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
2 part before God is the strong Rock and foundation of Christian Religion Upon this foundation of Gods free promise and Acts and Monuments in the history of Luther grace first builded the Patriarks Kings and Prophets upon the same foundation also Christ the Lord builded his Church upon the which foundation the Apostles likewise builded the Church Apostolicall and Catholicall For this doctrine advanceth and setteth forth the Hon ilâ—e of Iâ—stification 2 paâ—t true glory of Christ and suppresseth the vain glory of man this whosoever denies is not to be reputed for a Christian man nor for a setter forth of Christs glory but for an Adversary to Christ and his Gospel Yea herein lieth the Touchstone of all truth and Acts and Moâ—â—â—mâ—nts in the history of Luther doctrine as the only principall originall of our salvation Yea this doctrine briâ—geth with it all good things as well ghostly as bodily namely forgivenesse of sins Luther upon the Galathians chap. 1. ver 6. true righteousnesse peace of conscience and everlasting life Moreover it bringeth light and sound judgement of all kinds of doctrine and trades of life It approveth and stablisheth civill government houshold government and all kindes of life that are ordayned and appointed of God It rooteth up all doctrines of error sedition confusion and such like and it putteth away the feare of sinne and death and to be short it discovereth all the subtle sleights and works of the Devill and openeth the benefits and love of God towards us in Christ And to conclude this point by the preaching of Luther upon the Galathians chap. 1. ver 1. this doctrine the Devill is overthrown his kingdome is destroyed the law sinne and death wherewith as most mighty and invincible tyrants hee hath brought all mankinde in subjection under his dominion are wrested out of his hands Briefly his prisoners are translated out of the kingdome of darknesse into the kingdome of light and liberty Should the Devill suffer all this Should not the father of lies employ all his force and subtle policies to darken to corrupt and utterly root out this doctrine of salvation and everlasting life Indeed S. Paul complaineth in all his Epistles that even in his dayes the Devill shewed himselfe a cunning work-man in his businesse by darkening and hindring this doctrine of Justification Now for use let this suffice in this place to stirre up Gods children by these and the like reasons to fortifie their judgements in this maine point of Christian faith The Article of Justification is the very summe of the Gospel that once corrupted there can be no soundnesse that truly and thorowly understood and beleeved and applied armes against all assaults of Satan and let us be exhorted as to edifie our selves in all other points of our most holy faith so specially in this which who so holds not aright surely he holds not the head nor ever can be saved Thus we see the necessity of earnest teaching and diligent learning of this doctrine of Justification Let us now proceed to shew the nature of it and what it is CHAP. 11. Of the nature of Iustification what it is who are capable of the same and how it is wrought upon us IUstification is when we feeling what lost creatures we are in our owne selves and in all our works and holy walkings by reason of our sins and sighing up unto Christ for help are by the power of Gods imputation so cloathed with the wedding garment of Christs owne perfect righteousnesse that of unjust we are made just before God that is all our sinnes are utterly abolished out of Gods sight and we are made from all spot of sinne perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely And this is Gods pardon or forgivenesse which few understand great above mans and glorious and wonderfull like God himselfe Acts 13. 38 39 40. the joyfull faith Acts 13. 38 39 40. whereof sanctifieth us and makes us to doe the duties of our vocations faithfully and to walk to the glory of God in the spirituall meaning of all Gods tenne Commandements zealously Tit. 2. 14. Tit. 2. 14. In this description of Free Justification first are described the persons who they are that are capable of this benefit namely such as truly feele what lost creatures they are in themselves and in all their works this is all the preparative condition that God requireth on our part to this high and heavenly work for hereby is a man truly humbled in himselfe of whom God speaketh saying Thus saith he that is high and excellent he that inhabiteth the eternity whose name is the holy one I dwell with him that is of an humble and contrite spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to give life to them that are of a contrite heart Esay 57. 15. Esay 57. 15. For Christ came to seek and save that which was lost Luke 19. 10. Luke 19. 10. Secondly is expressed the cause of this lost state namely their sinnes for siane only and nothing but sinne is the cause of all our misery this is the true plague-sore of the soule this is the deadly leprosie of hell of this spake David when hee said There is no whole part in me by reason of my sinnes Psal 38. Psal 38. Thirdly wee must not have only a glymmering knowledge of this by the light of nature as the Gentiles that had not the word who living in unrighteousnesse wickednesse covetousnesse maliciousnesse envy murther debate dâ—ceit and such like did yet know by the light of nature that they that commit such things are worthy of death Rom. 1. 30. But this Rom. 1. 30. light of nature must by the word given by the mercy of God reveale our reveale our misery more fully bee so Psal 147. encreased that the terrors of the Almighty doe work in our hearts a true and thorough feeling of our lost condition which is brought to passe by marking out of the word of God three maine things revealed in the same concerning sinne First the infinite horriblenesse of the least sinne Three nâ—aine tâ—iâ—gs reâ—ealâ—d cen erning sinne in the sight of God there being no sinne little before God for God would not in the equity of his justice pronounce such infinite punishment as his everlasting curse and endlesse torments upon the least sinne Galat. 3. 10. if the least sinne were not an infinite Galat 3 10. horrible thing in his sight and why because all sinne is the image of the Devill and spirituall high treason against the highest spirituall Majesty and so was horrible before the law was given but after that God himselfe appeared in such fearefull Majesty and gave a law forbidding the least sinne in such terrible thundering and lightening now is the least sinne become double horrible because now the doing of the least sinne is in respect of the law forbidding it in such terrible Majesty First a
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
because as I said before he hath now revealed in his Gospel that nothing is welcome and acceptable before him but that which is perfectly holy and righteous in his sight but that herein he manifesteth the bottomlesse gulfe of his mercy that hee mâ—kes mercy and truth so to meet together and righteousnesse and peace so to kisse each other That he makes all things new and all the works of his children with the meere tincture of his sonnes righteousnesse to bee mystically above their sense and feeling perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely that so they may bee a well pleasing sacrifice before him Which as it is expresly so taught every where in the Word of God and namely in that saying of Peter That the true beleevers doe offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable by Iesus Christ that is in the tincture of Jesus Christs righteousnesse only made perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely so is it as plainly and truly testified together with many other witnesses by a faithfull Dispenser of Gods mysteries in our Church testifying thus against the Papists If any Papist stand out here and say that Christ taketh our works and dyeth them in his blood and then offereth them to his Father who accepteth them as meritorious not for our sakes nor their own but only for Christ I answer That Christ in deed dieth the works of the godly in his blood and so presenteth them unto his Father and his Father accepteth them at his hands but no way in respect of any satisfaction of sinne or merit of salvation but only as testimonies of our thankfulnesse and duty and not otherwise Where we see it is plainly testified that our works although they be made perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God doe merit nothing yet notwithstanding that they may be welcome sacrifices of our praise and thanksgiving and testimonies of our thankfulnesse acceptable before God and have the testimonie of God that like the sacrifice of Abel they are excellent before him they must in the tincture of Christs blood and righteousnesse be new died perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely which new die and tincture nothing can ingraine upon them but only the blood and righteousnesse of Christ which therefore is called often in the word and Gospel the righteousnes of God not only because it is the righteousnesse of that person that is both man and God or because it is a righteousnesse given freely by God but also because it being an Hebrew phrase to call whatsoever is excellent to be of God seeing this righteousnesse is so excellent in it selfe and secondly makes the person cloathed in the same excellent in the sight of God and thirdly makes not only his person but also all his works excellent in the sight of God Is it not worthily called the righteousnesse of God But hereupon we may conclude this second proofe of Scripture That if Christs righteousnesse do make not only us our selves excellently and perfectly righteous in the sight of God but also all our works excellently and perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely The saying of the Apostle must needs bee true that wee are so holy that wee are without all blame and without all fault in the sight of God freely Coloss Colos 1. 22. 1. 22. Whereunto Erasmus in his Paraphrase upon the Erasmus in his Paraphrase upon the place same place addeth the reason and necessity thereof drawn from the horriblenesse of sinne saying thus Because there can bee betwixt God and sinners no peace it hath pleased him not by the ministry of Angels but by the bodily death of his own sonne to forgive you all the offenses of your former life and shewing further the power of Gods forgivenesse how great it is hee proceedeth with the Apostle saying And makes you holy unblamable and faultlesse in Gods sight which to bee the meer operation of the righteousnesse of God only able to effect this upon us Beza in his larger Notes Beza in his larger Notes upon Rom. 1. 17. upon Rom. 1. 17. doth thus cleerly testifie saying Haec autem diligenter considerata c. These things being diligently considered doe manifestly declare what is meant by that word of the righteousnesse of God namely that perfection and high integritie revealed in the Gospel with which whosoever is endued hee is presented before God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaketh Col. 1. 22. that is holy and unblameable qui nullius criminis possit postulari one that can be reproved and blamed of no fault And I add what can a man wish and desire more for full perfection THe third proofe of Scripture proving that we by 3 The third plaâ—e of Scrâ—pture thaâ— the iustâ—â—â—â—d are perfectly holy and â—ighteoâ—s in gâ—ds sight is Colos 1. 28. â— 10. being cloathed with Christs righteousness are not only truly made righteous but also perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely is Colos 1. 28. and 2. 10. where when the Apostle in the first place hath shewed in his own example what is the proper office and duty of all Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel generally namely to labour every where to present every man perfect in Christ Iesus presently hee addeth in the next chapter in way of application unto the Colossians that were by his labour converted saying And yee are complete in him which is the Head of all principalitie and power where we are to mark that he saith not that being ingraffed into Christ you shall bee complete hereafter in time to come but now in the present time yee are full complete and perfect not by your owne doings but freely because you are the members of such an Head that is the Head of all principalities and powers rich enough to make you also without your owne doings rich in all fulness and completeness of his own sufficient fulness freely and perfectly Of which place of Scripture the learned Interpreters speak worthily thus Est autem sententia valdè insignis digna quam omnes pii semper in conspectu habeant c. that is This is a very notable saying worthy that the godly should have it alwayes in their sight For first it teacheth very cleerly of Justification before God for it shewes saith Calvin that the essence of the Godhead that is in Christ doth herein profit us that being in him nos quoque perfecti sumus we also are perfect As if he said That the whole Godhead dwels in Christ is even for this cause That having gotten and attained him we have and possess full perfection because with one oblation of himselfe he hath made perfect continually and for ever all them that are sanctified Therefore they doe a twofold or double wrong to God that rest not in Christ alone For beside that that they derogate from the glory of God by desiring something more than his
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