thus And all the Brethren with me Gal. 1. 2. Upon which words Dr. Luthers exposition is very remarkable saying thus Quasi dicat Paulus as if Paul should say lest I should be alone I adde moreover and besides my selfe all the Brethren which write this Epistle as well as I and beare witnesse with me that my doctrine is good and godly Therefore lest we should seeme or they might say that I only set my selfe proudly against them I have my Brethren with me all of one minde as faithfull witnesse which think write and teach the selfe same thing that I doe and I that only which they doe For the better discerning whereof first I set downe the sweet powerfull and forceable Scriptures as the flowers containing the honey then I adde the expositions testimonies and consent of the learned Writers as the honey it selfe which they like the laborious Bees of the Lords garden have by faith sucked and gathered out of the said flowers of Scriptures setting the sentence and saying of each Author by it self as giving to each Bee his own and as it were proper cellulam of honey I changing nothing in the substance of their sayings but only the connecting conjuctions that may most fitly conjoyn the coherence of their testimonies together And yet thus is composed in one continuall flowing speech this Treatise as one whole and entire honey Combe of Free Iustification For which one benefit David that had good experience of it and yet saw it but a farre off darkly Heb. 11. 13. yet pronounces the word teaching the same to be sweeter than honey and the honey-comb and more to bee desired than Gold yea than much fine Gold Psalm 19. 10. I have moreover noted in the Margin the name of each Author and would but that the Book would grow into a needlesse bignesse have expressed the whole Latine sentence of such Authors as write in Latine but yet I have set down the beginning of the Latine sentences in the Margine or the principall Originall word of chiefest Emphasis in the sentence and have noted with figures the places where to finde the same That such as aredesirous to goe to the Originall may know where to finde these sentences and testimonies The second reason of expressing the excellencie of Free Justification in the words and testimonies and common consent of the Learned Orthodox Writers is this That whereas S. Paul testifieth that there is but one true saying faith Ephes 4. 5. sealed by one Baptisme that hath alwayes in all Ages most freely and most certainly saved all the Elect Here thou maist see as in a cleer looking-glasse what that one Faith is that hath so unfallibly in all Ages saved all the people of God which must needs tend to the strengthening of thee in thy most holy Faith Iud. 20. strongly and effectually when thou hearest them pronouncing with their own mouths and with consent what truth of Faith doth apprehend in this mysticall maine benefit plainly shewing how they have believed with the heart unto righteousnesse and how they have confessed the same unto salvation Rom. 10. 10. And also doth stop the mouthes of the common Adversaries of Faith and free grace that upon the divers and different measures of Faith in this maine benefit of free grace in Orthodox and Protestant Writers of this maine mysterie of the Gospel Ephes 4. 7. doe object much difference dissent and dis-agreement in this only point of free salvation amongst the said Protestant Writers and thereby little sweetnesse and excellencie in this glorious free benefit Who have their vanitie here confuted and dispelled with the common consent of all the best Orthodox and Protestant Writers as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Analogie and nature of right and pure Faith they expresse the excellencie of Free Iustification The third reason is this That many being much troubled in minde in these most dangerous dayes not knowing which way to turne them among so many minds so diversly distracted about matters of religion and therefor have some regard to that primarie and principall admonition in this case of the Prophet Ierem. 6. 16. saying Stand in the wayes and inquire for the old way which is the good way that you may walk in it and finde rest for your soules may here see what that old way and good way is even the same in which old Enoch Noah Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph David Daniel and all the faithfull to this present time have walked in and found rest to their soules and so is manifest to bee the old way and only good way that by walking in it only brings peace and rest unto our soules For being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ in this life Rom. 5. 1. And whom he justifieth them he also glorifieth in the next life Rom. 8. 30. Therefore give me leave gentle Reader to exhort thee to be carefull to keep and 〈◊〉 fast this pretious benefit and not only to keep â—ut also to keep it pure without the mixing and miâ—â—â—ing of works with it resting wholy upon it only forthy full free and perfect salvation lest thou loose with the foolish Galathians this maine and only meanes of thy Free Salvation and to that end meditate much and often in the excellencie of Free Iustification and ponder these sayings of the learned Writers and mark their reasons of true faith grounded upon these Scriptures and believe according as God speaks in these eminent Scriptures Rom. 4. 18. And decline not from them to the conceits and reasons of Reason For as meditation as both the word of God teacheth and is plentifully testified by all experienced Divines is a most profitable religious duty for the encreasing of thy most holy faith Psal 45. 10. And as the Spirit of God by Solomon exhorts thee to acquaint thy selfe with the sentences of the wise So none are more godly wise for thee unto salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. than the true and faithfull Dispensers and Stewards of God writing upon the excellencie of this great mysterie who are enriched thereunto by the spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. and doe ground themselves upon the pure Word of God expounded by faith and not corrupted by reason So that he that despiseth these testimonies doth runne directly into the sinne which the spirit of God forbiddeth saying Despise not Prophesie 1. Thes 5. 20. that is the Dispensers of Gods mysteries speaking unto Edifying to exhortation and comfort 1 Cor. 14. 3. But yet try all things and keep that which is good 1 Thes 5. 21. But whosoever despiseth these despiseth God and Christ Luk. 10. 16. Again no matter of Religion can bee meditated in more profitably than this Article of free Justification that only and freely saveth us For thou shalt finde that the very reading and meditating upon it either in this Book or in any other where thou shalt finde the excellencie of it more powerfully laid open for I
men they doe nothing else but with their cavills sophisticating and calumniations under a colour of cleering the truth paint over and hide their own ignorance bemuddy the cleer truth disquiet the minds of the simple and trouble mens consciences and so are the true and proper authors of dissention and sects And this Paul complained of not only respecting the present times but also foresaw in spirit that there should bee an infinite number of such in the Church even to the Worlds end for when God sendeth faithfull labourers into his harvest by and by Satan raiseth up his ministers also who will in no case bee counted inferiour to those that are rightly called here straightwaies riseth dissention the wicked will not yeeld one haires-bredth to the godly for they take themselves that they far passe them in wit in learning in godlinesse in spirit and in all other vertues And on the other side the godly although The godly in matters of charity are flexible but unyeelding in matters of faith in matters of charity they are as flexible as a reed enduring all things and suffering all things yet in matters of faith knowing that a little leven doth leven the whole lump they dare not and much lesse ought they to yeeld to the wicked lest the doctrine of faith doe come in danger For alas the faithfull Minister knowes that the Gospel is not delivered unto us that we should thereby seek our own praise and glory or that the people should honour or magnifie us which are the Ministers thereof but to the end that the benefits and glory of Christ might be published and known and that the Father might be glorified in the bounty and riches offered unto us in Christ his Son who thereby enricheth us with his heavenly and eternal good things as for the other they regard not this but to get praise and liking and estimation with the people doe rather sophisticate and wrangle against the benefits of Christ thus provoking one another and envying one another which is a sure token that neither such Teachers nor such Hearers doe live and walk after the spirit but after the flesh and works thereof and so consequently with the Galathians to hold the truth they with the Galathians doe loose the true Doctrine Faith Christ and all the gifts of the holy Ghost and by kicking against the benefits of Christ become worse than the heathens and prove meere ministâ—rs of Satan some of them never failing from time to time to accuse the benefits of Christ not only of error but also of heresie and blasphemie Whereupon comes most truly to passe that Luther saith in the former alleaged place That he that will preach Christ truly and confesse him to be our righteousnesse must be content to heare that he is a pernicious fellow and that he troubleth all things because it cannot be but that Ismael must persecute Isaac and yet Ismael was outwardly and in his own opinion a lover of religion he sacrificed and exercised himselfe in well-doing therefore he mocked his brother Isaac and so persecuted him But Isaac again persecuteth not Ismael Whereupon the same faithfull Dispenser of Gods mysteries concludeth with a weightie saying That who so will not suffer the persecution of Ismael let him not professe himselfe to be a Christian But if those that lie in this literall knowledge bee such meere mocking and persecuting Ismaelites untill God opens their eyes and converreth them let any man judge whether they bee any just cause by their sophisticating and wrangling to stop our faith and to make us to doubt and waver in the excellency of Christs benefits though they excell in all literall learning and in the legall zeale shining as I said before in the righteousnesse and glorious workes of the Law and holy walking never so much THe fifth Remedy to overcome doubting to grow The fifth Remedy against doubting strong in saith is to set often before our eyes the dignity glorious nature and exceeding excellency of beleeving namely that the beliefe that the blood of Christ doth make us cleane from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely is such a good worke in the sight of God as passeth all other good workes whatsoever nay rather if all the good workes and holy walking that were even done or shall be done in the world were heaped together and compared with this one work of beleeving yet all they joyned together are not comparable to beliefe which is not only testified by Christ himselfe in his answer to the Jewes when they asked him dreaming of workes What shall we doe that we may worke the workes of God He answered and said This is the worke of God that is the work of all workes that ye beleeve on him whom he hath sent namely to justifie and make you freely righteous in the sight of God but also many reasons grounded upon the very heart and Essence of the Gospel confirm the same as especially may appear by these three maine priviledges of faith As Three maine priviledges of saith 1 It giveth exceeding glory to God foure wayes to Iustice First for the exceeding honor glory that we give to God the Father that also foure manner of wayes as first this beliefe laying hold only of Christ his righteousnesse as only able and ful sufficient to make us from all spot of sinne perfectly righteous in Gods sight freely makes us as Chrysostome saith to conceive a right and high estimation of God for his perfect justice of hating all sin and loving perfect righteousnesse in that he could bestow no benefit upon us as a benefit excepthe had first given us so wonderfully his own Son to justifie and make us perfectly righteous in his own sight and so we give him the praise honour glory of his justice Secondly if we beleeve and take 2 Of truth fast hold of this benefit that God by washing us in his Sonnes blood hath made us cleane from all spot or wrinkle of sinne in the sight of God freely thus perfectly blessing us Galath 3. 8. we give him the glory Galat. 3. 8. of his truth having so gloriously and manifoldly promised the same and by beleeving doe set to our seale that God is true Iohn 3. 33. Thirdly if so farre beyond Iohn 3. 33. our carnall sense and feeling and outward appearance 3 Of power and all outward likelihood we beleeve that God by clothing us with his owne Sons righteousnesse hath made us cleane from all spot of sin in his owne sight freely truely performing upon us such unlikely to present sense and feeling yea and impossible things wee give him the glory of his omnipotent Rom. 4 19 20. power Rom. 4. 19 20. Fourthly by beleeving that God by cloathing us with the wedding-garment of 4 Of rich grace his Sons perfect righteousnesse hath made us perfectly holy righteous from all spot and wrinkle of sin
faithfully no man charitably serveth the necessity of his brother the griefe hereof maketh mee sometime so impatient that many times I wish such Swine which tread pretious pearles under their feet were yet still People of Gomorrah nâ—t governed by the Gospel of peace remaining under the tyrannie of the Pope For it is impossible that this people of Gomorrah should be governed by the Gospel of peace But wee tell such carelesse contemners although they beleeve us not but laugh us to scorne that if they use their bodies and their goods after their own lusts as indeed they doe for they neither help the poore nor lend to the needy but beguile their brethren in bargianing snatching and scraping unto themselves by hook and by crook whatsoever they can get we tell them I say that they be not free brag they never so much of their liberty neither are they in Mount-Zion that Celestiall Heb. 12. Rom. 14. 17. Revel 22. 15. Ierusalem Heb. 12. the Kingdome of heaven Rom. 14. 17. but without Revel 22. 15. and have lost Christ and Christian liberty are become bond-slaves of the Divell and are seven times worse under the name of Christian liberty than they were before under the tyrannie of the Pope for the divell which was driven out of them hath taken unto himselfe seven other fiends worse than himselfe and is returned into them againe Therfore the end of these men is worse than the beginning because they are worse Idolaters under the name of Christ than they were before under but the Pope But to conclude let every one of us remember that saying of S. Paul that Circumcision that is all outward forme of true religion and of the true worship of God availeth nothing nor uncircumcision that is all outward wisdome polity and excellency whatsoever availeth nothing before God but faith that maketh a new creature First new before God by Justification Secondly new to ones own selfe by Sanctification And thirdly new to our neighbours by love out of a pure heart Thus doth a Christian first fulfill and accomplish the Luth in Gal. 5. 23. The Law two wayes fulfilled Law inwardly by faith for Christ is the perfection and fulfilling of the Law unto righteousnesse to all that doe believe Rom. 10. 4. and then outwardly by works thus is he justified in heaven and earth the Gospel justifieth him in heaven and the Law on earth Rom. 10. 4. and thus is this new creature created unto the Image of God in righteousnesse and true holinesse which inwardly is perfectly righteous in the sight of God with an heavenly righteousnesse by Iustification and outwardly is holy and cleane in the flesh by Sanctification And as many as walk according to this rule peace shall be upon â—al 6. 16. them and mercy as upon the Israel of God Gal. 6. 16. FINIS Free Justification was first enjoyned to be diligently taught for the Reformation of the Church by King Henry the eighth but was by King Edward the sixth and Queene Elizabeth principally established by Parliament and singled out from all the rest of the established Articles of Religion and reduced into Sermons and Homilies to be after the Peoples sight of their lost estate and wofull misery by sin principally taught and chiefly knowne and understood of all the Subjects and Commons of the Land for these foure causes especially FIrst because it is the onely immediate cause and means of our peace with God For Being justified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5. 1. and our assurance of free salvation by Jesus Christ and therefore is called the Justification of life Rom. 5. 18. For Whom God justifieth them he also glorifieth Rom. 8. 30. Secondly because it is the ordinance of God and cause contrary to the judgement of Popish and Carnall Reason that powerfully causeth people to leave their sinnes and to live a true sanctified and godly life Titus 2. 11. to 15. Rom. 5 and 6. Chapters Thirdly because it is the chiefest cause and meanes to discover and suppresse the Romish Antichrist Popery Arminians Brownists Anabaptists Familists and all other Superstitions Sects Errors and Schismes out of the Land and to establish unity peace and concord in matters of Religion and of assurance of free salvation and makes every man to keepe in a lawfull vocation and to doe it profitably in love Galat. 5. 13. Fourthly to direct Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to goe with a right foot to the truth of the Gospel Galat. 2. 14. in sound preaching and pure declaring of the Word of God by true faith of Free Justification Because saith the established Doctrine of our Church sincere Preachers ever were and ever shall be but a few and their preaching of Gods Word most sincere in the beginning by processe of time waxeth lesse and lesse pure and after is corrupt and last of all quite laid downe and left off because Free Justification is a Doctrine hardly learned in a Church and soone lost againe Galat. 1. 6. and yet is the true strength happinesse and safety of the whole Land Esay 52. 1. to 6. Hereupon the fifth part of the Sermon against disobedience and rebellion established by Queene Elizabeth teacheth the Commons that such Bishops or Ecclesiasticall persons as by pride and ambitious rule doe by termes of Error Schisme or Heresie hinder this maine light of Gods Word from the people and the chiefest Traytors in the Land And the sixth and last part largely teacheth that such Subjects and Commons to whom through ignorance of Gods Word this light of righteousnesse and Sun of understanding doth not shine although they may bragge as did sometimes the Jewish Clergy and people that they cannot lacke knowledge yet are such by the blind dead faith Traytors to God Traytors to their King Traytors to their owne soules and bodies and Traytors to the whole Land and Country And hereupon the testimony of the learned Protestant Writers is most true saying Sicut sola fide in Christum veram Justitiam Salutem consequrmur it a nihil difficilius quam hoc hominibus persuadetur nihil Satan praesertim candidus ille Satan aquè oppugnat Certaine fundamentall Positions or Doctrines of Religion tending to peace and to the reducing of Popish Arminians and Anabaptisticall Ministers and people to the true saving faith and to the established Protestant Doctrine of the Church of England by the Godly authority and publique consent of Parliament to be faithfully taught and diligently observed and kept of all the subjects for the quieting of their consciences in the assurance of their free salvation by Jesus Christ and for the suppressing of the Romish Antichrist in all Superstitions Errors Sects and Schisms for the beating down of sin and all vitioâ—snesse of life out of the Land for the maintaining and keeping of peace and unity in the matters of Religion by the pure preaching of the Law and of the Gospel as followeth in these five Poynts
yet this so great safeguard of his salvation that he is baptized and detesting his wicked ingratitude that he hath so much failed from the saith and truth thereof for his heart will be wonderfully comforted and be greatly encouraged to the hope of grace if he consider the free promise of God not only made but also upon no consideration nor stop of any unworthinesse sealed unto him how unpossible it is that God should lie and faile him in the same and so must needs remaine sound and firme unto him and not changed for his changing and such as cannot be changed with any sinnes of men as S. Paul testifieth saying If wee beleeve not he abides faithfull he cannot deny himselfe 2 Tim. 2. 13. certainly this meere truth of God sealed 2 Tim. 2. 13. unto him by Baptisme will be his shield and buckler to save him so that if all other things faile him yet this truth of God will not leave him destitute for he hath what he may oppose to his insuâ—ting adversary he hath what he may object against his conscience troubled with sinne he hath what he may answer against the horror of death and judgement and to conclude he hath what may be a comfort in all temptations namely this meer truth of God sealed unto him from God saying God is true in his promises whereof he hath given me his pledge and seale in Baptisme If God be thus unfallibly and unchangeably on my side who can be against me For if the children of Israel when they were to returne to repentance did first and before all things call to remembrance their deliverance out of Aegypt and by the remembrance thereof did returne unto God who so graciously brought them out and therefore is so often inculcated by Moses and the Prophets and is made by God himselfe the very preface to the keeping of all the ten Commandements how much more should we call to minde our deliverance out of our Aegypt of sinne the Devill death and hell and by the remembrance thereof returne unto him who so freely brought us out by the washing of the new birth and renewing of the holy Ghost which is likewise to this end urged by the Apostles and pressed upon us Tit. 3. 3 4 5. and Tit. 3. 3 4 5. this is chiefly to be done in zealous celebrating the Lords Supper for so at the first in the Primitive Church were these two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper zealously frequented and helped one another this is the preaching that ought earnestly to be pressed upon people This promise that he that beleeveth namely that the Son of God justifieth him making him perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely and is baptized that is and hath received the assurance hereof by having it by Gods owne signe and seale of Baptisme sealed un to him hee shall be saved Mark 16. 16. this Mark 16. 16. I say is the promise which as the head heart and soule of Religion ought daily to be inculcated thus should Baptisme be continually repeated and because our faith is not the foundation of our Baptisme but our Baptisme is the foundation of our faith therefore should it be continually urged that our faith may be daily encreased and nourished in the same and that for two causes First because although Satan hath not been able to extinguish the virtue and power of Baptisme to little infants yet he labours with all might and maine to extinguish it in elder folk and hath so farre prevailed herein that where are there almost any that remember the glory of their Baptisme and feele joy in the truth of the foure former points much lesse doe they glory in this great glory of the Lord sealed upon them mentioned Esay 60. 2. but look after other Esay 60. 2. meanes of assuring themselves of the forgivenesse of their sinnes and after other wayes of comming to heaven Secondly because the power and virtue of our Baptisme once pronounced upon us in the Lords ordinance endâ—res upon us to the end of our lives raising us up as we heard before when we are fallen to true Baptisme makes us strong against all temptations repentance and effectually strengthning us against all temptations as we read of a certaine holy virgin in the Primitive Church when as yet custome and long use had not made Baptisme to seeme small who as often as she was tempted did resist and overcome with objecting her Baptisme saying briefly I am a Christian and am baptized as the Spouse in the Cant. Cant 5. 3. saith I have put off my coat how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them againe for the eniâ—y presently understood the virtue and power of Baptisme and the faith of the same which depends upon the meere truth of God freely promising it and so fled from her And this point have I the more largely prosecuted because although it be an high point of magnifying Gods truth and the sole glory of Christ and the right honouring of Gods ordinance of Baptisme and the next meanes of raising us up to the true Evangelicall repentance and right zeale of Gods glory yet it is of us too little practised God in his rich mercy grant that we may as it was said before waxe wiser and more joyfully embrace the same THe fourth enimy assaulting our faith and driving The fourth Remedy against doubting us strongly to doubting and against which wee have need to arme our selves is the great multitude commonly called the world of whom S. Iohn speaketh saying Wee know that we are of God and that the whole world lieth in wickednesse 1 Iohn 5. 19. for although 1 Iohn 5 19. God hath some of all sorts high and low rich and poore that are true beleevers yet the greatest multitude of all sorts although they glory by the dead saith that they beleeve yet they discerne not the mysteries of Christ and therefore are so farre from beleeving with the heart and confessing with the tongue that we are so cloathed with the wedding-garment of Christs righteousnesse that we are made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely that hereupon condemning the very sayings of the learned in the former fifth Scripture phrase expressing the same they bring forth all their munition and artillery drawne out of the store-house of naturall reason and sharpened with seeming Scripture wrested to the strengthning of reason and hereby whet their tongues to contradict to gaine-say wrangle against and oppugne the same with all might and maine possibly they can But against this scandall we are sufficiently forewarned and thereby strongly fore-armed with that one watch-word of the holy Ghost saying That Christ brings the most certaine testimony of himselfe and of his benefits from his Father but no man receiveth his testimony Iohn 3. 32. which as the Iohn 3. 32.
Quam ut peccatrix an plius inbenda c. Sed saâ—cta justa been overwhelmed with many sins yet the mercy of God was more abundant upon her than that she was as Simon thought to bee accounted a sinner any more but holy and righteous But the manifest signes Manifesta auâ—â— signa c. that she was righteous were these That she omitted no kinde of duty whereby she might testifie her thankfulnesse Insignibus offlciis but did witnesse by what meanes soever she could how greatly she was indebted unto God for she Solicita omnibus pietatis officiis defungi sludebat shewed by notable duties that she was wholly enflamed with the love of Christ yea she endeavoured to performe all duties of godlinesse carefully thus it appeareth by the whole similitude brought in by Ex totasimi tudine apâ—aâ—eat c. Marlor ib. Christ that Iustification is the cause of love and love is the effect of Justification Hence through love and admiration or through admirable love doth the Prophet cry out saying Who is a God like unto thee that takest away iniquity and dost cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the sea Micah 7. 18. Micah 7. 18 19 Nam quisque quaÌ„tò magis sentit c. Matl in Luke 7. 19. For every one by how much the more he feeleth this rich forgivenesse of his sins and apprehendeth the glory of Free Iustification so much the more vehemently he loveth God and the more feeling of love we have by so much we shall know that we have profited in the knowledge of Justification By faith therefore wee attaine the making of us Fide justificationem assequimur charitaâ—e gratias agimus c. righteous and by love we are thankfull and testifie the bountifulnesse of God towards us Thirdly that it is the joyfull knowledge of Justification Thirdly true feare of God Psal 130. 4. that worketh in us the true feare of God and in thankfull zeale of Gods glory cheerfully to obey him Is testified plainly by David saying For with Deus non timetur ubi non creditur grataita justitia Luther in loc thee there is propitiation mercy or forgivenesse yea and plentifull redemption therefore shalt thou be feared Psal 130. 4. Whereupon Luther saith God is not feared where free righteousnesse is not beleeved for this grace Quâ—dnam est timâ—re Deâ—m aliud quam agnoscere quam sit nobus â—enefiâ—â—â— ideo e. obeliâ—e being taken away the Prophet pronounceth that there also the seare of God is taken away for what is it else to feare God than to acknowledge how bountifull hee is towards us and therefore to obey him this David in another place testifieth where he saith Knit my heart unto thee the only bond whereof is Free Iustification that I may feare thy name Psalm 86. 11. Psal 86. 11. The mighty force whereof to guide and make a man to walk in the wayes of godlinesse hee testifieth in another place by his own experience saying Thy loving kindnesse is ever before mine eyes therefore have I walked in thy truth Thus the true feare of God the true worship of God Sic verus timor Dei verus cultus vera râ—verentia imò agnitio Deivera c. true reverence yea the true knowledge of God doth rest wholy upon this Grace That we are confident that God by Christs justifying us is reconciled and made favourable unto us Whereupon elsewhere saith he Luth. in Psal 130. I think and teach that it is a pernicious kind of teaching by which men are taught to repent by beholding Id assert articu per bull Leo condem Tom. 2. the punishments of sin and the rewards By these Doctrines indeed men are bridsed from the work and they fashion to themselves a seared and constrained conscience or good purpose and with a greater mischiefe they never understand nor mark that hidden and secret affection of the Law despised and of sin loved Nay rather by these endeavours of good works they hide it and are content that they have given some satisfaction and content to that wicked opinion of works to whom notwithstanding if you will leave to speak their minds freely they would presently confesse that they doe not repent from the heart And but that Hell is a Law they had rather with full violence fulfill their evils especially being tempted and provoked thereunto How much better were it that they were soundly taught to acknowledge that capitall hainous and secret affection and that untill they begin to repent for love of the Law they should know themselves to be hypocrites and should have no hope of such hypocrisie but rather should grieve more for it than for their sinnes at the sight whereof they have wrung out that counterfeit griefe and sorrow Indeed I grant that those grosse and hardned wicked ones which as yet have no touch of conscience ought with those terrors as unruly servants to be constrained to repentance even as the Magistrate restraineth the wicked with the sword But where there is a touch and feeling of conscience there they are to be instructed that first they begin at Christ that truly believing and apprehending his rich mercy of Free Iustifying them then may change their lives For then doth true repentance first begin it when floweth from love and not for love of commodity nor for fear of punishment But they begin to weigh there sinnes in love and affection only of righteousnesse which wee never doe except we first lay the ground-work of Iustification by faith in the hearts of them which begin to feele their sinnes It is a hard and dangerous matter to teach that wee are freely made righteous by faith without works and yet to require works withall here except Wisdome in the Ministâ—y the Ministers of Christ be faithfull and wise Disposers of the mysteries of â—od rightly dividing the word of truth faith and works are by and by confounded both these Doctrines as well of faith as of works must bee diligently taught and urged Yet so that both may remaine within their bounds As thus First unto secure ones and to the proud seeming-humble 1 Luth in Gal 3. 19. 20. ones that have the least opinion of their own holinesse and sanctity must the Law be brought forth not vailed as Moses spake it that is mitigated which makes hypocrites but as God spake it that is in the spirituall Majesty of it that people may feel it to be the hammer of death the thundring of Hell the lightning of Gods justice wrath beating to powder the obstinate sensless hypocrites to terrifie and rend in pieces the beast which is called the opinion of ones own righteousness that they may see that that way they are altogether wretched miserable poor and blind and naked Then secondly being touched and terrified in conscience must follow onely and meetly Free Iustiâ—ication without any consideration respect
and knowest his will and approvest the things that are excellent being instructed in the Law or word or doctrine from heaven Neither thus hast thou knowledge for thy selfe only but also art confident that thou art a guide of the blinde a light to them that are in darknesse verse 19. an Instructer of the foolish a Teacher of the ignorant having the whole forme of knowledge and of the truth in the law or word c. Secondly such may think that they have a strong faith in all Gods graces through Christ and that they beleeve them as well and as truly as any can doe as it is expressed Revel 3. 17. saying Thou sayest that thou art rich namely in the treasures and benefits of the Gospel and encreased in goods amd hast need of nothing but thou knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Thirdly which is most dangerous of all such as are in this dead faith may have not only a kinde of earnest repentance as King Saul had described 1 Sam. 24. 16 17. and as King Ahab had who rent his clothes in great repentance and p ut on sack cloth upon his flesh and fasted and lay in sack cloth and walked so mournfully that the Lord the searcher of hearts said Seest thou not how Ahab is humbled before me But also such may have a great zeale of Gods glory Rom. 10. 2. in devout holy desire and walking as they are perswaded in all Gods holy Commandements Rom. 9. 31 32. so zealously mortifying their sins legally that concerning the good works and righteousnesse of the good and holy law of God they may be unreproveable and unblameable and yet lie in sin death and in a damnable estate as Paul did Phil. 3. 6. And many other Jewes before their conversion out of the dead faith Acts 22. 3. who were devout persons Acts 13. 50. Instantly serving God day night Acts 26. 7. whereby such striving as it were who shall serve and worship God the best way by the best works they are distracted thereby into divers sects errours schismes and divisions about works And yet notwithstanding all this great knowledge and zeale whilst they lie sleeping in this dead faith in which spirituall sleep the Lord of wisedome Christ Iesus hath foretold and forewarned us that many in the last dayes of all shall slumber and sleep Math. 25. 25. And therefore shall these last dayes be most perillous and dangerous times because men shall abound in all cloaked corruptions having a forme and shew of godlinesse but denying the truth and power of the same 2 Tim. 3. 1. to 6. verse These because they have not on the wedding-garment Math. 22. 11 12. doe not only beare a name by this dead faith and blinde zeale that they live when they are dead Revel 3. 1. but also do give Christ hereby but a Iudas his kisse saying haile Gospel but doe betray it and so doe lie under greater sinne wrath and damnation than if they had never knowne and professed Christ at all And because the only meanes to call these people out of this most dangerous dead faith and to rectifie their straggling zeales is to lay forth the glory of the wedding-garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse that only makes us fit Brides for so glorious a Bridegroom as Christ Jesus is Hosea 2. 19. which is put on only by understanding and a joyfull faith and right embracing the excellency of Free Iustification by Christ alone Revel 3. 18 19. Therefore have I here endeavoured pro meo modulo to lay forth in this Treatise this said excellency of Free Iustification For which to performe some spark of faithfulnesse herein to Gods Church our Kings and to my Countrey I have suffered much hurry and have by divers imprisonments in some measure approved my ministry in tumults and in labours by ill report and good report 2 Cor. 6. 4 5 8. Because we ought not gentic Reader to content our selves as too many doe with the bare name of Free Iustification and know it as they that are in the dead faith doe with a carnall knowledge only whereby such doe popishly and blasphemously think and say that this only saving benefit opens the gate to all wickednesse neither must we content our selves as it is Heb. 6. 4. with a meere taste only of this heavenly gift as it is often called Rom. 5. 15 19. which bare taste only makes us to lie in the fearfull danger of falling away from it Heb. 6. 4 5. worse than the Galathians did But if we have one spark of spirituall life by the Gospel we but especially Gods Ministers must labour they by preaching and you by hearing reading and meditating upon it to get a true lively and rejoycing knowledge of it for when it works joy peace and content with God in the heart then hath a man the true and right knowledge of it And when a man hath a true and right saving knowledge and faith of it then it hath brought him into the Kingdome of heaven Math. 11. 11 12. and worketh in his heart peace and great joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 5. 1 2 3. Because the Kingdome of heaven is righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17 18. as it is further proved in the Treatise following Now this joyfull right knowledge is wrought and attained by this meanes namely by marking and often rubbing the memory and by deeply meditating upon Gods word of grace and testimonies of the faithfull Expositors as they expresse the Excellency of free Justification in the truth of faith For as it is necessary that we dive into the knowledge of this benefit ut intellectus rapiatur vero that our understanding may be enlightened and possessed with this only soule-saving truth of God so it is necessary that we look into the Excellency of it ut voluntas rapiatur bono that our will and affections may be ravished and carried after the goodnesse and excellency of the benefit this being the right true meanes both of begetting and encreasing true faith and of going with a right foot to the truth of the Gospel Gal. 2. 14. as it is manifest Rom. 10. 15 17. where it is said that the feet that bring glad tidings of peace and glad tidings of good things are both beautifull making the comming of the true Preachers of the Gospel comfortable and also mighty for the working of faith and true prayer and all good life and godly conversation For thus is the whole man converted by this benefit unto the assured knowledge of his free salvation by Jesus Christ For ignoti nulla cupido of that thing whereof the goodnesse and excellency is not knowne there is no desire And seeing the dead faith is a cold apprehending of Christ and his wonderfull benefits upon a use and custome of the Countrey because all the Countrey that we live in is of that beliefe as we generally and confusedly conceive rather
That Paul was a man as perfectly justified as any and yet he complaines of sin in himselfe and Rom. 7. 24. Objected saith O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me ergo The children of God are not made so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God that God sees none in them To which I answer that all ought to have that feeling Answ in themselves that Paul had but yet the argument followes not because it is not Saint Pauls intent in that place to discribe in what state he and the justified children of God doe stand in the sight of God but what he and all the true children of God by the imperfection of their sanctification doe feele in themselves For hee there describing the battle that is in Gods children betweene the flesh and the spirit doth shew that whilst they looke into themselves and compare the imperfection of their sanctification with the perfection of the spirituall Law of God they doe finde and feele no good thing in themselves but meere wretchednesse which makes them so much the more to goe by faith wholy out of themselves and in the sight of God to be found only in Christ and in his righteousnesse Phil. 3. 9. Whereby all those sins and Phil 3 9. imperfections of their sanctification that they feele in themselves as a menstruous cloath are above their sense and feeling utterly abolished out of Gods sight by justification and they made from all spot of sin perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely Which the Apostle testifies in another place saying He that knew no sinne was made sin for us that we being translated into him might be made the very righteousnesse of God 2 Cor. 5. 21. this is their state in the sight of 2 Cor. 5. 21. God For indeed as I said before in the answer to the first objection what place is there for faith to beleeve that we are thus perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God if we did not feele the contrary in ourselves and how may they that are of faith with faithfull Abraham bee blessed Galat. 3. 9. if they feele no Gal. 3. 9. wretchednesse in themselves which feeling must continue untill having gotten the victory by faith they triumph in the experience of Gods truth And therefore should these objectors not only fixe their eyes upon the battel but looke also upon the ensuing victory for after this battel betweene feeling and faith presently followes the victory the Apostle not only giving thanks to God that he was delivered by Christ Rom. 7. 25. but also shewing wherein that victory did Rom. 7. 25. consist both in the cause of it and in the effects of triumphing the effect of triumph in these words Now then there is no judgement no punishment no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus The cause why followes because the righteousnesse of the Law though not inherently and actively of us yet objectively and passively is fulfilled in us Rom. 8. 4. whereby Rom. 3. 5. 4. above our sense and feeling we are made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely Which as I said before contrary to their sense and feeling is the state in which they stand Rom. 5. 2. compleat Rom. 5. 2. in the sight of God Colos 2. 10. Colos 5. 10. 1 Iohn 3. 20. Objected Clered and expounded The next place of Scripture by which they will seeme to triumph is 1 Iohn 3. 20. where Saint Iohn saith If our hearts condemne us of sinne God is greater than our hearts and knowes all things Which objection although I might easily without absurdity put off with the former distinction betweene Gods knowing and seeing yet because the true meaning of the Apostle makes strongly for the present truth which they think by misunderstanding the same to make strongly against it therefore is this place to be further opened Herein lying their error that they apply this to the justified children of God which is spoken of the wicked and hypocrites for Saint Iohn setting downe in all that Epistle the markes of discerning true Christians from hypocrites both the verse going afore and the verse following after doe plainely shew that the twentieth verse is spoken of hypocrites The true meaning whereof is this If our hearts that is our consciences doe accuse and condemne us of willing practising any sinne it declares first that we are blinde and see not what an infinite horrible thing the least sinne is in the sight of God that it cannot be abolished but by the blood of the Son of God and yet dare willingly practise it Secondly the accusation terrors and condemning of conscience for the same shew our unbeleefe that we doe not truely trust Christ that he with his blood alone hath made us cleane from all sin in the sight of God and so rob Christ of his glory not beleeving that by cloathing us with his owne righteousnesse of unjust he hath made us just that is perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely whereby all accusation terrors and condemning of conscience would cease and end in peace for being justified by faith wee have peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 5. 1. Thirdly by Rom. 5. 1. our willing practising of any sin we are unthankfull for so great benefits literally professed and so being blinde unfaithfull and unthankefull in Gods covenant we are hypocrites and then that sin that our evill condemning conscience doth accuse us of being not abolished is much more odious in Gods sight yea although wee flatter our selves thinking and seeming to our selves to be for all this true Christians yet God knowes and sees all our unbeliefe distrust unthankfulnesse and hypocrisie much more than wee our selves doe and must needs much more condemne us than our owne accusing evill consciences he being so infinite in knowledge and perfect in justice and as the fountaine of righteousnesse hating so infinitely all unrighteousnesse But then in the next verse follows the antithesis or contrary description of a true Christian saying Beloved if our conscience doth not condemne us then have we boldnesse towards God that is if the peace of conscience casting out the accusations terrors and condemnings of conscience doe reigne in your heart then it shewes plainly that in truth Phil. 4. 7. Colos 3. 15. you yeeld to Christ the glory of his blood and righteousnesse in making both you and your consciences of unjust just that is perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely and so are no hypocrites in the Covenant of God because he hath made you good consciences quitting and excusing you of all sin two manner of wayes First by Justification that not only cleeres your conscience from all sin and condemning terrors for the same but also makes
an exceeding weighty point worthy the diligent marking and yet not sufficiently marked that there are Two kindes of mortification of sinne two kindes of mortification of sin the one legall the other Evengelicall And this is the difference between them that the 1 Evangelicall Evangelicall mortification beleeving with the heart and confessing with the tongue Rom. 10. 10. that the Rom. 10. 10. blood of Christ hath made us cleane in the sight of God from all sinne 1 Iohn 1. 7. that only poysons us before God unto the death of hell and so we are freely and 1 Iohn 1. 7. preciously healed of the same hereupon by crucifying our corruptions so abolished out of Gods sight wee will not eat of this deadly poyson of hell any more as David said of the delightfull and well-pleasing conversation of the wicked in sinne Let me not eat of their delicates But let the righteous rather smite mee friendly and reprove me And thus the Evangelicall zeale doth mortifie sinne to our selves in meere thankfulnesse that the spirit of God dwelling in us shewes us that we are cleane and by the blood of Christ have no sin to mortifie in the sight of God But the Legall mortification desiring to bee her 2 Legall owne Physician and striving for feare of punishment either temporall or eternall or upon a secret hope lurking in the heart of procuring and retaining Gods favour and good will by her diligent endeavours of crucifying and mortifying sinne out of the sight of God by the assistance as she saith of Gods spirit by her selfe thus robs Christ of the foresaid glory of his blood and by all her diligent labouring against sin doth never obtaine the assistance of the spirit which comes only by the foresaid healing by Free Justification Gal. 3. 2. And so hath her sinnes by all her diligent Galat 3. 2. labouring in mortification never truly mortified nor abolished neither before God nor themselves And this was the old Pharisaicall mortification who as the Apostle testifies did with a legall fervent love of God Rom. 10. 2. follow the law of righteousnesse Rom. 10. 2. Rom. 9. 31. Acts 26. 7. Rom. 9. 31. instantly serving God day and night Acts 26. 7. for they had certaine speciall points and sentences of the Law written round about in the borders The Plâ—aâ—isaicall stâ—ictâ—esse of their garments that they might never be out of their eyes they praied no men more they fasted twice in the week the bed that they lay upon as Epiphanius writeth was but little more than a span broad and yet that they might sleep with lesse ease they strewed sharpe things under them Briefly all their life in appearance was such and all their apparell and behaviour so seemely and decent that if a man would paint out wisedome sobriety mortification and perfect holinesse he could have no better patterne And therefore they were called Pharisaei that is divided Why called Pharâ—â—â—â— as men in holinesse and perfection of life farre passing all the rest of the people and that also by the assistance of Gods Spirit as they thought and professed for as the good Jewes professed that they had the benefit of all spirituall graces but by the Spirit of God confessing that God gave them his good Spirit to instruct them Nehem. 9. 20. and acknowledge that Nehem 9. 20. Verse â—0 it was the Spirit that spake in their Prophets vers 30. And as David said Stablish and uphold me with thy free Spirit Psal 51. 12. so these meerely legall devout Psal 51. 12. ones that by their devoutnesse drave Paul out of their coasts did professe that all their devotions and mortifications were by the spirit whereupon Zidkiab that struck Micaiah a box on the eare said When went the 1 Kings 22. 24. Spirit of the Lord from me unto thee But because they sought not mortification at the fountaine of the Spirit which is Free Iustification Galat. 3. 2. but as Galat. 3. 2. the Apostle saith Being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God and going about to stablish their owne righteousnesse did not submit themselves to the righteousness of God Rom. 10. 3. therefore they were utterly voide of the Rom 10. 3. Spirit and had not one sparke of true mortification Yea this very opinion of mortifying sinne our selves The heart of Pâ—pâ—ry by the Spirit properly out of the sight of God is the very heart of Popery the very essentiall forme of Anabaptisme the very root of all Justiciaries the very pride of Lucifer the very joyning in check-mate with Christ or rather in parting stakes with him to take the greater part of glory to our selves in granting that he doth abolish and take away the guilt and the punishments which are the lesser but we purifie away and mortifie and cleanse our selves by the spirit from sinne it selfe which is the cause and greatest of all evills when as it is the sole glory of Christ alone properly to to purifie and cleanse away from before God by himselfe alone all sinne especially Heb. 1. 3. for by this selfe mortifying Heb. 1. 3. and selfe-cleansing our sins by the spirit properly out of the sight of God such must needs goe about to make themselves good and every day better and better in the sight of God which is the patching with God before spoken of and just the Papists second Justification and flat deniall and nullifying of the true Justification yea this legall mortification is the ground-work and foundation of the Eremites first The foundation of the Eremites and of Anchorites of Nunneries living by rootes in the Wildernesse even to mortifie their sinnes by the spirit out of the fight of God of Anchorites shutting themselves up in walls to mortifie their sinnes out of Gods sight by the spirit and was the first foundation stone in the building of all Nunneries and Abbies to mortifie their sinne out of Gods sight by the spirit and although these devout legall morter-makers mortifiers I should say of their sinnes doe appeare both in their owne opinion and in the judgement of others to be by their legall zealous holy and godly living the most religious and most holy men in the world yet they are nothing so in truth but doe overflow with all manner of hidden corruptions which they themselves see not as envy malice disdaine preposterous judgement selfe-conceitednesse pride contempt of God in his chiefest matters slavish feare and utter retracting under faire pretences to doe zealously the duties of their vocations where any danger appeares being blindenesse it selfe in the right understanding of the Gospel full of secret grudgings whisperings evill speakings and manifold breakings or rather flat contemnings of the ninth commandement by evill surmisings and misconstruings of the words and deeds of others wherein especially they bewâ—â—y themselves And to conclude these Saints as Luther saith are the bondslaves of Satan and therefore are driven to thinke
of Christian Religion the head Article of salvation the sole-saving grace of Christ the cause of sanctification and of all godly living the advancer of the true glory of Christ but yet because by this literall knowledge of it they feele not the truth and power thereof in themselves therefore whose feet doe such labour to fasten upon this strong Rock of Christian Religion whose house of Religion almost is not builded upon the sands of their repentance and holy walking having this rocky foundation laid in their hearts no more in a manner than the Papists lay it whose Religion is not headlesse for want of sound joy for this head point of salvation how many are truely sanctified and serve God cheerfully joyfully and zealously by the joyfull knowledge of it yea rather although such seeme to hold strongly contrary to Papists yet they are in this chiefe point of salvation of the Papists mindes comming forth with the Papists objections against it that people learne it too fast and although it be the only sacred ordinance that God in his high wisedome hath appointed to be the only cause and meanes to make men to live truely a godly life yet such stick not in their rotten wisedome of Reason to belch out this blasphemy that it opens the gate to all loose and wicked living and are so farre from continually pressing this point by shewing the horriblenesse of the least sin in the sight of God and the excellency of this benefit perfectly healing us from all sin in Gods sight and so planting it soundly in mens hearts to effect these happy ends that almost they never speake of it but finde themselves grieved with them that doe or if their text chance to presse them to it they lightly touch it and soone passe it over being as it were glad when that text is past Is this to keepe to those foresaid most glorious Titles of the excellency of Free Iustification which they so gloriously professe in words and is it not rather before God and men a Three sorts be in this Iâ—terall knowledge 1 Prop ane 2 Civill denying them in deeds and thus doe they in all the rest for these that are in this literall knowledge first either they live prophane lives or secondly but outwardly civill honest lives caring no more than for their profits honours and pleasures or thirdly at 3 〈◊〉 â—â—alo â— the best which is worst of all doe but delude the simple blinde devoted people with a legall zeale of holy walking for feare of punishment or hope of reward and speeding well for the same seeming yea and being as hot as a toste against outward vices and earnestly calling for all active morall duties which they call holy walking in all Gods Commandements as if herein did consist the maine point of salvation Doe this and live and yet abound themselves with all These last are inwardly most abomiâ—able manner of inward hidden corruptions as envy calumniating slavish feare and glorious outward painting of their rotten old Adam All which is notably testified by the Doctrine of our Church taught by the Martyrs and first Restorers of the Gospel in this Land saying thus By outward shewes of good workes they appeare to the world How the most religious and holy men of all others making the outside of the cup and platter that is the outward appearance both of their persons and vocations so cleane that they seeme to the world What most perfect men Wherein so perfect both in teaching and living And yet because the inside is not cleane which as it is shewed in the Sermons before only the comfort and joy of Free Iustification truely worketh and effecteth Christ who sees their hearts not justified with his owne righteousnesse knowes that they are in the sight of God most unholy most abominable and farthest from God of all men their judgement being preposterous their doctrine sowre leven of mingling the Law and the Gospel together and so marring both and their life the hidden secret hypocrisie that is not suspecting themselves of hypocrisie they delude their owne selves with supposed sincere hearts respecting as they thinke only Gods glory being inwardly full of all manner of filth as pride envy covetousnesse ambition vaine-glory hatred disdaine unbeleefe conceitednesse of themselves contempt of those whom they like not calumniating them and such like and yet as I said so adorning and painting their old Adam that reignes in them with such a fair outward new coate not of Christs righteousnesse able utterly to abolish their corruptions freely from before God but of their owne righteousnesse that they seeme not only unto others but also to their owne selves in all respects admirable and excellent men and such were they that because they excelled in great learning and were zealous towards God Rom. Rom. 10. 2. 10. 2. in following righteousnesse by holy walking in all Gods Commandements Rom. 9. 31. serving Rom. 9. 31. God instantly day and night Acts 26. 7. said hereupon Acts 26. 7. unto Christ in the high conce it of their literall knowledge Are we blinde also Iohn 9. 40. unto whom Christ Iohn 9. 40. answering said If ye were blinde ye should have no sin but now ye say we see therefore your sin remaineth vers 41. And thus much of the description of the literall Veâ—sâ— 41. knowledge whereby men only sophisticating about the mysteries of Christ would be Doctors and Teachers of the Word but by not understanding what they say nor whereof they affirme 1 Tim. 1. 7. they neither in 1 Tim. 1. 7. word nor deed keepe to that which they seeme to hold but speake flat contraries But on the other side the spirituall knowledge 2 Thespirituall knowledge and right illumination by the true spirituall learning whereof the Prophet thus speaketh saying And they shall be all taught of God is likewise that we may not be babes in the knowledge of it as largely described by the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. from verse 9. to the very end of the Chapter also saying thus the things which neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard neither have entred into the heart of man are they which God hath prepared for them that love him But will some say if they 1 Cor. 2. 9. c. be such things as neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor have entred into the heart of man what is any man the better for such things true saith the Apostle not into the heart of the naturall man verse 14. but yet God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deepe things of God for saith he what man knowes the things within a man save the spirit of man which is in him even so the things of God knowes no man but the Spirit of God Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things
God But on the otherside what rebellion what impietie what greater reproach can there be unto God than not to beleeve him what he promiseth for what is this else than either to make God a lyar or to be doubtfull that he is true this is as much as to ascribe truth to himself to his own reason and to condemn God of lying and foolshood whereby doth not such an one deny God and set up his own reason as an image to himselfe in his own heart what availe works and holy walking in the chast and meek works of the Law being done in this impietie and unbeliefe though they seeme never so Angelicall and Apostolicall And yet notwithstanding when they of Cains brood heare faith to be entreated of after this sort that it alone doth justifie us by making us perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely They cannot sufficiently marvell at our madnesse as it seemes unto them God turn this away from mee say they that I should affirme my selfe perfectly holy and godly farre bee this arrogancie and rashnesse from mee I am many wayes a miserable sinner I should bee mad if I should arrogate holinesse and righteousnesse unto my selfe and thus they mock at faith and count such doctrine as this for execrable errour and goe about with mighyt and maine to extinguish the Gospel these are they that deny the Faith of Christ and persecute it in the whole world of whom Paul speaketh saying In the later times many shall depart from the faith 1 Tim. 4. 1. But he that 1 Tim. 4. 1. believeth must plainly confesse that he is holy godly righteous the Sonne of God and certainely saved The Confessiâ—a of Faith and that also by the only mercy of God in the wedding-garment of Christs righteousnesse making him thus righteous in the sight of God whereof if hee should any thing doubt hee should procure exceeding ignominie and reproach to baptisme which he hath received and to the Lords supper and also reprove the word and grace of God of falshood For that this sacrifice of Confession of this Faith is thus necessary is expresly testified by S. Paul saying With the Rom. 10. 10. heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse that is by beleeving only he is made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely But with the tongue man confesseth it unto salvation this is the sacrifice of thanksgiving sealing up as it were unto himselfe his assured salvation And in comparison All religions not comparable to the sacrifice of faith of this sacrifice of faith and confession saith Luther aqll the Religions of all Nations and all the works and holy walkings of all Monks and merit-Mongers whereof there are more than many are aware of are nothing at all for by this sacrifice first as I said before they kill reason a great and mighty enimy of God for reason despiseth God and reproveth Luk. 1. 18. 2 King 7. 2. him in that which he speaketh Luk. 1. 18. 2 Kings 7. 2. denyeth his wisdome justice power truth mercy Majestie and Divinity Moreover by the sAme sacrifice they yeeld glory unto God that is they confesse him to be in that which he speaketh above their reason sense and feeling just good faithfull and true Heb. 11. 11. They confesse by beleeving such impossibilities Heb. 11. 11. as reason would pretend that God can doe all things and that all his words and works are holy true lively and effectuall c. which is the highest and most acceptable obedience unto God To be able therefore to give this glory unto God by faith is the wisdome of wisdomes the righteousnesse of righteousnesses the religion of Religions the sacrifice of sacrifices wherefore there can be no greater nor more holy Religion in the world nor more acceptable service unto God than faith is All which is evidently manifest by that saying of Iohn Baptist Ioh. 3. 33. That Ioh. 3. 33. although Christ comming amongst us to testifie the rich treasures of his Gospel no man almost receiveth his testimonie yet â—e that hath received his testimony hath set to his seale that God is true Upon which place Calvin worthily saith thus Truly except we bee more than stony this so excellent praise of faith ought to kindle in our hearts an ardent desire of the same for what The honor of true faith a great honour is this which God vouch safeth us wretched wormes that wee which are nothing but lies and vanity should be counted worthy to approve and make good as it were the sacred truth of God by our subscription because hee that hath received the testimony of Christ hath set to his seale that God is true Seeing therefore that doubting of such rich benefits of Christ pronounced in the Word of God to be wrought upon us is so dangerous and hurtfull and constant Faith and Confession that we are made with Christs righteousnesse perfectly holy and righteous from all spot and wrinkle of sin in the sight of God freely is so precious so excellent and so glorious let us with strong assurance that the blood of Christ hath mde us in the sight of God cleane from all sinne against our reason sight sense and feeling against the World the Flesh and the Devil and against all objections and enimies of our faith whatsoever make with S. Paul this Christian and joyfull tryumph as here followeth The Christian triumph against all sinne perfectly The Christian tryumph against all sin abolished by the blood of Christ out of the sight of God uttered by the true justifying faith magnificently glorifying God Who dare lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen Rom 8. 13. that is who dare accuse them that they have one spot or wrinkle of sinne or any such thing in the sight of God why may none dare so to accuse them Because it is God that justifieth them that is makes them perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely whereupon a faithfull Dispencer of â—ods mysteries challenging the whole world reasoneth against all men invincibly thus Deo justificante absolvente quis ausit accusare that is God making righteous and cleering who dares bee so bold as to accuse them before â—od of anything First because they are made just that is perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely who dares be so impudent to charge a just and righteous man of a crime before a righteous discerning Judge and looks not to have the blame to light upon his own head Secondly because it is God that justifies them and makes them blamelesse before himselfe who dares bee so bold as to confront God and charge them with any matter of blame and fault in his sight seeing the heavenly voyce hath also given warning from heaven saying The things that God hath
becommeth us to fulfill all righteousnesse Mat. 3. 15. Math. 3. 15. so that the perfect holinesse and righteousnes not of the Godhead but of the humane nature of Christ wherein he performed perfect obedience both active and passive in fulfilling the whole law of God is the formall cause of our Justification which only after the nature of the forme dat nomen esse that is giveth unto us not only the name but also the true being of righteous men in the sight of God and that it is this obedience of Christ alone that is the only forme that makes us perfectly righteous in the sight of God is flatly expressed by the Apostle Rom. 5. 19. saying Rom. 5. 19. that as by the disobedience of one man Adam many were made sinners so by the obedience of one man Christ shall many he meanes both Jewes and Gentiles present and to come bee made righteous Upon which place the words of the learned Expositors are very effectuall saying thus The Apostle flatly pronounceth that we are made righteous with Christs righteousnesse and withall sheweth what manner of righteousnesse it is when he calleth it obedience saying By the obedience of one man many are made righteous where it is to be marked what it behoveth us to bring into the sight of God if we will by works be made righteous namely the obedience of the Law and Perfect obedience our righteousnesse that also not in one or two parts perfect but in all points absolute which because we are not able to attaine unto by our holy walking therefore this of meere grace he communicateth unto us And this I say is only that which formes us and makes us perfectly righteous in the sight of God which Luther Luther in his Treatise of threefold righteousnesse in his Treatise of threefold Righteousnesse handles notably the short summe whereof is thus As there is a sinne that is essentiall originall and another mans which yet makes us sinners whereof is mention Psal 5â— Behold I was borne in iniquity and in sinnes hath my mother conceived me and whereof Christ speaketh saying An evill tree cannot bring forth good fruit And Rom. 5. By one mans disobedience many are made sinners Rom. 5. and againe By the offence of one man the fault is come upon all men unto condemnation So there is a justice or righteousnesse contrary to this which likewise is essentiall originall and another mans and yet makes us righteous which is the righteousnesse of Christ whereof Christ speaketh Iohn 3. 3. Except a man be borne again Iohn 3. 3. of water and the holy Ghost in this free righteousnesse figured in beholding the brazen Serpent he cannot see the kingdome of God and Rom. 5. By the righteousnesse Rom. 5. of one man is the free gift of righteousnesse come upon all men unto Iustification of life and againe By the obedience of one man are many made righteous this is as I said our Lot our capitall Foundation our Rock and our whole Substance in which we rejoyce and glory for ever wherein we are made the righteousnesse of God 2 Cor. 5. 21. and wherein Christ is made unto us wisdome 2 Cor. 5. 21. righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. and whereof the Apostle saith Other foundation may 1 Cor. 1. 30. 1 Cor. 3 11. Rom. 1. 17. Rom. 10. 10. no man lay 1 Cor. 3. 11. This is made ours by faith Rom. 1. 17. The just by faith shall live and againe Rom. 10. 10. With the heart man beleeves unto righteousnesse This is bestowed upon us in Baptisme this is that which properly the Gospel preacheth Rom. 1. Rom. 1. and it is not the righteousnesse of the law but the right ousnesse of free grace By this a man is made Lord of all things because his righteousnesse hath looked downe from heaven and herein mercy and truth are met together righteousnesse and peace have kissed each other truth shall spring out of the earth for without this mercy a man in all his righteousnesse is an hypocrite and without this righteousnesse his conscience is unquiet this grace makes a man true and just and this true righteousnesse brings peace thus Christ frames all them that belong to him with this same one righteousnesse of his owne strange and undeserved of others and makes them just righteous and saved that as by another mans sinne we were made sinners lost and damned so by another mans righteousnesse we are made righteous and saved and therefore I called this righteousnesse an essentiall righteousnesse and eternall and as Daniel saith everlasting because when a man hath it it alwayes abides and remaines neither doth sometimes faile as the actuall righteousnesse doth as it is said Psal 111. Psal 111. 3. 3. his righteousnesse endures for ever and ever Only Christ is eternall and everlasting and therefore his righteousnesse is everlasting and yet ours and makes us everlasting This is the mercy of God the Father this is the grace of the new Testament wherein the Lord is sweet to them that taste him In this must we be saved and in no other for there is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved Acts Acts 4. 12. 4. 12. and therefore said David deliver me in thy righteousnesse But as there is another sort of sinne called actuall sin which is the fruit of originall and these whether they arise in thought word or deed are our owne proper sinnes so contrary unto this there is a righteousnesse called actuall righteousnesse flowing from faith and from the foresaid essentiall righteousnesse and this is our righteousnesse and our owne proper righteousnesse not because we alone doe work it but because we work together with the foresaid first righteousnesse called the righteousnesse of another hitherto Luther but this first righteousnesse called the righteousnesse of another is the forme that makes us perfectly righteous in the sight of God as we see before wherewith Zanchius speaking by the same spirit although he differ a little in words yet agrees all one in sense saying thus The formall cause that is to say the righteousnesse wherewith we are justified or made righteous is twofold A twofold righteousnesse the one by which we are reputed and also are truly and perfectly righteous to God-ward whereof the Apostle speaketh Rom. 5. saying By the obedience of one are many made righteous this is our true righteousnesse But saith he there is another righteousnesse which being communicated unto us by the spirit of Christ and indeed inherent in us and shewing it selfe outwardly by works consisteth of the mortification of the old man and quickening of the new man of an hatred of sinne and love of righteousnesse by which we are just but how before men and are acknowledged and counted for righteous before them And this righteousnesse we affirme to be an effect of that former and although the Apostle doth not separate this
only are meer patients suffering another ab extra even God to work all in us as may be further cleered in the manner Two similitudes how by two fit similitudes lively representations as First take a drinking glasse that is blue or red and put water or drink into the same and in some glasses I my selfe have seen that the drink or water in the same looseth to the present view it s own colour and becomes as blue or red as the glasse it selfe and yet not inherently and actively for the bluenesse or rednesse is inherently agently operatively and actively only in the glasse but yet whilst it doth abide in the glasse it becomes communicatively and passively as blue or red as the glasse it selfe but what is the reason hereof because as I my selfe have observed the glasse doth conveigh by the force of the light certain beames of its own colour into the drink and so makes it to lose its own colour and to be of the same colour that the glasse is of Where it is pretty to observe that the liquor in the glasse hath lost its colour and hath not lost it First the liquor hath not lost it inherently and to it selfe because if it be put out of the glasse it is found only in its own colour But yet hath lost its own colour in two respects first in respect of the glasse which it is in that hath by conveighing her beams into it made it own colour and secondly to the view of the beholder it is truly abolished and gone and nothing remaines but the colour of the glasse Now although the truth represented by this similitude passeth the representation as farre as a substance passeth the shadow yet it is sufficient for a shadow and is a notable representation of the truth because that Gods powerfull imputation after a more reall mighty and effectuall manner doth the same in truth that is but resembled in this shadow and faith that went so far as to say wash thou me and I shall bee whiter than snow goes higher than any similitudes can reach unto and seeth the soule being cloathed with Christs righteousnesse to be although not inherently yet lesse imaginarily and colourably but truly and reipsa in very deed made perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God so effectually that the very power thereof begins inherently to change the heart by sanctification also to the eyes of men more and more whereas wee see that the bluenesse or rednesse of the glasse worketh no inherent change upon or in the drink but because faith reasoneth and concludes from the power of God thus That if so poore and silly a creature as a piece of glasse be able by the force of the light to cast her beames into it and to make the liquor to lose to the view and sight of men her own colour and to look whilst it is in the glasse of the same colour that the glasse is of were it not impiety and flat blasphemie not to grant that Christ can much more being true and Almighty God translating me out of Adam to bee a member in himselfe by cloathing me both within and without with his own righteousnesse conveigh much more by the power and force of his spirit his own righteousnesse to bee thought not inherently and actively yet objectively and passively in us so by this means abolish all our sinnes from before God and make us only perfectly holy righteous in the sight of God freely herein consisting the Analogie of the truth with the similitude that Christ by reason of his Godhead and power of his spirit doth that in truth above our reason sense and feeling which the red glasse doth only in shew that is make us in truth perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely not imaginarily colourably as the Papists fondly cavill but really truly and reipsa in very deed like the working of an Almighty Creator this faith I say shall finde by the very fruits of sanctification flowing from the same that he is not made only colourably righteous but that he is verè reipsa truly and in very deed with Christs righteousnesse made perfectly holy righteous in the sight of God freely Hence for the lively representation of this truth do so many Divines both learned and judicious so much use this similitude saying thus As he that beholdeth any thing through a red glasse doth take it to bee red as is the colour of the glasse so God the Father beholding us in his Sonne doth take us to bee of the same nature and quality that he is that is perfectly righteous for which cause he saith to his Spouse in the Canticles though she felt and complained that shee was black and full of infirmities to her sense and feeling and own inherent active righteousnesse yet saith Christ that knowes better what in this respect he hath wrought upon her than shee her selfe Behold thou art faire my love behold thou art all faire and there is no spot in thee And for this cause it is that he loveth us and sets his heart upon us and will not bee removed from us c. Which is not for the shadow but for the true substance of his own righteousnesse though not inherently to our sense and feeling and actively yet by Gods imputation objectively and passively conveighed into us so utterly abolishing our sins from before God and making us not imaginaâ—ly but truly and reipsa in very deed perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of â—od freely A second similitude illustrating this truth yet The second similitude more fully is this Let an house or shop be made towards the East and let the Sun beat upon the same all day long yet whilst the windowes and doores are fast shut up the house still remaines dark and unprofitable because the walls being corpora opaca dark bodies can cast forth nothing but darknesse but let the windowes and doors be opened then doe the Sun-beames beat in and dispell all the darknesse that was there before and the house is made all light and profitable to the use of man But yet it is not inherently and actively light as the Papists conceit of their manner of Justification for if that light did come actively out of the walls then the house would not at the least immediately be beholding to the Sun without it in the Firmament but the house would be inherently and actively light immediately enlightning its own selfe but in that it is enlightned by the Sun-beames the house is all light in deed yet no Agent and Doer in making its selfe light but is altogether passively and objectively light so is it in the case of our Justification and being a similitude much used by the holy Ghost it passeth all other humane similitudes by running contrary to the old proverb quatuor pedibus for First mans soule and body is like this house or shop of Gods wonders
Now are yee clean through the word that I'have spoken unto you Ioh. 15. 3. And again Hee Ioh. 15. 3. that is washed saith Christ to Peter needeth not save to wash his feet that is but to declare by the holy walking of sanctification that hee is washed why Because He is clean every whit that is not imaginarily but truly perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely and because some unbeleever or some weak Christian may say yea I shall be so clean and truly righteous in the next life nay sayth Christ I doe not say you shall be so cleane but you are cleane but not all speaking of Iudas that should betray him plainly teaching that all they that are not in Iudas his case that is which although they deny for a while in weaknesse as Peter did yet doe not obstinately and finally deny that Christ doth truly wash them now in this life from all their sinnes are now in this life clean every whit that is not imâ—ginarily but truly perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely and they shall at length come to confesse the same and glorifie Christ for it as Peter did although it seemed so strange unto him at the first that Christ was faine to tell him that if hee did not so truly and throughly wash him that hee were thereby clean every whit hee had no part in him but was in Iudas his condition Wherein we see how necessary it is above all things and that this indeed is that one thing that is only necessary that we labour to come to assurance of faith that wee are by the power of Gods imputation so cloathed both within and without with Christs perfect righteousnesse that it being thus even mystically in us it so makes us not imaginarily and slightly but truly and perfectly clean every whit in the sight of God and to conclude and shut up this point that this word of righteousnesse is neere us that it is not only in our mouth but also though mystically yet truly in our hearts making us truly and perfectly righteous in the sight of God whereby there is no A second Scripture proving Christs righteâ—usnesse to be in us is Rom. 8. 4. judgement or condemnation belonging unto us is utterly undeniable by one place of Scripture that I will alledge more and that is Rom. 8. 4. For many granting that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus yet they doe not sufficiently marke the cause why expressed in the fourth verse that is the ground and full assurance stablishing the conscience why there is no condemnation or Judgement to them that are in Christ Iesus namely because the righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled in us Rom. 8. 4. For saith S. Paul that which was impossible Rom. 8. 4. to the Law namely to make us inherently perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God by our doing and fulfilling it by reason it was weak through the infirmity of our flesh God sending his own Son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh viz. that he might shew what the power and Almightinesse of his God-head was able to doe above the Law for sin so arraigned condemned and executed sinne in his own flesh that hee might mystically and utterly abolish the same from before his Father but why or to what end or intent did he so namely that by the power of his imputation of the same unto us the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us what inherently and actively for us to fulfill it as the Papists pervert this place no but that impleretur it might bee marke Be passively and objectively fulfilled in us bringing forth this effect in us not to walk after the flesh but after the Spirit And therefore whereas Durandus the Papist would prove by that place That Christ had by his death brought this to passe that wee may inherently and actively fulfill the Law because Paul saith The law must bee fulfilled in us true saith hee very actutely it is fulfilled in nobis but not à nobis that is whereas God is true and unchangeable in that definitive sentence Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things to doe them and Heaven and Earth may passe away but one jot or tittle of this sentence cannot passe away untill it is fulfilled Therefore God passing in truth justice and constancie a thousand thousand times that heathen King that having made a just Law that whosoever committed adulterie with another mans wife should loose both his eyes that had carried him into that pestiferous inconvenience to the Common-Wealth and therefore his own and only Sonne being taken committing that fact that he might be found true just and unchangable in his Law did that his Son might not be made utterly unserviceably for the Common-Wealth first put out one of his own eyes that had brought forth so incontinent a Son and secondly put out one of the eyes of his Son that so the rigor of his Law might be satisfied and he be found true just constant and unchangeable in his Law God I say passing this King in these virtues if I may so speak as far as the substance passeth the shadow that he might bee found correspondent to his excellent nature true just and unchangable in his Law and definitive sentence belonging to the same saying Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things to doe them First that we may not be quite marred and utterly lost by the rigor of his Law God sends his own Son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh inherently and actively to doe and fulfill all things that were written in the book of the Law in our flesh and for sinne so arraigned condemned and executed sin in flesh that he uttetly abolished the same from before God by his death And Secondly by the power of his imputation doth so truly cloath us both within and without with this his Sons doing and fulfilling of the Law perfectly that we also How we continue in all things perfect in Gods sight continue in all things to doe them in the sight of God not inherently and actively by our own doing but because his Sonnes perfect doing all things is objectively and passively so truly in us that we are made perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God with that doing freely and so the rigor of his Law is satisfied and fulfilled truly in us and God continueth correspondent to his most excellent nature true just constant and unchangable in his Law because wee continue in all things to doe them in his sight in nobis in our selves and yet doing nothing herein as the learned Whittaker said à nobis actively of our selves Luther of the argument of the Epistle to the Galath wherein we may see how truly and Evangelically Luther in shewing the argument of the Epistle to the Galathians testifieth this
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
glory belonging and reserved as due unto the substance it selfe But when Christ the truth it selfe came signified by those figures and did fully exhibit himselfe to performe fully the truth that was represented in those figures Then the blood of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God did so fully purge and purifie our consciences from dead works to serve the living God that now there is no need of any more Sacrifice for sin because God doth not so much as remember our sins any more Heb. 10. 17. 18. And Heb 10. 17 18. why because with that one offering of himselfe hee hath made perfect for ever all them that are sanctified The new Testament passing the Old in foure circumstances Where let us marke the full perfection of the New Testament above the Old here compared the one with the other and the New passing the Old in foure circumstances First he saith not inchoatively and imperfectly as it is said of the Old Testament that it made nothing perfect Heb. 7. 19. but perfectly Secondly he saith not that he will make perfect but he hath made perfect signifying that this perfect making of us righteous in the sight of God is already perfectly done Thirdly not for a season to be by intercourses often renewed with new Sacrifices as the Papists doe counterfeit in their Masse but perpetually and continually And Fourthly not onely for long times as whole yeers and such like but for ever and ever as the doctrine of our Church speaketh Thus hath Christ made all his children and Church righteous quarto modo that Christ hath made us righteous quarto modo is omnes solos semper first omnes all that are sanctified secondly solos only they that are sanctified and thirdly semper he hath made them perfectly righteous continually and for ever Hence he is called Melchisedec that is the King of righteousnesse because he makes all his subjects thus righteous secondly none but his subjects only thirdly all his subjects are made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God only and for ever And therefore did the Prophet Daniel ch 9. 24. prophesie of Christ That at his comming he should not onely make an end of sin but also bring in an everlasting righteousnesse that is making the children of God perfectly righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God for ever and ever Hence we see the reason why the learned doe pronounce the justified children of God to be not only fully and completely but also sufficiently righteous before God For if the child of God be thus completely and perfectly righteous in the sight of God then he is sufficiently righteous in the sight of God but if he be not sufficiently righteous then is he not perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God But that the justified child of God is above his sense and feeling even sufficiently righteous in the sight of God is plainly testified by God himselfe 2 Cor. 12. where 2 Cor. 1â— we may see that Saint Paul feeling the remnants of corruption hanging upon him and not only doubting as the circumstances of the place shew that he was not sufficiently righteous in the sight of God but also grieving at the same and therfore praying thrice that is oftentimes to God against the same God answered him saying My Grace viz. of Free Justification the Grace of graces called often the Grace of God and gift by Grace Rom. 5. is sufficient for thee that is makes thee Rom. 5. sufficiently perfectly righteous from all spot of the remnants of thy corruptions in my sight freely and then adds the reason why he should be content with this rich grace of Free Justification saying For the power of my grace of Free Iustification is manifested and made perfect in thy weaknesse because if thou hadst not weaknesse and corruption in thee thou shouldst have no need of my grace of Justification but in that I make thee from all those infirmities which thou seelest to hang upon thee sufficiently and perfectly righteous in my sight freely herein my free Grace of Justification is greatly magnified and glorified Which reason did so greatly content Saint Paul that he said Very gladly therefore will I rejoyce rather in mine infirmities what simply no but that the power of Christs grace making me thus sufficiently and perfectly righteous in the sight of God freely may dwell in me Thus we may see how true that saying of Calvin is of Justification in another place That Justification finding us naked of our own righteousnesse doth so cloath and enrich us with the righteousnesse of Christ that the saying in Luke 1. 52. is fulfilled Hee filleth the hungry 〈…〉 53. with good things for Paul hungring after his owne inherent righteousnesse when his own inherent righteousnesse could never have made him sufficiently and perfectly righteous in the sight of God is sent away filled with the power and rich grace of Christ making him sufficiently and perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely Which treasure saith Luther Esaiah inwardly considering did in the tenth of his Prophecy say The consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousnesse as if he had said Faith which is a briefe and summary fulfilling of the Law tanta justitia credentes replebit that is shall replenish the Beleevers with so great righteousnesse ut nulla alia read justitiam opus habeant that they shall not have need of any other thing to make them more righteous Rom. 10. 10. Which Paul also doth testifie Rom. 10. saying For with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse whereby he hath no need of works to make him righteous in the sight of God sed omni bono repletur vereque filius Dei efficitur that is but is replenished freely with all goodnesse and truely made the Son of God Iohn 1. 12. Iohn 1. 12. Yea that the true Beleever is made sufficiently and perfectly righteous because he is by Free Justification thus freely replenished with all righteousnesse in the sight of God is likewise plainly taught and cleerly testified in the doctrine of our Church taught by the Doctrine of our Church in the Sermon of the resurrecâ—ion first Restorers of the Gospel in this land saying in the Sermon of the Resurrection of Christ after this manner It had not been enough to be delivered by his death from sin except by his resurrection wee had beene endued with a perfect and everlasting righteousnesse whereby the true righteousnesse looking downe from heaven is in most liberall largenesse dealt by the holy Ghost upon all the world by whose assistance wee be replenished with all righteousnesse c. Doubt not of the truth of this matter how great and high soever these things be it becommeth God to doe no little deeds how possible soever they seeme to thee And no marvell
confirmes the same unto us by a strong and invincible demonstration saying If God spared not his own Son but when we were sinners gave him to death to justifie us how much more being now justified will he with him give us freely all things also Rom. 8. 32. The uses that we must make Rom. 8. 32. of this perfect reconciliation brought upon us freely by Christ are these two First we must soundy trust to and set our affiance 1 Two uses of our perfect reconciliation on this reconciliation procured unto us by Christ as Peter saith Cast your care upon God for he careth for you 1 Pet. 5. 7. That is we must yeeld up our selves as Abraham 1 Pet. 5. 7. did to doe our vocations and all our affaires and actions that we take in hand faithfully and as God would have us to doe them that is to seek his glory by benefiting of men and so we walk in the steps of the faith of our Father Abraham Rom. 4. 11. and doe Rom. 4. 11. the works of Abraham through full assurance that his Almighty power is able and this loving care over us procured by this perfect reconciliation also will without any bad meanes of ours both keep away from us all hurtfull things and provide unto us without our distrustfull cark and care all necessary good things saying in strong assurance of free Justification making us perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely That wee are perswaded though some crosses doe crosse us that neither tribulation nor distresse nor persecution nor famine nor nakedness nor death nor life nor any creature shall separate us from the assurance of the love of God and perfect reconciliation that is in Christ Iesus Rom. 8. 35. Whereupon the Author to Rom. 8. 35. the Hebrewes exhorteth after this manner saying Let your conversation bee without covetousnesse and be content with such things as you have For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee So that wee may boldly say The Lord is my helper and I will not feare what man can doe unto me Heb. 13. 5. 6. And so farre as we doe Heb. 13. 5. 6. so we give both to God and to Christ their due glory to God the glory of power and to Christ the glory of his merit of reconciliation And secondly In confidence of Free Justification so The second use of our perfect reconcilâ—ation assuredly reconciling us to God wee must expect and look for at his hands and certainly promise to our selves all blessings temporall and eternall as Luther upon the voyce of God from heaven That hee is well-pleased effectually expresseth after manner Exigit itaque à nobis c. God requires of us therefore that we expect and promise to our selves from him the best things and that wee perswade our selves that hee is of a most loving and ready good-will to doe us all good and therefore to pray for and expect at Gods hands summa saluberrima the principall and most profitable good things in a strong confidence in this perfect reconciliation and in a fulnesse of faith nothing fearing at all any thing that goes about to make us afraid molest make us sad or to work any trouble against us For feare not Abram saith God I am thy Buckler and exceeding great reward Gen. 15. 1. Whereby wee have Gen. 15. 1. accesse by prayer unto God and entrance to obtain with boldnesse and confidence through faith in Christ perfectly Justifying us and thereby perfectly reconciling us Ephes 3. 12. The fearfull danger of departing from our justification and reconciliation Psal 73. 27. to God Ephes 3. 12. But if we doe not thus but follow indirect meanes and bad courses to help our selves wee goe a whoring from God by the dead faith and hee will destroy us as it is said Psal 73. 27. For lo they which withdraw themselves from thee shall perish thou destroyest all them that goe a whoring But so farre as wee resign up our selves to assurance and affiance in this perfect reconciliation we with Abraham Isaac Iacok Ioseph David Daniel all the rest of Gods faithful children that have beleeved and relyed upon this joyfull and well pleasing reconciliation shall have as they had both the very Best for us and at length also our very hearts desires And therefore saith David As for me it is good for mee to draw neere to God therefore I have put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all thy works Ps 73. 28. That I may shew Psal 73. 28. all thy praises in the Gates of the Daughter of Zion and may rejoyce in thy reconciliation proteâ—tion and salvation Psal Psal 9. 14. 9. 14. And thus much of the first excellent benefit of the Gospel brought upon us by free Justification in which because I have been loath as it were to be drawne out of this new Paradise purchased by the blood of Christ I have stayed the longer but let the weightinesse of the point recompence the length because as David truly saith this loving favour of the Lord is better than life it selfe Psal 63. 3. But now let Psal 63. 3. us proceed forward CHAP. XV. Of foure other excellent benefits wrought upon us by Free Iustification THE second excellent and glorious benefit brought upon us by Justification Is that the The giving of the holy Ghost holy Ghost is by it freely given us to dwell in us and our bodies and soules are made blessed Temples of the same holy Spirit as is evident by these Scriptures Be baptized saith Peter Acts 2. 38. every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of Acts 2. 38. sinnes and you shall receive the holy Ghost for the promise is made unto you and your children Where we see that although the holy Ghost be true God and the only preparer of our hearts both to see our misery by sin as also to see and apprehend Christ and his benefits to free us from our misery yet notwithstanding he doth not come to dwell in us and to take up our bodies and soules to be his Temples untill first hee hath enabled us to beleeve free Iustification and prepared us as it were for himselfe by sealing it unto us by Baptisme as most sure that the blood of Christ hath washed us cleane from all sin in the sight of God before he doe enter into us and dwell in us The same also Paul testifieth Ephes 1. 13. saying In whom ye also Ephes 1. 13. have trusted after yee heard the word of truth what word of truth was that namely that by the blood of Christ yee are freely made righteous accepted and adopted vers 4 5 6 7. even the Gospel of joyfull newes of your salvation Verse 4 5 6 7. wherein also after mark the word after yee beleeved First justified and then sealed with the spirit of Sanctification
yee were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise where we see againe that we are first beleevers of Justification and then after if not tempore in time yet naturâ in nature and order afterwards sealed with the Spirit of Sanctification dwelling in us The Reasons are first because otherwise the holy 1 First Reason Ghost should come to dwell in a foule hog-stie defiled with sin which because hee utterly abhorres therefore first he makes cleane the house and prepares us for himselfe by Justification thus purifying our hearts first to himselfe by applying unto it Christs righteousnesse so preparing and making us fit houses and Temples for himselfe to dwell in and then comes and dwells in us renewing our nature Secondly to our selves and to our sense and feeling by sanctification another Reason is because it is the proper office of the holy Ghost to glorifie Christ but how doth he glorifie Christ By taking his things and shewing them unto us Iohn 16. 14. whereby the Iohn 16. 14. holy Ghost by the preaching of the Gospel shewing to his elect the excellency of Christs righteousnesse and enabling them to receive the same by faith and so to be spiritually and mystically clothed with it to glorifie Christ in this his righteousnesse He enters in it and by it into all the faithfull to dwell in them thus glorifying the righteousnesse of Christ and thereupon it comes to passe that look how freely the righteousnesse of Christ is by the preaching of the Gospel bestowed upon them that feele their misery by sin to justifie and heale them freely so freely also is the holy Ghost bestowed upon them to dwell in them and therefore in the very preaching of free Iustification whilst the Preacher is yet speaking doth God use principally and especially to raine downe the holy Ghost upon the Hearers even whilst they do nothing but sit still and reverently heare Justification freely preached unto them Whereupon Paul convinced the Galathians by saying Received yee the holy Ghost by the law that is by hearing works works preached No how then By hearing of faith that is free Justification preached Gal. 3. 2. An evident example Gal. 3. 2. hereof is extant Acts 10. 44. where we may see that Acts 10. 44. as Peter was preaching Christ and free justification by him even whilst he was yet speaking the holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word Another notable example besides many others in that book is Acts 13. Acts 13. where likewise we may see that when Paul had very powerfully preached the Resurrection of Christ and eagerly pressing the maine fruit and benefit that comes thereof namely free justification saying Be it knowne unto you men and brethren that by this man is preached unto you the forgivenesse of sinnes and lest we should conceive Gods forgivenesse to be a slight thing not Gods forgivenesse is a most excellent and glorious forgivenesse making the creature perfectly holy and righteous like mans forgivenesse He presently expounds what hee meanes by Gods forgivenesse and shewes what a glorious thing Gods forgivenesse is above mans saying Even from all things from which you could not be justified that is made perfectly righteous by the law of God by him every one that beleeveth is justified that is made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely And when there were some Jewes among them that marvelled and wondered and murmured against it that they that had not laboured for it should freely have the same righteousnesse equall with them that had laboured all day long in the heat of the day to get it to whom Paul answereth saying Behold ye despisers and wonder and vanish away for I will work a work in your dayes which yee will not beleeve though a man should declare or demonstrate it unto you And yet some others both Jewes and Gentiles besought Paul that he would preach the same words to them the next Sabbath day which also he did but what was the end and effect of this vehement preaching of free Iustification namely this That the Disciples hearts were filled with joy and with the holy Verse 51. Ghost vers 51. And if any man here object That these are extraordinary examples belonging only to the Primitive Church I grant that it is true concerning the outward visible raining downe of the holy Ghost for the first miraculous stablishing of the Gospel by visible appearances of the same but not for the inward spirituall working of Justification and raining downe of the holy Ghost upon Gods children spiritually and invisibly to dwell in them for this is essentiall and perpetuall to the Gospel as S. Paul testifies 2 Cor. 3. 7 8 9 10. proving thereby 2 Cor. 3. 7 8 9 10. The glory of the Gospel above the Law the glory of the Gospel above the Law saying That although the ministration of death and condemnation that is the giving of the Law was glorious so that the children of Israel could not behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory was to be done away how shall not the Gospel be much more glorious why because the Law did exact at our hands that we should give to God a perfect righteousnesse but the Gospel gives unto us a perfect righteousnesse freely and thereby is the perpetuall administration of the Spirit unto us whereby saith he this ministration of righteousnesse doth exceed in glory So that we see that the preaching of free Justification is the administration or ministeriall giving both of perfect The holy Ghost unseparable from Christs righteousnesse righteousnesse and also of the holy Ghost unseparably ever going with the same for the holy Ghost will not forsake the wedding-garment of Christs righteousnesse but to glorifie the same will goe in it and with it whithersoever it goes filling the heart where they two abide with joy and right zealous new obedience Another Reason why the holy Ghost goes so unseparably ever with the righteousnesse of Christ is Because the preaching of free Iustification is after a more peculiar manner called the voice of Christ because it is the only and sole saving voice of Christ Iustification is Christs voice alone but the voice of Christ being rightly and powerfully uttered is not a dead weak thing but is mighty and goes with a lively breath breathing out no lesse than the holy Ghost upon the attentive and reverent Hearers of free Iustification the only soule-saving and sole-saving voice of Christ making them to live a new life according to that saying of Christ verily verily I say unto you the houre shall come and now is that the dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God and they that heare it namely as the voice of the Sonne of God shall live Iohn 5. 25. surely they Iohn 5. 25. must needs live when the voyce of Christ thus breathes the holy Ghost into them
Colos â— â—2 13. of the Saints in light Coloss 1. 12. 13. 5. The meâ—nâ—s of our glorâ—h atioa Fiftly and lastly this free Justification is the only immediate cause and meanes of our finall glorification and of setting us in the right and assurance of eternall lise Therefore doth the Apostle say Whom God justifieth them he glorifieth Rom. 8. 30. Hence it is also Rom. 8. â—0 Rom 5. 18. that hee doth call it the Iustification of life Rom. 5. 18. Because to the Enjoyers of it by faith it doth freely and undoubtedly bring life and eternall salvation which the same Apostle againe testifieth when hee saith Grace doth reign indeed but how By righteousnesse or through righteousnesse unto eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5. 21. As if he should say Rom. 5. 11. Grace indeed doth infallibly bring eternall life and yet by this only meanes that men of necessity bee first justified and freely made perfectly holy compleatly righteous before God or else grace it selfe reigneth not unto eternall life Hereupon S. Chrysostome saith Chrysost in Rom. truly thus For where righteousnesse is there necessarily doth everlasting life goe withall and also infinite other Radix vitae Calv. ex Marlo Sicut â—eccatum non nisi mortâ—m parere potest ita donum illud Dei nâ—fâ—ra scilicet justificatâ—o vitae aeteâ—nae beaâ—iâ—â—dinem nobis a â—sertivel si mavis quemadmodùm mortis causa pcccatum est c. good things even as where there is sinne there is death for righteousnesse is more than life seeing it is the very root of life Herewithall agree the modern Expositors saying thus As sinne cannot but bring forth death so that gift of God namely our Iustification bringeth upon us all blessednesse and eternall life or if you had rather thus As sinne is the cause of death so the righteousnesse which is freely given us by Christ hath restored unto us eternall life Faith therefore of Free Iustification is sure of eternall life and so sure that it glorieth and rejoyceth in eternall life because Free Iustification only doth make us fit or worthy or sufficiently meet Luther in Gal. 1. 6. to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light by which only God hath delivered us out of the power of Id in cap. 1. 17. darkness and hath translated us into the kingdome of his Colos 1. 12. 13. deare Son Colos 1. 12. 13. For thus are we translated out of sinne into righteousness out of Gods wrath into his well-pleased favour out of cursednesse into blessednesse out of death into life for when sinne is taken away in the place thereof commeth righteousnesse in the place of wrath reconciliation and grace and free and well-pleased favour in the place of death life and in the place of damnation salvation CHAP. XVI Of the other foure fruits or effects declaring the Vtility and Majesty of Free Iustification THe third maine point shewing the Majejestie The third effect is Peace and loy in the conscience and Utility of Justification is That whereas the want or the ignorance of it is the losse of all true peace and joy in God so the right knowledge and apprehension thereof is the lively spring of joy and of a good conscience bursting forth into a joyfull confession and glorifying of God both in heart and tongue See this is that sweet Song of Mary Luke 1. 46 47. Where she saith My soule magnifieth the Lord and my Spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour for seeing the imperfections of our Sanctification are in this life so great That all our Righteousnesse is as a menstruous cloath If wee know not assuredly that by this glory of Justification all our sins which simply of themselves as the Image of the Devill God so cloatheth are quite and clean abolished from before him and that wee are perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God wee cannot have but rather doe disanull that Peace and great joy unspeakable and glorious That Justification by such perfect abolishing of all our sinnes from before God and free making as so perfectly rigteous in the sight of God doth hereby bring unto us For which the Gospel is expresly called joyfull newes from heaven without which joy we are not sure that we are delivered out of the kingdome of Satan which is sinne and death but by this joy the faithfull soule the true Bride of Christ may feele it selfe to be entred with Christ into the Eride-Chamber which is the kingdome of heaven For the kingdome of God is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost And whosoever in these things serveth Christ are accepted unto God and are approved of men Rom 14. 17. 18. But if thou ask how Rom. 14 17 thou maist attaine so great righteousnesse as may bring such peace and joy The Apostle answereth That being justified that is freely made perfectly holy and righteous by faith we are so compleatly righteous and become so just and saved That having no need of any works hereunto at all but through faith only obtaining true righteousnesse sufficiently Wee have peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 5. 1. For seeing only sinnes doe breed displeasure between Rom. 5. 1. Sola pe cata simultâ—tem pariant â—â—st uaâ—ex impiâ—s peâ—ateribus c. Phil. 1 7. Incredibi'e gaudiuâ— Marlo in Rom. 5. 1. God and man after that of ungodlinesse and sinners we are made just and righteous from hence it must needs bee that forthwith true peace doth presently arise and this peace that is to say quietnesse and tranquilliâ—y of minde and securitie of conscience which doth passe all understanding Phil. 4. 7. and doth breed in the hearts of the faithfull incredible and wonderfull joy indeed the Law sinne and failing in works terrifieth the conscience oppresseth it with feares and heavinesse of spirit and plucketh it from the assurance of righteousnesse of life and all goodnesse Luth. Gal. 4. 2 3. therefore let us not suffer the Law in any case to beare rule in our conscience especially seeing it cost Christ so great a price to deliver the conscience from the Schoolmaster-like slavery of the Law let the godly learn therefore that the Law and Christ are Why the Law is not to beare rule in the conscience two contrary things whereof the one cannot abide the other for when Christ is present the Law may in no case rule but must depart out of the conscience Idem in Gal. 5 22. and leave the bed which is so straight that it cannot hold two as Esay saith and give place only to Christ Let him only reign in righteousnesse in peace in joy and life that the conscience may sleep and repose it selse in Christ the Bridegroomes bosome without any feeling of the Law sin and death for the fruits of the The voyce of the Bridegroome spirit are not only love but also joy
c. Gal. 5. 22. This is the voyce of the Bridegroome and of the Bride that is to say sweet cogitations of Christ wholsome exhortations pleasant Songs and Psalmes praises and thanksgiving whereby the godly doe instruct stirre up and refresh themselves Therefore God loveth not heavinesse and dulnesse Heavinesse must be abandoned and why of spirit he hateth uncomsorrable doctrine heavie and sorrowfull cogitations and loveth cheerfull hearts for therefore hath he sent his Sonne not to oppresse us with heavinesse and sorrow but to cheere up our soules in him Mark what great joy all the Prophets doe prophesie of and even extort at our hands for the first comming of Christ so do the Psalms so doth Christ and so doe his Apostles not only exhorting us but even commanding us to rejoyce Rejoyce thou Daughter of Zion bee joyfull thou Daughter of Ierusalem â—ach 5. for behold thy King commeth to thee Againe for the fruits of his comming Rejoyce yee heavens for the Esay 44. 12 23. Lord hath done it Shout yee lower parts of the earth burst forth into prayses yee mountaines why what is done and wherefore must there be such great joy For I have put away thy sinnes as darkness and thy transgressions as a mist And thus hath the Lord redeemed Iacob and will be glorified in Israel And albeit wee Luth. Seâ—m in Phil. 4. 4. fall sometimes into sinnes which by nature bring sadnesse and sorrow with them yet forasmuch as they cannot bring so much hurt as Christ if we believe in him bringeth power of abolishing them with profit and safety Joy in the Lord ought alwayes to have the first place with us and farre to overcome the sorrow and sadnesse that commeth by reason of our sinnes Hence doth the truly faithfull soule the Bride of Christ burst forth into this extasie saying I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord and my soule shall bee joyfull in my God Why Because hee hath cloathed me with the garments of Salvation What garments are those He hath covered me with the Robes of righteousness he hath decked Esay 61. 10. me as a Bride tireth her selfe with her Iewells Esay 61. 10. And hereupon saith Luther Beholdhow for this knowledge Luth. in Gal. 3. 13. and benefit of Christ to come the Saints of the Old Testament rejoyced more than we now doe when he is so comfortably revealed and exhibited unto us Indeed we do acknowledge that this benefit of Christ the righteousnesse of faith is an inestimable Treasure But wee conceive not thereby such a full joy of spirit as the Prophets and Apostles did Hereof it commeth that They especially Paul doe so plentifully set forth and so diligently teach the Articles of Justification for this is the proper office of an Apostle and of a Minister of the Gospel to set forth the glory and benefits The proper office of a Minister of the Gospel of Christ to the working of this joy and therefore doth S. Paul define a Minister to be but an help to the peoples joy 2 Cor. 1. 24. When such a rejoycing 2 Cor 1. 24. faith possesseth the heart and the Gospel is so received indeed then God appeareth sweet and altogether loving neither feeleth the heart any thing but the favour and grace of God it standeth with a bold and strong confidence Luth. serm in Phil. 4. 4. it feareth not least any evill come unto it it being quiet from all feare of displeasure is merry and glad of so incomparable grace and goodnesse of God given unto it freely and most abundantly in Christ Wherfore there must needs forthwith proceed from such a faith love joy peace gladnesse giving of thanks praise and a certaine marvellous delight in God as in a most deare and favourable Father which dealeth so fatherly with us and poureth forth his gifts so plentifully and in so great measure upon them also which doe not deserve them Behold of such joy Paul speaketh here which â—ruly where it is there can be no place for sin or feare of death or hell yea nothing is there but a joyfull quiet and omnipotent trust in God and in his favour wherefore it is called joy not in gold silver delights singing health knowledge wisedome power glory friendship favour no nor in works holinesse and such like but joy in the Lord wherefore Paul speaketh saying Rejoyce in the Lord alway and againe I say rejoyce Phil. 4. 4. And Peter Phil. 4. 4. testifieth that the faithfull by beleeving did rejoyce 1 Pet. 1. 8. with joy unspeakable and glorious For in this righteousnesse wherein I am made passively righteous I Luthers argument in Galat. have no sin no feare no sting of conscience no care of death for where Christ is truly seene indeed there must needs be full and perfect joy in the Lord. Wherefore if any man feele himselfe oppressed with Luther in Gal. 2. 20. heavinesse and anguish of heart he must not impute it unto Christ although it come under the name of Christ but unto the Devill who oftentimes commeth under the colour of Christ and transformeth himselfe into an Angel of light for if there be any feare or any griefe of conscience it is a token that this passive The cause of feare and sadnesse of heart righteousnesse wherewith I am freely made perfectly holy and righteous is withdrawne that grace is hidden and Christ is darkned out of sight wherefore we must Luther in serm of the lost sheep in Gal. 4. 7. fight against sadnesse and heavinesse of spirit caused by the law and give no place to the Devill who would by the law break up the bride-chamber of Christ and thrust himselfe into his place that is take away from the conscience her joy and comfort whereby he may not bee able cheerfully to lift up his heart and head before God ever remembring that the Kingdome of heaven into which we by our effectuall calling are translated as the Bride of Christ into his bride-chamber is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. Rom. 14. 17. Fourth Effect Good judgement right discerning of all spirits The fourth effect or fruit declaring the utility of Free Iustification is that it worketh a good judgement and right discerning of all Religions works and worships to the utter overthrowing of all Superstitions Sects and Schismes and doth reduce people from their contentious and dangerous by-paths and doth rectifie their blinde legall zeales mentioned Rom. 10. 3. Rom. 10. 3. declining to sundry Sects and contentious opinions and brings them to the pure and sincere worship of God in spirit and truth that is in one faith only and one Baptisme Ephes 4. 2. to 6. unto which they Ephes 4. 2. to 6. cannot be wonne but by understanding the excellency of Free Iustification and how compleat they are made by it alone before God Colos 2. 10. but will be carried Colos 2. 10. away
with self-deceiving and appearing zeales of God as S. Paul testifieth saying I beare them record they have the zeale of God why what is the zeale of God which they had that is First for matter not following now as in ancient times their owne inventions and false worships of grosse idolatry but now zealously following the law of righteousnesse even the works of Gods owne Law Rom. 9. 31. 32. And secondly for end Rom. 9. 31 32. ayming at the glory of God why what was more to be desired yes but it was not according to knowledge why but they wanted no knowledge as wee may see granted by Paul himselfe Rom. 2. 17. to 20. and Rom. Rom. 2. 17. to 20. and 9. 4. 9. 4. for they knew the whole word of God and how often any word of moment was repeated from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Malachy True but yet they were ignorant of one maine point by which Iustification the heart and life of all knowledge they were ignorant of all for they only knew not free Iustification which is the forme soule heart and life of all the rest because that alone giveth both unto God and unto Christ their full glory for so it followeth in Paul for they being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God did goe about to establish their owne righteousnesse For because the nature of man dares not think The ground of the establishing of our owne righteousnesse of any fellowship and communion with God without a righteousnesse therefore they being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God freely and compleatly wrought upon them by God must needs goe about to establish their owne righteousnesse that is to winne and retain the love and favour of God by their fervency of good works and zeale of Gods glory in doing his law and when this blinde affection of false-doing Gods will doth reign in men being ignorant of the excellency and full and true doing of Gods will in free Iustification then they desire by some notorious zealous good works to out-passe the ordinary course and road-way of walking every man within the limits of his vocation doing the duties of the same comfortably and faithfully to Gods glory in winning and Blinde and rash zeale profiting his neighbours but out-starting others will have some singular zealous works to winne and retaine the said love and favour of God towards them hence flow the superstitious inventions of Popery hence commeth the rash zeale of the Brownists hence commeth the blinde holinesse of Familists hence commeth the painted zeale and holinesse of Anabaptists little differing in truth from Papists they do so stablish their owne righteousnesse of holy duties and works but that encroaching and returning neere to Judaisme they keep themselves closer as they think to the Morall Law of performing universall obedience to all Gods Commandements and so likewise of all other Sects and Religions and of all other Ape-Saints and Peacock-Christians as Luther truly calleth them whatsoever being ignorant of free Iustification But when they come by true faith to see rightly into free Iustification how utterly their sins by the imputation of Christs perfect righteousnesse are freely abolished out of Gods sight and how perfectly and compleatly holy and righteous they are made freely without works and what a full entrance there is hereby into the full favour of God peace and joy of conscience and to all the rest of the glorious benefits of the Gospel then they begin to say Here are the words of eternall life and whither shall we goe then they begin to see that God hath placed them in their vocations for them thereby to practise and testifie their thankfulnesse for those free-given benefits of the Gospel that doe make them so compleat before God and therefore they care for nothing but to keep themselves within the limits of their vocations and to doe the duties of the same faithfully and zealously to Gods glory in benefiting their neighbours And thus they serve God in spirit and truth of faith when all the world runneth awhoring after their owne inventions both of false-supposed true worships and also of doing their vocations in a false manner And therefore doth Luther truly say thus of this powerfull operation and effect Luth. in Gal. 2. 20. of free Iustification Wherefore I say as I have oftentimes said That there is no remedy against Sects or power to resist The only remedy against all Sects them but this only Article of Christian righteousnesse if we lose this Article it is impossible for us to withstand any errors or Sects As we may see at this day in the fantasticall spirits the Anabaptists and such like who being fallen away from this Article of free Iustification will never cease to fall erre and seduce others untill they come to the fulnesse of all iniquity except they be reduced home to rest only in free Iustification For whiles this doctrine pacifying and quieting Luth. in verse 16. the conscience remaineth pure and uncorrupt Christians are made judges over all kindes of doctrine Idem in Chap. 1. 4. The danger of work-mongers whereby a light is opened and a sound judgement is given unto us so as we may most certainely and freely judge of all kindes of life whereby we easily discerne all such Sects as trust rely and hang upon their works to be wicked and pernicious whereby the glory of Gods wrath against sin and Christs works and doings are not only defaced but also utterly taken away and our owne advanced and established Yea upon faith alone of Free Iustification by Christ followeth a most certain knowledge and understanding a most joyfull conscience and a true judgement of every Chap. 3. 28. kinde of life and of all things else whatsoever For they which know and understand it can judge of faith they can discerne a true feare from a false feare they Chap. 3. 23. can judge of all inward affections of the heart and discerne all spirits c. So that if we stick to this anchor-hold of the true manner of free Iustification both the Pope and Satan shall be put to flight because where this knowledge of free-Iustification is retained and this doctrine preached all Heresies and Sects are easily overthrowne Fifthly the laying out of the excellency of free Fifth Effect It rooteth up Covetousnes the root of all â—â—ill Iustification worketh also this powerfull effect namely it is the only meanes to eradicate and utterly root out that inbred originall corruption called Covetousnesse the root of all evill and the love of all vaine pomp and earthly riches so deeply rooted and inwardly infecting the heart that if the heart be not seisoned with some feeling of the worth of the heavenly riches the naturall man in the dead Faith is violently carried upon the least occasion for a little lucre not only to break all lawes both of God and man but also to betray himselfe his soule his
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
or Positions FIrst the horrible filthinesse of sinne is such to Gods infinite pure and righteous Nature and so defiles a man before God Mark 7. 20. that God cannot but abhoâ—â—e â—urse and deâ—est the creature that hath any sinne in his sight as these and such like Scriptures teach Deut. 27. 26. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Rom. 5. 12. Hab. 1. 13. Job 15. 15. 16. And this true meaning of the Law and right understanding thereof this revealing the infinite pure and righteous Nature of God and the horrible filthinesse of sin is to be diligently taught and continually preached of all faithfull Ministers in every mixt Congregation Esay 58. 1. 2. Secondly that the best good workes of the most sanctified children of God as they though moved thereunto by the holy Ghost do them are sin because of their originall corruption and by breaking the tenth Commandement in them thereby they are so slaine that is truely humbled by feeling themselves and all their best workes to be so shut up under sin that they daily bewail that they can performe no obedience nor do any good worke before God in any of all his Commandements as these and such like Scriptures teach Rom. 7. 9 10 11 12 13 14 18. 24. Galat. 3. 22. Rom. 4 5. Phil. 3. 8. 4. Esay 64. 6. Thirdly that the onely remedy to heale this our wofull misery by sinne thus seen and felt to hang fast upon us in this life this only remedy is Free Justification whereby God by the power of his sonnes perfect righteousnesse Esay 61. 10. that all our sins being utterly abolished not out of us 1 John 1. 8. 10. that there may be place for faith Heb. 11. 1. Rom. 4. 18 19 20. to 25. but yet truely abolished form before God or out of Gods sight Colos 1. 22. Wee and all our workes are of unjust made just before God that is so perfectly and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely that as the expresse Word of God teacheth and the Protestant Writers abundantly testifie God doth not and by reason of his actuall power can see no sinne in his justified children freely I say by faith only without workes and our perfect workings And I say by faith onely without workes because faith onely sees this and faith onely enjoyes this and thus we and all our workes both naturall workes civill workes or morall workes and religious workes are perfectly pure and cleane in Gods sight Acts 15. 8 9. Titus 1. 15. and doe fully please satisfie and content God because we are fulfillers of the whole Law of God in his fight for the righteousnesse of the Law is thus freely fulfilled in us Rom. 8. 4. Thus by Christs stripes we are healed Esay 53. 5. thus God forgiving all our sins is ever well pleased and at perfect peace with us for being justified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5. 1. and are freely made and adopted the sons and the daughters of the living God Rom. 9. 26. And thus are truely blessed Rom. 4. 6. for As many as are of faith of Free Justification are blessed with faithfull Abraham Galat. 3. 8 9. and shall be certainely glorified for whom God justifieth them also he glorifieth Rom. 8. 30. And thus we see how perfectly by Christs stripes we are healed Esay 53. 5. And all this Protestant Doctrine of Free Justification and these two parts of the same are cleerely and abundantly taught by these and such like Scriptures Esay 43. 25. Esay 44. 22. 23. Iohn 1. 29. Heb. 1. 3. Heb. 9. 13. 14. 26. 1 Iohn 1. 7. Revel 1 5 6. Dan. 9. 24. Rom. 3. 21 22. Ephes 5. 26 27. Rom. 5. 17 18 19 21. Revel 3. 18. Colos 1. 22 23. Rom. 8. 4. Colos 2. 10. Heb. 10. 14. Rom. 9. 30. Esay 61. 10. Phil. 3. 8 9. Tit. 1. 15. Heb. 11. 4. Fourthly that this true faith of Free Iustification contrary to the judgement of Popish and carnall reason unseparably brings the holy Ghost to dwell in people Galat. 3. 2. Acts 10. 44. Acts 13. 38 39. 52. which holy Ghost infallibly inflames our hearts with true love Galat. 5. 6. and makes the true beleevers in right zeale of Gods glory and in true thankfulnesse to break off from sinne and to mortifie by true repentance their former profane life and ungodly conversation and brings forth a declarative obedience righteousnesse and readinesse to every good worke now made good workes indeed freely by Free Iustification and so brings forth a sincere and though an unperfect yet a free and cheerfull walking in and keeping of all Gods will and Commandements declaratively to manward which is true sanctification And thus is the Law not destroyed by Free Iustification but established Rom. 3. 21. and written in the hearts of true beleevers and they are fulfillers and keepers of the Law two manner of wayes first perfectly making their hearts perfectly righteous freely to the full content and satisfying of God by faith as it was said before of Free Iustification as these and such like Scriptures teach Rom. 10. 4 5 6 10. Acts 15. 8 9. Heb 8. 10. Secondly it is written in their hearts and they are fulfillers and keepers of the Law inchoatively actively and declaratively to manward by love and true sanctification as these Scriptures teach Galat. 5. 13 14. Rom. 13. 8 9 10. Yea this true faith of Free Iustification deeply truely and soundly learned is a thing of perfect vertue and wonderfull operation strength and power to bring forth all good motions inwardly and all good workes out wardly or else it is not the true lively justifying faith but the blinde dead faith that leaves men in sinne death and double damnation as these and such like Scriptures teach Rom. 5. and 6. whole Chapters teach Titus 2. 11. to 15. 1 Iohn 3. 3. to 10. Ephes 2. 10. Ephes 4 5 6 whole Chapters Rom. 12 13 14 15 whole Chapters Iames 2. 14. 17. to 26. Matth. 5. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 9. 5. That all such Ministers as doe not diligently teach and cause people diligently to observe and keep this established true Protestant doctrine but do deny sophisticate and wrangle against the same must needs be like the false brethren amongst the Galathians in the dead faith doting about questions and making controversies about the Law and works and cannot but seduce the people from Christ that is from the simplicity of the faith that is in Christ Jesus to depend and hang for assurance of their salvation upon the Law and works and cannot but be troublers of the Church Gal. 1. 7. and of peoples consciences distracting them into Popery Arminianisme Anabaptisme Familisme Brownisme and all manner of Sects and Schisms about works because by a carnall understanding of Free justification they cannot but rest in the light of reason morall virtues and religion of nature described Rom. 2. 14 15. varnished and deceitfully gilt over with the titles of Grace Graces
so it is the only meanes sanctified with the bloud of Christ to cause people to abound in all godly and zealous conversation And thus have I somewhat the more largly hunted and taken this little Fox Can. 2. 15. because Cant. 2. 15. it is so nourished not only by the Papists that presse it exceedingly out of the examples of the old Testament against the perfection of Free Iustification maintained by Protestants but also some of us Protestants by lisping the language of Ashadod doe goe about with the same to undermine the very root of the Lords Vine that is Free Iustification by going about to prove as we see here by it that we are not by the wedding-garment of Christs righteousnesse made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely full-sufficient of it selfe the more it is rightly knowne to constraine us with all joy to holinesse and righteousnesse not by feare but by love and Evangelicall zeale as strong as fire and death Cant. Cant. 8. 6 7. Tit. 2. 14. 8. 6 7. Tit. 2. 14. CHAP. VIII Containing Answers to three other Reasons Objected THe second reason objected is this we pray daily in the Lords Prayer forgive us our trespasses but he sees those trespasses and sinnes in us which he forgives ergo we are not made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely And againe thus If God have by the wedding-garment made us perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in his sight so that that phrase is true that God sees none in us what need we to pray unto him daily to forgive us our trespasses the Papists a little otherwise in words but all one in effect do bend these objections against our assurance by faith that our sinnes are forgiven saying thus If your faith be an assurance that your sins are forgiven what need you daily to pray to God to forgive you your trespasses for this were needlesse if we were before assured of pardon and salvation Now because this matter of prayer is an exceeding weighty point for what can be more weighty than a right acceptable prayer in the sight of God therefore is this point the more fully to be handled and so much the more because these Objectors would by these objections give an appearance that they never yet made a good prayer to God and no marvell because as it is an easie matter to pray and that sometimes earnestly by the light of nature so it is an hard matter and rare to pray rightly by the light of grace For the very Gentiles by the light of nature understood that God did know and see their sins and also they prayed to God for mercy and forgivenesse of the same and that earnestly Ionah 1. 5. Ionah 1. 5. 14. 14. but they left out in the name of Christ and therefore their earnest prayers were but much babling Mat. Math. 6. 7. Object Answ 6. 7. But we will some say doe pray in the name of Christ To which I answer that yet many doe think when they say for Christ his sake that they doe pray in the name of Christ yea and earnestly also as they are perswaded in their owne minde and yet is their prayer but hypocriticall made rather in the light of nature in them and in the custome and religion of their countrey and in a legall zeale than truly in the name of Christ such are the prayers of the Papists such also are the prayers of the Anabaptists such are the prayers of the Familists such are the prayers of the Brownists and of many other hypocriticall Protestants among us making long prayers of many requests out of the word of God by a good memory yea and very zealously sometimes by the legall zeale all which are perswaded that they pray earnestly in the name of Christ when yet indeed and in truth they are done but in the selfe-deceiving hypocrisie of the legall zeale and so are no good prayers before God But peradventure you will say how then may wee Quest When our prayers be sincere and good before God know that wee have or doe make good prayers to God that are not wrought meerly by the seeming sincerity of the light of nature and in the legall zeale I answer when wee come in the name of Christ Answ consisting in two points rightly which is not in a meere verball but in a reall manner and consisteth in these two essentiall and infallible points First if we have by the unchangeable nature and truth of God revealed in that sentence Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things and by the death of Christ such a true sight above the Gentiles what an infinite horrible thing the least sinne is in the sight of God that we dare not as the Gentiles did and men in the light of nature still doe presse and rush into the presence and sight of God in the least sinne and so give him the true glory of his justice Because as the first Protestant Dispensers of Gods mysteries that rightly make the justifying faith the first entry unto God doe truly say if he be justly condemned of the contempt of his Princes majesty that dares presse into his sight and presence defiled with foule filthy and loathsome dung that is exceeding loathsome in his Princes sight how much more is he to be condemned of filthy hypocrisie in the sight of sin that dares presse and enter into the sight and presence of God foule with the least sin in him and upon him that is a thousand times more filthy and loathsome in the sight of God than the loathsomest dung that can be to the eyes of a Prince and so rob God of the glory of his justice and infinite hatred of the least sinne Secondly that he may not as hereby justly hee might run away with Adam from God and from Gen. 3. 8. prayer he must in his prayers come in some faith hope and comfort of his Baptisme wherein God said unto him in the power of his owne ordinance Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sinnes in calling upon the name of the Lord Iesus Acts 22. 16. for when Acts 22. 16. a Christian feeles himselfe fallen into some sin as the only meanes to raise him up againe must be to returne by faith unto the efficacy of his Baptisme by considering the horriblenesse of the least sinne that he being an infant could not be admitted into the favour of God and fellowship of his Church and children except he were first washed from all his sins and then considers how freely when he was not able in his infancy to send up one groane or sigh unto God for his originall filth not to think a good thought of God yet even then to save him freely Christ opened his side and poured out upon him his heart blood to wash away all his sins past present and to
come and cloathing him with the wedding-garment of his owne righteousnesse did seale the same up unto him to put him out of all doubt thereof by his oath and owne seale of Baptisme and therefore now sighing up to Christ in the sense and feeling of his sins may be much more assured that he will continue his grace so freely begunne unto him we being thus found first of Christ before we sought after him he will preserve us still in that his wedding garment from all sin in his fathers sight continually and for ever for whom he once justifieth he justifieth for ever because as the Apostle saith Heb. 10. 14. Heb. 10. 14. Hee hath with one sacrifice upon the crosse made perfect by justification to the sight of God continually and for ever all them that be sanctified wherewith notably agrees that witnesse of a learned dispenser of Gods mysteries saying That we ought to know that at what time Calv. Instit lib. 4. cap. 15. Sect. 3. soever we be baptized we are at once washed and made cleane for all our life therefore so oft as we fall We must goe back to the remembrance of baptisme and therewith we must arme our minde that it may alway be certaine and assured of the forgivenesse of sins for though when it is once ministred it seemeth to be past yet by following sins it is not abolished for the cleanness of Christ is therin bestowed upon us that alway flourisheth is oppressed with no spots but overwhelmeth and wipeth away all our filthinesse and so preserveth us in perfect righteousnesse to Godward for ever as this I say is the only meanes whereby after our falls we returne unto him his washing us thus in his blood first making us to wash our selves declaratively in teares of love and Evangelicall repentance so is it the only meanes to come rightly unto God in prayer thus we come in the wedding garment thus we come rightly in the name and power of Christs blood that we were baptized in thus our prayer is the prayer of a righteous man that prevaileth much with God thus we come in faith wherein St. Iames bids us not to waver for then we rob the blood of Christ of his glory in us then we obtain nothing of the Lord. Whereby we see that they that will presse by prayer into the presence of God foule in their sin untill they have obtained pardon by prayer doe faile both in the first point of right comming not knowing the horriblenesse of sin revealed in the Word have but a gentilish conceit of the foulness of it so are ready with the Gentiles and Papists to make their prayers to be ex opere operato or in the name of Christ ex Condigno the meanes of the pardon of their sins But they faile much more in the second point both by ignorance of the glory of Gods free pardon given them in their baptisme and also in not comming to pray in the wedding garment of Christs righteousnesse ever preserving presenting them perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely whereby they not praying in this faith not only obtaine nothing of the Lord but also lye naked to all his judgements because God sees not the sprinkling of the blood of the Lambe that is the 1 Iohn 1. 7. cleannesse wrought by his Sons blood 1 Iohn 1. 7. upon the doore posts that is the very entrance of their prayers confessions for how can it be lesse dangerous to enter after a more peculiar manner as we doe by prayer into the presence of the most holy and most pure God infinitly hating all sin without the wedding garment without which God cannot abide to looke upon us but saith Binde him hand and foot take him away and cast him into utter darknesse where is nothing but weeping gnashing of teeth Mat. 22. 13. But if we come Matth. 22. 13. in the faith of this wedding garment freely abolishing all our sins out of Gods sight then all the three persons of the blessed Trinity doe magnifie the glory of their proper offices with one unanimous consent upon us for we must marke that although our justification be the worke of the whole Godhead yet the three persons have their severall offices therein peculiar and The Trinity have severall offices in justification proper to each person which of us ought to be discerned and rightly distinguished as First the Son comes downe freely to us when else we durst not ascend up by prayer to God and is thereby the Lambe of God that taketh away the sin it selfe Iohn Iohn 1. 29. 1 29. by making us perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely 1 Iohn 1. 7. And this 1 Iohn 1. 7. must be our first ground of entering by prayer unto God whereupon as the Apostle saith we have holdnesse and entrance with confidence through this faith in him Ephes 3. 12. Ephes 3. 12. Secondly the sin being gone the Father forgives the punishment due to that sin that his Son hath abolished as it is expressely said Psal 32. My sins being Psalme 32. covered and by the imputed righteousnesse of the Messiah to come utterly abolished out of thy sight ver 1. then thou forgavest the punishment of my sin ver 5. Verse 1. Verse 5. and then powreth out all manner of blessings upon us both temporall and eternall not only for our good but principally to dignifie and glorifie the blood and righteousnesse of his owne Son in us and upon us And thirdly the holy Ghost reveales and seales the assurance comfort and expectation of these blessings unto our soules giving us the eyes of understanding and faith to know and see these invisible good things 1 Cor. 2. 9 10 11 12. Ephes 1. 17 18. Object 1 Cor. 2. 9 10 11 12. Ephes 1. 17 18. But hereupon will some peradventure reply and say if our prayers be naught except we come thus to pray cloathed in the wedding garment of Christs righteousnesse which is Gods royall pardon the royalty whereof is such that it preserves us even from our baptisme and presents us ever perfectly holy and righteous Why we aske daily forgivenesse of sinnes from all spot of sin in the sight of Godfreely What need we then to pray daily to God to forgive us our trespasses if we have not one spot in the sight of God before we pray especially as the Papists object if the nature of our faith be such an assurance that it assures us that we are so cleane before we pray Answ for three causes I answer with the Protestant Antagonists against the Papists that in three respects we continue daily to to aske of God forgivenesse of our sins First because the more faith any childe of God hath the more he prayeth for this glorious forgivenesse because the more grace he hath the