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A19493 Three heauenly treatises vpon the eight chapter to the Romanes Viz. 1 Heauen opened. 2 The right way to eternall glory. 3 The glorification of a Christian. VVherein the counsaile of God concerning mans saluation is so manifested, that all men may see the Ancient of dayes, the Iudge of the World, in his generall iustice court, absoluing the Christian from sinne and death. Which is the first benefit wee haue by our lord Iesus Christ. Written by Mr. William Cowper, minister of Gods word.; Heaven opened Cowper, William, 1568-1619. 1609 (1609) STC 5919.5; ESTC S108989 320,789 380

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already by himselfe and in his owne person but for our sanctification Secondly the good workes of men regenerate are so wrought by Christ in vs that they are also wrought by vs and we haue our working in them and therefore by reason of our imperfection cannot be perfect for as the fountaines of the actions are so must the actions be themselues the fountaines are mixed being partly good and partly euill for our mind is not so illuminated that there is no darknesse in it neither is our hart so sanctified that there is no vncleannesse in it and therefore the actions flowing from thence cannot be perfect workes of light and sanctification They insist yet further and obiects if the Apostle say they in his conclusion we are iustified by Faith without the workes of the Law did vnderstand the workes of Grace then it would follow that he oppones things which are not to be opponed for workes and Grace workes and Faith workes and Christ are not opposite but agrees very well together as the cause and effect as the tree and the branch To this we answere that Faith and workes agrees well together but there is no thing in the world which agree so well the one with the other but in some things they may be opponed as for example the tree and the branch agrees very well together but if the question be moued whether the tree beares the branch or the branch the tree in this they are opponed that which is affirmed of the one must be denyed of the other Againe there is a very sweet harmony betweene a naturall Father and the sonne the one of them cannot be without the other for hee is not a Father who neuer had a sonne neither is he a sonne who neuer had a father but if this be the question which of them gaue beginning to another here we must oppone them affirming that of the one which wee deny of the other In like manner there is a very sweet harmonie and agreement betweene Faith and good workes but if this be the question for which of them it is that God doth iustifie vs there wee must oppone them affirming with the Apostle that we are iustified by Faith and not by workes alway the opposition is not simple but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their second euasion is a distinction of the workes of the Law Morall and Ceremoniall It is true say they that the workes of the law ceremoniall iustifies not but the workes of the Law Morall iustifies But the Apostle in his conclusion excludes from iustification the workes of the Law Morall for these reasons he excludes those workes of which he hath proued both Iewes and Gentiles to be guiltie but so it is he hath proued them to be guiltie of the transgression of the Law Morall as is euident out of the sins wherewith he charges them therefore c. Secondly he excludes from iustification the workes of that law by which comes the knowledge of sinne but so it is the knowledge of sinne comes by the law Morall therefore c. I had not kn●wne saith the Apostle that concup●●cence is a sinne except the law had said thou shalt not couet Now it is euident that this is a p●ecept of the law Morall Their third euasion is by a distinction of the first and second iustification the first whereof say they is by Faith but the second is by workes But this twofold iustification is also forged for iustificatio est actus indiuidius simul totus there is no first and last in the act of iustification hee that is once condemned iudicially stands so and hee that is absolued stands so Againe this distinction confounds two benefits iustification sanctification which to them is the second iustification That they are distinct benefits the Apostle doth teach vs Christ is made to vs righteousnesse and sanctification but they inconsiderately confound them for if these new qualities infused by Grace into the soule of man and good workes flowing there from be the matter as they say of mans second Iustification then let them tell vs what is the matter of his sanctification To conclude this these are two inseperable benefits to whomsoeuer the Lord imputes the righteousnes of Christ and giues them Faith to accept it as their owne like as for it hee absolues them from sinne and death and adiudges them vnto life so also incontinent workes he in them by his holy spirit an inherent righteousnesse by which they become new creatures so that our iustification hath inseperably annexed with it sanctification But this sanctification of our● is so imperfect that howsoeuer it be accepted of the Father for the righteousnesse of Christ yet is it not so perfect nor sufficient that for the merit thereof wee dare seeke to be absolued from our sinnes and receiued into fauour Them he also glorefied Glorification the last lincke of the chaine is the last and highest benefit that we haue by Christ by which both our soule and body shall be restored to a greater glory and more happy than euer wee enioyed in Adam Hee had his owne most excellent priuiledges hee had this inward glory that he was created to the image of God hee had also for outward glory a dominion and Lordship ouer all the crea●ures of God the heauens were made beautifull for his sake the earth made fruitfull Paradise assigned to him as a speciall garden of pleasure and all the creatures ordained to serue him but by our second creation we are beautified with more excellent priuiledges that same image is restored to vs new heauens and new earth created for our sake and with all these we shall haue the Crowne of perseuerance which Adam had no● for glorification is our last and highest happie estate out of which wee shall neuer be transchanged and therefore the Apostle goes not beyond it And herein appeares the Lords wonderfull power and goodnesse who of the fall of man takes occasion to make man better than hee was before the fall Our bodyes shall not be raised like to Adams body for euen in the state of innocencie hee was mortall but they shall be raised vp like to the glorious body of Christ. Salomon built a Temple the Chaldeans destroyed it and it was neuer againe restored to the former glory which moued the auncient men to mourne when they saw how the glory of the second Temple was not like the glory of the first but it shall be the great ioy of our auncient Father Adam when hee shall see how farre the glory of the second creation shall exceed the glory of the first Of this Glorification the Apostle speakes in the time past partly to declare the certainetie thereof and partly because it is already begunne for there are three degrees of that Glory The first in this life and that is our sanctification called by S. Iohn the first resurrection and by S. Paul our
greater reuerence of the Gospell A fearefull token of Gods departure whē he ceaseth to call a people any more For no husbandman will want labourers in his field as long as the haruest is not ended As the Gospell comes not by mans procurement so no power of man can remoue it What a treasure of comfort is to be digged out of this Verse Not so cleare a sight of saluation in all the booke of God The linckes of the Chaine of saluation Election Calling Iustification Glorification are knit inseperably He that hath a sure hold of the middle linckes Calling and Iustification is sure of the other two Election and Glorification Our present life is a point of time betweene two eternities If in this life we fall we may rise againe but if in death we step downeward we shall neuer mend it Eccles. 11. 3. Deu. 30. 15. Prescience and Predestination how they are here distinguished Prescience improperly ascribed vnto God Prescience two manner of wayes considered generally and specially Psal. 139. 15 Heb. 4. 13. In this Chaine it is specially considered as it lookes to the Elect onely Iohn 13. 18. Mat. 7. 23. Predestination is also two wayes considered Foreseene merits falsely collected out of this place This errour is improued by their own men as Caietane and Aquinas Sanctification is an effect of predestination and therefore not a cause of it Eph. 1. 4. 2. Tim. 1. 9. The calling of God sinds euery man in an euill estate Esay 48. 8. Psal. 115. 1. Obiections of men against Gods predestination answered Rom. 9. 20. Aug. in Ioan. tract 26. Aug. Epist. 59 ad Paulin. Gregor in Iob. cap. 9. Predestination takes not away the second causes and meanes of saluation Sathans diuinitie teacheth Atheists to despise the means of saluation God giues his blessings by meanes therefore they should not neglect the meanes who seeke the blessing Hos. 2. 21. Rom. 10. 13 Comfort our election before time cannot be disanulled by any creature made in time Sauing grace is communicated to few therefore should be the more esteemed Mat 8. 11. So is it in nature that rarest things are most regarded Predestination is vnto glory by a conformitie with Christ in our present life Eph. 1. 4. As Christ is the life so is he the way neither can wee come to life but by the way Ioh. 14. 6. Conformitie with Christ wherein it stands Workes done by Christ are threefold 1. personall workes of Redemption 2. Miracles 3. workes of a godly life In the first and second Papists are apish imitators In the third onely should we follow the Lord Iesus Iohn 13. 15. Iohn 15. 12. Mat. 5. 44. Heb 12. 1. We must also follow the Lord Iesus in suffering Augustine Luke 23. 43. Reasons mouing vs to a cōformitie with Christ. The Image of God is our most auncient glory stollen from vs by Sathan and which we should seek to recouer Sathan a double deceiuer Iesus Christ hath first conformed himselfe vnto vs. We cannot be saued except we be comformed to him The name of the first borne three wayes ascribed to Christ 1. as God 2. as man 3. as a mediator Col. 1. 15. Luke 2. 7. 1. Cor. 15. 20 Priuiledges of the first borne are two 1. excellencie of strength 2. excellencie of dignitie Mat. 28. 18. Mat. 3. 17. Miserable are they in this age who doe not acknowledge Christs prerogatiue Whatsoeuer excellencie our elder brother hath it is for our benefit Brethren in Christ are many wayes knit together Ioh. 1. 13. The greatnes of Christs loue toward vs in making vs his brethren What a cleare sight of saluation is here discouered to the Christian. The prerogatiues of a Christian are farre more honourable than any that worldlings can claime to Psal. 87. 3. The most sure and auncient Charters of a Christian to his inheritance Calling is the first manifestation of our Election forerunner of our Glorification What the inward calling is In this Calling there is a taking of some leauing of others God hath taken vs out from amōg the children of wrath as he took Lot out of Sodome No difference by nature betweene elect men reprobate till our calling make it The time of our calling is to vs as the deliuerance from Egipt or the yeere of Iubily to Israel Calling being a new creation is onely wrought by God August de verb. Apost Man hath not so much as minde of it when it comes to him None are called by this calling but they who are elect What a wonderfull distinction this calling makes among men Miserable are they whom this calling hath not seperated The time of our calling is called a yeere a day to tell vs it is but 〈◊〉 Ioh. 12. 35. Rom. 13. 11 No Grace will be offered to vs after this life Aug. Euodio Epist. 99. Cyprian Sathans principall pollicie is to steale away from men the time of grace Exod. 8. 10 Iustification posterior to Calling in order not in time The word of Iustifying three wayes taken Luke 7. 29 Iustification is opponed to cōdemnation How the state of the controuersie of Iustification stands betweene vs and the Papists Foure names giuen to that righteousnesse by which wee are iustified The consideration that Christs righteousnes is ours stoppeth the mouth of all that impugnes our Faith Works not of the vnregenerate onely but of the regenerate also excluded from the act of Iustification Proued by examples The same proued by reason Augustine Eccles. 7. Bern. in fest omniū sanct serm 1. How it is that workes of men regenerate doe not merit seeing they are workes done in vs by the spirit of Christ. Heb. 1. 3 Faith works are not simply opponed to other for they are inseperable but opponed onely in the act of Iustification Workes not of the Ceremoniall law onely but of the Morall also excluded from Iustification The distinction of the first and second Iustification improued Iustification Sanctification distinct benefits Iustification Sanctification inseperably conioyned Glorification our last and highest estate out of which we shall neuer be changed How the glorification of our bodyes shewes Gods wonderfull goodnesse and power Three degrees of eternall life The first degree is in this life hath in it these three 1. Righteousnes 2. Peac. 3. Ioy. A three-fold ioy we haue in this life 1. Pet. 1. By the ioyfull first fruites of eternall life we may iudge of the fulnesse thereof Bern. in cap. i●iun Ser. 2. Basil. ser. in Gord. Mart. This ioy is not found but in the depth of a contr●●e heart Of the second and third degree of eternall Life Chrisost. Basil. Tertull. The conclusiō of the whole Chapter consisting first of a generall secondly of a particular triumph The first part of his generall triumph nothing can bee against the Christian to hurt him Worldlings euill iudges of Gods presence who measure it by externall prosperitie Gen. 25. 22. Not by inward Grace The presence of God exempts not
THREE HEAVENLY TREATISES VPON THE EIGHT Chapter to the Romanes Viz. 1 Heauen opened 2 The right way to eternall Glory 3 The Glorification of a Christian. VVherein the Counsaile of God concerning Mans saluation is so manifested that all men may see the Ancient of dayes the Iudge of the world in his generall Iustice Court absoluing the Christian from sinne and death Which is the first benefit wee haue by our Lord Iesus Christ. Come and see Written by Mr. William Cowper Minister of Gods word LONDON Printed by Thomas Snodham for William Firebrand and Iohn Budge and are to be sould at his shop at the great Southdoore of Paules 1609. TO THE MOST SAcred Christian truely Catholique and mightie Prince Iames King of great Britaine France and Ireland defender of the faith c. SIR The Apostle S. Paule that chosen vessell of God and his ambassadour sent forth into the world to bring in the house of Iapheth into the tents of Sem hauing in his peregrination vndertaken for preaching from Ierusalem vnto Illyricum seene the most pleasant parts of the world and in an extasie transported from earth into the third heauen seene also the pleasures of Paradise as one who knew both not by naked speculation but experience giues out his iudgement of both that the most excellent things of this world were but dung in respect of the Lord Iesus and that whatsoeuer pleasure on earth may delight the eye or eare they haue vnto others it shal be no small comfort vnto me and my greatest thankefulnesse shal be declared in my dayly prayers vnto the Lord God for your Maiestie that the name of Iacobs God may defend you from all euill and the Lord may send you helpe out of his Sanctuarie in all your need according as hee hath done O King beloued of God hated of none but for Gods sake keepe still your heart in the loue of God and his truth Reioyce in the strength of your God and feare not what flesh can doe vnto you Is it not the Lord who set your Highnesse on the throne to bee a feeder of his people Israel Is it not the Lord who hath deliuered your Maiestie from the contentions of the people and secret snares of your cursed enimies though the Archers grieued you hated you and shot at you were not the hands of your armes strengthened by the hands of the mightie God of Iacob Is it not the almightie who hath blessed your Maiesty with heauenly blessings from aboue with blessings of the depth that lyes beneath with blessings of the breast and wombe Sir let his liberall blessings wherewith the Lord your God hath preuented you be so many obligations binding your Highnesse to honour the Lord who hath honoured you Let his forepast manifold deliuerances be as so many confirmations that if your Maiestie rest in him and not in man he will still be a buckler vnto you Let Abaddon the King of the Locusts that Romish vsurper rage Vnto the Lord belongs the issues of death Can Balaam curse where God hath blessed yea can Sathan hurt the man who is hedged by the Lord Let the Ambassadours of new Babel more shamelesse than Sennacherib his Rabsache raile at good king Ezekiah ruling in Ierusalem the Lord hath yet a hooke for his nosethrils and a bridle for his lips Doe not the eyes of the Lord behold the whole earth to shew himself strong with them that are strong and of a perfect heart toward him Therefore feare not their feare but sanctifie the Lord God of hostes let him be your feare and hee shal be a Sanctuarie vnto your Maiestie Count it a part of your high glorie and no small matter of your Maiesties ioy that with Christ you beare this peece of his crosse that the rebukes of them who rebuke the Lord are fallen vpon you and trust still O King in the Lord and in the mercie of the most High and so your Maiestie shall neuer fall Long may your Highnesse liue and raigne ouer vs as a faithfull seruant to your God and a happie King of many blessings to your people Your Maiesties most humble Subiect and dayly Oratour William Cowper Minister at Perth works of God there is a difference and some of them more cleerely then others declares the glorie of God so it is also among his holy writs they breath all out one truth by a most sweet harmonie diuine enim lectiones ita sibi connectuntur tanqnam vna sit lectio quia omnes ex vno ore procedunt yet ye shall finde that in some of them the Lord commeth neere vnto vs as it were with the face of a man talking familiarly vnto vs in others againe hee mounts high aboue vs as it were with the wings of an Eagle And the Lord hath left it free to delight our selues most in those places of holy Scripture wherein for our estate we haue most edification and to seeke in this Apothecarie shop of that sweet Samaritan the Lord Iesus pharmaca morbo nostro conuenientia such medicines as are meet for our maladie Among all the bookes of the old Testament most frequent testimonies are brought by our blessed Sauiour and his holy Apostles out of the booke of the Psalmes Ierome called it a treasurie of all learning And among all the Epistles of the Apostles no meruaile this to the Romanes haue the first place not that it was first written but because aboue the rest it contayneth a most perfect compend of our Christian faith And this middle Chapter thereof hath in it an Abridgement of all these comforts and instructions one excepted which otherwise are dispersed throughout the whole Epistle and is so to call it a pleasant k●ot of the garden and Paradise of God and therefore shall it not be vnprofitable for vs by Gods grace to delight our selues for a while in it As to the connexion of this Chapter with the former wee are to know that it is a conclusion of the foregoing treatise of Iustification Wherein the Apostle summarilie collects the excellent state of a Christian iustified by faith in Christ Iesus declaring it to bee such that there is no condemnation to him that nothing were it neuer so euill is able to hurt him yea by the contrary that all things workes for the best vnto him And because there are onely two euils which grieue vs in this life to wit sinne that remaines in vs and affliction that followes vs in the following of Christ. Against both these the Apostle furnishes the iustified man with strong consolations Comforts against the remanents of sinne wee haue from the 1. verse to the 18. Comforts against our afflictions wee haue from the midst of the 18. verse to the 31. That this is the very purpose and order of the Apostle is euident out of his owne conclusion set downe from
Sunne and his clothes were white as the light Moses after fortie dayes talking with God on the Mount came downe with so bright a shining countenance that the Israelites might not behold him what then may we thinke shall be the glory of the children of God when they shall be transchanged with the light of Gods countenance shining vpon them not fortie dayes onely but for euer and euer And if euery one of their faces shal shine as the Sun in the firmament O how great light and glory shal be among them all if their bodies shal be so glorious what shal be the glory of their soule surely no hart can conceiue it no tongue is able to expresse it Fourthly our body shall bee raysed spirituall which is not so to bee vnderstood as if our bodies should loose a corporall substance and receiue a spirituall substance but then shall our bodies bee spirituall as now our Spirits by nature are carnall which are so called because they are subiect to carnall corruption pressed downe and carryed away after earthly and carnall things so shall our bodies then be spirituall because without contradiction they shall obey the motions of the spirit the body shall be no burthen no prison no impediment to the soule as now it is the soule shall carry the body where it will without resistance where now it is earthly heauie and tends downward it shall then be restored so lightsome and quick that without difficultie it shall mount from the earth to meet our Lord in the aire As our head ascended on the mount of Oliues and went through the cloudes into heauen so shall his members ascend that they may be with the Lord they shall follow the Lambe where euer he goes Let vs beleeue it and giue glory vnto God for hee who is the worker of our resurrection is also the worker of our ascension If the wit of man be able to frame a vessell of sundry mettels that our Resurrection is put betweene the Article of the remission of sinnes and that other Article of eternall life to ●each vs that then onely the Resurrection of the body is a benefite when remission of sinnes goes before it and eternall life followes after it whereof the Lord of his great mercy make vs pertakers through Iesus Christ. Verse 12. Therefore Brethren wee are debters not to the flesh to liue after the flesh AS it is true concerning vs that a necessitie lyeth vpon vs to preach and woe will be to vs if we preach not so it is true concerning you that a necessitie lyeth vpon you to heare and woe will bee to you if you heare not It is commaunded to vs that when wee speake wee should speake as the oracles of God and it is also required of you that ye receiue this word not as the word of man but as it is indeede the word of God therefore take heede how yee heare for as Moses said to the Israelites so say wee vnto you It is no vaine word concerning you it is your life Ye haue heard that maine proposition of Comfort there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ yee haue heard it confirmed explaned and applyed the miserable estate of them who walke after the flesh hath beene shewed vnto you as likewise the happy estate of them who walke after the Spirit and what comforts the godly haue both against the remanents as also against the fruits of sinnes hath beene declared vnto you Examine your selues and see how far forth these comforts belong vnto you If yee bee such as thinke with those scornefull men in Ierusalem that yee haue made a couenant with death and it shall not come neere you then goe on in your securitie and doe that which is good in your owne eyes but if yee finde by experience that death is already entred into your mortall body bee wise in time see that thou haue this onely soueraigne comfort against death the spirit of Christ dwelling in you otherwise flatter your selues in your securitie as you will miserable shall your end be Now the Consolation being ended the Apostle subioynes the Exhortation both these two consolation and exhortation are needefull for vs in the course of this life the one to keepe vs that wee faint not through the remanents of sinne left in vs and beginnings of death which already haue seased vpon vs exhortation againe to stir vs vp when wee linger in the way of godlinesse For it fareth with vs as it did with Lot in Sodome the Angels warned him of the imminent iudgement and exhorted him to escape for his life yet hee delayed and lingred hee could not bee gotten out of Sodome till they as it were violently thrust him out And allbeit the Lord admonish vs earely and late by his messengers of that wrath which is to come vpon the children of disobedience and warne vs in time to flye to the mountaine of his saluation yet alas so loath are wee to forsake our old finnes that the Lord is forced to double his exhortations vnto vs all which yet shall not auaile vs if the Lord lay not the hands of his grace vpon vs and by his holy Spirit make vs obedient to the heauenly vocation Let vs therefore take heede to the exhortations made vs by the Lord and that so much the more because it is most certaine that the sweetnesse of Gods consolation shall not bee felt of them who are not moued with his exhortation Contemplationis enim gustus non debetur nisi obedientiae mandatoru● the tast of Gods mercy by contemplation is onely due to them who make conscience of the obedience of his commaundements Therefore This particle is relatiue to the words preceding seeing it is so that by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in vs wee haue such excellent benefits wee are debt bond not to liue after the flesh but after the Spirit Of this wee haue first to learne that euery benefit wee receiued from God is an Obligation binding vs debters of seruice to God Debters Of this it is euident that the doctrine of grace proclaimes not liberty to men to liue as they will but rather bindes them to liue godly there can be no higher contempt done to the Lord than to turne his grace into wantonnesse Certainly the iniquities of Pagans doth not hal●e so much offend him as the licentiousnesse of bastard Christians who will sinne the more freely because Christ hath suffered for sinne they heare that a man is not iustified by good workes and therefore being deceiued by Sathans sophistrie they cease to doe well not considering that good workes must proue wee are sanctified and sanctification must proue that wee are iustified In the second verse the Apostle said that Christ hath freed vs from the Law of sinne and here he sayth that hee hath made vs debters to righteousnesse these are not contrary they agree very well together hee hath loosed
which they cannot cut away but if men take so much paines and suffer so strait a dyet of body and bestow so great expenses that they may liue a short vvhile longer vpon earth vvhat should men doe that they may liue for euer in heauen Verse 24. For we are saued by hope but hope that is seene is not hope for how can a man hope for that which he seeth IN this verse and the subsequent the Apostle answeres an obiection seeing hee said before that vve haue receiued the Spirit of adoption how hath he said now that we are still waiting for adoption He doth therefore teach vs that both these are true we are saued now and we looke for a more full saluation hereafter we are adopted now and vve looke for the perfection of our adoption hereafter and that it is so hee proues here by this reason the saluation that novv vve haue is by hope therefore it is not yet come nor perfected The necessitie of this consequence depends vpon the nature of hope vvhich is of things that are not seene nor as yet come to passe This place is abused by the aduersaries to impugne the doctrine of iustification by Faith we are saued say they by hope and therefore not by faith onely That wee may see the weaknesse of their reason we vvill first compare Faith and Hope in that relation which they haue to Christ secondly in that relation vvhich they haue mutually among themselues For we deny not that Faith Hope and Loue each one of them hath a place in the worke of our saluation but the question betweene vs and them is concerning the right placing of them First then it is certaine that both faith and hope looke vnto Christ Iesus Christ and that which he hath conquered vnto vs is the obiect of them both but diuersly for faith enters vs into a present possession of Christ and his benefits he that beleeueth in me saith our Sauiour hath eternall life hee saith not onely hee shall haue it but also that presently hee hath it Hope againe lookes for a future possession of Christ which shall bee much more excellent than that which presently we inioy for the possession of Christ which now I haue by Faith is imperfect and mediate by Faith I know Christ but in part by Faith I apprehend him but in part also and this possession I haue it mediately to wit by the meanes of the Word and Sacraments but my hope directs mee to looke for a mroe excellent possession of Christ within a short while in whom I shall enioy much more than now by the knowledge of my Faith I can see in him or yet by apprehension of my Faith I can comprehend of him And this is that perfect and immediate possession of Christ which by Hope we looke for Now as for their mutuall relation among themselues Faith is of things past present and to come Hope is onely of things to come Faith is more largely extended than Hope wee hope for nothing which wee beleeue not but something wee beleeue for which wee hope not wee beleeue that the paines of hell abide the wicked but we hope them not for hope is an expectation of good to come they may fall vnder feare but come not vnder hope Againe Faith is the mother of Hope for of that imperfect knowledge and apprehension of Christ which I haue by Faith there ariseth in mee an hope and expectation of a better Hope againe is not onely the daughter of Faith but the conseruer and nourisher of Faith the piller that vnderprops it when it faints for in this life we are beset with so manifold tentations the worke of God seeming oftentimes contrary to his word and things appearing to fall out otherwise than the Lord hath promised that our Faith thereby is wonderfully daunted and therefore hath neede to be supported by Hope which teacheth alwayes with patience to depend vpon Gods truth and to looke for a better As for example the Lord saith Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble I will heare thee and deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me according to this promise the Christian calling vpon God and yet not finding deliuerance his Faith begins to faint but then Hope comes in and succoureth Faith and her counsell is the vision is for an appointed time at last it shall speake and not lye though it tarry waite for it shall surely come and not stay and this Faith being strengthened by Hope continues her prayers to God vntill she obtaine her promised and desired deliuerance And of this it is euident in what sense it is that the Apostle saith wee are saued by Hope to wit because by it wee are vpholden in trouble for he is not here disputing of the manner of our Iustification which he hath done before but discoursing of those comforts which wee haue to sustaine vs in affliction If ye aske by which of these three Faith Hope and Loue we are iustified that is by which of them we apprehend Christs righteousnes offered to vs in the Gospell the Apostle hath answered already wee are iustified by Faith If yee demand which of these three chiefely sustaines vs in affliction the Apostle here telleth you that when Faith is weake Hope saues vs that wee dispaire not and if yee demaund which of these three declares vs to bee men iustified by Faith in Christ the Apostle telleth you wee must declare our Faith by good workes for Faith worketh by Loue these are the right places which these three excellent graces of the Spirit hath in the worke of our saluation and they goe so ioyntly together that they cannot bee sundred When we say that a man is iustified by Faith onely we doe not therefore make the iustified man to be without Hope and Loue. For albeit in the action of the apprehending and applying of Christs righteousnesse Faith onely workes for which wee say truely wee are iustified by Faith onely yet Hope and Loue haue other actions pertayning to saluation necessarily requisite in the iustified man And this doth cleare vs of that false calumnie wherewith the aduersaries doe charge vs as if we did teach that Faith might be without Hope or Loue because wee affirme that wee are iustified by Faith onely I say most truely when I say that among all the members of the body the eye onely sees but if any man collect of my speach that the eye is onely in the body without eare or hand he concludes wrong For albeit in the facultie of seeing I say the eye onely sees yet doe I not for that seperate it from the communion of the rest of the members of the body In the Sunne heat and light goe inseperably together of these two it is the heat onely that warmes vs doe I therefore say that the heat is without the light Among all the graces of the Spirit when I say that Faith
this sense the Papists take it in this question but wrongfully Secondly to iustifie is to acknowledge or declare one to be iust so it is said that the Publicans iustified God of force wee must expound it they acknowledged or confessed him to be iust so S. Iames saith that a man is iustified by workes that is declared to be iust by his workes or as S. Iames expounds it himselfe his Iustification is shewed by his works Thirdly the word to Iustifie is a iudiciall terme and it signifieth to absolue in iudgement and is opponed to condemning so Salomon vseth it He that iustifies the wicked and condemnes the iust are both alike abhominat●on to the Lord and in this sense the Apostle vseth it here for he oppones it to condemnation This right vnderstanding of the word will lead vs to know what the benefit of Iustification is for what euer condemnation be Iustification must be the contrary they are both iudiciall termes vsed in iudgement holden on matters of life and death Condemnation no man will deny is the sentence of a righteous Iudge adiudging a malefactor to death for some capitall crime whereof hee is found guiltie in iudgement Iustification then is the sentence of God a righteous Iudge absoluing the man that is in Christ from sinne and death and accepting him to life for the righteousnesse of Christ which is his So that it is euident the state of the question in the controuersie of Iustification will be this how is a man iustified before God that is what is it that a man must bring before Gods tribunall for the which hee shall be pronounced innocent absolued from death and adiudged to life whether is it our workes of sanctification inherent in vs or is it the righteousnesse of Christ giuen vnto vs and made ours The question being this way taken vp shall giue great light to the controuersie that is betweene vs and the falsely named Catholikes of our time for we denie not that there is in Gods children an inherent sanctification and that they are changed from vnrighteousnesse to righteousnesse but this inherent righteousnesse say we is not able to purchase to vs an absoluitorie sentence from death To make this yet more cleare let vs know that the righteousnesse by which wee are Iustified receiues foure names first it is called the righteousnesse of Christ secondly the righteousnesse of God thirdly the righteousnesse of Faith fourthly our righteousnesse The righteousnesse of Christ because it is conquered by him and inherent in him as in the proper subiect The righteousnesse of God because he onely in his meruailous wisedome found it out it is called the righteousnesse of Faith because Faith is the instrument by which wee apprehend it and it is called our righteousnesse because it is giuen vnto vs of God to be ours by imputation on Gods part by acceptation of it by Faith vpon our part for these two wayes that acquisite righteousnesse of Christ is made ours This wee haue to marke for our comfort against those obiections which eyther inwardly by Sathan or outwardly by men of a contrary opinion are obiected vnto vs. If they to trouble our peace and weaken our Faith aske how can yee be iustified by a righteousnesse which is not yours we answere the righteousnesse of Christ is ours and ours by as great a right as any other thing that we possesse is ours to wit by the free gift of God seeing it hath pleased God to giue vs a garment who were naked and to giue vs who had none of our owne a righteousnesse answerable to his Iustice vvhat intrest can eyther man or Angell haue to resist it The euasions and obiections whereby the aduersarie impugnes this doctrine are chiefely these First the Apostle say they excludeth the works of nature not the works of Grace the workes of a man vnregenerate they confesse cannot iustifie him but the works of a man regenerate say they doe iustifie him but this is false as is proued first by examples for Abraham whose example the Apostle bringeth in to confirme the doctrine of Iustification was a regenerate man and effectually called yet as witnesseth both Moses and S. Paul his faith was counted to him for righteousnesse Dauid after hee had beene a regenerate man yet saith Lord enter not into iudgement with thy Seruant for in thy sight shall no flesh be iustified The Apostle Paul protests of himselfe I haue in all good conscience serued God vnto this day neyther know I any thing of my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified hee was more abundant in good workes than all the rest of the Apostles hee did also beare in his body the markes of Iesus and was renouned through his manifold sufferings If euer any regenerate man could haue beene iustified by his good workes it was this holy Apostle yet hee tels you himselfe for all that I haue done for all that I haue suffered yet am I not thereby iustified The same is proued by reason that which by order of nature followes our Iustification before God cannot be said to iustifie vs in the presence of God cannot be said to iustifie vs in this sense but so it is good works by order of nature followes our iustification before God Non praecedunt iustificandum sed sequuntur iustificatum Againe such works as are not perfectly agreeable to the rule of Legall iustice cannot iustifie vs but rather fals vnder that curse Cursed is hee who fulfilleth not euery ●ot of the Law but so it is that the workes euen of men regenerate are not able to answere the perfection of the Law There is no man saith Salomon iust in the earth that doth good and sinneth not If I would dispute with God I could not saith Iob make answere vnto one of a thousand All our righteousnesse saith Ieremie is but like a menstruous cloath and our Sauiour hath taught euen regenerate men to pray daily for the remission of their sins Quid ergo de peccatis nostris fiet quando ne ipsa quidem pro se respondere poterit iustitia nostra what then shall become of our sinnes when our righteousnesse is not able to answere for it selfe Vae hominum iustitiae quantumuis laudabili si remot● misericordia Dei iudicetur woe to the righteousnesse of man were it neuer so lowable if God setting aside mercy enter to iudge it But they insist the workes of regenerate men are the workes of Christ for it is hee who by his spirit workes them in them therefore they are meritorious and iustifies I answere the workes of Christ iustifies it is true if yee vnderstand his personall workes done by himselfe in his own person as the Apostle teacheth vs He hath purged our sinnes by himselfe But as for those workes which hee workes in vs by his spirit of grace hee workes them not for our iustification that as I haue said he hath done