iustification or glorification For the first it conteineth the dignity of being the sonnes of God 2. The inheritance of light or the diuine nature begun here to be perfected hereafter for the first see Iohn 1.22 1 Iohn 3.1 Hee giueth vs this dignity sheweth vs this loue that we should be called his children not that we are children as Adam was who because hee was produced in the similitude of God might be called a Sonne of God but sonnes through a mysticall coniunction with Iesus Christ that naturall Sonne of God Secondly we haue the inheritance of light or a diuine nature which standeth not in such a life of God as Adam had which was a knowledge of God onely as a Creator of all things and a righteousnesse and holinesse which were in order to God knowne onely as a creator not such a life as may fall away but a life which standeth in knowing as an Author in Christ of supernaturall grace such righteousnesse and holines as are in order to God as now made manifest in Christ Iesus such a life as shall neuer haue end according to that those who are borne of God cannot sinne for the seede of God abideth in them Thirdly all that glory wee looke for in Heauen is comprehended in this adoption Rom. 8. Wee expect our adoption euen the redemption of our bodies Now wee come to haue this executed on vs by faith on Christ for so many as beleeued to them it is giuen to be his children sonnes and daughters vpon our mariage with the naturall Sonne wee come in the place of sonnes and daughters also But for the order in which we receiue this dignity it is somewhat doubtfull whether when we are iustified or when we are glorified To which I answer briefly that it belongeth to our glorification and is to be recalled vnto that head for Redemption which is put for Forgiuenesse of sinne and iustification when it doth not note out our finall deliuerance this redemption is made to goe before it Gal. 4.5 That he might redeeme vs who were vnder the Law and that we might receiue Adoption Beside iustification doth nothing but sentence this of me that I am iust before God so as to receiue life from his grace Now to be iust is one thing to be reckoned a son another Againe this adoption is called by the name of a dignity or eminency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea glory it selfe is called by the name of Adoption Rom. 8. Wayting for our adoption euen the redemption of our bodies To omit that Rom. 9.4 those two words Adoption Glory may be put for one thing viz. Glorious adoption For the Arke is well comprehended in that head of seruice as a principall type belonging to the Law ceremoniall and looke as not onely actually to possesse the kingdome but to be heyre apparant of it is a great point of gâ—ory so the dignity of adoption adopting vs as sonnes and heyres apparant of the kingdome of heauen is a great part of glory as well as the inheritance it selfe There are but two things of moment which I know to be obiected Obiect 1 That which we haue immediately on belieuing that belongeth to our iustification but belieuing wee haue this priuiledge nothing comming betweene Iohn 1.12 Resp The second part of this reason is not true and the proofe is vnsufficient for though we be adopted beleeuing on Christ which the testimony voydeth yet it followeth not that we are immediately adopted nothing comming betweene our faith and adoption Wee are said to be saued by faith to haue eternall life belieuing yet betweene faith and life iustification must be conceiued so heere also Obiect 2 The second reason is that which giueth vs a title to life that must be a branch of our iustification to life But our adoption giueth vs title to life To the first part I answere with limitation thus That which giueth vs title to life Resp being it selfe no circumstance nor part of life now executed in vs But so adoption doth not which is the giuing of life in regard it maketh life now ours as an Orphans lands are his ours as who haue the right to it but are not yet actually possessed in it Should not the proposition be limited as I haue said it would proue that the giuing of the spirit belongeth to iustification for that doth giue me right to life as an earnest penny or part of paiment doth giue a man right to challenge the whole summe This benefit then is fitly couched vnder that last of our glorification Rom. 8. Whom he predestinated he called whom he called he iustified whom he iustified he glorified in this manner executing their glory First he giueth them of grace the dignity of sonne-ship and so a right to glory and after hee doth actually possesse them of it thus glorifying those whom out of grace he had iustified to the receiuing of life from him as a gift of his meere grace Vse 1 This then being that God did before all worlds dispose the meanes whereby we that are his should be brought to adoption how should wee admire this so great grace which we found in his eyes from all eternity Thou beleeuing soule who by faith art married to Christ Iesus thou who hast receiued the spirit which maketh thee call Abba Father the spirit of this Adoption what is this now wrought in time but that which God did preordaine before all time euen thy Adoption through Christ See then what loue the Father did beare thee that thou shouldest be made a Sonne admire it When Dauid was told of matching with Sauls daughter what said he seemeth it a small thing to be sonne in Law to a King And shall it seeme a small matter to vs that wee are now according as we were predestinated that we are sonnes in Law adopted heyres ioynt-heyres with Christ of the kingdome of glory Vse 2 We may see hence what duty wee owe to God we I say whom he hath now adopted for his children euen as of grace he did predestinate If I be a Lord where is my feare if a Father where is my honour Earthly Parents the greater things they meane to leaue their children the more they expect all obsequious and dutifull behauiour from them so doth God from vs the greater and more excellent condition he hath appointed vs vnto the more he doth challenge from vs all such care and duety as may declare vs not vnworthy so great fauour Doct. Secondly that we are predestinate to adoption Obserue that the life which God hath ordained by meanes prepared to bring vs is a life comming immediately from his grace that life which is a consequent of Adoption yea called adoption it selfe that which accompanieth sonneship is an inheritance that life cannot but come from the free grace of God our Father Adoption and sonnelike inheritance are not things purchased by contract of Iustice but are freely vouchsafed Behold what loue the Father hath
two things be remembred First that when the words of knowledge doe together by connotation imply affection much more doe the words of beleefe and Ergo where I finde to beleeue that Christ is the Sonne of God I must conceiue this beleefe to containe confidence in the Sonne Secondly to remember that when faith of any temporary promise is said to be accounted for righteousnesse it is because it doth in beleeuing the thing temporall apprehend him in whom all the promises are yea and Amen who is at least the remoued obiect of a iustifying faith in euery thing it apprehendeth Thus Abraham beleeuing the promise of seede of Isaac did apprehend that blessed seede which had from the beginning beene promised and saw his day which the Apostle doth testifie Gal. 3. Neither did he looke at the power of God but to sustaine his beleefe of a seede before promised against the temptations wherewith God did exercise him that we haue a particular word and in effect to beleeue on Christ vnto forgiuenesse of our sinnes I haue shewed aboue Vse Wherefore let vs rest on Christ alone as our rocke flye to him as our true sanctuary This Papists come to in death renouncing any confidence in their fooleries this themselues giue testimony vnto that it is the surest and he is not wise who will not take the safest way for his soules saluation Doct. 3 The third Doctrine is that faith and loue are neuer disioyned but goe each in hand one with the other From what time we beleeue men will doe any great good things for vs we feele a loue arise toward them so from what time by faith wee apprehend loue in God toward vs through Christ we feele loue reflecting from vs toward him according to that we loue him because we haue knowne and beleeued his loue to vs First faith must bring the holy fire of Gods loue into our frozen hearts or they will neuer be warmed with feruent loue to God againe The sinfull soule doth see Gods loue forgiuing it many sinnes then it loueth much againe In nature we see nothing can moue in desire to this or that till first it hath apprehended it louely So our affections cannot in loue and desire moue to and vnite themselues with God till by faith wee doe discerne him as reconciled to vs so becomming an amiable obiect for vs sinners to imbrace till that faith discerneth this nothing but wrath like a consuming fire abideth ouer vs. Hence it is that Saint Paul 1 Tim. maketh loue to flow from faith vnfained and Gal. 5. he saith that faith worketh by loue not as fire maketh hot by heate which is a formall property inherent in it but as the soule doth this or that by the hand which is an externe instrument conioyned vnto it for loue is not any essentiall cause which doth giue being to faith but it is a grace without the being of faith though ioyned vnto by which as an instrument faith worketh Vse 1 The Vse of this Doctrine is to show how vniustly they slander vs as teaching a faith alone without other graces when we hold according to the Scipture that there can be no true faith without loue nor loue without true faith for the first is but a dead carkase this latter is but blinde deuotion neither is pleasing to God Indeede we teach that faith iustifieth vs alone without other graces not in regard of their presence but in regard of their co-working with faith to this effect of our iustification It is one thing to say the eye is in the head without other senses and another thing to say the eye doth see alone no other sense seeing with it Vse 2 This must make vs trie the truth of our faith for if our hearts haue not been kindled with loue to God they neuer truely beleeued his loue in Christ We may easilier carry coales in our bosome without burning then by faith apprehend truely this loue of our God without finding our hearts burne in loue to him answerably Vse 3 We see that loue is an effect following faith euen loue to God himselfe They make the tree to beare the roote who will haue loue giue being to faith but this is but a consequent of Lombards errour who did hold loue to be no other thing then the holy Ghost himselfe Doct. 4 Obserue lastly who are the persons on whom the loue of true beleeuers is set viz. the Saints yea all Saints True Christian loue next to God and our owne soules maketh vs affect those who are sanctified who expresse the vertues in their life of our heauenly Father by whom we are called from darkenesse to light Hence it is that the Saints the houshold of faith the brethren are commended as persons whom we must affect and doe good to before all other Thus our God loueth Psalme 147.10 not the strength of horse nor legs of man but those that feare him are his delight Thus Christ loued Who is my father and mother c. hee that heareth and obeyeth Thus Paul and Dauid loued We loue none according to the flesh all my delight is in the Saints in them who excell in vertue Euery creature loueth and liketh to be with those who are vnited with it in communication of the same nature So sanctified Christians cannot but loue and like to be most with them who haue receiued the like diuine nature in which themselues are partaker yea it loueth all Saints not such who haue other parts pleasing and contentfull but it loueth euery one in whom it can see the image of God shining for it cannot be but that loue which truely loueth one person as he is holy shou d loue euery one so far forth as he is holy yea though we are to esteeme and inwardly affect men as we see them holy we are not bound to shew them the outward effects of our loue answerably The neerer persons are tyed to vs in naturall and ciuill bonds the more must our prouidence be for them and loue shewed them in outward things vnlesse their foolish lewdnesse dispriuiledge them this way for then the prouerbe taketh place A wise seruant may be preferred before a foolish childe Vse 1 This then doth reproue many who indeede hate and would show it were it pollicie those who endeauour to liue holily traduce the name of Saints nickname them as Puritans such who cannot be themselues but when they are in company with Swearers Gamsters good fellowes such who will seeme to relish some odde persons who are indeede truely holy but others in whom holinesse is apparant they cannot endure it is to be feared they loue those whom they doe not because they see holinesse but for some by respects which within themselues they haue conceiued Some who are all for a sound iust dealing well natured man though he be neuer such a stranger from matter of religion Yea I would many of the Lords children through selfe-loue did not loue too well
haue such confession satisfaction contrition as doe not put any impediment to the Sacrament then it sufficeth Then say I euery man who receiueth pardon of the eternall punishment by the Sacrament must receiue pardon of the temporall also for the Sacrament sufficeth to giue both if he come with such contrition and qualification as doth not put impediment he receiueth the whole benefit if he come not with such he receiueth no grace by meanes of it no remission of the eternall Now followeth the third thing to which I answere We doe beleeue remission of sinnes because though we haue it in regard of Gods sentence and feele some effects of it as peace ioy c. yet we see it not fully executed nor shall not till the time of refreshing Vse 1 Now then how should this comfort our hearts that God hath dealt thus richly with vs Feare not thou repenting beleeuing soule feare not sinnes past present to come thy God hath put all from his sight and so that he keepeth no backe reckonings for thee all the blame all that is a proper plague or punishment for sinnes remoued from thee What should come to vs vnder condemnation more pleasant then this word of pardon What can we beleeuers receiue more gladly then this generall acquittance of all our sinnes Vse 2 This must make vs feare the Lord There is mercy with God that he may be feared mercy reaching to forgiuenesse the word signifieth For a Traitour once pardoned in treason to be found a second time in conspiracie how vnthankefull how intollerable So with vs c. Vse 3 Seeing we get this remission in Christ his bloud let vs lay it vp and keepe it carefully We keepe all things which testifie our discharge from debts Let vs lay vp this by faith in our hearts euen this pardon in Christ his bloud which our God giueth vs It is a blessed thing to exercise faith in the promise and seales which we haue receiued Many measuring themselues in Gods fauour by feelings when these faile call all in question Many seeking comfort no further then the smart of terrours driue them and then giuing ouer at length are distressed with their old feares and doubtings for wounds ouer-hastily skinned will breake forth a fresh But not a few neuer exercising their senses in apprehending this benefit and so in carefull laying it vp they cause God to hide that comfortable experience of it to the end they may seeke it vp and keepe it receiuing it more carefully as if one looke loosely to Plate we will lay a peece a side for a while and make one thinke his negligence hath lost it that thus wee may teach him to keepe it more carefully when it is returned Vse 4 Let vs maintaine our spirituall liberty in which Christ hath set vs hating these lying vanities which would make the grace of God not to forgiue but to change a greater punishment into a lesser In outward matâ—ers wee will stand for the vtmost of our liberty not suffering a word of our Charters to be restrained and shall we beare it that when God giueth vs in Christ a pardon of all our sinnes men should limit it to sinnes before Baptisme of sinnes in regard of their eternall punishment In humane matters we hold that clauses which are in fauour to vs are to be censured in the amplest manner which they may beare with probability Doct. Obserue lastly in this seauenth verse from whence it is that God giueth vs pardon of sinne euen from his rich grace This made the Saints in the old Testament flye to Gods manifold tender mercies and feele in them remission of sinne See Exo. 34. Iehouah gracious mercifull rich in kindenesse forgiuing sinne and iniquities As if the riches of his grace were in this act aboue all others manifest Isa 43. For my owne sake doe I put away thy sinne not for your sake but for my owne name sake will I purge you and wash you from your sins O you house of Israel Ezech. 36. We see that giuing benefits though it commeth from kindenesse yet it doth not any thing so much testifie the clemency and kindenesse of our natures as the bearing and passing iniuries which doe highly prouoke vs this then is the fruit of Gods most rich grace Indeede nothing but grace can forgiue forgiuenesse being a free pardoning of some offence without taking any reuenge or satisfaction I cannot forgiue that fault for which I take my reuenge or something which doth counteruaile the iniury offered Iustice may cease reuenge but cannot forgiue Obiect But how can God out of his rich grace forgiue our sinnes when he doth not forgiue them but vpon the blood of his Sonne shed for vs as a ransome or redemption That which wee get vpon a ransome tendred that is from iustice due to vs not from free grace giuen vs. Many limit this sentence thus Resp That we receiue on a ransome which our selues tender that is due not on a ransome which is giuen vs out of grace but this seemeth not to answere the difficultie for what I purchase with money neuer so mercifully bestowed on me is mine in iustice though the mony were not mine till mercy did furnish me with it A price of redemption Ergo must be considered two waies 1. As a thing demanded of iustice that she may inliew doe something vpon it thus Christs bloud was no ransome For iustice did not call him to this mediatour-like and priestly office nor bid him lay downe his life 2. It must be considered as a thing prouided and inioyned by mercy that by it as by a meane mercy may doe something iustly which otherwise she might not and such a ransome is Christ his bloud and Ergo doth excellently accord with free grace and the worke of grace in euery thing Obi. But when Christ his obedience is such as ceaseth iustice It is Gods money but not giuen to buy with from iustice how can God out of grace release to this obedience that punishment of sinne from which now iustice in regard of it hath ceased Answ Because the obedience of the Sonne is due to the Father and may be required from the Sonne of duety to be rewarded at his pleasure If my Sonne doe that at my command vpon which I can demand ten shillings I who haue the right of my Sonne and his worke may take the whole and yet giue him of grace what I please Vse 1 It doth confute the former dreame that which the riches of grace doth is full and perfect no imperfect forgiuing Should the King imprison a man when he might hang him it were not an act of mercy pardoning but an act of iustice tempered with mercy Obi. But say they punishment abideth to those whom God forgiueth out of his mercy as Dauid and those for whom Moses prayed that God would forgiue them according to his rich mercy Answ It doth so but it so abideth that all guilt of sinne
this life of labour which endeth in death Eccles the other of rest after this life ended Blessed are they that dye in the Lord they rest from their labour In like manner two Places belonging to all faithfull Souldiers The one is earth in which they are for time of their warfare The other is heauen where they rest receiuing the crowne which belongeth to them Euen as those material stones were either hewing and polishing in the mountaine or transported and laid in the Temple so it is with vs either we are squaring and fitting here or else we are by glorious coniunction laid on Christ the corner Stone in the heauens But some who will grant that when Paul did write these words which was many yeares after Christs Ascention that then all were in heauen but they will not yeelde that soules were there from the beginning but onely sithence Christ his entring thither For answere I say that the contrary doth seeme cleare to me for they were taken to glory and saued as we now such as are taken to glory are taken to heauen for the Scripture knoweth no place in which God doth ordinarily display his glory but in heauen Againe they were receiued into euerlasting tabernacles Luk. 16. Now if the godly at the instant departed were bestowed in any place but heauen they then did goe to mansions which they were to leaue within a yeare or two euen then when Christ was to ascend they whose Pilgrimage and soiourning ceased with this life they could not but be in their Countrey at home after this life Heauen is the Countrey of Saints O our Father which art in heauen Vbi Pater ibi Patria Those who walked as strangers here in earth because they looked for a heauenly Ierusalem a Citie whose maker was God they leauing this earth were translated thither neither was there any thing to hinder it Not their sinnes for they which could not hinder them from sanctification fitting them for heauen could not hinder them from heauen Not want of faith who now hath that faith which Abraham and many of them had No want of efficacie in Christ he was yesterday to day and for euer his death was effectuall to cause them to finde pardon of sin and the spirit of sanctification Not any priuiledge of Christ for not simply to ascend into heauen in soule was Christs prerogatiue but to ascend soule and body as heire of all things and the author of saluation to all that obey him Finally the translating of Enoch Moses and Elias seeme to figure out no other thing wherefore though Dauid be said not to haue ascended into heauen Act. 2. it is spoken in respect onely that he was not raised in body and gone into heauen body and soule as the heire of all things and person who was to sit at Gods right hand and though Heb. 9. the way into heauen be said not to haue beene opened and then to be new the meaning is not that none went this way but onely to show that the way was not really entred by the true high Priest after the order of Melchisedech as the repealing of Sacrifices did show that yet remission of sinnes was not obtained that is really receiued of our surety vpon performance of that satisfaction vndertaken not that beleeuers found not pardon of their sinnes vnder the former testament Againe it is one thing for a way not to haue beene traced at all another not to haue beene fully manifested the latter was not vnder the old Testament To conclude though it be said they receiued not the promises say in their reall exhibition and that they were not perfected without vs the meaning of which is not that they were not taken to heauen no more then to deny that they had not forgiuenesse or the same spirit we haue but to teach that they had not before Christ that perfect state in heauen which now we and they are presently possessed of For they did expect in heauen their redeemer on whom they had beleeued for forgiuenesse of sinne and life Euen as soules now expect the resurrection of the body the second appearance of Christ to iudgement in regard of which things they are not perfected Now hence followed a want of much light and ioy which on the sight of Christ God man entring the heauens did redound vnto them as wee in heauen now haue not the fulnesse of ioy which then wee shall haue when we see the accomplishment of the things wee expect While the Fathers doe set out this imperfection of their estate the Papists haue fancied their Lymbus which neuer entred into their hearts The vse of this doctrine is first to confute such Academicall doubting spirits who will not say where they were I meane the soules of the fathers before Christs ascension Certainely vnlesse wee will be as fruitfull in multiplying Heauens as the Papist is in his Hells wee must graunt them receiued into one onely receptacle of blessed perfected spirits Againe it sheweth the vanity of the Popish Lymbus and Purgatorie they are well seene in Hell who can tell you all the stories and chambers of it so exactly the truth is they are Marcionites in this point who did hold that the fathers had refreshing and ease from paine but not saluation and the reward of them was not in heauen Vse 2 Secondly we see to our comforts whether wee shall be taken when this life is ended this Tabernacle dissolued wee shall haue another not made with hands in the heauen Aske saith God to Christ I will giue thee the Nations for thine inheritance What did Christ aske Ioh. 17. Father where I am there let these be that they may see the glory thou hast giuen me The Theefe went from the crosse to heauen to Christs Kingdome which was a short one if it were in Lymbus which was to be broken vp within a few houres space This should make vs desire to be dissolued seeing wee shall presently be with Christ in heauen Should wee haue waited for admittance into heauen as long as for the resurrection of our bodies there were not that comfort but to flye forthwith to those blessed mansions how willing should it make vs to depart Who is it doth not willingly bid farewell to his smoakie Inne when he knoweth that he shall come to his owne house euery way contentfull Thirdly seeing heauen must find vs when we leaue this earth let vs send our treasure before vs. This earth is but Gods Nurcery in which God doth set his tender plants not that they should grow here still but that he may transplant them in his time and set them in heauenly Paradise where they shall abide for euer Why then seeing our eternall mansion is there what should we treasure here below Men care not for furnishing things they must leaue quickly they send all before to the places wherein they meane for their times to make abode verse 11 In whom also wee haue beene chosen to or