am he that putteth away and abolisheth thine iniquities and will remember thy sinnes no more Esay 43. 25. Ierem. 31. 34. Aâ—d not only so But Esay 43. 25. Ierem. 31. 34. also I cloathed thee with broydred work I girded thee about with fine linnen and covered thee with silk I decked thee also with ornaments and I put bracelets upon thy hands and a chaine on thy neck thus wast thou decked with gold and silver and thus wast thou perfect through my beauty which I put upon thee All which as a learned Writer treating of Free Justification truly saith signifieth that God purgeth us with the blood of Christ from all sin and adorneth us with the rich robe of his own righteousnesse and thus hee and none but hee by himselfe alone makes us in his own sight perfectly holy and righteous freely Yea how absolutely God resumes this work wholy and only into his own hand is notably expressed Why God only worketh righteousness by the Apostle with Gods intent and reason why hee so reserves this work only in his own hand saying That hee may shew declare or manifest at this time what his righteousness namely wherewith hee justifieth us farre passing the righteousnesse of men or Angels That he might be just that is declared to bee just in that none can please him but such as are righteous in his sight with such a perfect holinesse and righteousnesse and that he only may be a maker of him righteous that beleeveth in Iesus Rom. 3. 26. and hence Rom. 3. 26. it is that this righteousnesse wherewith we are made so perfectly holy and righteous in Gods sight is so often by S. Paul called the righteousnesse of God both because â—od alone worketh it uâ—on us and because it alone makes us approvedly righteous in the sight of God as where S. Paul saith Rom. 3. 21. 22. But now is Rom. 32. 22. the righteousness of God made manifest without the Law having witness of the Law and of the Prophets to wit the righteousness of God by the faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all that do beleeve Upon which place the true Orthodox exposition of Chrisostome is worthy the marking who faith thus Paul expresseth two great matters in this place both that thou art made righteous and that also without the Law thou attainest these good things moreover he said not simply righteousness but the righteousness of God declaring the gift to be the greater for the dignity of the giver and the promise easily to be effected and done Another reason why God reserves this work in his own hand to be wrought only by himself is because it is too great and too glorious a work for any meere creature to doe it or to have any hand in it for what work can bee more excellent than to make a creature righteous in the sight of God seeing also it is the cause of removing all evill and the procuring of all good unto the creature and this is testified by Augustine saying Quid magnificentius quà m justificare impium hoc est ex impio justum facere that is what is more magnificent than to justifie a wicked man that is of a wicked man to make him just and righteous And therefore the conclusion of Zanchius upon this point is most true saying Solus etiam est qui potest c. that is It is only God alone that of a man conceived of uncleane seed can make him cleane Iob 14. 4. especially say I Iob 14. 4. in this case of making him above sense and feeling perfectly righteous in the fight of God freely The second efficient cause of our Justification together The second efficient Cause of our â—ustification with the meritorious meanes more immediatly working and effecting the same is Christ as he is the Mediator both God and man who as it is Revel 1. 5. washing us from our sinnes in his owne blood and Revel 1. 5. procuring unto us thereby a perfect righteousnesse cried out upon the Crosse It is finished that is the prophecie of Daniel prophecying that seventy weeks of yeers should be fulfilled before iniquity should be sealed up and finished and sin made an end of and abolished and everlasting righteousnesse brought in is now accomplished and finished but how By the slaying saith Daniel of the Messiah so that it is Christ and the blood of Christ that hath by himselfe purged us from our sins and made us righteous freely Heb. 1. 3. and therefore saith the Apostle Heb. 1. 3. we are justified freely by his grace but how through the Redemption that is in Christ Iesus Rom. 3. 24. his Rom. 3. 24. blood alone justifieth us and therefore very aptly speaketh Augustine saying there have been are and shall be many just men just us autem justificans nemo nisi Christus that is but both just and also justifying and making others righteous there is none but Christ Vpon the truth whereof ariseth that unlike likenesse between Adam and Christ which the Apostle speaks of Rom. 5. wherein none must participate Rom. 5. nor be any Agent or doer with Christ namely that as by the disobedience of one man Adam many were made perfect sinners before they have done or thought any evill work as namely Infants which are perfect sinners before they begin to speak or think any evill all their evill actions afterwards but shewing how evill one man Adam hath made them so by the obedience of one man Christ are many made perfectly righteous before they speak or think any good work all their good works of Sanctification done afterwards but shewing how perfectly good Christ hath made them to Godward freely Whereupon the exposition of Chrysostome upon that place is very proper saying Chrysostomes Exposition thus 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 lived righteously became a procurer of righteousnesse and life even that righteousnesse which by his Crosse he freely gives unto us all hence he is called Iehovah our righteousnesse that is the only cause making us righteous and also Melâ—hisedec The second maine point to bee considered and Secondly the Formall cause marked in our perfect Justification is the Formall Cause or the very forme it selfe making us perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God wherein two things are to be marked first what it is secondly the excellency 1 What it is 2 The excellency of it of it for the first namely what this formall cause forming us perfectly righteous is we must observe that it is the perfect obedience both active and passive of the Mediator Christ which being made under the law he performed in fulfilling the whole law for us perfectly whereof Christ spake when â—e said unto Iohn the Baptist Let it be so now for thus it
Then besides this renewing by the holy Ghost to this heavenly righteousnesse and life 2 to men-ward there ariseth in them also by this new birth to men-ward a new light and a new flame there arise in them new and holy affections as the fear of God true saith assured hope c. There beginneth in them also a new will And this is to put on Christ truly and according to the Gospel Now when wee have first by faith inwardly put on Christ as a Robe of righteousnesse and salvation then A threefold respect of a Christian doe wee put him on outwardly as the apparrell of example and imitation Thus must every true Christian bee considered in a threefold respect first what he is with God or before God secondly what hee is with himselfe or to his feeling and thirdly what hee is to his neighbour First with God or before God he is the Woman cloathed with the Sun that is shining perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God and every way full and compleat wanting nothing by reason of Iustification Secondly with himselfe and to his own sense and feeling hee is like one of those antient healed Leapers under the old Law healed indeed but having the remnants of the old scurfe to rub off by Sanctification Thirdly with his Neighbour hee is like one of those hot coales of the Altar burning with the holy fire of zeale and casting out the light and heat of Faith and love to the heating of others Again it is the joyfull knowledge of Justification Luth. in Gâ—â— 3. 10. which maketh a man of a coâ—rupt bad Tree to become a good â—ree first perfectly good to the eyes of God by Iustification and so bringing forth the good fruit In Gal. 2. 18. to the eyes of men of Sanctification For Christians are not made righteous in doing righteous things but being first freely made righteous by faith in Christ then they doe righteous things So that good works ought to bee done not as the cause but as the fruits of oâ—e freely made righteous and when we are made righteous then we cannot but doe them for after that a man is once justified and possesseth Christ by faith and knoweth that he is Righteousnesse and Life doubtlesse hee will not be idle But as a good tree he will bring forth good fruit for the believing man that is the justified man hath the holy Ghost given him as it is shewed before to dwell in him but where the holy Ghost dwelleth hee will not suffer a man to bee idle but stirreth him up to all exercise of pietie and godlinesse then I doe indeed good works I love God I pray and give thanks to him I exercise charity toward my neighbour Therefore weighty is that saying of Christ either make the Tree good and the fruit Matt. 12. â—3 The â—iâ—â— of the Mâ—nistâ—â—â— good or else make the Tree evill and the fruit evill That is let the Ministers chiefe aime be to fill the peoples hearts with joy that they are freely made perfectly good Trees in the sight of God by Iustification and the people bee sure that they are first such in the sight of God indeed or else they shall bee sure to have but little good fruit by Sanctification some Homil. oâ—â— Aâ—nes deâ—â— choack-peares peradventure that may look faire without but be all rotten within Again the joyfull knowledge of Iustification is the receiving of the most great and pretious promises by which we are made partakers of the Divine nature 2 Peter 1. 4. the very forgetfulnesse of which pretious 2 Pet. 1. 4. promise namely that wee are purged or made cleane from our old sinnes is as Peter saith the cause 8. 9. of all idle unfruitfull and blind professing of the Gospel of Christ 2 Pet. 1. 8 9. for this joyfull and Iustification is as the bâ—anâ—â—â— of â—â—e Sunnâ— glorious benefit of Iustification being the bright beames Solis justitiae of the Sun of righteousnesse Iustification iâ— aâ— the beams oâ— the Sun Christ Jesus and shining into our dark hearts doth sanctifie and regenerate us to the Image of God again even as the Sun beames shining upon silver or upon a clear looking-glasse doe cause the very silver or glasse it selfe to cast forth some glimmering beames and this Paul testifieth saying That the ministration of righteousnesse doth so exceed in glory that we beholding as in a mirror or looking-glasse This glory of God with open face are changed into the same Image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. Whereupon S. Iohn directly saith thus My little children let no man 1 Ioh. 3. 7. deceive you he that doth righteousnesse actively that is doth cast forth the beames of Sanctification is righteous passively that is justified with Christs righteousnesse as the Sunne of righteousnesse Christ Iesus who shineth upon him with his beames of Iustification is righteous 1 Ioh. 3. 7. But if the Sunne of righteousnesse be so clouded from us that the beames of Justification which exceed in glory bee by want of preaching or receiving it stopped that it shineth not into our dark hearts then our soules can return back again no beames of Sanctification Thus wee see how this joyfull knowledge of Iustification the worth and glory of the same being discerned seene and enjoyed with a true and right faith maketh both Pastors and people to shine forth with bright shining beames of great glorifying of God And thus also we put a difference between a counterfeit Difference between a true and conterfeit faith faith and a true faith the counterfeit faith is that which heareth of God of Christ and of all the mysteries of his incarnation and our redemption which also apprehendeth and beareth away those things which it heareth yea and can talk goodly thereof and yet there remaineth nothing else in them but ignorance of the worth and excellency of Christs benefits yea none are so blind as such as God testifieth by his Prophet saying Who so blind as my servant Esay 42. 19. 20. whereby there remaineth nothing else Esay 42. 19 20. in the heart but naked opinion and a bare sound of the Gospel for it neither reneweth or changeth the heart it maketh not a new man but leaveth him in Id. in Gal. 5. 13. the vanity of his former opinion and conversation And this is a very pernicious faith the morall Philosopher is much better than the hypocrite having such a faith these understand the Doctrine of faith carnally Grace turned into wantonnesse and draw the liberty of the spirit into the liberty of the flesh this may wee see in all kinds of life as well of the high as of the low all boast themselves to be Professors of the Gospel and all brag of Christian liberty and yet serving their own lusts they give themselves to covetousnesse pleasures pride envie and such other vices no man doth his duty
despising of God appearing in all that Majesty and a contemning of that high authority of the law-giver so terribly appearing yea the sinner by his lust and concupiscence against the law doth as it were trample under the feet of his affections all that Majesty of God that was manifested in such fearefull thundering and lightening Is it any marvell then that God said unto David Why hast thou despised me in doing that which is evill in my sight 2 Sam. 12. 9 10. 2 Sam. 12. 9 10. Secondly hereby sinne is become rebellion against God as Daniel confessed saying We have sinned and broken thy Commandements and have rebelled against thee Dan. 9. 5 6. But how horrible Dan. 9. 5 6. Rebellion is Samuel declareth saying Rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft and transgression is wickednesse and idolatry 1 Sam. 15. 23. And thus the Law entring 1 Sam. 15. 23. upon sinne doth make the fault thereof so greatly to abound Rom. 5. 20. that sinne is made out of measure Rom. 5. 20. sinnefull by the Commandement so terribly forbidding it Rom. 7. 13. so that in sinne these six evills Rom. 7. 13. doe concurre first a despising and contempt of the 1 Contemptus majestatis Deiâ— 2 Superba contumacia adversus Legem majesty of God forbidding the least sinne in such terrible thundering and lightning Secondly a proud stubbornesse against the law and revealed will of God 3 Nefanda imaginis Dei conspurcatio destructio 4 Imitatio Satauâ—â— hostis Dei improba proditâ—â—ne defectione 5 Intolerabilis ingratituâ—o 6 Imago Satanae Thirdly an horrible defiling and destroying of the image of God wherein man was created Fourthly an imitation and doing like the Devill the enimy of God by a wicked treason and revolting from God Fifthly an untolerable ingratitude and unthankfulnesse of the creature against the Creator Sixthly that which in it selfe is a foule and abhominable thing that sinne is the very image of the Devill which for men to beare that were made to the image of God nothing can bee more detestable the least sinne for the horriblenesse of it though it be but in thought only defiling us and all our good works and holy walking and making them in the sight of God like a menstruous cloath Mark 7. 23. Esay 64. 6. now if Mark 7. 23. Esay 64. 6. our good works be by sinne so loathsome how horrible then are our evill works have we not just cause to cry out every one of us and say with David Bee mercifull to my sinnes O Lord for they are great Psal 25. 11 The second maine thing to work this true feeling The second maine thing concerning sinne of our lost estate is to look into the multitude of our sinnes which we daily commit in thought word and deed by breaking all Gods tenne Commandements which wee must know not only in a grosse confused generality but take notice of particulars in each Commandement wherein we have offended both in leaving undone that which we should have done and by doing that which we should not have done if not in the grosse act which the world and light of nature condemnes yet in the spirituall breach which as we have heard is horrible before God For the Law Rom. 7. 14. Ioh. 4. 24. is spirituall saith S. Paul And God is a spirit saith Christ and must be obeyed and worshipped in spirit and truth and herein we may see our sinnes to be many and innumerable concerning which although I referre thee to such Catechismes as lay open Gods tenne Commandements at large for the fuller sight hereof yet to sharpen thy stomack unto Free Justification and because the Paschall Lambe must bee eaten with sowre herbs give me leave to give thee a glimse of this pure glasse of the Law that thou maist see some few spots of thy foule leprosie in the spirituall breach of all Gods Commandements As in the first Commandement namely Thou shalt have no strange gods before me containing the inward A pithy opening of the 10 Commandements worship of God though herein differing somewhat from the Gentiles thou confesse but one God which also the Devils doe yet look how many profits and pleasures doe steale away thy love feare trust and obedience from God to the committing of sinne so many idols in this lost state hast thou in the sight of God yea look how many sinnes thou dost commit in thought word and deed in a day so much thou corruptest in thee the pure inward worship of God and so many idols art thou guilty of and so many strange Gods hast thou in the sight of God Secondly in the second Commandement contayning the outward worship of God although peradventure thou makest not grosly to thy selfe any graven Image of God the father nor any Picture of Christ as the Papists doe yet look how often and how many allurements have enticed thee to neglect either the preaching or the zealous hearing of the word being offered either in season or out of season look how often thou hast neglected to bow thy knees in solemne prayer to God three times a day with Daniel David and Peter for the holy Ghost to be given thee look how often thou hast neglected to conferre as the prudent Sergius Paulus did with the faithfull minister and with other faithfull children of God to be resolved of such doubts of the assurance of thy Justification and salvation as may arise in thy minde look how often thou hast neglected either the administring or receiving of the holy Sacraments so many Images art thou guilty of that have stolne away thy heart from the zealous performance of the pure outward worship of God Thirdly in the third Commandement although peradventure thou art not guilty of grosse blaspheming of God yet look what zeale thou wantest in life for the threefold works of God upon thee as namely of Creation Redemption and continuall preservation look how often in word thou hast sworne by thy faith and troth by the fire by the light by bread or any other creature of God so often art thou guilty Christ being witnesse Mat. 5. of taking Gods Mat. 5. 34 35 36. name in vaine look how often thou hast rashly taken up and used the titles of God as Lord and Iesus and Christ who is God blessed for ever c. look how often thou hast unreverently used the properties of God as his grace to practise vanity his mercy to sinne his Judgements to cursing and hast abused his providence in crying out upon luck and fortune and such like look how often in the creatures thou not marking the power of God in making the creatures his wisedome in fitting them to thy necessities his goodnesse in giving them unto thee but turning them from their right use as the drink to drunkenesse thy tongue to lying and such like so abusing them to sinne and vanity so often art thou souly guilty of
is made light with the Sun-beames For the Lord Christ being Sol justitiae the Calv. Institâ—t l b. 3. cap. 11. sect 23. Sunne of righteousnesse Malac. 4. 2. doth in such sort communicate his righteousnesse with us that after a certaine marvellous manner he poureth the force thereof into us so much as serveth to satisfie the justice of God For seeing before the Tribunall seat of God it is esteemed no righteousnesse except it be the perfect and absolute obedience of the Law as Christ alone Suam juslitiam in nos transferendo nos juslâ— reddit is thus righteous so by conveying his righteousnesse upon us nos justos reddit he makes us righteous So that as the Brazen Serpent was of strength through the promise of God to strike health into Acts and Monuments upon Patr. the wounded and dying beholders and made them againe strong and healthfull much more is the body of Christ being the object of our faith of power to strike righteousnesse to our soules and so to make us not inherently and actively as the Papists hold but objectively and passively freely in the sight of God and truly and really just and righteous For as by the disobedience of one man Adam many were made sinners before they have done any evill work so by the obedience of one man Christ are many made freely righteous before they have done any good Rom. 5. 15. work Rom. 5. 19. Because by his knowledge my righteous servant shall justifie that is make many just and righteous for hee shall beare their iniquities Esay 53. 11. Esay 53. 11. Calv. iâ— Esay iâ—id The Philosophers gave many goodly precepts of righteousnesse but they could not bestow that righteousnesse Philosâ—pâ—i multa praeâ—lara praecepâ—a tradiderunt c. Pei sâ—â—justi siâ—nt upon any yea the law of God it selfe which containeth the perfect rule of righteousnesse yet through our weaknesse it is unpossible that by it we can attaine unto righteousnesse but in the schoole of Christ men are not only taught righteousnesse but Doctrine of the Church of England in tâ—e serm oâ— Iustiâ—cation part 3. by being justified are in very deed made righteous For to justifie is that of unjust wee are made just before God For so saith the Apostle Paul He that beleeveth in Siâ— enim dicit Apostolus c. Ex impio facit justum August him that justifieth the ungodly what is meant by justifieth the ungodly or wicked that is which of a wicked and ungodly man maketh him just si justificatur impius ex impio justus fit that is if a wicked man bee justified of wicked he is made just and righteous So that the word that we are justified is not to be taken only in the judiciall signification namely that Zanch. in Eph. 2. 5. God only reputeth accounteth and pronounceth us just and righteous and so quitteth us from all guilt and Loco commu de â—ustificat Sect. 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. punishment only in which judiciall signification some doe barely rest But also it must be taken in the naturall and proper signification as it is made of justus and sio the force whereof is to be seene in other like words as in albifico to make white sortifico to sortifie or make strong because so powerfull a thing is the Lords imputation of righteousnesse that it doth verè reipsa facere nos justos that is truly and in very Two manner of wayes made righteous realnesse make us just and righteous And that also two manner of wayes First by imputing unto us his Sonnes righteousnesse he utterly abolisheth from before himselfe all our sinnes and freely makes us passively just and righteous which serveth to make us truly and in very deed perfectly just and righteous in Gods owne eyes and this is called Justification And secondly he reneweth us by his spirit unto inherent and active holinesse and righteousnesse which later is unperfect in this life and serveth to approve us for righteous to the eyes of men and is called Sanctification Thus when God hath both these wayes verè reipsa truly and in very deed made us righteous then hee reputeth accounteth and pronounceth and calleth us righteous absolving us thereby from all guilt and punishment which otherwise would stand neither with his perfect truth nor power nor wisedome nor justice Therefore God doth justifie no wicked man but Perk. in Heb. 11. ver 7. first makes him just and righteous in and by Christ and then accounteth him so Because hee was wounded for our transgressions hee was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and by making us of unjust just and righteous before God thus by his stripes wee are healed Esay 53. 5. Esay 53. 5. Thus is Christ the Physitian which healeth all our Doctrine of the Church of England in the sermon of our misery part 2. diseases thus is he the Saviour which saveth his people from all their sinnes Let us all then with one accord burst out with joyfull voyces and say with the Prophet Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name praise the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits which so wonderfully forgiveth all thine iniquities that of unjust making thee freely just before God thus healeth all thine infirmities for by his stripes we are made whole But how perfectly we are healed is to be seene by the parts of Justification following CHAP. III. Of the parts of Iustification and first of the first part and excellency thereof THe parts of Justification are two The first part of free Justification is that whereby we being by the power of Gods imputation so cloathed with the wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse that of unjust we are made just before God have thereby all our sinnes that we feele daily dwelling in us so aboue our reason sense and feeling that it may be by the faith of Gods power quite taken away from before God and so utterly abolished out of his fight that we have not one spot or wrinkle of sinne or any such thing in the sight of God because the blood of Christ doth make us cleane from all sin as these Scriptures following do abundantly testifie In those dayes of the Kingdome of Christ and at Ierem â—0 20. that time saith the Lord the iniquity of Israel shall bee sought for and there shall bee none and the sinnes of Iudah and they shall not be found but how commeth this Iohn 1. 25. Praecipuum Christi officium breviter quidem sed dilucidè exponit c. quod sciâ—â—câ—t â—â—ccata mundi tollens c. Qùioquid est injustitiâ— per Christum tolli to passe thus Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world Here he laies forth briefly yet plainly the chiefe office of Christ namely that by the sacrifice of his
Iosephs afflicted of his brethren sold into Egypt and in Egypt for his faith and chastitie and filiall fear of God plaine evidences of his Free Iustification though not as yet cleerly revealed and manifested Rom. 3. 21. Rom. 3. 21. was cast into prison expresly testified by the holy Ghost to be for the tryall and exercise of his faith Psal 105. 19 22. The like is to bee seen in the three Psal 105. 19 22. Children of Israel cast into the hot fierie Oven and of Daniel cast into the Lyons Den and many others to be seen as in a cleer Looking-Glasse in the eleventh to the Hebrewes whose faith by much exercising in troubles was made so strong that they brought forth much and wonderfull fruit Hence of this second sort of afflictions doe arise farre greater prayses than of the first sort as that they fashion us like to the Image of Christ that they are more precious than gold that they manifest and declare the rich graces wrought in us by Justification and the spirit of God For when we see sinne in our flesh and feele crosses and afflictions as it were punishments upon us for the same then to beleeve that the blood of Christ hath made us in the sight of God clean from all sinne 1 Ioh. 1. 7. and that we have not one spot or wrinkle of 1 Ioh. 1. 7. sinne in the sight of God or any such thing is a mighty tryall and manifestation of our faith in the blood of Christ and a wonderfull giving to Christ the glory of his death and resurrection Rom. 4. 20. but who and Rom. 4. 20. how few when afflictions come do here stand as Saint Paul speaks Rom. 5. 2. But then if we do so this causes Rom. 5. 2. God to return with all experimentall comforts and blessings unto us as three places of Scripture for confirmation Three Scriptures opened and explained of all this are worthy the opening as three sufficient witnesses by which every word must stand As first Rom. 5. 1 2 3 4 5. where the Apostle saith 1 Rom. 5. 1 2 3 4 5. Being justified by faith that is made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely Wee have peace towards God that is all beating blowes and anger is ceased through our Lord Iesus Christ for saith the Prophet Hee was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastiment of our peace was layed upon him that is all correction and chastisement for all sin needful for the making of perfect peace between God and his justified children was layed upon him and with his strips we are Esay 53. 5. healed wherein we stand and rejoyce under the hope of the glory of God And not only so but we glory in afflictions also knowing that they are not now whippings corrections and punishments for our sinnes as before the blood of Christ had made us clean from all sin for surely a a child hath little cause to glory in his whipping for his faults but hath rather shame and dejection but we glory because now they are changed into a new nature and use namely to work patience that is a quiet contented suffering and enduring to have our faith tryed whether wee will contrary to our present sense and feeling give this glory to Christs blood that hee hath justified us that is made us perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely whereby God saith unto us as hee said unto Abraham Now I know that thou beleevest in my Sons blood then this patient enduring of tryall bringeth forth experience that by Gods gracious deliverances from those afflictions his Sons blood hath made us clean from all sin in the sight of God as Ezekiah said being healed of his sicknesse Now I know that thou hast cast all my sin behind thy back Then this experience bringeth forth a sound hope and trust in God that is a flat promising unto our selves from God and a very expectation of all good things and blessings both temporall and eternall And this hope makes us not ashamed that is shall not be frustrated because the love of God in justifying us with his Sons blood being thus experimentally powred abroad into our hearts by the holy Ghost assureth us that if hee spared not his own Son when wee were sinners to justifie us much more being now justified that is no sinners in his sight will hee with him give us all things also Rom. 8. 32. Thus we see how the wedding-garment Rom. 8. 32. of Christs righteousnesse put on in Justification doth not only make us compleat freely in the sight of God Coloss 2. 10. but also the faith hereof being exercised Coloss 2. 10. with crosses and afflictions makes us in our own feeling and experience compleat to our selves more and more The second proofe confirming this yet more plainly is Iam. 1. 2 3 4 5 6. saying Brethren count it a matter Iames 1. 2 3 4 5 6 explained of all or exceeding joy when yee fall into divers temptations or tryalls marke how he baptiseth crosses and afflictions as it were with a new name taken from the change of the nature of them by the Gospel and from the end and use of them calling them temptations and tryals as when it is said God tempted Abraham Gen. 22. 1. so crosses and afflictions are to tempt Gen. 22. 1. and try us whether we will beleeve when we seeme to feele the contrary that his Sonnes blood hath made us perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in his sight freely But to what end doth he so try us it followes Knowing that the triall of your faith worketh patience that is a quiet and contented waiting by reason that sinne the cause of all evill is done away to see a good issue and the fore-said experimentall use of them and this patient waiting brings forth that perfect work that thus we may be perfect not only inwardly mystically and freely to Godward in Christs perfectnesse Coloss 2. 10. Heb. 11. 4. but also grow perfect Coloss 1. 10. Heb. 11. 4. and entire lacking nothing to our selves-ward and in our own experimentall feeling declaratively and outwardly And if any man lack this wisdome of thus rejoycing exceedingly for these causes in afflictions let him ask it of God but let him ask in Faith that is in assurance that Christ is hiâ— sufficient wisdome and hath made him sufficiently perfect to God-ward in Christs own compleat perfection in that foundation of all experimentall blessings that Christ hath justified him that is made him perfectly wise holy and righteous and so entire and lacking nothing to God-ward and herein waver not because it is Christs own glory for he that wavereth in this efficacie of Christs blood is like a wave of the Sea â—ost of the wind and carried away to the robbing of Christ of
and abolish if I were not a sinner doe yet notwithstanding beleeve that heaven and earth shall sooner Quod peccater in me ipso existâ—ns c. credaÌ„ tamen potius câ—lum terramque ruitura quam me non else per Christi sanguinem aâ— ombibus peccatis ipsa â—ive pur orem candidiorem Si non credis facis Dâ—um cum summa horrenda blaspâ—emia mendac em c. Pomeran in Psal 51. 7. fall than that I am not by the blood of Christ from all my sins in the sight of God more pure and white than very snow if thou beleevest not this thou makest God with thy highest and horriblest reproach and blasphemy a liar Beatus qui intelligit Blessed is hee that understands The fifth Scripture phrase expressing yet in an higher degree how truely all our sinnes are utterly abolished out of Gods sight and how perfectly cleane the blood of Christ doth make us from all sinne is this That God himselfe whose eyes are all seeing and searching the heart and reines yet testifieth that hee doth see no sin in his justified children and to the glory of his work wrought in the Brazen-Serpent wherewith hee had newly healed his people hee doubleth his speech saying God seeth no iniquity in Jaacob and he seeth no transgression in Israell Numb Numb 23. 21. 23. 21. Which is much more truly verified in exhibiting the true substance Christ Jesus whereof the Brazen-Serpent was but the shadow not only quoad effectum in respect of the effect of their sinne as not to punish them for the same but also quoad causam in respect of the cause of punishment which is sin it selfe for if sin it selfe be so perfectly abolished out of Gods sight as it is expressed in the two first emphaticall phrases if we have not one spot or wrinkle of sinne in his sight as it is proved in the third phrase if the blood of Christ hath made us so perfectly cleane that wee are in the sight of God from all sin whiter than snow and all this because we are by the wedding garment of Christs righteousnesse made from all spot of sinne perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely then as a true consequent it necessarily followes that this phrase also must needs bee true in respect of sin it selfe which is worse than the punishment That God sees no iniquity in his true Jaacob nor hee sees no transgression in his justified children Which figure of the Brazen Serpent S. Paul seeming to allude unto flatly affirmeth the same truth to bee fully verified in the substance Christ saying And you that were enimies by your evill works hath he now reconciled but how or by what meanes Even in that body of his flesh through death to the end to make you so holy that you are without blame and without fault Colos 1. 22. Non simpliciter sed in conspectu suo Zan. h. â—â—i Non quâ—dâ—m siâ—e â—eâ—cato est ali quis â—oputus sâ—c nec Israel sed quoniâ—m delâ—ta est iniquâ—tas Pell in Numâ— ibid in Gods sight Colos 1. 22. Not simply but in the sight of God he saith not indeed that any people is with out sin so not Israel it selfe neither but because their iniquitie is though mystically above reason sence and feeling yet truely put out from before God and utterly abolished so hee sees no iniquitie in Jaacob and so hee sees no trangression in Israel the true cause whereof is yet more fully expressed by Zanch. saying utpote quae sanguine filii Dei sunt extinctae because their iniquities are extinguished and cleane put out by the blood of the Son of God For in as much as mankinde is utterly marred and â—alv sâ—rm in Ephes cap. 1. 7. given over to all naughtinesse God must needs bee a mortall enimy to us and an adversary against us till the remembrance of our sinnes bee buried out of his sight Because God being the fountaine of all justice and Calvin ibid. righteousnesse doth utterly hate and abhorre the evill that he seeth in us Therefore untill such time as our sinnes be abolished and clean put out it is impossible for us to hope that God should either love or favour us Blessed therefore are they whose sins are covered for Psal 32 1 2. Quod â—egitur non apparet non quod non est sed quod coâ—tectum est Marlo in Rom. 4 ibid. that which is covered doth not appeare not because it is not but because it is covered for they are said to be covered in respect of our sence and feeling because we alwayes feele them in us as if they were not abolished but only covered out of Gods sight but yet with the wedding garment of Christs righteousnesse so covered Non remissis solùm sed planè deâ—etis Luch sâ—r in March 11. that from before God the blood of Christ doth not only cover them but utterly abolish them For Gods forgiving is his covering his covering Sanguis Christi peccata nofirâ— non tantâ—m â—perit sed etiam coram Deo penitus delâ—t Beâ— in 1 Pet. 4. 8. is a taking of them away Ioh. 1. 29. his taking them away is a cleane putting of them out Esay 43. 25. and 44. 22. his putting of them out is an utter abolishing of them from before himselfe Heb. 9. 26. For our bearing with one another is called our covering of a multitude of sinnes But before God the blood of Christ alone doth not only cover them but also utterly abolish them Because by Gods forgivenesse of sinnes all things Luth. sâ—rm of the summe of a Christian life Tim. 1. 5 6 7. which are not pure and cleane are put out consumed abolished as a drop of water is consumed and abolished of the heat of the Sunne or rather as the Sun-beames abolish darknesse as the Prophet Esay saith Esay 44. 22. Therefore blessed is he whose sinne is covered for that which is covered is not seene that which is not Ierom. in Psal 32. 1 2. seene is not imputed that which is not imputed shall not bee punished Whereupon wee have to marke first of all that we Calvin in Ephes Serm. cap. 1. 7. can obtaine no favour at Gods hands nor be received of him till our sins be wiped out and the remembrance of them clean put away The reason whereof is as I said before that God Calvin Ibid. must needs hate sinne wheresoever hee seeth it But let it suffice us that he receaves us into his Calvin Ibid. favour freely only because the remembrance of our sinnes is buried out of his sight And againe let us understand that the same can not bee done but by the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ And this is the thing wherein wee must wholly rest Because by Christs becomming a curse upon the Luth. in Galath Cap. 3. ver 13. Crosse by this meanes the whole world is so
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
of God conveyed by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that doe beleeve whereby God doth more fully declare at this time the perfection of his iustice and righteousnesse that he is iust and a maker of him iust and perfectly righteous that beleeveth in Iesus Again this is yet more fully expressed by the Author to the Hebrews ch 10. where citing the Prophesie of Ieremy that under Heb 10. 17. the time of the Gospel God will so forgive the iniquity of his people that hee will remember their sinnes no more he shewes that this is the meaning of this perfect forgivenesse That by one offering Christ hath made perfect for ever all them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. Heb. 10. 14. Such a wonderfull and glorious thing is Gods forgivenesse And because the blessednesse of the Church and of the children of God and the assurance of their salvation doth consist in the forgivenesse of their sins therefore doth the Apostle in this first alledged place of the Epistle to the Ephesians so gloriously describe both by the causes by the nature and by the effects this forgiveness and remission of sins saying Christ gave himselfe The cause the nature and the effects of our forgivenesse described for his Church there is the cause of forgivenesse to sanctifie it and hath made it cleane by washing of water through the word there is the nature of Gods forgivenesse with the meanes and instruments of convaying the same then followes the force operation and efficacie of this forgivenesse to make it to himselfe a glorious Church not having at this present time one spot or wrinkle of sin or any such thing but to be holy and without blame All which declares what a powerfull operative Gods forgivenesse is powerfull and glorious wonderfull and glorious work Gods forgivenesse is and how short wee Ministers come of laying forth as the Apostle doth the excellency of Gods remission and forgivenesse of sinnes being both perfect and glorious in its owne nature and also making the true beleevers perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely As it is notably expressed in Erasmus his Paraphrase upon the same Erasmus his Paraphrase upon Ephes 5. 26 27. place worthy for the evident cleering and concluding of this point to be repeated againe and againe saying thus That this might be brought to passe Christ gave himselfe unto death to make clean his Church and so of a defiled one he hath made her pure and holy and whereas she was uncleane and foule hee hath made her faire and beautifull having washed her clean in the streame of his own blood and hath made her to himselfe a glorious wife even the Congregation not having now one spot or wrinkle nor any such thing but be in every point mark in every point both faire and faultlesse for he hath cleansed her adorned her and made her perfectly trimme mark again perfectly trimme in every point THe second proofe of Scripture evidently proving The second place of Scripture proving that we are being justified fully righteous in Gods sight â—â— Colos 1. 22. that Justification makes the true Beleever perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely is Colos 1. 22. where the Apostle saith unto the called and justified Colossians after this manner And you which were in times past strangers Is that all nay and enimies to God Why because your minds were set on evill works hath he now reconciled that is he hath set you in his perfect love againe this is an happy change and alteration but how and by what meanes is this brought to passe In that body of his flesh through death to make you holy and unblameable and without fault and as our new Translation saith well unreproveable in his sight In which saying is expressed such perfect making of us holy and righteous in the sight of God That if all the children of God being troubled in their consciences for the horribleness vileness of their sin should lay their heads together to sue at Gods hand for a perfect abolishing of all their sins out of Gods sight and for a perfect making of them compleatly righteous in the sight of God they could not invent a more full and perfect happinesse than is here granted them for can the heart of man wish more than to be so holy as to bee without all blame and without all fault and unreproveable as the originall Greeke words import And that also as Zanchius well observeth non simpliciter sed in Zanchius Colos 1. 22. conspectu suo that is not simply and barely but in the sight of God whose eyes as it is in Rev. 1. in Rev. 1. 14. are Rev. 1. 14. as a flame of fire that is with unresistable purity searching the heart and reines Must not the Ecphonesis or Chrysostome upon Ephes 5. 26 27. acclamation of Chrysostome upon this place needs be true saying Et sanèmagnum est c. Surely it is a great matter that he hath given us a righteousnesse that makes us so perfectly righteous as to be able to stand in his sight Whereupon the collection of Zanchius Zanchius upon the place upon this place must needs be true also saying Haec non potest esse justitia operum sanctitas in nobis inchoata c. that is This cannot be the righteousnesse of works and inherent holinesse begun in us why because saith he that is unperfect and of which David speaketh saying Enter not into judgement with thy servant O Lord for in thy sight shall none living be found righteous Onely Christs holinesse and righteousnesse is perfect in the sight of God This therefore being imputed unto us is the formall cause of our salvation qua fit ut in conspectu Dei simus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by which it is brought to passe that Zanch. ibid. we mark how he saith not Christ for us but we are without all blame and without all fault and unreproveable in the sight of God Of which most happy and joyfull estate the learned in the Gospel doe give two Two reasons of our happy estate are from the cause and from the effects of it principall reasons the one taken from the cause of his happy condition the other from the effect of the same First the cause why we are so perfectly holy and righteous that we are unblameable and without fault in the sight of God is because we being though mystically yet truly cloathed both with in and without with the wedding garment of Christs righteousnesse have though not inherently and actively yet Evangelically and passively more than an Angelicall righteousnesse in us as Calvin testifies upon Iob. 15. 15 16. saying All our filthinesse being washed away Calvin upon Iob 15. 15 16. with the blood of Gods Sonne and his righteousnesse imputed unto us being thus cloathed with
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
put out before his Father and therefore hath made it as Bernard saith so large and long a garment for that end and purpose And therefore hearken to the advice of a well approved Labourer in our Church worthy ever the meditating because it is most pithy Evangelicall and truly saving after this manner Cast away the raggs of thy owne righteousnesse as S. Paul did seeing his inherent righteousnesse was farre better than thine Philip. 3. 8 9. And if ever thou wilt get the blessing wrap thy Phil. 3. 8. 9. selfe in this garment of the righteousnesse of thine elder Brother Christ and when thy Father shall savour the smell of thy garments he shall blesse thee and say behold the smell of my Sonne is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed feare not to bee complete in him this long white robe needs no inching or ecking needs no patching say with the holy Martyr and live and die with it in thy mouth only Christ only Christ Consider what I say and the Lord give us understanding in all things The second Objection proceedeth from the weaknesse The second objection is from the weaknesse of faith of faith arising from sense and feeling whereof I have spoken and given Armor of resistance in the ninth chapter but because it much troubleth the faith of the weak Christian let us heare the Objection and shew some further remedy against the same the Objection is this I feele not my selfe to have any righteousnesse Object but rather to bee nothing else but a lump of grosse sinnes so that by mine unworthinesse I dare not confesse of my selfe that I am such only and meere Righteousnesse that I am perfectly and gloriously holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely First to thy sense and feeling I answer thus with Luther Answ Thou must not feele but beleeve that thou art thus righteous and therefore the more thou feelest this unworthinesse and sinne making thee whilst thou pulst down thy eye from the brazen-serpent to look upon thy sore by sense and feeling to cry out Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death so much the more happy and blessed art thou for it doth make thee presently to turn thy eye to the Brazen Serpent Christ Who presently delivers thee and makes thee to say with the Apostle in the sight by faith of thy perfect healing I thank God through Iesus Christ our Lord that there is no judgement punishment or condemnation for that which I feele Why what is the cause that there is no judgment punishment or condemnation for the sinne which I thus feele dwelling in me The reason little marked but is pittiously mangled and rent from the first verse of too many is this Because the righteousnesse of the Law though not legally and actively as the Papists would have it yet Evangelically and passively is fulfilled in us And this is thy present and immediate healing by turning thy eye from thy sense and feeling up to the Brazen-serpent Christ presently shewing thee by his bleeding wounds A present healing that thou art above thy sense and feeling made perfectly and gloriously holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely And thus by this thy feeling the contrary to this perfect healing there is place for faith to beleeve it And therefore to strengthen our weak faith that wee are contrary to our present sense and feeling thus perfectly righteous from all spot of Three meanes to strengthen our weak faith sinne in the sight of God freely We must use a threefold help First it must be thy wisdome to have everbefore thy sight the imitation of the faith of thy Father Abraham walking in this case of Free Iustification as a naturall sonne in the steps of the faith of our Father Abraham after this manner before described but thus applyed That relying upon that God That calleth those things which be not as though they were Rom. 4. 17. that is Rom. 4. 17. who giveth to the things that appeare not as reall a Being before himselfe by his Call or so speaking as if they had a reall Being to our eyes thou must above all hope of thine own feeling whereby thou feelest thine own righteousnesse to bee but as a menstruous cloath yet believe under hope of Christs righteousnesse that thou art perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God according to that which is spoken The blood of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God doth make us clean from all sinne And againe As by the disobedience of one man Adam many were made sinners So by the obedience of one man Christ are many made righteous vers 18. And thou not weak in faith must not consider Vers 18. or think upon thine own body which thou feelest dead in trespasses and sinnes by the fall of Adam neither the violence thereby of thy daily actuall sinnes verse 19. neither must thou doubt of this promise of Vers 19. God by unbeliefe but be strengthned in faith that thou art perfectly holy and righteous freely in the sight of God and so give glory to God vers 20. being fully Vers 20. assured that hee which hath promised to accomplish it upon thee freely by cloathing thee with his Sonnes righteousnesse is also able to doe it verse 21. The second help to strengthen our faith that we are Vers 21. 2 made thus perfectly and gloriously holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely Is not to forget the comparison that Saint Paul maketh in this case Rom. 5. between the first Adam that made us that is both body and soule sinners and damned and the second Adam Christ that as freely makes us both body and soule righteous and saved And although there be some difference in the manner namely that Adam made us all sinners inherently and actively to our sense and feeling but Christ makes us righteous in the sight of God objectively Evangelically and passively and invisibly above our sense and feeling that there may be place for the faith of Gods power of truly and really doing it himselfe alone yet notwithstanding wee must take heed that we give not more power to Adam in making us sinners being but a meer man than to Christ in making us righteous being both God and man but let us know that as the first Adam made us before wee our selves have done any evill work perfectly completely and only and meerly sinners and damnable in the sight of God so strongly that we cannot choose but shew the same in all our life by actuall sins to the eyes of men so much more doth Christ make us before we have done any good perfectly completely and only and meerly gloriously holy and righteous and so perfectly saved in the sight of God so strongly that he makes us to declare the same by sanctification and a
which he made when he gave the ten Commandements neither doth hee now appeare in that forme and manner wherein he appeared cum Testamentum illud vetus conderet when he framed the old Testament and made his Covenant with the people of Israel by his law given by Moses upon Mount Sinai when the heavens were be-clouded and darkned with thick black clouds when nothing was heard but thunderings and lightnings so terribly and horribly sounding that the Mountaine being strucken smoked and the earth trembled every-where there was terrour every-where feare palenesse quaking horror and trembling so that Moses said I feare and quake Not after this manner I say doth God shew himselfe here but after a farre other and contrary forme and manner for here appeares nothing but light cleerenesse and brightnesse here all things are pleasant and joyfull Hic nutus vultus aspectus Dei amaenissimus blandissimus that is here the beck countenance and look of God is most pleasant and smiling here the heavens are opened here all creatures seeme Heaven opened and all creatures leap for joy to laugh and to spring and leap for joy in that the majesty of God doth so humble it selfe as to descend and come downe to us that there may appeare no disagreement between God and man and to give himselfe to bee beholden of us in a forme and manner longè amabilissima blandissima gratissima most lovely most gentle and most favourable By which manner of appearing he not only testifieth omnem suam iram sopitam sedatam esse that is all his anger and displeasure to be pacified and asswaged but also in ejus locum infinita immensa gratia c. in the place thereof is succeeded infinite and unmeasurable free favour a well-pleased father-like and ardent affection of love towards us inexhausta copiosaque misericordia and an abundant and bottomlesse mercy and peace is upon us This is the Christian liberty spoken of Gal. 5. 1 2. See Luther Gal. 5. 1 2. But the reason why all anger and displeasure of God Justification is the only ground and cause of reconciliation is so utterly abolished from us and why we are restored into such perfect peace and full favour with God againe ariseth and is wrought as I said only by the two parts of free Justification For first seeing all anger and displeasure of God ariseth only for sinne as the Prophet Esay testifieth saying Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot Esay 59 1. 2. save neither is his eare heavie that it cannot heare But your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you When Christ himselfe hath separated our sinnes from us and from all our works as is before shewed as farre as the East is from the West by utter abolishing them out of his Fathers sight Where are they then to separate between God and us And when Christ hath by his blood made us and all our works clean from all sinne so that wee and all that wee doe are from all spot of sinne in the sight of God whither than snow where is there any place then for the displeasure and anger of God to come upon us Whereupon the Apostle saith to the Colossians thus And you that were in times past mark in times past Strangers and enimies to God And why enimies Because your minds were set on evill works being most true that Augustine saith Nec inimici eramus Deo nisi quemadmodum justitiae inimica sunt peccata that is neither were we enimies to God otherwise than as sins are enimies to righteousnesse hath he now reconciled that is seeing all these make-bates are abolished now all displeasure all anger and emnity is utterly abolished from between God and you and you are set in the compleat love perfect peace and full favour of God again and are blessed before God Oh happy state and condition But who wrought this and by what meanes is so glorious a work brought to passe The Aposte answereth because Christ in the body of his flesh through death makes you so holy that you are unblameable and without fault in Gods sight Colos 1. 21 22. Where we see that as sinne only is Colos 1. 21 22. the make-bate between God and man So when by Free Justification they are made without blame and fault in Gods sight This and this alone quencheth all the displeasure and abolisheth all the anger of God and reconciles us to God for take away the fuell and the flame utterly ceaseth And because none can take away sinne from before God but Christ only therefore none can be our peace-maker but Christ only but because hee takes it away perfectly from before his Father Therefore is hee a most perfect Peace-maker between God and us Whereby wee may see the truth of that joyfull saying of Luther upon those words pronounced by God from heaven This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased saying after this manner Truly with no praises could Christ bee more glorified nor extolled more magnificently for by this voyce hee is set in a most illustrious dignity and high glory for in these words Hee is proclaimed and declared the true King of peace a true Priest working perfect atonement Christ is the true King of peace and the Heire and Lord of all things who alone pacifieth his Father and brings to passe that hee is well-pleased with us Moreover in these words God the Father testifieth that hee is of a right fatherly and well-pleased minde to them that believe in Christ to these he declares and here opens himselfe wholy and leaves it witnessed unto our consciences that he is not as before offended with us for our sins but now is become a most loving and etiamsi per imprudentiam infirmitatem carnis cespitavimus that is although we trip unawares and by the infirmitie of the flesh yet a most indulgent and so well-pleased a Father unto us ut nec velit nec possit nobi◠irasci c. That if we give to his Son his glory that hee doth justifie us and so cleave to him with a sound faith hee neither will nor can bee angrie with us for his Sonnes sake in whom hee is at perfect peace and throughly well-pleased with us Again secondly As by the first part of Justification Second Reason abolishing all our sinnes out of Gods sight all displeasure and anger is abolished and done away so by the second part of Justification making us perfectly righteous in the sight of God are we perfectly reconciled to God and set in perfect peace and perfect favour with God again and truly blessed And this is plainly testified by the Prophet Esay 33. 14. saying Who amongst us Esay 33 14. opened shall dwell with the devouring fier who amongst us shall dwell with the everlasting burning The answer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that walketh in