to the faith and assurance of the remission of our sinnes by making him sinne for vs and woundinge him for our transgressions So to conclude this point albeit all blessing bee in Christ and he be made of God wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemptioÌ„ yet all this shal be in vaine to vs except we beleeve because there is no meanes in the world whereby to obtaine possesse Christ or any blessing in him except faith only For as concerning the Word and Sacraments they are not so much the meanes of our possessing Christ as the meanes of our faith whereby we possesse Christ The third vse and end wherefore faith is given is keeping preserving vs in the possession which it hath brought vnto vs and that both because through faith wee are kept vnto salvation as saieth Pet. 1. Epi. 1. 5. and also because by it wee keepe Christ and all his blessings in our heart For which cause the scriptures place our victorie over Satan sinne and the world in our faith Ioh. 1. Epi. ca. 5. ver 4. 5. and the Apost Paul placeth the chief strength of a Christlan in his faith as that whereby we are made able to quench all the fierie dartes of the Divell Eph. 6. 16. so that there is no enemie of our salvation so great neither any temptation so vehement and fierie which by faith wee are not made able to overcome Thus faith wrought in our heartes by God is of a stronger might and power then the Divel himselfe and all the powers and principalities of darknes therfore Pet. 1. Ep. 5. willeth vs to resist the divel by being stedfast in the faith thereby to teach vs that in a stedfast faith there is streÌ„gth to overcome him The examples of the great power of God which is â—n them that beleeve set downe in Heb 11. doth suâ—â—icieÌ„tly cleer the truth hereof who only by faith are said to have performed suffered so strange wonderful things as no power that ever nature hath given vnto man was able either to performe or suffer This also is manifest if we marke another pointe which is the Saintes recouering of them selves when they have appeared to have bene overthrowen by Sathan in sinne who notwithstanding have by the strength of faith onely recovered victorie over Sathan and sinne So when as in our practise and obedience to God we fall most fearfully yet by faith we not onely overcome our owne guilthines but also all the feare of Gods iust deserved wrath for our guilthines so that our verie sinnes cannot seperate our heartes that beleeve from Christ nor remove the favour of God from vs. For whatsoever blessing wee have once obtayned by faith by that same saith wee are made able to holde it fast to the ende and the faithfull heart sayeth as Iob chap 27. ver 6. I will keepe my righteousnes and will not forsake it and my heart shall never cast it away all my dayes Vpon this ground it is that the Apostle willeth Timothie to fight the good fight of faith 1. Tim. chap. 6. vers 12. because indeed our faith hath the greatest labour in our spiriruall bataile For when all other grace faileth vs yet faith must vpholde vs otherwise we could not possibly but perish For what should have become of Pieter after his fearefull fall if faith had not sustained him This point is yet more cleere if we marke the strength of faith in other two thinges The first is if we shall consider the examples of the children of God who have drawn from God manifold great blessinges by faith as their vncurable diseases to bee cured their dead to be raysed c. Of which a lively example wee have in Math. chap. 9. and Luke chap. 8. in the Woman that had an ishewe of bloud 12. yeares longe and in the wordes of Christ vnto Iairus Luke chap. 8. ver 50. where he saith Feare not beleeve onely and shee shal be saved The other thing to be considered of vs is when God himself seemeth to set him selfe against his children and they are compelled to wrestle with God as with their owne enimie yet by faith they overcome say with Iob 13. 15. Though hee slay me yet will I trust in him And this was liuely shadowed in the Lord his wrestling with Iacob Gen. chap. 32. where it is saide of the Lord that when he sawe that he could not prevaile against Iacob he touched the hollowe of his thigh c. therefore saieth the Prophet Hose cap. 12. ver 3. 4. By his strength hee had power with God and had power over the Angell and prevayled And this the Lord setteth downe expresly to shew vs that the power of God in him that beleeveth is able so to strengthen him that nothing is able to overthrow him To conclude this point that which Angells by nature could not doe in heaven and that which Adam could not doe in Paradise a poore fraile wretch beleeving in the Lorde Iesus is made able to doe by the power of God which dwelleth in his heart by faith for the verie weaknes of God is stronger then Men and Angells and it pleaseth the Lorde to magnifie his strength in our weaknes that the excellencie of this worke may be knowen to be of him and not of vs. For this cause as the Scripture calleth faith our victorie and our shield so the Fathers likewise cal it and moreover the key whereby the treasures that are in Christ are opened vnto vs the ladder by the which we climbe vp from earth to heauen Now the last vse and end wherefore Faith is given is practise that is to make vs able to doe the will of the Lord and obey his commandements for man whose imaginations are nothing but vanitie and that continually and is of no strength of him selfe to performe any good worke neyther is nor can be subiect to the lawe of God having his minde continually sett on evill workes having no goodnes at all dwelling in him is by this supernaturall gift of faith made able to doe the will of the Lord from the hearte for thereby not onely is his darkened vnderstanding illuminate that he may know what is that good acceptable and perfect will of God but also his rebellious will subdued to will and to doe the will of the Lord and his whole affections sanctified to love the lawe of God and to delight in it more then in all treasures and to esteeme it more precious then gold For by faith he is buried with Christ and also hee is raysed vp with Christ by the faith of the effectuall working of God who raysed Christ from the dead Colos chap. 2. ver 13. For which cause also the Apostle Paul to the Ephe. ca. 2. shewing what is the exceeding power of God in theÌ„ that beleeve saieth That we that were dead in sinnes are through the grace of God by faith quickened raysed and made to sit together in heaven in Christ
his members but in God him self For the benefites of God towards Mankinde and the fruites of his love to the vessels of honour are clearely distinguished in scripture in three degrees The first is of those things which God doth in him selfe of which kinde are his purpose foreknowledge predestination The second is of those things which he doth in Christ the Mediator of which kinde are our election redemption and blessing of vs with all spirituall blessings c. The third is of those thinges which he doeth in vs through Christ of which kinde are our adoption or calling our iustification and sanctification and glorification c. By the second pharse the spirit of God would teach vs that albeit in God there be many things set downe in scripture to be considered as the fountaynes of Gods working as namely his infinite wisedome his omnipotent power his infinite goodnes c. yet this action of predestinating vs to adoption is only attributed to the will of God which limiteth the infinitenes both of his wisedome power goodnes in all his actions outward toward the creatures both in their creation and government dispensation of all blessings towards vs both bodily spirituall Heereby we may learne that our blessednes if wee shall examine it in the cause doth surmount all reason and all the capacitie of the reason of man and Angell seeing it is builded vpon no reason of any creature or ground of reason in any creature but vpon the will of the Creator which is not mooved directed or ruled by any thing that is in the creature but by it selfe alone and is the rule of all reason in the creature and of things done by the Creator vnto the creature This shall yet be more easily perceyved if we shall severally consider it in those three pointes of the substance of Gods Decree before mentioned that is in the persons predestinate in the thing whereto they are predestinate and the Meane whereby Concerning the persons who can give a reason why Iacob should be beloved and Esau hated before any of them had done either good or evill except onely the Will of God as it is written I will shew mercie to whom I will shew mercie and will haue compassion vpon whom I will haue compassiō Exod. chap. 33. ver 19. Rom. chap. 9. ver 15. And the spirit of the Lord giving the reason why the Lord did set his loue vpon Israell and did choose them doth remove all respectes which can bee considered in them First their number Deut chap. 7. saying The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a precious people vnto him selfe above all people that are vpon the earth the Lord did not set his loue vpon you nor choose you because you were more in number then any people for you were the fewest of all people Secondly he removeth their power and strength Deutero chap. 8. saying Beware least thou say in thy heart My power and the strength of myne owne hande hath prepared me this aboundance And thirdly he remoueth their righteousnes Deut. chapt 9. saying Speake not thou in thine heart saying For my righteousnes the Lord hath brought me in to possesse this Land And shortly after in the same chap. Vnderstand therefore that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good Lande to possesse it for thy righteousnes for thou art a stiffnecked people Fourthlie he cleareth this ground most evidently in the 10. chapter of Deutero by removing all praerogative and respect of right or reason in respect of right why the Lord should haue chosen thē aboue any other people all people being alike belonging to the Lord saying Behold heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord thy Gods and the earth and all that therein is notwithstanding the Lord set his delight in thy Fathers to loue them and did choose their seed after them even you above all people as appeareth this day Moreover the same point is yet further cleared by the Lord him selfe in the Prophesie of Ezechiel chap. 16. by removing all respect of their worthines or perfection declaring their wretched estate in them selues in filthines and naturall corruption in the very tyme when the Lord did choose them saying In thy nativitie when thou wast borue thy navell was not cut c. And when I passed by thee I saw thee polluted in thy owne blood and saide vnto thee When thou wast in thy blood thou shalt live c. And this ground is made cleare by Christ him selfe Math. chap. 11. vers 25. 26. when he speaketh of the persons vpon whō the Lord bestoweth his grace and of the reason moving him thereto saying I thanke thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto babes It is so Father because thy good pleasure was such These wordes doe plainely teach vs that the will of God onely without any reason in the creature yea which is more contrarie to all reason that may seeme to bee in the creature is the cause of Gods mercy towards man When the simple are preferred to the wyse the weake to the strong the poore to the rich the vyle to the honorable and which is yet more strange the sicke to the whole and sinners to the righteous Therefore to conclude this point we shall see sufficiently the evidēce of it by comparing the first of Iohn vers 13. with the first of Iames vers 18. in the 1. of Iohn it is said That the prerogative to bee the fonnes of God is given to those who are borne not of bloods nor of the will of flesh nor of the will of man but of God And in Iames it is said That of his owne will God begate vs. Of which it appeareth evidently that the persons who are ordayned vnto adoption are pre destinate chosen and called for no cause without God either in Christ as Mediator or in them selves but only of Gods free will good pleasure For it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Rom. chap. 9. ver 16. CHAPTER VI. WE are next to consider the same ground in that wherevnto we are ordayned which is adoption including in it our conformitie with Christ in righteousnes holines life and glory c. of all which benefites there is not one which is not the gift of God and that of meere grace according to his wil good pleasure For albeit al blessings be in Christ yet neither he nor any of thē in him are given to vs but according to the wil of God so that he is a Saviour Redeemer of none but of such as pleaseth God of his good will so that his death satisfaction for sinne is not for any nor imputed as righteousnes vnto any for any cause either in Christ or Man but only to such as it is the wil of God to give it
our libâ—rtie to enter into the most holy place that is to come vnto God proceedeth from the bloud of Iesus Hebr. chap. 10. ver 19. which summarily seemeth to be expressed by the Apostle in that saying Hebr. chap. 5. ver 9. And being consecrate he was made the Authour of eternall salavtion c. By which saying it is manifest that Christ is not the Authour of righteousnes or life to vs but by his consecration that is by his death For therein did his consecration consist as is manifest Hebr. chap. 2. vers 10. and therefore is he said Hebr. chap. 10. ver 14. to have consecrate vs for ever by that one offering wherein consisted his owne consecration And for this same cause is it that the Apostle Hebr. chap. 9. 17. sayeth That the Covenant or Testament is coufirmed when men are dead and that it is yet of no force as longe as he that made it is alive Thereby evidently witnessing that no blessing promised of God in the covenant of grace is made ours but by the death of Christ So that whatsoever went before his death could no wise make the Covenant of God of any force or effect vnto vs. Thus neither in respect of tyme assigned of God vnto the Priestes for entring into their office neither in respect of the Priestlie actions ordayned to bee accomplished by them for reconciliation of the people and expiation of sinne can any thing in Christ before the 30. yeare of his age bee accompted a Priestlie action of expiation neither any action after except onely the offering of him selfe and enteringe with his owne bloud into the heavens for vs all whose names hee carried in that action before the Lorde whom by vertue of his bloud he bringeth vnto God Thus have we shewed such things as in the worde of God doe seeme to exclude all things from the matter of our righteousnes except the blood and death of Christ alone Of which opinion it appeareth evidently that Calvin was if his minde bee wel marked in his owne writings in the third book of his institutions Chap. 11. Secti 4. 11. 21. 22. Where 4. things are expreslie set down by him making all to this purpose The 1. is That righteousnes is simplie opposed vnto guiltines The 2. is That he affirmeth the manner of our reconciliation to be expressed in the words of the Apostle when he saith That Christ who knew no sinne was made sinne for vs. 2. Cor. 5. 21. The 3. is That in that place he affirmeth reconciliation to signifie nothing but iustification The 4. is Touching the place of David Psal 32. cited by the Apostle Rom. 4. In the which he plainiy affirmeth that neither David nor the Apostle doeth speake of one parte only of our iustification but of the whole And therfore addeth that seeing the blessednes of a man which hee taketh to signifie righteousnes is said by the Prophet and Apostle to consist in remission of sinnes there is no reason why we should define it otherwise By which sentence hee plainly cuts away the ground of these men whereon they build their evasion When they are vrged out of that and such other places to acknowledge that full righteousnes consists in remission of sinnes only For to maintayne the imputation of Christs actuall obedience they alledge that vnto eternal life it is not sufficient to have all iniquitie pardoned That is as they interprete it to be innocent but that it is requisit beside the remission of sinnes to have righteousnes which they accompt to come by the imputation of Christ actuall obedience Therfore when these places are aledged wherein blessednes and iustification is only attributed to the death of Christ and only placed in remission of sinnes they answere that these places are synecdochically to be vnderstood As though a parte of righteousnes were put for the whole in which Calvin sheweth himselfe plainly to disagree from them by affirming the direct contrary Thus they who seeme to be followers of Calvin in this point are deceyved CHAPTER XXV NOW it followeth that we speake of these things which are required in Christ to the end that in his bloud hee may be righteousnes vnto vs. For albeit without shedding of bloud there be no remission of sinnes yet many things are required both in the bloud that is shed and in the action of shedding it before it can serve vnto the remission of sinnes First them to speake of the bloud it must needes bee better then the bloud of Goats of Lambes of Bullocks or all the sacrifices of the Law For although the similitude of heavenly things bee purified with the bloud of such sacrifices yet heavenly thinges them selves must be purified with greater and better sacrifices then these Hebr. chap. 9. vers 23. and that because the bloud of those sacrifices which were offered according to the Lawe can never make holy concerning the conscience him that doeth the service To trie then what bloud it must bee First the bloud of a man is better then the bloud of a beast and that it must bee the bloud of a man it is cleere by the holy scripture For he which sanctified and they which are sanctissed must be all of one Heb. chap. 2. 11. And as by one man sinne entered into the worlde so by one man rigreousnes is brought in the world therefore is it saide that IESVS for a little space was made lower then the Angels that by the grace of God he might taste of death for vs all Hebr. chap. 2. ver 9. for the iustice of God requireth that sinne be punished in that nature that hath committed it But yet this is not sufficient to make that bloud that is shed righteousnes vnto vs. For the bloud of a sinner caÌ„ never recoÌ„cile a sinner vnto God and he that hath need to offer sacrifice for his owne sin caÌ„ never by his bloud purge any other man froÌ„ sinne therfore it is requisit not only that it be the bloud of a man but moreover that it be the bloud of a iust maÌ„ in whom there is no iniquitie And this is declared plainly by the types of the law in the which no vncleane thing could be offred for sinne neither behoved there to bee spott or wrinckle or blemish in the Lambe as is cleerly seene in the commaundement of God Levit. chap. 22. ver 20. Yee shall not offer any thing that hath a blemish for that shall not bee acceptable for you According to which lawe it is said of Christ that he offered vp him selfe without fault vnto God Heb chap. 9. vers 14. And the Apostle Peter sayeth That Christ suffered once for sinne the iust for the vniust 1. Epist chap. 3. ver 18 And againe That we are redeemed by the precious bloud of Iesus Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot Neither is this yet sufficient to make the bloud that is shed to be righteousnes before God but more is required in