elect in the bloud thereof or whether it be referred to the action of God in ordayning the ceremonies of the Lawe As the sacrifices and especiallie the propitiatorie or mercie seate as the types of Christ and setting them before his eyes or rather Christ in them as the onely propitiation for sinne of which action of God in settinge the persons whom hee willed before his face followeth the foreknowledge which in effect is nothing but the purpose of God is not to be referred to any thing but the persons foreknowen and is onely distinguished in respect from the purpose for the clearer vnderstandinge As the settinge of a thinge before our eyes maketh vs to have the knowledge of it so the Lorde his setting of our persons whoâ— hee willed to bee his before his eyes includeth the knowledge of our particular persons from all eternitie before eyther the worlde or wee were created whose estate and condition both in faith righteousnesse and life are consequences of this particular purpose and notice of GOD touching our persons and of the Decree which the Lorde maketh concerning vs of whose persons it pleased him and it was his good will and pleasure to take such notice before wee were For those persons whom it pleased him to knowe before the worlde was them he predestinated and decreed to bee adopted through Christ that is to beleeve and by faith to bee made one with the sonne of God so that the foreknowledge of God as it is distinguished in order from predestination and made the distinction of the obiect of predestination can never properly bee referred to any spirituall gift or grace eyther decreed for the children of God or in tyme given vnto them but onely vnto their persoÌ„s which onely are properly saide to bee foreknowne when as foreknowledge is distinguished as a severall action in God him selfe from Gods Decree as the effect of his foreknowledge seeing the gift of faith and Adoption by faith are the blessings decreed to them that are foreknowne This distinct consideration of man as the obiect of Gods gratious working eyther in decreeing blessednesse through Christ or dispensinge it in Christ or in his purpose or foreknowledge concerning both Decree and Dispensation serveth much to cleere our iudgements in that question so much now controverted in the Church of GOD touching man as hee is the obiect of Gods predestination for it appeareth by the order of the Apostles setting downe both the Decree and Dispensation of God that in every distinct degree of his grace there is a distinct consideration to bee had of man as hee is the obiect of Gods favour so that in his Decree man onely in his essence as being purposed of God and foreknowne of him is sett by the Lord before his eyes in ordayning him to AdoptioÌ„ through Christ but in his adopting and calling hee hath not simplie and nakedlie the beeing and subsisting of a man before his eyes but also his owne Decree concerning that man that is he setteth him before him selfe as a man ordayned by him selfe to bee made his sonne through Christ And in his iustifying of a man hee respecteth him not simplie in respect of his beeing and subsistinge neyther yet as ordayned of him to Adoption but rather as a man nowe effectuallie called to that estate and condition that is to bee the sonne of God in Christ And lastly in glorifying of a man GOD setteth before him a man not onely as foreknowne in his beeing neyther onely as ordayned to Adoption nor as called vnto that blessinge by him but also as now iustified by the Redemption that is in Christ Iesus freely imputed vnto him by grace And this much is to be considered in the obiect that is in the man whom God iustifieth in whom also this other thing is to be marked that he is in him selfe a sinner for God is the God that iustifieth the vngodly Rom. chapt 4. neither is the faith which is given him contrarie vnto this For as sayeth the Apostle in the same place To him that worketh not but beleeveth in God who iustifieth the vngodly his faith is compted for righteousnes And therefore as sinne is opposit to righteousnes and righteousnes to sinne so in the vessels of mercie the consideration of their sinnes and them as sinners before God is properly to bee placed in the worke of iustification as the first blessing that belongeth vnto them that are made now the seed of Abraham and so the children of God Now in the worke of iustification it selfe we say that he maketh theÌ„ righteous by the which we vnderstand not any chang of their nature but of their condition and estate in Gods sight onely being in themselves and in their owne nature the same that they were before that is sinners For the benefit of iustification is not onely to bee distinguished from the worke of our calling going before it in the which not onely the estate and condition but also the very inward disposition of our heartes and qualitie of our mindes are changed from darknes to light from hatred to love and from infidelitie to fidelitie c. But also from the benefit of sanctification comprehended vnder glorification following after our iustification in the which sanctification not so properly the estate and condition of our persons as the qualitie and constitution of our nature is changed Secondly we say that God maketh vs righteous in Christ because the righteousnes whereby wee are iustified is neyther ours nor in vs but in Christ alone by whose onely obedience many are made righteous Thirdly we say that it is in Christ crucified and made sinne for vs that we are made righteous and that for two respectes First because Christ is made righteousnes by God not to anie but to those for whom first God made him sinne in delivering him to the death for them in which action he is specially made our righteousnes For God had ordayned him to bee a propitiation in his bloud Secondly because that the thing wherein faith doeth apprehend Christ as righteousnes is specially his death suffering which the beleeving heart doth apprehend as done and performed for it in particular Thirdly the way how he maketh vs righteous we say that it is by imputation both of Christes obedience vnto vs as our owne obedience or righteousnes indeed before GOD and of faith to this end that it might be ours seeing wee possesse it no otherwise but by faith Lastly wee say that by this imputation wee have remission of sinnes because the death of Christ imputed vnto vs which was the punishment of our iniquities is a full and perfect satisfaction of the iustice of God for our iniquities Thus we have so plainlie and sensibly as wee could opened vp that parte of the great mysterie of godlines touching the iustification of a sinner following not any thing but the simple trueth set downe in Gods worde according to the measure of light which it hath pleaseth the Lord to impart vnto me whom we heartily beseech to blesse all our labours to the glorie of his Name and comfort of his Saintes Amen FINIS Faultes escaped Cha. Pag Lin. Faul. Correction 1. 2. 25. thse four these four 8. 24. 19. we only we may 10. 31. 30. vntn vnto 12. 38. 3. Ephe. chap. 1. ver 15. 1. Ep. 4. 15. 13. 40. 35. iustifictaion iustification 15. 49. 16. the mediate fruite we call the immediate fruite we call 18. 60. 26. imperting importing   27. impleying implying 19. 65. 19. for then or then 23. 86. 20. with righteous in him with righteousnes in him 24. 97. 14. may be receiued may be perceiued  99. 29. that righteousnes is ours that that righteousnes is ours  101. 1. Christ was crucified Christ was signified   7. their filth the filth   14. frelling feiling   16. touchinh touching   23. Christ flesh Christs flesh   31. many fruite much fruite  104. 2. obediende obedience   23. an therefore and therefore   29. the first ground the fift ground 25. 113. 22. offered by one offered vp one 26. 123. 12. of thing given of the thing given  124. 36. beleeving is placed in Gods free gift beleeving is placed is Gods free gift  127. 17. vof those first sort ar those sayings wherin of the first fort ar those sayings wherein  128. 28. â—to fafth whereby wâ—e are called whereby we are called vnto faith 28. 136. 28. will have it midle conceyte will have it a midle conceyte  138. 4. ordirarie ordinarie   15 not wrought now wrought  140. 12. in God teaching in Gods teaching  145. 7. newe wrought now wrought  146. 8 of the maner of the mover  147. 6. when he faide when he is saide 29. 150. 22. whow the wordle whom the wordle  151. 25. the bound of a Christian the band of a Christian 31.  35 that faithfully beleeve that beleeve  161. 31. oher other  162. 16. of his minde of the minde  169. 17. which is through God which is of God  170. 5. contayned in law contayned in the law  171. 15. imputation of the righteousnes imputation of righteousnes   36. in the verie same place in the verie place  172. 5. imployeth the possession implyeth the possession 32. 174. 21. where it is taken wherein it is taken  176. 22. and of this we have spoken of at lenth and of this we haue spoken at length FINIS Philip. 2. 3. 1. Tim. 6. 20. 2. 2 Tim 2. 24. 25. Rom. 14. 1. 1. Cor. 1. 10 Phil. 2. 2. Rom. 15. 6. 2. Tim. 1. 13. Tit. 2. 8. Rom. â— 2â— Iunius in amica colla â—â—m Armin.
his members but in God him self For the benefites of God towards Mankinde and the fruites of his love to the vessels of honour are clearely distinguished in scripture in three degrees The first is of those things which God doth in him selfe of which kinde are his purpose foreknowledge predestination The second is of those things which he doth in Christ the Mediator of which kinde are our election redemption and blessing of vs with all spirituall blessings c. The third is of those thinges which he doeth in vs through Christ of which kinde are our adoption or calling our iustification and sanctification and glorification c. By the second pharse the spirit of God would teach vs that albeit in God there be many things set downe in scripture to be considered as the fountaynes of Gods working as namely his infinite wisedome his omnipotent power his infinite goodnes c. yet this action of predestinating vs to adoption is only attributed to the will of God which limiteth the infinitenes both of his wisedome power goodnes in all his actions outward toward the creatures both in their creation and government dispensation of all blessings towards vs both bodily spirituall Heereby we may learne that our blessednes if wee shall examine it in the cause doth surmount all reason and all the capacitie of the reason of man and Angell seeing it is builded vpon no reason of any creature or ground of reason in any creature but vpon the will of the Creator which is not mooved directed or ruled by any thing that is in the creature but by it selfe alone and is the rule of all reason in the creature and of things done by the Creator vnto the creature This shall yet be more easily perceyved if we shall severally consider it in those three pointes of the substance of Gods Decree before mentioned that is in the persons predestinate in the thing whereto they are predestinate and the Meane whereby Concerning the persons who can give a reason why Iacob should be beloved and Esau hated before any of them had done either good or evill except onely the Will of God as it is written I will shew mercie to whom I will shew mercie and will haue compassion vpon whom I will haue compassiō Exod. chap. 33. ver 19. Rom. chap. 9. ver 15. And the spirit of the Lord giving the reason why the Lord did set his loue vpon Israell and did choose them doth remove all respectes which can bee considered in them First their number Deut chap. 7. saying The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a precious people vnto him selfe above all people that are vpon the earth the Lord did not set his loue vpon you nor choose you because you were more in number then any people for you were the fewest of all people Secondly he removeth their power and strength Deutero chap. 8. saying Beware least thou say in thy heart My power and the strength of myne owne hande hath prepared me this aboundance And thirdly he remoueth their righteousnes Deut. chapt 9. saying Speake not thou in thine heart saying For my righteousnes the Lord hath brought me in to possesse this Land And shortly after in the same chap. Vnderstand therefore that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good Lande to possesse it for thy righteousnes for thou art a stiffnecked people Fourthlie he cleareth this ground most evidently in the 10. chapter of Deutero by removing all praerogative and respect of right or reason in respect of right why the Lord should haue chosen thē aboue any other people all people being alike belonging to the Lord saying Behold heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord thy Gods and the earth and all that therein is notwithstanding the Lord set his delight in thy Fathers to loue them and did choose their seed after them even you above all people as appeareth this day Moreover the same point is yet further cleared by the Lord him selfe in the Prophesie of Ezechiel chap. 16. by removing all respect of their worthines or perfection declaring their wretched estate in them selues in filthines and naturall corruption in the very tyme when the Lord did choose them saying In thy nativitie when thou wast borue thy navell was not cut c. And when I passed by thee I saw thee polluted in thy owne blood and saide vnto thee When thou wast in thy blood thou shalt live c. And this ground is made cleare by Christ him selfe Math. chap. 11. vers 25. 26. when he speaketh of the persons vpon whō the Lord bestoweth his grace and of the reason moving him thereto saying I thanke thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto babes It is so Father because thy good pleasure was such These wordes doe plainely teach vs that the will of God onely without any reason in the creature yea which is more contrarie to all reason that may seeme to bee in the creature is the cause of Gods mercy towards man When the simple are preferred to the wyse the weake to the strong the poore to the rich the vyle to the honorable and which is yet more strange the sicke to the whole and sinners to the righteous Therefore to conclude this point we shall see sufficiently the evidēce of it by comparing the first of Iohn vers 13. with the first of Iames vers 18. in the 1. of Iohn it is said That the prerogative to bee the fonnes of God is given to those who are borne not of bloods nor of the will of flesh nor of the will of man but of God And in Iames it is said That of his owne will God begate vs. Of which it appeareth evidently that the persons who are ordayned vnto adoption are pre destinate chosen and called for no cause without God either in Christ as Mediator or in them selves but only of Gods free will good pleasure For it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Rom. chap. 9. ver 16. CHAPTER VI. WE are next to consider the same ground in that wherevnto we are ordayned which is adoption including in it our conformitie with Christ in righteousnes holines life and glory c. of all which benefites there is not one which is not the gift of God and that of meere grace according to his wil good pleasure For albeit al blessings be in Christ yet neither he nor any of thē in him are given to vs but according to the wil of God so that he is a Saviour Redeemer of none but of such as pleaseth God of his good will so that his death satisfaction for sinne is not for any nor imputed as righteousnes vnto any for any cause either in Christ or Man but only to such as it is the wil of God to give it
all in him and with him did satisfie the iustice of God in his death and suffering Thus our vnion with Christ and meanes thereof is alwayes to be distinguished from our communion with him in the participation of his righteousnes as the fruit thereof Like as our being in Adam and one with him is to be distinguished from the fruit thereof which is communiō with him in the participation of his transgression For clearing of this pointe we have to marke carefully the wordes of the spirit of God vnto Daniel chap. 9. vers 24. In the which an appeinted tyme is set downe for the finishing of wickednes the sealing vp of sinnes the reconciling of iniquitie and bringing in of everlasting righteousnes in the worlde Thereby shewing vs that it is impossible that faith can bee the materiall righteousnes of GOD whereby we are iustified For then this everlasting righteousnes should have beene in the worlde before Christ came into the worlde and so should not have beene brought in by him For faith was in the worlde from the dayes of Adam Therefore sayeth the spirit of GOD that by it our Flders obtayned good report and yet in that same place the spirit witnesseth that they receyved not the promise distinguishing betwixt faith and Christ apprehended by faith as the matter of the promise and so consequently of righteousnes The one whereof that is faith they had receyved the other that is the promise they had not receyved because Christ in whom their blessednes was promised was not exhibited in their dayes For albeit by faith they apprehended Christ crucified to come and the righteousnes which hee was to bring vnto the worlde at his comming yet notwithstanding that righteousnes in the substance and matter of it was never brought into the worlde vnto the tyme that Christ IESVS was brought into the worlde Therefore doeth the Lord vse this phrase of speech My salvation is at hande to come and my righteousnes to bee revealed Esay chapter 56. vers 1. According vnto which likewise the Apostle Paul speaketh That GOD had purposed in the dispensation of the fulnes of tyme to gather together all thinges in Christ Eph. ch 1. ve 10. Which the same Apostle declareth more cleerlie Gallath chap. 4. vers 4. 5. saying But when the fulne of tyme was come God sent foorth his Sonne made of a VVoman and made vnder the Lawe that hee might redeeme them which were vnder the Lawe c. So that the verie designing of a precise tyme for the bringing in of our righteousnes into the worlde declareth manifestly that that righteousnes is to bee materially distinguished from faith which was in the worlde in all ages before ever it was manifested For faith could bee in the worlde and apprehende righteousnes which was to bee brought into the worlde long before it came as well as nowe long after that righteousnes is performed it can lay holde vppon it vnto iustification For the faith of Gods Children before the day of Christ and the faith of Gods Children nowe after the day of Christ did ever and yet doeth apprehende no righteousnes but that which in that day was brought into the worlde For it is as easie to faith to apprehende righteousnes to come as it is to faith to apprehende by gone righteousnes Like as our faith yet apprehendeth many thinges to come as specially our glorification which is yet a thing no wise manifested neither shall be manifested vntill Christ appeare agayne in his second comming in glorie This same grounde serveth to prove that the Lawe and workes thereof was never the matter of our righteousnes seeing the Lawe was given longe before Christs comming into the world Lastly that which doeth not make manifest God to be iust and the Iustifier can never possibly bee that righteousnes whereby we are iustified This ground is cleere by the Apostles wordes Rom. chap. 3. where hee declareth the ende wherefore God doeth manifest his righteousnes and to that ende setteth foorth Christ to bee a Propitiation by faith in his bloud which is that he may be iust and the iustifier of him that is of the faith of IESVS For the rightousnes of GOD whereby hee iustifieth vs beeing manifested must of necessitie not onely declare GOD to bee mercifull but also iust And therefore it is nor sufficient and enough that grace doe shine in our iustification in respect of Gods grace and mercie towardes vs but moreover it is necessarie that iustice doe shine in our iustification in respect of GOD him selfe so that albeit wee receyve remission of sinnes without any merit or reason in our selves but of Gods free grace toward vs in Christ yet notwithstanding God in doeing so must still be iust For as sayth Abraham Gen. 18. Shall not the Iudge of the worlde doe right Now this iustice of God in iustifying is perceyved by the fight of the righteousnes of God whereby he iustifies as is plaine by that speech of the Apostle in Rom. chap. 3. For to this ende doeth God show his righteousnes that he may be iust Now it is certayne that if God should iustifie vs eyther by the workes of the Lawe or by faith as it is a worke or habit in vs GOD could never bee seene to be iust in iustifying of vs because there is no flesh that abides in every jot that is written in the Lawe of God Neyther is there any that doeth it And concerning faith the very Saints them selves in the scriptures have acknowledged their faith to be imperfect And they who now place faith for the matter of our righteousnes doeth acknowledge that it is not answearable to the iustice of God because it is not full and perfect righteousnes but Iesus Christ whom God hath made righteousnes vnto vs in his death being manifested vnto vs in his satisfaction doeth let vs see a full and perfect righteousnes answerable to the iustice of God in all things so that God is not vniust in iustifying thereby seeing in that iustification hee iustifieth vs by that which in it selfe is a righteousnes as full and perfect as his iustice doeth require and the conscience of this hath forced some of these men who holde our righteousnes to consist in faith to confesse that the obedience of Christ must be imputed vnto vs as well as our owne faith so making a double action of God in iustifying one gracious in respect of faith another iust in respect of Christes obedience Vpon this ground it followeth necessarily that nothing can be our righteousnes except Christ alone seeing the Lord cannot be seene to be iust in instifying vs by any thing except by him alone CHAPTER XXIIII IT followeth now that we speake of the second point which concerneth the matter of our righteousnes that is what is that thing wherein Christ is made of God righteousnes vnto vs and this in one word in the scripture is saide to bee his obedience Rom. chap. 5. vers 19 Where it is said
righteousnes sometime by the making of a man righteous by the obedience of Christ sometime by the making of Christ sinne for vs and vs the righteousnes of God in him and somtime by healing of vs by Christ his stripes and all these are to one effect the iustified man is sometimes shortly described in one worde the iust by faith sometime in relatiō to the action of God more amply he that hath received the aboundance of grace of the gift of that righteousnes which is by one man Iesus Christ somtime he whose sinnes are remitted to whom sinne is not imputed and whose sins are covered c. out of which and the consideration of the points preceeding wee may gather a more full and cleare definition of the action of iustificatiō in this maner Iustification is that seconde gratious action of the free dispensation of GOD in Christ towarde those whom accordinge to his foreknowledge and purpose hee had predestinated to bee Adopted through Christ whom nowe hee hath adopted through him havinge effectuallie called them to the fellowship of Christ by faith by the which action he maketh them who in them selves are sinners to bee righteous in Christ crucified that is whom albeit he knew no sinne hee had made sinne for them and that by the free imputation of Christs obedience and satisfaction vnto them as their owne righteousnes even as they them selves had performed it and by the imputation of faith which he hath given vnto them as their owne to this end that the righteousnes of God which they possesse no wayes but by faith might be their owne righteousnesse and so they might have remission of sinnes in his bloud of Christ whom God had not onely ordayned but also made a propitiation for them in his bloud In this definition we cal iustification first the action of God because it is he only which iustifieth Secondly wee call it the action of his dispensation to distinguish it from the action of Predestination or of Gods Decree in it selfe Thirdly wee call it the second action of his dispensation to distinguish it from the first action which is our calling preceeding it Fourthly wee call it a gratious and free action because it is dispensed for no merit or deserving of those which receyve it neither for any thing given by them to God before whereof it should be the recompence but is given freely of his grace Fiftly Wee call it the worke of God in Christ to distinguish it from the Decree of God which is a worke of God in him self and to shewe iustification to be a worke of externall dispensation which wholy is performed by God in Christ in whom all the blessings of grace are comprehended as our filiation or iustification and glorification in whom and through whom only God maketh vs his sonnes righteous and glorious he being made of God vnto vs wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption And these five pointes are to bee considered in the nature of this action The next thing that is to be considered is the subiect that is iustified And this we make not simply to be a man foreknowne and fore-purposed neither yet a man simply predestinate but moreover a man effectually called and made one with Christ by faith and in that vnitie the sonne of God For a man simply and nakedly foreknowne is the onely obiect of Gods Decree and Predestination For those whom hee foreknew hee predestinate sayeth the spirit of God And a man predestinate is the only obiect of Gods calling according to his purpose For whō hee had predestinate them also hee called sayeth the spirit of God And the man now called effectually to the faith of Iesus as the sonne of God and promised seed in the which all the nations of the world should be blessed is the onely obiect of Gods iustification like as a iustified man is the onely obiect of Gods glorification Thus to goe backward againe the Lord in glorifying a man hath before him especially his righteousnes for none but the iust shall live next in iustifying a man hee hath particularly before his eyes his vnion with Christ by faith without the which not any man shal be iustified of God And in giving this blessing to bee one with Christ by faith and so in that vnitie the sonne of God in which cōsisteth the calling of God Hee onely hath before his eyes the man predestinate to be Adopted through Christ that is the man whom hee hath ordayned to call that is to Adopt and to make his sonne by faith in Christ And in predestinating a man to this blessinge hee had not any thing before his eyes but his owne foreknowledge of the person of that man his purpose or the good pleasure of his will which are all one in substance and different onely in respect The will of God which limiteth all the actions of his power seeing hee doeth all thinges accordinge to the counsell of his owne will being the highest and the first cause of all thinges created and done by GOD in the world of the which no cause possiblie can bee given and therefore it is in some respect the cause of Gods purpose or counsaile which therefore is called the counsaile of his will although his will and his counsaill in effect bee both one For his will is his purpose and his purpose is his will in all thinges and especiallie in the whole worke of his grace towardes the vesselles of mercie vnto the which his purpose is especiallie restrayned oftentimes in the booke of God which purpose is nothing save a setting of such persons before him from all eternitie as hee him selfe willeth or pleaseth which may cleerlie be perceyved by the holy bread set vpon the Table in the Sanctuarie being twalfe in number representinge the twalfe Tribes of Israell that is the whole elect of God which are called the shew bread in the vulgar translation the worde beeing the same which is called the purpose of God as is cleere by Christ his owne wordes Math. chap. 12. ver 4. Luke chap. 6. ver 4. that is the bread of the purpose of God or of the setting before the face of God And therefore the action of the Priest in settinge those bread vpon the table before the Lord is called by the Apostle Heb. chap. 9. ver 2. Prothesis ton arton that is the setting before or the presenting of bread to shewe vs that by that worde which is commonly called the purpose of God which was shadowed in that type of the Lawe is to bee vnderstood the eternall action of God in settinge before himselfe as in the sight of his owne eyes the persons of such as hee willed And in the same sense the same word is referred vnto Christ Rom. chapt 3. ver 25. whether it be referred to Gods eternall purpose touching the humane nature of Iesus Christ in setting it particularly before him as that which should be the onely expiation of the sinnes of his
for vs but as sayth Iohn cha 10. vers 18. He receyved this commandement from the Father to laye downe his life And the Apostle Peter Acts chap. 2. ver 23. sayeth plainly That he was delivered by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God And the scriptures doe witnes Hebr. chap. 3. ver 2. Hebr. chap. 5. ver 5. that Christ did not take this office to him selfe to be either King Priest or Prophet of the house of God but that the Father did give it him and as he receyved it from the Father so doeth he performe it not according to his owne will but according to the will of the Father that sent him that is hee layes downe his life for none but such as the Father willeth that is the sheep which the Father giveth him that he should give them eternall life Ioh. chap. 10. 14. 15. 16. compared to Ioh. chap. 17. ver 2. and Esay chap. 8. ver 18. compared with Hebr. chap. 2. ver 13. 14. and 15. 16. 17. neither doth he make intercession for any but for such as the Father had given him but secludeth all who were not given him of the Father from al benefite of his intercession and fruit of his death Ioh. cha 17. ver 9. Thirdly he manifesteth the name of God and giveth the wordes and the glorie which the Father hath given him to no others saving those alone whom the Father had given him In the same chapter 6. vers 22. and 26. Fourthly he giveth eternall life to none but such as the Father hath given him Iohn chapter 6. verses 37. 38. and 39. And Iohn chapter 10. vers 26. 27. 28. 29. And Iohn chapter 17. vers 2. for the worke which he performed on earth the Father did give it him that hee should doe it as he him self witnesseth Iohn chapter 17. and verse 4. Wherefore also in the performing thereof when the bitternes of that cuppe which the Father had given him to drinke maketh him in his agonie to will If it were possible that it might passe from him He rangeth his owne will in order and submitteth him selfe to the will of his Father saying But not my will but thy will be done Mathew chap. 26. vers 39. and 42. Of all which groundes it evidently followeth that what Christ is as Mediatour and what he doeth as Mediatour and to whom he doth any thing by Mediaton and intercession is all by the will and appointement of GOD according to his good pleasure Whose Decree and free election according to his will boundeth and limiteth IESVS Christ the Mediatour in his suffering intercession and whole performance of his office and dispensation of all blessings vnto righteousnes and life as is cleare in the 11. chapt to the Romanes verses 5. and 7. Of all that is spoken touching either the substance or cause of Gods Decree we may easilie perceyve that the whole Decree of God in all the substance of it dependeth vpon nothing but onely vpon the will of God so that he predestinates because it is his will and he predestinates so many and no moe because it is his will And hee predstinates them to adoption because it is his will and he predestinates this adoption to be thorough Iesus Christ because it is his will Whilest men in humble reverence doe not acknowledge this and acquiesce in it as the trueth of this matter they not onely fall in blasphemouse errores against God but involve themselves in the daunger of that curse pronounced by the Prophet Esay chapt 45. vers 10. Woe be to him that striveth with his Maker Woe vnto him that sayeth to his Father what hast thou begotten Or to his Mother What hast thou brought foorth Which surelie they doe which search for a reason of this will of GOD as though the Lord could not be iust in ordayning some vnto adoption and not others vpon his onely will but that some cause there must be in the creatures of this difference of his will what is this else but to buyld the equitie of Gods doeings vpon the creature and not vpon God the Creator him selfe making things iust not because he willeth them but because he willeth them according to that which he findeth in the creature and which in the iudgement of man seemeth to be a iust reason why God should doe so even as though the Potter of one the same lumpe of clay did not freely according to his owne will make one vessel to honor another to dishonor without any respect of any worthines or any reason whatsoever taken frō the clay Surely it is a wretched Divinitie which doth not simply acknow ledge all things iust which God willeth evē because he willeth thē although they not only passe the capacitie but also appeare most cōtrary to humane reason For are not his iudgements vnsearchable his wayes past finding out who thē shal finde out the reason of his counsels and declare the causes of his will We will conclude this point with the saying of Augustin touching these mē lib. pri ca. 2. de Genes cont Manich. They seeke to know the causes of Gods will when as the will of God it selfe is the cause of all things that are for if the will of God have a cause there is something that goes before the will of God which is not lawfull to beleeve The vse we are to make hereof in the doctrine of iustification is great for first heereby wee learne that Gods Decree is not buylded vppon our righteousnes as the cause thereof but by the contrarie that our righteousnes is builded vpon Gods Decree For God doeth not predestinate vs because of our righteousnes but he maketh vs righteous because he hath predestinate vs so that whether our righteousnes consist in Christ and his sufferings or as some doe thinke in workes or as others doe esteeme in faith yet it still holdeth that this righteousnes is never the cause why God predestinateth vs. Secondly wee learne of this point that whatsoever be our righteousnes we must goe aboue our selves aboue our righteousnes to search the cause why it is ours For it is not any thing in vs nor any thing in that that is our righteousnes but the will of God in God himselfe which is the ground of our enioying it Thirdly we learne heereby that whatsoever we seclude from the Meanes of our righteousnes iustification and life yet Christ can never be secluded seeing God Decrees to doe all what he decrees thorough him alone Thus much concerning the Decree of God and the nature thereof CHAPTER VIII NOW followeth the second point which standeth in the knowledge of Christ as he is Mediatour Whereof because divers things have bene already spoken we wil be the shorter The mayne point chieflie to be considered in this head is this that no man is made that vnto the which GOD doth predestinate him in him selfe and through him selfe but in and through another which is IESVS
Christ onely who being ordeyned of God the Meane of al his mercie to Mākinde he commeth in as Mediatour betweene God vs in all things decreed of God for vs so as we are to expect nothing of all that is decreed concerning the vessels of honour whether it bee in making of vs sonnes or making vs cōforme to the Image of his Sonne in righteousnes and glorie but only in and through Iesus Christ our Lord in whom alone all the promises of God are yea and amen For he is the first borne among all the sonnes of God and the beginning and first begotten of the dead for it is the Fathers will that in all things hee have the praeeminence Rom. chap. 8. ver 29. Col. chap. 1. ver 18. Thus albeit God in him selfe and of him selfe ordayne vs to great dignitie and manifold vnspeakeable blessings yet this honour doeth he reserve vnto his only begotten sonne that of all these blessings we shall enioye none except in through him onely so that it is true that we are ordayned to nothing without Christ but not in that deceitfull sense whereby the mindes of many are deluded as though he were the cause why GOD doth ordeyne vs to adoption The Scripture teacheth vs farre otherwise distinguishing betwixt the cause why God decreeth vs to adoption and the cause why he ordeyneth vs to this adoption through Christ onely Setting downe the cause of the Decree to be his owne will good pleasure in him selfe And declaring the cause why he ordeyneth vs to be adopted through Christ to be this that Christ might be the first borne among manie brethren and that he might have the praeeminence in all things wherevpon it followeth that albeit he be not the cause why we are ordeyned to adoption yet notwithstanding seeing it is Gods will to performe towards vs his gracious purpose and good pleasure of his wil only in and through Christ that of necessitie we must first enioy him before we can enioy any thing of that that is decreed And therefore it was the Fathers will that in him should all fulnes dwell Coloss chap. 1. vers 19. That out of his fulnes we all should receyve Iohn chapt 1. vers 16. And for this same cause is it said That God hath made him wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption and that vnto vs 1. Corinth chapt 1. verse 13. For whatsoever God hath made Iesus Christ the Mediatour he hath made him that for our cause so that the love of God to vs and the good pleasure of his wil towards vs is the cause why Christ is made of God the meane of our salvation And therefore in the consideration of Gods Decree Christ as Mediatour commeth in order after the consideration of that wherevnto we are ordayned although in the executiō and performāce of Gods Decree Christ in vs must goe before all other things ordayned for vs for that is the nature of all Meanes which are subordinate to that whereof they are appointed to be Meanes Thus God first in order purposeth and decreeth what to doe to vs and secondly by what Meanes but when hee performeth his Decree he first prepareth the Meanes and then accomplisheth thereby his purpose and decree towardes vs. For if the Lord had never ordayned vs that are men to bee made his sonnes he had never ordayned his sonne to bee made a Man this is cleere by the Apostles speech wherein he declareth the cause why the sonne of God did take mans nature vpon him Hebr. chap. 2. ver 14. saying For asmuch therefore as the children were partakers of flesh and blood even he likewise tooke part with them And thereafter shewing the cause why not only he tooke our nature◠but also did take it with the same infirmities sinne only except wherewith our nature is indued he vseth these speeches For it became him in all thinges to be made like to his brethren Hebrewes chap. 2. vers 17. according to which grounde it is saide in another place That God sent his Sonne in the flesh in the similitude of sinnefull flesh Roman chap. 8. vers 3. This point is evidently cleare by the same Apostles speech Galath chap. 4. verses 4. and 5. when hee sheweth the ende wherefore God sent his sonne in the flesh saying VVhen the fulnes of tyme was come God sent foorth his owne Sonne made of a woman c. that we might receyve the adoption Letting vs see that in Gods execution hee giveth vs the adoption to the which he ordayned vs by the same Meane thorough the which he ordayned to give it vs. Thus we may see evidently that that parte of Gods Decree touching the Meane of our adoption doeth in order of Decreeing depende vpon the former parte touching the adopting of vs but in order of performing the sending of Christ made of a woman and made vnder the Law and made righteousnes sanctification and redemption c. doth goe before our adoptiō For he was not made the cause of eternall salvation to his owne till he was perfited Hebr. chap. 5. vers 9. For which cause the Apostle sayeth Hebr. chap. 2. vers 10. when hee gives the reason why he was made to taste of death That Christ being to bring many children to glorie it became him for whom are all these things and by whom are all these thinges to perfite or to consecrate the Prince of their salvation through afflictions This shall be yet more cleare if wee consider who it is that is appointed the Meane of our adoption that is not the Father nor yet the holy Ghost but the Sonne only and that because hee onely is that vnto the which wee are ordayned For this grounde we must holde that what so ever wee are made by grace it must firste bee in GOD him selfe and then made ours by our communion and fellowship with GOD. Now this blessing of sonne-shippe which is ordeyned vnto vs is no propertie of the Father nor yet of the Holy Ghost but of the seconde person onely who by that propertie is distinguished both from the Father and from the Holy Ghost and therefore although the Father and the Holy Ghost doe with the Sonne not onely ordeyne vs to adoption but also adopt vs yet they neither ordeyne vs to adoption neyther doe adopt vs through any but the Sonne alone for the Father and the Holy Ghost are not the Sonne neither can be because their personall properties are incommunicable howsoever their naturall properties bee common yea one and the same in all three because the nature of all three is most simply one and the same Of which it commeth to passe that we being adopted thorough Christ and so consequently called to the communion of Christ in that which he is by subsisting that is sonnes wee are also made partakers of the Divine nature as sayeth the Apostle Peter that is we are made like to all three in that which they are by nature for all three have but