And how can any conceiue it otherwise to bee made ours but as by faith it is apprehended of vs Heere the Papists say that Christ is our righteousnesse How Christ is our righteousnesse Not by sanctification two waies First because he meriteth the pardon of sinne which is reckoned ours Secondly because he worketh righteousnesse in vs. Answ It is very true that Christ doth sanctifie vs notwithstanding hee doth not make vs righteous before God by this inherent righteousnesse For wee are the righteousnesse of God not in our selues as we should be if this infused righteousnesse were the matter of our iustification but in him 2. Cor. 5.21 And Phil. 3.9 But by imputation when Paul doth oppose the righteousnesse which is of Christ and of God to that of the Law which also he doth call his owne as being inherent in him hee doth cleerely shew that Christ is not our righteousnes by that righteousnesse which the spirit doth beget in vs for that is legall but by another righteousnesse resting in his owne person and not transfused but imputed to vs. Reason 2. Secondly Faith and workes in this matter of iustification are alwaies opposed Ephes 2.8 9. Rom. 2.27 But now if faith iustifie vs as a worke they are not then opposite but may well stand together Reason 3. Thirdly when we say that faith doth saue iustifie and purifie vs if we vnderstand this of the inward act of beleeuing wee are made our owne Sauiours and sanctifyers For it is cleere that wee saue our selues when from our selues doth proceede that act by and for which we are saued Reason 4. Further the least true faith though it be vnperfect doth iustifie It cannot then bee that it doth this by its owne value For how should a weake and small faith that is as a graine of mustard seede be of equall value to a greater measure of the same when things of the same kinde differ in value according to their quantitie as there is much odds in worth betweene a mite and a massy wedge though both be of the purest gold Wherefore this excellent worke of iustification must be ascribed vnto the thing beleeued on that is Iesus Christ which a small and weake faith doth as truely apprehend and possesse vs of as a stronger Reason 5. Lastly it was an errour which the Gnosticks held that their faith did iustifie for the excellency of it Vses 1. It cleereth obiections about this doctrine First this doth serue to cleere some obiections about this doctrine For to some wee seeme not well aduised to exclude workes from iustification when faith is an habite and worke of the soule as is loue and other graces of the spirit and others may think that wee prize faith at too high a rate to make it that which doth giue vs righteousnesse and procure vs title to that super excellent waight of glory It vvere somewhat that these say if we did reach that faith did iustifie as a worke or should make faith it selfe our righteousnesse vvhich formally doth so present vs to God But that is farre from our minde It is Iesus Christ onely that is our righteousnesse it is onely his obedience by and for which we are righteous before the Lord. Faith hath no further hand and stroke in this weighty worke then as it doth looke to Christ lay hold and possesse vs of him that wee may haue him vvith his merits to present to GOD in our behalfe 2. It comforteth the weake in faith Secondly this doctrine doth not a little comfort those that are weake in faith Weakenesse of faith is a want that many of Gods people doe bewaile in themselues and for which they do wel-nigh despaire of themselues And it is a worthy grace to be strong in faith as was Abraham For by it the heart is stablished against all assaults and is filled with peace and ioy in all estates and the more our faith is the more doe we abound in the assurance of our iustification and the pardon of our sinnes Notwithstanding let not any be out of heart for the small and scanty measure of his faith if he haue true faith It is not the excellencie and great measure of his faith that doth make him righteous before God Since faith is not our righteousnesse But Christ but â—hrist whom faith doth receiue and apprehend which a weake faith can doe as well as the strongest Say not then my faith is weake and feeble Is it a true and sincere faith which renouncing all other matter of righteousnesse doth depend and cast it selfe on Christ for pardon of sinne and saluation Be then of good comfort thou art as fully and perfectly righteous before God as he that hath the strongest faith in the world For thou hast Christ who is righteousnesse and perfect righteousnesse to euery one that doth beleeue euen as well to him that beleeueth with a feeble faith if a true one as to him that beleeueth with a strong faith Who is apprehended by a weake faith as wel as a strong Euen to saluation Looke not then on thy faith but consider him that is Iesus Christ on whom thy faith doth looke and repose it selfe and know that he is righteousnesse alsufficient to thee They that did looke on the Brazen Serpent but with one eye yea but with halfe an ey were as well and fully cured of the deadly stings of the fiery serpents as those which beheld it with both If the Prince bee disposed to bestow on sundry male factors their Pardon or some precious Iewels vpon Beggers they are as fully acquitted from their sinnes and made as rich by the possession of that Iewell which accept of these albeit with shaking and trembling as they that receiue them with lusty and strong hands Euen so is the case heere Hast thou but a dimmish faith yet such a one as doth looke vp to Christ and onely to him for saluation Hast thou but a weake trembling faith yet such a one as thou doest reach out to receiue Christ that rich Pearle of heauen and the pardon of thy sinnes offered in him and doest claspe it about him with all thy feeble strength Make no doubt but that thou art iustified in the sight of God doest stand clearely acquitted from all thy sinnes and shalt be healed of all their deadly stings It is the possession of the Iewell not their strong holding of it that doth make those beggers rich and the Kings Pardon that doth discharge Malefactors from the danger of the Law so they be willing to accept and pleade the same And so it is not our strong Since the true possession of him saueth vs not our strong hold of him or weake faith that is our righteousnesse and discharge before God but Iesus Christ and his obedience This onely is required on our part that we accept him offered vs in the Gospell and relye on him for full righteousnesse and redemption which
we hauing right thereunto wee haue the accomplishment of glory when wee beleeue in regard of right and propriety thereunto When first wee beleeue then we are intituled to life euerlasting Euen as the title to an outward inheritance followeth vpon the birth so the right and hope of this kingdome doth follow our spirituall birth By our spiritual birth None that are not begotten of God by water and the spirit shall enter into the kingdome He hath begotten vs vnto an inheritance 1. Pet. 1.3.4 Now the Lord begets vs his sons daughters when he giueth vs to beleeue For first the good pleasure of God resteth on his naturall and onely begotten Sonne on whom when we come to lay holde by faith we are then made sonnes Iohn 1.12 Yea sons accepted Eph. 1.6 And being sonnes accepted vvee are heires As Gods sons and heires euen ioynt-heires with Christ. Rom. 8.17 The glory of heauen is therefore called by the name of Adoption because it followeth thereon and is the thing to which we are adopted By faith therefore when we obtaine to be the sonnes of God wee also thereby obtaine that euerlasting life which is to be reuealed Which truth that wee may cleare somewhat better obserue with me briefely these three things First then Christ hath merited life euerlasting no lesse for vs For Christ hath merited it for vs. then righteousnes as Heb. 10.19.20 By the bloud of Iesus we may be bold to enter into the holy place by the new liuing way which he hath prepared throgh the vaile that is his flesh And Heb. 9.15 Through the death of the Mediatour wee which are called receiue the promise of the eternall inheritance Secondly 2. Faith doth apprehend it also as well as righteousnes faith applies and apprehendeth the one as well as the other We are saued by grace through faith Eph. 2.8 It is the Apostles meaning that faith doth looke vnto and lay holde euen of saluation it selfe which we haue of Gods grace as well as of any benefit tending thereunto And if it be obiected that hee speaketh not of life euerlasting which is laid vp for vs in due time to be reuealed but of the present saluation and redemption whereof heere wee are partakers I answer It is manifest in the verse going before what he meaneth by saluation euen specially the treasures of glory God hath raised vs vp together and made vs sit in heauenly places c. For wee are saued by grace through faith 3. Faith doth euer rest vpon it vntill wee come to enioy it Thirdly Faith doth not onely beginne to apprehend it and then leaue vs to workes that wee may attaine it but faith doth still apply life vnto vs till wee are iustified and saued By faith we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 Wee are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation which is to be reuealed 1 Pet. 1.5 So that our faith neuer giueth ouer till wee haue this saluation euen the end of our faith And these considerations doe sufficiently shew that faith is it or rather Christ receiued by faith by for which we are righteous and accepted yea and at length attaine life euerlasting The opinion of the Papists touching life eternall Now let vs consider a little what is the sentence of the Papists in this poynt The Papists then confesse that life is merited by Christ and is made ours by the right of inheritance so farre wee go with them Yea touching works they holde many things with vs that no works of themselues can merit life euerlasting 2. that works done before conuersion can merit nothing at Gods hand and merit of works much lesse life euerlasting 3. that there is no merit at Gods hand without his mercy no exact merit as often there is amongst men all these are true The point whereabout wee dissent Our dissent from thâ—m is that with the merit of Christ and free promise they vvill haue the merit of works ioined as done by them who are adopted children That which directly must be opposed vnto this is that Gods gracious promising Gods grace and any merit of workes cannot stand together and giuing it to vs in Christ cannot stand with the merit of our workes And the Scripture herein is so euident As it is euident by the Scripture that some of the Papists are forced to deny this coniunction of a double title vnto life eternall For in the fourth of the Romanes 4. the wages cannot be counted both by meere fauour and also by debt and desert and Rom. 11.6 If it be of grace then not of workes for grace then were no grace In which place obserue this that fauour and grace are meant and to bee taken for the rich grace of God which is now made manifest in Christ For otherwise there is a grace which may stand with workes It was grace that God did couenant with man in Adam that had hee stood in righteousnesse hee should haue deserued eternall life but the riches of grace of meere grace cannot abide one worke as meritorious to be coupled with it If any heere except The Apostle speaketh of workes of the Ceremoniall Law or done by force of nature not by the grace of Christ I answere that in the first place Workes of grace being excluded from iustification the Apostle reasons of the workes of Abraham being now iustified and euen in the flower and prime of workes Further we may see plainely Ephes 2.8 9 10. that grace doth exclude al works of regeneration We are saued saith the Apostle by grace not by workes What workes Such as are ceremoniall or done in our naturall state No nor by workes of regeneration euen such good workes as we are created to in Christ Iesus And marke heere the reason of the Papists All our workes say they come from the grace of God in vs and are from Christ dwelling in vs Ergo it hindreth not the grace of God nor Christs merit that we haue them and merit by them Now the Apostle doth inferre the quite contrary Our workes euen our best workes cannot saue vs. Why For they are not ours but they are of God whose workemanship we are being by him created vnto them Gal. 3.11 12. And faâ—th and the Law being opposed Further The iust doth liue by faith Ergo he cannot liue by doing For The Law is not of Faith Nor is faith of the Law neither can these two be conioined As Gal. 3.18 If the inheritance be of the Law it is no more by the promise but God gaue it freely by the promise Marke heere that there is such opposition betweene workes and grace that a thing cannot bee together a donatiue of mercy and deserued by working If any thing bee ioined with Christ as together meritorious of righteousnesse and life it abolisheth Christ But why then doth God promise life euerlasting to
Lastly it is manifest by the scripture Col. 2.6 and Iohn 1.12 that beleeuing on Christ is the receiuing of him And what is this receiuing Not only a comprehension of the vnderstanding but an imbracing of the hart and affections laying holde on him as we would on any thing with our hand which is reached vnto vs. And Iohn 6.35 to goe or come to Christ is made all one with beleeuing on Christ which going no doubt is rather a spirituall motion of the hart and affections toward Christ to enioy him and cleaue vnto him then a contemplation of the minde contented to see beholde him 3. By reasons In the third place wee must cleare this matter by reason that to beleeue on Christ is to trust vpon him and that for the grace of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting For the papists say that when we construe to beleeue in Christ to bee to beleeue the pardon of our sinnes in and for Christ that this is a glosse of our owne deuising Wherefore to shew it let this bee the first reason So faith doth receiue and rest on Christ as Christ is set forth to the beleeuer Reason 1. But Christ is set forth vnto vs as our redeemer from sinne and death ergo faith staieth on Christ as our redeemer from sin and death For this wee are alwaies to haue in minde that Christ is the obiect of our faith Not a naked Christ is the obiect of our faith but Christ clothed with his benefits not abstractly and nakedly considered but Christ with his benefits Christ lifted vp as the brazen serpent Christ set forth as a sacrifice propitiatory for our sinnes And thus to receiue Christ and beleeue on him is to beleeue receiue in him ransome from sin and death Reason 2. Secondly I proue this from the disposition of euery beleeuer That which pricketh and spurreth the soule to Christ that the soule first of all â—eacheth at and receiueth in Christ But sinne and death maketh the soule goe forth to Christ Ergo it first layeth hold on pardon of sinne and deliuerance from death These things are euident truths in the experience of euery humbled and beleeuing soule Reason 3. Thirdly it may bee proued by the order of iustification that a iustifying faith is to stay on Christ for the pardon of sinne or to beleeue in him forgiuenesse of sinne The beleeuer that hath got his sinnes couered he hath beleeued the pardon of them But euery beleeuer whom God iustifyeth hath first got his sins couered Ergo he hath before iustification beleeued their pardon It may seeme strange that I say that the sinnes of the beleeuer are couered before his iustification but in nature thus it must bee considered For the Lord cannot pronounce vs as iust till some way hee see vs innocent To absolue the guiltie is abomination with him The order that is obserued in our iustification The order of our iustificatâ—oÌ„ will cleere the matter First there is a sight of our misery to which we are brought by the Law Secondly there is by the Gospell an holding forth of Christ as our Redemption from sinne and death Thirdly there is a working of faith in the heart to rest on Christ as the ransome from sinne and death Now when a man is come hither he is truely and really iust For he hath hold of the ransome from all his sinne Then in the fourth place followeth the Lords voice iustifying this party thus in Christ made righteous Reason 4. Fourthly it may be proued by the effects of faith For that faith which iustifyeth before God which sanctifyeth which bringeth Christ to dwell in our hearts which breedeth peace yea giueth entrance vnto God with confidence and boldnesse that standeth in the trust of mercy and in knowledge onely But all these are made effects of beleeuing on Christ The first part of the reason is euident For if faith be onely the crediting of things to be beleeued then these effâ—cts belong not vnto faith For wicked men in their kinde and the Diuels in their kinde may haue such a perswasion Thus hauing proued sufficiently that to beleeue on Christ is to haue confidence of mercy touching remission of sinne I will now shew what may bee obiected Obiections answered Scriptures that seeme to affirme faith to be onely a right perswasion of Christs person and offices The arguments are either drawne from Scripture or Reason The first ranke proueth that it is true faith to think aright of Christs person office The Scriptures may be recalled to these three heads Mat. 16.16 Thou art the Christ the Son of the liuing God Iohn 1.49 Rabbi saith Nathanael thou art the Sonne of God thou art the King of Israel Iohn 11.26 27. He that beleeueth in mee saith our Sauiour vnto Martha shall not dye Beleeuest thou this Yea Lord saith shee I beleeue that thou art the Christ the Sonne of God that should come into the world So Iohn 20.31 These things are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of God c. See Acts 8.37 and 1. Iohn 5.1 From all these Scriptures it may thus be concluded Ob. To bee perswaded aright touching Christs person and office is no particular assurance of mercie But rightly to hold this is iustifying faith Ergo iustifying faith is no particular affiance but onely to hold truely the doctrine of Christ Answ But it is false that these examples mention no more but the holding of the doctrine in truth For they all include an affiance of mercy Which yet include in affiance of mercy in him which may be thus proued First it is a generall rule that words of knowledge include in the partie the affections also much more words of beliefe Secondly to see the cleere trueth of all these examples wee must consider the disposition of Gods people touching the Messiah As therefore they looked for the Messiah so according to the prophecies they promised to themselues in and by the Messiah all good The woman of Samaria Iohn 4. could say when the Messiah commeth he will teach vs all things And therefore Math. 11.3 the Disciples of Iohn aske Christ Art thou hee that should come or shall wee looke for another Where wee may see that there was not a knowledge onely of Christ to come but an expectation and an hope placed in him as in whom all good promises should bee accomplished vnto them So that if we consider the disposition of this people whose hopes did hang on the Messiah wee may plainely vnderstand how that to beleeue the Messias is not onely to know and giue credence but to haue an affiance in him Thirdly wee must consider these examples by that of Thomas Iohn 20.28 who as he confessed Christ and God so was it with tearmes of affiance saying Thou art my Lord and my God Fourthly this may bee gathered by Marthaes words Iohn 11.26 27. For when Christ asked
a weake and feeble faith doth as truely and entirely if not more as the strongest Nay let mee say more for the comfort of such as are weake in faith If they haue but a true desire to beleeue He is enioyed euen by a desire to beleeue and cannot yet in an expresse and explicite manner beleeue on Christ they haue Christ and enioy him vnto righteousnesse and the pardon of their sinnes If a man should want hands to receiue his Princes Pardon tendered to him it would suffice to entitle him vnto it and the benefit thereof To shew his will to accept it euen so will God in rich mercy accept in a broken and humbled soule a desire to beleeue for faith it selfe and thereby shall they become possessed of Christ with all his merits to the saluation of their soules Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Math. 5.6 3. It accordeth grace faith in our iustification Lastly this doth shew how grace and faith doe well agree in our iustification Workes cannot stand in this matter with Gods grace as they are vrged to merit any thing toward it For that it is not wholly of grace which in the least degree doth come of merit But faith as it doth iustifie vs doth bring nothing of its owne to present to God and to make the beleeuer righteous it doth chalenge nothing for its owne worth but doth seeke all righteousnesse in Christ alone Since faith doth seeke for all from Gods grace in Christ doth onely take Christ for its righteousnesse as he is ordained and giuen by the grace of God doth onely present him and his obedience and plead Gods grace and mercy promised in him It doth nothing derogate from the Kings grace in giuing a Pardon to his subiect and from hauing the whole praise of his safety that his subiect doth receiue and plead the same for his life nay rather hereby doth the subiect proclaime to all men that he hath no other meanes to scape the gallowes but the gracious pardon of the King Euen so faith doth not any thing obscure Gods grace toward vs but rather aduance it For can a poore sinner giue larger testimonie and more amply set out the glory of Gods grace then when disclaiming himselfe and his best workes as filthy clouts he doth wholly flye vnto and relye vpon Iesus Christ his obedience and Gods gracious pardon of his sinnes by and through him And if the life and safety of a Malefactor saued by the Kings pardon notwithstanding his receiuing of it be wholly ascribed to the grace and mercy of the Prince how much more must our saluation notwithstanding that we beleeue in Christ be the praise glory of Gods rich grace whose grace it is first to prepare and offer Christ vnto vs and saluation in him and then also to giue vs faith which otherwise wee could neuer haue to receiue and beleeue on him It followeth should not perish but haue life euerlasting We are now at length from the meanes come to consider the benefit which doth stand on two parts as hath beene before touched 1. in deliuerance from that miserable state wherein we were should not perish 2. in conferring great good vpon vs but haue euerlasting life The first thing that heere we may obserue is what wee are before and without faith euen lost wretches Doct. 8. We are by nature lost wretcthes It is by faith in Christ that wee are kept from perdition which teacheth plainely that by nature before the Lord hath quickened vs by faith we are all children of perdition But of this more largely and more fitly in another place Doct. 9. Secondly therefore obserue that though wee bee by nature dead yet by faith we are quickened By faith we are quickned and entitled to eternall life and made partakers of life euerlasting So Christ verse 36. of this chapter Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life And chapter 5.24 Verely verely I say vnto you Hee that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent mee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life And Iohn 17.3 This is eternall life to know that is with the knowledge of faith thee to bee the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. For Christ is our life For Christ is our life whom by faith we possesse our life is in him Col. 3.4 And therefore whosoeuer do beleeue in him haue life through and with him As 1 Iohn 5.11.12 From this principle we may see the same conclusion to be gathered God hath giuen vs life and this life is in his Sonne he that hath the Sonne hath life he that hath not the Sonne hath not life But to see this better how by faith we come to haue life euerlasting we must consider that we haue it either in regard of the beginning or of the accomplishment and perfection If once we bee brought to beleeue in Christ life eternall is then begunne in vs 1 Eternall life is by faith begun in vs Iohn 7.38 Hee that beleeueth in mee out of his belly shall there flowe riuers of water of life And the nature of these waters is such that they neuer let the soule thirst againe but they are in the beleeuer a well of water springing to eternall life Neuer to be extinguished Iohn 4.14 Neither let any man except That they shall be so vnlesse a man cast them vp againe for that cannot bee since if they could be cast vp how should they then be a well in a man still springing to euerlasting life By faith we receiue the promised spirit Gal. 3.14 By faith we haue Christ liuing in vs. Eph. 3.17 Who since hee cannot dy as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 6.9 wee must not thinke that this life begunne once in any member can vtterly bee extinguished For this life is a fruit of the spirit the first resurrection a life in substance all one with that blessed and glorious estate which vvee shall enioy It is an eternall life euen for the qualitie and condition of it and not onely by reason of the promise of God the merit and intercession of Iesus Christ Secondly 2. Thereby wee obtaine euen heere the fulnes of it If once we beleeue wee also come to haue the fulnes of life euerlasting and that 2. waies de facto or de iure in regard of the thing it self in very deed or in regard of right vnto it For euery beleeuer hath in very deed the fulnes of life glory thogh not in himselfe yet in his head Christ Iesus Hee may say My head Iesus Christ is glorified In deed in Christ who is glorified for vs. and I in my head sit in heauen Thus the Apostle speaketh Eph. 2.6 God hath raysed vs vp together and made vs sit in heauenly places in Christ Iesus Secondly 2. In right