or remembrance of works but freely making them compleatly righteous seen and enjoyed by faith only apprehending this promise On this wise the promise of God doth give freely unto us that which the Commandement doth exact of us perforce and doth fulfill that which the Law doth straightly command By this meanes therefore the soule through faith only without works believing in the Word of God is justified sanctified pacified delivered replenished with all goodnesse and is truly made the daughter of God For such as the Word is as namely this The blood of Iesus Such as the word is such is the believing soule Christ the Sonne of God doth make us cleane from all sin 1 Ioh. 1. 7. Such becommeth the soule made by force of the Word even as a fiery plate of Iron doth glow 1 Ioh. 1. 7. and glister like unto fire by meanes of uniting the fire and the plate together thus is Gods Word glorified thus is the faithfull soule delivered from all sinnes made safe from death guarded from Hell and endowed with the everlasting righteousnesse life and saving health of her husband Christ and on this wise doth Christ couple her unto himselfe a glorious Spouse not having spot or wrinckle making her clean with the Fountaine in the Word of Life of Righteousnesse and of salvation Wherefore who is able to value the royalty of this marriage accordingly who is able to comptehend the glorious riches of this grace This I say must be secondly taught without any respect or remembrance of works and be throughly grounded and planted in the soule and reigning in the heart with joy Else should faith and works not remaine within their bounds but be confounded Therefore doth Paul prosecute this argument Luth. in Gal. 3. â—7 to the Gentiles very diligenâ—ly For he fore saw in spirit that this mischiefe should creep into the Church That the Word of God should be confounded that is to say that the promise should be mingled with the Law and so the promise should be utterly lost for when the promise is mingled with the Law it is now made nothing else but the very Law for whosoever In chap. 2. 17. doe not perfectly understand the Article of Iustisication must needs confound and mingle the Law and grace together But where this rich and loving husband Christ takes unto wise this poore and wicked Harlot redeeming her from all evills laying all her sins upon his own shoulders whereby they are swallowed up in him as darknesse is swallowed up in the Sun-beames Esay 44. Esay 4 22. 22. For it behoveth that all sin be swallowed up at the very sight of Christ cloathing and enrobing her with his own righteousnesse and garnishing her with all his own Jewels Whose hearts hearing these things will not melt for very joy and wax ravished for very love of Christ having received so great consolation To the which love he can never possibly attaine by any Lawes or works at all Then thirdly will follow works of love and thankfulnesse Works of love in a manner of their own accord with a little help of direction and exhortation flowing from a true right thankfull zeale of Gods glory making them willing and ready to grow and cheerfully to walk in all the holy duties of all his Commandements Thus The mighty power of the Goâ—pel to true sanctiâ—ication is Justification making us perfectly holy and righteous freely in the sight of God and works safely taught and not confounded the one with the other but both in their due bounds powerfully stablished works Lâ—th Serm. iâ— Tit. 3. 5. thereby joyfully flowing forth Yea as soone as thou feelest by true saith this bountisulnesse and love of God towards men not through works of righteousnesse which we have done Tit. 3. 4. thou canst not in this case be idle for surely that love of God and pleasure which thou enjoyest in him will not suffer thee to be idle thou shalt be enslamed with a marvellous study and desire to doe what things soever thou canst know will be an honour unto thy God so loving and bountifull unto thee and will turn to praise glory and thanksgiving unto him thou shalt passe for no precept thou shalt feele no compulsion of the Law having a most ready will pleasure to doe whatsoever things thou shalt know to bee acceptable unto God whether they bee contemptible The chiefe disposition of the believing soul or noble small or great thou shalt count them a like But first of all it shall be thy desire that this blessed knowledge of God and rich benefits and treasures by Christ may be common to all others Whereupon by and by thy love will shew it selfe and will assay all meanes to make this truth of Salvation manifest unto all rejecting and condemning whatsoever others either-teach or say that agreeth not with this truth whereby it will come to passe that Satan and the World which heare nothing so unwillingly as this truth will rise against thee with all their might will by and by trouble thee The Great Learned Rich and Mighty of the World will condemn thee of heresie and madnesse Howbeit if thou be endued with this joyfull faith it cannot bee but that thy heart being thereby cheered should even as it were laugh and leap for holy joy in God being voyd of all care and trouble and be made above measure confident Fourthly hence it is also manifest that it is this 4 True trust and confidence in God Eph. 1. 13. joyfull knowledge of Iustification which worketh in us a sound trust and true confidence in God making us to goe forward in our vocations both common of Christianitie and particular of our places against all the oppositions of the whole world doing the duties of the same with courage boldnesse and constaney whatsoever come of it The reason and ground of which trust and courage is expressed by S. Paul in Rom. 8. 32. saying If when we were sinners God spared Rom. â— 32. not his Son but gave him for us all to death to justifie us how shall he not with him we being now justified that is made perfectly holy and righteous in his sight but give us all things also so that wee know that all things work together for the best unto us For the cause that bringeth all evill upon us and keepeth away good things from us is sinne saith the Prophet Ierem. 5. 25. But if our sinnes be by the blood Iereâ— 5. 25. of Christ so utterly abolished that we are cleane in his sight from all sinne 1 Ioh. 1. 7. then what is there 1 Ioh. â— 7. left to bring any evill upon us or to hinder good things from us Againe seeing the only thing that separates between us and our God and the only thing that hideth his face from us that he will not heare is sin Isa 59. 2. If the Lamb of God have taken away our sins
more he feeles by his daily slips the imperfection of his sanctification findes by the said daily slippings that all his righteousnesse of sanctification is but as a menstrous cloth the more he seeles this great imperfection of his sanctification the more he flies by faithfull prayer to the absolute perfection of his justification beseeching God that he may not be found in his sight in his owne righteousnesse of sanctification Phil. 3. 8 9. Phil. 3. 8 9. which he sees and feeles in himselfe to be as a menstruous cloth but in the wedding garment of his Sons righteousnesse making both him and all his owne righteousnesse perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely the feeling of the great imperfection of his owne righteousnesse which is subject to sense and visible sharpneth his faith to cling by faithfull prayer the faster to that perfect righteousnesse wherewith hee is cloathed above sense and feeling and invisibly Secondly by daily praying for this glorious justi sying forgivenesse they grow to fuller assurance and more comfortable feeling that they are by Gods glorious forgivenesse made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely for although the wedding garment and the truth of God in cloathing with the same be full and perfect and alwaies alike as is before noted not subject to any alteration never encreasing nor diminishing yet our faith being weake gives at the first but weake assurance and is greater or lesser sometimes as I said before hath a full and sometimes a wane but by daily fervent prayer giving to Christ this glory of his wedding garment it growes stronger and stronger to a plerophory and full assurance unto joy unspeakable and glorious which the Author to the Hebrewes Chap. Heb. 10. 10. presseth earnestly upon us saying Seeing God doth so gloriously forgive us that with his one offering he hath made us so perfect for ever that he remembers our sins no more so that there needs no more sacrifices punishments or satisfactions for sin having hereby brethren boldnesse to enter into the holy of holies by the blood of Jesus by the new living way of Free Iustification which he hath prepared through the vaile that is his flesh Let us draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled purified and made perfectly cleane by the blood of Christ from a troubled unquiet and evill conscience and our body washed with pure water of Baptisme sacramentally pure by exhibiting and sealing unto us and putting us out of all doubt both of justificatioÌ„ that makes us perfectly pure to Godward and of sanctification that more and more makes us pure to manward Let us hold fast this profession of our faith without wavering much more without wragling against it because he is faithfull that hath promised and by his blood worketh this upon us Thirdly by daily praying for this benefit we come to further experience of the fruits and effects depending and belonging to the same that we may see invisible justification by his visible fruits and effects for David gives us to understand that Free Iustification as we shal see further hereafter is blisse and happinesse Psal 32. Psâ—l 32. 1 2. 1 2. and therefore a freedome from all misery and sorrow But for the exercise of our saith as we heard before we still live in misery and much sorrow and seem wholly strangers to all claime to a blisful estate therefore being still in case as if our sins were not forgiven and we thereby made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely we still pray for the forgivenesse that doth effect the same praying that we may not only possidere possesse it but also frui injoy it that is not only certainely have the benefit it selfe but also reape the fruits effects and blessings both spirituall and corporall temporall and eternall belonging to the same that as we have heard so we may see and as Christ said unto Martha Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldest beleeve thou shouldest see the glory of God Iohn 11. 40. whereupon Luther very Iohn 11. 40. aptly in his exposition upon the Lords prayer doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make a twofold justification one internall A twofold justification invisible and secret the other externall visible and experimentall the internall invisible and secret must goe before we say Our Father which art in Heaven because before we are justified and whilst we are in the state of nature we are the children of the Devill and of wrath Ephes 2. 3. but when we are justified with Ephes 2. 3. this internall and secret Justification and made thereby the children of God then after the other petitions for eternall and temporall spirituall and corporall blessings wee say rightly forgive us our trespasses this is shew by granting and giving us these blessings that thou hast justified us that is made us freely righteous from all our sins both these Justifications saith hee Christ shewed in the history of Mary Magdelen the first when he turned his back upon her and yet said secretly unto Simon many sinnes are forgiven her The second when Christ turned to her and said to her face Thy sinnes are forgiven thee goe in peace The first maketh cleane the other maketh outward peace the first is of meere faith the other consisteth in outward experience the first God exerciseth upon men of excellent spirit such as Daniel and Paul were the other upon weaklings that need refreshment But to conclude this point in briefe every one that prayeth Praier is either made in the faith of our Baptisme or out of it must needs pray in faith of his baptisme or out of faith If hee pray out of faith by the light of nature and legall zeale his prayer is abhominable because he hath not on the wedding-garment signified in baptisme which is the washing of him cleane by the blood of Christ from all sin it selfe in the sight of God 1 Ioh. 1. 7. 1 Ioh. 1. 7 but remaines still foule in his sinne and thereby abhominable both he his prayer and all that he doth But if he pray in faith by that faith only he is clean in the sight of God from all sin freely before he begins to pray for forgivenesse being a true saying that a reverend Protestant writeth against the Papists that if the promise of God mentioned Esay 65. 24. namely Esay 65. 24. Before they call I will answer be verified upon them in any matter it is chiefly true in their prayers for justification because it is their faith that causeth God to Answer before they call but the faithfull prayer that followes is like the breath of the living faith and hath a twofold use as aforesaid working fuller assurance and further experience of all blessings spirituall and corporall Because it is an infallible
yet this so great safeguard of his salvation that he is baptized and detesting his wicked ingratitude that he hath so much failed from the saith and truth thereof for his heart will be wonderfully comforted and be greatly encouraged to the hope of grace if he consider the free promise of God not only made but also upon no consideration nor stop of any unworthinesse sealed unto him how unpossible it is that God should lie and faile him in the same and so must needs remaine sound and firme unto him and not changed for his changing and such as cannot be changed with any sinnes of men as S. Paul testifieth saying If wee beleeve not he abides faithfull he cannot deny himselfe 2 Tim. 2. 13. certainly this meere truth of God sealed 2 Tim. 2. 13. unto him by Baptisme will be his shield and buckler to save him so that if all other things faile him yet this truth of God will not leave him destitute for he hath what he may oppose to his insuâ—ting adversary he hath what he may object against his conscience troubled with sinne he hath what he may answer against the horror of death and judgement and to conclude he hath what may be a comfort in all temptations namely this meer truth of God sealed unto him from God saying God is true in his promises whereof he hath given me his pledge and seale in Baptisme If God be thus unfallibly and unchangeably on my side who can be against me For if the children of Israel when they were to returne to repentance did first and before all things call to remembrance their deliverance out of Aegypt and by the remembrance thereof did returne unto God who so graciously brought them out and therefore is so often inculcated by Moses and the Prophets and is made by God himselfe the very preface to the keeping of all the ten Commandements how much more should we call to minde our deliverance out of our Aegypt of sinne the Devill death and hell and by the remembrance thereof returne unto him who so freely brought us out by the washing of the new birth and renewing of the holy Ghost which is likewise to this end urged by the Apostles and pressed upon us Tit. 3. 3 4 5. and Tit. 3. 3 4 5. this is chiefly to be done in zealous celebrating the Lords Supper for so at the first in the Primitive Church were these two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper zealously frequented and helped one another this is the preaching that ought earnestly to be pressed upon people This promise that he that beleeveth namely that the Son of God justifieth him making him perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely and is baptized that is and hath received the assurance hereof by having it by Gods owne signe and seale of Baptisme sealed un to him hee shall be saved Mark 16. 16. this Mark 16. 16. I say is the promise which as the head heart and soule of Religion ought daily to be inculcated thus should Baptisme be continually repeated and because our faith is not the foundation of our Baptisme but our Baptisme is the foundation of our faith therefore should it be continually urged that our faith may be daily encreased and nourished in the same and that for two causes First because although Satan hath not been able to extinguish the virtue and power of Baptisme to little infants yet he labours with all might and maine to extinguish it in elder folk and hath so farre prevailed herein that where are there almost any that remember the glory of their Baptisme and feele joy in the truth of the foure former points much lesse doe they glory in this great glory of the Lord sealed upon them mentioned Esay 60. 2. but look after other Esay 60. 2. meanes of assuring themselves of the forgivenesse of their sinnes and after other wayes of comming to heaven Secondly because the power and virtue of our Baptisme once pronounced upon us in the Lords ordinance endâ—res upon us to the end of our lives raising us up as we heard before when we are fallen to true Baptisme makes us strong against all temptations repentance and effectually strengthning us against all temptations as we read of a certaine holy virgin in the Primitive Church when as yet custome and long use had not made Baptisme to seeme small who as often as she was tempted did resist and overcome with objecting her Baptisme saying briefly I am a Christian and am baptized as the Spouse in the Cant. Cant 5. 3. saith I have put off my coat how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them againe for the eniâ—y presently understood the virtue and power of Baptisme and the faith of the same which depends upon the meere truth of God freely promising it and so fled from her And this point have I the more largely prosecuted because although it be an high point of magnifying Gods truth and the sole glory of Christ and the right honouring of Gods ordinance of Baptisme and the next meanes of raising us up to the true Evangelicall repentance and right zeale of Gods glory yet it is of us too little practised God in his rich mercy grant that we may as it was said before waxe wiser and more joyfully embrace the same THe fourth enimy assaulting our faith and driving The fourth Remedy against doubting us strongly to doubting and against which wee have need to arme our selves is the great multitude commonly called the world of whom S. Iohn speaketh saying Wee know that we are of God and that the whole world lieth in wickednesse 1 Iohn 5. 19. for although 1 Iohn 5 19. God hath some of all sorts high and low rich and poore that are true beleevers yet the greatest multitude of all sorts although they glory by the dead saith that they beleeve yet they discerne not the mysteries of Christ and therefore are so farre from beleeving with the heart and confessing with the tongue that we are so cloathed with the wedding-garment of Christs righteousnesse that we are made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely that hereupon condemning the very sayings of the learned in the former fifth Scripture phrase expressing the same they bring forth all their munition and artillery drawne out of the store-house of naturall reason and sharpened with seeming Scripture wrested to the strengthning of reason and hereby whet their tongues to contradict to gaine-say wrangle against and oppugne the same with all might and maine possibly they can But against this scandall we are sufficiently forewarned and thereby strongly fore-armed with that one watch-word of the holy Ghost saying That Christ brings the most certaine testimony of himselfe and of his benefits from his Father but no man receiveth his testimony Iohn 3. 32. which as the Iohn 3. 32.
learned interpreters doe well expresse must not bee so understood as if no man at all doth receive Christs testimony seeing both the Apostles and many others beleeving have and daily doe receive the same but because very few in comparison doe receive it who if they bee compared with the huge multitude that make a shew of receiving it by the dead faith but in truth doe not doe appeare to be in a manner none Indeed almost all doe professe that they doe beleeve and doe think in a generall confused manner that they doe receive Christ and his benefits so that Abraham himselfe could not see the day of Christ more Iohn 8. cleerly than they doe saying and thinking by the dead faith I am rich and encreased in goods and have need of nothing when they know not that they are wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Rev. 3. 17. Revel 3. 17. this is not to receive Christ and the rich benefits testified by him but only to dreame that we have received To receive Christ truly includeth four things Christ but to receive Christ and his benefits truly doth necessarily include in it these foure particular points First to know the time when wee were without Christ and had him not therein feeling our misery and our lost state by the least sinne and what need we had to receive him Secondly to see the excellency and worth of having Christ and his benefits how worthy they are to bee received and retained for no man will take and advisedly receive that which he sees to be little worth except it be for custome and fashion sake because all men do so with whom we live Aesops cock contents himselfe with a barley corne neglecting a pearle because he knowes not the worth of it Thirdly it imports an having of Christ and his benefits to ones owne selfe in particular for he that receives a thing and that also to himselfe doth take it to his owne selfe and so hath and enjoyes the profit use and benefit of it to himselfe in particular as when a sick man hath received a cordiall of his Physitian hee hath it within him there working strength health and livelinesse in himselfe in particular Fourthly and lastly he that hath received to himselfe the enjoying of Christ and his benefits of such excellent worth is filled with great joy according to the excellency of the things received and becomes to the giver of the same full of thankfull zeale highly prizing them according to the worth of them above all other things whatsoever all which is evident by the testimony of Christ saying The Kingdome of heaven that is the true enjoying of Christ and his benefits is like a treasure hid in the field which when a man hath found he hideth it and for joy thereof goes and sells Matth. 13 44. all that he hath and buyeth that field But alas how few are there at this day that doe thus and therefore how few have found this treasure how few receive and consider this very testimony of Christ may we not well say in a manner none but what is the kore of this sore even this because it is a difficult and hard matter to beleeve with Abraham the excellency of the things that God speaketh contrary to our sense sight and feeling and to reason builded upon the same and therefore the paradoxes and mysteries of Christ must be wrested to agree with reason or else the world that is the greatest multitude will be so farre from receiving With what cunning Christs is by many rejected them that they will utterly reject them But how and after what manner will they dare to reject Christ and his benefits even with a threefold cunning device First to palliate their unbeleefe for we must suppose that they are no unbeleevers of any old ancient truth therefore although God himselfe the ancient of daies hath spoken it and hath the unanimous testimony of the Orthodox Interpreters and Dispensers of Gods mysteries yet it must beare the title first of new Doctrine and then it is enough to reject so when Christ came a Minister of the old and ancient truth of God but to confirme the promises made of old unto the Fathers Rom. 15. 8. yet when he began to preach Rom. 15. 8. the same the greatest multitude cried out what new Doctrine is this Marke 1. 17. whereupon it is most Mark 1 17. true that is testified by the Apologie of the Church of England saying We wot not by what meanes but wee Part 5. have ever seene it come to passe from the first beginning that as often as God did give but some light to any people and open his truth unto men though the truth were not only of greatest antiquity but also from everlasting yet of the foresaid greatest multitude it was called newfangled and of late devised Yea Eusebius writeth that the Christian Eusebius Religion that was ever of old from the beginning for very spite was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say New and strange But as Christ unto the Scribes and Pharisees objecting that he brought in a certaine new Religion said If ye beleeved Moses ye would beleeve me also So it may be answered to these that if they beleeved the excellency of Free Iustification they would not stumble at the saying of the Scriptures and unanimous consent of the learned Interpreters as they expresse the same Their next manner of rejecting the benefits of the Gospel is That going about to measure them by humane reason and finding that reason agrees with them no righter than a Rammes horne that Reason may not leese her glory no fault must be found with Lady Reason but Christs benefits must beare the blame namely that they are foolish and absurd and so The Gospell is foolishnesse to Reason foolish and absurd things are not to be received of such wise men as the whole world is these little remembring and lesse regarding to lay the blame where it is namely That the naturall man not only perceives not the things of Gods spirit but they are also foolishnesse unto him 1 Cor. 2. 14. but least of all practising 1 Cor. 2. 14. that admonition of the Apostle That if any man will be wise let him become a foole that he may be wise 1 Cor. 3. 18. but this is an hard saying to such wise heads 1 Cor. 3. 18. who can heare it Then thirdly when they have concluded of Christs benefits that they are not only strange but also foolish Doctrine lest they should be blamed of unbeleefe they think it the best to sharpen the uttermost of their wits by contradicting sophisticating wrangling gaine-saying especially by absurd calumnious consequents of their own collections hatchings as with meer Niocdemicall conclusions yea and by mockings jestings and deridings utterly to beat it down But weighty is that admonition of our Church taught by the first
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
not for such an one as is in this literall knowledge doth not keep that which he professeth that he knowes and that also two manner of wayes that is neither in word nor in deed For first he failes in the foundation that is hee I Not â—â— judgement keepeth it not in judgement for how can he keep that which he hath not that is doth not understand Indeed let a man runne with them in the same round of the ordinary letter or usuall phrase that they like blinde mill-horses are customably without understanding used unto thereby rocking themselves and others asleep in the cradle of custome what in Christs mysteries is carnally and customarily conceited and ordinarily spoken rather than caring to understand what is said and whilst they are applauded for learned men so long they are reasonably quiet and will sing the same song of the dead letter containing the outward shell of Christs mysteries and will some of them run as fast as you will with you in a legall zeal flowing from the light of nature of works works works and a preposterous holy walking But if a man presse the same truth which they seeme to hold and to awake them out of their lethargy of Custome doe preach Novè but not not Nova nay if one expresse the same truth which they seeme to hold but even with an old phrase used of the best Interpreters that understand rightly the mysteries of Christ which they have not before heard of or which they are not customarily acquainted withall especially if it be a phrase going to the quick of the truth and expressing the excellency of the matter which they daily like Parrots doe blindefoldly prattle of then although it be but one and the same truth and the old doctrine which is daily taught yet upon presumption and high conceit of their great learning they cry out New doctrine errors false doctrine heresie blasphemy and what not adding ever something thereto out of their owne Cimmerian darknesse to make the matter more odious and thus they keep not no not in word and judgement to that which they seemed to hold but when the excellency of Christs benefits are pressed upon them by the expresse word of God then they fall to sophisticating equivocating and plaine deniall if they cannot fashion it to agree with their naturall reason and earthly conceit and humane wit even of that truth which they seemed before to hold at leastwise in letter so that by not understanding what they have spoken in one sentence they are so farre from keeping to that which they have said especially dealing in the mysteries of Christ that are above humane wit and the light of reason that they often times speak the flat contrary in another sentence thus as I said not keeping neither in judgement nor in word and confession to that truth which they themselves professe in other termes An evident example hereof is Nicodemus who being a great learned Rabbin and teacher in Israel knew by the dead literall knowledge those usuall places often repeated in the Prophets where God promiseth to give unto his people new hearts and new spirits that they might serve him in walking holily in all his Commandements And yet because he felt not the power and truth of it in himselfe being but in this dead literall knowledge although in his daily teaching he talked of these promises and called for a new life in holy walking in all Gods Commandements yet when Christ giving an example to all preachers how they should awake people rocked asleep in the cradle of custome not by teaching Nova but yet by preaching Novè spake of the same truth which he daily beat upon but in a new phrase that he had not heard of expressing but the excellency of the doctrine namely that A man must be new borne then was Nicodmus quite beside his books and thought that Christ spake very absurdly if not erroneously the old doctrine uttered with a new phrase expressing but the truth and deepnesse of it made it seeme new and false doctrine to the old blinde literall Doctor and therefore it is well noted upon the same place by Musculus saying Exemplar quoddam in hoc viro propositum est in quo deprehenditur doctos alioqui prudentes viros nondum renatos ad doctrinam regni Christi capiendam plane stupidos esse ineptos that is there is in this man a certaine example set before us wherein we may see That men although wise and learned yet not being new borne againe are to the conceiving of the mysteries of Christ and of the doctrine concerning his kingdome meerely blockish and sottish Yea and he addeth further saying ut non solùm rem ipsam non intelligant sed neque declarationem illius Christi verbis propositam capiant that is they are so farre from understanding the matter it selfe that they conceive not the very declaration thereof set before them by the words of Christ himselfe Whereupon as the learned well note Christ seeing that he lost both his time and labour in teaching a man so high in his owne conceit and yet so greatly ignorant is constrained to fall to chiding of him saying Art thou a principall teacher in Israel and knowest not these things quasi diceret O miseram ovium conditionem c. as if hee should say oh miserable condition of those sheep whereof the Pastor that hath the cure of them is so grossely blinde and so unskilfull in divine matters hitherto thou hast been reverenced as a principall Teacher in Israel and yet knowst not those things of which it is a shame that thy very schollers should be ignorant and lest any should think that this was a blindenesse and just reproofe peculiar and proper only to Nicodemus and not of all such as are in this dead literall knowledge it is upon the same place well noted of the learned saying Est autem haec generalis objurgatio qua Christus c. But this is a generall reproofe wherewith Christ reproveth all such Rabbins and great Teachers as lie by the literall knowledge in the same blindenesse with Nicodemus And thus we see the first way how they that are in this literall knowledge do only but sophisticate about the mysteries of Christ seeing many things but they keepe them not viz. they doe not keepe to them in word and judgement but professe them one way and deny them and speake contrary to themselves divers other wayes The second way how these doe see many things but they keepe them not consisteth herein that what they professe that they know they keepe not in life practice and conversation their life conversation and Not in life and conversation action nothing agreeing with that which they professe and seeme to know and see As for example such as are in the meere literall knowledge of Free Iustification doe finde by reading and thereupon doe professe that Free Iustification is the strong Rock and foundation
glory belonging and reserved as due unto the substance it selfe But when Christ the truth it selfe came signified by those figures and did fully exhibit himselfe to performe fully the truth that was represented in those figures Then the blood of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God did so fully purge and purifie our consciences from dead works to serve the living God that now there is no need of any more Sacrifice for sin because God doth not so much as remember our sins any more Heb. 10. 17. 18. And Heb 10. 17 18. why because with that one offering of himselfe hee hath made perfect for ever all them that are sanctified The new Testament passing the Old in foure circumstances Where let us marke the full perfection of the New Testament above the Old here compared the one with the other and the New passing the Old in foure circumstances First he saith not inchoatively and imperfectly as it is said of the Old Testament that it made nothing perfect Heb. 7. 19. but perfectly Secondly he saith not that he will make perfect but he hath made perfect signifying that this perfect making of us righteous in the sight of God is already perfectly done Thirdly not for a season to be by intercourses often renewed with new Sacrifices as the Papists doe counterfeit in their Masse but perpetually and continually And Fourthly not onely for long times as whole yeers and such like but for ever and ever as the doctrine of our Church speaketh Thus hath Christ made all his children and Church righteous quarto modo that Christ hath made us righteous quarto modo is omnes solos semper first omnes all that are sanctified secondly solos only they that are sanctified and thirdly semper he hath made them perfectly righteous continually and for ever Hence he is called Melchisedec that is the King of righteousnesse because he makes all his subjects thus righteous secondly none but his subjects only thirdly all his subjects are made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God only and for ever And therefore did the Prophet Daniel ch 9. 24. prophesie of Christ That at his comming he should not onely make an end of sin but also bring in an everlasting righteousnesse that is making the children of God perfectly righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God for ever and ever Hence we see the reason why the learned doe pronounce the justified children of God to be not only fully and completely but also sufficiently righteous before God For if the child of God be thus completely and perfectly righteous in the sight of God then he is sufficiently righteous in the sight of God but if he be not sufficiently righteous then is he not perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God But that the justified child of God is above his sense and feeling even sufficiently righteous in the sight of God is plainly testified by God himselfe 2 Cor. 12. where 2 Cor. 1â— we may see that Saint Paul feeling the remnants of corruption hanging upon him and not only doubting as the circumstances of the place shew that he was not sufficiently righteous in the sight of God but also grieving at the same and therfore praying thrice that is oftentimes to God against the same God answered him saying My Grace viz. of Free Justification the Grace of graces called often the Grace of God and gift by Grace Rom. 5. is sufficient for thee that is makes thee Rom. 5. sufficiently perfectly righteous from all spot of the remnants of thy corruptions in my sight freely and then adds the reason why he should be content with this rich grace of Free Justification saying For the power of my grace of Free Iustification is manifested and made perfect in thy weaknesse because if thou hadst not weaknesse and corruption in thee thou shouldst have no need of my grace of Justification but in that I make thee from all those infirmities which thou seelest to hang upon thee sufficiently and perfectly righteous in my sight freely herein my free Grace of Justification is greatly magnified and glorified Which reason did so greatly content Saint Paul that he said Very gladly therefore will I rejoyce rather in mine infirmities what simply no but that the power of Christs grace making me thus sufficiently and perfectly righteous in the sight of God freely may dwell in me Thus we may see how true that saying of Calvin is of Justification in another place That Justification finding us naked of our own righteousnesse doth so cloath and enrich us with the righteousnesse of Christ that the saying in Luke 1. 52. is fulfilled Hee filleth the hungry 〈…〉 53. with good things for Paul hungring after his owne inherent righteousnesse when his own inherent righteousnesse could never have made him sufficiently and perfectly righteous in the sight of God is sent away filled with the power and rich grace of Christ making him sufficiently and perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely Which treasure saith Luther Esaiah inwardly considering did in the tenth of his Prophecy say The consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousnesse as if he had said Faith which is a briefe and summary fulfilling of the Law tanta justitia credentes replebit that is shall replenish the Beleevers with so great righteousnesse ut nulla alia read justitiam opus habeant that they shall not have need of any other thing to make them more righteous Rom. 10. 10. Which Paul also doth testifie Rom. 10. saying For with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse whereby he hath no need of works to make him righteous in the sight of God sed omni bono repletur vereque filius Dei efficitur that is but is replenished freely with all goodnesse and truely made the Son of God Iohn 1. 12. Iohn 1. 12. Yea that the true Beleever is made sufficiently and perfectly righteous because he is by Free Justification thus freely replenished with all righteousnesse in the sight of God is likewise plainly taught and cleerly testified in the doctrine of our Church taught by the Doctrine of our Church in the Sermon of the resurrecâ—ion first Restorers of the Gospel in this land saying in the Sermon of the Resurrection of Christ after this manner It had not been enough to be delivered by his death from sin except by his resurrection wee had beene endued with a perfect and everlasting righteousnesse whereby the true righteousnesse looking downe from heaven is in most liberall largenesse dealt by the holy Ghost upon all the world by whose assistance wee be replenished with all righteousnesse c. Doubt not of the truth of this matter how great and high soever these things be it becommeth God to doe no little deeds how possible soever they seeme to thee And no marvell
it pleaseth God freely to give us this unspeakable gift unto us I say which are so unworthy Now if it be the pleasure of a great noble man to give to a poore man a great gift he doth not refuse it how great soever the gift bee because it is the great mans pleasure that he should have it so likewise saith Christ Luke 12. 32. Feare not little flock it Luke 12. 32. is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdome mark how he saith first it is his pleasure and secondly to give unto you saith he a Kingdome to whom to you unworthy which are his little flock If I then be little and the thing great nay rather of all things the greatest which God hath given unto me I must think that he also is great and only great which giveth it If he offer it and will give it I consider not mine owne sinne and unworthinesse but his fatherly good will towards me which is the giver and I receive the greatnesse of the gift with joy and gladnesse and am thankfull for so inestimable a gift given freely unto me to me I say unworthy by the hearing of faith A little glimmering of this bounteous nature of God and our duty in taking his free-given benefits we have in King Alexander the Great who when a servant and souldier of his that had served him in conquering the world whereof he was now Monarch being a poore man came to King Alexander and besought him that he would bestow the value of twenty pounds upon his daughter that was now to be married the King presently commanded the value of a thousand pounds to be given him and when the poore man acknowledged that it was too great a gift for him so poore a man to receive the King answered That although he thought it too great a benefit for him to receive yet it was not too great for him to give and therefore hee should take it and have it Which the poore man seeing to be his pleasure that he should have took the bounty of the King was glad thereof and went his way thankfull for the same Now is this King Alexander nothing and as it were but an Ape in imitating that bounteous nature of God who giving righ gifts and benefits unto us agreeable to his exceeding greatnesse to make us rich and blessed shall not we freely take that which of his exceeding bounteous nature he freely offers but â—ooking upon our owne unworthinesse shall we resist his pleasure and refuse his rich bounty Very effectually therefore is this point pressed by the doctrine of our Church in this case of free Justification where in the Sermon of Doctrine of our Church in the sermon of the Resurrection the Resurrection of Christ having taught That it is not enough to have by the death of Christ our sinnes done away but also by his Resurrection we are endowed with a perfect and everlasting righteousnesse freely replenishing us before God with all righteousnesse presently to strengthen faith it addeth this salve against doubting saying Doubt not of the truth of this matter how great and high soever these things be it becommeth God to doe no little deeds how impossible soever they seeme to thee Pray to God that by faith thou maist perceive this great mystery of Iustification wrought by Christs Resurrection that thou maist certainly beleeve nothing to be impossible with God But if thou doubtest of so great wealth and felicity wrought upon thee O man call to minde that therefore thou hast received into thine owne possession the everlasting verity our Saviour Iesus Christ to confirme to thy conscience the truth of all this matter The second Remedy against the feare of applying so great wealth and felicity wrought upon us by Christ effectuall to strengthen our faith is to remember the sixth thing proposed to be spoken of in the beginning of this second part of Justification namely the End why God freely bestowes upon us so great wealth and felicity not ayming chiefly at our glory herein but to declare and manifest his owne glory by magnifying upon us his free grace and rich bounty and therefore we must freely take by faith which is the hand of the soule this rich bounty of God that so this glory of his free grace may be magnified upon us and that we may be passive instruments of his glorious doings and rich bounty wrought upon us by himselfe only and alone For doth hee not greatly manifest his owne perfect justice and righteousnesse in that none can please him but such only as are perfectly holy and righteous in his sight and that none can be such except he himselfe above their sense and feeling take in hand to make them such in his owne sight freely to the praise of the glory of his grace Yes verily and therefore is it so flatly testified by the Apostle saying Rom. 3. 24. 25 26. wee are justified Rom. 3. 24 25 26. freely by his grace in his Sonnes blood why or to what end to shew saith he at this time his righteousnesse that he might be just and the Iustifier of him or the maker of him just that is of the faith of Iesus Which glory of glories to be proper to God only is notably expressed by Esay 44. 22 23. the Prophet Esay 44. 22 23. saying I will put away thy transgression as darknesse and abolish thy sins as a mist Rejoyce yee heavens for the Lord hath done it shout yee lower parts of the earth hurst forth into praise O Mountaines c. For thus hath God redeemed his people and thus will he be glorified in Israel Because when we take this benefit by faith and rejoyce with this joy for the same we give him truly the glory of his grace and rich bounty And therefore we must mark that which few mark Two wayes of glorifying God namely that there are two wayes of glorifying God one primary and immediate to Gods own eyes and another that is secondary and mediate that is to the eyes of men the first immediate way of glorifying God to his own eyes is to take by faith and to believe him on his word that those rich benefits freely promised are wrought upon us which to reason are impossible for greatnesse incredible and yet embrace the same with joy And this kinde of glorifying of God is spoken of Rom. 4. 20. where it is said that Abraham doubted not of the promise of God by unbeliefe Rom. 4. 20. but was strengthned in faith and gave glory to God The other kinde of glorifying God which is secondary to the eyes of men is by works testifying our faith to the eyes of men and is spoken of Matth. 5. 16. saying Let your light to wit of faith so shine before men that Matth. 5. 1. they may see your good works of Sanctification and glorifie your father which is in heaven But look how farre the Sun passeth the