnesse of faith nothing fearing at all any thing that goes about to make us afraid molest make us sad or to work any trouble against us For feare not Abram saith God I am thy Buckler and exceeding great reward Gen. 15. 1. Whereby wee have Gen. 15. 1. accesse by prayer unto God and entrance to obtain with boldnesse and confidence through faith in Christ perfectly Justifying us and thereby perfectly reconciling us Ephes 3. 12. The fearfull danger of departing from our justification and reconciliation Psal 73. 27. to God Ephes 3. 12. But if we doe not thus but follow indirect meanes and bad courses to help our selves wee goe a whoring from God by the dead faith and hee will destroy us as it is said Psal 73. 27. For lo they which withdraw themselves from thee shall perish thou destroyest all them that goe a whoring But so farre as wee resign up our selves to assurance and affiance in this perfect reconciliation we with Abraham Isaac Iacok Ioseph David Daniel all the rest of Gods faithful children that have beleeved and relyed upon this joyfull and well pleasing reconciliation shall have as they had both the very Best for us and at length also our very hearts desires And therefore saith David As for me it is good for mee to draw neere to God therefore I have put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all thy works Ps 73. 28. That I may shew Psal 73. 28. all thy praises in the Gates of the Daughter of Zion and may rejoyce in thy reconciliation proteâ—tion and salvation Psal Psal 9. 14. 9. 14. And thus much of the first excellent benefit of the Gospel brought upon us by free Justification in which because I have been loath as it were to be drawne out of this new Paradise purchased by the blood of Christ I have stayed the longer but let the weightinesse of the point recompence the length because as David truly saith this loving favour of the Lord is better than life it selfe Psal 63. 3. But now let Psal 63. 3. us proceed forward CHAP. XV. Of foure other excellent benefits wrought upon us by Free Iustification THE second excellent and glorious benefit brought upon us by Justification Is that the The giving of the holy Ghost holy Ghost is by it freely given us to dwell in us and our bodies and soules are made blessed Temples of the same holy Spirit as is evident by these Scriptures Be baptized saith Peter Acts 2. 38. every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of Acts 2. 38. sinnes and you shall receive the holy Ghost for the promise is made unto you and your children Where we see that although the holy Ghost be true God and the only preparer of our hearts both to see our misery by sin as also to see and apprehend Christ and his benefits to free us from our misery yet notwithstanding he doth not come to dwell in us and to take up our bodies and soules to be his Temples untill first hee hath enabled us to beleeve free Iustification and prepared us as it were for himselfe by sealing it unto us by Baptisme as most sure that the blood of Christ hath washed us cleane from all sin in the sight of God before he doe enter into us and dwell in us The same also Paul testifieth Ephes 1. 13. saying In whom ye also Ephes 1. 13. have trusted after yee heard the word of truth what word of truth was that namely that by the blood of Christ yee are freely made righteous accepted and adopted vers 4 5 6 7. even the Gospel of joyfull newes of your salvation Verse 4 5 6 7. wherein also after mark the word after yee beleeved First justified and then sealed with the spirit of Sanctification
with self-deceiving and appearing zeales of God as S. Paul testifieth saying I beare them record they have the zeale of God why what is the zeale of God which they had that is First for matter not following now as in ancient times their owne inventions and false worships of grosse idolatry but now zealously following the law of righteousnesse even the works of Gods owne Law Rom. 9. 31. 32. And secondly for end Rom. 9. 31 32. ayming at the glory of God why what was more to be desired yes but it was not according to knowledge why but they wanted no knowledge as wee may see granted by Paul himselfe Rom. 2. 17. to 20. and Rom. Rom. 2. 17. to 20. and 9. 4. 9. 4. for they knew the whole word of God and how often any word of moment was repeated from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Malachy True but yet they were ignorant of one maine point by which Iustification the heart and life of all knowledge they were ignorant of all for they only knew not free Iustification which is the forme soule heart and life of all the rest because that alone giveth both unto God and unto Christ their full glory for so it followeth in Paul for they being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God did goe about to establish their owne righteousnesse For because the nature of man dares not think The ground of the establishing of our owne righteousnesse of any fellowship and communion with God without a righteousnesse therefore they being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God freely and compleatly wrought upon them by God must needs goe about to establish their owne righteousnesse that is to winne and retain the love and favour of God by their fervency of good works and zeale of Gods glory in doing his law and when this blinde affection of false-doing Gods will doth reign in men being ignorant of the excellency and full and true doing of Gods will in free Iustification then they desire by some notorious zealous good works to out-passe the ordinary course and road-way of walking every man within the limits of his vocation doing the duties of the same comfortably and faithfully to Gods glory in winning and Blinde and rash zeale profiting his neighbours but out-starting others will have some singular zealous works to winne and retaine the said love and favour of God towards them hence flow the superstitious inventions of Popery hence commeth the rash zeale of the Brownists hence commeth the blinde holinesse of Familists hence commeth the painted zeale and holinesse of Anabaptists little differing in truth from Papists they do so stablish their owne righteousnesse of holy duties and works but that encroaching and returning neere to Judaisme they keep themselves closer as they think to the Morall Law of performing universall obedience to all Gods Commandements and so likewise of all other Sects and Religions and of all other Ape-Saints and Peacock-Christians as Luther truly calleth them whatsoever being ignorant of free Iustification But when they come by true faith to see rightly into free Iustification how utterly their sins by the imputation of Christs perfect righteousnesse are freely abolished out of Gods sight and how perfectly and compleatly holy and righteous they are made freely without works and what a full entrance there is hereby into the full favour of God peace and joy of conscience and to all the rest of the glorious benefits of the Gospel then they begin to say Here are the words of eternall life and whither shall we goe then they begin to see that God hath placed them in their vocations for them thereby to practise and testifie their thankfulnesse for those free-given benefits of the Gospel that doe make them so compleat before God and therefore they care for nothing but to keep themselves within the limits of their vocations and to doe the duties of the same faithfully and zealously to Gods glory in benefiting their neighbours And thus they serve God in spirit and truth of faith when all the world runneth awhoring after their owne inventions both of false-supposed true worships and also of doing their vocations in a false manner And therefore doth Luther truly say thus of this powerfull operation and effect Luth. in Gal. 2. 20. of free Iustification Wherefore I say as I have oftentimes said That there is no remedy against Sects or power to resist The only remedy against all Sects them but this only Article of Christian righteousnesse if we lose this Article it is impossible for us to withstand any errors or Sects As we may see at this day in the fantasticall spirits the Anabaptists and such like who being fallen away from this Article of free Iustification will never cease to fall erre and seduce others untill they come to the fulnesse of all iniquity except they be reduced home to rest only in free Iustification For whiles this doctrine pacifying and quieting Luth. in verse 16. the conscience remaineth pure and uncorrupt Christians are made judges over all kindes of doctrine Idem in Chap. 1. 4. The danger of work-mongers whereby a light is opened and a sound judgement is given unto us so as we may most certainely and freely judge of all kindes of life whereby we easily discerne all such Sects as trust rely and hang upon their works to be wicked and pernicious whereby the glory of Gods wrath against sin and Christs works and doings are not only defaced but also utterly taken away and our owne advanced and established Yea upon faith alone of Free Iustification by Christ followeth a most certain knowledge and understanding a most joyfull conscience and a true judgement of every Chap. 3. 28. kinde of life and of all things else whatsoever For they which know and understand it can judge of faith they can discerne a true feare from a false feare they Chap. 3. 23. can judge of all inward affections of the heart and discerne all spirits c. So that if we stick to this anchor-hold of the true manner of free Iustification both the Pope and Satan shall be put to flight because where this knowledge of free-Iustification is retained and this doctrine preached all Heresies and Sects are easily overthrowne Fifthly the laying out of the excellency of free Fifth Effect It rooteth up Covetousnes the root of all â—â—ill Iustification worketh also this powerfull effect namely it is the only meanes to eradicate and utterly root out that inbred originall corruption called Covetousnesse the root of all evill and the love of all vaine pomp and earthly riches so deeply rooted and inwardly infecting the heart that if the heart be not seisoned with some feeling of the worth of the heavenly riches the naturall man in the dead Faith is violently carried upon the least occasion for a little lucre not only to break all lawes both of God and man but also to betray himselfe his soule his
Then besides this renewing by the holy Ghost to this heavenly righteousnesse and life 2 to men-ward there ariseth in them also by this new birth to men-ward a new light and a new flame there arise in them new and holy affections as the fear of God true saith assured hope c. There beginneth in them also a new will And this is to put on Christ truly and according to the Gospel Now when wee have first by faith inwardly put on Christ as a Robe of righteousnesse and salvation then A threefold respect of a Christian doe wee put him on outwardly as the apparrell of example and imitation Thus must every true Christian bee considered in a threefold respect first what he is with God or before God secondly what hee is with himselfe or to his feeling and thirdly what hee is to his neighbour First with God or before God he is the Woman cloathed with the Sun that is shining perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God and every way full and compleat wanting nothing by reason of Iustification Secondly with himselfe and to his own sense and feeling hee is like one of those antient healed Leapers under the old Law healed indeed but having the remnants of the old scurfe to rub off by Sanctification Thirdly with his Neighbour hee is like one of those hot coales of the Altar burning with the holy fire of zeale and casting out the light and heat of Faith and love to the heating of others Again it is the joyfull knowledge of Justification Luth. in Gâ—â— 3. 10. which maketh a man of a coâ—rupt bad Tree to become a good â—ree first perfectly good to the eyes of God by Iustification and so bringing forth the good fruit In Gal. 2. 18. to the eyes of men of Sanctification For Christians are not made righteous in doing righteous things but being first freely made righteous by faith in Christ then they doe righteous things So that good works ought to bee done not as the cause but as the fruits of oâ—e freely made righteous and when we are made righteous then we cannot but doe them for after that a man is once justified and possesseth Christ by faith and knoweth that he is Righteousnesse and Life doubtlesse hee will not be idle But as a good tree he will bring forth good fruit for the believing man that is the justified man hath the holy Ghost given him as it is shewed before to dwell in him but where the holy Ghost dwelleth hee will not suffer a man to bee idle but stirreth him up to all exercise of pietie and godlinesse then I doe indeed good works I love God I pray and give thanks to him I exercise charity toward my neighbour Therefore weighty is that saying of Christ either make the Tree good and the fruit Matt. 12. â—3 The â—iâ—â— of the Mâ—nistâ—â—â— good or else make the Tree evill and the fruit evill That is let the Ministers chiefe aime be to fill the peoples hearts with joy that they are freely made perfectly good Trees in the sight of God by Iustification and the people bee sure that they are first such in the sight of God indeed or else they shall bee sure to have but little good fruit by Sanctification some Homil. oâ—â— Aâ—nes deâ—â— choack-peares peradventure that may look faire without but be all rotten within Again the joyfull knowledge of Iustification is the receiving of the most great and pretious promises by which we are made partakers of the Divine nature 2 Peter 1. 4. the very forgetfulnesse of which pretious 2 Pet. 1. 4. promise namely that wee are purged or made cleane from our old sinnes is as Peter saith the cause 8. 9. of all idle unfruitfull and blind professing of the Gospel of Christ 2 Pet. 1. 8 9. for this joyfull and Iustification is as the bâ—anâ—â—â— of â—â—e Sunnâ— glorious benefit of Iustification being the bright beames Solis justitiae of the Sun of righteousnesse Iustification iâ— aâ— the beams oâ— the Sun Christ Jesus and shining into our dark hearts doth sanctifie and regenerate us to the Image of God again even as the Sun beames shining upon silver or upon a clear looking-glasse doe cause the very silver or glasse it selfe to cast forth some glimmering beames and this Paul testifieth saying That the ministration of righteousnesse doth so exceed in glory that we beholding as in a mirror or looking-glasse This glory of God with open face are changed into the same Image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. Whereupon S. Iohn directly saith thus My little children let no man 1 Ioh. 3. 7. deceive you he that doth righteousnesse actively that is doth cast forth the beames of Sanctification is righteous passively that is justified with Christs righteousnesse as the Sunne of righteousnesse Christ Iesus who shineth upon him with his beames of Iustification is righteous 1 Ioh. 3. 7. But if the Sunne of righteousnesse be so clouded from us that the beames of Justification which exceed in glory bee by want of preaching or receiving it stopped that it shineth not into our dark hearts then our soules can return back again no beames of Sanctification Thus wee see how this joyfull knowledge of Iustification the worth and glory of the same being discerned seene and enjoyed with a true and right faith maketh both Pastors and people to shine forth with bright shining beames of great glorifying of God And thus also we put a difference between a counterfeit Difference between a true and conterfeit faith faith and a true faith the counterfeit faith is that which heareth of God of Christ and of all the mysteries of his incarnation and our redemption which also apprehendeth and beareth away those things which it heareth yea and can talk goodly thereof and yet there remaineth nothing else in them but ignorance of the worth and excellency of Christs benefits yea none are so blind as such as God testifieth by his Prophet saying Who so blind as my servant Esay 42. 19. 20. whereby there remaineth nothing else Esay 42. 19 20. in the heart but naked opinion and a bare sound of the Gospel for it neither reneweth or changeth the heart it maketh not a new man but leaveth him in Id. in Gal. 5. 13. the vanity of his former opinion and conversation And this is a very pernicious faith the morall Philosopher is much better than the hypocrite having such a faith these understand the Doctrine of faith carnally Grace turned into wantonnesse and draw the liberty of the spirit into the liberty of the flesh this may wee see in all kinds of life as well of the high as of the low all boast themselves to be Professors of the Gospel and all brag of Christian liberty and yet serving their own lusts they give themselves to covetousnesse pleasures pride envie and such other vices no man doth his duty