The Doctrine of Justification, Treatise · Chapter 11
CHAPTER XI.
THE ſecond ground followeth, which conſiſteth in the beholding of Gods ſaving grace, in the ſeveral obiects wherin it is to be conſidered, which are three.
The firſt is God himſelfe, in whom our life is hid, Colloſſ. chap. 3. verſ. 3. Who is the Father of lightes, from whom every good giving and perfect gift commeth downe to vsus. lames cha. 1. verſ. 17. For our grouth in bleſſednes, is nothing els but A filling of vsus with a greater fulnes of God. Eph. chap. 3. verſ. 19. Vntill at laſt he be all in all. 1. Corinth. chap. 15, verſ. 28.
The ſecond obiect is Chriſt, God and Man, as Mediator betwixt God and vsus: in whom it pleaſed the Father that all fulnes should dwell. Coll. chap. 1. verſ 19. and out of whoſe fulnes we all receive grace. Iohn chap. 1. verſ. 16. therefore he is ſaid to fill all in all things. Eph. chap. 1. verſ. 23. and to be the first borne amongſt many Bretheren. Romanes chap. 8. verſ. 29. and to have the preeminence in all things. Coll. chap, 1. verſ. 18. and to be the firſt fruites, 1 Corinth. chap. 15. ver. 23.
The third obiect is our ſelves, who out of Chriſts fulnes have received grace. For even in vsus it may be ſeene what is the riches of the glory of the inheritance of God: and what is the exceeding greatnes of his power. Eph. chap. 1. verſ. 18. and 19.
Thus our life and ſalvation, is firſt in God himſelfe, as in the firſt fountaine, and in him it is ours, by the eternall purpoſe and Decree of his good will and pleaſure.
Secondly it is in Chriſt, as the Mediator betwixt God and vsus: to whom belongeth the birthright and all the bleſſings thereof: and that not only in conſideration of his divine nature: in reſpect whereof he alone is only Sonne and heyre of all things: but alſo in conſideration of his humane nature, in the which by perſonall vnion thereof, with his divine nature, hee is become the Sonne of God and our Brother, and is made head both of Men and Angells.
Thirdly, life and ſalvation is in vsus, who are in Chriſt: through whom, as the appointed meane, we receive from God all ſaving graces. for nothing cōmeth to vsus from God immediatly, but mediatly, through Chriſt: in whom only all the promiſes of God are yea and amen. 2 Cor. cha. 1. ver. 20. And therefore the Decree of God is firſt accompliſhed in him as our head and Prince of our ſalvation: who muſt bring the reſt of his Fathers children vntounto glory, Heb. ch. 2. ver. 10. as being the firſt fruites of them that ſleepe, 1 Cor. cha. 15. ver. 20. and our forerunner vntounto heaven, Hebr. chap. 6. verſ 20.
Of this it is evident, that nothing of all Gods Decree is accō pliſhed in vsus, vntil firſt it be accōpliſhed in Chriſt. And in whatſoever order God performeth al things in him, in that ſame order doth he alſo performe thē in vsus: ſo that whatſoever bleſſing is firſt accompliſhed by God in Chriſt the man, muſt needes be the firſt in order, both in Gods Decree and diſpenſation towards vsus.
Now albeit in all theſe three obiects our happines bee to bee conſidered: yet in none of them can we ſo cleerlie perceive it, as in Chriſt: who is the only Image of the inviſible God. Colloſſ. chap. 1. verſ. 14. in whom onelyonly God is manifeſted. For all that ever we are to ſee of God, either in this life, or in the life to come, we are to ſee it only in Chriſt. for which cauſe the Miniſters of the Goſpell, are ſaid to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Ieſus Chriſt, 2 Cor. ch. 4. ver. 6. And as God himſelfe, ſo alſo his grace is only to be ſeene in the Lord Ieſus. Therfore ſaith the Apoſtle, 2 Tim. c. 1. v. 9. 10. that the grace of God which was given vsus in Chriſt, before the world was, is now made manifeſt by the appearing of our Saviour Ieſus Chriſt.
And as touching our ſelves, whatſoever grace or glory commeth vntounto vsus, by the ſight of the glory of God in the face of Ieſus Chriſt: it is in vsus but in part, which in him is fully. And many things yet reſt vnaccompliſhed in vsus, which are accompliſhed in him. having in vsus no other ſubſiſting, but that which faith giveth them. Wherefore the Apoſtle ſpeaking of the glory wherewith God hath crowned man, which yet we cannot ſee in our ſelves: ſendeth vsus to Ieſus, as to the cleereſt light, whereby to perceive the accompliſhment of that which is written, touching man in the 8. Pſalm. Hebr. ch. 2. verſ. 6. and for this cauſe ſaith Auguſtin, that Chriſt himſelfe is the cleereſt light of predeſtination and grace. Whoſe humane nature did by no preceeding merit either of faith or workes, purchaſe that it ſhould be received in vnitie of perſon by the Sonne of God: ſo that that Man, ſhould bee the only Sonne of God: for Chriſt the Man as he is Man, is made the Sonne of God of meere grace, who according to his divine nature was from everlaſting the only begotten Sonne of God.
Seeing therfore that in Chriſt, the cleereſt ſight of predeſti. and grace is to be had: if we would know in what order God doth adopt & iuſtifie vsus, we muſt firſt cōſider in what order God maketh Chriſt adoption & righteouſnes vntounto vsus. For if he make him our brother in order, before he make him our redēption of righteouſnes: thē ſurly our adoptiō in order muſt go before our iuſtificatiō.
Concerning Chriſt, it is cleere in the Scripturs that it is ſo, whether we reſpect Gods election before all time, or his performing therof in time: for the one, that is the dignity of Chriſt, as man to be the Son of God: is performed in the incarnatiō; the other wherby he is made our righteouſnes: is therafter accompliſhed in his ſuffring. For when the word was made fleſh, that fleſh in ſubſiſting and perſonalitie, was made the Son of God: never having frō the firſt moment of cōception, any ſubſiſting a part of it own, but only that of the ſecond perſon of the Trinitie. beeing not ſo much as cōceived by the H. Ghoſt in the wombe of Marie, but in vnitie of perſon, with the eternal Son of God. Therfore iuſtly do the Fathers call this benefit, gratiam Vnionis, that is, the grace of Vnion. Thus in the very firſt action of Diſpenſation, toward the Son of Marie, the grace of ſiliation ſhineth cleerely, before all other grace. After which in order followeth the action of God, making him our righteouſnes: when as he made him, now being his Sonne in our nature, ſinne for vsus, which he could not hauehave bene made for vsus, vntill firſt he was our brother. Like as we can have no right to his redemption, except we firſt be his brethren. For brotherhood is the foundation of redemption: in ſo farr that according to the Lawe and Ordinance of God, Chriſt can not offer vp him ſelfe a ranſome for any vntounto God, but ſuch as are his bretheren. Neither can any have part or portion in his oblation, whoſe brother he is not. For hee that ſanctifieth and they that are ſanctified are all of one, wherefore he is not ashamed to call them Brethren. Hebr. chap. 2. verſ. 11.
This ground is made manifeſt by the lawe of God: whereby it is ordayned, that the firſt borne of every man and beaſt, that is the male that firſt openeth the wombe: and the firſt ripe of all fruites, ſhall be offered and conſecrate to the Lord: that in the conſecration thereof, all the reſt comming of the ſame Wombe, or being of the ſame Maſſe or Kinde, might likewiſe bee conſecrated to God. For as ſayeth the Apoſtle, Rom. chap. 11. verſ. 16. If the first fruites be holy, ſo is the whole lumpe. And this is that which the Apoſtle will ſignifie, when hee ſayeth that Chriſt is the beginning & firſt be gotten of the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence, Coll. chap. 1. verſ. 18. Revel. chap. 1. ver. 5. As alſo when he ſayeth that Chriſt was made the firſt fruites of them that ſleepe. 1 Corinth. chap. 1. verſ. 20. this ſame thing doth the Apoſtle declare in the 8. to the Romanes. When hee ſheweth the reaſon why God hath predeſtinate vsus to bee made like to the Image of his Sonne, which is, that he might bee the firſt borne amongſt many Brethren. For his prerogative in birth, is made manifeſt by this, that in his conſecration we are conſecrated, according as ſayeth the Apoſtle, Hebr. chap. 10. verſ. 14. with one offring hath he conſecrated for ever, thoſe that are ſanctified.
Thus the very lawe of God doth teach vsus, that as the firſt borne Male did conſecrate all the reſt of the ſame wombe, that is brethren begotten of the ſame parents, and no other: and every firſt ripe fruite of every mans ground and in heritance did conſecrate to God the remanent fruite of the ſame ground and inheritance and no other: eaven ſo Ieſus Chriſt is conſecrate for none but for his brethren, and none are conſecrate by him, who are not brethren with him. For it is not his oblation that maketh brotherhood, but it is brotherhood that maketh his oblation. Wherevpon it muſt follow, that ſeeing Chriſt muſt firſt be our Brother, before he redeeme vsus, that we alſo muſt firſt be adopted, before we bee iuſtified.
This ſame the Lord would ſeeme to declare by the lawe of redemption which he eſtabliſhed in Iſrael: whereby all right of redemption, is given to the neereſt kinſman.
As alſo by the law touching the prerogative of the firſt borne: whereby he is made Lord amongſt his brethren, but amongſt none other. by which it appeareth cleerly, that brotherhood is both the ground and limitation of Chriſts office, both as Redeemer and Head of the Church; and this ſame brotherhood is the ground of all right that we can pretend vntounto the death or life of Ieſus Chriſt ourhead.