in his own sight freely and that he hath made us hereby as I said before truely blessed persons Galath 3. 8 9. Galat. 3. 8. 9. We give him the praise honour and glory of his rich Grace great mercy and glorious bounty Ephes 2. 7. Ephes 2. 7. Luthâ—in Galath cap 3. vers 6. fol. 110. And therefore it is most true which that magnanimous Dispenser of Gods mysteries testifieth of faith saying thus Paul by these words Abraham beleeved of faith maketh the chiefest worship the chiefest duty the chiefest oâ—edience and the chiefest sacrifice Let him that is a Rethorician amplifie amplifie this place and he shall see that faith is an almighty thing and that as it may appeare by the whole eleâ—enth chapter to the Hebrews the power thereof is infinite and inestimable for it gives glory unto God which is the highest service that can be given unto him Now to give glory unto God is to beleeve in him to count him in that which he speaketh true wise righteous mercifull almighty This Reason doth not but saith this is that which makes us divine people and as a man would say it is the creator of a certaine divinity not in the substance of God but in us for without faith God loseth in us his glory wisedome righteousnesse and mercy To conclude no majesty and divinity remaineth unto God where faith is not but the chiefest thing that God requireth of man is that he give unto him his glory and his Divinity The second maine priviledge of faith is that if we The second maine priviledge of faith is in foure things beleeve that Christ by washing us in his owne blood hath made us whiter than snow from all spot or wrinkle of sinne in the sight of God freely that then we give to Christ his Son his due glory especially in these foure points First we yeeld him the virtue of his name for he is called Iesus because hee doth thus perfectly save his people from their sinnes Mat. Math. 1. 21. 1. 21. Secondly we yeeld him hereby the glory of his Godhead that he is able to make us above our reason sense and feeling from all spot or wrinkle of sinne in the sight of God whiter than snow as also we give him hereby the glory of his Kingly power that he is a true Melchisedec that is King of righteousnesse by making his true subjects in the sight of God from all spot or wrinkle of sin or any such thing perfectly righteous freely Thirdly we give to Christ the glory and truth of his Prophetship who did long before and especially by the mouth of David prophesie that if he did take in hand to purge us we should be cleane and when he did take in hand to wash us we should be whiter than snow Psal 51. 7. which Psal 51. 7. if wee beleeve to bee by his blood now done and wrought upon us we make him by beleeving a true Prophet and give him his glory of fulfilling the truth of his prophecying Fourthly by beleeving wee yeeld and give unto him the virtue and glory of his Priesthood who was wounded for our iniquities and broken and bruised for our transgressions but to no other end than that the chastisement of our peace might be upon him and that by his stripes we might be healed Esay 53. 5. Esay 53. 5. which if we beleeve that by his blood we are from all our sins made in his sight whiter than snow and so perfectly healed in Gods sight we give him the true glory of his Priesthood because if the Priest offering but the blood of Bulls and Goats made the beleevers cleane from all their sinnes before the Lord Levit. 16. 30. Levit. 16. 30. how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God by making us cleane in the sight of God from all sinne purge our consciences from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. of which the more wee assure our Heb. 9. 14. selves the more doe we yeeld him the virtue and glory of his Priesthood whereby is brought to passe that God not so much as remembring our sins any more there is no more sacrifice for sinne Heb. 10. 17 18. because Heb. 10. 17 18. with one offering he hath made perfect continually and for ever all them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. Oh Heb. 10. 14. Jesus Christ who will not beleeve in thee magnificently The third priviledge of faith yeelding to God The third priviledge of faith is to glorifie the word and spirit of God so great honour and glory is because that wee beleeving the plaine and naked word of God speaking simply and plainely to the weakest capacities without wresting and wringing it à gemino sensu from the proper and Grammaticall sense of the words to sort and accord as they shall be most agreeable to humane wit and naturall reason doe greatly glorifie the word of God speaking in the mysteries of Christ in his proper sense and plaine and literall and Grammaticall signification captivating our sense and understanding to the Scripture speaking so farre above reason sense and feeling And doe also greatly glorifie the spirit of God and holy Ghost speaking in the Scriptures because we have an eare to heare what the spirit saith unto us Revel 2. and 11. and not what mens glosses Revel 2. 11. doe make agreeable to humane wit not expresly taught in the word the reason wherof is because as Luther truly saith major est verbi Dei authoritas quà m De captivitate Babylonica nostri ingenii capacitas greater is the authority of the plaine and simple grammaticall speaking of Gods word than the capacity of our shallow wits quam etsi philosophia non capit fides tamen capit which plaine speaking although Philosophy and humane reason cannot conceive yet faith is able to comprehend and therefore he gives this worthy and stable rule against the wresting of the words of the Scripture from their proper sense to the maintaining of error sounding more fit to humane reason namely Quod verbis divinis non est ulla facienda vis neque per hominem neque per Angelum sed quâ—ntum fieri potest in simplicissima significatione servanda sunt c. that is to the words of the divine Scripture must no wresting sorce be offered neither by man nor Angel but as much as can bee possible they must be kept in their most simple and plaine signification and except the manifest circumstance doe constraine they are not to be taken out of the signification that is grammaticall and proper lest there bee given an occasion to adversaries to clude the whole Scripture in which consideration for neglecting the grammaticall speaking Origen was of ancients justly rejected because thereby the words of the Scripture may be extenuated and set light of and may with great injury be made void of
thus And all the Brethren with me Gal. 1. 2. Upon which words Dr. Luthers exposition is very remarkable saying thus Quasi dicat Paulus as if Paul should say lest I should be alone I adde moreover and besides my selfe all the Brethren which write this Epistle as well as I and beare witnesse with me that my doctrine is good and godly Therefore lest we should seeme or they might say that I only set my selfe proudly against them I have my Brethren with me all of one minde as faithfull witnesse which think write and teach the selfe same thing that I doe and I that only which they doe For the better discerning whereof first I set downe the sweet powerfull and forceable Scriptures as the flowers containing the honey then I adde the expositions testimonies and consent of the learned Writers as the honey it selfe which they like the laborious Bees of the Lords garden have by faith sucked and gathered out of the said flowers of Scriptures setting the sentence and saying of each Author by it self as giving to each Bee his own and as it were proper cellulam of honey I changing nothing in the substance of their sayings but only the connecting conjuctions that may most fitly conjoyn the coherence of their testimonies together And yet thus is composed in one continuall flowing speech this Treatise as one whole and entire honey Combe of Free Iustification For which one benefit David that had good experience of it and yet saw it but a farre off darkly Heb. 11. 13. yet pronounces the word teaching the same to be sweeter than honey and the honey-comb and more to bee desired than Gold yea than much fine Gold Psalm 19. 10. I have moreover noted in the Margin the name of each Author and would but that the Book would grow into a needlesse bignesse have expressed the whole Latine sentence of such Authors as write in Latine but yet I have set down the beginning of the Latine sentences in the Margine or the principall Originall word of chiefest Emphasis in the sentence and have noted with figures the places where to finde the same That such as aredesirous to goe to the Originall may know where to finde these sentences and testimonies The second reason of expressing the excellencie of Free Justification in the words and testimonies and common consent of the Learned Orthodox Writers is this That whereas S. Paul testifieth that there is but one true saying faith Ephes 4. 5. sealed by one Baptisme that hath alwayes in all Ages most freely and most certainly saved all the Elect Here thou maist see as in a cleer looking-glasse what that one Faith is that hath so unfallibly in all Ages saved all the people of God which must needs tend to the strengthening of thee in thy most holy Faith Iud. 20. strongly and effectually when thou hearest them pronouncing with their own mouths and with consent what truth of Faith doth apprehend in this mysticall maine benefit plainly shewing how they have believed with the heart unto righteousnesse and how they have confessed the same unto salvation Rom. 10. 10. And also doth stop the mouthes of the common Adversaries of Faith and free grace that upon the divers and different measures of Faith in this maine benefit of free grace in Orthodox and Protestant Writers of this maine mysterie of the Gospel Ephes 4. 7. doe object much difference dissent and dis-agreement in this only point of free salvation amongst the said Protestant Writers and thereby little sweetnesse and excellencie in this glorious free benefit Who have their vanitie here confuted and dispelled with the common consent of all the best Orthodox and Protestant Writers as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Analogie and nature of right and pure Faith they expresse the excellencie of Free Iustification The third reason is this That many being much troubled in minde in these most dangerous dayes not knowing which way to turne them among so many minds so diversly distracted about matters of religion and therefor have some regard to that primarie and principall admonition in this case of the Prophet Ierem. 6. 16. saying Stand in the wayes and inquire for the old way which is the good way that you may walk in it and finde rest for your soules may here see what that old way and good way is even the same in which old Enoch Noah Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph David Daniel and all the faithfull to this present time have walked in and found rest to their soules and so is manifest to bee the old way and only good way that by walking in it only brings peace and rest unto our soules For being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ in this life Rom. 5. 1. And whom he justifieth them he also glorifieth in the next life Rom. 8. 30. Therefore give me leave gentle Reader to exhort thee to be carefull to keep and 〈◊〉 fast this pretious benefit and not only to keep â—ut also to keep it pure without the mixing and miâ—â—â—ing of works with it resting wholy upon it only forthy full free and perfect salvation lest thou loose with the foolish Galathians this maine and only meanes of thy Free Salvation and to that end meditate much and often in the excellencie of Free Iustification and ponder these sayings of the learned Writers and mark their reasons of true faith grounded upon these Scriptures and believe according as God speaks in these eminent Scriptures Rom. 4. 18. And decline not from them to the conceits and reasons of Reason For as meditation as both the word of God teacheth and is plentifully testified by all experienced Divines is a most profitable religious duty for the encreasing of thy most holy faith Psal 45. 10. And as the Spirit of God by Solomon exhorts thee to acquaint thy selfe with the sentences of the wise So none are more godly wise for thee unto salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. than the true and faithfull Dispensers and Stewards of God writing upon the excellencie of this great mysterie who are enriched thereunto by the spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. and doe ground themselves upon the pure Word of God expounded by faith and not corrupted by reason So that he that despiseth these testimonies doth runne directly into the sinne which the spirit of God forbiddeth saying Despise not Prophesie 1. Thes 5. 20. that is the Dispensers of Gods mysteries speaking unto Edifying to exhortation and comfort 1 Cor. 14. 3. But yet try all things and keep that which is good 1 Thes 5. 21. But whosoever despiseth these despiseth God and Christ Luk. 10. 16. Again no matter of Religion can bee meditated in more profitably than this Article of free Justification that only and freely saveth us For thou shalt finde that the very reading and meditating upon it either in this Book or in any other where thou shalt finde the excellencie of it more powerfully laid open for I
Restorers of the Gospel in this Land saying The worldly Doctrine of our Church wisemen scorne the Doctrine of Christ as foolish to their understandings yea will some say to some of that blinde time nay say the foresaid faithfull witnesses These scorners have ever beene and ever wil be to the end of the world And therefore let us that have one sparke of the true feare of God if we cannot understand the sense and reason of the sayings of the holy Scriptures yet let us not be scorners jesters and deriders for that is the uttermost token and shew of a Reprobate of a plaine enimy to God and his wisedome c. And therefore if we will be profitable hearers and readers of holy Scriptures we must first deny our owne selves and keepe under our carnall senses Reason must give place to Gods holy Spirit c. For indeed by gaine-saying wrangling jesting deriding the things which men understand not what doe they else but stumble at the stumbling stone laid in Zion which the Apostle teacheth is chiefely done in gaine-saying and wrangling against Free Iustification as these Scriptures testifie Rom. 9. 30 31 32 33. Rom. 9. 30 31 32 33. Rom. 10. 3 4. 10. 21. and Rom. 10. 3 4 10 21. whereby they pull that stone upon their owne heads which falling upon them will grinde them to powder Mat. 21. 44. And yet when Christ Matth. 21. 44. in the excellency of his benefits is powerfully preached the greatest multitude stick not violently to rush upon him with their contradictions wranglings derisions and calumniations the reason whereof Calvin truely expresseth saying thus Whereas all the Calvin mysteries of God are to fleshly reason Paradoxes yet is reason of such impudency that she will not stick to set up her bristles against the same and to purse that which she doth not understand with malapert and saucy gaine-sayings and wranglings And although it dares not for shame of the world oppose it selfe directly and grossely against the person of Christ yet if Christs words may not be wrested to sort agree with naturall reason they shall be condemned to be very foolish his Ministers that pronounce and maintaine them to bee very absurd in their opinions if no worse so that although it is true that a Minister ought to be exceeding watchfull that he speake especially in this carping age very circumspectly of God and his mysteries left by any meanes he give an occasion to the wicked to calumniate Gods truth yet it is most true that Calvin testifies proving it in the example of Paul that there was never such warinesse and sobriety of speaking in the servants of God which could make silent uncleane and poisonous tongues because it is most true which againe he noteth upon those words of Paul Rom. 3. 5. I speake as a man that Saint Paul sairh not Rom. 3. 5. I speake as the wicked but I speake as a man wherein sharply taxing humane reason he shewes that it is the proper nature thereof to be alwaies wrangling against the wisedome of God and calumniating his faithfull Ministers that teach the same And therefore Luther set it downe for an unfallible marke that Galat. 5. 11. the Gospel is not truely preached and is not the Gospel indeed if it be so brewed and so fitted agreeable to reason that all approve of it and yeeld unto the meaning of it peaceably for then indeed how should the Prophesie of old Simeon be verified that Christ should be set up for a signe and marke of contradiction Luke 2. 34. how should he be a stumbling Luke 2. â—4 stone and rock of offence laid in Zion how should wise Festus judge Paul to be mad Acts 26. how should Acâ—s 6. Christ be to the Gentiles foolishnesse yea the deep things of God which Beza expoundeth to be but the excellency of Christs benefits being judged of naturall wise men to be foolishnesse is it possible for the wisedome of the world to hold her peace from speaking against foolishnesse especially if the foolishnesse of Christ dare offer to preferre it selfe above their wisedome and to conclude how else should Christ be not only the rising but also the fall of many in Israel The truth whereof is notably testified by the Doctrine of our Church delivered by the foresaid first restorers of the Gospel in this Land saying thus The holy man Simeon saith that Christ is set forth for the fall and rising of many in Israel and as Christ Iesus is a fall to the Reprobate which yet perish by their owne default So is his word yea the whole Book of God a cause of damnation unto them through their owne incredulity And as Christ himselfe the Prophets the Apostles and all the true Ministers of his Word yea every jot and tittle in the holy Scripture have beene is and shall be for ever more the savour of life unto eternall life unto all those whose hearts God hath purified by true faith so likewise Christ himselfe the Prophets before him the Apostles after him marke all the true Ministers of Gods holy Word marke further yea every word in Gods Book is unto the Reprobate the savour of death unto death The reason whereof Calvin upon those words of the Evangelist From that time many of Iesus his Disciples went back and walked no more with him most truely expresseth Calâ—in in Ioh 6. 66. Nunquam enim â—anta poterit cautâ—o adbiberi quin multis saying thus Never can there be so great wariness used but that the Doctrine of Christ is an occasion of scandall to many because the reprobate devoted to destruction scandali occasio sit Christi doctrina quia reprobi exitio devoti venenum ex cibo saluâ—errimo seâ—â—x melle sâ—gunt doe draw poyson out of most wholsome meat and doe suck gall out of honey And mark saith Luther where this fall is even in Israel that is in that people that will seeme to bee Christs own people and being in the Chruch as the Apes and Peacocks were in Solomons Familie that is apish Saints and painted Peacock-Iusticiaries will prosesse nothing lesse than to be contradictors of Christ yet thus is Christ ever oppugned of the greatest multitude both in his word and in his true Ministers under the name of greatest friendship with Christ Briefly Luther well notes that a wise Minister doth ayme but at the gathering of the Elect by the example of S. Paul who said I suffer all things for the Elects sake that some may be saved as for the rest that are the greatest multitude he or rather Christ himselfe divides them but into two sorts Swine and Dogges between which there is only this difference that a Swine if one go about to drive him from the mire or from his sâ—vill only gives a grunt and away hee goes to the rooting in the earth so prophane and worldly men if one goe about to drive them from sinne
to dwell in them But now concerning the excellency of this wonderfull gift brought upon us only by Free Iustification who is The glory of this gift is inexplicable able either of men or Angels to lay forth the glory of it For is not the holy Ghost true and very God that takes up our bodies souls to be his blessed Temples Was it not this blessed Spirit that wonderfully governed the Patriarks Was it not he that inspired all the Prophets as Peter testifieth saith These holy Prophets spak as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. 2 Pet. 1. 21. Was not his power wonderfully shewed and was hee not a mighty worker when he formed the humane nature of our Saviour Christ to bee conceived and born of a pure Virgin Shewing that where the holy Ghost worketh there nothing is impossible Is it not hee only that regenerateth a man and makes him a new born creature both towards God by Iustification and towards man by Sanctification Or can any man worthily lay forth the glory of a new creature by the holy Ghost Are not his gifts excellent and marvellous which hee worketh in whom hee will and as he will described 1 Cor. 12. And finally must 1 Cor. 12. not Iustification needs bee a glorious and wonderfull work that bringeth so wonderfull a benefit upon us and can people heare and read and meditate Free Iustification sufficiently that doth enrich us so heavenly And if there were no more Reasons why Ministers after our misery by sinne laid open should continually beat upon the greatnesse and excellency and glory of Free Iustification to work the joyfull and violent receiving oâ—â—â— by faith that brings with it unseparably and unfallibly so precious a gift as the holy Ghost to dwell in us were not this sufficient Is not the gift of the holy Ghost all in all The third excellent benefit of the Gospel wrought 3 Vnion into Christ upon us by Free Iustification is our wonderfull Vnion into Christ whereby wee are by the power of the holy Ghost though mystically and spiritually yet truly really and substantially so ingraffed and united into Christ that wee are made one with him and he one with us For first that this wonderfull Vnion is not a thing in meer imagination no nor consisting in meer charity love and affection only but is a true reall This union is not imaginary but reall and substantiall Vnion Is evident both by the expresse Word of God and unanimous consent of Gods faithfull Dispensers of his Mysteryes both ancient and modern For first the Word of God in that excellent prayer that Christ made for all the faithfull Ioh. 17. Ioh. 17. 20 21 22 23. 20 21 22 23. saith thus I pray not for these alone but for all them also which shall believe in me through their Word Well what doth he pray for That they all may be one How one As thou O Father art in me and I in thee Can men or Angels lay open or sufficiently conceive either the wonderfulnesse or how really and substantially Christ as hee is God is one with his Father And yet even so are we by this Union One We by this union are one with Christ with Christ as he is Man and our Mediatour and thereby knit into God as Christ saith That they may be also one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me that the greatnesse and wonderfulnesse of this work may declare that none but the Son of God sent of his Father to effect it could otherwise bring it ot passe And the glory saith hee which thou hast given to me I have given them that by this meanes also they may discern the greatnesse of this Union That they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in mee that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Can possibly the understanding of man conceive a more absolute and perfect union with all the circumstances of the same than is here described But to shew yet further how true reall and substantiall this Union is cleere is the testimony of Paul Ephes 5. 31. saying For we are members of his body of his flesh Ephes 5. 31. and of his bones Certainly nothing can bee more reall and substantiall than such a Union Whereupon learned Zanchius in that excellent Treatise upon Zanch. upon Ephes 5. 30. Ephes 5. 30. concerning the Union betwixt Christ and his Church reproving them that hold that our Union is no otherwise true and reall than because we partake of the spirituall gifts and graces of Christ sets down this Thesis or position confirming the same both by Scripture and consent of the Ancient Writers namely that Vnio nostricum Christo Christi nobiscum essentialis ac substantialis est vera atque realis That is The Union of us with Christ and of Christ with us Our union with Christ is first substantiall is essentiall and substantiall true and reall First substantiall saith he because the substances themselves of the flesh of Christ and of our flesh both of the person of Christ and of our persons are united together and so not the fruit and graces only of Christ are received seeing they cannot bee received but by partaking of the substance it selfe of Christ Secondly I call it true and reall saith hee because we are not Secondly true and reall in bare imagination but reipsa in very deed united into Christ and being united although non Physico sed spirituali supernaturali modo not by a naturall but a spirituall and supernaturall manner wee grow more and more into one body with Christ But that we may dive more deeply into this most excellent glory of our Union into Christ Let us mark that the holy Ghost which effectually sheweth the power of his God-head in working this benefit upon us to expresse the substantiallnesse and reallnesse and wonderfull closnesse of it doth use six principall similitudes in Six similitudes used to express the realnesse of this union the Word of God to shew to our weak capacities the great glory of it That as S. Paul speaketh passeth knowledge The first and furtherest off similitude is That the justified person being cloathed with the righteousness of Christ hath thereby put on Christ as a man puts on and is cloathed with his own apparell As S. Paul speaketh Gal. 3. 27. saying All yee that are baptized into Gal. 3. 27. Christ thereby sealing up unto you your Justification have put on Christ namely as the originall Word imports as a man puts on and is cloathed with his apparell Whereby as old Isaac in the weaknesse and infirmity of his old age took Iacob for Esau in Esaus apparell so doth God in the virtue and strength of this our wonderful union into Christ take
The holy Ghost is God and it is he only that sheweth us our sinnes ergo he himselfe must needs see our sinnes in us p. 158 3 The Lord by his spirit doth daily mortifie our sins in us Rom. 8. But he seeth those sins in us which he doth mortifie ergo Free Justification doth not make us so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in Gods sight that he seeth no sin in us p. 163 Three severall offices of the Trinity shewn forth in our Iustification p. 153 Mortification of sin distinguisht p. 169 The foundation of Enemites Anchorites and Nunneries p. 172 CHAP. IX COntaining an Antidote against doubting to kindle and work faith in us and to be a preservative against all objections whatsoever 1. of the world 2. the flesh and 3. the Devill p. 174 Where we must mark first the causes of all doubting p. 175 2 The remedies against the same as 1 The nature and definition of true Iustifying faith must be marked described Rom. 4. 17. to 25. p. 176 The description of Abrahams faith ibid. 2 The second spirituall weapon is that we are to arme our selves against sense sight feeling and natuturall Reason and how this may be done p. 180 3 The third spirituall weapon to overcome all doubting is not to forsake our Baptisme but much and often to meditate upon the foure things containing the very essence of our Baptisme p. 185 4 The fourth spirituall weapon is that wee are to sence our selves against the greatest multitude of all sorts round about us by the dead faith boldly wrangling against the Ministers of Christ and how wee may be fenced against the same p. 198 5 The fifth weapon against doubting is to have often before our eyes the great dignity and excellency of believing Free Iustification p. 235 6 The last weapon or remedy is to set before our eyes the inconveniencies and evills of doubting which are eight p. 241 1 To make God a lyar ibid. 2 To make God for sworn and our selves Covenant-breakers ibid. 3 To make God a deceiver p. 242 4 To rob God of the prayse of his Almighty power ibid. 5 To rob him of the glory of his perfect Iustice ib. 6 To rob God of the honour of his grace mercy and rich bounâ—y p. 220 7 To spoyl Christ of the glory of his Name Iesus and secondly of the glory of his God-head and thirdly of his Kingly Priestly Propheticall Offices p. 243 8 Vnthankfully to reject and loose the free-giving graces of God c. ibid. The Christians tryumph against all sinne by true Iustifying Faith p. 250 The difference between the literall and spirituall knowledge p. 215. p. 224. 226 Three priviledges of Faith laid open p. 235. CHAP. X. DEclaring the second part of Free Iustification making the true Believer compleatly sufficiently and perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God p. 253 1 Foure reasons shewing how inseparable this second part is from the former part ibid. 2 What this second part of Free Iustification is p. 257 3 It is opened and explained by the foure causes of it p. 258 The manner of the Iustification of the Elect p. 271 The righteousnesse of Christ making us holy and righteous objectively and passively illustrated by two lively similitudes p. 274. infra That the forme of Christs perfect righteousnesse doth not only give us the name but the very being of persons made perfectly righteous proved by Scriptures p. 293 395 300 303 CHAP. XI PRoving that the true Believer is not only made righteous but also compleatly fully and sufficiently and perfectly righteous in the sight of God freely p. 313 This is proved by foure places of Scripture and by the consent and Reasons of the learned ibid. Our righteousnesse exceeds the righteousnesse of the Angels 320 The naturall civill and religious works of Believers are made perfect in the sight of God p. 322 How the New Testament surpasseth the Old p. 335 God calleth righteous men Righteousnesse in the Abstract p. 341 CHAP. XII SHewing that the justified children of God are so perfectly and excellently righteous before God that they are made unutterably glorious in the sight of God p. 343. p. 354 Whereof the Arke is a lively Type p. 346 Two evident Reasons declaring the same p. 345 A true and godly looking-glasse to be often used of Christians p. 348 CHAP. XIII STrengthening Faith against naturall reason and unbeliefe p. 361 2 The objections of unbeliefe are two the first is propounâ—ed and answered ibid. With foure strong and sufficient Arguments to resell the same p. 375 The second objection with the Particular answers to it is in p. 384 Helps to strengthen our weak Faith p. 385 A threefold Remedie against our sinnes to believe occasioned by the inestimablenesse of the treasure p. 391 CHAP. XIIII OF the Vtility and Majestie of Free Iustification p. 401 Declared in six excellent fruits or effects ib. 1 Illumination fourefold p 402 For by Justification men see 1 The foulnesse of the least sinne ibid. 2 The perfection of Gods justice p. 404 3 The true meaning of the tenth Commandement and so of all the rest p 405 The treasures and glory of Gods Kingdome p 406 2. It not only delivereth us from the fivefâ—â—â—â—â—nishment of sinne Chap. 2. But putteth us also in possession of six glorious benefits p. 407 1 Reconciliation with God ibid. Whereof there be two comfortable fruits 1 Protection against all evill p. 415 2 Procuration of all good p. 415 Heaven opened and all Creatures leap for joy p. 410 A paradice of Gods loving protection p. 416 Two uses of our perfect reconciliation p. 420 CHAP. XV. 1 OF the foure other benefits wrought upon us by Free Iustification p. 423 2 The giving of the holy Ghost ibid. 3 Vnion into Christ p. 429 Where it is evidently proved that this union is not imaginary but reall and substantiall ibid. Six similitudes illustrating this Vnion p. 419 4 Adoption p. 431 5 Lastly assured glorification p. 445 CHAP. XVI OF the other foure fruits or effects declaring the Vtility and Majesty of Free Iustification p. 447 1 Peace and joy in the conscience ibid. 2 A good judgement and right discerning of all spirits and doctrines p. 440 3 It rooteth up coveteousnesse and the love of all vaine pomp p. 452 The last and maine point shewing the Vtility and Majesty of Iustification is Sanctification and true Evangelicall repentance p. 457 Ten differences between Iustification and Sanctification p. 459 For Justification worketh 1 True love of God ibid. 2 Of this love ariseth true griefe at sinne and zeale against all sinne p. 460 3 It causeth the true feare of God and cheerfull obedience p. 461 4 True trust and confidence in God p. 443 THere are some faults escaped in Printing as Objections for Objectors abolish for abolishing see for so possible for impossible and some others but most of them so small and literall that we are confident
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
feare of blowes and beating whilst it is not marked that this filiall feare is by the fall and corruption of nature lost in naturall children whereby their Parents are constrained to use the servile feare and to drive their children from evill and to doe their duties with blowes corrections and beatings whereby they serve them not onely with much eye-service but also very aukwardly oftentimes When wee Preachers doe neglect to ground in the peoples hearts great joy for the greatnesse of the free-given treasures of Christ that should work and cause this filiall feare loving inclination and dutifull and truly filiall affections and goe about to square Gods children according to the corrupt pattern of naturall children corrupted with the slavish feare with blowes and beatings wee must needs quench in them the true filiall feare and stablish in them the servile feare that should be cast out 1 Ioh. 4. 18. cause in the children 1 Ioh. 4. 18. of God this eye-service which if it be naught in sanctified servants to their earthly masters as the Apostle saith Ephes 6. 6. how abhominable is it much more in Ephes 6. 6. the children of God to their heavenly Father and makes but hypocrites Tenthly this Doctrine that God sees sinne in his justified children to whip correct and punish them for the same is the very instrument and Engine that confounds the New Testament in respect of the legall government of the morall Law with the old that is finished Heb. 8 9 13. by bringing back haeredem adultum Heb. 8. 9. 13. the full-grown Heire to be again haredem pupillum the Heire in his non-age it brings back again the full growne Heire to bee whipped againe under the School-master after faith that we are made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely is come Expresly contrary as I said before to the words and doctrine of the Apostle Gal. 3. 25. It Gal. 3. 25. strips the Queene and Bride of her wedding-garment Revel 19. 7 8. of the vesture of the gold of Ophir by Revel 19 7 8. which shee is all glorious within with her cloathing of broidred gold Psal 45. 9. Ephes 5. 27. to stand naked to Psal 45. 9. â—phes 5. 27. be whipped with rods of crosses and afflictions for sin for sin is nakednesse It makes not the New Testament in the administration of righteousnesse and of the spirit above the Old Testament to exceed in glory 2 Cor. 3. 7 8 9 10. whereby the least preachers in the 2 Cor. 3 7 8 9 10. kingdome of heaven that should be greater than Iohn Baptist doe come so short of him and of unperfect Apollos Act. 18. 25. That Luther cals such justly first Act. 18. 25. Taske-masters because as the Taske-masters in Egypt they lay many precepts and tasks upon the people which for want of the spirit that comes by the preaching of Free Iustification whereof they speak but little Gal. 3. 2. the people are not able to doe and being not Gal. 3. 2. done they all to beat them with the whippings and corrections and lashes of the Law and it comes to the poor people accordingly because it is unto them according as they beleeve and they must beleeve as they are taught but they are not taught by such kinde of Teachers as people that are made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely so that all that they doe must bee done for joy and thankfulnesse that they are made so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot in the sight of God freely Which is to preach powerfully the glad tidings of good things Rom. 10. 15. Secondly hee calls such Rom. 10. 15. patchers because they doe not only patch unto the wedding-garment of Christs righteousnesse making his children perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely the old patches of the duties of the morall Law to make them good and better and better and more holy and more righteous every day in the sight of God by the holy walking of sanctification as they call it but also by the lashes of the Law doe whip them thereunto Hereby secretly laying the foundation of meriting works and the first corner stone in building of all Popery and Anabaptisme Eleventhly this Doctrine that the justified children of God must bee kept from sinne and driven to holy walking for feare of correction and punishments doth quite marre the true nature of sanctification for then it is true sanctification when it is done with willing cheerfulnesse and meere thankfulnesse for Free Iustification and the other great benefits of the Gospel freely bestowed and already possessed and thereupon bringing forth great joy and zealous obedience but if wee bee driven thereunto by corrections and whippings it is not free and cheerfull obedience but it is made compulsive but all that thankfulnesse whereunto wee with whippings are compelled is no thankfulnesse and indeed all such obedience is not worth a a butten except it be willing and cheerfull for joy of Free Iustification and then it is true sanctification indeed Psal 110. 3. Esay 55 5. Psal 110. 3. Eay 55. 5. 12 Twelfthly and lastly Summa Summae the upshot of all is this That when we Preachers of the Gospel not feeling in our hearts the vigour and power of the free-given treasures of Christ doe not trust to nor rely upon the pressing of them as sufficient where they are felt and injoyed operative causes of all holy walking and godly conversation then wee degenerate and decline thereby to the legall teaching of the Old Testament more agreeable to the light of nature described before of constraying men to holinesse and righteousnesse with legall arguments of large blessings if they doe well but with terrors of corrections and punishments for their evill doings which either doth little good at all or at the best makes but self-deceiving legall zealous hypocrites and so goe not with a right foot to the truth of the Gospel Gal. 2. 14. and purity Gal. 2. 14. of the first Primitive preaching of constraining men to holinesse adn righteousnesse by joy and love by preaching with joyfull inflamed hearts and fiery tongues Acts 2. 4. the exceeding excellency and glory Act. 2. 4. of the unsearchable riches of Christ which as it was the true course of the first manner of preaching of the Gospel in the Primitive Church as is evident in all these Scriptures Act. 8. 8 38 39. Act. 13. 38 39 Acts 8. 8. 38 39 13. 38 39 42 44 52. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Epes 3. 8. 42 44 52. 1 Pet. 1. 8. and which S. Paul defines to be the very essence of a Preacher of the Gospel Ephes 3. 8. saying in the person of all true Preachers of the Gospel vnto me the least of all Saints is given this grace that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ
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
an exceeding weighty point worthy the diligent marking and yet not sufficiently marked that there are Two kindes of mortification of sinne two kindes of mortification of sin the one legall the other Evengelicall And this is the difference between them that the 1 Evangelicall Evangelicall mortification beleeving with the heart and confessing with the tongue Rom. 10. 10. that the Rom. 10. 10. blood of Christ hath made us cleane in the sight of God from all sinne 1 Iohn 1. 7. that only poysons us before God unto the death of hell and so we are freely and 1 Iohn 1. 7. preciously healed of the same hereupon by crucifying our corruptions so abolished out of Gods sight wee will not eat of this deadly poyson of hell any more as David said of the delightfull and well-pleasing conversation of the wicked in sinne Let me not eat of their delicates But let the righteous rather smite mee friendly and reprove me And thus the Evangelicall zeale doth mortifie sinne to our selves in meere thankfulnesse that the spirit of God dwelling in us shewes us that we are cleane and by the blood of Christ have no sin to mortifie in the sight of God But the Legall mortification desiring to bee her 2 Legall owne Physician and striving for feare of punishment either temporall or eternall or upon a secret hope lurking in the heart of procuring and retaining Gods favour and good will by her diligent endeavours of crucifying and mortifying sinne out of the sight of God by the assistance as she saith of Gods spirit by her selfe thus robs Christ of the foresaid glory of his blood and by all her diligent labouring against sin doth never obtaine the assistance of the spirit which comes only by the foresaid healing by Free Justification Gal. 3. 2. And so hath her sinnes by all her diligent Galat 3. 2. labouring in mortification never truly mortified nor abolished neither before God nor themselves And this was the old Pharisaicall mortification who as the Apostle testifies did with a legall fervent love of God Rom. 10. 2. follow the law of righteousnesse Rom. 10. 2. Rom. 9. 31. Acts 26. 7. Rom. 9. 31. instantly serving God day and night Acts 26. 7. for they had certaine speciall points and sentences of the Law written round about in the borders The Plâ—aâ—isaicall stâ—ictâ—esse of their garments that they might never be out of their eyes they praied no men more they fasted twice in the week the bed that they lay upon as Epiphanius writeth was but little more than a span broad and yet that they might sleep with lesse ease they strewed sharpe things under them Briefly all their life in appearance was such and all their apparell and behaviour so seemely and decent that if a man would paint out wisedome sobriety mortification and perfect holinesse he could have no better patterne And therefore they were called Pharisaei that is divided Why called Pharâ—â—â—â— as men in holinesse and perfection of life farre passing all the rest of the people and that also by the assistance of Gods Spirit as they thought and professed for as the good Jewes professed that they had the benefit of all spirituall graces but by the Spirit of God confessing that God gave them his good Spirit to instruct them Nehem. 9. 20. and acknowledge that Nehem 9. 20. Verse â—0 it was the Spirit that spake in their Prophets vers 30. And as David said Stablish and uphold me with thy free Spirit Psal 51. 12. so these meerely legall devout Psal 51. 12. ones that by their devoutnesse drave Paul out of their coasts did professe that all their devotions and mortifications were by the spirit whereupon Zidkiab that struck Micaiah a box on the eare said When went the 1 Kings 22. 24. Spirit of the Lord from me unto thee But because they sought not mortification at the fountaine of the Spirit which is Free Iustification Galat. 3. 2. but as Galat. 3. 2. the Apostle saith Being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God and going about to stablish their owne righteousnesse did not submit themselves to the righteousness of God Rom. 10. 3. therefore they were utterly voide of the Rom 10. 3. Spirit and had not one sparke of true mortification Yea this very opinion of mortifying sinne our selves The heart of Pâ—pâ—ry by the Spirit properly out of the sight of God is the very heart of Popery the very essentiall forme of Anabaptisme the very root of all Justiciaries the very pride of Lucifer the very joyning in check-mate with Christ or rather in parting stakes with him to take the greater part of glory to our selves in granting that he doth abolish and take away the guilt and the punishments which are the lesser but we purifie away and mortifie and cleanse our selves by the spirit from sinne it selfe which is the cause and greatest of all evills when as it is the sole glory of Christ alone properly to to purifie and cleanse away from before God by himselfe alone all sinne especially Heb. 1. 3. for by this selfe mortifying Heb. 1. 3. and selfe-cleansing our sins by the spirit properly out of the sight of God such must needs goe about to make themselves good and every day better and better in the sight of God which is the patching with God before spoken of and just the Papists second Justification and flat deniall and nullifying of the true Justification yea this legall mortification is the ground-work and foundation of the Eremites first The foundation of the Eremites and of Anchorites of Nunneries living by rootes in the Wildernesse even to mortifie their sinnes by the spirit out of the fight of God of Anchorites shutting themselves up in walls to mortifie their sinnes out of Gods sight by the spirit and was the first foundation stone in the building of all Nunneries and Abbies to mortifie their sinne out of Gods sight by the spirit and although these devout legall morter-makers mortifiers I should say of their sinnes doe appeare both in their owne opinion and in the judgement of others to be by their legall zealous holy and godly living the most religious and most holy men in the world yet they are nothing so in truth but doe overflow with all manner of hidden corruptions which they themselves see not as envy malice disdaine preposterous judgement selfe-conceitednesse pride contempt of God in his chiefest matters slavish feare and utter retracting under faire pretences to doe zealously the duties of their vocations where any danger appeares being blindenesse it selfe in the right understanding of the Gospel full of secret grudgings whisperings evill speakings and manifold breakings or rather flat contemnings of the ninth commandement by evill surmisings and misconstruings of the words and deeds of others wherein especially they bewâ—â—y themselves And to conclude these Saints as Luther saith are the bondslaves of Satan and therefore are driven to thinke
hold contraries when in truth they do Two reasons of seeming contrarietie in mens writings and sermons not whereof there are two principall reasons first when by the reader the circumstances of the speaker or writer and of things spoken and written as of persons times and places and such like are not understood and marked and secondly because the Writers themselves consisting of two men of the old man and of the new man and both these men in them being ruled and guided by a twofold light the light of nature and the light of grace First wee must mark that the old man in them is ruled with the light of nature described Rom. 2. 14 15 16. Rom. 2. 14. 15. 16. Namely that the Gentiles which have not the Law doe by nature the works and things contained in the Law because they have the effect of the Law written in their hearts their thoughts and consciences accusing them with feare of procuring punishment when they doe evill but excusing them with hope of speeding well for the same when they doe well But on the other side the new man is ruled by the light of grace which is when a Christian seeing by the eye of faith that all his sinnes are washed away and abolished from before God only by the blood of Christ and he made perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely doth by the power of sanctification flowing from the same abstaine from all sinne not for feare of punishment which is slavish and doth all good duties zealously not to procure reward for the same which is hyreling-like but because hee sees that all is too little that he doth and that hee cannot bee thankfull enough doe what hee can in glorifying God for his already blessed estate only by Free Justification Gal. 3. 8 9. And although the Gal. 3 8. 9. more that any child of God is endued with this light of Grace the more Spiritually and Divinely he both speaks and writes yet so strong like Goliah are the remnants of the old man in the best children of God The old man is strong iâ— the best and so busie is the foresaid light of nature in the best Writers excepting only the writings of the Prophets and Apostles that this old man will bee foysting in somewhat of the light of nature with the light of Grace and thereby except the Writer be exceeding wary corrupting the one with the other to the quite marring of both Which as it should teach Preachers and all others that which is too lamentably neglected now adaies how wary they should be to speak but much more to put penne to paper to write any thing in the Church especially in matters of Divinity and salvatition lest they give advantage to the Adversarie and forget that saying of Ierom Grande inquit periculum In Gal. 1. 10. Parcus ibid. in Ecclefia loqui ne forte interpretatione perversa de Evangelio Christi hominis fat Evangelium aut quod pejus est Diabolâ— That is it is saith he a great danger to speak in the Church lest peradventure by a wrong and preposterous interpretation it bee made of the Gospel of Christ the gospel of man or that which is worse the gospel of the Devill so also it must teach such as are readers of other mens books and writings especially Preachers and young Students in Divinitie to take heed that even in the best Writers A necessary caution in reading of Authors they doe not take all things hand over head but first to ground themselves in the perfect distinction between the Law and the Gospel faith and works as it is notably described upon Patricks-Places in the book of Acts and Monuments of Martyrs that so faith as Paul saith Gal. 3. 12. may not bee of works Gal. 3. 12. nor works made grace lest grace be no more grace Rom. 11. 6. And thereby to keep Free Iustification pure Rom. 11. 6. and in her true glory without any mixture as the alone soule-saving grace and only soule-saving glory of Christ that so where they finde in faithfull Writers the excellencie of Christs benefits by their light of grace worthily extolled and magnified that same they may embrace as evidences of the light of grace reigning in them but where some thing of the light of nature extolling and dignifying works so darkning grace and the glory of Christs free benefits drops from their pennes before they are aware yet to make a charitable exposition of the same ever trying all things and keeping only that which is good but ever preferring those things most that make most for the glorifying of Christ in the excellency of those benefits of the Gospel which he worketh upon us alone by himselfe without our working with him And ever in love and thankfulnesse accepting the Writers willing endeavours and covering by love such infirmities as by the remnants of the old man in them have as I said dropped from their pennes by the over-flowing of the light of nature in them before they were aware And to this end let us ever in reading remember that reproofe that Luther justly Luther A commoâ— error in reading the ground thereof gives of some saying thus So it happens unto imprudent and ill-disposed readers that those things that are of infirmitie in the Fathers and other holy Writers they make all to be of high authority Which is the fault not of the Authours but of the Readers who snatch up out of the Fathers that which they spake of infirmitie and hold them so fast that they doe oppose them also against that which in another place the same Fathers have spoken by the light and power of the Spirit and doe so urge and presse them that the better must give place to the worse whereby it comes to passe that they attribute authority to the worser sayings because they agree more to the sense of their flesh and reason and take away authority from the better sayings because they agree not to their sense and reason Therefore if we will not erre in reading good Authors wee must follow that notable rule that Luther gives in the same case saying This only I say of those holy Who magnifie fâ—ee grace are chiefly to bee followed men that when they vary among themselves thâ—se are rather to bee followed which have spoken the best things for free grace without works leaving them which by the infirmitie of the flesh have spoken rather after the flesh and reason than after the Spirit So likewise those Writeâ—s that vary from themselves are in that part to be chosen and holden fast unto where they speak after the Spirit but to be relinquished where they savour of the flesh and naturall light of reason This is the duty of a Christian Reader and of the cleane beast that hath â—loven boofes and cheweth the Cud. But now setting aside judgement wee devoure all confusedly whatsoever a good man saith or
that which is worse by a perverse and preposterous judgement wee refuse the better things and approve the worse Yea in one and the same Authors we attribute and apply that authoritie and Title of holinesse to their worser things which they have deserved for their best things spoken after the Spirit and not after the flesh and naturall light of reason My second answer to this objection that other Ministers doe speak and seeme to hold the contrarie is this that it is an undoubted truth that although all brethren in the Ministry may bee enlightened with one and the same truth yet all are not â—enlightned All are nor enlightened with the same measure of truth with one and the same measure of truth who thereupon may disceptare that is argue about a matter but not dissentire that is bee of a contrary judgement and resolution flatly to hold the contrary And it is possible that one man may have laboured more and so see further in some one point than another though he come behinde many others that are rich in all other gifts and of excellent learning who yet should shew themselves to be of Cains brood and Devils incarnate if wee should willingly and wilfully envie an higher talent in our brother in some one gift non omnia possumus omnes and wee bee all of us set and appointed by God to bee by our particular gifts mutuall helpers of another but not hinderers and enviers one of another And thirdly I answer that although some one or more of seeming great learning will in the heigth of their owne conceit and in the opinion of their great learning oppose themselves against this common consent of the learned Orthodox writers and so flatly hold the contrary yet is their great knowledge and great learning no sufficient cause to drive thee into wavering and doubting of the excellency of Christs benefits because the holy Ghost hath so sufficiently armed us against this scandall in teaching so plentifully in his word that there is a twofold knowledge A twofold knowledge or learning the one a literall knowledge or a literall learning and the other a spirituall knowledge the understanding and marking of which point because it is of so great use that thereupon depends in a manner the whole essence of salvation both to discerne in what state thou thine owne-selfe dost stand that makest this objection who peradventure maist bee learned and of great knowledge and also to keep thee from many scandals and delusions by others that seeme to be of great learning and knowledge therefore to leave us without all excuse is the holy Ghost most diligent to describe these two knowledges unto us very largely First the literall knowledge is described Rom. 2. 1 Literall Rom. 2. 17. from verse 17. to the very end of the chapter after this manner Behold thou art called a Iâ—w that is thou art called to bee a member of the Church of God even of one called and professing Gods revealed glorious truth and restest in the Law that is thou takest the word of God and the doctrine from heaven to be thine only rule and warrant and wilt not as thou sayest goe one haires breadth from the word yea and gloriest in God namely that he is thy Father Saviour and Redeemer and knowest his will that is thou art skilfull in the word of God and canst try the things that differ and are excellent by reason thou arâ— instructed and very learned in the word of God Neither only hast thou thus knowledge enough for thy selfe and for thine owne use alone but also art a rich store-house for others for thou art confident and takest upon thee to be a Guide to the â—linde a Light to them that are in darknesse an Instructer of them that lack discretion a Teacher of the ignorant and hast the whole forme of knowledge and of the truth in thy breast is it possible that the exquisitest knowledge that is can be more gloriously described and yet all this is there shewed to the end of the chapter to be no knowledge indeed but only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a meere shadow or shew of great knowledge and of the truth quans vulgo apparentiam vocant which as Calvin Calvin ibid. saith men commonly call an appearance of knowledge because as the Apostle saith in divers verses following it consisteth but in the letter only that is is meerly literall learned by good wit and good memory but is not by the working of the spirit of God in spirit and in truth being agreeable with that which the Apostle saith in another place habent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is they have a shew of very godlinesse but they deny the power of the same for they had which is the Apostles scope in this description a confession of the forgivenesse of their sinnes by Gods mercy in the Messiah but they had not a joyfull spirituall feeling knowledge of the excellency of Free Iustification which is the soule of all this great knowledge and when the soule is away all the rest is nothing else but a dead carcasse of knowledge as the Apostle shewes in all the whole Epistle following Chap. 9. 30 31. and 10. 2 3. Whereby they that are in this literall knowledge although they seeme to bee greatly enlightned in the whole word of God and to be excellent learned men yea and very zealous with a legall zeale Rom. 9. 31. and 10. 2. yet because they are in Rom 9. 31. and 10. 2. this point destitute as Calvin speaketh interiore luce of the true inward spirituall light it is incredible to think how blinde they are in understanding the excellency of Christs benefits so that none is so blinde as such as are in this literall knowledge as it is plainly testified by the Propher Esay 42. 18 19. saying Heare Esay 42. 18 19. yee deafe and look yee blinde that you may see Who so blinde as my servant or deafe as my messenger that I send yea who so blinde as the perfect that is that by this literall knowledge think themselves perfect and who so blinde as the Lords servants yea such in this literall knowledge are not only more blinde than the very plough-boy but also more blinde and ignorant than the oxe and the asse that the plough-boy drives before him as the same Prophet witnesseth saying The oxe knowes his owner and the asse his masters crib but Israel hath not knowne my people as by this literall knowledge they professe themselves hath not Esay 1. 3. Object understood Esay 1. 3. But how then will some man say may these blinde men seeming so learned in this literall knowledge be discerned from such as are truly enlightened I answer this the same Prophet Esay Answ plainly expresseâ—h in the former place saying thus Two manner of wayes how we may see know many things and yet not keep them Seeing many things but thou keepest them
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
only are meer patients suffering another ab extra even God to work all in us as may be further cleered in the manner Two similitudes how by two fit similitudes lively representations as First take a drinking glasse that is blue or red and put water or drink into the same and in some glasses I my selfe have seen that the drink or water in the same looseth to the present view it s own colour and becomes as blue or red as the glasse it selfe and yet not inherently and actively for the bluenesse or rednesse is inherently agently operatively and actively only in the glasse but yet whilst it doth abide in the glasse it becomes communicatively and passively as blue or red as the glasse it selfe but what is the reason hereof because as I my selfe have observed the glasse doth conveigh by the force of the light certain beames of its own colour into the drink and so makes it to lose its own colour and to be of the same colour that the glasse is of Where it is pretty to observe that the liquor in the glasse hath lost its colour and hath not lost it First the liquor hath not lost it inherently and to it selfe because if it be put out of the glasse it is found only in its own colour But yet hath lost its own colour in two respects first in respect of the glasse which it is in that hath by conveighing her beams into it made it own colour and secondly to the view of the beholder it is truly abolished and gone and nothing remaines but the colour of the glasse Now although the truth represented by this similitude passeth the representation as farre as a substance passeth the shadow yet it is sufficient for a shadow and is a notable representation of the truth because that Gods powerfull imputation after a more reall mighty and effectuall manner doth the same in truth that is but resembled in this shadow and faith that went so far as to say wash thou me and I shall bee whiter than snow goes higher than any similitudes can reach unto and seeth the soule being cloathed with Christs righteousnesse to be although not inherently yet lesse imaginarily and colourably but truly and reipsa in very deed made perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God so effectually that the very power thereof begins inherently to change the heart by sanctification also to the eyes of men more and more whereas wee see that the bluenesse or rednesse of the glasse worketh no inherent change upon or in the drink but because faith reasoneth and concludes from the power of God thus That if so poore and silly a creature as a piece of glasse be able by the force of the light to cast her beames into it and to make the liquor to lose to the view and sight of men her own colour and to look whilst it is in the glasse of the same colour that the glasse is of were it not impiety and flat blasphemie not to grant that Christ can much more being true and Almighty God translating me out of Adam to bee a member in himselfe by cloathing me both within and without with his own righteousnesse conveigh much more by the power and force of his spirit his own righteousnesse to bee thought not inherently and actively yet objectively and passively in us so by this means abolish all our sinnes from before God and make us only perfectly holy righteous in the sight of God freely herein consisting the Analogie of the truth with the similitude that Christ by reason of his Godhead and power of his spirit doth that in truth above our reason sense and feeling which the red glasse doth only in shew that is make us in truth perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely not imaginarily colourably as the Papists fondly cavill but really truly and reipsa in very deed like the working of an Almighty Creator this faith I say shall finde by the very fruits of sanctification flowing from the same that he is not made only colourably righteous but that he is verè reipsa truly and in very deed with Christs righteousnesse made perfectly holy righteous in the sight of God freely Hence for the lively representation of this truth do so many Divines both learned and judicious so much use this similitude saying thus As he that beholdeth any thing through a red glasse doth take it to bee red as is the colour of the glasse so God the Father beholding us in his Sonne doth take us to bee of the same nature and quality that he is that is perfectly righteous for which cause he saith to his Spouse in the Canticles though she felt and complained that shee was black and full of infirmities to her sense and feeling and own inherent active righteousnesse yet saith Christ that knowes better what in this respect he hath wrought upon her than shee her selfe Behold thou art faire my love behold thou art all faire and there is no spot in thee And for this cause it is that he loveth us and sets his heart upon us and will not bee removed from us c. Which is not for the shadow but for the true substance of his own righteousnesse though not inherently to our sense and feeling and actively yet by Gods imputation objectively and passively conveighed into us so utterly abolishing our sins from before God and making us not imaginaâ—ly but truly and reipsa in very deed perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of â—od freely A second similitude illustrating this truth yet The second similitude more fully is this Let an house or shop be made towards the East and let the Sun beat upon the same all day long yet whilst the windowes and doores are fast shut up the house still remaines dark and unprofitable because the walls being corpora opaca dark bodies can cast forth nothing but darknesse but let the windowes and doors be opened then doe the Sun-beames beat in and dispell all the darknesse that was there before and the house is made all light and profitable to the use of man But yet it is not inherently and actively light as the Papists conceit of their manner of Justification for if that light did come actively out of the walls then the house would not at the least immediately be beholding to the Sun without it in the Firmament but the house would be inherently and actively light immediately enlightning its own selfe but in that it is enlightned by the Sun-beames the house is all light in deed yet no Agent and Doer in making its selfe light but is altogether passively and objectively light so is it in the case of our Justification and being a similitude much used by the holy Ghost it passeth all other humane similitudes by running contrary to the old proverb quatuor pedibus for First mans soule and body is like this house or shop of Gods wonders
the Lord and to the Lord as the Apostle plainly testifies to the Justified Ephesians saying Yee were once darknesse there is the foule in the state of sin and of nature like the house dark at midnight But now are light in the Lord there is Justification by which Christ Jesus the Sun of righteousnesse being risen upon a man and mystically cloathing him both without and within with his owne righteousnesse all his sins are mystically above his sense and feeling utterly abolished from before God and hee is objectively and passively made all light but marke how hee saith not simply light nor yet light in your selves but light in the Lord as the house is not inherently light in its selfe as I said before but made all light in the Sun-beames therefore saith hee walk as the children of light there is Sanctification that is alwayes unseperable from Justification Justification And thus having illustrated by these two similitudes the manner how the true Beleever is not barely counted but truly and reipsa made perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely Let us come to some evident proofs of the matter and proove by undeniable Scriptures and testimonies of the learned and faithfull Dispensers of Gods mysteries that wee are by the power of Gods imputation though mystically yet truly so cloathed both without and within with Christs perfect righteousnesse that it is even in us thereby not only so truly and utterly abolishing from before God all our sins as is before shewed in the first part of Justification but also that it doth make us truly and reipsa just that is perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God thus dans nomen esse that is after the right nature of the forme giving us not onely the name but also the true being of just and righteous men in the sight of God freely And First that wee are by the power of Gods imputation so spiritually cloathed in the sight of God both within and without with the wedding-garment of Christs righteousnesse that the righteousnesse of Christ is though mystically above our sense feeling yet objectively and passively truly even in us is evident How the righteousnesse of Christ is in us and plaine both expresly and equipollently by many places of Scripture but I will instance only in such as are so expresse and plain that if unbeliefe doe not offer them open violence to wrest them from the plaine simplicity of the Scriptures miraculous speaking to the weakest capacitie and so too grosly make the Scripture like a nose of wax are most evident and plaine and utterly undeniable as namely Cant. 1. 15. and 4. 1. 7. Where it is to bee seene that Cant. 1. 15. 4. 1. 7. when the Church here militant upon earth had before complained that she was black in the sight of God both with the feeling of siane in her selfe and also besmootted with the crosses and miseries of this life as true effects of the same blacknesse in sin Christ tells her flatly in effect that she mistakes the matter and is deceived by her sense and feeling and to draw her from sense and feeling to live by faith in his word to note that in this respect being cloathed in his sight with his own righteousnesse she was above her own capacitie in a double or treble wonderfull estate hee often doubles and trebles the signe of wonder and admiration used in the Scriptures that as the Spirit spake in great wonder and admiration Behold a virgin shall conceive and beare a sonne Esay 7. 14. so saith Christ Behold thou art faire my love Esay 7. 14. Behold thou art faire thou hast doves eyes first commending her cleere eyes of faith for seeing invisible things 2 Cor. 4. 18. which neither eye hath seen nor eare 2 Cor. 4. 18. of naturall man can heare nor heart of naturall man can conceive 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. and then repeats with 1 Cor. 2. 9. 10. deeper emphasis againe for fuller certainty saying yea thou art all fair and there is no spot in thee where we are to mark that he saith not as unbeliefe blends this looking-glasse of Gods word wherein the soule should see her beauty by her cleere eyes of faith although thou are black yet I am all faire for thee But thou art all faire my love neither doth he say although thou hast many spots in thee yet there is no spot in me for thee But there is no spot in thee so that wee must not so grossely pervert the words of Christ and so palpably turne by unbeliefe away the blessing pronounced upon our selves as to turne thou and thee into I and me but so by faith to shut our eyes and open our eares as to know that the Church and every true beleever is so perfectly faire in the sight of God that she hath not one spot in her not inherently and actively by the perfection of her holy walking which then she might feele in her selfe but mystically above her sense and feeling and objectively and passively to God-ward by being so clothed both within and without with Christs righteousnesse that above our sense and seeling it not only truly and utterly abolisheth all our sinnes from before God as is before shewed in the first part of Justification but also wherein consisteth the true wonder and the work of the dove-like eye of faith to see the same it makes us though mystically yet truly perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely And this place not only all Interpreters both ancient and moderne that I have read do expound to be verified upon the children of God by Justification but also Paul himselfe as some learned Expositors teach speaking of the love of Christ in justifying his Church doth allude unto this place saying Christ gave himselfe for his Church to sanctifie it and hath as the originall word imports made it cleane by the washing of water through the Word namely of the free promise of Justification in which sense S. Iohn also saith He hath washed us from our sinnes in his own blood to what end or intent hath hee done this viz. not imaginarily to count us but to make us not to ourselves that is to our sense and feeling but to himselfe a glorious Church corresâ—ondent to her husband Christ how or wherein glorious that is not having now at this present time as the learned know that the Greek and Latine Participles of the present time doe evidently import the Apostle not saying non habituram that is the Church is in such case now as not to have hereafter one spot or wrinkle but non habentem not having now at this present time one spot or wrinkle of sinne or any such thing which cannot be spoken of our sanctification now in this life but yet is true and truly verified upon us mystically in the sight of God by Free Iustification as Christ saith
ever all them that are sanctified This is the onely Purgatory say these Our onely Purgatory is Christs blood first Restorers of the Gospel amongst us Where in all Christian men must put their whole trust and confidence Now that Gods imputation and spirituall cloathing with his Sonnes righteousnesse doth so really make us righteous that after the manner of the forme dat nomen esse that is it gives us both the name and being righteous although it be cleare and manifest by this former point because whatsoever is made so or so we see by dayly experience that they bee and are so called accordingly yet because it makes to the confirmation of the former point as evident effects of the truth of the former let me briefly touch this also And first that this spirituall cloathing with Christs righteousnesse doth so really make us righteous that only that gives us the name of truly just and righteous persons in the sight of God is manifest by that often repeated axiome of the Apostle The Iust by faith shall live For although some doe darken the sense both of the Prophet and of the Apostle by saying The Iust shall live by faith by joyning the word Faith to the Verb or Predicate shall live yet the true sense and meaning of the Apostle as it is in the Hebrew and Greek is that by faith should bee joyned with the subject Iust as if the Apostle had said they that are by faith made just shall live for the Apostle shewing that the righteousnesse that saves us is offered onely in the Gospel and is revealed to every one from faith to faith that is the more faith hee hath and the more it doth encrease the more hee sees and embraceth this righteousnesse that truly makes him just and righteous in the sight of God he confirmes the same by the Prophet Habakuk saying The just by faith shall live wherein he teacheth two things evidently First that it is faith only embracing and applying the righteousnesse revealed in the Gospel that makes a man just and righteous in the sight of God And Secondly that this righteousnesse not only names him just and righteous but makes him to live also a Christian godly life in this world and then to eternall glory in the world to come so that the Apostle likens this righteousnesse of the Gospel to the soule as if a Christian had two soules in him first as he is a man and secondly as he is a Christian his soule as he is a man is his naturall soule by which he lives truly only to this world but his soule as he is a Christian Christs righteousnesse is to a Christian as the soule is to the body is Christs righteousnesse that also sanctifies him and so is like the life that the soule works in the body and makes him live a godly Christian life in this world and also makes him to live unto eternall glory in the life to come And as the Physitians say that the vital spirits are they that knit and combinde the soule and body together so faith is like those vitall spirits that combinde the righteousnesse of Christ and the Christian together Whereby as the soule gives unto a man both the name and essentiall being of a man so doth the righteousnesse of Christ apprenhended by faith give unto a man both the name and essentiall being of a Christian and makes him to live the life of a Christian in this world and to live unto eternall glory in the life to come and as by reason of the Divine understanding soule made to the Image of God God is said to be neere and to dwell in us whereby as S. Paul saith Acts 17. 28. In him we live Acts 17. 28. and move and have our being and are of his generation so by reason of Christs righteousnesse apprehended by faith Christ himselfe dwelleth in us saith the Apostle by this faith Eph. 3. 17. Whereby in Christ Eph. 3. 1â— wee live and move and have our being and are of his generation or off-spring that is to say Christians All which S. Paul doth testifie Gal. 2. 20. by his own Gal. 2. 20. example in the plainest words that can be saying I live not now but Christ lives in mee and in that I now live I live by the faith of the Sonne of God who loved me and gave himselfe for mee namely to justifie me by his blood and make mee perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely The truth whereof Luther cleerly seeing with the spirituall eye of faith doth with as excellent a spirit testifie the same against the whole world of Papists saying This is the true meane to become a Christian even to bee justified by faith in Iesus Christ and why Because it is most true that Master Downham testifieth of Justification Downham of Iustification saying The beleever is cloathed with the most glorious robe of Christ Iesusâ— his righteousnesse and so appearing before God both clean from all sinne and endued with a perfect righteousnesse he is justified reconciled and eternally saved Now what can bee required more to make a true Christian I grant that where this is there will follow unfallibly a renewed sanctified life with zeale of Holy life maketh not but only declareth a Christian Gods glory but this makes not a Christian but consequently declares and outwardly shewes that he is already before thus freely made a Christian because he being thus clean from all sinne in the sight of God as is here described hath not only the name and imaginary counting but also the essentiall being of a person perfectly just and righteous in the sight of God freely hence it is that the children of God are called by no other name in all the Psalmes and whole word of God more commonly than by the name of the righteous Iust and Saints because they Beleevers are Saints two wayes are so two manner of wayes First they are righteous Just and Saints to God-ward by Justification And Secondly They are righteous Just and Saints to man-ward by Sanctification the first way to God-ward is perfect because otherwise it is no righteousnesse to God-ward which cannot love any thing but that which is perfect but the second way to manward is unperfect which yet being done in sincerity is sufficient for man that is unperfect and therefore because this later way is so exceeding imperfect both in respect of the perfection of the justice and righteousnesse revealed in the Law as also in respect of the perfection of Gods righteous nature described in the Law that loves nothing but that which is perfect in his sight therefore all those large promises made in the Psalms and Old Testament unto the righteous cannot be understood as the Papists conceive of the Saints inherent righteousnesse because David that had so great a measure of inherent righteousnesse cryed out that by this inherent righteousness shall none be found
sinners 2 Froâ—tâ—â— contâ—rietâ— of the states also in the sight of God both together is disproved by the Antithesis and contrariety which God hath put between these two states and conditions which meeting both together doe overthrow one another for whilst wee are sinners in the sight of God wee are branches in the bitter wild Olive but when wee are Justified and made perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God we are ingraffed into the sweet Olive or rather made branches in the blessed Vine Christ Ioh. Ioh. 15. 15. But we cannot be branches in the wild Olive and removed and ingraffed branches into the sweet Olive and into the blessed Vine Christ Jesus both together so likewise whilst we are sinners in the sight of God wee are under the power of darknesse but when we are justified and made perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God God hath delivered us out of the power of darknesse and hath translated us into the kingdome of his deare Sonne Colos 1. 13. Wee are not Colos 1. 13. then under the power of darknesse and translated out of it into the Kingdome of heaven both together Againe whilst we are sinners in the sight of God wee are members of the Devill but when we were justified and made perfectly righteous in the sight of God We are made thereby the members of Christ but we cannot bee the members of Christ and the members of the Devill both together Thirdly that wee are both righteous and sinners also 3 It frustrateth the end of our redemption in the sight of God doth frustrate and overthrow the end and intent of his works of redemption wrought upon us For when wee were sinners and thereby soule and loathsome in the sight of God God gave us his Son That the blood of Iesus Christ his Sonne might make us clean from all sin but to what end and intent doth hee with his blood make us so clean from all sinne is it not to the end and intent that we should not bee sound foule and loathsome still in the sight of God in any sinne If then notwithstanding this washing and making of us cleane wee be still foule and loathsome in the sight of God is not this end and intent of Gods work disappointed and frustrated And is it not an evident sign of a dead unbelieving heart to conceive Gods promises so vainly So likewise for the second part of Free Justification If God hath made us perfectly holy and righteous in his sight to the end and intent that we should not be found as before unrighteous in his sight if we be yet found unrighteous in the sight of God is not his work disappointed and frustrated of his end and intent Againe for the fruits and effects thereof If we bee cut out of the wild Olive Tree graffed into the sweet Olive to the end and intent that we should not bee branches in the wild Olive If we bee still branches in the wild Olive Gods work of removing us out of the wild Olive and making us branches in the sweet Olive or blessed vine Christ Jesus is frustrated Briefly if when we were members of the Devill we were by Justification translated out of him and made the members of Christ to the end and intent that by Justification we should not be the members of the Devill if wee bee still sinners in the sight of God and so still the members of the Devill Gods work were overthrowne disappointed and frustrated and is it not an horrible thing so to conceive and seeme to maintaine Christs benefits as to frustrate them of their ends and so to nullifie them and make them as good as none This made Paul Luther and such like faithfull servants of Paul and Luther zealous agâ—inst dead-heartednesse and unbeliefe Christ so zealous and so to thunder against such dead-hearted unbeleeving and wrangling Sophisters as under a colour of friendship with Christ and of upholding and maintaining his truth did indeed overthrow and frustrate the same And lastly if we be no otherwise justified than that we are both righteous and sinners also in the sight of God hereof will follow many absurdities As first God should be in his promises Yea and Nay But God is faithfull saith the Apostle and all his promises are not yea and nay but only yea and amen 2. Cor. 1. 18 19. 20. 2 Cor. 1. 18 19 20. Secondly if we be both righteous and sinners also in the sight of God then as Luther truely saith we are justified and not justified we are healed and fore also Thirdly that way that we are perfectly righteous we are well and have reason to be well content with the same but that way that we are in the sight of God fore and sinners we must goe look for new salves and new meanes and remedies of making us righteous in the sight of God For Christ hath healed us in the sight of God one way but we are sore in the sight of God another way and that way that we are sinners and sore still in the sight of God Christ hath not healed us of whilst we be sinners in the sight of God And hence it is indeed that the Papists and all They that are ignorant of free Iustification doe pervert Sanctification and Repentance others that are ignorant of Free Iustification that is how perfectly we are healed by the same in the sight of God but are carried with a legall holinesse doe pervert Sanctification and Repentance that whereas they are not healing for by Christs stripes alone we are Esay 53. 5. healed but are declarative meerly declaring to the eyes of men that we are healed beautified and approved of in the sight of God by being by Justification made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely They confound them and make Repentance and Sanctification and holy walking and such like to beautifie heale adorne and approve us to the sight of God running hereby into a preposterous cark and care to approve our selves to God-ward under the name of Sanctification and Repentance by our owne righteousnesse wrought in us by the spirit as the Papists say and by holy walking in all Gods Commandements confessing free Iustification by the By but flatly preaching as if we were not made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely so that take me the Papists Sermons as namely Bellarmines and in many of them where he doth not evagare to by-Ceremonies but keeps to the fundamentall points of Religion and to the ordinary phrases of forgivenesse of sinnes Repentance Sanctification Charity Love holinesse of life by walking in Gods Commandements and of the imitation of the virtues and life of Christ and Little differâ—nce between the sermons of Papists and many of our Protestants such like and you shall finde little or no difference between a Papists Sermon and the
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
wonderfull The first excellent fruit and effect hereof is this 1 First Illumination That the right knowledge of free Justification doth truly enlighten us and brings us into a wonderfull light For first it brings us to see what an infinite horrible Also it makes us to see the horriblenesse of sinne soule filthy thing the least sinne is in the sight of God in that we see by the same that we cannot be but most foule loathsome and filthy in the sight of God untill we be made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God which yet none can work and bring to passe but only he himselfe which horrible foulnesse of the least sin although the Law doth terribly lay it open in that definitive sentence Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to doe them Gal. 3. 10. Gal. 3. 10. that is cursed is every one that hath the least sin in Gods sight for who sees not that if a man doe continue A description of Gods unchangeable nature and wâ—l against sin as God created him in all things he should not have the least sin in the sight of God but if hee have the least sin in the sight of God he doth not continue in all things and so is certainly accursed Yea the sentence is as much as if God had said Cursed is every one that is not perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God And yet who marks it or if any doe mark it it drives them but into despaire and being loath by selfe love to prognosticate so hard things to themselves desire to forget it or endeavour to put it away by vaine and idle imaginations as if it were not the description of the loathsomenesse of sin in the sight of God nor a description of Gods unchangeable pure nature against sin but a pretended severity of the rigour of the Law which they hope to escape though they be not found fulfilling it in the sight of God and so would make God changeable and false which is impossible seeing heaven and earth may passe away but one jot or tittle of this definitive sentence of the Law cannot passe Math. 5. 18. away untill it is fulfilled And thus men dally and trifle Men dally and trifle with thâ—â— fearfull sentence with this fearfull sentence untill they come to bee enlightened with Free Iustification whereby God himselfe takes in hand to make them perfectly holy and righteous in his owne sight freely then they come to see willingly what an horrible thing the least sin is in the sight of God then they acknowledge the truth and unchangeablenesse of that definitive sentence Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things then they seeing that nothing could make them so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God but the crucifying of the Sonne of God they begin truly to crucifie that which they now see to be the Crucifier of the Lord of glory Secondly it brings us to see not only the foulnesse 2 The perfection of Gods Justice of sin but also the perfection of Gods justice against sinne and his implacable displeasure and anger against the same in that he cannot be reconciled from this displeasure or anger except he see his creature perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in his sight Which although the foresaid definitive sentence of the Law seemes to doe yet because it smites terrour and despaire into them it makes men to strive to forget it and to fly from God and to runne into more sin untill they see Gods love in making them perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in his owne sight freely and then they come to acknowledge cheerfully the perfection of his justice and the justnesse of his displeasure and anger against the least sin because they see by the death of his Son to make them cleane from all sin that there is no sin little in the sight of God Now they come to see the truth of that saying of David Thou art not a God that loveth wickednesse neither shall any evill dwell with thee Psal 5. Psal 5. 4. 4. Now they come to see the truth of that saying of Habak Thou art of pure eyes and canst not see evill thou canst not behold wickednesse but thou must needs destroy the sinner or sin from him that sees by it his misery by making him perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in thy sight freely And that free Justification thus declares and manifesteth the justice of God and brings people thus profitably to see the perfection of it and glorifie it is testified plainly by S. Paul Rom. 3. 25. 26. saying The righteousnesse of God by the faith Rom. 3. 25 26. of Iesus Christ is unto all and upon all that doe beleeve freely justifying them that is making them perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely but to what end To declare saith hee his righteousnesse namely that it alone pleases him that hee might thus see himselfe to bee just and the justifier of him that is of the faith of Iesus Thirdly the right knowledge of free Justification 3 The meaning of the tenth Commandement brings a man to see and understand the tenth Commandement and thereby the spirituall meaning of all the ten Commandements which men though wise and learned and very religious both in their owne opinion and judgement of others doe not understand as is to be seene in the Scribes and Pharisees whom Christ was faine in the fifth sixth and seventh Chapters of Matth. in the spirituall meaning of the Law to chatechise like young children in all the ten Commandements But when a man understands free Iustification rightly then he understands the tenth Commandement and sees how horrible grosse sins in the sight of God the least breaches thereof are which the blinde world counts nothing and sees all his best works and holy walking to be by reason of that tenth Commandement but as a menstruous cloath and so kills him in making him to see that he is a damnable 1 By the help and assistance of the spirit of God lost sinner in the spirituall breach of all the ten Commandements A notable example hereof is S. Paul who whilst he was a Pharisee he walked diligently and 2 God being mercifull to pardon small matters zealously so holily and righteously in all Gods Commandements that in his owne opinion and in the judgement of others concerning the righteousnesse of the Law he was unrebukable Phil. 3. 7. But when Phil. 3. 7. he was once justified and understood rightly the glory of the same then he understood the tenth Commandement and then he cried out that the Law was spirituall but although his life was then most of all sanctified yet he felt himselfe
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
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
c. Gal. 5. 22. This is the voyce of the Bridegroome and of the Bride that is to say sweet cogitations of Christ wholsome exhortations pleasant Songs and Psalmes praises and thanksgiving whereby the godly doe instruct stirre up and refresh themselves Therefore God loveth not heavinesse and dulnesse Heavinesse must be abandoned and why of spirit he hateth uncomsorrable doctrine heavie and sorrowfull cogitations and loveth cheerfull hearts for therefore hath he sent his Sonne not to oppresse us with heavinesse and sorrow but to cheere up our soules in him Mark what great joy all the Prophets doe prophesie of and even extort at our hands for the first comming of Christ so do the Psalms so doth Christ and so doe his Apostles not only exhorting us but even commanding us to rejoyce Rejoyce thou Daughter of Zion bee joyfull thou Daughter of Ierusalem â—ach 5. for behold thy King commeth to thee Againe for the fruits of his comming Rejoyce yee heavens for the Esay 44. 12 23. Lord hath done it Shout yee lower parts of the earth burst forth into prayses yee mountaines why what is done and wherefore must there be such great joy For I have put away thy sinnes as darkness and thy transgressions as a mist And thus hath the Lord redeemed Iacob and will be glorified in Israel And albeit wee Luth. Seâ—m in Phil. 4. 4. fall sometimes into sinnes which by nature bring sadnesse and sorrow with them yet forasmuch as they cannot bring so much hurt as Christ if we believe in him bringeth power of abolishing them with profit and safety Joy in the Lord ought alwayes to have the first place with us and farre to overcome the sorrow and sadnesse that commeth by reason of our sinnes Hence doth the truly faithfull soule the Bride of Christ burst forth into this extasie saying I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord and my soule shall bee joyfull in my God Why Because hee hath cloathed me with the garments of Salvation What garments are those He hath covered me with the Robes of righteousness he hath decked Esay 61. 10. me as a Bride tireth her selfe with her Iewells Esay 61. 10. And hereupon saith Luther Beholdhow for this knowledge Luth. in Gal. 3. 13. and benefit of Christ to come the Saints of the Old Testament rejoyced more than we now doe when he is so comfortably revealed and exhibited unto us Indeed we do acknowledge that this benefit of Christ the righteousnesse of faith is an inestimable Treasure But wee conceive not thereby such a full joy of spirit as the Prophets and Apostles did Hereof it commeth that They especially Paul doe so plentifully set forth and so diligently teach the Articles of Justification for this is the proper office of an Apostle and of a Minister of the Gospel to set forth the glory and benefits The proper office of a Minister of the Gospel of Christ to the working of this joy and therefore doth S. Paul define a Minister to be but an help to the peoples joy 2 Cor. 1. 24. When such a rejoycing 2 Cor 1. 24. faith possesseth the heart and the Gospel is so received indeed then God appeareth sweet and altogether loving neither feeleth the heart any thing but the favour and grace of God it standeth with a bold and strong confidence Luth. serm in Phil. 4. 4. it feareth not least any evill come unto it it being quiet from all feare of displeasure is merry and glad of so incomparable grace and goodnesse of God given unto it freely and most abundantly in Christ Wherfore there must needs forthwith proceed from such a faith love joy peace gladnesse giving of thanks praise and a certaine marvellous delight in God as in a most deare and favourable Father which dealeth so fatherly with us and poureth forth his gifts so plentifully and in so great measure upon them also which doe not deserve them Behold of such joy Paul speaketh here which â—ruly where it is there can be no place for sin or feare of death or hell yea nothing is there but a joyfull quiet and omnipotent trust in God and in his favour wherefore it is called joy not in gold silver delights singing health knowledge wisedome power glory friendship favour no nor in works holinesse and such like but joy in the Lord wherefore Paul speaketh saying Rejoyce in the Lord alway and againe I say rejoyce Phil. 4. 4. And Peter Phil. 4. 4. testifieth that the faithfull by beleeving did rejoyce 1 Pet. 1. 8. with joy unspeakable and glorious For in this righteousnesse wherein I am made passively righteous I Luthers argument in Galat. have no sin no feare no sting of conscience no care of death for where Christ is truly seene indeed there must needs be full and perfect joy in the Lord. Wherefore if any man feele himselfe oppressed with Luther in Gal. 2. 20. heavinesse and anguish of heart he must not impute it unto Christ although it come under the name of Christ but unto the Devill who oftentimes commeth under the colour of Christ and transformeth himselfe into an Angel of light for if there be any feare or any griefe of conscience it is a token that this passive The cause of feare and sadnesse of heart righteousnesse wherewith I am freely made perfectly holy and righteous is withdrawne that grace is hidden and Christ is darkned out of sight wherefore we must Luther in serm of the lost sheep in Gal. 4. 7. fight against sadnesse and heavinesse of spirit caused by the law and give no place to the Devill who would by the law break up the bride-chamber of Christ and thrust himselfe into his place that is take away from the conscience her joy and comfort whereby he may not bee able cheerfully to lift up his heart and head before God ever remembring that the Kingdome of heaven into which we by our effectuall calling are translated as the Bride of Christ into his bride-chamber is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. Rom. 14. 17. Fourth Effect Good judgement right discerning of all spirits The fourth effect or fruit declaring the utility of Free Iustification is that it worketh a good judgement and right discerning of all Religions works and worships to the utter overthrowing of all Superstitions Sects and Schismes and doth reduce people from their contentious and dangerous by-paths and doth rectifie their blinde legall zeales mentioned Rom. 10. 3. Rom. 10. 3. declining to sundry Sects and contentious opinions and brings them to the pure and sincere worship of God in spirit and truth that is in one faith only and one Baptisme Ephes 4. 2. to 6. unto which they Ephes 4. 2. to 6. cannot be wonne but by understanding the excellency of Free Iustification and how compleat they are made by it alone before God Colos 2. 10. but will be carried Colos 2. 10. away
chapter but only of free Justification saith thus For as by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many what be counted righteous no but made righteous The Antithesis or rather likenesse in contraries is very plain that as the first Adam infecteth all that come of him with such originall corruption that every little Infant before it hath done or thought any evill is not barely counted a sinner but by his first birth is truly made a true and reall sinner so the second Adam so truly endues with his own righteousnesse all that come of him that every little Infant before it hath done or thought any evill being justified is not barely counted but truly made righteous herein only lying the difference That the little Infants is by the first Adam made so inherently sinfull with originall sin that it cannot but actually practise the same afterwards in life and conversation but by the second Adam it is mystically above sense and feeling that it may bee by the faith of Gods power made so truly and really righteous to God-ward that it cannot but in time by discerning Christs love inherently and actively declare the same afterwards to men-ward by sanctification Hence is that saying of Chrisostome before cited That as Adam unto all that came of him although they had not eaten of the Tree became the Author of sinne and death So Christ unto all that are of him although they have not yet lived righteously became a maker of them righteous even with that righteousnesse which by his crosse he freely gives unto us all Herewith accordeth the Doctrine of our Church taught by the first Restorers of the Gospel amongst us saying more plainly thus That wee by the virtue of Christs blood shed upon the Crosse are cleane purged from our sinnes and made righteous againe in the sight of God What doe the Doctrine of our Church and first Restorers of the Gospel say that we are barely counted righteous no but that we are made righteous againe alluding without doubt by the word againe unto the state of Adam in Paradise that as truly as the first Adam made us sinners when before his fall we had no sinne in sight of God So the second Adam Christ hath not come any whit short of his work also and done lesse upon us but hath made us though mystically yet truly perfectly holy and righteous again from all spot of sinne in the sight God freely this also do other faithfull Expositors that were the first Restorers of the Gospel testifie plainly unto us adding also reasons why it must needs bee so that Christ by conveying his righteousnesse into us doth indeed and truth make us righteous in the sight of God saying thus For seeing before the Tribunall Seat of God it is esteemed no righteousnesse except it bee the perfect and absolute obedience of the Law as Christ alone is thus righteous so by conveying his righteousnesse into us and upon us nos justos reddit that is he makes us righteous Let us here marke three reasons plainly expressed why wee must of necessity bee not barely counted Three Reasons why wee are made righteous but indeed and truth made righteous in the sight of God First because before the Tribunall Seat of God that is in the truth of his Justice which alwayes reigns as it were in his breast it is esteemed of him no righteousnesse except it bee the perfect and absolute righteousnesse of the Law therefore no bare counting righteous will serve the turne Secondly because God doth by the power of his imputation convey this perfect and absolute righteousnesse of Christ into us for so these learned Expositors testifie that the manner of this work is suam justitiam in nos transferendo that is by conveying his righteousnesse into us and upon us this is that mysticall cloathing before spoken of Thirdly because nos justos reddit that is as they may be truly understood either God by his powerfull imputation conveying his righteousnesse into us doth make us righteous or else more immediately that the righteousnesse of Christ so mystically conveyed into us doth make us righteous whereupon these said learned faithfull Expositors doe plainly conclude upon the foresaid first alledged proofe of Scripture thus Quotquot ergò ex Deo nati c. As many therefore as are born of God and therefore ordained to eternall life justi constituuntur are made righteous non modò propter sed per unius obedientiam that is not only for but also By the righteousnesse of one man Christ That is not only for the righteousness inherently and actively in Christ but also by that righteousnesse objectively and passively conveyed into us and so though myâ—â—ically yet truly making us perfectly righteous in the sight of God THe second proofe of Scripture proving that wee Scrip. 2. Ephes 5. 25 26 2. are not barely counted but truly made righteous in the sight of God is Ephes 5. 25 26 27. where the Proâ—ing we aâ—e not only counted buâ— are iâ—deed righteous in Gods sight Apostle saith that Christ gave himselfe for his Church what to doe to sanctifie it and hath made it cleane by the washing of water through the word but for what purpose and intent hath he made it clean by shedding his blood for it Namely that he might make it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing Marke how he saith not That he might count it a glorious Church but make it to himselfe a glorious Church And whereas some have objected that the word Object might importeth that this place is to be understood of our making righteous by our sanctification by which we shall be made so righteous that we shall have no spot or wrinkle in the life to come I answer that Answ although our sanctification bee now unseperable from our Justification and yet will not be perfect untill the life to come and then it shall be so perfect that wee shall not have one spot or wrinkle of sin to our selves and own sight sense and feeling yet notwithstanding all Interpreters that I have read doe understand the place to be meant of Justification also by which it is verified upon us that we have not even in this life one spot or wrinkle of sinne in the sight of God freely and Six reasons proving the true meaning of that place of Scripture I think that this place is properly and chiefly to be understood of Free Iustification for six reasons apparent in the Text. First for the scope of the place which is to exhort Christian Husbands to deale with their Wives as Christ hath already dealt with them as by a pattern perfectly done upon them Secondly our sanctification is wrought by us and by the spirit of God enabling us thereunto but this example is appropriated to Christ a lone in giving himselfe to shed his blood to effect it which
properly belongs to the work of our Free Iustification Thirdly the Apostle speakes in the aorist betokening in the participle of the pretertense that he hath made us cleane importing a thing already perfectly done which is proper only in this life to the work of Free Iustification Fourthly for the meanes whereby this work is wrought upon the Elect that is by Baptisme through the Word of promise that the blood of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God doth make us cleane from all sinne it being proper to Justification to bee wrought only by the word of promise and by faith resting upon the same word of free grace as Christ saith Now are yee clean through the word that I have spoken unto you Ioh. 15. 3. Ioh. 15. 3. Fifthly because the Apostle saith That he might make us to himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle he saith not to our selves which will be verified indeed by sanctification in the life to come for then even to our selves and to our sense and feeling wee shall not have one spot or wrinkle of sinne or any such thing but hee saith to make us to himselfe that is above our selves and above our own reason yea altogether mystically and contrary to our selves and to our own sense and feeling hath Christ already made us fit brides for so glorious a bridegroome which is only in this life by Free Iustification neither doth the word might make us any whit hinder this sense How the signe might may be attributed to a thing already past and done because when this sign of the potentiall mood doth follow another action importing the purpose or intent of that precedent action the sign might may signifie a thing that is already wrought and perfectly done as any man may say of his brother now living and counted a good Christian That he was baptized that he might be a Christian where the sign might doth not import that he is yet no Christian but shall be so hereafter but meerly the purpose and intent of the precedent action why he was baptized although that purpose and intent be now already fulfilled Sixthly and lastly for the Participle of the present time immediately following because the Apostle saith not non habituram that is the Church is now in such case as that it shall not have one spot or wrinkle of sin hereafter but non habentem not having now at this present time one spot or wrinkle of sinne or any such thing which is only true in this life not to man-ward by sanctification but to God-ward by Free Iustification the Greeks and Latines having their proper Tenses and times fitly to expresse the same But if any object or rather cavill yet further saying Object that in some translations the originall word is not translated That he might make us to himselfe but that hee might present us to himselfe To which I answer that is all one or rather confirmes Answ more fully that which I say because God doth not present to himselfe a false shew like a thing represented on a Stage but indeed and truth doth the thing and then presents it to himselfe such indeed as he hath undertaken to make it to himselfe so that as his counting of a thing makes it by his Almighty power to bee indeed and truth as he counts it so his presenting us to himselfe doth make us to himselfe a glorious Church not having one spot or wrinkle of sinne or any such thing in the sight of God freely Therefore it is well noted in the Margine of our English Bibles upon this Marginall note upon the same place and indeed should bee better noted that ordinarily it is that Baptisme is a token that God hath consecrated the Church to himselfe and made it mark made it holy by his word that is his promise of Free Justification and Sanctification in Christ not having one spot or wrinkle of sinne or any such thing why Because saith the note it is covered and clad with Christs justice and holinesse thereby shewing that the Church is without spot or wrinkle but inchoatively to men-ward by Sanctification but made so perfectly to God-ward by Justification and this Erasmus in his Paraphrase Erasmus in his Paraphrase upon Ephes 5. 26 c. upon the same place collected out of the same ancient Expositors of Gods Word doth more fully expresse saying after this manner Christ gave himselfe unto death to make clean his Church and so of a defiled one hee hath made her pure and holy and whereas she was unclean and foule he hath made her fair and beautifull having washed her clean in the streame of his own blood and hath made her to himself a glorious wife even the congregation having now saith he neither spot nor wrinkle nor any such thing but is in every point both fair and faultlesse because he hath cleansed her adorned her and made her perfectly trimme in every point Where we see that beside other equivalent phrases of like force he doth foure or five sundry times together avouch that Christ doth not barely count her but hath made her clean and righteous The like Scripture agreeing with this is Coloss 1. Coloss 1. 22. Proving we are not only counted righteous but made righteous in Gods sight 22. where the Apostle saith to those converted Christians And you which were in times past strangers yea and enimies why because your minds were set on evill works hath bee now reconciled how or by what meanes In the body of his flesh through death but wherefore or to what end did hee die in the body of his flesh viz. to make you or as other Translations say To present you holy and unblameable and without fault in Gods sight and so you are perfectly reconciled unto him And this also doth Erasmus in his Erasmus in hiâ— Paraphrase â—pon thâ—s place Paraphrase upon this place notably testifie saying Because there can bee betwixt God and sinners no peace it hath pleased him not by the ministry of Angels but by the bodily death of his own Sonne to forgive you all the offenses of your former life and make you note how hee saith not count you but make you holy unblameable and faultlesse in his sight THe third place of Scripture besides many others Scrip. 2. Pâ—oving that we are not oâ—ly coâ—â—ed but made righteous in Gods most evidently proving that the power of Gods imputation is not a bare counting but a true and reall making righteous is 2. Cor. 5. 21. where the Apostle saith that God hath made him to be sinne for us which knew no sin that we should be made the righteousnesse of 2 Cor. 5. 21. God in him In which place of Scripture although the Papists deny by the consent as they say of the ancient Fathers that Christ by the power of Gods imputation was really made a true sinner but only figuratively being truly but an Host or Sacrifice for sinne our English