Quam ut peccatrix an plius inbenda c. Sed saâ—cta justa been overwhelmed with many sins yet the mercy of God was more abundant upon her than that she was as Simon thought to bee accounted a sinner any more but holy and righteous But the manifest signes Manifesta auâ—â— signa c. that she was righteous were these That she omitted no kinde of duty whereby she might testifie her thankfulnesse Insignibus offlciis but did witnesse by what meanes soever she could how greatly she was indebted unto God for she Solicita omnibus pietatis officiis defungi sludebat shewed by notable duties that she was wholly enflamed with the love of Christ yea she endeavoured to performe all duties of godlinesse carefully thus it appeareth by the whole similitude brought in by Ex totasimi tudine apâ—aâ—eat c. Marlor ib. Christ that Iustification is the cause of love and love is the effect of Justification Hence through love and admiration or through admirable love doth the Prophet cry out saying Who is a God like unto thee that takest away iniquity and dost cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the sea Micah 7. 18. Micah 7. 18 19 Nam quisque quaÌ„tò magis sentit c. Matl in Luke 7. 19. For every one by how much the more he feeleth this rich forgivenesse of his sins and apprehendeth the glory of Free Iustification so much the more vehemently he loveth God and the more feeling of love we have by so much we shall know that we have profited in the knowledge of Justification By faith therefore wee attaine the making of us Fide justificationem assequimur charitaâ—e gratias agimus c. righteous and by love we are thankfull and testifie the bountifulnesse of God towards us Thirdly that it is the joyfull knowledge of Justification Thirdly true feare of God Psal 130. 4. that worketh in us the true feare of God and in thankfull zeale of Gods glory cheerfully to obey him Is testified plainly by David saying For with Deus non timetur ubi non creditur grataita justitia Luther in loc thee there is propitiation mercy or forgivenesse yea and plentifull redemption therefore shalt thou be feared Psal 130. 4. Whereupon Luther saith God is not feared where free righteousnesse is not beleeved for this grace Quâ—dnam est timâ—re Deâ—m aliud quam agnoscere quam sit nobus â—enefiâ—â—â— ideo e. obeliâ—e being taken away the Prophet pronounceth that there also the seare of God is taken away for what is it else to feare God than to acknowledge how bountifull hee is towards us and therefore to obey him this David in another place testifieth where he saith Knit my heart unto thee the only bond whereof is Free Iustification that I may feare thy name Psalm 86. 11. Psal 86. 11. The mighty force whereof to guide and make a man to walk in the wayes of godlinesse hee testifieth in another place by his own experience saying Thy loving kindnesse is ever before mine eyes therefore have I walked in thy truth Thus the true feare of God the true worship of God Sic verus timor Dei verus cultus vera râ—verentia imò agnitio Deivera c. true reverence yea the true knowledge of God doth rest wholy upon this Grace That we are confident that God by Christs justifying us is reconciled and made favourable unto us Whereupon elsewhere saith he Luth. in Psal 130. I think and teach that it is a pernicious kind of teaching by which men are taught to repent by beholding Id assert articu per bull Leo condem Tom. 2. the punishments of sin and the rewards By these Doctrines indeed men are bridsed from the work and they fashion to themselves a seared and constrained conscience or good purpose and with a greater mischiefe they never understand nor mark that hidden and secret affection of the Law despised and of sin loved Nay rather by these endeavours of good works they hide it and are content that they have given some satisfaction and content to that wicked opinion of works to whom notwithstanding if you will leave to speak their minds freely they would presently confesse that they doe not repent from the heart And but that Hell is a Law they had rather with full violence fulfill their evils especially being tempted and provoked thereunto How much better were it that they were soundly taught to acknowledge that capitall hainous and secret affection and that untill they begin to repent for love of the Law they should know themselves to be hypocrites and should have no hope of such hypocrisie but rather should grieve more for it than for their sinnes at the sight whereof they have wrung out that counterfeit griefe and sorrow Indeed I grant that those grosse and hardned wicked ones which as yet have no touch of conscience ought with those terrors as unruly servants to be constrained to repentance even as the Magistrate restraineth the wicked with the sword But where there is a touch and feeling of conscience there they are to be instructed that first they begin at Christ that truly believing and apprehending his rich mercy of Free Iustifying them then may change their lives For then doth true repentance first begin it when floweth from love and not for love of commodity nor for fear of punishment But they begin to weigh there sinnes in love and affection only of righteousnesse which wee never doe except we first lay the ground-work of Iustification by faith in the hearts of them which begin to feele their sinnes It is a hard and dangerous matter to teach that wee are freely made righteous by faith without works and yet to require works withall here except Wisdome in the Ministâ—y the Ministers of Christ be faithfull and wise Disposers of the mysteries of â—od rightly dividing the word of truth faith and works are by and by confounded both these Doctrines as well of faith as of works must bee diligently taught and urged Yet so that both may remaine within their bounds As thus First unto secure ones and to the proud seeming-humble 1 Luth in Gal 3. 19. 20. ones that have the least opinion of their own holinesse and sanctity must the Law be brought forth not vailed as Moses spake it that is mitigated which makes hypocrites but as God spake it that is in the spirituall Majesty of it that people may feel it to be the hammer of death the thundring of Hell the lightning of Gods justice wrath beating to powder the obstinate sensless hypocrites to terrifie and rend in pieces the beast which is called the opinion of ones own righteousness that they may see that that way they are altogether wretched miserable poor and blind and naked Then secondly being touched and terrified in conscience must follow onely and meetly Free Iustiâ—ication without any consideration respect
than a sound understanding of the Excellency of the same whereof ensueth either a luke-warme carelesse life led unthankfully for the same or else a breaking forth into a blinde zeale of some new strange works and life by which we may provide as we think more safely for our salvation Because it is most true which the Apostle testifieth that these false-zealous ones whilst they are ignorant of the righteousnesse of God cannot choose but goe about to stablish their owne righteousnesse and so doe not submit themselves to rest contented in the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10. 2 3. What other salve is there then to cure the cold disease of this dead faith and selfe-loving zeale than to lay forth the Excellency of free Justification that may enflame the heart so with the fiery coales of Gods love towards us that it may flame forth with a right zeale of keeping within our lists of obedience to our Protestnt godly governours and within the limits of our vocations to doe them thankfully and zealously to the glorifying of God and benefiting of our brethren and neighbours for so excellent and glorious and full sufficient a benefit Yea this is the benefit by which we are new borne againe and reclaimed from all prophanenesse Sects Schisms and Divisions whatsoever Which made S. Paul to travell in birth againe like a loving mother with the distracted and seduced Galathians untill by reducing them to the truth and purity of free Iustification defaced Christ was formed in them againe Gal. 4. 19. And yet they professed that they constantly embraced Christ and held Justification by him but because the false brethren had perswaded them it was not sufficient for their salvation except they joyned therewith the obedience and keeping of the Law thereby they lost Christ life and their free salvation by him Which evidently declareth that then only are people new borne againe truly and Christ is formed truly in them when for the assurance of their salvation they wholly rest in the joyfull knowledge full sufficiency of their free Justification then is Christ rightly formed in them This is the Antidote and preservative against all sweet poysonous doctrines of our works and vain-glorious well-doings this is the preservative against these infectious and contagious times this is the Ark of Noah that will beare us up above all the floods and billowes of these tempestuous dayes of sundry Sects Schismes and stragling opinions this is the anchor whereunto the cable of our faith being firmely fastened will make us to stand strong against all the violent wayes and winds of Satans blusterous temptations both on the right hand and on the left Yea let us know for a certainty that free Iustification is the very head heart and soule of all Christian religion and true worship of God without the true and joyfull knowledge whereof our religion is headlesse our profession and worship is heartlesse and our very zealous conversation is a meere corruption of the Gospel and rottennesse like a body without a soule that stinketh before God Briefly in a word as the perfect righteousnesse of Christ is only worthy to be acknowledged for the wedding-garment because all the righteousnesse of our unperfect Sanctification is as the Prophet saith as filthy menstruous stained rags Esay 64. 6. so true faith of free Iustification being the having on of this wedding-garment because it alone doth truly abolish all the filthy nakednesse of our sins out of Gods sight and it alone doth make us perfectly holy and sufficiently righteous in the sight of God freely without works Therefore it alone doth make us fit Brides as I said before and is only meet to marry us to so glorious a Bridegroome as is the King of glory Christ Jesus Yea though a man doe abound in the riches and honours of this world having his Barnes full of Corne and his Coffers full of Coyne and hee himselfe being cloathed in purple and fine linneâ— doth fare well and deliciously every day yet if he not freely taking by the hand of a thankfull rejoycing faith and so not putting on this wedding-garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse that may make him rich in God can sleep one night in his bed in any security he is not only the foole in print mentioned Luke 12. 20. but also this night may the Devils fetch away his soule from him and then whose shall these things be which he hath provided In this case saith the Lord of wisedome is every one be he rich or be he poore that by not putting on by free Justification the wedding-garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse is not rich in God vers 21. Oh then let not such an one dare to lay downe his head upon his downe-pillow to sleep one night in safety nor as David said suffer his eye-lids to slumber untill by taking freely this joy full benefit and by putting on this wedding-garment hee hath attained this heavenly wisedome better than his fine gold by which hee may lie downe safely and sleep sweetly Prov. 3. 13. to 26. But I have here laid forth this Excellency of free Justification in the words testimonies and common consent of the faithfull Expositors and Dispensers of Gods mysteries 1 Cor. 4. 1 2. for three principall Reasons First because as this mystery of free Justification only and freely saveth us so by the rebelliousnesse of our blinde and sinfull natures and unbeliefe of our hearts and the exceeding subtlety of Satan it is of all the rest of the benefits of the Gospel which all depend upon this benefit the most difficultly learned and the most hardly beleeved It being most true that Mr. Fox saith in his Preface before Dr. Luther upon the Galathians That Learning cannot reach it wisedome is offended at it Nature is astonied Devils doe not know it Men doe persecute it And briefly as there is no way to life so easie so there is none so hard Easie to whom it is given from above but hard to the carnall sense not yet inspired the ignorance whereof is the cause and root of all the Errours Sects and Divisions that are in all Christendome Therefore I thought it fit in this case to imitate the example not only of learned and ancient Bede who maketh an exposition of all the Epistles of S. Paul with the meere sentences sayings and expositions of S. Augustine collected and gathered together as the expounded texts and verses are dispersed and scattered here and there in all S. Augustins works and therefore are called Collectanea Bedae but rather to imitate S. Paul himselfe who discerning how hardly free Justification is rightly understood soundly embracing contentedly rested in and constantly retained as is for ever recorded by the example of the soone and dangerous fall of the Galathians Gal. 1. 6. doth therefore in writing to the Galathians come forth not singly by himselfe alone but as it were guarded with the association company and consent of all his beleeving and faithfull brethren saying
only are meer patients suffering another ab extra even God to work all in us as may be further cleered in the manner Two similitudes how by two fit similitudes lively representations as First take a drinking glasse that is blue or red and put water or drink into the same and in some glasses I my selfe have seen that the drink or water in the same looseth to the present view it s own colour and becomes as blue or red as the glasse it selfe and yet not inherently and actively for the bluenesse or rednesse is inherently agently operatively and actively only in the glasse but yet whilst it doth abide in the glasse it becomes communicatively and passively as blue or red as the glasse it selfe but what is the reason hereof because as I my selfe have observed the glasse doth conveigh by the force of the light certain beames of its own colour into the drink and so makes it to lose its own colour and to be of the same colour that the glasse is of Where it is pretty to observe that the liquor in the glasse hath lost its colour and hath not lost it First the liquor hath not lost it inherently and to it selfe because if it be put out of the glasse it is found only in its own colour But yet hath lost its own colour in two respects first in respect of the glasse which it is in that hath by conveighing her beams into it made it own colour and secondly to the view of the beholder it is truly abolished and gone and nothing remaines but the colour of the glasse Now although the truth represented by this similitude passeth the representation as farre as a substance passeth the shadow yet it is sufficient for a shadow and is a notable representation of the truth because that Gods powerfull imputation after a more reall mighty and effectuall manner doth the same in truth that is but resembled in this shadow and faith that went so far as to say wash thou me and I shall bee whiter than snow goes higher than any similitudes can reach unto and seeth the soule being cloathed with Christs righteousnesse to be although not inherently yet lesse imaginarily and colourably but truly and reipsa in very deed made perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God so effectually that the very power thereof begins inherently to change the heart by sanctification also to the eyes of men more and more whereas wee see that the bluenesse or rednesse of the glasse worketh no inherent change upon or in the drink but because faith reasoneth and concludes from the power of God thus That if so poore and silly a creature as a piece of glasse be able by the force of the light to cast her beames into it and to make the liquor to lose to the view and sight of men her own colour and to look whilst it is in the glasse of the same colour that the glasse is of were it not impiety and flat blasphemie not to grant that Christ can much more being true and Almighty God translating me out of Adam to bee a member in himselfe by cloathing me both within and without with his own righteousnesse conveigh much more by the power and force of his spirit his own righteousnesse to bee thought not inherently and actively yet objectively and passively in us so by this means abolish all our sinnes from before God and make us only perfectly holy righteous in the sight of God freely herein consisting the Analogie of the truth with the similitude that Christ by reason of his Godhead and power of his spirit doth that in truth above our reason sense and feeling which the red glasse doth only in shew that is make us in truth perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely not imaginarily colourably as the Papists fondly cavill but really truly and reipsa in very deed like the working of an Almighty Creator this faith I say shall finde by the very fruits of sanctification flowing from the same that he is not made only colourably righteous but that he is verè reipsa truly and in very deed with Christs righteousnesse made perfectly holy righteous in the sight of God freely Hence for the lively representation of this truth do so many Divines both learned and judicious so much use this similitude saying thus As he that beholdeth any thing through a red glasse doth take it to bee red as is the colour of the glasse so God the Father beholding us in his Sonne doth take us to bee of the same nature and quality that he is that is perfectly righteous for which cause he saith to his Spouse in the Canticles though she felt and complained that shee was black and full of infirmities to her sense and feeling and own inherent active righteousnesse yet saith Christ that knowes better what in this respect he hath wrought upon her than shee her selfe Behold thou art faire my love behold thou art all faire and there is no spot in thee And for this cause it is that he loveth us and sets his heart upon us and will not bee removed from us c. Which is not for the shadow but for the true substance of his own righteousnesse though not inherently to our sense and feeling and actively yet by Gods imputation objectively and passively conveighed into us so utterly abolishing our sins from before God and making us not imaginaâ—ly but truly and reipsa in very deed perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of â—od freely A second similitude illustrating this truth yet The second similitude more fully is this Let an house or shop be made towards the East and let the Sun beat upon the same all day long yet whilst the windowes and doores are fast shut up the house still remaines dark and unprofitable because the walls being corpora opaca dark bodies can cast forth nothing but darknesse but let the windowes and doors be opened then doe the Sun-beames beat in and dispell all the darknesse that was there before and the house is made all light and profitable to the use of man But yet it is not inherently and actively light as the Papists conceit of their manner of Justification for if that light did come actively out of the walls then the house would not at the least immediately be beholding to the Sun without it in the Firmament but the house would be inherently and actively light immediately enlightning its own selfe but in that it is enlightned by the Sun-beames the house is all light in deed yet no Agent and Doer in making its selfe light but is altogether passively and objectively light so is it in the case of our Justification and being a similitude much used by the holy Ghost it passeth all other humane similitudes by running contrary to the old proverb quatuor pedibus for First mans soule and body is like this house or shop of Gods wonders
or Positions FIrst the horrible filthinesse of sinne is such to Gods infinite pure and righteous Nature and so defiles a man before God Mark 7. 20. that God cannot but abhoâ—â—e â—urse and deâ—est the creature that hath any sinne in his sight as these and such like Scriptures teach Deut. 27. 26. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Rom. 5. 12. Hab. 1. 13. Job 15. 15. 16. And this true meaning of the Law and right understanding thereof this revealing the infinite pure and righteous Nature of God and the horrible filthinesse of sin is to be diligently taught and continually preached of all faithfull Ministers in every mixt Congregation Esay 58. 1. 2. Secondly that the best good workes of the most sanctified children of God as they though moved thereunto by the holy Ghost do them are sin because of their originall corruption and by breaking the tenth Commandement in them thereby they are so slaine that is truely humbled by feeling themselves and all their best workes to be so shut up under sin that they daily bewail that they can performe no obedience nor do any good worke before God in any of all his Commandements as these and such like Scriptures teach Rom. 7. 9 10 11 12 13 14 18. 24. Galat. 3. 22. Rom. 4 5. Phil. 3. 8. 4. Esay 64. 6. Thirdly that the onely remedy to heale this our wofull misery by sinne thus seen and felt to hang fast upon us in this life this only remedy is Free Justification whereby God by the power of his sonnes perfect righteousnesse Esay 61. 10. that all our sins being utterly abolished not out of us 1 John 1. 8. 10. that there may be place for faith Heb. 11. 1. Rom. 4. 18 19 20. to 25. but yet truely abolished form before God or out of Gods sight Colos 1. 22. Wee and all our workes are of unjust made just before God that is so perfectly and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely that as the expresse Word of God teacheth and the Protestant Writers abundantly testifie God doth not and by reason of his actuall power can see no sinne in his justified children freely I say by faith only without workes and our perfect workings And I say by faith onely without workes because faith onely sees this and faith onely enjoyes this and thus we and all our workes both naturall workes civill workes or morall workes and religious workes are perfectly pure and cleane in Gods sight Acts 15. 8 9. Titus 1. 15. and doe fully please satisfie and content God because we are fulfillers of the whole Law of God in his fight for the righteousnesse of the Law is thus freely fulfilled in us Rom. 8. 4. Thus by Christs stripes we are healed Esay 53. 5. thus God forgiving all our sins is ever well pleased and at perfect peace with us for being justified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5. 1. and are freely made and adopted the sons and the daughters of the living God Rom. 9. 26. And thus are truely blessed Rom. 4. 6. for As many as are of faith of Free Justification are blessed with faithfull Abraham Galat. 3. 8 9. and shall be certainely glorified for whom God justifieth them also he glorifieth Rom. 8. 30. And thus we see how perfectly by Christs stripes we are healed Esay 53. 5. And all this Protestant Doctrine of Free Justification and these two parts of the same are cleerely and abundantly taught by these and such like Scriptures Esay 43. 25. Esay 44. 22. 23. Iohn 1. 29. Heb. 1. 3. Heb. 9. 13. 14. 26. 1 Iohn 1. 7. Revel 1 5 6. Dan. 9. 24. Rom. 3. 21 22. Ephes 5. 26 27. Rom. 5. 17 18 19 21. Revel 3. 18. Colos 1. 22 23. Rom. 8. 4. Colos 2. 10. Heb. 10. 14. Rom. 9. 30. Esay 61. 10. Phil. 3. 8 9. Tit. 1. 15. Heb. 11. 4. Fourthly that this true faith of Free Iustification contrary to the judgement of Popish and carnall reason unseparably brings the holy Ghost to dwell in people Galat. 3. 2. Acts 10. 44. Acts 13. 38 39. 52. which holy Ghost infallibly inflames our hearts with true love Galat. 5. 6. and makes the true beleevers in right zeale of Gods glory and in true thankfulnesse to break off from sinne and to mortifie by true repentance their former profane life and ungodly conversation and brings forth a declarative obedience righteousnesse and readinesse to every good worke now made good workes indeed freely by Free Iustification and so brings forth a sincere and though an unperfect yet a free and cheerfull walking in and keeping of all Gods will and Commandements declaratively to manward which is true sanctification And thus is the Law not destroyed by Free Iustification but established Rom. 3. 21. and written in the hearts of true beleevers and they are fulfillers and keepers of the Law two manner of wayes first perfectly making their hearts perfectly righteous freely to the full content and satisfying of God by faith as it was said before of Free Iustification as these and such like Scriptures teach Rom. 10. 4 5 6 10. Acts 15. 8 9. Heb 8. 10. Secondly it is written in their hearts and they are fulfillers and keepers of the Law inchoatively actively and declaratively to manward by love and true sanctification as these Scriptures teach Galat. 5. 13 14. Rom. 13. 8 9 10. Yea this true faith of Free Iustification deeply truely and soundly learned is a thing of perfect vertue and wonderfull operation strength and power to bring forth all good motions inwardly and all good workes out wardly or else it is not the true lively justifying faith but the blinde dead faith that leaves men in sinne death and double damnation as these and such like Scriptures teach Rom. 5. and 6. whole Chapters teach Titus 2. 11. to 15. 1 Iohn 3. 3. to 10. Ephes 2. 10. Ephes 4 5 6 whole Chapters Rom. 12 13 14 15 whole Chapters Iames 2. 14. 17. to 26. Matth. 5. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 9. 5. That all such Ministers as doe not diligently teach and cause people diligently to observe and keep this established true Protestant doctrine but do deny sophisticate and wrangle against the same must needs be like the false brethren amongst the Galathians in the dead faith doting about questions and making controversies about the Law and works and cannot but seduce the people from Christ that is from the simplicity of the faith that is in Christ Jesus to depend and hang for assurance of their salvation upon the Law and works and cannot but be troublers of the Church Gal. 1. 7. and of peoples consciences distracting them into Popery Arminianisme Anabaptisme Familisme Brownisme and all manner of Sects and Schisms about works because by a carnall understanding of Free justification they cannot but rest in the light of reason morall virtues and religion of nature described Rom. 2. 14 15. varnished and deceitfully gilt over with the titles of Grace Graces
had said that by receiving the Gospel and Word of life wee have joyfull Fellowship with God If wee walk in the light as hee is in the light one may object and Object say seeing God is the most pure light or righteousnes with whom is no darknesse of sinne when we have endevoured to walke in the light of righteousnesse and to avoyd the darknesse of sinne never so much yet seeing wee are even conceived in iniquitie and feel our selves even sinks of sin how can any mortall man have any such fellowship with so pure and cleane a God as S. Iohn writeth To which hee answereth Answ Your walking in the light is not the cause of your Fellowship with God but onely shewes that you are in the true light or righteousnesse of free Justification wherein the righteousnesse of Christ doth so abolish out of Gods sight all the remnants of sin that daily dwell in you and all the imperfections of your holy walking that thus your joyfull Fellowship with so cleane and pure a God holds most firme and sure even because the blood of Christ the Sonne of God doth make you perfectly clean from all sinne August Haec est vera pax c. purgatis reconciliatis sicut maculati aâ—â—nati c. Heming 1 Ioh. 1. 7. For this is true peace and firme knitting us with our Creator in that wee are made cleane and so reconciled againe by the Mediator of life as wee were made foule and so estranged from him by the Mediator of death But now the excellency of this first part of Justification which the holy Apostle calls the deep things of 1 Cor. 2. 10. God 1 Cor. 2. 10. which deeply considered calls us out of the dead faith and makes us to give our selves wholy to God by faith and to our neighbour by love to walk in all Gods Commandements zealously this excellency I say of this first part of free Justification namely how truely and utterly our sinnes are abolished out of Gods sight and how perfectly cleane the blood of Christ doth make us from all sin the holy Ghost doth expresse it unto us by six principall and most emphaticall phrases or similitudes wherein first observing this rule that the similitudes of the Scriptures must have a truth correspondent to the similitude and secondly marking how these six phrases Six Emphaticall Scripture phrases describing the first part of Iustification exceed one another in perfectnesse and sweetnesse we may ascend as it were by certaine steps or staires to the full heigth of comfort and joy The first phrase is this Look how farre the East is from 1 Psal 103 12. the West so farre hath God removed our sins from us Psal 103. 12. The sence and summe whereof is this that having Summa est longè laté que pro orbis magnitudine effundi misericordiam Dei super fideles Ne quid impediat cursum ejus Aboleri prorsus corum peccata Calvin Ibid. Nisi enim peccata à nobis removerentur locus divinae ergo nos miscricordiae esse non potest Muse Ibid. said in the eleventh verse That look how great and wide the world is from East to West from Heaven to Earth so largly is the mercy of God powred out upon the faithfull lest there should bee any thing to hinder the course of this large mercy in the twelfe verse the Prophet addeth that their sinnes are utterly abolished For unlesse our sinnes bee removed away from us there can bee no place for such large mercy of God to come upon us The second phrase expressing more fully this perfect abolishing of our sins is this That there is no God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like unto our God that taketh way iniquity and casteth all our sinnes into the bottome of the Sea Micah 7. Mich. 7. 19 19. 18. 19. The meaning whereof is That God doth cast all Projicit in mare veluti talentum plumâ—i c. ut ampliùs noâ— comparâ—ant Pel. Ibid. the sins of the faithfull into the bottome of the Sea like a talent oâ— lead from our eyes that from thenceforth they may never appear before God any more For God doth so remove away the sins of the faithfull Deus removet è conspectu ita ut ampliùs non redeunt in conspectum out of his sight that they may never return into his sight any more Because Christ himselfe did set upon sin and did prevaile over it and with his righteousnesse swallowed it up and it was enforced to be extinguished of him Luth. Serm. in Ioh. 20. no lesse and no otherwise than a spark of fire cast into the wide Sea And thus hath God cast all our sins into the bottome of the Sea The third phrase expressing yet more fully the perfect abolishing of all our sinnes out of Gods sight is this That Christ gave himselfe for us to make us holy and hath made us cleane that he might make us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to himselfe a glorious Church How or wherein glorious Answ That is not having now at this present Non dicit non habituram sed non habâ—ntem time as the Greek and Latine Participle of the present time doth signifie one spot or wrinkle of sinne or any such thing Ephes 5. 25 26 27. Eph. 5. 25 26 26. For thus teach we That the Church hath not one spot or wrinkle of sin but is perfectly righteous by free Justification and Faith only in Christ which serves to approve her to the eyes of God Againe shee is holy in life and conversation but this latter way is unperfect and serves to approve her to the eyes of men And thus doe alledge this place Augustine Luther Zanch. Downham Willet Hall Heming and many others saying thus The Church is made cleâ—n that shee may have August Muâ—datur ut non habâ—at maculam Non potest hâ—bere caput illud nisi coadignum coâ—pus condignam uxorâ—m haec est Sponsa Christi non habens maculam per lavacrum enâ—m â—uferuntur peccata Interna purgâ—tio no spot that head can not have a body but agreeable and sutable unto himselfe such an husband doth not marry a wife but like unto himselfe therefore hee saith That hee might make her to himselfe a glorious Church not having now one spot or wrinkle nor any such thing for by her baptisme her sins are taken away For when a man is baptized he receiveth this benefit of grace signed and sealed unto him as with the very seale of God whereby the inward washing and making cleane which is wrought by the blood of Christ is given ratified and sealed to him that is baptized if afterwards being come to yeeres his unbeliefe do not seclude him from the benefit Therefore that saying of S. Paul is to be holden fast Quaâ—e â—irmiter tenendom Hâ—ming in 1 Ioh 1 7. firmely who testifieth That Christ so loved his Church that
10. phrases of Scripture as are correspondent to the glory and nature of God and which Christ cals the mysteries and secrets of the Kingdome of heaven Matth. 13. 11. Matt. 13. 11. which is but the excellency and deepnesse of the things which they themselves seeme to hold especially being tryed as Nicodemus was with a new Iohn 3. 4. phrase which they have not heard of expressing but the old matter which like blind Mill-horses they daily runne round in and have daily heard then with Nicodemus they count it absurde and doe judge it very foolishnesse it selfe 1 Cor. 2. 14. and cry out 1 Cor. 2. 14. Mar. 1. 27. Ioh. 3. 9. What new doctrine is this Mar. 1. 27. How can these things bee Ioh. 3. 9. and then they fall a wrangling with Nicodemicall conclusions and doe not keep neither in word nor deed to that which they hold but speak like men in a spirituall phrensie flat contraries contradictories and then fall to sophisticating raging and calumniating that is to a changing and wresting ones words and meaning and finally if at length they bee not renewed and changed with Nicodemus they fall to railing and persecuting Act. 13. 45 50. Act. 13. 45. 50. The dead generall calling or dead faith and literall knowledge in the same being the death of all the Prophets and Apostles that spake spiritually And thus by the excellency of Christs benefits layed open the thoughts of many hearts are opened to be very bad that seemed a long time by an appearance of Sanctification to bee very good Luke 2. 34 35. Luk. 2. 34. 35. The third sort of objectors are such as are not The third sort of objectors Agents but meer Patients that is doe not make but take objections and being troubled with the same in minde and having their faith weakned thereby doe only desire to be resolved of their doubts now although these last are to be delt with all in all gentlenesse yet the two first sorts standing more obstinately upon their own conceites there is little good to be done upon them except they bee more roughly and roundly dealt withall Their objections ranked in three bands First from Scripture Secondly Examples Let us now therefore come unto their objections whereof because they would gather an whole army and doe ranke them into threebands as first Scriptures and secondly Examples and thirdly Reasons let us set upon some of the principallest objections as it were Thirdly Reasons upon the chiefe captaines and the rest like rascally souldiers will soone take them to their heeles The first whereof is this what doe you define Justification Object 1 to be such a strange and powerfull imputation of Christs righteousnesse unto us that of unjust it makes us just before God that is perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely yea and so perfectly righteous that God sees no sin in his justified children as your Scriptures and authorities would seeme to presse in your fifth emphaticall Scripture phrase why but sins wee have in us that is undeniable for who can say his heart is pure And Iames 3. 2. if any man say he hath no sin he deceives himselfe for in 1 Ioh. 1. 8. many things wee sinne all And therefore shall not the Lord who is omnipotent and omniscient and the searcher of all hearts and reines shall not he see it in them why can any thing be hid out of Gods sight D. Bishop agâ—inst M. Perkins chap. 4. Sect. 2. Answ It is a madnesse to think it Unto which I answer and grant that we all have sin in us and that in many things wee sinne all yea I say more that wee all sin not only in many things as you say but even in all things and which these objectors cannot abide that all our very righteousnesse D. Bishop against M. Perkins ibid. sect 3. of Sanctification and holy walking is as a mensturous cloath that is mortall and damnable sin if God should behold it out of Justification for this sinning in all our actions is our misery before God and he that desires not to be delivered of these evills in the sight of God bewrayes the very ground of his hypocrisie namely that he never yet understood much lesse felt what an horrible thing the least sin is in the sight of God for this is our spirituall leprosie before God this is our spirituall Plague-soare and sicknesse to the death of hell-fier But shall any man therefore conclude that because the justified children of God have them see them and feel them in themselves therefore they have them in the sight of God and that he sees them in them when by making them perfectly holy righteous from all spot of these and all other sins before himself he hath utterly abolished them out of his own sight why is not God able to abolish those sins that we feel daily dwelling in us out of his own sight although he doth not abolish them out of our sight that wee may here live by the faith of his power Certainely this were to have as much faith as an Oxe or an Horse for they beleeve but what they see and feele but it is the true nature and very essence of faith to beleeve cleane contrary to that which we see and feele in our The nature of true faith selves if God hath spoken the contrarie hath God not only spoken the contrary saying to his Church and justified children that indeed feele see and complaine of their spirituall blacknesse Behold notwithstanding thy seeing and feeling behold thou art faire my love behold thou art all faire and there is no spot in thee whereby God sees no iniquity in his true spirituall Church nor he sees no transgression in his true justified Israel And hath not only with admiration expresly spoken it but also given the meanes to effect and bring it to passe namely that the blood of Jesus Christ his Son doth make us clean even from that which doth defile us before God Mark 7. 20. 21. that Mark 7. 20. 21. 1 Iohn 1. 7. is from all sin it self 1 Iohn 1. 7. And hath he not only spoken and given the powerfull meanes to effect it but also sworn it saying By my selfe have I sworn that in me you shall have righteousnesse and strength whereby the whole house of Israel shall bee justified that is made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely and glorie in the Lord Esay 45. 23 Esay 45. 23 24 25. 24 25. as indeed there can bee no greater glorying that we are justified then this that God sees no sinne in us by reason that being cloathed with Christs righteousnesse wee are made there by perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely And when not only God the Father hath thus spoken and sworn
of them in the spirituall breach of each Commandement both by commission and omission and thirdly the five fold punishment that God daily executeth in ☞ one place or other we must preach it as nigh as I said as possibly we can with the same majesty that God spake it in thundering and lightening and terrible earth-quake and flaming fire reaching up to the midst of heaven for which right nature of it it is called the fiery Law Deut. 33. 2. that so it may bee to secure Deut. 33. 2. ones and unto them that are under it the lightening of Gods wrath the thundering of his anger the messenger of death the hammer and ratling of hell to break in pieces the hard stones that lie secure in the least sin Now when the preaching of the â—aw shewing the horriblenesse of the least sin in the sight of God and the fearefulnesse of Gods wrath for the same hath thus humbled and terrified and killed men then they flie willingly to Christ by faith and sighing up to him he by his full satisfactory punishment heales all their soares by making them perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely then this also sanctifieth them and makes them full of comfort joy love and zeale of glorifying God in all holy and godly conversation by zealous doing and cheerfull walking by love in all Gods Commandements which is the true Evangelicall Repentance continually walked in that Christ is said to give by turning away every one from his iniquities Acts 3. 26. And hitherto of legall crosses and afflictions Act 3. 26. Now on the other side Evangelicall crosses arise 2 Evangelicall Why Evangelicall crosses are not to correct and punish for sin of the Gospel and are laid upon them that are thus truly actively and declaratively converted not to correct and punish them for their sins as before for this were to mingle to mixe and confound the Law and the Gospel this were to deny Christs satisfactory punishment because it is therefore fully satisfactory because we have thereby not one spot or wrinkle of sinne nor any such thing in the sight of God Ephes 5. 27. Ephes 5. 27. It is therefore fully satisfactory because by his death upon the crosse he hath made us so holy that we are without all blame and without all fault in the sight of God freely Colos 1. 22. yea this were to deny that of unjust wee Colos 1. 22. are made just that is perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely And briefly this were to deny the expresse words of S. Paul saying That after â—â—ith is come that we are made thus perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God we are no longer under a Schoolmaster Galat. 3. 25. But the Evangelicall crosses Gal. 3. 25. The use of Evangelicall crosses are two First triall of faith and afflictions upon the justified and converted have also these two uses first to try their faith and secondly to exercise that faith that hath made them so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely First I say for the triall of their faith to try them how they will sticke to the assurance of this truth of God and power of Christ in this worke of the wedding garment wrought upon them by his blood when the feeling of sin in the flesh and these crosses and afflictions comming as it were in the neck of the same would to sense and feeling perswade them to the cleane contrary viz. that the blood of Christ hath not made them cleane from all sin 1 Iohn 1 7. and 1 Iohn 1 7. that Christ hath not made them perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely unto which temptation if we yeeld what is this but to deny Christ and his blood Secondly they serve to exercise encrease make 2 To exercise and encrease our faith strong and to give us an experimentall feeling in our selves of that faith that hath made us perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely For it is true that the faith of Gods children is weak and will sometimes stagger and droope and their sanctification will be like the Moone as it were in the wane and faile as Abrahams did sometimes but because they are cloathed with the Sun as shall be further shewed hereafter in the second part of Justification that is because the wedding garment of Christs righteousnesse wherewith they are cloathed never failes them therefore although the said weaknesse of their faith and other imperfections of their sanctification be covered and utterly abolished from before God with the perfection of Christs faith and compleat sanctification wherewith they are cloathed and thus being translated into Christ they still abide compleat in the sight of God Colos 2. 10. Yet by these crosses Colos 2. 10. faith to themselves-ward and to their owne experience and feeling is made more strong and raised to apprehend more fully from faith to faith that wedding garment of Christs righteousnesse that hath made them to stand so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely which power of Christ in thus justifying them makes them to say with Saint Paul in their greatest afflictions When I am weake then am I strong 2 Cor. 12. 10. because when they feele 2 Cor. 12. 10. crosses and afflictions upon them which properly are the effects of sin and of one not justified in the sight of God it makes them to examine themselves whether they be justified and to looke better and deeper into the worth of it and to apprehend it more strongly and to cling the faster unto it with prayer to God for the vertue and comfort of it And finding in their consciences that they give to Christ the glory of his blood by beleeving that they are justified it makes them to rise up in great joy in the very midst of those afflictions and this greater joy encreaseth and brings forth more abundantly all experimentall graces of sanctification that gives experience both to them selves to others that they are made perfectly holy righteous from al spot of sin in the sight of God freely and so blessed and saved for ever this is that which is meant Ioh. 15. 1 2 3. Where Christ saith Now are you Iohn 15. 1 2 3. clean through the Word that I have spoken unto you c. That is now already by my word of Free Iustification are yee made perfect good trees in the sight of God freely but it remâ—ineth that this faith of yours be exercised with many crosses afflictions that so it may be made strong and bring forth the good fruits of Sanctification the more abundantly This is to bee seene in the lives of Abraham Isaack and Iacob and very cleerly in
correct and punish them for the same must needs trouble the consciences of Gods children except they be hypocrites exceedingly because the corrections of a loving Father have some respect to the hainousnesse of the fault committed and correcteth accordingly therefore seeing the least sin is so infinite an horrible thing in the sight of God so infinitly detested of him that if for one small motion of sinne but meerely to chastise and correct us for it he should lay us in hell fire and there let us lye a thousand yeares and afterwards deliver us any man may see if he be not an hypocrite in the sight of sin that it were but a moderate and small correction for one sin if it be but the coldnesse or spice of vaine-glory in one good worke much more then if a man be not a grosse hypocrite to count his many sins to be corrected very small how can hee chuse but feare and looke every houre for most horrible temporall plagues meerly to correct and yet in mercy to chastise him for all his innumerable horrible sins that God sees in in him but these miscillane Christians never knew what an horrible thing the least motion of sin is in the sight of God and therefore feare not horrible corrections for them untill they come for dallying with Gods Justice and for their unbeliefe and robbing of Christ of the glory of the chastisement of our peace Esay 53. 5. to beare it themselves they come to bee Esay 53. 5. chastised and corrected in hell where I dare warrant them they shall have correction enough and nothing but just and due correction for their sins Eightly whilst the light of nature and reason thinks to provide the better greatly to further the care and diligence of holy walking with fear of corrections and whippings and lashes of crosses and afflictions which fleshly and Papistical wisedome is the very kore of this soare she doth indeed greatly hinder true sanctification and the Evangelicall true Repentance and holy walking both in the whole and in the parts of the same First in the whole most evidently for seeing the least sin is the plague-soare of the soule making us sick and unable to doe any spirituall duty pining away even unto the death of hell and nothing can heale us of the same but free justification by making us by the blood of Christ perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely and thus by his stripes wee are healed and truely made whole Esay 53. 5. and seeing Esay 53. 5. sanctification is but the lively stirring about that comes of this healing by justification can we then stirre lively in the duties of sanctification before wee feele our selves healed of the deadly sicknesse of our sins by Justification was Naaman the Syrian so religious towards the true God so loving to the Prophet so meeke gentle and liberall to his servant before he felt himselfe freely healed of his Leprosie and shall not the perfect healing of us from all sin a thousand times worse Leprosie doe the same much more in us when we are once come to see by faith how perfectly holy and righteous we are made from all spot of sin the spirituall Leprosie in the sight of God freely and that also not in the water of Iordan but in the laver of the blood of Christ Againe did the sinfull woman in the Gospel wash in true Repentance the feet of Jesus Christ with her teares and kisse them so often in such love untill by perceiving that much both for matter manner and measure was forgiven her she loved much Luke 7. 47. Then for the parts of sanctification and Repentance Luke 7 47. Two parts of sanctification 1 Mo tificanon and first mortification seeing the least motions of sin even in thought only are such horrible poison of hell so poisoning us and all our holy walking of sanctification that as Christ saith they defile all unto damnation when we see that nothing can make us spiritually clean from them except the Son of God be killed to temper for us with his blood so precious an Antidote or confection as is justification only able to make us mystically perfectly holy and righteous from them all in the sight of God and so first makes our inside of our cup even of our mindes and consciences passively pure and clean in the sight of God freely Titus 1. 15. or else these wormes of our soules Titus 2. 15. even the very stirring motions only will as truely and certainely kill us as they killed Christ doe we not then begin to see in the streame of Christs blood washing us from them the vilenesse of these evill thoughts and leasts motions and begin to hate them as the venemous vipers of our soule either eating out our heart or the heart of Christ Jesus and thus hating the evill thoughts and first motions of sin doth not this make us much more to hate and crucifie the grosse acts and outward practises of the same So for the second part of sanctification called vivification being Secondly vivification a quickening with joy love and zeale of Gods glory by cheerefull walking in all his commandements Did the tenth Leper returne with such joy did hee praise God with such a loud voice and did hee fall downe and worship Christ so fervently before he felt himselfe healed of his Leprosie which was as the learned shewes a true tipe and figure of our free justification Vid. Maâ—lo in Luke 17. or did the children of Israel stung in the Wildernesse with fiery Serpents goe powerfully and cheerefully and couragiously against their enimies untill by looking upon the Brazen Serpent they felt themselves perfectly healed of all their poisonous stingings which is the liveliest figure of the efficacy of our free justification of all Thus we see how the lessening of the glory of our justification extinguisheth the vigour of our sanctification both hindering our joy lessening our love and quenching our zeale that otherwise by the exceeding greatnesse of Christs benefits would exceedingly abound Esay 61. 3. Titus 2. 14. Esay 61. 3. Titus 2. 14. 9 Ninthly this Doctrine that God sees sin in his justified children to correct and punish them for the same expells the filiall feare and brings in the slavish and servile feare and makes his children to serve him with eye-service for whereas the filiall feare is to avoide the evill that the childe knowes to dislike and displease his father and to doe the good that pleaseth and liketh him not for feare of blowes punishment and beating if his father should see him but with a single eye like nature loving inclination and dutifull affection of love and reverence though his Father neither saw him nor would punish him for the same But on the other side the servile feare looks only to the masters eye and avoydeth evill doing and doth the commanded good duties either for his wages or for
axiome in true Religion that bona opera non praecedunt justificandum sed sequuntur Iustificatum that is good works of prayer or any such like doe not goe before a man be justified but they follow after a man is before justified Whereupon Luther agreeing with Austin Captivitate Patylonica Tom 2. pag. 71. b. saith promissio Dei non impletur orando sed solùm credendo Credentes autem oramus quodlibet opus bonum facimus that is the promise of God justifying us is not fulfilled by praying but only believing but when wee beleeve then wee pray and doe any other good work And thus as I said at the first have I handled this point the more fully because it is exceeding weighty THe third Reason objected is this The holy Ghost Third Reason Objected is God and shewes us our sinnes and shall not hee being God and shewing us our sins much more know and see sin in his justified children ergo the children of God are not made by Christs wedding-garment so perfectly holy and righteous that they have not one spot or wrinkle in the sight of God freely To which I answer that the holy Ghost being true Answ God knowes the sins of all men infinitely more perfectly than they themselves doe but in his justified children sees them abolished for although men themselves know something of sinne and of the wages thereof which is death by the light of nature whereby they are left without excuse Rom. 1. 20 31. 2. 14. 15. Rom. 1. 20. 31. 2. 14. 15. Yet none comes to know and see them rightly and effectually except the holy Ghost doe shew them their sins But to shew his children their sins he useth two glasses and puts them into the hands of his Ministers for that purpose the one is the glasse of the Law the other is the glasse of the Gospel Now whilst his children are unconverted the holy A twofold representation of sinne Ghost both knowes their sins and also sees them in them and wills his Ministers to hold out unto such constantly the glasse of the Law that they may see the Leprous faces of their soules in the same wherewith the spirit working open the eyes of their conscience Gen. 3. 7. to see better then by the light of nature that Gen. 3. 7. the foulnesse of sin is so horrible that he must needs curse the creature that hath the least sin in his sight saying Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law Gal. 3. 10. Gal. 3. 10. and to see the unchangable truth of this definitive sentence that Heaven and Earth may passe away but one jot or tittle of this sentence cannot passe untill it is fulfilled and to see the horriblenesse of Gods curse due to the least sin thus the holy Ghost shewes us our sins whereby they begin to see their Leprosie to bee very foule and their miserie most fearefull for one sinne much more for many sinnes whereby they are so terrified and so effectually humbled that they desire nothing more between heaven and Earth than to be healed of this their deadly Leptosie and hellish poyson of the lest sin this is the holy Ghosts and not the light of natures first shewing us our sinnes Now when this first work is thus wrought then the spirit wils his Ministers to hold forth likewise constantly before their faces the glasse of the Gospel wherein they hear that nothing can heale them of their spirituall Leprosie and wofull miserie but the blood of the Son of God which they apprehending the spirit also doth by imputation cloath them with the wedding-garment of Christs righteousuesse wherewith he abolisheth first out of his own sight all their sinnes and then gives them the eye of faith whereby they also see their sins utterly abolished out of the sight of God the Father Son and holy Ghost one God blessed for ever And yet they seeing with this eye of faith no lesse image and Idea in this glasse than the gaping wounds and goared bloody side of the Son of God hanging upon the Crosse and streaming out his blood and life to wash away and abolish all their sins as they see them thus utterly abolished so the spirit shewes them hereby the horriblenesse of their abolished sin more in the blood of Christ than before when they saw them not abolished in the glasse of the Law as if a father his sonne having committed some A smile act of theft should not be content to chide beat and all to rate him saying he should be hanged and were worthy to be hanged but also lead him out strictnesse of justice so requiring and shew him a man hanging as his pledge and surety and dying for him upon the Gallowes this sight must needs pierce his affections and although it shew him his foule fault abolished yet hee sees therein the vilenesse of it more than before so although the spirit of God doe shew us in the death of Christ our sinnes abolished out of his sight yet hee maketh us thereby both to discerne in our selves and with S. Paul in the seventh to the Romans to bewaile in our feeling for the exercise of our faith those sins which before wee counted but small or no sins and to see the exceeding vilenesse of them farre more by viewing them in the blood of Christ by which they are abolished out of Gods sight than if they were still abiding in the sight of God and although the sight sense and feeling of these sins be by a greater light in the Law never so strong in their own selves as sometimes it is stronger than it should be being reâ—dy to cast the children of God down into despaire Yet as before whilst they were under the Law the spirit did by the glasse of the Law simply shew them their sins with the curse and wrath of God due to the same so now being under the Gospel and under grace he doth not simply shew them their sins as before but it is the true office and true work of the spirit to shew them their sins abolished out of Gods sight that is as hee himselfe doth see them cloathed with the wedding-garment abolishing their sin and making them perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God and in his own sight freely and thereby enters into them himselfe as fit Temples for himselfe to dwell in and also knits them as meet and fit members into the body of Christ so doth he open their eyes of faith to see contrary to their Reason and to their strong contrary sense and feeling that Testimonie of Christ to be true and verified in in them viz. Thou art faire my Love behold thou art all faire and there is no spot in thee Cant. 4. 1. 7. And that Cant. 4. 1. 7. this is the testimonie of the holy spirit unto the children of God under
the Lord and to the Lord as the Apostle plainly testifies to the Justified Ephesians saying Yee were once darknesse there is the foule in the state of sin and of nature like the house dark at midnight But now are light in the Lord there is Justification by which Christ Jesus the Sun of righteousnesse being risen upon a man and mystically cloathing him both without and within with his owne righteousnesse all his sins are mystically above his sense and feeling utterly abolished from before God and hee is objectively and passively made all light but marke how hee saith not simply light nor yet light in your selves but light in the Lord as the house is not inherently light in its selfe as I said before but made all light in the Sun-beames therefore saith hee walk as the children of light there is Sanctification that is alwayes unseperable from Justification Justification And thus having illustrated by these two similitudes the manner how the true Beleever is not barely counted but truly and reipsa made perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely Let us come to some evident proofs of the matter and proove by undeniable Scriptures and testimonies of the learned and faithfull Dispensers of Gods mysteries that wee are by the power of Gods imputation though mystically yet truly so cloathed both without and within with Christs perfect righteousnesse that it is even in us thereby not only so truly and utterly abolishing from before God all our sins as is before shewed in the first part of Justification but also that it doth make us truly and reipsa just that is perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God thus dans nomen esse that is after the right nature of the forme giving us not onely the name but also the true being of just and righteous men in the sight of God freely And First that wee are by the power of Gods imputation so spiritually cloathed in the sight of God both within and without with the wedding-garment of Christs righteousnesse that the righteousnesse of Christ is though mystically above our sense feeling yet objectively and passively truly even in us is evident How the righteousnesse of Christ is in us and plaine both expresly and equipollently by many places of Scripture but I will instance only in such as are so expresse and plain that if unbeliefe doe not offer them open violence to wrest them from the plaine simplicity of the Scriptures miraculous speaking to the weakest capacitie and so too grosly make the Scripture like a nose of wax are most evident and plaine and utterly undeniable as namely Cant. 1. 15. and 4. 1. 7. Where it is to bee seene that Cant. 1. 15. 4. 1. 7. when the Church here militant upon earth had before complained that she was black in the sight of God both with the feeling of siane in her selfe and also besmootted with the crosses and miseries of this life as true effects of the same blacknesse in sin Christ tells her flatly in effect that she mistakes the matter and is deceived by her sense and feeling and to draw her from sense and feeling to live by faith in his word to note that in this respect being cloathed in his sight with his own righteousnesse she was above her own capacitie in a double or treble wonderfull estate hee often doubles and trebles the signe of wonder and admiration used in the Scriptures that as the Spirit spake in great wonder and admiration Behold a virgin shall conceive and beare a sonne Esay 7. 14. so saith Christ Behold thou art faire my love Esay 7. 14. Behold thou art faire thou hast doves eyes first commending her cleere eyes of faith for seeing invisible things 2 Cor. 4. 18. which neither eye hath seen nor eare 2 Cor. 4. 18. of naturall man can heare nor heart of naturall man can conceive 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. and then repeats with 1 Cor. 2. 9. 10. deeper emphasis againe for fuller certainty saying yea thou art all fair and there is no spot in thee where we are to mark that he saith not as unbeliefe blends this looking-glasse of Gods word wherein the soule should see her beauty by her cleere eyes of faith although thou are black yet I am all faire for thee But thou art all faire my love neither doth he say although thou hast many spots in thee yet there is no spot in me for thee But there is no spot in thee so that wee must not so grossely pervert the words of Christ and so palpably turne by unbeliefe away the blessing pronounced upon our selves as to turne thou and thee into I and me but so by faith to shut our eyes and open our eares as to know that the Church and every true beleever is so perfectly faire in the sight of God that she hath not one spot in her not inherently and actively by the perfection of her holy walking which then she might feele in her selfe but mystically above her sense and feeling and objectively and passively to God-ward by being so clothed both within and without with Christs righteousnesse that above our sense and seeling it not only truly and utterly abolisheth all our sinnes from before God as is before shewed in the first part of Justification but also wherein consisteth the true wonder and the work of the dove-like eye of faith to see the same it makes us though mystically yet truly perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely And this place not only all Interpreters both ancient and moderne that I have read do expound to be verified upon the children of God by Justification but also Paul himselfe as some learned Expositors teach speaking of the love of Christ in justifying his Church doth allude unto this place saying Christ gave himselfe for his Church to sanctifie it and hath as the originall word imports made it cleane by the washing of water through the Word namely of the free promise of Justification in which sense S. Iohn also saith He hath washed us from our sinnes in his own blood to what end or intent hath hee done this viz. not imaginarily to count us but to make us not to ourselves that is to our sense and feeling but to himselfe a glorious Church corresâ—ondent to her husband Christ how or wherein glorious that is not having now at this present time as the learned know that the Greek and Latine Participles of the present time doe evidently import the Apostle not saying non habituram that is the Church is in such case now as not to have hereafter one spot or wrinkle but non habentem not having now at this present time one spot or wrinkle of sinne or any such thing which cannot be spoken of our sanctification now in this life but yet is true and truly verified upon us mystically in the sight of God by Free Iustification as Christ saith
chapter but only of free Justification saith thus For as by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many what be counted righteous no but made righteous The Antithesis or rather likenesse in contraries is very plain that as the first Adam infecteth all that come of him with such originall corruption that every little Infant before it hath done or thought any evill is not barely counted a sinner but by his first birth is truly made a true and reall sinner so the second Adam so truly endues with his own righteousnesse all that come of him that every little Infant before it hath done or thought any evill being justified is not barely counted but truly made righteous herein only lying the difference That the little Infants is by the first Adam made so inherently sinfull with originall sin that it cannot but actually practise the same afterwards in life and conversation but by the second Adam it is mystically above sense and feeling that it may bee by the faith of Gods power made so truly and really righteous to God-ward that it cannot but in time by discerning Christs love inherently and actively declare the same afterwards to men-ward by sanctification Hence is that saying of Chrisostome before cited That as Adam unto all that came of him although they had not eaten of the Tree became the Author of sinne and death So Christ unto all that are of him although they have not yet lived righteously became a maker of them righteous even with that righteousnesse which by his crosse he freely gives unto us all Herewith accordeth the Doctrine of our Church taught by the first Restorers of the Gospel amongst us saying more plainly thus That wee by the virtue of Christs blood shed upon the Crosse are cleane purged from our sinnes and made righteous againe in the sight of God What doe the Doctrine of our Church and first Restorers of the Gospel say that we are barely counted righteous no but that we are made righteous againe alluding without doubt by the word againe unto the state of Adam in Paradise that as truly as the first Adam made us sinners when before his fall we had no sinne in sight of God So the second Adam Christ hath not come any whit short of his work also and done lesse upon us but hath made us though mystically yet truly perfectly holy and righteous again from all spot of sinne in the sight God freely this also do other faithfull Expositors that were the first Restorers of the Gospel testifie plainly unto us adding also reasons why it must needs bee so that Christ by conveying his righteousnesse into us doth indeed and truth make us righteous in the sight of God saying thus For seeing before the Tribunall Seat of God it is esteemed no righteousnesse except it bee the perfect and absolute obedience of the Law as Christ alone is thus righteous so by conveying his righteousnesse into us and upon us nos justos reddit that is he makes us righteous Let us here marke three reasons plainly expressed why wee must of necessity bee not barely counted Three Reasons why wee are made righteous but indeed and truth made righteous in the sight of God First because before the Tribunall Seat of God that is in the truth of his Justice which alwayes reigns as it were in his breast it is esteemed of him no righteousnesse except it bee the perfect and absolute righteousnesse of the Law therefore no bare counting righteous will serve the turne Secondly because God doth by the power of his imputation convey this perfect and absolute righteousnesse of Christ into us for so these learned Expositors testifie that the manner of this work is suam justitiam in nos transferendo that is by conveying his righteousnesse into us and upon us this is that mysticall cloathing before spoken of Thirdly because nos justos reddit that is as they may be truly understood either God by his powerfull imputation conveying his righteousnesse into us doth make us righteous or else more immediately that the righteousnesse of Christ so mystically conveyed into us doth make us righteous whereupon these said learned faithfull Expositors doe plainly conclude upon the foresaid first alledged proofe of Scripture thus Quotquot ergò ex Deo nati c. As many therefore as are born of God and therefore ordained to eternall life justi constituuntur are made righteous non modò propter sed per unius obedientiam that is not only for but also By the righteousnesse of one man Christ That is not only for the righteousness inherently and actively in Christ but also by that righteousnesse objectively and passively conveyed into us and so though myâ—â—ically yet truly making us perfectly righteous in the sight of God THe second proofe of Scripture proving that wee Scrip. 2. Ephes 5. 25 26 2. are not barely counted but truly made righteous in the sight of God is Ephes 5. 25 26 27. where the Proâ—ing we aâ—e not only counted buâ— are iâ—deed righteous in Gods sight Apostle saith that Christ gave himselfe for his Church what to doe to sanctifie it and hath made it cleane by the washing of water through the word but for what purpose and intent hath he made it clean by shedding his blood for it Namely that he might make it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing Marke how he saith not That he might count it a glorious Church but make it to himselfe a glorious Church And whereas some have objected that the word Object might importeth that this place is to be understood of our making righteous by our sanctification by which we shall be made so righteous that we shall have no spot or wrinkle in the life to come I answer that Answ although our sanctification bee now unseperable from our Justification and yet will not be perfect untill the life to come and then it shall be so perfect that wee shall not have one spot or wrinkle of sin to our selves and own sight sense and feeling yet notwithstanding all Interpreters that I have read doe understand the place to be meant of Justification also by which it is verified upon us that we have not even in this life one spot or wrinkle of sinne in the sight of God freely and Six reasons proving the true meaning of that place of Scripture I think that this place is properly and chiefly to be understood of Free Iustification for six reasons apparent in the Text. First for the scope of the place which is to exhort Christian Husbands to deale with their Wives as Christ hath already dealt with them as by a pattern perfectly done upon them Secondly our sanctification is wrought by us and by the spirit of God enabling us thereunto but this example is appropriated to Christ a lone in giving himselfe to shed his blood to effect it which
saying thus Who so dwelleth in the secret of the most High that is as Luther well expounds it Vnder Free Iustification which none can work upon us but the most high God and indeed is the secret of secrets to the blind world He shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty that is hee shall bee protected and defended under the most comfortable shade of Gods most loving providence who is of Almighty power to preserve and keep him So that the faithfull soule saying unto the Lord in confidence of this reconciliation by Free Justification Oh my refuge and my Fortresse my God in him will I trust Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter which is the Divell and all his instruments and from the noysome pestilence of their contagious practises He will cover thee under his wings of Frâ—e Justification and thou shalt bee safe under his feathers of his gracious providence and protection his truth of perfect reconciliation shall be thy shield and buckler c. as it followes in the whole Psalme For hee shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes thou mayst have some crosses and troubles But thou shalt tread upon the Lyon and Adder the young Lyon and the Dragon shalâ— thou trample under thy feet Why Because by faith of free Justification hee hath set his love upon mee therefore saith God will I deliver him I will exalt him because he hath known my name He shall call upon mee and I will heare him I will bee with him in trouble I will deliver him and glorifie him With long life will I satisfie him and shew him my salvation is not this a joyfull perfect excellent and blessed reconciliation Hence likewise is the whole 121. Psalme verified upon us Psal 121. testifying that the creatures that have mighty operation in mans body and are high above our reach shall yet notwithstanding doe us no harme saying The Sun shall not smite thee by day nor the Moon by night the Lord shall preserve thee from all evill yea hee shall keep thy soule the Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy comming in from henceforth and forever What would wee have more Yea hence are all the other comfortable excellent protectors spoken of every-where in the Word of God verified upon us whereupon the Prophet saith Psal 5. 11 12. Let all them that trust in Psal 5. 11. 12. thee rejoyce and tryumph for ever and cover thou them and let them that love thy name rejoyce in thee why Because thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous which none are before God but by free Justification and with favour wilt compasse him as with a shield defending and keeping him from all hurt to the least haire of his head Matth. 10. 29. 30. can we possibly wish a greater Matth. 10. 29. 30. and perfecter and more protecting reconciliation But as this first part of Justification doth thus protect and defend us from all evill and hurt So the second part brings upon us by this perfect reconciliation all manner of good things that are truly needfull and necessary for us as God himselfe testifieth Ierem. 32. 40 41. saying I will make an everlasting Ier. 32. 40. 41. covenant with them that I will never turn away from them to doe them good Yea saith he I will delight and rejoyce over them to doe them good Hence is the whole Psal 23. verified upon us namely That the Psal 23. Lord is our Shepherd because he is made such unto us only and truly by free Justification And therefore can we lack nothing Hee will feed us in green pastures and lead us forth by the waters of comfort Hee restoreth our souls and leads us by Justification freely in the pathes of righteousnesse for his name sake Therefore he concludes Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the daies of our life Hence it is that Christ said Take no distrustfull cark and care for your belly what you shall eat nor for your body what you shall put on For after all these things doe the Gentiles with such doubtfulness and distrusting care seek after But your heavenly Father knowes that you have need of all these things But seek yee first the Kingdome of God If you ask how I answer By making your selves sure of his righteousnesse which by making you perfectly righteous in the sight of God freely is only able to reconcile and set you in perfect peace with God and then all these things shall be cast upon you Matth. 6. Whereupon we see the truth of that Matth. 6. 33. saying of David Feare the Lord yee his Saints but how are we Saints Two manner of wayes as is shewed before First by Justification that makes us perfect Saints to God-ward freely and Secondly by sanctification that makes us Saints to men-ward in sincerity Well what then For saith hee They that feare him lack nothing The Lyons do lack and suffer hunger but they that feare the Lord shall want nothing that is good Psal 34. Which perfect reconciliation with God Psal 34. 10. Iacob found so effectuall that hee said boldly unto his Brother The Lord hath had mercy on me and therefore I have all things Gen. 33. 11. And Luther upon the Gen. 33. 11. voyce from heaven saying This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased shewes that this rich mercy and perfect reconciliation with God by which we have all things was testified by God himselfe at the Baptisme of his Sonne to be without measure exhibited saying thus Nothing else was heard seen here but love Incredible sweetnesse good will and the infinite and incredible favour of God towards us nothing but unmeasurable and bottomless goodness and placability all the whole vast heaven seemed not to distill drops but to poure and raine down whole showers and floods of most sweet honey and sugar and to power down meer and infinite favour of God abundantly upon us that we may think of and expect nothing else from him but the best good things and most rich mercy and wel-pleasing reconciliation yea saith he againe For this one cause would God sound these words from heaven with his own voyce that he might perswade us certainly and that we might infix it deeply in our minds That in Christ and for Christ his beloved Son omni nos beneficiorum genere cumulare velit c. That it is his will to lade us with all manner of benefits and embrace us as was signified in receiving the prodigal child with a true fatherlike and well-pleased affection of love to cover us with the best garment nourish us make merry with us and defend and save us and to drive away all things that goe about to deprive us hereof Which words of Luther although they seeme for sweetnesse and fulnesse of honey and sugar to be incredible yet wee need not doubt thereof because S. Paul himselfe
c. Gal. 5. 22. This is the voyce of the Bridegroome and of the Bride that is to say sweet cogitations of Christ wholsome exhortations pleasant Songs and Psalmes praises and thanksgiving whereby the godly doe instruct stirre up and refresh themselves Therefore God loveth not heavinesse and dulnesse Heavinesse must be abandoned and why of spirit he hateth uncomsorrable doctrine heavie and sorrowfull cogitations and loveth cheerfull hearts for therefore hath he sent his Sonne not to oppresse us with heavinesse and sorrow but to cheere up our soules in him Mark what great joy all the Prophets doe prophesie of and even extort at our hands for the first comming of Christ so do the Psalms so doth Christ and so doe his Apostles not only exhorting us but even commanding us to rejoyce Rejoyce thou Daughter of Zion bee joyfull thou Daughter of Ierusalem â—ach 5. for behold thy King commeth to thee Againe for the fruits of his comming Rejoyce yee heavens for the Esay 44. 12 23. Lord hath done it Shout yee lower parts of the earth burst forth into prayses yee mountaines why what is done and wherefore must there be such great joy For I have put away thy sinnes as darkness and thy transgressions as a mist And thus hath the Lord redeemed Iacob and will be glorified in Israel And albeit wee Luth. Seâ—m in Phil. 4. 4. fall sometimes into sinnes which by nature bring sadnesse and sorrow with them yet forasmuch as they cannot bring so much hurt as Christ if we believe in him bringeth power of abolishing them with profit and safety Joy in the Lord ought alwayes to have the first place with us and farre to overcome the sorrow and sadnesse that commeth by reason of our sinnes Hence doth the truly faithfull soule the Bride of Christ burst forth into this extasie saying I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord and my soule shall bee joyfull in my God Why Because hee hath cloathed me with the garments of Salvation What garments are those He hath covered me with the Robes of righteousness he hath decked Esay 61. 10. me as a Bride tireth her selfe with her Iewells Esay 61. 10. And hereupon saith Luther Beholdhow for this knowledge Luth. in Gal. 3. 13. and benefit of Christ to come the Saints of the Old Testament rejoyced more than we now doe when he is so comfortably revealed and exhibited unto us Indeed we do acknowledge that this benefit of Christ the righteousnesse of faith is an inestimable Treasure But wee conceive not thereby such a full joy of spirit as the Prophets and Apostles did Hereof it commeth that They especially Paul doe so plentifully set forth and so diligently teach the Articles of Justification for this is the proper office of an Apostle and of a Minister of the Gospel to set forth the glory and benefits The proper office of a Minister of the Gospel of Christ to the working of this joy and therefore doth S. Paul define a Minister to be but an help to the peoples joy 2 Cor. 1. 24. When such a rejoycing 2 Cor 1. 24. faith possesseth the heart and the Gospel is so received indeed then God appeareth sweet and altogether loving neither feeleth the heart any thing but the favour and grace of God it standeth with a bold and strong confidence Luth. serm in Phil. 4. 4. it feareth not least any evill come unto it it being quiet from all feare of displeasure is merry and glad of so incomparable grace and goodnesse of God given unto it freely and most abundantly in Christ Wherfore there must needs forthwith proceed from such a faith love joy peace gladnesse giving of thanks praise and a certaine marvellous delight in God as in a most deare and favourable Father which dealeth so fatherly with us and poureth forth his gifts so plentifully and in so great measure upon them also which doe not deserve them Behold of such joy Paul speaketh here which â—ruly where it is there can be no place for sin or feare of death or hell yea nothing is there but a joyfull quiet and omnipotent trust in God and in his favour wherefore it is called joy not in gold silver delights singing health knowledge wisedome power glory friendship favour no nor in works holinesse and such like but joy in the Lord wherefore Paul speaketh saying Rejoyce in the Lord alway and againe I say rejoyce Phil. 4. 4. And Peter Phil. 4. 4. testifieth that the faithfull by beleeving did rejoyce 1 Pet. 1. 8. with joy unspeakable and glorious For in this righteousnesse wherein I am made passively righteous I Luthers argument in Galat. have no sin no feare no sting of conscience no care of death for where Christ is truly seene indeed there must needs be full and perfect joy in the Lord. Wherefore if any man feele himselfe oppressed with Luther in Gal. 2. 20. heavinesse and anguish of heart he must not impute it unto Christ although it come under the name of Christ but unto the Devill who oftentimes commeth under the colour of Christ and transformeth himselfe into an Angel of light for if there be any feare or any griefe of conscience it is a token that this passive The cause of feare and sadnesse of heart righteousnesse wherewith I am freely made perfectly holy and righteous is withdrawne that grace is hidden and Christ is darkned out of sight wherefore we must Luther in serm of the lost sheep in Gal. 4. 7. fight against sadnesse and heavinesse of spirit caused by the law and give no place to the Devill who would by the law break up the bride-chamber of Christ and thrust himselfe into his place that is take away from the conscience her joy and comfort whereby he may not bee able cheerfully to lift up his heart and head before God ever remembring that the Kingdome of heaven into which we by our effectuall calling are translated as the Bride of Christ into his bride-chamber is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. Rom. 14. 17. Fourth Effect Good judgement right discerning of all spirits The fourth effect or fruit declaring the utility of Free Iustification is that it worketh a good judgement and right discerning of all Religions works and worships to the utter overthrowing of all Superstitions Sects and Schismes and doth reduce people from their contentious and dangerous by-paths and doth rectifie their blinde legall zeales mentioned Rom. 10. 3. Rom. 10. 3. declining to sundry Sects and contentious opinions and brings them to the pure and sincere worship of God in spirit and truth that is in one faith only and one Baptisme Ephes 4. 2. to 6. unto which they Ephes 4. 2. to 6. cannot be wonne but by understanding the excellency of Free Iustification and how compleat they are made by it alone before God Colos 2. 10. but will be carried Colos 2. 10. away
neighbour King and countrey and what not for a little thick clay vaine pomp and earthly pelfe and all because he seeth no greater riches proposed unto him nor the farre passing gaine that is in godlinesse that is in Free Justification But when men are brought to see their owne cursed estate and wofull misery that by nature they are plunged into and then have effectually the heigth depth length and breadth of the inestimable riches Ephes 3. 8. and glorious treasures of Ephes 3. 8. free Iustification by Christ opened unto them Then they become like the wise Merchant in the Gospel who having found the treasure hid in the field for joy thereof departeth and selleth all that hee hath of high esteeme and buyeth that field Math. 13. 44. A notable example whereof and cleere paterne for any man that is wise to look into is Paul who when he came in truth to taste of these unsearchable riches of free Iustification then he began to cry out I count all things losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and doe count them but dung that I may be found in Christ How by not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is by the faith of Christ even the righteousnesse which is of God through faith Phil. 3. 8 9. The sixth and maine point shewing the majesty Sixth Effect is Sanctifcation and the true Evangelicall Repentance and utility of this benefit of â—ustification is That the true joyfull knowledge of the same is the only powerfull meanes to regenerate quicken and sanctifie us and to make us truly to love feare and truâ—t in God working in us the true Evangelicall repentance in sincerity hating sin because it is sin and in truly loving all holinesse and righteousnesse and thus it is Gods holy fire that enflameth his people with right thankfull zeale of Gods glory in carefull and diligent walking in all Gods Commandements by willing cheerfull and ready practising of all duties of love both towards God and our Neighbours and so making it manifest that Justification and Sanctification are inseparable companions that goe infallibly together A true Beleever is a Saint two wayes making every true Beleever a double Saint or rather a true Saint two manner of wayes as is expressed in the Table following Every true Beleever is a true Saint two manner of wayes not to be separated but thus to be distinguished 1 By Justification which serveth to make him a true Saint only in the eies of God two wayes 1 Because Christs blood washing away and abolishing all his sins he hath this property of a true Saint that he is clean from all his sins in the sight of God 1 Iohn 1. 7. 2 Because being clothed and passively formed with Christs righteousnes he hath the second property of a true Saint that he is perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God Rom. 5. 19. 2 By Sanctification which serveth to make him a true Saint to the eyes of men and that also two wayes 1 By mortifying and crucifying all sin every day more and more as Gal. 5. 24. They that are Christs do crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts 2 By walking though not perfectly yet sincerely and zealously in all Gods Commandements Psal 18. 22. So Zachary Elizabeth his wife being both just before God by free Justification walked in all the Commandements of God without reproofe declaratively to man-ward The differences between these two are these ten 1. Justification serveth to approve us for true Saints to the eyes of God Sanctification serveth to approve us true Saints to the eyes of men 2. Therefore our Justification is perfect that is making us to Gods eyes cleare as the Sun Cant. 6. 9. but Sanctification is unperfect making us to the night of this world faire as the Moon Cant. 6. 9. 3. Our Justification is perceived by faith only Sanctification is perceived by sense and feeling 4. Our Justification is heavenly and more spirituall our Sanctification is fleshly Rom. 4. 1. and as a menstrous cloath Esay 64. 6. in comparison 5. Justification dignifieth our Sanctification Sanctification is dignified of Justification Heb. 11. 4. 6. Justification is meerly passive to us and freely given of God and is the sole glory of Christ Sanctification is active and rendred to God in way of thankfulnesse and is the glory of man Rom. 4. 2. 7. Justification is the cause of Sanctification Sanctification is the effect of Justification 8. Justification is meritorious of all the favour and blessings of God Sanctification of it selfe merits nothing at all 9. Justification is the cause enriching us with all the other benefits and treasures of the Gospel Sanctification sheweth that we are so enriched 10. God leaveth our Sanctification so imperfect in this life that all our rejoycing and joy unspeakable and glorious may be in Justification Rom. 14. 17. For first that Justification worketh in us the true First the true love of God Luke 7. 4â— love of God is plainly testified by Christ himselfe Luke 7. 47. saying to whom a little is forgiven he doth love but a little but to whom being a great debtor much is forgiven especially with such a forgivenesse as Gods is wherein a greater over-plus of riches is also given him to make him sully rich he doth love much For no man is righteous but he that hath a true Nemo eâ—im jusius 〈◊〉 nisi qui c. feeling of his sinnes neither except hee feele them with a true touch can he else embrace this righteousnesse but whosoever hath this knowledge that his Necesse est ut Dâ—um dil gal Marlot ibid. sins through Christ are so richly forgiven him it must needs be that he love God much Then of this true love of God ariseth the true Evangelicall Seâ—ondly Evangelicall Repentance repentance grieving at all sin not for feare of punishment but through love becomming zealous against all sin both in himselfe and in others An example whereof is the justified woman who before was so great a sinner yet being justified and pronounced no sinner by Christ how great was her repentance Quidâ—am sâ—bi voâ—â—nt tam profuâ—ae 〈◊〉 quid assidua â—edumisenta for what meant her abundant tears what meant the often kissing of his feet what meant her pretious ointment but that she acknowledged she had been a grievous sinner and pressed with a great burthen Nam pâ—â—catis for Christ â—atiam abolius novam juâ—â—â—tiam adepta of damnation And now she embraced the mercy of God so much the more ardently by how much she acknowledged her need thereof to be the greater for because In hoc uno insâ—slit Chriâ—â—us c. her sins by the grace of Christ were abolished and she had attained a new righteousnesse Hence did Christ insist on this one point that although she had
or remembrance of works but freely making them compleatly righteous seen and enjoyed by faith only apprehending this promise On this wise the promise of God doth give freely unto us that which the Commandement doth exact of us perforce and doth fulfill that which the Law doth straightly command By this meanes therefore the soule through faith only without works believing in the Word of God is justified sanctified pacified delivered replenished with all goodnesse and is truly made the daughter of God For such as the Word is as namely this The blood of Iesus Such as the word is such is the believing soule Christ the Sonne of God doth make us cleane from all sin 1 Ioh. 1. 7. Such becommeth the soule made by force of the Word even as a fiery plate of Iron doth glow 1 Ioh. 1. 7. and glister like unto fire by meanes of uniting the fire and the plate together thus is Gods Word glorified thus is the faithfull soule delivered from all sinnes made safe from death guarded from Hell and endowed with the everlasting righteousnesse life and saving health of her husband Christ and on this wise doth Christ couple her unto himselfe a glorious Spouse not having spot or wrinckle making her clean with the Fountaine in the Word of Life of Righteousnesse and of salvation Wherefore who is able to value the royalty of this marriage accordingly who is able to comptehend the glorious riches of this grace This I say must be secondly taught without any respect or remembrance of works and be throughly grounded and planted in the soule and reigning in the heart with joy Else should faith and works not remaine within their bounds but be confounded Therefore doth Paul prosecute this argument Luth. in Gal. 3. â—7 to the Gentiles very diligenâ—ly For he fore saw in spirit that this mischiefe should creep into the Church That the Word of God should be confounded that is to say that the promise should be mingled with the Law and so the promise should be utterly lost for when the promise is mingled with the Law it is now made nothing else but the very Law for whosoever In chap. 2. 17. doe not perfectly understand the Article of Iustisication must needs confound and mingle the Law and grace together But where this rich and loving husband Christ takes unto wise this poore and wicked Harlot redeeming her from all evills laying all her sins upon his own shoulders whereby they are swallowed up in him as darknesse is swallowed up in the Sun-beames Esay 44. Esay 4 22. 22. For it behoveth that all sin be swallowed up at the very sight of Christ cloathing and enrobing her with his own righteousnesse and garnishing her with all his own Jewels Whose hearts hearing these things will not melt for very joy and wax ravished for very love of Christ having received so great consolation To the which love he can never possibly attaine by any Lawes or works at all Then thirdly will follow works of love and thankfulnesse Works of love in a manner of their own accord with a little help of direction and exhortation flowing from a true right thankfull zeale of Gods glory making them willing and ready to grow and cheerfully to walk in all the holy duties of all his Commandements Thus The mighty power of the Goâ—pel to true sanctiâ—ication is Justification making us perfectly holy and righteous freely in the sight of God and works safely taught and not confounded the one with the other but both in their due bounds powerfully stablished works Lâ—th Serm. iâ— Tit. 3. 5. thereby joyfully flowing forth Yea as soone as thou feelest by true saith this bountisulnesse and love of God towards men not through works of righteousnesse which we have done Tit. 3. 4. thou canst not in this case be idle for surely that love of God and pleasure which thou enjoyest in him will not suffer thee to be idle thou shalt be enslamed with a marvellous study and desire to doe what things soever thou canst know will be an honour unto thy God so loving and bountifull unto thee and will turn to praise glory and thanksgiving unto him thou shalt passe for no precept thou shalt feele no compulsion of the Law having a most ready will pleasure to doe whatsoever things thou shalt know to bee acceptable unto God whether they bee contemptible The chiefe disposition of the believing soul or noble small or great thou shalt count them a like But first of all it shall be thy desire that this blessed knowledge of God and rich benefits and treasures by Christ may be common to all others Whereupon by and by thy love will shew it selfe and will assay all meanes to make this truth of Salvation manifest unto all rejecting and condemning whatsoever others either-teach or say that agreeth not with this truth whereby it will come to passe that Satan and the World which heare nothing so unwillingly as this truth will rise against thee with all their might will by and by trouble thee The Great Learned Rich and Mighty of the World will condemn thee of heresie and madnesse Howbeit if thou be endued with this joyfull faith it cannot bee but that thy heart being thereby cheered should even as it were laugh and leap for holy joy in God being voyd of all care and trouble and be made above measure confident Fourthly hence it is also manifest that it is this 4 True trust and confidence in God Eph. 1. 13. joyfull knowledge of Iustification which worketh in us a sound trust and true confidence in God making us to goe forward in our vocations both common of Christianitie and particular of our places against all the oppositions of the whole world doing the duties of the same with courage boldnesse and constaney whatsoever come of it The reason and ground of which trust and courage is expressed by S. Paul in Rom. 8. 32. saying If when we were sinners God spared Rom. â— 32. not his Son but gave him for us all to death to justifie us how shall he not with him we being now justified that is made perfectly holy and righteous in his sight but give us all things also so that wee know that all things work together for the best unto us For the cause that bringeth all evill upon us and keepeth away good things from us is sinne saith the Prophet Ierem. 5. 25. But if our sinnes be by the blood Iereâ— 5. 25. of Christ so utterly abolished that we are cleane in his sight from all sinne 1 Ioh. 1. 7. then what is there 1 Ioh. â— 7. left to bring any evill upon us or to hinder good things from us Againe seeing the only thing that separates between us and our God and the only thing that hideth his face from us that he will not heare is sin Isa 59. 2. If the Lamb of God have taken away our sins
is in Christ Iesus Rom. 8. 38. 39. Thus the word of Christ by which we are now cleane Ioh. 15. 3. Rom. 8. 38 39. that is which justifieth us by the righteousnesse of Ioh. 15. 3. Christ is the onely thing which bringeth us to the Luth. Serm. in Ioh. 14. Father And as the joyfull knowledge of Justification doth Iustification enlargeth the heart towards our neighbours thus enlarge the heart to God-ward so doth it also enlarge the heart with true love and willing and ready practice doing of all duties of love to man-ward not drawne thereto with the terrours of the Law or hireling-like with respect of our owne profit but cheerfully and freely For when I beleeve this undoubtedly Luth. serm of nativity of Christ that Christs blood and righteousnesse have freely made me perfectly holy and righteous so enriching me with all the riches of Christ bestowing upon me whatsoever he hath whereby I want nothing I burst forth and say If God shew unto me so great benefits and favour in his beloved Sonne that he suffereth him to bestow all things upon me I also will doe the like againe and bestow all things whereby I may doe good to my neighbours and the members of Christ and so I doe not mount with my body up into heaven but I turne my eyes to men and goe thither where my neighbour is oppressed with adversity poverty sicknesse sin or errour and I help him wherein soever I True good worâ—s indeed am able Thus doe thou whosoever thou art which mindest to doe true good works as thou wouldst have it done to thy selfe if thou wert troubled with poverty so doe thou to thy neighbour being poore Againe if thy neighbour be a sinner and thou seest it but thou thy selfe art justified without sin by having in Christ a holy Nativity goe preach unto him whereby he also may be delivered but thou must doe all these things freely in every respect as Christ hath done for thee without all works or deserts of pure grace love and mercy such works see thou doe if thou wilt doe good and Christian works indeed But hee that doth not firmely trust in this divine Idem in serm of salvation by grace without works bounty cannot but be remisse and slow to doe well to his neighbour and so witnesse the faintnesse and weaknesse of faith which is the fountaine of all duties and benefits As contrariwise the stronger faith and greater insight into the worth and excellency of Christs benefits that one is endued withall so much more dutifully and with ready minde he endeavoureth to doe good unto his neighbours And thus in these two faith and love all both doctrine and life worthy Faith and love doe comprehend all of Christ doe consist whereby man is made as it were a meane between God and his neighbour that he may receive from God above and give unto his neighbour beneath and be as it were a conduit-pipe through which the divine goodnesse doth continually flow unto his neighbours And such men are like unto God which in Christ receive of God whatsoever he hath and doe againe by their good deeds declare themselves as it were the Gods of others and fulfill the prophecy of the Prophet Psal 82. I have Psal 82. said yee are gods and yee all are the children of the most high Wee are children of the most high by being righteous by faith whereby of nothing we are made the heires of God and we are Gods by love which Idem in Gal. 2. 3. The right sound doctrine â— of works maketh us beneficiall to others Thus never any taught more sound and godly doctrine as touching good works than we doe at this day For if a man feele in his heart a sweetnesse in this promise of God That the blood of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God doth make him cleane from all sinne and so is undoubtedly perswaded that he is of the company of them whom Christ hath made to himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle of sinne or any such thing he is assuredly such aâ—one and Christs spouse indeed for as we beleeve so commeth it unto us Then will such a man by and Luther In sermon of salvation by Christ alone by have regard of his neighbour and help him as his brother care for him give unto him lend unto him comfort him briefly doe no otherwise unto him than he desireth to be done unto himselfe and all this proceedeth from hence for that the bountifulnesse and goodnesse of Christ hath replenished his heart with sweetnesse and love that it is a pleasure and joy unto him to doe good unto his neighbour yea and he is The meek and loving disposition of a true Christian grieved if there bee none towards whom hee may be serviceable And besides all this he is tractable and lowly towards all men he doth not esteem the temporall pleasure and pride of life hee judgeth no man hee defameth no man he interpreteth all things in the better part when hee seeth that the matter goeth not well with his neighbour and that hee fainteth in faith waxeth cold in love and that his life is not on every Luther In serm of lost sheep side approveable he prayeth for him and is sore grieved if any commit any thing against God and his neighbour In summe the root and sap are sound for they are in a flourishing Vine to wit Christ and therefore such fruits come forth But where the true and joyfull knowledge of being righteous by faith is not there such fruits are alwayes wanting Thus where the Gospel is truly in the heart it makes Ibid. a man to be such a one as doth not look while the Radinesse to doe good Law commeth but is so full of joy in Christ that he is with speed carried unto good works Tit. 2. 14. Tit. 2. 14. doing well to all men as much as he is able and that of his owne accord before the Law come into his minde Moreover he bestoweth both body and life having no regard what he must therefore suffer and so he is full of good works which voluntarily flowing as it were out of a continuall fountaine are derived unto many And all this as I said at the beginning is effected Iustification is like the fire and Sanctiâ—ication like the heat by it because it is the joyfull knowledge of Iustification that doth regenerate and sanctifie us Iustification is like the fire so that he that is not zealous in holinesse and righteousnesse by Sanctification it is to be feared that he never had the fire in his brest of Iustification or letteth the fire goe out by forgetting as Peter saith that hee was purged from his old sinnes 2 Pet. 1. 9. And that 2 Pet. 1. 9. the knowledge of Free Iustification is that which regenerateth and sanctifieth us Is not only manifest by the doctrine taught in
the first and sixth Chapters to the Rom. but also by the example of Nicodemus who at the first was neither regenerate nor knew nor could learne what it meant which made him to come unto Christ by night being ashamed to come in the day but after that Christ had taught him Free Iustification by the similitude of the brazen Serpent lifted up in the wildernesse freely healing us Then he was a new man enflamed with zeale to defend Christ before the faces Iohn 7. 50 51 52. of the Rulers even at mid-day Iohn 7. 50 51 52. For Christ first makes us righteous by the knowledge of himselfe in the holy Gospel and afterward he createth a new heart in us bringeth forth new motions and giveth unto us that assurance whereby we are perswaded that we please the father for his sake also he giveth unto us a true judgement whereby wee prove and try those things which before we knew not or else altogether disliked So that take a kettle of A plaine comparison cold water which we would have to be hot it would be a foolish part to set it beside the fire and then charge it to be hot and to threat it that else it shall be spilt but put fire under it then will it begin to be warme but if it grow not hot enough put more fire under and if there lie a green stick or block that keepeth away the heat yet put under more fire and then it wil burne up the block and make the water throughly hot So our soule is this block our affections are like to water as cold to God as may be but if we call unto people for Sanctification zeale and works the fruits of the same only with legall terrours not putting under the fire of Iustification we shall either but little move them or else with a constrained sanctity make them worse hypocrites twofold more the children of hell than they were before Mat. 23. 15. but if we put under the Matth. 23. 15. fire of Christs love in freely and gloriously justifying us this burneth up all lets and maketh us hot indeed and zealous to good works Tit. 2. 14. Tit. 2. 14. Againe how inseparably Justification as the cause Iustification Sanctification inseparable and Sanctification as the effect goe both together may be represented by this Similitude Take a piece of carrion as bigge as the top of ones finger that smelleth very foule and wrap it up in a great piece of musk the musk not only taketh away the foule sente from mens nostrills smelling then nothing but musk but also causeth the carrion it selfe by little and little being overcome of the more forceable cause to lose its owne bad sente and begin to smell sweet of the musk So we being wrapped by the mighty power of Gods imputation in the righteousnesse of Christ it doth not only take away the stink of sin Ioel 2. 20. from the Iâ—eâ— 2. 20. no strils of God but also maketh us by little and little to leave this corruption and sanctifieth us more and more to all holinesse of conversation So that our works doe not purifie us but when as before we are pure justified and saved we work those things which may bring profit to our neighbour and honor to God This joyfull knowledge of Justification is that Freeing truth freeing truth whereof Christ spake saying you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free Iohn 8. 32. Iohn 8. 32. Cal. 5. 1. For by the Law is the knowledge of sin by faith is the obtaining of the grace of Justification is the healing of the fault of sin by the healing of the soule is the freedome of will by the freedome of the will is the love of righteousnesse by the love of righteousnesse is the doing of the Law All these things which I have knit thus together have their testimonies in Scripture The Law saith thou shalt not lust faith saith heale my soule for I have sinned against thee The grace of Justification saith Behold thou art made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing come unto thee and thou hast healed me freedome of will saith I will sacrifice a free-will offering unto thee the love of righteousnesse saith The Law of thy mouth is dearer unto me than thousands of gold and Psal 119. silver the doing of the Law saith I have sworne and am stedfastly purposed to keep thy righteous Lawes How Iustificatus per siâ—lem qu mâ—do â—otest mâ— juâ—â—e deâ—nceps operari can a man then being justifed that is made just and righteous by faith choose but work justly and righteously This is the liberty wherein Paul also testifieth wee are made free saying Stand fast in the liberty wherein Christ hath made us free Gal. 5. 1. He speaketh not of Gal. 5. 1. a civill liberty much lesse of a carnall and fleshly liberty Luther ibid. whereby people of the world will doe what The true Christian liberty they list but of a spirituall and divine liberty reigning in the conscience there it resteth and goeth no further and it is a freedome from the Law sin the dispeasure of God death hell and damnation Yea this Christian liberty swalloweth up at once and taketh quite away the whole heap of evills the Law sin death Gods displeasure and briefly the serpent himselfe with his head and whose power and in the stead thereof it placeth righteousnesse peace everlasting life and all goodnesse Now since enimies are overcome and we be reconciled unto God by the death of his Sonne it is certaine that wee are righteous before God and whatsoever we do pleaseth A happy change him by which meanes the schoolmaster-like bondage and terrours of the Law are changed into the liberty of the conscience and consolation or joyfull newes of the Gospel revealing the righteousnesse of Christ wherewith we are both justified and quickened Yea this joyfull knowledge of Iustification is the meanes whereby we put on Christ two wayes according to Christ put on two wayes Luther in Gal. 3. 27. the Law and according to the Gospel according to the Law as it is said Rom. 13. Put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ that is follow the examples and virtues Rom. 13. of Christ doe that which he did and suffer that which he suffered as Peter saith Christ hath suffered for us 1 Pet 2. 21. leaving us an example that we should follow his steps But the putting on of Christ according to the Gospel A new creation consisteth not in imitation but in a new birth and a new creation First to God-ward by putting on by 1 towards God faith Christs innocency his righteousnesse his wisedome his power his saving-health his life and his spirit Thus is Adams old coat cast off and abolished before God and we apparelled with remission of sins righteousnesse peace consolation joy of the spirit salvation and life
Then besides this renewing by the holy Ghost to this heavenly righteousnesse and life 2 to men-ward there ariseth in them also by this new birth to men-ward a new light and a new flame there arise in them new and holy affections as the fear of God true saith assured hope c. There beginneth in them also a new will And this is to put on Christ truly and according to the Gospel Now when wee have first by faith inwardly put on Christ as a Robe of righteousnesse and salvation then A threefold respect of a Christian doe wee put him on outwardly as the apparrell of example and imitation Thus must every true Christian bee considered in a threefold respect first what he is with God or before God secondly what hee is with himselfe or to his feeling and thirdly what hee is to his neighbour First with God or before God he is the Woman cloathed with the Sun that is shining perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God and every way full and compleat wanting nothing by reason of Iustification Secondly with himselfe and to his own sense and feeling hee is like one of those antient healed Leapers under the old Law healed indeed but having the remnants of the old scurfe to rub off by Sanctification Thirdly with his Neighbour hee is like one of those hot coales of the Altar burning with the holy fire of zeale and casting out the light and heat of Faith and love to the heating of others Again it is the joyfull knowledge of Justification Luth. in Gâ—â— 3. 10. which maketh a man of a coâ—rupt bad Tree to become a good â—ree first perfectly good to the eyes of God by Iustification and so bringing forth the good fruit In Gal. 2. 18. to the eyes of men of Sanctification For Christians are not made righteous in doing righteous things but being first freely made righteous by faith in Christ then they doe righteous things So that good works ought to bee done not as the cause but as the fruits of oâ—e freely made righteous and when we are made righteous then we cannot but doe them for after that a man is once justified and possesseth Christ by faith and knoweth that he is Righteousnesse and Life doubtlesse hee will not be idle But as a good tree he will bring forth good fruit for the believing man that is the justified man hath the holy Ghost given him as it is shewed before to dwell in him but where the holy Ghost dwelleth hee will not suffer a man to bee idle but stirreth him up to all exercise of pietie and godlinesse then I doe indeed good works I love God I pray and give thanks to him I exercise charity toward my neighbour Therefore weighty is that saying of Christ either make the Tree good and the fruit Matt. 12. â—3 The â—iâ—â— of the Mâ—nistâ—â—â— good or else make the Tree evill and the fruit evill That is let the Ministers chiefe aime be to fill the peoples hearts with joy that they are freely made perfectly good Trees in the sight of God by Iustification and the people bee sure that they are first such in the sight of God indeed or else they shall bee sure to have but little good fruit by Sanctification some Homil. oâ—â— Aâ—nes deâ—â— choack-peares peradventure that may look faire without but be all rotten within Again the joyfull knowledge of Iustification is the receiving of the most great and pretious promises by which we are made partakers of the Divine nature 2 Peter 1. 4. the very forgetfulnesse of which pretious 2 Pet. 1. 4. promise namely that wee are purged or made cleane from our old sinnes is as Peter saith the cause 8. 9. of all idle unfruitfull and blind professing of the Gospel of Christ 2 Pet. 1. 8 9. for this joyfull and Iustification is as the bâ—anâ—â—â— of â—â—e Sunnâ— glorious benefit of Iustification being the bright beames Solis justitiae of the Sun of righteousnesse Iustification iâ— aâ— the beams oâ— the Sun Christ Jesus and shining into our dark hearts doth sanctifie and regenerate us to the Image of God again even as the Sun beames shining upon silver or upon a clear looking-glasse doe cause the very silver or glasse it selfe to cast forth some glimmering beames and this Paul testifieth saying That the ministration of righteousnesse doth so exceed in glory that we beholding as in a mirror or looking-glasse This glory of God with open face are changed into the same Image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. Whereupon S. Iohn directly saith thus My little children let no man 1 Ioh. 3. 7. deceive you he that doth righteousnesse actively that is doth cast forth the beames of Sanctification is righteous passively that is justified with Christs righteousnesse as the Sunne of righteousnesse Christ Iesus who shineth upon him with his beames of Iustification is righteous 1 Ioh. 3. 7. But if the Sunne of righteousnesse be so clouded from us that the beames of Justification which exceed in glory bee by want of preaching or receiving it stopped that it shineth not into our dark hearts then our soules can return back again no beames of Sanctification Thus wee see how this joyfull knowledge of Iustification the worth and glory of the same being discerned seene and enjoyed with a true and right faith maketh both Pastors and people to shine forth with bright shining beames of great glorifying of God And thus also we put a difference between a counterfeit Difference between a true and conterfeit faith faith and a true faith the counterfeit faith is that which heareth of God of Christ and of all the mysteries of his incarnation and our redemption which also apprehendeth and beareth away those things which it heareth yea and can talk goodly thereof and yet there remaineth nothing else in them but ignorance of the worth and excellency of Christs benefits yea none are so blind as such as God testifieth by his Prophet saying Who so blind as my servant Esay 42. 19. 20. whereby there remaineth nothing else Esay 42. 19 20. in the heart but naked opinion and a bare sound of the Gospel for it neither reneweth or changeth the heart it maketh not a new man but leaveth him in Id. in Gal. 5. 13. the vanity of his former opinion and conversation And this is a very pernicious faith the morall Philosopher is much better than the hypocrite having such a faith these understand the Doctrine of faith carnally Grace turned into wantonnesse and draw the liberty of the spirit into the liberty of the flesh this may wee see in all kinds of life as well of the high as of the low all boast themselves to be Professors of the Gospel and all brag of Christian liberty and yet serving their own lusts they give themselves to covetousnesse pleasures pride envie and such other vices no man doth his duty
faithfully no man charitably serveth the necessity of his brother the griefe hereof maketh mee sometime so impatient that many times I wish such Swine which tread pretious pearles under their feet were yet still People of Gomorrah nâ—t governed by the Gospel of peace remaining under the tyrannie of the Pope For it is impossible that this people of Gomorrah should be governed by the Gospel of peace But wee tell such carelesse contemners although they beleeve us not but laugh us to scorne that if they use their bodies and their goods after their own lusts as indeed they doe for they neither help the poore nor lend to the needy but beguile their brethren in bargianing snatching and scraping unto themselves by hook and by crook whatsoever they can get we tell them I say that they be not free brag they never so much of their liberty neither are they in Mount-Zion that Celestiall Heb. 12. Rom. 14. 17. Revel 22. 15. Ierusalem Heb. 12. the Kingdome of heaven Rom. 14. 17. but without Revel 22. 15. and have lost Christ and Christian liberty are become bond-slaves of the Divell and are seven times worse under the name of Christian liberty than they were before under the tyrannie of the Pope for the divell which was driven out of them hath taken unto himselfe seven other fiends worse than himselfe and is returned into them againe Therfore the end of these men is worse than the beginning because they are worse Idolaters under the name of Christ than they were before under but the Pope But to conclude let every one of us remember that saying of S. Paul that Circumcision that is all outward forme of true religion and of the true worship of God availeth nothing nor uncircumcision that is all outward wisdome polity and excellency whatsoever availeth nothing before God but faith that maketh a new creature First new before God by Justification Secondly new to ones own selfe by Sanctification And thirdly new to our neighbours by love out of a pure heart Thus doth a Christian first fulfill and accomplish the Luth in Gal. 5. 23. The Law two wayes fulfilled Law inwardly by faith for Christ is the perfection and fulfilling of the Law unto righteousnesse to all that doe believe Rom. 10. 4. and then outwardly by works thus is he justified in heaven and earth the Gospel justifieth him in heaven and the Law on earth Rom. 10. 4. and thus is this new creature created unto the Image of God in righteousnesse and true holinesse which inwardly is perfectly righteous in the sight of God with an heavenly righteousnesse by Iustification and outwardly is holy and cleane in the flesh by Sanctification And as many as walk according to this rule peace shall be upon â—al 6. 16. them and mercy as upon the Israel of God Gal. 6. 16. FINIS Free Justification was first enjoyned to be diligently taught for the Reformation of the Church by King Henry the eighth but was by King Edward the sixth and Queene Elizabeth principally established by Parliament and singled out from all the rest of the established Articles of Religion and reduced into Sermons and Homilies to be after the Peoples sight of their lost estate and wofull misery by sin principally taught and chiefly knowne and understood of all the Subjects and Commons of the Land for these foure causes especially FIrst because it is the onely immediate cause and means of our peace with God For Being justified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5. 1. and our assurance of free salvation by Jesus Christ and therefore is called the Justification of life Rom. 5. 18. For Whom God justifieth them he also glorifieth Rom. 8. 30. Secondly because it is the ordinance of God and cause contrary to the judgement of Popish and Carnall Reason that powerfully causeth people to leave their sinnes and to live a true sanctified and godly life Titus 2. 11. to 15. Rom. 5 and 6. Chapters Thirdly because it is the chiefest cause and meanes to discover and suppresse the Romish Antichrist Popery Arminians Brownists Anabaptists Familists and all other Superstitions Sects Errors and Schismes out of the Land and to establish unity peace and concord in matters of Religion and of assurance of free salvation and makes every man to keepe in a lawfull vocation and to doe it profitably in love Galat. 5. 13. Fourthly to direct Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to goe with a right foot to the truth of the Gospel Galat. 2. 14. in sound preaching and pure declaring of the Word of God by true faith of Free Justification Because saith the established Doctrine of our Church sincere Preachers ever were and ever shall be but a few and their preaching of Gods Word most sincere in the beginning by processe of time waxeth lesse and lesse pure and after is corrupt and last of all quite laid downe and left off because Free Justification is a Doctrine hardly learned in a Church and soone lost againe Galat. 1. 6. and yet is the true strength happinesse and safety of the whole Land Esay 52. 1. to 6. Hereupon the fifth part of the Sermon against disobedience and rebellion established by Queene Elizabeth teacheth the Commons that such Bishops or Ecclesiasticall persons as by pride and ambitious rule doe by termes of Error Schisme or Heresie hinder this maine light of Gods Word from the people and the chiefest Traytors in the Land And the sixth and last part largely teacheth that such Subjects and Commons to whom through ignorance of Gods Word this light of righteousnesse and Sun of understanding doth not shine although they may bragge as did sometimes the Jewish Clergy and people that they cannot lacke knowledge yet are such by the blind dead faith Traytors to God Traytors to their King Traytors to their owne soules and bodies and Traytors to the whole Land and Country And hereupon the testimony of the learned Protestant Writers is most true saying Sicut sola fide in Christum veram Justitiam Salutem consequrmur it a nihil difficilius quam hoc hominibus persuadetur nihil Satan praesertim candidus ille Satan aquè oppugnat Certaine fundamentall Positions or Doctrines of Religion tending to peace and to the reducing of Popish Arminians and Anabaptisticall Ministers and people to the true saving faith and to the established Protestant Doctrine of the Church of England by the Godly authority and publique consent of Parliament to be faithfully taught and diligently observed and kept of all the subjects for the quieting of their consciences in the assurance of their free salvation by Jesus Christ and for the suppressing of the Romish Antichrist in all Superstitions Errors Sects and Schisms for the beating down of sin and all vitioâ—snesse of life out of the Land for the maintaining and keeping of peace and unity in the matters of Religion by the pure preaching of the Law and of the Gospel as followeth in these five Poynts