The Doctrine of Justification, Treatise · Chapter 14
CHAPTER XIIII.
THE laſt ground for cleering this point, is the due conſideration of the Covenant of God with Man. In the which, two things are eſpecially to be marked.
The firſt is, Thoſe to whom the Lord maketh his promiſe.
The ſecond is, The promiſe it ſelf, which God maketh to them.
Touching the firſt, the promiſe is not indefinitely made to all men, but to Abraham and to his ſeed alone. For God hath ſaid, he will be his God, and the God of his ſeed after him. Therefore no man that is not of this ſeed, doth obtayne any part of the promiſe: becauſe it is a benefite belonging to none, except to the ſeed onelyonly. Of which it is manifeſt that we muſt bee Abrahams ſeed, before we have right to the promiſe.
Now what is meant by the ſeed, the Apoſtle telleth vsus, Gal. chap. 3. verſ. 16. ſaying: he ſayeth not to the ſeeds as ſpeaking of many, but vntounto thy ſeede as of one, which is Chriſt. That is Chriſt myſtically conſidered with his members: who all ſpirituallie ingraft in him, make the body, whereof hee is the heade: as is manifeſt by the Apoſtles ſpeech, 1 Corinth. chapter 12. verſ. 12. Nowe we are made the ſeed, by our Adoption. For to be the ſeed of Abraham, is to be the children of God, as is cleere by the Apoſtle, Rom. chap. 9. where he ſaieth: Neither are they all children, becauſe they are the children of Abraham, but in Iſaack shall thy ſeed bee called, that is, they that are the children of the flesh, are not the children of God, but the children of the promiſe are counted for the ſeed. This ſame the Apoſtle confirmeth Gallat. chapter 3. verſe 29. ſaying, And if yee be Chriſts, then are yee Abrahams ſeed and heyres by promiſe. Of theſe things it followeth, firſt, that to be of the ſeed and to be the children of God and to be Chriſts, is all one thing.
Secondly, that wee muſt be the children of God, that is of the ſeed, before wee can enioy the promiſe. And ſo conſequently, that we muſt be Adopted before we be iuſtified: ſeeing iuſtification is a part of the promiſe, made vntounto the ſeede: as is cleere by the words of the Covenant. Ierem. chap. 31. and Hebr. chap. 8. I will be mercifull to their vnrighteouſneſſe, and I will remember their ſinnes and iniquities no more.
This ground is yet more cleere, by the Apoſtles ſpeech, Rom. chap. 9. where he anſwereth the doubt which might riſe, vponupon the reiection of the Iewes. videli. Whether GOD had fayled in performing of his promiſe? ſeeing they were the ſeed of Abraham which were reiected. The Apoſtle anſweres this, and cleeres the conſtant truth and veritie of God, in performing his promiſe vntounto the ſeed, according to his Covenant: by defining the ſeed aright: ſhewing that they are not accounted for the ſeed, becauſe they are the children of Abraham, according to the flesh, but becauſe they are children of the promiſe. In which diſcourſe, the Apoſtle layeth thoſe as neceſſary and infallible grounds.
Firſt, that we muſt be of the ſeed before wee claime the promiſe.
Secondly, that beeing of the ſeed, wee muſt be partakers of the promiſe. For otherwiſe God ſhould faile in his truth, and his word ſhould be of none effect.
Of which things we may perceyve, that the grace of God in which ſtandeth our Adoption, by which wee are made of the ſeed, muſt goe before all the graces contained in the promiſe, which is made vntounto the ſeed, ſeeing the beeing of the ſeed is the ground and foundation of enioying the promiſe.
This leades vsus to the knowledge of another point, which ſerves to cleare our iudgement touching this ſame ground. To wit, in what order to place the fruites and effects of our faith. Which, as we ſhall heare hereafter, is the effectuall inſtrument of God, by the which all bleſſings are communicate vntounto vsus. For in this life wee enioy no ſaving bleſſing but by faith onelyonly: for by it we embrace our Adoption, and are made the Sonnes of God. As witneſſeth the Apoſtle, Galath. chap. 3. verſ. 26. ſaying: ye are all the Sonnes of God by faith in Ieſus Chriſt, and by faith we apprehend our righteouſnes & are iuſtified, Rom. c. 3. v. 28. Gal. c. 3. v. 8. And ſo of all the reſt of the bleſſings. Thus both the parts of the Covenant, are wrought & effectuate in vsus by God, through faith. for by it wee are both made the ſeed, and doe obtaine the promiſe: but as being the ſeed, muſt goe before the enioying of the promiſe: even ſo that fruite of faith in Chriſt, whereby wee are made the Sonnes of God, muſt in order of diſpenſation, goe before that fruite of faith, whereby we are made that, which is promiſed vntounto the ſeed: and ſo conſequently by faith wee muſt firſt be made Sonnes before we be made iuſt.
Thus much touching theſe five grounds, which ſerves for cleering the order of the bleſſing of God, diſpenſed vntounto vsus in Chriſt. Which was the third of theſe foure points, which we laid downe, as neceſſarie to leade vsus to the knowledge of the right nature of the ſaving benefites of God: and ſo perticularlie of Iuſtification. So that it followeth, that wee ſhould enter to ſpeake of the laſt of the foure, touching the difference of one benefite from another: but firſt it ſhall not be amiſſe, to ſpeake ſomewhat of that other opinion, which houldeth Iuſtification to bee in order before Adoption: and to conſider the groundes wherevpon it is buylded.