The Doctrine of Justification, Treatise · Chapter 8 – Chapter 9
CHAPTER VIII.
NOW followeth the ſecond point: which ſtandeth in the knowledge of Chriſt, as he is Mediatour. Whereof, becauſe divers things have bene already ſpoken, we wil be the ſhorter. The mayne point, chieflie to be conſidered in this head, is this: that no man is made, that, vntounto the which GOD doth predeſtinate him, in him ſelfe and through him ſelfe, but in and through another, which is IESVS Chriſt onelyonly: who being ordeyned of God, the Meane of al his merciemercy to Mākinde, he commeth in, as Mediatour betweene God & vsus, in all things decreed of God for vsus: ſo, as we are to expect nothing of all that is decreed concerning the veſſels of honour, whether it bee in making of vsus ſonnes, or making vsus cōforme to the Image of his Sonne, in righteouſnes and glorie: but only in and through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord: in whom alone all the promiſes of God are yea and amen. For he is the firſt borne among all the ſonnes of God: and the beginning and firſt begotten of the dead: for it is the Fathers will, that in all things hee have the praeeminence, Rom. chap. 8. ver. 29. Col. chap. 1. ver. 18.
Thus, albeit God in him ſelfe and of him ſelfe ordayne vsus to great dignitie and manifold vnſpeakeable bleſſings, yet this honour doeth he reſerve vntounto his only begotten ſonne, that of all theſe bleſſings we ſhall enioye none, except in & through him onelyonly: ſo that it is true that we are ordayned to nothing without Chriſt: but not in that deceitfull ſenſe, whereby the mindes of many are deluded: as though he were the cauſe why GOD doth ordeyne vsus to adoption. The Scripture teacheth vsus farre otherwiſe: diſtinguiſhing betwixt the cauſe why God decreeth vsus to adoption: and the cauſe why he ordeyneth vsus to this adoption through Chriſt onelyonly. Setting downe the cauſe of the Decree, to be his owne will & good pleaſure in him ſelfe. And declaring the cauſe, why he ordeyneth vsus to be adopted through Chriſt to be this, that Chriſt might be the firſt borne among manie brethren: and that he might have the praeeminence in all things: wherevpon it followeth, that albeit he be not the cauſe why we are ordeyned to adoption, yet notwithſtanding ſeeing it is Gods will to performe towards vsus his gracious purpoſe and good pleaſure of his wil, only in and through Chriſt, that of neceſſitie, we muſt firſt enioy him, before we can enioy any thing, of that that is decreed. And therefore it was the Fathers will that in him ſhould all fulnes dwell, Coloſſ. chap. 1. verſ. 19. That out of his fulnes, we all should receyve. Iohn chapt. 1. verſ. 16. And for this ſame cauſe is it ſaid, That God hath made him wiſedome, righteouſnes, ſanctification, and redemption, and that vntounto vsus, 1. Corinth. chapt. 1. verſe 13.
For whatſoever God hath made Ieſus Chriſt the Mediatour, he hath made him that for our cauſe: ſo that the love of God to vsus and the good pleaſure of his wil towards vsus, is the cauſe why Chriſt is made of God the meane of our ſalvation. And therefore, in the conſideration of Gods Decree, Chriſt as Mediatour, commeth in order, after the conſideration of that wherevnto we are ordayned: although in the executiō and performāce of Gods Decree, Chriſt in vsus muſt goe before all other things ordayned for vsus: for that is the nature of all Meanes, which are ſubordinate to that, whereof they are appointed to be Meanes.
Thus God firſt in order purpoſeth and decreeth what to doe to vsus: and ſecondly by what Meanes: but when hee performeth his Decree, he firſt prepareth the Meanes: and then accompliſheth thereby, his purpoſe and decree towardes vsus. For if the Lord had never ordayned vsus, that are men, to bee made his ſonnes: he had never ordayned his ſonne, to bee made a Man, this is cleere by the Apoſtles ſpeech wherein he declareth the cauſe why the ſonne of God, did take mans nature vponupon him. Hebr. chap. 2. ver. 14. ſaying: For aſmuch therefore, as the children were partakers of flesh and blood, even he likewiſe tooke part with them: And thereafter ſhewing the cauſe why not only he tooke our nature… but alſo did take it with the ſame infirmities (ſinne only except) wherewith our nature is indued, he vſeth theſe ſpeeches: For it became him in all thinges to be made like to his brethren. Hebrewes chap. 2. verſ. 17. according to which grounde it is ſaide in another place, That God ſent his Sonne in the flesh, in the ſimilitude of ſinnefull flesh, Roman. chap. 8. verſ. 3. This point is evidently cleare by the ſame Apoſtles ſpeech, Galath. chap. 4. verſes 4. and 5. when hee ſheweth the ende wherefore God ſent his ſonne in the fleſh, ſaying: VVhen the fulnes of tyme was come, God ſent foorth his owne Sonne, made of a woman, &c. that we might receyve the adoption. Letting vsus ſee that in Gods execution hee giveth vsus the adoption to the which he ordayned vsus by the ſame Meane thorough the which he ordayned to give it vsus. Thus we may ſee evidently, that that parte of Gods Decree, touching the Meane of our adoption: doeth in order of Decreeing, depende vponupon the former parte, touching the adopting of vsus: but in order of performing, the ſending of Chriſt, made of a woman, and made vnderunder the Law, and made righteouſnes, ſanctification, and redemption, &c. doth goe before our adoptiō. For he was not made the cauſe of eternall ſalvation to his owne, till he was perfited, Hebr. chap. 5. verſ. 9. For which cauſe the Apoſtle ſayeth Hebr. chap. 2. verſ. 10. when hee gives the reaſon why he was made to taſte of death: That Chriſt being to bring many children to glorie, it became him for whom are all theſe things, and by whom are all theſe thinges, to perfite or to conſecrate the Prince of their ſalvation, through afflictions.
This ſhall be yet more cleare if wee conſider who it is that is appointed the Meane, of our adoption, that is not the Father, nor yet the holy Ghoſt, but the Sonne only. and that becauſe hee onelyonly is that, vntounto the which wee are ordayned. For this grounde we muſt holde: that what ſo ever wee are made by grace: it muſt firſte bee in GOD him ſelfe: and then made ours by our communion and fellowſhip with GOD.
Now this bleſſing of ſonne-ſhippe which is ordeyned vntounto vsus, is no propertie of the Father, nor yet of the Holy Ghoſt, but of the ſeconde perſon onelyonly: who by that propertie is diſtinguiſhed, both from the Father, and from the Holy Ghoſt: and therefore although the Father and the Holy Ghoſt doe with the Sonne, not onelyonly ordeyne vsus to adoption, but alſo adopt vsus: yet they neither ordeyne vsus to adoption, neyther doe adopt vsus, through any, but the Sonne alone: for the Father and the Holy Ghoſt are not the Sonne, neither can be, becauſe their perſonall properties are incommunicable: howſoever their naturall properties bee common: yea one and the ſame in all three. becauſe the nature of all three is moſt ſimply one and the ſame.
Of which it commeth to paſſe, that we being adopted thorough Chriſt: and ſo conſequently called to the communion of Chriſt in that, which he is by ſubſiſting, that is ſonnes: wee are alſo made partakers of the Divine nature, as ſayeth the Apoſtle Peter. that is, we are made like to all three, in that which they are by nature. for all three have but the ſelfe ſame common nature and eſſence, albeit in ſubſiſting and perſonalitie, none be that that the other is, and therefore none of them, except the Sonne alone, can bee a meete Mediatour betwixt GOD and vsus in the worke of our adoption. For this office of Mediation is not the office of the Divine nature: but of a Divine perſon, that hath the Divine nature.
For if it were the office of the Divine nature which is common to all three alike: and as we have ſaid one and the ſame in all three, ſurely it ſhould no leſſe belong to the Father, and to the Holy Ghoſt, then to the Sonne: but as ſaith the Apoſtle, 1. to Timoth. chap. 2. ver. 5. There is but one Mediatour betwixt God and Man, that is the Man Christ Ieſus.
But as every common nature is communicate to others by their perſonall ſubſiſting, flowing from a perſon of that ſame nature (for no nature hath any exiſting but by ſubſiſting) even ſo we can not be made pertakers of the Divine nature, except firſt we have our ſubſiſting from one that is of the ſame nature, and from that perſon of that nature, which is that, in perſonalitie and ſubſiſting, which we are ordayned to be: that is fonnes. for we muſt be pertakers of the Divine nature, by ſubſiſting the ſonnes of God, which cannot be naturally, neither in, nor thorough our ſelves: therefore it is ordayned to be through Chriſt. by making vsus one with him, who by nature, is the onelyonly Sonne of God, that by our fellowſhip with him, through grace, in that which he onelyonly is by ſubſiſting, or perſonalitie: we only conſequently by grace, be made pertakers of the Divine nature, in our conformitie to the Image of God.
For as among men nature doth not produce nature, but one perſon by procreation of another perſon doth communicate the ſame nature: even ſo in the Godhead, the nature produceth not nature, elſe there ſhould be many Deities, & ſo many Gods: but a perſon produceth a perſon: and production of a perſon, carieth with it, communion of nature: even ſo God doth firſt make vsus his children by adoption in Chriſt: in which reſpect he is ſaide in the ſcriptures to beget vsus: and we are ſaid to be borne of God: which birth bringes with it the participation of the Divine nature.
Thus we have to diſtinguiſh our communion and fellowſhip with Chriſt: which God by his grace beſtowes vponupon vsus, in that perſonall proprietie of his ſonne: whereby we are made members of his bodie, fleſh of his fleſh, and bone of his bones: that is, the ſonnes of God, and brethrē of Chriſt: which is our adoption. From that communion which foloweth herevpon, & ſtandeth in our participation of the Divine nature: whereby we are made one with Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt. Thus by Gods merciemercy, in calling vsus to the felowſhip of Chriſt in his ſonne-ſhip: the Father of Chriſt is made our Father, and his ſpirit our ſpirit, and ſo conſequently the nature of all three communicated vntounto vsus. And for this firſt vnion with Chriſt, which ſtandeth in the communion of the dignitie of his ſonne-ſhip: all Gods children are ſaid in the ſcriptures to be one, in Chriſt, Galath. chap. 3. ver. 28. And the whole body myſticall is ſaid to be but one, and is called Chriſt, 1. Corinth. chap. 12. ver. 12. and for that cauſe, the promiſe of God is ſaid to be made, to the ſeede, as to one, & not to the ſeedes, as to many, Galat. chap. 3. ver. 16. where we may perceyve, the vnſpeakeable goodnes and infinite wiſedome of God, in his Decree: Goodnes, in ordayning vsus to be his ſonnes: and Wiſedome, in ordayning him onelyonly to be the meane of our adoption, who in him ſelfe only is that which GOD ordayneth vsus to be. Of which it is manifeſt, that the Decree of our adoption, goeth in order before all, not only other benefites in Chriſt, but alſo before the ordayning of Chriſt him ſelfe, to be a Mediator. For if this office of Mediation, did not hang and depend vponupon that, which we are ordeyned to be, ſurely the Father, or the holy Ghoſt, ſhould no leſſe have bene Mediators, then the ſonne. Beſides theſe things, it is alſo heereby manifeſt, that the benefite of adoption, is the firſt of all benefites in Chriſt, and foundation of all the reſt. For which cauſe it is that Gods Decree is moſt properly defined from it: but of this we ſhall hauehave occaſion to ſpeake hereafter.
The vſe that we hauehave to make of this point, in the doctrine of iuſtification, is: that ſeeing God, ordayneth vsus to nothing, but through Chriſt: our righteouſnes, can not conſiſt of any thing, that is not in Chriſt: for as we are made all other thing, whatſoever we are made, in him, ſo alſo are we made the righteouſnes of God in him, 2. Corint. chap. 5. ver. 21. which ground wel marked, doth cleare many errors: ſpecially thoſe, which are about the matter of our righteouſnes. of which, it is a wonder, that ſuch controverſies ſhould be among learned men. when as the Scripture of God ſpeaketh plainely, that God hath made Chriſt, righteouſnes vntounto vsus. 1 Corinth. chap. 1. verſ. 30. And that hee is, all in all things. Coloſſ. chap. 3. verſ. 11. And that he filleth all, in all things. Eph. chap. 1. verſ. 23. Wherevpon it followeth, that neither, in whole, nor in part, can poſſibly our righteouſnes, conſiſt in any thing, that is in our ſelves, nor yet in any other thing without our ſelves, but in Chriſt only. And thus much concerning the ſecond point.
CHAPTER IX.
THE third thing, needfull to be knowne, for the right vnderſtanding of the nature of Gods ſaving benefites is, the order in the which they are Decreed, and accordinglie diſpēſed vntounto vsus. In which point, I know there is great neede, of circumſpect & conſiderate dealing: becauſe, albeit in my iudgement, the miſtaking of this point, bee no ſmall occaſion of the errors, which are mantayned by many of great learning, as in other things; ſo ſpeciallie in the point of iuſtification: yet, notwithſtanding the ſpeaking againſt an error, by the moſt part received: and almoſt contradicted by none: muſt needes at the firſt, bee diſtaſtfull to many: except their mindes bee by grace ſanctified, with a greater love of the truthe, then of themſelves. The maine point which cleareth all, ſtandeth in this, whether adoption or Iuſtification be in order firſt. The greater part, doe holde that Iuſtification is firſt. ſo that firſt, we muſt bee iuſtified in Chriſt, before wee be adopted to bee ſonnes. and therefore, they devide reconciliation, which they make to comprehend both: in Iuſtification, as the firſt part, and adoption as the ſecond. But what inconvenience may aryſe vponupon this opinion, and what an open entry it maketh to many errors, we ſhall perceyve by theſe things that follow.
Some there bee, and thoſe but fewe: that holde the contrary opinion: and doe rather point at it, then expreſly treate of it. eſteeming Adoption, to be before Iuſtification: or rather to bee as if it were the whole: and Iuſtification reconciliation &c. to be comprehended in it, as the parts thereof: or to follow vponupon it, as inſeperable accidents and infallible conſequences thereof: or to bee nothing, except the way of Adoption. Which opinion ſeemeth moſt to agree with the Scriptures.
The ſpecial ground wherby the firſt of theſe opinions is maintayned, is (beſides other places of Scripture) that ſaying which is in Iohn chap. 1. verſ. 12. which is: as manie as receiued him to them he gaue prerogative to bee the ſonnes of God, that is, to thoſe that beleeved in his name. VponUpon which place, they, who defend the former opinion, ſeeme chieflie to rely. as though it did import, Iuſtification neceſſarilie to goe before Adoption: becauſe that Chriſt, giveth prerogative to be the ſonnes of God, to none, except ſuch as firſt have received him, and have beleeved in his name.
But before I either ſpeake of theſe opinions, or yet of this place of Iohn: it ſhall bee firſt expedient, for the better ſatisfaction of all mindes, to lay ſome groundes, vponupon the knowledge whereof, the light of this point dependeth much, in my iudgement.
Beſides other grounds, there be five of greateſt conſequence and moſt expedient to be knowne, for clearing our iudgement in the knowledge of the order of Adoption and Iuſtification.
The firſt is, the order of ſubſiſting in the bleſſed and eternall Trinitie.
The ſecond is, the diſtinct conſideration of the order of Gods gracious love, in the three ſeverall obiects, in the which it is to be conſidered.
The third is, the order of our ſenſe and perception of the bleſſings of God in our ſelves.
The fourth is, the difference of extent and largenes, of one benefite, in reſpect of another, amongſt themſelves, by mutuall reference of one to another.
The fiſt and laſt is: the conſideration of the covenant of grace, which God hath made with man in Chriſt.