but also Christ the Son hath really given himselfe to make us holy and hath made us clean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might make us to himselfe a glorius Church and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 people not having now at this present time as both the Greek and Latin Participles signifie one spot or wrinkle of sinne or any such thing because by his death upon the crosse he hath made us so holy that wee are without all blame and without all fault in his sight if we continue rooted and grounded in this Ephes 5. 25 26 27. Colos 1. 22 23. faith Ephes 5. 25 26 27. Coloss 1. 22 23. And hath not only sworn it and by his Son wrought it but also sealed the truth and power of the same upon us by his own seale of Baptisme and not only so sealed it upon us but also confirmed the assurance thereof unto us by so many faithfull dispensors of Gods mysteries as is before shewed as with a cloud of witnesses shall wee notwithstanding all these sayings and doings of God say in the secrets of our hearts by unbeliefe hold thy peace God hold thy peace Christ you may say what you will but I can by a subtle distinction of mine own braine of taking away out of Gods sight not the sin which I see but the guilt which thou hast forgotten to speak of make an evasion from all this and will beleeve my sence sight and feeling rather then you Is this faith is not this to make God no God but to make our reason sense and feeling our God If wee had no sin in us and if we did see and feel no sin in us what place were there left for faith to beleeve these sayings of God that wee have no sin in the sight of God but now because wee have sin in us and do see it and feele it therefore should wee so much the rather upon these sayings of God beleeve the cleane contrary to our sense and feeling that wee have no sin in the sight of God this is true faith and where there is reasoning from sense and feeling there is not faith For if Abraham had not beleeved that hee and his wife were fruitfull and should have children clean contrary to that which they both had and saw and felt in themselves hee being almost an hundred yeeres old and dead and his wife both barren in her youth and in her age past child-bearing hee had never grown to so mighty a Nation but he doubted not to beleeve clean contrary to that which he both had saw and felt in themselves and so was strengthned in true faith and gave glory to God being fully assured that hee which had promised was also able to do it how contrary soever it seemed to his present sight sense and feeling so if we could beleeve that God is able above our reason sense and feeling by his Sons blood and righteousnesse utterly to abolish out of his own sight all our sins being the work and image of the Devill which Christ came purposely to destroy and that he doth make us whiter than snow from them all so that wee have not now one spot or wrinkle of sinne that defiles us nor any such thing in the sight of God and that he is faithfull to doe this as he hath spoken it Eph. 5. 26 27. contrary Ephes 5. 26. 27 to our reason sense and feeling then have wee true faith then should wee truly glorifie God and Christ and find Sanctification and all other blessings both spirituall and temporall with a fuller hand then wee doe Which people doe much faile of because they marke not that there is a twofold making of us clean and abolishing of our sinnes made mention of in Gods word and testified in the consent of the former witnesses of Justification First a mysticall and secret abolishing of our sins A twofold clâ—nsing or abolishing of sinne 1 Mysticall Iohn 1. 29. 1 Iohn 1. 7. wrought only by Christ and his righteousnesse in the sight of God only mentioned Iohn 1. 29. saying Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world And 1 Iohn 1. 7. The blood of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God doth make us clean from all sinne and in many other such like places of Scripture which is called mysticall because it is wrought seene and apprehended above reason sense and feeling that is by faith only and is the meere and sole glory of Christs Godhead Heb. 1. 3. Heb. 1. 3. Secondly a grosse and palpable abolishing of our 2 Grosse and palpable sinnes wrought by us by the help of Gods spirit to our sense and feeling by sanctification mentioned by S. Paul 2 Cor. 7. 1. saying Let us clense our selves from 2 Cor. 7. 1. all filthinesse of the flesh and 1 Iohn 3. 3. He that hath 1 Iohn 3. 3. this hope doth purifie himselfe as he is pure which later way we shall never feele to be perfected in us untill the life to come that there may be place for the first way and for faith for as I said before what place were there left for faith to beleeve that Christ hath made us perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely if we could see and feele our selves to be so in the sight of God But if sticking only in this later we idlely prattle and talk by the light of nature of Gods power and presence and all-seeing and all-searching nature after a Gentileish and Heathenish manner to the frustrating of his word and promises because wee see and feele the contrary as if God were not able or cannot abolish that sinne which we daily feele dwelling in us out of his owne sight above our reason sense and feeling then we reject faith dishonour God rob him of his power spoile him of his truth and finde him to be no more our God than the Gentiles and Heathen did although they also talked goodly and vainegloriously of his power and providence and presence and all-seeing and all-searching nature For that saying of the learned is most true that it is not the light of nature or reason talking Not the light of nature but faith only gives God his due glory and discoursing of the almighty power providence and presence of God that gives him the glory of his Godhead but it is faith only placing Gods power and all-seeing nature in the fulfilling of his promises and verifying the truth of them to be in us and upon us which unto the naturall man and Gentile seemes foolishnesse that makes us to passe the Gentiles and Heathens in talking of Gods power and all seeing and all-searching nature and gives him truly the glory of his Godhead whereas the contrary seeming to glorifie him doth indeed rob him of the glory of his Godhead Two Scriptures objected Whereby we may now see how unbeleeving Gentileish and Heathenish that Papisticall cavill is saying Doe
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
so perfectly just and righteous in the sight of God freely that we are faire yea and all faire and there is no spot in us Cant. 4 7. all Cant. 4. 7. which is by Gods speaking it really so indeed spiritually in the sight of God and yet we see and feel nothing but soulenesse and spottednesse And this object and matter of faith is expressed in the Text in these words Verse 17. Before God that quickneth the dead and calleth Verse 17. those things that be not as though they were the meaning whereof is this God calleth that is worketh effecteth causeth maketh that thing to have a true reall being before himselfe by speaking it which to Beza in Rom. 4. 17 quae â—ccâ—t essicit Deus apud quem jam sunt quae alioqui reipsa non sunt ut qui vel verbâ— quid vis possit ex nihilo efficeâ—e sense sight and feeling is not and yet to have by his call as true and reall a being before himselfe as though it were and had an outward being to sense sight and feeling therefore doth Beza rightly thus expound those words saying What God calls those things he effecteth before whom those things are already which otherwise indeed are not as he that can with his word make what he will of nothing Secondly followes the battel of faith in which the 2 The battell of Abrahams faith order of nature and sense and reason grounded upon naturall causes doe shew a flat contrariety and impossibility of the matter spoken and promised against Piscat in Rom. â— 18. Contra spem scilicet quam coâ—e peâ—e poter â— exconsideratione naâ—â—raererum which faith opposeth the meere word and power of God speaking and this battel of faith is expressed in the next verse in these words verse 18. Which Abraham above or contrary to hope beleeved under hope according to that which was spoken that is contrary to hope namely which he might conceive by the consideration of the nature of things But under hope namely which Subsâ—e scilicet quam concipere poterat ex consideratione potentie Dei loquâ—ntis 3. The victory oâ— Faith he did conceive by the consideration of the power of God which had spoken Thirdly followes the victory of faith by which it shutteth her eyes and considereth not nor lookes upon but as it were winketh at and turnes quite from and forgetteth the order of nature and naturall causes and things that doe to reason sense sight and feeling shew a contrariety and impossibility in the matter promised spoken and resteth wholly and only upon the Word promise and power of God speaking whereby visible things that to reason are contrary to the promise doe become as things of nothing and having as it were no being and invisible things spoken by God become to be the only things that Quicquid in se ipso ac circa se intueri poterat promissionis coÌ„plemento adversabatur have substance and ground with us and this victory of faith is expressed in the next verse in these words verse 19. That he not weake in faith considered not or would not thinke of his owne body which was now dead nor Ergo ut locum Divin 8 veritati saocret ab ils quae in conspectu erant animum yetraxit quasi oblitus est Calv. Marlor in Rom. 4. 19. the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe c. that is whatsoever he could behold either in himselfe or about himselfe was against and contrary to the accomplishment and fulfilling of Gods promise and therefore to give place to the truth of God he wholly withdrew his minde from the things which he saw and felt and did as it were forget himselfe because it is truely said of another Interpreter of Gods mysteries That seeing the Cum tanta sit potentia Dei aequum est c. power of God is so great that quickens the dead it is meet that we believe him even when he promiseth things impossible to nature and to the judgement of our reason Fourthly hereupon followes the Triumph of faith 4. The â—â—iumph of Faith yeelding to God only upon the foresaid grounds of his truth and power his full glory of truely sufilling upon us that which he hath spoken whereby he hath ascribed unto him the glory of his truth and power and we have the blessing and benefit thereof for ever and this triumph of faith is expressed in the next verses in these words That he doubted not of the promise of God by unbeliefe but was strengthened in faith and gave glory to God Being fully assured that he which had spoken it was also able to doe it All which the Apostle flatly testifies must be imitated of us in the case of Free Iustification by Christ who was delivered to death to abolishour sinnes out of Gods sight and is risen againe for our full justification Rom. 4. 15. The manner whereof Rom. 4. 15. Luther is notably expressed by that Hercules of Gods glory upon the song of Zachary saying thus In what place soever the borne of salvation Iesus Christ is exalted there is no accesse neither for sinne nor death wherefore a Christian is both foule and yet without sinne How comes this to passe after this sort Beloved you have often heard that God leaveth in us an appearance and feeling whilst we live here both of sinne death and the Devill God suffereth these to remaine and taketh them not quite away from sense and feeling for this appearance must continue that we may perceive and feele that we are nothing else of our selves but sinners subject to sinne and Satan But all this is but a certaine outward appearance before my sight and the sight of the world which know and judge no otherwise but that sinne and death are present and yet under this appearance lieth hid innocency life and Faith is the substance of things not appearing dominion and victory over sinne death and Satan for because faith is the evidence and substance of things not appearing therefore that faith may have place it is necessary that all things which are beleeved be hid but they cannot be more deeply hid than under the contrary object sense and experience But when as we see all our sinnes laid upon Christ and to be victoriously conquered of him by his resurrection and doe confidently beleeve this then they are dead and brought to nothing for being laid upon Christ they must not remaine so but are swallowed up in the triumph of his resurrection So saith S. Paul Christ was delivered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our Iustification that is by his death he hath taken upon him our sins and thereby utterly abolished them out of the sight of God as the Sun-beames abolish darknesse and by his resurrection hath made us perfectly righteous so that a true Christian may be bold to say Lord God maker of the whole world it
mayst glory safely that thou art perfectly good godly holy and righteous in Gods sight Esay 45. 25. Esay 45 25. Yea God cannot deferre or delay where there is this sincere heart that trusteth in him alone all other things being left looking only to the naked word of God there God cannot hide himselfe but revealeth himself commeth unto such an heart and maketh his abode there as the Lord saith Ioh. 14. 21 23. I will come Ioh 14. 21 23. unto him and will dwell with him Now what can be more joyfull than for a man to give credit to the naked word of God And as to be plucked from it by no affliction or temptation so to shut his eyes against every assault of Satan to become a foole that hee may be wise 1 Coâ— 3. 18 19. The obediences of the Gospel that is to lay aside humane sense understanding reason and wisdome and to say daily in his heart God hath spoken it he cannot lie this is true mortifying of our selves and right obedience to the Gospel and I say that nothing is more joysull than such a faith THe third meanes to overcome all doubting is The third remedy against doubting much and often to meditate upon our baptisme yea as often as we feele that we have by any sin pierced and wounded our soul with the sting of death for the sting of death is sin 1 Cor. 15. 56. so often must we call 1 Cor. 15. 56. to minde especially these foure things wherein the very essence and vertue of our baptisme consisteth First that God in baptisme gave unto us his Sonne 2 Foure speciall things to be considered in Baptisme in the likenesse of water signifying that Jesus is no Jesus unto us but as he hath first and before all things with his blood washed away out of the sight of God all our sins as S. Iohn saith Revel 1. 5. And hath washed Revel 1. 5. us from our sinnes in his blood and by cloathing us with the obedience and righteousnesse contained in his blood doth so perfectly deck and adorn us as fit Brides unto himselfe with that wedding-garment of his own righteousnesse that he doth not only of unjust make us just but also preserves us as is before shewed in the same above our sense and feeling ever and continually perfectly holy and righteous from all spot or wrinkle sin or any such thing in the sight of God freely Ephes 5. 26 27. because as the Apostle testifies with one sacrifice upon the Crosse hee hath made Ephes 5. 26. 27. pefect for ever and continually all them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. For saith Luther the blood of Christ Heb. 10. 14. Christs blood as pâ—rging sope and niter hath in it such sharp salt and such purging sope and niter as that it takes away from before God and abolisheth all foulnesse and all spots so that in one moment it consumes sin and death takes them away and utterly abolisheth them And because wee must mark that at the time of our baptizing it is not the man or Minister that doth baptise us properly But it is God the Father Sonne and God properly is the Baptizer holy Ghost that is the true right and proper baptiser of us the reason whereof is because it is not the work of the Minister that baptizeth outwardly nor the Baptisme of man but the Baptisme of Christ and of God for the minister or man doth nothing in The Minister â—â—ly is â—n the nâ—mâ— and place of God his own authority but stands by Gods appointment in the place and steed of God and supplies the roome of God whereupon we ought to receive our baptisme at the hand of man no otherwise than if Christ himselfe or rather as if God himselfe did baptize us with his own hands and therefore we must take heed that wee doe not so divide Baptisme as to attribute the outward baptisme to man and the inward to God but we must attribute both to God and count of the man or minister baptizing us but as the instrument like the axe in the Carpenters hand God himselfe using it to square thee himselfe to the glory of his grace by the which God sitting in heaven doth reach down his own ordinance of Baptisme comming meerly from himselfe out of heaven as his hand and doth poure water upon thee with his own hands and doth pronounce that hee hath washed thee clean from all thy sinnes speaking unto thee in earth himselfe with his own mouth by the voyce of the Minister And this the very words used in thy Baptisme doe make cleere unto thee when the Minister pouring water upon thee said I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Amen That is I wash thee clean from all thy sinnes but how what in thine own name and power No for alas that were able to doe no such work and just nothing but as the Brazen-Serpent healed the Israelites that is in the meer ordinance name and power of God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost as if he should say that which I doe I doe it not in mine own strength name or power but it being none of my work but standing by God own appointment and ordinance in his place and stead and supplying his roome I wash thee in the name and power of God that thou mayst count no otherwise of it than if God had done it visibly himselfe This sense is full of comfort and an effectuall help of faith for a man to know that hee was baptized not of man but of the Trinity himselfe by man who standing in his stead did the work signified as truly in his name and power as if God himselfe had been the very outward and visible agent and worker But I say because God himselfe is all in all the proper workman in our baptisme therefore in his outward signe of washing by water he doth although inwardly and mystically to himselfe yet so throughly wash us with the blood of Christ that it is as much when any one is baptized into faith as if he were visibly washed not with water but with the purging blood of of Christ And hereupon both for the Agent God and for the meane of Christs blood is Baptisme such a magnificent work and hath such vertue and so great power as the holy Ghost by S. Paul restifieth that it is indeed the laver and washing of the new birth and the renewing of the holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5. That is first it makes Tit. 3. 5. New â—reâ—tâ—ras two wayes us new born creatutes to Godward by Justification by abolishing all our sinnes out of Gods sight and making us perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely whereby we are adopted the sons of God and secondly it doth renew us by the holy Ghost to bee new creatures to menward by sanctification whereupon
in his own sight freely and that he hath made us hereby as I said before truely blessed persons Galath 3. 8 9. Galat. 3. 8. 9. We give him the praise honour and glory of his rich Grace great mercy and glorious bounty Ephes 2. 7. Ephes 2. 7. Luthâ—in Galath cap 3. vers 6. fol. 110. And therefore it is most true which that magnanimous Dispenser of Gods mysteries testifieth of faith saying thus Paul by these words Abraham beleeved of faith maketh the chiefest worship the chiefest duty the chiefest oâ—edience and the chiefest sacrifice Let him that is a Rethorician amplifie amplifie this place and he shall see that faith is an almighty thing and that as it may appeare by the whole eleâ—enth chapter to the Hebrews the power thereof is infinite and inestimable for it gives glory unto God which is the highest service that can be given unto him Now to give glory unto God is to beleeve in him to count him in that which he speaketh true wise righteous mercifull almighty This Reason doth not but saith this is that which makes us divine people and as a man would say it is the creator of a certaine divinity not in the substance of God but in us for without faith God loseth in us his glory wisedome righteousnesse and mercy To conclude no majesty and divinity remaineth unto God where faith is not but the chiefest thing that God requireth of man is that he give unto him his glory and his Divinity The second maine priviledge of faith is that if we The second maine priviledge of faith is in foure things beleeve that Christ by washing us in his owne blood hath made us whiter than snow from all spot or wrinkle of sinne in the sight of God freely that then we give to Christ his Son his due glory especially in these foure points First we yeeld him the virtue of his name for he is called Iesus because hee doth thus perfectly save his people from their sinnes Mat. Math. 1. 21. 1. 21. Secondly we yeeld him hereby the glory of his Godhead that he is able to make us above our reason sense and feeling from all spot or wrinkle of sinne in the sight of God whiter than snow as also we give him hereby the glory of his Kingly power that he is a true Melchisedec that is King of righteousnesse by making his true subjects in the sight of God from all spot or wrinkle of sin or any such thing perfectly righteous freely Thirdly we give to Christ the glory and truth of his Prophetship who did long before and especially by the mouth of David prophesie that if he did take in hand to purge us we should be cleane and when he did take in hand to wash us we should be whiter than snow Psal 51. 7. which Psal 51. 7. if wee beleeve to bee by his blood now done and wrought upon us we make him by beleeving a true Prophet and give him his glory of fulfilling the truth of his prophecying Fourthly by beleeving wee yeeld and give unto him the virtue and glory of his Priesthood who was wounded for our iniquities and broken and bruised for our transgressions but to no other end than that the chastisement of our peace might be upon him and that by his stripes we might be healed Esay 53. 5. Esay 53. 5. which if we beleeve that by his blood we are from all our sins made in his sight whiter than snow and so perfectly healed in Gods sight we give him the true glory of his Priesthood because if the Priest offering but the blood of Bulls and Goats made the beleevers cleane from all their sinnes before the Lord Levit. 16. 30. Levit. 16. 30. how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God by making us cleane in the sight of God from all sinne purge our consciences from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. of which the more wee assure our Heb. 9. 14. selves the more doe we yeeld him the virtue and glory of his Priesthood whereby is brought to passe that God not so much as remembring our sins any more there is no more sacrifice for sinne Heb. 10. 17 18. because Heb. 10. 17 18. with one offering he hath made perfect continually and for ever all them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. Oh Heb. 10. 14. Jesus Christ who will not beleeve in thee magnificently The third priviledge of faith yeelding to God The third priviledge of faith is to glorifie the word and spirit of God so great honour and glory is because that wee beleeving the plaine and naked word of God speaking simply and plainely to the weakest capacities without wresting and wringing it à gemino sensu from the proper and Grammaticall sense of the words to sort and accord as they shall be most agreeable to humane wit and naturall reason doe greatly glorifie the word of God speaking in the mysteries of Christ in his proper sense and plaine and literall and Grammaticall signification captivating our sense and understanding to the Scripture speaking so farre above reason sense and feeling And doe also greatly glorifie the spirit of God and holy Ghost speaking in the Scriptures because we have an eare to heare what the spirit saith unto us Revel 2. and 11. and not what mens glosses Revel 2. 11. doe make agreeable to humane wit not expresly taught in the word the reason wherof is because as Luther truly saith major est verbi Dei authoritas quà m De captivitate Babylonica nostri ingenii capacitas greater is the authority of the plaine and simple grammaticall speaking of Gods word than the capacity of our shallow wits quam etsi philosophia non capit fides tamen capit which plaine speaking although Philosophy and humane reason cannot conceive yet faith is able to comprehend and therefore he gives this worthy and stable rule against the wresting of the words of the Scripture from their proper sense to the maintaining of error sounding more fit to humane reason namely Quod verbis divinis non est ulla facienda vis neque per hominem neque per Angelum sed quâ—ntum fieri potest in simplicissima significatione servanda sunt c. that is to the words of the divine Scripture must no wresting sorce be offered neither by man nor Angel but as much as can bee possible they must be kept in their most simple and plaine signification and except the manifest circumstance doe constraine they are not to be taken out of the signification that is grammaticall and proper lest there bee given an occasion to adversaries to clude the whole Scripture in which consideration for neglecting the grammaticall speaking Origen was of ancients justly rejected because thereby the words of the Scripture may be extenuated and set light of and may with great injury be made void of
Moon or rather a candle for brightnesse so farre doth our glorifying of God directly to his own eyes the first way by joyfull embracing the greatnesse of his benefits passe the glorifying of him by works to the eyes of men the second way Because the first is meerly passive in us suffering God to glorifie himselfe upon us by working his inestimable benefits freely upon us The second is declarative and active in us by which wee declare the free goodnesse of God freely bestowed upon us The first is inward spirituall and divine wholly tending to the prayse of God first creating as it were the glory of God in us For whereas it is the nature of unbeliefe as Brentius well describes to be very curious and inquisitive and at the smallest appearance contrary to the promise doubts of God speaking it one while making question whether the Word be the Word another while making question of the meaning of the Word another while ☞ looking to the fewnesse and simplenesse of them that hold the Word another while looking at the multitude and greatnesse of them that hold otherwise but ever seeking some witty evasion whereby it may seem to do honestly in not believing the Word of God as it plainly speaks And sorobs God of the glory of his truth and of his power and with seeming wit makes him a liar So on the contrary side faith resting upon the naked and plain word spoken because it seemes contrary to reason and outward sense and feeling it flies to the truth and power of the Promiser making him true in his speaking and able to perform it and so gives him the glory of his Living and Being and true working in us whereby as Luther truly speaks faith is as a man would say the Creator of a certaine Divinity not in the substance of God but in us and so by putting us in possession of Gods bounteous divine benefits doth truly make us divine people And for this first kinde of glorifying God is Abraham so often called in the Word the friend of God But the second kind of glorifying God is outward more fleshly and humane not creating and making but shewing after a grosser manner to the eyes of worldly men that we are made divine persons whereof S. Peter speaks saying By the exceeding great and precious promises you are partakers of the Divine nature But how manifested and declared In that saith he yee flie the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1. 4. And this second active kinde of glorifying God because we are Agents in it and doe it by the spirit greatly inclines to the glorifying of man as S. Paul speaking of the sanctified works and holy life of Abraham saith What shall we say then that Abraham our Father hath found concerning the flesh For if Abraham were justified that is made righteous in the sight God by the holy works of his sanctification he had wherein to rejoyce or glory viz. before men but not before God But what saith the Scripture Abraham believed that God himselfe took in hand to make him righteous by clothing him with his Sons righteousnesse whereby he was made spiritually divinely heavenly and perfectly righteous not for mans account which counteth of righteousnesse by halfes but in Gods account whose count is perfect and counts it not righteousnesse except he himselfe alone by himselfe doe make his creature perfectly and gloriously holy and righteous from all spot of sin in his own sight freely This Abraham believed enjoyed the benefit thereof and gave glory to God and therefore was called the friend of God because he glorified him in this principall glory wherein hee will be glorified in the greatnesse of his benefits freely bestowed which especially in his Gospel are correspondent and agreeable to his great and glorious nature and therefore being above humane capacitie and to reason impossible is principally glorified by taking them by faith and this faith seeing and discerning the greatnesse and glory of them makes the true Believer to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 3. But alas here wee may take up Luthers complaint That this knowledge and benefit of Christ to come the Saints of the Old Testament rejoyced more in and so glorified God more for the same than wee now doe when hee is so brightly and comfortably revealed and exhibited unto us Indeed saith hee we do confesse that this knowledge of Christ and of the righteousnesse of faith is an inestimable treasure but wee conceive not thereby such a full joy of spirit as the Prophets and Apostle did But what is the reason hereof Because saith Luther in another place They did not consider so coldly the promises made unto the Fathers as wee doe but did reade them and weigh them with great diligence But they that understand not this benefit of fee Justification whereof the Gospel specially intreateth and so doe prize no other righteousnesse besides the righteousnesse of works works when they heare this righteousnesse of faith pressed and the excellencie thereof advanced they are offended objecting that it is so farre from glorifying God two wayes that it makes men secure and carelesse to all good works But what saith the Doctrine of our Church is the cause hereof Even this as Luther also testifieth Because they understand nothing of Free Iustification or else they understand it carnally for their minds are occupied with other cogitations and fantasticall imaginations of their own works therefore things seeme unto them strange matters and no meanes to glorifie God neither passively by faith nor actively by works but the children of wisdome will imitate the Prophets and Apostles who because they conceived the great glory thereof and felt true joy of spirit for the same therefore saith Luther did they especially Paul so plentifully set forth and so diligently teach the Article of Justification For saith he this is the proper office of an Apostle or as one may say the essence of a Minister of the Gospel to preach among people the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes 3. 8. especially Ephes 3. 8. the cause and fountaine of all the rest namely Free Justification wherewith as David saith Psal Psal 119. 32. Gal. 5. 1. 119. 32. when our heart is set at liberty Galat. 5. 1. wee will runne the way of Gods Commandements Hence it is that the Prophet Ieremy also set out so magnificently the glory of Free Justification as it should be fully revealed under the time of the Gospel saying I will make them cleane from all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against mee and whereby they have rebelled against mee c. Yea saith he in an other place Ierem. 31. I will make a new covenant with Ierem. 31 33. the house of Israel and this shall be the Covenant That I will so forgive their iniquities that I will remember their sinnes no more And it shall bee to mee a name a
but also in respect of God hath utterly abolished them out of his Fathers sight by making them of unjust just that is re ipsa in very deed perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely yet notwithstanding say these Objectors alledging this place for their proofe hee sees their sinnes in them which is as much as if they should say hee sees them not of unjust made just that is perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely but sees them still although there been no punishment belonging to them for the same in the soule pickle of their sinnes seeing the least sinne although there were no punishment for it yet for the very nature of it is ever horrible and abhominable in the sight of God But how comes God to see them in us after hee hath covered them out of his own sight These Objectors answer By looking under the covering But I would gladly know of them wherefore did God cover them out of his sight if hee peepe under the covering to see them againe Or I would know of them whether God so cover our sinnes out of his owne sight as men cover things with a net that lye as naked to view as they did before they were covered But howsoever by thus alleadging of this Scripture hereby the justified excepting some difference of guilt and punishment yet in respect of the sin it selfe which is worse than the guilt and punishment being the image of the Devill and in respect of Gods seeing the very being of sin in them are made all one with the Reprobate and wicked Secondly Gods covering is made all one with mans covering nay rather with the deceitfull covering which the wicked make to themselves And thirdly the wedding-garment of Christs righteousnesse is made all one in respect of the being of sinne it selfe in Gods sight with the hypocrisie and security of the wicked Are not every one of these points horrible blasphemy against Christ and his righteousnesse Thus handsomely and thus properly doth unbeliefe and infidelity alleadge Scriptures may we not worthily suspect these Objectors in alleadging other Scriptures against the truth that alledge this so absurdly Againe secondly this allegation seeming to stand for and defend the all-seeing nature of God is blasphemous not only because it robs God of his power namely that God cannot above our reason sense and feeling make his children so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in his sight freely that he doth see no sin in them but also whereas by the truth of his Word and by the power of Christs blood and by the testimony of all the former faithfull witnesses he doth so and true faith that sees invisible things more plainely than any demonstration can make them and doth see it more brightly than any bodibly sense can discerne it but on the other side unbeliefe is blind and cannot see and discern invisible things yet shee is not content to bee blind her selfe but also being as bold as blind Bayard shee would goe about to make God blind also viz. that he cannot see this his own mysticall and supernaturall work wrought in and upon his children by the blood and righteousnesse of his own Son but he must needs bee blind thus this blind bold Betteresse unbeliefe makes God to her selfe both impotent blind and a liar 1 Iohn 5. 10. and then 1 Ioh. 5. 10. layes the blame of all this upon faith And thus men stumbling at the block of their own sense sight and feeling doe break the neck of their faith so endanger to break the neck of their soules Wherein the example of Zachary the Father of Iohn Baptist is written Zachary an example of unbeliefe to terrifie us who being so good a man was yet notwithstanding at the very entrance of the Gospel for an example of all unbeliefe strucken dumb nine months because hee did not beleeve the Angell Gabriel that spake of fruitfulnesse in him contrary to the course of nature and work of God in him by nature which hee saw and felt in himself how much more if we believe not Christ the Prince of Angels speaking of perfect cleannesse in us Can. 4. 7. And of perfect righteousnesse Cant. 4. 7. Rom. 8. 4. in us Rom. 8. 4. contrary but to the worke and Image that the Devill hath wrought and defiled us with in the sight of God and for which Christ shed out his deerest heart-blood to destroy take away and abolish the same out of his Fathers sight how much more I say if wee beleeve neither the word of Christ nor the blood of Christ contrary to our sense reason sight and seeling doe we deserve to be smitten with everlasting dumbnesse to be never able to speak feelingly of the mercies of God any more The Lord keep us from this Judgement by taking warning of the Prince that would not beleeve the Prophet of the Lord because his reason sense and feeling spake strongly the contrary and therefore was shamefully trodden under-foot to death that he might never 2 King 7. 20. enjoy the promise 2 King 7. 20. Now therefore for the weaker understanding and memory briefly to re-collect what hath been said against this first objection breathing out nothing but Six absurdities arising from former objections unbelief do arise and ensue these six maine absurdities First the nature and essence of Faith to beleeve what God speaketh contrary to Reason sense and feeling is denyed Secondly Justification of unjust making us Just that is reipsa perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely is destroyed and so baptisme is denyed and Christ is denyed for look how much sin God seeth in us so much unrighteousnesse he sees in us look how much unrighteousnesse hee sees in us so much doe we come short of being made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely and so Christ is made an unperfect workman and baptisme is damnified And again wee see that the truely learned hold that untill the cause be thus taken away which is sinne it selfe the effects of guilt and punishment doe not truly cease Thirdly by it hypocrisie is nourished for hypocrisie not seeing what an infinite horrible thing the sinne it selfe is in the sight of God cares for no more than for selfe-love to have the guilt and punishment done away but as for the sinne it selfe which is the immediate abuser of God and the meere worke and image of the Divell and spirituall high treason against the highest spirituall Majestie defiling all her good works she cares not greatly whether that be taken away or she by her supposed holy walking will put out and take away that her selfe she will not trust Christ with that businesse to doe it by himselfe alone although therein relies the very glory of the Godhead of Christ Heb. 1. 3. and
void And thus unbeliefe doth all these things in truth wherewith shee burthens faith falsly Fifthly although the guilt that is as it is defined the binding over to punishment and the punishment it selfe doth not remaine but as they grant is abolished by Justification yet say these objectors God sees the very being of the sins themselves in us But seeing they themselves grant that the loathsomnesse of sinne is so vile and ugly in the sight of God that it must be covered out of his sight before God ceaseth to be displeased and angry with us and yet it is so covered out of his sight say they that hee still sees the being of sin in his dearest Saints Hereof it must needs follow that either that sinne which hee sees in them is not so vile and ugly in his sight as it was before granted or else those deare Saints must needs be very vile and ugly in his sight by that vile and ugly sin that he sees in them for if God see some of their sins in them hee sees all their sins in them if all then seeing it is sin it selfe and nothing else but sin and that also but one sin even in thought only that doth defile men in the sight of God as Christ testifieth Mark 7. 21 23. Hence it followes that the Justified Mark 7. 21. 23. must needs remaine still more foule in his sight with the many ugly sins that hee seeth in them ' being the image of the Devill than any swine can bee defiled over body head and eares in our sight with mire and more foule and loathsome with the ugly sin that hee sees in them being the poyson of hell than any Spider or Toade can be full of loathsome poyson in our sight and thus their deare Saints are as foule as ugly Devils in the sight of God with that vile and ugly sin that hee seeth in them but that their remaines no guilt nor punishment to be inflicted upon them for the same Sixthly and lastly hereby are overthrown all the other benefits of the Gospel as first God being the fountaine of all Justice and righteousnesse God as the Doctrine of our Church saith cannot but detest and abhor us as long as he sees us in our sins the filthinesse thereof is such in his sight untill wee be first made cleane from it Secondly the holy Ghost will not come to dwell in such foule hogg-sties of ugly sinne Thirdly Christ will not knit such foule ugly members into himselfe the members must be suteable to the head Fourthly Christ will not marry unto himselfe so foule a sow or filthy swine untill he have washed her cleane from that which doth deforme and defile which is the ugly sinne it selfe Ephes 5. 27. Ephes 5. 27. Fifthly God will not acknowledge much lesse adopt for his Sons and daughters those whom hee sees full of the image of the Devill Sixthly no unclean thing can enter into the kingdome of Christ which is the the kingdome of heaven here on earth for except a man bee born again that is made a perfect new creature to the eyes of God by Justification and declare the same by being made a new creature to the eyes of men by Sanctification he cannot see the Kingdome of God Ioh. 3. 3. because the Kingdome of God is nothing Iohn 3. 3. but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. Rom. 14. 17. Now then we may easily see whether these Objectors slipping from the excellency of free Justification taught by the first and purest Orthodox writers of the same are not to rectifie their judgements and seeing they goe about to maintaine their unbeliefe with Papisticall cavils whether a Minister upon paine of the for feiture of his faithfulnesse be not to convince them sharply that they may be sound in faith Tit. 1. 9. 13. And thus have I stood more largely in confuting Tit. 1. 9 13. this objection because I finde by daily experience that this cavill against the excellency of free Justification doth stick so fast between the teeth of naturall reason sense and feeling that many stumbling as I said before at this block of their sense and feeling doe greatly endanger the breaking of the neck of their faith and so make it a dead saith good for nothing neither to glorifie God nor save their soules but hereupon I may be briefer in the rest The next objection is this God knowes the sinnes Object 2 of his justified children as you your selfe confesse infinitely more perfectly than they themselves doe ergo hee see them in them because Knowing and Seeing are all one in God for his seeing is a phrase borrowed from the bodily eyes of men and applied metaphorically of God To which I answer that this objection is like Answ that Philosopher that looked so high into the Moon that neglecting what was neere him under his feet before hee was aware he was downe in a ditch for whilst it doth aspire and climbe up into heaven to look what is in God it neglects what a perfect abolishing of all our sins out of Gods sight the blood of Christ wrought neere us Rom. 10. 8. here below Rom. 10. 8. on earth and fals into the ditch of wrangling against the excellency of free Justification True it is that God doth not see as the Anthropomorphites fondly thought with bodily eyes as men see but yet to say that God doth not see but only know is somewhat bold seeing the Prophet saith he that made the eye shall not he see Psal 94. 9. And againe if wee Psal 94. 9 10. doe not know that the word to know as farre as wee are able to conceive of it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also applyed to God whilst we avoid the sin of the Anthropomorphites we may make of God a mentall idoll And why because the nature of God is so incomprehensible that the very Angels doe cover their faces being not able to comprehend his knowing or seeing much lesse any man What then must bee our wisedome to come downe unto his word where he submits and applies himselfe to our capacity and if we doe see we shall finde that although Gods knowing and seeing be all one in God yet to us they are not all one in that sense wherein S. Paul cals the one simple and pure wisedome of God the manifold wisedome of God that is one and simple to God but manifold to us Againe because God is of one pure simple and uncompounded nature his mercy and his justice saith Augustine are all one in God and yet they are not all one to us nay more what can be more contrary than his mercy and justice to us and in us so likewise although Gods seeing and knowing be all one in God and although they be of so neere affinity that often times How Gods knowing and see◠gma be said to differ by two reasons the one be put for the
clothed with the wedding garment of Christs righteousnesse they are above our reason sense and feeling not only abolished out of Gods sight but also are made perfectly holy and righteous and whiter than snow from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely Thus God did know the sinnes of Abraham and left the sense sight and feeling of them to abide to himselfe and before men for which mendid reprove him that hee might live by the faith of Gods power in abolishing them out of his owne sight and not by sense and feeling And yet they were so utterly abolished out of Gods sight and hee was thereby made so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God that although men did reprove him as we ought to reprove one another in love yet we read not that God tooke notice of any sinne in him neither did God being so familiar with him once rebuke him in all his life after his calling for any one sinne but did only try and exercise his faith But why did men rebuke him and not God because he was not perfectly holy and righteous to his owne sense and feeling and to menward by his sanctification but was perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne to Godward by justification because he was the patterne and Father of them that are freely made so holy that they are without all fault and without all blame in the sight of God Collos 1. 22 23. So likewise God did know the stingings and poysonous Colos 22. 23. swellings and sorenesse of his people wounded in the Wildernesse with fiery Serpents and yet when by meerely looking upon the Brazen Serpent they were healed hee saw no poysonous swellings and sorenesse in them but saw his new worke of health and strength in them and saw them goe in this health and strength against their enimies And shall not the true substance the Sonne of God Christ Jesus figured by that shadow heale us much more though above our reason sense and feeling and perfectly abolish all the hellish sores and poyson of the fiery Serpent Satan out of Gods sight by making us perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely This being so livelya shadow to teach us the power of the true substance Christ Jesus O let us hold fast the grace so miraculously fignified but more lovingly by his blood exhibited And thus much for the difference betweene Gods Knowing and Seeing of sinne Now let us proceed to other Scriptures objected which may hereby be the more briefly answered CHAP. V. Wherein other Scriptures Objected are cleered and answered AND first concerning that place Heb. 4. 13. Heb. 4. 13. whereat these Objectors doe so much stumble namely That all things are open and naked to Gods eyes c. Which without judgement understanding they hold out like the shield of Achilles strongly against the excellency of free Justification viz. that the childreÌ„ of God are made so perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God that God doth see no sin in them when as it makes nothing against it but rather for it being rightly understood for it being the Apostles scope in all the third and fourth Chapters to exhort the converted Jewes purged and made pure in the sight of God by Christ alone Heb. 1. 3. unto constancy in faith and threatning and terrifying Heb. 1. 3. the hypocrites among them with feare of Gods revenging eye he tels them throughout the whole Epistle that if they continue sound in the faith embracing Christ constantly as their onely high Priest with the blood of Bulls and Goats Heb. 9. 13. purging them Heb. â— 13. by himselfe and cleansing them with his owne blood then God doth behold them their consciences their bodies their soules their spirits and all made pure and clean in his sight it being open and naked in his sight that Christ hath with that one Sacrifice made all them that are sanctified to bee in his sight by justification perfect for ever Heb. 10. 14. But if they be unbeleeving Heb. 10. 14. hypocrites distrusting Christs purifying and clensing them from all their sins in the sight of God and so falling from Christ by unbeleefe then how hidden and secret soever their unbeleefe and hypocrisie lay for a season and although they seemed to themselves and others never so holy and righteous by the Mosaicall purifyings and legall righteousnesse yet their sins were not abolished out of Gods sight and so all their unbeleefe and hypocrisie whatsoever they thought of themselves and what faire shew soever they made for a time to others yea all their corruption lay open manifest and naked to his eyes with whom in our profession we have trifling dealing with him who would at length in due time bring it to light as being naked in his sight and so would bee revenged of all unbeleefe and hypocrisie This place being all one in effect with that which Paul more fully exprosseth in another place Tit. 1. 15. saying To the pure namely Tit. 1. 15. made pure in the sight of God by justification freely all things are pure their hearts their odâ—sciences their mindes and all are pure in the sight of God because they are made perfectly good trees in the sight of God freely by justification and then cannot chuse but declare the same to the eyes of men by sanctification But to the selfe-deoeiving unbeleeving hypocrites though they thinke never so well of themselves deceiving with a faire appearance and legall zeale and devotion both themselves and others yet nothing is pure but their inward hearts and consciences are defiled and all their good and religious workes are manifest and naked to be in Gods sight abhomination Hag. Hag. 2. 14. Luke 16. 15. 2. 14. Luk. 16. 15. Thus the Apostle giving to all faithfull Ministers a true patterne of right exhortation that is not to mingle and confound the Law and Gospell and so to marre both but to give pure Law to whom the Law belongs and to give true and pure Gospell to whom the Gospell belongs and thus to divide the Word of God aright 2 Tim. 2. 15. for how 2 Tim 2. 15. fearefull a thing is it to say that the sins of Gods repenting and justified children lie naked to Gods eyes and to shew what little sight such objectors have of the horriblenesse of the least sin in the sight of God is notably expressed by that industrious labourer in the Lords Garden speaking of Christs being crucified Perk. upon the Creed naked upon the Crosse and saying thus that Christ was crucified naked came to passe by the goodnesse of God that we might have a remedy for our spirituall nakednesse which is when a man hath his sins lying open before Gods eyes and by reason thereof hee himselfe lyeth open to all Gods judgements so were the Laodiceans blind and naked so the Israelites
God But on the otherside what rebellion what impietie what greater reproach can there be unto God than not to beleeve him what he promiseth for what is this else than either to make God a lyar or to be doubtfull that he is true this is as much as to ascribe truth to himself to his own reason and to condemn God of lying and foolshood whereby doth not such an one deny God and set up his own reason as an image to himselfe in his own heart what availe works and holy walking in the chast and meek works of the Law being done in this impietie and unbeliefe though they seeme never so Angelicall and Apostolicall And yet notwithstanding when they of Cains brood heare faith to be entreated of after this sort that it alone doth justifie us by making us perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely They cannot sufficiently marvell at our madnesse as it seemes unto them God turn this away from mee say they that I should affirme my selfe perfectly holy and godly farre bee this arrogancie and rashnesse from mee I am many wayes a miserable sinner I should bee mad if I should arrogate holinesse and righteousnesse unto my selfe and thus they mock at faith and count such doctrine as this for execrable errour and goe about with mighyt and maine to extinguish the Gospel these are they that deny the Faith of Christ and persecute it in the whole world of whom Paul speaketh saying In the later times many shall depart from the faith 1 Tim. 4. 1. But he that 1 Tim. 4. 1. believeth must plainly confesse that he is holy godly righteous the Sonne of God and certainely saved The Confessiâ—a of Faith and that also by the only mercy of God in the wedding-garment of Christs righteousnesse making him thus righteous in the sight of God whereof if hee should any thing doubt hee should procure exceeding ignominie and reproach to baptisme which he hath received and to the Lords supper and also reprove the word and grace of God of falshood For that this sacrifice of Confession of this Faith is thus necessary is expresly testified by S. Paul saying With the Rom. 10. 10. heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse that is by beleeving only he is made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely But with the tongue man confesseth it unto salvation this is the sacrifice of thanksgiving sealing up as it were unto himselfe his assured salvation And in comparison All religions not comparable to the sacrifice of faith of this sacrifice of faith and confession saith Luther aqll the Religions of all Nations and all the works and holy walkings of all Monks and merit-Mongers whereof there are more than many are aware of are nothing at all for by this sacrifice first as I said before they kill reason a great and mighty enimy of God for reason despiseth God and reproveth Luk. 1. 18. 2 King 7. 2. him in that which he speaketh Luk. 1. 18. 2 Kings 7. 2. denyeth his wisdome justice power truth mercy Majestie and Divinity Moreover by the sAme sacrifice they yeeld glory unto God that is they confesse him to be in that which he speaketh above their reason sense and feeling just good faithfull and true Heb. 11. 11. They confesse by beleeving such impossibilities Heb. 11. 11. as reason would pretend that God can doe all things and that all his words and works are holy true lively and effectuall c. which is the highest and most acceptable obedience unto God To be able therefore to give this glory unto God by faith is the wisdome of wisdomes the righteousnesse of righteousnesses the religion of Religions the sacrifice of sacrifices wherefore there can be no greater nor more holy Religion in the world nor more acceptable service unto God than faith is All which is evidently manifest by that saying of Iohn Baptist Ioh. 3. 33. That Ioh. 3. 33. although Christ comming amongst us to testifie the rich treasures of his Gospel no man almost receiveth his testimonie yet â—e that hath received his testimony hath set to his seale that God is true Upon which place Calvin worthily saith thus Truly except we bee more than stony this so excellent praise of faith ought to kindle in our hearts an ardent desire of the same for what The honor of true faith a great honour is this which God vouch safeth us wretched wormes that wee which are nothing but lies and vanity should be counted worthy to approve and make good as it were the sacred truth of God by our subscription because hee that hath received the testimony of Christ hath set to his seale that God is true Seeing therefore that doubting of such rich benefits of Christ pronounced in the Word of God to be wrought upon us is so dangerous and hurtfull and constant Faith and Confession that we are made with Christs righteousnesse perfectly holy and righteous from all spot and wrinkle of sin in the sight of God freely is so precious so excellent and so glorious let us with strong assurance that the blood of Christ hath mde us in the sight of God cleane from all sinne against our reason sight sense and feeling against the World the Flesh and the Devil and against all objections and enimies of our faith whatsoever make with S. Paul this Christian and joyfull tryumph as here followeth The Christian triumph against all sinne perfectly The Christian tryumph against all sin abolished by the blood of Christ out of the sight of God uttered by the true justifying faith magnificently glorifying God Who dare lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen Rom 8. 13. that is who dare accuse them that they have one spot or wrinkle of sinne or any such thing in the sight of God why may none dare so to accuse them Because it is God that justifieth them that is makes them perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely whereupon a faithfull Dispencer of â—ods mysteries challenging the whole world reasoneth against all men invincibly thus Deo justificante absolvente quis ausit accusare that is God making righteous and cleering who dares bee so bold as to accuse them before â—od of anything First because they are made just that is perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely who dares be so impudent to charge a just and righteous man of a crime before a righteous discerning Judge and looks not to have the blame to light upon his own head Secondly because it is God that justifies them and makes them blamelesse before himselfe who dares bee so bold as to confront God and charge them with any matter of blame and fault in his sight seeing the heavenly voyce hath also given warning from heaven saying The things that God hath
truth saying This is a passive and heavenly righteousnesse which we have not of our selves that is our active doings but receive it from heaven which wee work not but which by grace is wrought in us mark meerly passively wrought in us and apprehended by faith whereby we mount above all Lawes and Works Then he proceeds and saith What will some man say do we then nothing doe wee work nothing for the obtaining of this righteousnesse I answer saith he nothing at all For like as the earth ingendereth not raine nor is able by her own strength labour and travell to procure the same but receiveth it of the meere gift of God from above so is this heavenly righteousnesse a meere passive righteousness given us of God without our works or deservings for in this we work nothing we render nothing unto God but only we receive and suffer another to work in us mark to work in us that is to say God therefore it seemeth good unto me to call this righteousnesse of faith or Christian righteousnesse the passive righteousnesse but that it is wrought in us not inherently and actively but is thus in us meerely mystically that is after a secret and unutterable manner utterly hid to reason sense and seeling and so to be comprehended and apprehended by faith only he expresseth plainly in the next words saying This is a righteousness hidden in a mystery which Luther ibid. the world doth not know yea Christians themselves doe not throughly understand it and can hardly take hold of it especially in the time of tentations therefore it must bee diligently taught and continually practised for who so doth not understand and apprehend this righteousnesse if hee doe but know the horriblenesse of the least sinne in the sight of God must needs in afflictions and terrors of conscience be overthrown for there is no comfort of conscience so sirme and so sure as this passive righteousnesse Neither doe these foresaid Dispensers of Gods mysteries only as Doctor Whittaker and especially Luther abundantly testifie That this righteousnesse of Christ is mystically even in us and passively wrought even in us but also other learned and faithfull Restorers of the Gospel in the Church doe testifie as Calvin likewise shewing that those words of the Apostle Rom. 8. 4. Namely that the righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled in us is not wrought as the Papists doe expound it by inherent and active fulfilling of the Law by us but passively by imputation presently addeth the manner how saying For the Lord Christ c. And again intreating upon those words in Iob 15. 15. Behold the heavens are not clean in Gods sight How much more is man abhominable and filthy which drinketh iniquitie like water he saith more plainly after this manner That although mans nature bee thus defiled and made abominable by sinne yet there remaines this remedy against the same That all our filthinesse is washed away with the blood of Gods Sonne and his righteousnesse being imputed unto us and wee thus cloathed in his garments are acceptable to our good God why because saith he we have a perfect and more than Angelicall righteousnesse in us he meanes not inherently and actively in us for of this he is both against the Papists and against the Anabaptists in all his writings a continual and earnest Impugner but mystically objectively and passively in us as by the power of Gods imputation we are though spiritually yet truly cloathed with the garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse abolishing mystically all our filthinesse from before God and making us perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely the full passive manner whereof he enlargeth out of Ambrose by a similitude in another place plainly thus That as Iacob having not of himselfe deserved the preheminence of the first begotten Son did cloath How Iacob got the blessing himselfe in the faire cloathes of his elder brother whereby Isaac smelling the sweet and well pleasing savour of his eldest Son Iacob got thereby into the favour of his father and received the blessing of the elder brother to his own benefit and commodity so we being by the power of Gods imputation cloathed with the precious purenesse of Christ The Lord Christ doth in such sort communicate his righteousnesse with us that after a certaine marvellous manner hee poureth the force thereof into us so much as belongeth to satisfie the Iustice of God whereby we get a testimony of righteousness in the sight of God Yea so great a testimony of righteousnesse in the sight of God that Luther testifieth that God doth see nothing else in true beleevers but a meere cleansing and righteousnesse saying thus Christ by dying upon the Cross hath so purged and perfectly cleansed us from all â—â—nnes that God would see nothing else in the whole world if it did beleeve but a meere How this righteousnesse is in us makes us per 〈◊〉 righteoâ—s â— Gâ—ds sâ—ght cleansing and righteousness Now that this righteousnesse though mystically yet is so truely in us that it makes us above our sense and feeling perfectly righteous in the sight of God whereby we are not imaginarily counted righteous as the Papists doe cavill but Verè reipsa facti sumus justi that is truly and in very deed made perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely although I wonder that any Protestants of any reading should doubt thereof much lesse by mouth and pen deny it seeing it is not only evidently taught in the Scriptures but also testified abundantly of all except two or three at the most the best Dispensers of Gods mysteries especially such as by this Doctrine reformed the Church and were the first Restorers of the Gospel amongst us so that I dare undertake to collect out of Luthers workes a thousand testimonies of this Doctrine That by the power of Gods imputation facti sumus justi we are truly made righteous in the sight of God And although I have briefly touched this before in my first defining of Free Iustification yet because by reason of the old sore of outward seeing and feeling the contrarie it is so hardly beleeved it is necessarie that I further prosecute this point and prove both by plaine Scriptures and common consent of the learned that by this forme of Christs perfect righteousness we are not barely counted righteous but are after the nature of the from truly and in very deed made perfectly righteous in the sight of God freely and that as all other formes doe so this also gives us not only the name but also the being of persons made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely THe first plaine expresse Scripture is Rom. 5. 19. Scrip. 1. Rom. â— 19. Proving we are not only counted but are indeed perfectly righteous in Goâ—â— sight where the Apostle not speaking of sanctification untill hee comes to the sixth
ever all them that are sanctified This is the onely Purgatory say these Our onely Purgatory is Christs blood first Restorers of the Gospel amongst us Where in all Christian men must put their whole trust and confidence Now that Gods imputation and spirituall cloathing with his Sonnes righteousnesse doth so really make us righteous that after the manner of the forme dat nomen esse that is it gives us both the name and being righteous although it be cleare and manifest by this former point because whatsoever is made so or so we see by dayly experience that they bee and are so called accordingly yet because it makes to the confirmation of the former point as evident effects of the truth of the former let me briefly touch this also And first that this spirituall cloathing with Christs righteousnesse doth so really make us righteous that only that gives us the name of truly just and righteous persons in the sight of God is manifest by that often repeated axiome of the Apostle The Iust by faith shall live For although some doe darken the sense both of the Prophet and of the Apostle by saying The Iust shall live by faith by joyning the word Faith to the Verb or Predicate shall live yet the true sense and meaning of the Apostle as it is in the Hebrew and Greek is that by faith should bee joyned with the subject Iust as if the Apostle had said they that are by faith made just shall live for the Apostle shewing that the righteousnesse that saves us is offered onely in the Gospel and is revealed to every one from faith to faith that is the more faith hee hath and the more it doth encrease the more hee sees and embraceth this righteousnesse that truly makes him just and righteous in the sight of God he confirmes the same by the Prophet Habakuk saying The just by faith shall live wherein he teacheth two things evidently First that it is faith only embracing and applying the righteousnesse revealed in the Gospel that makes a man just and righteous in the sight of God And Secondly that this righteousnesse not only names him just and righteous but makes him to live also a Christian godly life in this world and then to eternall glory in the world to come so that the Apostle likens this righteousnesse of the Gospel to the soule as if a Christian had two soules in him first as he is a man and secondly as he is a Christian his soule as he is a man is his naturall soule by which he lives truly only to this world but his soule as he is a Christian Christs righteousnesse is to a Christian as the soule is to the body is Christs righteousnesse that also sanctifies him and so is like the life that the soule works in the body and makes him live a godly Christian life in this world and also makes him to live unto eternall glory in the life to come And as the Physitians say that the vital spirits are they that knit and combinde the soule and body together so faith is like those vitall spirits that combinde the righteousnesse of Christ and the Christian together Whereby as the soule gives unto a man both the name and essentiall being of a man so doth the righteousnesse of Christ apprenhended by faith give unto a man both the name and essentiall being of a Christian and makes him to live the life of a Christian in this world and to live unto eternall glory in the life to come and as by reason of the Divine understanding soule made to the Image of God God is said to be neere and to dwell in us whereby as S. Paul saith Acts 17. 28. In him we live Acts 17. 28. and move and have our being and are of his generation so by reason of Christs righteousnesse apprehended by faith Christ himselfe dwelleth in us saith the Apostle by this faith Eph. 3. 17. Whereby in Christ Eph. 3. 1â— wee live and move and have our being and are of his generation or off-spring that is to say Christians All which S. Paul doth testifie Gal. 2. 20. by his own Gal. 2. 20. example in the plainest words that can be saying I live not now but Christ lives in mee and in that I now live I live by the faith of the Sonne of God who loved me and gave himselfe for mee namely to justifie me by his blood and make mee perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely The truth whereof Luther cleerly seeing with the spirituall eye of faith doth with as excellent a spirit testifie the same against the whole world of Papists saying This is the true meane to become a Christian even to bee justified by faith in Iesus Christ and why Because it is most true that Master Downham testifieth of Justification Downham of Iustification saying The beleever is cloathed with the most glorious robe of Christ Iesusâ— his righteousnesse and so appearing before God both clean from all sinne and endued with a perfect righteousnesse he is justified reconciled and eternally saved Now what can bee required more to make a true Christian I grant that where this is there will follow unfallibly a renewed sanctified life with zeale of Holy life maketh not but only declareth a Christian Gods glory but this makes not a Christian but consequently declares and outwardly shewes that he is already before thus freely made a Christian because he being thus clean from all sinne in the sight of God as is here described hath not only the name and imaginary counting but also the essentiall being of a person perfectly just and righteous in the sight of God freely hence it is that the children of God are called by no other name in all the Psalmes and whole word of God more commonly than by the name of the righteous Iust and Saints because they Beleevers are Saints two wayes are so two manner of wayes First they are righteous Just and Saints to God-ward by Justification And Secondly They are righteous Just and Saints to man-ward by Sanctification the first way to God-ward is perfect because otherwise it is no righteousnesse to God-ward which cannot love any thing but that which is perfect but the second way to manward is unperfect which yet being done in sincerity is sufficient for man that is unperfect and therefore because this later way is so exceeding imperfect both in respect of the perfection of the justice and righteousnesse revealed in the Law as also in respect of the perfection of Gods righteous nature described in the Law that loves nothing but that which is perfect in his sight therefore all those large promises made in the Psalms and Old Testament unto the righteous cannot be understood as the Papists conceive of the Saints inherent righteousnesse because David that had so great a measure of inherent righteousnesse cryed out that by this inherent righteousness shall none be found
horrible Luth. in Gal. 1. 3. thing once to think of God out of Christ Secondly he desires not to bee found out of himselfe in Christ only and thirdly hee discernes not the antithesis and flat contrariety that is between the blessed estate what it is to bee in Christ and the cursed estate what it is to bee in our own selves out of Christ which cannot stand together but doe utterly overthrow one another for although it is true that wee may yea and ought to consider and ever and continually to remember what we were when we were in our own selves out of Christ as Paul teaches Ephes 2. as namely dead in trespasses and sins following Ephes 2. the course of the world without God in the world the children Why we have continuall feeling of sin left in us of wrath and such like Yea and God hath left a feeling of these things to dwell still in us as if wee were not translated out of sinne into righteousnesse out of our selves into Christ out of death into life out of damnation into salvation That as I have often said we may live by the faith of Gods power working these upon us by himselfe alone and not by our sense sight and feeling although I say wee may and ought thus to consider what we were yea and are to our sense and feeling in our own selves yet notwithstanding wee are not in our own selves after that we are justified and converted but only in Christ although we finde the fruit operation and power thereof but according to our faith Proofs that being justified wee are not in our own selves but in Christ only are evident in the foresaid Epistle to the Ephes 2. saying Ephes 2. Remember that yee were in times past Gentiles in the flesh that is your own selves and lost nature yee were I say at that time out of Christ and without Verse 11. 12. God in the world vers 11. 12. and were by nature the children of wrath vers 3. But now saith he being in Verse 3. Christ Iesus yee which once or in times past were farre off are made neere by the blood of Christ vers 13. Now Verse 13. therefore yee are no more mark the word no more Strangers and Forreiners but Citizens with the â—aints and of the houshold of God vers 19. Thus are we now being by Verse 19. Justification translated out of our own selves into Christ But yet we may be considered as we see here what we were yea and what wee are to our sense and feeling in and of our selves being considered out of Christ when yet wee are not out of Christ as For example a graft or branch of a wild bitter An apt similitutede Olive being grafted into the sweet Olive and now partaking of the nature of the sweet Olive may yet notwithstanding bee considered what it was and what it is considered in and of it selfe and yet now it is not in it selfe and in its own nature and condition but in the sweet Olive and grown into the nature of the sweet Olive Or yet more plainly thus A poore woman that was in extreame poverty and in great Another plain fimilitude debt and arrested and cast into prison although shee be from thence taken out and married to a rich noble man and so her debt discharged and shee made of poore rich in apparell wealth and honour yet notwithstanding shee may bee considered and she her selfe ought in true gratitude often to call to minde what shee was and what shee is considered in and of her own selfe And yet indeed shee is not as shee was neither yet in her own selfe but in her husband altogether in a free state and in a rich condition And in this sense did S. Paul say and the true right faith must ever say I live not now but Christ lives in mee and in that I now live I live by the faith in the Sonne of God who loved me and gave himselfe for mee namely to Justifie me and thereby hath made mee by himselfe alone perfectly and gloriously holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely Neither doth God behold us being Justified in the imperfections of our sanctification why because as I have abundantly shewed before both by expresse Scripture as also by the unanimous consent of all the best Dispensers of Gods mysteries That Justification doth not only present us and our persons perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely but also taketh away from before God and abolisheth all the imperfections of all our works out of the sight of God so that to the pure and to the believing all things are pure as to the unbelieving nothing is pure but their best good works are filthy and abhominable in the sight of God Now then when both the persons of the believing are by Christs righteousnesse perfectly pure in the sight of God and when all the imperfections of their works are abolished out of Gods sight thus making them also perfectly pure and righteous in the sight of God how then doth God see them in the imperfections of their sanctification but to say when God hath justified both us and our works that God sees us in the imperfections of our sanctification is another evident mark of an hypocrite that was never An evident mark of an hypocrite yet truly humbled for the imperfections of his sanctification nor ever yet truly killed with the Apostle by understanding the tenth Commandement making both him and all his righteousnesse and best good works as a menstruous cloath that is damnable sinne in the sight of God for then hee would be glad to take the benefit of Free Justification to make him clean in the sight of God from all the imperfections of his best good works in the imperfections of his sanctification for hee would easily see that if all his righteousnesse be as a menstruous cloath in the sight of God by reason of the imperfections of his sanctification how horrible are the imperfections themselves that make his sanctification so filthy and loathsome in the sight of God and how farre are these from the minde and faith of the Apostle that would not be found in his own righteousnesse of sanctification that was of the Law but only in the righteousnesse which is of God through faith and yet These dare be found in the fight of God and will uphold also that God beholds his children in the imperfections of their sanctification But are not these imperfections of our sanctification ever to our sense and feeling like to continuall running soares in us Psal 77. 2. Psal 38. 3. and make us to our sense and Psal 77. 2. Psal 38. 3. Rom. 7. 24. feeling miserable Rom. 7. 24. And is not Justification given us as the balme of Giliad to heale these soares of the imperfections of Iustification
The holy Ghost is God and it is he only that sheweth us our sinnes ergo he himselfe must needs see our sinnes in us p. 158 3 The Lord by his spirit doth daily mortifie our sins in us Rom. 8. But he seeth those sins in us which he doth mortifie ergo Free Justification doth not make us so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in Gods sight that he seeth no sin in us p. 163 Three severall offices of the Trinity shewn forth in our Iustification p. 153 Mortification of sin distinguisht p. 169 The foundation of Enemites Anchorites and Nunneries p. 172 CHAP. IX COntaining an Antidote against doubting to kindle and work faith in us and to be a preservative against all objections whatsoever 1. of the world 2. the flesh and 3. the Devill p. 174 Where we must mark first the causes of all doubting p. 175 2 The remedies against the same as 1 The nature and definition of true Iustifying faith must be marked described Rom. 4. 17. to 25. p. 176 The description of Abrahams faith ibid. 2 The second spirituall weapon is that we are to arme our selves against sense sight feeling and natuturall Reason and how this may be done p. 180 3 The third spirituall weapon to overcome all doubting is not to forsake our Baptisme but much and often to meditate upon the foure things containing the very essence of our Baptisme p. 185 4 The fourth spirituall weapon is that wee are to sence our selves against the greatest multitude of all sorts round about us by the dead faith boldly wrangling against the Ministers of Christ and how wee may be fenced against the same p. 198 5 The fifth weapon against doubting is to have often before our eyes the great dignity and excellency of believing Free Iustification p. 235 6 The last weapon or remedy is to set before our eyes the inconveniencies and evills of doubting which are eight p. 241 1 To make God a lyar ibid. 2 To make God for sworn and our selves Covenant-breakers ibid. 3 To make God a deceiver p. 242 4 To rob God of the prayse of his Almighty power ibid. 5 To rob him of the glory of his perfect Iustice ib. 6 To rob God of the honour of his grace mercy and rich bounâ—y p. 220 7 To spoyl Christ of the glory of his Name Iesus and secondly of the glory of his God-head and thirdly of his Kingly Priestly Propheticall Offices p. 243 8 Vnthankfully to reject and loose the free-giving graces of God c. ibid. The Christians tryumph against all sinne by true Iustifying Faith p. 250 The difference between the literall and spirituall knowledge p. 215. p. 224. 226 Three priviledges of Faith laid open p. 235. CHAP. X. DEclaring the second part of Free Iustification making the true Believer compleatly sufficiently and perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God p. 253 1 Foure reasons shewing how inseparable this second part is from the former part ibid. 2 What this second part of Free Iustification is p. 257 3 It is opened and explained by the foure causes of it p. 258 The manner of the Iustification of the Elect p. 271 The righteousnesse of Christ making us holy and righteous objectively and passively illustrated by two lively similitudes p. 274. infra That the forme of Christs perfect righteousnesse doth not only give us the name but the very being of persons made perfectly righteous proved by Scriptures p. 293 395 300 303 CHAP. XI PRoving that the true Believer is not only made righteous but also compleatly fully and sufficiently and perfectly righteous in the sight of God freely p. 313 This is proved by foure places of Scripture and by the consent and Reasons of the learned ibid. Our righteousnesse exceeds the righteousnesse of the Angels 320 The naturall civill and religious works of Believers are made perfect in the sight of God p. 322 How the New Testament surpasseth the Old p. 335 God calleth righteous men Righteousnesse in the Abstract p. 341 CHAP. XII SHewing that the justified children of God are so perfectly and excellently righteous before God that they are made unutterably glorious in the sight of God p. 343. p. 354 Whereof the Arke is a lively Type p. 346 Two evident Reasons declaring the same p. 345 A true and godly looking-glasse to be often used of Christians p. 348 CHAP. XIII STrengthening Faith against naturall reason and unbeliefe p. 361 2 The objections of unbeliefe are two the first is propounâ—ed and answered ibid. With foure strong and sufficient Arguments to resell the same p. 375 The second objection with the Particular answers to it is in p. 384 Helps to strengthen our weak Faith p. 385 A threefold Remedie against our sinnes to believe occasioned by the inestimablenesse of the treasure p. 391 CHAP. XIIII OF the Vtility and Majestie of Free Iustification p. 401 Declared in six excellent fruits or effects ib. 1 Illumination fourefold p 402 For by Justification men see 1 The foulnesse of the least sinne ibid. 2 The perfection of Gods justice p. 404 3 The true meaning of the tenth Commandement and so of all the rest p 405 The treasures and glory of Gods Kingdome p 406 2. It not only delivereth us from the fivefâ—â—â—â—â—nishment of sinne Chap. 2. But putteth us also in possession of six glorious benefits p. 407 1 Reconciliation with God ibid. Whereof there be two comfortable fruits 1 Protection against all evill p. 415 2 Procuration of all good p. 415 Heaven opened and all Creatures leap for joy p. 410 A paradice of Gods loving protection p. 416 Two uses of our perfect reconciliation p. 420 CHAP. XV. 1 OF the foure other benefits wrought upon us by Free Iustification p. 423 2 The giving of the holy Ghost ibid. 3 Vnion into Christ p. 429 Where it is evidently proved that this union is not imaginary but reall and substantiall ibid. Six similitudes illustrating this Vnion p. 419 4 Adoption p. 431 5 Lastly assured glorification p. 445 CHAP. XVI OF the other foure fruits or effects declaring the Vtility and Majesty of Free Iustification p. 447 1 Peace and joy in the conscience ibid. 2 A good judgement and right discerning of all spirits and doctrines p. 440 3 It rooteth up coveteousnesse and the love of all vaine pomp p. 452 The last and maine point shewing the Vtility and Majesty of Iustification is Sanctification and true Evangelicall repentance p. 457 Ten differences between Iustification and Sanctification p. 459 For Justification worketh 1 True love of God ibid. 2 Of this love ariseth true griefe at sinne and zeale against all sinne p. 460 3 It causeth the true feare of God and cheerfull obedience p. 461 4 True trust and confidence in God p. 443 THere are some faults escaped in Printing as Objections for Objectors abolish for abolishing see for so possible for impossible and some others but most of them so small and literall that we are confident
taking Gods name in vaine which God so terribly thunders against Fourthly in the fourth Commandement although peradventure thou art not guilty in the grosse breach of the holy rest as in bowling playing at cards diceing stool-ball and such like yet look how often thou hast not been wholly taken up as Iohn was on the Lords day with holy and heavenly meditations look how often thou hast not consecrated the whole day as glorious to the Lord and seeing on the Lords day the Lord rose againe for thy justification look how often thou hast not profited in the assurance of justification and salvation look how often thou hast gone to the publick congregation and Church in an holy-day-garment to the eyes of men but hast neither gone out nor come home in the holy day-garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse by free justification so not celebrating with joy but rather denying the power of his resurrection look how often thou hast not regarded thy family how they have profited look how often thou hast not visited the sick and endeavoured to reconcile jarres but performing the worship of God upon custome and fashion hast followed on the Lords day thy worldly thoughts or spoken a vaine word so often hast thou been a damnable breaker of the Lords Sabbath Fifthly in the fifth Commandement if such as be superiours doe not instruct the soules of their inferiours in religion and in the knowledge and benefits of Christ and cause them not to doe their vocations zealously for the love and glory of Christ And look how often inferiours forgetting their inward reverence care not to grieve offend and displease their superiours and forgetting their outward reverence of lowly gesture and humble speech doe use contemptuous gestures and stubborne words look how often men envying greater gifts in another doe not profit by the same and look how often inferiours obey not Magistrates parents and Ministers cheerfully speedily and faithfully so often are they fouly guilty of dishonouring fathers and mothers Sixthly when thou hast not committed the grosse act of murther thou maist think thy selfe to bee as cleere from murther as the Scribes and Pharises did but Christ doth convince both them and thee of murther Foure wayes guilty of u urther though no bodily hurt be done Matt. 5. 21 22 23 24. foure manner of wayes though thou hast done no bodily hurt unto any as first if thou be but angry rashly that is for carnall and worldly respects although thou speakest never a word but goest away only discontented yet thou art so true and deep a murtherer in the sight of God that thou hast pulled that same judgement upon thine owne head that the Scribes and Pharises allotted and adjudged unto him that did outrightly kill a man But secondly if thou say Raca that is dost expresse thine anger with taunting and reproachfull termes as marry come up fie you sir surely you are an hot shot and such like now thou art a murtherer in an higher degree and hast pulled an heavier judgement of murther upon thine head But if so farre forgetting meeknesse gentlenesse and patience the very heart of this Commandement thou say foole that is if thou burst forth in thine anger into open railing as to say Rogue Rascall Knave Whore Drab Beast and such like now thou art a murtherer in the highest degree of spiritruall murther and hast pulled an high judgement of hell fire upon thy head Yea further if thy brother have ought against thee that is if thou hast not such sincere love so that thou hast given any matter of wrong and discontent and just complaint not being by labour money and counsell helpfull to the needy thou art guilty of such deep murther in the sight of God that till thou beest reconciled unto thy brother God abhorres all thy sacrifices service prayers and worships O Lord how horrible then in the sight of â—od is the grosse act of killing a man And thus according to this fouresold rule and interpretation of Christ must all the rest of the tonne Commandements be spiritually understood Seventhly as in the seventh Commandement although thou hast not peradventure committed the grosse act of Adultery yet if thou look with the least motion of lust upon a woman or the woman upon the man and so any thought of uncleanesse arise in thy heart thou art now a foule Adulterer in the sight of God but look how often thou hast used any wanton or any other obscene words now thou art a filthy adulterer in an higher degree in the sight of God but look how often thou hast used any wanton gesture or action either in garish apparell or in any other wanton behaviour that may allure and stirre up lust now thou art a filthy adulterer in the highest degree of spirituall adultery how horrible then is the practising of the grosse act in the sight of God Eightly so likewise in the eighth Commandement although peradventure thou art not guilty of breaking into a mans house and stealing of his goods nor of robbing by the high-way side yet if thou hast a covetous heart greedy after gaine look how often in the works of thy vocation thou hast had more respect to thine owne advantage than to thy neighbours profit look how often thou hast used the least oppression or extortion look how often thou hast not been liberall according to thy ability and free-handed to the poore look how often thou hast used any deceitfull words or fraudulent deeds to over-reach thy neighbour in buying or selling or to the lessening of his goods any other way to the worth of a pinne so often art thou guilty of stealing and hast played the errant theefe in the sight of God Ninthly in the ninth Commandement although peradventure thou art not guilty of bearing false witnesse and swearing falsly against thy neighbour befor a Judge which is horrible yet look how often thou hast not in any matter spoken truly or flattered or dissembled look how often thou hast not tendered maintained and graced the virtues and good name of thy neighbour as thou wouldst thine owne look how often thou hast mis-construed and wrested his words and deeds to a worser sense and meaning look how often thou hast aggravated and inhaunced a weak infirmity in thy neighbour making it to seeme great and odious to other men thus beblotting and be-slurring the image of God of righteousnesse and true holinesse begun in thy brother whereby this Commandment is the greatest touchstone bewraying an hypocrite look how often not grieving at thy neighbours disgrace thou hast willingly received an ill report of him and readily told it out againe unto others yea look how often thou hast spoken but the truth behinde thy neighbours back to his disgrace so often art thou guilty of bearing false witnesse against thy neighbour in the sight of God Lastly in the tenth Commandement if thou hast but the least evill motion and thought of failing in any oâ— the foresaid duties either
to God or thy neighbour although thou consent not to it but dost check and reprove thy selfe for it or if thou dost any of these good duties with any spice of vaine-glory or with any other by-respect and not in perfect zeale of Gods glory and good of thy neighbour thou art guilty of lust and concupiscence and breach of this tenth Commandement which defiles both thee and all thy good works and holy walkings and makes them all like a menstruous cloath that is abhominable in the sight of God Esay 64. 6. Maist thou not in a due examination Esay 64. 6. of thy conscience in these premises both of the horriblenesse of the least sinne before described and now in the multitude of them cry out with the Lepers under the old Law I am uncleane I am unclean maist thou not truly cry out I am a Leper I am a Leper maist thou not justly say with S. Paul the Law is spirituall but I am carnall sold under sinne maist thou not in a feeling of the multitude of thy sinnes say with David My sinnes have taken such hold upon me that I am not able to look up yea they are more in number than the haires of my head therefore my heart hath failed me O Lord touch our hearts with the sight of our manifold sinnes But adde hereunto the third and last maine thing The tâ—iâ—d and last maine thing revealed concerning sin is the fiâ—efold punishment revealed in Gods word concerning sinne and it will shew thee thy full misery in this lost condition namely the fivefold punishment belonging to the least sinne as First the everlasting curse of God saying Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to doe them Gal. 3. 10. Gal. 3. 10. In which definitive sentence of God thou must mark the perfection of his justice against the least sinne namely that hee must needs curse the creature that hath the least sinne in his sight for who knowes not but that if a man could continue in all things as God created him he should not have the least sinne in the sight of God but bee perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God but if he have the least sinne in the sight of God he doth not continue in all things and so is certainly accursed or else God should bee changeable and false seeing one jot or tittle of this word cannot passe away untill it Math. 5. 18. be fulfilled Mat. 5. 18. the reason whereof the Prophet Hab. expresseth saying God is of purer eyes Habak 1. 13. than to see sinne hee cannot behold wickednesse but he must needs destroy the sinne or else the sinner from before him Secondly upon this curse of God follows hardnesse of heart as God denounceth saying So I gave them Psal 81. 12. up to hardnesse of heart and left them to walk in their owne counsels Whereby if thou beest not under this curse thy selfe thou maist see the greatest multitude round about thee both of high and low rich and poore young and old to lie under this plague of plagues even hardnesse of heart that is to have by the dead faith no sense and feeling of this their cursed estate and lost condition and fearfull misery by sinne as the Apostle testifieth saying Being past feeling they commit sinn even with greedinesse Ephes Eph. 4. 19. 4. 19. whereby under this hardnesse of heart they live like Pharaoh but to heap up unto themselves as treasure wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration Rom. 2. 5. of Gods just judgements Rom. 2. 5. Thirdly hereupon all manner of miseries and afflictions to body goods and name are ready to attach and seize upon us to admonish us as they did Pharaoh of this cursed estate as it is expressed Deut. 28. saying The Lord shall send upon thee cursing Deut. 28. 20. trouble and shame And the Lord will smite thee with a consumption and with the fever and with a burning ague and with fervent heat yea hee shall smite thee with the botch and with the Emerods and with the scab and with the itch that thou canst not be healed Yea the Lord will smite thee with madnesse and with blindenesse and with astonying of heart c. verse 20. to the end of the chapter Fourthly uncertaine death is ready for the least sinne to strike us we knowing neither the time when nor the place where nor the manner how as God saith Deut. 28. 66. Thy life shall hang before thee as Deut. 28. 66. it were upon a twine thred and thou shalt have just cause to feare both day and night for thou shalt have no assurance of thy life And againe This night shall the Devils fetch away thy soule So is every one that by Justification is not rich in God Luke 12. 20 21. Luke 12. 20 21. Fifthly and lastly when death which is so uncertaine is come then followes the full execution of the justice and wrath of God in hell fire and everlasting torments because we being accursed by the least sinne God saith Goe yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels Matt. 25. 41. Math. 25. 41. Verse 48. And these shall goe into everlasting paines ver 48. O fearfull sentence more terrible than was ever any thunder-clap that beat the poore creature all to pieces may wee not now see with feeling horror what lost wretches we are by sinne is there any to turne us unto for help in this case God is angry with us all his creatures are ready at his beck to execute judgements upon us what can we doe then but only sigh up to Christ for help who infinitely gratiously saith come unto me all yee that feele your selves weary and heavy laden and I will ease you which he doth by no other means but by free Justification the manner whereof how he worketh it upon us to ease and refresh us is as here followeth This heavie laden conscience thus sighing up to How Iustification is wrougâ—t upon us Christ for help and ease being like the wounded Israelites looking up to the brazen serpent first God imputeth to such his sonnes righteousnesse as the holy Ghost testifieth saying Blessed is the man to whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works Rom. 4. 6. But Rom. 4. 6. because Gods imputation is an immediate act of God himselfe it is not a weak imaginary thing as the Papists blasphemously scoffe like mans imputation but it is of such a strong and powerfull reall working and effectuall operation that it conveyeth as the Sunne conveyes his beames into a dark house that perfect righteousnesse of Christ to bee as S. Paul Rom. 3. 32. saith in us and upon us so powerfully that we thereby are made of unjust just before God but how not inherently and actively but objectively and passively as the dark house
and abolish if I were not a sinner doe yet notwithstanding beleeve that heaven and earth shall sooner Quod peccater in me ipso existâ—ns c. credaÌ„ tamen potius câ—lum terramque ruitura quam me non else per Christi sanguinem aâ— ombibus peccatis ipsa â—ive pur orem candidiorem Si non credis facis Dâ—um cum summa horrenda blaspâ—emia mendac em c. Pomeran in Psal 51. 7. fall than that I am not by the blood of Christ from all my sins in the sight of God more pure and white than very snow if thou beleevest not this thou makest God with thy highest and horriblest reproach and blasphemy a liar Beatus qui intelligit Blessed is hee that understands The fifth Scripture phrase expressing yet in an higher degree how truely all our sinnes are utterly abolished out of Gods sight and how perfectly cleane the blood of Christ doth make us from all sinne is this That God himselfe whose eyes are all seeing and searching the heart and reines yet testifieth that hee doth see no sin in his justified children and to the glory of his work wrought in the Brazen-Serpent wherewith hee had newly healed his people hee doubleth his speech saying God seeth no iniquity in Jaacob and he seeth no transgression in Israell Numb Numb 23. 21. 23. 21. Which is much more truly verified in exhibiting the true substance Christ Jesus whereof the Brazen-Serpent was but the shadow not only quoad effectum in respect of the effect of their sinne as not to punish them for the same but also quoad causam in respect of the cause of punishment which is sin it selfe for if sin it selfe be so perfectly abolished out of Gods sight as it is expressed in the two first emphaticall phrases if we have not one spot or wrinkle of sinne in his sight as it is proved in the third phrase if the blood of Christ hath made us so perfectly cleane that wee are in the sight of God from all sin whiter than snow and all this because we are by the wedding garment of Christs righteousnesse made from all spot of sinne perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely then as a true consequent it necessarily followes that this phrase also must needs bee true in respect of sin it selfe which is worse than the punishment That God sees no iniquity in his true Jaacob nor hee sees no transgression in his justified children Which figure of the Brazen Serpent S. Paul seeming to allude unto flatly affirmeth the same truth to bee fully verified in the substance Christ saying And you that were enimies by your evill works hath he now reconciled but how or by what meanes Even in that body of his flesh through death to the end to make you so holy that you are without blame and without fault Colos 1. 22. Non simpliciter sed in conspectu suo Zan. h. â—â—i Non quâ—dâ—m siâ—e â—eâ—cato est ali quis â—oputus sâ—c nec Israel sed quoniâ—m delâ—ta est iniquâ—tas Pell in Numâ— ibid in Gods sight Colos 1. 22. Not simply but in the sight of God he saith not indeed that any people is with out sin so not Israel it selfe neither but because their iniquitie is though mystically above reason sence and feeling yet truely put out from before God and utterly abolished so hee sees no iniquitie in Jaacob and so hee sees no trangression in Israel the true cause whereof is yet more fully expressed by Zanch. saying utpote quae sanguine filii Dei sunt extinctae because their iniquities are extinguished and cleane put out by the blood of the Son of God For in as much as mankinde is utterly marred and â—alv sâ—rm in Ephes cap. 1. 7. given over to all naughtinesse God must needs bee a mortall enimy to us and an adversary against us till the remembrance of our sinnes bee buried out of his sight Because God being the fountaine of all justice and Calvin ibid. righteousnesse doth utterly hate and abhorre the evill that he seeth in us Therefore untill such time as our sinnes be abolished and clean put out it is impossible for us to hope that God should either love or favour us Blessed therefore are they whose sins are covered for Psal 32 1 2. Quod â—egitur non apparet non quod non est sed quod coâ—tectum est Marlo in Rom. 4 ibid. that which is covered doth not appeare not because it is not but because it is covered for they are said to be covered in respect of our sence and feeling because we alwayes feele them in us as if they were not abolished but only covered out of Gods sight but yet with the wedding garment of Christs righteousnesse so covered Non remissis solùm sed planè deâ—etis Luch sâ—r in March 11. that from before God the blood of Christ doth not only cover them but utterly abolish them For Gods forgiving is his covering his covering Sanguis Christi peccata nofirâ— non tantâ—m â—perit sed etiam coram Deo penitus delâ—t Beâ— in 1 Pet. 4. 8. is a taking of them away Ioh. 1. 29. his taking them away is a cleane putting of them out Esay 43. 25. and 44. 22. his putting of them out is an utter abolishing of them from before himselfe Heb. 9. 26. For our bearing with one another is called our covering of a multitude of sinnes But before God the blood of Christ alone doth not only cover them but also utterly abolish them Because by Gods forgivenesse of sinnes all things Luth. sâ—rm of the summe of a Christian life Tim. 1. 5 6 7. which are not pure and cleane are put out consumed abolished as a drop of water is consumed and abolished of the heat of the Sunne or rather as the Sun-beames abolish darknesse as the Prophet Esay saith Esay 44. 22. Therefore blessed is he whose sinne is covered for that which is covered is not seene that which is not Ierom. in Psal 32. 1 2. seene is not imputed that which is not imputed shall not bee punished Whereupon wee have to marke first of all that we Calvin in Ephes Serm. cap. 1. 7. can obtaine no favour at Gods hands nor be received of him till our sins be wiped out and the remembrance of them clean put away The reason whereof is as I said before that God Calvin Ibid. must needs hate sinne wheresoever hee seeth it But let it suffice us that he receaves us into his Calvin Ibid. favour freely only because the remembrance of our sinnes is buried out of his sight And againe let us understand that the same can not bee done but by the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ And this is the thing wherein wee must wholly rest Because by Christs becomming a curse upon the Luth. in Galath Cap. 3. ver 13. Crosse by this meanes the whole world is so
we see sins in our selves and doth not God see them in us much more this is absurd and makes God blinde confirming the same by Psal 94. Hee Psal 94. 8 9 10. Answ that made the eye doth not he see To which I answer that if God had not appointed the cloathing us with his Sons righteousnesse to be the meanes to abolish them out of his owne sight but not out of our sight sense and feeling that we may here live by the faith of Gods power and not by sight and feeling then it were a good true and strong objection and argument but now that God hath appointed the meanes of cloathing us with the wedding-garment of his Sons righteousnesse which is of this nature as is before testified mystically to abolish all those sins that we feele daily dwelling in us out of Gods sight as truly as the Sun-beames doe abolish darknesse out of a dark house Esay 44. 22. and to make us so clean that from Esay 44. â—2 all spot of sin we are made perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely as shall be further manifest in the second part of free Justification Now it is first an unbeleeving secondly a beastly and This cavill is 1 Vnâ—eleeving thirdly a blasphemous argument and cavill First I say unbeleeving and heathenish because no more could be objected and said in respect of sin it selfe and the being of it in the sight of God than if no Redeemer were come that hath died to be the Lambe of God that hath taken away the sinne of the world than if there were no Jesus that saves his people from their sinne it selfe than if there were no blood of the Son of God that of foule creatures doth from sin it selfe which only defiles us in Gods sight Mark 7. 22. 23. Mark 7. 22. 23. 1 Iohn 1. 7. makes us clean from all sinne 1 Iohn 1. 7. as is before testified by all the witnesses of God Yea then if for the abolishing of our sins out of Gods sight and for the making of us reipsa in very deed perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely the name of Christ had never been so much as once heard of or as if not being risen againe he lay still with the two theeves buried in his grave I speak not concerning the guilt and the punishment but I say in respect of making us pure and cleane in the sight of God from all spot of sin it selfe which being the image of the Devill is worse than the guilt and the punishment seeing also that to be made clean from all spot of sin in the sight of God and yet to have one spot of sin in the sight of God are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flat contraries and contradictories that utterly overthrow and marre one another Secondly this cavill is beastly not only because it 2 Beastly follows meerly present sense and feeling like a beast but also because it speaks contrary to sanctified reason for is God blinde because he sees his Sun-beams abolish darknesse out of a dark house wherefore did he make his Sun-beams Gen 1. not to see darknesse abolished Gen. 2. 4. in the world where he hath set his Sun-beams to reigne so if the wedding-garment of Christs righteousnesse wherewith we are cloathed hath above our reason sense and feeling abolished as the Prophet Esay saith all our sins out of his owne sight as darknesse and made us perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely is God blinde because he sees his Sons wedding-garment abolishing our sins and making us that were darknesse all light in his sight is not this contrary to spirituall sanctified reason except we will say that the wedding-garment of Christs righteousnesse is not able to abolish the spirituall darknesse of our sins above our reason sense and feeling out of Gods sight as perfectly as the Sun-beames doe abolish the bodily darknesse out of a dark house And that as will bee further shewed in the second part of free Justification would be true blasphemy indeed Againe suppose a poore man is growen not only very poore but also in very great debt and being by reason of his poverty not able to pay it is cast into prison but being in this extreme poverty a rich brother of his dies who being very rich hath be queathed unto his poore brother thousand thousands who entring upon the same taketh possession thereof and when by it all his debts are payed and he being delivered of poore is made very rich in apparell money goods and lands with his brothers riches is God now blinde because he sees his poverty done away and abolished and hee made very rich with his brothers riches and is it not the simple sight of â—od or his all-seeing sight that sees him rich without any disparagement to his all-seeing sight And shall we give this power and honour to a mortall man that he is able thus to put away and utterly abolish his brothers poverty and to make him rich to Gods all-seeing sight and shall not Christ the eternall Sonne of God our elder brother although mystically above our reason sense and feeling that it may bee by faith be able much more with all his righteousnesse to abolish all our sinnes and to make us perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in his Fathers simple and all-seeing sight but hee must needs put out his Fathers sight and make him blinde Is not this a beastly cavill Thirdly it is not only unbeleeving and beastly but 3 Plasphemeuâ— also blasphemous and ungodly first because in alledging Psal 94. Hee that made the eye shall not he see to prove that the learned Protestants over-shot themselves in Psal 94. 8 9 10. saying that God hath made his children so perfectly holy and righteous in his sight that he sees no sinne in them in and by their Justification Hereby these Objectors doe make Christs wedding garment to bee by their alledging this Scripture no better a covering and abolisher of our sinnes out of Gods sight than the covering which the wicked and ungodly there spoken of doe make to themselves by their hypoerisie and security saying thus in effect that as the wicked and reprobates there properly spoken of committing sinne although they hide and cover them over with such faire pretences and shewes that they are as secure as if God did not see them and yet notwithstanding as the Prophet truly saith God doth both know and see them to bee horrible and abhominable in his sight even so the children of God terrified more with the horriblenesse of sinne in the sight of God than with the punishment although they flying to Christ hee by clothing them with the wedding garment of his owne righteousnesse doe not only cover them which similitude is spoken in respect of our feeling of them continually dwelling in us
That Paul was a man as perfectly justified as any and yet he complaines of sin in himselfe and Rom. 7. 24. Objected saith O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me ergo The children of God are not made so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God that God sees none in them To which I answer that all ought to have that feeling Answ in themselves that Paul had but yet the argument followes not because it is not Saint Pauls intent in that place to discribe in what state he and the justified children of God doe stand in the sight of God but what he and all the true children of God by the imperfection of their sanctification doe feele in themselves For hee there describing the battle that is in Gods children betweene the flesh and the spirit doth shew that whilst they looke into themselves and compare the imperfection of their sanctification with the perfection of the spirituall Law of God they doe finde and feele no good thing in themselves but meere wretchednesse which makes them so much the more to goe by faith wholy out of themselves and in the sight of God to be found only in Christ and in his righteousnesse Phil. 3. 9. Whereby all those sins and Phil 3 9. imperfections of their sanctification that they feele in themselves as a menstruous cloath are above their sense and feeling utterly abolished out of Gods sight by justification and they made from all spot of sin perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely Which the Apostle testifies in another place saying He that knew no sinne was made sin for us that we being translated into him might be made the very righteousnesse of God 2 Cor. 5. 21. this is their state in the sight of 2 Cor. 5. 21. God For indeed as I said before in the answer to the first objection what place is there for faith to beleeve that we are thus perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God if we did not feele the contrary in ourselves and how may they that are of faith with faithfull Abraham bee blessed Galat. 3. 9. if they feele no Gal. 3. 9. wretchednesse in themselves which feeling must continue untill having gotten the victory by faith they triumph in the experience of Gods truth And therefore should these objectors not only fixe their eyes upon the battel but looke also upon the ensuing victory for after this battel betweene feeling and faith presently followes the victory the Apostle not only giving thanks to God that he was delivered by Christ Rom. 7. 25. but also shewing wherein that victory did Rom. 7. 25. consist both in the cause of it and in the effects of triumphing the effect of triumph in these words Now then there is no judgement no punishment no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus The cause why followes because the righteousnesse of the Law though not inherently and actively of us yet objectively and passively is fulfilled in us Rom. 8. 4. whereby Rom. 3. 5. 4. above our sense and feeling we are made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely Which as I said before contrary to their sense and feeling is the state in which they stand Rom. 5. 2. compleat Rom. 5. 2. in the sight of God Colos 2. 10. Colos 5. 10. 1 Iohn 3. 20. Objected Clered and expounded The next place of Scripture by which they will seeme to triumph is 1 Iohn 3. 20. where Saint Iohn saith If our hearts condemne us of sinne God is greater than our hearts and knowes all things Which objection although I might easily without absurdity put off with the former distinction betweene Gods knowing and seeing yet because the true meaning of the Apostle makes strongly for the present truth which they think by misunderstanding the same to make strongly against it therefore is this place to be further opened Herein lying their error that they apply this to the justified children of God which is spoken of the wicked and hypocrites for Saint Iohn setting downe in all that Epistle the markes of discerning true Christians from hypocrites both the verse going afore and the verse following after doe plainely shew that the twentieth verse is spoken of hypocrites The true meaning whereof is this If our hearts that is our consciences doe accuse and condemne us of willing practising any sinne it declares first that we are blinde and see not what an infinite horrible thing the least sinne is in the sight of God that it cannot be abolished but by the blood of the Son of God and yet dare willingly practise it Secondly the accusation terrors and condemning of conscience for the same shew our unbeleefe that we doe not truely trust Christ that he with his blood alone hath made us cleane from all sin in the sight of God and so rob Christ of his glory not beleeving that by cloathing us with his owne righteousnesse of unjust he hath made us just that is perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely whereby all accusation terrors and condemning of conscience would cease and end in peace for being justified by faith wee have peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 5. 1. Thirdly by Rom. 5. 1. our willing practising of any sin we are unthankfull for so great benefits literally professed and so being blinde unfaithfull and unthankefull in Gods covenant we are hypocrites and then that sin that our evill condemning conscience doth accuse us of being not abolished is much more odious in Gods sight yea although wee flatter our selves thinking and seeming to our selves to be for all this true Christians yet God knowes and sees all our unbeliefe distrust unthankfulnesse and hypocrisie much more than wee our selves doe and must needs much more condemne us than our owne accusing evill consciences he being so infinite in knowledge and perfect in justice and as the fountaine of righteousnesse hating so infinitely all unrighteousnesse But then in the next verse follows the antithesis or contrary description of a true Christian saying Beloved if our conscience doth not condemne us then have we boldnesse towards God that is if the peace of conscience casting out the accusations terrors and condemnings of conscience doe reigne in your heart then it shewes plainly that in truth Phil. 4. 7. Colos 3. 15. you yeeld to Christ the glory of his blood and righteousnesse in making both you and your consciences of unjust just that is perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely and so are no hypocrites in the Covenant of God because he hath made you good consciences quitting and excusing you of all sin two manner of wayes First by Justification that not only cleeres your conscience from all sin and condemning terrors for the same but also makes
so hath made them Psal 51. 7. perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely For thus hath Christ washed us from our sins in his blood Revel 1. 5. Therefore are Revel 1. 5. these in the presence of the Throne of God that is under his most loving and safe protection Psal 91. Ps 121. Psal 91. 1. Psal 121. 5. And they serve him day and night in his Temple that is continually and zealously in his true Church And hee that sitteth in the Throne of power and glory will dwell among them that is will manifest and declare himselfe and his goodnesse among them more and more Psal 103. 7. These are they that are absolutely justified Psal 103. 7. and these are the matter and argument of this Treatise The last place of Scripture but not the least pressed is 2 Cor. 12. 7 8. objected and cleared 2 Cor. 12. 7 8. viz. Paul both had the remnants of sin in him and also prayed thrice that the same might depart from him ergo the Justified children of God are not made so perfectly holy and righteous that they have not one spot of sinne in the sight of God To which I answer that although this might bee referred to the former objection out of the seventh to the Rom. where it is fully answered yet because it is so much urged it is not amisse to open this place more fully that these Objectors may see how carelesly they trifle with the Scriptures and so take Gods Name in vaine in alledging by their ignorance that so much against the truth which being throughly marked makes stongly for the truth True it is that Paul and all the true children of God both have and feel the remnants of corruption dwelling in them yea and the more grace they have the more by their true hatred of sin and love of righteousnesse wrought in them by their Sanctification doe they feel sin to bee like a thorn or splinter run into their flesh whereby they cannot choose but pray thrice and thrice and thrice that is continually groan by the vigor and force of their Evangelicall continuall true repentance and still sigh to be freed from the same of which although God doth not for the exercise of their Faith free them to their sense and feeling untill the time of their appointed change yet doth he call them by his Word and Spirit to see better and better by the eye of faith that Two advantages by being healed from sin he hath perfectly healed them thereof in his own sight before they pray as if he said yea I have healed thee with a twofold or double advantage both to thee and to me For first my Grace of Justification which is the Mother and abundant grace of graces Rom. 5. 15 17. Rom. 5. 15 17. is sufficient for thee that is although mystically above thy sense and feeling that thou maist not live by sense and feeling but by faith of my power yet truly it makes thee sufficiently righteous in my sight How sufficiently that is perfectly holy and righteous from all spot or wrinkle of sin or any such thing in my sight freely Eph. 5. 27. which thy sanctification can never effect and Ephes 52. bring to passe is not this to be sufficiently righteous Againe thou art not only made sufficiently righteous in my sight but also the second advantage is that hereby my power is made perfect in thy weaknesse that is when thou feelest nothing but weaknesse and infirmitie in thy selfe then for mee notwithstanding to make thee sufficiently and perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in my sight freely herein my power is mightily magnified for if thou hadst no sin in thee to thy sense and feeling how couldst thou live by faith and how couldst thou above thy sense and feeling bee made perfectly holy and righteous in my sight from that which thou hast not Thus it is plaine that although God knowes the sin that dwels in his sanctified children yet hee sees them abolished out of his own sight and sees them sufficiently and perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in his own sight and sees and defends his power to be therein greatly magnified Which wrought such true contentment in S. Paul in the midst of all his infirmities that he cryed out that hee rejoyced in his infirmities that this power of Christ in Justification might dwell in him whereby hee came to feele this Miracle even of contraries to be reconciled together in him namely that when hee was weak then was he strong Which when wee begin to feele to work in us also then doe we truly begin to live the life of faith Thus having blown over these clouds of their doubts obscuring in their minds the bright Sunne of Free Iustification arising of the soggy mist of mis-understanding these Scriptures let us now proceed to the second ranke of objections as followes CHAP. VI. Wherein is contained an answer to the objection of the examples of David and such like persons as were Iustified and yet God saw and took notice of sin in them and punished them for the same THe second rank of objections is mustered together of the examples both in the old and new Testament of such persons as were Justified and yet not withstanding God saw sin in them and punished some of them also for the same ergo the children of God are not made by Justification so perfectly holy and righteous that they have no spot or wrinkle in the sight of God concluding with an epiphonema or acclamation how it comes to passe that God should see sinne in them and not in us To which I answer that although this doubt is most plainly cleered both by the expresse Scripture it selfe and by the common consent of the best orthodox Writers in the Church yet through little understanding and marking and lesse practise of the same not only the Papists especially pressing the example of David do greatly stumble to the overmuch dignifying and extolling of works A threefold difference of the time of the Church but also some Protestants doe dangerously halt herein But how is it cleered I answer By a threefold distinction and difference of time for distingue tempora saith Augustine loca contraria conciliantur that is distinguish the times and then places and things that seem contrary wil be reconciled Now these three severall times were these first the time of the Law secondly the time of Iohn Baptist and thirdly the time of the Gospel the difference whereof is this that the first time was glorious the second more glorious and the third time was most glorious of all For first the time of the Law was glorious because 1 First the time of the Law Heb. 13. 8. Jesus Christ was in the same yesterday and to day and the same for ever Heb. 13. 8. Whereupon David said even in his dayes
Iosephs afflicted of his brethren sold into Egypt and in Egypt for his faith and chastitie and filiall fear of God plaine evidences of his Free Iustification though not as yet cleerly revealed and manifested Rom. 3. 21. Rom. 3. 21. was cast into prison expresly testified by the holy Ghost to be for the tryall and exercise of his faith Psal 105. 19 22. The like is to bee seen in the three Psal 105. 19 22. Children of Israel cast into the hot fierie Oven and of Daniel cast into the Lyons Den and many others to be seen as in a cleer Looking-Glasse in the eleventh to the Hebrewes whose faith by much exercising in troubles was made so strong that they brought forth much and wonderfull fruit Hence of this second sort of afflictions doe arise farre greater prayses than of the first sort as that they fashion us like to the Image of Christ that they are more precious than gold that they manifest and declare the rich graces wrought in us by Justification and the spirit of God For when we see sinne in our flesh and feele crosses and afflictions as it were punishments upon us for the same then to beleeve that the blood of Christ hath made us in the sight of God clean from all sinne 1 Ioh. 1. 7. and that we have not one spot or wrinkle of 1 Ioh. 1. 7. sinne in the sight of God or any such thing is a mighty tryall and manifestation of our faith in the blood of Christ and a wonderfull giving to Christ the glory of his death and resurrection Rom. 4. 20. but who and Rom. 4. 20. how few when afflictions come do here stand as Saint Paul speaks Rom. 5. 2. But then if we do so this causes Rom. 5. 2. God to return with all experimentall comforts and blessings unto us as three places of Scripture for confirmation Three Scriptures opened and explained of all this are worthy the opening as three sufficient witnesses by which every word must stand As first Rom. 5. 1 2 3 4 5. where the Apostle saith 1 Rom. 5. 1 2 3 4 5. Being justified by faith that is made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely Wee have peace towards God that is all beating blowes and anger is ceased through our Lord Iesus Christ for saith the Prophet Hee was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastiment of our peace was layed upon him that is all correction and chastisement for all sin needful for the making of perfect peace between God and his justified children was layed upon him and with his strips we are Esay 53. 5. healed wherein we stand and rejoyce under the hope of the glory of God And not only so but we glory in afflictions also knowing that they are not now whippings corrections and punishments for our sinnes as before the blood of Christ had made us clean from all sin for surely a a child hath little cause to glory in his whipping for his faults but hath rather shame and dejection but we glory because now they are changed into a new nature and use namely to work patience that is a quiet contented suffering and enduring to have our faith tryed whether wee will contrary to our present sense and feeling give this glory to Christs blood that hee hath justified us that is made us perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely whereby God saith unto us as hee said unto Abraham Now I know that thou beleevest in my Sons blood then this patient enduring of tryall bringeth forth experience that by Gods gracious deliverances from those afflictions his Sons blood hath made us clean from all sin in the sight of God as Ezekiah said being healed of his sicknesse Now I know that thou hast cast all my sin behind thy back Then this experience bringeth forth a sound hope and trust in God that is a flat promising unto our selves from God and a very expectation of all good things and blessings both temporall and eternall And this hope makes us not ashamed that is shall not be frustrated because the love of God in justifying us with his Sons blood being thus experimentally powred abroad into our hearts by the holy Ghost assureth us that if hee spared not his own Son when wee were sinners to justifie us much more being now justified that is no sinners in his sight will hee with him give us all things also Rom. 8. 32. Thus we see how the wedding-garment Rom. 8. 32. of Christs righteousnesse put on in Justification doth not only make us compleat freely in the sight of God Coloss 2. 10. but also the faith hereof being exercised Coloss 2. 10. with crosses and afflictions makes us in our own feeling and experience compleat to our selves more and more The second proofe confirming this yet more plainly is Iam. 1. 2 3 4 5 6. saying Brethren count it a matter Iames 1. 2 3 4 5 6 explained of all or exceeding joy when yee fall into divers temptations or tryalls marke how he baptiseth crosses and afflictions as it were with a new name taken from the change of the nature of them by the Gospel and from the end and use of them calling them temptations and tryals as when it is said God tempted Abraham Gen. 22. 1. so crosses and afflictions are to tempt Gen. 22. 1. and try us whether we will beleeve when we seeme to feele the contrary that his Sonnes blood hath made us perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in his sight freely But to what end doth he so try us it followes Knowing that the triall of your faith worketh patience that is a quiet and contented waiting by reason that sinne the cause of all evill is done away to see a good issue and the fore-said experimentall use of them and this patient waiting brings forth that perfect work that thus we may be perfect not only inwardly mystically and freely to Godward in Christs perfectnesse Coloss 2. 10. Heb. 11. 4. but also grow perfect Coloss 1. 10. Heb. 11. 4. and entire lacking nothing to our selves-ward and in our own experimentall feeling declaratively and outwardly And if any man lack this wisdome of thus rejoycing exceedingly for these causes in afflictions let him ask it of God but let him ask in Faith that is in assurance that Christ is hiâ— sufficient wisdome and hath made him sufficiently perfect to God-ward in Christs own compleat perfection in that foundation of all experimentall blessings that Christ hath justified him that is made him perfectly wise holy and righteous and so entire and lacking nothing to God-ward and herein waver not because it is Christs own glory for he that wavereth in this efficacie of Christs blood is like a wave of the Sea â—ost of the wind and carried away to the robbing of Christ of
more he feeles by his daily slips the imperfection of his sanctification findes by the said daily slippings that all his righteousnesse of sanctification is but as a menstrous cloth the more he seeles this great imperfection of his sanctification the more he flies by faithfull prayer to the absolute perfection of his justification beseeching God that he may not be found in his sight in his owne righteousnesse of sanctification Phil. 3. 8 9. Phil. 3. 8 9. which he sees and feeles in himselfe to be as a menstruous cloth but in the wedding garment of his Sons righteousnesse making both him and all his owne righteousnesse perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely the feeling of the great imperfection of his owne righteousnesse which is subject to sense and visible sharpneth his faith to cling by faithfull prayer the faster to that perfect righteousnesse wherewith hee is cloathed above sense and feeling and invisibly Secondly by daily praying for this glorious justi sying forgivenesse they grow to fuller assurance and more comfortable feeling that they are by Gods glorious forgivenesse made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely for although the wedding garment and the truth of God in cloathing with the same be full and perfect and alwaies alike as is before noted not subject to any alteration never encreasing nor diminishing yet our faith being weake gives at the first but weake assurance and is greater or lesser sometimes as I said before hath a full and sometimes a wane but by daily fervent prayer giving to Christ this glory of his wedding garment it growes stronger and stronger to a plerophory and full assurance unto joy unspeakable and glorious which the Author to the Hebrewes Chap. Heb. 10. 10. presseth earnestly upon us saying Seeing God doth so gloriously forgive us that with his one offering he hath made us so perfect for ever that he remembers our sins no more so that there needs no more sacrifices punishments or satisfactions for sin having hereby brethren boldnesse to enter into the holy of holies by the blood of Jesus by the new living way of Free Iustification which he hath prepared through the vaile that is his flesh Let us draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled purified and made perfectly cleane by the blood of Christ from a troubled unquiet and evill conscience and our body washed with pure water of Baptisme sacramentally pure by exhibiting and sealing unto us and putting us out of all doubt both of justificatioÌ„ that makes us perfectly pure to Godward and of sanctification that more and more makes us pure to manward Let us hold fast this profession of our faith without wavering much more without wragling against it because he is faithfull that hath promised and by his blood worketh this upon us Thirdly by daily praying for this benefit we come to further experience of the fruits and effects depending and belonging to the same that we may see invisible justification by his visible fruits and effects for David gives us to understand that Free Iustification as we shal see further hereafter is blisse and happinesse Psal 32. Psâ—l 32. 1 2. 1 2. and therefore a freedome from all misery and sorrow But for the exercise of our saith as we heard before we still live in misery and much sorrow and seem wholly strangers to all claime to a blisful estate therefore being still in case as if our sins were not forgiven and we thereby made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely we still pray for the forgivenesse that doth effect the same praying that we may not only possidere possesse it but also frui injoy it that is not only certainely have the benefit it selfe but also reape the fruits effects and blessings both spirituall and corporall temporall and eternall belonging to the same that as we have heard so we may see and as Christ said unto Martha Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldest beleeve thou shouldest see the glory of God Iohn 11. 40. whereupon Luther very Iohn 11. 40. aptly in his exposition upon the Lords prayer doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make a twofold justification one internall A twofold justification invisible and secret the other externall visible and experimentall the internall invisible and secret must goe before we say Our Father which art in Heaven because before we are justified and whilst we are in the state of nature we are the children of the Devill and of wrath Ephes 2. 3. but when we are justified with Ephes 2. 3. this internall and secret Justification and made thereby the children of God then after the other petitions for eternall and temporall spirituall and corporall blessings wee say rightly forgive us our trespasses this is shew by granting and giving us these blessings that thou hast justified us that is made us freely righteous from all our sins both these Justifications saith hee Christ shewed in the history of Mary Magdelen the first when he turned his back upon her and yet said secretly unto Simon many sinnes are forgiven her The second when Christ turned to her and said to her face Thy sinnes are forgiven thee goe in peace The first maketh cleane the other maketh outward peace the first is of meere faith the other consisteth in outward experience the first God exerciseth upon men of excellent spirit such as Daniel and Paul were the other upon weaklings that need refreshment But to conclude this point in briefe every one that prayeth Praier is either made in the faith of our Baptisme or out of it must needs pray in faith of his baptisme or out of faith If hee pray out of faith by the light of nature and legall zeale his prayer is abhominable because he hath not on the wedding-garment signified in baptisme which is the washing of him cleane by the blood of Christ from all sin it selfe in the sight of God 1 Ioh. 1. 7. 1 Ioh. 1. 7 but remaines still foule in his sinne and thereby abhominable both he his prayer and all that he doth But if he pray in faith by that faith only he is clean in the sight of God from all sin freely before he begins to pray for forgivenesse being a true saying that a reverend Protestant writeth against the Papists that if the promise of God mentioned Esay 65. 24. namely Esay 65. 24. Before they call I will answer be verified upon them in any matter it is chiefly true in their prayers for justification because it is their faith that causeth God to Answer before they call but the faithfull prayer that followes is like the breath of the living faith and hath a twofold use as aforesaid working fuller assurance and further experience of all blessings spirituall and corporall Because it is an infallible
speake and doe whatsoever he will and are the generation that Solomon speaketh of Prov. 30. 12. that are Prov. 30. 12. pure in their owne conceit by their mighty mortifying of their sinnes out of Gods sight by the spirit and yet are not for want of having on by faith only the wedding garment of Christs righteousnesse truely washed from their filthinesse and is as Luther truely saith a pestilent generation although in outward appearance they seeme to excell all others in good workes in holinesse and straightnesse of life and thinke themselves to lie in the very lap of God and to be his true Saints by mortification when they are in truth but white Devils by their darkening and annihilating of Free Iustification Thus although as Luther truely saith When we have the expresse Word of God we ought rather to contemne objections than to repell them especially when the Word of God is seconded with the unanimous consent of the faithfull dispensers of Gods mysteries as we see before yet haveâ— endeavoured to remove away these stumbling-blocks that lay in the way of the weake beleever leaving the full overthrow of these objections against the former consent of the learned to my brethren of higher gifts and larger talents than my selfe And although more peradventure is objected against this first part of Justification humane wit being a very fertill field to bring forth thornes and briars to choake the truth and good seed of the Word And it is also most true which the first restorers of the Gospel doe say concerning Free Iustification that contenders will ever forge matter of contention even when they have no occasion thereunto whereby they may with captious cavillations obscure and darken Free Iustification yet I thinke they may either be referred to some of the former objections or will be such slight ones that a weake faith will easily overthrow them But if faith be not first in our hearts no Answers be they never so cleere will serve at all because it is true that Austin saith Non credimus intelligendo sed credendo intelligimus That is we come not by understanding the reason of Gods mysteries to beleeve but first beleeving without reason as little children then we come to see and understand the reason of them And by believing are able to answer all objections whatsoever as Saint Iohn saith This is our victory that overcommeth the whole world of opposition even our faith And therefore now let us proceed to adde something for the kindling and preserving of our faith CHAP. IX Containing an Antidote against doubting to kindle faith that so our faith may be a preservative against all Objections of the world the flesh and the Devill whatsoever NOW although first the expresse Word of God secondly the unanimous consent of the faithfull interpreters of Gods mysteries and thirdly the removall of these Objections might be sufficient to make us strong in the assurance that we in and by the wedding garment of Christs righteousnesse are made so perfectly holy and righteous before God freely that we have not one spot or wrinkle of sinne or any such thing in the sight of God yet such is the frowardnesse of our natures against Gods promises that for all this still we will bee wavering and doubting The reason whereof Luther laying his finger upon the very boile notably expresseth in these words saying But what letteth that one dareth not challenge to himselfe this Title that he is perfectly righteous in the sight of God even a timorous conscience for we alwaies feele sin and our life is ever fraile the cause whereof saith he in another place is our corrupt Nature and our blinde Reason which will measure the Kingdome of God according to her owne opinion whereby it thinketh notwithstanding Christs clensing away of our sinnes out of Gods sight that those things so clensed are yet uncleane before God which seeme uncleane to it selfe wherefore that opinion must bee removed out of our mindes seeing the Heavenly voice hath said The things which God hath purified pollute thou not that is count not thou uncleane Acts 10. 15. And because the Apostle putteth doubting Acts 10. 15. and unbeleefe in a manner for all one Rom. Rom. 4. 20. 4. 20. which doubting is the maine desire of the Devill and the first and chiefest sacrifice that he longeth after as being most dishonorable to God and most injurious to Christ therefore that we may be found at the least wrestlers and strivers against this sin of sins wee must fence our selves with certaine remedies drawne out of Gods Word wherewith being armed as with spirituall weapons wee may by casting downe imaginations and all strong holds that exalt themselves against the knowledge of Christs benefits bee able not only to resist but also at the length to overcome all doubtings which armor or spirituall weapons I will propose in sixe points whereof although Remedies against dâ—uâ—ting cr spiriâ—uall weapons consisting in sixe points some of them have beene briefly touched before yet because they are of great moment for the working of faith in us may here with the common consent of the learned Interpreters be more largely confirmed FIrst therefore because we cannot be saved except we become the children of Abraham Luke 19. 9. and we cannot become the children of Abraham but Luke 19. 9. by walking in the steps of the faith of our Father Abraham Rom. 4. 11 12. because the Apostle plainely avoucheth that as many as are of faith the same are Rom. 4. 11 12. the children of Abraham and blessed with faithfull Abraham Galat. 3. 7. 9. Therefore first I say it Galat. 3. 7. 9. behoves us exceeding greatly to marke as being the very life of our soule and to have ever before our eyes the description of Abrahams faith that he walked in The description of Abrahams faith by foure principall things exactly described purposely for this end by the holy Ghost Rom. 4. In which description foure principall things are set downe which the Apostle flatly testifieth that we must in this case of Free Iustification expressely imitate if we will be the naturall children of Abraham The first is the right object ground and matter of Theâ—r Object and ground of his faith faith whereupon faith must rest which is a promise of God giving a reall being of the thing to be already so indeed as he hath spoken it before himselfe although to outward sense sight and feeling it seems not to be as when God said to Abraham thou art fruitfull and thy seed shall be as the starres of the skie for multitude and yet he saw and felt both in himselfe and in his wife nothing but barrennesse so likewise in the case of our Justification God saith that the blood of Iesus Christ his Sonne doth make us cleane 1 Iohn 1. 7. Psal 51. 7. 1 Iohn 1. 7. and whiter than snow from all sinne Psal 51. 7. whereby we are made
is true that I feele sinnes in my selfe but through Christ that hath taken them away out of thy sight I am certaine that I am perfectly righteous good and holy before thee c. for of these things must a sincere Christian be partaker and of these things he ought to glory if he bee a true Christian and he that cannot glory of these things is not yet a Christian THe second spirituall weapon to overcome doubting 2 The second spirituall weapon against deubting is that whereas our reason sense sight and feeling are our strongest enimies not only to drive us into doubting but also sight by saying I see sinne in me and sense by truly saying I feele sinne in me and reason by saying it is impossible but this should make me foule in the sight of God will thus strongly perswade us that wee are not made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely wee must mark out of the former description that it is the very nature heart and essence of faith to mortifie these enimies and to tell them that they are all lying sophisters of true principles assuming false inferences and to beleeve the cleane contrary to them because God and the blood of Christ do assure us the contrary namely that we seeing by the light of Gods word that one spot of sinne makes us in the sight of God foule like the Devill and accursed Galat. 3. 10. the blood of Christ doth make us so Gal. 3. 10. cleane 1 Iohn 1. 7. that we are whiter than snow 1 Iohn 1. 7. Psal 51. 7. from all spot of sinne in the sight of God Psal 51. 7. But if thou ask me how and by what meanes may I Quest mortifie my reason sense and feeling and come to beleeve the contrary unto them I answer by removeing Answ what they pretend out of thy sight and minde as Abraham did the deadnesse of his body and the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe by not considering the same Rom. 4. 19. and by trusting in the word alone spoken Rom. 4. 19. although as Christ dealt at first with the woman of Math. 15. Canaan God himselfe and all creatures pretend otherwise than the word speaketh thus Sarah stumbling at the first yet at length got the victory over her doubting by forgetting her barrennesse and old age that pretended impossibility and by judging him faithfull that had spoken Heb. 11. 11. And thus doth faith Heb. 11. 11. make a man shut his eyes against what he sees and seeles in himselfe and doth bore his eares Psal 40. 6. Psal 40. 6. to heare what God speaketh Because it is most true that Luther saith That this is the chiefe virtue and cunning of faith that it seeth those things that are not seene or felt and seeth not those things which are felt yea which are now sore upon us and doe presse and urge us As on the contrary side diffidence and unbeleefe seeth nothing but that which it feeleth agreeing with naturall reason neither can it rest upon any other thing but that which it feeleth But faith saith otherwise it resteth only in the word and trusteth wholly unto it neither doubteth it that any thing will fall out otherwise than the word speaketh This is a right and strong faith when as a man leaveth sense wisedome reason and trusteth wholly to the word of God For this cause those things are of God laid upon faith to overcome them which the whole world is not able to beare as sinnes death the world and the Devill neither doth God suffer it to be occupied with small matters Because this right faith thus trusting to and relying upon the testimony of the word of God doth perceive and firmely beleeve things to nature impossible and therefore incredible to humane reason and yet firmely beleeves them meerely considering the truth and power of God speaking calling and thereby effecting the same For faith saith I beleeve thee O God when thou speakest and what saith God impossible things lies foolish weak absurd abhominable hereticall and devillish things if thou beleeve reason For reason doth not understand that to heare the word of God and to beleeve it is the chiefest service that God requireth of us but when God speaketh reason judgeth his word to be heresie and the word of the Devill for because it is against reason it seemeth unto it absurd and foolish Therefore Abraham killed reason by faith in the word of God whereby seed was promised to him of Sarah who was barren and now also past child-bearing unto this word reason yeelded not straitway in Abraham and yet bore more sway in Zacharie but it fought against faith even in him both he and especially Sarah judging it to be an absurd a foolish and impossible thing that Sarah who was now not only ninety yeeres old but also was barren by nature should bring forth a sonne Thus faith wrestled with reason in Abraham but herein faith got the victory killed and sacrificed reason that most cruell and pestilent enimy of God and gave glory to God So all the godly entring with Abraham into the darknesse of faith when feeling and reason would perswade them that they are not cleane from all spot of sinne in the sight of God they crucifie feeling and kill reason saying reason thou arâ— foolish thou Reason to bee killed by faith dost not savour those things which belong unto God therefore speak not against me but hold thy peace judge not but heare the word of God saying that the blood of Iesus Christ hath made us so cleane that we are whiter than snow from all sinne in the sight of God freely and beleeve it Thus faith corrupteth not the word by seeking for a meaning of it that may be agreeable to reason but killeth reason and slayeth that beast which the whole world and all creatures cannot kill and so gives glory to God Thus sincere Christians that have overcome the foresaid timerous conscience and have a good conscience and in whose heart the spirit of God abideth although they feele their sinnes Yet they are enforced to say Howsoever sinne is yet I know no sinne by my selfe neither am I subject to death and hell and here they strive and wrestle and at length overcome But I finde it farre otherwise if I set my life before my sight here life and the word must be seperated farre a sunder If thou wilt consider life I will set before thee the lives of S. Peter Paul and Iohn and thou shalt finde even them not to have lived without sinne when thou desirest to bee holy and righteous before God leane not to thy life unlesse thou wilt perish forever For thou must trust only to grace and to the wedding-garment of Christs righteousnesse revealed in the word and nto to life or works but being cloathed in this wedding-garment all thy sinnes are quite abolished out of Gods sight and so thou
the winde and tossed to and fro Neither let that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord a double or doubtfull minded man is unstable in all his wayes I am 1. 6 7 8. Fearefull examples Iam 1 6 7 8. ever to be set before our eyes to make us strive against Fearfull examples of doubting doubting much more to take heed of wrangling against the excellency of Gods mysteries are First Peter who whilst he rested upon the word 1 Peter Come went safely upon the waters but when he looked at the outward swelling of the windes and waves and began upon the likelyhood of them to prevaile to doubt presently he began to sink Mat. 14. 30. so Math. 14. 30. 2 Zachary Secondly Zacharias when he began to consider outward appearances and likelyhoods of impossibilities of that which the Angel had spoken by reason of his owne old age and his wives impossibility to naturall reason to conceive and thereupon doubted of that which was from heaven spoken was presently strucken dumbe Luke 1. 20. Luke 1. 20. Thirdly the Prince that looking upon outward and 3 The Prince present unlikely hoods and thereupon with the other old unbeleeving Jewes Psal 78. 41. did limit the power Psal 78. 41. of God and so did run into doubting and unbeliefe was trodden under foot of the people and died 2 King 7. 17 20. The reason whereof is concluded by 2 Kings 7. 17 20. God that the just by faith shall live but if any withdraw himselfe namely by doubting and unbeliefe my soule saith God shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10. Heb. 10. 38. 38. But we are not they which by doubting and unbeliefe doe with-draw our selves unto peâ—dition and follow not the righteousnesse of works and preposterous holy walking according to the law of righteousnesse as the Jewes did Rom. 9. 31. but follow faith unto the Rom. 9. 31. conservation of our soules verse 39. and therefore Verse 39. briefe but wise and faithfull like Luther â—o him that hath an eare to heare is that saying of Luther namely De libertate Christiana that the first and principall care of every Christian man ought to be in this especially That setting aside all confidence in Gods sight of holy walking he strengthen his faith more and more and by daily encreasings grow in knowledge Whereof not of works but of Christ Jesus and of him crucified for him being so delivered to death to abolish from before God his sinnes and risen againe to make him freely righteous which is the admonition of Peter 2 Epist 3. 18. for as much as none other works doe make a true Christian The same advice giveth Christ himselfe the Lord of wisedome who in the sixth of Iohn when the Luth. ibid. Iohn 6. 28. Jewes asked a question what they should doe to doe the works of God excluding the multitude of works and their preposterous holy walking according to the law of righteousnesse Rom. 9. 31. wherewith he Rom. 9. 31. perceived them to swell and to be puft up in themselves seeming humble yet full of pride Luke 18. 11. Luke 18. 11 did prescribe unto them one only rule saying This is the work of God to beleeve on him to make you freely righteous Rom. 10. 3 4. whom he hath sent for him Rom. 10. 3 4. hath God the father sealed thereunto whereof riseth such a necessity of beleeving and resting only upon this before God that Christ maketh this the short and long of all That he that believeth viz. That the blood of Christ the Sonne of God doth make him cleane from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely 1 Ioh. 1. 7. and is Baptized that is hath this 1 Ioh. 1. 7. my washing of him clean from all sin with my blood sealed unto him putting him out of all doubt hereof by Baptisme shall be saved but he that beleeveth not this shall be damned Mark 16. 16. This is Christs short Mark 16. 16. and long But why is he damned that believeth not this The reason hereof is the horribleness of unbelief notably expressed by the learned Calvin saying thus No injury more grievous can be offered unto God the Father 〈◊〉 in Ioh. 3. 33. sheweth the horriblenesse of unâ—eliefe and unto Christ his Sonne than when the joyfull newes of his Gospel is not beleeved for the truth of God is not acknowledged But God cannot bee spoyled of his truth but his whole glory Majesty are abolished Therfore look how much the faith of the godly maketh to the glory of God so much on the contrary doth the unbeliefe of the wicked not believing in Christ make to the grievous reproach of God Not that their wickednesse doth hurt the truth of God but that in respect of them or as much as lies in them they accuse and condemn God of falshood and lying But peradventure some man will say What is this Quest unbeliefe that is thus horrible before God not only in the effects of it hitherto described but even in the essence and being of it in it selfe I answer That this is plainly expressed by the learned Answ Beza saying thus Significat hoc loco 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Beza in Rom. â—â— 20. that is unbeliefe in this place signifieth Absence of assent or agreement to the word spoken and uttered by God such as is of them to whom the words of the Gospel except they be brewed to agree with humane reason are vel ludibrio vel offendiculo that is either toyish as a merriment or else an offence to them as absurd foolish and hurtfull so that the power of God promising so great so difficult and so unlikely a thing is utterly rejected as if hee did promise that which is impossible to himselfe or else they doe despise nullifie and set light of his will revealed in the same as speaking one thing and willing an other thus running into all those eight inconveniences and evils spoken of before because most true and weighty and therefore worthy often to be thought upon is that testimony of Luther saying thus As there is no honour De liberâ—ate Christianae like unto the opinion conceived of truth and righteousnesse wherewith we doe reverence willingly obey and most highly esteeme of him whom we doe beleeve for what are we able to ascribe to any person more than truth righteousnesse and goodnesse of all parts perfect and absolute And contrariwise it is a detestable reproach to conceive a secret opinion of a man to be false faithlesse and wicked so stands the case between God and the soule of man by beliefe for as long as it beleeveth stedfastly in God that promiseth it doth account him in that which he speaketh even above reason sense and feeling to be true and righteous than which opinion can nothing bee more acceptable to God This is the highest honour of
Elect shall be justified in their time and none but the Elect shall bee justified for whom he justifieth those he glorifieth but he glorifies none but the Elect yet the very Elect are not actually and really justified but are darknesse and live in sinne and darknesse untill they be effectually called as Paul expresly testifieth saying Whom he calleth them he justifieth Rom. 8. 30. But who are thus effectually called Rom. 8. 30. Namely such as doe marke in the death of Christ the exceeding horriblenesse of the least sinne there being no sinne little in the sight of God and thereupon come to a feeling of their misery and lost state by true terror in their soules for the multitude of their sinnes thereupon making this conclusion upon themselves that if God dealt so sharply with the green tree Christ for the sinne which he had not done but wherein hee was only a surety for others in what a case of burning in Gods wrath and justice is hee that is a dry tree utterly dry of goodnesse and hath as the principall committed and done himselfe so many sins and thus is Christ made unto him first Wisdome 1 Cor. 1. 30. 1 Cor. 1. 30. to see his sinnes and therein his lost estate then this Rom. 8. 26. makes him with deep groans Rom. 8. 26. to sigh up to Rom 7 24. Christ for some help in this misery Rom. 7. 24. Which is the turning of his spirituall eye of saith to the true spirituall brazen-serpent Christ as really as the Israelites turned their bodily eye to the bodily brazen-serpent and thus is this Elect effectually called to Christ and then is he justified freely that is most certainly helped and healed by being made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely as certainly as he doth with true groans sâ—gh up to Christ for this help and as certainly as the old Israelites were helped and healed of their bodily stingings by their bodily looking up to the brazen-serpent and thus secondly is Christ made unto him Righteousnesse then followes hereof thirdly Sanctification and fourthly full assurance of Redemption unto eternall glory 1 Cor. 1. 30. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Now secondly for the other point namely the 2 How the Elect are justified made perfectly righteous in Gods sight manner how the Elect are thus justified and made perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God is thus The God by the power of his imputation conveying his Sonnes righteousnesse to be in us and upon us doth in his own sight so cloath us body and soul both within and without with the wedding-garment of his sonnes perfect righteousnesse that we have our sinnes hereby not only utterly abolished out of Gods sight but also are Evangelically and freely formed that is are in truth and reipsa in very deed made although not inherently and actively as I said in the beginning the Papists would have it yet objectively and passively perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely This I will cleere more fully with a similitude or two and then confirme it with undeniable poofes First I say as nothing doth effect this but Gods imputation of his Sons righteousness for which cause the Apostle saith Blessed is the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works Rom. 4. 6. Yea hereupon Rom. 4. 6. hee maketh mention of this word Imputing and counting righteous no lesse as I take it than eleven times in that fourth chapter which not only shewes that it is an action wrought immediately by the very thought as it were of God himself only and thereby must needs bee very spirituall and mysticall to us farre above our reason sense and feeling but also it must needs bee wrought upon us very freely without any working of ours So likewise we must mark that this imputing being an immediate act proceeding as it were out of Gods own breast is not a light smal weak imaginary thing like mans imputing as the Papists imaginarily scoffingly conceit but Gods imputation is a lively mighty operative and reall working imputation and counting nothing like ours for man may impute and count a thing to be so or so yet the thing if it were not such before becomes such never the more for our imputing or counting it to be so but Gods imputing counting being Almighty gives a reall being and true existing of the thing before himselfe as he counts it for God did but count that there should be light and there was light and hee did but count that his other creatures should bee and presently they were so as he counted so hee doth but impute his Sonnes righteousnesse unto us and counts us perfectly righteous in the same and this imputing doth so operatively and really conveigh the righteousnesse of Christ to be in us and upon us as Paul testifieth saying The righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not only unto all but also also upon all that doe believe Rom. 3. 22. That though mystically above our Rom. 3. 22. sense and feeling yet not imaginarily as the Papists prattle against us nor yet only outwardly like painted Tombes as they likewise cavillingly object but truly both inwardly are cloathed with the same in the sight of God and richly roabed and decked and adorned in the same as the faithfull soule in the Prophet Esay joyfully confesseth saying I wil greatly rejoyce and be exceeding glad in God my Saviour Why Because he hath cloathed me with the garment of salvation What garment is that why he hath covered me with the râ—ab of righteousness as a Bridgroome decketh himselfe with ornaments and as a Bride adorneth her selfe with her jewels Esay 61. 10. Hence are the Saints said so often Esay 61. 10. in the Revelation to be cloathed with long white Roabes washed in the blood of the Lamb Hence doth God the Father command his servants the Ministers in the calling in of the Gentiles to the Gospel signified by the return of the Prodigall child to bring forth the best garment and to put it on upon them ministerially as he working with his Ministers doth by the power of his imputation cloath them with it mystically Luk. 15. Luk. 15. 22. Psal 132. 9. Hence it is said Psal 132. that the Ministers powerfully comming forth cloathed not only personally with it for themselves only but also ministerially to cloath the people with it the Saints doe shout for joy because it being objectively and passively in us and upon us doth not only abolish our sins but doth forme us and reipsa in very deed make us not inherently and actively as the Papists hold neither yet imaginatily as they cavill but objectively and passively perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God Now by these words objectively and passively I meane wee doing ☞ nothing hereunto and we working nothing but
and sinne in the same is the spirituall darknesse as it is every where called in the Word of God that blindeth and darkens this house of mens soules as the Prophet saith Esay 60. 2. Behold Esay 60. 2. darknesse shall cover the earth and grosse darknesse the people And againe If we say that we have fellowship with God and walke in darknesse we lye 1 Iohn 1. 6. And againe Hee that is in darknesse walketh in darknesse and knowes not whither he goeth because the darknesse hath blinded his eyes 1 Iohn 2. 11. 1 Iohâ— 11. 2 Secondly Christ Jesus is like the Sun that shines in the Firmament having all true and full light and righteousnesse inherently and actively in himselfe only and for this cause is expresly called by the Prophet Sol justitiae the Sunne of righteousnesse Mal. 4. 2. Mal. c. 4. 2. saying But unto those that feare my name shall the Sunne of righteousness arise with health in his wings Thirdly his righteousnesse by the power of Gods imputation conveighed to be in us and upon us so effectually cloathing us both within and without is â—â—e the beames of this Sun of righteousnesse beating in upon us and thereby without our mortifying of our selves or any other working or labour of outs utterly abolishing all our sinnes from before God and making us perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely as the Sun-beames doe utterly abolish the darknesse out of a dark house and make the house all light freely as Christ testifieth by the Prophet Esay 44. 22. Esay 44. 22. saying I and not you with your labour of mortification even I will put away your sinnes as darknesse and abolish your transgressions like a mist and as the walls of the house cannot of their own nature being corpora opaca but cast forth all day long a shadowish darknesse that would obscure and make the house all dark and yet the Sun-beames doe continually all day long swallow up and abolish that darknesse and make the house light freely all day long So our natures corrupted with sinne although they can doe nothing else continually but cast forth to our sense and feeling the shadowish darknesse of innumerable sinnes both in thought word and deed all day long yet this Sun of righteousnesse by the full revealing and exhibiting of free Justification being risen upon us doth shine upon us with that continuall day spoken of Rev. 21. 25. Revel 21. 25. And thus Christs righteousness by the power of Gods impuration cloathing us both within and without doth although mystically above our sense and feeling yet spiritually and truly continually abolish all our sins from before â—od freely and doth make us perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely all day long and continually for which cause S. Iohn speaking of the power and operation of Christs blood freely justifying us speaketh in the present time saying The blood of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God doth make us clean from all sinne Where although this work is so perfectly done and wrought at one instant upon the faithfull that he might have spoken in the preterperfect time as the doctrine first Reforming our Church from Popery often times in divers Sermons speaketh to the glory of Christ blood saying The blood of Christ the Sonne of God hath made us clean from all sinne and as Saint Iohn himselfe speaketh Revel 1. 5. saying Revel 1. 5. Christ the faithfull witnesse hath washed us from our sinnes in his own blood yet to shew that this work is so perfectly done that it is ever in present action continually making and keeping us thus perfectly clean in the sight â—od therefore he useth the act of the present time saying that it doth make us cleane from all sinne as the Sun-beames beating into a dark house at six of the clock in the morning have at that instant abolished the darknesse that was there before and have made the house all light and yet it doth make it and doth keep it light all day long so wee being by the power of Gods imputation cloathed with Christs righteousnesse it not only hath made us perfectly cleane from all sinne in the sight of God but also doth make us and doth keep us clean all day long And this is testified by the faithfull Expositors upon that place saying Verbum praesentis temporis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth make us clean continuum actum significat that is the Verb of the present time signifieth a continuall action but wherefore because although ever and anon we doe by new sinnes as much as lyes in us even cut off our selves from the love and favour of God yet this continuall and perfect imputation doth continually abolish all our sins and ever and continually retaine and keep us in perfect righteousnesse and fellowship with God which is more plainely testified by the Author to the Hebrewes saying With one sacrifice he hath made perfect for ever or continually them that are sanctified Fourthly and lastly faith beleeving that this wedding-garment of Christs righteousnesse doth make us thus perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely is like the windowes and doores of the house letting in this light into the soule whereupon it is said Act. 14. 27. That God had opened the doore of Acts 14. 27. Faith unto the Gentiles because although the Gospel doe shine by preaching never so brightly unto men yet if this door of Faith bee not opened but remaines fast shut up they still abide in the grosse darknesse of their sins but if the door and windowes of faith be opened then the beames of Christs righteousnesse beating in doe abolish all the darknesse of their sinnes from before God and make them all light which sheweth also that it is not faith that justifieth us actively of it selfe as it is a virtue as the Papists hold but passively as it lets in the imputation of Christs righteousnesse into the soule for if the door of the house be wide open and yet there be no Sun as being not yet risen to shine in the Firmament that may cast in her beames into the same the house abideth still dark though the doores and windowes be open never so wide but if the Sun shine and cast her beames upon the house and then the doore and windowes thereof be open then doe those doores and windowes by passive receiving in the light make the house all light even so doth faith by receiving the imputation of Christs righteousnesse make a man all light in the Lord and yet not inherently to his sense and feeling and actively for then his sanctification should be perfect which is not so in this life but in that he is made all light that is perfectly righteous by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse â—â— is all light indeed both without and within but yet mystically light that is above sight sense and feeling and altogether objectively and passively light in
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
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
put out before his Father and therefore hath made it as Bernard saith so large and long a garment for that end and purpose And therefore hearken to the advice of a well approved Labourer in our Church worthy ever the meditating because it is most pithy Evangelicall and truly saving after this manner Cast away the raggs of thy owne righteousnesse as S. Paul did seeing his inherent righteousnesse was farre better than thine Philip. 3. 8 9. And if ever thou wilt get the blessing wrap thy Phil. 3. 8. 9. selfe in this garment of the righteousnesse of thine elder Brother Christ and when thy Father shall savour the smell of thy garments he shall blesse thee and say behold the smell of my Sonne is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed feare not to bee complete in him this long white robe needs no inching or ecking needs no patching say with the holy Martyr and live and die with it in thy mouth only Christ only Christ Consider what I say and the Lord give us understanding in all things The second Objection proceedeth from the weaknesse The second objection is from the weaknesse of faith of faith arising from sense and feeling whereof I have spoken and given Armor of resistance in the ninth chapter but because it much troubleth the faith of the weak Christian let us heare the Objection and shew some further remedy against the same the Objection is this I feele not my selfe to have any righteousnesse Object but rather to bee nothing else but a lump of grosse sinnes so that by mine unworthinesse I dare not confesse of my selfe that I am such only and meere Righteousnesse that I am perfectly and gloriously holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely First to thy sense and feeling I answer thus with Luther Answ Thou must not feele but beleeve that thou art thus righteous and therefore the more thou feelest this unworthinesse and sinne making thee whilst thou pulst down thy eye from the brazen-serpent to look upon thy sore by sense and feeling to cry out Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death so much the more happy and blessed art thou for it doth make thee presently to turn thy eye to the Brazen Serpent Christ Who presently delivers thee and makes thee to say with the Apostle in the sight by faith of thy perfect healing I thank God through Iesus Christ our Lord that there is no judgement punishment or condemnation for that which I feele Why what is the cause that there is no judgment punishment or condemnation for the sinne which I thus feele dwelling in me The reason little marked but is pittiously mangled and rent from the first verse of too many is this Because the righteousnesse of the Law though not legally and actively as the Papists would have it yet Evangelically and passively is fulfilled in us And this is thy present and immediate healing by turning thy eye from thy sense and feeling up to the Brazen-serpent Christ presently shewing thee by his bleeding wounds A present healing that thou art above thy sense and feeling made perfectly and gloriously holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely And thus by this thy feeling the contrary to this perfect healing there is place for faith to beleeve it And therefore to strengthen our weak faith that wee are contrary to our present sense and feeling thus perfectly righteous from all spot of Three meanes to strengthen our weak faith sinne in the sight of God freely We must use a threefold help First it must be thy wisdome to have everbefore thy sight the imitation of the faith of thy Father Abraham walking in this case of Free Iustification as a naturall sonne in the steps of the faith of our Father Abraham after this manner before described but thus applyed That relying upon that God That calleth those things which be not as though they were Rom. 4. 17. that is Rom. 4. 17. who giveth to the things that appeare not as reall a Being before himselfe by his Call or so speaking as if they had a reall Being to our eyes thou must above all hope of thine own feeling whereby thou feelest thine own righteousnesse to bee but as a menstruous cloath yet believe under hope of Christs righteousnesse that thou art perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God according to that which is spoken The blood of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God doth make us clean from all sinne And againe As by the disobedience of one man Adam many were made sinners So by the obedience of one man Christ are many made righteous vers 18. And thou not weak in faith must not consider Vers 18. or think upon thine own body which thou feelest dead in trespasses and sinnes by the fall of Adam neither the violence thereby of thy daily actuall sinnes verse 19. neither must thou doubt of this promise of Vers 19. God by unbeliefe but be strengthned in faith that thou art perfectly holy and righteous freely in the sight of God and so give glory to God vers 20. being fully Vers 20. assured that hee which hath promised to accomplish it upon thee freely by cloathing thee with his Sonnes righteousnesse is also able to doe it verse 21. The second help to strengthen our faith that we are Vers 21. 2 made thus perfectly and gloriously holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely Is not to forget the comparison that Saint Paul maketh in this case Rom. 5. between the first Adam that made us that is both body and soule sinners and damned and the second Adam Christ that as freely makes us both body and soule righteous and saved And although there be some difference in the manner namely that Adam made us all sinners inherently and actively to our sense and feeling but Christ makes us righteous in the sight of God objectively Evangelically and passively and invisibly above our sense and feeling that there may be place for the faith of Gods power of truly and really doing it himselfe alone yet notwithstanding wee must take heed that we give not more power to Adam in making us sinners being but a meer man than to Christ in making us righteous being both God and man but let us know that as the first Adam made us before wee our selves have done any evill work perfectly completely and only and meerly sinners and damnable in the sight of God so strongly that we cannot choose but shew the same in all our life by actuall sins to the eyes of men so much more doth Christ make us before we have done any good perfectly completely and only and meerly gloriously holy and righteous and so perfectly saved in the sight of God so strongly that he makes us to declare the same by sanctification and a
new life to the eyes of men Yea more although our inherent righteousnesse of sanctification flowing thus from our Justification be imperfect in it selfe and makes all our actions imperfect in righteousnesse yet so mighty is this originall righteousnesse as Luther calls it in respect of the secondarie inherent actuall righteousnesse of our The exceeding efficacy of our originall righteousnesse that is Christs sanctification That as the Sun-beames lying continually in a house that can cast forth continually nothing but shadowish darknesse doth continually swallow up that shadowish darknesse and makes both the house and all things in the house all light so doth the glorious Sun of Righteousnesse Christ Jesus by the power of his imputation so cloath us with his own righteousnesse that continually swallowing up and abolishing the imperfections of our sanctification doth make and continually preserve and present us and all our actions that were darknesse in themselves to be all light in the Ephes 5. 8. Lord Ephes 5. 8. that is made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne continually in the sight of God freely Which comparison between Adam and Christ although it is proposed as equall to shew the truth reallnesse and verity between them as vers 19. where the Apostle saith that As by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners So by the obedience of one are many also made righteous Yet in other places is the working of Christ shewed to be farre more rich plentifull and abundant in making us perfectly righteous than the working of Adam in making us sinners so that the Apostle to expresse the plentifull working of Christ above Adam doth not stick to use the words Abounding in the work of Christ above Adam lesse than foure times in the later part of that fifth chapter saying That although through the offense of one many bee dead Yet much more doth the grace of God and gift by Grace abound unto many yea although the Law entred in upon sinne and made sinne to abound and to be out of measure sinfull yet grace in Iustification abounds much more so that saith hee they which receive the abundance of grace and this gift of righteousnesse doe even reigne in life by this Iustification of life But that saying 2 Cor. 5. 21. is more admirable that He which knew no sin 2 Cor. 5. 21. was made sin for us that we being translated into Christ might be made the very righteousnesse of God The Abstract importing as I said before that we are made so perfectly completely and gloriously holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely That we are nothing else but meer righteousnesse in the sight of God And hath Christs work passed Adams making of sinners in swallowing up and utterly abolishing all our sinne from before God as if Iosephs barnes had swallowed up the leane kine in Pharaohs vision and made us so richly plentifully and abundantly righteous in the sight of God and shall we be troubled more with the feeling of Adams work upon us than be filled with joy with the exceeding glory of Christs work upon us should we not by such regard of sense and feeling that is of old Adam and weaknesse of faith greatly dishonour the God-head of Christ in the second Adam This comparison between Christ and Adam doth Luther also strongly presse for the strengthning of faith saying thus For as we cannot deny but that wee are all sinners and are constrained to say that through the sinne of Adam we were all lost were made the enimies of God and guilty of eternall death for this doe all terrified hearts feele and confesse and more indeed sometimes than they should doe so can wee not deny but that Christ died for our sinnes that he might make us righteous for he died not to justifie the righteous but the unrighteous and to make them the children of God and Inheritors of all spirituall and heavenly blessings therefore when I feele and confesse my selfe to be a sinner through Adams transgression why should I not say that I am made righteous through the righteousnesse of Christ especially when I heare that hee loved me and gave himselfe for me This did Paul most stedfastly beleeve and therefore he speaketh these words with so great vehemencie and full assurance which He grant unto us in some part at the least which hath loved us and given himselfe for us The third help to strengthen our weak faith to beleeve above our sense and feeling that we are made thus perfectly and gloriously holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely Is for the inconveniences and evills that otherwise will follow this distrust briefly and plainely expressed by Luther saying thus Except thou dost beleeve above thy sense and feeling and confesse that thou art thus righteous in the sight of God thou dost great injury to Christ who hath made thee cleane by the washing of water through the word who also died upon the â—rosse condemned sinne and killed death that through him thou mightest obtaine righteousnesse and everlasting life these things thou canst not deny except thou wilt openly shew thy selfe to be wicked and blasphemous against God and utterly to despise God and all his promises Iesus Christ with all his benefits and so consequently thou canst not deny but that thou art righteous Now concerning the other part of the objection Object namely that we feele so great unworthinesse in our selves that wee dare not assume so great glory to our selves that we are made so perfectly and gloriously holy and righteous in the sight of God as that wee are only and meerly the Righteousnesse of God in his sight To which I answer againe with Luther that there Answ be two great causes beside the malice of the Devill why we doe not beleeve and so receive this precious gift First the inestimable greatnesse of the gift is the cause that we do not beleeve it and because this incomparable treasure is freely offered therefore it is despised And secondly because as Luther truly saith in another place the doctrine of the Gospel speaketh of farre other matters than any Book of policy or Philosophy yea or the very Book of Moses himselfe to wit of the unspeakable and most divine gifts of God which farre passe the capacity and understanding both of men and Angels whereby the inestimable A threefold remedy against feare of applying so great riches greatnesse of Gods bounty in the gift engenders in us an hardnesse to beleeve it But for this there is a threefold Remedy able to strengthen us effectually in faith The first is expressed by Luther saying after this manner We must not weigh so much how great the thing is that is given and how unworthy we are of it for so should the greatnesse of the gift and our unworthinesse terrifie us but we must principally consider first the greatnesse of the giver and secondly that
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