communicated to any creature much less can it become the accidental righteousness of any creature 2. Positively that which is our righteousness 2. Positively for justification It is the most Adeqâ—ate and perfect obedience of Jesus Christ the Mediatour God-man to the whole Law of God Gonsisting in a most exact conformity of his whole humane Nature with all its actions Justitia Iesu Christi per quam justificamur coram Deo est perfectissima totius leg is divinae obedientia consistens in exactissimâ totius naturae Humane Christi omaiumque Actionum passionum ejus internarum externarum conformitate cum tota lege Dei quam loco nostro perfectissime implevit ut nobis a morte aeternâ liberationem jus vitae aeternae acquireret Syntag Polan p. 457. and passions thereunto whereby both actively and passively he fulfill'd the Law most perfectly For proof you may please to read Rom. 8. 3 4. Gal. 4. 3 4. Rom. 5. 16 17 18 19. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous vers 19. O Believers this Garment of Sun-beams wrought out for ye by the Sun of righteousness must needs be glorious if ye consider 1. That Christs humane Nature was never stained neither with original nor actual sin for by his divine Conception by the Holy Ghost he received of his Virgin Mother a pure un-deflowred Virgin Nature which all along he kept immaculate 2. The Humane nature in him is dignified with Union to the Divine to the second person in the Trinity in which it doth subsist as God descended to the lowest to become man so now man viz. the humane Nature ascendeth to the highest to be personally one with God 'T is the righteousness of Christ the Mediatour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man in one person though inherent in the Humane Nature and performed by it And this is that which by communication of properties gives infinite value vertue and eternal efficacy to the obedience of Jesus Christ wherefore ' â—is called the righteousness of God This I must profess to be the chief stay of my faith and the principal foundation of my comfort that He is Jehovah our righteousness Jer. 23. 6. that he who is God blessed for ever is the root and off spring of David that Rom. 9. 5. 't is the Prince of Life that died Acts 3. 15. that the Lord of Glory was crucified 1 Cor. 2. 8. that that blood which is the price of my redemption and justification is the blood of God that he that was in the form of God and thought Acts 20. 28. it no robbery to be equal with God did humble himself and became obedient to the death of the Crosse for me which whole humiliation Phil. 2. 6 8 Gal. 2. 20. of Jesus Christ God-man from his conception to his crucifixion especially his bloody Some say it consists both in applicatione pronunciatione ipsius Dei Justitia Dei est non peccare justitia bominis est non imputari peccatum Bernard Serm 23. in Cantic passion is the material cause of our justification Thus much for the essential material Cause of our justification 3. What is the formal Cause of our justification I answer 'T is the imputation of Christs Righteousness because by imputing and applying it to us he is pleased to justify us Rom. 4. 11. Psalm 32. 1. Rom. 4. 8. 2 Cor. 5. 19. Acts 10. 43. Acts 13. 28 29. Sr. Ambrose Bishop Downame and others do express it by this simile When Rebecca cloathed her son Jacob with the garments of her elder son Esan the matter of the action was the garment of Esau which being applyed to him did cover him but the form of the action was the applying it to him the indution or putting it upon him so the matter of our justification is Christs righteousness the formal cause of our justification is the Fathers imputing or applying Christs righteousness to us The Apostle most clearly argues by way of comparison between Adam and Christ how could Rom. 5. 17 18 19. the disobedience of Adam be made ours for condemnation or the obedience of Christ be made ours for justification unto life but only by imputation seeing they are both transient Acts. A learned Philosopher tells us Motus non est nisi dum fit postqâ—am factus est non est Jul. Scaliger That a motion whether action or passion hath no being but while it is in doing or suffering but after it is done it hath no being the disobedience of the one and the obedience of the other the transgression of Adam and the righteousness of Christ can be no way conveyed to us but by imputation which term of imputation of Christs righteousness notwithstanding the Papists scoffing at it and calling it putative righteousness is used ten times in Rom. 4. 4. The End or final Cause for which God doth justifie a sinner by imputation of Christs righteousness and that is either supream or Utriusque enim miseri cordiae justitiae admirabile bio temperamentum relucet subordinate 1. The supream End is the manifestation of the Glory both of his justice and mercy as both which concur in all his works so chiefly in this great work of Justification The Lord is righteous in all his works and holy in all his wayes Ps 145. 17. 1. That his Justice might be fully Glorified God sent and set forth his own Son to be a propitiation for our sins and hath punished them in his humane Nature I say saith the Apostle to declare his righteousness that he Rom. 3. 25 26. might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus 2. That his grace mercy also might eminently be magnified he hath sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might be justified freely by his Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Rom. 3. 25. and Deus Pater nos justificat ut judex quidem sed sedens in Throno Gratiae c. Synops that we should be to the praise of the glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved Ephes 1 6. Wherefore not unto us not unto us not to any works of righteousness that we have done but to the Father of Mercies the Lord God omnipotent and to the Lamb that sits upon the Throne be all Honour and Glory Blessing and praise for evermore Revel 5. 13. 2 Tim. 1. 9. 2. The subordinate end is our Salvation Rom. 8. 30. whom he hath justified them also he Glorified Tit. 3. 7. That being justified by his Grace we should be made heirs of eternal life Though our salvation be our particular proper Our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supream end or chief good to which both justification and sanctification are referred yet it is subordinate to Gods Glory as to the Soveraign and universal End for such is the infinite goodness of God to believing sinners that he hath subordinated their salvation to his own Glory The precious properties of this Righteousness how it is a divine righteousness a temptation vanquishing and a World-overcoming righteousness a Law fulfilling and a justice satisfying righteousness a most perfect righteousness a Glorious Robe of righteousness an everlasting righteousness c. Ye have heard at large discussed from another Text therefore I shall forbear to enlarge herein Lastly What are the blessed fruits and consequences of Justification I answer 1. Sanctification inherent with good works apparent which non praecedunt justificandum sed sequuntur justificatum as Austin speaks they do not go before but follow after a state of justification 2. Peace with God that is an holy Tranquility and sweet serenity of conscience Rom. 5. 1. 3. A free Access to God Rom. 5. 2. 4. Certain hope of Glory Rom. 5. 2 5. 5. Consolation yea Gloriation in and over afflictions Rom. 5. 3. 6. The shedding abroad the love of God into the hearts of the justified Rom. 5. 5. 7. Conservation from wrath to come Ro. 5. 9. 8. Glorification and eternal life Rom. 8. 30. Rom. 5. 21. that as sin hath reigned unto death even so might Grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. A word or two at parting to the Justified by way of Application 1. Walk up to your Duty 2. Live up to your Comfort 1. Walk up to your Duty Ye that are the tedeemed of the Lord the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus walk worthy of him who hath called you to his Kingdom and Glory As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him Col. 2. 6. Receive not this Grace of God in vain this is a certain evidence of your freedome from Condemnation if ye walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8. 1. and herein is your father glorified if ye bring forth much fruit John 15. 6. As your Receipts are great so give me leave to tell you your duty is and your Accompt will be great also so live so act so work that ye may give up your accompt with joy 2. Live up to the Comfort of your state ye are already the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what ye shall be 1 Joh. 3. 1. who shall lay any thing to your charge whether men or Devils 't is God that justifieth it is Christ that died c. Ro. 8. 33. Behold thy Treasures thy Comforts thy Joys thy Portion thy Priviledges laid up for thee in that precious Cabinet Rom. 5. 1 2 3 4 5. Wherefore feed nay feast thy Soul by faith upon them wherefore in the worst of times the righteous shall be glad in the Lord and all the upright in heart shall glory Psalm 64. 10. Thus so far as one Exercise would permit I have endeavoured to give some satisfaction in the great Argument of Justification Consider what I have said and the Lord give ye understanding 2 Tim. 2. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS
cultrix manifostat Athan in his Ep. ad Solitar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphan punishments concludes of that Sect it evidently declares it self thereby to be neither pious nor to have any reverence of God Epiphanius gives this as the Character of the semi-Arrians they persecute them that teach the truth not confuting them with words but delivering them that believe aright to hatred wars and swords having now brought destruction not to one City or Countrey alone but to many Again The Councel of Sardis Ep. ad Alexand expresly affirms that they disswaded the Emperour from interposing his secular power Praecipit sancta Synodus Nemini deinceps vim inferâ—e Cui enim vult Deuâ— miseretur quem vult indu rat to compel them that dissented And the Councel at Toledo by one of their Canons condemned the ugly trade of persecution The holy Synod commandeth that none hereafter shall by force be compelled to the faith for God hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth These instances among many more producible I have named whereby 't is evident that persecution was long since condemned as wicked both by Fathers and Councels Ye shall ever finde it the black mark of the Beast and false Prophet to persecute the Image of Jesus 2. As it is a wicked so it is a fruitlesse Practice The silly persecutor doth but beat the air plow the sand and kick against the pricks his work is senslesse and fruitlesse though he may bring others to the fire he doth but labour in the fire as the Prophet speaks his work will be burnt up and come to nothing as with the Children of Israel in the Land of Aegypt the more they were afflicted the more Exod. 1. 12. they multiplied So the more the Saints are persecuted the more they are augmented this is a strange yet a true Paradox the more they are depressed and oppressed the more Depressa resuâ—go they grow like Camomile the more they rise up like the Palm-tree 't is apparent by all stories in all Ages that the more precious blood hath been spilt the more precious seed Sanguis Maâ—tyrum semen Ecclesiae multiplying into an innumerable off-spring hath been sown All along the Blood of the Martyrs hath been the seed of the Church This not only the Pagan Emperours of old notwithstanding all the havock they made of the Lambs of Christ but also the mightiest Christian Emperour that ever sweyed the Western Scepter had experience of Charles the fifth son of Pepin King of France Emperour of Germany after all his Warrs Slaughters stirs and Bâ—zzles in the world to extirpate the Protestant faith at last was weary and left the matter much as he found it and betook himself to a private life And when in his retirement he came to dye he depâ—â—ted in the same faith as the renowned Historian Thaanus relates which in his life-time he had persecuted Casting himself with Se quidem indignum esse qui propâ—â—is meritis regnum coelorum obtineret sed dominum Deum suum qui illad duplici jure obtinuit Patris haereditate passionia merito altero contentum esse alterum sibi donare ex cujus dono illud sibi merito vindicet hâ—â—què â—â—duciá fretus minimè confundatur c. â—huan Hist lib. 21. his whole soul upon God he thus reasoned That for his part he was on the account of any merits of his own unworthy to obtain the Kingdome of Heaven but his Lord and God who had a double right unto it one by inheritance of his Father the other by the merit of his own Passion Contented himself with the one Granted the other unto him by whose Grant he rightly laid claim thereunto and resting in this faith or Confidence he was not confounded c. Another instance is out of Sulpitius Severus * Non expressa est haeâ—esis sed confiâ—mata latius propagata in the end of his second Book Ithacius with some other Bishops his Associates procured Maximus the Tyrant to put Priscillianâ—s a Grostick with some others to death and to banish some of their followers what follows †Inter nostâ—oâ— perpetuum discordiarum bellum exaâ—siâ— qâ—od jam per quindecim annos foedis dissentionibus agitatum nullo modo sopiri poterat Sulp. Severus thereon Hoc modo saith the Historian homines luce indignissimi pessimo exemplo necati aut exiliis mulctati On this manner were those most unworthy wretches either slain or punished by banishment by a very bad precedent and what was the success of this Fury He tels us the Heresie was so far from being expressed by it that it was the more confirmed and propogated And what ensued hereupon in the Church it self the Author tels us in the end of his Ecclesiastical story Amongst ours a lasting war of discord was kindled which after now it hath been carried on for fifteen yeares with shameful Contentions could by no means be allayed Those that have read the Germane French and Brittish Annals will set to their seals that this is true that persecution hath ever been a vain unprofitable Work a beggatly poor Trade none have thriven by it that have followed it yea a most destructive Trade How have Countreys and Kingdomes been inveloped in blood and war in confusion and distraction where this phrensie hath reigned and raged 3. Persecution of the Saints of God for Conscience-sake is not only a most wicked and fruitlesse but also a most dreadful practise and that for two Reasons to name no more 1. Christ espouses his Saints injuries he takes them as done unto himself Saul Saul why persecutest thou me said Christ to Saul As a Christian shares with Christ in all his dishonours Acts 9. 4. Psal 69. 9. He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of mine eye Zech. 2. 8. The reproaches of them that reproach thee are faln upon me so Christ partakes with Christians in all their persecutions he accounts himself concern'd in all their injuries Now is it not dreadfull to be an enemy to Jesus Christ Is it not dreadfull to be found a fighter against God Is it not dreadful to war against Heaven to pull down Almighty and eternal Vengeance on a mans head 2. As the Persecutors ordain their Arrows against the Saints their cruel Laws Edicts Fines Pains Penalties as they have done in one part of the world or other in all Ages so God hath by way of requital ordained his Arrows against the persecutors if they turn not God hath prepared for them the instruments of Death the Scripture speaks expresly he ordaineth his Arrows against the Persecutors Psalm 7. 13. And those Arrows viz. divine judgments shall be sharp in the hearts of Christs Enemies 'T is confessed an ignorant persecutor may be pardoned upon great Videtur innuere Paulus nullum esse veniae locum nisi ubi suppetâ—t ignorantiae excusatio Calvin his verbis neque Paulus
Jesus before thou dost rout the enemy totally and come off with a final Conquest Thou must strive long and strive lawfully 2 Tim. 2. 5. Quo seme◠est imbuta recens servabit odorem Test◠diu c too before thou art crowned Grace by the supplies of the Spirit is daily working out corruption and cleansing the soul of filthiness but the Vessel thy heart is so deeply tainted that it cannot be perfectly cleansed presently Sanctification in the power of it brings down the dominion of sin dethrones it casts it down though not quite cast it out Grace weakens the power of sin but not dissolves 1 Cor. 1◠53. the being of it till mortal shall put on immortality 4. Consider the Cloud of Witnesses The most and the best of Saints have had the stain of sin as well as the stamp of Grace there have been Ecclipticks in their Zodiacks Abraham Isaac Jacob Moses Aaron Job David Solomon Peter Paul c. retain blots in their Escutcheons to this day not to encourage sinners that 's a devillish use but to comfort Saints and keep them from despairing when they finde themselves overtaken with infirmities The 7th to the Romans is little other than a dolefull Elegy of the in-being concupiscence and motions of sin in holy Paul as a Pattern of all other Christians who was a man 2 Cor. 12. of as high Attainments Revelations and Communion with God as any other This may a little comfort thee that such Temptations such corruptions as thou dost feel the most eminent Saints have felt the same afflictions are accomplished in your Brethren 1 Pet. 5. 9. 5. Look up to Jesus Christ for sanctification as well as for Righteousness He is thy Redemption as thy King but he is thy Righteousnesse and Holiness as thy Priest which is more fully handled in the ensuing Treatise Oh that the eye of thy faith might see him in all his Excellencies and the hand of thy faith might receive him in all his Offices who is made of God to be thy Wisdome Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Some poor souls look on Christ to be their Righteousnesse but are dark in respect of Holinesse this makes them wander in melancholly shades and desert paths but the Scripture tells us we are compleat in Christ the Head Col. 2. 10. an Head of Influence as well as Eminence and that he of God is made unto us sanctification as well 1 Cor. 1. 30. John 17. 19. as Righteousness and that for our sakes he sanctified himself that we might be sanctified through the Truth and that Christ as our High-Priest appears Heb. 9. 24. Col 3. 3. 1 John 5. 11 12. in Heaven for us and that he is our Life both of Holiness and Righteousness and that he that hath the Son hath Life were not Christ our sanctifier as well as justifier he were not a perfect Saviour but he is both he is All in All to us by our mystical Union with him and what would your souls have more we are justified by Christ but sanctified in Christ Jesus because of the wonderfull spiritual intimate Union between us and Christ. 1 Cor. 1. 2. Ego verò malui servare proepositionem quod melius declaret quomodò nos Pater per Christum sanctificet nempe donando nos filio suo ut ipse sit in nobis nos in eo Reverend Beza in 1 Cor. 1. 2. Oh that every contrite heart would live purely by faith on Christ as the Lord their Righteousness and as their Head and fountain of Holiness the just must live by faith and is not he the Author Heb. 12. 2 and finisher of your Faith Thus your Sanctification and Consolation will grow up and encrease together My chief design in this Publication is to advance Holiness in the world and thereby God's Honour which is so much fallen to decay Partly by the abominable prophaneness and debanchery of some and partly yea chiefly by the horrid Hypocrisie and Apostacy of others who Dema's-like have made gain godliness and so shipwrackt faith and a good Conscience The Lord recover such out of the snare of the Devil and give them repentance 2 Tim. 2. 25 26. unto life for his infinite mercies sake I might tell ye that Families Cities Countries Thrones Kingdomes yea the whole world stands See Prov. 20. 28. Pro. 14. 34. Isa 1. 9. Fiat justitia aut rua◠Coelum Jer. 31. 23. by Holiness and for the sake of holy Ones and that we can never expect to be an Happy unless we are an Holy Nation Oh that that most blessed Blessing might be pronounced upon this Kingdome The Lord bless thee O Habitation of justice and Mountain of Holiness This would be the consternation of wicked men and Devils but the rejoycing of Saints and of all the Holy Angels The Lord accomplish it in his time The Blessing of Heaven attend these poor labours to their intended and desired end And Grant this Word like the rain and snow from Heaven may be prosperous to Isa 55. 10 11. them that read it If any shall be hereby enlightned quickned awakened reproved comforted confirmed or any way edified Let she Father of Lights from whom comes down every good and perfect Gift have all the Glory And be pleased to remember at the Throne of Grace Jam. 1. 17. Your affectionate Friend and Servant in the Lord T. C. Christ our Sanctification 1 Cor. 1. 30. Some part of that verse Who of God is made unto us Sanctification The whole verse runs thus But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdome and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption But the words which συν θεῶ we shall insist on at this time and in this small Tract are these Who of God is made unto us Sanctification THe Apostle Paul Rom. 1. 14. confesseth himself a debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians i. e. to all sorts of Gentiles for he was the great Apostle to the Gentiles both to the wise and to the unwise i. e. to all kinds and sorts of men in particular amongst them for all sorts of men may be ranged into these two Ranks or Orders the wise and unwise In imitation of the holy Apostle I who am the lowest and least of Saints and the unworthiest of all the servants of the Lord most unfit for so honourable and high a Calling as the Ministry of the Gospel must reckon my self a debtor both to the wise and unwise to the learned and unlearned as well to the more acute and perspicacious as to the less judicious and enquiring Christian And therefore as in duty bound must cast in my Mite into the Saints Treasury and imploy my Talent though but one and a small one as for the information of the more ignorant so also for the satisfaction of the more ingenious and learned Reader For his satisfaction therefore or at least wise
Christ and union with him There may be saith he a great deâ— of striving and endeavouring that may be utterly ineffectual for want of having recourse to Christ as the Spring and Well-head of all grace and holiness Thus Jesus Christ is our Sanctification by union with him we are sanctified in him and daily receive supplies of grace from him 3. Jesus Christ may be said to be our Sanctification and to be given of God for our Sanctification in regard of Assimilation 1. As Christ is the Author so Christ is the 1 Christ is the pattern of our Sanctification Rule and Pattern of our Sanctification formal and compleat Sanctification consists in a souls conformity to Jesus Christ as the Exemplar or Pattern of his obedience Heb. 12. 3. Consider him that endured c. i. e. consider him as the Pattern and President of your obedience both active and passive Wherefore ye shall find that Christ propounds his own example as the pattern of our obedience Ioh. 13. 15. I have given you an example i. e. of meekness and humility that you should do as I have done to you So Mat. 11. 29. Learn of me for I am meek and lowly Again Phil. 2. 5. Let the same mind be in you as was in Christ i. e. the same opinion judgement affections compassions Once more 1 Pet. 1. 15. As he who hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation Christ throughout his whole life was a standing rule a walking Bible a visible Commentary on Gods Law whose ordinary communicable works and duties are recorded for our imitation 2. Holiness is the Image of Christ Now as 2. Holiness is the Image of Christ the face is both the fountain of that Image or Species which is shed upon the glass and likewise it is the exact pattern and example of it too so Jesus Christ is both the principle of holiness by whom it is wrought and the pattern to which it is conforme Now in an Image there are two things 1. Proportion 2. Deduction 1. Proportion A similitude of one thing to another 2. Deduction A derivation or impression of similitude upon the one from the other and with relation thereunto Now our Renovation is after the Image of Christ 1 Cor. 15. 49. As we have born the Image of the earthly so we shall bear the Image of the heavenly Adam begat a Son in his own likeness i. e. his Son was like him in corruption and mortality so in the Regeneration Christ begets children to himself in his own likeness i. e. like him in grace and holiness in spirituality and immortality for the seed of which we are begotten is incorruptible When man had lost that glorious Image 1 Pet. 1. 23 of God wherein he was created he became an ugly and a miserable creature presently ugly because he had lost his holiness miserable because full of guilt and horror he durst no more draw neer to the most holy inaccessible Majesty than stubble before the flames No man can see his face and live We all by sin are come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deficiuntur short of Gods glory Rom. 3. 23. both of the glory of his Image and of the glory of his Kingdome Now unless the Lord be pleased to exhibit this Image to us through some glass or veil we must be for ever both desolate and destitute And this the Lord hath graciously been pleased to do by the veil of Christs flesh he is God manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16. The glory of God now shines in upon us and before us in and from the face of Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. Christ is the Image of Col. 1. 15. the invisible God and he that hath seen him hath seen the Father So that now by the Incarnation of the Son there is a Vision of Gods glory and a restauration of Gods Image Ioh. 1. 18. No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son who is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him The glittering beamings of the Invisible and Eternal Glory did and do shine most resplendently through the transparent medium of Christs Humane Nature which seen and taken in by the eye of Faith do strangely irradiate and enlighten beautifie and glorifie the soul of man and renew it according to the Image Ephes 4. 23 24. of God in righteousness and true holiness 4ly and lastly Jesus Christ is our Sanctification by way of influence and communication This is more general and hath some connexion with and dependance upon the former Ye have received an Vnction from the Holy One i. e. Christ c. Ioh. 1. 2. 20. This Unction is like that oyntment that ran down from the head of Aaron unto the skirts of his garments to note the plentiful effusion of the Spirit on Christ and from Christ unto his lowest members 1. The Spirit of holiness was Christs right jure proprio by vertue of the personal union so that Christ had a plenitude or fulness of the spirit in him like the fulness of a fountain but to us the spirit belongs by an inferiour union So Bishop Downâ—m in his Justification through Christ our Head by way of influence from Christ our Head from the grace of the Spirit is derived in such proportion as Christ is pleased to communicate yet 't is the same holiness for truth and substance As it is the same light which breaketh forth in the dawning Simile of the day with that which inhereth in the body of the Sun shining in his strength 't is in Christ in fulness in us in measure The Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 3. 18. We are changed into the same likeness with Christ by the Spirit of the Lord. 2. Of this fulness of the Spirit which is in Christ believers do receive and grace for grace Ioh. 1. 16. As the Child receives member for member from the Father and as the paper receiveth letter for letter from the Press c. so a sanctified soul receives grace for grace i. e. all manner of grace exactly and proportionably from Jesus Christ The glorious Image of Gods holiness in Christ fashioneth and produceth it self in the hearts of the faithful as Simile an Image or species of light shining on a glass doth from thence fashion it self upon a wall by reflexion As the head communicates real influences to the body so Iesus Christ who is both an head of eminence and of influence communicates his spirit grace light life comfort to his Body the Church for he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are both of one As they are one in Nature so one in Spirit and in spiritual likeness also For the farther explication and illustration of this deep and illustrious truth viz. The Jesus Christ is our Sanctification Before I come to the definition of Sanctification I shall subjoyn these particulars Causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Saints 1. For himself I will not turn away from them to do them good 2. For his Saints I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Though they fall they shall rise again though they step aside into the wayes of death God will bring them back and give them repentance unto life They may turn from God for a season but they shall never finally depart from him The Gates of Hell shall never prevail against them that is either the infernal spirits Eph. 6. 12. called principalities and powers or the strength of Death and powers of the Grave shall never dissolve the Union between Christ and them for I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor Rom. 8. 38 39. height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 2. It is a flourishing and progressive Principle Psalm 92. 12 13 14. The Righteous The Morto of the Palm-tree is Depressa Resurgo shall flourish like the Palm-tree he shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God they shall bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing Cant. 8. 16. Awake O North-wind and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the spices thereof may flow out in adversity in prosperity under desertion under consolation come smiles come frowns come the warm summer of joy or the cold winter of sorrow All the gales and blasts of Divine Providence shall sweetly conspire to open the Spices of Gods Garden to ripen and diffuse the savour of the graces of the Spirit in the hearts of Saints the North-wind is ripening the South wind is refreshing by both the Spices shall flow out Grace small at first like a grain of Mustard-seed in tract of time will grow to a Tree of so great a bulk that the Fowls of the Ayr may lodge in the branches of it and of so high a stature sa to reach from earth to Heaven A spark of Grace like a spark of fire is kept alive in a sea of water * Cant. 8. 7. Many waters shall not quench it neither shall the floods drown it I give to them saith Christ eternal life and they shall never perish c. John 10. 28 26. Lastly Where-ever the Image of Christ is it is progressive The picture or likeness of a man in a frame grows not 't is alwayes at a stand but the image of a man in his childe is far different 't is lively vigorous and progressive 't is the property as well as duty of every real Saint to perfect Holinesse in the fear of God to forget the things behind is 2 Coâ— 7. 1. reach forth unto those before to press on towards the Mark As the wicked grow worse and Phil. 3. 13 14. Rom. 1. 17 Psal 84. 7. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Gratia Consummata est Gloria perficiens worse the Saints grow better and better they go on from faith to faith from strength to strength and from Glory to Glory till they are swallowed up in Heavens Glory The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day Prov. 4. 18. Well then cast up your Accompts examine your hearts consider your waâ—es Are ye stars or Meteors are ye burning Lamps shining Lights or Dark-lanthorns grow I am sure ye do either in sin or holiness upward or downward Hell-ward or Heaven-ward And go ye do daily either forward or backward either toward the Mount of God the Hill of Holiness or towards the Lake of Fire the burning Tophet If ye are Saints rise up Ascend your Lord is risen Why seek ye the living among the dead If ye are sanctified by him ye are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 privat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Terra A Saint is not an earthly but an heavenly-minded man Grace like fire is alwaies ascending to its Center risen with him If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above Col. 3. 1. Set your affections on things above and not on things beneath or on the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. minde the things above and not the things on or of the earth If ye are redeemed from the earth your Contemplation your Communion your Conversation is and ought to be above where Christ â—itteth at the right hand of God And the nearer home the * Omnis ascensus in this sence as well as descensus velocior in fine quam in principio swister should your pace bee Gird your Lions Trim your Lamps fill your Vessels prepare your Souls do all diligence make your Calling and Election sure for * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doing these things ye shall never fall but have in abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdome c. 2 Pet. 1. 10 11. so doing ye shall have Magnificent and Royal Entrance the Gate of Heaven opened full Assurance and most ample Reception into Glorie Thus having gone through the Doctrinal part of the Proposition we proceed to Application Now for Application Use 1 If Jesus Christ be given of God the Father or our Sanctification Then in the first place by way of Information Ye that are the Saints of God hence learn to give distinct Glory in Believing to the several Persons in the Blessed Trinity Get right apprehensions of the Divine Persons and of the several endearments with which their Personal operations are clothed and represented and so worship and glorifie the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Divine Essence God is most honoured your minds most enlightened and your hearts most warmed and comforted when your thoughts are most distinct explicit and clear in this matter in so doing * Tuum Nomen sanctificetur recte per nomen intelligimus beneficia personarum Patris officiuÌ„ meâ—ita beneficia filâ—i Mediatoris officium ac benâ—ficia Spiritus sancti quae in Scâ—ipturâ revelantur pradicantur M. Chemnit Harm Evangel p 610. Col. 1. 12 Joh. 16. 14. you hallow or sanctifie the Name of God indeed The Saints are Gods gift the Sons purchase the Spirits charge God in the Eternal Compact gave the Saints to Christ to save and Christ gives them to the Spirit to sanctifie and so * fit them for Glory If the Father had not loved you before all worlds the Son had not Redeemed you and if the Son had not Redeemed you the Spirit had never Sanctified you and the Spirit works as the Sons Spirit He that is the Spirit shall glorifie me saith Christ for he shall receive of mine c. Now Consider the love of the Father in Election the merit of the Son in Redemption and the efficacy of the Spirit in
Polan Mat. 3. 15. Rom. 8. 3 4. but he on earth was in a strict sense legally just and righteous he only fulfilled all righteousness even the righteousness of the whole Law and the Holy Angels are thus justified 2. Evangelical That in short is this through faith in Christs righteousness a believing sinner is justified before God in foro coeli Rom. 5. 1. Finis perficiens non interficiens in the Court of Heaven And Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10. 4. we ought directly to go to Christ for justification and not to go back to Moses by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be Acts 13. 38 39. justified by the Law of Moses a sense whereof a believer hath more or lesse in foro Conscientia in his own conscience Rom. 14. 17. The kingdome of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 5. from the 12. to the end proves at large our sole and whole justification by the righteousness of One even Jesus Christ In a word the Lord accepteth and reputeth a guilty unworthy sinner yet believing as righteous by the free imputation of the righteousness of Christ unto him Thus much for the Terms Justifie and Justification 3. We come in the third place to the definition of Justification I am not ignorant that the definitions thereof are many but the most clear and comprehensive I take to be this What is Justification Answ Justification is a most merciful and Definition of justification righteous Action of God as Judge whereby imputing the righteousness of Christ to a believing sinner he absolveth him from his sins and accepteth of him as righteous in Christ and as an heir of eternal life to the praise and glory of his own mercy and justice All which at leastwise for the most part is comprehended in Rom. 3. 23 24 25 26. I do not intend at this time to prosecute the parts of this Definition at large but only speak to two things in transicu 1. The justification of a sinner is an Act of God as Lord Law-giver and Judge Rom. 8 Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa 33. it is God that justifieth the whole Trinity Father Son and Spirit Jam. 4. 12. There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy none but the offended Majesty can pardon mans offences 'T is the injured Deity that saith I even I am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins Isa 43. 25. O glorious and gracious Word Hee that will by no meanes clear the guilty having received satisfaction in his Son by the imputation of his Sons righteousness justifies the ungodly acquits them from the guilt of sin and accepts them as righteous Rom. 4. 5. in his sight 2. The righteousness of justification quaâ—â—us justification works not a real inherent â—hange in us which is done in sanctification but makes a relative change without us and upon us as it is a judicial act of God an act of God as Law-giver and Judge in opposition to Condemnation Justification makes a relative change or mutation in respect of a mans estate or condition a guilty person is pronounced righteous the sinful Debtor is discharged and Enemy is now reconciled a miserable captive is redeemed a childe of wrath is made a Son of God and an unworthy worm an heir of Glory These are relative mutations though they that are justified are also together sanctified in order of Time these acts of grace are wrought together but in order of Nature justification is the Antecedent and sanctification is the Consequent and mark it where justification changeth a mans Relation to God and Eternity there sanctification changeth a mans disposition and renews the soul with inward holiness both are the sacred effluxes from Christs righteousness the first is wrought by the righteousness of Christ imputed the other by the righteousness of Christ imparted one by Christs personal righteousness the other by way of influence and infusion from Christ is both caput eminentiae caput influentiae Christ as Head Wee ought to take great heed least we confound justification with sanctification as Bellarmine and the Papists do 4. In the fourth place we come to shew the essential parts of our justification and these are two 1. Absolution from sin 2. Acceptation as righteous in Christ Both which the Lord granteth by the plenary and perfect satisfaction made to his Law and justice by Jesus Christ both our Surety and Mediatour by which he satisfied the Law in both parts 1. He satisfied the Law in respect of the penalty by his Passion or passive righteousness undergoing the Curse for us Gal. 3. 13. 2. He satisfied the Law in respect of the Precept by his perfect active righteousnesse habitual and actual but neither of these can be severed any where from the other And Rom 3. 4. these which God hath so indissolvably joined let no man put assunder each hath its proper interest in and respective contribution toward the satisfying the injured honour of Gods Law for the honour of Gods Law is the equity of both its parts its Command and its threatning Christs active righteousness the obedience of the Great God-man hath honoured the equity of the first viz. repaired the honour of Gods Commandments broken by sinful man And his passive righteousness in like manner honours the equity of the Threatning Christ himself dies to justifie that the sinner is worthy of Death and by offering up himself as a sacrifice on the Crosse he proclaims to all the world that sin is exceeding sinful and that God is exceeding jealous Again Consider Christs See Wallebius his Body of Divinity with the Notes of Mr. Rosse p. 109. active Righteousness was every where passive the distinction of active and passive is needless and his passive righteousness every where active 1. His active Righteousnesse was every where passive because all of it was done in the form of a Servant in our nature he obeyed Christs obedience is an active Passion and a passive Action ibid. the Law in his very incarnation he was passive for therein he suffered an ecclipse of the glory of his God-head 2. His Passive Righteousness was every where active because what he suffered was not by constraint or against his will it was his own voluntary act and deed all along he eyed his Fathers Glory and the good of man-kind Ah! take that instance the Greatest of his sufferings his very dying was the product both of the freeness of his love and of the majesty of his power John 10. 17 18. Revel 1. 5. Read those melting Texes and chew the Cud upon them But to return The Law hath two branches 1. The Commination or the Curse 2. The Precept or Commandment so there are two parts