greater reuerence of the Gospell A fearefull token of Gods departure wheÌ„ he ceaseth to call a people any more For no husbandman will want labourers in his field as long as the haruest is not ended As the Gospell comes not by mans procurement so no power of man can remoue it What a treasure of comfort is to be digged out of this Verse Not so cleare a sight of saluation in all the booke of God The linckes of the Chaine of saluation Election Calling Iustification Glorification are knit inseperably He that hath a sure hold of the middle linckes Calling and Iustification is sure of the other two Election and Glorification Our present life is a point of time betweene two eternities If in this life we fall we may rise againe but if in death we step downeward we shall neuer mend it Eccles. 11. 3. Deu. 30. 15. Prescience and Predestination how they are here distinguished Prescience improperly ascribed vnto God Prescience two manner of wayes considered generally and specially Psal. 139. 15 Heb. 4. 13. In this Chaine it is specially considered as it lookes to the Elect onely Iohn 13. 18. Mat. 7. 23. Predestination is also two wayes considered Foreseene merits falsely collected out of this place This errour is improued by their own men as Caietane and Aquinas Sanctification is an effect of predestination and therefore not a cause of it Eph. 1. 4. 2. Tim. 1. 9. The calling of God sinds euery man in an euill estate Esay 48. 8. Psal. 115. 1. Obiections of men against Gods predestination answered Rom. 9. 20. Aug. in Ioan. tract 26. Aug. Epist. 59 ad Paulin. Gregor in Iob. cap. 9. Predestination takes not away the second causes and meanes of saluation Sathans diuinitie teacheth Atheists to despise the means of saluation God giues his blessings by meanes therefore they should not neglect the meanes who seeke the blessing Hos. 2. 21. Rom. 10. 13 Comfort our election before time cannot be disanulled by any creature made in time Sauing grace is communicated to few therefore should be the more esteemed Mat 8. 11. So is it in nature that rarest things are most regarded Predestination is vnto glory by a conformitie with Christ in our present life Eph. 1. 4. As Christ is the life so is he the way neither can wee come to life but by the way Ioh. 14. 6. Conformitie with Christ wherein it stands Workes done by Christ are threefold 1. personall workes of Redemption 2. Miracles 3. workes of a godly life In the first and second Papists are apish imitators In the third onely should we follow the Lord Iesus Iohn 13. 15. Iohn 15. 12. Mat. 5. 44. Heb 12. 1. We must also follow the Lord Iesus in suffering Augustine Luke 23. 43. Reasons mouing vs to a coÌ„formitie with Christ. The Image of God is our most auncient glory stollen from vs by Sathan and which we should seek to recouer Sathan a double deceiuer Iesus Christ hath first conformed himselfe vnto vs. We cannot be saued except we be comformed to him The name of the first borne three wayes ascribed to Christ 1. as God 2. as man 3. as a mediator Col. 1. 15. Luke 2. 7. 1. Cor. 15. 20 Priuiledges of the first borne are two 1. excellencie of strength 2. excellencie of dignitie Mat. 28. 18. Mat. 3. 17. Miserable are they in this age who doe not acknowledge Christs prerogatiue Whatsoeuer excellencie our elder brother hath it is for our benefit Brethren in Christ are many wayes knit together Ioh. 1. 13. The greatnes of Christs loue toward vs in making vs his brethren What a cleare sight of saluation is here discouered to the Christian. The prerogatiues of a Christian are farre more honourable than any that worldlings can claime to Psal. 87. 3. The most sure and auncient Charters of a Christian to his inheritance Calling is the first manifestation of our Election forerunner of our Glorification What the inward calling is In this Calling there is a taking of some leauing of others God hath taken vs out from amoÌ„g the children of wrath as he took Lot out of Sodome No difference by nature betweene elect men reprobate till our calling make it The time of our calling is to vs as the deliuerance from Egipt or the yeere of Iubily to Israel Calling being a new creation is onely wrought by God August de verb. Apost Man hath not so much as minde of it when it comes to him None are called by this calling but they who are elect What a wonderfull distinction this calling makes among men Miserable are they whom this calling hath not seperated The time of our calling is called a yeere a day to tell vs it is but 〈◊〉 Ioh. 12. 35. Rom. 13. 11 No Grace will be offered to vs after this life Aug. Euodio Epist. 99. Cyprian Sathans principall pollicie is to steale away from men the time of grace Exod. 8. 10 Iustification posterior to Calling in order not in time The word of Iustifying three wayes taken Luke 7. 29 Iustification is opponed to coÌ„demnation How the state of the controuersie of Iustification stands betweene vs and the Papists Foure names giuen to that righteousnesse by which wee are iustified The consideration that Christs righteousnes is ours stoppeth the mouth of all that impugnes our Faith Works not of the vnregenerate onely but of the regenerate also excluded from the act of Iustification Proued by examples The same proued by reason Augustine Eccles. 7. Bern. in fest omniuÌ„ sanct serm 1. How it is that workes of men regenerate doe not merit seeing they are workes done in vs by the spirit of Christ. Heb. 1. 3 Faith works are not simply opponed to other for they are inseperable but opponed onely in the act of Iustification Workes not of the Ceremoniall law onely but of the Morall also excluded from Iustification The distinction of the first and second Iustification improued Iustification Sanctification distinct benefits Iustification Sanctification inseperably conioyned Glorification our last and highest estate out of which we shall neuer be changed How the glorification of our bodyes shewes Gods wonderfull goodnesse and power Three degrees of eternall life The first degree is in this life hath in it these three 1. Righteousnes 2. Peac. 3. Ioy. A three-fold ioy we haue in this life 1. Pet. 1. By the ioyfull first fruites of eternall life we may iudge of the fulnesse thereof Bern. in cap. iâ—iun Ser. 2. Basil. ser. in Gord. Mart. This ioy is not found but in the depth of a contrâ—â—e heart Of the second and third degree of eternall Life Chrisost. Basil. Tertull. The conclusioÌ„ of the whole Chapter consisting first of a generall secondly of a particular triumph The first part of his generall triumph nothing can bee against the Christian to hurt him Worldlings euill iudges of Gods presence who measure it by externall prosperitie Gen. 25. 22. Not by inward Grace The presence of God exempts not
already by himselfe and in his owne person but for our sanctification Secondly the good workes of men regenerate are so wrought by Christ in vs that they are also wrought by vs and we haue our working in them and therefore by reason of our imperfection cannot be perfect for as the fountaines of the actions are so must the actions be themselues the fountaines are mixed being partly good and partly euill for our mind is not so illuminated that there is no darknesse in it neither is our hart so sanctified that there is no vncleannesse in it and therefore the actions flowing from thence cannot be perfect workes of light and sanctification They insist yet further and obiects if the Apostle say they in his conclusion we are iustified by Faith without the workes of the Law did vnderstand the workes of Grace then it would follow that he oppones things which are not to be opponed for workes and Grace workes and Faith workes and Christ are not opposite but agrees very well together as the cause and effect as the tree and the branch To this we answere that Faith and workes agrees well together but there is no thing in the world which agree so well the one with the other but in some things they may be opponed as for example the tree and the branch agrees very well together but if the question be moued whether the tree beares the branch or the branch the tree in this they are opponed that which is affirmed of the one must be denyed of the other Againe there is a very sweet harmony betweene a naturall Father and the sonne the one of them cannot be without the other for hee is not a Father who neuer had a sonne neither is he a sonne who neuer had a father but if this be the question which of them gaue beginning to another here we must oppone them affirming that of the one which wee deny of the other In like manner there is a very sweet harmonie and agreement betweene Faith and good workes but if this be the question for which of them it is that God doth iustifie vs there wee must oppone them affirming with the Apostle that we are iustified by Faith and not by workes alway the opposition is not simple but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their second euasion is a distinction of the workes of the Law Morall and Ceremoniall It is true say they that the workes of the law ceremoniall iustifies not but the workes of the Law Morall iustifies But the Apostle in his conclusion excludes from iustification the workes of the Law Morall for these reasons he excludes those workes of which he hath proued both Iewes and Gentiles to be guiltie but so it is he hath proued them to be guiltie of the transgression of the Law Morall as is euident out of the sins wherewith he charges them therefore c. Secondly he excludes from iustification the workes of that law by which comes the knowledge of sinne but so it is the knowledge of sinne comes by the law Morall therefore c. I had not knâ—wne saith the Apostle that concupâ—â—cence is a sinne except the law had said thou shalt not couet Now it is euident that this is a pâ—ecept of the law Morall Their third euasion is by a distinction of the first and second iustification the first whereof say they is by Faith but the second is by workes But this twofold iustification is also forged for iustificatio est actus indiuidius simul totus there is no first and last in the act of iustification hee that is once condemned iudicially stands so and hee that is absolued stands so Againe this distinction confounds two benefits iustification sanctification which to them is the second iustification That they are distinct benefits the Apostle doth teach vs Christ is made to vs righteousnesse and sanctification but they inconsiderately confound them for if these new qualities infused by Grace into the soule of man and good workes flowing there from be the matter as they say of mans second Iustification then let them tell vs what is the matter of his sanctification To conclude this these are two inseperable benefits to whomsoeuer the Lord imputes the righteousnes of Christ and giues them Faith to accept it as their owne like as for it hee absolues them from sinne and death and adiudges them vnto life so also incontinent workes he in them by his holy spirit an inherent righteousnesse by which they become new creatures so that our iustification hath inseperably annexed with it sanctification But this sanctification of ourâ— is so imperfect that howsoeuer it be accepted of the Father for the righteousnesse of Christ yet is it not so perfect nor sufficient that for the merit thereof wee dare seeke to be absolued from our sinnes and receiued into fauour Them he also glorefied Glorification the last lincke of the chaine is the last and highest benefit that we haue by Christ by which both our soule and body shall be restored to a greater glory and more happy than euer wee enioyed in Adam Hee had his owne most excellent priuiledges hee had this inward glory that he was created to the image of God hee had also for outward glory a dominion and Lordship ouer all the creaâ—ures of God the heauens were made beautifull for his sake the earth made fruitfull Paradise assigned to him as a speciall garden of pleasure and all the creatures ordained to serue him but by our second creation we are beautified with more excellent priuiledges that same image is restored to vs new heauens and new earth created for our sake and with all these we shall haue the Crowne of perseuerance which Adam had noâ— for glorification is our last and highest happie estate out of which wee shall neuer be transchanged and therefore the Apostle goes not beyond it And herein appeares the Lords wonderfull power and goodnesse who of the fall of man takes occasion to make man better than hee was before the fall Our bodyes shall not be raised like to Adams body for euen in the state of innocencie hee was mortall but they shall be raised vp like to the glorious body of Christ. Salomon built a Temple the Chaldeans destroyed it and it was neuer againe restored to the former glory which moued the auncient men to mourne when they saw how the glory of the second Temple was not like the glory of the first but it shall be the great ioy of our auncient Father Adam when hee shall see how farre the glory of the second creation shall exceed the glory of the first Of this Glorification the Apostle speakes in the time past partly to declare the certainetie thereof and partly because it is already begunne for there are three degrees of that Glory The first in this life and that is our sanctification called by S. Iohn the first resurrection and by S. Paul our
the 31. verse to the end wherein hee drawes all that hee hath spoken in this Chapter to a short summe contayning the glorious triumph of a Christian ouer all his enimies The triumph is first set downe generally verse 31. What shall wee then say to these things if God bee with vs who can bee against vs c. This generall incontinent hee parts in two there is sayeth hee but two things may hurt vs either Sinne or Affliction As to Sinne hee triumphs against it verse 33. and 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God his chosen it is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ who is dead or rather who is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request for vs. As to Affliction hee triumphs against it from the 35. to the end Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation anguish or persecution shall famine nakednesse or perill yea shall death doe it or that which is much more shall Angels principalities or powers doe it No In all these things wee are more than Conquerours through him that loued vs. Thus doth the Apostle like a faithfull steward in the house of God take by the hand the weary sonnes and daughters of the liuing God that hee may leade vs into the Lords winesellers there to refresh and stay vs with the â—lagons of his Wine to comfort vs with his Apples to strengthen vs with his hid Manna and to make vs merry with that Milke and Hony which our immortall husband Iesus Christ hath prouided for vs to sustaine vs that we faint not through our manifold tentations that compasse vs in this barren wildernes We come then to the first part of the Chapter wherein the Apostle keepes this order First hee sets downe a generall proposition of comfort belonging to the iustified man Secondly he subioynes a confirmation therof Thirdly he explanes his reason of confirmation and fourthly applyes iâ—first by commination of them who walke after the flesh secondly by consolation of the godly against the remanents of the flesh thirdly by exhortation of both not to walke after the flesh In the proposition againe set downe Verse 1. first he points at the comfort Now then there is no condemnation secondly he sets downe a limitation restrayning this comfort To them who are in Christ thirdly hee subioynes a clearer declaration of those persons who are in Christ to wit they walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Verse 1. Now then This is a relatiue to his former discourse and is as I haue said a Conclusion inferred vpon that which goeth before Seeing wee are iustified by Faith in Iesus Christ and are now no more vnder the Law but vnder Grace seeing we are buryed with Christ by Baptisme into his death that like as he was raised from the dead by the glory of his Father so we also should walke in newnesse of life hauing receiued that spirit of Christ whereby wee fight against the Law of sinne in our members which rebelleth against the Law of our minde seeing it is so we may be sure that the remanent power of sinne in vs shall neuer be able to condemne vs. We see then that these words containe the Apostles glorying against the remanents of sinne the sense whereof in the end of the last Chapter made him burst out in a pittifull lamentation and cry O miserable man who will deliuer me from the body of this death but now considering the certaintie of his deliuerance by Iesus Christ he reioyceth and triumpheth Wherein for our first lesson we marke the diuersitie of dispositions to which the Children of God are subiect in this life sometime so full of comfort that they can not containe themselues but must needs breake forth into glorious reioycings at other times so far deiected in mind that their ioy is turned into mourning and this ariseth in them from the variable change of their sight and feeling The Disciples on mount Tabor seeing the bright shining glorie of Christ were rauished with ioy but incontinent when the cloud ouershadowes them they become afraid If the Lord let vs feele his mercies wee are aliue but if hee hide his face and set our sinnes in order before vs wee are sore troubled As the troubles wee haue in this life are not without comforts blessed bee God the Father of our Lord Iesus the Father of mercies and God of all comfort who comforts vs in all our tribulation so our ioy saith Saint Peter is not without heauinesse the one arising of the knowledge of that vndeserued inheritance reserued for vs in heauen the other of our manifold tentations to which wee are subiect here vpon earth it is these vicissitudes and changes which wrought in Dauid such different dispositions as appeareth in him in the Booke of the Psalmes and which all the godly may be experience finde in themselues Pascimur hic patimur for here we are so nourished with the comforts of God that we are nurtred with his crosses It is the Lords dispensation and we are to reuerence it resting assured that the peace and ioy which once the Lord hath giuen vs may be interrupted but can neuer vtterly be taken from vs the Lord who will not suffer the rod of the wicked for euer to lie vpon the back of the righteous least they put out their hand to wickednesse will fâ—rre lesse suffer his owne terrours continually oppresse our consciences least we faint and dispaire though he wound vs he will binde vs vp againe after two daies he will reuine vs and we shall liue in his sight Weeping may abide in the Euening but ioy shall come in the Morning The chosen vessell of God shall not alway lament and cry woe is me sometime the Lord will put a song of thanksgiuing in his mouth and make him to reioyce thus de aduersis prosperis admir abilivirtute vitam Sanctorum contexuit Deus The life of a Christian may bee compared to a webbe so meruailously mixed and wouen of comfort and trouble by the hand of God that the long thread thereof reaching from the day of our birth to the day of our death are all of trouble but the weft interiected manifold comforts and this haue we marked vpon the coherenee of the beginning of this Chapter with the end of the former Now in these words it is to be obserued the Apostle saies not there is no sinne in them who are in Christ but he saith there is no condemnation to them he hath confessed before that he did the euill which he would not and that he saw a law in his members rebelling against the law of his minde but now hee reioyceth in Christ that sinne in him is not able to condemne him It is then a false exposition of these words which is made by Caietane and
men in the vvorld ye shall see some in stead of following Christ flying from him Qui enim male facit odit lucem for hee vvho doth euill hateth the light Others vvhere they should follow him runne before him not waiting vpon his light direction in matters of his vvorship followes their owne spirit doing that vvhich is good in their owne eyes they run vvith zeale but not in the right vvay And vve haue so much the more to take heede vnto the vvay because euery mans course declareth vvhat kinde of man he is vvhether carnall or spirituall and vvhat vvill be his end he that soweth to the flesh of the flesh will reape corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reape life euerlasting I am perswaded there is no man among vs vvho vvill not say hee vvould be at the best end vvhich is eternall life but here is the vvonderfull folly of men the proposed end of their pilgrimage vvhereat they vvould be is heauen but the vvay vvherein they vvalk is the vvay that leadeth close into hell Who vvill not esteeme him a foole vvho in word saith his iourney is toward the South and yet for no mans vvarning vvill refraine his feete from vvalking toward the North but more foolish is hee vvho professing himselfe a pilgrime trauailing towards heauenly Ierusalem keepes notwithstanding a contrarie course hauing his backe vpon heauen and his face towards hell vvalking not after the Spirit but after the Flesh. O pittifull blindnesse and folly how many witnesses of God haue forewarned thee in thy life all crying to thee vvith a loud voice this vvay wherein thou walkest O sinfull man is the way of death hee vvho liues after the Flesh shall dye assuredly yet wilt thou not returne nor change the course of thy life to walke after the liuing God that thy mayest be saued And hauing once found the right way which may lead vs vnto God let vs strengthen our selues to walke in it by those three most notable helpes of a godly life deliuered to vs by Dauid in three verses of 119 Psal. vers 57. O Lord I haue determined to keepe thy word 58. I haue made my supplication in thy presence with my whole hart 59. I haue considered my wayes and turned my feete vnto thy testimonies Determination is the first it is a good thing by setled resolution to conclude with thy selfe that thou wilt liue godly Supplication is the second except by continuall prayer our determination bee confiâ—med and strengthned by grâ—ce from God our conclusions vvhich vve take to day shall vanish to morrow Consideration is the third and it is profitable to reduce vs againe into the way of God so often as of weaknes we wander from it contrary to our first determination These are the three helpes to keepe our hart in the way of God so necessary that if without them we doe any worke it is not possible but wee shall bee snared And therefore as in a ship which is ready to sayle so soone as the sayles are hoysed vp presently some skilfull Marriner starteth to the rudder so euery morning wherein vve rise from our rest and make our selues ready to go forward in our pilgrimage let vs first of all take heed vnto the hart for it is the rudder of the whole bodie let vs knit it vnto God by this threefold cord whereof I haue spoken so shall our wayes be ordered aright and vve shall make a happie progresse euery day in that way which leades to eternall life By determination we begin to keepe a good course By supplication vve continue in it By consideration we see vvhether we be right or wrong if vve be out of the way consideration warnes vs to returne againe into it Happie is that man in whose life one of these three is alwayes an actour And fourthly by this metaphor of walking that in our Christian conuersation there should bee a continuall progresse in godlinesse For as in walking saith Basil the steps other thing but the life of Christ like that Reuel 11. 11. Againe the law of the spirit of life in Christ is no other thing but that forcible working liuely power vvhich is in Christ for it is customable to the holy Apostle to vse the vvord law to expresse any thing wherein there is a commanding or working power so hee hath ascribed a law to sinne a law to his members a law to death and now very properly hee oppones vnto them a law of the spirit of life in Christ vvhich is more liuely and powerfull to saue to free and to quicken then any law that hath contrary power can be able to destroy captiue or slay them who are in Christ. Thus the words being expounded the first lesson will arise out of the Apostles manner of speach who ascribing to sinne and death a law vvhich may condemne and destroy ascribes to Christ a more powerfull law to iustifie and preserue Most sure then is our estate vvho are in Iesus Christ for there is a power in our Lord vvhich shall bring euery contrary power of man and Angell in subiecton to him that tyrant sinne hath indeede oppressed and ouer-ruled many a one but our Lord Iesus the valiant conquerour hath a mightie power able to disanull the lavv of sinne and Sathan is that strong one vvho by nature possesses the hart of man as his owne house but Iesus is that stronger one vvho vvill dispossesse him and cast him out of the hearts of all such as are his The God of peace shall shortly tread Sathan vnder our feet and therefore suppose vve bee vveake in our selues yet vve vvill reioyce in the strength of the Lord Iesus Secondly vve learne here that without Christ vve liued in a vile seruitude and bondage of all seruants those are in vvorst case who are sould and of those vvho are sould they are vvorst vvho must doe seruice in prison and of them vvho are in prison most lamentable is their estate vvho are chayned and bound in prison yet such seruants were vve by nature before Christ made vs free vve were not onely the seruants of sinne and sould vnder sinne as witnesseth the Apostle but more also vve vvere as sayth Esay captiued and bound with chaines in prison the Iaylour vvhereof is infidelitie for wee were all shut vp vnder vnbeliefe a Iaylour so straite and tyrannous as permitted vs not so long as wee were in his keeping so much as â—o lift vp our head or looke vp to heauen for deliuerance from him from whom onely comes our helpe Our oppressers in this bondage are Sathan and Sinne and sinnes of so many sorts as doe miserably distract the soule Pride one while vsurping dominion ouer vs Auarice another while vendicating a seat to her selfe with power to commaund vs Concupiscence most commonly challenging vs to doe her seruice as our soueraigne Sic certant in me de me
sinnes hath condemned sinne in his blessed bodie and so disanulled it that it hath no power to condemne vs. And this benefit he amplyfies shewing that by no other meanes we could obtaine it for where without Christ there is but one way for men to come to life namely the obseruance of the law hee lets vs see it was impossible for the law to saue vs and least it should seeme that hee blamed the law hee subioynes that this impotencie of the Law to saue vs proceeds from our selues because that we through â—leshly corruption which is in vs cannot fulfill that righteousnesse which the law requires This impotencie of the law appeareth by these two things first it craued that of vs which we had not to giue namely perfect obedience vnto all the Lords commandements and that vnder paine of death which albeit most iustly it be required of vs considering that by creation we receiued from God a nature so holy that it was able to doe the law yet now by reason of the deprauation of our nature drawne on by our selues it is impossible that wee can performe it Secondly the law could not giue that vnto vs whereof wee stood in neede namely that the infinit debt of transgressions which we had contracted should bee forgiuen vnto vs this I say the law could not doe for the law commaunds obedience but promises not pardon of disobedience yea rather it bindes the curse of God vpon vs for it And againe we stood in neede of a supernaturall grace to reforme deformed nature and this also the law could not doe it being a doctrine that sheweâ— vs the way to life but ministers not grace vnto vs to walke therein but all these which the law could not doe Iesus Christ by whom commeth grace and life hath done vnto vs. Where first we haue to marke the pittâ—full estate of those who seeke life in the obseruance of the law which here the Apostle saith is impossible for the law to giue they seeke life where they shall neuer finde it The Apostle in another place calles the law the ministerie of death and condemnation and that because it instantly bindes men vnder death for euery transgression of her commandements so that hee who hath eyes to see what an vniuersall rebellion of nature there is in man vnregenerate to Gods holy law yea what imperfections and discordance with the law are remanent in them who are renued by grace may easily espye the blinde presumption of those that seeke their liues in the ministry of death Yet so vniuersall is this errour that it hath ouergone the whole posteritie of Adam nature teaching all men who are not illuminated by Christ to seeke saluation in their owne deeds that is to stand to the couenant of workes But the supernaturall doctrine of the Euangelist teaches vs to transcend nature to goe out of our selues and to seeke saluation in the Lord Iesus and so to vse the law not that we seek life by fulfilling it which here is impossible but as a schole-maister to leade vs vnto Christ in whom wee haue remission of our sinnes sanctification of our nature acceptation of our imperfect obedience benefits which the law could neuer aford vnto vs. Inasmuch as it was weake because of the flesh The Apostle doth in such sort ascribe to the law an impotencie to saue vs that hee blames not the Law but the corruption of our fleshly nature being not able to fulfill that righteousnesse which the law requireth yea as the Apostle hath taught vs before so farre is our nature peruerted by our Apostasie from God that we are not onely vnable to doe that which the good and holy law of God requires but also vve become worse by the law for by the commandements of the law sin reuiues in our nature and takes occasion by the law to become more sinfull and so like a desperate disease it conuerts that medicine vvhich is ministred to cure it into a nourishment and confirmation of the sicknesse it selfe It is the nature of contraries that euery one of them intends the selfe to expell another whereof it comes that there is greatest cold in the bosome of the earth euen then when the Sunne with greatest vehemencie shines on it to callifie and heat it euen so our corrupted nature doth neuer shevv it selfe more rebellious and stubborne than vvhen the lavv of God beginnes to rectifie it As an vnruly and vntamed horse the more hee is spurred forward the faster he runnes backward so the peruerse nature of man nititur semper in vetitum is so farre from being reformed by the law that by the contrary sinne that was dead without the lavv is reuiued by the law and takes occasion to worke in vs all manner of concupiscence The Apostle is not ashamed to confesse that hee found this in his own person Augustine also examining his former sinfull life doth hereby aggrauate his corruption that in his young yeeres hee vvas accustomed to steale his neighbours fruit not so much for loue of the fruit for hee had better at home as for a sinfull delight he had to goe with his companions to commit euill so that where the lavv should haue restrayned his sinfull nature it was so much the more prouoked to sinne by the lavv Let therefore the Semipelagians of our time say to the contrary what they will let them magnifie the arme of flesh to diminish the praise of the grace of God and dreame that mans nature vnregenerate can bring forth merits of congruitie or workes of preparation yet doth the Lord heerein greatly abase man when hee telleth him that not onely he cannot doe that which the law requireth but that also the more he is commaunded the more hee repines vntill Grace reforme him God sending his owne Sonne The Apostle proceedes and let vs see how the Lord by Christ hath wrought that saluation which the Law could not Wherein first it is to bee marked that the Apostle saith not wee sought from the Lord a Sauiour but that the Lord sent him vnto vs vnrequired Surely neither man nor Angell could haue euer thought of such a way of Saluation the Lord hath found it out himselfe in his incomprehensible wisedomeâ— a way so to saue man that the glory both of his mercie and iustice shall bee saued also Most properly therefore is hee called Pater non indiciorum sed misericordiarum Father not of iudgements but of mercies for both the purpose and the meanes of our saluation are from himselfe hee hath found causes without him mouing to execute his iustice hee hath beene prouoked thereunto by the disobedience of apostate Angels and man but a cause mouing him to shew mercie is within himselfe this praise is due to God it is the greatest glory that can bee giuen vnto him Abhominable therefore is that errour of fore-seene merites by which the aduersaryes doe what they can to obscure
and seruitude vnder which they lye which works in them an horrible feare but in his second operation he is a spirit of Adoption making them free who were bound before comforting them with the sight of Gods mercy whom before he terrified with the sight of their owne sins to the one hee vseth the preaching of the Law which discouers our disease to the other the preaching of the Gospell which points out the Physition As the proclayming of the Law wrought a terrour in their hearts who heard it so doth the preaching thereof for who can heare himselfe accursed and condemned by the mouth of God and not tremble Iohn the Baptist began at the preaching of the Law Now is the axe laid to the root of the tree euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire then hee proceeded and poynted out the Lambe of God that takes away the sinnes of the world by the first hee prepared a way to the second for his auditours being cast downe in themselues with the threatning enquired earnestly what shall wee doe then that we may bee saued and were glad to heare of a remedy It is out of doubt that they who are not touched with a remorse for their sinnes nor a feare of the wrath to come and into whose hearts neuer entred that care what shall I doe that I may be saued haue not knowne as yet so much as the very beginnings of saluation Wee are not then to thinke here that the Apostle is comparing the Godly vnder the Gospell with the Godly vnder the Law but hee is comparing the Godly vnder the Gospell with themselues their second experience of the operation of the Spirit with the first it is true that once sayth hee yee receiued the Spirit of bondage working feare this was his first operation in you but now yee haue experience of another and are made pertakers of a more excellent operation hee is become vnto you a Spirit of Adoption by whom yee call vpon God as vpon your Father For the Godly vnder the Law were pertakers of this deny that Sarah was his Wife made Peter deny that Christ was his Lord this feare made Ionas refuse to goe to Niniue and made that worthy Prophet Samuel vnwilling to annoint Dauid for hee feared least Saul should slay him yet are they so subiect vnto it that the feare of God at length ouercomes in them The third sort is seruile feare the obiect whereof is the iudgements of God onely and this is proper to the wicked they feare the plagues of God but so that they loue their sinnes and hates and abhorres euery one that doth snibbe or restraine them in the course of their sinnes The fourth is filiall so called because it is proper to the sonnes of God they doe not onely feare him for his iudgements but loue him and feare him for his mercy mercy is with thee O Lord that thou mayst be feared As for the Diabolicall feare Saint Iames saith the Diuels know there is a God therefore they feare and tremble they haue receiued within themselues the sentence of damnation they know it shall neuer be recalled they seeke no mercy nor shall they obtaine it and the seruile feare of the wicked shall at the last end in this desperate feare of the damned finding themselues condemned without all further hope of mercy they shall tremble and feare continually Of this it is euident that the feare wherof here he speaks is the first part of filiall feare namely a feare of that punishment which is due to sinne and to the godly is an introduction to worke in them feare of God for his mercies conioyned with loue so then his meaning is cleere albeit in the time of your first conuersion you were striken with a feare of that wrath which is the recompense of sinne yet now the spirit of adoption hath not onely released you of that feare of damnation which you conceiued at the first through the knowledge of your sinnes but hath also made you certaine of saluation and assured that God is become your father in Christ Iesus In the wicked the feare of Gods wrath once begunne encreases daily till it proceede as I spake to that desperate feare of the damned but in the godly the feare of Gods iudgements is but a preparation to the loue of God feare shall not alwayes abide in their harts for when God shall crowne them with his mercies and his loue in them shall be perfect then perfect loue casts out feare therefore Augustine compares the feare of Gods iudgements in the godly to a Needle that goes through the seame and prepares in it a place for the thread which is to remaine so doth the feare of Gods iudgements goe through the secret seames of the hart and prepares a place for the loue of God which shall abide and continue for euer in the godly when feare shall bee away The Lord at the first deales hardly with his children as our Sauiour delt with the woman of Canaan whom hee comforted at the last and as Ioseph entreated his brethren roughly whom at the last for tender compassion hee imbraced with many teares but all these terrours and feares wherewith God humbles his owne are but preparatiues to his consolations at the length hee shall make it knowne to them that hee is their louing father as for the wicked though they haue not suffered from their youth the terrours of God it is because they are reserued for them Neither are they euen now exempted from their owne feares for albeit there were none to reproue them their owne consciences sends out accusing thoughts to terrifie them and if at any time they shall heare the word of God faithfully and with power deliuered vnto them then doe they much more tremble feare for the word strengthens the conscience to accuse and terrifie them but feare is both the first and last effect it workes in them and therefore is it that being so oft disquieted with hearing of the word as Felix was with the preaching of Paul they are no more desirous to heare it but rather hates it and abhors it because it testifies no good vnto them more than Micaiah did to Achab and so they neuer attaine to his other operation of the spirit they are not transchanged by hearing into the similitude of the sonnes of GOD neither receiues that but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not like the strong bloud of God but the blood of man But as for the Children of God they can not be deceiued of their generation they know that God is their Father and with greater homelinesse and more freedome of spirit yea and surer knowledge they call God their Father then any son in the world is able to call on his earthly Father Whereby we cry The Apostle here doth teach vs that it is by the spirit of
stand at the right hand of Iesus and heare that fearfull condemnation of the wicked Depart from mee c. when vvee shall see the earth open and swallow them then shall wee reioyce and prayse the mercy of our God O happie time wherein the Lord sent his messengers among vs to call vs from the fellowship of the damned There is no difference by nature betweene the Elect and reprobate neyther in inward nor outward disposition till God make it by grace Paul as bloudy a persecuter as euer was Domitian or Iulian. Zacheus as vnconscionable and couetous a Worldling as was that rich Glutton damned to hell The elect and reprobate men before Grace make a difference are like two men walking in one iourney with one minde and one heart like Eliah and Elisha walking and talking together when a chariot of fire did incontinent seperate them and Eliah is taken vp into heauen Elisha left vpon the earth not vnlike is it when the vnlooked for calling of God commeth and seperateth those two who before were walking together yea running in the same excesse of ryot the one changing the course of his life returneth back againe to the Lord from whom hee had stollen whereas the other not touched with the same Calling meruailes that his former companion hath forsaken him and walketh still on stubbornely in the former course of his sinnes to his condemnation Apply this vnto your selues and see whether this effectuall Calling hath seperated you in your conuersation from the wicked or not an euident argument that ye shall be seperated from them in their condemnation Blessed is hee that walketh not in the counsell of the wicked nor stands in the way of sinners nor sits in the seat of the scornfull And if wee finde after tryall that the Lord hath called vs then should wee alway shew forth his prayses who hath translated vs from darknesse into his meruailous light The Lord shewed a great mercy to Israell when he deliuered them out of the house of bondage he set the remembrance of that benefit in the forefront of his law as a bond euer oblieging them vnto thankfulnesse but their bondage was not so horrible as ours Pharaoh oppressed their bodies and compelled them to worke in bricke and clay yet their spirits were free to sigh and cry to God for the bondage but here so long as we were the slaues of Sathan he compelled vs to worke the abhominable workes of darknesse and vncleannesse and therewithall did so captiue our spirits that we could not so much as cry and sigh vnto God for the bondage and therefore our deliuerance should neuer goe out of our remembrance and our hearts and mouthes should euer be filled with the prayses of our redeemer when we think of this yeere of Iubilie wherin he hath opened the doore of the prison and set vs at libertie as the freemen of God who were the captiued and bond slaues of Sathan The author of this calling is the Lord euen hee who calles things which are not and makes them to be Caâ—ling is a new creation and the first resurâ—ection The Lord that commanded light to shine out of darkenes is he who hath giuen to our mindes the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Iesus Christ. It is he who creates in vs a new hart and puts in our bowels a new spirit that we may walk in his statutes As man when hee was not could not helpe to create himselfe and Lazarus when he was dead helped not to raise himselfe so a stranger from Grace helpes not to call himselfe to the fellowship of Grace the Lord who makes the barraine wombe a mother of many children makes also the barraine hart to be fruitfull The praise of our calling belongs to the Lord onely Nemo dicat idâ—o me vocauit quia colâ—i Deum quomodo coluisses si vocatus non fuisses let no man say therefore hath God called me because I worshipped him for thou couldst not haue worshipped him vnlesse he had called thee The calling of God findes euery man either vainely or wickedly exercised When God called Paul to be a Preacher he found him a persecuter when he called Matthew he found him sitting at the receipt of custome when he called Peter and Andrew they were mending their nets no such minde had they as to be fishers of men As Saul was seeking his Fathers Asses when Samuel came to call him to the kingdome and as Rebecca had no errand to the well but to water her fathers goods when Eliezer came to seeke her in marriage vnto Isaac so if wee doe enquire at our owne consciences how we were exercised when God called vs we shall finde our harts were set vpon the trifling things of this world and that we had no minde of his kingdome let the praise therefore of our calling berâ—sâ—rued to the Lord onely As this worke of calling is the Lords onely so hee extends it to none but vnto those who are chosen it makes a perticular seperation of a few from the remanant and doth so distinguish betweene man and man in all ranckes and estates that of two brethren as Iacob and Esau of two Prophets as Moses and Balaam of two Kings as Dauid and Saul of two Apostles as Peter and Iudas of two theeues the one is taken the other is reiected The first distinction betweene man and man was in Gods eternall counsell and this is secret the last distinction will be in that last day wherein the one shall stand at the right hand of Iesus the other at the left and that shall be manifest the middle distinction is presently made by this calling of God his Gospell is the arme of his Grace being extended sometime to one corner of the world sometime to another according to his owne dispensation to seuer out his owne from among the remanent of the world Whereof it comes to passe that this sauing grace of the Gospell enters into a land but not into euery Cittie it enters into a Cittie and not into euery familie it enters into a familie but comes not on euery person of the familie Of Husband and Wife of Maisters and Seruants of Parents and Children of Brethren and Sisters the one is taken the other reiected It came to Iericho and chose out Zacheus it came to Philippi and chose out Lydia and the Iaylour it entred at Rome into the Court of Nero but lighted not vpon Nero it entred into the Familie of Narcissus but not into the heart of Narcissus As the Lord so gouernes the cloudes that he makes them raine vpon one Cittie and not vpon another so doth hee dispense the dew of his grace that he makes it drop vpon one hart not vpon another The Gospell is preached to many but the blessing that comes by the Gospell abides onely vpon the children of peace Let euery one among you see to himselfe this preaching of the Gospell
this sense the Papists take it in this question but wrongfully Secondly to iustifie is to acknowledge or declare one to be iust so it is said that the Publicans iustified God of force wee must expound it they acknowledged or confessed him to be iust so S. Iames saith that a man is iustified by workes that is declared to be iust by his workes or as S. Iames expounds it himselfe his Iustification is shewed by his works Thirdly the word to Iustifie is a iudiciall terme and it signifieth to absolue in iudgement and is opponed to condemning so Salomon vseth it He that iustifies the wicked and condemnes the iust are both alike abhominatâ—on to the Lord and in this sense the Apostle vseth it here for he oppones it to condemnation This right vnderstanding of the word will lead vs to know what the benefit of Iustification is for what euer condemnation be Iustification must be the contrary they are both iudiciall termes vsed in iudgement holden on matters of life and death Condemnation no man will deny is the sentence of a righteous Iudge adiudging a malefactor to death for some capitall crime whereof hee is found guiltie in iudgement Iustification then is the sentence of God a righteous Iudge absoluing the man that is in Christ from sinne and death and accepting him to life for the righteousnesse of Christ which is his So that it is euident the state of the question in the controuersie of Iustification will be this how is a man iustified before God that is what is it that a man must bring before Gods tribunall for the which hee shall be pronounced innocent absolued from death and adiudged to life whether is it our workes of sanctification inherent in vs or is it the righteousnesse of Christ giuen vnto vs and made ours The question being this way taken vp shall giue great light to the controuersie that is betweene vs and the falsely named Catholikes of our time for we denie not that there is in Gods children an inherent sanctification and that they are changed from vnrighteousnesse to righteousnesse but this inherent righteousnesse say we is not able to purchase to vs an absoluitorie sentence from death To make this yet more cleare let vs know that the righteousnesse by which wee are Iustified receiues foure names first it is called the righteousnesse of Christ secondly the righteousnesse of God thirdly the righteousnesse of Faith fourthly our righteousnesse The righteousnesse of Christ because it is conquered by him and inherent in him as in the proper subiect The righteousnesse of God because he onely in his meruailous wisedome found it out it is called the righteousnesse of Faith because Faith is the instrument by which wee apprehend it and it is called our righteousnesse because it is giuen vnto vs of God to be ours by imputation on Gods part by acceptation of it by Faith vpon our part for these two wayes that acquisite righteousnesse of Christ is made ours This wee haue to marke for our comfort against those obiections which eyther inwardly by Sathan or outwardly by men of a contrary opinion are obiected vnto vs. If they to trouble our peace and weaken our Faith aske how can yee be iustified by a righteousnesse which is not yours we answere the righteousnesse of Christ is ours and ours by as great a right as any other thing that we possesse is ours to wit by the free gift of God seeing it hath pleased God to giue vs a garment who were naked and to giue vs who had none of our owne a righteousnesse answerable to his Iustice vvhat intrest can eyther man or Angell haue to resist it The euasions and obiections whereby the aduersarie impugnes this doctrine are chiefely these First the Apostle say they excludeth the works of nature not the works of Grace the workes of a man vnregenerate they confesse cannot iustifie him but the works of a man regenerate say they doe iustifie him but this is false as is proued first by examples for Abraham whose example the Apostle bringeth in to confirme the doctrine of Iustification was a regenerate man and effectually called yet as witnesseth both Moses and S. Paul his faith was counted to him for righteousnesse Dauid after hee had beene a regenerate man yet saith Lord enter not into iudgement with thy Seruant for in thy sight shall no flesh be iustified The Apostle Paul protests of himselfe I haue in all good conscience serued God vnto this day neyther know I any thing of my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified hee was more abundant in good workes than all the rest of the Apostles hee did also beare in his body the markes of Iesus and was renouned through his manifold sufferings If euer any regenerate man could haue beene iustified by his good workes it was this holy Apostle yet hee tels you himselfe for all that I haue done for all that I haue suffered yet am I not thereby iustified The same is proued by reason that which by order of nature followes our Iustification before God cannot be said to iustifie vs in the presence of God cannot be said to iustifie vs in this sense but so it is good works by order of nature followes our iustification before God Non praecedunt iustificandum sed sequuntur iustificatum Againe such works as are not perfectly agreeable to the rule of Legall iustice cannot iustifie vs but rather fals vnder that curse Cursed is hee who fulfilleth not euery â—ot of the Law but so it is that the workes euen of men regenerate are not able to answere the perfection of the Law There is no man saith Salomon iust in the earth that doth good and sinneth not If I would dispute with God I could not saith Iob make answere vnto one of a thousand All our righteousnesse saith Ieremie is but like a menstruous cloath and our Sauiour hath taught euen regenerate men to pray daily for the remission of their sins Quid ergo de peccatis nostris fiet quando ne ipsa quidem pro se respondere poterit iustitia nostra what then shall become of our sinnes when our righteousnesse is not able to answere for it selfe Vae hominum iustitiae quantumuis laudabili si remotâ— misericordia Dei iudicetur woe to the righteousnesse of man were it neuer so lowable if God setting aside mercy enter to iudge it But they insist the workes of regenerate men are the workes of Christ for it is hee who by his spirit workes them in them therefore they are meritorious and iustifies I answere the workes of Christ iustifies it is true if yee vnderstand his personall workes done by himselfe in his own person as the Apostle teacheth vs He hath purged our sinnes by himselfe But as for those workes which hee workes in vs by his spirit of grace hee workes them not for our iustification that as I haue said he hath done